Hydroponic Gardening DIY

[SirFooK'nG]

What varieties are you growing?

I want to get at least some christa, tigerella, valentine, brandywine and black zebra tomatoes going.

I honestly dont know...my son picked them at a nursery (already germinated seedlings). I'll grow all my own from scratch next round. Also will have better support cages for them to grow in. Learning progress... I'm 38 and this is the first time I've ever grown a thing

I do know for sure that I have Cabbage, Peppers & lettuce growing! Got the seed packs will need to check brand and type...

 

[Zenbaas]

I honestly dont know...my son picked them at a nursery (already germinated seedlings). I'll grow all my own from scratch next round. Also will have better support cages for them to grow in. Learning progress... I'm 38 and this is the first time I've ever grown a thing

I do know for sure that I have Cabbage, Peppers & lettuce growing! Got the seed packs will need to check brand and type...

Cool man. Yeah you can get some awesome varieties. Check this site for a bit of a bigger selection: http://livingseeds.co.za/vegetable_seeds/tomatoes . There is also a lady on bidorbuy I think that sells the heirloom varieties.

 

[Zenbaas]

I need to double check. I think it was inner of about 22....

Busy pruning right now. Tomatoes growing nuts...


Edit... 25mm gromet.

So RGM 25..?



Also which is the best way to prune the tomatoes...?

As for building a cage I think I will be helping mine out by "suspending" some string from the roof and trying to support the tomatoes that way:

[video=youtube;b_ZZmYNKbfU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_ZZmYNKbfU&list=TLOmfMqyzdhD8[/video]

 

[Zenbaas]

[video=youtube;ao1DBqejUUc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao1DBqejUUc[/video]

Self retracting spools and issues with light getting into the hydro setup.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

I have used strings to tie mine up.

Gromet rgm25 is correct.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Continuing Pics of my Tunnel...

Once the frame was in place, I put the UV resistant plastic sheet over and made my poor hand cramp like never before (staple gun). Also trimmed excess off the bottom ( I wrapped the plastic under & around my base batons)

I then took more sheeting and lined the sides (more freaking staples)...

To clip the plastic on the conduit on the ends, I took 20mm Conduit and cut approximately a quarter of it down the length & then cut roughly 25 - 30mm peices. This made nice clips.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

More pics ...

The doors were super simple to do, basic wood frame and covered with shade cloth...

Door Hinged...

 

[Electric]

Nice job.
Is all the wood treated?
Did you reinforce the staples?

 

[Batista]

Awesome job, but that spot is very close to the wall, so might be blocking a few hours of sunlight -well unless the doors face east and west, but your plants dont seem to mind!

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Continuing Pics of my Tunnel...

Once the frame was in place, I put the UV resistant plastic sheet over and made my poor hand cramp like never before (staple gun). Also trimmed excess off the bottom ( I wrapped the plastic under & around my base batons)

I then took more sheeting and lined the sides (more freaking staples)...

To clip the plastic on the conduit on the ends, I took 20mm Conduit and cut approximately a quarter of it down the length & then cut roughly 25 - 30mm peices. This made nice clips.

Very nice. I also plan to build a greenhouse but I'm looking for something I can take down in summer or just throw shade cloth as a roof. I've decided to rather go the square foot gardening route for now.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Awesome job, but that spot is very close to the wall, so might be blocking a few hours of sunlight -well unless the doors face east and west, but your plants dont seem to mind!

Most these pics are taken at sunset, The plants get plenty of light... Alll day

Nice job.
Is all the wood treated?
Did you reinforce the staples?

Roof Batons are treated, Staples were only for the plastic.

 

[Electric]

I'm asking about the staples because the wind will rip them surely?
I used to use fabric squares to reinforce the staples.
It just lasts longer than just staples.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

OK... The Buckets now...

Drilled 25mm holes for the 20mm grommets.

Made my filters out of electrical conduit junction boxes and industrial aircon filter (cheapest way I dould find)

Put the filters & 90 bends into the buckets...

Filled buckets with pearlite and rinsed with water before connecting pumps etc....

 

[SirFooK'nG]

I'm asking about the staples because the wind will rip them surely?
I used to use fabric squares to reinforce the staples.
It just lasts longer than just staples.

I wrapped the plastic around the baton and stapled on the inside... TONS of staples! Like probably over 1000!

 

[Batista]

I'm asking about the staples because the wind will rip them surely?
I used to use fabric squares to reinforce the staples.
It just lasts longer than just staples.

Just use a length of wood and wrap the plastic around the frame and secure the extra length of wood to the frame trapping the plastic.

 

[Batista]

Most these pics are taken at sunset, The plants get plenty of light... Alll day



Roof Batons are treated, Staples were only for the plastic.

Cool man, i used an app called Suntracker to calc the amount of sunlight and path of sun over my loft.Seems they will get a minimum of 8 hours sun a day!

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Finally... Electrics, Well, etc..

I ran a cable from my garage (proper SABS surface mount 3 core shielded) to an external plug point that I installed. From there I ran trunking to the side of the tunnel where a water proof electrical box is inside the tunnel...

In my reservoir (200l Big Jim Storage Box), I made 3 holes. 1 for the pumps cable, 1 for the water out & last for water return. Te pump is a R300 water feature pump. Connected everything and the water was flowing...

Then Planted my first crop...

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Forgot to mention, I have a timer in the waterproof box, On for 15 minutes every 2 hours from 6AM till 6PM. Lotsa daytime hours here in KZN!

 

[Electric]

What is the timer for?
The pump?

 

[SirFooK'nG]

What is the timer for?
The pump?

Yes, Pumps only runs 6 times a day... for 15 minutes at a time. Not continuously flowing, not necessary for a bucket system.