Why Hydroponic Gardens Are Never Worth Buying: The Hidden Disadvantage, Explained

Hydroponics — growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil — might seem like a fairly modern idea, but people in China have used the technique to grow rice since at least the 13th century. It may date back even earlier. Today, it's becoming increasingly popular with commercial growers, in part because the plants can grow vertically, thus achieving more productivity in less space. Also, despite hydroponics being water-based, it actually uses just a fraction of what traditional growing requires.

Although it's often thought of as a way of growing vegetables indoors, there are lots of edible plants you can grow in an outdoor hydroponic garden. Some, like root vegetables, potatoes, brassicas, and squashes, don't do well, but there's a host of others that will thrive.

It seems like a great idea, and there's none of that backbreaking digging or tedious weeding. So why are hydroponic gardens never worth buying? The problem is that if you want to grow enough food for your family like you would in a traditional vegetable garden, the cost can be surprisingly high.

There are a bunch of easy ways you can DIY your own hydroponic garden, but most are small scale — more like interesting experiments than practical gardening. If you want to be more productive, you'll need to either buy some of the kits available or build something substantial yourself. Either way, the cost soon adds up. It's certainly a lot more than digging in dirt and planting seeds in your yard.

In order to take full advantage of hydroponics and grow all year round, you'll have to find space inside somewhere. You'll need a circulating pump for the water, and you'll probably want grow lights. Not only are these an initial expense, but there is also the ongoing cost for the additional electricity you will be using. You'll need to buy nutrients too. You can make your own compost for a traditional garden, but hydroponics have to be carefully balanced.

When it comes to deciding whether hydroponics or traditional gardening is right for you, there are a couple of other things you'll want to consider. Accelerated growth means harvesting and replanting are more frequent. Controlling algae can be an issue, meaning you need to clean regularly. So in addition to the high investment and running costs, the whole thing can be more labor-intensive than many people realize.