Maximum Yield CAN Jul/Aug 2012 by Maximum Yield

CANADA July-August 2012

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The

Greenhouse & Water Issue www.maximumyield.com

2012

Indoor gardenING expo SAN FRANCISCO

LONG BEACH

July 21-22

NOVEMBER 3-4

CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA indoorgardeningexpo.com

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

CONTENTS July/August 2012

FEATURES 26

The Year-round Greenhouse by Eric Brandstad

33 34

How to Make an Orchid Bloom

by Heather Rhoades

Reverse Osmosis: How to Get the Most out of Your RO System

by Jennifer Casey

Dissolved Oxygen—the Hidden Necessity

by Eric Hopper

48 54

The Comfort Zone—Fostering Healthy Bacteria in the Greenhouse by Chris Pianta

The Future of Hydroponics… No Power Required by Heather Pearl

The Root Whisperer by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

Biodynamic Compost

Propagation for Profit: Grow Aloe for Dough

by David Perkins

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the Editor

Product Spotlight

MaximumYield.com

Do You Know?

Letters to the Editor

Distributors

Simon Says

Max Mart

MAX Facts

Coming up next issue

by Casey Jones Fraser

Hydroponic Starts: Part 1

Seeds or Clones

by Dr. Lynette Morgan by Karen Wilkinson

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

FROM THE EDITOR | JESSICA RAYMOND

We are thrilled to bring you our Greenhouse and Water Issue, which is packed with the latest tips and trends to give you the biggest and healthiest yields no matter the size of your greenhouse or grow space. From hydroponic starts with seeds or clones to root care and fostering healthy bacteria in your greenhouse, this magazine covers it all. Be sure to check out the awesome new products to enhance and improve your gardening experience. Greenhouse experts Eric Brandstad and Chris Pianta also share their tips on summer versus winter gardening in the greenhouse, as well as the importance of moisture, temperature and aeration when it comes to keeping your indoor crops comfortable. So, whether you grow for passion, profit, food, fun, or all four, I know you will enjoy this issue. Drop us a line and let us know how your summer crops fare or how we can help get your fall crop off to a good start.

Jessica Raymond, editor Countdown to San Francisco editor@maximumyield.com For even more gardening tips and tricks, come to our world-class San Francisco Indoor Gardening Expo July 22, 2012. Maximum Yield’s 9th Annual San Francisco Expo is moving to a new venue with over 400 exhibits (twice the size of past year shows). Visit indoorgardenexpo.com to see the full lineup of exhibitors and events, or flip to page 66 for full details. We are also proud to partner with WestJet, who will be offering special discounts to both our San Francisco and Long Beach Expo attendees. Details can be found at indoorgardenexpo.com or by calling us at 1-250-7292677. See you at the show!

contributors Chris Pianta AgroSci CEO, has over

25 years of experience in the lawn and garden market. He managed two successful startups and developed programs for Franks Nursery, FTD, Profile Soil Products, Martha Stewart, Agway and GROWELL. Chris is a holder of two United States patents. He earned his B.S. in Environmental and Professional Horticulture from UConn.

Grove Organics, in Northern Kentucky/ Greater Cincinnati. He has a degree in communications and electronic media. He believes that indoor gardeners can achieve the highest quality crops and maximum yields when proper science is applied. Since 1998, Casey has been testing various nutrients and supplements in search of outstanding harvests.

Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. has 50 years of experience growing plants hydroponically. He is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens and has authored eight books and written articles for magazines that deal with hydroponic issues. He currently has his own consulting company, Grosystems, Inc. Dr. Jones currently lives in Anderson, SC, USA.

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort.

Eric Hopper has over 10 years of

Heather Pearl is completing her

experience in the hydroponic industry as both a retail store manager and owner. He continuously seeks new methods and products that could help maximize garden performance. Eric resides in Michigan where he and his family strive for a self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle.

Casey Jones Fraser owns Garden

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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 suntec.co.nz/ consultants.htm and suntec. co.nz/books.htm for more information.

BA in development geography at Kings College. She acts as fundraiser for the Little Growers team, helping to increase its exposure and endorsements. She is keen to champion the Little Grower’s cause for worldwide youth education in the fields of health and horticulture.

Jennifer Casey loves her two dogs, her husband, the amazing garden he grows and living in the country—in that order. Crafting, reading and cooking from the garden are her favorite ways to spend her time.

Karen Wilkinson works for EZCLONE Enterprises, Inc., as its social media editor. She came to them with a background in journalism and technical writing and is learning to grow, clone and write for the hydroponics community. She’s a budding gardener and loves growing her own vegetables.

Become a Maximum Yield contributor and have your articles read by 250,000 readers throughout USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand and Australia. 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 Canada | July / August 2012

on the web Double Your Fun—“Grow Like A Pro” Expo Tour Hitting San Francisco and Long Beach, California The Grow Like a Pro Indoor Gardening Expo is coming to San Francisco, California July 22 followed by Long Beach, California November 4. You won’t want to miss these two world-class events. Head to indoorgardenexpo.com for complete event details and start planning your vacation to California today.

We’re happy to announce that we’ve got special group flight rates with WestJet to our trade shows! Visit us online at indoorgardenexpo.com to recieve the promo code.

Got Questions? Get Answers. Maximum Yield’s resident experts are available and ready to answer your modern gardening questions. Email editor@maximumyield.com or fill out the “Ask the Experts” question form on maximumyield.com

Free Digital Subscription to Maximum Yield

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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. 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 Printed in Canada PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim Jesson GENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson editorial Editor-in-Chief Jessica Raymond jessica@maximumyield.com Assistant Editor Jessica Skelton jskelton@maximumyield.com ADVERTISING SALES Director of Sales Raymond Henderson raymond@maximumyield.com Account Executives Ilona Hawser - ilona@maximumyield.com Ashley Heppell - ashley@maximumyield.com Hayley Jesson - hayley@maximumyield.com Emily Rodgers - emily@maximumyield.com Phil Shakespeare - phil@maximumyield.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION ads@maximumyield.com Art Director Alice Joe alice@maximumyield.com Graphic Designers Jennifer Duong - jennifer@maximumyield.com Liz Johnston - liz@maximumyield.com Denise Higginson - denise@maximumyield.com ACCOUNTING Tracy Greeno - accounting@maximumyield.com Tara Campbell - tara@maximumyield.com

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VOLUME 15 – NUMBER 3 July/August 2012

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION Brite-Lite Group Biofloral Eddis Wholesale Greenstar Plant Products Inc. Hydrotek MegaWatt Quality Wholesale USA DISTRIBUTION Aurora Innovations BWGS General Hydroponics Humboldt Wholesale Hydrofarm Hydro International National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply Nickel City Wholesale Garden Supply R&M Supply Tradewinds Maxigrow UK DISTRIBUTION Direct Garden Supplies Growth Technology Northern Hydroponic Wholesale Nutriculture UK Dutch Pro Maxigrow Hydrogarden AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION House N Garden Futchatec Growth Technology Hydraspher

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Write in and Win

What does growing green mean to you? To me, growing green means being as eco-friendly as possible, from composting your scraps and making your own compost, fertilizing your plants and growing organically. Keeping the environment in a happy equilibrium at all times is most important. I’m a big fan of, and activist in, the green movement. I live in the city, so I can only grow my crops seasonally, but I compost all my scraps so I can feed my fruits and vegetables grade-A free fertilizer. I also tell anyone that grows how important these issues are, and also teach people how to be as green as they can. To be green, you have to think ahead and manage your resources. Only we can change the status-quo, and it needs to be changed. If everyone grew their own food, composted—or at least saved their scraps for other composters—and was educated on the basics of these principals, they would most likely participate in the green movement and care more about the environment. Thank you for reading and listening. I love your magazine; I’ve learned a lot from various issues and appreciate the great information and dedication to your readers. Keep up the good work. Thanks, Kristofer Arrigo

Happy Customer

Hi Maximum Yield, I think the magazine is great for growers, young and old. It provides very useful information for growers. I suggest you have a shop review page. You could have some photos of the shop and even get the shop owner to do an interview on what they grow or if they grow anything organically or hydroponically. It’s just an idea. Can’t wait until the next magazine comes out! Regards, Mark Dawson Thanks for your feedback Mark. We’re glad you’re enjoying the magazine and finding the articles informative. Regarding your suggestion to review shops, have you checked out “Talking Shop?” This monthly feature spotlights retail shops from across the country. This issue’s spotlighted retail store is Progressive Growth. Flip to page 64 to find out what sets them apart.

A Local Point of View

I appreciate that Maximum Yield encourages the support of local business with the “Talking Shop” feature. More often than not, these are family-owned and -operated shops and they need more consumer support than they can afford to entice with expensive advertising. You provide them with the opportunity to efficiently introduce themselves to the market. The “At a Glance” bar is quite effective as well, providing contact information and directing readers to web stores (if applicable). Keep it up, Peter Cowan

Subscribe to Win Every month we give away a special issue of Maximum Yield to one lucky eNews subscriber. If you aren’t subscribed, you can’t participate. Get involved, share your thoughts and participate in discussions monthly and you could win. Sign up today at maximumyield.com/enewssignup so you can start winning! Maximum Yield Team

via Facebook Did You Know?

Most people think plants only take in CO2 and give off oxygen, but the truth is most plants actually respire and give off CO2 as well, during the night. So that’s why my CO2 level is slightly elevated before lights come on. I was thinking my regulator had a leaky o-ring. Thanks for the info. Makes sense. James Whitlock

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

We want to hear from you! Maximum Yield Publications Inc. Snail-mail: 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 Email: editor@maximumyield.com Twitter: twitter.com/max_yield Facebook: facebook.com/MaximumYield

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

SIMON SIMON

SIMON SAYS

Simon, Is crop rotation important in hydroponics? What are the most common issues or pests that the serious home hydroponic grower might face when using this technique? Thanks, Stevan

For centuries people have been using crop rotation when producing agricultural crops. Even today, rotation is recommended as a great method for the backyard gardener producing food for the family. There are several reasons to practice crop rotation. On a commercial scale, things like economics, commodity prices and sometimes water use can be determining factors; although, for the home gardener, these aren’t the likely reasons. Cycling of crops to avoid pests and disease is another function of rotation that benefits home and commercial growers alike. This is a tremendous benefit to annual food production, compared to perennial systems where you can move crops away from a problem and restart. Nutritional needs are also an interesting reason to keep the flow of crops dynamic. Some plants feed very heavily, some lightly; others can actually renew fertilizer values in soils. One example would be legumes, which associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria for a net positive benefit of N in the soil at the end of the crop. This shows another possible benefit of modifying or enhancing soil biology and in turn, soil quality. The last benefit is related to the use of different plant’s root growth to change soils texture. As you can see, there are a variety of reasons for crop rotation. How does this relate to hydroponics, and is it important? My first impression is that it is hard to see any of these benefits being important in a hobby hydroponic system. However, the rotation to reduce disease and insect pressure could come into play, which brings us to the second question. Greenhouse growers and indoor gardeners have similar issues when it comes to pests. At the core of the issue is the artificial environment, which in many cases can be useful to the horticulturalist, but is an Achilles heel in the case of pest pressure. When something detrimental infiltrates the system, the spread can be shockingly quick without the biological balance of the outside world.

Those of us that have seen powdery mildew or mites move through gardens know how vigilant the grower must be. There is no substitute for the observational diligence of the grower managing any pest-related issue quickly and effectively. The most common issues will be regional and also directly related to the plants being grown. As always, I defer to the local shop as the authority on local problems and the solutions they have found to be effective. Air intake into the growroom is a major source of contamination and there are now products available to reduce this possibility by filtering the intake air. Remember that movement of people in and out of the growroom is probably the second most common contamination source, so be aware of this vector as well. Looking at the commercial greenhouse system in North America we can use their incredible research to really look at the most cost-effective solutions, albeit on a commercial scale. Because of the contained artificial environment, the use of pesticides has always had a major role, and chemical pesticides still have a strong presence in the market. Attending commercial shows and browsing industry magazines I have observed a tremendous shift to biological solutions. With the lean margins in greenhouse vegetable production, if these production managers are choosing biological, it is not because they are feeling warm and fuzzy about the environment. It’s because those parasitic wasps or predatory nematodes are functioning to a higher level that the chemical option and can be a more effective solution to keep their systems running at the highest efficiency possible. Keep this in mind and see if your local shop has some biological solutions the next time you visit. MY

Do you have a question for one of our resident experts? Send it to editor@maximumyield.com or fill out the form on maximumyield.com and your answer might be printed in an upcoming issue.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAX FACTS

HYDROPONIC NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

“Flowering Switch” Discovered Following a five-year study, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Yu Hao from the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore has identified the specific protein that triggers the process of flowering in plants. After scanning around three million samples using a process called yeast two-hybrid screening, the researchers were finally able to identify a molecule they called FTIP1. Professor Yu and his team are currently working on new studies that indicate that a group of FTIP1-like proteins are involved in a whole range of other plant developmental processes. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

MAXFACTS hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Air-grown Tomatoes

High on Life A recent article in The Atlantic magazine has suggested that the rich, earthy smell of compost might be so appealing to gardeners because the compost contains microorganisms that can make you happy. The microorganisms—M. vaccae—have been shown to boost levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the systems of both humans and mice, and apparently work in the same way as antidepressant pills. (Source: theatlantic.com) 14

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

A Nevada greenhouse company is looking for investors to help them expand their operation as they pioneer aeroponically grown tomatoes—tomatoes grown in air instead of water or soil. New Gardens suspends plant roots in a box where sunlight is kept out and a nutrient solution is carefully misted to help the plants grow. The company only grows tomatoes in their facility at this time, but they hope the technology will eventually be suitable for crops like peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, melon, eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower and many more. (Source: freshplaza.com)

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAX FACTS

HYDROPONIC NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

Certified Organic Farmed Fish Canadian farmed fish can now be certified as organic thanks to the new Canadian Organic Aquaculture Standard. The national standard prohibits the use of antibiotics, herbicides and genetically modified organisms. It also sets measurable requirements for practices that minimize the effect of waste, including defining stocking rates, cleaning procedures, and cleaning and feed materials that must be used. Since the standard severely restricts the use of parasiticides, operators with an organic designation must also have a comprehensive plan to minimize any problems with parasites, such as sea lice. (Source: thevancouversun.com)

Students Build Canada’s Greenest Home

Hass Avocados Likely to Boost Nutrient Absorption Scientists working on a study have told the American Society for Nutrition that preliminary results indicate that carotenoids (specifically, beta-carotene) in foods are better absorbed into the body when eaten in combination with one Hass avocado. "Our initial findings show that a greater level of carotenoids from a novel high beta-carotene tomato variety are absorbed and converted to vitamin A when consumed with Hass avocados compared to no avocados," said Dr. Steven Schwartz, functional foods professor at Ohio State University. "Hass avocados seem to have a natural ability to boost the body’s absorption, conversion and delivery of more nutrients." (Source: freshplaza.com)

