Maximum Yield AUS Mar/Apr 2013

Australia March/April 2013

I N D O O R

G A R D E N I N G

FREE

AN Electrical Primer

for growers Plus: plant immunity • cross pollination • taking Plant Cuttings

maximumyield.com

2013

Indoor gardenING expo DENVER

COLORADO

March 16-17

NOVI MICHIGAN June 1-2

SAN FRANCISCO

CALIFORNIA July 27-28

Maximum Yield’s

LONG BEACH

OCTOBER

indoorgardeningexpo.com

36

CONTENTS March/April 2013

FEATURES 20 A Simple Guide to Taking Plant Cuttings

by Matt Lebannister

24 IPM for Small-Scale Growers

by Raquel Neofit

24 30 Immunity

by Frank Rauscher

36 An Electrical Primer

by Dr. Benjamin Grimes

40 Water and Nutrient Uptake by Roots

by Bill DeBoer

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Maximum Yield |  March/April 2013

30 20

40

DEPARTMENTS

6

From the Editor

8

Letters to the Editor

10

Simon Says

12

MAX Facts

16

Product Spotlight

46

Growers Know

48

Talking Shop

50

You Tell Us

52

Distributors

54

Coming up Next

54

MaximumYield.com

FROM THE EDITOR | lINDA jESSON

The weather is turning outside, making it the perfect opportunity to spend more time in your indoor garden! In fact, why not try something new? This issue of Maximum Yield has all sorts of great information you can apply to your growroom, from integrated pest management to knowing how much equipment your wiring can handle. We also take a look at how plants protect themselves from pathogens so you can make sure your plants survive and yield maximum crops. Add some new products from our new product profile section to the mix and you are ready to go!

We welcome you all to attend one of Maximum Yield’s 2013 Indoor Gardening Expos to see the newest and greatest products to maximise your garden! The first is our 3rd annual Denver, Colorado, Indoor Gardening Expo–March 17, 2013. Check out indoorgardeningexpo.com for your special complimentary VIP pass, flight and accommodation specials and more to help you plan your 2013 vacation!

Message from the

Editor

Also, be sure to check out our new I’m a Fan contest. Simply tell us why you are a Maximum Yield fan and we will put your name into a draw to win a monthly gift certificate of $100 to your favourite indoor gardening shop, with a chance to win the final grand prize of a $1,000 gift certificate. See page 54 for more details.

Linda Jesson

contributors Bill DeBoer is a laboratory scientist

Dr. Benjamin Grimes Ph.D (hc) is a

Raquel Neofit is a freelance writer

Frank Rauscher is a certified horticulturist and consultant for the garden industry. He’s a contributing author to several publications and was writer and editor of the Green Pages.

Frank finds that analyzing plant stress and finding solutions is exciting. He is very much at home bringing new ideas to the field of horticulture and indoor gardening.

at Indiana-based steadyGROWpro. A master gardener intern, Bill is responsible for company’s laboratory operations, including the design and execution of research projects, plant propagation, seed germination and overall plant care. Bill has a BS and MS from Purdue University, and was previously a research technician for the US Department of Agriculture.

for the horticulture, travel and lifestyle industries. She has a background in business and radio, and is an avid believer that hydroponics is the future.

Follow Raquel’s writing on her blog, Black Thumbs Guide to Growing Green—the misadventures of the vertical herb gardening movement— and My Food Story on Facebook.

horticulture enthusiast. He regularly applies his extensive skills in engineering and science by installing his control systems for indoor gardens and greenhouses throughout Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Benjamin is devoted to the research and development of sustainable and alternative agriculture solutions.

Become a Maximum Yield contributor and have your articles read by 250,000 readers throughout USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Maximum Yield is the largest free-to-consumer indoor gardening magazine in the world. Every issue is available on maximumyield.com, which has thousands of unique visitors monthly.

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

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.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR VOLUME 10 – NUMBER 6 March/April 2013

I’m a Fan Winner Announced

Ike White from Eastsound, Washington, United States is the first winner of Maximum Yield’s I’m a Fan Contest! Ike White Ike said, “I’m a huge fan of Maximum Yield! First off, the magazine looks great. I love your layouts, the cool (and often informative) ads and product reviews. I’m also a big fan of the quick little Max Facts and DIY projects. I always start by checking out the basic articles, then dive into the more tech/complex ones (like how light actually affects plants). I’ve learned so much from reading your magazine, and have been really inspired to try new methods and products because of it. Thank you for putting out this amazing publication.

Thanks for the kudos, Ike, and congratulations on winning Maximum Yield’s I’m a Fan contest! We hope you enjoy your $100 gift certificate at your favourite indoor gardening shop, Cascadia Garden Supply.

Would you like a chance to win Maximum Yield’s I’m a Fan contest? Tell us why you are a fan of Maximum Yield and you could win the monthly prize of a $100 gift card to your favourite indoor gardening shop, and also have a chance at the grand prize of a $1,000 gift card to your favourite indoor gardening shop.

Simply send your testimonial, name, address, phone number and email address to editor@maximumyield.com or fill out the online form at maximumyield.com/imafan Contest closes December 14, 2013.

We want to hear from you!

Maximum Yield Publications Inc. Snail-mail: 2339 Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 Email: editor@maximumyield.com Twitter: twitter.com/max_yield Facebook: facebook.com/MaximumYield

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Dear editor,

I hope this reaches you. I’m not a very educated man. I never graduated high school and I never did anything very productive in life until I started in this new trend of growing a garden. It’s not a very big one—just a few herbs, veggies and things like that. I’m 45 and knew not one thing (NOTHING lol) about gardening or plant life until I read your mag for the very first time (three years ago, I think).

I’ve been an avid reader ever since and I can’t wait until each month’s new mag comes out [so I can get] it from one of the local hydro shops. Because of your articles and your master gardeners, I’ve become a self-taught gardener and I can help … [answer people’s] questions when it comes to soil gardening. I’ve learned a lot and I’m still learning from your writers and master gardeners [about things from] pH to microbiology, beneficial bacteria to compatibility between fertilisers. Reading your mag and taking what I’m learning from it, I’ve surpassed the people who helped me get started, and they now ask me questions that they can’t answer themselves. It feels very good to help people with their compost questions to soil-based garden questions, so I just wanted to say keep up the great f-ing work ‘cuz you guys are the best. I tell everyone I know, “If you want to become a gardener on a low budget, Maximum Yield is the mag for you to read if you want ANY chance for success.”

Anyway, [thanks to] all the free help that I’ve learned from you guys there at Max Yield, I am able to now help others to make their gardens produce more with less money. So, thank you very much, Max Yield; YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!

Robert Smith Hi, Robert!

Thank you so much for the awesome letter.

We here at Maximum Yield are so happy that our magazine could help both you and your garden grow so much! It’s for fans like you that we all strive to put of the best articles, products and trivia in each issue. Best of luck in the future and remember, if you ever have any questions regarding any indoor gardening topic, please don’t hesitate to send them to editor@maximumyield.com and one of our resident experts will answer you.

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

If undeliverable please return to the address above.

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

Publication Agreement Number 40739092 PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim Jesson GENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson editorial editor@maximumyield.com Editor Linda Jesson Assistant Editor Jessica Skelton Assistant Editor Julie McManus

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SIMON SAYS

Keep your growroom clean This point can’t be stressed enough. If you are a serious gardener, your growing area should be tidy and free from debris. Also, avoid bringing problems in from outside by having air filters on your intake and also consider wearing clothing just for the growroom. It might seem like overkill, but consider how meticulous commercial greenhouses are.

They understand that in an unnatural environment, the introduction of a pest can quickly spread out of control; so, prevention is the best solution.

Be vigilant in your garden

Hey, Simon, I have a problem with spider mites (seems like a common problem). I was thinking of cranking up my carbon dioxide levels to 10,000 ppm with my CO2 monitor to try and eradicate them. Would it work?

Increasing the CO2 levels to that completely unnatural concentration might actually be effective since I think it would be exceptionally hard for them to breathe.

Of course, the danger of this is it would also be extremely harmful to people in and around the area. Even if you exhaust the room into a different area, the concentrations would still be highly elevated. I seem to remember talking to a scientist who mentioned that extreme levels of CO2 can become phytotoxic, but I can’t recall exactly who gave me that information and I am not sure of the mechanism.

Personally, I would not recommend the method you suggest. Spider mites are a severe problem for many indoors gardeners and there are various methods that can be efficacious at keeping these pests at bay:

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Once a spider mite problem is detected, isolate the affected plants if you can move them and then segregate them with a divider, but be sure to move them away from your other plants and try to reduce the amount of air movement around the affected plants.

Chemical options Please read the entire label; many of these products are exceptionally harmful if not applied exactly as recommended and licensed by the manufacturer. Also, keep in mind that insects build up resistance far more quickly than humans because their lifecycles are shorter. This means that the spray that was very effective last year will be less effective this year. Use a rolling system of a variety of options to minimise the buildup of generational resistance.

Organic alternatives Neem-based products have been leading the way for years, but now we have all sorts of plant extracts and essential oils that can impede the super web from forming in the middle of your crop. Note: dismantling these webs by hand can actually do a great job at decreasing the population prior to using an insecticide. Be sure to clean your hands properly after since you don’t want to move mites so they can come back later.

Beneficial insects also offer a solution. I can remember always telling clients in the shop that if I had a problem with gazelles in my backyard I would probably buy a lion. It’s a bit of a stretch, but still. In this case, there are a few types of mites that eat spider mites and there are more options on the horizon. For large gardens, the best approach can sometimes be to buy a bulk supply of predators prior to an outbreak. This acts as a pre-emptive move that can inhibit an explosion of the spider mite population. This can be a good insurance policy on short cycle annual plantings, but is less effective in a perennial situation. MY

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Chocolate Substitute Fights Food-poisoning Bacteria According to a report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, leaves of the carob plant, which is used as a substitute for chocolate, are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis (a serious form of food poisoning).

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

MAXFACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia New Horticulture College Provides Opportunity

Ice Age Extinction Shaped Australian Plant Diversity Research led by the University of Melbourne and University of Tasmania has shown that plant diversity in South East Australia was once as rich as some of the most diverse places in the world, but most of these species went extinct during the ice ages, probably about one million years ago. Dr Sniderman of the University of Melbourne’s School of Earth Sciences said the findings show extinction is just as important to diversity of organisms as evolution. For the study, researchers analysed plant fossils that accumulated in an ancient lake in South Eastern Australia. They found the region had at least as many tough-leaved plants 1.5 million years ago as Western Australia and South Africa do today.

