Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the growth of plants without soil.

How are they growing plants without soil? Well instead of dirt they use water.

But isn’t too much water bad for plants? In most cases, yes, an oversaturation of water can cause a plant to “drown” and die.

Hydroponics is different though.

The water used in hydroponics has nutrients added to it. These nutrients are how the plants get what it needs to stay healthy. They are what plants normally get from the soil.

Depending on what you’re growing, seeds are placed in something that will hold them still. These growing mediums only hold the plants in place so they don’t get washed away. They do not typically provide anything to the plant but allow the plant access to the nutrient-rich water. They help to keep the roots of the plant damp, but not too wet! If the plants are too wet they can mold, rot, and die.

Chuck Fenster of Fenster Farms in Somerville, Tennessee grows his produce hydroponically. He currently has a 3000 square foot greenhouse dedicated to leafy greens (mostly lettuces) and strawberries with an NFT hydroponic system. NFT stands for Nutrient Film Technique, it gives the plants' roots constant access to water, nutrients, and oxygen. Plants grow in a shallow 'film' of moving nutrient solution. Mr. Fenster also has about 1600 linear feet of 2 greenhouses in that configuration used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers squash, and peppers. In all, he has three greenhouses for his hydroponics operation!

Mr. Fenster uses Oasis as his one of his growing bases. It is made of a potato starch and can be composted. It is also pH neutral and is superior when germinating seeds. When he started 8 years ago, he was using a hydroponics system called a “Dutch bucket” system for his tomatoes and cucumbers. As of today he uses, a series of raised beds for his tomatoes. In those beds, he uses organic mediums as a soil substitute. It consists of leaf mold compost, horse manure, Parboiled Rice Hulls, peat moss, and some sand.

Hydroponics is a cool alternative to traditional farming methods. Plants seem to grow faster and appear healthier. Depending on the system, there can also be a higher turn around on crops produced. Most systems also recycle the water used only by adding more nutrients as needed. Since hydroponics are done in a temperature controlled area there is no need for pesticides or herbicides. While there might be some algae or salt build-up there aren't any weeds to pull.

We at Cypress Magazine would like to give a big thank you to Mr. Chuck Fenster at Fenster Farms for telling us more about hydroponic systems!