Can Plants Grow Without Soil? (2024)

Wonder of the Day #262

Previous wonder Next wonder

Listen Immersive Reader

Print 28 Comments

SCIENCE — Life Science

Have You Ever Wondered...

Can plants grow without soil?
What is hydroponics?
What are the benefits of hydroponics?

Tags:

See All Tags

mineral,
nutrient,
plant,
soil,
water,
Plants,
Science,
Garden,
Flower,
Vegetable,
Greenhouse,
Plastic,
Pipe,
Roots,
Growth,
Hydroponics,
Solution,
Greek,
Nitrogen,
Phosphorus,
Potassium,
Gravel,
Coconut,
Paper,
Yield,
Oxygen,
Food,
Astronaut,
Space,
Mineral,
Nutrient,
Plant,
Soil,
Water,
Plants,
Science,
Garden,
Flower,
Vegetable,
Greenhouse,
Plastic,
Pipe,
Roots,
Growth,
Hydroponics,
Solution,
Greek,
Nitrogen,
Phosphorus,
Potassium,
Gravel,
Coconut,
Paper,
Yield,
Oxygen,
Food,
Astronaut,
Space

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Casi from AL. Casi Wonders, “Why do plants need water?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Casi!

What do you think of when you hear the word “garden"? A small patch of tilled soil filled with beautiful flowers and vegetables? Rows of corn, lettuce, and tomatoes proudly sprouting out of the ground?

What about a huge greenhouse full of plastic pipes sprouting a wild variety of flowers and vegetables? No? Well…think again! As crazy as it seems, it's possible to grow plants above the ground without any soil at all.

Researchers discovered hundreds of years ago that soil simply holds mineral nutrients close to plant roots, but the soil itself isn't necessary for plant growth.

Using a growing method called "hydroponics," you can grow plants in a watery solution of mineral nutrients instead of soil. The word “hydroponic" comes from the Greek words hydro (“water") and ponos (“labor").

The keys to plant growth are a variety of mineral nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If you can add these necessary mineral nutrients into a plant's water supply, you no longer need soil for the plant to grow. Just about any plant can be grown with hydroponics.

Hydroponic containers can take many forms. Large hydroponic farms use vast networks of plastic pipes with holes for plants. The pipes supply mineral nutrients in a watery solution to the plants' root systems.

It's also possible to grow plants hydroponically by placing their roots in a mineral nutrient solution contained in a non-soil material, such as gravel, coconut husks, or shredded paper. These non-soil materials can provide greater support for the plants' root systems.

Hydroponic plants tend to grow well and produce high yields. Plant roots have a constant supply of oxygen.They also have access to as much or as little water as they need. Water in hydroponic systems is also reused constantly, thereby lowering water costs.

Hydroponics has many benefits in the modern world. In areas where good soil is scarce, hydroponics allows residents to grow fresh food. Since hydroponic farms can be set up indoors, fresh food can be grown all year long.

Hydroponics also may enable astronauts to spend longer periods of time in space, as future missions may require long travel times.

Wonder What's Next?

If you can turn the letters R-E-S-P-E-C-T into a song, then you are ready for tomorrow’s Wonder about the Queen of Soul.

Try It Out

Are you ready to learn more about hydroponics? Grab a friend or family member and explore the following activities:

Get outside to see how plants grow in the soil near where you live. If you already have a garden in your yard, that's great! You already have a place to explore. If not, don't worry! There are all sorts of plants growing around you, from grass and trees to flowers and vegetables. Find some plants and examine them closely. Dig up a small area of soil and look at it with a magnifying glass. What do you see?
Ready to explore gardening without soil on your own? With just a few simple items, you can try to Build a 2 Liter Bottle Garden at home! Just follow the directions and see what grows. Which plants would you want to grow at home?
Check out the Plants in Space activity to learn more about NASA's efforts to find ways to grow plants effectively in space. If you went to outer space, would you want to tend a garden? Why or why not? Do you think fresh produce would be a nice change of pace from prepackaged meals? If you could grow any plants in space, what would they be?

Wonder Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/green_world/farmingrev2.shtml
https://ag.purdue.edu/hla/fruitveg/Presentations/Langenhoven_Hydroponics_IVGS2016b.pdf (accessed 7 Mar., 2023)
http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm (accessed 7 Mar., 2023)