Starting a hydroponics garden for the first time is thrilling. It's a fun way to pass the time during Covid-19, and you have all those new gadgets to play with. It's an exciting project, and you get to see the progress your plants make over time. However, producing perfect plants requires some skill and attention to detail that you develop over time. It is common for rookie growers not to realize their mistakes until too late because a new garden doesn't have the usual indicators of something going wrong, like pests and diseases. Even if you have a lot of guidance in setting up your grow room, there are a lot of mistakes you may have made in the initial stages of developing that you may not realize.
Here are some common errors beginner growers make:
Not checking their plants daily
When new growers first start growing, they may not devote the amount of time needed to grow hydroponically successfully. They believe that they can neglect their plants during the week and tend to them on the weekends. However, there is a lot that can go wrong in your grow room if you do not regularly check on them. Even if your system is fully automated through a grow controller such as Growlink, it is essential to check on your plants daily to ensure that everything is going smoothly. The system can become clogged, or fail in some other way, and if you do not address the problem quickly, it could kill all of your seedlings. Once you are a more experienced grower, it will become easier for you to identify failures in your systems and problems with your plants because you have been attentive to them.
Going overboard
More is not always better, particularly in regards to plant growth. Often, problems arise in the grow room from a lack of experience in tending to plants hydroponically. It usually takes time to understand how to irrigate and fertilize plants properly. Overwatering is often detrimental to plants, and beginners often do not realize they are overwatering before it is too late. Excessive nutrients, or nutrient burn as it's referred, is also a common problem for beginners.
Overcrowding the crop
It is common for beginners to overestimate how many plants will fit in their grow room. When you first plant them, it may seem that your plants have a lot of room, but once they grow more, they will need that extra space to maintain growth. Be vigilant about removing excess plants and pruning if overcrowding seems like it will be a problem. When in doubt, err of the side of caution and plant fewer plants.
Suddenly changing the environment
You need to give your plants time to adjust when you make changes. One of the most common problems that beginners face is when they suddenly change the light levels of the grow room. A sudden increase in light will cause leaf bleaching and burning. It is recommended that you gradually make changes in the amount of light to give your plants time to adjust.
Enjoy your hydroponic garden! It's a rewarding way to grow food, cannabis, or flowers during social distancing.