Garden Culture Magazine UK 19 by Garden Culture Magazine

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CONTENTS

Vapour Pressure Deficit

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

Hydroponics

in the Classroom

WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

The Unwanted Guest

29 IN THIS ISSU E OF GA R D EN CU LTU RE :

powdery mildew

16 The Black Soldier Fly

9 Foreword

42 5 Cool Finds

10 Product Spotlights

46 Light Matters - Part VIII

14 Heat Stress and Killing Cold

52 The Plant Whisperer

16 The Unwanted Guest

55 Who’s Growing What Where

22 Reservoir Temperature

61 What Grinds My Gears

26 How a Fan Saved my Marriage

62 Easy Herbs to Grow and Brew

29 Hydroponics in the Classroom

70 The Black Soldier Fly

34 The Facts of Light

77 Vapour Pressure Deficit

40 Pythium Blight and Root Rot

70 GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Rare Dankness Industries, Denver - CO - USA

FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD

CREDITS SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Anne Gibson, Chantal Kers, Chris Bond, Dr Callie Seaman, Greg Richter, Grubbycup, Jeff Winterborne & Toby Berryman, tors ot imita vators, n Panhuysen, InnoMichiel Kyle L. Ladenburger, Stephen Brookes, and Theo Tekstra.

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PRESIDENT Eric Coulombe eric@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-233-1539

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all new

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I’ve had some sort of indoor garden for well over 10 years now, and considered myself to be quite the expert. But the more I learn, the more I realize that I am not quite the expert I thought I was. I’m pretty good, but not great.

I am no longer going to let the environment control how hot or cold, dry or humid my grow room is going to be. Whether it is day or night, winter or summer, I am going to take control. My plants will love me for it.

preferred

www.

Greg Richter reminds us of the fundamentals when selecting the right type of light for your garden in the “Facts of Light.” Where there is light, there is usually heat, no matter what type of light you choose. Theo Tekstra’s Light Matters series looks at the risks associated with running such powerful lights.

us for your

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During the fall, we see powdery mildew everywhere outside, and those little spores find their way into our rooms, and wait for us to provide the perfect place for them to live and grow. In “Powdery Mildew - The Unwanted Guest,” Kyle L. Ladenburger will help you better understand this unwanted garden enemy, and how to destroy them. Or at least, how not to let them destroy your crop.

Contact

Issue 1

MAGAZI

If your room is getting hot, so is your water. In “Reservoir Temperatures,” Dr. Callie Seaman exposes the bad side of hot water temps. One of the biggest concerns with warm water is pythium. Chris Bond dives into what it is and how to avoid it.

E XCU T I V E ED I TO R ldlabel.nl info@go Celia Sayers celia@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-1539

ULTURE

Where I have fallen short is in my environment. Lights and nutrients are relatively easy, hang the lights according to industry accepted standards, and follow the recipe on the bottle at half to full strength. I’ve always followed a less is more philosophy when it come to feeding my plants. But, I now realize that I have failed my plants when it comes to day and night temperatures, and humidity. Thanks to two articles by Jeff Winterborne, I have realized the error of my ways. The first article was in the last edition, “Ultimate Control, Closed Loop Horticulture,” and just a few pages away is the second, “VPD and Other Important Things.” I will soon be making serious changes.

ARDENC

b Grow Sla

distributor

SEN I O R ED I TO R Tammy Clayton tammy@gardenculturemagazine.com DESIGN Job Hugenholtz job@gardenculturemagazine.com D I G I TA L & SO CI A L M A R K E T I N G CO O R D I N ATO R Serena Sayers serena@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-0062 W EB A N A LYST Nikko Sayers nikko@gardenculturemagazine.com ADVERTISING ads@gardenculturemagazine.com PUBLISHER 325 Media 44 Hyde Rd., Milles Isles Québec, Canada t. +1 (844) GC GROWS info@gardenculturemagazine.com GardenCultureMagazine.com @GardenCulture

@GardenCulture

@GardenCultureMagazine

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D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • HydroGarden • Maxigrow • Highlight Horticulture • Nutriculture DGS

Eric

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from 325 Media Inc.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Bluelab’s r pH Controlle Forget the time-consuming task of manually monitoring and adjusting your pH. Bluelab’s pH Controller allows you to fine-tune the reservoir pH levels in your growing system with a hassle-free combination of automatic measuring and adjusting to pre-set pH levels. It’s intuitive “on time” and “off time” allows the solution to dose and mix before the controller measures and doses again. Safety lockouts prevent over delivery of pH.

Coming Soon:

The Cropmaster HB The team at Budmaster LED are proud to announce the upcoming launch of the Cropmaster HB range of horticultural LED lamps. Designed for the professional and suitable for extreme environments, the new Cropmaster HB has been developed to compete with and surpass 1000W DE HPS fixtures, coming in 600W and 1000W versions. Logistical and electrical efficiency are combined to give a lamp that has a PPF output over 2000 µmol while maintaining a high-efficiency level of over 1.8 µmol/j. Designed and manufactured in the UK, as you would expect from all Budmaster LED Lamps.

Avoid wasting those precious nutrients, use Bluelab pH Controller to ensure it’s in the optimal range. The Connect version allows you to view your readings remotely on your smartphone. Learn more at Bluelab.com

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Be sure to check Budmaster.co.uk for further news on the Cropmaster HB.

ay r p S r ia l o F e in h s Moon

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Add Flexibility to the Revolution RLC-1 Digital Lighting Control

The Maxiswitch Slave relay was specifically designed for use with the *RLC-1 lighting controller to add more options to your grow room setup. The relay accomplishes this with ease and is a must for all Revolution RLC-1 users. Control and activate external supplementary lighting, heating or cooling equipment, in two zones, through the Maxiswitch Slave Relay when connected to three auxiliary switches on the RLC-1. The three RCL-1 auxiliary switches activate external equipment as follows: 1. Activated when the lights are on. 2. Activated when the lights are off, including when set critical temperature is reached. 3. Activated when the set dimming temperature is reached. * Revolution RCL-1 sold separately To find your local retailer, visit Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy.

& 1L Spray bottle, 5L ons ti 10L Refill Bottle op

Now available for foliar application. Spray Moonshine directly onto the plant’s leaves during the growing stages, two to three times per week. The direct absorption increases the plant’s stamina, resulting in stronger plants and increased yields. • Available as a ready to use spray bottle or as a refill • Easy to apply directly to the plants leaves • Fast absorption • Increases nutrient uptake speed To find your local retailer, visit Maxigrow.com/ where-to-buy.

Cellmax Nutrients

Now available from Maxigrow

GROWING PRODUCTS

o d n a E xp

Carefully blended from fresh ingredients, Cellmax Nutrients ensure that you, the grower, always receive the best quality plant nutrients. At Cellmax, it is important that the plant can absorb the nutrients as quickly as possible. NPK ingredients and the macro and micro-elements are added in the chelate form, resulting in quick uptake for healthy, abundant growth, and excellent yields. The Cellmax Nutrient range includes: • Super Enzyme • Hydro Grow & Bloom • P-K Booster • Coco Grow & Bloom • Flower Stimulator • Earth Grow & Bloom • pH- Grow & Bloom and pH+ • Bio-Organic Grow & Bloom • Rootbooster To find your local retailer, visit Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy.

The First Ever er Grow Tent Maximis

A new product for indoor grow tent users that eliminates the commonly faced issue of walls caving in due to suction. A major benefit, but the Expando also makes bigger and better yields possible by increasing your light space and improving airflow, reducing the risk of mould and hot spots. You can add-on the Expando at any time. It’s lightweight and durable with quick and easy assembly, and universally made to fit any tent size from one meter plus on up. It’s clearly not just an accessory, but a grow room essential. Learn more at Extendogrow.com

ky i t S a p Su ies Cyco Platinum Ser Cyco Platinum Series Supa Stiky is an additive for use during the flowering cycle of plant growth, and aids in the formation of essential oil compounds in the plant. Supa Stiky is a plentiful source of 99.8% pure magnesium, a catalyst for many enzymatic reactions within the plant responsible for the creation of the building block for terpenes and terpenoids, isoprene. This process encourages the production of the plant’s essential oils, as well as enhanced aroma, yield, and quality of the end product. Supa Stiky is also a source of potassium, vital for many enzymatic growth reactions inside the plant, and phosphorus, both key minerals used in fruit formation.

• 100% food grade ingredients for consumable crops. • Facilitates the management of sugars throughout the plant. • Increases yield in fruiting and flowering crops. Available in 1, 5, and 20 liters. More info at CycoFlower.com.

t Lev el Con tro l S Nex IE R E S T R E P X E X U L DIM The OptiClimat e Plan t Temperat ure Camera and Sensors Dimlux Lighting, Dimlux Maxi Controller, and the Dimlux Plant camera and sensors come together to give you the most accurate information about your grow. Keep an eye on the ambient temperature, the plant temperature, and humidity levels. With these stats, calculate another measurement of vital importance known as vapour pressure deficit (VPD). The temperature of a healthy plant should always be less than the ambient temperature of the environment that the plant is living in, to keep the water and nutrients constantly moving. Balance the heat and humidity by maintaining a VPD reading around 1 to 1.2 with the help of the Dimlux Expert Series. Have greater flexibility in your indoor environment with the correct control gear, maximizing the quality and yield potential of your plants from cycle to cycle! The idea of VPD and its application is new and exciting. Learn more: dimluxlighting.com/dimlux-camera.html GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

k Control Freaer Controll Fusion Fan ersions 4A and 8A v The heavy-duty Fusion Fan Controller automatically adjusts the speed of both the inlet and exhaust fans to maintain a set temperature and optimum negative air pressure. Once you’ve selected the desired temperature, and maximum and minimum fan speeds, the Fusion Controller will automatically calculate the exact running speed for your fans to maintain the desired room temperature. Key features of the Control Freak Fusion Controller: • Multiple fan, electronic speed controller • Completely silent fan speed operation • Highly accurate temperature control, equipped with a 5m NTC Temperature Sensor • Easy to operate automatic and manual settings • 5 step fan speed control To find your local retailer, visit Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy.

Plagron introduce

s the

g u id e s r e t r a t s For the first time grower, Plagron has developed a unique startersguide, a practical manual containing all the information needed to begin growing. Beautifully illustrated, the startersguide is available in 8 languages and ships anywhere in Europe.

A Complete Package Deal

To get started the right away, all the accessories you need for the first cultivation comes packed in one gift box: • The step-by-step, Plagron startersguide • Terra Grow (250ml) • Terra Bloom (500ml) • A measuring cup, a plant stake, and a pen.

Only Available Online

The Plagron startersguide is available online at startersguide. plagron.com. The gift box is totally free, only an amount of € 8.95 will be charged for administration and shipping costs. Makes a great gift for all the new gardeners in your life.

Proactive

GROWING PRODUCTS

All-In-One

Supplies a unique combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and trace elements essential to the progress of your crop. Proactive’s unique balance in trace elements mimic plant sap and are largely under a chelated form increasing their level of absorption, assimilability, and circulation within the plant. Proactive All-In-One Nutrient activates the metabolism of each and every plant cell, improving photosynthesis and mineral elements uptake which allows better nutrient absorption and transfer. It also contains specific amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and bio-nutritional activators of selected breeds. In case of stress or low growth, an amino acid application will boost the plant’s metabolism. Amino acids stimulate growing and development, and are always made available to the rooting system with Proactive All-In-One Nutrient. Find out more at GrowProactive.com/products/ all-in-one-nutrient.

