Hydroponic Beans Farming - Yield, pH, Nutrients

Hydroponic Beans Farming

Hello hydroponic lovers, are you planning for hydroponic beans farming for higher yields? Well, we will try to help here. Hydroponics is a different kind of gardening and it is essentially growing plants without soil. Hydroponics suggests that the plants are grown in water instead of soil, but, nutrient-rich water is only one of several mediums that can be used. Also, you can use sand culture, gravel, or wood shavings for hydroponic gardening. The Beans belong to the Leguminosae family. Beans are considered nutritious vegetables as they contain a high amount of vegetable proteins. Besides carbohydrates and vitamins. The green tender Bean pods are used as a vegetable and dry seeds. The Beans for drying are grown till the seeds are large enough and then the pod begins to dry. The pods are shelled and seeds are separated. The shelled dry Bean has a good market.

A Step by Step Guide to Hydroponic Beans Farming

Hydroponics farming offers one indoor-growing solution, and Beans are among the most successful hydroponic crops, even for the beginner. Beans grow better hydroponically than in the soil. This is a quick crop since seeds germinate in 2 weeks or so and grow fast. Hydroponically grown Beans are plump and yummy. You can grow Beans indoors year-round instead of resorting to store produce. With some seeds and a few supplies, you can start a hydroponic garden and have fresh Beans throughout the coldest winter season. There are many reasons why gardeners choose to grow their crops using soil-less hydroponic ways instead of traditional soil-based methods. Some of the important hydroponics farming advantages are more space-saving, more energy or water efficient, less weeding, and fewer pests to contend with. Also, hydroponics allows the grower more control their crops so they may provide the most ideal conditions for growing plants. Though, the most important reason for gardeners to switch to hydroponics or soil-less gardening is its ability to significantly increase crop yield.

Hydroponics farming is slowly gaining popularity in India and attracting more and more farmers. Growing hydroponic plants can be done in a small space also like a balcony which is a soil-less, water-based farming process. Normally, Beans grown in hydroponics have the perfect balance of nutrients and water freely available to their roots. Because Bean plants are not forced to expand their limited energy searching for water and food, they can grow faster and healthier. Plants have certain nutrients to survive and function properly. Beans plants get their nutrients from the air, water, or soil in which they grow.

Hydroponic systems provide a way to grow plants without ever touching a speck of dirt. Gardeners with limited space or who would like to grow outside of their local growing season choose a hydroponics system. Then, the plants get all of their nutrients from the mineral-rich fertilizer that is mixed with the water they live in. The liquid is a permanent pool beneath the plants, or it is circulated their roots regularly, depending on the system.

Varieties for Hydroponic Beans Farming

There are several types of Beans available to the home gardener. When selecting Bean varieties for the hydroponic garden, remember that most varieties do well in hydroponics systems.

All kinds and maturities of fresh Beans like Snap, Lima, Soy, and Fava will do well. They are best started in Coco peat or perlite mix; if pushed down into a rock wool cube, the seeds may rot. Bush Beans are the easiest and fastest plants, but pole Beans can be grown on string supports. Shift from a general-purpose nutrient to a low nitrogen solution once the Bean plants have finished leafy growth.

The various Beans cultivated in India particularly in hydroponics gardens are as follows;

Bush Beans
Pole Beans
Runner Beans
Lima Beans
String Beans

Generally, there are hundreds of types of Beans are available. Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Runner Beans, Lima Beans, String Beans are all easily grown Beans in a hydroponics system. They are low maintenance and highly productive plants. Some require more effort than others. Pole Beans naturally will require some form of support or a trellis.

Advantages of Hydroponic Beans Farming

Growing Beans hydroponically offers several benefits over traditional growing methods. The hydroponic bushes grew faster, larger, and produced more Beans. Hydroponic systems allow you to precisely control growing conditions and protect plants from adverse weather, insect pests, and soil-borne diseases.

Many plants can be produced twice as fast in a hydroponic system.
Better use of space and location – All that plants need are provided and maintained in a system, you can grow plants in a small apartment, bedrooms, or kitchen as long as you have some spaces. In the case of Hydroponics, you can grow plants closer, and consequently huge space savings. Hydroponics is easily incorporated into many homes, regardless of their size or location.
Climate control – Hydroponic growers can have total control on climate, temperature levels, humidity, light, the composition of the air. This means you can grow plants all year, regardless of the season. Farmers can produce plants at the right time to maximize their profits.
Water-saving – Plants grown hydroponically can use 10% of water, as compared to one grown on the field because water is recirculated, in this method. Water loss in this system will only occur in two forms like evaporation and leaks from the system.
Use of nutrients – You can have 100% control of the nutrients (foods) that plants need in this method. Before planting, growers can check plant requirements and nutrients needed at particular stages and at what percentage they should be mixed with water.
Improved yield – Hydroponics system result in higher-yielding plants. Then, this is due to the increased oxygen levels found in the nutrient solution and the carefully controlled environmental factors. These growing conditions equate to less stress on plants and a more bountiful harvest.

