Had a neighbor push me on soil vs. hydroponics, now I get the hype

I used to think soil was the only way to go for botany lovers like us, but after my neighbor in Portland showed me his basil setup, I switched to a simple DWC system. The growth rate was double in just 3 weeks with zero soil mess. Has anyone else found a method that made them question their whole approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor.phoenix16d ago

You said 'the growth rate was double in just 3 weeks' which is pretty impressive. But I gotta be honest, that's not really a fair comparison if you were still learning soil. Most soil setups need a couple cycles to really dial in. My first hydroponic try was a disaster because I let the pH drift too much. Still, I agree the speed is REAL once you get it right. I had a friend who switched to coco coir with drip irrigation and she said it was basically hydroponics without the fancy pumps. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

perez.barbara16d ago

Used to think the same way honestly. I was dead set on soil being the best for flavor and overall plant health. But then I tried a proper hydro setup with automated pH control and it completely changed my mind. The growth speed is just on another level and the plants look healthier than anything I ever grew in soil. Still takes some learning to get the nutrient ratios right but once you do it's hard to go back. My next run is going to be in coco coir just to see how it compares to deep water culture.