What is hydroponics, how to grow strawberries without soil

The method of growing plants through hydroponics - has been known for a long time. The first examples of hydroponics are referred to as the “Hanging Gardens” of Babylon and the floating gardens that were created during the time of the Moorish Aztec.

What is hydroponics?

So what is hydroponics? Hydroponics is a way to grow greens, vegetables and fruits without soil. Nutritious elements of the plant roots are not obtained from the soil, but from a rather strongly aerated medium. It can be solid (air-consuming or porous moisture-absorbing) or water. Such an environment must necessarily contribute to the respiration of the root system.

Using the hydroponic method, it is possible to harvest in the driest regions. But this does not prevent it from becoming more and more popular in the CIS countries, because hydroponics makes it possible to grow crops on an industrial scale, while occupying rather small plots.

Hydroponic methods

Hydroponic methods are based on studying the root system of a plant. Dozens of years have been spent by scientists on understanding what exactly the root gets from the soil. The choice of the method of creating ideal conditions depends on the agricultural technology of the cultivated plant. For a healthy, high-quality harvest of fruits, vegetables and other plants, you need to choose the appropriate method:

Aggregoponika

In this case, plants are grown only on solid types of substrate, which have a relatively low moisture capacity. The root system is located in the sand, expanded clay or similar soil substitutes. Plants take all the necessary mineral elements from the substrate solution.

Hemoponica

Chemoponica or hemoculture. This method is quite close to the method of cultivation in the soil mixture. In this case, the plant is fixed in an organic substrate. Chemoponics do not need special equipment, it can be used in all types of greenhouse.

Ionitonik

Ionoponics is a new method, similar to aggregopatonics, based on ion-exchange materials. Substrate are: ion exchange resin, polyurethane foam granule and fibrous materials.The difference from aggregopathic is that here the nutrients are located in the substrate itself. This allows plants to be irrigated with pure water only.

Aeroponica

In this embodiment, there are no solid substrates. The plant is fixed on the lid of the vessel with the nutrient solution. The root system of the plants is sprayed every 15 minutes.

How to transplant strawberries from the ground

Agriculture is developing in step with the times and the question "How to grow strawberries in hydroponics?" long been studied. For transplanting strawberries from the soil, only young, healthy and well-growing specimens can be used. Followed by:

1. Well pour water plants the day before transplanting.
2. Release the roots of the plant from the ground.
3. Rinse the roots out of the water with warm water.
4. Remove rotten, damaged or long roots.
5. Put the plant in a hydroponic pot.
6. Pour warm water into the outer vessel without adding fertilizer.
7. Cover the plant for two weeks with a film that will prevent the evaporation of moisture.
8. When the liquid is almost evaporated - you can begin feeding.

How to grow strawberries using hydroponics

To grow strawberries at home using the hydroponics method, you need to choose the appropriate methods for the number and location of the plantings. In particular, for growing strawberries use:

• The method of periodic flooding. Uses a standard installation that requires qualified configuration. This method is relevant for use in a room with a large number of plants.

• Deepwater hydroponics. This method is considered unsuccessful, because the strawberry is not a moisture-loving plant.

• Nutritional System Provides for the installation of plastic boxes, in which the fluid circulates constantly. The root system is immersed in this fluid, from which it receives all the necessary substances.

• Drip irrigation. Using this method, you need to plant the bushes of plants in a special substrate. The root system is provided with a special fluid using droppers that are powered by water pumps.

For growing strawberries at home, most often, they use the latest hydroponic method, with the help of which it is really possible to get crops in a greenhouse, a warmed room or in a special room.

Benefits of using hydroponics

Technology hydroponics greatly facilitate the process of growing plants. This became possible thanks to the automation of all stages of plant care: light and temperature conditions, mineral supplements.

Home hydroponics makes it possible to form the necessary parameters of the ionic composition in plant production. This is done by programming the mineral nutrition composition itself. Such plants grow faster, bloom and fruit faster. The concentration of vitamins, sugar and organic acids, in them, is much higher than in normal ones. A person can regulate the level of nitrates in plants. The crop, when hydroponically grown, is much more abundant than when the plant grows on the soil.

Disadvantages of hydroponic methods

The disadvantages of hydroponic methods are very few, but they include:

• The high cost of the system. At first glance it may seem that buying a ready product is much cheaper.
• The duration and complexity of the process.

If you seriously decide to address this issue, then prepare in advance everything you need for hydroponics. Of course, the equipment will cost a lot of money, but the plants grow faster and require less care, so it will pay off.