Soilless methods for growing urban agricultural products

When you hear about soilless methods, many people immediately imagine sterile laboratories with perfect plants. But in reality, even hydroponics in urban conditions is a constant struggle with an imbalance of nutrient solutions and microclimate. This is what is rarely written about in glossy brochures.

Debunking Myths About Hydroponics

I still see the opinion that soilless systems completely eliminate the risks of disease. In fact, pathogens in a nutrient solution spread at lightning speed - one infected dropper is enough to lose an entire tier of lettuce in a week. This is especially critical in vertical farms, where planting densities exceed 50 plants per m2.

I remember how in 2021 we had to urgently redesign the solution supply system for strawberries after an outbreak of drinking. Standard droppers became clogged with mycelium within 72 hours; ultraviolet sterilization had to be combined with fine mechanical filters. By the way, it was then that multi-level filters from Shandong Linyao LLC began to be tested - their design made it possible to change cartridges without stopping circulation.

Now I often advise beginners to reserve a 30% reserve for pump power - pressure surges in urban networks have not been canceled. And yes, those same “smart valves” with remote control they really save the day when you need to remotely close off a section with problem plants.

Aeroponics: between breakthrough and headache

If hydroponics is an already proven technology, then with aeroponic installations there are still more experiments than stable solutions. Especially with crops like tomatoes, where the root system requires a specific fogging regime.

Our project in the Omega business center showed: standard injectors operate stably only at a pressure of 3 atm, and city communications rarely give more than 2.5. It was necessary to install intermediate booster pumps, which increased energy consumption by 18%. Not the most pleasant surprise for the customer, who was counting on savings.

An interesting solution was proposed by engineers from Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC - they adapted industrial ultrasonic humidifiers to work with nutrient solutions. True, the design had to be modified due to crystallization of salts - but these are already details.

Substrates: what suppliers are silent about

Coconut fiber is still considered the optimal substrate, but its pH changes unpredictably after 4-5 growing cycles. You have to constantly monitor - automation helps, but does not eliminate the need for manual measurements.

Mineral wool is more stable, but there are problems with disposal in the city. Municipal services require that it be registered as construction waste, which adds paperwork. By the way, on the website https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru there are interesting developments on recyclable cellulose-based substrates - we tried it in a test greenhouse, it’s still damp, but promising.

I noticed an interesting pattern: in systems with expanded clay, tomato roots develop more actively, but require more frequent watering. Possibly due to capillary effect - worth checking for the next cycle.

Energy Imbalance of Urban Farms

LED lighting has reduced costs, but has not solved the heat transfer problem. In summer, in multi-tier installations the temperature rises to 34°C even with active ventilation. You have to either reduce the luminous flux (and therefore the yield) or install expensive chillers.

Shandong Lingyao LLC offers integrated solutions for thermoregulation - their system combines cooling of the nutrient solution with air conditioning. True, for small farms this is still too expensive, but for an industrial scale it is completely justified.

Another nuance: the spectrum of lamps. Many manufacturers claim an ideal spectrum, but in practice, adjustments are needed for different phases of the growing season. Automatic lighting scenario systems are still a rarity; most often we adjust them manually based on the results of photosynthesis measurements.

Integration with city infrastructure

The most difficult thing is not the technology, but the approvals. Installing a hydroponic farm in a residential complex requires approval from Rospotrebnadzor, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and even the architectural committee. Especially when it comes to the reconstruction of non-residential premises.

Experience of the project ?Green Quarter? showed: it’s easier to immediately set aside 20% of the budget for bureaucratic procedures. But after the launch, it turned out that the neighbors were ready to pay a premium for fresh greens from the elevator? - an unexpected business model.

By the way, designing smart agricultural parks is a different story. Here it is important to take into account not only agricultural technology, but also logistics, and even consumer psychology. City residents are more willing to buy microgreens grown in their area, even if they are more expensive than imported ones - an interesting marketing aspect.

Prospects and dead-end branches

Aquaponics still remains a niche solution - it is too difficult to balance the ecosystem of fish and plants in a city. We tried simplified systems with tilapia, but the profitability left much to be desired.

But phytogels turned out to be more promising than expected. Especially for medicinal herbs - in the same business center "Omega" Basil in gel systems produced 23% more essential oils compared to hydroponics.

If we talk about the future, I see potential in hybrid systems. For example, a combination of drip irrigation with aeroponic fog for different tiers. Such projects are already being implemented by Shandong Lingyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC in its smart agricultural parks - I look forward to the results with professional interest.