Download Ebooks Free About Hydroponics

How To Build a Hydroponic Greenhouse - Interview

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Hydroponics Videos

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- Make your own automated sprouter at home

- How does the Easy Green home sprouter work? Healthy organic sprout appliance

- The methods of growing comercial hydroponics lettuce (Discovery Channel)

- How to build a Hydroponic Greenhouse

Make your own automated sprouter at home

2009-06-10T17:18:00.005-05:00

Video - How does the Easy Green home sprouter work? Healthy organic sprout appliance

2009-06-10T17:15:00.003-05:00

HYDROPONIC LETTUCE - VIDEO

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THE METHODS OF GROWING COMERCIAL HYDROPONIC LETTUCE

WHAT IS HYDROPONICS?

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Hydroponics (from the Greek words hydro water and ponos labor) is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, or mineral wool.

Hydroponic Strawberry

Plant physiology researchers discovered in the 19th century that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water.

In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics. Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology research and teaching.

NASA researcher checking hydroponic onions with Bibb lettuce to his left and radishes to the right

STRAWBERRY GROWERS WITH HYDROPONICS

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In the world, the consumption of strawberries (and products derived from hydroponics) has increased considerably due to the change in mentality of consuming products “healthier”, “more organic”, with “less additives” however, the reality is that in the hydroponic cultivation will also use different insecticides, bactericides and others that are just easier to control and their concentrations are used in fewer opportunities due to the relative isolation that BETTER control of pests in hydroponic culture.

Strawberry grows naturally in countries with temperate, subtropical and warm temperate at high altitude. The crop is cultivated in hydroponic greenhouses in the hot weather that can be root or floating substrate (the substrate is preferred).

Click here to download the eBook "STRAWBERRY GROWERS WITH HYDROPONICS "

Tomato Pests and Diseases

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Whitefly
Whitefly are the most likely pest to affect your tomatoes. The adult flies (they look like tiny moths) lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The growing eggs feed on the leaves, leaving a sticky secretion which attracts other diseases.

As soon as you see the eggs, try spraying with water to wash them off and remove others by hand.

If the attack looks like getting out of hand, there is no alternative to spraying - your garden centre will have several types of spray available.

Click here to download the details on Control of WhiteFly.

Tomato Blight
This is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans which is also the cause of potato blight. The signs are brown marks on the leaves which quickly increase in size. If left, any developing fruit starts to turn brown and rots.

Click here to download the details on Tomato Blight, Identify and Treatment

Red Spider Mite
These are normally only a problem in dry times. The mites are not visible (they are too small), but the leaves become mottled and yellowing. The solution is is to spray the plants with a fine mist of water as often as possible - red spider mites hate moist conditions.

Click here to download the details on Red Spider Mite.

Aphids (Blackfly and Greenfly)
Planting Marigolds really does attract beneficial insects such as ladybirds and hoverflies and these love to eat blackfly. Spraying the plants with water also works - it simply knocks the blackfly off the plant. Where neither of these methods work, its down to the garden centre for a chemical spray - most work well.

Click here to download the details on Aphids.

Foot and Root Rot
Foot and Root Rot in tomatoes is often caused by irregular watering, the base and roots of the tomato plant begin to rot causing the leaves to discolour and the tomato plant may eventually collapse.

Click here to download the details on Foot and Root Rot.

Mosaic Virus
There are many varieties of mosaic virus which can affect tomatoes but they can all be identified by leaves which turn yellow, then bronze and become distorted. This is a very infectious virus which can be transmitted by humans from plant to plant.

Click here to download the details and a distinctive picture of Mosaic Virus.

Control Of Whitefly

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Trialeurodes vaporariorum - when young, they appear as small (1½mm long), scaly creatures on the underside of leaves. These scales protect them from many insecticides. The more adult whitefly look like tiny white moths, and they will make short circular flights when disturbed. They are transparent to opaque and vary in colour from creamy white through to brown.

