Garden Culture Magazine AUS 5

AUSTRALIAN EDITION

ISSUE 5 · 2016 -

FREE

LIGHT

MATTERS PART 1

HISTORYOF HYDROPONICS EARLY HISTORY: THE BEGINNINGS OF WATER CULTURE

WATER:

MUCH MORE THAN Issue 5 FREE COPY

Gold Label Substrates Commercial growers worldwide recognise Gold Label as the premium quality substrate and nutrient manufacturer the world has to offer. We guarantee every bag of Gold Label substrate with each batch having been quality checked and sampled before sale.

Coco

Buffered coco peat, the finest quality, RHP certified.

A stable substrate based on the fine fibres of the coco husk. Mineral as well as organic nutrients can be used with this fully organic, recyclable top quality substrate.

Hydrocorn

Inert clay pebbles (8-16mm) with a unique rough structure for better stability and root development.

Developed for horticulture. The porous structure has a high water capacity and is suitable for both ebb/flood and top irrigation systems. Also available in XL 16-25mm.

Distributed exclusively in Australia by Growhard www.growaustralia.com

Hydro

Hydro expanded round clay pebbles have a very solid outer ceramic layer, which limits the uptake of water. They are ideally suited for intense irrigation hydroponic styles of growing. We recommend top watering systems for Hydro.

60/40 Mix

Gold Label Hydrocorn and Coco is an ideal match for high water capacity, lower watering frequency and better rooting. We utilize the 8-16mm Hydrocorn from Gold Label and the purest Gold Label Coco to give to give you the perfect ebb and flood growing media which also works well in any pot based systems.

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IN THIS ISSUE OF GARDEN CULTURE: 7 Foreword

46 Clover

9 Product Spotlight

48 Selecting a Greenhouse Manufacturer

14 Medical Cannabis Revolution

52 Anecdotal Evidence

20 Who’s Growing What Where

54 History of Hydroponics

22 Water: Much More Than Wet

62 Powder to the People

32 The Problem with Iron

64 What is are Phosphorus &Potassium

36 Perfect Peas

68 It Starts with a Seed

38 The Hemp Health & Innovation Expo

72 Or… a Clone

41 Five Cool Finds

76 Light Matters – Part 1

42 Bananas: Abusive Fruits

FOREWORD & CREDITS I GARDEN CULTURE

FOREWORD

My Rant Sometimes we have to look back to see what is in front of us. We all make mistakes, and hopefully, learn from them.

When we are children we learn from our parents, peers and teachers - we must in order to survive. “Don’t touch the fire.

Stay away from traffic. Don’t talk to strangers”... and so on. As we grow up, we have to make decisions for ourselves. “Who should I vote for? Is this job right for me? Should I fear (or hate) someone, because they are different than me?” Or simple choices like, “Should I eat processed foods, or grow a garden?”

All these decisions are based on our belief systems, and the fundamentals of who we are.

When I was a boy the apples I ate were sprayed with DDT (colorless, odorless water-insoluble insecticide, C14H9Cl5). We were told it was safe, but of course, it turned out to be poison.

The issues today are no different than they were 40 years ago.

Mega corporations tell us their chemicals are safe, that our food is safe - to enjoy another Coke, and shut up. Well, they are wrong.

The chemical-laden genetically modified food is not safe, and the plethora of health issues that simply did not exist 100 years ago proves it!

We need to wake up, and stop trusting mega corporations and our governments with our health. There are many things we can’t change, or have very little influence over, like war and global politics. But food is not one of them. Granted, not everyone can afford to eat only organic food, and in some cases it is not even available, but we can start by changing our purchasing habits, to not buy ultra-processed foods, sugary sodas, and so on.

Ignorance and apathy are our enemies. It’s time to start giving a shit about what is happening to our society, and start making our world a better place for future generations.

In 100 years, I hope that our generation will be known as one that changed things for the better - because if we don’t, Monsanto may be writing the history books. 3 Eric

CREDITS Garden Culture™ is a publication of 325 Media Inc. ED I TO RS Executive Editor: Eric Coulombe Email: eric@gardenculturemagazine.com Senior Editor: Tammy Clayton Email - tammy@ gardenculturemagazine.com V P O PER AT I O NS: Celia Sayers Email: celia@gardenculturemagazine.com t. 1-514-754-1539 DESIGN Job Hugenholtz Email - job@gardenculturemagazine.com Special thanks to: Michka, Stephen Brookes, Evan Folds, Everest Fernandez, Anne Gibson, Tammy Clayton, Grubbycup, Shane Hutto, Theo Tekstra, Jeff Edwards, and Helene Isbell.

PUBLISHER 325 Media 44 Hyde Rd., Milles Isles Québec, Canada t. +1 (844) GC GROWS w. www.gardenculturemagazine.com Email - info@gardenculturemagazine.com ADVERTISING Eric Coulombe Email - eric@gardenculturemagazine.com t. 1-514-233-1539 D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S Growhard Australia Website: www.GardenCultureMagazine.com

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

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

7

BY ERIC COULOMBE

product spotlight Editor’s Pick

The Autopot

The Autopot Watering Syste m is an ingenious set up for growing plants, and one tha recommend to anyone. Fro t I can personally m acres of commercial gre en ho us es, to the little indoor garden in basement or attic; Autopo your t’s simplicity and the result s will impress even the mo st seasoned grower.

I have been growing in Autopots for the past year, and have been seriously impressed. Everything I have tried has turned out amazing. Tomatoes, cucumbers, thyme, kale, and lettuce all did so well, I decided to test out some new plants. I cut up a piece of organic ginger, and buried them 2” deep. And 5 months later... I harvested over 3 pounds of the best ginger I have ever seen. I now also have turmeric and a grape vine, which are both growing quite vigorously.

There are several things that differentiate this system from other growing methods.

1. AutoPot Watering Systems keep plants watered using gravity pressure alone; no need for electricity, timers, or pumps.

2. They are environmentally friendly, very little water is ever lost. Some commercial growers have recorded savings of up to 50% in their water and nutrient consumption.

3. AutoPot uses patented AQUAvalve technology; the only watering system in the world where each individual plant controls their own irrigation, and receives fresh nutrient-enriched water exactly when they need it.

How It Works…

Once connected to a reservoir the AQUAvalve will open, and allow water to fill the tray to a pre-set level of 20mm.

The AQUAvalve will not refill the tray until all the water has been used. Simple!

Watch the video: www.bit.ly/AP-valve By consistently meeting their plants’ requirements, growers using AutoPot achieve impressive yields, with less time and maintenance, whilst reducing their water and nutrient consumption.

I honestly cannot say enough about this system. It really was love at first grow.

AutoPot AQUAvalve cross section

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

9

website www.agriculturalorganics.com www.facebook.com/bloomadvancedfloriculture

The Essential Mix

Hyper

Climate

Cont rol

The all new Hyper Climate Control is designed to thermostatically adjust airflow (via variable fan speed) into your grow space on both warm days and cold nights. As cold air can be detrimental to plant health during night cycles, the Hyper Climate Control drops fan RPM’s down to a minimum to keep the plants warmer, and maintain just enough airflow for effective carbon filter operation. During warmer daytime temperatures the Hyper Climate Control will lift and regulate fan RPM’s to maintain your digitally selected maximum ambient temperature. Set two dials once only at the beginning of each cycle, and forget it! · Extremely easy to use - Set and forget! · Lowest energy use of any fan/filter/controller. · Thermostatically changes fan speed/RPM’s. · Constantly maintains optimal daytime temp. · Slows fan speed to low RPM’s on cold nights. · For use on digital EC HyperFans only www.hydroindustrydirect.com

GARDEN PRODUCTS I GARDEN CULTURE

Adjust-A-Wings

©

Hellion DE

The Adjust-A-W © ings Hellion DE has been meticulously crafted to produce the co olest, and most even light dis tribution ever em itted from a DE reflector.

Every Adjust-A-W ing s Hellion incorporates a DE sp ecific Super Spread er© to allow for closer placeme nt between the lam p and plant canopy. DE lamps run much hotter th an single-end lamps, and the Supe r Spreader © become s a virtual necessity to diffuse, and redirect DE lam p intensity (for ceiling heights be low 2.5m).

The Hellion’s custo m designed lamp ho lders, and 4 tab tension wires allow for 5 lamp height po sitions, and 9 wing-width settings to enable perfect lig ht -tuning over any area. Tests at 90 cm above the cano py produce a highly consistent 35 0 PAR* spread over 1.2 m2 with leaf temperatures signifi cantly reduced. For increased plant yield & flower cons istency with any DE lamp (*600W, 750W or 1000W) - insist on the Hellio n, and unleash the beast!!!

w™ o r G o r P 1000 DE tural l Horticu L a mp

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the first in a new range of Pro WHG.net is proud to launch Pro Grow™ 1000 DE lamp Grow™ Horticultural lamps. The es a staggering output (ppf) of is a 2K HPS lamp that produc 2 entirely within the 400 and 700 2075 umol m /s, falling almost w™ 1000 DE lamps should be nanometer PAR range. Pro Gro uency 1000W/400V electronic operated with quality, high freq ration falls between 80,000 & ballasts. Optimum Hertz ope nance.

120,000Hz* with no lamp reso more light output than their DE lamps produce up to 30% All Pro Grow™ lamps come single-ended 240V equivalents. d on quality *high frequency with a 1 year warranty when use ate in light power to you digital ballasts. Bring the ultim garden & get yours now! www.whg.net.au

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

11

SAFE AND

Hit High PPM’s

EASY

to use

ALL

DISPERSAL CANISTER

boost nutrients intake maximise plant growth

IMPROVE OVERALL PLANT HEALTH

GARDEN PRODUCTS I GARDEN CULTURE

Mammoth G1 & G2 Tents Looking to make the absolute most of your space? Gavita have teamed up with Mammoth Tents to produce the G1 & G2 Elite HC tents that perfectly match the new Gavita G-110 SR reflector. The result is an outstanding 20% more usable light to the plants and more illumination than any other light & tent combination ever made. Mammoth tents are the only manufacturer to achieve a Class A result in official flammability properties tests. Mammoth G series tents are engineered for Gavita lights!

Mammoth HC G1: 110x180x240cm Mammoth HC G2: : 180x220x240cm www.whg.net.au

s r o t c e l f e R R S 0 1 G av i ta G -1 The most successful commercial lighting company in the world now bring Gavita lighting into your small room area. The new Gavita G-110 SR reflector emits a perfect 110 x 1180cm blanket of light to the plant canopy, SR matching perfectly with the Mammoth G1 & G2 HC tent dimensions. G-110 most the Make . seconds in reflectors clip straight into your existing Gavita fixture of your valuable space & grow like a pro! www.whg.net.au

s t o P o Ge Geopot is a breathable fabric plant container that air prunes your plants’ roots when they reach the end of the container. The air pruning process forces the roots to branch out with more fibrous feeder roots which are much more efficient in taking up water and nutrients.

This very durable geotextile fabric is porous, allowing air into the root zone, and provides great drainage, creating a healthy environment for the roots.

Geotextile also allows water to slowly transpire outward thus creating its own evaporative self cooling system. This combination of air root pruning, reduced root temperature, and aeration of the root zone allows your plants to reach their fullest potential. www.whg.net.au

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

13

BY MICHKA

MEDICAL CANNABIS There is no plant in the world that is getting more attention these days than cannabis. The potential medical benefits seem endless, and the plethora of research is beginning to force governments and doctors around the world to accept cannabis in its many forms as medicine - again.

Eric Coulombe

The following article is derived from the book, Medical Cannabis by Michka, published by Mama Editions. (MamaPublishing.com)

Cannabis is one of the oldest known medicinal plants.

The list of its therapeutic uses is so long it breeds skepticism, yet the evidence keeps piling up. But if it really is a precious medicine, why isn’t cannabis widely used in the healthcare industry?

CANNABIS CONTAINS ALMOST 500 COMPONENTS, 66 OF WHICH ARE NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE IN NATURE

14

MEDICAL CANNABIS I GARDEN CULTURE

THE LIST OF USES REDISCOVERED BY CHANCE KEPT GROWING EVERY YEAR So far, 800 varieties of cannabis (hemp or marijuana) have been identified. The stems of all these varieties contain fiber, and the flowers contain extremely variable levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active principle traditionally sought by both recreational and therapeutic users. Cannabis contains almost 500 components, 66 of which are not found anywhere else in nature, called “cannabinoids.” Marijuana also contains a multitude of flavonoids and over one hundred terpenes.

At that time, cannabis was used in the form of a tincture obtained by macerating the plant in alcohol. Depending on their origins, different batches of Indian hemp contained more or less of the active principles, meaning the medicine would drastically vary in strength. If it was too weak, it had no effect; if it was too strong, the side effects were bothersome. The manufacturers did not know how to control the dosage, because the active principles had not yet been identified.

Contrary to other plants used to make SINCE ANCIENT drugs, cannabis does not contain alkaT I M E S C A N N A B I S CANNABIS PROHIBITION loids, which are the active principles in It wasn’t until the second half of the HAS BEEN poppy and coca leaves. Alkaloids are twentieth century that the effect cannaCONSIDERED toxic, and deadly in high doses. An overbis had on the consciousness of consumA SORT OF dose of cannabis provokes, at worst, an ers became a scandal in the West. When UNIVERSAL anxiety attack followed by a deep sleep. writers and artists in Paris from the Club REMEDY des Hashischins tried it back in 1845, In several thousand years of use, cannatheir exploration didn’t cause much of a bis has never killed anyone—a fact that has not prevented international lawmakers from considering it stir. However, in New Orleans during the 1920s, when the black a dangerous narcotic musicians who invented jazz—a style of music deemed scandalous—became interested in marijuana, it was perceived in a INDIAN HEMP: A UNIVERSAL REMEDY quite different manner. At a time when the USA was a society Since ancient times cannabis has been considered a sort of unibitterly divided by racial segregation, the fact that cannabis was associated with descendants of black slaves and migrant Mexican versal remedy. The West first discovered its medicinal uses during the colonial conquests of the nineteenth century. A laborers initially led to its being seen as a menace to society.

