Maximum Yield Canada July/August 2009

CANADA July - August 2009

FREE

BEES pLAYING A CRITICAL

ROLE IN YOUR GARDEN MICROBES CREATING HEALTHY ORGANIC SOIL ROOTS AND ROOTING MEDIA: III

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th

Annual

San Francisco

Indoor Gardening Expo

July 25th & 26th, 2009

www.indoorgardenexpo.com

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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contents July / August 2009

Features 24

Differences Between Organic and Inorganic Plant Growing Systems

by Dr. Carole Ann Rollins and Dr. Elaine Ingham

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Bigger Yields: Transform Your Indoor Garden

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Post-Harvest Clean Up

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How to Preserve Seeds

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The Magic of Microbes: Creating Healthy Organic Soil

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Roots and Rooting Media: Part III

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Plants Have No Teeth or Do They?

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Be Good to Bees

by Erik Biksa

by Bob Taylor

by Matt LeBannister

by Luis Bartolo

by Philip McIntosh

by Peter Vakomies

30 Departments 6

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8 10 12 14 18 64 67 68 70 74

From the Editor

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MaximumYield.com Letters to the Editor Ask Erik MAX Facts Product Spotlight Do You Know?

Check Your Growing IQ Max Mart Distributors Coming up in September/October

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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FROM the editor Happy Canada Day to all of our Canadian readers. We are celebrating Canada’s birthday by giving away tons of cool prizes in our Win Big! Grow Big! online reader contest. For your chance to win the best grow gear from Current Culture, NGW, General Hydroponics and Maximum Yield, visit www.maximumyield.com/winbig This month Maximum Yield will host the biggest event our industry has to offer at the “Growing our World Green” San Francisco Indoor Gardening Expo (July 25-26, 2009). With leading manufacturers, new product showcases and an education station – there is something for everyone. Register to attend online at www.indoorgardenexpo.com In line with the “Growing our World Green” expo theme, this July/August issue of Maximum Yield Canada features organic articles from the leading experts on the topic including Luis Bartolo, Dr. Carole Rollins and new Canadian contributor Peter Vakomies. Also, check out this month’s product spotlight for organic potting soil, organic fertilizer and green certified carbon filters.

Maximum Yield is proud to announce our all-new E-News online newsletter.

Keep on top of the latest industry news, products, specials and more by subscribing to our monthly E-News at maximumyield.com Maximum Yield will soon be featuring a new regular column titled “Your Best Advice.” We want you to share what you know and the gardening techniques that you have found to be successful. Send your tips to editor@maximumyield.com and stayed tuned to what others find helpful in producing a healthy garden.Your advice could be printed in an upcoming issue of Maximum Yield.

I look forward to receiving your letters and hearing Your Best Advice, and I wish you all a happy and hot summer.

Jessica Raymond, Editor editor@maximumyield.com

contributors Dr. Carole Ann Rollins is co-owner with her husband of Nature Tech-

Matt LeBannister works at Homegrown Hydroponics, the

Dr. Elaine Ingham is president of Soil Foodweb Inc., an interna-

Jose Luis Pinheiro Bartolo is the President and Chief Executive

nologies International LLC located in Novato, Calfiiornia. They produce organic alternatives to toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Their product line includes the Nature's Solution brand of compost tea, ancient humate, sea kelp, mycorrhizae, worm castings, compost tea brewers, solution ingredients, and books. She co-authored a book with Dr. Elaine Ingham called Adding Biology for Soil and Hydroponic Systems. She edited and compiled The Field Guide I and II for Actively Aerated Compost Tea for Dr. Elaine Ingham. Carole completed her PhD in 2008.

tional laboratory system, that assesses the balance of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and mycorrhizal fungi in all materials. The major emphasis of her work is to return health to soil, so that natural nutrient cycling and disease suppression mechanisms are present, allowing the desired plants to grow without requiring use of pesticides or inorganic fertilizers.

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manufacturer of the DNF line of premium nutrients and enhancement products. Matt manages the retail store at Homegrown’s head office in Toronto and as of late has been traveling the trade show circuit as their resident expert. Matt hopes to make a big splash in the indoor gardening industry through Homegrown and Maximum Yield.

Officer of Biobizz Worldwide Inc., (www.biobizz.nl) a global leader in the production of organic fertilizers and soil mixtures in the hydroponic industry, which he launched in 2002. He is passionate about maintaining a business philosophy that identifies with the organic market and providing the highest service and perfectionism that comes direct from his heart and is projected to all aspects of his life.

Erik Biksa, leading expert in hydroponic technologies, holds a diploma in Agriculture with majors in fertilizer sciences and crop production. Erik’s earliest gardening experiences began when he started to walk, learning the secrets of time honored, old-world gardening practices from his grandfather. Erik has amassed over 18 years of indoor gardening experience and intensive research while pushing the boundaries of crop growth technologies. Since first appearing in Maximum Yield in 1999, the “Ask Erik” column and numerous articles have reached growers throughout the world.

Philip McIntosh is a science and technology writer with a bachelor’s

Bob Taylor is the chief chemist of Flairform - an Australian based manufacturing company. Up until 1992, Bob was the principal chemist of the water resources section at Western Australia’s State Government Chemistry Centre, a government run consultancy service for all water related problems. Bob was an approved NATA signatory for a wide range of water analyses as well as an official registered analyst for the government’s chemical analysis monitoring program of all fertilizers registered in Western Australia.

Peter Vakomies, BSc, has 17 years experience as a professional silviculture grower, vegetable grower and horticulturist. He graduated from Simon Fraser University where he studied photosynthesis in nursery and field settings. Living and working in the Okanagan in the coastal climates of British Columbia, Peter participated in growing over 550 million tree seedlings for reforestation programs in North America. He has participated in the commercial cultivation of native plants and xeriscape plant species for restoration, and has initiated numerous commercial scale research projects involving the growing and storage of agronomic plants.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

degree in botany and chemistry and a master’s degree in biological science. During his graduate research he used hydroponic techniques to grow axenic (free of other organisms) plants to study the uptake of metals by roots. He lives with his family in Colorado Springs CO, and teaches mathematics at Challenger Middle School.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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on the web Exclusive Online Extras In the News

Celebrate with Hydro for Hunger, a not-for-profit dedicated to raising awareness about global food shortages, as they announce the total of their fundraising efforts for the first quarter of 2009. Also read about the first solar powered irrigation system and a biocontrol for thrips.

Contests

G A R D E N I N G

VOLUME 12 – NUMBER 2 July/August 2009 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

Maximum Yield is proud to announce our exclusive online reader contest, Win Big! Grow Big! Tons of exciting new products are being given away to help you grow the best yields of the year.

Entries must be received by August 15, 2009 in order to be eligible to win.

2009 Indoor Gardening Expo Tour

Growers around the world are gearing up for the biggest show of the year, the 6th Annual “Growing our World Green” San Francisco Expo (July 25-26). Also, stay tuned for details on the “Greener Places, Sustainable Spaces” Expo in Orlando (November 7-8), and exciting details for Montreal in the Spring of 2010.Visit www.indoorgardenexpo.com for more information.

Join us on Facebook

This month on Facebook we bring you hard-hitting discussions on the topics that are making news in our industry. We want to hear your opinion, so make sure to become a fan and let us know what you think.

Plants Have No Teeth – Or Do They?

Learn about the optimal range of CO2, the carbon to nitrogen ratio and temperature and CO2 assimilation.

How to Preserve Seeds

Examine the history of heirloom seeds and their hybrid versions in this online extra.

Bigger Yields - Transform your Indoor Garden Looking to convert your current grow room into a sealed or CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) set-up? This materials list will help you get started.

Plus Featured Articles

From humic acids to CO2, this month’s featured articles tackle the hot topics in our industry right now. Learn how to detect superior grades of humic acid and discover the levels of CO2 that are optimal for your growing environment.

Featured Products

Lighting may be one of the most important tools in your indoor grow room, so this month we feature a variety of ballasts and reflectors including the Sunburst Convertible Ballast, Lumatek’s Dual E-Ballast and sealed Xtreme Reflectors from C.A.P. Tell us what you think at editor@maximumyield.com. We’d love to hear from you.

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I N D O O R

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

GENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson SALES DIRECTOR - Lisa Lambersek EDITOR - Jessica Raymond jessica@maximumyield.com ADVERTISING SALES 250.729.2677 Linda Jesson - linda@maximumyield.com Lisa Lambersek - lisa@maximumyield.com Keri Hendry - keri@maximumyield.com Julie Madden - julie@maximumyield.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN ads@ads.maximumyield.com Pentti Tikkanen - pentti@maximumyield.com Alice Joe - alice@maximumyield.com Wes Cargill - wes@maximumyield.com ACCOUNTING - Lee Anne Veres leeanne@maximumyield.com

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

LETTERS to the editor Refreshing and Informative As a retail associate in the industry I am fed a steady stream of information about all the products associated with indoor gardening. Maximum Yield is a refreshing read because of the hands on approach of the articles. In our team meetings, the topics covered in Maximum Yield are used in a quiz to ensure we all read the magazine. More articles about pests, biological controls for pests and fungus and head to head nutrient tests would be great. Thanks for the great magazine.

Willis Bruce

Algae Cloaked as Pythium?

After reading your “Ask Erik” letter in the 10th anniversary issue of Maximum Yield Canada, I feel I can help the reader’s situation. I have faced an identical situation, and also replaced all of my system’s plumbing only to have the problem return multiple times. I brought my problem to an indoor gardening store and they believed the symptoms sounded like algae. Algae causes a slippery/ slimy coating, depending on the severity, on anything submerged in your system’s water.

Algae is caused directly or indirectly by HID lighting. Any HID light coming into contact with untreated water will create algae.

The same will happen to nutrients exposed to HIDs. If your growing medium has algae growing on the top of it, top watering with untreated water will contaminate your system as well.

After about two years of complete frustration, I finally found a combination of products that prevents outbreaks and cured the problem. In a 123 litre system I add 568 millilitres of three per cent hydrogen peroxide, nearly twice the recommended dose; 85 millilitres of algae reducer, which contains beneficial bacteria; and 45 grams of pond dye.

When algae is present, fungus gnats may appear as well, which leads many to believe their plants are wilting due to the gnats. If fungus gnats are present, use sticky strips for the adults and a mild fungicide for the larvae, which is added directly to your reservoir.

This combination of products has enabled me to grow practically trouble free. Happy growing.

Paul Foster Calgary, AB 10

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Compost Concoctions I am interested in making compost tea at home. Can you tell me how I might go about this? Is there a recipe I can follow?

Grace Phillips Compost and compost tea is a popular topic of interest as of late, as gardeners are looking for eco-friendly ways to feed their plants while still maintaining a high yield and healthy crops. For a quick and easy compost tea recipe, simply follow this link -http:// maximumyield.com/articles/extras/USA/MY_OE_10_08_compost_ tea.pdf Feel free to peruse our article archive on maximumyield.com where you will find a variety of articles on making and using compost tea.

Game. Set. Match.

I’ve been reading Maximum Yield since the beginning and I remember when it looked like an old copy of the newspaper.

You guys have really stepped up your game. I’m interested in the article, The Complexities of Lighting Controllers by Darryl Barry (Jan/ Feb Canada 2009). This guy seems to really know what he is talking about. Thank you for the article.

CANADA January - February 2009

I N D O O R

G A R D E N I N G

FREE

Compost Tea In Plant Growing Systems

The Complexities of

Lighting Controllers

Chaos

a nd Ec ol ogy in Tt hE g a rdEn EC oL

Charlie Anderson Vancouver, B.C.

Too Technical for my Taste Good stuff in your magazine - thank you.You all really need to work on your covers and pictures. Some of the writing is quite technical and a serious beginner would need to have a dictionary and other resources on hand just to get through one of the articles. Keep your focus on the dedicated gardener, as that’s who is buying the products and having the success. Again thank you very much and best wishes.

Anonymous Maximum Yield reserves the right to edit for brevity.

We want to hear from you!

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

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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ASK erik

Do you have a question for Erik? Forward it to editor@maximumyield.com with the words “Ask Erik” in the subject line, and your answer will be printed in an upcoming edition.

My indoor garden is in a well-enclosed environment and does not cycle an exhaust. I want to raise my CO2 levels in the growing area, because it has been reported that this will help to boost growth rates and yields.

In the past, I enriched CO2 levels in the growing area by generating carbon dioxide gas by a natural fermentation process. I noticed it improved my situation a little, but obviously, the CO2 levels couldn’t get too high because of the size of my growing area. The CO2 was being generated through a couple of buckets containing the fermentation to generate the gas.

What kind of carbon dioxide levels do you think I need to hit to really see a significant difference in my growth rates and yields? I already have a CO2 tank regulator, I was just thinking about running this off of a timer. What do you think my best options are?

Thanks, Cliff Bungalow

This is a very good question indeed.

As you have stated you are running a CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) set-up, meaning you are running a sealed or “perfect” room. Because you do not actually remove any of the air from the environment as you are treating the air for purity (carbon scrubber/ozone), temperature (airconditioner or heat exchanger) and humidity (de-humidifier, heater, air-conditioner) boosting your CO2 levels can be a very efficient way to increase your growth rates and yields.

Typically speaking, if you maintain levels of 1600 to 2000 PPM of CO2 (during the light cycle for most plants) you should see a significant increase in the rates of growth and yield. Most growers will notice a 10 to 30 per cent increase in yield and a 10 to 15 per cent reduction in cropping time.

Before CO2 can be really effective, you should have all of your other growing parameters optimized. This includes, but is not limited to lighting, temperature, a healthy root system and optimal humidity levels. When running CO2, you can maintain a slightly warmer environment (i.e. 29°C) to help accelerate the plant’s metabolism. The increase in plant metabolism can be supported with elevated CO2 levels and can give you the results you are looking for.

Fermentation and other bio-reactions can be used to elevate CO2 levels in smaller growing areas, especially if they are well sealed.

While this method is very inexpensive and relatively simple, it does not offer a level of control as to the level of CO2 being maintained in the growing area and when it is dispersed. Additions of high quality worm castings in the growing medium can actually help to raise CO2 levels slightly in CEA grow rooms, particularly where there are large bodies of growing media.

Bottled CO2 can be used on it’s own or in conjunction with a biological process to elevate CO2 levels in a sealed growing environment. The gas can be released via timer and solenoid valve/regulator. With a timer, you control the frequency and duration of the gas released. However, this requires calculations based on the cubic volume of your growing area relative to the amount of gas released. An infrared CO2 monitor can be used instead of a timer, delivering a very high degree of accuracy.

