Enhancing Greenhouse Operations with Automated Systems

1. Lesson 3 Using Automated Systems in the Greenhouse Reminder: student learning activities are at the end of this power point.

2. Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards Addressed! • RST.11‐12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (HS‐LS1‐1) • WHST.9‐12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self‐generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of thesubject under investigation. (HS‐LS1‐3) • HSSIC.B.6 Evaluate reports based on data. (HS‐LS2‐6)

3. Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Standards Addressed • PS.03.02. Develop and implement a management plan for plant production. • PS.03.02.05.b. Demonstrate proper techniques to control and manage plant growth through mechanical, cultural or chem • PS.03.02.06.b. Compare and contrast the types of technologies used for controlled atmosphere production.ical means.

4. Bell Work/Student Learning Objectives! • 1. Discuss the advantages of automated systems. • 2. Identify automated systems involved in planting. • 3. Identify automated systems involved in moving plants in the greenhouse. • 4. Identify automated systems involved in watering plants.

5. Terms • Automated pot fillers • Automated seeders • Automated transplanters • Capillary mats • Conveyor belt system • Drip irrigation • Ebb and flood

6. Terms • Intermittent mist system • Irrigation booms • Overhead sprinklers • Spaghetti tubing • Tray mechanization • Intermittent mist system • Irrigation booms • Overhead sprinklers

7. Interest Approach • Think about your household chores. Dusting, sweeping, doing the dishes and laundry. How long would it take for you to do all of your chores? What if your computer could do some or all of it for you? How much would you want to invest in a system like this? Think about this as you learn about using automated systems in greenhouses.

8. What are some advantages of automated systems? • Automated systems incorporate technological developments in the production of greenhouse crops. • The labor involved in propagating, potting, moving, growing, and harvesting greenhouse crops is intensive. Automated systems can greatly reduce labor costs.

9. Automated systems also allow for the management of much larger greenhouse operations.

10. What types of automated systems are used in planting processes? • Automated systems speed the planting and transplanting process. • Automated pot fillersare used to fill pots with medium. The medium is lightly packed, and the pots are stacked or move down a conveyor forplanting.

11. Automated Pot Filler

12. Automated seederspermit the sowing of entire flats or plug trays in a few moments. The flats or trays move down a conveyor to a germination room or are taken right to the greenhouse. Automated trans-plantersremove small plants from plug trays and transplant them directly to pots.

13. What systems are used in moving plants in the greenhouse? • One of the most labor-intensive tasks in the greenhouse is the transporting of plants. • Conveyor belt systemsare used to move plants from one area of the greenhouse to another.

14. Tray mechanization, first developed in Holland, has grown in popularity in the U.S. Individual trays or palletized benches that hold 100 pots or more roll on a series of rails from one area to another.

15. What automated systems are used in watering plants? • Although hand watering is the most reliable method of watering, automated systems permit the watering of thousands of plants in a short period of time. • Types of automated systems • Spaghetti tubing • Drip irrigation

16. Spaghetti tubingis an automated system that involves small tubes connected to a main line. The end of each small tube is placed in a pot, and when functioning, dribbles water onto the medium. One advantage to spaghetti tubing is the flowers and foliage stay dry.

17. Drip irrigationconsists of a system like spaghetti tubing but it differs in that it provides a slow steady drip. Drip irrigation is commonly used with hanging baskets. The advantage of drip irrigation is it wastes less water and fertilizer than spaghetti tubing.

18. Review/Summary • What are some advantages of automated systems? • What types of automated systems are used in planting processes? • What are some advantages of automated systems? • What automated systems are used in watering plants?

19. The End!

20. Student Learning Activies • Sample tests are available in the Lesson Plan tab.

22. Greenhouse design project • If you are having your students do the greenhouse design project. They can add this to their project design, what kind of watering system they are going to use. If they are going to use any automated machines, or computer systems.

23. Egg carton Greenhouse • This is a fun and easy greenhouse activity. what you need for this project is potting soil, seeds, egg carton, and large clear plastic bags or plastic wrap. First you fill the egg carton with the potting soil, then plant the seeds in each section in the carton. Water the soil and then place in a plastic bag or cover with the plastic wrap, then put the carton in the window. Water plants as needed and watch them grow. You can have your students keep track of their plants progress.

24. Name: ____________________________ Using Automated Systems in the Greenhouse worksheet Answer the following question by ether filling in the blank or answering with a complete sentence. What is an automated system? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How can automated systems help expand your greenhouse? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is an automated pot filler? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is an automated seeder? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is an automated trans-planter? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is a conveyer belt system, and how can it help save time in the greenhouse? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

25. What is the tray mechanization? • ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • Although _______________________ watering is the most ____________________ method of watering, ______________________________ systems permit the watering of _________________________ of _____________________ in a _____________________ period of time. • Describe the two types of watering systems. • _____________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ • _______________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. KEY Name: ____________________________ Using Automated Systems in the Greenhouse worksheet Answer the following question by ether filling in the blank or answering with a complete sentence. What is an automated system? An automated system incorporate technological developments in the production of greenhouse crops. How can automated systems help expand your greenhouse? The labor involved in propagating, potting, moving, growing, and harvesting greenhouse crops is intensive. Automated systems can greatly reduce labor costs. Automated systems also allow for the management of much larger greenhouse operations. What is an automated pot filler? Automated pot fillers are used to fill pots with medium. The medium is lightly packed, and the pots are stacked or move down a conveyor for planting. What is an automated seeder? Automated seeders permit the sowing of entire flats or plut trays in a few moments. The flats or trays move down a conveyor to the germination room or are taken right to the greenhouse.

27. What is an automated trans-planter? • Automated trans-planters remove small plants from plug trays and transplant them directly to pots. • What is a conveyer belt system, and how can it help save time in the greenhouse? • Conveyor belt systems are used to move plants from one area of the greenhouse to another. One of the most labor-intensive tasks in the greenhouse is the transporting of plants. • What is the tray mechanization? • Tray mechanization, is individual trays or palletized benches that hold 100 pots or more roll on a series of rails from one area to another. • Although hand watering is the most reliable method of watering, automated systems permit the watering of thousands of plants in a short period of time. • Describe the two types of watering systems. • Spaghetti tubing • Spaghetti tubing is an automated system that involves small tubes connected to the main line. The end of each small tube is placed in a pot, and when functioning, dribbles water onto the medium. One advantage to spaghetti tubing is the flowers and foliage stay dry. • Drip irrigation • Drip irrigation consists of a system like spaghetti tubing but it differs in that it provides a slow steady drip. Drip irrigation is commonly used with hanging baskets. The advantage of drip irrigation is it wastes less water and fertilizer then spaghetti tubing.