15 0 0 p l a n t s

for South Africa

Plagron is celebrating 25 years, and they wanted to mark this milestone by giving back to a community that is eager to garden. You may have noticed the campaign inviting Plagron users to activate a code that donates a plant to the “Together We Grow” project in the village Mooi River, South Africa. The project has been up and running for a few months now. The garden has taken shape, and the first harvest, consisting of pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and spinach, was shared with the students of the Bruntville Primary School. The remainder was sold at a local market to raise funds for new seeds to grow even more vegetables. These seeds are already in the African soil, continuing the cycle started but a few months ago. In the meantime, people have activated more than 1500 codes, which means that Plagron will contribute more than 1500 seeds! Consider how many people can eat from these vegetables. The worldwide support for this project has been amazing, with participants from 25 different countries taking the time to show their support. This campaign continues until the end of 2017. Visit togetherwegrow.plagron.com to learn how your grow, can help theirs. GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY GRUBBYCUP

& Most plants require a fairly narrow temperature range to grow well, and not very far away from that range they will sicken and, in extreme cases, die.The amount of damage received from high temperatures is dependent on the duration and severity of the exposure. Climate zone guides are useful in determining if an outdoor area is suitable for a particular type of plant. Indoor gardens using artificial lighting are particularly susceptible to heat-related issues during the summer months, although one can prevent this with proper air circulation and conditioning.

GROWING TEMPERATURES

so l a n a c t a e h f o k c a l a be damaging or fatal Heat stress is often accompanied by dehydration issues. Hot air holds more moisture than average, leading to an increase in evaporation. This is important because of how water moves from the roots to the leaves. Chains of water molecules run from the root hairs at the bottom of the plant, through the xylem to small openings on the undersides of leaves known as stomata. As water evaporates from the stomata openings, it creates a pull along the chains of water molecules until they pull additional moisture into the roots through transpiration. Warmer air and open stomata means more water loss through evaporation, and therefore the need for more moisture at the roots to replace it.

growth. In the short-term, some plants may benefit from a small increase in temperature and carbon dioxide levels, but long-term higher temperatures can make currently fertile areas less productive. If relief from high temperatures in an environment is not given in a timely fashion, the continuous chains of water molecules used to move water will start to break. If enough water chains break, it will send the plant into “terminal wilt.” The plant will be unable to recover.

Heat stress is often accompanied by dehydration issues

A plant in an environment that is on the upper end of growing tolerance may simply underperform, and the loss in potential harvest from the stress may go unnoticed. This sort of mild heat stress is not uncommon during hot years, even in natural settings. At a few degrees higher, the stomata on the bottoms of the leaves will close. This will conserve moisture, but it will also interfere with photosynthesis and under such conditions, growth will stall awaiting improved conditions (such as cooler temperatures). Adding supplemental carbon dioxide and improved access to moisture may help mitigate mild heat issues if temperatures can’t be lowered. If the evaporation rate exceeds the rate of moisture replacement, the plant will begin to dehydrate and wilt. As the amount of water in the plant starts to diminish, the hydraulic pressure used to help inflate the leaf structure will weaken. Fortunately, a mildly heat stressed plant will generally recover quickly if caught in time and if one makes moisture available along with a reduction in temperature. On a global scale, that carbon dioxide that can help plants tolerate small increases in temperature may wind up working against humanity, as it masks some of the drawbacks to both the amount of carbon dioxide pollution in the air, and the effects of the rise of temperature will have on future plant

In extreme cases of heat stress, the leaves will shrivel up and turn brown. This is sometimes seen localized on branches that have grown too close to indoor lighting. The brown area near an intense heat source has a distinctive look. Treatment usually involves cutting out the affected area and increasing the distance between the heat from the lamps and the tops of the plants. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a lack of heat can also be damaging or fatal. While a mild cool stint near the low-end of tolerance may slow or stall a plant’s growth, many leafy annual plants cannot withstand a frost. The cold freezes the water in the plant cells, bursting them and causing irreparable leaf damage. This can kill tender sprouts if exposed to outdoor conditions too early in the spring, or put an end to annual plants in the fall. Because of this, first and last frost dates are important to the planting dates for many seasonal plants. A hard freeze can draw water from inside the cells to crystallize in the spaces between cells. This first dehydrates the cells while they become “freeze dried” and then damages them further when a thaw returns the water to a liquid state. All plants’ dependence on the conditions of their environment is important not only to gardeners and farmers, but to everyone. A radical shift in temperature in an area due to pollution or human activity can have a devastating effect on plant survival, which in turn can have a devastating effect on higher life forms, such as the people, animals, and everything that ultimately rely on plant life to survive. 3

BIO: Grubbycup was raised on a family operated organic dairy farm in central California. Learn more about his radio show and other projects at Grubbycup.com. 15

BY KYLE L. LADENBURGER

PM is a common problem affecting a wide range of host plants

POWDERY MILDEW

As I sit down to write this I can see one of the peony plants in my backyard. I have no idea how old it might be. It, along with many other perennial flowers and ornamental plants, came as a package deal when I bought the house. Over the last five years I’ve grown quite fond of nearly every plant in my yard and each year the robust purple flowers blooms of this peony bring me soft-spoken joy. However, each year this plant encounters the same tragic fate as the year before, mainly due to poor plant placement. It resides in an area of almost constant shade with poor air circulation, so this plant eventually succumbs to the devastating effects of Powdery Mildew (PM).

a coating that sort of looks like talcum powder

PM is a fungal disease caused by several different species in the Erysiphales order, the most common of which is Sphaerotheca fuliginea. It is known to affect a wide variety of plants, including roses, lilacs, peonies, zinnias, pumpkins, zucchinis, and cucumbers. Regardless of the plant species being attacked, the symptoms will always look similar. Most often starting from the lower, older leaves, PM will present itself as a coating that sort of looks like talcum powder. The leaves will be the most noticeably affected, but it can also spread to the stems and flower buds. PM infection is rarely fatal to the host plant, but if left unchecked and allowed to reach the more severe stages it can result in leaves that turn brown and become brittle and withered. When PM reaches this stage it can begin to clog the plant’s stomata and restrict transpiration and water flow, effectively starving the leaf of nutrients. PM spores reproduce asexually and can spread quite rapidly under the right conditions.

means that each species of PM carrying fungi prefers infecting a specific plant type. The PM fungus that is attacking my peony plant is different from the one that would infect my rose bushes that are only 15 feet away. Likewise, the species that attack lilacs will have no effect on zinnia plants.

The conditions in which PM is most prevalent are more or less the same for all of the species that cause it. It is quick to inoculate and grows best when the relative humidity is high and soil moisture is low. In areas with temperate climates, this is usually in the mid to late summer months of July, August, and September. PM also thrives in areas of heavy shade and poor air circulation. So, avoid planting PM susceptible plants in areas that are close to large structures or buildings, that can block or restrict the natural flow of the breeze. Also avoid planting underneath or too close to big trees that cast a large amount of shade throughout the day. credit: GrowVeg.com

I think it’s safe to assume that pretty much every grower or gardener that has at least a few seasons under their belt has run into the menace that is PM. It’s like that one person no one likes that somehow finds their way to the party they were never invited to. With its nearly unmistakable grayish-white, powder-like appearance PM is a common problem affecting a wide range of host plants. When you take the proper steps, it can almost always be prevented, but if it starts to rear its ugly self in your garden, remember that it isn’t the end of the world.

The numerous PM fungi types that cause this disease are almost always host-specific. This

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POWDERY MILDEW

PM spores can spread very easily The best way to handle PM is by taking the proper steps to prevent an infection in the first place. Keep in mind that PM fungal spores can travel easily through both the water and the air. •

•

Try to avoid planting where shade is prevalent and air circulation is low. These types of areas are almost always the most active sites for PM infections. To prevent PM from occurring and spreading, water plants at ground level and not from above. If there is a small portion of a plant that is in the beginning stage of infection watering from above the plant can certainly cause it to spread. When planting several plants in a group or row, make sure to give them plenty of space so the air readily flows through and around the plant foliage. Pruning and thinning plants often will also help increase air circulation, allowing the surfaces of the plant to dry out faster when they do get wet. Clean up any plant debris on a regular basis, whether infected or not, to prevent the fungal spores from populating them. PM fungal spores can lay dormant through the winter and become active in the spring. Another reason to keep the areas underneath and around the plants as clean as possible to avoid a nasty surprise. For another level of preventative protection, foliar applications of calcium carbonate and silicon supplements can help strengthen and fortify the plant cells, making them less susceptible to a PM attack.

When a PM infection does become a moderate to severe problem, there are additional steps one can take to eliminate the problem and stop it from spreading. The first step is to remove any infected areas of growth immediately. Do not add the infected plant parts to a compost bin or pile. Most home compost piles do not reach the high temperatures needed to properly kill the spores and once you add such compost to the ground soil the spores can easily infect nearby plants. Chemical fungicides are by far the most effective tool for eradicating and preventing PM infections, but be sure to read the labels carefully since there are many that aren’t safe for use on food crops. Safe handling of

when the relative humidity is high and soil moisture is low

chemicals is always of extreme importance, so make sure you use the suggested safety precautions when going this route. For the organic gardeners out there, potassium bicarbonate and liquid elemental sulfur products offer a safer, more natural way of dealing with a PM outbreak. Organic methods are not as strong and reliable as chemical fungicides, but they are much safer to use. Postpone any planned fertilizing until the PM infection is completely dealt with. PM promoting fungi like to attack younger, more susceptible growth. GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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POWDERY MILDEW

PM spores reproduce asexually PM is not just a problem for outdoor gardens and ornamental plantings; it can also wreak havoc when allowed to enter an indoor growing space or greenhouse. Be sure to pay close attention to the environment. • • •

•

To be quite honest, anyone that grows a substantial amount of plants will eventually run into a persistent and severe case of PM. Even when taking great care to avoid such a situation, it can still catch you by surprise. Implementing preventative measures that address the key environmental issues that lead to PM is an extremely important step that should always be taken. Working hard to prevent this type of infection is the only way to truly limit the chances of it occurring on a larger scale. Your garden is a party and you are the bouncer: always working to keep the unwanted guests out. 3

credit: G. Celio

•

Keeping relative humidity lower than 70% is a great way to prevent an infection. Water from the bottom of the plant to avoid getting unneeded moisture on the leaves. Only do foliar applications when completely necessary and make sure that there is plenty of air circulation to properly dry the plants off, so no residual moisture accumulates. Keep plants properly spaced and well pruned, so that they aren’t touching each other and the air can freely flow around and through the canopy. And always, ALWAYS, keep the growing area as clean as humanly possible by immediately disposing of plant debris and mopping up any standing water from the ground or floor. Practice good sanitation before entering the growing area. More often than not, PM fungal spores come into a greenhouse or indoor garden from the outside. If you have come into contact with a plant that is possibly infected, wash your hands with soap and perhaps even change your clothes. PM spores can spread very easily. If the building or growing room has an intake fan that draws fresh air from outside, make sure there is a good filter in place and change or clean it frequently. Larger indoor growing areas and greenhouses often incorporate a sulfur burning furnace that can help prevent PM or minimize an occurrence.

Postpone any planned fertilizing until the PM infection is completely dealt with

BIO

Kyle L. Ladenburger is a freelance garden writer who has worked in the gardening/ hydroponics industry for over a decade. As an avid indoor and outdoor gardener he is well versed in nearly all types of growing methods with an overall focus on sustainability and maintaining healthy soils. He holds a strong conviction that growing one’s own food is a powerful way to change our lives and our world for the better.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY DR CALLIE SEAMAN

RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE

With the seasonal change, our nutrient temperature can vary dramatically, going from one extreme to another. In the summer time, the reservoir temperature can shoot up to 30°C (86°F), but then in the winter, drop down to single figures during the night. But why is this so detrimental to the plants? There are many reasons; disease, altered nutrient availability, reduced oxygen content in the solution, and even cell damage. Temperature is a very influential factor when it comes to reactions occurring and the speed at which they happen.

the reason for investing in solution temperature monitoring equipment Temperature is a very influential factor

Within this article, I hope to shed some light on the reason for investing in solution temperature monitoring equipment. I am not talking about the state of the art, data recording, graph producing piece of kit that tells you what you had for breakfast. Though I do love a bit of techie equipment and analysing some data, that’s enough geekiness for now! A simple maximum/minimum solution thermometer will do. By having this, you will have a better idea what is occurring in the tank when you are not present. Also, when you do call into your local grow shop with a problem, being able to provide this information aids the advisor in building a better picture of what is occurring in your grow room.

