Questions on Nutrients for fruits/vegetables

[mjdodson]

Hi everyone, I am just starting out in the hydroponics and I have several questions on nutrients for fruits and vegetables. First, I am going to grow the following cantalope, sage, and chives for my first attempt. I would like to know what nutrients I need for them to grow, such a large selection at local hydroponics store and I am confused. Second, can they all be grown in the same container. I know that the cantalope might need to be replanted as it grows but for right now just to start and to keep the price low it will be fine.
I guess I should describe the system I am using. Ok, I am currently using a 3 gallon rubbermaid tote for the container will hold about 2 gallons of water most likely. I have a 10 inch airstone that will provide oxygen to the water, I bought a 30 to 60 gallon air pump which should provide enough air to the system. The plants will be sitting in a 5 inch netted pot with rockwool and hydroton. If more information is required please ask. Thanks for all the help on this subject.

[GpsFrontier]

I would like to know what nutrients I need for them to grow, such a large selection at local hydroponics store and I am confused.

Yes, I know it can be overwhelming, especial at first when you don't understand what the plants really need. But honestly without knowing what you are looking at on the shelf at your hydro store, it is extremely hard to advise you. Well that is without just telling you what works for us personally.

But there are three basic types of nutrients. One, for vegetative growth, and that's mostly for plants that don't flower, don't flower early, or when you don't want them to flower. Type two is mostly for flowering plants, basically plants that are in the flowering stage of production, or you want them to be. Then there's the continuously flowering plants, that is plants that flower from early on, to the end of their life cycle. Most all manufactures make nutrients to fit all of these situations. Some are better known and others aren't. Hence, Vegetative, Blooming, and continuously fruiting.

First, I am going to grow the following cantalope, sage, and chives for my first attempt. Second, can they all be grown in the same container.

You can if you want to, but I would strongly advise agents it if you want to be successful. All three have needs that would be extremely hard accommodate for each in the same system. So compromising those needs is where thinking about which is more important than the others maters. Then deciding on how to go about it is next.

Cantaloupe is a continuously flowering plant. Even though both sage and chives do flower, that's not desired unless your growing seeds.

I know that the cantalope might need to be replanted as it grows but for right now just to start and to keep the price low it will be fine.

I'm not sure if your familiar with growing cantaloupe or not, but they are a fast growing vine that will cling to anything. They will need to be transplanted within a month (from seed) or it will be extremely hard to do so without a lot of damage to the plant/s (both roots and foliage).

I guess I should describe the system I am using. Ok, I am currently using a 3 gallon rubbermaid tote for the container will hold about 2 gallons of water most likely. I have a 10 inch airstone that will provide oxygen to the water, I bought a 30 to 60 gallon air pump which should provide enough air to the system. The plants will be sitting in a 5 inch netted pot with rockwool and hydroton.

That wont be adequate for all the plants described. All three plants (cantalope, sage, and chives) all have different growing needs (including growing media), and your better off picking just one to grow if that's the system you need to grow in, and the crops you want to grow. I have added a link to a article about growing chives hydroponically to give you an idea of their particular needs. Hydroponic Chives

[mjdodson]

Thank you for your help on the issues that I have on hydroponics. I have decided not to grow the cantalope plants at this time and have decided to just go with the sage and the chives in 2 different grow boxes. Thank you for the link to the chives as that has given me some more information that I needed. I also wanted to thank you for the info on the nutrients. I am not interested in name brands but just the needed nuritents need so than when I go to the store I can check to make sure that the product contains the needed nutrient. But, if all I need to know is the veg state, flower state, continuously fruiting state. Then I will just make a choice when I go back to the store and look for the three types and go from there.

[GpsFrontier]

As long as the nutrients are for hydroponic plants they should contain all the micro elements that aren't in soil nutrients. Then it's just a mater of matching the plants your growing (Vegetative, Blooming, and /or continuously fruiting) with the type you get.

But don't over think it. I don't mean to say that a nutrient that's for Vegetative growth wont grow plants that flower (or visa versa). Just that a nutrient designed for flowering plants will produce better for flowering plants. And a nutrient that's designed for Vegetative growth, will produce better for plants that you don't want to flower (because you want then to focus on growing foliage rather than flowering).

P.S.
Some nutrients are 2 and/or 3 part nutrients that need all the parts to work and supply all the necessary elements. Just make sure you know if they are a one, two, or three part nutrient, and make sure you get all the parts necessary if they require multiple parts. Also make sure you know/understand the mixing instructions. Every manufacture is different.

[mjdodson]

Just saw something when I went shopping tonight at Fred Meyers. In their garden dept in the fertilizer section I saw a bottle of Schultz Plant Food Plus now with micronutrients. Also on the label was for use with hydroponics. I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this and what was the result? The front of the label says 10 15 10 for the nuritent levels and listed on the MSDS sheet was the following for ingredients

Boiling Point - N/A VAP Pressure - Nil Soluble in Water - Yes
Specific Gravity - N/A
Appearance - Light-green liquid slurry,odorless
Biodegradable - Yes
Composition - Urea, Ammonium and
Potassium Phosphates, Potassium Nitrate,
Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Zinc EDTA, Coloring.

does look like something that would be worth trying or should it just be bagged. I have had good results years ago with this brand but it never said for hydroponics on it and I used it with soil and it worked great.
Any thoughts about this product anyone.