Aeroponics vs. Hydroponics
| Aeroponics | Hydroponics | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Aeroponics is the process of growing plants without the use of a growing medium in an open air environment. Instead, roots hang out in the open. The roots in the aeroponics system are sprayed with nutrient-rich water. All of this takes place in a controlled setting with no outside influences such as weather. | The growing of plants without the need of soil is known as hydroponics. Flowers, herbs, and vegetables grown hydroponically are planted in inert growing substrate and fed nutrient-rich solutions, oxygen, and water. This approach promotes quick expansion, higher yields, and higher quality. |
| Growth Rate (%) | 45 – 75% | 40 – 50% |
| Crop Yields (%) | 300% | 100 – 250% |
| Water Conservation (%) | 95% | 80 – 90% |
Growing Medium
With a hydroponic garden and hydroponic systems, you use a growing medium such as perlite, gravel, sand, Rockwool (rock wool), coconut husks, or clay pellets. With Aeroponics, the critical difference is that you do not use a growing medium at all. Instead, you expose the plant’s root system directly to oxygen. The benefit here is that your aeroponic plants get direct access to nutrients, making it the more efficient way to grow plants.
Watering
When using a hydroponic method, your plants are traditionally either submerged in a trough of nutrient-rich water or a regular flow of water is running through the growing medium. With aeroponics, the root zone is fed with a pressurized mist of nutrient-rich water. This spray is set on a timer (at least for high-pressure aeroponics), while with most forms of hydroponics, the plants and growing medium are consistently in contact with water. Like all forms of hydroponics, you’re not using as much water as traditional growing methods. The clear winner in terms of water efficiency is aeroponics. With aeroponic plants in a controlled environment, you can expect to use fewer gallons of water than other types of hydroponics.
Aeration
With hydroponics, you need to figure out a way to oxygenate your roots. The roots need air to breathe, and it allows them to absorb hydroponic nutrients and water. To solve for this, most hydroponic systems use air stones, pumps, the Ktraky method – and a few other options. But with aeroponics, you don’t need to do any of that. The pressurized spray of needed nutrients on the roots provides all the aeration you need.
Aeroponics or Hydroponics: Which Is Better?
All said and done, the best type of growing system depends on your needs. Hydroponics is a great choice for beginners because it teaches you the essentials and has a lower barrier of entry. On the other hand, Aeroponics setups produce bigger yields, faster growth, and larger returns on the initial investment in less time.
While aeroponics systems have a slight edge in terms of plant growth and crop yield, it’s probably not necessary unless you’re growing at a commercial scale. Both alternative agricultural methods thrive in the absence of traditional soil.