Windowsill Hydroponics

 

Before I progress onto the various hydroponics systems and how to use them I wish to take a look at two aspects of this technique that are somewhat connected. As I have said elsewhere, on Landscaping Info 4U, hydroponics is used as an educational tool so for this article I shall take a look at windowsill hydroponics and in the next I will take a look at hydroponic projects.

The photograph above shows an incredible system which is suitable for both ordinary garden plants and hydroponics. By using clear plastic the roots are completely visible which makes it ideal for educational purposes. Of course such a system is really only suitable for a small number of plants. So what can be done if you wish to grow more?

Obviously the main constriction on the number of plants you can grow is the actual size of your windowsill, however it is sometimes possible to add an upper tier with the simple addition of a removable shelf (this will allow you to remove it for cleaning and access). You can opt for one large system or any number of smaller systems.

I would strongly suggest that you start your windowsill hydroponics using a complete kit, one which has all the required elements including the growing lights. Grow lights are often required on the windowsill to give your plants a little boost or to extend the hours of "daylight". Sadly, no matter how bright you kitchen, it is often the case that your kitchen windowsill plants will get far less sunlight than those growing outdoors but this can be rectified by the addition of one or more lights.

AeroGarden/AeroGrow products are perfect for this exact situation and their kits are very easy to move from one place to another without detriment to your plants, which is great for cleaning. There are a variety of kits available which come supplied with everything you will need including the seeds. AeroGrow claim that in their AeroGarden PRO100 plants grow up to 50% faster than their other systems.

Plants suited to windowsill hydroponics include a variety of edible flowers, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chili peppers and herbs, the most popular herbs being basil, Italian basil & purple basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint and parsley, but others can also be grown. You will find a selection of AeroGrow products in our online gardening store.

 

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