Hydroponics

With over 45,000 acres of greenhouse vegetation currently being grown hydroponically throughout the world, hydroponics has become one of the most rapidly expanding new areas of plant research. Although growing plants without soil has been practiced since ancient times, hydroponics-the growing of plants specifically in water or nutrient solutions-has shown itself to be the most cost-effective way of maximizing yield, eliminating plant disease, minimizing labor costs and getting the most out of limited land resources. It's both an economically and ecologically sound approach to field-crop production and soil management. Successfully practicing hydroponics, however, requires a working knowledge of the mechanics of plant growth and a firm grasp of the hydroponics process. Hydroponics: A Practical Guide for the Soilless Grower clearly explains the basics of plant growth and development, the different methods of preparing and using hydroponic nutrient solutions, and hydroponic options for various environmental conditions. It gives the reader instructions for simple experiments and a number of helpful charts, tables and illustrations. Completely up-to-date, the book also describes, in detail, all the latest techniques for hydroponic growing. It addresses new challenges in the field such as growing food for astronauts, practicing hydroponics in inhospitable environments and updating nutrient element supplies for the demands of the next century. It's an ideal guide for anyone interested in plants and how they grow-from casual hobbyists and students to commercial growers and professional plant researchers.