Most hydroponic systems combine a few simple parts: the container, a water reservoir that holds the water, a pump that moves the water around the plant’s roots, and an air pump to keep the water oxygenated.

Aeroponic systems use water to mist plant roots several times a day. Plants are suspended in small nets or baskets that may contain clay pellets or perlite to provide stability. By misting plant roots intermittently instead of keeping the roots suspended under water, you can cut back on potential issues with oxygenation or disease problems.

I have a couple of tall grow tents in my garage. The flowering tent has HPS lighting, and the vegetative tent uses CMH lighting. Large LED and fluorescent fixtures also work well in these tents. The grow tents are perfect for winter garage growing.

They are insulated, so the HID lamps keep them warm enough during the day and prevent plants from freezing at night.

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A chilling-hour requirement is a safety mechanism plants employ so they don’t produce flower buds too early, potentially losing their flowers (and thus fruit and seeds) to cold or freezing temperatures. The plants keep a memory log of the amount of chilling time they have experienced at the right temperatures to trigger the flowering process.

Tulips, hyacinth, hardneck garlic, columbine, foxglove, and stone fruits like peaches, apples, and cherries are just a few examples of plants that require vernalization. If these plants don’t receive the necessary chilling time, they won’t flower, set fruit, or develop bulbs.

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Fill your transplant pot with a quality potting soil, then gently transfer your seedling or cutting into the new pot at the same depth at which the seedling naturally emerges. If you bury your seedling too deep it could rot. There are a few exceptions, such as tomatoes, that can be planted deeper.

Now that your transplants are actively photosynthesizing and growing, they will take up water faster and can dry out quickly under grow lights. Check their water needs more frequently than when the tiny seedlings were safe under a humidity dome.

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Dual-band LEDs that mix primarily red and blue light produce light that looks pink to purple in color. You can use this mixture for continuous growth through vegetative and flowering stages.

You can also use single-band nanometer-specific blue LEDs for vegetative growth, then add red if your plants need to flower. Or bulk up young vegetative plants using single-band red LEDs, then add in blue light to encourage flowering.

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Are you in love with succulents? How about silver plants? If the answer is yes, then you must check out a genus of succulent plants called Senecio. Senecios produce beautiful foliage in shades of blue to silver, some smooth - some fuzzy.

Senecios are one of my favorite plant groups. There are many different interesting forms in this succulent genus. Some species are day-neutral, while others may be short-day or long-day plants.

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Depending on the crop you’re growing, temperatures that are too hot or too cold can hinder growth and development. Every type of plant has an optimal temperature range for producing healthy foliage and flowers.

If you grow a cool-season crop such as spinach or broccoli in temperatures that are too warm or with daylengths that are too long, the plants will bolt. If you have ever harvested bitter-tasting lettuce, temperatures were too hot for your plants.

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Fluorescents are typically labeled T5, T8, or T12. The T designates size by diameter. T5 tubes are about the diameter of a dime, while a T8 is closer to a nickel. T12 tubes are the largest. As their diameter grows smaller, fluorescent lamps get more efficient. A T8 fluorescent tube will be more efficient than a T12, and the T5 tubes are more efficient than both.

I use a large 8-lamp HO T5 fluorescent fixture to light and grow a rotating group of houseplants, herbs, orchids, and young transplants.

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