Indoor hydroponic tomatoes: best tips for growing plants using a hydroponics system

The tomato is a versatile vegetable. If necessary, and using hydroponics, you can grow it throughout the year, regardless of your experience in gardening. Read more about indoor hydroponic tomato plants in this article.

Indoor hydroponic tomatoes

Features of hydroponic tomatoes

If you are planning indoor hydroponic tomato plants, then you should know that hydroponic gardening is quite simple, and even a beginner can handle it.

After all, you do not have to do intensive physical labor for a long time. Hydroponics implies the rejection of constant work with soil or soil substrate.

Instead, look for a concentrated mineral solution that is added to the water and delivered directly to the root system.

Rooting of plants is carried out in the water. If they are heavy, then an inert substrate will be required. It is appropriate to use gravel, clay pebbles, sand, or coconut.

Thanks to the use of such a substrate, heavy plants take root better.

There are various hydroponic setups, including nutrient film, ebb and flow, drip irrigation, and deep water technology.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing tomatoes hydroponically

It should be noted that such a process implies certain pros and cons.

After all, no system is immune from difficulties.

Growing hydroponic tomatoes indoors: benefits

If you decide to start growing tomatoes in hydroponics indoors, then this has certain advantages.

Rates of growth. If conditions are favorable for the growth own hydroponic tomatoes, they grow almost twice as fast as when planted in the soil.
Harvest. According to statistics, under the right conditions, you can harvest 3-10 times more than when planting in the soil.
Purity. As you know, a hydroponic is a great option if you don’t want a constant mess indoors. In this case, you do not have to spend your free time cleaning.
Ripening season. If you provide the tomatoes with the right grow lights and choose the optimal temperature, then the crop can be harvested throughout the year.
Efficient water consumption. If you install a hydroponic, the water consumption is almost 90% more economical when compared with conventional methods of planting in the soil.
Location. A hydroponic can be installed anywhere in your home. At the same time, it does not matter at all what the quality of the soil on the site is.

Disadvantages of growing hydroponic tomatoes

As you know, the difficulties can be very different. More on the cons of growing tomatoes hydroponically indoors will be discussed below.

Price. You need to spend many times more money on installing a hydroponic than on preparing the soil on the site. However, the minus is leveled by the fact that the system is reusable, and in the future, it will quickly pay off.
No room for error. If you do not monitor the acidity and alkalinity of the soil and apply excessive amounts of fertilizer and water, then such errors in the hydroponic are exacerbated. Believe me, you have a chance to transfuse plants in hydroponics. After all, there is no buffer in the form of soil.
The need for pruning. It is possible that pruning of hydroponic tomatoes is required. Often this happens if you planted large tomato varieties in a small area. As the plants grow, they will grow into bulbs, so they will need to be pruned.

To properly trim tomatoes, you should follow a few recommendations:

Cut stems that run vertically.
Use sharp tools to cut the vertical stem 0.25-1.5 inches from where the fork of the stem is.

Thanks to pruning, you can control the growth of bushes, and you can make them obedient. In this case, the plant will correctly expend its energy.

You also need to determine which varieties you grow. It can be determinate and indeterminate tomatoes.

The first option is dense and is more suitable for a hydroponic due to its compactness. The indeterminate tomato plants are more massive.

If you opted for them, then a cut of new shoots that formed between the stem and branch is required.

Which hydroponic options to choose?

Tomatoes can be grown in a variety of hydroponic systems. Regardless of your choice, the result is quite pleasant.

Many people like hydroponic systems. After all, it is easy to configure, and you can handle it yourself.

For the method, prepare a table for flooding, a tank, a water pump, and a timer. The work is regular, and enough nutrients will get into the root system of plants.

The water pump will constantly supply water and solutions to the tray. After the water will penetrate the tank.

Growing hydroponic tomatoes

To facilitate the work, it is recommended to prepare hydroponic systems. You can build it yourself, or buy a ready-made system.

The sale is carried out in hardware stores or garden centers. To set up a basic system, you need several components.

How to set up an ebb and flow system? If you have a hydroponics system, you can take up growing tomatoes.

After that, you have to configure the system, adhering to several stages.

