Best Nutrients for Hydroponics

Reviews of the Top Hydroponic Fertilizers

Hydroponic nutrients are a crucial component to any hydroponic system. Without a complete and balanced nutrient solution – administered in the correct dosage and at the proper time – your plants can easily suffer from malnutrition, over-fertilization, or the wrong concentrations of each nutrient. Let’s first take a look at some of the key factors to consider when choosing a hydroponic fertilizer, and then review some of the best nutrients for hydroponics on the market today. Hopefully, this will help you choose the correct fertilizer for your next hydroponic crop.

Nutrients for Hydroponic Systems: The Considerations

There are a few factors to consider when you are choosing nutrients for hydroponic systems. First, does it have all of the elements your plant will need for growth? Are these elements balanced to the correct ratios?

Once you know your nutrients are complete and balanced, then you should consider the strength (or “EC”) you should give your plants. This will depend on what crop you are growing and the stage/phase of growth of the plant when giving them nutrients (i.e., vegetative, flowering, fruiting). As the grower, you will have complete control over administering the nutrients. Therefore, you must give your plants the proper nutrients they need – at the times they need it – in order to keep them healthy. And lastly, any hydroponic fertilizer you use must be water soluble in order for the plant to access it. 

Keep in mind that not all plant fertilizers are equal. The plant nutrients you may find at your local garden center may be well-suited for plants grown in soil but may not be the complete plant food needed for soil-free hydroponic systems.

In order to be a complete plant food for hydroponics growing, the nutrients should include:

Since each crop and phase of plant growth benefits from different ratios of each element, then it can be a chore trying to figure out what is needed to mix together. If you are not interested in becoming an amateur chemist, not to worry. The good news in that there are plenty of great pre-mixed nutrient solutions which have been specifically designed for hydroponics. These are available in either liquid or dry form, and you simply follow the directions as to the feed-schedule and how to administer them. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most popular, highest-rated, and best nutrients for hydroponics on the market today.

Best Hydroponic Nutrients – Fertilizers for your Indoor Growing System