{"id":15221,"date":"2021-06-18T12:59:56","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T02:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/?p=15221"},"modified":"2025-10-30T21:07:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:07:25","slug":"have-you-considered-growing-a-hydroponic-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/2021\/06\/18\/have-you-considered-growing-a-hydroponic-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Have you considered growing a hydroponic garden?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The pandemic led countless people to reconsider how they cook, eat, and procure food. Many homeowners started gardens both to expand their supply and connect with their communities. Whatever the method, many began looking for ways to increase and enrich what they normally eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google searches for the term \u201chome farming\u201d jumped 50 percent in March last year. Searches for \u201cHow to raise chickens\u201d spiked 75 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, people also discovered that raising homegrown food has its vexations, too. Gardening means dealing with everything from pests, plant diseases, to seasonal shifts. That is, unless you grow plants hydroponically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

\"The
The pandemic led countless people to reconsider how they cook, eat, and procure food.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\n

Growing Food Without Soil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To grow plants hydroponically is to grow them without soil. People have long associated the technology with growing cannabis. In fact, just saying the word hydroponics will induce smirks in a great many folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in recent years, various companies have come along to give gardeners a high-tech way to raise homegrown vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, many hydroponic gardeners grow produce like bell peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes from the confines of their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s striking about hydroponic systems is that they don\u2019t require much at all. All you need are a bin filled with water, nutrients, and LED lights<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to buy a whole system. But many of the systems on the market are aesthetically pleasing<\/a>. Most are meant to be part of your home<\/a>, not hidden away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most are horizontal. They have a planter bed that you drop seed pods into. A pump<\/a> delivers water and nutrients to the seeds, and LED lights mimic the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some systems are vertical<\/a>. Large systems typically start at around $400, but many small systems<\/a> will cost round $100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

\"Many
Many of the hydroponic systems on the market are aesthetically pleasing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\n

Fresh vegetables and herbs are just better.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many gardeners use hydroponic systems to supplement their outdoor harvests. Hank Adams, founder and CEO of Rise Gardens, says food lovers appreciate the systems, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverybody knows that fresh ingredients are better,\u201d Adams told Wired recently. \u201cThey taste better, and what may be less well known is just how much more nutrient-dense they are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The produce that growers ship to grocery stores travel hundreds – or even thousands- of miles, says Adams. Freshly plucked lettuce can be more nutritious. It tastes better when it’s been freshly snipped, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

\"Many
Many gardeners use hydroponic systems to supplement their outdoor harvests.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\n

Teresa Edmisten, an architect from Atlanta, appreciates the aroma of fresh vegetables from her hydroponic system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hers is more utilitarian, she says, but it effectively grows basil. She and her husband frequently turn the basil into pesto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDepending on the varieties you do, those leaves are luscious,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd the smell is ridiculously beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gardening for Food and Aesthetics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hydroponic systems are not what they used to be. They no longer have the look of a science experiment. Manufacturers design structures that you\u2019d actually want decorating your home<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Rise, Adams worked with industrial designers to create systems made of polished metal and real wood. They went through seven prototypes before settling on a model that can double as a piece of furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their systems are modular. They allow users to stack up to three tiers of gardens. The top tier has a hard surface that can serve as a table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s minimalist because we wanted plants to be the stars of the show,\u201d says Adams. \u201cBut it’s still a physical structure that has some size to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hydroponic
Hydroponic systems are not what they used to be.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hydroponics for Big and Small Spaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don’t need a suburban house with a lot of space in order to have a hydroponic gardening system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Marsh, a gardening enthusiast from of Sonoma County, California, always loved the feel of soil on her fingertips. But in 2019 she and her fianc\u00e9 moved to a townhouse with a tiny concrete slab for a backyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As lockdowns in California extended into the month of May, Marsh read about the surge in gardens. Like many, she felt the urge to plant her own. But her only real option was a hydroponic system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was completely against it at first,\u201d she said, adding that it just didn\u2019t seem like real gardening. Reluctantly, Marsh purchased a ready-made hydroponic kit<\/a> online. \u201cNow it\u2019s just my favorite thing,\u201d she tells the New York Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If space is just too tight, there are tabletop hydroponic kits, too. Rise has a personal garden system that grows 12 plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others include Vivosun\u2019s Indoor Smart Garden Plant Kit<\/a>, which grows 12 plants, as well. There is also Aerogarden\u2019s Black Harvest<\/a> which grows 6 plants, excellent for kitchen herbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, these smaller systems won’t replace the produce you buy at the grocery store. But they’re a good way to supplement the vegetables and herbs you purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n<!– wp:common\/insert-amalinkspro-shortcode {"shortcode":"[amalinkspro type=\\u0022cta-btn-css\\u0022 apilink=\\u0022u002[lasso\\u0022 amazon_url=\\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07CKK8Z78?tag=theownebuilne-20\\u0026linkCode=osi\\u0026th=1\\u0026psc=1\\u0022 link_id=\\u00225367\\u0022]addtocart=\\u0022false\\u0022 new-window=\\u0022true\\u0022 nofollow=\\u0022true\\u0022 alignment=\\u0022aligncenter\\u0022 link_id=\\u0022784\\u0022]<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

