Go With The Flow

Just drop the dirt!

It is our duty as the next generation to begin to explore more ethical means of food sources, and implementing them into society.

It is about being sustainable, producing quality nutrient rich, whole foods. It is about being able to feed ourselves, our neighbors, and those who often go without, and unnoticed.

It is about saving out planet, our soil, and our wildlife. It is about saving all of us, our planet, our species.

It is about changing, for the better.

With climate change our soil is loosing nutrients. We have become so accustom to the basic miscommunication between the planet, its energies, and our environment.

The veggies that are transported to ones local grocery store, have been in transit for sometimes days. There is hardly any nutrients within the structure. This is why your salad that you picked and prepared immediately will always taste better, and leave you with more energy than the kale you picked up from the grocery store.

Do it, just as little test.

If you have the privilege of a farmers market; buy the same produce from the market, and then your big chain grocery store. You could also do this experiment with produce from a local market, and then a big chain store. You will taste the difference. Not to mention if you are all about NON GMOS and buying organic.

You must know that something they don't tell us, is that no matter how they are grown, they still get on the same truck, and sprayed with the same pesticides and chemicals so they can enter that grocery mart.

Yes! Even if they are organic!

We literally are paying more just consume chemicals. For anyone who eats or consumes meat, it is the exact same. Unless your butcher can prove to you, and provide evidence, that your meat was ethically slaughtered - even though that itself is oxymoronic.

No matter if they are grass fed, or free range, if they end up on the truck. They are killed the same way, covered in disease and lacking basic nutrition.

Then we eat that. Energy is real, and it matters what you put into your body! Think about some of the negative, and toxic energy you unknowingly consume. You can change that, though! There is always a first day for everything.

I first began researching hydroponics, around three years ago. It was always something I was speaking of in the future tense. I wanted to built my own system but kept putting it off. Until the pandemic hit, and the wizard behind the curtain was revealed.

Food, water, time, communication, and shelter are our only currency and I desperately wanted to learn the art of being sustainable, and zero waste.

Beginning ones own aquaponic, or hydroponic system, one is able to achieve sustainable, a pesticide free alternative to farming.

When growing and obtaining nutrients from any product grown, one must have the capability, the willingness, knowledge, and patience to do so. One must also accommodate for the space if residing in cities or being unable to obtain local produce.

This is where growing vertically, and ethically growing through a close loop system comes into play. Twice the space, twice the yield, a close looped system insuring stability, and sustainability. Sure it takes a little more time, and it might not be done in one day, but hydroponics, and aquaponics are growing methods worth considering.

The Difference Between Aquaponic And Hydroponic

Hydroponics:

It is the process of growing plants in a high-nutrient water mixture. Suspended in above water, or in water, instead of soil.

Aquaponics:

The growing of fish in an enclosed monitored environment; A closed loop system of aquaculture. The waste from the fish supplies nutrients to the plant life grown hydroponically. The waste produced from the fish feed the plants, and the plants in turn help purify the water for the aquatic wildlife. It is the cooperation between plants, and wildlife.

Hydroponics For Beginners: What You'll Need And How To Begin

1.) Choosing your seeds - non-gmo, organic seeds (which ironically is more difficult than you would think to find) but nonetheless - a variety of seeds you wish to grow

2.) Decide on a system - there are six well known systems, as well as those who have formulated hybrid of multiple systems. But to begin, there are really six different systems that are highly recognized.

3.) Choose a light source - this really does depend on which medium, or growing system you are beginning with or trying.

4.) Choose plant growing medium - since you will not be using soil or dirt, you will need a growing medium. This isn't necessarily based on which growing system you use, but each individual farmer will have a preference.

5.) Substrate supplements + nutrients - with all of the research I have done, plus just asking around to different farmers. I find that this, much like whatever growing medium you use, really just depends on preference, and results.

6.) Water PH Meter - this is to accurately test your water, and nutrient source.

