Maximum Yield USA January 2012 by Maximum Yield

USA

FREE

Back to the

Basics

Instrumentation + Troubleshooting

Beginner’s Issue

What to do when things go wrong

Keep IT SIMPLE STUPID The KISS Method for Beginners

www.maximumyield.com

2012

Indoor gardenING expo DENVER

GREAT LAKES

SAN FRANCISCO

LONG BEACH

March 10 - 11

June 2 - 3

July 21-22

NOVEMBER 3-4

COLORADO

MICHIGAN

CALIFORNIA

indoorgardeningexpo.com

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

CONTENTS January 2012

FEATURES 46

108

60 Keep it Simple, Stupid! by Frank Rauscher

Master Media by Shane Hutto

122

Nutrition - Plant Diet Basics

132

The Devil is in the Details

by Matt LeBannister

by Casey Jones Fraser

146

Seeking the ‘Maximum Yield?’

154

Giving Your Plants a Checkup

by Ed Harwood

by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

10 Tips for Starting Your First Garden

Instrumentation Made Easy + Troubleshooting

Learn to Garden and Change the World

Lighten Up!

by Grubbycup

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

132

by Matt Geschke

by Lee Mcall

DEPARTMENTS From the Editor

144

Tips and Tricks

Letters to the Editor

164

Beginner’s Corner

MaximumYield.com

166

You Tell Us

Simon Says

168

Talking Shop

MAX Facts

170

Do You Know?

Product Spotlight

172

Coming up in February

Green Thumb Gardening

176

Max Mart

106

Avant-Gardening

178

Distributors

120

Growing for Health

Maximum Yield USA | January 2011

FROM THE EDITOR | Jessica Raymond Are you new to the indoor gardening scene? Have you forgotten the basic skills? Do you want to improve your hydroponic garden from the roots up? Our first official Beginner’s Issue will help you get back to the basics so you can grow your best. This special issue, the first of 12 themed issues we have planned for 2012, is dedicated to helping you navigate the fundamentals for ‘growing your own.’ We open with Grubbycup’s 10 Tips for Starting Your First Garden, an essential guide for getting started. Before you buy or do anything, read this article. What good beginner’s guide to indoor gardening would be complete without covering mediums, nutrition and lighting—you won’t go far without knowing a bit about each of these topics. Inside you’ll also find necessary information on troubleshooting a variety of indoor gardening challenges, working with a small budget, instrumentation and much more. Once you’ve mastered the basics, Casey Fraser helps you reach the next level in you garden and advance your skills. Improvements can always be made, so when you’re ready we invite you to experiment and explore with all the different elements in your garden—consider increasing the (lighting) wattage in your space, adding fans and supplementing CO2, and introducing supplements beyond the basic nutrition.

Finally, we haven’t forgotten to include a batch of the latest products available. Over 20 new listings are included to get you excited to grow. The staff at your local hydroponics/indoor gardening shop is a powerful resource to help you navigate the marketplace and choose the best products to get you started—or advance and improve your set-up. This magazine is laid out logically, intelligently guiding you through the various subjects and skills you’ll need to grow your own. Enjoy our first Back to the Basics – Beginner’s Issue. Feel free to e-mail editor@maximumyield.com with any comments, questions, rants or raves. Jessica Raymond, editor editor@maximumyield.com

The best way to learn the basics and advance your knowledge of the latest tools, toys and techniques being employed in indoor gardens globally is by learning from the pros at Maximum Yield’s 2012 ‘Grow Like A Pro’ Indoor Gardening Expos, coming to four North American cities this year. For full event details visit indoorgardenexpo.com. We look forward to seeing you soon.

contributors Casey Jones Fraser owns Garden

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

Grubbycup has been an avid indoor gardener for over 20 years. His articles were first published in the United Kingdom, and since then his gardening advice has been published in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czechoslovakian and German. He is also considered one of the world’s leading authorities on crochet hydroponics.

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

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort.

Lee McCall is an alumnus of Johnson &

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

Wales University. His extensive culinary background helped him gain experience in and knowledge of fine dining and food production, which developed into a career in the hydroponics and year-round gardening industry. Lee and his business partner use their Denver-based businesses to educate the public on sustainable gardening and high quality produce.

Shane Hutto is a technical advisor at Grodan Inc. He earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture at Oklahoma State University and received a research assistantship for his master’s degree. During his graduate studies he researched production and extraction of surface waxes on horticultural commodities. His passion for growing is complimented by his experience in many types of controlled environment operations and design.

Dr. Ed Harwood is founder and chief

Matt Geschke has a B.S. in biology

Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. has 50

executive officer of AeroFarms. Ed previously served as associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension for Agriculture. Prior to that, Ed served as CEO of Topline Waikato, Inc.

Frank Rauscher is a certified horticulturist and consultant for the garden industry. He’s a contributing author to several publications and was writer and editor of the Green Pages. Frank finds that analyzing plant stress and finding solutions is exciting. He is very much at home bringing new ideas to the field of horticulture and indoor gardening.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

from Baldwin Wallace College. He also completed an environmental geology degree from the University of Akron and received his M.S. in 2002. Matt is an adjunct professor at Kent State University.

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

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

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Better Breathing

I have a sealed room with CO2 at 1,600 PPM and I need to know what level or additional oxygen is needed to have an optimal growing environment? Thanks in advance, Capt. Kevin Ahoy Captain, Adding CO2 is a great way to boost yields, and a sealed environment is ideal for CO2 supplementation. Regarding oxygen, you are probably already adding it! More specifically, your plants are giving off oxygen as they take in CO2.You may add oxygen to your reservoir, because the roots perform best in an oxygenated environment. Oxygen bonds with water via air contact. Keep water moving with a circulation pump and add beneficial bacteria to your system. As long as your water temperature is within the ideal temperature range (58 to 72°F), movement and bacteria will take care of the rest. Just keep in mind that your plants will take in CO2 and expel oxygen through the leaves. Small amounts of oxygen are used by the roots, but plant respiration will provide all of the supplemental oxygen you need. I hope this helps, Casey Jones Fraser, Maximum Yield Contributor

California Lovin’

We absolutely love your publication! Thank you for bringing such amazing articles to our industry monthly. We are a new hydroponic store located in Dublin, California. Natalie Elola The Lucky Garden, Dublin Garden Supply & Hydroponics 7071 Village Parkway Dublin, CA

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

To Bumble, or not to Bumble

I read Bumblebees: To Fight or Take Flight (Max Facts, October Maximum Yield USA). I think it is time to take a look at GMO foods and what is going on with the dieoff of bees. GMO foods do not need to be pollinated. No one in upper management of GMO foods will admit to this link. Bill Sutherland Growing Edge Technologies Inc.

From Zero to Grow

I was happy to find your site and all the great and helpful information you offer. I know absolutely nothing about hydroponics but am very interested in learning. Like any new field, there seems to be endless choices of ways of getting started in growing. I’m not looking to go commercial with it—just to provide for my family and friends. I want to grow organically, and am not clear if this is possible hydroponically. I guess my inquiry is: how can someone like me with zero knowledge about this get started? Do you know of any sites similar to yours that perhaps offer online video tutorials or something like that? Do any full line product suppliers offer something like this? Understandably with our busy schedules it’s difficult to learn these things just searching on our own. Thanks for any suggestions or referrals you can make that would assist me. Jason Trader Jason, you’re in luck. This special January issue of Maximum Yield USA is our Back to the Basics Beginner’s Issue, the goal of which is to introduce beginners to modern gardening techniques and tools and help people like you navigate the oftentimes perplexing practice. In the following pages we cover: medium, nutrient and lighting basics; instrumentation; troubleshooting; working with a small budget; and much more. If we failed to answer your questions, I invite you to fill out our Ask the Experts question form at maximumyield.com/ask_expert.php Maximum Yield is here to help you in your hydroponics venture. Good luck and do keep us updated on your progress!

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

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

COMING UP ON THE WEB Upcoming Events 2012 ‘grow like a pro’ Indoor Gardening Expo Tour The dates are set, the venues are chosen and the 2012 ‘Grow Like a Pro’ Indoor Gardening Expo Tour is coming to four North American cities near you. You’re invited to visit one, two, three or all four shows. Stay tuned to indoorgardenexpo.com for details.

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

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

Connect to MaximumYield.com instantly from your Smartphone with our Quick Response (QR) Code, found on the cover of every issue of Maximum Yield. Now you can access the best products, the most in-depth articles and information, and the latest news at high speeds. Simply download the QR Code Reader software compatible with your Smartphone, scan the QR Code and your phone’s browser will automatically launch, redirecting you to www.maximumyield.com. It’s that simple!

Connect with Maximum Yield

maximumyield.com facebook.com/MaximumYield indoorgardeningexpo.com twitter.com/max_yield

Tell us what you think at editor@maximumyield.com. We’d love to hear from you. 14

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

VOLUME 12 – NUMBER 10 January 2012 Maximum Yield is published monthly by Maximum Yield Publications Inc. 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 Phone: 250.729.2677; Fax 250.729.2687 No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. If undeliverable please return to the address above. The views expressed by columnists are a personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect those of Maximum Yield or the Editor. Publication Agreement Number 40739092 Printed In Canada.

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim Jesson GENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson EDITOR - Jessica Raymond jessica@maximumyield.com ADVERTISING SALES 250.729.2677 Linda Jesson - linda@maximumyield.com Lisa Lambersek - lisa@maximumyield.com Ilona Hawser - ilona@maximumyield.com Ashley Heppell - ashley@maximumyield.com Hayley Jesson - Hayley@maximumyield.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN ads@ads.maximumyield.com Mike Linden - mike@maximumyield.com Jennifer Duong - jennifer@maximumyield.com Alice Joe - alice@maximumyield.com ACCOUNTING Tracy Greeno - accounting@maximumyield.com Tara Campbell - tara@maximumyield.com USA DISTRIBUTION Aurora Innovations BWGS General Hydroponics Humbolt Wholesale Hydrofarm Hydro International National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply Nickel City Wholesale Garden Supply R&M Supply Tradewinds CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION Brite-Lite Group Biofloral Eddis Wholesale Greenstar Plant Products Inc. MegaWatt Quality Wholesale UK DISTRIBUTION Direct Garden Supplies Growth Technology Future Harvest Development Europe Nutriculture UK Dutch Pro AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION Dome Garden Supply House N Garden Futchatec Growth Technology Hydraspher

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

SIMON SAYS

If in winter, an outdoor potted plant takes a week before it needs to be watered again, but in summer it only takes two days, how much higher should the EC of the winter nutrient be compared to the summer nutrient? Chris I am going to assume that you are growing the plant outside and that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live in a climate where the plant would be pretty frozen and need no water in the winter! Plants are driven by photosynthesis and most water loss would relate to the volume of nutrient solution they are extracting from the soil and the amount of transpiration (water loss) occurring through the leaves.This water loss is why desert plants have many adaptations to reduce water loss due to transpiration, and why nearly all plants will close their stomata (gas exchange sites) in periods of extreme heat and or low water availability.

Maximum Yield USAâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;January 2012

In your case the fact that the water uptake of your plant in the winter is far less than the summer indicates the plant has lower photosynthetic activity levels.This is probably related to the fact the plant is not getting as much energy from the sun and therefore does not require as much water and nutrition from the soil. Given that your plant has slowed its metabolism, the winter feeding should be much lower. Elevating your nutrients at this time, especially soluble chemical nutrient, would be the worst possible thing to do and would have very negative consequences. Consider a milder nutrient solution that you would feed in the summertime. In fact if growth of the plant slows too much I would avoid adding in any fertilizer at all. I think your best option would be to wait until the temperatures increase and you see an increase in growth, and then apply a quality fertilizer to help get the most out of your plant next season! MY

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Report: United States Topsoil Might Contain High Levels of Radioactive Cesium A professional engineer from Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering—investigating nuclear material release from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster as part of a dissertation—claims that samples of United States topsoil revealed levels of radioactive cesium about 10,000 per cent higher than levels previously recorded in a study by the University of California, Berkeley. Cesium damages healthy cells and DNA and can lead to cancer. (Source: naturalnews.com)

MAXFACTS hydroponic news, tips and trivia

United States Scientists Point to Heat From Global Warming as Crop Yields Fall

USDA Prepares for Ug99 USDA scientists are working with their counterparts in Kenya to develop strategies to combat Ug99, a strain of wheat stem rust with the capacity to overcome many of the resistance genes that have been used to combat wheat pathogens for the past 50 years. Ug99 has spread from Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and scientists fear it could eventually reach the United States. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

