Growing Mediums

Aeorponic System - Mist Medium

Hydroponic systems can suspend plant roots in nutrient solution or use an inert growing medium to help facilitate solution transfer and provide a foundation for growth.

True hydroponics uses only a nutrient rich solution as a growing medium. This provides plant with the nourishment they need and is easy to regulate. There are some drawbacks however, depending on the watering system used plants may be denied adequate oxygen and do not have any support. Many growers have instead utilized. variations on the hydroponic method that use inert materials for growing or a nutrient mist as in aeroponics.

Nutrient Solution

Designing a hydroponic system that uses only nutrient solution as a grow medium has the advantages of being able to precisely regulate which nutrient concentrations your plants receive and when. Because there is nothing between the nutrients and roots plants are able to get the maximum nourishment possible. The lack of any other material also decreases the potential for bacteria or fungus to develop.

Nutrient Mist

Cultivating plants in only the mist or spray of a nutrient solution is called aeroponics. This technique is similar to standard hydroponics with the added advantage that the mist does not limit the roots’ exposure to oxygen. For many plants aeroponics provides the ideal growing environment. Designing these kinds of grow systems can be difficult however, especially for large species of plants.

Inert Material

Perlite

One of the easiest methods for setting up an indoor hydroponics system is to use an inert material as a growing medium. Using a solid material as the base of your planting gives your crop a firm foundation for growth. In some ways these designs are easier to set up and do not require elaborate support for growing plants. The best type of material to use are able to effectively transport water and provide air to root systems. Vermiculite and perlite are two of the most popular media used by growers. They are natural minerals that are super heated to become lightweight pebbles.Both are useful for delivering precise concentrations of nutrients and oxygen to root systems.

There are thousands of materials gardeners have used to successfully cultivate  plants indoors. All that is required is material that is sterilized, not degraded by water, and porous. Examples of inert planting mediums include:

• expanded clay
• rock wool
• diahadro
• sand
• gravel
• brick shards
• perlite
• vermiculite
• wood fiber

Before choosing a growing medium for your hydroponic system it is important to know what kinds of plants you intend to grow. The needs of your plants along with the technical and size restrictions of your grow room will determine what type of grow medium to use.