HydroFlex Tower with lettuce under an LED grow light indoors

Hydroponics knowledge

The future of hydroponics: what research and practice show today

Urban farming, less water, more yield in a small area, vegetables in space and sensors in your own tower. Here you can read what studies really prove, where the challenges lie and how I picture my own future with hydroponics.

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Around 20 instead of 250 litres

of water per kg of lettuce in a study from the USA

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About 11 times more

yield per square metre in the same study

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Electricity is the task

light, heating and cooling need energy

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Sensors

measure EC, pH and climate around the clock

The future of hydroponics: not a crystal ball, but facts

The future of hydroponics looks promising, and there are many ways this innovative growing method could revolutionise how we grow food. Here are some key aspects that highlight the potential of hydroponics for future agricultural practices:

A lot is promised about the future of hydroponics. Here I stick to what research and practice already show today. Where something is still an outlook, I say so. What you read here comes from university studies, from NASA, from the German Aerospace Center and from my own growing.

You can read where hydroponics comes from on my page about the history of hydroponics. This page is about where the journey is heading.

Contents

🏙️Urban farming 💧Saving water and fertiliser 🚀Desert, Antarctica, space 📅Year-round production 🐞Less plant protection 📡Technology and data 🏫Education and community gardens 🏠Hydroponics at home 🌱Final thoughts ❓FAQ

🏙️Vegetables from the city

Urban farming and shorter supply chains

Hydroponics makes it possible to grow plants in urban environments, even inside buildings or on roofs. That shortens transport routes, and the vegetables reach consumers fresher. Whether less CO2 is produced overall depends mainly on the electricity for light and climate: transport usually accounts for only a small part of the emissions from food. Cities could grow part of their fresh vegetables themselves this way, especially lettuce, herbs and leafy greens. That makes supply less dependent on long supply chains.

What universities are researching

With hydroponics you can grow where there is no good soil: on roofs, in halls, on house walls or on the balcony. Universities are researching intensively how this can work on a large scale. At Cornell University in the USA, for example, a research group compares what leafy greens for New York and Chicago cost and consume: grown in the field in California and transported, in a greenhouse in the city, or in a hall with lamps on several levels.

A separate Cornell University programme is working on growing lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries in the greenhouse with less energy. The most important tools for this are smart control of the LED lighting and more CO2 in the air. This is exactly where the key to the future lies: using light so that every kilowatt hour brings as much harvest as possible.

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Roofs and halls

Growing right where people live, without farmland.

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Short distances

The vegetables arrive fresh instead of travelling for days.

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Electricity decides

How much CO2 is produced depends mainly on the electricity for light and climate.

📖Where hydroponics is possible, from windowsill to greenhouse, I show in my book in the chapter “Wo ist Hydroponik möglich?” (Where is hydroponics possible?). Just check the table of contents.›

💧Water and fertiliser

Greater efficiency and careful use of water and fertiliser

Hydroponic systems use water and nutrients more efficiently than traditional soil growing. Thanks to the closed loop, water is recycled, which greatly reduces consumption. At the same time, the precise control of nutrient supply allows fertiliser use to be reduced, and because the nutrient solution stays in the loop, hardly any fertiliser reaches the groundwater.

What a lettuce study shows

In 2015 researchers at Arizona State University calculated what lettuce in a hydroponic greenhouse needs compared with growing in the field. The basis was the location of Yuma in Arizona, an important lettuce-growing area in the USA. The result nicely shows both the strengths and the challenges of hydroponics.

Per kilogram of lettuce and year	Hydroponics in the greenhouse	Growing in the field
Yield per square metre	about 41 kg	about 3.9 kg
Water	about 20 litres	about 250 litres
Energy	about 90,000 kJ	about 1,100 kJ

Hydroponics brought about 11 times more yield on the same area and needed only a fraction of the water. The reason is the closed loop: the water runs past the roots again and again instead of seeping into the ground. In return the greenhouse needed about 82 times as much energy, mainly for light, heating and cooling.

What this means for you

The big task of the future is electricity. If you have cheap electricity, for example from your own solar system, and use daylight, you have a clear advantage. In summer on the balcony or in the greenhouse the sun works for you. The pump uses only a little; mine runs 5 minutes on and 30 minutes off indoors.

