Growing Notes--Hydroponics in Suburbia
Fifty-two hydroponic suppliers and equipment retailers are listed in the Yellow Pages for Perth, Western Australia, where my wife Miriam and I live. So, it was quite easy for us to take a look at what was available to begin what we hoped would be a workable addition to our garden. We already have half an acre of bush garden, and we removed the lawn several years ago. Water is in short supply here and a valuable commodity.
Plants develop, grow, and produce in the same way, whether you’re gardening hydroponically or you’re using conventional gardening methods. In our investigation, however, we quickly discovered that we were going to have to become familiar with different pieces of equipment to be using a hydroponic system. Then, we learned that there are different rooting mediums such as sand, expanded clay balls, and scoria in which to grow the plants, numerous types of hydroponic systems, maintenance, and pest and disease control to consider.