Different Systems for Hydroponic Beans Farming

Large growing containers are recommended for taller Bean plant varieties like climbing Pole Beans, Fava Beans, and SoyBeans are preferred due to the extensive nature of the root system. Bush/dwarf Beans can be grown in larger-sized nutrient flow technique (NFT) channels.

Two of the more common types of hydroponic systems used for growing Beans, especially beginners, are deep-water culture and ebb-and-flow. Though, deep-water culture hydroponic system consists of a raft or platform directly on or just above a pool of nutrient-enriched hydroponic solution. The plants have their roots in the liquid all of the time and this setup is best for short, quick-growing plants such as lettuce and spinach. Beans do better in a deep ebb-and-flow system filled with a heavy support medium like clay pellets or gravel. This keeps the system stable and also prevents it from getting too top-heavy.

Fresh Beans are a popular vegetable and grown in commercial hydroponic hydroponics year-round. Green pole Beans or runner Beans are commonly grown in hydroponics system and the other Beans grown hydroponically include Fava (also known as a broad Bean), Lima, and SoyBean.

Fava Beans have the advantage of being more tolerant of cold than other Beans. The plants are large and tall at maturity and are suited to roomier hydroponic systems.

Smaller Bean systems like bush or dwarf snap Beans, also known as French Beans, are easily grown and take up little space. These are self-supporting and highly productive and come in a range of pod types and colors from green to yellow color and even dark purple. Ranging in height from 1 to 2 feet, bush Beans self-pollinate in indoor environments; temperatures over 32°C can restrict flowering and pollination.

Conditions for Hydroponic Beans Farming

Beans plants generally do well in hydroponic systems, but there are a few factors that will help you to get the maximum yield from your garden. Beans grow best in an ebb-and-flow hydroponic system with a loose growing medium. The best growing medium for hydroponic Beans is perlite or expanded clay pebbles. When planning lighting, keep in mind that Bean plants prefer medium to high levels of light.

Beans are one of the low-maintenance vegetables that can be grown hydroponically. You can select the types of Beans you can grow, including Green Beans, Pole Beans, Pinto Beans, and Lima Beans. Also, you will need a trellis or something to support the plants if you plant pole beans. Seed germination usually takes 3 to 8 days. Harvesting begins after 6 to 8 weeks. After that, you can continue the crop for 3 to 4 months.

Hydroponics farming offers one indoor-growing solution, and Beans are among the most successful hydroponic crops, even for the beginner. Beans germinate quickly, generally in less than 2 weeks sometimes in as little as 3 to 8 days. This germination period varies depending on the variety, seed quality, and environmental factors.

Nutrient pH – 6.0 to 6.5
EC level – 2.0-4.0
PPM – 1400-2800
Temperature – 15 – 21°C
Conditions – full sun, lots of water, and nitrogen

Once your seeds have germinated into a start with at least 2 true leaves, they must be placed in the hydroponic setup, if it is not already there. The spacing of course changes among different varieties. Bush Beans are planted 2 to 4 inches apart, pole Beans are spaced about 4 to 6 inches apart. The consensus seems to be that ebb and flow hydroponic systems work best for most types of Beans, but realistically any system will work. Some examples are Wicking, drip, and even aeroponic systems.

Lighting Requirement for Hydroponic Beans Farming

Beans plants prefer full sunlight. More sunlight equates to a hardier heftier harvest. The plants will grow with more or even less light but additional problems work their way into the equations at that point. Beans plants are no exception so try not to exceed the 12 to 13 hour light requirement by too much. The optimal temperature level for the widest range of Beans is 15 to 21°C. Temperatures (air temperature) below 15 or above 21°C will have adverse effects on plant development and pod growth.

Nutrients Requirement in Hydroponic Beans Farming

All plants need a combination of macronutrients and micronutrients, macronutrients require in large amounts, and micronutrients require in small quantities. The essential macronutrients for plants are hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, and carbon. Necessary micronutrients for plant growth are chlorine, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, boron, manganese, iron, and copper. Beans plants need different quantities of nutrients at different times in their life cycle.

Fertilizer is mixed with water to create the nutrient solution in a hydroponics system. Then, this nutrient solution is pumped into the grow bed to feed the roots. The hydroponics system allows plants to get the correct nutrients they need when they need them. Soil-grown crops don’t have it as easy. If they don’t get the proper nutrients at the right time, plants will suffer. The hydroponics system provides a much more efficient way of delivering nutrients to plants.

