Hydromag-010-Hydroponics-Magazine by Hydro Magazine

THE MAKING OF HYDROMAG... Editor Cosmo MacKenzie cos@hydromag.co.uk Technical Assistant Editor Bill Sutherland bill@hydromag.co.uk This issue we go coco-loco.. Get involved... p22

Since first entering western cultural consciousness in the 16th century, the humble coconut was for many years seen as a somewhat amusing curiosity. After a bit-part appearance in ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ , the coconut’s career trajectory took a woeful nosedive, depending largely on village fetes and collective racial abuse against Black communities for work. Then, in 1947, the coconut turned away from the increasingly outmoded realm of ill-conceived and petty bigotry, making its first foray into satire with Hillard & Sigman’s 1947 chart banger, ‘Civilisation’. It would be a further 28 years before the coconut truly achieved career apotheosis when in ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ it was first utilised in all its comedic glory, by imitating a trotting horse. Naturally, in these modern times, we’ve come to see the coconut for the super drupe that it really is. Coconuts are everywhere; from the overpriced milk sloshed down by media types, by way of the silvery oil that festoons new-age woven crock pots, to the MCT oil enabling gym bunnies (or ‘lifters’ as they now like to be called, apparently without irony; bless ‘em)to achieve a rarefied twenty minutes of mental clarity first thing in the morning. Of course, those of us in hydroponics are, as ever, ahead of the curve- as this issue will no doubt prove. The HYDROMAG technical team have once again outshone themselves with a definitive test of the industry’s leading coco coir products. To say we were shocked by the results is an understatement. Evidence should prove by now that we’re not hatchet men and we’re not out to get anyone, but independence and honesty have always been our most sacrosanct ideals. That’s why we’ve decided to present our findings exactly as we found them. We’re not pointing the finger, nor are we insinuating anything beyond the evidence presented, we’re simply highlighting an issue as we found it, under laboratory conditions. Not to be outshone, the rest of Issue 10 is packed with all that you, our fine readers, have come to expect; the eternally patient Bill Sutherland answers your questions, 100 Films goes dark and moody with Film Noir, The A-Z of music tackles Hip hop, Biobizz dissects amino acids in their stellar contribution series and our competition is once again chock to the block with no less than a year’s supply of media! Issue 11 will be our grow show special; get yourself down to the Grow 2014 in London on 20/21st of September to pick up a copy for free, and maybe even meet the team. Until then, my friends, enjoy what summer weather you can find.

Cosmo Mackenzie

Lifestyle Christian Mason christian@hydromag.co.uk Lifestyle Buddy Mason buddy@hydromag.co.uk Managing Director / Sales Pete Turner sales@hydromag.co.uk Art Director Russ Sealey russ@hydromag.co.uk Project Manager Lydia Bennett lydia@hydromag.co.uk Design / Illustration Emma Godley emma@hydromag.co.uk Design Kim Tinker kim@hydromag.co.uk Accounts Claire Kennedy accounts@hydromag.co.uk Sales Administrator Megan Corless sales@hydromag.co.uk Sales & Feature Manager Nico Hill nico@hydromag.co.uk

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ISSUE NO. 010 08.2014

Featured In This Issue... 40 08

THE FEED Biomimicry

THE FEED Solar Roadways

THE KNOWLEDGE From Nut to Sack

CONTRIBUTIONS: Biobizz on Amino Acids

Biobizz returns with another guest contribution, this time outlining Amino Acids and all they have to offer.

Fly like an eagle, crow like a lion; spin silk from your arse like a spider. Evolution has a lot to teach us about future tech.

So hot right now; but is it yet more eco-snake oil or actually a feasible solution to mankind’s oil addiction?

We walk you through the process of turning precarious hairy drupes of potential death into the estimable growth medium that we all know and love.

FAVOURITES: Charge by Ecothrive & Mykos Root Inoculant by Xtreme Gardening

Two soil enhancers currently caking the ﬁngernails of certain HYDOMAG staff members; mm, smell that goodness!

FEATURE THE COCO TEST SPECIAL

We put a number of the Industry’s leading coco mediums under the scrutiny of scientiﬁc testing and present the results as we ﬁnd them.

DISTRACTIONS A-Z of Music… Hip Hop

DISTRACTIONS: 100 Films to Watch… Film Noir

GROW GEAR Grow Gear

COMPETITION TIME Win Some Stuﬀ!

ASK THE EXPERT Letters

Once a battle cry for social equality, now a corpulent industry of misogyny and unashamed consumerism; Hip hop seeks redemption in its roots.

Film Noir; Darkness, tension and a deﬁnite whiff of the French- the perfect accompaniment to the sunny summer weather!

Premium products selected from the Industry’s best suppliers. We wouldn’t have them in HYDROMAG if they weren’t worth your time

Don’t enter our competition to win increasingly ridiculous quantities of premium products, completely free of charge- not if you value my friendship. Sadface.

EXPERT OPINIONS Bloom Stimulators

Get behind the glossy label to the magic within the bottle, guided once again by the very people who make the products.

Bill Sutherland is a man so generous with his knowledge that he can make your paranoia look like a valid concern (I’m looking at you, Jimmy from Sunderland).

Biomimicry

..................................................................... How Inspiration From Nature Can Help Us Solve Our Sustainability and Resource Efficiency Problems Of The Future

..................................................................... All over planet Earth there are insects, plants, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles that are equipped with X-Menlike superpowers, that help them to survive the harshness of the natural world and the food chain. Fruit bats are practically blind, but using the power of echolocation, have the ability to fly at high speed though tall trees at night. The common spider, through their spinneret glands, produce 6 different types of silk, which when spun together create a fibre that is stronger than Kevlar; and they do this out of nothing more than the raw materials of water and dead flies. Scientists have tried and come close to making spider silk in the past, with an inferior material called aramid, but to manufacture it we have to create extremes of temperature, causing mass pollution and resource wastage in the process. These are just two examples that perhaps show the solutions to certain problems we face might already be all around us. Biomimicry is a biological imitation technology, whereby any feat accomplished in the natural world can potentially be recreated by us; the most famous and perhaps earliest example being Leonardo Da Vinci’s study of birds in flight as inspiration for a flying machine. The list of exciting projects within biomimicry is as long as your imagination. As Micheal Pawlyn, a leading scientist and advocate of biomimicry’s potential puts it, ‘You could look at nature as being like a catalog of products, and all of those products have benefited from a 3.8-billion-year research and development period. Given that level of investment, it makes sense to use it.’ Putting the lofty ideas of creating real life spidermen and octopus-like stealth suits to one side, Michael Pawlyn who was part of the team behind ‘Project Eden’, is currently involved with a new venture, called the ‘Sahara Forest Project’. ‘The Sahara Forest Project proposes to use restorative practices to establish vegetation in arid areas and reverse the trend of desertification.’ Pawlyn has found a way to reverse desertification with help

from the Namibian Fog Basking Beetle. The beetle’s talent is an ability to hydrate itself with fresh water, in the vast arid landscape of the desert and it does this by having a very clever matte black shell, that through a combination of hydrophilic bumps that attract water and waxy parts that repel it, is able to create droplets of water out of the moist sea breeze that blows at night. Pawlyn explains ‘even when there’s only a small amount of moisture in the air, it’s able to harvest that very effectively and channel it down to its mouth. It’s an amazing example of an adaptation to a very resource-constrained environment and in that sense, very relevant to the kind of challenges we’re going to be facing over the next few decades.’ Another key element to the Sahara Forest Project is zero waste and Pawlyn’s again turned to nature to demonstrate how sophisticated, symbiotic, closed loop eco-systems that exist in nature are the correct blueprint for our sustainability problems. If we are to cater for an ever increasing population with diminishing fossil fuels and space, and tackle the issue of climate change, then we need an urgent rethink. A largely self-generating, closed loop system of energy and waste would be the environmental panacea the world is looking for. Two of the most impressive ventures of Sahara Forest Project are: 1. Inspired by the fog basking beetle, saltwater-cooled ‘evaporation greenhouses.’ Using saltwater to provide suitable growing conditions that enable year-round cultivation of high-value vegetable crops even in desert conditions. By using seawater to provide evaporative cooling and humidification, the crops’ water requirements are minimized and yields maximized with minimal carbon footprint. 2. CSP (Concentrated Solar Power), for electricity and heat generation. Using mirrors to concentrate the Sun’s energy to produce heat, steam is then used to drive a steam turbine, which in turn drives a generator to produce electricity. It doesn’t stop there. The salinity of sea water creates a mass deposit of salt, which they then use to make bricks (as commonly practised in Bolivia) and build housing and storage. Seawater also contains almost every element of the periodic table. From the brine they make batteries out of lithium and use magnesium chloride as an effective air conditioner. There’s no end to the ingenuity and with projects like this and visionaries like Michael Pawlyn, we can have faith that the world might be in good hands after all. To find out more about this exciting project, or to support it and share it with friends go to; www.saharaforestproject.com

SOLAR ROADWAYS PATH TO SALVATION OR ROAD TO NOWHERE? You would have to be spectacularly ignorant of current affairs, perhaps locked in a dungeon for the last 30-odd years a la the Man in the Iron Mask, to be unaware of the discourse surrounding Mankind and his perilous addiction to fossil fuels. To sum it up in a nutshell, the general agreement is that it’s best he wean himself off the stuff. There’s the odd dissenting voice above the rabble, just about audible as its owner is whisked away in a straitjacket, but the overall consensus is fossil fuels will one day be a thing of the past, and we’d best get to sourcing alternatives before we’re left scrabbling in the dark. An Ohio husband and wife team believe they might just have the solution with, in their own words, “Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways”. Their dream is for every road, pavement and cycle lane to be paved with solar panels. HYDROMAG asks the question: are we witnessing Paths of Glory, or a Highway to Hell? Experts may bicker over the timing – estimates for the date of total oil depletion vary from within ten years to over a hundred – but with fossil fuels taking millions of years to create and, for example, our current oil consumption levels at 92 million barrels a day; it’s fairly clear there’ll come a point of reckoning sooner rather than later. (Incidentally, the Global Sustainability Institute has the United Kingdom running out of oil, gas and coal before 2020). And if the probable demise of fossil fuels within a generation or two isn’t enough to alert one to the need to consider alternatives, how about the fact that burning said fuels is responsible for 90% of all greenhouse gas emissions? Against this backdrop we find Scott and Julie Brusaw (pictured) respectively an electrical engineer and a therapist. They’ve been making headlines since April 21st this year when they went cap in hand to Indiegogo. com (a crowdsourcing site) asking for funding to further develop their modular paving system of solar panels. Their

project immediately went viral, generating 234,000 shares on Facebook and picking up 48,000 backers along the way. In two short months they received funding to the tune of $2.2 million – 220% of their original target. The sound of back slapping and popping champagne corks had barely died down before the predictable backlash began, with sceptical bloggers, scientists and journalists venting spleen at what they see as nothing more than pie in the sky. So what exactly is this new technology, and will it work? The concept is this: Ohio-based company Solar Roadways, if they get their way, want to pave the 28,000 square miles of sun-exposed asphalt and concrete across America with solar panels. They figure why not take advantage of the vast network of highways and byways just sitting there baking in the sun all day? The Brusaws maintain that even if their patented panels work to just 15% of their capability they would supply the US’s energy needs three times over - almost enough to power the whole planet. The first question on most people’s lips – besides perhaps the cost – is what kind of material could they possibly use? A material that would need the traction of asphalt, be shatterproof, fireproof, able to absorb the weight of endless 16-wheelers travelling at 80mph, and yet transparent enough to absorb light without being reflective (so as to avoid glare for drivers)? Surprisingly, that material is glass. Not your regular kitchen window glass but a compressed glass that falls between steel and stainless steel on the hardness scale. As Scott Brusaw is quick to point out - bomb and bullet-proof glass already exists. Putting his product through traction load and impact resistance testing, he was thrilled to find it wildly exceeded expectations. The surface of these glass covers are made of smaller hexagonal shapes at 45 degree angles. This provides a macro-texture for traction and the small prisms are also able to catch sunlight at all angles. In order to deliver the electricity generated by the panels, Brusaw has a blueprint for a network of “corridors” to run alongside the roads; cable management on a colossal scale. These corridors would have a range of supplementary benefits – from collecting and pumping storm water to filtration facilities – to doubling up as a smart grid. Electricity, telephony, the Internet and your television signal could all be delivered, underground, right to your door. No more unsightly pylons or overhead telephone lines.

“No more unsightly pylons or overhead telephone lines.”

