What is hydroponic?
Hydroponic is simply growing plant without soil. Plant produces food by photosynthesis which during the process, it needs only light, water and nutrients in form of ions. Soil is not necessary and it acts only as a media for the root to get air, water and nutrients. Due to this, we may omit soil for the planting and make hydroponic possible.
Why no soil?
All plants are soil-based naturally, then why we should need hydroponic? Hydroponic plant needs less space as nutrient-rich solution is provided to the plant, there is no need for it to develop a large root system for search of nutrients. Also, without soil, it is easier for plants to be stacked up which further saves spaces. Also, without soil, the growing is cleaner without bugs, no pesticide will then be needed. Hydroponics use 10% water compared to conventional farming, most agricultural water use is lost in soil and this will not be the case of hydroponics. And, providing most suitable nutrients and conditions to the plant, hydroponics makes faster and larger yield. Also, hydroponic makes indoor farming easy and possible so that planting can be unaffected by weather and any pollution.
So hydroponic is perfect?
Hydroponic sounds perfect, then why most of the chops we consume everyday are still from conventional farming? First, hydroponics is expensive and you will need great knowledge and expertise for commercial use. You will need to build a system for commercial hydroponic farming. Second, hydroponic is more scientific, you will need to closely monitor your system and control the light, water, temperature and nutrients providing to the plants.
After all, hydroponic has more benefits than drawbacks, but for commercial use, there is something still need to take care, this is the reason why hydroponics is getting more and more popular for home use – it gives you a green spaces in your limited home space yet do not cause great investment like commercial farming.
