ABSTRACT

Caring for your plants in hydroponic gardening is similar in terms of their training, pollination, pest and disease control, and so on; however, it takes away the lessdesirable tasks of weeding, cultivation of the soil, hand watering, and fertilizer applications, which is less back strain� Weeding is eliminated as is cultivation of the medium� Watering and fertilizer application is automated with flood systems or drip irrigation� There will be much less use of pesticides as most pests and diseases can be eliminated from the medium, whereas in soil they are always present attacking the plant roots (Figure 3�1)� You will feel much better in seeing your plants healthy and productive� When pests attack the roots of plants, it is often very difficult to identify the causes of your plants suffering from wilting, yellowing, and often dying� Once you determine these causes of poor plant growth, the next thing is to treat the soil with some type of pesticide� This often involves using fairly strong synthetic pesticides that are not organic based� This creates apprehension coupled with caution in applying them safely� The outcome is that your plants are no longer free of synthetic pesticides (“organic”)� Even then, due to the complexities of soil composition, the treatment may not control all of the pests and will have to be applied numerous times to maintain the pest populations at tolerable levels to minimize restrictions in plant growth�

Hydroponic gardening will produce more healthy plants in both safety and nutrition� Many soil-borne pests can be avoided in hydroponics� If an infestation should be introduced, control is more effective and usually done by organically derived pesticides known as “bioagents�” Apply these natural pesticides to the growing medium through the nutrient solution with the drip irrigation system of hydroponic culture� The bioagents are much safer to handle than strong synthetic pesticides� These bioagents are the same ones recommended for certified “organic” growing� There is less need for using pesticides with hydroponic culture compared with soil gardening due to the use of relatively sterile substrates free of pests� Of course, the control of pests and diseases of the foliar part of the plants will be very similar to those growing in soil� However, with optimum nutrition, the plants will have thicker cuticles and stronger cell walls to help them resist infestation�

Optimum nutrition of hydroponically grown plants enables them to yield fruit (vegetables) higher in vitamins and minerals than those of their counterparts grown in soil� Soil is heterogeneous in structure, composition, and mineral content� Some plants may grow well in one area and within a short distance others may suffer from deficiencies� In hydroponics, the plants grow in a substrate homogeneous in water and minerals with pH levels maintained optimum for mineral uptake by the plants� In soil, it is more difficult to regulate pH at ideal levels to make elements available

to plant-root uptake� This equal availability of essential elements to hydroponically grown crops gives superior quality and yields� That will give you greater satisfaction in your labors of gardening plus more production that you may share with others in your neighborhood (Figure 3�2)� I think one of the most disappointing aspects of gardening is when you do everything you can possibly think of that should make your plants grow well and for some mysterious reason(s) they do not give you the results you are expecting� Avoid this by growing hydroponically� Initially, you may think that hydroponics is too technical, but, that is not the case� It is really important to understand how the plants grow and what their needs are as well as what kinds of problems can stress them to reduce their productivity� This applies to all gardening, not just hydroponics� Hydroponics is a science and by following the procedures you

can be successful making your labors of growing very rewarding� With the presence of many hydroponic shops and online stores you may purchase readymade hydroponic units and all supplies such as nutrients, bioagents, and others for successful growing� In addition, there is lots of help by store operators and through the Internet on seeking solutions to any challenges that occur� With all of these considerations why not garden hydroponically?