Hydroponic Plants Update (lots of pics)

[pineywoods]

Here are the Tomatoes in the bottom two pots and Bell Peppers in the top pot from the time I transplanted till yesterday

Cucumbers just getting started

 

[pineywoods]

In the bottom pots I have Bush Beans, Squash, Radishes, and Carrots. This week I'll be setting up more towers and filling the pots with growing media getting ready for more transplants to come in the next week or two. I'll also be direct seeding some chives in the top pots. I have more seeds to start for transplanting later to get into trays too.

Lots going on right now with working on some projects to get all the Pine Trees planted next winter. I also got a bunch of Satsuma Trees, Myers Lemons, and a couple Lee Tangerines to plant as soon as I can get the area prepped and irrigation ran for now I have them under the irrigation I'm using for the Mushroom Logs

 

[alblancher]

Looking good Jerry  you're working entirely to hard for a man your age! 

Al

 

[Fife]

Jerry sure is looking good there.

 

[SmokinAl]

Excellent Jerry! You really are a man on a mission.

 

[Bearcarver]

Awesome Jerry---Simply Awesome----Can't wait to see the crops start coming in for you!!!!

This is gonna be a dumb question, but do you have to trim the tomato plans, or pinch a lot of them off, because just with the few we plant, some plants gets so big & thick that you can't even get into the middle to pick some of the tomatoes. Told you it would be a dumb question.   

Bear

 

[scarbelly]

What a great looking setup. Congrats man

 

[pineywoods]

Bear I'm gonna try not to prune the tomatoes this time and see how it goes. There are only two plants per pot on the tomatoes and they are on opposite sides so we'll see how it goes

 

[TulsaJeff]

looking great Jerry...it'll be exciting to watch the progress across the coming months.

 

[beer-b-q]

Looks Great Jerry...

Do you leave them to grow in those or do you transplant them in the ground?

 

[pineywoods]

Paul they stay in those pots. With hydroponics the roots don't get near as big as plants that are in the ground.

 

[alelover]

That is really impressive Jerry. You have done a ton of work on that and I can't wait to see the benefits you reap. I wish I had such motivation.

 

[shooter1]

Very impressive Jerry! That looks like an awful lot of work but it will be well worth it in the long run. Can't wait to see the fruits of your labor.

 

[daveomak]

Jerry, Good morning. I have been watching with great interest. Great set up.

I was wondering about two things? 

Are your maters determinate like Romas?

Is your drip irrigation once thru or do you recycle the excess water/nutrients?

I love the set up and wish I could do something like that here in the cold north. It would be cost prohibitive. This year spring is pretty late. Right now it is still freezing at night and planting the garden will not start until probably the 23rd of May. My alfalfa is about 4" tall. Should have been cut next week. Our spring is about 3 weeks late this year. So much for global warming.

Keep up the great pics and tutorial. Thanks Dave

 

[pineywoods]

Dave the tomatoes are determinate. I don't recirculate the nutrient solution the key is to set the system so it shuts down when it starts running out of the top pots into the ground pot.

This system really isn't that much work once it's set up. You stand up to work instead of getting on the ground and there are no weeds to deal with. The pots are filled with either straight coconut coir or a mix of coconut coir and perlite so it doesn't get hard like soil does so planting is easy just time consuming. Pretty much it's just a matter of checking it everyday for pests and making sure the nutrient solution system is running when it should. Of course I keep expanding the system so that takes time and I'm still doing things that I want done like adding more ground fabric around the greenhouse and adding screen doors etc.

We had the property clear cut last December so I have lots of projects going to get ready to have trees replanted this coming winter. Some of the projects I'm doing myself and other things I'm having done so there's plenty to do and little time to rest or do much of anything else.

 

[DanMcG]

Looks like the system is working great Jerry. Now lets see some pic's of the citrus grove

 

[pineywoods]

It's been a busy week I did manage to grade around the greenhouse and lay more ground cover around it. Still not done with it but getting there. I cut stakes for all the pepper plants and got them in and the peppers tied to them. Also got the rest of the towers and pots into the greenhouse just got to fill them yet. We are starting to see some tomatoes and peppers so things are going good so far.

Dan the citrus trees are under irrigation but it will be awhile before I actually get them into the ground where they go

Cucumbers are growing

Getting a few peppers growing

Getting a few maters and lots of flowers

Squash

Carrots need to be thinned

Radishes

Thanks for looking

 

[Bearcarver]

Holy Shhh-----

We just put our maters in on May 2nd!!!

You Floridians cheat!

Our whole next week is calling for lows in mid 40s, and highs in high 60s. We'll be OK.

Bear

 

[pineywoods]

Bear being in the greenhouse I got a really late start. I should have had plants in long ago

 

[flyfishjeep]

Suscribing to keep up with the advances in your progress. 

Piney-Is this all for personal use or do you have a business to supply?  Everything looks great so keep up the good work!