Smith Rob - Hydroponic gardening : a practical guide to growing plants without soil

HYDROPONIC GARDENING

A Practical guide to growing plantswithout soil

"Published by HydroponicDevelopments Ltd at Smashwords,"

From the book by Lon Dalton &Rob Smith

ePub edition 2013 RobSmith

ISBN:978-0-473- 09277-1

PUBLISHED BY:

Hydroponic Developments Ltd onSmashwords

Hydroponic Gardening

Hard copy and Epubeditions

Copyright 2013 by Robin PhilipMorley-Smith

Acknowledgements

Photography Fran & Lon Dalton& Leonard Cobb.

NZ. Hydroponics Ltd., For Equipment,Laboratory services

and research on Hydroponics andHydroponic crop production.

Text Lon Dalton, RobSmith.

First published 1984, Reprinted1985. l989, l99l,

Revised Edition 1993, New DeluxeEdition 2003.

Electronic online Edition2013

Published by

Hydroponic DevelopmentsLtd

7 Smiths Road, Tauranga,

New Zealand.

Contact: <>

ISBN: 978-0-473- 09277-1

All Rights Reserved.

This publication is protected byworld copyright and all

conventions pursuant to electronicbook publishing

RobSmith

Rob commenced his apprenticeship inthe Electrical Industry in 1956 and worked his way up in thatindustry, until he gained the highest Qualification ofTechnician/Inspector in l97l. He has been involved with majorIndustrial Electrical Installations such as Export Cool Stores, andmeat works, and in the position of Consultant Electrical Engineerto Toyota (N.Z.) Ltd. being responsible for assembly PlantAutomation Design. Early in I977 he was requested by a FertilizerCompany to design and build a commercial Hydroponic Controller,since none was available World Wide.

After four months of intensiveresearch of the subject he set to and constructed the very firstpurpose made Hydroponic Controller, which was installed at thelargest New Zealand Tomato Growers property at South AucklandNZ.

Since I977 Rob has continued todevelop sophisticated Electronic controls for all types ofIndustry. Hydroponics remains a strong love and their old company,now renamed and badged as BlueLab Corporation continues toproduce a wide range of Controllers, meters and systems with theemphasis being upon reliability and simplicity of operation. Theworld renowned CF Truncheon, Dipstick and Quickdip are goodexamples of the technology Rob presented to theindustry.

Now in the new millennium and alsoin semi retirement, Rob concentrates upon his love of performingJazz on his Tenor Saxophone, however still continues to write,including having been a regular contributor to the prestigiousprint version of The Growing Edge magazine and consulting to theindustry.

The author Rob Smith inhydroponic glasshouse - courtesy Rosemary Wallace RotoruaNZ.

Lon Dalton (1926 - I999)

Lon was one of life's positivethinkers, he had always held an interest in the possibilities ofhydroponic gardening.

A man of many and varied pursuitsin the game of life, Lon had been a director of several successfulcompanies both in New Zealand and in the islands of thePacific.

Many years ago Lon decided to havea go at the subject that for so long had fascinated him, like somany others, he studied the information which had been published onthe subject, and proceeded to build his first hydroponic garden.His home was one big hydroponic garden, with every conceivable typeof system, growing the widest possible variety of plants, fromgrapes, limes and roses to potatoes, pumpkin and watercress. Lonbecame involved with Rob Smith and between the two, NZ. Hydroponicswas formed, a company which would fill all the gaps that Lon hadfound to his cost, faced anyone who wanted to get into the world ofhydroponics. This book continues to reflect much of Lonsenthusiasm and knowledge of the wonderful world ofHydroponics.

Preface

This is the book that will get youstarted in hydroponics. More than just a discussion of the topic,HYDROPONIC GARDENING provides the reader with complete backgroundinformation on hydroponics, explains the different systems and howthey work, then shows the reader in a step by step guide, how toset those systems up. A growing guide is included showing you whatto grow and how to grow it hydroponically.

This book is an invaluable guide tounderstanding, setting up and running hydroponic systems for boththe home gardener and the commercial grower.

The product of the knowledge of twoof New Zealands leading advocates of hydroponics, Lon Dalton thedirector of a number of companies in both New Zealand and thePacific, Lons experience in hydroponic growing is coupled with RobSmiths technical expertise in the design of electronic controlequipment. As Lon and Rob kept track of the latest developments inhydroponics this book is a must for would be hydroponic gardenersanywhere in the world

These Kumara (sweet potato) plantsare growing in a fiberglass container filled with a mixture ofvermiculite and gravel through which a hydroponic solution isflowing. You can grow virtually anything hydroponically.Conventional vegetables including the root crops, shrubs and eventrees will thrive in a hydroponic system.

The wonder ofhydroponics

What motivates a Gardener toexplore new methods of growing plants?

From our point of view this was avery important question, which we researched, in order to targetthe potential grower with the right information, to assist theGrower to make the most appropriate decisions regarding equipmentand system needs. Also to provide sufficient operating informationin an easily digestible form, to allow the grower to gain the verybest performance out of their Hydroponic growing system.

Successful, sustained hydroponicgardening is still a relatively new Industry and, there is still atremendous amount of Hydroponic misinformation circulating. Thisinevitably leads to misconceptions, couple this with those, whothrough fear, and/or ignorance, continue to dogmatically rubbishthe whole concept of Hydroponics, and it is obvious that aconsiderable amount of education is still required.

We produced this book in 1983 andafter significant fine tuning had it published in 1984, as oureffort to increase the general knowledge of the subject to ourfellow countrymen. The result has been a book which has now soldthousands of copies, in many countries and, continuing sales hadencouraged us to update various aspects of the book. In editingthis revised ePub edition of the book (2013) it was obvious to methat the passage of time, manifested in improvements to bothmaterials and construction methods played an important part inmaking some of the necessary changes.

It was always our desire to retainthe 'down to earth style of the presentation and, I feelconfident that the new photographs and text amendments whichdescribe updated systems and methods will further assist the readerin a better understanding of the subject.

Rob & on behalf of the late LonDalton

You will be smiling too when youhave your hydroponic system running and producing top qualityplants which have never lacked any of the requirements necessaryfor quick, strong and healthy growth.

Chapter One:Introduction

History

The term hydroponics was coined inthe U.S.A. in the early 1930's to describe the growing of plantswith their roots suspended in water containing mineral nutrients.Derived from the Greek words for 'water' - hydro and 'to work -ponos, hydroponics literally means 'working with water. Thedefinition has gradually become broadened to describe all forms ofgardening without soil.