Hydroponics Vs. Soil Gardening: Pros & Cons Of Both

Starting your garden can be a great challenge but also a great reward. More and more people are drawn to the benefits of home-produced food for its convenience, freshness, and flavor.

Choosing between hydroponics and soil gardening is a personal preference. Hydroponics allows growing plants indoors and conserving water, but it is more expensive and harder to learn. Soil gardening is a recreational and affordable way to grow plants, but it comes with the downside of pest control and climate dependability.

There is no right or wrong answer to your gardening journey. But below, you may find some surprising facts that could change your mind about the topic. Continue to read to learn more about the pros and cons of hydroponics vs. soil gardening.

Table of Contents

Hydroponics Vs. Soil Gardening

Both hydroponics and soil gardening offers excellent benefits, and both have disadvantages. Here is a snapshot of the pros and cons of hydroponics and soil gardening compared side by side.

	Hydroponics	Soil Gardening
Cost	The initial costs would be pretty high—$ 300 to $2,000, depending on size and features.	$238 for materials and supplies like seeds and soil and depending on the size and the nature of the materials(1)
Potential Earnings Per Year(1)	Between $200,000 and $250,000 per Year	Between $20,000 and $30,000 per Year
Climate Dependent	No	Yes
Time to Yield	Fast	Slow
Weeding / Pest Control Needed	No	Yes
Maintenance	Replace Nutrient Solution and Monitor pH	Water Plants and Keep Soil Fertilized
Grows in	Water	Soil
Light	Natural or Artificial	Natural
Best for	Herbs, leafy greens, strawberries, cucumbers	Everything

Hydroponics Vs. Soil Gardening: Pros & Cons of Both – Plantsheaven.com

Hydroponics

Hydroponics allows farmers to grow plants in water mixed with a fertilizer solution. Plants need a nest of supporting material like:

Foam
Pebbles
Sand
Clay

The roots of the plant swim in the water with nutrient solution. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of growing plants hydroponically.

Hydroponics Pros

Hydroponics, or “wet farming,” offers many benefits that can transform gardening the way we know it.

1- Hydroponics Use Less Water

Hydroponically grown vegetables are believed to save significant amounts of water since the water is recycled in the process. In this video, the farmers reuse all the water, which makes for an economically feasible solution.

Hydroponic gardening of lettuce utilizes land and water more efficiently than conventional farming. Therefore, according to a study issued by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, it could become a strategy for sustainably feeding the world’s growing population.

2- Hydroponics Provide Year-Round Production

Hydroponics is gaining popularity in urban areas or areas with unfavorable climates for its indoor design resiliency. It is not affected by the weather.

If you do not have space or the weather on your side, you have an important reason to switch to hydroponics.

3- Hydroponics Deliver Shorter Harvest Time

Hydroponically grown plants are super-efficient in absorbing all the nutrients from the water solution. This is because plants that are grown hydroponically live in water and minerals.

They are not “waiting” for rain or garden sprinkles. They can absorb water and minerals on demand. This allows the plants to grow faster and yield bigger and more productive.

4- Hydroponics Bring More Yield

A study by the University of Nevada, Reno, USA, comparing hydroponic and soil systems for growing strawberries, found that the hydroponic strawberries had a 17% higher yield than the soil-grown strawberries.

Hydroponically grown plants can grow faster and produce more fruit because they can directly access the nutrients they need. In addition, hydroponic plants are proving to live longer as their environment is controlled with precision to create perfect growing and high-yield conditions.

Another study found that plants in the hydroponic system can produce 20–25% higher yields than a soil-based system with a 2–5 times higher productivity.

5- Hydroponics Do Not Need Pesticides

While pesticides are necessary for soil gardening to eliminate insects, soil-less gardening does not seem to need them.

Soil is a paradise for:

Gnats
Caterpillars
Beetles

Dirt carries bacteria and microbes that the plants need but the pests thrive on. The same study on strawberries showed hydroponics are more resistant to certain insects, which could be revolutionary for reducing pesticide control.

6- Hydroponics Lower Plant Cost Over the Long Run

Farmers do not want to apply pest control, but they have to. Most often, they use:

Pesticides:
- To fight insects that destroy the plants
- To fight fungi that spread disease
Herbicides:
- To kill weeds so they do not steal the nutrients from the plants.

If no chemical control is used, pest infections may lead to enormous economic losses for farmers. Reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides can bring savings to the farmer.

Farmers who stick with hydroponics are more likely to save from the investment than traditional gardeners.

7- Hydroponics Allow Gardening Anywhere, Anytime

Hydroponics offers a new perspective on growing food sustainably. A great benefit of this gardening method is that the water is recycled, allowing crops grown in dry climates to enjoy fresh produce.

Hydroponic systems are also useful in urban areas with little space, as soil-less-grown plants maintain small roots. A hydroponic indoor growing kit equipped with LED lights will allow you to grow healthy and nutritious herbs and vegetables even in a small city apartment.