This summer, 20 students of the not-for-profit Endeavour Centre’s Sustainable New Construction: Building a New Future program will build Canada’s greenest home. The 2,000-sq. ft., two-story home—to be built near downtown Peterborough—will use a fraction of the energy of a conventional home and will meet stringent requirements for sustainable building materials, indoor air quality and construction-waste management. “Simply put, our goal with Canada’s Greenest Home is to make substantial improvements in every measurable aspect of this home’s performance, including net-zero energy use, while keeping it affordable, accessible and beautiful,” said Chris Magwood, executive director of the Endeavour Centre. Once completed, the home will be put on the market and proceeds from the sale of the home will help to offset tuition costs. (Source: thegreenpages.ca) 16

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAX FACTS

HYDROPONIC NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

“Olympics of Strawberries” Coming to Quebec Quebec City has won a bid to host the 2016 “Olympics of Strawberries,” better known as the 8th International Strawberry Symposium—the world’s largest scientific gathering on the red fruit. Here, horticulturists and researchers from around the globe will discuss varieties, tastes, pesticides and how to eventually compete with a new player in the market—China—who has found success by growing the berries hydroponically. Indeed, Yves Desjardins, director of the Horticultural Research Center at Laval University, has said growing strawberries without soil is the future of the industry. At the moment, Quebec is the third-largest producer of the red berries in North America, behind Florida and California. (Source: cbc.ca)

Fungal Epidemics on the Rise Fungal diseases have been increasing in severity and scale since the middle of the 20th century and now pose a serious danger to global food security, biodiversity and ecosystem health, according to a study published in the journal Nature. Fungal infections presently destroy at least 125 million tonnes of the top five global food crops—rice, wheat, maize, potatoes and soybeans—annually and scientists estimate that more than 600 million people could be fed each year by halting the spread of these diseases. The authors of the study calculate that up to 900 million tonnes of food could be spoiled if fungal epidemics were to hit all the top five food crops in the same year, which would cause a global famine that could leave over 4.2 billion people starving. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The Secret Life of Plants A documentary featured on CBC recently revealed that plants actively forage for food, call in allies to defend against enemies and appear to nurture their young. "Smarty Plants"—which aired on CBC-TV's The Nature of Things— used stop-motion photography to speed up the movements of plants as they hunted for food, shared resources with younger plants and used chemical secretions to call in predators to attack harmful caterpillars. “Plants aren't these pretty, inanimate objects that gardeners work with. They're these incredibly vital, responsive organisms… and it turns out they're way more active than we ever imagined," explained director Erna Buffie. (Source: cbc.ca)

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAX FACTS

HYDROPONIC NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

Help Double Canada's Urban Forests The editors of Green Living Online are urging Canadians to recognize the environmental, economic and social benefits of trees in cities and get involved in planting and maintaining trees across the country. “Trees help create sustainable, healthy and liveable cities,” they said. “The urban canopy is a vital city asset, improving air quality, reducing the carbon footprint, absorbing stormwater runoff and providing habitat for wildlife. Trees also increase property values, enhance our health and well-being, and provide social and educational opportunities. Plus, they make our cities beautiful—so let’s get planting!” For ideas and inspiration, they recommend Trees For Life —52 Tips to Double Our Urban Forest, a pamphlet by urban gardening author Lorraine Johnson. They also invite Canadians to donate to organizations working to protect urban forests, including Tree Canada, Greenest City, Pollution Probe, LEAF, Landscape Ontario and Parks Canada. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees. (Source: greenlivingonline.com)

“Stacking Green” Design Comes to Saigon A team of architects working in Saigon—the most densely populated city in the world—has unveiled a new house design they call “Stacking Green.” The house, constructed on a plot that is a mere 3.66 m wide by 18.29 m deep, uses traditional Saigon courtyard house design, which allows for cross breezes to flow throughout the space and for plants to provide shade, both of which dramatically curtail energy use. The front and rear of the dwelling are composed entirely of cantilevered concrete planters placed at slightly different heights for contrast and to accommodate the height of the plants they contain, which are watered using an integrated irrigation system. (Source: puregreenmag.com)

Holy Giant Robotical Sunflowers, Batman!

A company is marketing a solar-powered stand-alone heliostat in the shape of a giant sunflower that tracks the sun with an onboard computer, directing heat and light to shady areas of the home and garden. The Sunflower Home Heliostat is 0.91 metres in diameter, with a mirror surface of 4,903.22 square centimetres—roughly the area of a 106.68 centimetre TV screen—and can be assembled with nothing but a Philips head screwdriver. The company is marketing the device to consumers in North and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for just under $400. (Source: treehugger.com) 20

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

YOUR GUIDE TO THIS ISSUE’S

HOTTEST ITEMS Ask for them at your local indoor gardening store.

DL Wholesale’s Ebb and Flow Kits Made from super durable, high-quality plastic that’s heavier and thicker than the competition’s, DL Wholesale’s new Ebb and Flow fittings are the superior choice for your reservoir and flood table irrigation set-ups. The Ebb and Flow fittings consist of three basic parts: the fill and drain fitting, the filter fitting and the extension fitting—these allow you to customize (based on your water level). These fittings are available in 2.54 cm, 1.91 cm and 1.27 cm sizes, perfect for most standard hosing, and are threaded to ensure a secure hold. These fittings are sure to exceed all your needs. Visit your local indoor gardening store for more details.

Fabric Duct Air Distribution System by Excel Air Systems Excel Air Systems’ new high-quality fabric ducting is a complete do-it-yourself solution that can be set up in minutes. The standard Fabric Duct package comes with 4.57 m of ductwork. The fabric is woven from custom polyester combination fabric and is permeable throughout the entire length of the duct. This means the duct will never condensate with hot and cold air, keeping your room dry. The continuous airflow will also stop any buildup of dust on top of the duct. The Fabric Duct can be extended easily by zipping an additional section to an existing length. It’s also completely washable. Visit an indoor gardening shop for more information.

Atlas 2 Pre-set CO2 Controller by Titan Controls Titan Controls® is excited to release the latest product in their CO2 controller line: the Atlas 2 Preset CO2 Controller. “Simple, straightforward and effortless” is how customers have described the Atlas 2’s trouble-free functionality. It’s factory calibrated and pre-set to maintain the CO2 level in your garden at 1,500 ppm, and also features a built-in photocell that allows the Atlas 2 to operate only in the daytime period when your plants can process CO2. Another industry first brought to you by the design team at Titan Controls. Visit your local retailer for more information.

Eye Lighting’s 480 kiaroLED Outdoor Luminaire EYE Lighting International has added a 480 V model to its popular kiaroLED family of outdoor luminaires. The 480 V kiaroLED comes with a factory-installed step down autotransformer, which is contained in an IP-66 rated sealed chamber. As such, the kiaroLED offers a cost-effective solution for customers with 480 V incoming supply by stepping down to 277 V. kiaroLED is known for superior control of backlight, uplight and glare through precision optics, making it a desired luminaire for a multitude of applications since it delivers light where it’s needed. To learn more about this product, visit your local hydroponic retailer.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT New Rootcubes Plus by Oasis Grower Solutions Oasis® Grower Solutions is proud to announce a breakthrough in propagation with its new Rootcubes® Plus growing media, a rooting foam designed specifically for indoor hydroponic gardening. Created exclusively for propagation of slow-to-root vegetative cuttings, this new higher-density, lower-drainage foam shaves a few days off the propagation process. With its fine-cell design that increases contact between the media and the end of the cutting, Rootcubes® Plus foam enables quick and easy water uptake. Plus, its higher density grips cuttings tightly, keeping them in place. Rootcubes® Plus growing media is available in 50, 104 and 162 cell sheets. For more information, visit your favourite indoor gardening shop.

LTL CO2 Controller

The LTL CO2 Controller by LTL Controls is a water-resistant, single-outlet, daytime CO2 controller with a built-in photocell that automatically deactivates CO2 production at night. This controller communicates the current ppm level using a series of blinking LED lights, and features an external non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO2 sensor for the most accurate ppm readings. The LTL CO2 also allows you to set the desired ppm and the ppm deadband setting. Visit your local hydroponics store to learn more.

HM Digital’s COM-80 HydroTester HM Digital is proud to release the new COM-80, an economically priced, waterresistant handheld tester specifically designed for use in hydroponics. This easy-to-use metre is fast-acting and measures nutrients, salts and other dissolved solids in either EC or TDS with four modes (μS, mS, ppm and ppt). It also includes onscreen diagnostic messaging and temperature display in a large LCD. Along with these modes and features, its pinpoint accuracy and digital calibration make the COM-80 HydroTester the most versatile and cost-effective metre in its class. For more information, visit your local hydroponic store.

Fast Fit’s Tray and Light Stand These revolutionary no hassle, tool-less light and tray stands allow for quick and simple assembly in minutes. Designed and engineered for the pieces to simply slide together, the Fast Fit is truly a pioneer in the industry. The Fast Fit Tray Stands were created with heavy-duty steel and interlocking components. The simplicity makes it easy to configure. Never mess with nuts, bolts, wrenches or screwdrivers again with Fast Fit. Accommodates popular brand trays and reservoirs. Assorted add-on options available for many configurations and uses. Patent pending. Visit your nearest indoor gardening shop for more information.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The Year-Round Greenhouse by Eric Brandstad

You’ll need different things from your greenhouse in the hot summer months than you will in the depths of winter. read on for some useful information before you buy or build...

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Winter Most people recognize the advantages of a greenhouse when it’s cold outside. A greenhouse in the winter can play a crucial role in providing gardeners with a means of extending their growing season. During the day, the sun warms the air, plants and soil, while the greenhouse provides protection from cold temperatures at night. In order for this process to work the greenhouse must be sealed, with only ventilation fans and intakes as sources for fresh air. With supplemental lighting and some heat, a “controlled” environment is now achievable. A controlled environment is one in which outside factors like temperature extremes, dry conditions or long periods of darkness are not allowed to adversely affect crops growing within it—all these factors are set and controlled by the grower. But the grower must create and maintain an environment that nurtures plants completely—just because the air temperature feels right doesn’t mean the soil or water temperature is actually ideal for the plants. Some growers have found that adding lights and above-air heat actually resulted in up to 40% decreases in production—when supplemental lighting and root zone heating are added to the mix, though, these problems disappear. Ambient air temperature should not be your main focus. Whether soil or soilless gardening is your thing, root zone temperature will play a huge factor in determining your end result. Find a way to warm up the water or get a radiant flooring system if you want to increase crop production in your greenhouse in the winter months.

“Add a power outage in the middle of the day— rendering exhaust fans and circulation fans useless— and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.” Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The Year-Round Greenhouse

Summer The sealed winter greenhouse should give way to a more open and naturally ventilated greenhouse during the hot summer months. Let’s face it—we all know what it’s like to be in a car with the windows rolled up on a hot summer day. Some simple ways of naturally ventilating your greenhouse might be taking the end wall coverings down or reattaching the sidewall covers a metre off the ground to improve airflow. Lots of greenhouse growers are also beginning to install diffused greenhouse coverings. Diffused light has a positive influence on production, especially during the summer. This positive effect can be explained by a change in light penetration into the crop and by an increased capacity for photosynthesis. A crop, such as cucumber, can utilize diffused light better than direct light. In addition, diffused roof material results in a lower crop temperature—especially higher in the crop canopy—which likely leads to more optimal conditions

for photosynthesis. Polyethylene/ polyweave covers are stronger and last longer than normal film. Greenhouse film is usually only 4 to 6 mm thick and very easy to puncture—we see it in landfills far more often than the polyweave material. The film is quite a bit cheaper, but its lack of longevity and the problems you’ll face using it in the summer are just not worth the savings. Most people think glass is the ultimate greenhouse covering. I would say if you are in the Netherlands or somewhere that never experiences hot summers, glass is great. Glass does not insulate, however, so it can turn out to be an expensive way to cover your greenhouse while unfortunately making it less efficient at the same time. It’s also twice the cost of polyweaves and polycarbs. Glass in the higher elevations of your greenhouse also tends to magnify light, which in turn will create hot spots on the leaf surfaces of your plants.

“Covers, locking hardware and other miscellaneous parts might be all you need to create a growing area that suits your needs.” 28

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

As the greenhouse warms up, your plants begin to transpire by bringing water from the roots to the leavesthe natural way plants cool or protect themselves. Once the water transfers to the leaves, we begin to see the humidity increase and the plants begin to sweat. At first this process can be protective to the plant, but as the process continues we see more problems begin to develop—the humidity creates water droplets or condensation on the inside of the greenhouse roof. In other words, rain on the inside! These droplets also act as little magnifying glasses all over the roof, which creates hot spots and the potential for mould. Add a power outage in the middle of the day—rendering exhaust fans and circulation fans useless—and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. A simple diffused polyweave or diffused polycarb would have helped this situation and is half the cost of glass. A twin-wall polycarb is also a better insulator than glass, so it is much more efficient. One reason a person likes glass is the idea they are getting more lumens. In some ways that is true—however, the sun is so intense that in the heat of the summer you will actually gain more light by diffusing it rather than by allowing direct sunlight. By diffusing the light you are taking a light particle and breaking it into more light particles, which can then actually penetrate deeper into the canopy and provide more light to the lower branches. The ideal greenhouse for summer can be anything with a diffused cover and good ventilation—preferably, something

The Year-Round Greenhouse

with roll-up side walls and doors at both ends. That way you can avoid solar gain, cool your plants and the soil (even if the air temperatures are in the 38°C+ range) and keep the air fresh. Stagnant air that is continuing to heat up is what you are trying to avoid. Having a house with a roof vent is also a very good option—roof vents allow you to release the hot air that can gather in the peak of your greenhouse, which keeps the cooler air that stays lower in the structure. On a hot summer day a greenhouse with a roof vent, roll-up sidewalls and doors on both ends will allow you to open up, avoid solar gain and in turn cool both the plants and the soil. This will result in decreased plant stress and allow photosynthesis to continue even when outdoor plants are suffering— and you won’t even need to run the big exhaust fans or evaporative cooling systems. In fact, some small horizontal airflow (HAF) fans might be all you need throughout the heat of the day. Evaporative greenhouse cooling systems are like swamp coolers—water runs over a thick pad at one end of the greenhouse while exhaust fans pull air from the other end through the wall of cool water. These tend to work well in moderate temperatures and dry areas, but they can cause humidity levels to rise, which isn’t always desirable—and the electric bill for cooling a greenhouse can be another issue.

