Hydroponic tomatoes

Hydroponics is a high productivity, high efficiency method of horticultural production. It enables fast productive growth of crops. Using hydroponics (soil-less production systems) growers have an increased capacity to produce premium products by carefully controlling water and nutrient supply.

Hydroponics enables growers to produce safe, high quality fresh produce with less land, less water and  less wastage. Hydroponics is one of the keys to securing food in the changing world of tomorrow.

Factsheets

Factsheets are available which describe some of the key practices that form the fundamentals of hydroponics.

Measure and monitor run-off

It doesn't matter whether you are using an automated system or running your hydroponics manually - it is essential that the electrical conductivity, pH and run-off volume (in substrate culture) are routinely checked and a record is kept. This information is the basis for all hydroponic crop management decisions.

• Download Measure and monitor run-off (Factsheet 1) (696kb PDF) 

Distribution uniformity of irrigation 

It is also important in any irrigation system, especially hydroponics, that the irrigation system is working properly and is uniform. This means that all plants in an irrigation zone receive the same amount of water. Distribution uniformity is a way of measuring this.

• Download Distribution uniformity of irrigation (Factsheet 2) (357kb PDF)

Principles of daily irrigation periods 

The specific aim of irrigation and fertigation changes over the course of the day to meet the crop needs. Often to manage this better, daily irrigation periods are used which have different objectives. A basic overview of this is described in this factsheet:

• Download Principles of daily irrigation periods (Factsheet 3) (486kb PDF)

From the bookshop

• Managing nutrient solutions in hydroponics