Hydroponics Course: Hydroponics II

This hydroponics course belongs to the hydroponic farming training specialization which includes:

• Hydroponics I
• Hydroponics II
• Hydroponics Farm Management

It will develop your capacity to make informed decisions regarding the management of commercially significant hydroponic crops. This course was developed to cover key issues which have been identified as recurrent problems for many experienced growers. It is suitable for anyone who has either completed hydroponics I, or alternatively, has significant prior experience.

Hydroponics Course II will help you gain skills in:

• harvesting
• post harvest treatment
• packaging
• grading standards
•  tomatoes, capsicums, salad greens, cucurbits, strawberries, roses, carnations & orchids

 

Aims of Hydroponics Course II

• Determine and explain factors that influence the growth of a crop.
• Design and conduct a trial to evaluate the commercial prospect of growing a chosen hydroponic crop
• Determine appropriate harvest and post harvest treatments for different types of hydroponic crops.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial tomato crop in any given location.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial capsicum crop in any given location.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial Lettuce, Salad Greens and Foliage Herb Crops in any given location.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial cucurbit crop in any given location.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial strawberry crop in any given location.
• Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial cut flower rose crop in any given location.
• Determine appropriate hydroponic production for commercial cut flower carnation crops.
• Determine appropriate hydroponic production of a commercial cut flower Orchid crop in any given location.

• Learn to grow commercial hydroponic crops
• Study by distance education
• Improve a business, start a business, extend your horticultural and farming skills
• Course developed by John Mason (author of Commercial Hydroponics) and Dr Lyn Morgan (NZ Hydroponic consultant and author

Course StructureThere are eleven lessons as follows:

1. How the Crop Plant Grows

• Understanding how a plant grows in hydroponics
• Plant growth factors
• Roots, Stems. Leaves, Reproductive Parts
• Manipulating and controlling growth
• Light Levels, Air Temperature, Root Zone Temperature, Relative Humidity, Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen, etc
• Heating and Ventilation Systems
• Thermal Screens
• Blackout, Shading and Lighting Equipment
• Day Length Manipulation
• Irrigation and Nutrition Control
• Links to Weather Station
• Controlling Plant Growth: Stopping, Spacing, Disbudding, Trimming, Training
• Growth Control: Chemical and Cultural
• Pest and Disease Disorder Control
• Intercropping
• Plant troubleshooting
• Resources
• Fruit set management
• Pollination issues
• Flower initiation
• Flower and fruit development

2. How to Run a Small Evaluation Trial

• What is a Hydroponic Trial
• Running a Crop trial
• Setting up a Comparison Trial
• Records and Recording
• Evaluating the Trial
• Research Methodology
• Experimentation
• Steps for Collecting Data

3. Harvest and Post Harvest

• Importance of Harvest and Post Harvest Management
• Understanding Harvested Crop Physiology
• Ripening of Fruit
• Respiration
• How and When to Harvest
• Preparing Salad Mixes from Harvested Hydroponic Produce
• Prevention of Bruising and Post Harvest Rots
• Packaging
• CA and MA Storage
• Chilling Damage and Storage Temperatures
• Harvesting and Grading Vegetables
• Grading Standards
• Fruit Grading Systems
• Grading Equipment
• Harvesting Cut Flowers; stage, shelf life. Post Harvest Treatments for Flowers
• Grading Standards for Flowers
• Conditioning and Packaging Flowers
• Marketing: wholesale, supermarket, export, contract, local retailers, etc.

4. Tomatoes

• Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management.

     5. Capsicum

• Growing Capsicums; Bell Peppers in Hydroponics
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management

6. Lettuce, Salad Greens and Foliage Herb Crops

• Lettuce
• Celery
• Chicory
• Endive
• Parsely
• Spinich
• Basil
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Sage
• Thyme

7. 7. Cucurbits (Cucumber and Melons)

• Growing Hydroponic Cucumbers
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management
• Other Cucurbits in Hydroponics; Marrow, Zucchini, Melon, Watermelon, Pumpkin

8. Strawberries

• Growing Strawberries in Hydroponics
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management

9. 9. Roses

• Growing Roses in Hydroponics
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management

10. Carnations

• Growing Carnations in Hydroponics
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management

11. Orchids

• Growing Orchids in Hydroponics
• Growing conditions
• Nutrition
• Suitable Systems
• Culture
• Problem Management
• Harvest and Post Harvest for different Orchid Genera

 

Prerequisite: Hydroponics I or significant experience

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