The team’s work was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

An exciting new opportunity has presented itself in Australia’s horticultural industry via the impending launch of the Australian College of Horticulture. About a year ago a group of business colleagues decided to build an online horticultural college to teach all aspects of horticulture, but ensure the key focus would be on regenerative horticultural practices, environmental consciousness and personal health and safety. The Australian College of Horticulture is looking for key people that not only want to build a career in horticulture training but also have a passion and desire to perhaps own their own business within the industry. Interested parties should visit studyhorticulture.com.au

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Australian Citizens to Build 10,000 Rain Gardens Melbourne Water is encouraging Australian residents to create 10,000 rain gardens–and as of February they’re already up to 7,804. A rain garden is a water-saving garden that is designed to capture stormwater from hard surfaces such as driveways, patios and roofs via downpipes after it rains. The water supply company has set up a website with information on designing, creating and caring for rain gardens–no previous experience necessary. Visit www.raingardens.melbournewater.com.au (Source: inhabitat.com)

World’s First Rotating Air Gardens Debut Residents of Melbourne might have spotted some spinning greenery above their heads last month as the world’s first rotating air gardens made their dizzy debut at the Les Erdi Plaza, Northbank. Artist Lloyd Godman designed the gardens, which dangle from wire suspended between light posts, for his latest project called “Airborne”. Made with recycled bicycle wheels and a bit of wire and adorned with bromeliad plants that get all of their nutrients from their leaves, the suspended mini gardens rotate when the wind blows. Since bromeliads don’t require soil or water, these rotating gardens won’t require much maintenance by city workers.

(Source: inhabitat.com)

Smoke Signals With climate change sparking concern about an increased risk of wildfires, scientists like Yoji Hayasaka and her colleagues are developing a way to detect grapes exposed to smoke from those fires, which otherwise could be vented into bad-tasting wine. Australia and other areas of the world are experiencing an increase in bush and wildfires, which might continue and intensify with global climate change. Smoke from those fires can travel long distances and poses a special threat for wine grapes, says Hayasaka whose report on the method for detecting smoke taint in both grapes and wine appears in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

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Floods Won’t Affect Prices There is good news emerging from the Queensland floods, as it seems vegetable prices will remain stable. However, though this is of benefit to farmers, it does not help growers who, according to Growcom, are still in need of further assistance from federal and state governments.

(Source: abc.net.au)

Helpful Ditches USDA scientists report that vegetated drainage ditches can help capture pesticide and nutrient loads in field runoff, giving farmers a low-cost alternative for managing agricultural pollutants and protecting natural resources.One study evaluated the transport and capture of the herbicide atrazine and the insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin for 28 days in a 160-foot section of a vegetated agricultural drainage ditch. One hour after researchers starting a simulated runoff event, 61 percent of the atrazine and 87% of the lambda-cyhalothrin had transferred from the water to the ditch vegetation. At the end of the ditch, runoff pesticide concentrations were generally non-toxic to downstream aquatic fauna.

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Maximum Yield  | March/April 2013

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

YOUR GUIDE TO THIS ISSUE’S

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

FloraBlend

FloraBlend is a vegan plant booster that contains no animal by-products. It is a fermented product that is blended from a proprietary mixture of plant materials, seaweeds, rock powders and humic acids. Our fermentation process provides a vegan feast for a highly bioactive mixture of beneficial micro-organisms. The biologically derived compounds in FloraBlend have a profound impact on your plants’ structural growth during the vegetative stage. The greatest visible impact is an increase in the number, size and mass of roots, stems and foliage. It has been found that, when used early, FloraBlend can also increase your plants tolerance to heat stress and insect damage. Get your plants off to the best start possible by including it in your next garden. For more information, visit your local indoor gardening shop.

EZI-ROOT

M7 Photo Filter EZI-ROOT Hormone Gel is a unique, scientifically formulated rooting hormone that provides a superior strike of hardwood, softwood and exotic cuttings. EZI-ROOT is faster and more effective than most conventional preparations. It contains two hormones, NAA and IBA, and research shows that a combination of these two is generally more effective across a wider range of species than IBA alone. Unlike many gels, EZI-ROOT does not use alcohol to dissolve the hormone and, therefore, it is non-phytotoxic to plants. This product also contains a wetting agent for a more effective delivery of the hormones to the cutting and fungicide to reduce the likelihood of cross contamination between cuttings.

Finally, EZI-ROOT has been extensively researched and trialled. Visit a retail store for more information.

Method Seven Optics brings its patent-pending rendition technology to growroom photography. Introducing the M7 Photo Filter, which offers perfect colour balance under HPS lights for photography and video. Made from German mineral crystal glass, the same formulation found in Method Seven’s award-winning rendition glasses, photographers can now experience perfect daylight-balance photography shooting under HPS lights. Colour and details are vividly revealed and the strobe effect produced by some ballasts is also eliminated. Visit your local hydroponics shop for more information.

SuperCloset SuperNova Launched In response to customer feedback, SuperCloset, Inc., just launched the SuperNova, the largest rendering of their number-one selling grow cabinets. This all-in-one grow cabinet is 1.22-m wide, 0.61-m deep and 1.98-m tall. It features a professionally air-cooled, closedloop 600-W lighting system. Other features unique to the SuperNova are the bottom vegetation chamber that includes a SuperCloner-50 and SuperMother hydroponic system (allowing growers to harvest continually as plants are cloned and vegetated below and flowered up top), the Dual Carbon Filtration configuration (oriented to pull waste air through charcoal filters) and the T5 Side Lighting (positioned to distribute light to the bottom third of the plant’s body mass, leading to a larger yield of usable plant matter). Visit your nearest indoor gardening shop for more information.

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

New Additions to the Final Flush Line Some flavourful new additions have hit the Grotek Final Flush lineup. The essences of grapefruit and sour green apple have been bottled to provide added low-level carbohydrates with a time-tested flushing agent.

These flavours now complement our blueberry, pina colada and strawberry Final Flush family. Smell these options out in your local hydroponic shops and expect even more excitement from Grotek in 2013.

Gold Label Hydrococo Gold Label Americas is proud to introduce Hydrococo 60/40, the newest addition to the premium substrate line by Gold label. A well-balanced mix of the highly popular Gold Label Hydrocorn and Gold Label’s premium coco, this versatile medium is designed for high water-holding ability coupled with extremely high air ratios meant for explosive root development. Ideal for hydroponic growing, Hydrococo 60/40 is also an ideal home for microbes and fungi, which today’s growers use with much enthusiasm. The balanced ratio allows you to flood and drain or use the watering system of your choice while retaining perfect moisture to air balance. For more information, visit your local hydroponics store.

pH Control in One Easy Kit Now it is even easier to control pH in hydroponic systems with this complete pH Control Kit from HY-GEN. Containing pH Up and pH Down in handy 150-ml size bottles, a pH Test dripper kit, test tube and colour-coded pH chart.

This kit takes the guesswork out of pH control without the need for expensive digital meters and is ideal for beginners and small gardens. The right pH in hydroponics is crucial in enabling the nutrient to be accessible to the plants, a step often overlooked by beginners. For more info, visit an indoor gardening shop near you.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Microbe Life PHOTOSYNTHESIS PLUS Enhanced photosynthesis—vital to all plant life—is achieved through Microbe Life technology! PHOTOSYNTHESIS PLUS enhances biological function at the foliar and root levels, utilising the sun’s energy and transporting minerals and carbon to the plant at much improved rates, therefore promoting plant vigour. PHOTOSYNTHESIS PLUS comprises a complete ecosystem in the bottle!

Learn more at select retail shops in your area.

Fungus Have Your Garden in a Bind?

Well, look no further! Greenway Nutrients® introduces No Fungus™. No Fungus is natural plant old- and extract-based fungicide. No Fungus can be applied anytime from germination to the day of harvest. No Fungus attacks a wide variety of mould, mildew and fungal spores immediately and on contact. The dual lysis action of our surface technology attacks right at the base (mycelium) while penetrating and destroying the cell pathogen. No Fungus also represses further spore germination. Whether you have a full blown outbreak or simply wish to use as part of your preventative regimen, No Fungus packs a powerful 92 to 98% efficacy upon first application. To learn more, visit an indoor gardening shop near you.

CaliMagic CaliMagic is a mineral-based calcium-magnesium supplement that is formulated to assist fastgrowing annuals by preventing secondary nutrient deficiencies. Most plants require additional calcium and magnesium during the transitional stage between grow and bloom and throughout the reproductive cycle or bloom phase. This is especially true if you grow with reverse osmosis water or in coco. CaliMagic will boost these essential secondary nutrients and help ensure that deficiencies don’t occur. One of the great features of CaliMagic is that it contains 1% nitrogen, which is lower than most competing products.

CaliMagic has been formulated to provide less nitrogen and more of what your plants really need. CaliMagic is a clean and fully soluble product, which means it can be used with all plants, growing methods and media.

Find out more by visiting your local retail shop.

Operator Halide Plus Glasses Method Seven Optics—the company that brought you perfectly balanced colour, clarity and safety under HPS lights—introduces a Halide Plus lens, giving you balanced colour and protection while working under metal halide lights. The halide-tuned lens is a dark-smoke colour with M7’s silver Plus coating, making these glasses the perfect crossover product between the growroom and the street. This product was developed in collaboration with Carl Zeiss Vision Labs and made in Italy, ensuring the best technology for clarity, focus and comfort. Visit an indoor gardening retail shop for more information.

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Wormilizer Hydromino Wormilizer is a totally natural and organic plant additive that puts back into your garden what civilisation has taken out. This product is made of liquid worm castings, the organic matter digested by worms and nature’s finest soil conditioner. Scientific tests have proven that the high level of macro- and micronutrients in Hydromino Wormilizer will ensure your garden receives the best natural fertiliser to stimulate all plant growth. Wormilizer increases photosynthesis in vegetation and bud stimulation when fruiting, therefore creating bigger and tastier yields. Wormilizer can be used through all stages of the plant cycle; ranging from planting new seedlings, rejuvenating potting mix or as a natural disease repellent. No garden can afford to go without it; it’s a super food for plants. For more information, visit your favourite hydroponics store.

Gorilla Grow Tents Release the Thickest Grow Tents Gorilla Grow Tents are designed with the thickest 1680D IR-blocking fabric mesh insulation, essentially three to nine times thicker than any other tent on the market today.

Due to this feature, Gorilla Grow Tents maintain perfect temperature and humidity throughout while eliminating odour and sound. The tents unzip on multiple sides to allow easy access to the inside of the Gorilla Grow Tent. The increased thickness also encapsulates sound better so noise created by fans on the inside of the tent does not permeate to the outside.

The noise reduction feature is desired by the growers who do not want their indoor growing hobby interfering with the rest of their existing lifestyle. For more information, see your local indoor gardening shop.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

19

e d i u G e l p m i AS g n i k a T o t s g n i u C t n Pla

by Matt LeBannister

Matt LeBannister tells you pretty much everything you need to know to be a confident and successful cutting expert It’s easy to see that genetics are an extremely important factor in the human story: after all, it is our genes that determine to a large extent what type of people we will be. Whether we will be tall or short, skinny or fat, disease resistant or susceptible to infection—it’s all in our genes. This doesn’t just apply to humans, though; it applies to all life on earth, including the plants we grow.

So, when we first grow a type of tomato or pepper that

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we really like, it is only natural to want to hold onto that plant and its good traits—and the best way to ensure that your next generation of plants has the same favourable qualities is to take a cutting of that plant, thus creating an exact genetic replica (or, clone). Some plants will take to this process better than others, but you can limit your failures and become something of a cutting expert by following some simple instructions.

Selecting a motherplant

Making clones from plant cuttings is a method of asexual propagation. The cutting is taken from what is commonly referred to as a motherplant. A cutting will be genetically identical to the motherplant and will be the same as the parent as long as the environmental conditions are the same—so, obviously your best, most vigorous plants should be selected as motherplants, as their vitality will then be passed onto the cuttings. The motherplant should be healthy and at least one or two months old and should be kept in a constant vegetative state.

Your motherplant’s only purpose is for taking cuttings.

To avoid contaminating your motherplant with pest insects or disease, keep it isolated from the rest of your plants—if your motherplant was to become infected with a disease, all subsequent cuttings would be infected and therefore useless.

A cutting

will be genetically identical to the motherplant and will be the same as the parent as long as the environmental conditions are the same.”

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

21

A simple guide to taking plant cuttings

Making the cut

Whichever cutting tool you use—whether it’s a scalpel, a razor, scissors or some other instrument—it must be sterile because making a cut can introduce disease to your plant through the open wound. Find a healthy branch with four to six leaves on it and, using the sterile cutting tool, sever the branch at a 45° angle directly below the bottom two leaves. These lower two leaves can now be removed from the cutting, allowing more of the freshly cut surface area to be exposed to your rooting hormones and medium.

The severed end of the cutting should then be stuck into your chosen medium about 2.5-cm deep. Do this quickly, as air can get trapped in the freshly cut stem of the cutting and this could cause it to wilt and die.

The three most common rooting hormones found in commercially available rooting compounds are napthalenaecatic acid (NAA), indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4DPA).”

Rooting hormones

When a cutting is taken from a plant, stem cells that were used to grow leaves and branches must then begin to grow roots instead. Plants achieve this by the stem cells located at the cut becoming undifferentiated cells, eventually transforming into root cells. Root-inducing hormones are already present in plants, but many gardeners believe that by dipping the severed end of the cutting into a rooting compound that contains some root-inducing hormones, the rate at which the roots will develop will be accelerated.

Rooting compounds come in powder, gel and liquid forms and are to be applied to the severed end of the cutting right after the cut has been made, prior to it being inserted into the growing medium. Liquid and gel types are most common, as the powdered versions are easy to over apply and too much rooting hormone solution can actually stunt the development of new root growth.

The three most common rooting hormones found in commercially available rooting compounds are napthalenaecatic acid (NAA), indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4DPA).

Growing media

There are many different types of growing media available to the indoor gardener and each has its own advantages and disadvantages: Rockwool is very popular for use with cuttings. This inert medium with excellent water and oxygen-retaining properties is spun from heated rock in a similar style to cotton candy. Insects that lay eggs in growing media are less likely to lay their eggs in rockwool and rootborne insects are also less likely to be found in it. Rockwool can come in a flat of 100 starter cubes, which are easily transplanted into larger cubes suitable for hydroponic systems.

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Coco coir is made from shredded coconut husks. It is totally inert, very suitable for rooting cuttings and is often available in starter packs ideal for ropagating cuttings.

Soil and soilless mixes are not inert and can contain pathogens harmful to plants. To sterilise your soil or soilless mixture you can bake the medium in your oven—just place the necessary amount of mix into a large baking tray and bake in the oven at 250°C for 15 minutes. Allow the mix to cool before placing your cuttings in it.

Aeroponics is the medium of the future for cuttings.

There are many different aeroponic cutting propagators on the market today and they all work on the same principal: the severed end of the cutting is suspended in the air, where it is misted by a fine spray of water.

Roots will eventually grow into the humid, misty air and can then be transplanted into a larger aeroponic system. This technique is also ideal for starting cuttings that are destined for nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic systems.

Lighting

Lighting is vital in all stages of plant development and cuttings are no different. Cuttings need 18 to 24 hours of light if they are to root properly, but they must not receive light that is too intense. Transpiration is the process through which water is evaporated through the leaves and in turn water is sucked in through the roots—without fully developed roots, plant cuttings can easily dry out. Using fluorescent light bulbs at this stage of growth is wise because they are not intense enough to damage fragile cuttings.

Humidity

Appropriate humidity levels are very important for cuttings to root successfully. High humidity levels—from 90 to 100%—slow down transpiration and help keep cuttings from drying out. High humidity levels also help to promote root growth. Humidity domes—clear plastic covers, placed over your cuttings, that allow light in and keeping the humidity from escaping—are excellent tools to help maintain ideal humidity levels. With high humidity levels there is always a risk of developing moulds and fungi, however, so to help prevent this, as well as to toughen up your cuttings, remove the humidity dome from the cuttings for 10 to 20 minutes each day.

Air and root zone temperature

Cuttings will root faster and with higher success rates when the root zone and air temperatures are kept within a certain range. They do best when the air temperature is between 21 and 29°C—outside of this range and root growth will be stunted or stopped altogether. The root zone temperature should actually be five degrees warmer than the ambient air temperature to promote root growth; heating pads with thermostats, which can be purchased at any quality hydro shop, can be placed below the cutting tray for controlled root zone heating.

Transplanting

Transplanting can be a very stressful process for the plant—as stressful as taking the cutting in the first place—so always handle roots and cuttings with care.”

After cuttings have been taken they must be given adequate time to grow roots before they are transplanted into larger planter pots or into a hydroponic or aeroponic system. Do not transplant cuttings until there is dense root growth. This can be determined by checking underneath rockwool flats or by gently coaxing the root ball out of the container. Transplanting can be a very stressful process for the plant—as stressful as taking the cutting in the first place—so always handle roots and cuttings with care and do whatever it takes to ensure that the plant is damaged as little as possible during transplanting.

The process of cloning a plant by taking a cutting can be extremely useful—it allows you to continue growing exact genetic replicas of your favourite plants. It might seem like a complicated process, but with the right knowledge and experience there is no reason it has to be a difficult one, either for you or your plants!

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

23

r o f IPM e l a c s l l a Sm s r e w Gro

by Raquel Neofit

The buzz word in the horticulture industry these days is IPM, or integrated pest management.

But what exactly is IPM and is it a viable option for the hobby or home gardener?

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Maximum Yield |  March/April 2013

Integrated pest management (IPM) steers away from the line of hard-core chemicals to kill detrimental bugs in favour of natural predators (biological controls), soft insecticides (preferably organic-, oil- or soap-based products) and bating and trapping (like sticky tapes and pheromone traps) to control crop pests. According to Tony Bundock of the National Precision Growing Centre, there is evidence of IPM from way back in 2,500 BC when Sumerians used sulphur compounds to control insects and mites. The modern form of IPM gained popularity in late 1960 and has been developed into a major crop management toll for commercial horticulture.

I like to call IPM the bug-eat-bug method, but you should also consider the other factors recommended by this method of pest control.

First you need to identify which bugs are bugging your local area on a regular basis, then, determine the level of infestation that is likely to occur. Perhaps sticky traps combined with a soft insecticide will do the job for you. But, if you do find the problems are slightly bigger, then maybe introducing a low level of beneficials will be a more cost- and time-effective solution.

For large-scale growers, implementing an IPM program can be a complex and daunting project; however, for the small-scale grower, you might just see quicker and more economical results.

Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of IPM on a small scale:

Advantages • Reduced risk of chemical contamination to people, produce and the environment • Slows the development of resistance to pesticides • Pests do not develop resistance to beneficials • It’s a step closer to organic agriculture practices • It’s also a step closer to sustainable agriculture practices

If you do find the problems are slightly bigger, then maybe introducing a low level of beneficials will be a more cost- and time-effective solution.”

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

25

IPM for small-scale growers

Disadvantages • There is a higher level of education and knowledge required. We need to understand the interactions between good and bad bugs, and who is who’s predator • In large-scale growing situations, the good bugs have a better chance of multiplying because there are many more of them to begin with than in a smaller area; therefore, they leverage greater control over a larger environment • Beneficial bugs really need to be introduced to your garden before the pests infiltrate • If you grow a whole range of crops, you might require a whole range of different beneficials, as different bugs are attracted to different crops. Thus, this can become expensive

Cost factors IPM looks expensive from the out-set, but by the time you take into consideration the cost of harsh chemicals and the time and labour used to treat an infestation, the results can be very cost-effective. Tony Bundock from the National Precision Growing Centre at Chisholm Institute of TAFE believes we should look at the

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

the true benefits of an effective IPM program lie in introducing the beneficials early and not waiting for an infestation.” cost as an investment rather than an expense because the beneficial bugs work tirelessly for you day and night.

He suggests finding a large-scale local grower who might sell you beneficials from their commercial supply.

A few considerations Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide travel the IPM road:

• You need to be able to identify the bad from the good • You need to know what bugs are circulating your crop and which bugs are their natural predators • You need to introduce the beneficial bugs before major problems occur • You need to know the level of tolerance your crop has to any given bug • And you need to find a local biological control agent to assist you when you need predatory bugs or advice The principle of IPM is about taking control over the whole season rather than just a week or two. Remember that the true benefits of an effective IPM program lie in introducing the beneficials early and not waiting for an infestation.

As with every greenhouse endeavour, do your research.

Ask yourself, “Is IPM best suited to my area, my crops and the bugs that infiltrate my local area?”

Seek out the advice of experts that can help you answer these questions; an informed decision is the best decision. A good place to start is the Australian Biological Control website at goodbugs.org. They offer a full list of bugs and their predators, along with loads of free expert advice.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

27

Immunity Immunity Rauscher 1208 4

by Frank Rauscher

The best way to protect our indoor crops is to understand how they protect themselves‌

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Maximum Yield |  March/April 2013

Immunity

To obtain a basic understanding of Yes, plants do have immune systems! While these plant defence processes, you’ll they do not have defender cells that are need to add a few terms to your vocabmobile or adaptive cells within their bodies ulary: disease-resistance proteins (R), like mammals do, the ways in which plants pathogen-encoded effectors (PE), defend themselves from diseases and pests transmembrane pattern-recognition is fascinating to say the least. receptors (PRR), microbial-associated Pathogens are those life forms that attack molecular patterns (MAMP) and pathoand damage our plants. Pathogens have difgen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP). ferent strategies for surviving and thriving within In order for a disease-resistant plant prothe plant—bacterial pathogens, for tein to be effective and result instance, proliferate in the spaces in no disease, there needs between the cell walls. They often to be a dominant resistance get started by entering through gene in the plant and a cora gas pore (stomata) or a water responding avirulence gene pore (hydathode) and of course in the pathogen. In this type basic understanding of these plant they can enter through a wound as of match, the right protein well. Some other plant invaders are defence processes you’ll need to add a can trigger responses that aphids and nematodes, which insert few terms to your vocabulary: diseasecan prevent disease from aftheir little stylets into plant cells, resistance proteins (R), pathogenfecting the plant. and fungi, which have many ways encoded effectors (PE), transmembrane A PE effector is a protein to get under the protective skin of secreted by a pathogen and pattern-recognition receptors (PRR), your plants. There are many types it works to help the pathoof pathogens that try to use, feed microbial-associated molecular patterns gen adjust to its new living off of or injure plants; without some (MAMP) and pathogen-associated environment within the host system of defending themselves molecular patterns (PAMP).” plant—sort of like the Trojan plants would be unable to survive.

