05 • October 2013 www.soillessgardening-india.com
Dedicated to the Soilless Gardening Industry of India
read in this issue: HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN FOODS?
MISSION "It is our Mission to take Hydroponics, as a technology, to every Indian household by reducing the barriers to entry for all. It is our dream to see every home and land owner adopt this technique in India in the next fifteen years".
VISION Our vision is to see India as a power in the field of horticulture. To wipe the woes of every farmer in India in the next twenty years by providing cutting edge technology. We want every Indian Farmer to say it with pride "I am proud to be a farmer!"
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED
CONTACT INFORMATION:
1. Training in Simplified and Commercial Hydroponics 2. Consultancy Services and installation of Urban Roof Top Hydroponic Gardens 3. Consultancy Services for Agronomy 4. Turnkey Installation of Commercial Hydroponics Greenhouses 5. Turnkey installation of Large scale Hydroponic Animal Fodder Systems (5-100 Tons/day) 6. Supply of world class Hydroponic Nutrients 7. Supply of Simplified Hydroponics Hobby Kits 8. Supply of Coco Peat for Commercial Growers (RHP Quality) 9. Supply and Installation of Simple Backyard Greenhouses 10. Water Analysis Facilities
102 Saptagiri Meadows, 24th Main JP Nagar 5th Phase Bangalore 560078 Karnataka State, India Mobile: 00 91 99022 11684 00 91 78294 48677 E-mail: coo@petbharoproject.co.in ceo@petbharoproject.co.in urbanprojects@petbharoproject.co.in
editorial
Dеар
Sandesh Shingote Co-founder
Readers Aditya Chaudhary Publisher
In this issue of Soilless Gardening – We would like share our experience to take part in Urban Krishi Mela, Bengaluru organized by University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru. We were surprised to see such overwhelming response to Urban Farming by all segments of the society. We expect more government department will come forward to promote urban farming. Future of urban farming in India seems very bright and hydroponics should be most used technology. We would like to thank all the participants for showing their faith in us & booking booths in our Mumbai Exhibition to be on 7th from all segments of the industry for the Exhibition & very few booths are left. Your suggestion & queries are welcomed. In addition, in this you issue you will know about Hydrofarm – Company profile & Mayuresh Industries – Indian manufacturer of hydroponic systems. Hope you will enjoy this month’s issue!!!
Team
SGI
Aditya Chaudhary – Publisher publisher@soillessgardening-india.com Sandesh Shingote – Co-founder editor@soillessgardening-india.com Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | C
15 22
18 06 india
Conference and Mini-Expo February 7–8, Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, India
contents
Issue 05, October 2013 05 • OCTOBER 2013 www.soillessgardening-india.com
news&events
Dedicated to the Soilless Gardening Industry of India
READ IN THIS ISSUE:
06
HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN FOODS?
08 09 10 12
Soilless Gardening India Joins University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru in Their Movement to Promote Urban Farming… FITCH (India Ratings) Upgrades Jain Irrigation to Investment Grade Again Pan Global, Corp. Signs Lease Agreement and Begins Development of a Hydroponic Greenhouse Operation Pilot Project Successful: Capsicum Cultivated in Saidabad Greenhouse Surinder Sud: A Breakthrough in Hydroponics
cover story 15
HYDROFARM
company profile <Publisher:
18
Mayuresh Industry
Aditya Chaudhary publisher@soillessgardening-india.com
General Hydroponics pages
< Co-founder: Sandesh Shingote sandesh@soillessgardening-india.com
22
HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN FOODS?
<Editor: Mr. R Venkatesh editor@soillessgardening-india.com <Graphic design and prepress: PublishEast Ltd. art@soillessgardening-india.com <Webmaster: Ms. Sunita webmaster@soillessgardening-india.com <Representative:
soilless technologies 101 26 30 32 40
BASIL Basics for Hydroponic Beginners Algae – Food of the Future? Wonders of the World and Hydroponics
Ms. Mona support-asia@soillessgardening-india.com
questions & answers
<Technical Editor Ms. Bekir support@soillessgardening-india.com
 Printed & Published by Aditya
Printed at Puspak Printers 203-204, DSIDC Complex Okhala Indusrial Area New Delhi
44 46 47 48
Can We Grow Different Crops Like Tomatoes, Peas, Melon, Lettuce etc in the same Hydroponic System Using Same Reservoir? What are the Difficulties in Growing Plants on my Terrace Garden in Soil? What are Hydrogen Peroxide & its uses in Hydroponics? Why are There Three Parts to the General Hydroponics Flora Series Nutrients? Can You Explain the Purpose of Each Component of the Flora Series?
 Contact information:
Soilless Gardening India Magazine Office No – 6, MS House, Opp. Metro Pillar No 57, Sikanderpur, Gurgaon – 122004, Haryana, INDIA
BC IBC
HYDROFARM
 Mob: +91 828 573 0000  Fax: +91 124 400 2532
IFC
Hydroponic Greenhouse Technologies India private Ltd.
 support-asia@soillessgardening-india.com  support@soillessgardening-india.com  http://soillessgardening-india.com
index GHE
35,37 Greentech India
04,05 Soilless Gardening (India) Conference and Mini-Expo 14
SGI Shoppe
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TRIMPRO Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 3
india
Conference and Mini-Expo February 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8, Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, India
2 days
unlimited businesses ideas
We are inviting you to attend the 2014 Soilless Gardening (India) Conference and Mini-Expo organized in Mumbai, India At the conference you will learn the important aspects of the hydroponic industry, ranging from the history of hydroponics, questions "How to start?" and "What kind of fertilizer to use?" to information about professional systems used in hydroponic growing. Within the conference and expo, you will have the opportunity to meet and get acquainted with the renowned industry companies, such as General Hydroponics, which will attend the conference and expo in person and exhibit their products. We invite all the companies engaged in agriculture & gardening, garden hobbyists and enthusiasts, professional agricultural businesses to attend the event in Mumbai, India.
www.soillessgardening-india.com
india
Conference and Mini-expo Feb. 7, 2014
Feb. 8, 2014
09:00—10:00 Registration of Visitors (Each visitor will receive a gift bag from our sponsors) 10:00—10:45 History of Hydroponics 11:00—11:45 History of Hydroponics in India 12:00—13:00 Lunch break 13:00—13:45 The hydroponic «Family Farm»: not only a concept, but also a practical reality 14:00—15:30 Round Table Discussion 15:30—16:00 Coffee break 16:00—17:30 Round Table Discussion
10:00—18:00 Mini-Expo
Free, but only based on online registrations! ROUND TABLE SUBJECTS: • Hydroponics in the Modern Economy • Animal feed and hydroponics technologies in India • Family hydroponics farms in India; challenges and solutions. • Indian hydroponics shops • Presentation of the Institute of Simplified Hydroponics • Bio stimulants; For or Against? • General Industry Discussions Please, do not hesitate to send us your proposals for round table subjects.
Mini-Expo attendance is complete free and everyone is welcome!
CONFERENCE PROGRAM: The entrance to the conference room is only after preliminary online registration. 13:00—15:00 Presentation and book signing of William Texier book “Hydroponics for Everybody” • Hydroponics. What is it and how can you start? • Differences between soil and hydroponics cultivation (physical, chemical etc. • Different technologies regrouped under the word hydroponics • Different substrates used in hydro • Nutrition and supplementation: clear definition of each category and rapid over view of supplements. • Lightning of Plants (photo-culture flowers, vegetables, salad, sprouts) 15:00—18:00 Hydroponics training course for beginners
Contact us: Soilless Gardening India Magazine Office No – 6, MS House , Opp. Metro Pillar No 57, Sikanderpur, Gurgaon – 122004, Haryana, INDIA Mob: +91 828 573 0000 Fax: +91 124 400 2532 India: support-asia@soillessgardening-india.com USA: support@soillessgardening-india.com Europe: support-europe@soillessgardening-india.com
Visit www.soillessgardening-india.com for more details.
news&events
Soilless Gardening India Joins University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru in Their Movement to Promote Urban Farmingâ&#x20AC;Ś First of its kind initiative to promote Urban Horticulture At silicon city of India Bengaluru University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru organized Urban krishi mela on 27â&#x20AC;&#x201D;28 Oct 2013 in Bengaluru. We were surprise to see the overwhelming response of the crowd; people started walking in at 10am in the morning to till late evening 7pm. People were so keen to enter that they have started entering exhibition hall even before it was inaugurated by Supreme Court Judge V. Gopala Gowda. According to UAS, Bangalore, Dean (Post-graduate studies) and mela chief co-ordinator C. Vasudevappa, estimated 1.20 people have visited this event only on first day. There were around 120 stalls and participants were various agriculture universities, traders and manufacturers of gardening equipment, service providers, seed manufacturers, consultants.
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
news&events
Vertical gardens were one of the attractions of the show; grow bags, special trays, and various flowering pots with flowers also pulling the crowd. Home makers, Gardening enthusiasts, hobbyist, traders visited flocked the booths in groups. As per university records exhibitors has sold material of worth rupees 1 million on first day of the event. Soilless Gardening India Magazine participated in the show to promote soilless culture which is integral part of Urban Farming. Our team got accolades from Hon’ble vice chancellor of UAS, B Mr. K. Narayan Gowda, for our efforts towards promoting soilless culture in India. He also made vice Chancellors of other Indian agriculture universities to visit our booth. All of them has appreciated the work and conveyed best wishes to our team for further journey. Bengaluru city has nick name as silicon city of India, this is the city where most of the IT companies having their office and as per our visitor book so many IT professionals visited this show with serious interest. Recent trend shows that many IT professionals turning up to Gardeners. We thank you very much the Hon’ble vice chancellor of UAS,B Mr. K. Narayana Gowda and entire organizing committee for this wonderful and mesmerizing event. We also thank them for giving us an opportunity to promote soilless gardening during the event. This is just an initiative and many more such events might come up in days to come.
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 7
news&events
FITCH (India Ratings) Upgrades Jain Irrigation to Investment Grade Again
Ratings Upgraded to "IND BBB-" from "IND BB+" for Long Term and to "IND A3" from "IND A 4+" The India Ratings and Research the rating arm of FITCH Ratings group has upgraded Jain irrigation’s long term and short term rating to "investment grade" currently from just below the investment grade earlier. Following the improvement in liquidity profile caused by better receivables management and stablisation of change of business model in MIS business implemented by the Company as reflected in its recently announced Q2/H1 FY 2014 results on 10th November 2013, the rating agency has upgraded JISL’s outlook to "stable" from earlier "negative outlook". The ratings upgrade will enable the Company to bring its overall cost of debt down in the remaining months in the 2nd Half of FY2014 and also enable it to further improve its short/ medium term working capital management initiatives. 8
| Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13
The rating agency also expects JISL to continue to work on its focus on "high quality business and sustainable revenues and a primarily cash based business model", the Press release further confirms JISL’s "dominant position in the MIS markets, strong brand image, well diversified product portfolio and the wide distribution network"
Thus, the rating agency in its recent press release of 11th November 2013 says: QUOTE "Gross receivables (on 12 months trailing revenue) in the micro-irrigation systems (MIS) segment continued to decline for the fifth consecutive quarter (ended September 2013) i.e. 279 days (FY13: 329 days). This was attributed to the increasing proportion of exports, implementation of cash-based sales in Maharashtra and a reduced exposure to southern states with a higher subsidy recovery back-log. Maharashtra accounts for 46% of sales in micro irrigation systems (MIS). Overall consolidated receivable days declined to 130 days for
the quarter ended September 2013 on 12 months trailing basis (FY13: 142 days). The ratings also reflect the agency’s expectation of JISL transitioning to a primarily cash-based business model and focussing on high-quality and sustainable revenue, which is showing early signs of success. For the six months ended September 2013 (1H14), standalone revenue increased 21.4% yoy to INR17.9bn, driven by strong growth in PE pipes (81.4% yoy), dehydrated onion processing (34.5% yoy), MIS (20.5% yoy) and PVC pipes (23.9% yoy). Among non-MIS divisions, PVC pipes registered strong revenue growth on the back of robust demand for agriculture and drinking water applications in rural areas. Other growth contributors were PVC sheets and fruit processing segments. Particularly in the MIS segment, revenue growth was driven by exports (59.4% yoy especially to Africa). Domestic business witnessed growth of 15.2% yoy. Consolidated 1H14 revenue displayed growth of 16.3% yoy to INR26.3bn."
news&events
Pan Global, Corp. Signs Lease Agreement and Begins Development of a Hydroponic Greenhouse Operation
CARSON CITY, NV– (Marketwired – Oct 18, 2013) – Pan Global, Corp. (OTCQB: PGLO) (the “Company”), is pleased to announce that through its wholly owned subsidiary, Pan Asia Infratech, Corp., it has entered into a 10 year Lease Agreement (“Lease”) for a 5 acre parcel of land in the State of Punjab, India. The site was specifically selected as a prime location for establishing the Company’s inaugural hydroponic greenhouse growing operation. The Company has contracted Dr. Amanjit Josan, a specialist in greenhouse growing who has experience operating greenhouse facilities in North America and deep ties to the academic and agricultural communities in Punjab, to develop and prepare a site-specific business plan for this hydroponic greenhouse operation.
Why Hydroponics in India While India currently grows enough food to feed its population, food prices of many commodities have been increasing rapidly in recent years, food prices have been
highly volatile, and many of India’s prime food growing regions face significant water shortages.
Further details of the Lease are
Hydroponic systems can use as much as 90 percent less water than conventional methods, as noted in the June 2013 edition of Modern Farmer, while significantly increasing crop yields on a more regular production schedule.
About Pan Global, Corp.
available in the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC.
