South Africa: This civil engineer grows hops hydroponically on a rooftop in Jozi
Hops typically grow well in the Southern Cape and take 12 months to harvest, but with hydroponics, it can be harvested four times in one year.
By Phumi Ramalepe
Business Insider SA
Nov 02, 2021
Excerpt:
According to the 32-year-old urban farmer, hops traditionally use a lot of water and deteriorate over time, creating a lot of waste and creating a need for pesticides, growing hydroponically helped him overcome those barriers.
“I even have some dark curtains in my greenhouse to trick the plant into thinking nights are quicker so that it flowers quicker.
“It’s about tricking the plant into thinking its night when it’s day time, and giving light to trick it into thinking it’s day when it’s night,” he said.
Maloney’s greenhouse got was co-funded by SEED, an initiative that supports entrepreneurs, in partnership with another NGO called Indalo, after winning almost R20,000 in a UN-sponsored competition.
Recently, Maloney was able to supply a batch of freshly-grown hops to a brewery in Cape Town. He also supplies chefs around Joburg and cosmetic companies.
