Stages of Hydroponic Growth

Germination

• Hydroponic systems are often used for germinating plants, even if those plants are later transferred to conventional soil garden. Seeds can be placed in individual pots for germination, in peat plugs or spread out in trays. When seeds are sprouted in individual pots, they are very easy to transfer into another hydroponic setup for ongoing growth. If the seeds are to be transferred to a soil garden, they are typically kept in a hydroponic environment until the plants reach an acceptable transplant size, and then they are planted in a pot or garden as any other transplant would be. Hydroponic nutrients are not always used to germinate plants, and instead the seeds may be supplied with plain water or with nutrients mixed at half strength.

Early Growth

• The early growth of plants in a hydroponic system varies quite a bit by the type of plant. As a general rule, plants experience their early growth soon after germination. This is the period when the plant goes from a small seedling to adult size. The rate at which it grows depends on the normal growth rate of the plant, so plants that take a long time to grow in the soil will take a relatively long time to grow in a hydroponic system as well. The advantage of hydroponics, however, is that plants grow about 25 percent faster in a hydroponic system than when grown in soil.

Maturation

• The third stage of hydroponic plant growth is the maturation of the plant. In most cases, this means that the growth rate slows down considerably and the plant begins to take on the characteristics of a mature specimen. For flowering plants, this means that the plant will begin to display flowers that are characteristic of its species. Food plants will begin to develop full-sized fruits and vegetables. In the case of leafy green plants, most will grow to the point that they are almost ready to bolt, or develop flower stalks, which is a sign that they should be harvested. Plants at this stage need plenty of hydroponic nutrients, and they may use a lot of liquid as they develop large leaves and full-sized fruit.

Harvest

• The harvesting of hydroponically grown plants is often much simpler than those grown in more conventional settings. In many cases, the hydroponic plants are elevated, making harvesting easier, and they are also often grown indoors, meaning weather is not a concern at harvest time. At this point, most plants will have stopped growing and are often flushed with plain water for several days before harvest to clear out any salts or mineral deposits on the plants.