🚀Desert, Antarctica, space

Growing in hostile environments

Hydroponics can be used in areas where soil growing is not possible because of poor soil quality or extreme weather. This opens up new possibilities for growing food in desert regions, in polar areas or even in space, which could be particularly relevant for future Mars missions.

Fresh vegetables in space: NASA research

For a journey to Mars, which can take two to three years, packaged supplies alone are not really enough. Vitamins and quality decline over time. That is why NASA sees freshly grown vegetables as an important supplement. On the ISS space station, plants already grow without soil under LED light in the Veggie system. In August 2015 astronauts there ate home-grown lettuce for the first time.

Vegetables in Antarctica: the EDEN ISS project

In the EDEN ISS project, the German Aerospace Center operated a greenhouse in Antarctica. Lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs grew there without soil, under artificial light and in a closed water loop. The project was meant to show how astronauts on the Moon and Mars can be supplied with fresh vegetables, and how vegetables can grow even in very harsh climates on Earth.

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Desert

Hardly any rain, poor soil: the loop saves the scarce water.

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Polar regions

EDEN ISS in Antarctica: vegetables under lamps in an icy climate.

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Moon and Mars

Fresh vegetables are meant to supplement supplies on long journeys.

From my shop

Everything for your soil-free start

HydroFlex Tower for indoors and outdoors, seedling box, seedling station, support rings and my own nutrient. After you buy, I’ll help you on WhatsApp.

To the shop ›

📅All year round

Year-round production

Because hydroponic systems are operated in controlled environments, growing is possible independently of the season. That allows fresh vegetables and fruit such as strawberries all year round, which can reduce dependence on seasonal growing cycles and the associated price fluctuations. In winter this needs light and warmth, in other words energy.

Harvest whenever you like

Indoors you can grow all year round. In winter, however, daylight at the window is often not enough. Then a grow light helps, which you hang at the side of the tower, 20 to 30 cm from the plants and for at most 16 hours a day. More on this on my page about lighting.

📖How to harvest all year round is in my book in the chapter “365 Tage ernten” (Harvesting 365 days). Just check the table of contents.›

🐞Plant protection

Reduced pesticide use

In hydroponic systems the plants come into less contact with pests and pathogens present in the soil. That can significantly reduce the need for plant protection products, and fewer residues end up on the vegetables. But hydroponics is not completely free of pests either: aphids, thrips and spider mites come through the air, and root diseases such as Pythium can even spread quickly in the loop.

Less trouble with soil pests

Without soil, pests and diseases that live in the soil have a harder time. But you are not completely free of them: aphids, thrips or spider mites can also appear on plants in the tower. How to recognise them and what to do is explained under pests and diseases.

Gone

✔Pests from the soil
✔Weeds
✔Soil fungi on the roots

Still an issue

✔Aphids, thrips, spider mites
✔Powdery mildew in humid air
✔Root rot in warm water

📖Which pests turn up in the tower and what I do about them, I explain in my book in the chapter “Schädlinge im Tower” (Pests in the tower). Just check the table of contents.›

Free

Which tower suits you?

A few questions about space, location and what you want to harvest, and you get a recommendation.

To the tower advisor ›

📡Technology and data

Integrating technology and data analysis

The future of hydroponics could be shaped by the increased use of IoT (Internet of Things) devices, sensors and artificial intelligence. These technologies can be used to monitor and optimise growing conditions, which can further increase efficiency and productivity.

Sensors and automation in your own tower

What runs in research greenhouses is coming to your home bit by bit. There are already meters that permanently measure and display the EC, pH and temperature of the nutrient solution in the tank. A digital timer with a cycle function controls the pump, and LED lamps bring the light exactly where it is needed.

With a smart home, lamps, fans and heating can even be switched based on sensors, for example a fan that starts by itself when humidity is high. What remains important: the technology takes work off your hands, but it does not replace understanding your plants. Always EC first, then pH, and my pH target is 5.8. More on this on the EC value and the pH value.

UIUZMAR pH EC TDS Messgerät 7 in 1 pH WertsContinuous monitor for the tank: shows pH, EC and temperature of the nutrient solution around the clock.52,34 EURView on Amazon*To Amazon*

Intervalltimer(1s-999h) Zeitrelais-SteckdoseDigital timer with cycle function. Indoors I set 5 minutes on and 30 minutes off.14,99 EURView on Amazon*To Amazon*

MARS HYDRO VG40 LED Pflanzenlampe 60cm IP65LED grow light for indoors. I hang it at the side of the tower, 20 to 30 cm from the plants.59,99 EURView on Amazon*To Amazon*

* Affiliate link: if you buy through it, I earn a small commission. Your price stays the same. Prices incl. VAT, as of 8.11.2026.

