HOW TO HYDROPONICS
The Optimal Climate

A hydroponics system allows you to create
the perfect "micro-climate" for your plants. The beauty of this process
is that in providing perfect food and climate, you can reap a
consistently bountiful harvest, season after season.

Now, a spare bedroom is not automatically
suitable for growing vegetables. In order to succeed, you must provide
your Hydro setup with adequate light, fresh air, and a proper range of
temperature and humidity.

Just as important is time spent in the grow room observing, relaxing and delivering some TLC!

How to Hydroponics: Grow Room Requirements

Fresh air
If
your garden is in a closed off bedroom or small grow room; keep the
door open and the window cracked. Air exchange is a must. Plants deplete
the CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the room, and fresh air must be provided,
one way or another. A fan is a must... more on this later.

Light
Unless
your garden sits in direct sunlight for a few hours every day, you'll
need to install supplemental lighting above the grow area. Read about
the types of lighting required for hydroponics here: Indoor Grow Lights.

Temp & Humidity
You
must also provide the correct temperature range and humidity for your
plants to thrive. This is a very basic requirement that beginners often
overlook. And it dooms them to failure! Follow our simple guidelines and
you'll grow a winner: Temp & Humidity.

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Simon)

I'll tell you straight up front... your biggest obstacle to a successful hydroponics garden will be..... heat. The lights needed to grow veggies are hot!

If you're growing inside, you need to think about this. Any
garden prefers a cool climate to an overly hot one. The magic
numbers: keep the temp between 65-80 degrees.

Here are some ways you can cool things off:

*Crack the window open in cool/cold weather.

*In winter, close off some of the heat getting to the growroom.

*Use a fan to blow heat away from the plants.

*Get a grow-light equipped with exhaust tubing & inline exhaust fan.

*Keep A/C thermostat at 72-76°. Can't afford that?
Buy a portable A/C or small window unit for your grow-room.

This is an HID lamp with ducting to remove heat

   How to Hydroponics:
   What Else do I Need?

1. A chair-- so
you can sit with your plants, talk to them and train them up their
trellises. Only by sitting will you see them on their level and give
them the TLC they need to thrive.

Take
a few minutes each day to look closely at your plants. Get a cheap
magnifying glass. Search out and destroy bad bugs before they get a
foothold. Your hydroponics garden will soon become a fun, interesting
and creative outlet for you... and not to mention superb stress relief!

2. A fan-- an inexpensive fan. Every leaf on every plant should be moving just slightly... 24 hours a day. Just as if they were outside.

3. Music-- stick
an old FM radio or CD player in the room and let your babies enjoy some
soft jazz, classical or new age tunes. Really! Or how about classic
rock or R&B? My plants seem to thrive on a steady diet of Eric
Clapton and Stevie Wonder...

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