Power Packs
Tel: 01949 839 727 ¡ sales@highlighthorticulture.co.uk
GEAR
HortiGear Ballast - Lamp Control Gear For HPS - MH Lamp
NEW
HORTI KING
QUALITY APPROVED
THE NEW STANDARD IN CARBON FILTERS
THE BEST CARBON FILTERS IN THE WORLD FACT!
Virgin activated food grade granular carbon made in Europe
CarboAir 50 – 50mm Bed Designed for normal concentrations of odour
Heavy duty hanging bracket. Professional grade pre-filter.
CarboAir 60 – 60mm Bed Designed for stronger strains with higher concentrations of odour
CarboAir 100 – 100mm Bed Designed for larger grow rooms with very high concentrations of odour 55.5 % open mesh for superior air flow.
VOTED BEST CARBON FILTER BY
www.carboair.co.uk
CARBO AIR FILTERS
QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND PURITY ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERY ONE OF OUR HANDMADE FILTERS • Pure virgin activated granular carbon • Hanging brackets • 18 month guarantee Available in 50mm, 60mm, and huge 100mm beds.
RVK & K FANS
SYSTEMAIR RVK & K FANS Large range of sizes available. • Maintenance free - made in Germany • Thermal protection • Energy efficient See our website for full details including air flows and technical specifications.
DIFFUSE AIR TM
A NEW SOLUTION FOR GROW ROOM AIR DISTRIBUTION HAS ARRIVED DiffuseAir efficiently mixes all the air in your grow room. • Proven technology • Ceiling hung for more grow space • Improved environment = improved yield Designed and made by Systemair.
NEW REVOLUTION 315 EC High Power, Low Noise • Sealed housing to prevent odour leaks • Fully serviceable • 5 year guarantee The Super Silent Revolution 315 EC is the ultimate in duct fans. The most powerful and efficient fan on the market, perfect for larger grow room environments. Manufactured in Europe with state of the art EC technology and German engineering by Systemair, the 315 EC delivers a much higher air flow than AC fans of its size - and uses less energy doing it. The Super Silent Revolution 315 EC delivers more air under the usual pressures of a larger grow room environment than other EC fans - giving you extra air flow when a carbon filter, ducting and metalwork are connected.
www.globalairsupplies.co.uk
CONTENTS
EDIBLE FOREST GARDEN
The Healing Powers of Medicinal Gardens
40 Faultline Farm
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS
15
50 WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE
83 FOLIAR FEEDING
26 I N THIS ISSU E OF GA R D EN CU LTU RE :
34
13 Foreword
50 Edible Forest Garden
15 Product Spotlights
58 Steering Plants in the Vegetative Stage
24 Top 10 Tips For Vegging
62 Growing With Symmetry
26 Faultline Farm
64 How Do Microbes Help During Vegetative Growth?
34 Foliar Feeding
68 5 Cool Finds
37 Shorties
72 Get Your LAB On
40 Best of the Blog: The Healing Powers of Medicinal Gardens
78 Water Soluble Organic Nutrients:WCAP
48 Autopot Summer Social 2018
83 Who’s Growing What Where 86 Plant Morphology and Anatomy 101 GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
9
millspaysthebills_uk www.dnamills.co.uk
HYDRO
Award-winning combinations
update
‘GHE Flora Series is the only nutrient I used at the Chelsea Flower Show because I knew I would get the result I needed’ Jason Ralph-Smith, AutoPot Owner and RHS Chelsea Flower Show Medallist
Try the medal winning combo today! AutoPot and GHE products are available from all good hydroponics retailers in the UK and across Europe. Visit www.eurohydro.com/autopot-fs to see why GHE mineral nutrients work so well in AutoPot, the world’s most popular irrigation system.
FOREWORD & CREDITS
FOREWORD
H
ere we are again; summer is over and all you outdoor growers are wrapping up your season. This is high season for indoor gardeners and the
shops that service them.The indoor season never really star ts or ends, but many of us par tially or completely shut down in the summer. Heat and bugs can be much more difficult to manage when it’s hot outside.
I so look forward to the cooler months. It’s like spring in my basement; time to star t up a whole new garden. This edition is all about what is going on during a plant’s vegetative cycle, and how you can help it grow to its full potential. One of the keys to indoor growing is to be in control of your plants. All the elements of life are provided by you, and the health of the plant is in your hands. Stoney Tark will lay out the basics in Top 10 Tips in Veg. A question I hear repeatedly is on plant steering: how and when do you manipulate (bend, pinch, chop...) the plant? Dr Callie Seaman will begin to shed some light on the subject in Plant Steering in the Vegetative Stage. Highlighting one way to steer your plant, Stoney Tark teaches us a training technique in Growing with Symmetry, Mainlining Explained. Touching your plant is impor tant and is something you can have a lot of fun with. Do tests and see what works the best with your cultivar in your environment. Plant manipulation is only a par t of getting the most out of your veg cycle. What and when you feed your plants is equally as impor tant, if not more so. If you are an organic gardener, soil biology is the key to bumper harvests. In How do Microbes Help During Vegetative Growth, Colin Bell, PhD and Peter Baas, PhD simplify an otherwise very complicated subject. And yes, Mr Nico Hill is back with another instalment of KNF (Korean Natural Farming), all about lactic acid bacteria that you can make at home. BTW, it is an amazing supplement to use in the veg cycle.
Happy Gardening!
Eric 3
CREDITS
SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Albert Mondor, Catherine Sherriffs, Colin Bell PhD, Peter Baas PhD, and Karuna Chouray PhD, Dr Callie Seaman, Nico Hill, Stephen Brookes, Stoney Tark, and Tom Forrest. PRESIDENT Eric Coulombe eric@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-233-1539 E XCU T I V E ED I TO R Celia Sayers celia@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-1539 ED I TO R Catherine Sherriffs cat@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
@GardenCulture
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D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • HydroGarden • Maxigrow • The Growers Wholesale • Highlight Horticultur e • WHG UK
© 325 Media
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from 325 Media Inc.
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS
Control Frea
k 4.5A
GROWING PRODUCTS
Dual Cont roller
The perfect entry-level system to control your grow room fans with a maximum combined current of 4.5A, ideal for the more modestly sized grow rooms. Able to adjust the temperature parameters of your growroom to a super precise degree, with controllable intervals of +/-1°C, these controllers will maintain an even and steady temperature for your favourite plants, monitoring the change in the ambient air temperature and adjusting the fan’s speed accordingly. Simply plug your fans in, set the idle (minimum) fan speeds, set your maximum temperature threshold, and the controller does all the work for you! Visit MaxiGrow.com for more information.
EXPANDO V2
Following Extendo Grow’s great success with their pioneering product, the EXPANDO, they have teamed up with Black Orchid to bring you the EXPANDO V2. The EXPANDO V2 has taken all the lessons learned from the original to create a more solid, durable, grow tent space booster. Now made with stronger aluminium poles and a new securing mechanism, ensuring it will not move once clipped onto your tent. Able to handle high levels of negative pressure, the EXPANDO V2 is becoming a grow tent essential. Look for the EXPANDO V2 at your local stockist.
High Porosity The availability of air in a substrate is vital for your crops’ root development. Atami proudly presents HIGH POROSITY COCOS, a substrate offering the advantages of growing on the high-quality coco of Atami, with the added benefit of the airiness of perlite. High Porosity Cocos provides proper drainage and a continuous air supply to the roots. Make your crop’s roots breathe; try High Porosity Cocos & join the Atami Universe!
Cocos
on of A New Generati
r Gavita Maste Controllers
Take control of your grow lights and switch, dim, or boost them from the simple, clean interface of the Gavita Master controller. The second-generation Master controller has advanced functionality like sunrise and sunset settings, safety control features, logging and independent light cycles (EL2 only). The EL1F and EL2F also add a smart, integrated fan control for a stable grow room environment. Discover more on Gavita.com
Visit Atami.com for more information.
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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You Deserve the Best and So Do Your Plants
WHAT’S CHANGED Two new stronger, black powder-coated frames in 16mm & 25mm tempered rolled steel All new metal corner connectors New quick lock, push & click pole assembly New ventilation - 20% bigger ports all round to accommodate acoustic ducting The new BudBox features a green viewing window All new inspection doors - (from XL up) Ground level irrigation ports - (from XL up) Strong door clips & new branded, high quality zips Two new tent sizes - XL plus & XXL plus The Titan range has no intrusive vertical or ground poles
environment is ever ything
Distributed in the UK by:
Quality is not an act, it’s a habit
Aristotle
www.budboxgrowtents.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ght Maxibright Dayli
st i L i n k ba l la The new Maxibright Daylight iLink grow-light allows you to combine enhanced spectrums that Ceramic Metal Halides have become famous for. It also works perfectly with the Revolution Micro Deva controller. Combining the powerful output of double ended HPS lamps with the incredible spectrum that you get from CMH lamps, means that your plants will want for almost nothing. Simply daisy-chain the lights together with the data cable provided, plug into the Deva controller and you are away!
GROWING PRODUCTS
nt Iconic U.S. Nutriere Line Botanica .’s .K Set to Become U n Latest Attractio With a unique range of nutrients and additives, Botanicare gets growers a bigger and more flavourful crop than ever before; the range promotes growth through technology - using amino acids, unique vitamin infusion, and patented biotech. Hero products include KIND, a market leading three-part performance nutrient; LIQUID KARMA, an all-natural growth stimulator; HYDROPLEX BLOOM, a powerful flowering booster containing amino acids and vitamins and HYDROGUARD, an unbeatable, patented bacterial root inoculant. Put your grow on the map, learn more over on Botanicare.com or visit your local Botanicare stockist today.
Improve your plant structure, end-yield and quality of harvest in one fell swoop by making the simple addition of a Maxibright Daylight iLink grow-light today. Learn more: MaxiGrow.com
Odoor
the world’s firs t odour preventi on door availab in the hydropon le ics industry. Prevent odours or light from escaping your growing environment with this simple solution. No screws or nails involved, the Odoor assembles in 2-3 minutes and attaches to the existing door frame with self-adhesive Velcro. You then have easy access through the zipper door. Not in use for a while? Simply peel off. At £149, the Odoor is an affordable and easy to install alternative to a traditional door that also offers complete light and odour protection. Visit OdoorOnline.com or contact your local hydroponics retailer for more info. GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS The NEW
SANlight
An LED that combines all the features desired by growers. For the cultivation of ornamental and crop plants, the Q6W is an adequate and eco-friendly replacement for HPS lamps. Designed for large cultivation areas for top-lighting applications as well as in the vegetative and generative phases of the crop. Passive cooling, best efficacy, and sophisticated secondary optics, the Q6W is also adaptable. For larger grow spaces, daisy-chain up to 7 units with the optional y-connector.
Q6W
To keep up with evolving technology, the Led Modules (light engines) are changeable at a certified retail partner, making it easy to upgrade to the latest generation. And, in case of failure, repair is fast and easy. The Q6W can boost the quality, quantity, and homogeneity of your crop as well the usable cultivation area while reducing the temperature inside the cultivation room, water consumption of the plants, the use of chemical, and overall running costs Visit SANlight.com to learn more about the complete line.
with the www.blackorchid.co.uk
GROWING PRODUCTS
theMinder
by P&L Grow Systems Knowing what is going on with your grow environment is critical to diagnose issues and problems before they become costly mistakes. theMinder monitors your grow environment, whether it is a small greenhouse or a large commercial warehouse, providing you with up to the minute data and customizable alerts. Get insights into what is going on via online charts and additional analytics. Best of all, view your dashboard from anywhere in the world with an internet connection; no more having to rush back to check on things. It will be much easier to relax when only you know exactly what is going on in your room. Visit plgrow.systems and equip yourself to know more and grow more.