Generally speaking, as the temperature of a solution rises, the speed of the reactions within that solution increases. Be that fungus or bacteria multiplying, or the oxygen disassociating from the solution, they tend to happen at a faster rate at higher temperatures. Heat also breaks bonds in compounds, separating elements from one another in the solution, allowing them to become freely available to the plant. Simply put, it’s allowing a compound with low solubility, such as potassium sulphate, to dissolve into the solution and be taken up by the plant. This bond breaking, however, isn’t always a good thing, as it can also apply to biological compounds, such as enzymes. High temperatures disrupt the structure of enzymes, denaturing them and rendering them useless. Enzymes are important proteins, with hundreds of thousands produced by plants that catalyse (speed up) fundamental biological reactions. The roots excrete enzymes into the solution so that nutrients, such as nitrate and phosphates, can become available to the plant. If damaged by high solution temperature, these enzymes will

not work and then the plant cannot utilize the nutrients, and therefore, not thrive and produce the bumper yields we are all looking for. Warming of the roots will result in the rest of the plant increasing in temperature. If the water that the plant is taking up is warm, the plant itself will also increase in temperature. You cannot cool something down below the temperature of what you are using to cool it down with. Like pouring hot water on yourself on a sunny day! Damage to cells can also result, which can allow disease such as root rot and botrytis to thrive within the dead cells. Not only that, but damage to internal enzymes and disruption to metabolic pathways can occur if the plant is too warm, again reducing yields. It’s been shown that lettuce will bolt and become stretched if irrigated with a solution which is too warm (Morgan, 1999). If you have ever invested in one of the more expensive pH meters, you will notice that they also measure the temperature of the solution. Have you not wondered why? Well, it’s because pH is directly related to temperature. So, time for a quick science lesson! At 100°C (212°F) the pH of PURE water (that is... filtered water with everything removed) is 6.14 (neutral). However, at 25°C ( 77°F) pure water should have a pH of 7.0. This is all to do with the hydrogen ion (H+) and hydroxide ion (OH-) formation within the water. The equation below demonstrates what is happening within water constantly. H2O ↔ H+ + OHYou will notice that the equation is an equilibrium, as the arrow points in both direction, meaning that this reaction is constantly occurring in both directions. The process of H2O turning into H+ and OH- is what is known as endothermic, basically it absorbs GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE

p H is dir e c t ly r el at ed t o t emp er at ur e heat. This means as the temperature the temperature and turn into sugars and new plant material. It also makes increases the water favours the forward of the water it easier for disease to take direction of the equation. Are you still with the plant takes hold if the cell damage me? As the temperature increases, there comes from frost. becomes more H+ ions in the solution up affects and their formation is what makes the pH the overall What can you do to solve drop. Therefore, it is important for a pH temperature of these problems? First, meter to consider the temperature of the the plant monitor your solution solution to produce accurate results. temperature daily with Another element affected by increased a maximum/minimum thermometer... temperature is the dissolved oxygen content of the information is power! If the solution solution. Dissolved oxygen in the solution is in a gas is too cold, purchase a thermostaticalform, the warmer it becomes, the more it starts to move ly controlled water heater to keep it about and get excited, at which point it starts to leave the warmer during the night when temsolution at a much faster rate. This results in a reduced peratures drop. Insulate your reserdissolved oxygen content of the solution, and if you have voir with insulating materials such as read about oxyfertigation in the UK-17 edition, you will blankets, to prevent loss of heat produced know what problems low dissolved oxygen can lead to. by the heater. This will also save you on electricity. If the solution is too warm, purchase a solution chiller to A solution temperature of 18-20°C (64.4-68°F) is ideal maintain the temperature below 21°C (69.8°F). Also, - but realistically, plants will remain happy down to periodically dose with a sterilising agent, such as Silver 15.5°C (59.9°F) and up to 21°C (69.8°F). Outside of these, Bullet, this will not only help to keep the system free of however, is where the real problems start to occur. disease, but help to increase the oxygen content of the Pythium is a particular demon as it thrives in solutions of system. higher temperature and low oxygen content, turning roots to a stinking mush. Other diseases such as fusarium and I hope this article has shed some light on why the temphytophthora can also take hold and increase fungus gnat perature of the reservoir solution is so important and numbers. what issues it can lead to if this is not monitored and maintained. Happy growing! 3 So, what happens if the temperature drops too low? Well, this can lead to nutrients falling out of the solution, and forming solid precipitates in the bottom of the tank. In turn, causing your plants to become deficient in elements such as calcium and magnesium. This is partly due to the increase in pH as well as the solubility of these elements increases at lower pH. As BIO mentioned previously, the temperature of the water Callie Seaman has been in the hydro industry for over 15 years, first the plant takes up affects the overall temperature of working in the retail side providing technical advice, then moved the plant. A cooler plant results in slower reactions into R&D, manufacturing, and product development for brands and metabolism, causing slower production of fruit. such as Vita Link and Shogun. Currently the formulation chemist at Aqua laboratories, she recently submitted her PhD thesis on If the solution temperature falls low enough for it to the investigation of nutrient solutions and other fertilizers for the freeze, crystals of ice can form in the roots and other hydroponic growth of plants, and will graduate later this year. Both cells within the plant. Ice forming in the roots can cause the PhD and a first degree in Biomedical Sciences were done at cells to burst, as the water expands and solidifies into Sheffield Hallam university part time, during which she assisted in a rigid structure. This in turn, destroys the root zone, setting up the Aqua laboratories. Passionate about science, Callie and therefore, reduces the amount the plant can uptake totally adores mushrooms and loves anything to do with them.

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BY ERIC COULOMBE

How a Saved my Marriage

VENTILATION

Did a fan really save my marriage? I like to think that we are stronger than that, and we are. But there was once this problem we had, one we ever argued over. My grow room was too noisy. We live and work in a little slice of heaven. Thirteen years ago, we acquired my old family cottage. The short story is we tore it down and built our dream home. Celia and I did the architectural drawings and built it with the help of her father, the Royal Bank of Canada, and a lot of hard work. One problem, as we were very close to the river, we were not allowed a footprint of more than 36 X 24 feet. So, space was precious and I needed a grow room. We went back and forth on the subject, and finally, I won my space. It was in the back corner of the basement, under the kitchen. It’s a small room, and I run about 1500 watts of lights at any given time. I had an 8” extraction fan, which was at least 10 years old at the time, and a 6” intake fan. Both quality fans... at one time in their lives, but that would soon come to an end.

...A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE GARDEN, RIGHT?

I have a couple different fan set ups, but basically, I push the hot air into the house in the winter and outside in the summer. Naturally, the fan that extracted the hot air is up on the ceiling, where the hottest air is. I had it bolted to the ceiling and directed straight outside, very efficient. The problem was, the fan would hum and vibrate. If you were in the room and it is quiet, it was quite obvious when they came on. This didn’t bother me in the least. In fact, I was happy to know things were working down there. But it sure bugged my wife. She was right, the noise and the vibration were a bit annoying, but a small price to pay for the garden, right? NO, not at all. I needed to fix the problem and soon. So, a year or so later, and after being asked repeatedly (sometimes nicely and many times not), I decided to fix it. I tried a couple of fan speed controllers, which helped with the noise, but not the vibration. I tried new fans, but they still made too much noise and/or vibration. I hung them with bungees and that helped, but not completely. My search continued, this time it was the S Line from Vortex. It was also hung with bungee cords, and guess what ? The noise and vibrations became undetectable. It was a small miracle. Once that new fan was installed, the complaints stopped, and I never had to make the decision between my wife and my garden. ‘Cause I sure would miss my wife. ;O) I have since used other ‘noise insulated’ fans from CanFan and Hyperfan, and I am pleased to say, they also pass the “Celia” test. 3

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BY CHANTAL KERS PHOTOGRAPHY: LARA CLERMONT

EDUCATION

Canadian Primar y School Grows Indoors

: s g n i l d e e S e l b Sustaina

m o o r s s a l C e h t n i s c i n o p o H ydr Drought, famine, war, illness, poverty, endangered species, global warming; all issues that children of all ages are left open to. Children are exposed to negative news on television, on advertisement campaigns on posters, on the sides of buses, and when they are sitting in the backseat of their cars listening to their parents discuss big issues. In an effort to empower students, in 2015 Since the start of the project, students have They made teachers at St. Jude Elementary School, in begun learning about the interconnectedness connections Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, initiated the of their surroundings and the impact they can between St. Jude Elementary Green School Project, have on their environment. Learning about which invited students to take action. The the bigger picture and their connection to conditions children began participating in Meat-Free plants need... it has shown students that they have the Monday and Waste-Free Wednesday power to make choices which, even at a and how the challenges. They created multimedia small level, can have a tremendous impact system works and ripple effect. projects and encouraged classmates, illustrating the number of gallons of water saved each Monday as a result of student The newest component of the Green School involvement. In 2016, St. Jude formed a Junior Green Team Project has been to integrate gardening into the curriculum. for the first and second grades, where students became “litterbugs,” wearing jiggly insect antennae headbands “Garden plots give kids direct contact with nature and during recess and the lunch hour, using kitchen tongs to provide a wonderful living laboratory for exploring cycles collect litter and place it into garbage cans, helping their in nature. Gardens can add to the aesthetics of a site as well classmates keep their school yard clean. as reinforcing concepts such as responsibility, patience, and stewardship. (Broda, 2007) ”

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EDUCATION

But the school community faced a problem that is quite common in eastern Canada. Students only have access to gardens during a minimal part of the academic year. We had to figure out, how could students be exposed to the benefits of gardening and growing their own food all year round?

The Solution St. Jude Elementary School received a unique opportunity during the last academic school year, a solution to the timing problem that schools face in promoting gardening and sustainable practices. Patrick Rochefort, a St. Jude Elementary parent, designed a mobile vertical hydroponic growing system an unmatched and donated it to the school. Thanks to oppor tunit y generous donations by companies such to experience as Vertikaroma, Kind LED, Green Planet and Method Seven, these students were food growing provided an unmatched opportunity to in the end of experience food growing in the end of the the winter winter months.

