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Indoor farming is a concept which is constantly evolving. Increase in demand for food and lack of agricultural space in the cities, enabled the idea to come to life. Unoccupied spaces like empty factories and warehouses are being used to grow greens. The greens are stacked one on top of the other. Indoor farming is also known as vertical farming. Vertical farming has also been adopted by various households in the cities.

Use of Hydroponics

The available spaces in the cities are compensated with patches of green using hydroponics. The plants are grown using a nutrient solution in a water solvent. LEDs or UV rays are used instead of sunlight in order to speed up the plant’s growth. The speed of growth supersedes the traditional method of farming. The plants’ growth is induced by the amount of sunlight not only during the day but also in accordance with the necessity of the growth process. The Hydroponics system contributes to conservation of water by allowing the water to be reused within the system of flow. Indoor farming also saves electricity.

Everything and anything can be grown with the help of vertical farming. Greens, edible flowers and herbs can be grown easily with Hydroponics. The process is cost effective because a bulk amount of food can be grown using indoor farming. Vegetables with roots if grown within the system of vertical farming, using LEDs, the same veggies will result in fast growth. For the sake of the correct amount of light, the LEDs can be turned upside down, which in turn gives off the right amount of light. No, the LEDs do not produce heat, thereby, not causing harm.

When it comes to growing organic seeds, fruits and vegetables, Vertical farming does not cause any threat to the authenticity of the organic type. Pesticides are not required because the probability of pests and insects attacking the produce is not possible. Fertilizers are also not used as the growth conditions remain static in indoor farming. Thus, the quality of freshly home-grown vegetables and plants remain unaffected. 

Traditional farming has more occupational hazards than vertical farming. The exposure to chemicals, or use of heavy equipment might result to situations that might be harmful for the farmer in traditional farming. 

Classification of Hydroponics System

There are six different types of Hydroponics system. The growth of certain vegetables and plants depend on their kind, and the amount of area devoted to their growth.

• Deep Water Culture:
  This type of Hydroponics ensure that the roots of the plant receive adequate nutrients and oxygen. The roots are dipped in the nutrient solution and a diffuser or a stone is used to provide oxygen. This type of farming is good for the growth of plants with big roots.
• Nutrient Film Technique:
  This kind of technique is best suited for plants with small roots. The solution filled water is flown to different plants in different quantities through channels. These channels are a little sloped for the water to flow into it, unto the reservoir. Thus, the roots receive the require nutrients along the way.

Continuous scientific research is being conducted as the idea of Indoor farming is still new. In order to reduce energy and food wastage more emphasis is being given to Hydroponics for a sustainable farming. 

The idea of kitchen gardening is not new to households. We have earlier grown chilies and herbs by the kitchen window to be plucked and put to use, while cooking. Lack of time and space has been a reason for the city dwellers to have not come across it that frequently. Although, in recent times, people have started growing fond of the concept due to its various advantages.  

Advantages of Growing Your Own Food

Kitchen Gardening has its own benefits.

• Ensures Fresh home-grown food, from the farm to the kitchen table.

• No pesticides or insecticides are used.

• Ensures optimum utilization of minimum space.

• It is cost-effective.

• Also, the vegetables that are bought from the market are plucked early and artificially ripened in order to sell, whereas with kitchen gardening you get to decide when to harvest.

Use of Hydroponics system

In traditional method of farming, you have to use soil and get your hands dirty as well as ensure that the plants receive sunlight for six hours a day, adequate space and a means of water supply, every day. The alternative means of farming like Hydroponics rescue urban growers from the antiques of traditional farming.

Hydroponics is the art of growing plants in the absence of soil, in a nutrient-enriched solution dipped in a water solvent. As a source of light, LEDs are used instead of sunlight. Adequate available spaces, lack of pesticides, controlled atmosphere is some of the advantages that one derives along with healthier crops. 

Greens and Fruits grown in Hydroponics system

A small production-sized unit is required for Hydroponics as the name suggests itself that it is farming in water. Large-sized vegetables shouldn’t be considered because they might outdo the production unit.

Leafy greens like spinach, mint, lettuce, basil, cabbage, and vegetables like potato or tomatoes are some of the befitting greens that can be ideally grown in a Hydroponics system.

Potatoes can be grown only if the size is smaller. The starch of potatoes is stored in the roots. Hence, there must be adequate space for the potatoes to grow. Vine veggies like tomatoes peas and beans are also suitable for hydroponics system. Leafy greens such as mint, comes with a lot of varieties. The varieties differ with their ability to grow faster than others. 