United States crop scientists have pinpointed slightly higher nighttime temperatures as the culprit in falling crop yields in a study that covers the last three decades. “The magnitude of recent temperature trends is larger than those for precipitation in most situations,” the study said. Rising nighttime summer temperatures being seen in crop belts around the world have already shrunk output of many crops and vegetables. “We don’t grow tomatoes in the deep south in the summer. Pollination fails,” said Ken Boote, a crop scientist with the University of Florida. Although climate change in its entirety has been the subject of intense study, “the biggest thing is [that] high nighttime temperatures have a negative impact on yield,” said Jerry Hatfield, laboratory director at the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. (Source: newsdaily.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Study Reveals Organic Tomato Juice Better for You A Spanish study has revealed that organic tomato juice contains more phenolic components than juice from conventionally grown crops. Polyphenols are a family of natural compounds with important nutritional properties that can protect the body against cardiovascular and degenerative diseases and some forms of cancer. Spanish researchers found significant differences between the levels of bioactive components in organic tomatoes and the levels found in those grown conventionally. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Report Explains Why Plant Clones Aren’t Identical A team from Oxford University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has shown why cloned plants are not actually identical: the genomes of regenerant plants carry relatively high frequencies of new DNA sequence mutations that were not present in the genome of the donor plant. “Where these new mutations actually come from is still a mystery,” said one of the authors of the study. “They may arise during the regeneration process itself or during the cell divisions in the donor plant that gave rise to the root cells from which the regenerant plants are created.” (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Global Food Security at Peril as Species Shrink Researchers from the National University of Singapore’s biological sciences department have reported that many species of plants and animals are shrinking over time in reaction to changing climactic conditions. The report cited an experiment showing how shoots and fruit have been shown to be three to 17 per cent smaller for every degree Celsius of warming in a variety of plants. “Impacts could range from food resources becoming more limited (less food produced on the same amount of land) to wholesale biodiversity loss and eventual catastrophic cascades of ecosystem services,” warned co-author David Bickford. (Source: newsdaily.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Scientists Say ‘Artificial Photosynthesis Systems’ Possible A recent international study says that by mimicking natural photosynthesis and using tiny molecular circuits, harvesting and transporting solar power could be made far more efficient. Although the molecular circuitry required to make this possible would have to be remarkably intricate—“10 times smaller than the thinnest electrical wire in computer processors”—the researchers claim that “a clear framework exists for the design and synthesis of an effective antenna unit for future artificial photosynthesis systems.” (Source: huffingtonpost.com)

Potato Pest Test Developed A scientist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a diagnostic test that identifies which type of nematode is infesting potato growers’ fields—which is important because breeders have developed potatoes that can resist the golden nematode, but have yet to develop varieties that resist the pale cyst nematode. Potatoes cannot be grown in soil containing the pale cyst nematode, which was found in soil samples in Idaho in 2006 and remains a major threat in Europe. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Saltwater Agriculture Opens up New Horizons for Biofuel Production A recent report suggests plants that thrive in briny water could provide a vast new supply of biofuel. One variety of plant studied produces 1.7 times more vegetable oil per acre than sunflowers, according to a study in the journal Science. Although there has been controversy in recent years over the use of prime farmland for growing plants destined to become fuel sources, farming ‘saltwater crops’ would give the world an estimated extra half a million square miles of growing space, scientists say. (Source: newser.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

UN Assessment Finds 25 Per Cent of World’s Land Degraded A first-ever global assessment of the state of the planet’s land resources by the United Nations has revealed that a full quarter of the land on our planet is highly degraded. The report warns that this trend must be reversed if the world’s growing population is to be fed and that a major “sustainable intensification” of agricultural productivity on existing farmland will be required as key foodproducing systems are currently at risk of being unable to meet human needs by the year 2050. UN Food and Agriculture Organization director-general Jacques Diouf called the consequences of inaction “unacceptable”, saying that “remedial actions need to be taken now. We simply cannot continue on a course of business as usual.” (Source: news.yahoo.com)

Mold Fungi Could Cure Plants An ongoing study at the Vienna University of Technology has shown that certain fungi could be used as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional fertilizers and plant protecting agents. One organism studied, Trichoderma, is able to attack other fungi or bacteria with powerful toxins. “The fungi could be applied to fields and meadows—in much the same way as artificial plant protecting agents are being used now,” said a spokesperson from Vienna TU, adding that in the best case scenario, the fungi could even boost the growth of plants. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Chemical Manufacturer Applies for Potato Approval BASF, the world’s largest chemical maker by sales, has applied for European Union approval for Fortuna, a potato genetically modified to resist a common plant disease. Fortuna potatoes are resistant to late blight—the world’s most damaging potato disease—and are the first genetically modified food plant BASF has sought to market in Europe, where opposition to such products is widespread. (Source: newsdaily.com) 28

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

MAX FACTS

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Study Calls Crop Diversity Crisis in United States a Myth

USDA Scientists Develop New Rice Strains USDA scientists working in collaboration with researchers from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have developed several new strains of rice in an attempt to supplement the traditional long-grain variety currently grown on up to 75 per cent of rice acreage in the United States. Researchers helped develop JES, an aromatic, soft-cooking, long-grain rice suited for the market now predominantly filled by imports. Scientists are attempting to develop rice cultivars that possess the specific qualities required for certain value-added markets. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

A forthcoming study by a University of Illinois professor calls the crop diversity crisis in the United States a myth, saying that overall varietal diversity of vegetable crops and apples in the United States has actually increased over the past 100 years, despite constant media warnings to the contrary. Law professor Paul Heald and his associates studied thousands of commercially available varieties of 42 vegetable crops from 1903 to 2004, finding an overall increase in species diversity rather than the crop diversity crisis the researchers had expected their study to confirm. “We came to this with the exact same preconceptions as everyone else, but we couldn’t ignore facts that were smacking us in the face,” said Heald, who also noted that a lack of choice in the fruit and vegetable section of some grocery stores might be creating the impression that there’s a diversity crisis. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

YOUR GUIDE TO THIS MONTH’S

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

Eco Six-Pack Growing System Now Available Exclusively From Authorized Hydrofarm Retail Shops The Eco Six-Pack Hydroponic Grow System is molded with a patented built-in reservoir, drainage and aeration system for propagation and growing of all varieties of herbs, vegetables, foliage, fruits and perennials. This system is scientifically proven to grow 50 per cent faster with maximum yields at reduced costs from traditional hydroponic growing. The water reservoir provides inverted leeching, which moves salts upward and away from root zone. Scientific research has proven that subsurface irrigation cuts water usage and allows water to be taken as needed, eliminating plant stress and disease. The Eco Hydroponic Grow System is easy to assemble and easy to expand. For more information visit an authorized Hydrofarm retail shop near you.

New Sunleaves DigiTherm HydroHeater Keeps Your Temp Steady The Sunleaves DigiTherm HydroHeater is a simple and effective way to maintain water temperatures in reservoirs and other water receptacles. It features an easy-to-read display, a power indicator light and an auto shutoff function that activates if the temperature exceeds 92°F or the heating tube is no longer submerged in water. The heater is available in various wattages, including 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, 250- and 300-watts. All models are protected by a one-year warranty. Visit your local indoor gardening store for more information.

AutoPot’s 1Pot Module Watering System The AutoPot 1Pot Module offers a unique and extremely simple solution to providing your plants with everything they need. The 1Pot Module requires no electricity, timers or pumps, just gravity pressure from a waterbutt or tank. Once set up the AQUAvalve within the tray takes over, and the pH and EC remain constant in your reservoir. With the 1Pot Module hundreds of pots can be linked. The pots and trays can be easily moved and, spaced if the plants grow too large. The 1Pot Module requires minimal input and is, therefore, extremely low maintenance. It can be left unattended for weeks at a time whilst still producing outstanding results. Ask for AutoPot’s 1Pot Module Watering System at your local hydroponics shop.

Introducing New Ducting Styles From Can-Filters Group Can-Filters has added three new styles of ducting to our product lineup. The Premium three ply Can-Duct is manufactured with triple foil laminate and industrial-grade casing. The Can-Duct premium insulated ducting is manufactured with our three ply Can-Duct with an additional layer of R4.2 insulation to maintain temperature and minimize noise. Max-Duct is manufactured with triple foil laminate with very durable black PVC and UV-inhibitor coating. Max-Duct is the strongest duct on the market and similar in cost to the leading competitor’s three ply ducting, plus it’s reusable. Each roll comes with two duct clamps. Visit your local hydro shop for more information.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Maximum Yield USA | October 2011

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Announcing the Clone Lab Tall – Size Really Does Matter Everest Garden Supply is proud to announce a new addition to the GrowLab Horticultural portable grow room line. The Clone Lab Tall is our newest grow room model and the big brother of the original Clone Lab, measuring two feet taller and adding one more shelf to create three growing levels. This grow tent is sure to be one of our best sellers, as small and large growers alike will be able to take advantage of the efficient use of space. Contact your local indoor gardening shop for more details on this great addition to the GrowLab Horticultural Grow Room line.

Maintenance-free Growing With the Easy2grow System AutoPot’s easy2grow system provides a fully automatic supply of water and nutrients in two gallon pots, with a built-in wet/dry cycle to mimic natural systems. No pumps, timers or electricity is needed; all it requires is gravity pressure from a water tank. Whether using the easy2grow starter kit or multiple easy2grow extension kits on a commercial scale, this system provides everything the plant requires. The easy2grow system can be used with the medium of your choice. The automated easy2grow system allows gardeners to go away for a weekend and still be sure of healthy plants and bumper harvests. Visit your favorite hydroponics store for more information.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT LuxStar T5 Fluorescent Lights LuxStar T5 Fluorescent Lights are four-foot fixtures that are available in six- or eight-light models. They’re perfect spacesaving lights as they have a super low profile. These fixtures also emit significantly less heat than other reflectors so they can be placed closer to the tops of plants. The LuxStar T5s use high-efficiency digital ballasts and high-output bulbs (available in grow or bloom for the vegetative or flowering stages). They also feature dual power switches so you have the option of dimming the fixture by 50 per cent and an extra outlet so multiple units can be daisy-chained together. The LuxStar T5s are extremely versatile and can be hung in three different ways: overhead, vertical or horizontal. Visit your favorite hydroponics store for more information.

Hercules Frame Support Offers Maximum Strength Give your GrowLab the strength of Hercules. The Hercules Frame Support is one of our newest products available for GrowLab horticultural grow rooms. This is an accessory that makes your tent’s maximum weight capacity virtually limitless! The cost-effective Hercules Frame Support pays off for those who want to bulk up with little effort. Simply slide the Hercules Frame Support over the existing framework to add strength where you need it. Contact your favorite hydroponics shop for more details on these great additions to the GrowLab Horticultural Grow Room line.

The Revolutionary FlexiTank The new AutoPot 59-gallon FlexiTank revolutionizes water storage. It has everything you need in one compact box. It takes only minutes to assemble (no tools required). The box size is only 31- by seven- by five-inches and it weighs only seven-pounds. All of these features make the FlexiTank a truly cutting-edge product and the perfect practical solution to water storage. A 26-gallon version of the FlexiTank is in production and will be available very soon. For more information visit your local indoor gardening shop.

PLANT!T Clay Pebbles Now Available Exclusively From Authorized Hydrofarm Retailers PLANT!T Horticultural Clay Pebbles are made from 100 per cent natural clay; they are pH stable and offer great aeration and drainage. Due to their unique structure and large surface area, they offer the ideal environment to foster beneficial bacterial growth around the root zone, leading to healthier plants naturally. Their non-uniform shape results in an increased surface area that leads to greater water retention. They won’t float once fully wet, and they’re pre-cleaned. PLANT!T Clay Pebbles are available in 2.5- and 12-gallon bags. For more information visit your local authorized Hydrofarm retail shop.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Gro1 Titanium-Coated Straight Blade Trimming Scissors The newest addition to the Gro1 line of Trimming Scissors is sure to impress! These new shears sport an extra long three-inch titanium-coated stainless steel micro blade, making them super durable and built to last. The handle design is the same great quality you’ve come to recognize from the Gro1 line, featuring the fully recessed spring that won’t fall out and the convenient locking mechanism. Visit your local indoor gardening shop to view the entire line of scissors or for more information about the Gro1 Titanium Coated Trimming Scissors.

Get a Head Start With Sunleaves Super Starter Heat Mats

Sunshine Advanced Mix #4

Perfect for propagation, Sunleaves Super Starter Heat Mats increase root zone temperatures 10 to 20 degrees over ambient temperatures, improving seed germination and plant cutting success rates. They’re insulated to promote uniform heating, water resistant and include attached six-foot, 120-volt power cords. Sunleaves Super Starter Heat Mats are protected by a one-year warranty, and are available in a variety of sizes including five- by 24-inches, 10- by 20.75-inches, 20- by 20.75-inches and 21- by 44-inches. Visit your favorite hydroponics store for more information.

Sunshine Advanced Mix #4 was created for the exacting demands of professionals, and now it’s available for everyone. It evolved with the hydroponics industry to become the gold standard for all crops. This all-inclusive mix is blended with sustainable coconut coir and white peat for superior water retention, coupled with an organic rewetting agent. It contains our highest percentage of coarse perlite to guarantee optimal drainage. But what gives Mix #4 its punch is the integration of living mycorrhizae for a strong and extensive root system. Few media are as bioactive as #4 for holistic vigor. Our organic nutrient pack provides seedlings with everything they need from day one. The combination of a reputable scientific foundation and ease-of-use helps beginners achieve professional results every time. For more information visit an indoor gardening shop near you.

Phresh Intake Filters Introducing the new Intake Filters from Phresh Filters. These ultra-light filters use advanced nano carbon felt technology for removal of 99.9 per cent of bugs, molds, pollen and dust. Use these filters for intake filtering, air scrubbing and low intensity exhaust filtering. Phresh Filter’s patented pleating design provides massive surface area for maximum filter efficiency and high airflow. These filters maintain 90 per cent of airflow. Phresh Intake Filters are 100 per cent recyclable and are made from 90 per cent recycled materials. Available in various sizes. Visit your nearest indoor gardening store to learn more.

Continued on page 42 38

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Continued from page 38

Hydro International’s Zeus Hoods Hydro International presents our new Zeus Hoods with the choice of six- or eight-inch sizes. Our hoods will keep the light focused where it belongs, on your plants. We used the most current and innovative technologies in our Zeus Hoods. They are the solution to those who want high quality and performance without breaking the bank. Our hoods have two six-inch or eight-inch flanges for cooling airflow from an optional fan. A built-in socket and 15-foot lamp cord is perfect for quick and no hassle installation; no extra cord set is needed. Our hoods use our proprietary white anodized paint, which helps better reflect light. Choose Zeus and you won’t go wrong. Visit your local indoor gardening retail shop for more information.

Gro1 120-Volt, Seven-Day Single Outlet Digital Timer With the capacity to run up to eight separate timer programs, the new Gro1 120-volt, seven-day Single Outlet Digital Timer is ideal for any grow set-up and can be set to one-second intervals, making it especially ideal for irrigation systems. The 15-amp capacity lets you pair this timer with almost any component in your grow room, including pumps, lights and fans. This timer is UL-approved. Visit a hydroponics retailer for more information and to order the Gro1 120-volt seven-day Single Outlet Digital Timer today.

Dr. Earth Home Grown Premium Soil Announcing the arrival of Dr. Earth’s Home Grown Premium Soil. This soil blend is chock full of organic materials that will help your plants become established. Forest humus, perlite, bat guano and concentrated seaweed extract are only a few of the premium ingredients that make up Dr. Earth’s Home Grown mix. Included is Dr. Earth’s exclusive patented technology of ProMoisture Hydrate formulated to keep the biology alive inside the media, thus keeping the intelligence alive. Available in a standard 1.5-cubic-foot bag or in the new 13-quart Bagtainer. The Bagtainer is made for easy planting. Simply cut off the top and plant your seedling. Visit your favorite hydroponics shop to learn more.

Rain Forest Blend From Sunshine Advanced Sunshine Advanced Rain Forest Blend is our most biologically diverse media for indoor and outdoor cultivation. It is packed with humic acid and other natural enhancements that stimulate microbe development and maintain it consistently over time. The addition of compost and worm castings introduces a universe of naturally-occurring microbes in addition to our standard endomycorrhizae populations. The secret ingredient here is kelp meal for vegetative and reproductive tissue development. Rain Forest Blend assures exceptional drainage and equally desirable water-holding capacity with coir. Generous quantities of aged fine bark eliminates mixing, offering similar bulk density and higher phosphorous to maintain nitrogen levels as the bark decomposes. When you’re looking for a quality growing medium that’s easy to use, don’t risk your valuable stock on unproven products. Rainforest Blend promises and delivers the best. For more information visit an indoor gardening shop near you.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Rock Resinator and Rock Super Charge Rock Resinator uses an extensive and complex combination of phosphorus and potassium designed to pack on extra weight. Rock Resinator contains citric metabolites to accelerate the kreb cycle to deliver consistent results in flower size, quantity and quality. Using the finest and most refined natural base elements and plant extracts ensures your favorite plants are given the best opportunity to develop to their full potential. Rock Resinator uses the latest bio stimulant technology to accelerate flower formation and essential oil production with results that will rock you world! Rock Super Charge incorporates years of research into keeping roots healthy and strong. It will help plants develop a thick, white root mass that deters several root problems growers face. Use Rock Super Charge in hydroponics and soil. For more information visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer.

Plant Fuel Max Growth From Sunshine Advanced Plant Fuel Max Growth keeps it simple in a world where nutrient solutions are growing more complex and more expensive every day. This formula was scientifically-designed, labtested and customer-approved to meet the precise needs of your plants. Use it for a powerful start with expansive root systems and sturdy structural branching. Low phosphorous content won’t interfere with the expansion of beneficial mycorrhizae populations. Our nitrogen is readily available because it’s not derived from ephemeral sulfates that all too quickly oxidize or precipitate out of the root zone. Add our Max Flowers formula for a more vigorous reproductive phase. Just two products? Hey, that’s easy. Learn more at your local indoor gardening shop.

Sun System® Blazer Reflector New Size Announcing the arrival of the eight-inch Blazer Reflector. Completely sealed for maximum air-cooling, 95 per cent reflective European aluminum interior and double gasketed glass are only a few of the many excellent features Blazer has to offer. This state-of-the-art air-cooled reflector raises the bar for output and uniformity. An industry leader in its class, Blazer is a force to be reckoned with. Unmatched in output, uniformity and performance, you can’t afford not to have this reflector in your grow room. Your plants will thank you! American made at our Woodland, WA facility. Visit your nearest indoor gardening store to learn more.

The New Age of Digital Lighting Introducing the one and only Matrix remote control ballast with integrated digital timer, created by SolisTek, Inc. Our 1,000-watt ballast—capable of 400- and 600-watt settings has now gone completely digital featuring an LCD screen that displays wattage settings; an integrated digital timer with pre-programmed grow/bloom cycles (12/12, 18/6 and 23/1); and a state-of-the-art remote control to configure your ballast wirelessly. One remote will operate all Matrix ballasts by direct line of sight and sync them all on the same lighting schedule. The SolisTek Matrix ballast has a life timer that will show the active hours that the ballast has been used. Check it out at your favorite hydro shop. Join the SolisTek revolution of digital lighting!

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

10 Tips

for Starting Your First Garden by Grubbycup

A respected and successful gardener breaks it all down into 10 easy steps.

Gardens can produce vegetables for the table and flowers to brighten your home; they can also provide healthy exercise for the body and comfort for your soul. If approached properly, gardening can be an inexpensive hobby that gives more than it takes. However, since a successful garden is a lot more fun to work in than one that isn’t doing so well, here are some helpful tips to get new growers off to a good start: 46 46

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Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

10 tips for starting your first garden

Plants need a plan Take a look at your potential garden spaces. Well-lit spare rooms can become homes to indoor hydroponic systems, patios make ideal locations for container gardens, sections of back lawns can be transformed into productive plots and every balcony and windowsill can become an oasis of thriving greenery. Whatever the location, though, every garden space needs both light and water in order to thrive—so make sure your plans include ways to supply these needs. Plants need light Select an area that gets enough light for the plants you intend to grow. To do this, monitor the amount of sunlight that the space receives throughout an entire day, preferably during the growing season. Make note of how many hours of full and partial light the plants will receive. Greenhouses and indoor gardens will

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

also require additional lighting such as high intensity discharge (HID) lamps or fluorescent T5s. Because it adapts so well to a wide variety of lighting conditions the human eye has trouble discerning the actual magnitude of available light, but with an inexpensive light meter empirical readings can be recorded quickly and easily. If you’re using an artificial light source, remember that light disperses exponentially over distance so plants twice as far away only receive a quarter the light. With natural sunlight height is much less of a factor because of the intensity and amount of available light, but shadows become more important since the light source moves over the course of the day. Plants need water You might be able to supply a small indoor or windowsill garden with just a watering can, but for a large container

10 tips for starting your first garden

garden or an outdoor soil garden of any size you should consider adding a drip system—or at the very least make sure your garden hose will reach far enough to meet your needs. Drip systems allow water to be released slowly over time in specific areas and can be a much more efficient use of water than irrigation rows or sprinkler systems. Drip systems are particularly advantageous in container gardens. Regardless of how the plants are watered, however, it is important that the garden has sufficient drainage and that slight watering mishaps will not cause unintended damage to floors or muddy puddles in foot paths. Plants need a good home Once your space has been selected, it must be prepared. A

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

simple hand drawn map can be a good organizational tool in figuring out your layout. Empty pots can be arranged and rearranged in a space a lot easier than full ones, so take advantage and find a configuration that takes into account lighting, watering and access and is pleasing to the eye as well. Indoor spaces should be cleared of clutter and surfaces protected from drips and spills. Keep in mind that neither carpeting nor hardwood floors tolerate spills well and both can be easily ruined. Outdoor spaces should be cleared of debris and any large unwanted plants removed. If the area has never been worked, then you will likely have to dig and turn it to level it out. Covering the area with a thick layer of organic mulch and compost, preferably over a layer of newspaper (a good way to recycle!) will give you the benefits of weed control without exposing the area to herbicides or your hands to excessive blisters. Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK), and more Mix up a batch of the following and apply at four quarts per 10-foot by 10-foot area: • 16 parts seed meal or alfalfa pellets (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) • Four parts bone meal, rock phosphate or guano (phosphorus) • Four parts kelp meal (many micronutrients)

10 tips for starting your first garden

• Two parts dolomitic lime (calcium, magnesium) • One part agricultural lime (calcium) • One part gypsum (calcium, sulfur) Reapply at one quart per 10-foot by 10-foot area every couple of months throughout the growing season. Plants need the right home Look at plants that do well in gardens in your area—nearby gardeners are often great sources for information and if they save seeds they can also be a source of open-pollinated cultivars. The Sunset and USDA zones can help determine which store-bought plants are appropriate for your climate: check the available sunlight hours in your space and compare them to the listed requirements of prospective seeds and plants. Plants not normally grown locally can sometimes be successfully cultivated in greenhouses and indoor gardens, but for beginning gardeners stick with plants suited for your zone. Plants can often make more plants Seeds from heirloom and open-pollinated cultivars can be saved and even many hybrid varieties can be reproduced vegetatively from cuttings. Many plants produce pods with seeds that only need to be collected and dried to be used the following year.

Some seeds—like tomatoes—require fermentation or some other treatment to render them viable, but this is often easily done. Check the specifics of each plant to find out how they are propagated. Purchased seeds tend to come in larger quantities than one gardener can use and swapping leftover seeds can be a cost-effective way to grow additional varieties without additional expense.

“In many places in the United States, green waste made from lawn and garden trimmings is picked up from homeowners for a fee, taken to a facility, converted and sold back to the consumer as compost for another fee.” Baby plants need special care Newly sprouted plants are vulnerable to a variety of perils. Environmental changes, water deficiencies and physical abuse can quickly kill tender sprouts before they can become established. For plants that tolerate transplanting well, starting sprouts indoors can give them a sheltered environment and a way for gardeners to get a start on spring planting even before the last frost. Plants started indoors should be hardened by gradually exposing them to their new environmental conditions. This is done by moving them to less-sheltered locations in steps, or by introducing them to the new location for first a few and then several hours a day, over a period of a week or so. Plants moved from a sheltered indoor environment to the harsher conditions outdoors without hardening may die from shock, so care must be taken to allow them to get used to their new conditions gradually. Plants make compost, and compost makes plants In many places in the United States, green waste made from lawn and garden trimmings is picked up from homeowners for a fee, taken to a facility, converted and sold back to the consumer as compost for another fee. This process is profitable for the garbage men and compost facility, but not very carbon efficient or budget conscious. Green waste ingredients are a resource that

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10 tips for starting your first garden

Continued from page 52 can be made into valuable compost without incurring shipping costs or middleman markups. A pile of garden trimmings will eventually breakdown first into compost and then later into humus. To speed the process up substantially, use approximately equal portions greens and browns. Greens—such as alfalfa hay and grass clippings—have a low carbon-tonitrogen ratio: only about 20 to one. Browns—like leaves, cardboard and straw—have much higher ratios: from 40 to one up to 100 to one, or more. Since the ideal ratio for composting is around 30 to one, equal parts 20 to one material and 40 to one material will even each other out to the desired level. Stacked in a three-foot by three-foot pile, watered to the consistency of a wrung-out sponge, the center of the material should start to heat up and become a hot compost pile. Hot compost piles break down plant material in a matter of several weeks and can

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

reach temperatures of 130 to 160°F. If the compost pile doesn’t seem like it’s heating up, try stirring and turning the pile. Even if it doesn’t heat up, it will still make cold compost—which will just take a matter of months instead of weeks. Plants prefer patient perseverance It is very easy to get carried away in the spring and start off by planting something in every spare nook and cranny. The weather is nice, excitement is in the air and dreams of massive harvests of fresh veggies and flowers can cause the most reserved and stable among us to succumb to a slight case of gardening mania! When you’re just getting underway, exercise restraint and only start as many plants as you are honestly willing to see through the growing season. Twenty well-tended plants will produce much more than 40 that get ignored once the initial thrill wanes. Start small and care for your plants—learn their likes and dislikes. If

all goes well, plant a bigger garden next year. If it doesn’t, try to find out why by learning more about gardening and then try again. Victory gardens were once commonplace and contributed heavily to the national food supply. Many homegrown vegetables are not only cheaper to grow than to buy, but are better tasting, too— the key to cost-effective gardening is to invest more knowledge and sweat into your garden than money. There is a kind of quiet pride that comes from a well-tended garden and you’ll certainly enjoy eating fresh produce that can go from living plants to the table in minutes instead of weeks. For those with enough patience and determination, the rewards of a successful garden can fill both bellies and hearts. Every successful gardener once grew their first plant—I cannot encourage you strongly enough to try it for yourself! MY

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Instrumentation Made Easy+

Troubleshooting by Dr. Lynette Morgan

A beginner’s u’ll need o y s t n e m u r t s in e guide to th our new garden and to understand y o when things what to d go wrong.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

As exciting and delightful as a new indoor hydroponic garden can be for any hydroponic newbie, the vast assortment of instrumentation, equipment, tools and gadgets associated with the hobby can be a little overwhelming to anyone just starting out. Luckily, sticking to the basics is relatively simple and an investment in reliable instruments will make the hydroponic experience a whole lot more interesting and a little less dependent on good luck. Troubleshooting unexpected problems is another aspect of indoor gardening that may baffle newcomers. Plants are part of a biological system and biological systems are not always predictable or trouble-free, although with an indoor garden most problems are not that difficult to deal with once you have a little experience under your belt. Pest and disease outbreaks are the most common frustrations, as the identification of culprits munching on plants or strange ‘furry or powdery’ growths on leaves tends to be the first troubleshooting experience for new growers.

