I'm considering this technique for a variety of reasons but one of the main ones is that this seems to be recommended for larger scale operations. But like lots of things in life, there are things I do not understand and Google doesn't provide answers!
I have seen where one can use 4" PVC for tomatoes but that seems extremely small, even for determinate plants. I've had root balls reach six inches wide in DWC systems. Question #1: will a 4" pipe work? and #2: Can I space them one foot apart?
Another area in which I am walking in the dark without a flashlight: How does one keep the roots wet until they get long enough? Say I start them in rockwool or starter plugs. In a DWC system, I can fill the bucket so the nutrient reaches the bottom of the net pot, keeping it wet. As the roots develop and grow, let the level fall. But I cannot wrap my head around how to do this with NFT, especially over a long run of tubing. #3: Is it as simple as hand-watering or using a drip system until the plants in the net pots grow roots long enough to reach the flow of nuits? I can't imagine needing to start them in a DWC or Ebb & Flow system, or aeroponics, and then moving them to the NFT.
Lastly, I once did some marketing for a consulting firm. I should have done it for free because I learned a very valuable lesson: you can find answers to questions when you need to know something if you know who to ask. It's what questions you don't know you need answers to that will bite you in the behind. I know about lighting, EC and pH levels, cultivars of plants, selling the produce, pest management, having a back-up plan in case the electricity goes out or the pump quits working, even how to build a system - but there are certainly some things I have not thought about asking. Let me know!
All help/suggestions are appreciated!
Mike
I have seen where one can use 4" PVC for tomatoes but that seems extremely small, even for determinate plants. I've had root balls reach six inches wide in DWC systems. Question #1: will a 4" pipe work? and #2: Can I space them one foot apart?
Another area in which I am walking in the dark without a flashlight: How does one keep the roots wet until they get long enough? Say I start them in rockwool or starter plugs. In a DWC system, I can fill the bucket so the nutrient reaches the bottom of the net pot, keeping it wet. As the roots develop and grow, let the level fall. But I cannot wrap my head around how to do this with NFT, especially over a long run of tubing. #3: Is it as simple as hand-watering or using a drip system until the plants in the net pots grow roots long enough to reach the flow of nuits? I can't imagine needing to start them in a DWC or Ebb & Flow system, or aeroponics, and then moving them to the NFT.
Lastly, I once did some marketing for a consulting firm. I should have done it for free because I learned a very valuable lesson: you can find answers to questions when you need to know something if you know who to ask. It's what questions you don't know you need answers to that will bite you in the behind. I know about lighting, EC and pH levels, cultivars of plants, selling the produce, pest management, having a back-up plan in case the electricity goes out or the pump quits working, even how to build a system - but there are certainly some things I have not thought about asking. Let me know!
All help/suggestions are appreciated!
Mike
