Growing crops means constantly searching for ways to boost efficiency and gain higher yields. When you grow crops outside, you’ll need to contend with various environmental factors that are out of your control. Hydroponic gardening is an effective growing method that allows you to plant your crops indoors and gain more control over the environment and fertilizer.
A hydroponic fertilizer is a solution that contains all the nutrients your plant roots need. When you implement a hydroponic garden, you don’t need to use traditional soil. With the fertilizers at your disposal, you can measure and provide the exact amounts of nutrients that your plants require.
There are many benefits associated with making your own hydroponic fertilizer. For example, it’s much more affordable than purchasing pre-packaged fertilizers. Your cost savings can help you gain higher profits with your crops. You’ll also benefit from more customization and control over the nutrients your plants receive. There’s more transparency over the types of ingredients that are placed in the fertilizer.
While pre-made fertilizers are more convenient, making your own solution allows you to tailor the fertilizer blend to the needs of each plant in your garden. Keep in mind, however, that you must understand plant nutrition before you start creating hydroponic fertilizers. Each plant comes with different nutrient requirements. The following is a DIY guide to custom hydroponic fertilizers that will help you efficiently grow practically any crop.
Understanding Hydroponic Nutrients
When you choose to grow hydroponic plants, you must provide them with balanced nutrition. The nutrients your plants require can be separated into micronutrients and macronutrients. When considering macronutrients, they must be provided in large amounts to maintain consistent plant development. The types of macronutrients that you’ll use in your hydroponic garden include the following:
- Nitrogen (N): Supports the growth of leaves
- Phosphorus (P): Boosts flowering and root development
- Potassium (K): Enhances disease resistance and plant health
Because of how important these nutrients are, it’s a good idea to adhere to the NPK ratio. Even though you don’t need to use the same amount of micronutrients when growing crops, they are necessary for the ongoing health of these plants. The various types of micronutrients that are often used in hydroponic gardens include the following:
- Calcium (Ca): Helps to strengthen cell walls
- Magnesium (Mg): Necessary for photosynthesis
- Iron (Fe): Crucial for energy transfer and enzyme function
By providing your plants with the right hydroponic formula, they’ll receive the nutrients they need.
NPK Ratios and How to Use Them
If you buy pre-made fertilizer, you’ll likely notice numbers on the labels. For example, the label might include “10-5-10”. These numbers represent the percentages associated with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium by weight. Each plant requires a different ratio at different times. If a plant needs a 20-5-10 ratio of fertilizer during the vegetative stage, it may eventually need a 5-10-15 ratio once it begins to flower.
When you’re creating DIY hydroponic fertilizer, you must consider the NPK ratio. Balancing the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is essential to ensure your plants thrive during each growth stage. In most cases, a higher percentage of nitrogen is required when plants are in the vegetative stage. Once the flowering stage starts, potassium and phosphorus become more important.
Since these macronutrients are needed in large quantities to ensure your plants grow and survive, they usually become depleted before any other nutrients. It’s important to properly manage and maintain the NPK ratio if you want high yields.
To better understand how the NPK ratio works, let’s consider a 2-2-4 ratio. If your fertilizer has an NPK ratio that measures 2-2-4, this indicates that it consists of 2% nitrogen, 2% phosphorus, and 4% potassium. Keep in mind that the ratio is usually lower for organic fertilizers than it is for synthetic ones.
Before you start buying your ingredients, you should know what each macronutrient is used for. Nitrogen is a substance that’s found in every living cell. It’s an essential part of all enzymes, metabolic processes, and proteins. You can also find nitrogen in chlorophyll, which is the green pigment in crops. Chlorophyll is directly responsible for the photosynthesis process.
High percentages of nitrogen are typically used in the beginning because the substance helps crops grow rapidly. Providing your plants with the right amount of nitrogen should also enhance the quality of the leaves and bolster fruit and seed production.
Phosphorus is similar to nitrogen and is necessary for the photosynthesis process. It stimulates the growth of the roots while also helping the plant set flowers. Crops that receive the right amount of phosphorus usually benefit from better yields and increased vitality. Your plants can use phosphorus to convert energy from the sun into chemical energy.
As for potassium, it’s absorbed quickly by most crops. It can help plants create protein and reduce diseases. The photosynthesis process should also occur without issue. Potassium promotes fruiting, ripening, and flowering, which is why high percentages are needed during the latter stages of growth.
Sourcing Your Ingredients for DIY Fertilizer
The first step in creating hydroponic fertilizers is to properly source your ingredients. You have a few options at your disposal. For example, you can purchase individual salts, such as potassium sulfate, calcium nitrate, chelated micronutrient mixes, and magnesium sulfate. These salts allow for enhanced customization. However, they require precise measurements.
