hydroponics

Hydroponics

“Seeds for the future”project

Second Chance School of Corfu

2014

Source: http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=358186

Differences between traditional and hydroponic cultivation

Traditional Hydroponic

Soil cultivation

Controlled cultivation, instead of soil other materials are used, roots grow in water in which

suitable nutrients are added

A lot of water is absorbed by the soil

Water can be recycled

We can avoid the use of power Power is necessary

Great need for pesticides and fertilizers Fewer pesticides and fertilizers needed

Low investment cost High investment cost

Ecological, cheap but ... hardly known

o Modern and ecologicalo Amazing improvement of product quality!o Impressively lower costs!o Internationally gaining ground against

traditional methodso In Greece, however, it can hardly reach

7% of cultivations


The importance of..... the recipe

o Technology aims at creating the suitable nutrition recipe.

o Mr. Lazanakis says:o «In hydroponics everything is ideal. A possible mistake

though, could be fatal. If something is added wrong, the plant gets destroyed and we could lose the whole production»

o «My experience is talking. The first year my production reached 40 tons, the second it reached 180!Did I do something wrong at the beginning? Obviously! But we learn from our mistakes»

o «Without good water quality you can't irrigate your plants» [...] «After 4-5 heavy rainfalls I collect 2.000 cubic metres in a tank and from there I channel water to the greenhouse.»


Substrate«Hydroponics with a substrate or plain

water?»Plain water hydroponics uses either a wet

membrane which irrigates the plant's roots or a small pond (tank) where plants float.

Substrates, which come in various kinds, are safer.

contentious issue: should an industrial material be used (e.g rockwool) or natural ones like pearlite and pumice?


Hydrofertilizing

o A hydrofertilizing machine is connected with fertilizer tanks. An expert, using his computer, programmes the suitable nutrition recipe: He calculates the correct for each plant proportions of ions (nitrogen, potassium e.t.c) according to the plant's needs and development stage.

o A close hydroponic system demands water of good quality. Salty water doesn't allow its circulation, still it is less harmful in hydroponics than in traditional soil cultivation.


Costs

o A fully equipped, ecological,hydroponic cultivation is going to cost:o About 200.000 euros / 1000 square metre.

This cost could be reduced by 50% with a few “sacrifices”

o A plot of at least 6-8.000 square metres is considered necessary for an economically viable hydroponic cultivation.


Paybacko From water:

o Soil cultivation: 60 litres/kg of tomato planto Typical greenhouse (with soil): 25-30 litres/kg of tomato plant o Open hydroponic system (without water recycling):20 litres/kg of tomato plant o Closed hydroponic system (with water recycling):15 litres/kg of tomato plant

o From fertilizers:o Reduction by 50%


Hydroponic strawberry cultivation

Source: visionplants/Flickr | http://www.bostanistas.gr

Hydroponic tomato cultivation

Source: visionplants/Flickr | http://www.bostanistas.gr

Vertical cultivation

Hydroponics in simple words

Imagine hydroponics like a sponge:o The roots are in the sponge instead of the

soilo Through a scientifically elaborated and highly

advanced system we can feed the plant with what we choose

o Nothing we cannot control reaches the plant's roots

o The plants are developing hybrids

Source: http://www.bostanistas.gr/?i=bostanistas.el.article&id=839

Advantages and difficulties

1. The vegetables' taste and appearance depend on the ingredients they feed on

2. Their quality can be planned3. In Greece they have a great advantage: the sun4. In northern countries the electricity cost is doubled5. The area where vegetables grow is sterilised and workers

wear hospital uniforms6. A lot of attention should be given to microbs and

microorganisms: e.g if someone enters a hydroponic greenhouse with a ladybird on him, as there are no natural enemies for the ladybird, it will multiply very quickly!!

Source: http://www.bostanistas.gr/?i=bostanistas.el.article&id=839

Is hydroponics an organic cultivation

method?Hydroponics is NOT an

organic cultivation method, in any country of the world,

because the plants are fed with chemical fertilizers that are added in water.