Pan Global, Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Pan Asia Infratech, Corp., is focused on environmentally sustainable energy, infrastructure and technologies. Our aim is to invest in green energy technology and infrastructure to
http://modernfarmer. com/2013/06/dirt-free-farmingwill-hydroponics-finally-take-off/
build an inclusive green economy around the world. Â Source: Pan Global Corp
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 9
news&events
Pilot Project Successful: Capsicum Cultivated in Saidabad Greenhouse
ALLAHABAD: Authorities of district horticulture department have been able to successfully cultivate a highly improved variety of capsicum at the greenhouse set up at Dudwa village of Saidabad block. The objective of cultivating capsicum at greenhouse was to offer controlled conditions for the growth of different varieties of vegetables. Officials said that the first greenhouse of the district was set up at Saidabad block for protective cultivation of highly improved vegetables and8 after this, work for setting up two more greenhouse was in the final phase at Holagarh block of the district. District horticulture officer PK Shukla told TOI, "Initially, we cultivated capsicum in around 1000 square metres at Saidabad greenhouse and after the vegetables, cultivation of flowers would be undertaken." He said two greenhouses at Holagarh would be set up around 1,000 square meters each shortly and each green house costs around Rs 9.35 lakh. "Saidabad greenhouse is made up of materials like, glass and
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13
plastic roof. It heats up because of incoming visible solar radiation from the sun which is further absorbed by plants, soil, and other articles present inside the structure. Air warmed by the heat from hot interior surfaces is retained in the structure by the roof and wall," he explained. The glass used for the greenhouse works as a barrier to air flow, and its effect is to trap energy within the structure. The air that is warmed near the ground is prevented from rising indefinitely and flowing away, he added. Shukla said, "After setting up the greenhouses, other vegetables like carrot, peppers, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, melons, squash and tomatoes will be cultivated. Apart from these, the department has also decided to cultivate varieties of flowers like marigold and lavender inside the greenhouse." "Officials have apprised farmers and vegetable growers about tips that are useful in vegetable and flower cultivation so that they could get a better yield in less investment," He added Agricultural experts here said cultivating fruits, flowers and
vegetables in the greenhouse year-round requires maintaining a favorable temperature inside the greenhouse for the plants. A "warm" greenhouse must maintain a minimum temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit and one can also grow many food crops in a cool greenhouse by keeping the temperature lower. This allows most fruits and vegetables to grow year-round. In summer months, the warm greenhouse must be cooled to maintain a temperature under 100 degrees Fahrenheit to continue growth. Any fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, stop growing once the air temperature reaches 100 degrees or higher. In the current scenario, greenhouses have been a popular mode among vegetable growers even in small towns as vegetable and flowers growers are wellacquainted with the growing techniques. An official claimed, "People are well aware about the advantages of greenhouses and the vegetable growers have been approaching the department to set up greenhouses at their farms and fields too." Â Source: TOI
One of the Biggest Hydroponics Companies In the World
HYDROFARM Appoints SGI Enterprises as their EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR for INDIA.
State wise distributor required for India Please send your enquires at sales@sgishoppe.com
news&events
Surinder Sud: A Breakthrough in Hydroponics
Indian hobbyist has created a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. Although it is still an evolving science, hydroponic agriculture (growing plants in water solution rather than soil) is spreading fast the world over. The nutritional requirement of the plants in this system of soilless farming is met by the nutrient mixtures, called hydroponics fertiliser mixtures, added to the water in which the plant roots are kept submerged. These mixtures are made of chemical plant nutrients. A breakthrough has now been achieved by an Indian hydroponics hobbyist in creating a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. This wholly chemicalfree plant growth solution has been tested successfully for growing several plants, including common vegetables like tomato and arbi and some high value medicinal plants like Brahmi, Arjun and Cineraria. Indeed, a good deal of research is underway in this system of soilless farming in the US and Europe but not much headway has been made anywhere in organic hydroponics. Of course, some hydroponics enthusiasts abroad have been experimenting with various kinds of organic
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
manures and mixtures of plants, but successful and commercially viable organic hydroponics models are still not available. In fact, even globally accepted principles for certifying organic hydroponics products are also not yet available. The success in this venture in India is claimed by a Delhi-based family headed by Vidya Shankar Singh. His daughter, Shweta Singh, a Delhi University botany student, has been assisting him in discovering and further improving the biofertiliser mixture for growing plants in ordinary water. "Though we normally call this biofertiliser an ayurvedic medicine for raising plants, we have also given it the name Shweta Anand Growth Solution", says Singh. It costs only about Rs 30 to Rs 40 for producing one litre of this concoction, though it takes a long time of six to eight months to process it. This mixture, added to the water at the rate of just one millilitre per litre per week, takes care of the complete nutritional requirement of the plants. Singh has also evolved another wholly plantsbased mixture for spraying on the plants to boost their growth. He has named it Shweta Protonic mixture. He, however, is
keeping the formula for making these mixtures a secret. Nor does he want to disclose the plants whose leaves are used in preparing them. "I will work on it for a couple of years more before thinking of launching commercial production of this bio-fertiliser for hydroponics. However, if some government organisation, such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), comes forward, I am willing to cooperate with it in promoting organic hydroponics in India," he says. The hydroponics garden that Singh is maintaining on the roof of his house near backside entrance of the Nizamudin railway station has several species of flowering plants, vegetables and medicinal plants. He believes that nearly 200 commercially important plants can be grown by hydroponics technique. But, surely, this technique cannot be applied to all plants. His attempts to grow horticultural plants like lemon and grapes have not been successful. In India, the hydroponics system of farming was first attempted by an English scientist W J Shalto Duglas in a laboratory in Kligpong area of West Bengal
news&events
Dedicated to the Soilless Gardening Industry of India in 1946. After his return to England in 1948, the scientific research work on it virtually stopped. Globally, however, the chemical fertiliser mixturebased hydroponics is in vogue in several countries, especially in areas where either the climatic conditions or the poor soil quality prohibit normal crop cultivation. In British Columbia, the bulk of the greenhouse industry is now using hydroponics technology. Various models of the hydroponics are in use for indoor as well as outdoor gardening and farming. Specialised cultivation techniques have also been evolved for growing vegetables in submarines to feed the crew members. It may soon also find its use in spacecrafts. The US space agency is reported to have begun experimenting growing plants in space. In India, too, several tracts of wastelands having poor quality soil but plenty of water can be brought under hydroponics. All that will be needed is to create an impervious surface at the bottom and bunds to hold water. The technology used for polythene lining of canals can come in handy for creating large hydroponic farms to grow food crops, vegetables and other plants.
01 • FEBRU ARY 2013 • www.so
illessga rdening -india.c om
Dedicated to the Soilless Garde
ning Industry of India
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Coming Soon
FIRST online store for HYDROPONICS in
www.sgishoppe.com Companies who are interested to showcase their products on the SGI Shoppe, may contact for details: sales@sgishoppe.com.
cover story
B
ased in Petaluma, California, USA, Hydrofarm is the oldest and largest manufacturer and distributor of indoor gardening and hydroponics supplies in the U.S. Hydrofarm products are also distributed throughout the Western Hemisphere and Europe, and the company’s latest initiative involves making its products available to the Indian market. Hydrofarm is partnering with SGI Enterprises in this venture, and will be participating in the Soilless Gardening Conference and Mini- Expo in Mumbai in February 2014.
