At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Doha-based Filipino accountant Jeacim Francis Adaya started his journey in hydroponics gardening thinking it could be a good bonding activity with his wife, Misty, and daughters Sofia and Zara.But it was in March 2022 after moving to a much larger house that Adaya realised the potential for hydroponics gardening despite a few trials and errors along the way.He explained to Gulf Times the potential of hydroponics gardening in addressing some of the challenges facing modern agriculture, such as limited land availability, water scarcity, and environmental degradation.By sharing information and promoting the use of hydroponics gardening, Adaya hopes to help raise awareness of these issues and encourage more people to adopt sustainable and efficient methods of agriculture.GULF TIMES: Is indoor hydroponics gardening possible if one does not have ample outdoor space?ADAYA: Yes, indoor hydroponics gardening is a great option for people who do not have ample outdoor space, as it allows them to grow plants indoors without soil. Hydroponic systems can be set up in a small space, such as a spare room, closet, or balcony, and can produce a high yield of plants compared to traditional soil-based gardening.With hydroponics, you can grow a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and you can control the growing conditions, such as light, temperature, and nutrients, to optimise growth and yield. Additionally, indoor hydroponics gardening can be a fun and rewarding hobby, and it can even help reduce your carbon footprint by reducing food transportation and waste.For those who want to get started in hydroponics gardening, what is the initial cost of investment? Kindly provide an overview of the budget for a small, medium, and large garden.The hydroponic method that I am using is called "Kratky Method,” which is simple and adaptable for small home gardens. This passive method of hydroponics only requires a few basic supplies, such as container with lid (I use styro box), styro cups, growing medium (I recommend using cocopeat), nutrient solutions, and seeds.The average cost for a DIY small setup (one box/starter kit), which can produce about eight to 10 lettuce heads (or other vegetables of choice), is QR100 to QR150. A medium setup with around 50 boxes that can produce about 400 to 500 lettuce heads may cost around QR2,000 to QR3,000, while a large garden setup with around 100 boxes for 1,000 lettuce heads would cost about QR5,000 or more.What varieties of vegetables could be grown in this climate through hydroponics gardening?There are many varieties of vegetables that can be grown in an outdoor hydroponic system in Qatar during the cold months (November till the first week of May).Some popular choices include:
- Hydroponic gardening can teach children several valuable life lessons, including responsibility, patience, science and environmental awareness, nutrition, and creativity and problem-solving.
April 21, 2023 | 09:14 PM