“A greenhouse in the winter can play a crucial role in providing gardeners with a means of extending their growing season.” Most companies outfit greenhouses for cold winter use only—it never seems to occur to them you might want to use it in the summertime. Sometimes just switching out your roof covers to match the season will do the trick—a polyweave cover in the summer will protect you from rain and the sun’s intensity, while switching this cover out to a double-inflated poly film could add to the efficiency of your greenhouse come wintertime.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Circulation fans are another important part of a greenhouse. Some growers find themselves near the coast or in a foggy mountain area that gets higher humidity in the morning or evening. Some areas have pretty good humidity, even on a warm day, and you can’t fire up a heater to dry out the air. HAF fans are the key to drying out the air in these situations since they actually get the air moving in a specific direction, rather than just

Maximum Yield Canada | May / June 2012

The Year-Round Greenhouse

scattering it around like oscillating fans do. The air will dry out faster and more efficiently if moved in a specific direction. Some greenhouse companies recommend fewer fans, but there is a benefit to adding more circulation in this department for dryer, fresher air. Adding a light deprivation or blackout capability to a greenhouse can be another important factor in increasing productivity. Normally, when growing outdoors or in a greenhouse, you have to wait until fall for the harvest season. With a blackout cover, though, you can force flowering as early as July. A light deprivation cover can be

“Find a way to warm up the water or get a radiant flooring system if you want to increase crop production in your greenhouse in the winter months..” 32

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

manually pulled over the garden or greenhouse and, as long as you create the correct light cycle every day, you should be able to start your harvest long before Mother Nature intended. Internal and external systems for light control are both options. For internal systems I recommend a breathable blackout material—this helps avoid any condensation drips that can occur after the curtain is pulled. Remember, the fans and intakes will be restricted because of light leaks. With that being said, it’s obvious you are going to see a bit of a heat and humidity spike since the sun is still out and you are covering your crop. For external systems, I recommend a non-breathable blackout material. If you have a greenhouse cover and you try to pull the breathable cover over the outside of it, it won’t breathe and you’ll still have the same issues with ventilation. The next step would be to use underground ventilation since you can’t go through the walls of the blackout and you are cut off from the exhaust fans you might use throughout the day. Going underground would mean a bit more work when building your greenhouse, though—and if you already have a greenhouse, underground ventilation might be a real pain to install. When shopping for a greenhouse, you have many options—price should not be the only factor you consider. Always look for product reviews, checking things like the thickness of the frame and the type of framing—rolled steel, tubular or square. Make sure the greenhouse can handle the wind and snow conditions in your area as well. Greenhouses can start out really basic and be upgraded over time. If you can’t afford roll-up walls now, add them next season.You might need to keep your screw gun handy because you can always reattach the cover to the ground when it gets chilly—it might be a bit more work, but in the long run making do will save you a few bucks. The problem with buying your greenhouse from a big box dealer is that the catalogues might show a nice picture of an ideal greenhouse, but you might not actually be getting everything that’s in the picture—you might get the frame and cover, but not the doors or the roll-up walls; or, if you do get the roll-up walls you’ll have to get the polycarb roof separately. Your greenhouse should not be the cheapest thing on your list. Keep in mind that most greenhouse companies sell parts for you to do it yourself. Covers, locking hardware and other miscellaneous parts might be all you need to create a growing area that suits your needs. A greenhouse is your number one weapon in your own personal war against everything that might cause harm to your precious plants—make sure you buy it from somebody who cares about your passion for gardening! MY

Once thought to be a finicky and tricky plant to grow at home, many people are discovering that some kinds of orchids are very easy to grow and care for. This might be true, but many people still wonder how to make an orchid bloom. Without the flower, the orchid is missing the element that makes these plants so desirable. If you are wondering how to make your orchid bloom, keep reading for some tips.

Light

How to Make an

For most houseplant orchids, the lack of light is the number one reason the orchid won’t flower. Orchids are deceptive because the leaves of the plant can look healthy and green, while the orchid is getting too little light to truly thrive. If you are trying to make an orchid rebloom, the first thing to try is moving the plant to a brighter location. The best place to put an orchid is in a south- or east-facing window. Also, make sure the leaves are free of dust and dirt. Even a thin layer of dust can block the light. The same goes for the windows. Frequently clean the windows that provide light to your orchids. When you move your orchid to brighter location, you might notice that the leaves become a lighter green. This is normal. Orchids that are getting enough light will have light or medium green leaves. While all orchids need light, most cannot tolerate direct sunlight. Place them near windows so they can get as much light as possible, but do not place them in the direct line of the sun’s rays.

Orchid

Bloom by Heather Rhoades

Temperature Different kinds of orchids have different temperature needs. In order for an orchid to rebloom, it must be in the correct temperature range for its variety. Most houseplant orchids are either Cattleya, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum or Phalaenopsi. Their temperature requirements are: Cattleya – Cattleya orchids need daytime temperatures of 21 to 29°C during the day and 13 to 18°C at night in order to rebloom. Oncidium – Oncidium orchids will rebloom if the temperatures during the day are 27 to 32°C and the nighttime temperatures are 13 to 16°C. Paphiopedilum – In order to flower, Paphiopedilum orchids typically need temperatures of 21 to 27°C during the day and 10 to 16°C at night. These kinds of orchids that have variegated leaves will prefer that these temperatures be about five degrees warmer. Phalaenopsis – Phalaenopsis orchids prefer temperatures of 21 to 29°C during the day and 16 to 21°C at night in order to produce flowers.

Additional tips While light and temperature are crucial to making an orchid rebloom, it is also essential that your orchid gets the appropriate general care for its variety. Humidity, water and fertilizer are all important. MY (Source: gardeningknowhow.com)

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Reverse Osmosis by Jennifer Casey

How to Get the Most out of Your RO System Pure water is as important for your plants as it is for you—find out how to use a reverse osmosis filter to get the most out of your garden and learn how to extend the life of your filter membranes at the same time…

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Reverse osmosis isn’t a new idea in the world of hydroponic gardening—pure water is an integral part of any hydroponic system and most growers are aware of the need for water that’s free of contaminants. If you’re new to hydroponics or you have questions about water purification, though, then read on for a complete breakdown of reverse osmosis in layman’s terms. First, let’s take a minute to examine why we need pure water. Since “hydroponics” means growing plants in water without the use of soil, then it makes sense that the quality of the water you employ should be good. Pure water is also an integral part of soil gardening—chemicals and other contaminants are detrimental to the health of your plants whether you are growing hydroponically or traditionally. The water you give your plants should be the best you can make it. I say “make it” because you can control the contaminants in your water—you don’t have to be stuck with that chemical tap flow from the municipality or the sludge in your well. The nutrient feed formula you give your plants is based on a measure of parts per million, which indicates how many parts of nutrients there are per million parts of water—we’ll refer to this measurement as ppm from here on. When your water comes out of the tap it already has a ppm measurement that must be accounted for before adding nutrients. This means that if you already have 300 ppm water you’ll have to decrease the

“The stuff present in your water is also often not only non-nutritious, but might actually be toxic to your plants.”

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

reverse osmosis

“Once you start using pure water in your garden, the difference will amaze you.”

nutrients you administer by that number to avoid overloading your plants. This is a problem, though—because now your plants are getting fewer nutrients because of the non-nutritious crap that is present in your water source. The stuff present in your water is also often not only nonnutritious, but might actually be toxic to your plants. Calcium and magnesium—minerals found in almost all water—are important nutrients for both plants and the human body. The calcium and magnesium found naturally in water, however, is present in the form of large blocky particles that bind against the roots of your plants and can cause nutrient lockout—basically, the particles crowd up against the roots and don’t allow any of the good stuff to get through. While this sounds dramatic, it’s not even the worst news about your water supply—chlorine or chloramines are also generally added to your water by your local municipality in order to kill bacteria and render the water safe for drinking. Unfortunately, these substances are great at killing plants as well and are the reason plants like algae don’t grow in swimming pools and hot tubs.You’d probably never consider using pool water for your plants, but city water straight from the tap is really just a milder version of the same stuff! Although some wells are shocked with chlorine, generally well water users don’t have to worry as much about chlorine or chloramines—but calcium

Maximum Yield Canada Canada | July | July / August 2012

and magnesium are often found in much 150 ppm out of the tap, this might higher levels in well water. Additionally, be enough filtration for your plants. contaminants such as cadmium, arsenic, However, if your ppm if higher than boron, manganese, hydrogen sulphide 150, if you have any funky contaminants (for that just-peeled egg aroma) and iron in your water or if you simply want the can be present in levels that are toxic purest water for your garden, an RO to both plants and to the human body. system is what you need. Some of these substances—though more This is where the membrane comes in. common to wells—are found in your tap In RO, a membrane looks like a plastic water too, as municipalities don’t have cylinder with a hole in either end. It’s the means to remove them. called a membrane because the process Now that I have you good and of osmosis is actually the diffusion of worried, let’s talk about how an RO water through a membrane, which is a system can rid your water of these nasty barrier with small openings—or pores— contaminants so you can have a healthy that only lets certain things through. garden. Water purifiers for your garden The cell walls of organisms (like humans come in two types: dechlorinators and and plants) are membranes and allow reverse osmosis systems. The difference certain substances through but lock is an extra filtration step in the RO others out. Our skin is a membrane that systems. Dechlorinators employ two steps lets some things in but keeps things like of filtration, the first being a sediment bacteria out. filter that traps large particles and keeps An RO membrane works the same them from causing the next step—the way—it’s composed of a super-thin carbon filter—from getting clogged up. sheet of polymer punctured with tiny Sediment filters can usually be rinsed holes. By tiny I mean 1/1,000th of a and reused regularly before their annual micron, the perfect size for a water replacement. The next step in filtration is molecule to pass through. The sheet the carbon filter, which removes chlorine of polymer is then rolled up to create from the water—if your municipality layer after layer. When the water is uses chloramines, you’ll want to use a directed into the membrane, it has to special KDF carbon filter. Chloramine diffuse through all these layers, meaning is a chlorine molecule bonded with an every single water molecule of purified ammonia molecule. This chemical is used in place of chlorine because it lasts longer in the water and won’t bubble out and evaporate like chlorine will. Good for water treatment, but bad for your plants! For “The calcium and simple dechlorinators this is magnesium found where it ends—chlorine, naturally in water...is chloramines and sediment present in the form of are removed and water large blocky particles that is improved. Ppm bind against the roots will not be greatly of your plants and can affected. If your cause nutrient lockout— water was under

basically, the particles crowd up against the roots and don’t allow any of the good stuff to get through.”

“You’d probably never consider using pool water for your plants, but city water straight from the tap is really just a milder version of the same stuff!” water has to go through hundreds of these tiny openings. It’s like an exclusive night club—the bouncer only lets the right kind of molecules past the velvet rope. If you have used an RO system, you might have been surprised that the water didn’t come out immediately and with as much volume as it went in. Well, now you know why—it’s been waiting

in line to get in to the club! It takes time for the good water to pass through the membrane molecule by molecule and the rest passes out of the membrane as waste water. People new to the process of RO are often surprised by the waste water factor; that is, the amount of unpurified water that remains for each measure of pure water. Most systems are built to support a ratio of three parts waste water to one part pure water—they are built this way because this ratio best supports the life of the membrane. Bear with me while I extend the nightclub metaphor—some molecules just don’t make it into the club. Calcium, magnesium and various other contaminants won’t get past the bouncer. This also helps explain why so much waste water is necessary. It’d be nice if these contaminants simply left, but they’re stubborn and kind

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

reverse osmosis

of belligerent and they need to be membrane becomes forced to leave. The bouncer clogged up—this is turns them away at the called fouling or door, but then they hang saturating the “Our skin is around causing trouble, membrane— so good water molecules and it will a membrane have to wash them that lets some away to make them go. things in but The contaminants are keeps things like stubborn and want to bacteria out.” hang around the door fighting with the bouncer. The more waste water there is, the easier it is on your membrane (bouncer). Should you choose to use a flow restrictor to reduce your waste water there won’t be as much waste water to help wash those contaminants away and you may decrease the lifespan of your membrane. Damage to your membrane can happen in one of two ways: it can become either fouled or corroded. When contaminants build up in the membrane, they won’t allow any other cause a dramatic decrease in your flow molecules through those tiny pores— rate. Where there was a healthy stream effectively shutting down the club—or there will only be a trickle, because they might actually smash right through those water molecules can’t get through. the opening, enlarging it and rendering it Should you neglect to change your an ineffective barrier. Basically, they take carbon pre-filter, you will have the out the bouncer and opposite problem—as the chlorine that then anything is now getting through your tired carbon can get in. In filter will enlarge the openings and the former corrode the membrane. Now the flow case, the rate will actually increase, which seems great—until a ppm reading reveals that your rejection rate has decreased and you are no longer getting clean water. Either of these two things might have happened when it’s time to change your membrane, but restricting your waste water might mean that they have happened sooner rather than later because you are concentrating the water and you might be going through membranes a bit more quickly than before. If saving water is of primary importance this could be a good trade, but individual needs vary from person to person.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

When considering how to best extend the life of your membrane, it’s good to recognize that this fouling/corroding issue also depends on what’s actually in your water. If your water is very high in chlorine or chloramines, corroding will be the main issue. If your water has iron or very high mineral content, then fouling will occur. In both cases, proper pre-filtration can help preserve your membranes. Finding out what’s in the water by getting a water test or checking with your local water treatment center will help you to choose the right prefilter, such as a KDF—or, in the presence of iron, a philox filter. If you have hard water, a water softener is also an excellent way to preserve your membranes. It works by exchanging hardness (minerals) for salt, which doesn’t sound too plant-friendly— but salt is actually the ideal contaminant for RO to remove. It doesn’t get in the club and takes that rejection politely, leaving your membrane intact and still able to perform its job. It’s a good idea to explore what’s in your water. Start by finding the website of your local municipality or by doing an Internet search of your area and its water content. Your local hydro store is also an excellent resource—the employees there know all about what’s in the local water and can guide you to the product that will work best for you. And when you do get your RO system, be sure to change those prefilters to protect your membrane and save money. Once you start using pure water in your garden, the difference will amaze you. MY

From the Roots Up

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Dissolved

Oxygen

—the Hidden Necessity by Eric Hopper

You can’t see it and you don’t even know it’s there—but the dissolved oxygen in your water supply is absolutely critical to maintaining the health and vitality of your plants. Of all the amazing substances found on this Earth none are as precious and integral to biological life as water. Water, as we all know, is made up of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, but between the water molecules is a different form of oxygen: molecular oxygen. Molecular oxygen—more commonly known to gardeners as dissolved oxygen—is the oxygen used by aquatic creatures and the aerobic organisms living in and around a plant’s rhizosphere. Water quality evaluations performed for aquatic life applications rate water quality in relation to its dissolved oxygen content—the more dissolved oxygen, the better the water quality. This standard should be applied to water used for plants, too—especially plants in hydroponic systems.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The importance of dissolved oxygen Good-quality water that includes high dissolved oxygen content is absolutely crucial to successful indoor horticulture. The most significant benefit of water with high dissolved oxygen content is the stimulation of beneficial aerobic organisms. Most beneficial microorganisms living in and around a plant’s rhizosphere will only survive, thrive and reproduce in an oxygen-rich environment. Too little dissolved oxygen creates a compounded negative effect—as the beneficial organisms die out because of the lack of dissolved oxygen, the ideal conditions for anaerobic pathogenic organisms are also created. Almost every pathogenic disease related to the plant’s rhizosphere is anaerobic and can

Physical factors that affect dissolved oxygen

"Most beneficial microorganisms living in and around a plant’s rhizosphere will only survive, thrive and reproduce in an oxygenrich environment."

