Getting Started With Seeds
Most plants rely on the seed as the primary method of reproduction. The seed is formed inside the female flower after pollination by the male flower. All seeds begin as an egg within the carpel of a female flower. After male pollen is introduced to the female flower by wind or insects, the egg becomes an embryo and forms a hard coating around itself. When seed development finally stops, the seed is released and it is carried by wind, rain, bird or bug to its final resting place. If all...
Growers Guide To Popular Plants
The following table outlines the favorite conditions for these plants to thrive in your hydroponic garden. Adhere closely to these parameters and you will be happily surprised by the results. Always use a high quality hydroponic nutrient and maintain a healthy growing area by allowing plenty of light, air and moisture to reach your plants. Seed packets will contain more information on the particular strain you wish to grow. IMPORTANT NOTE The nutrient solution concentrations shown here PPM EC...
Making A Market For Your Garden
Many gourmet restaurants and markets will purchase high quality hydroponic produce, provided it is available in good supply and available on a regular basis. If you are interested in making a profit from your garden, you should first investigate the local marketplace and determine just what it is that you should grow. Don't try to compete with everyone else. Identify a unique opportunity for a high profit plant by interviewing the owners and operators of local establishments. I have found that...
Investigate Your Local Market
The most important thing you can do before planting a seed is to visit your local markets and do some informal research. Determine what they sell, and where the opportunity exists. Take a look at the fresh herb sections and see what they have available for their customers and how fresh it is. Nine times out of ten you will be amazed at how ragged their fresh herbs are Have a look at the prices, and jot them down. Also, take notes of the quantities being sold in each package. Usually fresh herbs...
What Is Hydroponics
Without water, life on earth would not exist. There would be no hydroponics, much less a culture to practice it. Water is a vital part of every living cell. In plants, it provides turgor pressure on cell walls to keep leaves from wilting. And it transports nutrition and energy stores in the form of dissolved salts and sugars throughout the plant. This book is about water, focusing on how to distribute it, maintain its quality, and enrich it with the nutrition vital to plant life. In nature,...
Approaching Prospective Customers
Now that you have a great product, nice packaging, and an idea of what is important, here are some suggestions on what to do and say. Start off with the smallest store you can find the smaller the better , since the chances that the person you encounter will be an owner or manager. If they express a sincere interest, you can The infamous Habanero pepper - another excellent specialty spice used in Thai and Cajun cooking. The infamous Habanero pepper - another excellent specialty spice used in...
Nutrient Solution Microbiology
All bodies of water possess a dynamic balance of microbiological activity. In hydroponics, we strive to keep the nutrient solution as sterile as possible, but nonetheless, nutrient solution is by its very nature the perfect place for things to grow. Some microbes require dissolved oxygen to live aerobic , and others do not anaerobic . As a general rule of thumb, aerobic bacteria are good, and anaerobic are bad. Put simply, the byproducts of anaerobic respiration are acids that wreak havoc with...
Eight Hydroponic Systems You Can Build
Before we actually get started, there are a few more important considerations. The first is to decide the actual location for your garden. As we just learned, growing hydroponically outdoors is great because the sun is free and there's often plenty of space. But you may not be able to grow outdoors because you are in an apartment building or congested urban area. In this case, you have the option of growing indoors using High Intensity Discharge HID lighting. Whichever way you go, if you pay...
Hydroponic System Plans Quicklist
The simplest and quickest project to complete. Perfect for school, science fairs and windowsill gardening. Ideal for growing lettuces and small herbs, flowers and ornamentals. Not recommended for outdoor use. Another system that can be assembled in an hour or two, however, slightly more difficult to create due to the stryrofoam raft which must be cut from a sheet using a jigsaw. Excellent for indoor use by a sunny window or under a grow lamp. Best suited for growing lettuces and other short...
Starting Hydroponic Business
You Are What You Eat 6 Hydroponics To The Rescue 7 It Starts With A Seed 8 A Brief History Of Hydroponics 11 Current Research 13 What All Gardeners Can Learn From NASA 13 It's All About The Roots l4 Coconut Coir. 17 Perlite 17 LECA 17 Perfect Starts 18 Rockwool 19 The Nutrient Film Technique NFT 23 The Organic Composition Of Plants 27 Selecting A Hydroponic Nutrient 31 Maintaining Nutrient Concentration And pH 34 Nutrient Solution Microbiology 37 Supercharge Your Garden With CO2 38 High...
