Image zoom Credit: Getty / Patcharanan Worrapatchareeroj If you haven't given hydroponic gardening a try, now is the perfect time to start. Ideal for urban gardeners and apartment dwellers, hydroponic gardens allow you to grow vegetables indoors when you don't have access to outdoor space. "Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, and instead using water with added nutrients," explains Jeff Bednar of Profound Microfarms. Bednar says growing vegetables hydroponically, with nutrient-rich water and artificial light, often yields better results doing so outdoors. "By controlling their environment, you can give the plants exactly what they need to thrive," he explains. "Vegetables grown in hydroponic gardens grow faster and healthier, and in some cases, can be ready to harvest a week after seeding." Not sure whether or not to start your own hydroponic garden at home? We asked Bednar to break down the benefits, and any downsides, of growing veggies this way and here's what he had to say.