To obtain a

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

horse. The plant has a countermove to this attack, however, as the introduction of an effector often triggers the activation of a R protein within the plant. The R protein recognises the modified version of the plant caused by the effector in a similar way to the danger signal models that kick into action in a mammal. The war goes on.

There are two basic branches of plant immune systems—one uses PRRs that respond to the slowly evolving changes caused by MAMP or PAMP. The other acts mostly inside the cell, using protein products activated as the result of some effector.

The thin black arrows indicate the ongoing level of plant immunity. In the first phase, the plant detects the initial effectors from the MAMP or PAMP and triggers increased resistance and immunity (PTI) for that pathogen. During phase two, certain pathogens deliver effectors that interfere with PTI. This enables pathogen nutrition and dispersal, resulting in effectortriggered susceptibility (ETS). During phase

There are two

basic branches of plant immune systems—one uses PRRs that respond to the slowly evolving changes caused

by MAMP or PAMP. The other acts mostly inside the cell, using protein products activated as the result of some effector.”

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

33

Immunity

Local and

systemic-acquired resistance is often found very near the site of pathogen attack—or sometimes the plant and the interplay of the signals between the pathogen, the environment and the host plant itself.” three, one of the effectors (Avr-R) is recognised by a plant protein, which activates effector-triggered immunity again. Sometimes the immunity response is so strong that it triggers a hypersensitive cell-death response (HR) in the plant (see below). In phase four, pathogen isolates are selected that have lost the red effector and gained new effectors though gene flow (in blue). These blue PRRs can help the pathogens to suppress the ETI in their attempt to survive the plant’s defences. This selection, however, helps the plant to again recognise the new effector and the ETI response is retriggered.

Hypersensitive cell death (HR) is a process of programmed cell death in a plant that is associated with the plant’s reaction to pathogens. It is a kind of suicide reaction by the plant initiated in order to kill or limit the threat of the pathogen that is attempting to invade the plant—and is one of the most fascinating aspects of the plant immune system. You might have

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

seen whole branches of a tomato plant curl up and die shortly after a bite from an insect—the concept is to burn the bridges in front of the invading pathogen in order to save the plant as a whole. This process spreads rapidly and is often quite effective. For gardeners tending plants exhibiting this reaction, the plant should be stripped back to the stem or branch just before the dying portion in order to help minimise the amount of HR that will occur and the pathogens that might invade.

Other plant reactions are also initiated as a result of HR. Local and systemic-acquired resistance is often found very near the site of pathogen attack—or sometimes the plant and the interplay of the signals between the pathogen, the environment and the host plant itself. The hypersensitive cell-death response is one of the most powerful mechanisms the plant has to defend itself and as gardeners we need to be able to recognise this response as being something different from plant failure. Some pathogens—such as those carried by an insect—are not transferable in themselves to other plants and therefore the entire plant need not be removed. In this case, it is the insect itself that spreads the disease to other plants.

Another very interesting method of plant selfdefence is when they tag an invading insect with a protein. When digested by the attacking insect, this tagging protein converts to another chemical within the insect—a chemical that will then be recognised by a plant when the insect is feeding from it. The chemical gives off a sort of SOS to the other plants to alert them that this particular insect is a bad guy.

They then immediately begin to put into force their defence systems, which will repel the insect before it has had much of a chance to create trouble. In this example, the plants might not know that every wasp is a menace, but they would recognise the ones that had already eaten, thus limiting the damage from insects to just the initial attack and avoiding any further damage. Research has also shown that bacteria and fungi can trigger a variety of chemical warning signals, causing plants to respond by increasing hormones in order to build up their defence systems.

It is obvious that plants not only have immune systems, but that these systems are vital to their health and productivity. If we want optimum health, vigour and production

from our crops, we need to help ensure that they are given what they need to keep their immune systems strong. This is why it is so important to examine more than just the N-P-K of our fertilisers— micronutrients also play a large part in supporting these plant functions. For example, magnesium is one micronutrient that plays a significant role in facilitating photosynthesis. In order for the plant to synthesise chlorophyll, magnesium must be present in sufficient amounts within the plant’s tissues. It is also an enzyme activator.

The plant’s metabolism itself is an interwoven maze of reactions that regulate and promote growth, health and the immune system. Establishing the right protocol for everything from watering and nutrition to temperature and light control is vital for maximum plant vigour and health and will promote the effective functioning of plant immune systems. Keep your plants strong and they will be able to fight off much of the disease and pest damage they face on their own.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

35

An Electrical Primer

by Dr. Benjamin Grimes

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

What’s one of the most common problems people ask Dr. Benjamin Grimes about?

Lights that won’t turn on. Here’s what the doctor orders for that problem…

Maximum Yield | July/August | March/April 2012 2013

37

an electrical primer

“My lights aren’t coming on,” is one of the most common calls I receive— and it is almost always the result of the same thing happening: overloaded circuits. The wiring in your home or office was designed to handle light loads constantly or heavy loads occasionally, but most indoor gardening systems require heavy loads for 12 or more hours per day. Unless you have a custom-built home or a shop designed for running heavy equipment, your wiring can probably only handle a certain load. The following chart is a rough guideline for what your wiring can safely handle:

Voltage

Circuit Rating (Amps)

Max Available Watts

Number of 1,000 Watt Lights

Number of 600 Watt Lights

Number of 400 Watt Lights

110/120

15

1,800

1

2

4

110/120

20

2,400

2

3

5

110/120

30

3,600

3

5

8

220/240

20

4,800

4

7

10

220/240

30

7,200

6

10

16

220/240

40

9,600

8

14

21

220/240

50

12,000

10

17

27

220/240

60

14,400

12

21

32

220/240

70

16,800

14

24

38

220/240

80

19,200

16

28

43

220/240

100

24,000

20

35

54

220/240

125

30,000

25

44

68

220/240

200

48,000

40

70

109

220/240

400

96,000

80

141

218

I once was called to a house where the owner

had replaced his 15-A breaker with a 20-A breaker, then [he] ran his two 1,000-W ballasts off the line.

Luckily for him, the outlet terminal melted off before the wire ignited in the wall: it was the closest thing I’ve seen to a miracle.” ~The Green Man, Oregon

About the Author: Benjamin Grimes Ph.D (hc) is a horticulture enthusiast. He regularly applies his extensive skills in engineering and science by installing his control systems for indoor

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Tripping a breaker means that your circuit has been overloaded or shorted. While it might be tempting, do not under any circumstances replace a breaker that is tripping constantly with a higher-rated breaker; in other words, do not replace a 15-A breaker with a 20-A or a 20-A breaker with a 30-A. Doing so is like striking matches and throwing them at a can of gasoline—you’ll be fine for a little while, but eventually one will catch and you’ll burn your house down.

220/240 circuits are generally capable of handling heavier loads for longer periods of time: these circuits usually supply power to your clothes dryer, oven and range and—in some homes—electric vehicle outlets.

Most are rated to handle 30 or 50 A at 220/240 V. If you need more electricity than you are wired for, hire an electrician to install a new circuit that meets your needs: a $300 circuit install is a lot cheaper than a fire!

gardens and greenhouses throughout Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Benjamin is devoted to the research and development of sustainable and alternative agriculture solutions.

by Bill DeBoer

Growers universally understand the concept that roots take up nutrients and water to help promote shoot growth. Still, a better comprehension of certain principles of water and nutrient acquisition can help hydroponic growers achieve more impressive results‌

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Maximum Yield |  March/April 2013

In order to better understand the relationship of root to shoots, looking at the concepts of water/ transpiration/osmosis, root absorption, root/shoot relationship, and root mass in hydroponics is a good place to start.

Water, transpiration and osmosis Nutrient uptake depends largely on water flow from the substrate to the roots and then up to the shoots. Interestingly, of the total water absorbed by the plant, only 5% is utilised in biochemical processes; the rest is loss via transpiration, which is the loss of water through the leaves due to a concentration gradient between air surrounding the leaf and the leaf itself. While transpiration can be viewed unfavourably, it is responsible for cooling the plants (absorbing solar energy via photosynthesis produces heat) and, most importantly, moving water and nutrients to the leaves where they are needed.

Transpiration also creates water demand in plants.

As the leaves lose water, transpiration creates a suction or pull that brings water and nutrients up through the xylem—imagine this process as a person sipping from a straw.

Another concept, osmosis, is the net movement of water driven by solute concentrations across a membrane that is semi-permeable and selective. If the solute concentration is higher on one side of the membrane, water will move to

“ If the total water absorbed by the plant, only 5% is utilised in biochemical processes; the rest is loss via transpiration.”

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

41

water and nutrient uptake by roots

create an equilibrium between intracellular (inside a cell) and extracellular (outside the cell) solute concentrations. This movement of water creates a pressure either inward or outward. For example, think of a balloon filled with solute (NaCl). Next, imagine that balloon is surrounded by pure water. Since the concentration of salt inside the balloon is high, water will move into the balloon and place pressure that will inflate the balloon. Without outward rectification, the balloon would pop; thus, salts must be transferred out to reduce this water (osmotic) pressure.

Now that we have discussed a specific role of water, let’s examine how that applies to nutrient absorption.

How roots work Roots branch out both laterally and vertically, and most plants will produce roots hairs (smaller, finer branches of roots) that further increase the surface area by several magnitudes. Roots provide two important functions for the plant. First, they act as structural anchors, fortifying the plant into the soil or rooting substrate. Secondly, they take up both water and nutrients to distribute throughout the plant. Absorption of water and nutrients is greatest in the new and younger sections of roots and is less active in the older sections. The specific mechanisms of this absorption are unclear, but it is known that ions are moved by both passive and active processes.

Passive transport occurs when ions exist at a higher concentration and move

to the lower concentration without the cost of energy.

Active transport occurs when ions are moved against a concentration gradient, generally by a carrier protein.

The function and types of these specific transporters is beyond the scope of this article; however, temperature can easily be explored and should be considered when considering effective ion absorption.

Absorption of water and nutrients is kinetically driven.

That is to say, temperature is paramount for effective uptake. Ideal substrate temperatures should be between 20 and 30oC. Although the uptake of ions is regulated, water and ion absorption will increase as temperatures rise. Over time, this accelerated uptake could lead to mineral toxicity. Also, if the rooting substrate is below 20oC and the growing conditions favour high transpiration, then the plant will be unable to absorb enough water to meet its biological water demand and wilting will occur. This is why monitoring both the growing conditions and the nutrients within the rooting substrate is paramount to acceptable growth.

Water and Nutrient DeBoer 1075 3.5 The relationship between shoots and roots

While separate organs of the plant, roots and shoots are dynamically interconnected. Leaves manufacture carbohydrates that provide the carbon needed to construct and grow roots. They are also the source for respiration-generated adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy currency needed for mineral absorption and other biological processes. The roots, in turn, uptake water and nutrients that the plants need to maintain turgor pressure and that assist with photosynthesis, as well as with

“Roots branch out both laterally and vertically, and most plants will produce roots hairs (smaller, finer branches of roots) that further increase the surface area by several magnitudes.”

