Growing Organic Without Soil
Hydroponic farming is helping to meet the growing demand today for local and fresh produce; food is being grown without any herbicides and harsh chemical pesticides. As more growers have turned to embrace hydroponics and other creative growing methods, a debate has risen about whether or not hydroponic crops should be considered organic.
The USDA has so far supported hydroponic farmers in being able to obtain organic labels for their goods but not everyone agrees that it's accurate to label them as such.
Hydroponic growers insist that their crops are just as nutritious and safe as any that might have been grown in a more traditional setting. Hydroponic food has even been found at times to contain more nutrients because of the ability of the grower to manipulate and control specific inputs during the growing process. If you're purchasing something that's been grown traditionally and has spent over a week in transit, you might be better off going with something that's been grown via hydroponics from a local grower.
There are a variety of benefits to hydroponics and some studies have reportedly demonstrated that despite the lack of soil, this sort of growing environment can still provide an arena for microbes to thrive.
Hydroponics uses less land, water, and they also dramatically increase field yields. However, there still isn't any consensus within the scientific community about whether or not hydroponic crops are healthier than those grown in soil.
Despite the confusion and ongoing debate, there remains a growing number of organic food items coming to the shelves that have been grown with hydroponic methods. No doubt it would come as a surprise to many who are reaching for their organic options on the shelves to discover that the item had been grown without the use of any soil.
The hydroponic market is expected to continue to grow over the next several years. It's estimated that it might reach $228 million or more by 2024.
Pics:
Pixabay
pixabay
wikihow
It is quite possibly the future of food anyway. As example I have heard of some abandoned malls that have converted into hydroponic farms. Less land used (with growing columns), less water as it is recirculated, less climate instability for yield, less pesticides due to containment. The list goes on....however if the nutrients are not organically there, what will be used to stabilize these crops worth? Great post.