The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - US60

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Every gardener has experienced growing pains, from plant choice and environment to pests or diseases. I have always struggled with pests in my indoor garden and, more recently, powdery mildew. I almost always have thrips or mites and do my best to minimize the damage they cause. I am implementing new protocols and am optimistic that 2025 is the year I kill all these mother F***ers. This edition has informed and motivated me to make some changes. I hope you can solve your problems too with a little help from our friends.

Everest Fernandez has two informative articles any grower can relate to. In “Evaluating Clones” and “Powdery Mildew: A Quick Guide to Sanity,” you’ll find tips and tricks for selecting healthy plants and keeping them that way.

Countless growers use Calcium-Magnesium supplements, aka CaMG, to solve many plant problems. While vital to plant health, what’s the real scoop on CaMg? Can it fix everything that goes wrong in a grow? In “CalMag - Cureall or Quackery?”, our resident nutrient expert Av Singh, PhD, gives us the answer.

Alex Field offers excellent growing advice for all our budding mushroom enthusiasts in his article, “The 5 Most Common Mushroom-Growing Problems – and How to Avoid Them.” Xavi Kief writes about living soil as an IPM, a mustread for diehard organic growers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce Haley Nagasaki, our featured author and newest member of the Garden Culture team. We could not be more excited! Get to know her better on p.10.

She has two great articles in this edition. One is the first in a new series of interviews with some of the best growers in the world, and it is called Professional POV. The first interview is with one of Canada’s best, Alex Gauthier, from Origine Nature in Quebec, Canada. They discuss IPM and how a huge facility like Origine has managed to stay pest and disease-free.

My final words of advice? Keep it clean, don’t overcrowd your space, defoliate, use good environmental control equipment, collect data, and quarantine new plants. Did I say keep the area clean? Always have a couple of good natural pesticides handy, a bottle of hypochlorous acid, and this edition of Garden Culture Magazine.

Happy Gardening,

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Adam Clarke, Alex Field, Anne Gibson, Av Singh, Catherine Sherriffs, Dustan McLean, Everest Fernandez, Haley Nagasaki, Jack Grover, Jennifer Cole, Marci Babineau, Regi Oneton, Xavi Kief, and Origine Nature’s Alex Gauthier.

PRESIDENT

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

VICE PRESIDENT

Celia Sayers celia@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-1539

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Catherine Sherriffs cat@gardenculturemagazine.com

DESIGN

Job Hugenholtz job@gardenculturemagazine.com

INTEGRATED SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Haley Nagasaki Haley@gardenculturemagazine.com +1 (604) 401-7209

DIGITAL & SOCIAL MARKETING social@gardenculturemagazine.com

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Author Spotlight

Haley Nagasaki

Our first edition of 2025 is the perfect time to introduce you to a fresh face here at Garden Culture Magazine. We are thrilled to announce that Haley Nagasaki is joining our core team in the role of Integrated Sales and Business Development. Haley is a legacy plant medicine journalist passionate about gardening and the natural world. You’ll see her articles in our magazine and on the blog, but Haley is especially keen to build relationships with our current and future partners, advertisers, distributors, and friends. Welcome to the team, Haley!

On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you to join the Garden Culture team? I’m so excited to be joining the Garden Culture team because, as of 2025, I’ve been working as a journalist for a decade. I’ve produced both B2B and B2C content, and for the first time, I can bridge those two disciplines while keeping my hands in the dirt. I look forward to developing my voice within the magazine and its many advertisers and contributors while researching gardening-related topics and playfully blogging about my indoor grow op and outdoor garden, complete with a growing flock of chickens. To answer the question, I am 10/10 excited!

What’s the coolest thing about the growing industry? The coolest thing about the growing gardening industry, closely related to the DIY movement, is this propensity toward natural health and self-empowerment through homemaking and land stewardship. Skills that were once taken for granted somehow got lost during the Industrial Revolution. Many of us are experiencing this resurgence in old ways of thinking and being in a world that honors the natural rhythms of nature as an act of reclaiming traditional customs and wisdom as well as our sovereignty. In a nutshell!

What’s your favorite plant to grow? While I love Brassicas, my favorite plant to grow in the garden is Morning Glory! Not to be confused with the noxious Jimson weed or Moonflower. I love Morning Glories because of how they make me feel. I smile every time they bloom and am in awe of their striking colors. There is also some nostalgia there. It was the first flower I ever successfully grew when I started gardening. They can do a lot for the garden’s aesthetic by spreading their tendrils, covering a drab fence or filling a hanging basket while attracting pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Would you rather travel back in time or into the future? Back in time! On the thread of ancestry and traditional wisdom, I’d love to go back and observe, pen in hand, or speak with our ancestors about their practices. So much has been lost over the years, collectively, as well as my own heritage. I’d love to meet more of my Japanese relatives and experience the Celtic wisdom of

my matrilineage before coming to Canada. Hell, I’d love to see some Classic Rock before it was classic! But in truth, I find the toil of the pioneers and the Indigenous teachings before them most valuable from a spiritual and pedagogical perspective.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work? I like road-tripping. I like shopping for vintage records and thrifting treasures made of natural fibers. My favorite place to be is at the cottage on Georgian Bay. I like making beaded necklaces, creative writing, and cooking. I enjoy mushroom foraging on Vancouver Island and spending time with a non-profit there for the care of six beautiful medicine horses. I like cutting loose with my friends and dancing to Deep House music. I like to sing. I like real talk. I like nerding out on a new topic. I like making salves. I like thinking big.

Is there something else we need to know about you? When I was a kid, say around 2000, I wrote short stories on a word processor on my dad’s laptop at the cottage. No dial-up internet, just my creative thoughts and storytelling on paper. For fun as a preteen, I’d make magazines using clip art to the tune of Teen People and J14. And, of course, I’d always be making potions. I find myself doing the same things now. 3

Are you interested in writing for Garden Culture Magazine?

We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email introducing yourself with a sample of your work editor@gardenculturemagazine.com

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Crop Rotation, Interplanting,

In this edition, we explore how organic growing methods and living soil can help protect against pests and pathogens in the garden by strengthening the immune system of plants through their good health. Starting with a bustling soil microbiome is crucial. However, cultural practices like crop rotation and intercropping may also be employed as integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, especially for market gardeners. Here are a few helpful tips and some acclaimed resources for further reading.

The planning phase of any garden is imperative to its success

Proper Planning

The planning phase of any garden is imperative to its success. This means mapping beds and assessing timing for frost dates and harvest, sun requirements, drought tolerance, nutritional needs, appropriate pairing, and, eventually, rotating crops.

Crop Rotation

One of the most interesting practices I’ve learned is the rotation of broccoli and strawberries for IPM. The insect-repellent nature of the brassica’s sulfur residue in the soil can protect the vulnerable berries against disease. This is one example of the synergistic relationships of plants and their ability to assist one another through biochemical signaling and biodiversity.

Interplanting

Intercropping or interplanting is the practice of planting different species of crops in proximity to maximize productivity based on complementary characteristics. Examples include the interplay of light and heavy feeders or taproot and fibrous root systems.

The best farmer I know of using this method is Jean-Martin Fortier – a Quebec farmer who intensifies the productivity of small plots of land, 2.5 acres or less. He educates farmers about strategic interplanting to maximize yield and space

in the backyard market garden. Fortier wrote the popular 2012 handbook, The Market Gardener, A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Smallscale Organic Farming, and stated therein that he follows the teachings of Eliot Coleman – an innovative American farmer also worth checking out.

In his book The New Organic Grower, A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, Coleman calls crop rotation a good example of an ages-old dependable farming practice.

“To my mind, crop rotation is the single most important practice in a multiple-cropping program,” he writes, including fertilization and pest control. Coleman does not encourage the use of pesticides of any kind because “the systems of the natural world are elegant and logical.” And his reasoning? “Plants only become susceptible to pest attack when they are stressed by inadequate growing conditions.” Pests and disease then become markers for cultural practices that need improving.

and Companions

as IPM in the Market Garden

Cultural practices like crop rotation and intercropping may also be employed as integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, especially for market gardeners.”

Step one in organic gardening IPM is keeping your soil as healthy, humus-rich, and microbially robust as possible. Step two is strategically using cultural practices for productivity, plant health, and IPM

A Multi-Pronged Approach

Step one in organic gardening IPM is keeping your soil as healthy, humus-rich, and microbially robust as possible. Step two is strategically using cultural practices for productivity, plant health, and IPM.

The rotation of broccoli and strawberries can help reduce specific pathogens, such as Verticillium fungi, that cause wilt in strawberries. The sulfur from broccoli and other Brassicas repels fungi and mold in the soil, and the crop residue leftover from broccoli is a biofumigant, similar to how mustard is used as a cover crop for disease suppression.

Overall, it’s good practice to rotate crops from different families because those from the same family possess the same susceptibilities. It’s important to note that some families can be prone to the same diseases, such as Rosaceae (strawberries) and Solanaceae/Nightshades (tomatoes), which are susceptible to Verticillium wilt.

Rotating crops with intention also replenishes minerals in the soil. A classic example of this is the rotation of corn and beans. Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder, and beans or legumes are nitrogen fixers.

Moreover, planting non-host plants can resist enabling the spread of pests and disease. For example, corn rootworms can be controlled by rotating non-host/pest-resistant crops like soybeans and broadleaves. However, soybeans are susceptible to white mold, and corn is not. In addition to the complementary nitrogen rotation, which strengthens plants through nutritional needs (indirect IPM), corn and soy also make excellent rotation candidates as a direct defence against some pests and diseases.

Nettles, as trap plants, can lure aphids away from other plants and attract the ladybugs

Companion Planting

Companion planting, a version of intercropping, can also be used for IPM. Some flowers, like marigolds and nasturtiums, are reputed to repel nematodes and other pests while attracting predatory insects that prey on them. Nasturtiums can also help keep caterpillars away from cabbage. These are trap plants or crops. Nettles, as trap plants, can lure aphids away from other plants and attract the ladybugs (AKA your garden’s SWAT team).

When grown in the same garden bed, stinging nettle can increase the production of volatile oils in herbs in the Lamiaceae family, such as mint or basil. Cool, eh?

Prevention is Key

We’ve heard the adage “prevention is the cure” for people, which also applies to plants. Focusing on soil health and biodiversity in the garden, coupled with practices like crop rotation, companion planting, and trap plants, makes a powerful toolkit based on traditional agricultural wisdom. For physical tools and barriers, try row covers and protective netting.

Read Garden Culture Magazine. Study Coleman, Fortier, and many other farming pros and start practicing for yourself. Indulging in the many educational tools available means working smarter in the garden and leveraging strategy hacks instead of chemical bypasses. 3

Notes From A Dirty Old Gardener

Spider mites are much like the movie characters Beetlejuice or Candyman. If you say their name three times in a row, they seem to appear out of nowhere to cause you unnecessary pain and aggravation. Unlike the movies, these pests are not entertaining and will take up more than a few hours of your time. When you get infested with spider mites, it can feel like a biblical pestilence has invaded you. Locusts ain’t got shit on spider mites, let me tell you.

When you get infested with spider mites, it can feel like a biblical pestilence has invaded you. Locusts ain’t got shit on spider mites, let me tell you

Things might be chugging along well in the grow room, which is where I usually run into these gross little arseholes, and then BAM! You start spotting the tell-tale signs of things going south—little white dots near the primary veins under your leaves. If you have been an inattentive gardener, you may be balls-deep in webbing and egg sacks by this point. Your plant may look like something out of a Tim Burton film. If you took a microscope to any stage of a spider mite infestation, you would want to soak the plants in gasoline and flick a match.

Christ… it’s shocking enough to make you want to set the whole house on fire. Exterminate the brutes.

How To Treat Spider Mite Infestations

Let’s talk treatment. What I do for cannabis remains true for many other species, so pay attention. If your plants are not in flower, you have many options; we will begin with the all-natural route before we go nuclear. You can start by defoliating the most affected areas, bringing down the population numbers immediately. Combine this with a homemade soap and hydrogen peroxide spray and wipe down the entire plant. Repeat the process for a couple of days. You can also employ Neem oil in this spray to make your all-natural home remedy even more potent, but it’s not recommended during flower. Remember, these little bastards are tenacious and will reappear. Just when you think you have things under control, BAM! Like in Poltergeist, “They’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaack”.

Taking Things Up A Notch

These mites’ birthing cycle is about three days, so if you haven’t managed to disrupt that effectively, you will most likely have to arm yourself with something a little more severe, like a Miticide or Insecticide that’s good for eggs, nymphs, and adult mites. If you are dealing with a Stephen King-level infestation and are down to your last option before a flamethrower, might I suggest “Spider Mite Knockout”? This should also be used before flower, as it is toxic. Not only do I not recommend breathing it in, I wouldn’t want to be in the room with it after spraying. It contains Pyrethrins and Piperonyl Butoxide that will do more than just steal a few brain cells out of your skull.

“But what about if we are in the middle of flowering?” I hear being screamed at me right now. Well, let me tell you, my dear grow buddy, you are shit out of luck and can’t get rid of them; it’s all about mitigation now. It’s time to decide whether to limp your way to the finish line or break out the butane torch. You can’t start spraying willy-nilly now, so get a little hands-on. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and commit a small-scale insect genocide. This is Sparta, it’s time to kick these fuckers down the well.

Firstly, you will defoliate intelligently; don’t take any leaves pertinent to flower growth. These primary leaves should be cleaned with the spray mentioned in the all-natural treatment, except don’t spray it. Wet a paper towel and gently wash your sick ladies. These little guys will also travel up and down the stem and hang out in the soil, so you must treat the whole plant.

The Spider Mite Apocalypse

When gardening, spider mites may be one of the biggest challenges, so it’s best to be proactive and assume they are ALWAYS around and do some IPM

You can manually apply neem oil during flowering. However, it has a powerful smell that some may say will leech into your terpene profile. But in a spider mite apocalypse, you might be willing to sacrifice taste and smell and hope you have something smokable for your troubles. Late-stage spider mite infestations will kill plants by eating them to death one nibble at a time. Each nibble impedes the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Giant spider webs will cover your plants like cotton candy, and mite adults will be big enough to be seen by the naked eye. I feel like barfing just thinking about it. I have been able to wipe out a population before, but they will often be a permanent fixture in the grow room until you chop, and the room goes dead for a few weeks.

Tricks Of The Trade

Let’s say you have now limped your way through flower and are ready to chop. Are you going to just smoke the same herb the mites have been fornicating on? You will hear spider mite eggs pop as you smoke your spliff. That’s gross, so let me give you a tip. Since all the parts of the plants you like are oil-based, you can go ahead and “wash” them. I start by totally defoliating. I then get three buckets, filling two with room-temperature water and the other with water, citric acid, and baking soda. I will let you create your ratio based on your container size, but I recommend

being liberal, more rather than less. Make the solution effective. Submerge the plant entirely in the solution and agitate the plant for a few minutes. Do the same with the two other rinsing solutions. Hang it dry like usual, except hit it with a fan until all that excess water is dry. This will clean all the spider mite poop off your product and also removes a lot of other ambient grow room grime. You can use this trick even if you don’t have mites. Some people do it for every grow.

