GROWING MEDIUMS
In a traditional garden,
plant roots are in the soil. They support the plant and search for food and water. In hydroponics, we sometimes use a growing medium in place of soil to help support the plant and to absorb the nutrient solution. The roots of a hydroponic plant do not work as hard as those of a plant grown in soil because their needs are readily met by the nutrient solution we feed them.
Ideal mediums
are chemically inert, porous, clean and able to drain freely.Since the beginning of hydroponics, many materials have been used as hydroponic growing mediums, some of which include vermiculite, saw dust, sand and peat moss. More recently, rockwool, perlite and expanded clay pebbles are available and excellent choices for hydroponics. Descriptions of today’s popular growing mediums, perlite, rockwool and expanded clay pebbles follow.
Perlite
Perlite is derived from volcanic rock which has been heated to extremely high temperatures. It explodes like popcorn, resulting in the porous, white medium we use in hydroponics.In addition to uses in hydroponics, perlite is also used in many commercial potting soil mixes and in non-horticultural areas including construction and as a packing material.
Perlite can be used loose, in pots or bagged in thin plastics sleeves (referred to as grow bags because the plants are grown right in the bags). Plants in perlite grow bags are usually set up on a drip feed system and each standard bag holds 3 or 4 long term plants.
Rockwool,
Rockwool is derived from basalt rock. It too is heated to high temperatures but then is spun into fibers resembling insulation. These fibers are spun into cubes and slabs for hydroponic production.
The cubes are commonly used for plant propagation and the slabs are used similarly to the perlite grow bags. A plant is set onto the rockwool slab and grown there. The plant roots grow down into the slab. Rockwool slabs usually hold 3 or 4 large plants.Self Watering, Gardens, Vegetables, Growing Systems, Build Your Own, Dirtless.
Expanded Clay Pebbles
hobby hydroponic gardeners use expanded clay pebbles for their growing medium because they have a neutral pH and excellent capillary action. For commercial applications, expanded clay pebbles are generally considered too costly.
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