Oatmeal
11-01-03, 12:31 AM
Just as the cool season begins, I cut down my tomato plants and harvested the rest of the fruit. Mmm my hands smell like tomato plants - I love that smell :D
Here are my experiences and some thoughts - with pictures!!!
Overall, the hydroponic tomato experience was a great success!! :hamster: The plants were strong and vigorous and yielded heavily. No wonder that tomatoes are one of the most popular hydro crops.
Luckily I didn't encounter any major diseases or bugs, even the whiteflies that plagued me last year, stayed away pretty much completely this time. I was about to get an aphid/ant problem, but I caught it early, and used "Tanglefoot" (a sticky, non-toxic, resin-like substance) to prevent the ants from climbing up the legs of the hydro system, and this kept away the aphids too.
I started the plants quite late, in July, that's why I harvested so late. The cultivar was a hybrid determinate cherry from Italy, I picked up the seeds at the local health food store.
The fruit is larger than what I have ever seen in cherry tomato, they are about 2-2.5 inches in diameter. The bowl in the picture is pretty big :)
The hydro system will be unplugged during the next few days, since nothing really interesting is growing in it anymore (only a few basil plants). It is really dirty, so it needs a good cleaning, and some repairing here and there.
It also needs to be improved. I had an algae growth problem this season. It seems that the styrofoam covering is not enough to block out all the sunlight. Although it did not look as if the algae was seriously bothering the plants, it sure looked ugly and slimey and it smelled somewhat. Also, at one point the algae clogged up the system, blocking the drain pipe. When I (luckily) noticed it, almost all of the nutrient solution has already dripped out of the system. Two more hours and the plants would have died for sure. So I will have to try and come up with a different or additional coating for the growing channels. I also saw a new product you can add to the nutrient solution which is supposed to block algae growth. I will see.
I want to get the system back "online" soon, I think I will grow salad greens, spinach and maybe bok choy while the cool season lasts.
Stay tuned :cool:
Here are my experiences and some thoughts - with pictures!!!
Overall, the hydroponic tomato experience was a great success!! :hamster: The plants were strong and vigorous and yielded heavily. No wonder that tomatoes are one of the most popular hydro crops.
Luckily I didn't encounter any major diseases or bugs, even the whiteflies that plagued me last year, stayed away pretty much completely this time. I was about to get an aphid/ant problem, but I caught it early, and used "Tanglefoot" (a sticky, non-toxic, resin-like substance) to prevent the ants from climbing up the legs of the hydro system, and this kept away the aphids too.
I started the plants quite late, in July, that's why I harvested so late. The cultivar was a hybrid determinate cherry from Italy, I picked up the seeds at the local health food store.
The fruit is larger than what I have ever seen in cherry tomato, they are about 2-2.5 inches in diameter. The bowl in the picture is pretty big :)
The hydro system will be unplugged during the next few days, since nothing really interesting is growing in it anymore (only a few basil plants). It is really dirty, so it needs a good cleaning, and some repairing here and there.
It also needs to be improved. I had an algae growth problem this season. It seems that the styrofoam covering is not enough to block out all the sunlight. Although it did not look as if the algae was seriously bothering the plants, it sure looked ugly and slimey and it smelled somewhat. Also, at one point the algae clogged up the system, blocking the drain pipe. When I (luckily) noticed it, almost all of the nutrient solution has already dripped out of the system. Two more hours and the plants would have died for sure. So I will have to try and come up with a different or additional coating for the growing channels. I also saw a new product you can add to the nutrient solution which is supposed to block algae growth. I will see.
I want to get the system back "online" soon, I think I will grow salad greens, spinach and maybe bok choy while the cool season lasts.
Stay tuned :cool: