growers know
The Institute of Simplified Hydroponics ( ISH ) in Fair Play ,
Missouri , announced a breakthrough in the summer of 2016 : researchers managed to produce sweet potatoes with simplified hydroponics . Simplified hydroponic gardens can be set up without using electricity and fuel-based or mechanical equipment . The use of fertilizers can be limited to those derived from plant waste , composted chicken manure , or bat guano as long as there is no danger of contamination from chemical or non-organic pesticides .
Why Sweet Potato ?
The sweet potato is likely a human-engineered adaptation of a plant in the morning glory family . A single one of the plant ’ s roots can supply three to nine root vegetables , which are usually what humans eat . There are now an estimated 10,000 varieties worldwide , ranging in colors from white to purple . The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are one of the best natural sources for vitamin A — half a kilo is likely to have four times the recommended daily requirement . The Okinawa purple variety is higher in protein and loaded with cancer-fighting agents . The green vine tops of the sweet potato are also edible and are used in salads and soups , or as a green vegetable like spinach or turnip greens . Sweet potatoes are considered one of the world ’ s super foods . Studies of people living on a diet rich in this vegetable reveal life expectancy is about five years longer than that of a typical person in the US . Also , findings show a huge reduction in the rates of chronic diseases common in the US . While this is likely not due to sweet potato alone , it does show that recommending this root as a primary staple is a positive step towards human health .
“ Studies of people living on a diet rich in this vegetable reveal life expectancy is about five years longer than that of a typical person in the US .”
Carbohydrate Progress in Hydroponics
In the 22-year search for a carbohydrate crop that would work in simplified hydroponics , as many as 50 other crops have been tried . NASA experimented with wheat in the CELSS program for space and found that wheat production for one square meter was just about eight ounces . And this was in hightech hydroponics with climate control and artificial light . However , another problem with grains is that only a small part of the plant is edible ( 15 per cent or less ). So , a lot of time , water , and nutrient is used producing part of the product humans do not eat . Corn is slightly better with 25 per cent of the crop being edible . Hydroponic corn experiments yielded a respectable 1.9 kilogram per square meter ( kg / m 2 ) in one season , and it looked like year-round corn could produce 6.8 kg / m 2 . Root vegetables , on the other hand , showed more promise in production per space . In Dr . William Gericke ’ s classic book The Complete Guide to Soilless Gardening , he mentions an expected yield of about 0.25 pounds of Irish potatoes in his hydroponic system . This rate would expect a 13.62 kg / m 2 in 120 days .
126 grow cycle