CAN_NovDec10 by Maximum Yield

CANADA November - December 2010

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COOL TOYS AND TOOLS FOR HIGH-TECH GROWERS BIG THINKING, SMALL GROWING

Novel Small-Scale Hydroponic Methods www.maximumyield.com

SEEING THE LIGHT

Providing essential lighting during winter months

contents November/December 2010

26 Features

Grow Up

Cool Toys and Tools for High-Tech Growers

Nutrient Absorption and the pH Influence

Novel Small Scale Hydroponics Methods

Root Pruning 101

Agricultural Apocalypse: A Cuban Story

Indoor Gardening Technologies: The Last Couple of Decades

Exotic Orchids at Home

T5s Seeing the Light

by Charlene Rennick

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

by Charlotte Bradley

by Philip McIntosh

by Gaby Bronzstein

by Simon Hart

by Erik Biksa

by Matt Lebannister

by Jack Van Camp

Departments 6 8 10 12 14 20

From the Editor MaximumYield.com Letters to the Editor Simon Says MAX Facts Product Spotlight

52 66 68 70 74 74

You Tell Us Talking Shop Max Mart Distributors Do You Know? Coming up next issue

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

FROM the editor

With the holidays nearing, it’s time to stock up on nutrients and equipment to keep you growing indoors throughout the chilly winter. No doubt your local hydro shop will have some great deals in store. Check out what’s new by perusing this issue’s New Product Spotlight section and be sure to let your local shop know you saw it first in Maximum Yield. We have put together a great line up of articles with features on cool toys and tools to excite you hightech growers, a look at nutrient absorption and pH, root pruning advice and small scale hydro methods that everyone can learn from. Our spotlights on Easy Grow

and Woodin Nickel Hydroponics round out our interesting winter edition. As always you get our industry’s latest news, grow tips from our resident expert, the Organic Mechanic Simon Hart and loads of how-to and educational information. We have a lot of great articles and features planned for 2011, so keep reading and keep growing! Have fun growing this holiday season and make sure to email editor@maximumyield.com and tell us what you got from Santa for your grow room. Happy Holidays from everyone here at Maximum Yield!

Jessica Raymond, Editor editor@maximumyield.com

contributors Jack Van Camp has been working

for Homegrown Hydroponics. He has years of hands-on hydroponic gardening experience and will answer all of your questions through the Homegrown Hydroponics website at www.hydroponics.com He loves to share his knowledge with eager gardeners both locally and around the world.

Philip McIntosh is a science and

technology writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany and chemistry and a master’s degree in biological science. During his graduate research he used hydroponic techniques to grow axenic plants. He lives in Colorado Springs, CO. where he teaches mathematics at Challenger Middle School.

Simon Hart is a certified organic gardener and soil manager. He grew up on a 30 acre mixed farm, which inspired a deep-rooted passion for nature and gardening. His university studies focused on forestry, biology and the environment. He’s worked as Greenstar Plant Products jack-of-all-trades for the past seven years and is the author of Maximum Yield’s “Simon Says’ column.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Erik Biksa holds a diploma in

agriculture with majors in fertilizer sciences and crop production. Erik has amassed over 18 years of indoor gardening experience and intensive research. Since first appearing in Maximum Yield in 1999, the “Ask Erik” column and numerous articles have reached growers throughout the world.

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort.

Tech. degree and a PhD in hydroponic greenhouse production from Massey University, New Zealand. Lynette is a partner with SUNTEC International Hydroponic Consultants and has authored five hydroponic technical books. Visit www.suntec.co.nz/ consultants.htm and www.suntec. co.nz/books.htm for more information.

Gabriel Bronsztein is president

and founder of Everest Garden Supply, a wholesale-only distribution company based in Northern California. Involved in the hydroponics industry for over 15 years, Gabriel focuses on market leadership through product innovation and superior customer service. He is a member of the Progressive GardeningTrade Association and The International Carnivorous Plant Society.

Matt LeBannister developed a

green thumb as a child, having been born into a family of experienced gardeners. During his career, he has managed a hydroponic retail store and represented leading companies at the Indoor Gardening Expos. Matt has been writing articles for Maximum Yield since 2007. His articles are published around the world.

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

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I N D O O R

G A R D E N I N G

VOLUME 13 – NUMBER 4 November/December 2010 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.

Get in the Know Are you a subscriber to Maximum Yield’s E-News? You should be, and here’s why: Every month, Maximum Yield mails out our free newsletter full of the latest news, grow tips, upcoming events and more. Subscribe today at http://maximumyield.com/newsletter.php and get in the know.

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 SALES DIRECTOR - Lisa Lambersek EDITOR - Jessica Raymond jessica@maximumyield.com ADVERTISING SALES 250.729.2677 Linda Jesson - linda@maximumyield.com Lisa Lambersek - lisa@maximumyield.com Ilona Hawser - ilona@maximumyield.com Ashley Heppell - ashley@maximumyield.com

Featured Articles

PRODUCTION & DESIGN ads@ads.maximumyield.com

Hydroponic Starts

Raising healthy, young hydroponic starts involves an optimal environment, ideal substrate and proper technique. In part one of this series, we cover materials and techniques for raising hydroponic starts.

The Hydroponics Greenhouse – Design and Construction When building a greenhouse from the ground up, the choice of materials used has both economic and biological implications. Basic design and flooring are the first items to be considered.

Demystifying Nutrient Solutions (2) With a surplus of nutrient brands and formulations available, it’s hard to know what will work best. But you can get a lot from a little by perfecting the nutritional recipe for your best crops.

Featured Products Our industry has some cool new offerings that will help your garden grow. This month on maximumyield.com we spotlight: Hydro-Logic’s Evolution, the latest from Hanna Instruments HI 9813-6N Meter and so much more.

Connect with www.maximumyield.com Maximum Yield www.facebook.com/MaximumYield www.indoorgardeningexpo.com

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

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Mike Linden - Mike@maximumyield.com Wes Cargill - wes@maximumyield.com Daniel Peters - daniel@maximumyield.com Nicole Tennison - nicole@maximumyield.com ACCOUNTING - Lee Anne Veres leeanne@maximumyield.com

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

LETTERS to the editor Food Grows in Concrete Jungle What an awesome world we live in where even crowded urban centres offer a chance to connect with the natural world. I appreciate that you recognized “Wildman” Steve Brill and his foraging adventures. I talked my partner into joining me on one such adventure. Not only did we have a great time, but we learned a heck of a lot and got the real, unveiled view of our city and its food offerings. I frequent YouTube to check out his videos. Another naturalist to check out on YouTube is Andrew Price. His videos follow him on an outdoor food journey—on the beach, in hedges and in the woods—as he discovers nature’s edibles.You should check it out. Adam Garrison

One-Stop Information Station I am from Craven Farms in Snohomish, Washington and have attended your Indoor Gardening Expos in Canada in the past. Our farm benefitted very much from the information we gathered at your show. I hope the San Francisco and Long Beach Expo this year were successful. Unfortunately, it is too far away for me to attend. I was wondering when you will be hosting your next Canadian expo or an event near Washington. Our farm has a pumpkin patch and berry farm and we grow squash, corn, tomatoes and more using organics and hydroponics. We are planning to open a store to educate the local farmers that are left on how to use their land more efficiently and effectively. The Indoor Gardening Expos not only changed my life but also changed the way I run my farm. I took what I learned—which was a ton—and slowly started applying it and now our farm is making money, which is difficult in these trying times. Thank you very much for all you do and thanks for listening. Brian Thelen The 2011 Maximum Yield Indoor Gardening Expo Tour has been announced and we are proud to be hosting in Colorado (spring), San Francisco (summer) and Long Beach (fall), all just a plane ride away from your farm in Washington. Full details and dates are available at www.indoorgardeningexpo.com. Plan to attend one, two or all three of these phenomenal 2011 events!

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Rave Reviews I love Maximum Yield. How do I get back issues of your magazine? I’m going to subscribe by the end of next week, but I would like hard copies of the latest issues so I can read about the latest in aeroponics and tissue culture. They are of interest me. Chris Greene I just wanted to thank you guys for a great magazine. I very much enjoy picking it up at my local shop and reading it from cover to cover. Very good information presented. Thanks again Josh Back issues of Maximum Yield are available online at www.maximumyield.com. From there you can also subscribe and receive your own copies all year.

Only the Beginning I really enjoyed your article about the new breed of high intensity LED lighting in your May/June issue. I have wanted to switch to LED lighting since I first heard about them. Out of all the research that I’ve done, the problem for me is the smaller yields with some LED lights compared to HID lighting. I’m sure you’ve heard that a million times at this point. Since indoor gardeners are experimenting with these new lights, I’m assuming that they’re available to the public. My question to you is where can I find these new lights and how much do they cost? Ron LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are lighting up indoor grow rooms around the globe. LEDs come in all shapes, sizes and prices.The best place to peruse your LED options is at an indoor gardening/hydroponic retail shop.The knowledgeable storeowners in our industry will be able to detail the various types available and outline the pros and cons of each to help you make a purchasing decision. Maximum Yield reserves the right to edit for brevity. We want to hear from you! Write us at: Maximum Yield Publications Inc. 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 or Email us at: editor@maximumyield.com

SIMON says Hello Simon, I grow about 30 tomato plants each year hydroponically and have employed cloning techniques using the plant’s laterals as new plant starters. This ensures that I am growing the best plants all season long by selecting the best specimens. I have to replace plants regularly as the vines become somewhat unmanageable after a while. My question is why don’t commercial tomato growers use cloning techniques? Is it because of the resultant: root structure, plant longevity, premature fruit formation, authenticity of the clone or some other reason that I have not considered here? A clone can be developed between five to 10 days and takes about half the time of a seedling to produce without the cost of the seed, which is very high for hybrid varieties. Thanks Gerald Rim

Great Question Gerard! As you no doubt are aware, tomatoes root easily from cuttings. For the home gardener this can be a great way to use unwanted vegetative growth to stagger production times. Remember to take off this suckering material on indeterminate (vining) tomatoes or the plant will focus on foliage production and not tasty fruit. In commercial greenhouses there are other considerations at work beyond a new batch of plants to grow. First this would increase the production costs for the grower. There would have to be space set aside for the facilities required for this stage in growth and also workers would have to be trained with new skill sets. Most growers will start from plugs or small plants that have been shipped in. It is also difficult to the uniformity of plant material that growers want from young plants when using asexual reproduction. Seedlings are generally much more consistent to work with because foliage and root development is generally quite homogenous throughout the crop.

As you alluded, there is also the issue of breeder’s rights. Unlicensed propagation is a serious issue in horticulture. Working to develop new varieties is a long and expensive process. Once tested and positioned in the market breeders need to recover their costs. The lifespan of a new variety in mainstream production is a limited window of three to five years before being replaced by a new variety. As an organic grower, I would also mention that breeding of new varieties isn’t necessarily geared towards things the home gardeners are looking for. Taste and texture are generally far less important than vigour and shelf life when commercial breeders are developing new varieties for market. Although the newest varieties are never available for home gardeners, remember that heirloom options can sometimes offer better attributes than the latest and greatest hybrids in seed catalogues. Good luck in the garden.

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

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MAX facts

Hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

Sustainable, Environmentally Friendly Potting Medium _____________________ A new type of sustainable and environmentally friendly potting medium made from thinned pine trees has been created by agriculture scientists. WholeTree is made from all parts of a tree, in particular the southern pine tree, and can be used alone or mixed with other materials to make substrate. The trees used to make WholeTree are harvested from tree plantations at the thinning stage, when some trees are removed to achieve a density the site can support. WholeTree could be one of the first available products made from locally grown materials. Field and laboratory studies have demonstrated the successful use of WholeTree, even at 100 per cent for some nursery plants. Scientists are further researching WholeTree’s suitability for use in cutting and seedling propagation of herbaceous perennial and woody ornamental crops. So far, they have conducted tests on plants popular to the ornamental and landscaping industries. (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

Controlled Aquaculture __________________________________________________________________ Fast-growing farm-raised salmon and trout that are sterile can now be produced using a method that blocks reproduction. This method allows researchers to more efficiently and reliably produce fish that have three sets of chromosomes. Fish with the extra set of chromosomes can’t reproduce, so the energy from the food they eat is shifted from reproduction to growth. Bigger fish for consumers and sterile fish for producers and anglers are the goals. Researchers and biologists have investigated the earliest stages of fish development, and developed a more effective way to produce rainbow trout that have four sets of chromosomes. Those trout are then crossed with typical fish that have two chromosome sets, yielding offspring that have the desired three sets of chromosomes. Fish physiologists have improved on that method, and preliminary studies have expanded its application to Atlantic salmon, brook trout and brown trout. They are also in the process of breeding these fish for experiments that will determine whether threechromosome-set fish are good performers in terms of production traits such as growth to market size, stress tolerance and disease resistance. (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

Megawatt Revamps Their Website _______

Megawatt is pleased to invite you to check out our new bilingual website at www.megawatthydro.com. The user-friendly menu on the left makes navigating the product selection— complete with photos and descriptions—simple. Clients can now peruse in-stock items as soon as they become available. Pricing is always up-to-date, the purchasing process has been simplified and an order history is even available. Our dynamic, attractive and user-friendly site will be getting a lot of attention along with the new Megawatt print catalogue, which is now available to download. We will be constantly updating and improving this site in the coming months so please have a look and let us know what you think! Bookmark www.megawatthydro.com today.

GrowFood.org Unites Farmers with Willing Volunteers and Workers ____________________

Are you looking to volunteer or work part or full time on a farm? Do you fancy picking fruit for a weekend or even for a season? Are you curious where your nearest local farm is that sells local, organic produce for the right price? GrowFood.org is the site for you. This website is simple and easy to navigate. Their goal is “to help grow a community of 50 million new small-scale organic farmers.” You can volunteer, or you can look for a job. You can go and help pick fruit for a weekend, or work for a season. You can check out a farm close to where you live or take the opportunity to travel to a farm further afield and get room and board. There is also a section to post exactly what you are looking for, whether you are a farmer or a worker. Currently there are about 2,100 farms listed. (Source: www.treehugger.com, www.growfood.org)

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MAX facts

Hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

Luteolin Stars in Study of Healthful Plant Compounds _____________

GM Salmon Deemed Safe for Human Consumption ______________________________

Natural compounds in plants may protect us against unwanted inflammation. Certain kinds of inflammation can increase risk of cancer and of some other disorders, including heart disease and insulin resistance. On-going studies built upon earlier research suggest luteolin, quercetin, chrysin, eriodicytol, hesperetin and naringenin act as anti-inflammatory agents. All six plant compounds target an enzyme known as “TBK1.” Each compound inhibits, to a greater or lesser extent, TBK1’s ability to activate a specific biochemical signal. If unimpeded, the signal would lead to formation of gene products known to trigger inflammation. Of the six compounds, luteolin was the most effective inhibitor of TBK1. Luteolin is already known to have anti-inflammatory properties. The approaches that the researchers developed to uncover these compounds’ effects can be used by scientists elsewhere to identify additional anti-inflammatory compounds present in fruits and vegetables.

With fish stocks around the world depleted by overfishing and disrupted by climate change, farm-raised salmon stands as a viable alternative. This fall, though, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took a potentially dangerous step, ruling that genetically modified (GM) salmon is safe for human consumption. The agency found that even though the genetically altered salmon carry elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a suspected carcinogen, those levels are so minute that they pose no health risk. Consumer and governmental wariness has so far prevented genetically modified foods from taking over our grocery shelves in Canada. Likewise, consumer organizations are fighting against genetically modified salmon, warning the population about the environmental, toxic and even allergenic hazards posed by “mutant salmon.” The FDA won’t make a final decision until later this year, after a round of public hearings.

(Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

(Source: www.guardian.co.uk)

Nutrient Retention of Safer Salads Explored _____

Low-Maintenance Strawberry May Be Good Crop to Grow in Space ______________________

Irradiating salad leaves after washing reduces harmful and non-harmful micro-organisms. Scientists have looked into the effect of various levels of irradiation on concentrations of four vitamins and four carotenoids in two popular baby-leaf spinach cultivars. For the study, two spinach cultivars were grown, harvested, sanitized and packaged according to industry practices. Each cultivar was packaged in both air or nitrogen gas to extend shelf life. The cultivars then were exposed to up to 2.0 kiloGrays (kGy) of radiation in 0.5 kGy increments. Following irradiation the four nutrients—folate, E, K and neoxanthin—exhibited little or no change in concentration with increasing levels of irradiation. Levels of lutein/zeaxanthin, and B-carotene were reduced on average by 12 per cent at the 2.0 kGy level, which is within the range of natural variation. In addition, irradiation decreased ascorbic acid levels by 42 per cent, mainly due to irradiation converting vitamin C to an oxidized form called dehydroascorbic acid. (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Astronauts could one day tend their own crops on long space missions, and university researchers have found a healthy candidate to help satisfy a sweet tooth—a strawberry that requires little maintenance and energy. Several cultivars of strawberries were tested and one variety, named Seascape, met the requirements for becoming a space crop. The Seascape strawberry meets several guidelines set by NASA. Strawberry plants are relatively small, meeting mass and volume restrictions. Since Seascape provides fewer, but larger, berries under short days, there is less labor required of crew members who would have to pollinate and harvest the plants by hand. Needing less light cuts down energy requirements. Seascape also steadily supplied fruit throughout the test period. The plants kept producing fruit for about six months after starting to flower. Researchers next plan to test Seascape strawberries using LED lighting, hydroponics and different temperature ranges. (Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

MAX facts

Hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

Family of Four Grows Food in a Swimming Pool A family has decided to convert an old, unused backyard swimming pool into a very productive DIY urban greenhouse, which they named Garden Pool. Within a small, mostly enclosed space, they grow all kinds of vegetables and herbs, as well as raise chickens and tilapia fish. They started this project in 2009 and expected to be “self-sufficient” by 2012, but they’ve reached that goal this year, getting eight fresh eggs a day, unlimited tilapia fish, organic fruit, veggies and herbs 365 days a year. The Garden Pool combines the following techniques: solar power, water conservation, poultry farming, aquaculture, hydroponics, organic horticulture, aquaponics and biofiltration. (Source: www.treehugger.com, http://gardenpool.org)

Food Bank Gets Users Growing Their Meals ____

The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto opened in the 1970s as one of the first food banks in Canada to make healthy food accessible to residents in low-income neighbourhoods. Many of these residents suffer from what’s called food insecurity. Despite a growing movement of urban farmers and concerned consumers growing and buying organic food, many Canadians don’t have consistent access to affordable and healthy food. According to Statistics Canada data, a little more than 950,000—or 7.7 per cent—of Canadian households reported experiencing some degree of food insecurity. In order to connect people to their food, workers at The Stop have embraced local farming and community supported agriculture. The centre has an 8,000 square foot community garden and a year-round greenhouse, where a variety of vegetables grow. This sustainable food system places more emphasis on locally grown foods and increases the share farmers receive in the retail market. The Stop food bank model could work in other communities in Canada. (Source: www.canada.com)

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

PRODUCT spotlight

See it. Want it. Find it at your local indoor gardening store.

The Award Winning EarthBox is Hanna Instruments Upgrades Now Available _______________________ Combination Meter ___________________ The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers and has proven effective in lab and farm tests. This maintenance-free, award winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden. It requires less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort in the process. The EarthBox Garden Kit includes an EarthBox, an aeration screen, a fill tube, mulch covers, casters, fertilizer and dolomite soil amendment. Gardeners just supply a peat- or coir-based growing medium, plants and water. Ask for the EarthBox at your local indoor gardening shop.

Hanna Instruments presents the HI 9813-6N meter, upgraded from the HI 9813-6 meter. It is a versatile, water resistant, multi-parameter (pH/ EC/TDS) portable meter specifically designed for agricultural applications such as hydroponics, greenhouses, farming and nurseries. It features a larger LCD screen, tutorial messages for calibration, a new battery level indicator and lowered calibration knobs, which prevents calibration loss. The HI 9813-6N uses our exclusive Cal Check™ feature to check probe calibration status at any point during measurement. Look for the HI 9813-6N meter at your local indoor gardening retail store today.

CubeCap® Introduces Their Long Awaited 4” DripCap® __________________________ The new DripCap® features an innovative hose holder and dripper technology that accommodates a host of propagation hose sizes ranging from four to 7.6 millimetres. The new DripCap allows for an even distribution of water and nutrients to saturate the block and root zone. This results in increased root mass and plant yields and minimizes or eliminates algae, fungus gnats, shore flies and their root eating, crop damaging larva. The DripCap eliminates the need for pesticides, larvacides, bacticides and fungicides. For more information on the DripCap® and CubeCap® visit your favourite indoor gardening shop.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

House & Garden Foliar Spray ______________ House & Garden Foliar Spray is an effective and concentrated product that provides a boost for motherplants and cuttings. It is absorbed directly by the leaves and gives plants back their dark green colour and vitality. Foliar spray is a gentle plant agent and works within two days. Foliar Spray is a 100 per cent biological plant booster that protects the plant against external threats from insects and mould. Foliar spray also enhances the plants natural balance and promotes lush growth. Foliar Spray contains all main and trace elements. Visit your local hydro retailer to learn more.

Black Tray Huggers go Green __________ Humboldt Wholesale is helping indoor gardeners make earth friendly decisions with Tray Huggers, eco-gardening trays made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Tray Huggers are made from post consumer product and manufactured in a facility powered by solar energy. Tray Huggers come in two choices – white (85 per cent post consumer with a thin durable UV coating), and now black (100 per cent post consumer product). Tray Huggers are designed extra tough so you can be confident you’re buying a quality, sustainable alternative. Visit your favourite gardening shop for more information.

Controlling Your Greenhouse Has Never Been Easier The G01-CO2 Carbon Dioxide Controller from Tongdy Control Technology and Intellisenc is designed specifically for greenhouse applications. This unit is accurate and features a self-calibrating 0 to 2,000 ppm range NDIR CO2 sensor. A three colour backlit LCD display indicates CO2, humidity and temperature. The display changes colour based on CO2 level. An audible alarm signals when the CO2 level is greater than 1,500 ppm. A touch button controls audible alarm and on/off output. Output set points are user adjustable. More information is available at your local indoor gardening shop.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

PRODUCT spotlight

See it. Want it. Find it at your local indoor gardening store.

Smarten Up With Smart Garden® SteadyGROWpro Introduces Medius Compost Tea Organic Accelerator and Maximus ________________________ SteadyGROWpro is rolling out by Nutrifield® ________________________ Smart Garden® Compost Tea Organic Accelerator by Nutrifield® (previously Take Off ) speeds up the activation of your compost. This organic plant invigorator decomposes dead roots, and if used as a foliar spray, fixes food directly to the leaves to increase plant health. Compost Tea Organic Accelerator is your dormant micro-organism arsenal that invigorates your plant’s rhizosphere. It also includes predatory micro-organisms to ward off pathogens and has the ability to fix minerals to enhance the uptake of nutrients and water. For more information about this product, please visit your favourite hydroponics retailer.

two larger sized, bio-wrapped blocks designed for growing single plants from seed to maturity. In addition, plants can be started from steadyGROWpro sheet media or plugs and transplanted to Medius (15 centimetre) or Maximus (20 centimetre) blocks. The Medius blocks are available in eight block packs; the Maximus blocks are available in six block packs. Suitable for drip or overhead irrigation, Medius and Maximus can be easily moved during the growing process. Consistent from top to bottom, the blocks are inert, sterile, will minimize algae growth and do not attract insects. For more information visit your favourite indoor gardening store.

LumiGrow LumiBloom LED Grow Bulb ________________________ The LumiBloom bulb gives your plants that all-important red boost. Originally developed for university and industrial plant scientists, LumiBloom delivers 17 watts of pure concentrated 660 nanometer red to target the plant’s primary photosynthetic response. Great for difficult to flower plants like orchids and African Violets. LumiBloom is a great supplement to your existing lighting system. Featuring cool-running LEDs with the highest flux density available, LumiBloom delivers optimal performance, reliability and safety. Each LumiBloom bulb lasts over eight years based on 30,000 hours lamp life. Visit your local indoor gardening shop for more information.

The Bountea Growing System Expands _____________________ In response to demand from growers, Organic Bountea has added Fungal Activator to its range of products in the Bountea Growing System. Fungal Activator stimulates the growth of beneficial fungi in compost tea. Research has show that fungally-dominant compost teas help provide the perfect root environment for woody and fibrous stemmed plants such as tomatoes. Fungal Activator is first added to Alaska Humisoil 48 hours before brewing Bountea Compost Tea. This pre-cultured humisoil is then aerated with additional Fungal Activator to create a compost tea that is extraordinarily rich in fungal activity. Fungal Activator is available now from indoor and outdoor gardening centres.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Smarten Up With Smart Garden® Disease Protector by Nutrifield®__ Smart Garden Disease Protector® (previously Defence System) prevents and cures diseases like black spot, rust and powdery mildew and stimulates the plant to turn on its natural defence system. Disease Protector helps plants produce abundant, healthy roots while increasing their drought tolerance. Once the micro-organisms make contact with roots, they begin to colonize the surface area. They then flood the plant’s rhizosphere with beneficial bacteria. These microorganisms can devour an enormous amount of fungi, including pathogens—Rhizoctonia, Scerotinia, Fusarium and Verticillium, and the Straminopiles Pythium and Phytophthora. For more information about this product, please visit your favourite indoor gardening shop.

Hydroponix Nutrients for all Stages of Growth ________________ Hydroponix Nutrients are well suited for plants during all their growth stages: vegetative, flowering and fruiting. Basic Grow has the proper blend of NPK and trace elements necessary for rapid growth during the vegetative stage. Basic Bloom provides the perfect blend of NPK and trace elements—iron, manganese and zinc—during the fruiting and flowering stages for larger yields and healthier flowers and fruit. Basic Micro Nutrients provide all the secondary nutrients necessary for growth from the early stages of growth through to fruiting and flowering. Visit your local indoor gardening shop for more information.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

PRODUCT spotlight

See it. Want it. Find it at your local indoor gardening store.

Introducing LumiGrow ECC™ LED Light Bulbs for Environmental Control Chambers and Greenhouses _________________________ The LumiGrow ECC™ series from LumiGrow, Inc. offers a direct replacement for the incandescent bulbs used in environmental control chambers (ECCs) and greenhouses. The LumiGrow ECC-R™ and ECC-FR™ LED light bulbs provide plants with red and far red respectively, and use 75 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs. They operate at just 17 watts, producing an annual savings of over 500 kilowatt-hours compared to 100 watt bulbs. LumiGrow ECC bulbs last 10 to 20 times longer than standard bulbs. For more information, visit your nearest indoor gardening retailer.

Breakthrough Rooting Technology _______________________ MX Clone Gel provides all the necessary ingredients to generate roots from the stem or leaf cuttings of your choice. This unique gel seals the cutting and has antibacterial and antifungal ingredients to prevent bacteria and fungus from entering the cutting, giving you a stronger, healthier clone. MX Clone Gel is ultra strong with fast results that will save you time and money. The unique formulation will work for both softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings. MX Clone Gel will promote rapid and healthy root growth for all types of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Visit an indoor gardening shop near you for more information.

LumiGrow ES-165 LED Grow Light ______ Smarten Up With Smart Garden® Plant The LumiGrow ES-165 LED grow light provides professionalStarter by Nutrifield® _________________ grade LED technology for small indoor spaces. The LumiGrow ES-165 packs in all the features of the LumiGrow ES-330, from full PAR spectrum light to the industry’s most powerful LEDs, in a small-profile, budget-friendly package. LumiGrow’s proprietary colour blend is engineered to promote healthy plants through all growth phases. Cost-efficient, reliable and safe, the 165 watt ES-165 runs cool to the touch and is backed by LumiGrow’s no-hassle warranty. The LumiGrow ES-165 fulfills the promise of LED lighting technology in a no-fuss solution. Visit your local indoor gardening retailer for more information.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Smart Garden Plant Starter® (previously X10 Boost) provides the essential nutrition for young plants during the cutting stage. It causes rapid root production to help seedlings and cuttings develop. Plant Starter stimulates the extension of a plant’s root system, ensuring reproductive success and increasing drought resistance. Plant Starter also provides protection from parasitic fungi and nematode infection by effectively increasing the amount of beneficial bacteria in your medium, therefore, restoring the bio-balance to your plant’s health. For more information about this product, please visit your local indoor MY gardening store.

