Winter always comes and goes every year, so many ask me about freezing their extra potting soil on the porch or in the garage. What will it do? Can potting soil freeze? Does freezing sterilize potting soil? Can you freeze soil to kill bugs? What’s the best way to store potting soil in winter? Potting…
![Can Hydroponic Nutrients Kill Fish? [Some of Them Do!]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMjAwIDk2MCIgd2lkdGg9IjEyMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iOTYwIiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LnlvdXJpbmRvb3JoZXJicy5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjElMkYwNSUyRkc2NC1SZXZpc2lvbi5qcGciIGRhdGEtdz0iMTIwMCIgZGF0YS1oPSI5NjAiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==)
Hydroponics nutrients are a staple for any hydroponic grower as it is needed for plant growth and survival. However, is the used nutrient-rich wastewater a hazard to aquatic life such as fish? Hydroponic nutrients, in liquid or powdered form, will generally not kill fish. Potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, and magnesium are beneficial to both plant…
In conventional gardening, it is a common concern to not overwater or drown plants with too much water. How come that in hydroponics, an entirely water-based growing technique, the concern is not as common? Properly done hydroponic systems do not drown or overwater plants because the root system is never completely submerged in water. In…
![How Healthy Plant Roots Should Be? [Colors and Smell]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMjAwIDk2MCIgd2lkdGg9IjEyMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iOTYwIiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LnlvdXJpbmRvb3JoZXJicy5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjElMkYwNyUyRlJvb3QtY29sb3ItaGVhbHRoLWluZm9ncmFwaGljLmpwZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxMjAwIiBkYXRhLWg9Ijk2MCIgZGF0YS1iaXA9IiI+PC9zdmc+)
We know how plants are healthy when we see what’s above the ground. However, the color, feel, and smell of roots can give us better answers about each plant’s health and condition. Healthy roots should be white or very light-colored. Unhealthy roots are often brown, black, gray-brown, reddish-brown, or in some cases purple. Unhealthy roots…
![Can Plants Survive Without Roots? [Herbs, Veggies, and Houseplants]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMjAwIDkwMCIgd2lkdGg9IjEyMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iOTAwIiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LnlvdXJpbmRvb3JoZXJicy5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjElMkYwNCUyRndvcmQtaW1hZ2UtNTgucG5nIiBkYXRhLXc9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtaD0iOTAwIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=)
When friends drop by with cuttings of plants that I’ve been wanting to grow, some of them grow roots in a container of clean water while others simply sit there and rot. Why? I thought all plants can survive without roots and even grow new roots? Air plants and aquatic plants never need roots to…
You can grow almost anything hydroponically, they say. But is this really true or just an exaggeration? Almost any plant can be grown hydroponically. Leafy greens and herbs are the best because they are versatile and easier to grow. However, some plants such as trees with deep roots, root crops, or plants which bear large…