1000W BLV
ing The #1 Sellt u rient PowderedaNis w in Americ UKNo in the able from Exclusively Avail ulture Highlight Hortic
The team at Hydroponic Research carefully sources its ingredients, utilising food grade, pharmaceutical grade, and technical grade inputs. Using proprietary, micronising, and homogenising equipment, every batch is lab tested for consistency and purity.
e id l a H l a t e M z t r a Qu
Custom designed by BLV (Ushio Group) to run with the Revolution Deva, the new Double Ended Quartz Metal Halide will give you even more performance out of your plants. The total output of the lamp (1800µmol/s) is much higher than any other DE Metal Halide currently available, by a whopping 20%. It conforms to the health and safety demands of MH lamps, being ‘O-rated’ to prevent any explosive shenanigans. Manufactured in Germany, so its build quality is basically as good as it gets. Brace yourself for a better plant structure and an improved quality of the final harvest with the new DE Quartz MH lamps from BLV (Ushio group). More technical details can be found at MaxiGrow.com or inquire at your local store.
VEG+BLOOM products are micronised into a super fine powder, which maximises solubility and makes sure that the ingredients are immediately bioavailable for plant uptake. It also costs less to use than liquids and is much smaller to transport. Try it once and you will be hooked. Learn about the entire line of VEG+BLOOM: Hydroponic-Research.com
Now distribute d by
The Grower’s W holesale
Emerald Harvest has taken Mother Nature’s best naturally occurring elements and other components and purified and refined them into a superlative one-shot addition for satisfyingly big yields in your garden. Brimming with the finest Earth-friendly, natural ingredients such as alfalfa and seaweed extracts, Emerald Goddess contributes additional macronutrients, vitamin B1 and humic acid. Emerald Goddess summons the best harvest by putting the best nutrition in your garden, without any chemicals or additives that harm the Earth (or your values). Use Emerald Goddess as a supplement to one of Emerald Harvest’s base nutrient series from early growth through the flowering phase for guaranteed professional results. Learn more by visiting EmeraldHarvest.co
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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CALCIUM MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT
Highly bioavailable, concentrated Cal cium / Magnesium blend Proper Calcium and Magnesium availability is vital to optimize nutrition in fast growing plants. It helps prevent secondary nutrient deficiencies, supports growth and fruiting, and prevents blossom end rot and tip-burn in many particularly intensive crops, such as tomatoes and lettuce.
GHE Calcium Magnesium Supplement can also help counter Calcium sequestration when growing in coco coir using Organic nutrients, or when expanding compressed coco bales. Find out more by visiting: EuroHydro.com
GHE Calcium Magnesium Supplement provides concentrated Calcium and Magnesium in a highly bioavailable, clean and soluble form that will not clog drippers. It can be used alongside most nutrient regimes.
s r e im T h c t i w s Maxi Aaaah, the humble timer; such an overlooked and under-appreciated bit of kit. Sure, they may not be as alluring as some of the sexier, wallet-busting products you see on the shelves, but without a highquality timer in your hydroponic life then you can run the risk of screwing up all your dark hours and inevitably, the final crop.
ProActive
Nano Powder
The Maxiswitch Solo Pro Heavy Duty timer will control any HID lights of up to 600w’s and maintain times to a highly precise degree. No more interrupted dark hours in your light cycle! Likewise, the standard 24-hour Maxiswitch timer will confidently control pretty much any other grow room equipment you wish. All your timing options covered with two quality products from Maxibright. Learn more by visiting MaxiGrow.com
Mills C4 – Bloom Enhance r An organic and inorganic blend of fertilizers designed to enhance and increase flowers in the early to mid-stage of flowering, Mills C4 ensures maximum flower sets for each plant. Using L-amino acids, it also works on your plant’s root zone by breaking down dead organic matter (dead roots) into freely available carbohydrates for your plant.Together with its complex mix of micro and macronutrients, Mills C4 also triggers and matures complex essential oil production within flowers for maximum terpene and resin production. Mills C4 is the boost you need for explosive flower growth. Check out their full range: MillsNutrients.co.uk
Nano Powder, from the hugely successful ProActive range of nutrients, is a unique nutrient additive that is intended to be primarily used as a foliar spray. Nano-technology plant nutrition is exactly what you would expect from the description: nano-sized particles of calcium which become much more freely available to a plant – particularly when foliar applied. Foliar spraying is one of the fastest ways to introduce nutrients to your plants, giving nutrient elements the opportunity to penetrate straight through the plant membrane, directly to where it is required. Regular Nano-powder applications will increase CO2 levels within your plant, improve yield and increases resistance to pests and diseases. Use from weeks 1 to 7 during the flowering period. Visit MaxiGrow.com or ask in store for more details.
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light better light, better plants Horticultural LED Lighting upgradeable maximum efficiency daisy-chainable
Q6W
support@sanlight.com
www.sanlight.com
distributor for the UK:
CHANGING THE VIEW
npk_media
GROWING PRODUCTS
Phonic Trap Ducting Ditch your old ducting and upgrade to Phonic Trap Acoustic Ducting. Whisper quiet and super effective, Phonic Trap is the highest quality ducting available for your grow room. Designed in Europe for the HVAC industry, Phonic Trap is made of 3 different layers of ducting – a black foil outer layer with a metal spiral to minimise kinks and maximise airflow, white insulation to allow air to pass through without putting pressure on the fan and an inter-woven material to reduce noise. Purchase with the quick connection kit for easy installation. See more here: GlobalAirSupplies.co.uk/ducting
Super Silent C Revolution 315 E All of the power, none of the noise - join the EC Revolution with the Super Silent 315 EC fan.The 315 EC outperforms all other fans of its class in the usual pressures of a grow room environment and does it silently. Capable of a maximum airflow of 3784 m3/h, or 2800 m3/h when used with a CarboAir filter, the 315 EC is ideal for larger grow rooms and gives you extra leeway on airflow when filters, ducting and metalwork are attached. Made by ventilation expert Systemair in Europe, the 315 EC is sealed in steel housing to prevent odour leaks and dampen noise. See more technical specifications here: GlobalAirSupplies.co.uk/revolution-vector-315-ec
CarboAir 100 Custom designed by BLV (Ushio Group) to run with the Revolution Deva, the new Double Ended Quartz Metal Halide will give you even more performance out of your plants. The total output of the lamp (1800µmol/s) is much higher than any other DE Metal Halide currently available, by a whopping 20%. It conforms to the health and safety demands of MH lamps, being ‘O-rated’ to prevent any explosive shenanigans. Manufactured in Germany, so it’s build quality is basically as good as it gets. Brace yourself for a better plant structure and an improved quality of the final harvest with the new DE Quartz MH lamps from BLV (Ushio group). More technical details can be found at MaxiGrow. com or inquire at your local store.
Global Air Supplies UK Partners of
AC FAN INTAKE Fan
Exit 1
Humidity
Day/Night
Exit 2
13 AMP ENVIRO CONTROLLER powered by
SAVE EXIT
ENTER
EXIT 2
EXIT 1
See what else the Enviro Controller can do here: GlobalAirSupplies.co.uk/enviro-controller
Temp
Max. Load 2200W
The Enviro Controller has day and night settings and also comes with two programmable sockets that can automatically control other environmental equipment like humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heaters and timers for lights.
AC/EC CONTROLLER
Max. Load 2200W
Get absolute control over your environment with the Enviro Controller. Built to control every aspect of your grow room from one source of power, the Enviro Controller will control any AC or EC fan – just set your minimum and maximum temperature and humidity settings and let the Enviro Controller do the rest.
AC FAN OUTTAKE
Enviro Controlle r
G.A.S.
Max. Load 13 AMP
EC OUTTAKE
EC INTAKE
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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BY STONEY TARK
TOP1O
Compoost: broken down plant material is excellent food for microbes and fungi,
H
ow you treat your plants during the vegetative stage will directly impact how they turn out down the road. Follow these tips to get your best yields yet!
1. Prepare A Compost Pile In Advance
3. Perlite For Air Pockets
If you practice permaculture, then having a ready-to-use compost pile on hand is normal. Broken down plant material is excellent food for microbes and fungi, so think about preparing your compost months in advance to supercharge any blend of medium. Compost is also a high source of magnesium, which is ideal to treat any deficiencies.
When it comes to creating air pockets in your growing medium, using perlite is something I cannot recommend enough. Sometimes, the continued action of wet and dry can cause grow mediums to become compact, which is never a good thing. Using a mix of 25-50% perlite will not only improve the wicking action of the root zone, but it will also ensure that when the pots are totally wet and at their heaviest, there are plenty of air pockets to allow oxygen and nutrients to move freely.
2. Fabric Pots Work Best Untrained growers beware: you do not want a root bound plant. Using a breathable, felt fabric serves as an excellent root pruning device. Alternately, you can make your own pots with either slits in them or small holes. Fabric pots are a better choice than plastic and can be re-used, washed, and formed to any size you may require. An additional bonus? During the winter, felt pots insulate the roots with their warm jackets.
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4. Watering Times and Encouraging Roots Roots grow in various directions in search of moisture. With seedlings, a good practice is to encourage the roots to push out, meaning you will have to master the fine balance of keeping your medium right between the wet and dry zones. If you use felt pots, the roots will actually grow out horizontally. Never overwater your seedlings, as very wet roots lack the motivation to branch out.
image: ruthstrees.com
Mycelium: this furry, white, candy-like fungus will improve the uptake and delivery of micro and macronutrients to the plant
image: Mycelial Revolution — Mycopolitan
TIPS FOR VEGGING
Fabric pots are a better choice than plastic and can be re-used, washed, and formed to any size you may require
5. Foliar Feeding
8. Training Your Plants Up
Even though the roots of your plants are hard at work, foliar feeding is an excellent way to provide nutrients to your plants and their leaves. Only use organic sprays, even homemade ones will do. I recommend using a very mild mix of humic acid, seaweed extract, or molasses. When spraying the plants, ensure you are working with a fine mist and that any nutrient solution is fully dissolved before application. Once you are happy with the ratio of the solution, spray the tops and undersides of the plants from a distance. Wipe any loose droplets away from the leaves by hand, especially if you are applying during the hottest parts of the day.
There is a misconception that training your plants takes an excessive amount of time to do correctly. A lot of growers who work on a strict schedule find that training plants is not practical for their situation. This can be true when it comes to financial pressures and logistics. However, incorporating lowstress techniques (L.S.T) and high-stress techniques (H.S.T) will not only improve vigour, plant health, structure, and auxin production, but it will also significantly improve yield.
6. Supporting Your Plants As much as I incorporate plant training, one thing I like to do is provide support for them. This involves using thin bamboo canes that have been washed and cleared of any possible insects living inside. You can tie the lowest and highest points of each branch to the bamboo cane. Over time, even with heavy wind and rain, the bamboo canes will promote thick branching that can be further trained.
7. Beneficial Bacteria and Fungi Once you take a closer look at what is happening within the soil, you will discover there is a very advanced network of mycelium. This furry, white, candy-like fungus will improve the uptake and delivery of micro and macronutrients to the plants. You can source your own beneficial microorganisms by performing IMO stage 1. A technique associated with K.N.F, (Korean Natural Farming) mycelium will form a symbiotic relationship with the roots as well as the living soil web.
9. Using Seaweed Based Products Seaweed is brilliant! It contains natural growth hormones ranging from auxins, indoles, and cytokinins. Jam-packed with micronutrients, seaweed extracts make an excellent soil drench or foliar feed. Grow healthy, white, strong roots by using a seaweed-based product from early on. The result will be a lush, green seedling that has a thicker, waxy appearance compared to a non-seaweed treated plant.
10. Humidity and Temperature It does not matter if you have all the gadgets in the world in your grow room or outdoor garden. If the temperature and humidity are not representative of what your plant requires, then everything else must adapt to that change. In order to keep the plants performing at peak, optimal conditions, indoor gardeners should aim for daytime temperatures of 24°C / 75°F, with a relative humidity ranging around 65-75%. Cannabis plants enjoy warm, humid weather in the vegetative stage, so a quick solution to imitating that environment indoors is to invest in a humidifier. Once in the grow room, the humidifier will release a fine mist, making the environment a happy one for your plants. 3
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Credit: Giavanna Accurso
CATHERINE SHERRIFFS
Faultline Farm Unique Soil Delivers Bountiful Gardens In The Desert Heat
26
Faultline Farm at the 29 Palms Inn near the Mojave Deser t
FAULTLINE FARM
The two-acre farm actually sits on an ancient lakebed on the Oasis of Mara that dates back more than 9,000 years
W
hile most gardens around the world thrive in the beautiful summer months of July and August, yields at Faultline Farm slow dramatically as crops naturally look for ways to conserve energy. They have no choice; nestled on a 70-acre property near the Mojave desert
in California, the gardens consistently battle daytime temperatures of up to 115°F (46°C) in the summer. It’s a world of extremes at the farm; while there is always enough sun for the plants to photosynthesize, it can also lead to their very demise. It’s just one of the many challenges of gardening in North America’s driest desert.
And yet, Faultline Farm makes it work. The organic garden belongs to the 29 Palms Inn, a resor t beside the Joshua Tree National Park. Despite slowing yields in the extreme heat, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, and tomatoes grow all summer long. In the cooler months, the gardens produce a steady stream of salad greens (up to 40 pounds a week!), beets, kohlrabi, carrots, cabbage, broccoli and fennel, among other vegetables. The farm’s orchard provides delicious fruits through the seasons; peaches, plums, and apricots grow every spring, followed by figs and grapes in the summer. Pears and pomegranates finally come in the fall. All of the food grown on the farm is used in the kitchen at the inn’s restaurant. Guests have the oppor tunity to sample food grown organically and in the rarest of conditions; and they have an incredibly unique soil to thank for their meals. The two-acre farm actually sits on an ancient lakebed on the Oasis of Mara that dates back more than 9,000 years. According to research conducted by the inn, shifting plates formed a sag pond, and over a very long period of time, fine, mineral-rich par ticles settled to the bottom. In fact, the garden grows on about three feet of decomposed organic matter, creating a lush, fer tile environment in what is a dry, mostly barren deser t. “What that translates to for us, is a silty yet clay-like soil,” says Giavanna Accurso, hor ticulturist at Faultline Farm. “There are higher [contents] of iron and salt than other soils I have worked with, but it hasn’t prohibited growth or created too many obstacles in growing for us. The fer tility is great because of it!” This isn’t a recent discovery; the rich history behind Faultline Farm is one of the many things that attracted Accurso to the job last year. And quite a change it has been for her; she has spent much of her career working
on intensive cropping systems for chefs and restaurants in Los Angeles and Chicago. Talk about a world of extremes. Historically, the Oasis and the surrounding area was believed to be inhabited by the Serrano Indians, who used the land to grow food for themselves. The first recorded existence of a garden on the Oasis dates back to the Washington Expedition in the 1850’s. Cattle ranchers and miners migrated heavily into the area after that, and the Native Americans still living in the Oasis fled to the Coachella Valley in 1938. Soon after, Claire and Rober t (‘Doc’) Van Lahr took over the proper ty that became the home of the 29 Palms Inn. The couple was the first of five generations so far to run the resor t, and during World War ll, Doc repor tedly grew victory gardens on site to help feed his family and neighbours throughout the dark times and resulting labour shor tage. After that, the gardens ceased to exist until Jane Grunt-Smith took them and and inn over in 1977. They’ve been producing beautiful fruits and vegetables ever since. The Mojave deser t receives less than six inches of rain a year, and yet, Faultline Farm can still rely on nature for its watering needs. The aquifer that originally fed the Oasis still provides water in abundance to the proper ty’s well. The farm uses a drip irrigation system on the beds, and deep drippers are currently being installed in the orchard. In the summer months, when temperatures reach their peak, Accurso supplements with spot watering, and she’s always researching new, innovative ways to quench the garden’s thirst. “I am looking at some new systems in our beds where we bury hay down the centre to hold moisture,” she explains. “It is based on that permaculture technique called hugelkultur, but it’s on a smaller and finer scale than that.”
GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
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Credit: Giavanna Accurso
FAULTLINE FARM
Beans, squash, and courgette
No garden is perfect, and that holds especially true for Faultline Farm where growing conditions are extreme. The plants grown on site are generally tough and chosen because they have been adapted to handle environmental stressors. The farm uses seeds from companies like the Native Seed Search, which is based out of Tucson, Arizona, and specializes in drought-tolerant crops. Accurso says she’s had great success with many of their seeds, such as the Magdalena squash. Still, when temperatures hit the triple digits, the leaves on the tomatoes drop and stop conver ting simple sugars to complex, making them sour in taste. The eggplant stops flowering, and the squash develops only male flowers so as not to waste energy bearing fruit. “Hardening off has been one of the things that I have had to learn to adapt to out here,” says Accurso. “It is a more extensive and gradual process than any other climate I have grown in. The seedlings need to go through a couple of different microclimates in the greenhouse before even beginning their final hardening off phase outside.” In the high deser t, temperatures drop dramatically in the winter, dipping below freezing at night with highs in the 60’s during the day. When the cold comes, tender salad greens are protected with row covers, while produce like brassicas are hardier and can handle the chill just fine. In the hot temperatures, though, the plants also become weaker and more prone to pests and disease. Accurso admits she’s experienced more crop loss at the farm than
The Mojave desert receives less than six inches of rain a year, and yet, Faultline Farm can still rely on nature for its watering needs she’s used to because of it. Squash bugs, whitefly, and beetles nibble away at the produce; an incredibly difficult situation to control in organic growing systems where chemicals and synthetic fer tilizers are never used. Instead, the farm allows nature to run its course. “With the challenges, it is also impor tant to remember that this is the fer tile ground needed to find solutions,” explains Accurso. “It’s a time to pay special attention to what nature is trying to tell us. We always attempt to look at whatever resources we have available to us to find solutions.” Accurso keeps the soil cool by mulching with palm fronds, and may even use them in full form next summer to shade
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Credit: Giavanna Accurso
FAULTLINE FARM
Melons growing ver tically the crops from the summer heat. She’s also exploring the idea of taking used shade cloth from a nearby military base to drape over the beds. Bio-diversity is strongly encouraged at the farm; Accurso often lets crops go to flower to make sure the pollinators, such as native bees, keep coming. She’s also noticed that planting marigolds beside her tomato plants help with the whitefly. The kitchen at the 29 Palms Inn gives the farm its food scraps so it can generate compost with the brown materials pruned and weeded around the proper ty. Otherwise, fish emulsion and an all-purpose organic fer tilizer from Dr Ear th are used to help the fruits and vegetables flourish. Critters are also controlled in a strictly organic manner, which is quite an impressive feat. “Everything is hungry in the deser t,” Accurso jokes. “We plant crops of squash around the edges of the perimeter and will do minimal spraying of neem oil and insecticidal soap when necessary. The trap crops help with ground squirrels and lizards, while the neem oil helps with whitefly.”
When temperatures hit the triple digits, the tomatoes experience leaf drop [...] The eggplant stops flowering, and the squash develops only male flowers so as not to waste energy bearing fruit Accurso says her favourite solution to the hungry coyote and bobcat populations is weaving dried palm fronds into the chain link fence surrounding the gardens. The resulting ‘fan’ around the edges of the fence keep the animals from jumping over and into the coveted buffet awaiting them.
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ALL PHASE Craft Powder Base Nutrient & Additives VEG+BLOOM features 3 revolutionary one-part base powder nutrients and 2 additives in the UK. Catering to soft or hard water EC’s. We’ve also extensively researched in-house which mediums work best with our formulas. Our ingredients are locally sourced, refined and always batch tested for quality assurance to ensure consistency. Our all-phase one-part base powder formula was fabricated so that you could simply use your local water source as long as it fell between 0.0-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as they always recommend using RO water, which can be costly.
Base Nutrients: RO/SOFT is our most universal and popular one-part base nutrient. A hybrid of synthetics and organics; a pH stable formula for those who have small or large containers and a start water of 0.0-0.3 EC. It is completely soluble in RO water and built for coco, rockwool, or soil. TAP/HARD is a revolutionary pH stable formula for farms that have hard water 0.3-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as “water chemistry” is difficult to educate. With TAP/HARD you can potentially skip the costly RO water filter system and also save on the cost of water. Due to a higher pH in hard tap water, this formula is buffered appropriately so the use of large amounts of pH down can be avoided. Best used in coco and rockwool. DIRTY is a comprehensive formula for those who have a start water of 0.0-0.7 EC and are growing in soil or peat based mediums indoor or outdoor. Enhanced with humics, fulvics, crab meal extract and compost tea powder, this base was intended to provide the benefits of both synethetic and organic additives giving you extra bag appeal.
Craft Powder Base Nutrient & Additives
VEG+BLOOM encourages growers to spend less on extra additives and less time on the mixing and measuring (less human error) and more time on the plants, resulting in exceptional and consistent harvests. Save water, shipping costs, shelf space and minimize human error. Are you ready to reduce your variables?
Additives: PUSH is our foliar spray additive used during vegetative growth that includes bio available calcium, silica, plant stimulants and kelp. The plant hormones allow for cells to divide faster, reducing your overall veg cycle, while increasing cell wall strength and vigor. SHINE is our best product, a flowering bloom additive formulated with phosphites and organics such as compost tea powder for enhanced terpene and resin production. SHINE can be used not only in conjunction with our full nutrient line but can also be used with other base nutrient lines. Distributed in the UK by:
hydroponic-research.com
FAULTLINE FARM
Faultline Farm experiments with drought-tolerant seeds
Credit: Giavanna Accurso
Ar tichoke
It has been one year since Accurso joined the team at Faultline Farm. She describes the garden and the 29 Palms Inn itself as a gorgeous proper ty all around, and as a peaceful, healing, and creative space to be in. The farm’s history is just as rich as its soil, and it would appear there’s never a dull moment. With dramatic temperature changes and constant research into new, organic ways to successfully grow nutritious foods, how could there be? Gardening in the deser t is fascinating. 3
Rainbow carrots
Everything is hungry in the desert,” Accurso jokes.
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BY STEPHEN BROOKES - NPK TECHNOLOGY
F
oliar feeding is a method of getting nutrition to the plant through the leaves, unlike conventional fer tigation which is applied
to the roots. The primary method of plant-feeding should always be through the roots, but foliar feeding is a great way to get nutrients to the plant when root uptake may be lacking, or if you simply want to improve and promote plant health.
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FOLIAR FEEDING
In the research done on foliar feeding, an efficiency rate of 90-95% absorption has been found, compared to traditional root-fed fertilisation of roughly 10%
Do you foliar feed? Have you ever thought about why you spray the leaves and about how to do it properly? It is common practice for many growers, but few are consistent or appreciative of its potential for promoting faster vegetative growth, or of its ability to provide improved nutritional status, prevent pests, and also help the plant during those early root development stages. Of course, there are still some who don’t believe foliar feeding works to feed a plant, but a study by Tukey and Wittwer (1,2,3) in 1956/57 found the effectiveness of the process through several experiments and the use of radioactive PK. Researchers applied the radioactive phosphorus and potassium and using a Geiger counter, measured the absorption and movement within the plant. Results indicated the nutrients moved at around 30 cm an hour to all parts; enough evidence to put any remaining doubt over foliar feeding to rest.
Top Tip: For the vast majority of plant foliar feeds, you should never spray with the lights on. The water droplets can magnify the high-powered lights and cause scorch marks on the leaf, destroying chlorophyll sites and reducing photosynthetic efficiency. One notable exception is Optic Foliar, which is an all-round foliar nutrient that CAN be sprayed with the lights on and works wonders for plant health.
How do nutrients enter the leaf and plant? On your plant leaf, you will find spaces called transcuticular pores as well as the stomata, in which plant nutrients can enter. The transcuticular pores are on both the tops and bottoms of the leaves; they never close, so foliar feeding is believed to enter the leaf this way. However, stomata situated on the bottom of the leaves are much higher in number, so if the foliar feed is used when they are open, there will likely be increased intake. In the research done on foliar feeding, an efficiency rate of 90-95% absorption has been found, compared to traditional root-fed fertilisation of roughly 10% (this was in soil outdoors). So, why don’t we all just start foliar feeding? First of all, plants and their roots know what they need when they need it, and with a little help from beneficial microorganisms, can dictate uptake. Secondly, nutrients can interact negatively with each other and could inhibit or excel in nutrient absorption, which isn’t always a good thing. Therefore, we should focus on root feeding and finesse with foliar feeding.
Top Tip: Get your foliar spray onto the underside of the leaves so they can absorb a higher amount, primarily through the stomata (small openings that allow carbon dioxide to enter and water to leave).
Results indicated the nutrients moved at around 30 cm an hour to all parts; enough evidence to put any remaining doubt over foliar feeding to rest
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FOLIAR FEEDING
few are consistent or appreciative of its potential for promoting faster vegetative growth, or of its ability to provide improved nutritional status
The debate: when should you foliar feed? There’s a lot of debate over what time of day plants should be fed. There are a few options to consider. If you foliar feed with a standard fertiliser, you have to spray just as the lights go off to avoid leaf burn. If you use a feed that can be sprayed with the lights on, then I would suggest foliar feeding about an hour after the lights come on for the best chance of full absorption. However, if you do not currently foliar feed, do it when you can (but remember, not in full light with nonspecialist feeds).
Top Tip: If you want to foliar feed with nutrients intended for the roots, dilute the solution to a quarter strength to prevent burn and salt build-up on the leaf. Lastly, using an atomiser to spray the foliar feed will increase the availability to the plants thanks to its small droplets. A regular spray bottle can leave large droplets on the leaf, which are not easily absorbed. 3
Advanced foliar feeding If you have been foliar feeding for a while, it is time to step it up and get better results. The first method is to use a surfactant in your solution to increase contact time with the leaf and improve uptake of the nutrient. If you have tried this, then moving onto a product such as Transport by Optic Foliar will get you even better foliar results. It works differently to surfactants, and rather than dispersing the water evenly across the leaf actually pushes the nutrients into the leaf.
Sources 1.
Tukey, H.B. and Wittwer, S.H., 1956. “The entry of nutrients into plants through stem, leaf and fruit, as indicated by radioactive isotopes.” Progress in Nuclear Energy Biological Sciences Series Six, pp. 106-114. McGraw-Hill, NY, and Permagon Press, London.
2.
Tukey, H.B., Wittwer, S.H., Teubner, F.G., and Long, W.G., 1956. “Utilization of radioactive isotopes in resolving the effectiveness of foliar absorption of plant nutrients.” International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Vol. 12: 138- 148. United
Deficiencies are best cured with a foliar feed for many reasons. For one, it is absorbed into the plant much quicker and can start to rectify the issue right away. Secondly, the deficiency you have is likely from a root zone issue such as pH, and merely adding more of the deficient nutrient can cause lockouts and more problems. Finally, there are many nutrients that can take your foliar regime to the next level. Calcium (low mobility) is great during flowering when it is useful for fruiting plants; iron (poor uptake by the roots) is essential for chlorophyll production, and consider applying boron immediately before flowering to increase flower-to-fruit ratio. Fulvic acid should be included in a foliar regime as well because it has been shown to help increase plant nutrient uptake significantly.
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Nations, NY. 3.
Wittwer, S.H., Teubner, F.G. and McCall, W.W. 1957. “Comparative absorption and utilisation by beans and tomatoes of phosphorus applied to the soil and foliage.” Proceedings, American Society for Horticultural Science, Vol. 69: 302-308
BIO
Stephen Brookes is a science fanatic, hydroponics obsessed bookworm. His experience comes from running two grow shops, an additives company, and NPK Media. Along with obtaining a bachelor degree of Science in Outdoor Education and Geography and an MSc in Nutrition and Scientific Investigation, he is now working on a PhD, researching the effects of different ratios in cannabinoids on the human body. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!
Seaweed’s Superfood Status
I
t’s being touted as a ‘superfood’, and there’s no wonder ; seaweed is not only good for our bodies, it’s good for the environment too! It can be used in just about anything, from salads and soups to sushi and smoothies. Incorporating seaweed into your diet provides a plethora of health benefits, including a reduced risk of hear t
disease and diabetes, better thyroid function, and higher levels of good bacteria to nourish your gut. Antioxidantrich and high in vitamins and minerals, ‘sea vegetables’ are said to also lead to weight loss. A report by Allied Market Research finds the global seaweed market could be worth $9 billion by 2024! It’s already wildly popular in Asia-Pacific countries, but Westerners have been slower to add it to their grocery carts. That will likely have to change; with the UN pegging the world population at 10 billion by 2050, the demand for food and pressure on the land will be overwhelming. Seaweed is incredibly fast-growing, with some varieties gaining 24 in. (61 cm) per day - much faster than traditional crops grown on land. Scientists and environmentalists say it doesn’t need fertilizer or freshwater to grow, and that it also drinks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while also counterbalancing ocean acidification. Seaweed: a ‘superfood’, indeed. Sources: Huffington Post: bit.ly/huffingtonpost-seaweed Healthline.com: bit.ly/healthline-seaweedbenefits The Diving Almanac: bit.ly/2NcZJu7
Perfect Pumpkins Pumpkins are synonymous with spooky fun around Halloween, but they’re good for much more than festive fall decor. Did you know that these bright, orange gourds make a great addition to your meals? They’re actually one of the best sources around of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of developing cancer, asthma, and heart disease. It may even delay ageing! Boost your immunity and daily fibre intake by adding pumpkin to your diet, and although delicious, we’re not talking in the form of pumpkin pies. Bake it, roast it, or puree it! Just one cup of cooked or boiled pumpkin contains 200% of the recommended daily vitamin A intake. Pumpkin can replace butter and oil in any baking recipe, including muffins, cakes, and loaves of bread. Add it to smoothies, soups, chilis, or even make your own pasta (like gnocchi) or sauces with it. Don’t forget to scoop out your pumpkin seeds for a delicious and nutritious snack! Sources: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279610.php
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Iconic U.S. nutrient range, Botanicare, now available in the U.K. With a unique range of nutrients and additives, Botanicare offers U.K. growers the opportunity to grow bigger and more flavourful crops than ever before. Put your grow on the map. Learn more about the complete product range* over on botanicare.com or visit your local Botanicare stockist today.
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BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS,
GardenCultureMagazine.com
best of
the blog
From minor irritations to more serious health problems, chances are you can find something to cure what ails you in a medicinal garden. You can also find this blog and more fresh gardening and growing content on our blog at GCMag.co
THE HEALING POWERS OF
Medicinal Gardens The benefits of each plant are plentiful; used in dif ferent ways, they can treat multiple health problems
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MEDICINAL GARDENS
H
erbalism is often considered to be an alternative form of medicine, but there’s nothing alternative about it. Plants have been used to treat a variety of illnesses for thousands of years. Long before Aspirin and Advil, our ancestors achieved pain relief with willow or meadowsweet tea. What many of
us view as humble weeds actually can provide powerful and effective medicine. Just ask massage therapist and herbalist, Caroline Rivard. Caroline opens the door to her home north of Montreal, such as plantain, fennel, rosemary and holy basil, Caroline Canada, and greets me with a beautiful smile. It’s the first has more than 35 different medicinal plants growing on two time we’ve met, but I already feel like I’ve known her separate properties. With them, she makes healing ‘potions’ forever. Her passion for medicinal plants is in the form of salves, drops, infused oils, infectious; before long I’m walking through teas, and even soaps. Before long I’m her impressive backyard garden, learning walking through about the magic behind each of the plants So Many Benefits her impressive growing there. She greets all plant life with an open mind back yard garden, and an open heart. Even stinging nettle, a “Plants are amazing,” Caroline says. “They weed many gardeners despise. But Caroline learning about have so much to give.” describes nettle as her friend and a serious the magic behind nutrient-booster. In a world where we’re each of the plants not getting enough goodness from our How Her Gardens Grow growing there Once a self-described workaholic, Caroline foods, drinking nettle tea once a day for only discovered the world of herbalism six weeks can deliver some major perks. when she left her bustling massage therapy Caroline says she noticed a difference in practice in the city and moved north. With deer and wild the appearance of her hair, nails, and skin. turkeys more numerous than clients, she took up running and had a moment of clarity one day when she saw a group The benefits of each plant are plentiful; used in different of weeds and wildflowers growing together in the ditch. ways, they can treat multiple health problems: Knowing that some of them held medicinal properties, she decided to learn about the plants and work with them to help people. “I do a lot of research, and then I go shopping in the bush,” she laughs. Today, her sprawling gardens are nothing short of aweinspiring. Ranging from beautiful blooms like nasturtiums, calendula, centaurea, and bee balm, to the more subdued
Caroline Rivard in her medicinal garden
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Foliar Spray:
Spray your plants and see positive results in 24 - 48 hours.
Root Drench:
Use regularly in nutrient mix for healthier roots, increased vegetative growth, and larger flowers.
www.hydroponic-moonshine.com
MEDICINAL GARDENS GardenCultureMagazine.com
best of ‘There is medicine all around us’
Holy Basil
the blog
This is an incredible stress and anxiety reliever. It’s also high in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while also being good for digestion and aching joints. Caroline made me some Holy Basil Tea, and it was both tasty and totally relaxing. It may have even added a few years to my life!
Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower) This flower has more to offer than just beautiful, bright blue blooms. It’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used as a soothing eyewash to reduce puffiness, dark circles, and even treat infections such as conjunctivitis.
Calendula These tiny yellow and orange flowers are Caroline’s ‘go-to’ ingredient for many of her potions, and not just because they’re pretty. Calendula has the ability to heal skin tissue and is also antifungal and antibacterial. If you drink it in a strong tea, it can help with peptic ulcers and inflammation from bowel disease.
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) This is a no-brainer for herbalists looking to treat the burning and blistering rash caused by poison ivy. Its antifungal properties also work wonders on athlete’s foot.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) I tasted some of this straight from Caroline’s garden, and it’s dang delicious. The bright red blooms are spicy and can be used as an antiseptic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic and a stimulant. It is often used in medicinal infusions to treat colds, migraines, sore throats and fevers, as well as gastric problems like nausea. We’re only scratching the surface of what medicinal gardens have to offer. Caroline uses rosemary for hair care and massage therapy creams, arnica to make bruises fade faster, and plantain to treat painful insect stings and bites. Her homemade face cream contains honey, roses, and peonies; it smells and feels like a day at the spa, only better. Her “Bobo Cream” is made with nine plants total and treats everything ranging from rashes, cold sores, and psoriasis, to eczema, scars and minor burns.
