Nina- you always come up with such interesting ideas!
The only real difference between hydroponic growing and bonsai growing is
the nutrient system. Now, for those of us who use pellets in combination
with liquid fertilizer, the principal difference is in the bonsai soil vs.
the hydroponic medium. Yes?
Marty


Hydroponics is just growing plants in a nonsoil circulating nutrient
system. The niftiest one I've seen is a hydroponic fogger where the roots
just sit bathed in fog. But the basic difference is that in soil the
nutrients are stored on clays (which are positively charged), whereas in
hydroponics, the nutrients aren't stored at all; they are constantly
added.

The trouble with any of these systems is that they have to be clean.
Oomycetes and algae *love* water, and once you get them in the nutrient
system you need to add fungicides and algicides, or the plants die or they
tubes get clogged.

Nina

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