Hydroponic farming is a key feature of Roboplant, but we’re aware that people might not necessarily know how it works. This blog is a quick rundown of the basics so that you’re keyed into the process when you start playing the game.

Put simply, hydroponics is a way to grow plants, particularly crops, without soil. Instead, you use a root support, something like coconut fibres, peat moss or rockwool, for example. These materials don’t retain moisture and allow space for oxygen to reach the roots. You water your plants with filtered water and feed them with a nutrient-rich solution that includes magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. If you’re growing indoors then you need to treat your plants with special lights, to emulate sunshine. That’s pretty much it!

One of the key benefits of skipping the soil is that you can grow virtually anywhere, regardless of the terrain or weather conditions. You can also grow all year round, so you’re not tied to the seasons.

Hydroponic farming offers a solution to the challenges of climate change and the current flux we’re seeing in temperature and weather conditions around the world. Plants grown in hydroponic conditions also grow a lot quicker than plants in soil – the conditions are tailored to their exact needs, and they don’t need to waste energy seeking food with their root systems. There’s also no need to use pesticides on plants grown indoors, as there’s no risk of the weeds, pests and plant diseases found in outdoor, soil-based farming.

So once you understand the real-world tech that inspired Roboplant, the idea of a futuristic, hydroponic farm on Mars isn’t actually all that crazy!