How to start hydroponic farming on roof top in Indian climate

Good morning friends. You have seen in my previous post that I wrote about vertical farming. This time I will talk about hydroponic farming and this farming technique is very similar to vertical farming. Throughout the world scientifically different vegetables are grown and like other things this has a reson fro it, yes a reason behind every outcome. If you observe carefully you will notice that each and every year population is rising and farming land is becoming shorter. Rising population demands more food with less farming land so the solution is to grow vegetables on roof top, balcony etc. scientist and farmers are working with collaboration to increase the types of vegetable grown with hydroponic farming. 

Hydroponic farming 

Vegetables which have higher market value are now grown like capsicum, cucumber, tomatos, cabbage, spinach etc. I have seen many farmers who are talking about the hydroponic farming but they are not so much confident to start this as they have not seen it in their own eyes. The term hydroponic suggests that Hydro means water and ponic culture(labor). When a tree is planted in soil and the tree finds nutrients from the soil i.e. soil acting as a medium of nutrients source as well as holding the tree. In case of hydroponic farming only water nutrients solution is used. Here tree takes nutrients directly from the nutrients solution. You can just create a green house and start hydroponic farming and this process is very cost effective.

Requirements for starting Hydroponic farming

Growing crops on soil is a very tough task as it has to face the outside climate. Need some heavy equipment for preparing the land like tractors, tools for cutting crops etc. Hydroponic does not require such heavy machinery just need some flat water reservoir, lid on top of the flat container, green house and last but the most important is micronutrients for the plant.

Plants suitable for growing with Hydroponic farming

Scientist are trying their best to cultivate every crop by applying hydroponic technique but it has been observed by the scientist and farmers that plants which have fibrous root are suitable for hydroponic farming. Here I have enlisted some plants which have been tested by farmers and scientist that can be cultivated applying hydroponic farming technique.

1. Lettuce
2. Strawberry
3. Tomato
4. Tomato
5. Broccoli
6. Cucumbers
7. Brinjal/Eggplant
8. Bell pepper/Capsicum
9. Okra/Ladies finger
10. Bitter gourd
11. Paddy Plant
12. Green Beans
13. Spinach
14. Carrots
15. Peas
16. Cauliflowers
17. Watermelons
18. Blue berries
19. Grapes

Advantage and Disadvantage of Hydroponic farming

Every system in this world has advantage as well as disadvantage. Some have more advantage than disadvantage that the disadvantage can be ignored.

►Hydroponic farming advantages are

1. There is no such soil requirement
2. As it is harvested in controlled environment so the prone to attack by disease is very less
3. Higher growth rate of plants and produces more crops
4. Less water requirements as it is cultivated inside green house
5. Higher healthy crop production = higher profit
6. Less land requirements as sky is your limit

►Few Hydroponic farming disadvantages are

1. Higher maintenance need as it is completely dependent on outsourced water supply.
2. Need some knowledge to make nutrients solution for plants.
3. Need some knowledge to make nutrients solution for plants.

[Important points must be noted:]

Do not submerge the whole root in nutrients water else the root will rotten.