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Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Old Apr 23rd 2019, 2:05 pm
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Default Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Do any of you grow produce using any of these methods? (Note: I just read up that agroponics comes under hydroponics so please excuse my French! ..... ;-) ). Knowing the climate in Hungary a whole crop can be destroyed due to the weather conditions being far too hot or lack of rain I'm tempted to consider growing produce in a polytunnel (possibily with some shading to keep the polytunnel cooler during the hotter months) using hydroponics or whatever method is best for the produce I want to grow and also for a beginner.
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Old Apr 23rd 2019, 4:28 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

My wife hadf a different idea:
Over the years we collected more than 40 plastic buckets of different sizes (originally paint or vegetables or ...) and I filled them partly with "good earth" and she added some compost, "viragföld" and "marhatragya" and then we put paprika and tomato plants and also spices in there. We get the plants at a local gardener.
I also built some "polc (between 30 and 80 cm high), just little wooden tables so when watering she doesn't have to go down, it's easier to harvest the things and - very important:
The slugs don't get at the plants so easily!
A side effect is that in summer we can move the buckets into a shadier area ...
We've been doing this for several years - but obviously only for our own consumption, for commercial use that would be too much work ...
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Old Apr 23rd 2019, 6:02 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Originally Posted by FenTiger
Do any of you grow produce using any of these methods? (Note: I just read up that agroponics comes under hydroponics so please excuse my French! ..... ;-) ). Knowing the climate in Hungary a whole crop can be destroyed due to the weather conditions being far too hot or lack of rain I'm tempted to consider growing produce in a polytunnel (possibily with some shading to keep the polytunnel cooler during the hotter months) using hydroponics or whatever method is best for the produce I want to grow and also for a beginner.
I would not use hydroponics or anything of that like as it is too difficult to keep the nutrient balance correct. Poly tunnels are a good idea and they can be covered with green netting in the hotter months to provide some shade and they extend the growing season both ends of the year but open ground gardening also works. We have a small poly tunnel for starting stuff off otherwise its open ground for us. For watering I use a drip system (as does my neighbour who has a couple of commercial poly tunnels) although we are both on well water but drip systems are much more conservative with water usage. If you are on metered water only you can get a water meter for garden use which doesn't have the sewage charge added to the water used.
For beginners (and others) grow what you like and is expensive e.g. cabbage take a lot of water and is usually fairly cheap so put the effort into say sweet potatoes which are easy and usually about 600huf+ per kg. Tomatoes and peppers do well here but salads can be difficult when it gets hot. The list of what works here and when is a bit long so ask about specifics.
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Old Apr 28th 2019, 8:46 am
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Balancing the nutrients correctly and the need for an electric circulation pump are the downsides, as said.
But no weeding, less work and needing much less space, plus since the water recirculates instead of running into the ground the plants only take what they need, add a little for evaporation and you still only use about 10/15% of a traditional garden.
If this is not a commercial venture with high capital involved, then the occasional loss while you are learning to balance the nutrient needs is probably acceptable.

You could also look at aeroponics where the plants are just sprayed with a mist of water/nutrient mix.
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Old Apr 28th 2019, 10:23 am
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Originally Posted by duztee
Balancing the nutrients correctly and the need for an electric circulation pump are the downsides, as said.
But no weeding, less work and needing much less space, plus since the water recirculates instead of running into the ground the plants only take what they need, add a little for evaporation and you still only use about 10/15% of a traditional garden.
If this is not a commercial venture with high capital involved, then the occasional loss while you are learning to balance the nutrient needs is probably acceptable.

You could also look at aeroponics where the plants are just sprayed with a mist of water/nutrient mix.
Hopefully, this will be a small project for me to keep me occupied once we are in Hungary. All consumption will be for us only, although if we have too much might give some to the family.
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Old Apr 28th 2019, 2:35 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

This thread is interesting for me, as I am planning to grow as much as possible, but not really sure what will grow well in Hungary & what will fail miserably.
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Old Apr 28th 2019, 2:47 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Originally Posted by MarkyP
This thread is interesting for me, as I am planning to grow as much as possible, but not really sure what will grow well in Hungary & what will fail miserably.
You might find this video from the USA useful.

It's 19 minutes long so you better get a cup of tea.
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Old Apr 28th 2019, 2:50 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Aeroponics looks interesting. Think I need to do more research. We have a tote box but the sides are transparent! Hope it's okay to use it.
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Old May 3rd 2019, 2:28 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

Originally Posted by duztee
Balancing the nutrients correctly and the need for an electric circulation pump are the downsides, as said.
But no weeding, less work and needing much less space, plus since the water recirculates instead of running into the ground the plants only take what they need, add a little for evaporation and you still only use about 10/15% of a traditional garden.
If this is not a commercial venture with high capital involved, then the occasional loss while you are learning to balance the nutrient needs is probably acceptable.

You could also look at aeroponics where the plants are just sprayed with a mist of water/nutrient mix.
Originally Posted by FenTiger
Hopefully, this will be a small project for me to keep me occupied once we are in Hungary. All consumption will be for us only, although if we have too much might give some to the family.
We use mulching to both keep the weeds down and to reduce water usage. The mulching is organic matter to hand (straw, grass cuttings etc) or black permeable plastic. Both work equally well. For watering your local water company should give you an allowance for garden watering, that is they charge for the water only without the sewage charge added. Check your water bill and ask the Co. if nothing is apparent.

Originally Posted by MarkyP
This thread is interesting for me, as I am planning to grow as much as possible, but not really sure what will grow well in Hungary & what will fail miserably.
Most things grow that you can grow in the UK will grow here and some things do better. Peas need to be planted early, they don't like the heat and runner beans stop when it gets too hot (the flowers don't set), but start up again in the cooler weather, ditto rhubarb.

Has anyone found a variety of sweet pea that works here? All the ones I have tried give up when it gets hot.
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Old May 3rd 2019, 4:01 pm
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Default Re: Hydroponics, aquaponics and agroponics

We even have a fig tree - lovely fruits! Though of course when it gets cold in October the last figs won't ripen ...
And before the winter comes we put some foils around it to protect it from real cold and snow.
Generally regarding plants which like this climate:
We buy little plants or seeds at the market or at local groweries - they know which varieties are best.
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