There are two physical factors that affect dissolved oxygen content relative to indoor horticulture: temperature and salinity. Salinity is less crucial than temperature because by the time a medium or nutrient solution’s salinity level is high enough to affect dissolved oxygen content, chances are good that the plant will have already shown signs of over-fertilization or toxic salinity. Temperature, however, is the most crucial and controllable factor associated with dissolved oxygen. Temperature inversely controls the solubility of oxygen in water—in other words, as temperature rises the dissolved oxygen content falls and as temperature decreases the potential dissolved oxygen content increases. If this wasn’t bad enough, the damage is intensified because this inverse relationship with oxygen and water is exponential—so when temperatures rise in your grow room, the dissolved oxygen content in your hydroponic system or grow medium exponentially decreases. This is the number one reason temperature control of the nutrient solution in a hydroponic nutrient reservoir is so crucial.

Temperature control for water

be avoided by providing sufficient levels of dissolved oxygen. Another benefit of highly oxygenated water is that dissolved oxygen regulates the availability of certain nutrients—for example, some studies have shown the number of nitrifying microbes increases with the level of dissolved oxygen. Without sufficient dissolved oxygen content, the nitrogen cycle in your soil can be compromised.

The first way to control the temperature of your water is to control the temperature of the room itself—soil containers, hydroponic systems, hydroponic reservoirs and anything else in the grow room will eventually take on the ambient temperature of the room. This is one of the reasons you see plants grown outdoors in 38°C heat that survive, even flourish, while indoor gardens that reach 38°C usually end up with severe casualties. The plants grown outdoors can withstand 38°C+ temperatures because their roots and the moisture around them are insulated by the ground. The dissolved oxygen and beneficial aerobic organisms in the soil are unharmed by the heat and continue to

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Dissolved Oxygen

function, allowing the plant to continue growing. Now take a look at your indoor plants in the same kind of heat. Their roots are in some sort of soil container or hydroponic system, they are completely surrounded by the ambient air in the room and plants, roots, medium and all will eventually become the same temperature as the room—in this case, 38°C+. Once the water in the soil or hydroponic system gets that hot, the dissolved oxygen content is so low that beneficial aerobic organisms will die off and pathogenic anaerobic organisms will find favourable conditions to thrive and destroy your plants. A little-known fact in the indoor gardening industry is that the stress imposed on plants by high temperatures is usually the result of a decline in dissolved oxygen in the medium or hydroponic system—this harms beneficial microbes and, in turn, harms the plants. By implementing air conditioners, exhaust and intake fans and air-cooled reflectors, however, an indoor horticulturalist can effectively control the ambient temperature—which will help to maintain sufficient dissolved oxygen in the medium or hydroponic solution.

“Any hydroponic system that is susceptible to heat from the environment or employs large submersible pumps should absolutely be equipped with a water chiller, which is essentially an air conditioner for water.”

Water chillers Water chillers have become an increasingly popular tool for the hydroponic gardener. Any hydroponic system that is susceptible to heat from the environment or employs large submersible pumps should absolutely be equipped with a water chiller, which is essentially an air conditioner for water. These handy devices—available at virtually any hydroponics retailer in a variety of sizes— are particularly useful when a hydroponic gardener is also supplementing CO2. Optimal ambient temperatures for CO2 enrichment are higher than normal ambient temperatures, so water chillers allow growers to maintain cool temperatures in their hydroponic systems while increasing the room temperature to maximize CO2 absorption. Water

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

chillers also help to battle the unwanted heat created by the large submersible pumps used in some hydroponic systems.

Aeration Aeration is how a gardener replaces the dissolved oxygen that is used up naturally during a plant’s growing process—or more specifically, the oxygen used by microbes within the plant’s rhizosphere. Aeration of a nutrient solution—carried out by vigorous circulation or by an air pump connected to an air stone or diffuser—will help replace used dissolved oxygen. As water bubbles up or circulates, it comes into contact with the surrounding air, and absorbs some of the molecular oxygen from the atmosphere. Soil growers can amend their soil with perlite, pumice, coco coir or hydroton to create air pockets that will provide pathways for air to enter the medium.

Oxygen additives There are numerous oxygen booster additives available at your local hydroponics retailer that can help improve the dissolved oxygen content of your nutrient solution. Make sure you read the bottle carefully; some of these oxidizers are designed for cleaning hydroponic systems (with plants removed!) and should not be added to a regular feeding program. Another good choice

for oxygen supplementation is hydrogen peroxide or (H2O2.) Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most common ways to boost dissolved oxygen content in your nutrient solution, but it is also one of the additives most argued about in the hydroponic community. Here’s my rationale: hydrogen peroxide occurs naturally in rainwater and has played an integral role in plant and microbial evolution since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, many growers tend to over-apply hydrogen peroxide, which is counterproductive—high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide will create an oxidization effect, which actually kills beneficial organisms. As long as the hydrogen peroxide is well diluted and used in moderation, though, I see no harm in using it as a dissolved oxygen booster. Of all the factors that determine success for an indoor horticulturalist, none are as elusive as the dissolved oxygen molecule—its significance is out of all proportion to its physical size and any gardener who has battled root rot or experienced diminished yields due to excessive heat will vouch for its importance. Dissolved oxygen supports the healthy life cycle of the beneficial microbes, which are the hidden pillars of a garden’s success. By implementing temperature control, aggressive aeration and the supplementation of oxygen-boosting additives, indoor growers can maintain high populations of beneficial microbes, avoid potential problems and maintain optimal conditions in their gardens. MY

"Dissolved oxygen supports the healthy life cycle of the beneficial microbes, which are the hidden pillars of a garden’s success."

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

What’s going on beneath the surface of your garden is essential to the health of your plants to ensure a vital root zone—and you can’t do that without understanding the requirements of the tiny organisms living in your garden... We all have it—a range of temperature and humidity that we feel most comfortable and perform most efficiently within. Plants have it, animals have it and so do bacteria—every living thing has an optimal comfort zone. For most living things, their comfort zone can be defined as a particular combination of temperature, humidity and air—all obviously necessities for life here on Earth, but different organisms require different permutations of this formula. Bacteria are no different—they need the right combination of conditions to thrive like all living things. Despite their tiny size, they are crucial to successful plant growth and under the proper conditions, they can accelerate and increase plant growth rate and yield. When it comes to growing plants, in fact, bacteria play a role 44

Maximum Yield Canada | July Canada | July / August 2012

ris by Ch

Pianta

that is out of all proportion to their size. The successful gardener will make a point of taking care of these smallest of creatures and many larger issues will take care of themselves.

What are bacteria and why do we need them? Bacteria are tiny one-celled organisms—generally about 10.16/100,000s of a centimetre wide (one µm) and somewhat longer in length. What bacteria lack in size they make up in numbers. A teaspoon of productive soil generally contains between 100 million and one billion bacteria. Every grower should know the basics about bacteria and how critical the right organisms can be to successful root growth and development. As growers we are in control of our bacteria populations, and the types of bacteria we make available to our crops are governed to a large extent by the conditions we keep our plants’ roots in. Bacterial populations vary based on three primary soil conditions—moisture, temperature and aeration. We have direct control over these conditions and we need to manage them properly—a consistent root zone environment that is ideal for bacterial growth will result in a proliferation of beneficial bacteria and lead to healthy roots and plants.

Soil moisture The moistness of the soil is one of the three most important factors influencing the microbial population of your garden. Water (as soil moisture) is essential to healthy bacteria in two ways: it supplies hydrogen and oxygen and serves as a solvent and carrier of food nutrients. Beneficial microbial populations proliferate best in a moisture range of 20 to 60%. Under waterlogged conditions anaerobic microflora become active due to lack of soil aeration and the “good” aerobes get suppressed—some beneficial microbes will die out due to tissue dehydration and some will change their forms into “resting stage” spores or cysts in order to survive adverse conditions. That’s why you shouldn’t overwater your plants—the soil in your garden should remain consistently somewhere in this optimum range of between 20 to 60% moisture in order to promote the activity and increase of beneficial bacteria.

Soil temperature Next to moisture, temperature is the most important environmental factor influencing the biological, physical and chemical processes that govern microbial activity and populations in soil. Though some microorganisms can tolerate extreme temperature conditions, the optimum temperature range at which beneficial soil microorganisms can grow and function actively is actually rather narrow. There are three soil temperature ranges within which microorganisms can grow and function, which divides microbes into three groups: psychrophiles, which grow at temperatures

below 10°C; mesophiles; which thrive between 10 to 45°C; and thermopiles, which have an optimum temperature range between 45 and 60°C. Most soil microorganisms are mesophilic and their optimum temperature is around 37°C. True psychrophiles are almost absent in soil and thermopiles—though present in soil—tend to behave like mesophiles. True thermopiles are found more often in decaying manure and compost heaps, where high temperatures prevail. Seasonal changes in soil temperature affect microbial population and their activity, especially in temperate regions. In winter, when temperature is low, the number and activity of microorganisms decline; as the soil warms up in spring, they increase in number, as well as activity. In general, the population and activity of soil microorganisms are highest in spring and lowest in winter, but growing in a greenhouse or under controlled conditions will provide consistent soil temperatures in a managed soil environment—eliminating these extremes. Soil temperature greatly influences the rates of biological, physical and chemical processes that take place in the soil. Within a limited range, the rates of chemical reactions and biological processes double for every 10 degree increase in temperature. Different pathogen species have different thermal limits for survival, germination and infection, so temperature can also control soil-borne diseases.

Aeration For the optimal growth of microorganisms, good aeration in the soil is essential. Microbes consume oxygen from the air found in soil and exhale carbon dioxide. The activity of soil microbes is often measured in terms of the amount of oxygen absorbed or the amount of CO2 exhaled by these organisms in the soil. Under waterlogged conditions gaseous exchanges are hindered and an accumulation of CO4—which is toxic to microbes—occurs in the soil air. Depending on their oxygen requirements, soil microorganisms are grouped into three categories: aerobic (requiring oxygen), anaerobic (not requiring oxygen) and microaerophilic (requiring low levels of oxygen). The ones your plants need to thrive—the good bacteria—are the aerobic microbes. Using devices or management practices that provide optimal moisture, temperature and aeration conditions in your garden soil will help to foster a healthy population of beneficial bacteria and microbes—you will see healthier plants and use less water and fertilizer while achieving improved results and production. Bacteria are the most critical elements of a healthy soil and root system. Healthy soil equals healthy plants; it’s that simple. What happens below the soil surface is just as important as what happens above—and it’s all based on the health and vigour of the lowly bacteria. MY

Maximum Yield Canada | July Canada | July / August 2012

The Future of Hydroponics…

No Power Required by Heather Pearl An expert takes us on a quick tour of the gravity powered growing revolution…

About 90% of all growing systems available around the world require some combination of pumps, timers or electricity in order to operate. However, over the last decade several growing concepts have emerged that don’t require power sources to function. Obviously the main power-free method is still hand watering, although this requires constant monitoring and high levels of human input. In recent years gravity-fed watering systems have become increasingly popular in a range of areas, including garden centres, hydroponic systems and commercial

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

“As food security issues loom and self-sustaining commercial sites continue to proliferate, power-free systems offer a solution for practicing horticulture on a large scale in regions where electricity might be scarce or even non-existent.”

crop applications. Public concern over the environment tends to encourage powerfree watering for a number of reasons—as global warming raises the level of public awareness about sustainability and green issues, systems powered by gravity have impeccable environmental credentials. As food security issues loom and self-sustaining commercial sites continue to proliferate, power-free systems offer a solution for practicing horticulture on a large scale in regions where electricity might be scarce or even non-existent. Power-free systems are generally simple to operate and require minimal horticultural know-how to set up

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and maintain, which allows inexperienced growers to achieve good results without special training or outside assistance. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, gravity systems provide fuss-free solutions since there is often no recirculation of nutrients. Many systems are modular, so they can be easily extended and with no pumps or timers to worry about, there are few extra components. Gravity-powered systems are often cheaper to install, they can be used either hydroponically or with soil and they offer versatility in choosing your growing media—unlike traditional hydroponic systems that require growing to be carried out in a set way. So how do they work? The gravity is provided by a raised water reservoir via a network of piping. The larger the setup, the larger the reservoir has to be to provide sufficient gravity pressure. Power-free growing systems utilize a range of technologies, the two most important being drip and valve systems. Drip systems can be highly effective in certain scenarios, although one of their main drawbacks is the lack of control and the fact that a large percentage of the water distributed by the drippers can evaporate when it hits the soil surface.Valve systems work by flooding a tray to a preset level and only re-flooding it when all the water has been consumed by the plants. This method is the most precise as it allows the plant to be in complete control of its own requirements and relieves the grower of the constant monitoring that is required in most power-driven systems. Gravity-powered growing set-ups are increasingly leading the way in the hydroponic industry. They are simple to install and operate and they offer the user a no-nonsense system that can be left unattended and does not require constant input. By placing so much control with the plant you remove the need for the grower to have extensive growing knowledge—the system allows the plants to dictate what they need when they need it. The future of power-free growing systems looks extremely bright and with the increasing trend toward “grow your own” and environmental sustainability they offer what might be the perfect solution for achieving impressive yields with minimal input. MY

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The Root Whisperer by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

Hydroponic enthusiast and scientist Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr. conducted research to determine which factors contribute to optimal essential element absorption, and which factors (and plant qualities) might actually be detrimental to the process. What did he conclude? Read on to discover…

Maximum Yield Canada Canada | July | July / August 2012

“Functional roots require two things— oxygen and a continuous supply of carbohydrates— which are needed to generate the energy required for water and ion absorption to take place.” Roots perform two essential functions— they anchor the plant in the rooting medium and are the means by which water and essential nutrient elements enter the plant. Some might not fully appreciate the anchoring aspect until their field or garden plants dislodge or trees are blown over in high winds, illustrating the importance of sufficient root penetration into the rooting medium. Since the means by which water and essential nutrients enter the plant is a biological function, those factors that correlate with biological activity apply, such as pH, temperature, energy and oxygen supply. Roots will function under a fairly wide pH range—5.5 to seven—while root function is at its optimum when the root temperature is within 20 to 30°C, or within the same range as that experienced by the aerial portion of the plant. Plants will wilt if the root temperature differs too much from that existing around the aerial portions. Functional roots require two things—oxygen and a continuous supply of carbohydrates—which are needed to generate the energy required for water and ion absorption to take place.