The Prefabricated Greenhouse
In this 4x12' lean-to style house, PVC chambers were mounted like giant window boxes to facilitate short stature crops like lettuce and basil without cramping or casting shade on other plants inside. In this 4x12' lean-to style house, PVC chambers were mounted like giant window boxes to facilitate short stature crops like lettuce and basil without cramping or casting shade on other plants inside. More and more companies are catching on to the market demand for affordable, hobby-style...
Plants For Food Pharmacy
In addition to being one of the world's favorite foods, the tomato contains Lycopene, a natural carotenoid that is responsible for its red color. Lycopenes and other antioxidants can help prevent cellular damage and abnormal cellular growth. This was my first harvest of the year on May 15th from my new backyard greenhouse that I'll show you how to build later on. Plants are Mother Nature's ultimate factories. Powered by light from the sun, plants combine the earth's most basic chemical elements...
The Stages Of Growth
A plant's life cycle begins with germination, usually recognized by the above-ground appearance of a growing shoot. Mated to this shoot are two small, round leaves known as cotyledons see photo at right . As these leaves begin manufacturing food, the plant enters its seedling stage of growth. During this time, the plant develops its first set of true leaves, resembling those of the mature plant and the primary formation of a root system begins. The root development that takes place at this time...
Hydroponics
The complete guide to building and operating your own indoor and outdoor hydroponic gardens. Includes detailed instructions, photos and step-by-step plans. Embedded hyperlinks in this document enable you to quickly find more information and purchase the products featured in this book by simply clicking on them. Save time hunting for hard to find parts by clicking the linked items in the construction guide parts lists. The author of this information and its publishers disclaim any personal...
The Spare Closet Garden
If you live in an area where space outdoors is tough to come by, here are some ideas for creating a closet garden. In the example shown, the six inch PVC system is custom fit inside this available space. You will find that this configuration works well for maintaining a steady supply of salad greens, herbs and flowers by virtue of the two-level arrangement. On the lower level, a fluorescent light of 40 Watts is used to start seedlings and root cuttings that are kept inside the 10x20 humidity...
The Raft System
The raft system is an interesting technique of growing lettuce and other short stature crops. In this method, plants are supported by baskets fit into Styrofoam sheets that float upon a bath of nutrient solution. The nutrient solution is circulated and aerated from below to maintain a high level of dissolved oxygen and avoid stagnation. The raft system is a very economic means of producing large quantities of lettuce and mixed greens in no time. Shown here is the lettuce raft system at Disney...
Macro Nutrients
Macro nutrients are those absorbed in large quantities from the growing media or in our case, the nutrient solution. They are the best known and recognized constituents of plant food and as such, are used as a handy guide in identifying the potency of a plant food. You may be familiar with these N-P-K ratings as printed on all commercially available plant food containers. Necessary for the formation of amino acids, co enzymes, and chlorophyll. Deficiency A lack of Nitrogen in the form of...
Hydroponics Layout
0 3 7.5 14 20.5 27 33.5 0 3 7.5 14 20.5 27 33.5 This template can be a real time saver The grow site spacing is 6.5 on center all three chambers. Step 1. Using either the template provided or your own design, you must first layout each of the holes to be cut. It is best to mark and measure them center to center. Make sure to pay close attention to avoid any mistakes which can be very costly in both time and materials. Step 2. Using the 2 7 8 hole saw and a cordless drill to cut each of the grow...
Perfect Starts
The latest breakthrough in growing mediums is the molded starter sponge made from organic compost and a flexible, biodegradable polymer binder. Available in several shapes and sizes, these innovative growing sponges solve the main problem growers face when wanting to use an organic medium in a hydroponic system. Namely, they do not fall apart or crumble during transplanting which serves to prevent damage to delicate roots. This is a significant advantage, because root damage that occurs during...
Color Photosynthetic spectrum
Photosynthesis is most pronounced in the red 600-680nm and blue 380-480nm wavelengths of light. Horticultural lighting, also know as High Intensity Discharge HID lighting is designed to cover these specific wavelengths, known as the PAR spectrum photosynthetically active radiation . There are two types of HID lamps which emit different color spectrums. Metal Halide lamps emit a white blue spectrum. MH lamps are best used as a primary light source if no or little natural sunlight is available ....
