Top 11 Flowers to Grow in Hydroponics
If you’re looking for an easier way to keep your house smelling fresh without having to spend hours weeding the garden and getting soil dirty or buying expensive bouquets, then read on! Here you can find the 11 flowers that grow fantastically in hydroponics.
Any flower can be grown hydroponically. The best and most common plants grown in hydroponic for their beautiful flowers are often perennials such as 1) petunias, 2) orchids, 3) carnations, 4) freesias, 5) roses, 6) daylilies, 7) asters, 8) lavenders, 9) chrysanthemums, 10) hydrangeas, and 11) phlox.
Despite you can grow all flowers in hydroponic, not all of them are easy to do so. It’s important to consider the kinds of flowers to be grown to make the growing process as easy as the flowers are beautiful.
Can Flowers Be Grown In Hydroponics?
Every plant can be grown hydroponically, and those famous for their stunning flowers are no exception. The only plants which are not suited to hydroponics are trees or plants which tend to have extremely large root systems.
Flowers are amazing to grow in hydroponics because you can control almost every factor of the flower’s growing condition. You can tailor the specific nutrients, the acidity (pH), or the temperature of your water. It also has the added benefit of isolating plants from pests and harmful bacteria.
11 Flowers To Grow in Hydroponics
Since any flower can be grown hydroponically, it does not mean they all grow equally. Some flowers are better suited to growing in a hydroponics system compared to others. Notably, perennials are a better choice to grow in a hydroponics system compared to annual.
Perennials are a better choice because they can survive and bloom season after season. On the other hand, annuals bloom and die after a season and grow back from the seeds they left behind. It might become a hassle to constantly germinate and plant the seeds due to the nature of hydroponics systems,
Here is a shortlist of flowers that you can add to your system.
1 – Petunias
Petunias are an easy recommendation to grow in a hydroponics system. They have vibrant white and pink colors and they flower abundantly, making it easy to fill your system with blooms.
These plants are also tender perennials which means that they cannot tolerate frost which means that they prefer temperatures from 60-80°F (15.6-21°C). However, since they are perennials they can grow all year round.
2 – Orchids
Orchids are notorious for being extremely durable and convenient plants to grow. It is almost impossible to fail at growing orchids hence it makes them a good candidate for hydroponics.
These plants grow through indirect sunlight, at temperatures 65-80°F (18-26.7°C), and through a moderate amount of water At cooler nighttime temperatures around 65°F (18°C), the plant is more likely to bloom.
3 – Carnations
Carnations are the most popular flowers to grow in a hydroponics system because they can serve as ornaments or cash crops. These can grow from either cuttings or seedlings.
Apart from being an eye-pleasing specimen, carnations also offer a tangible benefit for the gardener growing them. Carnation petals are edible, often used along with wine, candies, cakes, or salads for color and decoration.
4 – Freesias
Freesias are some of the world’s most popular cut flowers due to their color and sweet fragrance. They’re prized for their fragrance and upright flowers.
Freesias prefer direct sunlight and temperatures of 60-70°F (15.6-21°C). Similar to petunias, they are tender perennials which means that they cannot survive frost.
5 – Roses
Roses are the queen of all flowers due to their distinct deep red color and close symbolism to romance. Despite roses having frail and delicate connotations, these plants are actually quite hardy, capable of surviving in tough climatic
Roses require a steady supply of water, nutrients, and air. These flowers prefer temperatures of around 65-80°F (18-26.7°C) and direct sunlight but are tolerant to shade.
6 – Daylilies
Daylilies are often referred to as the “perfect perennials” due to their resistance to fluctuating temperatures and less-than-ideal watering conditions.
Daylilies are so hardy that they are able to survive temperatures of -25°F (-32°C). They prefer 6 hours of full sun or partial shade and adequate watering conditions.
7 – Asters
Asters are easy to grow perennial plants that are often used to fill the gaps in bouquets. They bloom every year which allows a grower to have a near-infinite supply of asters for decorative purposes.
Asters grow and bloom best under full sun with moderate nutritional and watering requirements. The ideal temperatures for this plant are from 65-80°F (18-26.7°C).
8 – Lavender
Lavender is a perennial plant that’s more than just aromatic. This plant has a wide range of applications from therapeutic to culinary.
