Hydroponic As a Solution in Narrow Land and Less Productive Soil

Farming is an activity that long ago been done by our ancestors. Farming activities in the agricultural sector can support economic needs of the community / farmer. Farmers are accustomed to conventional farming systems, cultivating the land first, and then wait for the rains the right time for planting. Of course this is not an activity that is effective when compared between ancient and modern. In developed countries, agricultural activities can be done simply, more controlled and scheduled. Farming systems that developed long ago is hydroponic systems. Hydroponics is a method of farming without the use of soil. Land which is actually the place to grow plants can be replaced with an inert medium, such as sand, charcoal, husk, rockwool, cotton, gravel, etc. In areas with unproductive land / margin, hydroponics offers agricultural activities that can be developed. Hydroponic farming is able to deliver results with the production of high quality that can increase the sale value of the crop.

Hydroponics is derived from Hydro (water) and Ponics (treatment), so that could be interpreted hydroponic is cultivation with water as planting medium. Hydroponic history began in 3 centuries ago, in 1669 in the UK has been done in the laboratory testing hydroponic plants. Progress was very influential occurred in 1936, Dr.WF Gericke in California (USA) managed to grow tomatoes as high as 3 meters and fruitful in a tub filled with mineral water. From this moment hydroponics continues to spread to various countries. In Indonesia hydroponics began to be developed in about 1980.

According Raffar (1993), the hydroponic system is a way that is very effective crop production. This system was developed based on the grounds that if the plants are given optimal growth conditions, the maximum potential for production can be achieved. This is related to the growth of the root system of plants, in which the growth of plant roots will produce the optimum growth of shoots or the top of a very tall. In hydroponic systems, given nutrient compositions containing organic salts impartial to grow roots with ideal environmental conditions.

The reason for choosing hydroponics is none other than because of its virtue as compared to conventional systems. Some advantages by applying hydroponic system are as follows:

1. Can be done on land with soil less productive even though, because the media does not use soil to grow plants

2. Safe environment because it does not use pesticides that damage the soil.

3. Save fertilizer use.                          

4. Did not require a lot of labor.

5. Saving water much because they do not need to pour water every day.

6. No requires a lot of land, crops media can be made in stages.

7. Cleanness more easily maintained and protected from diseases that come from the ground.

8. Plants cultivation can be done without depending on the season.

9. Plant nutrients can be supplied in accordance with the requirements of the plant.

10.  Pests and diseases attack tend to be rarer and more easily controlled.

11. If done properly can yield higher quality with higher quantity.

12. Can set the time of planting and harvesting schedules in accordance with the needs of the market or consumer demand.

So Hydroponic is simple way as solution farming in Narrow Land and Less  Productive Soil