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your Department of Agriculture or Primary Industries. Get some
information. Contact your nearest market. Get some information.
Talk to Hydroponic Suppliers. Get some information. Check your
water supply is suitable for Hydroponics. Start planning your first
year profit and loss. Show it to a grower - ask a store if you don't
know any.
An Accountant might be a good idea, if you haven't done a profit
and loss before. Once this all has happened, you can see what your
moneymaking abilities are. If you will be borrowing money from
banks, you will need to consider how this will eat into your
profitability. If it is your own capital, consider the returns on your
money. There can be many tax breaks when you are a grower (ask
an accountant) which can make it extremely profitable as a
negatively geared enterprise to recover taxes you already pay. Then
get some growers to recommend your next step. Always talk to
someone who has done the job. Look at different systems. If you
have to travel around, the cost is a good investment. Don't forget
your business sense when chasing your dreams! Hydroponics is
very commercially viable, because of cleanliness, low labour costs
due to less weed control, spraying etc., usually lower transport
costs as farms can be closer to town, the farms require little land (1
to 5 acres of flat available land), much lower running costs, but
higher set up costs (can be offset due to the cost of tractors and
heavy machinery that are generally not required). The best farms
have been run by good business people and the most profitable
growers are on main roads (roadside stalls increase profitability), on
islands, in deserts or remote locations where normal agriculture is
too unproductive and produce is freighted in. (Prices higher)
Consider also, if you have a farm in a tourist location, that people
may pay for a tour, if a cup of coffee and a Hydroponic starters kit
is thrown into the deal. Use your imagination.
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Propagation.
Starting from Seed.
Seeds require only moisture and warmth to germinate. God's design
placed every nutrient required by an embryonic plant in the husk of
the seed. Besides, nutrients cannot be absorbed until the plant has
roots, so why waste your nutrient. Better results are obtained in
media that have no nutrient, than in potting mixes, because the
availability of nutrient can actually draw goodness from the seed
husk. Optimum germinating temperatures can vary from seed to
seed, but as a guide, 20 to 25 degrees should give you a very good
strike rate. The most critical time for a plant is the first two weeks
(generally), because the plant will develop into an ideal plant if it
comes from a good strike and a good environment. Both the top of
your hot water service and on the top near the back of the fridge
near the condenser are two locations in the home that should have
excellent warmth for low cost propagation. Desk lamps can also
provide some warmth for a tray of seeds, however, the light is not
really an issue until the seeds have leaves to use it.
Using Perlite and Vermiculite mixes has been a professional method
for many years, sometimes with a small amount of Peat to turn it to
the colour of dirt. (I think that's why the Horticulturists add peat.
Peat is dark, but Perlite looks unnatural to them, it is white and
doesn't look dirty enough. Just to digress for a second....I pride
myself in the fact that my garden doesn't get my hands dirty. I can
now avoid the "Dreaded Dirt") Rockwool cubes are an excellent way
to start seeds as they hold their moisture for long periods. My only
concern is that if the Rockwool seedling is placed into a continuous
flow system, the Rockwool can get too waterlogged and cause stem
rot. Remember that Rockwool cubes are impossible to remove from
the plant roots without pulling most of the roots off too! Seeds
germinate when moist, not when wet, or after being allowed to dry
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out too much. The seed swells with moisture then some miracle
happens and a bit of dead plant (the seed) actual begins the life
process again. The first to emerge is the seed leaves or cotyledons,
and the first root has not fully developed yet.
Nutrients could be applied now but half to a quarter strength at this
stage. Be careful not to over-water or allow them to dry out at this
point. When the next set of leaves emerge there will be a root
system in place. Continue with half strength nutrients for a week or
until the next set of leaves is formed. The whole process can be a
long period, but as a guide, 3-10 days to emergence in summer, up
to 3 weeks in winter if at all, and 2 to 5 days if optimum heat is
applied.
Taking Cuttings or Cloning.
Cuttings are to be selected from healthy parent stock only take a
cutting from non-woody stems if possible take at least 25mm or 1
inch more than required immerse the cutting in water make a cut
with a sterile razor or scateurs whilst underwater just below a
branch By cutting underwater you eliminate air bubbles forming at
the incision and blocking the rooting process. make this cut
diagonally (about 45 degrees) to the stem (still underwater) cut off
the branch just above the first cut to provide another surface for
roots to strike (still underwater) Gently scrape the stem for 25mm
above the cut to disrupt the cells on the stem (still underwater).
Use the sip of life technique for hard to propagate cuttings by using
an extremely sharp razor blade to puncture the stem about 25mm
from the base of the cutting. This puts a small amount of water into
the stem and must be a very thin cut, as the incision must close
itself up when you withdraw the blade. The cutting will now suffer
less dehydration whilst rooting.(still underwater) remove the cutting
from the water (Optional) dip cutting in a root rot treatment to
avoid stem rot during rooting dip the cutting in a rooting hormone,
preferably a Gel, or a Liquid and stir around for 15 seconds.
Powders can rub off. Place in Perlite and Vermiculite Mix or a
Rockwool cube, and keep the medium moist. Dehydration is the
major cause of cutting failure because there are no roots to replace
lost moisture. Best strikes above 20 degrees Celsius. Up to 30
degrees Celsius.
Mist the cuttings with water to stop dehydration (and a vitamin B
solution such as Superthrive if available) Using an aquarium as a
mini-greenhouse keeps dehydration down to a minimum. Small
clear Propagation shells are available with vents designed for this
purpose at Hydroponic Stores.
A Cutting will usually live or die within the first 3 days (72 hours)
Use up to 24 hours of low light intensity (such as Fluorescent light)
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to ensure photosynthesis is still occurring, but not so bright as to
cause dehydration. After the cuttings appear to be rooting, vent the
propagator to avoid stem rot or root rot from the high humidity.
Remove the propagator after 1 week if all is well. When in doubt,
ventilate the mini-greenhouse but use warmth and keep some
humidity in the propagator for as long as you require to confirm
they have survived.
Transplant cutting if required when rooted.
Tissue Culture and Microponics.
Tissue Culture is the process of taking a small slice of a plant, and
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