What is Aeroponics?

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in air or mist environment without the use of soil. Not to be confused with hydroponics or peeponics, aeroponics is the process of spraying or fogging the roots of the plants with a nutrient solution. The plants are usually housed in troughs, tubes or foam, with the leafy part of the plants separate from the roots. Moreover, the roots are usually fully exposed and constantly sprayed with micro bursts of atomized water.

Why aeroponics?

• Since plants have access to oxygen 24/7 they generally will experience faster growth than conventional means
• Water and nutrient used efficiently
• Less need for nutrients and water than traditional hydroponics systems
• no need to worry about weeding
• takes up very little space
• Can be made as a DIY project
• It uses considerably less energy and water than traditional agriculture.
• systems can be built as a DIY project

Disadvantages of aeroponics

• you will need to provide nutrients as with hydroponics
• requires electricity for small pumps and timers
• as with hydroponics, you will need some form of competency to run system
• can be an expensive system to buy
• In the beginning you need to monitor the water
• Root crops and trees are much more difficult to grow

Final words on aeroponics

Aeroponics has been tested to grow cleaner, more consistent herbs like burdock at the University of Arizona’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Research at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension has found that aeroponics is the most efficient means of growing leafy greens. Greens can become contaminated with soil pathogens and bacteria like e.coli, but aeroponics greatly reduces these risks. That is what all the research says. Practically, aeroponics would seem a perfect fit for growing small potatoes. Hydroponics give more harvest but smaller and fewer tubers than aeroponics. However, from the pitcher one can see how much easier harvesting the potatoes will be over hydroponics or traditional grown potatoes.