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Maximum Maximum Yield | September/October Yield | March/April 2012 2013

43

water and nutrient uptake by roots

“Excessive vegetative (shoot) growth will facilitate carbohydrates away from roots; likewise, excessive root formation will pull away too many carbohydrates, thus reducing shoot development.”

promoting vegetative growth, flowering and fruiting.

Excessive vegetative (shoot) growth will facilitate carbohydrates away from roots; likewise, excessive root formation will pull away too many carbohydrates, thus reducing shoot development. As a result, it is important to understand the ramifications of root production in hydroponics.

Root mass and hydroponics The roots in hydroponic systems do not have to work as hard at obtaining water and nutrients as its traditional soil-bound brethren. Indeed, moist, fertile conditions like those utilised in hydroponics favour extensive root formation. While root pruning might seem like the logical solution, it might only lead to further proliferation of roots. Also, if you severely reduce the root mass, you will be reducing the absorption of both water and nutrients to the shoots causing reduced overall growth. Application of chemical hormonal sprays might control excessive root formation, but they’re probably not practical or economical. In the end, it makes more sense to not invasively manipulate root growth. Instead, hydroponic growers should establish practices to balance root and vegetative formation. Proper growing conditions (water status, temperature, humidity, etc.)

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

coupled with regular monitoring of nutrient status (especially nitrogen in nitrate form, phosphorus, sulphur and iron) will go a long way in promoting better growth and reducing excess nutrients that cause proliferation of the roots.

While understanding specific biochemical reactions or in-depth plant physiology might not be interesting to some growers, understanding certain basic principles is integral in promoting optimal growth. Hydroponics involves soilless growing in a water-based system. Therefore, the role that water plays, especially in nutrient acquisition, for plants is vitally important to a hydroponic grower. Hopefully this article has highlighted a few key points and now that you are “rooted” with information, go out there and start growing!

Resources J.B. Jones Jr. Hydroponics: A Practical Guide for the Soilless Grower. 2nd Edition. CRC Press 2005.

Salisbury, F.B., and C.W. Ross. Plant Physiology.

4th Edition. Wadsworth Publishing Company 1992.

Bucio, J.L., Ramirez, A.C., and L.H. Estrella. The role of nutrient availability in regulating root architecture. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 2003, 6:280-287.

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

45

GROWERS KNOW

The World Under Glass in Australia’s Hidden Southern Tropics

By Raquel

Neofit

Frank Baguley’s here to justify your indoor gardening adventures, and he has a valuable lesson to share with everyone.

Frank Baguley

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Tucked away in Melbourne’s suburban southeast, surrounded by market gardens, landfills and busy, truck-laden roads is a tropical paradise and a heart-warming story of a ninetyyear old horticulturist.

Meet Frank Baguley, an avid flower grower since he was a child. He would plant any flower seeds he could find in any patch of dirt around his childhood home. But it was in 1946 that flowers became a serious business for Frank. Fresh out the military, he married his sweetheart, Isabel, and together they turned this Clayton South property into a force to be reckoned with in the cut flower and high health propagation industry. Over the years, they grew and propagated over 120 different plant varieties. The property was even home to a hydroponic business in early days of Australian hydroponics, growing firstrate carnations for the cut-flower industry with the help of their four children.

Frank’s wife, Isabel, was a true pioneering woman of her time. She worked on the property (now leased by Majestic Selections) building fences, growing flowers, propagating and generally looking after everyone involved.

Back when the Baguleys were tending the fields, the plough was attached to a horse!

Isabel also had a life-long dream of owning her own private tropical garden, right in Melbourne. And that is exactly what she got; once they started winding down the business, Frank and his son, Les, set to work building her suburban tropical playhouse. The vision was to grow every kind of tropical plant that crossed their path. And that’s what Frank has done.

“When I find something new, I put it in,” he said simply.

You enter this exotic glasshouse to towering banana plants pushing through the ceiling, fragrant curry leaves, macadamias, pineapples, star fruit, snake fruit, Malaysian rambutan, white sapoti, paw paw, mulberries, Jack fruit, sugar cane and avocadoes.

As you meander around in a daze, tiny quails scurry from your feet and Japanese silky chickens are busy scrimmaging for food under plants in the earth. When you take a seat in the middle of the glasshouse and settle in for a relaxing coffee, you can watch the giant goldfish swimming aimlessly in their ponds.

Dubbed “a local legend on the horticultural scene” by ABC’s Gardening Australia, Frank now spends his time growing perfect chrysanthemums to take first place in the annual chrysanthemum shows, picking fruit and, in loving memory, tending to Isabel’s tropical garden. Once a week, he enjoys a game of lawn bowls in his own onsite bowling green, converted from—you guessed it—a glasshouse! It keeps this 90 year old and his bowling buddies snug and warm in winter.

Paw paws and Lapageria rosea in the glasshouse.

As you can see, Frank has a long history in the business of horticulture. He is also a multiple award winner and an accepted full-member of the Nursery Association. So, it’s no surprise that Frank has a lesson to share with all gardeners—be they interested in hydroponics or other systems!

The lesson is this: it doesn’t matter where you are or what atmospheric conditions you live in, you can grow anything, anywhere, as long as you create the perfect environment.

“You gotta get inside; outside growing is hopeless— with the weather, the wind, the hail; it’s ruined and all your work’s for nothing!”

As I look around at Isabel’s Barbados cherry, red and green coffee beans and the majestic Lapageria rosea (the rare Chilean bell flower) in all of her glorious colours, I can see that Frank is completely right.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

47

talking shop

Advanced Garden Supplies

Chris (left) and David (right) at Advanced Garden Supplies.

AT A GLANCE Company: Advanced Garden Supplies Owner: David Clark Location: 3/8 Bredbo St., Lonsdale, South Australia 5160 Phone: 08 8382 1191 E-mail: dave.ags@hotmail.com Motto: “Our business is growing.’”

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

A hydroponics enthusiast for the past fifteen years, David Clark got his start in the industry managing one of Adelaide’s largest hydroponics stores for six years, then worked as an international sales rep for Dutch Master for just short of a year. Business trips to the United Kingdom and Paris opened his eyes to a larger world of growing styles, and after seven years in the industry, he saw a hole in the market in Adelaide and decided it was time to embark on his own business venture.

Advanced Garden Supplies (AGS) opened in Lonsdale, South Australia, in November 2010 as a hydroponics wholesaler. It has since grown to also include a retail sector. Being the new kid on the block made the first six months somewhat difficult, but in two years the business has “gone from a

very empty warehouse to bursting at the seams with stock and customers, and now manufacturing nutrients and additives that outsell and outperform many other products on the market.”

“I started the business on my own,” said David, “so in the beginning, it was just me handling every aspect of the business from the buying and selling to all the paperwork that goes with it. Being the only person involved in the business was tough. I consider myself an expert in the hydroponics world and I have years of experience in sales and warehousing, but [I] was on a very steep learning curve when it came to the paperwork and the tax and legal requirements of setting up a new business.”

Early on, David’s focus on organization helped to keep the business running smoothly.

“Organization is the key that makes running your own business possible.

I was the only person involved, so I needed to manage my time and be super organized. The other lesson I learnt early on was about the wonderful world of tax—the more tax I paid, the more money I was making!”

Since opening in 2010, AGS has held strong at the same location and recently welcomed a new member to the team, Chris, who possesses “two green thumbs” (one thanks to growing up his parents’ farm on the Yorkes Peninsula, where he grew wheat and other crops, and the other from 15 years of handson hydro experience).

“Chris is never short of a good story on life’s philosophies, his experiences or garden secrets,” shared David.

“Most importantly, he is willing to help out with whatever needs to be done in the business and never complains about it. We’ve been known to bond over the odd Mexican-themed party, and are planning a trip to one of the Maximum Yield shows in 2013.”

On the manufacturing side of the business, David’s newly born product line, Devil’s Harvest, features a range of tank additives like silica and potash, as well as more advanced additives like Maximiser, which optimizes nutrient uptake and plant growth.

Current product distribution areas include Adelaide and Melbourne, to as far as Darwin.

“We have possibly the best wetting/ delivery agent in Australia. The A+B Grow and Bloom (flower) formula has amazed everyone who has used it!

I wanted a brand that wouldn’t just become another bottle on the shelf.

Steve Berlow, one of Australia’s most experienced and creative nutrient designers, developed the recipes and formulas. … [Spending] his last three years solely on research and development has made him a guru and my product one of the best out there! We also consider ourselves experts in the field of noise-reduction technology

for powerful, but quiet, fans for air extraction. Six years ago, when we were getting started, there wasn’t anything on the market that was both powerful and quiet, so we have worked hard on developing this, making up our own in-house silencer fan kits.”

Working to stay ahead of the curve in the industry, AGS’ low overheads allow them to be ultra-competitive while manufacturing market-leading nutrients. The thirty years combined hydroponics experience between David and Chris, maintaining strong client and industry relationships and possessing an intense passion for their work are some of their secrets to success.

“The hours I dedicate to my business go well beyond the hours my warehouse doors are open. This is why you need to have a passion for hydroponics to make it in this industry. Having a customer focus is something I learnt from my parents, who ran their own business for years. Putting my customer first and wanting to help them simply makes sense to me, and since starting my business, I have seen that this approach works. I will go out of my way to help my customers.

“Nothing makes you happier than when you help out a customer with advice or product selection and they come back in a few weeks and praise you with thanks and stories of incredible yields. Within the first month of

opening, I had a new customer, Rob, come in telling me about a problem he was having with his tomato plants. He explained that they were really stunted and small—not growing as he expected. I began to ask a series of questions to find out the problem, the first being how old the plants were. He said they were about three weeks old, but still appeared as though only one week.

After a few more questions, I realized he was using his grow food at the same strength as per the instructions on the bottle (most bottles state 4 to 5ml per litre). I explained that plants need to be run on food at half strength for the first week or so and then that amount increased as the plants develop. Rob was puzzled as to why no other shop had explained this to him before, to which I responded, ‘Experience!’ Rob is now one of my best customers and I have never been short on tomatoes since. Thanks, Rob!” Although some companies change their philosophy over time as business grows, David employs the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mantra.

“Having worked in a company that is considered an industry leader, I have applied much of what I learned from there to my own business. The other important thing to remember is that your customers are the reason you are in business so make sure you do the little things for your customer that other shops don’t do.”

Chris and David show off some merchandise.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

49

You Tell Us

High Caliper Growing

Maximum Yield recently sat down with Charles Jackson, vice president of retail sales for High Caliper Growing, to talk about how the company started, how Smart Pots work and why it’s worth having this product shipped over for your garden…

Tell us a bit how your company started.

