Eric Hopper
Writer, Consultant, Product Tester
Eric Hopper’s past experiences within the indoor gardening industry include being a hydroponic retail store manager and owner. Currently, he works as a writer, consultant and product tester for various indoor horticulture companies. His inquisitive nature keeps him busy seeking new technologies and methods that could help maximize a garden’s performance.
For a soil to really help plants and crops maximize growth and production, essential elements and nutrients are required.
Finding the ideal operating temperature is one way growers can help ensure growth rates and bountiful harvests.
Your crops are on a killer nutrition regimen and living in an indoor growroom with on-point lighting, temperature, and humidity. What’s the next step towards getting...
While most growers know dissolved oxygen is important to have in their hydro systems, they do not really understand what it is or why it’s so important to the health and...
If you really want to champion a high-yield garden, provide them with the right nutrients during the right cycles.
Maximum Yield contributor Eric Hopper knew Subcool over the years and shares some stories and insights about Subcool’s passion for marijuana.
When it comes to indoor horticulture, maximizing the available light energy is the key to success. The more efficiently the light energy is used, the better the yield...
Considering switching to hydroponics? Having a good understanding of how the different hydro systems work will help you get the best results possible.
When fungi problems strike in the vegetable garden, the results can be catastrophic. Eric Hopper has the latest on organic solutions that allow growers the option of...
For an indoor gardener to have a perpetually successful garden, they must first become successful at cloning.
The most successful indoor growers take full advantage of the elevated degree of control over the growing environment by maintaining a perpetual garden. This means...
An ebb and flow hydroponic system maximizes nutrient uptake and available oxygen in the root zone. Here's how these systems work and why this method of hydroponic...
You may be surprised to learn there are several different materials you can glaze your greenhouse with.
Although erratic light cycles will most likely stress the plants and cause undesirable effects, there are some indoor horticulturists who achieve success with alternate...
A healthy root system depends on beneficial microorganisms that live in the rhizosphere. In learning which products and techniques best mimic, supplement or enhance...
There are more than 50 different species of botrytis, also known as gray or brown mold, which can wreak havoc on numerous plants, including ornamentals, fruits and...
Keeping the air fresh and clean in your growroom will not only protect your plants from pathogens and pests, it will help keep your equipment working at optimum...
Hydroponic nutrients, like indoor gardening hardware, have evolved immensely over the last 10 years. There have been major breakthroughs in the methods used to extract,...
While designed for indoor growing, outdoor hydroponic systems can provide solutions to problems such as diminishing arable land, water shortages, and food security. Eric...
Indoor growers in colder climates can benefit from heat generated by grow lights and use the excess warmth to save money. Eric Hopper explains how to recycle the heat...
The first step to a healthy, vibrant indoor garden is to build a growroom with the hardware required to ensure plants are supplied with the essential elements for growth...
Getting the nutrient solution just right is important to ensure a successful, thriving garden. Read on to learn how to make your hydroponic nutrient reservoir the best...
Preventing pathogens and pests that could destroy an otherwise healthy crop is something every indoor horticulturist should focus on, says Eric Hopper.
You can’t see it and you don’t even know it’s there—but the dissolved oxygen in your water supply is critical to maintaining the health and vitality of your pl
One of the best natural pesticides a grower can use against pest insects is a naturally occurring bacteria called bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Eric Hopper explains why...
Air purification is one of the most overlooked variables of an indoor garden because most airborne pathogens are invisible, but ignoring this factor could invite all...
There are few things as troubling as discovering an insect infestation in an otherwise flawless garden. Once discovered, a grower must immediately launch a...
Nutrient flushing is an important, relatively simple, and all too often misunderstood technique that should be used by just about every grower.
A multi-tiered set-up in an indoor garden or greenhouse can best utilize light and make the most of floor space, but configuration takes some careful planning. Eric...
Using light deprivation can speed up plant growth and flowering by helping control the photoperiod but, as Eric Hopper tells us, you need to know how to cool your...
Enzymes play a major role in plant health as they can increase nutrient uptake and help protect roots from pathogens. Eric Hopper explains why these tiny catalysts work...
Just like your real mother, you should be kind to your mother plants by caring for them and making sure they have whatever they need.
In the United States, every fertilizer label on store shelves must contain five key components: the brand, the grade, a guaranteed analysis, the net weight and the name...
The most common types of beneficial micro-organisms used by indoor growers can be broken down into three categories: beneficial bacteria, trichoderma and mycorrhizae.
Light energy is an extremely complex property to measure. In order to better understand light energy and its relation to our world, we have developed many ways to...
What should you be feeding your plants? Figuring out their perfect diet is a matter of trial and error and careful observation.
Breakthroughs in understanding how the light spectrum affects plant growth are occurring more rapidly with advanced technology. Eric Hopper keeps us current with the...
Maintaining a high level of dissolved oxygen in hydroponic nutrient solutions is one of the most important steps an indoor gardener can take. Find out how.
Autodosers provide consistency, precision, and certainty while removing the potential for human error. It’s no wonder that commercial and hobby growers alike are taking...
Every garden is different, but the laws of physics apply equally to them all. See how it applies to light.
Every garden is unique, so a one-size-fits-all nutrient scheme isn’t always the best for hydroponic setups. In this article, Eric Hopper lays out the basics of how to...
Indoor gardeners can adapt to the winter growing season in a number of ways, including adding a second flowering room.
Is it possible to attain a high level of sustainability within an indoor garden? The answer is yes.
A growing number of modern horticulturists are learning about and embracing the power of microorganisms.
