In the original dust jacket. Black cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

We provide an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feeling and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available. 

•         A £2 reduction when collected from FBA shop

This remains a good introduction, but once understood, move on. 

James Sholto Douglas’s Beginner’s Guide to Hydroponics (Pelham Books, 1984) is a classic introduction to soilless gardening. It emphasizes accessible, amateur setups and outlines how to grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers using water-based nutrient solutions rather than traditional soil. 

Core Concepts from the Book

• Soilless Growth: Plants are established in aggregates (such as gravel) or water and are sustained by carefully balanced nutrient solutions. 
• Setup & Maintenance: The guide details how to build inexpensive DIY home units, prepare specific chemical nutrient formulas, and maintain water quality. 
• Care Requirements: Successful cultivation depends on six main environmental factors: light, air, water, nutrients, heat, and space. 
• Pest Control: It provides troubleshooting steps to identify, manage, and prevent plant diseases and common hydroponic parasites. 

Modern Alternatives & Resources

While this 1984 edition remains a great theoretical read for hobbyists, the landscape of hydroponics has advanced, with modern systems. 

NOTE: This is an original  book from the library gathered by the famous Cambridge Don, computer scientist, food and wine connoisseur, Jack Arnold LANG. Note: Jack founded the Michelin Guide ‘Midsummer House’- Cambridge’s paramount restaurant. This dining experience is hidden amongst the grassy pastures and grazing cattle of Midsummer Common and perched on the banks of the River Cam. The Midsummer House experience is imaginatively curated to delight and amaze, so the surprise set menu changes regularly and is ‘Midsummer’s’ playground to showcase.

In 2008, Jack was one of the co-founders of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, alongside other members of the Department, and acted as the Foundation’s Chair. The project’s original goals were modest: to build and distribute low-cost computers for prospective applicants to our Computer Science degree. Initially the project was a “success disaster”, as Jack would say, as demand far outstripped the low-scale manufacturing plans. Ultimately the Raspberry Pi became the UK’s most successful computer with more than 60 million sold to date. Jack was drawn to the educational possibilities of the Raspberry Pi, its potential uses in emerging economies and the way it could support self-directed learning.