French doctor named Aubert-Roche was introduced to the plant’s use during Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt, and later an By the end of the 1930s, marijuana (a word of Mexican origin) Irishman, Dr. William B. O’Shaughnessy, came across it in India use was widespread enough in certain segments of American around 1840. society to worry legislators. In 1937, the Senate hastily voted in a tax on hemp that was so weighty it basically amounted to Once back in Europe, these doctors sang the virtues of “Indian a prohibition. hemp”—a term used until the end of the 1950s to designate the varieties rich in THC—so eloquently that it was quickly adopted for treating a wide array of ailments. For decades, Indian hemp (cannabis) was prescribed for pain, and the treatment of spasms and convulsions, tetanus, rabies, epilepsy, tonsillitis, coughs (even tubercular), asthma, insomnia, migraines, and loss of appetite. It was used in detox treatments for alcoholics and heroin addicts, as well as for easing childbirth and treating menstrual problems. Queen Victoria’s doctor prescribed it to help with Her Majesty’s painful periods!

Author Michka 15

ROOTS

E XC ELU R ATOR

Explosive root development Creates a protective film around the roots

Protects against disease

16

Enhances absorption of nutrients through root zone Eradicates brown roots

Speeds up growth time

MEDICAL CANNABIS I GARDEN CULTURE

This tax did not, however, have the desired effect. By the 1950s, the beatniks—those traveling white jazz heads—became interested in marijuana, and widened the circle of those “in the know.” But it was the hippie movement of the 1960s that made weed its emblem, and brought marijuana into every white middle class household. Pot surged in popularity in the hands of those demanding we “make love not war.” Parents were horrified. Governments took emergency action. Prohibitive laws, with assorted severe sanctions, were hastily passed in most Western countries.

was dead set on prohibition. As a result, in 1976, research on cannabis was simply outlawed in the United States, because the federal government believed it was inappropriate to send young people a contradictory message by recognizing the virtues of cannabis. The embargo on research held fast throughout the 1980s and beyond. The absence of studies demonstrating the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis gave the world the impression there was nothing of value to investigate.

AN ACCIDENTAL REDISCOVERY

A HALF-CENTURY OF RESEARCH

During the 1960s, while throngs of young people were smokAt last, in 1964, at the University of Jerusalem, Professor ing joints and dreaming of trips to Katmandu, the general pubRaphaël Mechoulam identified the structure of THC (deltalic had long forgotten that cannabis had been used as a me9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active compound in candicinal remedy since time immemorial. nabis. During the following years, the Chance meetings between patients and professor continued his work, while in 1992… THE recreational marijuana brought about other countries authorization for reDISCOVERY OF the rediscovery of its therapeutic virsearch was systematically refused to AN ANALOGUE tues. scientists who dared to ask. In 1992, THC OPENED almost thirty years after having identiUP NEW An American GI who served in Vietfied THC, Professor Mechoulam and PERSPECTIVES nam, James Burton, recounted how his team discovered its endogenous he discovered that smoking cannabis restored his clarity of vianalogue, a substance resembling THC, but fabricated by our sion, which he had been losing due to hereditary glaucoma. own bodies. This chemical was baptized “anandamide” after Harvard Professor Lester Grinspoon described the way that the Sanskrit word meaning “happiness.” violent nausea caused by chemotherapy can be eliminated, and replaced by a solid appetite after a few puffs of marijuana, as As Professor Mechoulam prophetically wrote: “We are in he witnessed with his own son, who had leukemia. Others the middle of a small therapeutic revolution which should described how cannabis diminishes the spasms caused by mulbring us, over the course of the coming decades, new meditiple sclerosis to the point that the patient can function again. cations in many different domains.” The discovery of an The list of uses rediscovered by chance kept growing every analogue THC opened up new perspectives. Since the huyear. man organism produces anandamide, then receptor sites must also exist. In effect, the receptors that anandamide These first lucky discoveries launched a wave of research. (or THC) affixes to were in the process of being discovAt the beginning of the 1970s, thousands of new studies ered, and it turned out they are disseminated throughout were undertaken. The first results were very promising, the body, from the brain to the spleen or the tonsils, and a fact that did not suit the American government, which to the uterus in women.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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MEDICAL CANNABIS I GARDEN CULTURE

The discovery of this endocanterparts (except for the practiTHE EXACT ROLE OF nabinoid system at the dawn of cal little country of Holland) ENDOCANNABINOIDS the new millennium represented remained locked in anti-drug I N T H E H U M A N B O D Y a breakthrough that has led to repositions. With systematic repREMAINS POORLY newed research by pharmaceutiresentation of cannabis as the cal companies. The exact role of devil’s weed, there could only UNDERSTOOD endocannabinoids in the human be mass rejection. However, this body remains poorly understood, but it appears they play a unparalleled repressive arsenal has not succeeded in dammajor role in the management of emotion, and in a multitude ming the flow of marijuana into Western society. Cannabis of physiological functions. As a researcher in 1998 wrote, “The is more available, and more frequently consumed than ever cannabinoids help to reduce pain, control movement, forget before. painful memories, protect the neurons, and to relax, eat, and sleep.” [1] In 1996, California voters, who are always ahead of their times, announced that they were more than 60% in favor of Now, we have discovered that THC, which had always been legalizing medical cannabis. The federal government played the star, is far from being the only therapeutic ingredient in deaf, stating that individual states are not sovereign in this cannabis. Other cannabinoids are being studied, including candomain. Over the years, as the number of states passing nabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabigerol (CBG), similar laws has increased, federal agents continued to purall of which are devoid of psychotropic activity, but act in synsue users of medical marijuana (MM), in spite of the voters ergy with THC. The research indicates that these cannabiwho made it legal. noids have antibiotic properties; they play a specific role in the regulation of the inflammatory process (specifically of diabeIt was under these conditions, in 2009, that the newly tes mellitus and sleep deprivation); they are neuroprotectors; elected Attorney General under President Obama made and they even play a protective role against cancer, including the game-changing declaration that from then on the fedagainst lung cancer in tobacco smokers, as incredible as that eral government would not pursue medical marijuana usmay seem. New applications continue to appear, ranging from ers, producers, and sellers in states where it was legal.

Tourette’s syndrome to Alzheimer’s, and from transmissible spongiform encephalopathies all the way to attention deficit Likewise, it didn’t take more to end the American prohidisorder (ADD), and autism. bition of alcohol that was in place from 1920 to 1933. As a matter of fact, many observers have remarked on the profound similarities between President Obama’s gesture PRESIDENT OBAMA’S GESTURE and that of President Roosevelt, which brought an end to In 1969, the same year as Woodstock, President Nixon Prohibition. Both acts were based on the grassroots fruslaunched his War on Drugs. For the next forty years, all tration of a nation, and both prohibitions failed miserably the American presidents, as well as their European counat their stated goals. 3

[1] Cited by Arno Hazekamp in his thesis Cannabis; extracting the medicine published in 2007 by Print Partners Ipskamp B.V., Amsterdam,) Holland (ISBN 978-90-9021997-4).

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

19

s ’ o h W g n i w o r G t a h W

Where

1) Cobbity, NSW

Tomorrow’s Farm

Seems there’s some hush-hush aquaponics stuff going on in Sydney’s southwest fringe at the Green Camel.A trendy new hotspot? No, though they do a brisk business in the live-fish trade with eateries. It’s their technology, that’s the big secret. It involves robotics, bacteria tanks, and moving gulleys producing 150,000 kg of greens, herbs, and tomatoes. Their annual output of live 800 gr barramundi is 15,000 kg.

CREDIT: Green Camel/ABC Rural

Green Camel operates in semi-enclosed greenhouses on property belonging to the University of Sydney, and has strong ties to the university. It’s general manager Levi Hupponen’s alma mater, and to date he has trained over 1000 university students in the operation. While the company has existed for a number of years, recent improvements to their system technology has taken them from struggling to profitable.

Sounds like it won’t remain secret for long. Learn more: www.greencamel.com.au

2) Lyneham, AST

After 2 years of planning and campaigning for a food forest, the people of Lyneham are victorious. A public permaculture installation now stands on common ground where anyone in the Canberra area is welcome to enjoy the space, and the fruit too. Minister Shane Rattenbury called it a great example of land used for a higher purpose. The commoner’s food forest is a model for the rest of the country.

There is no lease on the land it occupies. It’s a bare piece of ground behind the local primary school that is now managed by a citizen-organized initiative. No private plots will be available. They’re planting 30 varieties of fruit and nut trees using food forest projects from the UK, and the USA as a guideline.

20

CREDIT: Lyneham Commons

A Higher Purpose

Awesome commitment. Follow their progress. Learn more: www.bit.ly/Lyneham

WHAT’S GROWING ON I GARDEN CULTURE

CREDIT: Hobart City Farm via Facebook

3) New Town, TAS

Mega Garlic Haul The farm team gained access to their half-acre plot in January 2015. A bit late in the game for the usual melody of crops, so they planted about half of it in organic garlic, projecting a conservative yield, and a little cash flow. Harvesting over 500 kilograms far surpassed any amount imagined.

neat, clean, and planted, and it’s bordered by flower beds to keep the farm attractive since it’s in a very public place.

Smart move. Don’t let the opposition find reason for complaint. Learn more: www.hobartcityfarm.com

CREDIT: Jo McKenzie-McLean/Southland Times

Hobart City Farm may be a new non-profit project, but the team is anything but green. Situated across from St. John’s Church in the heart of the city they seek to pick up where traditional farmers leave off - revitalizing local food sources, and reinvigorating the soil with natural, organic growing methods. The production area is kept

in a i l a austr & New

4) Central Otago, NZ

Sustenance for 600 Seven years ago, retired police sergeant Brian Seymour responded to an ad seeking a garden manager. The position involved a tiny plot to feed those in need through the Alexandra Salvation Army. It’s grown into a box programme that provides over 600 families with fresh fruits and vegetables... whatever is being harvested off the 12 hectare parcel. And it’s impressive enough to become a finalist in Garden NZ’s Gardena Gardener of the Year for 2015.

Seymour and volunteer staff do a bang up job of keeping the soil in prime condition. With only 2 greenhouses and a cold frame, it’s not possible to provide food year around, but they do firewood over the winter to continue lending assistance in the form of warmth.

An inspiring take on retirement. Learn more: www.bit.ly/feeding-600

Zealand

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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Let’s put it this way, water is much more than just wet. In fact, with water, the further we look, the less we know. As D.H. Lawrence said in his book The Third Thing, “Water is H2O, hydrogen two parts, oxygen one, but there is also a third thing that makes it water. And nobody knows what that it is.”

Water may be the most obvious substance in our daily lives and, at the same time, one of the greatest mysteries on the face of the Earth. Water is everywhere and nowhere all at once, showing up in the dew of the morning, and reappearing as a fog rolling through the hills at dusk.

The character of water is one of grace under pressure, constantly seeking its own level without prejudice. We should be more like water according to Bruce Lee, “Empty your mind, be formless, be shapeless… like water. Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water my friend.”

modern popular science with all of its authority, expertise, and experience has never actually seen a water molecule.

Major religions describe water as a seminal substance, and at the same time destroying the Earth in great floods. Water floated the Titanic, and sunk her at the same time. In more ways than one, water is a vital conundrum in regards to humanity and modern popular science.

What is water, anyway?

Water can be structured and energized, and has a capacity to listen and remember.

Water has personality and is happier, more productive, and capable of supporting life when we provide the forms, conditions, and vibrations that it likes. Water is the most sensitive substance on Earth, and it has incredible capabilities when respected and treated appropriately.

It may seem strange to give water sentient characteristics, but it is so pervasive, fundamental, and important that there is a limitation of language when it comes to its descriptions.

Besides, rarely, if ever, do we stop and consider what water wants. It is collectively a passive substance in our lives.

Water expresses elegance in the grace of a babbling brook, and power in the force of a whirlpool, or an epic surfing wave at Jaws or Pipeline. For such a common substance, it turns out we retain a surprisingly limited understanding of its origins, abilities, and secrets.

Where does water come from? How many different kinds of water are there? What is water, anyway?

The truth, on all accounts, is that collectively we don’t really know water for what it is, or where it comes from. We experience water more than we understand it.

Everyone knows the H2O chemical structure of water from chemistry class, but you may be surprised to discover that

Water has an unusually high melting and boiling point. In some cases, hot water may freeze faster than cold water. It’s called the Mpemba effect.

Did you know there are at least nine different kinds of ice, and over 80 different properties that are measurable and able to be manipulated in water?

Water has a high viscosity, or resistance, relative to other liquids. This also allows it to retain heat to help regulate our weather, and be a great facilitator of sound waves.

Almost nothing behaves the way expected when it comes to water, pressure actually reduces ice’s melting point and thermal conductivity, and actually causes water molecules to move further away from each other. Makes no “scientific” sense - but so it is with water.

The strangeness of water is a result of its polarity, or the expression of both a positively (+) and negatively (-) charged side to its molecule, represented by the V shape chemical structure seen in textbooks. The polarity of water makes it capable of combining with and dissolving anything, giving it the moniker the “universal solvent”.

One of water’s many roles is to pick stuff up and carry it around. This includes delivering oxygen and nutrition inside living cells, and carrying away the toxins, and also in creating macro structures like stalagmites, or the Grand Canyon.

But it doesn’t always work in our favor. Water holds things in a way to make them imperceptible, like an

net

invisibility cloak that prevents us from seeing the substances held within. We are mesmerized by its uniformity, and at the same time unaware of its potential for toxicity. Herein is the threat of runoff from conventional agriculture and lawn care, and public policies - like water fluoridation, and chlorination.

One of water’s many roles is to pick stuff up and carry

Only about 0.036% percent of the planet’s total water supply is found in lakes and rivers, which is still thousands of trillions of liters.

Relative to the mass of our planet, water is the equivalent of the skin on an apple.

Water is life, but it also allows us to engage life. To create 1 ton of steel it takes 272 tonnes it around of water. It takes an average of 1741 liters of Because water is a polar molecule and water to make a 110 grams of hamburger. A opposite charges attract, water hugs itself nuclear power plant requires 113 million liters through a process called hydrogen bonding. We see the of water to cool its reactors… every hour. influence of hydrogen bonding in clouds, the meniscus in a glass of water, or the ability of water striders to walk on In fact, one of the most important parts of food is water. Not water, creating an entire ecosystem called a neuston. only is it required for plants to grow, but upwards of 95% of plants and 75% of the human body are comprised of water.

We owe our very existence to these anomalies of water.

Without water, we die. It is possible to survive for weeks, Due to its distinctive molecular structure water exhibits even months, without food; but without water - we can last its greatest density and carrying capacity at 4°C with the only days. density actually decreasing below this temperature. This is why ice floats on liquid water, which is relatively unique in Water is abundant, yet scarce. Almost half the world doesn’t Nature, and quite significant. Imagine if water froze from have access to clean water, or has to walk to get it. Most the bottom up, would life have survived ice ages on the people in the world rely on an average of 5 liters of water a bottom of solid lakes? day. In the United States, on average, we use that much water every time we flush the toilet.

There’s something like 1,260,000,000,000,000,000,000 liters (1.26 sextillion liters) of water found on planet The modern world is only just beginning to feel the economic Earth. About 70% of the planet is covered in ocean, and societal pressures of peak water, and water security. and almost 98% of the water on the planet is in the Business moguls are buying up aquifers and water rights. oceans. About 2% of Earth’s water is fresh, but 1.6% of Cities are privatizing their water supplies under corporations this freshwater is locked up in the polar ice caps and that ban rain barrels, because they have contracts that say glaciers. they own the water before it falls. The UN even predicts the wars of the future will be waged over water.

Another 0.36% is found underground in aquifers and wells.

BIGGER

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BETTER HARVESTS

did when he called water the “blood of the Earth”.

If you do the math, bottled water costs more than the price per liter of gasoline. How can it be that something that perpetually falls from the sky costs more than something finite like oil that we are forced to drill from the ground?

Think about that for a minute.

After all, the average human drinks roughly 60,000 liters of water in a lifetime. Similarly, mature oak trees can transpire 150.000 liter of water per year!

Getting the most out of water in the garden is about more than using it as a delivery agent for fertilizers, or filtering it to remove contaminants. Water is a primary nutrient, and using form and frequency, it can be structured to be more efficient and valuable in the garden.

Water is life. It is in fact what we look for on other planets to document its presence. But a more nuanced approach to this idea would say that water facilitates life. It is the medium by which the energy of life, or “life force,” travels and communicates. In the same way sound waves cannot travel in space with no atmosphere, life waves cannot travel on Earth without water present.

Misunderstood and flowing without form, many are humbled, some are awed, but most in the modern world are unaware of the wonders of water. Some have even personified water with an agenda, as Tom Robbins wrote in his book Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, “Human beings were invented by water as a device for transporting itself from one place to another.”

Water is infused into everything that we do, even our language. We “go with the flow” when we cooperate, or “blow off steam” when we get upset. Inexperience is described as being “wet behind the ears,” and a bad mortgage is described as being “underwater.” We say these things without really even thinking about them.

My awareness of the uniqueness and the ability of water first changed when introduced to the work of the late Dr. Masaru Emoto in the film, What the Bleep Do We Know!?

The film documented Dr. Emoto’s work of showing how simple intentions through sound, emotions, and thoughts can dramatically influence the way water crystallizes.

Skeptics beware. You are free to decide that water is merely a commodity and a receptacle, and that all water is the same; or you can choose to view it as the great Water Wizard as “father of implosion theory” Viktor Schauberger

The basis of acupuncture, homeopathy, and the biodynamic methods of farming and making compost are that subtle energies can be utilized and imprinted into water and “remembered,” for lack of a better word, and can actually be manipulated and used with intention to grow healthier people, plants, and planet.

As described by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer in the preface to The Agriculture Course, Rudolf Steiner “called for a pail of water, and proceeded to show us how to apportion the horn’s contents to the water, and the correct way of stirring it… (he) was particularly concerned with demonstrating the energetic stirring, the forming of a funnel or crater, and the rapid changing of direction to make a whirlpool”.

This is the basis of the biodynamic methods of stirring BD500 and BD501 for use as what are called “field sprays.” Steiner was showing the farmers how to capture and leverage the etheric and astral forces of plants and animals in Nature, and using energized water as a tool of delivering them to the field.

Viktor Schauberger made many discoveries around the regenerative nature of implosion on water. It is the implosive moment in water where the organizational ability of water molecules becomes vulnerable and receptive to subtle energies. So when Steiner suggested the flow be reversed

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in the bucket “to make a whirlpool”, rather than simply “changing directions”, he was accomplishing this implosive moment.

Intentioned growers can take advantage of this phenomenon in their gardens by using one of the vortex-style mixing machines on the market, or stirring fertilizer solutions back and forth for at least 20 minutes (Steiner instructed for an hour) in order to energize and potentize, or bring higher order and synergy amongst the ingredients.

This is how the dynamics of a meandering river work, or the life-giving energy experienced by surfers in the ocean and paddlers on a river. Think about it, compared to the efforts of dissolving oxygen with air pumps in water to grow with hydroponics or brew compost tea, one doesn’t have to aerate a river or the ocean, when given an opportunity, water seeks the form of the implosive vortex in order to regenerate and energize itself.

It is well known that water responds to celestial energies and cycles. This sensitivity in water can be seen in the influence of the moon on tides, or the age-old strategy of felling trees during the new moon when the moisture and sap are at their lowest levels. Pliny the Elder (23 – 79 AD) advised Roman farmers to pick fruit for market before the full moon, as it weighed more, but to pick fruit for their own stores at the new moon, as it would last longer.

Water is so much more capable and complex than we give it credit, so how is it that we can know so much, and at the same time, so little about something so important?

It is not for a lack of research. Dr. Gerald Pollack of the University of Washington describes in his book The 4th Phase of Water the tribulations of the history of water investigation in great detail. The Russians in the 1950s, and the French in the 1970s, both made aggressive campaigns to document the mysterious nature of water - but were rebuked in the name of “science.”

The promiscuity of water makes it near impossible to isolate pure H2O, which translates to “contamination”

in the realm of modern popular science and the scientific method. This phenomenon of water has halted almost every professional foray into the mysteries of water since the turn of the twentieth century. And here we are today.

With a more direct and nuanced understanding of water, there is enormous reservoirs of potential at our fingertips. The capacities of water speak to the efficacy of raw food, sprouting, and unpasteurized juicing. Water that is “structured” by living cells is in a different, and a more invigorated state, than the average water that we experience from the tap or bottle resulting in health and rejuvenation.

Not only is water structured by life more valuable, but it turns out that we can make it easier for water to get inside of cells as well. Peter Agre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 for the discovery of the aquaporins. They are protein channels in the cell that regulate water, and they exist in bacteria, plants, and animal cells. In the human body alone, at least eleven different variants have been found.

The molecular structure of water determines cells’ ability to access adequate water. Basically, what Peter Agre discovered was that cells need to drink water one molecule at a time, meaning, if the structure and surface tension of water is too high we can be medically dehydrated despite the amount of water we drink, because we are simply irrigating our kidneys, not hydrating our cells. The same is true for plants.

In regards to the potentials of water in life and society - we live a filtered existence. We elicit this understanding every time we use rainwater in our gardens, invest in a water filter, or make the decision to purchase a bottle of drinking water.

So let’s take this one more energetic step further. We must inspire our imaginations towards water. We need more water conservationists and connoisseurs. Pondering the importance and mysteries of water go a long way towards levering its true potential in our gardens and in our lives. Here’s to paying more attention to our water, it does a body and a garden good. 3

NPK Podcast Live NPK Live delivers the need-to-know information for growers and cultivators without any annoying adverts or sponsors. Stephen and Thomas don’t pull their punches, talking frankly about the hydroponics industry, as they see it.

The following podcasts are the most recent episodes available for download today…

1. The 2015 year in review – A review of 2015 with special guests Jay and Peter from Highlight Horticulture.

2. Welcome to 2016 – Stephen and Thomas discuss the year ahead, the hydroponic shows taking place around the world and predictions for 2016 in the Hydroponics industry.

3. Innovate or imitate – There are so many cheap copies and bad products on the market, NPK Live looks into innovation and imitation throughout the hydroponics industry, picking out key products that have been imitated and innovated.

4. The return of the king – This week we talk about the return of the king…

King Canatronics, the only contactor (In the UK) that is safe as houses and hand built in the UK. Thomas and Stephen also talk about safety in the grow room and the importance of buying good equipment, especially when buying electricals.

The NPK Live podcast is released every Sunday at 12pm GMT on iTunes, the NPK website and a host of other podcast platforms. http://tinyurl.com/NPKHydroponics http://tinyurl.com/NPKLive

Enjoy!

GROWHARD AUSTRALIA

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

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IRON I GARDEN CULTURE

Everybody knows the ironic tale of the thirsty old man lost at sea. This unfortunate chap, stuck in his boat, dying of thirst, mouth as dry as dust, is surrounded in every direction by countless gallons of water but, due to the 10,000 or so PPMs of sodium, and 19,000 PPMs of chloride inconveniently present in solution, he’s unable to satisfy his thirst with even a single salty sip!

Iron’s situation is quite similar. (It’s all too tempting to claim it’s “ironic”.) For millions of years, iron deficiency has blighted bacteria, plants, animals, and humans, and yet, it’s the fourth most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Take a soil sample from your backyard, and you’ll find iron mentioned in the lab report. So why, in the midst of all this abundance, did the World Health Organisation recently state that iron deficiency remains the most common nutritional disorder on the planet—and not just in developing countries either (www.bit.ly/WHO-iron)? In fact, over two billion people all over the world (Rodgers, et al., 2004, Velu, et al., 2014)—nearly one in three of us— are technically anaemic, largely due to a dearth of iron in our diets. So what’s going on?

In order to solve our manifold iron problem, we would do well to start with plant nutrition. Give consumable plants enough iron, especially if they end up in the parts of the plants we actually ingest, and it’s a happy domino effect from there on up the food chain. However, it’s a lot easier said than done. The key problem centres around iron’s poor solubility in soil (Carvelho and Vasconcelos, 2013).

Iron occurs naturally as goethite and hematite—both insoluble polymers (Ramimoghad, et al., 2014)—meaning plants can’t benefit from them. Iron has a positive charge, and is attracted to negatively charged clay particles in the soil as Fe3+. (Fe2+ is attached to other molecules due to the loss of an electron, and its unstable state.) Your plants’ root hairs continually pump out protons in the hope of disassociating any Fe3+ oxides, languishing on the surface of a clay particle in the soil, but it takes a whole lot of energy (and, dare I say, luck) to snatch them up (Kim and Guerinot, 2007., Hindt and Geurinot, 2012., Kobayashi and Nish, 2014).

Iron plays even more hard-to-get as soil pH rises. Adding calcium to the soil in traditional methods of liming can all

IT’S ALL TO O TEM PTIN G FOR INEXPERIEN C E D GROWERS TO UN DERESTI M ATE THE I M PORTAN C E OF IRON

Iron deficiency in raspberry leaf too often create lime-induced chlorosis. Apple, peach, citrus, and soybean crops often suffer in this way. The telltale sign of iron deficiency is a yellow leaf with green veins (Hindt and Geurinot, 2012). This is because iron is a key component of chlorophyll—nature’s very own solar panels—so no iron means no green colour in your leaves, and markedly reduced photosynthesis. On the other hand, if you can give your plants enough iron, then you’re essentially allowing them to “invest” in themselves.

Basically, you’re granting them a free license to produce more chlorophyll, and with it, the ability to capture more light energy.

Iron’s accessibility problems do not necessarily end in soilless, hydroponic cultivation environments.

Furthermore, it’s all too tempting for inexperienced growers to underestimate the importance of iron, as well as other so-called “trace elements”. The misguided rationale runs along the lines of—‘if plants only need, say, between 5 and 12 parts per million of iron in solution— can it really be that big a deal?’ Answer—yes indeed!

In experiments with tomatoes in NFT systems, large differences in root development were observed between plants grown in low versus high iron environments.

(Sonneveld and Voogt, 1984.) Moreover, optimal yields

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IRON I GARDEN CULTURE

were only achievable when adequate amounts of iron were present. Interestingly, the specific concentration was less in rockwool culture than in NFT, perhaps due to the increased amount of root hairs that rockwool promotes.

Hydroponic nutrient formulations use chelated forms of iron (most commonly EDTA and DTPA) to keep iron in solution. A chelate is a molecule that surrounds a metal ion and prevents it from precipitating. All sounds like a wonderful solution to our iron problem, doesn’t it? But, in reality, the use of chelating chemical agents is far from ideal.

Iron

EDTA

Chelate

To begin to understand why; imagine a ping pong ball.

That’s your iron. Next, imagine that ping pong ball grasped tightly by a six-fingered man. That’s your EDTA chelate. You ask the mutant man politely for the ping pong ball, but he’s rather attached to it, and not letting go easily. Finally, mainly due to your amazing skills of negotiation (protonic energy) you manage to persuade him to relinquish his precious ping pong ball. (Iron dissociation.) But—it’s only now that you discover that some helpful soul has deposited a small blob of glue on the tips of each of his six fingers. (EDTA’s six bonds with the iron.) So, as he tries to release the ping pong ball from one of his sticky fingers, it ends up sticking to another. Eventually you lose patience, get out your meat cleaver, and BASH! You relieve the man of both his ping pong ball and his hand. (Plant absorbing both chelate and iron.) What a palaver for just a tiny bit of iron.

It gets worse. Chelates don’t fair well under UV-sterilisation.

So, if you’re recirculating your nutrient solution and treating it with UV-C lamps, your precious iron will fall out of solution, and you’ll need to redose before feeding it to your plants again. To compound the issue even more, iron is an immobile element meaning Above: Pepper plant clones growing your plants can’t simply under identical conditions, with (right) translocate it from one of its and without (left) iron supplements parts to another.

A solution, a revolution even, may well be on the horizon in the form of nanotechnology. No, I’m not about to conjure up a futuristic vision of atomic-scale nano-bots working tirelessly to deliver iron to our plants. Well, not exactly. Iron oxide nanoparticles (that’s particles between 1 and 100 nanometers—a million nanometers are equal to a single millimetre. (Niar et al., 2010)) can be “wrapped” in amino acids and held in solution—allowing plants to uptake iron via simple diffusion. No energysapping, time-wasting negotiations required.

Plant response to iron oxide nanoparticles is dramatic, to say the least—lush, green foliage, super fast growth rates, shorter vegetative periods, faster fruiting, and significant yield increases. Nanonutrients are set to rewrite the rulebook for both soil and hydroponic growers—however, it is likely that only cultivators growing very high value crops will be able to justify their cost as the technology is barely out of the laboratory (Khot, et al., 2012). Keep your eyes peeled for some very interesting peer-reviewed studies in horticultural scientific journals later this year. 3

Chlorosis on leaf GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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BY ANNE GIBSON

How to Grow

Perfect Peas With pretty flowers, pods, climbing tendrils and leaves,

peas are an attractive and delicious annual addition to any garden. Even better, all parts of the plant are edible!

These little powerhouses are low in calories, packed with

many health benefits: antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and are high in micronutrients, vitamins, fibre, protein, and minerals.

Peas are best eaten raw, straight off the plant before their natural sugars turn to starch, and lose their sweet flavour.

They are easy to grow, so are an ideal first crop for children and beginners.

Peas are a legume, and help to fix nitrogen in the soil in a form plants can easily take up, with the help of root zone bacteria, which convert airborne nitrogen into plant food. Growing legumes helps feed your soil without adding fertiliser!

Growing Conditions Peas are low maintenance, easy plants to grow. After the seeds germinate, plants usually only need watering, support and harvesting.

They like well drained loamy soils, with plenty of organic matter, and 6.0-7.5 pH. They like a sunny spot, but not extreme heat, or too much wind. They prefer moist soil, but not waterlogged feet! Avoid planting in wet weather, or they may rot.

Companion Planting When to Plant Peas love cool, frost-free growing conditions. They dislike heat, and high humidity. As a guideline for most climates in Australia - sow in April and May. For cool/cold mountain regions, early spring may be more favourable. Pea flowers are affected by frost, so pods won’t form. Sowing times vary depending on your local microclimate. Greenhouses and frost protection may open up the options for you.

Peas will grow, develop flowers, and fruit in about 10-14 weeks depending on the variety.

Choosing a Variety If you want ‘fast food’: • • •

Choose snow peas - no waiting for the pods to fill.

Start with seedlings, not seeds.

Grow pea microgreens indoors. Harvest shoots with scissors within 2-3 weeks.

Avoid planting peas near garlic, onions, chives and shallots that stunt plant growth. Peas seem to grow well planted with beans and root crops like carrots, radish and turnips.

Sowing and Spacing Pre-soak seeds overnight in warm water with liquid seaweed to soften the shell. Seaweed helps stimulate germination, and promote stronger growth.

Sow seeds directly into moist soil or seed mix 2-3cm deep.

In the garden, sow 10cm apart or in rows about 60cm apart to help air circulation and prevent disease. In a 20cm pot, sow 6-8 seeds. Wait until they sprout before watering again to prevent seeds rotting. Germination generally takes 7-10 days.

Carefully transplant seedlings at 5-9cm high.

Want to save seed? When growing multiple varieties, grow in separated containers or beds to prevent crossing, and help you correctly identify them.

Support Peas Try planting a few different varieties. If you want to extend your harvest time, sow more every couple of weeks.

Common peas include snow and sugarsnap, which are grown for their tender edible pods. Garden pea or shelling varieties contain edible seeds.

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There are climbing and dwarf varieties. Maximise vertical space by training climbers up plant stems, a fence, lattice, stakes, a trellis, or frame with string guides every 20cm. This also makes harvesting and maintenance easier.

Dwarf peas also grow better supported by pruned sticks or bamboo canes to help minimise pest and disease problems. A great hanging basket crop too.

PEAS I GARDEN CULTURE

Harvest of freshly picked snow peas

Sugar snap peas ready for harvest

Growing Tips These light feeders that produce their own soil nitrogen are a cheap crop to grow! Avoid over-fertilising. You want flowers and pods, not leaves.

Peas have shallow roots, so mulch well to avoid weeds and retain soil moisture.

•

• •

Watering: Keep soil moist while flowers and pods are developing. This is critical to their healthy development.

Snow peas growing on vine

pods are plump and round. They’re super sweet... taste testing while harvesting may result in few peas for dinner!

Garden peas are eaten when they are mature by opening the pod and removing the peas inside. Compost the spent pods to recycle nutrients and build new soil.

Pea shoots (the top 5-7cm) can be used in stir fries or salads when the plant is at full height.

When plants stop producing flowers and pods, use leaves in salads and stir fries.

Tips Pinch out the shoots at the top of each plant when you see the first pods are ready to pick. Add these to your salads. It stimulates pod production.

• •

Avoid leaving pods unpicked unless you are saving for seed, or your plant will stop producing pods.

After harvesting, leave roots to rot in the ground to release nitrogen in the soil and feed your next crop.

Pests and Diseases Watch out for thrips, mites and aphids, cutworms, root knot nematodes, and fungal diseases.

Organic strategies for healthy peas include: • • • • •

Plant disease resistant varieties; Practice crop rotation; Space plants adequately; Add compost and organic soil conditioners seasonally; Spray leaves with liquid seaweed on warm sunny days to strengthen plants and build disease resistance.

Sowing early in the season may also prevent pests.

Crop Rotation Make the most of the free soil nitrogen after growing peas, plant leafy greens or a heavy feeding fruiting crop. e.g. tomato, capsicum, chilli, eggplant, or potato. There will be much less chance of fungal diseases by rotating crops from different families in the same container or garden bed.

Saving Seed Allow pods to dry on the plant until brown and brittle. Cut at the stem base and hang to dry under cover. Remove dried peas from the pod, and leave on a tray or plate for a few days.

Store in an envelope labelled with the variety/date inside a self-seal bag in a cool, dark place, or an airtight bottle with some dry rice to absorb any moisture.

Harvesting •

•

•

•

Pick your peas just before sitting down to eat for best freshness and flavour. Harvest when the pods are bright green, full and plump depending on the variety.

Pick from the bottom of the plant and work up to the top. Hold the plant in one hand and snap the pea off with the other to avoid breaking the stem. Regular picking produces more peas.

Snow peas are great value because you eat the whole pod before the peas mature. They have a longer harvesting period (5-6 weeks) than garden peas (2-3 weeks).

Sugarsnap pods have thick walls and are picked when the

BIO: Anne Gibson is author of several eBooks, and publishes The Micro Gardener, an inspiring DIY garden website. As a writer, consultant, speaker, and community educator, she teaches people how to grow sustainable, highly productive edible gardens on a budget in urban spaces.

Anne is passionate about helping people grow nutrient-dense food, upcycling materials in the garden, and maximising yields for minimal time, money and effort. Visit www.TheMicroGardener.com for your complimentary eBook.

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Saturday th @ Rosehil 14 and Sunday 1 th 5 May 20 l Gardens 16

o p x E n o i t a v o n n I & h t l a e H The Hemp & UIC Medicinal Cannabis Sy

mposium

2 alth & Innovation Expo & the He mp He ral ugu ina the ng An Australian first, introduci po & Symposium).

Cannabis Symposium (HHI Ex l ina dic Me ’ ion ass mp Co In ‘United

nd

Held over 2 HUGE days, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May 2016, opened by the Hon. Mike Baird, Premier of NSW at the award-winning Rosehill Gardens - home of the Golden Slipper, and minutes from Sydney Olympic Park and Historic Parramatta. The HHI Expo & UIC Medicinal Cannabis Symposium is much more than an Expo, it’s an experience, providing invaluable information, and awareness around the crucial benefits the Hemp plant has to offer, both now and into the future.

‘The Field of Dreams’, ‘Garden of Tranquility’, ‘Mind Art Wireless Brain Painting’, are just a few of the special features you can look forward to. Exhibitors from around the globe will be showcasing everything from hemp fabrics, textiles, clothing, bedding, beauty and health products, medicinal hemp products, building materials, hydroponic equipment and supplies, and much much more.

Come and look, feel, taste, and experience it all. Get involved in a number of the workshops on offer, including building with hemp, hemp screen printing, and more.

Special Ticket rates are available online @ www.hhiexpo.com.au.

Considered experiential and educational, a key component of the Expo, the ‘United In Compassion’ Medicinal Cannabis Symposium, will bring together Australia and the world’s leading academics, professionals, and advocates, along with federal, state, and local politicians to discuss legislation around the compassionate use of Medicinal Cannabis.

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United In Compassion As seen on ABC’s Australian Story, ‘Doing It For Dan’, the first ‘United In Compassion’ Medicinal Cannabis Symposium was held in Tamworth in 2014 when, after watching her son’s own struggle with cancer, Medicinal Cannabis crusader Lucy Haslam created a forum for education on the debate to legalise Medicinal Cannabis.

Bringing together politicians, including NSW Premier Mike Baird, doctors, scientists, police, and some of the world’s leading academic experts on the issue, as well as carers and patients sharing their experiences – ‘United In Compassion’ was born.

With a primary mission to provide compassionate access to Cannabis medicines in a manner which is safe, effective, affordable, and equitable for the dignified relief of suffering, The Hemp Health & Innovation Expo & ‘United In Compassion’ Medicinal Cannabis Symposium will see Australia come together. And you’re invited.

A portion of the funds from all tickets sold will be donated directly to United In Compassion to assist with their ongoing research, education, patient advocacy, and lobbying efforts.

Find out more by visiting http://www.hhiexpo.com.au/ and www.uic.org.au. Join the conversation by liking the Hemp Health & Innovation Facebook Page - and RSVP @ www. bitly/hhi-rsvp.

HEMP HEALTH & INNOVATION I GARDEN CULTURE

Australia – Medicinal Cannabis State of Play • On the 24th of February 2016 the Australian Federal Government passed a historic Bill that allows for the production, purchase, and use of Medicinal Cannabis in Australia • Under this scheme, a patient with a valid prescription can possess and use a medicinal cannabis product manufactured from cannabis plants legally cultivated in Australia, where the supply is appropriately authorised under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, and relevant state and territory legislation.

• The Victorian government has previously stated they were committed to making medicinal cannabis legal for patients in exceptional circumstances.

• The NSW Government has also developed their Terminal Illness Cannabis Scheme (TICS) and has committed to clinical trials to further explore the use of cannabis and/or cannabis products in providing relief for patients suffering from a range of illnesses.

Media enquiries contact: Michelle Crain, HHI Expo info@hhiexpo.com.au - 0400 379 509 Troy Langman, UIC MC Symposium troy.langman@uic.org.au – 0403 922 830

Rosehill Gardens Precinct (Non Race Day) INFIELD CARPARK Pedestrian Tunnel

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GREEN PRODUCTS I GARDEN CULTURE

cool finds 1

HEIGHTENED NUTRITION? Is it possible that the most nutrient-dense food is growing in the wild all around us, while we’re eating reduced quality imports? John Newton explores the ins and outs of aboriginal foods.

Scientific research shows that native foods in Australia have some of the highest concentrations of vitamins and beneficials on Earth. And they’re naturally acclimated to our climate, so battling the elements isn’t necessary to reap a harvest. From Booktopia: www.bit.ly/au-native-foods

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W E L L- B E H AV E D HOSE PIPE Admittedly, a hose pipe is a huge improvement over moving water in buckets. But the kinky, twisted nature of the traditional rubbery design is a royal pain.Then there is the weight of the thing, both empty and full.

These new stretch or pocket hoses are irritation-free, light as a feather, and impossible to kink or twist. A wise garden investment! Choose your size and length: www.bit.ly/exp-hose

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PA P E R L E S S N OT E S There’s never a pen when you need one. Chances are if you’ve got that, there’s no paper in reach. How about spur of the moment notes and doodles without any paper or pen?

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NO STAPLES STAPLER Consider the staple. The tool is prone to jamming, running empty, and botching the bend. They hook on each other, can tear a nasty gash in your finger, and are an unsustainable part of home and work life.

And eventually - we just throw them all away.

Kick the stapling habit!

The Kokuyo Harness Staple-Free Stapler locks papers together in a single motion. From Fishpond: www.bit.ly/staple-free

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F O L D I N G WAG O N

Where are you off to today? Chances are you could use some help hauling your supplies, tools, and gear to the destination.The garden, the beach, the playing field, fishing, festivals, farm marketing... but the standard sturdy cart won’t fit in the car too.

The Buddy Wagon folds up nice and neat, but is capable of carrying up to 70kg of stuff. 93cm x 48cm x 74cm. From: www.buddywagon.com.au/ 3

Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet comes with a stylus, but if you can’t find it anything works - including your finger.

No ghost of scribbles past - erases 50,000 times. From Latest Buy: www.bit.ly/BB-notepad

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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BY TAMMY CLAYTON

S A N A N BAA BUSIVE FRUITS

All the world loves bananas, indeed, it’s the 4th most valuable crop globally. Only rice, wheat, and milk trump bananas in trade. Yet, this fruit that shaped the world is a problem. Not the banana itself, but how and why an exotic fruit from the tropics became, and remains an inexpensive, seasonless staple food worldwide.

Being picked green, and gas-ripened after transport sound bad? If only that was the truly undesirable part.

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BANANAS ARE CHEAP FOR A REASON, AND REPRESENT FAR-REACHING ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL ISSUES.”

BANANAS I GARDEN CULTURE

BANANAS CREATED THE MODEL FOR TODAY’S GLOBALIZED AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY THE BANANA KINGS The first tropical fruit to arrive in the North, bananas were a costly luxury, but quickly became cheap food for common folks. Normally, this happens only when an abundant crop can be grown locally with few inputs, including labor. But bananas are quite the opposite. A banana farm is a demanding thing in terms of landmass, growing inputs, and labor - yet, it’s always been one of the biggest profit-makers.

Additionally, the plants are all clones. It’s a rare seedless mutant reproducible only by division or tissue culture, which makes planting the crop much costlier than seed. They are all identical, having no diversity, no immunity to pests or disease, and transplanted divisions increases the risk of devastating infection. It’s a highly unsustainable crop threatened with extinction.

Until the 1950s all imported dessert bananas were Gros Michel. Then a Fusarium species fungus called Panama Disease wiped them all out, which cannot be eradicated from the soil once present. All growers were forced to switch to the lesser Cavendish banana. Now a second fungal disease, Black Sigatoka, has reached epidemic levels globally - and a more virulent strain of Panama Disease that spreads like the plague threatens plantations everywhere.

Bananas are cheap for a reason, and represent far-reaching environmental, social, economic, and political issues. The banana trade is, and has always been, rife with A HIGHLY subterfuge, injustices, and economic U N S USTAINABL imperialism. An in-depth accounting of CROP how this became a global staple crop T H R EATENED has all the elements of a blockbuster WITH film: violence, sex, drugs, greed, politics, EXTINCTION corruption, war, and more.

Ever heard of United Fruit? How about Standard Fruit? Sure, you have. The first company, now Chiquita, created the model for today’s globalized agriculture industry, and once commanded 80% of the banana export trade, though the original company didn’t adapt to changing world conditions. The second early banana trader is now Dole.

Between eradicating weeds, fighting pests and disease, and maintaining soil E fertility for the demanding feeders that banana plants are - over 400 agrochemicals are used. Only cotton uses more.

Some chemicals used on bananas are outlawed in Europe and North America.

Interestingly enough, the FDA reports that there are only 4 pesticides found in bananas, some suggest that the inedible peel isn’t tested. Either way, 39-57 pounds per acre applied annually is excessive! The environment, and the health of banana workers are suffering.

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT In the 1980s, 80% of the world banana trade were held by: Chiquita, Dole, Del Monte, Fyffes, and Noboa. The first three are long established US-based corporations, while the others are relatively new to the game. Today these companies dominate only 39% due to operational repositioning.

Until just recently, your bananas came from the side of the world you lived on. Less travel ensured the import prices remained low, but now prices plummet - regardless of harvest origin.

A MONO MESS There are two types of banana growers; smallholders and the banana kings. The first use far less chemicals, require less land, and lack clout on the market. The second, transnational corporations, bring the perfect banana to market through monopoly, monoculture, and mega monocropping made possible only through using hundreds of agrochemicals, massive deforestation, environmental destruction, and social and economic control.

Pests and weeds are developing chemical immunity. Increasingly stronger pesticides, and in greater quantities, are being used.

On numerous plantations the chemical spend greatly exceed their labor costs. These massive growing operations are the result of millions of acres of deforestation, which causes soil erosion and increased flooding. The deluge of fertilizers and pesticides sinks into the soil, and runs off into the waterways, eventually spilling into the ocean.

The contaminated water is killing the fish, and polluting local water supplies, causing negative impact on the health of workers and communities around plantations. An estimated 85% of aerially applied pesticides never hit the plants, drifting over the whole area... 22-56 times a year.

“Health impacts of extensive agrochemical use are numerous, ranging from depression and respiratory problems to cancer, miscarriages and birth defects. Tens of thousands of workers left sterile by the use of a nematicide, DBCP...” -BananaLink.org 43

BANANAS I GARDEN CULTURE

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC

AN ENTIRE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY CAN BE DESTROYED INSTANTLY WITHOUT THIS EXPORT

Currently, exporters have no control over the wholesale cost of the fruit.

Now it’s the grocers who determine where your bananas come from by price. This race to the bottom removed country of origin preferences.

The cheapest source wins, further reducing incomes for smallholders and workers.

Workers’ pay for 60-72 hours a week laboring in stifling climates over 9-12 months is based on the price their product sells for. This week, bananas are 53 cents a pound in my neighborhood, and the people who made their export possible received 10% of that, or less. And this is for the portion of the yield that is perfect; 30-40% of the harvest is an environmentally toxic farm waste, and any less than perfect fruits arriving for export sell locally for much less.

Even before supermarket chains had the power to determine the price of bananas, field workers and small producers weren’t making much money. Many already existed in poverty, unable to pay for basic living needs - and now they make less, even though their cost of living has skyrocketed. Positive social development in banana export countries is impossible. Cheap bananas have taken many lives, and only reinforce conditions that have prevailed in this industry since its birth - exploiting people, and violating human rights.

After a century of availability, bananas are an important part of nutritious food diversity that is ingrained in all cultures’ diets. It’s not like we have no options going forward - there are other sweet, edible banana varieties.

The fruits may not be so big, they may not be yellow, and the flavor is different. The banana empires have simply chosen the largest, prettiest, and heaviest bearing variety for their factory farms.

T

Banana workers need better working conditions, and independent trade unions to educate them what that is. Huge monoculture plantations need to be replaced with sustainable growing models that stop environmental devastation, and rebuild the soil. Smallholders have a far better model. Diversity of crops, even of banana varieties themselves is needed. And this horrible misuse of many for the benefit of a few, along with disproportionate economic and political power that rides on top of it all needs to be abolished.

How we get there is the cause of much debate. Introducing more sustainable dessert bananas to replace the Cavendish variety is long overdue. Many unknown-to-the-global-market varieties have better flavor, but Chiquita has been working on developing one for commercial production through handbreeding. Known as GCTCV 219, it’s both sweeter and better tasting, and testing of it started in Australia and Asia in 2014.

THE SOLUTION? Avoiding bananas might come to mind, but this won’t help the millions of people living in the fragile economies created by monoculture bananas. Nor would the loss of their industry to destruction by disease, which will take place, it’s only a matter of time. Chemicals are only making pathogens and pests stronger.

An entire country’s economy can be destroyed instantly without this export, the population of which is already living in poverty. This race to the bottom pricing driven by big stores like Walmart and Aldi’s is taking even that meager bit of security away. These transnational retailers are no better than the banana kings. They haven’t started a war, or overthrown a government... yet, but they’re masters at exploiting humans for profit.

Don’t boycott all bananas. There are organic and fairtrade brands available, both of which do a lot in terms of alleviating the wrongs that traditional banana growers have brought to the land, the forests, their workers, and the local population.

Yes, they cost a bit more, but fair trade bananas pay workers DIG DEEPER: higher wages, and give them · www.bit.ly/science-quarterly safer places to work under · www.bit.ly/bananas-shaped-world · www.bit.ly/Banana-Link better working conditions. · www.bit.ly/rfa-bananas Covering a topic this vast in · www.bit.ly/fairtrade-bananas so few words is impossible. · www.bit.ly/banana-chain I’ve barely scratched the sur· www.bit.ly/ethical-consumer face. 3 · www.bit.ly/tropical-race-4 45

BY GRUBBYCUP

One of the most useful aspects of clover is its ability to pull nitrogen out of the air

Clover

Clover is a useful legume that is related to peas and beans. It also has pretty, if somewhat plain, flowers when allowed to bloom.

One of the most useful aspects of clover is its ability to pull nitrogen out of the air. As with other legumes, it can form a symbiotic relationship with host specific nitrogen fixing bacteria called rhizobia. In the case of clover, the specific bacteria is Phyllobacterium trifolii. Commercial clover seeds are often inoculated before sale to ensure the presence of the bacteria. A clover plant that has rhizobia bacteria will form root nodules. The root nodules have value, because there the bacteria can fix nitrogen directly out of the atmosphere, which it supplies to the plant.

When the clover plant dies, it can be left in place to decompose and enrich the soil, or be harvested and composted to feed to other plants. This aspect of clover is why it is known as one of the “green manure� plants, and why it is a common plant to include in crop rotations. The clover grown one season can be turned under or mowed down to help feed whatever plant is grown next in the rotation.

If for some reason a garden area won’t be used for a season, consider sprinkling some clover seeds. Mix the tiny seeds with sand to help with even coverage, and give them enough attention to get them started well. Crop rotation techniques can be used in small garden plots just as well as 46

large fields. Clover can also be used as a companion for taller plants, both for weed control while living, and as a nutrient source as they complete their life cycle.

Since clover makes its own nitrogen, it can be planted in areas with poor or overworked soil such as lawns to help improve them. It can be used either as an addition to existing grass lawns, or as a replacement for them. Once established, clover is more drought tolerant than grass, needs less fertilization (generally none), is aggressive enough to push out most weeds, and even comes in dwarf varieties to minimize the need for mowing. It is also a favorite of honeybees, who could use all the help they can get these days, and is even resistant to pet urine browning.

CLOVER I GARDEN CULTURE

clover is more drought tolerant than grass

clover is known as one of the “green manure� plants When used as a lawn, there are a few drawbacks. First of all, it is not as resistant to foot traffic as grass, which is a legitimate concern for those folks that have family rugby matches out on the front lawn, if it is to be used as a playing field, grass is probably a better choice. For the rest of us, just put some paving stones along whatever path gets worn from entering and exiting the house, and enjoy not needing to push around a lawn mower as often.

The second drawback has led to an unfair smear campaign against the noble clover mounted by the broadleaf herbicide people. Namely, that it can be killed with broadleaf herbicide weed killer. These companies even regularly advertise the effectiveness of their products against clover, as if to suggest it is something undesirable that should be killed. In other words; they make a product that kills off a drought tolerant, self-fertilizing, low maintenance lawn, in preference for water hogging, soil

depleting grass that needs mowing every week or two, and are proud enough of that to advertise the fact.

The solution to the second drawback is simple, don’t spray your lawn with broadleaf herbicides.

The third is a fair point, and it is that for best appearance, clover lawns should be reseeded more often than grass lawns. A partial solution to this is to allow the clover to flower, set seed, and supplement with additional seedings as needed. While this does incur both cost and labor, there is the savings from not buying fertilizer, mowing as often, or watering as often to consider.

Clover is one of the plants I recommend serious gardeners to familiarize themselves with, it touches on a lot of important concepts, including the sustainable fertilization of crops. 3 GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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BY SHANE HUTTO - OWNER, HORTICULTURAL SOLUTIONS LTD

: l s a i s c e r c e c m u S l cCoomm a i c ermercial m com a

g n i t c Sele

e s u o h n e e gr

Manufacturer

FI C I C E P S E RY V S I E S OU H N E E R A G G N I D L BUI

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GREENHOUSES I GARDEN CULTURE

If you are a small or a medium indoor gardener thinking about scaling up, and building a commercial greenhouse... beware, a lack of knowledge has been revealed. From industry investors to famed consultants, very few have built a greenhouse, let alone an efficient structure with specific technology fine-tuned for a specific crop. There is a multitude of options for greenhouse manufacturers, and most are fighting for their place in line to dominate new sectors in horticulture.

With the overload of choices, charismatic salesman, and the size of this investment - you should not rely on personal knowledge of other industries. Building a greenhouse is very specific. The best approach is to hire a consultant that knows greenhouses. Knowing how to operate a greenhouse does not qualify one to design the structure or systems. For this, you need to have built greenhouses, as well as remodeled them in a multitude of situations.

The best analogy I have come up with for building a well-designed greenhouse is the similarity to climbing Mt. Everest. Even experienced climbers hire the Sherpa to lead the way, and help bear the load - just as your greenhouse consultant should do. It is an immense task to complete from design, licensing, and permitting to selecting equipment, and planning the budget with a reliable timeline.

Don’t slack on your Sherpa selection! They should have a track record of success, and be able to provide other happy customers as references. The consultant, when asked, should be able to tell you of a time or two where they’ve failed, and explain what was learned. None of us are perfect, and if you haven’t messed something up along the way... you haven’t done it very long.

Finally, check the credentials. While a degree and work history aren’t everything, they certainly provide a solid foundation. The cost of a consultant may be expensive, but like a Sherpa, they will save you money, or even your life. And don’t be alarmed when they ask to be paid in advance (just in case you fall off the mountain along the way).

A CONSULTANT MAY BE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY WILL SAVE YOU MONEY

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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SCAL ABILITY IS THE KEY TO LONG TERM SUCCESS

When selecting a greenhouse manufacturer, the consultant should be involved every step of the way.

I have worked with many different greenhouse manufacturers, and not once have they designed a facility the way I wanted it the first time without input. There are so many factors that go into the design. At the top of the list is preventing problems, not fixing them after they arise.

The next consideration is the local environment: wind, heat, snow, hail, humidity, and light levels. Every single location is different, and the structure should reflect that.

The other obvious consideration is the crop itself.

Some plants prefer it to be hot and humid, this means in a high humidity environment where a sealed greenhouse may be necessary. Yes, a sealed greenhouse with a low amount of outside air exchange may get very hot, but with properly designed and installed cooling systems, and energy curtains - we can accomplish amazing things. The opposite is a cool, dry natural environment that will easily be duplicated in an open air flow greenhouse simply by creating air exchange. In any open air scenario, air filtration should be used to prevent insects, such as thrips.

Finally, if you are well-funded, and aspire to be a true pharmaceutical production facility, there are 50

food safe, and aseptic greenhouses available. The options for these extremely high tech systems run into the millions of dollars.

Once you are to the point of selecting the greenhouse manufacturer, there is a high likelihood you have at least a small team of people working on the process. The greenhouse manufacturer should be an addition to the team, not the coach. Being a team player is often difficult for greenhouse manufacturers, because they have their way of doing things. They like to build what they always have, and fear change. While someone has to develop the greenhouse layout, it is a team decision.

At the end of the day, the greenhouse manufacturer will build it how it is requested.

Planting density is probably the most subjective piece of the design puzzle, and every grower will have different sizes desired for plant stages, which creates complexity of the design. The main key of the layout for a facility like this is what I call a ‘single direction flow through’ design. Basically, that means a first in, first out protocol, but if the processes themselves aren’t incorporated into your design, once the greenhouse is in production mode, employees will continually be bumping into each other - creating traffic jams, lowered productivity, and potential for increased contamination.

GREENHOUSES I GARDEN CULTURE

Scalability is the key to long term success. Most commercial greenhouses that stay in business for decades have expanded, and the most efficient designs are the easiest to scale. Literally to the point of taking down one sidewall, and adding trusses connected to new piers expands the greenhouse in one direction, and with limited disruption to production.

HOW A GREENHOUSE IS DESIGNED IS EASILY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND SELFDESTRUCTION

Scalable automation creates precision in a greenhouse.

It not only removes a majority of the user error, but also creates uniformity among the crops. The degree of the precision created varies widely based on the equipment selected. For example, some systems I use can have a plus or minus five degrees variation in temperature, where more expensive integrated systems may have a plus or minus half of a degree in fluctuation.

The installation and build of the actual greenhouse is a feat, in and of itself. Something always goes wrong.

This is where any design problems become reality, and have to be fixed quickly, and without slowing down the overall build in order to minimize additional expense.

Very often local contractors will be used, but they will have supervision crews directly from the greenhouse manufacturer. This is standard practice, as the build itself isn’t rocket science - the hard part is in the design.

A greenhouse manufacturer’s track record is very often their selling strategy, but this track record can be deceiving. First off, just because you have built more facilities than anyone else, doesn’t mean any of them were built properly, and building in one environment doesn’t make you able to build in opposite ones. Asking to talk with previous customers, or finding existing operators in other locations with the same greenhouse is a major step toward finding the right builder. In the end, you want a builder who will provide true ongoing support, not just land a sale and walk away.

In closing, a greenhouse can cost anywhere between $689 and $3452 per meter square, but how it is designed is easily the difference between success and self-destruction. A builder will always try to sell you a bigger structure than you ask for. Yes, it is good for his commissions, but there is an economies of scale factor.

Most structures decrease in cost per square meter once the half-acre, or one-acre size is achieved. No matter what your budget is - always tell the builder it is less. This will help anticipate the extra costs that are associated with every project, much like buying a house.

Finally, have a Sherpa (consultant) that you trust with the life of your business, because in the end, he or she is your guide to glory! 3

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OPINION PIECE BY THEO TEKSTRA MARKETING MANAGER, GAVITA HOLLAND BV

YOU KNOW WHAT GRINDS MY GEARS?

Anecdotal

Evidence

In this column Theo Tekstra discusses observations in the indoor garden culture. There is sometimes so much urban legend, and so little science in this industry. It is time to “myth bust”, and have a fresh breeze move through the industry.

Before there was YouTube, we had pure anecdotal evidence, and it was the source of many urban legends.

Anecdotal evidence is defined by Webster as “based on, or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers.” Other sources define it as “based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation.”

There is nothing wrong with sharing experiences you will say, and indeed there isn’t. But to value this experience as a universal truth can be really dangerous.

it is presented in documentary format. We are easily fooled by presentation if we do not master the art of the science.

All definitions have this in common: it is usually not based on scientific methods, or presented by scientific observers. You need to ask yourself two things when reading or viewing “evidence”:

The amount of videos available on YouTube is overwhelming: for any standpoint or belief - you can find “proof” in a video.

Some productions look extremely professional, adding to the “reliability factor”. Specifically, grow trials have always been popular: different methods of cultivation (for example, different light sources) are compared, and of course, there is always a clear winner. However, if you look at those trials critically you can always see a few flaws. Let me take light as an example, as this is my expertise.

1. Is the method used to obtain this result in any way scientific?

2. Is the observer in any way a scientist?

We all know that the earth is not flat. So when someone claims it is, because he sees no curvature, it is easy to identify that as an incorrect claim. That is not so easy though, when it concerns matters that we know little about. When we seek information it is easy to be convinced by anecdotal evidence, especially if it is presented by someone we regard as reliable (whether that is true or not), or when the presentation of the evidence looks professional. For example, when supported by graphs and figures, or when

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YouTube offers a great platform for anecdotal evidence.

There are all too many examples of it, and while some can easily be recognized, others seem quite legit. They are well produced, show high quality images and graphs, and the presenter looks quite knowledgeable. It’s on video, the pictures are convincing, you can see it with your own eyes, right?

With the rising of LED technology, you see a lot of comparisons against traditional HID sources. Now, both HPS and LED professional growers usually report a high yield, but in comparisons you see that one lacks substantially, even worse than you would normally expect to get as a result from that particular technology. There are many reasons why some of these results can be so different from what you see in real life, and many originate from the fact that the

COLUMN I GARDEN CULTURE

grower did not base the trial on scientific methods - or used an incorrect application of the technology. Let me give you a few examples: •

•

•

•

If the yield of one of the technologies is much lower than you would normally expect, there is a flaw in the application or test method somewhere. Guaranteed.

LED, by and large, has a much more compact footprint due to the fact that it is much more directional, while HPS lighting mostly relies on overlapping fields to create a uniform lighting and more horizontal penetration of a crop. In small trials, or small square shaped trial rooms, this of course gives the LED an advantage, as the HPS fixture will spill lots of light on the walls. In a large room this effect is much smaller.

Using more, smaller HPS sources will usually give much better results in a small square room.

At lower intensities the efficiency of the light is much higher. There is not a linear relation between light intensity and photosynthesis, as with high intensities the photosynthetic rate levels off, coming close to the saturation point of the plant. However, at high intensity the yield per square meter will be higher, which can be very worthwhile, and a great investment when growing a high value crop. If you compare yield per Watt, a low light intensity grow will always win over a high intensity grow.

Scientific grow trials are always done under standard conditions. So external influences are eliminated as much as possible. When determining the efficiency of a light source you grow under similar intensity (PPFD), in an as uniform as possible field of plants and uniform lighting, and take the center of your field as the trial sample. Trials are usually small scale, so size and room factors need to be eliminated. I have seen trials done in the same room where the different sources even overlap with one another, making it impossible to get a reliable result.

There is nothing wrong with sharing experiences you will say, and indeed there isn’t. But to value this experience as a universal truth can be really dangerous.

•

•

Specifically comparing HPS and LED creates a problem when you give both crops the same nutrient levels.

LED-grown plants, as they get much less irradiant heat, transpire a lot less. Generally, this means that you have to up the EC of your nutrient solution substantially.

The climate in both rooms will differ, and this creates an offset. Growing under LED and HPS in the same room can actually be an advantage to the LED-grown crop, as much stray light, and specifically - heat, is added to the room, boosting the photosynthetic efficiency.

I am not saying that all of these trials are fraudulent, or meant to deceive you. Not at all. There is a serious quest in this industry to research what are the most efficient and highest quality cultivation methods, and that is a good thing. However, we do not see the same huge differences in efficiency in the many real scientific trials that are executed worldwide. LED light of the same intensity as HPS, for example, is not 30-60% more efficient as some of these trials want you to believe. In fact, there is much scientific evidence that shows that there is not a big difference in yield between the different light sources at the same intensity at all. However, with LED light you are able to distribute the light over a much more compact surface with much less wall losses, which is a definite advantage in a small room, or on a defined surface.

The moral of the story? You can not just pick and choose your evidence. There is a reason why scientific trials are scientific. 3

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BY JEFF EDWARDS

History of

Hydroponics Early Ear ly History: H i sto r y: The Beginnings e B eg i n n i n gs Part 1 Th of o f Water Wate r Culture Cu ltu r e 54

HYDROPONICS I GARDEN CULTURE

Hydroponics, now commonly defined as the soilless growth of plants, has its root foundations in simple observations by early progressive thinkers and tinkerers. Like many scientific discoveries and their evolution to commercial application, progress came in fits and starts, with major discoveries and realizations followed by extended periods of seeming disinterest.

Many written histories of hydroponic plant cultivation methods mention the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the first written record of which dates to about 290 BC. Penned by Berossus, a Babylonian writer, priest, and astronomer, we only know of Berossus’ writings through quotes by later authors. Five primary authors, including Berossus, are responsible for what we know of the Hanging Gardens today. Their accountings were all written at a later time, based on now lost, previously written accountings by others.

Modern research questions whether the gardens were in Babylon at all, yet the premise that the gardens would in some way qualify as “hydroponic” is doubtful, based on observations by these early writers. Diodorus Siculus, writing between 60 and 30 BC, referenced the 4th century BC texts, Ctesias of Cnidus, for his description of the gardens. After detailing their construction, he includes the following passage, “...on all this again earth had been piled to a depth sufficient for the roots of the largest trees; and the ground, when leveled off, was thickly planted with trees of every kind...”

Quintus Curtius Rufus, writing in the 1st century AD, references writings of Cleitarchus, a 4th-century BC historian for Alexander the Great, who also described the “...deep layer of earth placed upon it and water used for irrigating it.” Philo of Byzantium, the author who identifies what we accept today as the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, writing sometime around the 4th or 5th centuries AD, mentions that “...much deep soil is piled on, and then broad-leaved and especially garden trees of many varieties are planted.”

Based on these accounts alone, it seems doubtful that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon could in any way be considered soilless. In all fairness, the irrigation systems required to bring water to plantings of the reported scale, described in the form of aqueducts and water lifts, are similar in concept to irrigation methods employed today in modern hydroponic systems.

Another oft mentioned comparison to modern hydroponics in the Old World are the “floating gardens” built by the

progress came in fits and starts, with major discoveries followed by extended periods of seeming disinterest Aztecs in the 14th century AD. Arriving in the Valley of Mexico, the Aztec people found a landlocked swamp with five large lakes surrounded by volcanic mountains. For some reason, they chose to settle in swampland surrounding Lake Texcoco, and decided to build their capital city on a small island in the lake. Lacking any extra land for growth, the people started building what were essentially rectangular islands, constructed of soil, compost, and sludge from the lake bed.

Contrary to popular belief, these islands, or “chinampas”, didn’t float at all, but were rather attached to the lakebed using willow tree cuttings and a variety of materials including stones, poles, reeds, vines, and rope. Chinampas were incredibly fertile and irrigation was unnecessary since water wicked up from the lake. As many as 7 crops could be harvested in a single year due to the unique methods of composting and mulching developed by the Aztec farmers of the time. However, based on their method of construction it’s clear that the Aztec chinampas, like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, cannot be classified as hydroponic either.

Some of the earliest recorded research into the actual reasoning behind the growth of plants, published posthumously in 1648, was written by a Flemish chemist known as Jan Baptist van Helmont (1579-1644). In fact, authorities detained van Helmont in 1634 during the Spanish Inquisition for the “crime” of studying plants and other sciences, and sentenced him to two years in prison. And while van Helmont was primarily known as the first to articulate that there are gaseous substances that differ from ordinary air, as well as introducing the word “gas” into the scientific lexicon, he is also known for a single

Jan Baptist van Helmont GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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experiment he conducted using a willow tree to determine from where plants derive their mass.

This research is commonly known as “the 5-year tree experiment”…

1699: John Woodward conducted experiments growing in differing sources of water

“But I have learned by this handicraft-operation that all Vegetables do immediately, and materially proceed out of the Element of water onely. For I took an Earthen vessel, in which I put 200 pounds of Earth that had been dried in a Furnace, which I moystened with Rainwater, and I implanted therein the Trunk or Stem of a Willow Tree, weighing five pounds; and at length, five years being finished, the Tree sprung from thence, did weigh 169 pounds, and about three ounces: But I moystened the Earthen Vessel with Rain-water, or distilled water (alwayes when there was need) and it was large, and implanted into the Earth, and least the dust that flew about should be co-mingled with the Earth, I covered the lip or mouth of the Vessel with an Iron-Plate covered with Tin, and easily passable with many holes.

I computed not the weight of the leaves that fell off in the four Autumnes. At length, I again dried the Earth of the Vessell, and there were found the same two hundred pounds, wanting about two ounces. Therefore 164 pounds of Wood, Barks, and Roots, arose out of water onely.”

Historians have deduced that the experiment was likely not an original idea, rather one motivated by Nicolaus of Cusa’s 1450 description in De Staticus Experimentis of a similar experiment that was apparently never conducted.

Further research puts the concept of the experiment back to a Greek work somewhere between 200 and 400 A.D. And while his research method is completely lacking in scientific validity, it was van Helmont’s line of inquiry and experimentation that would ultimately lead to the understanding of photosynthesis.

In 1699, John Woodward (1665-1728), an English naturalist, antiquarian, and John geologist challenged Helmont’s theoretical deductions by publishing the results of “water culture” experiments he conducted using spearmint grown in differing sources of water. His experiments showed that the spearmint grew better in water to which he added very small amounts of soil, versus “plain” water, and distilled water. His research also led him to

the differing conclusion that more than water was necessary for plant growth, and that soil was at least partly responsible for the increase in the mass and weight of plants, indicating that he too failed to clearly grasp the fundamental concepts of plant nutrition.

Unfortunately, progress in these areas of research remained stagnant until the first proper water culture experiments undertaken by a French agricultural scientist and chemist, JeanBaptiste Boussingault (1801-1887), around 1840. Boussingault had established the very first agricultural experiment station near Alsace, France four years earlier, and Jean-Baptiste was responsible for a plethora of discoveries Boussingault related to soil chemistry and plant nutrition.

Many of his experiments involved raising plants

1840: the first proper water culture experiments undertaken by Boussingault in France

Woodward

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HYDROPONICS I GARDEN CULTURE

in various soil substitutes, including sand, ground quartz, and charcoal, which he irrigated with solutions of mineral nutrients.

Also in 1840, Boussingault’s fan and contemporary, German chemist Justus Justus Freiherr von Liebig (1803-1873), published Die organische Chemie in ihrer Anwendung auf Agricultur und Physiologie (Organic Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology), which proffered the then ridiculous proposition that chemistry could drastically increase yields, and cut the costs associated with growing food. As a boy, Liebig had lived through “the year without a summer”, a volcanic winter event that occurred in the northern Hemisphere after the massive 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in what is now known as Indonesia.

Near total crop losses that season led to widespread food shortages, causing a global famine, and much of Liebig’s later work towards increasing world food production was reportedly shaped by this unsettling experience.

Liebig made significant scientific contributions to agricultural chemistry, and was the first to put forth a theory on mineral nutrients, identifying as essential to plant growth the now familiar elements including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Interestingly, Liebig’s major downfall was his lack of experience in the practical applications of his research. One of his best known achievements was developing nitrogen-based fertilizer, arguing in the 1840’s that it was necessary to grow the best possible crops. However, he later convinced himself that there was plenty of nitrogen supplied to plants through ammonia contained in precipitation, and strongly argued against using nitrogen in fertilizers in his later years.

Despite his wavering, he is commonly known as the “father of the fertilizer industry” - not only for his identification of nitrogen and other elements as being necessary for plant growth, but also for his development of the Law of the Minimum, which observed how individual nutrient components affected crop growth.

In 1860, Ferdinand Gustav Julius von Sachs (1832-1897), a German botanist and author of Geschichte der Botanik (History of Botany) (1875), a highly regarded historical

von Liebig

1840: Liebig suggested that chemistry could increase yields, and cut the costs of growing food

chronicle of the various branches of botanical science from the mid-1500’s through 1860, published his nutrient solution formula for “water-culture”, and revived the use of this technique as the standard tool when researching plant nutritional needs. His plant nutrient formula, with only minor changes, was almost universally used for the next 8 decades.

Sachs’ experiments blazed the trail, and in rapid succession, other scientists followed up his work - the most notable of which was Johann August Ludwig Wilhelm Knop (1817-1891), a German agricultural chemist. While Sachs’ interest lies primarily with studying plant johann august processes while establishing botanical knowledge, Knop can rightfully be called the true father of water culture, as his experiments laid the foundation for what we now know today as hydroponics.

In his early experiments, Knop sprouted seeds in sand and fiber netting before transplanting the seedlings into cork stoppers with drilled holes, securing them with cotton wadding, and then suspending them in glass containers filled with solution. By doing so, Knop inadvertently established the technique most widely used for future laboratory experiments.

knop

1860: Johann Knop can rightfully be called the true father of water culture

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Knop sprouted sprouted Knop seeds in sand, transplanted transplanted seedlings into cork suspended in containers containers in of solution solution of 1929: Gericke began researching if water culture food crops could be commercially viable Using this method, Knop was the first to realize that plants gain a large amount of weight simply from the food stored in their seeds, and that seeds provide nourishment to the parts of the plant that form first. By this time it had also been established that soil nutrients must be in a soluble form for plants, and that the amount of soluble nutrients in soil was miniscule compared to those that were insoluble.

These two pieces of information would form the basis for Knop’s future scientific experimentation.

What wasn’t available then were specific ways to measure these properties, such as osmotic pressure, nor did researchers of the day have any idea of what those properties might be. And while Knop deduced that nutrient solutions that were too concentrated might do more harm than good, he had no idea why.

Over the next few decades, little effort towards developing commercial applications continued to leave the promise of water culture unfulfilled. William F. Gericke, the man who actually coined the term “hydroponics”, in his book The Complete Guide to Soilless Gardening (1940), laments the fact that “... after 1868, the conditions were as auspicious for the birth of hydroponics as they were in 1929,” the year Gericke began in earnest his research to find out if food crop production using water culture could be commercially viable.

In the next installment, we’ll explore events occurring in the 20 th century that led to the birth of hydroponics as it is known today, as well the missteps and misinformation that again led to its virtual abandonment as a practical alternative method of food production for many years to follow. 3

Despite this lack of understanding, in 1860, Knop successfully grew plants, without soil, weighing many times more than their seeds and containing a larger quantity of nutrients. In 1868, other scientists using Knop’s methods, grew buckwheat weighing 4,786 times more than its original seed, and oats weighing 2,359 times more. These experiments firmly established the fact that plants can indeed be grown successfully, and productively without soil.

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BY HELENE ISBELL

Powder powdered nutrients are more cost effective than liquids In an industry where dollars make sense, everyone is always looking for the next big thing. That amazing new product that gets people excited about the industry all over again. Is it possible that powder nutrients are it? It’s not like powdered nutrients are a new concept. In fact, they are the most simple, obvious, and age old ingredient in an industry that has become over conceptualized by innovation. But sometimes, when you get straight down to the root of things, less is more, and easier is better.

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To The People Powders give you a lot more bang for your buck There are countless companies that have made an attempt to get their foot in the door in the nutrient game. Plant nutrition is an enormous industry that has the power to revolutionize our food supply, and everyone wants a piece of the proverbial pie. In hydroponics, liquid nutrients have been the standard for decades, but for growers who value efficiency, simplicity, and ease of use, powders are becoming more and more appealing, and appropriate – and here we evaluate a few of the reasons why…

Dollars. Everybody wants more of them. And powders help you save them. Whichever way you look at it, powdered nutrients are more cost effective than liquids.

It is very expensive to ship heavy bottles of liquid here and there, and powders eliminate that problem. Powders give you a lot more bang for your buck, and can finally give you more equal results than a full-on multi-bottle liquid nutrient regimen, but don’t be fooled, because not all powders are created equal.

Over time powdered nutrients have gotten somewhat of a bad rap for being too crude, incomplete, insoluble, etc., which is why liquid nutrients have always taken center stage. However, there are a few innovative companies that are changing the stigma, and coming out with powdered nutrients that are revolutionizing the industry. They are surpassing the potential of their dry predecessors, delivering high quality, easy to use formulas that threaten to make conventional feeding schedules a thing of the past.

When looking for the best powdered nutrient brand, look for one that delivers complete results. Many powders will only offer macronutrients and require numerous additives. However, there are companies that produce a well-balanced and comprehensive feeding program with one or few easy to use products.

There now exist sophisticated powder products based on plant science that offer hybridized nutrients with a high content of botanically-based ingredients

in combination with base nutrients, enzymes, and biological components. These types of powders have simplified the growing process without sacrificing the complex needs of your plants.

Powders offer consistency. Specially-micronized powders offer uniform precision in every feeding. It allows growers scalability, which is very important for growers that want to go big with less room for user error. If someone is pouring liquid from six to eight bottles, there is a lot more room for mistake versus weighing out a set amount of grams of powder. Look for a powder that is completely soluble in water, so it can be used in every medium without leaving residue, or clogging mechanical components.

Most water-based nutrients have a limited shelf life.

They lose their efficacy the longer the vital elements are suspended in their liquid medium. Liquids are also susceptible to heat and cold. Powders are not, and they have virtually no expiration. They can be stored for a very long time, and still offer the same powerful punch years down the line. As soon as the ingredients in the powder enter the water, they are activated and delivered directly to the plant roots, optimizing nutrient uptake and absorption. Liquid regiments require numerous bottles because certain elements can bond together in a liquid, leading to nutrient lockout and potential deficiencies.

Historically, powders have been associated with high levels of heavy metals and categorized as chemically “dirty” and inferior to liquids. Some of the companies producing powder nutrients today are passionate about growing, have a deep-rooted love for our industry, for plants, and the people who grow them. They are working hard to change that reputation.

We recognize the potential that this new generation of powdered nutrients offers the hydroponics and gardening industry. When you get right down to it, the proof is in the powder. 3 GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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BY STEPHEN BROOKES – NPK TECHNOLOGY

What Is

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P & K I GARDEN CULTURE

I hate it when people text me K, I’m very rarely in the mood to talk about Potassium via texting… I am, however, very happy to have a good chat about it now, along with Phosphorous, because P and K are very good friends in the Hydroponics industry, and it would be a shame to split them apart. We’ll start with Phosphorus…

Phosphorus is the 15th element on the periodic table with the symbol ‘P’. Due to its high reactivity, Phosphorus is never found as a free element, because it is highly reactive.

Next time you check the back of a fertiliser bottle to see what it has been combined with, you’ll usually find it’s combined with other element containing minerals. Some common Phosphorus combinations include Phosphorus pentoxide and monopotassium phosphate.

However, Phosphorus is essential to life, phosphates (compounds containing the phosphate ion PO43-) are components of DNA, RNA, and ATP, along with phospholipids, which form all cell membranes.

This importance shows in the hydroponics industry with the abundance of Phosphorus containing products in every shop, in every country. Here’s how to spot deficiencies and over fertilisation with Phosphorus…

P AND K ARE VERY GOOD FRIENDS IN THE HYDROPONICS INDUSTRY

The discovery of Phosphorus is credited to Hennig Brand, a German alchemist who attempted to create the fabled philosopher’s stone through distillation of some salts by evaporating urine. During this process, he produced a white material that glowed in the dark and burned brilliantly, it was named Phosphorus mirabilis (miracle bearer of light). And for those that love to geek out like me, the light emitted is called Cherenkov radiation. After its discovery, it was used for stage lighting during theatrical performances to light up the actors.

The first elemental Phosphorus produced was in 1669, this was white phosphorus, which emits a faint white glow when exposed to Oxygen. The faint white glow is what actually gives Phosphorus its name, originating in Greek Mythology Phosphorus means ‘light bearer’. In Latin it means ‘Lucifer’ in its reference to the morning star (Venus, and sometimes Mercury).

Although it is the 15th periodic element, it was the 13th element to be discovered. It is perhaps for this reason that it is called the devil’s element, or perhaps it’s because of its use in making explosives and nerve agents for examples of the most despicable acts known to man.

Deficiencies will manifest themselves through slow growing, weak and stunted plants, these can be dark green in colour with the older, lower leaves showing possible purple pigmentation. As Phosphorus ions are fairly mobile, Phosphorus deficiencies will initially occur in the older leaves. This is due to the necrotic tissue (dead patches), reddening of stems and poor rooting.

Toxicity will show mainly in the form of a micronutrient deficiency, with either Iron or Zinc being the first elements to be affected due to the interaction of Phosphorus ‘outcompeting’ other elements.

A ‘What is…’ article usually focuses on the individual elements, but because Phosphorus and Potassium are always found together in the PK boosting products, we’d like to include Potassium in this article of ‘What Is Are…’.

Potassium is a chemical element with the symbol K, from the neo-Latin ‘Kalium’ and has the atomic number 19. You may remember it as the soft silvery metal that reacted vigorously with water in school. I remember it as the silvery metal that destroyed the school’s toilet when we

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PRECISELY DESIGNED FOR THE HEAVIEST HARVEST

P & K I GARDEN CULTURE

POTASSIUM IS INVOLVED I N M AI NTAI NI N G THE WATER REGUL ATI O N OF THE PL ANT, THE TURGOR PRESSURE OF ITS CELLS, AND THE OPENING CLOSING OF ITS STOM ATA

decided we wanted to see what a bigger piece of potassium did… The chemistry teacher was impressed, the headmaster not so much. The equation for that toilet water reaction was as follows; 2K + 2H20 = 2KOH +H2 It was first isolated from Potash (the ashes of plants), which is where it also gets its name. Humphrey Davy was the scientist that is credited with finding Potassium in 1807 from caustic potash (KOH – Potassium hydroxide).

IF YOUR PL ANTS BECOME POTASSIUM DEFICIENT THEY BECOME SENSITIVE TO DISEASE INFESTATION, AND FRUIT YIELD/ QUALIT Y WILL BE REDUCED

Potassium is involved in maintaining the water regulation of the plant, the turgor pressure of its cells, and the opening closing of its stomata. It is also required for the accumulation and translocation of newly formed carbohydrates.

If your plants become Potassium deficient they become sensitive to disease infestation, and fruit yield/quality will be reduced. Older leaves will look as though they have been burned along the edges, a deficiency known as scorch, because Potassium is mobile in plants.

If you add too much potassium the plant will become deficient in Magnesium, and possibly Calcium due to this imbalance, with Magnesium deficiency likely to occur first. There are good arguments for the use of a Calcium/Magnesium supplement during flowering periods of heavy PK use. We will be looking at this in more detail with Garden Culture’s next edition of ‘What Is Are... Calcium and Magnesium’.

There are two topics that you might think we’ve missed in this article of ‘What Is…’ - the relationship of P and K in flowering additives, and the impending Phosphorus crisis. Both topics require an article by themselves, so that gives you something to look forward to or fall asleep to…

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about Phosphorus and Potassium. But before I go, here’s one to finish: Did you hear about the time Oxygen and Potassium went on a date? It went OK… No more, I promise. 3

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BY GRUBBYCUP

s t r a t It S a h t i w

Flowering plants (Angios pe

rms) use seeds (usually)

tion. Seeds are an amaz ing answer to some pret

as a means of reproduc-

ty formidable problems.

In many parts of the country, the killing cold of early winter brings an end to the life of many annual plants. When temperatures drop below freezing, expanding ice crystals burst tender cell walls. For some it is a swift death with the first few frosts, for others the end of post-flowering decline, and still others struggle on until finally succumbing to the icy grip of cold. In order for the species to survive, there has to be some way for the plant’s DNA to be preserved past the life of the parent plant - for weeks, perhaps months, until conditions improve.

Plants are notoriously “rooted in place,� inhibiting their personal mobility. The ability to package tiny plants into small containers allows for the use of wind, water, animals, or people as carriers to expand their territory beyond the physical reach of the parent plant.

Seeds solve both these problems by being a tiny plant (embryo) packaged with enough food to get started with (endosperm), and secured inside a protective covering (seed coat).

In plants that produce seeds; male flowers produce pollen on their anthers that when applied to stigmas of female flowers can fertilize the ovule. The pollinated ovule forms a zygote, which grows into a tiny plant 68

SEEDS I GARDEN CULTURE

Seeds are an amazing answer to some pretty formidable problems

the plant ends n e h w s d n e n o i t a n i m Ger food stores its reliance on the (embryo). The embryo will already have seed leaves (cotyledons), stem (hypocotyl), and a root (radicle), and be encased in a shell (seed coat). The shell helps to protect the small plant, and allow it to go into stasis until it finds itself in conditions conducive to sprouting.

Food stores (endosperm) may be inside the seed coat, or outside it as is common in fruits.

To help the tiny plants inside seeds stay in a state of suspended animation, excess moisture is allowed to evaporate as the seeds dry out.

Depending on the type of plant and conditions, the seeds may last through winter, or other harsh weather, to sprout in the spring or they may last for several years.

Seeds kept too wet may sprout prematurely and then die, so seeds should be kept in a dry container at cool temperatures for best storage.

(micropyles). This moisture will cause the plant to swell, and soften the seed coat, allowing the radicle to break through using hydraulic pressure to seek more moisture, and the seed leaves to swell and open to seek out light.

One way to help with getting moisture through the micropyle, is to soak the seeds in water for 24 hours.

Another is known as “scarification” helps to weaken the seed coat, and allow the plant easier access to moisture.

This involves nicking the seed coat with a sharp object, or rubbing the seed on a rough surface, such as sandpaper or an emery board.

most seeds should not be soaked i n wat e r fo r d a y s on end

Germination often starts with the reintroduction of moisture to the seed, and ends when the plant ends its reliance on the food stores, and can draw nutrition from the environment. The requirements for germination are moisture, oxygen, an appropriate temperature, and for some plants, light. The seeds of most plants have a low moisture content, which helps them have a long “shelf life.”

Before a seed will sprout, it must first be rehydrated.

When the seed comes into contact with moisture, it draws in the water through a small (relatively small, they can be easily seen on coconuts for example) holes

Moistening a paper towel, wringing it out, and putting it with seeds in a plastic bag in a warm location to sprout is another way to aid moisture in saturating the seed.

If using this method, change the paper towel every few days to keep it fresh, as it is an environment conducive to germinating plant seeds, but mold spores as well.

Once a seed becomes waterlogged, fungus can set in and ruin it.

The amount of oxygen needed by a particular type of plant varies. Some plants will not germinate even in the presence of moisture, unless air is also present. For this reason, most seeds should not be soaked directly in water for days on end, but transferred to a betteraerated environment after an initial day or so.

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Moist seeds will germinate at a temperature of 68°-86°F (20-30°C), with 75°F (24°C) being ideal for many plants. In cold settings, a heating pad may be used to raise the temperature of seed trays.

Some seeds germinate better in light, and others in dark conditions. Check the information about the type of seed to learn which it prefers.

It i s common to start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks b e fo r e t h e last frost d at e

Many seeds can be sprouted by simply burying them 3 to 4 times their width, and kept moist, but not soggy, until sprouting. To prevent the media from drying out too quickly, sometimes domes or plastic sheets are used to keep the humidity high while seeds sprout. However, do not allow the seedlings to stay too wet for too long, or fungus may start to grow on the plant near the media, causing the fatal condition known as “damping off.” Media should be “moist” - not “wet.” Do not allow the media to dry out too much, however, as once the plant has germinated, it loses its ability to survive without water, and with such a small root system, it can quickly dry out and die.

Quality harvests depend on quality seeds, whether purchased, gifted, or gathered. Seeds from many plants can be collected, and used the following year. If the seeds are going to be collected, for predictable results “open pollinated” varieties should be used. These seeds will tend to produce similar plants from one year to the next.

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In late winter to early spring, it is common to start seeds indoors to be prepared for spring planting.

To determine when to start your outdoor garden seeds indoors, find out the date of the last frost in your area. Then read the seed packet, which should tell you how many weeks before the last frost date to start them.

Some plants have an additional concern when calculating their planting dates, photoperiodism, which means that they use the duration of their dark periods to determine when to flower. Spring and fall both have longer nights than the short nights of summer. These plants bulk up during the summer, until the longer nights of fall trigger flower, or fruit set. The reason that this can be a concern, is that if these plants are set outside in the spring months when the nights are long, they can immediately begin flowering.

Depending on your area and need, it is common to start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.

Plants started indoors should be “hardened” by moving to a sheltered location, or gradually increasing the time the plant spends outdoors. This allows the plant to become used to the new conditions over time, and minimizes the shock from the change.

Starting plants from seeds can be rewarding, and cheaper than purchasing established plants. As an additional bonus, starting seeds indoors can extend the gardening activity months. 3

BY GRUBBYCUP

OR...

A

T H E PA R E N T AND THE CUTTI NGS SHARE THE SAME DNA

e n o l c

Rooting cuttings is a time honored tradition that allows for certain plants to be propagated asexually. It effectively allows the same plant to be grown in multiple pots. Since the new plant shares the same DNA as the parent plant (barring mutation) it is commonly referred to by the term “clone�. Cavendish bananas are all clones of the same plant, most wine and table grapes are clones, so are practically all potatoes, and the grafts for commercial fruits and citrus.

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Cuttings are generally taken during the most vigorous part of the plant’s growth cycle, but before flowering starts.

Since the parent and the cuttings share the same DNA, they will be the same genotype, if grown under similar conditions, that will tend to express as similar phenotypes (the directly observable attributes of the plant). So a cutting from a yellow flowered plant will also have yellow flowers, and a cutting from a female plant will also be female. This can be used to good effect when a lot of the same color flower is desired in varieties that have a variety of colored flowers.

This method of propagation can also be used when determining gender, as a cutting can be taken, and exposed to a flowering light schedule while the parent is left under growth lighting (or vice versa). Whatever gender the parent shows will also identify the gender of the others. Clones can be useful to propagate a number of plants with the same characteristics, such as when a roomful of relatively identical yellow flowered female plants is desired.

Cuttings from plants grown from cuttings have the same DNA as the original plant. Usually, anyway, if the original

group of cells that formed the branch that the cutting has been taken from were mutated, then the branch may be of a different genotype than the rest of the plant, and cuttings taken from that branch will also be different from the rest of the plant (but the same as other cuttings from the affected branch).

Cuttings are able to form roots from stems and growth nodes by using a type of plant cell known as a meristem cell. These are undifferentiated cells that can mature into a variety of adult cells depending on the environment that they are exposed to. The growth tips in plants have so many meristem cells in them that they are known as shoot apical meristems. The meristem cells in the growth tips mature into shoot and flower cells, adding to branch length, leaf development, flowers, and fruits depending on which type of cell is called for.

Another high concentration of meristem cells can be found in the root tips, which are also known as root apical meristems, which mostly mature into root cells.

It is important to note that the meristem cells found in the growth tips, along the stem, and in the roots, are all exactly the same, and it is the conditions around them that determine what they eventually develop into.

ST LY A O M S I S UTTING C G TIONS N I I D T N O O RO C GETTING F O R E T T R ANCE E V MA E S R E P D R I G H T, A N

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ariety v a o t n i e r u t a ... can m A meristem celldepending on the environment of adult cells Indolebutyric acid or naphtha lene ac etic acid encourage root development

Grafting is basically taking a cutting and placing it into a matching cut in a rootstock plant. The meristem cells in this case grow to heal the cut. This may be done to match superior rootstocks with superior fruiting varieties, or as in the case of citrus, seed grown trees may take 10 years to mature enough to grow fruit, but a cutting from an existing older tree grafted onto fresh rootstock can produce fruit in a couple years. This is because the cutting and resulting growth from the graft is already old enough to produce fruit.

Meristem cells are also critical when using tissue culture techniques, as their ability to mature into any type of adult cell can be manipulated into making a complete plant from a tiny cutting.

For a normal cutting to be grown into a complete plant, it should include a shoot apical meristem (growth tip, or at least a budding site) and a section of stem. It is the meristem cells in the stem and any lower budding sites that are induced to develop into root cells, and create new root tips.

When taking cuttings from a plant, the cut should be neat and clean, as it will make a wound in the parent plant. To

prevent the cutting from suffering from terminal wilt (which will kill it), keep the cut end in water until it is ready to be used.

Before putting in the rooting medium the ends of the cuttings can be exposed to a plant auxin hormone, such as indolebutyric acid (IBA) or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), to encourage root development. Both are frequently applied in the form of a rooting powder, gel, or liquid.

The stem end of the cutting is placed into a mild potting soil, oxygenated water, or other suitable medium in a warm location under moderately bright lighting. If a solid medium is used, it should be kept moist, but not soggy. If over watered, the end of the stem may develop a fungal infection and rot. Under favorable conditions, roots will generally appear within a week or two, although some plants like tomatoes can root within a few days, and some plants may take a month or more. As long as the shoot portion of the plant is kept healthy, and there is no indication of root rot, the chance still exists for a particular cutting to form roots eventually.

Rooting cuttings is mostly a matter of getting conditions right, and perseverance. Some plants root easier than others, but being able to propagate asexually via cuttings is a handy tool to add to a gardener’s skillset. 3

rooting medium + plant auxin hormone clean cut

new root development

transplant in medium

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BY THEO TEKSTRA – MARKETING MANAGER GAVITA HOLLAND BV

THE DLI YOU GET FROM NATURAL SUNLIGHT DEPENDS ON YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

LIGHT

PART

1

MATTERS

In the series “Light Matters”, Theo Tekstra discusses different aspects to lighting, such as quantity, quality, efficacy, special applications, new developments, and the science behind it. In this first episode we focus on quantity. How much light do you give your plants? And how does that matter?

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THERE IS AN OPTIMAL AND MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF LIGHT PER DAY, AND ALSO A MAXIMUM INTENSITY Plants are Photon Counters Plants use photon strikes for the synthesis of chemical energy, such as sugars. I say strikes, and not light energy, because it is the number of photons that is primarily responsible for the process, and not the individual varying energy of those photons. Blue photons for example, contain a much higher amount of energy. That extra energy, however, is mostly dissipated into heat. To bind a CO2 molecule, you need about 8-12 photons. So, you see it is a numbers game! We need to know how many photons hit our plants to get an idea of the total potential photosynthesis.

Plants are photon counters. Look at photons as rain drops: the lighter the rain, the less water reaches the surface. It’s the same for light: the fewer the photons, the less light plants get for photosynthesis.

Counting Light To quantify grow light, we first need to establish which photons to count, and how to express that in numbers.

It has been established that photons with a wavelength ranging from 400 nm (blue) to 700 nm (red) contribute most to the photosynthetic process. That is why we call photons in this range Photosynthetic Active Radiation, or PAR for short.

In order to quantify a stream of particles, we need to count how many reach the surface, at a given time, on a standard size surface. The international standards for time and surface are second and square meter. Taking this back to raindrops again: the rate of the raindrops is defined by the number of raindrops that fall on a square meter of surface in one second. It gives you the density of the rain.

The same applies to light: the intensity of the (photosynthetic) light is defined by the PAR photons

reaching a surface of a square meter every second.

This is called Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density, or PPFD. Unfortunately, photons are so numerous that that would easily lead to a 20 digit number, which is a bit hard to read and value. There is, however, a standard unit of measurements which defines a large number of particles such as atoms, molecules, electrons, and photons. It is the mole. By all means, if you want to learn more about moles, take a look at Wikipedia, but for now, it is enough to know that 1 mole of light is 6.22 x 10 23 (the Avogadro number) photons.

The notation for mole is mol, just like ‘s’ is for second, and ‘m’ is for meter. As we already saw light intensity is Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density, which is moles of light per square meter per second. The scientific notation of “per square meter per second” is “m -2 s -1” - so for space’s sake, and to make it look real scientific, we are going to use mol m -2 s -1 from now.

Full Sunlight at midday is about 0.0025 mol m -2 s -1, or 2.5 millimol m -2 s -1, or 2,500 micromol (µmol) m -2 s -1.

I think you will agree with me that the µmol m -2 s -1 is the easiest to use here. Which is fortunate, because this is the way we measure the photosynthetic photon flux density.

To recap: • Photons are so numerous that we count them in moles of photons.

• Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) is defined in the range between 400 nm light (blue) and 700 nm (red).

• Light intensity is defined as the number of PAR photons per square meter per seconds, so mol m -2 s -1. In practice, we use µmol m -2 s -1.

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LIGHT MATTERS I GARDEN CULTURE Amount of Light Per Day A light rainfall that continues for 20 hours can result in much more water than a short heavy shower. There is a relationship in the intensity of the rain, the length of the shower, and the amount of water that reaches the ground.

The same goes for light: the total amount of photons reaching your crop is based on the intensity of the light, and the light period. The intensity, or PPFD, is defined as mol m-2 s-1, so by multiplying this by the number of seconds to get this intensity per day, you get the number of photons per day, expressed in mol m-2 d-1 (moles per day). This is the DLI - ‘daily light integral’.

Q: So basically for a higher yield, I should just give more light?

Let’s work on an example.

- PPDF is 1000 µmol m-2 s-1 - Light period daily is 12 hours in a 24 hour cycle

Here is a graph representing the three limiting factors:

A: Yes, but there is an optimal and maximum amount of light per day, and also a maximum intensity you can give your plant. A shade plant, for example, can only take a limited intensity, and short day plants do have a maximum intensity and DLI. It is also a function of what we call the limiting factors for photosynthesis: - Light - Carbon Dioxide - Temperature

To convert PPFD to DLI, multiply by the number of seconds you are lighting your crop: 1000 (µmol m-2 s-1) x 12 (hours) x 3600 (seconds per hour) = 43,200,000 µmol m-2 d-1, or 43.2 mol m-2 d-1.

And there you have it. The relationship between the light intensity, and the amount of light per day.

Questions and Answers Armed with this information, let’s try to answer the following questions: Q: If I give half the intensity of light, and double the time the plants get it, does that have the same effect on photosynthesis?

A: Yes, it does. This is how we light tomatoes and roses in greenhouses. They are long day plants (which flower and fruit when there are long days of light), and they get up to 20 hours of light per day on dark days. However, if you are flowering short day plants (which flower when the nights are long), there is a limited period of about 12 hours in which you can give that to your plants. So, in that case, you will use a higher PPFD to get the same DLI in a shorter period.

These three have to be in a balance. When there are one or two too low, it will cause the plant to perform sub-optimally, and there are absolute maximum and optimal levels as well.

So more light might require a higher temperature, and/ or more CO2. It is the grower’s mission to find the right balance for his crop, and this is just one of the balances.

Other factors are the climate (as in humidity, for example), available water, and nutrients.

Q: What is the optimal PPFD to give my crop in an indoor environment?

A: For that you need to know the photosynthetic response curve of your plant, and you need to make a choice whether you want to harvest as much crop per invested energy (grams per Watt), or crop per square meter (grams per square meter). It requires an experienced grower to do the last, as you will be growing up to your plant’s limits.

Let me explain this with a diagram, showing photosynthesis (Pn) against irradiation (I) of a specific crop (for other crops this may be different). A second variable in this graph is temperature:

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MORE LIGHT MIGHT REQUIRE A HIGHER TEMPERATURE, AND/OR MORE CO 2 At low intensity, you see a more linear increase of photosynthesis when the light intensity increases.

However, with increased light levels, at some point the photosynthesis tapers off, and at a certain level may even cause photoinhibition. So doubling the amount of light does not automatically mean that you will have double the amount of yield. For every temperature, there is a saturation point: a point where adding more light will no longer add to extra photosynthesis. The saturation point is lower at a high temperature, but the efficiency of the applied light is much higher at an optimal temperature. Hence, you need to grow at the right temperature to get optimum effect from your light, 30°C in this example.

Q: How about supplemental lighting in greenhouses? How much do I need?

A: That depends on the DLI of the sunlight throughout the season you grow, and your crop. The DLI you get from natural sunlight depends on your geographical position.

Purdue University published a good overview of DLI during different seasons in the USA:

Remember the limiting factors of photosynthesis? The moment you see the curve tapering off, you have reached a limiting factor. In this case, temperature and PPFD were variable, while CO2 is a constant. Adding CO2 will give you a longer linear curve, so a much higher photosynthetic rate.

Q: Should I use the same PPFD during the vegetative stage of my short day crop?

A: Using the same PPFD in the vegetative and flowering phase will result in your crop getting 50% more light (higher DLI) in the vegetative phase when you light it 18 hours in veg, and 12 hours in flowering. Reducing your PPFD in veg by 33% will result in the same DLI. So, if you flower with 1000 µmol m-2 s-1 for 12 hours, giving your crop 667 µmol m-2 s-1 for 18 hours will result in the same amount of light per day.

Source: http://bit.ly/purdue-DLI

However, that is not the DLI your crop will receive in the greenhouse: • During a clear sky summer day of full sun you will probably shade your plants, because the PPFD is too high, reducing the DLI of the sunlight.

• Your greenhouse construction takes away light.

Transmission losses can be as high as 25%, or more.

Secondly, you need to know the optimal DLI for your crop, and whether you are going to give this in a long day, or a short day. For a short day crop, the time that you can light your crop is limited. The light level will need to be higher than for a long day crop, which you can light for a long time to compensate low sunlight DLI. 3

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ART I GARDEN CULTURE

Art Feature

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“Emerald Payload” by Charlie Clingman