The key factor to successful gardening is to understand how a plant produces food and grows. Plants have the same requirements for growth regardless of whether they are cultivated indoors or outdoors. Plants need six simple things to grow and flourish. Light, air, water, nutrients, a growing medium and heat to produce food . Without any one of these factors , the plant will certainly die.
LIGHT
Light is imperative for plant growth. Until recently, light was the main limitation to growing a large indoor garden. By understanding how a plant uses light, the indoor horticulturist can use the technology provided by high intensity discharge (HID) lamps to fulfil light requirements and grow spectacular gardens. There is a diverse range of lights available in the market today, choosing correctly is vital for plant growth.
AIR
Fresh air is at the heart of successful indoor gardens. In the great outdoors fresh air is abundant. Indoor air pollution is common and can be more severe than outdoor pollution. The wind blows fresh new air. The rain cleans the air and plants of dust and pollutants, unfortunately that does not happen indoors. An exhaust fan is the main tool to maintain fresh air.
WATER & FERTILIZER
Water and fertilizer work hand in hand. The nutrients in fertilizer dissolve in water. Water carries nutrients through the plant. Water is essential to plant growth, making up more than 75% of a plant weight. Unfortunately, common tap water may contain high levels of alkaline salts, sulphur or chlorine and may have a pH out of the acceptable 6 to 7 range. There is a wide range of products that help you eliminate these problems. Nutrients are very complex formulas and the amount of formulas available in the market is quite large. You have to choose which formula is best for the type of plant that you are growing. The best nutrients are the ones that are specific for a particular type of crop. With a little research it is easy to find the one that meets the needs of your garden.
ROCKWOOL
Rockwool is the neatest invention since halide lamps! It is an inert, sterile, porous, non-degradable growing medium that provides firm root support. Like all soil less mediums, rockwool acts as a temporary reservoir for nutrients. This affords the grower a tremendous amount of control over plant growth through nutrient uptake.
This growing medium consists of thin strand-like fibre made primarily from limestone or granite but can be made from almost any kind of rock. There are two basic types of rockwool, horticultural grade and insulation grade, Rockwool can be purchased as blocks, sheets, cubes or granules. The blocks are rigid and easy to handle. They can be cut into just about any size desirable. Granules rockwool is easily placed into growing containers or used like vermiculite and perlite as soil amendment.