Making Your Own Nutrients
It has come to my attention over the years that there are many interested in making their own nutrients so I have provided a few recipes. If you are reading the Acrobat version, you will find a nutrient calculator spreadsheet included with your download. Otherwise, please consult the table on the next page which details the salts required to make three hydroponic nutrient solutions for use with vegetative, fruiting and flowering crops. The weights shown in the following tables are based on...
Duration Photoperiod
Most plants grow best when exposed to 16-18 hrs of light per day. Additional hours of light during the day have not been found to increase growth by any significant amount. Plants that exhibit photoperiodism, the trait that causes day length to trigger flowering, should be exposed to 12-14 hours of light once flowering is desired. Total darkness is required during the darkness This indoor aeroponic garden flourishes under the light emitted from a 400W Metal Halide lamp. Shown growing Sweet...
Tools Youll Need Mpx
Electric or battery powered drill - 3 8 or 1 2 chuck 2 amp 4 hole saws for cutting drain rail plugs and access port in reservoir lid 7 8 speed bore bit flat, inexpensive drill bits Hacksaw for cutting PVC pipe and a razor knife for cutting poly tubing Step 1. Cut pieces for the 'toes'- a and 'feet'- b from your 1 1 2 PVC pipe according to the measurements given on parts list. Line up pieces as shown and test fit for accuracy before gluing. Step 2. Glue these pieces together making sure the 'T'...
Micro Nutrients
Micro nutrients are those absorbed in small to minute quantities. They are generally less well known than the previsouly listed Macro nutrients since most plant foods don't contain them. Here's the list of what they are and the effects they have on plants. Deficiency Calcium deficiency causes stunting and crinkling leaves. Young shoots die and blooms fall from the plant. Calcium deficient tomatoes will develop brown spots on the bottom of the fruit which will cause decay especially with the...
Tools Youll Need Hum
Electric or battery powered drill - 3 8 or 1 2 chuck 2 7 8 amp 4 hole saws for cutting plant sites and service port holes 5 8, 3 4 amp 7 8 speed bore bits flat, inexpensive drill bits 1 8 drill bit if micro sprayers are used or 7 16 bit if pin sprayers are used. Step 1. Measure and mark off the locations where you will drill two opposing 3 4 holes that will hold the 1 2 PVC spray bar in place. With the 31 gallon Roughtote reservoir, mark the center of each hole 5 from the top if using pin...
The Autopot
Relatively new to the market here in the US is the Autopot. A unique, self-feeding planter that has proven very reliable in commercial installations around the world. Within each Autopot double tray module resides a SmartValve that automatically sub-irrigates plants with nutrient solution on demand. Since the SmartValve can be gravity fed, there is no need for pumps and timers for small installations 20 trays or less . This makes the Autopot ideal for use in unsupervised locations or where...
Rockwool
Rockwool is made from molten rock that is spun into long, glass-like fibers. These fibers are then compressed into bricks and cubes, or sold loose as flock. Rockwool has long been used to insulate buildings as an alternative to fiberglass, and has been a mainstay in commercial hydroponics for the last twenty years. It readily absorbs water and has decent drainage properties, which is why it is used widely as a starting medium for seeds and a rooting medium for cuttings. In my opinion, the...
Hydroponic Technology
Experience has proven simple solutions are the most reliable, so Keep It Simple Silly KISS - US military dictum A hydroponic system should be designed to fulfill the specific requirements of plants with the most reliable and efficient method s of nutrient delivery. The three major plant-requirements that a hydroponic system must satisfy are 1 Provide roots with a fresh, well balanced supply of water and nutrients. 2 Maintain a high level of gas exchange between nutrient solution and roots. 3...
Fungi Algae And Disease
Excessive moisture in the air humidity , on the leaf, and within growing media are the leading causes of fungi and mold outbreaks. Fungi are spread by spores that are carried aloft in the air. Spores are present all around us, and can be avoided only by using the strictest air quality standards. Unfortunately, maintaining this level of air quality standards is practical only in the laboratory with the use of expansive filters and air scrubbers. For gardeners, your first line of defense against...
Tools Youll Need 1
Electric or battery powered drill - 3 8 or 1 2 chuck 1 7 8 hole saws for cutting plant sites 3 8drill bit for drilling grommet hole Jigsaw or coping saw for cutting foam Razor knife for cutting tubing A pen or marker Author's first prototype raft system made from a plastic garbage pail. Plants shown were grown under a 95W 6500K fluorescent bulb which is said to provide similar output to HID systems yet without as much heat. Not bad for three week old lettuce. Author's first prototype raft...
