We as Eco Farmers rely on hydroponics. They have the general advantage of not using soil but hydro correls. In contrast to soil, this inorganic substrate offers the advantage of being nutrient free and consequently being free of funguses, insect eggs and fly eggs as well as flies. In other words, the basis we use is distinctively cleaner than every soil purchasable. In addition the mold risk is significantly lower because of the lacking dead tissue which could serve the fungus as nourishment.

Without a soil buffer, the roots are in direct contact with the fertilizer solution. In comparison to fertile soil, inorganic substrates consequently provide the key advantage that the fertilizer reaches the plant directly and can be absorbed and used more efficiently. As an inorganic substrate user you have the responsibility to regularly check pH- and EC-value of your plants. However, this becomes routine quickly. And besides, it is scientifically proven that hydroponic systems provide a four times higher crop than comparable soil based systems.

Our purpose-built Hydro Farmer pots help avoiding common problems like for example salt accumulations at certain spots, which leads to healthier plants. Other commercially available hydroponic systems already reduce water consumption significantly. The Hydro Farmer pot takes this to another level and uses the hydroponic technique additionally for the “greenhouse principle”. It means that the water used for irrigation is reused to clean the pot and to flush the plant, hence the water consumption is further reduced.

The use of inorganic substrates leads to more cavity between the roots, where additionally oxygen can be accumulated. This results in increased roots growth. There are also cultivation systems which relinquish growth mediums, so called “roots-naked” or aeroponic systems. These have the critical disadvantage of the impossibility of a constant pH-value. The pH-value is the value controlling how much nutrients the plants absorbs. An imbalanced value can lead to a satiated nutrient level and possible death of the plant. If your aim is to maximize the crop of your plants and respectively reaching the maximum EC-value, an over-tipping of the pH-value is possible, resulting in oversalted plants. Therefore, we advise against the useful plants cultivation entirely based on aeroponic systems and rely on the user-friendly and save hydroponic method.