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It's a root crop. Objects in the soil (twigs, leaves, stones, bark, etc.) block root growth. The same goes for carrots and potatoes. Think of it as hydroponics
by burfog 10y ago
It's a root crop. Objects in the soil (twigs, leaves, stones, bark, etc.) block root growth. The same goes for carrots and potatoes.
Think of it as hydroponics. It's even done for non-root crops. All tomatoes in Florida grow in pure sand. Just add water and fertilizer.
BTW, this is partly because we turn our best farmland into condos. San Jose was the best place in the world for apricots; now look at it.
- cmrdporcupine 10y agoI am well aware of growing practices. I live on 7 acres farmland and have taken courses in agri etc. You're describing a pretty reductionist model of plant growth. Plants don't just need NPK and a few micronutrients. The interface between a healthy plant and its soil involves millions of microorganisms. And a healthy carbon content in the form of humus etc. in the soil is extremely important for water conservation and consistent root growth. Not to mention getting carbon into the top soil is a great way of getting it out of the atmosphere...
- burfog 10y agoHey, at least they have sand! Lettuce is often grown without anything solid at all. It's just liquid, indoors, under red and blue LED lighting.