When it comes to hydroponics and soil, many people wonder which option is the solution for them. There are many benefits of each, but hydroponics might win when it comes to DIY home gardening. Let’s find out more about this topic and what products might work best.
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Hydroponic vs. Soil – Pros and Cons
Pros of Hydroponics
- Easier nutrient dosing
- Easy to automate the process
- More visually appealing
- Doesn’t need as much space
- No pests to worry about
- Detect issues earlier
- Larger yields
- Faster growth cycle
Cons of Hydroponics
- High upfront costs
- Takes more time initially
- Must purchase and use nutrients
- Water chemistry must be monitored
- The pH of the water must be monitored and balanced
Pros of Soil
- Might get a better flavor (edibles)
- More forgiving for busy people
- Can naturally adjust itself
- Lower upfront costs
Cons of Soil
- Smaller yields
- Larger space required
- Requires more work in the beginning
- Can get pest issues
- Longer or slower growing cycle
Why Is Hydroponic Gardening Better Than Soil Gardening?
Here are the top reasons why hydroponic gardening is better than soil-based gardens:
1. Space Savings
When you’re dealing with a vertical hydroponic garden, you can save a lot of space. This is the main reason why there’s a high demand for such systems. Growing vertically means that you don’t take up as much space in your room, and traditional soil methods do so. In fact, it’s more efficient and just plain smarter for most gardeners.
2. Hydroponics Saves Water
You can use the hydroponic growing technique in places with arid and dry climates, such as deserts, or when salt water might affect growing capabilities. That’s a game-changer for many people and countries. You don’t have to dump water over the soil, which often goes to grass and other things.
Hydroponics utilizes a recirculating nutrient reservoir. Therefore, the plant roots only take what they need, leaving the rest to use later. It’s covered, so you don’t have to worry about evaporation or seepage from the bottom.
3. Faster Results
Your plants often grow faster in a hydroponic environment. It’s generally between 30 to 50 percent quicker than soil-grown plants using the same conditions.
4. Fewer Pests and Diseases
Plants grown off the ground aren’t as susceptible to disease and pests. When you eliminate the soil, you avoid many problems. In fact, healthy plants rarely get attacked like unhealthy ones. The pests gravitate to weaker varieties. There are fewer vulnerable plants with hydroponics.
5. Double-headed Time Savings
Many gardeners feel this is the top reason to choose a hydroponic growth method. Growing hydroponically saves time because you don’t have to water, weed, or control pests. However, the plant grows faster, too!
You could squeeze in a few more harvest cycles and can actually watch your plants strengthen and grow!
6. You Get to Become a Guerilla Scientist
Since you have more control over the growing environment, you can learn what to do. Tweak the variables to see how plants react and customize the space to whatever you want to grow. Some products, like the Growee system, help you figure out the adjustments to make effortlessly. However, it’s like solving a puzzle to ensure a great final product.
7. Chemical-Free
Since you don’t have to worry about pests or weeds, it’s a chemical-free way to grow things. You’re not buying sprays that feature chemicals to kill pests and weeds, ensuring that you can have pesticide-free foods and flowers.
8. No Digging & Weeding
You’ve probably had a conventional garden bed before, so you know how time-consuming and annoying it is to deal with weeds. Most people pull them by hand to avoid chemicals, which makes it take even longer.
There’s also the issue of digging in the soil to plant the plants. This is a time-consuming process and can make you very dirty in the end. Hydroponic systems don’t have either of those problems!
9. 80 Percent Better Yields
According to one NASA study and a few others, hydroponic growing techniques have much more power compared to the soil counterparts. You can get much better yields with less effort!
10. Repeatability
Once you’ve got your system set up, you have a winning formula to use repeatedly to produce similar results each time. There’s minimal effort, you can garden in small spaces, and you only need minor tweaks to grow just about anything!
11. Growee Hydroponics Systems Give You EXTREME Control Anytime and Anywhere
Growee is a technology company that has developed WiFi-connected smart automation products for all hydroponic growers. The company was founded by hydroponics growers that shared their passion for urban farming and technology and built Growee for home and commercial growers looking to automate their hydroponics system.
In fact, the Growee Pro Combo helps you get extreme control, regardless of where you are. You’re the master of the plant’s environment and can set up the perfect nutrient mixture, EC and pH range, and dosing schedule. It is designed to help growers to monitor and control nutrient dosing and pH balance from anywhere using the Growee App.
Conclusion
Are you ready to experience everything that hydroponics has to offer? When compared to soil, it’s often the best growing solution for gardeners. Growee wants to help people create a soilless environment and grow plants on the water.
It’s a popular growing method, but it requires round-the-clock care and maintenance. You don’t have to do all the manual labor yourself with Growee. Its products offer automation through WiFi connections. Make changes to nutrition and everything else from your smartphone!
Set your EC/TDS range and inject nutrients when the need arises. Plus, you get automatic pH balancing, live tracking, and automated growth logs to keep track of things. Get Growee and see the difference!
FAQ
Is Hydroponics or Soil Better?
Both options have their advantages, so it primarily depends on your situation. Generally, hydroponics is deemed better because it uses less water and doesn’t require soil. Plus, you can grow things in less space, and the plants often grow faster because you’re controlling the nutrients.
Still, it’s important to think about the added costs for your hydroponic garden, such as electricity. If you require grow lights, expect to pay more on your energy bills.
Do Plants Grow Faster Hydroponically or in Soil?
Generally, they grow faster hydroponically. You can control the conditions to create the perfect space for your plants.
Therefore, hydroponics helps you grow faster. Likewise, you don’t need as much space and can use less water than you think!