www.hydroponicsonline.com Hydroponics Online School Table of Contents Lesson One Introduction Introduction to Hydroponics 1-1 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-2 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-3 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-4 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-5 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-6 Introduction to Hydroponics 1-8 Lesson Two History Past, Present, Future 2-1 Past, Present, Future 2-2 Past, Present, Future 2-3 Lesson Three Building a Hydroponics System 3-1 Lesson Four Meeting Plant Needs 4-1 Meeting Plant Needs 4-2 Meeting Plant Needs 4-3 Meeting Plant Needs 4-4 Meeting Plant Needs 4-5 Meeting Plant Needs 4-6 Lesson Five Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-1 Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-2 Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-3 Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-4 Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-5 Nutrient Requirements and Testing 5-6 Lesson Six Seed Germination -Planting Your Garden 6-1 Seed Germination -Planting Your Garden 6-2 Seed Germination -Planting Your Garden 6-3 Seed Germination -Planting Your Garden 6-4 Seed Germination -Planting Your Garden 6-5 Lesson Seven Photosynthesis and Light 7-1 Photosynthesis and Light 7-2 Photosynthesis and Light 7-3 Photosynthesis and Light 7-4 Photosynthesis and Light 7-5 Lesson Eight Introduction to Botany 8-1 Introduction to Botany 8-2 Introduction to Botany 8-3 Lesson Nine Biological Pest Control 9-1 Biological Pest Control 9-2 Biological Pest Control 9-3 Biological Pest Control 9-4 Biological Pest Control 9-5 Biological Pest Control 9-6 Biological Pest Control 9-7 Biological Pest Control 9-8 Biological Pest Control 9-9 Lesson Ten The Business of Hydroponics 10-1 The Business of Hydroponics 10-2 The Business of Hydroponics 10-3 The Business of Hydroponics 10-4 The Business of Hydroponics 10-5 Note to Teachers and Educators For printing purposes set your screen size to 800 X 600 HOME www.hydroponicsonline. Web com Hydroponics FAQ HOL Forums Picture Index Old Bulletin Board Thousands of hydroponic pictures. Post a comment, a question or reply to one. Hydroponics Online School Free Stuff LESSON ONE Introduction to Hydroponics Build your own hydroponic gardens! Member Projects Page Hydroponics Online Store This months feature members garden. Order gardens or hard to find parts. Koos Rautenbach's Garden Design a Garden Glossary Terms we will use here on HOL How to Build HydroRon's 11 Plant Garden Disclaimer Complete gardens for sale if you don't have time to build one Please read this before you build a garden. yourself. Join the Free Hydroponics Forum Contact Us You are visitor # Hit Counter since 1/7/2006 Last 6 days of web site visits. Copyright © 1996-06 by Proaxis Media Inc. All rights reserved .Revised:01/01/06 hydroponicsonline.com LESSON ONE Introduction to Hydroponics 1 - 1 Introduction to Hydroponics Hydroponics by definition, means 'water-working." In practical use, it means growing plants in a water and nutrient solution, without soil. Hydroponics allows a gardener to grow plants in a more efficient and productive manner with less labor and time required. The science of hydroponics proves that soil isn't required for plant growth but the elements, minerals and nutrients that soil contains are. Soil is simply the holder of the nutrients, a place where the plant roots traditionally live and a base of support for the plant structure. In hydroponics you provide the exact nutrients your plants need, so they can develop and grow. The nutrients are fed directly at the root base, never stressing the plant due to lack of nutrients or water. Virtually any plant will grow hydroponically, but some will do better than others. Hydroponic growing is ideal for fruit bearing crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, leafy crops, like lettuce and herbs and flowing plants. Most hobby hydroponic gardeners plant crops similar to what they would grow in a soil garden Most commercial hydroponic growers combine hydroponic technology with a controlled environment to achieve the highest quality produce. Within a green- house structure you can control the ambient temperature, humidity and light levels allowing you to grow on a year- round basis. Advantages of Hydroponic Growing There are many advantages of hydroponic growing. These include Most hobby hydroponic gardens are less work than soil gardens because you do not have soil to till or weeds to pull. By eliminating the soil in a garden, you eliminate all soil borne disease A hydroponic garden uses a fraction of the water that a soil garden does because no water is wasted or consumed by weeds. In hydroponics, plant spacing can be intensive, allowing you to grow more plants in a given space than soil grown produce. A small hydroponic garden can be set up almost anywhere. By providing the exact nutrients your plants need, they will grow more