When you think of growing veggies you often think of growing them in soil. But you can grow veggies in other ways too. We’ve looked at hydroponics which involves growing plants in water but you can also grow them with aquaponics. So what is aquaponics? Read on!
Aquaponics is a way of growing plants in water with the help of fish. There is a symbiotic relationship between the fish and plants. The fish provide the nutrients the plants need and in turn, the plants clean the water for the fish.
Aquaponics is suitable for some types of vegetables. However, not all veggies grow well this way. The following are some of the most popular and easy-to-grow veggies and herbs with aquaponics:
- Tomatoes
- Leafy lettuce
- Watercress
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Strawberries
- Ginger
- Basil
- Kale
- Beans
- Egg plant
Let’s look at the pros and cons of Aquaponics.
THE PROS
- It is water-efficient
- It is pesticide free
- It’s environmentally friendly
THE CONS
- The initial set-up cost for the system can be expensive depending on the type of system you install
- You can be limited in what you’re able to grow
- Electricity consumption can become pricy
As you can see, this way of growing veggies comes with both pros and cons. However, it is an effective way to grow veggies and well worth exploring.
It’s important to note that different systems can be designed for aquaponics. However, every system will need 3 essential components. These are fish, plants and bacteria. In addition to this you will also need: a fish tank, grow bed, pumps and plumbing.
It’s becoming increasingly important to live in self-sustaining ways that are environmentally friendly. Growing your own veggies is a good step towards being self-sustaining. And it’s so good for your health to eat organic food too! A real win-win!