Teaching Choral Concepts

Review

     This unique and valuable book tells how to build and enjoy a simple, low-cost hydroponic garden in your home using easily-obtained materials. It shows how to construct growing trays, prepare an inexpensive watering system, install the fluorescent lighting typically utilized in home indoor gardens, and how to mix the proper plant nutrients. 

The author tells how to plant many garden vegetables, suggesting proper location, spacing, timing, and recommending fast-growing varieties that thrive in indoor-garden installations. He explains the process of pollination so well any amateur can master the techniques involved. Drawing from his many years of indoor-gardening experience, he treats specialty subjects such as tomato and cucumber culture and herb gardening. He also provides charts and guidance concerning critical factors such as optimum growing temperatures, ph tolerance levels, and basic plant structures. 

A significant contribution of the book is a thought-provoking chapter entitled "Survival Preparedness and the Indoor Garden." The author ponders the lasting effects of various emergency situations that might arise which could make outdoor gardening impractical. He tells how to enlarge the indoor system and garden using natural lighting. He suggests techniques for storing seeds and other supplies to be used if emergencies arise, and tells how to replenish seed supplies from the plants themselves. 

Indoor Vegetable Gardening is a practical approach for the gardening hobbiest or for people wishing to supplement their diet with fresh-grown food year-round. It is complete, simple and profound--a book with all the necessary answers to open up this fascinating hobby, even for the inexperienced beginner. 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments, 5

Preface, 11

1. What to Grow in and Why, 13
Gravel As a Growing Medium, 15

2. Garden Construction, 17
Selection of Growing Lays, 17
Irrigating Equipment, 18
Fittings Needed, 18
Assembly, 20
Assembling the Hose Fitting, 21
Drilling the Irrigation Bucket, 22
Attaching Hoses, 22
Why Not One Big Growing Bed?, 24

3. Basement Gardening by Artificial Lights, 26
First, the Growing Benches, 26
Garden Lighting, 27
Types of Fluorescent Tubes, 28
Timing the Light Cycle, 30
Hanging the Lights Over Your Garden, 32
The Economics of Artificial-Light Gardening, 34
A.Cost, 34
Energy Conservation, 35
Lighting Timers, 36
B. Returns in Production, 37
C. Aesthetics of Indoor Gardening, 38
Planting the Basement Garden, 39

4. Air, Water and Nutrients, 44
What Vegetables Eat and Why, 44
Air, 44
Water, 45
Nutrients, 46
Nutrient Measurement, 48
Water-soluble Commercial Garden Formulas, 48
Which Nutrient Formulas to Buy, 49
Hydroculture Nutrient Formulas, 49
Mixing Your Own Nutrient, 50
Nutrient Formula, 50
Forced Feeding, 51
Foliar Feeding, 52
Acidity and Alkalinity, 52
Preparing the Nutrient Solution, 53
What Is Really Natural?, 54

5. Natural-Light Gardens, 56
Window Boxes,57
Patios and Sunrooms, 57
Inexpensive Container Designs, 58
Grass or Grain Planters, 60
Special Designs, 61
Natural-Light Supplements, 62
Vegetables to Grow in Sunny Windows, 63

6. Plant Spacing and Pruning, 66
Gauge Plant Spacing by the Size of Mature Plants, 66
Changing the Feeding Cycle Affects Plant Growth, 67
Provide Support for Tall Plants, 68
Prune Carefully for Healthy Growth,71

7. Pollination,72
Plants Not Requiring Pollination, 72
Plants You Do Pollinate, 73
Plants Which Produce Fruit from Flowers Without Pollination, 73
Imperfect Flowers, 73
Perfect Flowers, 74
Parts of a Flower, 75
Recognizing Imperfect Flowers, 78
Pollinating Imperfect Flowers, 80
What Happens After Pollination?, 82
Conclusion, 83

8. Tomato and Cucumber Culture, 84
Supporting the Tomato Plant, 85
Blossom Set and Pollination, 85
Training the Vine, 86
Cycles of the Tomato Plant, 88
Planting Second, Third and Fourth Crops, 89
Natural Growth Controls, 89
Cherry Tomatoes and Patio Varieties, 90
Tomato Varieties for Indoor Gardening, 91
Cucumber Culture, 91
Care of Cucumber Plants, 93
Cucumber Varieties for Indoor Gardening, 94

9. Garden Housekeeping, 95
Sanitizing the Growing Area, 95
Sanitizing the Growing Beds, 95
People and Pets, 96
Indoor Environment, 96
Insect Pests that Thrive Indoors,97
Pest Prevention and Control, 99

10. Guides for Indoor Vegetable Gardeners, 101
Glossary of Terms, 101
Alphabetical Index of Vegetables Best Suited for Indoor Culture, 102
Herb Gardens, 112
Herbs From Cuttings and Root Divisions, 113
Guide to pH Tolerance in Vegetable Plants, 113
Temperature Requirements of Vegetable Plants, 114

11. Plant Structures: Classification and Structural Fundamentals of Flowering
Vegetable Plants, 116
Classification, 116
Root Structure, 117
The Stem and Branches, 118
Leaf Structure, 119
The Terminal Bud, 119
Flowers, 120

12. Automating the Indoor Garden, 122
Timing System, 123
Pumping System, 123
Construction, 123
Controlling Excessive Pump Pressure, 125
Nutrient Temperature, 125
Improving Low Temperatures, 127
Automating Temperature Control, 127
Trickle Irrigation System, 127
Method of Operation, 128
Trickle Growing Tray Construction, 128
Siphon Flooding, 129

13. Survival Preparedness and the Indoor Garden, 130
Storage Supplies for a 24-Tray Preparedness Garden, 133
Garden Equipment, 133
Auxiliary Supplies, 134
Nutrients and Liquids, 134
Measuring Equipment, 135
Pest Control Supplies, 135
Optional Special Supplies, 136
Seed Starting, 136
Window Gardens, 136
Mirror Tiles, 136
Plastic Sheeting, 137
Storage of Seeds, 138
Replenishing Seed Supply, 139
Vegetable Seeds, 140

Glossary of Terms, 144
Index, 155

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