Garden Culture Magazine UK 28 by Garden Culture Magazine

2019

Living Organic Soil Medicinal Weeds

The Benefits of Biochar FREE COPY

UK EDITION Â· ISSUE 28

Power Packs

Tel: 01949 839 727 Âˇ sales@highlighthorticulture.co.uk

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CONTENTS

STEALTH SCIENCE PART IV

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

Defining Organics

76 WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

63 24 I N THIS ISSU E OF GA R D EN CU LTU RE :

GROW AZTEC VEGGIES

13 Foreword

58 VPD

15 Product Spotlights

63 Who’s Growing What Where

24 Living Organic Soil

66 Biology Boost - The Benefits of Biochar

29 Hemp and CBD Expo Review

70 In Pursuit of Food Quality

32 Medicinal Weeds: Stinging Nettle

76 Stealth Science Part 4

38 Growing Blind

84 The Plant Carbon Deficit

44 Data Logging Grow Rooms

90 Defining Organics

46 Create A Bee-Friendly Garden

96 5 Cool Finds

52 Grow Aztec Veggies GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Award-winning combinations

update

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Try the medal winning combo today! AutoPot and GHE products are available from all good hydroponics retailers in the UK and across Europe. Visit www.eurohydro.com/autopot-fs to see why GHE mineral nutrients work so well in AutoPot, the world’s most popular irrigation system.

FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD

us, but it is anything but simple. We are just

SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Albert Mondor, Anne Gibson, Ben Blandford and Gareth Hopcroft, Caroline Rivard, Evan Folds, Matt Mountain, Peter Louw, Rich Hamilton, Simon Hart, Stephen Brookes, and Tom Forrest. Now

processes that help nature thrive on its own.

Label

P R E S I D E N T ly deal with Gold On T! Eric Coulombe CASH OU A/B eric@gardenculturemagazine.com o 60/40 HydroCoc 60/40 mix +1-514-233-1539 HydroCoco

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CREDITS

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Nature exists in a symbiotic state where all life works together to create the ultimate environment. Can we duplicate this in a pot? Let’s try to find out.

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In this edition, we will try to dig a little deeper. Ben Blandford and Gareth Hopcroft help us understand the complexity and impor tance of life in our soil in Living Organic Soil - A Primer on Quality & Quantity. We will learn some of the facts about organics, living soil, and no-till gardening, and why that method has a bright future in the world of indoor growing. Matt Mountain looks at the differences between organic and mineral based growing methods. And in The Plant Carbon Def icit, Stephen Brookes forces us to put on our thinking caps as he explains how plants use elements and light energy to grow and how stress can impact them.

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

WWW.G

Organic growing is a method that sustains the health of the soil without the use of inputs that could be harmful to both our and the environment’s health. But defining it may not be so straight forward. We sometimes apply organic fer tilisers to iner t mediums like coco or peat in plastic pots. Is it the same as growing outdoors in “living soil”? Can we successfully grow indoors with living soil and only feed with water, the way nature has intended? What par t do bacteria and fungi play in creating the perfect balance so plants can reach their full potential? There may be no clear answer, but indoor and outdoor growers around the world are proving that when done correctly, organic methods can match any other technique for quality and quantity, and maybe even surpass them.

ED I TO R Catherine Sherriffs cat@gardenculturemagazine.com

DESIGN Job Hugenholtz job@gardenculturemagazine.com D I G I TA L & SO CI A L M A R K E T I N G CO O R D I N ATO R Serena Sayers serena@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-0062 ADVERTISING ads@gardenculturemagazine.com PUBLISHER 325 Media INC 44 Hyde Rd., Mille-Isles QC, Canada J0R 1A0 GardenCultureMagazine.com ISSN 2562-3540 (Print) ISSN 2562-3559 (Online) Garden Culture is published six times a year, both in print and online.

@GardenCulture

@GardenCultureMagazine

@Garden_Culture

D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • Maxigrow • HydroGarden • The Growers Wholesale • Highlight Horticultur e

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

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

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

GROWING PRODUCTS

Cellma x B I O So i l M i x 100% Organic, ready-to-use, pre-fertilised soil charged with beneficial bacteria that also contains natural humic and fulvic substances. All ingredients carefully selected from the best raw materials, 50% of which come from renewable and durable sources. Certified organic, BIO potting soil is enriched with a 100% plant-based fertiliser for the first 4-6 weeks of plant growth, natural fulvic and humic substances extracted from water treatment facilities, and an organic soil improver that comes from the wine industry as a residual byproduct. Contains 4 different species of soil fungi, 5 different kinds of Streptomyces, and 5 types of beneficial bacteria.The soil consists exclusively of vegetable components and does not contain any animal by-products. Visit Cellmax.eu for info on the entire BIO line.

Hydro Shoot

s t n e T w o r G 2 v Re

The French secret is out and you heard it here first… Hydro Shoot has become a fully-fledged member of the Secret Jardin family. Multiple upgrades build quality and more sizes are now available. Impeccable darkroom quality tents that Secret Jardin is known and loved for, but at extremely reasonable prices. Hydro Shoot is the new go-to brand for hobby growers across Europe who ‘want more for less’. Contact Maxigrow for more info today!

Ecothrive

Coco Lite Mix Get your plants off to a flying start every time with Ecothrive Coco Lite Mix. This unique, top-tier coconut coir potting mix comes complete with Ecothrive Charge pre-blended at the perfect ratio for an unbeatable biological boost— just when your plants need it the most. The perfect mix of 70% coco coir and 30% perlite for optimum aeration. Perlite increases the amount of air within the mix and reduces the water holding capacity. This creates a lighter coco mix with better drainage and improved resistance to compaction. Plants grown in Ecothrive Coco Lite Mix will be far less prone to the effects of over-watering than pure coco coir. Visit Ecothrive.co.uk to find out more.

ONA

Misting Dome Create a relaxing atmosphere filled with the pleasant fragrances of ONA.The Misting Dome pumps out a steady mist of ONA liquid which will remove any nasty odours from the air safely and naturally. It runs at a whisper-quiet 35db and features internal LED lighting with 7 colours or colour cycling to choose from. The Misting Dome will brighten up your rooms and keep them smelling beautiful. The unit is lightweight and portable; it can be moved from room to room with ease. It is made from corrosionresistant PP and is available in pink, green, and white. Find yours at your local progressive gardening store.

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GROWING PRODUCTS

Clonex Mist Concentrate Purchasing a bottle of Clonex Mist concentrate for your propagating area is one of the biggest advantages you could give your plants during the early stages. Ensure a smooth transition into your main growing chamber that will ultimately translate into a successful harvest. Ideal for pre-treating mother plants before taking clones, it can also be used as a foliar additive for plants in propagation. Give your plants an advantage right from the very start. Use Clonex Mist in a few simple steps. Pop down to your local store for more info.

Introducing

KB ProActive P oron

with added B

PK Boosters have gained themselves a solid reputation amongst growers, having been used for countless years to improve crops throughout the world. Their chief mode of action is simply to supply the extra phosphor and potassium that a fruiting body requires; increasing the osmotic pressure and improving the transportation of mobile elements throughout the plant as a whole. One big difference with this PK booster is the addition of boron. Boron is a highly under-rated microelement, whose application alongside a pk booster massively improves sugar transportation, nutrient uptake, and cell wall production. Make sure you maximise your harvest with Pro-Active PK Booster today.

Expando V2

Following Extendo Grows great success with their pioneering product the Expando, they have now teamed up with Black Orchid to bring out the Expando V2. Lessons learned from the original, the Expando V2 is a more solid, durable grow tent space booster. Now with stronger aluminium poles and a new securing mechanism, it will not move once attached. Able to handle high levels of negative pressure and fits any tent 1M plus, the Expando V2 is becoming a grow tent essential. Sold two per pack. Visit ExtendoGrow. com to order yours now.

Super Sile nt

Revolutio

The new 355 EC Super Silent Revolution is the most powerful fan in our industry. Giving a massive 5929m3/h hour while delivering air flows under pressure. Manufactured in Europe with state of the art EC technology, the Super Silent EC Revolution is the most reliable, durable, and quietest extractor fan for your indoor cultivation environment.With sealed steel housing to prevent leaks for your peace of mind, the Super Silent EC Revolution is the market leader, running at a lower decibel than competitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; products in a test environment. Check out GlobalAirSupplies.co.uk for their full

range of fans.

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

Bio Nova

GROWING PRODUCTS

VEGANICS

100% vegan, containing plant-based raw materials only, enriched with primordial sea minerals and mixed with pure low saline seawater, Bio Nova Veganics sets a new standard. Using Veganics Grow and Veganics Bloom will maintain the balance in the substrate as well as in the plant. Both formulations are 100% organic, Control Union and USDA NOP certified liquid nutrients that are particularly recommended for sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Veganics GROW is formulated to be used during the entire growing season. • Product is directly bio-available for the roots • Naturally built-in root stimulator • Small cuttings and seedlings will gain strength from the first application • Steady growth with small internodes • Increases the number of secondary branches • Stimulates the forming of flowers

Veganics BLOOM is formulated to be used during the budding or flowering stage. • Clean and pure big yields • Terpenes of the highest possible grade • No rest or waste material/nutrients in the crop • Intense fine smell Cost effective and free of heavy metals. For even better results, use Bio Nova’s organic stimulators, such as BN X-cel and The Missing Link. Visit BioNovaVeganics.com for more information.

Mountain Air Fi lters

Each perfectly-designed filter contains a rare form of carbon derived from sub-bituminous black coal, offering superior airflow that removes 99% of contaminants including organic odours, mould spores, dust, and lint under 20 microns in one pass.This guarantees them to last 50% longer than your average filter; the reason why they’ve been voted North America’s Best Filter 5 times. Available in a range of sizes to suit your grow area, from 4 to 12 inches. Comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. To find out more, visit MountainAirFilters.com or your local hydroponic retailer today.

NextLight Mega

AVAILABLE SOON IN THE UK

The NextLight Mega produces a high-intensity full spectrum light designed to replace any DE 1000W HPS efficiently. This bright white LED grow light is named “Mega” not for its size but for the increased production and large footprint it will supply to your canopy. Using only 650 watts, this light is perfect for growers looking to cover larger areas using less. The Mega covers a 5 ft x 5 ft flower footprint and a 7 ft x 7 ft veg footprint. The Mega is par t of the NextLight Commercial Series, covered by a 5-year full manufacturer’s warranty, has a 100,000-hour life rating and is UL listed. You will never have to change a bulb again. The Mega is designed to meet the needs of commercial and home growers alike. Visit NextLight.com for full details.

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

Cellmax ready to use pre-fertilised & living Bio Soil

Completely vegan

Full organic certified

Packed with soil life activators

Most durable soilmix ever made

Request a free sample bag at your local shop more info and inquiries:

www.cellmax.eu

info@cellmax.eu

GROWING PRODUCTS

Varidrive Digital Variable Power Pack Everyone wants to get the best quality possible for the best price.The new Varidrive 600W Digital dimmable ballast from Maxibright offers growers exactly that! Extensive improvements to the build quality over many generations of digital ballasts have been made to ensure you get high-end performance for minimal investment. So, if you are after a fantastically affordable replacement for your existing grow light, look no further! High-end performance for a lowcost price point. Contact Maxibright for more info.

Odoor

ld ChloraShiete r

Fil A Better Carbon

HydroLogic is proud to announce a new line of hydroponic carbon filters used specifically for 100% removal of chloramines: ChloraShield.These filters are rated at 1-4 gallons per minute, with a 3,000 - 24,000 life capacity, depending on size. Made in the USA, the ChloraShield is available for the BIGboy, PreEvolution,TALLBoy, Evolution-RO, Stealth-RO, and smallBoy systems. Give your plants the best chance and start with PURE WATER. Visit HydrologicSystems.com for all your filtering needs.

Prevention is ... better than cure

Some of the most obvious solutions are only clear once someone has invented them. Odoor is an easily installed door cover that keeps odours and light from escaping the indoor garden environment. The outtake filter eliminates odours from the source.You can also prevent the odours from escaping through the entrance to your room. Manufactured under ISO 9001 standards, quality is built into every aspect of the product. Visit OdoorOnline.com for more details.

Green House

Powder Feedin g

The Powder Mineral line maximises a plant’s full genetic potential while reducing labour time and effort. With highest quality inputs such as EDTA chelated micronutrients and calcium (allowing for greater bioavailability), growers worldwide can achieve unparalleled results while maximising efficiency. Lower your per-gallon cost, increase shelf life, and apply more easily; fall in line with the “Keep it Simple” mantra at Green House. Green House recently launched its powdered Bio Line. With its timed release, it makes the application even easier! With both a mineral and Bio Line, Green House Feeding powders are foolproof for the home gardener and extremely efficient for the large-scale farmer. Check out GreenHouseFeeding.com for more information on the entire line.

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

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Product spotlights

Horticultural LED Lighting upgradeable maximum efficiency daisy-chainable

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BY BEN BLANDFORD AND GARETH HOPCROFT

A Primer Quality & Quantity Work with nature, and you can have both!

LIVING ORGANIC SOIL

hy do we grow our food? Most growers will say for quality, flavour, and freshness, and to achieve those things, they experiment with different growing systems, nutrient regimes, environmental controls, lighting methods, and plant genetics. This often represents a lifelong journey of experimenting and

tweaking, trying new knowledge and technology along the way.

Nowadays, there is less inclination to grow food at home, and because of that, essential skills and knowledge have been lost. How many growers have a personal composting system, save their seeds, and tend their soil themselves? Instead, it has become the norm to grow in small pots that we supplement with an array of liquid feeds and additives. In the last few years, there has been an uprising based on the discovery that the vast majority of plants can grow perfectly well without our help! All they need is good soil and the right environmental conditions to thrive. Plain water and minimal inputs are delivered to larger volumes of high-quality soil; no bottled feeding regimes required. Some gardeners are even reusing their soil over and over again, rather than replacing it with a fresh pile every year. This approach is cost-effective and grows healthy and productive plants. It also attempts to recreate the outdoors in an indoor environment, working with nature to let plants pretty much grow themselves! This new wave of indoor organic purists use terms like ‘no-till’ and ‘living organics’ to describe practices that focus on more sustainable ways to grow while also achieving superior results. They understand that more work at the beginning builds good quality soil, and then nature is left to cycle the nutrients and make them available to the plants in the future. The concept is relatively new to indoor growers, but it’s gaining huge momentum in the U.S. and will likely soon dominate large portions of the international market as well. Providing that the soil has been adequately made, it contains everything a plant needs from seedling until harvest, except water. Of course, many additional inputs can be used, but they are often unnecessary. Specialist companies focusing on the needs of this new market are only now beginning to establish themselves, making it possible for growers to get everything they need in one place and in pre-made soil mixes. One critical difference between living soil and traditional bottle fed growing is pot size. When feeding with liquids, four plants can be grown in a square meter with 15-20L pots. But when using living soil, four 40-50L pots per metre are recommended. The larger volume of the earth allows for a reserve of nutrients to sustain the plant through its cycle. A plant will always be

Fabric pot

credit: Left Coast Wholesale/GeoPots

But apart from some notable improvements in lighting technology, some growers argue that not much else has changed in the last 20 years. Perhaps, that makes us all the more ready and willing to embrace a new concept that can take us to the next level in this new age of indoor cultivation.

Consider the forest for a moment; who is feeding that? The same idea applies to indoor gardens. We need to relearn what we’ve forgotten and let nature do its thing!

happier if it has more space for root development, and if the soil is healthy with good microbial activity and nutrients, they don’t need anything else but water. Consider the forest for a moment; who is feeding that? The same idea applies to indoor gardens. We need to relearn what we’ve forgotten and let nature do its thing! Generally, living soil growers prefer fabric pots, which allow for air pruning of the roots around the sides and also help maintain moisture levels. Some gardens use large beds and sow multiple plants in each to get the increased benefits from the mycorrhizal network. With this kind of soil volume, growers only need to focus on watering, making sure the earth is never too dry or too wet. The microbial life within the soil will continue to develop and diversify, and the plant will take up every nutrient it needs.

LIVING ORGANIC SOIL

credit: Grow Organic / The Dirt on Mycorrhizae

Think of the living soil as a 24-hour buffet, offering the healthiest, freshest organic food on the planet

Better yet, yield doesn’t have to be a trade-off for superior quality. When the plants have all their nutritional requirements, they can easily reach their full potential. Their immune systems are healthy, they have a much higher nutrient density and BRIX level, and their essential oils, terpenes, and flavonoids can develop fully. They have more vigour and energy and can withstand stress much better. It is possible to achieve the same yields with organics as any other growing method out there. Maintaining proper soil health also increases soil respiration. The soil microbial life consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. With the organic soil inputs continually being broken down by microbes, there is a steady release of CO2 from the soil to further benefit the plant - your very own living and breathing ecosystem in a pot! You can also develop a no-till system which reuses the same soil without remixing for every grow. Plant waste material from pruning can be used to feed the next crop and develop a recycling system where nothing leaves the grow room other than finished produce. Note that recycling the soil requires further enhancement such as the addition of worms and a mulch layer, but it is the ultimate in self-sufficiency, closed loop, and sustainable indoor gardening. Using living soils for one single grow is also great because it is much easier to get started. It is never recommended to use pots smaller than 20L in size, and know that with lower soil volume, some supplementation may still be required, however, look at it as feeding the soil, not the plant. Some instant teas, top dresses, foliar sprays, or soil drenches are easy ways to get good nutrition into the soil that will keep everything green and healthy. There are also kits available now that cover the full range of soil amendments.

Maintaining proper soil health also increases soil respiration. The soil microbial life consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.

credit: Left Coast Wholesale/GeoPots

When the soil moisture and pot size are just right, growers need only to maintain the canopy, prune lower growth, and inspect for pests or damage. Think of the living soil as a 24-hour buffet, offering the healthiest, freshest organic food on the planet. There is no need to force feed, as is the case when using mineral nutrients. With healthy living soils, plants grow themselves if the soil inputs are well balanced.

In future editions, we will discuss in more detail the way the living soil works and what it contains, what growers need to do, the best practice for watering, and also share some real-world examples of living soil in action in home gardens and large-scale commercial facilities. 3

BIO Gareth Hopcroft is a certified plant geek and all round

organic gardening devotee. Gareth has been involved in the UK hydro industry for 15 years and is currently the owner of Ecothrive; known mostly for bringing frass to the UK scene through his product ‘Charge’. When he’s not talking about indoor growing or microbes, you’ll find Gareth getting his hands dirty on his allotment or falling off his skateboard. Follow Gareth @ecothrive Ben Blandford is an organic warrior leading the campaign against toxic food and medicines via his company, Indoor Organics, which focuses on helping growers use real soil, natural inputs, worms and microbes to grow plants without the need for man-made fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. An experienced grower with a passion for the ultimate quality in the final product, Ben is dedicated to pushing the standards, always trusting that nature knows best! Follow Ben @Indoor_Organics

https://plgrow.systems / @plgrowsystems / #knowmoregrowmore / #plgrowsystems / #theminder / #datapoweredgrow

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HEMP AND CBD EXPO

BY RICH HAMILTON

The UK’s first

hemp and CBD

expo With such a warm, informative atmosphere, it would have been impossible for anyone to come away without a much fuller understanding of what hemp and CBD can do for them

he Hemp and CBD Expo brought together a mix of more than 100 exhibitors, including the large US

global leaders in extraction and manufacturing of hemp-derived CBD, the best of the emerging British market, and entrepreneurs and investors just star ting. Aside from business attendees, the event was also open to the general public, and there was a large turnout of not only CBD users and enthusiasts, but people that have heard about all the hype and wanted to learn more.

The NEC Birmingham played host to an exciting new industry trade show over March 2nd and 3rd 2019, The Hemp and CBD Expo. Garden Culture Magazine sent Rich Hamilton along to check it out.

The event focused on product formulation, scientific development

and

education

around

the

wellness

proper ties of hemp and CBD, and there were also a wide variety of products to explore and purchase. There was also a dedicated area featuring guest speakers from all corners of the industry, including growers, manufacturers, IT exper ts, writers, campaigners, and marketing exper ts. The weekend-long talks proved popular throughout the entire show and were an excellent oppor tunity for attendees to ask questions and advice from the more experienced. On Saturday night, the “Hemp and CBD expo awards” underlined the latest and most significant developments in the field.

Hemp and CBD award

HEMP AND CBD EXPO

The UK’s first

hemp and CBD

expo

The hemp and CBD market is an industry of growth, which is currently more than doubling every year with the CBD market alone expected to exceed 2 billion by 2020.

With such a warm, informative atmosphere, it would have been impossible for anyone to come away without a much fuller understanding of what hemp and CBD can do for them. The expo was accompanied by the first issue of the new UK “CBD and Hemp magazine” which contains plenty of useful information on the history, use, and development of CBD and hemp, as well as the industry itself. The hemp and CBD market is an industry of growth, which is currently more than doubling every year with the CBD market alone expected to exceed 2 billion by 2020. The boom is largely thanks to rapidly growing consumer awareness and interest in CBD as a health and wellbeing product. Great professional shows like this one are helping debunk commonly held myths, shed social stigma, and raise the profile of the industry. With new and exciting products and scientific research emerging all the time, we can’t help but move forward. All in all, it was a great show with a bright future. 3

NEW LOGO, SAME FORMULA!

COMING IN 2019

YOUR TRUSTED ENZYME FORMULA

BY CAROLINE RIVARD

A Love and Hate Relationship

GARDEN WEEDS

“Stinging net tle’s health benefits are plentiful, and this prickly weed can practically cure all that ills!”

erhaps you don’t know its name, but you certainly remember its sting. Even the slightest interaction with this tall weed can cause sharp pains and a

burning tingle. Why people hate it

CREDIT: dissolve.com

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) has an also no stranger to the world of cosmetics. These spicules , impressive defence system. The stems, Urtica dioica extracts are commonly found made from leaves, and flowers are covered with in soaps, skin lotions, and shampoos that minuscule silica tiny hairs called spicules. These spicules, provide strengthening and nourishing made from minuscule silica needles, are proper ties. needles, are similar to sharp glass; they puncture the similar to sharp skin and cause painful irritation. Like Good for the body glass; they a weapon used in chemical warfare, Stinging nettle’s health benefits are they inject tiny amounts of a cocktail puncture the skin plentiful, and this prickly weed can made of acetylcholine, histamine, cure all that ills! The vibrant, and cause painful practically and 5-hydroxytryptamine, the same dark emerald green hue of the nettle plant irritation components that cause allergic reactions. signals that it is rich in chlorophyll, and Within seconds, the skin turns red, begins therefore, the plant is excellent for the to burn, and little white bumps appear, making us feel body’s integumentary system (skin, nails, and hair), as well as miserable. Even if the rash isn’t dangerous and doesn’t last the cardiovascular, urinary, lymph, and respiratory systems. It very long, it’s enough to make any gardener turn their back suppor ts and rejuvenates our bodies from head to toe. on a truly marvellous plant. It is impor tant to note that while nettle is generally Appearances can be deceiving considered a safe herb to use, for a few people, it can trigger Once we overcome the fear of being stung, stinging nettle is some side effects or interfere with other herbs, supplements, a fantastic weed. This common plant has been a close friend or medications being used. Always consult a health care to humans, used in many different ways for centuries. From provider before including it in your daily herb regiment. the roots, leaves, and stalks, to the flowers and seeds, every single par t of the plant has a purpose. Durable and resistant, the fibres of the mature plant stalks are used for textiles, ropes, and fishing nets. They can also be turned into paper or used to produce natural dyes in tones of yellow, green, or dark grey-green. Stinging nettle is

Spicules

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Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Growing What Where in the UK?

See all the urban growers, backyard gardeners, and inspiring communities featured in Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Growing What Where over the years.

NEW

visit: GCmag.co/WGWW

GARDEN WEEDS

A nourishing medicine Armed with long sleeves, pants, and a pair of work gloves, gather the top eight to ten inches of the nettle plant in the early spring when it is still young and has not yet gone into flower. Once the leaves are cooked, dried, or blanched, they lose their stinging capabilities, and the plant is ready to spread its wealth!

Gentle and nourishing, stinging net tle is excellent to take as a daily infusion, as it contains many nutrients missing in modern day food crops

Nettle is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E, as well as B1, B2, B3, B5, and K. It is also rich in protein, calcium, and conver ts into iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, and zinc. Gentle and nourishing, stinging nettle is excellent to take as a daily infusion, as it contains many nutrients missing in modern day food crops.

Follow these directives every day for six to eight weeks, and the entire body can benefit from this dark green concoction. It is an all natural tool to help recover strength, either following a long-term illness or from pure exhaustion. Its high iron content can help people struggling with anaemia, and the various rich and concentrated minerals help for tify bones and replenish mineral reserves.

