Setup a Hydroponic Garden for Year Round Growing

What's a garden without dirt? Hydroponics! While a whole lot of effort is put into tending to the soil in our gardens, soil itself is only the nutrient reservoir and otherwise totally inessential to growing plants. Provide the food source in water and your plants will grow just as hardily without a drop of dirt.

Whether you live in a New York high-rise, the desert of Arizona or Minnesota in the winter, hydroponics make it possible to grow fresh vegetables and herbs all year around.

Hydroponic kits are available in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Some are even pretty enough to put on a kitchen counter to make clipping herbs into salads or soups quick and easy.  For do-it-yourselfer,  with a few supplies you can construct a system in an afternoon.  Which ever way you go, the basics of a home hydroponic system is simple.

Containers

• For DYI, fish tanks make the perfect hydroponic reservoir because they are solid, meant to hold water and have equal top/bottom dimensions. Any container with similar qualities will work just as well.
• Whether purchased or made, your container needs to block light or you will soon have algae growing along with your plants.   If using a fish tank or other clear container, spray it with black paint or cover with black plastic or fabric.

Lights

• Essential if your hydroponics garden will be indoors.
• If you have a full scale greenhouse operation, use lights as needed.

Support

• Lacking soil something needs to hold the plants upright.
• You can use Styrofoam or Rockwool.
• If you opt for Styrofoam you will need to cut it about one-quarter inch smaller than your container as well as cutting a hole for the air pump hose and holes for your net pots. Your Styrofoam will float in the water so made sure it is able to rise and lower easily - thus the benefit of an even dimensioned container.

QTY 10 375 Mesh Net Pot Cup Hydroponics Aeroponic    US $8.48

• Rockwool is a growing medium that can be purchased in sheets or blocks/cubes. They must either come with center holes for placing your plant or you must cut your own. Rockwool isn't wool at all but is made from molten rock. It's used in hydroponics as well as for rooting cuttings.

Net pots

• These individual plant pots look like doll size clothes baskets.
• You will place plants in your net pot then into the Styrofoam or Rockwool and finally into the container.

Air pump

• Plants will not live by nutrients alone.
• Without air circulating oxygen to the bottom of the container and the roots, your plants will soon be taking their last breath.
• Air pumps come from mini to industrial sizes.
• Just make sure it runs quietly if you share living space with your hydroponics system.

Nutrient Solution

• If there is anywhere you can go more wrong in hydroponics,  it's with your fertilizer.
• Too little will product weak, spindly plants and too much will burn your plant to death.
• Chose hydroponics nutrient solution only as your plants need a full spectrum of nutrients, trace minerals and anti-microbial agents to kill off fungus.
• Follow directions carefully but also use your eyes, instincts and a meter to increase or decrease feeding.

pH and Nutrient Monitoring

• Yes, there is a meter for that.
• Monitoring the pH and nutrient levels in your hydroponic garden will help your plants grow healthier and produce abundantly and let you sleep better at night knowing you did it right.

How to Grow Lavender Indoors

Lavender is an easy to grow herb and will adapt well to most indoor conditions. If it isn't growing in your home, you're missing out on the everything-lavender craze.

This herb has so many benefits it's hard to decide whether to use it in baking a sweet bread or to add elegance to a hot bath.  Indecision is perfectly ok because just by sitting in its pot, lavender will fill your home with fragrance and beauty.

• Never compromise on your potting soil for any plant or you will have a fish out of water quandary. Putting a plant in the wrong soil is a lot like exchanging money in a foreign country; you're bound to lose a few. To avoid losing your beautiful new lavender plant, add lime and sand to a high quality potting mix.

• This lovely herb loves to spread and most indoor growing ventures go wrong with this herb when it's put in a too small pot for it spreading root system. Check that the root ball has several inches of pot room but not so much more as lavender demands its soil be on the drier side.