Grow One of the most widely acclaimed advantages of having a hydroponic garden is that it produces a greater volume of crops at harvest time. Hydroponically-based cultivation systems can operate all year long, give gardeners an opportunity to start plants way ahead of the outdoor growing season and pack more plants into less space. Another land-saving, space-creating, energy-conserving, hydroponic breakthrough is the vertical garden. Growing upwards instead of outwards gets the most use out of your lights and saves on your hydro bill.Vertical cultivation techniques will double the crop yield that normally requires 2,600 watt lights. This technique is more energy efficient than any other type of light or indoor hydroponic system. Vertical growing also opens up the variety of crops that can be grown hydroponically. Cucumbers, squash and melons, which traditionally require a vast horizontal space to produce fruit, have been successfully coaxed to fruition using a cage, climber or home-made support. One of the tricks is to make sure the blossoms have the protective umbrella made up of the

Up! by Charlene Rennick

big leaves that will shade the growing fruit. This can be done by supporting the maturing fruit from the bottom and the main vine and offshoots from the top. Cucumber, pumpkins, squash and melons are members of the vine family, which gives them the predisposition to become climbers if it weren’t for the weight of the fruit. With braces and cages to counter the weight, these large and tasty treats can be a welcome addition to your indoor harvest without taking up space. Rockwool slabs are a good option for supporting a vertical hydroponic system. The roots will need this kind of anchor to balance the weight of the yield against gravity. Clay, pebbles and other heavier, porous growing mediums also provide an alternative to rockwool as a good base. All of these options for a growing media suitable for vertical systems still require a reservoir, pumps to move the water MY around and irrigation fittings. Good luck growing up!

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Cool Toys and Tools

for High-Tech Growers

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

Humans love gadgets. The widespread use of iPods, iPhones and Blackberries are testament to this so why should high-tech horticulture be any different? There is a wide range of exciting and useful tools, meters and instruments designed for horticultural applications that not only provide valuable, educational information but are also fun. While it may seem that high-tech grower gadgets are out of the budget range for many of us and only used for advanced research projects in university labs, in reality there are some toys and tools that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break the bank. Most of us know how to handle an EC or TDS meter and have a basic awareness of the range of methods used to measure pH on a small scale, but there are many more plant and environmental parameters that could be tested, quantified and adjusted to give even better plant performance. Tools exist to test and measure just about every plant variable from CO2, dissolved oxygen in the nutrient, surface temperature, sugar levels in plant material, individual elements in the nutrient solution, chlorophyll content of the foliage, PAR light, media moisture levels, peroxide levels, vapour pressure deficit, even entire plant photosynthesis, among others. There are also nutrient calculators and nutrient formulation software on the market for those who are into nutrient fine-tuning.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

IPM Scope – Digital IPM camera and hand held microscope This is a really great toy for checking the fine details of what’s happening at the plant level. Much of what goes on at the leaf surface is smaller than we can easily see and a whole other ‘micro-world’ exists that is truly fascinating to view close up. This type of digital microscope is particularly useful for growers who have problems seeing the early signs of pests and disease on leaf surfaces and for classroom hydroponics and science fair projects. Microscopes are commonly used for magnifying small insects, plant diseases and other plant disorders, however, this version goes one step further combining a digital movie camera, built in LED lighting and precision options in a small hand-held microscope. This gives 40 to140 times magnification so the fine details can be easily seen on a computer screen then captured as images or movies.

photo by Spectrum Technologies

“Microscopes are commonly used for magnifying small insects, plant diseases and other plant disorders.”

The IPM Scope – a hand held microscope and camera that links to a computer for full screen images.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Cool Toys and Tools for High-Tech Growers

Pocket digital refractometer or brix meter

“Brix is a reliable measure of fruit quality and flavour (sweetness) in many common hydroponic crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, capsicum and melons.” refractometer has an accuracy of 0.2 per cent and measures in increments of 0.1 per cent. For smaller growers brix meters are a highly useful tool where improvements in the growing system, cultivar or nutrition are being carried out to raise the quality of the crops being grown. Brix or

The electronic brix meter may be more expensive than the old manual types but the accuracy and speed of readings make it worthwhile.

Brix meters for measuring sugar levels in hydroponic fruits and vegetables are an essential tool for many growers.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

sugar levels in many fruits and vegetables are also highly dependant on a number of factors such as light levels, EC, nutrition, cultivar, temperature and plant health. Being able to measure brix from one crop to the next can give definitive evidence that plant quality is improving. It’s also interesting to measure the brix of different samples of tomatoes and other fruit and then see if taste tests can actually pick up on the same differences in sweetness.

photo: Spectrum Technologies

Refractometers, also known as brix or total soluble solids meters, have been used in horticulture for many decades. Hand held brix meters are most commonly used in the wine industry to determine when sugar levels in grapes are high enough to harvest. However, many other industries use refractometers to gauge crop maturity and food quality. Brix meters can be one of the most useful tools for fruit and vegetable assessment if used correctly. Refractometers range in cost, the most inexpensive being the older manual styles to the most expensive digital hand held refractometers that fit in your pocket and give a reading in seconds. Brix is a reliable measure of fruit quality and flavour (sweetness) in many common hydroponic crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, capsicum and melons. Commercial growers, in particular, should know how to use a refractometer. They should also know how the values of brix relates to fruit quality and flavour in their crops. The problem with the old manual brix meters has always been the scale, which needs to be read by eye; it can be difficult to get a high degree of accuracy between samples that are relatively close in brix levels. The digital

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Cool Toys and Tools for High-Tech Growers

Chlorophyll meters Chlorophyll meters are not necessarily standard hydroponic gadgets, but they can be fun, in some cases providing very valuable information. Chlorophyll meters give an indication of plant health and stress before growth becomes adversely affected. Thus they are potentially a useful tool for hydroponic growers who would like to know if their plants are starting to suffer some stress long before potentially fatal symptoms—such as wilting— become more visible. There are a number of models of chlorophyll meters on the market, from simple versions to the high-tech, integrated data-logging models. Chlorophyll content is instantly measured by clamping a sensor over a leaf and receiving an indexed chlorophyll content reading. Good quality, high-tech chlorophyll meters are not only a useful crop diagnostic tool, but also a great learning tool for classroom experiments and student projects.

“Chlorophyll meters give an indication of plant health and stress before growth becomes adversely affected.”

Chlorophyll content of a crop’s foliage is a gauge of health and can be used as a disease diagnostic tool.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Infrared thermometer Infrared thermometers are perhaps the simplest and often least expensive tools a small hydroponic grower can purchase.They provide particularly valuable data and can even determine when a plant has become stressed to the point where it has stopped transpiring. Infrared thermometers are also the easiest and straightforward of all the tools to use and they have extra uses around the home as well. Infrared thermometers are in widespread use in the food industry.They are used to nondestructively gauge food temperatures to ensure proper storage.These gadgets operate by shining an infrared beam of light onto the surface of an object, or in the case of nutrient solutions, a liquid. The temperature of the surface of that object is then recorded and displayed in either Fahrenheit or Celsius on the meterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital display.

An infrared thermometer can be used to determine if leaves are actively transpiring or have shut their stomata.

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Cool Toys and Tools for High-Tech Growers

In hydroponics, this surface temperature reading is important case a moisture for foliage.The leaf or canopy temperature in a healthy plant meter is a great usually differs from the air temperature and so should be tool as it lets the checked, particularly under warm or high light conditions. grower determine Plants’ leaves transpire, cooling themselves in the process. how saturated the substrate A healthy, actively photosynthesizing crop will have a leaf surrounding the roots is and temperature that is close to or slightly lower than that of the gives a guide on how often surrounding air. A crop that has become stressed and shuts to water. A highly saturated down with closed stomata will have a leaf temperature above substrate doesn’t hold as much air that of the air temperature and eventually it will begin to wilt. inside its pore structure as water fills all Under these conditions the available pores and the leaf is also not displaces the essential photosynthesizing.The “The leaf or canopy temperature in a healthy oxygen supply to the objective of measuring plant usually differs from the air temperature roots. On the other hand a substrate holding very the leaf temperature with and so should be checked, particularly under little moisture means the a non-destructive infrared warm or high light conditions.” plant struggles to take up thermometer is to assess sufficient water and wilting plant stress and prevent can rapidly result. Having a plants from shutting down good quality moisture meter, one designed specifically during the day due to heat, humidity or other disorders. for use with soilless media, is a great tool for those Infrared readings can also be taken of the nutrient solution at any point in a hydroponic system and are also great for struggling with irrigation programs and continual over checking solution temperatures in NFT channels, deep flow or underwatering. Specific moisture meters are available systems, aeroponics, raft systems or nutrient reservoirs. for use with rockwool slabs, although the cost of this usually means it is only used by large scale commercial growers with computer integrated irrigation systems. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) meters Dissolved oxygen meters are useful for any one with and moisture meters a nutrient reservoir. They can be used to gauge the Dissolved oxygen meters are perhaps more useful dissolved oxygen level of the solution irrigated out to for those using solution culture systems such as NFT or plants, or the DO level in the leachate of recirculating deep flow systems where the plants are somewhat reliant systems. Measuring the dissolved oxygen level is on the oxygen dissolved in the nutrient solution. Media extremely valuable for anyone using microbial or based systems are a little different as plants largely obtain organic additives in their nutrient solution as both these oxygen from air filled pores in the growing media; in this can lead to oxygen depletion if not used correctly at the right dose. Continuous verification of oxygen levels in the nutrient is advised for growers who regularly incorporate these sorts of products. Dissolved oxygen in solution is naturally only present at low levels. Oxygen is not very soluble in water, and Dissolved oxygen meters come in hand held models, which can be used to directly measure the DO of a solution.

Dissolved oxygen meters are useful for assessing the efficiency of various nutrient aeration methods.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

the DO level is dependant on temperature. While a cooler solution may hold as much as 12 to 13 ppm of DO, a warm solution may hold as little as six to seven ppm. This combined with the fact that under warm growing conditions with rapid development, a large plant root system has a rather high oxygen requirement for respiration, we can see how important replacing DO in the nutrient and growing media can be. As with EC, ppm and pH meters, dissolved oxygen meters have come a long way since the early days of large, lab-based machines. Now oxygen can be measured on-site, which is important since the DO

levels can be influenced by taking samples and transporting these for measurement elsewhere. Hand held, easy to use and highly accurate dissolved oxygen meters not only measure DO but also percentage saturation at the current temperature of the solution, which is a useful tool for growers trying different methods of getting more oxygen into the solution. Of course the list of tools, meters and gadgets designed for horticultural use is far more extensive than is covered here and there are some highly advanced systems for measurement of plant photosynthesis, individual nutrient elements and biomass production. However, in terms of small useful gadgets that can tell us something about our plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state of health, environment and productivity and allow decisions to be made that benefit growth, the five mentioned above are worth the investment. MY

Sources: Hanna Instruments (www.hannainst.com/usa) Spectrum Technologies Inc. (www.specmeters.com) Decagon Devices (www.decagon.com)

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

NUTRIENT ABSORPTION & the ph Influence by Charlotte Bradley

WHY WORRY ABOUT PH LEVELS?

In order to ensure the success of your hydroponics project, it is essential to maintain the pH and nutrient concentrations. Unlike soil based gardening where nutrients are supplied in varying concentrations depending upon the soil type, fertilizer, etc, in hydroponics, the nutrients are supplied in a much more controlled way by the gardener. When the pH level of the nutrient solution is correct, your plants will be able to absorb the optimal proportion of nutrients.You will avoid over fertilization, giving your plants the opportunity to flourish and produce maximum yields. Generally, the pH level should be between 5.8 and 6.3.

Tip: For ease and accuracy, use a digital pH meter.

MACRONUTRIENTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS The concentrations of macronutrients and micronutrients can be controlled by careful dilution of the nutrient mix. This mix is typically measured using an EC (Electrical Conductivity) meter. Choose a nutrient mix that contains all the essential minerals. The essential minerals are: 1. Nitrogen 2. Phosphorus 3. Calcium 4. Sulfur 5. Potassium 6. Magnesium 7. Manganese

8. Iron 9. Copper 10. Boron 11. Zinc 12. Chlorine 13. Molybdenum

Tip: Nutrient mixtures typically come formulated for either the growth phase or the bloom phase; make sure you use the right one.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

Novel

Small Scale Hydroponics Methods by Philip McIntosh There are many resources available to growers for learning about and keeping up with new developments in hydroponics. Books, magazines, websites and social networking sites are all places where people find out about new techniques and equipment and learn how to get started and solve problems. Most hydroponic growers installing a growing system choose to implement a version of a well known technology by either building a system according to established principles or by purchasing outright a complete turnkey operation from a commercial supplier. For several reasons, researchers at universities often take a different approach.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

Budgetary constraints are a limiting factor. Grant money is a precious commodity so project leaders are usually careful with their spending. Purchasing an expensive commercial system to support a research program is seldom a first choice. Space is another concern, with most laboratories being crowded full of equipment, instruments and limited bench space. Plants grown for research purposes often must be axenic, meaning they have to be free of contamination with other organisms such as bacteria and fungi. Commercial and hobby systems are not designed to meet this requirement. Scientists and graduate students tend to be a resourceful bunch though, and can often come up with creative and ingenious ways of doing things using scavenged or repurposed equipment, or by using materials that are available for relatively low cost. Workers who use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have developed many techniques for growing this diminutive and seemingly unremarkable species. Hydroponics is the method of choice in some Arabidopsis labs, and many of the methods can be easily duplicated for little cost. Such methods are suitable for growing other small herbs, for trying out ideas on a small scale before making a major investment or when space is limited. A few of the more interesting methods developed in labs are outlined below. Consult the references for more detailed information. Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

Novel Small-Scale Hydroponics Methods

A Little Background on Arabidopsis So, what is this plant Arabidopsis thaliana and why do so many scientists grow it? Arabidopsis thaliana (mouseear cress or thale cress) is a widely

distributed weed in the family Brassicaceae (the mustards) that is of no commercial value. It does, however, have characteristics that make it an ideal organism for genetic and molecular studies. These characteristics include:

• A short lifecycle, which proceeds from germination to seed in about six weeks • Small genome consisting of about 157 million base pairs on five chromosomes (compare this to the size of the three billion base pair human genome) • The complete Arabidopsis genome has been sequenced and studied in great detail • The plant is small, takes up little space and is easy to grow • It produces many seeds • A wide variety of wellcharacterized mutants exist • There is a strong suite of molecular biology techniques available for Arabidopsis • Young plants are translucent, making them ideal for study using light microscopy Although the plant is easily cultured in soil, vermiculite, perlite, on agar and in many other ways, hydroponics is often used because of the precise control and cleanliness of the method or when there is a need to produce clean, undamaged roots for study.

Methods from Arabidopsis Labs Grid Support Method. Some Arabidopsis methods employ a metal grid as a seed support. The grid suspends the seeds above the nutrient medium during germination and the roots grow down through the grid into a semi-solid or aqueous nutrient medium. After the plants are about a week old, the entire support grid is transferred to a flask for further plant growth. The number of seeds on a grid can be varied to provide an optimum density, and the grids can easily be transferred to some other vessels besides flasks to continue their lifecycle. Grid support methods are particularly useful for cleanly separating the root portion of plants from the shoots. It

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

would be useful for small herbs when only the shoots are to be harvested, but would not be appropriate for the harvesting of whole plants with roots intact. Centrifuge Tube Method. Most university labs engaged in molecular biology research maintain a stock of plastic centrifuge tubes. Enterprising researchers have adapted these small tubes to construct simple yet efficient hydroponics systems. In one such system, the conical-shaped bottoms of 40 gram centrifuge tubes are cut from full tubes and stuffed with rockwool. These tubes are then simply placed in holes cut into the top of a plastic tub, with the taper of the cut tube preventing the tubes from sliding all the way through. Seeds can then be sown directly on the top of the wetted rockwool. The only other equipment required is a bubbler (powered by an aquarium pump) placed in the reservoir tub to aerate the nutrient solution. The tubes, raised above the top of the tank lid, are easily handled and can be easily wrapped with foil or some other opaque material to prevent algal growth once the plants have achieved sufficient size.

researchers have observed better root development without constant aeration in the reservoir and run an air bubbler in the solution for five minutes every half hour. Plastic Box and Sponge Method. In a method that is a bit more intricate than the ones previously described, workers at Harvard University have adapted small opaque plastic boxes as reservoirs. One centimetre holes are cut into the box lids, and 1/2 centimetre wide strips cut from an ordinary kitchen sponge are used as plant supports. For some reason, these researchers choose to germinate the seeds in soil and transfer the seedling to the hydroponic units when they are

Tub and PVC Test Plug Method. A method devised by researchers employs polyethylene tubs as nutrient solution reservoirs, covered with 1/4 centimetre thick acrylic plastic. Thirty five holes are cut in the acrylic tops to hold removable four centimetres PVC test plugs (also called test caps). A 1.3 centimetre hole is drilled in each plug to hold a three centimetre long cylinder of rockwool. The acrylic tops and the plugs must be painted with vinyl or epoxy paint to make them completely opaque. The rockwool cylinders are placed in the plugs so that when installed in the tops, they contact the nutrient solution with 2/3 of the cylinder above the fluid level. Seeds are placed on top of the rockwool either before or after wetting. The

“Enterprising researchers have adapted [centrifuge] tubes to construct simple yet efficient hydroponics systems.”

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Novel Small-Scale Hydroponics Methods

“The methods described here use parts readily found in a lab or that can be easily purchased from local stores.” be made to work. The authors claim no aeration is required and suggest not adding more nutrient solution as the level in the container recedes. A trellis is recommended to support the cucumber vine, so it would be practical to place the system near a wall. Unfortunately, the trashcan method is patented! According to the original source: This hydroponic method is protected by U.S. Patents 5,385,589 and 5,533,299. This method may be used freely in Hawaii for hobby and educational purposes. In addition, commercial farmers are free to grow crops with this technology in Hawaii. However, permission must be granted from the author for the commercial manufacturing and sale of hydroponic systems utilizing this technology and for selling or licensing this technology within the state of Hawaii, plus these and any commercial uses beyond the state of Hawaii. So, if you are in Hawaii, give it a go. Everyone else—ask permission! two to three weeks old. After removing plants from the soil with forceps and washing them with water, a sponge strip is wrapped around each stem at the base of the shoot. The sponge is inserted into a hole in the box lid where it keeps the plant in place with roots suspended in a nutrient solution. Continuous aeration is provided through an air stone connected to a small aquarium pump. The boxes are then placed in suitable growing conditions to complete plant development. Cucumbers in Trash Cans Although not developed in an Arabidopsis lab, the trash can method of growing a single cucumber plant certainly qualifies as novel so it is included here. It doesn’t get much simpler than this. According to the authors at the University of Hawaii Extension Service, the only materials required are a plastic trash container (136 to 159 litres) with lid; hydroponic fertilizer; forestry tube (3.8 centimetres in diameter by 20 centimetres long); growing medium to fill the forestry tube (may contain at least two of the following: peat, perlite, vermiculite, coir); electric drill with ¼ inch bit; 3.8 centimetre hole saw; and cucumber seeds. A “forestry tube” is a small cone-shaped vessel used to supply tree seedlings for planting and if one is not available, some other kind of plastic tube can

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

The methods described here use parts readily found in a lab or that can be easily purchased from local stores. Hopefully, they will provide inspiration for other ingenious small systems built using on-hand or readily available materials without having to resort to specialized equipment. MY

References • Anonymous; Arabidopsis thaliana page. <http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ nursery-weeds/weedspeciespage/ arabidopsis/Arabidopsis_thaliana_ page.html> (Accessed July 14, 2010) • Anonymous; Arabidopsis thaliana, Use as a model organism <http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabidopsis_ thaliana#Use_as_a_model_organism> (Accessed July 14, 2010) • Gibeaut, David M., Hulett, John, Cramer, Grant R., and Seeman, Jeffrey R.; Cramer, Maximal biomass of Arabidopsis thaliana using a simple, low maintenance hydroponic method and favorable environmental conditions <http://www.ag.unr.edu/ cramer/hydroponic.html> (Accessed July 12, 2010) • Hétu, Marie-F., Tremblay, Linda J., and Lefebvre. Daniel D.; High root

biomass production in anchored Arabidopsis plants grown in axenic sucrose supplemented liquid culture; BioTechniques 39:345-349 (September 2005) • Huttner, D, and Bar-Zvi, D.; An improved, simple, hydroponic method for growing Arabidopsis thaliana; Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 21: 59–63, March 2003 • Kratky, B.A.; Growing hydroponic cucumbers in a plastic trash container; Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Jan. 2003, HG-44 • Zwieniecka, A., Gorska, A., and Lazor, J.; A method for hydroponic culture of Arabidopsis thaliana; <http:// zatoichi.huh.harvard.edu/~zwieniecki/ methods/Hydroponics/hydroponics. html> (accessed July 15, 2010)

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Root Pruning by Gaby Bronzstein

Plant roots are out of sight and for many indoor growers this means they are also out of mind. This is quite unfortunate as optimal root health is critical if plants are to achieve their genetic potential. Dr. Whitcomb Ph.D. is an expert on plant root systems. He is the author of four books, including “Know It and Grow It” and “Plant Production in Containers.” He has been researching the benefits and methods of root pruning for over 40 years. One of his main goals was to research ways to prevent root wrapping. Root wrapping in container-grown plants causes a decrease in productivity. In some cases wrapped roots can actually kill plants. For this reason it is necessary to cut the circling roots before transplanting. If you don’t cut the roots, they will continue to wrap even after transplanting into a larger container. When roots are properly pruned, the root system branches and becomes fibrous. This is similar to what occurs when you prune some plants from the top. The secondary roots can also be pruned. When this process is repeated frequently an extremely fibrous root system forms. The fibrous root systems created are much more productive due to the

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

1 10

increased number of root tips. Studies show the increased surface area of root tips equals an increase in nutrient and water uptake. Dr. Whitcomb notes, “Fibrous roots create faster growing plants that have less transplant shock and greater yields.”

The following are the most common methods of root pruning: Clippers If done properly, root pruning with clippers can be effective. However, it is not practical for obvious reasons, primarily the shock to the plant, which results in delayed growth. Cutting roots leaves an open wound that can serve as a pathway for pathogens. Chemicals Sprayed copper containers have been used successfully to prune roots. When the root tips reach the copper-lined pots the roots are forced to branch as the copper can burn the root tip. While this method is quite effective at pruning roots and preventing circling, copper toxicity can be a problem. Root constriction This method of root pruning uses material that allows the root tip to grow through the material yet it constricts the plant from

growing larger. Branching occurs as a result of the constriction. This system of root pruning has been used for years in tree farms. The benefit of using this system is that not only do you create a fibrous root system in the container but the roots grow into the ground making it easier to feed and water the plants while not having them blow over. Plants are moved by simply lifting the container from the ground, stripping away any roots growing through the container and then removing the inground container. This creates minimal stress as most of the roots are still in the container and those removed are small. Air root pruning Air pruning of roots is accomplished with the use of containers that direct the root towards air where the root tip is dehydrated, facilitating branching. Next, the roots are directed to an opening where they are pruned. The first attempts at air pruning containers involved putting holes or slices into normal containers. While increased growth rates were seen, roots were still wrapping and no root pruning was evident. Increased growth was attributed to more O2 in the root zone. What was learned from this was that the roots needed to be directed to the air holes. The first effective air pruning containers where bottomless milk cartons on a wire bench. The first trials were conducted with seedlings. The tap root grew down to the bottom of the container, through the wire bench and was exposed to air. The newest versions of air pruning containers offer unparalleled performance and create extremely fibrous roots. One option is shaped in such a way that when the roots hit the side wall they get directed downward into an air hole. This is where the air pruning takes place. This process is repeated again and again with the branching roots creating extremely fibrous root systems. Other air pruning containers have many more holes all around the container at the end of downward facing protrusions. This design allows the roots to find the air holes immediately when reaching toward the container wall. The downward protrusions direct the roots so that when they reached the air hole it is virtually impossible for the tip to escape being pruned. The angled protrusions on the containers also provide shade for the entire container keeping them much cooler than standard containers. These containers may dry out a little faster indoors, but they actually conserve water.

of fabric! Some root trapping bags are lined in white on the outside of the bag making it more durable and reflecting heat in the form of solar energy. These containers can also be used with media like hydroton or perlite. This is because generally these systems get irrigated too often to allow hydration of the root tip in order to prune the roots. Root tip-trapping is also shown to be extremely effective when placed under propagation media. Numerous experiments with a number of media and containers have shown that simply placing the root trapping material under rockwool or even a standard cell pack, for instance, will prune the roots that hit it forcing massive side branching of roots. Proper root pruning is an extremely valuable tool for growers that grow at home. It has taken over 40 years to fully understand the best way to care for roots and today the MY options are virtually limitless.

This plant is experiencing severe circling roots, a condition which can cause serious damage and even death.

“Fibrous roots create faster growing plants that have less transplant shock and greater yields.” — Dr. Whitcomb Root tip-trapping In situations where water conservation is critical, root trapping bags are a great option for root pruning. Root trapping bags work by trapping the root in the fabric and forcing it to branch. Over 100 root tips can be pruned in just six square centimetres

Above: Three days after germination this cucumber is showing healthy white roots. Right: A modern air pruning container keeps this Japanese Maple cool and thriving.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Aloe Vera 46

Growing and Usage by Therese Cressman Some say that Aloe Vera, the fascinating and mystical succulent, contains healing and soothing properties. The following tips will help you navigate the world of buying, growing and caring for this mineral-rich medicinal.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

Buying tips Aloe Vera usually grows slowly indoors so if this is the route you choose, purchase a large, more mature plant if possible. If a young plant is your only option, you can still use it for first aid treatments but know it will take a few years to grow large.Young aloe plants are potent enough to use for first aid treatments, but a more mature plant is more potent; strength does increase with age.

Growing tips Aloe Vera can be planted indoors or outdoors, but will turn brown in harsh sunlight so plant in indirect light. It will freeze, so make sure to protect it during frost dangers. Aloe Vera is not suitable for wintering over in cold weather zones. It will grow faster outside than inside, but definitely makes a good indoor plant. Use well-drained sandy potting soil; a good quality commercial potting mix with extra perlite, granite grit or coarse sand is recommended. Cacti and succulent mixes may also be used.

Symptoms of poor plant care

Aloe Vera is a succulent and so should not be overwatered. Allow the soil to become fairly dry before watering. During winter months it can be lightly watered. If planting in a pot, make sure there are drainage holes.

Leaves lie flat instead of upright: usually because of insufficient light Leaves are thin and curled: plant is not being watered enough; it’s using up its own liquid Leaves are brown: too much direct sunlight Very slow growth: high alkaline soil or water; too damp for too long; not enough light; too much fertilizer

Repotting

Removing leaves

A plant that is root bound will be top heavy and send out more new shoots or pups. In this case, it’s time to repot. Remove new shoots when they are eight to 10 centimetres high and replant them in their own pots. If you don’t, they will suck life from the mother plant. Signs of this happening: the mother plant will turn bright green and spread its leaves horizontally rather than vertically. Water the pups well when repotting then don’t water again for about three weeks, forcing the new roots to get strong and seek water. They may turn grey or brown initially; this is normal.These make great gifts so give freely!

Harvest leaves as you need; the plant wound seals and heals quickly. The leaf will not grow back so choose those closest to the ground as they are the most mature and most potent.

Watering

How to cut a leaf Remove the leaf from the plant with a sharp knife. Trim the thorny edges from the severed leaf then slice across its width. The inner transparent, gooey gel is ready to be applied directly to the afflicted area. Use generously; it will be absorbed by the skin within several minutes. After the gel from the first layer of ruptured cells has run dry, scratch the surface with a clean knife to rupture more cells, releasing more juice. This can be continued until there is nothing but green skin left. Partially used aloe Vera leaves will last for days if wrapped in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerated.

