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Though hydroponics, as a method of cultivation is
now well established, certain myths and
misconceptions about it persist in the minds of
laypeople. Some of these Hydroponics myths
are harmless and deserve to be just shrugged off but
others are downright malicious and serve to
perpetuate negative impressions about the
hydroponics industry. The fact that hydroponics has
been used in certain instances in the illegal
cultivation of cannabis has not helped either. Some
of the more common misconceptions are –
Hydroponics Isn’t Simple, It Requires Special
Expertise
It is quite true that once upon a time,
hydroponics
wasn’t quite as simple as it is now.
This was especially so with regard to nutrient
preparations that had to be mixed meticulously to
ensure the nutritional requirements of the plants
were met. The easy availability of pre-mixed
nutrients that require only to be mixed in the right
amounts of water has now simplified matters. Growers
need only to add water and use grow lights.
You Need to be a Scientist
This one probably originates from the
association of hydroponics with tubes, troughs,
meters, gauges etc. Additionally since much
scientific material is available in the form of lab
reports, experiments etc. it creates a false
impression of complicated lab procedures etc.
Actually you don’t need to be a scientist, nor do
you need to have a lab in the house to grow plants
indoors, all you need is interest and dedication.
You Don’t Get the Taste, besides its all Water
With the right kind of nutrition that plants get
in hydroponics they grow to their fullest genetic
potential. They usually grow much faster, mature
quicker and give higher yields but they taste just
the same as normally grown produce. It is not
possible to tell a lettuce grown hydroponically from
on grown the normal way only by taste. Taste is
basically determined by the nutrient elements plants
absorb and as long as they get all the nutrient
elements taste is not affected.
You get to eat Mouthfuls of Chemicals
The chemicals that a plant absorbs when grown in
soil are not different from the ones that are used
in hydroponics. With the rights amounts of chemicals
it uses, hydroponics leaves nothing to chance,
unlike conventional cultivation in which there is
always a chance of under nutrition, nutritional
deficiencies or uptake of harmful chemicals like
lead that may be present in the soil. The chemicals
used in both normal cultivation and hydroponics end
up in the plant tissue as beneficial compounds and
not as toxic or harmful chemicals
Hydroponically Grown Plants Don’t Taste Great
Like Organically Grown Plants
Taste and flavor have much to do with our first
impressions when we first tasted the plant. If the
plant gets the all the elements it needs, it will
taste great. The rest has much to do with other
extraneous factors and subjective experiences. With
the precise control over the nutrition that
hydroponics offers, hydoponics growers have much
better control over the flavor and nutritional value
of the produce.
Hydroponics Doesn’t Work Outdoors
Hydroponics is all about growing plants in a
controlled environment. In the outdoors, growing
plants in greenhouses offers a way to control the
growth environment and even extend day length.
Commercial hydroponics, which requires large areas
for commercial scale production is best done in
greenhouses. Greenhouse production allows year long
growth and also helps control pest damage without
the use of pesticides. With grow lights greenhouse
production can be extended across seasons for best
plant performance.
Grow Lights Ratchet Up Power Bill
Power is billed on kilowatt hours, which is1000
watts for one hour. Though power rates vary from
state to state, in many parts of the U.S. a 1000
watt light will run for less than ten cents per
hour. A 250 watt light will run for four hours on 10
cents. High intensity
grow lights are exceedingly cost efficient
lights as they give much higher illumination per
watt of power consumed. High pressure sodium grow
lights put out almost 10 times the light that
incandescent grow bulbs produce, that is 10 times
the efficiency of incandescent bulbs.
Grow lights must run 24x7
Plants adjust their growth cycle in response to the
length of light and dark on which they determine the
season. During fall, plants accelerate flower and
fruit production to prepare for winter. Grow lights
enable control over the light available to plants
irrespective of the seasons outside. This makes it
is possible to have long, long days in the winter
and fall.
High intensity lights harm the eyes
While it is true that looking at a bright object
will cause distress and even harm the eyes, and grow
lights are no exception in this respect, would be
indoor gardeners need not worry overmuch as simple
precautions are quite adequate. Indoor gardeners
learn quickly not to look directly at the lights,
which suffices in most cases.
High Intensity Lights Tan the Skin
High intensity garden lights do not give off much
light in the ultra-violet range, which is what
causes burning of the skin. Plants do not need much
light in the ultra-violet spectrum and with good
quality grow lights there is no need to worry about
getting a tan. |
