Maximum Yield Australia/New Zealand July/Aug 2011

AUSTRALIA July-August 2011

d e : R tes i M er d i Sp

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l o r t n o C d n a n o i t a c i f i Grow Tent Guide Ident (3 Easy Steps)

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Fatter Plants Fast Humidity and Your Grow Room

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Indoor gardenING expo

2011 long beach california, usa

October 22-23

SAN FRancisco California, USA

July 16-17

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Maximum Yield |  May/June 2011

CONTENTS july / aug 2011

FEATURES 14

Humidity, Vapour Pressure Deficit and the Transpiration Stream

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

10

22

Grow Tents for the Constructionally Challenged

28

Advanced Aeroponics

30 32

Red Spider Mites: Identification and Control

38

How to Harvest and Store Lavender

42

Harvesting Living Water

by Gabriel Bronsztein

by Joshua T. Serpa

Fungi’s Role in the Ecosystem

by Luis Bartolo

by Troy Marshall

by Michael Bloch

DEPARTMENTS 14

4

From the Editor

4

Letters to the Editor

6

MaximumYield.com

8

Simon Says

10

MAX Facts

12

Product Spotlight

44

Retail Directory

46

Coming up in Sept/Oct

46

Do You Know?

8

42 Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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FROM THE editor

jessica raymond

Precious, living water is a theme that crops up often in discussions of gardening and particularly in discussions of hydroponics. Why? Because hydroponic crops get their food from this nutrient-rich drink.

Hydroponic gardens are praised for their efficient use of the commodity versus conventional soil gardens, but that doesn’t mean as hydroponicists we shouldn’t try to use it as wisely as possible. This issue Joshua Serpa shares the value of aeroponics and how it provides plants with just the right amount of water and nutrients they need to grow. In addition, Dr. Lynette Morgan explains the importance of humidity and

vapour pressure in your grow room. Along with lots of new products, a step-by-step guide on setting up a grow tent, and garden pest identification and control, you have your hands full with growing tips you won’t find anywhere else. Enjoy the read and make sure to tell me what you loved, and what you want more of by e-mailing editor@maximumyield.com We invite you to join us at one of our upcoming North American Indoor Gardening Expos in either San Francisco, CA (July 16-17) or Long Beach, CA (October 22-23) or both. More information is available at www.indoorgardenexpo.com

letters to the editor E-News Readers Respond

E-News readers responded to the following question: What is your favourite pastime (outside of growing)? They were entered to win a copy of our special San Francisco Expo issue of Maximum Yield USA.

Runners-up Thanks for all your hard work and efforts involved to produce such an informative magazine. I particularly like the Simon Says column. It offers very useful suggestions. My favourite pastime these days is RVing in a 19 foot camper van. I am particularly looking forward to visiting some hydroponic stores in the area.

Regards Tom Gray Brewing beer! I just got into the hobby recently and it is so interesting to learn of all the different types of beer and the history of this great pastime.

Shane Brooks

And the winner is…

My favourite pastime, outside of growing, is hiking through the mountains near my home. I do short hikes, collecting pieces of nature—literally and through my android camera.

I rescue wildflowers and baby trees/bushes and nurture them in my backyard. Then, I plant them in a community spot and in my own garden. Bad weather brings out my addiction to book stores and hardware stores, which of course inspires my gardening [adventures]. I’m hopeless!

Laura Olney And you could win too. Simply sign up to receive Maximum Yield’s E-Newsletter on maximumyield.com and enter our monthly draw to win.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Jessica Raymond, Editor editor@maximumyield.com

Yellow and Mellow

In the March/April 2011 issue of Maximum Yield, I was happy to see Matt LeBannister’s article on dealing with yellowing leaves.Yellow leaves are a recurring problem in my crops. I was wondering if a nitrogen deficiency could be the problem in yellowing bamboo stalks as well. In an older online article (maximumyield.com) from Therese Cressman (Growing Guide: Lucky Bamboo) she says yellowing leaves are a sign of too much light or too much fertilizer.

She recommends removing the yellow leaves right away. I did but my bamboo continued to suffer. Any suggestions to help my bamboo are much appreciated.

Ruth Alston If the leaves on the lower part of the plant are the ones that are yellowing it is likely to be a nitrogen deficiency. With bamboo it could be caused by fluctuating pH levels. Using pH drops to check the water before it is replaced might do the trick. Bamboo is often grown in containers that cannot be drained. I would recommend replacing the growing container and medium to rid the root-zone of built up nutrients that cannot be flushed. Hope this helps.

Maximum Yield Contributor: Matt LeBannister

Maximum Yield reserves the right to edit for brevity.

We want to hear from you!

Write us at: Maximum Yield Publications Inc. 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 or e-mail us at: editor@maximumyield.com

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Coming up on the Web

I N D O O R

PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA Maximum Yield is published bi-monthly by Maximum Yield Publications Inc. 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 Phone: 250.729.2677; Fax 250.729.2687 No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

Upcoming Events

Ready, Set, Grow – It’s time for San Fran (SFIGE11) The event you’ve all been waiting for is finally here! You’re all invited to Maximum Yield’s 8th Annual San Francisco Indoor Gardening Expo, July 17 at the Fort Mason Center from noon to 5 p.m. If you can’t make it to this event, plan to attend our 2nd Annual Long Beach Expo October 23 and stay tuned to indoorgardenexpo.com for our 2012 Expo Tour (schedule to be posted soon).

If undeliverable please return to the address above.

The views expressed by columnists are a personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect those of Maximum Yield or the Editor.

Publication Agreement Number 40739092

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim Jesson GENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson EDITOR - Jessica Raymond jessica@maximumyield.com ADVERTISING SALES 250.729.2677 Linda Jesson - linda@maximumyield.com Lisa Lambersek - lisa@maximumyield.com Ilona Hawser - ilona@maximumyield.com Ashley Heppell - ashley@maximumyield.com Christina Indseth - christina@maximumyield.com

Got Questions? Get Answers.

Maximum Yield’s resident expert Simon Hart is available and ready to answer your modern gardening questions. E-mail simon@maximumyield.com or fill out the Simon Says question form on maximumyield.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN ads@ads.maximumyield.com Tina Skujins - tina@maximumyield.com Mike Linden - mike@maximumyield.com Jennifer Duong - jennifer@maximumyield.com

Latest News

Go green, fertilize with mushrooms, scrutinize produce and embrace high-tech horticulture. Check out these fascinating facts and more of the latest industry news on maximumyield.com

ACCOUNTING - Tracy Greeno tracy@maximumyield.com

Connect With Maximum Yield

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION Dome Garden Supply Futchatec Growth Technology Holland Forge House N’ Garden Hydrogarden Hydraspher

www.maximumyield.com www.facebook.com/MaximumYield www.indoorgardeningexpo.com Twitter.com/Max_Yield

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CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION Brite-Lite Group Biofloral Eddis Wholesale Greenstar Plant Products Inc. Hydrotek MegaWatt Quality Wholesale USA DISTRIBUTION Aurora Innovations BWGS General Hydroponics Hydrofarm Hydro International National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply R&M Supply Tradewinds

Tell us what you think at editor@maximumyield.com. We’d love to hear from you.

contributors

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort.

Gabriel Bronsztein is president

Jose Luis Pinheiro Bartolo is the

Michael Bloch is the owner and

Tech. degree and a PhD in hydroponic greenhouse production from Massey University, New Zealand. Lynette is a partner with SUNTEC International Hydroponic Consultants and has authored five hydroponic technical books. Visit www.suntec.co.nz/ consultants.htm and www.suntec. co.nz/books.htm for more information. president of Biobizz Worldwide Inc., a global leader in the production of hydroponic organic fertilizers and soil mixtures. He is passionate about the organic market and providing the highest service and perfectionism that comes direct from his heart and is projected to all aspects of his life.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

G A R D E N I N G

VOLUME 9 – NUMBER 2 JULY/AUGUST 2011

and founder of Everest Garden Supply, a wholesale-only distribution company based in Northern California. Involved in the hydroponics industry for over 15 years, Gabriel focuses on market leadership through product innovation and superior customer service. He is a member of the Progressive GardeningTrade Association and The International Carnivorous Plant Society. editor of GreenLivingTips.com, an online resource powered by renewable energy. The site offers a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment-related news to help consumers and businesses reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact.

Joshua Serpa graduated from

Southern Oregon University with a degree in communication and computer science. He is the division manager at Aerolife Systems, a company that manufactures high output aeroponic systems. His book, “The Art of Aeroponics,” will be available Spring 2011.

Become a Maximum Yield contributor and have your articles read by 250,000 readers throughout USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Maximum Yield is the largest free-to-consumer indoor gardening magazine in the world. Every issue is available on maximumyield.com, which has thousands of unique visitors monthly.

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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SIMON says

What have you heard about jellyfish fertilizer? I just saw a show produced in Japan about jellyfish fertilizer and I am wondering where I can buy some.

Would it be good for all stages of growth?

What a great question and a wonderful example of how experimenting in the garden can generate creative ideas. Before discussing the nutritional and efficacious nature of a jellyfish fertilizer in the garden we should probably mention why this is even being considered.

Jellyfish populations around the world are surging. Scientists are pointing at global warming and environmental pollution.

In areas where there is large agricultural runoff, nutrification of the water can cause anoxic (low oxygen) areas in the water.

Although this is very bad for fish, which tend to disappear, the jellyfish seem to thrive with their ability to store oxygen within their physical structure—one of many exceptional evolutionary functions found within the lowly jellyfish.

Japan was concerned with their overpopulation and its effect on their fishing industry and tried to be proactive. The government hired fishermen to drag razor wire through the masses of jellyfish but it backfired and unleashed a population explosion, a jelly survival mechanism when they are under attack, yet another evolutionary marvel.

Overpopulation is a bit of an understatement in some cases.

In November 2007 the only fish farm in Northern Ireland was overrun by a flotilla of jellyfish 16 kilometres wide and 13 metres deep. The army of jellies ate through 2,000,000 worth of fish and wiped out the farm before moving on.

