Hydroponics

Hydroponics

Introduction_
The science of soil-less gardening is called hydroponics. It basically involves growing healthy plants without the use of a traditional soil medium by using a nutrient like a mineral rich water solution instead. A plant just needs select nutrients, some water, and sunlight to grow. Not only do plants grow without soil, they often grow a lot better with their roots in water instead. Hydroponic gardening is fast becoming a popular choice for many growers around the world due to its more sustainable approach to resource usage than the usual growing methods. We have planted sweet corn seeds in 10 trays of size 1/1-2 and set a motorized sprinkler system which provides water to seeds at least three times in a day for at most 15-20 secs.

Benefits of hydroponics are_
1. By providing constant and readily available nutrition, hydroponics allows plants to grow up to 50% faster than they would in soil. Also, fresh produce can be harvested from a hydroponic garden throughout the year.

2. Great for both the environment and the grown product, hydroponic gardening virtually eliminates the need for herbicides and pesticides compared to traditional soil gardening.

3. Any water that is used in hydroponic gardening stays in the system and can be reused, reducing the constant need for a fresh water supply!

4. Arable land is often in short supply and gardening space continues to decrease. A great option 

Conclusion_
When you lack yard space or have a tiny balcony, hydroponics also lends itself really well to indoor gardening. While you can grow almost anything hydroponically, some vegetables thrive more in hydroponic systems than others. Choose plants that don’t mind moisture and that don’t get too big for their set up, such as cucumber, tomato, capsicum, strawberry, lettuce and leafy greens. Also, when setting up a hydroponic garden, depending on the size, sturdiness and root development of the plants to be grown and the structure of the system, one needs to decide whether to use only a solution culture or some sort of a growth medium.