How Planners can support Hydroponics By Taylor Szabo

What are hydroponics? 1937, formed in English from hydro- + -ponics, from Greek ponein "to labor, Growing plants in nutrient rich waters without soil is known as hydroponics. Environment with controlled conditions of light, temperature, and humidity. sand, sawdust, lava rocks, & gravel can also be used along with the enriched water.

But how can plants grow without soil? The growth of a plant depends on water, nutrients, & sunlight. nutrient solution = Macronutrients=nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), & magnesium (Mg). Micronutrients= iron (Fe), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), boron (B), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and molybdenum (Mo). photosynthesis =sunlight + chlorophyll carbon dioxide & water =glucose & oxygen 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2

Basic Hydroponic system

Exploration of hydroponics

Early History. Way back in the day ● Hydroponics is as ancient as the pyramids. ● Floating gardens of the Aztecs of America were driven onto the marshy shore of Lake Tenochtitlan ● A primitive form has been carried on in Kashmir for centuries. ● located in the great central valley of what is now Mexico. ● believed to have started in Babylon with its famous Hanging Gardens ● One of the Seven Wonders of the World ● rafts made of rushes & reeds, called Chinampas ● Layed sand from shallow end of the lake onto the rafts ● roots of these plants would grow through the floor of the raft & down into the water. ● abundant crops of vegetables, flowers, and even trees planted on them.

History ● 1600 ● Belgian Jan van Helmont ● Wanted to prove what plants actually need to grow. ● 1860 Professor Julius von Sachs created the first dissolvable nutrient solution ● This was the origin of "Nutriculture". ● Nutriculture, chemiculture, & aquaculture =terms, used during 1920 s & 1930 s to describe soilless culture. ● After extensive research between 1925 and 1935, Nutriculture intervened into large -scale crop production.

radishes, hydroponically grown at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

6 different types of hydroponics 1. Aeroponics 2. Drip Growing Systems 3. Wick system 4. Water Culture 5. Ebb & Flow 6. Nutrient Film System

Aeroponics ● referred to as Fogponics ● the roots are not suspended in water but hang in the air where they receive a nutrient-rich growing medium via misting. ● Excellent for tomatoes, herbs, potatoes & chile peppers ● beneficial because soil-borne pathogens are entirely avoided

Drip Growing Systems ● most common & simplest form ● some systems recover & recycle the excess nutrient solution from the reservoir. ● other systems use a controlled timer ● slowly releases nutrient solution via nutrient pump onto the base of each plant through a small drip line.

Wick System ● easiest hydroponic system ● involves no moving parts. ● “self-watering” ● uses a variety of growing media ● the nutrient solution gets released onto the growing tray ● delivered to the roots through a wick.

Water Culture System ● Commonly found in classrooms but also conventionally ● easy & inexpensive ● plant roots are suspended on a floating Styrofoam platform over a reserve of water ● Nutrient solution & oxygen is pumped into the reserve & then soaked up by roots

Ebb & Flow ● has been used for years & works well ● gravel based ebb / flow (flood and drain) type systems were the most common commercially available systems ● plants are watered from the bottom through the drain holes in the pots. ● Individual potted plants are organized on a “drain table” in a few inches of water ● sporadic doses of nutrient solution is pumped in & floods the bed ● excess solution drains after a few minutes

Nutrient Film System ● Basically what we saw at Greensgrow ● continuous nutrient flow ● doesn’t require a timer ● nutrient solution is pumped over the plant roots onto a grow tray ● drained into a reservoir ● plants are typically grown in small pots ● roots suspended into the nutrient solution without any additional growing medium other than air

Common Locations of Hydroponics ● Very affluent in Urban areas ● common in locally depressed areas ● Urban Hydroponic farms are typically found in huge warehouses ● Also commonly grown in Greenhouses ● popularity has been steadily rising in rural areas

Benefits of Hydroponics Much greater crop yields smaller roots= more plants in the same area =more yield from the same amount of ground Far less expensive than Why choose hydroponics over traditional farming Soil-borne pests & diseases are immediately eliminated weeds are virtually non-existent. traditional farming Better for the environment less chemicals & pesticides ** the labor involved in tending to the plants is reduced. 86% less water used than traditional farming (ironic)**

Application of Hydroponics ● Commercial growers interest in hydroponics is rapidly increasing. ● Anything can grow hydroponically ● Most common crops grown by ● the most lucrative farming method due to how many aspects it satisfies. commercial growers are ● salad greens ● step forward to ending world hunger ● tomatoes ● making the world greener/cleaner). ● potatoes ● peas ● ambitious individuals are striving to make their dreams come true by making their living in their backyard greenhouse, selling their produce to local markets and restaurants. ● peppers

Bright. Farms ● Bright. Farms Inc - 21 W 46 th Street, Suite 1109, New York, NY 10036 USA ● finances, designs, builds & operates greenhouse farms, cutting time, distance, and cost from the produce supply chain. ● inspiration by desire to grow food in the same communities where it’s consumed ● Mission to grow food that’s fresher, tastier, & better for the environment. Farms of Bright. Farms ● ● Kansas City, MO Bucks County, PA Elkwood, VA Rochelle, IL

Current situation of Agriculture As the population grows, our food system is becoming less efficient & producing fewer fresh vegetables. ● Food is being commercially grown through the use of tractors, trucks, oils, fertilizers & other factors that are contributing to the pollution in our environment. ● When the price of energy increases, the price of food also increases. ● Farmers are finding it to be more difficult to maintain growing fresh vegetables in a natural way due to unpredictable outcome of the crop yield. ● This is having an impact on our society & how we value food. Bright. Farm’s Solution to the Current Situation of Agriculture ● “Bright. Farms’ mission is to improve the environmental impact of the food supply chain and increase the relative consumption of whole and fresh foods, ” ● “By building greenhouses at or near supermarkets, we’re growing year-round local produce that prioritizes our farmers, our food quality, our health, and our environment, ”

How Planners can support Hydroponics How it stimulates the economy ● Hydroponic farms in locally depressed, highly populated areas= ● Planners will not only satisfy the demand for fresh food but also create more jobs available to the people in the area. Community Health ● large impact on the social and emotional well-being of individuals. ● Individuals report to have decreased levels of stress and better overall mental health when interacting with nature. ● Urban gardens are thought to be relaxing & calming, ● a space of retreat in densely populated urban areas

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http: //www. simplyhydro. com/system. htm http: //www. homehydrosystems. com/hydroponic-systems/systems. html http: //www. simplyhydro. com/whatis. htm http: //www. explainthatstuff. com/hydroponics. html http: //www. rain. org/global-garden/hydroponics-history. html history http: //www. urbangardensweb. com/2014/01/14/six-kinds-of-hydroponic-gardening-systems-and-hydroponicplanters/ history

https: //www. google. com/search? q=EARLY+HYDROPONIC&source=lnms&tbm=is ch&sa=X&ved=0 ah. UKEwj. Rxz 1 h. NLJAh. WDOSYKHU 0 XCRIQ_AUIByg. B&biw=1080&bih=632#imgrc=m. Wx. UZP 2 DLK 08 M%3 A https: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Urban_agriculture