Hydro Tips & Tricks
Just like with traditional gardening, there are a couple of guidelines to follow depending on what you are growing.
The Solaris Garden can grow it all, from fruiting plants to leafy vegetables. Learn below the key differences when growing different plants and how to make the most of your harvest.
Success begins with germination.
The healthier the seedling, the better chance it has at being successful throughout the growing process.
PRO TIP: Make sure you are planting your seeds the correct way for the best germination rate. For example, if your seed has a visible radicle (a small spot), make sure to plant the seed with the radicle facing down. the radicle is easily visible on most bean and pea seeds.
Read more about correctly planting seeds in our Seed Orientation blog post.
Germinating Seeds
1. Purchase quality seeds. 2. Keep your seed starter in a warm area or provide a heat mat. 3. Open the vents on the Solaris Seed Starter only after the majority of your seeds have sprouted.
Transferring Seedlings
1. Choose the strongest 1-2 inch tall seedlings. 2. Be delicate with the young roots. 3. After transferring seedlings into the Solaris Garden, increase the light intensity of your LED grow light over the course of three days.
Leafy & Robust Greens
Leafy and robust greens such as lettuces, spinach, arugula, bok choy, and cabbage all enjoy bright light for the majority of the day. When growing indoors, you will set your Solaris Garden LED grow light to 90-95% intensity and on for 12-14 hours.
A balanced fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus is recommended for optimal growth.
When it comes to harvesting you can harvest the whole plant when mature and keep the roots on for prolonged freshness in the fridge.
Fruiting & Flowering Plants
Fruiting and flowering plants such as peppers, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, and pansies all require full sunlight for the majority of the day. This means when growing indoors, setting your Solaris Garden LED grow light to 100% intensity and on for 12-14 hours.
A balanced fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus is recommended for optimal growth. When the plant starts to flower, it is beneficial to add a phosphorus rich fertilizer such as FloraBloom.
Harvest fruits when they are ripe or just about ripe depending on what you would like to use them for. If growing flowers such as pansies, cosmos, or marigolds, dead heading spent flowers will encourage more blooms.
Herbs
Herbs such as oregano, thyme, parsley, chives, and basil all enjoy a good hair cut, and a frequent one too. Check out our Kitchen Garden blog post to learn a little more about our favorite herbs to grow. When growing herbs indoors, setting your Solaris Garden LED grow light to 100% intensity and on for 12-14 hours a day is best. Also keep in mind the woody herbs like rosemary and thyme may take longer to grow and mature.
A balanced fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus is recommended for optimal growth. If you are growing your herbs out to the flowering stage, introduce a phosphorus rich fertilizer such as FloraBloom when you see the first flower buds start to appear.
Most people grow herbs to have a continual supply of cooking ingredients such as oregano and basil. You can grow the same herb plant in your hydroponic system for months by giving it a weekly trim and harvesting the trimmed stem and leaves. Trimming also promotes bushier growth. Check out our Basil Gimlet recipe for a refreshing herbal cocktail.
Provide Support & Give Haircuts
When Growing larger fruiting plants like peppers, tomatoes, or beans, make sure to provide support. These types of crops can also over grow your hydroponic system if not trimmed regularly.
Using a Plant Support for larger stems will help keep the plant upright. Check out our blog post on Plant Placement to make the most of each planting tray.
Trellis designs made from netting or string attached to the frame of your Solaris Garden will encourage peas and other climbing crops to attach and grow in the direction you guide them.
Trimming Guide:
- Trim off any dead, weak, or diseased leaves, roots, or stems throughout the growing process; check out our blog post all about root trimming
- Trim back young stems that may be growing outside the Solaris Garden Planting tray or too close to the LED grow lights, as this will keep your plants more compact and fruitful.
- Herbs love to be trimmed, this promotes a more bushy growth pattern.
- When growing tomatoes, make sure to remove the “suckers”, aka, the small shoots in between two tomato stems.
pH is Important
Check out our Importance of pH blog post where we go over some key tips when it comes to maintaining the optimal pH for what you are growing.
When checking the pH of your hydroponic system remember to add fertilizers first and let the water circulate for at least 10 minutes before testing the water from your reservoir. This will ensure the most accurate reading. A pH testing kit is included with your purchase of a Solaris Garden.
pH down is a product that is added to water to lower the pH level in your hydroponic system. This product is very concentrated so start with only one teaspoon per two gallons at a time. After each dose of pH down, let the water circulate in your hydroponic system for at least 10 minutes and check the pH level again before adding more. A small bottle of pH down is included with your purchase of a Solaris Garden and is estimated to last at least one year of growing.
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