Can hydroponically grown plants be organic?
Growing organically and hydroponically can be done but it can be a bit of a challenge. Hydroponics is based on immediate and 100% availability of nutrients. Organic fertilizers typically break down over a period of time via bacterial action in the soil. Organic hydroponic nutrients are available, however because the nutrients are in a more raw form, your plants may grow a bit slower. Beneficial microbes have come along way in last 3-5 years. Now, with a proper balance of microbes you can break down all organic materials and feed them to the plant quickly and directly, thus speeding up growth even faster than with mineral-based nutrition alone. Organic nutrients also tend to clog drippers and small tubing. Many growers still use standard hydroponic nutrients and supplement them with organic additives such as humic and fulvic acids, kelp, guanos and beneficial microbes.
