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Hydroponics and Other Soil-Less Gardening

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1512 -- More Projects »
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Hydroponics — growing plants in water — is only one of many types of soil-less gardening.
Hydroponics tends to be used as a generic term when referring to things grown without soil, but while all hydroponics is soil-less gardening, not all soil-less gardening is hydroponics.

Hydroponics guru Mike Dial reminds us that most gardeners are already growing things without soil. "Pretty much any of the plants that you purchase from chain stores [have been grown using] a form of hydroponics," he says. "About 98% of the plants are in a mixture of vermiculite, perlite, peat moss and ground up coconut husks — no soil at all."

What's the deal? Commercial growers avoid using true soil because it can transmit pests from plant to plant. Consequently, hydroponics and other forms of soil-less gardening are environmentally sound: The fewer pests, the fewer chemicals used to get rid of them. Not only that, soil-less gardening in more efficient.

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Figure A
In soil, about 70 percent of a plant's energy goes into root formation and 30 percent goes into vegetation. In hydroponics, it's exactly the opposite: 70 percent of a plant's energy is dedicated to vegetation or fruiting. That means more productivity for the grower. For example, this spread of basil represents growth of just six weeks figure A).
Other soil-less options

Container gardeners are already familiar with gardening without soil, since many potting mixes contain no soil. Here are some other soil-less media:

  • Rock wool (figure B): A man-made product similar to fiberglass, but made with iron ore.
  • Fossil rock (figure C): Ash from a volcanic explosion
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    Figure B
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    Figure C
  • Clay (figure D): This man-made product has been injected with air
  • Coconut (figure E): Ground coconut husk and coconut chips are by-products of manufacturing and provide important revenue to third-world countries.
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    Figure D
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    Figure E
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    Figure F
    Where to start

    Kits are available for soil-less gardening. Use any type of medium (rock wool, fossil stone, coconut) and select plants that are sold in a soil-less medium. Remove the medium (figure F), plant, and you're on your way.

    Upkeep

    Like regular "dirt" gardening, you need to provide adequate circulation, water, nutrients, light and heat to plants grown in a soil-less medium.

    Hydroponics aficionados have an array of high-tech gadgetry available, from fans and lights to bubblers and special timers. But soil-less gardening can be pretty simple if you're ready to play Mother Nature.

    Expert Mike Dial maintains his plants with a mixture of macro-nutrients (such as carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen) and micro-nutrients (including iron, copper and zinc). He measures the pH and feeds the solution through pipes and drippers, although at-home gardeners can use a simple watering can.

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    Figure G
    Aeroponics

    In aeroponics, plant roots are continuously misted with nutrient-filled water (figure G). Mike constructed his container from a basin and plastic he purchased at the hardware store; he then installed an air bubbler in the basin.
    "This is what we call deep water culture," says Mike. The rate of plant growth in this type of system can be very fast.

    Also in this Episode
    Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1512
    •Diagnosing Power-Equipment Problems
    •Solar Lights for the Garden
    •Hydroponics and Other Soil-Less Gardening
    •Moss, the Great Divider
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