Grow tray. The trays contain a tomato pot, so you should choose a size that matches the size of large plants. Containers should be on high sides so that water does not spill out. There must be an overflow outlet so that the water flows back into the tank.
Storage tank. It stores the nutrient solution as well as the water pump. The solution mustn’t come into contact with sunlight. Therefore, a cover will be required, which will also protect against the ingress of dust and contaminants.
Tray stand. Thanks to the stand, the tray will rise above the floor so that under the influence of gravity the nutrient solution flows back into the tank. Tomatoes are at a convenient level, and space in the room is saved.
Water pump and timer. These parts of the system do the most important work. Their main task is to ensure that tomatoes receive enough nutrition. The water pump must be submerged. The timer must be set according to the feeding schedule.
Fitting. Care must be taken to have all the fittings so that the timer is connected to the water pump. Tubing and fittings are also required to move the nutrient solution from the pump to the reservoir and back again. All elements must be of high quality so as not to leak.
Plant pots. Almost all manufacturers sell tomato plant pots made of mesh or fabric. Thanks to this, the root system of the plant has enough space to grow and receive oxygen. This will prevent root rot.
Growing substrate. The tomato bushes are quite large. Therefore, a special substrate is required. Expanded clay is in the greatest demand. It is characterized by inertness and neutral pH. Moisture will not linger inside the mixture. Therefore, you need to ensure regular watering.

Tomato plants are heavy, so the mass must be strong to support the weight. Expanded clay is reusable, so it is enough to rinse and sterilize before subsequent use.

Rules for growing hydroponic tomatoes

If you will install the system indoors, you should install special lamps for additional grow lights.

How to grow hydroponic tomatoes: light

Tomato plants need to be illuminated for about 8-10 hours. It’s better if it’s sunlight. If you have planted high-yielding varieties, they need 12-18 hours of grow lights.

To do this, it is recommended to install additional lamps. They may vary in size and cost.

The most practical option would be LED lamps. They are quite powerful, which is why they are expensive.

The available option is fluorescent lamps.

Despite their low power, they are quite effective. If you are on a budget, then you can choose high-pressure sodium lamps.

How to grow hydroponic tomatoes: temperature regime and ventilation

Tomatoes prefer heat. Therefore, if you plan to grow hydroponic tomatoes all year round, you should worry about high-quality heating in winter.

If you place trays in the basement, then even in summer you have to think about the heating system.

So that water does not provoke rotting of the root system, it makes sense to provide a high-quality ventilation system.

This will prevent mold from accumulating in the hydroponic and on different parts of the tomato plant.

How to grow hydroponic tomatoes: nutrient solution

Try to use the nutrient solution that has been specially formulated for the hydroponic. Other components can clog the system, so plants can be destroyed.

Hydroponic tomatoes need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Therefore, it is better to choose drugs with which a fairly high concentration of such components. You should also saturate hydroponic tomatoes with magnesium.

How to care for tomato plants?

For tomatoes to give a big harvest, they need to provide quality care.

Solution change

It is recommended to change the solution in the tank every week. However, the exact timing depends on how often you feed the bushes.

Checking the pH level

It is important to check the pH of the solution. This allows the plants to absorb all the added nutrients. Plants need a pH of 5.5-6.5.

However, for best results, make sure that the pH does not fall below 6. Therefore, it may be necessary to periodically adjust the indicators.

To reduce performance, it is recommended to use vinegar or citric acid. To increase it makes sense to use baking soda.

However, these methods have a short duration of action. Therefore, it is better to immediately stop buying a solution with a low or high pH.

What to choose: tomato seeds or seedlings?

If you want to grow tomato plants hydroponically, it makes sense to first decide on the materials. It is not recommended to use seedlings that have been grown in the soil. After all, they can be infected with pests and bacteria. Even if one bush is infected, the entire crop will likely die.

That is why you should do your growing seedlings from seeds. To do this, use mineral wool, in which pre-soaked tomato seeds are placed. Germination of tomato seeds will require a warm and humid environment. Therefore, they need to be covered and placed on a lighted windowsill before germination.

Germination will take about 10 days. After the plant can be transferred to a hydroponic system. Tomato plants should be 8 inches tall.

FAQ

When it comes to growing tomatoes in a hydroponic system, there are many questions to ask. The answers to them will be presented below.

Can you grow tomatoes indoors hydroponically?

Yes, you can use a hydroponic system to grow tomato plants indoors. Care is fairly simple. And tomatoes are distinguished by excellent growth rates indoors.

What tomatoes grow best hydroponically?

The best option is to grow hydroponic tomatoes with several varieties. You can plant cherry tomatoes, tomatoes on a branch, a grape variety, or a steak.

How long does it take to grow tomatoes hydroponically?

If you planted varieties with small fruits, then you can harvest in a month and a half. For large varieties, it will take about 70 days.

Will hydroponic tomatoes keep producing?

If nutrition and water are correct, more and more varieties will form on the bushes. Especially if you have chosen varieties with vines. If you planted weaving varieties, then they need regular fertilization, as well as proper pruning.

Results

As you can see, growing tomatoes indoors in a hydroponic system is pretty easy. At the same time, you will have fresh tomatoes throughout the year, and you can save on the purchase of vegetables.