Hydroponics Grow Robust Plants

In growing plants hydroponically, it is very important to make sure that your plants have all the nutrients they need to grow and resist diseases.

Generally, some nutrients that are found in soil are not present in a hydroponics setting so you will need to add these missing nutrients to produce the best crop possible. You have to be careful, because only the best fertilizers in the market today can help you get great results. All you need to do is to avoid inferior products and understand how the good ones can help you grow robust plants.

Let’s start off with understanding the content of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Both types of fertilizers are labeled with a sequence of three numbers. These numbers indicate the percentage of the three main compounds found in all fertilizers: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Nitrogen helps plant foliage grow strong; phosphorus helps roots and flowers grow and develop; and potassium is responsible for overall plant health. Fertilizers can also contain a variety of other vitamins and minerals that vary from one brand to another.

Now, what’s the difference between organic and inorganic fertilizers?

Inorganic fertilizers, also known as synthetics, are made of chemicals that are the components of the nutrients that plants need. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are derived from what was once a living plant or animal. Microorganisms break the remains down to release their benefits to your plants. This process is a natural occurrence that enables your plants to benefit as nature intended.

However, plant scientists have developed very refined synthetic nutrients, usually using chelated ingredients, that are just as good for your plants as organics. Used in conjunction with some organic ingredients, such as humic acid, these synthetics perform as well as organics, and some do even better.

As one plant scientist puts it, when plants absorb nutrients on the molecular level, they don’t know the difference between synthetics and organics.

More and more growers, however, especially those that have home hydroponic gardens, are now switching to organic fertilizers because they believe that organics offer more benefits in growing healthier plants. Even if organic fertilizers seem to work slower than inorganic ones, and even if organic nutrients sometimes clog hydroponic pumps and tubing, these growers insist that the produce tastes better. They don’t realize that by flushing the system thoroughly after using synthetics, you are able to achieve the exact same taste and the bigger yields that growers yearn for.

For more information on how hydroponics grows robust plants, you can visit http://www.advancednutrients.com/artcats.php?catID=1.