Parts of Australia are currently going through a lettuce shortage. While this isn't the first time food shortages have occurred (remember bananas were $15 a kilo in 2006?), the shortage of lettuce seems to have put many of us into panic-mode.
News (or rumours) of certain large fast-food chains using cabbage in their burgers, instead of lettuce, is making headlines. And causing unrest amongst the masses.
And twitters and tweets mentioning further food shortages being forced upon us is making those of us who fear the worst extra nervous.
Here in Western Australia we have been largely unaffected by Lettuce Gate 2022, however food prices have increased sharply along with the price fuel and the cost of our mortgages and rents.
People used to snigger at the mention of hydroponics and have the predictable assumption that all that could be grown in a well-maintained hydros system was marijuana.
Fast forward a short time and more and more people are looking at this simple, clever system as a serious way of growing food and sustaining ourselves, family and friends with the certainty of food in an uncertain future.
With many of us being time-and-space-poor these days, maintaining the lush, mass-producing outdoor gardens of our parents and grandparents is, largely, a thing of the past.
Thankfully we live in a modern world and in the 1930s William Frederick Gericke grew tomato vines about 7.6 metres high in his backyard in a mineral nutrient solution. Hydroponics as we know it was born!
90 years later we stumbled upon an indoor hydroponics system that we love and thought would just make growing a few herbs in the kitchen convenient and easy. Job done. Never did we image we would be helping a population battle rising food prices and increasing food shortages.
Hydroponics has so many advantages when compared to traditional growing:
• Indoor gardening in a climate-controlled environment means gardens can exist in places where weather and soil conditions are not favourable.
• Up to 90% more efficient use of water.
• Plants can be produced 5X as fast.
• Plants are getting the exact nutrients they need.
• Increases the nutritional value.
• Decreases food miles.
• No chemicals or pesticides needed.
We talk with a lot of our Garden Gizmo customers to understand why they are looking to grow their own food. Some are prepping for a future they are uncertain will feed us, others want to become more self-sufficient, and some just like the convenience and health benefits of a few fresh herbs or greens growing in the kitchen. Whatever your reasons may be, we have a solution for you and we are excited to be contributing to a greener, healthier, fed, future.
Happy growing xx
P.s. Yes you can grow lettuce:
And tomatoes:
And strawberries:
And silverbeet / chard:
And kale:
And chillis:
And herbs:
And propagate seeds:
And much more:
