AeroGarden Strawberries

Aeroponics

Aeroponics
Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate media.  Aeroponic growth refers to growth achieved in an air culture (’aero’ + ‘ponic’). The methods and apparatus used to cultivate, grow and sustain plant growth in an air culture fall into the realm of aeoponics.  To grow aeroponically refers to the processes necessary needed to achieve a sustainable aeroponic growth.  The basic principle of aeroponic growing is to allow plants to grow under pesticide and disease-free conditions, growing in a naturally healthy manner.  An aeroponic environment mimics nature’s environmental conditions, which advances plant development, health, growth, flowering and fruiting for any given plant species.  While you may think aeroponics is a relatively new way of growing plants, it has actually been around since the 1940s.  Aeroponics can be used to grow almost any plant to maturity in air.

Aeroponics vs. Hydroponics
Aeroponics is a little bit different than Hydroponics.  Aeroponic growing offers something to plants that hydroponics, to a degree, can’t get enough of: air. Hydroponic growing methods require the roots to be submerged in water or water soaked aggregate, with air inserted into the mix.  While both methods rely on nutrient-enriched solutions to deliver essential minerals, the Hyroponic solution tends to use a larger amount of water during the growing process.

It’s all about Air
No doubt about it, plants need air.  Roots like air.  Plants must have it and have lots of it. If they do not receive enough, they die. Example: a waterlogged plant dies because it suffocates due to lack of air. Even though it’s leaves maybe blowing in a gentle breeze - it’s roots starve for oxygen. 

Aeroponic Setups
In an aeroponic system, the plant is suspended into an enclosed air environment where the lower portion of the stem and roots protrude into a nutrient solution. The leaves and crown of the plant extended above into air. The root and crown of the plant are separated by the plant support structure. The lowest stem portion and root system are sprayed/misted for varying durations with a hydro-atomized water/nutrient solution.

Aeroponic Ecological Advantages
Aeroponic growing is considered to be safe and ecologically friendly for producing natural healthy plants and crops. The main ecology advantages of aeroponics are water and energy conservation.
Other great sources of information on Aeroponics:
Aeroponics on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroponics