Hydroponics is simply growing plants with nutrients and water without the need for soil. The water and nutrients are delivered directly to the plants root system.
There are two types of hydroponic growing techniques:
Nutrient Film Technique
NFT is a system where a very shallow stream of water & nutrient mix is recirculated past the bare root of the plant in a watertight gully. The depth of the stream is very shallow, hence the name ‘nutrient film’.
Neutral medium
This technique has the product planted in a neutral medium to hold the plant upright. There are many types of neutral mediums, Hydro Produce uses Coco Peat (the husks of coconuts) The root ball receives required nutrients from the water supply that is fed directly to the root ball through a drip irrigation system.
Benefits of growing hydroponically
- Hydroponically grown plants use water efficiently. The water is recycled using 10% of the water it takes to grow in soil.
- Hydroponically grown plants require much less land surface – A hydroponic greenhouse can produce as much plant matter as a conventional field ten times the size.
- Hydroponics requires no soil whatsoever eliminating any soil borne pests or diseases.
- Because hydroponic greenhouses are environmentally controlled, the need for herbicides and pesticides are greatly reduced.
