With aeroponics, the plants are placed in special A frames or horizontal boards, in such a way that both the upper part of the plant, the crown, and the lower part of the plant, the roots, are suspended in the air. In this way, the crown can grow upwards and the roots downwards without the need for soil. Growers feed the plants by regularly spraying them with a fine mist of a nutrient-rich water mix solution. Since the entire system is closed, it saves water because the nutrient mix is fully recycled within the aeroponic system design.
Because this system allows for very high density planting and makes harvesting much easier, growers find they have very high yields. In a study in Sardinia, Italy, researchers found that aeroponically grown tomato plants even produced four crops a year instead of the more common one or two.
Also, because aeroponics is so suitable for small indoor spaces, one group of growers in particular, those who grow marijuana, have found it especially useful for their specialized cultivation. Other gardeners involved in the urban gardening movement also find aeroponics to be a great way to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs in their apartments.