Lesson Structure:  Home Hydroponics AHT107

There are 10 lessons:

1. Introduction to Hydroponics & Plant Growth
   • Scope and Nature of Hydroponics and terminology (Water Culture, Sand and Gravel Culture, Rockwool, Vermiculaponics, Hydroculture, etc)
   • How it Works
   • A Simple Manual System to Create
   • History of Hydroponics
   • Understanding How Plants Grow
   • Understanding the Water Requirements and Management
   • Photosynthesis
2. Basic Chemistry, Nutrition & Nutrient Solutions
   • Significance of understanding chemistry for hydroponics
   • Understanding Basic Chemistry
   • Atoms and Compounds
   • The important Plant Nutrients
   • Writing Chemical Names
   • What concentrations of different nutrients does a plant need?
   • Nutrient solutions
   • Preparing Nutrient Solutions
   • Mechanisms of Nutrient Uptake
3. More on Nutrient Solutions
   • Understanding differences between Soil Culture and Soil less Culture
   • The nitrogen Cycle
   • Mycorrhyzae
   • Summary of fertilizers used in Hydroponic Nutrients
   • Calculating Chemical Formulae
   • Hydroponic Nutrition
4. Media and Types of Systems
   • Classification of Hydroponic Systems
   • What Makes up a System; system variables; Solution Dispensation, Closed or open, Drip, slop, capillary feed, wicks, misting, dry fertilizing etc, Automatic or Manual Operation, Type of Medium, Construction Materials, Rate & Frequency of Irrigation & Feeding, Air Injection (In water culture), Plant Support, Environment controls.
   • Choosing a System
   • Types of Media
   • Rockwool
   • Vermiculite
   • Sand
   • Leca, (Expanded Clay)
   • The Bentley System
5. Designing a System
   • Nutrient Film Technique
   • Alternative NFT Layouts
   • Solution Dispensation Options (closed or open system, drip, slop, flood, capillary, dry, mist, etc)
   • 16 Other System Options
6. Problems in Hydroponics
   • Pest and Disease
   • Nutrition
   • Environmental
   • Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems
   • Controlling Acidity
7. Plant Culture
   • Flow Charting a Crop
   • Greenhouse Management
   • Controllers (Salinity, pH)
   • Adjusting Solutions using an Electro Conductivity Meter
8. Solid Media vs Water Culture
   • Indoor Plants
   • Berries
   • Gravel Culture compared with NFT
9. Growing Vegetables in Hydroponics
   • Fresh Cut Herbs in Hydroponics
   • Lettuce
   • Tomatoes
   • Cucumber
   • Review of all other common vegetables that are suited to hydroponics
10. Growing Cut Flowers in Hydroponics
    • Overview
    • Roses
    • Chrysanthemums
    • Carnations
    • Review of many other common flowers that are suited to hydroponics

• 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.

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