Hydroponic gardening is a sustainable method environmentally controlled agriculture for the future.

It eliminates soil-borne pests and diseases and improves water and unimpeded plant nutrient uptake is achieved with the right feeding. Incredible yields can be achieved in a relatively small space with hydroponic systems. For home and commercial use there exist a variety of techniques..

These systems include the Europonic Rockwood System, the Ebb and Flow System, Aeroponic Systems, Continuous Drip Systems, and Rockwool Based Systems. As a hydroponic guide; systems come in all shapes and sizes and can be adapted for nearly any budget. 

Another well liked system is the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). The seedlings grow to adulthood while held in troughs. The plant nourishing solution constantly trickle among the rootstock.
The combination of a small storage reservoir and a submerged electric pump ensures a constant recirculation of nutrient delivery i to where it is needed.

Nutrient Film Technique systems when quite large are used commercially, both abroad, UK, and in the US. Care must be taken to choose the correct trough size especially when using the Nutrient Film Technique system.

Large commercial systems use wider troughs with greater flow capacity.

Aeroponics is an amazing system related to hydroponics and in this method the roots are simply suspended in the air and usually in 3D. They are excellent for growing herbs and leafy vegetables. Plant support is provided to the growing vegetables and flowers by neoprene inserts.

Different hold configurations in the top cover provide the proper spacing.

Aeroponic systems are also great propagators. The seedlings are potted on from an initial germination stage in a rockwool based “compost” medium.

Scientific work by NASA in the quest for a great way to grow food during space flight has come up with what is called aeroponics and it is becoming quite popular through their educational work.

The Europonic System is modeled after commercial systems that are used in Europe. You would start this system with a basic 3 trays and each of those holding eight plants. The system can be buit upon and can be expanded to 5 trays easily.

A solution which contains nutrients is pump-flow delivered from a reservoir/tank to each emitter located at every plant. The watering of nutrition via the rockwool soil replacement runs over the roots and back to the erservoir from whence recirculation taskes place all the time.

Rockwool, or mineral wool, is the most popular and highly used hydroponic container gardening medium. It is basically a material of spun fibre providing a high surface area for a high ability to hold water. It is also fabled for its legendary ability to be remodeled into new shapes to suit almost all plans and rooting requirements.

The Europonic System uses rockwool slabs with two slabs fitting into each tray Europonic Systems are good for the larger plants which have extensive systems of roots. Such systems are therefore good for plants like tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers, plus large flowering plants.

With systems that drip continuously, one pot alone is used with 2-gallon reservoir below it. This system is however not well suited to commercial growing requirements.
Ebb and flow systems prove perennially popular though in hyrdroponics applications as well.

They are good for crops such as lettuce, pepper plants, miniature tomatoes, and potted flowers. Ebb and flow systems can also be used as an herb garden to provide fresh basis, thyme, and oregano year round. Ebb and flow systems are not perfect and a concern with them can be the builing up of crystal fertizing salts in the growth medium.

As the water evaporates between flooding, the salts are left behind as a residue and may rise to toxic levels. Flushing regularly the media with clean rainwater will also tend to avoid this problem recurring.

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