So we have a lot of jellyfish and we need to use them while trying to limit their population explosion. There are many ideas that are being tested. Many people talk about eating them, but

the ones people eat are actually endangered while the ones no one puts on a table are exploding.

In theory all things organic will decompose into organic matter and nutrients so jellyfish could become plant nutrients.

Preliminary research has shown some positive results in the field of vegetables. The initial research has been done in Japan and the species of jellies they tested have elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorous.

They also have similar levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium to that of the surrounding salt water.

Unfortunately they also have a strong level of sodium and processes are being tested to try and reduce the sodium levels.

With the issue of jellyfish overpopulation being international I would think that if its found to be effective it won’t be long before it is an organic option for gardeners. MY

Do you have a question for Simon?

Send it to simon@maximumyield.com with the words “Simon Says” in the subject line, and your answer will be printed in an upcoming edition.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Maximum Maximum Yield YieldAustralia | November/December Australia | September/October Maximum Yield | July/August 2010 2011

9

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

Market Lighting Affects Nutrients Many people reach toward the back of the fresh produce shelf to find the freshest salad greens with the latest expiration dates. But a study led by agriculture scientists may prompt consumers to instead look for packages that receive the greatest exposure to light—usually those found closest to the front.

For the study, the researchers exposed spinach leaves to light similar to the 24 hour artificial fluorescent light received by spinach in packages located at the front of the display case. A second group was enclosed in two-layer-thick, brown-grocery-bag paper to represent the dark treatment.

Light exposure resulted in a significant increase in levels of: • carotenoids • vitamins C, E, K • B9 or folate (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

Falklands Company Shows Viability of Hydroponics Business This year, Stanley Growers, based on the East Falkland Islands, celebrates their 25th year growing and marketing their hydroponic produce—predominantly fresh salad crops. Over the past quarter of a century, the company has supplied the military and local population of the Falklands and has provided the cruise ship industry and South American countries with a large amount of crops.

(Source: http://hydroponicsguide.co.uk)

Nuts About Hydro The Greenearth Project in Savusavu, Fiji has constructed an ingenious hydroponic growing system of bamboo and coconuts. The system uses coconut husks (coir) as a growing media, and worm castings and humus tea as fertilizer.

(Source: www.fijilettuce.com)

Fresh Connections 2011 The fresh produce industry in both Australia and New Zealand has been hit hard by recent unprecedented natural disasters. Hardest-hit Queensland hosted the international fruit and vegetable event Fresh Connections 2011 to showcase to the region and the world just how resilient the Australasian fresh produce industry can be.

The program included a tour of Brisbane wholesale markets, innovative grower facilities and leading retailers, and plenary and concurrent sessions with leading local and international speakers.

Attendees included growers, packers and marketers; logistic suppliers; packing and packaging companies; research and technical experts; and government professionals, among other interested groups.

(Sources: www.hydroponics.com.au, www.freshconnections2011.com)

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Maximum Yield | May/June 2011

Premium Hydroponic Strawberries Grown Locally in Marlborough, New Zealand Hedgerows Hydroponic are popular growers of premium strawberries in Blenheim, Marlborough with 14,000 visitors annually. Home of the famous Desire King berry, their aim is to “produce the best quality strawberries in New Zealand and to get them to the customer as fresh as possible.”

They offer comprehensive tours through the hydroponics greenhouse, which include tasting, and their delicious spray-free strawberries are available from August through January.

(Source: www.hedgerows.co.nz)

Balcony Farms Sprout in Shanghai Concerns about food safety and the high cost of organics in Shanghai are prompting some city residents to grow their own veggies. In 2009, 46.6 per cent of China’s population, around 622 million people, lived in urban centres and the number is expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2035.

Susan Evans, founder of Kplunk, a company specializing in sustainable strategy decision making and research, led a study in 2009 on sustainability perceptions and behaviours for around 400 households in Shanghai. It found that around 95 per cent of people surveyed are concerned with food safety; they are unsure and concerned about farming practices, levels of pesticide, fertilizer and the process of manufacturing. Those surveyed also said that certified organic food is too expensive and difficult to find. In 2010, another Kplunk study of around 120 individuals found 60 per cent were interested in growing their own vegetables.

(Source: www.theurbn.com)

Lifting Spirits With Hydroponics Ground-breaking New Waste Water Treatment Unveiled in South Africa

The United Cerebral Palsy of New York City recently began an indoor farming curriculum. Alternative gardening practices like hydroponics are being used as tools to improve the lives of developmentally disable individuals, providing education, therapy and job opportunities.

(Source: www.ucpnyc.org) MY

Major beer brewers SABMiller is working to reduce its water consumption and clean up waste water from its factories using groundbreaking research.

In partnership with Rhodes University, Project Eden will feature an environmentally sustainable treatment system for brewery waste water, with the resulting output being used to successfully rear edible, freshwater fish and grow hydroponic lettuce.

(Source: www.guardian.co.uk)

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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PRODUCT spotlight

Your guide to this issue’s hottest items. Ask for them at your local indoor gardening store.

Introducing Crop Sudden Rise Crop Sudden Rise is a ripening brix and resin stimulator. Sudden Rise is applied to plants three to four weeks before harvest, which results in faster finishing time and improved product quality. Additionally, Sudden Rise contains a special form of potassium that has natural anti-mould and anti-fungi attributes, reducing the chances of leaf mould. Sudden Rise is a multi-purpose additive that increases yields. Available now at hydroponic shops across Australasia.

Titan Controls® Atlas 3™, 4™, 5™ and 6™ Sunlight Supply®, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the newest Atlas CO2 controllers from Titan Controls®. The Titan Controls® CO2 control line integrates multiple features, all designed to help take the guesswork out of CO2 monitoring/controlling in your garden. The Atlas line uses digital technology to monitor/control your garden CO2 levels to help you provide just the right amount of CO2. Be in control with Titan. Visit your favourite indoor gardening shop for more information.

Boldtbags 23 Litre 4 Bag Kit The Boldtbags 23 litre four bag kit offers the perfect range of filtration with the 220, 160, 73 and 25 micron bags. Boldtbags are made from heat-fused nylon and FDA approved watertight lining. The Swiss grade mesh screens have been measured to the absolute micron and heat-stamped to prevent fluctuation.

Boldtbags use reinforced military grade nylon stitching and are bolted at the stress points to keep everything in the bags and not on you. The durable nickelplated grommets can be used easily with suspension systems and will never rust. Visit your local indoor gardening shop for more information.

Soft Twist Tie Garden Wire Now Available Through Authorized Greenstar Retailers Greenstar Plant Products is proud to be a new distributor of the Soft Twist Tie Garden Wire. This soft, pliable wire is reusable and great for fastening shrubs, plants, flowers, vines and decorations. UV stabilized and able to handle extreme temperatures, these Soft Twist Ties are available in four convenient roll sizes: five metres, 17 metres, 76 metres and 152 metres. For more information, visit your favourite gardening shop.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Crop Rootz Tweaked Crop Rootz tweaked formula induces plants and seeds to produce more roots and germinate quicker.

Cuttings and seedlings treated with Rootz establish faster and healthier, contributing to a more successful, high yielding harvest.

Rootz also revitalizes stressed and diseased plants. One application of Rootz to an unhealthy plant will stimulate root growth and provide nutrition for a healthy recovery. Rootz special tweaked formula syncs nutrient supply and root growth that is essential for all young plants.

Available now at hydroponic shops across Australasia.

Titan Controls® Helios 15™ ETL Listed 8 Light Controller With Timer Sunlight Supply®, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the new Helios 15™ - eight light controller with timer from Titan Controls®. This ETLlisted controller is acceptable for use in commercial applications. The Helios 15 features two premium quality Siemens brand relays, a durable powder coated steel chassis, a German made ‘on-board’ 24 hour timer and NEMA six - 15R ULlisted power outlets. Controlling up to eight 1,000 watt lights at 240 volts has never been easier. Visit your local hydro shop for more information.

Introducing Crop Sumo Crop Sumo (the king of PKs) consists of unique forms of nitrogen, phosphorous, potash and humates. These special ingredients are more easily absorbed by plant cells, providing the correct and increased nutrition to plants during the flowering stage.

Sumo’s special formula is ideal for application when plants just begin to show flowering sites, usually during the third week of bloom. Sumo application for two to three weeks when flowering sites first appear will increase the flower/fruit size and final yield substantially. Available now at hydroponic shops across Australasia. MY

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Humidity, Vapour Pressure Deficit and the Transpiration Stream

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

W

ith indoor gardens our focus for optimizing growth is often light, warmth and just the right mix of nutrients; but humidity, or more specifically vapour pressure deficit (VPD), is sometimes overlooked.

While relative humidity is fairly easy to measure with sensors or meters in the plant canopy, it’s difficult to know exactly what to aim for and how to adjust levels—and what exactly it all means for plants. High humidity gets the blame for all sorts of scourges and nasty disease outbreaks, while low humidity may mistakenly be held accountable for anything that looks like burning, drying, shrivelling or bleaching. However, the issues of humidity and VPD in the growing environment are a little more complex, both in terms of plant growth and disease or growth disorders. To complicate matters further, different levels of humidity and VPD are appropriate for different plant species—from dry atmosphere cactus to wet, steaming tropicals.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Tipburn of the inner leaves of lettuce is more common under high humidity, warm growing conditions that restrict the flow of calcium out to the leaf edges.

What is relative humidity (RH) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD)?

Relative humidity is the most commonly used measure of how much water vapour is held in the air and it’s something most of us are familiar with, as we all know how uncomfortable hot, steamy air can be. 100 per cent relative humidity is extremely humid, while a humidity reading of only 50 per cent represents a dry environment, but what these values don’t tell us is how much water is actually being held in the air, unless the temperature is also given. This is because cold air holds much less water vapour than hot air. For example, air at 10°C can hold 9.4 grams of water vapour per one cubic metre, while air at 30°C can hold three times as much, up to a maximum of 30.4 grams per one cubic metre.

Powdery mildew is one of the few diseases that can occur under low or high humidity conditions.

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Humidity, Vapour Pressure deficit and the transpiration stream

This has some implications for growers as it’s not just a simple case of aiming for one ideal relative humidity value, since the effect of humidity on plants also depends on temperature. As a rough guide, the table below is used by greenhouse growers of many fruiting and vegetable crops and shows the relationship between temperature and humidity levels.

