Say no to soil, say yes to growing success

Photo courtesy of Cropking

Produce Grower: What’s new in the CEA industry for hydroponics? 

Paul Brentlinger: There are many new things in the CEA industry, but just because something is new doesn’t mean it is profitable. Profitability is key in all farming ventures that last … artificial intelligence, new crop focuses like strawberries, and highly publicized failures in the industry are all “new” things happening in the CEA space, each with pros and cons. In my opinion, consistency and proven growing methods should be the focus as we look at the CEA industry.

PG: What does that mean for produce growers?

PB: I think it means the industry is continuing to gain momentum and additional focus, which overall is a good thing. Sometimes it takes a while for “new” things to become good things in a relatively young industry. Many new things don’t stick around or become widely accepted as profitable or beneficial for the space.

PG: What do CEA growers need to know when upgrading their hydroponics systems?

PB: I think the KISS concept (or Keep It Simple … Seriously!) is what growers need to know and understand as they look at upgrading or getting started. The same hydroponic growing techniques that we started with 40-plus years ago are the same methods we teach our customers and students in our Grower’s School Workshops. As I said, chasing a new technology can seem like a good idea, but without the basic foundational growing practices, it can end in failure or costly mistakes.

PG: What makes CropKing’s hydroponics offerings stand out? 

PB: Over the past 40 years, we have been setting up hundreds of growers across the country and around the world, as well as providing technical growing support, we’ve found that consistency is one of the main keys to success in the CEA space. Having a team that can support you and your operation is imperative for most small- to medium-scale growers in the CEA space and that is where we excel. High quality systems at affordable prices that have a track record of success producing high quality plants, allow small growers to make the economics work out for the long run. That has been our focus for the past 40 years and will continue to be our focus into the future.