Consuming the plant The colourless pulp is tasteless, but before consuming, rinse off the bitter yellow sap. Peel the green skin from the pulp, then rinse off the sap with cool water. MY

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Agricultural Apocalypse

A Cuban Story by Simon Hart

As an organic gardener, I sometimes wonder why more people don’t embrace the natural cycling of nutrients that has built the world around us for the last four billion years. Most of us are more willing to embrace agricultural technology that has less than a 100 year track record instead of a time tested flow of energy through the system. Recently I read articles suggesting that organics are ineffective and can actually be dangerous. Does this type of commentary perhaps reflect ignorance or commercial bias? Four billion years versus 100 years— remember that.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

I admit that a massive switch to organics would cause a It all began before the revolution, when Cuba was essentially shockwave through the system and would probably have some a huge plantation with 50 per cent of the land owned by one unpleasant consequences. Without question, worldwide yields per cent of the people. This changed in 1959 when Fidel Castro would drop substantially, if only temporarily. It is also plausible and his revolutionaries changed the political landscape of Cuba that there would not be enough organic material to supply the forever. The shift to communist style governance was supported agricultural industrial complex in its current form. Still, to say by the U.S.S.R, and they bought Cuban commodity crops these are reasons to avoid a shift is to gloss over the underlying in exchange for food imports, chemical fertilizers and fossil issues of environmental pollution and soil degradation. fuels. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989-90, this Environmental degradation is always viewed as an externality changed dramatically. Between the collapse of their only real to efficiency, yet we rely on trading partner and the the environment heavily US embargo Cubans fell “Although technology is ever to produce food—how is into what was called the increasing, yields are generally not “Special Period.” Access that external? Although technology is ever increasing, to 1.3 million tons of going up because the fertility of yields are generally not going chemical fertilizers a year our soil has diminished with the use was gone; all the fuel for up because the fertility of our soil has diminished with machinery and transport of chemicals and depletion of the use of chemicals and disappeared; pesticides organic matter.” depletion of organic matter. vanished into thin air; and Despite corporate protest the daily caloric intake and the lack of politically mandated change people are for the average Cuban went from 2,600 to 1,250.You could beginning to consider how sustainable our current system really substitute the words “disastrous period” for Special Period, but is. The population is becoming more aware of the precarious necessity is the mother of all invention. nature of our food system. Many people are now dealing with The stubborn leadership took a hard look at agricultural the uncomfortable question of where our food is coming practices and realized there was no choice but to be more from. However, as a society, we continue down the path of self-sufficient and sustainable. Only survival of the population industrializing our food supply. could cause such a dramatic shift as was proposed. Although What if a food bubble took the place of the housing bubble large scale farming continues to a certain extent, the leadership and the economic meltdown we have just experienced? Would realized that with 70 per cent of their population living in this catastrophic situation cause a readjustment of the way we cities, and without fuel for transport, they needed to bring the feed ourselves? We will never know until it happens. But wait; it food to the people. This meant less industrialized and more has already happened, in Cuba. local production of food. This local emphasis has resulted in a

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Agricultural Apocalypse

Much of the composting is done by worms in larger scale vermicomposting (93,000 tons in 2006) a fantastic way of recycling nutrients and increasing soil biology. Pest management is also a big part of the knowledge-base on these farms. Specialists grow predator insects on site in some cases and if not there are over 200 government run plant clinics which offer diagnosis of problems and biopesticide remedies. In Cuba, there is good income and great pride for those who

Following the “Special Period”, the leadership realized that with 70 per cent of their population living in cities, and without fuel for transport, they needed to bring the food to the people.

massive reduction of food miles and greenhouse gas emissions, so their experience benefits us all. The Organoponicos, which were the brainchild of this new direction, would turn out to be the world’s largest example, and experiment, in localized urban organic food production. This system uses disturbed and agriculturally useless lands within city limits. The land is modified by using raised beds of composts and manures, sometimes in concrete channels, creating incredibly rich soil over a barren area. Ideas like integrated pest management, composting, crop rotation and green manures all contribute to soil conservation and improvement. This is in stark comparison to the shrinking fertility in conventional systems. Use of techniques including drip irrigation, deterrent plants, beneficial insects and microbes all enhance the soil management practices. Crop diversity is also a major component. Diversity is not set up for the industrial agricultural complex with machinery but it works very well when you actually have people rather than machines working the land. A broader, healthier range of foods and lower susceptibility to pest problems is the result. Approximately 60 per cent of Cuba’s vegetables are now produced in urban gardens. In Havana this is pegged at 90 per cent. This is a good news story, but it also showcases the fact that Cuba still imports some food to balance out its domestic production. There are over one million registered urban gardens now and over 7,000 large scale organoponicos. Built on sustainable techniques, such as composting, the Cuban experience has learned a lot of lessons that can help us all with the future of local agriculture.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

“Access to 1.3 million tons of chemical fertilizers a year was gone; all the fuel for machinery and transport disappeared; pesticides vanished into thin air; and the daily caloric intake for the average Cuban went from 2,600 to 1,250.”

Organoponicos use disturbed and agriculturally useless lands within city limits. The land is modified by using raised beds of composts and manures, sometimes in concrete channels, creating incredibly rich soil over a barren area.

work the soil in these urban gardens. Vivero Organoponico in Havana employs 25 people on 0.7 hectares of land. Once the farm reaches its government quota for production it is allowed to sell the excess produce in the free market, and divide the profits among workers. The hard thing for North Americans to understand is that this means farmers can make more than doctors. Imagine a system where people who feed us are rewarded—a novel concept in the North American system of production. But what an excellent incentive to increase understanding of crop production. The development of small-scale local polyculture in Cuba has provided a high level of food security; the diversity has also improved everyone’s diet, and the process has become far more

“The development of small-scale local polyculture in Cuba has provided a high level of food security.”

efficient in the last two decades. In 1994 the farms were producing 12 pounds per three square feet, but by 1999 this number was 1,161 pounds per three square feet, a staggering increase in production and a true lesson in experimenting and observing in your garden. Miguel Salcines Lopez manages Vivero and sums it up nicely: “Growing food this way is much more interesting; it is much more intelligent.” There is a rub to this incredible story. There is a good chance the US embargo against Cuba

could be lifted in the near future.This will increase the likelihood of a large scale influx of petrochemical fertilizer and pesticides back into the system. In many cases, large scale farms have only shifted to more organic methods because they have had no choice.What will this mean for the urban organiponicos? There is a strong likelihood they will persist; and no matter what, the past two decades have provided fabulous research on the ability of an entire system to switch to organic methods.The Cuban experience will help others move more seamlessly into this adaptive method of production. So can this idea work in other places? Time will tell, but urban gardeners around the world can hone their skills for the day where small scale food production takes its rightful place in the food chain and becomes a prestigious and lucrative activity. It is time to grow. MY

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

YOU TELL US

Simon Atkinson of Easy Grow, manufacturers of food and plant grade foils, examines how Easy Grow foils can assist with plant growth. Maximum Yield (MY) How many of your foils are food and plant safe? How are you able to guarantee that? Simon Atkinson: All of the Easy Grow foils are produced with food/plant grade materials and are certified to food grade standards to prevent harmful toxins or gases from being generated when in contact with strong heat sources. Easy Grow Ltd. guarantees this, as our core business is the supply of printed and plain laminated packaging products to the food industry. Our foils are formed into pouches and used to retain the temperature of frozen food goods in transit, which is critical to the success of the companies we work with.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;November / December 2010

Simon Atkinson

MY: What are the differences between your various foil products and how does each type work uniquely? Simon: We have a wide range of foil products, which vary from the standard original black/white (panda sheeting) supplied up to eight metres wide by 25 metres long, to our high grade specification, diamond diffusion lightite foil. Our white lightite foil is manufactured as a three layered sheet, which is white on the outside and a layer of high quality black polymer sandwiched in the middle; this allows light to be reflected from both sides, with the middle black layer blocking light to allow separate light cycles to perform within the same area. Our metalized silver foils are available in two grades: eco and lightite.The lightite range in silver/white and diamond diffusion, as the brand name states, are light proof products, which have the ability to reflect up to 96 per cent of the light/lumens in the grow room, whilst being 100 per cent light proof and having the capability to also retain the heat/thermals produced within the grow area, due to its five layered construction.The eco range of silver/white and diamond diffusion were created to offer a competitive alternative to the range of poor quality non food grade foils that appeared in Europe four to five years ago. Both the lightite and eco ranges are produced with food grade materials and are PET coated to protect against corrosion and wear.

MY: What various jobs can your foils accomplish in the grow room and how does the new grower go about installing them? Simon: Our diamond diffusion foil was created to spread light more evenly, to help eliminate hot spots in the grow area, which was a concern for our customers, whilst using artificial lighting over long periods of time. The diamond embossed pattern also reduces creasing, a problem often associated with thin, poor quality reflective materials. We also sell a very popular product called “floor secure” in Europe, which is produced with a white material, four metres by 25 metres and 12 millimetres thick. This was created to save growers the worry of water damage, the non-ripping heavy duty product will secure any floor and give growers ultimate peace of mind. All foil products we supply can be installed with a good quality tack/staple gun or a heavy duty gaffer/duck tape.

MY: What are the benefits of your foils in the grow room? Simon: Using Easy Grow foils in the grow room gives an increased yield, as more light is returned to the actual plant/ growing area, allowing bigger/weightier plants to develop. This allows for a reduction in the actual amount of lights required in the same area, thus reducing the electrical costs and helping reduce the carbon emissions used in the indoor growing cycle. One of the main reason Easy Grow foils have been so successful is our customers know our trademark; every metre of our foils is a guaranteed quality food/plant product, which only enhances and increases the quality and yield of the chosen crops. MY: How many growing cycles does one application of foil last for and how does the grower dispose of it? Simon: We suggest a new application of foil is applied to the growing area every six to 12 months, although some of our customers tell us by replacing the foils on each new grow (as some growers do with light bulbs), have found this creates up to 15 per cent greater yield per plant. MY

If you would like to have your product featured in "You Tell Us," please contact editor@maximumyield.com or give us a call at 250 729 2677

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

a ks i B ik r E by

Indoor Gardening Technologies: The Last Couple of Decades

Sometimes in order to move forward, you need to glance back to see where you came from. It has been incredible watching the hydroponics scene evolve into a blooming industry. At one time only a handful of dedicated product manufacturers and grower support services existed. As growers, we now have lots of available choices. Not 10 years ago a grower had to be part engineer, electrician, builder, plumber and a whiz at sourcing hard-to-find items in order to set up an indoor garden.Today we can visit any number of dedicated hydroponics retailers in our area and browse through a myriad of plug-and-play, purpose built, high-tech indoor gardening supplies and equipment.

Maximum Yield Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; |â&#x20AC;&#x201A; November / December 2010

While skilled and seasoned growers of decades ago were able to pull off some pretty respectable yields given the gear they had to work with, it was a steep learning curve. If you couldn’t shadow an experienced grower who was willing to teach, you often had to take the plunge on your own. This meant piecing together information from a variety of books, magazines and other growers to figure out where to begin on such an endeavour. After that came the tedious task of trying to source the gear that you could only hope would serve the purpose you had in mind. It was often expensive too, and worst of all it was not purpose built; early growers often had to adapt industrial technologies to make them suitable for growing indoors. More often than not, new growers faced mini-disasters and financial set-backs finding out what worked and what didn’t.

“Taking advantage of the many informative resources—books, magazines, Internet chat forums, etc.—means it’s much easier to make informed decisions.” We still can’t purchase a green thumb off the shelf, but we’re getting close. Taking advantage of the many informative resources—books, magazines, Internet chat forums, etc.— means it’s much easier to make informed decisions in determining what kind of set-up is going to work for you. For experienced growers, it means being able to improve and streamline their grows for increased production and efficiency, and less work. After a plan is developed, it can be more consistently executed due to the variety of user friendly technologies available. Let’s have a look back and compare, shall we?

Your Grow System Then You built it yourself, and it may have looked awfully close to something Rube Goldberg might have sketched. It likely involved lots of different couplers, plumbing components and fittings and other such items that allowed you to jerry-rig a home-built hydroponic system.You probably had to iron out a fair amount of flaws and leaks to determine which of the parts had become toxic to your plants. Or you may have spent much of your time recovering your hands and wrists from

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Indoor Gardening Technologies

learning to use a hole-saw. Back then, there were no plans available on the Internet or working templates to follow; you were on your own. However, it was rewarding once you got it dialled-in, as should anything that takes way too long to build, and re-build while costing you every spare dime.

TODAY Cruise down to your local hydroponics shop or browse an endless variety of hydroponics systems, configurations and sizes through the Internet. Before you buy, you can easily find help and feedback from experienced indoor gardeners or check through the back issues of your favourite grow magazine to ensure you’re making the right choice. Today, a grower can set up a system and be running in less than an hour. Everything is engineered and supplied to work and fit together perfectly. Detailed assembly and operation instructions are supplied, and if you need additional assistance, you can call support toll-free. Set-up, plant, press start and voila…you’re growing! Even if you decide to build it yourself, you can find just about anything you might need at your local home building store or one-stop hydroponics shop.You no longer need to source from six different suppliers to set up one little hobby system. The DIY gardening enthusiast can also find clear and concise instructions and grow journals online.

Your Crop Lighting Then You cleared out the entire fluorescent lighting section at your local home building store or ventured forth to industrial lighting suppliers who specialized in parking lot or warehouse lighting if you dared to make your own HID (High Intensity Discharge) crop lighting system. Back then you used regular floros and were happy you harvested something, or you put on your electrician/stuntman’s hat and learned how to wire together a ballast core, capacitor and igniter in an attempt to provide intense lighting for bigger yields. Before you did that, you had to figure out what a ballast, capacitor and igniter was, which specs were compatible or incompatible and where the heck you were going to find them!

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Grey metal boxes with often un-secured components buzzed loudly, produced lots of heat and were attached to lamps that had the most rudimentary reflectors, if any, to direct light down to the crop. Early growers often used the high-bay lighting systems for warehouses; all lighting components wrapped-up into one extremely heavy, hotrunning and non-adjustable crop lighting fixture. Amazingly, some of the earliest growers did all right, although yields and quality were often on the lower side when compared to today’s crop yields and qualities. You would have been considered a real Da Vinci if you owned and operated both HPS and MH lighting in separate growth stages; maybe even a Rockefeller too, because HID lighting systems were very expensive.

