What is Hydroponics

It only makes sense starting this blog off with an entry about what Hydroponics is. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil in a nutrient-rich water solution. In a Hydroponics system, the plant sits in a soil-less medium to support it, as the water is delivered directly to the root system. Gardeners discovered long ago that it is not the actual soil that plants need to grow, but the mineral nutrients held by soil particles or those unleashed through the action of bacteria and worms. The nutrients slowly dissolve into water in the soil and the roots absorb the nutrients from the water. Hydroponic systems take advantage of this fact by delivering all the nutrients a plant needs in a water solution straight to the roots. There are various hyrdroponic systems and mediums that help deliver the nutrient-rich water to the plant roots, but we will discuss these systems in another post.

Hydroponics systems are easy to set up for a home gardener and can produce an excellent yield of quality plants. Equipment is not expensive, and systems are built using easy-to find materials from hardware stores, pet stores, and garden centers.

NUTRIENT-RICH WATER: The most important element to the system
The most important element to any hydroponics system is the nutrient-rich water solution that is being to feed the plant. When using a Hydroponic plant growing system, specially-formulated hydroponic fertilizer solutions are required for successful growth, yields, and plant sustainability. There are a number of hydroponic plant fertilizer solutions available and you just need to talk to a representative at a garden center to help you select the solution best for your plants. Typically, fertilizing solutions are changed or refreshed every two weeks and maintained throughout the two-week cycle.

SUBSTRATE: how soil is replaced in a hydroponic system
The second most important element of a hydroponic system is called the substrate, or medium used to deliver the nutrient-rich water to the plants root system. Since a hydroponic system replaces soil with a substrate material, the substrate must be able to support the root system of the plant, hold moisture and nutrients, it should be inert, free of insects and diseases, and it shoudl not easily beak down. Also, the substrate should allow adequate aeration of the roots and have good drainage qualities. Plants need sufficient access to oxygen in the air in order to grow and take up water and nutrients. Poor drainage can lead to decreased growth, stunting, wilting, discoloration of the leaves, mold, and even drowning.

Common Substrates:
Several commonly used substrates are coarse river-washed sand, gravel, perlite, coarse vermiculite, and rock wool. Perlite, coarse vermiculite, and rock wool are good choices because they are sterile, uniform, and readily available in garden centers. Sand and gravel also work well but should be washed thoroughly before planting to remove lime or other impurities.

The other remaining elements of a Hydroponics system that help aid in the success of your plants growth are the type of lighting your system uses, the temperature of the water, and the air circulation available to your system.

Some of the advantages of using a Hydroponics system over a soil-based growing system include low start-up costs, easy to maintain, the system can be automated, plants often grow faster in a hydroponic system and yield regular results. One major disadvantage of hydroponics is the commitment of time and energy necessary for success. Soil-less gardening is much more exacting than traditional gardening and may overwhelm the novice gardener if too complex a system is implemented. Begin with a small project such as an herb garden to get a feel for hydroponics, and, as your knowledge and comfort increase, move on to a more elaborate system.