Pesky insects—green peach aphid infesting plants is a common problem when troubleshooting for pests.

Instrumentation: indoor gardens

The instrumentation required for an indoor hydroponic garden tends to be rather specific to the growing environment and system, so while an electronic weather station may be great for the garden in the backyard, it’s not much use being able to measure rainfall or wind speed in your grow room! Most hydroponic retailers have a great range of basic to advanced instrumentation that is specifically designed for indoor gardens, however, which will provide valuable and usually fairly easy-to-understand information. But while it’s great to have instruments that incorporate the latest and greatest technology, every grower needs to understand the basics about what they are measuring and why, as well as what the optimum values they should be checking for are. Even beginners need to know what EC or ppm and pH they should be running their solution at and how to adjust these levels, along with all the other growing basics—like the ideal temperatures, humidity and light levels their plants require to thrive. Maximum Yield USA | January 2011

instrumentation made easy + troubleshooting

Instrumentation for beginners

The basics of instrumentation don’t need to be complicated: just a few simple tools are essential—solution measurement devices, environmental monitoring tools and growing aids. Growing aids include tools like a hand lens or magnifying glass to check for tiny little critters such as mites, which can turn into serious plant infestations if not identified and controlled. Environmental monitoring tools can be as simple as a greenhouse temperature gauge. These can range from old-fashioned spirit thermometers to detailed digital temperature gauges with

“...while an electronic weather station may be great for the garden in the backyard, its not much use being able to measure rainfall or wind speed in your grow room!” multiple probes, although the newfangled ones will have to be moisture-proof as humidity in growing areas can cause havoc with electronic components. Other environmental monitoring instruments include light meters—from basic handheld lux or foot candle meters to more advanced quantum (photosyntheti-

Instrumentation for indoor gardens doesn’t need to be complex, however, some tools for essential measurements such as light are always a good idea.

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Infrared thermometers are great tools for measuring leaf and solution temperatures.

cally active radiation) meters with multiple sensors. Solution measurement is more specific to hydroponics and for the beginner a basic EC, CF or TDS meter—all of which measure the concentration of nutrients in solution—is essential. EC, CF and TDS meters come in a full range of different makes and models and hydroponic retailers can advise you on the best type for growers. It’s also easy to measure pH, with a range of different methods available, from inexpensive test strips or kits sold by aquarium suppliers to electronic meters—you can even get combined EC, TDS and pH electronic meters.

Why so many different instrumentation units?

One aspect of instrumentation many beginners (and often many experienced growers, too!) find incredibly frustrating is the range of different units used for measurement. For example, light can be measured and expressed as visible light— which is how the human eye experiences it (as lux, lumens, foot candles or watts per square meter or square foot), or by using quantum sensors (PAR meters), which measure plantusable wavelengths of light in micromoles per m2/s-1, or daily light integral in moles per day. Solution concentration might be measured in CF, EC or TDS as ppm (parts per million), temperature in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit and even the amount of moisture held in the air can be recorded as either relative humidity or vapor pressure deficit. It’s important to find out the exact units of measurement your instruments are calibrated for (particularly before you buy them) and then find out what the optimum values are for your garden in those same units. One measurement all growers should know about is EC, or the electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution, which is a measure of the concentration of dissolved salts in that solution. These dissolved salts conduct electricity, so an EC measure is an accurate way of determining concentration levels. EC is the preferred unit of measurement for hydroponics— meters that give readings in ppm are not actually measuring parts per million, but measuring EC and then using an inbuilt, approximate conversion factor to give a reading in ppm. This conversion factor is slightly different for different nutrient solution compositions, so it’s only an approximation. Investing in a meter that can display both EC and ppm is a great idea

Troubleshooting growing conditions can be vital—cool night temperatures have caused this fruit deformity on a tomato truss.

for growers who are familiar with ppm values but want to get accustomed to using EC as well. Conversion factors between the different units of measure for light, solution concentration and temperature can be used, but who wants to do that sort of math on a daily basis? Instead, know your instrumentation units of measure and find out what the optimal level is for your indoor garden. Once you have some experience with the basics of instrumentation its time to amp it up a bit and get a little more technically advanced in the garden. There are instruments that can give you a huge amount of data on the environment the plants are growing in, such as the solution’s composition, elemental and dissolved oxygen levels and a whole range of other factors—although all

Leaf yellowing, in this case `interveinal chlorosis’ caused by magnesium deficiency, is just one of the symptoms of nutrient disorders.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

instrumentation made easy + troubleshooting

this may send a grower into information overload if it can’t be processed usefully and implemented to improve plant performance. Some of the most useful instrumentation for more experienced or technologically advanced growers includes dissolved oxygen (O2) meters for those with solution culture systems. Meters that measure total oxygen ppm and percentage of oxygen saturation are great tools for checking oxygen levels in your solution culture nutrient. Another great device is the electronic controller for larger automated systems, which measures and adjusts EC and pH all by itself while you are away from the garden. For really keen hydroponic growers there are even nutrient analysis systems for measuring individual elements in

the nutrient on-site—which means no waiting time for analysis results to come back from the lab. One such photometer hydroponic analysis instrument allows NO3, NH4, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in the nutrient solution to be measured directly by the grower. For those who love indoor tomatoes, a handheld or electronic brix (TDS) meter is a fun tool to measure sugars in the fruit, giving you a way to measure the overall ‘sweetness’ value of your tomatoes.

What are they called?

Here’s a list of instruments commonly used for indoor gardening: not all are essential and some are more highly specialized and geared towards the ‘hydro-geeks’ among us…

Measurement Instrument(s) Nutrient solution concentration: Electrical conductivity meter (EC meter) Conductivity meter (CF meter) TDS meter (total dissolved solids) ppm (parts per million) pH: Electronic pH meter (pH range four to nine) pH test strips (color change pH range often five to nine) pH liquid test kits (pH range often five to nine) Portable CO2 monitor (ppm of CO2) CO2 (carbon dioxide): Infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) Humidity: Hygrometer (relative humidity percentage) Dry-and wet-bulb instrument or psychrometer Brix (total soluble solids, fruit): Refractometer: manual (also called Brix meter) Refractometer: digital (brix degrees) Individual ions: Photometer (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S in mg/l or ppm) Individual ion meters (cardy nitrate meter) Temperature: Thermometer in °C or °F, digital or spirit Infrared thermometer for surfaces or solution temperatures Submersible thermometer (solution temperatures Oxygen in solution: DO meter (dissolved oxygen ppm and percentage of saturation) Light: Quantum light meter (PAR measures plant usable wavelengths as micromoles m2/s-1) Photometric light meter (foot candles, lux, watts) Plant stress/health: Chlorophyll meter Pest identification:

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Hand lens, macroscope, IPM scope

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

instrumentation made easy

Troubleshooting

While instruments for measuring, monitoring and adjusting things in an indoor garden are valuable tools, some troubleshooting skills are going to be required by all growers sooner or later. Hydroponic problems tend to fall into five general categories: those caused by the environment (too hot, cold, shaded, humid or dry; not enough carbon dioxide, oxygen, air movement or ventilation), those caused by the nutrient solution (nutrient balance issues or incorrect EC/TDS/pH), those caused by unwelcome intruders (insects, viruses, fungi, bacteria), those caused by system faults (over or underwatering, for example) or those caused by grower error or inexperience—which of course might be the root cause of all of these issues. While this may seem a little daunting, most beginners are able to enjoy a relatively trouble-free experience with their indoor garden once good control over the environment, plant nutrition and general plant growth has been established. The basics of troubleshooting start with knowing what a healthy plant should look like and then checking regularly for anything unusual. Important points to remember are:

`Powdery deposits’ are a sign of powdery mildew, a fungal disease of many indoor plants.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

o Symptoms showing on the tops of the plants— stunting or wilting, for example—may be due to a problem with the roots. Always check root health when troubleshooting vague symptoms. o Wilting may not be due to a lack of water— wilting can occur when the plant has been overwatered, if temperatures are too high, if the roots have been damaged and can’t take up water or if there is not enough oxygen in the root zone. o Be careful what you kill—not all microbes and insects are harmful; in fact, most are not. The ‘kill everything and be super-sterile’ approach is now seen as an old-fashioned idea when it comes to indoor gardens. Biodiversity—even with an indoor garden—is generally a good thing. There are beneficial insects that prey on insect pests and there are microbes such as fungi and bacteria that not only protect plants but play a role in nutrient uptake and plant health and protection. Some of these are naturallyoccurring; some can be introduced with the use of commercially available products.

“Even beginners need to know what EC or ppm and pH they should be running their solution at and how to adjust these levels, along with all the other growing basics— like the ideal temperatures, humidity and light levels their plants require to thrive.” Some of the more common problems beginners may encounter are described briefly. There are many great books and Internet sources available should you require more detail on any of these issues. Young plants are yellowed or pale, stunted and refusing to grow: While there are many causes of this, the most likely one is overwatering (it is possible to overwater plants in hydroponics and it’s a common problem with inexperienced growers, particularly in moisture-retentive substrates such as coco fiber). Overwatering may also encourage the root rot pathogen Pythium (check for brown, disintegrating root systems).

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

instrumentation made easy + troubleshooting

Insects on plants: Caterpillars chewing holes, whiteflies fluttering around the tops of plants, tiny black thrips (which also cause bronzing of leaves), tiny red insects (mites) creating speckled leaves, white waxy scaly insects on plants or roots (mealy bugs), twisted foliage on peppers (aphid feeding damage) and many more insect-related issues are all possible problems. Using a pest identification book or website is the first step, followed by applying the recommended control agent or spray. Plants becoming very tall and stretched with pale, thin foliage and lack of productivity: You can blame this on low light levels, which is far more common in indoor gardens than high light levels, which can sometimes occur in outdoor crops and greenhouses in summer. Most beginners underestimate how much light their plants need (it may look bright to the human eye, but be far too low in intensity for a tomato!) and they also

sensitive to day and night temperature differences than tomatoes. If overall temperatures are too hot or too cold for the species of plant being grown then the plants won’t produce happily. (It pays to research the ideal temperatures for growth). Solution troubleshooting: Provided a clean, high-quality water source is used and recommended rates of nutrients applied, nutrient solutions are fairly reliable in small indoor gardens. Growers

“Most beginners underestimate how much light their plants need (it may look bright to the human eye, but be far too low in intensity for a tomato!) and they also tend to cram far too many plants into a small area.” using city water may need to be wary of water treatment chemicals such as chloramines and chloride, which can harm sensitive young plants and of hard water, which may create lime scale on pumps and equipment. Water softeners can also create problems as many use sodium in the softening process, which is an unwanted element that builds up in hydroponic systems. If you are experiencing these problems, rainwater collection or the use of small RO (reverse osmosis units) are a good solution.

tend to cram far too many plants into a small area. The resulting competition for light results in tall stretched plants and low yields. Beginners should seek advice from horticultural lighting specialists about exactly how many lamps they need for the number of plants they want to grow and then check light levels on a regular basis because light levels fall as HID bulbs age. General poor growth: This is characterized by small plants, slow rates of development, a failure to set fruit and flowers dropping off. Environmental issues are often the cause of these sorts of problems. Most fruiting plants such as tomatoes and peppers need a day and night temperature differential for strong flowering and fruit set and in fact most plants benefit from day to night differentials. Having average night temperatures run lower than day temperatures promotes stronger growth and improved flowering. For example, tomatoes have an optimum temperature of 77 to 79°F during the day and 68 to 71°F at night. When night temperatures are the same as day temperatures or higher, flowering problems become more common. Capsicums are even more

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Furry growths, powdery deposits or slime on leaves: are all symptoms of disease. Furry, fluffy and powdery deposits are usually fungal in nature while wet, slimy and rotting spots are characteristic of bacterial infections. Treatment sprays are very effective; however, it’s important to read the spray product labels to check which disease is controlled by which product. ‘Just plain weird’ problems: Sometimes troubleshooting is difficult, even for experts with decades of experience. If really weird plant afflictions are a problem, the best remedy is to remove affected plants and dispose of them quickly to prevent any spread. There are many viruses that cause strange plant symptoms as well as genetic abnormalities that may be impossible to identify, so removal is usually the safest option. MY References: Instrumentation: Spectrum technologiesspecmeters.com Hanna Instruments: hannainst.com hannainst.com/usa/prods2.cfm?id=009003&ProdCode=HI 83225 Tomato plant nutrient deficiency symptoms: 5e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=3&id=289

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Learn to Garden and Change the World

Growing Systems for Beginners by Matt Geschke

Hydro is the way of the future—when are YOU going to get started?

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Learn to Garden and Change the World

By now it is unlikely that you have not seen images in the mainstream media referencing food security. Gruesome images beamed from afar have indicated how bad the food shortages can be, as tens of “As the age-old query thousands have died in Africa, victims of severe drought. It’s goes: ‘How do you eat an so horrifying that it almost elephant? Well, one bite induces a sort of helplessness—but there are soluat a time, I suppose.’ How tions and they start close to do we tackle the global home. As the age-old query goes: “How do you eat an food crisis? One garden elephant? Well, one bite at a are not susceptible to the kinds at a time.” time, I suppose.” How do we of disasters that so often befall tackle the global food crisis? One traditional farmers. Indoor gardengarden at a time. ing might be our only viable option Simply put, it’s time for a new agrifor the future and when done correctly cultural revolution. Indoor growing is the requires very little pesticide or herbicide use, way of the future—and without it our future can be practiced organically and inexpensively looks pretty bleak. A successful indoor gardener can and can provide you, your family and possibly even your easily produce seven to 10 times more food than a traditionally neighbors with a nutrient-dense variety of fresh and healthy food farmed plot of the same size outdoors and hydroponic crops all year-round.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Learn to Garden and Change the World

This may sound like a utopian solution to a very real and serious problem and as a result of our first world cynicism we might instinctively assume there must some sort of catch. Well, there is. Hydroponic gardening is not easy and it does require a fundamental knowledge of the plants you intend to cultivate and a basic knowledge of the various growing systems and how they function. Finally, it is very important to be realistic and fully understand both the financial costs and the time commitment it takes to have a successful indoor garden. So where do we start? Whether you call them mini-systems, beginner gardens or starter kits, basic hydroponic systems are good ways to figure out whether hydroponic gardening is a viable option before investing your life’s savings on a bunch of gadgets promising astonishing results. By starting with a basic set-up, a novice hydroponic gardener will be able to learn the fundamentals of water culture, what effects pH and reservoir temperature have on nutrient solution efficacy, how environmental variables like humidity and temperature can accelerate or retard growth and how supplemental lighting can increase overall yield and quality. The best beginner systems in my opinion are those that are simply designed and easily expandable, either through DIY modifications or through the purchase of professionally manufactured modules. This approach ensures that the new gardener will not be overwhelmed by the complexity of the system while allaying any concerns they may have regarding growing out of the system they just purchased. Basic systems come in a myriad of designs, suitable for cultivating a wide variety of crops.

“Whether you call them mini-systems, beginner gardens or starter kits, basic hydroponic systems are good ways to figure out whether hydroponic gardening is a viable option before investing your life’s savings on a bunch of gadgets promising astonishing results. ” 74

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Learn to Garden and Change the World

You should buy the best system that you Be knowledgeable and well read. Try can afford and sacrifice size for qualto know something about indoor ity every time, because indoor growing before you get to the gardening is a hobby that by grow shop and you’re much nature is hard on equipmore likely to come home “You should buy the ment. Shoddy equipment with what you need— best system that you can fails and if you have and you’ll save youralready exhausted your self and the hydro afford and sacrifice size shoestring budget employee trying to for quality every time, on ‘going as big assist you a lot of as possible’ you’ll time. because indoor gardening be in trouble if Simpler is betis a hobby that by nature is something goes ter. To clarify, wrong. Be patient I mean simpler hard on equipment. Shoddy and start small— as in Ockham’s equipment fails and if you modest operations razor simpler— using high-quality meaning that the have already exhausted equipment will best solution is your shoestring budget ensure better results generally the one overall than larger, with the fewest on ‘going as big as possible’ poorly constructed complications. In you’ll be in trouble if spaces, with none fact, I recommend six of the headaches and plants or less to start, something goes wrong. ” disappointment. Smaller which will allow you to spaces can be maintained and get to know each plant you cleaned easier and smaller plant are growing intimately. This numbers generally result in a healthilevel of interaction with your garer field and the opportunity to spend more den is essential in the beginning. time with each plant. You might be in a hurry to get started now that you’ve decided to give indoor gardening a go, but don’t rush it. You can be successful with nearly any type of system as long as you understand the fundamentals of hydroponics. Transitioning slowly into an indoor garden has several advantages over simply jumping in with both feet. By transitioning slowly from traditional soil agriculture to an intermediate system—like a topdrip perlite-based garden or a coir-based flood and drain—your likelihood of success will be significantly greater. Eventually you’ll have done some reading and cleared a space in your home and you’ll be ready to think about which system to get started with. It is critically important for new gardeners to become informed on the variety of systems available in order to determine which best matches their growing style. Here’s some information on a few of the systems available, along with some pros and cons for you to consider about each one:

Top drip

I think top drip systems are great transition gardens and should be strongly considered as a choice for any gardener on a budget, or anyone just getting started. All you need is a handful of fivegallon buckets, 30-gallons of the medium of your choice, 30to 40-feet of half-inch irrigation line, 10 or so emitter stakes, 76

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Learn to Garden and Change the World

“These systems address the wasteful nature of top drip systems and are capable of saving up to 50 per cent by only flooding when necessary and returning the nutrient solution to the reservoir between cycles.”

DWC 25-feet of 1/8-inch spaghetti line, a water reservoir, a fountain pump, a timer, a drill and a free afternoon. There are countless permutations of this system and most allow for a wide variety of different media options, including perlite, hydroton, coir, soilless mix, hygromite and stonewool. These systems are readily available as kits from a variety of suppliers, but can also be easily constructed from materials obtained from your local hardware store. The benefits are that they are inexpensive to construct, very simple in design and can be used to grow nearly any kind of crop. Unfortunately, top drip systems are often cited as being damaging to the surrounding environment as the runoff is rarely treated before it flows back into the ecosystem, sometimes leading to eutrophic conditions and a disruption of native flora and fauna. One could also argue that other than the automation of the watering there are actually very limited benefits over traditional soil gardening. Top drip systems are also exceptionally inefficient with regards to nutrient conservation—it is not uncommon for a drain-to-waste garden to consume 30 to 50 per cent more nutrients than a similar sized recirculating garden and as much as 70 per cent more than a properly functioning recirculating deep water culture system. 78

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DWC or deep water culture systems are another good choice for beginners or those on a budget and can range from simple all-inclusive one-tote, one-site designs to elaborate hyperoxygenated recirculating systems. All you really need to build one are a few inexpensive components and the medium of your choice. Try to keep the reservoir consistently in the 72 to 74°F range for optimum results, as increases in temperature will result in dramatic decreases in dissolved oxygen levels—and low dissolved oxygen levels and warm water will create the perfect environment for pathogenic anaerobic bacteria to proliferate, putting your plants at increased risk for root borne diseases. The benefits of this system are that it can be built to be as simple or as elaborate as you wish and can be tailored to fit any space. It is capable of growing nearly any crop from greens to gourds and is incredibly stingy with nutrients, using up to 70 per cent less than a similar sized top drip system. Finally, when dialed in, these systems consistently produce huge harvests and often do so on a shortened cycle. The drawbacks to DWC gardens are few but the systems are very heavy so they tend to perform well on sealed concrete slab floors, which are structurally solid and inherently cool. The other major problem DWC gardeners face is leaks—left unchecked they can be devastating, with catastrophic failures emptying a system in seconds. Does your homeowner’s insurance cover hydroponically-induced flooding?

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Learn to Garden and Change the World

“Simpler is better. To clarify, I mean simpler as in Ockham’s razor simpler—meaning that the best solution is generally the one with the fewest complications.”

Hybrid Systems

Flood and Drain

Flood and drain systems have been around forever. No, literally, forever—ever since the first river flooded onto the first flood plain, natural flood and drain systems have been growing plants and doing it well. High-quality flood and drain bucket systems are available from a variety of reputable suppliers and flood table reservoir combinations can be found in any self-respecting hydro shop. These systems address the wasteful nature of top drip systems and are capable of saving up to 50 per cent by only flooding when necessary and returning the nutrient solution to the reservoir between cycles. In addition, they offer the same media-buffering effects seen with top drip systems. The cons of flood and drain operations can be summarized in two words: timers and floats. Flood and drain bucket systems rely on timers and float valves to execute the tasks of flooding and draining throughout the day, but as the mechanical parts involved are pretty reliable these systems are capable of turning out incredible results cycle after cycle. 80

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Relatively new to the market, hybrid systems combine two or more systems into one design, allowing for supreme versatility and efficiency. Since these systems are relatively new, longterm efficacy data is not yet available. Most products claim they are optimized for all stages of growth as some plants have been documented to respond more favorably to one irrigation method or another, depending on the stage of the plant’s development. Although they are new and relatively unproven it is easy to see why these new designs may just be the answer for beginners and budget gardeners alike. Many of these designs could be recreated by the gardener but it would require a fair degree of skill and is not recommended for the novice—however, if you are a budget gardener and you play engineer in your tool shed, this may be right up your alley! In the end, it is less about the system and more about the individual. It is important to pick a system you are comfortable with.Your choice should fit comfortably within your budget (or slightly less), allowing for some modifications or upgrades along the way if necessary. Make certain the system you choose can grow the crops you intend to grow—I know it sounds stupid, but you would be amazed at how many new gardeners are surprised at the extreme difficulty they seem to be having growing sunflowers to maturity in their N.F.T. gardens! Remember, whatever system you choose and whatever you choose to grow, you are actively participating in a movement that may just change the world. Best of luck! MY

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

GREEN THUMB GARDENING

A Green Meal:

Seaweed by Luis Bartolo

Seaweed has been harvested for food, fertilizer and medicine for thousands of years. History books record that the Chinese used seaweed for medicinal purposes as early as 3,000 B.C. The Greeks for example used seaweed as animal food as early as the first century B.C. One translated text written in 46 B.C. states: “The Greeks collected seaweed from the shore and having washed it in fresh water, gave it to their cattle.” Today China and Japan are the biggest consumers of seaweed worldwide, with China harvesting 500 million tons a year for food use alone.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Seaweed is a source of organic material to add to soil or soilless cultivation. It is only during the latter half of the last century that techniques were developed to fully understand the physiological responses, which seaweed clearly produces. Parallel to laboratory and industrial studies to characterize and understand seaweed, techniques were developed to extract and concentrate active ingredients used to influence the plant physiology. So the use of seaweed in agriculture has moved from using a simple dried product, which was harvested by hand and spread on the soil, to distribution of so-called seaweed-derived products manufactured into small dried flakes, suspensions or solutions containing active ingredients produced from the seaweed raw material.

But what is seaweed exactly?

In the classification of all living things, seaweed is classified as a plant, although they are apparently a little behind in evolutionary terms compared with the more familiar plants seen every day. Seaweed may belong to one of several groups of multi-cellular algae: the red algae, green algae and brown algae. As these three groups are not thought to have a common multicellular ancestor, the seaweeds are a paraphyletic group. In addition, some tuft-forming blue green algae (Cyan bacteria) are sometimes considered seaweeds. Seaweed is a colloquial term and lacks a formal definition. Botanists refer to these broad groups as Phaeophyceae, Rhodophyceae and Chlorophyceae, respectively. Brown seaweeds are usually large, and range from the giant kelp that is often 65-feet long, to thick, leather-like seaweeds from six- to 13-feet long, to smaller species 11- to 23-inches long. Red seaweeds are usually smaller, generally ranging

from a few inches to about threefeet in length; however, red seaweeds are not always red. They are sometimes purple, even brownish red, but they are still classified by botanists as Rhodophyceae because of other characteristics. Green seaweeds are also small, with a similar size range to the red seaweeds. Seaweed contains all known trace elements. These are present in a form that is acceptable and available to plants. Trace elements can be made available to plants by chelating—that is, by combining the mineral atom with organic molecules.

Effect of seaweed

Research shows that high-quality seaweed extracts can have a fiveprinciple effect on plant growth. All of them remove or reduce the influence of a number of growth constraints, with the result that treated plants function better, and produce higher yields and better quality crops. Seaweed supplies all trace elements required for plant growth across the entire spectrum. Seaweed and seaweed products also exert some form of biological control over a number of common plant diseases such as pythium. Soil fungi and bacteria are known to produce natural antibiotics, which hold down the population of plant pathogens, and when these antibiotics are produced in sufficient quantities, they enter the plant and help it to resist disease. The production of such antibiotics is increased in soil high in organic matter, and it may be that seaweed still further encourages this process. Seaweed also acts as a soil conditioner. It has the ability to transform light and sandy soils into denser mediums by creating organic polymars that bind the soil particles together. This creates better structure and also assists MY in water retention.

