What does hydroculture mean?
What is hydroponics and why is it the way of the future in crop production?
For centuries, crop production has been a land-based activity. The classic image is that a vegetable garden, fertile soil, a watering can, and sunshine are all that is needed to grow healthy plants. However, the increasingly pressing issues of the 21st century – climate change, water scarcity, shrinking arable land, and the need for sustainable food production – demand new answers. One such answer is hydroponics .
Hydroponics: soil-free, yet close to nature
Hydroponics, also known as hydroponics , is a modern growing method in which plants are grown in nutrient-enriched water or a neutral, soil-free medium instead of soil. The essence of the system is that the plant's roots come into direct contact with an optimally adjusted nutrient solution, thus absorbing them much more efficiently than in traditional, soil-based cultivation.
A sustainable alternative to traditional agriculture
The benefits of hydroponics are not just impressive from a technological perspective – they provide a real, sustainable solution to today’s environmental challenges. Let’s see how hydroponics compares to traditional farming:
1. Water use – more with less
Traditional agriculture accounts for a significant portion of the world's water consumption, and irrigation is often wasteful, draining away, and evaporating. Hydroponics, on the other hand , requires up to 80–90% less water , as it circulates the solution in a closed system and only uses as much water as the plant actually needs. There is no unnecessary loss and no polluted wastewater.
2. Cultivated land – if you don't have land, that's okay too
Soil quality is deteriorating worldwide, with industrialization, chemicalization, and erosion reducing the amount of truly fertile land. Hydroponics, on the other hand, does not require farmland , so it can be used in places – such as cities, on the roofs of industrial buildings, or even in apartments – where traditional agriculture would be unthinkable.
3. Space saving and scalability
Plants can be spaced much more densely, even in vertical shelving systems , allowing for a bountiful harvest in a small footprint. This solution is especially valuable in urban environments where every square meter counts.
4. Faster growth, less loss
Due to the targeted dosing of nutrients, constant temperature and light conditions, plants grow faster, become healthier and have fewer crop losses . In traditional agriculture, weather, pests and diseases often cause serious damage - this can be minimized in a hydroponic environment.
5. Chemical-free, safe food
Hydroponic plants grow in a clean environment, without soil or pollutants. This also means there is no need for herbicides or pesticides , so the result is truly clean, healthy and chemical-free vegetables – which is especially important when it comes to microgreens, sprouts that are eaten raw.
6. Predictable returns available all year round
The closed nature of the system and the use of artificial light sources allow plants to be grown continuously, regardless of the season . There is no harvest season or weather risk, allowing for stable and predictable production.
A new level of urban gardening
Hydroponics is not only the future of large-scale food production, but also one of the keys to creating local food sources in cities . More and more people are starting microfarms in their homes, balconies, and public spaces, where they grow microgreens, salads, and herbs in a sustainable way. This trend is helping to reduce food transport distances, providing fresh, local ingredients, and reconnecting us with what we eat.
Summary
Hydroponics is not just a technological innovation, it is also a way of thinking – a more conscious, economical and efficient use of natural resources. Where traditional agriculture faces limitations, hydroponics offers opportunities. That is why we have chosen to grow our microgreens in this system, so that we can offer you fresh, nutritious and sustainably produced vegetables – in the heart of the city.