Today Growers have the knowledge and means to efficiently and cost effectively deliver the exact amounts and the right types of light for each stage in their plant’s development: next generation fluorescents for cloning and early veg, metal halide (MH) for veg and early flower and high pressure sodium lamps for the bloom phase. A variety of plant-specific spectrum bulbs are available for each phase to maximize growth rates and the desired quality of growth for any part of the growing cycle. Reflectors now come in just about any shape and size, and are available as horizontal, vertical, air-cooled and watercooled. Some of the available reflectors available are created with computer programs to optimize light delivery. Even more recently, digital ballasts have replaced heavier, power hungry, loud and hot conventional core and coil ballast

Today An overwhelming variety of nutrients are readily available to indoor growers. There are also a variety of crop feeding programs available. Growers can choose between organic and bio-enhanced synthetic nutrient programs for different skill levels. These programs and their components are now widely available through hydroponics retailers and online suppliers across the globe. Indoor growers now have a much better understanding of the nutrient requirements of indoor grown crops under high intensity grow lights than they had previously, largely due to Your Nutrients pioneering research and a culmination of knowledge in a rapidly expanding growing culture. Growing programs today include the use of beneficial fungi Then and bacteria, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and bloom Early indoor gardening enthusiasts often had to make due with boosters that allow plants to achieve in three to four months less than perfect nutrient formulations for hydroponics, largely what used to take outdoor plants four to six months to because of the lack of quality products. Since hydroponics accomplish, and in some instances achieve even better quality. wasn’t as popular or widespread as it is today, there was no real The next step in nutrient sophistication is actually more of established market for nutrient formulations. a simplification, although the technology behind it is mindCrop fertilizers used 10 to 15 years ago often lacked the boggling. Growers may soon be using nutrient programs that required supplies of critical elements like calcium and magneself-adjust pH levels and offer a constant stream of balanced sium. This gave way to the inclusion of nutrient additives, for nutrients for fast plant uptake, increasing growth rates and example the earliest calcium-magnesium supplements intended creating a more consistent and reliable growing experience for use in hydroponics. for growers of any skill level. Nutrient monitors are readily It was also more difficult to find specialty nutrients and available and affordable. supplements for other aspects of the growing process, like The then-and-now comparison discussed barely scratches the cloning. Cloning gels, B-vitamin supplements and other nusurface in terms of the monumental industry changes that have trient growth co-factors were not readily available and the occurred. Additional advancements include reverse osmosis knowledge of their use did not go far beyond very small circles water purification systems, ventilation, environmental controlof growers. lers, carbon dioxide enrichment systems, pre-fabricated grow Crop feeding programs were virtually non-existent, although tents and split or water-cooled air earlier growers who conditioners. developed their own “Indoor growers now have a What’s next? While few of us programs over time led way much better understanding of the nutrient are able to predict the future, I to a new standard in yields, requirements of indoor grown crops.” feel quite certain that gardening plant health and harvest indoors will continue to explode quality. Some early growers for hobbyists and professionals alike. What kind of grower do may have been fortunate to receive some helpful advice, you want to be? Will you be at the forefront, pushing the techalthough most played a hit-and-miss game when feeding their nology to the edge and expanding on proven practices, or are crops, occasionally resulting in set-backs or disasters. you happy doing the same thing the same way? Remember Before the information highway known as the Internet was that if you do things the same way, you can expect the same fully loaded with information, it was often difficult to obtain any research as to the type of growing that was being conducted results. Today’s results are incredible, especially when looking back to the standards that were set nearly 20 years ago. Can indoors in hydroponics versus conventional outdoor methods. you imagine where they could be in another 20? Some resourceful growers were able to work directly with the MY few experts that were available and developed “six pack” systems that consisted of six raw fertilizer components that could be weighed out in varying portions to create one of the early forms of crop feeding programs. Nutrient monitors for EC, PPM and pH were not easy to come by and were very expensive. Furthermore, little information was available to most new growers about what the optimal pH and TDS levels were for their indoor crops. systems. An emerging growing renaissance also includes space age LED (light emitting diode) lights that were only used for growing by NASA researchers until very recently. You don’t have to shop from halfway around the world either; just drive down to your local hydroponics supply store. The lighting options of today are likely to be safer to operate, will produce better results and will cost you a lot less money than the lighting systems available just 10 to 20 years ago.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

by Matt LeBannister

Orchids have a mysterious way of becoming an instant obsession. Gardeners throughout history have been enamoured by their beauty, searching the ends of the world for more specimens. Gardeners may become intimidated with the many exotic varieties and the sometimes difficult care involved. Some orchids can be quite tough to care for outside of a greenhouse, but many can be grown in one’s home quite easily. Here are three types of orchids that can be grown at home and what you must do to care for them. Originating in New Guinea, Dendrobium spectabile may be one of the most exotic looking orchids that can be grown easily at home. This orchid produces single blooms containing multiple green, brown and burgundy spots and stripes, and has petals that seem to twist and turn in every direction. Dendrobium spectabile resembles an alien life-form more than a flower from this world. To care for Dendrobium spectabile, light should be between 1,500 to 2,000 foot candles. This orchid can handle extreme temperatures but is best kept between 15 to 27°C and humidity should stay relatively around 50 to 70 per cent. This orchid would do

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

well in a window that doesn’t get direct sunlight, and should have a humidifier running when necessary. Don’t drown this orchid but keep the growing medium always moist and fertilized infrequently. Paphiopedilum venustum is another great windowsill orchid. This orchid produces single flowers of marbled green, orange, gray, tan, pink and dark purple. The flowers are quite unique with spots and hairs and can last up to a month. Paphiopedilium venustum can handle extremes well but grows best when light is kept in the 600 to 2,000 foot candle range. The humidity levels should remain between 40 to 60 per cent and temperature should be 15 to 27°C. The growing medium should be always kept moist and fertilized every third watering. Brassia verrucosa is a beautiful orchid often referred to as a spider orchid since its long, slender petals resemble spiderlegs. The thin flowers can actually measure more than 20 inches from the top of the dorsal sepals to the bottom of the hanging petals. This orchid can have 20 plus flowers on each spike. These extraordinary flowers are spotted in brown, green, cream and white.

Gardeners throughout history have been enamoured by their beauty, searching the ends of the world for more specimens.

“Diverse and exotic, orchids can be intimidating. We can’t help but assume that these unique beauties require equally unique growing conditions.” Brassia verrucosa orchids like warmer temperatures in the 21 to 32°C range. The humidity levels are best kept around 40 to 60 per cent. Like the previous two orchids, Brassia verrucosa needs the growing medium to remain always moist and only needs to be fertilized every third watering. Diverse and exotic, orchids can be intimidating. We can’t help but assume that these unique beauties require equally unique growing conditions. Hopefully this article has eased your anxieties and given you the courage to grow orchids MY at home. Source: Orchids Simplified: An Indoor Gardening Guide. By Henry Jaworshi Chapters Publishing Inc. 1992 2031 Shelbourne Rd, Shelbourne,Vermont 05482

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

T5s Seeing the Light by Jack Van Camp

As I write this we are experiencing the last days of October. Fall is nearly gone and in the next half a month, we can expect our first frost here in Southern Ontario. As growers, we are thinking about moving our gardens indoors; some of us may have already done so. I have a friend who started a landscape and pond business last year. This business is seasonal from May to the end of September. During this time he needs to add some sun to his shop. The water plants he will sell and keep for next year could not survive with the existing light so we installed two - eight bank 6,500k T5 fixtures over this plants and it worked beyond our expectations. The plants grew very well under these lights; in fact, they thrived. When fall rolled along and the landscaping stopped he put all the water plants under one T5 and hung the other over the koi tanks in the fish room to give them some good “summer sun”.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

“The T5s run on less power and much less heat than an HID lamp. The T5 bulbs are relatively inexpensive and will last 18 months or so before they need to be replaced.” It occurred to me that three or four years ago I would have suggested that he hang two 400 metal halide systems without thinking about it. It’s a subtle change in horticultural lighting hardware that I did not realize fully until a short time ago. Working in a retail store, the first T5s I sold were to a customer who had salt water reef tanks. He wanted two - six bank fixtures with four 6,500k bulbs and two actinic bulbs in each. The bulbs that came with the fixtures happened to be 5,000k but these would not be powerful enough to grow his corals, so I ordered 6,500k bulbs and 6,500 bulbs only, from then on. I put a light meter on a four bank fixture which read from 24,000 to 27,000 lumens, a metre or so from the bulbs. This is comparable to a 250 metal halide bulb and covers a larger area (1.2 metres by 55 centimetres). The T5s run on less power and much less heat than an HID lamp. The T5 bulbs are relatively inexpensive and will last 18 months or so before they need to be replaced. The bulbs can also be replaced two at a time over a couple of months. Another feature that adds versatility to the T5 fixtures is that they can be placed at any level where the light will be easier on the eyes than HID lights. After saying all this about T5 fluorescents, HID lights still have their place in all kinds of situations.You can’t beat the area covered or lumen output of an HID light.You would be hard pressed to get better light spectrum or power on a 568 litre reel tank efficiently without a 10,000k HID bulb or two.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

T5s - Seeing The Light

A good friend of mine wants to build an orchid room. She wants to build a lath house inside a spare 12 foot by 12 foot room in her basement. Popular in Victorian times, lath houses were built outside with spaced laths in a sunny part of the yard. The laths would not let the sun shine for long on any part of the leaves. In a room in a basement, the laths will be more aesthetic, but having the laths built out from the wall on two foot by four inch studs, there will be good air flow all around the plants and they can be hung or placed on any part of the structure itself including the ceiling. The plants will be placed in a tiered arrangement from high light to low light as needed. The main light source will be a 1,000 watt metal halide that will burn in the horizontal position. She has decided to use a magnetic coil ballast in this situation because the humidity will be held at such a high percentage at all times (50 to 80 per cent). The floor will be tiled and thankfully it will have a drain. Against the back wall will be a work-

bench two feet wide with storage space underneath. Over this, she is going to hang a four bank T5 for propagating and separating different orchids. There will be a dimly lit area under the stairs between the basement and middle floor where she can put a bench and a four bank T5 fixture with two 6,500k bulbs and two 2,800k bulbs in the middle position in the fixture. In this way, she’ll be able to display flowering orchids with plenty of red in the spectrum. Putting the “With fairly new hardware like T5 fluorescents, electronic ballasts and innovations in horticultural bulbs it’s simply a matter of choosing the right hardware for the job.”

2,800k bulbs in with the 6.500k bulbs was her brilliant suggestion. Orchids are costly with the initial outlay for plants totalling in the hundreds of dollars. The passion of keeping and showing orchids can be made less expensive and take up less room by simply using T5 fixtures in the proper setting. In three weeks at the end of August I’m meeting with a teacher I work with at a technical high school in Stratford, Ontario. In the school itself there is a large room that has been set aside for hydroponics. There is 135 running feet of NFT trough with two 227 litre reservoirs and six 1,000 watt MH bulbs over the area. A two part A&B nutrient solution flows through the troughs. At one end of the room is an area with four – six inch fluorescent fixtures over a propagation table. All this area can

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

be cut in half with one - eight bank T5 fixture at less cost overall than a 400 watt metal halide, while freeing up some valuable space. At the other end of the school there is a greenhouse that is approximately 100 feet long and 40 feet wide. It is heated with natural gas in the winter and has two 1,200 CFM fans for cooling in the warmer months. The greenhouse runs from September to May. This means that three full crops can be harvested in this time. The greenhouse and the hydroponics room are part of a horticultural and landscape program. Around April the students start to grow annuals for potted plants and hanging baskets which are sold at a weekend sale in late spring. The money is used for funding the running of the greenhouse and hydroponic area. We are now going to discuss putting a couple of T5 fluorescents at one end of the greenhouse to start propagating and breeding orchids to sell at the yearly spring sale. School is going to start soon and cold weather is coming shortly thereafter. All indoor growers will be thinking of bringing the summer inside. With fairly new hardware like T5 fluorescents, electronic ballasts and innovations in horticultural bulbs it’s simply a matter of choosing the right hardware for the job. It is actually easier now to sort out and build an indoor garden than it was say five or six years ago because of information, changing technologies and quantity and quality of products available. For me (an older fellow now) the realization of the benefits and proper placement of the T5 fluorescents was sort of convoluted. When you are so focused on the past ways of doing things the changes are subtle. As subtle as summer turning into fall. MY

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

TALKING SHOP

AT A GLANCE Company: Woodin Nickel Hydroponics Owner: John Woodin Location: 3393 Central West, Hwy. 4 Pictou County, Nova Scotia Phone: 902-695-7640 Email: johnwoodin@eastlink.ca Motto: “Every customer should leave satisfied.”

estled in the Northumberland countryside of Nova Scotia is the only hydroponic retail store for 25 miles. After working with the original owners, Don Allen and Candace MacDonald for a year, John Woodin became the sole employee and owner of Woodin Nickel Hydroponics located in Pictou County. He took ownership of the business in May 2007, just over a year and a half ago, immediately placing it under his surname. It was only five years ago that John was enrolled in an electronic engineering program. He graduated with a degree and was immediately on the job trail seeking a position that he could easily maintain on his own. John spent many years working in the mines as a diamond driller, but found it to be too strenuous. Having suffered an accident as a child that left him partially paraplegic, his body wasn’t up for the laborious type of work that drilling called for. In 2006, a position opened up at a franchised, hydroponic retail store. John viewed the opportunity as a way to combine his knowledge of lighting and ballasts, electronics and engineering in a low-stress, painless setting; and he would be close to his wife and his home.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Above: John Woodin and Phoebe, the dog.

He spent a year researching online, studying product descriptions and learning all he could through his mentors and customers about indoor gardening. Every time a product shipment arrived at the store, John made certain he requested product information from the distributors, which he studied religiously. Every issue of Maximum Yield was read through thoroughly so as to not miss any tidbit of information he could get his hands on. “Research was one of the most valuable tools in my education of hydroponics.” His knowledge of the products and the industry grew daily. So as it happened on his first anniversary with the company, the owners wanted to sell and John felt competent to take over. As this was his first business, John learned to view opportunities through an entrepreneur’s eyes.

