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Common Media Used in Hydroponics

Morgan Pinkerton, , Hannah Eason, and


Release Date: 11/2/2025

DOI: 10.32473/edis-ep623-2022

Agriculture

Abstract

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without using soil. In hydroponics, plants can be grown either directly in a nutrient solution (water-culture) or in an inert media (media-culture). In media-culture, the type of media is critical to the success of plant production. Designed for hydroponic beginners, this new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department will cover the basic properties of media and specifically discuss media commonly used in hydroponics. Written by Morgan Pinkerton, Brianna Whitman, Hannah Wooten, and Celina Gomez.

About this Publication

This document is ENH1359, one of a series of the Department of Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date August 2022. Revised October 2025. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

How to Cite

Pinkerton, M., Whitman, B., Wooten, H., & Gomez, C. (2022). Common Media Used in Hydroponics. EDIS, 2022(4). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-ep623-2022

Authors

Morgan Pinkerton
Morgan Pinkerton
County agent
University of Florida

Extension agent II, D.P.M., sustainable agriculture and food systems, UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County

Brianna Whitman
Brianna Whitman

former research assistant

Hannah Eason
Hannah Eason
Specialized Agent
University of Florida

regional specialized agent and Extension agent III, M.S., commercial horticulture, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka, FL

Celina Gómez
Celina Gómez

associate professor, controlled environment agriculture, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, former assistant professor, controlled environment horticulture, Department of Environmental Horticulture

Publication #ENH1359

Peer Reviewed