How are Hydroponic Tomatoes Grown?
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Basics
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Hydroponic tomatoes are when the tomatoes are grown in a solution and no soil is used. The taste of these tomatoes is said to be better than those grown under normal conditions, if they are allowed to ripen before being picked.
Set-Up
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The water and fertilizers are placed in a container with the plant's roots and wires or another type of device is placed above to give the tomato plant something to climb. The solution is monitored and nutrients are added as needed. This is done to each plant individually, or a piping system is set up to administer the solution to many plants at once. The solution can be handled in two ways once it is used. Some set-ups will simply dispose of it after it is given to the plant. Other systems are designed to clean the solution, add whichever nutrients are needed to bring it back to correct levels, and reuse it. Essentially, it is recycled.
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Benefits
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There are many benefits to growing tomatoes, as well as other produce, through hydroponics. One is space. The plants can be stacked in many levels in a building or outside, which allows the grower to grow more on less land. This can free up land for other uses. Also less water is needed to grow hydroponic plants. Soil pulls water in all directions, so that when plants are watered, they don't always receive all the water used. In addition, the plants grow faster, which means more plants over time can be grown. And best of all, the plants are more likely to be free of disease. Soil diseases, for one, are completely eliminated.
Downfall
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There are a few problems with hydroponic systems that have to be dealt with. For one, they can have bacteria or virus contamination if the trays and piping aren't cleaned at least every couple of growth cycles. This can take time. Also, pests like the whitefly are more common in greenhouse settings. Since hydroponic set-ups are usually going for an all natural, no pesticides, atmosphere, this can be difficult to deal with.
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