The perfect gardening solution when you’re short on space

There comes a time in your life where you may consider downsizing to a smaller home or moving into a retirement village. Perhaps you’ve already made that decision, or you still might be thinking about it – but regardless of which path you choose to take, it often means moving into a smaller living space. Although there are plenty of benefits to downsizing, a lot of the time it does mean you miss out on a garden. But living in a small space or in a unit doesn’t mean you need to give up your passion for gardening. CANNA’s hydroponic gardening solutions make growing veggies and plants easy even if you’re limited on space with their mess-free and low maintenance set-up.

By growing your plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil, CANNA allows you to fit gardening into your smaller household spaces, without the mess. No more dealing with soil or hurting your back with heavy lifting and bending over. CANNA offers a range of products for growing fresh herbs, veggies, or flowers – and best of all, there’s something for all gardening experience levels.

No matter what you plant in your garden, harvest the benefits with CANNA’s hydroponic gardening; the perfect gardening solution that is sustainable, easy to set-up, low maintenance and works well in small spaces – no matter if it’s in the kitchen or on the balcony.

Let’s dig in and learn more about this new way of gardening.

The foundation of CANNA

CANNA is a global supplier of a wide variety of plant nutrients and additives, which are exclusively designed for hydroponic gardening systems to enhance plant growth. They first bloomed during the 1980s in the South Netherlands when they took to the horticulture industry, sharing their knowledge on the cultivation of fast-growing plants.

Because of the increasing demand for nutrient-dense solutions, CANNA started to develop a mix for growing on soil. CANNA hit the market and launched their first mineral plant nutrients in 1993.

What is hydroponic gardening?

So what does hydroponic gardening actually mean? In a nutshell, it’s gardening without the soil. Instead, the soil is replaced with nutrient-rich water to support the roots and grow the plants directly. It is suitable for both small and large-scale use, making it perfect for any space, but especially for anyone downsizing to a smaller backyard or balcony.

CANNA’s substrateless recirculating system means the nutrients are supplied via a water system instead of soil. This gives you more control over the growing process without wasting water or increasing your water bill. There is a bit of a learning curve at first to get your head around the process, however just like all other things in life, with a bit of practice and patience, you will master the art of hydroponic gardening in no time.

Benefits of hydroponic gardening

There are many benefits of hydroponic gardening, with the main focus being on its sustainability and scalability for those working in smaller spaces. CANNA’s hydroponic gardening system is extremely scalable because recirculating systems don’t require many parts and are generally smaller than regular gardening systems.

Many gardening methods require soil or potting mix, which is a great way to make a mess or hurt your back with heavy lifting. With CANNA’s hydroponic systems, there’s no need to use soil at all, which makes it less messy, time consuming or labour-intensive.

Not only is it scalable and clean, but it’s an environmentally-friendly gardening option for any gardener. Hydroponic gardening is the leader in saving water, which is the first step of being sustainable.

Other benefits:

• Plants grow faster in water

• You can control the nutrient flow

• User-friendly

• Thoroughly tested

“I bought CANNA Aqua Vega, A and B, and I am blown away! My plants are loving it, and it is so simple. Ordered the additives and hoping for even faster growth. So far, I’m getting about an inch and a half to 2 inches of vibrant growth everyday on my seedlings!” – Jacob M

What is CANNA Aqua?

The CANNA Aqua product line is a user-friendly range of nutrient-rich products that create mind-blowing yields. With these proactive gardening systems, instead of the drainage water flowing away, the system reuses it; which is the main purpose of the recirculation.

The biggest advantage of a recirculating system is that it uses less nutrients and water than many other systems on the market, making for an eco-friendly gardening experience. CANNA Aqua is such an advanced product line because it secures space for the plants to be in direct contact with the nutrients; making it more beneficial to the plant.

The yields are so high with the CANNA Aqua product line because you have full control over the nutrient flow during the growth and blooming phases. One CANNA customer explains,

“Amazing! All of the CANNA products are awesome, with this you don’t even need to keep adjusting the ph like with other hydroponic nutrients. Just add it, ph it and your set. It even has calmag in it so no need for it. Huge yield increase.” – Bryen

The products

Aqua Vega

• Optimal for growing

• Dissolves quickly

• Contains ph-stabilisers

• High-quality EDDHA iron chelating agents and trace elements

Aqua Flores

• Optimal for flowering

• Stimulates the fructification process

• Rich in potassium and phosphorus

• Direct absorption

Aqua Clay Pebbles

• Optimal for experienced growers

• Baked clay pellets that form an ideal substrate

• Manufactured from a low soluble salt content

• High porosity and fungus free

Hydroponic systems and tips

Using hydroponics can be a little challenging in the beginning, but there are many techniques that will help you offer the right amount of care and attention your plants need when using nutrients. Take the time to get the right system for your needs as this will make maintenance easier (or suit your lifestyle) while getting the maximum output. Let’s take a look at three easy hydroponic gardening systems for beginners:

Wicking:

• Wicking is the easiest way to grow your own microgreens and herbs

• Uses a water reservoir underneath your growing tray or non-soil medium

• The two containers connect with wicks, like string, yarn or fabric

• This system is best placed in a sunny spot with the water and nutrients topped up as required

Run to waste:

• For this system, the water and nutrients are drained into the ground or container

• You can use a grow medium, like coconut fibre or rockwool

• They are similar to potting mix systems but with an increase in productivity

• Comes with a submersible pump and timer system

• Very stable ph value

Nutrient film technique (NFT):

• NFT is excellent for growing shallow-rooted plants, like herbs, spinach and radishes

• The water-nutrient solution flows around the reservoir in a continuous loop

• This system requires two pumps and an airstone to oxygenate the water

• Requires tubes or channels to place your plants in

With CANNA’s hydroponic gardening systems, you can go back to having a seamless and easy gardening experience without the heavy lifting or worry about growing in your space.