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Welcome to Dr. Howard Resh’s Website, Hydroponic Services
Howard M. Resh (PhD) – Background & Points of View
Howard Resh became involved with hydroponics in the early 1970’s while a graduate student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Upon graduation in 1975, Dr. Resh taught at the University of British Columbia for three years. But his interest was always in the commercial application of hydroponics. As a result, he became involved in hydroponic projects throughout the World including countries as Canada, United States, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Venezuela, Tortola and Anguilla. He has been instrumental in designing both outdoor and greenhouse hydroponic systems. He has developed new systems of hydroponic culture of watercress in California at California Watercress, Inc. Rice-hull culture of herbs was applied in California. He established tropical applications of hydroponics in the growing of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in rice-hull/coco-coir substrates in Venezuela with Hidroponias Venezolanas, SA. An ebb-and-flow water culture system of watercress was developed in Venezuela.
Hydroponics & the Hospitality Industry
He is presently working with Cuisinart Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla, British West Indies in the Caribbean growing lettuce, herbs, bok choy, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers with various hydroponic cultures including raft culture, NFT, perlite bato buckets, and plant towers using perlite. This hydroponic farm is part of the hotel-resort complex that provides fresh salad crops to the hotel restaurants.
It is Dr. Resh’s belief that hydroponics will be used more in areas of the Caribbean having large tourist industries. Water is scarce on many of the islands having more favorable climatic conditions, so with the generation of fresh water from the sea water through a reverse osmosis process the water must be conserved in the growing of plants using hydroponic techniques. Islands having drier climates with the generation of fresh water provide opportunities for hydroponic production that may be exported to neighboring islands and cruise ships.
Future of Hydroponics
Large commercial greenhouse operations will continue to expand in high sunlight, desert areas that have adequate underground water. Areas of expected expansion in the future include southern Spain, Morocco, Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Popular hydroponics will become commonplace in low-income communities of Mexico, Central and South America in providing more nutritious foods in these areas. As the standard of living improves in many of these countries commercial hydroponics will develop on a large scale.
The author continues to consult internationally on the development of hydroponics under diversified conditions and challenging growing environments where opportunities for hydroponic culture exist.