Are you new to growing? Or are you one of the millions of Germans who are now allowed to grow cannabis plants at home? You may be looking to try new techniques and want to take your cultivation skills to the next level. You could be fed up with mucky fingers and trailing soil everywhere. What if you could grow plants without soil? It might seem like madness to the uninitiated, but to those in the know, we call it hydroponic growing. And it is one of the best ways to get more from your cannabis crop.
What is Hydroponic Growing?
Hydroponic is when you grow plants without soil. The plants get all their nutrients directly from water-based solutions to their roots. This growing method allows precise control over nutrient levels, pH, and environmental conditions. But with all things in life, there are pros and cons to growing cannabis this way. What are they, you say?
Pros of Hydroponic Growing:
Speed:
Plants grow faster when using a hydroponic system than in soil. The reason why? Because the roots of a hydroponic plant get fed nutrients directly. Nothing goes to waste, and it's all to the benefit of the plant.
Control:
When it comes to growing cannabis, the more you can control the environment, the better. Hydroponic setups offer precise control compared to growing in soil. Once up and running, you can control everything from temperature to pH intake.
Efficiency:
This one is plain and simple. Hydroponics don't waste water. Your plants get what they need, no more or no less. One of the biggest problems when growing in soil is the amount of feed and water that goes to waste. Those days of waste are gone if you switch to Hydro. And it's not all about product efficiency. If you grow Hydro, you will save a lot of space as there is no need for substantial, heavy buckets of soil.
Less Pests and Diseases:
Without soil, hydroponic setups are less likely to get pests and diseases, saving you money on pesticides and fungicides. It also lets your plants stick to growing premium cannabis and not fight nasty bugs that ruin your crop.
Cons of Hydroponic Growing:
In the interest of fairness and balance, we couldn't give you the pros, not the cons. So, in all their glorious negativity, here are the cons of Hydroponic growing.
Cost:
If you switch from soil to Hydro, expect to incur an initial fee. You might save money in the long run, soil-wise, but to get started, you must make a reasonable outlay on equipment such as pumps, reservoirs, and nutrient solutions.
Expertise:
If you thought soil growing was hard, things just got tougher. If you lack the proper knowledge, you must step up your game and might find Hydroponic growing a learning curve. Don't let it put you off, but don't expect it to be a breeze either.
All the gear (no idea?):
You've got all the gear and know how to use it, but you need to maintain it. Your new grow setup depends on pumps and timers to work more than ever. And if they get disrupted or malfunction, it could ruin your cannabis plants.
Power, baby:
This one is probably the biggest red flag, and it's linked to the first one. Hydroponics require more energy to keep the lights on, so to speak. Aside from lighting, this setup needs more juice for pumps and control systems. All the extra wattage adds up when it comes to paying the bills.
So, what will it be for you?
Switch Hydro or stay loyal to the soil? Either way, you can do no wrong in our eyes. Grow in whatever medium you like. If you're stuck on what to pop, check out our friend, the Seed Finder. It won't help you decide on Hydro or soil, but it will help you search through over 1600 cannabis strains. Happy Growing!