When most people think of farming, they imagine a large field, filled with various seasonal crops, needing lots of resources from expansive tracts of land to heavy duty equipment. That isn’t the only type of farming there is, however, and it isn’t the only type that can scale up to accommodate huge demand. The hydroponic farming industry is a well-established and accomplished competitor for traditional farming practices. Creating a farming environment that is soil-less does away with many of the negatives of traditional farming while also reaping amazing benefits. Read on to learn more.
Hydroponic growing is a huge space saver. Plants in soil have access to fewer nutrients and less water, so they have to spread their roots wider and plants have to be spread apart. Hydroponically grown plants are directly fed nutrient-rich water so they need much less space. Additionally, hydroponic plants can be arranged vertically instead of having to spread out horizontally.
It sounds weird to hear that field farming takes more water than hydroponic growing (which is literally in water), but it’s true. This is because the majority of water spread on a field is lost to evaporation and run-off).
Since there is no soil, there is no erosion to worry about. Field farming can result in massive amounts of erosion, leaving large parts of the earth no longer suitable for growing. Hydroponics helps stop this issue from continuing and provides a solution to make up for the lost useable land.
The hydroponic system is tightly controlled so there is not very much chance for weed seeds to make their way in. and even if they do, the farmers will be able to easily see them amongst the hydroponic crops and pull them out.
Bigger, Faster, Healthier
Hydroponics also results in bigger, healthier plants. The plants receive better nutrient applications, getting exactly what they need to grow. This means the plants can grow bigger, the yields can be larger, and it all happens faster. In fact, hydroponic systems grow 30-50% faster than the same plants in soil, and they produce more produce or herbs per square foot.
Pests are not as big a problem in indoor hydroponic gardens as they are out on fields, so the use of chemical pesticides is much, much lower. Additionally, there is no need for weed killers, since weeds are much less of an issue in the tightly controlled hydroponic gardens.
BAYWATER FARMS HAS THE RIGHT PRODUCE FOR YOU
Baywater Farms is a family-owned and operated farm servicing Baltimore, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware beaches, and the Eastern Shore. We are capable of meeting the demands of your produce distributor, restaurant produce supplier, CSA produce supplier, or wholesale produce supplier while maintaining the integrity and character of a small farm. When you work with Baywater Farms, you work with an experienced, ethical, and local farm dedicated to providing the highest-quality heirloom produce.