Hello readers! From our previous article “Indoor Hydroponics System Complete beginners guide” you have learned about the technique of hydroponics and different ways to apply it. and there you know about the advantages and disadvantages of Hydroponics. Despite being interested in hydroponics, you may have second thoughts – ‘Is hydroponics right for me?’. This is a good question to ask before deciding to go with hydroponics-based farming you should know about the advantages and disadvantages of Hydroponics. If you want to know about the ups and downs of hydroponic farming – you’ll love this post! After reading this post you will easily know how hydroponics systems can help you.
If you plan to prepare an indoor hydroponic system, you must know about the hydroponic system. A hydroponics system is a process of growing plants without conventional soil. Instead of the soil, the roots are submerged in an inorganic growing medium. Inorganic growing medium means the nutrient-rich water applied to the plants’ roots. This is the basis for any hydroponic setup. You might wonder how a plant can survive and even thrive without soil. The main requirement of the soil is to supply water and nutrients to the plants, which is done manually in a hydroponic system.
How Easily Can a Hydroponics System be Prepared?
In hydroponics, this need is overcome by placing the plant in an inorganic growing medium like vermiculite, perlites, Rockwool, or an expanded clay substrate. However, the plants can also be placed in a simple container without any substrate or float on the water itself. The nutrient demands of the plants are then met through regular applications of a nutrient solution to the root zone of the plants. Now people are enjoying the benefits of the hydroponic system to a greater extent. We will be discussing the benefits of using the indoor hydroponic system.
Advantages of Hydroponics Systems
Utilization of Space
The best advantage of a hydroponic system is proper space utilization. The hydroponic system requires significantly less to grow plants. Finding a suitable place for gardening or farming in cities or towns is always challenging. This system has introduced gardening in cities and towns where significantly less space is required. The indoor vertical hydroponic system has reduced the ample space or land requirement. In a hydroponic system, the plants do not spread out in search of nutrients as they get the water and nutrients directly in their roots.
Facilities of the Micro Climate
Hydroponic gardens are created in a greenhouse or built structure where the temperature is controlled. This system can grow plants at a controlled temperature throughout the year regardless of climate change and weather. A hydroponics system can keep your plants safe from pests and insects. You can mitigate the sunlight problem by using artificial lighting in your indoor hydroponic systems.
Higher Production
In a hydroponic system, you can produce higher than in conventional farming. In controlled temperatures and weather conditions, the plants get the exact amount of nutrients daily, giving them more productivity throughout the year. You can also grow the plants based on your requirements. You can control the size of the fruits and vegetables grown in the home hydroponic gardening system.
Less Physical Involvement
After preparing the greenhouse or the structure, your job is significantly less. This is a visible benefit of hydroponics gardening. The machine can do circulation of water and nutrients at an interval. The involvement of physical labor compared to conventional farming is considerably less, reducing crop production costs. A small hydroponic garden can be run by a single person or a part-time worker with minimum knowledge of this system.
Good Quality Food
There are some places where growing fruits and vegetables are impossible due to the climate and weather condition. The hydroponic system has also allowed the growing of crops in those places. They can get fresh fruits and vegetables by growing the plants in their greenhouse. Fruits that ripen naturally on the plants contain more nutrients than those that ripen using chemical or keeping it in the warehouse. The hydroponic system has allowed you to get fresh fruits and vegetables around the year. you can read our article about the best vegetables for hydroponics gardening for your reference.
Fewer Pests Problem
Pests and insects are the biggest enemies of plants. Pests hinder the growth of plants and disturb the production system of the plants. As a hydroponic system is indoors, pests can’t affect the plants. It’s the main reason for massive production in hydroponic gardening.
Higher Plant Density
Gardening requires a good amount of space. It isn’t easy to manage or get some areas for growing crops in the cities. But the hydroponic system has allowed growing crops even in a tiny place. The indoor hydroponic system will enable you to grow the plants vertically, and the vertical technique saves much space. Thereby, many plants can be produced in a small area.
Reduces Supply Chain
The hydroponic system is one of the most popular systems that many people around the world use to grow crops, and people couldn’t think of that just a few years back. Using this system has reduced the burden on the supply chain of food. Now they can produce fresh fruits and vegetables using the home hydroponic gardening system to meet their families’ requirements and commercial purposes. Previously it was a long chain to reach those fruits or vegetables through a long supply chain.
Common disadvantages of hydroponics?
Hydroponics is an advanced farming method, along with the advantages of this advanced technology there are also some disadvantages. We have already learned about the advantages of hydroponics, now let’s learn about its disadvantages.
Hydroponics is expensive to build:
Hydroponics is expensive to set up. To solve their own nutrition, the middle class has to empty their wallets and pockets for tools and necessities like distilled water and fertilizer.
Power dependent:
A key component of hydroponic gardening is electricity. You cannot imagine hydroponics without electricity. Grow lights, water pumps, timers, aerators, and fans all rely on electricity to run. Sometimes if there is a power shortage for a long time then all your efforts and money can be wasted.
Plants at risk of damage:
Soil shelters plant roots from adverse temperature changes, delays disease, and insect infestation, and regularly releases and absorbs nutrients. On the other hand, plants grown in hydroponic culture respond significantly faster to challenges such as nutrient deficiencies and disease because there is no soil to act as a buffer.
Hydroponics systems require constant intensive care and protection:
Hydroponics requires more supervision and micromanagement than conventional plant cultivation. Ongoing supervision is required to create a precisely controlled environment for all components, including light, temperature, and various properties of the nutrient solution, such as pH and electrical conductivity. The nutrient solution must be flushed and refilled regularly, and parts of the system must be cleaned regularly to prevent clogging and clogging.
The outbreak of water-based diseases:
Waterborne diseases are much more common in plants grown hydroponically than in soil. Infections can spread quickly throughout the growing system, damaging entire collections of plants as water constantly moves through the system. A waterborne pathogen, such as a bacterium, can destroy all plants in a hydroponics system within hours under extreme conditions.
The Bottom Line of Advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics Gardening Systems
So you have a good idea about the advantages and disadvantages of Hydroponics Gardening Systems. There is no doubt that hydroponics as a new gardening hobby will give you many benefits to producing fresh vegetables, herbs, and small fruits. As mentioned above, plants grown hydroponically offer better yields and various additional benefits. Just keep an eye out for unexpected hazards.
FAQs
What is the main advantage of hydroponics?
Hydroponics system allows growing crops in any weather and climate condition. It can produce 5-10 times more yields than conventional farming.
Why is hydroponics better than soil?
Pests and insects are the biggest enemies in conventional farming, but the hydroponics system is protected from pests and insects as it is an indoor and controlled system.
Is hydroponics good for health?
Hydroponics is a modern and time-worthy system. It is beneficial not only to health but also to the environment. In this system, you can grow fresh vegetables and fruits according to your requirements.
How to Prepare a Hydroponic Gardening System as a Beginner?
If you want to build an indoor hydroponics system, it is very easy. We will help you learn about the different types of hydroponic systems so you can easily understand which hydroponic system will benefit you. You can read the Indoor Hydroponics System Complete beginners guide to find out the process