The hydroponics system of plant growing has a number of advantages / benefits over ground planting, especially in locations with growing space restrictions or climatic limitations. https://youtube.com/shorts/LmH3o1fiq1I?si=e6y-917XcBq3ElUA
Like using commercial buckets with drain, less work and set on 2 by 4 rack instead of expensive metal rack..Another home built system that I liked better. https://www.instructables.com/Dutch-Bucket-Hydroponic-System/ Lots of variation in prices for parts so shop around. Dutch buckets priced from about $5 to $20 depending who you buy them from. Pumps in system from $25 for a low head system with dripper stakes to a couple hundred in a commercial system. I use recycle with a Walmart storage container for a tank and empty it every couple weeks to compensate for plants using more of one part of fertilizer than another. Have to refill it every day when growth is at its max, about 10 gal for 12 plant in my experience. Use discarded water on outside plants as supplement fertilizer. Just check ph of water put in and add fertilizer as per instructions. My system looks a lot like the one he shows in beginning of his clip, only benches made of 2 by 4 instead of metal and 12 buckets in a row. Tried more but that works out best for me. Use 2 overhead wires for supporting twine and alternate buckets on side to give the plants a little more room. Found out for me that triming the plant to a single stem, get rid of suckers, thinning the number of green tomatoes in order to get bigger ripe tomatoes, and removing wilting lower leaves gave me more and better fruit. I had good luck laying plants down and also cloning plants from the suckers and replacing very large plants. It is all up to the grower and everyone will come up with a different solution that pleases them.
Nov 8 and here in NH without heat I lost my tomatoes' Have about 30 lbs of green ones ripening. Not as good but still better than store bought. With some heat could of got a week or two more. Had tomatoes and herbs from June to Nov without heat. With wood stove and a little work, could add 2 months to that for peppers and tomatoes. All I wanted to eat or give away from June to Nov for tomatoes in 8 buckets. Used one bucket for cilentro, one of basil, one of squash and one of peppers for a total of 12 buckets. Health not good so limited garden. Still well worth time. Had everything in stock, long term supplies, except plants and power. Spent about $50 for plants and a little electric for pump and air stone. Will pull down dead plants and growing media and use in woods for compost and get a gallon of bleach and sterilize the growing area one of these warm days in a few weeks.
