This is the time of year when greenhouses up and down the country are being filled with tomatoes, cucumbers and numerous other do-it-yourself delights. The grow your own revolution continues to gain momentum and by introducing hydroponics into this equation you can not only bring about a new way of thinking, but also substantially increase yields.

As experts in the modern growing field we regularly extol the virtues of hydroponics and indoor gardening because of the control over the environment, and more importantly the ability to nurture plants throughout the year. Our belief is that the benefits of these practices can and should be used to improve regular outdoor grown plants. In the summer months indoor gardeners have to battle against the heat and many people actually cease operations. Instead of leaving all that equipment sat around doing nothing, you could put it to good use and generate a plentiful supply of summer salads.

The only basic requirement is that you have a power source in your greenhouse. With that criteria being met, the options are endless. Most commercial greenhouses utilise hydroponics in NFT gulley systems, and due to the simple yet effective nature of the set up you too could take advantage of it. Whether you choose to use an NFT system or a versatile Wilma drip system, or even opt to replace your grow bags with

rockwool slabs, the world of hydroponics is versatile enough to suit

everyone’s needs.

We are not talking about full automation here; more specifically the focus is on efficiency. The tanks will need topping up and changed, but something as simple as implementing a drip irrigation system could make a significant difference. Remember that hydroponics does not have to be complicated. In a greenhouse setting you've got the pH level and feed strength to fix, before then ensuring that nutrient solution reaches your plants at the right time.

Most popular summer salad crops consume significant amounts of water and nutrients. With a hydroponic system the water is always there, and the nutrients provided are precisely meet the plants requirements. As well as being significantly more efficient in terms of water usage, using a hydroponics system will also save you time. For systems like the NFT, the plants themselves do not need watering. Similarly plants supported by dripper systems, whether in pots or slabs, can be fed from a reservoir using a timer. So instead of spending your gardening time watering the plants, you can instead carry out more frequent and detailed checks to ensure that they remain at the peak of health.

With the plants constantly receiving the optimum amount of water and nutrients, you should see them outperform soil based plants - not only in terms of the amount of produce but also the time it takes to achieve a successful harvest. Let’s be honest, given the UK's climate we need all the help we can get! Add all of this to our propagation tips, where we encourage the early starting of the seedlings, and the two combined approaches could lead to prolific yields!