raising plants hydrophonically

[hedwig]

i don't want to garden hydrophonically, but maybe raise plants in this manner, to be able to transport them. We're a fire ant area, and I don't want to risk controls and maybe officers spraying chemicals around.

Is it possible to raise cuttings / seeds hydrophonically?
Can they later be transplanted in normal garden soil?
What do I need? And were do I get the butritions/ or brew by myself?

[TropicalRose]

Another point is can it be done using permaculture principles?

[hedwig]

I think of using reclaimed meaterials, maybe for the pots milk bottles cut down. For the substrate, I don't know. For the fertilizer solution no idea, maybe comfrey borage and whatever brewth.

Just thinking if it would be possible raising some plants for a bit of extra income, but the fire ants problem really makes things difficult. For this reason the hydroponics idea.

[effigyoffaith]

Check out aquaponics http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/
It's a very interesting system integrating hydroponic veggies with fish aquaculture.

[cathy]

Please pardon my ignorance hedwig, but what exactly does the fire ant problem mean for raising plants and selling them. Is it that you are not legally allowed to transport and sell plants in soil because the soil may contain fire ants?

The reason I ask is that understanding the problem may lead to other ideas for solutions if the hydroponics idea doesn't work out.