I worked a little with hydroponics and aquaponics for a project in high school, so when I saw that Erica Hernandez would be talking about hydroponics, it caught my interest. I was surprised and excited to hear that this kind of work was going on here at Cornell. Although I didn’t have a chance to try the lettuce that was grown there, I would love to stop by the greenhouses and take a look at the set-up that they have.

At the café, it was neat to learn a little more about the different types of hydroponic systems available and to hear about the advantages and disadvantages of deep water culture, nutrient film, and aeroponics. Additionally, I had the chance to learn about the effect that the type of light has on the plants.

The ability to grow vegetables and other plants under any weather conditions, provided the right materials, is a strong advantage that these systems have. It will be interesting to see how the hydroponics industry expands in the future.