Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Understanding Hydroponics: Mark Anderson
Understanding Hydroponics: Mark Anderson
UNDERSTANDING HYDROPONICS
By:
Mark Anderson
Larry Bloom
Charles Queen
Mona Ruttenberg
Kristine Stroad
Samart Sukanit
Dan Thomas
Technical Reviewers:
Ralph P. Prince
Walter G. Rosen
Ronald A. Stanley
Published by:
Telephone 703/276-1800
Cable VITAINC
Facsimile 703/243-1865
ISBN: 0-886619-282-4
IREFACE
5,000 hours of their time. VITA staff included Suzanne Brooks and
Walter Rosen and Ronald Stanley are also VITA Volunteers. Dr.
UNDERSTANDING HYDROPONICS
I. INTRODUCTION
the plants are usually grown in "growing beds" that may be filled
with gravel or sand or other material, and they get the nutrients
Some of
the important advantages of successful hydroponics over
in soil culture;
concentrated;
is much smaller;
homes to grow a few crops for home use. In cold climates, large
providing high
quality, out of season produce. A hydroponics
locally-built
screened structure to give a growing environment
that can be kept free from insects and other pests and reduce
1
Hydroponics is intensive agriculture that makes sense in a world
locally-produced food.
any climate can use the basic theories contained here, but may
Site Selection
shipment of produce;
thatch roof to provide partial shading and a dirt floor with pits
the foundation.
2
In cold climates, a greenhouse makes possible year-round cultiva
tion. In a climate with hot days and cool nights, the greenhouse
from cold at night, but reduces heat and humidity during the
day.
shown
in Figure 1.
/ I'
/ /
~AT / /
I, /
S. ,,
5$5T
Figure 1.
Position of Greenhouse (Northern Hemisphere)
In designing
the interior of a greenhouse, first consider
the
made
gutters:
3
o They require less land area than detached greenhouses;
snow
from the gutters between connected greenhouses. (Heat lines
can be placed under the gutters to melt the snow.) Office and
plastic and are flexible enough to fit into curved frames. Mylar
maximum of a year and a half. Fiberglass with Mylar can last 15
20 years. Glass can also be used, and lasts much longer than even
or polyethylene.
Whatever the material, it is recommended that
double layers are used; the air between the layers acts as in
sulation and reduces heat loss.
Acrylic sheets can be used for the greenhouse side walls and some
parts of the end walls. Acrylic sheets are stiff, are highly
one foot (30 cm) below the frost line in cold climates.
to fan jets (see Figure 2), which hang between them. The
distribute the warm air through a polyethylene fans
Thermostats
should be located
at the height pattern.
of the plants, to
QN4IT HE-E
normal
ceiling
o Exchange air to
renew the supply o'r carbon
dioxide for photo
synthesis; and
NOF\TH
- - - - - - - - - -
GAS PIRE
UNIT -JrAT-.
X WAU4T
F. N T .. . . . .. .A N
30 'a
F'L' TIJ5E-------------------------------
3 QL PAD L
..................................
7 IN PATHWAY'
into the greenhouse. The cool air must pass in a smooth stream
A 30-inch (76 cm) fan 'is hung between two unit heaters (where
needed). The fan blows air into the polyethylene tube, which is
attached to the fan jet. The air blown into the tube may come
air is
water in the pads absorbs heat from the air passing through.
air coming in to the greenhouse can be as much as 10 The
to 25 de
grees Fahrenheit (5 to 15
degrees Centigrade) cooler
than the
of 12
overheat
ing due to excessive natural sunlight will often be
a more
seri
ous problem and shading has to be provided.
The growing
beds in the sample greenhouse are constructed
fiberglass, 25
feet (7.6 m) long, three feet (91 cm) wide, of
inches
(25 cm) deep. nhe beds are placed in clusters of and 10
(5 cm high
under
neath can also be used for growing. The bottom of each bed
be sloped for good drainage. Beds may also
be made should
of
concrete, or metal, but
should be painted with a high-grade
wood,
asphalt-base paint
on the inside. Porcelain, pottery,
or glass
problems
solution or
be taken up by the plant roots and stunt
the crop.
to grow
in such a medium.
of young
by flush
ing
with a large amount of near-sterile water (for
example,
be used since zinc from the galvanizing will cause trouble with
grower has greater control over the contents. The grower can
water, etc.
Thousands
of different chemical combinations have been used
Sodium
Potassium
sulphate Potassium
Sulphur $0.20
72.2 $ 14.44
Super- Phosphorus,
Magnesium
Iron Iron
Manganese
Zinc
sulphate Zinc
$0.26 2.5
$ 0.65
Copper
sulphate Copper
$0.88
2.5 $ 2.20
$124.22
be
usable, but can cause many prc. ms. Most animal manures contain
the
intended crop.
weeks. In
areas with lower humidity more solution should be
used
material. Several
mixes may need to be made to complete
solution change. It is wise to mix up a little extra solution the
in
case
of spills or other accidents. You will need enough nutrient
to the roots of the plants. The growing beds are flooded one
three times a day for half an hour. After flooding, the liquid to
is
by a
of six
growing beds
(see Figures 4 and 5). This automatic system
the timing and amount of nutrient solution delivered, ensures
and reduces
labor costs.
are used.
