Kings Heath Hydroponics

The shop-​keeper rouses himself from bench-​pressing weights in the mini gym that he has out back and greets me. So what exactly is hydroponics? He explains. Hydroponics is a system of growing plants via an system a called ‘ebb and flood’. The plant sits in a top tray on a bed of clay pebbles and nutrient-​filled water from a tray below is sucked up to later drain away to the bottom tray, and the cycle continues. This means that there is a constant flow, of water, air (and therefore oxygen), and so the grower can attain higher yields from the plant.
The shop sells ebb and flow trays, nutrients, heat lamps and specialist horticultural magazines and literature. Most people starting out in hydroponics might not have a clue of how to get started and the shop-​keeper is well used to this. He tells me what I’d need to get started, asks me what I’m growing and the quantity of what I’m growing. Then he sends me off with a more information so I can do some research and come back when I’m ready to buy.
The most obvious application for hydroponics is the farming of cannabis plants. If you take off your blinkers though there’s a world of growing that hydroponics can be applied to. Chillies, and tomatoes are some other plants that you can get high yields from. Who knows, maybe I’ll start with grapes and we’ll soon see Château Ben Shiraz on sale at craft fairs in the area soon?