When most people think of growing plants, they think of something growing out of the ground in a garden, field, planting pot, etc. However, there are other ways to grow plants besides just planting into soil. Hydroponics is a way to grow plants without using soil. It can be done outdoors or indoors, and is a great option if you have little gardening space. Hydroponics takes less water than gardening in soil. There are also no issues with weeds because you are growing in water rather than soil. 

Hydroponics systems are made up of basic components that are not difficult to set up. There are a variety of different hydroponic systems you can use, but the simplest of at home systems fall into a category called “Deep Water Culture”. The University of Minnesota Extension describes a simple deep water culture set-up as, “Plants are grown in net pots that sit in a styrofoam lid, and the roots hang down into a bucket of water.” This type of system is the most common for small-scale growers, is the least expensive, and is the easiest to maintain. 

You could buy a premade deep water culture system, but it is easy to set one up on your own. The size of the container needed depends on the size of the plant being grown. A key component of the system is the support structure for the plants. The University of Minnesota again described that the “most common system for a DIY hydroponics is the combination of net pots and substrate.” You would put the net pots into holes in the lid of the container and make sure that the net pot is only partially submerged so the plants have access to oxygen. The substrate is added to the bottom of the net pot. Common substrates include gravel, perlite, hydroton, pumice, coconut coir, and Rockwoll. Rockwoll is the most popular choice for substrate.
 
Providing light to your hydroponic system is critical for plant growth. In the summer, an outdoor hydroponic system simply needs sunlight. However, due to our climate in Central Illinois an outdoor system is not realistic if you want to grow year-round. An indoor system will need supplemental lighting. The most common types of lighting used for small-scale growers are LED and fluorescent bulbs. LEDs are energy efficient and long lasting but have a higher up-front cost. Fluorescent lighting is cheaper up-front but uses more energy than LEDs and do not last as long. 
 
Choosing plants for your hydroponic system can be fun and easy to do. You simply need to consider what you prefer and how much light and heat you will have access to. Outdoors in the summer, almost anything can be grown in a hydroponic system. All year long, look for seed companies with varieties identified as doing well in a hydroponic system. As a rule of thumb, leafy greens will typically do well all year long. 

There are three main factors to maintaining a hydroponic system. First is changing the water. For deep water culture systems, how often you change the water will depend on how many plants you have and how quickly they grow and use the water. The University of Minnesota states, “…as the roots begin to develop, they should not be fully submerged in water. Instead, it’s best for only about a half of the root biomass to touch the water.” The second factor of maintenance is managing insects. The primary insect management tool in hydroponics is sanitation. Start with clean containers and equipment at the beginning of each new planting, use fresh water, and keep as much distance between your hydroponic system and other plants as you can. Lastly, it is important to prevent disease in your system. Again, always start with clean materials. Proper ventilation is vital, as well as checking on the health of your plants regularly. The most common diseases in hydroponics are powdery mildew, downy mildew, and root rots. 

Setting up and using a hydroponic system can be a fun, new way to grow if you have not tried it before. Be sure to research any questions and keep your system clean for best results.