LANSING — Greenhouse growers that are new to the industry or those that are interested in brushing up on their knowledge can now sign up for the Michigan State University Extension online courses. Sign up now for the summer sessions of three self-paced courses in Michigan State University Extension’s Online College of Knowledge greenhouse series: Greenhouse and Horticultural Lighting, Biological Control for Greenhouse Growers and Floriculture Root Zone Management. This award-winning series serves as an excellent resource for greenhouse growers new to the industry or those who want to learn more about other areas of greenhouse crop production or pest management.
These non-credit courses in the series are pre-recorded and registrants have three months to complete the courses: June 1, 2019, to August 31, 2019. Students in the course will take a pre-test and a final exam to gauge their learning on the topics. Registrants also can complete the optional self-assessment quizzes to engage with the material throughout the course. Each course is $129.
There are three scholarships for each of the four courses for those interested but do not currently have the financial means to take it. The cost of the course will be reduced to $39.99 for scholarship winners. Interested greenhouse growers should see the registration websites below for more details. Registration for all courses ends June 14, 2019.
Greenhouse and Horticultural Lighting
The Greenhouse and Horticultural Lighting Course is intended for greenhouse and ornamental plant growers and others interested in learning about the fundamental concepts about how plants respond to light quality, quantity and duration. It provides introductory to moderately-challenging content based on experiments performed at MSU and Purdue University. The units in the course cover photoperiod, photoperiodic lighting, light quality, quantity and duration, and factors that should be considered when replacing or installing new lamps.
To date, a total of 239 people have taken this course from 24 countries, including 32 U.S. states and 14 counties of Michigan. These participants represented 42.2 million square feet of greenhouse production. The majority (71%) of survey respondents are going to make a crop production change as a result of the course. The topics that were reportedly most helpful were the sections on ‘high-intensity lighting’ and ‘how to estimate daily light integral in your greenhouse.’ All course participants said they would recommend the course to another individual!
Register for Greenhouse and Horticultural Lighting. Read more about this course in the MSUExtension article, “Registration for online greenhouse and horticultural lighting course now open.”
Biological Control for Greenhouse Growers
MSU Extension partnered with Raymond Cloyd from Kansas State University Extension to offer an online course on biological control pest management. It is intended for greenhouse growers and others interested in learning about the challenges and opportunities associated with a biological control pest management program. The content of the course covers introductory materials to more advanced concepts such as utilizing banker plants.
A total of 271 people have taken the Biological Control of Greenhouse Growers course from 13 countries, including 31 U.S. states and 15 counties of Michigan. These participants represent 117.3 million square feet of greenhouse production area throughout the U.S. and the world. In the most recent session, which ended February, 2019, all survey respondents intended to make a change in their pest management practices as a result of the course.
Register for Biological Control for Greenhouse Growers. Read more about this course in the MSU Extension article, “Register now for biological control for greenhouse growers online course.”
Floriculture Root Zone Management
The Floriculture Root Zone Management course is for beginning-level floriculture growers. It covers the fundamental concepts about irrigation water, media and their effects on plant nutrition. The course covers water sources, water quality, water treatment, irrigation methodology and substrate components. The final unit of the course covers the essential elements for plant nutrition, how to select a fertilizer and how to monitor nutrition of greenhouse crops.
Ninety people have taken the Root Zone Management course from 7 countries and 23 U.S. states. These participants represent 16.6 million square feet of greenhouse production area throughout the U.S. and the world. In the most recent session, which ended February 2019, all survey respondents intended to make a change in their pest management practices as a result of the course. The areas of the course that were participants reported were the most helpful to them were the sections on ‘physical and chemical properties of media/substrate’ and ‘how to choose a fertilizer.’
NEW Summer 2019: This course is now available in Spanish!
Register for Floriculture Root Zone Management. Read more about this course in the MSUExtension article, “Registration for online root zone management course now open.”
Learn more about the courses at the College of Knowledge Online Series website:
— Michigan State University Extension and Outreach
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