High Caliper Growing (HCG), the makers of Smart Pots, started in 1984. Ralph Reiger, the founder of HCG, wanted to find a better way to grow container trees and shrubs; a way that would solve the problems that accompanied with growing in hard plastic containers (to name a couple, root circling and heat). With the first Root Control Bag (the original name), the problems were resolved. Since that time, HCG has helped thousands of tree farmers and now home gardeners can grow great trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables. Under the leadership of Kurt, Ralph’s son, HCG has been leading the way in fabric container technology.

What is your company philosophy?

The philosophy of HCG is to make a quality fabric container, give first class customer service and have fun doing it. This is what we have done for almost 30 years and is the reason we are number one in the fabric container world.

How are Smart Pots made? What are they made of?

Smart Pots are made out of a GeoTextile. There are plenty of GeoTextiles on the market. The difference with ours is that it is custom-made for us for horticulture purposes. Having the experience of 30 years and the ability to work closely with our fabric manufacturer ensures us the best quality fabric to make Smart Pots.

50

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Kurt Reiger, president of High Caliper Growing

How do Smart Pots work? Also, what is air pruning and why is a root system grown in a Smart Pot more desirable?

Smart Pots work like other growing containers—they are a container that grows plants. The reason the Smart Pot is superior to plastic and traditional containers, as well as other fabric containers, is what goes on inside the Smart Pot when a plant grows. In traditional containers (plastic, ceramic, clay, etc.), roots will circle the container on the

inside looking for oxygen.

Circling roots are not desirable. Plants mostly feed at the root tips; when the same roots are just circling around the container, there are not a whole lot of root tips and, therefore, not a whole lot of opportunities to feed and absorb nutrients.

However, when a root grows in a Smart Pot, the roots become air pruned and a better root structure is created. When the root reaches the Smart Pot wall, it comes in contact with air.

The air will dry out the root Charles Jackson, tip, which prunes it. This vice president of retail sales pruning encourages the root to spread laterally, creating more roots and more root tips. With a better root structure and more root tips the plant will be better, bigger and produce more.

Are Smart Pots reusable?

Yes, Smart Pots are reusable. Because of the quality of construction of a Smart Pot and the quality of fabric, our customers can easily get three to five years of use out of the Smart Pot. A lot of times, a customer will get even longer use out of it—I hear quite often about customers using their Smart Pot for six and seven years.

Our fabric and construction makes this happen.

What is your most popular product? Why do you think that is?

It is hard to say what our most popular size is. It is specific to the season and region. In the spring and summer, the 378.54-; 757.08-; 1,135.62- and even 1,514.16-L Smart Pots are most popular in warm places because the Smart Pot is the only way to grow outdoors. This is due to the fact that the Smart Pot keeps a plants root structure 10 to 30 degrees cooler than a plastic container. This has really helped gardeners maximise their yields. In places where they grow a lot in greenhouses, the 75.71 to 246.05 L are ideal as they again helping the gardener produce more in the same amount of space. In other places, our smaller Smart Pots are more popular. This is probably because of a few reasons. Home gardeners grow a lot indoors and space is a premium. The Smart Pots are ideal because

they do not take up a lot of space when they are not in use.

For example, you can fit 25 to 50 (or more) Smart Pots in a grocery bag. Try doing that with a plastic container. Because the Smart Pot will produce bigger and better plants than a plastic container can, the grower is able to produce more per square metre.

What sort of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices do you incorporate into your business and products?

As a company, we try to be sustainable and environmentally friendly at every level. Since we manufacture the Smart Pot ourselves at our home office, we are able to address a lot of these concerns. We recycle about 90% or more of our waste at our manufacturing facility. This means less than 10% of our waste gets thrown away. We are very proud of this.

How can customers in Australia get your products?

We currently do not have distribution in Australia. We are talking with a few people, but there’s nothing definite at this point. This really is a shame because we have so many requests for the Smart Pot from Australia—from shop owners to individual growers, we get inquiries weekly.

That being said, we do ship from the United States.

Shipping a box or a bag at a time is expensive, but for our customers, they’re worth it!

Are there any climates that work particularly well with Smart Pots?

Like I mentioned earlier, the Smart Pots are perfect for all environments. But if I had to pick one climate where the benefits are really spectacular compared to traditional containers, it would be in the outdoor environment. Used outdoors, the gardener is able to use a more natural mix and a more water-retentive mix because of [Smart Pots’] ability to release heat and the superior drainage. Simply put, the Smart Pots are perfect for the outdoor environment where it gets especially hot.

Anyone who gardens should be using Smart Pots—anyone, that is, who wants a better harvest. Whether you are indoors or outside, switching to the Smart Pots will increase your yield. University studies, as well as customer testimonials (both available on our website), show that the Smart Pot outperforms traditional containers.

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

51

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors AUSTRALIA ACT South Pacific Hydroponics

#2 - 84 - 86 Wollongong St., Fyshwick ACT 2609 (02) 6239 2598

South Pacific Hydroponics

70 Oatley Court, Belconnen ACT 2617 (02) 6251 0600

NEW SOUTH WALES ABC Aquaculture

54 Wahroonga Road, Kanwal NSW 2259 (61) 2 4393 3131 ASE Hydroponics

Hobby Grow

6/46 Through Street, South Grafton NSW 2460 (04) 2283 8069 Home Harvest

423 Princess Highway, Rockdale NSW 2216 (02) 9567 8841 Hyalite Moorebank

6/376 Newsbridge Road, Moorebank NSW 2170 (02) 9824 3400 Hyalite Villawood

2/21 Birmingham Avenue, Villawood NSW 2163 (02) 9723 7199 Hydro Masta

Factory 10/45 Leighton Pl., Hornsby NSW 2077 (02) 9477 3710

100 Station Road, Seven Hills, Sydney NSW 2147 (02) 8812 2845

Ballina Hydro

Hydro Masta Pty Ltd

3 Ray O’Niell Crescent, Ballina NSW 2478 (02) 6686 7321

76 Beecroft Road, Epping NSW 2121 (02) 9869 3011

Brunswick Hydro & Aquarium Supplies

Hydro Net

19 Booyun Street, Brunswick Heads NSW 2483 (02) 6685 1552 Criscete Hydroponics and Organics

Unit 2/15 Kam Close, Morisset, NSW 2264 (02) 4973 5779

Dr. Van Der Bloom’s Hydroponics Supplies

5/5 Forge Drive, Coff’s Harbour, NSW 2450 (02) 6651 9992 Dubbo Hydro & Tobacconist

2/14 Aific Street, Long Jetty NSW 2261 (02) 4334 6955 Hydro Place

1/68 Nelson Street, Wallsend NSW 2287 (02) 4965 6595 Hydro Shop and Reptile Supplies

2/390 The Esplanade, Warners Bay NSW 2282 (02) 4958 1489 Hydro Shop Pty Ltd

Retail Stores are listed alphabetically by city in each state.

Northern Nursery Supplies Pty Ltd

14-16 Nance Road, Kempsey NSW 2440 (02) 6563 1599 Nowra Hydro

68 Bridge Road, Nowra NSW 2541 (02) 4423 3224 Nutriflo Hydroponic Systems

19/5 Daintree Place, Gosford West NSW 2250 (02) 4323 1599 Parkview Plants

Quik Grow

510a Great Western Hwy., Pendle Hill NSW 2145 (02) 9636 7023 Quick Grow

823 King Georges Road, S. Hurstville NSW 2221 (02) 9546 8642 Quik Grow Pty Ltd

490 Parramatta Road, Petersham NSW 2049 (02) 9568 2900 Simple Grow

Hassall Street & Windem, Wetherill Pk NSW 2164 (02) 9604 0469 Tweed Coast Hydroponics

Uncle Wal’s Gardenland

Ezi Grow Hydro

B/385 The Entrance Road, Long Jetty NSW 2261 (02) 4333 5700

56 Fish Parade, Bathurst NSW 2795 (02) 9832 1610 Ezi Grow Hydro - Head Office

18 Part Street, Eglinton NSW 2795 (02) 6337 1485

Favgro Hydroponics Growers

107 Glenella Road, Batehaven NSW 2536 (02) 4472 7165 Felanza - Hydroponics

140 Princess Highway, Arncliffe, NSW 2205 (02) 9556 1494

General Hydroponics

7/14 Sunnyholt Rd., Blacktown NSW 9676 (02) 9676 8682 Grow Australia

57 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 (02) 9326 0307

31 Crescent Avenue, Taree NSW 2430 (02) 6550 0221

Hydro Wise

Home Grown Aquaponics

14 Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 (02) 6921 5911 Hygrow Horticulture (Greenlite)

252 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 (02) 9369 3928 Indoor Sun Shop

745 Victoria Road, Top Ryde NSW 2112 (02) 9808 6511 Indoor Sun Shop

Unit 2/109 Junction Road, Moorebank NSW 2170 (02) 9822 4700 International Fans

PO Box 120, St. Mary’s NSW 2760 (02) 9833 7500 Kyper’s Tools and Hydroponics

Factory 1/5 Sefton Road, Thronleigh NSW 2120 (02) 9473 5000

Stuart & Tincogan Sts, Mullumbimby NSW 2482 (02) 6684 4928

Grow Your Own

Lismore Hydro

Unit 6/34 Alliance Ave, Morisset NSW 2264 (02) 4973 5179

1/106 Canway Street, Lismore NSW 2480 (02) 6621 3311

Happy Grow Hydro

Lismore Hydroponics

15/The Crescent Street, Penrith NSW 2750 (02) 4732 2870

52

rear of 28 Casino St., South Lismore, NSW 2480 (02) 6621 3311

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

Eye Lighting Australia Pty Ltd

PO Box 306, Carole Park QLD 4300 (07) 3335 3556

13/8a-8b Hartley Drive, Thornton NSW 2322 (02) 4028 6388

Westside Lighting & Electrical (Ezi Range)

PO Box 274, Mascot NSW 1400 1 800 661 475

Wollongong Hydroponic Center

318 Crown Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 (02) 4225 8773

NORTHERN TERRITORY Katherine Hydroponics Centre

17 Rundle Street, Katherine NT 0850 (08) 8972 1730 QUEENSLAND A Happy Medium Hydroponics

Unit2/10 Central Court, Browns Plains QLD 4118 (07) 3809 3322 Allgrow Hydro

13 - 58 Bullock Head St., Sumner Park QLD 4074 (07) 3376 7222 Aquatic Oasis

Unit 2/33 Smith Street, Capalaba QLD 4157 (07) 3245 7777 Billabong Hydroponics

Lot 1, Billabong Court, Childers QLD 4660 (07) 4126 3551

Walsh’s Seeds Garden Centre

881 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba QLD 4350 (07) 4636 1077 SOUTH AUSTRALIA ------------------------------------------

Advanced Garden Supplies

2/80 Beerburrum Road, Caboolture QLD 4510 (07) 5428 1133 22 Mining Street, Bundamba QLD 4304 (07) 3816 3206 2 Sonia Crt., Raceview QLD 4305 (07) 3294 3253 Hyalite Varsity

5/11 John Duncan Crt., Varsity Lakes QLD 4227 (07) 5593 7385 Hydroponic Roots & Shoots

