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Soilless farming means cultivating crops without the presence of soil. It is significant to discern that soilless farming is not a reasonable technique to preferably complement soil. In this article, I will explain the types of soiless farming and their methods.
There are three different types of soilless farming, which include hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics.
1) Hydroponics
Hydroponics farming is defined as the culture of plants without the use of soil. Through the adoption of hydroponics farming, plants are cultured in a dormant form, which includes coco fibres, which provide a solution with an accurate combination of micronutrients.
How is Hydroponic Farming Performed?
The hydroponic system of farming is a rare method of cultivating crops without the presence of the soil, and it often yields good outcomes.
In hydroponic farming, the plant roots are cultured and grown in a nutrient solution that is liquid in form or the plant is grown in a damp material like vermiculite. Kindly note that the nutrient solution is a combination of basic plant nutrients in the water.
Is Hydroponic Farming Profitable?
Amazingly, hydroponic farming yields great results for farmers. It sounds so good and is so surprising to know that you can grow hundreds of crops without using soil. And farmers can also make huge profits while adopting this method.
What are Plants that Grow Hydroponically?
Almost all kinds of plants can be grown hydroponically. Lettuce, Basil, Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Strawberries are examples of hydroponic plants.
What Types of Plants Cannot Be Grown Hydroponically?
Despite the fact that I earlier said that almost all types of plants can be grown hydroponically, kindly note the word “almost”, which means there are still some types of plants that cannot be cultured or grown hydroponically.
They include onions, rutabaga, carrots, turnips, and many more. Most plants that cannot be cultivated hydroponically are called “root vegetables.”
What Kinds of Nutrients are Good for Hydroponic Farming?
Sulfur, magnesium, calcium, additives, nitrogen, N.P.K ratio, phosphorus, and base nutrients are examples of nutrients that can be necessary for hydroponic plant growth.
Can any Plants be Grown in Hydroponic?
Some plants can be grown in hydroponics, although some specific types of plants may have some delicate requirements.
The fact remains that as long as the hydroponics method maintains all the necessities, suitable plants can grow and flourish.
The principal benefit of hydroponic farming is the exclusion of labor by means of mechanical watering and fertilizing.
2) Aeroponics
Aeroponics farming is a type of farming that involves growing plants in an open environment. This is a preferred method of soilless agriculture in a growth-controlled environment.
There are certain questions that need to be answered regarding this method, and I would like to provide some befitting answers to the questions.
How Frequently Should I Water Aeroponics?
One technique of conveying nutrient spray in a marketable aeroponics system is the consistent intermittent smog cycle. This is a breaking point of the nutrient solution by misting activities.
How Fast Do Plants Grow in Aeroponics?
According to the Aeronautics and Space Administration, plants sprout and mature three times faster in an aeroponics system.
In addition, growth is extremely consistent and yields with the presence of light.
What Types of Crops are Profitable in Aeroponic Farming?
We have crops like ginseng, wasabi, mushrooms, saffron, lavender, bonsai plants, microgreens, and many other plants.
Aeroponics is a type of hydroponics since liquid is used in aeroponics to deliver nutrients. The principle of aeroponics is to grow plants in an enclosed or semi-enclosed atmosphere by spraying the plants, losing the roots, and lowering the stem with a fragmented nutrient-rich solution in water.
3) Aquaponics
Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. Aquaponics is an automatic control system in which an operation is regulated by the growth outcome existing between fish and plants.
Aquaponics provides a lasting solution to the principal issues whenever they occur. Although, since most aeroponic environments are not completely closed off to the outside, epidemic diseases and pests can still cause a threat.
Conclusion
A restrained environment improves plant growth and development and also the nuturing of any given plant. I hope I have been able to explain the types of soilless farming.
Reference
- Soilless Farming: Different Methods to grow plant without soil, retrieved from here
- A basic illustration of types of soilless farming and its advantages, retrieved from here
- 3 soilless vegetable growing methods, retrieved from here
