In the article "Water, a Limited Resource: How to Preserve It with Urban Agriculture", we delved into the importance of preserving water for our well-being and the planet. If you are sensitive to this issue, you should know that there are innovative farming techniques that allow for careful water consumption. Today, we want to talk to you about soilless farming. It's a sustainable and innovative practice that is becoming increasingly popular among urban farmers worldwide due to its numerous advantages over traditional farming. In this article, we will explore soilless farming techniques and discover the main benefits and applications of this innovative practice.
Soilless farming: what is and how does it work
Soilless farming is an innovative agricultural technique that, as the name suggests, involves growing plants without using soil. Instead, plants are cultivated through the support of water and essential nutrients. There are several types of soilless farming, with the two main ones being:
- Aeroponics: In this method, plant roots remain suspended in the air and are regularly misted with a solution of nutrients. This method allows the roots to receive sufficient oxygen for growth and provides high precision in delivering vital substances directly to the root zones of the plant.
- Hydroponics: Plant roots are submerged in a nutrient-rich solution essential for plant growth and development. This allows plants to easily absorb all the necessary nutrients, resulting in faster growth compared to traditional soil cultivation.
Advantages and benefits of soilless farming
Thanks to its numerous advantages, soilless farming is poised to be one of the primary alternatives to traditional agriculture. Here are some benefits:
- You can achieve bountiful and high-quality harvests with a lower environmental impact.
- You can control factors such as temperature, humidity, and nutrients, providing greater flexibility in choosing the crops to plant.
- The need for large spaces and land is reduced, eliminating or greatly reducing the risk of pests or diseases that could compromise crops.
In general, thanks to hydroponic and aeroponic cultivation techniques, the primary advantage is a significant reduction in water use and waste, with positive effects on the environment and climate. But today, we want to suggest a practical and sustainable way for you to do your part in water conservation: vertical farming.
Reducing water waste with Poty, the vertical garden by Hexagro
Vertical farming is considered by many as the frontier of future agriculture, and there is a constant increase in the use of this practice not only on an industrial level but also in urban settings. With the prospect of a growing urban population, many players are developing vertical gardens to grow fresh produce on their balconies.
One of these is Poty, the small, compact, and automated vertical garden by Hexagro. Here are some of Poty's features:
- Takes up little space and can be easily moved.
- Equipped with automatic irrigation, using a drip irrigation system that leads to considerable water savings. This fertigation method can save 60% more water compared to traditional soil-based cultivation methods.
- Eco-friendly due to its sustainable materials.
- Connected to the Hexbee App to teach you how to grow correctly.
Soilless and vertical farming are forms of agriculture that offer significant advantages and can truly come to the aid of some of the main challenges of modern agriculture. By reducing the need for water and extensive land use, they offer great opportunities for farmers looking for innovative and eco-friendly solutions to increase their productivity.
These revolutionary techniques could change the way we envision the agriculture of the future, allowing us to grow food without soil and with limited water resources.
These cultivation methods not only allow you to save water but also reduce emissions related to food transportation. With Poty on your balcony, you will have direct access to fresh, healthy, locally grown vegetables and fruits in the city without the need to buy them at the supermarket.
Discover 7 reasons why farming is easy with Poty!
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