Hydroponic Tomato

Tomato Hydroponics research has been ongoing at the University of Arizona where several varieties of tomatoes have been bred especially for use with hydroponics systems including Belmondo, Apollo, Caruso, Larma, Dombito, Trend, Perfecto, and Trust tomatoes. These seeds are hybrid varieties, having been bred and modified especially for the purpose of being hydroponically grown. Hence, the cost of new seed is sometimes perceived to be too high, especially for novice gardeners.

Hydroponics Tomato

In general, plants grown using hydroponics have proven to have higher yields and healthier growth. Apart from the reason mentioned above, this is also because the plants do not have to use as much energy to obtain nutrients. In soil, plant roots sometimes have to dig deep before finding water and other necessary nutrients. In hydroponics, a liquid-based circulatory system is usually employed to deliver a nutrient solution to the plant roots. Since it is easier for the plants to get nutrients, they have more energy to expend in growing! Hydroponics setups are also self-contained, meaning that they are virtually indifferent to outside temperatures and conditions.

However this also means that it takes more initial investment of both capital and effort (in terms of management) for a hydroponics setup to get started. This is the major reason why hydroponics is not yet widely in use, and when it is used, it is only to grow economically desirable crops such as tomatoes and strawberries.

Research has been ongoing at the University of Arizona regarding the hydroponics culture of tomatoes. In fact, several varieties of tomatoes have been bred especially for use with hydroponics systems. Some of the more popular varieties are Belmondo, Apollo, Caruso, Larma, Dombito, Trend, Perfecto, and Trust. These seeds are hybrid varieties, having been bred and modified especially for the purpose of being hydroponically grown. Hence, the cost of new seed is sometimes perceived to be too high, especially for novice gardeners.

An alternative to using new seed would be to try and germinate from seeds of existing tomatoes. This would mean however that in a few generations the characteristics of the original plant might not be maintained. Vegetative cuttings are also sometimes used to produce clones of existing plants. It has been observed that on small scale gardens, this practice is fine, but for larger scale operations it increases the risk of transmitting pests and diseases. This risk makes it more economical to just obtain new seed, despite the higher initial cost.

Hydroponics tomato and other crops can be grown efficiently, safely, and with better yield. Future advances in technology and research will eventually bring down the costs of setting up hydroponics systems. When that happens, hydroponics will become even more popular than it is today, due to its numerous benefits.