Madrid's smallest
hydroponic lab.
The Hydro Lab isn't a corporation. It's a 3-square-meter balcony and a spare bedroom in Madrid where we test what actually grows in an urban environment.
The Lead Scientist
Dr. Julian Reed
With over 15 years of experience in plant physiology and controlled environment agriculture, Dr. Reed runs the day-to-day operations at The Hydro Lab. He believes that the future of food is local, decentralised, and data-driven.
Every experiment, guide, and data sheet on this blog is authored and verified by him to ensure the highest standards of urban farming accuracy.
Evidence-based gardening.
We don't do vibes. We measure pH, EC, PPFD, and VPD. If a nutrient brand says it boosts yield by 20%, we run a side-by-side control and publish the results.
Open hardware.
Hydroponics shouldn't be a black box. We prefer DIY systems built with off-the-shelf parts from the hardware store and ESP32 controllers.
Real numbers.
We track the cost per gram of every harvest, including electricity and nutrients. We want to know if growing lettuce in a flat actually makes sense.
The Community.
The Hydro Lab is built by and for urban growers. We share our mistakes so you don't have to kill your first batch of strawberries.