Hydroponics for vegetable growing.

[Tiny Allotment]

I have been given a small hydroponics system for use in my dome. It is a 6 pot Autopot system and i am going to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in it.

I was just wondering about what nutrients I need to use for these plants. I would like to make my own fertiliser if possible.

Paul

[Bigmallly]

Hows about some fish in the main tank?

[Tiny Allotment]

I was watching a video on aquaponics yesterday and they mentioned that tomatoes etc thrive better in a hydroponics system rather than an aquaponics system due to the levels of nitrogen being very high in the AP system.

I do not want to buy expensive nutrients from the hydroponics shop as I want to be as organic as possible so I am wondering what would be the best natural feed for tomatoes/cucumbers?

Comfrey, nettle, seaweed, urine?

paul

[Jungle Jane]

I'm using seaweed extract this year to be more organic,instead of the miracle grow I used to use,it will be interesting to see how it goes i keep reading about increased leaves/yields. Seaweed as a foliar spray its said to help against some pests too? But i'm planting out in soil which will have a blood,fish & bone feed. Both tomatoes & cucumbers like a high nitrogen in the beginning for leaf growth,then later on flowers & fruit need high potassium & lower nitrogen,but they also need calcium,which could come from eggs being boiled in water,the water will contain calcium.

[Baldy]

Comfrey tea is (maybe) N3:P0:K10 nettle is (perhaps) N2:P0:K5
Mixture of those + other weeds is what I tend to use as a general feed. Seems to me that things like dock/dandelion are most likely full of nutrient too - so I add then to my tea barrel. Probably not as good as comfrey and nettle hence not much info. but they've got long root (so I've seen) and must be pulling up nutrient,
Possibly a garden biochemist will be along shortly to correct me...

Balders