Furthermore, the panels contain their own microprocessor, a series of LED lights, and communicate with each other wirelessly. If one breaks down its neighbours will send an alert to the repairmen. The panels can generate heat to melt snow and evaporate water, eliminating treacherous driving conditions. The LEDS will become dynamic road markings, changing according to conditions the road itself will be able to read. Panels with load cells will act as weight machines and can grab the attention of motorists if someone steps into the road (useful for when dark-clothed pedestrians step into the road ahead of day-dreaming drivers). If there’s a car crash the panels can fire off a message hundreds of yards down the highway to warn oncoming drivers to slow down. And the fun doesn’t stop there; with the introduction of mutual induction devices, Brusaw’s roads will also act as a charging delivery system for electric vehicles, powering them up automatically as they drive. Welcome to the future. Or perhaps not as several critics have been keen to illustrate. Two critics in particular have got up Brusaw’s nose, and prompted him to write an angry response. Amongst others Sebastian Anthony, writing for Extremetech.com, and blogger Thunderf00t have pointed out a few possible cracks in this Utopian vision. The biggest question relates to cost, with some estimates for the overhaul of America’s roadways approaching $60 trillion – four times the nation’s national debt. Concerns have also been raised over how wear and tear might affect the glass surface; smoothed glass and rainwater potentially causing all manner of slippery mayhem. The modulated tiling system has also been called into question - differential loading on tiles ultimately causes them to loosen and crack, which is why tiling has never been used on busy roads before. And with oil spills, tyre marks and the general dirt you find on most highways, how exactly will the panels remain transparent? It’s also been pointed out that complex electronics and the harsh environment of a motorway might not be a good mix – roadway repairmen will need to become electronics engineers almost overnight. Critics have also questioned the visibility of the LEDS in broad daylight. Anthony remarked upon learning Solar Roadways had surpassed its crowdsourcing target “not bad for a crazy idea,” while Thunderf00t described it as “a very expensive joke.” Scott Brusaw has gone on the defensive, pointing out that he’s received a fair amount of top level support for his brainchild. In 2009 he received a contract from the Federal

Highway Administration to build his prototype – the first of its kind. In 2011 the FHA were so impressed they awarded Solar Roadways a further $750k and a Phase II contract. Brusaw is angry with those claiming the cost will be prohibitive, arguing that while asphalt (a derivative of oil) is going up in price – a tonne of asphalt in 2007 was $175, while by 2014 it had hit $1000 – solar is coming down. There’s been a recent major breakthrough in the production of solar cells, with a Liverpool research team led by Dr. Jon Major remarking that “the cost of solar is going to match fossil fuels eventually.” Dr. Jeremy Leggett of Solarcentury told The Independent: “Their costs are coming down so fast that they are already knocking the business models of utilities into what some analysts call a ‘death spiral.’” And in Brusaw’s own words: “we are creating a roadway system with an ROI that can pay for itself. So yes, there will be an initial upfront cost, but as soon as the panels are installed, they will begin paying for themselves by generating clean renewable solar energy.” With regards to the accusation that the traction on Solar Roadways’ glass panels is likely to wear down into shiny “pebbles”, Brusaw points out that while asphalt has a hardness of 1.3 on the mohs hardness scale, tempered glass falls between 5.5. and 6.0. Finally, Brusaw has reminded critics who claim LEDs aren’t visible in daylight of the LED advertising in Times Square and on traffic lights.

“Estimates for the date of total oil depletion vary from within ten years to over a hundred ” Most of Solar Roadway’s critics support the principle behind it, but believe the practicalities render its goals unachievable. “Why not just, I don’t know, put solar panels along the side of the road? Or on the roof of your house? Or in the desert?” asks Anthony. But is daring to dream such a bad thing? Should we not wait and see how Bruslaw spends his $2.2 million before condemning him? Korky Koroluk writing in the Daily Commercial News said “Solar roadways might be a pipedream, an impossible idea. But we need to know more about the concept before we either reject or accept it.” And finally, it’s become standard practice that with the advent of every major innovation there are naysayers. Proving them wrong is part of the fun of invention. We’ll leave you with this news snippet from the New York Times in 1920: “To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth—all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances.”

COCO... FROM NUT TO SACK It’s hard to walk into a grow shop these days and not be exposed to a multitude of coco products. There is a reason for this; coco is one of the best growing mediums for cultivating plants in containers. Not only do its physical properties lend itself extremely well for superb plant growth, it also has great environmental credentials. Here we’ll take you on a journey of how this super awesome growing media makes it all the way from the coconut tree on the Indian continent all the way to a sack of coco in your local grow shop. On the way we’ll describe all those confusing bits of terminology that surround coco coir and empower you with that bit of extra coco knowledge you thought you’d never need.

What Is Coco? Not that surprisingly, coco comes from the humble coconut, and these coconut trees are largely cultivated in India and Sri Lanka. Coconut crops are big business these days, as not only do they yield an edible flesh in the ‘nut’ (botanically classed as a fruit not a nut!), fashionable super-healthy drinks from the milky water in the nutty fruit (see what I did there) and stupidly expensive cure-all snake oil for cosmetics, but also a range of coir fibres for door mats, rope, furniture stuffing, geotextiles and many more uses from the outer husk, and oh yeah – products for horticulture! It seems the hobby hydroponic market largely refer to this tropical growing media as coco, but other terms such as coco coir, coir and coco peat are also commonly used to describe the same stuff. Interestingly, a lot of people struggle to pronounce coir, kwar you say, or is it kwer, perhaps kwor??? Well who really cares, but FYI its ‘koi-er’. Coir products are harvested from the husk, which is the section between the outer protective shell and the inner hard shell of the nut.

This husk can yield three coir products; coir pith, coir fibre and coir chips. Coir pith makes up the majority of most horticultural coir products due to its great water holding ability while still providing adequate air space. Coir fibres are long, thin, coarse strands that make up a small proportion of most products; these fibres lower the overall water hold capacity and improve drainage. Lastly coir chips are very coarse chunks of the outer husk that can be mixed with coir pith and fibre to create a lighter mix with a lower water holding capacity. Coir chips are commonly uses for orchid cultivation or as a replacement for clay pebbles in hydroponic applications.

How It’s Made To make the husk workable to actually harvest any coir products it must first be soaked in water for up to 12 months to soften the fibres, this slow process is called retting. After a good long soak the husk is then processed and the majority of the fibres are extracted for making all those fibrous products like rope, textiles and door mats. The by-product of extracting these fibres is actually what us growers are after; all that lovely fine coir pith.

But this pith can’t be slung in a pot and used as it is. The pith must first be aged in piles to allow it to decompose slightly. This short composting period not only builds up the populations of beneficial microorganisms such as cocos’ naturally occurring Trichoderma, this process also stops the coir pith from drawing down nitrogen and essentially stealing it away from the nutrient solution making it useable as a medium for plant growth.

Washing After this first step, the coir pith is then washed with water to remove the salts that it naturally contains, mainly sodium chloride. Once enough water has been passed through for enough of the soluble salts to be sufficiently washed away, the coir pith can take two paths; it can be bagged or compressed into blocks and dispatched from its Indian home, or treated to further reduce its salt content and make it more suitable for use in horticulture in a process known as ‘buffering’.

Buffered Coco

Premium Coco

During the buffering process, the coco is treated with a solution containing water and calcium, with the calcium supplied in the form of calcium nitrate. Due to the unique properties of coir, it holds onto calcium preferentially when it is applied as a liquid. When this buffering solution is applied it displaces more of the unwanted sodium, and also some potassium, further reducing the salt content and making it much more useable for hydroponic and soilless applications. The un-buffered product that did not undergo this process is still good coir from a physical point of view, but needs to be buffered by the grower before use to ensure no nutritional issues arise with sodium toxicity and calcium deficiencies.

There are some coco products on the market that go one step further in its manufacturing process. After buffering, the coco is then washed through with water to remove the displaced salts. After treating with water some of the calcium is also removed so needs to be replaced again before use, and so the coco is buffered with calcium nitrate for a second time. This premium coir will have an extremely low salt content and be ideal for use as a growing medium for hydroponics.

Shipping & Bagging Once the coco pith is at the required specification for salt content and buffering it is then either bagged, palletised and shipped, or more commonly allowed to dry before being compressed into blocks. These blocks are normally 5kg in weight and occupy 15L in volume but once water is applied they expand back to between 60-70L. It makes more economic and ecological sense to ship compressed coir from the Indian continent to Europe rather than already expanded in 50L bags, and although you may be told incorrectly that compressed coir is lower quality, this is how most of the products you use are transported.

Once the coir blocks arrive in at the bagging plant in Europe they are slowly rehydrated by adding small amounts of clean water. This process is critical as if too much water is applied it can create a heavy water soaked product that has potentially lost some of its calcium buffer. Once the coco is up at the corrected moisture level it is bagged and shipped into the hobby hydroponics market.

Using Coco Coco is very easy to work with and can be used in a variety of ways. Most growers use coco straight out the bag without any amendments, and this is fine for applications where you want a high water holding capacity such as hand watering. Some products are already mixed with clay pebbles to lower the water holding capacity, which helps in frequently irrigated systems such as flood and drain, Autopot or drip irrigation. Perlite is a good amendment for also lowering the water holding of coco, and is often mixed up to 25% for a propagation mix or up to 50% for a free draining frequently irrigated mix. But however you use it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to note that coco has a very low nutritional value to start with, so it is best to irrigate coco with a suitable coco specific nutrient solution, at the required EC for your plantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; age and growth stage, straight after planting. Using water alone after planting will lead to poor establishment and could affect the calcium buffer. There are some good nutritional amendments you can add to your coco before planting or use as a regular top dressing. Worm Castings or Insect Frass can be added to provide a fast acting nutritional and beneficial biological kick, and bat guano can be added for a long term supply of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium.

Coco is extremely good at supporting the life and growth of beneficial microbes that can enhance the root growth of your plants and prevent issues with root diseases. The beneficial fungus trichoderma is naturally occurring in most coco, building in numbers during the short aging process before washing. Inoculating your coco with cultured strains of trichoderma, endo mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacterial products before or at planting will certainly be of benefit to root growth and plant health. Just ensure that when you use beneficial microbes that you treat the coco as a living habitat for plants and microbes, ensuring that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it get too dry or allow the nutrient strength to rise too high as both will affect the growth and development of these microbes.

Coco Nutrients Coco has unique nutrient holding properties in comparison with other growing mediums. It likes to hold onto calcium and naturally slowly releases potassium. Due to these properties the best approach is to use base nutrients that have been formulated specifically for coco. These will have elevated levels of calcium and take into consideration the potassium release, avoiding potential issues. It is possible to use general purpose hydroponic nutrients for coco, but often the calcium supply is not quite enough and needs to be elevated with a Cal-Mag supplement. Be aware with a hydro nutrient that the potassium supply will be high so use additives like P/K bloom stimulators with caution. Over-supplying potassium can affect the uptake of calcium and magnesium. Cal-Mag products are often touted as a ‘must have’ for coco growing, but if you use a well formulated coco nutrient then this is not the case. There’s no harm in having a Cal-Mag product on standby just in case any calcium related issues arise, but be aware that the majority of Cal-Mag products have a significant amount of nitrate nitrogen, and using with every watering or irrigation will alter the NPK ratio outside what the base nutrient manufacturer intended.

Coco As An Alternative To Peat Using coco is very similar to peat based potting soils, the only difference you are likely to come across is the water holding and initial water absorption. With soil mixes they have a tendency to get a dry top layer between watering that is often difficult to get wet again. Coco is very absorbent, and will re-wet very quickly and efficiently. While I have mentioned a few times that coco has a good water holding ability, it can be easy to oversaturate if you are not used to using it. Problems caused by oversaturated root zones can often arise during propagation, when the plant is not yet able to use much of the water that is being supplied. Make sure you only water as and when needed by feeling and assessing the weight of the pot before watering, and consider amending your coco with perlite particularly for establishing cuttings or seedlings.

There is no doubting that peat is a good growing medium, it’s the main constituent in all potting soils in hydroponic shops. But it is simply not sustainable to continue harvesting peat from wetland ecosystems at the rate we are doing when there are substrates like coco that are superior and 100% sustainable.

Now you know all about coir, how it’s made, and what’s involved in the manufacturing process, turn to page 22 where we put the industry’s coir products through their paces in an independent lab test... 16

INNOVATIONS

We’ve all needed a root stimulant at some point in our lives and plants are no different. But focussing on plants, we’ve come a long way since this could mean Prince Charles in his gardening gloves whispering sweet nothings to his geraniums. These days there’s a plethora of more scientificallyquantifiable (and less eccentric) options. A good soil enhancer will boost your plants’ immune response, encourage growth, and improve root conditions.

