Garden Culture Magazine UK 18

IN THIS ISSU E OF GA R D EN CU LTU RE : 7 Foreword

48 What Grinds My Gears

8 Product Spotlights

50 AC vs. EC

12 P/K Supplements for a Better Harvest

53 Who’s Growing What Where

14 Sex Change

58 Environmental Control

20 The Not so Sweet Side of Sugar

66 The Future of Agriculture

26 Ultimate Control

74 Out of Control

38 Light Matters - Part VII

79 Shorties

44 5 Cool Finds

Control can mean many things - it can be the power to influence people’s behavior, to direct the course of events, the restriction of an activity, being self-possessed, to dominate, to manage, keep in check, or simply the dial to regulate a machine.

When it comes to gardening, all of these forms of control apply. From monitoring the weather and adjusting watering schedules to setting up systems for automation, and all that lies in between, this edition explores some of the ways a gardener can manipulate the elements to maximize their yields.

Luckily for indoor growers, atmospheric conditions that can be so destructive do not exist, and there are lots of ways to create the perfect environment. The closed-loop or sealed room method is explained by Jeff Winterborne and Toby Berryman, in the aptly titled article Ultimate Control.

Stephen Brookes shows us the ins and outs of air and water temperature, humidity, CO2 , VPD, and more.

In Out of Control, Organic Mindset, Karel Schelfhout and Michiel Panhuysen take the other route and believe that properly created organic gardens require very little work. Just add water and let life do the rest. Of course, we need to create the perfect soil to begin with, a topic that Evan Folds delves into in the Future of Agriculture.

Learn how to use PK boosters, discover interesting facts about sex, how to properly control lighting, and more. 3 Happy Gardening, Eric “A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.�

- Liberty Hyde Bailey

The MaxiFan Pedestal fan is 40cm in diameter, with three selectable speeds, and oscillating or fixed head options to redirect airflow around the room. The MaxiFan Pedestal fan is also heightadjustable for total flexibility of use.

Other fans in the MaxiFan range include a Clip fan, Floor fan, and a Wall fan.

To find your local retailer visit: Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy/

Systemair has taken their most powerful and efficient Revolution fans, and wrapped them in a specially designed acoustic housing.

Engineering every detail to create the quietest inline fan, the acoustic foam is certified for ventilation systems, and the body is sealed to prevent leaks. German EC motors provide the power, while saving thousands in energy bills over the life of the fans. More powerful and over 50% more efficient than standard AC fans. No humming or buzzing at low speeds. These fans are the most efficient powerful duct fans of their size. They offer precision control when paired with an EC Controller.

The Revolution DEva now comes complete with purpose-built metal hangers. The metal hangers are strong, easy to fit, and best of all they come FREE with every DEva sold. Simply attach the metal hangers to each end of the DEva using the hanging eyelets on top of the DEva. • Specifically designed for use with the Revolution DEva • Strong and durable • Easy to fit To find your local retailer visit: Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy/

Control your lighting room from anywhere in the world with your Smartphone or Tablet. The NCCS Controller uses wireless technology that connects straight to your device, and thanks to the new NCCS APP, allows you to monitor and adjust the light settings depending on your plants’ needs.

Coming soon, the NCCS THC Controller, which will offer the same lighting features plus several new controls including: room temperature, humidity, and CO2. All within the control of the NCCS APP. This means less time wasted in the growroom, and less disruption of the controlled environment.

Watch for the new and improved NCCS THC controller in retail stores across the UK. For more information, visit Nanoluxtech.com/nccsapps-hardware.

Provides ultimate control over your grow environment. It not only thermostatically controls intake and exhaust fans, but reacts intelligently to changes in temperature. The Reactive Temperature Technology (RTT) actively monitors and adjusts fan speed, saving energy and reducing wear on the ventilation system. You can couple the EC fan controller to a fan balancer, which can easily be set to create a small negative pressure in your grow room to stop odours escaping, giving you the ultimate control over your intake and exhaust fans.

Compatible with all Revolution EC Fans and Hyper Fans.

HP S H e l L io n d e 6 0 0 -7 5 0 W For over 20 years, growers around the world have been reaping the benefits from Adjust-a-Wing reflectors. The double parabolic design and Super Spreader (both patented features) create a unique footprint that focuses on light and heat uniformity in your garden.

After over two years of research and development, Hygro International Pty has launched the Hellion Dimmable 750 DE all-in-one Kit, designed to make the most out of the DE’s light output and protect your plants from the inevitable heat that comes with so much power.

Now available in the UK. Visit Adjustawings.com for more info.

The easy to use Dual Fan Controller is ideal for controlling inlet and exhaust fans, to maintain the set desired temperature, and the optimum negative pressure. Just dial in temperature and min/max fan speeds, and the “Fansync” software maintains the room temperature through constant precision fan speed control.

• Smooth fan speed control for quieter running • Highly accurate temperature adjustment of +/- 1 Celsius • Perfectly synced fans guarantee negative pressure • High power capacity, will handle fans of most sizes Find your local retailer: maxibright.com/where-to-buy/

Combine mechanical fan speed operation with the latest digital temperature sensing technology. The Hybrid Controller’s mechanical aspect guarantees a robust and heavy-duty controller with completely silent fan speed operation. The onboard temperature control software provides faster reaction times, lower idling speeds, and improved accuracy for the very best result from this type of controller.

Operation is easy. Simply connect your fans and position the probe inside the room. Next, set the lowest speed for both fans and the required temperature. The controller will now maintain your temperature by automatically adjusting the fans between the controller’s lowest and highest settings.

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Runs fans with no buzzing or humming Electronic, precise climate control Minimum and maximum fan speed adjustable 5 meters NTC temperature sensor included Spare fuse included Available in 4 amps, 8 amps, and 16 amps

To find your local retailer visit: Maxigrow.com/where-to-buy/

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer supplements (often referred to as PK Boosters, Finishers, and Ripening Formulas - just to name a few) are heavily marketed for use during the flowering and fruiting stages of fast growing, flowering annuals. Many claim to enhance the size and quality of flowers and fruits just before harvest. Along those same lines, these products are often said to extend a harvest’s shelf life, improve flavor, and add more density or weight to flowers and fruits. When considering the overall popularity of P/K fertilizer supplements, the question isn’t as much an issue of whether or not they work but, most importantly, how.

Success during each stage of growth for flowering and fruiting annuals is all a matter of slight changes in the ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium - or the NPK. During a plant’s growth cycle, subtle shifts in these ratios can encourage specific patterns of growth to occur. For example, a higher ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus (N: P) in the early or vegetative growth stages will result in the vigorous development of primary stems and leaves. Reverse the ratio, with phosphorus available in higher amounts compared to nitrogen (P: N), and the plant will begin producing more side shoots with an increase in flower bud sites and development. During the heavy flowering and fruiting stages of growth, the ratio between potassium and nitrogen (K: N), specifically the nitrate form, begins to play an important role. Higher potassium to nitrogen ratios will result in a noticeable quality increase in the harvested flowers and fruits - this is where the need for P/K supplements comes into play.

Proper plant nutrition and soil fertility is a delicate dance of ratios and timing

Potassium (K) acts as a catalyst for carbohydrate metabolism within the plant. When a plant has access to adequate amounts of K during the heavy flowering and fruiting stages it can maintain a higher level of sugar production, which provides the extra energy needed for continued development of high-quality flowers and fruits. Inversely, when the plant is not receiving the proper amount of K during this stage, sugar production (via photosynthesis) will slow down, and the plant loses its ability to create and store the energy it needs to achieve high-quality yields. When this occurs, flower and fruit quality will steadily decline.

During heavy flowering and fruiting, fast growing annuals will begin to use K in greater amounts than in previous growth stages. When K levels in the root zone are too low or perhaps depleted, the result is a fruit or vegetable that has high water content and low sugar content. The end product will be less flavorful and have a noticeably shorter shelf life. Similarly, when it comes to plants that are commercially sought out for their flowers, the blooms will be smaller, less uniform, and not as compact. In production terms, this will surely mean a lower yield.

The key to supplementing K during the later stages of growth is to supply enough to replace what the plant is already taking up rapidly from its regular fertility program. Most fertility programs or feeding schedules include enough K to achieve proper growth throughout the vegetative and early flowering stages. The best schedules will have additional K

supplementation during the final stages to make up for the heavy K consumption that occurs. Using these products according to the directions on the label is the best way to ensure that the plants will receive what they need without the risk of excess.

Just remember, more is not always better when it comes to maintaining proper plant nutrition. So, don’t overdo it.

By now I’m sure you have noticed that in this article about P/K supplements the main focus has been on the K and not the P. Believe me, this is completely intentional and here’s why... When it comes down to a plant’s overall nutritional needs, they require P in much smaller amounts in comparison to both N and K. A standard fertility program or feeding schedule will in all likelihood provide a sufficient amount of P from the time of the first feeding till the last. By adding a P/K supplement to a standard fertilizer regimen, the P level becomes a bit excessive, while the extra K is needed. The P is added with the goal of supporting a continued increase in flowering, which is usually already included in a bloom or flowering base fertilizer product.

When using a P/K supplement, you might find it necessary to lower the amount of base nutrition in the solution to compensate for the additional P. However, doing so could also end up dropping the N content of the mix to the point that is insufficient. The best way to avoid this type of headache is by using a supplement that is strictly composed of K. A product made primarily from potassium sulfate is perfect since it contains no extra N or P and will give the plants exactly what they need for high-quality flower and fruit development.

Proper plant nutrition and soil fertility is a delicate dance of ratios and timing. Figuring out the perfect balance for the plant being grown is a task that can take a few growth cycles.

For the hobby or urban gardener, following manufacturer recommendations is an excellent first step forward in achieving a successful harvest. 3

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

Sex

Change

Today, I thought I would talk about SEX! No, don’t get excited, I was thinking more specifically about plant sex and gender. In this ar ticle, I hope to cover the difference between plants and the types of flowers they produce, the sex and gender of different plants, why they might change, and how we can influence a plant to produce male or female flowers.

“Plants have a gender?” I hear you say.

Well yes, some do. So, let’s briefly go back to the basics. A plant’s reproductive organs are found in the flowers. These can either be the male part known as the stamen that makes pollen, or the female part called the carpel which produces the seeds if pollinated. But plants are just not as straightforward as humans when it comes to gender.

two sub groups of dioecious plants will produce hermaphrodites and single-sexed plants

Nearly 90% of flowering plants in our gardens are what are known as hermaphrodites, and the flowers they produce contain both male and female reproductive organs. Plants that produce both male and female flowers separately on the same plant are ‘monoecious’. These are wind-pollinated trees, corn, and lilies - and make up only 5% of plant species. The third type of plants are known as ‘dioecious’ and have male and female flowers on separate plants, and essentially you have a male plant and a female plant. This group of plants includes willow, spinach, junipers, and hemp.

There are also two sub groups of dioecious plants that will produce hermaphrodites as well as single-sexed plants. ‘Gynodioecious’ plants produce plants with female flowers and hermaphrodite plants, but do not produce only male flowers on one plant.

Less than 1% of plant species have this type of flowering, with examples of such plants including wild strawberries and thyme. The rarest type of flowering plants is known as ‘androdioecious’, which produce only male and hermaphrodite plants. As I said, when it comes to a plant’s gender, it is not as clear-cut as humans, and quite often one species will produce different sex expressions. Cucumbers are a prime example of producing both monoecious and dioecious varieties.

Willow is one of the few dioecious plants where sex expression never varies, if it’s a male, it stays male. However, different factors can change the sex of many plants, such as environment, hormones, and chemicals. Genetics, as would be expected, also plays a major role in the expression of the sex in plants, with dioecious plants having identifiable sex chromosomes. However, hormones and the environment can affect them, causing a sex change to occur. Therefore, a genetically female plant may become very confused and start to produce male flowers, becoming a hermaphrodite.

So, what causes this? Environmental factors, such as light intensity, temperature, and change in photoperiod can all cause a transformation in certain plant species. So, why would a plant do this?

Plants don’t have personalities that feel they identify more as the opposite sex. Survival is the answer.

In the winter when night temperatures and light levels are lower, plants produce more female flowers. In plants such as squash (Cucurbita pepo), research has demonstrated that low temperature inhibits male flower development, while

high temperatures cause female flowers to convert into bisexual flowers1. Two of the most studied plants with regards to sex expression are cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and melon (Cucumis melo) - in summer when the day length increases and it becomes warmer, the number of male flowers increases. It is the auxin levels within the plant that are mainly affected by the seasonal changes.

Pre-soaking of seeds to encourage feminisation of the plants they produce

As previously mentioned, the hormone level within the plant can also influence the sex of the flowers produced.

Not only that, but hormones such as auxins within the plant, will differ in concentration along a stem of the plant, and therefore alter the type of flower produced in a particular point on the stem. Higher levels of auxins, along with brassinosteroids will produce more female flowers on the plant, but this is not the primary reason for the increase in female flowers. This effect causes the increased production of ethylene in the plant as a result of increased auxin level. Ethylene is a plant hormone that is responsible for many functions in the plant, including being the principal hormone involved in sex expression.

Therefore, anything that affects ethylene production will possibly influence the sex of the plant.

The spraying of plants with various different chemicals and hormones has been common practise for many years. Growers spray phytohormones, such as gibberellic acid, on the plant to encourage the growth of female flowers. Table 1 summarises the effect of the most common chemicals used commercially. However, as explained earlier, plants are not just simply boys or girls, plants can be girls who are boys, who like boys to be girls? I am sure that was a song from the 90’s by Blur, but back to the serious stuff.

Another technique used is the pre-soaking of seeds to encourage feminisation of the plants they produce. One can also use a compound such as gibberellic acid to achieve this. However, this forced changing of a genetically male plant through external application of phytohormones can cause problems in the long run. If the plant has the genetic predisposition of being a male, there is a higher chance of it producing male flowers at a later stage in the plant’s life, if it encounters stress, which could result in disaster.

PLANT GENDER I GARDEN CULTURE

hormones and the environment can affect them, causing a sex change to occur Unfortunately, with today’s ever-increasing Silver in various forms, including nitrate, Some form of population, there is a requirement for thiosulphate, and colloids, is known to stress that chemical intervention to keep up with the encourage male flower development. This tends to bring demand on food production. Changing the is due to that all-important gas, ethylene, being inhibited by the silver, and therefore on a sex change sex of the plant by chemical application is quite often the chosen method as opposed an increase in the number of male flowers in plants to genetic engineering. Environmental results. Previous studies have shown that changes are also reasons for the gender a 15-50 ppm concentration of silver will of the flowers produced to change, which can result in affect the gender of the plant. But it must also be applied disaster. It can, however, be concluded, that it is some 2-4 times a day repeatedly for several days to have any form of stress that tends to bring on a sex change in plants, influence on the sex of the plant. This is a localised effect turning Barbara in to BoB! 3 to the area of application, so if you spray one branch, only that branch will produce male flowers. However, if you spray the whole plant, then it affects all of the plant.

With the increase in silver-based sterilizing agents, there has been concern that these products may cause plants to change sex and produce male flowers. However, the concentrations found in these solutions are usually way below the active concentration of silver (between 0.0040.1% ionic silver - less than 0.01ppm). But it is always important to check.

Re fe re nce s: 1.

2.

3.

4.

MANZANO, Susana, et al. (2014). Involvement of ethylene in sex expression and female flower development in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Plant physiology and biochemistry, 85 , 96104.

M.Y. Mohan Ram, Rina Sett. (1982). Modification of growth and sex expression in cannabis sativa by aminoethoxyvinylglycine and ethephon. Zeitschrift fur Plfanzenphysiologie, 105 (2), 165-172.

STANKOVIC, Lj and PRODANOVIC, S. (2000). Silver nitrate effects on sex expression in cucumber. In: II balkan symposium on vegetables and potatoes 579, 203-206 Peter Scott (2008). Physiology and Behaviour of Plants. UK, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

BIO Callie Seaman has been in the hydro industry for over 15 years, first working in the retail side providing technical advice, then moved into R&D, manufacturing, and product development for brands such as Vita Link and Shogun.

Currently the formulation chemist at Aqua laboratories, she recently submitted her PhD thesis on the investigation of nutrient solutions and other fertilizers for the hydroponic growth of plants, and will graduate later this year. Both the PhD and a first degree in Biomedical Sciences were done at Sheffield Hallam university part time, during which she assisted in setting up the Aqua laboratories. Passionate about science, Callie totally adores mushrooms and loves anything to do with them.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

19

The first nights were pure agony. Grapes? Blueberries? No, I needed my chocolate fix.

By 9 p.m. it was all I could think about. One Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup never hurt anyone. A scoop of ice cream won’t send me to the morgue.

I didn’t think of myself as an excessive person. I never experienced alcohol or drug addiction. But like so many others, I had a sugar dependency I didn’t know existed. For most of my adult life, I’ve been slightly overweight — not obese by any means, but packing what I called a beer belly that, in reality, was a sugar belly.

I didn’t exercise consistently, but in terms of calories and fat, I wasn’t a huge overeater. I was a weekend social drinker.

It’s what I was eating. Waffles with syrup for breakfast. A sugary coffee drink and a daily soda. A small piece of chocolate after dinner and a bowl of ice cream during TV time.

The sugar industry has spent decades trying to downplay its risks

The health community will say, “Well, duh, what were you thinking?” But most of us believe that it’s all about counting calories. It’s not true. But that’s what we’ve been programmed to think. You can eat around the recommended 2,000 calories per day and still gain a lot of weight, while putting yourself at risk for coronary disease and diabetes.

Sugar isn’t the only culprit. Salt has major health ramifications. Saturated fat is a health hazard.

But I saw first hand how much my weight and health improved simply by cutting out excess sugar.

The sugar industry has spent decades trying to downplay its risks. Recently, the food lobby scored a major victory in the United States that went relatively unnoticed by the public. It kept more cash in their pockets at the expense of our health. More on that later.

One day we’ll look at the sugar industry in the same light as the tobacco industry — enablers of an obese society and merchants of death.

More than 600,000 Americans die every year from heart disease — that’s a quarter of all deaths. It’s our nation’s top killer.

It’s estimated that the average American consumes 66 pounds of added sugar per year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than 50 grams per day, which comes out to 40 pounds a year. But even that number is high.

The American Heart Association says men should consume no more than 37.5 grams of sugar per day, or nine teaspoons — that’s 30 pounds per year.

Women should limit their intake to 25 grams per day, or six teaspoons. That’s 20 pounds per year, or less than a third of what the average American is currently consuming.

Sugar turns almost directly into fat and provides “empty calories” that lack fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

There are numerous studies on the correlation between sugar, heart disease, and diabetes.

In 2014, the Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a 15-year study.

It found that participants who took in at least 25% or more of their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those whose diet included less than 10% added sugar.

The odds of dying from heart disease rose in tandem with the percentage of sugar in the diet. It didn’t matter if the person was overweight. It had no correlation to the person’s age, sex, or physical activity level. The more sugar in your diet, the greater the risk of heart disease.

So, what happened when I took sugar out of my diet over the last five months? At first I completely eliminated it — no sauces or anything with added sugars. Eventually I became more flexible. Diets don’t last — it’s about changing your lifestyle.

But on a typical day, I’ve replaced a carbheavy breakfast covered in syrup with eggs, which are full of protein and nutrients.

I drink my coffee without sugar, and I’ve replaced soda with sparkling water. For dessert, I eat fruit.

The more sugar in your diet, the greater the risk of heart disease

The results have been stunning, even if they shouldn’t have been. I’ve lost more than 20 pounds. I had to buy new pants. And then I had to buy new pants again. The gut is vanishing.

I’ll admit that I’m still not exercising enough. I know that needs to change. I’m probably eating too much cheese and butter. I don’t count calories. The only change to my lifestyle is the sharp reduction of added sugars, and it’s made a world of difference.

I sleep better. I wake up alert. I feel healthier. And I rarely miss the sweets. Now, at night, I’m craving those blueberries and grapes, not ice cream. I typically only get a chocolate craving after drinking a few alcoholic beverages. I’m sure there’s a science behind that.

A couple of months ago, I decided it was time to write a column calling for revised nutrition labels in the United States. It made no sense to me that the FDA gives us a daily percentage for calories, fats, and sodium — but not sugars. It lists the amount of sugar in all of our food and beverages, but it doesn’t give a percentage.

The number means nothing if people have no basis of comparison.

I learned that the Obama Administration had in fact tackled this issue last year, overhauling the American nutrition labels. The biggest change: a sugar percentage requirement on all labels.

The FDA announced a percentage based on a recommended 50 grams of added sugar a day. To put it in context, a single bottle of Vanilla Coke has an astonishing 75 grams of sugar.

The new labels wouldn’t alter our eating habits overnight, but it should give pause when consumers realize one soda has 150% of their recommended daily sugar intake. And if you consider the American Heart Association’s recommendation, a single Vanilla Coke actually has more than double of the amount of sugar you should consume in a day.

These new labels will be life savers, and they were to go into effect next summer. But in comes President Trump, who champions deregulation and couldn’t give a damn about policies that improve our health. If the business community doesn’t want it, Trump doesn’t want it.

The food industry spent the early months of the Trump Administration lobbying the FDA to postpone the rollout of the new labels.

In May, the Center for Science in the Public Interest sent a letter to new FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb urging him not to delay the new labels. It was signed by 40 leading researchers in the fields of nutrition,

obesity, and diabetes. It didn’t matter.

On June 13th , the FDA announced it was indefinitely postponing the new labels.

The results have been stunning, even if they shouldn’t have been

“Numerous stakeholders have informed us that they have significant concerns about their ability to update all their labels by the compliance date due to issues regarding (among other things) the need for upgrades to labeling software, getting nutrition information from suppliers, the number of products that would need new labels, and a limited time for the reformulation of products,” the FDA explained.

It’s ridiculous to think companies couldn’t have complied, and a few deserve credit for already rolling out the new labels.

PepsiCo has placed the new labels on Lay’s chips, Fritos, and Cheetos. Nabisco and KIND, which makes granola bars, also introduced the new labels before the government deadline. Mars, which makes candy bars, has been on the right side of history, vocally lobbying the FDA to stick to the 2018 deadline. The company cited consumers’ need for better health information.

But the major food lobbying organization rallied against the labels. And the sugar industry, which certainly played a major role, is all mighty.

For decades, Big Sugar funded “independent studies” that downplayed the risks of sugar.

It began in 1967 when the Sugar Research Foundation paid three Harvard scientists to conclude that sugar was not a major cause for coronary heart disease. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study with no disclaimer or reference to it being funded by the sugar industry.

In 2015, the New York Times reported that Coca-Cola has spent millions of dollars in funding to researchers who downplayed the link between sugary drinks and obesity.

America’s obesity problem has exploded as sugary beverages — including sports drinks like Gatorade — gained in popularity.

We’re just waking up to this killer that’s far more deadly than opioids, tobacco, and alcohol combined.

Perhaps we need to have a discussion about taxing high-sugar foods like we tax cigarettes.

For now, a simple label could have saved a lot of lives.

Then politics and money got in the way. 3

Are you tired of temperature spikes in the hot days of summer, and of having to heat or have cold periods during the days of winter?

Frustrated with going through endless bottles of CO2? Furious with having to tackle various pests, spores, moulds, and airborne diseases finding their way into your grow room and attacking your beloved plants? Then follow our advice in this article, and join the rapidly growing movement which is simply the future and next level of indoor growing methods.

Grow rooms across the globe have traditionally been fairly basic. Running numerous HID light fixtures in a confined space to mimic the intense light of the sun, coupled with powerful intake and extraction fans to combat the massive amounts of heat generated by the lamps and ballasts and other equipment in your room, whilst also allowing fresh air to flow through the room providing your plants with CO2 and oxygen. This tradition, however, is a flawed concept.

All indoor growers that know what they are doing basically aim for the same ideals: optimal temperature ranges between 22-28°C (71-82°F), optimal humidity levels of approximately 50-65% when in the blooming stage of growth (depending on plant species), and as little temperature and humidity fluctuations as possible.

But what do you do when the temperature outside is higher than the desired levels within your grow room?

Or when it’s particularly humid outside? You sit there scratching your head, and pray that the temperature or humidity level drops before your crop experiences too much damage.

What we are getting at here is the entire grow room concept in use and built upon around the world for all these years is fundamentally flawed, because despite the money you spend on massive loud extraction fan systems, environmental controllers, and everything else in between - the outside conditions are always dictating the conditions within your grow room. If it’s 25°C (77°F) outside, then it is literally impossible to maintain the desired temperature within your grow room.

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And there is only one way to solve these problems, whilst having absolute control of every aspect of your indoor grow room - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

That solution is; pull down those fans, get rid of that messy ducting, seal up all of those holes, and create a totally perfect, closed off grow room. Build your very own Garden of Eden: A CLOSED GROWING ENVIRONMENT! A Closed Growing Environment is an indoor garden that is totally sealed! And we aren’t just talking about light proofing. We mean air-sealed. There are no holes, gaps, or vents to anything outside of the indoor garden. The name of the game here is to create a totally controlled environment where you can manipulate and customise every aspect of the plant’s growth to produce the optimum results.

Setting up a closed indoor garden is more expensive but, if done correctly, it should give you the maximum ability to dictate and control temperatures, CO2 levels, humidity, and disease - around the clock, through all seasons. And most people who make the change, and do it thoroughly and correctly, report massively increased yields and far less pest problems.

I bet at this point, some of you are scratching your swede and thinking to yourself, “If I totally seal off my room and exchange no air through extraction, isn’t my room going to get really, really hot? Won’t my plants suffocate to death through lack of fresh air?” This is where the three main parts to a closed room come

into play. The three central organs of a closed grow room are: air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and CO2 generators. By replacing your fans with this equipment, you can have a perfect room, plain and simple.

the outside conditions are always dictating the conditions within your grow room

Let’s Break it Down, Starting With Air Conditioning There are many types of air conditioners available portable units (both single hosed and dual hosed), window units, commercial-sized spot coolers, and more. All of these will provide some cooling power, but unfortunately, these units tend to work inefficiently. Additionally, most types actually use air from within your room to cool the internal compressor, which totally defeats the object of keeping the room sealed, as they will suck some air out of your room, which will create a negative air pressure within it and waste precious CO2 .

The solution? We advise using split air conditioners or water-cooled air conditioners.

A split air conditioner exchanges no air with the outside world. They are, as their name would suggest, split into two units; an indoor air handler, and an outdoor condenser unit with a pre-charged and sealed umbilical line. These units are ideal, from lighter mini splits, all the way to commercial units that can cool any number of lights. With the indoor air handler placed within the grow room, it will pull the interior air across a heat exchanger with incredibly cold refrigerant running through it, and transfer the heat within the air down the tubing and through the refrigerant to the outdoor unit that expels the heat. So, no air is being removed

from the room. Only the heat within the air is removed before being blown straight back to the grow room.

Water-cooled air conditioners that the grower can install are very efficient in terms of power usage and heat transfer, sending removed heat down the drain into the sewers. They do not require an outdoor condenser, which will be appealing for a lot of situations, but the downside to water-cooled units is the incredible amounts of water they use. So, if you’re on a metered water supply, it’s not the advisable choice.

Another bonus of using air conditioning is the added benefit of dehumidification, as the unit also dehumidifies as it cools. And as your plants transpire in a sealed off room, adding abundant humidity to the environment, that for the most part, your air conditioner can control beautifully.

They rate an air conditioner’s capacity in BTUs (British Thermal Units). This represents how many BTUs of heat they can cool per hour. They can also be rated in tons and kilowatts. It’s an easy conversion formula: 12,000 BTUs is the equivalent to 1 ton of air conditioning, which is 3.52 kilowatts. So, to determine the cooling requirements, all we need to do is calculate how many watts of heat we need to cool per hour. Each 1000 watts of light is generating 3412 BTUs of heat. It’s a tried and tested value - 1000 watts of power (bulb and ballast combined), regardless of bulb or ballast efficiency, creates the same 3142 BTUs of heat. In the case of an old magnetic core and coil ballast, you’re generating less efficient light while the ballast produces more heat, but combined they are still 1000 watts and still creating 3412 BTUs of heat. A modern digital ballast is much more efficient in operation, creating a brighter, more

efficient burn of the same lamp. This results in a hotter bulb, but a cooler ballast, yet they are still generating 3412 BTUs of heat combined.

Another added bonus of using air conditioning is the benefit of dehumidification

With all of this in mind, we must allow 4000 BTUs of cooling power per 1000 watts of light. This allows for the room size and CO2 burners, but the heat from dehumidifiers should also be factored in. So, if a dehumidifier consumes 700 watts of power, it is producing 2387 BTUs of heat. You can even add up the combined power of all the equipment in your room and multiply that by 3.41 to get the exact heat load of the room. Just remember that a watt of power is 3.41 BTUs of heat.

You can downsize these calculations by 10% when ballasts are placed outside the grow space, and by approximately another 20% when the lights are air-cooled. But since not all appliances are 100% efficient we should also factor in about 15% extra power to play it safe and account for other variables like outside temperatures, or how well insulated your room is. This cushion also allows our air con to not have to run at 100% all day long, thereby prolonging the life of the units and components within it. So, when sizing your air con, just remember to allow 4000 BTUs of cooling power for every 1000 watts of lighting (or 2400 BTUs for every 600 watts of lighting), and 3.41 BTUs per watt of the power of your dehumidification - then up the total by 15%. Only expect these calculations to work if you are using quality air con units; some are far less efficient than others.

The Dehumidifier’s Role The second thing we have begun to tackle, but not entirely, is humidity.

While air conditioners are dehumidifying to some degree, they are doing so as a by-product of cooling. So, when the lights come on or go off with only an air conditioner in the room, you will have massive spikes in humidity. As the air con ceases to need to cool the lights to maintain the desired temperature when the lights go off, it will also

stop dehumidifying, and since this is a sealed room with no ventilation, the humidity will rapidly climb to 100%.

Due to transpiration and evaporation, and more importantly, the environmental change in the room as the lights shut down, the hot air in the room while the lights are on can hold a lot more water than when the temperature drops at the end of the light cycle. At this point, the water held in the air will suddenly have nowhere to go and humidity will rapidly climb, and condensation will settle everywhere, including on your plants. This is why we would employ a dehumidifier, which will automatically kick on and off as required to maintain the desired level of humidity within the room, 24 hours a day.

Now, there are rules in sizing a dehumidifier, just as there are in sizing your air conditioner. We recommend approximately 1 litre per plant per 24 hour period. It is very important to understand that dehumidifier ratings are generally based on how many litres of water they can remove per 24 hour period. However, they are almost always tested for 32°C (90°F) and 80% relative humidity, when you drop the temperature to ideal growing conditions of 24 - 28°C (75-82°F), the water collection rate will drop significantly too. So, always oversize your dehumidification if you can.

The reason we need such powerful dehumidification in a closed room is because a large mature plant in a hydroponic system can consume up to a litre of water per day. Very large plants can drink even more, and almost all of the water consumed by a plant will enter back into the atmosphere of the room through transpiration, and other variables such as evaporation from tanks and water vapour created by your CO2 generators all add up. It is quite difficult to come up with a precise equation for calculating your dehumidifier requirements, but a good rule of thumb when sizing a dehumidifier for a closed room environment is to allow 1 litre of dehumidification per plant or more. If unsure, always take the safe route and oversize.

For the earlier stages of plant development in a closed room, we also recommend that growers employ humid-

ifiers. Very young plants in a sealed a sealed room, without a super aeratAll equipment in room will not transpire very much ed hydroponic system, a plant in soil a perfect closed water into their atmosphere, and will just not have the oxygen levels rewith the air conditioners and dehuquired to produce bumper yields. room should run midifiers running, you can end up with Next, let’s take a look at CO2 levels. from sensors lower than desired levels of humidity.

Growers all know that plants need This will only be an issue in the very CO2 in order to photosynthesise, so early stages of plant development. Humidifiers, in most we’re going to supply this if we’re not relying on fresh scenarios, will no longer be necessary once the plants air ventilation. Growers using standard ventilation can begin to establish and grow rapidly. maintain normal atmospheric levels of CO2 in their in-

The Final Vital Components: CO2 and Oxygen Many growers believe that plants need to have fresh air in order to survive, when in actual fact, plants only require two components of what fresh air contains, and these are oxygen and CO2 .

Firstly, we highly advise the use of air pumps installed high up i n the grow room blowing small amounts of fresh air directly into the reservoirs and root balls of the plants.

In a sealed room that is full of CO2 , the roots of your plants will have a hard time finding oxygen with the air pumps mounted at ground level. This is why it is very important in any closed room situation to keep the air pump mounted high in the grow space, because when placed too low, you will be blowing CO2 into the roots, not oxygen, which will have a detrimental effect on the plants.

Aeration to the roots of plants is one of the most overlooked things in horticulture, and keeping the roots constantly aerated will boost any plant’s performance to new levels, and at the same time, make it very difficult for disease to find its way into your always oxygen-rich water, especially when kept down to optimal temps of 18°C (65°F). We do NOT advise growing in soil if you’re running a sealed room. Roots have a hard enough time finding oxygen in soil as it is, but in

door gardens. However, if they wish to add more to try boosting growth, they often encounter a dilemma.

What’s the point of injecting extra CO2 into your indoor growing environment if it’s going out the vents before your plants gain any benefit from it?

High energy plants in optimum lighting conditions of approximately 10,000 lumens per square foot can happily consume 1,200-1,500 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 . The outside air we breathe contains approximately 400 ppm, so in basic terms, you can double the growth rate and productivity of a plant by supplying it with the required levels of CO2 it requires to be able to harness the massive levels of light we are giving it.

Concerning CO2 uptake in high energy plants, many people are overdoing it, consistently. Studies have shown that when you take CO2 levels in a grow space past a level of 1500 ppm, in most species, the stomata on the underside of the leaf which absorb the CO2 will start to close up. At levels of 1500 ppm and higher, the less efficiently the plant will grow. Maintaining the levels between 1,200-1,400 ppm ensures optimum growth rates.

Likewise, another quick tip for all you closed roomers out there, when using CO2 do NOT believe the hype about raising the temperature in your room to silly levels like 32°C (90°F), expecting improved results. While plants can tolerate higher temps in a CO2-enriched environment, it does not mean they perform better.

Certain species will benefit from a slightly raised temperature and humidity level when exposed to optimal

CO2 levels. We recommend 26-28°C (78-82°F) and 6065% relative humidity during flower, but only in certain situations and not always, but don’t push it any higher if you can avoid it.

CO2 generators that can produce massive amounts of CO2 by burning LPG propane gas, are easily available and cheap as well a having an electric ignition, so there is no pilot light to worry about. Some models have water cooling options. You then plug the generator into an infrared CO2 monitoring device with a photo sensor, which will perfectly regulate the levels in the room while the lights are on, and will shut off the CO2 when the lights are off. Trying to guess it with older dosing equipment, may work, but is not advisable.

All equipment in a perfect closed room should be monitored from sensors to ensure an ideal growing environment: 24-28°C (75-85°F) temperature, 50-65% humidity, 1,200-1,400 ppm CO2 , constant air movement and aeration, and scrubbed air. You can equip some sensors with remote monitoring and notification features, that send alerts by mobile if your grow room environment has slipped out of optimum growing parameters. When combined with computerised interface and cross-links to security systems, growers can instantly find out what’s happening to their grow room from almost anywhere in the world.

Now, as with sizing up the air con and dehumidification requirements, there is a rough rule of thumb to sizing up a CO2 generator as well. The higher the rating of the generator, the faster it will fill a given space with the set level of CO2 . Generators are usually rated in how many cubic feet of CO2 they can produce per hour.

Generally, each individual burner in the CO2 generator will produce approximately 3 cubic feet of CO2 , and we have found that a 4-burner tends to suit an area of up to 4.5m x 4.5m (15ft x 15ft), and an 8-burner covers 7.6m x 7.6m (25ft x 25ft). Sometimes the rating is given in kilowatts (kW), and an 8kW generator is good for about 150 square feet, a 16kW unit covers about 300 square feet, and so on.

Burning LPG to create CO2 will produce some heat,

but this can all be accounted for if we remember to always allow 4000 BTUs of cooling power for every 1000 watts of HID light. Or if burning gas is not for you… you can simply fit a normal CO2 bottle and regulator to a CO2 sensor and set the ppm you require.

The use of bottled CO2 can also facilitate the killing of spider mites and other pests. In true sealed grow rooms that have no leaks, growers can kill all pests by upping CO2 levels to 10,000 ppm for one hour. Other CO2 augmentation methods are incapable of generating 10,000 ppm for an hour. Only the bottle supply method is capable of providing that concentration of CO2 . In particular, when using 10,000 ppm bug-killing tactics, growers must use safety methods that minimise the health problems that CO2 can cause to humans. So, these are the vital components within the fresh air which your plants require sorted.

Another thing to mention is pests and disease, airborne or otherwise. Nothing can get into your room to cause your plants harm, as there is no way into your sealed room. Unless they come in on you, so be clean and careful.

Unwanted heat and odours aren’t being expelled from the room either. We highly recommend running ozone generators to combat any spores or fungi that could occur within the sealed space and to utilise some blue light throughout the entire growth cycle. Metal halides and daylight lamps are abundant in UV light, and will also keep things like powdery mildew and botrytis at bay. The larger commercial grade air con units can ensure there are zero spores or contaminants in the air at all times when fitted with UV air cleaners.

Activated carbon filters (scrubbers) should always be used in a sealed grow space. Place your filter wherever you like in the room, attach an inline fan of the correct size to it, and just have it on 24 hours a day, pulling air through the filter and blowing back into the room again. This creates no positive or negative pressure, you

are simply scrubbing it clean of any unwanted airborne contaminants and helping to control odours.

Placing the filter on the floor helps to mix any unused CO2 , which is heavier than air, back to the top of the room, to fall back onto your plants.

With all the previously mentioned items combined with hydroponic systems and lighting systems, you can create a room which can easily be kept at the exact levels of temperature, humidity, and CO2 required to make your plants go absolutely bonkers 365 days a year. Seriously, you will not believe the results that are achievable, no matter what the outside conditions are. And once you get your head around the concept of closed environment growing, it really is a simpler way to do things, because you are relieving yourself of so many problems that growers have battled for so many years.

Lastly, after 3 years of helping people with sealed set ups, gaining feedback, and troubleshooting various problems - we have discovered some valuable insights we would like to share with you.

BIO Jeff Winterborne is the author of Hydroponics: Indoor Horticulture, owner of Esoteric Hydroponics since 1997, and developer of ProActive. Toby Berryman is Jeffrey’s apprentice and equally enthusiastic about indoor gardening.

Visit 1-hydroponics.co.uk to learn more.

1. Make sure you buy quality air conditioning if you’re running anything larger than a small hobby sized set up. Cheap units underperform and eventually break.

2. When your lights are off it is good practice, though not an absolute necessity, to run a very small amount of ventilation. It is not always needed, but can help a lot in some situations, to refresh just a tiny bit of air in the room between light cycles.

It will help to avoid CO2 getting too high during the night, and will give a slightly negative room pressure which will assist the stomata in staying open and ready for CO2 absorption when the lights come back on. It will also evacuate any mild levels of toxicity from CO2 burners that may build up in the room, and assist in a bit of extra oxygen for the root system. But we must firmly state, we mean tiny levels of extraction, like a 100mm RVK fan and filter is all that is necessary.

3. We have had a lot of feedback claiming that to drop the CO2 back to atmospheric levels for the last week or two during flush has a very positive effect on the end product, resulting in a much higher quality crop. We recommend this wholeheartedly.

4. Use lots of air movement and circulation fans on the walls and floors to keep the air moving everywhere in the room to get even CO2 levels and temperature throughout, and in doing so, avoid microclimates forming in areas with less circulation.

Good air movement around your room ensures that things like sensors for ACs, climate controllers, and CO2 are giving you a true reading.

5. And the last thing we cannot emphasise enough, is that you must do a very thorough job of insulating and sealing your room. The more well insulated you are, the more effectively and efficiently the room will run.

So, there you have it; a truly perfect room where you are the one dictating what is happening inside your garden instead of the outdoors doing so. It is relatively easy to calculate the air con, dehumidification, and CO2 requirements for a room of any size from a few lights all the way to fifty! 3

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

37

OUTPUT PO W E R ( W )

The technology Dimmable HID electronic ballasts have been around for quite some time. Nowadays, they either offer a dial or buttons with which you set the output to a predefined wattage, or have an external controller to have full flexibility and ease of use. You can dim, and even boost lamps to beyond their nominal output.

When the first electronic ballasts came out, they were more like “multi wattage� ballasts. You can see that by the values on the dials. For example, a 600W ballast indicates 400W/440W/600W/660W. It tells you that they are designed for 400W and 600W lamps, with the ability to boost either one of them by 10%. They were, and are actually not designed to dim a 600W lamp to 400W. Still, you see that on a lot of ballasts which are able to run different types of lamps, for example, 600/750/825/1000/1150: Run a 750W lamp dimmed, at nominal value or +10%, or run a 1000W at nominal output or plus 15%.

Why not dim?

So, why were these ballasts actually not designed for dimming a lamp all the way down to 50%? One simple answer: Efficiency! A lamp is most efficient at its nominal power. So, you should always right-size your lamp for your application. Here is an example of how 600, 750, and 1000W lamps perform at different outputs:

When you think about it, this suddenly all makes sense. If the settings would have been designed for sensible dimming, the steps would have been likely 600/700/800/900/1000/1150.

There is always a catch though: most dimmable ballasts do not have the capability to protect the lamp when you run a lower wattage lamp on a lower setting. Some even start at 100% making them unsuitable for this task.

On the left scale you see the efficiency of the lamp (light output of the lamp per watt), on the bottom scale the power setting. You see clearly that a 750W lamp at nominal output is more efficient than a 1000W lamp when dimmed to 750W, and a 600W lamp is more efficient than a 750W lamp dimmed to 600W. Dimming a 1000W lamp back to 600W costs you 35% efficiency! So, you have less than half of your output left when you dim to 60% output power.

Bottom line: When you need 750W of power, do not dim a 1000W lamp to 750W, but use a 750W fixture. Right-size your fixture.

Then, why dim?

responsible for the heat you add to a room, you should reduce the output of the lamps (and therefore the light levels) to reduce the temperature to a more agreeable level.

Plants can survive high temperatures much better under lower light conditions. An automatic dimming feature on your lighting controller is therefore a very good idea.

So, why do we want to actually dim a lamp?

In my opinion, there are only three main reasons why you should dim a lamp: 1. When you do the vegetative cycle and the generative cycle (“flowering”) in one room.

2. When your climate control is no longer able to maintain a good temperature during very hot days.

3. When your genetics suffer from high intensity lighting.

The first has to do with the DLI, or Daily Light Integral.

DLI is the amount of photons your plants get per day. As photosynthesis is based on the number of photons hitting a plant (not the spectrum, but that is another discussion) we count all photons that hit a square meter of surface per day to get the daily light integral. It tells you how much light the plant is getting during one day. Shade plants need a low DLI, sun plants a high DLI. For a short day plant, however, the light cycle during the vegetative phase is much longer than during the generative phase. Mostly you see 18 hours of lighting when growing vegetative, reducing the hours to 12 when starting to flower.

If you compare the total amount of light you give your plant, using the same light levels during 18 hours as during 12 hours of lighting, you will see that you give the plant 50% more light during the vegetative phase, or 33% less during the generative phase! That is not a good idea. That is why we reduce the light levels in the vegetative phase by 33%, to give the plant at least the same amount of light during the flowering phase.

The second reason is also extremely important: Imagine that during a very hot day your room temperature rises to unhealthy values for the plant. Or that your air-conditioning breaks down. It will kill your valuable crop pretty quick. As the HID lights are

The third is obviously genetics based: Some cultivars can take much more light than others.

What happens when you dim a HID lamp?

A lot of things happen in the lamp when you dim it (lower pressure, lower temperature, and all kinds of chemical processes), but let’s focus on two effects that may impact your crop: 1. The efficiency reduces.

2. The spectrum changes.

The reduction in efficiency, we already discussed. It is why large professional growers usually have a separate vegetative room, running less lights or lower wattage lights at 66% of the light level they use when flowering, sometimes even at a different (more blue) spectrum. One of the other advantages of a separate vegetative room is the spacing of the plants: if you would have to space your plants out to their final size during the vegetative phase, you would light mostly tables.

In a vegetative room the plants are much closer to each other, reducing the need for a large vegetative room and saving lots of energy.

Spectral changes however, happen as well. Here is a graph showing the spectrum of a 1000W DE HPS lamp at various outputs:

If I were to give you the raw numbers of this spectrum divided in blue, green, and red you would be alarmed. You would see a lot of red light diminishing very fast when you dim a lamp.

You see that a bit in the diagram, where the peaks of the light output around 580 and 600 nm come closer to each other when the light is dimmed. Fortunately, you should never trust a statistician ;-). The big difference in numbers comes from the fact that red light is defined as between 600 and 700 nm.

While the frequency shift is very limited, as you can see in the diagram, the peak shifts from 600 to below 600 nm which is defined as “green light.” But you can trust your eyes in this matter: The spectral difference is not that big. Yes, the spectrum becomes a bit narrower, but not a lot.

There is one catch: A new lamp needs to stabilize chemically.

You need to run it at least 100 hours at 100% to achieve that.

If you try to dim a lamp from the get go you will get ignition failures, a reduced lamp life, and a lower output of the lamp.

This is one of the most common ignition problems we see. If that happens, switch your lamps to 100% and you will see they will ignite again.

Tip: Change your lamps always in the flowering cycle, so you can run them at 100%.

And now it’s time for a warning: Not all lamps can be dimmed.

Some HPS, and specifically MH lamps, are not suitable for dimming or boosting. Always read the manufacturer’s guidelines and take them very seriously. MH lamps should actually be started at 100% before dimming, and before switching off, they should also be brought back to 100% to prevent ignition problems.

Boosting your lamp A lamp is designed to operate optimally, and for the longest time, with the least light reduction during its lifetime at nominal power. When you over-drive a lamp, its life will be reduced. In many cases this is not an issue at all, specifically if you change your lamp every year on a high yield crop. There are lamps that you can easily boost even 25%, but those are the exceptions. A high-efficiency DE lamp already burns close to its most optimal efficiency at nominal level. The efficiency will increase a bit just over that value, and will then decrease when you boost much higher.

So, boosting a DE lamp beyond the manufacturer’s recommendation is not a good idea. Generally, a 400, 600, and 750W lamp can be boosted 10%, and suitable DE 1000W lamps can be boosted up to 15% without negative consequences.

Again, be very careful with MH and CMH lamps and always do it according to the manufacturer’s specification.

Why a controller?

In a larger room with the lamps up high it will be very difficult to switch ballasts to the appropriate power by turning their dial. A remote control of some sort is extremely convenient.

It not only offers great ease of control, but also precision as you can set the output in much finer steps than the course dial values. In high frequency, high power environments I would always recommend a wired system for optimal reliability.

A controller can add a lot of other convenient functionality: 1. It replaces your timers and contactors.

2. It can automatically dim your lights when the temperature becomes too high, or even shut them down in case of a climate control failure and save your crop!

3. It can have a sunrise and sunset to gradually lighten and darken your room, simulating the sun.

Specifically, the sunset can have an enormous effect on your climate. When you switch off the light from 100% to zero, you take away all the heat. Your fan will slow down, but your plants are still evaporating! The relative humidity around your plants, also because of the dropping temperatures, skyrockets and all that moisture will stay in your flowers, which will become a great place for fungi such as grey mold to settle. So, lighting control also adds to your climate control!

Greenhouse lighting control In greenhouses, the lighting control is a lot different than it is in climate rooms. First of all, you only need it when there is not enough sun, and secondly, it is just supplemental lighting.

In a next article, we’ll take a look a greenhouse lighting control strategies, and how intelligent control can actually predict how much light they need to give your crop. 3

1

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Solenica recently completed a very successful IndieGoGo campaign to start production on their latest robotic daylighting device. Retail availability is likely to launch in the fall. Learn more: www.solenica.com and www.bit.ly/caia-campaign.

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A home insulated by the ground is warmer in winter and cooler in summer thanks to the natural temperature modulation of a thick layer of soil. It’s also more secure in the face of extreme weather like tornados and hurricanes, and catastrophic events like an earthquake. Best of all, you can garden all over your house instead of just around it.

We recently featured these exciting new Green Magic Homes on our blog. They are prefab, affordably priced, and come in many sizes from 500-3500 square feet. You can customize the house design or add rooms later, and build it yourself in a week or less!

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Smart Solar Energy Here’s a way to block intense sunlight from your office or apartment while taking advantage of solar tech to turn it into a power source. SolarGaps photovoltaic window blinds reduce glass-transmitted heat from the sun while collecting solar energy, sending it to your battery for storage.

You can install them inside or out, and they automatically track the sun to optimize energy collection all through the day.

An ingenious idea that already exists, but has just finished a successful Kickstarter campaign to go into mass production. IoT home integrated, controlled via an app.Very cool! Learn more : www.bit.ly/solargaps and www.bit.ly/solargaps-fb.

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So, what have you got to complain about, you say? Well, from there things got sour really quick. In the second session two consecutive speakers present again what Anja already explained about PAR light and dare come to the conclusion that PAR and PPF is not a valid metric and you need only red and blue LEDs, referring to research that is like tens of years old. Of course, green light is not efficient (plants are green, right?), and for photosynthesis you also need to take UV and far red into account. My mouth drops. I hear Ed start to make mumbling noises. We look at each other.

These buddies don’t know shit!

It lef t me completely puz zled

High Tech Campus, Eindhoven, 23 May 2017. A few hundred people attend, paying up to €495 to hear the latest and greatest about lighting technology and business models, vertical farming and case studies.

Sponsors include Cree, Osram, and Sylvania. Speakers from Wageningen University, HAS University, Stockbridge Technology Center, TÜV SÜD, and Osram. It sounds all good.

I sit next to Ed Rosenthal, who flew over specifically for this conference. It starts alright with Anja Dieleman of Wageningen University, explaining all the fundamentals of horticultural lighting and the effects of light. Great opening for the newbies. Osram continues with a presentation about all the great things LED can be, and Belgium Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt presents a research paper regarding LED and HPS applications.

Great. Good start.

Fortunately, this session was ended by an excellent presentation by Dr Phillip Davis of Stockbridge Technology Centre. The three speakers from this block take questions from the audience. So, I confront them with the bullshit.

It’s not even a question, it’s a remark about the blatant lack of scientific and horticultural background these two speakers dare to display. I won’t even write what their

reaction was, but Philip Davis was also still on the stage next to them. When asked his opinion by the chair he stated that he agreed with me completely. He got a round of applause.

...and dare c ome to the c onclusion that PAR and PPF is not a valid me tric

When Ed and I drove back to Amsterdam we came to the same conclusion: A frickin waste of time and a disgrace for the horticultural lighting industry. There were a few really good speakers, but their presentations were not enough to lift the whole day to a successful and meaningful conference. When confronting the chair of the conference his reply was: ”Well, this is how your industry thinks about lighting.” No it does not! This is what you get when you leave the organization of a highly specialized “conference” to people who have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.

In Hortidaily there is a report about the conference.

Headline: “LEDs still have a long way to go.” Most

surprising, a quote by a grower who just the day before bought LEDs: “In research studies they have grown 100 kg (per square meter per year) of tomatoes with LEDs. But those were very big, ugly, tasteless tomatoes of a very bad quality. This is not how it works in practice.” It left me completely puzzled why they decided to buy them anyway.

In my opinion, there was one great scientific horticultural lighting conference in the recent past: The VIII International Symposium on Light in Horticulture, organized by the ISHS in East Lansing, MI, in May last year. The proceedings book is still available from the ISHS site (ISBN 0567-7572) and is a hell of a lot better investment than attending one of these commercial scams. It contains 452 pages of scientific research reviewed by a list of two pages of scientific committee and editorial board members. For the next edition, you have to wait a few years: The 9th International Symposium on Light in Horticulture will be held June 8-12, 2020 in Alnarp, Sweden.

Buy the book. Put it in your agenda. 3

EC fans have been around for a few years and, due to classifications in the EU on power consumption versus power output, many of the older AC fans in use do not meet the requirements. Upgrading your old fans can mean big savings, especially when switching to EC. So, why are EC fans so cheap to run?

It comes down to the motor control mechanics. EC motors are very similar to AC motors. However, AC motors work most efficiently at full speed, by design. The alternating current dictates electrical energy distribution inside the motor, and in this case, it’s fixed. The electromagnets that convert the electric power into movement change from positive to negative 50 times a second as the AC current changes. This makes it very difficult to control the speed of AC motors, they buzz when run at slow speeds, and are simply not designed to work on a wide spectrum of speeds.

second to optimise where energy use takes place inside the motor. An EC motor’s efficiency and power comes simply by controlling how and when they use electrical energy.

The electronics know where the rotor is at all times. These motors use less than half the power at half speed, and can run 90% more efficiently at lowest speeds.

There are effective controllers for AC fans that help with the inefficiencies stated, but they can be expensive, and some use large amounts of electricity before they are even connected to the fans. If opting for a controller to save energy with an AC setup already in place, there exist options, provided you take the time to shop around.

EC motors have electronics that distribute the energy digitally. They convert electricity to Direct Current, which is then sent to the commutators (electromagnets) inside the motor, and the electronics make millions of calculations a

The EC revolution is gathering pace and to illustrate the potential savings, we thought we would crunch some numbers.

How much will you save?

Your fans will run at different speeds during the day and night to maintain airflow and temperatures. For this test, we chose to run the fans on the following schedule: • 6 hours at 1000 m3 (¾ speed), • 6 hours at 600 m3 power (just above ½ speed), • and 12 hours at 300 m3 (1/3 power - normally the nighttime speed).

*sources: http://www.eceee.org/ecodesign/products/ventilation-fans/ http://www.eceee.org/static/media/uploads/site-2/ecodesign/ products/ventilation-fans/final-regulation-2011.pdf

We consulted growers familiar with the EC ventilation setup, and the following is what they believe represents average use. When specifying extraction fans for a grow room environment, you would not spec the fan to run at full speed.

The usage would vary slightly during the year, but these figures are representative.

In the above scenario, the investment on an EC fan setup would be paid back within the first year and, by the end of year five, you can save up to £1400. Switching both intake and outtake fans will increase your savings, as the intake fan normally runs at lower speeds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Ecodesign_Directive

There is simply no more efficient way to move air. 3

1. Shillingford Abbot, Exeter, Devon

Totally Natural Learning Shillingford Organics Farm School gets kids outdoors and involved in growing food and other farm activities. They divide the natural learning adventure by season and age group; preschoolers, homeschooled, after school, and weekend classes. The farm also holds holiday activities, and hosts a monthly community day.

Youngsters learn about composting, wild herbs, and growing food organically from seed through harvest. There are farm animals to meet, eggs to gather, cider making and cooking their harvest, and a host of tools to learn how to use. Parents can drop their child off for class, or hang out and join in the fun.

A wonderful idea now in its second year.

Learn more: www.bit.ly/farm-school-FB.

2. St George, Bristol

Mobile City Dairy There’s a community meat and milk operation at large in the city. Urban farming collective, Street Goat, runs conservation grazing services wherever there’s a need for their herd’s fantastic munching powers - overgrown backyard thicket to taming an exuberant patch of a nature reserve. In turn, the goats provide them with locally and sustainably produced milk, meat, and leather.

It may sound a bit outlandish, but it makes perfect sense. Street Goat is an inspired solution for localizing the food system that also allows property maintenance tasks to happen without machines.

As a community collective, their food system gives the volunteer herders food sovereignty, and a place in the local food economy.

An interesting take on reclaiming the food system.

Learn more: www.streetgoat.co.uk.

3. Newcastle, Tyne and Wear

Cows, Sows, and Quackers An urban farm came to life on Newcastle’s fringe in 1976, giving city kids the opportunity to work with farm animals. In 2002, the property was discovered contaminated with lead from its paint factory past, and the community charity closed. In 2009, the soil cleaning completed, the refurbished farm reopened with the cows, sheep, pigs, ponies, goats, fowl, and more in residence again.

Ouseburn Farm is a small, but delightful community attraction.

They have a cafe serving farm products, and host school groups, fairs, educational workshops, and school holiday activities.

It employs disabled and vulnerable adults in horticulture, agriculture, and woodworking. Sales of refurbished and updated wood furniture help pay for daily expenses.

A lovely afternoon family outing and source of locally-grown foods.

Learn more: www.ouseburnfarm.org.uk.

4. Chagford, Devon

Agri-Culture & Horsepower A mile from the village center lies a successful organic market garden whose customers are all within 12 miles of the gate and members of a CSA. Chagfood’s 90 weekly shares are delivered via horse cart to Chagford and 4 neighboring towns. They do most of their cultivation with horses too. As Ed Hamer sees it, this is the right way to grow food - supply only the local people using tools that don’t require fossil fuel, loans, or subsidies. It’s made him prominent in sustainable farming.

Co-founded by Ed in 2009 with life partner Yssy and friend Chinnie, Chagfood Community Market Garden grows many crops efficiently with abundant harvests on 5 rented acres.

They employ seasonal interns, and have a host of willing local volunteers - some of which are customers.

An intelligent approach to sustainable farming and food that’s catching on. Learn more: www.chagfood.org.uk and www.bit.ly/why-horsepower. 3

When we control our environment, we should be checking our numbers (temperature, humidity, airflow, pH, EC, etc.) and verifying the numbers (taking multiple readings). If the conditions in which the plants operate (environment) requires modification, we intervene through our actions as growers. In this article, I’d like to cover the best methods for controlling the environment and the ideal numbers you’ll want to be hitting to achieve optimum results.

The first environmental factor to consider, and arguably the most important as it is directly related to nearly all other parameters, is temperature. The figures given below are for most plants, but some species can cope and even thrive with higher or lower temperatures, so it’s important to know the upper and lower limits for your particular plants.

cause plants to grow very tall. Equal day and night temperatures can help to keep plants shorter, with small internodal spaces, but higher night temperatures and lower day temperatures will cause a plant to grow with closely packed inter-nodal spaces. A great way to manipulate plant growth with just the temperature during lights on and lights off.

Temperature - Light Output The temperature of the grow room is the first consideration a cultivator must check and regulate if needed. If the temperatures are too high (above 30ºC or 86ºF), transpiration occurs too quickly, and the plant will quickly close stomata to conserve moisture, therefore preventing CO2 uptake which leads to slow growth. If temperatures are too cold (below 15ºC or 59ºF), transpiration slows down due to the inability to move water through the plant and out of the stomata.

Furthermore, cellular activity begins to decrease as conditions get too cold, leading to slower growth and eventually complete inhibition of growth.

The primary source of heat in grow rooms are the lights. It makes sense therefore to maintain the greatest control over temperature, would be to regulate the heat output from light fixtures.

There are many ways to do so; • Digital dimmable ballasts (dimming lights as temperatures rise and vice-versa).

• Air-cooled hoods • Mix and match lamp types (HPS, CFL, LED) to maintain light output while reducing heat.

• Replacing old inefficient lamps that produce excess heat.

• Accessories such as the diffuser from Adjust-a-Wings, which reduces heat spots.

A great tool to use alongside the thermometer is an IR (Infrared) gun that measures leaf temperature.

Use this to make sure the plant is staying If temperatures cooler than the room itself. If the leaf temperature is higher, start to think of are too cold, ways to cool the plant. An easy fix is to transpiration slows slightly decrease the humidity which will help the plant cool itself through increased down due transpiration.

Temperature can also be used for controlling plant growth by monitoring and regulating the differences between day/ night temperatures (sometimes called DIF). A higher day temperature/lower night temperature will result in elongation of the stem, and big differences or swings in temperature can

Out of these methods, using air-cooled hoods removes the most amount of heat from the light. However, it is also a very inefficient method of using grow lights.

The temperature is lowered by cool air passing over the lamp, which also affects its spectral output. Furthermore, light has to pass through the glass, reducing the amount before reaching the plant canopy. If you have to use air-cooled fixtures, choose a model that moves air over the top of the bulb, allowing it to run at its correct temperature, and uses low iron glass which has higher clarity, allowing more light to pass through.

Controlling the heat emitted from lighting methods are direct interventions to reduce heat output, but the single most effective method for controlling grow room temperatures is air movement and extraction.

Air Movement and Extraction In this article, I talk about standard grow room set-ups (open systems). I would mention closed loop systems but in Ultimate Control (page 26) there is a full and in-depth article just on this topic alone, so check it out, when you’ve finished reading this of course.

Having the right air movement and extraction for the stage of plant growth is, in some people’s opinion including my own, the most vital part of grow room design. Without sufficient extraction, temperatures will soar and growth halts. But, how do you work out the volume of air movement needed in your grow room to beat the temperatures?

I’m going to get some raised eyebrows for this, but I think it’s best keeping it simple. Most online advice is to measure your room in feet or meters, then decide whether to move the air in that room once every minute or once every 5 minutes. You then add 15% per lamp, 20% for filter and ducting losses, and 25% for high outside temperatures to work out how much air you need to move.

This calculation works, but I prefer my eyebrow raising method of extracting 400 m3/h per 600w lamp, taking into account the wattage use, losses for filter and ducting, potential high outside temperatures, fan inefficiency, and other factors.

Although this method slightly overestimates the air movement required, it’s much easier to invest in a fan speed controller and reduce extraction, then to buy a new extraction system because temperatures rose into the 30’s (degrees Celsius).

This method does have flaws, as it can largely overestimate the volume when a grow room is in a big area with high ceilings (good heat dissipation) or a particularly cold environment.

Therefore, it is best to overestimate slightly, and tweak air movement to suit the specific environment.

When we talk about extraction, we also need to mention air intake. Small grow rooms can usually use passive air intake, as the negative pressure from extraction naturally brings air in from other areas to equalise the pressure, either by ducting directly outside or to another cooler room in the building.

Active air intake is best for bigger set-ups when large amounts of air need renewal. I would recommend using 1/3 the power of the air out fan, for the intake fan, this puts less stress on the extraction fan but also helps with CO2 replenishment. Some growers use positive pressure in grow rooms to prevent pests from getting into their environment, but the majority will always go for negative pressure. Negative pressure will make a tent suck inwards, and positive pressure will cause a tent to bulge outwards.

Alongside air intake and extraction is the air movement within the grow room. Maintaining a homogenous environment around the grow room prevents heat spots, humidity buildup, pockets of CO2, and more by using fans - floor fans, clips fans, oscillating fans, dump fans, or air diffusers.

An important consideration is the possible effects on the plants’ microenvironment. Will blowing air directly at the plants create less than favourable conditions due to windburn and low humidity? In my experience, it is best for fans to move the air between the top of the canopy and the bottom of the lights or pointed at the walls of the grow room to reduce the intensity of the air hitting the plants which can change their microenvironment. The reason for this is mostly due to the power of humidity, removing too much and not removing enough all have consequences of their own.

Humidity Humidity is very closely correlated with temperature, measured as RH (relative humidity). High temperatures have more energy and can hold more water, whereas low temperatures have a lower energy and hold less water. This is seen in the mornings when dew forms on the grass, the warm air from the day can hold a lot of water, as the air cools it can hold less water vapour and deposits the excess water as dew on the grass because the RH is close to 100%. In a nutshell, colder environments require less water vapour to achieve a high RH, and warmer places need more water vapour to maintain a high RH. Ideal RH for your plants depends on the growth stage: • Seedlings: 90% • Small plants: 80% • Vegetative growth: 70% • Transition period: 60% • Flowering: 40-50%

If you’re under these values, check to see if the air movement or extraction is too intense and if so, reduce air movement to increase humidity. Hanging damp towels in the room can help. Otherwise, purchase a humidifier and place this in the grow room to increase humidity levels back to the correct point.

If you’re over these values, look at air extraction or movement to see if it needs to be more powerful. For some immediate relief, open the tent vents or windows, but if that’s not applicable, a dehumidifier will help remove any excess moisture in the air.

The reason humidity is so important is due to transpiration rates (how much water the plant moves through its xylem or stem). A low humidity means the plant will lose a lot of water to the environment. If this occurs in young plants with immature root systems, the stomata close and leaves can curl upwards in an attempt to reduce water loss, halting plant growth. If humidity is too high, transpiration slows (less nutrient and water uptake), and there is an increased risk of fungal growth within or around the plant.

Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) For growers that already understand humidity well, VPD gives you more insight into the plant’s condition. The VPD is the difference or ‘deficit’ between the plant’s internal water vapour pressure and the outside water vapour pressure. High humidity means it’s low pressure (low VPD) and low humidity means it’s high pressure (high VPD). You’ll need to know the leaf temperature to work out VPD, but it gives a complete picture over humidity alone.

CO2 Control of CO2 is an essential element of grow room regulation because of its importance in photosynthesis. Not having adequate grow room ventilation means plants will quickly use the available CO2 which slows the growth rates dramatically. If you decide not to add a source of CO2, make sure the air intake can replenish it adequately.

When using supplementary CO2, it’s important to regulate the output. Make sure you’re giving the plant the amount it needs, during the right time of day. Adding CO2 during light’s off is a waste and can potentially harm the plants.

Natural sources of CO2 self-regulate by slowing the release when temperatures drop as lights go off. Canisters require timers, sensors, and emitters to achieve the optimal levels of CO2 throughout the plant’s life. There is much discussion on this point, but between 800 ppm and 1200 ppm is the range most experts believe to be the most beneficial to plants. Supplementary CO2 is most useful for the plant at temperatures ranging 28-30ºC (82-86ºF). For this reason, growers who suffer from high heat in the grow room can use CO2 to help mitigate the potentially damaging effects.

Water Although not technically ‘environment,’ in DWC (deep water culture), NFT (nutrient film technique), and other hydroponic systems, water could be classed as the roots’ environment.

So, here’s a brief look at an ideal root environment.

Roots like the dark, so creating an environment with as little light penetration to the root zone as possible is beneficial.

Specifically, in DWC, any holes in the top of the buckets should be tightly closed to prevent light getting into the reservoir. This will also help with water temperature, which should sit around 18ºC (64.4ºF) throughout the plant’s lifecycle. Too high, above 22 ºC (71.6ºF), and dissolved oxygen levels start to deplete rapidly. Below 14ºC (57.2ºF) and nutrient uptake diminishes, leading to deficiencies. Keep the reservoir in a cool place or invest in a water chiller to keep the temperatures on point.

The pH of the water should be around 5.5 for hydro, 5.8 in coco, and 6.0 in soil, depending on plant species (blueberries love a really acidic environment).

The EC (electrical conductivity) should change depending on the stage of growth of the plant. You wouldn’t give a newborn a roast dinner. It’s the same for plants, give them what they want for their stage of growth. Low EC for small plants, gradually increasing to a peak around mid-flower, and then slowly dropping back down until flush.

Hopefully, you’ve learned something of value to apply to your grow room, and you can make some improvements for better results. No matter what anybody says, or what they try to sell you, environment is the real key to success and should be the first area a grower invests in. 3

BIO Stephen Brookes is a science fanatic, hydroponics obsessed bookworm that works at NPK Technology.

He has a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Education and Geography, MSc in nutrition and scientific investigation, and starts his PhD October 2017, researching the effect of different ratios of cannabinoids in the human body.

Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!

Like most people these days, I grew up in the city. I once had some cows on the other side of the fence in my backyard growing up, but that was the extent of my time as a farmer.

I didn’t connect with agriculture until after college. I moved to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and found a book called Secrets of the Soil and, as good books do, it changed my life. Every chapter had a different dialogue on topics like paramagnetism, the use of sound vibration to produce record crops, Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic methods, weeds as soil indicators, the efficacy of vortexes in water, among many other things.

It is an incredible book.

I have a degree in biology and another in religion from a major university, but Secrets of the Soil inspired me in ways that my schooling had not - it asked me to use my imagination. School teaches history and the scientific method well, but it does not approach the idea that there is more to life than what is physically here. School has a hard time with anything that is not “provable.”

Soil is a perfect example of this notion. It is itself a living organism and at the same time, the facilitator of life. On paper - soil is sand, clay, and organic matter; but any progressive grower knows there is more going on than meets the eye. How does one truly define soil when it is always different?

Our agriculture desperately needs more imagination.

As Leonardo da Vinci said circa 1500’s, “We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot.” In many ways, the same is true today.

Healthy soil is defined by humus, or the byproduct of microbes like fungi and bacteria breaking down organic matter like veggie scraps in a compost pile, or the leaves that fall in a forest. It is not a coincidence that the root

of the word humus is “humble,” as it has confounded many a grower and scientist.

Around two hundred years ago, soil scientists devised a method of extracting organic matter from the mineral component of soil (sand, clay) by treating it with a strong pH 13 solution. This process is not only harsh, but it does not allow for the study of humus within the soil itself, only after extracted. Yet, this remains the only way that “humus” can be measured or studied directly.

On the other end of the spectrum, a study in the journal Nature from 2016 titled “The Contentious Nature of Soil Organic Matter,” by Johannes Lehmann and Markus Kleber declares, “humus does not exist.” According to the authors, “we argue that the available evidence does not support the formation of large-molecular-size and persistent ‘humic substances’ in soils. Instead, soil organic matter is a continuum of progressively decomposing organic compounds.”

There is an important point here. Most of our scientific methods of investigation rely on only a snapshot of the dynamic system, and often they rip everything to shreds in order to find the truth, when the magic is in the synergy of the whole. It certainly is not as satisfying as believing that we have everything figured out, but after fifteen years of trying to figure it all out I’m con-

vinced that we should set our goal on becoming more comfortable with not knowing.

Humus is a “colloidal� substance. A colloid is a form of matter that contains tiny particles that remain stable in solution. Think worm castings or ocean water, these substances are homogenous, and they are not going to break down any further. Colloidal substances generally exist in a state that is ready for building back up by living forces.

This thoughtform is critical when peering into the secrets of the natural world. The formative forces that hold life together can easily be taken for granted. As the great Viktor Schauberger once pointed out, we spend a lot of time in school learning about how Newton got hit in the head with an apple and pondered gravity, but no time at all considering how the apple got up there in the first place!

Unadulterated by human influence, Nature achieves the highest quality results through the rhythm, diversity, and balance of the ingredients. If we carry this truth into our agriculture we can arrive at extraordinary results. And if you compare that to what humans do in the overwhelming majority of our agriculture, the differences are startling.

Certified organic farms make up a paltry 0.7% of farms in the United States. This means that on 99.3% of farms there are toxic biocides and artificial fast food fertiliz-

ers being used consistently. These synthetic materials bypass the living process in an attempt to grow life. Artificial fertilizers can do a decent job of growing plants, but they don’t do a very good job growing people.

People are living longer, but sicker lives. Degenerative and autoimmune disease is skyrocketing with no obvious explanation from the experts and no end in sight.

But the reasons are almost obvious once investigated.

For instance, according to USDA data it takes 26 apples to get the same amount of iron that a single apple from 1950 offered. Now, extrapolate that across the span of human nourishment, and it is clear that food no longer provides the nutrient density we require. Food is no longer our medicine, in fact, it is making us sick.

Food is the reason for and the answer to basically every issue facing humanity. Imagine a decentralized agricultural system that focused on subsidizing nutrient-dense food, providing employment with a living wage, fed the hungry, and healed the sick? Instead our food is further from us than it has ever been, is a manifestation of disease, and in some cases practices slave labor.

But the answers are right in front of us, we humans can think our way out of it. The pioneers of the future of agriculture are already hard at work farming vacant inner-city lots and using polyculture to create food forests that increase yields and maximize the value of space. Regenerative and permaculture techniques are on the rise. We can do it.

The future will focus on abundance, not scarcity. Instead of competition, we will practice coopetition. I believe agriculture will lead the way. But we must nourish ourselves in order to put our will into action. If we let it, food can change us for the worse or for the better.

For example, in my old retail store Progressive Gardens we grew wheatgrass for juice shops in town and sold it to the public. You wouldn’t believe the number of healing stories we received over the years of all sorts of ailments, some that western medicine had no answers for. Can you name something in your daily diet of any potency that is alive?

BIO

I use the term BioEnergetic Agriculture as a means of communicating a broader message and stimulating action around growing healthy people, plants, and planet. If it is not in the soil, it is not in the plant. If it is not in the plant, it is not in the people.

BioEnergetics recognizes that there are physical, mineral, biological, and energetic capacities to living systems. The goal is not to define these innate capacities of life, but simply to recognize them and respect them as equals. Rather than scoff at the concept

of water memory or ridicule burying cow horns to make the biodynamic field spray BD500-501, we allow our imagination to bring our will into action and put them to the test. The proof is in the results.

The future of farming is in conscious co-creation with natural living systems. In this spirit, I am going to be writing a series of articles that speak to the perspective of BioEnergetic Agriculture and how it can help you grow better gardens. What we think, we grow. 3

Evan Folds is passionate about growing soil, healing the Earth through nutrient dense food production, the need for personal agriculture, and healing people through vibrant local food economies.

Founder of Progressive Gardens, a retail store specializing in hydroponic and beyond organic gardening techniques, Evan honed his craft. After 14 years, he closed the store to focus on Progressive Farms, manufacturer of the Microbe Maker, as well as offering regenerative agriculture consulting.

Partner in the Farm-A-Yard project which delivers dynamic and replicable steps to farming residential landscapes, Evan performs lectures and workshops, as well as participating in several webinars. He is a contributing writer for Garden Culture, the Biodynamic Association, Urban Farmer, Maximum Yield, and more. He has a BS in Biology and a minor in Religion from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and resides with his wife and two children in Wilmington, NC. Connect with Evan on FB @progressivefarms, www.MicrobeMakers.com or www.Farm-A-Yard.com

Not using pesticides to eradicate infestations. No fast-working NPK to adjust growth deficiencies. No precise indications about how much compost tea you should use. How do organic growers stay in control? The answer is organically simple: organic growing is not about control.

In an untouched forest, plants grow, die, and decay. Dead plants, animal poo, and dead animals decompose into plant nutrients, with help from bacteria and fungi. Plants take up these nutrients by their roots. This is one of the natural ongoing cycles in a forest. Nature itself grows organically.

There is no need to fertilize a forest.

This natural cycle does not exist in cultivating plants.

Agriculture is a kind of human control of nature. A farmer grows plants which he will harvest later. His plants’ roots take up nutrients from the soil. After harvest time, the farmer clears the fields leaving little to no dead plant material for soil organisms to decompose into nutrients. There’s no cycle of nutrients. That means a farmer needs to supply them for the next generation of plants.

Synthetic NPK is like an infusion for plants. The access to nutrients is so easy that plants do not develop strong root systems to take up their ‘food.’ On the other hand, once applied to the soil, they wash out easily during periods of abundant rainfall. Providing more fertilizer is the only option. Chemical plants heavily depend on their chemical nutrient supplier.

Another way to re-establish nutrients in the soil is to feed it with organic products like manure, compost, or a mixture of both. ‘Organic waste’ is food for soil microorganisms, and this life produces nutrients and more. Soil microorganisms are the best-known producers of antibiotics and vitamins, keeping plants strong and healthy.

Furthermore, the bacteria and fungi are still in place after a hard rainfall, as these organisms have different strategies to prevent them from being washed out.

Control fits dictators better than farmers

The main nutrients for plants are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) and since the second part of the last century, most farmers use synthetic versions produced in chemical factories. Chemical fertilizers are perfect tools for controlled growth. They contain specific amounts of nutrients that fit correctly to the plant’s needs.

Furthermore, chemical N, P, and K are directly ready for uptake by plant roots and can act fast. Plants love these fertilizers! But most soil life (bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects) will die in this chemical feast. In large agricultural areas, the soil has become a dead substrate without organisms that feed the plants.

The tricky part of the compost story is that in some situations where a crop needs an extra supply of nutrients, the plants’ access to it will take some time organic growing relies on soil life to produce nutrients.

So, there are no fast-acting supplies used to feed plants directly, even if these supplies have an organic origin.

Organic growing, therefore, requires another strategy.

You have to create the right soil conditions before the plants start growing. Once started, it’s hard to correct growth deficiencies. It’s like oil tankers. Once they go in

a direction, it’s hard to interfere. An organic grower feeds the soil, not his plants. His mindset differs from a grower who uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Chemical Reflex Recently, I met an organic indoor grower. This man, a former user of chemical fertilizers, told me about an interesting organic mindset issue. Some days before, he discovered insects on the plants he was about to harvest.

Although an organic grower for years, his first impulsive reaction was: stay in control, kill the bugs with the strongest toxic product available. On the other hand, he was in doubt. In a matter of days, the plants could be harvested.

Should he use the pesticides which could affect the quality of his yield? He then observed the insects carefully and discovered that they were predatory mites, probably attracted by the Trichoderma (a beneficial fungus) he used against pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Furthermore, he learned that the predatory mite was not doing any harm to his plants. On the contrary, the predatory mite is chasing thrips, a big annoyance for his plants. In the end, the mites were a benefit, not a nuisance.

Organic Mindset “Don’t panic, it’s organic,” old school organic growers used to say. A yellow leaf on a very precious organically grown plant does not mean it will die instantly. The appearance of insects in the grow room does not mean a ruined crop. Organic gardening means growing in a natural way, and Nature is not one hundred percent controllable.

Supporting plants with growth problems is possible, many growers use compost tea, for example. But it takes a little more time than chemical fertilizers to reach the plant’s roots.

Many organic growers have developed their way to get strong, healthy plants, such as applying a mixture of DIY compost or bokashi and specific soil bacteria. Some have their own worm poo factory with worms living in their barn.

Experimental behaviour is part of the organic mindset.

Organic growing is not about following a prescriptive list of rules. The best way to become an organic grower is to accept this mindset and to let it happen.

Organic and Controlled Sure, some organic indoor growers control the growing situation like the users of chemical fertilizers do. There are organic products (from vegetal or animal origin) that act relatively fast, even instantly, like blood meal. The blood of

dead cows gives plants a nitrogen boost. But do you want to use blood for your plants? In general, organic growers do not use fertilizers that feed their plants directly, even when these products come from organic sources. They prefer to feed soil life that in turn feeds plants.

Besides a healthier yield, a better environment is an important reason to choose an organic way of growing.

Using locally available organic waste is one of the ways to diminish the harm, on many levels. In most places, an organic mind will find local solutions.

“Trust is good, but control is better,” as Stalin once said.

An organic indoor grower does not control or measure pH and EC values like his chemical colleagues do. Control fits dictators better than farmers. That does not mean that checking the labels of products you buy is a bad thing. Nor is applying compost tea, or improving your soil with compost, bokashi, Trichoderma, Mycorrhiza, or another strategic organic measure, a wrong idea.

I admit, preparing your soil with compost, bokashi, or microorganisms to create perfect soil life and growing conditions are also ways to control nature. In general, cultivation strives to maximize control on natural processes. But growing organically is an attempt to release a hundred percent control and to give way to natural processes as much as possible. 3

BIO

Karel Schelfhout and Michiel Panhuysen are the Dutch authors of The Organic Grow Book (2017). This practical handbook (over 500 pages) reveals new gardening techniques and explains the basics of organic growing. Karel, founder of the world famous breeder collective SSSC in the eighties, has been a recognized person in the world of horticulture for almost forty years. He played a prominent role in disseminating cultivation techniques first used in the Netherlands, and subsequently switched to organic growing. Now, he is the owner of Biotabs, organic fertilizers. Michiel is a journalist published in several languages, who specializes in organic and urban gardening, and ultra-running.

They work together in several projects.

SHORTIES I GARDEN CULTURE

GROWING GOLD FROM SCRAPS How do you do that? Well, it would be gold - if coins were still made from it! Paddington Farm Trust in Glastonbury, UK uses a scrap metal operation to raise funding for necessities. And a farm, independent charity or not, has an endless list of needs. They use some donated tools and parts for repairing buildings and equipment, and some materials go into making fun things… like downhill racer carts.

They sell what isn’t needed, creating cash flow for maintenance, animal food, fleshing out beekeeping programs, and more.

So, amidst this social enterprise’s food growing activities, getaway hosting, and challenged children and educational programmes - they promote environmental responsibility through scrap donations. And in doing so, create a more sustainable farm than relying solely on financial benefactors. The story of how this came about is best told by Robin Howell at www.bit.ly/robins-saga.

Naturally, any community charity has other environmental awareness fundraising options. Consider the refinished and upcycled furniture operation at Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle.

Not only does the woodworking business employ local handicapped and at risk people, but the goal is making the farm financially self-sustainable. It’s a popular place to shop, where any solid wood furniture donations are welcome, as they never have enough of it. Check out their furniture resale page on Facebook at www.bit.ly/reloved-furn.

Thinking outside the box will separate the sustainable charity from the extinct in today’s world.

It’s a rare onion that doesn’t make you cry while preparing a meal. Most people assume it’s the pungent aroma they emit when freshly cut open.

Wrong. The source of the tears is the onion’s self-defense mechanism, a chemical known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide produced by a chain of reactions to cell structure damage during chopping and slicing.

Source: bit.ly/its-the-onion

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

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Most people who say they love cherries are referring to the Bing or naturally sweet cherry, which does offer health benefits. However, they pale in comparison to Montmorency or tart cherries. In fact, sour ‘pie’ cherries, as some call them, contain novel anthocyanins not found in other fruits and vegetables.

A 12-ounce glass of tart cherry juice significantly reduces muscle pain and inflammation associated with strenuous exercise and arthritis, among other health problems that involving swelling. A scientific study in 2001 discovered that tart cherry anthocyanins are as effective as ibuprofen at relief from inflammatory pain.

This fruit’s bioactive ingredients inhibit some enzymes and boosts others. They balance sugar-levels, enhance primary antioxidants, and turn-on your body’s natural cancer defenses. Tart cherries are also a natural source of melatonin, which relieves insomnia and promotes restful sleep. They also promote liver and kidney health.

Daily use of tart cherry extract has been found to reduce gout attacks and high cholesterol, have cardiovascular benefits against heart disease and diabetes, and be helpful to those suffering from degenerative brain diseases.

Now, that’s a superfood.

How promising would a future as a small-holder farm be? That greatly depends on three things: how well you make your soil produce and reduce the cost of inputs, and cutting out the middleman. The problem with traditional agriculture is its emphasis on get big or get out, and the long distance, multi-handler supply chain.

National and world trade has reduced fruit and vegetable production in the US to take place on only 2% of the nation’s farmland. It may seem like the land of plenty, but is actually very food insecure, given that science now says a healthy diet is 50% of every meal being produce. Making enough fresh produce available to the US population would take 5% of American farmland... a 60% increase! The same situation puts the UK at even greater risk with a need for a 90% increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables produced there.

The success of farmers’ markets and CSAs prove that people have no problem buying food grower-direct, and at prices competitive to local grocery stores. Small plot intensive farming proves that turning a profit does not require hundreds of acres in production. There are profitable urban farmers in Canada, across the USA, and in the UK, and this is proving effective in rural areas too.

Eating local gives small growers the advantage.

Sources: · bit.ly/2sUOCch · bit.ly/2rbnwfY