Lot 3 Herberton Road, Atherton QLD 4883 (07) 4091 3217

Hydroponics & Garden Supplies

Advanced Garden Supplies

3/8 Bredbo St Lonsdale S.A. 5160 (08) 8382 1191 ------------------------------------------

Amazon Aquariums & Gardening

Unit 5, 16 Research Road, Pooraka SA 5095 (08) 8359 1800 Ascot Park

753 Marion Road, Ascot Park SA 5043 (08) 8357 4700 Barry’s Hardware

Saints & Main North Rd., Salisbury Plains SA 5109 (08) 8281 4066 Bolzon Home & Garden

93 Cook St., Portsmith QLD 4870 (07) 4035 5422

103 Tolley Road, St Agnes SA 5097 (08) 8265 0665

Hydroponics Today

Chocablock Discount Variety Store

PO Box 785, Stanthorpe QLD 4380 (07) 4683 3133 Indoor Solutions

Unit 2 / 79 Oxford Tce., Taringa QLD 4068 J&K Hydroponics

10 Wacol Station Road, Wacol, Brisbane QLD, 4076 (07) 3271 6210 KY Garden

3/31 Argyle PDE, Darra Brisbane QLD 4076 (07) 3375 9098

15-17/1220 Grand Junction, Hope Valley SA 5090 (08) 8396 3133 Complete Hydroponics

1581 Main North Road Salisbury East SA 5109 (08) 8258 4022 Country Hydro

434 Saddleback Road, Whyalla SA 5600 (08) 8645 3105

Nerang Hydroponic Centre

D & W Dependable Hardware

North Queensland Hydro Supplies

Festive Hydro

27 Lawrence Drive, Nerang QLD 4211 (07) 5527 4155

45B Kettering Road, Elizabeth South SA 5112 (08) 8287 6399

Shop 2B/20-22 Fleming St., Townsville QLD 4810 (07) 4728 3957

2 Kreig Street, Evanston Park SA 5116 (08) 8523 5100

Northern Hydroponics

Fulham Gardener Nursery

383 Mulgrave Road, Cairns QLD 4870 (07) 4054 5884

Pioneer Hydroponics

194 Doyles Road, Pleystowe QLD 4741 (07) 4959 2016 SA Hydroponics

Shed 3, 1191 Anzac Avenue, Kallangar QLD 4503 (07) 3285 1355 Simply Hydroponics Gold Coast

42 Lawrence Drive, Nerang QLD 4211 (07) 5596 2250

Sunstate Hydroponics

1137 Ipswitch Road, Moorooka QLD 4105 (07) 3848 5288

Sunstate Hydroponics

67 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore QLD 4558 (07) 5479 1011 The Hydroponic Warehouse

Shop 3/73 PIckering Street, Enoggera QLD 4051 (07) 3354 1588 Tumbling Waters Hydroponics

2 Clarkes Track, Malanda QLD 4885 (07) 4096 6443

Harvest Time Hydroponics

Shop 3/146-148, Findon Road, Findon SA 5023 (08) 8244 0222 Hindmarsh Hydroponics

39a Manton Street, Hindmarsh SA 5095 (08) 8346 9461 Highland Hydro

14/1042 Grand Junction Road, Holden Hill SA 5088 (08) 8395 4455 Hong Kong Hydro

Green Power Hydroponics

H2 Gro Pty Ltd

20 Uralla Road, Pt Macquarie NSW 2444 (02) 6581 1272

Hydro Supplies

Hydroponics Grow All Year

Unit 1/4 Windmill Street, Southport QLD 4215 (07) 5591 6501

Port Pumps and Irrigation

(02) 6885 1616 Ezi Grow Hydro 177 Mt Druit Road, Mt Druitt NSW 2770 (02) 9832 1610

Ezi Grow Hydro

E.T. Grow Home

Grow Hydro

2/58 Machinery Dr., Tweeds Head South NSW 2486 (07) 5524 8588

1B/340 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW 2753 (02) 4588 5826

5/404 Deception Bay Road, Deception Bay QLD 4508 (07) 3204 8324

250 Princess Highway, Nowra South NSW 2541 (02) 4423 0599

Unit 1/5-7 Channel Road, Mayfield West NSW 2304 (02) 4960 0707

42c Victoria Street, Dubbo West NSW 2830

D-Bay Hydroponics Shop

597 Tapleys Hill Road, Fulham SA 5024 (08) 8235 2004

Futchatec Distribution

4 Symonds St. Royal Park, 5014 (08) 8447-1122

Glandore Hydroponics

644 - 646 South Road, Glandore SA 5037 (08) 8371 5777

Greener than Green

52 - 54 Cliff Avenue, Port Noarlunga South SA 51 (08) 8386 2596

13 Research Road, Pooraka SA 5095 (08) 8260 2000 Hydro Heaven

Kane Motors-Hunt Road, Mount Barker SA 5251 (08) 8391 1880 Hydro Sales & Service

1 Salisbury Crescent, Colonel Light SA 5041 (08) 8272 2000 Hydro Technics

321 South Road, Croydon SA 5008 (08) 8241 5022 Hydro Warehouse

181 Seacombe Road, South Brighton SA 5048 (08) 8377 1200 Hydro World

40 Folland Avenue, Northfield SA 5085 (08) 8262 8323 Koko’s Hydro Warehouse

Unit 2/2 McGowan Street, Pooraka SA 5095 (08) 8260 5463

Larg’s Bay Garden Supply

239 Victoria Road, Largs Bay SA 5016 (08) 8242 3788

Martins Road Hydro

# 5- 353 Martins Road, Parafield Gardens SA 5107 (08) 8283 4011 Mitre 10 Drive In

152 Hanson Road, Mansfield Park SA 5012 (08) 8445 1813 New Age Hydroponics

135-137 Sir Donald Bradman Dr., Hilton SA 5033 (08) 8351 9100 Owen Agencies

17-19 Railway Terrace, Owen SA 5460 (08) 8528 6008 Professional Hydro

4/522 Grange Road, Fulham Gardens SA 5024 (08) 8353 0133 Professional Hydro

Shop 5/645 Lower North East Road SA 5075 (08) 8365 5172 Professional Hydroponics

113 Maurice Road, Murray Bridge SA (08) 8532 3441

Seaton Hydroponics

Greenhouse Superstore Lonsdale

129 Tapleys Hill Road Seaton SA 5023 (08) 82682636

Greenhouse Superstore Royal Park

44 Chapel St., Norwood SA 5067 (08) 8362 8042

35 to 37 Aldenhoven Road SA 5160 (08) 8382 0100 4 Symonds St. Royal Park SA 5014 (08) 8447 5899

Ground-Up Service Nursery

3 Copinger Road, Pt. Pirie SA 5540 (08) 8264 9455

Soladome Aquaculture & Hydro

South Coast Hydroponics

6/25 Gulfview Road, Christies Beach SA 5165 (08) 8384 2380 State Hydroponics

174 Semaphore Road, Exeter SA 5019 (08) 8341 5991

Tea Tree Gully Hydro

32 Famechon Cresent, Modbury North SA 5092 (08) 8264 9455 Two Wells Hardware

86 Old Port Wakefield Road, Two Wells SA 5501 (08) 8520 2287 Urban Grow Solutions

1/111 Main Sth Rd, O’Halloran Hill, S.A 5189 (08) 8322 0040 West Garden Centre

Peachey Road, Elizabeth West SA 5113 (08) 8255 1355 TASMANIA Advanced Hydroponics

Barb’s Hydro and Nursery

15 Wallace Avenue, Interverloch Vic 3196 (03) 5674 2584

------------------------------------------

Hydroponics

5/ 60-68 Colby Drive, Belgrave Heights Vic 3160 (03) 9754 3712 Brew ‘N’ Grow

4 - 479 Nepean Highway, Edithvale Vic 3199 (03) 9783 3006 Casey Hydro

26 Mulgrave Street, South Launceston Tas 7249 (03) 6344 5588

12 The Arcade Street, Cranbourne Vic 3977 (03) 5996 3697

Ezy Grow

Casey Hydro

Hydroware

Simply Hydroponics

------------------------------------------

Sunlite Hydroponics

Hyalite Airport West

Unit 4/504-506 Fullarton Road, Airport West 3042 (03) 9331 5452

Hyalite Global

Sunray Hydro

Garden World

Chronic Hydroponics

3 Third Avenue, Sunshine Vic 3020 (03) 9311 3510

Complete Garden Supplies

580 Ballarat Road, Sunshine Vic 3020 (03) 9311 9776 Green Acres Hydroponics

Unit 1 46-48 Bingalong Rd, Mornington, TAS 7018 (03) 6245 1066

-----------------------------------------Growers Choice

225 Main Road, Derwent Park Tas 7009 (03) 6273 6088 Hydroponics Systems

131 Main Rd, Moonah, TAS 7009 (03) 6278 3457

Hydroponic World

Discount Hydroponics

18 Princes Hwy. Doveton VIC 3177 (03) 9792 2966

Echuca Hydroponic Nursery & Supplies

23 Ogilvie Avenue, Echuca Vic 3564 (03) 5480 2036

Echuca Pump Shop

128 Ogilvie Avenue, Echuca Vic 3564 (03) 5480 7080

Excel Distributors Pty Ltd

322 Bass Highway, Sulphur Creek Tas 7316 (03) 6435 4411

2/41 Quinn Street, Preston Vic 3072 (03) 9495 0083

Organic Garden Supplies

F.L.O.W. Plants and Environments

17 Don Road, Devonport Tas 7310 (03) 6424 7815

Tas Hydroponic Supplies

99 Lampton Avenue, Derwent Park Tas 7009 (03) 6272 2202

The Hydroponic Company

69 Charles Street, Moonah Tas 7009 (03) 6273 1411

The Hydroponics Company

289 Hobart Road, Kings Medow Tas 7428 (03) 6340 2222 VICTORIA

AAA Lush Hydroponics

2-4 The Arcade, Junction Village, Melbourne Vic 3972 Albury Hydroponics/ Cappers Hydroponics

62 Thomas Mitchell Drive, Springvale Vic 3171 61 (02) 6024 4029 All Seasons Hydroponics

3 Springvale Road, Springvale Vic 3171 (03) 9540 8000

Banksia Greenhouse and Outdoor Garden

530 Burwood Highway, Wantirna Vic 3152 (03) 9801 8070

66B Chapel Street, Windsor Vic 3181 (03) 9510 6832 Gardensmart

810-834 Springvale Road, Keysborough Vic 3173 (03) 9769 1411 Global Hydroponics

10 Knight Avenue, Sunshine Vic 3020 (03) 9356 9400

Greenleaf Hydroponics

9a Church Street, Traralgon Vic 3844 (03) 5176 0898

Greenleaf Hydroponics

Factory 7, Industrial Park Drive, Lilydale Vic 3140 (03) 9739 7311

1/104 Shannon Avenue, Geelong West Vic 3281 (03) 5222 6730 Simply Hydroponics Pakenham

