Hydroponics Daily

Dr. Russell Sharp explains why bootstrapping is the best route for many hydroponic ventures, emphasizing unique products, testing market demand, and protecting cash flow. He warns against offering customer credit—suggesting pro forma payments and using strong order books to secure bank loans if scaling is needed—plus practical tips for long-term sustainability. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertilise...

Dr. Russell Sharp breaks down how water is controlled in hydroponic systems: pressure‑regulated drippers set the flow rate, spikes only deliver the water, and solenoid valves control timing. He explains why pipe size matters little, how blockage and water hardness affect drippers, and why pH or RO water are common choices. This short episode also previews dosing and fertigation meters to be covere...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores Egypt’s push into large-scale greenhouse and hydroponic production, driven in part by the military, and compares it to Morocco’s desalination-led expansion of fresh produce. The episode covers greenhouse construction, water supply challenges, berry and high-value crop ambitions, and how military involvement affects local agriculture and supply chains. It examines implica...

Dr. Russell Sharp explains why you should drastically reduce or stop fertilizing perennial crops during winter dormancy or cold storage. Plants take up little or no nutrients in cold conditions, and added nitrogen—especially ammonium—can convert to toxic nitrites that harm cellular respiration, photosynthesis and root health. He recommends dialling fertiliser back to near zero during dormancy, avo...

In this episode Dr. Russell Sharp explores leasing and rental business models for hydroponic systems—ranging from small kitchen towers to commercial vertical farms—covering potential revenue streams, financing advantages, turnkey options for growers, and the practical risks involved. He highlights examples from the industry, discusses who benefits from rentals, and invites listeners to share their...

Dr. Russell Sharp of Utrema discusses a striking Facebook post—an AI image of rat droppings on an NFT lettuce system—and asks whether rodents are a real threat in hydroponics. The episode covers the main risks rodents pose: disease transmission (salmonella, leptospirosis, hantavirus), contamination of recirculating fertigation solutions, crop damage, and quality/safety losses. Practical control ad...

Host Dr Russell-Sharp of Hydroponics Daily explores how hydroponics and vertical farming are widely used by non-food companies; especially cosmetics and fragrance brands, to grow active ingredients, herbs, and flowers for skincare and perfumes. The episode highlights companies in France, the US, and South Korea (including L'Oréal, Ule, Plant Advanced Technologies, and Therminic) and points out sur...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores crops that struggle outdoors in the UK due to short, cool seasons and shows how hydroponics or protected cultivation can make them viable. He discusses sweet potato slips, cotton, jute, castor bean, rice trials, peanuts, melons, chillies and more, plus business opportunities for growers and the effects of climate change on crop potential. Listeners will learn which crops...

Dr. Russell Sharp tours botanical gardens around the world that feature hydroponic and aquaponic displays, from Pittsburgh and Dallas to Bethlehem, Malaysia, Dresden, Baghdad, and Irkutsk. The episode highlights these sites as educational and STEM-focused exhibits, emphasizes hydroponics' water-saving benefits, and invites listeners to suggest other gardens for future episodes. https://eutrema.co....

Dr Russell Sharp of Hydroponics Daily explores cardoon, a giant thistle related to globe artichoke, as a lucrative hydroponic crop ideal for small to medium grow rooms and a strong alternative to cannabis. He outlines the crop’s fast growth and large biomass, year‑round production potential under controlled conditions, easy propagation from rhizomes, and culinary demand from Lyonnaise and Michelin...

Dr. Russell Sharp shares a practical hack to dramatically reduce pesticide and biocontrol costs by culturing predatory mites on bran or pollen. This method lets growers seed a small container with purchased predatory mites, grow their prey mites on a feedstock, and maintain a self-sustaining predatory population to protect crops. Key steps and precautions: buy untreated bran from an animal feed st...

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how to keep hydroponic solutions pH-stable, the role of balanced nitrates and ammonium, and how chemical buffers prevent pH swings. The episode also covers other pH drivers, including microbial activity, sugary additives, water hardness and plant exudates, and offers practical tips for consistent fertigation management. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-u...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores how the weight of hydroponic systems affects portability, stability, thermal buffering and practical uses—from classrooms and balconies to cruise ships and space missions.   He compares lightweight NFT setups (easy to move, low structural load) with heavy DWC reservoirs (thermal stability, theft resistance, backup water) and offers examples to help growers decide which a...

