Indoor growing systems offer a range of exciting options that allow you to grow hydroponically, using water rather than soil or another soil-like growing medium. Some use these indoor grow systems to cultivate their own food at home. Others use them to grow pretty flowers for arrangements or display. Why not do both?
Below, we have come up with a list of great flowers for your indoor growing system that are both beautiful and edible. You will also find tips to help you successfully grow these plants hydroponically indoors.
Hydroponic gardening offers a great way to grow beautiful flowers year-round. By providing optimal conditions, hydroponics allows you to cultivate vibrant blooms indoors no matter the season.
When selecting flowers for hydroponics, consider factors like sunlight needs size and nutrient requirements. With a properly designed system, nearly any flower can thrive hydroponically. However, some varieties are especially well-suited for indoor cultivation.
Here are the 10 best flowers to grow hydroponically
1. Orchids
Known for their exotic blooms, orchids make ideal hydroponic flowers. In nature, orchids grow on the branches and trunks of rainforest trees, thriving in humid, moist conditions. This makes them perfectly adapted to hydroponics environments.
For orchids, choose a passive hydroponic system like Deep Water Culture. Clay pebbles make an excellent growing medium, mimicking the chunky bark orchids cling to in their native habitat. With proper lighting and humidity, orchids will reward you with months of stunning flowers.
2. Chrysanthemums
Also called mums, chrysanthemums produce an abundance of bold, vivid blossoms. They flourish in hydroponics, tolerating both passive and active systems well. For gorgeous blooms, provide consistent moisture and nutrients. An active Deep Water Culture setup allows you to easily adjust nutrition as needed.
Growing to around 1-3 feet tall, mums come in colors like pink, red, yellow, bronze, orange, white, and purple. Give them at least 6 hours of sunlight daily for the best flowering.
3. Petunias
A garden favorite, petunias also adapt beautifully to hydroponics with their trumpet-shaped blooms. They come in a rainbow of colors and a diversity of forms, from tiny dwarfs to trailing giants. With ample light and a properly calibrated nutrient solution, petunias will bloom vigorously.
Smaller varieties work great in compact passive systems. Larger petunias shine in active systems like Nutrient Film Technique that accommodate their spreading growth habit.
4. Marigolds
Marigolds produce edible flowers with a unique, spicy fragrance. Their vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows provide a pop of color. Plus, marigolds help repel pests, making great companion plants for food crops.
Their relatively small size makes marigolds perfect for scaled-down passive setups. But they also grow well in active systems like Nutrient Film Technique. Give them at least 5-6 hours of sunlight for best blooms.
5. Carnations
A longtime florist favorite, carnations produce an abundance of ruffled blooms. Their clove-like scent perfumes any space. For hydroponics, start carnations in plugs then transplant into a larger system like Deep Water Culture or Nutrient Film Technique.
Provide ample sunlight, temperatures of 60-70°F, and a balanced nutrient solution. With the right care, carnations will reward you with armloads of cut flowers.
6. Roses
Though they require more space, roses create a dramatic focal point with their large flowers and intense fragrance. Grow them hydroponically in Deep Water Culture systems with deep beds for their extensive roots. Bush varieties work better than climbers for indoor spaces.
Roses need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily and consistent feeding tailored to their heavy nutrient demands. Take steps to prevent common rose diseases like powdery mildew in the moist indoor environment.
7. Dahlias
Dahlias produce exquisite flowers that range from tiny pompoms to giant dinner-plate blooms. Their diverse colors and forms make them endlessly fascinating. As hearty eaters, dahlias thrive in active hydroponic systems like Ebb and Flow that provide ample nutrition.
Start tubers or transplants in spring. Give dahlias plenty of space for growth and provide a strong trellis or cage for support. Pinching plants while young encourages bushy growth.
8. Peace Lilies
A favorite houseplant, peace lilies also flourish hydroponically. Their graceful blooms and glossy leaves brighten any space. Peace lilies suit passive systems like wick or Kratky that provide a steady, moderate supply of water and nutrients.
Avoid overwatering, as soggy roots quickly lead to root rot with these tropical plants. Growing peace lilies in hydroponics helps prevent problems with waterlogging.
9. Zinnias
Known for their incredible diversity of colors and forms, zinnias make a vibrant addition to hydroponic gardens. Their bold, durable flowers add warm hues and stand up well to cutting. With consistent moisture and nutrition, zinnias readily bloom indoors.
However, some giant zinnia varieties can stretch over 4 feet tall. Seek out compact, container-friendly cultivars better suited to indoor hydroponic culture.
10. Snapdragons
An old-fashioned favorite, snapdragons produce spiraled flowers that resemble dragons opening and closing their mouths. Their mix of colors includes white, pink, red, yellow, peach, and bicolors.
Starting snapdragons from seed indoors gives them a head start on growth. Provide bright light, even moisture, and good air circulation. Give taller varieties support for best growth and flower production.
Growing Hydroponic Flowers
Beyond choosing the right flowers, properly setting up your hydroponic system ensures your blooms thrive indoors. Here are some key growing tips:
Lighting – Most flowering plants require at least 12-16 hours of light daily to bloom well. Provide full-spectrum grow lights if sunlight is inadequate.
