If you’re new to the world of agriculture and growing plants, then you might be hearing about aeroponics for the first time. Unlike traditional farming methods, aeroponics is one of the soilless farming methods out there.
With this method, you can grow your plants without soil and get better results. It has been shown that aeroponics provides better crop yield when compared to traditional farming and even other types of modern farming methods that do not require soil.
In this article, we are going to discuss aeroponics, what it is and why it should be the best option for every grower looking to make the best profits and save on the costs of production.
5 Reasons Why Aeroponics Should be Promoted
Aeroponics is one of the latest farming methods that come with a lot of benefits. For farmers and consumers alike, here are some of the reasons why it should be promoted
1. Reduced chance of disease
With indoor hydroponics systems, plants are less prone to diseases, mold, or other infections. One of the main reasons for this is that the plants stay completely dry and only get wet when they receive nutrients that they would absorb.
In aeroponics, the nutrient solutions sprayed on the plants can be recycled. They also go through proper filtration which completely eliminates the chance of diseases.
2. Pesticide-free
The use of pesticides in soil farming has been a menace. Used in high amounts, it tends to be problematic for humans. With aeroponics, there is no need for pesticides.
The system can be managed without having to worry about pests as it is an indoor farming technique. This means regular farm pests won’t affect the system or cause harm.
3. Easy to Maintain
Aeroponics is usually very easy to maintain. The only thing that the farmer has to worry about is the nozzles getting clogged with foreign particles or minerals from the solution.
Maintaining the nutrient solution in aeroponics won’t be a problem. In the end, the process doesn’t need much maintenance as soil-based farming.
4. Grow Plants all Year Round
With aeroponics, there is nothing that stops you from growing fresh vegetables anytime you want. This is one of the main reasons why the system should be promoted.
With regular farming methods, the winter season would pose a problem for your crops. Aeroponics is done indoors and would still give you stunning results as you get to control the factors that affect its growth
5. Saves Space
When it comes to aeroponics, you won’t require a lot of space to grow your crops. You can grow up to 100 plants in a small space and not have to worry about overcrowding.
Methods like tower gardens allow you to stack the plants vertically and get more space than you ever would if you were farming on the soil.
What is Aeroponics?
In scientific terms, aeroponics is the science and technology of growing plants using air or a mist environment. With aeroponics, growers won’t have to depend on the soil to grow food and it makes use of less land.
In the aeroponics system, the plant would be suspended in the air inside a container that is fully closed or semi-closed. Aeroponics plants are usually grown indoors or in a greenhouse in a closed, controlled environment where the amount of light, air, and nutrient-filled water spray, can be controlled and to be fed into the plant.
Plants in the aeroponics system are less prone to pests and diseases. The nutrients required for the plant’s growth are provided by spraying the plant’s roots and lower stem with an atomized or sprayed, nutrient-rich water solution. this makes it easier for them to absorb the necessary nutrients,
Different Aeroponic Systems and Techniques
There are different types of aeroponic systems that determine the success of the grown plants. Below are the most common systems.
Low-Pressure Aeroponics (LPA) Systems
LPA systems are more affordable and cost-efficient making them a better choice for DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists.
As the name implies, these, LPA systems can work with low-pressure pumps similar to those used in aquariums.
In the low-pressure system, there is no reliance on atomizing the water droplets, instead, the system makes use of a longer watering cycle to thoroughly wet the roots. After that, it allows the roots to uptake the nutrients. Depending on the system, the plants involved, and the scale of the farm, a common cycle time would run for 5 minutes and then rest for 12 minutes.
LPA is an easy method that doesn’t require much maintenance and won’t a high mechanical skillset. With this system, you are less likely to worry about clogging misters and there are no high-pressure fittings that will fail and cause your problems.
In the aeroponics system, the Low-Pressure system tends to be more successful with Tower Garden vertical aeroponics.
High-Pressure Aeroponics (HPA) Systems
High-pressure aeroponics uses powerful pumps so they are able to optimize the droplet sizes down to micron levels. This process is actually more expensive but it is also more efficient and makes use of less water. These systems are usually limited to large-scale production.
The plants’ roots in the high-pressure system are usually much thinner and more branched than those in other systems due to the small mist droplet sizes used to feed the plants.
High-pressure systems feature roots of different colors and shapes. Normally, regular roots of plants tend to be rigid and yellowish in color. In HPA systems, these roots tend to be white with tiny fluffy root hairs. These features actually indicate that the system is in good working condition and that the plants are healthy.
Fogponic Systems
Fogponic is one of the latest methods used in aeroponics. Unlike other methods, it does not make use of mister or pumps to deliver water to the roots of the plants.
Rather, it uses ultrasonic technology. This technology will vibrate the water in ultra-high frequencies causing millions of micro explosions which turn the water turn into fog. Within the fog are super small water droplets of 1 micron or even smaller. These droplets are easy for the plants to absorb making the process a lot more efficient than other means of aeroponics.