Mother's Mini-Manual HYDROPONICS
(Page 3 of 7)
If you do not intend to recover and recycle the nutrient solution, the bed need not be watertight and can have any number of drains. Several drains will tend to improve aeration.
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THE GROWING MEDIUM
The function of the growing medium is to hold up the plant roots, while at the same time it must retain moisture and permit the roots to breathe. If the medium is too fine, it will retain too much moisture, become soggy, and suffocate the roots. If it is too coarse, it will breathe quite well, but it will also dry out very quickly. The medium must be non?toxic, and—so far as possible—inert.
The most popular and dependable growing medium is plain pea gravel (114 to 318 inch) in beds about eight inches deep. It is clean, easy to handle, and? best of all?it breathes freely. It is also quite heavy and needs to be well supported. Another quality of plain gravel is that it dries quickly and, therefore, needs to be watered at least twice each day. In fact, on hot, dry days, you may have to do three or four daily waterings.
Gravel can be purchased locally anywhere they sell building supplies, cement or landscaping materials, and usually doesn't cost more than a few dollars per cubic yard. It can also be gathered for free, if you are willing to screen and wash it.
If you want the growing medium to retain moisture for a day or two, then you must mix sand with the gravel, or use a mixture of coarse and medium sand. The finer the sand, and the more of it you mix in, the better it will retain moisture. But it will also breathe less well. In general, five parts gravel to two or three of sand will work well. In very dry climates, the ratio might be two parts coarse to three parts fine. Ultimately, it is a matter of experiment and experience.
Perlite and vermiculite are both made from natural mineral substances which are expanded into lightweight and absorbent particles. Vermiculite (expanded mica) should be mixed one-third to one-half with coarse sand; otherwise it becomes too soggy. Perlite (expanded sand) may be used alone. The main advantage of these substances is their very light weight, which makes them ideal for use in hanging baskets, on rooftops, or other places where the heavy weight of sand or gravel would cause trouble. They may be purchased at almost any garden supply yard. Be sure to get the coarse grade. Soak before planting.
Some growers have used straw, hay bales, sawdust, or peat moss. These substances are inexpensive, light, and readily available. But, being organic, they tend to break down and disintegrate, and are more likely to harbor fungus and disease organisms. They must be watched to see that they don't become soggy in spots. Wood chips (pine or cypress) are said to be very good for hydroponic systems which do not flood the container (they will float away). Soak for several days before planting, and make sure there is good drainage.
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