Introduction to Hydroponics  Today I am going to give you the information you need to know about hydroponics. For those who don’t 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.

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 1 st to 2 nd week. The only costly thing is the nutrients and solutions to help the plant grow faster.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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 don’t 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.

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.

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!

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.

Hydroponics history The growing of hydroponics plants is water was described in Egyptian writings dating back several hundred years before Christ. In the 1930’s 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 1600’s. The process of hydroponics growing in our oceans dates back all the way to when the earth was created.

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.

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.

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.