Whitefly attacks both outdoor and greenhouse crops but they are definitely most dam

aging in the greenhouse. They are typified by small "clouds" of insects appearing when plants are touched. They leave a sticky goo on the leaves which turns black as it is infected with sooty mould.

How to Treat Whitefly

If the whitefly are attacking an outside plant then it is unlikely to be serious. Keep the plant healthy and it should shrug off the attack by itself. I you want to treat an outside plant then spray with soapy water as described below. It is also effective to use systemic pesticides (see below).

If the whitefly are attacking plants in a greenhouse then it can be serious if left to run its own course. The best course of action is to act in advance each season. Expect the whitefly attack from April onwards and act before it becomes severe. The steps for this are described below as well as how to control whitefly when the attack is more severe.

Whitefly Greenhouse Control - Act in Advance

Many whitefly are now resistant to pesticides so the best course of action is biological control combined with fly-catching sheets. The first stage in the life of whitefly is as nymphs which attach themselves to the underside of leaves. Theses nymphs can be biologically controlled by parasitic wasps. The second stage of the whitefly life is when the nymphs mature and emerge as flying whitefly. Any that get to this stage can be controlled by fly-catching sheets.

Whitefly Greenhouse Control - Biological

In late March or early April order online the parasitic wasp (encarsia formosa). If you Google the Latin name (encarsia formosa), several suppliers will appear. The wasps will eat the whitefly nymphs.

The wasps work best when they are let loose before the whitefly population is moderate. Once they have been introduced, don't spray the tomatoes with pesticides because that will kill the wasps.

Whitefly Greenhouse Control - Fly-Catching Sheets

In mid-April, buy some fly-catching sheets and hang them near your greenhouse plants. Any nymphs which are missed by the parasitic wasps above will turn into whitefly. Most of these should be caught by the fly-catching sheets.

Whitefly Greenhouse Control - Chemical

Many of the chemicals for killing whitefly, including the most effective ones, are systemic. They work because the plant absorbs the chemicals and when the whitefly feed on the leaves, they are poisoned by those chemicals. I'm not really sure that I would want to eat fruit / produce from a plant which has absorbed chemicals that kill whitefly! The biological and fly-catching sheets seem far safer.

Tomato Blight, Identify and Treatment

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The first signs of tomato blight will be on the leaves. Brown marks nearby will appear and they will spread rapidly to other leaves and plants. If the tomato plants have fruit on them at the time of infection then the next signs will be browning of the fruit which will begin to rot.

CAUSES OF TOMATO BLIGHT
It's caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans which is also the cause of Potato Blight. It's a wind and rain borne fungus. If you have an allotment the fungus will be there you can be sure of that. It is simply waiting for the correct weather conditions to spread to growing crops.

When the weather becomes warmish and wet the fungus begins to get ready to disperse on the wind and rain. I takes roughly 3 to four days of these conditions for the spores to release into the atmosphere. potatoes normally show the first signs, tomato plants next. The period of warm, wet weather necessary for the spores to become active is know as the "Mills Period".

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
There are no organic or chemical treatments which will prevent Tomato Blight. There are organic actions you can take which will lessen the risk of Tomato Blight and there are chemical sprays which can slow down its progress significantly but only if the sprays are applied beforeinfection. These are discussed below in what we believe is their order of importance.

1.- Destroy infected plants, leaves, fruits, everything. Burning them is the best way. Leave nothing form an infected plant on the ground, it may well be the cause of re-infection next year.

2.- The spread of the disease can be slowed significantly if a copper fungicide (not organic) is applied before the plants become affected. Spraying after the plants are affected is a waste of time.
The risk of Tomato Blight begins to increase significantly after 48 hours of wet and warm weather. After about 90 hours of those weather conditions, the spores will certainly begin to be airborne. This period of wet and warm weather is known as the "Mills Period".
Farmers will only spray their crops with a copper fungicide when they believe the weather is warm and wet enough for their crops to be at risk. Spraying needs to be repeated every 10 to 14 days for it to be effective.

