Dr. Reed's research ranges from basic to applied and primarily focuses on nutrition, especially iron nutrition, and the effects of water quality and salinity on greenhouse crops. His research findings are routinely published in the scientific literature. However, his "first love" is teaching, and he teaches to a packed house of several hundred students each semester in his General Horticulture course. As an extension of his desire to teach, he has presented over seventy talks at various industry and professional meetings throughout the country. His presentations incorporate demonstrations and workshops so the participants take home "how to" as well as "academic" knowledge.