Whether you’re new to gardening or an expert, you may be wondering what’s the best growing method when it comes to hydroponics vs soil growing. Many people start with soil and are beginning to learn about the advantages of the hydroponics growing method becoming more popular. This article will cover the differences between hydroponics vs soil growing and the advantages of hydroponics growing.
#1 Hydroponics Requires Less Space
One of the most beneficial reasons for hydroponics is it requires less space than soil growing. You can grow more with less space with hydroponics. With soil, you have to give your plants lots of room for the roots to grow, but this isn’t the case for hydroponics. Since hydroponics relies on water and the correct solutions to grow plants, less space is needed. Vertical farming is an innovative, space-saving growing method that allows growers to stack their crops to optimize space and yield more results.
#2 Hydroponics Saves on Water
Soil gardens rely heavily on the water to succeed. While hydroponics systems use water, hydroponics use ten times less amount of water soil gardens use. Soil gardens waste water since only a small amount of the water is soaked up by the plant. Hydroponics solves this issue by using a recirculating nutrient reservoir, meaning the plants only take the water they need and save the rest for later. Cutting down on water use is critical for the environment to reduce waste.
#3 Say Goodbye to Weeds
A number one complaint many non growers tend to have about gardening is having to pull out weeds. Weeds are a common issue for soil gardens, but since hydroponics do not use soil, growers do not have to worry about dealing with weeds in their growing systems.
#4 Less Chance of Infestations
Pests and insects can be a common issue with soil gardens because they are outside and soil attracts insects, resulting in eaten crops and damaged gardens. However, pests and insects are less of an issue with hydroponics farms. This is because hydroponics growing systems are typically inside and do not use soil, so they do not encourage the presence of insects or pests.
#5 You’re In Control
Another reason farmers prefer hydroponics vs soil is that there is more control with hydroponics. It is up to the grower to control the temperature, create the growing schedule, monitor the humidity, and apply the nutrient mixture to ensure growth. Since the farms are typically inside, there is no need to worry about natural disasters ruining your crops either. Being more in control of your hydroponics farms allows for better, more efficient yields.
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