Develop a solid grounding in the principles of soil less cultivation of plants. When you remove the soil from a plant and take control of it’s roots, it is essential that you have a good understanding of how it grows. Any body can grow plants in soil with reasonable success.
To grow plants in hydroponics you must understand how the plant grows so that you can control the temperature, water, oxygen, nutrients etc. in the root zone.
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 12 lessons as follows:
- Basic Chemistry and Plant Nutrition – atoms, elements, nutrient deficiency symptoms
- Nutrient Solutions – calculating formulae, hydroponic nutrition, preparing nutrient solutions
- Types of Systems A – classification of hydroponic systems, ingredients of hydroponic systems, rockwool.
- Types of Systems B – what makes up a system, 16 hydroponic ideas, NFT, solution dispensation.
- Plant Problems in Hydroponics – pests and diseases, nutritional and environmental problems, water and plant relationships, pH.
- How a Plant Grows – growth, nutrient solutions, preparing a solution, mechanisms of nutrient uptake, photosynthesis.
- Plant Culture – controlling environmental features, post harvest storage.
- Hydroponic Vegetable Production – how to grow vegetables hydroponically.
- Hydroponic Cut Flower Production – growing flowers in hydroponics, carnations.
- Soil Media vs Nutrient Film – berries, indoor plants, types of media, NFT.
- Greenhouse Operation & Management – solar energy applications in horticulture, greenhouse management.
- Special Assignment – a report on how to improve your present hydroponic venture, or a report on planning a new hydroponic venture.
AIMS
- Describe the nature and scope of hydroponic growing in a hobby situation.
- Explain basic plant nutrition chemistry in order to describe the composition and function of hydroponic nutrients.
- Differentiate between a variety of fertilisers and hydroponic nutrients, and suggest how these might be used appropriately in the growing of different types of plants in a hydroponic garden.
- Compare options for media and systems, in order to choose what is appropriate to a specific home situation.
- Design a hydroponic system suited to a particular home situation
- Diagnose common ailments in a hydroponic system, make a determine appropriate action.
- Describe the course of a hydroponic crop in a home situation from initial planting to harvest, and treatment of the harvested crop.
- Differentiate between solid media and nutrient film hydroponic techniques, and the way in which plants may be treated differently in each.
- Plan the production of a sequence of vegetable and herb produce for household use from hydroponic production.
- Determine appropriate methods for hydroponic cut flower production in a home situation.