You can also obtain pre-mixed blends for your fertilizer. Most hydroponic supply stores carry blends that focus on specific types of plants. For example, you may be able to find a tomato fertilizer or a lettuce fertilizer. If you don’t want to spend time creating your own mixture, consider pre-mixed blends.
Where to Buy Hydroponic-Grade Fertilizers
Hydroponic-grade fertilizers are available from the following stores:
- Online retailers: A Google search should help you find numerous online retailers that offer hydroponic-grade fertilizers. Along with specialty hydroponic stores, you can also purchase these fertilizers from Amazon.com.
- Hydroponic supply stores: These stores give you easy access to more specialized hydroponic products. You can also obtain expert advice from the people who work there.
- Agricultural suppliers: Agricultural suppliers can be a good source of hydroponic fertilizers. However, you should use caution. While some fertilizers that are meant to be used in soil can be altered to support hydroponics, they may contain insoluble ingredients or impurities.
Don’t use multi-purpose or household gardening fertilizers in your hydroponics system. These products usually contain ingredients and additives that haven’t been optimized for hydroponics. It’s also a good idea to thoroughly read product labels before buying anything. Make sure the labels include terms like water-soluble and hydroponic-grade.
Step-by-Step Guide to Mixing Your Custom Hydroponic Fertilizer
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to mix the custom hydroponic fertilizer that you intend to use in your garden. As mentioned previously, plants often require accurate measurements of these nutrients to grow and thrive.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
The first step involves gathering all your ingredients. The types of salts you’ll need include the following:
- Calcium nitrate to provide crops with nitrogen and calcium
- Magnesium sulfate to obtain sulfur and magnesium
- Monopotassium phosphate for potassium and phosphorus
Each of these ingredients is water-soluble, which means that they will dissolve quickly in water.
Step 2: Measure and Mix the Nutrients
Because of how important precision is when mixing a custom nutrient solution, it’s highly recommended that you use a digital scale. A scale can help you accurately weigh your nutrients before you mix them into the water. Keep in mind that every ingredient will need to be added in the right order to mitigate the possibility of a chemical reaction. There are plenty of fertilizer mixing guides you can use to identify the ideal NPK ratio for the type of plant you’re growing.
Step 3: Adjust pH Levels of Your Solution
To ensure the nutrients are properly absorbed by your plants, the pH must be accurate. Most plants need a fertilizer with a pH between 5.5 to 6.5. If the pH is too low or too high, your plants won’t be able to efficiently absorb nutrients, which will likely lead to them dying off. If the pH of your solution isn’t in the ideal range, there are different solutions at your disposal that allow you to increase or decrease pH levels.
Step 4: Monitor and Adjust Your Nutrient Solution Over Time
As mentioned previously, plants have different nutrient requirements depending on the stage of growth, which is why you must regularly monitor your plants. Look for signs that your plants aren’t receiving the nutrients they need. The most common signs include stunted growth and yellowing leaves. If these issues occur, make sure you change your nutrient management plan to accommodate the new information.
Sustainable and Organic Hydroponic Fertilizers
If you’d like to use a more environmentally friendly solution, consider organic hydroponic fertilizers. These solutions contain natural ingredients like fish emulsion or compost teas. They have more than enough of the essential nutrients that plants require. These ingredients also boost microbial activity in roots.
When implementing more sustainable solutions in your hydroponic system, consider Eco-friendly nutrients that are sourced directly from biodegradable or renewable materials. You’ll be able to reduce your environmental footprint and produce stronger plants.
Recipes for Custom Hydroponic Fertilizers
The type of recipe you use when creating a custom hydroponic fertilizer depends on the plants you wish to grow. Let’s begin with a simple starter recipe for leafy greens.
The first ingredient in this recipe is the MasterBlend 4-18-38 tomato formula. This is a concentrated blend that offers a healthy balance of NPK. It also includes some of the micronutrients that your plants require. This recipe calls for around 2.4 grams of the formula for every gallon of water.
You’ll also need calcium nitrate to ensure your plants grow quickly. A typical dose is 2.4 grams for every gallon of water. As for Epsom salt, your plants need 1.2 grams per gallon. This substance provides your plants with a boost of magnesium, which is necessary for chlorophyll production.
When using these chemicals, make sure you dissolve the fertilizers one at a time. Follow the order listed in this guide. Otherwise, you might encounter a chemical reaction that produces an insoluble solution.
Since this is a starter recipe, you can vary it based on the needs of your crops. The type of plant you wish to grow can dictate how you alter the recipe. If you’re growing a tomato plant with full fruit production, the NPK ratio should be closer to 6-24-24. Do your research to ensure you set the right ratio.
The growth stage of the plant can also determine what nutrients you need to place into the solution. Young seedlings don’t need as much fertilizer as mature plants that are already flowering.
