The question of whether plants grown in hydroponic gardens are as nutritious as plants grown in soil has never been answered. Some experts believe that the cultivation method has little to do with the nutritional value of a plant. And some claim that the fact that plants do not come into contact with the soil makes them healthier, because they are less likely to get diseases. On the other hand, the pathogens in the complex soil environment can cause some plants to produce higher amounts of beneficial compounds.
Hydroponic systems typically result in faster growing, higher-yielding plants. This is likely due to the increased oxygen content in the nutrient solution and carefully controlled environmental factors. By increasing a plant’s oxygen levels, you stimulate root growth and improve nutrient absorption. These optimal growing conditions mean less stress for the plants and a richer harvest.
Without soil as a buffer, plants grown in hydroponic systems react much more quickly to problems such as nutrient deficiencies and diseases. On the Internet, you can buy kits that include all the materials needed to set up a hydroponic garden. If you are thinking of embarking on a hydroponic project, you must first learn the basic concepts of growing plants hydroponically. Because natural light is limited indoors, plants grown in a hydroponic system usually receive additional lighting.
Due to these differences, previous studies comparing the nutrient content of hydroponically grown products with soil crops have yielded mixed results. Some studies showed no difference between the two methods, while others showed that soilless systems did either better or worse than soil-bred controls of the nutrient content being tested. I couldn’t find any studies that would solve the problem one way or another, but I came across a study commissioned by industry in 1994 that concluded that hydroponic peppers and tomatoes were more nutritious — and flavorful — than the same varieties that were grown organically and using traditional methods were grown. It’s now coming to a point where every large-scale hydroponic vegetable business needs to check whether they’re certified organic because of so much market pressure. How the hydroponic industry is undermining everything that the organic farming movement stands for in these times by Dan Bensonoff.
Although hydroponic systems rely primarily on water to grow plants, they use between 80 and 90% less water than plants that grow in the soil. The bottom line is that it depends on the nutrient solution the vegetables are grown in, but hydroponically grown vegetables can be just as nutritious as those grown in the soil. Beyond the bureaucratic definitions of “organic labelling”, another growing concern among consumers is whether hydroponic products are as healthy as products grown organically in the soil. On this page, you’ll learn the basics of hydroponics and the pros and cons of using a hydroponic system.
By providing complete nutrition with minerals needed for plant growth, through chemical fertilizers, hydroponically grown plants have been shown to achieve higher growth rates and yields.