\"Aerogarden\u2019s
Aerogarden\u2019s Black Harvest grows 6 plants and is excellent for kitchen herbs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\n

Plants are good for you in more ways than one.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spending so much time at home has made people rethink indoor spaces. We\u2019re surrounded by square shapes and hard lines. Whether we know it or not, this has our brains longing for something more natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why more people are turning to \u201cbiophilic\u201d or \u201clove of life\u201d – design. This type of design concept<\/a> focuses on incorporating nature into indoor spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are certain patterns and forms and sights and sounds that we encounter in the natural world that give us a positive physiological response,\u201d explains Jennifer Bissonnette, the interim director of RISD\u2019s Nature Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include anything the smell of fresh herbs to the sound of a running brook. Biophilic design uses these elements in indoor settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, they help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve overall happiness, says Bissonnette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no doubt that hydroponic plant owners are \u201cplant parents,\u201d too. They share the same profound natural connection with their wards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hydroponic systems don’t necessarily require the same amount of daily attention that a houseplant might. But engaging with plants nonetheless makes us feel connected to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to have it in your living environment, but there’s something about engaging with another living thing and understanding that you’re in a relationship with it,\u201d says Bissonnette. \u201cI think that’s a marvelous thing for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, checking on her plants has become part of Edmisten\u2019s daily routine. She says it makes her feel grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a focused escape,\u201d she says. \u201cThe escape isn’t going somewhere else; it’s getting connected to where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

\"Hydroponic
Hydroponic plant owners are \u201cplant parents,\u201d too.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\n

Faster Harvests with a Tech Twist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do you want to grow food quickly? Many plants grow faster when raised hydroponically. These include turnips, spinach, and Swiss chard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, some are ready for harvest 30 to 50 percent faster than they would be if you grew them in soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Westen Johnson, a co-founder of the company, Soilless, says this is because hydroponics supply nutrients direct to the roots. \u201cYou can have a smaller garden and still produce a lot more food with it,\u201d says Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the systems even connect with apps that make it easier for you to grow healthy plants. Rise, for example, has users enter which plants they\u2019re growing on an app. The app tracks the water levels, pH balance, and sets the lighting schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe tell you when to do it, how to do it, how much,\u201d says Adams. :You really don’t need to be techie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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People have long associated the technology with growing cannabis. In fact, just saying the word hydroponics will induce smirks in a great many folks. But now, many hydroponic gardeners grow produce like bell peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes from the confines of their homes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13557,"featured_media":15223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Grow fresh tomatoes, peppers & lettuce at home year-round with hydroponics. No soil needed! Discover how this indoor gardening method works.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sma_last_campaign_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,528,155,24],"tags":[406,542,541],"class_list":["post-15221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colourful-gardens","category-gardening-equipment-and-tools","category-indoor-gardens","category-vegetables","tag-homegrown","tag-hydroponic-garden","tag-hydroponics"],"modified_by":"Freddie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13557"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}