Soilless High School Greenhouse

Biology and Business Skills Come to Life

Peoria, Arizona has a long history of growing food hydroponically. Commercial growers in this west-central region have used sand-based hydroponics to grow tomatoes for over twenty-five years. High school teacher, John Mulcahy, bridges the past and present by using hydroponics in his science curriculum at Peoria High School. John teaches Specialized Horticulture to students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in the school's Agricultural Program. His students learn the biological components of growing plants and the business aspects of producing, promoting, and delivering their products to market. There is strong support, within the school and community, for teaching students both the historical aspects and the horticultural importance of growing plants hydroponically.

"This is our fourth year working with hydroponics in the greenhouse. We model our production process on the ‘EuroFresh' method that is used in our area. This way, our students have relevant experience for future job opportunities," John explains. "We integrate the studies of horticulture, greenhouse growing, and hydroponics with other disciplines."

John's horticulture students also work with the Biology Program to study pest management and the Culinary Arts Program which uses the hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables in the school's lunch menus and for special events.

From Aerating to Advertising

The students participate in every aspect of hydroponics -- from designing hydroponic systems to marketing their produce. When the hydroponics curriculum first began, John's classes used the NFT system for growing. "The NFT system is extremely easy to use and has lots of room for trial and error," notes John. "We still use it for growing lettuce, cilantro, and basil. But my students wanted to get into tomato production and we needed more structural support for this type of plant. After much research, we agreed to go with the horizontal bag system."

Students also participate in marketing strategy meetings to develop a plan of action for public relations, sale events, and crop selection. Once a month the students hold plant and produce sales for the general public and sell their goods to the employees of the school district on a regular basis. The proceeds go back into the program's budget to buy equipment and advertising materials.

The bag system uses a growing medium such as perlite. The plants are planted into the bag and liquid nutrients are circulated through the growing medium. Plants are supported from above with piping and string.

Students also volunteer for year-long responsibilities in the greenhouse hydroponics setup. Different students manage the greenhouse hydroponics, check growing systems, regulate nutrients, and harvest produce. This year, the students decided to set a goal of growing one ton of tomatoes hydroponically. They chose a vertical aeroponic system and then custom-designed the hydroponic units with parts donated from local suppliers. The project has brought biology -- as well as plants -- to life. "With hydroponics, the kids get to see an immediate reaction to a cause," John explains. "The balance of nutrients, pH, and other environmental factors has a direct and visible effect on the plants. I've heard my students say ‘wow it really does make a difference' after they've experimented with different levels of nitrogen or phosphorous in the nutrient mix."

Tangible Results

"The kids know that once you start a hydroponics system, you have to manage it, you've got to put your time in," says John. "The kids do it all, they're capable, in charge, and they do the actual work. They're successful through their own efforts."

John believes that incorporating hydroponics into his studies has helped fulfill his educational mission: provide students with information, give them a problem to solve, and let them reach their own conclusion. Through the program's hydroponic tomato growing enterprise, his students have learned many lessons: botany, biology, marketing, managing budgets, retail sales skills, and that they do have a future of their own choosing. "One year, the student tomato manager was a kid headed to nowhere," Mulcahy remembers. "His sophomore year he started working with the hydroponics program and it really turned him around. He became excited, interested, and he saw that his actions really made a difference. Now he's off to college studying horticulture with a special emphasis on hydroponics. He told me he's going to be ‘the top producer of tomatoes in the world'."

 

 

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