Choosing the right growing system for you should fit the needs of the plants you are growing. Below are some different types of hydroponics gardens. If you are a new grower, we suggest starting off with an all in one kit featured for the garden type of your choice to make sure you have everything you need for a successful harvest.
Deep water culture
Ideal for small to medium sized plants. This method of hydroponics will suspend plant roots in a nutrient rich solution. The water is kept oxygenated by reticulating through a reservoir for several plants. Deep water culture allows plant roots to absorb large quantities of oxygen while also allowing the uptake of nutrients. Depending on your gardening needs, look for a garden that can maintain the plants you wish to grow. Deep water culture can still work well with larger sized plants, but make sure to space them appropriately and not mix plant varieties together that will not grow well together.
Plants that work best with this type of garden are Herbs, small flowers and lettuce.
or visit www.homegrown.ca for more information on Deep water culture gardens available.
Nutrient Film Technique
Ideal for medium or large sized plants. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) involves a thin layer or film of nutrient solution flowing over the roots of the plants. All of the plants nutrient needs are met through the air and water solution washed through the plants root system. For larger sized plants (i.e. tomatoes) make sure plants are spread out in gardens so that they can receive all necessary nutrients. Can be mixed with a deep water culture technique to get the best of both.
Plants that work best with this type of garden are Herbs, tomatoes, African violets, romaine lettuce, mustard greens, vegetative plants, kale, and oriental vegetables.
or visit www.homegrown.ca for more information on NFT gardens available.
Expandable drip system
 Designed for large plants. Probably the most widely used form of hydroponics, uses an approach similar to deep water culture method and is self contained. Very simple to assemble and use. It works by placing plants in growing medium suspended by baskets. Water is then pumped or some sort of grow tray. Water and nutrient solution is then dripped through the growing medium from a reservoir for plants to intake nutrients though their roots. The constant water flow allows oxygen to be easily accessible for plants. Often, gardens will be set up to recycle any run off water back into the reservoir to be re-circulated to the plant again.
Plants that work work well with this type of garden are Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, Aloe, Pineapple, tropical plants or visit www.homegrown.ca for information on drip garden systems available.
Ebb & Flow system
This type of system works by temporarily flooding the grow tray with nutrient solution, and then draining the solution back into the reservoir. This is normally done with a submerged pump (please see pump section for information on which pump would work best for you). There are many different kits you can mix and match to build the right garden kit for your plants using this style. It is very versatile with different types of growing media. Visit our information on growing mediums to decide which one would best work for your plants.
For information on Ebb & flow garden kits visit www.homegrown.ca
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Propagation
This type of system is made for cuttings taken from already grown healthy plants. Water is pumped through sprayers and misters to ensure newly formed roots on cuttings are properly nourished. Make sure to use a system that still allows enough oxygen to get to your plants roots as this is essential for early root development. Proper nutrient selection is recommended to promote strong healthy roots on each cutting. Once plants have developed strong enough roots, they must be transplanted into a different type of growing system so that roots will not clog the pump. Ideal for any type of plant in which cuttings can be taken.
For more information on propagator garden kits available visit www.homegrown.ca
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Sprout Garden
This type of garden kit is ideal for sprouts or wheat grass. In less than a week seeds will root into a thin growing medium and sprouts can be harvested as they are ready to eat. The technique is similar to regular gardening where plants are watered regularly as needed. But no pumps or other hydroponics techniques are required.
For more information on sprout gardens that are available visit www.homegrown.ca
Living Wall
The Living wall is in a category all of its own. It’s mainly used for decorative purposes but is versatile in terms of where it can go and can be custom built for any placement. Made by ELT Easy Green this garden can be easily maintained and grow vertically from any wall. Perfect to decorate your deck, or bring some plant life indoors to an office or home.
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