How to use it An infusion is a strong tea that steeps for a long time -anywhere between four to eight hours. The dark green brew will have an intense, ear thy taste and smell, and it won’t be long before your body ends up craving it. To make it, just put 1 oz. of dried nettle leaves in a one litre (1 quar t) Mason jar. Add hot water all the way to the top. Refrain from using boiling water, as it will kill some of the plant’s beneficial proper ties. Close the cap tight and let it steep for four to eight hours, or even overnight. After straining and discarding the plant matter, enjoy one or two cups during the day. Store any leftovers in the fridge, but be sure to throw it out after 36 hours.

Nettle is also a gentle diuretic and helps cleanse the body of toxins. It has been proven to effectively treat gout, as it removes and evacuates uric acid deposits, and can treat urinary tract infections and prevent painful kidney stones. It is instinctive for many gardeners to label weeds as undesirable, but having an open mind unlocks enormous potential and many benefits. If you can look past its barbed exterior, stinging nettle is not an intruder, but rather, a weed we are lucky to have amongst us. The same is true for many so-called weeds which are, in reality, precious gems that have so much to share. 3

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

Bio

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BY RICH HAMILTON

GROWING BLIND

I t is e s sen t i a l t o h av e a b a sic under s ta nding of how l igh t works, how i t ca n da m age your e y e s, a nd w h at you need t o l ook f or w hen p urch a sing a pa ir of hor t icult ur a l gl a s se s

n often overlooked essential tool for growing is eye protection. Every grower should be wearing hor ticultural eyewear that offers 100% protection from the harmful glow of the lights, while also not compromising on colour or clarity of vision.

T he e y e s w ork n at ur a l ly t o hel p u s p ercei v e c ol our, sh a p e, a nd mo t ion, a nd grow room l igh t s c a n p o t en t i a l ly disrup t t his

It is essential to have a basic understanding of how light works, how it can damage your eyes, and what you need to look for when purchasing a pair of horticultural glasses.

Do not be fooled into thinking that a pair of regular expensive sunglasses will do the job as effectively

be a hard subject to grasp, but all you need to remember at this stage is that the lower the nm measurement of the wavelength, the more energy it has and the more of a risk it poses to you.

Horticultural grow lights reproduce powerful light waves emitted by the sun to fuel the process of photosynthesis. Exposing your eyes to these lights in such proximity and for long periods can result in migraines, headaches, cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium, sight loss, and even cancer. Vision is compromised, affecting colour perception, visual clarity, and the ability to focus on shapes and motion, which has an impact on safety and productivity in the grow room.

The visible light spectrum is a form of electromagnetic radiation and is light that we can physically see. The range is made up of all the colours of the rainbow. Red begins on the left and moves to the right through orange, yellow, green, and blue. Collectively, this is what is known as sunlight, or “balanced white light” (BWL). The colours are arranged naturally by wavelengths; red has the longest wavelength and is low energy, while blue has the shortest and the most amount of energy.

Working under intense grow lights (especially HPS) puts you at risk of the strobe effect; the lights dimming and then brightening again as the electrical voltage cycles through the lamp. Although the brain compensates for this effect, it can still cause headaches or other associated illnesses, including photosensitive epilepsy.

At either end of the visible light spectrum, you have invisible electromagnetic radiation. Just beyond red, there are warming “infrared” rays with a wavelength of 700nm per millimetre, so not very harmful at all. In contrast, just past the blue end of the spectrum, you have invisible electromagnetic rays which have the shortest wavelengths and the highest energy, posing the biggest threat to our health. This lighting is known as ultraviolet light or ultraviolet radiation.

How Light Works Wavelengths of light are measured in the metric unit of nanometers (nm). Visible light ranges from 400-700nm. A nanometer is equal to one billionth of a metre! It can

Along with many other conditions, UV light can burn the skin and damage eyesight, causing photokeratitis (snow blindness), which is sunburned eyes.

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GROWING BLIND

The Three Types of UV Light UV-A light (400nm-320nm) has the longest wavelength, compromising about 3% of the photons in natural sunlight that make it through the Earth’s atmosphere and is the least harmful. UV-B light (320nm-290nm) is more threatening, causing cellular damage in both humans and plants. It makes up less than 0.15% (that’s less than 1/5th of 1%) of total natural sunlight. In a natural environment, about 95% of this light is luckily absorbed by the ozone layer.

A polycarbonate lens will significantly reduce the effect of strobe lighting, minimising any potential health risks

image: Insider Envy

UV-C light (290-100nm) is the most harmful of all, but luckily, in the natural environment, it is almost entirely absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere. UVC is so damaging that it can be used in the process of sterilisation because it kills living cells.

UV light can be useful to plants with general research showing that both UVA and UVB light assist with increased production of antioxidants/flavonoids. Grow lamps provide light containing all colours of the spectrum to mimic balanced white light. A generic plant’s life cycle tends to see it favour blue light during the vegetative period, and red during the flowering phase.

How Our Eyes Work The eyes work naturally to help us perceive colour, shape, and motion, and grow room lights can potentially disrupt this. Simply put, there are two kinds of photoreceptor cells in the back of our eyes, cones, and rods. There are roughly 7 million cones in each eye that respond best to lightwaves in the yellow to orange light spectrum. Likewise, there are approximately 120 million rods in the back of each eye that respond best to lightwaves in the blue light spectrum. Cones and rods work together, with cones detecting colour and rods detecting movement and shapes. While most natural and indoor light conditions provide a sufficient spectrum to allow both cones and rods to work together effectively, grow lights do not. HPS lights give only a limited spectrum of yellow light, overstimulating cones and understimulating rods. This impairs not only our perception of colour, shapes, and movement but also causes physical effects of eye strain in the form of headaches, migraines, and more.

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GROWING BLIND

Grow room l igh t s signif ic a n t ly a f f ec t our e y e s...

Grow room lights significantly affect our eyes; look at the scotopic to photopic ratio (S/P ratio) for proof. The S/P ratio is the amounts of blue (scotopic) to yellow (photopic) light that our eyes need for the cones and rods to work correctly. In natural light conditions, the S/P ratio is about 2.5, and the eye needs a ratio of at least 2 to see clearly. This ratio drops dramatically to a mere 0.6 when the eye is exposed to HPS lights. If that statistic doesn’t get you wearing eye protection, nothing will!

Courtesy of Francis Rubinstein and Lawrence Berkley National Library

Scotopic/Phototopic Ratios for various light sources

There are many things to take into consideration when purchasing horticultural eyewear, and the final choice should have a lot to do with the type of lighting used in the room.

HPS lighting These are probably the most popular lamp choice for growers, hobbyist or commercial, due to the high amount of lumens of light provided. HPS conditions present as an intense yellow spectrum, under which it is impossible to recognise natural colours. When buying HPS-specific horticultural protective eyewear, look for a mineral glass lens. HPS light induces the harshest environment, and a glass lens offers the most protection because it filters out the strobe effect and brings the S/P ratio up from 0.6 to 1.4. That is a whopping 70% nearer to the “holy grail” natural light ratio of 2.5! Colour balance ends up being a lot closer to what the naked eye would see in a natural outdoor environment. Other desired qualities in HPS eye protection include a lens that will absorb any infrared heat and a frame that is lightweight, durable, and comfortable to wear with no slippage. If possible, choose a lens that has no emulsions or dyes so as not to interfere with visual clarity. A silver coating on the lens is useful (but not essential) and makes glasses even hardier for high wattage environments, or, outdoor wear. It goes without saying that they come with 100% UV protection. Protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses is also useful under HPS lighting; however, glass is best.

MH lighting Metal Halide lighting conditions are not as harsh as HPS, and so eyewear with polycarbonate lenses will do the trick. MH lamps emit balanced white light with a broad spectrum and are well

suited for plants during the vegetative stage. However, low red light output has many people introducing an HPS light during the flowering cycle when plants demand more of the red spectrum. When choosing protective lenses for this environment, select a pair that will retain the colour and clarity of the grow room while also offering 100% protection against the UVA, UVB, and UVC rays that MH lamps produce along with infrared heat. Polycarbonate lenses are a great option and can come with a silver coating to suit the intense conditions of a metal halide environment and also double up as stylish, everyday eyewear perfect for outdoor conditions. A polycarbonate lens will significantly reduce the effect of strobe lighting, minimising any potential health risks. They improve colour balance, shape recognition, and the ability to detect motion, providing an S/P ratio of 1.0, up from 0.6. That is 50% closer to the ideal S/P ratio of 2.5 in normal BWL conditions. Mineral glass lenses are also suitable for working under metal halide lamps. Do not be fooled into thinking that a pair of regular expensive sunglasses will do the job as effectively. Polycarbonate (and glass) lenses are far superior to those of regular sunglasses, which fail miserably in all areas, as they are just not built for grow rooms. The lenses on regular sunglasses filter out more blue light (scotopic) than yellow (photopic), taking you further away from a natural colour balance and down to an S/P balance of 0.4-0.5!

LED lighting The LED lighting is a developing technology that is continuously breaking new ground and provides a unique spectrum of light. It makes sense, therefore, to buy a pair of specialist LED grow glasses that are specifically designed to work under these conditions. Again, look for high quality that doesn’t compromise on colour or clarity. Another must is 100% protection against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, as well as against the extremes in blue light that are prominent in LED lighting. Many styles of horticultural eyewear are designed to work with magenta LED’s (made up of just blue and red light), but it is also possible to get LED specific eyewear for use with full spectrum lighting. If you value your vision, then buy a product of some significant value to protect it. A good pair of specially engineered grow room glasses may save your sight, and in some cases, even your life. Consider it an investment. Don’t grow blind doing the thing you love; protect your eyes. 3

An industry veteran with over 20 years experience in a variety of roles, Rich Hamilton is currently a business development manager for a large UK hydroponics distributor.The author of Growers Guide book series, Rich also writes on all aspects of indoor gardening, as well as being an independent industry consultant working closely with hydroponic businesses worldwide.

Bio

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BY STEPHEN BROOKES

GROW ROOMS

DATA LOGGING

here do all the best stories start? Most of them, at the very beginning, but here’s a glimpse of the end before we begin.

Picture this: You’re far away from your grow room. You might be away at a conference, on a beach relaxing or skiing on the freshly fallen snow. Your phone rings and alerts you that the grow room has gone beyond the parameters you set before leaving. You’re not worried, though, because the system you have has pre-empted the rising temperatures or the dipping humidity levels, and automatically began making adjustments before you even heard your phone buzz. Knowing that your room is in safe, automated hands, you can relax and continue with your day. Now, snap out of that lovely daydream, because you’ve forgotten to reset the max-min button on your thermometer! You’ve just seen into the future. It’s something we will all be doing in our grow rooms over the next five to ten years, depending on how quickly technology advances. From anywhere in the world (with phone signal), the data logging software will alert you to fluctuating temperatures, or let you know when the lights have involuntarily gone off, or when the watering system has fed the plants. But before growers take the technological leap of faith, they must cross the thermometer/hygrometer to Wi-Fi chasm. All growers should own a thermometer/hygrometer. If you own one already, you should have two, and if you have two, you should own three; you get the gist of the importance I place on knowing, with reasonable accuracy, the temperatures and humidity levels around your plants in the grow room. The essential gadgets should all have the max\min feature on them as well, so you will know how exactly the grow room’s environment has been. Having several around the room will allow you to gauge the overall average and will also enable you to spot-check any thermometers that have gone awry indicating a low temperature of 2°C and a high temperature of 37°C, leading to a massive argument about the placement of air intakes… but that’s another story. Having a thermometer is essential, but having multiple thermostats can save your friendships!

When you finally use this device, you’ll wonder how you ever coped with only a thermometer/hygrometer. Knowing that the temperature spike lasted for ten minutes before it dropped again is very reassuring, as opposed to the max/min feature which can have growers running around frantically trying to figure out why the room was running at 32°C all night. This data logging method also means growers who like to test products can compare previous grows to current temperatures and humidities. Every grow shop owner has experienced their customers trying a new product over the summer and thinking it was rubbish when actually, the air in the room was at 30°C for the full flowering cycle. It’s good to know your data; it’s even better to use it and improve your knowledge for future grows. Bluetooth technology and data-loggers are just a mental and financial stepping stone towards securely encrypted Wi-Fi. The next stage of grow room data logging is devices that send temperatures, humidities, and in some cases, VPD’s (Vapour pressure deficits) in real time. The main benefit is that any spike or decline in parameters can immediately be resolved. This is where Wi-Fi has the edge on Bluetooth, which will only display any problems when the app is in range of the sensor. It could all be too little, too late by then. The biggest hurdle to cross is grower confidence in putting data ‘out there’. Faith comes with familiarity, and as these products become increasingly popular, people will naturally be more comfortable using them in their grow rooms. Once that happens, the companies that produce Wi-Fi data logging technology will have the money to invest in the software for complete grow room automation at a price that doesn’t make you weak in the knees and light-headed. And this is when you find yourself at a conference, on the beach, or skiing while technology regulates any issues in the grow room. The environment is critical, and you will never achieve the best results without understanding, manipulating, and learning from it. Listen to what your environment is trying to tell you, and make sure the plants are given the best opportunity possible. Relax; data loggers are coming! 3

To ‘cross the chasm,’ we need technology that allows us to place our trust in software and the ‘ether.’ Affordable data loggers work via Bluetooth and are easy to understand. Fortunately, that technology exists and is already sold in shops today as the AirComfort. When your phone is in range, it will use Bluetooth and send its data to your app, logging the temperatures and humidities over the previous days, weeks, and months in graph format.

BIO Stephen Brookes is a science fanatic, hydroponics obsessed bookworm. His expe-

rience comes from running two grow shops, an additives company, and NPK Media. Along with obtaining a bachelor degree of Science in Outdoor Education and Geography and an MSc in Nutrition and Scientific Investigation, he is now working on a PhD, researching the effects of different ratios in cannabinoids on the human body. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!

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BY ANNE GIBSON

EASY WAYS TO CREATE A

BEE-FRIENDLY GARDEN

ees help fertilise up to 90% of the earth’s major food crops, including what you likely put on your plate every day.These hard-working insects are suffering from many pressures globally including chemical herbicides, viruses, mites, genetically modified crops, and harsh weather conditions. Many urban gardeners are noticing a decline in bee populations in their

backyards and balconies, producing lower yields and reduced quality, size, and flavour of the food grown. So, how can you support bee health and survival and prevent these problems? One simple step is to create a bee-friendly habitat garden to attract honey bees and local native bees..

Bees with Benefits

Making a micr o

Bees have three fundamental needs:

Despite all the attention that honey bees get 1. Shelter. Solitary bees don’t live in hive gar den for them concerning their role in pollinating crops, it homes with large families like honey c an be as simple is the native, solitary, or pollen bees that do bees. They often live on their own or in as pl anting a the lion’s share of the work. There are around small social groups. Solitary bees prefer c ont ainer with 19,500+ bee species on the planet, and of a single ‘room’ where they raise their those, about 90% are solitary bees. They are f lower s with a young and rest. incredibly efficient pollinators because: 2. Fresh water for drinking and bathing. water bath nex t 3. Food from nectar and pollen. to it and an inse c t hotel • They tend to stay in the same crop feeding rather than flying between different crops, increasing the chance of successful pollination.

Provide a Protected Sunny Spot

•

They are untidy pollen collectors. While honey bees wet their pollen with saliva as they collect it to ensure they can carry a heavy load, solitary bees tend to spill a lot of dry pollen as they fly from flower to flower. These sloppy habits work in our favour!

•

Both the males and females share the foraging, unlike honey bees where only the women worker bees do ALL the food gathering and preparation. What’s new? However, the female solitary bees are far more efficient pollinators than males.

•

According to fascinating research*, female solitary bees tend to visit more flowers in less time and collect more pollen than males. There’s a compelling reason. As male bees head towards the next ‘flower pub’ for another meal (pollen) or drink (nectar), they often get distracted. Sound familiar, ladies? That’s right; they stop to mate with lady bees on the way!

•

Learn about the local species in your area and what nesting needs they have. In my garden, Leaf Cutter Bees chew little circles in my arrowroot and rose leaves to build their nests. While I may not see them often, these telltale clues prove they’re there! Bees prefer foraging for food in a sheltered position away from strong winds, heavy rain, and strong shade. Consider the location of your pots or flowering plants within your garden microclimate and choose the most favourable position if possible. Likewise, you can provide habitat for solitary native bees with an insect hotel or bee nest. Position your nesting site to face morning sun with an awning for cover and protection to keep their home dry. Insect hotels provide solitary bee species with a place to have a rest. I practice the “build it, and they will come” concept. This imitates nature where old hollow logs or nooks and crannies in trees quickly become homes for all sorts of creatures.

While the boys are not as efficient in short distance pollinating, they do perform a useful role. They fly longer distances, increasing the probability of cross-pollination. This is important for seed-set in plants that are not self-pollinating and improves the quality of new generations in self-fertile plants. Solitary bees also fly very quickly so they can pollinate more plants!

INSECT HOTELS BUILD IT, AND THEY WILL COME Even if you only have a balcony or small courtyard, try to dedicate an area to attract bees and other pollinators. Making a micro garden for them can be as simple as planting a container with flowers with a water bath next to it and an insect hotel.

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Insect hotels provide solitar y bee species with a place to have a rest

BEE-FRIENDLY GARDEN

Bee houses can be simple. Drill a few holes in wood offcuts and layer hollow bamboo stems in a wooden frame. You’ll soon have happy tenants moving in. Avoid PVC or other potentially toxic materials. Leaving a little patch of soil bare will also attract solitary bees who ‘dig’ their dwelling in the ground. According to environmentalist David Suzuki, “Bees that nest in the ground improve soil quality. Their tunnelling improves soil texture, increases water movement around roots, and mixes nutrients into the soil.”

BeeWare! Provide a Chemical Free Refuge Many retail suppliers sell ‘bee-friendly’ plants for the home garden. However, rarely are the plants labelled to indicate whether or not they have been grown with chemicals. The FOE US Report ‘Gardeners Beware: Bee-Toxic Pesticides Found in “Bee-Friendly” Plants Sold at Garden Centers Nationwide’ (2013) states: “Unfortunately, pollinator-friendly nursery plants sold to unsuspecting consumers carry neither a list of pesticides used nor do they carry a warning that these pesticides could harm pollinators. Consumers may unwittingly be purchasing bee-attractive plants that have been pre-treated with neonicotinoid pesticides that may be harming or killing bees and other threatened pollinators essential to food production and ecosystem health.” Unless retail plants have a certified organic label, you may risk introducing a plant that has been grown with a systemic pesticide (neonicotinoid) that is toxic to bees. Ideally, grow your plants from untreated seeds in organic potting soil for your home garden.

FRESH WATER Bees need a local, fresh, reliable water source, especially in warm weather. Just as we would find it difficult to stay afloat in a deep pool while drinking a glass of water, bees can easily drown too! A bird bath is excellent for our feathered friends, but not suitable for bees unless you make some modifications.

FREE FOOD PLANT BEE-FRIENDLY FLOWERS Flowers and bees are made for each other. Bees help themselves to free food, and the flowers benefit from their complimentary reproduction service.

What Do Bees Feed On?

Nectar (high in sugars and carbohydrates for energy). Pollen (supplies proteins and fats). Flowers meet both these needs. Some flowers are only nectar producers; others also provide pollen. I include flowers in every garden bed and most container gardens, especially if I’m planting fruiting crops. Fruit + flowers = Happy harvest. Honey bees collect nectar from flowers as a food source for energy. While they are foraging for nectar, they also gather pollen on their back legs. They carry this back to the nest to provide proteins and fats for their babies (brood).

Be Colour-wise with Flowers

Flowers are like colourful advertisements to attract the attention of bees, offering a sugary bribe for their free pollination services. Research suggests bees have favourite colours and are drawn to flowers that are richest in nectar. Bees can see UV light and a range of blues, violets, yellows, and greens, but not red. According to Associate Professor, Adrian Dyer of RMIT University, “many flowers have ‘ultraviolet nectar guides’ on them. The patterns are like signposts telling bees where to go to find the nectar.” So, always include a variety of blue, purple, violet, and yellow blooms if you can.

A shallow saucer or bowl with a lip and floating flowers or stone ‘steps’ provides a safe landing zone for bees to drink and bath without drowning. Make sure your bee bath has a shallow end or edge where they can sit and sip.

Bee drinking water from stone in water bath Blue blooms are one of bees favourite colours

DIY Bee House made of wood bamboo and bricks

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY ALBERT MONDOR, HORTICULTURIST AND BIOLOGIST

Grow

Aztec Ancestral

Veggies In Your Garden I

f youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for an exotic touch in your garden this summer, consider growing edible plants from hot Central America. Mayans and Aztecs cultivated these

plants in the pre-Columbian era before the coming of the Europeans. By growing them in your garden, you will feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re travelling without moving!

Cucamelon is a climbing plant that yields an abundance of small, greyishgreen fruits resembling little melons all summer long

credit: Albert Mondor

GROWING AZTEC VEGGIES

Aztec Spinach A close relative of quinoa, Aztec spinach is a spectacular vegetable plant, especially at the end of the summer when its leaves and fruits turn to a bright red hue.

Cucamelon Cucamelon is a climbing plant that yields an abundance of small, greyish-green fruits resembling little melons all summer long. Native to Mexico and Central America, the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fruits taste like cucumber with a slight hint of bitterness. They can be eaten raw in appetisers and salads, or pickled. You can mix fresh or pickled cucamelons in a bowl with black olives to serve with drinks, or spear them on a toothpick for a martini!

credit: Albert Mondor

Similar to cucumbers, cucamelon does well in full sun, either in pots or in the ground, and in compost-rich and fresh soil. However, unlike cucumber, cucamelon requires little care since insects and diseases rarely attack it. This plant can crawl on the ground, but it prefers to climb on an obelisk or lattice. It can also be grown as a hanging plant in a container or a green wall.

The leaves, flowers, and seeds of this plant of Mexican origin are edible and highly nutritious. Its leaves have a sweet flavour reminiscent of spinach, while its flowers can be cooked like broccoli. The seeds can be prepared and eaten as a staple food. Like rice, they can also be ground up into a flour. Although some people eat raw Aztec spinach, it is best to cook it before eating because it contains saponins, slightly toxic substances that are degraded by heat. Very easy to grow, Aztec spinach adapts well in various environments. It even grows in a clay soil amended with some compost. Once established, this plant tolerates drought quite well. It is easy to propagate Aztec spinach either by sowing it into pots or in the ground. credit: Albert Mondor

Cucamelon

Aztech Spinach

Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly pear, a cactus called nopal in Spanish, has edible stems and fruits. In the pre-Columbian period, this adaptable plant was spread all over North America and the Caribbean by indigenous peoples. Early Spanish sailors used it on long sea trips as protection from scurvy, and as a result, the plant also ended up in Africa and Europe.

Cucamelon

Raw or cooked on a BBQ, the stems of this cactus make a delicious garnish for hamburgers and tacos and is also a great addition to salsa. You can serve it for breakfast or dinner, sliced in strips and fried with eggs and jalapenos. Take special care to buy and grow a needleless variety.

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Prickly Pear Cactus

credit: Albert Mondor

GROWING AZTEC VEGGIES

Prickly Pear also produces a fruit known as tuna, which is commonly eaten in Mexico

credit: Albert Mondor

Highly resistant to drought, prickly pears require little care and watering when grown in pots. In Canada (except in BC) and the northern US, it should be brought inside before winter since old specimens can’t withstand temperatures under –12 °C (10.5°F). Hardiness varies from one variety to another, but most young prickly pears are severely affected by a temperature of –5 °C (23°F).

Credit: Les Jardins de vos Rêves

Prickly Pear also produces a fruit known as tuna, which is commonly eaten in Mexico. It is used to make jams, jellies, and aguas frescas, a refreshing drink made of water and fruits.

Tomatillo

Tomatillo Tomatillo is the fruit of a plant related to peppers, tomatoes, and ground cherries. Like the latter, each tomatillo is surrounded by a yellowish green envelope. Tomatillos originated in Central America and were cultivated in the pre-Columbian era long before the arrival of the Europeans. This edible plant played an important role – more than tomatoes – in the Aztec and Mayan cultures. Tomatillo is the main ingredient of the famous Mexican salsa verde. It can also be used in a variety of dishes like ratatouille and spaghetti sauce. Be careful, because fruits that have not reached full maturity contain solanine, a toxic alkaloid. Be sure to pick your tomatillos when they’re completely ripe.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Like tomatoes and peppers, tomatillos will give best results when grown in full sun and in fertile and humid soil. They grow best in hot locations with temperatures between 25-32°C (7790°F). Growth is usually stunted when the air dips below 15°C (59°F). 3

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

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

BY PETER LOUW

Ju s t l ik e u s, p l a n t s h av e a n op t imum en v ironmen ta l c omf or t z one t he y l ik e t o grow in...

Va p our P re s sure Def ici t

VPD 58

VAPOUR PRESSURE DEFICIT

Cu t t ing s a nd e a r ly seedl ing s p ref er l ow er V P D at higher humidi t y l e v el s, a s t h at en v ironmen t reduce s t he s t re s s on t he roo t s t ruc t ure

here is a little magic number that we’ve all started hearing so much about over the past year or so; a magic number that has been in the armoury of commercial greenhouse growers for years. In the greenhouse, what the number represents is well understood, and so is its relationship to the health and output of the crop being grown. This magic

number, however, remains a mystery to most growers, and we want to change that.

There are many ar ticles and scientific papers available online that explain the finer details of the actual mechanics of VPD, so there is no need to repeat that here. This ar ticle aims to demystify this magic number so that the average grower can learn how to use it. Before we proceed any fur ther, let me be 100% upfront: this is a very complex topic, and many of the concepts discussed here have been simplified. If you are an exper t on the subject matter, please bear that in mind.

The Basics Just like us, plants have an optimum environmental comfor t zone they like to grow in; the temperature and humidity levels need to be just right. In this comfor t zone, the plants will uptake water and nutrients at their standard expected rate, and they don’t need to work very hard at survival.

This magic number, however, remains a mystery to most growers, and we want to change that

So, what is this ideal comfor t zone and how does it relate to VPD? Temperature and percentage of relative humidity (%RH) are inputs of a formula that produces an output, also known as the VPD. Yes, there is more to this, and we will get there.

Keep in mind that VPD can be achieved across a range of different temperatures and %RH, as can be seen in the featured table. The table also displays ideal VPD levels (green) as well as those that are less than perfect (red). Of course, these are general values, so what might be less than ideal for one type of plant is just right for another (e.g. cacti versus a tropical orchid).

Next, you need to find a good star ting point for working with VPD so you can achieve the required environment for the par ticular plant type and its stage of life. Different stages of the life cycle usually require specific conditions to reach the plant’s full potential. Looking at the table and working down the rows, you should notice that the ideal VPD range is around 5-12 with the %RH range getting tighter as the temperature increases.

Just for fun, let’s pick a temperature of 25°C/77°F. As the table indicates, the ideal VPD range occurs with a %RH anywhere between 80%-65%. But at 15°C/59°F, the ideal VPD can be achieved when the %RH ranges from 70%-35%. If you know your plant’s ideal growing temperature, you can use this char t to work out the preferred humidity levels.

Delving Deeper Into VPD What is the difference between low and high VPD numbers? As the %RH increases to 100%, the VPD will eventually hit zero across all temperatures. As the %RH goes down, the VPD dramatically increases at higher temperatures.

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

VAPOUR PRESSURE DEFICIT

T he ide a l t ool is one t h at rec ord s t he t emp er at ure a nd %RH, t hen c a l cul at e s t he V P D a nd p l o t s i t o v er t ime a l ong w i t h a l l of t he o t her data

This is where things star t to get complicated, so for the sake of keeping it simple, at 100% relative humidity, there is nowhere for the vapour in the leaves’ stomata to go or transpire, which effectively halts the uptake of nutrients. At very low %RH and higher temperatures, the rate at which the stomata can transpire dramatically increases to a point where the plant will “shut down” to keep it from dehydrating. The plant also star ts to work harder, stressing itself to achieve an ideal state.

At a lower VPD, the plants will drink more slowly as there is nowhere for the moisture to go, and at a higher VPD, the plants will drink faster.

At a lower VPD, the plants will drink more slowly as there is nowhere for the moisture to go, and at a higher VPD, the plants will drink faster, a critical point to note. For example, if a plant drinks 1L of water or nutrients in 24 hours at a VPD of 6, but 2L in 24 hours at a VPD of 12, then the first thing you need to do when running at the higher VPD is reduce the strength of your nutrient feed to avoid the risk of nutrient burn. But why would you all of a sudden get nutrient burn at the higher VPD and not at the lower one? Quite simply, the plant is consuming twice the amount of nutrients in the same 24-hour period, not because it is hungry, but because it is thirsty. The same is true for the opposite situation, so at a lower VPD, you may want to consider slightly increasing the nutrient strength. High temperatures are often a problem and usually only for a relatively shor t period during the year depending on where in the world you are. If you live in a country where hot spells and heatwaves are uncommon, then when they do happen, it tends to catch growers off guard, impacting the quality and quantity of their yields. This is due to overstressed plants. As the temperature increases, the %RH remains the same or drops, thus ramping up the VPD. The answer to reducing the stress, in this case, is to increase the %RH to the “comfor t” zone. For those looking to accelerate the flush par t of the final stages of growth, the aim is a higher VPD a couple or more degrees cooler. Don’t increase the temperature unless you have no other way of reducing the %RH. When the temperatures are higher, although you will achieve a lower %RH and higher VPD, you also run the risk of volatile compounds disappearing in the final harvest.

Cuttings and early seedlings prefer lower VPD at higher humidity levels, as that environment reduces the stress on the root structure, which is still forming, and the plant doesn’t have to transpire so hard. As the root structure develops, gradually increasing the VPD will ensure optimal growth of the roots, making for healthier plants when it comes to transplanting time.

A great way to become more familiar with VPD is to use a product that logs both temperature and %RH. You can then use the table provided to look up your VPD number. The ideal tool is one that records the temperature and %RH, then calculates the VPD and plots it over time along with all of the other data. Visually seeing the relationship between the inputs on a char t and then seeing the impact on your plants is the best way to get a practical feel for VPD. This is not an exhaustive guide, but rather, a star ter to get you a little more comfor table with VPD. Hopefully, it will inspire you to look fur ther into the magic number and how it can make you a better grower. 3

BIO Peter is a confessed data geek and a founder of P&L Grow Sys-

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

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

WHAT’S GROWING ON

s ’ o h W Growing

t a h W Wh

ere

in the U Kreland & I

Perthshire, Scotland

Honeybee Haven

Credit: Heather Hills Farm

What began with just one beehive in 1945 has blossomed into a modest, 1300-hive operation across beautiful Perthshire and Deeside. Family-run Heather Hills Farm is known for its artisan, raw honey with distinctive flavours; its Scottish Heather Honey is award-winning! The farm believes its honey is superior because it has spread the hives out over a five-mile radius, so the bees have plenty of room to roam. The honey is also extracted using only traditional methods so that precious enzymes and protein are not destroyed during the harvesting or bottling process. Beyond that, Heather Hills believes its monofloral and polyfloral varieties of honey taste so good thanks to the geographical location of the hives, the terrain, and the climate. A range of products handmade with beeswax are also available for sale. Honey in its purest form. Learn more: heatherhills.co.uk

March, Cambridgeshire

Easy to cook and delicious, mixed squash are finding their way onto dinner plates everywhere. HolmSelect should know; it’s one of the largest growers of organic mixed squash and organic mini-pumpkins in the UK. Beyond squash, the farm grows organic rhubarb, asparagus, and globe artichoke, which is surprising considering it typically only does well in warmer, Mediterranean climates. A green, all-natural island in the middle of the intensively farmed Fens, HolmSelect’s commitment to both delicious food and the environment has not gone unnoticed; in 2012, it was awarded the LEAF Marque for its sustainable farming techniques. All of the produce sold is seasonal and packed on site, ensuring that customers are eating the freshest, most nutritious food possible. From farm to table. Learn more: holmselect.co.uk

Credit: HolmSelect

Specialty Organic Vegetables

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY SIMON HART

Biology Boost

The Benefits of

Not only does biochar amplify the soil and help your gardens grow, but it also sucks up and stores carbon, making it a valuable tool in the fight against climate change

BIOCHAR

here is renewed interest in soil health these days as more gardeners aim for crop quality rather than achieving the highest yield possible. The term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;super soilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is thrown around a lot but can be quite misleading. All soil is valuable; we have even discovered ways to improve

soilless mixes such as peat and coco-based products vastly! Most of the enhancements are built around biology, which can have a huge effect on both crop yield and, above all else, quality.

With the focus on biology, the soil isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just for growing roots anymore (hint: it never was). But how do we modify it to help biology thrive so we, and our gardens, can reap the benefits?

Its infinite pores provide habitat and stimulate biology to interact more effectively with surrounding soils and plant roots

Organic matter is one of the most important things to consider when building soil quality. Carbon-based, it comes in many different forms, including biochar, which is still being studied extensively. Soil research in tropical rainforest regions has shown humans were modifying the soil thousands of years ago in a way that has had a lasting impact on soil health and quality. A fraction of this persistent soil carbon was charcoal-based, and we are now trying to find ways to replicate or at least take lessons from these anthropogenic soil profiles.

Biochar is engineered charcoal. It was not created through slash and burn agriculture, and to this day, is not something that can be reproduced in a backyard bonfire either. Charcoal is not at all the same, and biochar stands out for several reasons. Biochar is created in a low oxygen environment without the use of a flame after ignition. The two methods primarily used to make it include pyrolysis or gasification. Both ways use the gases found within the wood (or other feedstock) to fuel the process that hardens the fibre into a persistent carbon known as graphite. By removing all the volatile compounds, a hard-walled sponge is produced. This material can last for hundreds of years in the soil and is incredibly beneficial. Not only does biochar amplify the earth and help your gardens grow, but it also sucks up and stores carbon, making it a valuable tool in the fight against climate change. You can make biochar out of various materials including straw, hardwood, and even manure, but studies are still being done to determine which ones are better than the others. A finding that has remained consistent through all of the research efforts is that biochar provides a range of beneficial impacts on the soil it touches. Biology likes interacting with biochar. Its infinite pores provide habitat and stimulate biology to communicate more effectively with surrounding soils and plant roots. The substance provides internal air porosity and water holding capacity, and can even mimic activated charcoal and remove heavy metals from the land, saving hungry roots from toxins.

Extra air and more available water can have a tremendous impact on biology working with your plants. Biochar can also have a mild liming effect on soils, which is especially helpful to combat the acidity in many peat-based potting soils. While higher pH is usually more beneficial to bacteria, fungi have a strange affinity for biochar due to its high carbon/nitrogen ratio. Biochar is an excellent supplement in a compost pile at home or mixed with worm castings. It can also just be combined with soils, or even spread on the surface to leech into the ground over time. A favourite technique of mine is to brew an actively aerated compost tea, and then run the liquid through biochar before adding it to the soil. This gives a more uniform microbial count through the earth. It also helps retain more microorganisms closer to the soil surface, ensuring more root contact than if it continued into the subsoil or out the bottom drain holes of containers. Like all things we are only just beginning to understand, biochar is not a panacea. There are questions about the ethical sourcing of feedstock material and whether some sources help at all. My personal experience with biochar both outdoors and indoors has shown that it can encourage plant growth in all the right ways. Gardeners of all kinds are now experimenting with biochar to not only achieve maximum yield but crops of superior quality as well. 3

Simon Hart has been gardening for over 40 years, including work in the 1980s with nutrient film technique and tissue culture. As a garden experimenter, Simon has taken various skills over the years and applied them to his plants, focusing on observation and soil health both indoors and out. Practical hands-on experience has been combined with post-secondary science-based agricultural programs, and in addition to sharing his knowledge with Garden Culture Magazine, Simon continues to guest lecture at local universities and other establishments on a variety of garden topics. Follow Simon @BentleyGrove

Bio

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GardenCultureMagazine

BY EVAN FOLDS

According to USDA data, one would need to eat 26 apples today to get the same amount of iron just one apple had in 1950

FOOD QUALITY

ometimes simple questions do not have such simple answers. Try this one. What is food? One definition is as follows: “Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.”

If you sit with this definition for a moment, it begs more questions than it answers. What exactly is “nutritious”? Should food “maintain life” or should it enhance life? How do we determine real food from fake food? After all, what is the point of food? These are critically impor tant questions that we should be debating in grade school as well as in the public domain. Instead, we serve empty, conventional, and sometimes processed food to kids in cafeterias, and our elected leaders are relatively silent on the growing epidemic of disease that is rooted in the deficiencies of our food system. Meanwhile, the markers of healthy agriculture continue to move in the wrong directions.

What if, even on a base level, we started connecting the dots between agricultural and environmental toxicity and disease

The truth is that our elected leaders are never going to do the work. They are collectively on the side of industry that has worked to sway our eating habits through a dangerous form of food science that has fooled the discernment of our taste buds to tell us what to eat using ar tificial and sometimes toxic flavours, processes, textures, and colours. This same industrial monster is patenting as many life forms as possible and attempting to corner the global food and seed markets. To compound the problem, crops are more toxic than ever and losing their nutritive value. For example, conventional agriculture in concer t with the government calls for the genetic modification of commodity crops so that we can use poisons on them. At the same time, our food has lost its nutrient density. According to USDA data, one would need to eat 26 apples today to get the same amount of iron just one apple had in 1950. Plus, we are eating fake food on a level never before seen with estimates saying that up to 70% of the average American diet consists of processed foodstuff. Add this up and what do we get? Empty people. Imagine if we had leaders holding hi-level summits on the topic of nutrient density in food? What if the incentive structure of the US Farm Bill encouraged the growth of nourishing foods instead of commodities grown for

cows and cars? What if, even on a base level, we star ted connecting the dots between agricultural and environmental toxicity and disease? Instead, we get crickets from our leaders. We have doctors being trained on how to manage symptoms with pharmaceuticals rather than being educated on how to heal using nutrition. We are offered a sick care system that amounts to a band-aid that, if taken at face value, represents the most brilliant business model in the world - keep people ill and sell them the “solution”. Simply put, when it comes to food and health, we have lost our way.

A first step in fixing the food system is to get closer to our food. We need to develop personal agriculture and grow edible plants. We are now fur ther from food than at any point in human history. How many people out there know their farmer? A second step in reclaiming our food system is becoming aware that each one of us has a seat at the table. Even if we do not grow any food, or cook very often, eating is an agricultural act, and our buying power is what drives the market. The tagline to my company, Be Agriculture, is “What we think, we grow”. It has always been my belief that our effor ts must involve massive grassroots education, and our purpose must be to demand quality from the food system using our buying power. The human story star ts with agriculture. Growing food where we live is what allowed us to put down roots and specialise into the communities and civilisations that we can take for granted today. Fast forward through the industrial and the green revolutions, and we find our agriculture in shambles with the core mission of nourishing people abandoned long ago for a focus on efficiency

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

Creating a New Standard in LED Grow Lighting.

nextlight.com

FOOD QUALITY

Simply put, when it comes to food and health, we have lost our way

and profit. This phenomenon has a name; it is called corporatism, where the interests of business and shareholders infiltrate and influence government and take precedence over the people. We have even established and repeatedly upheld the legal notion of corporate personhood that grants human rights to corporations. Everyone can see the manifestations of corporatism in our world, it is very well documented and what amounts to an open secret within our current government. So why don’t we fix it?

There are no better means of cleaning up the environment and growing healthy people than regenerative agriculture, and there is no more potent direction to a thriving future than a focus on food quality

One reason is that corporatism itself resists correction. Besides the fact that it is far more lucrative to keep people sick and uninformed, is it realistic to ask and expect power to give up control? Unfor tunately, the world does not work the way that it should. We must give this issue a name and banish it in all of its forms; we must develop strategy and practice discipline to suppor t those things that reinforce what we would want if we were asked. Another reason we are not making the progress we want is mediocre food. Rudolf Steiner considered our slumber in relation to our spiritual majesty a matter of nutrition. In 1924, in response to a question asking him why people do not carry out their spiritual intentions, he said, “Food no longer contains the forces people need

to bring their will into action”. Explains a lot, doesn’t it? Could it be that the source of our struggle to be loved in the world is rooted in malnourishment? Is it possible that by fixing our food that we can fix ourselves?

The answer is a resounding, yes. Living food is fuel for love. I have seen it happen with my own eyes many times over the years, and it is the driving force behind my work. The scope of this ar ticle will not allow a complete review, but living soil methods are how we can heal the world. There is no better cross-disciplinary approach to education than gardening. There are no better means of cleaning up the environment and growing healthy people than regenerative agriculture, and there is no more potent direction to a thriving future than a focus on food quality. Currently, there is no market for food quality. Ponder that for a minute; is this not the point of food? The question becomes, how do we put food quality first? The issue of food quality has three main arenas – economy, methods, and nutritional value. Over the last century of agriculture, like most aspects of the human organisation, we have abandoned quality in favour of cheap, ar tificial methods and profit at all costs. This amounts to a race to the bottom line, one that we are now hitting with the full force of life and death. Degenerative and auto-immune

FOOD QUALITY

The issue of food quality is for everyone disease is off the historical charts and, in many cases like autism, increasing in a catastrophically unsustainable way that evades explanation from popular science and threatens to bring down our social structures. There are now many dedicated and brilliant people connecting these dots, but there can be no doubt that our current approach of toxic rescue chemistry and fake food is killing us.

There can be no doubt that our current approach of toxic rescue chemistry and fake food is killing us

The only way to prioritise food quality is to measure it. Fortunately for us all, there is a group of changemakers called the Bionutrient Food Association (BFA) working towards this vital mission for planet Earth. The BFA is developing a spectrometer called the Bionutrient Meter that will work to deliver consumers and farmers real-time data on food quality in the field or at the point of sale. This effor t is profound. Not only does it establish the first market for food quality on Ear th, but it also provides an incentive for farmers to expend the energy and resources to grow nutrient-dense food and be compensated for it. Plus, it will aid in the development of methods farmers

can use to regenerate their soil and grow more nutritious crops. Preliminary work has proven the possibility of success for the project, and work is already underway with 300 of the first generation meters having been built and distributed at their recent Soil & Nutrition Conference in December 2018.

It is only recently that the spectroscopy technology reached a reasonable price point to be affordable for consumer use, and it is estimated that in the next couple of years, this technology will be in smar tphones. Rest assured, the food revolution has momentum and is well underway. This project needs your suppor t; reach out to them for more information at bionutrient.org. The issue of food quality is for everyone. All of us eat, and we all want the health and joy that proper nutrition brings. We can change the future of food for the better by standing up, being heard, and taking part; by using our buying power and putting our will into action. With some intention, intuition, imagination, and inspiration we can deliver a better world one bite at a time. 3

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

Bio

He now works as a consultant in his new project Be Agriculture where he helps new and seasoned growers take their agronomy to the next level.What we think, we grow! Contact Evan at www.BeAgriculture.com or on Facebook and Instagram @beagriculture

GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

BY TOM FORREST

Photosynthesis W

elcome back to another edition of Stealth Science! We hope you enjoyed our last feature, Plant Food

and Ionic Relations. Now, let’s look at how plants use

This five-part series delves into plant science to help you understand why a garden flourishes or flops. Over the next five issues, we will discuss the important topics relating to plant biology and physiology, structure and function, covering roots to shoots and everything in between!

these chunks of food to survive. The source of all energy for life on ear th is a beautifully complex process called photosynthesis. Generally speaking, it is how plants collect light energy and store it in a chemical form.

There are a variety of physiological processes and functions that occur during photosynthesis. In this feature, we will discuss the diverse metabolic activities within our crops and how the long and short-term energy sources are differentiated. The critical ingredient for photosynthesis is light, or more precisely, light energy. Light energy is the catalyst that initiates the process of photosynthesis when pigments absorb light. This energy is measured in quantum (photons), while the light’s energetic potential is determined by the wavelength (colour). As the wavelength increases, power decreases. Blue light has smaller wavelengths with a higher intensity, whereas red wavelengths are more substantial and provide lower energy levels. The light below blue light (ultraviolet) has too much energy, causing the photons to rip the plant molecules apart. The light above red light (infrared) is insufficient to raise an orbital electron to an excited, or quantum, state.

Understanding the science behind the art of horticulture ensures we can cultivate beautiful, healthier, and more sustainable crops. The Five Classes: • Plant Morphology and Anatomy (see last issue) • Water Interactions • Plant Food and Ionic Relations • Photosynthesis and Phloem • Plant Hormones: The control of growth and development

Plants absorb most of their light energy using red (maxima around 660nm) and blue light (maxima around 450nm) wavelengths. Chlorophyll a absorbs light in the blue-violet region, while Chlorophyll b utilises red-blue light and both reflect green light (around 500nm which explains chlorophyll’s green colour). Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments reflect or transmit the wavelengths they cannot absorb, making them appear in hues ranging from red to yellow, blue, and purple. Recent studies have shown that certain amounts of UV and infrared light can benefit photosynthesis and other biological processes, including essential oil production. However, modern research is relatively limited in this field.

Credit: Gringer

Our human eyes have three types of light absorbing cones, making us trichromatic. The evolution of trichromatic colour vision in primates occurred as the ancestors of modern monkeys, apes, and humans switched to diurnal (daytime) activity and began consuming fruits and leaves from flowering plants. Our eyes mostly absorb green light, whereas plants barely use green light energy at all. Most of it is reflected from the leaf surface.

Visible light spectrum 76

Photosynthetic Action Spectrum labelling chlorophyll and carotenoids

STEALTH SCIENCE

and Phloem Light energy is the catalyst that initiates the process of photosynthesis when pigments absorb light

Credit: Cornell, B. 2016. Action Spectrum. [ONLINE] Available at http://ib.bioninja.com.au. [Accessed 13 March 2019] 77

A NEW DAY DAWNS

NPK_MEDIA

NPKMEDIA

STEALTH SCIENCE

Plants have evolved to efficiently utilise all of their available resources through various methods, even while being stationary and stuck in the ground! There are five significant chlorophyll types and dozens of different forms of carotenoids. Carotenoids found in fruit (such as the red lycopene of a tomato, the yellow zeaxanthin of corn, or the orange β-carotene of a carrot) have a variety of functions including attracting seed-dispersing organisms (birds, bats, bugs, etc.).

The unique feature of these light absorbing pigments relates to their particular molecular structure. Chlorophylls and carotenoids have a distinctive ‘double-bond – single-bond’ arrangement (see below diagram) that allows a free electron to get excited and pass back and forth through different orbitals, generating energy.

As a general rule, we can measure the plant’s growth efficiency with the following formula:

When an atom in a chlorophyll molecule absorbs light and jumps to a higher energy level, the electron gets far enough away that it can be stolen by nearby particles carrying the electron down a transport chain.

Efficiency = Energy output (Dry weight of biomass produced) Energy Input (PAR - Where PAR is Photosynthetically Active Radiation 400 – 700nm). Most wild vegetation is around 1% efficiency, while intensive agriculture is usually <5%. Certain crops can reach 25% under ideal artificial conditions. The intrinsic limiting factors for photosynthesis are the efficiency of harvesting light and in biochemical processing, while the external environmental factors (heat, water, and nutrient) all influence productivity. We should all be familiar with the equation for photosynthesis: CO2 + H2O → (CH2O) + O2.

Credit: By Kelvinsong - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

To spell it out, carbon dioxide + water → carbohydrates and oxygen. This equation encompasses several coinciding processes. It’s also worth noting that different reactions occur during the day and night as the plant creates, moves, and stores vital energy.

With the correct amount of light energy, the electron climbs up orbitals (higher energy) and returns to a ground state. This liberates energy (some is lost irretrievably) and light for use in the two photosystems. The two photosystems in angiosperms (confusingly named PS2 and PS1 in the order they were discovered, not the order of function within the plant) capture and transfer this light energy by resonance transfer. The pigment molecules are discretely organised in thylakoid membranes (inside the chloroplasts), forming funnels of graded energy levels. First, photosystem 2 absorbs the higher energy (blue light), channels it to a reaction centre, and produces oxygen. Meanwhile, photosystem 1 is absorbing red light energy and passing it onto a different reaction centre. The Z-scheme is how we understand this link between PS1 and PS2 (see below graphic). The phosphorylation of ADP accompanies the Z-scheme. This process, which converts light energy into chemical energy, is called photophosphorylation. The Z-scheme describes a non-cyclic electron flow, a method that plants use to convert NADP to NADPH (longer term energy storage). Not surprisingly, it takes more than just a simple article to explain the different physiological processes at work here. If you’re interested in learning more, I’d recommend looking into plant biology courses at your local University.

Diagram of labelled chloroplast 3D including thylakoids, Granum and stroma Inside the chloroplasts (the tiny organelles made up of thylakoids and stroma), light is used by the chlorophyll to split water. Energy is formed and used to make ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), which is a small molecule used in living cells as a coenzyme. At night, the ATP creates longer-term carbohydrate energy storage.

The Z-scheme Credit: By w:User:Bensaccount - http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Image:Z-scheme.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons. wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3461098 GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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CLIMATE STEALTH CHANGE SCIENCE

Think about how the human body operates every day. There is a wide variety of different organs and functions operating simultaneously to keep us running. Plants have evolved to efficiently utilise all of their available resources through various methods, even while being stationary and stuck in the ground! Depending on the different ways they use resources, their ecology, and survival mechanisms, plants are categorised as either C3. C4, or CAM. C3 plants are the most common agricultural plants, and photosynthesis occurs predominantly in their leaves, but photorespiration can be wasteful and inefficient for climates with low water supply. In C3 plants, photorespiration occurs when the Calvin Cycle enzyme rubisco acts on oxygen rather than carbon dioxide. These plants have no real combat against photorespiration.

Credit: By Ninghui Shi - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

In C4 plants, photosynthesis takes place within the inner cells, and photorespiration is minimised by separating initial CO2 fixation and the Calvin Cycle, performing these steps in different cell types. Think of it as a selective carbon pump that can be turned on when the water is low. CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) plants minimise photorespiration and save water by separating these steps between night and day.

In the final step of the Calvin Cycle, RuBP is generated, enabling the system to prepare for more CO2 to be fixed. There is more to these processes, and there are some fantastic YouTube videos that animate and explain the different concepts. As we superficially understand the different physiological processes occurring within photosynthesis, it leads us to explore the role of the phloem further. The phloem transports the nutrients, hormones, and sugars around the plant to where they are needed. Different theories state that ‘Mass flow’ and ‘P-protein function’ is responsible for the movement of these compounds. The Mass Flow hypothesis states there is a movement of sugars from the ‘source’ to the ‘sink’. The ‘sink’ is an area of high accumulations of auxins and cytokinins, the meristematic zones where new tissue is created (we will discuss these hormones more in the next issue). The P-protein Function hypothesis states that P-proteins potentially use a peristaltic movement to ‘squeeze’ the contents up and down the tube. In both schemes, the P-proteins can behave independently and move compounds upwards or downwards, but much energy is required to drive these strands. It’s a reasonably interesting topic, and the function is likely a combination of both theories. Through different methods of measurement, we can somewhat determine the rates and direction of phloem flow, but there are some problems with these experiments. We do know, however, that in the phloem structure, there are three distinct types of cells: sieve tube elements, companion cells, and phloem parenchyma. These cells all perform complex roles within the phloem to help act like the superhighway for the plant, transporting nutrients and hormones to different locations. If you’ve ever seen a ringbarked tree (a common practice for clearing farmland), it is the phloem tissue that is killed. There is no translocation of photosynthates from the leaves to the roots, and when the roots die so do the shoots, and the tree suffers a slow and painful death.

Cross section of a maize leaf, an example of a C4 plant. Drawing based on microscopic images courtesy of Cambridge University Plant Sciences Department. The Calvin Cycle describes the series of light-independent reactions in photosynthesis. Although it is not directly dependent on light, the important energy carriers (ATP and NADPH) are products of light-dependent reactions. The Calvin Cycle takes place in three key steps: fixation, reduction, and regeneration. In the first stage, CO2 is fixed from an inorganic to an organic molecule. Then ATP and NADPH are used to reduce 3-PGA into G3P, then ATP and NADPH are converted to ADP and NADP.

Although the xylem may contain amino acids, the phloem also has them along with various growth hormones. It’s also interesting to note that the phloem contains potassium chloride (KCl), the same compound found in pH pens and probes! We learn this by using fascinating controlled aphid exudate experiments where aphids are exposed to radioactive compounds inside plant phloem. Aphids are only able to pierce into individual layers of the plant tissue, allowing scientists to monitor the radioactive aphid poo to learn about compound transportation in plants. That’s it for another issue of Stealth Science. Be sure to check out the final instalment in this series in the next issue, Plant Hormones – The Control of Growth and Development. 3

BIO Founder of Indicated Technology Pty Ltd, Tom is a certified horticulturalist and paid consultant working in the Australian medical cannabis industry. After finishing studies in production horticulture (hydroponics) and plant biology; Tom has spent the past 6 years working in the protected cropping space. Tom is passionate about sustainable yet economic cultivation methodologies and also teaches cannabis cultivation as part of university and private education programs. Tom is also the Communications Manager for Stealth Garden wholesale supplies. Sources: Boundless. “The Calvin Cycle.” Boundless Biology. Boundless, 26 May. 2016. GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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O H2

The Plant Carbon Deficit

lants use light energy to conver t Two electrons per hydrogen atom (H) Four electrons per water molecule (H 2 0) Two water molecules for one oxygen molecule (O) Eight electrons are equal to eight photons for each oxygen; every glucose (C 6 H12O 6) has six oxygen (8×6 = 48)

CO2 and water into carbon sugars (carbohydrates). The energy level

a plant has is dependant on the amount of sunlight it receives or, if growing indoors, how many lights are being used and their wattage. Each ‘packet’ or ‘parcel’ of light is called a photon, and it takes 48 photons of light to make one molecule of sugar.

Carbon Sugars

How much of an impact do deficiencies, toxicities, abiotic and biotic stresses have on the plant and how much power is required to fix these issues?

energy

The more light, the more photons and the more potential energy the plants have for growth. The question we have to answer is what does the plant do with that energy? How much of an impact do deficiencies, toxicities, abiotic and biotic stresses have on the plant and how much power is required to fix these issues?

A plant deficient in nitrogen sends all its streng th to the roots searching for more, which of ten leads to stunted or reduced grow th

What we consider to be a simple nitrogen deficiency might use a lot of energy to repair, which could otherwise be used in the roots, the stem, for leaf growth, flowering sites, fruit size, and even oil production.

Plant Problems and the Carbon Budget Deficiencies and Toxicities If we look at the main elements required for plant growth (N, P, K), we’ll see what they each do and what happens when they are lacking or in excess. Nitrogen (N) An essential constituent of both chlorophyll and amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Therefore, a lack of nitrogen in the simplest form means less chlorophyll and a reduced ability to absorb the photons emitted by the sun, resulting in less energy. A plant deficient in nitrogen sends all its strength to the roots searching for more, which often leads to stunted or reduced growth. Meanwhile, an excess of nitrogen also stunts the plant by reducing the amount of energy it has. Plant energy comes in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), and when there is too much nitrogen, ATP can’t correctly form. Instead, it develops AMP and ADP (Adenosine monophosphate and Adenosine diphosphate) which is one phosphate molecule and two phosphate molecules instead of the three phosphates of ATP. In simple terms, this is the equivalent of us consuming either Mars Bars (AMP), McDonald’s (ADP), or Sunday’s roast dinners (ATP). The roast dinner is a much better fuel source for us, just as ATP is for plants.

credit: Kiwicare

Therefore, nitrogen deficiency and toxicity impede the plant’s ability to conver t light into carbon energy, leading to lower amounts of energy for vital plant processes.

credit: WikiGardener - Fandom

PLANT CARBON DEFICIT

Phosphorus deficiency

Phosphorus (P) Phosphorus is par t of the ATP molecule which is the plant’s energy currency. A lack of phosphorus means an absence of available ATP, and therefore, sugars can accumulate in the plant, manifesting themselves as a purpling of the stems and leaves because they are unable to turn into complex carbohydrates. Unfor tunately, because phosphorus is so vital for energy conversion within the plant, root growth will slow and leaf size and numbers will dramatically reduce. Prolonged ‘P’ deficiency results in reduced yields and slower maturation. Phosphorus toxicity is rare, but when it happens, impedes the uptake of other nutrients such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). A reduction of zinc, for example, reduces the formation of chlorophyll and some carbohydrates because the plant struggles to conver t starches to sugars. Potassium (K) Potassium has many roles, but the regulation of stomatal openings is one of its most impor tant jobs. It performs this task by regulating the proton pumps to make the guard cells (cells that surround the stomatal openings) placid or turgid, or, open or closed. When open, the stomata allow CO2 to diffuse in and water vapour to escape. When they are closed, they prevent the plant from losing water. For this reason, reduced potassium levels can affect stomatal regulation, and therefore, the plant won’t have access to optimal levels of CO2 , which is where they get the carbon to produce carbohydrates. An overdose of potassium is also rare, but it can inhibit uptake of iron (Fe). Iron is a central element to chlorophyll production, and reduced absorption impairs the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, in turn reducing the number of available carbohydrates.

Nitrogen deficiency

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Prolonged ‘P’ deficiency results in reduced yields and slower maturation Topping

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PLANT CARBON DEFICIT

topping and fimming are stressful techniques that diver t energ y away from grow th to focus on repairing

To summarise, a deficiency or excess of Plant Training Planning your any element can impair the plant’s abiliplant ‘stress’ ty to absorb energy and conver t sugar to Plant training and manipulation have a sigdays helps the complex carbohydrates. With less than a nificant impact on how the plant spends its plant manage its full tank, completing various growth stagenergy. For example, topping and fimming carbon resources es is challenging, if not impossible. are stressful techniques that diver t energy When in the vegetative cycle with a phoaway from growth to focus on repairing. more ef fectively toperiodic plant, you can keep the plant in For most growers, this is an acceptable and recover more its current state longer to give it time to diversion and use of resources thanks to ef ficiently repair and recuperate before allowing it various benefits and outcomes. Topping to flower. If these symptoms occur during requires the plant to use a lot more energy flowering, the plant will likely never reach its full genetic to recover compared to the fimming technique, and so the potential. grower should choose which method best suits their needs for their grow, taking the plant’s carbon pool of resources Top Tip: Identify and resolve as many problems during the into consideration. vegetative stage before the plant flowers. Once flowering begins, the clock cannot be turned back; any mistake will Top Tip: Planning your plant ‘stress’ days helps the plant have an impact on final yield and quality. manage its carbon resources more effectively and recover more efficiently. For example, a grower that has patches of Biotic stresses powdery mildew but also removes excess foliage, continues to scrog, and switches the plant to a flowering light pattern Pests and disease all at once has rerouted a tremendous amount of energy When pests and disease attack a plant, they have an impact away from growth to repair. As a result, the plant is often on plant health and vigour. However, a plant diverts its carbon shocked into a more extended recovery period than if each energy to defend, repel, and restore itself to full health. The stressor had been managed into a schedule as follows: severity of the attack dictates how much of the plant’s carbon resources (energy) are spent on trying to heal and repair. • The powdery mildew (PM) is identified and resolved while scrogging lightly continues. Similar to deficiency and toxicity, a plant can recover from • Defoliation is left until all PM has been eradicated. even the worst infestations and fungal/bacterial attacks in • After a few days of recovery, defoliation can star t at the vegetative period. We can manage the problem effecleast a week before the light schedule turns to a flowtively while also giving the plant time to repair. The real ering 12/12. problem occurs in flower when the plant’s energy resources • Fur ther defoliation is left until scrogging has stopped, are limited to 12 hours of light a day, and the harvest date is which is usually two to three weeks after the 12/12 light within a few weeks. Any issues must be resolved before harpattern has star ted. vest with as little amount of stress on the plant as possible so that precious energy is not diver ted. Using the above schedule, the plant doesn’t have as many stressors at the same time and can use the carbon energy Top Tip: Many growers give their plants the most attention efficiently to recover fully. during the vegetative cycle as they train and grow to the desired size within a specific period. Much attention is also provided Simply put, an athlete won’t train for a marathon, a sprint, during the first two weeks of the flower so that stretching is and a weight lifting competition at the same time, so why minimised and that the transition period is smooth. Many growforce a plant to undergo so many stressing factors at once? ers are quite relaxed during the flowering weeks that don’t require as much interaction, but this is when we should be giving the plants the most TLC, as any problems that arise at this time take energy away from yield and quality.

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PLANT CARBON DEFICIT

Plant training and manipulation have a significant impact on how the plant spends its energ y

Abiotic (Environmental)

Acceptable stress

Potential abiotic or environmental stressors are many. They include a plant being over or under watered, growing conditions being too hot or too cold, aggressive or not enough air movement, inadequate supply of CO2 and humidity, or more impor tantly, VPD (vapour pressure deficit) being in a dangerous zone for transpiration. Addressing each one requires multiple ar ticles, but the message is the same. If we burden our plants by forcing them to cope with less than perfect environmental conditions, then growth is stunted as the plant’s stored energy is used for defence.

Acceptable stress is when the grower knowingly places the plant under stressful conditions to cause the desired outcome. For instance, one can achieve an increase in oil production by using UV lamps. As the plant defends itself from the harmful rays, oil and resin production rises dramatically. While the energy may be diver ted from growth and yield, it can cer tainly create better taste and aroma, which is often a very welcome use of a plant’s carbon budget.

For example, when it is sweltering (82°F) and humidity is low (<39%), the plant uses energy to force the guard cells closed, which reduces transpiration and CO2 uptake, and therefore, respiration (growth). Not only has the plant expended energy, but now the rate at which it photosynthesizes is practically zero, so it moves towards a negative carbon deficit.

Deficiencies, biotic, and abiotic stress can impact a plant negatively and result in slow growth or low yields. Always remember to consider a plant’s ‘carbon budget’ and that its energy supply is finite. What may appear to be a small problem can prevent the plant from reaching its full genetic potential, impacting overall yield, harvest time, flavour, and aroma. 3

Conclusion

BIO Stephen Brookes is a science fanatic, hydroponics obsessed bookworm. His experience comes from running two grow shops, an additives company, and NPK Media. Along with obtaining a bachelor degree of Science in Outdoor Education and Geography and an MSc in Nutrition and Scientific Investigation, he is now working on a PhD, researching the effects of different ratios in cannabinoids on the human body. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know!

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BY MATT MOUNTAIN

In the last few years, there has been an uprising, all based on the discovery that the vast majority of plants can grow perfectly well without any people being involved!

Defining

ORGANIC

DEFINING ORGANIC

he powerful organic movement is one of the defining features of both the current hor ticultural landscape and the commercial marketplace. To a chemist, organic means the item contains carbon; to farmers, it means growing without pesticides, and to the average Joe or Joanne, it says ‘natural’. But the

soil is the hear t of what was long the only universal definition of ’organic’:

Farming with minimal or no use of artificial chemical fertilisers or pesticides to preserve and promote healthy soil. Image Source: UK Government Food Statistics

Why the conspicuous absence of soil in most people’s minds? Especially considering many actual growers associate organic with the ground, even in indoor culture. How do we genuinely define organic hor ticulture, and can it be compared to hydroponic methods of growing?

Hydroponic Basics In the simplest terms, plants need air, energy from light, water, and nutrients to grow. Nearly half of the dry mass of a plant is made up of carbon from atmospheric CO2 ; another large piece comes from atmospheric oxygen. The nutrients that we give plants in hydroponics, with the possible exception of nitrogen, are more like the cornerstones of cellular construction. They are vital but are not the bulk of what plants are made of. And while more may be beneficial, only about 20 elements (including nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium) are essential for survival. In general, all plants take these elements in through their roots in the form of mineral ions dissolved in water*. This is a critical point, and possibly the biggest misconception about plant nutrition and organic culture in general. All plants take on nutrients in the form of mineral ions; not manure, not dir t, not peat, or any other natural thing that we throw at them. Just mineral Ions. Shocking as it may be, the cer tified 100% organic plants are taking in the same mineral ions as those on an entirely ar tificial mineral regime. The only fundamental difference between organic and mineral nutrition is how you choose to get those ions to the plant and what accompanies them. With mineral nutrients, ions are added directly into a nutrient solution surrounding the roots, hence the name hydroponics (hydro = water, ponos = work). Mineral nutrition is so precise and efficient because the plant gets what it needs in the most accessible form.

structures and complex organic molecules into water-soluble components, including mineral ions, which are eaten up by growing plants. While the two methods are entirely different, the nutrition ends up in the same place.

For every mineral downside, the same issues exist with poorly managed or produced organic products and systems

This is why there is no absolute downside to mineral nutrition. The negatives associated with mineral usage, while often dangerous, are incidental. Run-off from farmland is due to over application. Increased carbon cost from mining and transpor t of raw materials is due to the circumstance of geology and geography, and not to an inherent quality of mineral nutrition per se. For every mineral downside, the same issues exist with poorly managed or produced organic products and systems.

In organic growing, minerals are initially tied up in large carbon-based molecules such as starches and lignin, or in more complex substances such as horse manure or broken down pieces of other plants and dead animals. In nature, animals, insects, bacteria, and fungi break down these

DEFINING ORGANIC

Organic products can be much harder to make than mineral nutrients. Phosphates can be mined and applied directly in water, but roses cannot be grown directly in fresh manure, just like cow dung in a deep water culture system will not yield good results. It is not yet broken down, and crucially, the initial stages of decomposition do not create the right conditions for plants.

So, if we kill off the organisms that live in Shocking as it may be, the healthy soil through certified 100% organic compaction and the plants are taking in the application of toxic chemicals, we lose the same mineral ions as those capacity to recycle on an entirely artificial organic matter and to mineral regime create plant nutrition from the process. We are, therefore, forced to use either mineral or Successful growing means stability wherever possible, yet processed organic food, when in the past, nature took care the initial decomposition of organic matter can create of that by itself. drastic swings in pH and EC as different organisms tear apar t and ferment a plethora of different materials. In the broader context, organic farming sounds good in principle, but we know it is less productive than mineralIt is not so much of a problem if the goal is to create a based methods of growing. simple additive, like seaweed extract or even blood or bone, which do not require much processing, and the breakdown, where needed, happens in the substrate. But, it is a problem if you are trying to produce an organic nutrient that will have a good shelf life. Here is where the soil comes back in. The first obsession with healthy soil in organic agriculture was driven by the desire and need to move away from the damage that modern farming has done to the environment, and the impact that such practices have on soil ecology. The soil is vital to our survival because it provides the unique ability to buffer the problematic stages of initial organic decomposition, thus allowing the ecosystem to continue to function. Remember the analogy of growing roses in manure? Why is that a problem in your ornamental garden but not when Neddy the horse craps in the woods? The answer is volume and ecology. The volume and surface area available in open soil, even relatively thin or poor soil, far exceeds anything available in hydroponics, container, or even border based culture. The surface of each par ticle of ear th is covered with life that has evolved to fill a niche in the chain that breaks down complete trees and animals into individual molecules when they die.

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ALL PHASE Craft Powder Base Nutrient & Additives VEG+BLOOM features 3 revolutionary one-part base powder nutrients and 2 additives in the UK. Catering to soft or hard water EC’s. We’ve also extensively researched in-house which mediums work best with our formulas. Our ingredients are locally sourced, refined and always batch tested for quality assurance to ensure consistency. Our all-phase one-part base powder formula was fabricated so that you could simply use your local water source as long as it fell between 0.0-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as they always recommend using RO water, which can be costly.

Base Nutrients: RO/SOFT is our most universal and popular one-part base nutrient. A hybrid of synthetics and organics; a pH stable formula for those who have small or large containers and a start water of 0.0-0.3 EC. It is completely soluble in RO water and built for coco, rockwool, or soil. TAP/HARD is a revolutionary pH stable formula for farms that have hard water 0.3-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as “water chemistry” is difficult to educate. With TAP/HARD you can potentially skip the costly RO water filter system and also save on the cost of water. Due to a higher pH in hard tap water, this formula is buffered appropriately so the use of large amounts of pH down can be avoided. Best used in coco and rockwool. DIRTY is a comprehensive formula for those who have a start water of 0.0-0.7 EC and are growing in soil or peat based mediums indoor or outdoor. Enhanced with humics, fulvics, crab meal extract and compost tea powder, this base was intended to provide the benefits of both synethetic and organic additives giving you extra bag appeal.

Craft Powder Base Nutrient & Additives

VEG+BLOOM encourages growers to spend less on extra additives and less time on the mixing and measuring (less human error) and more time on the plants, resulting in exceptional and consistent harvests. Save water, shipping costs, shelf space and minimize human error. Are you ready to reduce your variables?

Additives: PUSH is our foliar spray additive used during vegetative growth that includes bio available calcium, silica, plant stimulants and kelp. The plant hormones allow for cells to divide faster, reducing your overall veg cycle, while increasing cell wall strength and vigor. SHINE is our best product, a flowering bloom additive formulated with phosphites and organics such as compost tea powder for enhanced terpene and resin production. SHINE can be used not only in conjunction with our full nutrient line but can also be used with other base nutrient lines. Distributed in the UK by:

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DEFINING ORGANIC

Using one of the nutrient s on the marke t designe d f or f ull hydr op onic sys tem use, one c an inde e d deli ver the b enef it s of hydr op onic s and or ganic cultur e in the s ame gr ow

The reality is that when you have the knowledge and equipment to deal with the initial fermentation and decomposition of organic materials, as several manufacturers do, it is entirely possible to produce a stable biological nutrient that can be used in a similar way to mineral nutrients. When produced from ingredients that are themselves by-products of other industries, ‘organic’ presents us with the unique ability to create carbon neutral or even carbon negative plant nutrients. This is the key to future success. The problems growers often encounter when this organic system is transferred to a water-based environment is that the critical surface area is no longer there, and the abilities of beneficial microorganisms in the nutrient are reduced. This opens the door for pathogens to do the breakdown in their place, and can lead to anaerobic reactions that will ruin a grow just as fast as the careless use of mineral nutrients can.

This problem and the ability of open soil to resolve it by buffering and hosting these reactions is why there is still a tight-knit association between organic container based growers and soil substrates. This, even though oxygen is as essential in organic growth as it is in mineral grows, and that soil-based mixes are often the most compact and poorly oxygenated available. In reality, coco coir or recycled substrates offer a better home for the bacteria and fungi that organic growers need for a successful harvest. Using one of the nutrients on the market designed for full hydroponic system use, one can indeed deliver the benefits of hydroponics and organic culture in the same grow. But that’s another ar ticle. 3

In the broader context, organic farming sounds good in principle, but we know it is less productive than mineralbased methods of growing.

Matt Mountain - Clearspeech.london With a Bachelor of Sciences degree and background in management consultancy, Matt’s day job is helping everyday people - aka customers, understand and benefit from the developments that researchers and manufacturers in advanced horticulture make every year.

Bio

*The exceptions are parasitic and atmospheric plants that gain nutrients from others or through foliar diffusion. This technique can be used for nearly all plants, but it is not how most people grow.

Matt manages General Hydroponics Europe and General Organics operations in the UK, and with 20 years of urban gardening experience in France and England, is now particularly concentrated on the practical application of hydroponics in small-scale urban food production with a focus on high value, high carbon cost produce.

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GREEN PRODUCTS

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Musical Plants

We’ve heard the theory that plants respond to music, but did you know they can hum a tune as well? Data Garden Quartet has designed the incredible MIDI Sprout, which translates the electrical impulses on the plant’s leaves into musical sounds. Patterns and melodies change along with the fluctuations in the plant’s environment, which send messages to an iOS app that controls audio and video synthesisers in real time. Just attach the electrode pads to the plant’s leaves and prepare to explore nature through music. Hand assembled by artists, the MIDI Sprout is enclosed in biodegradable cardboard, with the environment in mind. How’s that for communication skills? Ships internationally from Data Garden: datagarden.org

Bees and Butterflies Attract impor tant pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden with this lovely feeder. With populations declining, it’s impor tant to help them any way we can, and this is a simple way to be apar t of the solution. Your gardens will reap the benefits with bigger blooms and fruit or vegetable harvests. Handcrafted in England, this feeder is 19cm (H) x 12cm (W) x 8.5.cm (D). It comes ready to hang and equipped with one sponge feeder and two yellow feeding cups. Simply fill the cups and brush the sponge with a water/sugar solution to welcome the beneficial insects into the yard! Giving pollination a nudge. Order from Greenhouse Sensation: greenhousesensation.co.uk

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Save t h e Mo narchs

Monarch butterflies are in trouble, and anything that can help these important pollinators survive is welcome.This Monarch Tower Butterfly Cage allows you to raise both monarch caterpillars and their favourite plant, milkweed, in perfect harmony. The mesh pop-up cage is ideal for keeping predators out and measures 24x24x36, large enough for 30 monarchs and high enough for three-foot tall milkweed plants to grow inside. It can be used indoors or out, and a drawbridge door makes cleaning or inserting monarch eggs and caterpillars easy.The side door opening leaves chrysalises on the cage roof undisturbed, and the clear PVC window means you can observe the monarchs as they grow. Different models are available in various sizes. Ships internationally from the Monarch Butterfly Shop: bit.ly/2Dp29ir

Head Star t

Even soil temperatures can work wonders for seeds, leading to better germination rates and stronger roots. Heat-mats are perfect for those looking to get a head start on the growing season. A copper heating element between two layers of aluminium foil uniformly distributes heat underneath the seedlings or cuttings. The heat-mat is also equipped with a digital thermostat for added precision. Available in a variety of sizes and wattage amounts. Order from Northern Polytunnels Hobby Gardening: bit.ly/2Skh1c9

Zero Waste

Composting is always a good idea, but so is regrowing food from kitchen scraps! Believe it or not, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible, and No-Waste Kitchen Gardening: RegrowYour Leftover Greens, Stalks, Seeds, and More by Katie ElzerPeters will guide you along the way. Learn how to re-propagate scraps including carrot stumps, cilantro sprigs, potatoes, ginger, garlic, and so much more with this easy-to-read book. Colourful illustrations and simple instructions explain every step of the project, from seeding to caring for and harvesting your edible plants. Cultivating your food can be done year-round in the comfort of your kitchen! Making a zero-waste lifestyle that much more attainable. Available from Foyles: bit.ly/2MWcAhX

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Garden Culture Magazine UK 28

Articles inside

Easy Ways to Create a Bee-Friendly Garden

Data Logging Grow Rooms

Growing Blind

Medicinal Weeds: Stinging Nettle, A Love and Hate Relationship

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