I'm growing hydroponic tomatoes indoors

[Prof]

Last season I started to grow some tomatoes in large pots outside..

They were regularly watered and fertilized and I had a few tomatoes on the plants..

Then we started to get high daily temperatures reaching into the mid 40's.!!!..

Even with the plants sheltered with shade cloth..they all  died..

This was the second time that it had happened..the first being at another location..

I decided I wouldn't try again..and besides at my age it was becoming impracticable to do any further gardening..

Then one day I happened to come across an article about growing tomatoes all year round indoors.!! This perked up my interest again..

I discovered that one could grow tomatoes indoors in a hydroponic system.!!

I liked the idea because you didn't have to worry about bugs and insects getting at your plants..and the containers were at bench top height..so no bending..no watering and you can have tomatoes all year round.!!!

I've always imagined that hydroponics was just for growing Weed, with all sorts pumps and bubblers  with lights everywhere and using lots of electricity.!!

What I discovered is that with simple systems you can grow all sorts of herbs, vegetables and flowers..

There is a system called the Kratky method..It's basically having a container with liquid fertilizer and putting a seedling suspended in the liquid..That's it.!! No pumps or bubblers or expensive lighting..

Looking at you tube video's I found people were even using ice cream containers and large coffee jars to grow tomatoes in.!! Some used what they call in the US Mason jars..

The more sophisticated ones used plastic tanks and grew several plants in them..

I decided to give it a try..The best place I found was in the laundry..It's out of the way and I found that the space between the washing machine and the cupboard was ideal..

In my next post I will describe what I bought for the system and I'll show the little table I made to fit between that space..

[EricL]

Hi @Prof

The same thing happened to my tomato plant, it was growing so well and then we had some extremely hot weather and then a sudden cold evening. It damaged the plant badly and the branches are all drooping now. I've seen some videos of the Kratky method and it looks very interesting. My only recommendation is to make sure to use a large container if you are growing tomatoes and to design a trellis system for the plant to hang onto. 

Please make sure to post an update when you have everything set up. I'm sure our members will be keen to see how well the system performs.

Eric

[Prof]

Thanks Eric..

I discovered that each tomato plant needs at least 10L. to grow effectively..

I bought a 20L. tank for the two plants I'll be using..

One of the concerns I had was a way to raise the lighting as they grow..maintaining the right distance..

I've just discovered an excellent way to do this which I'll write about in my next post..

[EricL]

Hi @Prof 

I was thinking along the lines of a traditional lamp with an adjustable arm. But I look forward to seeing your idea of lighting the tomatoes.

Eric

[Prof]

Starting to put it together..

[Prof]

The grow light support is up..

[MitchellMc]

That's looking great, @Prof! I'm keen to see how you'll deal with the adjustable height lighting.

Please continue to keep us updated on your progress.

Mitchell

[Prof]

Hi Mitchell..

I found a very clever little device that can raise and lower the light..

I'm just waiting for it to arrive and then I'll set it up and take a photo..

[KatieC]

Really looking forward to seeing how this all comes together @Prof!

Katie

[Prof]

Hi Katie..

I've been looking for a way to have several hydroponic systems to grow a variety of vegetables..

The time is coming where the supply of vegetable products to supermarkets will become very difficult..

With the massive flooding in numerous countries around the World and the staggering amount of crop losses..It will change the supply and cost of vegetables..

So to that end I am going to try to be self sufficient..

One of the problems with hydroponics is that you generally need a fair amount of floor space or table space to have several fertilizer tanks operating at the same time....and like me..some people will just have some space between their washing machine and the laundry cupboard.!!

So then I realized..I have a lot wall space..I could mount a solid shelf to the wall and have several tanks side by side.!!

That will be my next project after I have established  my tomatoes this time..

PS..My hoisting system for the lights arrived this morning so I went out and bought some tomato seedlings..

  The only thing I'm waiting on now is the pH meter..It's very important that fertilizer / water mix is between 5.5 - 6.5..