Defining the Medium Culture in hydroponics Hydroponics, which is the growing of plants without soil by providing them with nutrients via water, can be accomplished in two main ways. Solutions culture hydroponics is a technique where roots are exposed to water on their own; the plants and the water are the only part of the hydroponic system. In medium culture hydroponics, the roots are encased in some sort of solid growth medium before they receive the nutrient water solution. Medium culture hydroponics is somewhat controversial. Some argue its effectiveness makes it the superior hydroponic system of growing, above solutions culture. Others argue that the addition of a solid medium means that the growth process is not hydroponic at all. These nay-sayers complain that many of the growth mediums used actually supply some sort of nutrient to plants, making them, in effect, just like soil. Whatever objections some might have to using medium cultures in hydroponics, it is an extremely effect Read More Here

Dispelling Those Common Misconceptions about hydroponics – by Paul Lavakis © Paul Lavakis – All Rights reserved -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Hydroponics is an often misunderstood part of the field of horticulture. Let’s separate the fact from the fiction and take a look at what exactly hydroponics means to the world of gardening and food production. The word hydroponics is derived from Latin and means “working water.” Hydroponic growing is the growing of plants without soil. All of the nutrients plants normally get from soil are instead delivered to the plants through water. Hydroponic gardeners add create nutrient mixes to add to the water to give the plants everything they need to thrive. One common misconception about hydroponics is that is a new fangled, fashionable trend. Actually, it has been practiced for centuries. Even the ancient Egyptians used hydroponics to grow their food. Great strides have been made in the field since the 1970s, wh Read More Here

The Troubles that High Temps Can Have on your hydroponic Plants High temperatures in your hydroponics system can cause many problems for the plants being grown. The temperature within your hydroponic system should be maintained at a level where plants are able to survive. A high nutrient temperature can cause your plants many problems. If the temperature becomes too high, it’s advisable to use an extractor fan to reduce them, but it’s not a good idea to rapidly cool the environment. Plants don’t like fluctuations in temperature, and practices such as this could kill plants. The extractor can be linked to a thermostat to ensure that the room never reaches the high temperatures again. High temperatures can have a negative growth affect on many of your plants. Temperature of the nutrient solution should be in the range of 65 to 80 degrees. If you’re going to add water to your reservoir, then it’s a good idea to allow the water to come to the same temperature as the water in Read More Here

Using Perlite in the hydroponic Culture There are many different growing and propagating mediums used in hydroponic culture, and everyone has their personal favorites for a myriad of reasons. Rockwood traditionally has been a popular choice for a growing medium, but recently, perlite has been receiving more and more attention. Perlite is very versatile and has been used successfully in nearly every horticultural application imaginable, from landscaping and stadium turf to greenhouses. In hydroponic gardening, perlite has shown great promise. It has produced crops that are 7% healthier and more abundant than hydroponic goods grown in other mediums. One reason perlite works so well in hydroponics is because it is ideal of retaining moisture. Because hydroponic growers must supply their plants will all of the nutrients soil would normally provide via their water supply, maintaining the proper levels of moisture is the absolute key factor in the success of hydroponic plants. Perlite has Read More Here