Using hydroponics to grow heirloom fruits and vegetables
Heirloom fruits and vegetables are less common varieties of these plants. Over the past few decades, the variety of fruits and vegetables grown and eaten by families has reduced substantially. Many people like to eat heirloom varieties for a range of reasons, including an interesting range of tastes and textures as well as the environmental benefits. Here are some hints for getting started with hydroponic growing of heirloom varieties of fruit and vegetables.
Buying seedlings
It can be very hard to purchase seedlings of heirloom varieties, particularly if you don't like near a large metro centre with a range of independent nurseries to browse, as Australian posting regulations make it hard to send live plants across over state lines without appropriate licenses due to domestic quarantine restrictions. It can be much easier to purchase seed which can be purchases on line and posts, then grown at home.
Growing seedlings
Growing seedlings can be challenging, particularly if you live in a hot environment. Using hydroponics can be a great way to propogate the seedlings and get them big enough to plant in the garden if that is what you would like. Even if you don't have a full hydroponic grow room set, you can easily purchase a 'desk top' setup which can let you grow your seedlings to a large enough size to plant out. This can allow you to get the maximum numbers of seedlings to start your heirloom crop, which is ideal, as the heirloom seeds and plants can be relatively expensive to buy.
Hydroponics can also be a great way to revive any seedlings that have not survived the trip to your house from the nursery.
Growing plant crops
If you live in a harsh environment, it may not be practical to plant your plants in the yard. Popular heirloom plants include water heavy plants, such as unusual tomato varieties, which can get scalded leaves when watered and left in the hot sun. If you live in these climates, it can be worth looking into a permanent hydroponic setup. These can often achieve much higher yields than growing in the garden, as you can optimise the nutrient mix. This can also be a good option to have a range of fruit and vegetables available year round, which can be great to make the most of your heirloom crop.
If you are looking to grow heirloom vegetables and fruits at home hydroponics can be great for any stage of the growing cycle.