What initially began as a method to do in-depth, root research, aeroponics is now a widely-accepted cultivation method.
This is a growing style where the roots are suspended in the air, as opposed to a growing medium like soil or coco coir, and the water and nutrients are delivered via a closed loop system that sprays the roots. If you’re a little green when it comes to gardening, this might not be the best option for you. But when done correctly by experienced cannabis growers, aeroponic systems can be very successful with larger plants and better yields.
How does it work?
Aeroponic plants are grown in net pots suspended over a misting system that continuously sprays the roots with a blend of water and important plant nutrients. This type of system requires three main parts to work successfully, a planter bed, a reservoir, and a pump.
Hydroponic vs Aeroponic root systems
The first part is the planter bed, the area cannabis plants grow out of which is constructed to keep the plant and roots separated. The second part is the reservoir, which is where the water and nutrients are stored, and also the area the roots will expand into. And the third part, the pump, is a high-pressure spray system that delivers the nutrient-rich water to the plant roots.
One of the most important things to remember to keep your aeroponic pot plants thriving is to keep the roots damp, 24/7. Even an hour of dryness could damage or even kill your crop and that requires very precise on/off intervals. Since the system needs to be running non-stop, it’ll come equipped with a drainage system around the planter bed so any excess moisture can be drained back into the reservoir and recycled.
Pros and Cons of growing aeroponically
The benefits of using an aeroponic growing system are abundant, however, as mentioned previously, it’s not an easy method for beginners. It requires a lot of attention to detail and an intricate knowledge of what a healthy cannabis plant looks like in all its stages of growth.
PROS:
- These systems use significantly less water and nutrients than growing in other mediums.
- Aeroponics systems are known to produce top-quality plants with large buds and higher yields.
- It’s nearly impossible for algae to grow around the roots since light it blocked from entering that area.
- You’ll have the ability to grow more plants at once in a much smaller area since the roots aren’t fighting for space.
CONS:
- A lot of factors can affect your system, and therefore negatively impact your plants, if they go unnoticed such as power outages, clogged pumps, and nozzles, etc.
- Aeroponic growing equipment is costly, and if you’re unfamiliar with making repairs, those can get expensive as well.
- The planter box is prone to growing mold and must be inspected and cleaned frequently.
But once again, if you know what you’re doing, you can be very successful with your aeroponic grow system. This growing method has the potential to produce a pound of flowers every 3 weeks. Not bad if you’ve got a quota to meet, or if you just want to make sure you’re fully stocked up for personal use.
