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Why Can Hydroponics Be Considered More Profitable Than Conventional Farming?

Soil is an important part of agriculture. But as cities grew and living space became scarce, more land was taken away. The pressure today is to increase concrete jungles, despite a dramatic increase in the world's population, and food shortages are a major problem.

 

As arable land disappears, new science and technology, such as hydroponics, emerge to provide sustainable food sources. Basic hydroponics provides sustainable food growth in less time than conventional agriculture. It's also a dust-free way of growing crops that is closer to a solution to food shortages. Here are some reasons why hydroponics is more popular than traditional formats.

 

1. Water consumption of basic hydroponics

 

Soil holds water tremendously, through which the roots of plants can get any level of water. Each plant spreads its roots in all directions to get as much water as possible from any length. Therefore, it is practically impossible to measure the amount of water each plant needs to grow. You also won't be able to understand the amount of nutrients your plants need to grow properly. Excessive water allows nutrients to seep into the soil, so you can't know the exact amount of nutrients your plants need to grow.

 

In hydroponics, the amount of water and nutrients can be monitored. In fact, the amount of nutrients the plant needs is mixed with the water the plant's roots are submerged in. This ensures optimal growth of the plant. In addition, excess water that is not needed by the plant is recycled back to the plant to save water.

 

2. Water saving by basic hydroponics

 

Conserving water is a big step considering the amount of fresh water is rapidly depleting. Reducing irrigation costs also helps reduce overall farming costs for farmers. Crops grown in soil use almost 10 times the water used in hydroponics. So you'll save even more water by opting for newer technology.

 

This is because nutrient-rich fresh water is used for crop production in hydroponics. The excess water is re-routed to the plants and reduces the overall amount of water used during hydroponic plant growth.

 

3. Pesticide-free crops from basic hydroponics

 

Traditional agriculture requires the use of pesticides to avoid the production of pests and diseases. Most of the time, these bugs and insects hide under layers of soil, waiting to attack crops. Some diseases, such as root rot, mold, etc., even carry over to the next crop. This has resulted in severe crop losses, leaving farmers heavily in debt.

 

In urban hydroponic farming, there is no need to use pesticides because the plants are grown in a controlled environment that does not encourage the growth of pests, bugs or disease. Since the emergence of bugs and disease stops before it starts, it cannot be moved to the next set of crops. Therefore, farmers tend to save more by choosing basic hydroponics over traditional farming methods.

 

4. Basic hydroponics has no weeds

 

Traditional farmers have always had to fight the growth of stubborn weeds with herbicides. This has increased farming costs over the years. Another method is manual removal, which is equally difficult and time-consuming. Weeds consume nutrients and water that plants need to grow and also cause space crunch for crops. So letting them grow is not an option at all.

 

With hydroponic farming systems, the option of allowing weeds to grow has completely disappeared. In this case, the plants were grown indiscriminately through a strict selection system. Growers choose only the plants they need for their farm or home. Seedlings are grown from the start, and each plant is replanted by hand into the hydroponic system. This eliminates the chance for weeds to grow between them. This is a long-term solution for farmers, reducing the cost of growing crops, saving time and money. Don't step on the delicate sprouts when trying to clear weeds.

 

5. Basic hydroponics has a bigger harvest:

 

Plants in the hydroponic grow box are grown in a controlled environment, eliminating the risk of crop failure. In traditional systems, weather conditions, pests, bugs, disease, etc. destroy crops. But in hydroponic indoor farming, this possibility does not exist. Therefore, a certain sustainability can be achieved.

 

Also, in this method, plants are grown in water mixed with nutrients. Therefore, it is easy for plants to obtain nutrients directly from the water, rather than having to draw nutrients from the depths of the soil.

 

Plants in hydroponics grow under the illumination of LED lights day and night. Therefore, they naturally grow faster than expected. In traditional farming, plants receive sunlight only during the day. But in hydroponics, the light for growth is received around the clock.