Hydrofarm began as a small business 36 years ago in Marin County, north of San Francisco. From the very beginning, the company’s philosophy was based on delivering high quality, innovative products and offering excellent customer service. That has not changed, though the company has grown considerably, with hundreds of employees and facilities in the U.S., Spain and China. “India is at such an exciting point in terms of the growth of hydroponics. We’re exploring the market at present, and see new opportunities there, from encouraging hobby growers
to supplying large commercial endeavors with the necessary supplies and equipment,” said Peter Wardenburg, CEO of Hydrofarm. As a wholesale seller, with over 4000 products offered to retailers, Hydrofarm plans on initially offering a specially selected group of its most popular products in India, geared towards those who want to grow and harvest crops year round. These include Emily’s Garden, a self-contained hydroponic garden designed to fit on a shelf, table or small patio. Also offered will be the Megagarden System, which
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 15
cover story
brings the convenience of a hydroponic ebb and flow system to a compact space. Both systems contain everything you needs to grow vegetables to feed a family, and with the addition of a grow light, be able to grow edibles throughout the year indoors. The Tomato Trellis Garden On Wheels is a Hydrofarm exclusive, and along with the Tomato Barrel is a self-watering garden where you can grow tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas and other climbing plants. Both gardens are expandable, and the Trellis comes with wheels to make moving the entire system a simple endeavor.
Benoit Goessens, Vice-President of Sales and Peter Wardenburg, CEO Hydrofarm products incorporate only premium quality components, and their professional-grade hydroponics and safety-tested lighting fixtures deliver years of dependable service. Hydrofarm also functions as a distributor for a select group of other manufacturers, and proudly includes many General Hydroponics products amongst its offerings. “I’m intrigued by the possibilities in India, and really looking forward to the Conference in February as a learning experience as much as a marketing one” said Benoit Goessens, Vice-President of Sales for Hydrofarm. “I hope to be able to meet one-on-one with many growers and potential growers to discuss the challenges and needs of the Indian market.” Â For more information, visit www.hydrofarm.com
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 17
company profile
Mayuresh
industry
M
ayuresh industry involved in electromechanical components and electronics products since 1996. Company has integrated manufacturing setup in Kolhapur city (Maharashtra). They have ISO 9001-2008 accredited since 2005. Company has more 20000 sqft of manufacturing setup. Shri Sanjiv Suresh Gokhale is the proprietor of the company. He has an innovative mind & has invented a lot of products over the past several years. Infusion flow rate monitorâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; This product received the gold medal for best innovation from IIM (Ahmadabad) in 2004. He has various patents from Government of India in his for his innovative products. Now days he has started working on development of innovative agriculture equipment. The vertical kitchen garden is one of them, which received appreciations from everyone. You can grow 24 plants in less than a sqft of space.
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
cover story
One of the Biggest Hydroponics Companies In the World
General Hydroponics Appoints SGI Enterprises as their EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR for INDIA.
State wise distributor required for India Please send your enquires at sales@sgishoppe.com Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 19
company profile
The Vertical Kitchen Garden is a vertical food production system designed for home and commercial farmers. It lets even inexperienced growers grow fresh healthy vegetable in fraction of the time than it would take to grow the same crops in soil. It is based on the principal of hydroponic farming. This is green & sustainable vertical growing system. Since it is a closed system 100% of the water and nutrients are recycled. This means crops uses as a little 5 Percent of water normally required in soil for conventional farming. The PH balance maintained by the ionic minerals in the nutrients solution helps in prevent disease, thereby reducing the necessity to use organic or conventional pesticides. This helps in producing ‘Green’ healthy, Pesticide free food crops in the comfort of your own backyard. Almost any crop can be growing in the Kitchen Garden. We have, developed the system keeping in mind ambient climate of the subcontinent .The system can grow highly nutritious and fresh crops in fraction of the time than it would to grow the same crops in soil. It highly oxygenates the roots to grow healthy strong plants. Increased oxygen to root system helps to prevent disease and improve plant growth. The Tower Garden uses a water based growing system that features a highly oxygenated environment for the plant roots. 20
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company profile
Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 21
General Hydroponics pages
HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN FOODS? By Noucetta Kehdi – GHE
A
s time goes by and people become more conscious of the importance of their food sources, controling food supplies becomes a priority, and producing food at home is today an attractive alternative. Every day people ask us if we have a solution to this situation, and of course we do, as hydropnonics allies quality, productivity and sustainabilty for everyone, in the best possible ratios.
How to grow your own food at home? The crop To start your home production, you first have to decide which plant you’d like to grow, and in what quantity? You can grow a few small herbs like parsley, dill or coriander to season dishes and salads, or only one plant but in larger quantities like genovese basil if you like pesto and don’t find enough of it. And you can grow larger plants like chilis, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers or physalis. The limit is your choice.
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Grow all the foods you want, at home or in your greenhouse
The growing systems Then you must choose the growing system best adapted to your crops. To grow only kitchen herbs for home consumption, use an AquaFarm, or, even better, an EcoGrower because it is larger and more versatile. These two units can easily find their place in your kitchen or living room, near a window or under a special lamp, for maximum lighting. If you are growing large plants and/or larger quantities, the AeroFlo Series is your perfect unit, with 5 or 6 different models to choose from (for more info, download our catalog from www. eurohyro.com). The AquaFarm and the EcoGrower are very easy to handle. If it is your first time growing hydroponically, these are user-friendly machines, and an excellent introduction to hydroponics. Not that the AeroFlo is difficult, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a faster moving machine, and the fact of having roots hanging in air instead of being protected by a substrate like the Grorox in AquaFarms, makes it more delicate to control.
The EcoGrower is the best growing system in its category.
Mint for your tea? In a Panda Hydro System
The nutrients and supplements Our larger systems are supplied with Flora Series nutrient, a pH liquid test kit indicator, and dry pH Down. We also offer the Tripack with different combinations of nutrients. Flora Series is the best adapted nutrient for home growing. It is
Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 23
General Hydroponics pages
a very concentrated, high-end formula that can be adapted to a large range of crops in different proportions and concentrations. On our website, under http://gb.eurohydro.com/ application-charts.html, you will find a Flora Series feeding chart for some of the most popular plants grown at home. For plants that are not in that list, just let us know, we will be happy to provide you with an adapted answer.
Hot Chili peppers in an AquaFarm at home
Eventually you may feel the need to use supplements to improve your plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diet and health. We offer a large array of complements, boosters and activators, organic and mineral, that respond to all possible situations. We also offer you the only organic nutrient adapted to hydroponics under the name of BioSevia and BioThrive, and the General Organic line for a complete organic line of plant food.
The parametres I have been growing my kitchen herbs for a very long time. In an AquaFarm. I also grew tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, chilis, physalis and strawberries. Whichever unit you use, the hydroponic parametres remain always the same: pH and EC regular monitoring and control is of the essence. Also cleanliness, proper temperature and humidity like for any other plant, and of course adequate lighting. To know more about these subjects download our
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
Young greens and salads in an AeroFlo, cultivated with BioThrive and BioWeed
catalog and articles from eurohydro.com. You can also contact us directly at tech@ eurohydro.com.
Young butterhead lettuce
Starting your system and managing the nutritive solution is also quite easy. We provide detailed how-to instructions with all our systems. Simply follow indications in «The Basics» (first steps to hydro) and use our feeding charts, there should be no difficulties. And if you have questions call us for help.
How to? There are different ways to start your plants in a hydroponic system.
Herb garden in an AquaFarm
You can either germinate seeds and transplant young seedlings, or start with cuttings. If you sow your seeds, it is best to do it in a very light mix of peat, vermiculite and perlite, that is easy to wash off the roots when it is time to transplant into the hydroponic system. You can also buy plants from garden centres and transplant them into your system. In this case it is essential to start with young plants because older ones easily suffer from transplanting stress. Assemble your system and prepare the nutritive solution as indicated in «The Basics», turn your pump on, place your plants, and prepare to be surprised. All you got to do from now on is care for your plants, harvest and enjoy. Â For more info, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@eurphydro.com or visit our blog www.ghe-blog.com Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 25
soilless technologies 101
BASIL I
magine this. You want to make some dish and you need Basil. You run to the market to get some basil. You have to get a whole bunch and you only need little. You use what you need and keep the rest in the refrigerator. We all know what happens to the rest of the basil. This is mostly the case with all herbs. What if you had a Basil plant in your garden. This article is about growing basil in a hydroponic kit at home. There are several varieties of Basil varying in colors and flavor. The varieties are Italian Basil, Regular Basil, Thai Basil, Lemon Basil and Fine leaved Basil. There are green and purple colored leaves as well. Basil is also very easy to grow and maintain. In this article regular Basil and a combination Deep-water culture and raft method of hydroponics is used to to grow. This system is very simple and is maintenance free while taking very less space.
Basil
Basil is a common name for Ocimum Basilicum and it belongs 26
| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
to the family Lamiaceae (Mint family). Basil can be grown from seeds or from cuttings. Basil seeds are very small and when soaked in water they swell and form a gelatinous covering. The seeds are used in Faluda and in some drinks.
Deep Water Culture system/Raft system In Deep Water Culture, plants are grown in a container that contains hydroponic nutrient solution meant for that crop.
The plants are suspended in the nutrient solution using a net pot attached the lid. One can also use a floating raft on the container and raft can host the plants. Generally, in such a system an air bubbler is provided to aerate the nutrient solution. This process of aeration will increase the dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution. This can also be called as raft system since the plants are floated on a raft that sits on the top of the container.
soilless technologies 101
This kit can be purchased from Garden Guru (http://gardenguru. in/) store for those who are interested. The system consists of a tray and a lid. The lid has holes made in it so that the net pots can be placed with the seedling. In total, there can be 12 plants grown at a time. Once placed, the bottom of the net-pot just touches the surface of the nutrient solution in the bottom tray.
Seed starting:
Starting Basil seeds is very much similar to starting any other seed. Basil seeds are quite small. Handling them can be a little difficult. Seeds can be started in any medium. I prefer to use seed starting plugs like the ones pictured below. These are cocopeat plugs specifically meant for seed starting and cloning cuttings. Another reason why I just love these plugs is that you need not worry if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know whether or not to transplant. You can sow any seed and when it germinates, you can transplant it without any roots getting cut. The plant will not go through any transplant shock. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that nice? Another nice thing about the plug is that the sleeve is bio-
Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 27
soilless technologies 101
degradable. So you can bury the whole thing into the soil/potting media. In this image, I have filled the bottom tank with the nutrient solution meant for growing basil. I used a grow formula nutrient available at Garden Guru Store in the name of “General Grow”. Grow formula is for promoting leafy growth which is exactly what we want from a plant like Basil. Fill the tank with nutrient solution such that the bottom of the net-pot just touches the solution. It can be little above as well but ensure the roots of the seedlings don’t completely drown in the system. While it is important to pay attention to the leaves and shoots of the plant, it is equally important that you monitor the health of the root system. Especially in hydroponics, where the plants are grown exclusive in a nutrient solution, it is possible that the roots may rot due to lack of sufficient dissolved oxygen. This oxygen deficit can result in root rot. Signs of root rot are browning of roots and slimy nature of the rotten roots. White roots are a sign of healthy root system. Nice white roots can be seen in the picture below. An air pump was used to circulate/oxygenate the solution. Growth of algae will also pose a problem to the growing root system. Algae thrive in nutrient rich solution when exposed to sunlight. Algae can be controlled by not exposing the nutrient solution to direct sunlight. Too much algae in the system can cover the roots causing hindrance to plant growth.
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soilless technologies 101
Transplanting:
In a paragraph above, I mentioned that transplanting is a piece of cake when it comes to using plugs. Just take the plug with the seedling from where you grew all the seedlings and simply place it in the net-pot. Ensure the plugs don’t dry out for a week or so. If they seem dry, just water it a little bit. In a week’s time, the roots will start growing down and they will take the nutrients by themselves. After transplanting into the system, the basil plants will come to harvest in just 20—25 days.
Maintenance:
There are few things that need to be taken care when growing plants in hydroponics. Ideally, EC (Electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution need to be monitored closely and daily). The ideal range for growing basil in hydroponics is 1.8—2.0 mS/cm2. The pH of the solution also need to be maintained between 5.5 to 6.5. For a commercial system these values need to be strictly adhered to. However there can be some compromise for a home garden. Watching out for pests is another important regular routine. Check the under side of the leaves for sucking pests. Most of the pests can be eradicated by spraying neem oil at 30ml per litre of water along with couple of drops of dish soap as an emulsifier.
Author Bio Manikandan Pattabiraman, the author of this article is a techie turned to a hydroponics grower/entrepreneur. He runs a popular urban gardening website called http://geekgardener.in/. He also runs a store by the name Garden Guru (http://gardenguru.in/) that sells all items required to start a hydroponic garden. He can be contacted via info@geekgardener.in.
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 29
soilless technologies 101
Basics for Hydroponic Beginners
G
rowing on hydroponics is gradually becoming a popular hobby throughout the world. Hydroponic growing can be as simple as a couple of hydroponic boxes or as complex as a huge hydroponic farm. Regardless of the scale of your hydroponic adventure, here are some rules to follow:
1
Realize that hydroponic growing is more of a process than a project. Your plants take time to grow. Along with your plants you will have to grow your own patience. Accept the fact that not everything you attempt is going to look like as beautiful as it is on a magazine cover. At the same time, some of the things you will grow will turn great!
2
Learn about your hydroponic space. Determine what light source you will be using: natural or artificial, or a combination of the two. Pay special attention to the system you’d to start using and try to understand whether your setup
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13
and efforts are sufficient to support it.
3
Learn about yourself. How much time and money do you want to invest? Hydroponic growng can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. We would recommend to start small, finding more to do is rarely a problem.
4
Learn about plants, especially the ones you’d like to grow. Whatever plant you chose to grow, from orchids to parsley, do some homework. If for some reason the plants you like most aren't recommended for your hydroponic system, keep looking. You will surely find something else, which can be even better and easier to grow.
5 6
Water, fertilize and prune regularly as recommended for your plants.
Get some good tools and find reliable vendors of nutrients. Not all the nutrients are built equal. Do some research and ask away.
7
Learn to recognize symptoms before they become problems. Pests, diseases and environmental stressors of your hydroponic systems or plants usually start small. This, fortunately, gives you the possibility to see and correct it. Knowing the problem allows you to select the right treatment.
