How do you grow one of the most nutrient-packed greens on the planet in the middle of snowy winter weather? How Does It Grow‘s Nicole Cotroneo Jolly visits BrightFarms where Head Farmer Jason Jackson keeps the baby spinach growing… while it floats on water. This is hydroponic spinach.
Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil… Plants that are not traditionally grown in a climate would be possible to grow using a controlled environment system like hydroponics. NASA has also looked to utilize hydroponics in the space program. Ray Wheeler, a plant physiologist at Kennedy Space Center’s Space Life Science Lab, believes that hydroponics will create advances within space travel.
Hydroponic solutions are used all over Earth, too: The NY Sunworks Science Barge, Growing food for the animals in Paignton Zoo’s Vertical Farm, and Swaziland teens engineer hydroponic solutions for farmers.
Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.