Just a few years ago, few people thought that the plant could be planted in a space other than soil. There is no doubt that plants get a lot of the nutrients they need from the soil, But new methods have shown that these nutrients can be delivered to them in other ways as well. Of course, studies on planting soilless plants are not new in the world. The hydroponic method is one of these methods that was first introduced in 1938. The main idea of this method is to plant plants in water; But with the advancement of science, hydroponics has become a common way to plant plants in a non-soil environment. In this article, we will talk about this method and the benefits of hydroponic cultivation.
Hydroponic culture is a method of growing plants in a liquid nutrient solution without the use of an artificial medium. In this solution, through the combination of different substances, i.e. water and various fertilizers, all the nutrients needed by the plant are provided. In this method, materials such as peat kernels, perlite, vermiculite, sand, gravel, peat, rock wool, etc., which are used in the construction of artificial plant planting environments, are not used. This method is one of the common methods of plant planting in countries that have little fertile land and cannot be content with the soil to grow essential plants.
What are the disadvantages of planting in the soil?
Planting plants in the soil dates back to the time when humans learned that they could extract their desired crops from the soil. Throughout history, the disadvantages of this method have been partially corrected by using different methods of plowing and irrigation; But there are still many reasons to suggest that farming in the soil is not at all appropriate for a growing human community.
One of the most important reasons is that this method requires a lot of water. Even if you have a few simple pots in your house, you will notice this problem. You need to allocate a lot of water to your pots daily and every time. Now imagine how much water is consumed in a land of several thousand meters covered with various agricultural products. Another disadvantage of this method is the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Plant fertilizers and pesticides are enemies of nature and their entry into the soil and soil of the region greatly affects the ecosystem of the region.
There is a need for a lot of space for soil farming. Plants need to take root in order to access the nutrients in the soil. This means that they must be planted at regular intervals so that they do not harm each other. At the same time, the world’s population is now increasing, and a large part of agricultural land has now become home to different people. One of the main problems of farmers in traditional horticultural methods in soil change. The soil in each area loses its nutrients after a period of planting and is no longer useful for agriculture. For this reason, farmers have to choose another land after a while to cultivate the crop so that the previous land can be strengthened again.
Weeds and pests are also major problems in planting in the soil. Each time a farmer spends a lot of money on weed control. These grasses are one of the main reasons for the loss of soil strength and even the loss of crops. Plant pests may persist and kill the plant, even with spraying; Therefore, using the strongest toxins available cannot be a practical and useful solution to maintain plant health.
Full compatibility with the environment
Hydroponic cultivation does not require soil and therefore does not increase the rate of soil erosion and the loss of nutrients in it. No need for spraying, fertilizing and very low water consumption are other reasons that make hydroponic cultivation one of the most environmentally friendly methods.
Conclusion
The use of advanced and modern farming methods preserves the environment and reduces the damage caused by traditional agriculture. Hydroponics is one of the approved methods of soilless agriculture that has many advantages over traditional methods and other soilless methods. This way you can grow the fruits and vegetables you need at home. Now that you are familiar with the benefits of hydroponic cultivation, note that sufficient expertise is required to set up a hydroponic system. Start your own home farming system with a specialist and grow your favourite fruits and vegetables forever.
- Petrus Langenhoven (2016) Opportunities in hydroponics. Purdue University.
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