7.) Add, mix and test solution - add supplements to water, and add your nutrients to your medium - PH test and begin! Always make sure you have a little notebook or journal to catalogue results, difficulties, or ideas.

No soil, means no bugs, which means no pesticides, which means more nutrients per yield. No matter what system you choose, you will always need four or five core supplies. Which is a light source, substrate or an alternative to soil, water or RO - Reverse osmosis, or air pump, and nutrient solution. No matter what those will always be apart of the genetic makeup of your system.

The Most Popular Six Hydro Growing Systems

1.) Deep Water Culture System

Easily the most popular, and overall the best system for a new beginner. Easy to maintain once established, and checked. Most likely the cheapest option for any beginner. Remembering the core four principals, the deep water culture system or often referred to as DWC.

There is a reservoir of water, which is filled, mixed, and tested with a formulated nutrient rich solution. Then the plant roots are suspended above the water solution, for a continuous steady supply of water and oxygen.

• Summary: Could be considered the most popular system within the community. Overall very cheap to construct, and once situated and tested, easy to maintain or update.

2.) Wicking System

The wick system is exactly set up how it sounds.

There is a single wick between the two mediums that transports nutrients naturally without pumps.

All the nutrients are absorbed through the wick, and passed through the system.

The wick acts like a rope but more so like a bridge, it allows for the nutrient rich water to be passed, and soaked up by the plant. The plants of course are suspended in a growing medium of your own choosing.

There is a reservoir of nutrient rich water, or some sort of water reservoir with the nutrient solution. One end of the wick is placed in the solution and the other in the growing medium.

This is the only system that does not have to run off of electricity, or air pumps. The wick system is considered to be the "training wheel" system of the hydroponic world.

Although it has many benefits, this system is best for a small garden, or small space, with a frequent harvest. More hardy greens, and heavier plants may not be able to thrive.

One of the cons to consider would be the size of your garden, and attention to detail. If a wicking system is put into place that isn't tested or monitored or built with cause the system could kill your plants.

• Summary: The wicking system is great for someone just starting out. Probably the best beginner system, but must be made with great attention to detail in order to not kill plants. A small yield amount. Pretty cheap overall, but could become expensive if not paying attention to the wick or its' potential damage.

3.) Ebb + Flow

This system is called the ebb and flow system but is better known as the flood and drain method.

It is another hydroponic system that could be used among home gardeners, or for a larger more mature group of plants. With this type of system, the plants are positioned in a spacious grow bed, packed with a grow medium of your choosing. The grow bed is then flooded with the nutrient-rich solution until the water reaches just below the very top layer of the specific medium. This ensures that the solution will not overflow.

So you will need a pump, a timer, and of course a PH meter. The timer will be set up so that it is timed perfectly with the level of the water in the grow medium. After it has reached that top layer, the timer will go off, stopping the flow of water and beginning the draining process of the cycle. It is then drained from the grow beds, away from the plants, and is filtered back into the same system. The water us usually sent back to the pump, where it is tested and sometimes cleaned before the next timer cycle.

• Summary: The flood and drain method. Very self explanatory, the garden is flooded and then drained to promote root growth. This is a great system for experts or the beginner with hopes of a large garden.

4.) Drip System

This is the system for the growing alchemist to re-arrange, and hold a dense and plentiful amount of plants.

The nutrient solution in this case would be pumped into a tube. That tube then sends the nutrients straight to the base of the plant. At the end of the tube is a drip emitter. This controls how much nutrient water each plant receives. This differs depending on the specific species. Each plant species has their own needs based on their own criteria.

For this system, it could be beneficial to have the same plant species near one another. After this the needs are adjusted to the plants, and hardly ever changed. Just in need of maintaining, and monitoring.

This is a system that can handle small or large volume plants. It is also a system that could be set up for circulating or non-circulating. For instance, a circulating system will constantly drip, any extra unused nutrients are then sent directly back to the reservoir tank.

