Suitable Veggies for AP.

[David J]

This may have been done before - But how about a list of Veggies that do WELL in and AP Fill and drain system, and also in a floating raft system.

[urbanfarmer]

You can do everything in a flood and drain... I can't think of anything that won't grow in a gravel-type grow bed.

In a raft system you may be limited by root vegetables or large top-heavy plants or anything large like a TREE since... well... it probably wouldn't float.

[stucco]

Sage has been the only thing that wouldn’t grow for me in a flood and drain, but that was pushing it a bit. :mrgreen:

[urbanfarmer]

Also, you need to consider general nutrient requirements for plants. For instance, a banana tree would be a rough addition to an aquaponic system because K is often lacking in the system.

[keith_r]

TCLynx is having pretty good luck with banannas..
there are natural ways to add nutrients that are lacking in an ap system, crushed up eggshells, a banana peel burried in the growbed,
i use a little maxicrop with chelated iron once a month (seaweed extract)

i had problems with small seeds washing out, so i tried some of the smaller seeds in some tissue that i buried, and i got much better results..

brocholi grew very well over the summer but one plant went almost straight to seed. arugala did well, corn did but i didn't have enough for good fertilization (small ears). lettuce did well but it got to hot and it turned bitter.. cukes did ok for a while but died off.. garden beans started ok, but died off.. basil did well, tomatoes didn't take off until i increased the fish load.. oh, and brussel sprouts are doing well (at least the onese that weren't attacked by the cababe butterflies did) i had one small raft in a barrel and the lettuce family plants in there grew very well..

[urbanfarmer]

I saw those in her system, and yes they are nice.

I'm not saying it can't be done... just that special considerations have to be taken into account above and beyond plants like lettuce or basil.

[keith_r]

i guess you could say special consideration needs to be taken, but there's so much information available online regarding identifying the deficencies, and how to address them, that most things could be grown in an ap system..
my shallots are taking off in the basement, when i first planted them, they did really well, but then the brocholi shaded it to much, i gave it a little more space and it's doing pretty good, i can see that there is new growth after less than a week with the growlight
some things would be pretty difficult, like potatoes, peanuts, asparagus...

i imagine i will be experimenting with all kinds of plants..
oh, on another board, i've seen mellons, squash, dwarf fruit trees, lemons,

i think there are fewer limitations on veggies that can grow in ap than people think

[Big Al]

hi everyone, i have muskmelon's, squash, and drawf orange, lemon, and lime tree's growing in my system now
and all are doing really well. hope this help's Big Al

[keith_r]

Al, thanks for reminding me, i have some "sicilian" cantaloupe seeds

still considering the red claw, or stocking more perch,, hmmmm

[Big Al]

Hi keith, go for the perch there readily avalible pm me getting more on monday. now that i got cucumber's
to go it's spinach that's giving me the most problem's who know's why but no other problem's with anything
else lately. later Big Al