Hydroponic Food Production A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition

Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, Seventh Edition is a comprehensive guide to soilless culture with extensively new and updated contents from the previous edition published in 2001. Meant for hobby and commercial growers, the book: Shows the reader how to set up a hydroponic operation with the options of using any of the many hydroponic cultures presently used in the industry to grow vegetable crops Provides background in plant physiology and nutrition essential for growing these crops Describes nutrient formulations and their applications in nutrient solutions with calculations This practical guide to soilless growing practices provides detailed information on how to design, set up, and operate hydroponic culture systems. Featuring more than 500 photographs, drawings, and tables, the seventh edition of this bestselling book has been extensively updated and expanded. The text describes the most successful growing cultures to use with specific crops and details media as well as hydroponic techniques. Chapters cover nutrient uptake and mixing as well as deficiencies and their symptoms, plant nutrition, nutrient solution, water culture, tropical hydroponics and special applications, plant culture, nutrient film technique, gravel culture, and more.

IntroductionThe PastThe PresentThe FutureSuitable Site CharacteristicsSoil versus Soilless CultureReferencesPlant NutritionPlant ConstituentsMineral and Essential ElementsPlant Mineral and Water UptakeUpward Movement of Water and NutrientsPlant NutritionReferencesNutrient SolutionInorganic Salts (Fertilizers)Recommended Compounds for Complete Nutrient Solutions Fertilizer Chemical AnalysesFertilizer ImpuritiesNutrient FormulationsNutrient Stock SolutionsPreparing the Nutrient SolutionPlant Relations and Cause of Nutrient Solution ChangesThe MediumMedium CharacteristicsWater CharacteristicsIrrigationPumping of Nutrient Solution into BedsSterilization of MediumReferencesWater CultureIntroductionRaceway, Raft, or Floating SystemAeroponicsHydroponic Grass UnitsAlfalfa and Bean SproutsMicrogreensReferencesNutrient Film TechniqueIntroductionEarly NFT SystemLater NFT SystemsCommercial NFT SystemsNutrient Flow Technique: Vertical Pipes, A-Frame, or Cascade Systems Gutter and Pipe NFT Channel SystemsAgri-Systems NFTHortiplan Automated NFT SystemOutdoor NFT WatercressEbb-and-Flow (Flood) SystemsA-Frame NFT SystemSummaryReferencesGravel CultureIntroductionMedia CharacteristicsSubirrigation Gravel CultureTrickle Irrigation DesignAdvantages and Disadvantages of Trickle IrrigationSterilization of Gravel between CropsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Gravel CultureReferencesSand CultureIntroductionMedium CharacteristicsStructural DetailsDrip (Trickle) Irrigation SystemWateringSterilization of Sand Beds between CropsSand Culture of HerbsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Sand CultureReferencesSawdust CultureIntroductionGrowing MediumBed SystemBag SystemNutrient Solution Distribution SystemAdvantages and Disadvantages of Sawdust CultureReferencesRockwool CultureIntroductionNorth American Greenhouse Vegetable IndustryWorld Greenhouse Vegetable IndustryRockwool CompositionRockwool Cubes and BlocksRockwool SlabsRockwool LayoutIrrigation SystemCucumbers in RockwoolTomatoes in RockwoolLarge Greenhouse Operations in North AmericaHarvesting, Grading, and PackingPeppers in RockwoolRecirculating Rockwool SystemsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Rockwool CultureReferencesCoco Coir CultureIntroductionSource of Coco CoirCoco Coir Grades and CharacteristicsCoco Plugs and BlocksSustainable Agriculture Greenhouse TechnologyTomatoes in Coco CoirAdvantages and Disadvantages of Coco Coir CultureReferencesOther Soilless CulturesIntroductionMediaHydroponic HerbsFoam CulturePerlite CultureColumn CultureSack CultureSterilization of MediumAdvantages and Disadvantages of Peat and Coco Coir MixturesReferencesTropical Hydroponics and Special ApplicationsIntroductionHidroponias VenezolanasSand Culture in the TropicsEbb-and-Flood Water Culture of WatercressRice Hulls–Coco Coir Culture of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers Special Applications References Plant CultureIntroductionSeedingSeedling ProductionPlant-Growing TemperatureLightRelative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)Carbon Dioxide EnrichmentTransplantingSpacingVegetative versus Generative GrowthIrrigation (Fertigation)Plant SupportSuckering and Training (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, and Eggplants) PollinationPhysiological DisordersDiseases and InsectsVegetable VarietiesGreen GraftingPlanting SchedulesCrop TerminationSpecial ConsiderationsReferencesAppendix 1: Horticultural, Hydroponic, and Soilless-Culture SocietiesAppendix 2: Greenhouse Production ResourcesResearch Extension Services for PublicationsSome Soil and Plant-Tissue Testing LaboratoriesBiological-Control AgentsReferencesSpecial Hydroponic EquipmentAppendix 3: Units of Measurement—Conversion FactorsAppendix 4: Physical Constants of Inorganic CompoundsAppendix 5: Greenhouse and Hydroponic SuppliersBiocontrol AgentsGreenhouse Structures, Coverings and EquipmentGreenhouse Shading MaterialsGrowing Media and SuppliesIrrigation EquipmentSeedsSprout SuppliesBibliographyHydroponicsInsect and Disease ControlProfessional Publications and Research JournalsTrade Magazines and Periodicals

Howard M. Resh is the Hydroponic Greenhouse Farm Manager for Cuisinart Resort and Spa in Anguilla, British West Indies.

Shows the reader how to set up a hydroponic operation with the options of using any of the many hydroponic cultures presently used in the industry to grow vegetable cropsProvides background in plant physiology and nutrition essential for growing these cropsDescribes nutrient formulations and their applications in nutrient solutions with calculations
This practical guide to soilless growing practices provides detailed information on how to design, set up, and operate hydroponic culture systems. Featuring more than 500 photographs, drawings, and tables, the seventh edition of this bestselling book has been extensively updated and expanded. The text describes the most successful growing cultures to use with specific crops and details media as well as hydroponic techniques. Chapters cover nutrient uptake and mixing as well as deficiencies and their symptoms, plant nutrition, nutrient solution, water culture, tropical hydroponics and special applications, plant culture, nutrient film technique, gravel culture, and more.