Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, or mineral wool.
Hydroponic gardening today essentially has two components: the first component or requirement is that the growing must take place in a relatively controlled area. The second requirement is that the growing must occur in a water-based nutrient solution, rather than soil. Hydroponic growers believe that if the first criterion is satisfied, then they will have a much better chance of preventing plant disease, which is often transmitted through soils. Additionally, they believe they will be able to better adjust a controlled environment than they would a natural environment, even though a natural environment might provide them with some significant cost-reduction benefits (such as free light and free nutrients).
Growers also believe that, through hydroponic gardening, they can reduce the amount of time they would normally spend tilling soil or dousing fields in pesticides¡Xboth of which are big time and money savers. So will hydroponic techniques ultimately out-compete large scale plant-growing? Only time will tell, but for now, hydroponics certainly looks like a viable option for small-scale plant growing and hobby plant growing. It could well prove to be an extremely important farming technique in future as available soil areas that are suitable for farming declines.