Temperature °C

Minimum ideal RH (fog or wet down)

Ideal RH

Maximum RH (to prevent disease)

15

-

50 per cent

73 per cent

20

46 per cent

64 per cent

80 per cent

25

60 per cent

73 per cent

86 per cent

30

70 per cent

80 per cent

89 per cent

The problem with using relative humidity is that it’s hard to set one optimum RH value, particularly when temperatures tend to vary between day and night and often throughout a 24 hour period. For this reason many growers prefer to use vapour pressure deficit (VPD) as a more accurate measure of the water vapour content of the air and how this affects plant growth.

VPD is the difference (or deficit) between the amount of moisture in the air at the current time and how much moisture the air can hold when it is saturated. Saturated air will condense out to form dew or condensation and leaf wetness, which can lead to rot and a higher occurrence of certain disease pathogens. So while plants don’t want an overly dry atmosphere (high VPD), which sucks the moisture from the foliage, they also don’t want a wet environment (low VPD), which slows transpiration and can lead to

A dry environment with low humidity typically results in smaller, more compact leaves in tomato crops.

an increase in disease outbreaks.VPD is typically expressed in the units kPa (kilopascals) with the range for most plants being 0.45 kPa to 1.25 kPa, with the optimum being around 0.85 kPa. Most indoor gardens are best run at 0.8 to 0.95 kPa for healthy mature plants, with cuttings needing a more humid environment in the

A dense canopy of large leaves can rapidly increase the humidity in the growing environment through the process of transpiration.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

“Growers who come to grips with the concept of VPD can accurately measure and adjust their growing environment to stay within the recommended range.” lower VPD ranges. Unlike relative humidity, the VPD range for optimal growth already takes current temperature into account— so the one ideal value irrespective of temperature is around 0.85 kPa. Growers who come to grips with the concept of VPD can accurately measure and adjust their growing environment to stay within the recommended range and give themselves some considerable advantages both in terms of maximizing growth and the ability to control some rather persistent nasties such as Botrytis (grey mould) disease.

Technically, VPD more accurately describes what the plant experiences in relation to the effects of temperature and humidity on growth and transpiration. It combines the effects of both humidity and temperature into one value, so it’s easier to use when setting environmental controls.

Why is humidity or VPD so important for plant growth?

VPD directly affects the rate of transpiration within the plant.

Transpiration not only cools the plant, but the transpiration stream from root to leaf surface carries essential minerals

Transpirational water loss helps the plant cool itself. This is vital under hot sun or artificial lamps.

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Humidity, Vapour Pressure deficit and the transpiration stream

Some species like it hot and dry and others prefer warm and steamy; optimum humidity varies with many plants.

up the plant to where they are needed for tissue development. Leaves exposed to the sun or overhead lamps would soon become dangerously hot if they were not cooled by water evaporating from the leaf surface—the process actually works in a similar way to sweat. This evaporated water needs to be replaced from the transpiration stream, which moves in the xylem vessels of the plant. If the water flow from roots to shoots in the xylem vessels is not fast enough, the plant will start to wilt and tissue damage will occur. The plant will shut its stomata in an attempt to retain turgor pressure and prevent wilting if too much water is being lost via transpiration.

When the stomata shut to prevent water loss, photosynthesis cannot occur as CO2 can’t be taken in from the surrounding air, so plant growth and yield will be slow if this occurs too often. Low humidity (high VPD) can cause large volumes of water from the transpiration stream to be lost to the air and force the plant to shut down its stomata to prevent desiccation, and this ultimately reduces growth and yields.

“Leaves exposed to the sun or overhead lamps would soon become dangerously hot if they were not cooled by water evaporating from the leaf surface.”

Young, tender and density-grown hydroponic crops such as microgreens need extra attention to humidity and air movement to prevent disease outbreaks.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

“An open pan of water should provide enough evaporation to increase the humidity if you’re only dealing with a small area. Evaporative coolers also tend to increase the humidity of the air fairly effectively under warm growing conditions.”

High humidity (low VPD), on the other hand, creates a different problem. When the air already contains a lot of water vapour and may even be close to saturation, it cannot absorb much more water from the plant surface and transpiration slows or even stops. If high humidity conditions exist at the same time as high temperatures, the plant has a major problem as it can’t evaporate enough water from its foliage to cool its tissue and overheating will then occur. Cell damage, wilting and reduced growth will result where hot plants can’t effectively cool themselves via transpiration due to high relative humidity, and in these cases some humidity control is essential.

The transpiration stream moving through the xylem vessels from roots to shoots driven by VPD and humidity is essential for plant functioning. Not only does the water carried in the transpiration stream maintain plant turgor and support, it also carries with it mineral elements and other compounds taken up by the roots. So without a good rate of transpiration drawing the flow of water and minerals up through the xylem tissues from the roots, plant foliage can’t obtain sufficient levels of nutrients for growth and development. One of the most important aspects of transpiration is the flow of calcium. If transpiration is restricted in any way, the lack of calcium flow out to the leaf tips and new cells in developing fruits will cause problems such as tip burn and blossom end rot, which are conditions common under warm and humid growing conditions.

How RH and VPD influence disease outbreaks There are a wide range of fungal and bacterial diseases that will attack even healthy plants under high humidity (low VPD) conditions, because fungal spores in particular are carried on air currents and so tend to be around much of the time just waiting for the right conditions to launch an attack. Spores themselves need to absorb water from the environment to germinate and get inside plant tissue, and having free water available such as that from condensation on plant surfaces is perfect for fungal diseases to develop.

However, not all fungal disease spores need water on the plant surface, and many will attack when the air humidity is high. For this reason the safe maximum humidity value is often considered to be around 85 per cent at 25°C, or in other words a VPD value of more than 0.35 kPa is recommended at all times in order to prevent fungal diseases, which are common under humid conditions. While many of the commonly encountered plant Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Humidity, Vapour Pressure deficit and the transpiration stream

diseases such as Botrytis thrive under humid conditions, and a good degree of control can be achieved by running optimal RH or VPD levels, there is always an exception. Powdery mildew species have spores that contain a lot of water themselves, so they don’t need high humidity or water for germination, and they can also obtain all the water they need for growth from the leaves that they infect. This means that powdery mildew can develop at humidity levels as low as 30 per cent and that its appearance is not necessarily a sign that humidity has been running high.

How to control RH and VPD Low humidity (high VPD) is fairly easy to adjust upwards to high RH, as putting water vapour back into the air can be easily achieved with some light fogging, misting or damping down in the growing area. An open pan of water should provide enough evaporation to increase the humidity if you’re only dealing with a small area. Evaporative coolers also tend to increase the humidity of the air fairly effectively under warm growing conditions. However, having high humidity is a more common

“The amount of airflow required to continually remove excess water vapour and bring in sufficient CO2 is higher than many growers realize.” problem, as large surface areas of foliage tend to lose surprising volumes of water through transpiration and this adds to the humidity of the surrounding air. This humid air, referred to as the boundary layer, needs to be removed from directly around the foliage or further transpiration could be restricted.

The best way of doing this is with a continual stream of drier fresh air, which not only lowers the humidity directly surrounding the leaf surface but also replenishes CO2 for photosynthesis.

The amount of airflow required to continually remove excess water vapour and bring in sufficient CO2 is higher than many growers realize—there should be sufficient airflow to keep the leaves gently moving most of the time. The warmer it is and the faster the plants are growing, the more the air

Misting or fogging of the atmosphere in the growing area is an effective way of increasing the humidity in arid climates.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Cuttings or clones need extra humidity to prevent excessive moisture loss during the root formation phase.

needs to be shifted over the leaf surface for these processes to occur at optimal rates. For very humid climates, sometimes the only option is a dehumidifier. If the outside air being brought in to cool and dehumidify an indoor garden is naturally very humid it can’t absorb much more moisture from transpiration, and using a dehumidifier is often useful for smaller areas under these conditions.

Checking humidity or monitoring vapour pressure deficit in the growing area is just as important as maintaining temperature, light and nutrition levels when it comes to optimizing plant growth and yields. Having some understanding of the relationship between RH and temperature and VPD and how to influence and optimize these factors is an essential tool for the serious grower, and also for those gardeners who just want to prevent annoying outbreaks of fungal disease. MY

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Grow Tents

for the Construc ionally Challenged

by Gabriel Bronsztein

If building a garden space from scratch is not your idea of a good time, check out the various benefits and ease of set-up with indoor grow tents, which come in a variety of sizes and can be assembled by one person in a matter of minutes.

Why build a grow tent?

One of the biggest obstacles for indoor gardeners is designing and building or setting up the grow space. For the DIY-challenged, grow tents are an excellent alternative for those gardeners that don’t feel comfortable swinging a hammer or using a screw gun.

Indoor grow tents come in many sizes from 1.5 square feet to 10 square feet. They are extremely compact, and even the largest available size fits in a single box that most people could carry.

Grow tents are easy to set-up and can be assembled by one person in a matter of minutes.

Many grow tents are lined with a highly reflective material, usually a metalized film to maximize light efficiency. Initially, due to the limited sizes available, these tents were most attractive to beginner gardeners lacking experience setting up a grow room. With the recent addition of many new sizes, these tents have become much more attractive to a variety of gardeners with varying levels of experience. Even expert growers are finding grow tents to be convenient and effective for their needs.

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If you are considering the DIY route, consider this, you will spend more time at the hardware store in line at the check out counter than it would take to assemble a grow tent! When you get home, laden with heavy lumber, sheet rock, screws, paint and primer, you’ve set yourself for more than a few days work.

While I think it’s a great idea to build a custom indoor garden if you are a homeowner, it’s not the most logical option for renters. Indoor grow tents can be taken down and put up in a new location so easily and quickly your plants won’t even notice they moved.

Really making it work It is becoming increasingly popular for vegetable gardeners to start their plants indoors before moving them outside in late spring.This gives them a head start allowing them to start their plants earlier without fear of frost. Indoor grow tents are so versatile allowing temporary gardens to be made in just about any indoor space.The space returns to normal in a few weeks when plants are moved outdoors.

