The following set of articles will explore the different ideals of organics and how they fit into the hydroponic industry. This is a very popular debate amongst many growers and produce consumers alike. There are very few organic certified hydroponic growers out there today and this is because of the difficulty in obtaining a certification for their hydroponically grown crops. Accepted organic fertilizer components are dependent on organisms in the soil to convert the organic material into a usable form for the plants. As many people know hydroponics is the growing of plants with a neutral media, where the nutrients are carried to the plants in water. The various materials, which are permitted for use under organic regulations, are not in pure enough form for use in hydroponic applications. With this in mind, it is important to remember why the word “organic” became such a buzzword in the ‘90s.
Consumers are becoming more conscience of what goes into their bodies. They don’t want to consume any produce that was treated with any sort of hazardous chemicals or poisons. Another reason for organics is the desire to create a food model that doesn’t harm the soil, water or ecosystems. There is an increasing public demand for produce that is cultivated with our planet in mind and that doesn’t harm our soil, water, or ecosystems. With hydroponics, less water is needed for cultivation and therefore, more food can be produced with less water. Hydroponic fertilizers are ultra pure and aren’t present in the cultivated fruits and vegetables. The result of providing the plants exactly what they need in the form of dissolved minerals in water, the plant is able to achieve higher growth rates, yields and even higher quality than organic methods. Since hydroponic technologies are more efficient than soil methods, more people can be fed with less area and ecological impact.
Article by, Brett McCormick, co-founder of Good Green Builders. Good Green Builders is hydroponics grow room/ Greenhouse builder in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information or a free consultation call today, (415) 246-8055.
