| Yields of crops can be three times that of soil growing. In an automatic recirculating system the time required to maintain the plants can be minimal. So you get more crop for less effort! |
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Hydroponics makes very efficient use of resources. Watering plants in a garden environment results in less than 10% of the water applied being used by your plants, the rest evaporates or drains away. When water drains away it takes nutrients with it. This causes pollution and means that more fertiliser must be used. |
Hydroponics can be at least 70% efficient on water. In a recirculating system the water is constantly recycled. All the nutrients put into the system are made available to the plants and so cause no pollution by escaping into the water courses. |
It is easy to see that a grower in a part of the world where water is scarce or transport of fertilisers is difficult would find hydroponics the best option. Everything from strawberries in the desert, to bananas in Achiltibuie is possible. And when it comes to colonising the moon.... |
All this efficiency makes hydroponics attractive to the commercial grower as it cuts the cost of food production. |