I went on a science field trip in May to Oh Farms to explore a modern method of agriculture - hydroponics and aeroponics. Hydroponics and aeroponics make use of modern technology to cultivate plants without the use of soil.
Soil is an important component in growing plants because they provide the minerals for the plants. However, hydroponics replace soil with water and nutrients supplies. Plants need substances like potassium and iron to grow better. Oh Farms obtain yearly supplies of these substances and allocate daily amount to the plants.
We toured around several locations in the farm. I learnt that in hydroponics, plants have to be moved from one location to another in their different stages. Therefore, there are different plant systems to provide the optimum environment for the plant to grow in. We also noticed that the plants are sheltered in white and black netting. It was to protect the plants from direct sunlight and rain to prevent the plant from drying out and to ensure that that impurities of the rain will not affect the plant growth.
I have learnt that water has become very important for plants in hydroponics. The water that the plants take in is not only their source of water but also energy and minerals. These water are recyclable, making the growing of plants to be even more eco-friendly.
Through this field trip, I had an eye-opener on hydroponics and gain a lot on the knowledge of growing plants. Hydroponics is the future of agriculture that allows us to have more control over our vegetables. A smaller area is needed for hydroponics than the traditional way of agriculture. Therefore, it will be a solution for countries like Singapore to grow and supply our own vegetables.
Hydroponics does not have to be a large scale set up, the tour guide atually taught us ho to make use of water to grow our plants. My greatest takeaway is that how technology has allowed us to progress and provide simple but effective solutions to improve our everyday problems like our source of food.