Unfortunately, the carbon dioxide tank will require frequent replacement, and the tanks are not especially fun to tote about.

The cost of frequent replacement will also be a factor.

All infrared CO2 sniffers are not the same. These are precision instruments, and are often priced as such. Some innovative models allow for the addition of an optional second sensor that will independently control a second CO2 generating/ releasing device. This allows for more economical CO2 system set-up for both the vegetative and flowering environment, as one controller is able to control both completely independently from each other.

Arguably, the best way to increase and maintain precise elevated CO2 levels is with an infrared sensor/controller and a gas-fired CO2 generator.The one draw back of gas fired CO2 generators, is the additional heat they generate when increasing CO2 levels.

Fortunately, there are some recent innovations that help to address this problem.Water-cooling is a highly effective means of removing heat, whether from a CO2 generator, your HID lighting or the radiator of your super-bike.Water-cooled CO2 generators are now a very efficient and economical option for the grower looking to maximize their growth rates while reducing their inputs.

Cheers, Erik Biksa

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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MAX facts

Hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

“Growing our World Green” 6th Annual San Francisco Indoor Gardening Expo This July, San Francisco will be host to the biggest Indoor Gardening Expo of the year, the “Growing our World Green” 6th Annual San Francisco Expo (July 25-26, 2009). The excitement has been building all year for this highly-anticipated event. New advances in lighting, nutrients, organics, pest control and water-wise gardening will be just a few of the environmentally friendly gardening solutions showcased. There will also be an education station, tons of prizes and fun to be had by everyone. For all show information including special hotel rates and show exhibitors, visit www.indoorgardenexpo.com (Source: www.indoorgardenexpo.com)

Irradiated Foods Debate – Does Anti-Organic Equal Un-Healthy

Radura symbol

Irradiation on foods is a process whereby uncooked foods are zapped with high-energy gamma rays or electron beams for the purpose of destroying germs that could sicken or kill us. A debate has emerged over whether food that is irradiated is safe to eat and good for our bodies. According to the World Health Organization, it is.

However, foods that undergo the zapping process cannot be labeled organic, according to certified organic standards. Because all of the germs are zapped, the food is considered safe, but is it healthy? With the bad germs zapped, so are the vitamins and minerals contained in them in the first place.

Irradiated foods carry a radura symbol. That ‘warning’ sign puts the choice in the buyer’s hands, as no one knows for certain how irradiated foods will affect us in the long-term.

(Source: www.examiner.com/x-693-Organic-Food-Examiner~y2009m2d2-Irradiated-foods-are-antiorganic)

Calcium Helps Plants Make Their Own Aspirin According to new studies, calcium builds healthy plants by binding to the protein calmodulin.

Calmodulin prompts plants to make salicylic acid (SA), a close relative of Aspirin, when threatened.

In plants, calcium directs incoming information, helping the plant respond to dangers by forming a barrier that keeps the pathogen from invading deeper into the plant. SA also activates the plant’s immunity, protecting the plant from further pathogen attacks.

However, a rise in SA levels also causes the plant to slow its growth, setting up a challenging situation for the plant and the grower. The answer to this balance is the interaction between calcium/calmodulin and a protein called AtSR1, which suppresses the production of salicylic acid.

Plants that have extra AtSR1 make almost no SA. They grow larger and faster than a normal plant, but easily succumb to infection. Plants that lack the gene for AtSR1 develop high levels of SA and are nearly impervious to infection, but small in size.

(Source: Washington State University. "In Fight Against Pathogens, Calcium Helps Plants Make Their Own Aspirin." ScienceDaily 11 January 2009. 27 January 2009 http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2009/01/090106145544.htm)

Stunted Plant Growth Initiated Through Wound Hormone Jasmonate According to estimates, abiotic stress reduces the yield of agricultural crops by an average of 22 per cent.

Plants grown under unfavourable conditions are generally smaller than those growing in stress-free conditions. This can be seen in bonsai trees, where every aspect of their stature is uniformly reduced to as little as five per cent of that of their untreated sister trees.

Located in the tips of green shoots and roots, plant growth results from the division of stem cells in apical meristems. Meristems are tiny and hidden from view by the younger leaves. Thus, the initial growth and shape of leaves is by cell division, and more than 90 per cent of leaf growth is by subsequent cell expansion.

Reports have shown that when leaves are wounded, cell division in the apical meristem is reduced, growth of the plant is arrested within days and the new leaves grow to only one-half of their normal size although the size of leaf cells is unaffected.

Unexpectedly, the suppression of cell division in the apical meristem occurs through a signal pathway initiated by the wound hormone, jasmonate, which is synthesized in the damaged mature leaves. Mutant Arabidopsis lines unable to synthesize or to respond to jasmonate are not only larger than normal plants, but their growth is not reduced by the wound stress.

Researchers note that this finding opens the possibility of improving crop growth through the manipulation of the jasmonate signal pathway.

(Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/plos-tbe111108.php)

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

MAX facts

Hydroponic news, tips and trivia from around the world

Squash and Gourd Bees As Superb Pollinators New information from an ongoing, science-based census shows an abundance of hardworking, squash and gourd pollinating bees exist as excellent squash and gourd pollinators. The international survey documents entomologists’ observations of about 20 wild, indigenous bee species.

The bees have all five traits of the world’s most proficient pollinators: They’re fast, efficient, competitive, abundant and consistent in their choice of crop. These and other bee investigations at the three labs provide new insights into how growers, commercial and hobbyist beekeepers and backyard gardeners can enhance populations of wild bees that pollinate crop plants. These bees augment the work of America’s top pollinator, the European honeybee, Apis mellifera.

(Source: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081230.htm)

Evapotranspiration Rates Prove Plants Are Thirsty In order to determine that water supplies in dry land riverbank areas are adequately meeting existing and projected demands on groundwater reserves, scientists are refining evapotranspiration (ET) rates.

ET is a process where ground and open water vapour is returned to the atmosphere. Along with refining these rates, scientists are revamping estimates for current and future water use by plants like mesquite.

These rates, as well as vegetation indices and land surface temperatures, have been measured for about a decade. The ET rate results show an average of 60 to 70 centimeters per year in shrublands and grasslands. ET rates for mature and dense mesquite woodlands exceeds 70 centimeters annually. These regions average only 25 to 30 centimeters of rainfall every year, suggesting that the vegetation is drawing on an additional water source - such as groundwater - to make up the difference.

Mesquite accounts for 58 per cent of the total riparian vegetation groundwater demand, and this level is expected to increase as mesquite expands its range into areas previously dominated by grassland.

(Source: www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081219.htm)

Lettuce Carotenoids Affected by UV Light in Greenhouse

Recent studies have found that by growing green leaf lettuce in a greenhouse during the winter under the proper ultraviolet light can boost their levels of carotenoids, biological antioxidants that protect cells and tissue from damage. When regularly consumed from green leafy vegetables, carotenoids may help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration later in life.

Plants grown in the field express beneficial chemical compounds, thought to be a means to protect themselves from the effects of UV radiation. The role of light exposure on these compounds was examined on eight green and eight red leaf lettuce varieties. They each received either supplemental ultraviolet-A (UV-A) light, both UV-A and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light or no UV (receiving only regular light).

The green leaf lettuce varieties carotenoid concentration levels were greatly increased when supplemented with UV-A plus UV-B, while the compounds in the red varieties were slightly but significantly reduced.

(Source: www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090223.htm)

Plant-Associated Microbes Assist with Sustainable Biofuel Production Through a process designed to remove contaminants from soil, scientists have identified plant-associated microbes that can improve plant growth on marginal land. The findings may help scientists design strategies for sustainable biofuel production that do not use food crops or agricultural land.

An approach for biofuel production that uses non-food plants that are grown on non-agricultural land would be ideal.

Scientists identified 78 bacterial endophytes, in particular from poplar cuttings that repeatedly showed the highest increase in biomass production - up to 50 per cent - as compared with non-inoculated control plants. The scientists plan to conduct additional studies to further elucidate these mechanisms.

(Source: DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory. "Bacteria That Increase Plant Growth Identified." ScienceDaily 27 January 2009. 27 January 2009 www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2009/01/090126104349.htm) MY

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

PRODUCT spotlight

Ask for these exciting new products at your favourite indoor gardening store.

ATA Coco Max A&B

Grobal Planters

Coco Max A&B forms the foundation of fine growing results in steamed and unsteamed coco substrate. It is a professional and fast working nutrient that provides a stable and biological balance in the coco substrate.

Coco Max A&B contains more calcium and more magnesium, giving you a perfect start thanks to the automatic pH correction in your nutrient tank. Coco Max A&B is perfectly balanced for adding PK boost additives like Bloombastic.

Colourful and attractive, Grobal and Baby Grobal are selfwatering planters that are as stylish as they are convenient! They’re composed of two parts: the bottom half is a reservoir that holds a nutrient solution made of water and Grobal Plant Food, and the top holds the plant and coir-based Grobal Soil. The nutrient solution reaches the roots via three “tonsils” that ensure that gardeners will never worry about over or underfeeding their plants again. An unobtrusive gauge on the side makes it easy for gardeners to see when it’s time to refill the reservoir through the discreet Nutriport watering hole. Every Grobal and Baby Grobal includes Grobal Soil and three packets of Grobal Plant food. Grobal measures 18 by 18 by 18 centimetres. Baby Grobal measures 12 by 12 by 12 centimetres.

Contact your local indoor gardening retailer to learn more.

• Lower concentration of potassium allows growers to use PK additives at full dose, for maximum effects.

• No ballast means more active ingredients and a more concentrated formula.

• pH buffered means that Coco Max is easy to handle and use.

Look for Coco Max A&B at your local hydroponics retailer.

Announcing Vermicrop Organics Premium Organic Potting Soil Vermicrop Organics is proud to announce the release of our new organic potting soil. Vermicrop Organics Premium Potting Soil is a rich blend of professional grade organic materials. Coco coir, earth worm castings, peat moss, Vermicrop Organics Premium Compost, bat guano, kelp and mycorrhizae are key elements in this rich potting soil. This formula was created and tested by a team of industry leaders to provide a perfect balance of organic materials, plant food, moisture and drainage. We are pleased to offer this exciting product and hope you enjoy the fruits of your labour as much as we do! Look for Vermicrop Organic’s Premium Organic Potting Soil at hydroponic retailer stores.

Doktor Doom House & Garden Insecticide Spray Doktor Doom House & Garden Insecticide Spray offers lasting residual insect control for up to 60 days from just one application.

Doktor Doom House & Garden Insecticide Spray provides excellent control of thrips, fungus gnats, white flies, aphids, spiders and hundreds of other insects.

Use Doktor Doom House & Garden Insecticide Spray during the early stages of plant growth and it not only will eliminate thrips but also offers excellent control of fungus gnats.

A light mist on the plants and an application to the soil or growing medium will assist all growers with control of thrips, fungus gnats, white flies, aphids and many other leaf eating insects.

Look for Doktor Doom House & Garden Insecticide Spray at your favourite indoor garden centre. Doktor Doom - Canada’s #1 premium quality insecticide manufacturer.

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Grow the Most Flavourful Produce with Superlicious The ideal way to maximize every aspect of your produce is to provide the plants with a well balanced, full spectrum of just what they need. Supernatural Brand Superlicious does just that. Sourced from a rich, pristine deposit of ancient river delta and marine environment, we harvest, mill and formulate the deposit with special buffers to ensure high absorption rates and maximum plant success. Highly soluble when mixed with water, Supernatural Brand Superlicious induces your plants to attain energy levels that produce the fullest expression of flavour and fragrance attainable - naturally! Your product will enjoy greatly improved flavour, health and shelf life. There are many product flavour enhancers on the market today. All but one are sweetening agents like sugar, molasses or honey that claim to enhance product flavour. At best, this is just artificial and at worst may prove harmful by upsetting plant pH, inhibiting nutrient absorption and promoting insect infestation. Supernatural Brand Superlicious is now available at hydroponic retail stores everywhere.

Introducing the GiGrow™ GiGrow™, the only rotational garden featuring precise injection of nutriment, can accommodate from 144 to 504 cultivated plants. Due to its ease of use and its impressive results, the GiGrow™ was selected by the NASA to grow seeds on Earth that were previously harvested in space.

GiGrow™ is customizable with a patented enclosed injection system that allows for nutrients to circulate only once. It never gets exposed to light so algae does not develop in the basin and pH and ppm levels are simplified.

GiGrow™ injects the exact amount of nutriment required in each tray allowing for smaller, but more frequent automated feedings, which in turn promotes stronger root growth. It also reduces the need for frequent rinsing by eliminating almost all salt residue accumulation in the cube, cutting down on the amount of fertilizer required for optimal growth.

GiGrow™ allows for heat to exhaust through a glass tube, preventing plant dehydration and burning leaves.

To learn more visit your local hydroponics retail store.

Microbe-Lift BMC Microbe-Lift BMC fully treats any area with standing water that serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. It consists of natural bacteria that are toxic to mosquito larva, killing mosquito populations at their source. Because these bacteria are only toxic to the target pest, they pose no danger to fish, pets, humans or vegetation. It fully penetrates the entire depth of the water treated, and it has no negative effects on the aesthetics of the areas in which it’s used. Microbe-Lift BMC is now available at indoor gardening retailers everywhere.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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PRODUCT spotlight

Ask for these exciting new products at your favourite indoor gardening store.

Biogrow - Organic Plant Food from Biobizz Biogrow is a 100 per cent certified organic plant food, produced with love in the Netherlands, which promotes lush growth during the vegetative cycle due to healthy levels of nitrogen, magnesium and calcium.

When used during the flowering period in small doses, Biogrow acts as an organic plant tonic.

Due to the high content of natural sugars in Biogrow, fruits and vegetables will have a greatly improved taste.

Biogrow offers: • A high level of betains, ensuring active soil life.

• Molasses derived from sugar beets, which is much higher in proteins and a feast for microorganisms.

• A more efficient uptake of micro- and macronutrients.

• A pure blend of 100 per cent organic ingredients including natural vitamins (B1, B2, calcium and E) and up to 70 trace elements.

• A low but natural pH level.

To learn more about this or any other product in the OMRI listed Biobizz range, visit a hydroponics retailer near you.

Can-Filters Group Introduces Back-Draft Dampers and New, Improved Pre-Filter Packaging Can Filters Group (CFG) has added Back-Draft Dampers to our product line up. The CFG Back-Draft Dampers are available in six different sizes ranging from 10 centimetres to 35 centimetres. These newly developed Back-Draft Dampers are manufactured with quality components and precision engineering.

The Back-Draft Damper is used to prevent air from reverse flowing through the fan (when powered off ) allowing contaminated air to escape from the room untreated. Can-Filters recommends the usage of Back-Draft Dampers as another line of defence against odour control.

The pre-filter is the first line of defence against dust and debris from clogging the pores of the carbon itself. Replacement pre-filters extend the life of the Can-Filter.

Visit your local hydroponics retailer for more information on BackDraft Dampers and all other Can-Filter products.

Flairform’s TopFert TopFert is a foliar fertilizer containing both inorganic nutrients and marine extracts.

• Formulated for rapid leaf uptake.

• Use from seedling through to harvest.

• Super concentrated: Use at five to 10 millilitres per litre • Use with Flairform’s TopWet to maximize leaf penetration and surface coverage.

More information on Flairform’s TopFert is available at your local indoor garden centre.

Flairform’s TopWet Wetting Agent Using TopWet with foliar sprays (e.g. fertilizer, fungicide, pesticide) helps increase their effectiveness by maximizing surface coverage and penetration of leaves and stems.

• Hygroscopic formulation: Prolongs the period over which ‘stomata’ can absorb.

• Super concentrated: five to 10 millilitres per litre.

More information can be found at your local indoor garden centre.

Hydro-Logic’s KDF85 Filter now with Upgraded Medical Grade Carbon Hydro-Logic’s KDF85 filters now use medical grade catalytic granular activated carbon, an ultra premium grade of carbon that reduces chloramines to the lowest industry standard levels. Steam activated, the carbon provides a strong, dense product with an extremely high surface area. It is specially acid washed, pH buffered and rinsed with sanitized water, making it superior to ordinary grades and minimizing the possibility of metal contaminants.

The KDF85 totally eliminates chlorine and helps reduce iron and hydrogen sulphide and is perfect for city and well water users. These filters last twice as long as the standard carbon filters and are available in three sizes to fit most of our purification systems – 25 centimetres for the Stealth-RO and Small Boy and 50 centimetres for the Tall Boy and Tall Blue. We also offer an upgrade for the newest addition to the family, the Big Boy. Trust only the best filters available for your prized plants. Trust Hydro-Logic to provide the purest water for your garden.

Contact your indoor gardening retailer for more information.

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PRODUCT spotlight

Ask for these exciting new products at your favourite indoor gardening store.

Solatel Lamp Timer Controls (6000 Watts) The Solatel LP240S Lamp Pro timer controls six-1000 watt/240 volt lamps. It is easy to use with a single select knob that clicks to any of the 16 time settings. Settings include an accelerated 18 hour day cycle running on for six hours and off for 12. There are 13 normal 24 hour day settings that run as follows: on eight hours/off 16 hours, on nine hours/off 15 hours and so on, to on 20 hours/off four hours, in one hour increments. Also includes continuously on and off settings. It has six-240 volt outlets, which are sequenced in pairs: 20 second delay between turn on, five second off delay. Pre-wired with a 10 gauge, 1.8 metre power cable with unterminated wires, which connects to a 240 volt/30 amp service. This can be done by hard wiring or the addition of a plug appropriate for an available outlet. The 120 volt model is also available. For additional product information, contact your local indoor gardening retailer.

Solatel Power Expander Controls (6000 Watts) Problem - Your 120 volt controller or timer is limited to 15 amps, which powers only a single 1000 watt lamp. You need to control additional lamps or other devices without tripping the circuit breaker. Solution - Use a Solatel Power Expander. The PWX240-6 controls up to six-1000 watt/240 volt lamps. The Power Expander has two cords - the trigger cord plugs into the 120 volt controller or timer and draws very little current. This provides the control signal to switch the outlets on or off. The power cord is connected to a 240 volt/30 amp service. This provides current to all of the outlets. The power cord has unterminated wires for hard wiring or the addition of a plug appropriate for an available outlet. Other models are available that have four outlets or include unswitched 120 volt outlets for a timer or controller or other 120 volt devices. For additional product information, contact an indoor gardening store near you.

Adjustable Wings from Innovamont An engineering achievement, the Adjustable Wing™ is not only the easiest of its kind to assemble, but it also allows for an adjustment range from 81 to 111 centimetres in seconds.

The Adjustable Wing™ is the most advanced design of any wing.

It is a strong, durable, practical and lightweight reflector with 68 centimetres of length.

It delivers twice the power and efficiency of regular wings, increasing the growing area under each lamp by up to by 60 square centimetres or an increase in yield of up to 50 per cent.

The narrow setting is for increased output and can be positioned further from plants that are at a more sensitive growing stage. They outperform any other brand with their micro dimple Silver Moon reflective material, the only real 95 per cent plus reflective material in the industry.

Comes complete with an electro-galvanized steel socket holder for sturdiness combined with an aluminium stiff frame. Available with the universal socket bracket or ready to wire with a 2000 watt, 600 volt socket and junction box.

To learn more visit a hydroponics retailer near you.

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Hydro-Logic Goes Green Hydro-Logic is proud to announce all of our carbon filters will be upgraded to a new green certified coconut carbon filter. Starting immediately, the Small Boy, Tall Boy and Tall Blue units will have the new filters included as standard. All of our systems, including the Stealth-RO and Merlin-Garden Pro, will have these available exclusively as replacements.

The new Green Carbon Filters use coconut shells from India and are manufactured with a revolutionary process that carbonizes the shells in a closed combustion chamber. The methane, CO2 and other greenhouse gases that are produced are either scrubbed or re-used by the facility for power. There are zero greenhouse gas emissions from this method as opposed to the traditional “open pit” method that release these dangerous gases directly into the atmosphere. As an added bonus, the carbon is much higher quality and able to absorb chlorine and volatile organic compounds better than comparable filters.

All this and the price remains the same as the standard filters. At Hydro-Logic we strive to make a positive impact on the earth. Pure water’s not magic - it’s logic. Visit an indoor gardening store to learn more.

Can-Filters Group Introduces All-New Flanges Can-Filters Group has added a true 10 centimetre flange and a 35 centimetre flange to our line up of flanges. The new 10 centimetre flange is designed to match up the Original Can-Filter 33 with a Can-Fan 10 centimetre.

The 35 centimetre flange is manufactured to combo up the Can 150 with a Max Fan 35 centimetre. Both flanges are constructed out of steel for ultimate strength and durability.

The full line up consists of flanges in 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 centimetre sizes.

Visit your local hydroponics retailer to learn more.

Continued on page 66

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Differences Between Organic and Inorganic Plant Growing Systems

by Dr. Carole Ann Rollins and Dr. Elaine Ingham There are some significant differences between an organic or biological system and the inorganic approach. Although the goal in both systems is the same - to grow healthy plants in the most cost effective way, the philosophical underpinnings of the two systems are very different.

First, the biological system requires adequate microbial food in the soil, with replenishment by plant exudates in their myriad forms. Food comes in the form of nutrients such as sugar (bacterial food), proteins (bacterial and fungi food), carbohydrates (bacterial and fungi food) and more recalcitrant materials like lignin and cellulose for fungi. All of these foods are different forms of carbon and must be processed by organisms. Once these nutrients are processed, then microorganisms can use them.

Organic vs. Inorganic Trials In scientifically replicated trial compost tea, worn castings, compost, sea kelp and humic acid were added to the three plants on the left side of this photo. A leading inorganic fertilizer was used on the three plants on the right side of this photo. The plants on the left side show more growth than the plants without the biology added. (Photo courtesy of Nature Technologies International, LLC.)

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Organic Renovation of an Anaerobic Landscape: Compaction, poor drainage and damage to the soil from inorganic fertilizers and pesticides were problems for the tree (two top right pictures) in a classic example why trees die in extreme anaerobic conditions. There are no fine roots in the root system, and therefore, no nutrient uptake is occurring. The high silt and clay content of the soils in addition to over watering, prevented oxygen movement and created a disease-prone environment. To correct this problem condition (lower two pictures), balanced-biology topsoil, compost with the right balance of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes, structural elements and compost tea were mixed into existing soils. The area, included many native species, is now thriving within a year after construction. (Photos courtesy of the Hendrikus Group).

Micro-organisms use nutrients to build soil structure; to make sure the soil stays aerobic (because of the structure built to let oxygen and water move freely in the soil); and to allow nutrients to cycle properly (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, beneficial nematodes and microarthropods must be present in proper ratios to release nutrients in the right form, in the right places and at the right times for plant health).

Inorganic systems attempt to provide most, or all, of the nutrients in an inorganic form, in a large pulse all at once. The hope is that the plant can meter out what it needs through the entire growing season. But different environmental conditions are going to do different things to the plant’s needs for various nutrients at various times. Sometimes the applications do not fit the conditions and leaching or volatilization of nutrients into the water and air become serious problems for human health.

Inorganic systems basically take the point of view that nature does not know how to feed plants very well, and needs human Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

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Grow Your Own Part III: A Dutch Perspective

Plum Tree with Biology Added: Plum tree before and after treatments of compost tea, worm castings, humic acid and sea kelp. The owners in the San Francisco Bay were overjoyed when the insevt pests, fungal leaf diseases, scale and aphids vacated their tree after application of the organisms that maintain a healthy condition. Seasonal Celebrations Landscape service in Pacifica, treated this tree with organic/biological products and created a healthy environment so it could grow and flourish. (Photo courtesy of Seasonal Celebrations Landscaping).

help. It becomes necessary to artificially manage what biological natural systems have been performing successfully for billions of years. In an organic system, plants are in control of the growth of the organisms in its root zone. Plants work with the biology to deliver the right nutrients to the plant in the right forms at the appropriate times.

Beneficial organisms in soil or soilless media are very important for nutrient retention and prevention of leaching. Bacteria and fungi retain the greatest amount of nutrients in their biomass and on their surfaces as compared to any other set of organisms on the planet. The largest organisms on the planet are single individuals of fungi, which dwarf the largest mammals by four to five fold or more. A serious amount of nutrient and carbon is retained in bacterial and fungal biomass in soil. If these organisms are killed by the use of toxic pesticides or high levels of inorganic fertilizers, they are unable to retain nutrients, build structure in soil or soilless media or perform disease suppression functions. There is significant documentation in the scientific literature reporting that the correct set of organisms in soil can be highly disease suppressive. The challenge lies in ensuring that the beneficials are selected and maintained in all types of growing systems.

The inorganic chemical approach has become popular because it is perceived as easy and more convenient. There is nothing convenient about having to apply toxic materials more than 10 times a year. When in fact, if the correct sets of beneficial 26

Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

Differences Between Organic and Inorganic Plant Growing Systems

Cakes and Cookies in Organic Systems: Plants feed microbes exudates of sugar, protein and carbohydrates -- “Cakes and Cookies”. Roots release these “Cakes and Cookies” to feed microbes, to protect the root system from diseases and pests, to enhance nutrient cycling and to build structure to allow roots to grow through soil with good air passageways to help them.

(Diagram courtesy of Soil Foodweb, Inc.)

Non-beneficial microbes, such as disease-causing pathogens, shown in the photo as they occur in a plant root. With training, these "bad guys" are easy to distinguish. These organisms come to life in low oxygen conditions where the aerobic competitors of disease cannot flourish. By killing a large percentage of ALL the organisms in soil, toxic chemicals used in inorganic growing systems select for disease-causing organisms. (Photo courtesy of Soil Foodweb Inc.)

organisms were present, those organisms and the plant working together will do the work of feeding the plant, suppressing weeds and preventing disease organisms from growing. Once things are balanced, a single application of compost, or liquid compost (compost tea), once a year, will suffice. But this will only be the case if the beneficial organisms in the soil remain properly balanced for the desired environment for the specific plant being grown.

Any disturbance of the soil will cause damage to the life in the soil. Disturbances include, but are not limited to, tillage, applications of high concentrations of salts, driving across the soil when it is wet, flooding, severe drought, unusual freeze events and so forth. Fixing that damage requires assessing exactly what was damaged (if anything). Once damage is assessed then that damage must be repaired. Repairs can occur by adding back the same kind of beneficial organisms that were killed, or just by adding food to help the surviving beneficials recover and rebuild their numbers.

MY 28

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Bigger Yields

Transform Your Indoor Garden

by Erik Biksa

At the risk of taking some flack, it can be said that Canadian growers tend to have a “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken” approach to their indoor gardens. As a result, some growers aren’t realizing the level of quality and production that is available to them, using their existing grow space, power consumption, gear and experience. With a few simple modifications and a little bit of time and expense your existing garden space can give you bigger yields of higher quality. Also, you might be able to avoid some common cropping problems that can cost you yields, just by changing a few things around.

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Here are some things that you can do to get the most out of your grow. A healthy growing environment is especially important when growing today’s ultra high quality yet environmentally temperamental strains.

Use a rich, high quality, bio-active growth medium.

Commercial peat mixes are a popular choice of growing medium amongst Canadian growers. Peat mixes are forgiving, and can produce high yielding crops of respectable quality.

However, growth rates, especially in the vegetative phase, can be a little slower versus hydroponics.

Also, if using synthetic fertilizers on a commercial peat mix, the overall smell, taste and look of harvests has room for improvement; especially if you intend to grow crops of export quality. Premium quality organic additives and 100 per cent organic bloom stimulants will improve any conventional fertilizer program.

You can modify your standard peat mix to produce better quality crops and improve rates of growth. It is also true that plants grown in a healthy bio-active medium are also more resistant to pests and diseases.

Getting better quality and higher yields is as simple as mixing in a few high quality soil amendments into your peat mix when you are filling your pots or beds. Try one or all of the following for improved results: • Mix two to three cups (500 to 750 millilitres) of rich, black, earthy-smelling worm castings per 22 litre nursery pot.

• Add two to three tablespoons (30 to 45 millilitres) of kelp meal per 22 litre nursery pot.

• Add two to three tablespoons (30 to 45 millilitres) of high phosphorous bat guano per 22 litre nursery pot.

• If you can, once a week apply a freshly brewed microbial tea to the roots. Bottled compost teas can also improve the health of the growing medium when applied with beneficial microbial products containing select strains of fungi and bacteria.

• Cutting a standard bale of peat mix with about 50 per cent premium quality coco coir will further help to improve results and will create greater longevity in situations where the growing medium is re-used.

Switch your reflectors to high quality four-sided models.

Too many growers choose their reflector on price or on the fact that they just like the way it looks.

Reflectors are a very important piece of Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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Bigger Yields: Transform Your Indoor Garden

Getting better quality and higher yields is as simple as mixing in a few high quality soil amendments such as, clockwise from top, kelp meal, bat guano and coco coir.

growing equipment, and can help you get better and more even light coverage to your plants, giving you bigger harvests.

