Garden Culture Magazine US 20

THE ART OF URBAN GARDENING AND INDOOR GROWING

U S A - C A N A DA E D I T I O N · I S SU E 20 · 2018

PRODUCTION

L ABOR ATORY

PRODUCTION PL ANT

FACTORY

MAYA

KEES

GROW PRODUCTS

H YGRO EC-VA L UE .............

INDOOR GA RDEN

G ROW SHOP

RETAIL

GROW STORE

The Great

USA&CANADA

OPINION

POLL

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NATION-WIDE

INDUSTRY’S

2018

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CONTENTS

16

indoor container gardens

GROW YOUR OWN LUFFA

66

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

10

54

Microgreens

WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

49

THE POWER OF

PH

34 I N T HIS ISSU E OF GA R D E N CU LTU R E :

42

9 Foreword

54 Grow your own Luffa

84 Guano

10 Product Spotlights

60 The Great US & Canada Hydro Survey

92 Air Filtration for Indoor Gardening

16 Indoor Container Gardens

74 Best of the Blog

98 SSSC

22 Fake or Not?

78 Fermented Fed: Ferment Head

105 Beneficial Blooms

27 Whats in Your Water, Counts 28 Humidity 34 MicroGreens 38 5 Cool Finds 42 The Power of pH

The Great

USA&CANADA

hydro store

page 60

49 Who’s Growing What Where 52 Volcanic Rock

2018

7

FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD

my mornings talking to shops in the UK, and my afternoons with shops in Canada and the US. It was

Canada survey.

CULTURE

an amazing experience. This was our first attempt at the USA

Special thanks to: Catherine Sherriffs, Dr Callie Seaman, Evan Folds, Grubbycup, Kris Whitten, Marco Spomer, Michiel Panhuysen, Nico Hill, Stephen Brookes, Stoney Tark, Theo Tekstra, Keith Regan, and a special shout-out to all the store managers, owners, and industry experts that took the time to speak to me.

N G A R D E

ING URBAN GARDEN THE ART OF

The Great

USA&CANADA

hydro store 2018

PRODU CTION

KEES MAYA

CTS GROW PRODU

H YGRO EC-VA L UE .............

INDOOR GA RDEN

GROW STORE

T he

Great

USA&CANADA

OPINION

POLL

CHOICE hydro store

E NATION-WID

INDUST RY’S

2018 EDITION

2018

FREE COPY

E.COM

Eric

LTUREMAGAZIN

Happy Growing,

WWW.GARDENCU

Or maybe, you just want to grow your own luffa. Grubby has long grown this vegetable, and he shares how to grow, harvest, and prepare your own sponges.

L ABOR ATORY

FACTOR Y

G ROW SHOP

ISSUE 20

If what you are looking for is how to make that perfect organic mix for your indoor garden, then we have something for you too.

According to our numbers, interest in organic alternatives is growing.

We also have a look at some of the basics. In The Power of pH, Stephen Brookes explains its importance for growers. Another often overlooked issue is humidity. Dr Callie Seaman brings to light how relative humidity can be the root cause of deficiencies.

· 2018 · I S SU E 20 DA E D I T I O N

PRODUC TION PL ANT

·

Some results are to be expected and others might come as a surprise, either way, it is a great read if you want to know what’s up and what’s down with American and Canadian growers and shops. The survey results are not necessarily reflective of true market share. They are meant to show trends and market leaders.

The ar ticle is just pages away.

A Nightm are

EDITION

Team Meet our Dream

ADA USA - CAN

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

OWING T OF GR THE AR

Thank you to the 150 shops and 15 industry experts that took the time to answer our questions and share your stories. This was a huge task that I could not complete alone. Another big thank you goes to Keith Regan, that Irish guy many of you spoke with. I couldn’t have done it without you.

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

USA-CANA

GROWIN G AND INDOOR

RETAIL

F

or the last couple of months, I have spent most of

CREDITS

for Pests...

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 ADVERTISING ads@gardenculturemagazine.com PUBLISHER 325 Media 44 Hyde Rd., Milles Isles Québec, Canada t. +1 (844) GC GROWS info@gardenculturemagazine.com GardenCultureMagazine.com t. 1-514-233-1539

@GardenCulture

@GardenCulture

@GardenCultureMagazine

@Garden_Culture

D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • Rambridge • Sunlight Supply • Biofloral • Hydrofarm © 325 Media INC

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With his deep experience in beyond organic cultivation, base saturation soil testing, hydroponics, and biodynamic methods, he has launched an educational and consulting platform for the masses. Visit www.BeAgriculture.com for open-source blog content, educational videos, and to get in touch for a coaching or consulting session for your garden or farm.

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BY EVAN FOLDS

Indoor Container Gardens

Growing in containers is much more about growing the plant, not the soil

I

n the year 1800, only 3 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas. By the year 2008, for the first time, the world’s population was evenly split between urban and rural living. In our increasingly urban world where people are busy, and convenience is king,

container gardening is wildly popular. Research estimates the average home has 4.2 planters.

With an estimated 126,220,000 million households in the United States that is 530,124,000 billion containers! Whoa.

16

CONTAINER GARDENS

One question that is always hotly debated is whether to buy or make your own potting soil

Container gardening is an art form, expressing itself through methods of watering, styles of containers, but most importantly, the quality of the potting soil. We are going to explore some tricks of the potting soil trade for indoor gardening.

contamination. Many cheap varieties sold as “compost” have aged animal manure in them that can easily be contaminated and can leach fertility from the crop you are growing as it decomposes. If you are going to buy soil, you get what you pay for, and there is nothing more important.

Most good potting soils will provide a couple of weeks of The holy grail of potting soil is to be able to mix it up and ideal fertility before you will want to start supplementing merely water it for the life of the plant. While this may with fertilizer. Soilless mixes will cost you a bit less, but be possible for light feeders, like greens or other short require nutrients, right from the beginning. The artificial cycled varieties, it is unrealistic for vs natural fertilizer question always flowering plants in production. Can arises, but this is simply a matter you get a pepper plant to produce of preference. Just keep in mind in the United with a heavy custom potting mix and that using salts will ensure that you water? Yes. Will it produce what it need to flush your soil over time, States that is is capable of when compared to a which natural fertilizers do not this 530,124,000 feed schedule with greater precision require. billion containers! and targeted inputs over time? No. It is better, and why not be the best?

A method gaining in popularity for Whoa indoor grows is a no-till approach.

The advantage of indoor container While considered ideal because of gardens is the ability to have a more the ability to get “off the bottle” and targeted and streamlined approach the cost savings of using microbes relative to outdoor, in-ground, or to generate adequate food, new acreage growing. You can get your gardens can suffer until the microbial hands around the entire garden, you colonization is mature enough, which, can maximize resources, you can as mentioned above, is no easy task. feed at the right time, even down to Unless you are prepared to go all the hour and generally provide for in and tend to the trial and error of the plant what it is asking for given listening to your plants’ specific the stage of growth of the crop. requirements and allow your soil to mature Relative to growing in mature soil over the seasons, in the ground, growing in containers is much more about this method can be growing the plant, not the soil. Absolutely incorporate challenging. Seeking soil microbes in your indoor container garden, but the out growers that microbes responsible for soil in the Earth need many have accomplished seasons to organize to their potential and mitigate the need this on their own is a to bring fertility from fertilizers. Using organic fertilizers good starting point. only compliments the work soil microbes will be able to do in the container garden time frame.

Any gardening project should be budget conscious. One question that is always hotly debated is whether to buy or make your own potting soil. If you are going to purchase your potting soil, do not get the cheap stuff.

Too many times, growers try to cut corners with economy out-of-the-bag mixes, and it stunts or otherwise ruins the crop with heavy salts, fungus gnats, or some other

17

CONTAINER GARDENS

Too many times growers try to cut corners on economy out-of-the-bag mixes

For any indoor grow of scale, a diversity of natural ingredients, Ancient forestr y premium potting mix is no small like vegetable and animal meals, expense. The cost gets up there that will be more slow-release. Use areas will likely quick, which is why many choose mineral sources that fit your budget, provide a wide to formulate their own potting soil. such as rock dusts and sea minerals, range of bacteria When doing this, pay attention with an emphasis on ensuring soil to the ratio of water-retaining microbes are present from a good and fungi ingredients (peat moss, coir, etc.) humus source or compost tea. to water drainage materials (perlite, Brewing compost tea is an excellent sand, rice hulls, etc.). A mix that way to ensure proper microbial drains well is going to ensure that your roots can respire inoculation over time in the indoor container garden. I like more and can aid in the growth potential of your crop, but to think of microbes as construction workers. Your job it means you will have to water more frequently. as the contractor is to bring the microbes to the job site, over and over. It is not possible to build a neighborhood A good ratio for a drainage mix is 1-2 parts water-retaining in a day! ingredients to 1 part drainage ingredients. If you prefer to water less often, 3 to 1 is a better ratio. If you are creating While it costs less in materials to mix your own soil relative a mix for seedlings or cuttings, where you will be more to buying it premixed, without some convenience planning, attentive to watering, a 1 to 1 ratio is recommended. it can cost just as much in time. But don’t be discouraged, the chore will get easier with repetition. Mixing on an open The retaining and drainage ingredients will calibrate your floor is somewhat cumbersome. Making a framed wooden moisture levels, but they don’t do much for crop fertility. box approximately 120x180x30cm raised off the floor Everyone always wants a recipe for soil mixes, but rather will not cost much and, not only will this small investment than offer specifics, I suggest doing your own research for contain the mix as you blend your ingredients, it will save formulas. They are all over the map. Being specific always your back. When you get tired of the manual mixing, you results in people thinking they are going to do it wrong, can step your game up to an automated mixer. They can stressing to find particular ingredients, locally. Focus on using vary in price, depending on volume and specs.

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CONTAINER GARDENS

you can actually develop a fertility profile for the type of crop you are growing Once you have a handle on the process and you have The effort of testing your soil also brings into play the balanced the budget to see how much you are spending concept of strain-specific fertility. If you are growing the over time, it may make sense to consider reusing your same type of plant continuously, especially using clones, you potting mix. Entirely possible, but takes more than simply will find that the plant species being grown pulls relatively harvesting and replanting. You must re-amend the mix with the same fertility profile from the soil mix. After you consideration of what the plants used in the first round, define your ingredients, take a baseline soil test. Then run so minerals are balanced for the your crop, making sure to record next crop. The best way to do this not only the volumes of your is through routine base saturation recipe ingredients but the relative This is why soil testing. I have worked with many amounts of inputs used through the many choose to small and commercial growers in this life of the crop. capacity using methods I developed formulate their for an organic lawn company I had Once the grow is complete, take own pot ting soil years ago. Combined with living another soil test and compare microbes, the results are amazing. the data from the baseline test. In doing this, you can actually develop a fertility profile for the type of crop you Mixing soil are growing that will tell you the amount of each element used during growth. This data can then be used to alter the original soil recipes and refine the amount and spectrum of inputs.

Whatever you do, make sure to experiment. Using different recipes within the same grow can teach you, more than anything, about what works best. Container growing does not have to be an exact science, but the more attention you pay to the ingredients you are using and the way your crop is performing, the more efficient and productive it can be. 3

Evan Folds is a regenerative agricultural consultant with a background across every facet of the farming and gardening spectrum. He has founded and operated many businesses over the years - including a retail hydroponics store he operated for over 14 years, a wholesale company that formulated beyond organic products and vortex-style compost tea brewers, an organic lawn care company, and a commercial organic wheatgrass growing operation.

Bio

He now works as a consultant in his new project Be Agriculture where he helps new and seasoned growers take their agronomy to the next level.What we think, we grow!

Contact Evan at www.BeAgriculture.com or on Facebook and Instagram @beagriculture

21

FAKE T

OR NOT?

BY THEO TEKSTRA, GAVITA INTERNATIONAL B.V.

he biggest response I ever got on a social media post was April 1, 2017, when I “introduced the Gavita Laser Lights” on Facebook. For those who want to read it, I included a link at the bottom of the ar ticle. Obviously, this was an April Fools post, but it was incredible to see how long this thing

lasted, and I still get (serious) questions and inquiries about it.

Mixing fiction with credible data can make a compelling (false) argument, and sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

So, here is the challenge: I will write a short article every edition, and it is up to you to decide whether this is fact or fiction. Call it an exercise in critical thinking and fact checking.

FAKE or not?

Discuss Episode 2: Spectrum Hardly Influences Photosynthesis online at GCMag.co/Fake-or-Not. The truth comes out May 15, 2018.

Spec tr um Hardly Inf luences Photosynthesis Photosynthesis Let’s first get this out in the open: the spectrum of a wide range of lamps has minimal effect on photosynthesis.

That is, if the plants are healthy. If you measure the photosynthesis of plants under a variety of lamps, from incandescent to LED, you will not see a lot of difference.

Don’t believe me? Look at research that Bruce Bugbee did back in 1994.1 A quote:

Now, we all know that you can’t grow a decent plant under LPS or incandescent, the first has a too narrow spectrum and the latter way too much infrared. It just illustrates that the spectrum is not so much the main driver for efficient photosynthesis. There are many other plant processes that require various wavelengths (colors) of light.

“PHOTOSYNTHETIC R ATE IS SURPRISINGLY LITTLE AFFECTED BY LIGHT QUALITY FROM STANDARD L AMPS.”

But how about the McCree curve? It clearly shows that green is about 25% less efficient than other colors of light? Yes and no. Yes, the experiment is valid, and it was repeatedly verified, but no, this is not how you should interpret the results. Without going too much into details, McCree tested leaf disks under quite a low intensity of light. We see that plants as a system, under high-intensity light, have a different response. There is even evidence to suggest that green light is more efficient in high intensity “white” light than red light.2 For more about McCree and spectrum, read “Light Matters 5 – Supplementing the Sun”: GCMag.co/Light-Matters-V.

The most efficient spectrum in that research came from a low-pressure sodium lamp, which you would never use to grow a plant, of course. The most important aspect of a lamp, purely for photosynthesis, is efficiency in the PAR spectrum and preferably in the orange/red area, and not so much the wide spectrum.

Fig 1: McCree curve, quantum yield, original publication 1972.

Fig 2: Red and blue LED lighting in a greenhouse.

