Hydroponics is gaining popularity day by day. The demand for fresh, healthy, organic and chemical free vegetables is pushing the business of hydroponics. As we have observed that hydroponics system is growing the crops which are really very nutritious and healthy for the people, hence it also changes the hobby of eating the type of food in hydroponic. Hydroponic farming is one of the most beneficial type of farming for the farmers but it’s awareness is lower just because of its high cost effectiveness. But hydroponics farming is trending now, and many people are switching to this type of farming because it have so many advantages over the conventional farming. Hydroponics system do need a larger area for growing crops, it can be set-up indoor over the terrace and even on the extensive land.
If someone has the inclination towards fresh and green production of fruits and vegetables, then they need to research a little and can start their own business over a large scale with some little knowledge of hydroponics.
Hydroponics is gaining prominence because of its ability to grow high yielding crops with little efficiency without any use of chemical and harmful chemicals in soil-less culture. It can be a house balcony or it may be an acre land, hydroponics is possible everywhere. One more key highlights of hydroponics farming is that it doesn’t depends on the climatic factors which means that crops can be grown without any dependency on the climate. Any crop can be grown throughout the season.
This is an eco-friendly farming system, as no chemical pesticides or herbicides are used. The chances of the attack of pests is zero and weed problem in hydroponics is also lower. There no chances of soil damages like soil erosion, elimination of nutrients from the soil, leaching and many more , as hydroponics is a soil less growing medium of growing crops. No fertilizers are used from outside that means there is no chemical residues are present over the plants and there products.
So, as far we have learnt that hydroponics system have lot many benefits and practicing this type of farming is very profitable if done in right professional way. So here is the list of some profitable crops grown hydroponically:-
- Basil :- Basil is found as one of the most favorable herb in India. It has a great fragrance and adds a great flavor to any food. There are so many varieties of basil from which one can choose. Some of the most prominent varieties of basil are Thai basil, sweet basil, holy basil, basil Omari, Purple basil and many more. This herb can be a best option for growing by any grower. Basil can be priced up to 40 to 50 rupees per 50 gm. This herb is most preferably used in the big hotels and restaurants where the continental food are prepared. Some people use basil as a tea leaf as the basil tea is very healthy and refreshing too. Basil can be readily grown in a hydroponic system; with 10-12 hours of light, anyone can grow high-quality basil in their urban hydroponic farm.
- Cilantro :- Growing cilantro hydroponically can be a good option for a beginner as it can give a decent profit during the initial periods.
The leaves of cilantro is used in various ways in Indian dishes, therefore accentuation is given to it. It can be used for garnishing the dishes or for preparing spicy chutney, it has its own way to be used in different forms. Cilantro grown hydroponically are more refreshing and fresh which can be identified more easily. The prices keep varying but they are always promising and your stocks can finish in a matter of a few hours.
- Lettuce :- Lettuce is one of the favorite exotic leafy vegetables for the consumers now a days. With the increase in the demand of this exotic vegetable , the purchasing power of the consumers has been increased as well. Their demand is most common in the retail companies like KFC, Burger King, Pizza hut, Domino’s ,etc. which helps to grow more lettuce by the growers and this eventually boost their profits and sales in the market.
The prices of lettuce are very profitable. Without any high inputs growers can get high cost out of it. For e.g. the price for iceberg lettuce varies from Rs.80-120 per head. The leaves of lettuce crop is very highly nutritious in comparison to the other crops which makes it as the good choice for people who likes organic food. All the varieties of lettuce are very nutritious whether it is romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, butter lettuce, etc.
Lettuce crops can be grown comfortably in a hydroponic system using the nutrient film technique.
- Microgreens : Microgreens are very high in demand in the young generation as they contains concentrated nutrients in them. They are named as microgreens because of their physical nature i.e. they are smaller in size than the matured of plants.
Growing microgreens can be the best choice for the commercial purpose as their demand in exotic foods is high. Restaurants are marketplace for this veggie. They use them in various forms in different types of meals. They buy microgreens at the rate as high as Rs 150-200 per 100gm of microgreens.
