Can the Hydroponics Method be Organic?
Can the hydroponics method be organic? Do hydroponic systems really produce organic produce? The answer to these questions is yes. It is all possible by using the hybrid method of farming that is known as Bioponics. Balancing these two techniques might seem to be difficult as each appears to be significantly unique in its own way.
The hydroponic system is a soilless method of growing plants as they grow in water using a mineral solution. While the organic method does not use any additive solutions or chemicals to feed the plants, in this method, the plants rely on the natural nutrients that the soil provides.
Bioponics is also a soilless method like hydroponics, but the difference is the organic production. Where it provides the needed nutrients for the plants from various biological sources; think of it like an organic hydroponic system.
For many, Bioponics is the most sustainable form of agriculture production. The reason being, its usage provides various environmental benefits. Additionally, the product has a better taste, nutrition value, and quality as the best organic soil grown produce would have.
The advantages;
– There is no use of chemical fertilizers with this method
– As it is a soilless production, there will be less land and labor used than soil production
– It uses a closed loop system, which means there is water efficiency with this method. It also requires less water usage than the hydroponics system
– There are higher levels of minerals and nutrients, which are very essential for the human body. As a result, this provides optimum performance and health
– There is a considerable amount of reduced waste as the process recycles the nutrients into a liquid fertilizer
– This method has proven to be a more affordable method for many to start as it requires just a few labor hours and very little water to grow the plants than the alternative process which is the hydroponics system
The Bioponic system can easily be incorporated into other food techniques. That is, it can make the aquaponics system more sustainable. By allowing the system to supply much needed feed and raise the fish. Accordingly, this will eliminate the dependency on the manufactured feed sources for the system to be successful. Thus, this new system is a perfect representation of how it is possible to combine the existing techniques with a biological process.
All this in the name of providing sustainable solutions that can address the global challenges that most face. Like the lack of adequate water or land or even the issue of waste in the environment. All the while, it is still able to produce much healthier organic food. The method might sound a little technical for some, but the benefits it can offer in the long run is worth taking a few moments to incorporate into our systems.
Common Mistakes
Entering this new world of hydroponics can be rewarding and fun. I mean growing produce without the use of soil is actually an adventurous journey. The reason being, it will involve less labor and space, the system is able to manage pests and offer more advantages to gardening the traditional way. Just like any new project you get into you are bound to run into some problems.
So let’s help you try and avoid some of the common mistakes that many gardeners run into. The hydroponic system is not as easy as it might sound. Thus, it is essential that you gather the needed intelligence about the system before you set up.
Having inadequate or even improper information could lead to the failure of your system. The biggest mistake that you would make as a new gardener is cutting down the crops when it is too early. Some plants tend to go from the seed to harvest in a few weeks, and some might try and test your patience. So try and ensure you allow the crops to grow to their fullest potential.
To have your plants properly grow in the hydroponic system and let each crop grow to its optimal height then adequate lighting will be needed. Or just as simple as your crops go through photosynthesis you can’t escape providing the required light.
Yes, water is the one most important element in growing your plants, but this does not mean that you should over water them. With continuous saturation on your plants will make the leaves drop. As a result, this will slow down their growth. Improper monitoring of the pH level is another common mistake that most growers make. Improper monitoring of the pH level will kill your plants over time.
No need to have your plants wither away, thus it is vital to maintaining the optimal level. In order to obtain healthy plant growth, there needs to be proper ventilation in the room. So you need to ensure the room has sufficient air circulation in the cultivating room.
Not having improper air circulation in your grow room will lead to the deterioration of your plant’s health. Having an unhygienic growing climate is another common mistake that growers make. Some of the unsanitary practices at this point are things like dead plant matter, wet floors, having debris in your grow room, your equipment not sterilized correctly, I mean the list is endless.
The unhygienic environment is definitely not good for your hydroponic system. If you do anything in excess it is not good; the same thing applies to feeding your plants. So if you give very high doses of fertilizer to your plants, it will lead to fungus or salt deposits witnessed on your plants.
All this will accumulate on the growing medium, as a result stunting the growth of your crops. Ensure to read the label instructions before using any fertilizer.
Most problems that you encounter in the hydroponic garden can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. But one thing that could be frustrating as a gardener, is both the newbie and the professional are experiencing a strange problem.
Therefore, when trying to troubleshoot such an occurrence can be a difficult task. There could be multiple causes, especially, if you are trying to handle more than one problem at a time. Troubleshooting skills in hydroponics will improve with time and also with experience.
The new gardeners could try to tackle problems such as mice infestation, which you might find simple as a more seasoned grower. Humidity is actually an environmental factor which will need your immediate attention to troubleshoot. In the event of low humidity, it may lead to leaf burn if your plants are not able to absorb the much needed water fast enough, to replace what has been lost.
While high humidity can cause fungal outbreaks to your crops. This is just an example of how humidity disorders could affect your garden. When the humidity level is high, transpiration on plants is reduced. There might be enough calcium level in your nutrient solution but at this time your plant is not able to transport it up to the plant tissue that is developing, thus, leading to leaf burning in your crops.
Ensure proper humidity levels are achieved, that is having it at about 70% to 75%, and further increase the airflow to help your plants transpire effectively. Having disease and pest control products is essential for growing healthy plants; these products could also lead to few damages in your system. Having spray damage in plants that are grown indoors is a common occurrence than most of us are aware of.
But the symptoms are attributed to a different source. Anything that would be sprayed to the plant foliage has the potential for causing damage to your leaves, anything being something as simple as water. All this depends on the environmental conditions from the thickness of the leaf, plant health, and the stage of growth your plant is at.
So when using any kind of spray compound, it is advisable that you first try on a few leaves at a time. Then wait a few days and see if any damage might arise. Superbugs with resistance are another common problem witnessed by most gardeners. You might start to notice a compound or spray that kills the bugs before it is no longer effective.
As a result, it leads to an explosion of pests on your crops. Most of the spray compounds that we use should not be applied more than three times to your garden in an entire growing season. The reason being, some bugs will start building a genetic resistance to the spray compound. So you need to switch it up a little. These are the common problems that most growers face.
