Easiest Homemade Hydroponics System

Writen by Jason Willkomm

Not every type of hydroponics system lends itself well to homemade design. For systems that use drip or spray heads, you have many costly items to purchase before you can produce a properly working system. Usually, you end up learning a lot from your first failed attemp if you choose to build your own drip system or aeroponics system. There is one easy and relatively inexpensive homemade hydroponics system I have found. It is the homemade ebb and flow.

For a homemade hydroponics ebb and flow system, you will need two cheap plastic storage totes, an aquarium air pump, an aquarium water pump, a timer, a set of flood and drain fittings, and a short length of plastic tubing. If you are not sure what flood and drain fittings are, go to Google, click on "images", and do a quick search for "flood and drain fittings".

First, one tote will be your nutrient reservoir. Pick a dark color tote to keep light out of the nutrient solution...this will help prevent the growth of algae. The air pump should go to a couple of air stones, which will be kept bubbling in the nutrient reservoir. The water pump goes here as well. Your water pump should be able to move at least 100 gallons/hour at a height of 3 feet. The pump should cost you about 30 dollars.

The other tote will go on top of the nutrient reservoir and hold the plant containers. Plant containers should be filled with expanded clay pellets or something equal, like lecca stone or lava chips. Somewhere in the bottom of this container (out of the way of the plants) you will drill two 3/4 inch holes and install the flood and drain fitting in one, and the overflow fitting in the other. Finish it off by running a short piece of tubing from the water pump to the flood and drain fitting (which is the shorter of the two).

All you have left to do is plug the water pump into the timer, set your timer for your flood and drain cycle, and fill the nutrient reservoir with ten gallons of solution. Flood your plant container for a 1/2 hour 4 times a day while the lights are on.

When the pump kicks on, the top container will fill with water (but never higher than the overflow). It takes a while for the clay pellets to really absorb the nutrient solution. When the pump kicks off, the nutrient solution will drain back down the shorter fitting, leaving the plant roots and the clay pellets wet with nutrient solution.

The flood and drain system is the homemade hydroponics system I use most often. The function of the system is simple. The results are consistently very good. The system is so easy to put together.

Before you get started...your systme is only one piece of the indoor gardening puzzle. You must have control over the environment you place your garden into, and this environment must be to the plants liking. In addition, you will have a much better chance at success once you learn the exact nutrient requirements (and therefore the exact feeding) of your plants at every stage of their development. In order to meet these feeding requirements, you must learn how to properly maintain nutrient sollution in a reservoir. Learn these things and you are sure to have a hydro-greenthumb.

For complete info on the different hydroponics systems and to learn how to properly maintain your nutrient solution, check out
http://www/jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics=gardening.com/

Hi, my name is Jason. I have ten years experience growing indoors under lights. No less than two of those years I was using hydroponics methods. It is my goal to improve every organic and hydroponic gardeners results through accurate, easy to understand information.

Wild Flower Garden Plan To Plant

Writen by Gabrielle Bennett

In the previous article I discussed design for your new wild flower garden. The next stage is planning the planting. This is an exciting stage, we are just a few steps away from turning your garden design concept into a reality. But first things first.

If you have completed your design, does it fit within your budget? If it does, that's great, if not now is the time to go back and make some changes. Before you go to the garden center or hardware, you will need to have a final shopping list. This will help you stay within budget and ensure that you have all the materials on handbefore you start your project.

From the design stage you will have factored in such items as concrete or mulch for walkways, brick for walls, seating, water features or lighting or any other accessories you might want to add to your new garden. Before you begin preparing the ground for planting, the hardscaping should be completed.

Now you will need to work out your plant requirements. Be sure to consider the following before making a final decision on plant choices:

• Some plants are invasive and banned from use in some areas. If you are not sure of the requirements check it out with your local authority.
• They should love the conditions in your garden
• If they do they will thrive, saving you time, money and the effort of replacing those that fail. The conditions to be considered in your garden are light moisture, wind factor and soil type.
• Remember the mature height and spread of each plant
• I know it is tempting, but please do not overplant. That 6" plant that you buy today could grow to a height and spread of 6 feet. If you do not take this into account, you will spend many unnecessary hours thinning out your garden rather than just enjoying it.
• They should blend into your existing surroundings.
• Color, height, plant type, annual or perennial, ongoing maintenance.
• An inexpensive way to help you choose colors that will work well together, use a paint chart and select from colors in the same grouping
• The finished garden should serve your purpose
• It should be a constant source of enjoyment to you.
• Maintenance requirements should fit with your lifestyle.

When you have decided on your plant list, having taken all of the above into account, shop around if possible. I have seen big varieties in price and quality for the same plants in the same area. Choose only healthy plants to give your flower garden the best possible start.

The next and final article of this series, discusses planting requirements.

Gabrielle Bennett is a gardener with many years experience gardening in different climates. More information on Wild Flower Gardens can be found at http://www.complete-flower-garden.com

This article "Wild Flower Garden - Plan to Plant" is part of the article series "Wild Flower Garden - Recreate the Splendor of Nature in Your Own Backyard". Any or all of the articles in the series are free to use as long as the following is attached: - Author Gabrielle Bennett: http://www.complete-flower-garden.com

Mow A Better Lawn The Easy Way

Writen by Denton Lesslie

I was schooled, as many of you were, about mowing lawns, that each time you mow the lawn the next time you rotate 90 degrees. If you are extra anal you go for the 45 degree rotation. I was never that anal so I just cut on the 90 and things went well. The people that "schooled me" said that it would make groves in my yard where I ran the mover. And, I believed it. Until I moved into my new house, and I followed suit and started my 90 degree rotation. Well we live on a slope becase of 1. the view and 2. the water drainage problem we had in out previous home (that is another story.)

I mowed the lawn three times. Twice up and down and once side to side. It was amazing how much easier going across the slope, than going up and down. I spent the rest of the summer going across the slope. Along with the proper fertilization and watering. I kept the blade on the mover sharp and What a Beautiful Lawn. The kids had a ball barefoot and happy.

I am a proponent of push mowers. I think that they mow a better lawn and provide and provide a chance to get the blood flowing in between exercise sessions. Working behind a computer as much as I do, that is much needed. I also feel that they give you more control of the mower than a riding mowers. Not to mention that they are safer. It also really hacks me off to see some one terribly over weight mowing a 1/4 acre lot with a riding mower. That is ridiculous! Anyway off my soap box.

After I am done, if there is any "clumps" I take the leaf blower and disapate them into the grass. I hate to say it but the more regularly that you mow the less clumps you will have. Blah, Blah, Blah!

All and all a beautiful lawn is not that difficult. Just some ideas to help you save some energy for other projects. Just thinking of you.

Just a few options.

Denton Lesslie is the president of http://www.greathomeimprovements.com and a consultant for Department of Energy's Building America Division for the last 6 years. There are many articles about your garage.