Organic
Hydroponics
Taking Soil Out of the Mix
by Dr. Mike Nichols
Organic hydroponics can seem like an oxymoron
since many organic food producers insist that soil is
an essential component of the mix. However, as Dr.
Mike Nichols explains, that’s just not the case…
Soil provides a basic structure within which various
organisms and microorganisms, roots, water, air and a
wide range of organic and inorganic chemicals proliferate.
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Maximum Yield USA | September 2012
However, there is nothing magical about soil; in fact, it
isn’t always the best medium in which to grow highvalue horticultural crops because it can be either poorly
aerated due to ideal moisture conditions or too dry due
to optimum aeration. The emphasis on soil as the basis
of “organic greenhouse cropping” is false and there is
no reason why organic nutrients cannot be used in a
recirculating hydroponic system.