Nutrition – Use a hydroponic nutrient formula tailored to blooming plants. Adjust concentrations to match each flower’s needs.
Support – Staking, trellising, or caging provides support for tall or floppy flowers. This allows better growth and display of blossoms.
Pruning & Pinching – Strategic pruning or pinching improves shape, encourages branching, and increases flowering.
Temperature – Maintain ideal temps for each flower, generally 65-75°F. Cooler nights can promote better blooming.
Propagation – Starting from cuttings, plugs, or seedlings gives plants a head start. Take care to harden off before transplanting.
Pest Management – Scout regularly for common pests like aphids, thrips, and mites. Take prompt action to control.
With a well-designed hydroponic system, you can enjoy growing flowers indoors all year long. The ability to precisely control conditions allows you to cultivate flowering plants not normally possible in your climate. Explore the wonderful world of hydroponic gardening and fill your home with beauty!
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Other Edible Flowers to Grow Hydroponically Indoors
Though they did not make it onto our top ten list, because they can be more challenging to grow successfully in such a system, these other edible flowers can also potentially be grown hydroponically indoors in the right system:
- Basil
- Cornflowers
- Dahlias
- Dill
- Gladiolus
- Hibiscus
- Lavender
- Mints
- Oregano
- Peonies
- Rosemary
- Roses
- Sage
- Sunflowers
- Thyme
If you find the right systems, you can grow pretty much all the flowers that you could grow in a soil or potting medium based growing system indoors in a hydroponic or aquaponic system as well.
The Best 10 edible flowers for indoor growing system
Also known as pot marigold, calendula is a cheerful flower easy even for beginners to incorporate into a hydroponic or aquaponic system at home, as long as sufficient lighting (natural or artificial) is provided.
These relatively compact plants can work within a nutrient film technique indoor growing system, in media beds, or dutch buckets, or in a deep water culture setup, and so are a versatile choice that can work in many settings.
Temperatures for calendula should ideally be between 18 and 24 degrees at day, slightly cooler during the night. The plant thrives with a moderate humidity of around 40-50%. When it comes to the nutrient solution, aim for a balanced solution with a pH between 6 and 7.
Sow seeds into a hydroponic growing medium and transfer to the indoors growing system you have implemented once the seedlings have their first few true leaves.
Calendula not only look pretty. The leaves can be eaten raw, and fresh petals too, which are often added to salads. Petals can also be dried and used as seasoning, since they have a more concentrated flavour and their natural colour makes them a saffron substitute.
Though not, perhaps, quite as easy an option as the above, carnations can also be grown hydroponically indoors where sufficient light is available. (At least 12-16 hrs of light per day. Grow lights should be tailored to provide a spectrum suited to flowering plants.)
The best option is to grow within a recirculating deep-water-culture or drip system so that constant nutrient delivery and root oxygenation can be provided. Support or trellising may be beneficial to produce upright stalks with some, especially taller, varieties. Maintain temperatures around 15-21 degrees during daytime and a little cooler after dark and, as above, maintain humidity at around 40-50% for best results. Carnations do best with a slightly acidic nutrient solution, with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Carnation petals are all edible and have a slightly spicy, clove-like flavour. These can be sprinkled in salads or used as a garnish for a range of dishes.
3. Celosia
Celosia can be grown in several different types of hydroponic system, but are perhaps best suited to either a drip system or deep water culture system.
With the former, it will be important to make sure that plants are provided with the right amount of water by the system, and with the latter proper aeration is essential to avoid issues with root rot.
As with most other flowers grown hydroponically in an indoor growing system, providing enough light is essential. Celosia ideally needs 12-16 hours of light per day for optimal growth and flowering.
Celosia is a tropical plant that needs higher temperatures than many of the other plants on this list. Ideally, temperatures of 21-27 degrees should be maintained during daylight hours. Humidity of between 50 and 60% should be maintained. Your nutrient solution should have a pH of between 5.8 and 6.5 for the optimal uptake of nutrients.
Celosia not only has vibrant and beautiful flowers, its leaves are also a vegetable crop. The leaves and tender stems are boiled or steamed and used in a wide range of recipes and the flowers themselves can also be eaten and are often used as a garnish.
Along with many other culinary and medicinal herbs, chamomile can be well-suited to indoors growing systems including hydroponic or aquaponic ones. Grow it alongside other herbs and flowers in a deep water culture or nutrient film technique system.
This flowering herb is one of the easier to grow as it tolerates lower light conditions than some others. But remember, though it can tolerate partial shade, chamomile still needs at least 6-8 hours of daylight or full-spectrum LED lighting each day.
Provide daytime temperatures of between 15 and 21 degrees C. and humidity of 50-60% for best results. The nutrient solution should be slightly acidic with a pH of between 6 and 6.8. nutrient levels should be monitored closely to avoid issues with deficiencies that could easily creep in.
Chamomile flowers are frequently used in herbal medicine and are used to make a relaxing tea. They are also sometimes used for flavouring in recipes.
