Week 2 & 3

Types of Growing

Key Terms
Ground containers
Vertical containers
Hydroponics
Water culture, Ebb & Flow, Drip Method, NFT

Aeroponics
Aquaponics

Types of Growing
Traditional in the ground (row crops)
Ground containers
Vertical containers
Hydroponics
Aeroponics
Aquaponics

Type of growing

Advantages

Disadvantages

In Ground

Inexpensive

Soil borne diseases, weeds,

hard on back

Ground containers

Looks attractive,

Same as above, heavy,

watering, Pots may be
pricey

Vertical containers

Less work, easy to maintain, easy

on back, grow any where

More initial cost

Hydroponics

Soilless, can be automatic, less

weeds, no soil borne diseases,
less room, grow any where

Higher cost to start and

maintain

Aeroponics

No Media,

High start up expense

Aquaponics

Two commodities, fish and

vegetables

High start up, maintenance

of system

Lab
Weigh block of Coconut coir
Dry weight was _________

Add 3 gallons of water

Place brick over block of Coconut coir

Wet weight is _________

What have you concluded with results?
_________________________________________________________
What was the purpose of this lab?
_________________________________________________________

Traditional In Ground
Advantages
Most common
Little investment

Disadvantages

Weed control
Bending, Hands and knees
Soil borne diseases
Pest
Nematodes
Grubs
Bad soil here in Florida
Mostly sand

Pots and Raised Beds

Advantages
Controls pest
More attractive

Disadvantages

Weed control
Bending, Hands and knees
Soil borne diseases
Pest
Nematodes
Grubs
Bad soil here in Florida
Mostly sand

Hydroponics
Advantages

Controls pest
More attractive
Less water consumption
Less pest
Easy on back
Can be automatic

Disadvantages
Higher start up cost
Cost of nutrients

Hydroponics is a subset of
hydroculture and is a method of
growing plants using mineral nutrient
solutions, in water, without soil.
Terrestrial plants may be grown with
their roots in the mineral nutrient
solution only or in an inert medium,
such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool,
expanded clay or coconut husk.

Bad for the Environment?

Hydroponics conserves more water & creates
less pollution than conventional agricultural
production methods
Uses 70-90%% less water
No fertilizer run-off

 Researchers discovered in the 18th century that plants

absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in
water.
In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient
reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant
growth.
When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water,
plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required
mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water
supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant
to thrive.
Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics.
Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology
research and teaching.

Some of the reasons why hydroponics is being adapted around the world for
food production are the following:
No soil is needed
The water stays in the system and can be reused - thus, lower water costs
It is possible to control the nutrition levels in their entirety - thus, lower nutrition costs
No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of the controlled
system
Stable and high yields
Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container's
mobility

There are two chief merits of the soil-less cultivation of plants.

First, hydroponics may potentially produce much higher crop yields.
Also, hydroponics can be used in places where in-ground agriculture or gardening are
not possible.

METHODS
A variety of hydroponic growing methods,
including
Water Culture
Wick
Ebb and Flow
Drip
NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)
Aeroponics

Water Culture Method

Very Simple to Use!

Styrofoam platform holds the

plants and floats on the
nutrient solution
Air pump and stone supply air
Releases the nutrient solution and
supplies oxygen to the plant roots

Leaf lettuce is the

predominant plant grown
Very few other plants grow well in
this system

What you Need!

Water reservoir
Grow tray and media
Air pump and diffuser
Nutrient solutions
For small scale systems, a pH
and EC/TDS Tester

Water Culture Method

Holds plants in a tray with their roots floating
in a nutrient media

Water Culture Method

Pros
Extremely simple to set up
Cheap
Support the plant
Keep solution aerated

Cons
Keep shaded to avoid algae
growth
Small scale operations
Large amount of water
Weight associated with water

Solution needs aerated

Wick Method
Simplest Method

A passive system = no moving

parts
The nutrient solution is
released into the grow tray
through a wick
Several types of growing
mediums can be used in this
system

What you Need!

