 |
| Hydroponic Tips, A Fun Way To Maintain Ornamental Plants (source) |
Hydroponic Tips, A Fun Way To Maintain Ornamental Plants. Want your house to be beautiful with ornamental plants, but the land is limited, there is no left at all. Intends to beautify the interior with ornamental plants, but do not have much time. How about this?
Do not be sad! Both of these obstacles can be overcome if we plant with hydroponic techniques. As the name implies, this technique uses water as the main medium for growing plants.
About Hydroponics, A Fun Way To Maintain Ornamental Plants
Starting from personal experience and some reading material, I would like to share this technique. Come on, find out how to do the following hydroponic farming fun:
The easiest and simplest hydroponic technique is done by placing houseplants in a container filled with plain water or - preferably - nutritious water. We can cut the stems of the plant or select the rooted part of the plant to be planted.
Many types of ornamental plants can be developed with this simple hydroponics. Some of the relatively fast growing species with minimal maintenance are betel, sansevieria, dracaena and Japanese bamboo.
While the container can be selected from various types of materials, such as flower vases from the ground, glass or plastic bottles, glass cups, and ceramic mugs. I myself use a number of cups or mugs to plant betel, bamboo and sansevieria.
In order not to become a breeding ground for larvae, water changes need to be done regularly. When changing the water, we can wash the roots as well as the stems and leaves so that the plant looks clean and shiny. The selection of a transparent container that shows the roots of the plant can be a special attraction.
Another method that is also relatively simple and widely applied is the hydroponic wick system which makes use of the law of capillary action.
The container used can be a used plastic bottle that is halved. For the top cut, a cloth or wick is added which is inserted into the neck of the bottle.
Then the two halves were cupped together. The wick section is a place to plant seeds, while the other part is used as a container for water or nutritional solutions.
We can be creative with various suitable containers. As far as I know in the online market there are also ready-to-use bottles for planting using this wick hydroponic technique. This hydroponic system has the potential to reduce larval development in water.
Hydroponics with Hydrogel Media
Hydrogels (water beads) are artificial polymers that can absorb water up to hundreds of times their weight or size. Hydrogel is insoluble in water and non-toxic.
 |
| Hydroponic Tips, A Fun Way To Maintain Ornamental Plants |
The hydrogel-based hydroponics technique is as straightforward as simple and wick hydroponics. Hydrogel plays a role in providing the water needed by plants. As with ordinary hydroponics, not all plants can be maintained using the hydrogel technique.
Some that are possible are the betel group, sansevieria, aglaonema, dracaena, ornamental bamboo, anthurium, philodendron, and a number of other plants that like high humidity.
To maintain ornamental plants with hydroponics based on hydrogels, we can apply the following steps:
- Choose the type of plant, either rooted or by cutting the stem. Wash all parts of the plant carefully, then soak it in water for about 24 hours.
- Soak the hydrogel in water for 3-4 hours or until it expands. If the hydrogel has enlarged, wash it with clean water and drain.
- Prepare a clean container according to the size of the plant. To bring out the attractive color of the hydrogel, choose a transparent container.
- Put the drained hydrogel into the container.
Next, add the plants and fill the container with the hydrogel to the brim. Make sure the plant is in a sturdy position.
Hydrogel resistance varies depending on the absorption capacity of each type of plant. If the water content starts to decrease - marked by a decrease in gel size - it means that the hydrogel has to be fattened again by adding or spraying water.
Periodically, it is also a good idea to take steps such as at the beginning of washing the dirty hydrogel at once. After washing, it's a good idea to soak the hydrogel in warm water. Meanwhile, we can wash containers and ornamental plants to keep them clean and free from moss to keep the plants healthy.
For me personally - if I don't have enough time - sometimes just add water to the container. Even so, I also regularly wash the hydrogel.
Hydroponics with Other Planting Media
Apart from hydrogels, hydroponics can also be combined with various other absorbent growing media, such as rockwool, charcoal, or stem ferns. All of them can be purchased at houseplants.
 |
| Hydroponic Tips, A Fun Way To Maintain Ornamental Plants (source) |
Unlike the simple hydroponics and hydrogels, this one technique is a little tricky - in my personal opinion. However, with this technique more types of plants can be bred.
The reason is, with this type of hydroponics, a much larger container can be used. Apart from the types mentioned above, there are many more ornamental plants that can be developed using this technique.
Among them are flower ornamental plants, such as sunflowers, roses, and leaf ornamental plants such as Maidenhair fern and anthurium. Many people have succeeded in developing ornamental flower plants with this technique. Follow these steps:
- Choose the type of plant, both rooted and freshly cut. It can also be from seeds (preferably buy from trusted parties).
- Wash all parts of the plant and soak in water for about 24 hours.
- Prepare two containers of different sizes. "Container 1" is larger and has no holes and can accommodate the smaller "container / container 2" that has a hole at the bottom. On the market, a pair of pots for this hydroponic technique are sold.
- Pour into "container 1" diluted nutrient water. Hydroponic plant nutrients can be purchased at home plant stores. In "pot or container 2" plant the prepared seeds or plants. Use the appropriate planting medium. Put "pot or container 2" into "container 1".
Perform control of nutrient solutions and plant care regularly. Don't forget to clean the container containing the nutrient solution periodically so that it doesn't get mossy and looks dirty.
Hydroponic Ornamental Plant Care
Like plants with soil media, hydroponic ornamental plants also need care - although they are not as thick and frequent as soil-based plants. Here are the things that need to be considered in its treatment.
- Put a pot or container of ornamental plants in the shade with good air circulation. I recommend that you avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
- Perform periodic control over the conditions of water or nutrient solutions, and hydrogels or other growing media. Water control in simple hydroponics which tends to be open needs to be more intensive because it has the potential to become a nest for larvae.
- To keep ornamental plants healthy and fertile, don't forget to add fertilizers or nutrients to the water or hydrogel.
- Trim the parts of the plant that begin to wilt or die.
- Change the planting media-rockwool, etc.-periodically, at least every six months.
- Spray pesticides immediately if you see signs of mold, pests, or other diseases. The natural alternative is replacing plants.
What do you think? Are you interested in maintaining ornamental plants with hydroponic techniques? You can try, stay happy and cheerful by maintaining ornamental plants at home in this fun way! By: Ochie
0 comments