Re: Do plants grow better in soil or water?

Plants usually grow better in soil than plain tap water because soil has more 
mineral nutrients that plants require. If you add the proper mineral nutrients 
to water and aerate the water to provide adequate oxygen, then plants can grow 
just as well in water as in the best soil. This is termed solution culture or 
hydroponics. 

Some houseplants can survive for years without soil in unaerated tap water. 
They won't grow much because of the lack of mineral nutrients. 

References


Re: How can I build a hydroponics system for a science fair?


Re: can you tell me why potatos can grow in a glass of water, without soil?


Re: How to do a hydroponics project?


Growing Plants Without Soil