“Having the hydroponic grow system in my classroom was like having a never-ending fountain of hands-on, real life, engaging learning activities that were relatable, exciting, and very fruitful!” says Diana Diles, kindergarten teacher at St.Jude Elementary, about having the Vertikaroma system in her classroom. “It was easy to get started and months to maintain. With the lights on timers and the water constantly flowing through it, all I Upon being introduced to the system, had to do was occasionally trim the plants with my students kindergarten and second grade students touched, felt, and fill up the water reservoir when it was low. After the and observed it and then made predictions about how it flowers bloomed, fresh strawberries were nearly a daily worked. They made connections between conditions plants appearance. The students each had their turns picking and need to grow in the outdoors and how the system works to eating them. They learned through experience and were substitute nature. Students then worked together to plant able to determine which berries were likely to be sour and strawberry runners into the pods, surrounding them with tart, and which were sweet and ready. It felt like such a rockwool. They then spent months watching closely as the luxury to be teaching about growing strawberries in the plants grew, bloomed, and produced fruits. The project heart of a Canadian winter. The only draw back would be if ended with students going home for the summer with new you don’t appreciate the constant calming sound of flowing strawberry plant runners to take home, allowing them to water in the background, you may find yourself needing continue to apply what they had learned throughout the more bathroom breaks!” three-month project. GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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EDUCATION

Gardening and the Elementary Curriculum There are many ways to link gardens to curriculum. Below are examples of the endless amount of concepts one can cover through teaching gardening indoors: • • • •

•

• •

•

Math: measurement, mass, estimation, comparing of values, area, perimeter, graphing Science: biology, matter, chemistry, physics Language Arts: nonfiction reading and writing, persuasive writing, poetry, inferring, sequencing Visual Arts: garden-inspired artwork using multiple types of media, using parts of plants as art materials to create dye, photography Social Studies: geography, soil types, environmental conditions that will favor food production Ethics: sustainability, climate change, eco-friendly practices, recognizing earth-friendly certification Physical Education and Health: benefits of eating healthy, organic versus non-organic food, proper gardening posture Cross-curricular: organization of materials, time management, teamwork

Ian Cavanagh, principal at St. Jude Elementary School, feels that students are extremely fortunate to have such a system in the school. “It offers hands-on learning opportunities across a wide-range of disciplines and deepens the children’s connection to the environment, which in turn, helps develop their insight into humanity’s impact on our planet.”

grade levels will be able to take advantage of the system. During the next school year, different types of produce will be grown, from herbs, such as basil, to fruits, such as cherry tomatoes. The St. Jude Elementary Green Team will fundraise, selling produce grown in the classroom, exposing community members to the possibilities that indoor growing provide. Students will also begin composting using rotative compost bins outdoors and vermicomposting systems in various classrooms. Lastly, during the next school year, staff and students hope to add garden boxes onto the school pavement, reducing the heat island effect and providing different types of gardening opportunities to students. 3

lved o v n I t e G

Generous donations made the indoor gardening project possible. If you would like to get involved in the St. Jude Elementary Green School Project by donating time, expertise, or resources, please contact us. To know more about the project and to follow the project’s progress, follow our Facebook page, at www.fb.com/StJudeCares. For eco-friendly activities, ideas, and teaching resources to use in your schools, visit www.misschantalcares.com.

Donations by: “Twenty years from now, a scientific breakthrough could be inspired by a system like this in a student’s former elementary school.”

•

What’s Next

•

The St. Jude Elementary School community will continue to learn about gardening using the hydroponic growing system in the 2017-2018 school year. Different groups and

•

Patrick Rochefort and Vertikaroma (www.vertikaroma.com) Protective Glasses by Method Seven (www.methodseven.com) LED Growing Lights by Kind LED (www.kindledgrowlights.com) Expertise provided by Green Planet (www.mygreenplanet.com)

Source: Broda, H.W. (2007). Schoolyard-enhanced Learning: Using the Outdoors as an Instructional Tool, K-8. Stenhouse Publishers. GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY GREG RICHTER

LIGHT FACTS

EYES SEE DIFFERENTLY THAN LEAVES Lights are a given for indoor growers. Everyone uses them, but not everyone understands them. While there’s a lot of complex engineering in making a good light, choosing one is actually pretty easy once you understand a little about them. There’s no need for heavy math, just a few pictures. There really is a lot less to it than you’d expect. So, here we have it, the “Facts of Light.”

Spectrum of Light

Chlorophylls and Dr. McCree

Light comes in colors from Infrared to Ultraviolet, which we measure in nanometers of wavelength. The PAR region that plants use runs from about 350 nm to about 750 nm, the longer wavelengths being more red and the shorter being more blue. People see green light as brighter than red at the same power level, while plants respond to red much more than they do green. This is why Lux or Lumens don’t mean much for horticultural lighting – they’re measures matched to human vision, not plant growth. The curve below shows human eye response to bright light (black curve) or dim light (green curve). Plants need green light too, but they don’t “see” it nearly as well as we do.

Looking at the chart below, you can see what a leaf absorbs most – Chlorophyll A and B are the two biggies, and some blue/red LED lights have a spectrum with peaks to match the two “shoulders” on the McCree curve with not much in between.

McCree[1] studied the absorption of light by leaves in detail in the 1970s, and the McCree curve is the basis of PAR measurements. Dr. McCree’s work showed a need for a wider spectrum than just chlorophyll absorption and a few other fascinating facts, but keep in mind: 1. The study was done at very low light levels (30-60 uMole/sq meter). Common grow lighting intensity is almost 30x that. 2. McCree doesn’t suggest an optimum lighting profile, only that leaves respond to this curve at low light levels.

EVERYONE USES THEM, BUT NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEM

We know you need blue and red for chlorophyll, and McCree learned you need more of one than the other, and quite a lot in the middle for compounds that are NOT chlorophyll. So far, so good. This is what PAR is, Photosynthetically Active Radiation. Plants respond to PAR along the McCree curve; people see Lumens, along the Photopic curve. Eyes see differently than leaves.

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PEOPLE WHO SAY LEDS DON’T GENERATE HEAT HAVEN’T CHECKED

LIGHT FACTS

Here Comes the Sun Plants literally grew up with sunlight. The sun’s spectrum looks like this: While there is a lot of green and yellow in sunlight, and human eyes see it well, plants use less of these colors, and power placed in this range is not as effective in photosynthesis as the blue and red ends of the spectrum, as McCree found out.

HPS and Metal Halide High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights have been the workhorse of indoor growing since they are efficient in terms of light output per watt used, and they are inexpensive. Metal halide (MH) lamps are similarly priced and put out a more “sunlike” spectrum. A good HPS lamp can blast out 2100 uMole/s, while a good MH lamp does about 1800 uMole/s. Not as efficient, but pretty close, and reasonably priced. Both of these lamps are high voltage devices and called HID or High Intensity Discharge lights. Typical spectra look like this:

The upside of HID is it’s a mature technology, and the newer fixtures are efficient, computer controlled, and low-cost. The downside is the spectrum isn’t optimal. Halide is fantastic for veg, and HPS is the industry workhorse that gets used for everything because it’s cheap, efficient, and available. As higher power metal halide lamps with more red become available, you’ll see a lot more of them in use. Downside of MH is lots of ultra-violet (UV) – so be careful around these lamps and use eye protection. Comparing the halide curve to the sun’s above, you can see these things pound out enough UV to give you a tan. Turkey Tail Mushrooms

LED The newest tech is LED, light emitting diodes. They come in single colors, or white which is a blue LED with a phosphor coating, essentially a fluorescent lamp gone solid state. By mixing white and multiple color LEDs, you can get almost any spectrum you want, although a lot of growers swear by white LEDs alone. White supplemented with color gives the most

flexibility. The downside is HID puts out more light per watt, upside is LED puts out whatever colors you want. LEDs win, except they cost three to four times more than HID fixtures with similar light output (as of mid-2016).

Plasma Luxim plasma lights are sold under various trade names and their brilliant white light is similar to metal halide lamps. It’s even closer to the spectrum of the sun than MH, which is very desirable in architectural and outdoor lighting applications, or anywhere people need to see color accurately. Plasma lamps also last up to four times longer than HID lamps. In the PAR region that plants use, these lights are not as efficient as HID or LED, but their brilliant white light is the closest thing we have to natural daylight indoors.

Comparing Technology When comparing lights, look at the uMole output and the input power. The output in uMole/s will allow you to see what’s actually streaming out of the light, and how much power it takes to make that happen. Real off-the-shelf examples: • A good quality 1000W HPS fixture delivers about 1866 uMole/s. • The same fixture with a CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide) lamp delivers about 1600 uMole/s. • A well-made 400W LED fixture delivers about 620 uMole/s. • A leading 270W horticultural plasma fixture delivers 410 uMole/s. The plasma does have brilliant white light, but only delivers 410/270 or 1.52 uMoles/s per watt, not quite as good as a well-designed LED fixture. Note that the LED clocks in 620/400 = 1.55 uMole/s per watt vs. the HPS at 1.87 uMole/s per watt, and the MH at 1.60 uMole/s per watt. This is the horrifying truth known by all lighting engineers – HPS is more efficient than LED by about 20% in terms of total light output, but LED can have a better spectrum. Plasma has the most sunlike spectrum of all, but at the price of efficiency. LEDs, if well-designed, can have a better spectrum, and that’s worth considering. HPS is cheap, efficient, and works. MH has a beautiful spectrum but, like the LED, is not as efficient as HPS and punches out a lot of UV, which you may not want.

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LIGHT FACTS

Plasma looks like sunlight, but takes a good bit of power. No such thing as a free lunch in engineering, which is why there are so many choices. Got a low ceiling and a small room? A small CMH fixture is just the thing. Got a four hundred light grow in a warehouse? Lower overall cost is why most large-scale growers are using HPS. Growing for specific phytochemicals? Tunable LED wins hands-down.

Designer Spectra for Designer Plants There’s quite a lot of work going on[2] showing how tuning the colors of light can make the plants produce more of what we want and less of what we don’t. Designer Spectrum is becoming a buzzword, and this is where digitally controlled, tunable spectrum LEDs really shine. Blues, greens, far red, and UV all play a part, and a future article will explore photomorphogenics in more detail. Suffice it to say that with tunable spectrum, you can make your plant do things it would never do under natural sunlight. It takes power to do it, but as we learn more about what spectral tuning does for our plants, expect to see a lot more here with HPS+LED and LED+MH.

Measuring Performance

When a manufacturer quotes light output, you should also check to see who did the test. If it’s UL, CSA, Intertek, or any Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), you know the report was to standard and you can believe it. Read carefully, though! It’s common to quote light output far outside the PAR range to make some lights look better than they are.

Temperature A reasonable thing to ask, and one of the most common grower questions is, “How hot does it get?” The answer is that all lights, regardless of type or manufacturer, get hot. A light does no mechanical work, so 1000W of power going into a light dumps 1000W of energy into the room (unless you air-cool the lamps). Here’s the cheat sheet: 1000W = 3412 BTU/hr = 0.29 Ton of refrigeration

PAR meters are awesome tools which measure light output in the 350-750 nm PAR range that plants see and shows you output in uMole/square meter per second. Pretty slick. With a PAR meter you can tell how much light is reaching your canopy, and how even the light distribution is from your reflector.

Same numbers, just a different unit of measure. Adding 5% for losses in the electronics gets you a good rule of thumb: 3600 BTU/hr or .3 Tons of cooling for everything 1000W light.

Like all machines, PAR meters can be fooled. A 1000W light puts out more than a 600W light, simple enough, but some manufacturers “adjust” output power to appear brighter than the competition – so you have to check. How to Check the Output Power: 1. Measure light output using your PAR meter. 2. Measure voltage to the light fixture (120 or 240 volts). 3. Measure current going into the fixture with a clip-on amp meter. Watts = Volts x Amps. Divide your PAR reading by Watts to get uMole/s per watt, which is what we want to know. This works great for HID, plasma, and fluorescent fixtures, but not very well for LEDs. LEDs are narrow-band emitters and can fake a PAR meter out pretty badly, because the me-

[1] McCree, K. J. “The action spectrum, absorptance and quantum yield of photosynthesis in crop plants”. Agricultural Meteorology Volume 9, 1971–1972, Pages 191-216

ters were designed for continuous spectra. My favorite lab trick is to measure a green LED flashlight and ask if it’s really brighter than a 600W HPS fixture. The meter says it is! To compare HPS, CMH, fluorescent, or plasma, a PAR meter is an easy way to check what you’re actually getting for the power you put in.

People who say LEDs don’t generate heat haven’t checked. They do. A 400W LED dumps 400W of energy, just like a 400W HID, plasma, or fluorescent. Energy input, less mechanical work done, is energy left in the room, and lights don’t do mechanical work. Energy in = energy out.

