Hydroponic Gardening Isn’t Worth It for Casual Gardeners:

It’s been almost 4yrs since I purchased my first AeroGarden hydroponic system and although it has served me well along with other hydroponic brands I’ve purchased since, the long-term costs & maintenance of using hydroponic systems outweigh their benefits over traditional soil gardening whether in-ground or in a pot.

Firstly, the value & benefits of hydroponic gardening have been on a study decline after industrial sized operations have gradually collapsed due to high costs vs shrinking profits. On an at-home novice level, the small hydroponic systems do not lend to decent yields nor savings in the pocket. You just can’t grow the number of vegetables as you can in plain soil. Not to mention you are using man-made chemicals to fertilize your crops instead of organically like you can do in-ground or in a pot.

Even if you do have the space and a larger grow system indoors you run the risk of a huge pest infestation when growing crops such as tomatoes and peppers. Microgreens can be lucrative but anyone with common sense can tell you that fresh vegetables from the garden or store will provide just as much (if not more) nutrients & minerals than those little trendy greens. Sooner or later these metrosexual consumers of microgreens will run out of money and they’ll need to learn to live like the rest of us plebs.

The one exception I will make for growing hydroponically are herbs. They are expensive and you don’t really need a big space to grow them indoors… nor do they attract pests. My other exception would be prolific crops such as tomatoes & peppers but only inside a greenhouse… just try growing those indoors and you’ll soon have a million aphids infesting everything. Just remember to clean your grow systems monthly to avoid algae (yes, it’s a hassle). Don’t waste your money on large systems/grow lights… you can grow most other produce outdoors or on your patio window (if you don’t have a yard).