Hydroponic tomatoes grow in a nutrient solution rather than being planted directly into the soil, although they are typically attached to a non-earthy substrate that can support their roots and is capable of releasing nutrients. Growing tomatoes with this method allows the producer to grow them in a controlled environment, with less risk of disease, guarantees faster development and higher fruit yield. However, this technique requires more effort, and sometimes even more money, than traditional growing, especially if you've never built or started a hydroponics facility before.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating a Hydroponics Plant
Step 1. Determine which system you want to use
There are several types of hydroponic plants, tomatoes can grow well in all of them. This tutorial provides instructions for building a ebb and flow, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to set up. However, you can also look for alternatives, such as the simpler "water growing" system suitable for cherry tomatoes and other small seedlings, or the more complex "multi Flow" or "NFT" systems, which are usually used by farms..
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Note:
garden centers and some home improvement stores can sell hydroponics kits that include everything needed to install the system. Alternatively, you can source each component separately, or even find some already in your home. Thoroughly clean items you bought second hand before building your hydroponics plant.
Step 2. Find a suitable site
Hydroponics plants are only suitable for indoor environments or for greenhouses. They must be carefully checked to work properly, so they must be installed in some area isolated from other rooms or from the outside. This allows you to set the temperature and humidity to precise levels, which is indispensable for obtaining the best growth.
You can grow with the hydroponic method using natural light, while keeping the plant under a glass or polyethylene cover to create a greenhouse effect, not open to the air
Step 3. Fill a large plastic container with water to use as a reservoir
Get one that doesn't let in light to prevent algae growth. The larger this tank, the more stable the system will be, providing a greater chance of success. At a minimum, small tomato plants (such as those of Pachino tomatoes) require 1.9 liters of water, while most slightly larger tomato plants need 3.8 liters each. However, there can be many factors that cause plants to use water faster, so it's a good idea to get a container that is twice the size of the minimum needed.
- You can take a plastic bucket or basket for this purpose. Use a new one to avoid any possible contamination of the system or, at least, one used only partially, as long as it is previously thoroughly washed with soap and water and rinsed.
- Collected rainwater may be more suitable for this type of crop than tap water, especially if the latter is particularly "hard" with a high mineral content.
Step 4. Place a tray over the tank and secure it properly
This "ebb and flow" tray is intended to support tomato plants and must be periodically flooded with water and nutrients so that the plant roots can absorb them. It needs to be solid enough to support the plants (or be placed on top of additional reinforcement) and placed on top of the tank to allow excess water to drain down. The tray is generally made of plastic, not metal, to avoid possible corrosion that could damage plants and wear the tray itself.
Step 5. Install a water pump inside the tank
You can purchase one at a hydroponics specialty store or use a fountain pump you find at home improvement stores. Many pumps report indications for water flow at different heights. You can use these schemes to find a pump powerful enough to send water from the tank to the tray containing the plants. The best thing, however, would be to get a powerful adjustable pump and try different settings once you have installed the system.
Step 6. Install the fill tube between the reservoir and tray
Take a 1.25 cm PVC tube, or the type of tube you find in the hydroponics kit, and attach one end between the water pump and the tray, so that the tray can be flooded up to the top. height of the roots of the plant.
Step 7. Install an overflow fitting leading to the tank
Connect a second piece of PVC pipe to the tray with an overflow element, positioned at the height of the top of the roots, slightly below the point where the stems will sprout. When the water reaches this level, it drains through this pipe and enters the tank.
Step 8. Connect a timer to the water pump
You can use a simple timer of those suitable for lamps to power the water pump at regular intervals. This must be adjustable so that the amount of nutrients can be increased or decreased according to the stage of development of the plants.
- You should use a robust 15 amp timer with a waterproof cover.
- Each water pump should have a way to connect a timer, if it doesn't already have one, but the exact instructions vary by model. Check with the manufacturer or shop if you are having trouble installing it.
Step 9. Test the system
Turn on the water pump and check where it flows. If the water flow fails to reach the tray or overflows excessively from the edges, the pump settings may need to be adjusted. Once the water strength has been set correctly, check the timer to see if the pump respects the established times.
Part 2 of 3: Growing Tomatoes
Step 1. Bury the seeds in a specific material
Whenever possible, try to start cultivation from seed. If you take the plants directly from the external soil, you risk introducing pests and diseases into the hydroponic system. Get the seeds of the plant, buying them in the nurseries, already prepared in trays containing a specific substrate for hydroponics, instead of the normal earth. Typically 2.5cm3 of material called "rock wool" is the most common choice, such as lava stone or long strands of coir. Before using, soak the material in water with a pH of 4.5. Plant the seed below the surface, hold the tray under the plastic dome or other clear material to trap moisture and encourage the seeds to germinate.
In gardening stores you can find kits for testing the pH of the soil or material, as well as the acidity of the water, as well as some materials or kits that can modify or adjust the pH
Step 2. When they sprout, place the seedlings under artificial light
As soon as they sprout, remove the cover and place the seedlings under a light source for at least 12 hours a day. Use incandescent bulbs only as a last resort, as they produce more heat than other solutions.
- Read the next section for more details on the lighting system.
- Be careful not to let the light shine directly on the roots to avoid damaging them. If the roots protrude from the seedbed before they are ready to be transplanted, additional material may need to be added to cover them.
