Hydroponics allows you to have your own garden … Even if you don’t have the land to cultivate it! Here we tell you everything on the subject. Do you love the garden, but don’t have land in the house? Maybe this is the solution for you: hydroponics. It is basically about growing different crops without the need for land. Instead, a system is put together in which the roots of the plants receive the nutrients they need to grow through water, thus enabling them to grow strong and healthy like in a garden.
What is hydroponics and how does it work?
Hydroponics comes from the Greek, ὕδωρ [hýdōr] = ‘water’, and πόνος [ponos] = ‘work’, ‘work’. It is a way of growing that uses mineral solutions instead of soil to grow plants. Hydroponic cultivation, in addition to allowing a more efficient use of space, and giving the possibility to grow in areas with arid soils, is the best way to have total control over the healthy growth of plants.
Hydroponics has been used in particular for commercial use, in the cultivation of tomatoes, lettuce and a wide variety of vegetables . However, gradually its use in small orchards and private gardens begins to be in vogue. This type of cultivation is carried out in containers where nutrients such as rock wool, sand, coconut fiber, perlite, and other specific substances that are purchased in specialized stores are deposited, able to transport the food that each plant needs.
The main element in this cultivation system is water , so the most important thing is to ensure an adequate irrigation system. Hydroponic cultivation consists of a substrate (generally expanded clay, vermiculite or rock wool) which is supplied with water with the nutrients incorporated and which can be watered continuously as long as the liquid is drained and does not flood the substrate to make the most of the water . .
This type of cultivation is called hydroponics, but it could also be called “aeroponic cultivation”. What do we mean by this? Although plants with this system grow in water, the real goal of those who implemented hydroponic cultivation for the first time was to obtain the creation of a general, and above all light environment, whose purpose is to provide any type of plant an ideal soil to develop and thrive. The really essential thing about this technique, therefore, is to optimize the environment in which the plants will grow. It is necessary to avoid disturbance and multiply what the crop accepts well.
It may sound exaggerated, but it isn’t. When you manage to create the perfect environment for hydroponic growing, the results are spectacular. The results are even so incredible that they allow us to dream of a future where everyone can meet their vital needs at home, creating a much more sustainable planet. The advantages of hydroponics
One of the main advantages of this type of cultivation is the rapid growth and maturation of the plant. Well done, a hydroponics culture can shorten cycles by 60% compared to those of the same plant in its natural environment. For those who do it on a large scale, this crop also has a competitive advantage: uniformity, aroma and taste.
In addition, it also has advantages when planting, for example:
– Provides the roots with a constant level of humidity at all times, regardless of the weather or the growth phase of the crop.
– Reduces the risk of over-watering.
– Avoid the unnecessary waste of water and fertilizers.
– Ensures irrigation throughout the root area.
– Significantly reduces the problems of diseases caused by soil pathogens.
– Increase yields and improve production quality.
– Finally, hydroponics also has huge ecological benefits, which could really make a difference in the long-term use of resources:
Free the plants from weeds or pests.
It favors the rest of the earth. It is useful on worn or scarce soils.
It does not require large spaces, which is why it is particularly profitable from an economic point of view.
It does not depend on weather conditions, so it guarantees plant variety throughout the year.
Disadvantages of Hydroponics
The truth is, as you have seen, the benefits of hydroponics are many. But of course it also has some disadvantages that you need to know before you start setting up your own hydroponic garden at home.
The truth is that hydroponics must be way above it. In particular, you need to be extremely careful with watering. It makes sense, if you think it’s the only way plants get nutrients. Therefore, if you have little time to devote to the garden, it may not be the best option for you.
Energy consumption
In relation to the above, there are ways to automate the irrigation of hydroponics, which could solve the problem. However, energy-intensive automation is required to achieve this.
More susceptible plants
We have already said that hydroponics is about creating an Eden for plants. If you understand this, congratulations! will grow by leaps and bounds. But think for a moment … How would you react if you lived in Eden and suddenly something got ugly? Surely you would get angry and react badly. Wasn’t this heaven?
Hydroponic grown plants work in much the same way. They react well to treatment, but I am very susceptible to changes in the environment. Any environmental failure will affect them terribly. In addition, they are much more dependent and require more care. So once again … You have to dedicate time and love!
The model was perfected by Europeans and Israelis, some to defend against the misty cold and others to avoid the dryness of the desert. However, these efforts only materialized with the spread of new lamps and new root anchoring systems, thanks to which it is possible to grow a wide range of vegetables in two or three times shorter periods, obtaining specimens of extraordinary quality, and saving both water and nutrients in incredible proportions.
In Spain and after 12 long years of studies, practices and costly investments, the so-called NGS SYSTEM (New Growing System) begins to prevail. The most important realizations, in terms of installed surface, are in the municipality of PULPI, in Almeria, where there are about 90 hectares, mainly of lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries and some parsley, rosemary, watercress, etc. are also grown.
It is also currently betting more. The hydroponic cultivation of vegetables is part of a project designed to provide food to humans in extreme conditions. That is why, for example, it is currently being carried out in Antarctica, to provide food for researchers who spend long periods there. Hopefully one day hydroponics can also be used in space.
How to make hydroponics at home
If you want to grow indoors, first watch this super educational video, and then we’ll give you some practical advice:
– You need a container that provides the average size of the plant to grow, with a minimum depth of 30 centimeters. It is essential that the container does not let light through, i.e. transparent containers should be avoided.
– Secondly, hydroponic cultivation requires a system to vent the contents of the container. One option is to get an aerator pump for aquariums, to which you can connect a perforated plastic tube that is inserted into the container.
– Suitable nutrients for hydroponics are calcium, copper, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, nitrogen, iron, oxygen, etc. These nutrients are supplied through continuous irrigation, which occurs thanks to the fact that the roots are in contact with water.
The substrate, that is, the material that will replace the soil in the garden or hydroponic garden, ensures that the roots of the plants are attached to the container. This material also performs the function of protecting from light, retaining the nutrients provided by irrigation and providing sufficient oxygenation to plants. This substrate is inexpensive and consists of elements such as sand or pumice stone .
As for the plants to be grown with the hydroponic system , it is possible to buy them in specialized horticulture shops, but they can also be grown directly by home germination of the seeds.