Water reservoir
Grow tray and media
Air pump and diffuser
Nutrient solutions
A pH and EC/TDS Tester

Wick Method
Delivers the nutrient solution to the roots
from a reservoir using wicks

Wick Method
Pros
Simple
Passive
Little effort to maintain
No timer required

Cons
Not the most efficient method
Not for plants that need lots
of water and nutrients

Ebb and Flow Method

Flexible system

Works by temporarily
flooding the tray with
nutrient solution
Can be modified in many
ways such as filling the grow
tray with grow rocks or gravel

What you Need!

Water reservoir
Pump for fertilized water
Grow tray and media
Nutrient solutions
Air pump and diffuser
pH and EC/TDS meter

Ebb and Flow

Temporarily floods the roots of the plants,
then drains

Ebb and Flow

Pros
Reliable
Simple
Inexpensive

Cons
Plants dont stay submerged ;
must be grown in a medium
Rockwood, gravel
For moisture: vermiculite,
coconut fiber

Can require a lot of labor

Root rot: media
management =
sterilization, washing

Roots can grow together

Plant removal can be
problematic

Drip Method
Most Widely Used
Timer controlled submersible pump
releases a nutrient solution onto
plant roots
Recovery System
Excess nutrient solution is collected
and reused
More sustainable, but the pH and
nutrient levels may vary due to
solution reuse

Non-Recovery System
Does not collect the excess solution
Must have a precise timer to ensure
that the least amount of nutrient
solution is wasted

What you Need!

Water reservoir
Pump for fertilized water
Drip manifold and lines
Grow tray and media
Nutrient solutions
Air pump and diffuser
pH and EC/TDS controller

Drip System
Unlike other kinds of hydroponic systems
nutrients are dispensed very slowly through
nozzles

Drip System

Pros
Extra Solution can be
collected and re-circulated of
allowed to drain out
Flow can be adjusted allowing
one to grow several types of
plants
Solution/water grows straight
to plant base
Uses less water to
evaporation

Cons

Automatic timers are needed

Eliminate overwatering and
human error
Best to use 2 lines in the event
one become clogged

NFT Method
What Most People Consider
as Hydroponics
Constant flow of nutrients, so no
timer needed for the submersed
pump
The nutrient solution is pumped
into the grow tray over the plant
roots then drained into the
reservoir
The only grow medium that is used
is air
Plants typically supported in small
plastic baskets, with the roots
dangling into the nutrient solution

What you Need!

Water reservoir
Pump for fertilized water
Grow tray and media
Nutrient solutions
Air pump and diffuser
pH and EC/TDS Monitor

NFT Method
Streams a thin coat of nutrient solution over the
roots of the plants. Most commonly used
commercially

Pros
Light film of nutrients
delivered
Roots not saturated
No media required
No timer
Can recycle solution

NFT
Cons
Active system
Pumps 24 hrs day
Best for plants that dont
require lots of support
Need back-up system

Vertical Gardening

Advantages of The Growing vertically

Takes up less space

No bending or kneeling
Use less water
Keep ground pest away
Control growing environment
Can use hand watering or hydroponic
Units can be grown indoors or on a
high-rise condo

Aeroponics Method
Most High Tech
The growing medium is air
Roots hang in the air and are misted
with nutrients every few minutes
Timers control the pump to ensure
the plants are properly misted with
the nutrients

What you Need!

Reservoir
Pump and Spray Nozzles
Grow Media
Nutrient Solutions
pH and EC/TDS controller

Aeroponics
This method requires you to suspend your
plants in mid-air while spraying the roots
regularly

Aeroponics
Pros

Cons

Efficient use of water and

nutrients
No need for medium
No need for aeration
Fast growth
Tropical 100% humidity

High Tech
Must be monitored for pump
failure

Aeroponics
Advantages

Controls pest
More attractive
Less water consumption
Less pest
Easy on back
Can be automatic
No media

Disadvantages
Higher start up cost
Cost of nutrients