If you have ever picked up a light meter, it does not take long to figure out that there is a world of difference between the models and styles available. Good quality light meters can be bought for less than a night on the town.

While bat-wing style shades are cheap to buy and are better than no reflector at all for horizontal applications, they can not do nearly the same job of creating an even light intensity footprint on your garden versus well designed four-sided reflectors. The plants right underneath the bat-wing will either get too tall, shading the outside plants, or they get crispy or fluffy on top, while the plants further to the outside of the garden don’t produce as well because all the light is going straight down.

A high quality four-sided reflector that has been well engineered will give the plants on the outer edges almost the same light levels as the ones right underneath. Air-cooled is always a good choice. Pay careful attention to how the duct flanges on the shade are orientated, otherwise you lose light.

Note that when using a very high quality four-sided horizontal shade, you actually keep the reflector a bit higher up off of the crop to create an intense and well distributed light spread. For example optimal lighting intensities and coverage for flowering are achieved by suspending the high quality four-sided reflector about 76 centimetres from the tops of the plants using a 1000 watt lamp, and about 45 centimetres for 600 watt lamps. These measurements are based on light coverage for a one by one metre area to a 1.2 by 1.2 metre area.

The best shades have special reflective inserts that sit inside the reflector unit at optimal angles for light distribution.

Also note that when using a 600 watt lamp in a four-sided reflector, you will get better light patterns by screwing in a mogul extension (see image) because most reflectors were designed around a 1000 watt arc tube length.

Enter the digital age.

High quality, digital or electronic ballasts can realistically give you between five to 10 per cent more plant usable light for about 10 per cent less of the electrical draw when compared to core and coil or magnetic ballasts. They run much cooler, 32

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

are silent, and some 1000 watt models weigh as little as seven pounds, allowing for easy installs.

Next generation digital ballasts can light either MH or HPS lamps from the same ballast, and can do it up to 19 metres away from the lamp. Even at long distances, digital ballasts will burn your lamp brighter.You can install them further away from the growing area to help create a cooler environment. Besides being brighter, the quality of light they produce is better too.

If you are currently using a 1000 watt magnetic ballast with an economy reflector and standard lamp, you could get the same yields or better by switching to a digital 600 watt ballast with a high quality four-sided reflector and horticultural lamp. This will save electrical consumption and allow you to have a cooler environment for better crop health.

Many growers who have made the switch have been pleasantly surprised. Also, digital ballasts don’t create a power spike when starting up, making them less likely to trip breakers in multiple light set-ups.

Garden up to the roof.

To double your yields or even greater, you can modify your existing floor space to a basic vertical garden. This modification takes a little more work and planning, although it doesn’t have to be fancy if you want to grow vertical.You just need to construct some sturdy shelves or racks that you can create beds or sit containers on in an orientation around vertically suspended lamps.

Pay careful attention that one bed or shelf on top of another doesn’t leak or drain onto the shelf or bed below. In these applications, no reflector is used at all, spreading light from the center of the area in a 360 degree pattern to the surrounding plants. For each level, an additional lamp is stacked vertically onto the previous level. Alternatively, you can house the lamps in glass tubes, and run them air-cooled in a vertical orientation.

At the high-end, water cooled vertical lights are the ultimate in these types of applications.

The shelves containing the plants are orientated around the lamps, and the crop is broad-sided with bright light. Compact, squat growing varieties are ideal, and can be planted densely.

Strains with wider internode spacing can also be used, make sure to flower them right away and create a trellis system to

control and support growth patterns. In vertical gardens it’s very important to make sure you have good air circulation top to bottom. This might mean installing some oscillating fans on the ceiling, or if space allows, a standard ceiling fan.

Keep it cool, keep it healthy.

Without too much in the way of equipment purchases, you might be able to convert your existing in/out grow into a sealed or CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) set-up. Sealed rooms offer high production rates year-round with little or no variation based on outside environmental conditions.

Modify your carbon filter and fan(s) to act as scrubbers, running 24/7 drawing air through the carbon bed and back out into the room. This will keep the air smelling fresh and clean all the time. Use your existing exhaust fan to vent out heat generated from air-cooled lights. If not using air-cooled reflectors, you can plug-up the hole. If you don’t already have one, an air-conditioner can be a bit of an expense, depending on the scale of your garden. Set up the A/C to cool the room based on a thermostat pre-set level. Most of the time, the dehumidification created by the AC is enough to keep humidity levels below 60 per cent. However, for the dark cycle or in wetter growing set-ups, a de-humidifier may be required.

Now that the room is sealed, and perfect temperatures and humidity levels are easily controlled, you can install a carbon dioxide supplementation system. Tanks, regulators and timers

Digital ballasts will improve light levels and energy efficiency in any grow room. They can also run either MH or HPS lamps from the same unit and are super light weight, run cooler and are extremely quiet compared to their core and coil predecessors.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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Bigger Yields: Transform Your Indoor Garden Running a well controlled sealed environment with CO2 will make any grow space more productive.

Yield increases of +50 per cent are not unheard of versus conventional grow room set-ups. Electronic ignition CO2 burners are very efficient for larger spaces.

Unless you are in a vertical set-up, light your crop not your walls! A high quality four-sided reflector with angled inserts will give the garden an even profile by doing a better job of re-distributing light evenly, leading to bigger and better quality harvests.

are relatively inexpensive considering the extra amount of production they give. However, the best route for most multiple light gardens is by infrared CO2 monitors/controllers and with natural gas or propane fired CO2 generators. There are some great CO2 controllers and generators available. Look for electronic ignition and/or water cooled models. After that, you will have the perfect environment everyday for your crop.You control the settings, and the gear takes care of the rest.

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You can yield better harvests out of your existing garden space by making some of the proven modifications discussed here in this article. Every little thing you do to improve the performance of your garden will translate into the garden’s ability to produce more for you. Some modifications are more work and money than others, although they pay back quickly with bigger yields of higher quality. Another great way to improve you garden is to create a simple checklist of important things in your growing area. Every time you enter the garden, go through your list and make sure everything gets checked off. The extra effort and diligence will pay off before you know it.

MY For a complete materials list to help you convert your grow room to a sealed CEA set-up visit www.maximumyield.com

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

35

Post-Harvest Clean Up

by Bob Taylor

Do not underestimate the need for post-harvest clean-up.

Failure to do this properly can result in never-ending disease problems, plumbing blockages, broken pumps, etc.

Two separate procedures are required: Disease preventative At the end of each crop, it is necessary to sterilize the entire system to help prevent disease problems in the next crop.

The following guide will help remove organic build-up such as pathogens, algae, slimes and dead or decaying plant matter (figure 11.4a).

Step 1 36

Remove all plants and media then do as much manual

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

cleaning as possible. External cleanliness of the system and growing area is as important as the internal cleanliness.

Step 2 Partly fill the system with water. Lower the water’s pH below 5.0, then with subdued light conditions, add household chlorine bleach** (1.9 ounces/quart) at four teaspoons per gallon.

Step 3 Mix well then soak system for 24 to 72 hours. While system is soaking: Re-circulating systems: Run the pump for at least 15 minute cycles every hour*.

Run-to-waste systems: Run the pump for a short burst once every hour*.

Step 4 Discard this solution then flush the whole system several times with small volumes of fresh water to remove all traces of chlorine and dislodged material.

Note: Several small volumes are more effective than a single flush.

Step 5 Where fine drippers and sprayers are used, it may be necessary to individually dismantle and clean each unit. ** Ensure to follow necessary safety precautions and contact no metal parts.

dilute 30 per cent of the hydrochloric acid (normal commercial strength) by around 1000 fold (e.g. 3/4 teaspoons per gallon).

Step 2 Soak the system for 24 to 72 hours. While system is soaking: Re-circulating systems: Run the pump for at least 15 minute cycles every hour.

Run-to-waste systems: Run the pump for a short burst once every hour and collect the discharge.

Step 3 Afterwards, neutralize solution up to pH 5.0 to 6.0 with soda ash before discarding.

Fig 11.4 Post harvest clean-up helps remove buildup such as algae (11.4a) and salt precipitates (11.4b).

Precipitate removal Over the long-term, it is sometimes useful to conduct an acid flush to help remove precipitates (white precipitates of calcium sulphate and phosphate – figure 11.4b) that cannot be dissolved with plain water or wet brushing.

Step 1 Add water and enough hydrochloric acid** to the tank to achieve a pH of 2.0. If using rain or reverse osmosis water,

Step 4 Flush whole system several times with fresh water to remove all traces of acid and dislodged material.

Root browning is a typical symptom of the root disease ‘pythium’.

Step 5 Where fine drippers and sprayers are used, it may be necessary to individually dismantle and clean each unit.

MY

For more articles by Bob Taylor visit www.maximumyield.com

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Seeds are gifted with the miracle of life, as inside every seed is a plant waiting to be born. Each strain of plant is unique and many of these “heirloom” strains have been passed on from many generations of gardeners. However, heirloom strains are difficult to find in the commercial market. Seed companies are replacing these strains with their own open air and hybrid varieties. Seed companies prefer to sell hybrid strains to farmers and gardeners because they cost more to produce and, therefore, can be sold for much more. Also, seeds harvested from hybrid varieties are ineffective for replanting, so gardeners and farmers must purchase seeds repeatedly from a company. Hybrid seeds will either be sterile or begin reverting back to one of the parent varieties over the next couple generations. One can avoid the big seed conglomerates by preserving their own seeds from vegetable and fruit grown in their own gardens.

Seeds can be used to preserve something special found along the way. Selecting favourable traits that will be passed along to the next generation perpetuates heirloom strains, and keeps a garden self-sustaining. For seeds to sustain their vigour (vigour being their ability to germinate successfully with adequate resistance to seeds) they must be cleaned, dried, and stored. If done properly, seeds will keep their vigour for years or possibly decades.

Dried seeds of a chili pepper.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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How to Preserve Seeds Cleaning seeds in the first step to preserving seeds. One cleaning process is known as “wet processing and drying,” and it involves seed removal, washing and drying. The wet processing method is used for seeds that are embedded in the flesh of fruits and berries. Depending on the species, the seeds, juice and flesh of the fruit will need to go through a fermentation process where bacteria and/or yeast will destroy many seed-born diseases that could affect the next generation.

Seeds should be washed to remove them from the encasing flesh. An easy way to do this is to place the seed, juice or flesh mixture into a large pail or bowl containing double the water as the volume of seed/pulp mixture. Stir well and keep pouring off the dirty water, adding clean water and repeating until only clean seeds remain.

Once the seeds are clean, they can be placed to dry on a nonstick surface, such as a cookie sheet. Do not use paper or any surface that the seeds might stick to. Also do not dry seeds in the sun, because temperatures exceeding 35°C will almost certainly guarantee the impotence of a seed.

Another technique for cleaning seeds is called “dry processing and winnowing.” This technique is for plants that produce seeds in pods or husks, such as peas and beans. Gardeners must allow the pods or husks to dry with the seeds still inside. Once seedpods are dry they can be threshed. Threshing is a process that frees the seeds by breaking their covering. This is typically done by rubbing or beating the pods until the seeds are released. An easy way to thresh seeds is to place all the seedpods Seeds can be collected using “wet processing”(below) or they can also be harvested using the “dry processing and winnowing” technique (right). Gardeners allow the pods to dry with seeds still inside.

Once dry they can be threshed. Airtight containers, such as Mason jars, are ideal for storing and identifying seeds (bottom right).

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

into a sac or pillowcase and rub your hands together until all the pods release their contents. Be careful not to get too rough with the seeds, because they can be damaged when rubbed or beaten too hard.

The seeds must now be separated from the debris of pods and husks through a process called winnowing. In many parts of the world winnowing is done the same way for ages. If there is wind, one simply picks up a handful of seeds and pod debris and drops it. The seeds, being heavier than the pod debris, should fall to the floor while the pod debris is blown away with the wind. Winnowing is repeated until all that is left are clean seeds.

Another approach to winnowing is to use different sized screens to separate seeds. To perform the screen technique, gardeners first use a screen with holes large enough for the seeds to pass through. Then a second screen smaller than the seeds is used to filter out the remaining debris.

Now that all the seeds are clean and dry, it is time to label and store them to be used in upcoming growing seasons. There are two main things that must be guarded against when storing seeds; high temperatures can render good seeds useless, while high humidity can allow micro-organisms to grow and ruin seeds. To avoid high humidity, only store dried seeds to five to 10 per cent moisture. All seeds should be placed in containers that are airtight, such as Mason jars. Zip-loc bags and envelopes, for example, are not airtight, but are easy to label. The ideal

solution is to place dried seeds in a labelled envelope or zip-loc bag and then place it into a Mason jar. The Mason jar or other airtight container should be stored in a place out of the sun where temperatures are not likely to fluctuate. An ideal storage place is a cold-room or root cellar.

However, storing seeds this way only allows seeds to keep their vigour for one or maybe two years. If seeds are stored in a cold cellar for any longer than two years, the seeds will barely germinate and leave few survivors. There is a way to ensure your seeds thrive for five years or more. The way to achieve this is to freeze your seeds. Instead of placing the airtight container with the seeds in the cellar, place them in the freezer and they can keep their vigour 10 times longer. However, there are risks that accompany freezing seeds. For instance, if seeds are not thoroughly dried, excess moisture will expand when frozen and destroy the seeds. This will happen to seeds with more than eight per cent moisture.

To prevent disaster, a sure way to tell if a seed is dry is to seal it in a jar with double its volume in silica gel for seven days. Silica gel beads are used by manufacturers to remove excess moisture and can be reused indefinitely. Simply dry the silica gel in an oven at 93°C for eight hours. After being sealed for seven days with the silica gel, the seeds should have just the right amount of moisture to be frozen safely. Another option is to test the seeds before freezing them by hitting a seed with a hammer or

something heavy. If the seed shatters, it is dry enough. If the seed mashes, then they need to dried longer.

When one decides to access their seeds from the freezer, they should always allow the jar to thaw and reach room temperature before opening; as well, the jar should be placed back in the freezer quickly. This will help prevent moisture from condensing inside the jar and re-hydrating the seeds and ruining them. The seeds removed from the container should be allowed to sit out overnight to allow the seeds to pick up moisture from the air and re-hydrate itself. This will improve the odds of a successful germination.

Seeds are sacred to every gardener. Inside each one is the magic of season’s past just waiting to be unleashed. Every time we preserve a seed, we preserve a little bit of that magic, in the hope that it will show itself for years to come.

References Suzanne, Ashworth. Seed to Seed: Seed Spacing and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners. Seed Savers Exchange: Iowa, 2002.

