Introduction to Hydroponics

1
Introduction to Hydroponics

• Today I am going to give you the information you
  need to know about hydroponics. For those who
  dont know what hydroponics is, it is simply a
  plant that is grown without soil and it grows in
  water with a rock called Perlite to anchor the
  roots.
• I will discuss the plants to use,germination,the
  nutrients, the history on hydroponics, and the
  lighting.

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My hydroponics

• I recently made my own system with tomatoes.
• I used decorative rocks for my anchor for the
  roots and used a tub with 2 small butter
  containers,2 felt strips, 2 pieces of ply wood,
  and wrapped the wood with cling wrap so no water
  or nutrients would eat away at the wood and so no
  water could get through.
• My project was quite successful and it is easy to
  make.
• I got 2 stems that germinated after the 1st to
  2nd week.
• The only costly thing is the nutrients and
  solutions to help the plant grow faster.

3
What kind of things can I grow in my system?

• The most popular of the hydroponics growing is
  the tomatoes, and peppers.
• You can also grow tropical plants in water too.

4
The lighting you need!

• There are many different types of lighting that
  you can get for successful growing.
• The neutral deluxe is suitable for any stage in
  plant growth.
• The cool deluxe is spectacular for vegetative
  growth.
• Also the warm deluxe is good for dramatic
  flowering.
• HID lighting, which is High Intensity

5
About the nutrients

• In the soil, organic material is broken down to
  release the nutrients and minerals.
• There are 17 mineral elements present that are
  essential to plant growth.
• You need to be sure to give the plants the right
  amount of soluble nutrients for plants success in
  growth.

6
Seed germination

• A seed needs warm temperature and moisture to
  germinate.
• If you start your seeds in a system there is less
  chance of disease.
• The seeds require light as soon as they germinate.

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Meeting the plants needs

• The plant must consume a healthy diet.
• They need protection from harsh environments.
• For example, tomatoes need more nitrogen during
  the vegetative stages rather than during the
  fruiting stages.
• Tomatoes grow best in full sunlight if you choose
  to grow without the artificial light.

8
Where can I grow my hydroponics?

• You can use drip systems and flood systems.
• These are the most popular of the two.
• They utilize a medium with nutrient holding
  capacity that gives the home grower a margin for
  safety.
• You can make your own system.
• Using natural light,by sitting the plant by a
  window will help it grow.

• IN YOUR HOME

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What is rockwool?

• Rockwool is made from rock which has been melted
  and spun into fibrous cubes.
• Rockwool is a form of Perlite in which the
  pebbles or rocks anchor the plant down so they
  dont just float up above the water.
• Rockwool is the most popular medium for
  germination seeds hydroponically.

• Rockwool is placed in a standard starting plastic
  tray, and the seeds are spread evenly spaced on
  the top of the medium.
• You can choose from granulated rockwool or loose
  rockwool.

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Propagation

• There are three different methods to propagation.
• They are seed germination, rooting stem cuttings,
  and tissue culture.
• Start with seed germination, and rock- wool is
  the most popular medium for germinating seeds.

• Stem cuttings from most types of plants can be
  rooted in 7-14 days.
• Oxygen is vital in root development.
• The fastest and easiest way to root stem cuttings
  is hydroponically.

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SOIL VS. HYDROPONICS

• In soil, bacteria has to break down the dirt.
• Soil is not able to produce as much nutrients per
  area as the root system takes up.
• Soil loses nutritional value.
• Soil is like a host to critters.
• Hydroponics simply looks nicer!

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Organic hydroponics

• Coconut fiber offers many unique advantages
• Large oxygen capacity.
• Superior water holding capacity.
• The fiber is not a biohazard.
• And is definitely not a disposable problem

• The organic compounds are found in the fiber
  which is not found in rockwool.

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Hydroponics history

• The growing of hydroponics plants is water was
  described in Egyptian writings dating back
  several hundred years before Christ.
• In the 1930s scientists were experimenting
  growing plants without soil using nutrients
  dissolved in water.
• It has been popularized in Western Europe and is
  now used in Holland for commercial foods.
• Canada is now second compared to Holland in food
  production.
• Work on plants date back from the 1600s.
• The process of hydroponics growing in our oceans
  dates back all the way to when the earth was
  created.

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Hydroponics our future????

• There are no chemical residues or dirt on them.
• They look more attractive and healthier.
• They are more expensive than regular tomatoes.

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Pests and Diseases

• Try to prevent algae growth.
• The common viruses are tomato mosaic virus,
  and that causes distortions of the leaves, also
  reduction in overall productivity.
• You can control it by reducing the humidity or
  by using specific fungicides.

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CONCLUSION

• Your understanding of hydroponics should be very
  clear by now, by the information I gave you.
• The lighting,types of plants,nutrients,
  germination of the seedlings and what you can use
  to hold the roots down seeing as how there is no
  soil to use instead.
• This concludes my PowerPoint.