Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Hydroponics Seen As Future Of California Agriculture

  •  Steve Milne 
Wednesday, January 29, 2014 | Sacramento, CA
Courtesy of General Hydroponics

Lawrence Brooke of General Hydroponics

Courtesy of General Hydroponics

They say a hydroponic greenhouse uses about 10-times less water than a field crop.

"At a time with so much drought, we're going to have to look carefully at the crops we grow in California and the way we grow them," says Lawrence Brooke, the founder of Santa Rosa-based General Hydroponics.

"Most types of plants will grow just fine hydroponically," says Brooke, "and of course the amount of water we use to cultivate crops is much, much less with hydroponics than with conventional agriculture."

Brooke explains the technique is a way of growing plants, not in dirt but in recycled water.

"Hydroponics is simply replacement for the soil itself, nutrition comes through the water stream."

Brooke's company has built hydroponics systems for plant growing facilities in the Arctic, in deserts and in space.

Some critics say hydroponics relies heavily on chemical fertilizers.

And on Insight with Beth Ruyak, Brooke admitted that not all the hydroponic-grown produce you find at the store is very flavorful.

"That happens a lot with hydroponic produce simply because varieties that are chosen by commercial farmers are chosen for shelf life and yield and not for nutrition and flavor. So the produce is going to be as good as the genetics and as the talent of the farmer who grows it."

Brooke is designing a hydroponics system for China right now that he says would feed billions of people.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about drought

  • State Of Drought

    Reservoir levels are at historic lows, municipalities are ordering mandatory conservation and farmers are bracing for water shortages. CapRadio is following how Californians are being impacted by the drought.

 drought

Steve Milne

Morning Edition Anchor & Reporter

Steve is the Morning Edition anchor for Capital Public Radio. He covers stories on a wide range of topics including: business, education, real estate, agriculture and music.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Austin Robert

Tyre Nichols loved skateboarding. That's how his friends say they'll remember him

January 30, 2023

City of Memphis Vimeo/Screenshot by NPR

The city of Memphis releases videos of Tyre Nichols' arrest and beating

January 27, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

January 31, 2023

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

Sacramento Council approves armored vehicle for police despite opposition to military equipment purchase

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.