Noise Electronic devices generate electronic noise, like that buzz you hear when your phone is too close to the car audio system. All lights sold in the US have to pass FCC Part 18A, and some of the better ones pass Part 18B, which is tougher. Some even pass Part 15B as well, which is even tougher than that. Look for Part 18B at a minimum. Buying a good light isn’t so hard – choose your spectrum and output level, and find a light that fits your specs with minimum power and noise. Check for FCC and UL/CSA certifications. Grab a PAR meter, a voltmeter, and an amp meter. With those tools, you can discover the “Facts of Light” for yourself, for any light. 3

[2] Smith, H. “Phytochrome, a family of photoreceptors with multiple physiological roles” Plant, Cell & Environment, September, 1990.

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BY CHRIS BOND

in Hydro Systems

Pythium is one of the most common diseases experienced among growers using hydroponic systems. It is not one disease, but rather the genus of several species of pathogens that are responsible for causing blight, root rot, and ultimately death of numerous plant species. Most hydroponics systems are particularly conducive to the formation and spread of this disease because of the ease with which the zoospores of Pythium are created and then dispersed by the continual cycling of water and nutrients. Growing areas populated by pests, such as fungus gnats or shore flies, are particularly susceptible to pythium as it can be easily spread by these insects. Recognizing the symptoms of this disease and preventing its causes are the best measures of control.

Symptoms of pythium diseases are noticeable in both the root zone and the plant itself. Roots of plants infected with pythium appear stunted, limp, or have full-on necrosis (characterized by dark or black roots). The roots may appear white as the outer brown sheath can easily slough off once it is dead and leave the exposed vascular portion of the root. Root fibers are the first part affected, but the disease is not always noticed until its progression has advanced much further.

Seedlings affected by pythium may succumb to dampingoff disease resulting in a seeming failure to germinate or immediate death after germination. In mature plants, yellowing and stunted growth are the usual symptoms, though sometimes they may seem to recover in the evening or overnight, but will wilt again the following day. On hydroponically grown fruit, such as tomatoes, pythium disease may appear as a dark lesion on the fruit itself if it happens to come in contact with the infected water.

ROOT DISEASE

Sanitation is the best weapon in the grower’s arsenal Extreme temperatures can also be used to kill pythium Sanitation is the best weapon in the grower’s arsenal. Between crops, and especially if pythium has occurred in your growing area, sanitize all media, trays, tools, benches, pots, and the entire system. Regular cleaning of the entire grow room is a necessary precaution as pythium can survive for a very long time in dust, cracks in the floor, bottoms of pots, and many other crevices until the right conditions “activate” it. Using a 10% bleach or hydrogen peroxide solution will work. There are also several products on the market designed to give the grower protection against pythium and other plant pathogens, which are suitable to use in place of bleach or peroxide. There are at least two commercially available products approved for use in float systems containing the active ingredients: ertridiazole, hydrogen dioxide, and peroxyacetic acid. Use both with extreme care as they are both dangerous to the handler if misapplied or used in any manner not listed on their respective labels. Extreme temperatures can also be used to kill pythium. Steam sterilization of media, pots, tools, etc. is an effective, non-chemical method of killing the pathogens. Exposure for 30 minutes at temperatures in the range of 165°175°F (74°-79°C) or 60 minutes at 140°F (60°C) are both sufficient to eradicate the disease.

Pythium thrives in warm temperatures. The different species will have their respective onsets at different specific temperatures, but in general, constant daytime temperatures between 77°-86°F (25°-30°C), coupled with nighttime lows above 68°F (20°C) and a relative humidity around 90% for 15 hours or more per day is the recipe for pythium to thrive. A study conducted in 2000 by researchers at Clemson University and North Carolina State University (Fortnum, et al. 2000) concluded that there is a direct correlation between the temperature of the water or nutrient solution and pythium incidents. In trials with water temperatures at 9°F (5°C) increments between 59°-86°F (15°-30°C), the pythium rates in hydroponic tobacco plants ranged from zero in 59°F (15°C) to incidences approaching 70% infected in plants grown in water temperatures at 86°F (30°C). Adjusting any or all of these variables will help to prevent pythium from making its appearance or reducing its ability to spread. 3

BIO: Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research Station at Unity College in Maine. An accredited permaculture designer and certified nursery professional, Chris has written hundreds of articles, several books and hosted radio programs devoted to the art and science of growing. Visit fb.com/mckayfarm to learn more about the multifaceted McKay Farm and Research Station.

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Growing dwarf fruit trees and exotic plants in the office or living room sounds lovely, but getting sufficient light for them to thrive calls for a decor-friendly fixture. That’s the concept behind the new Aspect LED grow lights from Soltech Solutions in Pennsylvania. Designed as a pendant, the light comes in a black or white can with 20 color choices for the 15 foot cord. Hang it high, hang it low, or add a cool looking post-industrial style stand. Keep it modern, or add a lampshade for a more traditional or rustic look. Both the small (20W) and large (40W) Aspect lights run 3000K full spectrum white light with CRI 97 at 90-240 VAC. Prices start at $100. Made in the USA. Currently ships to US and Canada - UK/EU certification in the works. Learn more: www.soltechsolutionsllc.com.

Daily Harvest

Finally, a compact indoor lettuce farm that makes sense. The GrowChef hydroponic garden allows 51 plants to grow simultaneously, providing fresh-picked food every day. Arranged in 3 growth stage levels, each with 17 sites, means continual food production in a space the size of a nursery tray. The GrowChef unit comes with everything you need to start growing greens and herbs, but the gardener can use locally available supplies to replenish or customize. The included nutrient ratio matches the light level for best results. Made in Spain. Ships worldwide. The wildly successful Kickstarter campaign recently completed with backer units shipping in March 2018. Retail: 199€ ($234 USD) Measures: 60 x 75 x 30cm (23.6” x 29.5” x 11.8”). Learn more: www.growchef.com.

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finds

The Chess Garden

Will the black plant army win, or the white? Definitely an innovative indoor garden of assorted air plants whose orderly pots double as chess pieces. Low maintenance, easy keepers that bring a welcome spot of greenery to the room, but they really stand out displayed on a beautifully handcrafted solid wood battlefield. Sustainably made in California from bamboo and corn-based PLA bioplastic. The water-based lacquer finished game board measures 41 x 42cm (16” x 16.5”). Plants are carefully chosen to match up the ranks of 3-D printed pieces into a unique set. Ships worldwide, and 1% of your purchase is donated to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo. Learn more: www.bit.ly/LivingChess.

Grow Anything The AVA Byte looks like many other small countertop hydroponic gardens, but it’s more versatile. In addition to offering a wide selection of pre-seeded pods for fruit, greens, and herb crops - you can swap to microgreens or mushroom production with accessory add-ons. On-site mushroom harvests, says Vancouver’s Chef Jade Berg, is a game changer in his kitchen. The AVA garden device is smart home activated, connecting to Alexa for voice control.Add an HD camera to visually monitor growth.Adjustable full spectrum LED bar, sensor controlled, ARM® Cortex® M4 Processor, integrated mobile app, and WPA2 security. It comes in 3 colors, and measures: 18” x 4.75” x 7.5” (45.75 x 12 x 19 cm).The recently completed IndieGoGo campaign raised 388% funding. Complete kit with accessory trays retails for $470 beginning in April 2018. Shipping worldwide from British Columbia. Learn more: www.avagrow.com.

Rainbow Media

Have a little fun with color and seeds. New Paper Soil takes growing house plants closer to the rainbow, turning waste paper into decorative growth media. Fill any glass jar with Paper Soil to create an instant microgarden. Pretreated with organic fertilizer, it has 3 times greater moisture retention than soil. Brighten winter with blooming impatiens or begonias. Certified environmentally friendly by SGS, Paper Soil meets EU environment standards. Available in 6 colors, packed in 1 liter bags, this innovation raised almost 150% of the requested funding on Kickstarter in August, and ships to early adopters in September. Learn more: www.paper-soil.com.3

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BY THEO TEKSTRA - MARKETING MANAGER, GAVITA INTERNATIONAL BV

PART

High levels of light, and particularly some wavelengths, can cause damage to the eye

SAFETY

Any light is dangerous when intense enough

LIGHT MATTERS

Most of you are playing with some powerful lights. Light can be the source of life, but it can also hurt you. In this episode, it’s about your safety.

What’s the problem? If you follow safe use directions well, there should be no problem. But here are a few things you need to consider: •

High levels of light, and particularly some wavelengths, can cause damage to the eye.

•

Improper use of equipment can lead to overheating electronics or even exploding lamps. UL was founded to test equipment for fire safety!

•

Faulty electrical installations and unsafe equipment are a very frequent cause of fire.

These all can have dramatic consequences.You have a great responsibility to yourself, your workers, your family and neighbors, for doing things safely.

Damaging Wavelengths Light can be regarded as a particle phenomenon (as in consisting of photons) or as electromagnetic radiation. In the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, the visible light sits between the ultraviolet and the infrared radiation.

The shorter the wavelength, the more energetic the wavelength. Ultraviolet light, X-rays, and Gamma rays can be highly destructive, and even blue light can have a damaging effect. The American Optometric Association published a report, in which it writes: “The cornea and crystalline lens absorbs almost all natural UV radiation, UV radiation is thought to cause damage to the anterior eye, while short visible light (“blue-light”) can cause damage to retinal structures. Also, as the damaging processes are thought to be at least partially photochemical in nature, the damaging effects can be cumulative in nature, which may compound across one’s lifetime.”

optique.com ion vis

The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is measured in meters, or millimeters, or nanometers, or even picometers. The higher the frequency of the wave, the shorter the wavelength. You see this illustrated in this spectral overview:

Why do welders wear those dark glasses? It’s to protect them from the UVC from the arc. It causes a painful inflammation on the cornea (a clear tissue that covers the front of the eye) and exhibits symptoms such as watery eyes, light sensitivity, itchy eyes, red or dry cre dit : eyes, swelling and irritation under the eyelid, blurred vision, and severe pain with the constant feeling like you have sand in your eyes. Usually, that heals within a few days, but in severe cases, you have permanent eye damage and require immediate treatment. Fortunately, our atmosphere filters X-rays, Gamma rays, and the most harmful of UVs, UVC, out of the sun’s light. However, some UVB and UVA still reaches the Earth. For that, we protect our skin with sunscreen and our eyes with sunglasses.

UV from Artificial Light Sources UVB and UVC can easily be generated by lamps. Some lamps that generate this harmful radiation may only be used in lighting fixtures with a glass lens that filters out the damaging UV. Not only is it unhealthy, it deteriorates plastics and pigments (in paint and plastics, for example). You wouldn’t want that on your Van Gogh.

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LIGHT MATTERS

the damaging effects can be cumulative in nature High-Intensity Discharge light sources with lots of blue light, such as Metal Halide (MH) and Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH), emit UV light, including UVC. The user is partially shielded from this UV light by the UV blocking outer glass balloon that covers the arc tube. Depending on the material they made the glass from, a lot of UV can still be emitted from the lamp. These lamps are usually only suitable for closed fixtures, where the lens filters out the UV light. Lamps suitable for open fixtures are usually completely shielded with UV blocking glass. The most dangerous incident you can have is a single jacket MH lamp with a broken outer balloon. Most lamps do not extinguish automatically after such an event, and because the filter has gone, they emit vast quantities of dangerous UVC. Lesson learned: Examine if your lamp is suitable for an open fixture, and if so, what the UV levels are. Use only lamps suitable for open fixtures, in open fixtures.