CHARGE BY ECOTHRIVE

Frass. Or in other words – insect shit. What makes Charge interesting (and 100% organic) is that it’s entirely comprised of premium grade beetle excreta. And the mealworm that produce Ecothrive Charge aren’t your common vindaloo, fag butt-chomping and beer swilling larvae variety – these fellas, rather like Gwyneth Paltrow, only dine on organic carrots and wheat bran. This extraordinary self-control ensures the frass’ consistency and quality, as well as providing the beetle larvae with everything they need for a healthy life cycle (including toned backsides and washboard stomachs). Chitin. The great thing about insect poop is it’s ram-packed with naturally-occurring beneficial microbes and plant growth catalysts. According to Ecothrive their product (fortunately sand-like and free of insect corpses), has been shown in a laboratory to have “more than 450 million colonyforming units of beneficial rhizosphere bacteria per gram!” This friendly bacteria will ‘charge’ your soil (or substrate), improving the biological diversity that will aid nutrient cycling and boost your plants’ immune responses. Finally, given that Charge has passed through insect guts before hitting the shelves, it’s loaded with a substance known as chitin. Chitin, the principal component of insect and other arthropod exoskeletons, is rife with nitrogen. The derivatives of this substance have a two-pronged benefit for your crops, simultaneously enhancing your plants’ resistance to pests and disease, whilst boosting growth rates. Economical. Amazingly (were you to grow with soil) only between 1 and 2% of the total volume of your potting base need be comprised of Charge, giving quite some bang for your buck.

CONS...? Like a hard-to-please food critic spitting out a mouthful of $1000 Lobster Frittata into his napkin, here at HYDROMAG we have to subscribe to the notion that human (or insect) made perfection cannot exist. We therefore, with great remorse, present to you a couple of tragic bullet points to raise a contentious issue or two with Ecothrive’s claim to flawlessness. Those of you suffering from Coprophobia – a fear of excrement – will struggle to handle this product, what with its being 100% comprised of excrement.

In this issue we look at two of our favourites, starting with Ecothrive’s Charge – a brand new product that’s come late out of the traps but is haring around the bend and looking likely to beat the competition on the straight. Charge, certified by the Soil Association for growing organic crops, has been getting rave reviews from retailers and gardeners alike. Packed with naturally-occurring nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, Charge is easy to apply and 100% organic. It’s a fantastic enhancer for soil and coco-grown plants and gets a big thumbs-up from HYDROMAG.

Ecothrive’s Charge is so Goddamn effective it might just encourage laziness and complacency in the gardener.

For more infomation visit: www.ecothrive.co.uk

MYKOS ROOT INOCULANT BY XTREME GARDENING

We’ve all needed some organic enhancer at some point in our lives and plants are no different. But concentrating our thoughts on plants, we’ll now take a look at Mykos Root Inoculant by Xtreme Gardening – a product that boasts the impressive feat of being used in each of the last seven successful World Record attempts for plant growth (including for a 2000lb pumpkin). Xtreme Gardening, a retail division of US company Reforestation Technologies International, founded in 2008 with the aim of maximising yields through sustainable, organic solutions. They recognise that it’s “the microscopic organisms in soil which break-down, cycle, and retain nutrients ... They provide the foundation of support allowing plants access to essentially everything they need” including “a front line of defence against pathogens and disease”. Fans of Mykos claim it will boost your plant yield and biomass by an incredible 300%. HYDROMAG scratched its chin, inspected these claims, and nodded sagely. Yes, this is indeed a pretty fine product.

INNOVATIONS Fungi. Where Ecothrive’s Charge has beetle excreta as a secret ingredient, Xtreme Gardening’s Mykos has fungi. Mykos takes its name not from some hedonistic Greek island but from mycorrhiza – a symbiotic relationship between a vascular plant’s roots and a benign fungus. Simply drizzle a teaspoon or two of organic mychorrhizal fungi over your plants’ roots, stand back, and watch a beautiful partnership unfold. The fungus will cling to your plant rather like a scantily-clad women wrapped round the leg of a barbarian king on the cover of a graphic novel. The high absorptive capacity of the fungus offers the plant greater access to moisture, phosphate and other minerals, and in return the plant provides a veritable conveyor belt of carbohydrates in the form of sucrose and glucose. It’s a win-win situation.

CONS...? A bit like lieutenantColombo, just when you think we’re done with the questioning and you’re home free, HYDROMAG stops at the door, turns and says: “There’s just one more thing…” Not really a con but Mykos’ fungi aren’t huge fans of mineral salts or high-phosphorous chemical fertilisers. It’s advisable to use non-chlorinated water and if you have to use chemical fertiliser – try to use one with less than 12% phosphorous. Over application of Mykos can, on rare occasions, cause giant murderous triffid-like creatures to sprout in your growroom. Their goal: to destroy Mankind… Of course this is nonsense (we hope). Mykos is safe to use with all plant types and cannot be over-applied.

Root Structure. Applying Mykos will gift your plant a secondary root structure. The long branching structures that extend from a fungus, called hyphae, will increase the surface area of your plant’s root system. In nature, where there’s an area of nutrient depletion, these rapidlygrowing hyphae will probe deeper into the soil searching for minerals for the host plant. Protection. Mykos fungi wrap themselves around a plant’s roots like a duvet, offering additional protection against root disease and of course drought.

For more infomation visit: www.xtreme-gardening.com

GROW TEST

NUT SACKS: SUCK ‘EM AND SEE... In a similar vein to the fan testing of last issue, this issue we bring you the results from testing many brands of Coco for their various physical properties. Coco is now arguably the media of choice for most growers out there at the minute. Unfortunately, as is usually the way with any product that sells in high volumes, many companies have now jumped on the bandwagon to claim their stake in the pithy loveliness that is the coir pie, possibly in an attempt to give their end of year profit/loss sheet the boost it needs. Coco looks like a fairly uniform product to the naked eye, so it’s hard to tangibly see what the differences are between the brands. With something that looks as innocent and homogenous as coco, surely any variances among the brands would be negligible bordering on non-existent, right? So surely I should just go for the cheapest one I can find? Or should it be the one with the swankiest looking packaging? Hmm; decisions, decisions. Unsurprisingly, the answer you will get from me to all these questions is a blunt and rudely delivered “No”, possibly followed up with a dry back-hand pimp slap. Call me sceptical, but I rarely tend to believe the stated figures for whatever product it is that I’m looking at, but instead use them as a rough guide as to how they should be performing, and even then you can often be in for a surprise with their performance. So what can be looked at in a bag of coco, and how can it be tested? Well, in this article we will be focusing on three fundamental properties of a bag of coco, then seeing how all the brands compare with each other, and also with their own stated specifications. If you have soaked up most of the information in the hilariously titled article ‘From Nut to Sack’ you should really be able to guess what we are going to be looking at. For those with less than average brain smarts, I will lay all the cards on the table:

1. VOLUME Something that for years I took for granted. It says 50 litres on the bag so I must be getting 50 litres, right? I think you can probably see where this is going...

2. EC AND PH Each bag states what EC/pH is in the contents. The EC particularly is a good indication of how well it has been washed during the production process, and how many of those nasty salts have been flushed out.

3. BUFFERING Something that isn’t stated on the bag, but every brand will have gone through a calcium buffering process (hopefully). I did look at ordering in loads of Barium Chloride to do this test, but I didn’t want to look like some sort of terrorist so I left this bit up to the guys down the lab.

VOLUME First off: What exactly is a litre volume of media, and how is it actually defined? A litre is a standard unit of measurement, set in a vaguely similar way to how a metre is a definitive length, i.e. to a precise standard. The exact standard that governs the definition of a litre of media is “BS EN12580:2013”. This very boring sounding code is a standard of practice that ensures there is some sort of uniformity in the way that different manufacturers package and declare the volume that their bag of media contains. Manufacturers should have various quality control processes in place that ensures that they are conforming to set practices if they are declaring this standard on the bag. One litre of growth media is defined as the amount that will fill a 1000 cubic centimetre space, when fully uncompressed, with no external pressure exerted, at the time of packing. A tolerance of 10% deviation from this stated volume is allowed under this standard to account for any settling of the media that may occur post bagging. Realistically though, it is unlikely that coir will just ‘lose’ 10% of its volume simply from ‘settling’, particularly if production processes are on point.

Secondly: How do you actually measure a bag’s volume? As stated above, a litre is a set measurement. You can get standardised pots that are used throughout the industry, particularly by manufacturers when they are performing the quality control procedures imposed as part of these standards. These pots are measured and manufactured to be an exact volume under the EN12580:2013 standard, and are generally available in 20, 50 or 100 litre sizes. Realistically, to measure a 50 litre bag you need to use the 20 litre size pot, and calculate the volume based on weight. As if you measure using the 50 litre pot, and it comes up short, you don’t know by how much you are short.

Brand

Type

Weight of bag

So firstly you weigh the bag you are measuring. You then take your bag of growth media, and give it a damn good fluffing. Fluffing, (much like in the porn industry) is a very important aspect and should not be overlooked. You need to make sure there are no lumps of media that have compressed during transport, making their way into the pot and disproportionately affecting the weight. So once nicely primed with some vigorous fluffing, you pass the media over the top grate and evenly distribute it down into the pot. Once the pot is filled you swipe across and level the top of the pot with a nice straight stick to make sure it has a smooth and level top surface, without compacting it. You then weigh the pot filled with media and minus from that the weight of the pot itself so you know the exact weight of 20L. You then simply multiply this weight by 2.5 to give you the weight that 50 litres should be. You then compare this figure back to the original weight of the bag which tells you the true volume and the variance from what is stated. I tested three bags from each brand I received to give me a reasonably good average. Ideally they would be bags from all over the country so I can have an idea over various batches as well, but as they were sent to me direct from manufacturers or their respective distributors, the likelihood is that they are all from the same batch. Without further ado, here are the results I recorded for the volume:

Weight of 20L

Weight of stated litres based on 20L weight

True Volume in the Bag (L)

Deviation from Stated (%)

Nutriﬁeld

Coco 50L

10.9Kg

4.3Kg

10.75Kg

50.72

+1.43

Biobizz

Coco 50L

17.8Kg

7.2Kg

18Kg

49.4

-1.16

GoldLabel

Coco 50L

16.8Kg

7.16Kg

17.92Kg

46.9

-6.20

Canna Proﬀesional

Coco 50L

17.73Kg

6.76Kg

16.91Kg

52.44

+4.88

Canna Natural

Coco 50L

16.5Kg

6.26Kg

15.67Kg

52.66

+5.33

Coco Green

Coco 50L

13.4Kg

5.86Kg

14.6Kg

45.71

-8.58

Plagron

Coco 50L

16.8Kg

6.53Kg

16.33Kg

51.45

+2.89

GoldLabel 60/40

Coco Mix 50L

16.16Kg

8.7Kg

21.75Kg

37.16

-25.67

Alpha Rocks

Coco Mix 50L

20.6Kg

7.83Kg

19.58Kg

52.6

+5.21

Plagron Coco Mix

Coco Mix 45L

20.23Kg

8.93Kg

20.1Kg

45.41

+0.90

Atami

Coco 40L

16Kg

8.26Kg

16.53Kg

38.71

-3.22

Platinium

Coco Mix 40L

14.8Kg

7.2Kg

14.4Kg

41.1

+2.78

uGro

Compressed 70L

23.16Kg

6.06Kg

21.23Kg

76.42

+9.10

EC AND PH Firstly: What does the pH and particularly the EC tell us? The EC reading given on a bag of coco is a good indication of how well the salt washing process has gone for that particular brand in its production stage. The natural salts found in the raw material need to be washed out in order for it to be suitable for a plant to grow in, with possible further washes required after the buffering process. Essentially, the lower the EC reading, the happier the expression on my face. Unless of course it has been pre-fertilised, in which case you want to see it at the levels indicated. A pre-fertilised mix however, gives you less indication of how thorough the washing process has been, as you will obviously be getting readings from the fertiliser content. The pH of coco is realistically unlikely to be anything other than 5.5-6.5 simply because of the physical nature of coco.

Secondly: How do you go about testing for these? The method I used was an industry standard 1:1.5 extraction used by the majority of large coco coir producers and manufacturers. Essentially you pass one and a half times the volume of distilled water through the volume of coir that you are testing. There are a few different types of extractions used like this .e: 1:3 or 1:5, but obviously the amount of water you pass through will affect the resultant EC readings. The one used under the RHP stamp, is the 1:1.5. So to begin with you need to get your sample of coco to the correct moisture content levels. To do this, you slowly add and mix in

Brand

Stated

Type

the distilled water to the sample. You then periodically check the coco with a gentle squeeze of the fist. You want to see the water begin to seep through your fingers. This sounds like a very basic and un-scientific way to assess moisture content levels, but is actually how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done. After a few trial runs you quickly get an idea of how it should feel. Ideally you want to aim for it to be on the limit of its water holding capacity, roughly 80%, or as near as dammit. However, for this comparative testing the main thing is that I moistened the samples all to a uniform level. Once you have your moistened sample, you fill up the measuring cylinder (pictured), and then allow the stamp to compress the contents of the cylinder simply using gravity. You then use a sharp knife to separate the bottom section of the cylinder and remove this section from the instrument. This gives you a nicely accurate 60ml sample to work with. You transfer this sample to an uncontaminated container, and pour in 90ml of distilled water. Each sample is then stirred, mixed or shaken and left standing for a minimum of 15 minutes. You then filter the water out with a clean strainer, and measure the resultant liquid with an EC pen and pH meter. For measuring EC I used two HM digital meters for a fine reading on the Siemen front. For pH I used a Bluelab combo meterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pH probe and a less swanky unbranded pH pen. Basically, I used a few meters for both pH and EC to get a nice average and make sure my readings were all good. I tested four samples from each brand over two bags, and the Lab tested two samples from each brand over two other bags. So six test samples from four bags of each brand to give me a very good average. So before I bore you to tears with more descriptions of the processes I went through, here are the results I got.

Our Test Results

Lab Test Results EC

Average EC

Nutrifield

Coco 50L

0.1

5.5-6.5

0.30

6.00

0.30

6.07

0.30

6.04

Platinium

Coco Mix 50L

0.1

5.5-6.5

0.08

6.35

0.07

6.70

0.07

6.52

Biobizz

Coco 50L

0.2

5.5-6.5

1.12

5.40

0.90

5.72

1.01

5.56

uGro

Compressed 70L

0.3

5.5-6.5

0.24

6.52

0.12

6.72

0.18

6.62

Plagron

Coco 50L

0.2

5.5-6.5

0.09

6.27

0.07

6.21

0.08

6.24

Canna Professional

Coco 50L

0.2

5.5-6.5

0.08

6.22

0.06

6.11

0.07

6.17

Canna Natural

Coco 50L

0.4

5.5-6.5

0.27

6.00

0.22

6.13

0.24

6.07

Coco Green

Coco 50L

0.2

5.5-6.5

0.36

6.30

0.32

6.56

0.34

6.43

GoldLabel

Coco 50L

0.4

5.5-6.5

0.63

5.88

0.52

6.01

0.57

5.94

GoldLabel 60/40

Coco Mix 50L

0.4

5.5-6.5

0.79

6.13

0.75

6.32

0.77

6.22

Plagron Coco Mix

Coco Mix 50L

0.4

5.5-6.5

0.40

6.27

0.39

6.32

0.40

6.30

Bionova

Coco 50L

0.8

5.5-6.5

1.13

5.15

0.97

4.60

1.05

4.88

Alpha Rocks

Coco Mix 50L

5.5-6.5

1.04

5.57

0.90

5.78

0.97

5.68

Atami

Coco 40L

0.7

5.5-6.5

0.56

6.60

0.34

6.90

0.45

6.75

BARIUM CHLORIDE TESTS Firstly: What the devil is a Barium Chloride test? This process essentially involves the same methods as the 1:1.5 extraction but with a solution of Barium Chloride, rather than just distilled water. In a nutshell (haha) this process forces out the exchangeable cations into the solution, which is then measured for calcium, potassium and sodium levels in mg/L. This is where my ability to perform the tests stopped, and I had to leave it down to the guys in one of the leading independent agricultural laboratories in the UK to carry on where I could not.

Secondly: What does it tell me? The levels from this test give you an indication of which exchangeable positively charged elements (cations) you have in your coco, and the sort of levels that they are present at. The presence of these cations, along with the earlier EC and pH readings give a good indication of how much the buffering and washing processes have affected the resultant coco’s physical properties. The results of this barium chloride tests that should concern the coco grower will be explained forthwith.

CALCIUM : POTASSIUM RATIO The ratio of calcium to potassium gives the best indication as to the extent of the buffering process that a manufacturer has undertaken. There is a competition going on for availability of the exchangeable cations within coco, and calcium will only become freely available to the plant when its ratio to potassium is high enough to easily out compete it. As a rule you want the ratio to be a very minimum of 1:1. Coco will be trying to hold onto the calcium cations more than it will the others, so the higher the ratio they have to potassium, the less likely you are to see calcium deficiencies when growing your plants in it. Basically, if your coco already has enough calcium in it, then it isn’t going to try and steal it from your nutrient solution.

SODIUM LEVELS Exchangeable sodium: The root zone’s natural nemesis. Well not quite, but you know what I mean. A high salt level is generally a bad thing. Ideally you want to see this value below 2 mmol/L, and your plants will be caused little to no problems. No one likes salty nuts, at least that what the wife keeps telling me. The following results are the average from two samples, from two separate bags from each brand sent to the independent laboratory.

“There is a competition going on for availability of the exchangeable cations within coco, and calcium will only become freely available to the plant when its ratio to potassium is high enough to easily out compete it.”

mmol/L

Nutrifield

9.26

0.74

1.88

12.55

Platinium

7.45

2.40

0.78

3.10

BioBizz

6.61

5.98

2.22

1.11

Gold Label Coco

7.44

2.67

0.85

2.78

Gold Label 60/40

7.35

2.85

1.05

2.58

Canna Plus

7.68

0.85

0.38

9.00

Canna Natural

6.40

4.73

1.63

1.35

Alpha Rocks

8.27

3.49

2.00

2.37

CocoGreen

4.04

4.08

3.34

0.99

uGro

9.22

1.64

1.51

5.62

Plagron Coco

7.78

1.39

0.62

5.59

Plagron Mix

7.44

1.03

2.11

7.22

Atami

7.36

6.12

1.39

1.20

Bio Green

7.95

5.28

0.68

1.50

Brand

Ca:K

Ripen Bulking Formula r *OJUJBUFT QSPGVTF 贸 PXFSJOH r #VJMET CJH CMPPNT JO 贸 PXFSJOH QMBOUT r *ODSFBTFT 贸 PXFS TJUFT BOE MJNJUT CVE BCPSUJOH

B R I N G I N G N AT U R E A N D T E C H N O L O G Y T O G E T H E R

COMPARISON OF VOLUME VARIANCE FROM STATED LITRES IN %

EC LEVELS

STATED EC

TESTED EC

0.97

1.05

0.45

0.4

0.40

0.2

0.24

0.2 0.07

0.08

0.2

0.18

0.2 0.07

0.34

0.4

0.57

0.7

0.77

0.8

1.01 0.3

0.30 0.1

0.1

ATAMI COCO

GT ALPHA ROCKS

BIO GREEN

GOLD LABEL 60/40

GOLD LABEL COCO

PLAGRON COCO MIX

COCO GREEN

CANNA NAT’

CANNA PRO

PLAGRON COCO

BIOBIZZ

UGRO

0 NUTRIFIELD

UGRO

0.2

PLATINIUM

+6.42 Ltr

+1.1 Ltr

0.6 0.4

PLATINIUM

ATAMI COCO -1.29 Ltr

+0.41 Ltr

0.8

-12.84 Ltr

PLAGRON COCO MIX

+2.6 Ltr

GT ALPHA ROCKS

GOLD LABEL 60/40

COCO GREEN

+1.45 Ltr

PLAGRON COCO

CANNA NAT’

-4.29 Ltr

+2.66 Ltr

+2.44 Ltr

CANNA PRO

GOLD LABEL COCO

BIOBIZZ -0.6 Ltr

-3.1 Ltr

+0.72 Ltr

15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30

NUTRIFIELD

PERCENTAGE (%)

1.2

PRE-FERTILISED

This graph barely needs any interpretation. Green = Good. Red = Bad. The volumes are displayed here as a percentage in diﬀerence to the initial volume stated. The actual diﬀerence in litres is printed above/below the respective bar.

This shows the diﬀerence from what is stated on the bags, to the results we obtained from our tests. Most notable is Biobizz’s. The EC values here are the result of test based on a 1:1.5 extraction. Biobizz uses a 1:5 extraction, what is based on European standard EN 11265. The result from this extraction is EC 0,1 and is published on their oﬃcial communication and packaging.

SODIUM LEVELS

CALCIUM TO POTASSIUM RATIO

MINIMUM IDEAL LEVEL

IDEAL LEVEL

4.00

15.00

3.00

As a rule, particularly with un-fertilised coir, you generally want the levels to be 2mmol/L or under. However with pre-fertilised coir these levels may be slightly elevated from the coco initial base levels, depending on the fertilisers used.

BIO GREEN

ATAMI COCO

PLAGRON COCO MIX

PLAGRON COCO

UGRO

COCO GREEN

GT ALPHA ROCKS

CANNA NAT’

CANNA PRO

GOLD LABEL 60/40

GOLD LABEL COCO

BIOBIZZ

BIO GREEN

ATAMI COCO

PLAGRON COCO MIX

PLAGRON COCO

UGRO

COCO GREEN

GT ALPHA ROCKS

CANNA NAT’

CANNA PRO

GOLD LABEL 60/40

GOLD LABEL COCO

BIOBIZZ

PLATINIUM

NUTRIFIELD

0.00

PLATINIUM

1.00

NUTRIFIELD

10.00

2.00

This shows the comparative levels between brands. As a rule you would need a minimum of a 1:1 ratio to stop your coir stealing away the calcium from your nutrient solution. As a rule of thumb, the higher the bar, the happier it makes me.

SUMMARY Well I’m not sure about you, but this here test certainly has thrown a few curve balls my way. Some of the data was particularly suprising (no prizes for guessing which), but then reassuringly, some was just as you would expect it to be. As is the way with most sets of large data, there can often be numerous ways to interpret it all. Hopefully this article has served as good guide through the core aspects relating to Coco’s physical properties and you now have a good idea of what to look out for in a bag. When you are looking at the EC and buffering results, you need to really bear in mind that all coco is actually usable, regardless of the state it is in. The readings obtained here merely give you the indication of how much in the way of preparation has been done for you on the product by the manufacturer already. You can pre-treat any type of coco yourself quite easily. Either: a quick water through if the EC or salts are too high for your liking, and/or the introduction of a calcium rich nutrient solution (cal-mag additive will do), if it does not have the buffering levels you require. Then Bob’s your uncle, you will be fine to use it. Laziness however is most growers biggest problem. Most simply can’t be arsed with all that and just want to get on using it straight from out the bag.

“Hopefully this article has served as a good guide through the core aspects relating to Coco’s physical properties and you now have a good idea of what to look out for in a bag.” Whatever your motivation that goes into choosing a bag of coco, these results will surely help as a good set of comparative data across all brands. The one you choose will undoubtedly be based on numerous factors, such as the ones we have tested for in this article, or simply down to the fact that it is a cheaper price. The main thing is to pick the one that you feel would be most suitable for your specific grow.

This little device uses a piston weighted by gravity and ensures that each sample of coco which was taken was exactly the same in volume (60ml).

Expert Opinions:

BLOOM STIMULATORS Forget your usual PK regimes, this is a focus on all things outside of that well stacked box. So you’re at that stage in your flowering cycle where everything is ticking along just nicely. Your plants are looking a luscious and vibrant green and flowers are forming and settling in amazingly well. In fact it’s probably going better than it ever has done. Even though the plants look perfectly content with what they are being given at this point, you still find yourself thinking “Surely there’s something else I can chuck in my tank to make ‘em bigger?” Well my fellow greedy grower, you will be pleased to know that there most certainly is. Many companies have been researching and developing products that promote growth in your plants in ways that simple nutrients just cannot do on their own. So nowadays, simply walking in to a grow shop, clicking your fingers and saying “bottle of boost yeh brah?” isn’t as easy as it used to be. There are a few different types on the market now, so frustratingly the shopkeeper is now likely to ask “which one, brah?” It would generally be a good idea for all parties involved in this transaction if you actually knew the answer to this question so hopefully the following few pages will help out when you get thrown this sneaky curve ball. As per the usual format of this section we have asked three of our chums in the nutrient world to write up a little bit about the all sciencey loveliness that make their products do its thing. From definitions by the European Biostimulant Industry Consortium to analogies with cheeseburgers, over the next few pages you should have enough food for thought to give you a good idea of where you are going to invest your money after your base nutrient regime.

EXPERT OPINIONS | BIOBIZZ

Bloom stimulators are in some way the cherry on your cake, they can really help to give the finishing touch to your crops. Much of your time and effort will no doubt be invested in giving the plants proper levels of NPKs, so you want to make sure that all of these efforts are not in vain. Bloom stimulators will assist and improve a plant’s metabolism: helping to increase sugar production, and most of all, they will go a long way towards giving you a higher yield. The regular way of feeding your crops is by using fertilisers. They are rich in NPK and other necessary elements a plant requires to have enough energy to grow correctly. As a side order to the NPK main dish, many people serve plants additional PK boosters in specific periods of the cultivation to improve fruit/flower/veg production even more. So after that point, what else can you do to get your crops at peak efficiency? Well, you can add a Bloom Stimulator. Your plants already have enough food, so now you want to put the plant to work as well. By stimulating it to grow bigger and better in other ways than just the nutritional one. This is why most Bloom Stimulators do not have any, or just very low NPK values. But they are often very rich in trace elements and minerals that provide a variety of growth responses.

plants only need food to grow the biggest. Balance is the key to a successful crop. Bloom Stimulators do not come cheap. This is due to the exclusive ingredients they have that assist the plant’s metabolism, health and balance. Without it, you can have a nice yield, but you can miss out in flower density, flavor and extra mass. There are some flower stimulators that simply have an extra PK kick inside, but that is the “hamburger” way. Give your plants the tools to do some of work themselves! You already feed enough fertiliser, so add something that ensures all this good stuff is being used with maximum effect. Your plants will reward you with luscious yields and in the end you easily win your investment back.

“It is a general misunderstanding plants only need food to grow the biggest. Balance is the key to a successful crop.”

You do not eat a hamburger with cheese as an entree, a double hamburger with cheese as a main dish and a hamburger for dessert if you want to become big and strong. It is better to eat a hamburger, with a salad, a glass of juice and maybe a yogurt for dessert. That is balanced dining! If nutrients are the hamburger, a bloom stimulator is the salad, the juice and the yogurt. It is a general misunderstanding

Top Max Available in 250mL, 500 mL, 1L, 5L & 10L

TopMax™ is a liquid fertiliser and increases the size and weight of the flower clusters, facilitates the uptake of nutrients and is usable during every stage of the flowering period. As all the other fertilisers from the product range of Biobizz®, it is 100% organic and contains no harmful ingredients for the environment. Topmax™ contains humic acids which activates the nutrients flow, and it enables stimulation of the plant`s metabolism through liberating ions like calcium, iron and magnesium. TopMax™ also makes sure to leave a soft, sweet taste in the end product.

EXPERT OPINIONS | SHOGUN

A flowering booster is a term used to categorize a group of compounds that come under the general definition of a ‘bio-stimulant’. These include diverse formulations of compounds, substances and other products that are applied to plants to regulate and enhance the crop’s physiological processes. As defined in Khan et al. (2009), bio-stimulants correspond to “materials, other than fertilizers, that promote plant growth when they are applied in small quantities”. A more recent definition better explains the characteristics of these products: “plant bio-stimulants are substances and materials, with the exception of nutrients and pesticide, which when applied to plants, seeds or growing substrate in specific formulations, have the capacity to modify physiological processes of plants in a way that provides potential benefits to growth, development and/or stress response” (Du Jardin, 2012). Flowering boosters act on plant physiology through different pathways than nutrients to improve crop vigor, yields, quality and post-harvest shelf life. Claims/ effects of flowering boosters foster plant growth and development throughout the reproductive life cycle from flower initiation to flower maturity in a number of demonstrated ways, including but not limited to: Improving the efficiency of the plant’s metabolism to induce yield increases and enhanced crop quality; Facilitating nutrient assimilation, translocation and use; Enhancing quality attributes of produce, including sugar content, aroma, essential oil and resin production etc.; Regulating and improving plant water balance; Flowering booster formulas are proprietary but most of them contain similar components: plant hormone-like compounds, amino acids, humic acids, or sea kelp extracts. Several reports highlight the beneficial physiological effects induced by the crop treatment with bio-stimulants, but the molecular mechanisms behind these effects are still emerging. Gene expression determines the plant’s phenotype,

Sumo Boost Available in 250mL, 1 Litre & 5 Litre.

physiology and response to the environment. Therefore, analysis of gene expression can provide clues about regulatory mechanisms, biochemical pathways and broader cellular functions that are affected by flowering boosters and bio-stimulants. Nowadays, scientific techniques can rapidly and quantitatively measure the parallel expression of thousands of genes. This can generate a picture of the cellular functions under a given experimental condition elucidating the molecular mechanisms of these flowering boosters. Those in the industry are seeking consensus around the term bio-stimulant. In Europe, for example, the European Biostimulant Industry Consortium (EBIC) has proposed a definition: “Plant bio-stimulant mean a material which contains substance(s) and/ or microorganisms whose function when applied to plants or the rhizosphere is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content.” The European Parliament in Strasbourg has begun rewriting their fertilizer law in 2013 to accommodate this definition or one similar to it, a process that will take over a year. Current thinking suggests a broadening of fertilizer definitions from the traditional N-P-K model to more integrated approaches to plant nutrition that include bio-stimulant technologies. It is expected that bio-stimulant products will begin being regulated under the new laws in Europe by 2015.

Contains a range of natural compounds that elicit a stimulation in plant growth rate and final yield. Sumo Boost contains a phyto-hormone that has been shown to stimulate the following processes: -Photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and increase cell growth. -Up-regulate the expression of genes associated with photosynthesis and photorespiration and down regulate genes associated with plant stress. -Stimulate cell division and increase chlorophyll content within a few days of application leading to an increase in fresh and dry weight. -Stimulate secondary metabolite production and essential oil production in plants. -Stimulate secondary messengers with potent growth-regulatory properties. -Increased the activity of certain enzymes and increased the Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium concentrations in certain fruit and flowers. Shogun Sumo Boost contains a wide range of carbohydrates and sugars to stimulate plant growth mechanisms. Fantastic value from the 1-2mL/L dilution rate. Use throughout flowering stage.

EXPERT OPINIONS | EVOPONIC

Flowering is initiated in plants by a combination of day-length and temperature. Researchers have long hoped to find Florigen: The “flowering hormone”. Florigen is the hypothesized hormone-like molecule or molecules that are responsible for actually controlling and/or triggering flowering responses in plants. This hypothetical material should be produced in the leaves, and act in the shoot apical meristem of buds and growing tips. It is known to be grafttransmissible, and even functions between species. However, despite having been highly sought after by many researchers since the 1930s, we still don’t know what exactly Florigen is or how it may be composed. The way it is known to work is in three stages: photoperiod-regulated initiation or photoperiodism, some form of signal or trigger translocated through the phloem, which initiates flowering at the shoot apical meristem. A good bloom stimulator product will take these fundamental factors into account. Studies show that as flowering is initiated some hormone levels are depressed and others rise within the plant. This has led many researchers to have used combinations of known hormones Giberellins and Kinetins to try and influence flowering, but so far without success. The use of synthetic hormones would render such products under the control of the pesticides registration, the cost of which is prohibitive for most markets.

time of year they are harvested and whether or not they are exposed to heat. It is necessary to reduce heat exposure during processing in order to achieve the ideal end quality of product. Once these flowering stimulants have helped initiate flowering it is necessary to support and extend the flowering process with the key elements required to ensure proliferation of flowers and maximum viability of the resulting seeds or fruits. Potassium (K) and Phosphorous (P) are the major elements required to sustain flowering. At the same time and equally as important are the micronutrients like Calcium (Ca) and Boron (B) which are required for a robust plant capable of sustaining and supporting large healthy flowers. A good flowering additive will contain all these elements, along with extras such as silicates to help with plant strength and disease resistance.

“Many plant extracts will contain natural growth hormones, depending on the time of year they are harvested and whether or not they are exposed to heat. It is necessary to reduce heat exposure during processing in order to achieve the ideal end quality of product.”

Many plant extracts will contain natural growth hormones, depending on the

PK Bulk Available in 250mL & 1 Litre.

PK BULK is a highly concentrated source of these vital materials. It contains natural plant extracts rich in amino acids, peptides, and sugars, all of which are known to enhance both flower initiation and development. This is in addition to 180g/L Phosphorous in a fully soluble form and 200g/L 100% soluble Potassium. These are nutrient levels that other manufacturers are unable to achieve, even without the other components of PK bulk that make it not just a PK, but also a growth accelerator. There are several key analogues of natural growth hormones which stimulate growth and many intermediates for growth that provide the chemical energy boost that makes PK BULK outperform alternative products at such low rates of inclusion. It will work to compliment any soluble plant feed combination, providing rapid and healthy plant growth. There are also vital trace elements like Manganese, Zinc, and Copper with Iron and sugars in PK BULK to further enhance the rapid plant development sustained by the PK and algal extracts. PK BULK produces robust plants capable of supporting the increased number of flowers per plant which are stimulated by including PK BULK in the feeding regime.

Bloom Stimulators

A selection of other bloom boosters currently available on the market...

CANNA BOOST ACCELERATOR

DUTCH PRO XPLODE

GROWTH TECHNOLOGY GREEN FUSE

ATAMI BLOOMBASTIC

BAC ORGANIC BLOOM STIMULATOR

H&G BUD XL

PLAGRON PLAGRON GREEN SENSATION

BLOOM PHAT

BLOOM OOZE

BIO NOVA X-CEL

HESI BOOST

APTUS TOP BOOSTER

AMINO ACIDS Source of Life...

The discovering of amino acids, A little history… The first few amino acids were discovered in the early 19th century. Precisely in 1806, French chemists Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin and Pierre Jean Robiquet isolated a compound in asparagus that was subsequently named asparagine, the first amino acid to be discovered. Afterwards cystine was discovered in 1810, although its monomer, cysteine, remained undiscovered until 1884. Glycine and leucine were discovered in 1820. Usage of the term amino acid in the English language is from 1898. Proteins were found to yield amino acids after enzymatic digestion or acid hydrolysis. In 1902, Emil Fischer and Franz Hofmeister proposed that proteins are the result of the formation of bonds between the amino group of one amino acid with the carboxyl group of another, in a linear structure that Fischer termed peptide.

The building blocks, amino acids There are many ways of looking at amino compounds or ‘amino acids’, as they are commonly referred to. An amino acid is a type of organic acid that contains an acid functional group and an amine functional group on adjacent carbon atoms. Amino acids are considered to be the building blocks of proteins, which in turn are involved in just about every process of life. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen (though other elements are found in the side-chains of certain amino acids). Roughly 500 amino acids are in existence and are classified in many ways. For example through the core structural functional groups’ locations such as: alpha- (α-), beta- (β-), gamma- (γ-) or delta- (δ-) amino acids. Other categories relate to: polarity, pH level, and sidechain group type (aliphatic, acyclic, aromatic, containing hydroxyl or sulphur).

Characteristics and properties of amino compounds Each amino acid has at least one amine and one acid functional group as the name implies. The different properties that each group exhibits result from the variations in the structures of different ‘R groups’. The R group is often referred to as the amino acid side chain. Amino acids have special common names, however, a three letter abbreviation for the name is used most of the time. A second abbreviation, single letter, is used in long protein structures.

The four different classes of amino acids

Amino acids and the plant

The amino acids can be categorized into various classes, which are determined by four side chains. The different side chains are: non-polar, polar(uncharged), acidic and basic (the first two are characterised through their load of electronegativity). The principle of polarity can be explained through that the greater the electronegativity difference between atoms in a bond, the more polar the bond. Partial negative charges are found on the most electronegative atoms, the others are partially positive.

Every plant, just like any organism, needs certain components for growth other than just soil, like: sun, rain and air. The basic component of all living cells is protein, and in turn its building block materials of choice are amino acids. Proteins are formed by the myriad of reactions that various sequences of amino acids can provide.

NONPOLAR SIDE CHAINS There are eight amino acids with nonpolar side chains. Glycine, alanine, and proline have small, nonpolar side chains and are all weakly hydrophobic. Phenylalanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, and methionine have larger side chains and are more strongly hydrophobic.

POLAR, UNCHARGED SIDE CHAINS There are also eight amino acids with polar, uncharged side chains. Serine and threonine have hydroxyl groups. Asparagine and glutamine have amide groups. Histidine and tryptophan have heterocyclic aromatic amine side chains. Cysteine has a sulfhydryl group. Tyrosine has a phenolic side chain. The sulfhydryl group of cysteine, phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine, and imidazole group of histidine all show some degree of pHdependent ionization

ACIDIC SIDE CHAINS If the side chain contains an acid functional group, the whole amino acid produces an acidic solution. Normally, an amino acid produces a nearly neutral solution since the acid group and the basic amine group on the root amino acid neutralize each other in the zwitterion. If the amino acid structure contains two acid groups and one amine group, there is a net acid producing eďŹ&#x20AC;ect. The two acidic amino acids are aspartic and glutamic.

BASIC SIDE CHAINS If the side chain contains an amine functional group, the amino acid produces a basic solution because the extra amine group is not neutralized by the acid group. Amino acids which have basic side chains include: lysine, arginine, and histidine. Amino acids with an amide on the side chain do not produce basic solutions i.e. asparagine and glutamine.

Plants synthesize amino acids from the primary elements, the carbon and oxygen obtained from air, hydrogen from water in the soil, forming carbon hydrate by means of photosynthesis and combining it with the nitrogen which the plants obtain from the soil, leading to synthesis of amino acids, by collateral metabolic pathways. Only L-amino acids are part of these proteins and have metabolic activity.

