Hydroponic gardening, and therefore hydroponic tomato gardening, usually takes one of two forms. The first type uses a medium culture and the second type uses a solution culture. As the name suggests, medium culture involves the use of a medium in which the roots may cling, whereas in solution culture the plants are suspended over or in the nutrient solution.

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Three Types Of Solution Culture

In solution culture of hydroponics tomato gardening, there are three subtypes known as static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture and aeroponics. The concept for all kinds of solution culture in hydroponic tomato gardening is similar. The plant is suspended and the nutrient solution is provided for it.

In static solution culture, the plant is always exposed to the nutrient solution in a way that the solution may be depleted. After depletion, the nutrient solution may be added up to a point where only some of the roots are able to reach it. In continuous flow solution culture, the plant is exposed to the solution all the time. The solution flows through the container for the plant in hydroponic gardening. This is usually reserved for commercial hydroponic gardening businesses and frequently involves automation.

Aeroponics is a type of hydroponic gardening where the plants’ roots are exposed to the nutrient solution via a fine mist or drops. Exposure to the mist is frequent and plants have responded very well to this type of solution culture. The mist is the carrier of the nutrients to the plants and the nutrients are absorbed directly by the roots as the mist cling to them.

Medium Culture

In medium culture, the obvious question is which medium to use for the plants in hydroponic tomato gardening. There are actually many different mediums that can replace soil and these include, but are not limited to, mineral or rock wool, gravel, clay pellets, brick shards and perlite. These media are quite easy to use for hydroponic gardening and provide the roots with some stability as well as provide the nutrient solution with something to cling to.

Growing tomatoes hydroponically is an easy and rewarding hobby. And it needn’t end there, an hydroponic herb garden as well as a vegetable garden are also popular forms of soil-less gardening you might like to add into the mix. Research has produced many favorable reports showing the efficacy of hydroponics for tomatoes in terms of plant growth and tomato yield. And of course by using hydroponic growing methods the incidence of soil borne disease affecting your tomatoes is greatly reduced.