Assume You Have Spider Mites

I don’t want to give anyone any nightmares, so I will ask the publisher to put a cute face on the mites they may use to dress up this article. When gardening, spider mites may be one of the biggest challenges, so it’s best to be proactive and assume they are ALWAYS around and do some IPM (integrated pest management). Aside from that, if you’re religious, start praying they don’t show up. If you’re not religious, power up the flamethrowers and stay vigilant. For everyone’s sake, don’t say spider mite three times in a row. I fear even writing this article has me slated for a visit.

Happy growing, my little bean sprouts. Death to all pests, spider mite to aphid. 3

BIO Regi Oneton is a multi-disciplinary artist and daytime executive. He’s been a member of Socan since his first album release at the age of 20, and is a self-taught audio engineer and self-proclaimed studio rat. Regi is a late-blooming street artist and painter whose works can be found hanging in the offices of Burton and Vans Canada. Long-time contributor to the Under Pressure Graffiti Festival and lover of the Arts. As the years plow forward, he has added botanical enthusiast/plant father to his litany of passions. His interests include writing and spending too much time looking at his phone.

Hemp for Victory Against Pests! Hemp

cannabis has always been one of many plants used to repel pests

If you live where it is legal to cultivate cannabis, even if you have no personal intentions to use it for medical or recreational purposes, it’s worth growing as a powerful ally in integrated pest management.

Due to the plant’s highly developed and vast array of molecules that promote its immunity to pest pressures and other stresses, cannabis has much to offer as a companion plant and source material for extracts to reduce populations of destructive organisms. Most folks are now aware of the long history of human uses of cannabis for its fiber, seed oil, protein, and as medicine. Fewer seem to know about its benefits in inhibiting pest damage to textiles, living plants, and crops in storage and against insect vectors of disease in humans and other animals.

Long Traditions

Though it’s tough to verify written sources transmitted, translated, and edited over centuries, it’s clear that cannabis has always been one of many plants used to repel pests. In summary studies, Arabic, Chinese, and Greek records from the first century AD are quoted as containing passages recommending fumigation with cannabis smoke or placing its flowers around the bed to deter locusts from crops and mosquitos and bedbugs from sleeping quarters. In 1922, German chemists cited dried and powdered cannabis as a deterrent of pests in woollen cloths (presumably moths), among other uses, as an insect repellant. Recent reviews of ongoing traditional uses for cannabis, particularly in India, Pakistan, and Nepal, cite its use in granaries to protect stored food and seed and frequently against mosquitos. Interest in understanding the mechanisms of action behind cannabis’ efficacy in these applications has been renewed as scientists seek environmentally responsible solutions to insect threats.

it’s worth growing as a powerful ally in integrated pest management

Disease-Carriers, and Other Nuisances

Another promising application for cannabis is as an effective control against insects that transmit diseases between animals. As in agriculture, traditional bug repellants from plants have been displaced from everyday use by synthetic replacements. These are also falling out of favor because people question their safety, and there is a broader public demand for natural alternatives.

Ticks and mosquitos are among the most dangerous transmitters of disease for humans and animals. Deterring the living insects from biting is critical, but reducing their numbers and preventing sudden outbreaks is ideal. In lab studies, strong concentrations of cannabis essential oil effectively stopped tick eggs from hatching and reduced the activity of living tick larvae. There may be opportunities for cannabis-based sprays to bring down populations in and around where ticks are known to find prey, including domestic animals.

Grain and other Food Storage

Protecting stored crops costs much less than producing them, but the proportion of post-harvest losses due to insect damage is significant. Weevils can rapidly reduce the quality of stored grains.

Fun Fact: In one study, applying MCT oil infused with CBD as a surface treatment on strawberries extended their shelf life and inhibited fungal growth. Researchers concluded that this could be done on the home scale by consumers — not a bad way to enjoy the benefits of CBD with the deliciousness of berries!

Similarly, cannabis extractions were found “highly active”, effectively killing almost all mosquitos of the malaria-spreading type in their larval and pupal stages. CBD extracted from hemp killed yellow fever mosquitos in an Ohio State University test. Hopefully, this research will encourage innovators to develop inexpensive technologies for safely controlling vectors of devastating diseases.

In the Garden

Cannabis has various characteristics we can use in sprays to treat other plants. The fact of its extensive palette of molecules, which are common with incredibly diverse plant species, makes it a kind of ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to repelling pests that damage food crops. In trials, various aphids and moths that damage and spread plant diseases to popular crops like cabbages, cucumbers and potatoes were effectively controlled with cannabis.

Close intercropping of cannabis can deter pests from other plants in the garden, and chopped-and-dropped leaves, stems, and roots left in the soil benefit other plants

How does it work?

IPM strategies in agriculture often rely upon biochemicals, especially extractions of strong-smelling plants. Their essential oils contain the living plants’ defence molecules produced to warn off insects and others who perceive that chemistry as a threat.

Chili peppers, for example, produce the “hot” molecule capsaicin so that mammals perceiving pain while eating them will not munch the fruits and destroy the seeds with their grinding teeth and long digestive tracts. Birds don’t share that physical sensation, so they can go right ahead and eat up hot peppers, passing the seeds undamaged and spreading the plant’s genetics around.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), like those that make crushed garlic smell sharp, give mint and eucalyptus their cool scents, and produce the many complex aromas that cannabis flowers are known for (reminding of citrus, pine, pepper, lavender, gasoline, skunk), either actively repel insect pests, or attract bug-eating-bugs. This group of terpenoids and similar chemicals is colloquially generalized as “terpenes”. The “volatile” in VOC refers to how easily those molecules evaporate from the plant and enter the air. Living plants, disturbed by the wind or rustled by animals, evoke a whiff of danger to passing plant invaders.

Many types of plants grow unique structures called trichomes, which can be pictured like little balloons on stalks, containing their most potent defense chemicals. In cannabis, they’re heavily concentrated around the developing reproductive parts — mostly on the bracts protecting pistillate flowers — defending the seed-making structures from insect damage. Should a plant-eater encroach, they can burst the trichome, becoming exposed to an

oil that is noxious and sticky. Ideally, from the plant’s perspective, this stops the pest from causing damage and breeding, reducing the threat immediately and over time. Fresh leaves and stems and pollen-producing (monoecious and “male” plants) plants contain some of these same scent molecules but in lower concentrations.

The sheer number of different types of cannabis and their undocumented lineages create difficulties for researchers. In seeking to understand how cannabis works in some of these agricultural/social IPM applications, it’s very hard for scientists (and everyday citizens) to reproduce experiments because laws (and economic disincentives) prevent the easy sharing of genetics. Still, broad commonalities between varieties are found that point the way forward.

Phytocannabinoids and Other Cannabis Molecules

Incredibly, in addition to the effectiveness of terpenoids as insecticides, “anti-feedants”, and repellants, it is speculated that cannabinoids (especially THC) may have a role in preventing insects from developing resistance to its defensive chemicals. Researchers are not able to draw direct parallels to the “entourage effect” in human medicine but expect further studies will bring to light a greater understanding of possible synergistic or additive effects of using non-isolated cannabis compounds in IPM. Other molecules present in cannabis, including saponins, can suppress plant-nuisance nematodes in the soil when water extractions are used as a drench. The same mechanism may naturally occur when cannabis leaves are added to garden beds as mulch.

“These uses underscore how critical the right to self-cultivation of cannabis is and why even those who have no prior experience with the plant may want to champion an expansion of legal growing

Interplanting

Although variation does occur, most would agree that cannabis is one of the smelliest plants in the garden when it’s getting close to peak harvest time. Close intercropping of cannabis can deter pests from other plants in the garden, and chopped-and-dropped leaves, stems, and roots left in the soil benefit other plants.

Fresh Cut and Dried Materials

Following Indigenous traditions, fresh-cut cannabis can be placed around the home to repel nuisance insects from soft furnishings and stored fabric items. Dried, powdered cannabis can be added to containers or cupboards where dry grains are kept. Placing cut cannabis in and around bedding may also deter biting bugs.

Water Extractions

The majority of recent studies into cannabis for controlling biting insects examined water-extracted cannabis, produced similarly to other botanical essential oils, namely hydrodistillation and steam distillation. These are more potent for this purpose than a decoction (boiling, as on a stovetop), allowing most of the target molecules to escape into the air rather than be concentrated. Adding water-extracted cannabis to existing homemade bug spray recipes (both for uses on plants and for animals) is one way to take advantage of its high concentration of insect-repellant terpenes.

Sprays and Drenches

As it is a natural host to many beneficial microbes, as well as being a solid accumulator of minerals, soaking chopped-up cannabis in tepid water and applying it as part of an aerated “plant tea” regimen (as one might do with comfrey, nettle, and other plants around the garden) is another opportunity to partner with this potent species.

Adding water-extracted cannabis to existing homemade bug spray recipes (both for uses on plants and for animals) is one way to take advantage of its high concentration of insect-repellant terpenes

It’s Worth the Fight

At this time, it seems unlikely commercial producers will find it cost-effective to process cannabis flowers into insecticides rather than human recreational and wellness-industry products. Regulations relating to the destruction of spent materials in the name of public safety generally prevent licensees from freely giving away or selling underutilized biomass (like fan leaves, sticks, stems, and roots) to the public. To put cannabis to work on these possible money- and life-saving uses, the everyday grower would be wise to think about adding a few plants to their garden.

The maligning of cannabis by historical (and ongoing) racist policies, nor its inflated market value due to its range of medicinal properties and psychoactive effects, are no excuse for folks being denied the right to protect their stored grains, help inhibit the spread of devastating diseases, and harvest robust food yields. These uses underscore how critical the right to self-cultivation of cannabis is and why even those who have no prior experience with the plant may want to champion an expansion of legal growing. 3

How to use Cannabis in IPM

clones Evaluating clones

Healthy leaves should be strutting their stuff— vibrant, green, and blemish-free

these innocent-looking green stubs can embody years of careful selections or drag your grow into a full-blown horticultural horror show

Grow lore is littered with cautionary tales about the consequences of accepting subpar clones from third parties. The genesis of countless pest infestations and plant diseases, these innocent-looking green stubs can embody years of careful selections or drag your grow into a full-blown horticultural horror show. The time, labor, stress, and frustration of salvaging your grow from these inadvertently imported problems is a hard-won lesson.

Rooted Cuttings: A Double-Edged Sword

Let’s begin by taking a quick look at the bad stuff first. Assuming your clone source is telling you the whole truth about the genetics they claim to have in hand, unpleasant surprises tend to lurk under three categories:

1. Pests

Whip out the jeweler’s loupe (minimum X30 magnification). Uninvited guests like spider mites, thrips, and aphids are notorious hitchhikers hiding on leaves or within propagation media. These pests multiply quickly, turning a single cutting into a source of infestation that can ravage an entire grow. Worse, they often arrive in their least visible forms, such as eggs or larvae, making early detection challenging.

2. Pathogens

Warm, humid propagation environments are perfect breeding grounds for diseases like powdery mildew, bacterial leaf spots, and root rot. Pathogens thrive on stressed or wounded tissue, common in cuttings due to handling and transport.

3. Systemic Infections: Viruses and Viroids

Systemic infections are the silent saboteurs of horticulture. Unlike pests or pathogens, these infections may not manifest until plants are well-established, making them hard to detect early. Examples include:

• Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV): TMV causes discolored, mottled leaves, reducing photosynthesis and plant vigor. It spreads through contact with infected tools, hands, or plant material.

• Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV): This virus causes ring spots and stunted growth, transmitted primarily by thrips. Infected plants often become non-viable.

• Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd): A viroid that has gained notoriety for its devastating impact on high-value crops. It may initially appear asymptomatic, only to stunt growth, reduce yields, and compromise secondary metabolite production.

• Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV): Known for its wide host range, CMV causes leaf curling and mottling, significantly affecting crop quality and yield.

Detecting these infections without advanced diagnostic tools is almost impossible, making prevention and quarantine crucial.

Detective Work: Spotting the Healthy Cuttings

Before we get lost down a rabbit hole of negativity, let’s not forget what we should be looking out for:

1. Leaf Swagger

Healthy leaves should be strutting their stuff—vibrant, green, and blemish-free. Yellowing, spots, or crispy edges? Swipe left.

Green Flags:

• Perky and hydrated (like they’ve had their coffee).

• Absolutely no necrotic (dead) tissue.

• Even coloration—no plant tie-dye patterns here—with no interveinal chlorosis.

2. Stem Solidarity

A quick pinch tells you everything, but then you risk harming the cutting you’re trying to evaluate! Firm stems are thriving stems. A more passive approach is to ask: is the clone standing to attention or looking sorry for itself?

3. Roots

Check the roots like a restaurant inspector eating spaghetti. Healthy ones are prolific, white, fibrous, and full of fine hairs. Slimy, discolored, or smelly roots? Hard pass. Healthy clones should be singing “Plant me today!” not “I’ll be alright in a few days.”

4. Uniformity Matters

Consistency is king. If one cutting looks like a valedictorian and another like it’s barely passing, it’s not a good sign and bodes poorly for your future canopy management.

5. Sniff Test

Plants should smell earthy and fresh. Sour or musty odors are a red flag for decay and mold. Trust your nose—it’s a plant lie detector.

Quarantine: The Interrogation Room for Your Green Guests

Before you let your new cuttings rub elbows (or nodes) with your main crop, give them the VIP quarantine treatment:

1. Time-Out for Troublemakers. Set them aside for at least 7–14 days in a separate space, ideally a grow tent, as far from the main action as possible. Think of it as a spa retreat with a side of intense scrutiny.

2. Pest Traps Galore. Sticky traps are your besties for catching pests in the act. Place them liberally in your quarantine tent.

3. Preventive TLC. Treat them with broad-spectrum horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps. It’s like giving them a deep clean before the party.

4. Daily Checkups. Perform daily inspections. Catching issues early means fewer headaches later.

Professional Techniques

Considering the time, energy, and resources it takes to produce a harvest from a cutting, it’s worth seeing if clones are up to the challenge. If you want to flex those green thumbs, here are some pro moves:

1. Diagnostic Testing

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing can be instrumental in some circumstances. You can purchase plant disease PCR test kits online. These kits can help you identify specific plant pathogens by identifying their DNA or RNA, facilitating early and accurate diagnosis of disease. Several companies offer such kits:

• Creative Diagnostics: Provides a broad range of plant pathogen ELISA detection kits and rapid test strips for viruses, bacteria, and fungi affecting various crops.

• Promega: Offers qPCR and RT-qPCR products capable of detecting and amplifying target sequences of plant pathogens, aiding in precise disease diagnosis.

• Sigma-Aldrich (MilliporeSigma): Supplies PCR kits suitable for plant analysis, including the KAPA3G Plant PCR Kits designed for amplifying fragments from purified plant DNA.

Note that these PCR kits are generally intended for professional growers with some laboratory experience and access to appropriate equipment. If in doubt, consider a professional diagnostic service instead. Typically, you get results back in five days following the lab’s receipt of your plant sample.

Useful Resources

• Fera Science (UK): fera.co.uk

• National Plant Diagnosis Network (USA): npdn.org

• A&L Canada Laboratories Inc. (Canada): alcanada.com

2. Buy a Few Extra Cuttings For Stress Testing

Want to know if your cuttings are tough enough? Put them under moderate stress (like lower humidity). Weaklings will wilt, leaving only the strongest to thrive.

3. Bioassays with Sentinel Plants

Introduce a few healthy plants to the quarantine zone. If they start looking sick, you could have a plant pathogen problem.

Sourcing stem cuttings is not unlike online dating apps—exciting but fraught with risks. (It’s better to go with a recommendation from a friend, but still no guarantees.) A little extra effort upfront—inspections, quarantine, and testing—can save you from heartbreak or crop failure later. With that in mind, best of luck with your grow—and your next date. 3

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

Introduce a few healthy plants to the quarantine zone. If they start looking sick, you could have a plant pathogen problem

calmag calmag

Can this humble nutrient amendment be the holy elixir to fix all that is failing in your garden?

Got yellowing leaves? Use CalMag. Got nutrient lockout? Use CalMag. Got powdery mildew? Use CalMag. Got aphids? Use CalMag? Are you starting to see a trend? Can this humble nutrient amendment be the holy elixir to fix all that is failing in your garden? The simple answer is “of course not”; the more complex answer is “sometimes”.

Under natural growing conditions like sunlight and soil, most plants won’t exhibit deficiencies in Ca or Mg

CalMag is simply Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg), both considered secondary macronutrients. Secondary relative to NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) but still “macro” as it speaks to the quantity of these elements consumed by plants. However, when the two nutrients are combined into a supplement called CalMag, they include a host of other nutrients like nitrogen, sulfur, chloride, iron, etc. They can come in either liquid (soluble) or powder (plant-available) formulations.

The Underrated MacronutrientsCalcium and Magnesium

Under natural growing conditions like sunlight and soil, most plants won’t exhibit deficiencies in Ca or Mg. However, in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), such as greenhouses and warehouses, the intense demands placed on plants to maximize growth and yield can lead to a deficiency of these two nutrients, leading to many disorders. LED or Double-Ended HPS lights can accelerate photosynthesis to levels that exhaust Ca or Mg reserves in the plant and the growing media.

For hydroponic enthusiasts, especially those using reverse osmosis water, Ca and Mg have been stripped away, resulting in a deficit. They need to be given to plants via a fertility program. In contrast, growers using well or tap water can experience limited Ca or Mg uptake because the pH is less than ideal or some other nutrient in high concentration like Sodium (Na) or Potassium (K) is blocking the absorption of these macronutrients. This is common for growers using coco coir that has not been adequately washed or buffered. Quality coco coir is “charged” by using Ca and Mg to wash away the excess Na and K. However, if this is not done, both elements will inhibit a plant’s ability to consume Ca or Mg.

Lastly, temperature and humidity are critical determinants affecting water uptake, and water is the common conduit for nutrients like Ca and Mg. There may be adequate Ca in the growing media, but if the relative humidity is too high, the plant may not transpire enough water to transport Ca to all cells. More importantly, Ca is the chief transporter of other elements into the plant, including many essential trace minerals. Many indoor gardeners with fluctuating humidity often notice a Ca deficiency weeks before seeing the tell-tale signs of a powdery mildew outbreak.

Deficiency? What does that look like?

The “Cure-All” nature of the CalMag supplement is a testament to the importance of these two elements to the health and vitality of the plant. Similar to that in the human skeletal system, Ca is the backbone of plant structure and is vital in the growth and development of new roots and shoots. Also, as mentioned above, Ca is the transport truck that brings most other nutrients into the plant and, therefore, has a critical role in a plant’s response to stress. Deficiencies in Ca appear first in new growth because Ca is considered an immobile nutrient, meaning that once it finds its final destination within the plant, it cannot be broken down and moved to another location.

It is often no surprise that a deficiency in Ca can also cause a Mg deficiency. However, the Mg deficiency alone can be detrimental to plant health. Mg is the central element in chlorophyll, the molecule that converts light energy into chemical energy (sugar) in the phenomenon we call photosynthesis. But beyond being essential for photosynthesis, Mg plays integral roles in carbon dioxide utilization, synthesis of proteins and carbohydrates, and activating enzymes that help carry out floral and seed production processes.

In agriculture, the number of disorders associated with Ca deficiencies are numerous and include but are not limited to:

• bitter pit in apples

• hollow heart in potatoes

• cavity spot in carrots

• blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers

• tip burn in lettuce

• blackheart in celery

Most plants exhibit stunted growth, deformed upper leaves, and poor root mass, which increases their susceptibility to root diseases. Cannabis’s late-stage deficiency characteristic is rust-colored spots on leaves.

Plants experiencing an Mg deficiency may exhibit a leaf curl of the margins. Still, the classic symptomology is interveinal chlorosis -- a fancy phrase to describe the yellowing of the leaf between the dark green veins. The chlorophyll molecule can no longer be synthesized in Mg-deficient plants and begins turning yellow. If left untreated, this yellowing becomes a necrotic spot as the plant tries to kill off sections of the leaves that it can no longer sustain.

Many indoor gardeners with fluctuating humidity often notice a Ca deficiency weeks before seeing the tell-tale signs of a powdery mildew outbreak.

Addressing the symptomsCalMag to the rescue

Most hydroponic grow/veg nutrient formulations provide enough calcium and magnesium to meet the plant’s needs under normal growing conditions. Calcium is commonly supplied as calcium nitrate, and magnesium is supplied as magnesium sulfate (aka Epsom salts). These two are kept in separate solutions because if mixed, they will form a precipitate of calcium sulfate, better known as gypsum, which is highly insoluble. Living soil organic (LSO) practitioners will require microbial activity to help make certain forms of Ca or Mg more available. Commonly used by organic gardeners, calcium carbonate (calcitic or dolomitic limestone), oyster shell flour, or gypsum are used as Ca sources. Epsom salts are often used as a quick fix to treat Mg deficiency symptoms and can be used as a foliar or a soil drench. Epsom salts are a favorite for growers looking for higher Brix levels and enhanced aroma and taste in their fruit and flowers. The Mg in Epsom salts helps move sugars to the developing fruit or flower, while the sulfur plays a key role in developing flavor.

Another common Mg source is called Langbeinite or Sul-PoMag. This mined mineral is available in soluble forms, but not all langbeinite is readily soluble. Magnesium carbonate is also an option. However, the challenge with carbonates is that they can create lime scale or hard water. To help reduce this, some organic practitioners will include amino acids (soy or fish/squid hydrolysate), which help chelate the Ca and Mg cations, making them more soluble and available for uptake.

Now, let’s move from using these elements separately and get into greater detail about the Cal/Mag all-in-one supplement. The irony behind using this supplement is that the wrong concentration of either element can lead to a deficiency or an excess of the other. So, the grower must understand that using a Cal/Mag supplement often addresses a symptom, not the cause.

Plants experiencing an Mg deficiency may exhibit a leaf curl of the margins.

Eggplant leaves lacking magnesium

Several Cal/Mag supplements are available on the market, and they vary wildly in their nutrient analysis and, at times, their efficacy. However, most Cal/Mag supplements seek to maintain a proper ratio between the two elements. Typically, a 5:1 ratio of Ca:Mg is used to ensure that Mg is not too readily taken up by the plant. Ca acts as a buffer to help regulate the equal consumption of the two elements and prevent toxicity.

Common Cal/Mag supplements will derive their nutrients in association with nitrates, sulfates, carbonates, or chlorides, which will, of course, come with pros and cons. Most commonly used as a liquid supplement are calcium nitrate and magnesium nitrate. Many of these supplements will show a percentage of N in the analysis, and in some instances, the N is rectifying the poor growth. However, the opposite can also be true. Excessive nitrates inhibit Ca uptake, causing a deficiency. Moreover, excessive nitrates at the wrong stage of a plant’s life cycle can lead to elongated internodes, weaker cell walls, and increased water content (resulting in lower Brix levels, i.e., lower dissolved solids (sugars) in sap). Many of these factors can increase a plant’s susceptibility to pathogens and be more attractive to insects like aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. Nitrates are like candy to a plant. A plant will over-consume nitrates when the opportunity arises, even though the plant requires a lot of energy to assimilate nitrates.

More recently, some liquid organic options have combined calcium chloride and magnesium chloride to avoid the buildup of excessive nitrates while maintaining organic status. Chloride

So, can Cal/Mag cure everything from powdery mildew to aphids and create a higher-quality fruit or flower? Most likely, yes, but the caveat is you may not know why it worked.

is an essential trace mineral and can help aid good vegetative growth. However, in some LSO systems, there can be an excess of Na cations. In such situations, there is a strong potential to create salts like sodium chloride or potassium chloride and raise your soluble salts into a range that can inhibit root growth.

CalMag can often also be found as a powder. Powdered supplements allow for mixing and matching nitrates with sulfates to prevent excesses. Note that the world of biostimulants has also affected the CalMag world. We are increasingly seeing CalMag products that include humic and fulvic acid as chelators, B vitamins to help kickstart ATP (energy) formation, and amino acids to help open Ca channels in plant roots. Once again, these innovative elixirs testify to how vital these two nutrients are for plant health and vigor.

So, can Cal/Mag cure everything from powdery mildew to aphids and create a higher-quality fruit or flower? Most likely, yes, but the caveat is you may not know why it worked. You require a soil, tissue, or sap analysis to fully understand how Ca or Mg deficiencies affect your plant. But if you just need to treat a symptom, a little Cal/Mag can go a long way. 3

BIO Av

, PhD, PAg advocates regenerative organic agriculture serving various organizations, including Regeneration Canada, Navdanya, and the Canadian Organic Growers.

Singh

Squash leaf with powdery mildew disease

BY

when you consider how much your end product will be improved with this added step, you’ll likely realize it’s worth the extra time it takes

Curing Process Common Challenges Growers Face During The

Cannabis curing is an optional step in the cultivation process, but the practice is quickly growing in popularity as more operators learn about its benefits. A proper cure results in less bud degradation, better cared-for cannabinoids, and more robust flavor profiles. Couple that with its low cost and how easy it is to accomplish, and there’s little reason to leave it out of your grow room routine.

But wait—even though the benefits of curing cannabis outweigh the potential cons, the method isn’t entirely challenge-free. Curing might help take your products to the next level of cannabis connoisseur status, but like any cultivation room operation, you’ll want to ensure you understand the process before diving in headfirst and realizing you’ve made a crop-compromising mistake.

What is cannabis curing?

You’ve likely heard of curing in the context of smoked meats, fish, or fine wine, but what does the process have to do with cannabis?

In the weed world, curing goes hand in hand with the drying stage. While drying removes the bud’s excess moisture, prevents mold growth, and extends product shelf life, curing accentuates the plant’s terpene and cannabinoid profiles, which makes for a tastier, more potent product—and a smoother pull for the smoking consumer.

Once your buds are trimmed and dried (or vice versa), it’s time to store them in curing containers, keeping them at a 45-55% humidity level for around 2-4 weeks. This means your plant growth cycle will be slightly extended, which sounds inconvenient. But when you consider how much your end product will be improved with this added step, you’ll likely realize it’s worth the extra time it takes.

Possible curing room challenges: What to look out for

If you decide to introduce curing into your grow space, you’ll want to keep potential challenges or setbacks in mind so you know how to handle them when they crop up.

These are some of the most common curing room challenges growers regularly come across, and some potential solutions you should have ready in your cultivation toolbox.

Curing Room Challenge:

Creating the perfect drying environment

Before thinking about how to cure properly, you must focus on the efficacy of the previous step: drying.

Without a proper drying environment, you’ll struggle to bring your buds to the perfect moisture level, and the fate of your cure will be significantly tampered with. Set yourself up for success with a dark, cool space—and a good amount of room so you can spread your flower out and ensure it dries evenly during this stage.

Curing Room Challenge:

Creating the perfect curing environment

Once your buds have dried to perfection, it’s time to ensure you have a curing space designed for optimal success. This will require a little more nuance—and attention—but it will be well worth it when testing your product.

A good curing space includes the right humidity (around 4555%), the right temperature (usually around 60-70°F), and a healthy amount of light (for this stage, darker is always better).

Too-high humidity results in damp buds that are more suscepti-

A proper cure results in less bud degradation, better cared-for cannabinoids, and more robust flavor profiles.

ble to mold, while low humidity levels create dried-out flower lacking in taste and smell. On the other hand, the wrong temperature can mess with the humidity levels, and too much light might damage your cannabinoids.

For these reasons, you can never be too careful when it comes to making sure your cure space is as close to perfect as you can swing it.

Curing Room Challenge:

Ensuring you have enough space

Air circulation is vital for curing. Since most dark, cool spaces usually don’t have the best ventilation systems, ensure you have enough space to spread your buds out so they’re evenly exposed to the elements of your curing environment.

Depending on your space, you might need to bring in some reinforcements, like an arsenal of fans or an HVAC system. Just be careful not to position the airflow too closely to the plants, or you might have an over-dry yield.

Curing Room Challenge:

Allocating enough labor for the process

Curing cannabis comes with a ton of benefits, but it also takes a reasonable amount of time to complete, which means it will require more labor from your staff.

This might not be feasible if you’re a small business with a tight budget. However, if you can allocate the time and resources, it’s worth it to pour whatever you can into the curing process, as it will result in a better product for your brand in the long run.

Curing Room Challenge:

Finding the best storage options for after

Once you’ve completed the cure, you aren’t clear yet. Now, it’s time to focus on sustaining the product you’ve worked so hard to optimize, and that can only be accomplished with practical storage solutions.

Most retailers rely on product transportation from cultivators to their shelves. Unfortunately, that travel time means your product is vulnerable to degradation if it isn’t thoroughly protected from the elements. That’s why it’s critical to utilize storage solutions engineered for cannabis to preserve humidity levels, protect from damaging lighting, and guard your product’s flavor, taste, and efficacy. 3

BIO Jack Grover is the founder and CEO of Grove Bags, a provider of cannabis packaging specifically tailored for the unique physiology of the plant to create the perfect climate for cannabis preservation. After graduating from Babson College, Jack was inspired by his brother Charlie’s battle with cerebral palsy to enter the cannabis industry and create packaging that preserves the plant at its highest quality. Fast forward from March 2016, the company, Grove Bags, continues its commitment to manufacturing its packaging solutions in the United States for the global cannabis market and has gained industry-wide praise for its proprietary TerpLoc technology.

BY JENNIFER COLE

For this group, planting tiny urban forests is a profoundly personal experience that reaffirms our union with the natural world.

Hope Little Forests

The Garden City Conservation Society (GCCS) is an ambitious bunch. While most organizations might be satisfied with planning the planting and creation of one urban forest, the GCCS has been involved with five tiny Miyawaki forests throughout the City of Richmond, B.C. [1]. Part of the inspiration for the projects is habitat loss in Richmond caused by land development and the overhauling of giant trees and bogs.

“We’ve lost three billion birds in North America since the 1970s,” says Sharon MacGougan, President of the GCCS [2]. “For us, it’s not just about building a garden but how we can, as a community, get busy and start restoring biodiversity.”

Hubs of Biodiversity

Initially developed by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, these small forests (often only 100 square meters) are denser than traditional forests. They are perfect for urban parks or small spaces like school grounds. It is not uncommon for a Miyawaki forest to contain as many as 300 native plants (shrubs, trees and perennials). A typical forest can take 200-300 years to achieve maturity, whereas a Miyawaki forest takes 25 to 30 years. It’s the density of the planting that makes this possible. Closely packed together, the only light the plants receive filters through the upper canopy of the trees, encouraging quick upward and steady growth [3]

What these spaces lack in size, they make up for with their service to the ecosystem. They support up to 20 times more species, including pollinators and amphibians, than non-native managed forests [4] They can absorb carbon, reduce the harmful effects of urban pollution, and improve soil structure, aiding in reducing urban flooding. In the era of climate change, when summers are increasingly getting hotter, they act as cooling stations, offsetting the heat absorbed through city concrete and asphalt [5]

Miyawaki Challenges

Inspired by an article in The Guardian newspaper, “Fast-growing mini-forests spring up in Europe to aid climate,” the group’s enthusiasm for planting a Miyawaki forest in Richmond was immediate [6] However, the idea took off only after MacGougan met Jay Peachy, a conservation artist, in 2021. He was working with Richmond Senior Secondary (RSS) then and shared the idea with the school’s staff, who embraced it. Meetings ensued, and in April 2022, the first Miyawaki forest in western Canada started to take root. But it was a challenging process. The GCCS is a volunteer organization, and it was a battle doing it all themselves.

They sourced native plants from far and wide and even hired an excavator. Working in an urban setting is complex, so they had to hire an expert to map out utility lines before digging. Despite all these details, MacGougan is happy they took on the challenge of the first forest themselves. When they finished, the forest served as an example for the other projects regarding what could be accomplished in such a small space.

A

typical forest can take 200-300 years to achieve maturity, whereas a Miyawaki forest takes 25 to 30 years

The City of Richmond was also inspired by the work of the GCCS, which has become a cherished partner in the endeavor for the following forests, taking on much of the excavating and heavy lifting the group initially found challenging [6]

These plants were installed at Miyawaki #4 at Garden City Park in Richmond, March 2023

Photo: Garden City Conservation Society.

Want firmer, HEAVIER & more compact flowers?

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They can absorb carbon, reduce the harmful effects of urban pollution, and improve soil structure, aiding in reducing urban flooding. In the era of climate change, when summers are increasingly getting hotter, they act as cooling stations, offsetting the heat absorbed through city concrete and asphalt

In 2023, the first Miyawaki forest in a public park in Canada became a reality. Because it is on public land, MacGougan believes there is a good chance it won’t even be uprooted and developed and will remain of value to the ecosystem in perpetuity.

Inspiring Action

With spaces like these popping up everywhere, there certainly is reason for hope

“There is a lot of bad news about the environment and climate,” MacGougan says. “People can feel a sense of hopelessness. [Planting these forests] is something they can do and feel good about.”

For one planting, 120 volunteers showed up to help, MacGougan recalls. It doesn’t take much of a person’s time to plant a Miyawaki forest, which is part of the appeal. If the ground is prepared and the plants are available, it can take less than an hour to finish. The impact of that short amount of time is enormous.

Believing that putting hands in the dirt is empowering and creates a connection to nature, the GCCS shows volunteers how to massage and prepare the roots of the plants before placing them into the ground. Soon, all their work will be proven successful by science. MacGougan is excited that Birds Canada is conducting a one-year study to determine how many birds are attracted to these spaces.

Still, the research will only confirm what she already knows. These are unique places where the natural and human worlds connect.

The GCCS is a conservation society and often struggles to find people to support its environmental causes. However, MacGougan has been pleasantly surprised by the response to Richmond’s “Little Forests of Hope,” as she has dubbed them. With spaces like these popping up everywhere, there certainly is reason for hope. 3

Footnotes:

1. Garden City Conservation Society – Stewarding Richmond’s Natural Legacy (gardencityconservation.ca)

2. Nearly 3 Billion Birds Gone | Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back)

3. The Miyawaki Method: An Introduction - Global Tree Initiative (plantgrowsave.org/the-miyawaki-method-an-introduction)

4. This is how tiny urban forests can boost biodiversity | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

5. (PDF) Urban green spaces and their impact on environmental health: A Global Review (researchgate.net)

6. Fast-growing mini-forests spring up in Europe to aid climate | Trees and forests | The Guardian (theguardian.com)

Photo: Garden City Conservation Society.

Miyawaki #2, Terra Nova Rural Park, Richmond. Earth Day, April 2023

No More! No More!

Following an aphid infestation of epic proportions, our friend Adam Clarke is back with an update. Did he finally get rid of the little bastards? How did he do it? To read his original article first, check out F*ck, I Hate Aphids! in the Organic & Regenerative Issue of Garden Culture Magazine.

FGCMAG.co/US55

or those who don’t remember, we had an aphid problem; when I say problem, I mean 100,000 aphids or more in our greenhouse. The issue came when one of the workers with less experience managed the greenhouse and failed to check for the bugs. We run a 12-month-a-year greenhouse with full lights and heating, so we don’t get a natural freeze cycle to kill off our aphids. As winter kept going, the aphid problem just kept getting worse.

We tried implementing procedures to kill the aphids or remove the worst plants. While it did help, the simplest solution was to kill all the plants and start again with a clean space. Of course, killing all the plants didn’t entirely obliterate the aphids. Those little guys are everywhere and manage to live and last longer than anticipated. The most significant step in guaranteeing you don’t get aphids again is ensuring you have killed off your ant problem. Ants are always my first sign that aphids are about to overrun my grow. If you see ants, treat that problem first.

After the mass removal of plants from the greenhouse, the remaining aphids started fighting back. We used three methods to keep the aphids at bay and prevent them from spreading.

1. We used “Bioceres” from Anatis, a fungus that the aphids like to eat. The aphids die after consuming, which is a great way to help mitigate the aphid population. Be warned that you need to keep applying and apply often. If you stop too soon, you will have wasted your efforts.

2. The second method is applying peppermint castile soap using a misting bottle. We mist our plants a couple of times a week when we have pest problems and add a few drops of soap to the bottle. The soap can encapsulate the aphids and eventually kill them off. The peppermint in the soap also acts as a deterrent to pests.

3. The third and final step to keeping the aphids out is to populate the greenhouse with ladybugs! We found that ladybugs do a great job managing the pests, create a little ecosystem, and are self-sustaining. We haven’t bought bugs in a while and are still aphid-free.

the simplest solution was to kill all the plants and start again with a clean space.

for a freeze. If you see ants, get them killed ASAP. After all this and figuring it out, I still f*cking hate aphids.

BIO

cultivation and processing facilities over the last seven years with Stratus. His projects involve outdoor cultivation, indoor cultivation, drying, processing, extraction, storage, bottling and packaging, and more. Living on a hobby farm, Adam loves all plants, including flowers, vegetables, and microgreens, but is most passionate about hemp and is in awe of the fast-growing plant and all of the benefits it offers to humans and the environment alike.

Powdery Mildew

A Quick Guide To Sanity

PM is a subtle intruder that quickly spreads throughout your entire garden

PM isn’t a single pathogen. We’re facing a host of fungal culprits—Golovinomyces, Erysiphe, and Podosphaera are some of the most common genera

Check the online growers’ forums, and you’ll see that powdery mildew (PM) is often driving indoor growers crazy. A faint, powdery white coating that’s typically first visible on fan leaves—PM is a subtle intruder that quickly spreads throughout your entire garden. The repercussions are significant, from diminished yields to compromised plant health, particularly for indoor growers cultivating intensively, such as cannabis and microgreens.

What Is PM?

PM isn’t a single pathogen. We’re facing a host of fungal culprits— Golovinomyces, Erysiphe, and Podosphaera are some of the most common genera. These fungi share a hallmark: powdery, white growth on plant surfaces. Despite their superficial appearance, PM infections can reduce photosynthesis, drain nutrients, and, if left unchecked, destroy crops.

One common misconception is that PM is purely a surface problem. While many PM species, such as Golovinomyces cichoracearum, remain epiphytic (surface-only), some can penetrate plant tissues to extract nutrients. However, the systemic infections often mentioned are rare and speciesspecific. Overgeneralizing can lead to confusion when diagnosing and managing this disease.

Why and When Does PM Strike?

PM spores are always lurking—airborne, on tools, in soil, or hitching a ride on your clothes. But they only get a foothold when environmental conditions are favorable. Moderate temperatures (60–80°F or 15–27°C) and high humidity (50–80%) create the perfect storm. Even more problematic is fluctuating humidity. For example, low humidity may desiccate leaf margins, while subsequent high humidity allows spores to germinate and spread.

Stress is another critical factor. Overfertilization, particularly with nitrogen-heavy formulations, can make plants more vulnerable. Why? Excess nitrogen encourages soft, lush growth that’s easy for PM to colonize. Similarly, overcrowded plantings and poor airflow create stagnant microclimates where spores flourish.

Mother plants face unique risks. Long vegetative cycles, regular wounding from cuttings, and prolonged exposure to pathogens make them prime PM targets. Once infected, they can act as reservoirs, spreading spores to every clone and the following generation.

Spotting PM Early

PM often masquerades as other problems, like nutrient deficiencies, pest damage, or foliar spray residues. Early signs include:

• Small, white patches on leaves or stems.

• Yellowing or curling leaves as the infection progresses.

• A faint dusty appearance that wipes off easily (but returns quickly).

Symptoms may be subtle for crops like microgreens. Growers handling fast, dense plantings—like basil or cilantro—should pay close attention to early-stage discoloration or unusual growth patterns.

Crops at Risk

Certain plants are particularly vulnerable. Cannabis mother plants are highly susceptible. Because they’re grown so densely, microgreens can fall foul, especially if grown to baby leaf stage— cilantro and basil growers pay attention! Other susceptible crops include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce.

Some growers swear by milk sprays, baking soda solutions, or garlic-based treatments. While these can temporarily suppress PM, they’re no substitute for a comprehensive strategy

Prevention Strategies:

Building an Anti-PM Environment

The best way to deal with PM is to prevent it entirely. Here’s how:

Environmental Management

• Humidity Control:

Keep relative humidity stable and within crop-specific thresholds. While 40–50% is ideal for cannabis, leafy greens often require higher humidity. Use hygrometers and automated controls to avoid fluctuations.

• Air Circulation:

Ensure consistent airflow with oscillating fans. Proper pruning and defoliation help eliminate dense areas where PM can hide. Avoid overcrowding plants, especially in propagation areas.

• Temperature Stability:

Maintain moderate temperatures and avoid sudden fluctuations that can stress plants.

Hygiene and Sanitation

• Disinfect Tools and Surfaces:

After each use, sterilize tools, pots, and propagation trays with a bleach solution or hydrogen peroxide. Don’t forget HVAC systems—clean filters and ducts regularly.

• Quarantine New Plants:

Even if a supplier appears reputable, isolate new arrivals for two weeks and inspect them thoroughly.

Resistant Varieties

Breeding for resistance is one of the most promising tools against PM. Look for resistant cultivars, particularly in cucumbers, tomatoes, and cannabis. Resistant strains won’t prevent infections entirely but can slow the spread and reduce damage.

Preventative Treatments

Sulfur Sprays:

Effective during early vegetative growth, but avoid using sulfur during flowering due to its impact on flavor and safety.

Potassium

Bicarbonate:

overcrowded

plantings and poor airflow create stagnant microclimates where spores flourish

You’ve Spotted PM: What Now?

If PM does take hold, quick and decisive action is essential:

Isolate Infected Plants:

Move infected plants away from healthy ones to contain the outbreak.

Prune Affected Areas:

Remove infected leaves and stems, bagging and discarding them far from your grow space. Never compost PM-infected material.

Apply Targeted Treatments:

Neem oil or biological fungicides can help suppress surface infections. However, avoid excessive reliance on fungicides— they don’t cure PM and can only slow its progression.

Environmental Adjustments:

Lower humidity and increase airflow to create an inhospitable environment for spores.

PM can sneak up on even the most vigilant growers. Regular inspections, proactive environmental management, and cleanliness are critical

Natural Remedies: Myth vs. Reality

Some growers swear by milk sprays, baking soda solutions, or garlic-based treatments. While these can temporarily suppress PM, they’re no substitute for a comprehensive strategy. Use them as a stopgap measure, not a primary solution.

Biocontrol Allies: Nature’s Fungal Defense

Beneficial microbes like Trichoderma and Ampelomyces quisqualis are excellent tools for managing PM. Trichoderma competes with pathogens, strengthens root systems, and boosts plant health. Meanwhile, A. quisqualis is a hyperparasite that targets PM specifically, feeding on its spores and reducing its spread.

Dos and Don’ts for PM Management

Don’t:

• Take cuttings from infected plants.

• Overfertilize with nitrogen-rich formulations.

• Ignore airflow and plant spacing.

• Assume fungicides can eliminate systemic infections.

Do:

• Inspect plants daily for early signs of PM.

• Sterilize tools, grow spaces, and HVAC systems regularly.

• Rotate mother plants frequently to reduce long-term risks.

• Use resistant cultivars and biocontrols as part of your integrated pest management (IPM) strategy.

Winning the Fight Against PM

PM can sneak up on even the most vigilant growers. Regular inspections, proactive environmental management, and cleanliness are critical. By understanding its systemic risks and adopting meticulous practices, growers can effectively manage and overcome this common challenge. 3

Plant-Care is Self-Care!

The month of love is upon us, and while many like to get cozy with someone special, others are getting up close and personal with their plants! And why not? Studies continue to show that spending time in a garden boosts mental health and overall well-being.

Think about it; our relationships with our gardens are similar to those with people. In this edition, Everest Fernandez writes about how selecting clones is much like using a dating app. In another article, Xavi Kief compares successful crop selection and plant rearing to dating and making new friends. There is so much we can learn about our relationships with ourselves and others through plants, a concept explored by Kamili Bell Hill in her book Happy Plants, Happy You. This book crosses between a self-help or self-care book and a growing guide. Bell Hill focuses on houseplants, but the same rules apply to any garden you grow, whether indoors or outdoors, edible, ornamental, or edimental! Plants can help us in more ways than we can imagine; here’s how Bell Hill says caring for them can lead to self-worth and love!

Establishing a daily routine of walking through your garden and observing your plants is a ritual that’s also good for the soul.

Plant-Care = Self-Care

Establishing a daily routine of walking through your garden and observing your plants is a ritual that’s also good for the soul. While you check for new growth, moisture levels, and potential issues, Bell Hill recommends connecting with yourself to see how you feel mentally and physically. Time with your garden is time spent away from errands and emails. Press pause and nurture yourself by leaning into this wonderful hobby! As your plants grow, you will too.

Water Yourself

Bell Hill breaks down one of the simplest things we can do to improve our mental and physical health: drink plenty of water! Plants need water to survive, and so do you! Studies show that our brain function improves when we drink fluids daily. Toxins are flushed from our bodies, and our overall physical well-being is boosted. Picture a thirsty, drooping plant; people are droopy, too, when they’re not caring for themselves properly. Feeling good in your skin and mental clarity are crucial to self-love, so grab a watering can …er, we mean water bottle… and hydrate!

The Art of Letting Go

Moving on from toxic relationships is crucial to our overall well-being. Bell Hill writes that plants can remind us of valuable lessons, many of which we carry to our relationships with others. Do you have a high-maintenance plant that never seems happy? Let it go. What about any crops that seem to take but never reciprocate? Cut them loose; it’s so over. Accepting that you won’t always find a perfect match in the garden is practical for how you look at relationships, too!

There is so much we can learn about our relationships with ourselves and others through plants

Build Community

One of the secrets to longevity in the Blue Zones is a sense of community and connection with others. Join community gardens or online discussions with other growers; connecting with others will help you feel valued and contribute to your self-care routine! 3

For more good gardening and self-care advice, grab a copy of Happy Plants, Happy You: A PlantCare & Self-Care Guide for the Modern Houseplant Parent by Kamili Bell Hill (@plantblerd ).

BY HALEY NAGASAKI

Professional POV IPM

Alexandre Gauthier is an award-winning cannabis cultivator from Montreal. He started growing cannabis as a teen in the 2000s, lived in Europe for a chunk of those formative years, and began working as the Master Grower for Origine Nature in 2020.

He quickly moved up to Director of Cultivation, and in 2022, Alex became the Vice President of Research, Development and Solutions Engineering for the Licensed Producer (LP). He is a world-renowned cannabis expert and well-respected in the community. Here’s his take on Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

GC: What systems do you have in place for IPM at Origine Nature?

AG: An outbreak, whether it’s pests or mold, will cause financial repercussions, can damage the brand and the supply, and have long-lasting effects.

Our IPM strategy is zero tolerance. We’re a full indoor facility –we are not a greenhouse, we’re not outdoor. So that helps a lot with mitigating the risk. The goal is simply not to introduce anything to where we’re cultivating. Our main strategy is basically perfect training and SOPs for every team member who [enters] the production zone.

Anybody that goes into Origine, especially full-time team members, changes their shoes. When you’re about to go into the production zone, you change shoes again and into gowning. Creating a first strong firewall, which is the training and making sure nothing is introduced within the facility, makes a solid foundation for not having any outbreak.

GC: How do you monitor for pests, and what is the role of scouting?

AG: Any valuable asset should at least be protected by three firewall levels. The first firewall would be what I just explained. The second firewall is preventative measures, where we introduce natural predator insects to the facility.

We do not use pesticides. We’re growing indoors; we’re supposed to be in control.

We do not use pesticides. We’re growing indoors; we’re supposed to be in control. If you’re using pesticides on your plant for infestation, it’s because your first layer of the firewall doesn’t work. Also, you need to be very careful. You need to understand the life cycle of the insects that you’re introducing. Finally, the third firewall is scouting.

Scouting is not only for IPM, but also for the overall plant health and the good maintenance of the room. You need somebody scouting those rooms every day. There are also key indicators, like using yellow sticky traps to see if insects are there.

GC: What is your most valuable lesson learned?

AC: Knock on wood, we actually only had one insect outbreak ever. During licensing, there is the introduction moment where people bring in genetics, and it’s when genetics were brought into Origine that they were contaminated.

We did not have a strong enough protocol to quarantine incoming plants, and we learned a lot from that. Any form of plant that we get goes through an extensive two-to-four-week quarantine, no matter what. We segregate them, load them with natural predators, and we take samples and send them for analysis. Once the plant is cleared of everything, then it can be introduced to our mothers.

Q&A with Alexandre Gauthier

GC: What are the other most common mistakes that you’ve seen in other operations?

AG: Oh, the first firewall, systematically. People completely underestimate how contaminants can come in, how important sanitation is, how important cross-contamination SOPs are, and the overall workflow.

GC: As a home grower, what are some of the controls you can implement for IPM?

AG: The biggest problem is people’s excitement. People want to go check their plants every two minutes, and they ignore the cross-contamination protocol. So, you go outdoors to have your coffee in the garden, even if you have your shoes on, whatever is on your ankles, your jeans, can be introduced to the room. Cats, dogs, unfortunately, if you have pets and you let them roam in the grow room, it’s going to be very hard to prevent bugs from entering at some point. You can establish a natural predator defense, but any form of spray will kill the natural defenses that you created. There’s an equilibrium.

There are times of the year with a lot less risk (Winter). Also, trap plants are a very good idea! 3

Our IPM strategy is zero tolerance. We’re a full indoor facility – we are not a greenhouse, we’re not outdoor. So that helps a lot with mitigating the risk. The goal is simply not to introduce anything to where we’re cultivating.

BIO Haley Nagasaki is a legacy plant medicine journalist and former B2B magazine editor in the Canadian cannabis sector. While she has spent the last three years highlighting the industry’s technical, regulatory, and financial sides, her horticultural interest is rooted in personal gardening and home-growing experiences. Haley explores the intersection of regenerative agriculture and community building, using nature’s tools to support collective well-being and consciousness expansion.

BY JENNIFER COLE

Meet the Ecotypes:

Elevating the Native Plant Conversation

She’s called the Seed Huntress and is on a mission to restore the heirloom of the pollinator.

Sefra Alexandra

When Sefra Alexandra, aka the Seed Huntress, talks about restoring the “heirloom of the pollinator,” she’s referring to the plants pollinators like bees, moths, wasps, and butterflies fertilize through their natural activities. But not just any plants – the Seed Huntress is interested in those sub-species of native plants that have developed to meet the needs of their particular environment, such as soil conditions, weather extremes, and the rhythm of the nature around them, including pollinators. They are native plants on an overdrive that science calls ecotypes [1]

They are native plants on an overdrive that science calls ecotypes

“Ecotypes are genetically distinct populations of plants, animals, and organisms found in a particular habitat that has specific adaptations to the local environment,” Alexandra explains.

Unfortunately, roadways, manicured lawns, natural disasters, and climate change have increasingly removed ecotypic plants from the landscape and deprived pollinators of food and nesting sites.

For the past six years, Alexandra, co-founder of the Connecticut-based Ecotype Project, has worked to change this by building and mentoring a community of scientists, farmers, and landowners throughout Ecoregion 59 in the Northeast United States. Their mandate is to collect the seeds from native, hyperlocal plants [2][3]

Along with Dina Brewster, co-founder of the organization, they have come to understand that reduced pollinator populations may be a seed problem caused by the lack of ecotypical plant material along pollinator pathways.

There can be no underestimating the importance of ecotypic plants to the landscape, as the story of the milkweed and endangered monarch butterfly illustrates. Milkweed is found throughout North America, growing by the side of the road, wildflower meadows, and gardens. It is the only plant on which the monarch will lay its eggs, making it critically important for the insect’s survival. Milkweed ecotypes in the natural environment have evolved to bloom in sync with the butterflies’ annual migration from Canada to California and Mexico and back again [4] .

If milkweed that is non-indigenous to a particular area finds its way onto the landscape via a commercial seed packet or seedlings from a nursery, the plant will be off-kilter with its surroundings. This situation can have dire consequences. It may bloom too early before the butterflies arrive or too late, disrupting the insects’ migration and breeding patterns.

As the “Seed Huntress,” Alexandra is excited that the work of the Ecotype Project aligns with the United States National Seed Strategy managed by the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and its goal to preserve seeds for ecological restoration as a response to mounting ecological disturbances, including wildfires, habitat destruction, and the impacts of climate change [5]

“Before the National Seed Strategy, there was no backup of ecotypical material,” she explains. Now, seed networks across the US are being formed to preserve local seeds.

Creating a Template

The seed-collecting and propagation model developed by the Ecotype Project is designed to be a template for other seedcollecting and native plant groups throughout the northeast corner of the US and beyond.

After the Ecotype Project volunteers hike through meadows, woodlands, and marshes to collect seeds, the seeds are cleaned, dried, and planted in “founder plots” on regional organic farms. When the seeds ripen, they are collected and distributed.

After the Ecotype Project volunteers hike through meadows, woodlands, and marshes to collect seeds, the seeds are cleaned, dried, and planted in “founder plots” on regional organic farms

Some go to farmers to plant pollinator habitats, others to gardeners and conservation groups. Some seeds are replanted in the areas where they were initially collected or go to local nurseries that grow them into saleable plants.

The results are incredible once the right plant has found its proper place.

“It’s as if the insect life has been waiting in the wasteland of the lawn and degraded landscapes,” Alexandra says.

Once the plants they require for nectar grow, pollinators come in droves. Only a few plants can have the desired effect. For example, a couple of ecotypic milkweed plants by a mailbox is enough to connect pollinator pathways.

A Seat for Everyone

How do home gardeners find ecotypic plants? It’s not always easy, explains Tyler Refsland, the manager of applied ecology for the non-profit organization Wild Seed Project in Maine [6] . Often, native plants available in garden centers were propagated thousands of miles away and haven’t evolved through successive generations of open pollination to the characteristics of the landscape they are transplanted into.

Agreeing that the ideal is to have ecotypes, Refsland offers a caveat. He suggests taking a broad approach. For example, a plant for a garden in Maine that comes from Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, where similar soil and climate conditions exist, still has ecological service for pollinators. Refsland recommends avoiding cultivars or nativar plants propagated from tissue, not seed, that are genetically altered to have bigger blooms or sweeter aromas. These plants look beautiful but have not evolved naturally. Therefore, they lack genetic diversity and often have no resilience to withstand local environmental stresses.

Alexandra suggests asking local garden centers and big box nurseries if they carry ecotypic plants and seeds. If more people ask the question, the nursery will likely want to meet the demand

To encourage the spread and restoration of ecotypic seeds and plants, the Wild Seed Project is building a first-of-its-kind Native Seed Center at Maine’s Cape Elizabeth Land Trust’s Turkey Hill Farm. Plants will grow among nature in living seed banks scattered throughout woodlands, marshes, and meadows. This gives them their best shot at evolving and adapting to a rapidly changing and unpredictable climate. The urgency of the situation encourages this model for ecotypes.

NatureServe, a network of governmental and non-governmental conservation professionals in the United States and Canada, reports that in 2023, 34% of plants and 40% of animals were at risk of extinction in the United States [7]

Alexandra suggests asking local garden centers and big box nurseries if they carry ecotypic plants and seeds. If more people ask the question, the nursery will likely want to meet the demand.

“We all have a role to play as caretakers and stewards and have a seat at the table of ecological restoration,” the Seed Huntress says. 3

Footnotes:

1. Tech Note: What are Plant Ecotypes (nrcs.usda.gov)

2. Home | The Ecotype Project (ecotypeproject.org)

3. Ecoregions of North America | US EPA (epa.gov)

4. Monarch Butterfly Habitat Needs (fs.usda.gov)

5. National Seed Strategy | Bureau of Land Management (blm.org)

6. Wild Seed Project (wildseedproject.net)

7. Over One-third of Biodiversity in the United States is at Risk of Disappearing | NatureServe (natureserve.org)

Most Common The 5

Have you grown more mold than mushrooms? More flies than fungi? Is your mycelium misbehaving? Or perhaps it never started growing in the first place?

Mushroom growers get to know these problems well, and many give up after wasting lots of time and money on failed grows. Many wannabe mycologists tell me they haven’t even bothered trying for fear of contamination, insects, or other growing fails.

Worry not, mushroom lover. I’m here to help you find success in your grows!

Edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation can be a very fruitful hobby – or even business, for those who’ve done their market research. Once the correct conditions are dialed in and growers know the warning signs to look for, they can enjoy some tasty rewards.

While both beginners and pros face problems occasionally, this article will give you the best tools to avoid the common issues mushroom growers face – and tell you exactly what to do if they come your way.

This article is primarily concerned with container growing, but some advice will also apply to outdoor log-inoculation.

1. Contamination

Every mushroom grower will have encountered Trichoderma mold at some point on their journey (it’s the green stuff you’ll find on that forgotten loaf of bread). A rainbow of other molds are floating around, and bacterial contamination is common. While contaminated media often can’t be ‘fixed’, there are many ways to avoid it in the first place.

Mushrooms grow in wet and warm conditions – like mold (a type of fungi) and bacteria. Many mushroom-growing mediums are nutritious and sterile – which means an open house to any spores or bacteria that happen to be passing by. With up to 10,000 spores in every cubic meter of air, it’s unsurprising that there’s a bit of competition around.

Wash your hands, sanitize tools, and work in as clean an environment as possible.

Signs of Contamination

• Green, black, red (or pretty much any color that isn’t white) patches on grain, substrate or mycelium. This is mold. More rarely, you will find cobweb mold that looks like a greyish cloud on the surface of a growing medium.

• Sludgy and uncolonized patches on grain or substrate. This is bacterial contamination.

• A sour and unpleasant odor.

What isn’t Contamination?

• Mushroom metabolites can look like drops of urine (that’s kind of what it is) on the surface of a substrate or spawn bag. This is a natural byproduct of the mushroom’s metabolic process and is perfectly fine.

• White cobwebby structures within a substrate are mycelium, which is commonly confused with cobweb mold (which is greyer and grows on top of a substrate).

How to Avoid

Do mushroom ‘work’ in clean conditions

This is especially important in the early stages of mushroom growth when using sterile grain, sub strates and cultures. Wash your hands, sanitize tools, and work in as clean an environment as pos sible. Professional growers often use HEPA air filters to do this – but you can achieve pretty good sterility inside a homemade ‘Still-Air-Box’.

Mushroom-Growing problems

Avoid Them

Check how to make a Still-AirBox in our “Grow with the Flow” edition!

Keep your growing space clean and well-controlled

Choose a growing area that isn’t prone to mold. Clean your growing space regularly. If you’re using a closed growing environment like a fruiting chamber, consider carbon filters for the in-flow of air.

Use high-quality spawn and cultures

Contamination when growing indoors often stems from poorly produced grain spawn (or whatever else you’re using to make mushroom ‘seeds’). Use sterile grain from reputable suppliers if you’re buying it, or autoclave for enough time and at a high enough pressure if you’re making your own.

Similarly, it is difficult to tell if a liquid culture or spore syringe is contaminated before use. This is another thing to get from reputable vendors or make for yourself. If you use agar, it’s always a good idea to test a culture or grow some spores on a Petri dish before using it on lots of expensive grain.

Get conditions right

Growing temperatures that are too high can encourage contamination, as can overly wet substrate or grain. Check the needs of the species you are growing and try to get things just right.

What to Do if you Get Contamination

If you find contamination inside a container, you will likely need to throw away your grow, wash your equipment well, and start again. If you catch mold contamination early on, it is possible to kill off spores by spraying the area with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. I have had limited success with this approach.

If you have other growing containers, it is essential to isolate any contaminated substrates as soon as you catch them so they do not spread. Do not open contaminated containers inside your growing environment!

Do not open contaminated containers inside your growing environment!

2. Slow Colonization or ‘Stalled’ Grows

The second most regular cause of heartbreak for hopeful growers. They’ve bought all the right equipment, followed their instructions and built a Breaking Bad-level laboratory to avoid contamination. Then, the weeks go by, and very little happens. Perhaps they see a little mycelium growing, or none at all. Some see a positive start, and then everything… stops. This can be devastating after all the effort of getting a grow on.

How to Avoid

Colonize in optimal and consistent temperatures

Mushrooms have specific environmental requirements to grow well, including temperature, humidity, light, and airflow. At the colonization stage, temperature is often the variable people don’t get right. Many growers with ‘stalling’ issues have containers in areas with too low or fluctuating temperatures, which can inhibit growth and stress the mycelium, destroying a potentially beautiful crop of mushrooms.

If you live in colder areas, an inexpensive greenhouse heater and temperature controller (I use an ‘Inkbird’) is likely to up your growing game and minimize ‘stalling’. Check the optimum growing temperature for the species you are cultivating and just dial it in.

A word of warning about lizard heat mats, which many use directly under mushroom-growing containers: these can burn or dry out the areas they touch. A good rule is to heat your growing space, not the container itself, so I am a fan of the greenhouse heater approach. If you intend to use a heat mat, put spacers between it and your growing containers.

Keep colonizing spawn and substrates in ‘underground’ conditions

Avoid bringing your colonizing containers into the light more than you need to. This is difficult when you want to compulsively check on your mycelium babies (I’ve been there), but it can confuse the fungus about its growth stage. Keep containers closed to avoid changes in climate, and check through the sides of the container every five days or so before returning it to its underground home.

GCMAG.co/US58

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WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN USING MIICROBIAL MASS PRO?

• EARLY ROOTING: Significantly improves root initiation, early-stage root growth, and clone vigor

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Make sure your mycelium has access to a small amount of air. This can be through the cracks in a tub or filter patches on a mushroom-growing bag. Mycelium must breathe a small amount – even when ‘underground’ - or it will suffocate.

What to Do if You Get Slow or Stalled Grows

Do your research about the specific species you are growing and dial in the optimal conditions for them ASAP. Then sit back and cross your fingers that you’re not too late. If you notice sludgy, uncolonized patches forming on your grain or substrate, this is likely to be bacterial contamination. This happens regularly when things have been sitting uncolonized for some time. Remove the container from your growing space, bin the contents, pray to the mushroom gods and get ready to start again.

3. Low (or No) Mushroom Yields

You’ve avoided contamination and nurtured your vibrant white block of mycelium into the world. Now it’s time to birth it and harvest the many fruits, right?

For some, the promised mushrooms just don’t start growing at this stage, and others get much less than expected.

How to Avoid

Simulate consistent fruiting conditions

Most mushrooms need high humidity and fresh air exchange to grow well at the fruiting stage. You can achieve this by wafting the substrate regularly with a book and spraying the inside of your container with a water mister. Optimizing light and humidity (using automated fogger units and daylight-level LEDs) is optional but will give you more consistency in your grows.

Check the right fruiting conditions for the species of mushroom you are growing

Some mushrooms need slightly different air exchange or humidity to grow well. Certain species need more time than others to start fruiting. Some also need a ‘casing layer’ (usually vermiculite) on top of the substrate to fruit well.

Individual species have their quirks, so it’s worth doing your research. For example, king oyster mushroom mycelium can benefit from a night in the fridge to trigger mushroom growth, while some shiitake growers drop their blocks to simulate a tree falling in the forest and stimulate fruiting!

Choose the right substrate

Use a substrate that matches your mushroom species. For example, hardwood sawdust is ideal for shiitake, while straw works well for oyster mushrooms. Add supplements like bran or gypsum to boost nutrients, but be cautious, as over-supplementation can lead to contamination.

Hydrate correctly

Ensure the substrate has the right water content, often called “field capacity.” Squeeze the substrate; if only a few drops of water come out, it has a good moisture level.

“Perhaps your mushrooms don’t look right – squishy, malformed, furry or too long.”

4. Poor-quality mushrooms

Perhaps your mushrooms don’t look right – squishy, malformed, furry or too long. Often, this doesn’t mean they’re inedible (although I would ditch the squishy ones as these likely died a while ago). Still, it’s satisfying to grow something beautiful.

Low-potency crops are a more pressing issue for many growers. This can be due to genetics, but often, it is due to improper processing after harvest.

How to avoid

Ensure correct fruiting conditions

Furry-bottomed mushrooms often lack consistent airflow. Similarly, ‘leggy’ oyster mushrooms crave more fresh air exchange. Lots of ‘aborts’ (small, squishy, dead mushrooms) are sometimes a sign of stagnant moisture on the mushrooms, which could also be due to poor air exchange.

Check your Genetics

‘Mutant’ or other low-quality mushrooms can be caused by bad genetics. Get your mushroom cultures from a reputable supplier. Try to get liquid cultures if you can, as strong genetics will (hopefully) have already been selected. Spore syringes can give more random results.

Harvest and process mushrooms well

The best moment to pick many mushrooms is when the ‘veil’ breaks between the stem and the cap. With oyster mushrooms, it is when the cap opens but before it goes concave. Check out the best time to harvest the variety you are growing.

Consuming or processing mushrooms as soon as possible after harvest is essential to retain potency. For long-term storage, I recommend dehydrating at 70°C until cracker-dry, then storing them in an airtight container with silica gel sachets as an extra precaution. Keep them in the dark—or store your dried mushrooms in the freezer if you’re keen.

I have had a few full-on infestations in my home, and I’m not going to sugar-coat it - it’s pretty disgusting

5. Fungus Gnats

Many mushroom growers will be too familiar with the ‘fungus gnat’ – a fly that loves mushroom substrate and other wet soil. Once they get into a growing environment, they multiply very quickly, and their tiny, winged bodies can travel easily between growing containers and house plants. I have had a few full-on infestations in my home, and I’m not going to sugar-coat it - it’s pretty disgusting.

The upside is that fungus gnats don’t seem very interested in mushrooms themselves, so if you can bear them or keep them at bay until harvest day, you’ll still get some food for your dinner.

How to Avoid

Keep your growing space clean

Bits of nutritious debris can attract fungus gnats and other flies. Minimize these as much as possible. If growing at home, keep your living space as clean as possible, especially during warmer months.

You can check out Alex’s latest online course, ‘Growing Mushrooms on Pre-Cooked Rice’ here: GCMAG.co/GYOM

Seal entry points

A separate grow room or contained space like a fruiting chamber can give you some control over what goes in, especially if you use

Set up traps

Sticky fly traps can work as a preventative measure – and to reduce populations if you start getting an infestation.

What to Do if You Get an Infestation

Take infested containers out of your grow room and consider sealing off cracks in other containers so rogue gnats can’t get in and lay their eggs.

One trick that works well for house plants (and reportedly for some mushroom containers, too) is introducing scariad nematodes. You can add the eggs of these microscopic worms into the water and soak the growing medium in it. Over a few weeks, this can kill off the flies and their eggs – if you can hang on for that long. 3

Alex loves empowering people to grow their own food and medicine. He has taught over 6,000 students worldwide to cultivate mushrooms at home. Stay tuned for more specific guides from Alex in future issues of Garden Culture Magazine. Follow on Instagram: @fungi_tribe 3

visit www.grow-genius.com or Instagram.com/grow_genius for more on the most concentrated AND best value mono-silicic you can get

Making a Love Connection

Worry

Things to Grow

Many folks dream of growing their favorite plants and fungi but feel intimidated by the available options. It’s been called the “Paradox of Choice”: we can become overwhelmed, even paralyzed into inaction by the feeling that we could make a ‘bad’ selection, which we’ll later regret.

It’s been called the “Paradox of Choice”: we can become overwhelmed, even paralyzed into inaction

Once, you probably thought regular garden plants, the ‘run-of-themill’ veggies like carrots and peas, were straightforward. And even though they can be, once you start growing your own, you come to appreciate that among numerous heritage, heirlooms, and hybrids are even more subtypes that will grow bigger, or taller, or take longer to mature.

Shifting into a cultivator’s perspective can often bring gratitude for experiences of simple choices and blissful naiveté one might have as a consumer. Besides those you’ve sampled from others’ gardens, how do you know which will be the right ones for YOU to grow? Finding the right match is very individual; it can be a bit like dating or making new friends. You might test out a few (or many) different garden partners, trying to learn more about your needs, likes and dislikes, discovering surprising attractions and uncovering important dealbreakers along the way.

Most of all, you want assurance that the time and care you invest in growing will be returned to you in kind. In this article, we’ll go over ways to narrow your search and make choosing where to start less daunting.

Know Thyself

Start with an honest self-evaluation of your budget, commitment, ideal (and attainable) growing conditions, and abilities. Have no shame in your game if this rules out some shiny selections for now. You never know what the future holds!

Cut Down The Initial Investment

The sense of risk can be compounded by the perceived investments required to succeed. What you can spend on growing, including crop selection, can range from frugal to frivolous.

Seed and strain descriptions are fun to read, but when it comes to parsing which ones to pick, temperatures (starting/sowing, running/ fruiting), feeding requirements, and days to

Random, free seeds or starting cultures may fall into your lap, but you will have little idea what the living organism will be like. If you’re prepared to go on a “mystery date” with no expectations, this can be the ticket to testing your skills and set-up without worrying that you’ll be on the hook for an expensive initial purchase.

If the costs of cultivation are already a concern, it may be worth measuring the price of plants or starter cultures in relation to feeling a greater sense of safety in your investment. Going with something familiar, grown commonly by many people, may not be as thrilling as seeking a unique experience. Still, the upside is there will be more of a community to turn to for advice. If you can access a nursery or

work will have been done for you — even better!

Are you All In, or is this a Casual Thing?

This can be a nuanced discussion, but you should have it with yourself. Some varieties are very adaptable, while others are pretty particular. If you’re new to cultivation, it can help to start with plants and mushrooms that have reputations for being distress-tolerant. If you make minor errors, your growing partners will hopefully be forgiving. If you’re willing and able to cope with frustration, feel ready to put your convenience on the backburner sometimes for the good of the grow.

SPARK YOUR PLANTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

HIGH CONCENTRATION = FASTER INOCULATION AND POTENCY

3600 endomycorrhizal propagules/g

Beneficial bacteria including Mycorrhizae Helper Bacteria (MHB)

Growth enhancers & biostimulants

Finding the right match is very individual; it can be a bit like dating or making new friends

Do They Want To Live Where You Want To Live?

The selection of plants and fungi can also be narrowed by the environment you will share.

If you’re an outdoor cat and don’t mind the bugs, dirt, hot sun, and other vagaries of the uncontrolled setting, consider whether the plants you would like to grow are likely to thrive in your local climate conditions. Seed and strain descriptions are fun to read, but when it comes to parsing which ones to pick, temperatures (starting/sowing, running/fruiting), feeding requirements, and days to maturity are as or more relevant than how tasty and pretty something looks. You can usually find something with comparable qualities that will do better than that big-name prizewinner from another region.

If you’d rather stay indoors, consider the plant’s expected space and temperature needs. These will restrict the size and number of growing/fruiting containers and the bulk of your overall yields. You might make up for that by choosing types known for higher potency.

What Excites You?

It’s totally fine to base your choice on reasons others might find silly or weird. You think the name is funny? Love the color? It might be “wrong” to someone else, but right for you. Getting jazzed about one option among many might be the best guiding factor; this passion can drive you to explore the boundaries of your ambition, keep your focus, and make sacrifices that feel worth the journey.

Don’t Believe the Hype

Remember that promotional images show the peak performance of the plant or mushroom you’re growing. If the source of the photos shares their methods and conditions, you can compare your situation and attempt to replicate their approach. Experience and many other factors (some of which could be beyond your reach or part of the grower’s own “secret sauce”) contributed to that optimal result.

People can get very excited about spreading the joy of growing (I know I do!), so try not to be shy about seeking help in making selections

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

If you’re still overwhelmed and are open but uncertain about what to grow, ask around! Someone in your network may be abundant with wisdom or have sharable starting materials that they understand intimately and can advise you about. People can get very excited about spreading the joy of growing (I know I do!), so try not to be shy about seeking help in making selections.

There’s a Key (or More Than One) for Every Lock

Ultimately, the solution to reducing anxiety is to remind yourself that even if you experience some disappointment, there is almost always an opportunity to learn. It is not a measure of your worth, competency, or capability if you can’t get a chosen varietal to work. You might need to “fail better” a few times or try something different before you find your groove. 3

Citrus How to Control Leafminer

One of the most common pest problems we face when growing our favorite citrus trees is leafminer attack. What damage does it cause, and how can we control this pest organically?

Citrus Leafminer ( Phyllocnistis citrella ) is native to eastern and southern Asia and is the only leafminer that attacks citrus in Australia. However, it is a problem wherever citrus fruits are grown, including northern and central Africa, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and Florida. The adult is a small silvery-white moth. However, it’s the larvae that cause damage by attacking young leaves.

The adult is a small silvery-white moth. However, it’s the larvae that cause damage by attacking young leaves

What is their life cycle?

The life cycle starts with adult Citrus Leafminers, tiny moths about 2mm long with a wingspan of just 4mm. Moths are rarely seen because they tend to fly at night unless a tree is heavily infested or foliage is disturbed. The Citrus Leafminer has an average life cycle of 14-17 days (depending on temperature) with up to 15 generations a year.

Female moths lay up to 20 eggs at night after mating and can produce 50+ eggs in their short lives. The eggs are flat, oval and translucent. Just 0.3mm long, they resemble miniature water droplets on the underside of leaves. Look for them along the midrib at the base of the young leaf. Moths prefer to lay on newly emerged sap-rich leaves 1-2cm wide. The eggs can hatch in just a day during summer.

The tiny larva (caterpillar) wastes no time! It starts eating and burrowing into the leaf as soon as it’s born. These insects tunnel through the leaf, feeding on sap, disrupting the cells and leaving a distinctive papery, thin raised trail 50-100mm long. Their ‘mines’ fill with air, causing a shiny appearance – like a silvery tunnel in a leaf ‘sandwich’. Each larva lives inside one leaf for its whole life. So you’ll never see them on the upper or underside.

When larvae have finished eating, they form a pupal chamber or cocoon by spinning a thread from their mouthparts. This is usually hidden in the protected rolled edge of the leaf, where the adult moth emerges. Most live for less than seven days, although some can survive up to 160 days.

How do I know if I have a problem?

Look for visual evidence. The damage leafminer larvae cause is easy to identify. The first clues are windy ‘mines’ or silvery trails in immature new leaves on the underside. They have a distinctive central line because they excrete as they eat! As they continue mining, their movement causes the leaves to twist, curl and eventually become deformed. This is the next clue to watch for. As the damage becomes more extensive, leaves will tend to curl over at the edges where the pupae are hiding. The entire stem or branch may become infested and deformed if action is not taken. In severe cases, leaves may also drop off the tree.

Which plants does the citrus leafminer affect?

This species specifically targets all citrus trees. However, oranges, lemons and mandarins are particularly impacted. The larvae are only able to survive by eating through citrus leaves. If you notice a leafminer pattern on a non-citrus tree, this will be a different leafminer species. The target is often new leaf growth, which is soft, tender and sappy. However, bigger mature leaves can also be attacked. New shoots in summer or after pruning/hedging are vulnerable to attack.

How concerned should I be?

Young trees, including immature potted citrus, can be badly affected. The leaves are vital for photosynthesis and growth before fruit production can begin. So, curled leaves reduce the tree’s ability to produce energy through photosynthesis, slowing its development. Severe infestations in a young citrus tree can reduce the yield or stunt growth. Citrus trees that are 5+ years old may have unsightly visual damage, but they tend to be able to sustain this injury without significant yield losses. Infected leaves also open pathways for serious bacterial diseases like Citrus Canker ( Xanthomonas citri ). The faster you observe, diagnose and treat the problem, the better.

When can I expect Citrus Leafminer damage to occur?

Severe infestations only usually occur during late summer and autumn. This is when new growth flushes appear, and leafminer natural predator numbers are lower. Citrus Leafminer populations are typically low after cool winter weather, so they are less of a problem in early spring. Their numbers usually build up around October after the initial flush of new growth has hardened. During December-January, activity increases with early summer growth. The peak season is January to March, with a flush of new growth common, particularly after seasonal rains. From late April, as the weather starts to cool, parasitic insect enemy populations have increased, and citrus leaf growth has reduced, so the numbers drop off significantly. While it is possible to see some minor damage during winter, the problem is usually non-existent during spring. I keep a record of seasonal patterns in my Garden Journal. This helps me tailor my pest control strategies to my local climate conditions and minimize damage.

Citrus LeafminerPhyllocnistis citrella

Phyllocnistis citrella

The first clues are windy ‘mines’ or silvery trails in immature new leaves on the underside

Organic Control Methods and Strategies

It’s essential to understand the life cycle of this insect pest so we treat it at the right stage of development. Once eggs hatch and larvae burrow into the shelter of the internal leaf tissue, they are protected from sprays. As the insect pupates, they are also shel tered by the edge of the rolled leaf. It’s best to treat the leaves before the eggs are laid to minimize populations getting started!

Curled distorted leaf and silver trails of the Citrus Leafminer

1. Time Tree Maintenance: Some critical management strategies relate to timing pruning, fertilizing and watering activities. The goal is to minimize new vulnerable leaf growth when Citrus Leafminer populations are highest. In my subtropical climate, I do this by:

• Fertilizing in late winter (July) to encourage strong spring growth in August/September. This is a time of year when numbers are low and gives trees a chance to flourish with new growth. Older, mature leaves are stronger and less attractive to leafminers.

• Pruning new growth flushes during high infestation times.

• Avoiding overfertilizing or overwatering to encourage excessive new growth during peak population times like January-March. Apply slow-release nutrients like compost or worm castings that don’t tend to trigger a flush of new leaves, like commercial fertilizers high in nitrogen.

• Making the garden attractive to natural enemies, including parasitic wasps and lacewings, by avoiding chemicals and planting flowers as supplementary food sources.

the leaf surfaces sprayed with oil. This oil will not kill larvae, so it’s vital to act early to protect new shoots before moths can lay many eggs. Spraying young citrus trees (<5 years old) is essential when new growth is about 1-2 cm long. Then reapply every 2-3 weeks, especially in January to March. I stop spraying once the leaves have hardened off and the surface is resistant to attack.

3. Pruning: Snip off any affected leaves (especially curled ones) that may be hiding pupae. Disinfect secateurs to avoid spreading eggs that may hatch or larvae hitchhikers. Bin infected leaves or solarize them in a plastic bag in the hot sun. Avoid adding them to the compost. Prune suckers from the trunk that appear below the graft or water sprouts that develop on branches. This helps reduce the number of unnecessary new leaves that can provide potential egg-laying sites.

4. Pheromone Traps: These are a very effective strategy to reduce the male moth population and minimize their ability to mate successfully with females. I’ve used the Eco-CLM sticky trap with great success. The pheromone bait is added to the trap surface and then hung in the citrus tree. The aroma invites the boys to the ‘brewery’! At least they die happy. This strategy minimizes the population of pregnant moth mothers, reducing the potential for damage.

Another strategy I use involves attracting natural enemies to the garden.

The beneficial predatory insect green lacewing

mielacher petiolatus performs the same role. Other native Australian parasitic wasps include Cirrospilus ingenuus, Sympiesis sp. and Zaommomentedon brevipetiolatus . There are also some parasitoid flies (Diptera).

Biological Control (IPM) by Natural Enemies

Avoid using chemicals in the garden for these controls to work. Unsustainable use of broad-spectrum insecticides has led to an increase in leafminer populations and many other pests. Research in Spain(1) found that banning insecticide use “led to an increase in the abundance and importance of the complex of generalist predators that inhabit the citrus canopy.” Home gardeners must encourage a population of beneficial insects that naturally help keep Citrus Leafminers and many other pest insects in check.

Parasitoids

According to the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research, approximately 50 species of natural enemies “have been reported to attack the citrus leafminer, many of which are chalcid wasps.” (2)

Several introduced parasitic wasps (Citrostichus phyllocnistoides, Cirrospilus quadristriatus and Ageniaspis citricola) help control Citrus Leafminer by attacking the larva. The native wasp, S e -

References:

How do they kill the leafminers? It’s a bit of a graphic horror story. These parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside or on top of the larva’s body or inside the leaf tunnel. The larva becomes a living host for the wasp’s egg. When it hatches, the wasp larva eats the leafminer larva, killing it, emerges as an adult wasp and ends the life cycle. These beneficial ‘pest managers’ help regulate numbers to keep populations in balance.

Parasitic wasp species numbers can be incredibly effective in a healthy ecosystem without chemicals. In Queensland, the introduced wasp species Ageniaspis citricola can parasitise up to 90% of Citrus Leafminer larvae by February-March when their populations increase! What an army to have onside.

Predators: Green and brown Lacewings are predatory insects that also tackle this pest. By observing the emergence of Citrus Leafminer in our gardens and applying some of these organic and biological controls, we can limit the damage of this pest and enjoy the fruits of our labors. 3

1. Mansour et al. (2021). Biological control of the citrus leafminer 25 years after its introduction in the Valencia citrus growing area (Spain): A new player in the game. Biological Control. 155. 104529. 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2020.104529.

2. Citrus leafminer fact sheet. Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weedshttps://apps.lucidcentral.org/pppw_v10/text/web_full/entities/citrus_leafminer_240.htm

BIO

Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener, is an author, speaker and urban garden community educator on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia. Anne is passionate about inspiring people to improve health and wellbeing, by growing nutrient-dense food gardens in creative containers and small spaces. Anne regularly presents workshops, speaks at sustainable living events, coaches private clients and teaches community education classes about organic gardening and ways to live sustainably. She has authored several eBooks and gardening guides. Anne shares organic gardening tips and tutorials to save time, money and energy on her popular website - TheMicroGardener.com .

Phyllocnistis citrella larva

Phyllocnistis citrella pupa

How to Plant an

and Why it’s Important Urban Garden

An urban garden doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking; it can start with a few plants on your windowsill! Get started with our guide to urban gardening, and head over to GCMag.co for more good gardening advice.

How to Plant an Urban Garden: Understanding Its Importance and Impact

Urban gardening is on the rise as city-dwellers look to beautify and cool their surroundings and access affordable and nutritious food sources. But what exactly is an urban garden? Do they have to be a specific size, and what can you grow in them? Is urban gardening complicated? Let’s break it down from the top.

Urban gardening is on the rise as city-dwellers look to beautify and cool their surroundings and access affordable and nutritious food sources. But what exactly is an urban garden? Do they have to be a specific size, and what can you grow in them? Is urban gardening complicated? Let’s break it down from the top.

What’s An Urban Garden?

Urban gardens are typically small-space growing areas within city limits. Planting in containers, grow bags, or vertical gardens on balconies, rooftops, small patios, windowsills, or in a few compact raised beds on a plot of land qualifies as urban gardening. Indoor vertical or hydroponic farms and community gardens with several raised beds and containers also fit the description. An urban garden is any growing space in a suburban or city neighborhood, whether in soil, water, or another substrate.

What Is An Urban Gardener?

An urban gardener is anyone who tends to these growing spaces. They plant the seeds, water and feed the plants, weed the garden areas, and harvest the fruits. Don’t worry; if you’ve had a few unsuccessful attempts at growing, you are still an urban gardener! All gardeners kill plants, are plagued by pests and disease, or suffer poor yields at some point in their growing careers. Learning from these mistakes and honing your skills as you continue your growing ventures is essential and part of being a gardener.

Why Is Urban Gardening Important?

There are many reasons why urban gardening is essential:

• Urban gardens bring fresh, nutritious, affordable food to cities and reduce food miles.

• Urban gardens help reduce the heat island effect, cooling cities typically surrounded by concrete and paved surfaces.

• Urban gardens bring green and beauty to backyards, balconies, and windowsills. Being surrounded by nature is proven to help boost moods and reduce stress and anxiety.

• Urban gardens can act as beautified privacy fences.

• Urban gardens create a community and teach essential life skills in spaces where many neighbors or schools get involved.

• Urban gardens often use upcycled materials to maximize a space, which is super cool and unique.

Planting in containers, grow bags, or vertical gardens on balconies, rooftops, small patios, windowsills, or in a few compact raised beds on a plot of land qualifies as urban gardening

What Can Be Grown In An Urban Garden?

You can grow almost anything in an urban garden, but always consider the available space. If you have tight quarters, microveggies are a fun alternative to indeterminate or full-size crops. Dwarf tree and shrub varieties exist for smaller yards; some grow well in containers! If all you have is a countertop or windowsill, consider growing microgreens and sprouts, which are incredibly fast-growing, and nutritious!

Can An Urban Garden Follow A Theme?

Yes! Like gardens and farms in the countryside, urban gardens can be unique and follow various themes on a smaller scale. Ideas include:

• Sensory gardens

• Cottage gardens

• Medicinal herb gardens

• Herb spirals

• Meditation gardens

• Shade gardens

• Moon gardens

Urban gardens don’t have to be complicated! Start small and grow plants that you love! You’re already an urban gardener; now it’s time to get growing and beautify your surroundings. 3

If you’re looking for some excellent urban gardening resources, keep browsing Garden Culture or pick up these books:

BIO Catherine is a Canadian award-winning journalist who worked as a reporter and news anchor in Montreal’s radio and television scene for 10 years. A graduate of Concordia University, she left the hustle and bustle of the business after starting a family. Now, she’s the editor and a writer for Garden Culture Magazine while also enjoying being a mom to her three young kids. Her interests include great food, gardening, fitness, animals, and anything outdoors.

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight

Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, no matter Where you Live by Kevin Espiritu

How a Vibrant, Diverse Community in the Soil Protects Your Plants (and the Planet)

Growing in living soil is a means to achieving bountiful harvests. This substrate provides abundant and available nutrition to plants and provides (literally!) a foundation for the holistic management of pest pressures that reduce the quality and quantity of yields.

Integrated pest management involves creating a cultivation setting where the chosen species thrive. Aiming to build the most economically and environmentally accountable relationships we can with the land and our co-inhabitants, effective IPM strategies take patience, care, and trust.

Living Soil works as IPM because it supports balance

Living Soil works as IPM because it supports balance. Even while pests are not entirely excluded or eliminated, it’s less likely their populations will boom unexpectedly when the existing conditions are tailored to others that feed on them or compete more successfully for resources.

The Plants’ Roles

Showy flowers encourage pollinators to visit blooms, assisting plants in breeding and ensuring their survival. Throughout their evolution, plants also developed generally more subtle (to humans) ways of attracting and supporting insect and microbial ‘helpers’ to protect them from pests. These include sharing the products of photosynthesis (energy-rich food) and hosting endophytic microbes within their bodies.

In living soil, plants’ relationships with microbes improve access to nutrients, substrate structure, and a web of other interactions that favor positive outcomes. Healthy plants have more energy to develop their own natural phytomechanical and phytochemical defences, like trichomes, sticky or repellant-smelling oils, and thick, bite-resistant leaf coatings. By exposure to certain soil fungi, like some Trichoderma species, plants attune their immune systems to be primed for exposure to others, like botrytis and fusarium, which would be more destructive. When plants are cut down and allowed to decompose in place, rain washing their phytochemicals into the soil, a zone of non-beneficial exclusion is maintained.

Earthworms and Other Soil-Dwellers

Well-structured soil favors air exchange, discouraging the overpopulation of root rot and wilt-causing microbes. While on their travels, worms excavate tunnels through the earth and digest an omnivorous diet. They break down dead material into smaller particles that microbes feast on, making the nutrients available to plants. Millipedes, spiders, and numerous other types of ‘bugs’ also contribute to soil architecture and organic matter decomposition.

The Cultivator’s Role

When we remove anything from a system in balance, it’s up to us to compensate for that — hopefully, in abundance. An example is replacing organic matter in living soil when we remove produce from that place at harvest time.

Historical accounts give many examples of farms where disease and insect damage are “practically non-existent,” credited mainly to the high quality of the soil. Today, we recognize beneficial microbes, including numerous bacteria, fungi, and nematode subspecies, as near-universal inhabitants of living, organic-matter-rich soil.

When supporting living soil for effective IPM, the cultivator’s role involves stewarding any environmental factors within their capacity but potentially beyond those of the plants and microbes. These may include temperature, access to water and air exchange, local species diversity, and exclusion of threats.

Temperature

Throughout the year, extreme temperatures threaten the lives of beneficials in the soil.

Sometimes, low-growing, large-leafed plants can provide enough shade to protect life in the rootzone of intercropped varieties, such as squash growing among corn. Cloches, cold frames, and row covers add time to the growing season for plant life above ground to thrive, extending the period during which photosynthesis can provide food for Microbes.

Balance of Water and Air

Living soil practices like no-or low-till topsoil management, “chop and drop” of non-edible plant parts (pea vines, for example), and sowing walking paths with low-growing nitrogen accumulators (like clover) allow garden beds to retain the structures that afford them good air circulation, drainage, and water retention as needed.

Practicing IPM by cultivating living soil creates resilience through redundancy worldwide

Local Species Diversity

Living soil is always planted with something alive and photosynthesising or that provides a winter home for dormant life. Undisturbed earth acts as a seed bank and contains the dead roots of annual plants; the seeds and roots harbor microbial partners. If it hasn’t been sterilized by human intervention, a young sprout germinates with some inherited benefactors already close by, ready to populate the root zone. This is called “vertical transmission”: the ‘passing down’ of microbial life from the plant that grew the seed. From this moment, soil life is a more diverse community.

Trading seeds among nearby producers supports microbial and plant partnerships that are well-adapted to that place. Common beneficial bacteria and fungi are gregarious — they get along well with numerous plant companions and find it stimulating to be in the company of different ‘personalities’. This happens on various timescales. It may be all at once, like an intensively inter-planted garden bed. It can also be throughout a season or many years, where their populations ebb and flow in numbers but never go locally extinct.

Threats

Threats to plants in living soil environments can include strong natural growth inhibitors other plants make. One example is juglone, a root exudate of black walnut trees that prevents the establishment of many different plant species in the shared soil.

While living soil is a bountiful environment for the web of life to prosper, larger animals may be attracted to the lush gardens. Critters that dig, like moles and skunks, might help reduce populations of destructive grubs, but they do not prioritize gentle handling of your precious plants.

Thankfully, there are microbiological species that balance out some of these concerns before they can become problems. Beneficial nematodes can reduce the number of juicy soil larvae destined to grow into caterpillars and beetles. It’s a win from two angles because the bugs themselves often cause damage to living plants.