Tools Youll Need Htv
Electric or battery powered drill - 3 8 or 1 2 chuck 1 7 8, 2 7 8 amp 4 hole saws for cutting drain holes, plant sites and service ports 5 8, 3 4 amp 7 8 speed bore bits flat, inexpensive drill bits 1 8 drill bit to make spray holes in spray lines. The versatility of PVC pipes when used as growing chambers leave the possibilities endless. Here is a 3 foot model that provided me with fresh salad greens all winter long and kept the air in my home office comfortably humidified and fresh too...
The Lettuce Raft System
Each day I respond to more and more emails from people looking for the simplest, most inexpensive means of growing hydroponically. I often recommend the Hydroponic Planter from the previous chapter, however, this simple and inexpensive method just isn't complicated enough. So after giving it some careful thought, a worthwhile solution presented itself. The raft system is simple, inexpensive 20- 30 complete and complex enough to satisfy any first timer's appetite for a fun project that actually...
Selecting A Hydroponic Nutrient
Most nutrients list the amounts of N-P-K represented in percentages. For instance, a 10-10-10 solution would contain 10 Nitrogen, 10 phosphorus, and 10 potassium by weight. If you do the math, you will see this concentration adds up to only 30 . That's because the remaining percentage of ingredients in the nutrient usually consists of other nutrients, filler or chelates used to assist the nutritional process. While you can use hydroponic nutrients for other methods of gardening, you can't use...
Maintaining Nutrient Concentration And pH
For optimal growth to take place, the nutrient concentration and pH must be consistently balanced over time to insure plants have what they need, when they need it. In any circulating hydroponic system, with every pass the nutrient makes past the root system, an exchange is taking place. As a result, as time goes by, your nutrient solution changes in concentration. Therefore, so does each plant's ability to uptake essential elements. The easiest way to keep on top of your nutrient solution is...
It Starts With A Seed
If you think of a plant as being like a movie script, or perhaps even a computer program, you can better see how its life unfolds according to a predetermined chain of events. We call this chain of events the stages of growth, and each of these stages can be triggered by internal or external stimuli. For plants, it all starts with a seed, which after sprouting becomes a seedling, and eventually becomes a mature plant capable of reproducing itself by creating All plants start from seeds. While...
The Autopot 1
If Tomatoes could talk, what do you think they'd have to say about Jim Fah's incredible Autopot Picture taken Elmac Hydroponics in Queensland, Australia - courtesy Jim Fah. If Tomatoes could talk, what do you think they'd have to say about Jim Fah's incredible Autopot Picture taken Elmac Hydroponics in Queensland, Australia - courtesy Jim Fah. The secret to the Autopot system is the patented Smart Valve MkII which automatically subirrigates the tray containing the pots ONLY when needed without...
The PVC Pipe Gardens
My first encounter with a commercially available hydroponic system was a garden made by General Hydroponics from 6 inch PVC pipe. Since then, I've experimented with several variations on that design, in search of less expensive ways to get started in hydroponics. PVC pipe's inherent ease of use during construction, versatility, and availability as a plumbing product make it an ideal material for building your own hydroponic system. Standard round PVC pipe is available from any plumbing supply,...
The Dutch Bucket Garden Growers Guide
As a simple rule of thumb, a medium that holds a lot of water offers more protection against pump failure than one that holds little. The drawback is a wet medium has little room for fresh air and is a good breading ground for fungus and disease. If you have the luxury of an adjustable cycle timer and can check up on your plants frequently, I prefer to use a 60 perlite 40 coco-coir mix and adjust my timer so that the medium never gets soaking wet but never dries out completely. This setting is...
PVC Pipe Gardens Growers Guide
Since this system is a pure water system, the only growing medium you will require is that to start your seeds or cuttings. Once you have viable plants, they will be placed into 3 plastic net cups with a handful of LECA stones to give the roots something to hold on to and keep them from falling over inside the cups. Start your seeds or cuttings in your preference of starter cubes or sponges. Transplant to net cups once roots are clearly visible from the bottom of the cubes. Set plants in cups...
The perfect system
1. Has a simple, inexpensive design. 2. Is fully automated and requires as little day to day maintenance as possible. 3. Is geared for growing your choice of crops, for instance, the NFT system is perfect for Lettuce but not for Tomatoes. 4. Wastes almost no water and nutrients. 5. Provides your plants with exactly the right ratio of air and water to maximize growth. This healthy basil specimen was grown in a hybrid Ein Gedi system that utilized horizontally oriented, 4 in. PVC pipes as growth...