8- Hydroponics Provide Opportunity for Experimentation

If you do not like to get your hands dirty, hydroponics may offer a fresh take on gardening. You receive the benefits of a freshly grown tomato at home at your own hydroponic “lab.”

And yes, you can still call yourself a gardener if you have a crunchy piece of lettuce in your hands coming from your hydroponics system. You are a gardener/scientist! Just make sure you follow the instructions in your hydroponics kit to grow your food safely.

9- Hydroponic Vegetables Taste Better

The absorption of nutrients by plants grown in hydroponic systems is higher than those grown in soil. This means that the need for fertilizers in hydroponic systems is eliminated.

Also, some studies report that vegetables grown in a hydroponic way taste better than traditionally grown foods.

According to this video, How Aerofarms’ vertical farms grow produce, hydroponic or “vertical” farming may improve the taste of our salads. The farm reported that hydroponically grown arugula tastes “more peppery,” and the kale’s flavor is “sweeter.” This could be a winning point for parents who want their children to eat greens.

10- Hydroponics Require Little Maintenance

A hydroponic system lasts through multiple seasons. Therefore, a new nutrient solution needs to be added regularly.

In comparison, the dirt in the garden must be replaced and fertilized often, and crops should be rotated so the nutrients in one garden spot do not get exhausted.

Hydroponics Cons

Hydroponics has a lot of great benefits, but you should make an informed decision before you dedicate your time and energy to it. Here are the disadvantages of hydroponics you need to know about:

1- Higher Startup and Energy Costs

The cost of growing crops in hydroponic systems may be twice as high as in regular soil pots. There is a cost for all the elements that comprise the hydroponic system, including:

Reservoir
Netting
Drip ring
Pump
Cords
pH adjuster

Often, the initial cost is the main reason farmers are turned off to trying this novice gardening approach.

Hydroponics is usually used to produce greens such as:

Kale
Spinach
Salads

The energy required to produce bigger vegetables like potatoes and other root vegetables makes hydroponics impractical.

For example, to produce one kilogram of tomatoes or other fleshy vegetables, you would need to account for about 1200 kilowatt-hours of electricity just for the artificial indoor lighting. This does not include the electricity required to keep the temperature in the room warm for the plant to grow.

2- Precise Work

The hydroponic system requires attention to detail and commitment. You need to check and monitor the water’s pH levels and nutrient concentration.

Adjusting and replacing the chemicals in the hydroponic reservoirs may take a couple of hours each month.

3- Hydroponics Not Any Healthier than Soil Gardening

Some consider hydroponic farming to be healthier than traditional soil gardening. However, hydroponically grown plants do not have the label “organic” because they use chemically synthesized nutrient solutions.

Even if hydroponics requires little or no pesticides for weeds and insects, hydroponically grown plants still need to draw nutrients from the synthetic solutions in the water.

These non-organic salts include:

Nitrogen and phosphorus keep leaves green.
Potassium keeps fruit strong and healthy.

The defenders of hydroponics claim that the soil-less approach to gardening is not any different from traditional farming as it uses fertilizers. They are just poured in the water vs. the soil.

4- Higher Technical Skills for Growing Plants Hydroponically

Growing food hydroponically can be challenging at first. It requires the careful following of all instructions and immaculate monitoring of the pH levels of the nutrient solution. The stakes could be high, as the chemicals may damage the plants and harm us when we eat them.

Also, there are a lot of connected pipes and cables in a hydroponics system that could be an electrocution or stumbling hazard.

Example Hydroponic Kits

If you are ready to grow your food year-long, and the cost is not an issue, you can start your hydroponics garden now.

1- Best Value Hydroponics System

AeroGarden Harvest Elite has everything you need: a programmable reservoir, herb seed kit, plant food, and LED lights. It lasts all season so you can grab fresh spices from your home garden any time.

2- Layered Hydroponic System

You may have been inspired to start a hydroponic garden because you have seen a few level systems with leafy greens growing in them.

This VIVOSUN Hydroponic Grow Kit features 3 levels and is easy to build and use.

3- DIY Hydroponics

If you are interested in making your own hydroponics system, equip yourself with:

Herbs: Try this starter kit with 15 Varieties Herb Seeds Variety Pack
Hydroponics Reservoir

Atwater Hydropod: a basic kit that includes a drip ring, air pump, Rockwool cubes, and nutrients to start growing your garden in a 5-gallon bucket.
Recirculating Deep Water Reservoir: a higher-end hydroponic kit that includes air tubing, clay pebbles, recirculating pump, and a drain pump to make hydroponics for beginners easy.
LED Light: This Bloom Plus Grow Light will replace natural sunlight and help your hydroponic plants grow.
Nutrient Solutions: these Flora Grow, Bloom, Micro Combo nutrient concentrates are perfect for growing flowers and vegetables.
pH Control Kit: this pH Test Kit will help you balance the nutrient levels in your hydroponic garden.

