Introduction for Hydroponics

IN RECENT YEARS GROWING PLANTS HYDROPONICALLY--that is, with the roots in a medium other than soil--has stirred the imagination of many persons interested in plant growth and development. Commercial growers have adopted hydroponic methods to produce crops in circumstances that would otherwise be unfavorable. For the plant hobbyist, hydroponics offers an opportunity to learn more about the growth of plants and their interactions with their environment. Gardeners may grow flowers, ornamental plants, and vegetables by hydroponics. Growing your own fresh vegetables out of season can be a special winter treat.

Colorful sales campaigns and articles in the popular press have led people to believe that hydroponics is a new discovery that will revolutionize modern agriculture. However, the basic techniques have been used by plant researchers for well over a century to determine the effect of particular nutrients on plant growth and yield. The first recorded experiments were conducted in England in 1699 by Woodward. By the mid-nineteenth century, Sachs and Knop, pioneers in this field, had perfected a method of growing plants without soil. In the late 1920s and early 1930s Gericke was able to grow plants successfully on a large scale by adapting the laboratory technique of solution culture.

The widespread use of hydroponics for commercial plant production is a relatively recent occurrence. In areas where soil is lacking or unsuitable for growth, hydroponics offers an alternative production system. However, there is nothing magical about hydroponics. Equally good crops can be produced in a greenhouse in conventional soil or bench systems, often at lower cost.