Hydroponics: The Next Generation Farming Approach

   Hydroponics involves the process of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in sand, gravel, or liquid, without using soil. Due to the increasing success rates associated with the commercial hydroponics industry and the increasing difficulty of growing crops on soil, the hydroponics market is expanding exponentially. Many off-season fruits and vegetables can be produced around the year under controlled conditions using hydroponics. The main countries actively practicing hydroponics are the United States, Australia, Spain, Holland, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Mexico, and China. The major crops that are grown hydroponically are cucumber, lettuce, tomato, peppers, strawberry, leafy vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, etc. This method is widely adopted, due to its integrated pest management approaches.

Hydroponics - Market Dynamics

Hydroponics is termed as one of the fastest-growing soil-less farming practice at a global level, wherein, a tailored nutrient solution, which is of superior quality, helps in the growth of a plant in a sustainable manner. One of the major growth drivers for the hydroponic industry is the documented higher yield as compared to the traditional agricultural techniques. Along with profit farming, growing consumption of exotic, salad crops, and increasing need for global food security are the factors that are expected to drive the market https://www.agrifarming.in/. Lack of awareness regarding the soil-less agriculture system and initial high cost are the factors that might hinder the market growth. Increased cultivation of medicinal plants, globally, and customized farming approach may provide future growth opportunities for the industry.

Will hydroponics revolutionize the way of irrigation?

According to a report by a market intelligence firm, the global hydroponics market is estimated to record a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period 2017-2022, and the market value is anticipated to reach USD 30,849.83 million by 2022. The market growth of hydroponics is majorly due to the increasing focus on adopting innovative and efficient technologies to improve the yields. Tomato is one of the primary crops grown through the hydroponic system, globally. According to a USDA/ERS report, the volume of hydroponic tomato imports from countries, such as Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands, has increased drastically, and the imports now account for a significant share of the total US fresh market tomato imports. Lettuce and leafy vegetables, pepper, cucurbits, and other vegetables, are being increasingly cultivated hydroponically.

According to our analysts, Europe is traditionally the largest market for hydroponics, implementing advanced techniques in hydroponic smart greenhouse horticulture. The matured European market demand for hydroponics is led by countries, such as the Netherlands, Spain, and France. Asia-Pacific forms the second largest market for hydroponics, which is expected to grow at a steady pace during the forecast period. The North American region led by the United States and Canada, is expected to grow at an improved pace during 2017-2022.

Competition Analysis

The global market for hydroponics is concentrated within major technically advanced regions. Greentech Agro LLC, Argus Control Systems, Logiqs BV, Koninklijke Philips NV, General Hydroponics Inc., Greentech Agro LLC, and Lumigrow Inc., are some of the major players that are active in the industry. R&D pertaining to the region- and area-specific requirements is being consistently adopted by industry players. Mergers and acquisitions are also one of the key activities that are adopted by the major players. Lawn-and-garden giant, Scotts Miracle-Gro, spent USD 136 million for Gavita, a Dutch grow lighting and hardware company. Through its subsidiary, Hawthorne Gardening Co., Scotts Miracle-Gro invested in companies, such as Boulder's AeroGrow, an indoor gardening company, and acquired California's General Hydroponics Inc. for USD 130 million. The company also spent USD 77.1 million to acquire Botanicare.

You will find that each of these planned Eco Cities has started to realize that they are already facing a series of problems that are much tougher to solve than originally expected. The excitement to advance their particular project has blinded many groups to the hard realities of creating these wonderful 'intentional communities.' What has also become increasingly obvious is that the first Eco Cities will be inhabited by upper middle class people who can afford to live anywhere they want and they want (insist on) the amenities of modern upper middle class living. They may profess to be green, but they want to make sure their green choice is also buying them comfort, security, beauty and status.

Major issues for each Eco City to address:

Providing locally grown food for the residents

A safe place for people to live and work in the city or nearby in urban centers

Resilient and beautiful - lovely and long lasting with emphasis on biodiversity

Jobs onsite or very close by, so residents can provide a living for their families

Eco-friendly transportation within the community with biking and walking trails and a low emphasis on cars and motor cycles. Possible trolley or rail use.

