Is It Possible To Grow Hydroponic Tomatoes?

Hydroponic Tomatoes

Image by kkimpel via Flickr

Hydroponic gardening delivers nutrients to the plant without using soil as a medium. This lack of soil usage has many advantages, the most prominent being it minimizes the use of pesticides and insecticides during production. In order to enjoy fresh and safe yield of tomatoes, hydroponic tomatoes have been catching up to traditional cultivation of this fruit. This is attributed to the many advantages, hydroponics offers to the producer and the consumer.

Advantages:

Hydroponic fruits and vegetables including tomatoes take about an average of 40% less time to grow and even a smaller amount of space to grow. This is because nutrients are directly available without much effort – basically conditions are ideal especially when using an indoor facility. Seasonal product does not remain seasonal at all since favorable conditions relevant to the particular plant can be mimicked throughout the year. As a result, these tomatoes will not only be bigger in size and brighter in color, but nutritious and tastier than soil-grown tomatoes.

Conditions:

For people trying their luck at hydroponic tomatoes for the first time, it is essential to be familiar with the criteria that are favorable for tomato growth. When growing tomatoes in an indoor facility, it is vital to control environment factors carefully.

  • Since tomatoes thrive in the heat, they will need a temperature in the range of 70oF-80oF during the day and 60oF–70oF during the night, provided that they are allowed to bask in the sun or artificial light for no more than 18 hours a day.
  • If artificial light is used, it is recommended to use the blue light of the spectrum.
  • Humidity levels in the facility are crucial for tomato development, since moisture level higher than 70–80% could result in calcium deficiency.

Transplantation:

  • The first step is to prepare the hydroponic equipment intended for use. If a professional kit is purchased, the instructions to set up the equipment should be followed vigilantly.
  • The medium that is to be used to support the roots should be soaked in water for 6–8 hours prior to use. This ensures that the dry media will not suck the water out of the plant, once transplanted.
  • Tomato seedlings can be transferred to the hydroponic system when the first leaves start appearing.
  • Care must be taken so as to ensure that the roots are free of soil and other foreign elements, as well as not damaged during transplanting.
  • The lowest set of leaves must be above the layer of the medium or else the plant may wilt.

Although growing hydroponic tomatoes may seem complicated at first, in reality it is much easier. The key is to do some research before venturing into this field, and understanding the techniques behind this method.


How To Prune Tomato Plants For Good Air Flow

thinning tomato leavesYou might wonder what I mean by that, but the simple fact is that a tomato plant needs to be in a position that has good air flow so that the leaves do not stay moist throughout the day and then develop fungal diseases.

Fungal diseases find it difficult to get established if the leaves are kept dry.

So here are some tips to make sure that you reduce the likelihood of disease on your tomato plants:

  • plant the plants wide enough apart so that when they are fully grown they are not intertwining with each other (there are also other benefits for this)
  • make sure that the lower leaves are trimmed back enough that they are not touching the ground and a) getting disease from the ground and b) staying away from the moisture in the ground
  • if you have a plant that is very compact (usually the smaller tomato varieties) where the leaves form a thick, dense mass, prune the tomato leaves out so that air can get between them
  • do not water the tomato plants from above, wetting the leaves, use a low sprinkler or better still a drip feed hose

Some very keen gardeners who live in damp conditions actually put a very gentle fan on their plants or even heat lamps so that the leaves dry out early in the day.

If the tomato plants are on a patio do make sure that if the air is very damp they do get some breeze to dry the leaves off early in the morning by having the pot placed in a position to do this.  In saying that, patio potted tomato plants do need to be getting at least 6 hours of sunlight a day anyway.


Garden Vegetable Tips: Get Started!

Tomato CollageThere is a certain level of fulfillment while eating your food and serving them, that you have yourself, grown and harvested. Nothing tastes better than vegetables freshly picked from your own garden. A vegetable garden can take up a bit of space, but they can also be grown in window boxes. The health benefits of eating fresh vegetables from your own garden come in abundance and today more people are resorting to this hobby so that they can serve fresh vegetables on their dinner table. If you are one among those who would love to start growing a vegetable garden, then here are some garden vegetable tips that can help you out in getting your neighbors jealous.

