Hydroponics
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In Latin, the word hydroponics means literally "water working."
Hydroponics is the term used to describe the several ways in which plants can be raised without soil. In reality Hydroponics is the growing of plants without soil or as many people like to call it "dirt less gardening". These method also known generally as soil-less gardening, include raising plants in containers filled with water or any one of a number of other non-soil mediums.
Hydroponic cultivation has seen several types of media including many types of gravel, mineral fiber, sawdust, sand, expanded glass, plastic foam, and other types of inert media. All of these mediums, combined with water (hydro) and fertilizer attempt to improve growing performance over that of soil.
In soil, biological decomposition breaks down organic matter into the basic nutrient salts that plants feed on. Water dissolves these salts and allows uptake by the roots. For a plant to receive a well balanced diet, everything in the soil must be in perfect balance. Rarely, if ever, can you find such ideal conditions in soil due to the lack of organic matter left behind on the surface, contamination and biological imbalances...