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Hydroponics NutrientsHydroponics Nutrients are a blend of all the essential minerals needed to sustain a plant. This is an essential piece of any hydroponics system and can easily be ordered online through several different hydroponics supply sites. Click here to see the nutrients found in a typical hydroponics fertilizer. Nutrients found in a Hydroponics Fertilizer Without hydroponics nutrients a homemade system would just not work. And for those of you who might want to use regular fertilizer you may have on hand or even 'Miracle Gro', my advice is 'don't'... at least not right off. When building a hydroponics system get it to function properly and smoothly first - enjoy some success with it... then start to experiment. Click here to see a comparison of nutrients found in a typical hydroponics mix with those in 'Miracle Gro' and other commercial fertilizers. Comparison of different fertilizers I personally use a generic (meaning 'good for all vegetables') powdered nutrient from 'EcoGrow' based in Seattle specifically formulated for hydroponics systems. It is rather expensive but at 1 teaspoon a gallon of water, my supply will last for years. I would suggest this to be the way to start. This is the label of my nutrient powder.
Although as with anything, you can make this as complex as you want. There are hydroponics nutrients specifically for tomatoes or flowers or what have you and you can even order each mineral separately and mix your own. My advice? Start with and stick with the 'generic coverage' type of nutrient. Click here to see what specific nutrients do. Nutrients, what do they do? And just in case you wish to 'mix your own', click on this link for a recipe I found in 'Hydroponics, Soiless Gardening' by Richard Nicholls (complete reference can be found on the bottom of the home page). Mix your own nutrients recipe OK, let's do a hypothetical situation: you have picked or mixed your particular blend of hydroponic nutrients, you have a fully functioning growing system and you have just 'introduced' this new mix to your plants. Three days later your lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. Now what? Check the symptoms of nutrient deficiency first and foremost... so, here is a link showing the plant symptoms for specific deficiencies of each nutrient Plant symptoms of nutrient deficiencies Return to Home from the Hydroponics Nutrients page
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