8
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You shouldn't have any trouble finding experienced hydroponic growers who would be happy to share their experience with you.
soilless technologies 101
Hydroponically grown vegetables and fruit are clean and tasty!
9 10
Stay safe. Follow product instructions carefully, especially when it comes to nutrients and fertelizers. Keep a record or journal of what works and what doesn't. Use this information when planning what plants to grow.
11
Similarly to regular gardening, hydroponic growing may be strenuous, especially if you have a large hydroponic farm. Stretch out and invest in good tools (gloves, pruners) to avoid any unpleasant experiences.
12
Even though hydroponic growing may require a lot of patience and time, don’t forget to have fun. It’s worth it as you’ll be rewarded with tasty and beautiful products of your efforts!
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 31
soilless technologies 101
Algae – Food of the Future? As we’ve already mentioned in one of our articles, according to UN data there are more than 70 mln people in the world suffering from starvation. Lack of food or its unaffordable cost became a problem in many countries across the world. Besides, scientists suppose that by 2050 2.5 billion more people will be added to the world population.
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The commonplace question is – how to feed the planet’s growing population? A lot of solutions have been presented. But here we are going to discuss only one – using algae as food! We will see how algae can help resolving world food supply difficulties. Spirulina will serve as an example for our story. Algae are the most widely spread and numerous living beings on Earth. They live everywhere: in water (any water), on land, in the bowels of the Earth, deep in the soil, in limestone, in hot places, in ice. The omnipresent distribution of these plants defines the great significance they have in everyday life and activities of humans.
who is who
Directory of companies working in the field of hydroponics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Your guide to find partners. Please send your order to : sales@hydroponeast.com Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 33
soilless technologies 101
Figure 1 Growing plants on industrial scale: 1 – production plant; 2 – pipeline for waste gas; 3 – residue; 4 – gas-treating system; 5 – greenhouses; 6 – air-warming device; 7 – water for machine-cooling: а – cold; б – warm; 8 – coal.
But can algae (the seaalgae to be exact) replace other types of food? Presently it is known that seealgae’s content of micro and macro-elements are quite similar to that of a human blood. Also algae contain biologically active substances, such as lipids rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, chlorophyll derivatives, polysaccharides (sulphated galactans, fucoidans, glucans, pectins, alginic acids, as well as ligins, which are a valuable source of food tissues), phenol compounds, ferments, plant sterols, vitamins, carotinoids, and the aforementioned macro and 34
| Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13
micro elements. It was found that see-algae (see-weeds) contain more particular vitamins, microelements and iodine (see-weeds are absolute leaders among products in iodine content) than any other food. Everything said above proves that see-algae are a balanced source of supplying the organism with mineral substances and micro-elements. It shouldn’t be forgotten that see-algae are used not only as excellent food-product, but also as a raw material for making effective medicine against different illnesses.
Japanese scientist, Hiroshi Tamiya thought that “algae are more important than the nuclear energy”. This conclusion is at least partly true; since Japan boast one of the highest life expectancy rates, and algae are a part of everyday food-ratio! As we know, algae do not have root systems; they consume nutrients throughout the surface. Algae multiply incredibly fast – the results of artificial growing will of course justify the expectations. With favorable lighting and nutrient supply chlorella, for example, will double its green mass every 24 hours. And all this on hydroponics!
who is who
Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 35
soilless technologies 101
Spirulina growing farm Today algae are grown on hydroponics on large scales. Their nutrition requires only carbonic acid (derived from industrial waste and other sources) and a nutrient solution.
form, unsuitable for consumption are only too coarse or distasteful species. There are more than 30 species of see-algae used for food, which can be freely bought almost anywhere.
performed in a minute. However, it can become a good alternative for supplying undeveloped and over-populated regions with food, and can create additional food reserves.
Figure 1 shows the view of modern “weed-plant” advised by Ernst Zaltser in his book “Hydroponics for Amateurs”:
Of course every one of us has tried sea-weeds dishes. Some will remark that this “grass” is impossible to eat, but this depends on food-habits, way of preparation, and individual preferences. Yes, if properly prepared, most of algae are eatable, but some of them can be used as a complete foodproduct, and some of them as a material to prepare different spices and garnishes.
Spirulina
In transparent cultivation channels the nutrient solution is being “infected” with algae, the solution is then being forced to circulate in self-contained system and is supplied with all necessary salts and CO2. To avoid diseases and pests isolation measures must be performed. Simplicity and effectiveness! It is believed that almost all algae are suitable for consumption, since there is not a single poison
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Of course, by discussing the proposal of using algae as food, we still haven’t solved the task, since replacing commonplace products with algae cannot be
Spirulina, for instance, is categorized as one of the algae in which lies the hope to provide humanity with nutritious and cheap food. Let’s discuss it. Spirulina is a generic name for a group of cyanobacteria (bluegreen algae). The most known species is Arthrospira platensis (syn. Spirulina platensis). Spirulina contains up to 70% of fully valuable proteins, which is 1.5 times more than in soya beans. It is cultivated in several
soilless technologies 101 Spirulina is a food of the future, so the scientists think
countries for forage. It is also used as food additive and is sold mostly in a form of pills. Here is a small historical fact connected with spirulina. In the middle of African continent, not far from lake Chad, local aborigines are not prone to diseases common for modern people. They always look healthy and almost all of them are long-livers. Scientists discovered that those people are always consuming greenweeds, namely spirulina, growing in the lake. So, what is so special about spirulina that makes it differ from other algae and how does it influence human health? As we’ve already mentioned, spirulina is extremely rich in proteins. 100 grams of spirulina powder contain 60—70 grams
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of protein, 3 times more than in soya beans. Spirulina’s proteins are easily assimilated by human organism. The assimilation coefficient is 65—80%, while soya beans’ protein is assimilated only be 40%. Besides, spirulina contains 18 types of amino-acids, which are essential for humans, 8 of them cannot be synthesized by human body. Other cultivated algae do not have such a unique composition. Unlike other protein-rich food, spirulina’s amino-acids are in unbound state, so they can be immediately assimilated. A unique assimilation coefficient of 95.1% contributes to that. Spirulina farm is a green foodproducing machine. Sun, air, and water are the main ingredients for spirulina’s active
growth. Nowadays spirulina is being grown in Mexico, USA, India, Thailand, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Growing spirulina became so popular that it became cultivated in Bulgaria, Israel, and Italy. There is also some information about small farms in Moldova and Ukraine. Many laboratories produce new strains with higher productivity and optimized biomass composition. However, as a food, it is still used by the aforementioned aborigines, who have it under their feet. We are getting the “food of the future” as various biologically active additives in pills and capsules. Perhaps, it is time to change our approach to spirulina? Â Sources: Â Ernst Zaltser. “Hydroponics for Amateurs”. Moscow, '65 Â Hydroponika.lc.vg • Dic.academic.ru • Ponics.ru
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Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 39
soilless technologies 101
Wonders of the World and Hydroponics
S
oilless methods of plants cultivation are being results of modern technologies? Every second of us will tell it is so, because hydroponics represents the technology of the future, successfully developed in different countries. But let us look back in time and remember one of the unique Wonders of the World – Babylonian Gardens or Hanging gardens of Babylon one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Being placed on the eastern shore of the river Euphrates close to modern Baghdad these garden were created by king Nebuchadnezzar II (604—562 B.C.) as a present to his wife Amytis, later named after well-known Assyrian queen Semiramide. Due to this they were named The Hanging Gardens of Semiramide. The Hanging Gardens represented a building resembling a pyramid containing four levels (tiers) with protruding balconies and terraces whose platforms represented a complex construction: massive 40
| Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13
stone blocks with a layer of cane covered with asphalt were topped with two layers of bricks cemented with plaster above lay lead plates for water delay, and above all lay a thick layer of soil meant for growing large trees/ Connected by large staircases each of the levels (28 meters in height) gave enough light for plants. Wonderful plants grew on each of the levels, flowers, grasses, trees, and bushes. Seeds and sprouts were brought from all countries of the world in cart driven by bulls. The irrigation system was quite strange for those times. Hundreds of slaves 24 hours a day moved a wheel with water skin sacks. Water from upper levels streamed through pipes situated in a cavity inside one of the columns to lower levels that is how water from the river got into the Gardens. A mixture of stones and soil served as a substrate, nutrient solution recipe had been lost (perhaps it didn’t exist and natural nutrients from Euphrates were sufficient for plants growth).
soilless technologies 101 Today we can say that primitive active-type hydroponic systems were used. Unfortunately, this World’s Wonder hadn’t survived. But for their time, in the red-hot desert and inside stuffy Babylon miraculous gardens with rare trees, beautiful and fragrant flowers and unusual coolness were a real wonder created in the name of love.
Babylonian gardens weren’t the only example of decorating buildings with plants while using primitive hydroponic setups. In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome a custom developed itself of decorating flat roofs of the buildings with potted plants. During Pompeian excavations a remains of a garden were found on flat rood of an arcade, which surrounded Villa of the Mysteries
from three sides. In the fifth century Byzantium emperors created wonderful gardens on the terraces of the upper floors of their palaces and castles. Louis the Second build a winter garden above the ceremonial hall of king’s palace, it even had a pound in which white lilies grew and swans swam. The gardens on the roofs of Medici’s
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 41
soilless technologies 101 The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Villa in Florence (1400), Carlsberg’s castle roof garden in Sweden, Spanish Carles V’s roof garden, where oranges, lemons and different herbs were grown, and trouts swam in aquariums, garden-roof of El Escorial built by Philippe the Second (a successor to Charles), which looked like Gardens of Babylon, – the list of examples is far from being over. Terraces of magnificent hanging gardens built on the rocks of Isola Bella Island in XVI—XVII centuries became a fine imitation of Babylonian gardens. A real sensation was produced by a garden built in 1867 by Carl Rabitz and described in his brochure “Naturdächer von vulkanischem Cement oder Moderne Hängende Gärten, feuerfester, vorzüglicher, schöner, dauerhafter und billiger als jede andere Bedachungsart”. In Russia the first hanging gardens were created in XVII century in Moscow’s Kremlin, later by Golitsins and Ordin-Nashokins boyars. In XVIII century the roofs of Winter Palace, Small Hermitage and Tsarskoye Selo in St.Petersburg were decorated by gardens. In the end of XIX beginning of XX centurie the whole merchant’s society was obsessed with ideas of hanging gardens.
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soilless technologies 101 Today modern technologies of roof gardening allowed to create different variations on hanging gardens theme. One of the main European directions in this sector is creating of green roofs with more practical targets of bettering the environmental conditions of cities. German scientists, R.
Schubert and M. Meisterhaus proved that 150 sq.m. grassroof can provide a year norm of oxygen for 100 people! Continuous deterioration of environment forces us to search for alternatives, since “construction boom” leads
to destruction of parks and recreation zones, and it turns out that a new shopping mall is more profitable that building a park. As a counter measure to that, Europe sees a real boon of green roofs. Thanks to Nebuchadnezzar II for the wonderful idea!
Sources: gidroponika.com, prima-group.ru, ru.wikipedia.org
“Falling” Gardens of Isola Bella
Soilless Gardening India Magazine • October'13 | 43
questions & answers
A n sw e R
Q u e sti o n
Can we grow different crops like Tomatoes, Peas, Melon, Lettuce etc in the same hydroponic system using same reservoir?
I
Asked by Viki Ahuja
n general you can grow any crops using hydroponics. But if you want to grow different crops using same system then I would suggest not doing this. You can plant all the crops at the same time but maturity time for each crop will be different. So initially you may not face much problem but at later stage it’s going to be very difficult to manage all the crops in the same system. Also nutrient requirement for each crop is different. Just recognize that in combining
them all in the same reservoir, you won't be maximizing the nutrients. Some plants will use more of some nutrients than others. The least available needed nutrient is what will restrict the plants growth. This will affect your crops and will also reduce the yield. Still if you want to grow more crops using one reservoir than I would suggest selecting crops which have relatively same maturity time cycle and their nutrients requirements are also nearly same.
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questions & answers
Q u e sti o n
What are the difficulties in growing plants on my terrace garden in soil? Asked by Ankita
F A n sw e R
or plants grown in soil, soil conditioning and fertilizing is crucial for healthy plants and high yields. In the home gardening context, soil conditioning, as generally practiced, is an inexact procedure at best. The home gardener generally doesn't know the composition of his/her soil. Soil mixtures differ in makeup and organic content, as do soil amendments.
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| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
Weight of the soil is also much more than available grow media in hydroponics. When growing on your terrace this make lots of difference. Even if optimal soil chemistry could be concocted and maintained, the soil must also remain porous for oxygen to reach the roots, but not so porous that regular watering will quickly leach away plant nutrients from the root level. For
nutrients to be made available to the plant roots, the soil must also contain microbes that break down organic compounds not directly usable by the plants. Importantly, the soil must also remain moist for the plants to uptake nutrients and for photosynthesis to proceed. These issues are not only important for plants grown in the ground but are particularly challenging for plants grown in pots due to nutrient and mineral leaching and the difficulty of keeping a uniform moisture level. In a world where water is becoming a scarce commodity, much of the water that we use in both commercial and home gardening percolates below the root level and carries "nutrients" into the groundwater. From a water utilization standpoint, even drip irrigation is a poor compromise to growing plants hydroponically. ď ¸
questions & answers
Q u e sti o n
What are Hydrogen Peroxide & its uses in Hydroponics?
