As growers and farmers we need to understand the complexities of the Soil Food Web.

As aeroponic growers we need an even deeper understanding of the Soil Biome in order to replicate it.  In a highly oxygenated aeroponic environment, root growth is un-obstructed by the forces of soil physics. When you break down soil you end up with groups of inputs, Sand, Silt, Clay, Minerals, Organic Matter, Living Matter, Arthropods, Nematodes, Fungi, Bacteria and even smaller viruses.  As aeroponic growers we can start to strip away at the things that will slow down plant metabolic functions.  We know we need pure water, pure air, bio-fermented nutrients, Beneficial Bacteria and Beneficial Fungi, but most of the other stuff we can leave in the dirt. For example, we can create sand or its primary mineral silica from potassium silicate in a very diluted solution.

By implementing the Soil Food Web concepts into Organic Aeroponic Systems we reduce the risks of crop failure.  For example, I noticed when I have high concentrations of beneficals in the aero root zones Pythium and Fusarium are far less common.  This gives rise to the concept of the soil biome living directly on the root zone itself. When I  analyzed the aero root zones I found that bacteria love to hang out on the root hair and fungal species will hatch and colonize directly on the lateral roots.    When an aero root zone is thriving and with the correct plant species growth can exceed 8 to 12 inches per day, similar to outdoor midsummer plant growth under RedShade.

The Soil Biome is complex, but when broken down into its main parts it becomes quantifiable and allows us as growers to create the outcomes we prefer.  Organic Aeroponics will someday become a viable option in contrast to the more water intensive, labor intensive, gasoline intensive and fertilizer intensive forms of farming.  You are starting to see this concept play out in the booming market gardening industry worldwide.  

Weather systems can be unpredictable which has created a greenhouse boom and that's when people start to think about production per square foot.  This is where organic aeroponic systems shine.  When you analyze all the production factors including labor, time, yeild, cost of production, inputs vs outputs, distance to market, cost of washing produce, spoilage, and other variables that effect profitability, aeroponic systems becomes a very profitable form of agriculture with the potential to greatly increase output per unit of carbon.  AeroScience is dedicated to leading the charge for this type or agriculture.  The AeroGreenhouse will be the pinnacle of this concept.

If you would like to build an AeroGreenhouse or grow indoors an AeroTray reach out to us for more information.

Cheers and happy growing,