Can you grow plants in anything other than soil?

I know obviously hydroponics, but I don't want to buy a hydroponic kit with all the nutrients you have to be constantly adding to the water.



Will any plants just grow sitting in regular water? I know you can start trimmings in just a glass of water to get the roots going, but will anything keep growing like that.



Could you grow a plant in something completely random like shredded paper?

Can you grow plants in anything other than soil?
There are some soil-less growing mediums such as coconut fiber (coir) and vermiculite. Some plants will grow in plain water like: lucky bamboo (Dracaena species) Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum), Flamingo Flower (Anthurium) and Devil's Ivy (Pothos). If your are interested in growing edibles indoors without soil you might consider an Aerogarden. It is a hydroponic system, but all you do is add water, drop their nutient pellet in and drop in the seeds. There is no measuring, or work involved and the plants grow extremely fast. No green thumb required.
Reply:Yes! That's what hydroponics is all about. Plants are grown by bathing their roots in a nutrient solution; there is no soil required at all. There are lots of hydroponics stores online; it can be a very good way to grow things when you have limited space, or no land on which to grow. It also means no bugs, diseases, or other pests.
Reply:Yes...you can, many plants are now grown in sterile sponges and vermiculite. It's easy to take aged cow manure ( a handfull ) run some warm water over it to make a tea and use this to water...works just fine for the most part
Reply:You could sprout a seed but u couldn't grow a full plant
Reply:I have a bamboo plant growing in a clear flower vase, filled only w/different marble's to hold it upright and water! Every few day's I hold my hand over the top of the vase (so the marble's stay in) and pour all the water out and then under the water spicket for a bit to let fresh H2O run thru %26amp; fill again...rule of thumb; if the edge's of your leaf's are turning brown or yellow, you need fresh water. Once a month i soak over nite in mircle grow water...my sister grow's tomato's from seed in the foam egg crate thing's they put on your bed in the hospital!! No hydro involved!! EXPERIMENT!!! Seed's are cheap....Good Luck
Reply:lots of plants can grow in water as long as the water contains nutrients. there are also plants that live off of other plants and also 'air' plants. many plants can be merely clippings put in water and they will grow roots but while they can survive in water eventually may need nutrients added. there's a few bamboo or grass types that grow in water.
Reply:what does mother nature and god have them in?? enough said ,, hum!! why don't you try living off something else,, like sheet metal and battery acid? bet you don't grow an inch!!