When we tell people that we grow our produce using hydroponics, we usually get something close to this response:

“Sounds cool… sounds like it has something to do with health food maybe? What even is it?

We suggest you staff here to learn the essentials of hydroponics, and if you’re inspired to try growing some hydroponic plants of your own.

So what is Hydroponics?

Put simply : Hydroponics is a way to skip the soil, sub in a different materials to support the roots of the plant, and grow crops directly in nutrient-rich water. There are multiple approaches to designing hydroponic systems, but the core elements are essentially the same.

What you need:

Fresh water – Were talking primo, filtered stuff with a balanced pH. Most plants like water with a pH level around 6-6.5. You can adjust and acidity of your water with over-the-counter solutions found at your local hardware, garden, or hydroponic store.

Oxygen – Don’t drown you plant! In traditional farming, roots can get the oxygen needed for respiration from pockets of air in the soil.

Root Support – Even through you don’t need soil, your plant’s roots still need a little something to hold on to. Typical materials include vermiculite, perlite, peat moss, coconut fiber, and rockwool.

Nutrients – Your plant is going to need plenty of magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and other nutrients to stay healthy and productive – just like plants growing in the ground need healthy soil and fertilizer.