When their breeding cycles are interrupted in the garden more than elsewhere, the plot becomes less attractive to those aforementioned nosy beasts.

Grow Life-Affirming Cultures

It’s helpful to think about the relative wildness of the plants and other species we’re relating with as growers. We are a domesticated species; the crop plants we grow are, by extension, also domesticated. The history of their co-evolution with us, partly by careful selective breeding at the hands of humans, makes them vulnerable to challenges they were raised not to expect. If we want to see lots of fully-formed, ripe and phytochemically/nutrient-dense mature plants at harvest time, we must understand and manage tests that will divert or even overwhelm their resources.

If we take a megascopic lens, we can see that the species supported by living soil on a global scale is so richly diverse because of the local evolution of species. They often serve similar functions, but each within the context where they are situated.

All of the travels and trade of humans, the migrations of other animals, and even the air intermingle and disperse genetics. Practicing IPM by cultivating living soil creates resilience through redundancy worldwide. As researchers dive deeper into the sciences that reveal how and why problems in one location don’t seem to occur in another, we have hope for responsible, informed responses rather than “one-chemical-kills-all” approaches. 3

Bio

Xavi Kief is a writer, researcher, and lifelong learner with their hands in the dirt and their imagination traversing the universe. Seeking always to deepen and integrate their connection with the living planet and its diverse inhabitants, Xavi finds joy by infusing their practical and playful approach to cultivation with a healthy dose of science. They grow food and medicine for their family and community on their NorthEast Coast homestead.

Feed Them, And They Will Come

Feed Them, And They Will Come

Whenever you invite nature into your life, especially if you enlist it to do your bidding, you have invited chaos, both enriching and reciprocal, but certainly out of your control. Eating is a wild bird’s main pastime, so building a habitat for them in your garden brings a hungry army of insectivores that can balance insect populations intrinsically. If you are a grower, it will calibrate your growing in terms of building another natural system, one in which health is the priority and poison has no place.

For instance, if you grow potatoes, you are familiar with the potato beetle. No amount of squishing its larva can compete with a ravenous collection of wild birds descending on your crop to rid it of this delicacy. Domestic chickens can also be helpful for this, but they must be supervised, as their scratching can uncover potatoes. You may need to interplant some elderberries or something offering a favorite food while the potato beetle larvae are around to coax them into your patch.

Attracting Birds to the Garden

I came to the mountainous countryside of the Laurentians in Quebec, Canada. Little is grown here because the soil is poor, but the beetles found me within three years of growing potatoes. The birds will do the same.

Attract the birds to your target area with seed. This has the mixed benefit of also attracting rodents, so be sure your crop is not tasty to them. Once they are in, however you get them there, your infestation will be devoured, noting that this is a potential place for yummies possibly returning.

We know that robins and starlings will eat Japanese beetle larvae, one of the most destructive beetles to herbaceous plants. So, if they are scratching around your patch because your rich soil provides ready worms, they will likely find whatever else it harbors.

It is a dance of reciprocity and the work of observation, some of which is impossible to see unless you live under a bush. So, we believe that birds eat bugs that eat plants. One must invite the birds into the garden by all means possible, especially by learning about their favorite natural plants. If birds are one of your problems because you grow fruit, as I do, then it is doubly important to have lots of what they like on tap. If you are growing fruit, wild birds will not be uninvited, but they will prefer what their beaks are adapted to most easily eat, which are small berries.

Learn About Local Birds

To support any army, you must feed it; these soldiers aren’t conscripted. They are on the wing. They have a choice. They must be courted. This requires research for your specific area. Learn who your local birds are, their migratory patterns and their favorite diets. Remember who stays behind for the winter if you are in a northern climate like me. Their presence and health will be essential to your ecosystem.

Eating is a wild bird’s main pastime, so building a habitat for them in your garden brings a hungry army of insectivores that can balance insect populations intrinsically

Rose hips

Golden seal

Integrating the wild birds does not guarantee that your crops will be safe from pests, but developing an integrated growing system has the best chance of creating the balance all-natural growing systems crave

Sumac in bloom

Elder rose

Valerian, mullen

“Interplanting is key to this system.”

If you are trying to attract birds, you must also integrate polli nator-friendly plantings to attract the insects. Therein lies the rub. You are attracting birds to eat your pests and attracting insects that will dispatch your pests and feed the birds. Not all insects and arachnids are created equal! You can also invite them in by mail ordering them, but I have yet to have a lot of luck with that. Still, it is nice to have millions of ladybugs emerge from a package, coat your hands and arms and move off into your veg.

Interplanting is key to this system. These are the plants that work for me at latitude 45 North:

Wild Plants—Trees and shrubs: stag-horn sumac, Canadian wild plum, hawthorn, Canadian black cherry, red choke cherry, American elderberry, rugosa roses (for hips), wild raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, American beech, and hazelnut.

Wild and Cultivated Pollinator Flowers: Jerusalem artichokes, rudbeckia and echinacea, wild evening primrose, great mullein, fleabane, golden rod, Joe-Pye-weed, milkweed, sunflowers, as well as any edible seeding plants like fennel or parsley seeds.

Domestic Trees and Perennials: Crabapple, mulberry.

BIO Marci Babineau grew up in gardens in California and Georgia. She currently gardens north of Montreal, Quebec, where she has nestled a food forest into a south facing hillside. Working in organic gardening and landscaping for 40 years, she has written about and taught a variety of gardening topics to young and old in Montreal and Cambridge,UK. Wild blueberries

turkey.

Migratory wild birds: juncos, robins, finches, cardinals, starlings, grosbeaks, mallard ducks, Canadian geese, crows, flickers, woodpeckers, owls and raptors.

These lists are by no means exhaustive. I have focused on the birds I have seen in my garden. With climate change, the migratory seasons of wild birds are changing yearly as more species come further north, so it is tricky to pinpoint exact arrivals. The plants will know because they are responding to the same stimuli.

So, leave a patch for the wild birds and bees. Or several. Leave small piles of natural debris over the winter, waiting for the summer when all insects have hatched to clear it away. Integrating the wild birds does not guarantee that your crops will be safe from pests, but developing an integrated growing system has the best chance of creating the balance that all natural growing systems crave. This is impossible to do with the large-scale monocultures that feed us, but if we all do it on whatever scale we have, it will go some way to offset the habitat-destroying practices that much of our food currently comes from. 3

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Local Growers

WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

Burns Blossom Farm

For Kyle and Mel Burns, growing nutritious, organic food for their community is a dream. But nobody says it’s been easy! The couple has experienced the highs and lows of farming for about a decade, including moving locations twice, growing through a pandemic with a toddler at home, and embarking on wonderfully ambitious farm projects. They admit there have been days when it would be easier to give up, but they can’t quit. Kyle and Mel love dirt. They’re passionate about nurturing the soil and their local communities of Chico, Northern Sacramento, and beyond. They’re determined to be good stewards of the land, creating a better future for their daughter and other children facing a growing climate crisis.They want to be part of the solution.

Kyle and Mel’s farming adventures began in 2015 when they moved to Nye Ranch on the Mendocino Coast in Fort Bragg, CA. The couple transformed a horse pasture into a biodiverse haven for growing food, experimented with various techniques, and learned from their mistakes. After getting married and having a baby, they moved closer to home and leased a farm in Nevada City before setting roots in Chico, CA, to start Burns Blossom Farm. Kyle and Mel grow at two central locations in town; the primary site is a ¾ of an acre market garden at The Barber Yard. Two miles down the road, they grow on a larger scale at their four-acre home farm.

USA & Canada

Chico, CA

Both Burns Blossom Farm properties are certified organic through CCOF. Soil health comes first; no pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. Kyle and Mel follow low-till practices, cover the soil with living plants, and grow many foods and flowers to feed the microbes and create pollinator habitats. They sell everything from scallions, garlic, and heirloom tomatoes to salad mixes, strawberries, and marigolds at the weekly farmer’s markets. The farm grows and ships organic seed garlic and is experimenting with fermented hot sauce, tomato sauce, and herbal medicine.

The Friend of the Farm card is an exciting twist on the traditional CSA box and offers customers the ultimate flexibility in weekly veg selections. People buy reloadable debit-like cards online and use them when they shop. Customers love the convenience, and Kyle and Mel appreciate the investment because it allows them to continue their incredible work.

Burns Blossom Farm donates fruits and veggies weekly to the 530 Food Rescue Coalition and welcomes local students to visit and learn about where their food comes from. Beyond giving back to the community, Kyle and Mel aim always to grow good, honest food, educate, and regenerate.

Learn more: burnsblossomfarm.com facebook.com/burnsblossomfarm I burnsblossomfarm

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

Local Growers

WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

USA & Canada

Gush Farm

Have you ever been disappointed by a strawberry? Most of us living in colder climates can say we have bought a batch of flavorless, soft strawberries, and that’s often because they’re old and carry a lot of food miles.That, combined with the fact that this fruit is consistently at the top of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of pesticide-contaminated produce, inspired Ophelia Sarakinis to start GUSH, an indoor vertical strawberry farm.

Ophelia has an entrepreneurial spirit and started thinking about launching a business in 2020 at the height of the global pandemic. She was so keen that her strawberry-growing ventures began in her parents’ attic! Over the last four years, the Montrealer and McGill agriculture grad has diligently researched and developed a prototype, received grants, fundraised, and found investors to repurpose a former textile factory into a state-of-the-art vertical farm. Crops grow 365 days a year in stacked layers, producing large quantities of food in a small footprint. In the first year of production, GUSH grew 15,000 plants! The vertical farm uses energy-efficient LED lighting and needs 90% less water and fertilizer than the average outdoor farm, thanks to advanced hydroponic systems that recirculate water.The best part? No pesticides! Ladybugs are the perfect all-natural pest control and handle the critters. Beehives are also a feature in the grow room since strawberry plants require pollination to produce fruit.

GUSH is located in the heart of Montreal, bringing food closer to people and reducing the need for long-haul transportation. Customers often enjoy GUSH strawberries the day they are picked, a significant upgrade from the imported crates typically found in supermarkets during the cold months in Quebec. GUSH sells its delicious strawberries through Montreal’s Lufa Farms and at the Marché Jean-Talon.

Ophelia and the team at GUSH are committed to educating the community about the many benefits of sustainable growing practices. They want people to know that urban vertical farming isn’t a trend; it’s a way of life and necessary for the future of food production in cities.

Learn more: gush.farm gush.farm

Would you like to be featured as one of our local growers? If you’ve got a garden, grow room, or farm and have a story to share, contact us at growers@gardenculturemagazine.com.

Montreal, QC

Photos courtesy of GUSH

Ophelia & Phil

WAYS

To Get A Head Start On Plant Problems

Listen, no matter how seasoned a gardener you are, you can’t avoid growing problems. It’s part of the game. While some issues are expected, you can get a leg up on common garden pests and diseases by implementing a few preventative strategies. This edition is jam-packed with great growing advice; let’s finish with 5 Cool Ways

To Get A Head Start On Plant Problems.

Reduce the spread of disease in the garden by diligently disinfecting your tools. If you use pruners, trowels, scissors, or a moisture meter, properly clean them afterwards so you don’t accidentally cause a plant epidemic. Dirty tools and pots easily pass disease from infected plants to healthy ones because pathogens like bacteria, fungi, and viruses hang on to their surfaces or tiny pieces of soil. Even if your pruners look clean, wipe them down with a product like rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl alcohol). This antiseptic is easy to find, affordable, and doesn’t rust metal pieces. Hand sanitizer is another excellent option for small tools. Even if your plants all seem healthy, don’t skip this step.

DIY Pest Control Projects

We’re all about finding inexpensive, organic, and ingenious ways to control pests in the garden. Plenty of nifty DIY projects can keep you busy on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Did somebody say Sunday afternoon? How about building a beer trap to help control slugs? These critters make quick work of leaves in ornamental and edible plants. Slugs are attracted to yeast, so pour some beer into a cup and slightly bury it beneath your plants.They’ll come crawling in for a drink, fall over the edge, and drown in the beer. Luckily, the same won’t happen to you, so go ahead and enjoy a brewskey yourself after making your trap. Another easy DIY is building a cucumber beetle trap using a yellow plastic cup, petroleum jelly, and clove oil. Cucumber beetles are brutal garden pests and make quick work of staples like cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, melons, pumpkins, and squash. They also transmit bacterial wilt and cucumber mosaic virus, so protecting your plants is crucial. Find these DIY projects and others, including cutworm collars, carrot rust fly screens, and earwig traps, in The Vegetable Garden Peat Handbook by Susan Mulvihill.

Introduce Beneficial Nematodes

There are good and bad nematodes; the good ones are crucial to nutrient cycles and perform many roles in exchanging and converting minerals, plants, and animals into available food for other life forms. Beneficial nematodes find hosts in the soil through the pest’s respiration. They enter the host’s body and infect it with bacteria harmless to humans, animals, birds, and pollinators. The host dies within 48 hours of infection. In this edition, Alex Field writes about common mushroom-growing problems and introducing scariad nematodes to help combat fungus gnats. He says adding the eggs of these microscopic worms into the water and soaking a growing medium with it will help kill the flies and their eggs. It works for houseplants, too! You can purchase beneficial nematodes from garden centers and online suppliers. Be sure to verify which species you are selecting and what pests they are best suited for tackling.

Good Cultural Practices

Good cultural practices have everything to do with the garden’s health. Taking preventative measures gives a crop the best chance at survival. Walking through your garden space daily and checking your plants closely for changes is an excellent start. Plus, it’s therapeutic! Intercropping is beautiful in all its chaos and makes it more challenging for pests to find their desired crop. Mulching reduces soil erosion, locks in moisture, and prevents plants from having direct contact with possible pathogens. Savvy gardeners inspect seedlings for signs of pests or disease before introducing them into the garden space. Good airflow, proper watering practices, and weeding are essential for healthy plants. It might seem like a lot to keep track of, but we promise that implementing good cultural practices is simple, and you’ll end up with a mostly pest-and-disease-free garden, making it all the more enjoyable! 3

We highly recommend Susan Mulvihill’s The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook and The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook to help you identify and battle pesky bugs in your garden!

Adam Mint CEO, Paradise Valley Botanics

“

MIICROBIAL MASS PRO is one of the products we’ve used in our facility from day one. We use it throughout the crop cycle from taking cuttings all the way through flower. It produces noticeably healthier roots in our cuttings and a stronger more robust plant in veg and flower.

MIICROBIAL MASS PRO never clogs our dripper lines and we can use it in combination with hypochlorous acid and other disinfectants. This is one product that we would not grow without.”

PROFESSIONAL BIO

Adam Mint is the CEO and co-owner of Paradise Valley Botanics, bringing over 30 years of dedication and passion as a cultivator. He is proud to represent West Kootenay growers on the world stage, working hard to offer the very best experience to his customers across Canada and around the world.

Paradise Valley Botanics is an award-winning cultivation facility located in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. The Kootenays have been a cannabis hotspot for decades and has earned the reputation for exclusive strains and very high-quality products. Adam and his team have helped to build this unique heritage for over 30 years. Always working on finding and creating new genetics, Paradise Valley is focused on growing some of the best quality flower around. Check out their brands, Paradise Valley and Mint Cannabis.

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