This eBook answers the often-asked question: "How do I make (or manage) the nutrients?" in relation to hydroponics. It has been written by horticultural experts including scientists in the field. Quite simply, you will be learning about nutrients for hydroponics and tissue culture from the very best!
There is no one size fits all approach to hydroponic or tissue culture nutrition due to the complexities involved. This publication however will best prepare you to make correct decisions as you learn more and more about the subject.
CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
- Artificial Growing
- Tissue Culture
- Hydroponics
- How Plants Uptake Nutrients
- How Plants Absorb and Use Nutrients in Hydroponics
- Hydroponics Techniques
Chapter 2: Pre-Packaged Nutrients
- Using Solid Nutrients
- Solutions and Precipitates
- Why Twin-Pack Chemicals?
- Why Single-Pack Liquid Solutions?
- Organic Solutions
Chapter 3: Chemical Components
- Types of Chemicals
- Electrical Conductivity
- The Role of pH in Hydroponics
- What Are Solutions?
- What Does a Hydroponic Nutrient Look Like?
- Writing Chemical Names
- Calculating the Amount of Nutrient in a Chemical
- Mixing Nutrients
- Hydroponic Fertiliser details
Chapter 4: Other Additives
- Introduction
- Allowable Additives for Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions
- Beneficial Trace Elements as Hydroponic Additives
- Bio-stimulants as Hydroponic Additives
- Foliar Nutrition and Foliar sprays
Chapter 5: Creating Hydroponic Nutrients
- Introduction to Basic Mixes
- Process of Making and Mixing Nutrients from Fertiliser Salts
- Example Solutions
- Nutrient Solution Formulation
- Hydroponic Nutrient Levels
- Nutrient Ratios
- Assessing a Nutrient Formulation
- Suggestions for Beginners
Chapter 6: Organic Hydroponic Nutrients
- Brief History
- Issues with Organics
- Types of Organic Systems
- Allowable Nutrient Sources and Products for Organic Production
- Making Organic Nutrient Solutions Onsite
- EC and pH Control in Organic Hydroponics
- Problems with Organic Nutrients
Chapter 7: Tissue Culture Nutrients
- Hydroponics vs. Tissue Culture
- Nutrient Supply in Tissue Culture
- A Tissue Culture Medium
- Other Additives in Tissue Culture and Hydroponics
- Organic Compounds
Chapter 8: Managing Contaminants
- Water Quality
- Disinfection Systems
- Preventing Chemical Contaminants from Leaking into the Broader Environment
Chapter 9: Testing Solutions
- Important Tests in Hydroponics
- Water Quality Tests
- Water quality test results and interpretation
- Nutrient Balance Testing: Solution Analysis
- Plant Testing: Foliar Mineral Levels
- pH Tests for Hydroponics
- EC Testing
- Automatic EC and pH testing and control
Chapter 10: Nutritional Disorders
- Nutrition Management
- Diagnosing Nutritional Stress
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Macronutrients: NPK Deficiencies and Toxicities
- Other Common Deficiencies and Toxicities
- Micronutrients
- What are the Most Common Symptoms?
- Key to Detecting Deficiencies and Toxicities
Chapter 11: Nutrient Solution and Produce Nutrition
- Examples of Nutrient Solution Manipulation and Produce Nutrition
Further reading and study