Growing Media in Hydroponics

In hydroponics gardening, growing media replace soil, providing plants with a home for sprouting their roots and flourishing until they can be transplanted.

In hydroponics gardening, growing media replace soil, providing plants with a home for sprouting their roots and flourishing until they can be transplanted. Fresh soil is hard to find in some harsh climates, and year-round gardening may not be possible in others. Commercial growers and garden hobbyists alike have turned to hydroponics as an alternative. Growing media offer the benefits of soil without the mess.

The most widely used growing medium in hydroponics gardening is rockwool, made from natural basaltic rock. The rock is melted into lava then cooled into a fibrous material that has excellent properties for retaining water and nutrients. Rockwool cubes can be bought separately or in strips so that whole rows of plants or crops can be planted together.

Rockwool, a substrate of stonewool, is resistant to weeds and disease free. Rockwool also has no cation exchange capacity, which makes it suitable for certain types of crops, as it is easier to meet their nutrient requirements more precisely. In addition to rockwool and other stonewool substrates, hydroton is available as a growing medium. It consists of clay amalgam pellets with excellent water retention and transmission properties.

Some gardeners prefer the appearance of hydroton to rockwool. The pelletized clay looks cleaner and
more natural. Others prefer perlite or vermiculite, both of which are pH neutral and offer superior drainage and aeration. Aeration is critical for root-cutting to ensure that young plants receive the oxygen they need to flourish.

Article Search | Terms of use & disclaimer |Working yard tool Info :: Yard gardens ::
The leisure yard :: Outdoor articles

Home: Better Organic Gardening