Proper water, energy and waste management

Minimal governance

Eco Cities can be built, grown and nurtured by addressing all of these issues and making each of them a separate focus tied to the overall installation. The issues are addressed below in order of their impact on the overall plan. Portable Farms Ltd demonstrates how any dedicated group can begin with a plan and have the intended outcome be very close to the original expectation of the group's Eco City plan.

1. Food: Here is the one area where most projects have a hard time with reality because most sponsoring groups have no idea the huge effort required for growing and providing raising a constant supply of food for a community of any size. There is a great deal of talk in each Eco City group about having community gardens and what most people do not understand is that even in a community garden; individual plots are the only way they will work. Very often, when the idea of a 'community' garden or project is brought up, the vision of the hippy communes from the 60's and 70's rears up and puts people off. Some people are willing to live and work in a community, but do not ask them to donate their personal time or sweat to keep it up for others in the group. Research the phrase 'tragedy of the commons' to see how well people in a community take care of shared property. (If you've ever lived in a private area with a Home Owners Association you'll see the problems that arise when people don't have their expectations met. Think law suits, feuding neighbors, and vitriolic meetings to resolve issues that need to be handled.

Now for the real answers to this serious dilemma: Installing Portable Farms™ Aquaponics Systems (PFAS) to raise the majority of green vegetable to be consumed onsite, plus the tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and peppers everyone loves. The PFAS installations have a huge impact in providing an unending food supply for the village. The PFAS is so effective at growing vegetables that 25 sq ft of Grow Tray space is all that is required to feed each adult year around, plus providing them with two four ounce fish fillet each week for protein.

Then each Eco City can add in some orchards, some land for growing starchy foods and an animal raising component for chicken, goats and whatever else the residents want to consume - all within walking distance of the homes. Maybe even some vineyards and berry patches are wanted by people willing to tend them.

Oh, wait, this will mean that these 'cities' have to be fairly small, like satellite suburbs, or ecoburbs. Yes. Small really is beautiful and doable.

2. Sustainability: Today the energy necessary for an ecoburb can come from solar power or other forms of onsite energy production. The careful construction of the living structures and utilities can reduce the overall energy requirements of the project. Locating an ecoburb in a warmer climate also helps. There must be a reliable, unending water source located onsite and all water recycled to the last drop. With today's technology this is actually very easy to accomplish. By using building materials throughout that have very long useful life or from renewable sources means not 'using up' or using non renewable resources or having to import them.

Creating enough jobs for the inhabitants in the 'outside world' either as telecommuters or assemblers of components or assemblies to have a steady income is as important as having a constant food supply. All of these items can be provide today plus there must be easy access to markets and entertainment for the residents. No one wants to be stuck out in the country away from 'real' stores, restaurants, doctor, dentists and all the other modern conveniences necessary for a nice life.

3. Safe and Resilient: Safety can be designed-in because the Eco Burb is out of the city (generally near major urban centers and cities) and there is no overt accumulation of wealth to attract looters, plus not having roadways to haul loot really discourages them. The Eco Burbs are small enough so people are aware of their neighbors and the flow of foot traffic at all times. All of the structures are built to withstand the worst weather and natural disasters in the area.

A 'legal' system that is guided by the idea, "If it is not strictly forbidden, it is permitted." There needs to be very little government or governance of any kind beyond safety and building code requirements for safety. This single facet of people's need for safety usually kills the best idea based group efforts because if you have ever dealt with a homeowners association you know what a group can do when give even a whiff of power. Remember that safe include being safe from the other resident's belief and biases.

4. Beautiful and walking friendly: The very easiest to accomplish and this aspect of an Eco Burb is being done all over the world already. Fun and easy and affordable are easy to build into an Eco Burb.

Cost of Sod Vs Cost of Seed: Which Is More Affordable?

It's a good question and one you need an answer to so that you can plan for your new lawn. So, you want to know what the cost of sod as compared to the cost of seed is. That's putting the cart before the horse, what you really need to know is...can your lawn be saved? Once you know the answer to that question you will be able to determine whether sod or seed is more costly. The following steps will break down the cost of both and you will have your answer.