The lighting system is the heart of any indoor garden, providing plants with the energy needed to photosynthesize and develop. But first, you’ll need to determine how...
Starting off with the appropriate vegetative light can make a world of difference when it comes to yields.
The pH of your nutrient solution or soil is not a constant thing. In this article, Eric Hopper looks at the top four suspects that could influence your pH to go up or...
Horticultural LEDs offer myriad advantages, but a lack of standardization means indoor growers may have to experiment a little to achieve maximum efficiency and proper...
They’ve been nurtured inside where it is warm and cozy, but it’s time to prepare your seedlings for a transition to the comparatively harsh conditions of the great...
Of all the equipment used in an indoor garden, the lighting system is the equipment that should be given the most consideration.
Horticulturists who focus some of their energy on making the plant’s root system thrive will usually have better yields and less problems overall.
NFT systems are still widely used by both commercial and hobbyist horticulturists. Although the commercial use of NFT is focused on leafy greens and vegetative crops,...
The horticultural industry has been making significant progress in developing new, energy-efficient light fixtures, its main goals being to produce light technologies...
Over the past few years, many people have become more educated in organic production techniques. Here’s a closer look at how this education has helped transform the...
With fiber optics, a grower could potentially channel the power of the sun into a growroom, so if you want to use the sun as the primary light source for an indoor...
All lighting technologies will depreciate over time, which causes a reduction in usable light energy for plants called photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). To...
Slugs and snails can be the bane of any gardener’s existence, as these little creatures have big appetites when it comes to young plants.
Rooting hormones, either synthetic or naturally occurring, help promote the fast, healthy onset of new roots. Available as powders, liquids or gels, they are an...
Horticultural lighting equipment requires a reliable source of electricity. Whether you’re using HID fixtures, LED fixtures or any other lighting technology, u
Enzymes are the glue that holds together an incredibly intricate garden relationship between minerals, microbes and biological creatures. In order to find the best...
There are many techniques for harvesting various fruits and vegetables and, in many cases, there is more than one correct way to properly preserve the harvest.
Ensuring your greenhouse or indoor garden is properly ventilated is every bit as important to the health of your plants as adequate water and proper nutrition. Here’s a...
Though many new technologies have emerged, HID lighting is still the most commonly used lighting system in indoor gardens. Both metal halide (MH) and high pressure...
Building your own organic potting soil is no different than any other do-it-yourself project. It allows the gardener to save money while maintaining control over every...
There are plenty of reasons to go wireless in your growroom, most of which relate to making your life easier. Wireless automation devices open up a whole new world of...
Lush, vibrant growth is always a good thing in a garden; however, indoor growers don’t have a lot of room to spare. Thankfully, we’ve devised a number of techniques and...
Whether it is implementing filters, ozone generators, air purification devices or a combination of solutions, indoor growers need to do what they can to ensure their...
Making decisions can be difficult, especially when it comes to your indoor garden’s lighting system. Fortunately, growers no longer have to settle for one type of system.
There are a few reasons why growing one’s own food is becoming more of a necessity.
Plants are a diverse bunch with a wide variety of optimal needs. Thankfully, however, they all have one thing in common: a love a consistency.
Plant hormones are quite different from those found in animals, but they do have at least one thing in common: they play an intricate role in virtually all aspects of...
A better understanding of light reflection, cross-patterns and diffusion could mean the difference between a vibrant, successful garden and slow, spindly growth along...
Want to maximize plant performance in the growroom this year? Providing your plants with extra carbon dioxide is one way to get faster growth and larger yields. Read on...
Technological advancements in the hydro industry are happening, fueled by the growing demand for fresh produce that’s cultivated closer to home.
In order to maintain an optimal growing environment, the horticulturist must maintain cleanliness. To implement sanitization and sterilization in an indoor garden, you...
A: Thank you for your question. One possibility would be to take seeds from the special pepper plant and attempt to grow them next year....
A: Growing tomatoes in the same hydroponic system as hot peppers will not create spicy tomatoes. In fact, a wide variety of vegetables can...
A: Maintaining the optimal nutrient concentration in a hydroponic system will allow your plants to continue to perform to their full...
A: Both warm-mist and cold-mist humidifiers can be used in an indoor garden to increase humidity levels. However, they operate in very...
Enzyme-based cleaners, conditioners, and additives are a great, all-natural way to help maintain a healthy soil or hydroponic system....
Although there is not a lot of information on the subject, some indoor growers claim to have successfully used ozone to treat pest insects....
The pre-sidedress soil nitrate test (PSNT) is a soil nitrogen test developed by Dr. Fred Magdoff from the University of Vermont to help...
Finding the optimal temperature for a CO2-enriched growroom is essential for maximizing your return on CO2 equipment. Regardless of the...
A: Thank you for your question. When a plant gets infected by a virus it should be immediately removed from the rest of the crop to avoid...
Yes, Epsom salt can be used as a magnesium sulfate treatment for your plants. Epsom salt is a form of magnesium sulfate that is highly...
Thank you for your question. Insecticidal soap can be an effective treatment for potato leafhoppers but can be difficult to implement...
A: Cucumber plants have both male and female flowers. On most cucumber plants, the female flowers require pollination from the male flowers...
When growers are choosing a base nutrient, they will quickly discover there are one-part, two-part or three-part options. Although these...
Exhaust fans and carbon filters are heavy pieces of indoor gardening equipment. Before you purchase a lighter filter, please keep in mind...
High intensity discharge lights, including metal halide and high pressure sodium, are still the most commonly used lighting systems in grow...
Thank you for your question. When discussing buffering or buffering agents in a soil, it is usually in reference to the soil’s ability to...
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