My brother is really into the whole hydroponic thing right now and he’s been trying to get me to see the error of my ways (ie. traditional gardening). I have yet to be convinced (I am quite the stubborn little beast), but I am glad that my brother has something that has caught his interest and gives him gainful employment.

Thanks so much for this post. I heartily agree with you and was glad to read such a well thought out post.

Be Peace,
Kimbrah

I didn’t intend my post above to be anything other than my personal reflections on the choices available to my family for produce. Since I have done more thinking since I wrote this post, I will add to my thoughts.

Hydroponically grown produce can be more healthy than some produce. However, I do believe that hydroponically grown produce is inferior in nutrition to produce grown in healthy, vibrant soil.

In my reading on the subject, I have run across the following claim, in favor of hydroponics, again and again. It is: a plant gets its nutrients from the soil, but once the nutrients are depleted, the soil cannot sustain the plant’s life any more. On the other hand, a hydroponically grown plant is fed a constant diet of a diverse balance of nutrients, which don’t run out. In this case, the hydroponically grown plant is more healthy.

This claim assumes that the soil quality is declining. It doesn’t address the opposite scenario.

What if the soil is not declining in quality? In God’s design, the soil quality is ever-increasing. This involves a method of farming that focuses on soil health — through continual addition of organic matter which the microorganisms break down into nutrients for the plants.

In this system, nutrients are not depleted; in fact, soil health improves over time. We know this is true. Farmers all over the world nurture soil and see it improve year after year.

And I believe that plants — grown in healthy soil — are more healthy than hydroponically grown plants.

Hydroponically grown plants are not the superior choice. But it is not wrong to grow food hydroponically.

God did indeed make plants that can grow in water. That is a testament to the versatility of His creation. But it doesn’t mean that it is the superior way. Hydroponics is a man-made system. Healthy soil nourishing healthy plants is God’s system.

If someone was starving and hydroponically grown produce was all that was available, I would be the first to say that person should eat and be thankful for the food! I think we all should consider all our options for growing food and choose the best for our situation.

I sprout. This could be considered hydroponic. (However, I don’t grow any of these sprouts to the point where they would need outside nutrition.) But even so, I consider my home grown sprouts preferable to most of the produce available in my grocery store. So you see, I am prioritizing.

I offer this as further clarification of my thoughts, today, on hydroponics. Feel free to add your thoughts!

Love, Wardh