For a beginner looking forward to starting CEA gardening, you need to know what kind of plants to start with and what kind of control systems to have. As you may have figured out, CEA stands for Controlled Environment Agriculture. This means giving your choice of indoor plants their own cozy home using high-tech control systems.
But where do you begin as a newbie in CEA gardening? Before we get to that, what's all about CEA gardening?
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All About CEA Gardening
Imagine if you could grow fresh vegetables all year round, no matter what the weather's like outside. That's what CEA gardening offers you. It helps you create a perfect little world for your plants, where you're in charge of everything - from how much light they get to how warm it is.
CEA gardening isn't only about the plants—it's also helpful for our planet. By growing food this way, you can save water, use less land, and even cut down on transportation costs. Plus, CEA gardening allows you to grow all sorts of plants, even those that wouldn't otherwise grow in your area.
Do you want fresh strawberries in winter or homegrown lettuce when it's snowing outside? You should then start CEA gardening.
Getting Started on CEA Gardening as a Beginner
Here's a checklist to get you started on CEA gardening as a beginner.
Get a Suitable Space
You can go with a spare room, basement, or closet. You just need to make sure it's clean and you can control its environment.
Grow Lights
Plants need lights to grow, and in CEA gardening, you're the one to provide the light needed. The best lights to choose for your CEA plants are the LED grow lights which are energy efficient and don't get too hot.
Climate Control
You'll need to keep your garden at the right temperature and humidity. This is where groundbreaking technologies like indoor dehumidifiers come in. These gadgets help you maintain a quality environment for your plants.
Other monitoring tools that you need include a thermometer and a hygrometer. They'll help keep track of your CEA garden temperature and humidity, as well.
Growing Medium
In CEA gardening, you'll need a medium—where your plants grow in. You can use soil as a beginner but some CEA gardeners use alternatives such as coconut coir or rockwool.
Nutrients
Since you're not growing your plants in regular soil which has its nutrients, you'll have to feed them these nutrients. Hydroponic nutrients are the best choice to use for CEA plants, which keeps your plants satisfied and healthy.
Seed or Seedlings
Now it's time to choose what you want to grow. As a beginner in CEA gardening, it's best to choose leafy greens or herbs.
Choosing Plants to Grow in Your New CEA Garden
There are lots of options when it comes to plants you can choose for your CEA garden as a beginner. Here are some popular options and best plants for beginners in CEA gardening.
Leafy Greens
Some leafy greens to grow in your CEA garden include lettuce, spinach, and kale which grow quickly and don't take up much space. You'll have fresh salads in no time.
Herbs
Some herbs you can grow in your new CEA garden include basil, cilantro, and mint. They're easy to grow and add a burst of flavor to your meals. Plus, they smell good too. This ties in perfectly with the idea of supercharging your home gardening by growing, harvesting, and preserving herbs.
Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are one of the favorite plants for indoor gardeners. It can be a good option to start with in your new CEA garden. Tomatoes are compact and produce lots of fruit.
Peppers
Pepper is another plant option perfect for CEA gardening. Both sweet and spicy varieties do well in CEA setups.
Strawberries
You can choose to grow strawberries in your CEA garden. Yes, you can grow these indoors, but they're a bit more challenging but worth it.
Climate Control in CEA Gardening
Having decided on the plant you'll grow, how do you ensure “Mother Nature” in your CEA garden? It's all about creating the perfect climate for your greens to thrive in.
How do you achieve this?
Temperature: Most plants perform better between 60-75°F (15-24°C). Use a thermometer to keep an eye on things, and adjust your heating or cooling as needed.
Humidity: Plants love it a bit humid, usually around 50-70%. Remember those dehumidifiers we mentioned? They're great for keeping humidity in check. Too much moisture can lead to mold, and you don't want that.
Air Circulation: You should add a fan inside your garden room. Even a small fan can work; it helps strengthen your plants and prevents stagnant air.
Lighting: We also mentioned using grow lights. Different plants need different amounts of light. Generally, 14-16 hours of light per day is a good start. Use a timer to make it easy.
Watering: Watering is one of the most important aspects of doing CEA gardening. Overwatering is a common mistake. A good rule of thumb: water when the top inch of soil feels dry.
Speaking of watering, creating a good irrigation system in your garden can save you time and ensure your plants get just the right amount of water. You could set up a simple drip system or even try hydroponics.
Control Systems for Your CEA Garden
Your CEA garden can use automated control systems that help manage all those environmental factors we just talked about. These systems are a big part of what makes CEA gardening so efficient. They help you use resources wisely, which ties back to our goal of going green and saving the planet, one step at a time.
What can control systems do in your garden?
Automate Lighting
Automated control systems for CEA gardening help turn lights on or off in case you forget. You'll only need to set a schedule and let the system handle your lighting.
Monitor Temperature and Humidity
Control systems will help you get alerts if your plant's environment gets too hot, cold, or damp.
Manage Watering
Some systems can water your plants automatically based on moisture levels.
Track Data
You can add systems that show you how your plants are doing over time and adjust as needed. As a beginner in CEA gardening, you can start simply with plug-in timers and standalone sensors. As you get more into it, you can explore smart systems that connect to your phone.
Control Systems for Your CEA Garden
There you have it—your beginner's guide to CEA gardening. From picking your plants to mastering control systems, you're now ready to start your indoor garden adventure. CEA gardening it's all about experimenting. Before you know it, you'll be harvesting your own homegrown fresh products.
