Hydroponic growing has become a major player because of its ability to be used where the ground or climate in the region can't normally support the growing of plant life.  This can be a desert or even a space station, but hydroponic technology is used mainly by greenhouses and home hobbyists as a way of quickly raising plants to maturity. Because of hydroponics, the home hobbyist is now able to grow crops of the highest quality many times a year in a relatively small area.