The effect on the plant The requirement of amino acids in essential quantities is well known as a means to increase yield and overall quality of crops. Amino acids are fundamental ingredients in the process of Protein Synthesis. About 20 important amino acids are involved in the process of each function. Numerous studies all over the world have proven that amino acids can directly or indirectly influence the physiological activities of the plant. Amino acids are also supplied to the plant by incorporating them into the soil. It helps in improving the micro flora of the soil thereby facilitating the assimilation of nutrients. Other notable effects are: - Chelating effect. Amino acids have a chelating effect on micronutrient. When applied together with micronutrients, the absorption and transportation of micronutrients inside the plant is more efficient. - Stress resistance. High temperature, low humidity, frost, pest attack, hailstorm and floods have a negative effect on plant metabolism with a corresponding reduction in crop quality and quantity - Equilibrium of soil flora.

Words:

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The basic component of all living cells is Protein, and in turn its building block materials of choice are Amino Acids.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

HIP HOP

HIP HOP’S GOLDEN YEARS....

It’s A-Z of Music time again here at Hydromag, so pack your bags, don’t forget your passport and join us on another nostalgic journey down memory lane with ‘H’ and the ‘Golden Era Of Hip Hop’. Let Hydromag be your boo, because we’re going to ghost ride the whip, pop open the Cristal, get crunk out of our minds, holler at some shawtys and with any luck get nekid too... Fo real holmes! “The fundamental irony of Hip Hop is that it has become viewed as a nihilistic, macho, violent and a bling-bling phenomenon, when in fact its originating impulse was a fierce disgust with the hypocrisies of adult culture—disgust with the selfishness, capitalist callousness, and xenophobia of the culture of adults, both within the hood and in society at large.” - Dr Cornel West For the skeptics to understand and respect Hip Hop as a valid art form, its inception from the street corners of the Bronx and its engagement with social justice is where you should begin. When a lot of people think of Hip Hop, they tend to jump straight to the gangster rap element of it, such was its popularity, but Hip Hop is certainly not all about a macho, ego driven insatiable desire for power, money and pussy. Hip Hop is a term for a massive cultural scene, that encompasses many different approaches to art and creativity. Graffiti art, turntablism and scratching, human beatboxing, breakdancing, fashion and of course the mightily impressive poetry of a lot of good rap music, all play constituent parts to the genre and lend it real credibility. Good rap music, was really about the urgency, the necessity of the human desire to communicate, create and engage with one another. Born out of dire circumstances, like a single, perfect rose growing out of the rubble of war, art in this instance was literally a saviour and kept community spirit in the projects high. Hip Hop started out being predominantly a pugilistic and poetic social commentary, galvanising and giving a voice to a whole subsection of society that America didn’t have much interest in, was intimidated by and probably found an inconvenient nuisance. It is the fantastically sober and focused defiance of the early Hip Hop artists, that served as the nutrients to the scene that grew out of the

projects and permeated its way through popular culture all over the world, with Hip Hop’s parlance, dress sense and unfortunately its self-aggrandising and sense of entitlement affecting the attitudes of people even today. The success and ubiquity of Hip Hop can not be held accountable for all the ills of the young however, for art always reflects the paradigms of society, you can’t have one without the other and it is the pernicious message of aspirational capitalism that fuels some of the attitudes of rambunctious youths. If it were ‘cool’, to be as stoic as a Buddhist monk, then we wouldn’t need shopping malls, because nobody would want to buy anything to stand out, but as Nietzsche puts it ‘Wherever I came upon a living creature, there I found a will to power’ and therefore whilst this remains, there will be competition and there will be a perception that life has winners and losers, rather than us all just accepting we are all losers. Really really bad losers... The legitimate roots of this claiming of self respect out of the furnace of injustice was done with dazzling literacy, humour, defiance, and authenticity, but once Hip Hop found success, it did turn a bit ugly. The genius of the early greats got pushed to the side by its attention seeking, whiny little brother, who forced his egocentric way into the spotlight. Corporate, commercial Hip Hop was born and the ‘bling-bling’ of Hip Hop took over. Titles like ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ from 50 Cent sum up how rap moved away from it being about community and social justice and became more about ‘bigging up the self’ and luxury goods became more important than an ability to string a literate sentence together. One can only assume that the vicarious apprehension of these ego stimulating themes through the music is what people enjoy out of it. A bit like the rich kids of Instagram (which if you fancy some vomiting, or need some valid victims for a dash of serial killing, do Google it), by becoming a voyeur on someone else’s fancy life, it gives the illusion that you are in touching distance of it yourself. Despite Hip Hop going to the dark side for a bit, there is still a lot of great rap today coming out of the USA and the UK that has genuine value and artistic merit. As Frank Zappa said about Jazz, ‘Hip Hop isn’t dead, it just smells funny’. Here are some of the classics of the genre...

PUBLIC ENEMY IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS JUST TO HOLD US BACK (1988) Public Enemy’s ‘It Takes A Nation...’ is arguably the most important Hip Hop album released throughout the golden age of Hip Hop. It achieved platinum album sales status and just about every music publication going gave it a resounding 10/10. Public Enemy, heavily influenced by the sentiments and words of the Black Nationalists, with ‘It Takes A Nation...’ set out to make the Hip Hop equivalent of Marvin Gaye’s legendary ‘What’s Going On?’ and fully delivered. Its biting social commentary from rapper Chuck D, its expert and influential use of real world sampling (for example; slamming jail cell doors being used as percussion) and its production values made it stand head and shoulders above anything else for its time, creating an intoxicating, urgent and essential album, that has inspired all in the genre since. Still revolutionary and a fascinating listen, Public Enemy are punk heroes of Hip Hop.

NAS

ILLMATIC (1994) Nas has a justified reputation as being one of the best MCs in Hip Hop. His ability to rap poetically and rhythmically with such a wide vocabulary about serious social issues and still keep it groovy and unpretentious makes him an essential listen in the genre. Nas was 21 in ‘94 when Illmatic was released and drawing on the inspiration of the greats of ‘the golden age’ before him, he took Hip Hop to new heights with Illmatic, adding greater levels of musical sophistication and social realism to the genre and achieving that desirous double of widespread gushing critical acclaim and massive commercial success. With songs like ‘Life’s A Bitch and Then You Die, That’s Why We Get High, Cause You Never Know When You’re Going To Go’, a polemic on nihilistic tendencies, expressing the pathos of gangland stoners, Nas was able to create engaging, realistic portrayals of life in the ghetto without glorifying its worst excesses and without sanctimony. Illmatic is simultaneously visceral and urgent, but with a lightness of touch that makes it endlessly listenable. An all time great contemporary American album.

NWA STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (1988) NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitudes), are considered one of the most important acts in Hip Hop, creating the sub-genre of ‘Gangster Rap’ with provocative songs such as ‘Fuck Da Police’ and ‘Gangster Gangster’, terrifying the FBI and White middle America in the process, especially as their massive commercial success showed that their confrontational style appealed as much to white teenagers as it did to gang members from the projects. ‘NWA’s success was an important milestone in raising the profile of contemporary black culture and it helped catapult Hip Hop and rap into the mainstream. ‘Straight Outta Compton’s’ subject matter had a lot of justified anger in it, but NWA’s genius was in the benign use of their humour and acerbic wit, that allowed a serious message to be so digestible. All of ‘NWA’ went on to have massively successful solo careers, Ice Cube and Dr Dre especially have become household names since. It is an essential piece of Hip Hop history.

DE LA SOUL THREE FEET HIGH AND RISING (1989) Hip Hop was generally provocative, confrontational and political and then along came De La Soul who defied all expectations of the genre by releasing a frankly insane and brilliant concept album, filled with psychedelia and dadaism of Zappa-esque proportions. De La Soul paved the way for a more musical, playful, creative and positive side to Hip Hop and ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ influenced many in the genre, reminding us that Hip Hop could be more than the pomposity and anger of gangster rap. With fake game show contestants, random teach your self French dialogue and using musical samples across genres as wide ranging as Steely Dan, Johnny Cash and The Turtles, Three Feet High And Rising is kaleidoscopic and endlessly positive and grooving artistic genius and rightly considered one of the truly great albums in Hip Hop’s oeuvre.

MADVILLAIN MADVILLAINY (2004) MC MF Doom and producer Madlib, created a highly original and critically well thought of masterpiece in Madvillainy. Released in 2004 through independent label Stones Throw Records, started by Hip Hop artist ‘Peanut Butter Wolf’, whose album ‘Charizma’ also came very close to making this list and is well worth listening to. If Hip Hop is to keep thriving, it is visionary acts like Madvillainy and Peanut Butter Wolf that will be carrying it forwards, because they have boldly reinvented the genre, exploring and experimenting in ways that push the boundaries of what we know as Hip Hop into the exciting world of the avant garde. MF Doom for example wears a metal mask and uses a piano accordion. From first glance you expect you’re in for something a bit different and Madvillain deliver, with unique and uncommercial songs, some being a minute thirty long, having no choruses. Madvillain create a gripping, abstract experience quite unlike anything else. A new album is supposedly out imminently (that rumour has been a talking point for years though, such is their popularity) and will be a major event for all Hip Hop fans.

See the oﬃcial trailers for these movies. HYDROMAG YouTube channel will be full of playlists to supplement our articles. You can also see sponsored playlists from our advertisers. Visit: www.youtube.com/user/hydromagazine

100 FILMS TO WATCH BEFORE YOU SNUFF IT:

FILM NOIR 05 It is often said (by the local drunk in my pub) that life is like a runaway train. There’s no obvious driver, the destination is unknown, and it seems to be moving with increasing speed. All we know is that at some stage it’s going to come off the rails and hurtle into an abyss. Many of us get through life by simply plugging our ears and not looking out of the windows. But for others the temptation to scream hysterically can be overwhelming. It’s to this latter type that we say firstly well done for spotting the gravity of the situation, but secondly calm the fuck down. There’s no sense in worrying about the inevitable. So ignore the creaking rails, the rattling cabin and the sheer drops outside, and try to enjoy the in-train entertainment. What better way to take one’s mind off the horror of one’s mortality than to sit back with a box set of movies dedicated to the subject of madness, doomed affairs, death and betrayal? French critics first coined the term “film noir” after noticing the similarities within a wave of 1940s American thrillers, largely influenced by German Expressionist film. Thankfully the movement proved extremely durable, and wasn’t just confined to the post-war period. Noir is the perfect antidote to the spoon-fed, narcissistic, adventure rides of the modern era – cynical in the right way, pessimistic and menacing. This edition: Film Noir. Shadowy existential crime drama characterised by a pervading sense of doom and impending threat. P.S. Apologies to Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles, and Double Indemnity.

Point Blank DIRECTOR: John Boorman (1967)

Like so many revolutionary pieces of cinema, Point Blank (adapted from pulp novel The Hunter by Donald E Westlake), wasn’t initially successful at the box office. Lee Marvin’s character Walker, along with his wife and partner Reece, steal cash from a courier transporting gambling funds. Walker (“an emotional, primitive man”) is betrayed by his partners, shot and left for dead. What follows is open to interpretation, with Walker either on a quest for revenge or experiencing a wish-fulfilment death dream. Lee Marvin, who survived a Japanese bullet at Saipan, was one of the toughest of a generation of fine tough-guy actors. But behind the steely façade was a certain modern selfdoubt … psychological cracks. Point Blank perhaps reflects these contradictions – it’s a tough, traditional revenge drama, but shot in a European arthouse style. Boorman reverts to a series of fragmented flashbacks, unusual angles, and the art direction is conspicuous in its innovative use of colour. Compelling cinema.

Sunset Boulevard DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder (1950) Pitch black but laced with memorable comic touches, Sunset Boulevard infuriated the Hollywood “family” upon its release, who were convinced Wilder had betrayed them by turning the lens inwards. The film opens with a corpse floating face down in a swimming pool, setting the scene for a gloriously twisted whodunnit. The story explores the dark side of the film business, pitting together the two ends of the Tinseltown misery spectrum – a bottom-feeder scriptwriter and a vain fading star of the silent era. Self-delusional diva Norma Desmond (a has-been) and penniless writer Joe Gillis (a never-will-be) are struggling to live The Dream. Gilles, trying to hide from repo men, chances upon a funeral for a chimpanzee in the crumbling mansion of Desmond, and an unlikely partnership forms. One of David Lynch’s favourite films, this must be seen if for nothing else than to marvel at Gloria Swanson’s staggeringly good turn as Desmond, portraying her with great pathos, in equal parts monstrous yet strangely sympathetic.

The film is sparsely shot, beautiful and a rare oasis in the desert of 80s cinema

Blood Simple DIRECTOR: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (1985) Writer David Gerrold once said “Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face … Be grateful it happens in that order.” In one scene in Blood Simple, this order is memorably perverted. It was an exhilarating debut for the Coen Brothers, tonally closer to The Man Who Wasn’t There or No Country for Old Men than the quirkier, comedic works they’re more famous for. Set in a dark, sweaty Texas, the plot follows a jealous bar owner who suspects someone is sleeping with his wife. M Emmet Walsh, stealing every scene he’s in, plays a VW Beatle-driving, chain-smoking private investigator in a cowboy hat, first charged with finding evidence of the affair, then given orders to kill. The film is sparsely shot, beautiful and a rare oasis in the desert that was 80s cinema. Some have attributed the birth of independent film to Blood Simple. Either way it’s an extraordinary triumph.

Night of the Hunter

DIRECTOR: Charles Laughton (1955) Now rightly considered a masterpiece, Night of the Hunter was critically panned and a commercial disaster when it premiered. English character actor Charles Laughton, making his directorial debut, was so traumatised by the response he never directed again. The premature end to his career behind the camera is a terrible loss to cinema, as Night of the Hunter is one of the few films from the 1950s that still has the power to unnerve the audience to this day. Much of the credit must go to Robert Mitchum, never better (or more terrifying), playing a murderous conman posing as a preacher. The plot follows a gloriously deranged Mitchum as he inveigles his way into a widow’s life in search of buried loot. Probably owing more directly to German Expressionism than its contemporaries in the noir genre, the film is Southern Gothic at its finest. Viewers will find many of its unsettling scenes and beautifully-framed shots sear themselves into the memory for life.

Mulholland Drive DIRECTOR: David Lynch (2001) Originally filmed as a pilot for a Twin Peaks-style television series, Lynch was forced to shoot new scenes and recut his early footage after ABC inexplicably dropped it. Fortunately the French are made of sterner stuff and company StudioCanal came to the rescue. And thank God because Lynch might just have stumbled upon his finest film. Variously described as “a poisonous Valentine to Hollywood,” an “enigma” “a surrealist dreamscape” and “incoherent garbage,” the film centres on a mysterious brunette who emerges from a car crash with no memory. Much of Lynch’s signature themes and cinematic devices are on show; light and darkness, dreams, love, the Uncanny and possibly the Tibetan concept of bardo. The final Act sees the whole film flip on its head, with characters’ names and roles changing. While it’s easy to fixate on finding the key to unlocking this neo-noir puzzle (the clues are there), the real beauty of this morality play about regret, confusion and thwarted desire is rooted in the subconscious. Without necessarily knowing what you’ve seen, Mulholland Dr. feels complete. See the official trailers for these movies. HYDROMAG YouTube channel will be full of playlists to supplement our articles. You can also see sponsored playlists from our advertisers. Visit: www.youtube.com/user/hydromagazine

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“How to become the perfect indoor gardener” THE INDOOR GARDENER

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“A richly illustrated bible of hydroponic gardening” HYDROPONEAST MAGAZINE

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THE WORLDWIDE REFERENCE

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GROW GEAR Grow Gear gives you a taste of our advertisers’ premier products, from popular classics to new-fangled curiosities. We can’t guarantee that they’re right for you, but we can tell you that we wouldn’t have them in HYDROMAG if we didn’t respect their work. Even if you aren’t in the market for something new, Grow Gear is well worth a read.

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GROW GEAR GROTEK Blossom Blaster With a PK ratio designed for early flowering, Blossom Blaster™ can assist with root development while ensuring a more uniform blooming and the potential of additional flowering sites. More flower sites at the start of any bud development will lead to more fruit at harvest, something on the mind of commercial and hobby growers alike. As a supplement this product is intended to send key signals to the plant during the first week of flower development and again two weeks later.

Product Website: www.tinyurl.com/pwfobng Distribution by: Erith Horticulture

GROTEK Bud Fuel A unique blend of organic acids, including aminos, and various forms of potassium. By providing essential nutrients and combining them with polysaccharides like chitosan this formula is designed to improve stronger stem development on a more compact plant while assisting with the movement of key sugars within the plant. Bud Fuel™ is designed as a transitional product to help the plant make the chemical changes required at the onset of ﬂower development. Providing energy during this key stage is critical to ensure the best fruit set possible and highest crop yield results at the end of the season. Note: This formula is sold as Bloom Fuel™ in some countries. Product Website: www.tinyurl.com/pwfobng Distribution by: Erith Horticulture

SHOGUN FERTILISERS SHOGUN PK Warrior 9/18 Not all PK products are created equal, and PK Warrior has been specifically formulated to not only take full advantage of the optimum phosphorus and potassium ratios for flowering plants but to also include plant sterols and other natural ingredients to maximise the uptake and utilisation of these important elements by your plants. PK Warrior is targeted nutrition for the reproductive phases of crops which utilises the benefits of essential nutrients plus specific organic acids to maximise flower potential. Offering superior dilution rates and made with only the finest grade agro-chemicals, PK Warrior is a PK product that simply has to be tried to be believed!

Manufacturer Website: www.shogunfertilisers.com Distribution by: Ikon-International

SHOGUN FERTILISERS SHOGUN Silicon The benefits of using silicon in nutrient solutions has been proven time after time. Not only fortifying your plant against attack from pathogens and pests, SHOGUN silicon can also have beneficial effects on nutrient translocation around the plant as well as positive effects on overall plant health. Highly concentrated with an amazing dilution rate of just 1mL/L, SHOGUN Silicon offers some of the best value silicon available. A great product to use during summer. Shogun Fertilisers are now available to hydroponic stores throughout the UK, visit www. shogunfertilisers.com to be a stockist www.facebook.com/shogunfertilisers

Manufacturer Website: www.shogunfertilisers.com Distribution by: Ikon-International

GROW GEAR BIOBIZZ New Volumes of BioBizz Products Biobizz® is pleased to add the collection, the 500ml member and a big 10 litre can to the family of Biobizz’ products. Expanding the size assortment allows Biobizz to oﬀer more choices to you when browsing for your plants. Therefore, do not hesitate to consider one of the new upcoming family members!

BIOBIZZ 500 ml of Nutritious Juice for your Roots To give your plants a good and healthy start it is important to give them the right nutrition. That is no problem when you have the 500ml Root-Juice™ bottles! They are coming soon! Then, Root-Juice™ will be available in 250ml, 500ml, 1L bottles and in 5Lcans, which makes it suitable for all quantities!

BIOBIZZ 10L of (Bio)Heaven™ 10L cans filled with Bio-Heaven™ are coming! This organic product has been, and still is, available in other sizes for smaller usage, and now also for the big growers who need more and prefer to buy 10L in one go. Product Website: www.biobizz.com Distribution by: Erith Horticulture, Advanced Gardening Ltd, Hydrogarden, Maxigrowom

BMTEK Aromozone Latest to market is the Aromozone 2 cell 12” variation for total odour annihilation. This 2 Cell device performs as if it’s a 6 cell device! Yes, that powerful, that good, that much annihilation of unwanted problems. With unrivalled build quality and ozone production, this unit is the end of the line solution for odour control, mould control and/or any air bound pollutant. These units are used in multiple sectors from gardening to catering, taking out the smell of even the most potent of curries. Features include, humidity control, not slowing fans down, a one stop long term solution. Distribution by: Erith Horticulture

BMTEK Plant Vitality Killermite What feels like a lifetime ago we launched many great working products; sadly many of these weren’t well marketed or advertised. One product that people will know is plant vitality + Well, thankfully now Plant Vitality is back; fully licensed products, fully approved, fully regulated, professional products for you serious professional growers of varying crops. First to market from our new range is Plant Vitality Killermite, a professional product aimed at serious professional users. A working product to combat the dreaded Borg, spidermite, both red and black. So finally folks Plant Vitality is back and the battle of the Borg is won. Product Website: www.plantvitalityplus.info Distribution by: Erith Horticulture

GHE Ripen Suitable for all growing methods. Ripen is a comprehensive plant nutrient used during the late flowering stage. During the last 10 days of flowering, it will act on several levels: Giving the plant a strong signal that it’s coming to the end of its life. The plant reacts by speeding the ripening process. Forcing the plant to reinforce its defences and thus increase its active principles. Bringing to the plants all the mineral salts they need, in a form easy to assimilate. In case of a previous accumulation of nitrate or microelements, it helps metabolise these residues, which will improve the taste of the crop. Ripen exists in 0,5 l, 1 l, 5 l, 10 l, 60 l. More information : www.eurohydro.com Product Website: www.gb.eurohydro.com/ripen Distribution by: Growth Technology, Highlight Horticulture, Hydrogarden, Glasgrow

GROW GEAR IKON INTERNATIONAL Bio Tabs Starter pack A great introduction to the Bio Tab organic range of fertilizers; Sufficient for 5-10 plants this all-in-one box contains everything you need from start to finish. Crafted from an exceptionally wide and unique combination of rich humus, beneficial bacteria and symbiotic fungi, delivering an abundant harvest. A perfect place to start for any beginner with results a professional will envy.

Websites: www.ikon-international.com // www.biotabs.eu

IKON INTERNATIONAL Hang Ups A Multi-Purpose adjustable lighting and reﬂector hanger, with a simple push button and glide action, is a must for all grow rooms. Each ‘Hang Up’ easily holds up to 20KG and with 2mtrs of length, the steel cable gives you the strength and peace of mind required. 2 x anchor hooks are also included within the pack. Websites: www.ikon-international.com

IKON INTERNATIONAL Cyco B1 Boost Helps to stimulate the growth of roots in new plants and can assist at any time in a plant’s life cycle. B1 is seen as an ‘insurance policy’ as it is difficult to determine if a plant which has come under stress is capable of producing sufficient B1. Websites: www.ikon-international.com // www.cycoflower.com

SECRET JARDIN Orca Tent Secret Jardin is proud to present the new and exclusive ORCA TENT. Made of ORCA grow film, comprising of; Highly Reflective Surface: 94%, Highly Diffuse Surface: 99%. Microfiber structure creates even light distribution across the surface, Thermally Reflecting: High infrared reflectance 100% Light Tight. No Color Shift or Iridescence. Durable, puncture and tear resistance, mold and algae growth resistant. UV Stable: doesn’t yellow over time. Recyclable & eco-friendly material “ORCA Grow Film® brings the latest reflective microfiber technology to the market. The patented white plastic microfiber structure effectively scatters light from highly reflective crystalline fibers within the substrate. ORCA’s microfiber structure provides a unique surface combination of high reflectivity and true diffuse reflection. A reflective combination that is both powerful and highly efficient; significantly improving results over traditional reflective wall covering solutions.” Available in 2 sizes : OR120 (120x120x200cm) & OR240W (240x120x200cm) Distributor: Maxigrow Website: www.tinyurl.com/prbmr6s

GROW GEAR PLAGRON Lightmix SUBSTRATE / FERTILISED Growing profitably and fertilise at your own insight Plagron Lightmix is a mix of the very best, carefully selected types of peat. The addition of various types of fibre and perlite result in a lightness and oxygen level found only in Plagron quality substrates. Lightmix is pre-fertilised for only one week. This allows the grower to have full control over the plant’s nutrition. Plagron Lightmix contains a lot of black peat. This makes Lightmix a relatively heavy soil, through which water can be easily held. Black peat is the bottom layer of the peat; the oldest layer. Plagron only uses frozen black peat. Freezing the black peat improves the structure, in which added nutrients are better absorbed and water is easily retained. Lightmix is mild in nutrients, making it ideal for young plants to have a great healthy start. It gives the grower control to fertilise the plants to your liking. Lightmix soil will retain and release the added nutrients as required by the plant. The low EC value of Lightmix also promotes rapid rooting of the plant. All Plagron quality potting soil is light and does not shrink in. Advantages of Lightmix: • One week pre-fertilised • Retains water easily • Growing profitably • Available with or without perlite • Combine Lightmix with Terra Grow and Terra Bloom for the best results.

IN ISSUE 09 OF HYDROMAG, WE DESCRIBED PLAGRON LIGHTMIX AS NON FERTILISED WHEN IN FACT IT IS A FERTILISED SUBSTRATE. HYDROMAG WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGISE TO PLAGRON AND ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN MISLED BY THIS INACCURATE DESCRIPTION.

PLAGRON Growmix SUBSTRATE / FERTILISED Growing without problems on pre-fertilised soil Plagron Growmix is specifically formulated for an easy growth phase and a controllable flowering phase. The finely tuned combination of high quality white peat and black peat provides optimal airiness in this mixture. Plagron Growmix contains a lot of white peat. White peat is harvested from the top layer of the peat fields; the youngest layer. This peat is airy and drains extremely well. The mix of white peat, black peat and worm castings ensure a smooth growth phase. The use of nutrients during the growth phase of the plant is not required. The worm castings, along with the added mineral fertilizer, ensure adequate nutrition for young plants. This low nutritional value makes this potting-soil perfectly suited for transplanting young cuttings and rooted seedlings. Plagron Growmix gives your plants a healthy & vigorous start with an excellent basis for rich flowering and abundant harvest. Like all quality Plagron potting soil, Growmix is rich in oxygen and does not shrink.