3.- If tomato plants are not badly affected by Tomato Blight, a period of dry weather may also slow down the progress of the disease. You can help increase your chances of success against this disease if you remove and burn any leaves or fruit which appear to have tomato blight as soon as you see them. Your hope is for the weather to turn dry. Removing affected parts in combination with dry weather may slow down the infection.

How to Treat Red Spider Mite

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How To Control Red Spider Mite

RED SPIDER MITE
Tetranychus urticae - this is a very common pest which causes speckling and bronzing of the leaves. The minute Red Spider Mite are so small as to be almost invisible. They spin fine webs on the underside of the leaves. They rarely attack plants outside, mainly affecting them in protected conditions such as a greenhouse. They thrive in dry and warm conditions.

First, lower the heat a few degrees and keep the plants sprayed with a fine mist of water - especially the underside of the leaves. Rd spider mite thrive in conditions which are warm and dry.

In enclosed conditions such as greenhouses, introduce the predatory mite Phytoselius persimilis - available from many garden centres nowadays. The parasites just love to make a meal of Red Spider Mite. Do not apply pesticides after the predatory mite has been introduced because the pesticides will probably kill the mite.

The red spider mite has become almost entirely resistant to all insecticides available to the general public. However, the advice above should ensure that your plant outgrows the mite. When planted in the garden, the red spider mite will soon be overcome by natural conditions.

Aphid Control

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Aphids are one of the commonest and most troublesome of all garden insects, attacking a large number of garden plants such as the rose, many trees and vegetables. Greenfly and blackfly are aphids and they suck the sap of the plant. They are particularly attracted to young tender shoots. This causes the shoots and leaves to become distorted. It is unlikely to kill the plant, but it can seriously weaken it.

Aphid Control and Treatment

There are many species of aphids but almost all respond to the same control and treatments. A large variety of chemical sprays are available from your garden centre to treat aphids, but all will have some bad affect on other beneficial insects and wildlife.

Where edible crops are sprayed with these chemicals, some of the chemical will also remain within the flesh of the plant.

A better line of attack is to encourage other insects which feed on aphids. Research has very positively shown that planting certain plants (e.g. tagetes, calendula, poached egg plant, morning glory) near the plants which are often attacked by aphids results in much lower numbers.

The aphid's enemies include hoverflies, ladybirds, lacewings and birds.

The important point to consider with attracting beneficial insects is that those insects rely on a steady source of aphids. When the aphid population drops below a certain level, the insects will go elsewhere. This in turn will allow the aphids to multiply. The solution to this problem is the humble nettle.

There are a couple of reasons why nettles are so good for protecting your plants. Firstly, they will attract the nettle aphid which is a good source of food for lots of aphid eating insects. Nettle aphids are also one of the earliest to appear in the year which is good news for the ladybird. Nettle aphids won't attack your other plants because they only feed on nettles. So, not all aphids are bad news!

The picture on the right is of aphids colonising a plant and causing typical damage. The leaves curl inward effectively protecting the aphids from insecticidal spray.

They tend to attack tender young shoots, emerging leaves and twigs.

The commonest varieties are whitefly and greenfly. As well as causing damage on their own behalf they encourage other pests and diseases.

The reason some flowering plants help prevent aphids is clear, the plants are the feeding favourite of the hoverfly. Hoverflies have short feeding tubes and they prefer plants have flat and open flowers. This helps the hoverfly to easily reach the pollen. After feeding, the adult hoverfly will then lay her eggs on colonies of greenfly and black fly. When the eggs hatch, the resulting larvae feed on the aphids with dramatic effect! Try it, it really does work.

