The science of growing plants in water or some substance other than soil is called hydroponics. In hydroponics, or soil culture, the stems and roots of the plant and supported, and the necessary nutrients for plan growth are provided in the solution surrounding the roots.
All plants need the oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon available from either air or water. They are also dependent on 13 essential elements, the nutrients that are normally acquired from the soil. Some elements, called macronutrient, are taken by plants in large amounts, while in other situations, only trace amounts of elements, or micronutrient, are necessary. The macronutrient