Hydroponic growing is being deemed possibly the future of growing food. Already becoming more and more commonplace its option of a controlled growing environment and ability to grow anywhere, including areas where soil is not available or heavily contaminated, are just a few reasons why growers are making the change to hydroponic growing.
How It Works
A great solution for areas where the land is limited or is heavily contaminated, hydroponic growing provides a controlled environment that plants thrive in. Plant needs are maintained in a system that sinks roots in a tank full of oxygenated nutrient solution where they directly contact with vital minerals.
In this system hydroponics can grow your plants much closer, vastly saving on space equating to more yields in one area. Here hydroponic growers have complete control over the growing climate creating their ideal temperature, humidity, light intensification, and air composition. Additionally, hydroponics save on water as it is recirculated. Plants take up necessary water, while run-off is captured and returned directly to the system for reuse in a sustainable water cycle. In doing this, plants use only 10% of the amount of water field-grown plants use.
Hydroponics and Organic Growing
Despite the benefits of hydroponics there is an ongoing debate about their use in organic production. In 2017, the National Organic Standards Board, approved organic certification for some hydroponic and aquaponic crops. Opposed to this, some traditional organic believe that organic farming depends primarily on chemical free soils. The opposition also makes a point that for many hydroponic systems, problems arise in that many organic nutrients are not soluble and clog systems with residual sediment.
However, as many conventional farmers express interest in incorporating organic techniques into their operations but don’t due to a lack of funding and potential income loss while transitioning soil to organic certification, it is abundantly clear that a faster system is necessary. As consumer demand for organic products continue to grow, we need to rethink the barriers to enter organic production. A system that combines speed, quantity, and consistency of hydroponic production with the quality of organic production is the ultimate answer many growers are looking for. Products like SaferGro’s Aqua Power and the Biomin line of organic nutrition allow plants to take up water and nutrients at optimal rates but are specially designed to prevent building up or clogged lines. This allows them to answer growers needs for speed and greater profit while fulfilling consumer desire for organic products.
With options to grow both organic and conventional plants, hydroponic systems offer ways to significantly increase growth and yields in shortened amounts of growth time. With Safergro hydroponic products you can grow food year-round regardless of the season.
