Grow plants easily even in confined quarters
Experiment with hydroponic systems
The International Space Station and your 500-square-foot studio have more in common than you might think: Both environments are a great place to experiment with hydroponics. Hydroponic systems grow plants not in soil, but in water that is enriched with nutrients. The process is waterefficient and can be done easily in tight quarters.
Gene Giacomelli, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at the University of Arizona and director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, said that for those interested in commercial agriculture, incorporating hydroponics into large-scale production seems the way of the future.
But is it possible to create a hydroponic system at home?
“If you understand the fundamentals, what the plants need, and you have some practical use of tools, it can be just a kiddie pool filled with water and a floating piece of Styrofoam board with holes cut in it,” Giacomelli said.
There are six kinds of hydroponic systems, the most basic of which is called a deepwater culture. This is what Giacomelli is referring to. It’s essentially a container of nutrientfilled water, with plants floating on top of it. You’ll need an air pump to introduce oxygen into the water, but it can be simply made with Ikea storage bins, a foam cooler, a bucket or any other container, as long as it sits in a place that gets a lot of light.
There are benefits to using hydroponics in small spaces, just as on the International Space Station.
“You don’t have to haul around the heavy soil or artificial soil mixes, which are dirty,” Giacomelli said. You can grow your plants year-round, increasing productivity by eight to 20 times as much as if you were subject to seasonal changes. Most important, Giacomelli said, all the water is recycled, so you’ll use a lot less than when watering traditionally.
But who wants a bunch of buckets or foam coolers in their apartment? Michael Zick Doherty, a permaculture designer from California, said once you’ve got the basics down, it’s easy to transform a hydroponic system into something that adds to your decor. He designs hydroponic systems by considering the surrounding environment. “I think hydroponics has got a pretty negative image because they aren’t esthetically pleasing a lot of the time,” he said. “I think it’s easy to take that next step”