Now you are ready to start gardening in a soil-less environment.

Soil System

Soil gardening continues to be how most farmers and home gardeners grow to produce. There is something inherently compelling about being close to the ground and feeding it so it can feed you.

Soil System Pros

Soil gardening is preferred for many reasons, and we have listed the most popular ones below.

1- Any Produce Can Grow in Soil

The great thing about traditional farming is that it allows you to grow anything:

Flowers
Herbs
Fruits
Vegetables

The cost of electricity or complex floating plant and water recycling systems is eliminated.

2- Soil Gardening is Simple

Gardening the traditional way is an orderly practice. Choose the place, enrich the soil, plant the seeds, water the plant, and remove the weeds often.

If there are too many dry days, water your vegetables with a garden hose or water bucket and watch them grow.

3- Soil Gardening is Generally Safe

Growing a fresh, red, dense tomato is a safe endeavor! But you do have to be persistent and dedicated.

Put your plant in a bed of fertilized soil, watch it, give it water, watch it more, and accept that the weather will not always be on your side. There is no need to mix chemicals that can burn you or your tomato plant.

4- Gardening is Good for Your Body and Mind

The health benefits of gardening are endless. It is known to:

Decrease blood pressure
Lower cholesterol levels
Prevent osteoporosis
Strengthen heart
Reduce stress and provide relaxation

Gardening also counts as exercise. You can burn between 200-400 calories per hour, just as much as you would in a 30 minute-aerobic exercise.

5- Gardening is Practically Free

If you already have a yard, it is only natural to designate a sunny spot for a garden. You do not need to pay for artificial lighting as the biggest light bulb your vegetables need 8 hours a day, and the sun is at your disposal.

Watering is required occasionally, but mother nature takes care of most of the work.

If you are gardening in pots, a $25 fifty-quart bag of potting soil can nourish your plants for up to 6 months. An initial investment in pot gardening is affordable and, therefore, preferred by experienced and new gardeners.

Check out this article to get started with soil gardening. See also: Here’s How to Germinate Tomato Seeds Faster: a Quick Guide

Soil System Cons

Soil gardening does not have many disadvantages, but it is greatly criticized for using fertilizers.

1- Gardening Uses Harmful Pesticides

A gardener is constantly battling with weeds, gnats, and squirrels. To prevent pests, like feeding worms, caterpillars, and beetles, from eating the plant, farmers need to treat their vegetables with pesticides.

Pesticides can be toxic to people. Pesticide poisoning can lead to:

Nausea
Headaches
Allergies
Thyroid problems
Cancer

Understandably, the use of pesticides is a concern, but farmers have not found a way to grow rich nutrients in vegetables and fruits without them.

2- Gardening Needs Space

Growing plants the traditional way could be quite challenging for someone living in an apartment. Gardening is messy and requires a lot of room.

Balconies may work for a small batch of herbs, but if you want to get serious with gardening, you will be forced to explore community gardening.

According to researchers at the University of Arizona, plants grown hydroponically use about 10 times less water than soil farming.

Example Gardening Starting Kits

Unlike a hydroponics system, gardening requires just a few simple tools. Here is what you need to start growing your plants in soil.

1- Seeds

A garden without tomatoes is not a garden. These assorted Heirloom Tomato Seeds provide a colorful variety of eight organic types. Each packet includes 40-60 seeds.

2- Pots

If you are ready to start your gardening journey but do not have a ton of space, you can begin by buying plastic containers. This 3-pack GROWNEER plastic rectangular kit is perfect for vegetables and flowers.

Save some time, and do not buy vegetables and flower Grow Bags. They are too flimsy. They are advertised as easy to transport anywhere because of their soft material, but we doubt you are taking your garden anywhere.

3- Best Value Potting Mix

This Miracle-Gro is excellent for indoor and outdoor plants and lasts for up to 6 months.

4- Organic Soil

This Espoma AP4 has only natural ingredients and is perfect for conscientious organic gardeners who carefully inspect every bite from the ground to the table.

5- Fertilizers

Whether you grow plants in a garden or in pots, you still need to fertilize the soil to provide important nutrients for your plants.

This Miracle-Gro nutrient supplement is ideal for vegetables, flowers, and houseplants. It just needs to be mixed with water and sprayed on the plant every two weeks.

6- Mulch

This eco-friendly Coco Mulch is perfect for preventing weeds. Mix it with water, let it expand, and apply it to your plants.

Now you are ready to start your garden. If you choose this method, the total cost for your soil garden this season will be much lower than with hydroponics solutions.

Wrapping Up

If you are willing to experiment and feed your plants unconventionally, give hydroponics a try. If you see your food as sacred and traditional that can come from only one place, the ground, then maybe you do not change a thing and keep gardening in soil.

There is no right or wrong answer. Whether you choose a hydroponics or soil system, you are receiving the benefits of home-grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables, and that is all that matters.