Are You Ready to Visit Your Local Hydroponic Shop?

Are you interested in getting started with hydroponics? If you have spent any time researching the subject, you will know that there are many benefits to hydroponics, but it can still be a challenge to walk into a hydroponic shop for the first time. The best idea is to plan out your intentions carefully, so by the time you walk into the shop, you will know either what you must buy or what questions you must ask to find the right equipment.

Often, finding the right questions is the biggest challenge you will face, but by focusing on the results you want to achieve, you can work backward and determine what your equipment must look like. The staff at the hydroponics shop can then point out the items they stock that will meet your needs.

What is the scale of your operations?

Hydroponics can be used by anyone from the keen gardener, who prefers to grow plants inside because they don't have sufficient outdoor space, to the commercial farmer who is working with poor quality soil and wants to ensure that their crops grow uniformly with all the needed nutrients. Both of these scenarios feed plants nutrients without soil, but the different scale of their operations could mean different equipment is needed. Ask the people at the hydroponic shop what they would recommend. If you want to start small, and expand your hydroponic operations as you gain confidence, find out what scalable options the hydroponic shop has to offer.

Which method do you want to use?

Will you be adopting the ebb and flow method, the wicks' system or something else? Your choice of hydroponic system will affect the equipment you must buy from the hydroponic shop. Different systems take up varying amounts of space and require attention at different points in the cycle, so consider whether the shop stocks everything you need for your chosen hydroponics system and whether you have the space and the skills to install the system on your property. If you have any concerns, the people at the hydroponics shop may offer advice and suggestions based on their experience. 

What nutrients do you need?

Hydroponics is about more than systems and equipment. You must have a solid grasp of what your plants need to thrive. Hydroponics allows you to feed the nutrients directly to the plant roots, but what nutrients are needed? Not all plants require the same attention, so research which nutrients and fertilizers would be best for what you want to grow.