Hydroponics Sustainability
Hydroponics derives its name from the Greek word HYDRO-PONOS meaning water/labor. Literally, hydroponics means "Water Work." The unique thing about hydroponics is that there is no soil in a hydroponic garden. No organic matter is present so nourishment (Nutrient) is not available to the plants in the same was as it is in a soil garden. Instead, nutrients are added to the water. So, as plants are watered, they are also fed. There are many ways to feed and water plants. The method chosen becomes a "Hydroponic System." Common systems are: Hand watered, recirculating system (With a submersible water pump), gravity fed from a nutrient tank into pots or trays, or a wick system.
What makes hydroponics a truly sustainable system, is the ease of use and the available deployment to third world countries. For instance, you could be the Mojave Desert and be able to create a fully functioning hydroponics system. A common question is, "What can be grown in hydroponics?" Surprisingly to some, almost anything that can be grown in soil can be grown in a hydroponic system. Flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, vines, and ornamental shrubs. There are many advantages to using a hydroponic system for growing plants. The most obvious of these advantages is that it is easier to control the plant growing environment. Some others are restricted supply of suitable water, lack of suitable soil, high labor cost of traditional cultivation, high cost of sterilizing soil, and there is a greater reliability and predictability of plant production. Depending on what is being grown, most of the time hydroponic plants require less attention than soil-grown crops. Because of this, it can relieve some people of the added responsibility that soil-grown plants require.
Sustainability in third world countries in this day and age is becoming something that is hard to come by, so we turn to things such as solar panels or in this cases hydroponics. In the developing country of Peru, soil erosion and soil salinity have long presented formidable constraints to improving the productivity of Peruvian agriculture. With only around three percent of the countries total land area in fertile soil condition, they must look to other sustainable alternatives for growing clean and safe agricultural produce. A recent experiment was conducted in 42 Peruvian school. The idea behind the establishment of hydroponic gardens in primary and secondary schools, was to include hydroponics in national educational curricular. This would enable the transfer of technology and enable these systems to contribute to the academic program on biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics and ecology. The produce from the gardens will also improve the nutrition of students, who could be encouraged to replicate the technology at home. The experiment deduced that forty-three precent of the students involved, created and sustainable hydroponics system in their own home.
When it comes to sustainability in the agricultural field, hydroponics has proven itself time and time again. From rural third world countries to bustling cities, hydroponics can be placed anywhere, which is much more then can be said about traditional farming practices.
What makes hydroponics a truly sustainable system, is the ease of use and the available deployment to third world countries. For instance, you could be the Mojave Desert and be able to create a fully functioning hydroponics system. A common question is, "What can be grown in hydroponics?" Surprisingly to some, almost anything that can be grown in soil can be grown in a hydroponic system. Flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, vines, and ornamental shrubs. There are many advantages to using a hydroponic system for growing plants. The most obvious of these advantages is that it is easier to control the plant growing environment. Some others are restricted supply of suitable water, lack of suitable soil, high labor cost of traditional cultivation, high cost of sterilizing soil, and there is a greater reliability and predictability of plant production. Depending on what is being grown, most of the time hydroponic plants require less attention than soil-grown crops. Because of this, it can relieve some people of the added responsibility that soil-grown plants require.
Sustainability in third world countries in this day and age is becoming something that is hard to come by, so we turn to things such as solar panels or in this cases hydroponics. In the developing country of Peru, soil erosion and soil salinity have long presented formidable constraints to improving the productivity of Peruvian agriculture. With only around three percent of the countries total land area in fertile soil condition, they must look to other sustainable alternatives for growing clean and safe agricultural produce. A recent experiment was conducted in 42 Peruvian school. The idea behind the establishment of hydroponic gardens in primary and secondary schools, was to include hydroponics in national educational curricular. This would enable the transfer of technology and enable these systems to contribute to the academic program on biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics and ecology. The produce from the gardens will also improve the nutrition of students, who could be encouraged to replicate the technology at home. The experiment deduced that forty-three precent of the students involved, created and sustainable hydroponics system in their own home.
When it comes to sustainability in the agricultural field, hydroponics has proven itself time and time again. From rural third world countries to bustling cities, hydroponics can be placed anywhere, which is much more then can be said about traditional farming practices.