So you call a landscaper! The first thing your landscaper will do is to walk your property to see what the overall condition is. Most homeowners have a lawn that is established but want a thicker lawn free of weeds. Others are not so fortune and have a spotty lawn with barely any growth due to poor soil. Let's start with the worst case...with the lawn that is in a lot of trouble; it's going to need a full lawn renovation. So what happens now? First your landscaper will need to remove and cart away the "old" lawn, which is a labor and carting fee. After removal, to create a healthy turf, there is a need to add topsoil over the area. Topsoil can range from anywhere from $25.00 to $30.00 a yard to purchase. Add to that the labor charge from your landscaper to spread the topsoil. Once spread, hand raking the soil to level it will involve labor that can take hours, depending on your property size. Once the soil is nice and level seeding and fertilization will take place. The cost will vary as property sizes are not the same but keep in mind, this could get expensive.

A few more steps need to take place to create a thick turf like lawn. 1. A second over seeding will need to take place. Aeration normally will need to be done to seed through the new lawn. An application of starter fertilizer and lime as well. This cost could range anywhere between $450.00 as far up as $700.00 depending on your property size. This application may need to be done a few times to build a thick lawn.

With the physical labor done it's now time to coax that lawn to grow. We all know with our busy work schedules time is money. Your time will be spent watering your newly seeded lawn. The ground must be kept damp, requiring you to water at least three times a day at 10 minutes a section.

Now let's get to that thick sod lawn you admire. Once again...the "old" lawn must be removed and carted away, and the fees to do so. Most times you won't need to replace soil as sod comes with its own soil attached to the roots. So you've already saved on the cost of soil, cost of leveling, raking and of course the seed and fertilizer. On to the cost of the sod installation, and delivery cost. This will of course depend on the square footage of your property and the time (labor) needed to cut in or around planting beds, structures, etc.

Just as with seed, you will need to water the sod however the requirements are different as you now have a healthy turf that requires less water. Sod lawns also do not require the over seeding or fertilizer that seed does (another savings). As if that's not enough of a savings you also can skip weed control for at least one year(s).

So at the end of the day you will always find that when comparing the cost of sod to the cost of seed the savings comes when you install sod. Mostly because when the sod is done it's done. There won't be any extra seeding and lawn renovations involved. You won't deal with weeds and crabgrass applications that cost you valuable time and money. It's like buying a new car that will last verse putting money into a used one.

I was considering installing a new lawn using rolls of grass, and got to thinking about all the terms used for the ground cover. You can almost use the terms, turf, sod, and lawn interchangeably, and most people would know what you mean https://sodgreen.com/. But since I like to be somewhat correct in my choice of words, I researched the difference between these terms. To accomplish this I decided to use a dictionary and in each case went with the first dictionary option. Here are the results. Turf: A surface layer of earth containing dense growth of grass and it's matted roots. Sod: A section of grass-covered surface soil held together by matted roots. Lawn: A plot of grass, usually tended or mowed, as one around a residence or in a park or estate.

Of the three definitions lawn stands out as the most different from the other two. Lawn is more the finished product, as what would go around a house or park. To illustrate, lawn would be like a fully tiled floor in a house, not the individual tiles before being Installed.

Sod and Turf are a little closer in definition but not exactly the same. They both have a surface layer of soil or earth, both have grass and matted roots. The difference in the definitions I found is that, Sod is a "section that is held together" by matted roots. Rolls of grass come in sections and need to be held together by matted roots. Even if they use meshing to help hold the rolls together they still need the matted roots.

Turf is not held together by matted roots, and does not necessarily come in sections. It is a surface layer. When people claim an area as 'Their Turf' it is bigger than a section of sod.

My conclusion is that the most correct term for rolls grass is Sod. Having a new lawn installed could include using rolls of sod but it could also by definition include having an area seeded with grass that will eventually grow into a lawn.

Once a turf farm cuts out sections of grass and matted root, those sections become Sod. They are then rolled up and shipped out to a requested location. once at the site the Sod is laid on the ground one matted section at a time. To go back to the illustration the sod is laid out like tiles on a floor. Once the sections are laid out and joined together it becomes a lawn or turf.