How to grow tomatoes hydroponically
All industries, including horticulture, are actively developing today. New methods of growing vegetables and fruits are emerging that help to obtain several harvests per year and make the growing process easier. Many farmers have already tried the hydroponic method, which helps grow vegetables quickly. We will look at what this technology is and how to grow tomatoes hydroponically at home.
Growing tomatoes hydroponically
Features of the hydroponics method
Not everyone has a personal plot. And this method allows you to grow plants without having a plot of land. You can even grow vegetables on a balcony or loggia. When using hydroponics, you need to get some equipment. It varies depending on the number and size of crops grown, as well as the availability of free space. The price of a hydroponic system varies from $ 7-10 to $ 1000. You can buy it in a specialized stationary or online store.
Any system is a container communicating with each other, in which seedlings or seeds are planted. These containers are filled not with soil, but with a special substrate, which contains only the substances necessary for the development of the root system of plants. Studies have shown that the soil does not contain the required amount of all nutrients. Even under the condition that the farmer applies top dressing and fertilizes the land in a timely manner, it is impossible to ensure that its composition is 100% consistent with the requirements of a particular vegetable crop.
Using hydroponics to grow tomatoes at home speeds up the ripening process. This is due to the fact that it is easier to ensure the required temperature regime, humidity level and the duration of daylight hours in a room. In addition, the plant does not waste energy on the search for this or that nutrient component. All forces go to the development and growth of vegetable crops.
Preparatory stage
Growing tomatoes in hydroponics begins with the preparation of planting material. Seedlings can be purchased, or you can grow them yourself. The second option is preferable for several reasons. Growing seedlings yourself, you will definitely get the variety of tomatoes you want. Buying seedlings, especially in the market, as a result, instead of cherry blossoms, you can get pink giants and vice versa. In addition, seedlings grown at home tend to be stronger and more disease resistant.
For growing tomatoes in hydroponics, you should carefully select the varieties. Give priority to early, undersized varieties. Sprouted seeds are planted in the substrate. Therefore, we first lay them out on moistened gauze. You can use any other loose fabric that takes a long time to dry.In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, we leave them in a warm place with good lighting. On average, seeds germinate in 5-7 days. After that, they are ready to disembark.
First, we plant the seeds in a sponge or cotton wool. Beforehand, we impregnate these materials in a special solution saturated with nutrients. After a day, pour water on the sponge. The temperature regime should be 21 degrees, and the duration of daylight hours should be 12 hours. If necessary, artificially increase the duration of daylight hours. The transfer to the substrate takes place on the 10th day. In this case, sprouted seeds do not need to be separated from the sponge or cotton wool. We plant them together with the spongy material. The height of the seedlings should be about 5 cm.
Installation for hydroponics
Growing tomatoes hydroponically at home using a store bought plant is expensive. But such an installation can be done independently. For its construction, you do not need to have special knowledge or skills. This installation is relatively cheap. And during operation it will be possible to replace any part.
You can't do without a container for a hydroponic plant. There are special pots on sale. To reduce the cost of the construction process, you can use materials at hand. These can be plastic bottles or flower pots. We use containers of medium capacity (5 liter plastic bottles, for example).
Tomatoes are not a plant with a strong root system. Therefore, the height of the container for vegetable crops varies between 15-20 cm. Be sure to make drainage holes in each container. They are needed so that moisture does not accumulate in the pot. You also need to build a stand in which all the containers with seedlings will fit. Experts recommend making this container 50-70 cm high. This will simplify the care of the vegetable crop.
In the bottom of the stand, we make holes opposite each container, the diameter of which is 2-3 cm less than the diameter of the bottom of the container. These holes are needed to allow excess nutrient solution to escape.
Irrigation system
A special solution is used for irrigation
In addition to making a system for growing tomatoes using hydroponics, you need to take care of the organization of the irrigation system. In the absence of such, the development of the root system of tomatoes will slow down.
A special nutrient solution is used to irrigate the root system. At home, you can water the plants yourself. But, it takes a lot of time. By automating the irrigation system in greenhouses, and you can do it yourself, it will be possible to simplify the care of plants.
To reduce costs when growing tomatoes hydroponically, the irrigation solution should be collected in a tank underneath the hydroponic system. It is impossible to calculate how much nutrient solution for tomatoes at each stage of growth is needed. All the same, there will be surplus that it is advisable to reuse. To automate irrigation systems, we equip it with a pump or pump. They will return excess solution to the irrigation system. It will not be superfluous to install a timer that allows you to irrigate after a certain time. When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse using the hydroponic method, irrigate the plants every 20 minutes.
Growing tomatoes
If the hydroponic plant is ready, then you can start planting seedlings. Before transferring grown tomatoes to prepared containers, we disinfect them. To do this, wash the container with a chlorine solution or any other means that has a similar effect. We dry the pots and start planting tomato seedlings.
We place a seedling in a pot, put a layer of substrate. Soil cannot be used as a substrate. This is a kind of drainage layer in which moisture does not accumulate. The substrates are sold in specialized stores. They include:
- expanded clay;
- mineral wool;
- vermiculite;
- perlite.
Not all of these substances must be present in the substrate. Each of these materials plays the role of drainage and independently. But it is more effective to use solutions in which several components are combined. Coconut is also used in hydroponics. It stores nutrients for a long time and retains a large amount of moisture. The only drawback of coconut substrate is its high cost.
Hydroponics solution
The tomato nutrient solution in a hydroponic system is the most important component. By growing tomatoes in this way, plants have the ability to obtain nutrients only from a special mixture. You can make such a solution yourself at home. In this case, you will have to make a lot of calculations and study a lot of literature on gardening. But, given that there are special solutions in specialized stores that can be poured into hydroponic installations, it is impractical to make them yourself. When purchasing such a solution, take into account the individual characteristics of each variety. In general, tomatoes feel comfortable in a slightly acidic environment.
Experts recommend stocking up on a pH meter. Tomatoes feel comfortable in an environment where the pH level varies between 6-6.3. The easiest way is to work with litmus papers, which, unlike some electronic equipment, do not need to be calibrated and adjusted.
The pH level is adjusted using various solutions and powders. All these substances are in specialized stores.
A ready-made solution that can be poured into hydroponic plants is sold as a dry mix. Pure water is used for its cultivation. Before diluting a dry mixture purchased in a store, carefully read the instructions. It is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the concentration of the nutrient solution. When using a concentrated hydroponic solution, tomato yield drops. Sometimes the plants die. This is due to the fact that the root system is burnt. The use of a nutrient solution of low concentration also negatively affects the productivity of plants. This is because tomatoes do not get all the nutrients they need.
Garter tomatoes and pollination
Plants require a mandatory garter
Regardless of the variety of tomatoes, the plants are tied up. This is due to the fact that there is no soil as such. Accordingly, the vegetable crop lacks support. Tomatoes are tied up after the height of the bush has reached 20 cm in height. We use materials at hand for the garter.
Watch how the plant develops. An overly strong root system will negatively affect the yield of tomatoes. Before the flower brush forms, at least 7 leaves must appear. If the number of leaves on the stem exceeds 9, then the last leaf should be torn off, which contributes to the formation of a flower cluster. Experts do not recommend thinning flower brushes at the flowering stage. It is more advisable to remove several tomatoes immediately after they have formed. It also makes sense to remove stepchildren whose length is more than 6 cm. Many of them end up with low yields. And the plant spends forces on their formation, which are better directed to the formation of the main stem.
Another important point is pollination. Not all tomato varieties used for hydroponics are self-pollinating. In order not to think about how to pollinate plants, you should opt for those that do not have to be artificially pollinated (mit, seagull, eleonora, bonsai, marishka, etc.). If you choose to grow varieties that do not pollinate on their own, you will have to find a way to pollinate during the flowering of tomatoes.There are no insects in greenhouses that are engaged in pollination of tomatoes in the open field. Alternatively, you can ensure that these insects are present in your greenhouse during the flowering of the tomatoes. But this is quite difficult to do. You can also pollinate with a brush. Many people mistakenly believe that shaking the tomatoes will help achieve the desired goal. But, the air in indoor greenhouses is humid. As a result, the pollen will simply settle.
Hydroponic plant options
Growing tomatoes and cucumbers in a greenhouse hydroponically is not difficult. There are many ways to make a hydroponic plant. Let's take a look at the most popular hydroponic plant options.
Option number 1
This is the most commonly used option. It assumes the presence of containers in which the solution is placed and the roots of the tomato are dropped. We fix the plants on top of the containers in such a way that they only reach the solution, and not immerse in it. Add water as the solution evaporates. After the concentration of the nutrient solution becomes small, we change it to a new one.
This method is the easiest to implement. You can do without installing an automated system. But the plants will have to be constantly monitored. Another disadvantage of this method is that it is difficult to determine the concentration level of the solution.
Option number 2
This is another simple hydroponic setup that's easy to do at home. It will take a double pot. These are in specialized stores. Alternatively, you can use two pots that differ slightly in size. One pot should not be completely immersed in another. At the top, their diameters should be almost identical.
We make holes in a smaller pot. They are needed so that the nutrient solution penetrates the tomato root system. It is advisable to make the holes in the form of vertical thin strips. Alternatively, you can make round holes. Then, we place a plant in it and lay a layer of drainage substrate. Pour the nutrient solution into a larger pot. We put one container in another.
You can make a hydroponic plant yourself
The roots should not be completely immersed in the liquid (1/3 is above the solution). As the solution evaporates, we replace it with a new one.
Option number 3
This option is called submersible. We need a large container (it can be a bath), a sheet of foam, perforated pots, a substrate. We make holes in the foam that correspond in diameter to the perforated pots. It turns out a platform that can stick to the surface of the solution. We put seedlings in perforated pots, and lay a layer of drainage. We collect the nutrient solution into the container, lower the polystyrene with holes and install perforated pots with seedlings.
Sometimes the seedlings are placed directly on a floating platform. But this method is not entirely suitable for growing tomatoes.
Other options
We have considered the simplest options that do not require the creation of an automated irrigation system. You can create a more complex system by first drawing a diagram of the intended installation. At the planning stage, we think over all the little things and make adjustments to the scheme.
Alternatively, you can create an installation consisting of a piece of plastic pipe, perforated containers for seedlings and a container for liquid. In addition to the main elements, you will need a pump and pipes through which the liquid will circulate in the system and a solid base to create the installation frame.
We make holes in the pipe, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the perforated cups. We place the pipe at an angle, attaching it to the frame. The frame is easiest to make from wooden blocks. We take two bars as a basis. We nail a vertical rack to each of them. We fasten vertical racks together with a bar.We make vertical posts of different heights so that the connecting strip is sloped. We attach the pipe to the frame with a wire.
We place a container for liquid under the pipe. We bring 2 pipes to the pump. Through one, the plant will be irrigated, and through the other, the liquid will be returned to the system. We equip the installation with a timer. This system is simple and easy to use. You can create other setups as well. But the principle of their work is the same. Only the appearance differs.
Pros and cons of hydroponics
This method has more advantages than disadvantages. Growing with hydroponics becomes more economical. You do not have to spend money on water for irrigation, fertilizing, organic and inorganic fertilizers. You can also save space for growing other horticultural crops.
The advantages include time savings during plant care and the ability to get two harvests per year. This method has a beneficial effect on the duration of tomato growth and accelerates the ripening process. Also, farmers using this method of growing tomatoes note their taste. And even in a lean year, you will get a good harvest, since it does not depend on external conditions. The main thing is to choose the right nutrient solution, observe the temperature regime and ensure the required length of daylight hours in the greenhouse.
As for the shortcomings, they also exist. A hydroponic plant, especially a commercial one, is expensive. But, growing outdoors is also associated with material costs. The disadvantages include difficulties in pollination of a vegetable crop. Some farmers talk about diseases. But plants in open ground are no less susceptible than tomatoes growing in greenhouses. If you treat tomatoes from pests and fungi in a timely manner, then the risk of diseases is minimal.
To avoid difficulties when growing tomatoes using hydroponics, you should carefully select nutrient solutions. Don't buy cheap drugs that may not be good. Tomatoes need a lot of nutrients. Even if you make your own grower mix, it won't come cheap. In addition, this mixture, given that it will circulate through the system, will not be needed so much. Low-quality mixtures are also dangerous in that they cause diseases in tomatoes and cause deformation of fruits, reduce the taste of tomatoes.