IPFS News Link • Food
Digging into Aquaponics: #1 -The Plants
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Aquaponics growing environments can be home to a huge variety of plants. I've grown just about everything you can imagine, from the mundane, like herbs, lettuces, and houseplants, to the unusual, like cactuses, orchids, and dwarf trees. So, how should you choose your plants?
Top Performers
Your best growing plants are always going to be the nitrogen lovers, like salad greens, herbs, and houseplants. Why? Because aquaponic systems are especially rich in nitrogen, which is what causes plants to be green.
And within that category of "green" plants the ones that like a wet environment and tend to hold a lot of water, like lettuce and basil, for example, will perform the best.
Poorer Performers
Conversely, plants that prefer a drier environment and a rich array of nutrients may require some extra tending and/or supplementation. Here I'm thinking of plants like thyme, sage, tomatoes and peppers. Always grow these types of plants in a media bed vs. a raft bed. You have higher levels of nutrients, and less moisture, in this style bed.
Other considerations when choosing your plants: