Growing With Data AUS 18 by Garden Culture Magazine

AUSTRALIA EDITION · ISSUE 18 · 2020

Making Sense of the Numbers

DATA-DRIVEN CULTIVATION

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FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD

n this edition, we learn how data can be used to improve your grow room. When growing indoors, data becomes even more valuable because you take on the role of

CREDITS SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Albert Mondor, Andrew Abramson, Anne Gibson, Caroline Rivard, Catherine Sherriffs, Cody J Garrett-Tait, Doug Jacobs, Dr Callie Seaman, Everest Fernandez, Peter Louw, Stephen Brookes, and Tom Forrest.

Mother Nature. You are in control, for better or for worse.

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

How do we know if there is a problem in the first place? Sometimes

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

being observant is enough, but most of the time, monitoring can only be done efficiently with measuring equipment. Some elements are easy to follow and adjust, like your nutrients. Mix it up, read your meters, and add pH up or down to be at the desired levels. But when your plants’ needs require more time than you have available, a switch to an automated solution can be worth it, as Everest Fernandez explains in his article, Making The Transition To Nutrient Dosing Machines. The environment can be more challenging. Plants thrive when day and night temperatures and humidity are in the perfect range. Tom Forrest travelled the world meeting some of the best growers. In his article, Precision Before Decision, he explains data-driven cultivation made for the best results. The Plant Steering series continues with Smooth Transitions, a comprehensive article that will surely give you all sorts of new things to think about when it comes to controlling your plants to maximise their potential. Happy growing, Eric 3

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 INC 44 Hyde Rd., Mille-Isles QC, Canada J0R 1A0 GardenCultureMagazine.com ISSN 2562-3583 (PRINT) ISSN 2562-3591 (ONLINE) Garden Culture is published six times a year, both in print and online. @GardenCulture

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D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • WHG • Stealth Garden Supplies • Dome Garden Supplies • HY-GEN

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

I grow organically! All my plants end up being food or medicine, so I am careful about what I put into my gardens.

Author Spotlight

arden Culture Magazine has a stellar line-up of writers who each offer a wealth of information on various topics. In this issue, we were hoping you could get to know Caroline Rivard a little bit better. She’s our go-to exper t on medicinal plants and growing, helping us learn about and appreciate weeds that hold so much value!

What is your favourite plant to grow? I love Pot Marigold, also known as Calendula (Calendula off icinalis). It’s a prolific and colourful flower to add to the garden, and it’s also edible and a par ticularly useful medicinal plant in my herbal remedy chest.

Where in the world would you like to travel to next? Oh, definitely Corsica. I would love to see the beautiful fields of immortelles, Helichrysum italicum, the “golden sunflowers”. This essential medicinal herb has many powerful health benefits and is distilled to make one of the most expensive essential oils in the world.

Do you grow Organic? Why or why not? I grow organically! All my plants end up being food or medicine, so I am careful about what I put into my gardens. As a result, the plants are vibrant and healthy!

What is your favourite animal/insect? I love bees! They have all my appreciation and respect. They balance the ecosystem and pollinate plants to allow the food chain to sustain us. As if that isn’t enough, they give us delicious honey, medicinal propolis, and useful beeswax. 3

What is your favourite food? A rainbow-coloured salad filled with edible flowers, foraged weeds, and vegetables from the garden. A tasty and fantastic way to boost your mood and your immune system!

Caroline Rivard

Are you interested in writing for Garden Culture Magazine? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email introducing yourself with a sample of your work. editor@gardenculturemagazine.com

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GROWING PRODUCTS

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS The Grow Vault 3 in 1 Grow Tent Maximise your yield and grow space with the original three compartments in one grow tent, the Grow Vault.The sky’s the limit when you can have your propagation, vegetation, and flowering area all in one grow tent. Available in 4 sizes: • 900 * 600 * 1350mm • 1200 * 900 * 1800mm • 1500 * 1200 * 2000mm • 2700 * 1200 * 2000mm More info: GlobalGardens.co

Giant Nutrients An Australian owned and operated brand that specialises in premium quality plant fertilisers. Giant Nutrients provide cutting edge hydroponic solutions for commercial and hobby growers. Extensive research and development have enabled them to provide innovative farming solutions that reduce the impact on our environment, and at the same time, increase productivity. Go to GlobalGardens.co for more information.

HORTIVISION T-LED Offering unique new driverless LED solutions for propagation, vegetative, and bloom. The Hortivision T-LED is a sleek slimline bar with a custom spectrum designed for efficiency and low-heat performance. Perfect for summer grows! Rated for 50,000 hours of life, the Hortivision T-LED use just 26W for propagation or 42W in grow and bloom operating at 50/60Hz (240v). Try the new range of T-LED, quality light at an affordable price. Your plants will thank you! Available in select retailers. Visit Stealth-Garden. com for more info.

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GROWING PRODUCTS

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

SolLifters These premium quality ratchet hangers are designed to be userfriendly with their unique pushbutton release. The Sol-Lifter is constructed with rust-resistant steel gears and carabiner, has heat resistant housing, and an 8’ braided polypropylene 1/8” rope. Each pair can support up to 68Kg. Check out GlobalGardens.co to find a retailer near you.

Phresh Intake Filters Laboratory tested by Humboldt Analytics, Phresh Intake Filters removes 99.7% of air pollution including mould spores, organic and chemical compounds of any description. Phresh Intake Filters will filter down to 2 microns and keep your inlet air as pure as possible for a minimum of six months. Stop mould before it even enters your room with Phresh Intake Filters. The proprietary Activated Carbon Felt will only slow up your fan by a maximum of 18%, making Phresh Intake Filters the best choice for intake filtration for all grow spaces, including tissue culture labs. Check out WHG.net.au to learn more.

Dual Fuel Starter Kit The new Dual Fuel Starter Kit from Green Planet Nutrients is the easiest way to try the most successful medicinal nutrient program in the world.The Dual Fuel Starter Kit offers a free 1 L set of Dual Fuel, making a total 1000 litres of world-class nutrient formula. Take advantage of this neatly packaged starter kit and grow like the pros. The kit includes 2 x 1 L sets of Dual Fuel (1 set free), 1 L x Massive Bloom formula, 1 L x Rezin and 1 x A5 Green Planet Info Guide. There is also a feed chart printed on the box. It’s as easy as 1,2,3,4. Find it at a store near you: WHG.net.au

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BY ANDREW ABRAMSON

Self-

Sustainability In The Wake Of A Pandemic 16

SELF-SUSTAINABILITY

In both the United States and the United Kingdom, seed suppliers couldn’t keep up with a demand unforeseen since the Great Depression

s food vanished from the grocery shelves this spring, the seed market experienced a renaissance. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, seed suppliers couldn’t keep up with a demand unforeseen since the Great Depression.

Pandemic gardens emerged across the globe, and social media influencers hocked home gardening in the age of the coronavirus. But the idea of self-sustainment is much more than a trend. COVID-19 has put many people on alert and shattered the myth that the first world will always be flush with food.

Early on in the pandemic, meats and vegetables were a grocery store scarcity. You had to line up predawn to have a shot at purchasing necessities. Hoarding was part of the problem, and supply levels only started to replenish as people realised that the coronavirus wasn’t going away soon, but also wasn’t a doomsday virus.

COVID-19 has put many people on alert and shattered the myth that the first world will always be flush with food

Yet, what if the next virus is even deadlier than COVID-19? The novel coronavirus is easily the worst pandemic the western world has experienced in 100 years. Late this summer, the worldwide death toll was approaching one million. In the United States alone, more than 170,000 people were dead by August. The food supply was still threatened, especially in poorer communities.

that hold us together. Developed nations and the developing world must value their farmers, healers and teachers. This virus has shaken the very foundations of our societies. How we build on those foundations is up to all of us.”

While grocery stores in the U.S. have been largely replenished, laidoff people are struggling to pay for food. Six million Americans have registered for food benefits since March, according to CARE. In Britain, one in four adults were struggling to gain access to nutritious food. In the Developing World, it’s much worse. People facing food shortages has tripled in Latin America. In Southern Africa, as much as 90% are dealing with a lack of food.

Imagine what would happen to the food supply in an even deadlier pandemic. In the decade-old movie Contagion, 25% of those infected with a contagious virus ultimately die. Compare that to the mortality rate of COVID-19. Globally, the death rate from COVID-19 is approximately 3.5%. In Contagion, grocery stores are rioted, and people are left to fend for themselves. It’s not quite that dire in the real world, but for the first time in our lifetime, we realise that a virus is a much greater threat to civilisation than a nuclear war. And that’s why self-sustainment is suddenly so appealing, both short and long term. It starts with the food supply and pandemic gardens. “After coronavirus, nothing less than a revolution in rural sustainable development can prevent another crisis,” Shanu Hinduja, Co-Chair of the United Nations Global Accelerator, recently told the World Economic Forum. ‘Like our ancestors, we must learn to heed the call of the land, the rhythm of the seasons, the social bonds GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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SELF-SUSTAINABILITY

In the U.S., it’s led to a massive spike in home gardening. “It’s been ‘all hands on deck’ here just to get the orders out,” Tom Johns, co-owner of Territorial Seed Company, the Northwest’s largest mail-order seed firm, told the Seattle Times.

And that’s why self-sustainment is suddenly so appealing, both short and long term. It starts with the food supply and pandemic gardens

Johns said he saw increases in seed demand in previous recessions and leading up to Y2K, but it paled in comparison to what he’s seen with COVID-19. At one point, he had to shut down all new orders. “This one is the most extreme for us in a lot of ways,” Johns said. “It’s more real and scarier to people.”

However, the coronavirus pandemic has people thinking again about moving away from the crowd – perhaps to even more remote areas than the suburbs. COVID has forced many to work from home, and some businesses might make the shift permanent to lower costs.

Michael Reynolds, a New Mexicobased architect, has spent 40 years planning for this scenario. His “Earthship Biotecture” homes, recently featured in Fast Company Magazine, are made from adobe, cement, and recycled items such as glass bottles and beer cans. The homes generate their own solar electricity, process sewage, collect rainwater, and feature mini-hydroponic planters and greenhouses.

An increase in urban farming has also led to chicken feed shortages as people look to farm their own eggs. The City of San Diego launched a new urban farming website in June, laying out regulations for raising chickens, bees, and goats in residential neighbourhoods. “Just because we live in a big city doesn’t mean we cannot become small-scale farmers,” Erik Caldwell, San Diego’s deputy COO, said months after the coronavirus changed the way Americans think and live. And this change in mindset is about more than just what people eat. Following the suburban revolution of the mid and late 20th century, there had been a shift back to big city living. Shorter commutes and a walkable lifestyle appealed to a generation born in the ‘burbs.

Territorial Seed Company Owners, Tom & Julie Johns

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SELF-SUSTAINABILITY

there’s no question some positives have emerged in a time of turmoil

“(People in Earthships) don’t have to pay for heating and cooling,” Reynolds told Fast Company. “They don’t have to pay electric bills. They don’t have to pay for garbage pickup, a sewage bill, a water bill, and they are growing a lot of food. It has reinforced that if we’re observing this in a pandemic, then the future problems that we’re going to have on this planet (can be partially addressed with Earthships).” Earthships aren’t cheap – they run between $180 and $250 a square foot. A two-bed, one-bath model can cost $300,000. But monthly costs are significantly reduced without electric bills and major grocery expenses.

Michael Reynolds

It’s too early to know if COVID-19 will change most people’s long term view on self-sustainment. But there’s no question some positives have emerged in a time of turmoil. In Venice, tourists have disappeared, and the canals are clean for the first time in decades. Carbon emissions are down worldwide. And people realise that since you can’t truly prepare for a pandemic, you need to have a Plan B. “Developing skills in farming and a move towards selfsufficiency in domestic food production must be at the centre of every country’s plan for a sustainable recovery,” said Hinduja, the co-chair of the United Nations Global Accelerator. “This will require a reversal of previous trends towards ever greater urbanisation and detachment from our food supply.” 3

Andrew Abramson is a South Florida-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter @AbramsonFL

Earthship Biotecture home

BY DOUG JACOBS

PLANT STEERING

elping your plant cuttings transition into the next stage of growth is critical and will impact the speed of growth, final yield, and quality. It is essential to manage climate, select a suitable substrate, and irrigate properly after transplant and well into the vegetative growth stage.

The environment where cuttings grow will not be the same as after transplant, and so they need to be acclimatised over the course of a few days Climate Conditions Climate conditions have a significant influence on a plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development. The environment where cuttings grow will not be the same as after transplant, and so they need to be acclimatised over the course of a few days. Failure to do so may shock the plants, leading to slower development and quality issues that can carry through the rest of its life cycle. Humidity and temperature must be tweaked. Ideally, lighting intensity should be lower at the time of transplant, especially when switching from LEDs to HPS. When increasing the lighting intensity, do it slowly over a week before reaching the peak intensity for the vegetative grow-out stage. In small indoor rooms, this can be challenging or almost impossible, so consider keeping the cuttings in the veg room on a rack off to the side or under shade cloth. Special consideration should also be given to the water content of the cutting plugs at the time of transplant. The moisture level should be even across the batch of cuttings, in the mid-to-high range of saturation. Avoid moving the plants if the WC is too low; doing so will stress them.

Substrate Size After completing the climate transition, select a growing media type and size. Some growers will go directly from cuttings into a large amount of media, the same volume that they will use to flower the plant. Transplanting into a large amount of growing media, like a 1-gallon (4 litre) container, might simplify the growing process, but can potentially slow initial plant development. Using a smaller volume of growing media, like a 0.125-gallon to 0.25-gallon (0.5 to 1 litre) pot or block, allows for more frequent irrigation without the risk of overwatering the developing root zone. These little blocks can be easily transplanted onto a Grodan slab and can be placed on top of the pot of coco or soil.

Initial Saturation of the new Substrate The initial saturation of the growing media sets the stage for the root development of the plant. When hand watering, the flow rate needs to be adjusted based on the substrate being used. For Rockwool, repeated slow and steady applications ensure proper saturation. Depending on the block size, it may take up to six applications to thoroughly saturate the blocks. Applying too much water too fast can create air pockets in the blocks, leading to dry spots.

Flooding a table or using a large reservoir to soak the growing media is an effective way to saturate the blocks. If saturating multiple batches, dilute the solution and adjust the EC and pH when refreshing the tank between each one. When using hydroponic growing media, it is recommended to add nutrients from the beginning. Ideally, saturate with a nutrient solution between 1.5 to 2.0 EC, with a pH of 5.5. When transplanting cuttings into a new volume of growing media, use the same nutrient solution you were using on the cuttings at a slightly lower concentration. This will help the cuttings root into the growing media. The weight of the plugs, trays, blocks, or pots should be checked at initial saturation. Recheck the weight 24 hours later and at regular intervals to determine the best time to apply the first irrigation.

Rooting-In After transplant into a new substrate, the first few dry backs are the building blocks to creating a healthy new root system. The pictured chart shows the dry backs of a tomato transplanted into a Grodan small block. A Gosens sensor measures the amount of water in the block over nine days. The numbers shown are specific to tomatoes; these two large dry backs not only help the roots extend into the new growing media, but they also steer the plants toward generative growth. In this case, it is best only to go this dry using larger blocks (4â&#x20AC;?+ high). Applying small irrigations frequently during the rootingin and through the veg phase will help keep the plant active, especially when using a larger block. Using an irrigation system makes this much less time consuming than with hand watering. If watering by hand, apply a small amount of nutrient solution using a watering wand. Try applying these small irrigations several times per day. Once the plants have rooted through, add water based on the weight of the block or by measurements taken from a water content sensor.

PLANT STEERING

When using hydroponic growing media, it is recommended to add nutrients from the beginning. Ideally, saturate with a nutrient solution between 1.5 to 2.0 EC, with a pH of 5.5 NFT Hydroponics System

reservoir

nutrient return

water nutrients air pump

air stone

timer

nutrient pump

The initial saturation of the growing media sets the stage for the root development of the plant

• • •

The blue line is the rootzone WC The red line is the rootzone EC The green line is the rootzone temp

Irrigation for Vegetative Growth An irrigation system is the only way to get consistent and uniform re-saturation. Flood tables and NFT systems that have shallow trays with a small water stream allow for an automatic irrigation process. They also help maintain uniformity. Flood heights or drip times can be adjusted to apply the right amount of water to steer the plant. Hand-watering is possible during the grow-out phase but can create inconsistencies between the blocks that will carry through flower. When selecting an irrigation system for veg, make sure it has a high level of control. Flood systems should be able to flood to at least halfway up the block. However, they should also be able to apply low floods that will not oversaturate the block, thus allowing for more frequent irrigations to speed up growth. With drip systems, growers should be able to apply small micro pulses that can be as low as 30mL per irrigation.

Each irrigation sends a vegetative signal to the plant. Consider how fast plants grow in aeroponic systems! Since the roots are grown in the air, the dry backs are much faster, allowing for more frequent irrigation that drives growth speed. If the goal is to develop the rootzone, dry backs are essential, especially when rooting into a new substrate volume. If the roots are leaving the block, it is most likely caused by too much water. If you want the plants to develop and grow faster, implement a vegetative strategy. Small irrigations, typically 3% or less than the volume of growing media will do the trick. In flood systems, irrigate so water touches the bottom of the block. Ensure dry backs between irrigations (of at least 1 or 2%) and dry backs overnight (about 10% to 15%). The exact specifications depend on the environment, plant variety, size, and the substrate. For growers wanting smaller, more compact plants, a generative steer strategy can applied, which uses larger volumes with less frequency. In ebb/flood systems, flooding higher up the block less frequently is recommended. In drip systems, apply irrigation volumes of at least 6% of the substrate size. The timing of the irrigations will dictate the dry back. To steer toward generative growth, wait longer to apply the first irrigation of the day, and stop irrigating several hours before the lights go off. This should result in smaller, more compact plants with a better root system in the blocks. 25

The optimal Grow is always rooted in Grodan. Realise optimum yields and product quality through: • Ideal substrate air/water holding ratio • Uniform emergence and plant development • Excellent root growth throughout the substrate • Uniform WC and EC distribution • Direct control and refreshment of EC due to inert material • Sterile at manufacture for optimal plant health and vigour • No buffering required before use • Quality manufacture practices under ISO9001, all plugs and blocks WC and EC perform alike for uniform and bumper crops

Grodan Granulate

Grodan Delta

Grodan SBS AO Plugs

Part of the ROCKWOOL Group

PLANT STEERING

To steer toward generative growth, wait longer to apply the first irrigation of the day, and stop irrigating several hours before the lights go off

The chart below shows how to apply a vegetative and generative irrigation strategy to Grodan small blocks (4 x 4x 2.5.). While the maximum wet weight (peak WC) stays the same, the dry weight is almost 100 grams less for the generative steering. The rest time between irrigations is used to steer the plants. The ECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of the applied irrigation solutions are also adjusted to steer growth. High EC creates a generative steer, and lower EC a more vegetative one. Climate is also used in conjunction with irrigation as a tool to steer the crop.

Irrigation Steering Strategy

Happy plant steering! 3

Plant Spacing And Structure Finally, the spacing and structure of the plants have a profound effect on uniform development. Keeping the plants too close throughout the veg growth cycle will inhibit side shoot development and create tall, weak, and lanky branches. Plants must be spaced as soon as the leaves touch to prevent conditions for disease. Giving the plants more space allows the side shoots to receive more light and develop more vigorously. Plants structured with different numbers of leaves and branches will uptake water at different rates. Excessive leaf removal and early pinching can create water uptake inconsistencies.

Bio

Doug Jacobs is a Technical Advisor with Grodan. He provides expert consulting on proven Precision Growing methods to optimise crop production with Grodan Rockwool growing media and proper irrigation, producing the best quality plants using the least amount of inputs. He has experience with indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse hydroponics, vertical farms, aquaculture, and CEA system design, helping to design farms across North America. Doug showcases his passion and expertise as a feature writer in various national industry publications and as a conference speaker at US events.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALBERT MONDOR, HORTICULTURIST AND BIOLOGIST

Feeding The World With Insects

C ons umed by a round t w o bil l ion p eop l e, insec t s a re seen by m a n y a s a n en v ironmen ta l ly-f riendly a lt er n at i v e t o red me at c ons ump t ion 28

EDIBLE INSECTS

hen it comes to the food we eat, more and more people have environmental concerns, including a desire for fairer

treatment of animals.

For example, it is estimated that about one-third of North Americans avoid eating meat at least one day a week. Also, a survey carried out a few years ago reports that 56% of French people say they eat less meat than in previous years. Only 3% have increased their consumption.

credit: Albert Mondor

Mealworms larvae

Producing one kilogram of beef requires 30 to 40 kilograms of grain and fodder. On the other hand, raising one kilogram of insec t s involves the inp u t o f o n ly 1 t o 5 k i l o g r a m s of plants. In France, for example, a company raised a record 110 million euros to finance the world’s largest insect production plant in Poulainville, Hauts-de-France. Entomofarm is a large Canadian company that raises crickets with the support of some big players in the food industry, including Maple Leaf and Loblaws, which markets the products. The province of Quebec is home to nearly 40 companies that raise edible insects. An association of insect breeders and processors has also recently emerged there.

Ecological Breeding Mealworms adults

Rose flowers are edible

Mealworms are among the easiest edible insects to raise.

Insect production is particularly eco-friendly when compared to typical cattle farming. Producing one kilogram of beef requires 30 to 40 kilograms of grain and fodder. On the other hand, raising one kilogram of insects involves the input of only 1 to 5 kilograms of plants. At TriCycle in Montreal, QC, 94% of plant substances used to feed the insects come within a 5 km radius of the farm. Brewery dregs, bakery residues, and fruit pulp from juices make up the bulk of the food for the insects raised on this farm.

Consumed by around two billion people, insects are seen by many as an environmentally-friendly alternative to red meat consumption. Prevalent in the traditional cultures of many populations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, entomophagy - a term referring to eating insects - is starting to generate interest in Europe and North America.

Young entrepreneurs who engage in insect breeding are filled with enthusiasm and ideas to increase the production and consumption of these new sources of protein.

Louise Héneault-Éthier and Didier Marquis, founders of the Montreal-based insect breeding farm TriCycle.

credit: Albert Mondor

It is in this spirit that insect farming is emerging in many places across these continents. The primary insects being raised by these start-up companies are black soldier flies, Buffalo worms, crickets, locusts, and mealworms.

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Gavita Master controller

Gavita Master controller ELF Get enhanced control of your grow room with the second generation Gavita Master controllers. The Gavita Master ELF is the latest addition to our controller line-up. You get everything the upgraded second generation Master controller offers, plus fan control. With the integrated fan controller, it can directly control your lights and fans for a stable temperature in your grow room. • Switch, dim, and boost your fixtures from a central unit • Independent cycle programming (EL2 only) • Separate sunrise and sunset settings • Direct control of EC fans (AC fan control with optional EFM1 module • Balance your intake and outtake fans with the Gavita Fan balancer (FB1)

EDIBLE INSECTS

A t y p ica l sm a l l fa rm c ov ering a b ou t 50 s qua re me t re s p roduce s 50 mil l ion insec t s e v ery y e a r! Food Galore A typical small farm covering about 50 square metres produces 50 million insects every year! The insects are generally raised in plastic containers arranged on shelves. Insects are fed and moved regularly according to their stage of development. The two most popular products offered by these companies are whole insects and insect powder. The powder can be incorporated into protein bars, burgers, bread, and pasta. And recent years have seen the development of many insect-based recipes for things like tapenade, shepherd’s pie, and dumplings!

Main advantages of rearing edible insects: • • • •

The breeding of insects can be done with organic waste. Raising insects uses less water and produces fewer greenhouse gases than livestock. Insects reproduce quickly and can be raised in small areas. Insects are a healthy and nutritious food resource, rich in fats, proteins, vitamins, fibres, and minerals.

T he t w o mo s t p op ul a r p roduc t s of f ered by t he se c ompa nie s a r e w hol e insec t s a nd insec t p o w der . T he p ow der c a n be inc orp or at ed in t o p ro t ein b a r s, burger s, bre a d, a nd pa s ta Fertiliser In addition to producing an impressive amount of insects, a farm also generates frass, a substance composed of manure and insect moults. Insects go through various stages of growth that involve a change in their outer skeleton. These exoskeletons (or moults) are mixed with manure.

Powder and dried mealworms

Frass is a low-odour fertiliser that looks like light brown flour. It contains about 3% nitrogen, 4% phosphorus, and 2% potassium. This fertiliser also contains a significant amount of chitin, a substance that stimulates microbial life in the soil and improves the rooting, growth, and development of plants. Some scientific studies also show that chitin improves the resistance of plants to diseases and drought. 3

has practised his craft for over 30 years and created numerous gardens in North America. In addition to teaching courses and lecturing at conferences across Canada, his weekly gardening column has appeared in the Journal de Montréal and the Journal de Québec since 1999. In April 2018, Albert Mondor published Le nouveau potager, his tenth horticultural book. He is a regular guest and contributor to radio and television programmes and his hosting The Trendy Gardener spots broadcasted on Météo Média and online. You can also read his blog called Extreme Horticulture at albertmondor.com. Follow Albert on Facebook: fb.com/albert.mondor

Credit: Freight Farms

BIO Passionate about environmental horticulture, urban agriculture and extreme landscape design, Albert Mondor

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Mix It Right BY CODY J GARRETT - TAIT

Keep It In Proportion

HOMEMADE SOILS

he rising popularity of organic gardening and a desire to naturally achieve big, bountiful, quality crops have many people looking to make homemade soils for use in their gardens. The best results require some forethought. What will the mix be made of and how can you formulate

it for the specific plants being grown? Plants have various requirements; a mix for cacti and succulents would be much different from the soil used for annual, fast-growing herbaceous plants. For the crops most indoor growers are interested in, a basic soil recipe requires a base, some aeration, compost, and nutrition.

The Base Ingredients used for base materials include peat moss, coconut coir, and partially composted pine bark. There are pros and cons to each; make a decision based on availability, ingredient efficacy, and the environmental sources and impacts of each option. The base makes up about one-third of a typical mix, so selecting the right balance is essential. Incorporating a blend of ingredients proves superior to choosing just one.

For the crops most indoor growers are interested in, a basic soil recipe requires a base, some aeration, compost, and nutrition

Aeration Many ingredients help with aeration. A suitable drainage portion is critical; a mix that won’t drain is a mix that won’t grow! Common drainage materials include perlite, rice hulls, volcanic rocks such as pumice and Scoria, expanded clay, and granular diatomite. These all have different capacities when it comes to retaining moisture. They also have various physical weights, shelf lives, and micronutrient profiles. Aeration makes up another onethird of the mix. Before adding this component, consider where your garden will be. If you have an attic grow, for instance, and your soil ends up being super heavy, lugging it up the stairs might be challenging. Also, lightweight materials such as rice hulls and perlite are more likely to float to the top of the soil. A blend of elements of various sizes, shapes, and weights will work better than just one.

Compost The selection of high-quality compost for the third portion of the recipe is often one of the more challenging parts of building soil. It is easy to find a cheap, low-grade product, but go the extra mile to source something that is well broken down. The compost should have an even texture and be made with quality inputs. Better quality soil leads to healthier, more abundant crops. Compost inputs vary widely, and building your own provides you with the most control. Plant waste from the garden, such as lawn clippings, fallen leaves, vegetable waste, and manure from cows, poultry, and sheep create high-quality composts that are quite cost-effective. Worm castings are also worth using, but due to their density and weight, you cannot use a lot.

The best-composted materials are aged for a long time. They have gone through the whole range of temperature zones and have been allowed a long maturation period. The final product should be dark, rich, and smell earthy. You can use a well-made compost to make up one-third of the mix volume, but try to keep the vermicast around the 10% or 15% mark to avoid making the soil too heavy.

A suitable drainage por tion is critical; a mix that won’t drain is a mix that won’t grow!

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Mix It Right

The trick to using any of these ingredients is not to use too much. Each one on its own is potent and high in nutrients

HOMEMADE SOILS

Nutrition While the compost provides a lot of nutrients, additional organic amendments and minerals can further enrich the soil and balance the pH of any peat moss or pine bark in the mix. A vast number of amendments can be put to use when building the soil: Plant-based inputs: • Hemp • Soy • Corn • Coconut • Barley • Neem • Alfalfa

Ultimately, building your soil and per fecting it will take time, but star ting with these propor tions will get you in the right ballpark

Alfalfa meal

Animal waste inputs: • Blood meal • Bone meal • Feather meal • Guanos Sea-based inputs: • Kelp • Crustacean waste • Fish meal • Crushed oyster shells

For instance, a predominantly cocobased mix will not require much pH adjustment, so using a less reactive calcium source, like gypsum, and adding a little magnesium makes the most sense. In contrast, a soil made with peat moss or pine bark often requires limestone or crushed oyster shell (which contain calcium carbonate) to raise the pH to an appropriate level. A quarter of a cup of lime per square metre of soil brings the pH from 5 to 7, so an enormous amount is not necessary.

Ultimately, building your soil and perfecting it will take time, but starting with these proportions will get you in the right ballpark. Over time, you can continue to experiment and improve. These days, a variety of high quality, ready-to-use soils are also available at your local hydro store, so if you are pressed for time or lack the space to make your own, these are well worth considering. Happy Growing! 3 Neem

Feather meal

All of the above pack significant amounts of nutrients and natural growth-promoting compounds capable of boosting plants.

Coco coir

Find Balance The trick to using any of these ingredients is not to use too much. Each one on its own is potent and high in nutrients. If the soil is too rich, it will be too hot to grow in. If you plan on using many different ingredients for diversity, it is essential to reduce the total amount of each amendment to achieve the same total volume of fertiliser. The application rate for each component will vary based on several factors. Always err on the side of caution. It is easier to apply less than to remove it when too much has been added. As a starting point, stick to an application rate of around 1% or 2% of the mix volume. Adding a portion of minerals to complement your amendments is a good idea. These help adjust and buffer the pH of the mix while also providing cation exchanging and a backbone of trace minerals that increase the availability of the organic amendments. Limestone, dolomite, gypsum, potassium, magnesium sulphates, and basalt are among the most commonly utilised minerals. You don’t need an enormous amount of these components; it will vary based on what you are growing.

Guano

Crustacean waste

Hemp

Fish meal Blood meal

BIO Cody is the owner of High Powered Organics and a second-gen-

eration Australian grower with more than a decade of experience in the horticulture industry. Cody works closely with growers locally and abroad, creating organic solutions for high output cropping. He achieves maximum results by combining aspects from permaculture, biodynamic farming, and Korean natural farming techniques. Cody’s main focus is finding natural, and sustainable ways to produce high-quality plants with a minimum of input.

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BY DOUG JACOBS

What is

Organic Hydroponics ?

ORGANIC HYDROPONICS

The USDA states that food crops are organic if they have grown on soil that has not been contaminated with prohibited substances for three years before harvest

he idea of having an organic hydroponic system might seem like an oxymoron, but it is possible to achieve the terroir of soil growing with the sustainability of hydroponics. Before we find out how this works, it is essential to understand the terms organic and hydroponic.

What Is Organic? The legal definition of organic certification varies depending on where you are in the world. As with most things in America, the rules that govern organic certification are less strict than in other developed nations. The USDA states that food crops are organic if they have grown on soil that has not been contaminated with prohibited substances for three years before harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. When a grower uses a manufactured product, it must have third party certification and meet various criteria that ensure human and environmental health. In Europe and Canada, the rules are much more stringent and encompass the entire cultivation process and its impact on the environment. In the EU, you cannot obtain organic certification if growing in pots or containers rather than in a field. More importantly, they do not allow for the organic certification of soilless hydronic systems like the U.S. has. In general, Canada and the EU have eco-conscious rules in place for the use of precious freshwater in commercial agriculture. They also actively prevent the discharge of waste nutrient solutions into natural waterways by using sustainable irrigation practices. Farmers in the U.S. could learn a thing or two in this regard, especially considering the number of dead zones in natural waterways created by the unchecked discharge of nitrogen fertiliser. American farmers are also the largest consumers of freshwater, leading to wells going dry and land subsidence.

However, for the sake of this article, “organic” will be defined as a product that is naturally derived and falls under the USDA certification.

What Is Hydroponics? Hydroponics means “waterworks” and involves growing plants in media other than soil. Plant food is provided through a nutrient solution, whereas in nature, the earth provides all the food for the plant with water acting as a vehicle. Hydroponics involves growing in different substrates that can be used by themselves or in various mixtures for desired performance. These include Rockwool, perlite, coco, peat, and even aeroponics (growing plants in the air). Deepwater culture, where the roots are suspended in an aerated nutrient solution, is also possible, along with nutrient film technique (NFT), where the plant’s roots grow in a thin stream of moving solution. These systems help save water, as they are mostly recirculating systems, and are extremely clean, spared from the pests and diseases associated with growing in soil. Hydroponic systems allow for a great deal of control in nutrient supply for the plants and allow for higher yield and more crops per year due to the faster growth rates.

ORGANIC HYDROPONICS

Organic Hydroponics? In the U.S., there are a few hydroponic growers that are organic certified. They are granted the certification because they use living organic substrates like coconut fibre, peat, and more. The process by which their products are manufactured does not change their functional properties, and no synthetic products are added. Organic hydro growers also use biodynamic nutrient solutions derived from other plants (like compost teas) in addition to refined fish and animal by-products. The challenge with these solutions in hydroponic systems is how to deliver them to plants effectively. The simplest is to hand-water pots of organic substrate (other than soil) with a batch of solution mixed at the time of application. At any size farm, it is more challenging to use organic nutrient solutions in drip irrigation systems, as the nutrients can quickly clog a pressure-compensated drip emitter. Most home and small market growers use an open flow irrigation system to allow the solution to pass through the line easily. Unfortunately, this system doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow for a lot of control, so growers have to use larger volumes of growing media with longer feed times to make up for inconsistencies. Ebb and flow tables are also excellent for using organic nutrients, as there is a reduced risk of equipment failure. Still, more regular observation of the reservoir is required, along with frequent exchanges of nutrient mix to avoid imbalances and potential diseases. In commercial organic farms, grade pumps maintain pressure-compensated drip systems that deliver water evenly to all the plants. They use nutrient solutions that are refined and filtered. Following every nutrient application through the irrigation system, freshwater is flushed through the lines and drippers to prevent clogs and diseases that can impact quality and yield. When attempting to use organic solutions on a recirculating system, watch for a build-up of ammoniacal nitrogen in the tank. Consider using a biological filter that grows beneficial bacteria to maintain the delicate natural balance. Change the nutrient solution every two weeks.

Aquaponics Some certified organic hydroponic growers combine aquaculture (AKA fish farming) to provide nutrients to their plants. In these systems, a fish tank is used with a biological filter that maintains naturally-accruing bacteria to break down the fish waste for the plants. Recirculating systems allow the water to flow from the fish tank through mechanical and biological filters to the plants, and then back into the fish tank. It can be challenging to grow with these systems, as you have to keep the fish alive and at a specific size to create enough food for the plants. Also, striking a balance between the plants and fish is not easy. Adding too many supplements or nutrient additives for the plants might hurt or kill the fish. A better idea is to keep the fish and plant systems separate, pulling the wastewater from the fish tankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biological filters and mixing into the hydroponic nutrient solution. Combining the environmental and health benefits of organic growing techniques with the labour and water savings of hydroponics is a great way to grow more food and flowers with fewer inputs. Happy growing! 3

Organic hydro growers also use biodynamic nutrient solutions derived from other plants (like compost teas) in addition to refined fish and animal by-products

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DATA-DRIVEN CULTIVATION

odern cultivation facilities are using future farming techniques that are driven by data! Novel digital technologies are helping farmer s and home gardener s make smar ter decisions and prevent expensive critical failures. From microclimate sensing to machine

intelligence tools, this ar ticle will explore fresh technology being used in 2020.

The overall goal with data-driven cultivation is to understand the users’ needs and crop requirements. Data should allow for the continuous improvement of production processes alongside the ability to improve yields, optimise the quality of produce, and prevent costly crop losses.

Tech Terms Data, IoT, AI, MEMS – There are a lot of buzzy tech terms that are being thrown around the agricultural sector these days! These are generally foreign to traditional farmers and can be confusing. Like any new industry, there are wild claims from ‘manufacturers’ and many technological snake oil salesmen. It’s worth doing the extra research to know you’re getting what you need!

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Home Gardens Affordable sensors and data devices are now available for the hobby and home gardener. Generally, these instruments are aimed at remote monitoring with some limited control functionality. Sensor technology allows users to monitor their environment (i.e. temperature, humidity, VPD, CO2, and light levels) alongside fertigation information (i.e. water pH, temperature and EC monitoring and dosing), and hardware (i.e. digital ‘smart’ fan controllers, lighting timers). Brands such as Bluelab (NZ) and PulseGrow (USA) are specialising in these fields of data functionality. Their devices are sold in hydroponic stores and used by small to mediumsized commercial facilities. These affordable technologies use data to activate pre-set alarms (i.e. a humidity alarm would warn of an irrigation malfunction, and a lighting alarm will let you know if someone accidentally turns on a light at the incorrect time). Data on demand ensures you can watch your facility and conditions even remotely via a smartphone or the interwebs.

Choose Wisely However, like all electronics – you get what you pay for. Nonreputable brands often use cheaper sensors and inferior probes, and these devices can cause more headaches than solutions! Misleading information can be more dangerous if people are changing parameters unnecessarily or adjusting to risky levels.

As the technology evolves in data for monitoring, this naturally encourages more affordable control systems. Home gardeners can access control systems that can operate several fans, dehumidifiers, A/C, fertigation, and other HVAC components harmoniously. Sounds great right? Lazy, smarter farming! However, it’s not all flawless packets of data whizzing through the air. Technology evolves and scales, as do the cautionary tales!

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ANALYSIS

If you are looking into data-driven solutions for your home garden – choose carefully. There are a lot of risks with new technology If you are looking into data-driven solutions for your home garden – choose carefully. There are a lot of risks with new technology. Hardware becomes outdated, or the actual business stops operating and hosting an app, and servers or functions may become obsolete. The most frustrating risk? Darn paywalls being added after starting to use the app!

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Commercial Gardens As we move into commercial facilities, different novel tech tools are being used for indoor and outdoor gardening. Commercial indoor facilities using controlled environment agriculture (CEA) engage in high-tech monitoring and control systems such as ‘Priva’. These BMS (Building Management System) technologies use hundreds of sensors to precisely operate entire facilities, and multiple grow rooms, or glasshouses.

4 Key Purchasing Questions for Data-Driven Technology

With multimillion-dollar cultivation rooms and glasshouses, these high-tech systems generate gigabytes of data; usually stored on cloud-based servers and internationally supported from the Netherlands or the USA using remote access. These expensive systems offer 24/7 peace of mind with accurate and reliable data. Each system is built to custom specifications for the user.

1. How useful is the data? Are the probes and sensors reliable and trustworthy? 2. How well is the data used? Does the app correctly analyse the data for your purpose? 3. Is the user interface friendly and intuitive? Does the app easily show you what you need to know? 4. How safe is the data retention? Will their servers be secure, reliable and accessible for any future data download requirements and reflective learning?

These commercial systems allow complicated, multi-faceted building and glasshouse HVAC equipment to operate harmoniously. The priority for these systems is generally energy efficiency, alongside preventing critical failures and crop losses. These clever computer control systems are responsible for operating multimillion-dollar facilities almost autonomously; automatically adjusting for climatic extremes and other external factors to keep production maximised.

For the home, hobby or serious gardener or farmer – it pays to ask the following four questions for purchasing datadriven tech:

technology

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Plant Breeding Outdoor Growing When farms scale to outdoor (broadacre) production, the data requirements change significantly. Although farmers still benefit from knowing essential parameters within their crop (i.e. soil moisture levels), the vital data comes from forecasting and macroclimatic data. Using advancing weather sensor technology in combination with AI (artificial intelligence) allows for novel products such as “The Yield” by Microsoft to precisely predict future weather. This lets farmers make smarter decisions with costly inputs such as irrigation and general processes such as the timing of harvest. Large scale farms also use GPS (telematics) to drive tractors, form beds, lay irrigation, and apply chemicals. This removes the potential for human error and allows the farmer to maximise the potential of the farm mathematically. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Drones also take advantage of GPS and camera technologies to allow for real-time information on crop development, growth, ripeness, and plant health monitoring, plant recognition, soil condition and equipment detection. Data generated by these advanced imaging systems and software allows the farmer to deliver a more productive and sustainable approach to agricultural production, based on the precise use of resources. Robotics and automation then enable the farm to function without excessive labour demands, but that’s a topic for another article!

The other exciting revolution in data science for agriculture is developments in the field of plant breeding. DNA/ RNA assay marker-assisted breeding, speed-breeding, and incredibly powerful imaging technology are allowing faster and more prevalent breeding traits in all crop species. Researchers can analyse a tiny part of plant tissue, even from a newly germinated seedling. Once the tissue is analysed, scientists know whether the plant has desirable genes for breeding, rapidly reducing the time needed for selection. A green revolution is being led by technology. Data allows us to better understand our soil, our environment, and our plants. Data-driven decisions allow you to farm better crops and I implore you to take advantage of this information – no more growing blind! If you are operating in an outdated political environment (where certain plants are seen as dangerous), just remember; “Weather data is not admissible in court.” ;) Happy Gardening, Folks! 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.

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BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ, JUST4GROWERS

Manual to Automatic:

Making the Transition to

Nutrient Dosing Machines 48

NUTRIENT DOSING

Everest Fernandez shares his experiences moving from manual nutrient mixing to letting a Bluelab Pro Controller do it all for him!

’m typically a sucker for gadgets and technology—a marketeer’s dream. Despite this, I must concede that I find even the sight of automatic nutrient dosing machines to be somewhat intimidating. All those tangled tubes going in and out of nutrient bottles and reservoirs, the peristaltic pumps, the elaborate displays, worrisome warning alarms, downloadable apps, and the

price of the units themselves. It’s all conspired to keep me in the familiar world of manual dosing for far too long. If you have more than a few grow lights, mixing up batches of hydroponic feed solution by hand, even if using standard storebought A and B stock solutions, takes time. And all that time adds up. You’ve also got to keep your meters calibrated, remember to perform periodic reservoir change-outs, and let’s not forget, observe and take care of your plants! About 18 months ago, I took the plunge with Bluelab’s Pro Controller. Life was so busy that something had to change. And, short of training and keeping a diligent garden-hobbit creature in my basement to mix the nutrients for me, If you have more deferring some tasks to an automatic doser was than a few grow my only option. The Pro Controller is a brain box, lights, mixing and you also need to up batches of invest in pumping units known as “Peripods”. I hydroponic feed chose two M3 Peripods (three pumps). Along solution by hand, with the Pro Controller brain, this will set you even if using back around $2,400— standard storeno small investment!

bought A and B

What Does An Automatic Nutrient Doser Do? There are two main approaches to automating the process of adding stock solution (concentrated mineral nutrients) to water. The first is the inline fertigation (when the nutrient concentrate is added to the irrigation water as it flows to the plants). The second is making up batches of feed solution in large reservoirs (the method I chose). The doser has a “brain box” with conductivity and pH meters dangled into the nutrient reservoir. Set your target TDS and pH, and the doser takes care of the rest. It uses peristaltic pumps to suck nutrient concentrate from each bottle in your regime (e.g. Silicon, Cal/Mag, Grow A, Grow B, etc.) and drip it into your reservoir. A circulating pump does the job of stirring it in. The doser then retests the conductivity, repeating the dosing cycle if required. The pH of your nutrient solution is also periodically checked, and pH adjuster liquid is dosed if needed.

stock solutions,

Inviting an automatic doser into my life wasn’t takes time me trying to permit myself to take my eye off the ball. It was more about freeing up headspace and giving myself a platform of consistency. More accurate, consistent, and repeat-able nutrient management means I can focus on specific variables and tweak them if necessary. My plants seemed to enjoy a boost in productivity as a direct result of my nutrient solution always being in perfect balance.

Short of training and keeping a diligent garden-hobbit creature in my basement to mix the nutrients for me, deferring some tasks to an automatic doser was my only option But still—the move from the “old world” of manual nutrient mixing and maintenance to the “brave new world” of letting an automatic doser do it for me was a big deal. There are some critical ideas and concepts to learn, and others you need to unlearn. So, I’d like to share my experiences and hopefully get you on the fast-track if you’re planning to make the upgrade. Bluelab’s Pro Controller is the “brain” of the system. It controls the Peripod pumps which do the physical work of actually pumping nutrient concentrate from the bottles into the reservoir. You can connect up the three Peripods, so if you use the 4-pump Peripods rather than the 3-pump units, you can dose from up to 12 different bottles. With the M3s, I can dose from up to nine. The system also comes with pH and EC probes which connect to the Pro Controller and are placed in the reservoir. Position your nutrient doser and pumps near your reservoir! Note that you’ll need an electrical outlet for the Pro Controller and another for each Peripod.

The Transition from Manual Mixing to Automatic Dosing Chances are, you’re already saving yourself a bunch of time by using bottles of liquid concentrated hydroponic nutrients rather than mixing up your own with individual salts and a trace element pack. Most of us go for the bottles—although powders are increasing in popularity. To understand the nitty-gritty of the transition to automatic dosing, let’s run through an example—a basic hydroponic nutrient regime. Say I want to make up a nutrient solution to drive early vegetative growth. My target for total dissolved solids is 600 PPM—that’s an EC of 1.2 milisiemens, and my target pH is 6.0. Let’s also assume I’m using a potassium silicate supplement, a calcium/magnesium supplement, as well as a two-part base nutrient and a pH adjuster liquid.

In a manual mixing world, our task list might look something like this: 1. 2.

3. 4.

Fill the reservoir with water—note volume. Let’s say it’s 100 litres or 26 gallons. Add 0.5 mil per litre of silicon supplement. So that’s 50 mils. Shake the bottle, measure, pour and stir in thoroughly. Wash out measuring container. Add my cal-mag at 1 ml per litre. So that’s 100 mils to add. Shake, measure—pour—stir again. Wash. Base nutrients. 2 ml per litre of each of Grow A and Grow B. That’s 200 mils of Grow A. Pour it in and stir then wash. Then the same for Grow B: 200 mls. Pour that in, mix and rewash the measuring container. Check the EC—or the TDS with a conductivity meter. And—if you’re super talented—you’ll hit your target—600 parts per million—or 1.2 milisiemens. But you’ll likely have to fiddle around a bit. You know the drill—if it’s too high— dilute it down. If it’s too low, make up the difference by adding more base nutrients. Check pH. If it’s 6.0, shout for joy! If not, you’ll be adding diluted pH down, drop by drop, stirring all the time, until it reaches 6.0—hoping it doesn’t freakishly drop from 6.1 down to 3.8 on that final drop. It happens… and I’m glad I’m not the only one.

Assuming the nutrient solution temperature is where we need it—typically 66°F to 72°F —we’re good to go. Note how I dutifully added my undiluted potassium silicate first—and then my undiluted cal-mag—and then my base nutrients—and then my diluted pH adjuster. In this manual mixing world, the order in which we add the different components is vital to minimise the risk of precipitation. Adding potassium silicate at the end of the mixing process instead of right at the beginning means much less silicon would be likely to stay in the solution due to potassium silicate’s high alkalinity.

NUTRIENT DOSING

Note how I dutifully adde d my undilute d pot as sium sil ic ate f irst—and the n my undilute d c al-mag—and the n my base nutrient s—and

No More Stirring!

Place a small pump into your reservoir, ideally attached to the side of the tank in the lower half to circulate the nutrient solution and aid mixing. I prefer for my circulation pumps to be on 24/7 so a small pump is preferable, as larger pumps can overheat the nutrient solution if they’re always running. Alternatively, you can connect your pump to a cycle timer, but then you risk the doser starting a dosing cycle when the circulation pump isn’t running.

How do you teach a machine to do all this for you? How do you instruct it to add the various parts in order? The answer is: you don’t. First, I set my target EC to 1.2 milisiemens—that’s 600 PPM— either directly on the Pro Controller brain box itself, or via a laptop computer running Bluelab’s free Connect software. Next, I had to decide on the nutrient dosing “on time”. This refers to how long the doser will pump nutrients during each dosing cycle. This doesn’t take long to dial in, but there is inevitably some tweaking. The critical point is not to dose too much on each dosing cycle. Ideally, you want your EC to go up by no more than 0.1 milisiemens—that’s 50 PPM—each time the nutrient pumps activate—and no more up or down than 0.1 pH each time the pH adjuster pump starts. Any more and you risk overshooting your target. As for PUMP OFF times, try about ten minutes. This should give even a small recirculation pump enough time to mix in each dose homogenously. It’s essential to allow adequate time for proper mixing in between doses so, if in doubt, go long. Find a starting point for the M3s and M4s by taking the number of litres in your reservoir and dividing by 20. So, for my 100L reservoir, that’s 5 seconds. The off-time is how long the doser waits before rechecking the EC and deciding whether another dose is required. Try something between 7 and 10 minutes, more than enough time for my small circulation pump in the reservoir to mix everything up homogenously.

the n my dilute d pH adjuster. Drill a small hole through the cap of each bottle, wide enough to pass through one of these 1/8 inch tubes. Note that opaque, anti-corrosion tubing is supplied with the Peripods for the pH adjuster dosing. If you’re using highly acidic one-part liquid nutrient formulas, use this tubing for the nutrient dosing. (Both types of tubing are supplied as standard with the Peripods.) Each peristaltic pump corresponds to a bottle. The left tube sucks the liquid up out of the bottle, and the right tube carries it to the reservoir. Each pump on the Peripod unit has two tubes—one needs to be fed into each nutrient bottle—the other should be attached to the reservoir. All your nutrients will be dosed simultaneously. Grow A should not be dosed adjacently to Grow B. Secure the dosing tubes so they’re as far from each other as possible. Make sure the tubes aren’t submerged to mitigate any risk of syphoning. Because the amount being dosed during each cycle in so small, you don’t have the same precipitation concerns as you would manually adding 200 ml of each part at a time.

The High Alarm If my nutrient solution goes above 1.6 milisiemens, call Houston, we have a problem—because I set a target of 1.2. If this happens, it goes into lock-out mode, stops dosing, and an alarm shows. I can receive alerts on my smartphone because I have the Bluelab Connect app downloaded. You can set a low alarm too—which can be handy if you have an auto-top up feed for your water and, say, one of your nutrient bottles run out. Similarly, you can also set your Pro Controller to alert you if, say, it’s dosed fifteen times, but nothing has changed—another indicator that something is awry. pH is easy to figure out. Select the target pH—6.0. I selected an on-time of one second and high and low alarms of 6.5 and 5.5 respectively. I’m dosing pH down as I never need to use pH up—especially when there’s potassium silicate in my nutrient mix. The Pro Controller needs to be set, so it knows the pH dosing direction is down. I diluted my pH down 1:5 with RO water. I also set the pH dosing “on time” to five seconds and the off-time for ten minutes—applying the same principle: make off times as long as you can to allow for adequate mixing. 51

@greatwhitemyco

I remember

NUTRIENT DOSING

the fe el ing of joy as my Trickier Ingredients

Pro Controller

How do the potassium silicate and cal-mag supplements work with the Pro Controller? Pre-dilute these solutions 1:1 or 1:2 with reverse osmosis water, in the same manner as the pH adjuster. Be sure to use reverse osmosis, not tap water, to dilute any nutrient solution or pH adjuster down. Be accurate with your measurements. I diluted both my potassium silicate and cal/ mag supplements 1:1 with reverse osmosis water—so they’re at 50% normal strength compared with straight out of the bottle. You will need to double the dosage rate accordingly to compensate.

sprang into l ife and st ar te d it s dosing and pH cycles .

Setting Dosage Rates Using the Bluelab Connect software, I select the pod I want to edit. (I’ve got two daisy-chained to the Pro Controller.) For each pump on each pod, choose whether it’s a nutrient pump, a pH adjuster pump, or not in use. Start with the bottle with the highest dose rate. For me, that’s the Grow A or the Grow B— 2 ml per litre. The other two bottles, the diluted potassium silicate and the CalMag supplements will be dosed at 1 ml per litre and 2 ml per litre respectively. Switch on the reservoir circulation pump and make sure your pH and EC probes are clean and fully submerged. I like them to be close to the bottom of the tank. When switching on the Pro Controller for the first time, manually prime the pumps so that the liquids are sucked through the tubing. Calibrate the pH meter using the calibration fluids provided. It only takes a few minutes, but it’s essential not to skip this step. Change the mode on the Pro Controller from “Monitor” to “Control” — hit Apply — and we are auto dosing! Woohoo! I remember the feeling of joy as my Pro Controller sprang into life and started its dosing and pH cycles.

Don’t Get Lazy! Keep an eye on your pH and conductivity probes. It’s easy to forget about them when you’re not manually testing. Clean the probes every week and calibrate the pH meter regularly. If you don’t, the readings will be less accurate, which invalidates the whole premise for auto-dosing in the first place. Conductivity probes can form deposits of sludge, which can increase the measured conductivity between them, giving you a false high reading. Lift your nutrient bottles and check their weight periodically— make sure they’re not getting too low. The Pro Controller will alert you if it’s trying to dose, but the nutrient solution strength doesn’t appear to be rising—a sure sign that a bottle is empty. If some of the bottles are full and others not, then the system will dose what it can—and this can lead to an imbalance. It doesn’t hurt to give them a shake once in a while—especially those “slurry style” one part nutrients. Many growers use air pumps connected to air-stones to increase dissolved oxygen levels. Fine, but be aware that the nutrient solution pH tends to rise more quickly. Keep an eye on your logs and the pH dosing events. If you’re using a gloopy, viscous one-part nutrient or some exotic additive, calibrate the corresponding pump, so it’s compensated for the increased density of the liquid.

Conclusions When I used this system in conjunction with flood and drain systems and an auto-top-up float valve to top up my reservoir with reverse osmosis water, I made sure my float valve was further down to minimise the risk of overfilling during the flood cycle. Also—when you figure out that it’s time to change out your reservoir, I suggest disabling the auto-top off and let your reservoir run itself down some, so you’ve got less spent nutrient solution. The Pro Controller logs every dosing event—and you can save different nutrient regimens. It’s entirely feasible to create one for each week in the lifecycle. This means you have a permanent record of exactly what you fed your plants. This, along with environmental data, gives you a pretty thorough picture of what you did.

My only regret is not biting the bullet earlier in my growing career. All those hours I could’ve clawed back over the years! It’s time I can’t get back. Moreover, my plants have never looked healthier— and I spend a lot more time just staring at them, and inspecting for pests and doing all sorts of other peripheral grow room tasks, that I feel as if I’ve levelled up as a grower. 3

Bio

Everest Fernandez is a well-respected industry educator, veteran hydroponic grower, and grow light enthusiast based in France. He works primarily as a marketing and cultivation consultant and was the founding editor of Urban Garden Magazine in the UK, US, and Canada. He also writes and researches for the popular hobby horticulturist YouTube channel, Just4Growers. 53

BY PETER LOUW

Number Crunching What To Do With All That Data?

NUMBER CRUNCHING

oday, growers can record pretty much every aspect of their setup, from fertigation schedules and ambient conditions to container size and grow medium (to name just a few). Data loggers, something

that growers used to shy away from, are no longer just for commercial setups and are becoming more commonplace in home grows. If you have recently bought or are thinking about getting your first data logger so that you can get a better idea of what is going on in your grow environment, congratulations! You are making one of the most valuable purchases as a grower yet. Or, perhaps you have one or more environmental data loggers already installed and would like to learn even more.

T he ver y f ir s t time you se e what happ ens when you are not ar ound and how much the env ir onment do es change, DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; T PANIC!

Unlike manual data capture, which may happen multiple times a day, loggers can capture data at sub-second intervals. But what to do with all of the data? Any data logger these days wor th purchasing will provide a way of viewing the information being captured. Some offer a simple interface and provide the basics, while others include more advanced features ranging from statistical visualisations to machine learning algorithms for predictive forecasting.

The built-in features available are usually indicative of the price, and the higher-end features are likely to be cloudbased solutions. That being said, just because your data logger does not come with built-in machine learning and cool visualisations, does not mean they are out of reach. All you need is access to the data.

Data loggers, something that growers used to shy away from, are no longer just for commercial setups and are becoming more commonplace in home grows

PRO TIP: Make sure the data logger you purchase offers a way to download to your phone/laptop/pc, ideally in a .CSV file format. Having all the data and no way of making sense of or accessing it makes it near useless. If accessed and used correctly, data grows in value over time.

Once the data is downloaded, what do you do with it? There are a few options: 1. The most accessible option is likely going to be a spreadsheet program, such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. These both allow you to impor t your .CSV file, create char ts and fur ther analyse your data. This option does require you to do a lot of the heavy lifting to get to the insights, but it is more than adequate. Whole commercial operations have been and are run off spreadsheets. 2. Online tools focused on data analysis and visualisation. These are specifically designed for data analysis, providing access to an array of statistical analytics and visualisations which can be used on your data. There are very few free services in this category, but they do provide the fastest way to star t getting more value out of data. (Tableau tableau.com/ / theOracle theOracle.plgrow. systems) 3. Learn a programming language such as Python, and with the plethora of Machine Learning, analytics and visualisation libraries now available to unleash the power of the data.

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NUMBER CRUNCHING

Forecasting and ML (with regards to the environment) predict what is likely to happen so that preventative action can be taken before the event Once you have accessed the data, what can you do with it? This is going to fall into two high-level categories:

Historical data analysis to understand what has been going on. This is the most accessible option.

Statistical Visualisation & Forecasting / Machine Learning (ML)

Alternative/Statistical visualisations: Simple time series char ts are great, but there are numerous kinds available. The 2D histogram below shows the same temperature and humidity data from the time series char t shown before.

Even the most basic of time series char ts can provide valuaWormwood

ble insights into what is happening when you are not around. For example: • See just how much your environment changes when the lights turn on and turn off. • Rather than just seeing the min/max temperature and %RH your environment hit, you can also see how long they were there. • Improved plant health diagnosis.

PRO TIP:

The very first time you see what happens when you are not around and how much the environment does change, DON’T PANIC! Chances are you have been growing fine, so keep doing what you were doing. You can, however, begin fine-tuning the environment to make it more stable. When making changes, tweak only ONE thing at a time and observe it for 24 to 48 hours before doing anything else.

The histogram is not showing the data over time. It instead shows the distribution of the readings. To infer the same information about the environment from the time series char t is much more time-consuming. This type of char t/visualisation is par ticularly useful when trying to get a quick view of the stability of an environment and how rapidly it swings between readings. It also makes it easier to understand a large amount of data. Forecasting and Machine Learning: The use of ML & AI is on the rise! What used to require a PhD has been replaced with tools that put the power of what ML can offer into the grower’s hands. Although the tools have made it a hell of a lot easier, there is still a steep learning curve. There are options, however, that don’t require a high level of commitment, such as the use of alternative char ts and statistical analytics.

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NUMBER GARDEN CRUNCHING WEEDS

Getting into the data side of things is not why most people start growing, and neither should it be, but those who choose to dive into will be richly rewarded

Everything covered so far is about looking at the recorded past data to understand what has been going on and falls very much into the reactive side of things; actions are taken post the event. Forecasting and ML (with regards to the environment) predict what is likely to happen so that preventative action can be taken before the event. Accurate forecasts require not only plenty of past data about the environment (a minimum of ideally one year of data) but also historical local weather data, lighting cycles, fer tigation schedules, pruning etc. The more inputs available, the better. With the right information, it becomes possible to do 7 to 14 day hourly forecasts of temperature and %RH, making it possible to determine how much that heatwave or cold snap is going to impact the grow if everything is left as is. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is wor th a pound of cure.

The char t above shows the results of three months of historical environment and ambient weather data used to produce a 7-day forecast, which is a tiny amount of data to use. The forecast only improves as more and more data is made available over time. In summary, the revolution is here, and what is currently a trickle of data is soon going to be raging torrent. Some will take advantage and treat the data like another gadget in the toolbox, which is precisely what it is. Other growers insist they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the machine telling them what to do, but view it more as a tool presenting you with additional inputs to help with your decision-making process. Getting into the data side of things is not why most people star t growing, and neither should it be, but those who choose to dive into will be richly rewarded. Right now, machine learning and AI is still in its infancy. The where and what it can be used for is still being explored, but make no mistake, the ability to predict potency, terpene profile, final yield and the like are just around the corner. There are already companies providing some of this as a service, but the tools for doing it yourself will one day reach the masses. 3

Peter is a confessed data geek and a founder of P&L Grow Systems, an IoT (Internet of Things) data insights and analytics platform created to make grow environment data accessible, useful and informative. He helps people make better data-driven decisions in the garden by combining his passion for growing with over 20 years of experience in the field of technology and financial market data. Know More, Grow More. Follow the latest developments @plgrowsystems

Bio

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BY DR CALLIE SEAMAN

Exciting Enzymes A Basic Introduction

In a process referred to as the ‘lock and key’ hypothesis, only one specific key can activate the enzyme

EXCITING ENZYMES

nzymes are essential organic molecules found in all living organisms, including plants and humans. Without enzymes, the complex reactions within us would take an eternity to happen. More than 2,000 responses can take place within a cell at once, and environmental factors such as

temperature and pressure dictate the rate at which they happen. Reactions tend to slow with decreased temperature, so something more is needed if anything is going to get done.

What Are Enzymes? Enzymes are highly specific proteins made up of chains of amino acids all folded together, also known as catalysis. These proteins help speed up reactions within cells. They do not take par t in the reactions, but rather, move them along and are often reused over again.

More than 2,000 responses can take place within a cell at once, and environmental factors such as temperature and pressure dictate the rate at which they happen

Enzymes have a unique structure that folds back onto itself to form what is known as a ter tiary structure, a specific shape that creates an active site ready to receive a substrate. In a process referred to as the ‘lock and key’ hypothesis, only one specific key can activate the enzyme. The substrate contains the substances involved in the reaction, which come together to form a product. Within the active site, the energy of the response lowers, therefore, allowing the reaction to take place faster in cooler temperatures. The diagram below demonstrates this schematically.

Enzyme type

In a more complicated reaction, there are substances known as co-factors, which also activate the enzyme once the substrate has entered the active site. If the tertiary structure is rearranged or destroyed by heatoxidising agents such as hydrogen peroxide, the protein will no longer function. This process is known as ‘denaturing’ of the enzyme. Fundamentally, there are six functional classes of enzymes based on the type of reaction they are involved. These can be found in the table below. Function

Ligases

Involved in the ligation process where phosphate ester linkages form between two molecules or two DNA strands.

Oxidoreductases

Increases the rate of oxidation, helping the movement of electrons from one molecule to another.

Transferases

Helps with the moving/transferring of functional groups from one molecule to another.

Isomerases

Involved in the process of changing a molecule from the alpha to the beta form of isomer. It creates a structural shift in the molecule, rather than a breaking down or bonding of molecules.

Lyases

Involved in decarboxylation, dehydration, and the removal of ammonia to create double bonds. They also do the opposite by adding equal carbon dioxide, water, and ammonia into double bonds within the structure.

Hydrolases

Involved in hydrolysis where bonds are cleaved, and water is added to the molecule.

EXCITING ENZYMES

Enzymes can be useful in the garden, particularly when recycling growing media or releasing locked up nutrients

It is easy to spot enzymes on an ingredient list because they almost always end with the suffix “ase” and the beginning of the word usually describes the type of reaction they spark Can You Spot The Enzyme? It is easy to spot enzymes on an ingredient list because they almost always end with the suffix “ase” and the beginning of the word usually describes the type of reaction they spark. For example, protease helps with the break down of proteins. There are always exceptions to the rule, and some enzymes end with the suffix “in”, such as Ficin. Plants contain hundreds of thousands of enzymes and are a source for many raw ingredients used in the manufacturing sector, including dairy products like cheese to drain-cleaning products. Enzymes are used to reduce the haze found in beer and to help break down the wood fibre in paper production. Fungi such as Trichoderma sp and Humicola, algae, and bacteria are often farmed to produce enzymes for commercial purposes. Enzymes can be useful in the garden, par ticularly when recycling growing media or releasing locked up nutrients. The type of enzyme and when it is used will depend on what task you are trying to achieve. If looking to recycle media, use cellulase and pectinase-based products, which help to break down the cell walls of plant tissue. Any remaining roots left in the media can, therefore, be given back to the plant in the next cycle. Phosphates are easily locked up in the media or bind to calcium, making their bioavailability limited. For this type of problem, a phosphatase-based product would be best to help release them.

Below is a list of the most commonly found enzymes in products at your local hydroponic store and a summary of what they do. •

Phenol oxidase – This enzyme is responsible for the browning of fruit by catalysing the oxidation of o-diphenols to produce o-quinones, along with the hydroxylation of monophenols.

•

Phosphatase – Releases phosphate through a process of hydrolysis phosphoric acid monoesters, which are found in most plant material.

•

N-acetyl-Glucosaminidase – Involved in the hydrolysis of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, which helps control the production of the plant hormone gibberellin.

•

Cellulase - Breaks down cellulose, the starchy material in plant matter, through a process known as hydrolysis. Glucose or other sugars are produced as a result.

•

Xylanase - Breaks down one of the major components in plant cell walls, the polysaccharide xylan into xylose.

•

Pectinase - Breaks down pectin, a polysaccharide found in plant cell walls.

•

Beta glucanase - This enzyme aids in autolysis of yeast cells to release polysaccharides and mannoproteins, allowing nutrients to be released back into the media.

•

Ferulic acid esterase (Hemicellulase) - Releases Ferulic acid from cell walls. Ferulic acid helps with cell wall rigidity, acting as a crosslink between the lignins and polysaccharides found in lignocellulose of plant cell walls. This works best if xylanase and other enzymes are present. 3

Bio

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

HELLO,HOUSEPLANTS!

PEACE LILY H

ow much would you pay for a beautiful houseplant? Some of us might be willing to shell out a little more than others. In Januar y, a Swiss Cheese plant (aka monstera) sold for US$ 4,930 after an intense bidding war on New Zealand website, Trade Me. In August, another plant lover paid US$ 5,291 on the same site for an incredibly rare

orchid (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma). A little out of your price range? No worries! This edition’s featured houseplant is not only affordable, but it also looks great and cleans the air you breathe. Name: Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp., White sail plant, spath) The Look: This beauty features lots of shiny green foliage with cream, flag-like spathes on tall, elegant stems. Different cultivars will grow anywhere from a foot to 4-feet high.

This edition’s featured houseplant is not only affordable, but it also looks great and cleans the air you breathe.

Easy Breezy: Peace Lilies are incredibly easy to care for; they’ll tolerate some drought and let you know when they’re dying of thirst by drooping. Give them a drink, and they’ll bounce right back! Best to keep the soil consistently moist, though. Peace Lilies don’t require much sunshine either, making them the perfect addition to shady spaces. Provide them with medium to low light, and they’ll help brighten your room, as long as it’s warm. Added Bonus: Peace Lilies are excellent indoor air purifiers! In it’s Clean Air Study, NASA listed this houseplant as one of the best for removing toxins like benzene from our indoor air. We can all use a little more clean these days, so add this overachiever to your home office, bedroom, or living room. Now, inhale. And exhale. 3

Sources: • • •

Trade Me News: Monster monstera sells for almost $5,000, bit.ly/3jcBSaq Vice.com: Who’s Paying $5,000 for one houseplant? More people than you think, bit.ly/3huvV8p NASA: Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement, go.nasa.gov/3llLhOC

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Edible Landscape Movement

A Light

In The Darkness Turning Lawns Into Mini-Farms Grows Produce And Community

EDIBLE LANDSCAPE MOVEMENT

hen the coronavirus pandemic forced the world into lockdown last spring, a wave of anxiety

came over Linda McDonald of Linlithgow,

COVID-19 has sparked worldwide interest in the grow your own movement. People everywhere are beginning to understand that access to fresh, nutritious, and affordable foods cannot be taken for granted

Scotland. Shortages associated with problems in the supply chain and panic buying made her want to take responsibility for producing at least some of her food. Jen Gates, also a resident of Linlithgow, needed something to take the edge off of quarantine. She decided growing produce was the healthiest way to do it.

McDonald and Gates arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t alone. COVID-19 has sparked worldwide interest in the grow your own movement. People everywhere are beginning to understand that access to fresh, nutritious, and affordable foods cannot be taken for granted. Fur thermore, exper ts consistently promote the mental health benefits associated with gardening. Sowing seeds and watching them grow helps people feel positive and take charge when everything else seems to be spiralling out of control. The parallels between human and environmental health have never been so clear. The ladies are both members of an incredible campaign born in their town during the COVID-19 lockdown. Farmily is an initiative launched by Iain Withers, a Scottish farmer who wanted to boost the local food economy by helping his neighbours become more food secure and connect with what they eat. Withers and his team at Narrowboat Farm (learn more about Narrowboat in Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Growing What Where on page 101) have helped distribute 500 star ter packs to the community, which include things like pots and star ter trays, compost, seeds, and planting instructions. They have also given 150 raised beds to people in the area. The response has been incredible, and to date, approximately 300 mini-farms have popped-up in yards all over Linlithgow. Withers says he can see many of his friends and neighbours are now hooked on growing, swapping seeds, produce, recipes, and advice.

The response has been incredible, and to date, approximately 300 minifarms have popped-up in yards all over Linlithgow

“We know a lot of people will now see this as an annual project and not just a COVID-19 project,” he says. “We can tell by the expansions people are already planning and putting in place for their growing; installing polytunnels and greenhouses, building raised beds, and looking for advice for over-wintering veggies.” Beyond helping residents star t gardens with tangible necessities, Withers has also created a Farmily Facebook group where people can come together vir tually and share knowledge, stories of failures and successes, and ask various growing-related questions. The group is more than 600 members strong to date, and many exper t gardeners par ticipate and guide newbies through the various tasks, from seed to harvest. But Withers doesn’t care about one’s level of experience; he only requires that everyone in the group be respectful and suppor t one another. So far, so good. Sam McFarlane joined the group looking for advice on her quarantine gardening effor ts and has made many friends along the way. “I’m so glad I joined as everyone is so lovely and there’s no question too daft,” she explains. “It’s not often you find such warm communities online.” Every member has their reasons for joining Farmily. Linda Hamilton needed advice after taking over the vegetable garden when her husband passed last year. Caitlin Sedge and Emily Oliver moved to the area during the lockdown and were looking for a way to integrate. Helen Wallace refers to Farmily as a lifeline that allowed her to interact with others at a time when she couldn’t leave her home. Shona and Colin Cavanagh wanted to introduce gardening to their children and help encourage them to eat more vegetables. Another member needed a source of food for her guinea pig, Calvin! The reasons for joining Farmily vary, but every one of them is valid. After hearing from many of the members, it is clear that Farmily has helped fill many voids and not just hungry bellies.

EDIBLE LANDSCAPE MOVEMENT

The reasons for joining Farmily vary, but every one of them is valid. After hearing from many of the members, it is clear that Farmily has helped fill many voids and not just hungry bellies

Farmily is proving that anyone can grow food for their families, even if they’re just star ting out. Fiona Shields wanted to grow salad greens and potatoes with her two young boys while at home in isolation; after joining the group, she now has a couple of raised beds and a mini greenhouse on her proper ty. The problem, she says, is making sure her harvest makes it the few steps to the kitchen. “My boys keep asking to eat the peas straight from the pod in the garden,” she says. “Seeing the cucumbers grow has been amazing! I never thought I’d be able to grow so many edible things. I’ve never been able to keep a houseplant alive!” From tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and salad greens to beans, sweet corn, and more, there is an abundance of fresh, organic produce growing around Linlithgow now. Some harvests are big, and others are relatively small, but to Farmily, every single tomato counts. Withers says he’s proud of the sense of community that has grown alongside the fruits and vegetables in his town. While Farmily is open to residents of Linlithgow, he says the concept can be applied in any community around the world. “I think the Farmily model is a cracking model to follow,” he says. “It’s a friendly, suppor tive vibe using social media to connect people and exper ts. It includes very easy-to-follow guides for growing veg which break down the barriers for people to get into growing. Rather than being faced with way too much information on the internet, the group distils it down to personalised information and has the suppor t network to help diagnose problems and suggest solutions when things get challenging.” The group’s members can’t agree more, some of them viewing it as one of life’s most incredible experiences. “The sense of community, achievement, and just the kindness of strangers will stay with me forever,” says Vikki Betty. “A much-needed light in the darkness.” 3

BY STEPHEN BROOKES, NPK

Science Corner:

Cation &anion Exchange Capacity The Science Corner will help readers learn about complex topics in the hor ticultural and hydroponic industries without the confusing jargon and technical terminology. This ar ticle will tackle the technical topic of cation and anion exchange capacity. The goal is to break things down for you so you can apply that knowledge and achieve bigger yields, improved quality, and lower costs.

CATION & ANION

Science Corner

The Cat and the Onion

Cations are positively charged particles and anions are negatively charged particles

ations are positively charged par ticles and anions are negatively charged par ticles. This concept is essential to understand because all of the nutrients used to grow plants are either positively or negatively charged. If we have a high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), the media can hold onto

more positive nutrients and deliver them to the plant when it’s needed. Anion exchange capacity is the ability to hold onto negatively charged par ticles. Still, it isn’t mentioned as often because being positive is much more critical (and the majority of our feed is positively charged).

If you like the simple things in life, know that a low CEC means you have to regularly and consistently add plant food to the media. A high CEC means the media will hold onto excess nutrients and release them when the plant desires. The way I remember my cations from my anions? Cats are nice (that’s positive) and onion’s make me cry (that’s a big negative). I told you science corner wasn’t all jargon and technical statements! Just cats and onions.

If we have a high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), the media can hold onto more positive nutrients and deliver them to the plant when it’s needed

The Positive And Negative Elements Plant food is mostly made up of 17 essential plant nutrients:

An easy way of remembering whether an element is a cation or anion is that cations are metallic elements, and anions are nonmetallic. Also, the left side of the periodic table will mostly be cations, and the right side is primarily anions.

The Benefits

You may have heard that growing in soil and other complex potting mixes is easier than growing in coco and that growing in coco is easier than growing in Rockwool or water due to the CEC values.

Macronutrients needed in the highest quantities: Nitrogen NO3- Nitrate (Anion) Ammonium NH4+ (Cation) Phosphorus HPO42- (Anion) Potassium K+ (Cation) Micronutrients needed in smaller quantities: Magnesium Mg+2 (Cation) Calcium Ca+ (Cation) Sulphur SO42- (Anion) Micronutrients needed in trace amounts: Boron BO3-3 (Anion) Chlorine Cl- (Anion) Manganese Mn+2 (Cation) Iron Fe+2/Fe+3 (Cation) Nickel Ni+2 (Cation) Copper Cu+/Cu+2 (Cation) Zinc Zn+2 (Cation) Molybdenum MoO4-2 (Cation) Non-fertiliser elements obtained through the air and water: • Hydrogen - H+ and H- Carbon, which can form many anions and cations • Oxygen O-2 71

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CATION & ANION

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Science Corner

Understand what CEC is when choosing your media and know that growing with a buffer for potential mistakes will require a high CEC media

Higher CEC offers room for error Lastly, the salt in a substrate has For the beginner without punishment. A substrate minimal bearing on the quality of grower, a soil or with a high CEC will have a lot of clay the media. Run-off tests are useful high CEC substrate and organic matter present. They are to know the EC of a medium generally well-buffered, so you will not during growth or flowering, but will make life a lot be affected by large pH swings. On the provide little benefit with media easier and be far other hand, low CEC substrates are straight from the bag. Some more forgiving lightly buffered, if at all, and therefore, substrates will be very ‘salty’ (high can have dramatic fluctuations in pH. EC), but this can be due to the For the beginner grower, a soil or high CEC substrate will levels of calcium, which act as a buffer and increase make life a lot easier and be far more forgiving. nutrient uptake. Low EC substrates could retain some of the nutrients you are trying to give to your plant and Coco-based substrates are next best as they have good CEC create deficiencies. compared to Rockwool or water. Choosing a media with a low CEC comes down to preference. Frequent irrigations Next, it is crucial to understand how nutrients interact and heavy feed schedules don’t work as well with soil or high with each other, and the effect of adding too much CEC soils because they tend to retain water for longer, which or too little to the nutrient regime. A great place to can decrease root oxygen levels. star t is Mulder’s plant interaction char t, which shows the antagonistic (against) and synergistic (promoting) effects of nutrient interactions. The table makes it Final Message clear why nutrients are needed at cer tain times and Cation exchange capacity and positively or negatively why a grower might be experiencing deficiencies or charged ions are essential for growth, but they can also toxicities. be complicated. Understand what CEC is when choosing your media and know that growing with a buffer for So there you have it; the science of growing easier to potential mistakes will require a high CEC media (such as understand! 3 soil). Frequently irrigated media should have a low CEC.

Sources: •

Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE) (2007) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). Agronomy Fact Sheet Series # 22.

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University. Hazelton PA, Murphy BW (2007) Interpreting Soil Test Results: What Do All The Numbers Mean?. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. McKenzie NJ, Jacquier DJ, Isbell RF, Brown KL (2004) Australian Soils and Landscapes: An Illustrated Compendium. CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Victoria. • Moore G, Dolling P, Porter B and Leonard L (1998) Soil Acidity. In Soilguide. Stephen Brookes is a hydroponics aficionado A handbook for understanding and managing agricultural soils. (Ed. G Moore) and loves to apply the scientific method to his articles. Agriculture Western Australia Bulletin No. 4343. He has been the manager of NPK Technology for 10 • Rayment GE, Higginson FR (1992) Electrical Conductivity. In ‘Australian years, and produces and hosts the world’s number one Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods’ Inkata Press: hydroponics podcast, NPK Live. Stephen is also owner Melbourne. of NPK Media, a 360 media content production agency. • Rengasamy P, Churchman GJ (1999) Cation Exchange Capacity, Exchangeable He likes to read and enjoys mountaineering in his spare Cations and Sodicity. In Soil Analysis an Interpretation Manual. (Eds KI Peverill, LA time. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know. Sparrow and DJ Reuter). CSIRO: Melbourne. Websites visited: • soilquality.org.au/factsheets/cation-exchange-capacity • •

Bio

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

BY CAROLINE RIVARD

A Medicinal Gem 74

GARDEN WEEDS

o some people, St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)

appears

the

perfect

It can be used as a massage oil to treat sciatica, strains, and to relax muscle spasms

summertime flower. Its bright yellow blooms

love hot temperatures, and you can usually find them in gardens, pastures, and roadsides. Named after St John the Baptist, the plant is always in its full glory on June 24th, which happens to be St John Feast day. Regrettably, this plant tends to be invasive in many parts of the United States and Canada. St John’s wort can take over and displace native plant species, which reduces quality forage food for livestock and wildlife. Furthermore, the weed also contains the toxin hypericin, which can cause serious health issues in hungry grazers. On the bright side, St John’s wort is a valuable medicinal weed from which we can all benefit. Since the 1980s, many scientific studies have shown the plant has properties that can help treat mild to moderate depression. But that’s not all. More recent research suggests that St Johns wort can treat inflammation associated with several health disorders. Other evidence shows it contains many anti-cancer properties and is also a potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and neuroprotective agent. The gold flowers on this plant may help relieve physical and emotional symptoms of PMS for some women, including cramps, irritability, food cravings, and breast tenderness. There is also some evidence that St John’s wort -- when combined with the black cohosh plant -- can help with mood swings and anxiety during menopause. This exceptional weed’s anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties mean it has been used for thousands of years to treat cuts, wounds, and to speed healing. An oil infusion made with the flowering tops of the plant can be applied directly to the skin. Infusing vegetable oil with the plant matter of Hypericum perforatum is an exciting experience; when the plant steeps in the oil, the mixture turns a fantastic bright red! Using fresh plant material is essential, as anything dried is less potent. St John’s wort oil infusion (for external use only) You will need: • A glass jar big enough to contain the plant material • Some fresh flowering tops of St John’s wort • Cold-pressed organic olive oil • A cheesecloth or dishcloth • An elastic band • A wooden spoon Harvest the flower tops of the plant as soon as they bloom on a sunny afternoon. Make sure the air is dry, as any water content on the plant matter can turn the oil mouldy. When cutting, take about 3” of the plant along with the flowers.

Pour in the olive oil, making sure the plants are covered. Use a wooden spoon to push the flowers down into the oil and remove any air bubbles. Take a piece of cheesecloth and secure around the mouth of the jar with an elastic band. Label the pot and let it sit in a sunny window for six weeks. Check the concoction now and then to be sure the plants are still submerged in the oil. After six weeks, strain and filter the oil, discarding the plant material. Add the oil to a bottle, label, and store in a cool cabinet. It will keep for up to a year. Many herbalists use the vibrant red infused oil of St John’s wort to soothe and ease any pain. It can be used as a massage oil to treat sciatica, strains, and to relax muscle spasms. It works wonders on stressed shoulders and relieves neck and back pain. Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar says this lovely herb is “primarily valued as a treatment for damage to the nerve endings” (Gladstar, 2001, p. 360). Next time you find St John’s wort taking over your garden or in a field, don’t discard it as a useless weed. Consider all of the health benefits it offers! Grab a basket, some scissors, and invite this beautiful plant into your herbal medicine cabinet. 3

Disclaimer: St John’s wort is potent and can have side effects when combined with other medications. In some cases, the herb can either increase or decrease the effectiveness of some drugs, like birth control. Ask your health practitioner before adding St John’s wort to your regiment. St John’s wort may cause photosensitivity and should not be taken during pregnancy without professional guidance.

A therapist and healer for over 15 years, Caroline’s passion for medicinal plants only began after leaving the city for the quiet country life in Quebec, Canada. Eager to learn, she’s never looked back, using forests and wildflower fields as her classroom ever since. In a time where reconnecting with plants and nature is badly needed, she spreads her love for herbalism by holding teaching workshops about the powers of medicinal herbs and natural remedies.

Bio

Fill the glass jar with the plant matter, but don’t overpack.

BY ANNE GIBSON, THE MICRO GARDENER

s ’ o h W Growing

t a h W Whe

austin rali a & Ze a N e w lan d

Pawleena (TAS)

Credit: Port Arthur Lavender

Port Arthur Lavender Farm If you need a little relaxation retail therapy next time you’re in SE Tasmania, Port Arthur Lavender Farm may be just what you need. The calming, fragrant scent of lavender is at the heart of Brendan and Clare Dean’s 6-generation family farm. Nestled within 18 acres of lavender, rainforest and lakes with stunning views, the farm produces about 50,000 lavender plants of around 12 different varieties, each grown for their specific culinary or aromatic qualities. The visitor centre and café overlooking the ocean at Long Bay, Port Arthur, showcase over 70 different handmade lavenderinspired products. The menu includes mouth-watering offerings like lavender-infused ice-cream, lavender teas and hot chocolate, and spicy lavender chutney. Visitors can wander around the lavender trail, take a self-guided tour around the lavender fields and experience the aromatic distilling process in the farm’s custom-made lavender essential oil distillery year-round. They also have a second retail outlet in the historic township of Richmond. Sounds like a scent-sational experience. Learn more: portarthurlavender.com.au @Port Arthur Lavender

Dromana (VIC)

Learn more: torellofarm.com.au @torellofarm torellofarm

Credit: torellofarm

Torello Farm is a family-run market garden and farm gate on the Mornington Peninsula. What makes Torello Farm unique is its low food miles locavore philosophy, with fresh produce travelling the minimum distance from the field to their farm gate. Whether it’s from their market garden or other local farms in the region, customers know the produce is genuinely fresh and not trucked from afar. Torello Farm grows all sorts of exciting produce including specialty potatoes, heirloom vegetables and tree-ripened fruit. Their farm gate also includes a nose to tail offering of grass-fed Belted Galloway beef and Dorset Down lamb – both heritage breeds chosen for their flavour and grown on the family’s Tuerong property. There’s also a great range of homemade pickles and preserves including beetroot relish and preserved lemons and take-home meals. If you’re looking for ethically grown meat and freshly harvested produce, drop by Torello Farm, open seven days.

Credit: Chester Beatty / Facebook

Torello Farm

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GROWING ON

Peregian Beach (QLD)

Dragan Farms

Credit: Dragan Farms

Mark Dragan, Alexi Cox, her sisters and mum Pam, are passionate organic farmers operating Dragan Farms, their family-owned farm on 99 acres on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Mark uses his 20-year background in horticulture and landscape gardening to grow a variety of healthy fruit trees in their food forest and seasonal leafy green vegetables, herbs and subtropical crops. Their happy free-range chickens provide pasture-raised eggs with their flock rotating through pastures after the pet cows have mown the grass. Beehives provide pollination for their produce and enable them to sell honey as well as fresh farm eggs, leafy greens, a variety of vegetables, herbs, turmeric and galangal during the year at their farmgate shop. A favourite with locals, you too can experience Dragan Farms farmgate shop on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with seasonal fruit like local organic strawberries and their own dragon fruit, bananas and watermelons. They also sell locally sourced meat, dairy and fish. An innovative new addition to the farm is a temperature-controlled vending machine so you can self-serve honey and eggs at any time. Learn more: draganfarms.com @draganfarms

Credit: Nomad Farms

Finness (SA)

Nomad Farms

Tom Bradman and partner Verity Slee run Nomad Farms, their 400-acre, family-owned farm on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. The name Nomad Farms was chosen to embody the constant movement of their animals across their pastures, imitating the natural behaviour of wild herd animals. They apply regenerative farming principles, and the natural nomadic movement of animals across the land is at the heart of their farming philosophy. Tom and Verity believe animals maintain their natural health in a healthy environment. If the flavour of their multi-award-winning produce is anything to go by, this seems to be paying off. Tom and Verity are dedicated to antibiotic-free, low-stress, free-range animal husbandry practices. Their pastured chickens are free to forage, dust bathe and scratch in fresh air and sunlight, protected by their Maremma dog. Nomad Farms produce 100% grass-fed nomadic Angus and Murray Grey beef and hogget, and pasture-raised meat chickens. Available at a range of retailers and restaurants across South Australia, the Willunga Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets on Saturdays and Adelaide Showground Markets on Sundays. Learn more: nomadfarms.com.au 3

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

They’ve come up with a driverless shut tle bus to help people run their errands

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO FOOD DESERTS

esearchers in Montreal, Canada have come up with a way to help people living in food deser ts access nutritious and affordable food. Food deser ts are urban areas typically loaded with fast-food chains and bare-bones supermarkets. Meals in these areas are easy, cheap, and

unhealthy. Fur thermore, studies have found that food deser ts are often located in low-income and immigrant or minority communities. Looking at the Montreal borough of Little Burgundy where 60-70% of people have to travel more than 500 metres on foot to do their groceries, researchers at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) are proposing a solution to the problem. They’ve come up with a driverless shuttle bus to help people run their errands.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 delayed a pilot project that was set to begin in Montreal this past summer. In the meantime, researchers are receiving feedback from the community and tweaking the proposed route as necessary. 3

Driven by artificial intelligence, the bus would travel at speeds of up to 30 km/hour (18 miles/hour) and bring residents to local grocery stores and community centres offering food and other support services. Researchers say the proposal is a cheaper and faster alternative to large city buses with drivers and multiple stops. It will also significantly help families, older people or those with mobility issues, and people who don’t own vehicles.

Sources: •

CBC News: Could an automated bus solve Little Burgundy’s food desert problem? bit.ly/33COVff 79 79

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

GADGETS ARE GOING GREEN You know what they say: a thriving garden is just a click away. Okay, nobody says that, but maybe they should! The world of technology is coming out with some fascinating ways people can better connect with and understand their plants. Here’s our list of the 5 cool ways tech is going green!

Garden Apps

Need help designing your garden plot? There’s an app for that. Looking for the perfect placement, companion plants, or want to identify various flowers that you come across? There are apps for that too. Any successful gardener will tell you it’s essential to keep a journal of the growing season’s highs and lows. Having a reference to look back on will help you improve your methods and yields for the next year.Technology these days allows you to digitally keep track of the garden tasks you perform, including weeding, watering, fertilising, and harvesting. Downloading a few chosen apps is an easy way to incorporate technology into the garden and ensures you always have the information you need on your smartphone or computer, saving you from the challenge of having to decipher your scribbled handwriting.

Robotic Pollinators

Pesticides, herbicides, and destruction of natural habitats mean the world’s pollinators are facing an uphill battle. It’s a situation we certainly need to rectify, and while we all do our part to help the bees, butterflies, and other beneficial critters, technology is stepping in to do the job. Developed by researchers at West Virginia University, the BrambleBee is an autonomous pollinator used in polytunnels and greenhouses. The ground rover robot has an arm that moves from flower to flower. A built-in computer estimates flower position, size, orientation, and the actual act of pollination is done by a set of soft brush tips, similar to the tiny hairs on a bee’s body. For indoor and hobby growers, there are also tools like the VegiBee Garden Pollinator to help boost yields. Similar to an electric toothbrush, the gadget uses vibrations to drop pollen onto a spoon, which the gardener spreads to other flowers. Nature is best, but the technology that imitates it is a close second.

Credit: Gu et al

Weather Predictors

Credit: Credit_ Chris Molliso

We’ve all done it; taking the time to drench the gardens with the hose only to have the skies open up and soak the plants all over again. Frustrating, right? An agricultural technology company in Australia is aiming to help farmers grow healthy crops and save water at the same time. “The Yield” uses Microsoft artificial intelligence, data, and sensors to take the guesswork out of growing; farmers can make better decisions based on the weather and their plant and soil conditions. Sensors measure soil moisture, leaf wetness, light, wind and rain. Advanced analytics create an accurate 7-day weather forecast specific to the farm’s microclimate.The data make it easier to know when to plant, water, protect, or harvest a crop. Less food and water waste? Yes, please! Source: Microsoft News, bit.ly/2E4Ssu5 The Yield

Critter Control

Scarecrows are cute, but do they even scare anything away? Fences, on the other hand, are not cute, and can also fail us from time to time. So what other options are there for people looking to keep Bambi,Thumper, and Punxsutawney Phil out of the gardens? The first order of business is knowing what pest has decided to feast on your plants. If you don’t feel like sleeping on a lawn chair like a crazy person overnight to find out, various trail and garden cams will snap photos of the perpetrators at the scene of the crime. Plenty of retailers offer motion-sensor gadgets that either spray the garden thief with water or make loud noises to spook them. Solar-powered devices also repel rodents with ultrasonic waves. The fun part? Keep the garden camera running to watch the critters scramble. Useful and entertaining! Aspectek Solar Animal Repellent

Music Makers

There are no two ways about it; rocking out with your plants is cool. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention plant music machines as one of the most exciting ways to add technology to the garden. These incredible gadgets read the electrical currents on plant leaves and transform them into music. Some of them use Bluetooth technology; others attach to the plants with nodes. Spend a little more money and buy a synthesiser, and musicians can co-create tunes with their plants! Building connections with nature is paramount in today’s world; listening to their melodies is a fascinating way to do that. For some amazing garden tech advice, check out Tom Forrest’s Precision Before Decision on page 61. 3

Credit: Music of the Plants

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

COOPED UP:

For many, raising hens in the back yard is yet another step toward food securit y

BACKYARD FLOCKS

A RISING GLOBAL TREND

rom toilet paper hoarding, bread-making, and baking to buying seeds and planting gardens, there are more than a few different crazes that have come out of the Coronavirus pandemic. The latest trend associated with COVID-19? Raising chickens!

There has been a significant boom in the sale of chicks and hens since the world went into lockdown last spring. For many, raising hens in the backyard is yet another step toward food security. When living in clean conditions with fresh air and grass for grazing, chickens can produce eggs (and lots of them!) that are more delicious and nutritious than those you can buy at the supermarket. A 2007 study by Mother Earth News found that free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat than conventional American eggs. They also contain higher levels of vitamins A and E, beta carotene, and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Beyond supplying eggs for your omelette, chickens also produce fantastic fertiliser for the garden and offer pest control and even companionship. Kathy Shea Mormino, author of The Chicken Chick’s Guide To Backyard Chickens, warns never to underestimate how much you will love the birds, equating them to the new family dog. Move over, Rover! If you’re toying with the idea of starting up a backyard coop, or if you already have one, The Chicken Chick’s Guide is for you. An excellent resource for beginners and experts alike, Shea Mormino offers a comprehensive rundown of the work involved in raising healthy and happy chickens.

Her book covers everything from creating a comfortable coop and managing predators to the chicken selection, their dietary needs, and how to read various behaviours. It’s crucial to do your homework before jumping into the world of raising hens. Here are just a few things the Chicken Chick wishes she had known before getting chickens: • • • • •

Chickens are a commitment. They can live up to 15 years or longer! A hen doesn’t necessarily lay an egg every day. Coop placement is essential; chickens need shade in summer and dry spots in rainy climates. A hen’s most productive egg-laying years are her first two. Buy chickens from a reputable breeder or hatchery.

Most importantly, find out if raising chickens is even allowed where you live. Many ban the practice due to public health concerns and the possibility of attracting unwanted predators to the area. If a backyard flock is permitted, make sure you raise them right!

Sources: •

•

82 82

The Chicken Chick’s Guide To Backyard Chickens: Simple Steps For Healthy, Happy Hens, by Kathy Shea Mormino (Voyageur Press, 2017). Mother Earth News: Meet Real Free-Range Eggs, bit.ly/3hu7A2n