Hydroponics for the Home Grower

In addition to allowing home gardeners to grow in all seasons, hydroponics gives the gardener control over a variety of limiting factors, including light, temperature, and pests. This book provides the home grower step-by-step guidance for growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, arugula, bok choy, and various herbs in a hydroponic system. Howard M. Resh introduces readers to the history and background of hydroponics and explains how hydroponics can be used to grow plants. He then explores the essential nutrients to plant growth and how the hydroponics system can optimize these nutrients year-round. In addition to discussions on the different types of hydroponic systems available he looks at their construction. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Hydroponics offers many advantages to traditional soil-based horticulture. These include greater control over many of the limiting factors, such as light, temperature, and pests, as well as the ability to grow plants in all seasons. With instruction from one of the top recognized authorities worldwide, Hydroponics for the Home Grower gives you step-by-step guidance on how to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, arugula, bok choy, and various herbs year-round within your home or in a backyard greenhouse. With Dr. Howard Resh’s help, you’ll learn:Background information on how hydroponics evolvedThe nutritional and environmental demands of plants and how to control these factorsHow to provide formulations of nutrients optimal to the plants you wish to growThe many different hydroponic systems you can purchase or build for yourselfDesigns for different types of greenhouses with components to fit your personal taste and budgetCrop selection and step-by-step procedures, including seeding, transplanting, training, pest and disease control, and harvesting—along with when to plant and when to change cropsHow you can grow microgreens on your kitchen counterThe book includes an appendix with sources of seeds and other supplies, along with helpful websites and lists of books, articles, and conferences on growing hydroponically and caring for your crops. By following the guidelines in this book, you’ll understand everything you need to know to get your home-growing operation up and running in no time.