Modern Hydroponic Systems for the Home and Garden

Chances are, you’ve probably grown a plant in soil, either in the ground or in a container! But have you ever considered growing plants in a solution of nutrients instead? There are advantages to hydroponics, such as fewer pests and weeds, faster plant growth and more control over the gardening process. Not to mention, hydroponic growing saves water and space. If these reasons won’t pique your interest, perhaps the 9 modern hydroponic systems below will do the trick…

Living Walls

One of today’s most popular hydroponic systems is the living wall. It’s unique and modern, and it brings greenery to places that may not otherwise be plant-friendly. This family room features a living wall of pothos (which some consider to be the perfect low-maintenance houseplant)! [photo by Martin Hulala via Houzz]

Home office with a vertical wall of plants

Family room with a vertical wall of plants

These courtyard EcoWalls are 9′ x 9′ and feature perennials in a range of hues. The result: an ordinary brick wall becomes a work of art!

Living walls filled with perennials

Another EcoWalls creation, this modular Living EcoWall System features internal automated irrigation. Perfect for indoor and outdoor spaces alike:

Tall living wall in an airy hallway

Living walls are perfect for outdoor areas such as terraces and rooftop gardens. Below we see a VitaWall system on a New York terrace. Learn more about how it works at VitaWall.

Outdoor living wall featuring a range of plants

This last featured hydroponic living wall graces a commercial space rather than a residential one, and we’re loving the dramatic use of lighting to showcase the dense blanket of greenery. [from Ecogardens, LLC]

Hydroponic living wall in a commercial space

Modern Hydroponic Gardens

We now shine the spotlight on an array of modern hydroponic gardens, from the decorative to the agricultural. Let’s start with the self-watering Vertical Garden from Danielle Trofe, which features a series of pods filled with soil-less material such as clay rocks:

Modern pod-like hydroponic garden

If you’re looking for something colorful to grow hydroponically, orchids are a popular choice. Where would you put your indoor hydroponic orchid system? In the living room? The bedroom? The kitchen, perhaps? [room by Robert Schwartz and Karen Williams for St Charles, photo by Rikki Snyder via Houzz]

Orchids are a popular hydroponic plant

Would you grow food hydroponically? The image below showcases hydroponic rooftop towers featured in a still from the PBS series Food Forward. Through the power of gravity, nutrients and water feed the plants in each tower. [Photo by Greg Roden/© 2012 Food Forward Productions via Huffington Post]

Hydroponic towers on a rooftop garden

We end with an out-of-this-world hydroponic system that’s destined for more than home and garden use…but we just couldn’t help ourselves! It’s an indoor agricultural hydroponics system from Toshiba, a completely controlled environment where everything from air pressure to dust is monitored. Learn more (and see the large amount of lettuce this system can grow) at TheCoolist: