Hydroponic Tomatoes
Hydroponic Tomatoes
Hydroponic tomatoes are easy to grow once you have the set up and are delicious! They will be there for you to pick your own whenever you want them, all year round! If you haven’t already, I suggest you also read the articles on DIY Hydroponics and building a Hydroponic Indoor Garden which explain the ins and outs of Setting Up Your Own Hydroponic Garden!
Hydroponic tomatoes will on average be bigger than traditional soil grown tomatoes, they will also take around 40% less time to grow due to the roots not having to spread out and search for the nutrients (which they have to do in soil)! For 10 reasons why growing your own hydroponic tomatoes is advantageous see the article on Home Hydroponics!
Assuming you’ve read DIY Hydroponics and you have chosen a hydroponic set up or if you already have your system in place then there are a few other things you need to take into account for growing hydroponic tomatoes!
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Overall Rating: | Amazon Price: $66.29 |
Temperature
This should be set at between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 10 degrees lower at night! This is the typical temperature that tomatoes will thrive in! If you get this balance wrong by 10 degrees either side, you’ll end up with discoloured, stunted or even dead tomatoes!
Lighting
Tomatoes are long day plants, so use the blue part of the light spectrum! They should ideally have 18 hours of light per day! I would recommend you use a metal halide high intensity discharge lamp!
Humidity
Hydroponic tomatoes need the correct humidity levels, a little too much and they’ll end up with calcium deficiencies! They will also struggle to take in other nutrients from your nutrient solution! The ideal setting for hydroponic tomatoes would be a 70% humidity level however you could go as high as 80% and they should be fine.
Why not consider growing your own Hydroponic Strawberries!
Filed under Hydroponic Tomatoes by on Sep 21st, 2009. 30 Comments. 
DIY Hydroponics
Home Hydroponics has many advantages over traditional soil based gardening! Three of these being increased crop yields, shorter growing periods and the ability to grow plants anywhere! Another advantage to growing your own Hydroponic Vegetables is the lack of maintenance and cost once the system is set up! So if you decide to make a DIY hydroponics system, here is what you need to know!
There are three types of solution culture typically used in hydroponics; static solution culture, continuous solution culture and aeroponics.
1. Static Solution Culture
The plants are placed in a tray within a larger container filled with the nutrient solution. The solution is usually oxygenated using an aquarium aerator. This cuts down the root rot!
2. Continuous Flow Solution Culture
This involves the nutrient solution continuously flowing past the roots as a very shallow stream. This means that the roots are constantly getting the nutrients they need while the solution remains oxygenated. The roots also have better access to CO2 this way!
| Hydrofarm EMSYST Emily's Electric Garden System |
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Overall Rating: | Amazon Price: $66.29 |
3. Aeroponics
The plants are suspended and a fine mist of nutrient solution is either continuously or intermittently sprayed directly to the plant roots. The main advantages are its simplicity and the amount of aeration received.
Nutrient Solution
The nutrient solution is the life blood of plants being grown hydroponically. It is important that you maintain the correct pH level specific to the plant you’re growing (usually between pH 5.5 and 6.5)! You can mix your own nutrient solution however it is recommended that beginner hydroponic gardeners use a commercially prepared solution to minimize the risk of getting the wrong balance.
When you do decide to create your own solution, the basic elements are potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate. Mixing your own will severely cut down on cost and this is something you’ll be very happy to do anyway.
For small plants the nutrient solution can be used for up to 14 days. For larger plants, you’ll want to drain and replace every 7 days.
Find out what else you need for your Hydroponic Indoor Garden!
Filed under DIY Hydroponics by on Sep 14th, 2009.
