Detailed Explanation of Hydroponic Tomato Cultivation Techniques and Management Key Points

Hydroponic technology has a fairly long cultivation history in China as well. At present, hydroponic technology can mainly be used to grow many kinds of vegetables, most commonly leafy vegetables. These short-stature vegetables are relatively easy to grow hydroponically, but vegetables like tomatoes can also be grown in nutrient solution, and you can even make a simple hydroponic setup at home. So how exactly is it done? Let's take a look together now.

1. Seed soaking and germination

First put the seeds in 5°C hot water to soak and germinate, stirring constantly to avoid scalding, then soak them in 25°C warm water. Once the seeds have absorbed water and swollen, you can wrap them in a clean damp cloth and place them in a ventilated spot to germinate, making sure to block most of the light. Then wait for them to sprout, about 2 to 3 days.

2. Preparing the nutrient solution

Use clean water and a prepared nutrient solution. Generally, mix 707 g calcium nitrate with 10 L water and stir well; then prepare 404.2 g potassium nitrate, 260.7 g potassium sulfate, 40 g ammonium nitrate, and 152.1 g magnesium sulfate, stir and mix them together, and add 10 L water. Then put clean water into the nutrient tank, pour in the first solution, add water and stir. When it reaches 0.8 t, pour in the second prepared solution, add water and stir. When it reaches 1 t, no more water needs to be added.

3. Cultivation setup

You need a container for cultivation, a nutrient tank, and some facilities for adding solution. In addition, the solution can be recycled, so there needs to be a dedicated circulation equipment and piping. Next, the nutrient solution needs a certain amount of oxygen, so aeration equipment is required. After the tomatoes grow, some supports are needed to hold up the plants as they grow. Wire can be used for fixing.

4. Raising seedlings and transplanting

First raise seedlings in a seedling tray. Generally put one seed into each hole, sow into the growing medium, and after the seedlings emerge, take them out and wash the roots clean, then place them into the holes of the cultivation bed, generally with the nutrient tank below. Then it is done.

5. Management

When they grow to a certain height, pruning and training are needed. Generally keep the double-stem type, leaving two growing points on one branch, retain strong side branches, and keep branches level by level. You can adjust the number of retained branches yourself. Sometimes foliar feeding is needed to supply nutrients. Generally, topdress once every half month, or decide whether to topdress according to tomato growth.

Hydroponic tomatoes mainly use circulating nutrient solution to cultivate tomatoes. This can reduce diseases and improve tomato quality, but hydroponic greenhouse cultivation has relatively high construction costs and is suitable for green vegetable cultivation. Then, if you make a simple hydroponic setup at home yourself, it is relatively easy.