• A clay pot will ensure that the soil dries out nicely for this arid herb. The pot must also be large enough to accommodate a 1-2 inch layer of gravel at the bottom or you will end up with root rot. Don't attempt to use a shallow pot.

• Lavender is a bit of a show off and likes the attention afforded by a sunny windowsill. Never put this herb in a corner, it simply will not tolerate anything but a day of bright sunlight.

• Lavender is neither a sipper nor a hardy drinker. It will not tolerate frequent watering nor a soggy environment. Let the soil become just dry to the touch then give it a good watering before leaving it to dry again.

• Never mist the foliage and avoid getting it wet when watering.

• Native of the Mediterranean, lavender can enjoy the warm temperatures in most homes. Just don't put it directly next to a heat source and check the soil more often if your home is very warm.

• Perhaps hypnotized by its own scent, lavender will quickly fail in a stuffy or smoke filled home. If not too cold for humans,  give it a bit of fresh outdoor air a time or two per week and especially if there is a light breeze.

• Despite it aromatic beauty, lavender is a hardy dessert plant and was born to wander. It can grow one to three feet tall and endless feet wide. Once your plant has reached the limits of its pot, put it out in the garden or prune it heavily (and cut back the root ball if necessary) rather than continue its confinement.

• Use a general purpose fertilizer sparingly just once or twice at the most in the growing season. Give your herb a nicely ground up eggshell a few times per year for an extra limey treat.

• Lavender is too fragrant for most pests but, while outdoors, an occasional caterpillar may dine on the leaves. Other than root rot, your herb is safe from all creatures except the over mothering or neglectful human.

French lavender is usually recommended for growing indoors. You will recognize this variety by its serrated leaves. However, it is the least aromatic of the three varieties; English and Spanish being the other two.

So if you're set on having the most fragrance possible, choose English first then Spanish. At some point, you will have to give them up the great outdoors but if you lack an outdoors planting area, with care you can at least enjoy a temporary relationship.

Should you want a more permanent relationship with your lavender, go with the French and summer it on a patio. Unless you live in Florida, this variety will not survive a winter outdoors so bring it back in with the first chill of fall.

Enjoy Your Mint Harvest

If you added mint your garden you need ideas on how to enjoy your harvest. Mint is not a stingy herb; it gives and keep on giving.

If your mint garden has gotten out of control, you can learn how to establish boundaries for this hardy perennial here but if you just want to enjoy, try these 10 tips for using your mint.

And don't forget to check all the mint recipes below. Your favorite recipes awaits!

Ten Great Ways to Use Mint:

1. Garnish your dinner plate with a sprig of mint. Looks lovely and freshens yours and your guest breath. Chew like gum.
2. Crush a few leave and put a hot bath to simmer like tea. When the water is comfortably warm, soak away to energize and refresh.
3. Toss in the pot, a minute or so at the end of cooking, with those vegetables the kids (or you) won't eat like peas and broccoli. Try mint with Brussels sprouts; the contrast between the bitter and the minty is to die for.
4. Skip the Pepto. Mint tea or milk is super for tummy aches. Crush the leaves and steep in hot water or milk for several minutes. Remove the leaves and feel better.
5. Cut in very thin strips and add to a tossed salad of lettuce, red onions, mandarin orange sections and walnuts.
6. To zip blackhead or acne naturally, put a two-to-one ratio of water and mint leaves in a blender, strain and save the pulp for number >>. Mix with a two-to-one ratio of mild facial cleanser and refresh and destroy zits and pimples.
7. Take the pulp you saved in number << and mix it with half a container of plain yogurt, which you have previously drained for several hours; just so it isn't runny. Spread it over face and relax for 10-15 minutes. Try not to lick it off.
8. Place a smaller leaf in each cube of an ice tray, add water and freeze. Toss a few in a glass of water or your favorite cocktail.
9. For a sore throat put a two-to-one ratio of water and mint leaves in a blender, strain, add sea or table salt and gargle.
10. Make a mint spread with feta cheese, parsley, scallions, garlic, lemon zest and extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with warm Greek breads. Makes you hungry just thinking about it doesn't it.

