Anyone tried growing tomatoes in water?

[Babru]

I've been given a second hand greenhouse (still to rebuild it!). I'd like to grow tomatoes, chillies etc. I'm a beginner at greenhouses. I've been looking online, and have seen a water based growing system called Vivigrow. You put water and nutrients in, no over or under-watering, big crops! Is this too good to be true? Anyone tried this system?

[burnie]

I've not, to be honest if I had that up here in Scotland it might be frozen for a large part of the year lol(on a more serious note, are they not expensive to buy?)

[Squingy]

Hydrophonic gardening isn't too good to be true - I think a lot of commercial food cucumbers etc is grown this way. From my understanding it costs a bit to set up though. Possibly a large number of gardeners (like myself) love working with soil and so this system wouldn't suit them.

[Jungle Jane]

If I didn’t have a garden I might try it but it seems like a lot of costs with electric & nutrients,ph up or down etc using the sun & the earth seems more logical & free.

[veggiechicken]

You need electricity in your GH to use this - something to consider before you build yours, Babru.

[Bacchus]

I don't know that particular system - but a lot of the veg we get from supermarkets is grown hydroponically. It's not just water of course, it's nutrients and air that's needed as well - in the right amounts.

As said earlier - it takes quite a bit of setting up - but good results thereafter I understand.

[nickdub]

I seem to remember seeing a Russian guy in Siberai on you-tube who had built his own home/greenhouse and was doing hydroponics including fish in a holding tank to eat and to fertilise the water for the plants - certainly do-able but size might be a question mark - paradoxically big versions of these type of things are very often much easier to keep going than small ones.

[ESBkevin]

Many smaller back yard systems use a fish tank as part of the process (as do some larger commercial concerns). You get fish to eat once in a while, the fish fertilise the water, the water gets circulated to the vegetable roots and then back into the tank.
You just need to feed the fish. I'm sure a youtube browse will give you some options to be creative. seems like a lot of effort to set up, and in Northern Europe you need to ensure the whole kit and caboudle doesn't either freeze or boil the fish.
Apart from that it's a doddle.

[Babru]

You need electricity in your GH to use this - something to consider before you build yours, Babru.

The last owner put lights in the garden, so the electricity is there already
I'm in Scotland too (Edinburgh), and I would just be growing things in summer. According to the online site, you change the water and nutrients fortnightly, which means you are sorted if you go away for a few days. Costs £49 for the three plant size inc one year's nutrients, and you can reuse the kit year after year. £15 thereafter for two year's nutrients.

I really hoped someone out there might have tried this - is it as good as it sounds!

[nickdub]

I'm pretty sure someone will have tried it - the difficultly is finding them. Maybe widen your search by trying other sites you-tube etc ?

[Shooter]

I I'm in West yorks and have a five block vivigrow and a quad grow squeezed into a 4 foot wide by six foot long glass green house my toms are about 3 foot high and have toms on them both are about the same hight the vivigrow is a little taller if anything ,I have had to get a reservoir heater calmag a ph and an electric conductivity meter ( cheap on flea bay) these are to keep your feed at the correct mixture and ph level for your plants to take up nutrients very easy you will not get rock wool cubes with it but are very cheap from your local hydroponics store talk to staff at store and look on ytube lots on there don't be put off by the fact that some of the info is by maruana growers (they have found out the hard way ) there is no reason why you shouldn't learn by their mistakes above all have fun steve .b

[Babru]

Thanks for this Shooter. I'll have a look on youtube. I may start with the quadgrow as I am new to both greenhouses and tomato growing, and it seems pretty straightforward. The quadgrow also makes it possible to go away for the weekend without worrying about watering.

[Shooter]

My pleasure