Hydroponic gardening cannot strictly be called container gardening. Today hydroponic gardening is more often a commercial venture, but it can be done at home too on a smaller scale..

What is hydroponic gardening? It is essentially growing plants without soil. It is not a new concept. The hanging gardens of Babylon are considered hydroponic growing, although there is some disagreement about  whether they were really hydroponic. The Aztecs , a nomadic tribe, of Mexico practiced hydroponic gardening out of necessity. They built rafts of reeds and stalks lashed together. Soil from the bottom of the marshy land was placed on the rafts. The roots of the plants reached into the water for moisture and nutrients. Hydroponic gardening was used during the Second World War to supply troops with fresh vegetables. Hydroponic gardening has expanded greatly all over Europe and the USSR. Areas that have poor soil or very little rainfall are ideal for hydroponic gardening. Most of the large hydroponic gardening efforts throughout Europe and America are commercial ventures.

This site is primarily about backyard and container gardening and hydroponics can be adapted for home use on a smaller scale.  If interested in trying a hydroponic garden it is essential that one knows about the work and costs involved. It is not as easy as backyard or other container gardening. Usually the yield exceeds that of regular gardens and plants mature a good deal faster so that a smaller space can yield a great amount of produce.. If the operation is completely automated it can be a time-saver also.

While it is possible to build your own hydroponic gardening  system it can be a huge project  if you are thinking of a fairly large garden. It is possible to buy small complete systems which make it much easier to start your  hydroponic gardening adventure. Systems range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Hydroponic gardening kits or systems can be purchased from Amazon.com as well as other online sources. One of the better sources of hydroponic units and accessories is Stealthhydroponics.com. They have many sizes and options to choose from.  You can start with a small unit and enlarge as you become proficient or if you find it worthwhile.

If you want to try hydroponic gardening on a small scale It can be done with a very small investment. You will need a couple buckets, nutrients and an aquarium water pump. Plans for these simple units are available online.

The yield from hydroponic gardening is much greater and faster than that of traditional gardening which may offset the original cost. Also it is a good idea to start with items that you use often but which are expensive to buy fresh at the grocery store. Herbs are an excellent example. Most herbs are relatively expensive to buy fresh in a grocery store. If you try hydroponic gardening outside, the season is much shorter northern climates. If you use many herbs you might want to try hydroponic gardening with herbs inside too. Inside herb gardening or inside hydroponic gardening in general require the use of artificial lighting which increases cost and space requirements, but if space is available it is a good option..

Hydroponic gardening is great way to increase yields of tomatoes too. In outdoor hydroponic gardening it is easy to get two or more harvests of tomatoes even in northern climates. In indoor hydroponic gardening one tomato plant can produce fresh tomatoes year around.. Once the system is set up your garden needs only a watchful eye and a bit of effort.