Traditional crop farming relies heavily on the weather conditions in any given year. When conditions are good for the entire growing season the crop will be strong and highly productive, but when bad weather is sustained for long periods of time the crops can become sickly and are at increased risk of failure.
Weather conditions and climate are not the only risks that can adversely affect a crop’s development and maturation. Field grown crops are particularly vulnerable to attack from pest species such as caterpillars, moths, weevils, and other insects which feed directly on the crop. The use of targeted pesticides helps to control this risk, but pesticides are not cheap to buy in the high quantities needed by farmers.
Avoiding crop failure through pest action or bad weather through the growing season can be expensive, but a total crop failure means that farmers will receive no income from that particular crop, and all previous financial investment put into producing it is wasted. Hydroponics is a modern solution that can help mitigate all these effects, allowing producers to grow in a more reliable and controlled way.
Put simply, hydroponic growing methods make use of a water and nutrient supply system which delivers directly to plant roots. Plants are not rooted into traditional organic substrates but are either free growing or anchored into an inert growing medium such as ceramic pebbles or perlite. There are a number of different methods, with some immersing the entire root ball inside a water reservoir or drip systems which deliver only the exact amount of water and soluble nutrients that a plant needs.
Commercial hydroponics is usually done indoors, either in solid structures such as warehouses or in large polyurethane tents. This is part of what makes hydroponic growing so suitable for parts of the world which have unreliable growing seasons. Growing plants under cover in this way protects them from extremes in temperature, and prevents leaves from burning in strong sunlight.
In hot climates you will often find that the humidity levels inside a grow tent are much higher than the ambient moisture levels outside. This is because an effective canopy traps water within the system which keeps growing conditions optimal. Places which are seeing accelerated effects of climate change benefit from this a lot as it means they can use water much more efficiently.
In colder places and parts of the world which have unpredictable growing seasons, hydroponics systems allow growers to keep their plants adequately warm and well lit to encourage vigorous growth. The inclusion of specially designed LED grow lights provides plants with the ideal amount of light without needing to depend on the sun which is a good solution for places which are prone to overcast days through the growing season such as parts of the UK.
The most advanced lights allow growers to have absolute control over the colour and strength of the light their plants are exposed to. Most plants take their growth cues from changing light levels throughout the growing season, particularly those endemic to the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
In the spring which is the beginning of the growth season for many plants, light tends to take on a blue tone, and doesn’t tend to get very strong. As the seasons move into summer, the light takes a warmer colour which stimulates many plants into flowering. Later in the year, light levels change colour once again, triggering seed production. Day length also plays an important role in the growth cycle of plants, with growth activity taking on a distinct bell curve shape, increasing into summer, and declining as the days start to shorten.
An advanced light rig allows growers to simulate the ideal growth season for their chosen crop species in terms of light exposure. Ensuring consistently optimal lighting throughout the season means that plants will grow bigger and healthier, and will be much more productive than crops that are grown in the field. When the ability to provide optimal growth conditions to increase yields is considered alongside the additional protection from pests, hydroponic growth addresses many issues that modern growers face with changing demands and climate.