(Source: Colorado State University)

Bugbee, B. 1994. Effects of radiation quality, intensity, and duration on photosynthesis and growth, p 39-50. In: T.W.Tibbitts (ed.). International Lighting in Controlled Environments Workshop, NASA-CP-95-3309

2 . Ichiro Terashima, Takashi Fujita, Takeshi Inoue, Wah Soon Chow, Riichi Oguchi; Green Light Drives Leaf Photosynthesis More Efficiently than Red Light in Strong White Light: Revisiting the Enigmatic Question of Why Leaves are Green. Plant Cell Physiol 2009; 50 (4): 684-697. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcp034

1

22

FAKE OR NOT?

Open for Debate.

T he mos t ef f icient sp e c tr um in that r e se ar ch c ame f r om a low-pr e s sur e so dium l amp

Bring Your Knowledge to GCMag.co/Fake-or-not.

The truth comes out May 15, 2018.

gre en light is more ef f icient in high intensit y “ white” light than re d light

Morphogenesis If it is not photosynthesis that makes the difference with different spectra, then what is it? For the most part, it is morphogenesis. When you compare light sources and spectra, you see very significant differences on the plant’s growth rate, shape, leaf density, leaf size, the stomata density on the leaf, leaf thickness, internodal distance, and much, much more. In a study done by Sander Hoogewoning3 comparing the effects of CFL, HPS and artificial sunlight, the results were remarkable:

The artificial sunlight treated plant had more than twice the leaf area than the CFL and HPS grown plants.

Another effect that is hard to monitor, but should not be underestimated, is rooting. Under some spectra, plants root better, and a better root system in flowering gives a much better result.

You can imagine that with so many factors playing an important role, and not in the least the genetics you are using, it is very complicated, if not impossible, to give a very specific lighting advice. Maybe for that Indica, you want a bit of extra stretch to keep the plant more open, or maybe you want to suppress the stretching of that Sativa. To make things even more complicated: light intensity plays a role as well.

It is also not automatically so that a wider spectrum gives you a better result, that depends on the ratios of colors in the spectrum. One thing is clear, though: a better result under a better spectrum is not so much the effect of the photosynthetic efficiency of the light, but the morphogenesis of the plant.

Discuss Episode 2: Spectrum Hardly Influences Photosynthesis online at GCMag.co/Fake-or-Not. The truth comes out May 15, 2018.

From: Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 61, Issue 5, 1 March 2010, Pages 1267–1276, https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erq005

The April Fool’s post that inspired Fake or NOT? FB.com/theo.tekstra/posts/10155185892803620 3

Sander W. Hogewoning, Peter Douwstra, Govert Trouwborst, Wim van Ieperen, Jeremy Harbinson; An artificial solar spectrum substantially alters plant development compared with usual climate room irradiance spectra, Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 61, Issue 5, 1 March 2010, Pages 1267–1276, https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erq005 3

23

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BY MARCO SPOMER - HYDROLOGIC PURIFICATION SYSTEMS

What’s in Your Water, Counts

T

C A LCI U M , M AGNESIUM, AND P OTA S SI U M L I V E I N A D EL I C AT E BAL ANCE WITHIN PL ANTS

here is a myriad of substances that can end up in the water you are feeding your plants. For gardening, the main indicator of water quality is hardness. Hardness is the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium, the most abundant minerals in tap water, which makes up the majority of the ppm in your water.

The most typical form of these minerals in untreated water is calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. Unfortunately for gardeners, and contrary to popular belief, these forms are virtually unusable by plants, especially fast-growing plants. The molecules of these compounds are far too large and immobile to be absorbed by the roots and transported to where the plant needs them. And, beyond a certain amount of hardness, your plants can show nutrient lockout problems.

Other minerals in water can also impede proper plant growth.

Too much iron, manganese, lead, copper, or zinc can lead to lockout and deficiency problems. And, you can never accurately control the amounts of critical inputs your plants need to feed correctly.

The Right Amount of Calcium... Does Wonders Calcium and magnesium are common inputs in everyone’s garden. They are the building blocks and catalysts that allow plants to flourish. Most experienced gardeners supplement their feed regimen with extra calcium and magnesium (CalMag), especially those with hydroponic gardens.

Calcium is an essential part of the plant’s cell wall structure and improves the absorption of other nutrients by the roots and their translocation within the plant. It activates a number of plant growth-regulating enzyme systems, helps convert nitrate-nitrogen into forms needed for protein formation, and contributes to improved disease resistance. Calcium is an intracellular messenger, sending a signal from one cell to another, telling other cells how to react or what to do, as well as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions. Its presence is needed to turn an enzyme on or off and allow it to catalyse a reaction.

However, calcium, magnesium, and potassium live in a delicate balance within plants. Too much of one will inhibit the other two.

The Water Solution Starting with pure water, as close to zero ppm as possible, allows you to add calcium and magnesium in the quantities required during each phase of growth. Every other part of the nutrient formula can also be specified to exact amounts. Being able to control precisely what makes up the ppm of your plant food will allow you to dial-in amazing results and have rich harvests every time. You won’t have to worry about nutrient deficiencies or lockout problems if you start with pure water.

Well or spring-sourced water is often excellent, and although it may be healthy for humans to consume, the mineral content is usually way too high for your plants. For instance, orchids and bonsai plants are very sensitive to excess minerals and chlorine. A good reverse osmosis (RO) system will remove all contaminants from the water. RO systems are affordable and do not require anything else but proper water pressure to make them do their thing. Distillation will do the same thing, but is costly and uses lots of energy.

Starting with water that is pure allows you to dial-in the perfect feed program and realize the biggest flowers and tastiest fruits you can imagine. Growers that use RO water can never go back to tap water after seeing the enormous difference it makes on their harvests. Knowledge is the key when it comes to this important component of a garden, whether it’s indoor or outdoor, hydroponics or dirt farming.

The quality of your water can be the magic bullet to achieving optimum results, every time. 3

27

DR CALLIE SEAMAN

Wat er is a v ery s t ick y mol ecul e 28

HUMIDITY

B

ack in the early 2000s, when I used to work in my local grow shop, time and time again a customer would come in telling me about their plants - “they are showing chlorosis, leaf curling, and looking generally unhealthy.”

Often, they would go on to tell me they have a deficiency and wanted some Epsom salts or wonder juice to fix

the issue. I would go through diagnosis questions enquiring about their feed design and the environment, as any good sales adviser should before selling the customer anything.

Rel at i v e humidi t y p l ays s uch a big pa r t in your p l a n t s’ p roduc t i v i t y “What is your humidity at?”

“Bang on, perfect... no, no, no - it’s not that, I’ve definitely got a magnesium deficiency.”

“I am not saying you haven’t, but what is the relative humidity in your room?”

The temperature of the air also plays a large part in the relative humidity of your room

After about 10 minutes, they would admit that they have no idea what it is and you find yourself having convinced them to invest in a hygrometer. Two days later they would come back in and, low and behold, when the lights were on, the humidity went down to 30%, but at night it rises to 65%.

“Everything is fine, yes?”

No! Relative humidity plays such a big part in your plants’ productivity and is so often overlooked. The deficiencies and toxicities seen in the plant are just a secondary effect of the primary cause, HUMIDITY issues. Addition of nutrient correction solutions can bring their own problems, which are often not seen until it is too late and the damage appears 6 weeks into flower.

Why is relative humidity (RH) so important, and how does it work?

The best explanation I have come across was to think about the air surrounding the plants holding moisture like a sponge. At 100% RH, water would be visible on the surface of this imaginary sponge, as it is saturated with water. Therefore, RH is a measure of how close the water is to the surface of the sponge. Plants take up water by a mechanism known as transpiration, where water exits the plant due to evaporation through tiny little pores that open and close on the leaves, called stomata.

On the other hand, with high humidity, the transpiration rate drops, as the air surrounding the plants does not hold as much water. If too high, this can slow down the uptake of some elements, such as calcium, that rely on transpiration for their uptake.

Something that is important, but I am not going to cover today, is vapor pressure (VP). This is basically the plants sensing RH and is what controls the opening and closing of the stomata, and essentially, what controls leaf transpiration. VP is also influenced by the RH and the air temperature and is what we are fundamentally trying to keep within a comfort zone for the plant.

The temperature of the air also plays a large part in the relative humidity of your room. With increased temperature, more water evaporates. However, the warm air holds a lot of water in the form of vapor moisture. Basically, water molecules are further apart from one another as they are moving faster due to heat, these are then able to fill the increased space in the warm air. Therefore, the relative humidity is low.

As the temperature of the air falls, the water vapor in the air condenses (sticks together, basically) to produce water drops (see figure 1) and most often seen on cold panes of glass! This can occur on the surfaces of leaves which may cause problems with fungal infections and mold. A condensation issue most often occurs at the start of the light cycle, as the top of the plant warms and begins to transpire, the humidity starts to increase. In the lower parts of the plant that have not yet warmed, condensation of the water vapor occurs, forming perfect little pockets for botrytis and other fungi to thrive.

Water is a very sticky molecule and, as it leaves the plant, more water is drawn up into the plant via the roots. The process increases if the humidity surrounding the plant is low, as the imaginary sponge can hold onto more water. This, in turn, leaves salts behind in the growing media and increases the EC in the nutrient solution, which can result in nutrient build-up and lockout. Hence, the plant will start to display signs of deficiencies, such as calcium and magnesium. figure 1

29

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HUMIDITY

i t is a l i t t l e bi t of a t r a de-of f be t w een h av ing a h a p p ily t r a nsp iring p l a n t, a nd no t p roducing t he p erf ec t f unga l pa r a dise

Due to the drop in temperature during the dark period, the room’s relative humidity increases naturally. With the mixture of still air, this becomes the perfect breeding ground for nasty, flower destroying, fungus.

So, what is the ideal humidity for your plants to grow?

Plants can give other signs to let you know that the humidity is not ideal

Well, it is a little bit of a trade-off between having a happily transpiring plant, and not producing the perfect fungal paradise. It is all about keeping the plant within its comfort zone. As temperature increases, a plant is happier if the humidity increases with it, to compensate for the higher rate in transpiration. A higher humidity is more desirable in the vegetative phase of your plant’s life cycle, but due to the lack of plant matter, and that the microclimate which forms in between the plants has not yet formed, this is harder to achieve. Once the flowers set and fruits have started to form, a lower humidity is more desirable to help reduce the risk of disease. Table 1 summarises the ideal ranges of humidity for different stages and times.

Daytime (70-82°F) (21-28°C)

Nighttime (59-73°F) (15-23°C)

Vegetative growth (18 hrs)

65-80%

55-70%

Flowering cycle (12 hrs)

55-70%

55-70%

Table 1: Relative humidity ranges for optimum growth.

As we all know, it is hard to maintain the humidity at a constant point, so as long as they are within this range, the plants will be productive. Plants will be okay down to 40% RH, but will grow more vigorously in higher humidity. If you have suffered from grey mold and other fungal issues, lowering the humidity and the temperature during the flowering cycle will help. Good air circulation is a must at all times.

Plants can give other signs to let you know that the humidity is not ideal. Table 2 gives a quick overview of some of the symptoms, remember as always, there are often several reasons for a plant to behave in a particular way, these are just some of the more common ones:

Symptom

RH is TOO...

Leaf curling down and under Leaf curling up Tip Burn Grey mold or Botrytis Calcium deficiencies

Low High Low High High

Table 2: Signs and symptoms of humidity stress.

I hope this quick overview helps you to understand humidity, diagnose any issues and solve the root of the problem, hopefully giving you happier, healthier, and more productive plants. 3

Dr. Callie Seaman is a plant obsessed Formulation Chemist at AquaLabs – the company behind SHOGUN Fertilisers and the Silver Bullet plant health range. She has been in the hydro industry for 15 years in research development and manufacturing and had previously worked on the VitaLink range. She has a PhD in fertiliser chemistry and a BSc (HONS) in Biomedical sciences and loves nothing more than applying this knowledge to pushing the boundaries of nutrient performance.

31

Bee Tales T

he honey bees’ plight is cer tainly alarming, however, the amount of crops managed bees pollinate is a lot less than we’ve been led to believe. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, domesticated bees only pollinate 15% of the world’s food supply. Wild bees and other pollinators

actually pollinate most of our food, along with all natural areas. So, we need to get more concerned about the effects of pesticides and urban sprawl on creatures beyond the apiary.

Declining pollinators will likely create a vulnerability to extinction for plants, especially just beyond farms and orchards where managed bees arrive on a schedule. The list of endangered pollinators in the US listed November 2017 included: 3 bat, 5 bird, 1 fly, 1 beetle, and 24 butterfly, skipper, and moth species. Today, the count on the endangered list has increased to 4 bat, 16 bird, and 25 butterfly, skipper, and moth species. The insect tallies remain unchanged.

Plant a garden that has the pollinators in mind, and create homes for these hard workers. An Insect Hotel or a Bat House can be a great addition to any garden. 3

Wild bees and other pollinators actually pollinate most of our food Sources: • https://www.fws.gov/pollinators/pollinatorpages/ aboutpollinators.html • https://www.fws.gov/pollinators/Programs/Endangered.html

33

BY NICO HILL

A FOOD REVOLUTION

MICROGREENS

When it comes to growing enough food for the global population, we have to think big. At the same time, international laws of irony demand that we look for something small to do it with. Enter the microgreen; small salads and veggies that pack a big ol’ punch.

34

MICROGREENS HOW IT’S MADE: : NANOPARTICLES

S

ometimes it’s a pain in the arse to grow your own food. You star t out feeling optimistic about how you can be self-sustainable, but once you realize how much work is involved, your plants end up dying. To be perfectly honest, the number of pot plants and herbs I’ve bought and then immediately neglected

and killed would make me some sor t of tor turous serial killer in a world that gave plants rights as living beings.

For tunately, we don’t live in that world, and I’m free to kill as many plants as I can forget to count, or rather, water.

The problem is that all my excitement and enthusiasm is usually gone after the first few weeks when I realize they aren’t growing fast enough. Years of getting exactly what I want with the touch of a button has left me highly sceptical and ignorant of anything that takes more than ten seconds to come to fruition. We’re so used to instantly getting whatever we want, that taking care of long-term crops is basically an alien concept. In fact, chances are that if it can’t be captured in a meme – I can’t be bothered.

h

Go big or go home?

I’ll get my coat and stay small.