With a large or enlarging root system, significant quantities of carbohydrates are needed and the likelihood of an anaerobic condition developing increases because carbohydrates that form in plant leaves by photosynthesis must be divided between those needed for vegetative growth, including the formation of flowers and fruit, and those required by the roots. The balance between root and vegetative plant growth has been the subject of many investigations, although no definitive understanding of the relationship has yet been reached. The unanswered questions are, first: “Who is in the driver’s seat for growth—the roots or the vegetative portion of the plant?” And second: “Where do the photosynthetically generated carbohydrates go first?” Root death is not an uncommon occurrence in some growing systems and it was the factor that doomed the nutrient film technique (NFT) for the growing of long-term crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Once the NFT trough was filled with roots, the flow of nutrient solution down the trough was impeded and there was insufficient oxygen within the root mass to sustain root function. As portions of the root system began to die due to oxygen starvation, plant growth and fruit formation slowed or stopped and with increasing oxygen starvation the plants died. The size of the root mass is not a significant factor in a plant’s ability to absorb water and essential nutrients—what is important is that the roots are functional. The only exception would be when the rooting environment is minimal in terms of water and elemental availability, making a large root soil contact surface necessary in order for the plant to meet all its water and elemental needs. In mineral soils, as well as for some types

of soilless mixes, contact between ions in solution and plant roots is governed by three physical processes—mass flow, diffusion and root interception. Those elements dissolved in the soil solution will move as water moves within the rooting medium, bringing them into contact with plant roots. Ion absorption from the solution surrounding the root creates a concentration gradient that results in the movement of ions some distance from the root, moving by diffusion into the area where the absorption occurred. The plant also plays a role as its roots grow into the rooting medium, increasing the contact surface between plant roots and the rooting medium. Maintaining constant conditions within the rooting medium will allow plant roots to seek out that portion having a desirable balance between water and oxygen supply. If there are constant changes in the rooting environment then root development and function will be adversely affected, which will be reflected in periodic wilting under conditions of high atmospheric demand, coupled with nutrient element insufficiencies that will slow vegetative growth and lower product yield and quality.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

The Root Whisperer

“Root hair development occurs in a moist (not wet) rooting environment, particularly when the essential plant nutrient element supply is low.“

Root absorption of essential elemental ions is a complex process that is not yet entirely understood. For an element to be absorbed by the roots it must exist in ionic form, as plant roots are not generally able to absorb molecules. For ion absorption to occur energy is required, which is obtained by root respiration, which in turn requires a supply of carbohydrates and the presence of oxygen. Ion absorption will not occur under anaerobic conditions around the root. Since water and ion absorption occur at the same time, some scientists believe that a portion of the ions in solution are carried into the root with the incoming water, bypassing the mechanisms previously thought to be required for ion absorption to occur. Water is “pulled” into the plant root by pressure generated by the transpiration of water from leaf surfaces, but ion absorption can occur even when water is not being absorbed. It is the area immediately behind the growing root tip where most of the water and ion absorption occurs. As the root matures, absorption activity declines. For hydroponic growing, where the entire root mass is exposed to a nutrient solution, root maturity will not be as much of a factor in water and ion absorption. Root hair development occurs in a moist (not wet) rooting environment, particularly when the essential plant nutrient element supply is low. Root hair development does not occur in

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

adequately fertilized soils, soilless media or hydroponic growing systems. When both nitrogen and phosphorus are in abundant supply in the rooting medium, root hairs will not develop. A unique zone can exist around the root known as the rhizosphere, a thin cylindrical zone immediately around the root serving as the interface between the root surface and the surrounding rooting medium. Rhizosphere development requires a stable rooting environment that is not provided by most hydroponic growing systems, where a nutrient solution is delivered periodically to the rooting medium. For some woody plants, like trees, there is no radial redistribution of absorbed essential elements—or of water either, at least to some degree—so that all the roots must be functioning equally for normal growth to occur. At the entrance to a bank, there was a large raised bed with a young pin oak tree planted in its centre, providing beautiful fall colour.

The area around the tree was covered with mulch. Wanting to add flowering plant colour appropriate for each season of the year, the bank manager contracted a local garden club to select and set appropriate plants in the bed around the pin oak tree. Over the next several years, everyone admired the beautiful array of flowering plants with the changing seasons, but no one paid attention to the pin oak tree—which stopped growing and then, several years later, died during the winter. Why? For trees and most woody plants, what are known as feeder roots grow up toward the soil surface, not down, the

feeder roots forming from lateral roots extending from the base of the plant. The constant disturbance of the soil surface around the pin oak kept the feeder roots from functioning—roots that were essential for the tree to sustain growth. Another factor that probably had an effect was the rooting medium used for the flowering plants, which brought in fertilizer elements (NPK) not needed by the tree and possibly contributed to its death. A similar root-affecting situation existed at a field crop research station that I frequently visited during the growing season. There were groves of pecan trees scattered about the station grounds. In one area, four large pecan trees provided shade for the workers, who parked their trucks and field equipment under them during lunch and rest breaks. The general appearance of the pecan trees was not affected by this

practice, but none of these pecan trees ever produced nuts. For most plants it has been demonstrated that just one actively functioning root is capable of supplying most, if not all, of its essential nutrient elements. I have also conducted research to determine what effect rooting vessel size and shape can have on tomato plant growth and fruit yield. I found that a tomato plant will grow well and produce fruit when rooted in a one litre beverage bottle, with perlite being the rooting medium and the nutrient solution being introduced into the bottom of the bottle. Root size is not a significant factor in essential element absorption if there is an adequate supply of carbohydrates and oxygen available for the functioning roots. However, root mass can be a factor—depending on plant water demands—when the plant leaf area is large and the atmospheric demand high. In general, there is no consistent positive correlation between root mass and plant growth and product yield. In fact, a large root

mass might actually be detrimental to plant growth and product yield due to the amount of carbohydrates and oxygen necessary to sustain the function of such large roots. MY

“For trees and most woody plants, what are known as feeder roots grow up toward the soil surface, not down, the feeder roots forming from lateral roots extending from the base of the plant.“

Maximum Yield Canada | July/August 2012

Biodynamic Compost by David Perkins

Do you know what’s going into your garden?

High-quality compost can make the difference between a so-so result and stunning success when growing in soil. Compost is now widely available in hydroponic stores, but how is a grower supposed to know the difference between one brand of compost and the next? Compost is a bit like cheese.There are so many types of cheese in the world—from the kind that is made by skilled artisans following a traditional recipe like generations of cheese makers have done before them, to the kind of mass-produced cheese-like product that comes in a spray can.These products are vastly different, but we use just one word to describe the whole range of products we call cheese.The same can be said about compost—there is such a wide variety of feedstocks and processes involved in its production and the end product can have major differences in appearance, smell, nutrient values and biology, but we still use just one generic

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

name for it.We can check the ingredients listed on the bag, but that doesn’t tell us anything about the composting process—all compost is not created equal! On a personal quest to find the highest expression of the art of compost making, I came across the traditional recipe for biodynamic compost. It comes from Rudolf Steiner, a philosopher/scientist who originated biodynamic agriculture in the 1920s. At the heart of biodynamics is a deep respect for fertile, productive soil and the crucial role of compost in sustaining it. Steiner had some remarkable insights about how plants grow—to

”

enhance the uptake of nutrients he provided a recipe for compost that has stood the test of time and has been proven by scientific research.1 What’s so special about this recipe? Beginning with a simple base of organic dairy cow manure and straw, the biodynamic recipe requires six botanical ingredients, which are concentrated by specific alchemical processes during the course of a year before they are added to the pile.The six biodynamic preparations are yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian. Each of these relates to one or more plant nutrients and it is thought that the preparations act as catalysts to influence biological availability and nutrient uptake by plants. For example, nettle is linked to potassium, calcium, sulphur and iron, while valerian assists in the utilization of phosphorus. Hydroponics has proven that plants can be grown under artificial conditions—but the plants are often stressed, which is the underlying cause of disease.Today, however, there is an increasing number of growers making a shift away from synthetic nutrients. They are appreciating the simple beauty of working with natural processes within the soil—and they’re recognizing the benefits of using high-quality compost. Disease prevention can be achieved with high-quality compost because the massive numbers of beneficial microbes (good guys), it contains outnumber the disease-causing organisms (bad guys) so problems like powdery mildew tend to be suppressed. Not eliminated entirely, perhaps— but held in check to a level where they’re no longer a big issue. “Feed the soil and let the soil feed the plants.”You’ve heard that before, but what does it mean when we say feed the soil? What are we feeding it, exactly? Who’s hungry and what’s for dinner? The answer is sweetly summed up in the soil food web diagram. It shows a complex community of critters that is a whole ecosystem unto itself, yet is mostly invisible to the naked eye.This is a glimpse into the web of life forms that dwell in the skin of the earth and it’s also a diagram of a wild feeding frenzy combined with an orgy, going on 24/7. Plants have evolved with this web of interactions—with processes like the symbiotic relationship between themselves and fungi, and especially the nutrient cycling that goes on whenever a microbe is swallowed by a predator and pooped out back into the soil. Gardeners of all levels of experience would be wise to explore this fascinating aspect of working with plants. “Start teaming with microbes, and get that biology into your soils and working for you,” say Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis in their popular book Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Foodweb. Always use the best-quality compost you can find. Make your first assessment with the compost

We can check the ingredients listed on the bag, but that doesn’t tell us anything about the composting process—all compost is not created equal!

”

testing tools you already possess: your eyes and nose.There are some obvious visual clues: there should be very few, if any, pieces of recognizable woody bits or other plant material, and you should look for the colour of dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa content). As far as smell goes, anything other than a pleasant, earthy smell is a bad sign.Your nose is giving you an early warning that something went astray in the composting process and that that particular compost doesn’t belong in your garden. Compost is a fertilizer. It’s not standardized, so producers typically don’t list NPK on their bags. Growers still need to know what nutrients they’re getting in compost, though—and that’s where lab reports come in. Ask the manufacturer for a copy of the lab reports on their compost, both the nutrient analysis and the biological assay. In my opinion, any trustworthy company should be regularly producing these reports and they should be willing to share them with customers. If not, why not? Compost is a biological inoculant. Good compost should be chock-full of a wide variety of microbes, along with the naturally occurring foods they prefer.The humic acid you find in compost is far more biologically available than the humic acid you might obtain from mined substances like leonardite. Compost is also cost-effective. The organisms it contains provide priceless services. Bacteria store nutrients in their bodies—they are like tiny little packets of bioavailable fertilizer. This fertilizer then gets released back into the soil when the bacteria are consumed by predators like nematodes or protozoa. There’s really no need to entirely replace potting soil every year—simply rejuvenate it with high-quality compost. Ultimately, the results will speak for themselves. Compost teas and extracts essentially give your soil and plants many of the benefits of whole compost but in a liquid form.They also have the added advantage of containing a very high biomass of organisms if they’re made correctly. It’s absolutely essential to begin with high-quality compost when making actively aerated teas and extracts—and you might consider using more than one type of compost for your brews as well. Diversity is king! When you go to the store for some cheese, you probably already know what type you want and how to recognize it.The same standards should apply when you’re buying compost—ask questions and know exactly what you’re buying. It’s up to you to know what’s going into your garden! MY “Effects of Biodynamic Preparations on Compost Development”, Carpenter-Boggs, Reganold, and Kennedy, in Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, volume 17, 2000. 1

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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Propagation for Profit: Grow Aloe for Dough Industry veteran Casey Jones Fraser divulges effective techniques and best practices to grow aloe vera for profit. by Casey Jones Fraser

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Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;July / August 2012

these plants because they sell for between the root ball. Once five and 15 dollars apiece, and I sell over they start growing at a 100 of them every year. Do the math— steady pace, they will also generate small plants it’s worth it! So what is the best way to propagate that pop up from the the small aloe plants produced by the root system. Gardeners large mothers? I’m glad you asked! First, seeking additional aloe however, I’d like to begin by mentioning plants can easily propagate these “pups,” as they two ways that I do not recommend. First off, leaf cuttings will not work for aloe, so are called. don’t bother cutting a succulent aloe leaf The key to getting a and shoving it into some soil—even with big crop of young aloe rooting hormone, it won’t work. Wait for plants is growing large pups to emerge from the soil of larger “mother” aloe plants. The large plants produce plants and gently pull them up, roots the small pups from their included. Second, after you have uprooted your baby aloe, don’t put it in a glass of root systems, so the bigwater! I know that many houseplants ger the motherplant the more pups will appear in are started in glasses of water, but aloe is native to desert regions and would never your planter. experience a glass of water in its Grow your motherHandle with care! natural environment. plants in large containAuthor’s note to Grandma Jones: I know you ers. Aloe plants will start your aloe pups in water and that it works, get bigger in every direction if they If you are into houseplants, chances are but I promise you that my method works bethave enough growing medium, so 22.7 pretty good that you have an aloe plant ter! I’m sorry for contradicting you, and I’ll see litres or more is ideal for encouraging in your home. Some gardeners keep aloe you at Christmas. chunky leaf growth and lots of pups. The around to soothe sunburns or digestive fat leaves on these large plants are great for pro“...leaf cuttings will not work for aloe, so don’t bother cutting ducing homemade ointa succulent aloe leaf and shoving ments or hair it into some soil-even with roottreatments. ing hormone, it won’t work.” If you are interested in taking aloe internally make sure to first ailments (always consult a physician), but I consult with your health grow aloe for profit. Sure, I like to have it professional, as aloe sap can in my home and I will use it medicinally have negative effects on when necessary, but mainly I grow aloe to some people when ingested. sell the small young plants. If you do plan to ingest aloe When you grow aloe under the proper for health reasons, you will conditions (quality grow lights, extreme need to increase your plant periods of drought, plenty of well-drainnumbers so you’ll be able ing growing medium), it can grow to to harvest the leaves on a quite a large size—my biggest aloe plant regular basis. I propagate is about 1.20 metres tall, not including No gloves, no shovels.

