Should we grow our own vegetables and legumes without soil? In a small space like our balcony? Yes, thanks to this it is possible hydroponics, a technique that is not new, but has been revived in recent years due to its convenience and advantages compared to conventional planting.
hydroponic farming, it is not necessary to use land to grow crops. In reality, although it may seem incredible, it is not necessary to plant lettuce, cauliflower, spinach, onions, peppers or tomatoes and many other things in the ground.
Since plants do not need soil, their roots have to ‘work’ less to get the necessary nutrients and are also free of diseases, thus avoiding the use of pesticides. Therefore, it is a hundred percent natural food.
To create our hydroponic garden, there is only a little space where we will install the plants and the irrigation mechanism, for the essential is water containing the nutrients to provide these plants with everything they need.
how to
Basically, what we need are containers (pots or recycled containers) to place each plant in, dark in color to prevent light from falling on the roots; pipes or troughs for the distribution of water and a small motor to circulate it, similar to those found in aquariums.
The most common system uses PVC tubes through which a nutrient solution circulates, driven by a pump.. At the top of these tubes there are holes in which the plants are placed and allow the roots to come into contact with the nutrient solution.
Of course, there are also commercial companies that sell the necessary equipment to make everything more comfortable for us: Ikea, Nano Garden, Niwa Owe…
Some of these companies even have systems for placing culture in the kitchen so that it takes up about as much space as a refrigerator.
Now that the land is not used does not mean that the land does not exist. support, and it can be gravel, bark, foam and others, although the roots are hanging.
But also there are variants where only water is used with foods. In these cases, the roots are suspended in a liquid solution with everything necessary for the development of plants.
Those relying on a solid support can opt for many variants, including substrates of organic origin (wood fibre, rice hull, algae residues…) or inorganic (sand, foam, perlite, pumice stone…).
composition nutrient solution It needs nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sulfur in sufficient concentrations and other additional elements in smaller amounts. Many are derived from salts, but they can be supplemented or even substituted with organic fertilizers such as cattle manure or bird manure. Other possible food sources are fishmeal, wood or grain residues, or organic compounds such as seaweed.
A good lighting It is also necessary to ensure the proper growth of plants.
This advantages of hydroponic systemsHere are a few that you can find configuration suggestions on multiple web pages:
– The growing season lasts all year.
– More plants can be grown in a smaller space than usual because the roots don’t have to grow and spread out to search for nutrients, because they already effortlessly take what they need.
– The method is really simple, accessible to anyone without any experience.
– Up to 50% water savings are achieved compared to the traditional cultivation system, no waste because the water is reused.
– Since it does not use soil, it does not create dirt; It is a clean system.
– There is no risk of disease in the soil and therefore there is no need for chemical products.
– The result is always a 100% natural and reliable product.
The only disadvantage that hydroponic growing can offer compared to conventional cultivation is that it is not suitable for all plant species and requires constant control of irrigation of the nutrients the plant receives.
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