Blue Light Blue light, in the wavelengths of 400-480 nm is surprisingly damaging to the eyes. Blue light damage to the retina has research support from studies with both acute and chronic exposure. But not only can it damage your eyes, it also influences your sleeping rhythm and alertness. Do you have an iPhone? In the evening, the screen colours become a bit warmer (when you have set this). It prevents you from disrupting your sleep. LED lights, and in particular blue and white LEDs, are much more damaging to the eyes than traditional light sources such as CFL and incandescent. For blue LEDs that’s a given, as they radiate pure blue. White LEDs though, work through a phosphorous layer on top of a blue LED. Part of the blue light is passing through the layer, the rest of the light comes from the phosphor glowing. Because of the strong emission peak near 440 nm, the Blue Light Hazard output for the white LED source is nearly 200% greater (i.e., three times the blue light hazard) than that for the incandescent lamp. In horticultural LEDs specifically, you see a lot of blue and white LEDs, as blue light is regarded an important spectrum. Such a source can have up to 35% blue light, sometimes even more. Lesson learned: Again, protect your eyes. Not only the amount of light causes damage, but also the colour of the light. There are glasses with a special filter against blue light. That’s also good advice on the road nowadays: Those intense white LED street lights can cause disruption of your sleeping pattern.

UNPROTECTED METAL HALIDE

PROTECTED METAL HALIDE

UNPROTECTED CDM

PROTECTED CDM

Quantity and Intensity It’s not only certain types of light that can damage the eyes, it’s also the quantity and intensity. Any light is dangerous when intense enough. I’m not even going to talk about lasers, which are a very concentrated, intense light. But take the sun as an example, even at an eclipse, you don’t just look into the sun. Prolonged exposure to high-intensity light can also damage the eyes. Remember, damage can be cumulative. Lesson learned: In high-intensity light environments, such as grow rooms, it is advisable to wear quality eye protection. Personally, I am a great fan of the Method Seven products.

Improper Use of Equipment You know you shouldn’t put a 400W lamp in a 1000W fixture. You might blow it up. But did you also know that you cannot just power an MH lamp with any ballast? MH lamps require special treatment. They should never be ignited hot, just after they have extinguished. In some cases this can lead to a violent explosion of the arc tube, scattering particles of more than 1000 °C (1832°F). You want your fixture or ballast for MH lamps equipped with a restart timer, which delays re-ignition while the switched off lamp is still hot. Safe use also means that you keep a safe distance from combustible materials when using high power lights. It sometimes requires maintenance, such as keeping your fixtures dust free to prevent it from overheating, and of course, proper installation of the lamp.

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Power Packs

The Pro Select 600W Key Features:

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Super power modes Soft start technology End of lamp life detection Short circuit protection Thermal protection and auto reset Silent and lightweight Runs High Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide lamps Diagnostic LED feature Dynamic frequency control Fast lamp re-strike

The Pro Max

600W

Suitable for use with 400V or 240V Metal Halide/HPS Lamps Key Features: Suitable for use with 400V or 240V lamps Identifies if a 400V or a 240V lamp is being used and adapts accordingly Soft start technology for longer lamp life and continual efficient output

Auto detects which lamp is in !

Dynamic frequency control for constant regulated output Diagnostic LED feature Silent Running and lightweight

Fast Lamp re-strike ensures hot lamps start as quickly as possible Selectable Power Modes: 400W, 500W, 600W & 660W Super When multiple Pro Max GOLD power packs are started from the same power supply they will safely ignite your lamps one at a time to reduce electrical surges

The Pro Max GOLD 600W is designed for use with 400V (HPS) lamps or 240V (Metal Halide/HPS) lamps. This intelligent ballast identifies the correct voltage required to power the lamp and automatically adapts to the correct voltage, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even need to remember to flick a switch. This saves time, money and effort by not needing to change your set up and allows greater flexibility of use during the growing cycle.

LIGHT MATTERS

The Lamp How many times have you already seen a burned lamp holder because the lamp was not screwed in correctly? An arc can develop between the lamp and the contacts, and that arc becomes hot very quickly. Plastic fixtures can easily catch fire. That’s why it’s necessary to make lamp holders of porcelain or LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer, a fire retardant Kevlar-like material). Many double ended fixtures, for example, have black lamp holders made from LCP, which will eventually melt and may even smoke and drip, but will not catch fire. Of course, you can prevent all this by correctly installing your lamps. Make sure that the wires on each end are straight, and the sliders of the lamp holders are properly closed after inserting the lamp. Check, double check, and check again!

Open or closed? Because of the high pressure inside an MH or CMH lamp, they may only be used in closed fixtures with a glass lens, or they need extra protection with an extra glass balloon, that will contain a possible explosive failure. ANSI designates the latter as /O – suitable for open fixtures. These /O lamps mostly radiate very low levels or UV, as there are limits to what a lamp for general lighting in an open fixture may emit. Lesson learned: It’s often not the equipment itself, but the improper use that makes it dangerous. Do check the installation instructions very carefully before you install any equipment, particularly high power equipment. The higher the power, the more dramatic the effect of a mistake. Always check your ballast or fixture to see if your lamp is compatible. If it just says HPS, do not use it for MH lamps.

Unsafe Equipment UL was founded to certify equipment for fire safety. Their first test, in 1894, was actually on “non-combustible insulation material.” UL, CE or other certifying bodies are there for a reason: to make sure that the equipment you use, is safe when used for the designated task and in the proper way. UL does not guarantee your safety; safe and responsible use of UL certified equipment does that to a much greater effect. Previously, we discussed not using an MH lamp in an HPS ballast, for example. That is exactly the thing that UL requires manufacturers to specify: which lamp is suitable. So, you can find it on the label and/or in the manual.

Do not make any concessions to your electrical installation However, a UL certificate does not always mean that the product you buy is safe. In some instances, the product in the shop is different than the product originally offered for certification. This is illegal of course, but we still see that happen. Always go for a brand you can trust, distributed by a reliable company. A distributor of a product is liable for the safety of the product and has to do due diligence to guarantee the safety and certification of the product. Lesson learned: Buy safe equipment from a reliable source with a good safety track record. Make sure that when you buy second-hand equipment, that equipment is not modified in any way. That revokes the warranty and may in many cases make the equipment unsafe to use.

Electrical Installations Old wiring, under specified wiring, overloaded wiring, bare ends, damaged insulation: These are the primary causes of fires in an electrical installation. With so many electrical connections in your facility, perfect installation on all of them is necessary. Do not make any concessions to your electrical installation and make sure it is properly installed. In large facilities, a site inspection will always be carried out by not only constructional experts and the fire brigade, but also an electrical inspector, before you may switch the installation on. Plugs can also be a source of trouble, specifically when the strain relief is not used correctly, and wires pull out of their contacts. With so many lamps we always recommend to hardwire the lamp cables. They have a plug to disconnect the fixture. Lesson learned: In large facilities, the best and safest way to connect lights is to hardwire the connection cable. Be aware of the fact that mains cables often cannot be replaced by longer ones, because of ferrites in the cable and EMI restrictions. It’s always best to use one connection box per light. 3

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY STEPHEN BROOKES

The

Plant Whisperer

THE PLANT WHISPERER

allow yourself to become immersed in cultivating your plants

Think about the title for a minute... Like we spend money, we spend time doing daily tasks. Sometimes we spend too much time on activities that achieve almost nothing, or too little on activities that can potentially be very rewarding.

make them happier and healthier, which will in turn, make you healthier or wealthier One thing we should all be doing more of is with your plants, the more information you There are no spending time with our plants. Plants have obtain to make them happier and healthier. fancy gadgets a strange knack of giving back what you, the In turn, making you healthier or wealthier. cultivator, put in. Spend as little time with Knowing this, would you then rush into the needed... your plants as you can, and they will reward grow room, feed them as fast as possible and it’s completely leave without listening to what they have to you with pest, disease, and deficiency issues throughout their lives. It’s interesting that say? How frustrated do you become when free there is a strong negative correlation with trying to explain something important to pests, diseases, and deficiencies as time spent with plants someone and they don’t listen to you? Do you reward them increases. with hard work and more of your time, or do you spend your time on someone that actually listens to you? Plants On a recent episode of NPK Live, we talked about the are pretty similar to people, they like being listened to, and ‘plant whisperer’ and what it takes to become one. There if they go unheard, they will not work to their maximum are no fancy gadgets needed and apart from your time, it’s potential, leaving you with subpar plants and low yields. completely free. To become a plant whisperer you allow yourself to become immersed in cultivating your plants and Your time is a currency, the most valuable currency that how they respond to the environment, feeding schedules, you own - because you can never buy more. Whether you nutrients, and the lights that you use. There are no books, decide to do nothing for a day, or do lots... the same amount charts, videos, or podcasts that can replace you (the of time passes for every single person on this planet. Spend grower) to spot signs of distress. some time, but spend it wisely, spend it with plants! 3 As you spend some time with your plants, they will metaphorically whisper to you what they like, what they love, and what they’re not happy about. The more time you spend with your plants, the greater the chance you have of spotting something that could be detrimental to their health at an early stage, therefore allowing you to make changes and prevent damage that impacts on quality and yields. A last point - plants are very good at telling you what’s going right and what’s going wrong. The more time you spend

BIO: Stephen Brookes is a science fanatic, hydroponics obsessed bookworm that works at NPK Technology. He has a bachelor degree of Science in Outdoor Education and Geography, MSc in Nutrition and Scientific Investigation, and starts his PhD this autumn, researching the effects of different ratios of cannabinoids in the human body. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!

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WHAT’S GROWING ON

s ’ o h W Growing

t a h W Whe

1. Bristol

in the UK

Gardening Enablers

Credit: Growing Support via Facebook

Nonprofits need not be big to achieve great things, and such is the case with Growing Support working in Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. They run weekly gardening clubs at residential care homes for the aging and those with dementia, but also make it possible for their gardeners to take part in community garden events. As we all know, time spent outdoors working with plants and the soil is healing and energizing. That doesn’t end when you’re 80, in a wheelchair, or having memory issues. Growing Support staff and volunteers get care home residents outside in the garden where they do what all gardeners do through the seasons as part of their daily routine with the assistance needed to make growing food and flowers possible. Creating social and soil interaction, and a sense of belonging and achievement for at least 25 gardening clubs. Learn more: bit.ly/GS-bristol and growingsupport.co.uk

2. Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

Raising Potential

Working from allotment sites, staff and volunteers help challenged adults develop skills and potential by growing produce and caring for free range hens, which is sold in market stalls and Sunnyside’s Northchurch shop. Social enterprise is also thriving in this program with trainees providing contract gardening services for public and private properties. They also learn jam making, patio installation, PAT testing, and wood working.

Credit: Sunnyside Rural Trust

With over 120 participants enrolled in their training program for people with learning disabilities, it’s easy to conclude that Sunnyside Rural Trust is seriously into growing. Operating on three sites in Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, and Northchurch, this registered charity is making a huge difference for many members of these communities, both by providing a positive future for those with few options and offering locally grown, organic food and garden plants.

Helping a community grow through kindness, good food, and fun. Learn more: bit.ly/SunnyTrust GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

WHAT’S GROWING ON

’s o h Wrowing G

in the UK Credit: Walworth Garden Farm

t a h W Where

3. London

Concrete Relief A community enterprise dubbed ‘urban farm’ long before it was trendy rose out of derelict property near Kennington Station in 1987. Over the past 30 years, the Walworth Garden Farm evolved from green space with a place for immigrants to grow cultural vegetables to a beautiful award-winning garden with layered depth. Anyone is welcome to relax and refresh, enjoy a cup of tea, get involved in the growing, and learn gardening, natural cosmetic making, and more from many free courses. At-risk adults and those with mental health issues find its horticultural therapy program very rewarding. In addition, it is a horticultural skills training center, sending many into careers as independent

gardeners. They also sell their honey, plants, and produce to the community. Highly successful, greatly appreciated, and one of the top social enterprise days out in the city. Learn more: bit.ly/WGsocial

Credit: DBeaver via Mapio Credit: Patrick Frew, Declan Donnelly/Ballymoney.gov.