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

propagation for profit: grow aloe for dough

amazing stuff, ask your local hydroponics dealer. The coconut coir will hold plenty of moisture when you initially wet it down. A 20-minute soak is recommended before potting up your new plants. After that, stand your aloe plant up in a 15.24 cm pot and carefully fill in around the tap root with wet coconut coir. Gently pack in the loose coir so the aloe stays in place and then repeat this process until all of the pups are The best way to get aloe going is with planted. Don’t water your new plants for tough love. Let the young plants sit out at least a month. Always wait until the in a tray—no water, no nutrients, no soil. coir or soil is completely dried out before The aloe plants will start to brown after watering again, as overwatering an aloe plant can quickly lead to a type of black spot fungus, “The best way to get aloe going which is both unsightly is with tough love. Let the young and unhealthy. plants sit out in a tray - no As far as nutrients are water, no nutrients, no soil.” concerned, aloe plants grow well when fed quality hydroponic nutrients along with B vitamins and beneficial a few days, but be patient. Think of the microbiology. Once your harsh desert climate of North Africa, aloe plants are growwhere moisture is a precious commoding, continue to give ity—aloe has evolved to store water and them periods of extreme tolerate drought. After about two weeks, the plants will be drought, followed by a greenish-brown and the roots completely heavy watering with this nutrient regimen. Feed dry. Only now should you transplant young plants a very mild them into containers. Potting soil is an solution, but the large option and you can even find bags of soil motherplants can handle specifically formulated for aloe and cacti, moderate to heavy doses but after years of experimenting with of plant food. various mixes I’ve found that aloe plants So start growing some grow best in plain old coconut coir. Coir is the ground-up fibres from coconut aloe plants for health shells—if you aren’t familiar with this reasons or for profit. They

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

thrive when neglected, so plant ‘em and forget ‘em. All you have to do is make sure they have large enough containers and plenty of light; before you know it tiny new plants will be poking through the coir, reaching for the light. And after a few months you might be pulling 30 pups out in one sitting—and that can equate to big bucks at farmers’ markets or in the online classifieds. MY Supplies for removing pups from motherplants: • Large plastic tray for the mother • Small plastic tray for the pups • Coconut coir to fill in the holes left from removing the pups • Your fingertips and a gentle touch* Supplies for transplanting aloe pups: • A tray full of dry aloe pups • A few 15.24-centimetre containers (clay or plastic) • Coconut coir or loose potting mix • Your fingertips and a gentle touch* *Never use a shovel when digging up the pups. Fragile roots are easily damaged.

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Starts1

Mo rgan

Hydroponic part

tte

Starting Plants for Hydroponic Systems

ne Ly . r by D

aising healthy new plants for a hydroponic system is a skill many growers learn through trial and error. Unfortunately, since many plants are naturally small and tender during their early stages, much can go wrongâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; freezing, frying under incorrect temperatures, suffocation, salinity and stress, not to mention the dreaded pythium attack. However, getting the environment, substrate and technique right can result in a highly rewarding and profitable experience with many healthy young plants that will thrive once planted out in a hydroponic system.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;July / August 2012

“Most problems [with hydroponic starts] fall into three categories, and all three are preventable.” There are a wide range of materials and techniques used for raising hydroponic starts. Many of the annual food and flowering crops can be raised directly from seed, potentially giving high numbers of tiny, uniform seedlings. Some species are better propagated by cuttings—also referred to as clones, since the resulting new plant will have the same genetic characteristics of its motherplant. Others are propagated as bulbs, corms or rhizomes, which naturally form as plant division or as small, prerooted plantlets that cluster around the motherplant ready for removal. Some species can be propagated using more than one method, but generally for each plant type there is a time-tested method of raising fresh new starts.

Starts for hydroponic systems Since hydroponic systems are soilless, new planting stock needs to be raised in a soilless growing medium so as to prevent any potential contamination from soil. While it’s possible to carefully rinse all the soil from seedlings or cuttings and establish them into a hydroponic system, there is always the risk of a carry-over of pests and pathogens. For this reason, many hydro growers raise their own soilless transplants. The type of propagation media used for either seeds or cuttings is also dependant on

C uttings or clones produce new starts, which are genetically identical to the parent plant.

S mall plastic tubes are often used for raising lettuce, herbs and other salad greens for hydroponic systems.

the type of hydroponic system the plant will ultimately end up growing in. Solution culture systems such as NFT, aeroponics, deep flow and float or raft systems don’t incorporate any solid growing media other than that which the young plants have been raised in and rely on the trouble-free functioning of drippers, emitters and misters. Ideally these types of systems need to remain free of any particles of grit that might block system components, so propagation substrates such as rockwool or oasis blocks are ideal. However, there are many similar propagation blocks, disks or cubes created from a wide range of materials that serve a similar purpose of a grit-free propagation media. Some of these products are organically based; others are synthetic with excellent physical properties for sensitive young plants. For plants destined for media-based or substrate systems, there is a range of propagation options for new planting stock. Small tubes, cell trays or pots filled with a fine grade substrate such as perlite, vermiculite, coco fibre, organic composts or combinations of these materials are all suitable, although many hydroponic growers still prefer to raise higher value plants in individual blocks or cubes irrespective of which type of hydroponic system they will eventually be grown in.

Problems with hydroponic starts Most growers run into problems with seeds and cuttings at one stage or another. Most problems fall into three main categories—problems with the planting stock (the seed or clone material itself), problems with the environment (of which there can be many) or problems with aggressive disease pathogens, the main one being Pythium, which is a major cause of damping off in young plants. All three are preventable, but recognizing the signs of what is going wrong is sometimes not that easy. To confuse matters further, plant species differ in their requirements. One species might germinate happily

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Hydroponic Starts Part 1

Propagation blocks and cubes reduce the transplant shock associated with planting out of young seedlings.

under cool conditions where another needs high heat. Some plants need higher concentrations of rooting hormone than others to rapidly form roots and some seeds need exposure to light or darkness before they will germinate. Luckily seed suppliers usually provide enough information for germination of most common plant species and there are plenty of Internet resources on how to vegetatively propagate just about every hydroponically grown species.

Problems with planting stock For germination to occur seeds must be viable; they must still be alive and respiring. Unfortunately a dead seed usually looks

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;July / August 2012

no different than a live seed and only a germination test can prove viability. Seeds have a limited lifespan or shelf life and over time the percentage of germination will decline. This decline in viability can be slowed by storing seeds in cool, dry conditions (under refrigeration in sealed packs is good for most species), however, once open many packets of seeds have a rather limited shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Sowing old seeds is a common cause of germination failure for many smaller growers who have a tendency to hoard seed packets. Commercial seed suppliers test their seed lots so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare to purchase seeds that have lost all their viability. A quick germination test can be done by spreading a few seeds on filter paper soaked in boiled, cooled water; covering and checking the number of germinated seeds before investing time into sowing large numbers of a suspect seed lot. Cuttings or clones are a little more difficult than seeds as many factors influence the ability and rate at which roots can form, some of which are internal plant factors determined by the motherplant and some of which are affected by the size, type and development of the cutting material selected. Many species have certain stages of development and seasons where cutting material is more likely to rapidly form new roots and often this is determined by internal plant factors such levels of endogenous growth regulators, degree of tissue hardness and maturity. Experienced growers soon learn the best timing and type of cutting material to select for maximum success with clones. The most common mistakes with cuttings are selecting stems or foliage that are too soft and desiccate rapidly or are simply not mature enough to form new roots. Older woody stems might also take a much longer time to root. Generally, there are good guides for each species as to when to propagate and the type and method of preparation of cutting material. The use of rooting hormone treatments or cutting/cloning gels,

“A dead seed usually looks no different than a live seed and only a germination test can prove viability.” solutions and powders also play a role in the rate of root formation, as well as the length and number of roots formed on a cutting. While the optimum rate of rooting compound and synergists applied certainly plays a role in the success of clones, too much of a good thing can actually work more like an herbicide and kill sensitive stem tissue. Selecting the right product for softwood, semi hardwood and hardwood cuttings is important as these vary in the strength of the plant growth regulator compounds they contain. The choice of gel, powder or solution soak rooting product is less of an issue although experienced growers often have preferences for different formulations. Many of the rooting products on the market also have certain synergists that assist with root formation on cuttings—boric acid is one such compound and certain vitamins have shown some benefit for cuttings of some species as well. The important point to remember with rooting compounds is they are biologically active and, hence, will degrade over time once the bottle has been opened and exposed to the air. Contamination of the product with organic material, such as plant sap from cuttings, water and organic material can also

R ockwool propagation cubes are widely used for valuable vegetable seedlings such as tomatoes, capsicum and cucumber.

reduce the effectiveness of a root promotion product, so a small amount of the compound should be taken from the bottle for use and the bottle quickly re-capped to retain maximum effectiveness. Any leftover rooting compound product that has had cuttings dipped into it should be discarded.

Problems with the environment Most failures in germination of viable seeds using hydroponic methods come from either incorrect temperature or saturation of the germination substrate. Each species has its own ideal temperature for germination, but, with use of thermostatically controlled propagation mats and pads, the ideal temperature can be dialed up as required. Some species, such as lettuce, prefer cooler germination temperatures and can actually fail to germinate if it is too warm (seed might enter a secondary dormancy if this occurs), so keeping a close check on the media temperature during seed germination is important. Many inexperienced growers tend to overwater seeds and cuttings and with the finer particle size used in many propagation media this can lead to suffocation of the germinating seed. Overwatering results in cutting out much of the vital oxygen held around the seed or clone required for germination and root formation resulting in many failures. A good seed raising substrate should be able to retain sufficient moisture and be free draining so that plenty of oxygen is present. Many seeds benefit from not

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Hydroponic Starts Part 1

temperature is different for certain species. Many commonly grown hydroponic plants raised from cuttings prefer a root zone temperature of between 18 to 24°C for rapid root formation, although many deciduous species form roots at lower temperatures. Water source is also vital for raising successful hydroponic starts.Young seedlings are much more sensitive to water quality and can be knocked back with the use of chlorinated or treated city water. Only a few parts per million of certain water treatment chemicals in city water has been proven to retard and even kill young hydroponic lettuce seedlings, so even if the crop in the main hydroponic system is on city water and doing fine, it’s a good idea to consider a purer water source for precious young plants and clones.

Thermostatically controlled heat pads and mats are a great tool for starting young plants.

being watered while germinating, so a light plastic or paper covering to retain moisture is usually beneficial. Root formation on cuttings is also highly dependent on oxygen for formation of the callus on the cut stem, from which the new root initials develop and push

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

through. Oxygenation and moisture are both vital for the rooting process and, with clones, it is a race to form new roots that can take up water before the top of the cutting desiccates and dies back. Root formation is also controlled by temperature; however, the ideal

Problems with pathogens Seeds, seedlings and cuttings/clones are all highly prone to attack by disease pathogens. Since young plants are sensitive and tender they are especially vulnerable to opportunistic pathogens such as pythium. Strong and healthy seedlings grown under good conditions do have some natural defences against many pathogens, which often only create problems where overcrowding, overwatering or other unfavourable conditions exist. Seedlings and cuttings do benefit from a clean source of water—boiling, UV or similar treatments are recommended where pathogens can be contained in the water. Use of presterilized media such as rockwool and perlite is usually recommended; however, some organic vermicast and compost type media have been proven to have a natural protective effect against some root rot pathogens, which is thought to originate from the naturally occurring beneficial microbes (i.e. the “good guys”) in the substrate. In part two of this article, the process of raising healthy starts for hydroponic systems will be covered including peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuce and herbs. MY

DO YOU KNOW?

There are three soil temperature ranges within which microorganisms can grow and function, which divides microbes into three groups: psychrophiles, which grow at temperatures below 10°C; mesophiles, which thrive between 10 to 45°C; and thermopiles, which have an optimum temperature range between 45 and 60°C.

2. 3.

Plants in hydroponic systems like their root zones a bit cooler than their soil counterparts in pots, preferring that the nutrient solution in the reservoir stay in the 16 to 21°C range—water in this range can hold much more oxygen than water above 24°C.

Most problems with seeds and cuttings fall into three main categories: problems with the planting stock (the seed or clone material itself), problems with the environment or problems with aggressive disease pathogens, like pythium.

In mineral soils as well as for some types of soilless mixes, contact between ions in solution and plant roots is governed by three physical processes— mass flow, diffusion and root interception.

The six biodynamic preparations are yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian.

Many houseplants are started in glasses of water, but aloe is native to desert regions and would never experience a glass of water in its natural environment.

Bacteria are tiny one-celled organisms—generally about 10.16/100,000s of a centimetre wide (one µm) and somewhat longer in length.

Compost is a fertilizer.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Seeds Clones

by Karen Wilkinson

Do you like the same thing every time or do you prefer to be surprised? There’s no wrong answer… Imagine driving along a winding road without any clear destination. You might end up at the beach or a friend’s house, or—if you’re lucky—a magical meadow teeming with flowers, plants and creatures you’ve never laid eyes on before. You’re in for an adventure with a surprise ending. Now imagine driving along the highway in a GPSequipped car with the intent of exiting in exactly 10.30 km. Your path is direct—you’re going to your favourite restaurant, the one that consistently leaves your belly feeling warm

and happy. You know exactly what to expect and that’s what keeps you coming back. When it comes to growing a new plant, there are two very distinct, divergent paths a grower can take to accomplish the job—you can start from a seedling (the scenic route) or you can use a cutting from an established motherplant (the paved road). Neither approach is intrinsically better than the other and each offers its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

Growing from seed

Die-hard traditionalists will tell you growing from seed is the only way to go, that it’s the purest or ‘most real’ approach, that any kind of shortcut is lazy and without merit. While it’s certainly rewarding to see your plant progress from a tiny seed to a fully grown, fruit-producing monster, it’s also a lengthy process when compared with growing rooted clones, although it does offer the opportunity to breed and cross strains. Here are some other pros and cons of growing from seed: • Female seeds can often produce greater yields than clones. • Seeds from known, trusted sources of known lineage and genetics should produce similar results. • If they’re from a healthy, pest- and disease-free plant, the seeds should inherit these desirable qualities. • Not all seeds are guaranteed to germinate! That in itself is a gamble.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

“

Die-hard traditionalists will tell you growing from seed is the only way to go, that it’s the purest or “most real” approach, that any kind of shortcut is lazy and without merit.

”

• Because seeds take longer to mature into fully established plants, more time, money and labour is required from the grower. • Seeds can be saved and stored in very little space, whereas clones require constant upkeep and care. • Seedlings need much tender loving care when their root system is forming—just like clones in their root-forming stage. The right balance of water and heat will get their roots popping, but too much or too little of either can be detrimental. Keep in mind that starting from seed is no easy task. From the time and energy you’ll devote to keeping it healthy and strong, to maintaining a balanced diet with plant-specific nutrients, to ensuring its lighting and watering needs are consistently met— your seedling will seem a lot like a baby, without the crying and diaper changing. Starting a plant from a seed is definitely challenging, but that also means it might offer potentially greater rewards—who doesn’t want to be able to step back from their enormous flowering plant and say, “Yeah, I grew that bad girl from seed.” Am I right or am I right?

