An Introduction to Hydroponics

What is hydroponics?

Hydroponics a horticultural method for cultivation of plants. The important feature which sets hydroponic gardening apart from conventional methods is that plants do not use soil as a medium for growth. This a major advantage because the nowadays we are exposed to many pollutants which stay in the the air and soil around us for a very long time.

By not using soil as a medium for growth hydroponic gardening is an effective way to reduce the amount of pollutants our plants are exposed to.

The idea of hydroponics is a result of the motivation shown by research workers to find a way of reducing the affects of polluted plants on peoples heath. Those who already have ill health can benefit a lot from practicing hydroponic gardening instead of conventional gardening.

No More Soil

During the research in hydroponics, researchers found that plants simply use the nutrients and water within the soil for growth. In other words the soil is really just a store of nutrients which that plants use as food. This shows that plants don’t essentially have to be planted in soil as long as the plant can be supplied with nutrients some other way.

Hydroponics is the most effective method of providing nutrients to plants which is alternative to conventional planting in soil. Since plants, when planted in soil, absorb water through its roots along with the nutrients which are dissolved in it, we can simply provide the plant with water that has already had nutrients dissolved into it. The hydroponics also makes it easier for plants to absorb the water since it is in direct contact with a high “concentration” of water relative to absorbing it through soil.

Terrestrial plants, the ones that normally grow in soil, can still grow when they are uprooted so long as it still has access to the nutrients it needs. But it maybe a good idea to provide the plant with something for anchoring so that it can keep itself upright and grow into a good looking plant. Materials that don’t hold pollutants, such as gravel or synthetic meshes, can be used to plant the plant.

In hydroponics the most important factor is the obviously water based nutrient solution that is used to feed the plant. The plant should receive nutrients at a rate similar to its natural absorption, this is usually regulated by providing a solution with a nutrient concentration so that the plant receives the right amount of water and nutrients at the same time via doses throughout the day. Many plants can not survive if their roots are constantly submerged in water.

Advantages of Hydroponics

In addition to the reduction of pollutants there are other advantages of  hydroponic gardening. One such advantage is the clean environment in which the mess that soil causes is no more.

Another advantage of hydroponics and not using soil is the prevention of bacterium and viruses that reside in soil from infecting your plants and causing disease. Hydroponics can be implemented in places where plants would not be able to survive normally, for example rocky areas and deserts, so that these places can now become useful.

The amount of control over exactly what nutrients the plants receive coupled with the use of important methods such as greenhouses mean that hydroponics is one of the effective ways for optimal plant growth and health.