Want to know the one thing I really miss since having kids? No, it’s not bars or going out on the weekends, or even sleeping in. Really. What I miss is gardening.
Before kids, I had a gorgeous veggie garden in our backyard, surrounded by pristine sod, and it was all just steps away from our beautiful gazebo with a fire pit and patio set that was arranged like a living room you’d see in a catalog. It was magnificent.Now, anyone who has seen our yard in the last few years is laughing because that literally couldn’t be further from what our yard currently looks like. Picture a smattering of kids toys, a large trampoline, a huge dirt area that the kids have fully embraced as their own digging pit, a fairy garden designed and set up just how the kids would like, and an abandoned veggie garden that has been taken over by weeds, slugs, and the like. Sigh.
Is it any wonder I just avoid the backyard altogether? There will be a time when the garden is mine again and I will have veggies in neat little rows and a place to hangout with friends, but for now, it’s a kid haven.
So, when the email came from Root Farm asking if I wanted to hear about their hydroponic gardening, you can bet I was thrilled. Not only does hydroponic gardening not require vast amounts of space, it can also be done indoors. You can grow veggies, flowers, herbs, whatever, and it’s all done through the magic of hydroponics. 
Why Hydroponics?
Never heard of hydroponic gardening? Hydroponics {which means “working water” in Latin} is a great way to grow clean, strong plants, indoors or out, 365 days a year. Hydro gardening is different than traditional gardening in that plants are grown above ground and without soil, using a water-based nutrient solution and a growing media. You control the growing environment so it’s easier to give plants the nutrients they need to thrive.
Your Root Farm™ hydro garden can be grown two different ways: with growing mix {“Drain to Waste” hydroponics} or with water {“recirculating” hydroponics}. No matter which system you choose, Root Farm™ products are made to help plants thrive in either hydro environment. 
As cool as it is that you can grow indoors or out, all without messing with dirt and bugs, hydro gardening is also really rewarding because veggies, fruits, and flowers grow faster and fuller compared to traditional gardening.
As cool as it is that you can grow indoors or out, all without messing with dirt and bugs, hydro gardening is also really rewarding because veggies, fruits, and flowers grow faster and fuller compared to traditional gardening.Planting.
When our kit first arrived back in September it was still hot in Seattle. So, we got seeds and planted our veggies in the awesome hydroponic Root Farm™ Seed Starting Kit. Using it was super easy, you just hydrate the pods, place your seeds or cuttings inside, and then wait for them to sprout, watering only when the water level drops down. Easy, peasy.
Once they sprouted, we moved them to Root Farm™ Felt Garden Pots in trays {to collect water and Nutrient solution} and left them outside for the fall to let them enjoy the fall light and warm temps. We did get a few questioning looks as to why we had newly sprouting plants at a time when most were closing up their harvest for the year, but everyone was excited when I told them the garden was actually hydroponic and would move indoors soon.
Their first comment after that was that they didn’t *look* like hydroponics, and they were right. The Root Farm plugs look much like the traditional seed starting kit pods, and the Root Farm™ Hydro Garden Coco Coir Blend looks a whole lot like potting mix from a distance. But, when you really start to learn about hydroponics, that’s where the similarities end.The Root Farm™ Seed Starting Kit makes it easy to grow hydro plants from seeds or cuttings using the Nutrients developed specifically for each stage in growing. Since different plants have different needs during their life cycle, you can choose between Root Farm™ Base Nutrient and Root Farm™ Supplemental Nutrients to deliver the right elements at just the right time, whether you’re growing fresh leafy greens or heavy feeding plants like tomatoes, fruits or flowers. 
Grow inside or out.
Hydro gardening gives you tons of flexibility to grow outside in sunlight or inside with special lighting. Since we started our plants outdoors and only moved them in once there was threat of frost, I was so worried we were going to kill everything in the transition. But, all the plants survived the move beautifully and are currently producing veggies or getting close to it. 
If growing outdoors — Set up your hydro garden in an area where it will receive at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Note, if you are using a Recirculating System, make sure any power cords or equipment are designed for outdoor use.
If growing outdoors — Set up your hydro garden in an area where it will receive at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Note, if you are using a Recirculating System, make sure any power cords or equipment are designed for outdoor use.If growing indoors — You may need additional equipment depending on your crops. Light, temperature, ventilation, humidity and access to water are all factors to consider. We ended up getting a Root Farm LED light for our crops, and I love it. I’ve heard rumors that some gardeners use a grow tent for even more control over their environment, but we haven’t tried that at this point. 
Want to find out even more about Hydroponics?
Root Farm™ Hydroponics allow you to grow a wide range of plants so you can either produce your own flowers or food year-round. Food has never been so fun, or so local.
You can first decide what type of hydroponic garden you would like for your growing needs, and then decide whether you want to grow indoors or out. 
BENEFITS OF GROWING WITH WATER
There is less nutrient solution waste
You can grow up to 4 different plants together
You can have more control to give plants exactly what they need
Hydroponics provides faster growth and higher yields (vs traditional gardening) 
BENEFITS OF GROWING WITH GROWING MIX
Nutrient solution is fresh with each application
Growing mixes have great aeration and drainage
Breathable pots drain easily and prevent root circling
High drainage allows you to apply nutrient solution more frequently, which promotes fast growth 
Go Hydro Grow food 365 days a year with Root Farm hydroponics
If you are looking into hydroponics, I would highly recommend checking out Root Farm to see all that they offer. We have so thrilled at the result of growing hydroponics. It was virtually mess-free since it doesn’t use dirt, we had no problem with insects or slugs, and it grew so much faster and fuller than I could have imagined. Honestly, I may never go back to traditional gardening and instead will develop an awesome Root Farm hydroponic system in my backyard that can sustain all of our veggie needs year round. 
This looks amazing!
I love the idea of hydroponic gardening and think I’m ready to check it out
That’s awesome that hydroponics worked so well for you!
I’m super excited about starting my hydroponic garden with Root Farm
What a great way to grow year-round!
This looks amazing! We started our garden too late and now I’m thinking of going hydro, too
i want to try hydro gardening so bad. Off to check out Root Farm!
I’m so excited to start my garden this year, and now I’m going to look into hydroponics
That’s amazing how fast they grew!
That looks amazing!
How awesome is this! Now I want a Hydro garden
Hello,
My name is Steve. I’m interested in advertising on your site.
I wanted to ask do you publish sponsored posts on your website? And, if you do, how much do you charge for such service?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Regards,
Steve
You can email us at raveandreview (at) live (dot) com
This looks amazing!