Growing from cuttings (or “cloning”) There are lots of advantages to growing from cuttings, starting with their dependability. Growing rooted clones is a time-saver as far as crop turnaround—you can take a vacation following harvest or keep going with another batch of babies. It will also take a significantly shorter time to go from a tiny cutting to a fruit-bearing plant than it would have if you had started with a seedling. Here are some other things to consider about growing clones: • They are super-sensitive, as they are at one of their most critical life stages! You have to seriously baby them until their roots are fully established—in some cases, this means keeping them away from direct light (their roots can get burned) and not feeding them nutrients. • Clones have nearly identical traits and characteristics to the motherplant they are taken from—expect similar growth vitality, resistance to disease and pests, and so on. • Conversely, if your clone is unhealthy or came from a mother susceptible to powdery mildew, pests or other issues, the plant that it grows into will inherit the same bad traits. There are bad clones and you don’t need either in your garden! If you’re still unsure of which route to take, don’t fret—experiment! That’s the only surefire way to learn what works best in your environment and what will ultimately produce the best results for you. MY

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

ALBERTA Double AA Garden Supplies Ltd. Bay 9 2820 Centre Avenue Calgary, AB T2A 7P5 403-273-9188 ------------------------------------------------

Garden Centre

Your Plant’s Personal Trainer

IncrediGrow Garden Centre 103-7500 MacLeod Trail SE Calgary, AB T2H 0L9 403-255-0740

Canadian Garden Supply 1730 Highway 3 Castlegar, BC V1N 4W1 250-304-2911 Sun Beam Central 3444 River Road Chemainus, BC V0R 1K4 250-246-1379 Chilliwack Indoor Garden Centre Ltd. 311 - 44500 South Sumas Road Chilliwack, BC V9R 5M3 604-824-2944 ------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------Quick Grow 1-1204 Edmonton Trail Road NE Calgary, AB T2E 3K5 877-426-4769

Valley Indoor Geenhouse Supplies 103 - 44195 Yale Road West Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2 877-702-1169 ------------------------------------------------

Twins Greenhouse 13 - 2235 30th Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2C 7C7 403-273-2881

Art Knapp 2855 Wentworth Road Courtenay, BC V9N 6B7 250-334-3024

Hydro-Lite 12249 Fort Road Edmonton, AB T5B 4H7 780-477-7860

Just-N-Tyme Greenhouse and Hydroponics Supply 1094 McKenzie Avenue Courteney, BC V9N 3C5 250-703-0476

Box 82008 Yellowbird RPO Edmonton, AB T6J 7E6 780-885-4769 Fusion 5 Organic Gardens Inc.

Pacific NW Garden Supply 1139B Industrial Road 3 Cranbrook, BC V1C 5E3 250-489-4761

PO Box 5821, 120B 1 Street, SW High River, AB T1V 1P3 866-652-2594

Cowichan Hydroponic Supplies 4 - 2955 Jacob Road Duncan, BC V9L 6W4 250-746-0244

BRITISH COLUMBIA Interior Gardener’s Supply 221 - 1 McDermid Road, Box 1257 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-3399 A.R.I. Research 120 - 4111 Hastings Street Burnaby, BC V5C 6Y7 604 433 6067 Jon’s Plant Factory 3925 East Hastings Burnaby, BC V5C 2H8 604-294-3000 Solar Greenhouse and Hydroponic Supply 4752 Imperial Street Burnaby, BC V5J 1C2 604-438-7244 Hygro Gardening Supplies Inc. 1791 Tamarac Street Campbell River, BC V9W 5Y7 250-286-0424

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West Coast Gardens Equipment and Supplies 113 - 805 Notre Dame Kamloops, BC V2C 5N8 250-851-2992

Duncan Plants & Ponics 6512 Bell McKinnon Road Duncan, BC V9L 6C1 250-746-5591 Better Than Nature Enderby 1900 George Street Enderby, BC 250-838-5502 Growing Solutions Box 650, 1150 Bowlby Road Errington, BC V0R 1V0 250-248-1101 Kamloops Sunshine Gardens Greenhouse Superstore 5 - 1744 Kelly Douglas Road Kamloops, BC V2C 5S4 877-372-2270 Room 2 Grow 901 Laval Crescent Kamloops, BC V2C 5P4 250-372-3663

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Long Lake Nursery Hydroponic Supply 4900 Island Highway, North Nanaimo, BC 250-758-5012 Progressive Growth 41 - 1925 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1 800-405-4769 ------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------Better Than Nature Kelowna 725B Evans Court Kelowna, BC V1X 6G4 250-868-8978 Oasis 12 - 1771 Cooper Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T1 250-763-4769

Smart Grow 2422 - 23 Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2E 8J4 403-236-9999

Niloc Wholesale Inc.

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each province.

Pacific NW Garden Supply Unit C1 - 1810 Kyle Court Kelowna, BC V1Z 3Z4 250-769-4791 ------------------------------------------------

Tridon Hydroponics 12 - 1708 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1G9 250-755-1900 -----------------------------------------------Vancouver Island Garden Supply Ltd. 4770 Wellington Rd Nanaimo, BC V9T 2H3 250-585-8881 Kootenay Grower’s Supply Nelson 721-G Front Street Nelson, BC V1L 4B8 250 353 1887

Sal’s Indoor Garden Supplies & Hydroponics 187 Asher Road Kelowna, BC V1X 3H5 778-753-5549 -----------------------------------------------BC Hydroponics 3 - 20092-93A Avenue Langley, BC V1M 3Y4 604-888-5716 Green Earth Garden Supplies Unit 5, 19300, Langley Bypass Langley, BC V3S 6K2 604-532-7106 GreenStar Plant Products Inc. 9430 198 Street, Langley, BC V1M 3C8 604-882-7699 Excel Air Systems 200 - 20170 Stewart Crescent Maple Ridge, BC V2X 0T4 604-728-0757 Pacific NW Garden Supply 109 - 20110 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P7 Planting Plus Greenhouse Supplies and Hardware 22394 Dewdney Truck Road Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3J2 604-466-5949 Triple Tree Nursery 20503 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P9 604-465-9313 Nutty Zone 5 & 6 - 33201 London Avenue Mission, BC V2V 4P9 604-814-2223

Pacific NW Garden Supply Unit 14- 104 Silica Street Nelson, BC V1L 4M1 250-354-4767 Buckerfields 587 Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 1J9 250-248-3243 Sundogz Garden Supply & Hydroponics 30 - 1365 Old Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 2B8 250-954-2046 Better Than Nature Penticton 101 - 78 Industrial Avenue, West Penticton, BC V2A 6M2 250-770-8978 Advanced Wholesale Superstore 406 - 1952 Kingsway Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6C2 604-945-0174 ------------------------------------------------

PG2 1798 Nicholson Street Prince George, BC V2N 1V6 250-612-4769; 1-888-817-4769 Skytek Indoor Solutions 833 4th Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3H5 800-975-9835 Spruce Capital Feeds 1694 Quinn Street Prince George, BC V2N 1X3 250-564-6010 Omega Garden Inc. 1695 Peligren Place Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 2S3 250-752-1301; 888 976 6342 Garden Effects 200-2288 #5 Road Richmond, BC V6X 2T1 604-214-6620 Pacific Rim Indoor Garden & Lighting 170- 12111 Bridgeport Road Richmond, BC V6V 1J4 604-232-4468 Natural Choice Garden Centre, The 5500 48th Avenue, SE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1X2 250-832-7151 ------------------------------------------------

S.A. Ecoline Products Ltd. 5671 Auto Road, SE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4S1 250-833-4769 -----------------------------------------------Nico’s Nurseryland 830 - 28th Street, NE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2S7 250-804-2004 Mylo’s 3837 Squilax Anglemont Hwy Scotch Creek BC V0E 1M0 250-955-0525 Green & Clean Energy Co. Ltd. 2875 Cudlip Road Shawnigan Lake, BC V0R 2W0 250-732-7224 Happy Acres Greens & Backroad Hydroponics Equipment 2058 Cambie-Solsqua Road Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0 250-836-3878

Aurora Lighting 750 3rd Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3C5 250-564-9888

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-----------------------------------------------Backwoods Hydroponic & Garden 10590 Carlson Road Prince George, BC V2K 5E5 250-963-9541

Kootenay Bubble Refinery PO Box 81, Slocan Park, BC V0G 2E0 250-226-7753 ------------------------------------------------

Garibaldi Nurseryland & Florist 38917 Progress Way, Squamish Industrial Park Squamish, BC V0N 3G0 604-892-3892 Coastal Growers Supply 103 - 12824 Anvil Way Surrey, BC V3W 8E7 604-599-1778 -----------------------------------------------Fat Eddie’s Systems 108 - 18760 96th Avenue Surrey, BC V4N 3P9 604-888-2499 -----------------------------------------------Garden King Supplies 7533 135 Street, Unit 109 Surrey, BC V3W OM8 604-598-1912 Pacific NW Garden Supply 15374-103A Avenue Surrey, BC V3R 9V8 604-588-4769; 800-443-4769 Warehouse Garden Supplies & Hydroponic 109 - 8173 128 Street Surrey, BC V3W 4G1 604-543-3177 A+ Gardening Supplies 1450 Venables Street Vancouver, BC V5L 2G5 604-876-4769

Northern Lights Greenspace 3 - 2706 45th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 3N4 250-558-4757

Ready Set Grow! 375 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R3C 2H2 204-668-GROW

Indoor Jungle 2624 Quadra Street Victoria, BC V8T 4E4 250-388-5611

NEW BRUNSWICK

Mr. Fertilizer 9 Burnside Road, West Victoria, BC V9A 1B2 250-381-4644 Progressive Growth 111 - 1790 Island Highway Victoria, BC V9B 1H5 250-391-9519 Sunwest Garden Supply 2035 Unit B Louie Drive Westbank, BC V4T 1Y2 250-768-1636 Good Guys Gardening Center 250 McKenzie Avenue, South Williams Lake, BC V2G 1C6 250-392-2069 Trees Company Nursery & Garden Supplies G9 C17 RR1, 7030 Powell Road Winlaw, BC V0G 2J0 250-226-7334 MANITOBA

BN Garden Supply 4493 Boundary Road Vancouver, BC V5R 2N3 604-431-2977

All Grow Distributors 410 Madison Street Winnipeg, MB R3J 1J1 204-231-1694

Double AA Garden Supplies Ltd. 2908 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 4C9 604-876-8837

Better Than Nature Winnipeg 2B - 2 Donald Street Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K5 204-453-3032

Pacific NW Garden Supply 2137 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V5L 1V2 604-254-4765

Gro Pro International Hydroponics 101-904 Porthee Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3G 0P4 204-956-1389

Vancouver Garden Supply 4894 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5V 4H5 604-879-8167 Advanced Garden Supplies 7979 Aspen Road Vernon, BC V1B 3M9 250-545-9545 AJs Pets & Things 3219 - 31st Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 2H2 250-549-3222 Better Than Nature Vernon 3506 25th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 1P4 250-260-4466

Kleen Gro Hydroponics 218 Osbourne Street South Winnipeg, MB R3L 1Z3 204-475-7096 My Two Sons 2 - 2055 McPhillips Street Winnipeg, MB R2Y 3C6 204-339-3489 Nature’s Nutrition 1819 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3J 0G4 204-889-2979 Northern Lights Hydroponics 129 Regent Avenue East Winnipeg, MB R2C 0C2 204-415-5106

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Dieppe Hydroponics 988 Champlain St. Door #3 Dieppe, NB E18 1P8 506-384-4769 -----------------------------------------------Craft N’ Grow 60 Micmac Road, Eel Ground, NB E1V 4B1 506-624-9317 Ultimate Hydroponics PO Box 1191, Hampton, NB E5N 8H2 506-639-5948 Scott’s Nursery Ltd. 2192 Route 102 Highway Lincoln, NB E3B 8N1 506-458-9208 Atlantic Hydroponics & Greenhouses Inc. 42 Brandon Street Moncton, NB E1C 7E8 506-858-0158 Jardins Notik Gardens 798 Gray Road St-Charles, NB E4W 4N9 506-876-9100 21st Century Gardening 20 Bayside Drive, St. John, NB E2J 1A2 506-657-9982 NOVA SCOTIA Den Haan’s Garden World 12688 Highway 1, Brickton Annapolis County, NS B0S 1M0 902-825-4722 Woodland Farm Nursery 3544 Highway 1, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0 902-532-7617 ------------------------------------------------

S&L Worx Hydroponics 135 Main Street, Unit 14 Dartmouth, NS B2X 1R6 902-434-GROW (4769) ------------------------------------------------

Sweetleaf Smoke Shop and Hydroponics 3132 Isleville Street Halifax, NS B3K 3Y2 902-454-6646 ------------------------------------------------

Plant Manager Gardening 12 Industrial Drive, Richmond County Industrial Park Lennox Passage, Cape Breton, NS B0E 1V0 902-345-2112 Steve’s Hydroponic Headquarters 131 Sackville Drive Lower Sackville, NS B4C 2R3 902-865-7764 Greenfield Grow & Brew 69 Wilson Mountain Road Murray Siding, NS B6L 4N7 902-897-6568 ------------------------------------------------

Woodin Nickel Hydroponics 3393 Central West, Highway 4 Pictou County, NS BOK 1H0 902-695-7640 -----------------------------------------------ONTARIO Canadian Hydrogardens Ltd. 1330 Sandhill Drive Ancaster, ON L9G 4V5 905 648 1801

Indoor Harvest 3040 New Street Burlington, ON L7R 1M5 289-337-9169 J & C Hydroponics 343 Elgin Street, Unit A Cambridge, ON M1R 7H9 519-622-9969 Pro Grow Indoor Garden Supplies 1710 Bishop St. Unit 2 Cambridge, ON N1T 1T2 519-624-7692 Hydrogarden 1122 Paul Street Cornwall, ON K6H 6H5 613-360-6996 Agrogreen Canada Inc. 1938 Hwy #20, RR#1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 866-650-1136 Diatomite Canada 1938 Hwy #20, RR#1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 866-650-1136 Northern Lights Green Supply 1938 Highway 20 (at 406), RR 1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 905-892-3743

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 521 Dunlop Street West Barrie, ON L4N 9W4 705-721-8715

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1677 Cyrville Road, Meadowbrooke Plaza Gloucester, ON K1B 3L7 613-842-8999

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 5386 Greenlane Road Beamsville, ON L0R 1B3 905-563-6121

Happy Hydroponics 68 Princess Street Hamilton, ON L8L 3K9 905-545-8434

BMA Hydroponics 404A Maitland Drive, Unit 2 Belleville, ON K8N 4Z5 613-967-9888

Garden Depot 605 Justus Drive Kingston,ON Canada K7M 4H5 613-384-8882

D&M Gardens 2961 Main Street Blezard Valley, ON P0M 1E0 705-897-3727

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1659 Victoria Street, North, Unit 6 Kitchener, ON N2B 3E6 888-670-0611