She greets all plant life with an open mind and an open hear t. Even stinging net tle, a weed many gardeners despise
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MEET TAMMY & ANGELA
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MEDICINAL GARDENS GardenCultureMagazine.com
best of Herbalists must also work with the seasons. When the weather cooperates, gardens show their appreciation
To the naysayers, Caroline says she truly believes that our bodies prefer to heal naturally rather than be bombarded with doses of antibiotics. There is medicine all around us.
the blog
It Ain’t Easy Of course, there are challenges to growing a medicinal garden. Research is of the utmost importance; knowing what qualities various plants have and how to combine them for the desired result takes so much time and effort. It’s both a science and a balancing act. Herbalists must also work with the seasons. When the weather cooperates, gardens show their appreciation. When growing conditions turn sour, it will be another year in some climates before you can try again. Patience is a virtue, and Caroline says learning to “go with the flow” is absolutely necessary for her line of work. “Allow yourself to fail,” Caroline says. “Don’t be so hard on yourself for things that don’t work out.” Herbalist or not, that’s pretty sound advice. Caroline firmly believes that the more love and thought you give to your gardens, the more they will do for you. She talks to her plants and listens to what they have to say. At the end of the day, she leaves feeling inspired and ready for the next potion. All-natural and handcrafted with love. 3
“I do a lot of research, and then I go shopping in the bush”
Sources: bit.ly/healthline24-naturalherbs ediblewildfood.com/stinging-nettle.aspx
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SCAN FOR MORE INFO
BY ERIC COULOMBE Thank you to NPK Media and Elena from Autopot for the photos of the site and the greenhouses.
cial o S r e m m u S Autopot
Trade, Music, Camping and an Open Bar
I
f your goal was to get an intimate understanding of the UK market, there was no better place to be. Five years running, this is a trade-only, weekend camping
event with music and enter tainment sponsored by Mills, drinks served up by Canna and Highlight Hor ticulture, and delicious coffee cour tesy of Maxigrow, as well as a variety of amazing food trucks. There was plenty of time and space to sit down and have meaningful conversations.
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AUTOPOT SUMMER SOCIALS
All the major players were there showing off their newest products, ready to answer your questions, have a drink, or even play a game of pool. The pace was relaxed and friendly, with many areas to enjoy the scenery and company. The crowd was made up of UK store owners, their employees, and an interesting mix of industry representatives from around the world. This is a businessto-business event, which is unique in our industry. Most trade shows are geared towards end-users, which is amazing in its own right. However, there are very few occasions for store owners and their employees to network in such a crowded setting. Although good for business, it was really about getting together and having a good time, and did the Autopot Team (and all those involved) ever deliver! What a weekend. Canna and Highlight joined forces to keep our glasses full. With several beers on tap and 17 types of gin, the lads behind the bar were stars. The Canna/Highlight bar area was laid out so that from any spot you could clearly see all the entertainment sponsored by Mills, turning the English countryside into a hydro music festival. Saturday night was a rager, with a lineup featuring none other than the Godfather of UK Rap, Rodney P, who teamed up with DJ SKITZ. On Sunday afternoon, eclectic sounds were spun by none other than Brian Travers, UB40’s original saxophonist, who was celebrating 40 years in the music scene. Other artists included DJ Gold Dubs and Ragamuffin Sound, Izzy Naimski and Friends, Midnight Jungle, Dub Smugglers, BeatFox, and Bruce Airhead. For two days, the Mills stage filled our ears with contagious sounds and elevated the event to legend. The final tip of my hat goes to the Autopot crew and the gardeners at Plantasia. The greenhouses were spectacular; an amazing display of vegetables thriving to the point of perfection. We are already looking forward to next year! 3
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
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BY ALBERT MONDOR, HORTICULTURIST AND BIOLOGIST
Edible
Forest
Garden
T
he idea of feeding on the products of a forest is obviously old as the world. However, the edible forest garden concept is currently gaining popularity, par ticularly among younger
generations who see it as a great way to grow edible plants with minimal effor t while having little impact on the environment.
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EDIBLE FOREST GARDEN
An edible forest garden is, in fact, a reproduction of a natural forest ecosystem. It is composed of different layers of vegetation such as fruit and nut trees, fruit shrubs, mushrooms, and edible herbaceous plants including perennial vegetables, aromatic and medicinal plants.
An edible forest garden brings all the benefits of a typical forest. In addition to providing food, it limits soil erosion and cleans the air by absorbing carbon dioxide while also producing oxygen!
Besides the fact that one can create an edible forest from bare soil, it is also possible to promote the growth of certain productive species in an existing forest through various managements. After only four to five years, a new established edible forest garden can provide diversified food and utility production. There are so many products that can be obtained from an edible forest: mushrooms, spices, fruits, nuts, oil, medicines, honey, syrup and other products made from sap, game, building materials, textile fibres, firewood etc. Once mature, an edible forest garden can become a relatively stable ecosystem that requires little care.
In an edible forest, there are various non-timber forest products, often identified as NTFPs, which can be defined as any biological resource except timber. Fruits, fungi, and medicinal plants are NTFPs. Game is also considered to be a non-timber forest product.
If you want to create an edible forest garden on your land, or simply cultivate as many edible plants as possible in minimal space, it is essential to first plant nut trees or fruit trees, under which you will grow various other edible plants.
After only four to five years, a new established edible forest garden can provide diversified food and utility production
The tree canopy provides a beneficial shade that allows life flourishing on and in the soil.
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Nut trees also play an important role in an edible forest garden ecosystem
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EDIBLE FOREST GARDEN
Hardy, low-maintenance tree varieties include apple trees, mulberries, cherry trees, pear trees, sea buckthorn, and serviceberries.
Sea buckthorn is a small tree particularly interesting for the creation of an edible forest garden. In addition to producing edible fruits with multiple uses, it captures atmospheric nitrogen and makes it available for the surrounding plants thanks to the bacteria associated with its roots.
Sea Buckthorn
Nut trees also play an important role in an edible forest garden ecosystem. You can plant some nut trees such as black walnut, whose nut has a deliciously fruity taste, or Japanese walnut, with its nice heart-shaped fruits. However, you must be careful when choosing these species because some of them, such as black walnut, for example, produce a substance called juglone that prevents many herbaceous plants from growing at their feet.
GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
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EDIBLE FOREST GARDEN
Some species of native fruit shrubs can be grown under trees
Elderberries
On the other hand, some species of native fruit shrubs can be grown under trees. Chokeberries, elderberries, hazel, purple-flowered raspberry and a few varieties of viburnum are among the best choicales because they tolerate shade well. Finally, here is a list of edible perennials or edible ground covers that can be grown under trees: alpine strawberry, Canada wild ginger, hosta (yes! the flowers and leaves of hostas are edible!), monarda, ostrich fern, parsley, peppermint, skirret, spinach, watercress and wood violet. 3
Chokeberries
Alpine strawberry GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M
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DR CALLIE SEAMAN
Enc our aging a p l a n t t o gi v e higher y iel d s during v ege tat i v e grow t h is a b a l a ncing ac t
S teering Pl ant s in t he V ege tat i v e S tage
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STEERING PLANTS
T here a r e re a s ons f or k eep ing a p l a n t in t he v ege tat i v e s tage, s uch a s wa n t ing a mo t her p l a n t t o ta k e cu t t ing s f rom
D
id you know you can steer your plants through their various growth stages? Encouraging a plant to give higher yields during vegetative growth is a balancing act; the conditions have to be just right. But what happens when the perfect balance between the vegetative and generative stages isn’t achieved? And how can you regrow a plant? Yes, you read
that right; regrow and achieve a second crop from that beautiful lady you have lovingly nurtured for 12 weeks.
During a plant’s life cycle, it is said that there are two phases of growth. Vegetative growth is when the leaves and stems grow rapidly. The generative growth stage is when flowers and fruits begin to form. During these two distinct phases of growth, many different biochemical processes take place, which you, yourself, can manipulate to either keep the plant within vegetative growth or push it into the generative phase to produce bumper yields. This is known as steering and can be achieved through changes in nutrition and certain environmental factors, such as light, water and temperature.
This is known as steering and can be achieved through changes in nutrition and certain environmental factors, such as light, water and temperature
Let’s first take a look at why plants have two phases of growth before we force them to do something they don’t necessarily want to do! Understanding why quite often helps us to understand how. After germination, plants put all the energy they accumulate from light sources, be it from the sun or artificial, and channel it into producing stems and leaves. The leaves act as solar panels for the plants, harvesting the light through a process known as photosynthesis (but you already knew this!). The leaves are also the sugar factories of the plant, taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and making beautiful carbohydrates that will be used to construct the flowers and fruit in their later life. It is, therefore, important to have an adequate photosynthetic area for
the yields you wish to produce, along with strong, healthy stems that can support the fruit and transport water, nutrients and other molecules around the plant. Having said that, too much vegetative growth can waste energy and increase the risk of disease by hindering air movement. It is, therefore, recommended that leaves not exposed to light are removed. Pinching the third or fourth internodes during early growth also encourages the lateral growth of the plant, helping it produce more of those all-important leaves. A nice, even canopy is key to getting the best out of your plants; it can be achieved by training the plant with netting and string.
Hormones such as auxins encourage this type of growth, helping the roots and stem to form and elongate while also leading to increased cell division. However, like humans, plants are a complex mixture of different chemicals that all interact with one another, so to say auxins are only responsible for vegetative growth would be incorrect. Cytokinins (another plant hormone) also play a part in this type of growth, interacting with auxins to encourage the development of roots and shoots. Both of these hormones also work together in the generative growth stage. There are a number of different parameters that can be used to encourage the shift from one type of growth to another. Table 1 (next page) is adapted from Howard Resh’s (PhD) book Hydroponic Food Production, and summarises how to encourage more vegetative growth.
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Prepare to be amazed Transport
Lights on, no damage or burning
Overgrow
Performance and mold control
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STEERING PLANTS
Parameter Vegetative growth Light cycle (Photoperiodism)
This is the plant’s response to the length of time the plant is exposed to light and is species dependent. It affects dormancy and flowering. Some plants are referred to as long day (18 hours), some are short day (12 hours or less) and others are day neutral (auto flowers). For short day plants, increase light exposure to at least 18 hours to ensure good vegetative growth.
Light wavelength (Photomorphogenesis)
Increase blue light (400-520 nm). Using metal halides or LEDs of this frequency with lower intensities will help keep the plant in a vegetative state.
Irrigation cycle
Keep these frequent and short. Also, start earlier and finish later in the day. Keeping the root zone moist encourages elongation, as water is freely available.
EC of irrigation
Keep this low, anywhere between 0.8-1.4 depending on the varieties you are growing. But generally, keep this on the lower side to discourage flowering, as the nutrition is not available to produce the sugars needed.
Leachate (runoff )
Make sure there is plenty, more than when you are flowering. Also, the EC lowers, indicating that the plant is increasing uptake as it is a little bit hungry.
Nutrition
Increase your nitrogen content and decrease the potassium in your nutrient solution. Nitrogen is a fundamental part of amino acids, the building blocks of the plant.
Temperature difference between night and day.
Keep this smaller, allowing your room temperature to change by only about 5°C during vegetative growth. This will also help prevent the stretching of your plants.
Relative humidity
Keep this higher, at about 70-80%, allowing temperatures to run higher.
Carbon dioxide
Keep CO2 at the lower end (approx. 350-600 ppm). The less carbon available to the plant, the less sugar will be produced.
Pruning
Increase pruning and remove flowers during the early stages to inhibit development. Remember, if 70% of the leaf is covered by others, remove it. Be ruthless, particularly around the bottom of the plant. Remove anything damaged; YELLOW LEAVES ARE A DISEASE PARADISE!
How do you know if you have left your Reverting back to the vegetative state is easily done, Reverting back to the plant too long in the vegetative phase? however, remember that patience is a virtue! Simvegetative state is Well, there are a number of different charply follow all of the tips in Table 1. that encourage acteristics to look for. A sure sign is when vegetative growth. After about two weeks of notheasily done, however, you end up having a colossal monster ing happening, you will start to see some changes. remember that on your hands with too many leaves and Deformed signal leaves start appearing, albeit very patience is a virtue! stems. Once a plant’s leaves start to touch curled. After a couple of more weeks, normal vegthe neighbouring plant, it is time to put it etative growth will likely resume. into flower. Other signs include long leaves that are light green and soft, along with a mass of long, stretchedThe fact your plant already has an established root network means it will out, thin stems. The fibrous material is great if you are making rope be primed to go into flower and absorb all the nutrients and water you or cloth, however, if it is fruit and flowers that are of interest, the throw at it. At this point, you can either keep it as a mother plant or take minimal amount of stems, the better! more cuttings to save the lineage and then put it into flower. Sometimes, the yield from the second crop can be bigger than the original, however, it There are reasons for keeping a plant in the vegetative stage, such does take time! It would also be advisable to use a root cleaning product as wanting a mother plant to take cuttings from. Due to the higher with enzymes to help break down any dead root material and free up the levels of auxins, such as Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cuttings can be insoluble nutrients in the media. taken from the middle growth section of these plants. Root formation will occur within days if placed in some media and a propagator. Happy steering! Quite often, the mother plant will be starved before taking cuttings in order to stress the plant and increase the auxin levels. No ‘plant BIO Dr Callie Seaman is a plant obsessed Formulation Chemist at cruelty’ hate mail, please! AquaLabs – the company behind SHOGUN Fertilisers and the Silver Bullet plant health range. She has been in the hydro industry for 15 years So, what happens when you have grown the boss of all plants but in research development and manufacturing and had previously worked your cuttings have all died? Do you cry? Call your Dad? Read the on the VitaLink range. She has a PhD in fertiliser chemistry and a BSc dodgy forum that once told you to harvest your own poo and feed (HONS) in Biomedical sciences and loves nothing more than applying this knowledge to pushing the boundaries of nutrient performance. it to your plants? Definitely not. What you do is regrow!
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BY STONEY TARK
Mainlining Explained
GROWING WITH
SYMMETRY
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GROWING WITH SYMMETRY
Base the number of tops you want on your available growing space
W
hether you grow your plants indoors or out, there are many ways to help your plants adapt to different environments. Mainlining, or manifolding, is a way of training your fruit-bearing plants to grow symmetrically within plant pathways. The benefits of mainlining are that the plants will produce an
even canopy of dense fruits while never growing beyond a certain height. This method of plant training usually results in top-heavy production.
If you have never heard of mainlining or manifolding before, yet are familiar with topping, pruning, and tying down, then this topic will likely make sense to you. In a nutshell, the science behind pruning is that any remaining growth becomes the pathway to receiving nutrients, hormones, and auxins.
A plant left to grow with a primary top shoot and small side branches, in comparison to a mainlined plant, will be totally different. Untrained plants will produce the growth hormone auxin that is responsible for apical dominance. By utilising the topping technique, the auxin hormone is cut short, resulting in an evenly distributed energy channel. To perform mainlining in your garden, you will need a pair of sterile scissors, plant ties, and a support for the canopy such as a tomato cage, canopy ring, or bamboo canes placed on the outer parts of your planting area. The plant you are working with needs to be quite mature, already on the fifth or sixth internode. So, when the plant has six sets of leaves, then you are ready to perform the first stage of mainlining. Using your sterile scissors, count the third node up from the bottom and cut away from this point. You’re probably reading this and thinking, “hang on a moment...cut half of the plant off?“ Yes. The reason you do this is to make the two tips growing on either side of the freshly cut stem the top priority from now on.
From this stage, you are now going to create a “T” shape by tying down the two remaining shoots and ensuring they face downwards. This is how you create a symmetrical channel for your plant to grow back in.
Base the number of tops you want on your available growing space. To produce eight colas, you will need to top your plants two more times after the first topping. Topping your plants a third time will result in 16 main tops, and a fourth time will result in 32 tops. You can see why it’s so important to not get so carried away. So remember, consider the size of your growing space, your skill level, and the integrity of your equipment. image: grasscity forums
By using a combination of plant training techniques, the end result is a network of pathways that are almost identical in structure, size, length, performance, and integrity. This clever framework will naturally ensure that the upper canopy grows together in a uniform fashion. Once flowered, the plant will grow to a total canopy height of 18-24 inches.
The benefits of mainlining are that the plants will produce an even canopy of dense fruits while never growing beyond a certain height
The plants will respond almost instantly, and the remaining growth on the plant below the two top shoots will need to be pruned and completely cleared. The end result will be a bare main stem that has nothing growing from it apart from the top node, and the two shoots, minus fan leaves.
When your plants are finally close to flowering, you can support them by inserting a tomato cage, canopy ring, or bamboo canes, and firmly attaching your wooden branches to them. Doing this will help support the weight of the fruit, while also improving structure. Mainlining is an excellent way to make the most of your plants and the vegging window, while also growing controllable canopies that always produce top quantity and quality. 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 cannabis-based. Living in Amsterdam and the resident writer for Soft Secrets, as well as Hightimes and Garden Culture Magazine.
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BY PETER BAAS, PHD, COLIN BELL, PHD, KARUNA CHOURAY, PHD
How Do
Microbes Help During
Vegetative Growth?
S
oil microbes are AMAZING in many ways… and if you ask cultivators why soil microbes are AMAZING, they’ll say
it’s because microbes HELP PLANTS GROW!
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MICROBES IN VEGETATIVE GROWTH
plants rely on the symbiotic relationships with soil microbes to boost early plant development
Over the past decade, scientists have significantly advanced beneficial microbial technologies for use in agriculture. These innovative biological solutions have proven to successfully help cultivators increase health, quality and yield. In this article, we will specifically discuss how soil microbes interact to enhance plant vegetative growth. In nature, early stage vegetative growth is critical for plant survival. This is mostly because the quicker growing plants are able to out-compete neighbouring plants for light (i.e. energy used to grow). In agriculture, vegetative growth is most important because a well-developed and healthy plant structure is able to support maximum flower development and yield potential.
Rhizobium root nodules
2.
Growth cycles can be broadly categorised into three stages: • • •
Early Rooting Vegetative Flowering
In early vegetative growth stages, plants are mainly focused on allocating nitrogen resources toward roots and stems as quickly as possible. Nitrogen is very important for earlystage plant vegetative growth because there are many cellular components that require large quantities of nitrogen. Importantly, soil microbes can be synergistically recruited by newly-formed roots, where they mobilise essential nutrients for plant uptake. Soil microbes interacting in the rhizosphere can influence vegetative growth in three primary ways: 1. Many bacterial groups help break down compounds into plant available nitrogen (ammonium) through a process called N mineralisation. Other bacterial groups facilitate a process called nitrification, which converts ammonium into nitrate. This can be useful in
image: http://bioscriptionblog.com
Applying the natural power of soil microbes in cultivation can maximise early stage vegetative grow th
3.
agriculture to minimise a toxic buildup of ammonium in the soil and substrate. Other bacterial groups (including Rhizobia, Azospirillum and Azotobacter) can extract nitrogen out of thin air (i.e. nitrogen fixation) and deliver to plant roots. However, N fixation is a very energy-intensive biological process and can only occur in the absence of oxygen. Thus, N fixation is not prevalent in aerated environments (most growing environments) or in the presence of other more readily available nitrogen sources. Beneficial soil microbes can produce enzymes which naturally reduce toxic shock to plants in stressful conditions. Other microbial groups can enhance early root and shoot development by producing plant-growth signalling molecules. Although plants naturally produce these important signalling molecules themselves, they often cannot allocate enough energy to produce ample quantities of these molecules during vegetative growth stages. Therefore, plants rely on the symbiotic relationships with soil microbes to boost early plant development. Lastly, some soil bacteria produce organic compounds (VOC’s) which act as deterrents against pathogen attack and provide immunity to the young plants.
Applying the natural power of soil microbes in cultivation can maximise early stage vegetative growth. Most plants need microbes to help naturally maximise nutrient bioavailability which significantly regulates plant quality and yield metrics. Specialised soil microbes can enhance plant N uptake – allowing plants to quickly establish robust root and shoot systems. Likewise, different soil microbial assemblages can be progressively used to optimize plant success across all the different plant growth stages. Next generation microbial technologies represent effective and sustainable solutions that cultivators can use to achieve desired crop quality and yield. 3
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HELLIQ,N DE 600-7.50W HPS At 600W setting PPFD = 1200 -1225 umol At 750W setting PPFD = 1500 -1550 umol
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No hot spots or cold corners, just beautiful, even and prolific growth.
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Autumn is a great time to aerate your gardens, improving moisture and nutrient flow. The Spear & Jackson traditional digging fork is the perfect tool to help you do that without disturbing the precious soil microbiology. Use it to loosen, lift, and turn materials in a way that is safe for you and your garden beds. The wooden shaft is one piece, split to form a comfor table wishbone handle. The fork also comes with a weatherproofed finish, meaning it is good to use in all kinds of weather. If you’re a fan of no-till gardening, it’s also a fantastic tool for gently adding compost at the beginning and end of each growing season. One tool, so many purposes. Ships throughout the UK: amzn.to/2PjuBY3
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Plan Your Gardens Why risk forgetting everything you’ve learned this summer and in seasons past over the winter? A Gardener’s Five Year Record Book from the RHS could very well end up being your secret to success next growing season. Structured week by week, keep records of germination and blooming dates throughout the spring and summer. As you prepare your gardens for the cold, jot down what worked and what didn’t to guide you when planting next year’s crops. Remaining organised and planning for the future has never been so easy and inexpensive. These beautiful pages contain supplier contact lists, suggestions of plants to buy, garden plotting notes and so much more! Optimise your garden while saving space in your brain for more impor tant information. Order from Amazon: amzn.to/2KXYkTf
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Collecting ‘brown’ material to compost for your garden beds is never as easy as it is in autumn. There’s so much of it readily available in your own backyard! The Eco King Composter easily turns grass clippings, fallen leaves, and other garden debris (along with kitchen waste) into nutrient-rich compost. Easily constructed without tools, this bin has excellent ventilation, and filling it is easy thanks to two large filling flaps. Once your compost is ready, it’s easily accessible via the removal flap at the bottom of the composter. Its 600 L capacity makes it a great size for families or people with larger gardens. Made from durable, recycled plastic, it’s sure to withstand all the elements and keep the animals out. What comes from the earth should go right back into it. Ships across the UK from Amazon: amzn.to/2MVQ8EC
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You’re not the only one who can be frostbitten on those brutally cold winter days. Protect your trees and shrubs during long periods of stress with WILT-PRUF, a product that can help your plants retain moisture. All you have to do is spray the protective coating onto the foliage and stems; it dries to form a clear film that never interferes with natural plant growth. WILT-PRUF is all-natural and biodegradable, made with the resin of pine trees. It not only protects against cold winter winds, but can also help your gardens through periods of drought, or when the roots are disturbed through transplanting. It works especially well with foliage such as boxwoods, hollies, azaleas, rhododendrons, Christmas trees, and wreaths. Keep your plants hydrated and healthy all year-round! Ships across the UK from Amenity Land Solutions: bit.ly/2waD2wo
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Stay S h arp
With all of the perennial foliage you need to cut back before the cold comes, it’s a good idea to keep your garden tools razor sharp.There’s nothing more frustrating than hacking away with little results.The Gardensharp tool sharpener is designed for any single-edged tool in your shed, including lawnmower blades, pruning shears, hoes, shovels, and so much more. The finger guard protects your hands, and once it gets dirty, the sharpener can be cleaned in the dishwasher without any risk of rust. Make transplanting, pruning, and cutting a breeze by giving new life to your well-used tools. It will make preparing for the winter less labourintensive, but you’ll also be happy you did it come the spring (and the never-ending garden work!) Buy it from Amazon: amzn.to/2Bm7c5A
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BY NICO HILL
That’s right, dearest reader; it’s time for the latest instalment of how to make your own organic growing inputs, cour tesy of Korean Natural Farming practices. Ditch the bot tles, make your own inputs and feel like a complete boss while you’re doing it.