“Today China and Japan are the biggest consumers of seaweed worldwide, with China harvesting 500 million tons a year for food use alone.”

About the Author: Jose Luis Pinheiro Bartolo is the president and chief executive Officer of Biobizz Worldwide Inc., (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.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Lighten Up! by Lee McCall

Lee McCall gives you the lowdown on lighting basics for your very first grow room. Maintenance on a healthy and productive indoor garden requires a certain amount of devoted time and effort. Many variables exist that must all be considered prior to completion of a productive growing system. Luckily, replicating the outdoors inside is now pretty much just a plug-and-play installation, made almost dummyproof and requiring only a quick stop by your local indoor gardening center. However easy they’ve managed to make the process, though, you really should get to know the fundamentals prior to making your initial purchase.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Lighten up!

“Luckily, replicating the outdoors inside is now pretty much just a plug-and-play installation, made almost dummy-proof and requiring only a quick stop by your local indoor gardening center.”

One of the crucial considerations is grow-appropriate indoor lighting. Grow lights will definitely prove to be the most costly part of your investment next to ventilation equipment—and the role they will serve in your healthy new garden is of the utmost importance. To select the most appropriate lighting source you must first analyze the various factors that comprise a complete lighting system. There are multiple sizes or wattages of fixtures available. Smaller-wattage systems, such as those employing 150-watt HPS (sodium) lamps and 175-watt MH lamps are excellent for small counter or table-top gardens producing shorter plants, while larger systems such as 400-, 600-, 750- and the most 88

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Lighten Up!

“HID lamps, both sodium and halide, are still a necessity in my opinion in order to achieve healthy, heavy harvests.”

popular 1,000-watt systems are ideal for larger (three-feet by three-feet and up) gardens, or multiple-light gardens. First off, let’s figure out how much light we’ll need for our particular growing space.You’ll need to identify the area to be used for gardening in terms of square or cubic feet, even if you’re a vertical grower. For gardens housing plants that prefer higher levels of light or full sun, I recommend anywhere from 50- to 70-watts of HID light per square foot of gardening space, excluding walkways and aisles. There are two different formulas I have used that help me determine either how many lights are needed to outfit a particular garden footprint—that is, the floor space used for plants—or, for existing gardens, how many watts per square foot is being achieved with the given number of lights. So how many lights should go over your plants? Here’s the formula: [Total square feet ÷ wattage of lamp to be used] x watts per square foot desired = number of lights required. Example: A four-foot by eight-foot area contains 32-square-feet. If a grower desires to use 600-watt lamps in this area and achieve 60-watts per square foot, the equation would look like this: [32 ÷ 600] x 60 = X [.05] x 60 = X So, 3 = X or (3) 600 - watt lights will achieve 60-watts per square foot in a four-foot by eight-foot growing area. 90

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Lighten up!

Now, how many watts per square foot is the grower achieving? Total watts ÷ total square feet = X or watts per square foot Or: [number of lights ÷ total square feet] x wattage of lamp to be used = X or watts per square foot. Example: (3) 600-watt or 1,800-watt ÷ 32-square-feet = 56.25-watts per square foot. Or: [3/32] x 600 = X [.09375] x 600 = X 56.25 = X In this particular instance—if at least 60-watts per square foot is desired—it would be a better alternative to implement two 1,000-watt light systems that achieve 62.5-watts per square foot, as opposed to three 600-watt systems that only achieve 56.25-watts per square foot. These formulas will help you produce consistency throughout your garden for enhanced control in the grow room. ‘Safety first’ is always a consideration in the indoor gardening world—what with all of the hot lights drawing high amounts of energy, CO2 generators with raging pilot flames and large 92

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Lighten up!

“Fluorescent lights are still hanging around the industry with a strong and steady presence.”

containers of water sitting about, ready to flood out the basement or second floor. Precautions must be taken! Let’s start with ensuring that your growing area is equipped with enough juice to power heavyamperage grow lights, pumps and fans, as well as whatever other devices are to be used. 240-volt power is recommended for multiplelight operations, as they will take less amperage and allow for more lights to run safely on a single circuit. Lighting controllers and relays will allow a grower to run multiple banks and sets of lights off a single 110/120-volt timer, all while powering the lights with direct 240-volt current. 110/120-volt 20-amp breakers are perfect for piling on as many fans, pumps, atmospheric controllers as you need. Even 1,000-watts lights are perfect for 110/120-volt operation on a single 20-amp circuit, as long as only one light is being operated. Always follow safe practices when installing electrical outlets, breakers and service panels. Keep lights on their own separate circuits if at all possible and avoid running the ballasts on extension cords to the power outlet—special extension cords are available that extend the distance from the ballast to the lamp if needed. Finally, professional and certified installation is always recommended when making adjustments to service panels, breakers and circuits. Once the growing space is fully wired and safely equipped to handle the amount of electrical draw, you can start deciding on your lighting choices. HID lamps, both sodium and halide, are still a necessity in my opinion in order to achieve healthy, heavy harvests. Choosing the right reflector design for the space is also a crucial component in delivering light efficiently to the plants, 94

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Lighten Up!

four-feet tall). Unfortunately, fluorescent light diminishes rapidly the farther away the plant is from the source, which may cause certain varieties of flora that grow taller (over four-feet) to struggle under fluorescent lights as the shaded undergrowth struggles to absorb the light. I think fluorescents are ideal for cuttings, seedlings and early vegetative growth phases and they also provide the added benefit of having lower energy consumption and heat output compared to high intensity discharge (HID) lamps. Many growers have also had great luck running these same fluorescent panels vertically as supplemental side lighting—the added boost promotes higher vertical growth as different designs do create different lighting footprints on while still allowing dense undergrowth and production.Vertithe crop—the outlay of the garden should dictate your decision cally run HID lamps have been less common in recent years on reflector design. For example, throughout the States, though, if growing in square or rectansince six- and eight-inch gular trays in a flood-and-drain air-cooling has dominated “Only recently have specially (ebb-and-flow) or drip system, reflector designs, allowing I prefer a reflector designed to for enhanced environmental designed reflectors that burn project as much light as poscontrol. Only recently have lamps in a vertical orientation sible directly down into the same specially designed reflectors but still allow for eight-inch glasssquare footprint that the garden that burn lamps in a vertioccupies. Other reflector designs cal orientation but still allow sealed air-cooling emerged onto will promote a broader light for eight-inch glass-sealed the market.” spread, yet still maintain high light air-cooling emerged onto the intensities throughout the footmarket, incorporating great print—which is considered ideal advances in light dispersion for indoor gardens or container gardening on the floor. This properties. Parabolic reflectors have also always had their niche is also a common design used in greenhouse growing, as the with growers across the world, but the fact you cannot air cool lights can be hung high above in the rafters but still emit a high them will deter certain growers, even if they choose a more level of supplemental light beneficial to the crop. Sodium and costly reflector that is less efficient in light spread. warm spectrum (lower Kelvin) halide lamps are my preferred After your lighting fixtures have been decided on and installed choice for the flowering stages of crop production. In an ideal securely, then ventilation, air conditioning if needed and the world, I would start the first half of the blooming phase with remaining parameters of your garden can be considered. If makwarm spectrum halides and finish out with sodium light until ing new purchases, always choose reliable brands with reputable harvest. This is easier said than done for many growers in larger warranties. Buying local will also help ensure timely repair situations with multiple lights, however, as it will increase costs through retail shops in your area. significantly having to purchase two lamps per hood instead of A productive indoor garden will require a reliable light source. one. Both styles of lamps, whether halide or sodium, will sustain So purchase the basics, begin to understand the fundamentals every stage of growth from seed to harvest. and most importantly, get ready to garden—because lighting up a Fluorescent lights are still hanging around the industry with small space for cultivation, whether it’s in your house, apartment, a strong and steady presence. T5s are excellent spectral sources office or even just a closet—is now accessible and easy to manage for vegetative growth, especially in shorter plants (less than for anyone with a bit of cash and the desire to grow. MY 96

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Keep it Simple, Stupid!

(The KISS Method for First-time Growers) by Frank Rauscher

A stress-free way to get started with your first garden

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

An indoor grow is not rocket science, but if you start your first project blindly, without making a plan, all kinds of things can go terribly wrong.

Maximum Yield USAâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;|â&#x20AC;&#x201A;January 2012

Keep it Simple, Stupid!

“Perhaps you have experience with houseplants or even an outdoor garden—or maybe trying to grow plants is all new for you. These completely different starting points are going to make a big difference in what needs to be understood before you begin, but one universal start point is to create a basic plan before you begin.”

As with most new projects, there are a few basic steps that can really help someone new to indoor growing to succeed. One issue that seems to come up when we try almost anything new is that after we get involved in a project we find we need to make a lot of changes and adjustments. Only after some painful or expensive failures do we discover what we wish we had known in the first place. Indoor growing is not immune to this parallel of Murphy’s Law. How can we prevent problems from arising when we have no experience to draw from when trying to foresee them? Well, a little planning and research before you start can make a huge difference later on. Although there is a lot of very helpful information out there about indoor gardening, you might want to consider the issues in this article first before getting too far into all the details you might find in more specialized instruction. Let’s look at your experience level first. Perhaps you have experience with houseplants or even an outdoor garden—or maybe trying to grow plants is all new for you. These completely different starting points are going to make a big difference in what needs to be understood before you begin, but one universal start point is to create a basic plan before you begin. Let’s take a look at how you can get started and we’ll try to keep it as 100

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simple as possible from start to finish. The first thing that you’ll want to do is to figure out just what type of plants—crop or ornamental—you want to grow and how many of them. Without knowing this, it’s like taking off in a car before you’ve decided where you want to go. After you know what you want to grow, do a little reading about those varieties.You really want to know how large they will get and what their particular needs are. Do this before you start. Know your plant before you grow your plant! Don’t worry about all the finer points involved in growing at first, but pay attention to the basics—water, foliar size, root requirements, temperature and light are all very important. If you discover that you need a larger pot, a warmer or cooler area or more light after your plants are already half-grown, your end results are not going to be what you wanted. When it comes time to select the garden location in your home and the equipment you’ll need, understanding what your plant will need or prefer will make your choices much easier to make—and make correctly.

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Keep it Simple, Stupid!

important decision of choosing which of the many indoor growing methods to employ (hydroponic, soil and so on) you’ll need to consider the space you have available, the normal ambient temperature and humidity in your region, and your budget. Thinking about Once you know some fundamental things about your plants, these things before you start will really simplify your project then you can decide just how many you’ll be able to grow. A and help you from getting in over your head. good idea for first-time growers is to start out smaller—the If you settle on hydroponics you’ll need to decide what more experienced you are, the more aggressive you can be with technique you’ll use and what growing medium you’ll employ. There are two main technique your plant quantities. If your goal is larger crops, try types: solution culture, where the roots are submersed in planning your growing area solution; and medium culture, for expansion in the future. “Don’t worry about all the finer points If you keep that first grow where the roots are growing involved in growing at first, but pay a bit smaller it will be easier in some type of medium, like attention to the basics—water, foliar to care for and thus easier for lava rock or coconut fiber. If size, root requirements, temperature you to succeed—and if there you want to learn the basics of and light are all very important.” are problems, these too will hydroponic growing, I recombe easier to solve and less exmend that you stop by your fapensive to fix. Learning from your experiences is much simpler vorite local hydroponics store and spend some time with a spewhen you keep your first efforts to a modest size.You should cialist who has training and experience in building and operatalways keep detailed notes on everything you do, as you will ing hydroponic systems. Don’t rush this part and you’ll be glad find these extremely helpful in the future. Once you’ve grown later—take a notepad and use it! They can let you know what and recorded your first successful harvest, small though it may difficulties you might encounter before you start and they’ll be be, achieving success growing a larger crop will be easy. glad to help you along the way to success. Ask them about the One of the decisions that you’ll have to make before you advantages and problems associated with each method you may start your first garden is how you want to grow. In making the be considering—establishing a good working relationship with

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your local hydro store can be one of the best ways to ensure that all your projects will be simple and successful. Growing in soil may be attractive to you because you have experience with this method from outdoor or houseplant growing and being comfortable is an important part of keeping it simple. Even with a soil grow your hydro store technician can be of great help: just because hydroponics is in the name of the store doesn’t mean that they aren’t familiar with growing in soil. Almost any reputable indoor garden or hydroponic store should be able to help you plan for this. Just ask them! If you are planning to employ soil and you also plan to water your plants by hand, keep in mind that your watering schedule needs to be adjusted as the plant grows through its various phases—and that both overwatering or underwatering will cause problems. Yes, it’s true: too much water will cause problems! But there are timers or controllers and watering systems that can help to make this part of your grow easy. If saving time is important to you, look into some form of automated watering. Once you know these basics—what you want to grow, how much of it you want, where you’ll be growing it and what system you want to grow it with—getting started with your indoor garden will be straightforward and simple. An indoor grow is not rocket science, but if you start your first project blindly, without making a plan, all kinds of things can go terribly wrong. Pick the brains of the technicians at your local hydroponics store and do a little research of your own. Keep reading Maximum Yield to gather top-quality information from a variety of specialists. Make sure that you have included a budget in your plan, because knowing exactly how much you’ll be spending goes a long way toward project satisfaction. Simply put—a little planning can be your best ally in keeping it simple! MY

