Misconceptions about Hydroponic Gardening

The intriguing practice of hydroponic gardening (the act of growing plants without using soil) is a highly misunderstood but widely known practice. Some view it with suspicion because they associate it with growing illegal plants; some see it as an overreaching of science; some see it merely as a novel-but-expensive pastime. The truth is, hydroponics is a system utilized by hobbyists, gardeners, farmers and nations to grow strong, healthy plants of all kinds. To clear things up, let us discuss the common misconceptions.

The first misconception is that hydroponics is used to grow controlled substances in secret rooms. Internet sources do not seem to help since they relate the concepts of hydroponics and illegal activity. This can be explained by the fact that those who are holding those pieces of information know how to use the Internet and not because every hydroponic garden is not legal. Statistics suggest that only a very small percentage of hydroponic gardens grow these controlled substances. A large number of plants and vegetables do very well in hydroponic environments, and there are many good, honest gardeners using hydroponics to do just that. For example, in Canada and Holland, farmers are making use of hydroponics to grow food on a larger scale. Therefore, saying that hydroponics is bad because of its association with illegal substances is the same as suggesting that soil is bad. In short, farming, whatever the method, is still farming – and hydroponics is simply one of the alternatives.

Another misconception is that hydroponic gardening is artificial and unnatural simply because it circumvents the need for soil. The truth is, there are no genetic or chemical manipulations in hydroponics, and no natural processes are disrupted. The natural elements are given to the plants – light, nutrients, water – as is the case when they’re planted in soil. In hydroponics, on the other hand, soil is replaced by other root-anchoring techniques and nutrients, light and water are provided in ways that would optimize health and growth. What’s more, plants that grow in hydroponic gardens would typically turn out to be healthier – and this is done without the use of additives. While the process is made more complicated, the result remains: the natural production of plants and food.

Thirdly, others perceive hydroponics as a useless, costly pastime. True, it is a fun pastime (and more often than not, a growing business), but this practice is nowhere near useless. Hydroponics make growing food a possibility in almost any setting and environment-in the dead of winter, in the extended twilight of the polar regions, in places where soil is contaminated, and even in space. More significantly, this alternative method in farming makes the yield and quality of food-bearing plants better – as a result, food is made readily available to third-world nations and in places where famine is widespread.

Truly, there is more to hydroponic gardening than what meets the eye – it is way bigger than just an extravagant pastime, an unnatural process, and a hub for illegal substances.

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