Hydroponic Gardening

There are two basic types of hydroponic gardening. These two types of hydroponic gardening are medium culture and solution culture.

As their names suggest, medium culture is the type of hydroponic gardening where there is still a medium in which the roots may cling to whereas, in solution culture, the plants are suspended over the nutrient solution.

Three Types Of Solution Culture

In solution culture of hydroponic gardening, there are three subtypes which are called static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture and aeroponics. The concept for all kinds of solution culture in hydroponic gardening is basically the same. The plant is suspended and the nutrient solution is provided for it. In static solution culture, the plant is always exposed to the nutrient solution in a way that the solution may be depleted. After depletion, the nutrient solution may be added to up to a point where only some of the roots are touching it. In continuous flow solution culture, the plant is exposed to the solution all the time. The solution flows through the container for the plant in hydroponic gardening. This is usually reserved for bigger hydroponic gardening outfits where automation is used.

Plants that are usually found in soil, terrestrial plants, can actually survive even when they are soilless, as long as they have access to the right kinds of nutrients that are essential tot heir growth. Hydroponics also has some medium that may be more suitable for a healthy human life. These mediums are mineral wool, perlite and gravel. These are just there to provide the roots something to hold on to for stability.

Medium Culture

The important factor in hydroponics is actually the mineral solution that fills the nutritional needs of the plant. Almost all plants can grow without soil as long as the nutrient based solution is present. The solution is actually formulated to meet the demands of a thriving and growing plant and given to the plant in doses. Not all plants can tolerate their roots being exposed to water all the time so some nutritional solutions In gardening through hydroponics are given at certain intervals.

Hydroponics has certain advantages such as cultivation in a clean environment with the fuss and mess of soil. Another advantage of hydroponics is the absence of many soil borne disease that target plants and produce. Hydroponic gardening also provides a solution to barren places such as deserts and rocky areas for cultivating plants. Soil is not necessary to grow most plants; therefore, greenhouses can be made for better crops that have nutrients directly provided for them without the excesses of soil.