There is currently minimal information available to vegetable growers in the Northern Territory who are looking for guidance on growing in a hydroponic system tailored to the NT’s unique climate.

To address grower interest, VegNET NT developed a demonstration site that used a simple, entry level hydroponic system to trial three rounds of cucumber plantings. The performance of the hydroponic system was compared with the grower’s existing production system which used potted soil and fertigation.

During the trial, VegNET NT facilitated grower visits to the demonstration site and produced grower resources including information sheets and videos.

Following a series of learnings and insights, the final trial using hydroponics produced higher quality cucumbers that could be harvested earlier. The grower is now looking to convert to a hydroponic production system.