What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in nutrient-rich water without soil. Thus, the most important element for the plant’s growth is water. It is crucial that the roots of the plant are submerged in water since it is the only source of nutrients for the plant.

The set up involves a water container that is covered with a foam sheet on which the plants are placed. Only the roots of the plants pass through the foam layer and are submerged in the water. Some of the challenges of this set up are:

• The water level is not visible from the outside
• The container must be opened periodically to check the water level
• The water must not be exposed to sunlight as it can lead to growth of bacteria, fungus and algae in the water which is detrimental to the growth of the plant