MY Examine the history of heirloom seeds and their hybrid versions at www.maximumyield.com

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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by Luis Bartolo

The Magic of Microbes:

Creating Healthy Organic Soil 44

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

“A single tablespoon of healthy soil might contain over a billion beneficial soil microbes.”

Welcome to another issue of your favourite magazine, Maximum Yield. This time we will inform you about microbes and especially microbes in soil. So start your engines and let’s dig in to the world of microbes.

Healthy soil In one handful of healthy soil there is literally hundreds of species of soil bacteria, soil fungi and many other microscopic soil critters. A single tablespoon of healthy soil might contain over a billion beneficial soil microbes. Unfortunately, most of the soils in the home landscapes of America have a very low population of these valuable soil microbes.

What is the role of microbes in soil?

The major role of the bacteria and fungi is to decompose organic materials in the root zone mix (or soil), including the cells of their recently dead microbial colleagues. It is precisely this turnover of root tissues and microbial cells that releases organically bound nitrogen and phosphorus, inorganic (mineral) forms. This so-called mineralization process is the essence of what soil microbial activity is all about.

What do soil microbes do?

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of soil biology amongst growers, but there is probably more confusion and mistrust than actual clarity. As with anything new and promising there is always misinformation. This shouldn’t be, as there is a wealth of scientific knowledge in soil biotechnology. Two of the most microbe (microorganism) genera are explained here.

Azospirillum spp. takes nitrogen from the atmosphere and makes it available to plant roots (nitrogen fixation). Nitrogen fixation is often high, but is not the only benefit Azospirillum Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

45

The Magic of Microbes: Creating Healthy Organic Soil can give to plants. When the bacteria are present on the roots of plants they have the ability to increase the numbers of root hairs on each root by producing plant growth hormones (auxins) that cause the plant to produce more roots.

Azotobacter spp. use and oxidize organic matter to release Azospirillum nitrogen. They also take nitrogen directly from the air which combines with the liberated nitrates to make nitrogen available to plant roots. Some species of Azotobacter can also dissolve “tied-up” phosphorus from the soil, making it available to plants. They secrete plant growth-promoting hormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins), Azotobacter and antifungal metabolites.

These are just two of the hundreds of beneficial organisms out there. They are available commercially in varying qualities.

Additions can benefit crop performance and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. They grow well in the presence of nitrogen fertilizer, but if these substances are abundant, they won’t fixate atmospheric nitrogen. They should not be seen as a quick fix; rather they should be seen as part of a soilimprovement program. Factors such as pH, organic carbon levels, cat ion balance, fallow management and other cultural practices can turn a moderate response-potential into an excellent one.

into a liquid form that is available to feed plants. When there are sufficient nitrogen-fixing bacteria in a soil, the need for fertilizer goes way down. Other bacteria will decompose organic matter and even break down pesticide residues if they are in your soil.

Soil bacteria will actually reduce soil compaction by improving soil structure creating microscopic spaces or rooms in the soil to hold air or water. Some soil bacteria act as police persons and will suppress soil pathogens that could cause disease in your plants, reducing the need to ever use any fungicides.

Soil Microbes Products There are a growing number of products on the market that will help restore many of the beneficial soil microbes lacking in the soil in most home landscapes. Some come in powdered form and can be used in that form or mixed with water to be applied as a foliar spray or as a drench directly into the soil around plants. Others are already in liquid form and are used as a foliar spray or as a drench. In addition, there are now machines designed to produce these liquids containing soil microbes. These liquids are a kind of tea created from compost, earthworm castings or microbial powders.

The Bottom Line While it is not terribly important for you to understand the technical aspects of these soil microbial products, it is important to understand what kind of magic they can create among the plants in your yard. Most of these products perform best when applied to your plants every two or three weeks during the main growing season.

If you do use any of these products you will see a significant difference in your plants. The foliage will be greener and brighter. The flowers will have deeper color and sometimes will be larger.

Enjoy and experiment.

MY

Beneficial Soil Bacteria Among the hundreds of species of beneficial soil bacteria, there are groups that will pull nitrogen out of the air in soil and put it

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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For more articles by Luis Bartolo visit www.maximumyield.com

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part III

Representative phenolic resin growing foam products (courtesy of Smithers-Oasis Company).

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Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

The previous two articles in this series focused on what I chose to call natural materials that can be used as rooting substrates in hydroponics. By natural, I mean the product is somehow derived from a material that occurs in nature, although it may involve some processing before the final product is suitable for growing plants. These natural materials can further be classified as organic (peat, wood chips, coconut fibre) or inorganic (gravel, sand, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay). In this final instalment of the series, the synthetic substrates are considered. By synthetic, we mean that these materials are not naturally occurring and they must be manufactured.

Rockwool Rockwool (sometimes given as two words - rock wool) is familiar to anyone involved in hydroponics, and has played a major role in the development and expansion of hydroponics as a commercially viable enterprise. It could conceivably be considered a natural product since it is made by melting rock and spinning it into fibres (sort of like cotton candy). The fibres are then formed into a tangled mass with the help of a binding agent that increases stiffness and holds a definite shape.

Rockwool was first manufactured in the late 1800s for use as an insulating material. Even today, it is used as an insulator in construction dwarfs. In the late 1960s, rockwool was developed as a hydroponics substrate by the Dutch company Grodan. It is now manufactured by several companies. Despite competition from other materials, the majority of hydroponic vegetable production relies on rockwool in one way or another, even if it is just to start seedlings or to root cuttings.

The popularity of rockwool arises from its properties. It is non-porous, but retains significant water when saturated while still maintaining 15 to 20 per cent of its volume as air space.

The shaped products are wicking materials that will draw in water to provide a large moist volume for root development.

The hydrophilicity (affinity for water) of rockwool varies greatly depending on the exact formula used to manufacture it. In Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

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Roots & Rooting Media: Part III

Figure 1. Rockwool comes in many shapes and forms. These macroplugs are a product of Grodan, Inc., a leader in the development and application of rockwool technology.

addition to the basaltic rock that it is spun from, it may contain chalk, oil as a dust reducing agent (which also repels water) or other compounds designed to modify its wetting properties.

Horticultural grade rockwool is formed into standard shapes for use as a substrate (three to 10 centimetres or even larger cubes, flat slabs and loose granules). In contrast to the shaped products, which are all hydrophilic, the granular forms are formulated with varying degrees of hydrophilicity for use as an amendment to soils or as part of a soilless peat-based substrate.

Rockwool tends to have a rather high pH and has to be conditioned by rinsing or soaking in nutrient solution before use. Alternatively, the pH of the nutrient solution can be adjusted so that it achieves the correct pH after exposure to the rockwool. High quality rockwool generally has consistent properties so this is not difficult to accomplish.

When dry, rockwool is light, but it cannot be compressed to save space during shipping. It is brittle and precautions should be taken when handling it to prevent breathing of rockwool dust. Although it can be cleaned, sterilized and reused, it tends to crumble and lose its structural integrity after too much handling so it must be replaced. Most growers do not attempt to reuse it.

Being made of rock, rockwool is not biodegradable. There is a recycling capability in the rockwool manufacturing industry, mostly focused on insulation. Used product can be reprocessed into new rockwool. However, most horticultural rockwool is disposed of in landfills. Rockwool cannot be burned as a fuel as is the case with hydrocarbon-based substrates such as PET (discussed later). Despite these drawbacks, rockwool’s excellent water retention and aeration properties keep it at the top of most peoples’ list of good hydroponics substrates.

PET Fibre Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a relatively new arrival on the hydroponics scene.You are probably familiar with PET, even though you may not recognize it by name. PET is used to fabricate food containers (especially microwavable ones) and is commonly used as a batting for stuffing pillows. The development of PET as a hydroponics substrate was carried out primarily by the Dupont Corporation, who patented the technology in the late 90s. Subsequently, the worldwide rights to manufacture and distribute it were licensed by Sure to Grow (which is also the trade name of the product - STG for short), a subsidiary of 6062 Holdings, LLC, based in Beachwood, Ohio.

STG is biologically inert and provided sterile from the manufacturer. Unlike rockwool, it is non-wicking (although a wicking formulation is under development) and will only draw water up to a height of about five centimetres. This keeps the root region moist while allowing the top to remain dry, thus discouraging surface algal growth. The material is hydrophilic and stores water in between the network of PET fibres from which it is made. When fully saturated it retains 25 per cent of its volume as air space. STG is very light and compressible so it can be shipped for a relatively low cost. Probably only rice hulls can compete with it in this regard. STG is provided in standard shapes (three and 10 centimetre cubes) as well as in sheets and as loose fill, so it can be used in any application where rockwool is used.

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The low weight and flexibility of STG make it easy to work with. The sheets can simply be rolled up and disposed of, and although it is non-biodegradable, it doesn’t take up a lot of landfill space since it is so compressible.

Despite its many advantages (low weight, good wetting and aeration, inertness and biocompatibility, no affect on solution pH), it does have a couple of drawbacks. From a horticultural perspective, since it is non-wicking, directly sown seeds will likely require top watering to keep the moisture up. This could increase the amount of labour needed to start a crop. However, once the roots penetrate to the water level, top watering is no longer needed. As mentioned, PET is non-biodegradable and although it can be reused in theory, most growers choose to dispose of it rather than try to clean and reuse it. It has been shown to burn cleanly in incinerators so it has potential use as a fuel to avoid landfill deposition. PET is recyclable and can be used to make new packages, cosmetics, carpet, pillow fillings and fabrics. That said, most PET used in hydroponics is not recycled unless it is filtered from the waste stream by waste processors.

Phenolic Resin Foam Introduced in 1969 by Smithers-Oasis, phenolic resin foam (PRF) is an open-celled, rigid product designed specifically for plant propagation. One claimed advantage is that the open cellular structure of the foam provides improved aeration for plant roots.

Like the other synthetic media, it is chemically inert and sterile. The pH is acidic (approximately 5.5) so before use it is recommended to overhead leach the foam for two minutes with clear water to remove any residual acids that remain from the manufacturing process. It drains well while maintaining aeration in the many open cells with the fully saturated percent airspace between 10 and 15 per cent.

While the product is hydrophillic, it’s difficult to re-wet if allowed to dry completely following initial saturation. The foam does have some wicking ability; however, with proper water management, the surface can be maintained relatively dry to limit algae growth when starting seedlings. Overhead watering is recommended when starting seedlings as it provides greater aeration of substrate compared with sub-irrigation. Cation exchange is low, but this also prevents accumulation of salts in the media during a growing cycle.

Unlike what is available in PET and rockwool products, PRF is provided in a sheet form at a depth of three centimetres.The sheets are subdivided into individual cubes that can be easily separated.

Also available is a wedge shaped form (provided in plastic strips/ trays of individual cells) that tapers from top to bottom.This shape guides root growth downward for faster development. Since it is not available in larger sizes, PRF is generally only used for fast growing crops such as lettuces, and for propagating flower cuttings or woody-stemmed plants for later transplant.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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Roots & Rooting Media: Part III The material is light but somewhat brittle, although not as brittle as rockwool, so it cannot be compressed for shipping.

Like all other synthetics, it is not biodegradable. It is not recommended for reuse, and thus finds its way into landfills.

Plastic Pellets In 2007, a patent was issued to an inventor and the Australian Center for Plant Functional Genomics PTY Ltd, for a hydroponics substrate consisting of plastic pellets. To quote from the patent abstract, “hydroponic support media comprise plastics (e.g. polycarbonate) pellets of specific gravity greater than water (e.g. 1.1 or 1.2), cylindrical (one to 10 millimetres in length and 0.5 to five millimetres in diameter) and loosely arranged to define a network of fluid-permeable pore spaces between pellets. Biologically inactive, synthetic plastics, natural rubber latex and shellac for example, may be used for pellets. Preferably such materials should be sterilisable to allow reuse and should not adhere to the roots of plants so that the roots will readily release for examination. Such media can be used to fill pots with permeable bottoms in hydroponic systems…”

I haven’t found anyone who has actually used plastic pellets so there isn’t much practical information available. However, based on the patent description one can hazard a few guesses as to its advantages and disadvantages. It seems to essentially be a synthetic gravel (inert, non-porous, with air space between particles). Many plastics are less dense than water, which makes them float, so the density of this product is important to keep it submerged. Gravels have a specific gravity of 1.5 to 2.0 (with the specific gravity of water being set equal to 1.0) so plastic pellets are considerably lighter and easier to transport. Although the pellets are non-porous (so unlike what happens with clay pellets, water will not be absorbed into the pellets themselves), the plastic is hydrophilic, which allows the creation of a film

of water on the pellet surface. In this respect, rockwool and PET behave similarly. The pellets would be expected to drain fairly quickly.

According to the description, the pellets are to be made of material that is cleanable and sterilizable, making it reusable. Since the pellets are not porous, roots would not penetrate them allowing the roots to be easily separated from the medium.

To summarize, plastic pellets would perform much like gravel with the advantage of being lighter. They are non-biodegradable, and although no mention of disposal is made in the patent documents, it is likely that used pellets could be burned as a fuel (like PET).

This concludes the series of articles on rooting media. Not every conceivable media has been discussed but the ones most commonly in use have been covered. As we have seen with the advent of PET and perhaps plastic pellets, there will likely be other materials developed for hydroponics use in the future.

References Douglas, James Sholto, 1985, Advanced guide to hydroponics, Pelham Books, London Dowgert, Michael F., Rockwool as a Substrate for Hydroponic Growing Systems, http://www.altgarden.com/site/ library/rockwool.html (accessed 11/06/08) Jones, J. Benton Jr., 2005, Hydroponics, A practical guide for the soilless grower, CRC Press, Boca Raton Grodan, http://www.grodan.com (accessed 11/10/08) Resh, Howard M., 2002, Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower, 6th Edition, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Philadelphia Sure To Grow, http://www.suretogrow. com (accessed 11/12/08) Smithers-Oasis, Inc., http://www. smithersoasis.com (accessed 11/29/08) WO/2007/056794, Patent, Hydroponic Support Medium of Plastic Pellets, http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/ wo.jsp?wo=2007056794, (accessed MY 11/09/08) Find parts one and two of this article at maximumyield.com

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Plants Have No Teeth or Do They?

A Few Points about Carbon Fertilization

by Peter Vakomies

It seems obvious enough that plants don't have teeth; but, plants must perform the same processes that animals do to grow – they must get carbon, and lots of it. Like all life on Earth, plants are carbon-based. In fact, carbon constitutes the majority of all dried plant biomass, about 45 per cent. We chew food to extract carbon from its source while plants assimilate carbon from the air.

