Hydroponic peppers

[hydrogardener3]

This is the first year I have grown sweet peppers in the greenhouse, and also the first time I have used a hydroponic drip ring method. Some of the peppers are approaching 10 inches in length and still growing. As it is still early June I and going to let them ripen and turn red. I expect they will be better for roasting if ripened.



http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/p...eetpeppers.jpg

[rana]

Nice peppers so early in the season. Just a few questions as I am considering hydroponics in the future:

Is a CF meter essential to control nutrient levels/pH
Do the drip rings run 24/7 and at what flow rate

Obviously NYC weather is very different to UK but do you get earlier cropping than other NYC gardeners.

[hydrogardener3]

Your questions.

I would really recommend a meter for the CF readings. Different crops require different nutrient levels, viz. lettuce and tomatoes. An inexpensive meter would cost under forty dollars. For pH testing you can purchase a kit used for aquariums. They cost about five dollars. Both items will last for quite some time. I do not run the drip ring 24/7. Again, an inexpensive lamp timer is used, and I run it one hour on, two hours off. I change the nutrients every two weeks, but you can stretch it to three. I am not sure of the flow rate, however the reservoir only holds three gallons. An inexpensive air pump, also used aquariums, powers the system.
Another method you could consider is the Autopot made in the UK. I use coco coir and perlite for the medium. It is gravity fed and needs nothing other than a reservoir elevated above the pots, and one reservoir will feed several pots. You can view my tomatoes on my site. There are a lot of problems associated with soil gardening that you will not have with hydroponics. It is really simple and clean.
I am located in upstate New York, not NYC, and I grow in my greenhouse during the summer and indoors during our long long cold winters.

[rana]

Hi Hydrogardener3 (are there two others?)

Thanks for the gen - I will peruse your blog for further info and experience.