How to Set Up Hydroponic Tomatoes in a Basement
Tomatoes from a hydroponic system have the same nutrient value and flavor as traditionally grown tomatoes. A hydroponic grow system will provide you with fresh tomatoes all year. Purchase kits through a garden center or online. Turn your basement into a hydroponic tomato garden using grow lights to supplement sunlight. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Rubber stall mats
- Hydroponic grow system
- Grow lights
- Tomato seeds
- Grow medium
- Rock wool
- Small net pots
- Tall net pots
- pH meter
Instructions
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Lay down rubber stall mats where you plan to set up the hydroponic system. Hang grow lights above the area. Set up your hydroponic grow system.
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2
Prepare net pots for seeding. Plant two to three tomato seeds into a cube of rock wool. Dampen rock wool and place in net pots. Seeds germinate in two to three weeks.
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Add 1 tsp. of grow medium to the net pots when seeds have sprouted. Rock wool takes two to three days to absorb the nutrients from the grow medium and pass them into the plants.
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4
Remove seedlings from the small net pots when they are 2 to 3 inches tall. Plant them in tall net pots and place them back in the hydroponic system.
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5
Check the pH balance of the water. Add grow medium to the system and check the pH balance again. The recommended pH for a tomato hydroponic system is 5.5 to 6.5. Monitor the pH balance and add grow medium according to the instructions; most systems require more medium every two weeks.
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Drain water completely from the system and add fresh water every three weeks. Tomatoes are ready to harvest in 65 to 95 days, depending on the varieties you have selected.
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Tips & Warnings
Healthy roots should be inflated and have a white or yellow tinge. Poor oxygenation shows in thin roots. Encourage hydroponic tomatoes to become bushy with frequent pruning.
