Hydroponics – Gardening Without Soil

There is no doubt that the average horticulturalist and gardening is used to getting dirty. After all, they are constantly rooting around in soil, applying pesticides and fertilizers. They often plant, divide, and plant again. They do this so they can see and eat the nutritious and lovely plants they’ve grown. What if these values could be gained without ever having to come into contact with soil of any kind?

Hydroponics is the practice and science of growing healthy plants without the use of soil. Instead, water is the medium that used most often. Certainly there are definitions that are more accurate, technically speaking, but for the teacher, hobbyist and home gardener, this is what hydroponic gardening is about.

How is hydroponic gardening even possible? Most people think that plants have to have soil in order to get support, water, heat, and nutrition for growth and reproduction, but this isn’t necessarily true.

Plants require a specific amount of energy, whether it’s in the form of heat from their surroundings or sunlight. However, sunlight is not the only to get this warmth. Direct sunlight will work on the leaves, exactly as it does on the soil. Allowing the top of the plant to be exposed to sunlight, supported by string from the top of the container, will allow the vital process of photosynthesis to occur. However, with almost anything in botany, there are some exceptions. Some plants are able to survive as well as reproduce with absolutely no light, but they will still require some form of energy to initiate biochemical reactions.

Plants need a certain amount of energy, in the form of sunlight and/or heat from their surroundings. But soil warmed by sunlight isn’t the only way to get that. Direct sunlight still works on leaves, the same way it does for plants in soil. Leaving the upper part of a plant exposed to sunlight supported by a string atop a container will allow vital photosynthesis to occur. As with nearly anything in botany, there are exceptions. Some plants survive and reproduce with no light, though they still need some energy to drive biochemical reactions.

However, there artificial ways to support these plants that work very well. Some of these methods include using string or ice cream sticks that have been glued to the top of the container.

One of the most important elements for a plant is without question proper nutrients. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and a host of trace elements (zinc, copper, iron and others) are essential to plant growth. Absorbing those elements from the surrounding soil is, of course, one usual way of obtaining them. But, here again, nutrients can be fed to plants in a number of ways.

Often, hydroponic plants will have their roots immersed in a container of water that is fed periodically with a liquid nutrient. There are other methods as well. Some people will keep there plants in an enclosure that will effectively maintain moisture. The roots are then spray with a mister that delivers a nutrient solution to the plant. This method does cross in a gray area called aeroponics.

Hydroponic gardening methods can be used to grow a number of plants like lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, and other plants that are not fruits or vegetables, like orchids. Hydroponics can be used to grow a long list of plants. There are thousands of plant species that thrive without the use of soil as long as they are properly cared for. The effort can be fun as well as instructive. Hydroponics can be use to grow nutritious and beautiful plants, without the drawbacks of using soil.

Click the link for information on Plumeria Plants Click the link for information on Plumeria Plant