Sarcastic ranting aside, the daily life of an average nineto-fiver does not necessarily work for growing longterm nutritional crops. However, microgreens are a great solution to this modern problem. The clue is most definitely in their title; the aim of the game is to germinate a large number of leafy greens in a small area and harvest them before they’ve really had a chance to grow.

a new per

spective

Get ‘em while they’re young.

Excuse the rather uncomfor table sub-header, but it really doesn’t take long. They’re ready around the time the first set of true leaves are up. So, within a couple of weeks of sowing your seeds, you will be able to enjoy the fruits (so to speak) of your labor. The whole process is incredibly quick, easy and genuinely rewarding once you are eating the produce. Granted, it’s not quite as fast as buying them at the grocery store, but on the plus side, you aren’t suppor ting a corporate giant in the process.

So, what can you grow?

Pretty much anything leafy and green. Lettuce most often comes to mind, which is, of course, perfectly acceptable, but try and mix it up a bit to enhance the whole experience on your pallet. Mustard, kale, spinach, watercress, rocket, basil, even cabbage can be successfully grown in your tray of microgreens. Planting a wider variety of crop types also increases the overall nutritional content of what you finally consume. Seeds have a wealth of stored nutrients, aminos and enzymes that your body will love.

on

How does your garden grow?

Cell trays cut to a convenient size, or other shallow containers are a great choice. You do not need a whole lot of media to suppor t such small seedlings; a depth of just over an inch is fine. Fill the container with your media of choice, tap gently to settle, and densely scatter your seeds across the surface. Once you have spread the seed, cover with another small layer of your media and water them. Four hours of direct sunlight a day should usually suffice. Any less and they can become a bit yellow and leggy, but under the glow of some T5’s that most of you probably own, they will thrive.

THE WHOLE PROCESS IS INCR EDIBLY QUICK , E A S Y A ND GENUINELY R E WA R DING ONCE YOU ARE EATING THE PRODUCE

35

MICROGREENS

MICROGREENS YOU C A N T O TA L LY U SE T HE SAME MEDIA AGAIN THOUGH: SIMP LY S C AT T ER YOUR NE W SEED S DIR EC T LY A F T ER YOU HAVE HARVESTED YOUR LAST

OTHER THAN THE INITIAL PLANTING, THERE R E A L LY IS L I T T L E T O NO M A IN T EN A NCE R EQUIR ED You might need to sprinkle with a bit of water once or twice if they look too dry, but otherwise, that’s it! Once the first true set of leaves have shown, they are ready to harvest. They will probably be a couple of inches high at this point, and around 10-14 days old. Maximum production, minimum effor t. Other than the initial planting, there really is little to no maintenance required, giving you more time to let yourself be distracted by your local spor ts teams, or go and play some poke-e-mon.

When’s the re-up?

This is not a ‘cut and come again’ project like growing regular lettuce can be. You are harvesting the entire crop, so you will need to sow another batch of seeds for each successive crop. You can totally use the same media again though: simply scatter your new seeds directly after you have harvested your last. The old roots will eventually break to become useful once again for the new plants.

That’s the circle of life right there.

What are you waiting for? This easy process makes you look like both a growing wizard and culinary genius at once. You don’t have the excuse of not having time, because it really doesn’t take any. Your own laziness is preventing you from star ting. So, come on; get cracking! 3

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The custom built acrylic tank features a curved front that perfectly fits the monitor’s shape. Get one ready to add water and fish for $349399 USD (varies by color). You can also get a DIY Kit that comes with complete instructions and sells for $189USD. International shipping is available. www.bit.ly/imac-aqua

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Pe rfe ct fo r Unw indin g Designed and built by Ben Spencer, this nautical themed outdoor chair is 100% upcycled from a wooden cable spool. Beautifully finished, it looks more like fine rustic furniture than the standard spool hacker rendition.

Sturdily fastened together with metal rods and anchors. The wood is sanded smooth and protected with stain and sealer, so it will last a lifetime. A gem of an upcycling project. Get a closer look in this video: www.bit.ly/bldr-vid.

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S m o ki n’ H ot Wheel

It’s hard to believe this sleek looking cooker was once a rusty tire rim. A little sandblasting, high-temperature spray paint and parts from your local hardware store completely transform it. The grates for cooking and coal containment were trickier but designer Joe Peters demonstrates how to acquire the final pieces.

Unlike most tire rim BBQ designs you see online, this one requires no welding.

It’s also the most stylish. You will need a few common power tools and some woodworking clamps.

Get full directions at www.bit.ly/rim-grill. More of Joe Peters work can be found on his site: www.joepeters.crevado.com/wood-working

4

Dig Yo ur Lig ht , M an

This shovel broke in a location that created a perfect slit for light to peek through this unique upcycled lamp. It acts as a standing wall sconce, providing more mood lighting than illumination. You may want to devise a wall anchor of sorts if you have boisterous residents.

Whether it’s old or new, you definitely want a D-handle shovel for this project, as it provides a flat surface for stability not possible with a no-handle implement.

It involves some sanding, spray paint, and a particular Ikea light kit. A super simple job, even the newbie DIY’er could ace this one. The whole idea was inspired by the shovel.

Get the directions from www.bit.ly/dig-lamp.

5

Tran sfo r m e d To mes

An amazingly good looking finish to possibly the easiest DIY project. The materials are probably lying around your house. But if you’re short on huge old books, there are always flea market and garage sale finds.

Artfully stacked and decoupage-glued together, the final coat of paint will cover a myriad of blemishes. Starting with a primer, topped by a stain-kill sealer is probably a good idea, so no old dyes or greasy stains can bleed through your paint. White looks great in the room pictured, but any color will do. Or you could leave the old book cover designs intact with a shellac sealer. Stack construction directions: www.bit.ly/tome-table. 3 40

A SEA OF GREEN IN 2018

BY STEPHEN BROOKES, NPK TECHNOLOGY

pH is important!

The

Power of

M

any articles have been written about the potential of hydrogen, some basic and some advanced.

This article will blend the two together and hopefully make the ‘non-believers’ re-assess the vast importance of pH. Every textbook will tell you about the influence pH has, but a lot of growers

will tell you they don’t bother with adjusting or monitoring pH and they get good results. The following will explain why pH is so crucial for specific methods of growing and why some growers seem to get away with not measuring or adjusting, but also why they will never truly reach full potential in their crops. Firstly, a little history about where pH originates.

42

THE POWER OF PH

Plants thrive in slightly acidic media because nutrient availability is highest in mildly acidic conditions What does pH stand for?

A much-debated topic, especially with regards to the ‘P’ in pH. It all star ted with the Carlsberg Foundation, founded

by J.C. Jacobsen (also the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery), to help with advancing biochemical knowledge related to brewing. During this time, a chemist called Søren Peder Lauritz Sørensen came up with the concept of measuring pH for brewing beer. According to the foundation, the ‘P’ stands for the power of hydrogen. This is fur ther reinforced by the German word for power being potenz and the French word for power being puissance.

However, there is also the Latin interpretation of ‘p’ as pondus hydrogenii (quantity of hydrogen) or potentia hydrogenii (capacity of hydrogen). From the evidence, it is most likely correct as the power of hydrogen.

In 1934, Arnold Beckman invented the first method of electronically measuring pH in response to Sunkist who wanted more accuracy when measuring their lemons. Fast forward 84 years, and we’re here using their methods to ensure optimal plant growth and health.

The Science The science of pH is phenomenal. What growers need to know is simple compared to the chemistry of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions interacting in water. As an example, here’s the scientific definition of pH; pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration: pH = −log [H +] The square brackets around the H+ automatically mean “concentration” to a chemist, so the equation above basically means that for each 1-unit change in pH, the hydrogen ion concentration changes ten-fold. Pure water has a neutral pH of 7, while pH values lower than 7 are acidic, and pH values higher than 7 are alkaline (basic).

The reason we use a logarithmic scale in pH measurements is due to the massive numbers involved. As an example, a strongly acidic solution can have 100,000,000,000,000 (100 trillion) times more H+ ions than a strongly basic solution. The pH scale is open-ended, meaning we can theoretically have -1 pH, but most commonly it is between 0 and 14. It is therefore much easier to use a logarithmic scale rather than writing down all the zeros.

Strangely enough, because it is a ten-fold increase or decrease, count the zeros in the number above, and you’ll find it’s a 1, with 14 zeros after it. That’s logarithms!

The science of growing We know that a pH 7 solution is neutral (equal amount of H+ and OH - ions), below 7 is acidic (higher concentration of H+ ions), and a pH above 7 is basic (higher concentration of OH - ions).

Why do we need to know this?

The vast majority of plants thrive in slightly acidic media because nutrient availability is highest in mildly acidic conditions. The following graph will help you visualize the effect pH has on nutrient uptake.

pH

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THE POWER OF PH

The

credit: Agribusiness Pakistan

Power of

Soft water requires small amounts of acid to lower the pH compared to hard water As the image shows, different elements have a preferred pH for maximum uptake, and it’s for this reason that it is better to allow the pH to drift slowly over time and not held steadfast at single pH values. Most often the pH will rise during vegetative growth depending on the environment and the nutrients used. This is because the plant will donate ions (H+) to accept positive (+) ions and vice-versa to maintain an equilibrium. Positive ions are called cations, and negative ions are called anions.

During a time of heavy vegetative growth with good lighting, the plant roots typically take up nearly all their nitrogen as nitrate. When a plant takes up nitrate (NO3-), it releases hydroxyl ions (OH -), which increases the pH in the nutrient reservoir. When the plant takes up ammonium (NH 4+), Ca 2+, K+, or Mg 2+ it releases a proton (H+) to the soil solution and this increase of hydrogen ion concentration thereby decreases the pH of the nutrient solution.

This is why in hydroponics we tend to see fluctuations of pH as the plant uptakes different nutrients. Plants are very good at maintaining and changing their environment to ensure healthy growth. Changing it too much by adding lots of pH down or up can disturb the plant and slow growth. Fur thermore, pH down is usually sold as phosphoric acid or nitric acid. These acids will donate an H+ ion to lower the pH and then become available as phosphorus or nitrogen, but adding too much to try and maintain a set pH can lead to imbalance and an excess of either nitrogen or phosphorus. Therefore, try to use nitric acid in vegetative growth and phosphoric acid in bloom.

Hard and soft water What defines hard water and soft water?

Soft water is anything with between 0-100mg/l calcium carbonate content, slightly hard to moderately hard has 100-200 mg/l, and hard to very hard has any amount above 200 mg/l. In growers’ terms, that means tap water with an EC of 0.1-0.5 is considered soft and above 0.5 is considered hard water. However, do not confuse soft water with always being great and hard water as always being bad for plant growth. The hardness only comes from elements that are multivalent ions like calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+), not monovalent like sodium (Na+) or chlorine (Cl-), so soft water could contain lots of chlorine and sodium, which are detrimental to plant growth in large amounts. It is much better to filter your water with an RO (reverse osmosis) machine, and then build up the nutrient profile as you need.

When you adjust pH in your reservoir, it’s impor tant to know whether your water is hard or soft. Soft water requires small amounts of acid to lower the pH compared to hard water, which needs a significant amount of acid due to the buffering effect of the calcium. Lastly, for soft water hydroponic growers, adding a cal-mag product at the beginning can increase the buffering capacity of the solution, so that pH swings are reduced.

pH for organic gardening?

Maintaining pH is much easier when growing plants organically. Organic nutrients with the array of microbes and mycorrhizae, stabilize soil pH and help the plants selfadjust as their needs change.

45

SHORTIES

The

Power

it is better to allow the pH to drift slowly over time

of

The non-pH growers?

Fully organic soil will have a higher pH level than substrate fed with mineral-based fer tilizers. Due to interactions between the bacteria, plant, and mycorrhizae, there is a continual adjustment of plant nutrient uptake.

Mycorrhizae produce a slime which increases pH, and nitrifying bacteria thrive in a slightly higher pH of 6.2+.

Organic growers, sit back and chill, your pH microbe army has it under control.

pH tools?

The most common tool for pH measurement is a pH pen.

This measures the hydrogen ion concentration in water, which then calculates whether the solution is acidic, neutral, or alkali. It does this by measuring the electric potential between the pH electrode and a reference electrode; the difference is then displayed as a pH reading.

Pens need calibrating either electronically or manually.

The standard calibration pen will go into a known pH 7.0 solution and turned with a small screwdriver until the display reads 7.0. If electrically calibrated, the pen will go into a known pH 7.0 solution, and a calibration button pressed to set at the correct point. The better pH pens will also require a fur ther calibration with a known pH 4.0 solution to increase accuracy and reliability.

Top Tip: Never trust your pH pen 100%! Use your intuition and experience to confirm with the pH pen that your solution is correct. If one week your new reservoir solution is suddenly 5.0 when it is usually 5.8, don’t make adjustments straight away, check to see if the pen needs cleaning, calibrating, etc. and maybe have a backup pen to double-check readings.

Lastly, if you’re having accuracy issues, buy some KCL (potassium chloride) solution and store your probe in there for 24 hours. This essentially re-sets the fluids in the pen to increase reliability.

New technology recently developed, allows you to place a tube into a reservoir which acts as a buffer, keeping the pH between 5.8-6.2, the most prominent in the UK being the Torus Hydro, perfect for the non-pH growers…

You’re an unruly lot, and things seem to always work out just fine for you. This says a lot for how well plants can cope in less than favorable conditions, and how good nutrient manufacturers are making their base feeds to allow for non-measurement of pH while still allowing you to get good results. I know lots of people who don’t measure or adjust pH, yet they grow good crops.

However, there is growing good crops, and then there is growing optimal crops. The reason you can produce a good crop without pH measurement is that you’ve been lucky, the base feed you use lowers the pH naturally to a desirable zone, and uses buffering elements to resist pH movement in solution. Still, the problems you can encounter are multiple.

A period with the pH above 6.8 or below 5.2 drastically reduces the uptake of nutrients, or even worse, causes a reaction that makes the nutrients become unavailable.

This leads to deficiencies or even toxicities in some cases, which slows growth and leads to a lower yielding crop.

Secondly, knowing what pH level you should have and where it is, can give you pre-warning of root issues, such as pythium, taking hold - which would show the pH dropping significantly over time. Lastly, pH rising over time can be an indicator of healthy nutrient uptake and growth during the vegetative period. So, measuring pH will give you a pat on the back for a job well done, if you decide to star t measuring it.

