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Experimental hydroponics have appeared from the 17th century when biologists discovered that plants can grow without soil. From that moment on, numerous experimental hydroponics projects have been initiated in an effort to improve the method. Even if it experimental hydroponics have a long history, the real progress in the field appeared after 1970 when plastics began to be used reducing technological expenses and stimulating farmers to think about the system's viability.

A historical view on experimental hydroponics

The first experimental hydroponics project from Europe was started in England and shortly after that in France. Growing mint was the first such successful project initiated in 1699. Later in 1860 and then in 1938 different techniques were developed in Germany. In US experimental hydroponics was founded in 1925; researches continued with a smaller interest until 1970 when plastic was discovered allowing low cost systems to be easily implemented. After plastic became a common thing, experimental hydroponics extended to Europe and Asia.

Arid regions from all over the world like Iran, Arizona or Abu Dhabi were used for implementing experimental hydroponics in an effort of combining the advantages of solar radiation with the humidity provided by hydroponics; the main benefit of hydroponics is that it uses 90% less water than traditional soil agriculture.

From 1973 when oil price started to rise many investors lost their interest in experimental hydroponics, especially in US; bankruptcy and many financial problems followed for lots of experimental hydroponics system owners. A successful research in hydroponics was made in 1983 and 1985 and the interest in the subject was reestablished. At present when the concern to lower the level of chemical treatments applied to traditional crops is rising, experimental hydroponics has started to receive a lot more money in an effort to grow crops clean from ecological imbalances and other soil related problems.

What else can be said about experimental hydroponics?

Many systems were implemented to study plant health in an experimental hydroponics environment, and test the viability of an investment. It is common practice to invest in a small experimental hydroponics model that can predict the success of the project. As a general rule hydroponics is a good business if the growing crops can't be produced on the local market by traditional soil agriculture. In direct competition from similar soil crops, a hydroponic farmer doesn't stand a chance, but in the absence of a valid soil culture, hydroponics is unparalleled.