On Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:56:52 -0800, Anthony Matonak
wrote:

Vandy Terre wrote:
...author lost in the sea of quotes...
The best bang for your buck is a small hydroponics system.

I have some problems with the whole concept of hydroponics. I hold a degree in
agriculture from a major school, so I do have some basis for my disagreement
with hydroponic gardening. I argued this with professors also.

The world is enriched by having diverse viewpoints.

1. I believe hydroponic gardens can too easily be infested with disease.

Hydroponic gardens can be easily sterilized. This is, in fact, one of
their greatest selling points. Soil isn't as easy to completely clean.

Soil can be heated, baked at 350f, which removes most problems with disease. It
is easier to contaminate water than soil once a sterile environment is obtained.
Open air gardens do quite well. If there is a problem with animals and insects
eating part of the crop. Plant more, install fences to keep large animals out,
a tiki torch burned for an hour or so at sundown will kill a large quantity of
pest insects, moth balls or garlic plants are ways to control small animal
pests.

2. I fear that growing in water rather than soil may cause the resulting food
to be of less vitamin/ mineral value.

I believe a great deal of research has gone into this issue and, for
the most part, it was found that it's not a problem as long as the
plant is supplied the right materials. One method that I've heard of
uses worm castings to a large extent. This means they have to grow
worms as well but it doesn't seem to be too difficult.

If growing the worms they also must be in a sterile environment. What is fed to
the worms must be sterile and it must contain the needed minerals. Minerals do
not magically appear.

3. Hydroponics must be one of the highest maintenance ways to grow vegetables.

Hydroponics can be largely automated. It's still a bit of work but the
advantage is that it produces many times over soil farming. On the basis
of the amount of harvested crop, the hydroponics may be much less work.

Maybe, but at what expense? Is the crop worth the money spent to obtain it.