Dr. Russell Sharp of Hydroponics Daily explores how fast food chains, from McDonald’s to Subway and Taco Bell, consume enormous volumes of fresh produce and the opportunities this creates for hydroponic growers. The episode covers surprising consumption figures, examples of high-demand chains, tips on targeting alternative buyers beyond supermarkets, and a note on Eutrema Ltd’s expansion to sell f...

Dr. Russell Sharp makes the case for bootstrapping hydroponic businesses instead of taking big external investment, arguing that self-funding preserves control, motivation, creativity and long-term sustainability. He explains how serendipitous innovation, family-owned advantages, and low-cost organic marketing let smaller operations grow responsibly and adaptively, offering practical examples and...

Dr. Russell Sharp breaks down a candid interview with Equilibrium Capital's Dave Chen on the challenges of financing and scaling controlled environment agriculture (CEA). He covers why large capital requirements, post‑COVID funding shifts, and supermarket relationships make leafy‑green CEA a high‑risk, high‑scale business. The episode also explores niche crop opportunities, the power of cooperativ...

Dr. Russell Sharp explains how to use store-bought seeds, rhizomes and tubers—like spelt, mung beans, turmeric, ginger, galangal, sweet potatoes and more—as propagation material for hydroponic crops and microgreens. He covers practical tips (avoid roasted seeds, look for buds, and watch for disease risks), nutrient considerations for rhizomes, and money-saving business ideas such as producing swee...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores recent research showing that hyperspectral leaf scans combined with machine learning can predict cannabinoid concentrations in legal cannabis before harvest, and outlines a new technique that could let standard smartphone cameras act like hyperspectral sensors using a reference card and software. The episode covers practical applications for growers and breeders; from pr...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores how widespread use of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs (soon available orally) could reduce overall calorie intake and shift demand across crop types. He outlines the likely big losers (corn/maize, soybeans, sugar, palm oil) and relative winners (pulses, fibre‑rich fruits and vegetables, premium proteins), as well as crops likely to remain stable (rice, wheat, tubers) and non‑foo...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores a controversial strategy where entire growing regions pause production for 20–30 days to break pest life cycles — using crop removal, soil solarization and biological controls. He compares past field-crop proposals to recent plans in Almería to tackle thrips and discusses the economic pain, possible aid, and whether coordinated shutdowns could work for other crops. The e...

Dr. Russell Sharp dives into the unique world of vanilla: an orchid vine that requires delicate, manual pollination outside its native range, long development times, and careful curing. Learn why vanilla farming is labor-intensive, how hydroponic tower systems are being used, and what breeders are doing to improve resilience and pollination. https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique...

Dr. Russell Sharp explores plants and crops that tolerate very alkaline soils and how that knowledge applies to hydroponic systems. The episode covers common tolerant crops (barley, sugar beet, cotton, sorghum, alfalfa, buffalo/Bermuda grass) and highly tolerant species like Atriplex as a possible spinach substitute in high‑pH water. Practical tips include expected pH ranges, when alkalinity and s...

In this short episode Dr. Russell Sharp explores which crops naturally prefer acidic conditions and explains why, when grown hydroponically, they are typically kept around pH 5.0–5.5 rather than the much lower soil pH they prefer. He covers examples like blueberries, cranberries, pineapple, tea and potatoes, and explains the roles of nutrient availability, soil biology and fertilizer practicality....

Host Dr. Russell Sharp explores why some hydroponic systems use large grow media slabs (like rockwool) while others rely on bare-root NFT with small plugs, explaining the advantages and drawbacks for crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and herbs. The episode also includes a special offer: UK-based professional growers can request free samples of selected Eutrema biostimulants and biopestici...

In this episode Dr. Russell Sharp of Hydroponics Daily explores the rising use of hydroponics to grow avocados in Mexico. He explains the common systems (air pots, coco, drip irrigation), the reasons growers are switching, and the practical challenges of a perennial crop. Key topics include temperature and frost sensitivity, drainage and Phytophthora root rot, nutrient and pH needs, the unusual A/...