Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Vertical hydroponics (hydro “water;” ponics “labor”) is a method of year-round farming that uses water in place of soil and supplies vegetables’ nutrients in a space-efficient setting. It dates back to 500 BC when it was used in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a wonder of the ancient world. Thousands of years later, vertical hydroponics has expanded across the globe to supply leafy greens, herbs, and grains. It is typically implemented in dense urban environments where green space is hard to come by as a form of sustainable farming. Our research seeks to answer the question “How does vertical hydroponic farming compare to traditional soil farming in terms of crop yield, energy efficiency, and cost?” If vertical hydroponics yields better results than traditional soil farming, it could change sustainable farming as we know it. We conducted a literature review and analyzed peer-reviewed articles from Greefile, Gale Environmental, ScienceDirect, and Project Drawdown. Results will be discussed.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Emily Stutzman
Recommended Citation
Morgan, Grace; Henry, Grace; Meenach, Rebecca; and Odom, Jeana, "How does vertical hydroponic farming compare to traditional soil farming in terms of crop yield, energy efficiency, and cost?" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 164.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/164
Included in
Climate Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Food Security Commons, Food Studies Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Other Environmental Sciences Commons, Science and Technology Studies Commons, Sustainability Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons, Water Resource Management Commons
How does vertical hydroponic farming compare to traditional soil farming in terms of crop yield, energy efficiency, and cost?
Vertical hydroponics (hydro “water;” ponics “labor”) is a method of year-round farming that uses water in place of soil and supplies vegetables’ nutrients in a space-efficient setting. It dates back to 500 BC when it was used in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a wonder of the ancient world. Thousands of years later, vertical hydroponics has expanded across the globe to supply leafy greens, herbs, and grains. It is typically implemented in dense urban environments where green space is hard to come by as a form of sustainable farming. Our research seeks to answer the question “How does vertical hydroponic farming compare to traditional soil farming in terms of crop yield, energy efficiency, and cost?” If vertical hydroponics yields better results than traditional soil farming, it could change sustainable farming as we know it. We conducted a literature review and analyzed peer-reviewed articles from Greefile, Gale Environmental, ScienceDirect, and Project Drawdown. Results will be discussed.
Comments
Grace Henry has another poster with Dr. Jonathan P. Miller