Did you ever wish to have the type of garden which would produce delicious vegetables, fruits, and flowers throughout the whole year? Did you even know that was possible? Well it is - if you do hydroponic gardening! And you can create a hydroponic garden in your own home.

The secret to successful and productive hydroponic vegetable gardening year round is in finding the right well-balanced nutrient solution. The nutrient solution that you use to circulate around the roots of your plants will create for you a happy and healthy vegetable plant or it will kill it. The proper nutrient levels must be found and maintained. Here is a quick checklist of items that should be checked and maintained to create an environment conducive to a healthy thriving plant.

The pH level of the plant determines the type of nutrient solution they need. The plants that thrive on acid need a pH level below 7 while other plants will need a pH level above that.

Also, to maintain optimal absorption of the nutrient solution, it is necessary to make sure proper air circulation is occurring at the roots of the plant. A waterlogged plant will certainly not thrive!

Pre-mixed nutrient solutions can be found from a variety of sources and can even be made by the home gardener. But if you are a beginner at hydroponic gardening you may want to opt for the pre-mixed nutrient solutions.

The basic ingredients for any hydroponic solution contains a proper mix of potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate. These must be fully dissolved in the mixture before being circulated through the vegetable plants' root systems.

Micro-nutrients such as boric acid, manganese chloride, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate and iron sulfate are often used in the nutrient solution as well.

The nutrient solution can be used for a maximum of two weeks when plants are small. Once plants have matured the nutrient solution should be replaced every week.

Many hydroponic plants are grown in a greenhouse. The correct mixture of carbon dioxide in the air is necessary in order for these plants to thrive. This can be done a number of ways that includes: - burning hydrocarbon fuels - dry ice - decomposition of organic matter - compressed bottled carbon dioxide

Maintaining a proper temperature is also very important for their survival. The ideal temperature for your plants is normally between 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature for a particular plant growing will vary however.

In addition, if it is too humid it may not be healthy for your plant. A very dry climate is not good for most plants either.

The amount of light your plants receive can cause your plant to thrive or it can doom your plant. Too much light will dry out your plants while too little light will be ineffective. Different plants will respond differently to light and many hydroponic gardeners will have to experiment with different light to attain the ideal environment for the plants' growth.

Some plants may be affected by air pollution while others are not. If this is an issue, you may want to grow plant species that are not bothered by air pollution,

In summary, plants are affected by the following elements: pH balance, light, air, water, temperature, and pollution. If you take all of these things into consideration in your particular hydroponic vegetable garden your plants will be sure to thrive.

Tony Buel