rapidly and produce bigger yields. In studies it has been proven that hydroponic produce is higher in nutritional value than field grown crops. Hydroponic produce generally tastes better than field-grown produce. If you are growing indoors or in a greenhouse, you can grow your hydroponic plants on a year- round basis. HOME / TABLE OF CONTENTS / NEXT PAGE hydroponicsonline. LESSON ONE com Introduction to Hydroponics 1-2 Four Primary Hydroponic Growing Methods: In a soil garden, plants are rooted in the soil and draw nutrients from it. In hydroponics, a nutrient rich solution is fed directly to the plant roots. In some hydroponic growing systems an inert growing medium, such as perlite, rockwool or expanded clay pebbles is used in place of soil. These growing mediums are porous and absorb the nutrient solution, allowing the plants to use it as needed. In other hydroponic systems, like the NFT system, no growing medium is used and the plant roots are suspended in a grow channel. The four most common methods of hydroponic gardening include: Ebb and Flow Drip Method Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Passive System Ebb and Flow The Ebb and Flow (also know as flood and drain) method of hydroponic gardening simply allows all the plants in the garden to be fed the same amount of nutrient solution at the same time. The plant grow bed, which contains plant pots filled with a growing medium, is flooded with the nutrient solution for a set period of time and then allowed to drain for a set period of time. This allows the growing medium and plant roots to stay moist while bringing fresh oxygen to the root base each time the HydroRon's 11 Plant nutrient solution Ebb and Flow Garden drains away. Most Ebb and Flow systems will flood the grow bed for 10 or 15 minutes of every hour or two In an Ebb and Flow system, the plant roots are most commonly grown in a medium of perlite, rockwool or expanded clay pebbles. An Ebb and Flow system, popular with many home hydroponic gardeners, is ideal for growing a broad variety of crops since both long and short term crops do well in this system. Drip In a Drip system, the nutrient solution is delivered to the plants through drip emitters on a timed system. The timed cycle flushes the growing medium, providing the plants with fresh nutrients, water and oxygen as the emitter is dripping. The emitters are usually scheduled to run for approximately 5-10 minutes of every hour. In a drip system, the plant roots are most commonly grown in a medium of perlite, grow rocks or rockwool. The drip system is often used in commercial hydroponic facilities that grow long term crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and Gallon Drip System peppers. NFT With the Nutrient Film Technique (also known as NFT) the plants are grown in channels which the nutrient solution is pumped through. The plant roots are flooded by the nutrient solution as it passes by. Ideally, the bottom of the roots are exposed to the nutrient solution, while the top of the roots are exposed to air. Most NFT systems are fed on a very frequent timed cycle. For instance, 10 minutes of nutrient solution flow, followed by 5 minutes of nutrient solution drain. Since the plant roots are not in a growing medium, it is crucial that they are flushed often to keep them moist. NFT is ideal for lettuces, leafy crops and herbs, all of which are short term crops. Larger NFT channels can be used long term crops as long as some form of plant support is provided.. Passive The advantage of a Passive hydroponic garden is its low maintenance. A Passive system does not use pumps or timers to flood the root zone. The roots usually dangle in the nutrient solution and draw what they need from it. A Passive system is generally slower growing and not as intensive as the other systems discussed. Because there is no water movement, passive systems will often have low oxygen levels. this can be remedied by adding a small air pump that pumps air into the nutrient reservoir. HOME / LAST PAGE / NEXT PAGE hydroponicsonline. LESSON ONE com Introduction to Hydroponics 1-3 Four Primary Hydroponic Growing Methods Ebb and Flow Plant pots filled with growing medium The nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir up into the garden for a given period of time, the growing medium absorbs the nutrient solution, and then the nutrient solution is allowed to drain away. Drip System The nutrient solution is dripped onto the growing medium on a timed basis Rockwool Cube providing the plants with fresh water, nutrients and oxygen. Drip Line to nutrient reservior NFT The plant roots develop in the grow channel. The top of the roots are exposed to air. The bottom of the roots are exposed to the nutrient solution. in from nutrient reservoir Side view of grow channel Passive System Although nearly maintenance free, most passive systems will have slower growth and development since there is no fresh oxygen brought into the root base. Stagnant Nutrient Reservoir HOME / LAST PAGE / NEXT PAGE