Hydroponics Vs. Traditional Farming
Plants that are grown using hydroponics represent a large number of the fruits, vegetables and fresh flowers people buy every day. Hydroponics means they are grown without soil, using a water and nutrient solution as well as grow lights. Its large share of the market is a clear indicator that hydroponics has established itself well in the modern world as an alternative to traditional farming or growing. When compared to one another, hydroponics and traditional farming have their own pros and cons. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Nutrients
-
Nutrient absorption is a major factor in growing plants of any kind. The roots of the plant must absorb what the plant needs to grow healthy and to a desirable size. When planted in soil, roots continually grow and develop so that they can seek out nutrients, water and air in the soil. This uses up a considerable amount of the plant's available energy beneath the surface. In hydroponics, the roots are continually in contact with the proper amounts of nutrients because they are planted in an inert sterile growing medium. The growing medium is supplied with water and nutrient mixtures specific to the needs of the specific plant being grown. These nutrients and water provide energy to the plant that can be used almost entirely to develop the upper parts of the plant, including flowers and fruit.
Yield
-
One of the major advantages of hydroponics over traditional farming is the ability to get a higher yield out of the plants. According to the c-Green Solutions website, hydroponics results in a yield that is twice to 10 times the size of the same plants when grown traditionally. This increased yield also takes a shorter amount of time and requires as little as half the amount of space of traditional farming.
-
Growth Quality
-
Farming in the traditional manner in soil requires some luck and guesswork. Getting the exact right proportions of fertilizer for a particular piece of land can be tricky, the weather can be unpredictable and other factors can lead to finger crossing and relying on luck when it comes to the quality of growth in your garden or field. On the other hand, hydroponics systems use a strictly regulated and tailored nutrient supply and are usually kept in a controlled environment. These factors and others lead to better quality growth, better appearance and, in the case of fruits and vegetables, better flavor.
Weeds, Pests and Disease
-
Weeds, plant diseases and soil-inhabiting pests are a constant concern to farmers and gardeners growing their plants in the dirt. Hydroponics eliminates the possibility of soil infested with pests, such as the destructive mole that burrows and destroys root systems or the leaf-chewing beetles or other insects that often inhabit the traditional garden. Weeds are often present in traditional gardens, requiring extra hours of maintenance to prevent them from overtaking the ground and stealing nutrients from the desired plants. Since hydroponics uses no soil, there is nowhere for weeds to sprout. Unfortunately, there can be quickly spreading plant diseases in hydroponics systems. Since many plants may be hooked into one nutrient supply system, one diseased plant introduced into the system can quickly spread its problem to all the others. Of course, the same can happen with traditional growing if the soil is infected.
Knowledge and Set Up
-
If you have a good spot of land and some seeds, you can probably get to work on your garden. Planting in soil is something that is a common task for many people, and it is easy to learn the basics: Bury the seeds, water and wait --- that is enough for some plants. With hydroponics, a system needs to be bought and put together and a procedure followed daily. For those not familiar with hydroponics, the process can seem unusual and difficult to grasp. Those interested in it can learn it relatively easily, but it is a different process than traditional growing. You need to know about the nutrient needs of your specific plants to be successful with a hydroponics system. While traditional farming tends to be more forgiving of those who don't know the specific needs of the plants, hydroponics requires knowledge of how the system works and what the plants need to be successful.
-
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot RF/Polka Dot/Getty Images
