15 replies to this topic

[2ndstage]

Having outgrown my gardening space here at the house I am close to finishing my polebarn greenhouse at a new location near my house. Going to start my first hydroponics setup and slowly transition to an aquaponics system after I get it started. My question though this mainly may be directed to Buxom Brewster/Scotts is what would you suggest that I start growing first that grows quickly and can deal with the type of temperature ranges here in TX?I've had great luck with most tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, onions and such in my home raised beds but I'm thinking of starting with a series of fast growing lettuces and herbs so I can tweak my flows/ph levels quickly to learn before I start the larger version next year.Growing I have done for years but growing this way will be a large learning process. Figured someone here in the great Hive Mind would have some decent input.Prost.

[BIG POPPA]

So, you want to grow "vegetables".

[BuxomBrewster]

I really don't have any experience with hydroponics. My knowledge base is organic gardening. As far as something that can handle Texas heat, lettuce is going to be hard to grow. It really hates heat. You can grow baby lettuce, but don't let it get large, because it will get bitter.I'm thinking tomatoes and peppers are going to be the best to do with the heat. Swiss chard is a good green for heat.

[miccullen]

I really don't have any experience with hydroponics. My knowledge base is organic gardening. As far as something that can handle Texas heat, lettuce is going to be hard to grow. It really hates heat. You can grow baby lettuce, but don't let it get large, because it will get bitter.I'm thinking tomatoes and peppers are going to be the best to do with the heat. Swiss chard is a good green for heat.

Basil would probably do well

[BuxomBrewster]

Basil would probably do well

I hadn't thought about herbs. Good idea.

[2ndstage]

Definitely leaning towards the herbs. Think I might go with a mix of basil and some greens. Just want to pick some fast growing varieties.

[miccullen]

Definitely leaning towards the herbs. Think I might go with a mix of basil and some greens. Just want to pick some fast growing varieties.

cilantro grows like a weed, all the parsleys are quick

[bigdaddyale]

https://www.hydropon.../11plantJPG.htm

[Oblomov]

Properly timing the transition from 24-hour constant light to a 12/12 photoperiod is critical.Wait, what?

[SchwanzBrewer]

I started to get into aquaponics, I still want to try it. I have a source for tilapia. It's just a matter of piecing a system together and keeping the dogs away.

[2ndstage]

Going to go with Tilapia myself due to their heat tolerance, though it gets colder than a well diggers ass in the winter here so I'll see how they weather that. Going with a nutrient film design for the first 2 segments and then build a larger ebb and flow system for some tomatoes in some net pots once I get all the plumbing worked out. The part slowing me down is I'm building a monitoring system to alert me when control points get out of whack so I can have one of the crew or myself onsite quick enough to take care of it. I work a IT field support job by day supporting a large geographic area so I am in and out of the area but there are others onsite that can help me out with it if I let them know what needs doing.Now if I can figure out a way to get one of my bee hives close enough to help pollinate it.

[inv]

Properly timing the transition from 24-hour constant light to a 12/12 photoperiod is critical.Wait, what?

lol

[Stains_not_here_man]

Now if I can figure out a way to get one of my bee hives close enough to help pollinate it.

If I am not mistaken, within one mile is "close enough" for bees.

[miccullen]

Going to go with Tilapia myself due to their heat tolerance, though it gets colder than a well diggers ass in the winter here so I'll see how they weather that. Going with a nutrient film design for the first 2 segments and then build a larger ebb and flow system for some tomatoes in some net pots once I get all the plumbing worked out. The part slowing me down is I'm building a monitoring system to alert me when control points get out of whack so I can have one of the crew or myself onsite quick enough to take care of it. I work a IT field support job by day supporting a large geographic area so I am in and out of the area but there are others onsite that can help me out with it if I let them know what needs doing.Now if I can figure out a way to get one of my bee hives close enough to help pollinate it.

I'd thing bluegill would be good as well

[2ndstage]

Yeah they are kept at this site about 250 yards away so plenty close enough. I'm just going to not try to seal the building up too well so that they can get access. First year keeping my own bees and its working great. Last year would have been a disaster with the about 5" total rainfall we got. But good flows this year and they are building well. Bought one package of bees and started a new hive from a huge hive that was in a ladies house in town. About 22' of rafter completely full of brood/comb. Got them all removed with help from a friend and was able to split that hive yet again with some of the queen cells that where quite fresh in what we removed. Beekeeping is pretty intense when you remove that many bees at once, kind of like wearing a whole suit of bees when they got riled up. Actually the feral bees are much calmer than the Italian bees I got from south texas.

[2ndstage]

I would love to raise bluegill or even crappie if I can get away with it. Still working with the County extension agent on what specifically is legal. I think I confused them abit as there are alot of conflicting laws about what sorts of fish I can keep/raise this way.