How to Grow Tomatoes Hydroponically

Tomatoes, which are actually a fruit and not a vegetable, are loaded with antioxidants to help fight heart diseases and other kinds of health complications. One of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its Lycopene content. Lycopene is said to prevent cancerous cell formation in particular bowel, prostrate and cervical cancer.

Known for its use in salads, sandwiches, sauces and baking, the consumption of tomatoes has grown considerably all over the world. This rise in demand and the failure for conventional methods to keep up with the demand has brought about the evolution of hydroponic growing methods.

What is Hydroponic Culture?

Hydroponic culture is one of the most exacting and intensive methods of crop production used in agriculture today. Hydroponics may simply be described as growing plants with nutrients and water, and without soil. The is delivered directly to the plant root system by hanging it in the nutrient solution or enclosing the root in a container with soil alternatives such as perlite, sand, sawdust or rockwool. Tomatoes are the most popular crop subjected to Hydroponic farming. Why?

What are The Benefits of Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes?

Tomatoes grown hydroponically grow 30 – 50% faster than conventional farming methods. It also produces a better yield this is because the nutrients are delivered directly to the root system of the plant several times a day which requires the tomato plant to use very little energy to break down the food. This saved energy allows it to grow faster and produce more fruit.

Hydroponic tomatoes have fewer problems with bug infestations, diseases and are generally healthy plants. It therefore requires only a few (if any) pesticides.

Taste and nutrient wise – they are equally as flavoursome and nutrient rich as traditional farming methods.

How to Grow Tomatoes Hydroponically at Home

For the hobbyist or home farmer with not much experience should use the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT. It consists of a grow tray or tube, a nutrient reservoir, an air pump and stone, and a nutrient pump. The roots of the plant dangle directly into the nutrient solution which is carried by the pump to the grow tube. The solution flows down the tube and back into the continuously aerated reservoir.

Preparation for Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes

Growing hydroponic tomatoes requires good preparation. You can purchase hydroponic supplies from your garden store.

Choose the medium you would like to use i.e rockwool, fired clay, sand or others. Then mix the fertilizer with water to obtain a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. .

Wash your tomato seedlings from dirt and place them in the medium soaked in the hydroponic solution. Ensure that you should check the water nutrient ratio every day.

Temperature for Hydroponic Tomatoes

Just like other vegetables, tomatoes need pretty much the standard temperatures. A temperature of 22-26?C (70 – 80F) is required during the day and approximately 5?C (10F) lower at night. Exceeding these temperature values will make your tomatoes nutritionally unbalanced, stunted or even dead.

Lighting Requirements For Hydroponic Tomatoes

Light is the most important growth influencing factor. LED grow lights are becoming ever more popular now for hydroponic use. This is because they produce less heat in comparison to High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps.

In the seeding stage, you can supply 24 hour light however during the vegetative stage, they require only 16 to 18 hours of light per day for photosynthesis and eight hours of darkness for respiration.

Hydroponic Tomatoes - Humidity

If you have the ability to measure the humidity levels you keep your hydroponic tomatoes in, you should try edging them out to around 70% (80% during night time). Tomatoes love water need lots of it. However during photosynthesis they transpire therefore there needs to be good ventilation and air circulation to control humidity levels.

In Summary

Growing tomatoes hydroponically might not be an easy task. But for those of us who are not blessed with the perfect climate, this is the best way to get fresh, ripe and juicy tomatoes all year around.