- Get to know your H20: Have your water tested. Tap water is fine, Kristin Weeks says, but good water quality is clearly critical. “If you know what issues your water has, you can correct for it,” she notes, “but you need to have a baseline.”
- Be realistic: In other words, start on a small scale for a better chance of success. Investing in a small system, Brook Sheffield says, can cost as little as $30. “From there, the learning and involvement can grow.”
- Consider climate: Temperature is an important factor. “You have to be able to circulate air, cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s not,” Weeks shares.
- Know your options: Certain systems are better for certain crops. Deep water culture, which Wilson uses, is great for greens, because they’re small enough to float and easy to harvest. A pepper, though, needs more root support and might require a soilless media. “Visit your local hydroponics store, look at the working models, ask questions,” advises Sheffield.
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