Features

• Analyzes the hydroponic growing technique
• Explores historical background, hydroponic terminology, and basic hydroponic principles
• Presents alternative growing techniques, including aeroponics, nutrient film technique, standing aerated, flood-and-drain, drip irrigation, and sub-irrigation
• Supplies information on nutrient solution including reagents, formulations, use factors, monitoring, treatment, and water quality
• Explains hydroponic applications, including controlled environments, outdoor environments, home gardening, urban agriculture, and other unique applications
• Lists many nutrient solution formulations
• Discusses how to combine hydroponic method and nutrient solution formulation
• Describes all hydroponic methods equally, including pros and cons of each one

Summary

With the continued implementation of new equipment and new concepts and methods, such as hydroponics and soilless practices, crop growth has improved and become more efficient. Focusing on the basic principles and practical growth requirements, the Complete Guide for Growing Plants Hydroponically offers valuable information for the commercial grower, the researcher, the hobbyist, and the student interested in hydroponics. It provides details on methods of growing that are applicable to a range of environmental growing systems.

The author begins with an introduction that covers the past, present, and future of hydroponics. He also describes the basic concepts behind how plants grow, followed by several chapters that present in-depth practical details for hydroponic growing systems:

• The essential plant nutrient elements
• The nutrient solution
• Rooting media
• Systems of hydroponic culture
• Hydroponic application factors

These chapters cover the nutritional requirements of plants and how to best prepare and use nutrient solutions to satisfy plant requirements, with different growing systems and rooting media, under a variety of conditions. The book gives many nutrient solution formulas and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various hydroponic systems. It also contains a chapter that describes a school project, which students can follow to generate nutrient element deficiency symptoms and monitor their effects on plant growth.