By CATHERINE FRONDORF
A method for growing plants that is as old as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and that uses no soil and little water is what we know today as hydroponics. It is a way to feed astronauts and potentially the rest of the world. This ancient technique is growing in popularity as hydroponic businesses are opening up across Massachusetts and Cape Cod. How does hydroponics play a role in sustainable agriculture? Well, “all the excitement around it is because you can grow more plants in less space with less of an impact on the environment,” said Ben Morrell, co-owner of Always Green Hydroponics in Plymouth. Hydroponics is a way to make gardening even greener.
The word hydroponics has Greek origins with “hydro” meaning water and “ponics” referring to “labor or toil.” In today’s lexicon, hydroponics is generally considered to be a form of soilless gardening. Casey Zawicki, owner of New Farm in Orleans, said, “Hydroponics can be as simple or as technical as you want it to be and can be as cheap as $50 or as expensive as a thousand dollars or more.” Regardless of how much time and money you want to invest, Mr. Zawicki says, “Essentially, the plant is contained in water in an inert medium, like rocks or sand, which is something for the plant to root into and hold it upright.”
Before getting into hydroponics, “you’ll need to consider what you want to grow because that will steer you towards a particular method,” Mr. Morrell said. Hydroponic methods are specific ways to grow your plant, which largely depend on the type of plant(s) you’ll want to grow. To provide a framework, “a reproductive plant that produces fruit or flowers, like tomatoes and cucumbers or even cannabis, needs a much larger and deeper root zone because of a higher demand for water and nutrients,” Mr. Morrell said. That involves a 3-to-5-gallon bucket, a medium of your choice, a netted pot to hold your medium and plant, fertilizer and an air pump, although the last part is beneficial but not required. This Deep Water Culture methodology includes the basic hydroponic necessities to get started.
Herbs and leafy greens are smaller and less demanding than reproductive plants and have a shallower root zone, which means they don’t necessarily require a large volume of water. There are also single-cell and multiple-cell containers, which enable a greater crop yield. So far, we’ve covered the rudiments: type and size of your plant, life-cycle, root systems and water intake. Hydroponics doesn’t have to be complicated. However, for the scientifically inclined, the number of factors involved in creating the ideal nutritional solution and conditions for your plants could make your head spin. As Mr. Morrell likes to put it, “You are the controlling force” and thus trying artificially to create conditions as they would occur in nature. Recreating an ecosystem hydroponically is no easy task.
Other factors to consider when undertaking hydroponics is the temperature and pH of water and the parts per million of the nutritional solution, which is essentially the concentration of fertilizer. Of course, we cannot forget the light, Helios, the god of the sun, which also emanates from an LED full-spectrum grow light and is critical to plant vitality if you grow indoors.
For the hydroponic novices out there, it’s best to consult YouTube for introductory videos and knowledgeable entrepreneurs at your local shops like New Farm and Always Green Hydroponics. Apartment dwellers or those without land for a traditional garden may find hydroponics appealing. Not only that, but the beauty of a hydroponic system is that you can recycle the same water for about two weeks, unlike watering with a garden hose for an hour or two. Additionally, if you get fancy, or are prone to forgetfulness, you can create an automated fertilizing system, which takes the stress out of remembering to feed the plants.
Mr. Zawicki believes that “hydroponics is the future of big agriculture; it is extremely efficient.” Although not traditional, hydroponics is a sustainable way to feed the planet, and on average “hydroponics uses 40 to 60 percent less water and nutrients than traditional farming, which is going to save a lot of money,” Mr. Morrell said. NASA is interested in hydroponics because the methods are precise and you don’t have to worry about the bacteria, fungi and microorganisms that thrive in soil.
You don’t have to be a lab scientist or technical geek to get into hydroponics. All you need is a basic setup, a desire to try something new and a little curiosity to get started. Remember, hydroponics is an ancient practice used for thousands of years. Give it a try, and don’t forget to have fun.