Today most indoor gardeners take cuttings or clone plants that have desirable characteristics. Too often these plants are shared among fellow gardeners. Inadvertently they are also sharing pests. It is good practice to isolate or quarantine new plants in a separate garden to observe them for pests. This quarantined area can also be used to treat plants with pests before you introduce them into the main garden. This is a great idea that can save you from a serious pest infestation in your garden.

Often after building a grow room the grower realizes it would be nice to have a separate (second or even third) grow space. If not as a quarantine area, the additional space could be used to grow parent material for cuttings (motherplants). Or, it could be a vegetative room featuring a long day light cycle to help your plants grow large and healthy before transferring them into a bloom room with a short day cycle. Having two (or more) separate areas allows you to grow your plants under 18 hours of light until they have reached the desired bloom height.

Then you can move them into your bloom room with 12 hours of light. This has a number of advantages. First, you can have a perpetual harvest by harvesting a few plants every week while having replacements ready to go in the garden. Another advantage is that by eliminating the veg time you can have more harvest cycles in a given period of time.

Benefits of indoor grow tents

• can be set up and taken down quickly and easily • create gardens with a minimal impact to homes and rental properties • allow for separate garden spaces to be created easily for separate vegetative and blooming gardens, quarantine areas or temporary gardens to establish plants for outdoor growing • are sturdy but flexible to eliminate breaking or snapping • are non-toxic • are adjustable and can be modified Continued on page 26

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Grow Tents for the Constructionally Challenged Continued from page 23

Constructing a Grow Tent - Easy as 1...2...3

1

Begin to construct your grow tent by assembling the tent poles from the ground up. Start at one corner piece and install the top poles.

2

3

After unpacking the tent, unzip its main zipper as well as the top and bottom too. Drag the tent over the top of the frame, ensuring the vent port is on top. The floor of the tent can now be pulled under the frame and positioned properly.

Once the tent is properly positioned, install the roof supports. The tent can now be zipped and the viewing windows opened if desired. Happy growing!

MY

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Maximum Yield | May/June 2011

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utput Plant Pr O od gh i uc H r ti fo

on erpa a T. S hu jos by

Compr ess ed Ai r

ADVANCED AEROPONICS:

“It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.” – Thomas Jefferson Growing plants in compressed air aeroponic systems is an efficient art.True aeroponic systems have the potential to conserve fresh water, one of nature’s most precious resources. By providing plants with just the right amount of water and nutrients they need to grow, water waste is minimal. Due to our population’s predicted exponential growth in the next 40 years, the need for clean, fresh water for food crops is dire. According to Scientific American magazine, 70 per cent of the earth’s fresh water is used for agriculture. By 2050, fresh water will become an extremely valuable and expensive commodity unless water collection techniques are improved. Enter the age of compressed air aeroponic systems (CAAS).

CAAS use water and nutrients efficiently, which reduces the cost of food production and increases profits.

Plants grow faster in true aeroponic systems because the nutrient solution is instantly available for the plants to metabolize. Essentially, there are no barriers between the nutrient solution and cells (root hairs) that consume the plant food. Root zone health is extremely important to the success of any growing system, but in a true 28

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aeroponic system the roots not only live but thrive. In the case of CAAS, plant metabolism is also greatly increased when nutrient solution is fogged into the root zone at the optimal micron size (zero to 30 microns), allowing the plants to absorb the solution without causing damage to the root hairs. If the micron size of the fog is too large or too small the aeroponic system will not function properly and will cause root zone damage and potentially crop failure.

The most amazing thing about CAAS is the amount of root hairs that grow in the root chamber. In case you are unfamiliar, root hairs are those fuzzy roots that can be seen after your cuttings have anchored in a starter cube.They usually expand perpendicular to the main and lateral roots.They are extremely fragile and most aeroponic systems cannot produce them at all. Root hairs are singlewalled cells, which is why they are so good at absorption.They are approximately one micron wide and up to three millimetres long depending on the plant species. Root hairs grow rapidly and can be multiplied with the correct root hormones. In CAAS root hairs can be re-grown if damage occurs in the root zone due to drying

out or over saturation. This is very uncommon if not impossible in a typical spray-o-ponic system. These fine root hairs drastically increase the absorption rate of the root zone; they are the point at which mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria colonize, forming the symbiotic relationship between bacteria, fungus, roots and nutrients. More research needs to be done to study the relationship of root hairs and root respiration. Root respiration is the gas exchange that occurs in the root zone by which O2 is consumed and CO2 is released (either by beneficial bacteria and fungi or the plant itself). Plant growth is positively correlated to root respiration—hence the cloth container craze. With CAAS fresh O2 is repeatedly injected into the root zone every time the fog nozzle turns on. This replenishment of oxygen around the root zone is one of the catalysts for true aeroponic growth. With the advent of CAAS gardeners will see increased yields per square foot and plants pushing the limits of their genetic potential.

One of the most outstanding advantages of these systems is the quality of the end product. When plants are grown aeroponically the roots are flushed completely. At harvest pure water is fogged into the root zone forcing the plant to consume any remaining carbohydrates it has stored. Improved flavours are apparent in food grown aeroponically. As aeroponic systems gain popularity, consumers will become conscious of aeroponic produce and seek it out.

Conventionally-grown crops (in soil) carry many problems not seen in indoor, hydroponic or aeroponic gardens.With aeroponics, soil pH is no longer a problem. Parasites that commonly breed in soil are no longer a problem. Soil borne pathogens and parasitic fungi (Pythium and Fusarium) are a non-issue as well.

People might think that root rot only happens in hydroponics but overwater you soil garden or use stagnate pond water on your soil-grown plants and your roots will rot. In soil gardens root diseases are impossible to see while in an aeroponic system it is very easy to tell if your root zone is healthy and growing.

When you grow aeroponically you get to start from scratch with

Compressed air aeroponic set-up.

pure water (zero PPM), exact minerals and the proper concentrations of nutrients, exact beneficial fungi (endomycorrhizae), exact sugars (digested cane sugar) and exact beneficial bacteria that plants crave. Aeroponics gives the grower total control over what their plants consume.The grower can maximize flavours and yields and control consistency, quantity and quality.

CAAS can be automated so very little physical effort is required from the grower once the system is set up properly. At the hobbyist level, this is great for people with disabilities or the elderly. On

“Plant growth is positively correlated to root respiration.” a commercial level it is much easier to produce large volumes of produce. Automation reduces the need to hand water and feed.You simply need to make sure all of the parameters are set correctly. If the nutrient solution is properly stored the reservoir can last for long periods of time.The nice thing about an automated garden is that you can focus on plant maintenance, pruning and the other aspects of gardening that will increase your yields.

CAAS may not be for everyone. A good understanding of water purification, reagent grade nutrients, plant genetics, full spectrum lighting, sealed environment agriculture, compost tea and other intricacies is recommended. CAAS are more expensive to set up but the benefits and advantages will far outweigh the initial investment. With a little time and understanding the techniques to successful aeroponic growing can be learned. In the near future, CAAS may become the standard way to grow high value crops. After all, the proof is in the pudding, and aeroponic pudding tastes great. MY Compressed air aeroponic cuttings

References: Despommier, Dickson. “Growing Skyscrapers: The Rise of Vertical Farms.” Scientific American (November, 2009).

Fresh aeroponic roots forming at 12 days. Notice the lack of root hair due to over fogging.

Segal, Eran, Tammi Kushnir, Yechezekel Mualem, and Uri Shani. “Water Uptake and Hydraulics of the Root Hair Rhizosphere.” (2007).

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Fungi’s Role in the Ecosystem

by Luis Bartolo

Mycorrhizae fungi, an important component of soil life, work with nature to break down nutrients and create optimal conditions for the delivery of food to plants. The many types of Mycorrhizae fungi and their many amazing, symbiotic functions are discussed here.

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cases, Mycorrhiza acts as a pathogen, which exists only to feed itself at the expense of the plant.

Mycorrhizae are grouped into several scientific categories owing to the types of plants and trees that they develop the strongest bonds and in the differences in growth and operation.

Let’s introduce some Mycorrhizae.

Ectomycorrhizae

In order for organic gardens to function at optimal levels, healthy soil—abundant with living microorganisms—is required.This living soil is sustained by fertilizers and the natural processes that assist in breaking fertilizers down. Microscopic organisms develop into a self-sustaining ecosystem, which in turn transforms into an acceptable food source for plants. In order for this to happen, all of the elements must be able to unite and work together symbiotically.

In nature, the same effect is achieved through years of growth and decay and natural, cyclic conditions of weather and soil movement.

The result is the creation of the pathways and receptors for nature’s organic and inorganic elements to develop.

Within this ecosystem are also certain types of fungi that serve to assist the natural processes of life and decay.

These fungi, called Mycorrhizae, form working partnerships with plants and transform base materials into food.

Mycorrhiza is a fungus that lives among and upon the roots of plants and trees.

It exists to assist with the breakdown of complex nutrients—similar to enzymes—and has the ability to create optimal conditions for delivery of food directly to plants’ roots. In some rare

Woody shrubs and trees commonly form Ectomycorrhizae. Pines and other forest trees often grow poorly or cannot survive in the absence of the Mycorrhizae.This species of the fungi is recognized by its unique web-like form, known as a hartig net, named after botanist Robert Hartig.

The network forms pathways between the roots, covering the whole surface area.This then extends into the roots and the cell structure creating a direct pathway from the inside out. Outwardly of the root web, Ectomycorrhizae form thinker tendrils that extend out into the soil.These pathways can travel miles into the soil to search for water and difficult to acquire minerals such as potassium, which they are then able to transport back to the rhizosphere of the plant or tree.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Arbuscular Mycorrhizae are recognized by their branching growth pattern not unlike the structure of a tree.They too live within the root system between cells.They are also able to fully penetrate and grow within a plant’s cell and extend from within. Analysis has shown that the host plant allows this to happen by changing its own physiological chemistry to adapt to the DNA profile of the Mycorrhizae. Arbuscular Mycorrhizae are particularly adept at obtaining hard to acquire phosphor from the soil and feeding it to the plants in a usable form.

