Introduction:

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using nutrient-rich water rather than soil

Advantages:

  1. Increased crop yields
  2. Water conservation (up to 90% less water than traditional farming)
  3. Reduced land use
  4. Improved crop quality
  5. Reduced soil erosion
  6. Year-round production

Types of Hydroponic Systems:

  1. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
  2. Flood and Drain
  3. Drip Irrigation
  4. Aeroponics
  5. deep water culture(DWC)
  6. Vertical Hydroponics

Crops Suitable for Hydroponics:

  1. Leafy greens (lettuce, kale, spinach)
  2. Tomatoes
  3. Cucumbers
  4. Herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley)
  5. Strawberries
  6. Microgreens

Hydroponic Nutrients:

  1. Nitrogen (N)
  2. Phosphorus (P)
  3. Potassium (K)
  4. Calcium (Ca)
  5. Magnesium (Mg)
  6. Sulfur (S)
  7. Micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, etc.)

Key Principles of Hydroponics

  1. Nutrient Solution: A balanced solution containing essential minerals and water.
  2. Water Oxygenation: Adequate oxygen supply for healthy root growth.
  3. pH Control: Maintaining optimal pH levels for nutrient uptake.
  4. Temperature Control: Regulating temperature for optimal growth.
  5. Lighting: Providing sufficient light for photosynthesis.

Benefits of Hydroponics

  1. Increased Yields: Up to 30% higher yields compared to traditional farming.
  2. Reduced Land Use: Increased crop density and vertical growing.
  3. Improved Crop Quality: Consistent nutrient supply and optimal growing conditions.
  4. Year-Round Production: Climate-controlled environments enable year-round growing.

hydroponic spinach:

Hydroponic spinach is a fantastic way to grow this nutritious leafy green! Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using a nutrient-rich solution instead. This technique offers several benefits for spinach cultivation:

Nutrition dosing

Macronutrients:

  1. Nitrogen (N):
  2. Phosphorus (P):
  3. Potassium (K):
  4. Calcium (Ca):
  5. Magnesium (Mg):

Micronutrients:

  1. Iron (Fe):
  2. Zinc (Zn):
  3. Copper (Cu):
  4. Manganese (Mn):
  5. Boron (B):
  6. Molybdenum (Mo):

pH levels:

  • Maintain a pH range of 5.5-6.5, with an optimal pH of 6.0.

EC (Electrical Conductivity) levels:

  • Aim for an EC of 1.5-2.5 ms/cm (millisiemens per centimeter).

Hydroponic lettuce

Hydroponic lettuce is another popular and rewarding crop to grow using hydroponics! Lettuce is well-suited for hydroponic systems due to its

Some popular varieties of lettuce for hydroponics include:

  1. Romaine
  2. Buttercrunch
  3. Loose-leaf
  4. Green leaf
  5. Red leaf

Some popular hydroponic systems for lettuce include:

  1. NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)
  2. Ebb and Flow (Flood and Drain)
  3. DWC (Deep Water Culture)
  4. Vertical towers

Polyhouse NFT hydroponic

Date=13/07/2024

Spinach plantation

Date=14/07/2024

Before EC & PH

EC=950 , PH=10.0

Dosing

1) Urea=8.600mg

2) 13:00:45=84.800mg

3) 00:52:34=11.400mg

4) mgso4=48.200mg

5)Calsium nitrate=96.600mg

6)Ferrous=3.33mg

7)micronutrients=200mg

After EC & PH

EC=2000,PH=10

Date=24/07/2024

Before EC & PH

EC=1200 ,PH=8.9

Dosing

1) Urea=8.600mg

2) 13:00:45=84.800mg

3) 00:52:34=11.400mg

4) mgso4=48.200mg

5)Calsium nitrate=96.600mg

6)Ferrous=3.33mg

7)micronutrients=200mg

After EC & pH

EC=2150,pH=7.3

Date=05/08/2024

Harvesting Spinach =3.200gm

Date=05/08/2024

Before EC & pH

EC=1500 ,pH=7.9

Dosing 50%

1) Urea=4.300mg

2) 13:00:45=42.400mg

3) 00:52:34=5.700mg

4) mgso4=24.100mg

5)Calsium nitrate=48.300mg

6)Ferrous=1.66mg

7)micronutrients=100mg

After EC & pH

EC=2000,pH=6.8

Date=18/08/2024

Harvesting spinach =4kg

Date=19/08/2024

Before EC & pH

EC=1500 ,pH=7.0

Dosing 25%

1) Urea=2.150mg

2) 13:00:45=21.200mg

3) 00:52:34=2.850mg

4) mgso4=12.50mg

5)Calsium nitrate=24.150mg

6)Ferrous=0.83mg

7)micronutrients=50mg

8)Gliricidia slurry = 1700ml

9)Cow dunk slurry+KSB & PSB  = 1000ml

After EC & pH

EC=1800,pH=6.5

Date=05/09/2024

Before EC & pH

EC=1550 ,pH=6.8

Dosing 25%

1) Urea=2.150mg

2) 13:00:45=21.200mg

3) 00:52:34=2.850mg

4) mgso4=12.50mg

5)Calsium nitrate=24.150mg

6)Ferrous=0.83mg

7)micronutrients=50mg

After EC & pH

EC=1900,pH=6.8

Date=18/09/2024

Harvesting Spinach = 4.600gm

Date :- 25/09/2024

Before EC & pH

EC=1637 ,pH=6.5

Dosing 25%

1) Urea=2.150mg

2) 13:00:45=21.200mg

3) 00:52:34=2.850mg

4) mgso4=12.50mg

5)Calsium nitrate=24.150mg

6)Ferrous=0.83mg

7)micronutrients=50mg

After EC & pH

EC=1970,pH=6.5

Date:-01/10/2024

Harvesting spinach :-2.5 kg

Date:- 06/10/2024

Observation :- Magnesium Deficiency .

Before EC & pH

EC=1880,pH=6.5

Dosing 25%

1) Urea=2.150mg

2) 13:00:45=21.200mg

3) 00:52:34=2.850mg

4) mgso4=12.50mg

5)Calsium nitrate=24.150mg

6)Ferrous=0.83mg

7)micronutrients=50mg

8) Gliricidia slurry = 500 ml

After EC & pH

EC=2230,pH=6.5

Date :- 12/10/2024

2% magnesium spry .

Date :- 16/10/2024

80 liters of water was added to the tank.

The EC of that water was 650.

pH=8.6

Dosing 50%

1) Urea=4.300mg

2) 13:00:45=42.400mg

3) 00:52:34=5.700mg

4) mgso4=24.100mg

5)Calsium nitrate=48.300mg

6)Ferrous=1.66mg

7)micronutrients=100mg

After EC & pH

EC=2042,pH=6.5

Date ;-17/10/2024

Pesticide sprayed on spinach

Date:-21/10/2024

We discussed with Dixit sir and found that there is a nitrogen deficiency in spinach NFT system.

3 % Calcium nitrate spry

Result

Day :-1

Day :- 3

Day :- 4

Day :-5

Day :- 6

Day ;- 7