The Container
Place lava rock in the bottom half of the hydroponic grow container, place a ½ inch medium divider of some hydroponic material, such as coir fiber, to prevent the soil from falling into the rockwool. Then place the medium of choice in the upper portion of the plant container. Place the container in the grow bed, so that only the lava rock will be watered. Using the Ebb and Flow method, when watering make sure the bottom of the upper medium will not be touched by the circulating water. If the circulating water touches the bottom of the upper medium, it may leach nutrients into the water in the reservoir. As the water circulates around the lower half of lava rock, a portion of water will capillary up through the medium divider and into the upper medium. (See Diagram 3. for a cut away drawing of organic water system.)
As the plants grow in the containers, they will develop two separate root systems. The upper root system will not use a hydroponic medium as the lower section does. I recommend that you use my standard suggested "soil" formula, or any organic soil, for the upper medium layer. You may use any organic nutrients, delivered either as a tea, spread on top, or mixed into the strata of the medium, with any of these hydroponic mediums.
The upper primary root system will develop a thick web-like matrix and structure of fine roots, similar to roots in standard soil. The upper medium will not be submerged in the water as the roots in the lower half of the container. The upper root web will allow for an enormous uptake of nutrients and create faster and more abundant growth. Plus the similar hydroponic nature of the upper medium "soil" mixture will allow additional oxygen to be exchanged within the medium.
In the lower half of the container filled with the lava rock, pumice, gravel, or sand, perlite, the secondary system of roots will develop. They will appear as the standard stringy, rope like structures common to hydroponic growing. There will be some fine hair-like roots, but not as abundant as those roots growing in the upper soil medium. These secondary roots, as with any hydroponic system, will take up water and, between watering cycles, be constantly exposed to more oxygen, which promotes faster metabolism and plant growth.
The water cycle may need a half hour, or less, to moisten the entire upper primary medium. If your upper medium takes longer to become completely moistened, then simply circulate the water at a slightly longer interval until the medium is properly moistened, or simply water the upper section separately, with a fine mist spray. The upper soil or medium only needs to be moist not soaked.
The development of a dual root structure will create a fast metabolizing growth system for your plants, that utilizes the essential processes and benefits of both soil and hydroponic gardening.
Diagram by SijayClosing
The organic nutrients placed in the upper soil portion of the container create roots that are allowed to develop in microbial activity, while the lower roots intake water as they are specially designed to do. This development of a dual root system creates a hydroponics process that is more similar to the growing processes in Nature than any other hydroponics process thus far.
The evolution to total organic hydroponics brings additional benefits to the entire world of hydroponics. This unique process eliminates the major problem of disposing of the chemically-laden water after the water is used in the standard hydroponics system. It eliminates the reliance on the hard-to-dispose of rockwool, or other nutrient filled waste material. And it permits the use of totally organic materials - from the mediums to the nutrients – throughout the seed to harvest stages.
Hydroponics gardening is rapidly growing in popularity, as well as changing in technique. Evolving from the Ebb and Flow method, the Nutrient Film/Flow Technique and Aeroponics. It was not too long ago that Semi-Organic Hydroponics arrived on the scene. And now, with
Totally Organic Hydroponics, you can grow 100% hydroponics organically!
I hope you will enjoy this wonderful new way of gardening. While growing your plants to a certain stage of maturity for personal use, follow the simple instructions in
Totally Organic Hydroponics, and you will be well on your way to becoming an expert organic hydroponic gardener.
Happy Gardening,
Paul
- This process is detailed in Paul Wright's new book,
Totally Organic Hydroponics.
www.organiponics.com