H
Asked by Vidhu
A n sw e R
ydrogen peroxide has many beneficial applications for hydroponic gardening. With a chemical structure similar to water, but with the addition of an extra oxygen atom, hydrogen peroxide increases the availability of oxygen to the root system. Hydrogen peroxide solutions are a safe cleansing method and can quicken germination and root development. The addition of hydrogen peroxide to the feeding water increases the oxygen level in the water, allowing the plant to efficiently absorb nutrients. Hydrogen peroxide is also a safe method for keeping your planting medium and nutrient reservoir clean when higher temperatures cause bacteria and fungus to breed. Hydrogen peroxide cleans, disinfects and boosts circulation and aeration, all of which retard diseases like root rot. Using a hydrogen peroxide and water foliar spray on fungusinfected leaves will eliminate the fungus, including molds and mildew. Hydrogen peroxide cleans imperfections, chemicals and potentially harmful fungus and bacteria found in city or well
water. Fungal diseases that have invaded your planting medium or reservoir can be cleaned out with the addition of hydrogen peroxide. When the fungus has only recently infected the roots, the rot may be stopped and reversed if treated soon enough with hydrogen peroxide. There are two different strengths of hydrogen peroxide gardeners can use to feed their plants additional oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide found at your local drugstore can contain 3, 5 or 8 percent while commercial food-grade hydrogen peroxide contains 35 percent. Though you can safely use 3-percent grade hydrogen peroxide for wound treatment or as a diluted insecticide for plants, higher grades of hydrogen peroxide can be highly corrosive. For example, hydrogen peroxide with concentrations of 30 percent or more can cause skin burns. Also, ingesting or inhaling hydrogen peroxide vapors in its non-diluted form is hazardous and in some cases lethal. Nevertheless, the EPA states that if used at low concentrations and with protective equipment, higher grade hydrogen peroxide can be a safe pesticide for plants and food.ď ¸ Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13 | 47
questions & answers
Q u e sti o n
Why are there three parts to the General Hydroponics Flora Series nutrients? Can you explain the purpose of each component of the Flora Series? Asked by Sandy
48
A n sw e R
"Please, share your questions with us at support-us/cd/eu@soillessgardening-india.com or supportasia@soillessgardening-india.com"
T
| Soilless Gardening India Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ October'13
he concept behind the Flora-series is simple: Different kinds of plants have significantly different nutrient needs, and these needs change during each plants growth cycle. By using different combinations of FloraGro, FloraBloom and FloraMicro, the grower is able to fulfill the exact needs of the plant at each stage in the plants life cycle. As the crop grows, the grower is able to precisely adapt the nutrient formulation to meet the crops changing requirements. In hydroponics, the plant roots are constantly provided with all the water, oxygen and nutrients they need. The challenge for the grower is to keep up with the plants needs, and to avoid damaging it with either excesses or deficiencies of minerals. As a general rule, a plant consumes
more nitrogen during the formative or vegetative stage, and more phosphorus, potassium and magnesium as it flowers. Throughout its growth cycle, the plant will also consume calcium, sulfur and micro nutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, molybdenum and copper. FloraMicro, the foundation or "building block" of the Flora Series system, provides nitrogen and calcium as well as trace minerals, which are essential for a comprehensive hydroponic plant diet. By adding FloraGro to FloraMicro, the plant will receive additional nitrogen and potassium, which stimulates structural and foliar growth. To stimulate flower and fruit development, FloraBloom is added to provide the necessary phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulfur.ď ¸
Best of All Worlds. Best Best of of All All Worlds. Worlds.
For 37 years Hydrofarm, based in the USA, has been the most trusted name in the For 37 Gardening years Hydrofarm, Indoor Industry. For 37inyears Hydrofarm, based the USA, has been Our renowned reputation has based in the USA, has been the name in the beenmost builttrusted on providing quality the most trusted name in the Indoor Gardening Industry. products, outstanding service, and Indoor Gardening Industry.has Our renowned reputation competitive pricing the world over. Our renowned reputation has been built on providing quality been built outstanding on providing service, quality and products, Now Hydrofarm is bringing those products, outstanding service, and competitive pricing the world over. years of experience to you in India. competitive pricing the world over. Now Hydrofarm is bringing Quality, Service, and Price: those Now Hydrofarm is bringing years of experience youhave inthose India. With Hydrofarm youtocan years of experience to you in India. the best of all worlds! Quality, Service, and Price: Quality, Service, and Price: With Hydrofarm can 9 have Visit us in boothsyou 8 and With Hydrofarm you can have the best of allSoilless worlds! Gardening at the 2014 the best of all worlds! (India) Conference Visit us in booths 8 and 9 Visit in booths 8 and 9 at theus2014 Soilless Gardening at the 2014 Soilless Gardening (India) Conference (India) Conference www.hydrofarm.com
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tOMatO PLanterS
Emily’s GardEn™ systEm
Megagarden™ SySteM
Hydrofarm’s self-watering tomato planters provide lightweight, strong support for tomatoes, beans, peas, and other climbing plants, and flowers. An easy-fill reservoir system delivers water and nutrients fromPLanterS below, helping avoid over or underwatering. The tOMatO sturdy frame construction helps theprovide weightlightweight, of vines as they tOMatO PLanterS Hydrofarm’ s self-watering tomatosupport planters grow, allowing thetomatoes, plant totomato devote more to developing Hydrofarm’ s self-watering provide lightweight, strong support for beans,planters peas,energy and other climbing fruit – and preventing from falling offsystem before it’s ripe. strong support forthe tomatoes, beans, peas, and other climbing plants, and flowers. Anfruit easy-fill reservoir delivers water and
This 15cm x 40.7cm x 61cm garden with 6 individual planters allows you to rotate or add new plants as you please. It will fit just about anywhere – on a bench, a shelf, table, or out on the patio. Also available without media so you can customize your system Emily’s GardEn™ systEm with mediax of your choice. Emily’s GardEn™ systEm This 15cm 40.7cm x 61cm garden with 6 individual planters
Get the convenience of an ebb & flow system in a 25cm x 56cm x 56cm size garden. Ebb & flow systems work by pumping nutrient solution up from a reservoir to a controlled water level tray. All plants are watered uniformly onSySteM a timed cycle. Also available without Megagarden™ media you can customize your system withinmedia of your choice. Megagarden™ Get thesoconvenience of anSySteM ebb & flow system a 25cm x 56cm x
plants, andfrom flowers. easy-fillavoid reservoir delivers water nutrients below,Anhelping over system or underwatering. Theand nutrients fromconstruction below, helping overthe or underwatering. sturdy frame helpsavoid support weight of vinesThe as they sturdy frame construction support weight of vines as fruit they grow, allowing the plant tohelps devote more the energy to developing grow, thethe plant devote moreoffenergy fruit – andallowing preventing fruittofrom falling beforetoit’sdeveloping ripe. – and preventing the fruit from falling off before it’s ripe. Asia_Ads.indd 1
This 15cm garden withas6you individual allows youxto40.7cm rotate xor61cm add new plants please. planters It will fit just allows you to rotate newaplants youorplease. willpatio. fit justAlso about anywhere – onoraadd bench, shelf, as table, out onItthe about anywhere on a bench, shelf, table, oryour out system on the patio. Also available without–media so youacan customize available without with media of yourmedia choice.so you can customize your system with media of your choice.
Get convenience ebbsystems & flow system a 25cm x nutrient 56cm x 56cmthesize garden. Ebbof&anflow work byinpumping 56cm sizeupgarden. & flowtosystems workwater by pumping nutrient solution from a Ebb reservoir a controlled level tray. All plants solution up from a reservoir to a controlled level without tray. All plants are watered uniformly on a timed cycle. Alsowater available are watered on a timed cycle. Also media so youuniformly can customize your system withavailable media ofwithout your choice. media so you can customize your system with media of your choice.
10/21/13 11:01 AM
eurohydro.com
Flora Series bringing nature and technology together