HYDROPONICS HEALTH HAPPINESS
Today’s world population is now became health conscious because now they are aware of so many health related issues which are faced by them. Therefore, the health is now became a major concern for everyone.
As we know how the chemical used in crops and in the agricultural fields, which are getting degraded due to the overuse of chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and many others.
So, now it’s a time to move from inorganic to organic methods of cultivation, where we grow crops in chemical free (zero chemical) medium.
The crops which are grown in chemical medium are not good for health. Use of chemicals are diminishing the quality and quantity of the of the products in context of their amount of nutrients, its shape and size, their production, quality of the soil, environmental impacts, pollution and many others.
We know that the nutrients are the basic requirement for everyone’s life which is not fulfilled by normal food. Therefore, people are now fulfilling it by taking supplements. Hence, an advance technology with some new innovative ideas has been introduced i.e. HYDROPONICS.
Hydroponics is a type of cultivation of crops, such as medicinal and leafy crops, under the non-soil medium, by using aqueous medium of mineral nutrient solution and can include an aggregate substrate, or growing media, such as vermiculite, coconut coir, or perlite. It’s without the use of any types of chemicals from outside. All the crops which are grown hydroponically requires the same types of macro and micro-nutrients. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as the macro-nutrients and calcium, magnesium, sulphur, zinc, boron, chlorine, manganese, etc.
Hydroponics is very important in present time due to so many of major concerns like:-
- Lack of land required for cultivation of crops
- Environmental impacts
- To reduce pollution
- To reduce soil degradation
- To reduce soil erosion
- For proper nutrient balance
- For controlled cultivation of crops
- Eliminating the use of chemical pesticides
- Efficient use of water/ less use of water
- To grow the crop in less time
- For faster growth of the crops
- A kind of sustainable agriculture
- For better taste and safer food
- For higher yield and better production
- Less chances of contamination
- Less chances of insect infestation
- Prevent production losses
- Scientific methods have been applied
- Skilled personnel executes these works
Types of hydroponics Plants and Crops
We can grow almost all types of crops in hydroponically, but certain plants grow particularly well here. Some of them are:
Greens: green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, lettuce, pea, leek, spinach, baby spinach, coriander, kale and its various types, various types of herbs like mint, oregano, parsley, watercress, etc.
Vegetables: pepper, beetroot, cucumber, carrot, beetroot, aubergine, mushrooms, onion, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chives, etc.
Fruits: Strawberry, blueberries, watermelon, berry, cherry tomatoes, grapes, cantaloupe, raspberry, cherry, blackberry, cranberry, pineapples, small citrus fruits and exotic fruits.
Medicinal plants: Ginger, Garlic, peppermint, Italian basil, rosemary, common sage, thyme, lemongrass, saffron, aloe Vera, hops, alfalfa, ashwanagdha, etc.
Flowers: Orchids, Amaryllis, Iris, Daffodils, Freesia, Chrysanthemums, Gerbera, Carnations, Peace lily, Hyacinth, etc.
Hydroponic System
The word “Hydroponics” is derived from the word “hydros” meaning water and “ponos” means toil or labour. In this the soil is substituted by sterile mediums and nutrients are passed through roots differently, based on the type of hydroponic system used, oxygen is pumped through, pH level is regulated and sufficient light is provided to carry out the photosynthesis. Sometimes the artificial light is provided in the places where the natural light is not available. It is an innovative method of farming now and is being widely used now for food production.
This type of farming technique is used to determine the deficiency symptoms of various nutrients in plants and to find out essential nutrients for the plant’s growth and development.
- Types of Hydroponic System
Mainly there are six types of hydroponic setups, on the basis of different ways by which these requirements are fulfilled-
- Ebb and Flow System: It is a system in which perlite is used as medium to give stability. The solution of water and mineral solution are periodically pumped into the tray containing plants. Plants absorb the solution and the remaining solution drains back to the reservoir. The is a simple method which are commonly used in home gardens. Herbs are grown by this method.
- Nutrient Film Technique (NFT): Medium is not required in this method. Wooden channels with a slope are made in which the hydroponic plants are kept. The mineral solution is pumped from the higher end of the channel and at the lower end of the slope the water is collected and reused. The plants having longer roots are grown by this method.
- Drip System: It is as similar as the ebb and flow method but here the water moves through the smaller tubes and drain on top of plants. The plants having smaller roots are grown by this system.
- Wick System: It is a medium based system where mediums like perlite or rockwool is used. A rope of Nylon is placed at the base of each root which extends to the reservoir. It takes up minerals and water and releases it in the medium to make it available for plants. It is an economic and cheap method of hydroponic farming as there is no requirement of pumps
- Aeroponics: It is similar to NFT; water based and doesn’t require a medium. The solution of mineral is sprayed onto the plants in the form of mist. It is one of the difficult methods to set-up but is beneficial in large commercial setting.
- Deep Water Culture (DWC): In this method the plant’s root is suspended in oxygenated water containing minerals in a container. There we need an air pump and it is also an easy method which requires low maintenance.
Hydroponic Setup
There are certain components which are required for a hydroponic setup or a hydroponic plant. Let take a view of each component separately.
- Reservoir: It is a container in which we hold the nutrient solution for the growth and development of plants. Usually, it is a plastic or glass container. A metallic container should be avoided as it can bring harmful chemicals.
- Grow tray: It is an essential part in a hydroponic setup to hold the plants. There may be valves for better gripping and sometimes also have mediums such as coco coir, clay and pebbles.
- Growing Medium: As there is no soil in a hydroponic setup, so we need a growing medium for the plant growth. It can be vermiculite, coconut fibre, perlite or gravel.
- Nutrient solution: These are the minerals which are dissolved in water, which provides nutrients to the growing plants. A nutrient solution for a hydroponic plant is prepared by dissolving essential minerals in required dosage to feed the plants.
To make a successful hydroponic farming these components should be set up intricately. Other components such as the hydroponic plant, space requirements, water supply, pipes and economical needs should also be considered.
- Advantages of Hydroponics
- Growth of plants are faster
- Higher Yield
- Can be grown anywhere, rooftops, greenhouses and underground
- Can be practiced where traditional farming is not possible
- Water and nutrients can be recycled and reused
- Organic food can be produced without using fertilizers or pesticides
- Hydroponics is extensively used in space research programmes.
- Hydroponics can be done in the places where soil is not available
- Disadvantages of hydroponics
- Skilled personnel are required
- High initial cost or investment
- Requires a high technical knowledge
- Can be used to grow banned crops like majirauna
- High maintenance is required
Summary
Hydroponic Farming is very much in trend these days as it gives us organic produce. It can be really useful in areas that have water scarcity. Additionally, the water can be reused for growing plants. The plants obtained from this technique are high in nutrients and free of any toxins.