In a hydroponic system, farmers grow plants without depending on soil or land. Instead, in this type of farming, water and nutrients solution is used to yield crops. However, you may be required to use some material to ensure water retention and aeration in the system.
The material that replaces soil in the hydroponic system is called a growing medium. Growing medium helps by providing plants with the moisture and oxygen they require. It supports roots and holds plant weight, ensuring their right growth. You can find various growing mediums for your system like hydroponics clay balls, perlite, coconut coir, and rockwool.
A brief introduction to main growing mediums-
Perlite
Perlite is a well-known growing medium that traditional gardeners have used for years to give aeration to soil mixes. Perlite is made by putting volcanic glass under intense heat. Glass’s small bubbles then pop out like popcorn and emerge as small bubbles.
This growing medium is perfect for a wick-type hydroponic system. It’s one of the most affordable and lightweight growing mediums that offer high air retention in the roots. You can use this medium several times.
Coconut coir
Coconut coir is a hundred percent organic growing medium produced by the byproduct of the coconut industry. It offers great water retention and maintains the air and water ratio in the system. In addition, it provides hold to plants and saves them from drowning.
This environmentally friendly growing medium is renewable, and you can easily compose it after several uses. You can either use it alone or mix it with other growing mediums like perlite, clay balls, etc.
Clay balls
Hydroponic clay pellets are small round balls roughly the size of marbles. These little bubble-shaped balls are formed by heating and expanding clays and are a fantastic hydroponic growing medium. Clay balls are lightweight due to their porous nature.
Despite this, they are thick enough to support the plants and are good at wicking nutrients to the roots. Due to their spherical and porous shape, clay pellets are an extremely well-balanced water-to-oxygen medium. Clay balls can be cleaned, sterilized, and reused easily.
Rockwool
Rockwool is not unfamiliar to hydroponic gardeners, as it has been widely used in recent years. This highly effective growing medium is quite popular in commercial farms. Rockwool is a dry, porous medium typically composed of granite and limestone rocks heated until they melt and turn into a thin fiber.
Microbe resistance, superior water, and air retention are a few of the advantages of rockwool as a growing medium. It keeps your plants from drying out while also providing constant oxygen to their roots. It has a great water absorption and aeration capacity.
Bottom line
These are the most used growing mediums by professional hydroponic farmers and gardeners. Using them offers water, air, and nutrient retention in the system and saves plants from diseases and pests.
Growing mediums help you grow healthier and better plants in the garden. Visit The Green Room to purchase hydroponics clay balls, rockwool, coconut coir, and other organic growing mediums for your system.
