History of Hydroponics

Hydroponics history covers a period starting from 600 BC to this twenty first century. In different times during this period, a lot of development and change has occurred, which has given birth to the current way of hydroponics gardening. As we know it is an art of growing plants without soil. Therefore, it took a lot of research activities by different prominent people, who made very effective formulas to enhance the production through hydroponics.

• In fact, the first man-made hydroponics nutrient solution was made in 1699 by John Woodward. He first took the initiative to grow plants on water containing different types of soils. As it was very first time of this experiment he couldn’t manage to find out individual growing elements.
• The history begins actually in the age of Theophrastus. He started experiments on crop nutrition before 287 BC. However, the earliest scientific approach was formulated in the year 1600. Belgian Jan Van Helmont illustrated that plants can get substances and nutrients from water. He proved his theory through classical experiments.
• “Plants get the essential mineral and chemical elements from air, soil, and water”-was published by Nicolas De Saussure in 1804. Within 1842, a nine-element list was also published which was essential for growing plants. The first standard formula of nutrient solution which became effective later was made by Professor Julius Von Sachs in 1860. Through this formula the plants were eventually grew successfully by nutrient solution.
• Within the years of 1882 to 1946, different prominent persons developed and researched various basic formulas of plant nutrition and ways to develop hydroponics. For hydroponics gardening and laboratory research on plant nutrition, those formulas are still used. Some mention worthy names who have contributions are Shive, Hogland, Deutschmann, Trelease, Tobbins, etc.
• In United State, the hydroponics cultivation was started as an experiment in 1950. The experiment was started on 3.7 acres of land. In 1975, hydroponic greenhouse were in effect in United State.

By 1999, not only the hydroponic gardening became fully successful, but also the hydroponic products were available in the market to get better results from hydroponic cultivation. Even in the next NASA mission too, Hydroponics will play a revolutionary part.