4. High Spen, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

The Hop Garden Though hops was the first crop planted in High Spen’s community garden, the true name of this community nonprofit is High Spen Organic Project. The garden, located in village allotments, draws all ages together to learn about growing food using permaculture principles. It offers something for everyone, with raised wheelchair accessible beds, a kids’ area, orchard with soft fruits and fruit trees, and a cold frame to start plants in the spring and extend the summer season. Run by an elected community association committee, the social enterprise hosts a school gardening club to teach children where food comes from, and how to grow their own working with Nature rather than against it. Open weekly for volunteer days and weekends, the HOPS team holds events and workshops through the year. Recent courses included making willow fences and wood-fired artisan bread (baked in a cob oven... naturally). A community growing and sharing good things locally. Learn more: bit.ly/HOPgarden 3

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OPINION PIECE BY: THEO TEKSTRA, GAVITA INTERNATIONAL B.V.

OPINION PIECES

You know what grinds my gears?

About 15 years ago, I had a blog on Blogspot. It was new and exciting and easy to do. I soon abandoned it when it became fashionable, with blogs about, well, anything actually. Everyone is an “author” nowadays. I have seen people call themselves author because they have a blog; a publicist even, because they publish rants on Facebook! User-created content may be interesting, it is also often hopelessly incorrect, for the most part. Raving rants, opinions instead of facts, and no journalistic ethics whatsoever. It becomes a bit more serious though or clearly cite the source that instigated the Rav ing r ant s, when you present your blog as an blog in the first place. That’s easy because opinions ins te ad “online magazine,” or a “lifestyle they do not have an editorial review board, of f ac t s, and no brand,” claim it to hold the truth, nor an ethics commission, nor a manager journalis tic e thic s attract advertisers and sponsors, who will fire you instantly. They just have what so ever and make it into a business. With no advertisers and sponsors. editorial oversight, no fact checking, and just satisfying a large reader group’s information bias, it will become a So, sue them, you will say? Waste of money. And you’re commercial tool used by the sponsors and advertisers, assured that other blogs will pick you up as a “big evil” – who must, of course, be kept happy. It will also attract crushing the “independent journalist” to silence them. a certain type of sponsor, lured in with the promise of However, some have come under the scrutiny of the favourable articles and product placement. No distance U.S. watchdog group, Truth in Advertising, for certain between content and advertising. questionable health claims. Some, ranging from a one-man show to a whole team of bloggers, are a complete disgrace, publishing rumours, conspiracy theories, questionable health advice, and so on. Common enemies work well. What is truly astonishing, is that even when confronted with fact, it can work in their favour. Science is often called into question or overlooked. When you are at the top of your game and a leader, everyone will aim at you. Of course, they rarely publish your reaction to these articles,

That’s the world we live in folks. I’m reluctant to use the term “fake media” as it is now adopted by these media themselves describing real media. Unfortunately, people are no longer able to rely on many conventional media outlets and even less on user-created content. Let’s face it; readers rarely check facts themselves, opinions have become the new facts. There are many great blogs out there, that aim to educate and disseminate information not found elsewhere. But, beware of bloggers cultivating “deception.” 3

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY ANNE GIBSON

GROW IN THE SUN FOR A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS

Easy Herbs to Grow and Brew

EASY HERBS

You may use culinary herbs like parsley, rosemary, basil, and coriander in the kitchen, but have you considered growing your own ‘Herb Tea Garden’? If you’re not a regular herb tea drinker, you may be missing out on the many medicinal health benefits a small herb garden can offer you. If you buy herbal tea, you may reduce exposure to toxins in tea bags and be more sustainable by eliminating packaging. A home pharmacy herb tea garden is ideal for everyday ailments. There are many delicious, aromatic herbs you can grow for hot or iced herb teas and medicinal use. Grow herbs in a container close to your kitchen for easy access. These are just a couple to start your Herb Tea Garden.

Mint (Mentha species F. Lamiaceae) Uses: One of the easiest herbs to grow, mint makes a deliciously refreshing iced tea drink as well as a soothing hot herbal tea. This aromatic herb contains vitamins A, B, and C and may benefit your health with its antiseptic, antioxidant, antiviral, and digestive properties. Mints (especially peppermint) may help improve digestion, so drinking a cup of mint tea before a meal may be beneficial. Chew a fresh leaf to freshen breath and to help provide relief from colds, coughs, and sore throats.

Grow: Mint is best in pots, as it has a vigorous root system that’s a space invader! Mint thrives in a consistently moist, well-drained compost-rich soil. Like most herbs, a regular ‘haircut’ by pinching off leaves will stimulate more growth. A regular drink of liquid seaweed, fish emulsion, or worm cast tea will keep mint healthy.

Tips: • •

Tea/Drinks: Pour boiling water over 3-4 fresh leaves per cup. Cover and steep to infuse the flavours for three minutes before enjoying. You can also add sprigs of fresh mint to chilled drinks, fruit juice, and ice cubes.

•

Grow in the sun for a higher concentration of essential oils. In hot weather, move the pot of mint to partial shade, to water less and avoid heat stress. Position the container under a tap to soak up drips. Add mulch to help retain moisture.

Flavours: Mint comes in a wide variety of flavours including peppermint, pineapple, apple, chocolate, ginger, orange, cinnamon, and spearmint. Essential Oils: Crush, snip, or bruise your mint leaves to release the essential oils before using. For maximum mint flavour, pick fresh leaves at midday when essential oil concentration is strongest.

Common Mint

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LEMON BALM ... KNOWN AS THE ‘HAPPY HERB’ FOR ITS ABILITY TO SOOTHE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND LIFT THE SPIRIT Chocolate mint leaves are delicious in hot choco late

Lemon Balm green herb tea

or coffee

EASY HERBS

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis F. Lamiaceae) Uses: Lemon balm is a perennial herb, resembling its ‘cousin’ mint in appearance. It has a lemony scent and flavour, due to its citral and citronellal essential oils. It’s known as the ‘happy herb’ for its ability to soothe the nervous system and lift the spirit. Those who suffer from depression often find lemon balm tea beneficial. A famous Greek physician, Galan once said “Lemon balm doth maketh the heart merry.” Several studies* show that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Lemon balm contains plant chemicals called terpenes and tannins, that may be responsible for the herb’s relaxing and antiviral benefits. Other studies** confirm lemon balm’s antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, antitumor, antiseptic, digestive, and antidepressant properties. Any wonder it’s been used for centuries! Students have found lemon balm tea helps clear the head, sharpen the memory, and calm nerves when drunk before and during exams. Equally beneficial for a stressful day at work. Lemon balm tea is also a natural remedy for cold sores. Steep 2-4 tsp crushed leaf in one cup boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Cool. Apply tea with cotton balls to the affected area throughout the day. Tea/Drinks: As a guide, add ¼ - 1 tsp dried lemon balm or 6-10 fresh leaves to hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times per day. Teething babies may

find it soothing to suck on a cool face cloth soaked in lemon balm tea. To make ice blocks, place two handfuls of fresh leaves into a jug, and add 2L of boiling water. Steep 30 minutes, strain, and add 2 tbsps of honey. When cool, pour into moulds and freeze. An easy way to soothe and calm children! Grow: Like mint, lemon balm grows well in semi-shade or sun and prefers regular watering and well-drained, rich soil. Grown by seed, cutting, or division, this lowmaintenance companion plant won’t spread like mint.

Tips: •

• •

To dry lemon balm, pick stems after the dew has dried on the leaves, on a sunny day. Spread in the shade to dry, turning often. If they turn black while drying, the therapeutic benefits are lost to oxidation. Chew a few washed lemon balm leaves to freshen breath. Avoid this herb if taking thyroid hormones, sedatives, or HIV medication – check with your doctor first.

How to Brew Perfect Tea Step 1: Have fresh or dried herbs ready in your cup or pot. Bring filtered water to a boil. Step 2: Cover your herbs completely with the boiling water. Put the lid on your pot or place a saucer over your cup. Avoid letting the steam escape while brewing. Step 3: Steep or infuse the herbs for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop and essential oils to be released. Dried herbs usually need at least 10 minutes. Strain and drink immediately.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Auto irrigation at its best... GoGro has perfected the self-watering pot system, redefining minimal upkeep, with each module engineered to give maximum yield and versatility. Key features include GoGroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique valve that accurately achieves a wet/dry cycle, an adaptable tray design which holds both 15L and 25L pot variants, and extra deep tray grooves meaning more nutrient can sit beneath the pot without becoming water logged. Plus, innovative modules allow you to achieve endless layout possibilities with ease. Every carefully developed detail makes GoGro the best self-watering pot system in the market. Visit gogro.co.uk to learn more about the system and why you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t settle for anything less.

Flood. Drain. Grow. gogro.co.uk Developed with PLANT!T, part of the HydroGarden family 2 Progress Way, Binley, Coventry, CV3 2NT, UK | www.hydrogarden.com

EASY HERBS

CONTROL: ENVIRONMENT I GARDEN CULTURE

7 Tips to Maximise Flavour and Health Benefits 1. Fresh vs. Dried Herbs: Fresh herbs are best picked just before brewing for maximum flavour and nutritional benefits. Dried herbs should be kept in a cool, dark place in a sealed container. As a guide to quantities, try one teaspoon of dried herbs or a sprig of fresh herbs per person. Adjust to taste. 2. Release Flavour + Oils: Bruise or snip fresh herbs before adding to your cup or pot. This boosts flavour and helps release more of the beneficial oils. 3. Inhale the Aroma: When making a herb tea, take your time to enjoy the fragrant scent coming from the cup, as well as the flavour. The aroma helps activate vitality and a feeling of wellbeing. 4. Sweet Tooth: Herb teas are drunk without milk. If you have a sweet tooth, trying adding a fresh stevia leaf (nature’s sweetener), a little raw honey or a pinch of licorice root. These are healthier choices. Avoid sugar and synthetic sweeteners or stevia powders with genetically modified product additives. 5. Stevia vs. Sugar: Stevia is a herb that promotes health and healing, increases energy, helps digestion, and unlike sugar, INHIBITS tooth decay! All great reasons to add to your tea. This herb is also very easy to grow and is a great addition to any Herb Tea Garden. 6. Iced Tea: In hot weather, chill your tea in the fridge for a refreshing beverage or add to fruit juices. Herb teas partner perfectly with pineapple, orange, passionfruit, and mango juice. Garnish with fresh mint or lemon balm sprigs and a fruit slice. Add fresh leaves to ice cubes for extra flavour. 7. Keeping it Hot: During winter, keep herb tea hot all day in a thermos flask. If you’re not already growing your own herb tea garden, hopefully you’ll be inspired to start.

MINT IS BEST IN POTS

Contributed by Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener “Making it easy to grow good health.” W: themicrogardener.com F: facebook.com/TheMicroGardener Anne Gibson is author of several eBooks and publishes The Micro Gardener, an inspiring DIY organic gardening website. As a speaker, consultant, and community educator, Anne teaches people how to grow sustainable, highly productive edible gardens on a budget in urban spaces. She is passionate about helping people grow nutrient-dense food for health, upcycling materials in the garden and maximising yields for minimal time, money, and effort. Visit www.themicrogardener.com for your complimentary eBook on Using Herbs for Health. References: * http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/lemon-balm ** http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/AJPP/article-full-text-pdf/DD55FEF50336

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Black Soldier Flies At Work

BLACK SOLDIER FLY

Perfect composters, a rich source of calcium and proteins, caretakers of your garbage: the black soldier flies!

