{"id":48232,"date":"2024-04-19T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=48232"},"modified":"2026-09-14T23:51:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T06:51:42","slug":"hydroponic-plants-for-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/hydroponic-plants-for-food\/","title":{"rendered":"No Soil Necessary! How to Grow Hydroponic Plants for Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

Characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation<\/i> could synthesize their favorite foods using a machine called a replicator<\/a>. Resembling a microwave oven, the device was essentially a 3D printer on a molecular level. The Jetsons had a similar appliance, known as a Foodarackacycle<\/a>, that looked more like a vending machine.<\/p>\n

Another food innovation you might think exists only in science fiction is the ability to grow crops without soil. However, variations<\/a> on this technology have actually been around for thousands of years: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Floating Garden of China being two prime examples.<\/p>\n

The contemporary incarnation of soilless gardening was christened \u201chydroponics\u201d by William Frederick Gericke<\/a>, an early 20th-century plant nutritionist who silenced his doubters by more or less inundating them with tomatoes.<\/p>\n

As the Earth faces the challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and urbanization, hydroponics has emerged as a potentially helpful and sustainable tool<\/a> that’s useful worldwide, regardless of the climate or conditions of the land.<\/strong> It may also be a meritable alternative to field- and garden-based farming for urban dwellers, environmental enthusiasts, and those seeking to cultivate fresh produce year-round.<\/p>\n

Could hydroponics be in your future? If so, what do you need to know to start growing food hydroponically? What are some of the best edible plants to grow? And how can you use hydroponically grown plants in your diet? Look no further!<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into the best edible plants for hydroponic growing, and how to use them in recipes.<\/p>\n

Why Grow Food with Hydroponics?<\/h2>\n

There are, of course, downsides to hydroponics<\/a> \u2014 including extensive use of plastic, dependence on energy-hungry grow lights, and the reality that large-scale operations require costly infrastructural setup. But hydroponics also offers several advantages over traditional gardening and farming methods. Let\u2019s look at a few of them.<\/p>\n

Hydroponics Water Efficiency<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/Thirawatana Phaisalratana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a hydroponic system, water gets recirculated rather than being lost through drainage or evaporation. This is huge because industrial agriculture uses up a great deal of the earth\u2019s groundwater supply, which is in steep decline<\/a> in many parts of the world. In a hydroponic system, by contrast, water and nutrients are delivered directly to the plant roots through a nutrient solution, which minimizes water loss.<\/strong> This enables farmers to grow food<\/a> with significantly less water than traditional methods.<\/p>\n

Because hydroponically grown plants don\u2019t rely on rainfall or irrigation via underground aquifers, they are less susceptible to drought stress. Instead, they have constant access to all the water and nutrients they need. In a world where droughts<\/a> are becoming ever more frequent, severe, and pervasive due to climate destabilization, hydroponic solutions could protect the food supply in susceptible regions.<\/p>\n

Pollution and Pesticide Reduction<\/h3>\n

Commercial agriculture not only wastes large quantities of water, but it also pollutes it before returning it to the water cycle. Hydroponics eliminates runoff and pollution of water sources by fertilizers and pesticides. In fact, hydroponics can significantly reduce (or even eliminate) the use of pesticides<\/a> <\/strong>because the absence of soil means that most potential pathogens have nowhere to call home in a hydroponic setup.<\/p>\n

While chemicals may still be used in hydroponic farming, many home-based systems can be maintained without resorting to using pesticides or other harmful agricultural chemicals.<\/p>\n

Space Utilization<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/Edwin Tan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since plants grown hydroponically don\u2019t need to be stuck in <\/i>the ground, they aren\u2019t stuck on<\/i> the ground. Vertical stacking is often used to grow a greater number of plants in a small space.<\/strong> Hydroponic garden towers may take up as little as two square feet of floor space, and smaller units can be set up on countertops. This makes them ideal for small spaces like apartments and other areas where outdoor gardening isn\u2019t possible. (Like outer space<\/a>, despite what Matt Damon managed to accomplish in The Martian<\/i>.)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the verticality that allows for greater planting density. Hydroponic plants can be spaced closer together than in soil because they\u2019re not competing<\/a> for nutrients.<\/p>\n

Year-Round Growth<\/h3>\n

Many northern hemisphere gardeners start growing antsy in the middle of winter \u2014 when they can start salivating over seed catalogs, but planting in soil is still a month or two away. Hydroponic gardeners don\u2019t have this problem, since these systems can grow food anywhere<\/a> on Earth (or Mars) at any time of the year.<\/p>\n

And since hydroponic gardens produce crops regardless of weather conditions, availability of cultivable land, or soil quality, there\u2019s no such thing as \u201cout of season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Faster Results<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/af_istocker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hydroponic plants root and grow faster \u2014 up to 40\u201350% faster<\/a> \u2014 than plants grown in soil.<\/strong> Because a constant supply of nutrients directly reaches their roots, plants don\u2019t need to expend as much energy seeking out those nutrients (kind of like Doordash or UberEats for tomato vines). The constant supply of oxygen (from bubbles pumped into the water \u2014 see below) also helps plants grow faster.<\/p>\n

They not only grow faster but, in many cases, are more nutritionally dense than soil-based plants. This makes them helpful for combating food deserts, and also for providing food to cafeterias in schools, hospitals<\/a>, and other large-scale operations that feed a lot of people.<\/p>\n

Basic Components of a Hydroponic System<\/h2>\n

So what exactly do you need if you want to get started? And what are your options for no-frills, regular, and advanced hydroponic food gardening? Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n

Growing Mediums for Hydroponics<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/BanksPhotos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the absence of soil<\/a>, you need something to hold the plants in place physically, while also allowing the right amounts of air and water to reach them. There are several types of growing mediums<\/a>, and the one you select will depend on the type of plants you want to grow, the pH of the water you\u2019ll be using, the cost, and the type of system you\u2019ll be using.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Leafy greens typically do well in lightweight, well-aerated mediums, while fruiting plants may require a medium with higher water retention.<\/p>\n

Popular types of growing mediums include:<\/p>\n