Cultivating and harvesting plants strictly based on water and air, with a minimum of effort. If you are not familiar with these terms, you have surely heard of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, or the floating gardens of the Aztecs. Including Marco Polo when he went to China, he noticed floating plantations, which amazed him, because there was no such thing in Europe.
Hydroponics is a type of horticulture that involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, using water-based mineral nutrient solutions. Terrestrial or aquatic plants may grow with the roots exposed to the nutrient liquid, or the roots may be mechanically supported by an inert medium such as gravel or other substrates.
Compared to traditional cultivation, for 1 kg of tomatoes, 200 liters of water are used, and using the hydroponic method, 70 liters of water are used. From this, it follows that much less water is used using this method, with the end result being the same.
Hydroponics is very easy to practice at home, some experts even recommend it, due to the fact that we can follow the evolution of the plants, and the consumption of energy and water is minimal.
The market for hydroponic products (growing towers, boxes, storage spaces, and even seeds) is constantly growing, being estimated to reach a value of 17 billion dollars in 2025.
More food can be produced in less space, the time between sowing and harvesting is reduced, and no chemicals are needed to manage the plants, except for minerals in the water. Also, being grown indoors, the plants are not affected by climate change, rain, temperature or wind.
Vegetables and fruits that can be grown include: tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, watermelons, basil, cilantro and more. Additionally, hydroponic systems can be scaled to meet the needs of the individual or family. For a single family, less space is needed than traditional farming would require. Combinations can be made between crops and studied which grow best.
Hydroponic systems require technology such as water pumps and lighting, although the requirements are less in indoor systems. It is recommended that those planning to use hydroponics at home estimate the energy costs the system may incur. In this way, calculations can be made regarding the cost of operation from a financial point of view, but also from an environmental point of view. This is important because one of the major attractions of hydroponics is its very benefit to the environment. Therefore, systems should be planned to keep energy consumption to a minimum but yield to a maximum. Depending on how many plants are grown, energy requirements can also be high
The best option is to build a hydroponic system at home that is powered by a renewable energy source, which helps make this process more sustainable. It is recommended to start small to better understand how this method of growing plants works.