Step 3. Transfer the seedlings to the hydroponic system
Wait for the roots to start protruding from the bottom of the tray and for the first "real leaf" to grow, which is larger and different in appearance from the first two "seed leaves". This usually takes a period of 10-14 days. When you move the seedlings into the hydroponics system, you can space them 15 cm apart, placing them in a layer of the same material or transfer them to individual plastic "jars" as long as they always have the same growing medium.
If you follow the ebb and flow method described in this article, the plants are placed on the tray. Other systems may include placing the plants in a tray, along a slope, or anywhere else where water and nutrients can reach the roots
Step 4. Set the water pump timer
At the beginning, set the pump so that the water flows for 15 or 30 minutes four times a day (once every six hours). Keep an eye on the plants: you must increase the frequency of irrigation if they begin to wilt and reduce it if the roots become slimy or become excessively impregnated. Ideally, the material the plants are in should be slightly dry before the next watering cycle is triggered.
Even if you set the irrigation schedule correctly, it may be necessary to increase the frequency when the plants begin to flower and bear fruit, since these processes require more water
Step 5. Set up artificial lights (if any)
For ideal growing conditions, plants should be exposed to light between 16 and 18 hours each day. Next, you need to turn off the lights and keep the plants in absolute darkness for about 8 hours. Plants are able to grow if you rely on sunlight, but they probably grow slower.
Step 6. Place stakes and prune the plants on the tops
Some tomato plants are "fixed" growth, meaning they grow to a specific size, then stop. Others continue to grow indefinitely and may need to be gently tied to a pole to make them grow straight. If you need to prune them, break the stems with your hands rather than cutting them.
Step 7. Pollinate the flowers of the plants
When tomatoes bloom, since there are no insects in the hydroponic system that can pollinate them, you will have to do it yourself. Wait until the petals bend and expose the round pistil and cover the stamens - the long, thin sticks in the center of the flower - with pollen. Touch a soft brush to each pollen-coated stamen, then touch the rounded end of the pistil. Repeat this process every day.
Part 3 of 3: Setting Good Growth Conditions
Step 1. Check the temperature
During the "day" hours it must be 18 - 24 ° C. At night it should be between 12 and 18 ° C. Use a thermostat and fans to regulate the temperature. Keep it monitored during plant growth, as it may change with the climate or the life cycle of the tomatoes.
Step 2. Turn on a fan in the room (optional)
A fan directed towards the outside or another room can help maintain the correct temperature throughout the room. The airflow it creates can also make pollination easier, although to make sure it happens, you should still pollinate by hand, as described above.
Step 3. Add a nutrient solution to the water tank
Choose a specific nutrient solution for hydroponics, not a regular fertilizer. Avoid "organic" solutions, as they can decompose and make cultivation more complex. Since the needs of the plant are different based on the variety of tomato and the minerals present in the water, it may be necessary to adjust the amount or type of nutrient solution you use. To get started, however, follow the instructions on the package to determine how much product you need to add to the tank.
- Solutions with two nutritional components create less waste and can be adjusted in case of problems, as they can be mixed in different proportions, which makes them preferable to those composed of only one element.
- You can use a concentrated formula during the growth phase of the plants and switch to a more specific formula for flowering when the plant blooms to meet these new nutritional needs.
Step 4. Use a kit to test the pH of the water and to adjust its level
You can use one of these commercially available kits or litmus paper to check the pH of the nutrient and water mixture once you have had time to create a homogeneous mixture. If the pH is outside the range of 5, 8 and 6, 3, ask a clerk at the hydroponics store or garden center for materials you can use to lower or raise the pH.
Phosphoric acid is generally used to lower the pH, while potassium hydroxide is good for raising it
Step 5. Install grow lights (recommended)
Artificial "grow lights" allow you to simulate ideal growing conditions all year round, giving your tomatoes far more hours of "sunshine" than they could get in the outdoor garden. This is one of the main advantages of an indoor growing system. However, if you are growing in a greenhouse or other area that receives high amounts of natural light, you can settle for a shorter growing season and save on electricity bills.
Metal halide lamps (HQI) simulate sunlight more accurately, making them the most popular choice for hydroponics systems. You can also find fluorescent, sodium and LED lamps on the market, but they cause slower growth or affect the shape of plants. Avoid incandescent bulbs, as they are inefficient and short-lived compared to other options
Step 6. Check the water constantly
An electrical conductivity meter, or "conductivity meter," can be expensive, but it is the best way to measure the concentration of nutrients in water. If you find results outside the range of 2, 0-3, 5, it means that the water must be changed totally or partially. If you don't have this tool, look for the following signs in plants:
- Leaf tips curling downward could mean the solution is too concentrated. Dilute with water of pH 6.0.
- Leaf tips that curl upward or a red stem indicate too low a pH, while yellow leaves indicate that the pH is too high or the solution is too diluted. In these cases, change the solution as described below.
Step 7. Change your water and nutrient solution regularly
If the water level in the tank drops, add more water, but don't add any other nutrients. Every two weeks, or once a week if the plants do not look healthy, empty the tank completely and rinse the support material and plant roots with plain water of pH 6.0 to filter and clean up the mineral build-up. which could cause damage. Fill the tank with a fresh water and nutrient solution, being careful to balance the pH and let the mixture mix before starting the pump.
