Hydroponic Farming

Sweetwater Growers' herbs and living greens are grown through a method called hydroponics. Hydroponics is the science of growing plants of all kinds using water and a nutrient type mixture rather than in soil.

In a hydroponics system, an inert medium such as perlite or sand is used to anchor the roots and provide the necessary oxygen to the roots. There are numerous hydroponic growing techniques that a grower can use and the choice is typically made by the type of plant being grown. All techniques use water and some sort of nutrient to feed the plants. Sweetwater Growers uses the Nutrient Film Technique or NFT. This technique uses a sterile growing medium (perlite in our case) placed in a long tray in which a thin layer of water containing exactly what the plants need in nutrients flows from one end to the other and is continuously recycled. The nutrients and PH levels are closely monitored and adjusted daily to ensure that the plants get exactly what they need at all times.

Controlling the important variables related to plant growth encourages superior crop results. The development of greenhouses was an important step years ago toward better control of the growing environment. Optimization of temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels has been shown to significantly stimulate growth and productivity. While a greenhouse permits better control of a plant’s environment above the roots, hydroponics addresses the well being of the root themselves and the nutrients that they absorb. The ability to supply ideal nutrient mixtures for each particular crop and the continuous control of pH and dissolved salt levels insures optimum feeding of a plant from seedling to harvest.

Generally, it is safe to say that plants grown hydroponically are far more efficient in the amount of water required, are more productive, healthier, can be planted in greater densities, and grow faster than plants grown in traditional soil environments. This is not the result of any new phenomenon, but rather a direct result of continuously supplying the plant with only optimum conditions; something that is nearly impossible in a soil-based system. In any situation, the more variables a person can control, the more one can expect to achieve desired results. Hydroponic growing provides the ability to COMPLETELY control a plant’s environment. It is not, however, without the influence of modem technology that this total control can successfully be achieved on a consistent basis.

Anyone interested in learning more about hydroponics or possibly interested in building a hobby hydroponic greenhouse can call us at Sweetwater Growers Inc., we will be happy to talk with you.

Hydroponic Farming Photos