subject: Three Different Growing Media Available For Hydroponics [print this page] Gardening has certainly changed over the past few decades. There was a time when you only had one option if you wanted to try your hand at growing things, and that's soil-based gardening. Today, you also have the option of choosing to grow using Hydroponic systems. For those of you who don't know, Hydroponics is basically a system of growing plants without the use of soil and using nutrient-rich liquids instead. But water or liquid isn't the only thing you need to put into the container with your plants, you need some sort of substance that will keep the roots of the plant anchored and, essentially, keep it from toppling over. For Hydroponic gardeners and farmers, they call these substances growing media.
Growing media in Hydroponics needs to meet a few requirements: (1) It should be neutral in terms of PH; (2) It must be sterile or clean to prevent contamination or diseases in your plant; (3) It should be dense enough to keep the roots and the plant in place; (4) It should provide adequate aeration for the roots; and, (5) They should be absorbent or able to retain moisture. So as long as your chosen media meet all these criteria, you should be fine. Experienced gardeners generally have their own preferred combinations of the different available media. For first-timers, you might need to experiment with a few different types before you find one that you like to work with.
The most popular growing medium is called Rockwool. Rockwool is made from melted rock, which has been made into cubes or slabs by dripping the melted rock onto a spinning disk. Generally, Rockwool is made using igneous rock.
Another popular growing medium is L.E.C.A. clay pellets. LECA, or Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, which are made of clay, fired in a kiln at very high temperatures. The clay kind of puffs up and results in a fairly course growing medium, roughly the size of a small marble.
Cocopeat is another growing medium that is made from coconut husks. Also known as coir dust, coir, coir fibre pith, or coir pith, it can absorb up to 8 times it's weight in water, and is completely sustainable. It can be reused up to 5 times without sacrificing productivity and quality. You can buy them in compressed bricks, which you can simply reconstitute with some water.
There are several other growing media available on the market. These are just a few of them. By doing research on the different kinds available and by going through a process of trial and error, you should be able to find a growing medium that's perfect for your needs.
