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Hydroponic gardening is presently rare to Missouri. Thanks to a local family’s endeavor to provide for its current and future generations, garden-fresh vegetables will soon be available for sale at Fox Ridge Farm on State Highway V.
Owner Janet DeLand and her family have created a first for Camden County. After researching and analyzing their project, they attended a Florida seminar on the principles of hydroponic gardening. After much decision making DeLand purchased garden materials. With the expertise and imagination of their combined family, the garden is complete and the seedlings and seeds are maturing. Although the garden is unique in its customizing and took several weeks to build, adventurers can find a variety of hydroponic garden kit sources available. Home hydroponic kits will be available through Fox Ridge Farm, as will fresh produce.
Their large variety of plantings all grow in hanging containers. They use a neutral planting medium including coconut fiber. From the garden’s main control board, nutrients and water are automatically injected through drip tubes to each garden station twice a day.
Plantings to date include 360 tomato plants, 900 strawberry plants, and 90 pepper plants. The bottom pots are reserved for cantaloupe, watermelon, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach and green beans. The total garden area is 37-by-60 feet in size and includes 1,700 plantings. The garden is covered with a roof that cuts 40 percent of the sun’s light. Roll-up side curtains will be added — giving a greenhouse effect to the area.
Hydroponics is a “method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.” Deland said, “growing vertically is very clean, and the produce tastes better because it has the proper nutrients and minerals.”
The hydroponic garden uses up to 90 percent less water than the conventional garden as we know it to produce the same amount of food. This method provides more nutrients and is not likely to be annoyed by pests due to the ability to monitor and control each container.
The very earliest published work on growing hydroponic plants without soil was the book, Sylva Sylvarum by Francis Bacon. The book was printed a year after Bacon’s death in 1627. Today, the largest commercial hydroponics facility in the world is Eurofresh Farms in Willcox, Ariz.
Hydroponic gardening is presently rare to Missouri. Thanks to a local family’s endeavor to provide for its current and future generations, garden-fresh vegetables will soon be available for sale at Fox Ridge Farm on State Highway V.
Owner Janet DeLand and her family have created a first for Camden County. After researching and analyzing their project, they attended a Florida seminar on the principles of hydroponic gardening. After much decision making DeLand purchased garden materials. With the expertise and imagination of their combined family, the garden is complete and the seedlings and seeds are maturing. Although the garden is unique in its customizing and took several weeks to build, adventurers can find a variety of hydroponic garden kit sources available. Home hydroponic kits will be available through Fox Ridge Farm, as will fresh produce.
Their large variety of plantings all grow in hanging containers. They use a neutral planting medium including coconut fiber. From the garden’s main control board, nutrients and water are automatically injected through drip tubes to each garden station twice a day.
Plantings to date include 360 tomato plants, 900 strawberry plants, and 90 pepper plants. The bottom pots are reserved for cantaloupe, watermelon, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach and green beans. The total garden area is 37-by-60 feet in size and includes 1,700 plantings. The garden is covered with a roof that cuts 40 percent of the sun’s light. Roll-up side curtains will be added — giving a greenhouse effect to the area.
Hydroponics is a “method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.” Deland said, “growing vertically is very clean, and the produce tastes better because it has the proper nutrients and minerals.”
The hydroponic garden uses up to 90 percent less water than the conventional garden as we know it to produce the same amount of food. This method provides more nutrients and is not likely to be annoyed by pests due to the ability to monitor and control each container.
The very earliest published work on growing hydroponic plants without soil was the book, Sylva Sylvarum by Francis Bacon. The book was printed a year after Bacon’s death in 1627. Today, the largest commercial hydroponics facility in the world is Eurofresh Farms in Willcox, Ariz.
The technique of soilless cultivation is a fascinating gardening alternative. The concept was effectively used during the years of World War II. Pan Am Airways used this type of gardening to feed passengers and crews. Disney World’s EPCOT Center exhibits samplings of hydroponic gardening. NASA continues to explore this garden concept to sustain future space travels.
Hydroponic gardening is adaptable for today’s and tomorrow’s generation of gardeners.
Hydroponic garden vegetables will soon be available for sale at Fox Ridge Farm located behind Fox and Hound Antiques. More details will be available as the summer’s crop progresses.