In a circulating system there may be more of a need for constant tweaking or re-configuring, the pH will need to be tested and monitored daily, or even multiple times a day.

This system can pretty much handle any and all plant sizes, shapes, and species.

• Summary: Efficient, simple design, and easy to set up. Great system for any and all sizes, and species. Great for an experienced farmer, or very regulated testing schedule. There are many great things to consider when thinking about this grow system, because unlike the other systems there is more options of grow styles within the single system. Could be good for a beginner, but the beginner must be patient and willing to learn. Also great system for someone who constantly likes to re-work and manage projects.

5.) N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technology)

Overall very easy to use, but the only system that doesn't really grow well with a grow medium. Typically with this system you will see the use of net-pots.

It can be used on a variety of species, with a variety of applications.

The nutrient solution is placed into a large reservoir, then pumped into the channels (these channels can be made to specific scale). When pumped into the channel, it flows down and over each root system with the correct amount of nutrient water.

Even though this system can’t necessarily accommodate larger plants, or larger root systems due to the channel, it can be scaled. This is why most commercial growers, or local farmers use this method.

• Summary: Not recommended for beginners. Can be expanded upon once constructed. Highly recommended for large volume growing. Most popular with commercial farming. Can be scaled to size, but each system would need to be programmed or configured around the root size. That way there is the potential of having multiple systems for multiple species.

6.) Aeroponic Systems

A great system for a beginner who likes to be challenged and a beginner who enjoys a difficult at home built.

The plants are suspended in the air, instead of being suspended above water.

There are typically mist hoses, or nozzles set up and positioned to spray the plants. Kind of like at the grocery store, when your produce is spritzed for freshness. Except these plants are suspended in the air, being misted with a nutrient solution from below (sometimes above).

Defiantly unlike the other systems, it is truly one of a kind but has proved its efficiency. The hoses are connected to the water pump which is filled with the nutrient solution, then pressurized in the pump catching all excess from the reservoir below.

This is where the difficult at home built comes into play. Your dimensions for the reservoir have to be precise and if they are then pretty much any species can flourish, and grow. The dimensions for your reservoir would depend on your plant species, and its root size.

This system technically uses less water than the systems listed above because the plants are suspended in the air, and are able to intake more oxygen naturally.

• Summary: Not great for beginners, but could be considered for a beginner who likes a challenge. Difficult at home build. The most efficient, and potentially the most sustainable system considering it uses the least amount of water. Can be costly to built, and maintain due to the nozzles needing a deep cleaning every once in awhile.

Types Of Substrate

This is your soil replacement so there is a preference with each individual, but also your growing media really depends on the type of system you are going to be manufacturing, and the volume of your garden or farm.

Here are some of the most popular, and well known options.

• Rockwool
• Oasis Cubes
• Expanded Clay Pebbles
• Coco Fiber + Coco Chips
• Perlite
• Vermiculite

Seed Source Is Important

Always consider a good seed, not a GMO seed.

A great place to think about hydro seed, or starter plants if you are unable to obtain organic seeds is Johnny's Select Seed, great for online purchases.

Again, organic produce at the grocery store has to be sprayed with the same pesticides as the non organic produce being shipped in.

An organic seed is just that, organic. A natural compound seed not genetically modified.

In summary, a dream of mine would be to someday write a follow-up article. Where I can spill all the little trade and community secrets, to share the success in my failures, in hopes it would inspire someone else, to ditch the dirt. These glorious details only unfold with time, and attention. I have the patience, and will to see it through. A dream of mine would be to create a vertical garden, and then manufacture them throughout cities.

Vertical growing is for those humans living without homes, and for hospitals, and care facilities to ensure each of the suffering is met with nutrition, and nothing but loving energy. No one deserves to be hungry, and no one deserves to eat chemicals simply because they are hungry, and on a budget.

It is our duty as a generation facing climate change, that we must be sustainable with each action. We must get back to our roots of being truly human, one with nature, one with source.