Advice re Hydroponics please?

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by Barefootgardens, Sep 22, 2013.

  1. Barefootgardens

    Barefootgardens Gardener

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    Can anyone recommend any good websites that explain hydroponics in beginner language!
    I have been trying to research it this morning and am so confused by all the different terms and systems!:what:
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Cannabis forums will be the best place, they have it down to a fine art. However, they will be experienced, so it may not be an easy read, but I would expect (like any forum) that they will patiently answer Newbie questions - you can be sure of good advice, although they may think the crops you are growing "strange" :)

    Or ask some questions here - we have some hydroponic growers members, and worked on a project building a commercial hydroponics greenhouse back in the 70's ...
     
  3. Barefootgardens

    Barefootgardens Gardener

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    Thanks for your advice Kristen, ill put some questions together and post them here later.
    It is commercial scale that I'm researching, growing salt water crops hydroponically, so that experience will be useful :)
     
  4. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Are we talking Seaweed or Samphire here?
     
  5. Barefootgardens

    Barefootgardens Gardener

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    Not sure which plant to focus on yet Zigs but samphire, sea kale, sea purslane, sea rocket etc
    It's for a uni project, just looking around the subject in general atm and am getting a bit confused!
     
  6. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Ahh, i've got you.

    Sea Kale & Rocket will grow away from the sea, not sure about Purslane, but Samphire would be a challenge, think @JWK has had a go at Samphire.
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Yes I've tried for a couple of years to grow Samphire away from it's natural environment (of sea/estuary mudflats) without much success. I'm not growing hydroponically so I'm not much help sorry.

      Anyway my Samphire seed this year did not even germinate, I reckon it needs to be fresh seed each year (I'd kept mine for two years).

      A couple of months ago I bought some fresh Samphire to eat and it came with the roots on so I've planted them into Builder's Sand flooded with salty rainwater every now and then. They are growing very very slowly.

      Wikipedia might be a good start:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics
       
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      • Barefootgardens

        Barefootgardens Gardener

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        Thanks for that, I might pick your brains at some point if I go down the samphire route if that's ok?
        My friend brought me a big bag back from her Norfolk hols and I never got round to planting it up but from what I've seen on the web so far that seems to be the way to go.
        If love to know how they manage to harvest the seed from such teeny tiny flowers!
        Will let you know if I find anything that might help you.
         
      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        I'd wondered about that too, need a magnifying glass just to see them.

        You might find info on a salt water aquarium site too.
         
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        • Barefootgardens

          Barefootgardens Gardener

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        • Phil A

          Phil A Guest

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          :biggrin: If you think about the limited habit Samphire grows in, I reckon it needs the twice a day flooding to thrive. Price of the stuff in Fishmongers, think if it was easy to grow someone would have cashed in on it by now.
           
        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          I bought my samphire seeds from D T Brown,

          http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Vegetable-Seeds-1/Samphire-Seeds.html

          I think planting mature rooted plants is a much better way to go rather than seed - and certainly cheaper if you live near a good source. Setting up an simple ebb and flow hydroponic system could be a bit of fun, I thought about it last year but didn't have the time. I reckon a system could be set up fairly cheaply rather than buying a commercial system.

          My samphire roots came from the Norfolk mud flats too, they had been left in a plastic bag for days then we chopped them up in the kitchen prepping ready to eat, I was about to chuck the butchered remains onto the compost when it suddenly dawned on me I could plant them. Next time I go I'll get two bags of the stuff, one to eat and one to plant.

          @Zigs does samphire keep growing over the winter? I wonder if I need to protect mine in the greenhouse or not.
           
        • Phil A

          Phil A Guest

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          It's a Biennial. Although i've not seen much sign of it in the estuary over winter so maybe it dies right back to the roots?
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Ah thanks Zigs, so I might be better off starting again next year with fresh plants.
             
          • Barefootgardens

            Barefootgardens Gardener

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            From what I've read I think your right @Zigs , it seems the flooding will be the key. That's what people aren't doing.
            I'm going to go with samphire for my project as there's lots of people tried it so lots of experience to bear in mind and methods to be tweaked.
            @JWK -does it have to be rainwater? I'm thinking of trying growing some from roots, and some from seed both in sand and hydroponically. Going to have a run up to Norfolk and do some research as well. Maybe I should fill the boot with bottles of sea water! ;)
             
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