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beginner's corner
HYDROPONICS
SOIL TECHNIQUES
As more of our food and herbs are grown
through various hydroponic techniques,
the question of which method—soil or
hydroponic—most efficiently produces
the healthiest plants that feature the
best flavor and nutrients. Frank Rauscher
is here to break it down.
What is a soil grow?
Technically, soil is comprised of sand, silt, clay,
and a sufficient amount of organic matter. Potting
soil—which contains only a very minute amounts
of actual soil particles, if any at all—is instead
comprised of aged and green organic matter, with
varying amounts of perlite or vermiculite, and some
added plant nutrients. Many gardeners who grow
in pots or raised beds are doing so in a potting
soil grow media and would likely characterize it
as growing in soil, not hydroponically, but it could
technically be considered a “gray area” between
the two growing techniques.
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grow cycle