Hydroponics Defined

Water Working
 Growing plants in water and nutrient
solution without soil.
Advantages

Less Work
– No weeds to pull
– No soil to till

Eliminate all soil borne disease
 Small unit can be set up anywhere
 Plants will grow more rapidly
– Exact nutrients provided
– Higher in nutritional value

Taste Better
Advantages Cont.

Use much less water:
– None wasted
– None consumed by weed

Can be grown year-round basis
Four types of systems

Ebb and Flow aka flood and drain
– Roots stay moist
– Oxygen plentiful to roots upon draining

Typical media
– Rock wool, perlite or expanded clay pebbles

Crops
– Both long and short term crops
Drip

Drip emitters on timed basis
 Typical media
– Rock wool or perlite

Mainly long term crops
– Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers others
Nutrient Film Technique – NFT

Grown in channels
– No growing medium
– Frequent pumping required
– Typically top of roots exposed to air and bottom of
roots exposed to solution

Typical crops
– Short term – lettuce, herbs other leafy crops
– Long term- some form of plant support needed
cucumbers and others
Passive

Low maintenance
– No pumps or timers

Slower growing
– Roots dangle in solution
– No water movement – low oxygen
– Can provide air pumps
Expanded Clay Pebbles
Expanded Clay Pebbles

Neutral PH
 Excellent capillary action
Rockwool
Rockwool

Derived from basalt rock
– Heated and then spun into fibers
– Roots grow down into material
– Excellent moisture retention

Cubes
– Various sizes 1”, 3” etc.
– Propagation for transplant to NFT, Ebb/Flow, Drip

Slabs
– Larger pieces
– Propagation and growing
Perlite
Perlite

Derived from volcanic rock
– Heated and explodes like popcorn
– Used in pots, bags others
– Also used in potting soil mixtures