Hydroponic Chili Season 2018
This is the time of the year I'll start seriously growing my chili's again. I usually have chili's growing around the year in my hydroponic system, but during the winter I got some kind of insects in the chili's so I decided it's easier just to remove them all and start all over again after a while.
Now the while has passed.
I started by washing all the clay pebbles added in the hydroponic system.
And this is what I used. I scooped this full of pebbles, washed them clean from clay dust and then poured them in the container. Again and again. I'm not sure how much clay pebbles I have there, but it's enough. Enough that with help of a 4 yo it wasn't only fun to wash them.
The container with clay pebbles will go on top of the water container. I usually have around 20 liters of water in it and so far, I've always measured it with a bucket.
Finally I've grown smart enough to mark the 20 liter line, so I can just add the water directly from the faucet. Yay for engineering!
The water pump was submerged. It is connected to a timer, turning on for one minute four times per day to bring water up to the plants above in the clay pebbles. The water is also loaded with nutrients to give them optimal growth, as there is no soil for the plants.
No "natural" nutrients available, this is all they get. A bit greenish liquid. What a time to be alive.
I added the chili's I've pre-grown in a separate container, but as I assumed they didn't take the moving very nicely. They went a bit droopy and are basically hanging around. Like some annoying teenagers not wanting to stand straight and find a job.
The kids are growing up so fast.
Could I add some kind of support for the chili's? This looks just sad.
Maybe I'll try to keep you all updated on how the teenager chili's will finally roughen themselves up, grow up, get a job and raise a family of their own.
Then I'll be proud.
A simple hydroponic setup is to have the roots simply dangling in the water, then put an aquarium air stone under them, to keep the roots oxygenated. Maybe I'll put one up this year. :)
This is luckily simple too, and you need just two containers, a pump and a timer with one minute accuracy. This system prevents roots from rotting very efficiently as they are mostly without water.
To make water changing easier, try having seperate water tank and the "plant-container".
Thanks for your help, I was able to recover my steem power.
You are welcome :)
Be careful next time!
Lol! We used to plant and grow chilis in our high school yard (part of school lessons).
Show us some more chili pics when they're all ripe and plump!
This is from the 2015, just to give some results. I picked off everything from the plant on right and they're in the bag in the bottom :)
Wow. That's a lot! Spicy!!!
How much time they need to grow enough? By the way I liked your "engineering" with that water container lol.
Well... the more they get the better?
I'm not sure. They have already surpassed the regular chili's planted in soil (even though the soil chili's were planted earlier) by a lot, but I'm just giving them all the time they need :)
Freaking love chili! Too bad the plants always die in my care. I obviously lack the skill and knowledge to get them growing.
Usually people accidentally get breeds which require very specific conditions to thrive - at least because most of the hottest chili's require such conditions.
This is a very nice, hot and easily grown chili breed which I recommend to anyone:
http://www.fataliiseeds.net/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=364
If you ever get brave, you could try this one.
They should straighten out eventually. But in the meantime you can run some netting across the top and thread them through. Stakes or running some wires/string may also work. This will prevent the leaves from getting wet and rotting as well as supporting the stems so they grow straight and exposing the leaves to more light. See how they do. If they don't "liven" up in a day or two definitely consider some type of support. Good Luck @apsu!
Thanks for the advise, during my last season I had some support for the chili's but I had lost all the old pieces I used for supporting the plants.
Currently I've adjusted the pump so the water will not rise too high so the leaves shouldn't get wet, even if they hang on the clay pebbles :)
I've tried to be careful not to mess anything up.
LOL at "Maybe I'll try to keep you all updated on how the teenager chili's will finally roughen themselves up, grow up, get a job and raise a family of their own.
Then I'll be proud." seriously though do they not take a lot of looking after, growing them that way? cheers in advance.
Well they do, but it's really rewarding when you notice how they manage on their own.
... and I'm waiting to eat their children.
You cannibal you :-) all is fair in war and food bro.
Even i'm think of growing some veggies in trays on my balcony for personal consumption.
In fact, i was just asking @deliberator about the same last night, but do you think hydroponics is a natural and healthy way to go about it? does it have any side effects?
Well sometimes the vegetables grow into a huge size and start eating furniture.
No but the downside is that you need to have good fertilizer suiting hydroponic systems, as you can't add all kinds of fertilizers and as there is no soil, there is no "natural" nutrients.
However the positive side is, this is far more effective, especially if you can have the pH at optimal level. With soil, it's more difficult to control all the conditions.
Effective as in? you get faster and more yield?
I have no issues with furniture , for me the ultimate aim is too have healthier vegetables to consume.
It's faster, harder, SCOOTER!
Wait, I mean it's growing faster and giving more yield. It's very efficient with small space, as you can make much smaller systems too if required, but still giving the plant a healthy life.
Buenas necesito recuperar la reputacion de mi cuenta y no se como quitar los votos negativos que tengo... Me pueden ayudar?
No spam.
En cambio, escribe comentarios honestos y serios.
Si sabes algo de inglés, no escribas español a personas que no saben español :)
I also love gardening but right now i am away from home .SO my mother take care of my garden :)
Well luckily you can grow stuff indoors too :)