All Mint Recipes at allrecipes.com
Mint Recipes at epicurean.com
Indian Mint Recipes at indobase.com

How to Grow Hardy Mint

If you're new to gardening, give yourself a boost of self confidence by growing mint.  Indoors or out, mint is a hardy and prolific perennial and doesn't give up easily even on the brownest thumbed gardener.

In fact, mint may very well take over your entire garden.  If you don't tend to it, mint will spread like wild fire. If left to its own, mint will make a super ground cover so plant with that design in mind.

Mint can get overly friendly with other plants so you may want to restrict it with a container or hanging basket. Should you want to plant directly in the ground, you can control it by planting in bottomless containers or by digging out the full area you want it to roam and laying out a plastic liner about 18 inches deep.  Remember to poke some drain holes in the liner then fill with soil and show your mint you know how to establish boundaries.

Mint is one plant that doesn't start well from seeds so buy starter plants. Then plant as soon as you can first dig in the soil in early spring so that you can enjoy continuous harvests all summer long.  Despite their size, set the plants 12-18 inches apart or you'll be pruning all summer long.

Lucky for you, mint is not a sun worshiper so, where other plants fail, mint is going to make that partially shady spot in your garden look fabulous.  It's only upkeep besides pruning is to keep the soil nutrient-rich and moist but never soggy.

Growing mint in poor soil and full sun or all shade will keep its growth in check but that's just being cruel to this beautiful herb.

Don't hesitate to pinch off sprigs frequently. This will keep keep the plants bushy and reward you with one of the most tasty and versatile herbs.  Mint doesn't just make a great tea, it has healing benefits that have been relied upon for centuries.

Now fast forward two or three months after planting and you'll more mint than you can think how to use. Fear not; here are ten ways to enjoy your bounty.  There are hundreds of  more ways to use mint. When you find your favorite way, come back and share it.

A DIY Craft and Great Gift Idea Too!

Try this Do It Yourself project for an indoor herb garden or flower  sanctuary  to bring joy to your home or give as a gift.

This is a great project for the kids or grand kids with adult supervision.  The pride and responsibility of taking care of a living things will last them a lifetime.

This is also a great gift for a housebound loved ones that misses the garden.  And of course it is a beautiful addition to any home decor.

Here’s what you need:

• Pre-made wooden window box
• 2 plastic containers that fit comfortably in the window box
• Optional: wood water sealant for inside the wooden box
• Sandpaper
• Electric drill, bracket and screws for attaching to wall
• Acrylic paints: white and colors of your choice
• Stencils or an artist ability
• Gloss overcoat
• 2" paint brush and sponges for the stencils
• Potting pebbles
• Nursery quality soil
• Herbs and/or flowers

Method:

1. Smooth the outside window box with sandpaper use gain-directinon strokes until all rough edges are smooth
2. Optional: apply water sealant inside the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
3. Apply two coats of white base to the outside of the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
4. Decorate with colored paint using stencils of  hearts, leaves, lattice, animals etc.
5. Dry over night and apply two coats of gloss to the outside of the wooden box per manufacturer's directions
6. Attach bracket to the wall just under the window
7. Place 1 of the plastic container boxes in the wooden box
8. Remove the drain covers from the 2nd plastic container and place it in the 1 container
9. Line the 2nd container with a dense layer of pebbles end to end
10. Fill with soil mix, flowers and/or herbs
11. Water without over saturating
12. Fertilize often with a slow release variety
13. Check the 1 plastic container monthly or as needed for excess water disposal

Best Herbs for your Box Garden:

• Lavender
• Geranium
• Chives
• Mint Sage
• Oregano

Best Plants for your Box Garden

• African Daisy
• Begonia
• Ground Ivy
• Black-eyed Susan
• Marigold