The best advantage of growing microgreens is that they are ready to harvest within 2-3 weeks and requires very less space for its cultivation.
- Tulips :- Tulips are found to be one of the most costly lowers in the world. In India it costs around Rs. 70 for a single flower and Rs. 600 for a bunch of tulip. It is a seasonal flower and it blooms only in the summers hence their cost is very much high.
With the help of hydroponics system the cut flowers can be grown in off season and where the climate are not suitable also because the hydroponics gardening didn’t depends on the weather. Another advantage of growing tulips is that they can grow in very less time in very lesser space.
- Mushroom :- Without any we know that mushroom are one of the most profitable crops that can be grown hydroponically. Growing mushrooms hydroponically can helps to stand out from the crowd.
They are not planted with roots , although they can be cultivated hydroponically .
Mushroom needs moisture, humidity and can be cultivated in soil-less culture. They can be grown in a fully prepared kit or in the mycelia first. As they don’t need to synthesize the requirements for sunlight is very less for them unlike the other crops grown over there. They require sunlight only when their fruiting starts. Mostly the mushrooms are cultivated in the dark humid places and the temperature is maintained at very low.
- Strawberry:- Strawberry are one of the exotic fruits among all the fruits grown hydroponically. There demand all over the market place is very high mostly in the restaurant and the hotels where different kinds of drinks and deserts are prepared from it.
A grower can gain a market edge by growing strawberry plants hydroponically, if not all over the year, but at least around for 10 month during the period when the conventionally grown produce do not get the market share .
The strawberry grown hydroponically are 4 times more productive than the field type. There are wide types of varieties grown over vast range and some are more suitable for the hydroponics system. Therefore, some research has to be done before growing the strawberry crop. Some of the indoor growers in hydroponics have had remarkable success using Red Gauntlet.
Apart from the ability to control the climatic conditions and the absence of soil-borne pests, another advantage of cultivating strawberries hydroponically is that they can be grown vertically, many plants high.
- Spinach :- In hydroponics system the spinach crop can be grown at very fast rate as similar as the lettuce. The spinach leaves are have antioxidant properties so as they are very much healthy vegetable. They can be seen growing in very less time , just in 7-21 days. The baby spinach are more nutritious than the matured one hence their demand is also very high than the later one. The baby spinach have concentrated nutrients and are sold at higher price than the matured spinach leaves. It costs for Rs. 80 for 500 gms.
- Bell peppers :- Growingpeppers are found little tricky than the other crops. These are grown in the similar way as the tomatoes are grown hydroponically. The temperature has to be increased during the nights and should be decreased in the days. It’s important to do the adjustments so that the taste and nutrients level of the peppers can be enhanced. Their demand is very much high in the market as well as in the restaurants so they can be sold very easily in such places.
- Spring onion :-Spring onions are used in various continental dishes and they are the rich source of Vitamin C and K. They are used to cure cold and other infectious diseases. Spring onion can be grown hydroponically and found to be very nutritious and healthy.
- Mint :- One of the most favorite herbs of any person. No one can ever enough of the leaves of mint. The magical leaves of mint makes the drinks so much refreshing like in the tea and mojitos. These can be grown very easily and needs very less management. These are the herbs which grows very fast rate after just putting them into the growing media. Their demand is very high in the summers and so they are sold at very fast and decent price.
- Cucumber:- Cucumber is the vitamin and mineral rich vegetable as it has calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron and many other vital vitamins. It has so many health and skin benefits as it can reduce the aging signs, cleanses the skin and many other such problems. Therefore, growing cucumber is the great choice through hydroponics. The yield is good and it is consumed very commonly all over the India with food as a salad.
Conclusion :- Hydroponics is a better way of cultivating crops with high yield and in lesser time. Some of the most demanding and cost effective crops can be grown through this system without any use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. The management required for it is very less. Only the setting-up of the system is very tedious but after that the cultivation process is so easy. It can be much better and profitable than the conventional farming system where the time period is also long and it depends on the weather conditions mostly.
