SESCOS Can Help You Get Growing
Hydroponic farming has seen rising popularity in recent years, as more people choose to grow their own fruits and vegetables year-round. It’s also a good way for farmers to get more produce to the market without worrying about soil or weather conditions.
Recent laws granting the green light to hemp cultivation in Virginia have given home and commercial farmers even more reason to expand their operations. If you want or you have a hydroponic setup, you’re going to need electricity. SESCOS can help you get yourself growing.
Small Home Setups
If you live in a climate where it’s sunny most of the year, you can set your hydroponic garden up outside. If you live in Northern Virginia, you’re not exactly in the tropics, however, and you’ll have to set your garden up indoors. You can use a room in your house, an addition or a separate outbuilding. You will need:
Grow lights: These should be metal halide or LEDs, which do a better job of mimicking sunlight.
Timers: Different plant types need different amounts of artificial light each day, and all need a certain number of hours in darkness. If you’re growing different types of plants in one hydroponic system, you will need timed lights for each plant type.
Remote ballast: This powers the lights in your hydroponic greenhouse. The ballast needs to be installed in a way that keeps it from getting wet. For best results, you should buy it with the bulbs as a set.
Larger Gardens
If you’re expanding your hydroponic garden, you’ll have to expand your equipment, lights, and electrical setup. At this point, you may want to consider wiring your hydroponic setup with 240 volts instead of 120.
- You’ll be able to power twice as many lights on the same amperage.
- You can run your setup on a separate electric panel so that it’s not drawing on your home’s panel.
- You can add fans for ventilation, which is also important in a hydroponic farm.
Commercial Operations
Large-scale hydroponic farming holds promise for certain crops and in some situations. It uses much less water and soil than traditional farming requires no pesticides and can be set up anywhere.
At the same time, a large commercial operation is highly dependent on a steady supply of energy for various functions. If you have or want a commercial farm, your hydroponic setup needs its own electrical panel and wiring separate from your home’s.
- You’ll need a pumping system for large-scale aeration of the soil.
- You will need heating and cooling systems for temperature control.
- Because your large operation is highly dependent on electricity, a commercial back-up generator is a must.
A Growing Trend
Growing plants indoors is not new. In the nineteenth century, conservatories were a popular feature of larger homes, and an in-home orangery was considered the height of sophistication. Today, many people are getting into hydroponic greenhouses, hydroponic farming and other ways to enjoy flowers and fruits year-round.
SESCOS can help you get your hydroponic greenhouse, hydroponic farm or other indoor gardens all set up and ready to go. For all your electrical services, call SESCOS.