How to Grow & Prune Hydroponic Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an ideal plant for hydroponics.

Hydroponics is the gardening technique of growing plants in water rather than soil. Tomatoes are an ideal plant for hydroponics. With careful pruning and maintenance, hydroponic tomatoes can grow quickly and produce a large crop of fresh, delicious tomatoes. One of the easiest ways to get started is to use a pre-packaged hydroponic starter kit.

Things You'll Need

• Basic hydroponics kit
• Peat and perlite mix
• Pruning shears
• Water spray can
• Garden pole
• Wire

Instructions

1. Plant your tomato seeds. Popular hydroponics varieties include Apollo, Caruso and Dombito, according to the University of Arizona College of Agriculture. Fill a seed tray with a mixture of peat and perlite. Don't use soil. Wet the mixture with water and place the tray in a warm, sunny indoor location. Water the seedlings frequently for the next several weeks.

2. Purchase a hydroponic starter kit from a garden center. Set up the trays and drip pipe as directed by the kit's instructions.

3. Fill the lower hydroponic tray with fresh, clean water. Mix in plant and tomato nutrient packets. These are available at garden stores, or you might have gotten some with your kit. Add hydroton rocks to the top tray, if included with your system. If not, try punching a hole in a piece of Styrofoam, inserting the plant and securing with cotton wool.

4. Remove the seedlings carefully when a few full leaves appear. Transplant the small tomato plants from the seed trays to the hydroponic system. Gently rinse off some of the perlite and peat from the roots and insert the plants into the top tray, into the hydroton rocks.

5. Keep your hydroponic tomatoes in a very bright location. Water the leaves and fruit frequently with a spray mister. Refresh your system every two weeks by adding fresh water and more hydroponic plant food.

6. Prune your plant by trimming off older leaves at the bottom of the plant. Cut off a third of the thin stems that branch off the main stalk. Focus on keeping several stems healthy, rather than having lots of fruiting stems.

7. Keep each side of the plant even when pruning. Take one stem off one side, then do the same on the opposite site. To prune, cut the stem at the point where it meets the main stalk, using hand-held pruning shears. Continue this every few weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Use suspended wires or vertical garden poles for plant support.

• Don't let your hydroponics solution dry out or your plant will die.

References

• University of Arizona College of Agriculture: Hydroponic Tomatoes
• Trinity College: Hooked on Hyrdoponics
• Better Buy Hydroponics: Hydroponic Culture of Tomatoes