What is Hydroponics?
Let’s start by defining hydroponics. Literally, the name means “WORKING WATER” and in reality, it is simply gardening without soil, the growing of plants without dirt. There are six basic kinds of hydroponic systems with hundreds of different variations of these basic six. For more information on the different methods of hydroponic gardening see (“Basic Hydroponic Systems and How they Work”).
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel or Rockwool. A variety of techniques exist. Plant physiology researchers discovered in the 1800s that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant’s water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics, but some will do better than others. It is also very easy to do; the activity is often undertaken by very young children with such plants as watercress. Hydroponics is also a standard te
Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without soil. Instead of nutrients in the soil, plants thrive on a nutrient solution which contains the minerals that the plants need. So, rather than searching throughout the soil for minerals, your plants are able to get nutrients easily, directly from the nutrient solution. Grow media — such as gravel, peat, vermiculite, Perlite, coco, old rubber tires, rockwool or expanded clay aggregates — is often used to support the plants and their root systems and perhaps to hold moisture around the roots. The growing medium is not a source of nutrients in itself.
Hydroponics is the science of growing plants without soil. Instead of soil, plants thrive on nutrient solution which contains the minerals that the plants need. So, rather than searching throughout the soil for minerals, plants are able to get nutrients easily, directly from the nutrient solution. Grow media — such as grow rocks, gravel, peat, vermiculite, Perlite, old rubber tires or rockwool — is often used to support the plants and their root systems. A grow media is also useful for holding a bit of moisture around the roots. (The growing medium is totally inert.
