Learn to grow with hydroponics in a commercial system
If you’re looking to grow plants using a hydroponic system, this course suits your needs! This online commercial hydroponics course will teach you how to grow plants, the nutrients they need, the horticultural techniques used, the different suitable hydroponics system, the skills to produce a hydroponic crop, and the operations and management of both a greenhouse and hydroponic system.
Distance Learning Hydroponics Course providing a detailed introduction to hydroponics suitable for commercial ventures.
Develop a sound understanding of the theory and practice of hydroponics. This is a serious grounding for working in the hydroponic industry and concentrates on the horticulturally valuable crops, such as cut flowers and vegetables.
Course Outline
There are 10 lessons in this course:
- Introduction
- hydroponic systems
- global industry
- comparison to growing in soil
- resources and contacts.
- How a Plant Grows
- plant structure
- biochemistry
- biochemical cell processes
- mechanisms of nutrient uptake
- photosynthesis; minerals and nutrients
- the role of pH in plant growth
- hydroponic nutrient solutions
- preparing nutrient solutions.
- Hydroponic Systems
- location
- equipment
- systems
- soil-less mixes
- rockwool
- rockwool manufacture
- rockwool properties
- development of propagating blocks
- propagation applications
- recommended practices for propagation
- nutrient film techniques
- alternative layouts for NFT
- methods of solution dispersion, closed and open systems; techniques.
- Nutrition & Nutrition management
- understanding nutrient formulae
- atoms, elements & compounds
- chemical names
- what does a plant need
- calculating formulae
- mixing nutrients
- symptoms of nutrient deficiency
- recommendations
- adjusting the pH
- using electrical conductivity measures
- conductivity
- conductivity and hydroponics.
- Plant Culture
- flow charting the crop
- controllers
- salinity controllers
- pH controllers
- post harvest storage
- cooling
- drying
- canning/bottling
- controlled atmosphere storage
- relative humidity
- vacuum storage
- freeze drying
- freezing
- pest and diseases in controlled environments
- fungi, common fungal problems
- cultural controls
- current legislation
- biological and integrated pest management
- beneficial agents
- economic thresholds
- methods of introduction
- major pests, diseases and disorders of crops identified
- problem solving and identification of illness
- difficult to diagnose problems
- leaf hoppers; thrips; virus; bacteria; caterpillars; harlequin bugs and more.
- Hydroponic Vegetable Production
- commercial cultivation of vegetables
- propagation
- temperatures required for seed germination
- optimum monthly temperatures for vegetable growth
- harvesting vegetables
- growing vegetables hydroponically
- vegetable families
- fresh-cut herbs in hydroponic culture
- nutrient solution
- materials and handling
- notes on selected crops.
- Hydroponic Cut Flower Production
- growing flowers in hydroponics
- carbon dioxide
- automation
- flower varieties
- indoor plants.
- Solid Media vs Nutrient Film
- growing media
- NFT system choices
- header tank or direct pumping
- construction materials
- solution delivery
- capillary matting
- channel width and length
- slope
- temperature
- types of media
- vermiculite; sand; perlite; expanded plastics; scoria; expanded clay
- organic media; sawdust; peat moss; coir fibre; composted bark
- indoor plants
- plant directory
- transplanting a pot grown plant into a hydroponic ‘culture pot’.
- Greenhouse Operation & Management
- growing crops in greenhouses
- solar energy
- greenhouses
- nature of active solar heating systems
- examples of solar greenhouse facilities
- greenhouse management
- what you can grow
- greenhouse and other growing structures
- environmental factors that influence plant growth
- plant needs
- temperature control
- heat loss
- heaters
- light factors
- artificial light
- horticultural management in a greenhouse
- greenhouse benches
- greenhouse cooling
- fog.
- Special Assignment
- plan a hydroponic enterprise.
What is Commerical Hydroponics?
This novel farming method refers to the process of setting up commercial farms for large scale produce based on the principles of hydroponic farming. This is a novel method of cultivation and has numerous advantages when compared to traditional farming practices. Read more on Commercial Hydroponics Farming here
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