Growing Hydroponic Cherry Tomatoes at Home

Hydroponic cherry tomatoes are among the best types of plants to grow at home as they're easy to care for and yield bountiful crops.

Tomatoes, which are actually fruits but widely regarded as vegetables, are relatively simple to grow and when it's done correctly using hydroponics, can taste as if they were just picked fresh from the garden any time of year, unlike those you'll find in the grocery store.

One of the best things about growing hydroponic cherry tomatoes is avoiding the usual pests and temperature changes that are the bane of gardens everywhere. Hydroponics also speeds up the growing process, meaning you'll be enjoying your crops much sooner than you would outdoors using soil.

While pest control may not be as much of a concern when growing hydroponic cherry tomatoes, there are still a variety of seed borne and root diseases that you'll have to watch for. Phytium aphanidermatum is one such disease that often occurs in warm, damp conditions, and particularly in hydroponic systems where the plant's nutrients are being reintroduced back into the growing environment.

One remedy for this problem is the use of pinebark, which helps to control these organisms from taking hold.

You will, of course, need a good artificial light source such as a fluorescent or metal halide lamp to ensure your plants are getting the warmth and light needed to mimic the sun. Then, begin sowing your tomato seeds in either cubes made of peat or rockwool that are approximately an inch and a half wide as well as deep and cover with a plastic, nursery dome.

While peat cubes work well for hydroponic gardening, the rockwool type tends to allow for better drainage as well as oxygenation, and they don't break apart as easily after a week or so when it's time to move the young plants again.

If you want to save some money on your electricity bill when growing indoors tomatoes hydroponically, buy seedlings, which are small plants that are already established, from a nursery or home improvement store to make the process quicker. However, with hydroponics, it's usually recommended to start tomatoes right from seeds to ensure the purest cultivation.

You also won't want to infect your plant's environment with pests you've brought in from the outdoors.

Cherry tomato plants should be kept warm and moist until you see seedlings begin to sprout, which indicates that it's time to use the artificial lights for at least 12 hours out of each day, but do make sure the roots aren't directly exposed to the light source as this will delay the plant's growth or possibly kill the roots. As the plants grow larger, they will also need at least eight hours of total darkness to ensure they produce the maximum amount of tomatoes.

Be gentle when it comes time for pruning or staking your tomato plants as you don't want to disturb or break the supporting vines and stems. Remove the fruits by hand close to the base, and also remove any yellowed leaves which hinder air flow and encourage disease.

Remember that just because cherry tomatoes are considerably smaller than most of their counterparts, the plants they grow on can be just as large, if not bigger, so be sure you have an area that's large enough for Hydroponic Cherry Tomatoes to compensate your burgeoning crops.

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