Jesse Dodd, organic grower and compost specialist from Humboldt, California, taught us a lot about the different techniques of compost making. Dodd has always been interested in the wide range of possibilities nature offers us growers. He pre-amends his soil with special microorganisms and different kinds of compost and compost teas. It’s mind blowing to talk with him about the gifts nearby nature gives us. Like the EM bacteria (used to make Bokashi) or the straw and wood chips mulch inoculated with the spawn of King Stropharia, for example. This edible mushroom helps to transform organic matter into nutrients and destroys the dangerous E.coli bacteria. Jesse likes the ‘double function’ of some techniques he uses in composting (like serving a mushroom spaghetti prepared with the mushrooms he uses to decompose organic matter).

They process all organic kitchen waste, including meat and dairy products, without smell There are many books written about compost. It is so much more than dead leaves on a compost pile in a forgotten part of your grandfather’s backyard. Compost is a world of its own. Say the magic word ‘vermicompost’ and Dodd will tell you about his latest worm compost bin. In his philosophy, you can make compost nearly everywhere, using locally available materials. You do not need an exotic starter or special palm tree ashes to make compost. Everywhere that people live and prepare food, they have vermicompost ‘ingredients’ available. And it’s not hard to find space for tiny compost factories. Even indoors or on your balcony, there are some compost options. Just make a bin from available materials and fill them with kitchen leftovers and some worms. From the many stories Dodd told me about composting, there is one I will never forget. One summer, Dodd was working on a blueberry farm a few hours drive from his home, somewhere in California. He stayed several days a week at the farm. As usual in this kind of situation, he built a simple vermicompost bin from a few old boards and set it up outside the house he was sharing with some colleagues. To get it going, he put in some cow manure that he got from a neighbour with bits and pieces from the garden, then add-

ed a few red wigglers from another compost pile nearby. Finally, he tossed in a bunch of kitchen scraps and covered the whole thing with a piece of cardboard. Both indoors and outdoors, vermicompost makes it possible to transform kitchen and garden waste into very nutritional plant fertilizer with minimal fuss. There was no organized garbage collection where they were staying , so re-using the organic part of their waste was also a way to minimize the garbage. The compost worms started their jobs. The compost process worked well, but the bin was a bit small to hold all the kitchen leftovers produced by the four workers that shared the house. Captivated by the ‘worms at work’, Dodd inspected their progress every day. One day he saw that someone had tossed a piece of meat into the bin, and he worried that it would attract flies and maggots. In normal compost bins it is not advisable to add meat. And for a good reason, Dodd first concluded, when he discovered that flies settled on the meat. Jesse was upset. But he decided to leave it that way and study what would happen over the next few days. Two days later he saw that some grubs emerged on the meat. But looking closer he realized that they were not the basic housefly maggots.

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BLACK SOLDIER FLY

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Dodd got curious. He videoed the flies and grubs with his telephone and compared the images with the ones he found on internet of an insect that intrigued him for years: the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)! He read about this very useful compost specialist years before, but never saw one, living in the relatively cool coastal part of Northern California. When he went back to watch the grubs, he saw that there certainly was an adult black soldier fly perched on the side of the compost bin. He was thrilled.

The black soldier fly larvae are great compost makers. They process all organic kitchen waste, including meat and dairy products, without smell. Theses insects only eat when they are larvae. The flies do not eat and die within some weeks. Not only is the black soldier fly a perfect compost maker, it also has some other important ‘skills’: the larvae are very rich in protein and calcium. They are an excellent food source for poultry, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. In The Netherlands, a dog food producer is doing experiments with mixing the larvae into dog food, to lower the use of meat. In theory, the black soldier fly larvae are a good source for meat substitute products, but it will take some years to take away human resistance against eating insects.

Specialists know that black soldier fly grubs are amazing compost makers. They produce compost way quicker than worms, and they also convert meat into compost. So, from that day on, the compost bin was also ‘fed’ meat leftovers. Black soldier flies prefer warmer areas. The northern parts The black soldier fly grubs were able to process the orof Europe and the United States are too cold for them. ganic waste better than the worms, even when the waste This is likely one reason that the black soldier fly is still not increased in quantity. Over the next few days, the worms a widely recognized composter and protein source. But and larvae worked together. Compost worms do a great slowly, this insect is getting more famous. Austrian Dejob with plant materials rich in cellulose, and the black signer Katharina Unger even developed Farm 432[1], a tool soldier fly larvae do their best work while breaking down to breed black soldier flies in normal people’s kitchens. I nutrition-rich waste, such as meat and dairy products. But wonder if restaurants will serve BSF-burgers within a few as more time passed, Dodd observed that the larvae began years… 3 dominating. The compost started to heat up, the worms headed for a safer place, a cooler spot deeper down in the ground. Also, the compost worms fed on enzyme-rich leachate from the black This article is based on information in The Organic Grow book, written soldier fly larvae, but after several days that by Michiel Panhuysen and Karel Schelfhout. The Organic Grow book became too acidic for them. The worms prois also available in French (Le Bio Grow Book) and German (Das Bio gressively disappeared, and the larvae entirely Grow-Buch), and now in Spanish (El Bio Grow Book). Karel Schelfhout took over the compost bin. Dodd found the is an old-school breeder. Michiel Panhuysen is a journalist, specialized process he witnessed over two weeks fasciin growing issues and medical marihuana. His articles are published in nating. English, Spanish, and Dutch. [1] www.http://bit.ly/farm-432 GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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VAPOUR PRESSURE DEFICIT

VPD

in h T t n a t r o Other Imp

So, you have your room set up perfect, the potential for astronomical yields is right under your nose, you can dial in your daytime and nighttime environmental parameters, however you see fit. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), CO2 levels, and nutrition programmes. Well-timed and planned plant maintenance and manipulation are now your extra weapons beyond the perfect room, which you must master if you wish to become a successful grower.There are several hidden forces behind your plants, which, if manipulated and tuned correctly, can result in superior growth rates and yields. One often overlooked item, which is Plants in propagation require 90-100% RH There are fundamental to plant transpiration, CO2 in their immediate environment. At 95% several hidden RH, there is only 5% available space in the absorption, nutrient uptake, and general forces behind air for transpiring vapour or water leaving plant metabolism, is vapour pressure deficit (VPD). VPD is the relationship the leaves of the plant, there is very little your plants between air pressure and leaf pressure, transpiration. Temperature and RH levels or if you like, the temperature and have a direct relationship with the rate at moisture content of the air, compared to the temperature which your plants transpire, which in turn affects the rate the and moisture content of the leaf. For example, plants in plants uptake nutrients - this all links in with how effectively propagation, and the very early stages of development, the plants absorb light and CO2. So, the temperature and appreciate warmth and high levels of relative humidity (RH). humidity of the air is fundamental to the entire metabolism Ever wonder why? When plants are young, developing new and life of a young plant. roots and biomass, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to transpire very much, if at all. As they begin to grow larger, they will gradually need Growers in general understand that young plants grow to uptake more nutrition and water, therefore transpiring best in high humidity, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think very many realise at a faster rate. why, or just how important the water vapour from leaf GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

VAPOUR PRESSURE DEFICIT

temperature

to air relationship, truly is. I also believe temperatures are high and all the radiant and humidit y many people think that once out of the heat from your lights beams down on your of the air are propagation stage, all of these ideals vanish, canopy, you have no worries running high and the plants are ready to just rock on RH at all. You just need humidity controllers ex tremely and grow, regardless of the environment. that have a day and night setting. You can fundamental No, no, no! The RH and temperature of then run the best conditions for the plants to the entire the grow room air is fundamental from to metabolise optimally without running the start to finish of your grow and the optimal risk of mould and mildews. metabolism conditions are, I am willing to bet, miles away from what you’re expecting! Keep in For the final two weeks, I also recommend mind this article is aimed at closed loop, sealed environment dropping the temperature back to 22°C (70°F) and the RH growers more than traditional ones. With the ability to dial to 55%, day and night. In conjunction, reducing the CO2 in your environmental parameters, you can seriously take levels to approximately 300-400 ppm at the same time as advantage of your plants full potential. a solid two-week flush, will give you the best tasting and potent end product. If you want to smash it, maintain CO2 at 1200 ppm, keep the temperature throughout vegetative growth at about Regardless of what media you grow in or what system you 27°C (80°F) and RH at 75%. Moving into flower, increase run, that two-week flush, and keeping those temperatures the temperature to around 30°C (85°F) and maintain 75% and CO2 levels low in that period are KEY! Think about it RH. That’s right! This higher temperature and RH level logically. If you’re flushing plants with plain water, they’re accompanied with the extra CO2 will give your plants the absorbing no nutrition whatsoever, why would they require optimal VPD, allowing the best transpiration and growth any extra CO2? And without the extra CO2, why would rates. They will literally go ballistic! they require the extra heat and humidity? They don’t, so kill the CO2 and run the room cool and dry for the flush As we all know, high RH can increase the risks of moulds period. Let them chill while they flush. Trust me, you can and spores attacking your crops, resulting in devastation to watch them react to this procedure within days; they will your garden. Well, here’s the secret, NOT if you control be sparkling like diamonds from head to toe! By the time humidity levels day and night. Drop the RH at night to 50% they are ready for harvest, they should be dying on the vine! when the lights are off, and run 75% when the lights are on, And leaching every bit of nutrition from within themselves. and you won’t have any problems with moulds and spores. They should literally be ready to fall over with weight and be looking at you saying, “Right, I have done my best, now I When your lights go off, and ambient temperatures drop am spent, please harvest me!” in the room, the air’s ability to hold on to vaporised water decreases which begins to condense and water droplets What Else Is There to Consider? begin forming everywhere that your plants are at their most When looking to push your high-end super room open to attack. But while the lights are on, the ambient room to its limits, aside from environmental control and GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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VAPOUR PRESSURE DEFICIT

You can then run the best conditions for the plants to metabolise optimally

tweaking, proper nutrition, and plant manipulation are essential. Your plants need food, but don’t think of nutrients as food; the number one food for plants is light, and loads of it! Closely followed by the CO2 and the environment required to harness that light.

nutrient hungry species. Pushing the nutrient strength too high will end up costing you more for a lesser yield. Overfed plants tend to freak out, and growth slows down. Slightly underfed plants will always perform.

Manipulate your plants! I like to think of nutrients as supplements, to accompany the primary food (light and CO2). Forget all these magical formulas claiming to pack on more weight and a better taste. I have seen bottles claiming to add 40% more weight. This is an insult to our intelligence; that’s literally impossible! Plants need loads of light, a dialled environment, and basic nutrients. Run a base nutrition (NPK with all the macro elements), and in certain situations employ a few extras like water conditioners or root stimulants. Recirculating deep water culture (RDWC) systems, for example, do require a sterile water environment to keep clean and disease-free, so a good sterilizing water conditioner is a good idea. In a soil or coco drain to waste system, the conditioner will probably have little to no benefit at all. But whatever system you are using, coco, soil, or hydro, NPK plus the macros are all your plants need.

Topping, defoliating, removal of fan leaves at strategic times, stripping the lower canopy, learning how to keep on top of your canopy and to keep it even, receiving equal light and CO2 levels, eliminating hotspots and micro-climates; this is how to push the boundaries. Lower canopy fruit or flowers tend to look and taste inferior to upper canopy ones, so get rid of them! If you top and remove certain less desirable branches at the correct times, you will only have top quality to harvest, and all of the nutrients passing through your plants is well spent, with no energy wasted producing inferior, lesser quality flowers. Strategic topping, lower canopy removal, and defoliation will put you at the top of your game! Discoloured, impossible to harvest fruit or flowers from the lower canopy area will no longer exist in your garden and your yield will go up! Simply by using specific plant manipulation at the right times throughout your growth and flowering cycles.

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