A modern process of gardening plants without the need of using soil, Hydroponic Gardening is gaining huge popularity in the last few years. There are different systems of the hydroponic garden that you can use to install in your own garden. Hydroponic gardening has many benefits. In health, environmental and economic, the advantages of transforming your garden from one rooted from soil to a hydroponic garden are undeniable. If we are going to compare hydroponic gardening to the traditional soil method of growing garden plants, the list of benefits is endless.
If you’ve ever wondered which seeds could be a good fit for this kind of garden method, you can view this list provided by Weekend Gardener.
UNDERSTANDING HYDROPONIC
Growing and Hydroponics?
When people talk about growing plants such as vegetables or flowers, the first thing in their minds is the traditional way of growing plants. In this method, soil plays a major role as the medium for the growth of the plants. The soil is where the plants’ roots are tethered to keep from falling. The soil is also where the plants get the nutrients they need in order for them to live and grow.
Hydroponic was invented as an alternative to a soil-based planting method. The concept of hydroponic gardening is in the way you feed your plants with nutrients. Whereas in soil-based planting, the plants absorbed the nutrients found in soil. So you fertilize the soil. This is not the case with hydroponic gardening where using water as the medium, you directly feed your plants with the necessary nutrients to live well and healthily. Hydroponic growing is a closed system of taking care of your plants. Ideally, the plants are grown indoors. This system allows the gardener to maintain a constant environment for the plants where water, temperature, and light are carefully managed and monitored.
Important benefits of hydroponic growing
If you have a garden or a farm, you do not really have to convert your entire property into hydroponic gardening. First of all, you cannot plant a tree with a hydroponic system. However, you will seriously benefit from installing a hydroponic system. Here are three important benefits for you.
#1 BENEFIT: HYDROPONIC GARDEN REDUCE YOUR UTILITY BILLS – Only 10% of the water used in the soil-based method of gardening is by a Hydroponic System.
Hydroponic uses water as a medium for growing plants instead of soil. Some people make the mistake to think that because of this, the hydroponic system is incredibly wasteful of water. But, on the contrary, water consumption is cut down exponentially with this system. You see, plants need to be constantly watered in order to grow. With a soil-based growing, the soil will easily dry out if the water is insufficient. Also, whenever water is applied to the soil, only a handful of the water is retained and the excess is expelled down. The water that is expelled is lost and will never be used for watering your crops again. As such, as the farmer, you continuously water your plants. The cycle begins and more water sinks to the bottom, expelled and lost forever.
With hydroponics, a central nutrient reservoir or water bank is set up. This water bank is the main source of your water and the nutrients. The water bank circulates the water into the pipes to directly hydrate and feed your plants with nutrients. The excess water that is not absorbed goes back to the central reservoir where they are pumped back again to once again circulate. No water is lost because the water perpetually circulates and is recycled by the hydroponic system. Just imagine how much you can save in your monthly bills with this system that never waste any water.
#2 BENEFIT: HYDROPONIC GARDEN REDUCE or even completely stop the need for the use of Pesticides and Herbicides – Farming conventionally necessitates farmers to use two kinds of sprays. As you know, these sprays are herbicides and pesticides. Herbicides are deadly chemicals that are being applied to kill off weeds and other unwanted plants. Pesticides are deadly chemicals applied to plants to control pest insects and other kinds of plant enemies like fungi and molds. Not only are spraying pesticides and herbicides damages the environment, they also ruin your budget. Not only are they harmful but also extremely expensive. Billions of dollars are being used up solely for pesticides and herbicides.
With hydroponics, you do not use soil as the medium of planting. The roots of your crops freely swim on flowing water. Just because of this setup, you cut away the likelihood of certain types of pests and weeds that grow from the soil. There is no weed growth because it takes time for plants to grow into a hydroponic growing medium. Hydroponic growth medium does not function exactly like soil. Secondly, as mentioned above, hydroponics is usually set up in a closed system. Usually, farmers use greenhouses. Greenhouses prevent the outside environment from affecting your plants. In doing so, greenhouses are able to resist insects that attack your crops from ever making contact with your garden.
#3 BENEFIT: HYDROPONIC GARDEN IS MORE PRODUCTIVE – Many people are not aware that hydroponic gardens actually produce higher yields as compared to gardens with similar size. Hydroponic gardens allow you to control the environment by which your plants grow in. Doing so, you effectively can shorten the growing cycle of your plants. As such, you can easily plant and harvest more frequently throughout the year as opposed to planting outdoors where you depend on the length of the day and temperature for the growing cycle of your crops. In some studies, it was found that crops grow two times faster in a hydroponic system than in a soil-based garden. As well, it is very important to remember that hydroponic gardening ensures that your plants are healthier and have better nutritional value. In one study, it was found that vegetables grown hydroponically have 50 percent more vitamins than those grown in soil-based methods.