Chives are another flowering herb that can be slightly more tolerant of reduced light levels when grown indoors. But again, these plants will need sunlight or full-spectrum LED lighting 6-8 hours a day.
Chives are a particularly good option for a range of settings, even when space is severely limited. You can grow chives in a compact system like a vertical tower or simple nutrient film technique system in even the smallest of spaces.
For the best possible results, provide daytime temperatures between 15 and 21 degrees C., humidity of 40-50%, and a nutrient solution formulated for herbs or leafy greens with a pH of 6-6.5.
Chives are of course a common culinary herb with a range of uses. The flowers are attractive and these are also edible and can be used in several different ways as well as being enjoyed for their visual appeal.
If you are looking for a more unusual option, daylilies might also be grown hydroponically, though they are much larger than other options on this list, and have extensive root systems.
A modified deep water culture system is likely to be one of the best options, with a large reservoir, or a floating raft system, or you might consider a wicking bed incorporated into a hydroponic or aquaponic system. In any hydroponic system, aeration is very important to ensure well-oxygenated roots.
Whichever indoor growing system you implement, maintain daytime temperatures of between 18 and 24 degrees, and humidity levels of 40-60% for best results, and make sure that you use a balanced nutrient solution tailored to meet the requirements of these flowering plants.
Start daylily plants from rhizomes or divisions. Plant them in a suitable hydroponic medium such as expanded clay pellets or coconut coir or into the holes in the floating rafts, ensuring the roots are submerged in the nutrient solution while the crown of the plant remains above the surface.
The flowers are edible and taste somewhat like green beans. They can be cooked at various stages, or added to salads as a very decorative and impressive addition when fully open. Young shoots and young leaves offer other options for edible yields.
Marigolds (members of the Tagetes genus) are excellent options for a range of hydroponic and sustainable aquaponics systems. Beginners will find them a relatively forgiving option that can be placed into a number of different systems but will find that they do particularly well in a nutrient film technique system.
For best results, make sure the plants get at least 6-8 hours or direct sunlight or sufficient and suitable LED lighting to mimic these natural conditions, temperatures of 21-27 degrees in the daytime, humidity of 50-60%, and a balanced hydroponic nutrient solution with a pH of 6-6.5.
The flowers and leaves of marigolds are sometimes used as food flavourings and for colouring foods as a saffron substitute, as well as being an attractive sight within your home.
Nasturtiums are another very useful flower to grow indoors for visual appeal and edible uses. Select a system suitable for trailing plants with shallow root systems, such as a nutrient film technique or a shallow raft system. Ensure the system provides adequate support for the trailing vines.
Provide at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight or high-quality LED lighting per day for best results, and maintain daytime temperatures of 15-21 degrees C. and humidity of 50-60%. Provide a balanced nutrient solution suited to flowering plants, with a pH of 6-6.5.
Flowers and leaves are both great, peppery additions to a salad bowl. These are prolific plants that grow quickly and can provide quite a large yield even in smaller indoor spaces.
Like other shallow-rooted plants, pansies can be a good choice for a nutrient film technique or shallow raft system. These are another good choice for smaller systems indoors, since they are compact and will not take up much space. You can grow them year-round hydroponically in an indoors growing system.
Pansies can tolerate somewhat lower light conditions, but will do best when provided with 6-8 hours of direct sun or good-quality LED lighting each day. Optimal daytime temperatures are 15-21 degrees C. and humidity should ideally be between 40 and 60% to prevent certain fungal issues from taking hold.
Provide a nutrient solution suited to flowering plants with a pH of 6-6.5. Enjoy edible flowers in salads alongside your other hydroponic crops throughout the year.
Last but not least, zinnias are another good option to consider for indoors hydroponic growing for beginners. They can be well-suited to simple vertical tower or nutrient film technique systems and grow relatively quickly, giving quick results.
Nutrient film technique systems are well-suited for flowering plants like zinnias because they provide optimal conditions for blooming, including consistent nutrient delivery and oxygenation of the roots.
Provide sunlight or other suitable lighting for at least 6-8 hours per day, temperatures of 21-27 degrees C. and humidity of between 40 and 60%, and a balanced nutrient solution for flowering plants with a pH of 6 to 6.5 for best results.
Zinnias provide a hint of bitterness that can work well when the flowers are used in moderation in salads or as a garnish, as well as looking good in growth and making good cut flowers for your home.
10 Best Plants to Grow in Aerogarden | Hydroponics | Tips | Germination | Nutrients
FAQ
Which plants grow best with hydroponics?
… almost any crop can be grown hydroponically, the most common are leaf lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, watercress, celery and some herbs
What not to grow in hydroponics?
Some plants, like root vegetables and trees, struggle in this soil-free environment. Their extensive root systems and larger size make them less than ideal for the confined spaces of most hydroponic setups.
What is the most profitable hydroponic crop to grow?
Leafy greens like lettuce are the most profitable crops to grow in hydroponic systems because they have some of the lowest operation costs. One square foot of lettuce costs about $20 to maintain. All hydroponic flower growers reported having profitable farms.