Hydroculture: the best way to look after plants in office environments

Many of us have heard the term ‘hydroculture’ or ‘hydroponics’ used in the context of agriculture, because many crops, such as tomatoes, peppers and salad leaves, are increasingly grown using this method rather than traditional crop cultivation using soil. Less people are aware that hydroculture is also commonly used in the office environment, but there are a number of reasons why it is increasingly being favoured as the best growing medium for indoor plants. In this article, we look at why hydroculture is gradually replacing soil-based indoor cultivation within offices and public buildings.

"Our EnviroLeaf system is a really clever way of allowing plants to be grown without the need for soil, peat or bark. It means less mess in the office, no annoying fruit flies, and makes watering super simple."

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Hollie Kneeshaw, Interior Planting Designer

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What is hydroculture?

Hydroculture is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional soil-based planting methods. Essentially, plants grown in this way extract their nutrients from water rather than soil. Although the terms ‘hydroponic’ and ‘hydroculture’ are often used interchangeably, they are slightly different.

Hydroculture is similar to hydroponics, but instead of just using a nutrient solution containing water, it also uses an inorganic solid growing medium, generally clay-type pellets, which helps to stabilise the roots and plant. This method delivers ample water, nutrients and oxygen to the roots of plants.

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How can a plant grow without soil?

Hydroculture plants have root systems that are specially adapted for optimum extraction of oxygen and nutrients from water rather than soil. The roots are less branched and have long, fine root hair. This means that nutrients can be administered and absorbed relatively easily and with little waste.

The plant is surrounded by hydroculture granules, which keep the plant and its roots stable and, more vitally, transport water and nutrients to the roots of the plant.

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Just the right amount of water

A water meter in the growing hydroculture container indicates when and how much water the plant needs. The hydroculture pellets allow the roots access to water and nutrients without letting them sit in water at the bottom of the pot (fatal for plants).

Whilst under-watering is often cited as the number one cause of death in indoor plants, over-watering can be surprisingly damaging too, so it’s important to get this right. It’s not easy to figure out if the roots at the bottom of a soil-grown plant need water or not, but hydroculture removes the guesswork, providing exactly the right amount of water for that plant. You could say it’s a more scientific way of looking after plants!

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What are the advantages of hydroculture over traditional soil-based planting?

Easy maintenance
Plants grown using hydroculture only need to be watered approximately once every four weeks, making them much easier to look after than soil-based plants. Soil loses nutrients over time and becomes compacted, which deprives the plants of oxygen. Therefore, traditional planters have to be refilled periodically, which is time-consuming and can be messy. Hydroplants are much easier to feed and keep healthy – feed is simply applied every time the plant is watered, and the granules rarely need to be replenished.


Stronger, longer-living plants
Soil-based plants have to break down nutrients in the soil before they can be absorbed and are therefore slower to grow, whereas hydroculture plants absorb nutrients directly from the water which results in healthier, stronger plants that tend to live for longer.


Greater choice and better displays
The cultivation area for hydroculture plants is smaller than for soil-based plants – there is ample water, nutrients and oxygen to go around and they do not have to compete with other plants. This opens up more possibilities in terms of range of plants to choose from and allows for a more densely planted display for a concentrated burst of lush greenery.


Less expensive
Initially, hydroculture plants are more expensive to buy than plants grown in soil, but because the plants are generally stronger, they are less susceptible to disease and there is less room for error when watering. We think they're a very sound investment, and prove to be more economical in the long-term, because the plants live for longer. They also require less water and nutrient resource, and less ongoing maintenance.

Better for the environment
A large proportion of traditional compost still incorporates some peat, which is harvested from peatlands. Peatlands store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests, making them ideal for helping to tackle climate change. However, if peatlands are disturbed, they have the potential to emit the carbon that they have absorbed over the last 12,000 years. Although the campaign to use peat-free products has been long-running, they are still widely available (although the Government has recently announced a ban on the sale of peat and peat-containing products in the retail horticultural sector by 2024).
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At Vantage, we're very mindful of the need to look after the wider natural environment, and all our planting is entirely peat-free. We recommend our EnviroLeaf hydroculture system for many planting systems, because it allows for better control of watering and nutrition, making it an efficient and sustainable way to care for plants.

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The benefits of
hydroculture are clear

For any business owner thinking of improving their office with biophilic design, ongoing care and maintenance is obviously a factor that has to be taken into consideration – plants are living things and have ongoing needs.

At Vantage, our recommendation would always be to consider hydroculture plants where possible, because there are clear advantages in terms of how your plants perform over the long-term, and ongoing care and maintenance. For businesses thinking about how they impact the environment and how to reduce their carbon footprint, hydroculture is a clear winner. To every business owner, we say ‘save time and money, and protect our planet's natural resources with EnviroLeaf!’

If you’d like to talk to one of our experts about the benefits of our EnviroLeaf hydroculture system, please get in touch.