There are two basic types of hydroponic gardening. These two types of hydroponic gardening are medium culture and solution culture. As their names suggest, medium culture is the type of hydroponic gardening where there is still a medium in which the roots may cling to whereas, in solution culture, the plants are suspended over the nutrient solution.

Three Types Of Solution Culture

In solution culture of hydroponics gardening, there are three subtypes which are called static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture and aeroponics. The concept for all kinds of solution culture in hydroponic gardening is basically the same. The plant is suspended and the nutrient solution is provided for it. In static solution culture, the plant is always exposed to the nutrient solution in a way that the solution may be depleted. After depletion, the nutrient solution may be added to up to a point where only some of the roots are touching it. In continuous flow solution culture, the plant is exposed to the solution all the time. The solution flows through the container for the plant in hydroponic gardening. This is usually reserved for bigger hydroponic gardening outfits where automation is used.

Aeroponics is the type of hydroponic gardening where the plants' roots are exposed to the nutrient solution via fine mist or drops. Exposure to the mist is frequent and plants have responded very well to this type of solution culture. The mist is what carries the nutrients of the plants and they are absorbed directly by the roots as the mist or drops cling to them.

Medium Culture

In medium culture, the basic question is which media to use for the plants in hydroponic gardening. There are actually many different mediums that can replace soil and these include, but are not limited to, mineral or rock wool, gravel, clay pellets, brick shards and perlite. These media are quite easy to use for hydroponic gardening and provide the roots with some stability as well as provide the nutrient solution with something to cling to.

Hydroponic gardening is actually easy to do. A hydroponic herb garden as well as a vegetable garden is one of the most popular forms of hydroponic gardening. Researches have yielded favorable knowledge regarding the efficacy of hydroponics in terms of plant growth and also produce supply. It is also notable that the occurrence of soil borne sicknesses and diseases has lessened without the use of soil in hydroponics.