Beans are so easily grown hydroponically because they need only small amounts of nutrients. Beans plants will pull nitrogen from the air but the plants can also benefit from trace minerals such as chlorine, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, boron, manganese, iron, and copper. If you’re not a hydroponic chemist, a pre-mixed nutrient blend is advisable, and remember that the job of the company that makes the nutrients, as well as producing a quality product. Changing out your solution periodically is essential to prevent plant damage via salt buildup and other issues.

Like any other plant, Bean plants also require gentle care. Provide them with fertilizers externally if required. However, do not over-fertilize the Bean plants, especially with nitrogen-rich fertilizers because in such cases the plants just grow tall without bearing any produce. Beans plants grow exceptionally when soil/hydroponic media are rich in organic nutrients. Keep watering your Bean plants at regular intervals. In the case of pest infestation use appropriate pesticides and take care that plants get enough light.

Grow Media for Hydroponic Beans Farming

A loose grow media is best for growing hydroponic Beans. Perlite-Vermiculite blend, or expanded Clay pebbles both have several advantages.
The growing media perlite has a neutral pH level and will not affect the alkalinity or acidity of your solution. It is inexpensive and reusable. It has excellent wicking action, meaning that it will absorb liquids via capillary action.
Expanded clay pebbles, clay aggregate is preferred to use enables a balance of moisture, food, and air to your plants.
Root rot is eliminated by the space between the pebbles allowing all-important oxygen to get to the plant roots.

Bucket Hydroponic Beans Farming

Firstly, put the perlite or clay pebbles into the top portion of the hydroponic bucket, where the Bean plants will grow.
A hydroponic bucket available at most nurseries; the bottom level contains water and space for the plant roots to grow down. The top-level is a net, holds up the plants. You can grow up to 2 Bean plants per bucket.
Then, place the trellis in the middle of the clay pebbles, digging deep so it will not come out easily.
Plant Bean seedlings from the jar into the hydroponic bucket. Make sure the plant roots go deep down into the clay pebbles, encouraging them to grow down toward the bucket’s bottom.
Spray the plants at least weekly with a nutrient solution. This will encourage plant growth and provide vital nutrients that plants normally would get from the soil.
Water daily or every 2 to 3 days as needed. When the Bean plants begin to grow, train them to go up the trellis instead of out to the sides. Then, you have to move the vines to the trellis until they grow in that direction. You should have the first harvest within 6 to 8 weeks.

Considerations for Hydroponic Beans Farming

Most Beans are climbing plants, although bush Bean varieties are available. The climbing, vine, or indeterminate Bean varieties need to provide a trellis for them to climb. Bush Beans do not need a trellis and are more suitable for small spaces. If space becomes an issue and you want to produce more than one type of vegetable in a single garden, Beans and peas have similar needs and do well together. Beans can self-pollinate means you never have to hand-pollinate to assure a yield.

Once you’ve planted Beans in a hydroponic garden, expect to see the first signs of germination in 6 to 10 days, according to the Hydroponics Online School. Once the seeds begin to germinate, Beans grow rapidly, and you can expect your first harvest in 6 to 8 weeks. Beans will spend a total of 3 to 4 months in your hydroponic garden. Any varieties of Beans require trellising, stakes, or other support in a hydroponic system. The type of support mainly depends on the specific environment.

Pests and Diseases in Hydroponic Beans Farming

Growing plants in hydroponic setup indoors pests should not be a major issue. They are not however unheard of. Fungus Gnats, Aphids, Mites, Whiteflies pests at times find their way in.

Grown outdoors you can expect to encounter nuisance insects like bean beetles, aphids, mites any pests that would attack the plants grown conventionally.

When and How to Harvest Beans in Hydroponics

Beans grown hydroponically will produce more rapidly than those grown conventionally. Conventionally the harvesting time is about 60 days, which of course varies depending on variety and environmental factors. In a hydroponic system, you can anticipate shaving about 7 to 10 days off that time. A continual harvest can be ensured by placing new plants in the hydroponic setup about every 2 weeks.

The yield of Hydroponic Beans

In case if you miss this: Growing Grapes in Greenhouse.

string beans 2900902 1920 — The yield of hydroponic beans (pic source: pixabay)

The yield for hydroponic beans is dependent on variety, area of growing, hydroponic farming practices. You can expect more yields in hydroponics when compared to soil farming. You can attain 21 tonnes per acre beans yield in hydroponics with good farming practices.

Hydroponic Beans Farming – Yield, pH, Nutrients

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