Where Edible Plants Grow Inside… Without Soil

November 21st, 2017

Veggies are growing in hydroponic tubes in Epcot’s Land pavilion.

Hydroponics – growing plants by trickling nutrient-rich water over their exposed roots instead of in soil – is a hot technique lately.

It’s gaining steam both among intrepid home gardeners (especially younger ones) and as a cutting-edge way to grow food in urban commercial settings.

Although it’s trendy, hydroponics isn’t new. If you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World’s Florida Epcot theme park, for instance, you probably saw an elaborate setup of what hydroponics can do.

The display has been up and running inside Epcot’s The Land pavilion for some 35 years.

This fascinating attraction is a slow boat ride through a futuristic glass-encased farm. It shows carpets of lettuce growing on fiber mats, Brussels sprouts growing while suspended in mid-air, and 30-foot tomatoes growing out of little boxes all around wire supports.

You get only a passing look at this food-growing magic from the boat, but Disney offers garden fanciers a chance to go behind the scenes for a close-up, in-depth tour with a horticulture staffer.

I got a chance recently to take this “Behind the Seeds” tour. I could try to describe the many cool things I saw there, but this story is better told in photos.

Have a look at the Epcot Behind the Seeds pictures I just posted on my Photo Gallery page.

And if you’re ever down Disney World way, Epcot offers six hour-long Behind the Seeds tours most days for a $25 fee (in addition to Epcot admission)

Details are posted on Disney’s web site or you can call ahead to make reservations at 407-939-8687.