Hydroponics: An Ecologically Sound Alternative?

The method of growing plants in a medium other than soil is called Hydroponics. It is a method of crop production that is increasingly looked to by environmentalists worldwide.

A Hydroponic System works by creating a network of pathways through which nutrients can  a.)pass on to roots of individual plants, or  b.)drain into cisterns from a flooded plant chamber.

There are many different types of hydroponic systems and each needs different components to make it successful in growing plants.  In this website you will read descriptions of various systems and the materials needed for them to function properly.

In creating a productive hydroponic system, you must first consider the nutrients a plant will require to grow to its fullest ability.   According to Alternative Agriculture, plants need three major elements, usually derived from soil: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. These elements are involved in chlorophyll and energy production. Addittionally, plants require trace elements of boron, calcium, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sulfur, and zinc. The next step in the building of a hydroponic garden is to provide a system which effectively delivers these nutrients to the plant roots in the absence of soil. 

Building a hydroponic garden can be easier than one would think. Many companies offer kits that can be sent away for. There are also blueprints on the Web that give detailed information about how to build your own little (or large!) hydroponic paradise. "Do-It-Yourself" kits following blueprints most typically use solo cups or halved one-liter soda bottles as the holding cups. The PVC nozzles can be purchased cheaply at many home goods stores that supply gardening equipment. With a little resourcefulness, anyone can piece together a productive system.

1. Cistern to hold nutrient Solutions   2. PVC tee

3. Solo Cups or halved Soda Bottles   4.  Expandable Plastic Tubing to connect PVC tees    5.  A Timer-run Pump (depending on which hydroponic system is chosen)

Check Out these FREE maps of hydroponic gardening systems from PipeDream Hydroponics

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Questions about this website? Email the webmasters:
Jenny Yandell and Kristen Scioli  

This web site was created using themes from "Microsoft FrontPage98" for Politics of the Environmental Movement PSC 417, Fall 1998 at Providence College.

Last Updated Dec. 6, 1998