Conclusion pH is impor tant! It takes less than 5 minutes to measure and adjust to the optimal levels, which will improve your crop’s health and, ultimately, your yield. You may have been a grower for ten years and gotten along just fine without measuring pH, but remember the problem you had that time? Imagine if by spending 5 minutes measuring and adjusting pH, you could have prevented that problem… 3

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 is now working on his PhD, researching the effects of different ratios of cannabinoids in the human body. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!

47

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Restoring native wildflowers is important today, more than ever, and Esther Durnwald’s Michigan Wildflower Farm has been helping foraging pollinators for decades. The farm produces Michigan genotype wildflower and grass seed to establish or restore natural landscapes. They sell a variety of mixes and cover crops, such as the Bouquet, Butterfly Garden, or EcoTurf mix, but also install natural spaces for residences, businesses, parks, roadways, and more.

Including farmers restoring pollinator strips around cropland.

The natural landscaping projects MWF installs and manages are anywhere between 500 ft2 to over 100 acres, and range from rain gardens to shoreline restoration, wetland mitigation, and the creation of bioswales. All these projects collectively increase available food for foraging pollinators and birds, and MWF actively collaborates with Saving Birds Through Habitat.

Michigan Wildflower Farm celebrates 30 years this Summer. Check out their site if you are a Michigander that wants to introduce some natives to your garden.

Learn more: MichiganWildflowerFarm.com

Hope isn’t abundant in South Phoenix, a food desert where gangs outnumber employment opportunities. Darren Chapman set about sowing the seeds of change over a decade ago, turning ugly vacant lots into community gardens. Not only to make healthy food available, but the TigerMountain Foundation program also alters the recidivism rate for those who participate.

Reincarceration sits at 85% in this part of Phoenix.

Darren’s mission is empowering neighborhoods to better themselves from within. Not by giving handouts, but by giving the residents a hand up. The foundation’s initiatives showed merit not long after the first seeds were sown, and it’s still growing. The nonprofit grows hope, fresh food, and on-thejob development through community gardens and landscaping projects.

If you want change, grow your own. Learn more: TigerMountainFoundation.org

Courtesy of TigerMountain Foundation/FB

Grow The Change

49

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GROWING PROJECTS

3. D e s M o i n e s , I A

’s t o g a e n r e h h Whrowi W W G

You Wanna Do What?

But it’s more than an urban farm. Jenny seems to have found her calling.

In just two short years, that ¼ acre patch became a big name with the local foodie scene and influenced the community quite a bit. So much so, that when they faced over $75,000 of imposed infrastructural changes due to misinformation from the local county earlier this year, their Kickstarter campaign was successful in just a few days!

Courtesy of Dogpatch Gardens

With a degree in health promotions and a master’s in education, Jenny Quiner left her high school classroom behind to take up urban farming full-time. It was a bit accidental. She decided to grow a backyard garden, so she took Curtis Stone’s online urban gardening course. Her husband, however, wasn’t copacetic to ruining his niceneighborhood landscaping. But then a house down the street came up for sale, and Dogpatch Gardens was born. The only for-profit farm inside the Des Moines city limits.

The harvest is such high quality it garners instant attention. Dogpatch supplies local chefs, CSA members, and farmers’ market shoppers.

The growing bug bites in unlikely places.

Learn more: DogPatchUrbanGardens.com

4. Fe r na n d i na B e a ch , F L

Courtesy of MomUncorked.com

The Chef’s Playground Like many midwestern farm kids, Daven Wardynski built a career elsewhere, but it’s hard to take the farm out of the boy. A starred executive chef, he starts a garden wherever his work takes him. He did it in Chicago, but that was small potatoes compared to his kitchen farm at Omni Hotel’s Amelia Island Plantation Resort. Of course, the weather is cooperative year around in Florida, compared to his native east side of Lake Michigan. But he knows the freshest ingredients come straight out of the garden.

Arriving in Fernandina Beach at the tail end of a massive resort renovation, Daven and his sous chef transformed an old on-site greenhouse and some ground into a productive aquaponic and organic garden operation. He keeps chickens and dove into beekeeping, adding 300 pounds of local honey to the chef’s pantry annually. And he ferments hot sauces and infuses vinegar in his barrel room.

The chef’s playground; An authentic farm to fork experience. Learn more: bit.ly/chef-grows 3

51

BY STONEY TARK

VOLCANIC ROCK AND THE BENEFITS Improve nutrient uptake, drainage, and capillary action

W

hen we think of volcanoes, we often associate extremely fer tile land with these marvels of nature.

Volcanic deposits can develop into the most agriculturally-rich areas on the planet, which is why Hawaii and New Zealand are perfect examples of how this supercharged mineral can amend the soil,

dramatically improve nutrient uptake, and improve drainage, and capillary action. I explain how using volcanic rock in your garden will benefit you in the long run.

52

VOLCANIC ROCK

What Exactly is Volcanic Rock?

Trace Elements Explained

Given various names, such as igneous rocks, volcanic rock dust, volcanic rock flour, volcanic rock powder, stone dust, and basalt, rock minerals play a crucial role in the structure and consistency of a growing medium. They will continuously leach minerals into the soil, which will improve capillary action and the plant’s ability to transpire moisture from the earth.

These Igneous rocks form at the surface of the crust and, as they cool down, become a mix of melting rocks and lava on the Earth’s surface. These rocks have the highest mineral content, which is why igneous rocks found close to the rock face are the ones most sourced.

Alongside the primary nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), trace elements consist of calcium, magnesium, iron, boron, copper, zinc, manganese, and sodium. Trace elements are responsible for the transfer of energy within the plant, as well as many other life processes. And as the name suggests, there is no need to administer trace rock minerals play a elements to the medium and plants in large doses.

crucial role in the structure and consistency of a growing medium

New Zealand is a perfect example, as here the North Island has many volcanic soils, which can date back 40,000 years.

Imagining the different ages of minerals that have built up over time is staggering. Volcanoes exist throughout the world, but most of them are in the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Japan, Chile, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, and New Zealand.

The Weathering Process Chemical weathering occurs when the lava rock reacts with the atmosphere and carbon dioxide, which then releases the minerals back to the earth. The process is known as chemical weathering and is Nature’s way of turning the rock into a soluble molecule, which plants can then readily absorb through the soil.

The reason why volcanic rocks are so beneficial in a growing medium is that due to the chemical weathering process, they have naturally been separated into elemental components, otherwise known as trace elements. In a sense, you are adding composted rocks into your soil, which are in a state of full utilization.

They serve more as a soil amendment over the long-term, ensuring that the plant’s biochemistry thrives. When used in outdoor gardens, rainwater will leach minerals out of the volcanic material into the soil and enrich it with all of the trace elements that may be missing. Over time, the rain will help with the quality and microbial content of the earth and will improve drainage, water retention, root integrity, and capillary action.

Top Tips for Using Volcanic Rock If you are considering using volcanic rock dust to improve the quality and nutrient concentration of your soil, then there are a few factors to consider. You will want to make sure that the volcanic rock has the correct balance of trace elements.

It is a good idea to test the soil beforehand to obtain a microanalysis reading. This will reflect your soil’s EC, which can tell you exactly what is missing. Take care not to add too little, or too much, volcanic rock dust. Maintaining the adequate mineral levels can be tricky, especially when considering the slow, leaching effect that rainwater causes.

Ensure that the volcanic rock dust is sourced from a professional company, and can supply the necessary analysis.

Some companies may add rocks, crushed concrete, and other minerals to the lava rock to increase product size.

Igneous rocks form closest to the surface, after the lava and melted rocks have naturally cooled. These offer the highest trace mineral nutrition levels, so sourcing igneous rock is critical.

Using tiny broken-down pieces of lava rock, or very fine dust will improve the drainage of the soil. Air pockets will also increase, meaning that there will be more oxygen around the roots.

Conclusion The use of volcanic rock as a soil amendment has multiple advantages.

By improving drainage, mineral uptake, and capillary action, as well as long-term humification of farmlands. Using volcanic rock can regenerate older agricultural land, which commonly has issues with depleted trace elements, by promoting lush, vibrant, and vigorous plants. Added as a topdressing, or mixed into a growing medium, this mineral-rich lava rock can go a long way! 3 53

F

BY GRUBBYCUP

L o e v h t eo r o

f

Luffas grow your own

54

GROW YOUR OWN: LUFFAS

L

uffas (also known as loofahs or dishrag gourds) produce the versatile luffa sponges in USDA zones 6 or higher.

The luffa is in the same family as gourds, cucumbers, melons, and squash. Their black seeds

resemble oversized watermelon seeds and can benefit from a day’s soak in clean water before planting.

Luffas require a long (5-7 month) frost-free growing season. You can star t them early indoors before the last frost, though the young plants need careful hardening off when moved outside after the danger of frost is past. They are somewhat prone to transplant shock, but by taking care to disturb the roots as little as possible, this can generally either be avoided or at least kept relatively mild.

Luffas are vining plants, so small individual container trellises will help begin training seedlings started indoors. They can be grown in the ground or in containers with a capacity of at least 20 liters (5-gallons). When planted outdoors, they are frequently placed within reach of a sturdy trellis or chain link fence, as the vines commonly grow 4.5 - 9 meters (15-30”) long and the luffa produces fairly heavy fruits, like a cucumber of equivalent size, until they start to dry out. Luffas hanging from a support tend to grow straighter than those on the ground, which have a tendency to curl as they develop.

As luffas are monoecious, they have separate male and female flowers that appear on the same plant. The flowers of both genders are an intense, attractive yellow. The male flowers are found along long stems in clusters of varying maturities and the female flowers have a visible seed pod at the base. If the female flower becomes pollinated, it will develop into a luffa gourd. The flowers mature roughly in order of development, from stem bottom to tips. They are attractive to a variety of pollinators, including ants, and are a favorite of several types of bees. It is also possible to handpollinate by removing a recently opened male flower and using it to gently dust the stigma on the pistil of an opened female flower. To help coordinate an overlap in bloom maturity, it produces many more males than female flowers.

If desired, you can harvest and eat immature luffas, which taste similar to summer squash or zucchini. One of the common names of immature luffas is “Chinese okra,” which reflects this. If used for cooking, the young, tender luffas are desirable - once the fibers have started to develop, it is considered too mature for eating.

Luffas grown for their fiber are allowed to fully mature and are harvested only after they have dried (or close to it) on the vine. The dark green skins will lighten to first a light green, and then to a mottled yellow and brown indicating readiness for harvesting. Luffas ready for harvesting are light in weight and the skin feels ready to separate from the fiber beneath. Being intolerant to freezing, any luffas not ready for harvest will generally be a loss shortly after the first hard frost.

growing luffas instead of buying them can result in substantial cost savings To clean the luffas and prepare them for storage or use, first peel off the outer skin. This exposes the fibrous xylem network that comprises the sponge. The skin usually isn’t difficult to remove and is easily pulled off in chunks using only your fingers.

To save the seeds, select the best luffas from the harvest.

Cut one end open to shake or rinse out the seeds. Luffas generate many seeds per gourd, so after the first successful harvest, there is generally no shortage for the following year, even keeping only the best.

Rinse the luffa sponges well to remove any remaining gel and seeds from the fibers. If desired, a short bath in a dilute bleach solution can whiten the fibers and even out discolorations.

Dry the luffas completely, and either put them to use or store them in a container to protect from dust and moisture.

Luffa sponges have a very long shelf life when kept clean and dry.

The prepared luffa sponges have a variety of uses, and growing luffas instead of buying them can result in substantial cost savings. If purchased at a bath and body store, a single luffa sponge may well cost as much, or more than, an entire pack of luffa seeds.

55

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CARBON FOOTPRINT by using The Original Can-Filters® Carbon Filter

North America’s Only Home Grown Filter

For 30 years Can-Filters® have been made in North America

GROW THE YOUR MICROBE OWN:OPTION LUFFAS

A less well-known (but personal favorite) use of luffa sections is as starting plugs for seedlings

Luffas are often cut to convenient sizes Luffas require using each as small, free-standing and used to scrub bodies or dishes. bottomless fiber pots. They are sturdier Luffas sold commercially for this purpose a long than conventional homemade pressed have proven so popular that a plastic soil cubes and eliminate the need of a (5-7 month) mesh “luffa� was designed and sold as binder as is found in commercial plugs. a cheaper, less ecological, alternative.

They are also completely biodegradable frost-free Luffas used as a washing aid will last and as renewable as your next harvest longer and stay cleaner when allowed growing season of luffas. The openings in the fibrous to dry completely, regularly. Rotating sides allow for air pruning, and they between a few different sponges can allow longer drying adapt to growing in soil or hydroponic use. The rounds times between uses. can also be cut and used as an alternative to collars for rooting cuttings in a cloning machine.

A less well-known (but personal favorite) use of luffa sections is as starting plugs for seedlings. The interior People have cultivated luffas for food and as a utility of a slice of luffa has a distinctive pattern of holes, which plant for thousands of years, with good reason. can be packed with moist potting mix or coco coir. The With minimal processing, it provides useful fiber in a fibers of the luffa provide an exterior wall which allows convenient shape. 3 57

BY ERIC COULOMBE

PRODUCTION

L ABOR ATORY

PRODUCTION PL ANT

FACTORY

GROW PRODUCTS

H YGRO EC-VA L UE .............

RETAIL

INDOOR GARDEN

GROW SHOP

GROW STORE

The Great

USA&CANADA

hydro store 2018

60

HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Three years ago, I had this “big” idea - I was going to call 100 stores in the UK, and 200 in USA and Canada. The Great UK Hydro Store Survey took way more energy than expected, and I simply ran out of time to get the USA and Canada survey done. Looking back, it was a labor of love, labor being the keyword. It took a while to get the right person on the phone, who had the time to talk with me and be willing to share business and personal information. It was one of the most popular UK editions, and some people are still talking about it today.

Here we are, three years later and I thought it was time to do it again, see what’s changed in the UK, and more importantly, conduct Garden Culture’s first USA and Canada Hydro Store Survey. We scheduled in ample time to get the calls made, analyze the data, and write the story. Again, I misjudged.

The UK survey went smoothly and kept pretty much on track, however, this edition took a bit more effort, requiring on average three times more calls to get the right person that also had the time and willingness to answer the questions. We chose key stores across the continent (25% of total), and randomly selected the rest based on geographic location and store/population density.

