Welcome to the interactive guide on soil-less agriculture. Discover how we can grow more food with less water, right from the comfort of our homes or in massive indoor vertical farms!
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Instead, the roots are submerged in or sprayed with water that is rich in essential nutrients.
Pros: Uses 90% less water, plants grow 50% faster, no weeds.
Cons: Requires electricity for pumps, high initial setup cost, needs regular monitoring.
A quick reference for common hydroponic crops, their growth difficulty, ideal pH, and how fast they're ready to harvest.
| Plant | Difficulty | Ideal pH | Harvest Time | Best System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥬 Lettuce | Easy | 6.0 – 7.0 | 30–45 days | NFT / DWC |
| 🌿 Basil | Easy | 5.5 – 6.5 | 25–35 days | DWC / Kratky |
| 🍅 Tomatoes | Medium | 5.5 – 6.5 | 60–80 days | Dutch Bucket |
| 🫐 Strawberries | Medium | 5.5 – 6.5 | 60–90 days | NFT / Tower |
| 🌶️ Peppers | Hard | 5.8 – 6.3 | 70–90 days | Dutch Bucket |
Enter how much water you currently use for your traditional garden. We'll calculate how much you'd save by switching to hydroponics (which uses up to 90% less water).
Have a question? Ask our virtual science assistant! (Try asking about water, plants, soil, or cost)
Answer all questions, then hit Submit to see your score!
This interactive educational platform was designed to make complex agricultural science easy and fun to understand.
Created by: Kapish
Developed for the RSBVP