Other friendly ways of controlling aphids include rubbing them off with your fingers, spray them off with water and the use of insecticidal soap (a potassium-salt soap available at most garden centres). Many people have success by spraying weekly with very diluted washing up liquid - about one teaspoon of Fairy Liquid to a couple of litres of water.

Aphids breathe through their skin. Spraying with diluted washing up liquid clogs up their skin and causes them to literally suffocate. Their brains are unable to detect pain according to the majority of research, so don't worry unduly about any pain this may cause!

What To Do Whit Foot and Root Rot

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Foot and Root Rot
also called Fusarium Foot Rot

Foot and Root Rot / Fusarium Rot

Foot and Root Rot is a fungal disease that attacks a wide variety of plants, trees and vegetables. For plants and vegetables it can be caused by a wide variety of fungi including species of Fusarium, Phytophthora, Pythium.

The fungi cause the stem base and roots to rot causing the leaves to become discoloured. The rot at the base of the plant spreads up the main stem discolouring that as well. If the disease progresses the plant collapses completely.

The fungus is normally introduced to an area by the introduction of a plant which is already infected although it can be bought in on garden implements and machinery. Occasionally this garden pest is introduced with new soil which is already infected.

Once in your soil, the garden disease Foot and Root Rot can over winter for several years as spores. It is very difficult, if not impossible to remove it completely.

Conditions Which Cause Foot and Root Rot
There are two main causes of the garden pest Foot and Root Rot. Firstly, warm damp conditions especially if followed by cold dry conditions. Secondly, growing plants too closely which traps in damp and prevents free circulation of air.

What To Do?
First, there is no effective treatment, chemical or otherwise. Prevention is the key, sow or plant at recommended distances apart. Do not over-apply nitrogen rich fertilisers, this only encourages excessive leaf growth which makes plants more vulnerable. Buy plants and seeds from good sources to avoid bringing in the infection. Crop rotation will also help to avoid this disease.

Burn infected plants and clear the area of all debris from the plants. Don't plant the same crop on infected areas for many years. Use the infected area for plants which are not affected by this disease. Foot and Root Rot (Fusarium) affects a large number of vegetables and fruit.

How To Identify and treat Tomato Plant Mosaic Virus

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How To Identify Tomato Plant Mosaic Virus

There are many viruses which can attack your vegetables and the mosaic virus is becoming more common each year. The key sign is mottled areas of yellow leaves which at the same time become distorted. See the picture below and click on it for a larger picture. It mainly affects tomato and cucumber plants.

The tomato plant picture on the left

(click it to enlarge it) shows the distinctive yellow leaves which are almost bronze in colour when the disease is advanced.

There are many variations of mosaic virus, spotted wilt, streak, fern leaf to name but a few. They have slightly different symptoms but all can be identified but the distinctive yellowing leaves.

How to Treat Mosaic Virus

There is no known cure, but all is not necessarily lost. Some advice is to dig up the plant and burn it but that advice is now generally thought to be out of date. Mosaic virus is transmitted from plant to plant in two key ways, by insects and by you, the gardener. Both result in the same symptoms of yellow leaves.

The virus won't kill your plant, it will reduce it's vigour and ability to produce crops. So, if you want to keep your plant then follow the steps below.

1. After handling a plant with mosaic

virus always wash your hands thoroughly before touching another plant. This will stop the disease being transmitted to your other plants

2. Try and leave tending to plants with any sign of the disease to the last, especially when removing yellow leaves as described below.

3. Remove all yellowing or bronzed leaves and put them away for burning.

4. Make sure that infected plants are well watered and well fed but not overfed.

If you take the steps above, the plants will recover a lot of their vigour, the yellow leaves will slowly reduce and the danger of cross-infection will be minimal. Clear up all debris during the season and especially at the end of the season, no signs of infected leaves should be left on the soil.

Next season, definitely don't plant tomatoes or cucumbers in the same area again. If you are using a greenhouse, remove all the top soil and replace it with new soil. Increasing the temperature in the greenhouse above 24°C (75°F) has been proven to reduce the effects of mosaic virus.