A larger tank is at
the lower end of the beds, below
ground. It
the begin
ning.
be one inch
t2r2
10
1' 1
ro~~? W;A VP V
IN 'TANK VIJ1
the weather.
If three irrigations
a day are done, the first should be between
seven and nine o'clock in the morning, the second one between
ten
and twelve o'clock, and the third between two and four o'clock
in
from the pump and attaching it to tubing through which the solu
tion would be pumped out to the sewer, or into the ground, away
11
Pest Control
are not the problem they are in soil culture. Plants would be
to the greenhouse or building. This will help kill pests that arB
area. If the pests are fairllr large and/or immobile, they can be
crops, steps will have to be taken to prevent the same thing from
Two pesticides that are fairly safe for plants and humans may be
12
Equipment Costs
needed.
III. PRODUCE
Plan your crops to make the most use of space. Plant root crops
next to
leafy crops, and short, leafy vegetables in the partial
following reasons:
Information
on crops selected for production in a commercial
hydroponics greenhouse in
the United States is included here
as
as are a crop rotation chart (Figure 6), the planting and har
vesting schedule (Figure 7), and the layout of the crops within
feet (49.3 m) long. Each growing bed is three feet (91 cm) wide
beds, and the greenhouse has a center aisle six feet (1.8
m)
wide.
of tomatoes
is a good choice, since most tomatoes are shipped
from a great distance and are picked when hard and green. Hydro
13
AUG.
JULY
Lettuce (1)
Lettuce (1)
SEPT.
JUNE
Honeydew (1)
OCT.
MAY
May 15
Honeydew (2)
NOV.
APRIL
DEC.
MAR.
Tomatoes (1) Tomatoes (2)
Tomatoes (3)
Honeydew (1)
JAN.
FEB.
Jan. 15
TRANSITION
Tomatoes (3) 1
Lettuce (5)
Figure 6:
Crop Rotation Chart
-Planting
Harvesting
CROPS
MONTHS
Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. jani. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. July
TOMATOES -
LETTUCE
HONEYDEW -
ROSES
SEEDLINGS
MUSHROOMS
._
-__BEDS
GRAVEL
6" MAIN
PATHWAT
36
138,240
Tomato seeds are sown directly into the gravel in the beds.
Fahren
heit (20-25 Celsius) during the day, and 65
(17 Celsius)
in the
fluore
scent lights
are used over the beds whenever the sun
is not
pro
duction in minimum space.
period of from 80 to
130 days after planting, harvesting
is done
every other week. After the harvest period, the tomato plants
are
of nu
trients is very carefully measured and fed
to the beds.
consideration is that
the lettuce receive enough light. The only
Each
therefore be grown easily between and below the other and can
crops.
little
(US$)
Tomatoes 16 lbs.
32 plants 270 138,240 lbs. 45,619
17
sq.ft. bed
more
planting the seed. Harvesting takes place over a two week period.
of 75
toma
toes. The melons are sent to
market in two shipments, one
per
week.
two
shelves with a heavy wire mesh. Two crops are produced a year.
weeks.
After that, the trays can be filled. For one week they are
to "sweat out."
During this time the temperature of the left
compost
18
weeks. After that, the trays should be covered with one inch (2.5
time the trays are filled, there is a two month growing period.
The compost and soil material left over from the mushroom produc
tion is used for the production of seedlings. One whole section
hie beds.
local gardeners tend to buy as plants rather than grow from seed
the production of tomatoes. Six growing beds are used for the
for broccoli, two cauliflower, two cabbage, one for melons, one
Seven beds are for red roses, one is for yellow, and one pink.
percent pink. Each bush produces two roses four times a year, for
by pruning and pinching at the right times. The rose bushes need
In addition to
roses, the greenhouse is experimenting with other
last a lcng time. They grow three feet high, and like a lot of
19
materials.
and marketed, and the composition and sources for the nutrient
IV. MARKETING
delay.
is expensive.
known and is popular with buyers for its excellent flavor, good
out in the wholesale market and move into the retail market as
20
be shipped.
V. ORGANIZATION
appropriate.
o M
anager--responsible for purt
asing, public relations, sales,
and personnel;
o
Laborer--maintaining the plants and
growing beds, harvesting,
o
Bookkeeping or accounting services may also be needed.
Box 548
P.O. Box 23
21
22
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hill, 1973.
Publishers, 1976.
Publishers, 1977.
Environmental
Control, Materials Handling, Crop Programming,
Marvel, M.E.
Hydroponic Culture of Vegetable Crops. Gainesville,
1966.
Press, 1978.
1973.
Parsins, R.
Small Plastic Greenhouses. Berkeley: University of
23
Turner, W.I.
and Henry, V.M. Growing Plants in Nutrient Solu
tions. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1939.
24