All Was Quiet
Over the next few decades, little effort towards developing commercial applications continued to leave the promise of water culture unfulfilled. Until; Dr William Frederick Gericke (1882 – 1970).
In 1929, Dr William Frederick Gericke announced to the world that he had created a new technology which he called hydroponics.
He used two greek words to make up the name, “Hydros” for water and “ponos” for work. So, the name means “water working”.
To Gericke, the technology was growing plants without soil, using a water culture which supplied all the plant’s nutrients through their water supply.
He had invented a new technology that put plants into a substrate to support the plant’s roots and then added minerals to the plant’s water supply below the substrate.
Dr Gericke became famous for his unique plants grown in hydroponics. Several magazine and newspaper reports were published about his work.
Time Magazine 1937 – Science Hydroponics – Dr William Frederick Gericke>
The Louisville Times 1945 – Dr William Frederick Gericke>
Dr William F. Gericke of the University of California extended laboratory experiments to further studies on nutrition in practical, commercial crops growing outside. He coined the term “hydroponics”, a word derived from the Greek words hydro, meaning water and ponos, meaning labor, or “water-working.” His work is the basis for modern hydroponic growth.
Gericke was the person who coined the term “hydroponics” in his book The Complete Guide to Soil-less gardening.