Explaining Hydroponic Basics
The term “hydroponics” comes from two Greek words that together mean “working water.” Simply put, hydroponic basics entail the method of growing plants in water, without soil.
Hydroponic gardening is based on the idea of providing plants with the essentials for growth through alternative means other than soil. In simplest terms, plants need the following four things to grow:
* Light
* Water
* Nutrients
* A growth medium (that is, an anchor for the roots)
Generally, the soil provides the medium for three of the four elements discussed above: water, nutrients, anchor. However, the only thing the soil provides directly is the growth medium (water and nutrients come through the soil, but are not provided by the soil). This further means that as long as you provide water, light and nutrients to the plants, you don’t actually need soil in the equation.
In hydroponic basics, plants are set up in a growing tray, anchored by some sort of substitute medium, which can be any of a number of substances ranging from Rockwool to vermiculite. Simple pump-and-recycle systems are normally utilized in providing the plants with ph-balanced solution of water and nutrients. All that is left is to provide proper lighting (natural sunlight, specialized grow lights or a combination of the two), and plants will grow without soil. In fact, your plants could grow better as compared to utilizing traditional techniques so long as you optimize the provision of these elements.
Still, some people are more comfortable with the old, proven ways and would ask: why go through this trouble? The responses to this inquiry are simple:
1. Plants can be grown just about anywhere with hydroponics. As long as we can create a controlled environment, we can grow food; we’re not anymore limited to places with soil and sunlight. People in the urban areas who do not have access to a garden may then be given the opportunity to grow their own food. The possibilities are infinite: in the dead of winter, in the arctic regions, even in space!
2. Hydroponics can be a preferred solution when other growing conditions are hostile. For instance, in parts of the world where the soil is depleted of nutrients or contaminated by pollutants, it is preferable to grow food using hydroponics. Not only can it protect people from contaminants, but the plants can also be fed richer nutrients to yield better harvests than growing in the soil of these areas.
Truly, hydroponics opens up new doors to both individuals and societies. Canada and Holland have started using this practice to grow food on a larger scale, why be left behind? By getting to know the hydroponic basics, you can try it and see how this novel technique of growing plants can benefit you.
