Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 6.23
Omega Garden single carousel growing chard. Note the ori-
entation of the plants toward the central light. (Courtesy of Omega Garden
International, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.)
passes the growing blocks with the plant roots through this upper reservoir
of nutrient solution. The price of this unit is $2595.
Another product is the AeroGarden. Although its name implies an aero-
ponic system, it really is a drip system and therefore will be discussed in
C h apt e r 7.
COMBINATION WATER CULTURE AND SOILLESS SYSTEMS
If an NFT or ebb and flow system uses large mesh pots with a substrate
such as perlite or pebbles, it really is not a true water culture system but
a combination of water and soilless cultures. If the mesh pots are only 2
inches in diameter, the system could be termed water culture, as the major-
ity of the plant roots would be in the solution below. But, with larger pots,
more roots should remain in the substrate and therefore in my opinion it is
a combination of soilless and water cultures. This does not mean that the
system is less functional; in fact, it may be more suitable to a wider range
of plants, especially for vine crops. Vine crops would do best in the larger
pots of 5½ or 8 inches diameter.
Small units of this combination system are available from several com-
panies such as American Hydroponics, American Agritech (Botanicare),
and General Hydroponics.