Sand And Gravel Culture
Although sand can be used as a growing medium with success, it has poor aeration qualities due to the small interstitial spaces between the grains. Remember, when choosing a soilfree medium for hydroponics, to look for good water holding capacity combined with good drainage qualities. This combination will ensure that your choice of mediums will allow the roots to feed, exhaust CO2, and ingest Oxygen properly. Provided proper nutrient and water circulation is met, you'd be surprised at what...
Aerospring Growers Guide
Aeroponic basil, from seedling to skyscraper in 45 days - here's all you need to know 1. Start your seedlings or cuttings in a Perfect Start sponge, rockwool or oasis root cube. Place into a 3 net cup and backfill with LECA stones to provide physical support. 2. Fill your Aerospring with 10-15 gallons of water, add your choice of nutrients according to directions on label do not use regular plant food - it must be for hydroponic use This is where the 4 access port comes in handy 3. Using an...
The Perfect Medium
Fine sand features very small interstitial spaces that cannot hold much air and water. On the other hand, coarse gravel has large interstitial spaces that can hold a lot of both air and water. Yet, as science would have it, once the interstitial space gets to be too large for capillary action to hold the water in place, you guessed it, the water runs right through it. If your system constantly recirculates your nutrient solution, a fast draining medium would be acceptable. But obviously, coarse...
The Nutrient Film Technique NFT
The Nutrient Film Technique, or NFT, was pioneered by Allen Cooper at the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute in Littlehampton, England. In this growing technique, plants are placed atop an inverted 'V' shaped channel, sealed on all sides into a box-like tunnel, through which a thin film of nutrient solution passes along the bottom. A pump and reservoir combination situated below the channels collects and recycles the nutrient back through the system. Roots grow down along the channel,...
Vertical Gardening
This is another interesting application of aeroponics. It was invented by Vertigro and represents a great way of saving greenhouse space. The system functions much in the same fashion as an aeroponic system except it shares a drain pipe with as many units as required. See the black hoses below growing cylinders. Vertigro provided the systems pictured here for Disney's Epcot Center in Florida. As you can see, hydroponic system design represents equal opportunity for a challenge and progress. If...
Expanded Clay Pellets
LECA stands for Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate and is an extremely coarse growing medium. Some of its common trade names include Geolite, Grorox and Hydroton. LECA is made of expanded clay pellets that hold water by virtue of its Cutaway view of tomato roots as they penetrate a 50 50 mix of coco-coir and perlite. Layer of perlite on bottom is to allow complete drainage in this top-fed hydroponic planter. Cutaway view of tomato roots as they penetrate a 50 50 mix of coco-coir and perlite....
The Dutch Bucket Method
This method is aptly named because it was first introduced in Holland and is now extensively used by commercial growers there for roses, tomatoes and cucumbers. The Dutch Bucket method allows the grower to use just about any growing medium, including coco-coir, perlite, LECA stone, gravel, and even sand. The Dutch Bucket is basically a 2.5 gallon bucket with a special drain fitting that maintains a small reserve of nutrient at the bottom as a precautionary measure. This method is best suited...
Coconut Coir
My favorite loose growing medium is coconut coir, otherwise known by trade names like Ultrapeat, Cocopeat and Coco-tek. Coco coir represents a major step forward in organic soilfree growing mediums. It combines the water retention of vermiculite with the air retention of perlite, however it is a completely organic medium made from shredded coconut husks. Why coconut husks The coconut husk serves its seed two purposes 1 protection from sun and salt while floating in the ocean 2 a hormone-rich...
Its All About The Roots
Root systems vary in size from those of a seedling, perhaps a few inches long, to those of a 300' redwood that can grow larger in size than the visible tree itself Regardless of the physical size of the plant, roots serve three essential functions 1 the uptake of water and nutrients 2 storage for manufactured materials 3 providing physical support for the plant above ground. Hydroponics is all about healthy roots The absorption of water and nutrients takes place just behind the root tip through...
Air roots vs water roots
Plants that are grown in soil and granular or fibrous growing mediums that maintain a high percentage of air to water develop air roots below left . The tiny root hairs serve to steer growth in the direction of water and food. Note that plants grown with their roots completely submerged in water develop water roots shown below right . Observe the absence of root hairs, which are unnecessary in this situation. While air rooted plants can easily be transplanted to a hydroponic system, water roots...