Home Hydroponics 289 Rutherford Road, South 22 Brampton, ON L6W 3R9 905-874-GROW In-Home Gardens 279 Colborne Street Brantford, ON N3T 2H3 519-754-9090 Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 79 Woolwich Street South Breslau, ON N0B 1M0 519-648-2374 AKA The Indoor Gardener 3014 Highway 29 Brockville, ON K6V 5T4 613-342-2700

AKA The Indoor Gardener 207 Exeter Road, Unit D London, ON N6L 1A4 519-652-4224 Best of Hydroponics 360 Richmond Street London, ON N6A 3C3 519-858-1533 Ontario Growers Supply 1540 Fanshawe Park Road West London, ON N6H 5L8 519-641-3992 Vantage Hydroponics 1 Adelaide Street North London, ON N6B 3P8 519-451-4769

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Markham Hydroponics 95 Royal Crest Court 18 Markham, ON L3R 9X5 905-305-0698 Nature’s Garden Supplies 24-340 Don Park Road Markham, ON L3R 1C5 905-470-7887 All Seasons 1000 Dundas Street East Mississauga, ON L4Y 2B8 905-848-2619 Green Thumb Hydroponics 3075 Ridgeway Drive, 25 Mississauga, ON L5L 5M6 Hydro Culture Emporium Inc. 150 Robertson Rd Unit 22 Nepean, ON K2H 9S1 613-715-9472 ------------------------------------------------

Second Nature Hydroponics 4 - 2133 Royal Windsor Drive Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5 905-403-4769 -----------------------------------------------Nature’s Elements Box 119 500 Mill Street Neustadt, ON N0G 2M0 519-799-5323 ------------------------------------------------

Paradise Gardens Hydroponics 2158 Chiefswood Road Oshweken, ON N0A 1M0 519-445-2275 Ontario Hydroponics 103015 Grey Road 18 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6 519-372-1144 Envirotex P.O. Box 21069 Paris, ON N3L 4A5 519-442-1237 Peterborough Hydroponic Center 347 Pido Road, Unit 32 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 705-745-6868 Sweet Hydroponic Gardens 776 Bruce Street Renfrew, ON K7V 3Z8 613-433-9600 Bluewater Hydroponics 1173 Michener Road, Unit 12 Sarnia, ON N7S 5G5 519-337-7475 Planetary Pride 372 Queen Street East Sault Ste Marie, ON P6A 1Y7 1-888-215-8970 Indoor Gardens Canada 2952 Thompson Road Smithville, ON L0R 2A0 905-957-6969 Green And Clean 761 Barrydowne Road Sudbury, ON P3A 3T6 800-246-5503

Yield of Dreams Hydroponics 559 Steven Court 12 Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z3 877-778-7960 ------------------------------------------------

Green Kingdom Hemp 1103 Cassells Street North Bay, ON P1B 4B3 705-494-7169 -----------------------------------------------Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 4373 Steeles Avenue West North York, ON M3N 1V7 416-663-2999

Northern Hydroponics 236 Simpson Street Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3H4 807-623-3666 Greenthumbs Garden Supply 338 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M4L 1T7 647-345-GROW (4769) ------------------------------------------------

grow it all hydroponics for everyone

Grow It All Hydroponics Inc. 165 Geary Avenue, Unit 3B Toronto, ON M6H 2B8 416-588-9595 ------------------------------------------------

Supply For You 3615 Weston Road, Unit 6 North York, ON M9L 1V8 416-741-8062

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 26 Meteor Drive Toronto, ON M9W 1A4 416-242-4769

All Grow Hydroponic 391 Marwood Drive, Unit 14 Oshawa, ON 866-606-4723

Hydrotech 2436 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M1N 1V2 416-267-4769

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each province.

Jungle Hydroponics 2215 Gerrard Street East Toronto, ON M4E 2C8 416-699-0861 Toronto Hemp Company 665 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M4Y 1Z9 416-920-1980 Grower’s Choice Hydroponics 1621 McEwen Drive 14 Whitby, ON L1N 9A5 905-725-GROW Northern Lights Hydroponics 2690 Oulette Ave Windsor, ON N8X 1L7 519-254-4015 Urban GreenHouse Hydroponics & Aguaculture 7635 Tecumseh Road E. Windsor, ON N8T 3H1 519-944-8444 urbangreenhousehydroponics.com ------------------------------------------------

Hydrosphere 2000 2400 rue Canadian, Suite 104 Drummondville, QC J2C 7W3 819-478-9791 Les Serres Binette Inc 2568 Boul. Mercurre Drummondville, QC J2A 1H2 819-478-7195 Pablo Jardinage Drummondville 2080 Joseph St-Cyr Drummondville, QC J2C 8V6 819-475-2525 Les Entreprises Fernand Pigeon Inc. 174 Beaudoin Nord Durham-Sud, QC J0H 2C0 819-858-2777 Hydromax Gatineau 3-1695 Atmec (porte 6) Gatineau, QC J8P 7G7 819-663-7470 Naturexpert Inc. 828 Chemin du Sixième Rang Gatineau QC J8R 3A4

Ozone Environmental Technologies 361 Rowntree Dairy Road Unit 4 Woodridge, ON L4L 8H1 905-264-6618 -----------------------------------------------QUEBEC Un Monde Sans Terre 565 Beausejour Alma, QC G8B 5V3 418-480-3274 Hydro-Tonyque 761 Avenue Gilles Villeneuve Berthierville, QC J0K 1AO 450-836-8088 ------------------------------------------------

Plant-O-Maxx 3169 Blais, Boisbriand, QC, J7H 1H2 514-968-7799

Jardinages Gilles Robert Inc. 574 St-Hubert Granby, QC J0H 1Y5 450-375-3441 Méristème Hydroponique 871 Dufferin Granby, QC J2G 9H8 450-991-1514 Jardinage d’intérieur Huntingdon 72 Dalhousie Huntingdon, PQ J0S 1H0, Canada 450-322-6079 Hydroponique Plus Inc. 405 - 18 Avenue Lachine, QC H8S 3R1 514-634-3677 Biofloral 675 Montee, St. Francois Laval, QC H7C 2S8 877-38-HYDRO

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles - Horticultural Products 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7L 3K3 450-622-2710 Hydro Times 1533 Boulevard Cure Labelle Laval, QC H7V 2W4 450-688-4848 Hydromax Laval 295 Boulevard Curé Labelle Laval, QC H7L 2Z9 450-628-8380 ------------------------------------------------

Qué-Pousse - Laval 940 Bergar Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-667-3809 -----------------------------------------------Point De Vue 880 chemin St-Féréol Les Cèdres, QC J7T 1N3 450-452-2878 / 1-877-510-2991 Hydro Rive-sud 4721 Boulvard de la rive sud Levis, QC G6W 1H5 418-835-0082 Boutique Grunge 364 rue Sherbrooke Magog, QC J1X 2S1 819-847-4141 Hydromax Mont-Laurier 388 Rue Hebert Mont-Laurier, QC J9L 2X2 888-609-4476 Hydroculture Guy Dionne 8473 - 19th Avenue Montreal, QC H1Z 4J2 514-722-9496 Hydro Expert 12752 Industriel Montreal, QC H1A 3V2 514-624-3091

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B&S Electrique Inc. 2240 Pitt Street, Montreal, QC H4E 4H1 514-931-3817

Gerard Bourbeau & Fils Inc. 8285, 1 re Avenue Charlesbourg, QC G1G 5E6 418-623-5401

Distribution De la Plante 5498 Hochelaga Suite 910 Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-1111

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Brite Lite Hydroponics 940 Bergar, Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-669-3803

Les Grands Jardins Lavel 2900, Boul. Cure-Lavelle Chomedey, Laval, QC H7P 5S8 250-729-2687

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Hydromax Montreal 9300 Lajeunesse Montreal, QC H2M 1S4 514-381-0111

Simplement Vert 8B Georges-Gagne Delson, QC J5B 2E1 514-913-8378 (VERT)

Espace Culture Boutique 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7V 3K3 450-622-2710

Hydromax St-Henri 3522 Notre-Dame Montréal, QC H4C 1P4 514-481-3939

International Hydroponique 5478 Hochelaga St Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-2525

Qué-Pousse - Point-Claire 1860D Sources Blvd Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5B1 514-426-5057

Comptoir Richelieu Inc. 350, du Collège Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 6T7 800-363-9466

Pépinière Eco-Verdure 965 Boul. Sauvé St-Eustache, QC J7R 4K3 450-472-6474

Momentum 11289 London Avenue Montreal, QC H1H 4J3 888-327-4595

Boutique Echologik 829, cote d’Abraham Quebec, QC G1R 1A4 418-648-8288

Ferme Florale Inc. (Botanix) 2190 Blvd. Laurier (route 116) St. Bruno de Montarville, QC J3V 4P6 450-653-6383

Amazonia Hydroponique 394 Boulvard Arthur-sauve St. Eustache, QC J7R 2J5 450-623-2790

Pousse Magique Atwater 3522 Notre-Dame, ouest,

Boutique Echologik 790 St - Jean Quebec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828

Hydrobec 2145 Lavoisier Suite 4 Ste-Foy, QC G1N 4B2 418-687-1119

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échologik 798 St Jean Québec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828; 418-648-8288

Chanvre du Nord Inc. 38 DeMartigny est St-Jérome, QC J7Z 1V4 866-565-5305

Hydroculture Guy Dionne 1990 Cyrill-Duquet Local 150 Québec, QC G1N 4K8 418-681-4643

Hydro Sciences 4800 de la Cote-Vertu Blvd. Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1J9 514-331-9090

Hydrotek 12300 Rue de l’avenir St. Janvier, QC J7J 2K4

Pousse Magique 515 rue Lanaudiere Repentigny, QC J6A 7N1 450-582-6662

Pablo Jardinage Shawinigan 5023 Boulevard Royal Shawinigan QC J9N 6T8 819-731-9766

St-Jean Hydroponique 747 rue St-Jacques St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 2M9 450-346-9633

Fred Lamontagne Inc. 356 Chemin du Sommet Est, Rimouski, QC G5L 7B5 418-723-5746

Sherbrooke Hydroponique 3545 King Est, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 5J4 819-829-9299

Hydromax Terrebonne 1674 Chemin Gascon Terrebonne, QC J6X 4H9 450-492-7447

Qué-Pousse - Sherbrooke 4394 Bourque Rt. 112 Rock Forest, QC J1N 1S3 819-563-0353

Plant-T-Plantes 3439 boulevard Fiset Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 5J3 450-780-0008

Hydromax Trois-Rivières 6157 rue Corbeil Trois-Rivières Ouest, QC G8Z 4P8 819-372-0500

Hydro Plus 149 avenue Principale A Rouyn Noranda, QC J9X 4E3 819-762-4367

Qué-Pousse - St-Constant 6264 Route 132 Ste-Catherine, QC J0L 1E0 450-635-4881

Pablo Jardinage Intérieur 2 Des Ormeaux Suite 500 Trois-Rivières, QC G8W 1S6 819-693-6000

Rap Hydroponique 5700, rue Martineau Local 7 Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8B1 450-768-5188

Benoit Dupuis Extincteurs Inc. 2503 Victoria Street Ste-Julienne, QC J0K 2T0 450-831-4240

Rap Hydroponique 326 Rue Vachon Trois-Rivières QC G8T 8Y2 819-376-5959

Hydroponique 2000 84 Boul. Curé Labelle Ste-Therese, QC J7E 2X5 450-971-0726

Hydromax Val-David 895 route 117 nord Val-David, QC J0T 2N0 888-320-0129

Montreal, Qc H4C 1P4 514-481-3939 Qué-Pousse - Montreal 2215 Walkley Montreal, QC H4B 2J9 514-489-3803 Summum Bio Teck 2100 Ontario Est Montreal, QC H2K 1V5 866-460-2226 Univert 4 Saisons 2100 Ontario Est Montréal, QC H2K 1V5 514-527-2226 Vinexpert De L’Est 6384 Beaubien est Montreal, QC H1M 3G8 514-354-8020 XXXtractor Inc. 1228 St. Marc Montreal, QC H3H 2E5 514-931-4944 www.xxxtractor.com Qué-Pousse - Mont. Tremblant 462 Montée Kavanagh Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 2P2 819-429-6145 MegaWatt Hydroculture 636 Route 364 Morin Heights, QC J0R 1H0 450-226-2515 Fleuriste Savard Inc. 1833 boul. Louis-Frechette Nicolet, QC J3T 1M4 819-293-5933

Culture Uni Vert 36 rue de Martigny E Saint-Jérôme, QC J7Z 1V4 www.cultureunivert.com

P.P.M. Hydroponique 504 Rue du Parc St. Eustache, QC J7R 5B2 450-491-2444 ------------------------------------------------

Val d’Or Hydroculture 1261 3e Avenue Val d’Or, QC J9P 1V4 Horticulture Piégo 228 Pierre Bertrand Sud Vanier, QC G1M 2C4 418-527-2006 Qué-Pousse - VaudreuilDorion 3666-D, boul. Cité des Jeunes Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 8P2 450-424-0306 Centre Jardin Denis Brodeur 15 Nord C.P. 658 Waterloo, QC J0E 2N0 Sonador Horticulture Inc. 819-479-2941 SASKATCHEWAN Busy Bee Upholstery Box 811, 134 5th Avenue East Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0 306-648-3659 B&B Hydroponics and Indoor Gardening 1404 Cornwall Street Regina, SK S4R 2H7 306-522-4769 Waterboy Supply 401 Dewdney Avenue East Regina, SK S4N 4G3 306-757-6242 YUKON, NUNAVUT and NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Porter Creek Indoor Garden Centre 1307 Centennial Street Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3Z1 867-667-2123 WE THANK ALL OF OUR DEDICATED RETAILERS FOR OFFERING MAXIMUM YIELD TO Their cUSTOMERS.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

COMING UP NEXT ISSUE Special Nutrients & Lighting Issue

Organic Nutrients for a Sustainable Tomorrow Land and ocean life contain an organic feast for your plants—from fast-growing seaweed to cost-effective vermicompost. We detail the most common organic, sustainable nutrients.

Eco-friendly Horticultural Lighting—The Future is Here Things are looking brighter than ever in the field of horticultural lighting—and it’s going to take a lot less energy to get the job done in the future.

The Devil is in the Details Have you mastered the basics? If so, these tips will help you reach the next level.

Plus: Hydroponic news, tips and trivia; hot new products; exclusive giveaways; “Talking Shop” and more!

www.maximumyield.com Maximum Yield Canada (September/October) will be available in September for free at select indoor gardening retail stores across Canada, and on maximumyield.com Subscriptions are available at maximumyield.com/subscriptions and maximumyield.com/digital-subscription

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2012

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