Vertical hydroponics is created by combining the primary ideas of vertical farming and hydroponics into an unified style of agriculture. Around the world, more than 50 different species of leafy greens, micro herbs, and peppers are cultivated in vertical hydroponic plants.
Several layers of farmspace are layered on top of one another in vertical hydroponics, with various plants growing on different levels. A vertical grow system is also known as tower hydroponics or tower gardens, and it is the preferred method for establishing big farms within city borders.
How vertical hydroponics work?
A tube is used within the tower of a vertical hydroponic farm to allow the various stacked levels obtain a continuous water supply. The supply is normally positioned at the bottom of the tower in the form of a reservoir tank. To assist the water make it all the way to the top of the tower, a special hydroponic pump is used. The gravitational force is used to assist draw the water back down to the reservoir after it has circulated over the tower in order to ensure a steady and continuous flow of water across the tower.
The water supply is loaded with the appropriate nutrients to assist the plants in obtaining the nutrition they require to support their growth. The nutrient levels are carefully analysed and managed to help the plants develop to their maximum potential.
When only one primary crop is being produced in a vertical grow system, a single tube is frequently used. It is easy to distribute the water into a single chute since all of the plants will have the same nutritional requirements.
If several plants are being grown on different tiers of a vertical hydroponic farm, however, additional channels will be required. Each channel will be connected to its own water supply, which will contain the optimal quantity of nutrients for the plants being cultivated on the level. This method also allows farmers to control the flow of water based on the species that are being cultivated at any one time.The plants are placed in netted pots and slanted at a 45-degree inclination to allow them to absorb the water freely. This permits the water to quickly penetrate the plant’s roots and reach the most vital parts of the crop in order to properly nourish it.
Benefits of vertical hydroponics:
1. Water is conserved in hydroponics.
Hydroponic gardening can help you save a lot of water. The majority of systems employ a recirculating system, in which plants absorb the water they require and any run-off is routed back to a reservoir, with evaporation and transpiration accounting for the majority of water losses (in a system without leaks). Plants lose the vast majority of the water they acquire through transpiration through their leaves.
2. It is possible to grow without soil.
When we have property with good soil, full of organic matter and soil biota, growing with soil is fantastic. However, due to poor agricultural and land management methods, this is becoming a rare resource. Importing soil is expensive and time-consuming, and it takes time to change your soil. Soilless farming is an excellent option when soil resources are scarce and vertical hydroponics give this.
3. Weeds, pests, and diseases are less prevalent.
Weed removal takes effort, and weeds can affect how effectively your plants thrive. Because the plants are cultivated in a liquid media, soil can contain numerous latent seeds of undesired weeds. This problem is solved when utilising a hydroponic system. For the same reason, soil-borne pests aren’t a concern. This implies that the use of pesticides and herbicides that are potentially dangerous to humans is greatly decreased.