HOME STUDY - HYDROPONICS COURSE
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. Gain skills in:
- harvesting
- post harvest treatment
- packaging
- grading standards
- tomatoes, capsicums, salad greens, cucurbits, strawberries, roses, carnations & orchids
Our tutor Dr Lyn Morgan (a commercial consultant) has found one of the most common needs for hydroponic growers is to know how to properly conduct a trial to determine what to grow and how to grow it -and in doing so avoid costly mistakes.
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 gowers. It is suitable for anyone who has either completed hydroponics I, or alternatively, has significant prior experience.
- 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 Structure
There 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 Te3mperatures
- Harvesting and Grading Vegetables
- Grading Standards
- Fruit Grading Systems
- Mechanised Grading
- Grading Equipment
- Harvesting Cut Flowers; stage, shelf life.
Post Harvest Treartments 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. 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. 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.
Duration: 100 hours
Aim:
- 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 an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial cut flower carnation crop in any given location.
- Determine an appropriate procedure for hydroponic production of a commercial cut flower Orchid crop in any given location.
TRIAL YOUR CROP BEFORE INVESTING TOO MUCH TIME OR MONEY
Hydroponic grower trials attempt to simulate conditions under which a crop might be grown commercially, but on a much smaller, and less costly scale.
They often compare the success of growing a number of different plants, or groups of plants.
There are many different variables that can affect the success or failure of a hydroponic crop. These fall into different categories, including:
- Type of system
- Nutrition supplied
- Water supplied
- Plant cultivar being grown
- Environmental conditions (eg. Temperature, light, air quality)
- Exposure to pest and disease
- Cultural Management (eg. Pruning, spacing, harvest time, etc).
A useful trial is generally designed to compare one type of factor, and in order to do this effectively, all but that one type of factor must be kept the same.
Also now available as an ebook:
Commercial Hydroponics 3rd Edition, by John Mason
Completely revised and updated electronic edition by author John Mason. This classic is now republished with new images, a new layout and revised text.
REASONS TO STUDY WITH ACS DISTANCE EDUCATION
- Reputation:
-teaching Horticulture since 1979
-exceptional faculty staff (see below) - Hands on: develop practical as well as theoretical skills
- Uniqueness:
-successful people are always those who can offer a skill or service that others can't
-this course is different; our graduates have different skills to set them apart. - Relevance -curriculum developed in response to industry needs
- Lots of help: personal, prompt attention from tutors
- Holistic Courses: We teach more than just "facts"
-success is only 20% about intelligence (and what you know)
-you also need to build networking, problem solving & communication skills, and more!
-this course helps you develop all of these things and more - Value: courses compare very favorably on a cost per study hour basis
- Up to date: courses under constant review
- Student amenities: This school is backed by over one of the most unique and comprehensive private collections of intellectual property in the horticultural industry. The principal and staff have written and published over 50 books and 150 gardening magazines, as well as 20,000 hours horticultural study programs. A team of 5 horticultural writers continue to develop and update new material continually. These resources together with web sites, an online student room, social media etc. provide a unique and comprehensive facility to support students studying with the school.
OUR FACULTY
These are just some of the people involved with developing and updating courses; and tutoring our horticulture students
John Mason Dip.Hort.Sc.
40 years + in horticulture Graduated from Burnley Horticultural College in 1971,Nurseryman, Landscape Designer and Parks Director through the 1970's. One of Australia's most published garden writers, author of books published by Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins, CSIRO and other major publishers; Editor for 4 different national gardening magazines; honored as a fellow of both the Institute of Horticulture in Australia and the Institute of Horticulture in the UK.
Gavin Cole B.Sc., M.Psych.
30 years + in horticulture. Renowned horticulturist and psychologist. Former operations manager for the highly regarded "Chelsea Gardener" landscape firm in London, garden writer and landscaper in both Brisbane and Adelaide in Australia.
Maggi Brown
40 years + in horticulture. Former education manager for "Garden Organic"; England's peak organic gardening and farming body.
Dr Lyn Morgan Phd
25 years + in horticulture. New Zealand based hydroponic consultant and author, with experience working everywhere from Asia to America.
Rosemary Davies Dip.Hort.Sc.
30 years + in horticulture; including Victorian Department of Agriculture Gradening Advisor, Gardening Editor/writer/author for major publishers and newspapers.
Diana Cole B,A., RHS Dip Hort, NTEC Higher Dip in Garden Design
15 years + in horticulture and landscaping
Adriana Fraser Adv.Dip.Hort.
30 years + in horticulture. Consultant, teacher, garden write, manager of plant collections
Bob James B.App.Sc(Hort), M. Env.Sc., Grad.Dip.Mgt., PDC, Dip.An.Husb.
Yvonne Sharpe Dip.Hort., M.Hort.
Martin Powdrill B.Sc(Hons), M.Sc. PDC
Marie Beerman B.Sc., M.Hort.