Distribution of interviewed hydro stores

There are many opinions on the total number of stores in the USA. I asked at least 50 people how many they thought there were. The consensus is somewhere around 1300. One guy who worked at a store told me there are at least 10,000 hydro stores in California alone. I politely told him there are more like 450, maybe a bit more.

The USA and Canada share many products, but few distributors. The growing styles and overall evolution, market to market, vary greatly. There are some constants too. The top brands were mentioned in all regions, but the language changes state by state. Medical cannabis states seem to be slightly more advanced in new techniques and new products. Other areas of the USA and Canada seem almost stuck in time. The products they liked reminded me of my early days on the road, 14 years ago.

Tried and true methods are hard to change. The prevalence of organic gardening on the West Coast was also obvious.

CANADA 10%

NORTHEAST 20% WEST 41%

SOUTWEST 6%

MIDWEST 12%

SOUTHEAST 11%

I would like to thank the store owners and managers, as well as industry leaders who took the time to answer our questions and talk to a stranger about life, growing, and everything in between. I miss those days on the road that connected me to the lifeblood of this industry, the hydro shops, and their customers.

This is not supposed to represent the absolute truth in regards to sales or popularity. We asked open-ended questions, in a personal interview survey.

61

Question #1

Question #2

What is Your Favorite Nutrient?

What is Your Most Sold Nutrient?

This question shows what people like the best, is not necessarily their best seller. It is also one of the few questions with interstate and international similarities.

1

General Hydroponics

2 Canna 3 Botanicare

7 8

2

14%

3

10%

8%

4 5

4 5 6

1

Nectar for the Gods [2] Emerald Harvest, House & Garden [6] Cutting Edge Solutions, Cyco Platinum, Fox Farm, Green Planet, Heavy 16, Mills [4] Advanced Nutrients, Compost Tea, Peruvian Gold, Xtreme [24] Age Old, Atomic Nutrients, Aurora Soul Synthetics, BioBizz, Cali Nutrient, Complete, General Organics, Green Mantis, Grow More, Hamakua Gold, Happy Hydro (HB), Humboldt County’s Own, Mad Farmer, Nutriplus, Optimum, Plagron, Remo, Rock Nutrients, Roots Organics, Sonic Boom, Technoflora, Veg Bloom, Vermicrop, Vital Earth None

6% 5% 4% 2% 1%

5%

With so many brands mentioned, the top 5 make up 48% of the total. The remaining 52% is made up of 34 different brands.

After 40 years of being America’s #1 nutrient, General Hydroponics did not come up short. The votes for GH were not centralized at all, and it was pretty clear that their reputation for consistent results has carried over state boundaries and international borders to a new generation of store owners and their customers.

Canna at 10% was second. Canna is the largest nutrient manufacturer in the world. In the USA, they have a direct distribution method, where they give exclusive or semi-exclusive territories to vetted retail stores. There is brand loyalty, stores are often proud to wear the green color of Canna.

Botanicare comes in third at 8%, with a solid line of nutrients which are an industry staple. Part of the Hawthorne Group along with General Hydroponics, they have a combined 22% of the favorite vote.

People have so many reasons for picking what they like and, with 40 different brands mentioned, one thing is for sure, there is no lack of selection when it comes to nutrients. They are available, every brand mentioned in the survey is sold by one of the top three distributors. Except for Canna.

6

General Hydroponics

42%

[2] Advanced Nutrients, Foxfarm

12%

Botanicare

9%

6% [2] Canna, Green Planet 2% [5] Gro more, Heavy 16, Optimum, TechnoFlora, Xtreme [10] Aurora, Cali Nutrient, Complete, Cyco, 1% Emerald Harvest, General Organics, Microbe Life, Nectar for the Gods, Nutriplus, Vital Earth

GH is the BIG winner. With so many choices, it is an impressive feat to hold the #1 spot so firmly. Strangely absent from question #1, Advanced Nutrients and Foxfarm share second with 12% each. Botanicare comes in close at 9%. I don’t think many people would argue that these are the top selling brands.

Canna and Nectar for the Gods come in tied at 6%. Although Canna sales are surely higher in dollar sales, Nectar for the Gods has grown from a small following in Oregon to one of the top organic lines in America.

When over 70% of the market share is controlled by 4 brands, you might think it would be really hard to compete against. And you would be right. But when did that stop anyone? The market keeps growing, and with it, small regional brands get some traction and go national. The Dutch, Australian, and Canadian brands are also still vying for their share and keep taking small pieces of an ever-growing pie.

HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Question #3 What is Your Favorite Supplement?

1

General Hydroponics

14%

Floralicious 12%, Rapid Start 1%, Kool Bloom 1%

2 3 4

5

6

Xtreme

Mykos, Azos

[3] Botanicare, Canna, Terpinator

10% 5%

[4] Mammoth P, House & Garden Roots Excelerator, Green Planet Massive, Plant Success Great White [7] Crysendo, Crystal Burst, Cyco, Heavy16, Plagron Green Sensation, Primordial Sea Green, Silica Atomic Wall [28] Aptus Facilitator, Avalanche, B1-Supermax, Beneficial Bacteria, BioCanna, Budswell, Bush Doctor, Calimagic, Carborator - NutriPlus, Catalyst, compost tea, Dinigro, Group XL - Complete, Hygrozyme, Kelp, Microbes for Life, Moab Mad Farmer, Nectar for the Gods, NPK - Raw, Purple Max, Shine Veg Bloom, Soul Infinity, Sugeree - CES, SuperThrive, Terpenez, Thrive Alive, Vital Earth Baseline, Yellow bottle None

4%

2% .

9%

5%

GH again! Although 14% is not a commanding lead, it is 1st place nonetheless. There are many reasons given when asked to pick their favorite supplement or additive. But consistency was the word I heard the most. When a product has been proven to work, stores can trust it, and sell it with confidence. In this ultra-competitive industry, product claims can be pretty “miraculous,” and like most miracles, are often exaggerated or completely untrue. Store owners sell what they trust, and what they know.

And they know GH.

Beneficial biology is popular in the USA and Canada, and has become a staple in most soiland coco-based gardens

Xtreme is a solid second with 10%. Beneficial biology is popular in the USA and Canada, and has become a staple in most soil and coco based gardens.

Third goes to Botanicare, Canna, and Terpinator with 5% each.

The remaining 39 brands make up 56%, some who are working in niche markets while others are distributed nationwide. These are all brands that hydro stores love and truly feel are the best for your plants. Of course, we can’t forget about the 5% that have no preference at all.

The question is always, how will they convince you? The variety is amazing and many are based on the same things - kelp and seaweeds, fulvic and humic acids, carbohydrates, NPK in various ratios, and maybe a mix of trace elements and enzymes. Then there are the fermented style products or the weirder ones with some magical ingredient that makes your plants go CRAZY!!! Maybe its true, maybe it’s not, either way, you have more choice in this product category than any other.

63

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HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Question #5

Question #4

What is Your Preferred Environmental Controller Line?

What is Your Most Sold Supplement?

1

Botanicare

1 2 3

25%

CalMag 23%, Hydroguard 1%, Sweet 1%

2

General Hydroponics

3 4 5 6 7 8

Floralicious 6%, Koolbloom 3%, CaliMagic 1%

Any Calcium Magnesium Supplement

10%

Titan - Sunlight Supply

37%

Grozone

17%

Autopilot - Hydrofarm

16%

9%

Canna Boost 4%, Rhizo 2% [4] Advanced Nutrients, Green Planet Massive, Mammoth P, Xtreme [2] H&G Roots Excelerator, Great White [5] Clonex, Group XL Complete, Humic Acid, Kelp, Rhino Thrive [25] Aptus Regulator, Beneficials, Budswell, Carboload, Compost Tea, Crystal Burst, Heavy 16, Herculean Harvest, Hygrozyme, Moab, Nectar for the Gods, Neptune Harvest, Nutriplus Thrive, Plagron Green Sensation, Purple Max, Raw - Sweet, Seagreen, Silica, Stump Tea, SugarDaddy, Supermax B1, Superthrive, Terpinator, Tiger Bloom, Vital Earth None

4 5 6% 4% 3% 2% 1%

2%

Botanicare CalMag is number one. And if you were to look solely at Calcium Magnesium Supplements, they are by far the most sold at 32%. Their massive popularity is due to two factors: reverse osmosis water filters and coco coir substrates. For reasons that I will not go into here, extra calcium and magnesium is necessary if you use an RO, and even more so if you use coco substrates.

Botanicare has been the branding king (or queen) in the CaMg market. They put out a great product that does what it is supposed to. Hard to top that.

GH sits out of first and would need a miracle to displace #1. Even though they are both owned by the Hawthorne Group, the rivalry is still strong.

Blueprint - BWGS [9] ActivAir, Agrotek, Elemental, Gavita Master Controller, Hydroworks, IDS CO2, Priva, Sentinel, SNS None

9% 1%

12%

Sunlight Supply is in control of this category with 37%. After the collapse of C.A.P. Controllers about 7 years ago, Sunlight Supply has been building a Titan of a controller line. With over 100 products, there is nothing you can’t control with a Titan. The combination of pricing and functionality has put them on top.

Grozone did very well overall at 17%. A small company from La Pocatière, Québec was the overwhelming favorite with the Canadian vote and has quite a few fans in the USA too. Canadian solidarity for Grozone grabbed them second.

At one percent difference, Hydrofarm’s Autopilot is USA’s #2 line, with a similar story to Titan. At 10% is BWGS’ in-house controller line. Nine other brands were mentioned and 12% had no clear preference.

What is clear, is that US and Canadian growers like to have control over their environment.

In third, calcium and magnesium, no brand just those two awesome elements. There is no doubt that CaMg is a bit boring, 9% of respondents best seller is CaMg, no matter what the brand. This demonstrates two things. One, that plant needs often dictate sales, which can be influenced by new media or methods. Two, existing top brands are the go-to for most growers.

Sheena Lyengar, S.T. Lee Professor of Business and author of The Art of Choosing, sums it up -

“Too many choices can overwhelm us and cause us not to choose at all.”

65

HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Having clean air can be a pretty big deal for indoor gardeners

Question #6 What is Your Preferred pH - EC Meter?

1 2 3 4 5

Bluelab

55%

Hanna

26%

HM Digital

10%

Oakton pH1 [4] Apera, Ecotester, Milwaukee, Miron L None

3% 1% 4%

This is the only brand that won in both surveys, with 55% in USA and Canada, and 79% in the UK. Bluelab’s Truncheon is their biggest seller and has been for at least 10 years. Hanna finishes strong at 26% and seems to be the most popular with the handheld “pen” meters. HM Digital is a relatively new company and has found their way to 10% of the vote, not too bad.

For a technology-based segment, there has been very little change over the past 10 years. With a couple of minor exceptions, the majority of Bluelab and Hanna sales come from the same products they have been selling for ages. When will something new hit the market? Will it come from Bluelab or Hanna? Or will a new company impress us with something new and disrupt the worldwide champ.

For a technology-based segment, there has been very little change over the past 10 years

Question #7 What is Your Favorite Carbon Filter?

1 2 3 4 5

Can-Filters

58%

Phresh (Sunlight Supply)

23%

Phat (Hydrofarm)

9%

Durabreeze (BWGS) [4] In-house brands None

4% 1% 2%

Canfilters cleans up with 58%. They won the entire Canadian vote, and over 80% of the Eastern USA vote. Another industry staple, the CF Group has been selling carbon filters for over 25 years in 30 different countries. Having clean air can be a pretty big deal for indoor gardeners. Whether for scrubbing the air in the grow room or protecting the neighborhood from potentially unpleasant odors, they are in most grow rooms. Sunlight Supply’s Phresh, with its Australian coal carbon, finished with 23% and Hydrofarm’s Phat at 9%. Both are certainly good sellers but sit a distant second and third to Canfilters.

67

HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Question #9

Question #8

What is Your Preferred Method of Growing?

What is Your Favorite Ballast (Kit)?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

Gavita

16%

Galaxy (Sunlight Supply)

13%

Nanolux

11%

Phantom (Hydrofarm) [2] DEva, SolisTek [3] PL Lighting, SunSystem, SunSystem LEC 315 [2] Spectrum King LED, LED in General [4] Powersun (Biofloral Canada), Ion CMH, CMH (no preference), magnetic generic [12] AgroLED, Agrolux, Dimlux, e Papillon, Hortilux, Kind LED, Lumatek, Mega by Next Light LED, Quantum, Xtra Sun (Hydrofarm), Ultragrow CMH 945, Growers Choice CMH None

9% 6% 4%

1

Coco and Coco Mix

2

Hydro

3 4

37%

(clay pebbles, perlite) Clay pebbles (14%) Rockwool (16%)

30%

Organic

18%

Peat-based Mixes

15%

3% 2%

1%

3%

Gavita wins a tight race but continues to shine in the ballast market. They introduced the DE 1000W about 5 years ago and hit gold. Ballast and bulbs are the heart of any indoor garden, and they have to work properly. Marketing, timing, customer relationships... all of it matters, and Gavita has earned their spot at #1. The next big winner is Sunlight Supply. On top of being one of the exclusive sellers of Gavita alongside Rambridge, they have captured 21% of the vote with their Galaxy (13%) and Sunsystem lines (8%). Nanolux at 11% is continuing to grow in the US, and I predict a bright future for them.

The substrate of choice for Americans and Canadians is clearly coco. Over the last 10 years or so, coco and coco-based substrates have been continually growing in popularity. It has amazing properties. It can wick up water like crazy and hold on to it, sometimes a little too much, hence the mixes. Hydroponics is still out there and pretty strong at 30%. It was mostly made up of DWC, Flood and Drain tables and Recirculating bucket systems. Organic, at 18%, is another growing part of the market. The West Coast had more organic growers than average. When I first worked in a hydro store, your choices were rockwool, Hydroton (clay pebbles), or peat. Unless you were into building organic based soils, that was it. Then came coco. The rest is history.

You would think that with all the time and money invested into grow rooms, the watering would be automated. When asked how their customers grow, over 60% said they hand water. Especially if the gardens are small - they like to be “hands-on,” and have more control themselves.

Fabric pots were mentioned by about 30% of respondents.

CMH captured 10% of the total vote and seems to be rising in popularity worldwide. Similar to the UK, CMH has been out for quite a while but now really seems to be taking off. Especially for gardeners who have a low ceiling or use a grow tent.

