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 cooperatives and branding, and the "holy trinity" of operator, grower and retail partner needed to succeed — plus how Eutrema can help with fertilisers and biostimulants for CEA growers.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Little Leaf, Revol Greens, and Perfection Fresh

Hortidaily

Horticulture Week

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 sweet potato slips.

The episode balances low-cost DIY propagation techniques with cautions about viruses, aflatoxins and when to prefer certified seed stock.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Jamaican Sprinters

Chinese Yams

Sweet Potato

Taro

Eddoe

Turmeric

Ginger

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 pre‑selling crops and ensuring hemp THC compliance to rapidly screening seedlings, and considers how these tools could be brought together in a future smartphone app.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/biostimulants/slugger/

Compolytics

fan leaf hyperspectral reflectance (FLHR)

University of Adelaide's Dr Aaron Phillips

Purdue University researcher Young Kim

Semin Kwon of the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering 

James Hutton Institute Dundee

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‑food crops largely unaffected.

The episode discusses implications for hydroponics and horticulture, potential changes in the food and leisure industries, and cautions about drug side effects and broader societal impacts.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Liraglutide Victoza,  Saxenda 

Semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy

Robbie Williams, Greggs the baker, McDonalds, KFC, Wendy's, Chick-fil-a, chipotle, beyond meat, impossible foods, subway, waitrose, tesco, sainsbury's, asda, aldi, lidl, hyrox, crossfit, turf games, park run, personal trainers, david lloyd gyms, jd sports, jd gyms, virgin active, vitality insurance, 

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 episode weighs practical challenges, examples from rapeseed and protected crops, and asks listeners to consider if collective action can realistically eliminate stubborn pests or diseases.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Iker Casillas, lamine yamal, 

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-complete-fertiliser/

Ice cream

Custard

Madagascar

Indonesia

Nepal

India

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 salinity overlap, and suggestions for experimenting with gardener's orache (Atriplex) in hydroponics. Contact the host for advice on adapting fertigation and crop choices to alkaline conditions.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

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.

Dr. Sharp also teases the next episode contrasting acid-loving (ericaceous) plants with alkaline-loving (calcicole) species.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

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 biopesticides (pay £4.95 postage) via this link:

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/pesticides-organic/free-samples-for-professional-users-hidden-page/

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/B flowering pollination system, pruning and spacing, and the art of harvesting and ripening. The episode ends with a lighthearted AI tool demo.

https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/

 Claudia Sheinbaum, Chicharito, Raúl Jiménez