Ten Reasons to Consider Hydroponics Gardening over Soil for your Indoor Garden
For most of us, gardening still means the traditional way of growing plants in soil. But, over the last decade, the world has swiftly moved towards Hydroponic Gardening. Hydroponics is a way of growing your own greens in a much safer, productive, and controlled environment that saves you from several toiling procedures of soil-based gardening. The traditionalists might still recommend going the old school way; modern gardeners and farmers are in favour of hydroponics. While the hydroponics vs soil gardening debate continues, there are definite reasons that make hydroponic gardening a much better choice, especially when it comes to your indoor gardens.
For the one reason alone that hydroponics is less cumbersome and can be managed quite neatly, the debate of hydroponics vs soil tilts towards hydroponics. When you are looking for an indoor garden, you would prefer a neat and clean laying out, which is where hydroponics wins over soil gardening. But that’s not it; there are several other reasons that make hydroponic gardening a much better choice.
Here are ten reasons to consider hydroponics gardening over the soil for your indoor garden:
Less space-consuming
In soil-based gardening, plants need a lot of space to spread their roots to extract nutrients from the soil. But hydroponics provides all those nutrients straight to the roots of the plants. This allows plants to grow in much less space. In addition to that, the nutrient supply can be adjusted according to the needs of the plants, and other variables like temperature, humidity, and light can also be controlled in a hydroponic system. Experts believe that hydroponics requires 50 per cent less space to produce the same amount of harvest as compared to soil-based gardening.
Conserves water to a large extent
Since hydroponic systems grow plants in a controlled environment, they are a lot more efficient in using water. In the traditional way of gardening, a lot of water flows down into the soil or out of the pots, leaving very little for the plants to consume. Furthermore, it requires more watering to balance out the process of evaporation. Hydroponic systems, on the other hand, use the recirculation process of the nutrient solution reducing the amount of water consumption to a large extent. Since the roots are directly submerged in water, they utilize only the amount they need at a particular time, and the rest of it gets collected in the reservoir for later usage. And since these systems are covered and protected, evaporation happens in a much smaller quantity.
Produces high quality and quantity
Studies have shown that hydroponics speeds up plant growth by 30 per cent as compared to soil-based gardening. The main reason why hydroponics yields faster and better-quality produce is that plants grow in a highly nutrient solution that provides all the nutrients directly to the root. So, they don’t have to spend their energy looking for nutrients like they do in soil and utilize that energy for upward growth. One of the most striking differences between hydroponics and soil is that hydroponics also provides an ideal environment for plant growth that can be controlled according to the needs of the plants. Unlike soil, they are not exposed to environmental hardships that can hamper their growth. While quality is an assurance, hydroponics also provides better quantity compared to soil. Since the roots don’t need a lot of space to grow, more plants can be grown in a limited amount of space.
No soil, no mess
Since there is no soil involved, hydroponic gardens are cleaner and less messy. You don’t have to get down to dig to take out extra plant growth and weeding etc. Hydroponic systems can also be cleaned quite easily.
Can be grown literally anywhere
Since hydroponic gardens are less space-consuming, they can be grown anywhere. A small balcony, your backyard, or even if you have some extra space in your room, a hydroponic garden can be set up. Another advantage of hydroponics vs soil gardening is that you can grow your plants vertically through hydroponics. This way, you can maximize the utilization of space, perfect for an urban setup.
Fewer pests, pesticides, and fertilizers
One of the biggest advantages of hydroponics versus soil is that the produce from hydroponic gardening is more organic and healthier. Since the plants receive the right amount of nutrients, they don’t need to be provided with fertilizers. And healthier plants mean that they are less prone to pests.
Can be done all year round
Hydroponics recreate a conducive environment through a proper setup, and hence the plants can be grown all year round. Unlike soil-based gardening, you don’t have to depend on the right weather conditions to grow your plants. These conditions can be provided by altering the temperature, light, and nutrient value of the solution. And since most hydroponics are either set up indoors or in a greenhouse, you can protect your plants from excess heat, rain, hail, storms, and all other extreme climatic conditions.
They are a lot easier to harvest
Unlike soil gardening, where you have no choice but to bend over for harvesting, hydroponic systems can be ergonomically designed for an easier harvesting process. These systems can be created keeping your comfort level in mind, and their height, length, and width can be adjusted according to what suits you the best.
The control is in your hands
A hydroponic system comes complete with a number of devices that help you monitor the entire growing cycle of your plants. From monitoring the pH levels to keeping an eye on the temperature, exhaust systems, humidity, air quality, oxygen levels, and the amount of nutrients required by the plants, everything can be manually managed. Automation is also possible where tools can be installed to monitor the requirements of the system and adjust accordingly.
Less labour required
Unlike soil-based gardening, where you have to continuously put in hard physical labour, hydroponics demands much less. With plants growing in a controlled environment, there is no extra plant growth that you would need to pluck out. It is also a weeding-free process.
It is quite clear that when it comes to hydroponic vs soil gardening, hydroponic has clear advantages. Not just that, there is a huge difference in hydroponic vs soil cost where hydroponics wins hands down as it yields a large quantity of superior produce. So, if you wish to have an indoor garden, hydroponics is the way to go. All you need is appropriate knowledge and the right equipment to get going. Visit kushy.com.au to find all that you need to set up an indoor hydroponic garden at the most competitive rates.