What can I grow with Hydroponics and how?

15 years ago

Hello everyone,

I'm new to hydroponics and need some help. I currently have an Aerogarden growing herbs, but I want to grow more things like Spinach, Plum Tomatoes (or any other type of tomatoe that may be better for hyroponics) Green Onions (or any onions) Green Peppers (or any peppers) and any type of salad green (I like them all). Also want Brocolli & Carrots, but I don't think those will work in hydroponics. I am planning on setting up a Deep Water Culture System in a rubbermaid container that I can place on my windowsill (trying to save money on lights and live in an apartment) From my measurements, I could probably have 2 different containers with 15 3" net pots in them. So my questions...

From the above list, what could I grow in these window DWC containers?

What would be better to just grown in a window box with soil?

What type of nutrients would the given vegetables need? N-P-K, brand?

And with the given nutrients, which plants can grow in the same container? I've heard lettuce and tomatoes probably aren't a good pairing.

I could also swap out things from the Aerogarden into the window DWC if they need the light. Feel free to add any other vegetables or fruits that I did not include.I think that's it for my first round of questions. I'm sure there will be more later on. Leave any links that may be useful.

Thanks,

Angel

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Comments (4)

freemangreens
15 years ago
At this stage of the game, you need to do a little research to narrow down all the possibilities, centering up on what you want to grow and how best to do it.

You can visit my Web site by clicking on my profile; the URL is in there. Also, peruse the many posts on the forum and visit other members' Web sites. There is a huge amount of information available.

In general, you can grow everything you've mentioned, but there are "rules" so to speak as to what grows best and how. Pay close attention and learn about EC and pH. These two factors pretty much 'rule' what can be grown together.

Hydro is a blast; I've been at it for 30 years.
greystoke
15 years ago
If your "space" is a windowsill, then I would forget about spinach, carrots and broccoli. They need a lot of space.
I you are a "salad"-man, then I would suggest to concentrate on herbs (parsley, corriander, basil, etc), tomatoes (3-4 plants would be enough) and lettuce (grown in a raft sytem)
I assure you, that would be more than enough for starters.
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Hi solargrower, You will need to adapt crops seasonally. I can't guess how much area are you set up for. Your plan to change nutes & manage pH monthly will force you out of traditional edible vegetables. In the summer try (transplants) Huauzontle or Aztec "spinach" (Chenepodium berlandieri); the young leaf is edible & immature seed pods can be stir fry/braised/battered. It will take any heat, drought tolerant & possibly quick enough to shrug off any methodology induced problems. You can breed the seed easily if it does well for you. Another quick, beat the imbalance clock, harvest is "Rat Tail" radish; they eat the stir fried pods in SE asia. Dandelion is a likely candidate for surviving the cold season that possibly will shrug off pH fluctuations; gives you first tender greens & then flowers can batter fry/jelly. Borage - for the tiny flowers; may be more pH sensitive. Turmeric (hot season) being a root crop could roll with the pH. Fig (bush type) will survive your cold drop, but probably just as well grown in ground as gets rangy .
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Technically I agree with grizzman, but as a clarification the term DWC (deep water culture) is a distinction about how deep the water in their water culture system is. It has become common place to refer to any water culture system as a deep "Water Culture" system. Though it's really the opposite , and "DWC" is a really modification of the definition of a true water culture system. The word deep is just referring to the water depth. There's where the definition of a water culture system gets blurred (sort of). When it comes to a true water culture system, there is no definition of water depth. They are all defined as a water culture systems. No mater if it's just a couple of inches, or a few hundred feet. But the term DWC has been so widely used to refer to as any water culture systems, the "D" in the term meaning "Deep" has lost all of it's meaning. And it should be known that "DWC" is just a term for a water culture system that refers to the depth of the water with the "D" standing for "Deep" (meaning not shallow). Like a pool where you have a deep end, and a shallow end. The only difference between the two sides is the depth of the water. The function, and how the pool works remains the same. Same goes for the water culture system, weather it's referred to as a water culture system or a DWC, the function is still the same.
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mrpepper
15 years ago
If cheap is the main factor, I would not do hydroponics. By the time you get done buying what you really need to be successful, you will be far past a few containers and dirt.

For example, a ECC/PH meter, baskets, media, air hose, air pump, air stone, and nutrient solution.

vs.

Containers and dirt.

If you just want to get started in hydro, then I would start off growing cheap, easy vegetables like lettuce, herbs and hot peppers. I say cheap because they are fairly easy to grow, and they do not use a lot of water and nutrients.

Tomatoes are fun to grow, but use lots of space, water and nutrients.

If you want super easy hydro, do a wick or static system where the lid of your Tupperware container becomes the "saucer" under the pot. Just take the Tupperware lid, flip it upside down, then put your Tupperware container on the lid. Fill the lid with water, and viola, static hydroponic system (you would need to put holes in the bottom of the container of course).

For media you can use Perlite, and you would not need any baskets. Just fill the tub with Perlite, and your ready to grow. Also this way you can grow carrots, potatoes, green onions etc.
hydroangel
Original Author
15 years ago
It's actually not going to be that expensive cause I have most of the expensive stuff already. I have air pumps, ec and ph meters from my saltwater fish tank. I'm mostly trying to save on monthly expenses, not really the initial expense, so I'm trying not to get a system with lights running 16 hours a day. I tried the wicking system last year with dirt, but I'm looking for more. I'm trying to get higher yields since I have limited space. As for the tomatos, I was thinking of getting a bush type so that it doesn't take up that much space. The perlite idea sounds good though. Might try that for my next setup, but I think I'll have my hands full with the herbs, lettuce, tomatoe, pepper systems.

What can I grow with Hydroponics and how?

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freemangreens

greystoke

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What can I grow with Hydroponics and how?

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freemangreens

greystoke

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