Hydroponic greenhouses produce millions of plant seedlings each year, which are transplanted and grown at other locations where they are later planted into soil. There are many benefits to growing your own plants in a hydroponics system. Many growers use hydroponic techniques for food and ornamental plant production. Active systems use pumps and usually timers and other electronic gadgets to monitor the operation. Passive systems may also incorporate any number of gadgets. These systems try not to use pumps and may rely on the use of a wicking agent to draw nutrients to the roots. Media based systems use some form of growing medium. The medium culture has a solid growing medium for the roots such as gravel, sand or a perlite culture. Hydroponic plants are grown in a number of ways, each supplying nutrient solution to the plants one way or another. Hydroponics can be used to grow plants anywhere, even in your own backyard. Using hydroponics can grow anything from garden crops to flowers. Commercial growers are changing to hydroponics like never before as the ideals surrounding the growing techniques touch on subjects that interest most people, including world hunger and making the world cleaner. Everyday people have begun to purchase their own hydroponic systems to grow great tasting and fresh food for their family and friends. Important “Must-Haves” When Buying your Hydroponic Supplies Gardeners that are new to hydroponics often go overboard buying items that they may need in the future but will not need in the beginning stages of hydroponic gardening. To begin your hydroponic gardening project you will only need a few things to get you off to a great start. Plants grown in hydroponics are usually healthier than soil grown plant, because hydroponic plants are fed their exact nutritional requirements. The natural preventive measures against spider mites are used in most hydroponics systems. Many hydroponic gardeners use a method of natural prevention called “companion planting.