Top Three Myths about Hydroponic Gardening
Hydroponic gardening (growing plants without soil) is a growing but highly misunderstood practice. Some people think of it as suspicious because the practice is connected with illegal substances, others think of it as an overreaching science while a whole lot see it as a purely novel-but-expensive pastime. Truth be told, hydroponics is a system utilized by hobbyists, gardeners, farmers and nations to grow strong, healthy plants of all kinds. Let’s look at a few of the fallacies about hydroponics, and follow up with a clearer understanding.
Among the most common misconceptions is that hydroponic gardens are essentially used to grow certain controlled substances in secret growing rooms. Internet searches about hydroponics often reinforce the idea that hydroponics and illegal activity are connected. This can be explained by the fact that those who are holding those pieces of information know how to use the Internet and not because every hydroponic garden is not legal. In fact, illegal growing comprises a very small percentage of hydroponic gardening in general. Many plants and vegetables do very well in hydroponic environments, and there are many good, honest gardeners using hydroponics to do just that. For example, in Canada and Holland, farmers are making use of hydroponics to grow food on a larger scale. Thus, saying that hydroponics is bad because of its connection to illegal substances is the same as suggesting that soil is bad. In other words, farming, whatever the method, is still farming – and hydroponics is just one of the alternatives.
Another misconception is that hydroponic gardening is artificial and unnatural simply because it circumvents the need for soil. The truth is, there are no genetic or chemical manipulations in hydroponics, and no natural processes are disrupted. All the normal ingredients for growing things in nature are supplied to the plants just the same as if they’re planted in soil: light, water, nutrients, and an anchor for the roots. It’s just that soil, which acts as a medium for all of these ingredients except light, is replaced by other root-anchoring methods; and nutrients, water and light are supplied in manners that optimize health and growth. Hydroponic plants, in fact, can be healthier and stronger than those grown conventionally-and without the use of additives. While the process is made more complex, the result remains: the natural production of plants and food.
Lastly, others believe of hydroponics as a useless, costly pastime. While hydroponics is indeed a fun pastime (and a growing business) for hobbyists, it can also be very useful. Hydroponics make growing food a possibility in almost any situation and environment-in the dead of winter, in the extended twilight of the polar regions, in places where soil is contaminated, and even in space. More significantly, this alternative method in farming makes the yield and quality of food-bearing plants better – as a result, food is made readily available to third-world nations and in places where famine is rampant.
So perhaps, there’s more to hydroponic gardening than meets the eye; there is absolutely more to it than these common misconceptions might lead us to believe.