Many lighting manufacturers are putting out excellent and reliable products. As the price of LED comes down and new CHM products keep being introduced, will HPS be able to hang on to its dominant position as the best light? Or will trends in light steering ensure “niche” lighting products?

69

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HYDRO STORE SURVEY

Question #10 Who is Your Preferred Distributor?

USA

1 2 3

Canada [2] Sunlight Supply, Hydrofarm

34%

BWGS

22%

[6] Biofloral USA, Canna, DL, Great Lakes, Solstice Garden Supply, Sparetime Supply

1%

None

4%

Yes, we have a tie for first! Sunlight Supply and Hydrofarm each with 34%. It is no surprise that these two would end as the preferred distributor, but a tie was a bit unexpected.

BWGS is 2nd. The “Big Three,” as many stores refer to them, have a combined 90%, and it has always been that way. And, they are not relinquishing their grip. Gardeners have a lot of choice with the “Big Three,” who are constantly adding new products and technologies to their offering. They’ve been expanding, too.

Sunlight Supply now has 9 distribution centers in the US and one in Western Canada. Hydrofarm has 8 locations spread across the US, and has recently acquired Greenstar Distribution and Eddy’s Wholesale in Canada. BWGS has 7 centers across the US. They all carry thousands of products, many of which are exactly the same - the big fertilizer brands, CanFilters and Fans, Bluelab, and countless others. Lighting and controllers are where they draw the line. Each pushing their house brands and all are being received warmly. Infiltrating these top three would be a momentous feat.

Easily the most expensive market segment to compete in, it is not for the faint of heart. There are other great distributors out there, but none with quite as much reach.

1 2 3

Biofloral

38%

Green Planet

19%

Greenstar

13%

4

Stellar

13%

5

Quality Wholesale

13%

6

Brite-Lite

6%

The Canadian market is vastly different, but to give a little insight, this is the breakdown. The distribution network is very regional.

Canada is a big country, with not too many people in the middle.

Biofloral at #1 received all their votes from the East, Green Planet and Greenstar from the West.

Who knows, maybe in three years, we will be seeing some other names from South of the Border?

Que s t ion #11 How is Business Going Over the Past Year? (scale of 1-10) The average in the US was 7, whereas in Canada it was 8. In the US, there were more stores that experienced a rocky year, 15% had a 5 or lower. Many of these calls were quite difficult. Some owners were clearly shaken-up, explaining how price-wars and Amazon are “putting him out of business.” We didn’t get that in Canada, only 5% came in under 5, and no one was talking about going out of business.

The shops are busy in most of the US. The mood, for the most part, is optimistic but uncertain. It has been a turbulent 5 years with many regions experiencing major growth. Other regions have been battling for years and there are simply too many stores selling the same things. While others are the complete opposite, no boom, no dense population, no favorable laws.

Times are tough for some and amazing for others. One thing is for sure, it’s only going to get more competitive, and retail stores will have to fight to stay alive.

71

Question #12 Do You Have a Favorite Trade Show?

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8

None MJBizCon Indoor Gardening Expo/GrowX Indo Expo Denver Buying Shows: BWGS (2%) Hydrofarm (3%) SpareTime Supply (1%) Sunlight Supply (3%) Spannabis LIFT Canada [3] Texas Lawn and Garden Show, Mother Earth Garden Show, NCIS

39% 21% 12% 10% 9%

6% 2% 1%

Denver Indo Expo

I hate to say this, but NO trade show is the big winner. And the real losers seem to be the shops. For over 14 years, Maximum Yield held the Indoor Gardening Expos, renamed the GrowX, until recently. Within 5 years, there has been a major explosion in cannabis-related events. So many, that GrowX has simply been squeezed out. The shops I called are not interested in these new shows. There is little to offer them. So, you end up with 39% saying they simply no longer attend, and 12% talking about shows that happened eight years ago. I have been to a lot of these and totally get what people are feeling. Hydro shops sell equipment and know-how, not vape pens.

MJ bizco n

The MJBizCon is something to behold. Five football fields of booths, everyone is there, but there is no cohesion. Lawyers beside million-dollar extraction machines, next to a fertilizer company whose neighbor is a seed bank. It’s all about business, which is great, but the warm fuzzy feeling that used to exist, the sense of community, is fading. I believe it is because we no longer have a show to call our own. A show about growing and equipment.

This need, however, might be seen in the growing popularity of distributor-hosted buying shows. They are apparently very fun, well attended, and stores get a chance to talk shop and save a couple of bucks. They have filled the hole left by Maximum Yield, but they are still way off from the top spot, of nothing.

sI pn ad no n a b i E x p so

72

Denver

MJ bizcon

HYDRO STORE SURVEY

The Great

Question #13 What Is Your Favorite New Product?

A pretty open-ended question, for sure. And, it was tough. People were walking around their stores, trying to figure out what was new, that they liked!!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

None CMH Mammoth P [2] AutoPots, Emerald Harvest Green Sensation [4] DEva, Lost Coast Plant Therapy, Method 7, Revelry Bags [2] Recharge Microbes, Samurai PK [15] AgroLED, Bell Fans, Cyco Ryzofuel, Enzymes Complete, Gro Pro Pot Elevators, Growstone Gnat Mix, Hortilux Power Veg T5, Hyperlogic, Lotus Nutrients, Modern Sprouts, oxyClone, Procidic, Quest 225 Dehumidifier, Trimbag, Yield Pots

22% 18% 14% 7% 4% 3% 2% 1%

USA&CANADA

hydro store 2018

Conclusion There is a lot changing, in both the US and Canadian markets. Hawthorne Gardening Group has quickly become the biggest company in our industry. They wanted to buy the biggest and the best, and they got it. It is evident that they chose well. At least according to this survey. One thing

Once again ‘none’ is the big winner! I’m not sure if people legitimately couldn’t think of anything or they were just fed up with answering questions. CMH is starting to get growers attention. It took over 5 years, but they are starting to catch on.

Mammoth P is really the winner as far as I’m concerned. At 14% it was the brand that received the most votes. This is a really open-ended question. At least with the others, there is history, branding, and marketing to help make the decision a little easier.

Good on Mammoth P, who also came first as the UK’s favorite new product. They must be doing something right.

AutoPots and Emerald Harvest, at 7% each, have a bright future if they can keep the momentum going. Same goes for Revolution Micro and Plagron, but it won’t be easy. There are some pretty big companies who really want to keep their top spots and thousands of products vying for the attention of growers, shops, and distributors.

Since bees are so concentrated on their chores and are relatively unconcerned by humans, there’s actually little risk for beekeepers of being stung.

is for sure, they are not going anywhere. The big questions is, “What will they do next?”

You can also see the interest and optimism in Canada, with recreational cannabis to be legalized in July 2018, many predict high times for the Canadian market. So much so, that two of the largest US distributors (Sunlight and Hydrofarm) are moving in up-north.

Thank you to everyone who participated. This is a wonderful, complex, and dynamic industry. I hope this article gives you a better snapshot as to what is going on today.

The Survey certainly isn’t a crystal ball, but it does give some insight on where we are headed.

My closing thought as I wrap this up - Many good people have devoted their lives to serving you, the grower, in their hydro shops. Before you buy something online to save a buck, think about supporting your local store. Maybe bring them a coffee and talk about growing, life, and everything. Unless, of course, there is no shop around you or the only one is run by an asshole, then please, buy it online. 3 Happy Growing Eric

73

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

GardenCultureMagazine.com

best of

the blog

Netflix’ “Rotten” Investigates gcmag.co/Food-allergies

It’s no secret the food industry has a lot to hide; it’s corrupt and rife with waste, all the while turning an enormous profit.

From fraudulent honey and controversy in the chicken coops, to allegations of prison-peeled garlic and the dangers of raw milk, Netflix takes an in-depth look in its “Rotten” series. We’ve got you covered: GCM’s blog has everything you need to know to keep both your bodies and consciences clean. For more on this series and all of the growing goods, visit us at gcmag.co

74

FOOD ALLERGIES

Food allergies are all too common, rising to epidemic levels around the world

Y

our lips are star ting to swell. Your throat is closing, and it’s becoming harder and harder to breathe.

Imagine the sheer and utter panic you would experience while having an allergic reaction to something you’ve eaten. It doesn’t take much; the smallest molecule in your food can trigger the attack. I’ve

watched it happen with my husband after he ate shellfish. Funny thing is it wasn’t always like that for him; he actually ate shellfish all the time as a kid. But for some reason, his body star ted rejecting it when he was in his twenties. Food allergies are all too common, rising to epidemic levels around the world. Chances are you know somebody who has one, and that’s why the second episode in Netflix’ “Rotten” series is not to be missed.

lived to tell her tale to Netflix. A 38-year-old man did not.

Shellfish is one of the most common food allergies out He ordered what he thought was a nut-free meal from the there, along with tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, fish, and same chain, took one bite, and died on his bathroom floor. of course, peanuts. One in 13 kids in the United States has a food allergy, and one quarter of them Sure, it might have been cheaper for the are allergic to peanuts. The documentary One in 13 kids restaurant chain to switch from almond to begins by introducing us to peanut farmers in the United peanut flour. But the fact that customers in Georgia, who are really struggling to stay were not warned about the changes on the relevant. Peanuts, after all, have a really States has a menu is criminal, and authorities in Britain bad rap these days. And while I feel for the food allerg y thought so too. The owner of the “Jaipur farmers who are trying to be successful Spice” chain was put on trial and found growing a high-risk food, my heart really guilty of gross negligence manslaughter, and was sentenced goes out to the people who have the allergy and worry to six years in jail. You would hope that this would send a about almost everything they put into their mouths. very clear message to restaurant owners around the world, but honestly, if I had a food allergy, that story would make This is where this segment in the “Rotten” series really me never want to eat out again. starts to get interesting, as it investigates how the restaurant business copes with the rising number of food There are, of course, real costs associated with allergies. It’s something I’ve always wondered myself while accommodating food allergies in the restaurant business. eating out with my husband; how can I trust that no shellfish Some of the featured chefs in this episode talk about the has come into contact with the meal he orders? It turns out extra food preparation and labour involved with making I can’t. While the episode features some really stand-up sure a certain allergen doesn’t come into contact with a American chefs who go above and beyond in their kitchens customer’s meal. Worth it when you consider what’s at to accommodate allergies, you also learn just how negligent stake. I figure added safety precautions most definitely others can be. In Britain, for example, an Indian restaurant result in repeat-visits among people with food allergies, and chain was caught serving meals full of peanuts to people as long as somebody isn’t losing their lives, the extra cost despite requests for no nuts. A teenage girl suffered a shouldn’t ever be a factor. severe allergic reaction after ordering a curry there, but

75

FOOD ALLERGIES

GardenCultureMagazine.com

best of

the blog

All around the world food allergies are on As we find out, There is some good news, though: the rise, but why? I had really hoped that the scientists have had a bit of a breakthrough exper ts are only where “curing” a food allergy is concerned. documentary would fully explain the surge, but it doesn’t. And the reason it doesn’t, It actually involves being exposed to the just beginning is because it can’t. As we find out, experts food you’re allergic to in small doses until to understand are only just beginning to understand why your body can recognize and tolerate it some of us react badly to certain foods. why some of us in larger amounts. Don’t try this at home; Genetics come into play, but it’s suspected this treatment is just in the developmental react badly to environmental factors are also to blame. stages and the ‘guinea pigs’ are being highly cer tain foods Some of the featured scientists point monitored by medical professionals. But it to genetically modified foods with nonwas very interesting to hear from young nutrient substances as the culprit. Others suggest we are adults who suffered through food allergies as children and becoming cleaner, and so parasitic worms that have lived in can now eat the things that were once so deadly to them. humans for centuries are disappearing, which creates a sort Experts say the results from the trial are really encouraging of imbalance in the microbiome of our bodies. In short, so to people with food allergies, and they hope we’ll see a much more research needs to be done before we can find lot more progress within the next five to ten years. Until out why so many of us have food allergies. then, be extremely cautious. And if you know somebody with a serious food allergy, tell them to watch this “Rotten” episode. You should watch it too, because you can never be too aware of the dangers people with allergies face. 3

All around the world food allergies are on the rise, but why ?

Sources used: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80146284 77

Korean

BY NICO HILL

Nat ural F arming

Fermented Fed

Ferment Head Bypass the marketing smokescreens (and high cost) and make yourself inputs that are more ‘organic’ than anything you will find in a plastic bottle

I 78

f you’re looking to get into a more truly organic form of farming, then you are in the right place, my friend. Korean Natural Farming puts the ‘fun’ in the fundamentals of organic gardening. Okay, that might be an embarrassingly weak pun, but you know what I mean.

KNF: FERMENTATION

Woollen Eyes

SFF (Start Foraging Fools)

Stepping into the realm of true organic farming is an exciting prospect, one that puts you back in touch with the natural world. The simple definition of organic is a funny one though; does a fancy-looking stamp from a governing body really mean it is organic? Some would even argue that if you are feeding your plants from a bottle you bought from a store, then you are far removed from being truly ‘organic’ (i.e., you cannot manufacture ‘natural’).

Before deciding what to ferment and how to use it, you should first think about nature and the materials that you have to work with. The natural farming purist will argue that the material you are fermenting should come directly from the natural world around you. However, for some of us city-dwelling natural farmers, this isn’t always easy. If you do head-out into the natural world, try to go at the crack of dawn; the water storage in the plant itself will be at its highest point, and the beneficial bacterial content should be a lot greater at this time of day.

Then, of course, you have the problem of how marketing teams come up with descriptions for their brands to appear and sound organic, further muddying the waters along the way. Using terms like ‘biosynthetic’ or ‘all-natural ingredients’ to make you think one thing, when in fact, it’s another. It is not just using words cleverly here and there in advertisements either; entire brands are built on the premise of all of their products being organic. Often, one or two of them may genuinely have an organic stamp, but the rest of the sometimes extensive lines do not, disguised as salty wolves in some organic sheep’s clothing.

first think about nature and the materials that you have to work with

Bottles are for Babies You can bypass the marketing smokescreens (and high cost) and make yourself inputs that are more ‘organic’ than anything you will find in a plastic bottle in your local hydro shop. Fermenting organic material is a fantastic way to unlock the naturally occurring nutrients, aminos and enzymes contained within plant material. In fact, it is the basis on which a lot of commercial additives are built upon; many of the really expensive ‘boost’ products are simply a natural plant ferment, refined for mass production.

