Get Growing With hydroponics Gardening by Wyatt Pottoe

tHow does your garden grow? With fresh air, sunshine and rich, black soil? Not if you’re one of the countless gardeners who are now enjoying the benefits of hydroponics gardening.
Known as the cultivation of plants in water, hydroponics gardening has boomed in popularity. This is partly due to the scarcity of fertile farmland and shrinking supplies of fresh water.

There’s nothing new about hydroponics gardening. This method of growing has been abound for thousands of years, and can be traced to the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This ancient wonder of the world was created with a form of hydroponics. Since those ancient times, researchers have proven that a number of different aggregates or media could be used in place of black earth to support plant growth. Hydroponics gardening is just one of many alternatives to traditional soil growing.

Benefits of Growing with Hydroponics

Many people enjoy the space-saving benefits of hydroponics gardening. Apartment dwellers and homeowners alike can grow fresh vegetables and plants in the smallest of spaces, even on compact patios and balconies. Many commercial greenhouses have also adapted hydroponics gardening because of similar space-saving benefits.

It’s been suggested that, when properly grown, hydroponics plants may be healthier and more vigorous than their soil-bound counterparts. Without soil, nutrients are more readily absorbed by the plant. Hydroponically-grown plants mature more quickly and yield their harvest of flower and vegetable crops earlier.

The convenience of hydroponics gardening has been enhanced by using a timer to automate the entire system. With such a system in place, the home gardener invests less time in maintaining the overall plant growth requirements. Automation enables the hydroponics grower to enjoy more flexibility, such as being away for longer periods of time without having to worry about watering the plants.

Raising Healthy Plants

Plants have universal requirements, whether grown in soil or water. They all need air, water, light and nutrients. When plants are grown in traditional gardens, they absorb these essential nutrients and water from the soil. However, nutrient uptake can be a little slower, because soil can actually impede the roots’ abilities to access what they need.

Without soil, hydroponics gardening is cleaner and easier. That’s one of the simple joys of this type of gardening. There is always water and nutrients available, so your plants will never become stressed. You can build a hydroponics system outdoors to provide natural air and sunlight, or assemble it inside with artificial lighting and air circulation. Either way, your plants will enjoy optimum health.

For artificial sunlight, many hydroponics gardeners use metal halide lamps and sodium vapor lamps in conjunction with incandescent light bulbs. Fluorescent or specially designed grow lights may also be used.

Plants, like all living things, need oxygen to stay alive. The healthy, white roots of a plant are responsible for delivering all of the nutrients for the plant. When the roots die, it is impossible for the plant to survive. Even when all of the other growth requirements are in place, those elements will be useless if the plants are not able to access nutrients through the roots. Therefore, your hydroponics system requires adequate aeration by way of an air circulation supply. This technique will mix air throughout the nutrient solution, allowing the plants to draw out the carbon dioxide necessary for natural photosynthesis.

A sterile medium is the final requirement for a successful hydroponics garden. You’ll find a selection of media available on the market, from simple gravel to special formulations. Because there is no soil, there are no weeds. This is a true joy for any hydroponics gardener. Further, there are no soil-borne pests to worry about, so diseases caused by pests are minimized, if not entirely eliminated.

If you’re short on time, short on space or simply don’t like getting your hands dirty, discover the many joys of hydroponics gardening.

About the Author
Wyatt Pottoe is a columnist for several popular Internet sites, on family fun and home garden topics.

Filed under: Hydroponics

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