IN ISSUE 09 OF HYDROMAG, WE DESCRIBED PLAGRON GROWMIX AS NON FERTILISED WHEN IN FACT IT IS A FERTILISED SUBSTRATE. HYDROMAG WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGISE TO PLAGRON AND ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN MISLED BY THIS INACCURATE DESCRIPTION.

Advantages of Growmix: • Best quality peat for a light soil structure • Grower decides on fertilisation during the flowering phase • Ideal for planting young cuttings/rooted seedlings • Combine Growmix with Terra Bloom for the best results Do you have any questions? servicedesk@plagron.com For additional information about Plagron Growmix and other products check www.plagron.com Distribution by: Grotech Distribution

PLAGRON Plagron Cocos A&B BASIC NUTRIENT Two component nutrient for the growth and flowering phase Growing profitably and fertilise at your own insight Cocos A&B is a highly concentrated mineral basic plant food for use during the plant’s growth and flowering phase. This liquid fertiliser contains a balanced NPK ratio and is easy to use. Cocos A&B were developed specifically for cultivation on all kinds of coco substrates. In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, plants also need calcium for healthy growth. The elements calcium and phosphorus are known to bind to each other, precipitate and become non-absorbable for the plant. The two separate bottles Cocos A and Cocos B prevent phosphorus and calcium to bind and precipitate. Cocos A contains calcium, Cocos B contains phosphorus. When added to water, calcium and phosphorus will not precipitate when the pH value is within the right range. Additionally, Cocos A is distinguished by the addition of humic and fulvic acids. Humic and fulvic acids change the bonding in certain minerals, making it better absorbable by the plant. Cocos A&B is fully adjusted to the Plagron coco substrates. Advantages of Cocos A&B: • Easily absorbable nutrients • Contains humic- and fulvic acids • No crystallisation in nutrient tank.

PLAGRON Plagron Cocos Premium SUBSTRATE / NON FERTILISED Hydroponic growing with stable pH value. Plagron Cocos Premium is an ideal substrate for the hydroponic grower. Cocos Premium is fully buffered. This provides more stable pH over the entire cultivation. The grower has full control over the plant’s nutrition, because of the guaranteed low EC value. Plagron Cocos Premium is a perfect combination of buffered coco peat and coco fiber. The coco peat ensures optimal absorption of water and nutrients. The risk of dehydration or nutrient loss is therefore reduced. The coco fibers provide the desired lightness of the substrate, which allows the roots of the plant to absorb sufficient oxygen for respiration. Cocos Premium is rinsed with reversed osmosis water to remove salts from the substrate. After that it is rinsed with calcium nitrate. As a result, the pH value in the substrate remains more stable. The quality of Cocos Premium is confirmed by the RHP quality mark, which guarantees a correct buffering of the substrate. Advantages of Cocos Premium: • Completely buffered substrate with stable pH • Guaranteed low EC value • RHP approved • Combine Cocos Premium with Cocos A&B for the best results. Do you have any questions? servicedesk@plagron.com For additional information about Plagron Growmix and other products check www.plagron.com Distribution by: Grotech Distribution

GROW GEAR CANNA Free CANNA additives Have you ever tried any of the CANNA additives before? Now you can give a CANNA additive away to one of your friends. Go to facebook.com/addcanna to give one of your friends a CANNA additive! CANNA will give four additives away each day so chance enough to win a free additive. For more information go to the facebook page or visit www.canna-uk.com. Product Website: www.canna-uk.com/canna_additives

CANNA CANNAZYM CANNAZYM Your ideal environment to the top. Enzymes are substances that speed up the reactions in living organisms and are therefore important for creating your ideal root environment. CANNAZYM consists of more than 12 diﬀerent kinds of enzymes to which vitamins and extracts from desert plants are added. CANNAZYM turns dead roots into minerals and sugars; it stimulates the plant to form new roots and prevents the plant from rotting. Do you want the best for your soil environment? Use CANNAZYM! Product Website: www.canna-uk.com/cannazym Distribution by: Highlight Horticulture / Hydrogarden

PHRESH FILTER Skinny Filter New from Phresh Filter. Unique inverted filter bed offers the best filtration in the industry for growers on a budget. The Phresh Skinny Filter contains the same 100% Pro-4/8 Australian carbon as our Premium filter to provide the maximum possible air filtration. Thinner in diameter and up to half the weight of other competing filters. Small and light for easy installation, the expected life span of a Phresh Skinny is minimum 9 months, but up to 1 year when used in an optimal climate. That’s up to 66% longer than other budget filter brands!

Product Website: www.phreshﬁlter.com Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

SICCE Syncra Pump This new range from Sicce is perfect for hydroponic applications. It is silent, has little to no heat transfer to the water, is extremely efficient, has adjustable flow rates, and an optional filter attachment. This pump range features EC motors for maximum efficiency and can be used either in water or in-line with no detrimental effect to their operation. They also feature a 2.2 metre cable, making it extremely flexible. The Syncra Silent is a great value for money product that is guaranteed to perform, it also holds a 3 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Product Website: www.sicce.com Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

POTZSYSTEMS DWC Potz DWC Potz shower the main root zone from above, with the rest of the roots submerged into a highly oxygenated solution bubbling down below. DWC Potz are active deep water culture systems, recirculating the nutrient solution through 25mm pipe, fittings and filters, and delivering it back into each Potz through two drippers inserted into the mesh baskets. This design allows growers to start with freshly rooted cuttings that will require no hand watering to establish themselves and it also allows the level of solution to drop before refilling, allowing far more air to the root zone for superior growth and yields. DWC 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 & 24 Potz available Product Website: www.potzsystems.co.uk Distribution by: Hydrogarden

HYDROSTATION Maxi Controller Most growers pay close attention to the ambient room temperature, however, the plant temperature is of far more importance in order to correctly maintain healthy plant growth. When the camera is connected, the climate can be controlled based on plant temperature. If the plant temperature is very high, the Maxi Controller will dim the lighting to keep the stomata open and maintain a healthy transpiration rate. Particularly useful in case of water shortage (e.g. due to a faulty pump) or a failure in your ventilation system: the lights are dimmed or turned oﬀ accordingly to prevent crop damage, and keep plants thriving. Distributed in the UK through Hydrostation Ltd

GROW GEAR ADJUST-A-WING Defender Adjust-A-Wing’s world famous shades are now available in white for maximum light reflectivity without hot spots. Made from aircraft grade aluminium and coated in titanium white polymer the Adjust-A-Wings Defender resists corrosion and loss of reﬂectivity. Designed for professional growers on a budget the patented design allows growers to adjust the shade to replicate the seasons outdoors. Being able to replicate spring, summer & autumn will stimulate plant response and increase yield. Always use with Adjust-A-Wings patented Super-Spreader for optimum results.

Product Website: www.adjustawings.com Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

UBER Uni-One A revolutionary new one part grow & bloom feed. Uni-One works using our proprietary, Nutri-Sense, auto-sensing nutrient technology. Depending on the needs of your plants it will automatically release more nutrient into the root zone when required by the plant. If the plant doesn’t require any more nutrient none is released. It’s as simple as that. Hydrawave technology prevents nutrient reaction until it matters - when you feed your plants. One bottle does it all – Root, Grow & Flower. Uni One is available now.

Product Website: www.ubergrower.com Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

GROWHARD AUSTRALIA Coverdrive Coverdrive increases nutrient uptake and accelerates both cell expansion and replication in larger flowers. Coverdrive also increases resistance to drought, heat, stress, diseases, pests and end-stage exhaustion. Used for the final three weeks of flower; Coverdrive contains the perfect ratio of PK to maximise your plant’ s flowering potential without subjecting them to any undue shock. Increases yield without affecting the quality of your crop.

Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

URBAN GROWER Remo Roots A brand new product from the Urban Grower, Remo’s Roots is the result of years of vigorous product testing and development. Remo’s Roots’ unique formulation packs a big punch into a small container. Our powerful gel ensures consistent results in rapid time, every time. Works on all types of cuttings.

Product Website: www.urbangroweronline.com Distribution by: Hydro Industry Direct

COMPETITION...

The HYDOMAG competition shouldn’t require much of an introduction by now. Each issue we set one lucky reader up with enough kit to make him or her physically sick with delight, and break more than a few hearts as the prize leaves the oﬃce.

This issue; relative newcomers to the market, Potz Systems, have generously provided a Drip 6 Potz system. Potz systems bring years of experience in both hydroponics and related industries to the table, and manufacture all parts in-house in South East England. Not to be outdone, those fine folks at Plagron have thrown in a year’s supply of growth media, nutrients and additives comprising of Cocos Premium media, Cocos A and B nutrient feed, Sugar Royal, Green Sensation, Power Roots and Pure Zym additives. Yep, you heard us right- a year’s supply! Also, to help you keep all those nutes finely tuned we will include a Bluelab combo meter measuring device, an essential tool in HYDROMAG’s own testing process. Finally, our runner-up prize this issue is 10 x Coco Potz - the coco that comes ready to use, in a pot! Many thanks to our generous sponsors and, as ever, good luck!

THIS MONTH’S PRIZE...

DRIP 6 POTZ SYSTEM BY POTZ SYSTEMS & A YEAR SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS BY PLAGRON

Also up for grabs...

A RUNNER-UP PRIZE... 10 x Coco Potz Courtesy of IKON International

HOW TO ENTER... As of HYDROMAG ISSUE 008, there is a new way to enter competitions. You must now go to www.hydroshow.tv/competition and enter your phone number and email address in to the form. Your information will not be shared with third party companies. *Full terms can be found at www.hyrdoshow.tv/ competitions-terms

The HYDROMAG surgery is open for business...

LETTERS

Get in touch with us by writing to us at: 5, The Old Bakery, 90 Acre St, Lindley, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, HD3 3EL or alternatively email Bill directly bill@hydromag.co.uk

“Don’t get taken down the garden path...” As both a store owner and product manufacturer, Bill Sutherland believes in honest advice. If he buys too much of one product for his store, he doesn’t try and oﬄoad it or force it on his customers; he’ll give them the product that works and disregard the useless stuﬀ. It’s this approach that makes him the perfect person to answer any questions you have about Hydroculture.

In ‘neem’ of some help...

You can also get in touch via Facebook & Twitter: facebook.com/hydromag twitter.com/hydromagazine

Tried showering, sir?

Dear Bill,

Hi Bill,

I started using Neem oil on my garden plants after having a lot of success with it in my growroom. I find it works well on my smaller shrubs and flowers, but not so well on the bigger, deciduous plants like Rhododendron. Do you know of any other natural deterrents that I can use in the garden, or do you think I should just use a larger quantity of neem? Also, spider mites seem to come back every two weeks or so- do they maybe need something stronger?

My growroom smells damp. I’ve cleaned the whole room twice and it still smells. I can’t see any mould or anything, but maybe it isn’t visible to the naked eye? Please help! Jimmy, Sunderland

Thanks, Bill, Livingston

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Hi Jimmy

Hi Bill Neem oil does not kill bugs it stops them from molting which in turn does not allow them to get to sexual maturity. Neem oil stops the freshly born bugs that have been treated from being able to lay eggs and established adults will live and lay eggs. Nature has designed eggs so that they do not all hatch at once, this allows eggs to hatch at a later date. This ensures that bugs do not all die if unfavourable conditions apply. New eggs start hatching in as little as 4 days after being laid. If you are misting Neem onto Rhododendron it should work just as well as on the smaller shrubs, if using as a soil soak it will take longer to take eﬀect. Do not mist with more than 10 ml per litre of water ; a build up of Neem will cover the stomata of the plant and basically choke the plant. Dish soap, Tobacco nicotine, Garlic, Pine oil, Cinnamon all work as bug deterrents.

Increase your ventilation; this will help dry out your growing area. The faster we bring in fresh air and remove it the drier a grow room can become. You may also want to invest in an Ozone machine, this will increase the oxygen content and oxidize any organic molecule it comes in contact with. Do not leave plants or yourself in strong Ozone environments as Ozone is not healthy to anything organic. Remove all living things from room and treat with Ozone. Once the smell is gone provide good ventilation, each cubic meter should be removed every 3 minutes in order to provide plants with proper air movement as long as lights are on. In your case keep this volume of air removal during night time as well. Once the smell is gone do not stop these procedures or your smell will come back. Cheers Bud Bill

Cheers, Bill

I like my women small and pale, but... Bill, My strawberries are looking small and pale. I’d like to give them more feed, but all the advice I can find says not feed them so close to harvest (next two weeks I hope). Should I just accept that this harvest will be poor or should I risk giving them more feed? Patrick, Hove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hi Patrick How is your light and water? Strawberries like full sun and with all that light they will also need plenty of water. If using artiﬁcial light expect smaller fruit. Feeding stronger plant foods at this time will not help, make sure your food has plenty of Calcium. Cheers, Bill