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LACTIC ACID BACTERIA
I
t’s the little things in life that count: something I constantly re-iterate to my loving wife. Like some sort of defensive mantra that is definitely in no way linked to the size of my manhood, the quality of any one particular thing in life is always of much more importance than its quantity. As The Flight of the Conchords say “two minutes in heaven is better than no minutes
in heaven.” Sure, bigger things may initially seem more gratifying to our inherently greedy human brains, but I’d much rather a small amount of something perfect, than a huge load of something satisfactory.
credit: www.biocharireland.com
What I’m trying to convey is just how immaking their way in. Similar to how bouncers “it is crucial that por tant small things are, especially when at a club turn away groups of drunken men you almost pay talking about bacteria. In a similar fashion without any women with them, but probably more at tention to their fungal friends, they play a wide with a higher IQ. to promoting the variety of roles in plant growth and are health of your soil par ticularly crucial when growing in an But wait – there’s more! Not only do they help organic setting. Soil life thrives with a biolog y than you do to out-populate bad bacteria, they also help healthy and diverse biology, so it is cruto break down organic nutrients locked away the actual plants cial that you almost pay more attention to in those pesky organic carbon complexes growing in it” promoting the health of your soil biology within your media. The decomposition than you do the actual plants growing in of organic matter/amendments is greatly it. One par ticular type of beneficial bacteria that you can increased within the media when you apply a LAB serum, easily culture from the natural world is Lactic Acid Bacteria meaning a much greater availability of nutrients for absorption (LAB), which will be the focus of our attention for the next by the plants. For this reason, they are a fantastic addition when few pages. you are making your own compost or compost teas, as they will help to greatly increase the availability of all of that lovely What exactly are LAB’s? organic nutrient. It’s kind of like little knives and forks going Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are a particularly interesting group around and cutting up all the food on the plate ready for the of bacteria that are one of the key components of a full-blown plant to eat. KNF regime. Why are they particularly interesting, I hear you ask? Well, they are one of the few groups of bacteria that are One thing to potentially look out for when you are using LAB capable of functioning in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. culture, particularly with fruiting plants, is that you slow down “Anaerobic bacteria?” I hear you cry, “What the crikey-fuck do with the application rate towards the end of the flowering you want them for? That’s root disease territory isn’t it?” Well, cycle. This is just to ensure that you are not over applying yes, the majority of root diseases are anaerobic pathogens, but LAB’s, as in certain circumstances, over application can actually these bacteria are cut from an entirely different cloth, my friend. cause a response in the plant that will lower the Brix levels in This particular group of bacteria (as the name would suggest) your fruits. This obviously results in a slight loss of sweetness produce lactic acid as a by-product of their digestive process. in the overall flavour of your fruit, something to be avoided if LAB are extremely widespread in nature, found pretty much at all possible. everywhere in the environment, hence why capturing and culturing them is actually quite an easy and fun process. This is also one of the first steps in making your own cheese.
There are a few ways in which making use of LAB can benefit your grow. You don’t even have to go the whole hog on the organic regime front either; you can integrate it quite easily into pretty much any style of growing. One of the first things they do is simply populate space in your media. This might sound a bit boring and of no significance, but by populating free space in your media, they will be preventing harmful pathogens from ever
IMAGE: confessionsfromthesoil.wordpress.com
What do they even bloody do?
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JUST ADD FEROCIOUS. Add to any existing nutrient programmes.
COCO
SOIL
HYDRO
HydroGarden, exclusive UK distributor of Ferocious
LACTIC ACID BACTERIA
“It’s kind of like lit tle knives and forks going around and cut ting up all the food on the plate ready for the plant to eat.”
How exactly do you make it? Essentially, what you are doing here is making curds and whey. Miss Muffet would probably love to get her hands on such freshly-prepared dairy produce.
1. Step 1: Wash your rice in some water. Just like you would if you were normally making rice, but rather than discarding the water, pour it into a container to about two thirds full. 2. Step 2: Cover the container with a breathable lid. Store in a cool, dry, and dark place, moving it as little as possible. 3. Step 3: Wait three to five days. You will know when it is done as the smell of the liquid will become slightly sweet. This means that LAB have cultured correctly in the solution. If you see any weird-looking bacteria growing on the surface during this time, discard and start again. 4. Step 4: Try to collect the middle layer of the solution. There will be a slightly thicker layer at the top of the liquid, which ideally you do not want to collect. Focus on the layer directly underneath this. 5. Step 5: Add 1-part cultured rice wash to 10 parts of your milk. Ideally, do not do this with milk that is either pasteurised (because of the antibiotics) or straight out of the fridge (slows the process down slightly). Once again, store in a cool, dry, and dark place. 6. Step 6: After three to five days (longer when temperatures are cooler), you will see that the solution has totally separated into curds and whey. The curds will be at the top and the yellow whey serum at the bottom. The yellow liquid is the LAB culture. 7. Step 7: Separate the solids from the liquids. This involves a quick straining through an appropriate implement. There will be a little layer of solids at the bottom as well; try to avoid collecting these in your final solution. 8. Step 8: Put LAB liquid into a container and store in a fridge for use. Use at 1 mL per litre once a week until the mid-flower period. If you want to make it for long-term storage, add equal weight brown sugar to the liquid.
Jobs a good’un So, that is basically it. You now are the proud owner of some LAB serum that is perfect for immediate use as a root drench, or just as good to use in a compost tea brew. It also makes a great addition to a compost pile, helping to process the waste into a rich material much faster than it would usually take. Like most KNF inputs, you can use this as a one-off additive, even if you aren’t growing in a typical organic environment. For example, if you are a coco/hydroponic grower, you can inoculate your media at 1 mL per litre to get all the benefits of Lactic Acid Bacteria, without changing anything else about your particular methods. Anyway, just remember the next time you are making some rice, that wastewater from the rinse could be put to much better use than simply pouring down your sink. 3
image credit: by Charmaster
What you will need: • Rice • Water • Container • Milk (preferably unpasteurised) • Strainer • Sugar (for long-term storage – optional)
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
GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
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MORE LIGHT LESS POWER YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YEl
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Water Soluble Organic Nutrients
PPoopp aa
P A P C A W C W yyoouurr iinn s s a r a g r g ‘bones are exactly where these two elements will be coming from, although ideally not human bones’
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WATER SOLUBLE ORGANIC NUTRIENTS
I
f there is any one place where the complaints of organic gardeners differ to that of my wife, it is in relation to the speed of which particular practices occur. Much like my gardening friends, I am inclined to justify the opinion that a quicker release is a much more preferable option to a longer one. The problem is, typical organic nutrients are
bound up in carbon complexes and take much longer to release their special life-giving properties. This is exactly the situation my other half would be much more appreciative of, but unlike a rich source of organic nutrients, my beans are usually blown way before the pods are even picked.
photo: Permaculture Research Institute
For organic farmers, there is actually Anyway, once you have a suitably large a suitable solution to this, unlike the volume of vinegar, you can then proceed make your own myriad of spurious websites that offer a to sourcing your bones. (That is if you instantly available, questionable solution relating to the folly want calcium and phosphorus. If you just of my manhood. A soluble and instantly want calcium, then you can use things like water soluble, available set of nutrients can be provided eggshells or oyster shells, or something organically derived to your plants if you so choose, you else in that vein.) Once you have your nutrients” just need to prime them in the correct vinegar and your bones gathered, you manner a little bit first. This is basically will need a suitably large container for it what we are looking at here; a way to all and something to cover it with. make your own instantly available, water soluble, organically derived nutrients, courtesy, once again, of my bro-chacho from You will need: Korea: Master Cho. • Bones - enough to fill about a tenth or so of your container. • Vinegar - enough to fill the rest of the container after the Sounds good right? bones. “Instantly available organic nutrients?” I hear you cry. “Surely you • Breathable cloth - to cover the container afterwards. must jest, there is no such practice of which I am familiar with”. • Elastic bands - to secure the cloth. This is no jest my friend, just a way to provide a quick fix of • A BBQ, or grill - to burn the bones. nutrient loveliness directly to your plants – as soon as they may • A strainer/gauze - to filter zee final solution. need it. There are many ways to skin a cat, and this is one of the finest techniques in flaying felines (being one of the few ways Step 1: Burn the bones (or eggshells etc) you can achieve water soluble, organically available nutrients, Yes, you read that right, burn the bones. Some might say that the immediately available for plant use). effects of the bones can be enhanced by creating the just right conditions during the flambé. Apparently, combusting under a Which elements are we talking about here? Well, mostly full blood-moon, atop a stone plinth in the middle of a pentagram phosphorus and calcium. The building blocks of plant cell walls, and in the presence of virgins monotonously reciting the Lord’s these are two of the most crucial nutrients that a plant would prayer backwards will dramatically increase the efficacy. I’m still need during pretty much any stage of its growth cycle. “Calcium learning how to recite the Lord’s prayer in reverse to test this, and phosphorus?” you exclaim. “But that’s basically what our but I’m sure it will at least double your yield. human bones are made of”. Well, bones are exactly where these two elements will be coming from, although ideally not human In all seriousness, they do need charring to the correct degree. bones. Break them down into smaller chunks and chuck them onto a BBQ until they have turned a nice black, coal-esque colour. Let’s start at the very beginning Ensure they are not undercooked – a brown hue of the bone Apparently, it is a very good place to start. Unfortunately, this will remain if so. At the same time, don’t over-do it, it will turn to is actually a slightly misleading sub-heading, because this is not an ash grey/white on the surface of the chunks and you’ll have to really the beginning. In order to start right at the very beginning, start over. With eggshells, crush them and cook them in a pan you will need to make some vinegar. If you can’t be arsed to wait until browned (not blackened). three months for your vinegar to properly turn, then you can simply purchase some. Organic distilled is usually best; something locally-sourced, ideally, to be more in keeping with the whole ‘save the planet’ theme. If you can be arsed to make your own vinegar – simply double (or so) the volume of the waste from when you make some FPJ with water, and let it sit in a cool, dark place for a minimum of three months (less with an added mother).
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photo: Permaculture Research Institute
WATER SOLUBLE ORGANIC NUTRIENTS
Step 2: Fill your container This is a pretty self-explanatory step of the process. You need to fill your container with the bones you just burnt (or the shells you just toasted) to approximately one-tenth of the total volume. Then, you simply grab your vinegar and fill the other nine-tenths accordingly. Watch it as it starts bubbling in a totally cool and awesome way.
Step 3: Leave it alone
photo: Permaculture Research Institute
Cover with a breathable lid and leave for at least five days, more like ten sometimes. Leaving this longer than necessary will not degrade the final product. Once the bubbling stops, it is pretty much done.
Break them down into smaller chunks and chuck them onto a BBQ
Step 4: Strain it out Grab yourself a fine mesh and pour the solution through, removing any of the bits and pieces.
Step 5: Put into storage You can keep this solution in an air-tight container, unlike most other KNF inputs, so it makes for a much easier liquid to store.
Step 6: Use it Normally, administer it at a rate of 1:1000. That’s 1ml per litre for those who can’t be bothered to figure it out. Maybe more if you see your plants lapping it up. It can be used as a root drench or as a foliar spray. Adding a teaspoon per litre of Epsom salts to the solution will add a touch of magnesium as well. Essentially, you’d be making your own organic calmag, which, as we all know, is the answer to every plant problem ever.