Fossil and molecular evidence indicates the earliest land plants had arbuscular Mycorrhizal

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Fungi’s Role in the EcoSystem

“Mycorrhiza is a remarkable, natural phenomena that connects all growth and life.” system in a hostile environment whilst translocation and feeding the plant. Like the other categories Ericaceous Mycorrhiza also has the ability to travel to other species and is often found linked to trees and other shrubs outside of the Ericaceous order.This may be so it is able to acquire a more varied spectrum of nutrient for itself or the host.

Orchidaceous Mycorrhizae Mycorrhizal fungi have a unique role in the lifecycle of plants in the Orchidaceae family. Orchids typically have very small seeds with little nutrient reserve.The plant colonizes shortly after germination, and the mycorrhizal fungus supplies carbon and vitamins to the developing embryo.The fungus grows into the plant cell, surrounding the cell membrane and forming protective coils within the cell.These coils are active for only a few days, after which they lose vigour and degenerate; the developing orchid then absorbs the nutrient contents. In mature orchids, Mycorrhizae also have roles in nutrient uptake and translocation. partnerships 450 million years ago. Because of its prevalence in so many plant fossils of this period it is strongly assumed that it would have contributed to the development of plants worldwide.

Ericaceous Mycorrhizae As the name suggests this form of Mycorrhizae is found mainly in the plants of the Ericaceae family, acid lovers like azaleas, rhododendrons and heathers. Unlike other Mycorrhizae, Ericaceous Mycorrhizae grow and form a loose sheath around root systems rather than penetrating or living inside it.

This is perfect for these plants as they have very fine root systems and are usually found in wet, peaty soil.

The Mycorrhizae protect the root 34

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Building Bridges A plant feeds through the outer surface of its roots.The effect of the Mycorrhizae around the root’s surface serves to expand this surface area in many directions whilst permitting more nutrients to be absorbed and contained within the rhizosphere.

In the case of phosphorus—which is difficult for a plant to absorb due to its immobility—it forms bridges that directly seeks out phosphoric sources, sometimes at great distances. In turn, the fungi are able to transform it in a way that is mobile and in an accessible and digestible form for the plant.

Alongside these Mycorrhizae enable the mineralization of nitrogen and carbon by naturally-composting decaying plant matter in the soil and re-delivering it to the plant and surrounding soil as available and useable food sources.

Mycorrhiza is a remarkable, natural phenomenon that connects all growth and life, providing for itself and its environment and sustaining and regenerating itself through its myriad connections.

Serious research on the workings of Mycorrhizae only commenced in the last 40 years. Its many benefits are now known; particular strains are grown and colonies applied in situations of low microbial activity such as barren landscapes with no nutritional content or overworked farmland.This has far-reaching possibilities in the area of agriculture and particularly food production where the introduction of beneficial Mycorrhizae could assist in sustaining third world countries and feeding their people.

For the hobby grower, strains of Mycorrhizae can be purchased and added to garden beds and potting mixes to colonize and assist in plant development. MY

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YOU TELL US

Maximum Yield sits down with Stephanie Gentry of Boldtbags to talk about wash bags, cone filters and product quality assurance.

Maximum Yield (MY): What is the history of BoldtBags?

Stephanie: Boldtbags is the oldest filtration bag manufacturer in America. Started over eight years ago, a couple of guys got together and created the ultimate filtration bag ever produced for commercial use. In the beginning, the bags got loaned out to friends and then their friends. Today Boldtbags are in demand around the world.

MY: What products does BoldtBags offer to growers and what makes each product unique?

Stephanie: Boldtbags continues to offer a full line of commercial grade water filtration products from small one 36

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gallon sizes to large 32 gallon bags, and also has suspension systems for help with the larger bags. The bags are made with pride and a guarantee against any manufacturing defects.

MY: How are BoldtBags used and what type of grower are they suitable for?

Stephanie: Boldtbags are used to brew fresh organic compost teas and to filter extracts, water and essential oils. Fresh organic compost teas contain natural biocolonies of beneficial bacteria, fungi and protozoa.

Using Boldtbag filters to brew increases the availability of phosphorous and other nutrients and vitamins to meet critical plant needs.These bags are suitable for the beginning gardener as well as commercial farmers.

MY: What strategies has BoldtBags implemented to lessen their environmental impact on our planet?

Stephanie: Boldtbags is a very environmentally and proactive company that uses solar power, electric transportation and is exploring bio-diesel, using our own filtration products in the process.

MY: How does BoldtBags support local causes and community building? What does BoldtBags have planned for the future in the way of products and technologies?

Stephanie: Boldtbags is always constantly doing research, testing filtrations and developing new products to help improve gardening and culinary experiences. We actively listen to our community of farmers and growers and strive MY: What are your Wash Bags used for? What are to not only meet, but exceed, their expectations for amazing your Cone Filters used for? new products. We sponsor many local artists and community Stephanie: We offer Wash Bags and we are the only company building events across the country.Boldtbags has a number of with the patented award-winning Cone Filter bags. Large and new products in pre-production and are eager to get them small wash bags are great to market as we for washing machine use know they will be “We actively listen to our community of and our cone kits are the a huge success. As farmers and growers and strive to not only to what they are, highest yielding filtration meet, but exceed, their expectations for products on the market. you just might Just turn it inside out. have to wait amazing new products.”

No scraping needed. and see…

Boldtbags are available in different kit sizes including a three bag, four bag and MY: Where in Australia can indoor gardeners eight bag kit. The three bag kit offers the 220, 73 and 25 find BoldtBags? micron bags. The four bag kit includes the 160 micron as Stephanie: We are always looking for distribution partners well, and the eight bag kit includes all eight microns—220, and venturing into new markets such as Australia where 190, 160, 120, 90, 73, 45 and 25. we know Boldtbags are very appreciated for their quality craftsmanship. Ask your favourite store to carry them or go to MY: How are BoldtBags made to ensure quality www.boldtbags.com to order a set today. We can also be reached and effectiveness? toll free at 1-877-450-2247. MY Stephanie: Boldtbags are made with industrial strength nylon and we are the only company to offer our exclusive FDA approved food safe lining. This waterproof lining ensures no absorption of the bag contents into the fabric and produces a higher yield. Boldtbags are sewn with reinforced double stitching and use military spec materials. The grommets are marine grade nickel plated brass and will never rust. The screens used in Boldtbags are Swiss grade quality, pressure rated and measured to the absolute micron. They are heat stamped to assure micron accuracy and to prevent pore-size fluctuation.

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by Troy Marshall

How to Harvest and Store

Lavender

Lavender is not only beautiful to look at, it smells great as well. Lavender can be used to decorate your home, in cooking and in some home remedies. Commercially grown lavender can be purchased in dried form or as lavender oil, but you can easily grow and harvest your own. Growing lavender will surely add beauty to your garden.

Harvesting lavender: •

• •

38

Wait until the flowers have just fully opened. The fully opened lavender flowers are fragrant but not overpowering.

You will want to preserve the flowers at this point because they contain a fine concentration of essential oils. The longer the flowers are in bloom, the less potent they are.

Use a pair of pruners or secateurs in cutting the flowers. Be careful when cutting so you don’t crush the flowers.

Cut right above the leaves. Also, pick flowers that are part of a long stem. This way when you dry the lavender, you can easily hang the flowers using the stems.

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•

Encourage more flowers to grow.You can accomplish this by leaving around 2.5 to five centimetres of green when cutting. Don’t cut the woodiest parts.

Drying and storing lavender: •

•

Use a drying rack. Although this is not required, a drying rack for herbs and flowers makes it easier for you to dry your lavender.

Hang the lavender. In the absence of a drying rack, you can use strings or rubber bands to hold the stems together

•

•

•

and hang these upside down.You can group the stems into six before tying them together firmly. Another option is to hang the lavender stems individually on a string. If your home is located in an area with low humidity, you can group the stems together in half dozen bunches. Otherwise, it is best to hang each stem separately in order to dry the flowers faster.

Place the lavender in a dry, dark place. In a moist environment, the lavender will mould and rot. The ideal drying temperature is between 30 to 32°C on the first drying day. For the next drying days, the temperature should be between 24 and 28°C. Attics and lofts are great places to dry them.You can also place the lavender in brown paper bags with holes at the bottom and on the sides so air comes in.

Check the drying progress. Once in awhile, see how the lavender is doing. The stems will shrink so adjust the string or tighten the rubber bands. After a month, the lavender should be dry enough.

Store the lavender in a dry, dark place.You can place them in a cardboard box or a brown paper bag with no holes.

Depending on how you want to use the dried lavender, you can choose to remove the flowers from the stems or keep the flowers on the stems.

Lavender has many uses. They can be used for decorating your home by including them in a dried flower arrangement. The dried flowers can be added to scented sachets or used in candle making. Aromatherapy oils and lotions come infused with lavender oil. It is very easy to grow, harvest and store lavender.

Instead of buying dried lavender, consider growing lavender plants yourself. MY (Source: www.howtodothings.com)

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Drought is a part of normal life in many parts of the world and given the threats posed by climate change combined with traditionally low rainfall, growers and non-growers alike need to keep their clean water supplies high.

A rainwater tank is a sustainable option to help through lean times. by Michael Bloch

Harvesting

Living Water Here in Australia, the corrugated metal rainwater tank is somewhat of a national icon. In South Australia, around 30 per cent of homes have rainwater catchment systems. Water tanks haven’t been an overly attractive home addition until recently.

These days, tanks come in many shapes, colours, materials and sizes to suit any home and space. If having a full size water tank isn’t an option for you, rain barrels are a very affordable and easyto-install option. They look like a pickle barrel, are mostly made of plastic and hold up to 363 litres.

In this article we’ll take a brief look at the various materials commonly used to construct larger tanks—and the various advantages and disadvantages.

Poly (plastic) rainwater tanks

Poly tanks are made from polyethylene, a UV-stabilized, foodgrade plastic. These tanks are light and have a long, serviceable life. Many poly tanks carrying a 25 year warranty, although many claim 15 years is a more realistic lifespan. They are also usually the second cheapest of the options covered in this article.

One of the major disadvantages of polyethylene is the material is made from petrochemicals, meaning this big hunk of plastic 42

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under a driveway.

