HYDROPONIC – WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT

Hydroponic growers have completely eliminated the need for soil and its micro-organisms. This has
resulted in better crop quality, higher growth rates and much healthier produce, all without soil erosion
or water supply contamination. The fertilizers used in hydroponics are much more pure than those
utilized in organic growing, and they also leave no residue in cultivated produce. The result is that more
people can be fed, less precious natural resources are used, and the produce is much healthier and
flavorful.

Hydroponic crops are generally grown in a far more sterile environment than organic crops. Precise
controls are utilized to ensure optimum growth, extended growing seasons, and maximum nutrition.
This sterile environment also dramatically reduces the need for pesticides. When a form of pest control
is needed, only natural, non-toxic materials are ever used.

Hydroponic growers use highly refined minerals in their nutrient solutions, simply because mined
minerals dissolve poorly and, as mentioned earlier, can be extremely toxic to humans and even harmful
to plant life. In fact, when hydroponic crops are analyzed for any trace of chemicals listed on the EPA’s
priority pollutant list, usually none are found.

The list of benefits of hydroponically-grown produce continues when we realize that it has enhanced
nutrition compared to organically-grown produce. Compared to their soil-bound counterparts, fruits,
vegetables and herbs grown hydroponically typically offer a significantly increased amount of the
vitamins and minerals that we all need to maintain good health. It has been said that hydroponic
produce also has superior flavor and appearance. Many people agree that produce grown
hydroponically stays fresh longer. This is important for consumers because it saves them money; they
can use the produce they have instead of tossing it because it spoiled too quickly. Finally, food grown
hydroponically tends to be less expensive in the grocery store than its organic counterpart. With its
environmental benefits, better nutrition and decreased cost to the consumer, it’s no wonder
hydroponically grown produce is gaining popularity.

Soilless Cultivation Practice

Hydroponic lettuce farming is a soilless cultivation practice that uses water and dissolved nutrient salts
to grow plants. Here at Umass Hydroponics romaine lettuce is grown on 4×8 foot tables, where it floats
on foam rafts. Lifting the lettuce rafts out of the water reveals a vast web of healthy white roots
essential for plant growth. The roots can become over a foot long. Something you would have noticed if
you lifted an individual lettuce out of the water a few months ago is something called pythium root rot.
Plant diseases are a reality of hydroponic farming, just like any other type of farming. But the kinds of
diseases that hydroponic crops get are different from those of more traditional farming practices. For
example, powdery mildew particularly effects hydroponic lettuce; this is because the dry foliage and
humid greenhouse conditions create the perfect setting for its proliferation. At the Umass Hydroponic
facility, we’ve been experimenting with a few organic disease control techniques which seem to be
working. The first is the inclusion of a compost tea in the hydroponic water system. This, which has an
abundance of microorganisms, acts to displace the microbe population which is causing the pythium
root rot, thereby restoring the health of the root microbiome kind of like a probiotic.

The second is the application of a special mix of water, potassium bicarbonate, neem oil, and soap in a
sprayer. When applied generously and thoroughly to the leaf surface of the lettuce, conditions which
are hostile to growth are created for the powdery mildew fungus. This is effective because it raises the
pH of the leaf surface, while also acting as a potassium supplement for the plant. Otherwise, conditions
within a hydroponic greenhouse are much easier to control than, for instance, crops grown in soil.

Easy Nutrient Application & Management

Another positive attribute of hydroponic farming is the ease with which nutrients can be applied and
managed. It was actually through hydroponic techniques in the 1860’s that Sachs and Knops showed
that simple organic salts were essential plant nutrients (Harris). When dissolved in water, these simple
nutrient salts separate into ions like K+ (potassium), P+ (phosphorus), and Ca+ (calcium), which can be
easily measured by a device that senses the electrical conductivity of the water flowing through the
hydroponic system. Because this is true, nutrient conditions can easily be adjusted to be optimal for
whatever crop you are growing. The pH can also be managed in a like fashion. Finally, the amount of
light can be easily managed, and to an extent, the humidity and temperature. This is why, it has been
suggested by hydroponic professionals, that a hydroponic system is ideal for experimenting with
ecological functions like testing relationships between different plants, environments, and microbes
because for the most part, variables of the system can be controlled scientifically; and it is, relative to
outdoor farming, a closed system.

Oxygen Helps Plant Thrive While Submerged

It may seem strange to some people how plant roots in hydroponic system are totally submerged in
water, when it is common knowledge that plants oversaturated with water will drown. In that case, the
plants die because of a lack of oxygen ; plant roots perform respiration through their roots, actually
obtaining oxygen from pore space in soil. But in hydroponic systems, there is enough oxygen in the
water to support the respiration of plant roots. In our system, the addition of oxygen is achieved by a
waterfall: water flows off the side of the table and splashes into a tub. The movement and crashing of
the water adds to it oxygen, which is then pumped back into the pool where the plant roots are
dangling. Hydroponic farming is a fascinating and potentially lucrative way to grow crops. It applies
scientific knowledge and technology to create a highly controlled environment optimal for growing. It
may seem hightech, but in reality, the process is relatively simple . While requiring some input cost for
materials and also space it is feasible for ordinary people to create their own system, learning from text
and internet sources.