“John found the best way to strengthen his customer base was to ensure each person left satisfied.”

stream of business throughout the year and many happy return customers. The summers are pretty slow for business but they tend to pick up during the colder months in winter. However, business has remained constant since John took over. Customers from north, south, east and west frequent Wood Nickel Hydroiponics. From New Glasgow, Stellarton, Trenton and Westville to the larger Cape Breton area, the store is a constant buzz of activity. The market is clearly growing and John continues to be the go-to guy for hydroponic supplies in the area. John is committed to the store for the time being, but those entrepreneur’s eyes are seeking new avenues to exploit. The world is leaning heavily towards wind and solar power and John hopes his interest in the topic will translate into a new profession in the foreseeable future. For now, John continues to fly solo and loves MY every minute with Woodin Nickel Hydroponics.

John’s wife Kim lending a hand to a longtime customer.

The biggest hurdle in the success of Woodin Nickel Hydroponics was announcing the presence of this revitalized business and gathering important contacts vital to success. A smart businessman, John initially marketed by word of mouth and eventually branched out to advertisements in the newspapers and yellow pages and on the radio. Customers responded positively to his marketing campaign. John found the best way to strengthen his customer base was to ensure each person left satisfied. He has maintained this philosophy since he first opened the doors of Woodin Nickel, and with mostly return customers, this dedication to customer service has worked wonders despite a wavering economy. With all of the knowledge gathered over the past two and half years, John is now able to answer any questions and solve almost any problems that come through his door. He has made sacrifices for his business, maintaining flexible store hours and keeping his prices low. According to John, about 80 per cent of his business is made after hours through his cell phone. Located in a smaller region, this flexibility is truly a necessity, but John doesn’t mind. The store is opened Monday thru Saturday, but John never hesitates to unlock the doors for a customer. And although on occasion this “never-closed” policy has cut into his private time at home, John and his wife have had no problems leading a relaxing and enjoyable life. The constant advancements in hydroponic tools and technologies have forced John to maintain fresh information and stay current on new products. His reward is a steady

From New Glasgow, Stellarton, Trenton and Westville to the larger Cape Breton area, the store is a constant buzz of activity.

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MAX-MART

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MaximumMaximum Yield Canada | November Yield Canada | July / December / August 2010

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

Fusion 5 Organic Gardens Inc. PO Box 5821, 120B 1 Street, SW High River, AB T1V 1P3 866-652-2594 Hydro-Lite 12249 Fort Road Edmonton, AB T5B 4H7 780-477-7860 Niloc Wholesale Inc. Box 82008 Yellowbird RPO Edmonton, AB T6J 7E6 780-885-4769 Quick Grow 1-1204 Edmonton Trail Road NE Calgary, AB T2E 3K5 877-426-4769 Smart Grow 2456 - 23 Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2E 8J4 403-236-9999 Twins Greenhouse 13 - 2235 30th Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2C 7C7 403-273-2881 BRITISH COLUMBIA A+ Gardening Supplies 1450 Venables Street Vancouver, BC V5L 2G5 604-876-4769 Advanced Garden Supplies 7979 Aspen Road Vernon, BC V1B 3M9 250-545-9545 Advanced Wholesale Superstore 406 - 1952 Kingsway Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6C2 604-945-0174 AJs Pets & Things 3219 - 31st Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 2H2 250-549-3222 A.R.I. Research 120 - 4111 Hastings Street Burnaby, BC V5C 6Y7 604 433 6067 Art Knapp 2855 Wentworth Road Courtenay, BC V9N 6B7 250-334-3024 Aurora Lighting 750 3rd Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3C5 250-564-9888 Backwoods Hydroponic & Garden 10590 Carlson Road Prince George, BC V2K 5E5 250-963-9541 BC Hydroponics 3 - 20092-93A Avenue Langley, BC V1M 3Y4 604-888-5716 Better Than Nature Enderby 1900 George Street Enderby, BC 250-838-5502 Better Than Nature Kelowna 725B Evans Court Kelowna, BC V1X 6G4 250-868-8978 Better Than Nature Penticton 101 - 78 Industrial Avenue, West Penticton, BC V2A 6M2 250-770-8978 Better Than Nature Vernon 3506 25th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 1P4 250-260-4466

BN Garden Supply 4493 Boundary Road Vancouver, BC V5R 2N3 604-431-2977 Buckerfields 587 Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 1J9 250-248-3243 Canadian Garden Supply 1730 Highway 3 Castlegar, BC V1N 4W1 250-304-2911 Chilliwack Indoor Garden Centre Ltd. 311 - 44500 South Sumas Road Chilliwack, BC V9R 5M3 604-824-2944 Coastal Growers Supply 103 - 12824 Anvil Way Surrey, BC V3W 8E7 604-599-1778 Cowichan Hydroponic Supplies 4 - 2955 Jacob Road Duncan, BC V9L 6W4 250-746-0244 Double AA Garden Supplies Ltd. 2908 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 4C9 604-876-8837 Duncan Plants & Ponics 6512 Bell McKinnon Road Duncan, BC V9L 6C1 250-746-5591 Excel Air Systems 200 - 20170 Stewart Crescent Maple Ridge, BC V2X 0T4 604-728-0757 Fat Eddie’s Systems 108 - 18760 96th Avenue Surrey, BC 604-888-2419 Garden Effects 200-2288 #5 Road Richmond BC V6X 2T1 604-214-6620 Garden King Supplies 7533 135 Street, Unit 109 Surrey, BC V3W OM8 604-598-1912 Garibaldi Nurseryland & Florist 38917 Progress Way, Squamish Industrial Park Squamish, BC V0N 3G0 604-892-3892 Good Guys Gardening Center 250 McKenzie Avenue, South Williams Lake, BC V2G 1C6 250-392-2069 Green & Clean Energy Co. Ltd. 2875 Cudlip Road Shawnigan Lake, BC V0R 2W0 250-732-7224 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 Growing Solutions Box 650, 1150 Bowlby Road Errington, BC V0R 1V0 250-248-1101 Happy Acres Greens & Backroad Hydroponics Equipment 2058 Cambie-Solsqua Road Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0 250-836-3878 Hygro Gardening Supplies Inc. 1791 Tamarac Street Campbell River, BC V9W 5Y7 250-286-0424

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

Indoor Jungle 2624 Quadra Street Victoria, BC V8T 4E4 250-388-5611 Interior Gardener’s Supply 221 - 1 McDermid Road, Box 1257 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-3399 Jon’s Plant Factory 3925 East Hastings Burnaby, BC V5C 2H8 604-294-3000 Just-N-Tyme Greenhouse and Hydroponics Supply 1094 McKenzie Avenue Courteney, BC V9N 3C5 250-703-0476 Kamloops Sunshine Gardens Greenhouse Superstore 5 - 1744 Kelly Douglas Road Kamloops, BC V2C 5S4 877-372-2270 Kootenay Bubble Refinery PO Box 81 Slocan Park, BC V0G 2E0 250-226-7753 Kootenay Grower’s Supply Nelson 721-G Front Street Nelson, BC V1L 4B8 888-422-8333 Long Lake Nursery Hydroponic Supply 4900 Island Highway, North Nanaimo, BC 250-758-5012 Mr. Fertilizer 9 Burnside Road, West Victoria, BC V9A 1B2 250-381-4644 Mylo’s 3837 Squilax Anglemont Hwy Scotch Creek BC V0E 1M0 250-955-0525 Natural Choice Garden Centre, The 5500 48th Avenue, SE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1X2 250-832-7151 Nico’s Nurseryland 830 - 28th Street, NE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2S7 250-804-2004 Northern Lights Greenspace 3 - 2706 45th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 3N4 250-558-4757 Nutty Zone 5 & 6 - 33201 London Avenue Mission, BC V2V 4P9 604-814-2223 Oasis 12 - 1771 Cooper Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T1 250-763-4769 Omega Garden Inc. 1695 Peligren Place Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 2S3 250-752-1301; 888 976 6342 Pacific NW Garden Supply 109 - 20110 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P7 Pacific NW Garden Supply 107 Nicol Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 4T1 250-754-5292 Pacific NW Garden Supply 2137 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V5L 1V2 604-254-4765 Pacific NW Garden Supply Unit 14- 104 Silica Street Nelson, BC V1L 4M1 250-354-4767 Pacific NW Garden Supply Unit C1 - 1810 Kyle Court Kelowna, BC V1Z 3Z4 250-769-4791

Pacific NW Garden Supply 15374-103A Avenue Surrey V3R 9V8 604-588-4769; 800-443-4769 Pacific NW Garden Supply 1139B Industrial Road 3 Cranbrook, BC V1C 5E3 250-489-4761 Pacific Rim Indoor Garden & Lighting 170- 12111 Bridgeport Road Richmond, BC V6V 1J4 604-232-4468 PG2 1798 Nicholson Street Prince George, BC V2N 1V6 250-612-4769; 1-888-817-4769 Planting Plus Greenhouse Supplies and Hardware 22394 Dewdney Truck Road Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3J2 604-466-5949 Progressive Growth 111 - 1790 Island Highway Victoria, BC V9B 1H5 250-391-9519 Progressive Growth 41 - 1925 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1 800-405-4769 Room 2 Grow 901 Laval Crescent Kamloops, BC V2C 5P4 250-372-3663 S.A. Ecoline Products Ltd. 5671 Auto Road, SE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4S1 250-833-4769 Skytek Indoor Solutions 833 4th Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3H5 1-800-975-9835 Solar Greenhouse and Hydroponic Supply 4752 Imperial Street Burnaby, BC V5J 1C2 604-438-7244 Spruce Capital Feeds 1694 Quinn Street Prince George, BC V2N 1X3 250-564-6010 Sun Beam Central 3444 River Road Chemainus, BC V0R 1K4 250-246-1379 Sundogz Garden Supply & Hydroponics 30 - 1365 Old Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 2B8 250-954-2046 Sunwest Garden Supply 2035 Unit B Louie Drive Westbank, BC V4T 1Y2 250-768-1636 Trees Company Nursery & Garden Supplies G9 C17 RR1, 7030 Powell Road Winlaw, BC V0G 2J0 250-226-7334 Tridon Hydroponics 12 - 1708 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1G9 250-755-1900 Triple Tree Nursery 20503 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P9 604-465-9313 Valley Indoor Geenhouse Supplies 103 - 44195 Yale Road West Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2 877-702-1169 Vancouver Garden Supply 4894 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5V 4H5 604-879-8167 Vancouver Island Garden Supply Ltd. 4770 Wellington Rd Nanaimo, BC V9T 2H3 250-585-8881

Warehouse Garden Supplies & Hydroponic 109 - 8173 128 Street Surrey, BC V3W 4G1 604-543-3177

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

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

Steve’s Hydroponic Headquarters 131 Sackville Drive Lower Sackville, NS B4C 2R3 902-865-7764

MANITOBA All Grow Distributors 410 Madison Street Winnipeg, MB R3J 1J1 204-231-1694 Better Than Nature Winnipeg 2B - 2 Donald Street Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K5 204-453-3032 Gro Pro International Hydroponics 101-904 Porthee Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3G 0P4 204-956-1389 Kleen Gro Hydroponics 224 Osborne 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 Ready Set Grow! 375 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R3C 2H2 204-668-GROW NEW BRUNSWICK Atlantic Hydroponics & Greenhouses Inc. 42 Brandon Street Moncton, NB E1C 7E8 506-858-0158 Craft N’ Grow 60 Micmac Road Eel Ground, NB E1V 4B1 506-624-9317 Jardins Notik Gardens 798 Gray Road St-Charles NB E4W 4N9 506-876-9100 Scott’s Nursery Ltd. 2192 Route 102 Highway Lincoln, NB E3B 8N1 506-458-9208 21st Century Gardening 20 Bayside Drive St. John, NB E2J 1A2 506-657-9982 Ultimate Hydroponics PO Box 1191 Hampton, NB E5N 8H2 506-639-5948

Sweetleaf Smoke Shop and Hydroponics 3132 Isleville Street Halifax, NS B3K 3Y2 902-454-6646 Woodland Farm Nursery 3544 Highway 1, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0 902-532-7617 Woodin Nickel Hydroponics 3393 Central West, Highway 4 Pictou County, NS BOK 1H0 902-695-7640 ONTARIO Agrogreen Canada Inc. 1938 Hwy #20, RR#1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 866-650-1136 AKA The Indoor Gardener 207 Exeter Road, Unit D London, ON N6L 1A4 519-652-4224 AKA The Indoor Gardener 3014 Highway 29 Brockville, ON K6V 5T4 613-342-2700 All Grow Hydroponic 391 Marwood Drive, Unit 14 Oshawa, ON 866-606-4723 All Seasons 1000 Dundas Street East Mississauga, ON L4Y 2B8 905-848-2619 Best of Hydroponics 360 Richmond Street London, ON N6A 3C3 519-858-1533 Bluewater Hydroponics 1173 Michener Road, Unit 12 Sarnia, ON N7S 5G5 519-337-7475 BMA Hydroponics 404A Maitland Drive, Unit 2 Belleville, ON K8N 4Z5 613-967-9888 Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 4373 Steeles Avenue West North York, ON M3N 1V7 416-663-2999 Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1677 Cyrville Road, Meadowbrooke Plaza Gloucester, ON K1B 3L7 613-842-8999 Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1659 Victoria Street, North, Unit 6 Kitchener, ON N2B 3E6 888-670-0611

NOVA SCOTIA

Canadian Hydrogardens Ltd. 1330 Sandhill Drive Ancaster, ON L9G 4V5 905 648 1801

Den Haan’s Garden World 12688 Highway 1, Brickton Annapolis County, NS B0S 1M0 902-825-4722

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

Greenfield Grow & Brew 69 Wilson Mountain Road Murray Siding, NS B6L 4N7 902-897-6568

Diatomite Canada 1938 Hwy #20, RR#1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 866-650-1136

Plant Manager Gardening 12 Industrial Drive, Richmond County Industrial Park Lennox Passage, Cape Breton, NS B0E 1V0 902-345-2112