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Avant-Gardening

No Plant Left Behind— Growing Your Own Hydroponic Grapevines By Ryan M. Taylor

Who’s going to make wine for the astronauts if nobody grows any grapevines? Grapevine growing traditionally requires a substantial investment and it can be years before any grapes are harvested. However, recent experiments have shown how hobbyists and commercial growers alike can grow better quality fruit faster. Think for a moment: if you were an astronaut stationed on Mars for two years before returning to Earth, what plant would you want to cultivate as a guilty pleasure? Some people might say the cacao tree to make chocolate or maybe sugarcane or even some herb that makes everything taste better. All those choices are fine and dandy but without a doubt I would choose grapevines—not because I love grapes themselves, but mainly because it’s hard to imagine going two years, let alone two weeks, without a nice bottle of wine (okay, even a cheap one will do). 106

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Over the past century tremendous progress has been made in hydroponic systems, nutrient solutions and growing techniques as they relate to the growing of certain crops. However, our collective hydroponic knowledge and cultivation experience has not progressed at a similar pace for a number of plants, particularly the grapevine. Why not? The short answer is that grapevine growing systems require large investments and in most cases, grapes aren’t harvested for the first few years of growth. While these two reasons are in themselves daunting and will deter many from trying to cultivate grapes, I feel that no plant that adds such great value to society should be left behind. So to decide on an experimental set-up—including substrate and irrigation system—I began by looking into the scant research that has been done. One group of university researchers compared the results of vines grown in deep water culture versus a continuous drip irrigation system with expanded clay as the medium. The former method didn’t provide enough oxygen to the roots, whereas the latter proved sufficient to grow vines successfully for two years as of the date of publication. Good to know, but this study didn’t get to what we are really interested in knowing— how was the grape yield? A research group from Turkey provides this piece of the puzzle. They grew vine cuttings—essentially dwarf grapevines— in high-density, sub-irrigated beds of perlite. After six months of growing, they harvested clusters of grapes that were equivalent in size and quality to those of the mother plants, except that the individual soilless grapes were wider; they believe this is because of superior water retention. Great to know, but this study didn’t look at the long-term potential of soilless grapevine cultivation. Cue a research group from Italy, who grew a number of table grape cultivars in a peat-perlite mix with drip irrigation. They waited the traditional three

years to harvest grape clusters, and their patience definitely paid off. Compared to a control group grown in soil, the soilless grapes were 30 per cent firmer, had 60 per cent higher antioxidants and phenol content—in other words, aroma—less bacterial growth and superior visual appeal. They concluded that this system design has great potential for a commercial-scale vineyard. While this is only one report and definitely requires more study and confirmation, my internal voice can’t help but scream “YES!!!” So now we know some basics about the potential for hydroponic grapevine cultivation. Can grapevines be grown hydroponically over a sustained period of time? Yes. Will growers benefit from higherdensity plantings and larger yields? Yes. Can a commercial-scale level of production be reached? Again, yes. I have been inspired by these recent results to begin planting a few rows of grapevines for both short- and long-term growth. While it makes sense to imitate the successful methods reported earlier for the latter vines, I figure it is worth trying different methods for my singleseason plantings. How well do vines grow in a flood and drain or deep flow system? There is only one way to know for sure—you have to experiment.

As a parting note, I encourage everyone who loves wine, grapes or even raisins to try their hand at growing grapevines. Hey, if for no other reason, let’s make sure our astronauts know how to grow their own in space! MY References Bahar, E. et al, 2004, “Possibility of Rooting of the Pruned Canes in Grapevine (vitis vinifera L.) then Obtaining Yield Grown in Hydroponic System”, Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 7 (9), 1481-1487. Cefola, M, et al, 2011, “Postharvest Evaluation of Soilless-Grown Table Grape during Storage in Modified Atmosphere”, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 91 (12), 2153-2159. Wheatley, M, et al, 2009, “An Expanded Clay Pebble, Continuous Recirculating Drip System for Viable Long-Term Hydroponic Grapevine Culture”, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 60 (4), 542-549.

About the Author: Ryan Taylor is the founder and president of the Taylor Horticulture Company. In addition to growing a wide variety of hydroponic and bioponic crops, he also specializes in the manufacturing of hybrid hydroponic systems and consults with horticulturalists on methods for optimizing their production processes. Ryan is obsessed with hydroponics and his cat. E-mail taylorhorticulturecompany@gmail.com

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Master Media by Shane Hutto

Mr. Hutto takes us on a tour of all the different kinds of stuff you can use to grow other stuff. 108

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Master Media

For most of us the beginning was all about what to grow—and we thought about that long and hard—but what we’d grow that stuff in was an afterthought. Once you have your light source and your space set up, though, you’ll finally start thinking about what medium to use. Most of the time you start with what your mentor uses: whether it’s your buddy, your local retailer or something you’ve read on the Internet, typically the first person who tells you what they use and sounds like they know what they are talking about is who you end up following. This usually gets you at least something in the way of yield if you’re lucky, but we all want to get the most out of our garden. Today’s consumer is bombarded with choices. Rockwool, hydroton, coco coir and peat mixes (what most call soil or soilless mixes) all have their pros and cons and each of these choices is available in its own particular varieties and brands,

Rockwool is rather easy to prepare as

so obviously a beginner can be overwhelmed quickly. The fundamental questions to ask yourself before making this decision are: how well do you read instructions and how often do you plan to check on your plants? As a beginner you will have to learn when and how much to water and feed your plants, regardless of the type of medium you are using. Getting the most out of your garden is about finding a balance between how much effort you need to put in and how much time you have to devote to your hobby.

well—the whole ’24-

hour soak’ requirement is simply a myth.

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Follow the instructions When preparing your medium the most important advice I can give you is to follow the instructions: they are on the bag for a reason! Most peat mixes are ready to go and require very little preparation other than filling up your plastic pots. Rockwool is rather easy to prepare as well—the whole ’24-hour

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soak’ requirement is simply a myth, you just have to rinse the rockwool in ph 5.5-adjusted water for a few minutes. After the presoak it’s ready to use. Hydroton is similar in preparation to rockwool in that it must be rinsed—with plain water—but it must then also be agitated to remove the excess sediment. Then you just need to fill your system and you’re good to go. Coco coir is a preparation-intensive medium. It does come in bags but still usually needs the salts rinsed out. Mostly, though, it comes in bricks, which are convenient to carry but expand significantly once water is added. The bricks must be soaked and broken up—I like to use a garden spade and break them up while they are soaking. Coco coir must also be rinsed after it is broken up to ensure the high salt content is flushed away. Regular sanitation Another task that is a big consumer of time is regular sanitation. In any controlled growing environment, whether it’s indoors or in a greenhouse, regular cleaning is a must. Whether it involves picking up dead leaves and bugs or just general floor cleaning, there’s always something to do. Which medium you use will

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Which medium you use will make a difference in how long your cleaning chores will take.

make a difference in how long your cleaning chores will take. Coco behaves a lot like peat in this category; when dry it flies all over the place and seems dusty. Hydroton is good in that it doesn’t fly around, but drop part of a bag or a net pot full of those round clay balls and they roll everywhere. Rockwool tends to be dust free after the initial wetting and once it’s in place it pretty much doesn’t move unless you move it! Watering and feeding The next major task that needs to be figured out is to determine how often you need to water or feed your plants. This is also the job that is the easiest to mess up, no matter which medium you’ve chosen to use. The answer a horticulturalist will tell you is “when the plant needs it.” You can certainly overwater plants in an indoor garden—if you watered peat two times a day in an indoor environment the plants would be dead in a couple of weeks! Soilless mixes should be checked for moisture by feeling the weight of the pot or by sticking your finger a couple of inches below the surface to feel the moisture yourself. Another characteristic of the soilless mixes is they change to a lighter color as they dry and if you practice this can be a good indicator of when to water. Hydroton feeding is almost the opposite; it can pretty much be watered throughout the daily light cycle and remain viable because it retains virtually no moisture. Coco retains nutrients well, but it also drains well. Rockwool also falls in the middle: 114

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it’s designed to hold air and water evenly so it can be watered frequently, but it still holds enough air for the roots to breathe. The amount of water your plants need will fluctuate the most in rockwool. On the hottest days (or under strong light) they should be watered often with short-duration soakings, but for cool windless days they may be watered only once. Factor in all these considerations when deciding whether a medium is going to be easy for you to work with. The truth is that they are all user-friendly to a degree and you must decide which is best for your needs. The peat mixes are user-friendly in that you do not have to monitor the pH too much and you’ll still get a nice plant. Hydroton is great because it’s really hard to overwater. Rockwool and coco both have their ups and downs

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for new growers. Rockwool is an easy medium to use because what’s in it is what you feed it; there are no hidden nutrients or other factors to consider in the root zone and it allows you to know exactly what you’re doing—whether you’re doing it right or wrong. I do tend to advise most new growers of the somewhat temperamental nature of coco as a growing medium.

Hydroton has a very good structure and will allow plant roots to penetrate outside the clay, forming massive roots. Coco holds nutrients very well.

Cost comparisons Once you have chosen your preferred medium you’re off to the store to compare prices. Many of us start rethinking our options at this point! On first impression the peat mixes seem like the clear winners for cost, but then you must consider the amount of peat it will require to handle the size of plants you plan to work with. Hydroton has a very good structure and will allow plant roots to penetrate outside the clay, forming massive roots. Coco holds nutrients very well; it’s expensive but can produce quality root masses. Rockwool 116

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actually has the best root mass-to-product volume in the hydro industry—it is manufactured so that a rock will expand to 50 times its size, with an equivalent amount of rock fiber. All that extra space is air space, into which roots can grow.

Media maintenance All growing media require regular maintenance, which means that at some point your crop’s life cycle will come to an end and the media will have to be replaced or reused. The one thing to keep in mind when reusing any medium is that plant diseases are almost always species-specific. Media like hydroton are cost-effective because they can be reused several times, but must be thoroughly washed between crops. The other thing about hydroton reuse is that after several uses the rocks begin to break down and fall apart: remember, we are dealing with water—the same destructive force that made the Grand Canyon! Rockwool can be reused but it has to be reprocessed

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first, back at the factory. In Europe a very high percentage of commercial growers send back their used rockwool to be melted down and made into ‘new’ rockwool again. In North America, used rockwool from indoor growers is sometimes made into bricks for house building.Your used rockwool can be tilled into the garden for aeration or it can also be reused for other species in potting containers. Coconut coir is not reused often, due to its propensity to hold high microbial counts. This happens because root zones establish beneficial fungi and bacteria that thrive as long as plants continue to grow, but once they are harvested the roots will begin to decay and diseases will be present in the medium. Peat mixes are very similar to coconut in this respect, it can be steam sterilized under high temperatures and pressure—but not everybody has the kind of expensive equipment this process requires. Once you’ve mastered growing in each of the media we’ve discussed you’ll probably begin to think about plant quality, but that’s material for another column. For now, you should realize that each medium offers its own set of challenges and benefits, but finding the one that’s right for you and your situation is key to success early in your gardening experience. MY 118

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Growing for Health

The Dos and Don'ts of Hot Pepper Eating by Karen Wilkinson

Some people run marathons to challenge their bodies and minds. Others enjoy solving crossword puzzles, while some prefer sweating their hearts out in hot yoga or beneath the sweltering sun while tending to their vegetable and herb gardens.

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We all have our choice ways of “reaching our edge” as my yoga instructors put it. Whether it’s growing the biggest, baddest crop, scaling a mountain, building up to a crazy, ‘you-shouldn’tbend-that way’ pose or eating a ridiculously hot pepper, one thing eventually becomes clear: the body can handle more than you may think. It’s the mind that tries to get in the way. This adage is especially true when testing your limits (and taste buds) in the hot pepper eating world. Though it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, eating spicy vegetables has health benefits not derived from other foods. For instance, while it doesn’t directly promote weight loss, it helps you maintain your figure by boosting metabolism. And all peppers—hot or not— contain vitamins high in antioxidants, such as vitamins A, B, C and K. They’re a popular natural remedy to help fight sinus infections, alleviate pain, regulate blood pressure and circulation and even kill cancer cells. All contain capsaicin—the hot chemicals that create the fire-like feeling in your mouth—which signals the brain to release endorphins that in turn heighten our good, fuzzy feelings. Fancy way to beat depression! Aside from the many health perks (the Internet has way more information on this subject) peppers offer, they’re kind of just, well, fun. Albeit intense, hot pepper eating is a way to train the mind to handle more than it thinks possible. Who doesn’t want that. On that note, the daring (some may say silly or stupid) folks at EZ-CLONE Enterprises, Inc., have dabbled in the spicier side of pepper eating lately and, after much pain and suffering, have these words of wisdom to share for those considering popping a hottie.