Carbon is the number one element required to grow plant tissue, and it is ‘inhaled’ by plants from the air, in the form of CO2 gas. The entire process of assimilating carbon from CO2 into plant tissue while plants are exposed to light is called photosynthesis.

Think of plants as hungry for CO2; they are constantly hoarding carbon at a level that is over 10,000 times the amount found in the air (350 ppm or 0.0035 per cent). Plants grow by assimilating, reducing or fixing CO2 into carbohydrates, but in all that carbonhoarding and photosynthetic processing, where are the teeth located?

RuBisCO The enzyme known as Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase or RuBisCO, may be the closest thing plants have

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

to teeth. This enzyme grabs CO2 gas is quite slow compared to most other molecules and attaches them to a enzymes. Because of its abundance five carbon sugar molecule, thereby, and essential role in life, the RuBisCO assimilating more carbon atoms into enzyme also happens to be the most the Calvin Cycle (figure one). It fixes a abundant protein on earth. If you could molecule of CO2 to another five carbon extract the whole biosphere's protein to sugar (ribulose) making a new six carbon make a giant Earth-smoothie-proteinsugar every time it cycles through it's shake, RuBisCO alone would make up enzymatic function. Considering the over 50 per cent of the total protein. super low CO2 concentration of 0.0035 RuBisCO is a large complex molecule per cent present on Earth today, RuBisCO has essentially chewed most of the carbon out of the atmosphere, and fixed it into plants.

By grabbing a single CO2 molecule out of the air every 0.3 seconds, every RuBisCO enzyme is at the heart of the photosynthesis machinery. This is a ‘chewing rate’ of around three Figure 1. The Calvin Cycle - where the teeth of photosynthesis are. RuBisCO molecules of CO2 is the place where carbon enters the food chain. Note the wasteful process called photorespiration occurring when too much oxygen reaches RuBisCO. per second, which

Figure 2. A model of the shape of RuBisCO A model for the structure of RuBisCO in chloroplasts from higher plants. RuBisCO consists of eight large (L) and eight small (S) subunits arranged as four dimers. Small subunits are shown in red (only four of the small subunits are seen), large subunits are shown in blue and green, in order to show the boundaries of the dimers.

(figure two), which in more advanced plants is built from 16 separate sub-units forming an amazingly complex protein structure. It is located in the chlorophyll containing organelles (chloroplasts) found inside every green plant and algae cell.

RuBisCO is a miracle of nature that has been evolving since life began - a true protein nano-machine that drives all life on Earth.

The enzyme does not restrict its diet to CO2 alone; it will also 'chew' on oxygen molecules, which slows photosynthetic yields. There are eight locations for CO2 to bind to in each RuBisCO enzyme, and these are also able to bind oxygen molecules. For this reason, RuBisCO is located in an oxygen-reduced environment inside plant cells and tucked away inside chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain dense accumulations of the large enzyme in patches; in some algae there are super-complexes of RuBisCO accumulated into structures called pyrenoids. Discoveries with unicellular algae have shown just how localized the teeth can be; in efforts to concentrate CO2 around RuBisCO when CO2 becomes depleted, some algal plants will make RuBisCO only on one side of the chloroplast - meaning only one half has teeth and can actually grab CO2, while the other half actually has no teeth and acts as a reservoir of Calvin Cycle intermediates, shunting the required substrates to the side with teeth. This is a

mechanism to compensate for depleted CO2 when O2 becomes a competing substrate, unique to some algae.

But back in the greenhouse, imagine starving a crop of CO2. CO2 in a well sealed greenhouse or grow room will be assimilated starting the moment after dawn when light becomes bright enough.

From a typical concentration of 350 ppm CO2 in the air, CO2 can drop to 160 ppm in under two hours. This will stop plant growth by starving their cells' RuBisCO enzymes of their favourite thing to chew on. At this point oxygen can even out compete the reduced levels of CO2 and cause photorespiration (figure one) - a wasteful use of captured light energy, sending the plant's teeth to chatter and chew on junk food.

How Plants Take in CO2 - The Mouth and Teeth Must Work Together RuBisCO runs on the energy captured from light in the growing environment.

In a discussion about feeding plants CO2, we must remember how photochemistry first makes power for RuBisCO to operate. In addition to needing bright light, photosynthesis requires water, correct temperature, adequate mineral nutrition and proper humidity. If any of these environmental variables change, photochemistry and CO2 assimilation are affected, and likewise, growth rates.

When light shines on green chlorophyll pigments, the energy of PAR photons is captured by plants in a way that is similar to charging a battery; after chlorophyll molecules trap photons of PAR, light energy is

stored in high-energy molecules called ATP and NADPH. We need to mention phytochemistry since the teeth of photosynthesis cannot chew at all without being fuelled by ATP and NADPH. The part of photosynthesis involving chlorophyll is called photochemistry, the light-dependant reactions of photosynthesis. But our focus here is on the light-independent part of photosynthesis, also known as the Calvin Cycle, involving RuBisCO, the supposed plant-teeth (figure three).

The products of photochemistry are a charge of 'reducing power' used up by RuBisCO to drive CO2 fixation. So without a fully charged battery from being in bright light, a plant does not have enough ATP or NADPH to operate RuBisCO and CO2 uptake grinds to a tiny fraction of what is possible.

Imagine clonal lines of plants growing with ample light in an ideal state of fertigation, temperature and humidity;

Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

57

Figure 3. Photosynthesis has two parts - the teeth are in the Calvin Cycle.

let's say they have moist, fertigated soil, it is noon on a sunny day at 22°C soil and an air temperature with 67 per cent relative humidity. On this perfect day, what is going on that enables plants to uptake CO2 for growth? We've got the image of photosynthetic teeth chewing CO2 out of the air, but we must not forget how there is a 'mouth' that also affects photosynthetic rates in plants - this would be the stomata that are all over green tissues on plants (figure four).

On this perfect, sunny day, at the anatomically minute scale of the plantcell, imagine wandering through a stomata and drifting deep inside the leaves, where we'd find it is sopping wet, and that plants are always trying to keep themselves inflated with water pressure (plant turgor). Leaves are organs that need to remain open to exchange gasses with the atmosphere, but they must also maintain a saturated, 100 per cent relative humidity inside themselves. This happens using tiny pores called stomata that open and close by action of guard cells (figure four). And, since most of the surface of mature leaves is coated with waxes that seals the leaf from outside air, the main way in and out of a leaf is through the stomata, and plants keep turgid by regulating the stomatal water loss. Water vapour leaving the plant can be conserved by closing the stomata, which happens under drought conditions to prevent wilting - the 'mouths' close and carbon feeding also ceases.

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In these ideal sunny conditions when the plants are not stressed, the stomata are wide open and CO2 can enter the leaf.

This happens by diffusion through the air - while water vapour is pouring out of the plant by transpiring, CO2 is entering through the same stomata. This process is also known as stomatal conductance, measuring how much water vapour, CO2 and O2 can pass through the pores on the leaf surface (figure five). Once CO2 gas has diffused into a leaf through stomata, and into a plant cell, the enzyme RuBisCO immediately fixes it into carbohydrates (CH2Os), and this clears the way for more CO2 to diffuse in.

As nature would have it, light is critical for keeping stomata open, and plants close their stomata in darkness.

Anthropomorphizing this image of 'chewing plants' just a little further, stomata in the grow room might be considered billions of tiny mouths that open up immediately, as soon as the lights turn on, allowing carbon to flow

Figure 4. Anatomy of Stomata - The brown coloured parts are the guard cells. Notice the abundant and flaky wax deposits (grey-green).

Plants Have No Teeth or Do They?

Figure 5. Measuring Stomatal Conductance with an Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA) and porometer. When combined into one machine, this kind of device can accurately measure the millimoles of water vapour and CO2 gas leaving and entering a leaf per second. The amount of water vapour detected leaving the leaf is divided by an estimate of stomatal aperture or by leaf area, to give the measurement called stomatal conductance.

into the leaf. Under conditions of high temperature, drought or water stress, stomata will close more and more, gradually starving the plant of carbon.

There are evolutionary reasons for these responses by stomata; however, any closure will limit the CO2 that plants can feed off of. Certain plant species

have adapted methods of gulping big mouthfuls of CO2 before the heat of the day causes them to close their stomata.

These are the C4 and CAM type plants with specialized leaf anatomies and they also have specialized cellular metabolism allowing them to stash CO2, and in some species their teeth are concentrated into

specific inner areas of the leaf (see figures six and seven).

After considering how the stomata and RuBisCO work to get CO2 into a plant to become CH2Os, we can find out what CO2 level is optimal to increase plant growth, but it takes some tweaking of all growing inputs. As mentioned, any condition that closes stomata inhibits growth; so in fact all our growth inputs of high temperatures, excessive CO2 levels, drought and light intensity will all inhibit plant growth just by closing stomata.

Optimal CO2 fertilization requires that a warm meal be delivered with gravy an increase in mineral fertilization. Like too much food of any kind, excessive CO2 is also a problem to the mouth and teeth of photosynthesis. In plants, a large imbalance in growth occurs from feeding too much CO2 which happens since the molecular shape of the plant hormone called abscissic acid (ABA) and the CO2 molecule's shape are similar. The plant hormone called abscissic acid is

Maximum Yield Canada  |  July / August 2009

59

Plants Have No Teeth or Do They? the one that controls stomatal closing under changing environmental conditions. Excessive CO2 fools the guard cell into sensing ABA is present and plants close their stomatal openings when CO2 exceeds tolerable amounts. Therefore, fertilizing with too much CO2 can reduce photosynthesis Figure 7. C4 and Cam plants pictures and diagrams directly by closing the plants' mouths.

But there is another feedback response too much drought occurs, and it becomes to over-feeding with CO2 that affects a priority to conserve water. However, the teeth directly- plants make less if raising the temperature to 25°C from RuBisCO enzymes as they adapt to long 22°C is just enough to cause the plants term, excessive CO2 in the grow room. to keep their stomata open and increase So when growing under too much CO2, cooling, then this also allows for the most plants shut their mouths and actually CO2 possible to enter inside the leaf cells make fewer photosynthetic teeth to chew where RuBisCO is already assimilating and grow with.

CO2 at its maximum rate. Under Plants cool their tissues by opening their these ideal conditions, truly monstrous stomata wide, and by allowing more water growth rates can occur - all mouths are to evaporate and transpire, which lowers agape, hanging wide and the teeth of the leaf's temperature. This happens until photosynthesis are churning all available CO2 into carbohydrates at maximum speed, only the atmosphere is the limit!

Figure 6a (top). Diagram to show how C4 and CAM plants can 'gulp' CO2 and concentrate this for RuBisCO (RuBp Carboxylase' to chew with less interference from oxygen.

Figure 6b (above). Scanning electron microscopy (left panel) and immunological localization of RuBisCO (right panel) in a photosynthetic cell of the single cell C4 species Suaeda aralocaspica (aka sweep weed and seablights) showing the RuBisCO-containing chloroplasts (orange) are restricted to the proximal end of cell (right panel). (Images by Elena Voznesenskaya and Vince Franceschi)

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References The Regulation of RuBisCO Activity in Response to Variation in Temperature and Atmospheric CO2 Partial Pressure in Sweet Potato, Plant Physiology 139:979990 (2005) The Intracellular Localization of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/ Oxygenase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Plant Physiology 116: 15851591 (1998) Handbook of Photosynthesis, By Mohammad Pessarakli. Published by Marcel Dekker, 1996 MY

To learn more about the optimal range of CO2, the carbon to nitrogen ratio and temperature and CO2 assimilation, visit www.maximumyield.com

Be Good to

Bees

Why Pollinators Need a Home in Your Garden ost people don’t realize that the bees, butterflies, moths and other insects zooming about in our gardens are some of the most important creatures on the planet. In their search for a meal of nectar and pollen, they play a critical role in helping plants set fruit and reproduce. It’s hard to believe, but an incredible 91 per cent of the estimated 240,000 flowering plant species worldwide, require the help of these pollinators to survive. If there are no insects to pollinate the flower, there will be no fruit or vegetables and no seed production for the next generation.

Despite the important service pollinators provide, they have been largely ignored and are now threatened by habitat loss, pesticide use and disease. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists 50 pollinator species, including some bats and birds, as threatened or endangered. Wild honeybee populations have dropped 25 per cent since 1990. A continuing decline in pollinator activity puts most ornamental plants, as well as much of our food supply into jeopardy. Here are four easy ways you can help right in your own backyard: •

Provide an abundant source of food. Include lots of nectar and pollen rich plants in your garden, such as old-fashioned flowers and wildflowers. A succession of blooming annuals, perennials and shrubs will ensure nectar and pollen are available throughout the growing season.

Remember to also include plants that butterfly larvae feed on, such as dill, fennel and milkweed.

•

Go organic. Many pesticides, even organic ones, are toxic to bees and other beneficial organisms. In the short term, these pesticides may provide a quick knock down to the

attackers. In the long run, you expose yourself, family, pets, wildlife and pollinators to toxic chemicals, and risk disrupting the natural ecosystem. If you do apply a pesticide, make sure you use it carefully and selectively.

Never spray when blossoms are open or when bees or other pollinators are present.

•

Provide shelter. Butterflies, bees and other pollinators need shelter to hide from predators, eat out of the elements and rear their young. Make your yard more pollinator-friendly by letting a section of lawn grow wild for ground nesting bees. Allow a pile of grass cuttings or a log to decompose in a sunny place, or leave a dead tree standing to crate nooks of butterflies and solitary bees. Artificial nesting boxes also offer a safe place for solitary bees, such as the orchard bee, to lay their eggs.

•

Provide water. A water garden, birdbath or catch basin for rain will guarantee that pollinators can always find the water they need to survive. Butterflies are also attracted to muddy puddles for salts and MY nutrients, as well as water.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

61

NOVEMBER 2009

FLORIDA, USA

Indoor Gardening Expo

Accommodations by:

Nov 7 and 8 , 2009 th

th

Free Public Admission Sunday, Nov 8th • Discover Products from the World’s Leading Manufacturers and Distributors • Seminars • New Product Showcase • Door Prizes and More...

Industry thOnly Day

Saturday, Nov 7 - Noon - 6pm $5.oo Donation accepted at the door for Hydro for Hunger

Free Publicth Admission Sunday, Nov 8 - Noon - 5pm

Sponsored by:

For more information or to book your booth visit indoorgardenexpo.com or call 1.250.729.2677

DO YOU know?

5 Threshing is a process that frees seeds by breaking their cov-

ering, typically done by rubbing or beating the pods until the seeds are released. This technique is part of a seed cleaning process known as dry processing and winnowing.

