What Is Hydroponics?
Definition
hy·dro·pon·ics
[hahy-druh-pon-iks]
–noun ( used with a singular verb )
the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil; soilless growth of plants.
What Is Hydroponics?
In Greek, the word hydroponics means literally "water working."
Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in either a bath or flow of highly oxygenated, nutrient enriched water.
In a traditional soil based growing medium, organic matter is decomposed to create nutrients for plants to feed on. Adding water dissolves the nutrients allowing the roots access them. For a plant to receive proper nutrition all of these things must occur in a proper balance. It is rare to find this balance occurring naturally in a corporate farm environment because there is a significant lack of organic matter left after the fields have been stripped, pesticides have been added, and the plants have been artificially fed. With hydroponics, the water that feeds the plants is enriched with the proper nutrients in the proper balance. And since the water system is contained the nutrients stay where they are needed to feed the plants.
To support the plants growing in a hydroponic system, a soil-free growing medium is used like sand, stone, or fiber that helps to anchor the roots. These particular growing mediums are intended to be very porous to allow the proper amount of water and air to the roots for a healthy plant.
Unlike soil grown plants, hydroponic plants have their food and water delivered directly to their roots. Because they do not have to send long roots out looking for nutrients they can focus their energy on growing. With proper exposure to natural sunlight or artificial grown lights, your plants can be very productive, in fact, more productive then traditionally grown soil plants.