Growing with Hydroponics – Soil-less Plant Culture

The name hydroponics refers to plants grown in water rather than soil. Basically the word covers any method of horticulture that often takes place in an artificial setting and doesn’t use soil. This method is also referred to as soil-less controlled environment agriculture or S/CEA.

While hydroponics has many benefits both to the plant and the gardener it also has its challenges. Using this method makes controlling the amount of water and nutrients that reaches the plants is more difficult. Light control is more important with hydroponics than with more conventional methods and pH adjustment is critical. These are mostly factors that are self regulating in a soil-based garden. The gardener has to take some extra care when using hydroponic methods.

On the plus side; and given the right conditions hydroponics actually yields larger fruits and a larger output overall than traditional methods – this is because hydroponic methods use less space to accommodate larger plants and this results in a greater yield. It is actually easier with hydroponics to achieve a greater yield with less effort than normal. In a typical hydroponic setup for example, weeding is much less of an issue than it is when the plants are in soil. In a soil-less environment it is much harder for the weeds to get started and they are more easily killed off when they do. However, achieving such benefits depends to a large extent on the arrangement of the hydroponic setting.

It is much easier to achieve the right environment and arrangements if you use a complete hydroponic kit – these kits come with trays and tubing, nutrients, lights and air pumps as a starter; some kits also contain seeds. Hydroponic kits are especially good for the novice because they contain all the ‘ingredients’ needed to start a hydroponic garden. The kit also includes the knowledge that a beginner needs to start this type of garden.

However, a kit-housed hydroponic garden needs as much care as any other. The right nutrients have to be fed to the plants and even if the kit contains an automatic feeding system this will have to be set up, filled and checked. You will also need to build or arrange for automatic watering systems, like drip irrigation or under-the-tray tubing. All of the above components need regular monitoring for fungi and then cleaned or sterilized.

Just as pest and disease control are part of traditional gardening; so they are in hydroponic gardens. Constant moisture provides a fertile environment for bacteria, mildew and other harmful organisms. You will also need to deal with white flies, aphids, spider mites, caterpillars and other common garden pests. Luckily there are plenty of easy to use methods for tackling this.

Remedies run the gamut from the traditional 18th century methods still in use; to insecticidal soaps, botanicals, fungicides and other compounds as well as chemicals fresh from the latest laboratory discoveries.

There is a variety of hydroponic methods to choose from these include an all-water system, trays that hold roots and solutions are fitted with supports from which strings can hold an upright plant and working with rockwool, perlite and other highly useful hydroponic media which some gardeners enjoy.

Gardeners who incorporate all the above in a convenient greenhouse find that they are able to control the light, air, water and other factors much more easily than in other settings. Many greenhouses today are modular and these can be expanded as the garden ‘grows’.

It is helpful to have some knowledge of elementary botany before you start your garden. Plants have unique needs and hydroponics builds on that base. Knowing what factors are needed for flourishing plants is a good first step. Hydroponic gardening is great fun so why not get yours started today.