Hydroponic Strawberries & Tomatoes DWC

[OTIS]

Well these plants have been going for about a month now. Bought them as seedlings in soil from a local nursery. I asked if they had any Day-Neutral strawberries, and they had no idea what I meant. So I got these Ever-Bearing(can't remember exact strain) and they have been going good since. My set-up is 3.5' x 1.75' and about 5' tall. Its made from an unused clothes rack we had, some cardboard, and wrapping paper. The fan was like $20 from Lowes, and got the 150w hps from a local hydro store, on sale for $70. The plants are in a 5 gallon DWC system. The lid I also got from the hydro store, its a 6 inch net pot, using Hydroton as well. I've been using General Hydroponics Maxi System and the recommended schedule they provide on their website. They have been on 18-6 since I got them. I don't really check the water because my tap water comes out at pH 7 and 0 ppm. When I did check it during peak vegetative nutrients, it was about 6.5 so anything between that and 7 is fine by me.

My real question is when will she flower/fruit? I've read around here a bit and most say they just begin to when they can, but I was wondering if I was getting close to that time.

Also, the tomato plant on the side was given to me by a friends mother who has been working on her own strains of vegetables for several years in her greenhouse so it should be a good strong one. Going to transplant that tomorrow but am wondering if I should just soil it so it doesn't out-grow my box. By the way, its a Sweet 100.

Thanks for any help. Pictures of set-up below.

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Some more pictures.....

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No replies?

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[GpsFrontier]

Because of the color of the light it is hard to see the real color of the roots and foliage, but they look like they are doing good. Looks like lots of good root growth. Although I would try for a little lower pH, about 6.0.

My real question is when will she flower/fruit? I've read around here a bit and most say they just begin to when they can, but I was wondering if I was getting close to that time.

A lot will depend on the variety, and if the plant has been conditioned first, kept in cold storage before planting. Also from what I understand most strawberry variety don't fruit the first year when started from seeds, rather than from bare root plants or plugs that were started from the runners of the mother plant, then placed in cold storage before planting.

Here are two articles written by Dr. Lynette Morgan. Ph.D on growing hydroponic strawberry's.
Maximum Yield - Indoor Gardening
The Growing Edge Community - Guide for growing hydroponic strawberries.

Going to transplant that tomorrow but am wondering if I should just soil it so it doesn't out-grow my box.

Unless it's a small bush or dwarf variety, it will get much bigger than the box you have. You can always cut and trim it back, but if the box is all the space you have inside for it, I would just stick it outside.

[OTIS]

Awesome response, thank you.

This plant was bought from a nursery in soil, then I washed the roots off and placed into the hydroton.

I had assumed they had already winterized the plant but maybe they did not, read somewhere most plants bought are already winterized.

As for the tomato, I think I'll try it out and if it does keep getting too large, I will LST(Low Stress Training) into a lattice to keep it more manageable.

I will borrow my buddies pH test kit sometime this week.

More replies the better, thank you though.

-C

[GGM]

Not sure of your questions, but you do know that you can put the end of those runners in netcups with a moist medium to make more plants.