By Luke Huffstodt

Although the word “hydroponics” evokes space age images, the process has been employed for thousands of years.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, are widely understood to have been an elaborate water sequestration system directing channeled flow from the Euphrates River over vegetation landings using hydroponic techniques. Aztecs in the 10th and 11th century employed hydroponic principles to grow food on floating rafts on Lake Tenochtitlan. Napoleon’s notebook mentioned hydroponic processes being used in China.

“Hydro” from the Greek meaning water and “Ponos” meaning to work, is simply the process of growing vegetation without soil. Rather, plants are grown in a medium such as kilned clay aggregate, coconut fiber, sand, vermiculite, sawdust, perlite – essentially, any medium porous enough to allow water to flow easily through while carrying nutrient enriched and oxygenated water over the roots. This kind of growing represent massively more efficient processes than traditional agriculture. Water inputs are reduced by as much as 90 percent.

Hydroponics requires no soil, so arid and desertified locations may grow their own food crops. Yield levels remain stable and high year round with hydroponic growing techniques supplemented with efficient lighting, pest and disease associated with traditional agriculture are mitigated, and the crops are far easier to harvest.

Hydroponically grown vegetables are every bit as nutritious and as organic as non-GMO as their genetic profile permits. Small hydroponic systems can be used as household tools to provide herbs and vegetables.

So, if you are looking for a fun, efficient and meaningful new hobby or want to broaden your agricultural experience, grow like the wise ancients and give hydroponics a try.

– Huffstodt launched Cascadia Garden Supply in Eastsound this November