Commercial hydroponics farming has grown rapidly in popularity in recent years, despite its small size. This is happening all across the world, but particularly in the United States and Europe.
As breakthroughs are made in commercial hydroponics farming and more people discover the benefits of this way of producing plants, it may get even more mainstream.
What Is Commercial Hydroponics Farming?
This new farming approach relates to the procedure of setting up large farms for wide-scale produce following the basis of hydroponic farming. This is a revolutionary way of gardening and offers various benefits in comparison to regular farming practices.
For one, commercial hydroponics farming is the more realistic alternative for farmers who are trying to develop their production but do not have the requisite land to spare.
Increasing your production in a small space without sacrificing the quality of the products is simple when using commercial hydroponics farming methods. Commercial hydroponic produce is widely acknowledged to be of higher quality than that grown in traditional soil-based methods.
Benefits of Commercial Hydroponics Farming
Here are a few benefits of commercial hydroponics farming, and why it might be the future of farming.
- High-Quality Crops
Traditional farming’s solution has been to harvest food before it is fully ripe, and then let it mature in storage facilities and throughout the distribution chain as it travels from farm to consumer.
At times, ethylene gas is utilized to artificially ripen produce that has been plucked too early. This is essential if traditionally grown products are to reach far-flung consumers.
Food that ripens organically on the plant often has more minerals and greater taste too. Because hydroponic gardens include their own microbiota, these crops may be cultivated just about everywhere.
With such a short distance between the hydroponic farms and consumers’ homes and restaurants, fruits and vegetables can be harvested at their ripest.
You can check out this video to see what a commercial farm looks like in action.
- Climate Control
Whether utilizing a modest hydroponic system to cultivate a few tomatoes on your balcony, or running a hydroponic business, you can eliminate a significant cause of unpredictability in the growth of plants.
Since most hydroponic crops are cultivated both indoors or in conservatories, and all the nutrients and water required are delivered manually, you minimize the unpredictability that comes with unexpected weather.
Even sunshine doesn’t have to be a worry, since artificial grow lights can substitute or augment sunlight. Using grow lights might allow you to promote plant growth all year round.
- Saves Space
The ability to save space is one of the most prominent advantages of hydroponic gardening as your primary way of farming. For the sake of their own survival, plants that are grown in soil extend their roots in search of water and nutrients.
The roots of plants in hydroponic systems do not have to spread out as far to get nutrients because the water in which the plants are submerged already contains nutrients.
Since root growth in a hydroponics system is constrained, crops can be interplanted quite closely.
There are many advantages to employing a hydroponics system rather than traditional farming methods, such as the ability to produce more plants. There are other ways to farm that are more space-efficient, but hydroponic farming is by far the most effective.
- Faster Growth
Faster plant growth is another benefit of commercial hydroponics farming. Hydroponics plants grow 40 to 50 percent rapidly and can produce 30 times far more soil-grown plants.
Control over resources is at your fingertips with hydroponic gardening. As a result, you can give your plants everything they need to thrive while also accelerating their growth rate.
The pH of the water is maintained, and the plants get what they need because all the nutrients are mixed together. Rather than competing for nutrients with other plants, a plant can focus on vegetative development, allowing it to expand more quickly.
Additionally, there are no weeds that interfere with the growth of plants, which aids in their development.
Different Types of Hydroponic Systems
There are no physical barriers between a crop and its nutrients in hydroponics. A direct supply of water, oxygen and nutrients is provided to the roots by this method.
No pesticides or herbicides are needed because there is no soil. Plant disease and exposure to the elements are also less of a concern.
Here are different types of commercial hydroponic farming systems:
- Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
In NFT hydroponics, plant roots are hung above a stream of continually running nutrient solution that gives them the water, nutrients and oxygen they need to maintain quick and healthy plant growth.
Fast-growing and lightweight plants that can be cultivated in a short period of time are ideal for the Nutrient Film Technique.
- Aeroponics
Aeroponic systems use only nutrient-rich mist to feed plants. In a hydroponic system, the roots are placed in a soilless growing media, over which nutrient-rich water is pumped.
Aeroponics eliminates the need for a soil-based growing medium entirely, instead of using misting devices to spray water on the roots while they dangle in the air.
Small pots filled with nutrient-rich mist and light are used in aeroponics systems to “plant” seeds, which are then exposed to the mist and light. As the plants grow, the foam helps to keep the stems and roots in place.
- Deep Water Culture (DWC)
Deep Water Culture hydroponics, simply put, is a method of growing plants that does not make use of substrate media.
Basic DWC systems suspend the roots in an oxygenated, nutrient-rich water solution above a reservoir.
It provides a consistent supply of oxygen, water, and nutrients to the roots.
Oxygen is then supplied by air stones and air pumps. Dissolving bubbles are employed in concert with these components to make sure that the mixture is adequately aerated.
Final Thoughts on Commercial Hydroponics Farming
Choosing the correct commercial hydroponic farming system is essential to the success of commercial hydroponics farming.
Choose a DWC, or NFT if you’re looking for something low-cost and low-maintenance, especially for beginners. For more advanced growers, try aeroponics for increased production and better monitoring systems.
Hydroponic systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It’s critical to do your homework on the best commercial hydroponics farming system, taking into account factors such as cost, plants, and waste.