“It’s really a matter of example, Given the material, they are very and often poured on-site or gauging your needs and budget heavy delivered in sections that are then cemented together. Again, and then choosing the lesser basically a polyethylene liner may be used.

Without a liner, the tank will leach of the evils.” lime and over time you’ll have slightly

will take decades generations to breakdown and it will release toxins in doing so. However, polyethylene tanks can be easily recycled after 15 years, so it’s just a matter of breaking the tank up and carting it to a recycler.

Some poly tanks are made with a vertical seam; this is a weak point that may cause splitting and subsequent water loss so a seamless tank is probably a better choice. Polyethylene water tanks and fire don’t mix as they’ll just melt should the flames get too close.

The other issue is the effects of drinking water stored for such a long time in this material. Polyethylene tanks are relatively new on the market, so there are no serviceable life studies in relation to these issues as far as I know.

I had a polyethylene rainwater tank at my original place in the outback where temperatures would get up to around 46°C in the shade and below freezing during winter. The tank performed well over the couple of years I had it before selling the property, but there was a bit of an odd taste to the water on hot days. A subsequent poly tank I acquired for my current property has also stood up well to similar extremes, and without the odd taste.

Before purchasing a poly tank, check the warranty for temperature stipulations as some manufacturers will void the warranty if the tank is installed near extremely hot conditions.

Steel tanks

Galvanized tanks have been around for over 150 years and are usually the cheapest option. Hot-dip galvanizing is a process used to coat steel or iron with zinc. The zinc helps slow down corrosion, but depending on environmental factors, a galvanized tank may last well under five years, particularly if the roof of the structure capturing the rainwater is made from Zincalume, due to electrolysis.

Zincalume® has been around for about 30 years and was originally used for roofing. It’s a mix of 55 per cent aluminium, 43.5 per cent zinc and 1.5 per cent silicon bonded to steel.There’s a lot of conflicting information around about lifespan, but the general consensus seems to be about 10 to 15 years.

Some metal tanks now also have polyethylene linings to further slow down corrosion. If you do buy a steel tank, look into installing extra sacrificial anodes to further delay corrosion.

Concrete water tanks

Concrete rainwater tanks can be installed either above or underground. The latter is a good option if you’re short on space as they can be constructed to allow for load bearing, for

alkaline water. Concrete is porous so without a liner water will penetrate into the concrete over time, which may cause corrosion of steel framework. Concrete is also an energy-intensive product that requires a great deal of heat and water in its production.

Fibreglass This is another long-lasting option that can be installed above or underground. Fibreglass tanks resist corrosion and are not generally affected by chemicals. As fibreglass tanks tend to allow more light in than other types of tank materials, this can encourage the growth of algae, so they should be painted or a gel coat should be applied. Fibreglass can also be brittle, leaving it prone to cracks; something you don’t want, particularly in an in-ground situation.

Choosing a tank material Choice is wonderful, but as you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages with each type of tank—particularly when it comes to environmental impact—so it’s really a matter of gauging your needs and budget and then choosing the lesser of the evils. In regards to the required investment, you should bear in mind the initial cost and possible replacement costs.

Rebates on rainwater tanks and associated plumbing are working checking into; many governments now offer cash-back schemes. Even with the various disadvantages of each material, given the length of serviceable life of most tanks and the tens of thousands of litres of water you can collect over that time; installing a rainwater tank is still a very green move.

A brief note on rainwater tank regulations Before buying and installing a tank you should check with your local authorities as in some places you will need a special permit and in others they may be totally banned.

Even in Australia, the driest inhabited continent on Earth, some local governments had bans in place until relatively recently—but the millennium drought thankfully sorted out most of those short-sighted councils. MY

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

43

RETAIL

directory

AUSTRALIA ACT

South Pacific Hydroponics #2 - 84 - 86 Wollongong St., Fyshwick ACT 2609 South Pacific Hydroponics 70 Oatley Court , Belconnen ACT 2617

(02) 6239 2598 (02) 6251 0600

NEW SOUTH WALES ABC Aquaculture 54 Wahroonga Road, Kanwal NSW 2259 (61) 2 4393 3131 ASE Hydroponics Factory 10/45 Leighton Pl., Hornsby NSW 2077 (02) 9477 3710 Ballina Hydro 3 Ray O’Niell Crescent, Ballina NSW 2478 (02) 6686 7321 Brunswick Hydro & Aquarium Supplies 19 Booyun Street, Brunswick Heads NSW 2483 (02) 6685 1552 Criscete Hydroponics and Organics Unit 2/15 Kam Close, Morisset, NSW 2264 (02) 4973 5779 Dr. Van Der Bloom’s Hydroponics Supplies 5/5 Forge Drive, Coff’s Harbour, NSW 2450 (02) 6651 9992 Dubbo Hydro & Tobacconist 42c Victoria Street, Dubbo West NSW 2830 (02) 6885 1616 Ezi Grow Hydro 177 Mt Druit Road, Mt Druitt NSW 2770 (02) 9832 1610 Ezi Grow Hydro 1B/340 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW 2753 (02) 4588 5826 Ezi Grow Hydro 56 Fish Parade, Bathurst NSW 2795 (02) 9832 1610 Ezi Grow Hydro - Head Office 18 Part Street, Eglinton NSW 2795 (02) 6337 1485 Favgro Hydroponics Growers 107 Glenella Road, Batehaven NSW 2536 (02) 4472 7165 Felanza - Hydroponics 140 Princess Highway, Arncliffe, NSW 2205 (02) 9556 1494 General Hydroponics 7/14 Sunnyholt Road, Blacktown NSW 9676 (02) 9676 8682 Grow Australia Factory 1/5 Sefton Road, Thronleigh NSW 2120 (02) 9473 5000 Grow Your Own Unit 6/34 Alliance Ave, Morisset NSW 2264 (02) 4973 5179 Happy Grow Hydro 15/The Crescent Street, Penrith NSW 2750 (02) 4732 2870 Hobby Grow 6/46 Through Street South Grafton NSW 2460 (04) 2283 8069 Home Harvest 423 Princess Highway, Rockdale NSW 2216 (02) 9567 8841 Hyalite Moorebank 6/376 Newsbridge Road, Moorebank NSW 2170 (02) 9824 3400 Hyalite Villawood 2/21 Birmingham Avenue, Villawood NSW 2163 (02) 9723 7199 Hydro Masta 100 Station Road, Seven Hills, Sydney NSW 2147 (02) 8812 2845 Hydro Masta Pty Ltd 76 Beecroft Road, Epping NSW 2121 (02) 9869 3011 Hydro Net 2/14 Aific Street, Long Jetty NSW 2261 (02) 4334 6955 Hydro Place 1/68 Nelson Street, Wallsend NSW 2287 (02) 4965 6595 Hydro Shop and Reptile Supplies 2/390 The Esplanade, Warners Bay NSW 2282 (02) 4958 1489 Hydro Shop Pty Ltd Unit 1/5-7 Channel Road, Mayfield West NSW 2304 (02) 4960 0707 Hydro Supplies 57 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 (02) 9326 0307 Hydro Wise B/385 The Entrance Road, Long Jetty NSW 2261 (02) 4333 5700 Hydroponics Grow All Year 14 Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 (02) 6921 5911 Hygrow Horticulture (Greenlite) 252 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 (02) 9369 3928 Indoor Sun Shop 745 Victoria Road, Top Ryde NSW 2112 (02) 9808 6511 Indoor Sun Shop Unit 2/109 Junction Road, Moorebank NSW 2170 (02) 9822 4700 International Fans PO Box 120, St. Mary’s NSW 2760 (02) 9833 7500 Kyper’s Tools and Hydroponics Stuart & Tincogan Sts, Mullumbimby NSW 2482 (02) 6684 4928 Lismore Hydro 1/106 Canway Street, Lismore NSW 2480 (02) 6621 3311

44

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Lismore Hydroponics rear of 28 Casino St., South Lismore, NSW 2480 Northern Nursery Supplies Pty Ltd 14-16 Nance Road, Kempsey NSW 2440 Nowra Hydro 68 Bridge Road, Nowra NSW 2541 Nutriflo Hydroponic Systems 19/5 Daintree Place, Gosford West NSW 2250 Parkview Plants 250 Princess Highway, Nowra South NSW 2541 Port Pumps and Irrigation 20 Uralla Road, Pt Macquarie NSW 2444 Quik Grow 510a Great Western Hwy., Pendle Hill NSW 2145 Quick Grow 823 King Georges Road, S. Hurstville NSW 2221 Quik Grow Pty Ltd 490 Parramatta Road, Petersham NSW 2049 Simple Grow Hassall Street & Windem, Wetherill Pk NSW 2164 Tweed Coast Hydroponics 2/58 Machinery Dr., Tweeds Head South NSW 2486 Uncle Wal’s Gardenland 31 Crescent Avenue, Taree NSW 2430 Home Grown Aquaponics 13/8a-8b Hartley Drive, Thornton NSW 2322 Westside Lighting & Electrical (Ezi Range) PO Box 274, Mascot NSW 1400 Wollongong Hydroponic Center 318 Crown Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 NORTHERN TERRITORY Katherine Hydroponics Centre 17 Rundle Street, Katherine NT 0850 QUEENSLAND A Happy Medium Hydroponics Unit2/10 Central Court, Browns Plains QLD 4118 Allgrow Hydro 13 - 58 Bullock Head St., Sumner Park QLD 4074 Aquatic Oasis Unit 2/33 Smith Street, Capalaba QLD 4157 Billabong Hydroponics Lot 1, Billabong Court, Childers QLD 4660 D-Bay Hydroponics Shop 5/404 Deception Bay Road, Deception Bay QLD 4508 E.T. Grow Home Unit 1/4 Windmill Street, Southport QLD 4215 Eye Lighting Australia Pty Ltd PO Box 306, Carole Park QLD 4300 Green Power Hydroponics 2/80 Beerburrum Road, Caboolture QLD 4510 Grow Hydro 22 Mining Street, Bundamba QLD 4304 Hyalite Varsity 5/11 John Duncan Crt.,Varsity Lakes QLD 4227 Hydroponic Roots & Shoots Lot 3 Herberton Road, Atherton QLD 4883 Hydroponics & Garden Supplies 93 Cook St., Portsmith QLD 4870 Hydroponics Today PO Box 785, Stanthorpe QLD 4380 Indoor Solutions Unit 2 / 79 Oxford Tce., Taringa QLD 4068 J&K Hydroponics 10 Wacol Station Road, Wacol, Brisbane QLD, 4076 KY Garden 3/31 Argyle PDE, Darra Brisbane QLD 4076 Nerang Hydroponic Centre 27 Lawrence Drive, Nerang QLD 4211 North Queensland Hydro Supplies Shop 2B/20-22 Fleming St., Townsville QLD 4810 Northern Hydroponics 383 Mulgrave Road, Cairns QLD 4870 Pioneer Hydroponics 194 Doyles Road, Pleystowe QLD 4741 SA Hydroponics Shed 3, 1191 Anzac Avenue, Kallangar QLD 4503 Simply Hydroponics Gold Coast 42 Lawrence Drive, Nerang QLD 4211