It is fairly easy, and probably the first of everything that KNF has to offer that you should try. The entire process takes roughly a week and you can easily integrate it alongside whatever organic regime you may already be doing. Referred to as Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) or Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ), you can either ferment plant material directly, (i.e., leaves, shoots, buds and flowers) or you can choose to use fruits instead. Of course, there is somewhat of a difference between which material you use to ferment, and therefore, when and how they should be used.

Purchasing from stores does give you access to a wider range of material to ferment. However, keep in mind you will be missing most of the natural bacteria, as the produce is usually cleaned and treated before being put on the store shelf. So, in a nutshell, plants and fruits harvested directly from the natural world are the most ideal. Only in the event of inaccessibility should you go to your local organic farmer’s market, or worst-case scenario, the supermarket.

What to Ferment and Why Do not only think of ferments as a source of nutrients.

The hormones, aminos and enzymes you extract in the process are just as (or even more) crucial to capture and use correctly. But what does that mean to the process as a whole? FPJ and FFJ are actually very similar, but have a slightly different approach.

Plants In terms of an FPJ, it can be beneficial to select and ferment sections of plant that relate to the stage of growth that your plant is in. For example, if you are in a vegetative stage of growth and want to encourage branching and more shoot growth, harvest the side branches from a vigorously growing plant. These side branches will naturally have a higher level of the type of nutrients, hormones and aminos that promote side-branching, and will likely pass that quality on to the crop you are feeding. Harvesting the buds and young flowers of various crops will mean a high-level of flowering hormones in the ferment you make – ideal for use on a crop during its flowering cycle. Finally, harvesting and fermenting the roots of dandelions, for example, should be great to use in the vegetative period, encouraging rapid and healthy root production.

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KNF: FERMENTATION

^ Dandelion roots, from harvest to FPJ, great for use during vegetative period

Fruits

Nutrient-dense Fermenting fruits is a very similar fruits, such process and mindset, as bananas or but there is a slight mangoes, can be a difference.

The wonder ful source ripeness of the fruit you are fermenting of elements for a impacts the stage in heav y-feeding which you want to fruit plant be using it. Underripe fruits should be fermented and used towards the early flower cycle. Use ripe fruits towards the middle of flower, then over-ripe fruits towards the end of the flowering cycle. The aim of the game is to tailor the ripeness of the fruit to the stage of growth you are feeding. Nutrient-dense fruits, such as bananas or mangoes, can be a wonderful source of elements for a heavy-feeding fruit plant, and an excellent addition to a KNF regime.

Hannibal was onto something.

One of the most effective ferments you can give to your plant, is the actual crop you are growing. It will already contain everything that exact plant needs and/or uses in a completely organic form. For example, ferment some tomato plants to use as feed for another tomato plant. The resulting ferment will contain elements unique to that plant and crop, offering so many things the plant requires and would otherwise spend energy creating itself.

OK, I’m game. How do I do it?

To create your own ferment, you will need: • Some weighing scales • A glass mason jar (or another appropriate container) • Some plant/fruit material • Natural dark brown sugar • A strainer (cheap way = women’s tights; pro-way = fruit press) • Optional LAB

Step 1: Weigh your plant material. Stick to one type of material at a time. (i.e., do not combine fruit and leaves/flowers in a single ferment – do them separately).

Step 2: Weigh out the same amount of brown sugar.

However, sometimes (particularly when making FFJ) you may need to use more sugar if there is a lot of juice from the material. This is very much a ‘play it by ear’ situation.

Step 3: Mix it all until the sugar is evenly distributed around the plant/fruit material (add LAB at this point if you are using it). The sugar then begins to draw-out the juicy plant goodness through osmotic pressure.

Step 4: Fill your storage container with the mixed material, pressing the lid down to slightly compact and level it off. Add a small layer of pure sugar to the surface to act as both a cap and slight weight.

Step 5: Cover with a breathable lid. Use a rubber band to attach some greaseproof paper or paper towel. DO NOT SEAL THE CONTAINER WITH AN AIRTIGHT SEAL – IT NEEDS TO BREATHE!!!

Step 6: Leave it for 5-7 days, sometimes longer. The ambient temperature of the environment will impact the speed of fermentation, but generally, in a normal cool and dry storage area, 5-7 days is adequate.

Step 7: Separate the liquid material that has been produced.

This is either a case of squeezing it out through a pair of women’s tights or by using a fruit press to make sure you get every last drop of goodness out of it.

Step 8: Place in a storage container with a breathable lid like before.

Step 9: Use it! Usage guidelines are fairly broad, with each ferment, of course, having its own unique characteristics. Anything from between 1-2.5ml per litre will do you proud. Obviously, increase or decrease accordingly as your plant develops.

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KNF: FERMENTATION

Many organic growers who have conver ted to KNF have noticed a significant increase in the aromas, flavors and ef fects of their final crop

^ Hops flowers, from harvest to partially Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ) Forever Blowing Bubbles One thing you will need to keep then you can resort to pouring in an eye on is any bubbling that some high percentage alcohol, like begins from your liquid. If it starts vodka, which should stop it in its ferment some to bubble, you need to add more tracks. Then, of course, you can tomato plants to use sugar. It’s a good thing because it pour one for yourself as part of the as feed for another means it is highly active, but also self-congratulatory process. tomato plant bad because the more it bubbles, the more it degrades. The extra That is pretty much it. Of course, sugar acts as a drying agent within this is a very brief guide to ferments; the liquid and reduces the availability the ins and outs could be discussed of water to the fermentation process. In a super-active at length, but hopefully, this gives you a good idea about ferment where no amount of sugar will stop the bubbles, how to build it. It is an extremely cheap and easy process to go through, and producing your own additive to use alongside your existing organic regime (or as part of the full KNF suite) is extremely satisfying.

Nico Hill - Hydro Nerd at InfiniteMonkey.com Nico has been a keen gardener for many moons. Bitten by the hydroponic bug back in 1998, and hasn’t looked back since! After many years as a hobby, Nico’s career in Hydroponics had its start working for Aquaculture in Sheffield, the UK’s largest and most forward-thinking grow shops of the time. He was then hired by Hydromag, responsible for the hydroponic content. From there, he has worked with CANNA, as editor of CANNAtalk, author of the research articles, and delivering seminars throughout the UK to grow shops on the finer details of cultivating in a hydroponic environment. Nico is now writing for companies in the hydroponic industry.

Bio

Besides being fun to do, many organic growers who have converted to KNF have noticed a significant increase in the aromas, flavors and effects of their final crop. Whether this is a placebo effect or not is hard to prove, but with similarly consistent testimonies seen by natural farmers from all over the globe, it is one that is hard to argue. Plus, it did make for a catchy title… 3

83

BY STONEY TARK

Guano HIT THEM WITH THE BAT

84

GUANO

F

or thousands of years, from the time of the Incas through modern-day, bat guano has been used in farming worldwide.

Within the growing industry, bat guano is often sold as a flowering-stage booster applied to increase the size and weight of fruits and vegetables. Below is a better explanation of all the unique benefits gained from using bat guano as fertilizer

from seed through harvest, which may help you understand where the expression “Bat Poop Crazy“ originated from.

Bat guano is naturally sourced from regions A single ounce of the world that have climates which are of bat guano in specific to bats. These regions extend from South America to Central America and dr y powder form beyond, including the tropics of Mexico, contains billions Indonesia, China, Japan, Jamaica, Thailand, Peru, Australia, and many more. Depending of beneficial on what the bats eat, as well as what time bacteria the bat guano is mined, determines the available amount of primary and trace elements and its microbial count. Most commercially sold bat guanos are usually higher in phosphorus and low in nitrogen and potassium.

The ratio on a tub of powdered guano will typically read N-P-K of 0-10-0, whereas freshly mined bat guano may have a considerably higher nitrogen count. Mexican bat guano can read an N-P-K of 10-1-2, meaning that using bat guano solely for flowering, can often be misleading. Knowing what diet the bats have, and what part of the world the guano came from, will allow you to better understand how this humic fertilizer is highly beneficial throughout the life cycle of any plant.

Typical Analysis of Bat Guano Each source can have a different nutrient composition, determined by the time it was harvested from the cave, and what the bats choose as a diet. You can easily find guanos online which are rich in nitrogen (10-3-1) or high in phosphorus (1-10-1). In addition to bat guano, seabird guano is also very effective and available as high nitrogen and phosphorus feed (12-8-1).

Handful of powdered guano

The Microbe Count If you are familiar with beneficial bacteria and fungus, then you will likely be aware of how microbial colonies can determine the integrity and functionality of a plant’s performance.

Microorganisms play a vital role in soil culture and will form a symbiotic relationship with the substrate and plant roots. A single ounce of bat guano in dry powder form contains billions of bacteria. This bacteria is highly beneficial and will improve uptake delivery of nutrients to the plant. Chitinase found within the guano, produces microorganisms which can control insect and nematode count.

Sourcing different bat guanos which can complement the growing stage, as well as boost flower production, can easily be done and will allow your plants to benefit fully. Seedlings require nitrogen, phosphorus, and many other trace elements to function and grow into healthy young plants. Powdered bat guano will act as a slow-release humate that will leach micro and macronutrients back into the growing medium. Roots will absorb the readily available phosphorus, which in turn, will be aided by a colony of beneficial microorganisms.

Enzymes Found in Guano

Close up of soil

Using bat guano as an enzyme is often overlooked. Found deep within the guano is an enzyme named chitinase. This highly beneficial enzyme performs the role of converting humic matter into simple forms of sugar that the plants can utilize with ease. Chitin is what makes bat guano unique regarding its use as an enzyme, which is one of the most abundant sources of complex carbohydrates. It is also used to convert shrimp, crabs, crustaceans, and exoskeletons into fermentable forms of sugar.

85

GUANO

In the cit y of Fez in Morocco, famous for their production of animal skins and leather, they have used pigeon guano as a technique for thousands of years

In the city of Fez in Morocco, famous for their production of animal skins and leather, they have used pigeon guano as a technique for thousands of years. Using pigeon guano and water, they can wash, treat, smooth-out, and color leather, which has earned them the title of Europe’s primary leather producer, exporting to Spain, France, and India.

A Booster During Flowering When plants are producing fruits or veg during the blooming phase, adding bat guano can be extremely beneficial for increasing plant vitality and vigor. An instant reaction can take place after feeding bat guano to plants, which may result in the leaves growing at 45-degree angles. Adding bat guano to your grow medium will supercharge the root zone and over time, increase flavor, aroma, biomass, and final weight.

For the flowering stage, bat guano with a 1-10-1 analysis is better advised as a supplement to another nutrient high in potassium. Bat guano can be applied in different ways, such as brewed into an organic compost tea or as a dry powder topdressing to act as a “leaching agent” with every watering.

Fresh guano

87

GUANO

Using bat guano is an eco-friendly and organic solution to bet ter farming

Bat Guano Tea

Conclusion

The best way to fully utilize bat guano is to brew an aerated compost tea. This simply means adding a source of powdered or liquid bat guano into a bubbling water source. The principle behind the aeration is to promote the aerobic bacteria which depend on oxygen to survive and transform millions of spores into billions of spores. Along with the other benefits that the plants will enjoy, adding a bat guano compost tea will provide a supercharged growing medium.

Using bat guano is an eco-friendly and organic solution to better farming. Rich in nutrients and highly beneficial to soil culture, bat guano can be used as a powdered application or as a liquid drench, which can also be applied as a foliar feed or directly to the growing medium. Using bat guano will improve the health and vitality of plants, increase root mass and nutrient uptake considerably, improve terpenes and flavor, increase the final harvest weight, and may improve potency.

Using bat guano is cheap, extremely effective, and one way to make the most of our natural resources. 3

BIO

Stoney Tark is a freelance writer with over 15 years experience in the canna industry. Specializing in plant science, tutorials, how-to-guides, top tips, microbiology, breeding and all fundamentals cannabisbased. Living in Amsterdam and the resident writer for Soft Secrets, as well as Hightimes and Garden Culture Magazine.

Brewing guano tea

Guano tea also ensures there is a state of perpetual humification and protects the growing medium from nematodes and insects. Making bat guano tea can produce a severe odor which is not pleasant. Thoroughly research the process of making an aerated tea before brewing your own, and be sure to cover all the basics concerning odor control and microbial production.

89

The Potted Orchard

Y 1.

2.

3.

4.

ou don’t need a huge backyard to enjoy a wide variety of organic homegrown fruit. There are 8 different fruits you can grow in containers. Perfect for urbanites, renters, and those who live in a fruit-tree-unfriendly climate.

Figs Peaches Cherries Apples

5.

6.

7.

8.

Plums Apricots Pears Calamondin Oranges

This list from Rodale’s Organic Life seems incomplete given that many people grow potted lemons and limes too.

Container growing allows you to protect your orchard from extreme weather. They’re usually dwarfed by the available root space in a container, making them easier to move in and out, care for the crop, improved harvest access, and cover with frost protection. Investigate Rodale’s tips on the best varieties for pots and some maintenance tasks to plan for at www.bit.ly/potted-orchard. 3

Container growing allows you to protect your orchard from ex treme weather.

91

BY KRIS WHITTEN

Air Filtration for indoor gardening

92

AIR FILTRATION

filtration of intake air is highly impor tant

W

hen we think of air filtration in regards to indoor gardening, the first thought that comes to mind is odor control. Discretion is a top priority of gardening indoors and most, if not all, indoor gardeners use activated charcoal filters (carbon filters) to prevent offensive, incriminating odors

emanating from their gardens. CEA (controlled environment agriculture) gardeners will use carbon filters to continuously “scrub” the air in the gardening space to remove odor. Gardens that rely on exchanging the air inside the garden with fresh outside air (air exchange) use carbon filters to remove odors from the air they are exhausting. Air exchange setups require an inlet to allow fresh air to enter the space and replace the air being exhausted. The focus of this ar ticle is the impor tance of filtering “intake air.”

Unfiltered intake inlets allow pests, mould, and mildew spores to freely enter The benefits of filtering intake air are twofold. Indoor gardens that rely on air exchange for climate control are more susceptible to plant pests, and mildew vs CEA rooms. Unfiltered intake inlets allow pests, mold, and mildew spores to freely enter the garden. Once inside, these contaminants quickly become established and wreak havoc on plants. Filtering the intake air is essential if you want to keep your garden pest and disease-free.