6 An enzyme known as Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase, or

RuBisCO, may be the closest thing plants have to teeth. It is at the heart of photosynthesis machinery that we feed directly when fertilizing plants with CO2 gas.

7 Phenolic Resin Foam or PRF is an open-celled, rigid product

designed specifically for plant propagation. Its advantage as a grow medium is that the open cellular structure of the foam provides improved aeration for plant roots.

8 Leaves are organs that need to remain open to exchange

gasses with the atmosphere, but they must also maintain a saturated, 100 per cent relative humidity inside themselves.

1 An incredible 91 per cent of the estimated 240,000 flowering

plant species worldwide require the help of bee, butterfly and moth pollinators in order to survive.

9 If seeds are stored in a cold cellar for any longer than two

years, the seeds will barely germinate. Freezing seeds is a safer alternative and will allow seeds to keep their vigour 10 times longer.

2 Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, beneficial nematodes and microar-

thropods must be present in proper ratios to release nutrients in the right form, in the right places and at the right times for optimal plant health.

3 When using a 600 watt lamp in a four-sided reflector, you will

get better light patterns by screwing in a mogul extension, because most reflectors were designed around a 1000 watt art tube length.

4 Azotobacter spp., one of the most common microbe genera,

uses and oxidizes organic matter to release nitrogen. Some species of the microbe can dissolve “tied-up” phosphorus from the soil, making it available to plants.

Freezing seeds is a safer, long-term storage solution.

64

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

65

Continued from page 23

PRODUCT spotlight

Ask for these exciting new products at your favourite indoor gardening store.

One Formula per Stage Concept Technaflora’s Recipe for Success Starter Kit is ideal for both the new and experienced gardener alike. This unique starter kit contains 10 exceptional Recipe for Success products to ensure a consistent and balanced source of nutrition for plants. The products include: Rootech Cloning Gel (seven grams), B.C Grow (500 millilitres), B.C Boost (500 millilitres), B.C Bloom (500 millilitres), Thrive Alive B-1 Red (125 millilitres), Thrive Alive B-1 Green (125 millilitres), Awesome Blossoms (125 millilitres), MagiCal (125 millilitres), SugarDaddy (250 millilitres) and Root 66 (250 millilitres). The kit also contains the easy to master RFS Mixing Chart, which is based on a one formula per stage concept, rather than a complex week-to-week program.

With each purchase of the Recipe For Success Starter Kit, Technaflora will continue to donate $0.75 towards the Hydro for Hunger program in support of The Institute for Simplified Hydroponics (ISH). For more information visit your local indoor gardening retailer.

DriWater When water is either hard to come by on a regular basis or is needed at higher levels than Mother Nature provides, DriWater time-release water is a plant lifesaver! It’s a non-polymer gel that provides a constant supply of water to target soil without the use of toxic chemicals or the need to install a permanent water source. A 266 millilitre gel pac gives plants up to 30 days of hydration and includes an easily installed DriWater dispenser tube that delivers moisture directly to plant root zones. When the gel runs out, gardeners can simply replace the gel pac, leaving the dispenser tube in place, or moving to another area in need of DriWater. A 946 millilitre gel pac that lasts up to 90 days is also available. Contact your local indoor gardening store for more information.

Introducing Atomic 4-1-1

Announcing NutriBoost 1

Atomic 4-1-1 liquid organic fertilizer, formulated from several natural botanical extracts, is approved as an organic input by BCS, Germany. Atomic 4-1-1 is 100 per cent organic and works on all plants including fruits, vegetables flowers, shrubs, ornamentals and trees.

Nutriboost from Nutrilife Plant Products is now available. NutriBoost 1 is blended as a replenishment to replace lost hormone generating properties that plants lose due to being under stress. A healthy plant produces these hormones naturally to maintain growth, but stressed plants suffer a severe loss of their ability to produce these essential growth regulators.

Purpose: Stress relief for plants, propagation, cuttings, transplants, over watering, under watering, root burn, root pruning and repotting.

For more information please visit a hydroponics retail store.

MY

Features/Benefits: • increases yield and promotes healthy, rapid growth in all plants • produces more robust, healthier plants that are more tolerant to environmental stresses including insects and disease • conditions soil • shortens harvest cycle • low temperature resistance • biodegradable, non-toxic and environmentally-friendly Works in nurseries, bare-root nursery stocks, greenhouses, hothouses and hydroponics.

Application Rates Apply Atomic 4-1-1 as a foliar spray or via the plant root system from 400:1 to 100:1 every seven to 21 days or as required. Field crops: Apply 1½ - 2½ L/ Ha (½ - 1 l/acre) every seven to 21 days or as required.

Available in: 125 milliliters, 250 milliliters, 500 milliliters, one litre and four litres.

Atomic 4-1-1 is now available at your local indoor gardening store.

66

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

You can find all of our products online at www.maximumyield.com Each month your favourite new product profiles will be featured on our website. Get the latest information on what will make your garden grow.

Do you want to be included in the product spotlight?

Contact the editor at 1-250-279-2677 or email editor@maximumyield.com

CHECKgrowing YOUR I.Q.

by Erik Biksa

Q

1. What are some of the advantages of using enzyme type hydroponic/soilless nutrient additives? a) Makes it possible to reuse soilless growing mixes (peat, coco, etc.). b) Reduces the window of opportunity for pathogens such as pythium. c) Converts dead root matter into food source for the plant. d) all of the above e) none of the above 2. Why might it be advantageous to apply an enzyme based product at double strength during the last week before harvest while “flushing” the crop?

3. Which of the following are beneficial bacteria that may be used to inoculate plants/soil for improved crop performance? a) bacillus b) streptomycetes c) actinomycetes d) pseudomonas e) trichoderma

4. Certain soil based bacterium are able to provide a release of beneficial plant growth regulators such as cytokinins to crops. a) true b) false 5. Salicylic acid is useful for: a) colourful visualizations b) triggering a plant immunity response c) lowering the pH of nutrient solutions d) auditory hallucinations 6. Mycorrhizal fungi can expand the surface area of a root mass by as much as 700%. a) true b) false

ANSWERS: May/June 2009 quiz 1) c, 2) a, 3) d, 4) d, 5) a, 6) uses less gas, emits less heat, possibly safer.

A

Answers to this quiz will be printed in the September/October 2009 issue of Maximum Yield.

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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

Fusion 5 Organic Gardens Inc. PO Box 5821, 120B 1 Street, SW High River, AB T1V 1P3 866-652-2594 Hydro-Lite 12249 Fort Road Edmonton, AB T5B 4H7 780-477-7860 Niloc Wholesale Inc. Box 82008 Yellowbird RPO Edmonton, AB T6J 7E6 780-885-4769 Quick Grow 1-1204 Edmonton Trail Road NE Calgary, AB T2E 3K5 877-426-4769 Smart Grow 2456 - 23 Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2E 8J4 403-236-9999 Twins Greenhouse 13 - 2235 30th Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2C 7C7 403-273-2881 BRITISH COLUMBIA A+ Gardening Supplies 1450 Venables Street Vancouver, BC V5L 2G5 604-876-4769 Advanced Garden Supplies 7979 Aspen Road Vernon, BC V1B 3M9 250-545-9545 Advanced Wholesale Superstore 406 - 1952 Kingsway Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6C2 604-945-0174 AJs Pets & Things 3219 - 31st Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 2H2 250-549-3222 A.R.I. Research 120 - 4111 Hastings Street Burnaby, BC V5C 6Y7 604 433 6067 Art Knapp 2855 Wentworth Road Courtenay, BC V9N 6B7 250-334-3024

Better Than Nature Vernon 3506 25th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 1P4 250-260-4466

Growing Solutions Box 650, 1150 Bowlby Road Errington, BC V0R 1V0 250-248-1101

Blue Rose Garden Centre 1300 Fisher Road, RR 2, Cobble Hill, BC VOR 1L2 250-743-7757

Happy Acres Greens & Backroad Hydroponics Equipment 2058 Cambie-Solsqua Road Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0 250-836-3878

BN Garden Supply 4493 Boundary Road Vancouver, BC V5R 2N3 604-431-2977 Buckerfields 587 Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 1J9 250-248-3243 California Hydroponics 9509 120th Street Delta, BC V4C 6S3 604-930-0565 Canadian Garden Supply 1730 Highway 3 Castlegar, BC V1N 4W1 250-304-2911 Chilliwack Indoor Garden Centre Ltd. 311 - 44500 South Sumas Road Chilliwack, BC V9R 5M3 604-824-2944 Coastal Growers Supply 103 - 12824 Anvil Way Surrey, BC V3W 8E7 604-599-1778 Cowichan Hydroponic Supplies 4 - 2955 Jacob Road Duncan, BC V9L 6W4 250-746-0244 Double AA Garden Supplies Ltd. 2908 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 4C9 604-876-8837 Duncan Plants & Ponics 6512 Bell McKinnon Road Duncan, BC V9L 6C1 250-746-5591 Excel Air Systems 200 - 20170 Stewart Crescent Maple Ridge, BC V2X 0T4 604-728-0757 Fat Eddie’s Systems 105 - 18758 96th Avenue Surrey, BC 604-690-0818

Hygro Gardening Supplies Inc. 1791 Tamarac Street Campbell River, BC V9W 5Y7 250-286-0424 Indoor Jungle 2624 Quadra Street Victoria, BC V8T 4E4 250-388-5611 Interior Gardener’s Supply 221 - 1 McDermid Road, Box 1257 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-3399 Jon’s Plant Factory 3925 East Hastings Burnaby, BC V5C 2H8 604-294-3000 Just-N-Tyme Greenhouse and Hydroponics Supply 1094 McKenzie Avenue Courteney, BC V9N 3C5 250-703-0476 Kamloops Sunshine Gardens Greenhouse Superstore 5 - 1744 Kelly Douglas Road Kamloops, BC V2C 5S4 877-372-2270 Kootenay Bubble Refinery PO Box 81 Slocan Park, BC V0G 2E0 250-226-7753 Kootenay Grower’s Supply Creston 1134 Highway 21 Creston, BC V0B 1G6 866-468-4988 Kootenay Grower’s Supply Nelson 721-G Front Street Nelson, BC V1L 4B8 888-422-8333 Long Lake Nursery Hydroponic Supply 4900 Island Highway, North Nanaimo, BC 250-758-5012

Garden Effects 200-2288 #5 Road Richmond BC V6X 2T1 604-214-6620

Mr. Fertilizer 9 Burnside Road, West Victoria, BC V9A 1B2 250-381-4644 Mylo’s 3837 Squilax Anglemont Hwy Scotch Creek BC V0E 1M0 250-955-0525

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

Garden King Supplies 7533 135 Street, Unit 109 Surrey, BC V3W OM8 604-598-1912 Garibaldi Nurseryland & Florist 38917 Progress Way, Squamish Industrial Park Squamish, BC V0N 3G0 604-892-3892

Natural Choice Garden Centre, The 5500 48th Avenue, SE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1X2 250-832-7151

BC Hydroponics 3 - 20092-93A Avenue Langley, BC V1M 3Y4 604-888-5716

Good Guys Gardening Center 250 McKenzie Avenue, South Williams Lake, BC V2G 1C6 250-392-2069

Nico’s Nurseryland 830 - 28th Street, NE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2S7 250-804-2004

Better Than Nature Kelowna 725B Evans Court Kelowna, BC V1X 6G4 250-868-8978

Green & Clean Energy Co. Ltd. 2875 Cudlip Road Shawnigan Lake, BC V0R 2W0 250-732-7224

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

Better Than Nature Penticton 101 - 78 Industrial Avenue, West Penticton, BC V2A 6M2 250-770-8978

Green Earth Garden Supplies Unit 5, 19300, Langley Bypass Langley, BC V3S 6K2 604-532-7106

Nutty Zone 5 & 6 - 33201 London Avenue Mission, BC V2V 4P9 604-814-2223

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

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

Oasis 12 - 1771 Cooper Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T1 250-763-4769

Spruce Capital Feeds 1694 Quinn Street Prince George, BC V2N 1X3 250-564-6010

Pacific NW Garden Supply 109 - 20110 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P7

Sun Beam Central 3444 River Road Chemainus, BC V0R 1K4 250-246-1379

Pacific NW Garden Supply 107 Nicol Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 4T1 250-754-5292 Pacific NW Garden Supply 2137 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V5L 1V2 604-254-4765 Pacific NW Garden Supply Unit 14- 104 Silica Street Nelson, BC V1L 4M1 250-354-4767

Sundogz Garden Supply & Hydroponics 30 - 1365 Old Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 2B8 250-954-2046 Sunwest Garden Supply 2035 Unit B Louie Drive Westbank, BC V4T 1Y2 250-768-1636 Trees Company Nursery & Garden Supplies G9 C17 RR1, 7030 Powell Road Winlaw, BC V0G 2J0 250-226-7334

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

Tridon Hydroponics 12 - 1708 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1G9 250-755-1900

Pacific NW Garden Supply 15374-103A Avenue Surrey V3R 9V8 604-588-4769; 800-443-4769

Triple Tree Nursery 20503 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P9 604-465-9313

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

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

Pacific Rim Indoor Garden & Lighting 170- 12111 Bridgeport Road Richmond, BC V6V 1J4 604-232-4468 PG2 1798 Nicholson Street Prince George, BC V2N 1V6 250-612-4769; 1-888-817-4769

Van City Garden Supplies 6542 Victoria Drive Vancouver, BC V5P 3X9 604-322-8558

NEW BRUNSWICK Atlantic Hydroponics & Greenhouses Inc. 42 Brandon Street Moncton, NB E1C 7E8 506-858-0158 Craft N’ Grow 60 Micmac Road Eel Ground, NB E1V 4B1 506-624-9317 Jardins Notik Gardens 798 Gray Road St-Charles NB E4W 4N9 506-876-9100 Scott’s Nursery Ltd. 2192 Route 102 Highway Lincoln, NB E3B 8N1 506-458-9208 21st Century Gardening 20 Bayside Drive St. John, NB E2J 1A2 506-657-9982 Ultimate Hydroponics PO Box 1191 Hampton, NB E5N 8H2 506-639-5948 NOVA SCOTIA Den Haan’s Garden World 12688 Highway 1, Brickton Annapolis County, NS B0S 1M0 902-825-4722 Steve’s Hydroponic Headquarters 131 Sackville Drive Lower Sackville, NS B4C 2R3 902-865-7764

Vancouver Garden Supply 4894 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5V 4H5 604-879-8167

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

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

Wilson Mountain Hydroponics 69 Wilson Mountain Road Murray Siding, NS B6L 4N7 902-897-6568

Progressive Growth 111 - 1790 Island Highway Victoria, BC V9B 1H5 250-391-9519

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

Woodland Farm Nursery 3544 Highway 1, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0 902-532-7617

Progressive Growth 41 - 1925 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1 800-405-4769

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

Planting Plus Greenhouse Supplies and Hardware 22394 Dewdney Truck Road Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3J2 604-466-5949

Quick Grow Kelowna 1945 Kirshner Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N7 877-861-4343 Raw World Organics 1 - 1455 West 14th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6H 1R4 604-902-2740 Rocky Mountain Greenhouse Supply 1043 Industrial Road 2 Cranbrook, BC V1C 4C6 250-489-5770

Better Than Nature Winnipeg 2B - 2 Donald Street Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K5 204-453-3032 Gro Pro International Hydroponics 101-904 Porthee Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3G 0P4 204-956-1389

Woodin Nickel Hydroponics 3393 Central West, Highway 4 Pictou County, NS BOK 1H0 902-695-7640 ONTARIO AKA The Indoor Gardener 207 Exeter Road, Unit D London, ON N6L 1A4 519-652-4224 AKA The Indoor Gardener 3014 Highway 29 Brockville, ON K6V 5T4 613-342-2700

Kleen Gro Hydroponics 224 Osborne Street South Winnipeg, MB R3L 1Z3 204-475-7096

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

My Two Sons 2 - 2055 McPhillips Street Winnipeg, MB R2Y 3C6 204-339-3489

All Seasons 1000 Dundas Street East Mississauga, ON L4Y 2B8 905-848-2619

Skytek Indoor Solutions 833 4th Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3H5 1-800-975-9835

Nature’s Nutrition 1819 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3J 0G4 204-889-2979

Best of Hydroponics 360 Richmond Street London, ON N6A 3C3 519-858-1533

Solar Greenhouse and Hydroponic Supply 4752 Imperial Street Burnaby, BC V5J 1C2 604-438-7244

Ready Set Grow!

