hydroponics farming

If you are passionate about sustainable food production, this hydroponics farming course is a refreshing career option! Hydroponics is a type of horticulture involving growing plants without soil, using water-based mineral nutrient solutions. Many crops grown in hydroponic systems yield more, grow faster, use less water and take up less space. What’s not to love?

Our Start a Hydroponics Business course will give you insights into how to start your own business providing services and products to hydroponic growers, from home garden hobbyists to commercial trade customers.

You will learn about the nature and scope of hydroponic systems, from plant nutrition requirements to vital equipment, nutrient solutions and climate control. You will also develop methods to maintain system and plant health, including controlling pests and diseases and managing system pH levels, toxicities and plant deficiencies.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a course on hydroponics farming include:

• Learning about the advantages of hydroponics
• Exploring six main types of hydroponics systems and their essential system components
• Gaining an understanding of building a client/supplier list
• Studying the International Society for Soilless Culture (ISOSC) and other hydroponic societies
• Examining suppliers in Australia, the USA, the UK and Europe
• Understanding location, containers and grow beds and watering/nutrient application equipment
• Attaining knowledge of trellising and root media, solution culture
• Gaining insights into Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems, a horizontal rectangular plane, vertical tubes and the tier system
• Learning about DFT (deep flow technique) and pond, raft, float or raceway systems
• Exploring aeroponics, aggregate or media culture and rockwool culture and properties
• Gaining an understanding of historic, hobby and lesser-used systems
• Studying the methods of solution dispensation, closed systems, open systems and drip irrigation systems
• Examining sub-irrigation and ebb and flow systems and organic soil-less mixes
• Understanding plant nutrition and nutrient labels
• Attaining knowledge of plant growth factors and the structure of a plant
• Learning about sand and gravel aggregates, materials for use with rockwool, materials for use with sawdust and aeroponics
• Exploring nutrition management, nutrient solutions, nutrient formulations and nutrient stock solutions
• Gaining an understanding of fertiliser salts for formulations, stages of growth and making up hydroponic stock solutions from fertiliser salts
• Examining conductivity and hydroponics and how to adjust nutrient solutions using electrical conductivity measurements
• Understanding climate management equipment, growing plants in a greenhouse and other growing structures
• Understanding scale insects, leafhoppers, slugs, snails and flies
• Attaining knowledge of common diseases, botrytis – grey mould, mildew diseases, rusts, rots, bacterial diseases, viruses and nematodes
• Gaining insights into deficiencies, toxicity and pH control
• Learning about nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, nutrient mobility and deficiencies and other modes of detection
• Exploring controllers, salinity controllers, nutrients and pH and pH controllers
• Gaining an understanding of how to troubleshoot systems
• Studying EC (CF) & nutrient solution levels and EC and TDS meters
• Examining how to maintain nutrient levels, nutrient solution management, nutrient temperatures and organic hydroponic nutrient solution problems
• Understanding water in recirculating systems, water in run-to-waste systems and water treatments

And more!

Types of Hydroponic Systems

In hydroponics farming, there are different types of hydroponic systems, and each has its benefits. Some suit hobby farmers, while others are ideal for larger commercial hydroponic businesses. Factors to consider include light, space, cost and the time required for setup and maintenance. Here we look at six common systems and their pros and cons.

1. Wicking System

One of the most straightforward hydronic systems and perfect for beginners, a wicking system doesn’t require a water or air pump. A water reservoir is set up underneath a growing tray filled with a non-soil medium. The two containers are connected with wicks, which can be anything that absorbs water like yarn, string or fabric. Water and nutrients are then drawn up into the plants. This setup should be in a sunny spot, and the water and nutrients should be topped up when required. It’s also essential to flush the growing medium with fresh water regularly to prevent the build-up of fertiliser.

2. Deep Water Culture

In this system, the plant’s roots grow in a well-oxygenated reservoir full of nutrients and water. It’s a relatively simple setup, only requiring a deep reservoir, a pump, an air stone, and netted pots with a suitable growing media. It’s a fast-growing and low-maintenance system, however, managing temperature, nutrient, pH and water levels can be challenging. On the plus side, it’s an ideal technique for herbs, lettuce and other leafy greens.

3. Flood and Drain System

Also known as the “ebb and flow” system, it is a little more challenging and expensive to set up, but it allows for a wide range of plants, including beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. The system works by intermittently pumping a water-nutrient solution through the growing medium. This then drains back into the reservoir. As the medium dries out, it forces the plants’ roots to grow in search of more water. And more roots mean more nutrients and healthier, happier plants! In addition to a growing tray and water reservoir, a timer, submersible pump and tubes to fill and drain the grow medium are needed. The most challenging part of this system is getting the timing of the “floods” right. Because water is recycled for over a week before being replaced, the PH and nutrient levels can vary.

4. Run To Waste System

This is similar to the Flood and Drain System, with a timer and a submersible pump, but it differs because instead of recirculating the nutrients and water, they are drained off into a container or the ground and disposed of. This is another system that’s great for ideal for beginner hydroponic gardeners as absorbent growing mediums may assist if the pump fails.

5. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) System

This system is ideal for growing fast-growing, shallow-rooted plants like spinach, radishes, leafy greens and herbs. Its biggest difference from the Flood and Drain System is that the water-nutrient solution flows around the reservoir and growing tray in a continuous loop rather than with timed breaks. No timer is needed, but it requires two pumps, an air stone to oxygenate the water, and tubes or channels for the plants. It is a great water-saving technique because no grow medium is required (the water flows over bare roots)

6. Aeroponics systems

This is one of the more complicated hydroponics systems, so it suits more advanced gardeners. Like the NFT system, the plant roots are suspended in the air (the growing medium). However, unlike the NFT system, it uses a “misting” technique, where the root system is misted with a nutrient solution — continuously or on a specific cycle. It allows the roots constant access to oxygen which promotes faster growth.

Benefits of Hydroponic Systems

Hydroponics farming has many benefits. On a smaller scale, systems can be efficient and require minimal space. On an industrial scale, the benefits can be even more substantial. Hydroponic farming can:

• Produce crops faster than soil-grown produce.
• Make farming possible in urban areas.
• Produce up to three or four times more produce than traditional methods (using the same or even less growing space).
• Use fewer resources like water (up to 90 per cent less), fertiliser (up to 75 per cent less), pesticides and herbicides. This means fewer harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere or the ground. Groundwater contamination, in particular, negatively impacts soil health, drinking water supply, and the health of nearby ecosystems.

Some Hydroponic Tricks of the Trade

• The ideal air temperature for hydroponics is around 20C°.
• Humidity levels should be between 40 and 60 per cent.
• Keeping the air flowing with a fan or open window to increase carbon dioxide levels can help plants grow faster.
• The best pH levels for most plants in hydroponics systems are slightly acidic (between 5.8 and 6.2). However, some plants may need a higher pH for optimum growth.
• Plants should get at least six, but preferably between 12 and 16 hours of light (whether natural or artificial) daily.
• If you choose to use artificial lights, set them at the correct distance from your plants. Different plants also have different light requirements depending on where they are in their life cycle. If a plant naturally flowers during summer, the hours of light need to be increased for blooming, and vice versa for winter flowering plants.

 

Gain the confidence to advise customers on hydroponics farming to help them successfully cultivate their home garden or business venture with our Start a Hydroponics Business course.