Hydroponic Food Production

Howard M. Resh (born January 11, 1941) is a recognized authority worldwide on hydroponics. His website: www.howardresh.com presents information on hydroponic culture of various vegetable crops. In addition, he has written six books on hydroponic culture both for commercial growers and backyard hobbyists. While a graduate student at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada in 1971, he was asked by a private group to assist them in the construction of hydroponic greenhouses in the Vancouver area. He continued with outside work in greenhouses and soon was asked to conduct evening extension courses in hydroponics. Upon graduation with his doctorate degree in Horticulture in 1975 he became Urban Horticulturist for the faculty of plant science at the University of B.C. He held that position for three years before the call of commercial hydroponics took him to many projects in countries such as Venezuela, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and in 1999 to Anguilla, British West Indies, in the Eastern Caribbean. While in the position of urban horticulturist, Resh taught courses in horticulture, hydroponics, plant propagation, greenhouse design, and production. During this period, while he was urban horticulturist and later general manager for a large plant nursery, he continued doing research and production consultation for a commercial hydroponic farm growing lettuce, watercress, and other vegetables in Venezuela. Later, during the period 1995– 1996, Resh became project manager for the Venezuelan farm to develop hydroponic culture of lettuce, watercress, peppers, tomatoes, and European cucumbers using a special medium of rice hulls and coco coir from local sources. He also designed and constructed a mung bean and alfalfa sprout facility to introduce sprouts into the local market. In the late 1980s, Resh worked with a company in Florida in the growing of lettuce in a floating raft culture system. From 1990 to 1999, Resh worked as the technical director and project manager for hydroponic projects in the growing of watercress and herbs in California. He designed and constructed several 3- acre outdoor hydroponic watercress facilities using a unique NFT system. These overcame production losses due to drought conditions in the area. From there in mid- 1999, Resh became the hydroponic greenhouse farm manager for the first hydroponic farm associated with a high- end resort, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, in Anguilla, British West Indies in the northeastern Caribbean. The hydroponic farm is unique in being the only one in the world owned by a resort growing its own fresh salad crops and herbs exclusively for the resort. This farm has become a key component of the resort in attracting guests to experience real homegrown types of vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, lettuce, bok choy, and herbs. The resort, together with its hydroponic farm, has gained world- wide recognition as one of the leading hotels of the world. Resh continues to do consulting on many unique hydroponic greenhouse operations such as Lufa Farms in Montreal, Canada. There he established the growing techniques and hydroponic systems for a rooftop hydroponic greenhouse in downtown Montreal. All vegetables are marketed through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. In 2016, Resh retired from full- time work at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and now independently consults with a number of companies including work on indoor vertical farming.

Contents

Preface to the Eighth Edition...........................................................................................................xiii
Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................xv
Author.............................................................................................................................................xvii
List of Figures..................................................................................................................................xix
List of Tables.................................................................................................................................xxxv

Chapter 1 Introduction...................................................................................................................1

Chapter 2 Plant Nutrition.............................................................................................................13

Chapter 3 The Nutrient Solution..................................................................................................35

Chapter 4 The Medium................................................................................................................89

Chapter 5 Water Culture..............................................................................................................95

Chapter 6 Nutrient Film Technique...........................................................................................149

Chapter 7 Gravel Culture...........................................................................................................207

Chapter 8 Sand Culture..............................................................................................................225

Chapter 9 Sawdust Culture........................................................................................................239

Chapter 10 Rockwool Culture.....................................................................................................251

Chapter 11 Coco Coir Culture.....................................................................................................287

Chapter 12 Greenhouse Environmental Control and Automation...............................................297

Chapter 13 Other Soilless Cultures..............................................................................................359

Chapter 14 Vertical Indoor Farming............................................................................................395

Chapter 15 Tropical Hydroponics and Special Applications.......................................................437

Chapter 16 Plant Culture..............................................................................................................481

Appendix 1 Horticultural, Hydroponic, and Soilless- Culture Societies.....................................571

Appendix 2 Greenhouse Production Resources..........................................................................573

Appendix 3 Units of Measurement: Conversion Factors............................................................577

Appendix 4 Physical Constants of Inorganic Compounds..........................................................579

Appendix 5 Greenhouse and Hydroponic Suppliers...................................................................581

Bibliography..................................................................................................................................587

Index...............................................................................................................................................601