4/19 Jersey Road, Bayswater Vic 3153 (03) 9720 1946

625 East Derwent Highway, Lindisfarne Tas 7015 (03) 6243 9490

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8, 59-61 Miller St., Epping 3076 (03) 9408 4677

Hyalite Bayswater

10 Knight Avenue, Sunshine North Vic 3020 (03) 9356 9400

31 Anderson Street, Templestowe Vic 3106 (03) 9646 8133

5/ 411-413 Old Geelong Rd., Hoppers Cros. 3029 (03) 9360 9344

1/54 Lara Way, Campbellfield, Vic, 3061 (03) 9357 8805

78 Spring Square, Hallam Vic 3803 (03) 9796 3776

717 West Tamar Highway, Legana Tas 7277 (03) 6330 1177

87A Archer Street, Shepparton Vic 3630 (03) 5831 6433

Simply Hydroponics

Bayside Hydroponics

5/9 Rutherford Road Seaford, VIC 3198 (03) 9775 0495Belgrave

Shepparton Hydroponics

Factory 6/3-11 Bate Close Pakenham, Victoria 3810 03 5940 9047

Hyalite Westend

157 Tenth Street, Mildura Vic 3500 (03) 5023 6422 Supply Net International P/L PO Box 171, Highbury Vic 5089 (88) 264-3600

Hydroponic Central

The Hydroponic Connection

110 Dynon Road West Melbourne Vic. 3003 (03) 9376 0447 Indoor Garden Company

29 Glasgow Street, Collingwood Vic 3066 (03) 9416 1699

Impact Distribution

PO Box 2188, Salisbury Downs 5108 (08) 8250-1515 JB Lighting

492 - 500 Neerim Road, Murrumbeena Vic 3163 (03) 9569 4399 Just Hydroponics Deer Park

Unit 11 29-39 Westwood Drive, Deer Park, VIC 3023 (03) 8390 0861 Just Hydroponics Geelong

Unit 7 36-38 Saunders street, North Geelong, VIC 3215 (03) 5278 6478 Latrove Valley Home Brew Supplies

PO Box 802, Morwell Vic 3804 (03) 5133 9140 Living Jungle

345 Sommerville Road, Footscray West Vic 3012 (03) 9314 0055 Melton Hydroponic Supplies

18/10 Norton Drive, Melton Vic 3194 (03) 9746 9256

Midtown Hydroponics

Factory 1, 821B Howitt St., Wendouree Vic 3355 (03) 5339 1300 One Stop Sprinklers

1 Burwood Highway, Wantirna Vic 3152 (03) 9800 2177

397 Dorset Road, Boronia Vic 3155 (03) 9761 0662 Waterworks Hydroponics

Unit 1, 5 Brand Drive, Thomastown Vic 3074 (03) 9465 1455

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Accent Hydroponics

Unit 2/141 Russell Street, Morley WA 6062 (08) 9375 9355 Aqua Post

Unit 2B 7 Yampi Way, Willetton WA 6155 (08) 9354 2888 Aquaponics

Lot 12 Warton Road, Canning Vale WA 6155 1800 640 222 Bunbury Alternate Growing Supplies

8/13 Worcestor Bend, Davenport, WA 6230 (08) 9725 7020

Creative Hydroponics

1/95 Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168 (08) 9528 1310 Great Southern Hydroponics

Shop 1, 21 Hennessy Road, Bunbury WA 6230 (08) 9721 8322 Greenfingers World of Hydroponics

Albany Hwy & Kelvin Rd., Maddington WA 6109 (08) 9452 0546

Greenfingers World of Hydroponics

Unit C 14-16 Elliot Street, Midvale WA 6056 (08) 9274 8388

Hydroponic Solutions

1/1928 Beach Road, Malaga WA 6090 (08) 9248 1901 Hydroponic Warehouse

Unit 7/627 Wanneroo Road, Wanneroo WA 6065 (08) 9206 0188 Hydroponica

317 Guildford Road, Maylands WA 6051 (08) 9371 5757 Isabella’s Hydroponics

66 Jambanis Road, Wanneroo WA 6065 (08) 9306 3028 Johnson’s Nursery Garden Centre

30 Blencowe Road, Geralton WA 6530 (08) 9921 6016 Neerabup Organic & Hydroponic Supplies

Unit 1, 21 Warman St. Neerabup WA 6031 (08) 9404 7155 One Stop Hydroponics

947 Beaufort Street, Inglewood WA 6052 (08) 9471 7000 Perth Hydroponic Centre

Shop 4, 171-175 Abernathy Road, Belmont WA 6104 (08) 9478 1211 Reptile and Grow Store

Unit 7 - 117-119 Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168 (08) 9527 2245 Richo’s 4 Hydro

Unit 7/22 Franklin Lane, Joondalup, WA 6027 (08) 9301 4462 Southwest Hydroponics

Lot 29, Pinjarra Road, Mandurah WA 6210 (08) 9534 8544 The Grow Room

1/1451 Albany Highway, Cannington WA 6107 (08) 9356 7044 The Great Indoors

Unit 1/25 Gillam Dr. Kelmscott WA 6111 +61 (08) 9495 2815 Bloem

PO Box 1816, Subiaco WA 6008 (08) 9217 4400 The Watershed Water Systems

150 Russell Street, Morley WA 6062 (08) 9473 1473 The Watershed Water Systems

2874 Albany Highway, Kelmscott WA 6111 (08) 9495 1495 The Watershed Water Systems

NEW ZEALAND Easy Grow New Lynn

3018 Gt North Rd New Lynn, Auckland 09 827 0883

Easy Grow Manukau

15/69 Wiri Station Road, Manukau, Auckland 09 263 7560 Guru Gardener

14 Molesworth St., New Plymouth 06 758 6661 Otaki Hydroponics

1083 S.H. 1 South Otaki 06 364 2206 House of Hydro

221 Waiwhetu Rd., Lower Hutt Wellington Pet and Garden

10 Fitzgerald Ave., Christchurch 03 377 2507 Grow and Brew

14a Flexman Place, Silverdale Auckland 09 426 2095 Green Day Hydroponics

Cnr of Maunganui Rd & Tawa St., Mt Maunganui 07 575 4090 Switched on Gardener

Number 189 (Lower) Dent Street, Whangarei (09)438 0223 Switched on Gardener

Unit 159 Central Park Drive, Henderson (09) 837 1210 Switched on Gardener

Unit 1/60 Ti Rakau Drive, Pakuranga (09) 576 0296

Switched on Gardener

Number 1c Sunshine Ave, Hamilton (07) 850 8351 Switched on Gardener

Number 513 Heretaunga Street West, Hastings (06) 876 7885 Switched on Gardener

Number 62 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington (04) 472 5265 Switched on Gardener

Unit 7/67 View Road, Glenfield (09) 443 0106 Switched on Gardener

Number 1 Rata Street, New Lynn (09) 826 4444 Switched on Gardener

Number 57 Cavendish Drive, Manukau (09) 263 4336 Switched on Gardener

Number 427 Cameron Road, Tauranga (07) 579 9840 Switched on Gardener

Number 1060 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt (04) 526 3913 Switched on Gardener

Number 3 Pascoe Street, Nelson (03) 546 4769

GreenLite - Ringwood

Pam’s Home Brew & Hydroponics

61 McArthur Street, Sale Vic 3850 (03) 5143 1143

4/91 Wanneroo Road, Tuart Hill WA 6060 (08) 9345 5321

Grow 4 XS

Palms & Plants

Growsmart Hydroponics

47768 South Coast Highway, Albany WA 6330 (08) 9841 3220

7/36 Port Kembla Dr. Bibra Lake, WA 6163 (08) 9434 5118

Switched on Gardener

Holland Forge Pty Ltd.

175 Salisbury Highway, Salisbury S.A. 5108 (08) 8285 7575 Prestige Hydroponics Pty. Ltd.

Hydro Nation

Water Garden Warehouse

Switched on Gardener

291 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood Vic 3134 (03) 9870 8566

Rear 24 Simms Road, Greensborough Vic 3088 (03) 9435 6425 5 Hi-tech Place, Rowville Vic 3178 (03) 9764 1372

S 2.10 Level 2, 343 Little Collins St. Melbourne VIC Australia 3000 61 4 187 81083

Greenlite Hydroponics

41A Rockingham Road, Hamilton Hill WA 6163 (08) 9336 7368

1/146 Great Eastern Highway, Midland WA 6210 (08) 9274 3232 Tru Bloomin Hydroponics

14 Drake Street, Osborne Park WA 6017 (08) 9443 7993

Switched on Gardener

Number 9 Buckley Road, Linwood (03) 381 0937

Number 143 Tuam Street, Christchurch CBD (03) 374 5682 Number 313 King Edward Street, Dunedin (03) 456 1980

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

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COMING UP IN May/June Light, Power, Grow Proper lighting is one of the most important facets to a successful indoor garden and indoor gardeners should understand at least the basics. This article is here to help you.

Soil Basics (Get Excited!)

Growing in soil doesn’t need to be complicated—Lee McCall shares his favorite ways to set up a basic soil-based garden.

Is it Dead?

Plants do not have vital signs like a heartbeat or breathing in and out—which would make it easy to tell if it is truly dead or alive. Instead, you have to rely on more subtle clues...

Maximum Yield May/June will be available in May for free at select indoor gardening retail stores across the country and on maximumyield.com Subscriptions are available at maximumyield.com/subscriptions

enews

Stay in the Know with Maximum Yield’s E-News Every month Maximum Yield’s E-News brings you the latest news, tips and tricks, reader questions, contests and upcoming events. If you are not yet subscribed to our mailing list, sign up today at maximumyield.com/enewssignup

COMING UP ON THE WEB Gearing up for Another Great Year of Expos Another great year of indoor gardening expos sponsored by Maximum Yield is here! This year, we’re stopping in Denver, Colorado (March 16 & 17); Novi, Michigan (June 1 & 2); San Francisco, California (July 27 & 28); and Long Beach, California (October 26 & 27). Whether you’re a new or an experienced gardener, these shows offer something for everyone. Stay tuned to indoorgardeningexpo.com for details so you can plan your 2013 vacation.

Got Questions?

Get Answers.

Maximum Yield’s resident experts are available and ready to answer your

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Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

modern gardening questions. Email editor@maximumyield.com or fill out the “Ask the Experts” question form on maximumyield.com

I’m a Fan Contest Introducing the newest contest from Maximum Yield! Tell us why you are a fan of Maximum Yield and you could win monthly prizes of a $100 gift card to your favourite indoor gardening shop, and also have a chance at the grand prize of a $1,000 gift card to your favourite indoor gardening shop. Simply send your testimonial, name, address, phone number and email address to editor@maximumyield.com. Contest closes December 14, 2013.

Free Digital Subscription to Maximum Yield Now you can receive Maximum Yield free to your inbox every month. Subscribe to the digital edition of Maximum Yield by simply filling out the form at maximumyield.com/subscriptions

Connect with US maximumyield.com facebook.com/MaximumYield indoorgardeningexpo.com twitter.com/max_yield

Maximum Yield | March/April 2013

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Maximum Yield |  March/April 2013