Which way of growing is right for you?
Soil, coco, or hydroponics
Every indoor gardener has their favourite, and each method comes with its own pros, challenges, and learning curve. Some people prefer the simplicity and forgiveness of soil, while others chase the faster growth and tighter control that come with coco or hydroponics. The way you choose to grow affects everything from feeding and watering to how hands-on you’ll need to be from start to finish.
The reality is, the highest-performing systems usually take the most effort to manage. Starting with active hydroponics as a beginner can quickly become overwhelming, while experienced soil growers often move to coco when they want faster growth and bigger yields. There’s no single “best” method — the right choice comes down to your space, your schedule, and how involved you want to be day to day.
Hand Watering in Soil
Difficulty: Beginner | Risk: Low
Soil is the most forgiving place to start. It has a natural ecosystem of microbes that buffers mistakes, and hand watering keeps you closely in tune with your plants. Problems develop slowly, which means you usually have time to spot and fix them.
The trade-off is yield - soil grows are typically lower yielding than coco or hydro, and watering by hand becomes hard work if you have a lot of plants.
Good for: First-time growers, organic growers, anyone who wants a low-stress setup.
Shogun product to use: Samurai Terra Grow & Bloom is formulated specifically for soil, with Shogun's SmartZen® technology built in to improve nutrient uptake and help plants handle temperature stress. Pair it with Katana Roots early on to get your root zone established fast.
Hand Watering in Coco Coir
Difficulty: Beginner | Risk: Low
Coco coir is coconut fibre and doesn’t hold any nutrients of its own. That means you're in full control of what your plants get, and growth rates are noticeably faster than soil. It's a great middle ground: more performance than soil thanks to its aeration and structure, more forgiving than full hydroponics. There are also coco mixes that include perlite or clay pebbles which alter the drainage and water holding capacity of coco.
Because coco doesn’t contain any nutrients, you must use coco-specific nutrients from day one. Coco Fibre also dries out faster than soil, so you'll be watering more often - usually daily.
Good for: Growers ready to step up from soil and take more control.
Shogun product to use: Samurai Coco A&B is built for coco and includes AquaZen® — a unique formulation that improves water distribution through the fibres, so your roots get even access to nutrients.
Drip Irrigation (Soil or Coco)
Difficulty: Intermediate | Risk: Medium
Drip irrigation automates your watering using a pump, timer, and network of pipes and drippers. It takes the daily labour out of feeding, keeps delivery consistent, and works well in both soil and coco.
In coco especially, running multiple short feeds per day through a drip system keeps the root zone in an ideal state — moist but never waterlogged, and constantly supplied with fresh nutrients. It’s important to allow for dry back periods - you don’t want the growing media constantly wet - allowing the media to dry back draws air into the rootzone and results in healthier plants.
The main thing to watch: drippers can block, especially with hard water or organic feeds. Check them regularly.
Good for: Larger grows, growers with busy schedules, and anyone looking to automate.
Shogun product tip: If you're running drip irrigation in coco, Samurai Coco A&B with AquaZen® is particularly effective — it's specifically designed to improve how water moves through coco fibres, which makes automated watering more even and consistent. Add Zenzym periodically to break down any dead root matter and keep your system clean.
Flood and Drain (Ebb and Flow)
Difficulty: Advanced | Risk: High
Flood and drain systems periodically flood a tray or growing container with nutrient solution and then drain it back into a reservoir. Roots sit in clay pebbles or another inert media and get dosed with nutrients several times a day.
Growth rates are excellent, but this is where the risk level jumps significantly. A pump failure, a blocked drain, or a root disease can damage an entire crop — fast. This system rewards growers who check in regularly and understand their setup inside out.
Good for: Experienced growers with stable environments and time to monitor closely.
Shogun product to use: Samurai Hydro Grow & Bloom is Shogun's two-part base nutrient for hydroponic systems, with separate grow and bloom formulations and SmartZen® for enhanced performance. Use Shogun Silicon throughout to strengthen cell walls and help plants resist the stress that comes with high-performance systems.
Active Hydroponics: NFT and DWC (Bubbler)
NFT
|
DWC
|
Difficulty: Advanced | Risk: High
NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) and DWC (Deep Water Culture) are the highest-performance systems available. Roots grow directly in or above a flowing or aerated nutrient solution — no solid media at all. Oxygen and nutrient availability are maximal, and growth rates reflect that.
The catch is that there's almost no buffer when things go wrong. A pump failure or temperature spike can cause serious damage within hours. These systems require daily attention, backup equipment, and a solid understanding of pH and EC management.
Good for: Experienced growers who want to push yields to their ceiling and have the knowledge and equipment to support it.
Shogun product to use: Samurai Hydro is the go-to base nutrient here. During flowering, add Sumo Active Boost — a triacontanol-based bio-stimulant that drives yield, essential oil production, and overall plant efficiency at the stage where it matters most. Sumo Active Boost is designed for exactly this kind of high aeration system.
Aeroponics
Difficulty: Expert | Risk: Extreme
In aeroponic systems, roots are suspended in air and fed via a fine mist from high-pressure nozzles. It's the most technically advanced method available, with the fastest potential growth rates — but also the least margin for error. Nozzle blockages or pump failures can damage roots in minutes.
Aeroponics is used in commercial and research settings, but for most hobby growers the cost and complexity outweigh the benefits.
Good for: Expert growers and commercial operations with full environmental control and technical support.
Vertical NFT / Aeroponics Systems
Difficulty: Expert | Risk: Extreme
Vertical NFT/Aeroponics systems take traditional hydroponics and stack it vertically to maximise plant sites while using minimal floor space. A thin stream of nutrient solution constantly flows through channels or towers, giving roots continuous access to water, nutrients, and oxygen.
Growth rates can be extremely fast, and the space efficiency makes these systems popular in commercial and high-density indoor grows. But like all high-performance hydro systems, there’s very little room for error. Pump failures, uneven flow, or root issues can affect multiple plants quickly, so these setups need careful monitoring and strong environmental control.
Good for: Expert growers, commercial setups, and anyone looking to maximise yields in limited space.
Shogun product to use: Samurai Hydro Grow & Bloom is designed for recirculating vertical hydroponic systems, delivering stable nutrition with excellent nutrient uptake. Add Zenzym regularly to help keep root zones clean and your system running efficiently.
Which System Should You Choose?
|
Method |
Media |
Difficulty |
Best For |
|
Hand Watering |
Soil |
Beginner |
First grows, organic growers |
|
Hand Watering |
Coco |
Intermediate |
Stepping up from soil |
|
Drip Irrigation |
Soil or Coco |
Intermediate |
Larger grows, automation |
|
Flood and Drain |
Clay pebbles or Coco |
Advanced |
Experienced growers |
|
NFT / DWC |
None (water) |
Expert |
Commercial / research |
|
Aeroponics |
None (water) |
Expert |
Commercial / researc |
|
Vertical NFT/Aeroponics |
None (water) |
Expert |
Commercial |
If you're just starting out, begin with soil or coco and hand watering. Get comfortable with pH, EC, and reading your plants before you add the complexity of automation or full hydroponics. You'll get better results — and have fewer stressful surprises.
When you're ready to dial in your nutrition whatever your chosen system, use Shogun's Feed Chart Calculator to build a feeding schedule based on your water type and media — it takes the guesswork out of the numbers.
