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The Sustainability of Hydroponics Systems vs. Traditional Growing Methods.
Contrary to popular belief, most plants do not need soil to grow. Soil retains the vitamins and minerals that plants need to stay alive and grow. Water is essential as it carries and delivers the vitamins and minerals from the soil to the roots of the plants. If water, rich with nutrients, is supplied to plants in a closed system, the need for soil is absent. Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants without the use of soil. A hydroponics system can produce an abundance of vegetables, herbs, flowers or fruits while resisting pests and disease, lowering water usage and the associated costs, and effectively utilizing a small space, contrary to traditional farming. Hydroponics systems can be put into use around the globe in a variety of environments including a drought susceptible developing nation or in a big-city apartment complex.
A variety of hydroponics techniques exist, varying from one to the next and ranging from simple to complex. A simple hydroponics system could be composed of a watering can and a plant in a pot, without soil. However, more complex systems with various pipes and pumps require careful observation of pH levels, amounts of nutrients, moisture, temperature, and light. Plants, seedlings, or seeds, are first placed into pots with a structure that allows water to flow through from pot to channel to pot. Inside the pot a pH neutral, inert growing material, such as expanded clay, rockwool, coconut fiber, gravel perlite, or vermiculite, is placed to support the roots of the plants. The solution that provides water and nutrients to the plants should ideally have a pH adjusted specifically for the plants being grown, usually between 5.8 and 6.5 for optimum nutrient uptake. If the solution is too acidic, the roots are unable to absorb the nutrients that bound up. If the solution is too alkaline, the plants may be adversely affected by a toxic salt buildup that essentially limits the roots’ ability to intake water and food. The elements that are considered essential macronutrients or micronutrients for plants include: nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, sulfur, boron, molybdenum, copper, zinc, and chlorine. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are also required, but obtained from air and water. For the roots of the plants to remain healthy it is important for the temperature of the solution to remain constant and between 66 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The plants also need to be in a location where air circulates so that they have access to carbon dioxide, witch plants need to thrive. To maximize harvestable crops, the system must remain balanced and provide the optimal growing environment for the plants being raised.
Hydroponics systems allow plants to grow faster and not compete for nutrients or space as they have easy access to food and water. By recirculating water through closed channels and reservoirs, with the use of pumps and pipes, evaporation is limited. When growing crops traditionally, in large fields of soil, a significant amount of water is lost due to evaporation. By preventing a loss of water to the environment, and making sure a greater portion of it is reaching the crops, the money spent on water is decreased and its use is maximized. By maximizing the use of expenses, and the use of a valuable resource, more people are able to take advantage of a system to provide themselves, and their community with a sustainable and affordable source of food. A hydroponics system can make gardening possible in areas that would normally make it impossible. The closed system could be implemented in areas that are dry, arid, rocky, and with poor soil, or on balconies, rooftops, or even in a garage, with artificial light. The optimal conditions can be assured by placing the hydroponics system in a greenhouse, or temperature controlled climate, allowing plants to be grown year-round. As plants start out in a sterile medium, pests and disease are more easily avoided than if soil were used. If pests or disease become an issue the system can be cleaned, sterilized, and reused. The crops in a hydroponics system are able to take up less space and be situated closer together, than if they were in ground, as they do not need to compete for nutrient rich soil or spend time crating elaborate root systems to reach for nutrients. The structure of a hydroponics system can be horizontal to allow all plants to receive sunshine with few obstacles, or vertical to allow multiple crops, maximizing a small area. Hydroponics systems can be created out of many reusable household products and are relatively easy to construct and use.
Hydroponics systems have multiple beneficial aspects that make them an ideal, and sustainable system to use for producing herbs, vegetables, fruits, or flowers. A hydroponics system can save space, water, and time, as little labor is required, especially if a timer system is invested in. Hydroponics systems solve many problems that both urban farmers and developing nations face, a lack of land suitable for growing crops, and a diminishing supply of fresh water. Compared to usual growing methods, hydroponics significantly conserves water, but also has a positive effect on the environment in other ways. Growing crops indoors, or in a closed system, reduces soil erosion, and eliminates the introduction of harmful pesticides and fertilizers into the environment. Through not introducing harmful chemicals into the environment, pollution and negative health effects are abated. People from all over the world, to sustainably grow crops and support themselves, their families, their communities and the economy, can utilize hydroponics techniques.
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