Gardening Indoors with Soil & Hydroponics (George van Patten):
Growing plants is second nature to people. In fact, people have been doing it since … there were people. For cannabis connoisseurs, the appeal of growing is irresistible for many reasons.
One is that a strain may not be available and the only way to get a hold is to order the seeds. Another is that it is fun and can result in an endless supply.
Some plants may require a different way of tending to, but at its core, they grow following the same basic principles of nature. Without experience, the next best thing is to look for resources online. But that comes at an expensive cost – time. What we mean by this is that there are far too many junks on the web that it takes time to sift through. In fact, many people end up not even understanding how to grow plants properly.
For that reason, a good option is to purchase a book that specifically shows people how to be growers. Before getting into the advanced techniques or methods, one must always begin with the basics.
One good book has to be Gardening Indoors with Soil & Hydroponics written by George F. van Patten. It is currently on its fifth edition and has been one of the best-selling books ever since the first edition published in 1986.
For more than 30 years, George has helped countless people around the world get started with gardening indoor. Even experienced growers may find the book useful as well. While much of the book is written for beginners, there remains bit and pieces of useful knowledge that can only help seasoned growers to become expert growers.
What is the Book About?
To have a better understanding of what one can gain from purchasing this book, here are the chapters.
Chapter 1 – Horticulture
- Life Cycle of Annual Vegetables and Flowers
- Germination
- Seedling Growth
- Vegetative Growth
- Mother Plants
- Taking Cuttings
- Flowering
Chapter 2 – Seeds and Seedlings
- Seeds
- Seedlings
Chapter 3 – Vegetative Growth
- Cuttings and Taking Cuttings
- Taking Cuttings: Step by Step
- Transplanting
- Transplanting: Step-by-Step
- Pruning and Bending
Chapter 4 – Flowering
- Long-day Plants
- Hermaphrodites
- Seed Crops
- Life Cycle
Chapter 5 – Harvest
Chapter 6 – Indoor Gardens and Greenhouses
- Greenhouse and Cold Frames
Chapter 7 – Light, Lamps, and Electricity
- Light, Spectrum, and Photoperiod
- Measuring Light
- Lamp Spacing
- Reflective Hoods
- Light Movers
- High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights
- Metal Halide Systems
- High-Pressure Sodium Systems
- Conversion Bulbs
- Mercury Vapor Lamps
- Fluorescent Lamps
- Compact Fluorescent Lamps
- Other Lamps
- Electricity and Safety
- Electricity Consumption
- Setting Up the HID System – Step-by-Step
Chapter 8 – Soil and Containers
- pH
- Soil Temperature
- Potting Soil
- Soil Mixes
- Containers
Chapter 9 – Water and Nutrients
- Water Quality
- Irrigation
- Misdiagnosed Disorders
- Nutrients
- Macronutrients
- Secondary Nutrients
- Micronutrients
- Fertilizers
- Additives
Chapter 10 – Hydroponic Gardening
- Hydroponics Systems
- Growing Mediums
- Hydroponic Nutrients
- Reservoirs
- Irrigation
- Nutrient Disorders
Chapter 11 – Air
- Air Movement
- Circulation
- Temperature
- Humidity
- CO2 Enrichment
- Setting Up the Vent Fan – Step-by-Step
Chapter 12 – Pests and Diseases
- Prevention and Control
- Insect Control
- Sprays and Traps, Chemical Fungicides, Insecticide, and Miticides
- Biological Controls Predators and Parasites
- Spider Mites and Insects
- Fungi and Diseases
- Spraying
Chapter 13 – Plant Selection Guide
- Ornamentals
- Orchids
- Vegetables
Appendix
- Conversion Charts and Tables
- Calculations for Metric Users
Who Is This Book For?
Admittedly, most experienced growers have no longer need to purchase a book. Because they already have more than enough experience in growing. As such, their learning curve is much lesser, and if there is anything they need to know, it should not be hard to find answers online.
But for someone who has no knowledge at all, the book is more than adequate. Granted that no book can explain everything in details, the information George provided here is a good start for those with zero knowledge at all.
After looking at the thoughts of other people who have bought this book, it is not without its own share of complaints. For instance, one clearly was not happy with the redundancy of some parts. At the same time, there were also a few who noticed the inconsistencies of information provided.
If this was a step-by-step guide meant for readers to follow the instructions to the letter, then having errors is a big no-no. However, serving as a reference for general knowledge, some of these errors may not be a big deal. Having said that, we hope that the book was updated by the author and the publisher. After all, a reference book should always provide accurate information.
At any rate, the Gardening Indoors with Soil and Hydroponics is already in its fifth edition. It is also possible that any errors found have been corrected.
Should You Buy Gardening Indoors with Soil and Hydroponics?
Another thing to consider is this. The title of the book suggests that this is focused on hydroponics. We feel that the balance of information provided tilts away from the topic itself. In other words, it could use a little more depth when it comes to covering hydroponics. One thing to note too, is that the book does not mention LED lights, a very popular choice among indoor growers today.
It is true that there are many ways or methods in hydroponics. As such, it will help if the different means are covered with more details.
Finally, Dealzer is selling it for $24.95. Compared to the cost of setting up an indoor hydroponics garden, it is not that expensive especially when considering how handy it is even without connection to the Internet (where many have learned to use as the primary source of information). Buy Gardening Indoors with Soil & Hydroponics (George van Patten) Here!
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