Most of the time when we think about growing plants, we think about growing them in soil.
However, it is entirely possible to grow plants without soil using ultrasonic fogger aeroponics.
It all sounds very technical but the idea is very easy to understand; a way to grow using water as well as replicating that humid rainforest environment.
This method, sometimes called fogponics, is a completely new way to grow plants that is transforming the way we think of gardening. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, don’t panic!
As we’ve said before, it’s not as bad as it sounds and in this guide, we will walk you through all you need to know.
What Is Ultrasonic Fogger Aeroponics?
People sometimes refer to an ultrasonic fogger aeroponics system as fogponics and for this article we will use this name .
Fogponics is a type of aeroponics that is one step above aeroponics. Fogponics does not require soil, and instead utilizes various pieces of equipment to act as soil.
Fogponics systems rely on tiny water atomized droplets which are only about 5 microns wide.
This enables you to create fog instead of mist, which is how most normal aeroponics systems operate.
A fog contains water, but also a lot of other elements that are important to the growth of the plants and necessary micronutrients for health.
The roots of the plants absorb the moisture, and hence the nutrients.
The value of a fogponics system is that there is little to no destruction on the young roots due to the size of the droplets.
Additionally – Having a higher tolerance on delicate or sensitive plants which sometimes can cause damage or degradation of roots.
When using a aeroponics system that creates mist, there is always damage risk.
How Do These Systems Work?
When using a fogponics system, you should remember one of the essential facts about fogponics systems is that the system will produce water and nutrients, two very important elements for plants health and growth.
Most fogponics systems suspend plants in the air to have fog penetrate the root zone. They will also have a specific set of foggers and an electricity source that supply the fog needed.
Fog is the nutrient and/or solution that every plant need!
Without foggers it would be an aeroponics system, not a fogponics system.
But how do you get the nutrients into the water?
Its really very straight forward: When you put water into your system you will put in whatever quantity of liquid fertiliser you prefer. You can use dry fertilisers, but you have to make sure they are fully dissolved which entails more work.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of An Ultrasonic Fogger Aeroponics System?
Like any other system, success with fogponics has its advantages and disadvantages that you should be mindful of before deciding to use this system.
Let’s look at these now.
Pros
One of the major advantages to the fogponics system is that the droplets generated are so small, so it gives you much better coverage than any other system.
As mentioned before, it causes very little damage to the roots so it is a great system for starting young plants.
Also, since the roots are suspended, they receive much greater levels of oxygen than when they were in soil.
And everything is contained within the reservoir, so it is unlikely for you to lose any nutrients to external sources.
Also, in other systems like NFT, nutrients are not evenly distributed around the plants, meaning that this plant, for instance, is receiving way more than any of the others.
Fogponics systems are great because they are so easy to maintain. They also don’t require much cleaning because there is just a single unit versus aeroponics systems are cleaning many heads.
Cons
Now that we’ve covered the advantages of a fogponics system, let’s discuss the disadvantages.
First of all you must understand that when you are running your fogponic system for long periods of time this will generate heat in the system’s reservoir.
You may be thinking, what is the problem with that? Well, you guessed it; the fog will evaporate into the air, which can cause the roots to eventually dry out.
This means that you’ll need to try to keep the temperature down; however, there are some things that you can do and perhaps the best way to prevent it would to use a timer, but again, this means an additional expense.
If you wanted, you could use ice etc to manage the balance, but again this means getting the balance correct.
But, regardless of how you manage your cooling needs, you’re going to need to invest something into it as it is well established that fogponics systems take a fair amount of money to establish.
Another issue that many users experience while using a fogponics system is the build up of salt.
If left unattended, this will increase the chance of blocked foggers so you need to make sure that you stay on top of cleaning and maintenance.
Finally: and possibly the most obvious disadvantage to the fogponics system is that your system is down when there is a power outage.
Your plants’ roots are left exposed to air and they are not sitting, in water like they would be in a traditional hydroponics setup which means they rely heavily on the operation of the foggers.
If there is an extended power outage, this will mean drying out roots and not getting your plants the essential nutrients and moisture that they need.
What’s The Difference Between Fogponics And Aeroponics?
If you have been considering designing a fogponics system then you may have been asking yourself if there really is a difference between that and an aeroponics system.
They are both considered hydroponics but there are some things that make them different from each other, so before your attempt to make the choice, it is worth knowing the differences.
A few things to realize – The differences in the two systems is the fact that a fogponics system generates fog and an aeroponics generates mist. There is no fogger in an aeroponics.
You usually would want to treat a fogponics system for the smaller plants and cuttings as well as plants that are sensitive for other reasons.
However, an aeroponics system would be useful for bigger plants as well.
Given that the droplets in a fog system are generally smaller means that they are particularly good for plants that do not have as high of nutrient needs.
Plants that have higher nutritional needs would be better suited in an aeroponics system.
What Plants Would Benefit From Ultrasonic Fogger Aeroponics?
Understanding the differences in systems is one thing, but I’m sure you are just wanting to know what plants you will be able to grow.
It is important to remember that you will not be able to use a fogponics system for all of your plants. However, all but the following will work:
- Lavender
- Basil
- Mint
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Dill
- Rosemary
- Chamomile
- Chervil
- Cucumbers
- Beans
- Lettuce
- Chives
- All types of seedlings
How To Install A Fogponics System
So now that you’re ready to get rolling with your fogponics system, it’s time to learn how to install it.
You will need some tools if you want to get the most out of your system, but once you have the tools you will find it relatively easy to get going:
- First and foremost, you will need some type of reservoir or container that is large enough for your system’s plants, and some water.
- Next, you will need a lid that goes over the reservoir to keep any fog in. Make sure the lid has holes for the net pot.
- Make sure that your net pot is the proper size for your system – this is a top priority when gathering everything you will need! Inside the net pot, you will need to put some type of growing media, such as perlite, vermiculite etc. You will then want to set the net pot onto your reservoir so that the roots hang just above the water.
- The best type of food in this case is a liquid food that you can add to the water. If you really want to use powdered, that is attainable, but it must be fully dissolved. There are some that are designed for hydroponics systems specifically.
- To set your system apart from a regular aeroponics system, you will need an ultrasonic fogger. This will be placed into the reservoir.
- You may or may not need a micro fan, but it would be useful to distribute the fog around the plant roots.
- As with growing plants in soil, you will want to measure the pH levels, so a pH meter is necessary. You can buy a pH kit that will make adjusting the pH a lot easier as well.
Conclusion
Growing plants is no mean feat and each type of plant has different requirements.
Fogponics, sometimes called Ultrasonic fogger aeroponics, is an innovative way to grow plants out of the soil using a fogger system that keeps the roots moist and offers nutrients.