Hydroponic is a method to grow a plant without soil that was recently used by people. This method is popular to use because it can be done anywhere without the need for a field to grow the plant. Because it doesn’t need soil, Hydroponic Garden can be created both outdoors and indoors.
What Is Hydroponic Garden
A hydroponic garden is a garden that uses a hydroponic planting system. The idea of the hydroponic garden is to cultivate plants in nutrient-rich water so the root will directly be exposed to the water and receive the nutrients from it.
The term “hydroponic” itself originated from the Greek word “hydro” that is refereeing to water and “phonos” which means labor. By that, the hydroponic garden can be said that hydroponic is an attempt to grow plants in water.
Advantage And Disadvantage Of Hydroponic Garden
There are some advantages and disadvantages to growing plants in a hydroponic garden. There are some advantages and disadvantages of using hydroponic gardens.
Advantages:
1. Faster Growth
Plants in hydroponic gardens are growing faster compared to the plants that grow in traditional soil-based methods. Plants have a faster growth rate in hydroponic gardens because the hydroponic garden prove plants with optimal nutrients and gives better growing conditions. Plants can directly absorb nutrients from the nutrient-reach water so it will help plants grow faster.
2. Water Efficiency
Hydronic garden uses lesser water than traditional soil-based garden because the water is recirculated which reduces water wastage. In the traditional soil-based garden, you need to water your plants by rain the plants and soil with water, but in the hydroponic garden, you don’t have to do that because you cultivate plants in water.
See also : Tips for Growing Low-Maintenance Garden
3. Optimal Nutrient Control
Another advantage of using a hydroponic garden is the nutrient for plants can be controlled. Unlike the traditional soil-based garden, in the hydroponic garden, you can manage how much nutrients that need to be given to plants. Nutrient control can reduce the risk of nutrient deficiency or nutrient excesses.
4. Year-round Cultivation
In the hydroponic garden, you can have year-round cultivation. The cultivation of plants in a traditional soil-base garden is limited to the climates and weather, but in a hydroponic garden especially the indoor hydroponic garden, you can control the condition of temperature and environment for the plant. By that, you can extend the cultivation time for the plant.
5. Higher Yields
The hydroponic garden also has the potential to produce more yield compared to the traditional soil-based garden. With proper management and control, plants in the hydroponic garden can produce better results per unit compared to the plants that grow in traditional soil-based gardens because the optimum nutrients and control make plants healthier.
6. Reduced Pest and Disease risk
The hydroponic garden also minimizes the disease from the soil-borne pest. The minimalize of disease caused by the pest can lead to healthier plants and reduce of pesticide usage resulting in healthier fruits and veggies to be consumed.
7. Space Efficiency
Unlike the traditional soil-based garden, the hydroponic garden can be designed vertically or in compact configurations. The flexibility of hydroponic garden configuration can help you to grow plants even in limited spaces such as in an urban environment.
8. Optimal Oxygen Supply
Plant roots in the hydroponic garden have better access to oxygen compared to planting on the soil. The access to oxygen in a hydroponic garden is not limited or covered by the soil. Better access to oxygen will help to keep the root healthy and enhance nutrient uptake.
9. Less Environment Impact
The last advantage of the hydroponic garden is its impact on the environment and impact on the environment. The traditional soil-based garden can reduce soil nutrients over time, it also depends on the condition of the environment to grow plants. The hydroponic garden has a lesser impact on the environment since the hydroponic garden is not attached to the environment around the garden.
Disadvantages:
1. Initial Setup Costs
The setting for the hydroponic garden might be more expensive compared to the traditional soil-based garden. To make a hydroponic garden you need to buy some specialized equipment and infrastructure.
2. Requires Technical Expertise
Unlike the traditional garden which only needs a farmer that knows the farm, a hydroponic garden needs someone with a certain level of knowledge and expertise to manage and control nutrient levels, pH, and water quality, and maintain the system.
3. Risk of System Failures
Because the hydroponic garden depends on the recirculated water, a malfunction in the system such as a power outage or malfunction on the water pump can put your plant at risk. The malfunctions that are not detected and addressed promptly can cause the rapid plat decline.
4. Dependency of Technology
Creating a hydroponic garden without technology is almost impossible due to the hydroponic garden need system and infrastructure to make water flow and recirculated water. Without technology, it is hard to make natural hydroponic water.
5. Monitoring and Maintenance
The hydroponic garden needs a person to monitor regularly to ensure that the pH, water level, and nutrient is in control and to maintain the condition of the equipment and garden condition. The lack of monitor and maintenance can lead to the problem in hydroponic gardens.
6. Nutrient Imbalances
The imbalance of nutrients can be caused by the incorrect ratio of the nutrients that given to the plants. The imbalance of nutrients can lead to poor plant growth or reduce crop quality.
7. Potential for Disease Spread
Plant disease from the soil-borne pest can be minimized by the hydroponic garden, but the disease that is spread by the water-borne pest can risk your plant if it is not managed properly. The disease from waterborne pests can harm your plant’s roots and kill the plant.
In summary, a hydroponic garden offers many benefits such as better growth rate, better water efficiency, space efficiency, and year-round cultivation, but it also needs lots attention to monitor and maintain the garden condition, required technical expertise, and some initial investment to build the system. To know more about the hydroponic garden, you can visit TopHydroponicGarden.com.