(02) 6621 3311 (02) 6563 1599 (02) 4423 3224 (02) 4323 1599 (02) 4423 0599 (02) 6581 1272 (02) 9636 7023 (02) 9546 8642 (02) 9568 2900 (02) 9604 0469 (07) 5524 8588 (02) 6550 0221 (02) 4028 6388 1 800 661 475 (02) 4225 8773

(08) 8972 1730

(07) 3809 3322 (07) 3376 7222 (07) 3245 7777 (07) 4126 3551 (07) 3204 8324 (07) 5591 6501 (07) 3335 3556 (07) 5428 1133 (07) 3816 3206 (07) 5593 7385 (07) 4091 3217 (07) 4035 5422 (07) 4683 3133

(07) 3271 6210 (07) 3375 9098 (07) 5527 4155 (07) 4728 3957 (07) 4054 5884 (07) 4959 2016 (07) 3285 1355 (07) 5596 2250

Sunstate Hydroponics 1137 Ipswitch Road, Moorooka QLD 4105 Sunstate Hydroponics 67 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore QLD 4558 The Hydroponic Warehouse Shop 3/73 PIckering Street, Enoggera QLD 4051 Tumbling Waters Hydroponics 2 Clarkes Track, Malanda QLD 4885 Walsh’s Seeds Garden Centre 881 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba QLD 4350 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Amazon Aquariums & Gardening Unit 5, 16 Research Road, Pooraka SA 5095 Ascot Park 753 Marion Road, Ascot Park SA 5043 Barry’s Hardware Saints & Main North Rd., Salisbury Plains SA 5109 Bolzon Home & Garden 103 Tolley Road, St Agnes SA 5097 Chocablock Discount Variety Store 15-17/1220 Grand Junction, Hope Valley SA 5090 Complete Hydroponics 1581 Main North Road Salisbury East SA 5109 Country Hydro 434 Saddleback Road, Whyalla SA 5600 D & W Dependable Hardware 45B Kettering Road, Elizabeth South SA 5112 Festive Hydro 2 Kreig Street, Evanston Park SA 5116 Fulham Gardener Nursery 597 Tapleys Hill Road, Fulham SA 5024 Futchatec Distribution 4 Symonds St. Royal Park, 5014 Glandore Hydroponics 644 - 646 South Road, Glandore SA 5037 Greener then Green 52 - 54 Cliff Avenue, Port Noarlunga South SA 51 Greenhouse Superstore Lonsdale 35 to 37 Aldenhoven Road SA 5160 Greenhouse Superstore Royal Park 4 Symonds St. Royal Park SA 5014 Ground-Up Service Nursery 3 Copinger Road, Pt. Pirie SA 5540 Harvest Time Hydroponics Shop 3/146-148, Findon Road, Findon SA 5023 Hindmarsh Hydroponics 39a Manton Street, Hindmarsh SA 5095 Highland Hydro 14/1042 Grand Junction Road, Holden Hill SA 5088 Hong Kong Hydro 13 Research Road, Pooraka SA 5095 Hydro Heaven Kane Motors-Hunt Road, Mount Barker SA 5251 Hydro Sales & Service 1 Salisbury Crescent, Colonel Light SA 5041 Hydro Technics 321 South Road, Croydon SA 5008 Hydro Warehouse 181 Seacombe Road, South Brighton SA 5048 Hydro World 40 Folland Avenue, Northfield SA 5085 Koko’s Hydro Warehouse Unit 2/2 McGowan Street, Pooraka SA 5095 Larg’s Bay Garden Supply 239 Victoria Road, Largs Bay SA 5016 Martins Road Hydro # 5- 353 Martins Road, Parafield Gardens SA 5107 Mitre 10 Drive In 152 Hanson Road, Mansfield Park SA 5012 New Age Hydroponics 135-137 Sir Donald Bradman Dr., Hilton SA 5033 Owen Agencies 17-19 Railway Terrace, Owen SA 5460 Professional Hydro 4/522 Grange Road, Fulham Gardens SA 5024 Professional Hydro Shop 5/645 Lower North East Road SA 5075 Professional Hydroponics 113 Maurice Road, Murray Bridge SA

(07) 3848 5288 (07) 5479 1011 (07) 3354 1588 (07) 4096 6443 (07) 4636 1077

(08) 8359 1800 (08) 8357 4700 (08) 8281 4066 (08) 8265 0665 (08) 8396 3133 (08) 8258 4022 (08) 8645 3105 (08) 8287 6399 (08) 8523 5100 (08) 8235 2004 (08) 8447-1122 (08) 8371 5777 (08) 8386 2596 (08) 8382 0100 (08) 8447 5899 (08) 8264 9455 (08) 8244 0222 (08) 8346 9461 (08) 8395 4455 (08) 8260 2000 (08) 8391 1880 (08) 8272 2000 (08) 8241 5022 (08) 8377 1200 (08) 8262 8323 (08) 8260 5463 (08) 8242 3788 (08) 8283 4011 (08) 8445 1813 (08) 8351 9100 (08) 8528 6008 (08) 8353 0133 (08) 8365 5172 (08) 8532 3441

Seaton Hydroponics 129 Tapleys Hill Road Seaton SA 5023 Soladome Aquaculture & Hydro 44 Chapel St., Norwood SA 5067 South Coast Hydroponics 6/25 Gulfview Road, Christies Beach SA 5165 State Hydroponics 174 Semaphore Road, Exeter SA 5019 Tea Tree Gully Hydro 32 Famechon Cresent, Modbury North SA 5092 Two Wells Hardware 86 Old Port Wakefield Road, Two Wells SA 5501 Urban Grow Solutions 1/111 Main Sth Rd, O’Halloran Hill, S.A 5189 West Garden Centre Peachey Road, Elizabeth West SA 5113

(08)82682636 (08) 8362 8042 (08) 8384 2380 (08) 8341 5991 (08) 8264 9455 (08) 8520 2287 (08) 8322 0040 (08) 8255 1355

TASMANIA

Advanced Hydroponics 26 Mulgrave Street, South Launceston Tas 7249 Ezy Grow 625 East Derwent Highway, Lindisfarne Tas 7015 Garden World 717 West Tamar Highway, Legana Tas 7277 Green Acres Hydroponics Unit 1 46-48 Bingalong Rd, Mornington, TAS 7018 Growers Choice 225 Main Road, Derwent Park Tas 7009 Hydroponics Systems 131 Main Rd, Moonah, TAS 7009 Hydroponic World 322 Bass Highway, Sulphur Creek Tas 7316 Organic Garden Supplies Tas 17 Don Road, Devonport Tas 7310 Tas Hydroponic Supplies 99 Lampton Avenue, Derwent Park Tas 7009 The Hydroponic Company 69 Charles Street, Moonah Tas 7009 The Hydroponics Company 289 Hobart Road, Kings Medow Tas 7428

(03) 6344 5588 (03) 6243 9490 (03) 6330 1177 (03) 6245 1066 (03) 6273 6088 (03) 6278 3457 (03) 6435 4411 (03) 6424 7815 (03) 6272 2202 (03) 6273 1411 (03) 6340 2222

VICTORIA

Albury Hydroponics 62 Thomas Mitchell Drive, Springvale Vic 3171 All Seasons Hydroponics 3 Springvale Road, Springvale Vic 3171 Banksia Greenhouse and Outdoor Garden 530 Burwood Highway, Wantirna Vic 3152 Barb’s Hydro and Nursery 15 Wallace Avenue, Interverloch Vic 3196 Bayside Hydroponics Factory 2/8 Rutherford Road, Seaford Vic 3196 Belgrave Hydroponics 5/ 60-68 Colby Drive, Belgrave Heights Vic 3160 Brew ‘N’ Grow 4 - 479 Nepean Highway, Edithvale Vic 3199 Casey Hydro 12 The Arcade Street, Cranbourne Vic 3977 Casey Hydro 78 Spring Square, Hallam Vic 3803 Chronic Hydroponics 31 Anderson Street, Templestowe Vic 3106 Complete Garden Supplies 580 Ballarat Road, Sunshine Vic 3020 Discount Hydroponics 752 Waverley Road, Chadstone Vic 3148 Echuca Hydroponic Nursery & Supplies 23 Ogilvie Avenue, Echuca Vic 3564 Echuca Pump Shop 128 Ogilvie Avenue, Echuca Vic 3564 Excel Distributors Pty Ltd 2/41 Quinn Street, Preston Vic 3072 F.L.O.W. Plants and Environments 66B Chapel Street, Windsor Vic 3181 Gardensmart 810-834 Springvale Road, Keysborough Vic 3173 Global Hydroponics 10 Knight Avenue, Sunshine Vic 3020 Greenleaf Hydroponics 9a Church Street, Traralgon Vic 3844

(03) 9540 8000 (03) 9540 8000 (03) 9801 8070 (03) 5674 2584 (03) 9775 0495 (03) 9754 3712 (03) 9783 3006 (03) 5996 3697 (03) 9796 3776 (03) 9646 8133 (03) 9311 9776 (03) 9568 1860 (03) 5480 2036 (03) 5480 7080 (03) 9495 0083 (03) 9510 6832 (03) 9769 1411 (03) 9356 9400 (03) 5176 0898

