Plant nutrition Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth, plant metabolism and their external supply. In 1972, Emanuel Epstein defined two criteria for an element to be essential for plant growth: in its absence the plant is unable to complete a normal life cycle.or that the element is part of some essential plant constituent or metabolite. This is in accordance with Justus von Liebig's law of the minimum.[1] The essential plant nutrients include carbon, oxygen and hydrogen which are absorbed from the air, whereas other nutrients including nitrogen are typically obtained from the soil (exceptions include some parasitic or carnivorous plants). There are 16 most important nutrients for plants. Plants must obtain the following mineral nutrients from their growing medium:[2] These elements stay beneath soil as salt. Farmer spreading decomposing manure to improve soil fertility and plant nutrition Processes[edit] Functions of nutrients[edit] Carbon[edit]
Progressive Plant Growing is a Blooming Business Progressive Plant Growing is a Blooming Business Soil. Water. Say that plants don't need them and people may think you've traded your cow -- and your good sense -- for a handful of beans. But NASA-sponsored plant experiments prove that you don't need soil and lots of water to grow a beanstalk that would make Jack proud. Plants have been to space since 1960, but NASA's plant growth experiments began in earnest during the 1990s. Image at right: These plants have developed healthy root systems without soil in a rapid-growth aeroponic system. In 1997, NASA-sponsored studies aboard the Mir space station studied adzuki bean seeds and seedlings, a high-protein Asian food crop. While all of the seeds did well, those aboard Mir grew more than those on Earth. Results from NASA's research aboard Mir has contributed to rapid-growth systems now used on Earth. Aeroponic growing systems provide clean, efficient, and rapid food production. The suspended system also has other advantages.
100 years ago, people were eating things that most of us will never taste. So what happened? Narrator: In 1905, a book called The Apples of New York appeared. It featured hundreds of Apples with names like Westfield Seek-No-Further or Esopus Spitzenburg, a favorite of Thomas Jefferson. If it wasn't for preservationists for like Ron Joyner in Lansing, North Carolina, most apples including the Virginia Greening, an apple dating back to the 1700 with thick green skin and yellow, coarse, and sweet flesh would no longer exist. In the last, century nearly 75% of our agricultural crops had disappeared. Vandana Shiva is a global ambassador on a mission to save seeds around the world. To learn more about seeds swaps and seed sovereignty, visit www.lexiconofsustainability.com. THE LEXICON OF SUSTAIN ABILITY www.lexiconofsustainability.com There may be small errors in this transcript.
Controlled-environment agriculture Controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) is a technology-based approach toward food production. The aim of CEA is to provide protection and maintain optimal growing conditions throughout the development of the crop. Production takes place within an enclosed growing structure such as a greenhouse or building. Plants are often grown using hydroponic methods in order to supply the proper amounts of water and nutrients to the root zone. Controllable variables: Temperature (air, nutrient solution, root-zone)Humidity (%RH)Carbon dioxide (CO2)Light (intensity, spectrum, interval)Nutrient concentration (PPM, EC)Nutrient pH (acidity) CEA facilities can range from fully automated glasshouses with computer controls for watering, lighting and ventilation, to low-tech solutions such as cloches or plastic film on field grown crops and plastic-covered tunnels.[2] CEA is used in research so that a specific aspect of production can be isolated while all other variables remain the same. See also[edit]
NOLA Gets First Aeroponic Urban Farm Louisiana-based Aquaponic Modular Production Systems , an urban agriculture development company, just announced the debut of a project — the first aeroponic farm in New Orleans. The Tower Garden is hosted by Hollygrove Farm and Market to showcase an innovative, fast, and eco-friendly way to grow fresh produce for the community. The design is a closed-loop system that uses nutrient-enriched water, not soil, to grow food. The recirculating farm has no water runoff and is expected to yield upwards of 40 pounds of greens per week, according to a statement by AMPS. AMPS says The Tower Garden can “ efficiently capture and repurpose waste, recycle water to reduce consumption, and grow food virtually anywhere – indoors or outside and in oddly shaped spaces. “ It’s made with food-safe plastic suitable for outdoor use and allows 44 plants to grow in five square feet. [+] More about Aquaponic Modular Production Systems . Credits: AMPS. Article tags: hydroponic
How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse - Northern Homestead When it comes to gardening in colder climates, a greenhouse is almost a must have. It extends the growing season and gives the plants a lot more heat. With a greenhouse, we can actually pick ripe tomatoes here and grow some plants that we would not be able to without one. A greenhouse can also be a great place to hang out on those cool spring days and summer nights. Very unique, lightweight structure Stable in wind and under snow Optimal light absorption Has the most growing ground space A unique hang-out place An eye catcher The GeoDome greenhouse seemed to be just what we were looking for. What materials to use? We looked at dozens of how-to instructions and even bought a pricy e-Book (with very little value). Here we share our GeoDome building experience for anyone who wants to build a GeoDome -Wood. Acidome is one of the best Geodome calculators we were able to find on the internet. First we had to cut the 2x6s to 2″ wide struts. Here’s a graphic of the end of a strut in 3D. .