375 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R3C 2H2 204-668-GROW

Bluewater Hydroponics 1173 Michener Road, Unit 12 Sarnia, ON N7S 5G5 519-337-7475

Room 2 Grow 901 Laval Crescent Kamloops, BC V2C 5P4 250-372-3663

Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

71

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

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

Planetary Pride 372 Queen Street East Sault Ste Marie, ON P6A 1Y7 1-888-215-8970

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 4373 Steeles Avenue West North York, ON M3N 1V7 416-663-2999

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 79 Woolwich Street South Breslau, ON N0B 1M0 519-648-2374

Second Nature Hydroponics 4 - 2133 Royal Windsor Drive Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5 S e c o n d NATURE HYDROPONICS 905-403-4769

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1671 Cyrville Road, Meadowbrooke Plaza Gloucester, ON K1B 3L7 613-842-8999

Hydro Culture Emporium Inc. 150 Robertson Rd Unit 22 Nepean, ON K2H 9S1 613-715-9472

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

Hydrogarden 1122 Paul Street Cornwall, ON K6H 6H5 613-360-6996

Sweet Hydroponic Gardens 776 Bruce Street Renfrew, ON K7V 3Z8 613-433-9600

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

Vantage Hydroponics 1 Adelaide Street North London, ON N6B 3P8 519-451-4769

CN Garden Equipment Supplies 207 Edgeley Boulevard, Unit 4 Vaughan, ON L4K 4B5

In-Home Gardens 279 Caborne St. Brantford, ON N3T 2H3 519-754-9090

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

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

Indoor Gardens Canada 2952 Thompson Road Smithville, ON L0R 2A0 905-957-6969

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

J & C Hydroponics 343 Elgin Street, Unit A Cambridge, ON M1R 7H9 519-622-9969

QUEBEC Aeroplante 66 Rang Prenier Chaloupe Est Notre-Dame-Des-Praires Joliette QC J6E 7Y8 450-752-8883

Friendly Farmer, The 343 Richmond Lower Street London, ON N6A 3C2 519-438-4446

Jungle Hydroponics 2215 Gerrard Street East Toronto, ON M4E 2C8 416-699-0861

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre 1659 Victoria Street, North, Unit 6 Kitchener, ON N2B 3E6 888-670-0611 Canadian Hydrogardens Ltd. 1330 Sandhill Drive Ancaster, ON L9G 4V5 905 648 1801

Garden Depot 605 Justus Drive Kingston,ON Canada K7M 4H5 613-384-8882 Green And Clean 761 Barrydowne Road Sudbury, ON P3A 3T6 800-246-5503 Green Kingdom Hemp 1103 Cassells Street North Bay, ON P1B 4B3 705-494-7169

Markham Hydroponics 95 Royal Crest Court 18 Markham, ON L3R 9X5 905-305-0698 Nature’s Elements Box 119 500 Mill Street Neustadt, ON N0G 2M0 519-799-5323 Northern Hydroponics 236 Simpson Street Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3H4 807-623-3666

Green Thumb Hydroponics 3075 Ridgeway Drive, 25 Mississauga, ON L5L 5M6

Northern Lights Hydroponics 1938 Highway 20 (at 406), RR 1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 905-892-3743

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

Northern Lights Hydroponics 1185 Tecumsch Road Windsor, ON N8W 1B5 519-254-4015

Grower’s Choice Hydroponics 1621 McEwen Drive 14 Whitby, ON L1N 9A5 905-725-GROW

Ontario Growers Supply 1540 Fanshawe Park Road West London, ON N6H 5L8 519-641-3992

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

Ontario Hydroponics 103015 Grey Road 18 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6 519-372-1144

Amazonia Hydroponique 394 Boulvard Arthur-sauve St. Eustache, QC J7R 2J5 450-623-2790 B&S Electrique Inc. 2240 Pitt Street Montreal, QC H4E 4H1 514-931-3817 Benoit Dupuis Extincteurs Inc. 2503 Victoria Street Ste-Julienne, QC J0K 2T0 450-831-4240 Babylone Hydroponics 100 Duluth Avenue Montreal, QC H2W 1H1 514-284-6382 Boutique L’Echologik 829, cote d’Abraham Quebec, QC G1R 1A4 418-648-8288 Boutique L’Echologik 790 St - Jean Quebec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828 Brite Lite Hydroponics 940 Bergar, Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-669-3803 California Hydroponic 12300 Rue de la avenir St. Janvier, QC J7J 2K4 450-433-3336 Concept Hydroponique 1257 Boulevard St Antoine Rte., 158 Est St Jerome, QC J7Z 7M1 450-431-1488

Home Hydroponics 289 Rutherford Road, South 22 Brampton, ON L6W 3R9 905-874-GROW

Ozone Environmental Technologies 361 Rowntree Dairy Road Unit 4 Woodridge, ON L4L 8H1 905-264-6618

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 15 McCulloch Avenue 3 Rexdale, ON M9W 4M5 1-800-INFO-GRO

Paradise Gardens Hydroponics 2158 Chiefswood Road Oshweken, ON N0A 1M0 519-445-2275

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

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc. 521 Dunlop Street West Barrie, ON L4M 2C8 705-721-8715

Peterborough Hydroponic Center 347 Pido Road, Unit 32 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 705-745-6868

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

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

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles Horticultural Products 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7L 3K3 450-622-2710 Fleuriculture Hydroponique 3570 Boulevard Thibeau Trois Riviers, QC G8W 2H5 819-374-3666 Fleuriste Savard Inc. 1833 boul. Louis-Frechette Nicolet, QC J3T 1M4 819-293-5933 G & L Electrique Inc. 13760 2 ième Avenue Saint-Georges, Bce, QC G5Y 5N1 418-228-3665 Gardins California 1689 Chemin Gascon Terrebonne, QC J6X 3Z6 450-492-7373 Gerard Bourbeau & Fils Inc. 8285, 1 re Avenue Charlesbourg, QC G1G 5E6 418-623-5401 Hydroculture Guy Dionne 8473 - 19th Avenue Montreal, QC H1Z 4J2 514-722-9496 Hydroculture Guy Dionne 1990 Cyrill-Duquet Local 150 Québec, QC G1N 4K8 418-681-4643 Hydro Expert 12752 Industriel Montreal, QC H1A 3V2 514-624-3091 Hydro Plus 149 avenue Principale A Rouyn Noranda, QC J9X 4E3 819-762-4367 Hydro Rive-sud 4721 Boulvard de la rive sud Levis, QC G6W 1H5 418-835-0082 Hydro Sciences 4800 de la Cote-Vertu Blvd.

Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1J9 514-331-9090 Hydro Times 1533 Boulevard Cure Labelle Laval, QC H7V 2W4 450-688-4848 Hydrobec 2145 Lavoisier Suite 4 Ste-Foy, QC G1N 4B2 418-687-1119 Hydromax Gatineau 3-1695 Atmec (porte 6) Gatineau, QC J8P 7G7 819-663-7470 Hydromax Laval 295 Boulevard Curé Labelle Laval, QC H7L 2Z9 450-628-8380

Hydroponique de l’estrie 2980, ch. Miletta Magog, QC J1X 5R9 819-843-8680

Qué-Pousse - Montreal 2215 Walkley Montreal, QC H4B 2J9 514-489-3803

Hydroponique du Millenaire 5700, rue Martineau, Local 7 Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8B1 450-253-5260

Qué-Pousse - Mont. Tremblant 462 Montée Kavanagh Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 2P2 819-429-6145

Hydroponique Plus Inc. 405 - 18 Avenue Lachine, QC H8S 3R1 514-634-3677

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

Hydrosphere 2400 rue Canadian, Suite 104 Drummondville, QC J2C 7W3 819-478-9791 Hydrotek 12300 Rue de l’avenir St. Janvier, QC J7J 2K4 International Hydroponique 5478 Hochelaga St Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-2525 La Cuve A Vin 6384 Beaubien est Montreal, QC H1M 3G8 514-354-8020 Les Grands Jardins Lavel 2900, Boul. Cure-Lavelle Chomedey, Laval, QC H7P 5S8 250-729-2687 Les Serres Binette Inc 2568 Boul. Mercurre Drummondville, QC J2A 1H2 1-800-231-7195 Magog Hydro Culture 25 Ste Rue Saint Catherine Magog, QC J1X 2K9 819-847-4141 MegaWatt Hydroculture 636 Route 364 Morin Heights, QC J0R 1H0 450-226-2515 Momentum 11289 London Avenue Montreal, QC H1H 4J3 888-327-4595 Plant-O-Maxx 3169 Blais, Boisbriand, QC, J7H 1H2 514-968-7799 Pablo Jardinage Intérieur 2 Des Ormeaux Suite 500 Trois-Rivières, QC G8W 1S6 819-693-6000 Plant-T-Plantes 3439 boulevard Fiset Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 5J3 450-780-0008 Point De Vue 880 chemin St-Féréol Les Cèdres, QC J7T 1N3 450-452-2878 / 1-877-510-2991

Hydromax Mont-Laurier 388 Rue Hebert Mont-Laurier, QC J9L 2X2 888-609-4476

Pousse Magique 818 Notre-Dame Suite 105 Repentigny, QC J5Y 1B7 450-582-6662

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

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

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

Qué-Pousse - Grenville 13B Maple Grenville, QC J0V 1J0 819-242-5310

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

Qué-Pousse - Laval 940 Bergar Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-667-3809

Qué-Pousse - Sherbrooke 4394 Bourque Rt. 112 Rock Forest, QC J1N 1S3 819-563-0353 Qué-Pousse - St-Constant 6264 Route 132 Ste-Catherine, QC J0L 1E0 450-635-4881 Qué-Pousse - St-Jerome 709A 14e Avenue, Sud Saint-Antoine, QC J7Z 4B8 450-436-3803 Science Import 220 - 2022 Lavoisier Street Quebec, QC G1N 4L5 418-659-6060 Sherbrooke Hydroponique 3545 King Est, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 5J4 819-829-9299 Ultimate Controllers Inc. 76 rue d’Avila Laval, QC H7M 3Y6 Un Monde Sans Terre 565 Beausejour Alma, QC G8B 5V3 418-480-3274 Val d’Or Hydroculture 1261 3e Avenue Val d’Or, QC J9P 1V4 XXXtractor Inc. 1228 St. Marc Montreal, QC H3H 2E5 514-931-4944 SASKATCHEWAN Busy Bee Upholstery Box 811, 134 5th Avenue East Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0 306-648-3659 Waterboy Supply 401 Dewdney Avenue East Regina, SK S4N 4G3 306-757-6242 YUKON, NUNAVUT and NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Porter Creek Indoor Garden Centre 1307 Centennial Street Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3Z1 867-667-2123

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009

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COMING UP IN September - October 2009 Features

Growing Plants in Organic and Inorganic Systems

Dr. Carole Ann Rollins and Dr. Elaine Ingham explain the complexities of the two fundamental types of systems for growing plants in soil and soilless media.

Aquaponics: Clean, Green and Organic

Dr. Mike Nichols travels across the globe, making a stop in Canada to examine aquaponics as an organic solution and how it is fast becoming a viable growing option.

The Grass is Always Greener on the other side of the Greenhouse

Charlene Rennick discusses the reasons why greenhouse growing is more of a common alternative for Canadians who want to avoid the imported, expensive and poor quality food.

How Healthy are your Nutrients?

Susan Slobac helps growers distinguish between the terms allnatural and certified organic as it relates to plant fertilizers.

You Tell Us…

Brandon Kion of British Columbia’s Excel Air Systems discusses air-cooled versus water-cooled and which is the best option for your growing situation.

Pythium or Algae? Have you been Misdiagnosed?

Paul Foster scrutinizes what he believes to be a misdiagnosed disease in hydroponics, and explains the causes and tell-tale signs of algae build-up.

Your Best Advice

Maximum Yield will soon be featuring a new regular column titled “Your Best Advice.” We want you to share what you know and the gardening techniques that you have found to be successful. Send your tips to editor@maximumyield.com and stayed tuned to what others find helpful in producing a healthy garden.Your advice will be printed in an upcoming issue of Maximum Yield.

Win Big! Grow Big!

Congratulations to our winners of the May/ June Win Big! Grow Big! reader contest. This time the winner could be you! Entries are being accepted for the July/August run with amazing prizes from General Hydroponics, Current Culture, NGW and yours truly, Maximum Yield. Enter online at www.maximumyield.com/winbig by August 15 for your chance to win.

maximumyield.com Online Extras for Maximum Yield Readers

In addition to our incredible selection of articles in September/October 2009, you gain access to online extras.

Visit www.maximumyield.com for videos, articles, images and product comparisons that you won’t find anywhere else.

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Maximum Yield Canada | July / August 2009