Plants can be grown using various methods, with hydroponic and soil cultivation being two popular approaches for both small and large-scale farming systems. All plants have essential requirements for growth, reproduction, and other activities, with water, air, nutrients, and light being the main necessities. Media is needed for plants to anchor their roots and maintain physical consistency, as well as to provide essential nutrients for growth. This article will discuss the two basic cultivation methods according to the type of media: hydroponic and soil cultivation.
What is Hydroponic Cultivation?
Hydroponic cultivation, also known as soilless cultivation, is a method of growing plants in a mineral nutrient solution. The composition of the solution is predetermined and depends on the plant being cultivated. The solution typically contains essential anions and cations, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, and sulfates. There are several main types of hydroponics, including solution culture and medium culture, which are further subdivided. Static solution culture, continuous-flow solution culture, and aeroponics are the main types of solution cultures, while medium culture methods are named according to the type of medium used, such as sand culture and gravel culture.
Hydroponic systems offer several advantages. They do not require soil, making them suitable for urban areas where in-ground agriculture is impossible. Nutrient and media loss is minimal since these factors are predetermined. Hydroponic cultivation is also considered environmentally friendly and less polluting. The yield is generally higher than soil cultivation due to intensive practices, and harvesting is easier. However, there are some disadvantages, such as pathogen attacks on plants due to high moisture levels and a susceptibility to rapid death due to a lower buffering capacity than soil.
What is Cultivation in Soil?
Soil cultivation is the most common method of growing plants, with the media being regular soil. Soil cultivation can be divided into subcategories, including field cultivations and potted cultivations. In field cultivation, agricultural lands are prepared for cultivation through land preparation and other pre-cultivation practices. The land can be modified into cultivation beds for easier management. In ancient agriculture, people did not use additional fertilizer for their soil cultivations, opting instead for land rotation. However, with the limitation of agricultural lands, people now often add chemical fertilizers to their fields to increase soil fertility and nutrient availability for plants.
Different soil types are used for different crops, with root crops requiring fine soils for better root growth, while perennial fruit crops do not. Potted cultivations are mainly used for horticultural or exportation purposes, and the media filled in the pot may depend on the plant being grown.
Key Takeaways
- The main difference between hydroponic and soil cultivations is the use of soil. Soil cultivation requires soil, while hydroponic cultivation is soilless.
- The yield obtained through hydroponic methods is typically higher than soil cultivation and easier to harvest.
- Hydroponics is suitable for large-scale commercial cultivations and for urban areas where ground cultivation is not feasible.
