Growing
with
Hydro

What is hydro?

Hydroponic growing, or simply hydro is growing plants without using soil and feeding them all the nutrients they need mixed in with water. The two main types of hydroponic growing are those that require an inert rooting substrate and those not needing a substrate at all. Think of re-circulating systems (deep water culture, nutrient film technique, aeroponics, flood & drain etc.) like living walls and roof gardens plus run-to-waste systems.

Systems needing an inert rooting substrate will often use coco, clay pebbles, perlite, rock-wool or mapito and watered using a watering can or drip system from a tank of nutrient solution.

Growing without a substrate will mean using the nutrient film technique (NFT). This is where a pump delivers nutrient solution to the top of a channel, and it runs in a shallow stream back down to the nutrient tank. Plants are grown in small net pots where the roots grow, soaking up the nutrient rich water.

With both growing types you need to provide your plants with everything they need, that means a balanced mixture of macro and micronutrients as there is no soil for the plants to get these from.

Pretty much any plant can be grown hydroponically but you find that this method is more widely used to produce greenhouse crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and even flowers.