Aeroponics

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:09 pm

I posted this over on Animalball a while back, but here's what I'm doing:

After researching aeroponics and hydroponics, I decided to go the easy route and purchase an AeroGarden. It came in the mail today, and I am eager to get it up and running. If I had built a custom system, it would have cost more up front, but it would have been way more flexible for future crops. I figure that if this becomes a hobby of mine, I'll end up purchasing all the custom stuff anyway.

We decided to grow the salad greens first, although I have the herb kit and cherry tomatoes kits. We should be able to start harvesting the salad greens in just under 3 weeks, once I get the seed pods going. Next up will probably be the herbs, but I have to learn how to cook with them first (the company was gracious enough to include many recipes).

Updates to follow, for anyone who's interested.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:32 pm

Have you got a garden? Sunshine is free, dirt too. Rain, it rains in Michigan, right? Seeds, those cost... about a buck a pack, I think.

Actual, all jokes aside, vegetables grown in soil taste much nicer than hydro/aero-ponic ones, you'll notce a big difference with your first crop of tomatoes.

I miss growing tomatoes in our garden in Michigan, my Papa used to bury a dead fish under the soil every spring as fertilizer, and then later we would have huge beefsteak tomatoes,zuccinis, cucumbers, and eggplants. Yum.

Instant Cash · Post by **Instant Cash** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:42 pm

Though Hydro weed was rather nice to me in the past.

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:21 pm

Angel wrote:Have you got a garden? Sunshine is free, dirt too. Rain, it rains in Michigan, right? Seeds, those cost... about a buck a pack, I think.

In Lansing where I live, I have no place for a garden, despite owning my own house. Not only that, but I can grow year round with aeroponics. Also, this is more of an educational exercise than a desire to become a gardener. I'm interested in the science of it all.

Moto42 · Post by **Moto42** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:23 pm

Flavor is heavily affected by trace mineral and nutrient content of the soil/water/fog. I would expect it to be easier to make more "flavorful" fruits/veggies in soil because it is likely to contain trace nutrients that you may miss when figuring out your plants meals from scratch.

UncleJoseph · Post by **UncleJoseph** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:41 am

Yay, my 7 different varieties of lettuce/greens have sprouted!!!

Serious Paul · Post by **Serious Paul** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:19 pm

UncleJoseph wrote:In Lansing where I live, I have no place for a garden, despite owning my own house.

Yeah he's not kidding here. His garden would be trashed in a heart beat. Corner house is a bitch all in it's own right, then add in the traffic, and neighbors and so long garden.

Plus his yard is small, all things considered. But nice. My kids loved it.