The Hydroponics Experiment (Part 8 – Pruning)

AeroGarden LED Lights with Tomato Plants

I have the whole setup in a small greenhouse. So, that’s a house inside a house. It seemed like a good idea, but then the plants got bigger. As the plants grew, I started having trouble with humidity. The inside of the greenhouse was covered with condensation.

Tomato stem - with white bumpsI noticed white bumps on the stems. I started worrying. I didn’t know what was wrong. Were my plants being attacked by mold? Was my plant dying?

After reading lots of online articles, the bumps appear to be root buds. The plant was probably confused by the high humidity.

The plants kept growing. Overall, they were green and healthy looking. Soon, I would have to raise the LED lights. But from what I read on the AeroGarden website, they recommended pruning the plants before raising the lamp. Armed with my AeroGarden cutters, which was sold separately, I was psyching myself up to prune the plant. I wasn’t exactly sure where to cut. Everything was growing so evenly. It was more like a bush than a tomato plant.

For the most part, I had been dismissing the AeroGarden tips. Typically, it wasn’t new information. But in regards to pruning, it was totally the opposite of what I was expecting. “AeroGarden Tomatoes don’t need much pruning. Just keep the lights close and prune any branches that grow out from under the Lamp Hood.”

AeroGarden Pruning Tip

What?! So, I’m not supposed to prune? According to the AeroGarden website, pruning is “the number one secret to high yields of tomatoes in the AeroGarden.”