Envirotex P.O. Box 21069 Paris, ON N3L 4A5 519-442-1237

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MAXIMUMdistributors YIELD Garden Depot 605 Justus Drive Kingston,ON Canada K7M 4H5 613-384-8882 Green And Clean 761 Barrydowne Road Sudbury, ON P3A 3T6 800-246-5503 Green Kingdom Hemp 1103 Cassells Street North Bay, ON P1B 4B3 705-494-7169 Green Thumb Hydroponics 3075 Ridgeway Drive, 25 Mississauga, ON L5L 5M6 Greenthumbs Garden Supply 338 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M4L 1T7 647-345-GROW (4769) www.green-thumbs.ca Grow It All Hydroponics Inc. 165 Geary Avenue, Unit 3B Toronto, ON M6H 2B8 416-588-9595 Grower’s Choice Hydroponics 1621 McEwen Drive 14 Whitby, ON L1N 9A5 905-725-GROW Happy Hydroponics 68 Princess Street Hamilton, ON L8L 3K9 905-545-8434 Home Hydroponics 289 Rutherford Road, South 22 Brampton, ON L6W 3R9 905-874-GROW Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 26 Meteor Drive Toronto, ON M9W 1A4 416-242-4769 Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 521 Dunlop Street West Barrie, ON L4N 9W4 705-721-8715 Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 5386 Greenlane Road Beamsville, ON L0R 1B3 905-563-6121 Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 79 Woolwich Street South Breslau, ON N0B 1M0 519-648-2374 Hydro Culture Emporium Inc. 150 Robertson Rd Unit 22 Nepean, ON K2H 9S1 613-715-9472 Hydrogarden 1122 Paul Street Cornwall, ON K6H 6H5 613-360-6996 Hydrotech 2436 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M1N 1V2 416-267-4769 In-Home Gardens 279 Colborne Street Brantford, ON N3T 2H3 519-754-9090 Indoor Gardens Canada 2952 Thompson Road Smithville, ON L0R 2A0 905-957-6969 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 Jungle Hydroponics 2215 Gerrard Street East Toronto, ON M4E 2C8 416-699-0861

grow it all hydroponics for everyone

Markham Hydroponics 95 Royal Crest Court 18 Markham, ON L3R 9X5 905-305-0698 Nature’s Elements Box 119 500 Mill Street Neustadt, ON N0G 2M0 519-799-5323 Nature’s Garden Supplies 24-340 Don Park Road Markham, ON L3R 1C5 905-470-7887 Northern Hydroponics 236 Simpson Street Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3H4 807-623-3666 Northern Lights Green Supply 1938 Highway 20 (at 406), RR 1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 905-892-3743 Northern Lights Hydroponics 2690 Oulette Ave Windsor, ON N8X 1L7 519-254-4015 Ontario Growers Supply 1540 Fanshawe Park Road West London, ON N6H 5L8 519-641-3992 Ontario Hydroponics 103015 Grey Road 18 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6 519-372-1144 Ozone Environmental Technologies 361 Rowntree Dairy Road Unit 4 Woodridge, ON L4L 8H1 905-264-6618 Paradise Gardens Hydroponics 2158 Chiefswood Road Oshweken, ON N0A 1M0 519-445-2275 Peterborough Hydroponic Center 347 Pido Road, Unit 32 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 705-745-6868 Planetary Pride 372 Queen Street East Sault Ste Marie, ON P6A 1Y7 1-888-215-8970 Pro Grow Indoor Garden Supplies 1710 Bishop St. Unit 2 Cambridge, ON N1T 1T2 519-624-7692 Second Nature Hydroponics 4 - 2133 Royal Windsor Drive Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5 905-403-4769 Supply For You 3615 Weston Road, Unit 6 North York, ON M9L 1V8 416-741-8062 Sweet Hydroponic Gardens 776 Bruce Street Renfrew, ON K7V 3Z8 613-433-9600 Toronto Hemp Company 665 Yonge Street Toronto ON M4Y 1Z9 416-920-1980 Urban GreenHouse Hydroponics & Aguaculture 7635 Tecumseh Road E. Windsor, ON N8T 3H1 519-944-8444 urbangreenhousehydroponics.com Vantage Hydroponics 1 Adelaide Street North London, ON N6B 3P8 519-451-4769 Yield of Dreams Hydroponics 559 Steven Court 12 Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z3 877-778-7960 QUEBEC Amazonia Hydroponique 394 Boulvard Arthur-sauve St. Eustache, QC J7R 2J5 450-623-2790

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

B&S Electrique Inc. 2240 Pitt Street Montreal, QC H4E 4H1 514-931-3817 Benoit Dupuis Extincteurs Inc. 2503 Victoria Street Ste-Julienne, QC J0K 2T0 450-831-4240 Biofloral 675 Montee, St. Francois Laval, QC H7C 2S8 877-38-HYDRO Boutique Grunge 364 rue Sherbrooke Magog, QC J1X 2S1 819-847-4141 Boutique Echologik 829, cote d’Abraham Quebec, QC G1R 1A4 418-648-8288 Boutique Echologik 790 St - Jean Quebec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828 Brite Lite Hydroponics 940 Bergar, Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-669-3803 Centre Jardin Denis Brodeur 15 Nord C.P. 658 Waterloo, QC J0E 2N0 Chanvre du Nord Inc. 38 DeMartigny est St-Jérome, QC J7Z 1V4 866-565-5305 Comptoir Richelieu Inc. 350, du Collège Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 6T7 800-363-9466 Culture Uni Vert 36 rue de Martigny E Saint-Jérôme, QC J7Z 1V4 www.cultureunivert.com Distribution De la Plante 5498 Hochelaga Suite 910 Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-1111 échologik 798 St Jean Québec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828; 418-648-8288 Espace Culture Boutique 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7V 3K3 450-622-2710 Ferme Florale Inc. (Botanix) 2190 Blvd. Laurier (route 116) St. Bruno de Montarville, QC J3V 4P6 450-653-6383 Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles - Horticultural Products 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7L 3K3 450-622-2710 Fleuriste Savard Inc. 1833 boul. Louis-Frechette Nicolet, QC J3T 1M4 819-293-5933 Fred Lamontagne Inc. 356 Chemin du Sommet Est, Rimouski, QC G5L 7B5 418-723-5746 Gerard Bourbeau & Fils Inc. 8285, 1 re Avenue Charlesbourg, QC G1G 5E6 418-623-5401 Horticulture Piégo 228 Pierre Bertrand Sud Vanier, QC G1M 2C4 418-527-2006 Hydroculture Guy Dionne 8473 - 19th Avenue Montreal, QC H1Z 4J2 514-722-9496

Hydroculture Guy Dionne 1990 Cyrill-Duquet Local 150 Québec, QC G1N 4K8 418-681-4643 Hydro Expert 12752 Industriel Montreal, QC H1A 3V2 514-624-3091 Hydro Plus 149 avenue Principale A Rouyn Noranda, QC J9X 4E3 819-762-4367 Hydro Rive-sud 4721 Boulvard de la rive sud Levis, QC G6W 1H5 418-835-0082 Hydro Sciences 4800 de la Cote-Vertu Blvd. Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1J9 514-331-9090 Hydro Times 1533 Boulevard Cure Labelle Laval, QC H7V 2W4 450-688-4848 Hydro-Tonyque 761 Avenue Gilles Villeneuve Berthierville, QC J0K 1AO 450-836-8088 Hydrobec 2145 Lavoisier Suite 4 Ste-Foy, QC G1N 4B2 418-687-1119 Hydromax Gatineau 3-1695 Atmec (porte 6) Gatineau, QC J8P 7G7 819-663-7470 Hydromax Laval 295 Boulevard Curé Labelle Laval, QC H7L 2Z9 450-628-8380 Hydromax Mont-Laurier 388 Rue Hebert Mont-Laurier, QC J9L 2X2 888-609-4476 Hydromax Montreal 9300 Lajeunesse Montreal, QC H2M 1S4 514-381-0111 Hydromax St-Henri 3522 Notre-Dame Montréal, QC H4C 1P4 514-481-3939 Hydromax Terrebonne 1674 Chemin Gascon Terrebonne, QC J6X 4H9 450-492-7447 Hydromax Trois-Rivières 6157 rue Corbeil Trois-Rivières Ouest, QC G8Z 4P8 819-372-0500 Hydromax Val-David 895 route 117 nord Val-David QC J0T 2N0 888-320-0129 Hydroponique 2000 84 Boul. Curé Labelle Ste-Therese, QC J7E 2X5 450-971-0726 Hydroponique Plus Inc. 405 - 18 Avenue Lachine, QC H8S 3R1 514-634-3677 Hydrosphere 2000 2400 rue Canadian, Suite 104 Drummondville, QC J2C 7W3 819-478-9791 Hydrotek 12300 Rue de l’avenir St. Janvier, QC J7J 2K4 nternational Hydroponique 5478 Hochelaga St Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-2525 Jardinage d’intérieur Huntingdon 72 Dalhousie Huntingdon, PQ J0S1H0, Canada Tel, 450-322-6079 Jardinages Gilles Robert Inc. 574 St-Hubert Granby, QC J0H 1Y5 450-375-3441

Les Grands Jardins Lavel 2900, Boul. Cure-Lavelle Chomedey, Laval, QC H7P 5S8 250-729-2687 Les Entreprises Fernand Pigeon Inc. 174 Beaudoin Nord Durham-Sud, QC J0H 2C0 819-858-2777 Les Serres Binette Inc 2568 Boul. Mercurre Drummondville, QC J2A 1H2 819-478-7195 MegaWatt Hydroculture 636 Route 364 Morin Heights, QC J0R 1H0 450-226-2515 Méristème Hydroponique 871 Dufferin Granby, QC J2G 9H8 450-991-1514 Momentum 11289 London Avenue Montreal, QC H1H 4J3 888-327-4595 Naturexpert Inc. 828 Chemin du Sixième Rang Gatineau QC J8R 3A4 Pablo Jardinage Drummondville 2080 Joseph St-Cyr Drummondville, QC J2C 8V6 819-475-2525 Pablo Jardinage Intérieur 2 Des Ormeaux Suite 500 Trois-Rivières, QC G8W 1S6 819-693-6000 Pablo Jardinage Shawinigan 5023 Boulevard Royal Shawinigan QC J9N 6T8 819-731-9766 Pépinière Eco-Verdure 965 Boul. Sauvé St-Eustache, QC J7R 4K3 450-472-6474 Plant-O-Maxx 3169 Blais, Boisbriand, QC, J7H 1H2 514-968-7799 Plant-T-Plantes 3439 boulevard Fiset Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 5J3 450-780-0008 Point De Vue 880 chemin St-Féréol Les Cèdres, QC J7T 1N3 450-452-2878 / 1-877-510-2991 Pousse Magique 515 rue Lanaudiere Repentigny, QC J6A 7N1 450-582-6662 P.P.M. Hydroponique 504 Rue du Parc St. Eustache, QC J7R 5B2 450-491-2444 Qué-Pousse - Laval 940 Bergar Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-667-3809 Qué-Pousse - Montreal 2215 Walkley Montreal, QC H4B 2J9 514-489-3803 Qué-Pousse - Mont. Tremblant 462 Montée Kavanagh Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 2P2 819-429-6145 Qué-Pousse - Point-Claire 1860D Sources Blvd Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5B1 514-426-5057 Qué-Pousse - Sherbrooke 4394 Bourque Rt. 112 Rock Forest, QC J1N 1S3 819-563-0353 Qué-Pousse - St-Constant 6264 Route 132 Ste-Catherine, QC J0L 1E0 450-635-4881

Qué-Pousse - St-Jerome 709A 14e Avenue, Sud Saint-Antoine, QC J7Z 4B8 450-436-3803 Qué-Pousse - Vaudreuil-Dorion 3666-D, boul. Cité des Jeunes Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 8P2 450-424-0306 Rap Hydroponique 326 Rue Vachon Trois-Rivières QC G8T 8Y2 819-376-5959 Rap Hydroponique 5700, rue Martineau Local 7 Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8B1 450-768-5188 Sherbrooke Hydroponique 3545 King Est, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 5J4 819-829-9299 Simplement Vert 8B Georges-Gagne Delson, QC J5B 2E1 514-913-8378 (VERT) Sonador Horticulture Inc. 819-479-2941 St-Jean Hydroponique 747 rue St-Jacques St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 2M9 450-346-9633 Summum Bio Teck 2100 Ontario Est Montreal, QC H2K 1V5 866-460-2226 Un Monde Sans Terre 565 Beausejour Alma, QC G8B 5V3 418-480-3274 Univert 4 Saisons 2100 Ontario Est Montréal, QC H2K 1V5 514-527-2226 Val d’Or Hydroculture 1261 3e Avenue Val d’Or, QC J9P 1V4 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 SASKATCHEWAN B&B Hydroponics and Indoor Gardening 1404 Cornwall Street Regina, SK S4R 2H7 306-522-4769 Busy Bee Upholstery Box 811, 134 5th Avenue East Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0 306-648-3659 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

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010

MY 73

DO YOU know?

COMING UP IN January - February 2011

Berry Bonanza

The Organoponicos (Cuba) may be the world’s largest example, and experiment, in localized urban organic food production.

Cucumber, pumpkins, squash and melons are members of the vine family, which gives them the predisposition to become climbers if it weren’t for the weight of the fruit.

Brix or sugar levels in many fruits and vegetables are highly dependant on light levels, EC, nutrition, cultivar, temperature and plant health.

The first attempts at air pruning containers involved putting holes or slices into normal containers.

Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress or thale cress) is an ideal organism for genetic and molecular studies due to its short lifecycle, small genome, small size and translucency, among other traits.

Greenhouses originated from the orangeries of the 18th Century.

Crop fertilizers used 10 to 15 years ago often lacked the required supplies of critical elements like calcium and magnesium.

Most quality digital refractometers have an accuracy of 0.2 per cent and measure in increments of 0.1 per cent.

One of the most exciting challenges of indoor gardening is producing out of season fruits and vegetables. Successfully harvest delicious strawberries throughout the winter with this guide.

Producing Seedlings and Cuttings

The collection, storage and disease prevention procedures used to produce the best seedlings and cuttings are discussed.

Shaping Spectrums

LEDs may fundamentally alter how grow lights are used in an indoor garden. This article delves into spectrum selection and the benefits of LEDs.

Industry Meet and Greet Plus Expert Advice

Maximum Yield Canada features manufacturers, retailers and growers from this ever-expanding industry. Get to know your indoor gardening comrades in Talking Shop, You Tell Us and Your Best Advice.

Exclusive industry interviews, new contests, latest news, grow lights, sophisticated nutrients and instrumentation.

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Maximum Yield Canada (January/February) will be available January 1 for FREE at selected indoor gardening retail stores across Canada and on maximumyield.com Subscriptions are available at maximumyield.com/subscriptions.php

Maximum Yield Canada | November / December 2010