Hydroponics literally means working water. This basically means that crops can be grown without the need for soil. Many people think of hydroponics as growing crops and vegetables with the roots of the crop suspended into the water with no base like soil. Such a method is called nutrient film technique and it is in fact a hydroponic gardening method. However, there exist many types of hydroponics gardening techniques apart from nutrient film technique.
How Does Hydroponics Work So Well
The main reason why hydroponics works so well is because with hydroponics, you can give the crop or plant the exact nutrients that it needs. With soil, that is a bit of a difficult task.
In hydroponics, the plant is grown on a growing medium. In a soluble form, the plants are delivered with a ph. balanced nutrient solution. This helps the plant to absorb the nutrients very easily as compared to when it is soil. The crops and plants have to search for the adequate nutrients which they require. That is not the case with hydroponics. The energy used by plants in trying to search for the adequate nutrients from the soil is then used to help with the growth of fruits, vegetables and plants in hydroponics. The result is that there is quicker growth of the plant and the plant or fruit will be of better quality than if it were grown on soil.
Benefits of Hydroponics
- No Soil Needed
Plants and fruits can be grown anywhere where there isn’t soil with the help of hydroponics. Hydroponics can be used by astronauts to grow food in the outer space where there is no soil as well.
- Uses Less Space
Unlike with soil where the roots of the plants grow in search for adequate nutrients, that is not the case with hydroponics. This is because the roots of the plants are sunk in a tank. The tank is full of nutrient rich solution in soluble form and all the vital minerals for the plants are available at all times. This means that you can grow your plants in a small space, even your room. They don’t require much space.
- Climate Control
With hydroponics, the plants do not depend on the changing seasons. Farmers utilising hydroponics can grow crops and plants with the help of hydroponics at any time.
- Hydroponics Saves Water
It has been researched upon that when plants and crops are grown on soil, at least 80% of water is used to nourish the plants and crops. That is not the case with hydroponics which require only 10% of water which is only wasted of there are leaks in the tank or the water gets evaporated. Otherwise the water in the tank is basically recycled. Run off water is returned to the tank from the plants and the plants only use a specific amount of water.
Hydroponics can be great for the environment if farmers become aware about this technique. To buy hydroponics equipment, check out Canadian wholesale hydroponics.