If this is your first time with aquaponic gardening, then you are probably
very exciting to start enjoying the food you have grown yourself.
Obviously, vegetables and fish require some time to grow fully, although
this will depend on the species of plants and fish you have in your aquaponics
system. Aquaponics is a natural system and no chemicals or additives are
used to speed up growth of either vegetables or fish. Hence, they will
take up their natural time to grow and mature, ensuring the best quality
and taste.
When purchasing plant seeds for your aquaponics system, check out the information on the package
– it will tell you how long the plant normally takes to be ready for
harvesting. Now, if this is the first time you are setting up the
Aquaponics system, you won’t be able to plant the seeds immediately.
This is because the wastes from the fish will need about 3 months to be
turned into nutrients by the bacteria. However, if you want to start
planting immediately, you can supply the nitrates into the water
yourself.
Once you have planted the seeds, the plants will grow at their
natural rate. Remember that you will be growing organic vegetables, free
of artificial additives. The best-growing plants in an aquaponics
system will be the same ones that grow best in your area (depending on
the climate, etc…). Of course, you may grow plants which require very
different climatic conditions than those in your area (e.g. some plants
grow best in the cold or in the heat), however, in this case you will
need to heat or cool the area accordingly.
A large number of plants can be grown in an aquaponics gardening
system, mainly with the exception of root vegetables. However, for most
above-ground plants, aquaponics system is an ideal set-up to grow these. Very
common plants grown in these aquaponic systems are herbs and green leafy
vegetables, as well as plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce,
chili, red salad onions, celery, broccoli, beans, and cauliflower.
Common herbs grown in aquaponics gardening include parsley, watercress,
basil, sage, and coriander.
If you are running an aquaponics system for profit (i.e. to sell the
vegetables and fish), then the species you choose to grow will also
depend on the current demand and prices in your area. Most people find
that they can charge higher prices for the same foods than those found
in supermarkets, because organic home-grown foods attract a premium.
Many start out with aquaponics gardening as a hobby, and it ends up being an
important source of income!