* Affiliate links: I earn a commission if you buy, your price stays the same.

📖How to measure and adjust EC and pH, step by step, is in my book in the chapter “EC und pH” (EC and pH). Just check the table of contents.›

🏫Learning and sharing

Education and community gardens

Hydroponics also offers great educational opportunities. Schools and community centres could use hydroponics to teach important knowledge about growing methods that need little water and to run community gardens.

A tower in the classroom shows very clearly how plants grow and what they need. The roots are visible, pH and EC can be measured, and after a few weeks there is the first lettuce. That turns biology and chemistry lessons into something hands-on.

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Measure and understand

pH, EC and water temperature: hands-on science.

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Harvest together

A tower in a community garden brings a lot of harvest on little space.

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From seed to harvest

Children experience the whole journey, from cube to plate.

🏠At your home

Hydroponics at home

The future of hydroponics does not only happen in research halls but also on your windowsill. You do not need a garden; you need enough light, suitable temperatures and a good location. A hydro tower uses height and saves floor space, which is why it fits on a small balcony or in a corner of the living room.

A closed loop

In the tower the pump carries the nutrient solution up, it runs past the roots and back into the container. The water is used again and again. You can simply top up with ready-mixed nutrient solution instead of changing all the water. So you save water, fertiliser and time.

Hydro tower with herbs at the window: growing parsley indoors without soil — Fresh herbs right at the window: this is what hydroponics looks like at home.

My own nutrient

Frankie’s liquid nutrient

Seedling and leaf nutrient from one bottle, with calcium and magnesium, made for soft water. For all plants from sowing to the growth phase, leafy plants until harvest.

View in the shop ›

My own future with hydroponics

The future will not get cheaper. That is why my goal is to be as independent as possible. The foundation for this is that I taught myself hydroponics. Then there is electricity: for pumps and lamps, power from your own solar system is ideal.

My big goal is a growing room under the roof where I can grow all year round, with air conditioning, heating, humidity control and ventilation, all controlled via my smart home. Sensors there regulate humidity by themselves, for example. I will pass on everything I learn along the way to you.

Are you interested?

If you like, I will write a separate book about a complete growing room under the roof: from planning and building to the smart home with sensors. Message me on WhatsAppwhether you are interested.

🌱Conclusion

Final thoughts

Hydroponics will not replace agriculture, but it can noticeably change it and complement it sensibly, especially for lettuce, herbs and fruiting vegetables close to cities. With its ability to offer efficient and space-saving growing methods, it has the potential to become an important pillar of food production in cities.

For you at home this means: you can already grow lettuce, herbs and vegetables without soil today, on the windowsill, on the balcony or in the greenhouse.

What else I use

My recommendations: everything I work with myself

Meters, lamps, fertiliser, pumps and accessories. More than 50 products, sorted by topic, each with my short explanation.

To my recommendations ›

Frequently asked questions about the future of hydroponics

What does urban farming mean?

Urban farming means growing food in the city: on roofs, in halls, on house walls, on the balcony. Hydroponics is well suited to this because it needs no soil and manages with little space.

Do vegetables from the city automatically save CO2?

Not automatically. Transport routes get shorter and the vegetables arrive fresher. But transport usually accounts for only a small part of the emissions from food. What matters is where the electricity for light and climate comes from.

How much water does hydroponics save with lettuce?

In a 2015 study by Arizona State University, lettuce from the hydroponic greenhouse needed about 20 litres of water per kilogram, compared with about 250 litres in the field. The reason is the closed loop, in which the water is used again and again.

How much more yield does hydroponics bring on the same area?

In the same study hydroponics brought about 11 times more lettuce per square metre: around 41 kg instead of around 3.9 kg a year.

What is the biggest challenge of hydroponics?

The energy requirement. The greenhouse in the study needed about 82 times as much energy as growing in the field, mainly for light, heating and cooling. That is why there is intensive research into economical lighting.

Where was the well-known lettuce study calculated?

The basis was the location of Yuma in Arizona, an important lettuce-growing area in the USA. The researchers compared growing in a hydroponic greenhouse with growing in the field there.

Why does hydroponics need less water?