The principles of air filtration are quite complex. Entire books have been written about the subject. In layman terms, air filters are devices composed of fibrous materials that remove solid par ticulates such as dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria from the air. They can be composed of many different materials, such as fiberglass, paper, polyester, cotton, carbon, steel, and polyurethane foam. They are typically “pleated” like an accordion to increase overall surface area. Iner tial impaction, interception, sieving, diffusion, electrostatic attraction, and airspeed combined with porosity and thickness of the fibers dictate what size

par ticles are trapped. Porosity and thickness determine the air flow resistance (a.k.a. pressure drop).

You are probably familiar with the term HEPA filter.

HEPA is an acronym that originally stood for highefficiency par ticulate absorber. Also sometimes called high-efficiency par ticulate arresting or high-efficiency par ticulate arrestance. HEPA was a rating created in the 1940’s during the Manhattan Project by the US government for filtering airborne nuclear par ticles as small as .3 micron with 99.97% efficiency. Eventually, HEPA became a generic term for highly efficient filters. Minimum efficiency repor ting value (MERV) is a measurement scale developed in the late 1980s in an attempt to rate air filter effectiveness. Unfor tunately, the testing method used to determine a filters’ MERV rating is flawed, therefore, doesn’t accurately represent filtration ability.

Particulates are measured in microns. The smaller the particle, the smaller its micron rating. For example, a human

93

Image credit: Pearson education, Inc

AIR FILTRATION

The benefits of filtering intake air are twofold

hair is 50-150 micron. Particles 2 microns in size and smaller are invisible to the human eye. Mold and mildew spores can range from 1-200 micron. Keeping mold and mildew spores out of our gardens is paramount, so choosing a filter that removes particles 1 micron and higher at as close to 99% as possible is of utmost importance.

Are you confused yet? Officially mind blown? Wondering how the aforementioned information translates in regards to filtering your intake air? We haven’t even gotten into the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of air filters that you can implement in your indoor garden.

There are multiple options available from DIY homebrewed solutions to products readily available at your local hydro store. Let’s discuss the pitfalls of the most common methods indoor gardeners use to filter their intake air. In the spirit of full disclosure, let it be known that I am the inventor and manufacturer of the Dust Shroom reticulated foam intake filter.

Pantyhose?

I confess. I’ve attempted to use pantyhose as an intake filter. It’s almost as effective as using a spaghetti strainer to bail water out of a sinking boat. Or using red Christmas lights to grow indoor tomatoes. This might keep large insects and birds out but isn’t wor th the risk of shoplifting them, the humblest ion of actually purchasing them, or sleeping on the couch when your significant other realises you got them out of her dresser.

HVAC filters It is possible to fabricate an intake filter using readily available home ventilation replacement filters from your

local home improvement store. You would need to design an air tight “box” to hold the filter and duct it into your garden. Depending on the filter’s resistance and the CFM rating of your exhaust fan, you may need to add an intake fan to help overcome the resulting airflow loss. Gardens that rely on air exchange need to be able to replace the cubic volume of air inside the growing space in a minimum of 5 minutes, preferably 1-2 minutes. To calculate this multiply the garden’s width x length x height (in feet) to determine how many cubic feet you have. Fans are rated in cubic feet per minute. Size your fans accordingly, taking into consideration air flow restrictions caused by intake and carbon filters.

Indoor gardening specific filters There are numerous intake filters marketed specifically for indoor gardening. The options range from coneshaped pleated filters made from fabric, coconut husk, or charcoal fiber to inline filters that use replaceable elements, or reticulated foam coated in oil (known as wet filtration). Both pleated cone filters and inline filters with replaceable panel elements are highly restrictive.

Like with DIY HVAC filters, you need to compensate for these restrictive proper ties when selecting fan sizes. Wet reticulated foam filters have minimal air restriction and superior filtration abilities, but require monthly or bi-monthly cleaning and re-oiling to maintain effectiveness.

In conclusion, filtration of intake air is highly impor tant.

You should select an intake filter that removes the highest percentage of par ticles down to 1 micron and offers the least amount of airflow restriction possible. 3

95

Rain Gardens

A

rain garden is used to drink up excess water surrounding your house caused by poor drainage. Digging up the yard to install a french

usual solution for getting rid of unwanted water. A rain garden, however, can offer a long-term solution to your drainage problem. It’s also easy on the eyes. Here are some popular water-loving plants that will be more than happy to take the “plunge” for you.

• • • • • •

Siberian Iris Tufted Sedge Creeping Jenny Cardinal Flower Candelabra Primrose Indian Rhubarb (aka Umbrella Plant)

Rain gardens filter runoff and protect groundwater from pollutants, especially after a big rainfall.

Siberian Iris

Cardinal Flower

Learn more about Rain Gardens at Gcmag.co/Rain-gardens 3

Indian Rhubarb

Image: Rain garden - https://www.bhg.com/gardening/landscaping-projects/landscape-basics/make-a-rain-garden/

#FERTILZERFORTHEFUTURE

#FERTILZERFORTHEFUTURE

drain, that could eventually collapse or get clogged, is the

A PEAR A DAY

S

weet and juicy, pears deserve a starring role in your diet. A top favorite fruit for thousands of years, the pear packs a boatload of health benefits. One medium pear provides 24% of your daily fiber needs in only 100 calories. They offer an excellent source of Vitamin C (7mg) and potassium (190mg) along with phytonutrients

and antioxidants. And these sodium, cholesterol, and fat-free fruits are pretty easy to grow in USDA zones 5-8.

Native to Europe and Asia, there are some 3000 pear varieties to choose from. Dwarf pear trees are great for small yards, maturing at 1.8-2.4 meters (8-10 feet) tall and 1.8-2.1 meters (6-7 feet) wide. You will still get a bushel of full-sized pears off the smaller trees a year. They can also be grown in containers and espaliered to form a living, fruit-bearing fence.

You need to grow a pair though for pollination and optimum fruit production.

Sources: • http://usapears.org/pear-nutrition/ • https://www.starkbros.com/tags/dwarf-pear-trees • https://www.farmflavor.com/at-home/cooking/farm-facts-pears/

FYI: Pears don’t ripen on the tree.

Post-harvest cold storage stops the ripening process. 3

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N H U YSE N M IC H IE L PA

G

irl Scout Cookies, OG Kush, Gorilla Glue‌ Probably all these modern strains contain DNA from creations by two young Dutch breeders in the 80s who started the famous Super Sativa Seed Club. This is a short

story about the epic adventure of one of the first seed banks.

Pim and Kees were pioneers. Somewhere around 1983, they lived in an abandoned house in The Hague, the administrative capital of The Netherlands. In their squat, they experimented with new techniques for growing marijuana plants indoors. In those days, most people in The Netherlands smoked hashish. Some pot was imported from Congo or Thailand. Smoking the locally grown Dutch outdoor pot was a terrible experience.

98

SUPER SATIVA SEED CLUB

their SSSC seed catalogue... became a kind of grower’s bible Indoor Growing Pim and Kees were creative entrepreneurs. Inspired by growing techniques used in Dutch greenhouse agriculture in the nearby Westland area, they became the first indoor marijuana growers in The Netherlands using ‘advanced techniques.’ Someone gave them a handful of William’s Wonder seeds, bought from a New York amateur because there were no big seed banks like nowadays. Pim and Kees pursued some indoor growing lamps used for greenhouse tomato growing. They grew their plants in rockwool, like professional vegetable growers.

Because fertilizers for home growers were still not commercially available at that time, they found out what mix of mineral NPK was the ideal fertilizer for marijuana plants. They preferred plants with a lot of green leaves and lots of big flowers, so they decided

to copy the ingredients of the fertilizer used for bell peppers. The formula was found in an information center for greenhouse cultivators. Using mineral fertilizers, rockwool, and professional agricultural lightning, the first indoor marijuana plantation was born.

But pioneer learning curves can often be harsh. The first crop became a disaster, for two main reasons.

First, the growing conditions were far from optimal.

The growers did not have any experience in humidity management of the grow room, which was one of the bedrooms in their house. Since they didn’t use a ventilation system, the walls of this room soon became all wet. Second, they did not separate male and female plants… Despite their brilliant ideas, Pim and Kees did not have any experience. So, their first yield was not worth a party.

99

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SUPER SATIVA SEED CLUB

A little later, Kees found out about sensimilla, a new way of growing at that time. Pim arranged a good ventilation system in the grow room. The second crop’s yield was excellent and soon Pim and Kees became locally known ‘exotic herb’ producers. Over the next two years Pim and Kees improved their skills of growing and, hungry for new tastes and strains, they started breeding.

the first indoor marijuana growers in the Netherlands using ‘advanced techniques’

Indoor-grown weed became popular in The Netherlands, the whole ‘produced in Holland’ idea pleased many smokers. Meanwhile, more people started growing, but all growers had one common problem: it was hard to find quality seeds.

So, around 1985, Pim and Kees changed their strategy and started growing seeds. They became full-time breeders and founded the Super Sativa Seed Club (SSSC), one of the first seed banks in The Netherlands.

To sell their seeds they used a simple concept based on small advertisements in the illustrious magazine, High Times. Customers sent them an envelope with cash and an order form, and SSSC sent back seeds. A simple way to trade, based on trust. Many growers, mainly from the USA, bought SSSC seeds. Business went well from the day they started, but some months later a Californian,

a catalogue, and a magazine article caused a jackpot.

Sam the Skunkman

Cultivator’s Choice was probably the first seed bank in the United States, based in California. Sam the Skunkman, the founder of the seed bank, flew to The Netherlands in 1985 after the police in California stopped his activities and put him in prison for a short time. Sam did not feel like continuing his breeding work in The Netherlands and he handed part of his unique collection of seeds over to SSSC, with some famous names, like Original Haze, Skunk #01, Early Girl, and Afghani #01.

For Pim and Kees, this was an opportunity. Sam’s gift enabled them to start breeding in a new dimension.

The new SSSC strains, based on Sam’s genetics, named Beatrix Choice, Amsterdam Delight, Gouda’s Glory, Primo Hollanditos, Victor Baarn, and Friesland Indica became very popular.

Catalogue with Grower’s Manual Many people smoked pot at that time, but not so many were able to grow it. Growing pot was quite a challenge. Good seeds were hard to find, there was a lack of information about how to grow, and there were no ready-to-use fertilizers for pot growers. This

101

SUPER SATIVA SEED CLUB

No plants on this planet come close to the Original Haze

< The original Seed Catalogue from 1988

is why SSSC wrote a practical grower’s manual as a part of their seed catalogue, which became a kind of grower’s bible. Besides all kinds of practical information on how to grow your plants indoors, the manual also gave the recipes for mineral fertilizers. The SCC printed and distributed around 25,000 catalogues in two years. The first generation of indoor home growers had to be original and inventive. The experiences of that generation formed the foundation for today’s easy-togrow technologies!

High Times SSSC became known in the American world of growers.

Impressed by this Dutch breeding phenomenon, the editors of High Times decided to write a cover story about SSSC after doing some research in The Netherlands. The High Times cover story made SSSC world-famous. Even today, SSSC remains in the High Times seed bank pioneers Hall of Fame.

That twelve-page article made the Dutch seed bank accepted by the moral authority of the underground world of drugs. The magazine was the best possible publicity.

They became leaders in their industry, SSSC was an absolute household name. The seed bank became a million dollar business. But not for long. As quick as their star rose, Pim and Kees disappeared, the SSSC vanished into thin air. There were many speculations about what exactly happened, only few people know the real reason.

Revival One of the results of SSSC’s breeding activities was a crossing of Haze and Skunk #01, named Old School Haze (OSH). A special strain with thick Skunk #01 buds and the taste, smell, and powerful “up” high of the Original Haze from Cultivators Choice. No plants on this planet come close to Original Haze. This particular strain was never sold, reserved for connoisseurs in the inner circle of SSSC. From all the genetics of Sam The Skunkman and SSSC, only OSH was saved in the chaotic period after the seedbank stopped. Hidden away in three different places, Pim kept the plant alive for more than three decades and only recently was he able to reproduce new seeds after he found a male plant with similar characteristics.

Excited by the results, Pim is now back into breeding, working on a few new crossings with OSH. Pim’s comeback in business was a good reason for a party for some amateurs with good taste. And reason for his two sons’ decision to continue the SSSC story where their father stopped, years ago. In 2018, SSSC will sell seeds again and OSH is their flagship strain. The rest of their collection is based on particular seeds Pim collected in the last three decades. Some old school breeders are taking note of Pim’s comeback. As are the younger ones. 3

BIO

Michiel Panhuysen is a journalist, specializing in growing issues and medical marijuana. His articles are published in English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

103

BENEFICIAL BLOOMS

I

f you haven’t heard, edible flowers are big on this year’s food trends list. Sure, they add bright pops of gorgeous color and impart delightful aromas or flavours, but there’s a lot more going on. Many flowers, like the plants that bear them, contain compounds that offer mental and physical health benefits. Take a clue from their rich colors - a sure sign of strong

phytonutrient, flavonoid, and antioxidant presence in fruits and vegetables.

Broccoli or cauliflower in the garden bolting? Let the blooms form and eat them; they contain many of the same perks as the vegetable. Goldenrod, a bane to many with allergies, relieves allergy symptoms! It also aids digestion. Roses are rich in Vitamin C and so are marigolds, but the latter also contains more lutein and zeaxanthin than kale or spinach!

Chrysanthemums and Dianthus pack a potassium punch, while borage is rich in iron. The antioxidants in hibiscus flowers prevent cholesterol deposits. Violas and violets offer antiinflammatory effects, and nasturtiums contain antibiotics.

That’s just a sampling of flower eating benefits. Obviously, it’s time to plant as many of the 42 different palatable, safe-toeat posies as possible, and do some in-depth research. You probably already grow some of these every summer. FYI: Eat only the colored parts of the petals, unless otherwise documented.

Chrysanthemums

• • •

http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/edible-flowerslist.html https://www.livestrong.com/article/179060-thebenefits-of-lotus-seeds/ https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/ archive/2012/04/18/42-edible-flowers.aspx

CREDIT: Sunset Magazine

Learn more/Sources:

Goldenrod, a bane to many with allergies, relieves allergy symptoms! It also aids digestion Goldenrod

105

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