  • Think small: Starting a vegetable garden is like starting an exercise program. Many people tend to run 5 miles a day and then get tired, turn their back and quit. Likewise, thinking of growing a huge vegetable garden in the first year itself will make you curse and turn your back on gardening forever. So why not start off with a small garden; say 8’ x 10’ space. You can expand it later if you are interested and when you have successfully grown the vegetables you have chosen.
  • Location: choose a very good location for your garden which gets as much sunlight as possible throughout the day. Gardeners up north should rely on full sun. Preparing your soil needs you to make it ready for planting your vegetables.  Different vegetables require different elements in the soil so when you have decided what to plant, check out exactly what they need and fertilize the soil in blocks for each particular type of vegetable.
  • Tomatoes: these are the most popular home grown ‘vegetable’ (actually they are a fruit) worldwide and the reason is that we eat so many of them because the are beautiful both raw and cooked. Because of that they can be added to so many different dishes.
  • Garden structure: the traditional method of planting these vegetables was to plant them in long rows. However, most home gardeners today like to plant vegetables in smaller beds. This allows them to concentrate more on the compost where the plants are growing, rather than uselessly wasting it along the paths between the rows. Yet another great disadvantage of walking between the rows is spoiling the soil structure. Hence, smaller beds are the best option.
  • Combinations: you can choose to grow a lot of other herbs and plants. These plants can benefit each other while planted together. There are certain plants that can inhibit the growth of other plants and some combinations to avoid are:
  • Potatoes – squash and tomatoes
  • Broccoli – tomatoes
  • Beans – onions
  • Carrots – dill

Another garden vegetable tips is that you can also grow herbs along with vegetables and in fact some combinations of plants actually keep pests away.  Some of the best herbs which can grow are:

  • Garlic with tomatoes
  • Rosemary and mint together
  • Basil with tomatoes

Growing a vegetable garden certainly needs a lot of extra care when it comes to watering. A consistent water supply may result in successful yields. You could use a soaker hose if you have a large garden, as they can ensure that your plants can get evenly watered without getting the leaves wet. These garden vegetable tips can allow you to grow a successful vegetable garden.


Can I Grow Tomato From Seed?

Seedlings of tomatoesTomato from seed can certainly be grown successfully to start a kitchen garden. Not only do tomato plants grow easily from the seed, they are also very attractive plants and add to the colours in the garden or room. There are two options for the source of the tomato seeds; the first is to purchase seeds from a commercially established gardening store, which is reputed to provide quality seeds, or to use seeds from a fresh tomato.

Step 1: Fermenting Seeds from Fresh Tomatoes

In the case where the latter option is pursued, it is essential to take care that the tomato chosen is of heirloom variety or open-pollinated. A hybrid plant is not recommended because it may be chemically treated, and the plant that results will not be as healthy as one grown from that of the recommended varieties.

To obtain the seeds from the tomato, cut across the middle and scoop the seeds out with a clean spoon and put them in a container with some water. Cover but allow for ventilation, and keep in a warm place for 2-3 days to allow for fermentation. Fermentation ensures that the diseases of tomato from seed have been eliminated. Once the fermentation is complete, which will be evident when the mould has separated the seeds from the pulp, carefully remove the mixture floating on the surface of the water, and pour the seeds in a strainer.

Ensure all water has been removed from the seeds, and then spread them on a wide plate to allow them to dry. Place this sheet in a warm place for a week, but stir them occasionally to ensure all sides of the seed are completely dry. The seeds are ready to use, or can be stored for future use in a cool, dry place.

Step 2: Planting the Seeds

Tomato from seed will grow as long as there is moisture and warmth available to them. For the initial stage, a small container that drains any excess water is suitable. Ensure the container is new or sterilized with a 10% bleach solution. In order to plant the seeds, take a small container and fill it with damp soil and place the seed approximately 1/4 inch from the surface of the soil. Tomato seeds can be planted fairly close together, as when the first true leaves appear, the plant will need to be transplanted in a bigger container. However, these containers should be moved in to bright light as soon as the seeds germinate, otherwise the plants will not sprout the leaves.

Step 3: Transplantation

True leaves will take about 5 to 10 days to appear when provided with warm conditions and adequate moisture, and once they develop, the plants need to be transplanted to a bigger container. This will permit the plants to develop a strong root foundation and but it is prudent to remove any blossoms that appear prior to transplanting to ensure a healthy plant. Once the fruits start to turn red, they can be picked and the grown tomato from seed can be relished and enjoyed as part of a favorite meal!