Hydroponics refers to a branch of hydroculture that involves growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots immersed in inert medium like gravel or perlite or in mineral solutions only without water. Water needs to be delivered to the root system. There are several ways of delivering nutrients to the plant. Common ways include hanging roots directly in nutrient solutions, misting roots, or enclosing root system in a container filled with a substrate.
Substrates replace soils in cases where plants are suspended in the substrates. Various kinds of substrates exist today. Major ones include sawdust, perlite, pebbles, wood chips, rockwool, and sand. Substrates are made with great ability to allow gaseous exchange and prevent water loss. Root systems grow deep into the substrates to offer support. Many people in the world are engaged in this form of agriculture because it presents several benefits. Today one can spot a hydroponics store anywhere.
The history of this technology is a long one. Francis Bacon was the first person to write a book on the technology in the year 1627. The book was printed several years after Bacon had already died and since then, people gained interest in the technology. A lot of research was done around that time with several publications coming out since 1699. A lot of modifications have been done to original findings and inventions.
Today, only two major kinds of hydroponics exist, that is, solution culture and medium culture. Solution cultures do not involve use of any solid medium. Nutrient solutions are the only ones used. On the contrary, solid mediums are used in medium cultures to provide support to root systems.
Solution cultures are further subdivided into three major subgroups. The subgroups are aeroponics, continuous-flow solution culture, and static solution culture. Medium cultures are named according to the type of medium used for instance rockwool culture and gravel culture. The two cultures can further be divided according to the kind of irrigation used. There are two kinds of irrigation systems in wide use today, that is top irrigation and sub-irrigation.
Plastics are the main materials used to make hydroponic reservoirs used today. However, sometime back concrete, glass, vegetable solids, wood, and metal among other materials were in wide use. In fact, these materials are still used to make reservoirs but on a small scale. Algae growth is encourage when reservoirs are exposed to light hence that must be avoided.
Nutrients are supplied to plants in a dissolved form. Major forms are ionic and inorganic. Hydroponic solutions are made following different recipes and usually involve combining different chemicals to attain certain compositions. Macronutrients are derived from chemicals such as potassium phosphate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate. Salts usually become over concentrated as plants deplete minerals and water. Therefore, close monitoring is necessary.
The technology is being exercised on large scale in several countries. The constant supply of nutrients to plants coupled with lack of pests leads to high yields. However, plant growth is limited by lower levels of Carbon dioxide and restricted sunlight exposure.
Substrates replace soils in cases where plants are suspended in the substrates. Various kinds of substrates exist today. Major ones include sawdust, perlite, pebbles, wood chips, rockwool, and sand. Substrates are made with great ability to allow gaseous exchange and prevent water loss. Root systems grow deep into the substrates to offer support. Many people in the world are engaged in this form of agriculture because it presents several benefits. Today one can spot a hydroponics store anywhere.
The history of this technology is a long one. Francis Bacon was the first person to write a book on the technology in the year 1627. The book was printed several years after Bacon had already died and since then, people gained interest in the technology. A lot of research was done around that time with several publications coming out since 1699. A lot of modifications have been done to original findings and inventions.
Today, only two major kinds of hydroponics exist, that is, solution culture and medium culture. Solution cultures do not involve use of any solid medium. Nutrient solutions are the only ones used. On the contrary, solid mediums are used in medium cultures to provide support to root systems.
Solution cultures are further subdivided into three major subgroups. The subgroups are aeroponics, continuous-flow solution culture, and static solution culture. Medium cultures are named according to the type of medium used for instance rockwool culture and gravel culture. The two cultures can further be divided according to the kind of irrigation used. There are two kinds of irrigation systems in wide use today, that is top irrigation and sub-irrigation.
Plastics are the main materials used to make hydroponic reservoirs used today. However, sometime back concrete, glass, vegetable solids, wood, and metal among other materials were in wide use. In fact, these materials are still used to make reservoirs but on a small scale. Algae growth is encourage when reservoirs are exposed to light hence that must be avoided.
Nutrients are supplied to plants in a dissolved form. Major forms are ionic and inorganic. Hydroponic solutions are made following different recipes and usually involve combining different chemicals to attain certain compositions. Macronutrients are derived from chemicals such as potassium phosphate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and magnesium sulfate. Salts usually become over concentrated as plants deplete minerals and water. Therefore, close monitoring is necessary.
The technology is being exercised on large scale in several countries. The constant supply of nutrients to plants coupled with lack of pests leads to high yields. However, plant growth is limited by lower levels of Carbon dioxide and restricted sunlight exposure.
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