Hydroponic Growing Medium Alternatives. Cultivating plants without soil, the accepted definition of hydroponics, continues to gain popularity There are probably hundreds of different kinds of growing media; basically, anything that a plant can grow in is considered a growing medium. Every hydroponic gardener has their own preferences, so I'll give you the advantages and disadvantages of each medium so you can.
In hydroponic gardening, you can grow plants that normally grow on land but without soil. With hydroponics, alternatives to those nutrients are directly fed to plants instead of being absorbed by the plants through soil. The medium does not have to be water, it can be a solution filled with nutrients or an inert growing medium such as sand or perlite.
It also supports the plant weight and holds it upright.
Hydroponics is a method to grow plants without soil.
When developing your hydroponic system, it is imperative that you select a medium that matches your needs, will give you the biggest yields, and will be the easiest to maintain. The medium does not have to be water, it can be a solution filled with nutrients or an inert growing medium such as sand or perlite. They're made by melting rock and sand at extremely high temperatures which is then spun into a fiber.