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Indoor gardening has been a favorite pastime of people for several years. People maintain gardens indoors for business or pleasure, in greenhouses and kitchens, for food and for therapy. And recently, hydroponic gardens has become a common alternative to the conventional indoor gardening.

The idea on hydroponic gardening - or the growing of plants without soil - isn't really a new one. History is rich with hydroponic gardening instances, with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as one of the best examples. But today, technological advances have made hydroponics more common and accessible. Governments have been sponsoring hydroponic growing while many hobbyists are keeping them right in the confines of their homes.

In hydroponics, plants are grown without soil. The term comes from two Greek words which, together, means "working water." In this alternative, soil is not used as the anchor for the roots, rather, it's substituted by other alternatives; the nutrients are supplied through a water solution. What's more, natural light, artificial lighting or a mixture of the two is used in hydroponic indoor gardening. There is more control to the growth and the yield of the plants since the nutrient solution and lighting are closely observed.

There is an endless list of advantages of hydroponics. By taking away soil in the equation, plants can be grown in almost any controlled environment - in the dead of winter, in seasons of extended twilight and in places where soil is infertile. Secondly, hydroponics reduces water usage by 70-90% since the water solution is used over and over again as it washes the roots. Of course, the grower is given more influence on the yield of the plant by manipulating the following: lighting and the nutrient solution. Hydroponics can also be in large part educational for young people and adults alike, as you are given a firsthand look at how plants respond to water, nutrients and light.

Starting your own hydroponic garden isn't as expensive or complicated as you might think. With the many ways on how to set up a hydroponic system, it is easy to find a relatively inexpensive and user-friendly option. There are also many products available to help simplify the process. Indeed, you can learn a whole new method of indoor gardening by familiarizing yourself with the fundamentals of hydroponics - one that's both fun and satisfying.