If you’re a passionate urban gardener looking to grow your own food on your balcony/ terrace but don’t have much time, hydroponic is the best method to choose.
Hydroponics means farming using water as a medium instead of soil to nourish the plant. It is a simple, easy-to-implement method that makes your gardening experience effortless. Want to know how? Here are the different ways in which you can start your hydroponics journey:
Deep Water Culture Kit:
This is the most simple and easy-to-use hydroponic kit. The kit comprises a bucket, air pump, air stone, and air pipe. The plants are grown in net pots which are fixed on the holes of the bucket lid. The roots of the plants are submerged in the water where they absorb the nutrients for plant growth. The water should be aerated to grow well and nutrients should be diluted in the water at different stages of plant growth. We can also connect a series of buckets to grow more plants.
Nutrient Film Technique:
In this technique, the plants are mounted on a food-grade pipe through which the water is circulated. A thin film of nutrient-rich water flows down the sloped pipe watering the roots of the plants and returning back into the tank. Since the pipe sizes are small this system is best suited for only leafy greens and herbs which have a small root system.
Drip Hydroponic Kits:
In the drip hydroponic kit, the plants are grown in grow bags/troughs and nutrient water is pumped to the plants directly through drip emitters at the base of the plant. This helps in having control of the water flow and saturates the growing medium. It is the most simple and easy-to-maintain kit.
Growing crops in small spaces is gaining popularity among many apartment dwellers in Chennai and hydroponic farming stands out tall as one of the most simple, easy-to-maintain DIY Kits with the desired outcome.
Does Hydroponic Farming require Soil?
Not at all! Hydroponic Farming does not require any soil and uses very less water compared to traditional farming methods. In hydroponic farming soilless mediums like Coco-peat, Vermiculite, Rockwool, Perlite, etc are used to grow plants.
Soilless farming is taking shape due to lots of environmental changes as it allows plants to grow in all environments and give the desired result. Hydroponic Farming is emerging in countries like India, Brazil, Thailand, South Africa, and more similar countries as the method is ergonomic, and water-conserving. Hydroponics farms are an emerging market, especially in the urban space of these countries.
Hydroponic Farming naturally promotes Healthy Plants by eliminating Soil-Borne diseases, as well as there is no need for pesticides in this farming method. But with less water, and no soil, how does your plant grow? Let us check that in the next topic.
Nutrients and Hydroponics Farming!
Macronutrients like Nitrogen, potassium, Sulphur, Phosphorus,Magnesium, and a few micronutrients like Zinc, Boron, iron, etc are essential for plant growth. These nutrients are to be mixed with water and fed to the plants regularly.
Hydroponic Urban farming is made possible with the help of the right nutrient mix and it is cost-effective, saves space, and can be grown in a minimum space of 20 sq ft.
Growing Fresh Food at Home
Yes, with hydroponics you can even grow plants on the 15th floor or the 1st floor of your apartment. Just a small space with adequate sunlight is enough to grow the necessary greens, and vegetables for your home.
Always start with small plants, and daily greens such as spinach, coriander leaves, lettuce, and more. Grow locally feasible greens in the initial phase, and expand to vegetable and flowering plants.
Commercial Hydroponics and Feasibility
Commercial Hydroponics is nothing but Hydroponic Farm done on a larger scale. The crops are grown on agricultural land, and they are sold commercially in the market. More variety of crops from Greens, Vegetables, and fruits can be grown in multiple settings.
Well maintained hydroponic farm has the potential to give good returns within a few months from the initial setup. Starting from 10,000 sqft, one can set up commercial hydroponic farms with proper guidance and expert support.
Hydroponic Farming is here to boom, and we are here to empower Urban Farming. Feel free to reach us for any sort of clarifications regarding Hydroponic Farms, Commercial Hydroponics, Home Grown Crops, and more.
Here a testimonial from one of our client where we did a Hydroponics Farm Setup. Want to know about Hydroponics farming? Contact us today
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