Types of System for Both Home Use and Commercial Facilities

CROP PRODUCTION

Hydroponics Technologies

Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants using soilless media in water through which nutrients are absorbed.

Types of system for both home use and commercial facilities:

Ø  Nutrient Film Technique (NFT): Using a plastic gutter channel system to house plants, a stream of enriched fish culture water or other means of fertilized water, passes through and over plant root system delivering essential nutrients for fast growth and optimal production year round.

Ø  Raft or Floating culture: Plants are grown in a floating raft, suspended in a flow through raceway, where enriched fish culture water or other means of fertilized water, continuously passes through. This method allows for easy transplant to harvest, due to the natural flow.

Ø  Bucket culture: Fruiting vine crops grown in a container with media that allows for adequate absorption of moisture and nutrients. Nutrients are delivered in small doses to optimize growth, conserve water and optimize nutrients.

Ø  Tower systems: Can be purchased or simply made with 5 gallon buckets for home use or 55 gallon drums for larger production. These systems need little space because of the vertical design, allowing for production of leafy greens, strawberries and herbs.

Things to Consider:

Ø  Pest are managed by implementing Integrated Pest Management (IMP), this includes continually monitoring pest levels and treating with biologics, such as lady bugs, nematodes or white wasps. Use of organic sprays, such as sodium bi-carbonate (baking soda) for mildew control, may also be utilized to insure highest quality of crops.

Ø  Hydroponics systems are best to be housed in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in which water and air temperature, humidity and light, are monitored and adjusted for optimal growth of crops.

Ø  Growing areas are cooled by low energy, passive air flow roof venting, and are monitored and controlled automatically. Greenhouse covering should be selected for optimal sunlight transfer.

Ø  Select crops based upon growing cycles, demand in market or household demand, and crops most suitable for this type of propagation. Crops of interest (but not limited to) are the following: several lettuces, herbs (mint, upland cress, basil, etc.), micro greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aquatic ornamentals.

Ø  A combination of year round production, short rotation cycles, and culture controlled environment allow for the ability to change crops based on market needs or personal needs. It is important to design or buy a system with the latitude to change isolated plant production areas in the case of treatments. For best results, use highest quality, organic supplements and seed stock in propagation of all plant stock.

Lettuce Cycle:

1 to 3 seeds Baking Pan Moving plants 21 to 28 days

10 to 14 days to growing system to harvest