Starting a hydroponic crop may seem complex, but the truth is that with a structured approach and the right tools you can get results from the very first weeks. Hydroponics requires no soil, eliminates many problems typical of traditional farming and allows you to grow year-round, even in small environments.
In this article I take you step by step, from plant selection to the first growing cycles, including practical tips and technical tricks typical of more experienced growers.
Before buying any components, clarify the purpose and scale of your cultivation:
Do you want to produce fresh vegetables for home use?
Do you want to test indoor growing for a professional project?
Do you have limited space or want to maximize yield?
These answers determine plant size, system type, and initial budget.
There are four main systems:
DWC (Deep Water Culture): simple, inexpensive, ideal for beginners.
NFT (Nutrient Film Technique): more advanced, suitable for fast-cycling plants.
Ebb&Flow: flexible and stable, good for many varieties.
Aeroponics: high performance, but more complex to manage.
If you want to reduce errors and complexity, better to opt for a system with built-in automations.
Horto 2, Horto 4 and Horto Professional greenhouses integrate automated irrigation, sensors, LED management and remote control.
In practice, they eliminate almost all the technical steps that are normally critical for beginners.
Substrate replaces soil: it must hold water and oxygen in balance.
The most commonly used are:
coconut fiber
rock wool
perlite
vermiculite
expanded clay
Each substrate has pros and cons (see article 9), but for starters favor those that are stable and easy to manage.
With Tomato+ pods, the substrate is ready-made, sterile and optimized for each variety, drastically reducing human error and contamination.
The nutrient solution is what makes the difference in hydroponics.
Basic principles:
Use water with low EC or osmotized water.
Add nutrients following species-specific dosages.
Control pH (5.5-6.5).
Keep EC in correct ranges according to growth stage.
Common mistakes: random dosing, use of hard water, failure to measure.
With Tomato+ nutrients, the dosed solution is ready-made, optimized for each variety, dramatically reducing human error and misfeeding.
Light is the "engine" of growth.
To start:
Choose grow-specific LEDs (appropriate spectrum and PPFD).
Keep the lamp at the right distance.
Set 14-16 hour cycles for most leafy greens.
LEDs are designed specifically for plant growth, with 6-channel spectrum, independent control and (in Horto Professional) AI-based dynamic light curves.
Parameters to monitor:
air temperature: 20-25°C
humidity: 50-70%
water temperature: 18-22°C (critical!)
Air recirculation: essential to prevent mold
An unstable environment slows growth and increases risks.
Tomato+ greenhouses automatically manage water temperature, indoor humidity, airflow and data collection, making this step much easier for beginners.
Now you can:
Insert substrate (or pods).
Place seeds or seedlings.
Fill the tank with nutrient solution.
Start the pump.
Turn on the LEDs.
The first few weeks are crucial: check the water level, pH, EC and any algae regularly.
The key to success in hydroponics is continuous monitoring.
Adjust:
pH every 2-3 days
EC weekly
LED height according to growth
filter and tank cleaning every cycle
With Tomato+, most of these checks happen automatically and the system suggests or applies corrections via AI, greatly reducing the margin of error.
Once the cycle is complete:
Harvest plants at maximum freshness.
Empty the tank.
Clean pipes and containers.
Prepare the new solution.
Hydroponics is repeatable, scalable and consistent: you will improve each cycle simply by observing the results and adjusting parameters.
Starting a hydroponic grow from scratch is much easier than it sounds, especially if you start with intuitive tools and standardized processes.
Whether you want to grow for passion or to evaluate a professional project, hydroponics offers you control, quality, and independence from seasonality.
Thank you for reading this article. Keep following us to discover new content on hydroponics, vertical farming, and smart agriculture.
Tomato+ Team