Lavenders thrive under full sun for 6 hours but will appreciate the shade if the climate is hot. Given their surprisingly hardy nature, they require low to modest nutritional and waiting requirements.
The cultivation of hydroponic lavender is no different from that of any other plant. It follows the same standard operating procedure of seeding, germination, and transplanting into a hydroponic system.
9 – Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are either annual or perennial herbaceous plants known for their culinary or ornamental use. There are countless varieties and cultivars of this plant which makes every chrysanthemum unique from one another.
Similar to other plants in this list, they prefer direct sunlight but can also grow in shade and in very warm conditions. Temperature-wise, cultivars and varieties differ with the hardiest capable of surviving 50-80°F (10-26.7°C). They have moderate nutritional and watering requirements
10 – Hydrangeas (Special)
Hydrangeas are another popular for their large blooms and 50-year long lifespan! The hydrangeas greatest asset is its wide color variation from pink to blue, from vibrant to pastel.
Hydrangeas prefer partial sun and some afternoon shade. Temperature-wise, they grow best in 65-80°F (18-26.7°C). They have high nutritional requirements but only modest water requirements.
One thing that you need to know about hydrangeas is that you can control the color based on the water pH. Indeed, acidity (pH) affects the colors of hydrangeas. Higher acidity (pH lower than 6) produces blue to lavender-blue flowers. Lower acidity (pH higher than 7.0) produces purplish to pink blooms.
11 – Phlox
Phlox are perennial and annual plants often used for tea and other medicinal treatments. Their flowers grow in bundles that come in nearly every hue.
Phlox plants enjoy full sun and some afternoon shade, especially in warmer climates. Phlox can tolerate the heat and frost fairly well but temperatures falling below 40°F (4°C) can cause plant death. They have moderate nutritional and watering requirements.
Setting Up Your Own Flower Hydroponics System
Flowers can be incorporated into any existing hydroponics system. They do not require any change from more hydroponic ordinary plants such as veggies.
Taller plants may require additional headroom while sunlight-hungry flowers may require stronger grow lamps. This is all in due course for gardening which requires gardeners to take note of what conditions plants are most receptive to.
Any of the main hydroponic techniques can sustain a flower: 1) nutrient film technique (NFT), 2) deep water culture (DWC), 3) drip system, 4) ebb and flow, 5) wick system, 6) kratky, and 7) aeroponics are all viable hydroponic growing techniques.
For the DIY-inclined gardeners, an outdoor hydroponics system with some PVC tubes and a bit of elbow grease.
Why Do People Grow Flowers In Hydroponics?
People grow flowers in hydroponics for either 1) personal satisfaction, 2) necessity, or 3) business purposes.
Personal satisfaction,
A lot of growers and gardeners love taking on the challenge of growing the best possible version of the plant without the barriers of soil. In this case, the satisfaction comes from merely being able to grow something on just water alone.
Necessity
There are areas in the world that do not have the ideal or tolerable conditions for flowers to grow. Hydroponics allows plants to be grown indoors wherein environmental conditions can be artificially controlled similarly to what is done in a traditional greenhouse.
Business
Savvy entrepreneurs might be experimenting with ways to augment hydroponics in their business enterprises. Take a look at Hollandia Greenhouse in Vancouver, Canada which uses hydroponics to grow 20 million flowers a year.
The contemporary discussion on hydroponics is limited to its potential in lowering the cost, time, and water requirements in agriculture thus helping augment food security with less environmental impact. It will only be a matter of time until the flower industry catches on to this new growing technique that may save them from water, pesticide, and fertilizer costs.
Takeaways
- Almost any flower can be grown in the most common hydroponics system. However, some flowers are better suited to hydroponics compared to others.
- Perennial flowers may be a better option because they can survive and bloom throughout multiple seasons.
- Any hydroponic technique will do in growing flowers. These include, but are not limited to, all the mainstream hydroponic techniques.
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Sources
- “20 of the Best Perennial Flowers and Plants That’ll Bloom Year After Year” by Amanda Garrity in Good Housekeeping
- “Invasive Species Compendium” by n/a in CABI
- “Taxonomy” by n/a in U.S. National Plant Germplasm System
