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Is it possible to grow tomato plant without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in water solvent?

Ahana Shrestha
Practical Action
KnowledgePointAdmin
RedR CCDRR

Question from Jake:

How we can grow tomato using hydroponic technology? Is it possible to grow tomato without using soil? Can you please share how I can set up it?


2 Answers

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Hi Jake

Check out https://aquaponicsideasonline.com/ how-can-you-grow-aquaponics-tomatoes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuzzg.... Aquaponics or hydrponics can succesfully grow leafy or vine plants in general, but is not as successful for root crops such as onions, garlic or carrots. Charlie Shultz of Ohio university has done a lot of work on this so you could start here with https://ohioaquaculture.org/pdf/Confer... if you wish to take the idea further. I have seen aquaponics units work very well in Oman, which is about as water scarce a setting as you will find.

Regards

John

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Hi Jake,

John's suggestion above is good. Another option is to make soil. I have done this successfully in Almeria. The method that I have used is to get 1/3 dust/sandy/dirt without nutrients. This is best gathered from the bottom of a hill as there will be some nutrients that would have run down the hill from rains. Then add compost and then biochar. To make biochar there are many films on youtube that explain how to do it. You can then enrich this soil you have created with EM1 and EM2 to make this requires milk, molasses and starch from either rice, other grains or potatoes. The waste water is enough. This can be topped up by skimming the top layer of soil from underneath trees, their repeatedly composting leaves produces some form of soil. Add to this any horse, donkey, chicken or goat poo. I have made soil like this and created extensive gardens from dirt that had no nutrients. This very easy no cost approach can create good to very good soil in nearly any location from next to nothing. Good Luck to you, Peter J Hughes