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

Thank you for the update, your plants are looking good. Who knew that a few points past six would be bad for your tomatoes? Although I'm wondering why did the spike occur after three days? Does it mean that it requires more water when it goes up like that? I'm thinking that as the water level goes down the pH level starts to increase. Would a daily measurement give you a more accurate pH level control for the week? 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing the start of your growing rack.

Eric

[Prof]

Hi Eric..Good to hear from you...

I think your answer to the high pH reading is spot  on..As the liquid fertilizer mix level has dropped, the pH has gone up..

Something I hadn't taken into account..

With the alkaline level showing a high reading I added an increase to the acidic level to bring the pH level down..

It has worked a treat as the plants have taken off again.!!

The grow light is now at max. height and the plants are currently pushing past the light.!!!

Fortunately I have my new 20L. buckets ready to transfer the plants over..

With the new setup I'm able to extend the light source up to 1.6M. above the plants.!!

I also have the whole setup in my office now, which will give them a better temperature controlled environment than previous..

I will provide photos as the whole system evolves...

[Prof]

This is what they look like now before I transfer them over to the new tanks..

[Prof]

This is the new system with the new containers that I'll be using for the transfer of the plants.!! 😁 Good old Bunnings !!

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[EricL]

Hi @Prof

That's looking pretty sharp! I see two holes in each pail, does that mean two tomato plants in each pail? I love the string climbing set you've prepared for the plants. Your plant's growth is surprisingly fast or I've just not noticed the weeks flying by. 

Looking forward to the next update.

Eric

[Prof]

Thanks Eric...

The two holes in each pail are for different plants..

The back two holes will have the tomato plants and they will be right next to the stringers..

The front two holes will have a Capsicum plant and a Lebanese Cucumber  plant..

The two Mason jars will have an Iceberg lettuce and a Bok Choi plant..

The tomato plants have now been put into the pails..

You're right about the fast growth..I'm having trouble keeping up with it.!!

Since I moved them into the pails they have gone berserk.!!!

I have to move the little hoists up 3 clicks a day to keep up with the growth.!!!

I've been trimming off the lower branches and I think that might have got them going..😁

[Prof]

I'm afraid I'm a bit behind with my updates..with the flooding and everything here in Mannum..

My jetty is completely underwater and my road is underwater to the left of me and to the right..

I and my neighbour have a dry road out the front...I did have until recently an access dirt road further along my road which went over the back of the hills..coming out at the top of Mannum..

Sadly that road has no access now as the waters have crept even higher..

I was beginning to feel rather isolated until the other day when the guy who has the property next to me ( who I thought had left ) came over and said he has an access track that goes over the hills and connects up to road into Mannum.!! Brilliant.!!

Now that's all settled..I can get back to my hydroponic garden..

There has been a lot of developments since my last post..

Firstly the tomato plants have reached their full height and are starting to show some flowers..Unfortunately there's a problem with the blooming..

Reading up about it..It appears that I need a different nutrient for the flowers to change into fruit..

Here is the latest photo of the plants..

There are now some further growths in my other setups..

These are the capsicum plants..The one at the back nearly died but I was able to recover it.. It's just been a bit slow to grow..

And in the seed nursery we have some strong growing cucumbers that are growing in cotton wool balls.!! and a variety of lettuce growing in a different medium..

It was a bit of an experiment to see if they would shoot in the clay medium..and they have.!!

I almost forgot...This is Iceberg lettuce growing in this tank..

The strange colour comes from the full spectrum LED grow lights..

[EricL]

Hi @Prof

Thank you very much for the update, I was wondering how the experiment was coming along. Your plants look good and the tomatoes are very tall now. Please make sure to post the nutrient you'll be using to make the tomatoes flower. 

It's good to hear that you've got a passage out of that flooded area, please stay safe.

I'm looking forward to the next update.

Eric

[Prof]

Hi Eric..Good to hear from you..

The new nutrient has been ordered and should arrive shortly..

This is the one I've ordered..

I think the flood has reached it's peak now, but if there should be another increase in the level and the road out the front starts to go underwater..

the guy next door has said I can move my car into his yard on high ground so I still have access to his track..

It's nice to know that there's a good neighbour next door.

[robchin]

Hi @Prof 

Just been reading through your timeline here and well done. I used to have a bit to do with hydroponics so thought I would chirp in. Great to see another hydroponic convert - it's not just the domain of the druggers. A few things I would note for growing fruiting plants inside - as opposed to growing just leafy plants/vegetables: 

Indoor lighting needs to be considered. I can't tell if you've specialist indoor plant lights or not - but if not - you should be. Light spectrum is really important because plants need different lights to humans. Light at the blue end of the spectrum for growing and at the red end of the spectrum for fruiting and flowering. Commercially they may change the lighting for different parts of the life cycle. Your tomatoes do look a bit 'leggy' and lighting may explain this

pH Adjusting: great that you are regularly checking your pH and adjusted regularly. The pH affects availability of nutrient take up, different elements are taken up at different rates at different pH levels. Google 'Truog Chart' to understand this better. Would note though that pH for soil and soilless media are quite different. There is less buffering when not growing in the soil. Liquid pH adjusters are required for hydro and they do work faster. 

Nutrients vary depending on what you're growing and phase of life cycle. You have worked this out already, well done. Leafy plants need more nitrogen, but flowering or fruiting plants need more Phospherous and Potassium - hence the 'Bloom' and 'Grow' type of nutrients you have highlighted. 

Good luck and good growing.