Before aquaponics or hydroponics comes the cultivation of the plants. Here are some tips from regular horticulture.

Growing plants is not that difficult. Nevertheless, various mistakes are made, especially by beginners, which is why the cultivation does not succeed satisfactorily. This is of course bad for the wallet, as some seed varieties are quite expensive, and it is also bad for the psyche when the little plant babies do not sprout as previously hoped. Possible consequences are that the desire to grow one's own plants is quickly lost and one falls back on young plants that have already been grown (sometimes from hybrid varieties).

To prevent this from happening and to keep the motivation to grow your own plants alive, we would like to point out the 5 most common mistakes in growing and how they can be avoided with simple means.

Too many nutrients
Probably the most common mistake in growing is the choice of substrate in which the seeds are to germinate. Usually, for reasons of cost, potting soil is used instead of growing soil. However, this potting soil is pre-fertilised and therefore full of nutrients.

Neither the seeds nor the small seedlings need this nutrient boost. At this stage, they basically only need two factors: light and water.

It is also helpful to have a firm, but not compressed substrate in which the seedlings can form their first roots. This substrate should be free of nutrients or at least low in nutrients. This means at least the usual growing soil.

However, we have had even better results with coco humus. This coco humus is free of nutrients, has an anti-mould effect and stores water much better than potting soil.

Too little or too much water
Both mistakes are often made - either too little or too much water. Either completely dried out or the whole pot or container is under water. An almost constant moist environment is rarely created.

After trying out several possibilities of growing (potting soil, growing soil, cotton wool, etc.), one method has gradually emerged with a clear lead in terms of results.

We use or recycle the plastic trays in which fresh fruit and vegetables are found in the supermarket. For example, rocket, spinach, but also strawberries and grapes are usually sold in these trays. In most households, these trays end up in the yellow bag, but here they are collected and reused for growing. Advantage: They are free of charge and they are transparent - so you can regularly check from the side how moist the substrate is.

We fill about two-thirds of the above-mentioned coco humus into these plastic trays. This coco humus stores water particularly well. Watering during the germination period is usually not necessary. Water once, cover with plastic film and you're done. With the help of the plastic film, a biological microclimate is created inside.

Critics will of course complain about the amount of plastic used and/or the coconut, but from our point of view this variant is nevertheless recommended. All three components, the humus as well as the shells and the foil, can be used again and again. Of course, this is not the 100 percent perfect and most environmentally friendly variant in the world, but compared to many other environmental sins that happen every day on this planet, this is a variant that is compatible with one's conscience.

Too little light
The third very popular mistake in growing is the lack of light, which the freshly germinated plants urgently need. If this light is lacking or insufficient, a phenomenon can be observed that is referred to as "yellowing".

In the case of wilting, the plant does not grow properly, but forms an extremely long but thin shoot in order to reach the desired light. In rare exceptional cases, the plant manages to recover later, but usually a wilted plant will die after a week or two at the latest.

So it is of enormous importance to provide enough light as soon as the first seedlings are visible. We have had the best experience with so-called grow lights, which are fixed above the plastic trays. This is an initial investment, but the plants will thank you for it.

Too cold
Although a too warm or even hot environment is also a possible mistake, it is rather rare.

It is much more common that the cultivation takes place in an environment that is much too cold. We generally grow the plants indoors or in a room with relatively constant temperatures between 20 and 22 °C. Only a few plants need a little warmer or hotter temperatures. Only a few plants need it a little warmer or colder.

If you want to grow your plants in a greenhouse, I recommend that you think about methods to warm the greenhouse and keep the temperatures constant. In Germany, temperatures can still drop below freezing point at night, even in May. During the day there is sometimes bright sunshine, but at night it is still shivering. In any case, it is generally best to wait for the so-called "Ice Saints" before planting young plants outside.

Sowing too closely
If you have not seeded the young plants individually but plan to prick them out when they have developed properly, you should remember not to sow them too densely. Although it is sometimes a real hassle to distribute the small seeds individually, you should nevertheless pay close attention to this.

The young plants need space to develop, they need light, which they may take away from each other if the sowing is too narrow, and at the latest when pricking out, it will take revenge if roots that are knotted together break off.

When sowing, we recommend a distance of at least two centimetres to each seed. Of course, you don't have to measure exactly with the linear, but if you keep to about a thumb's width, you're on the safe side. This method also makes it easy to count which seeds have actually germinated and thus calculate the germination rate.