The emergent behavior is like a bug, but technically there is no flaw in each primitive.
Primitive A: Devilstrand takes 20+ days to grow in a Hydroponics tub (note that Hydroponics double typical growth rates, I think)
Primitive B: Hydroponics Tub require consistent electrical power or else the plants shortly die
Primitive C: Solar Flares, which knock out all electronics, are common (at least on the "builder" level difficulties I've been experimenting with), usually 1x or so a week
Emergent Outcome: You cannot grow Devilstrand in Hydroponics Tubs, the only safe way is the traditional way, in the ground. Thus, you wait for 45 days of growth to harvest your first crop of Devilstrand. (45 days of growth appears to be 90ish actual game days, because even with Sun Lamps, plants don't grow at night.)
This may be entirely intended, since Devilstrand is a magic wonder cloth. But it suggests several things to me, if Hydroponics are actually meant to be useful for cash crops:
a) Loss of electricity to Hydroponics reduces the growth rate merely to "normal" ground while there is no electricity, rather than killing the entire crop - this would make the Solar Flare a bearable annoyance
b) Add research in "hardening" technologies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening). For extra cost, allow any arbitrary device to be "hardened" after the research is completed. Thus, one could build hardened power conduits, generators, hydroponics tubs, or doors, or (maybe more attractively to some) turrets. This would add cost but allow one to invest in secure cash crop development.
c) Cut the number of solar flares on some difficulty levels, this is the simplest but least satisfying fix
Primitive A: Devilstrand takes 20+ days to grow in a Hydroponics tub (note that Hydroponics double typical growth rates, I think)
Primitive B: Hydroponics Tub require consistent electrical power or else the plants shortly die
Primitive C: Solar Flares, which knock out all electronics, are common (at least on the "builder" level difficulties I've been experimenting with), usually 1x or so a week
Emergent Outcome: You cannot grow Devilstrand in Hydroponics Tubs, the only safe way is the traditional way, in the ground. Thus, you wait for 45 days of growth to harvest your first crop of Devilstrand. (45 days of growth appears to be 90ish actual game days, because even with Sun Lamps, plants don't grow at night.)
This may be entirely intended, since Devilstrand is a magic wonder cloth. But it suggests several things to me, if Hydroponics are actually meant to be useful for cash crops:
a) Loss of electricity to Hydroponics reduces the growth rate merely to "normal" ground while there is no electricity, rather than killing the entire crop - this would make the Solar Flare a bearable annoyance
b) Add research in "hardening" technologies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening). For extra cost, allow any arbitrary device to be "hardened" after the research is completed. Thus, one could build hardened power conduits, generators, hydroponics tubs, or doors, or (maybe more attractively to some) turrets. This would add cost but allow one to invest in secure cash crop development.
c) Cut the number of solar flares on some difficulty levels, this is the simplest but least satisfying fix