| Hydroponic gardening is the science of growing | | | | gravel pellets. |
| plants in a controlled environment without soil - | | | | The hydroponic gardening process starts with |
| free from soil borne pests and diseases. | | | | 'planting the tanks' by first starting seedlings in |
| Hydroponically grown plants are raised in | | | | carefully prepared paper cups full of vermiculate |
| greenhouses under carefully monitored and | | | | to allow the hydroponic solution to enter. After |
| controlled conditions. Gravel is normally used as | | | | the plants are started, the entire cup should be |
| the medium to support the plant's roots within the | | | | placed in the gravel. The plant's roots are irrigated |
| hydroponics greenhouse. Carefully mixed nutrients | | | | from below as the fluid flows down the hose and |
| are then periodically fed to the crops in liquid form | | | | into the gravel. The system is set up to ensure |
| - a method called sub-irrigation culture. Once | | | | that the crops are moist but are never flooded |
| seedlings are planted almost all of this work is | | | | with solution for more than a few seconds. |
| done by automation. In these hydroponic | | | | The advantages of hydroponic gardening in a |
| greenhouses sensors within the gravel are used | | | | greenhouse are numerous. When crops are grown |
| to determine when the plants need more nutrition | | | | hydroponically, crop yields are increased |
| and turn on the pumps, giving the plants the just | | | | dramatically over conventional agriculture. For |
| the right amount of solution. | | | | example acre of land will yield five to the tons of |
| These hydroponically grown plants are fed the | | | | tomatoes. The same amount of space will yield |
| exact nutrients needed for rapid growth and | | | | 60 to 300 tons when grown hydroponically. A |
| volume production. Some hydroponic gardeners | | | | lettuce crop grown in a hydroponic greenhouse will |
| use special tanks that are made from big drums | | | | yield an increase of 12,000 pounds over |
| which are cut in half. The bottom of each half is | | | | conventionally grown lettuce. |
| brazed with brass tubing. A hose hose is clamped | | | | Hydroponic gardening provides other advantages |
| to one end of the tube. The other end is | | | | besides increased crop yield. The hydroponic |
| attached to a similar tube which is brazed into a | | | | greenhouse environment extends the growing |
| small can. | | | | season and doesn't require heavy labor. And of |
| Inside the tanks the can is painted with an asphalt | | | | course the obvious -there's no need for |
| based paint in order to prevent metal surfaces | | | | greenhouse soil! |
| from rusting. The tanks are filled with small sized | | | | |