Greenleaf Hydroponics Factory 7, Industrial Park Drive, Lilydale Vic 3140 GreenLite - Ringwood 291 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood Vic 3134 Grow 4 XS Rear 24 Simms Road, Greensborough Vic 3088 Holland Forge Pty Ltd. 5 Hi-tech Place, Rowville Vic 3178 Hydroware 59a Lara Way, Campbellfield, Vic, 3061 Hyalite Airport West Unit 4/504-506 Fullarton Road, Airport West 3042 Hyalite Bayswater 4/19 Jersey Road, Bayswater Vic 3153 Hyalite Global 10 Knight Avenue, Sunshine North Vic 3020 Hyalite Westend 3 Third Avenue, Sunshine Vic 3020 Indoor Garden Company 29 Glasgow Street, Collingwood Vic 3066 Impact Distribution PO Box 2188, Salisbury Downs 5108 JB Lighting 492 - 500 Neerim Road, Murrumbeena Vic 3163 Just Hydroponics Deer Park Unit 11 29-39 Westwood Drive, Deer Park, VIC 3023 Just Hydroponics Geelong Unit 7 36-38 Saunders street, North Geelong, VIC 3215 Latrove Valley Home Brew Supplies PO Box 802, Morwell Vic 3804 Living Jungle 345 Sommerville Road, Footscray West Vic 3012 Melton Hydroponic Supplies 18/10 Norton Drive, Melton Vic 3194 Midtown Hydroponics Factory 1, 821B Howitt St., Wendouree Vic 3355 One Stop Sprinklers 1 Burwood Highway, Wantirna Vic 3152 Pam’s Home Brew & Hydroponics 61 McArthur Street, Sale Vic 3850 Palms & Plants 175 Salisbury Highway, Salisbury S.A. 5108 Shepparton Hydroponics 87A Archer Street, Shepparton Vic 3630 Simply Hydroponics 5/ 411-413 Old Geelong Rd., Hoppers Cros. 3029 Simply Hydroponics 8, 59-61 Miller St., Epping 3076 Sunlite Hydroponics 1/104 Shannon Avenue, Geelong West Vic 3281 Sunray Hydro 157 Tenth Street, Mildura Vic 3500 Supply Net International P/L PO Box 171, Highbury Vic 5089 The Hydroponic Connection 397 Dorset Road, Boronia Vic 3155 Waterworks Hydroponics Unit 1, 5 Brand Drive, Thomastown Vic 3074 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Accent Hydroponics Unit 2/141 Russell Street, Morley WA 6062 Aqua Post Unit 2B 7 Yampi Way, Willetton WA 6155 Aquaponics Lot 12 Warton Road, Canning Vale WA 6155 Bunbury Alternate Growing Supplies 8/13 Worcestor Bend, Davenport, WA 6230 Creative Hydroponics 1/95 Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168 Great Southern Hydroponics Shop 1, 21 Hennessy Road, Bunbury WA 6230 Greenfingers World of Hydroponics Albany Hwy & Kelvin Rd.,Maddington WA 6109 Greenfingers World of Hydroponics Unit C 14-16 Elliot Street, Midvale WA 6056 Greenlite Hydroponics 4/91 Wanneroo Road, Tuart Hill WA 6060

(03) 9739 7311 (03) 9870 8566 (03) 9435 6425 (03) 9764 1372 (03) 9357 8805 (03) 9331 5452 (03) 9720 1946 (03) 9356 9400 (03) 9311 3510 (03) 9416 1699 (08) 8250-1515 (03) 9569 4399 (03) 8390 0861 (03) 5278 6478 (03) 5133 9140 (03) 9314 0055 (03) 9746 9256 (03) 5339 1300 (03) 9800 2177 (03) 5143 1143 (08) 8285 7575 (03) 5831 6433 (03) 9360 9344 (03) 9408 4677 (03) 5222 6730 (03) 5023 6422 (88) 264-3600 (03) 9761 0662 (03) 9465 1455

(08) 9375 9355 (08) 9354 2888 1800 640 222 (08) 9725 7020 (08) 9528 1310 (08) 9721 8322 (08) 9452 0546 (08) 9274 8388 (08) 9345 5321

Growsmart Hydroponics 47768 South Coast Highway, Albany WA 6330 Hydro Nation 41A Rockingham Road, Hamilton Hill WA 6163 Hydroponic Solutions 1/1928 Beach Road, Malaga WA 6090 Hydroponic Warehouse Unit 7/627 Wanneroo Road, Wanneroo WA 6065 Hydroponica 317 Guildford Road, Maylands WA 6051 Isabella’s Hydroponics 66 Jambanis Road, Wanneroo WA 6065 Johnson’s Nursery Garden Centre 30 Blencowe Road, Geralton WA 6530 Neerabup Organic & Hydroponic Supplies Unit 1, 21 Warman St. Neerabup WA 6031 One Stop Hydroponics 947 Beaufort Street, Inglewood WA 6052 Perth Hydroponic Centre Shop 4, 171-175 Abernathy Road, Belmont WA 6104 Reptile and Grow Store Unit 7 - 117-119 Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168 Southwest Hydroponics Lot 29, Pinjarra Road, Mandurah WA 6210 The Grow Room 1/1451 Albany Highway, Cannington WA 6107 Bloem PO Box 1816, Subiaco WA 6008 The Watershed Water Systems 150 Russell Street, Morley WA 6062 The Watershed Water Systems 2874 Albany Highway, Kelmscott WA 6111 The Watershed Water Systems 1/146 Great Eastern Highway, Midland WA 6210 Water Garden Warehouse 14 Drake Street, Osborne Park WA 6017

(08) 9841 3220 (08) 9336 7368 (08) 9248 1901 (08) 9206 0188 (08) 9371 5757 (08) 9306 3028 (08) 9921 6016 (08) 9404 7155 (08) 9471 7000 (08) 9478 1211 (08) 9527 2245 (08) 9534 8544 (08) 9356 7044 (08) 9217 4400 (08) 9473 1473 (08) 9495 1495 (08) 9274 3232 (08) 9443 7993

NEW ZEALAND

Easy Grow New Lynn 3018 Gt North Rd New Lynn, Auckland Easy Grow Manukau 15/69 Wiri Station Road, Manukau, Auckland Guru Gardener 14 Molesworth St., New Plymouth Otaki Hydroponics 1083 S.H. 1 South Otaki House of Hydro 221 Waiwhetu Rd., Lower Hutt Wellington Pet and Garden 10 Fitzgerald Ave., Christchurch Grow and Brew 14a Flexman Place, Silverdale Auckland Green Day Hydroponics Cnr of Maunganui Rd & Tawa St., Mt Maunganui Switched on Gardener Number 189 (Lower) Dent Street, Whangarei Switched on Gardener Unit 159 Central Park Drive, Henderson Switched on Gardener Unit 1/60 Ti Rakau Drive, Pakuranga Switched on Gardener Number 1c Sunshine Ave, Hamilton Switched on Gardener Number 513 Heretaunga Street West, Hastings Switched on Gardener Number 62 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington Switched on Gardener Unit 7/67 View Road, Glenfield Switched on Gardener Number 1 Rata Street, New Lynn Switched on Gardener Number 57 Cavendish Drive, Manukau Switched on Gardener Number 427 Cameron Road, Tauranga Switched on Gardener Number 1060 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt Switched on Gardener Number 3 Pascoe Street, Nelson Switched on Gardener Number 9 Buckley Road, Linwood Switched on Gardener Number 143 Tuam Street, Christchurch CBD Switched on Gardener Number 313 King Edward Street, Dunedin

09 827 0883 09 263 7560 06 758 6661 06 364 2206

03 377 2507 09 426 2095 07 575 4090 (09)438 0223 (09) 837 1210 (09) 576 0296 (07) 850 8351 (06) 876 7885 (04) 472 5265 (09) 443 0106 (09) 826 4444 (09) 263 4336 (07) 579 9840 (04) 526 3913 (03) 546 4769 (03) 381 0937 (03) 374 5682 (03) 456 1980

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

45

COMING UP IN

Sep - Oct 2011

Healthful Properties of Anise This medicinal herb can treat digestive problems and toothaches, and the bonus is it can be easily grown at home.

The Real Organic Hydroponics

DO YOU

know?

1

Zincalume® has been around for about 30 years and was originally used for roofing. It’s a mix of 55 per cent aluminium, 43.5 per cent zinc and 1.5 per cent silicon bonded to steel.

2

Air at 10°C can hold 9.4 grams of water vapour per one cubic metre, while air at 30°C can hold three times as much, up to a maximum of 30.4 grams per one cubic metre.

Combine quality and taste be employing organic hydroponics, a challenge that has yet to be reached fully.

The Flavour Wheel Enhance the distinctive flavour of your crops by exerting control over nutrition—and other factors—for the ultimate taste experience.

Plus: The latest hydroponics news and trivia, the newest indoor gardening products, giveaways, upcoming events, beginner tips, industry insight and more.

www.maximumyield.com Maximum Yield September/October will be available September 1 for FREE at selected indoor gardening retail stores across Australia and New Zealand.

Subscriptions are available by contacting editor@maximumyield.com or visiting maximumyield.com/subscriptions.php

Root hairs are single walled cells, approximately

3 one micron wide and up to three millimetres long depending on the plant species.

4

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae and are able to fully penetrate and grow within a plant’s cell and extend from within. The host plant allows this to happen by changing its own physiological chemistry to adapt to the DNA profile of the Mycorrhizae.

A plant that is infested by red spider mites will start

5 to look unhealthy and will have a dusty appearance to the undersides of their leaves.

In South Australia, around 30 per cent of homes have

6 rainwater catchment systems.

7

Lavender flowers contain a fine concentration of essential when they are just fully open. The longer the flowers bloom, the less potent the essential oils are.

Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) is typically expressed

8 in the units kPa (kilopascals) with the range for most plants being 0.45 kPa to 1.25 kPa.

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Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

Maximum Yield | July/August 2011

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Maximum Yield Australia | November/December | July/August 2011 2010