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Posted by Jamie McIntosh Jun 9, 2008 |
Although I would love to live on a few acres of fertile farmland so that I could garden to my heart’s content, I must make do with my average sized suburban lot. My soil is hardpan clay, typical for this area, provided by the homebuilders after they scraped away the natural topsoil and sold it to topsoil providers. To complete the cycle of indignation, we must buy back our own soil (or someone else’s) from these topsoil retailers if we wish to reclaim what was naturally occurring in the first place!
Placing my grumblings about soil aside, many organic gardeners don't have a plot of earth to worrywart over. Urban gardeners are limited to small container gardens or community plots. Desert and beach dwelling gardeners may yearn to trade sand for loam. For these and other reasons, hydroponic gardening systems are an alternative growing method. You can grow flowers and vegetables in a hydroponic system that nourishes plants with a strictly controlled delivery of organic nutrients. Hydroponic growing systems are self-contained, so you can keep them indoors or on your patio or deck. Gardeners living in low rainfall areas can conserve water using this garden method.
High quality hydroponic kits can require a significant investment, but you can also build a hydroponic system from ordinary PVC pipes, lumber, a saw, and a heat gun. If you’re somewhat handy with tools, you can order detailed instructions and a DVD from EasiestGarden to complete this project over a weekend.