The Best Hydroponic System for Tomatoes

Vine tomatoes can be grown hydroponically.

When people think of hydroponics, they tend to think of the traditional hydroponic systems originally used by astronauts in space. Plants dangled their root systems into compartments which housed mist-sprayed nutrients. Today hydroponic systems differ from each another in dispensing techniques, nutritional mists and growing medium. Some species of tomato do better under some conditions but not so well under others.

Nutrient Film Technique

In nutrient film hydroponic systems, plant roots are housed within light-resistant, evaporation-proof chambers. A film of nutrient solution flows downward through pipes, enters the root chambers, and plant roots take in these nutrients. The roots grow into a mat, which depends on absorbent material inside the chamber to sustain it until the next nutrient film deluge. The nutrient film runs through a series of pipes, is monitored for salts, moisture and disease and then recirculated to the plants. This form of hydroponics is successfully used for commercial tomato crops.

Aggregate Systems

Aggregate systems depend on a growing medium to support plants. A variety of soilless mediums exist: rockwool, coir, stonewool, peat, vermiculite, polystyrene beads, sand and sawdust. Perlite and rockwool are the medium of choice for tomato crops. A simple system for the homegrower uses gravity to pull the solution through the medium. The medium is placed in a trough or planter box which is raised above the ground. Plants are placed within the growing medium. At one end of the planter a bucket with nutrient solution is placed atop a table higher than the planter. A tube runs from the nutrient bucket to the base of the planter. As the nutrients flood the medium, excess fluid flows to the opposite end of the planter and drains, via another tube, into a bucket on the floor. Once the bucket is full, the remaining nutrients can be recycled by placing them in the higher bucket.

Ebb and Flow Systems

Also called flood and drain systems, the purpose of this type of system is to saturate the growing medium and then let it dry. This allows moisture and nutrients even distribution. Tender seedlings benefit from this treatment because their leaves and roots can develop without damage from over- or under-head sprays. Tomato seeds are sown at depths of .25 inch within rockwool cubes or oasis horticubes which are then set into shallow growing trays. Within a week the seeds will germinate, within another week the seeds develop leaves and are ready to transplant into either aggregate or nutrient film systems.

Tomato Varieties

Tomatoes have determinate growth patterns or indeterminate growth patterns. Determinate tomatoes are those that take on bush-like growth. They grow to a certain height and produce a relatively set number of flowers and fruit. Vine tomatoes are indeterminate. They continue to grow, flower and produce fruit continuously. Indeterminate vine tomatoes can be successfully grown hydroponically. They are trained up trellises or strings which are attached to greenhouse roofs. The types most frequently used in hydroponic systems, according to University of Arizona growers, are: Apollo, Belmondo, Caruso, Dombito, Larma, Perfecto, Trend and Trust.

References

• The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Growing Tomatoes Hydroponically: Media
• The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Growing Tomatoes Hydroponically: Propagation
• University of Illinois Extension: Hydroponic Systems