Aeroponics and Hydroponics
Published on Nov 18, 2015
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Aeroponics and Hydroponics
Photo by JamieSanford
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil.
Aeroponics is a method of growing plants where the roots are continuously saturated with fine drops of nutrient solution.
Hydroponics History
In 1627, Francis Bacon published "Sylva Sylvarum", a book about growing plants without soil.
1699, John Woodward published the results of his experiments in water culture. He found that spearmint plants grew better in distilled water than other types of water.
By 1842, a list of nine elements believed to be essential to plant growth had been complied.
In the years 1859-1865, German botanists, Julius von Sachs and Wilhem Knop, developed a technique of soiless cultivation called solution culture.
1929, William Gericke of the University of California at Berkley, began promoting that solution culture be used for agricultural crop production. He first termed it 'aquaculture' but renamed it 'hydroponics'. He grew 25 foot high tomato plants in his back yard.
Gericke believed that hydroponics would revolutionize plant agriculture and requested the University's greenhouses for his experiments. The administration was skeptical and denied their use unless Gericke gave them his plant nutrient recipes. He declined and they hired two scientists to re-develop the recipes and prove they had no benefit over soil grown plant yields.
One of the earliest successes of hydroponics occurred on Wake Island, a rocky soil-less atoll in the Pacific Ocean, in the 1930s. This Pan American Airlines refueling stop used hydroponics to save money and grow their own vegetables for their passengers.
1940, after leaving the university, Gericke published "The Complete Guide to Soilless Gardening".
1960s, Allen Cooper developed the nutrient film technique to better control how much nutrients the plant roots used.
In 1982, The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center opened and featured a variety of hydroponic techniques.
In recent years, NASA has done extensive hydroponic research for their Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS).
aeroponics history
1942, W. Carter researched air culture and described a method of growing plants in water vapor.
1944, L.J. Klotz discovered that vapor misted citrus plants were disease-free.
1952, G.F. Trowel grew apple trees in a spray culture.
1957, F.W. Went first coined the air growing process as 'aeroponics'. He grew coffee and tomato plants with air-suspended roots that were misted with nutrient solution.
1966, B. Biggs succeeded in inducing roots on hardwood cuttings by air-rooting and discovered that these cuttings were tougher and did not suffer from transplant shock.
1976, John Prewer experimented on growing lettuce from seed to maturity in 22 days in polyethylene film tubes made rigid by pressurized air.
In 1982, L. Nir developed a patent for an aeroponic apparatus that used low pressure air to deliver a nutrient solution to suspended plants held by styrofoam inside metal containers.
1983, Richard Stoner filed a patent for the first microprocessor interface to deliver tap water and nutrients into an enclosed aeroponic chamber made of plastic. He made the Genesis Machine, the first commercially available aeroponic apparatus.
Richard Stoner, in 1986, was the first person to ever market fresh aeroponically grown food to a national grocery chain (Whole Foods).
1998 Richard Stoner received NASA funding to develop a high performance aeroponic system. In 1999 he developed an inflatable low-mass aeroponic system (AIS).
2006, the Institute of Biotechnology at Hanoi University of Agriculture, in a joint effort with Richard Stoner, established the post graduate doctoral program in aeroponics.
Vietnam is the first nation that has focused on aeroponics to further their agricultural sector. Potato farmers are given low cost, disease-free, organic minitubers. They are able to grow their crops at a lower cost and with more yield.
Since 2004, Future Growing LLC, the maker of the Aeropoinic Tower Garden Systems, has been involved in over 300 projects promoting aeroponics in North America.
The Tower Garden Growing System comes with everything you need to start growing vegetables, herbs, and fruits at home. A 5-feet-tall vertical garden allows you to grow up to 20 plants. Selling for $525.
Hydroponics in action
where to go
Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center Land Tour Ride. The 'Behind the Seeds' tour is a one hour tour of the greenhouses and fish farm. $20 plus admission. (407) 939-8687 for reservations.
TrueFarms located in Haymarket, Va. Grows and sells lettuce. tom@truefarms.com
FarmTek Technology Center East in South Windsor, Ct. has a greenhouse tour by appointment and workshops available. www.farmtek.com
Moorisville State College Greenhouse Aquaponics Tour in Moorisville, NY (315) 684-6590 or www.moorisville.edu
Continuing education courses from the Hydroponic Society of America (El Cerrito, Ca - $50/workshop. hsaexecmgr@yahoo.com)
Living Towers Hydroponic Farm in Eustis, Fl. has tours. info@livingtowers.com
Earth Song Discovery Farm in Lodi, Ohio has greenhouse tours. www.earthsongfarm.com
Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital Greenhouse. West Bloomfield, Mi. www.henryford.com
Let It Grow Hydroponics - a hydroponics garden supply store in Williamsburg, Va. (www.letitgrowvirginia.com)
Aeroponics in action
where to go
