Better with Water

MHARQ GHIERZEY T. ABE

Better With Water

When all hope seems lost, a change in routine may be just what your spirit needs. This quarantine period brought forth newfound interests in varying hobbies, one of the most popular being gardening. People find solace in its seemingly mundane nature to connect with, well, nature. Just take a look at Lolo Jose, who has turned to the comforting activity of hydroponic farming to keep him entertained.

From a citizen of Marinduque to the captain of a ship, it comes as no surprise that Lolo Jose Malelang, a hydroponic farmer in Bauan, would pick up a hobby that involves water. Through his nephew, he was able to pick up on the different information needed to start expanding his interest and manifesting it as a part of his daily life. Now, he runs his own hydroponic garden in his backyard.

Just Add Water To begin is always the hardest part. It takes a good amount of determination and patience to start one’s own hydroponic garden-- not just water, nutrients, oxygen and sunlight. There are several methods to try out that involve different materials, like the Nutrient Film Technique, which requires a pump for the continuous addition of a nutrient solution to the plants, and the Deep Water Culture, where plants are suspended via a floating platform above a container of water mixed with nutrient solution.

Lolo Jose, however, employs one of the simplest styles: the Kratky system. It starts with the preparation of the nutrient solution in a container, the partial submersion of plants in water, and the partial exposure of its roots to air. To continue growing, the steady decrease of water, attributed to the plants’ absorption of the water, is needed for enough oxygen to be delivered to the plant.

If you thought that growing plants without the usage of soil would be impossible—well, you wouldn’t be the only one to have thought so. However, the main reason why plants grow best in soil is because of the nutrients and mineral that the ground contains, and because of how easy it is for roots to be anchored. Through hydroponics, where nutrient solutions are mixed and plants are suspended mid-air to provide enough oxygen and water, a perfect environment is created.

Reaping the Benefits Not only is hydroponics a cure for boredom, it also benefits whoever grows and consumes the crops that were grown. Soil-based planting requires the use of fertilizer and insecticides, both being harmful and unsafe for human consumption. However, hydroponics farming calls for the usage of a greenhouse to create a good environment for the plants, making the greens inaccessible to bugs and insects. Since hydroponics farming is achieved through placing plants in nutrient-rich water, fertilizer isn’t required either, making the plants more natural than if it were grown through soil-based planting. Additionally, the plants one grows can be profited from. Lolo Jose, for example, gathers almost a hundred plants per cycle, from which he sells about 60% to 70% to restaurant owners, which amounts to about 2,000 pesos per cycle.

With the recent spike of interest in gardening, it isn’t surprising that hydroponic farming would rise to the spotlight. Hydroponic gardens can be found scattered all over the country, such as the Hydrolettuce.ph lettuce farm in Antipolo, and Urban Greens in Metro Manila. Without a doubt, one can say that hydroponics farming is a profitable hobby.

Why Not Try? For aspiring hydroponics farmers, Lolo Jose advised that this method of farming is undoubtedly worth the expense that he’d spent at the start for the materials he uses. This, he says, is a modern way of farming, one that doesn’t require any soil. It’s always good to try new things, and with the recent modernization of most jobs, it was only a matter of time until this method of farming finds its way into the hearts of those with a green thumb.

Although costly and a tad bit confusing at the start, it definitely brings advantages to those willing to try. The world of gardening is a huge one, with hydroponics farming being one of the many corners that it has. Opportunities to learn are abundant, and for anyone looking into a new, interesting hobby or a new business to start, this activity may just end up being the one you’re looking for. So, come test the water and dive into hydroponic farming!