Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
2
Starting Your Plants
SEEDS
The best method of starting your plants is from seed. The choice of variety
of any plant is important. You should use those varieties that have been
proven to grow best under hydroponic culture. Although all varieties will
grow well hydroponically, some special greenhouse varieties developed for
controlled environmental conditions, such as you will have in your house
or a hobby greenhouse, grow faster and yield higher than conventional
field varieties. I have listed in Table 2.1 some varieties of lettuce, arugula,
herbs, bok choy, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and European cucumbers
that I have found do well in hydroponic culture. This table is only a guide-
line, as there are many other varieties available that may produce well
under your conditions. Feel free to test them yourself.
Base your choice of variety on the kind of product you want, your
indoor conditions, and productivity. For example, you may wish a loose-
leaf lettuce instead of a Bibb type, a cherry tomato not a beefsteak one;
you may prefer a certain color of pepper and a particular fragrance of an
herb. Your indoor conditions are important. For instance, during the cooler
winter months choose varieties that will tolerate lower temperatures and
light conditions. Seed catalogs will tell you which varieties do better under
lower temperatures and light. Particular varieties will yield higher than
others under these environmental conditions, so it is not always the best
choice to look only at those highest yielding varieties as they may require
much higher temperatures and light than you are able to provide.
SOWING OF SEEDS IN A MEDIUM
You must sow your seeds in some substrate. Some considerations of your
choice of substrate include the plant, the hydroponic culture system, water
retention, oxygenation, structural integrity, sterility, and ease of handling.
There are many different media that can be used to sow your seeds
(Figure 2.1). A standard method used in raising bedding plants is that of
plastic multipack trays in flats. The multipack trays come in many differ-
ent compartments per tray. All fit into a standard 10½ × 21-inch flat. The
most common ones for tomatoes and peppers would be the 36-compart-
ment trays. For lettuce and herbs you could use the 72-compartment trays.
It is best not to use these trays for cucumbers. With the trays you need a
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