Data Driven Decision Making in Horticulture

In today's competitive landscape, data-driven decision making is no longer an option, but a necessity for success in the horticulture industry. This comprehensive 4-day course equips you with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of data to optimise your operations, increase profitability, and achieve sustainable growth.

We use data daily to make decisions. Our brains assess the situation around us to decide on our next steps. The use of digital aids to make decisions improves this ability hundred-fold.  Data driven decision making helps with improving work efficiency, yield, plant health and growth and more. It is one of the most used strategies in horticulture by growers and companies.

On the simplest level, horticulturists record temperature and precipitation to determine the correct timing for activities in the garden. At more complex level many growers turn to climate computers to optimise environmental conditions for plant growth and development. Some monitor pests and diseases to determine the right time to introduce biological control.

Course aims:

During the course, you will learn about:

• The importance of using data to enable good decision making
• Identifying relevant data metrics for your enterprise
• The use of software and hardware to collect, analyse and present data
• Develop strategies to use Data to improve productivity and plant health by Setting benchmarks, KPIs and objectives and evaluating results to enable action

Topics covered: 

• What is data? Different types of data
• How is data used to make decisions
• Relevant metrics for horticulture: Temperature, Relative humidity and  humidity deficient, degree growing days and more…
• Hardware set up including different environmental computers, sensors, data loggers, connectivity
• Data collection, analysis and visualisation
• Setting up Benchmarks, KPIs, objectives and parameters for a climate computer

Course Dates

• Day 1: Tuesday 11th March 2025
• Day 2: Tuesday 1st April 2025 
• Day 3: Tuesday 22nd April 2025
• Day 4: Tuesday 13th May 2025

Course Cost

£595.

This 4 day course is for professional horticulturists. It will provide participants with an understanding of the practical applications of data in the workplace. During the course you will learn how to collect, analyse and interpret data to enable decision making.