What are the advantages of hydroponic (soil-less) growing?
In addition to water and carbon dioxide in the air, plants need nutrients, trace elements, and oxygen to be supplied to their roots for photosynthesis to occur. This is true whether the plants are grown hydroponically or in soil. Plants essentially “don’t care” where the nutrients are coming from as long as they are available in sufficient levels and in proper form for uptake by the roots. If the hydroponic nutrient solution contains the right proportion of inorganic compounds and trace minerals to optimally support photosynthesis and plant growth, the hydroponically grown plants will be afforded what they need for growth and at the same time their roots will be maintained in a moist or wet root environment. In short, hydroponics affords optimal control of plant nutrition, oxygen delivery and root moisture – difficult to obtain when growing plants in soil.
