Four
Primary Hydroponic Growing Methods:
In a soil garden, plants are rooted in the soil and draw nutrients
from it. In hydroponics, a nutrient rich solution
is fed directly to the plant roots. In some hydroponic growing
systems an inert growing medium, such as perlite, rockwool or
expanded clay pebbles is used in place of soil. These growing
mediums are porous and absorb the nutrient solution, allowing
the plants to use it as needed.
In other hydroponic
systems, like the NFT system, no growing medium is used and
the plant roots are suspended
in a grow channel.
The
four most common methods of hydroponic gardening include:
Ebb
and Flow
Drip Method
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
Passive System
Ebb and Flow
NFT
With the Nutrient Film Technique (also known as NFT) the plants
are grown in channels which the nutrient solution is pumped
through. The plant roots are flooded by the nutrient solution
as it passes by. Ideally, the bottom of the roots are exposed
to the nutrient solution, while the top of the roots are exposed
to air. Most NFT systems are fed on a very frequent timed cycle.
For instance, 10 minutes of nutrient solution flow, followed
by 5 minutes of nutrient solution drain. Since the plant roots
are not in a growing medium, it is crucial that they are flushed
often to keep them moist.
NFT
is ideal for lettuces, leafy crops and herbs, all of which are
short term crops. Larger NFT channels can be used long term
crops as long as some form of plant support is provided..
Passive
The advantage of a Passive hydroponic garden is its low maintenance.
A Passive system does not use pumps or timers to flood the root
zone. The roots usually dangle in the nutrient solution and
draw what they need from it. A Passive system is generally slower
growing and not as intensive as the other systems discussed.
Because
there is no water movement, passive systems will often have
low oxygen levels. this can be remedied by adding a small air
pump that pumps air into the nutrient reservoir.
The
Ebb and Flow
The
Ebb and Flow (also know as flood and drain) method of hydroponic
gardening simply allows all the plants in the garden to be fed
the same amount of nutrient solution at the same time.
The
plant grow bed, which contains plant pots filled with a growing
medium, is flooded with the nutrient solution for a set period
of time and then allowed to drain for a set period of time.
This allows the growing medium and plant roots to stay moist
while bringing fresh oxygen to the root base each time the nutrient
solution drains away.
Most Ebb and Flow systems will flood the grow bed for 10 or
15 minutes of every hour or two In an Ebb and Flow system, the
plant roots are most commonly grown in a medium of perlite,
rockwool or expanded clay pebbles. An Ebb and Flow system, popular
with many home hydroponic gardeners, is ideal for growing a
broad variety of crops since both long and short term crops
do well in this system.
Drip
In a Drip system, the nutrient solution is delivered to the
plants through drip emitters on a timed system. The timed cycle
flushes the growing medium, providing the plants with fresh
nutrients, water and oxygen as the emitter is dripping. The
emitters are usually scheduled to run for approximately 5-10
minutes of every hour. In a drip system, the plant roots are
most commonly grown in a medium of perlite, grow rocks or rockwool.
The drip system is often used in commercial
hydroponic facilities that grow long term crops like tomatoes,
cucumbers and peppers.
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