Aeroponics vs. Soil

Costs

• The initial cost of planting a garden in soil is very little. The soil may need some amendments, but this requirement can be satisfied by the addition of well-aged manure or compost, which can often be obtained for free. An aeroponic system can easily cost $1,000 or more for a system that can handle 20 to 24 plants. The nutrients must also be purchased, as these are necessary to supply the plants with all of the essentials for growth and survival. Once the system is purchased, it can be cleaned and reused indefinitely, helping to make it more cost effective.

Simplicity

• Gardening in the soil is generally quite simple, involving tilling the soil, adding compost or fertilizer as necessary, watering and waiting for the crops to grow. An aeroponic system seems complicated at first, but actually this is also a simple, straightforward way of growing plants. Plants are placed in the system, some properly mixed nutrient solution is added, the timer is set and the plants begin to grow as their roots are misted with nutrients. About every 2 weeks, the solution is changed, and in some systems, there can be problems with nozzles clogging, but those are typically the worst problems in an aeroponic system.

Pests

• When growing in the soil, there are many pests to watch out for. Since there is no way to sterilize the soil, diseases from previous years may appear, as well as insects, birds, gophers, moles, rabbits, deer and other creatures that enjoy fresh produce. In an aeroponic system, there can be some pests from time to time, but for the most part there are none. The system is cleaned completely between plantings, resulting in very little transfer of disease from one planting to the next. Since aeroponic systems are used indoors, there are no problems with deer, rabbits or other garden thieves.

Results

• Growth rates for plants grown in soil are fairly predictable, but they can vary somewhat due to weather, the presence or absence of enough moisture, and stress caused by heat or cold. Aeroponic plants are generally kept in a controlled environment, get plenty of light at a consistent temperature and have nutrients provided directly to their roots on a continuing basis. Because these plants don't need to expend energy to seek out nutrients, they grow up to 50 percent faster than the same plants do when grown in soil. This is a huge advantage for the grower, since it provides the opportunity to harvest many crops per year, instead of only one or two.