Mixing and Storing Your Fertilizer
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you can start mixing the fertilizer. Before doing anything, take some safety precautions. When handling these concentrated fertilizers, you must wear safety goggles and gloves. Even if the fertilizer is organic, it can irritate your skin.
Fume prevention is also necessary. If the fertilizers are dry, you can kick up fumes when mixing large batches of them. Wear a dust mask to ensure you don’t inhale these fumes. Your workplace should also be well-ventilated. Once the mixing process is finished, you must clean your containers and mixing tools with water. Adhere to the following steps to properly mix your fertilizer:
- Begin by using clean water. If you have highly alkaline or heavily chlorinated water, try using distilled water instead.
- Double-check the recipe that you’re using. It’s a good idea to have a small digital scale on hand to perform precise measurements.
- Make sure that every fertilizer is dissolved one at a time. It’s also important that you follow the exact sequence that’s laid out in the recipe to prevent chemical reactions.
- Gently stir the solution until everything is dissolved.
- Place a label on the mixed fertilizer container that includes the name of the recipe, the date, and any special instructions.
To properly store your dry fertilizer, place it in sealed bags that are stored away from areas with temperature fluctuations or high humidity. If you’ve made a liquid fertilizer, it’s crucial that light doesn’t shine on it. When exposed to the light, liquid fertilizer can develop algae growth. You can either place the fertilizer in a dark container or an opaque bottle. When properly sealed, dry fertilizers should last for many years. A liquid solution usually lasts for several months.
Monitoring Your Nutrient Solution
To maintain healthy growth among your crops, monitor the main parameters of the nutrient solution. Look for potential issues and deficiencies that need to be addressed. As mentioned before, hydroponic plants typically thrive when placed in a slightly acidic solution that has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Use a pH sensor to regularly test the solution.You can also measure the solution’s electrical conductivity. This measurement determines the concentration of dissolved nutrients in the water. During the vegetative stage, a conductivity reading of 1.2 to 2.4 mS/cm is ideal. When the plant reaches the flowering stage, the reading should be between 1.8 to 2.8 mS/cm.
Make sure you use solutions that increase or decrease the pH levels when you need to make adjustments. Once your nutrients become depleted, add more of your fertilizer mix. You can identify nutrient imbalances by closely monitoring your crops. If you see strange leaf shapes, browning, or stunted growth, the nutrient balance might not be correct.
For example, yellowing or browning in the leaves indicates that your crops aren’t receiving enough iron or nitrogen. You might also encounter blossom end rot, which occurs when plants don’t receive enough calcium. Test the EC and pH of your solution at least once every week. Keep a record of these readings in a log with any adjustments you make.
Tips and Resources for DIY Hydroponic Fertilizer
Begin creating your own fertilizers by using reliable and proven recipes. You can find these recipes on university extension websites and hydroponic blogs. Only use hydroponic blogs that are written by reputable growers who explain their choices in fertilizer. When you find a recipe to use, document it. Evaluate how your plants respond over time.
If you wish to maximize the yields of your hydroponic system, make sure you use the insights from your monitoring to make the necessary adjustments. You can obtain proper nutrient balancing by using a fertilizer calculator. Websites like scienceinhydroponics.com offer these calculators. You’ll be able to input a specific water use efficiency value and target tissue concentrations to identify the amount of nutrients your solution requires.
It’s also recommended that you regularly perform leaf tissue analysis. As touched upon previously, you must look for signs that your plants are receiving too many or too few nutrients.
When you’re first starting, it’s a good idea to use conservative nutrient amounts. Once you become acclimated to the growing process, you can begin to increase them. With this technique, you’ll be able to avoid overfeeding issues. Providing your plants with too many nutrients can lead to poor plant growth and nutrient burn. Document the timing and amounts of nutrient adjustments.
You’ll also need to consider the stage of growth that your plant is in. While most plants need higher nitrogen levels during the vegetative stage, this isn’t always the case. Make sure you adapt based on the needs of the specific types of plants you’re growing. With these tips in mind, you’ll benefit from healthier plant growth and higher yields. You can get additional support in your hydroponic journey by joining gardening communities in your area or online.
Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Hydroponic Fertilizer Mixing
Mixing your own hydroponic fertilizers is a great way to save money, gain more control over the solution, and avoid using bad ingredients. Once you start mixing these fertilizers, consider experimenting. Alter the NPK ratio for your plants to see if these changes lead to positive results. Track your results to make more informed growing decisions. Like all DIY tasks, mixing your own fertilizer is a learning process. Over time, you’ll refine the process and yield better rewards.
Source link: https://sensorex.com/custom-hydroponic-fertilizers/ by Joshua Samp at sensorex.com