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Hydroponics

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Growing plants hydroponically allows for plants to be grown without any soil and the concept has been around throughout history. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Floating Gardens of Mexico City are ancient example of hydroponics, although it was just “rediscovered” in the 20th century and is widely practiced today throughout the world. 90% of all fresh cut flowers purchased in the US are grown hydroponically and it is estimated that almost half of the vegetables at supermarkets are grown without soil.

There are a number of advantages that soilless cultures have over traditional growing methods. There are no soil diseases or viruses that can damage or kill the plant, making hydroponically grown food very clean, healthy and sterile. There are no weeds to pull, plants are easy to transplant if necessary, and the quality of plants is higher. It may come as a surprise, but hydroponics actually uses less water than irrigation, about 90% less, so it is very effective in areas with little water. The main selling point for hydroponically grown plants is its incredibly high yield, at least twice as much as growing the same plant in soil, sometimes up to ten times the amount.

The reason hydroponically grown plants can grow so much larger and quicker is because they don’t have to focus their energy on root growth. In soil, a plant has to continually increase their root growth to find more nutrients in the soil, as well as air and water. In a hydroponic system, the roots are continuously exposed to plenty of air, water and nutrients so the plant can focus their energy on leaf, flower and fruit development. This also allows for plants to grow very uniformly, and in closer quarters maximizing the space used.

Because no soil is needed, hydroponic systems can be set up in some very unusual environments that are unable to support traditional farming. The first successful modern hydro-farm was created out of necessity on a small pacific island. Wake Island was a rest and refueling stop for Pan American Airlines on their transpacific flights but had no soil or fresh water. It was too expensive to air lift vegetables and food for the crew and passengers so a hydroponic farm was set up which was used until the outbreak of World War Two.

Other applications for hydro-farms are underground with the addition of growing lights, or even under the ocean for extended research missions. Growing plants in space is going to be very important if we ever decide to visit the further planets, or even colonize space. It could be necessary for the survival of the human race if we continue to wreak havoc on the environment.

Starting a hydroponics system can seem like a daunting task to many people, there is a lot of information that has to be absorbed and the initial cost can be high depending on the system, but once set up they can pay for themselves in only a few months, and the quality of produce is much better than soil grown produce. Fruits and vegetables begin losing nutrients as soon as they are picked or harvested. By the time they get to a supermarket they have less than half their nutritional value. With a personal hydroponic garden, produce can be consumed almost immediately giving you the most nutritional value possible, as well as tasting better at the same time.

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