Hydrogel formulated substrate allows crop-specific recipes

It might sound futuristic, but it's reality—plants grown in a hydrogel formulated specifically for each crop's needs. U.S. company VelociGro has developed HYPERroots, a hydrogel-based substrate as a renewable alternative to traditional growing plugs, peat, rockwool, or coir. This innovative substrate is designed for greenhouse growing, vertical farms, and cannabis cultivation.

The multi-component gel formulation is designed to optimize plant growth while reducing waste and substrate-related system maintenance. "And thanks to our statistical analysis, we can create a crop-specific recipe in just six weeks", says Tim Cuthbertson, CSO of Velocigro. Trials have included all types of vegetables, ornamentals, cannabis, and even woody plants such as papaya. "We have not found much that does not grow in our substrate."

Jonathan Romo, Tim Cuthbertson, Hunter Baldwin at Indoor Ag-Con 2025

Customizable
"Each of our substrate recipes is tailored to specific crops and can be adapted to growers' fertilizer preferences or cultivation goals," says Tim when asked what the biggest benefits are of the new substrate. "Peat harvesting impacts ecosystems. Rockwool waste goes to landfills. Coir can introduce pests. Our product is sustainably sourced, fully biodegradable, and compostable."

Since the gel is plant-based and completely dissolves in water, there's no risk of clogging irrigation systems. "The production process is controlled, reducing the risk of pests and diseases. Plus, being compostable, it supports sustainability initiatives and lowers waste disposal costs."

Formulating and testing
VelociGro's hydrogel consists of multiple components, including fertilizers and structural agents. The company uses software to optimize formulations by testing multiple variables simultaneously - the statistical analysis he referred to earlier on. "If you have six different components and want optimal usage, you need to test all of them at once. That means 20-40 different formulations, which we can make in one or two weeks." Trials focus on plant growth, germination, gel hardness, and longevity.

Over three years, VelociGro has developed nearly 25 different formulations, with a new product emerging approximately every six weeks. Trials have covered various crops, including leafy greens, including kale, bok choy, and lettuce, cannabis, flowers, ornamentals, and vegetables, but also more exotic crops. Data from these trials refines formulations to maximize plant growth and germination. "Different crops respond differently, allowing for cultivar-specific substrate development."

Customization of the HYPERroots products extends beyond plant types to compatibility with growers' existing fertilizer programs. "We asked a grower for a fertilizer sample, and within seven weeks, we had a new formulation optimized for their system. Different fertilizers can cause different chemical reactions, so avoiding issues is essential."

Different leafy greens grown in the HYPERroots products

© Velocigro

Kale grown in the Velocigro substrate

Sustainability
Sustainability considerations make VelociGro's gel particularly appealing to cannabis growers. "Our product is compostable according to Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) standards, making it the only substrate on the certified list. We've passed or exceeded every part of the BPI criteria. For example, one requirement is to use 90% biobased carbon—we use 100%. VelociGro gels meet industrial composting standards and are expected to qualify for home composting once standards are established."

No shedding
VelociGro's hydrogel does not shed over time like some traditional substrates. "Growers using peat or coir often deal with clogged filters and water systems. Our product dissolves as the plant uptakes nutrients and water, behaving like dissolving sugar in a hydroponic system—without clogging. Major growers testing our products have not reported clogging issues."

Formation
The gel, which contains beneficial fungi microorganisms while being screened for contaminants such as E. coli and salmonella, can be formed into plugs of various sizes, up to two inches, making it compatible with major supplier offerings. "A cannabis grower transplanting into a rockwool block (4x4 inches) could replace it entirely with our product or use our plug within a rockwool block." Growers can receive the gel in various formats, including dry ingredients to be mixed on-site or pre-formed plugs. "If a grower wants to pour the gel at their facility, we provide the raw dry ingredients. If space is limited, we offer a dry version that can be rehydrated on-site. It ships globally and integrates into existing systems."

Novel category
Despite being a novel category of substrate, Tim emphasizes that growers using plugs will require minimal changes to adopt the gel. "If they already use a plug-based system, they will see reduced waste without other major adjustments." Pricing is competitive with existing substrates, especially when factoring in fertilizer operational savings. "If a grower is using plugs, we can match pricing while reducing waste and system maintenance. Instead of paying for landfill disposal, growers can compost spent substrate and potentially sell the compost."

At Indoor AgCon, VelociGro's product received direct grower feedback. "It was the first time people saw it in person. The product improves monthly, and we are now at a point where growers are taking notice."The company continues field testing with growers in the U.S. and Canada. "We have consistently met or exceeded performance compared to other plugs. Adoption depends on growers making a commitment to transition their facility. It's such a good value proposition for indoor agriculture."