Hydroponic vegetables are grown suspended in a liquid solution containing the minerals the plant needs to thrive. In most cases, a hydroponics farm is enclosed within a greenhouse, but hydroponics systems can also be set up outdoors. The water used in hydroponic farming can be recycled through the system. Because there is no exposure to the outdoors, hydroponic vegetables may not need the same levels of pesticides to protect the plants against insects or pathogens. Some hydroponics growers do not use pesticides, and they employ organic farming methods, which allows them to meet the standards required to be labeled as organic produce.
Nutrition
In general, the nutritional value of hydroponically grown vegetables is about the same as that of conventionally grown produce. The ability to precisely control the levels of minerals in the water when using hydroponics makes growers able to maintain a consistent level of minerals within the plant, unlike farmers of soil-grown vegetables who may have to fertilize heavily to make up for poor soil quality.