02-04-2007, 07:59 AM
Alright so you'd like to grow an indoor garden? Well I'm not going to go into hydroponics but heres a short tutorial on terraponics. First uh, you'll need to make sure your soil is sterile. You should check whether the soil you're buying has fertilizer added or is organic. Over fertilization can result in fert burn depending on what you're growing. Next you should check the PH, which is how acidic or alkaline the soil and water/fertilizer you'll be using is. The scale goes from 1-14, I believe vinegar and lemon juice are about a 2(very acidic) and baking soda being a about a 9(very alkaline). Many plants like a ph of 6.5 because this is ideal for all three major nutrients to be absorbed. Nitrogen-Potasium-Phosphorus are marjor nutrients you'll see as NPK value on any fertilizer you buy. After all of that, you'll have to find a lighting source of some kind. Fluorescents work, but if you're planning on a large crop, invest in a 600 or 1000 watt High pressure sodium bulb or similar HID bulb. Like the rainbow plants need different areas of the light spectrum that can be produced. Fluoros are heavy in the blue which is great for vegatative/clone growth, while HIDs are heavy in the red, which is great for flowering. Finally, all plants need air and ventilation...that's about it any questions? Please ask.