In general, hydroponic plants are plants that are planted by using water without using soil media, but emphasize the fulfillment of nutrients or plant vitamins to grow.
So the hydroponic plant is not planted in the soil, but it does not mean it does not require soil but also the soil mixed with husk, fertilizer and so forth.
The most important thing in the hydroponic cropping system is the fulfillment of vitamins needed by the plant. This way is suitable for us who lack of land or place to plant as in urban areas.
Planting chilies with Hydroponics system is getting more and more day in the fun because the treatment is not too complicated and easy in the breed. In addition, chili itself is one of the staples needed for cooking purposes, especially our people who really like spicy food.
The most appropriate answer yes as I alluded to above is to plant it yourself with a hydroponic system, planting itself with a hydroponic system does not require too much land, we can plant it in the backyard of the house or garden
The steps that need to be done is to prepare the necessary Hydroponics equipment. Among others ::
Preparing the seed
Seedling chili seeds
Treatment of Hydroponic Chili Seeds
Transferring chili seedlings to plant medium
Treatment, Provision of Vitamins and Nutrition
Harvesting of hydroponic chilies
1. Preparation of chili seeds
If you want to plant chili with hydroponic system, you need seed, of course chili is of superior quality
Actually, all chilies are just hydroponic process, but here I will talk about chili because in addition to this type of chili is often used, this type of chili is also easy to plant and not too long harvest.
For seeds, we can easily get them in the kitchen or in nearby markets, choose chili that is really cooked (old not sick) for good seed quality.
The next step, Dry chili that has been selected by way of wind-aired. After the chili is dry, split and grab the chili seeds and then put into warm water for 3-4 hours, the chili seeds are good that we make as seeds, while the floats you can throw it because the quality of the seeds that float is not perfect to be planted
2. Seeding Chili Seeds
Seeding seeds planted with a hydroponic system is the same process as the chilies we plant using soil media. Here's the explanation:
Soak chili seeds with warm water for about 3-4 hours, you can also add vitamins or growth regulators such as (ZPT) which serves to accelerate the growth of seeds.
After soaking process, wrap chili seeds with a wet cloth for about 24-hours. It aims to accelerate seed germination
After the chili seeds are wrapped with a wet cloth for 24-hours, then move to the seeding medium, we can use the seed media, mixture of soil, compost / husk, with the size of 1: 1: 1 ratio, mixture input (soil, fertilizer, chaff) into a poly bags or mini basin
Spread chili seeds into poly bags.
Make a hole with a depth of 0.5 cm in the middle of medium-medium seed for water impregnation.
3. Treatment of Chili Seeds
Chili seedlings that have been planted in poly bag, then in the flush every morning and evening, you can use a fine spray so as not to spawn chili not damaged, please do not soak the seeds, but just damp only
The process is done approximately 3-4 days until it appears to germinate. We can also give him nutrients to grow quickly
4. Transfer of Chilies To Plant Media
After chili seeds aged 21-24 days, then the chili seedlings are ready to be transferred from the seedling medium to plant media or chili seedlings have leaves as many as 4-5 strands. At this stage the seedlings should be kept and cared for from weeds.
5. Treatment and Giving Nutrition
Plant care includes watering, installation of tree trunks, shoot pruning and nutritional provision in chili seeds. Installation of pole buffer by way of plugging in the ground, not in poly bags if in poly bag is feared can damage the roots of plants in it.
Nutrition should be sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of plants include macro elements such as Ca, N, P, K and Mg. You can also use AB mix fertilizer or can also use other hydroponics fertilizer that we can get at the nearest farm shop and via the internet.
Nutrition that we need to give for the plant of hydroponic chili Ab Mix, there are two-types of nutrients Ab Mix commonly sold on the market, the nutrients of a general nature and nutrients that are special.
Common nutrients are divided into two-types: nutrients for fruit crops and nutrients for vegetable crops. While the Ab Mix nutrients are special nutrients that are deliberately specially treated for certain types of plants, such as Ab mix tomato, Ab Mix Eggplant and Ab Mix chili, Because we discuss chili then use a suitable special nutrient for chili.
Dosage of nutrients for hydroponic chilies:
First planting: 750 ppm
2-weeks after planting: 1000 ppm
3-weeks after planting: 1500 ppm
4-weeks after planting: 2000 ppm
Generative period until harvest: 2500 ppm
Giving Nutrition done in the morning — afternoon, as much as 6-times in one day, at night let chilies explore with nutrients, and Every week once give plants with water that is not mixed with nutrition for one day.
Hydroponics Disease Pests and Diseases
Diseases and pests that attack hydroponic chili plants are not much different from the chilies that are planted on land as in general. Diseases that usually attack chili plants include fruit rot, wilted, anthracnose, etc.g.
While some pests are often encountered include: mites, aphids, soil worms, Spodoptera litura Fabricus and so forth
6. Hydroponics Chili Horticulture
Chili plants that are yellow or red color indicate the chili can already be harvested, harvesting age usually takes 8-9 weeks after planting, then every 7-days usually have grown chili again, depending on variety.
So how to plant chili with hydroponic system. Hopefully it can be understood and useful for all.
