The Advantages Of Hydroculture Kits
With the abundance of photos I’ve posted on this website of my hydroculture gang, I believe more than enough hints have been dropped that I have a preference for glass containers over anything else. And it’s true. I love the aesthetical value and enormous variety of glass containers and vases. There are so many different shapes and sizes to choose from that I can’t resist taking a leisurely stroll in the ‘glass container’ section of stores that I visit - always. The number of times that I’ve come home with yet another glass thingamajig that I ‘could not resist’ is countless. I now have more glass containers than I have plants. On a more positive note, empty containers are a good reason and valid excuse to pick up more plants, so maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all. “Your honor, I couldn’t leave that container empty, deprived of its own plant to have and to hold”
Aside from the aesthetical value that gratifies me, there is also the convenience that my fondness for glass provides. With this crystal clear view I am able to easily check the water level of my plants and act accordingly depending on what I see. I am also able to glimpse the roots, which is especially useful with new conversions. I don’t need to disassemble a setup to inspect the root system for signs of those succulent new water roots. I can observe the initial stages right through the transparent container.
But enough about me and my glass dependency, let’s talk about hydroculture kits.
The Hydro Kit And Caboodle
While my preference may be glass, yours might not. I wouldn’t want visitors to this site to be left with the impression that I don’t approve of or recommend standard hydroculture setups just because I don’t use them (and because I only yak incessantly about glass containers). I highly recommend the full kit and caboodle for your hydro plants. I just prefer glass for my own.
There are some wonderful commercial hydroculture starter kits available for your flora. These kits are a complete set that include an inner growing pot (culture pot, insert), an outer pot, the growing medium and a water level indicator. Retailers sometimes include nutrients in this package. You can search for and purchase them online or you can visit a local hydroponics shop, which is bound to have some in-house. And even if they don’t, they can probably order them for you.
The starter kits are wonderfully convenient, especially when you’re a newbie to the hydroculture club. They include everything you need minus the plant. If you’re lucky enough, you might even shop from a supplier that will include instructions with their ensemble. What more can you ask for?
The advantage of standard setups is the guaranteed success you will have with them and the ease of use. While a glass vase may be attractive, you might not want to start with a one-container setup that has no water indicator built right in. Yes, you can see the water level, but if it’s your first hydro conversion, you will be unfamiliar with managing the water level and you will have many questions. How much water should you add? Half way up? An inch or two? Should the water touch the roots? What will happen if it does? How often should you change it? How do you clean the glass and rinse the pellets? Should you disassemble the whole setup? Will it suffice just to fill it up with water, tip it over and pour it out? Should you let the water run out completely before adding more? Or should there always be some water in the container? How Much? Half way up...
Along with helping you determine effortlessly how much water to add and when, professionally manufactured commercial kits are durable, simple to use and recyclable. They are also extremely decorative, with outer containers available in many different styles to suit every diverse interior environment. Whether you prefer modern, classic, country or eclectic designs, you will find retailers offering a wide selection of pots and planters to satisfy your ideal style and décor. Containers are available in (lacquered) wood, metal, brass, copper, stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic, terracotta and ceramic finishes. You will find a variety of colours and sizes to choose from as well as the ideal depth required for certain plants; containers can be tall, short, wide and even slender. And finally, you can seal the deal with the option to choose a preferred shape - hexagon, rectangle, circle and square. There are scores of decorative options to satisfy every individual taste.
Each outer pot comes with a suitable plastic insert. The inserts are made to line any kind of pot you decide upon. They are also portable, which is very useful. For example, if you already have water-tight containers at home that you don’t want to surrender, you can simply buy an insert with a water gauge to slip into your existing pot. There are no hard and fast rules to mixing and matching the outer containers to suitable inserts. You decide.
Prices vary from one retailer to another as you will find out when you visit your local hydroponics shop or surf the internet. Basic plastic complete kits with no fancy décor are more economical than the elaborate choices. You will determine what can and cannot fit into your budget. While some outer containers can be very expensive, the inserts and their water gauge are a little more reasonable, so you might decide to supply your own pot and simply purchase the guts of the system. If you do decide to splurge on the whole kit and caboodle, there is peace of mind in knowing that it’s a one-time investment. You pay for it only once and it’s permanent – inner and outer pot, water level indicator and pellets.
Before Stocking The Garage Sale, Snoop Around
Almost anything can be a plant container in hydroculture as long as it’s impermeable and incapable of releasing harmful chemicals into the water that your plant depends on. So, if you are a very creative individual, look around before you put together the items for your garage sale because you may be able to conjure up some interesting setups with objects available around your home.
That colourful bucket – carrying handle included - with the addition of a culture pot, a water gauge and an ornamental plant will add an attention-grabbing touch to your kitchen and probably stimulate some interesting discussions; nothing like an unusual conversation piece to get the dialogue going. You might decide to keep that unused teapot when you discover how charming it looks sitting on your kitchen windowsill with an African Violet blooming in it. A multi-hued, trendy wastebasket can easily be converted to a stunning plant pot to contain eye-catching (humidity) loving plants – calatheas, ferns, palms, crotons - in your bathroom that you can enjoy as you soak in your candlelit bath. Even those containers you bought from all the Tupperware parties you felt obligated to attend for your friend’s sake are potential pots for plants. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination.
Together with each outstanding invention, hydroculture offers you the ability to create beautiful plant displays. You can have a hodgepodge of plants potted up together, creating a dazzling botanical scene, unlike the restrictions that soil provided because of each plant’s vastly differing water requirements. In hydroculture there are no more obstacles standing between your imagination and exceptional plant arrangements. Those eccentric, drought-loving Sansevierias can team up with the thirsty Spathiphyllum, the showy Coleus and the evenly-moist-loving Maranta and Fittonia - seamlessly. The sky’s the limit.
You already know the many advantages to hydroculture – clean, odorless, great for asthmatics and people with allergies, minimal maintenance, no bugs, pests, mold or fungus, no more watering mistakes. That’s reason number one to switch to this system. The outstanding assortment of attractive pots and containers, combined with endless planting schemes pleasing to the eye are the icing on the cake.
Hydroculture is the answer to simplifying houseplant care, making it a walk in the park. And it’s visually attractive to boot.
Get growing!
For The Do-It-Yourselfers
If you decide to use opaque containers, you are aware that the most important
aspect in that arrangement is being able to monitor the water level. Obviously
that makes the water level indicator indispensable. But if you’re the type that
enjoys putting together ideas, you can build your own hydro gauge. By building your
own, you will be able to expand upon the endless possibilities already available in
hydroculture. You can include your self-made gadget in all your potting setups,
including glass containers if you want more assurance and in single-pot methods that
exclude the need for culture pots.
If you surf the internet, you will likely come across personal websites that share
their innovative ideas. And just to get you started, I will send you off to a fellow
hydroculture enthusiast’s website that shares my passion for this growing method
and – coincidentally – offers you a step-by-step process for building a water
level indicator with a picture included.
That wheel has already been invented over at: Houseplant Hydroculture
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