AIMS:

Discuss the nature and scope of hydroponics systems.

INTRODUCTION TO HYDROPONICS

Hydroponics is the process used to grow plants without soil and literally means ‘working water’.

The grower is taking ‘control’ of the plant's root environment, and losing the benefit of ‘mother nature's’ finely-tuned mechanisms which normally control that part of the plant's environment. Hydroponics is not an easier way to grow plants! It is a more controlled way of growing plants!

Hydroponic can be defined as growing plants in water containing nutrients.

Examples of this type of hydroponic systems includes NFT (nutrient film technique) systems and deep-water float systems where plant roots are set in nutrient solutions.

Another definition of hydroponic is growing plants without soil.

With this definition growing plants in soilless media (potting soil) or other types of aggregate media such as sand, gravel, and coconut coil are considered hydroponic systems. Here,  hydroponics means growing plants without soil.