Source: http://www.viologika.gr/ydroponiki.php

Hydroponic equipment

1. Body The body consists of

plastic, rectangular channels, special little pots, a supporting base and a water tank.

Source: olamesa.homeftp.net/grow/hydroponic-equipment/


2.Nutritional solutions.

Special nutritional solutions are added in the water tank to feed the plants.

3.Ph measurer and regulating ph solution. The plants

need water with a ph of about 5.5 to 6.0.


4.Air pump. An air pump will

provide water with clean air and all the oxygen needed.

5. Water pump. It will send

water from the tank to the plants.

Hydroponic equpment6.Pumice gravel

or clay. They are light

and porous materials and support plants in the pots.

7.Water conductivity measurer (tds, ppm, ec meter). This instrument is

very important as it measures salts in water, thus we can calculate quantities of nutrients to be added.

Hydroponic equipment8. Greenhouse.

The success key in hydroponics is: a lot of attention to the last detail. The more we check everything in the greenhouse, the better the results.

9. Fan We must ensure

that air circulates among the plants in the greenhouse.

Hydroponic equipment10. Thermometre.

We need it to measure water temperature which should be 21-24 degrees C.

11. Young plants. Plants should

have developed enough roots, free of soil or any other dirt that could possibly block the water pump.

Home hydroponic garden

Source: http://cityfarmer.gr/2012/06/27/pws-na-ftiaxete-to-diko-sas-ydroponiko-kipo/

Tools and materials1. Black, plastic bags (thick and resistant)2. A styrofoam box with a lid (the one we

usually use as an ice bucket)3. 6 styrofoam cups4. 27 litres of distilled water 5. A marker 6. A cutter 7. Pearlite 8. Some moss 9. Lettuce seedlings or seeds, enough for

6 plants 10. Nutritional mixtureDr Gene Giacomelli,

http://ag.arizona.edu/pls/faculty/giacomelli.htm

Home hydroponic garden

Source: http://cityfarmer.gr/2012/06/27/pws-na-ftiaxete-to-diko-sas-ydroponiko-kipo/

How to make it Dress the inner part of the

styrofoam box with the plastic bags and add the distilled water.

Using the styrofoam cups as a pattern, draw 6 circles on the lid of the box. Cut the circles into holes, trying to make the holes about 1/2 cm smaller than your drawing.

Make small holes at the bottom of the styrofoam cups. Put the moss at the bottom and then fill them with the pearlite.

Put the lettuce seedlings in the pearlite and add as much pearlite as necessary around the plant.

Put the box lid upside down on the box and then put the cups in the holes.

Water the plants daily with the mixture and make sure the water level has not risen. There must be a distance of 2,5 cm between the water level and bottom of cups. After about a week or 10 days, the roots will start getting into the box. As the plants grow you can cut as many leaves as you want, without... overdoing it.

Vertical hydroponic system

A vertical home hydroponic system can fit in a space 1x2 m and can feed a family throughout a year.

Materials:PVC or ADS pipes 4,5 – 6 metres

long and a diameter of 10 cm (4 inches)

4 corner pipes of a diameter of 10 cm (4 inches)

4 “ T” connectors 10 cm in diameter (4 inches)

2 barrels that can take 190 litres Pex pipes or aquarium pipes 4,5 – 6

metres longPlastic cupsStraps from hard cloth e.g burlap or

cable connectors or any other kind of connectors.

Sticks2 rolls of duct tapeA water pump, the size depends on

the water flow demanded but an aquarium pump will do.

An air pump (optional). The system will take air in even without the air pump but it will function beter with one.

Construction time: about 2 hours

Plants and fish recommended:Leafy vegetables, tomatoes, herbs

are suitable for such kinds of construction.

Tilapias and trout are favoured by a hydroponic environment, grow fast and are very tasty.

Source: http://www.permaculturegreece.gr/gr/2013/01/26/how-to-make-a-vertical-aquaponics-system/

The research was carried out by

the following participants in “Seeds for the Future” project

o Andriana Koskinao Mariliza Kolovouo Anastasia Revythio Giorgos Hondrogianniso Lazos Tsiatiso Agelos Yiagaso Panagiotis Glinias

hydroponics

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