Tips to take care of Your Hydroponics System

While you are sowing your plants in the hydroponics system, it is necessary for you to take care of your kits daily. Here are some tips of how you can take care of your patch daily.

• Spray the plants daily because humidity is good for them.
• In a situation where you witness that your nutrient solution has been soaked up, simply add a little water instead of more nutrient solution.
• Make sure that the system does not gets drained or flooded by water as both of them would have an adverse effect on the plants.
• Do keep an eye for pests.
• Control or regulate the room temperature as per requirement.

Taking care of plants can always be a hobby where you get to bear the responsibility for a healthy and sustainable living. Make sure that you take care of your fern babies and cater to all the needs that they require to grow.

Hydroponics is the science of indoor farming in the absence of soil and sunlight. Indoor farming is a boon for urban cultivators in a cityscape to grow their own food at home. All though plants require sunlight to grow, in hydroponics, the plants are equipped with lighting. Usually, the plants that remain outside, receive sunlight for a duration of six hours or more at night. Plants while sleeping at night, undergo metabolism and digestion.

The task of setting up a hydroponics system at home can be quite challenging for a beginner. You will need to provide the same or required amount of light during the day, and night for the plants used in Hydroponics as well. When it comes to indoor farming, there are various options to choose from. All you have to choose is the right size according to your system, and the kind that you want to go for. Plants that are perennial have to have their own tight schedule of lighting and dark hours.

The Hydroponics system comprises different types of plants, that can be grown within the system. The lighting differs with the kind of plants we choose to grow. Not all plants survive or need a high amount of sunlight during the day, some grow in a lesser period of daylight. An electronic timer is essential when it comes to plants in a hydroponics system as different types of plants are grown in one hydroponics system. The garden is maintained properly due to the ability to regulate the necessity of light.

Spinach, lettuce, wheat, potatoes, and turnips are some of the plants that require a high amount of sunlight, that is, eighteen hours a day. These plants require a lot of light in a hydroponic system and resemble plants that bear flowers in summer. There are some plants like strawberries, chrysanthemums, and cauliflowers, which are winter plants that require less sunlight. If these plants are kept under sunlight for a period of more than 12 hours, they won’t bear flowers. Then, there are plants that grow irrespective of the amount of exposure to sunlight. Roses, corn, rice, eggplants are some of the neutral plants that can be grown together using the same amount for 14 hours regularly, together.

A hydroponic lighting system comprises of four parts, namely, a bulb, reflector hood, remote ballast and a timer.

The Bulb

Bulbs with a wattage of 400-600 are most popular when it comes to the hydroponics system. Lights with the discharge of high intensity are used in hydroponics. An electric arc is sent by the bulb between the encased electrodes that produce light. Metal halide and high-pressure sodium are the two types of bulbs available for hydroponics. When it comes to vegetation, metal halides are ideal. When the plants are in their stage of fruition, high-pressured sodium is to be used.

Reflector Hood

This case enacts as a shed surrounding the bulb, so that the plants receive direct light and encapsulates the heat. Usage of these lights ensures saving of electricity and cost of cooling. 

Remote Ballast

Remote Ballast helps the lighting by providing the power to burn. It is expensive, hence, it requires to be handled safely. The remote ballast and the bulb need to be bought together, for the wattage to match.  

Timer

The timer regulates the usage of lights within the hydroponics system. It controls the amount of time, the lights are to be kept on or turned off. The timer can either be manual or electrical. The ones which are manual comprises of plugs and pins that can be attached to a lamp.

Thus, a successful hydroponics system requires the right amount of lighting for a complete production process to grow and harvest food at home.

Tired of consuming vegetables and greens infused with pesticides? Done buying from the market that doesn’t provide you with the choice to go for complete nutrition? Seeking a means to grow your own greens? Hydroponics answers all your questions and worries. Hydroponics is the science of soilless farming. It uses a water solution enriched with minerals for the plants to absorb in. It is a means of gardening where nutrients, sunlight and water are provided for plant growth. The application of the following method ensures that the plants grow faster and receives the right amount of nutrients with its roots dipped in a medium of nutrients.

Advantages of Hydroponic System

The advent of technology has provided adequate aid to home farming techniques. It is a sustainable approach undertaken by urban cultivators. The various advantages of hydroponics are,

1. Hydroponics utilizes minimum space. 
2. The plants receive a continuous flow of required nutrition which enables them to grow 50% faster than traditional soil agriculture.
3. The produce can be harvested throughout the year.
4. Both the environment and agriculture yields are excellent due to the system of Indoor farming.
5. The need for pesticides and herbicides is eliminated with Hydroponics.
6. Minimum consumption of water is what Hydroponic ensures. The used water can be reused in Hydroponics.

