CHICAGO — The National Restaurant Association (NRA) will showcase its first Hydroponic Garden — an application that grows fresh food without soil — at NRA Show 2013.
“Attendees will be able to explore a fully functioning hydroponic garden that will grow local, all-natural, pesticide-free produce on the show floor. The NRA Show’s Hydroponic Garden uses a combination of artificial light and nutrient-enriched water to give plants everything they need to thrive,” reads a NRA Show statement.
Compared to traditional soil gardening, hydroponics provide year-round cultivation, higher yield per square foot — all with two-thirds less water than a traditional garden. The garden can grow swiss chard, sweet basil, purple basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, chives, bibb lettuce, gourmet lettuce mix, habanero peppers, thyme, edible flowers, oregano, red lettuce, green beans, pumpkin, squash and more.