Because the water runs in a closed loop. The pump carries the nutrient solution to the roots, and whatever the plants do not take up flows back into the container instead of seeping into the ground.

Does fertiliser reach the groundwater with hydroponics?

Hardly. The nutrient solution stays in the loop and is used again and again. When growing in soil, by contrast, part of the fertiliser is washed out by the rain.

Where can hydroponics be used where soil growing does not work?

Wherever the soil is poor or the weather extreme: in desert regions, in polar areas such as Antarctica and even in space.

What is Cornell University researching?

Among other things, growing lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries in the greenhouse with less energy, mainly through smart control of the LED lighting and more CO2 in the air. It also compares how leafy greens best reach big cities such as New York and Chicago.

Why is NASA interested in hydroponics?

For long journeys, for example to Mars, packaged supplies alone are not really enough, because vitamins and quality decline over time. Freshly grown vegetables are meant to supplement the supplies.

How long can a journey to Mars take?

NASA expects two to three years for a Mars mission. During this time freshly grown plants are meant to supplement the packaged food.

When was home-grown lettuce first eaten on the ISS?

In August 2015. The lettuce grew in NASA’s Veggie system without soil under LED light.

What was grown at EDEN ISS in Antarctica?

Among other things lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. The plants grew without soil, under artificial light and in a closed water loop.

What was the EDEN ISS greenhouse intended for?

It was meant to show how astronauts on the Moon and Mars can be supplied with fresh vegetables. It also looked at how vegetables can grow in very harsh climates on Earth.

Can I harvest all year round with hydroponics?

Yes, indoors that works. In winter, however, daylight at the window is often not enough. Then hang a grow light at the side of the tower, 20 to 30 cm from the plants and for at most 16 hours a day.

Are there no pests in hydroponics?

They do. Without soil, pests and diseases that live in the soil have a harder time. But aphids, thrips or spider mites can also appear on plants in the tower.

Does hydroponics need fewer plant protection products?

Usually yes, because pests and pathogens from the soil disappear. But root diseases such as Pythium can spread quickly in the water loop. That is why clean containers, light-tight tanks and the right water temperature are important.

Which technology can I already use in my own tower today?

A continuous monitor that shows EC, pH and temperature in the tank, a digital timer with a cycle function for the pump and an LED grow light. With a smart home, fans and heating can also be switched via sensors.

What role does artificial intelligence play in hydroponics?

In large facilities, programs evaluate sensor data and control light, climate and nutrient solution. For the tower at home, a meter, a timer and a look at the plants are enough.

Do sensors replace your own measuring?

No. The technology takes work off your hands, but you should understand what your plants need. When adjusting: always EC first, then pH. Frank sets the pH to 5.8.

How long does the pump run in the tower?

Indoors 5 minutes on and 30 minutes off, outdoors in great heat 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. For this you need a digital timer with a cycle function.

Is hydroponics suitable for schools and community gardens?

Yes. A tower shows very clearly how plants grow, what they need and how a water loop works. Pupils see the roots, measure pH and EC and harvest the first lettuce after a few weeks.

How does Frank save electricity for his growing?

He uses daylight outdoors and in the greenhouse. For pumps and lamps, power from his own solar system is ideal.

What is Frank’s dream for his growing?

A growing room under the roof where he can grow all year round: with air conditioning, heating, humidity control and ventilation, all controlled via his smart home. If people want it, he will write a separate book about it.

Do I have to change all the water when topping up?

No. In a running tower you simply top up with ready-mixed nutrient solution instead of changing all the water. So you save water, fertiliser and time.

Do I need a garden for hydroponics?

No. Hydroponics does not need a garden, but enough light, suitable temperatures and a good location. A hydro tower uses height and fits on a small balcony or a windowsill.

Does hydroponics replace agriculture?

No. It complements it, especially for lettuce, herbs and fruiting vegetables. Potatoes, carrots and grain still grow best in soil.

You will find more basics on my page Hydroponics for beginners, on advantages and on myths and facts.

Continue with your own growing

My book

Step by step into hydroponics

168 pages, simply explained for beginners and with videos on the topics (in German). Exactly how I grow myself: from sowing to harvest.

More about the book ›

Free

Which tower suits you?

A few questions about space, location and what you want to harvest, and you get a recommendation.

To the tower advisor ›

Questions about your setup? Message me on WhatsApp.

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