"By following the guidelines in Hydroponics for the Home Grower, you'll understand everything you need to know to get your home-growing operation up and running in no time." —Paul T. Vogel, California Bookwatch
History and Background of Hydroponics. How Hydroponics Started: Its Present and Future Applications. The Popularity and Benefits of Hydroponic Gardening. Why You Should Garden Hydroponically. Understanding Hydroponics and How Plants Grow. Why Hydroponics Is Not Just Chemistry. Plant Growth: The Environment and Its Effects on Plants. Water Needs, Management, and Irrigation Practices. Nutrients Essential to Plants and Their Sources. Essential Nutrients to Plants and Their Functions. Sources of Nutrients for Plants in Soil versus Hydroponics. Nutrient Formulations and Solutions. Signs of Plant Nutritional and Physiological Disorders and Their Remedies. Hydroponic Systems. Substrates to Use and Their Sources for Hydroponics. Small Indoor Hydroponic Units: Types and Construction. Large Indoor Hydroponic Units: Designs and Construction. How to Start Your Plants. Choosing Hydroponic Systems for Specific Crops. Environmental Control Components for Hydroponic Systems. Year-Round Growing in Greenhouses. The Greenhouse Environment for Plants. Benefits of a Greenhouse to the Homeowner. Design, Layout, and Construction of Backyard Greenhouses. Hydroponic Systems for Backyard Greenhouses. Sources of Supplies and Components for Backyard Greenhouses. Vegetable Crops and Their Cultural Techniques. Most Suitable Crops and Varieties. Seeding, Transplanting of Vegetable Crops. Training of Vegetable Crops. Pest and Disease Control. Sprouts and Microgreens. Sprouts versus Microgreens. Growing Techniques for Microgreens. Final Advice on How to Get Started. Appendix: Sources of Supplies and Information. Index.
Howard M. Resh has a doctorate degree in horticulture and is a recognized authority worldwide on hydroponics. He has written five books on hydroponic culture for both commercial and hobby growers and his website (www.howardresh.com) presents information on hydroponic cultures of various vegetable crops. Dr. Resh is the hydroponic greenhouse farm manager for the first hydroponic farm associated with a high-end resort-CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa in Anguilla, British West Indies. He is a consultant for many unique hydroponic greenhouse operations, including Lufa Farms in Montreal, Canada.