One key advantage of hydroponic gardening is that the produce is less affected by insects thriving in soil or diseases caused by soil microorganisms. This, of course, means that farmers are less inclined to use insecticide to keep these pests away. The overall result therefore is that you have yourself crops that do not carry traces of insecticide, and can be picked ripe just before eating so preservatives are not required. Produce such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, chard, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, grapes, lettuce, melons, onions, peppers, pole beans, radishes, strawberries, and tomatoes have been grown hydroponically.Another attractive feature of hydroponic gardening is water economy. In arid areas, where precious water must be re-circulated, hydroponic systems may help improve harvest yields. A large volume of hydroponic food can be grown rapidly in a small area. In fact, it has been reported that four heads of lettuce can be raised in the same amount of space required to grown one head of field lettuce. There are various techniques to hydroponic gardening. In water culture, the roots of the plants are held in a large waterproof tank.
The plants are supported by mesh or string, and they get their food from the nutrient formula contained in the tank.Another form of hydroponics is gravel culture. Considered a more costly system to install and maintain, gravel culture involves a waterproof bench which is filled with inert pea-sized gravel. These are used to support the roots f the plants. Then, a solution containing all the essential nutrients required by the plant is pumped into the gravel from a holding tank. When the bench is full of the solution, the pump is turned off and the solution drains back to the holding tank.The solutions for both systems are replenished periodically. And for lighting, a number of grow light devices are available used to automate lighting for plants.