Vertical farming Lettuce grown in indoor vertical farming system. Vertical farming is the practice of producing food and medicine in vertically stacked layers, vertically inclined surfaces and/or integrated in other structures (such as in a skyscraper, used warehouse, or shipping container). The modern ideas of vertical farming use indoor farming techniques and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) technology,[1] where all environmental factors can be controlled. Hydroponic systems can be lit by LEDs that mimic sunlight. Types[edit] The term "vertical farming" was coined by Gilbert Ellis Bailey in 1915 in his book Vertical Farming. Mixed-use skyscrapers[edit] Mixed-use skyscrapers were proposed and built by architect Ken Yeang.[7] Yeang proposes that instead of hermetically sealed mass-produced agriculture, plant life should be cultivated within open air, mixed-use skyscrapers for climate control and consumption. Despommier's skyscrapers[edit] Stackable shipping containers[edit] Technology[edit]
Startup Profile: AeroFarms - Urban Agriculture Aeroponic Systems March 29, 2011 | Robert Puro People are moving in ever increasing numbers from rural areas into urban city centers. Global population is expected to increase by nearly 40% to 9 billion people in the next 40 years. Threats to agriculture from climate change, loss of arable land, pesticide resistance, and water shortages continue to grow more acute. Seedstock recently spoke with Ed Harwood, CEO of AeroFarms, whose company has created an aeroponic growing system (a controlled environmental agriculture system that grows produce without soil and without sun, all year round and in any location) with the potential to revolutionize and jumpstart the nascent urban agriculture movement and help to sustainably meet the food needs of a growing world. Aeroponic Systems In case you didn’t know, aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. The origin of AeroFarms AeroFarms Business Model AeroFarms System Rendering
Are Coffee Grounds Good For Plants? You only need to walk past a coffee shop in any American city to see that our country loves java. With so much coffee being consumed on a daily basis, it’s encouraging to learn that there is a productive use for all those grinds. Next time you make a cup, save your coffee grounds and add them to the soil in your garden. For best results, use organic coffee if you will be consuming the fruits or vegetables you fertilize. In case you didn’t know, approximately 60% of the worlds coffee beans are sprayed with potentially harmful pesticides. Coffee Grounds as a Mulching Agent Coffee’s breakdown materials can be used as a mulching agent, as well as a fertilizing agent, for gardens. Coffee Grounds as a Compost Addition Adding coffee to your compost or worm bin is a great idea. Coffee as a Fertilizer As a fertilizer, used coffee grounds are slightly acidic and full of nitrogen, a mineral that aids vegetable and plant growth. Coffee as a Pesticide How to Use Coffee Grounds in Your Garden - Dr.
Learn by Doing device Aeroponics Close-up of lettuce and wheat grown in an aeroponic apparatus, NASA, 1998. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium (known as geoponics). The word "aeroponic" is derived from the Greek meanings of aero- (air) and ponos (labour). Aeroponic culture differs from both conventional hydroponics, aquaponics, and in-vitro (plant tissue culture) growing. Unlike hydroponics, which uses a liquid nutrient solution as a growing medium and essential minerals to sustain plant growth; or aquaponics which uses water and fish waste, aeroponics is conducted without a growing medium.[1][not in citation given] Because water is used in aeroponics to transmit nutrients, it is sometimes considered a type of hydroponics. Methods[edit] High-pressure aeroponics is defined as delivering nutrients to the roots via 20–50 micrometre mist heads using a high-pressure (80 pounds per square inch (550 kPa)) diaphragm pump. Nutrient uptake[edit]
Choosing The Best Indoor Plants For Your Interior It’s no secret that I’ve been a wee bit obsessed with plants lately. After taking a good look at my interior and realizing that multiple areas of my home are a bit bare, I’m convinced that a few houseplant purchases will help breathe new life into my living room, bedroom, powder room and home office. I’m fairly good at keeping plants alive, but when I get busy, I tend to be forgetful about watering. Succulents in a light-filled window For starters, several of my favorite blogs have recently featured posts on caring for houseplants. Today I thought I’d share some tips and tidbits for choosing and maintaining the best indoor plants for your interior. Indoor Plant Ideas I thought I’d begin by sharing a few houseplant ideas that experts consistently recommend as sturdy indoor greenery. Fiddle leaf fig in a woven pot Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, also known as the ZZ plant (or the zee zee plant) is a long-lasting, super-resilient houseplant that can handle low to bright light. Ah, the snake plant!