Hydroponics vs. Substrate
If you decide to start growing, one of the first and most important decisions you must make is whether to grow in traditional soil substrate or choose one of the available hydroponic systems. It might seem like a simple choice, but there are many different factors to consider before making a final decision.
Both growing media, as already mentioned soil or hydroponic growing, have their advantages and disadvantages, and it depends only on you which method will be the most suitable choice. Keep in mind that soil cultivation and hydroponics have the same potential to achieve excellent yields and quality product! So it's up to you which method will better suit your individual needs. In the following article, you will learn all the pros and cons of each growing method. After reading, you will certainly be able to decide more easily which method is best for you.
Soil Cultivation
Soil cultivation could be called the old school method for advanced growers. As you surely know, plants have been grown in soil since the beginning of time. Compared to hydroponics, soil is less demanding in maintaining constant acidity solution values, mineral and trace element content in the medium and can balance these values to a certain extent much easier than hydroponic growing. This can be advantageous for beginner growers who do not yet have much experience with continuously maintaining these values.
For soil cultivation, the temperature of the growing medium, solution acidity (pH), and nutrient concentration (Ec) are to some extent balanced by the soil. This allows for greater tolerance of errors for growers. If you know that the temperature around your plants regularly fluctuates, soil is probably the best choice for you. Pure organic nutrients that the plant essentially needs rely on other beneficial organisms living in the soil, which can break down organic compounds into absorbable elements. These useful organisms, which have nothing to do with basic nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen), live and multiply in the soil.
This ensures easier maintainability of these microorganisms suitable for proper organic gardening for most growers. Some disadvantages of soil include ideal conditions for breeding insects and other pests, especially during the warm summer period.
+ Advantages
+ Soil gardens offer plants a larger and more complete amount of nutrients, minerals, and trace elements than hydro. This allows growers to grow completely organically with the right fertilizers without any chemical additives.
+ Soil also contains bacteria beneficial to the plant. These soil bacteria can break down organic material in the soil and provide constant proper nutrition for your plants. Bacteria essentially act as a natural plant catalyst!
+ Lower electricity consumption, as you do not need to further oxygenate the soil - less financially costly for growers.
+ Lower acquisition costs.
+ Rapid chemical changes practically do not occur.
- Disadvantages
- Soil offers the gardener less control over the occurrence of various pests and bacteria that can suddenly attack your crop. Since soil is a natural ecosystem, it provides ideal living conditions for all possible pests.
- Watering soil can also be problematic. After months of watering, the soil around the plants may sink. This then presents a problem because insufficient oxygen does not reach the plant's roots. Soil retains a large amount of water, so with frequent watering, you can "overwater" the plant.
- The medium cannot be recycled. You must replace the soil after each growing cycle.
- Plant growth rate is slower.
Hydroponic Cultivation
The name for hydroponics can best be explained as growing plants without using classic soil as a growing medium. There are many different types of hydroponic systems used for growing medical plants, and one of them is also cultivation in coconut. Hydroponic gardens require a medium such as mineral wool, coconut fiber, or expanded clay. Although these systems may differ in many ways, they all share common advantages and disadvantages.
Generally speaking, hydroponic cultivation ensures that plants grow at a faster pace than in classic soil. This growth "boom" is achieved by using soluble fertilizers specifically designed for hydroponic cultivation. In such a medium, not all microorganisms found in classic soil can appear, but the roots of hydroponically grown plants can absorb the necessary organic compounds and nutrients almost immediately (if they have suitable conditions, such as the correct acidity of the solution with which the plants are watered). This is one of the reasons why hydroponic gardens grow so incredibly quickly.
However, keep in mind that hydroponic gardens always rely on the content of fertilizers and nutrients that you provide them with the correct values at all stages of growth and flowering.
+ Advantages
+ Hydroponics mainly offers more possibilities for automating irrigation and adapting the garden to a standalone unit. It can thus last longer without supervision.
+ Many different types of hydroponic units (Dripping, Bubbler, etc.)
+ Using hydroponic growing technology, you generally get faster growth and increased resilience and plant strength.
+ Cleaner operation. You will probably rarely encounter some pests.
+ The growing medium can be reused if properly treated and free of all undesirable bacteria.
+ Growing is less space-intensive, so pots can be smaller and closer together.
+ Chemical imbalance in the solution can be more easily changed by completely replacing the nutrient solution.
+ Faster growth and more efficient utilization of plant potential.
- Disadvantages
- Among the main disadvantages associated with hydroponic cultivation is the complexity and overall system maintenance. In hydroponic cultivation, much more work is expected from the gardener than just planting and harvesting. pH (acidity) and Ec (Electric Conductivity = nutrient value) in the solution must be regularly checked.
- More financially expensive to acquire than substrate
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