Nutrients That Hydroponic Plants Need
Hydroponic gardening refers to soil-less gardening and it is a centuries' old concept of gardening. The earliest examples of hydroponics are found in the hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Floating Gardens of China. The different growing mediums for hydroponic gardening are chosen for their ability to both aerate and support the root system nutritionally. One of the most popular is expanded shale, which is a form of expanded clay aggregate. Other common mediums are vermiculite, perlite and varying grades of sand. The nutrient solution used in hydroponic contains every element that the plant would naturally obtain from soil. Nutrient solution is often in a concentrated form and 2 to 4 tsp. per gallon of water are used. The main nutrients required in hydroponic systems are macronutrients, micronutrients and secondary nutrients. Does this Spark an idea?
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Macronutrients
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Macronutrients are the most essential nutrients for plant growth and are required in the largest quantity by the plants. Nutrients that are classified as macronutrients are oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Plants obtain hydrogen, carbon and oxygen from the air and water, nitrogen and potassium from the soil and they are absorbed through the root system. The plant can obtain nitrogen from the air as well as from the soil. Macronutrients are essential for supporting plant metabolism and are the main constituent of plant nucleic acids and proteins.
Secondary Nutrients
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Secondary nutrients, which are essential for plant growth, are calcium, sulfur and magnesium. Calcium is found abundantly in nearly all soils since it is the main component of common minerals like limestone, dolomite and silicates. Similarly, magnesium is also found in abundance in the soil. Any deficiency of calcium is remedied by the addition of lime or crushed dolomite to the soil. Magnesium is a constituent of chlorophyll and is absorbed through the plant roots. Magnesium deficiency in plants causes leaves to yellow or chlorosis. Sulfur is necessary for the synthesis of proteins and is a constituent of amino acids. The deficiency of sulfur occurs in well-drained and sandy soils and is remedied with the addition of potassium sulfate, or ammonium sulfate. Hydroponic solutions contain the secondary nutrients in the right amounts.
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Micronutrients
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Micronutrients are all those nutrients that are required by plants in very small quantities. If there is an excess of these in soil or growing medium, it can prove to be toxic. The majority of micronutrients work as components of essential enzymes. Micronutrients include chlorine, boron, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Manganese, chlorine, iron and zinc also support photosynthesis to some extent. Most of the micronutrients occur naturally in soil and often do not have to be added to the soil especially. However hydroponic growing solutions especially contain the micronutrients since they are necessary for optimal plant growth.
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