History of Hydroponics

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Hydroponics basically means working water ("hydro" means "water" and "ponos" means "labor"). Many different civilizations have utilized hydroponic growing techniques throughout history. As noted in Hydroponic Food Production (Fifth Edition, Woodbridge Press, 1997, page 23) by Howard M. Resh: "The hanging gardens of Babylon,

the floating gardens of the Aztecs of Mexico and those of the Chinese are examples of 'Hydroponic' culture. Egyptian hieroglyphic records dating back several hundred years B.C. describe the growing of plants in water." Hydroponics is hardly a new method of growing plants. However, giant strides have been made over the years in this innovative area of agriculture.

Throughout the last century, scientists and horticulturists experimented with different methods of hydroponics. One of the potential applications of hydroponics that drove research was for growing fresh produce in nonarable areas of the world. It is a simple fact that some people cannot grow in the soil in their area (if there is even any soil at all). This application of hydroponics was tested during World War II. Troops stationed on nonarable islands in the Pacific were supplied with fresh produce grown in locally established hydroponic systems. Later in the century, hydroponics was integrated into the space program. As NASA considered the practicalities of locating a society on another plant or the Earth's moon, hydroponics easily fit into their sustainability plans. This research is ongoing.

But by the 1970s, it wasn't just scientists and analysts who were involved in hydroponics. Traditional farmers and eager hobbyists began to be attracted to the virtues of hydroponic growing. A few of the positive aspects of hydroponics include:

The ability to produce higher yields than traditional, soil-based agriculture
Allowing food to be grown and consumed in areas of the world that cannot support crops in the soil
Eliminating the need for massive pesticide use (considering most pests live in the soil), effectively making our air, water, soil, and food cleaner

Commercial growers are flocking to hydroponics like never before. The ideals surrounding these growing techniques touch on subjects that most people care about, such as helping end world hunger and making the world cleaner. In addition to the extensive research that is going on, everyday people from all over the world have been building (or purchasing) their own systems to grow great-tasting, fresh food for their family and friends. Educators are realizing the amazing applications that hydroponics can have in the classroom. And ambitious individuals are striving to make their dreams come true by making their living in their backyard greenhouse, selling their produce to local markets and restaurants.

And now that so many people from so many different walks of life are involved in hydroponics and its associated disciplines (such as aeroponics and aquaponics), progress is coming faster than ever before.

DOWNLOAD HYDROPONICS EBOOKS

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Greetings to begin downloading the Ebooks, you that clicking on the links or items that you interest, you must click on the part that says "Regular Download" to start downloading the file your computer, just choose the location where file is saved and you can start learn about hydroponics.

Click here to download the eBook "STRAWBERRY GROWERS WITH HYDROPONICS "

Click here to download the eBook "WHAT IS A SUBSTRATE AND WHAT BENEFITS THAT HAVE"

Click Here To Download The EBook "EASY GARDENING FOR HYDROPONICS"

Click here to download the eBook "Selecting the Best Material for a Greenhouse"

Click here to download the eBook "Conditions of the Construction of Greenhouses"

THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVE AND SUBSTRATE

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THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVE AND SUBSTRATE

This Ebook as its name says, teaches us what is a substrate, their advantages, their properties, different types of substrates, conditions that should apply some type of substrates for each crop, sorting, and selecting the best and the quantities used for each stage of the crop.

Click here to download the eBook "IS A SUBSTRATE AND BENEFITS THAT HAVE"

EASY GARDENING FOR HYDROPONICS

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In this Ebook you will learn the following objectives

1. To be able to set up one or more of the various

hydroponic systems.

2. To be able to maintain the hydroponic system(s).

3. To be aware of the advantages and disadvantages

of the various hydroponic systems.

4. To be aware of the different media used in

hydroponics.

5. To understand nutrient elements and solution pH.