My Hydroponica

Hydroponic Systems: What Types are there?

October 8, 2020December 14, 2016 by Phil

What are Hydroponic systems?

Hydroponic systems are a method of growing plants without soil. Or more strictly with ‘working water’, but it mainly means any system which does not use soil.

There are several different hydroponic systems. These include

deep water culture (DWC)
nutrient film technique(NFT)
aeroponics,
flood and drain or ebb and flow
wick
and the drip system.

All of these systems can be used indoors and outside. Although using some of these outside will entail covering the system to prevent dilution of the nutrient system.

History of Hydroponics

December 9, 2016April 27, 2016 by Phil

What most people don’t realise is that hydroponics is not a recent technique for growing plants.

Way back Before Christ, we find that the Arabs were growing melons on the dry and sandy riverbeds, being watered with solutions of composted animal excreta. A simliar process was used in India to grow watermelons, cucumbers and other green vegtables.

In China, into ancient times, rice cultures were carried in water, detailed in the diaries of Marco Polo.

One of the ancient Wonders of the World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were supposed to be grown hydroponically. There is talk of the plants being grown in channels simliar to the modern technique of NFT (Nutrient Film technique). The nutrient was recycled and transported back to the top in a bucket and chain system.