About Nutrient Solution
Nutrient solutions contain essential nutrients necessary for the growth of the plants. Nitrogen, potassium and magnesium are primary nutrients required. The secondary nutrients comprise of Sulphur, phosphorus and calcium. You can always opt for buying the nutrient solution from outside. You can also make one as per the requirement of the plants, individually. The nutrient solution also needs micro nutrients such as copper, manganese, zinc and iron. The medium needs to be kept at room temperature, away from the direct light of the sun. You would be able to identify whether the plants are receiving less nutrition or more nutrition, that is, when the leaves turn yellow or they appear burnt or curled in the edges, respectively.


What plants would suit the Hydroponics system?
Any plant can be grown within the hydroponics system. Yet, the ones that adapts to the moisture and does not outgrow the hydroponic structure are ideal. Tomato, capsicum, lettuce, cucumbers and leafy greens are some of the most suitable plants to be grown hydroponically. Factors affecting the hydroponic structure includes, the length of root development, sturdiness of the plant and size of the plants.

Is it possible to construct a Hydroponics system at Home?
The Hydroponics system is readily available in the market or online shops. Indoor farming has become extensively popular for the materials of the system to stay available at the stores. The following ways can be used to construct a potent farming system at home.

• Hydroponic raft:
  Take an empty container such as a fish tank or a bucket, paint it black in order to inhibit the sunlight to enter. Fill in with the required nutrient medium and use an oxygen pump to keep the flow of oxygen going. Use a Styrofoam to top the reservoir and keep spaces for the plants to grow.

• System of Ebb and Flow:

The system of ebb and flow constitutes of a timer, reservoir and submersible pump and a tray of plant. Hoses are used to make the water flow from the water tanks to the plant tray. It is a continuous process of the water being drained into the tank from the plant tray, only to refill it and flow back down due to the gravity.   

Thus, the means to grow your own food is not only easy but also sustainable. With Hydroponics you can grow in larger quantities, with added advantages including conservation of electricity and water.

With the turn of 21 st century, technology has taken over most of the spheres of our lives. From waking up, to travelling, having food, talking over phone, to sleeping, each and every aspect has been touched by advanced science. One of the revolutionary turns took place when technology allowed individuals to grow their own food within the periphery of their home space. Thus, home farming came into being. The fresh-nutritious results are what the new generation strive for while looking for a meal. For the upcoming generation, it is about how healthy the meal is. Junk food are a choice of the past.

Various environmental challenges have risen over the last few years. Right from global warming to the pollution of soil, water and air, has been a contribution of mankind. Shortage of food and water is abundant. While talking about growing food, the primary problem of the vegetables or greens, available in the market are produced using pesticides to fulfill high demands. Organic farming comprises of cultivation of plants and rearing of animals using natural and biological substances, bereft of synthetic additions. Yet, organic farming, unable to meet the higher demand of the market falls behind in terms of farming. Thus, Home
farming is the key when it comes to hassle-free, non-toxic and eco-friendly farming.

Hydroponics is the art of soilless farming, a subset of hydroculture, where plants are grown using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent in the absence of soil. The plants are grown in a controlled environment. Thus, the fear of pests and bugs ravaging through the produce is no longer a worry. The probability of plant diseases gets reduced from carrying it over to the next range of crops. Due to the choice that growers have regarding which seedling is to be planted and grown, the growth of weeds is curtailed when it comes to hydroponics.

This in turn also reduces production cost, if adopted. In Hydroponics, the seedlings are planted by hand thereby weighing out the possibility of weed at all.

Hydroponics being a mean of indoor farming, with controlled temperature and light system, the possibility of crop failure is nil. Also, the plants being immersed in water that contains nutrients, it directly derives the nutrients without having to absorb it from the soil. Absence of sunlight doesn’t affect hydroponic plants. They receive light from LEDs as long as the grower is willing to provide or day and night. Thus, they grow a lot faster than traditional farming. The water and nutrients required by a plant in the process of hydroponics, can be regulated. The desired amount of nutrients required by the plants is mixed with water
solution. It enables the plant to absorb the nutrients directly. Hydroponics ensures conservation of water and electricity.

In terms of sustainability, Hydroponics is the answer to a lot of questions. Also, optimum utilization resources not only make sure a sustainable production pattern but a healthy consumption pattern as well, straight from one’s home space.