An Introduction To Hydroponics

Hydroponics refers to the technology that enables you to grow plants in a solution of nutrients. This solution is composed of water with fertilizers dissolved in it. This technology may or may not use the artificial mediums of growing plants such as sand, gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, perilite or sawdust. With the help of this technology, one can also grow the terrestrial plants by putting their roots in the nutrient solution or in any other inert medium.

In case of liquid hydroponic systems, the entire system uses a solid medium to support these plants and no other medium is used to support the roots of the plants. There are several hydroponic systems. Basically they are classified into two categories:

  • Open Hydroponic system: In this system, the nutrient supplied to the plant roots is not reused.
  • Closed Hydroponic System: In this system, one can recover the nutrient solution, replenish it and even recycle it.
If this technique is combined with the greenhouses, it becomes a high capital-intensive technology. This technology is productive and helps conserve land and water and also protects the environment. But this technique requires a lot of efforts since one needs to supply fresh and effective nutrient solutions to the plant roots. However, this technology has several benefits. Some of the benefits of hydroponics are given below:
  • At times, the procedure of removal of plants from the soil can lead to the killing of the plant. On the other hand, plants like lettuce grown with the help of hydroponics can be packed while they are still alive.
  • With the help of this technique, one can avoid the risks of damage due to over watering or under watering of plants.
  • In this technique, the solid medium can be reused and sterilized. It does not require a new medium every time.
  • The biggest advantage of this technique is that it requires no soil. Hydroponics is the best way for the production of crops in the areas where there isn't any suitable soil for growing plants. In places like Antarctica and Greenland, this technique can be successfully implemented.
  • As no soil is needed for this technique, the soil borne diseases of the plants can be avoided.
  • With the help of this technique, the danger of weeds is also eliminated.
  • The soil is also not able to contaminate the edible crops.
  • Lesser quantity of water is required for this type of vegetation.
  • The amount of pesticides used also decreases in this technology.
However, this technology has certain disadvantages as well. In case the timers and the electric pumps fail or any leaks are developed, the plant can die very soon. Second thing is that a very tight monitoring of these plants is required. Along with this, a greater technology than geoponics is required for hydroponics.

But despite all these points, the benefits of hydroponics are remarkable and the trivial disadvantages can be worked upon and improved to gain benefit from this technology.

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