Et, voila mon petite fleur That’s it! You are now the proud owner of some awesome, organically derived nutrients, ready to rock and roll. Also, you just burnt some bones and basically performed alchemy; pretty cool if you think about it. Anyway, make sure you have your camera ready when you pour the vinegar in (especially with the eggshells) because it makes for a super cool video to impress all your chumleys on the social media thing with. 3
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WHAT’S GROWING ON
Who’s Growing
t a h W Wh
ere
1.
in the UK
Perthshire, Scotland
A Cup of Nature
Credit: Windy Hollow Farm
The Scottish are no strangers to tea, but a temperamental climate means it isn’t something that is typically grown in the Highlands. But Windy Hollow Farm is breaking the mould with its very own hand-rolled black tea, appropriately named ‘Black Gold’. Not your typical breakfast tea, its loose leaves are described as ideal for moments of self-indulgence, and also as very refined, with a delicate, malty character. In fact, it recently was awarded the highest honour - 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards. Growing the tea plants is a slow process; they are never fed any fertilisers at Windy Hollow, nourished only with natural Perthshire soil and spring water. The farm is also completely off-grid, meaning any technology used is powered by renewable energy sources. Windy Hollow grows all of its products from seed, and will be awarded its full organic accreditation this fall, making it the first organic tea farm in the UK. There’s nothing more soothing than a hot cup of tea, especially when you know it’s locally and organicallygrown… Learn more: windyholloworganics.co.uk/
2.
Bristol, South West England
Built on the theory that growing food is good for the soul, the Severn Project helps some of society’s most vulnerable find work again. The organisation opens its doors to recovering addicts and alcoholics, as well as people with mental health issues, empowering them in the role of growers on its urban farm in Whitchurch. It all began in 2010 with nothing but a few books about organic growing. Today, 5.5 acres of formally unused urban land supplies locally-grown produce like herbs, lettuces, edible flowers and fresh vegetables to more than 220 restaurants and caterers throughout the south-west. The employees are encouraged to eventually branch out, starting their own businesses and becoming “satellite growers” for the project. It’s not all about social reintegration; food security, local economies and reducing carbon emissions are all part of the Severn Project’s core set of values. Giving second chances through education, training and employment on the farm… Learn more: thesevernproject.org/
Credit: The Severn Project
Sowing The Seeds Of Hope
GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM
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WHAT’S GROWING ON
Who’s Growing
WhWaht
ere
3.
London, England
in the UK
Growing Wastelands
A Balancing Act
Essex, South East England
Credit: Wilderness Foundation UK
4.
Credit: Nomadic Community Gardens
Land comes at a premium in most cities, but almost any outdoor space can be used for a garden. Nomadic Community Gardens has taken a vacant lot between two railway lines and turned it into a vibrant space where people grow food, create art, and fully experience their community. In order to avoid any risk of contamination with the ground in the former wasteland, raised beds have been built and are scattered throughout the property. They are also ready to be moved to a new location should the land ever be sold to a developer. Street art surrounds the urban oasis, giving the eye much to look at. Visitors can also purchase coffee, street food, and artwork from a variety of small, local vendors on site. The message of this initiative is simple: growing food is a universal language that can be done anywhere, and community gardens are open to everyone, no matter what their age, gender or ethnicity. Reestablishing multicultural, connected communities in the bustling city… Learn more: nomadicgardens.weebly.com/
This is not your typical classroom; 400-acres of wheat fields, woodland and meadows for school-age children to explore and learn about natural habitats and the importance of land conservation. The Chatham Green Project focuses on using land as effectively as possible by balancing the needs of farming, nature and communities. Run by the Wilderness Foundation UK, more than 12,000 trees have been planted to date, and a wildflower meadow has been completely restored. The project also operates an environmental monitoring programme to record the changes to the land over time. More importantly, it offers a place where young children can learn in an engaging way; from following animal tracks through the woods and discussing images captured on night vision cameras, to using flour from the wheat field to make bread on an open fire, the Chatham Green Project is the ultimate educational experience. One big, green, outdoor classroom… Learn more: wildernessfoundation. org.uk/chatham-green-school-project/ 3
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BY TOM FORREST, STEALTH GARDEN SUPPLIES
Stealth Science
W
elcome to Stealth Science! This five-par t series delves into plant science to help you understand why a garden flourishes or flops. Over the next five issues, we will discuss the impor tant topics relating to plant biology and physiology, structure and function, covering roots to shoots and
everything in between!
For this illustration of plant biology, we will predominantly be discussing angiosperms (flowering plants), as these have evolved into the most common crops we consume today.
The Five Classes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Plant Morphology and Anatomy Water Interactions Plant Food and Ionic Relations Photosynthesis and Phloem Plant Hormones: The control of growth and development
Let’s dive into this fascinating topic! Angiosperms have been around for 1,400,000 years – their evolution is better suited for survival than any other organism on the planet. So, what can we learn from their structure and function? Our first topic will be Plant Morphology and Anatomy, as we take a look at the clever design of the organ system within vascular plants and how this relates to the garden and our own human bodies. Like humans, there are key organ functions required for a plant to fully develop and mature. Florae needs these different organs for food production, anchorage, structural support, and reproduction. All of these organs are comprised of four different types of plant tissue (dermal, ground, vascular or meristematic) that are made up of different types of cells. Let’s start from the outside and work our way in. If you think about the skin on your body, the epidermis is the protective layer around the edge. The same applies to plants, as their epidermis is a waxy, waterproof layer of cells to help protect them from the environment. This dermal tissue forms the external defence for leaves, stems, roots and fruits!
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As we look further inside, we have the ground tissue that acts as storage, support, filler-cells and also houses the components for photosynthesis. Ground tissue can be divided into three categories based on the nature of their cell walls; (parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma). Parenchyma are larger cells and have thin walls. They’re usually alive and may be used as unspecialised (filler) cells, metabolic centres or storage. They make up the bulk of your stems. Collenchyma have thicker walls and are grouped in strands; they’re like the ‘ribs’ of the plant body. If you think about eating celery at home, the stringy bit is collenchyma. Sclerenchyma is derived from Greek, meaning ‘hard cells’, and it’s usually dead at maturity. Sclerenchyma is used entirely for support alongside the phloem fibres. Collenchyma Looking further into the plant structure, we have the vascular tissue. This is made from bundles of plant superhighways, the xylem and phloem. Imagine this as the transportation network of a plant. Similar to our vascular system in humans, this tissue helps to move water, nutrients and organic compounds to where they are required. As a silly, simple way of remembering the basic role of each type of vascular tissue, say out loud ‘phloem flows food’. image: Quora
Understanding the science behind the art of horticulture ensures we can cultivate beautiful, healthier, and more sustainable crops.
Photomicrograph of a Helianthus stem Key: A-Epidermis B-Vascular bundle C-Pith D-Cortex
Courtesy: By Jon Houseman - Jon Houseman and Matthew Ford, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/w/ index.php?curid=35811228 Scale=1.4mm.
STEALTH SCIENCE
Plant Morphology and Anatomy 101
The xylem is responsible for the initiation of the ‘transpiration stream’ (we will cover that more in Topic 2: Water Interactions), and it moves water and nutrients in a unidirectional flow (up!). Conversely, the phloem transports organic compounds (such as sugars) in both directions, wherever the plant requires them, generally towards the areas of meristematic plant tissue!
The final type of plant tissue is where plant magic happens! This meristematic plant tissue is the dividing area where new growth occurs at the apical tips of roots and shoots: the tops! The primary meristems are the shoot and root apex (the top and bottom of the plant), whereas secondary meristems allow for secondary growth or girth. These are vascular and cork cambiums and this explains how plants grow thick, woody trunks with many rings.
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STEALTH SCIENCE
Plant Morphology and Anatomy 101 Courtesy: By Jon Houseman - Jon Houseman and Matthew Ford, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35811226
So, now that we kind of understand what plants are made of, how do they grow? The growth simply involves the division, expansion, and differentiation of the cells we just discussed. The cells stretch, expand, and change form into the required type of cell (to make varying organs), depending on the plants’ current physiological needs or environmental influences. This cell division in the stems and roots occurs in the tips of apical meristem, while behind this zone of division, the newly formed cells grow larger (expansion and elongation) as they differentiate into various tissue types (dermal, ground and vascular). These become the different organs such as leaves or flowers. Primary growth describes this development of roots and shoots, but what about the secondary progress as seedlings develop into thick, woody trees?
As the cells increase in number and quantity, the leaf expands in size. Marginal meristem growth occurs on the side of the leaf (but from the base of the leaf in monocots), and progression is suppressed in the region that becomes the petiole. There are different types Photomicrograph of a dicot leaf. of leaf forms (dorsiventral, isobilateral or A-Lower epidermis, B-Lower palisade mesophyll, centric), but most common are bifacial leaves C-Upper epidermis, (dorsiventral). These have a structural difference D-Upper palisade mesophyll, in the upper and lower epidermis relative to the E- Spongy mesophyll, F-Leaf vein. number of stomata and trichomes present. This Scale=0.2mm. accounts for the top receiving the most direct sunlight and exposure to the elements, while the underside of the leaf can provide more structure and exchange gases efficiently into the air. The mesophyll (the layer beneath the epidermis) within a leaf is generally differentiated into palisade or spongy. Interestingly, isobilateral leaves (such as eucalyptus) have symmetrical epidermis and mesophyll tissue, but also have oil glands housed within the centre mesophyll layer, which is what gives us the delicious scents from eucalyptus oil!
Woody Dicot Stem: One Year Sambucus cross-section, 40x magnification During the first year of growth, the epidermis is stretched laterally by the expansion of secondary xylem, phloem and cambium.
Courtesy: Berkshire Community College Bioscience Image Library
This lateral development occurs from activity in two secondary meristems. The Vascular Cambium adds layers of vascular tissue, and the Cock Cambium replaces the epidermis with secondary dermal tissue (bark, cork etc). By repeated divisions of cambial initials, more xylem and phloem are added as the vascular cambium moves further from the centre of the stem. This primary and secondary growth is always occurring simultaneously, but at different locations within the plant. However, the primary growth is restricted to the youngest areas of the plant (tips of the roots and shoots), whereas the secondary growth becomes layered, producing wood. As the stem develops and provides a structurally supportive highway of food and water for the plant, more leaf tissue is required to create additional energy. When a leaf develops, a primordium is first noticeable at the surface of the apical meristem. A primordium is defined as an organ or tissue in its earliest recognisable stage of development.
The internal anatomy of a leaf is usually related to the environmental habitat of the plant and the requirements for endurance. Land plants can be categorised into four morphological groups based on the water availability and the dryness of the air in their surroundings. Hydromorphic plants live in a watery environment and usually have stomata on the upper surface of the leaf (such as water lilies). Conversely, xeromorphic plants live in dry conditions and have evolved thick cuticles with sunken stomata to survive. Epiphytic plants are commonly known as ‘air-plants’ and survive in tropical climates with high humidity and rainfall, living attached to other plants or objects and absorbing nutriment from the atmosphere. The most common plants are mesomorphic, which covers a fairly broad range of different environmental conditions. Their leaf veins (vascular bundles) permeate the ground tissue of the dermal system, giving us a beautiful range of leaf patterns. The anatomy of mesomorphic leaves is designed to function optimally for water uptake and gas exchange in photosynthesis, but we will talk more about that in Topic 4: Photosynthesis and Phloem. Hopefully, this quick article has given you an insight into the structure of plants and their different organ features. The most important feature to understand for all of our flowering or fruiting plants is their accessibility and usage of water. In the next issue, we will look further into this crucial relationship: the transpiration stream and how plants can perform miracles with H2O! 3
BIO Founder of Indicated Technology Pty Ltd, Tom is a certified horticulturalist and paid consultant working in the Australian medical cannabis industry. After finishing studies in production horticulture (hydroponics) and plant biology; Tom has spent the past 6 years working in the protected cropping space. Tom is passionate about sustainable yet economic cultivation methodologies and also teaches cannabis cultivation as part of university and private education programs. Tom is also the Communications Manager for Stealth Garden wholesale supplies. 89
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