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Passive hydroponics, also known as hydroculture, is
one of the techniques of hydroponics. Hydroponics
refers to the method of growing plants without soil.
Instead of soil, hydroponics depends on a special
substrate, known as a hydroponic growing medium.
Passive hydroponics does away with the need for
water or air pumps, by depending on the capillary
action of the plant's own roots to transport water
and nutrients to it. It essentially involves growing
the plant in a porous container with a reservoir
containing water and hydroponic nutrients. This
system allows the plant to take in only the specific
amount of nutrition it needs. The most basic passive
hydroponics system consists of a pot placed in a
nutrient solution or a capillary mat saturated with
nutrient solution.
Passive hydroponics, and other hydroponic
techniques, offer many advantages over traditional
methods of horticulture. Firstly, since a sterile
medium is used instead of soil, the plant is
protected against soil-borne diseases. Secondly,
plants grown using hydroponics take up much less
space than those grown in soil, which makes
hydroponics the perfect choice for hobby
horticulturists.
Hydroponic Growing Mediums
These are some common
hydroponic growing mediums:
Perlite: Perlite is an amorphous volcanic
glass. It is a popular growing medium.
Vermiculite: Vermiculite is a natural mineral
that resembles mica rock in appearance. It retains
moisture well. Vermiculite is often used along with
perlite as the two materials complement each other.
Diatomite: Diatomite is a naturally
occurring, soft sedimentary rock. It contains
elemental minerals, required for the growth of
plants, which makes it an excellent hydroponic
growing medium.
Rockwool: Rockwool is a manmade mineral
fiber. Because it is chemically and biologically
inert, it makes an ideal hydroponic growing medium.
Information on passive hydroponics is readily
available. Besides the technique requires little
expense or care. Because of this, even enthusiasts
who are beginners with passive hydroponics beginners
often enjoy successful results with relatively
little effort. |
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