Hydroponics

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Hydroponics

• Plants without soil!!!
• By Walt Iciek
• Topic 2221

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Hydroponics- Definition

• Science of Plants grown in an inert medium
• Gravel, sand, sawdust, water, rockwool, perlite,
  vermiculite
• Nutrients are provided from a nutrient solution
• Solution provides all necessary elements.

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Commercial use of Hydroponics

• Used for over forty years
• Crops
• Almost any herbaceous plant
• Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs
• Bred specially for hydroponics

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Advantages

• Can be used regardless of soil conditions
• Year round
• Higher yields, faster growth, more crop cycles
• No soil- Less insects and pest
• No soil- No weeds or cultivation

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Advantages- Continued

• Less pesticides
• Plants receive correct nutrients at correct time.
• More effective use of water and fertilizer

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Disadvantages

• Expensive to start, investments add up fast
• Much skill is required
• - Grower need to be trained on maintance and
  plant nutrition.
• Close monitoring to prevent water or nutrient
  stress.
• Sanitation is very important

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Different kinds of Hydroponics

• Water Culture
• Crops grown in continuous flow of nutrient
  solution.
• Usually the tops of plants need to be supported
• Aggregate Culture
• Grown in solid media for crop support

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Water Culture

• Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
• Grown in trough
• Nutrient solution flows continuously
• Shallow so adequate oxygen can reach the roots
• Vegetables and herbs most common
• Aeroponics
• Roots are misted constantly

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NFT Set-up

• Look like rain gutters with holes for the plants
• Less than 100 ft.
• Sloped 2-3 degrees for good water flow
• Closed system, water flows continuously
• Very efficient use of water and fertilizer

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NFT- Problems

• If a disease develops, the entire systems needs
  to be flushed
• Requires close monitoring

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Aggregate Culture

• Gravel Culture
• Beds filled with gravel,
• Gravel is saturated and drained several times
  daily depending on plants needs
• Sand Culture
• Plants receive nutrients through a drip emitter

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Hydroponics Summary

• Hydroponics is the science of growing plants in
  an inert medium
• Many different crops can be grown hydroponicly
• There are advantages and disadvantages to
  hydroponics
• There are two many types of Hydroponics
• Water culture
• Aggregate culture