They use a “Dutch bucket” hydroponic system where a nutrient reservoir is filled with water. The technique eliminates soil by using nutrients in place- lessening their footprint.

Since algae can be expected to be a nuisance in any hydroponic system, growers should design their setups to minimize the nutrient solution’s exposure to light as much as possible.

We determined that my hoop house could hold 283 four-gallon “Dutch buckets,” as the hydroponic containers are called, each with a tomato seedling anchored in pearlite.

JOSH BYRNE: If you love to grow plants but you're running out of space, well I've got a solution for you - a simple and inexpensive hydroponic system that you can make yourself. Hydroponics is ...