Soilless culture means to grow plants discontent to the land soil .
Soilless culture is done in two Methods
- Water culture (hydroponics)
- Substrate culture (grow in media)
To grow plants, we need to supply for the roots nutrient and water from the chemical point and place to grow root and be able to hold the plant as need this the physical point.
In the water grow method the plant is grow in flowing water in tube, pipe, or channels.
And inorganic chemicals are dissolved to the flowing water and by that give the plant the nutrient and water need,
In such system mostly lettuce and spices plant are grow and for research widely.
In this method no risk of any soil disease, high ability for grow control, ability to grow in region that soil quality not suitable for grow,
By water recycling, in this method fertilizer and irrigation cost are very efficient.
The deficiencies of this method the fact that it not cover the physicals requirements of the plants for space the root can be build and hold the plant no tolerance if there was electric problem or any mistake which create missing of nutrients or water flowing.
The popular method is more the Substrate based soilless culture .
Substrate culture can be in way to grow in
Pots ,trays , grow bags , Plastic channels (on floor or on shelfs ), on building’s roof.
Using this method are popular in few applications
Here some of them
- In seedling and cutting plants production (As loose substrate inside trays or Agripots)
- Growing plant in nurseries and at home (Like flower and ornamentals plants as loose substrate inside pots)
- For roof and Balcony gardening as substrate on concert roofs or pots.
- For vegetable crop growing farms .
It can be in greenhouses grow and open field as well. In this application, normally the growing media are packed in plastics bags. At bottom side draining holes and on top holes for planting. This type of bags commonly in the world named as Growbags.
By us we name it (yetiştirme ortamı)
same time some other system are in use in this part of growing like open top plastic box and channels or even in pots .
Why to produce in soilless culture:
1- first of all it allows to grow on region where the land soil is not suitable to plant growing.
2- to avoid plant diseases which coming from soil
3- high ability of growing control to plant
4- better crop quality and high yield per plant
