The Search for Hydroponics Throughout History
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World consist of...
Around 900-1000 A.D. (between the 10th and 11th centuries), the Aztecs created their own form of hydroponic gardening. Since they were unable to grow crops on land, they figured out a way to use the water around them. Using the items available to them, they created a very unique way of growing their crops. They created special rafts made out of roots, dirt, and dry reeds. After completing the rafts, the Aztecs then planted crops on top of them and then placed the rafts on water. The roots of the crops then grew through the rafts and into the water, thereby producing a floating garden.
Just as the the Aztecs used this growing style for their needs, this same type of idea (hydroponics) can be used in future solutions for third world countries to provide food for themselves.
Actual documented research on hydroponics didn't occur until around the 17th century. One of the first pioneers in the field was a scientist/philosopher by the name of Sir Francis Bacon. His discoveries had an impact and important start to hydroponic research.
Looking at recent history, around a century ago, in the early 1900s, a man named William Frederick Gericke started to share his idea that plants can grow in nutrient rich water and not only in soil. Even though the public didn't believe him, he kept with it, and was soon able to prove his theories correct, and his opponents wrong. The experiment that proved them wrong was when Mr. Gericke grew a twenty-five foot long tomato vine using his method. A fun fact regarding this is, William Fredrick Gericke was actually the man who gave hydroponics its name. The experiments he conducted led others into the field of hydroponics.
For almost a quarter of a century, the development of hydroponics almost came to a stop. That all changed in 1925, this was the year that new interest began to start. This was due to the problem of frequent maintenance required to keep large amounts of greenhouse soil fertile.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World consist of...
- The Great Pyramid of Egypt
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
- The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
- The Colossus of Rhodes
- The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Around 900-1000 A.D. (between the 10th and 11th centuries), the Aztecs created their own form of hydroponic gardening. Since they were unable to grow crops on land, they figured out a way to use the water around them. Using the items available to them, they created a very unique way of growing their crops. They created special rafts made out of roots, dirt, and dry reeds. After completing the rafts, the Aztecs then planted crops on top of them and then placed the rafts on water. The roots of the crops then grew through the rafts and into the water, thereby producing a floating garden.
Just as the the Aztecs used this growing style for their needs, this same type of idea (hydroponics) can be used in future solutions for third world countries to provide food for themselves.
Actual documented research on hydroponics didn't occur until around the 17th century. One of the first pioneers in the field was a scientist/philosopher by the name of Sir Francis Bacon. His discoveries had an impact and important start to hydroponic research.
Looking at recent history, around a century ago, in the early 1900s, a man named William Frederick Gericke started to share his idea that plants can grow in nutrient rich water and not only in soil. Even though the public didn't believe him, he kept with it, and was soon able to prove his theories correct, and his opponents wrong. The experiment that proved them wrong was when Mr. Gericke grew a twenty-five foot long tomato vine using his method. A fun fact regarding this is, William Fredrick Gericke was actually the man who gave hydroponics its name. The experiments he conducted led others into the field of hydroponics.
For almost a quarter of a century, the development of hydroponics almost came to a stop. That all changed in 1925, this was the year that new interest began to start. This was due to the problem of frequent maintenance required to keep large amounts of greenhouse soil fertile.