How to Grow Swiss Chard in your Aquaponics System

How to Grow….. 

Swiss Chard                                                                                                  

 in your aquaponics system...

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Plant name : 

Chard - Beta Vulgaris

Situation : 

Full sun.  If temperatures are going to exceed 26°C then shading is recommended.

Size ( h x w ):

30 - 60cm x 30 - 40cm

Spacing between plants : 

30cm

Temperature requirements : 

Optimum: 16 - 24°C  

pH : 

6.0 - 7.5

Germination time :

From seed, expect germination in 4 - 5 days, with temperatures around 25 - 30°C

Aquaponic method : 

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Deep Water Culture (DWC), Media beds.

HOW TO GROW

Growing in Aquaponic systems : 

Being easy to grow, Swiss Chard is extremely well suited to growing in an Aquaponics System, and as an additional plus, it is fairly bolt-resistant, making it a better choice than plants such as kale, for example.  Nutrient uptake is reasonably moderate, using mainly nitrates for the leaf growth. Potassium and phosphorous requirements are low. Its high nutrient content, and fast growth rate, make it extremely popular in aquaponics. 

Growing Conditions : 

Swiss chard is traditionally a late-winter/spring crop, and only needs temperatures of 5°C for growth.  That said, if you live in an area where the summer temperatures are reasonably mild, you can grow Swiss Chard in full sun.  Grow indoors, or under a shading net if temperatures regularly surpass 25°C. 

 

Growing Instructions : 

Swiss chard comes in various colours, ranging through white, lime green, red and yellow.  Sow Swiss chard seeds at any time between March and Autumn, remembering to cover later sown seeds to speed up germination.  Thin out the seedlings once they are 2 - 3cm tall, and leave 30cm between plants. Thats all you need to do. Really easy.

Harvesting : 

12 weeks after sowing Swiss Chard can be harvested by using a sharp knife to cut the external leaves, taking care not to damage the centre of the plant where the new growth comes from.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Pruning :

N/A

Pests : 

Butterflies, Moths and Leaf miner.  Covering with fleece or mesh when the plants are young will help with pest prevention.

Diseases :

No real issues.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PLANT, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. THANK YOU.                                                 

I Love Aquaponics....

photo credit: So that's why it's called rainbow chard... via photopin (license)

How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Aquaponics System

How to Grow….. 

Tomato                                                                                                  

 in your aquaponics system...

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Plant name : 

Tomato - Solanum lycopersicum

Situation : 

Sun or very light shade

Size ( h x w ):

60 - 200 cm x 60 - 90cm

Spacing between plants : 

40 - 60cm

Temperature requirements : 

Optimum: 20 - 25°C  Fine at: 18 - 30°C

pH : 

5.5 - 6.5

Germination time :

From seed, expect germination in 4 - 6 days, with temperatures around 20 - 30°C

Aquaponic method : 

Deep Water Culture (DWC), Media beds.

HOW TO GROW

Growing in Aquaponic systems : 

Fantastic plant for growing in an aquaponics system, of course, you must remember to give them some sort of support. Tomatoes are nutrient-hungry plants, with a taste for potassium, so be careful to plant according to the amount and size of fish that you have in your system.  At the younger stage of the plants life, it will be happy for a little more nitrogen to enable good, vegetative growth.  Once the flowers start arriving, then they need potassium to ensure good flowering and fruit production.

Growing Conditions : 

Plant your tomatoes in full sun, although they will manage in very light shade.  They love warm temperatures, and night-time temperatures of 13-14°C encourage fruit-set. They don't like hot drying winds, so some form of protection is advised if you live in areas where they are likely to suffer from wind-scorch.

 

Growing Instructions : 

Before you plant your tomatoes, which are ready for planting when they are 10 - 15cm tall, make sure you put in your plant supports so as to not disturb the root structure later on.  In aquaponics, it is not always easy to insert canes into the grow media, so try finding a way of tying string from above the grow bed, and growing the tomato plant up the string. (Just tie the string around the base of the plant). Do not plant your tomatoes outside until night-time temperatures level out at a minimum of 10°C.

If you have bush tomatoes you can leave the side shoots to grow. These will have clusters of flowers at the ends which will bear fruit.

Vine tomatoes, are grown as single stem plants, and you will need to pinch out the side shoots that appear between the leaf and main stem.  Remove the apical tip two leaves above the fourth truss of tomatoes (outdoor plants), or above the sixth truss if you are growing in a greenhouse. All the fruits should be growing out from the main stem.  Remove bottom leaves if required to control disease, otherwise leave them on.  There is no need to remove unless you absolutely have to.

You don't need to help outdoor tomatoes to pollinate, but indoor grown ones will need either a gentle shake to release the pollen, or a gentle misting on the flowers.

Harvesting : 

When the fruits are firm and fully coloured they are ready for picking, and will have the best flavour.  Keep the stalk on to keep them fresher for longer. If you pick un-ripened fruit, they will ripen indoors if kept in a warm, dark place. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Pruning :

N/A

Pests : 

Aphids, Cutworms, Flea Beetles, Hornworms, Nematodes, Whitefly

Diseases :

Damping Off in seedlings, Fusarium Wilt, Mosaic Virus, Verticillum Wilt.

Environmental conditions :

Blossom End Rot, Catfacing, Cracking and Sun Scald.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PLANT, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. THANK YOU.                                                 

I Love Aquaponics....

photo credit: Fall Colors via photopin (license)

How to Grow Cucumber in your Aquaponics System.

How to Grow….. 

Cucumber                                                                                                  

 in your aquaponics system...

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Plant name : 

Cucumber - Cucumis sativus

Situation : 

Full sun.

Size ( h x w ):

Up to 2m x 80cm

Spacing between plants : 

30 - 60cm

Temperature requirements : 

Optimum: 22 - 28°C  Night temperature: 18 - 20°C

pH : 

5.5 - 7.0

Germination time :

From seed, expect germination in 3 - 7 days, with temperatures around 20 - 30°C

Aquaponic method : 

Deep Water Culture (DWC), Media beds.

HOW TO GROW

Growing in Aquaponic systems : 

With their large root structure, cucumbers are ideal for growing in aquaponic media beds. Attention should be paid to not planting them to close to plumbing parts as the roots could block pipes. being a hungry plant, cucumber needs a good amount of nitrogen and potassium, so be careful with the quantities you plant so as not to starve other plants. 

Growing Conditions : 

Cucumbers love sunshine, and humidity, with warm nights, with the substrate around the 21°C mark. Higher concentrations of potassium will help increase fruit yields.

 

Growing Instructions : 

Once your cucumber seedlings have 4-5 true leaves they can be transplanted to their growing spot. 

If growing in a greenhouse it is recommended to pinch out the apical tips once the stem has reached 2m in height. Pinch out the tips of sideshoots two leaves after the female flower, or at 60cm on flowerless sideshoots. Do not forget to provide adequate support for your cucumber plants, the last thing you want is them sprawling everywhere.

If growing outdoors, pinch out the apical tip once the young plant has seven true leaves, you can leave the side branches to crawl over the ground, or train up a netting support or trellis, but non-flowering sideshoots should have the tips pinched out after seven leaves.

Harvesting : 

Fruits usually form 2 - 3 weeks after transplanting, and plants can bear as many as 10 - 15 fruits during the growing season. Harvest every few days before the fruits get too large to allow good growth from the new ones.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Pruning :

Pests : 

Just your regular bugs.

Diseases :

Watch out for powdery mildew, grey mould and cucumber mosaic virus.  

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PLANT, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. THANK YOU.                                                 

I Love Aquaponics....

photo credit: Imsilgun_County_31 via photopin (license)