Starting your new hydroponic garden begins with asking yourself one question: what am I going to grow? We’ve written on the best vegetables that are grown with hydroponics in the past, which begs the follow-up discussion of which fruits are best grown in hydroponics. Adding fruits to your hydroponic garden will provide you with some sweetness in your hydroponic harvest without the hassle or pests of a soil garden.
Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits to grow in a hydroponic garden, especially since they can grow at room temperature. They are a hardy fruit, and you can often find wild strawberries growing in any environment. You will get beautiful harvests of vermillion strawberries in a hydroponic system when you give them the proper care. Their root systems typically don’t go very deep, which makes them perfect for small, beginner hydroponic gardens such as wick or drip irrigation systems.
Melons
Any plant that thrives in water or consists of mostly water is perfect for hydroponics. What better example is there than the classic watermelon? Melons require plenty of space and attention, but you can plant them close together in a hydroponic garden, which you would not be able to do in a soil garden. Hydroponic gardens allow you to give attention to each plant’s roots, lowering competition and allowing for growth in close quarters. If you do place the melons close together, train the vines to wrap around a trellis, as they will take up less space this way. Melons will get heavy, so it’s important to make sure your hydroponic system can hold the weight of fully grown melons before you plant them.
Blueberries
Typically, blueberries are fickle when it comes to the type of soil they require. Because you can lower the pH of your hydroponic water basin, blueberries will thrive in the acidic, moist environment of your hydroponic garden. This duality makes blueberries perfect candidates when you consider which fruits are best grown in hydroponics. You will most likely be unable to grow blueberries from seeds in your hydroponic garden, but you can easily transplant a growing blueberry bush. It’s important to note that blueberries require high amounts of sulfur.
Exotic Fruits
Since you control the nutrients, temperature, and pH of the water, it’s possible to grow many exotic fruits that may require special care. Pineapples and small citrus trees can grow hydroponically if the room is the right temperature and provides proper lighting. Many tropical plants require you to simulate their natural tropical environments, so take care to research any exotic fruits you want to garden with hydroponics.
You can grow almost any fruit or vegetable hydroponically with the proper research, care, and tools. Gear yourself up with Floraflex’s collection of hydroponic growing supplies for your fruit or vegetable garden.
