Complete Guide for Growing Plants Hydroponically PDF

Preface

This book provides valuable information for the commercial grower, the researcher, the hobbyist, and the student—all those interested in hydroponics and how this method of plant production works as applied to a wide range of growing conditions. Students interested in experimenting with various hydroponic growing systems as well as in how to produce nutrient element deficiencies in plants are given the needed instructions.

The book begins with the concepts of how plants grow and then describes the requirements necessary for success when using various hydroponic growing methods. The major focus is on the nutritional requirements of plants and how best to prepare and use nutrient solutions to satisfy the nutrient element requirement of plants using various growing systems and rooting media under a wide range of environmental conditions. Many nutrient solution formulas are given as well as numerous tables and illustrations. Various hydroponic systems of growing are described, giving their advantages and disadvantages. Included are those procedures required to establish and maintain a healthy rooting environment.

This is the fourth book on hydroponics written by the author. The first book was published in 1983, with revisions published in 1997 and 2005. The two initial editions were primarily devoted to describing various techniques for growing plants without soil. These topics were revised to reflect advances that had been made in understanding how plants grow and the influence that the rooting media and atmospheric environments have on plant performance. In the 2005 edition, two new chapters were added—one on the design and function of a hydroponic greenhouse and the other on hydroponic methods for crop production and management. These two new chapters provided the reader with essential information on greenhouse design and function, giving detailed instructions on how to grow various crops hydroponically in the greenhouse as well as outdoors. Although most hydroponic crops are grown commercially in environmentally controlled greenhouses, hydroponic methods and procedures suited for the hobby grower and techniques for outdoor hydroponics were also included. Organic hydroponics was also a topic included in the 2005 edition.

This book primarily focuses on the basic principles and application requirements for growing plants hydroponically. Most of the available hydroponic texts are outdated, while several of the more current texts contain extraneous material of interest to particular growers and describe the design and operation of growing shelters as well as nonhydroponic growing methods, such as the use of soilless organic rooting media. The reader will find in this text detailed information that relates especially to the growing of plants hydroponically and methods of growing that are applicable to a range of environmental growing systems.

The use of trade names and the mention of a particular product in this book do not imply endorsement of the product named or criticism of similar ones not named. Rather, such a product is used as an example for illustration purposes.

Additional material is available from the CRC website http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439876688