DO:

Absolutely have something of substance in your belly before swallowing one. After hearing horror stories of people literally hitting the floor after eating a Ghost Pepper, this here writer ate yogurt before trying one. It still hurt, but it probably would have hurt more on an empty stomach. Start off slow, then gradually work your taste buds up to the real heat, says research and development manager Scott Thompson-Montague, aka “Cpt. Save a Plant.” As with any physical challenge, you don’t want to go beyond your actual limitations the first time. Instead, build the tolerance to move onto hotter stuff eventually. If you need to drink something, make it a liquid rich in oils and fats, says accountant Robert Grossklaus. He suggests a shot of olive oil. Office manager Jack Jimenez is a fan of chugging a cup o’ Joe. “I like to have coffee with cream and sugar handy

because that is my personal recipe for success," he says. “Drink a little before, eat the pepper and chase with a little more coffee—I have been successful so far!” If you’re not a spicy food fanatic, Jack recommends eating the pepper from the seed side first “because the bulk of them stay in the skin and don’t actually hit your pallet.” If you are accustomed to hot foods, however, chew the pepper to enjoy its flavor and savor the burn, Robert says. Chew gum afterward to help take the burn off the tongue, said designer Zury De La Cerda. When the heat is too much to bear, do a little hot pepper dance to make the pain go away, says national sales rep Chelsea Lawson. Distractions are key.

DON’T:

Don’t be scared, Robert and Scott say. The only thing between you and this experience is you. So just like jumping out of a plane, take the pepper plunge knowing you’ll land on your feet (though some people land on their bottoms after skydiving). Don’t lick your lips after eating a pepper, maybe for a few hours depending on the heat, Chelsea says. As well, don’t rub your eyes or any other sensitive body parts with your hands after touching those bad boys. Learning this the hard way is never fun. And lastly, as with everything in life, don’t forget to have fun! MY About the Author: Karen Wilkinson works for EZ-CLONE Enterprises, Inc., as its social media editor. She came to them with a background in journalism and technical writing and is learning to grow, clone and write for the hydroponics community. She’s a budding gardener and loves growing her own vegetables.

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Nutrition-

Plant Diet Basics by Matt LeBannister

A recipe for healthy plants When gardening indoors, you have to take on certain responsibilities to ensure that your plants are healthy and thriving. This includes providing all the essential nutrients required for plant growth. Discovering which fertilizer is right for you can seem complicated, as there are many different types of organic and inorganic fertilizers to choose from. Some fertilizers are one-part formulations, while others are separated into two- or three-parts. Many nutrients are granular, others are slow release and some organic fertilizers need to be broken down before they can become available to plants. 122

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NUTRITION — PLANT DIET BASICS

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the nutrients that plants require the most. Plants require these elements in abundance throughout their lifecycle if they are to thrive.

Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen is essential to plant development. It is very important for healthy leaf and stem growth and is needed in large amounts during the vegetative phase of plant growth. Nitrogen regulates the plant’s ability to make new protoplasm in the cells and is also necessary for the production of amino acids, enzymes, nucleic acids, chlorophyll and alkaloids. Nitrogen is needed in smaller

ability to resist bacteria, molds, pests and stress. Potassium also increases the level of chlorophyll in foliage and is necessary for the transportation of starch and sugars throughout the plant. This mineral is also essential to the plant’s ability to regulate the opening of stomata, which allows the plant to use light and air more efficiently.

Secondary Nutrients

Plants also require secondary nutrients. Most all-purpose fertilizers do not contain enough of these nutrients to satisfy the needs of fast-growing plants, so it is better to use high-quality, multipart nutrient solutions.

"Most all-purpose fertilizers do not contain enough of these nutrients to satisfy the needs of fast-growing plants, so it is better to use highquality, multipart nutrient solutions." amounts during the fruiting and flowering phase of plant growth. Excess nitrogen can ruin the flavor of fruit and vegetables, but built-up deposits can be flushed out with straight pH balanced water or a hydroponic clearing solution.

Phosphorous (P)

Plants need large amounts of phosphorous during germination, cloning, fruiting and flowering and it is highly important to a plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Phosphorous is also a component of DNA, many enzymes and proteins. Plants without access to large amounts of phosphorous during the fruiting and flowering phase will be stunted in growth and fruit production.

Potassium (K)

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Magnesium (Mg)

Fast-growing plants require plenty of magnesium throughout all stages of plant growth, but magnesium deficiencies are very common in indoor gardens. This element is essential to the production of chlorophyll and the absorption of light photons. Magnesium also neutralizes soil acids and toxic compounds produced by the plant.

Calcium (Ca)

Plants require calcium throughout all stages of growth. In fact, they need almost as much calcium as they do macronutrients, so deficiencies are common. Calcium is necessary for the manufacturing and growth of cells and it is essential that plants have calcium in the growing tip of each root for the roots to thrive.

Sulfur (S)

Any high-quality nutrient formulation will contain sulfur, as nutrients combined with sulfur mix better than those without. Quality hydroponic nutrients will separate calcium and sulfur into ‘A’ and ‘B’ parts, because if they were to be combined they would form an insoluble compound—the evidence of this can be seen as a crusty residue on soil or at the bottom of hydroponic reservoirs. High-quality nutrients use food-grade ingredients that are totally water-soluble and leave no residue. Gardeners should avoid elemental sulfur: a better source would be a sulfur compound such as magnesium sulfate. Sulfate is essential in the production of proteins and vitamins.

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Micronutrients (Trace Elements)

Plants require micronutrients throughout all stages of development, but they only require small amounts of these nutrients to be present in order to maintain their health and vigor. Always use a quality nutrient formulation that contains the full range of trace elements—and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as micronutrients can easily reach toxic levels.

"Plants require micronutrients throughout all stages of development, but they only require small amounts of these nutrients to be present in order to maintain their health and vigor."

Zinc (Zn)

Zinc works with other elements to promote enzyme production and also helps form and retain chlorophyll. It is commonly deficient in alkaline soil or hydroponic solutions.

Manganese (Mn)

Manganese plays an essential role in the chloroplast membrane system and also helps activate many enzymes.

Iron (Fe)

Iron is a necessary component in the plant’s enzyme systems. It is involved in plant respiration and must be present for plants to maximize photosynthesis. Iron is also a catalyst for chlorophyll production.

Boron (B)

Boron is a bit of a scientific mystery, although it is believed to be essential to the production of RNA, cell division and plant respiration. Boron is rarely found to be deficient.

Chlorine (Chloride) (Cl)

Chloride is not part of most nutrients, but is found in most water supplies and is rarely deficient in plants. Plants 126

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require chloride for photosynthesis and it is highly important to cell division within the roots and leaves. Chloride is also required to regulate moisture flow within the plant’s tissues.

Cobalt (Co)

Cobalt is rarely listed on most fertilizer labels, but it is linked to the production of aroma-producing enzymes and is beneficial to root-zone bacteria.

Molybdenum (Mo)

Molybdenum is an essential element that plants require in very minute amounts. It is vital to two major enzyme systems that change nitrate to ammonium and is also employed by plants to oxidize sulfur. Molybdenum is rarely deficient or found in toxic levels.

Copper (Cu)

Copper is crucial in the production of many enzymes and proteins and facilitates the metabolism of carbohydrates throughout the plant. It is necessary to a plant’s ability to fix nitrogen and helps ward off disease and keep plants healthy.

Silicon (Si)

Silicon is already present in soil and water and is rarely deficient or toxic. A deficiency of silicon is confirmed to lead to a decrease in the yield of fruit and will cause new leaves to be deformed. Scientists are still studying the effects of silicic acid in plants, which is found in the epidermal cell walls and is thought to strengthen cell walls.

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Chemical Fertilizers

There are many different types of chemical fertilizers. Some are liquid and come in one- two- or three-part solutions. Liquid-soluble chemical fertilizers are an excellent choice for the indoor gardener and are great for hydroponic systems as well as soil and soilless mixtures. On the other hand, granular chemical fertilizers can be easily over-applied, can leave behind residues and are not recommended. Time-released fertilizers can be easy to use, but are not suited for the indoor gardener as they are designed for uniform commercial growth. Avoid

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chemical nutrients that are low in quality and do not list or contain the necessary trace elements.

Organic Fertilizers

On a molecular level, organic nutrients are not really any different from chemical nutrients, though the number of isotopes may vary. Chemical fertilizers are manufactured using fossil fuels, while organic fertilizers are more environmentally friendly. Organic fertilizers are also generally believed to improve the flavor and aroma of fruit and flowers. Bone meal, worm castings, bat and seabird

guano, fishmeal, greensand and manure are all excellent examples of organic nutrients. They can be more suited to use outdoors since many organic fertilizers need to be broken down before the nutrients are available to the plant, but there are new liquid types of organic fertilizers that are better suited to hydroponic and indoor gardening. Liquid types of organic nutrients are easy to apply and are instantly available to plants. A quality nutrient solution contains all the necessary elements required for each stage of plant growth. Use this nutrient guide to better understand what your plants require and how best to meet their needs. MY

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The

Devil is in the Details by Casey Fraser

Mastered the basics? Casey Fraser has a few tips to help you reach the next level…

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So you’ve been gardening for a little while now and you have some solid experience with plants. By this time you’ve probably noticed several areas that could be improved with your indoor grow. If you’ve completed a couple harvests, it’s probably time to upgrade.

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Lights

Grow lights are the first step in building a garden, so you probably already have at least one of these. How about upping the wattage to increase your yields? If you are using fluorescent grow lights (T5s or compact fluorescents), try stepping up to a 400-watt metal halide or high pressure sodium. If you've been using a 400-watt, move up to the 600watt model.

You already have a 600-watt, you say? Then go ahead and get that 1,000watt lighting system you've been thinking about. Gardeners who take this step to improve their garden lighting often report double the yield they were getting with the lowerwattage light. If you already rock a 1,000-watt system, maybe it's time to get a second grow light. As long as your temperatures are kept cool (in the upper 70s), a second grow light will almost definitely double your current production levels.

Fans

Cooling your lights and garden is a key step in keeping your indoor environment productive. If you only have one fan pulling air out of your garden, you should add a matching fan to bring air in at the same rate it's going out—this will speed up the first fan and increase airflow. The plants will be able to accept more CO2, as more will be passing over their leaves.

CO2

If you run a CEA (closed environment agriculture) garden, you must supplement your CO2 instead of just bringing fresh air into the garden.There are two basic upgrades to CO2 systems. First, if you are using timers to control CO2 output, you are just guessing at your CO2 levels. Plants will not be able to accept as much CO2 if the levels are constantly fluctuating, so get a digital CO2 controller.This will keep your CO2 levels optimum and your plants will increase 134

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Gardeners who take this step to improve their garden lighting often report double the yield they were getting with the lowerwattage light.

their uptake—and increased [CO2] uptake means increased yields every time. The second CO2 upgrade you could make is switching from tanks and regulators to a CO2 generator. Many growers choose those heavy CO2 cylinders—like the ones used for soda fountains and kegs of beer—but these tanks are expensive and quickly depleted in an active garden. Make the switch to a CO2 generator that runs on propane or natural gas instead. Propane tanks are inexpensive, weigh less and last longer than CO2 tanks and if your house has natural gas, you can get a CO2 generator that will hook up directly to your gas line. No more tanks! If you go with a natural gas CO2 generator and a digital controller, there is no more routine maintenance, either. The gas is piped in and your CO2 levels stay optimum.

Containers

Most indoor plants are grown in pots, net cups or baskets. Consider upgrading your container sizes—increasing the available rooting space will allow for an expanded root mass. More roots equal more fruits! This is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to increase yields. In nature, plants have plenty of space to root out in all directions, allowing them to absorb more resources and build more biomass.

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Cooling your lights and garden is a key step in keeping your indoor environment productive.

The highest-yielding gardens I've seen always have plenty of room for rooting. Some of these gardens boast containers of 10- to 40-gallons per plant or large soilless beds containing about 100-gallons per 1,000-watt light. Are your plants flowering in three-gallon containers? Step it up to the five-gallon. Whatever the size of your container (unless it's al-

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ready huge) try upgrading the size. Watch your yield increase and try an even bigger container next time!

Nutrients and Supplements

This is where most growers try to make improvements, but you need to perfect your growing environment (lighting, temperature, humidity, CO2 and so on) before

your plants can make effective use of the scientific solutions slathering their roots. You should already be using a base nutrient mix with NPK, macronutrients and micronutrients, the elements required for plants to live. The base nutrients can be chemical or organic and are available in one-, two- and threepart formulas. Many growers also use a

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Increased [CO2] uptake means increased yields every time.

calcium magnesium supplement, but those elements still fall into the base nutrient category. Beyond base nutrients, there are myriad options to improve the health and vigor of your prized plants. The four most basic supplements are inoculants, carbohydrates, metabolism boosters and bloom boosters, in that order. Inoculants are beneficial microorganisms that take up residence in the root zones of healthy plants, breaking down organic matter and turning it into plant food. They increase the size of the roots and, most importantly, protect your plants from those evil microbes that cause disease and root rot. In my opinion this is the most important supplement you can add, because it will keep your plants alive and hungry. Look for inoculants in the form of bioactive teas, powders and bottled liquids. Ask your local hydro shop for their best beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizal products and watch your garden thrive with the new symbiots.

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Carbohydrates will feed these beneficial microorganisms, which will increase their populations, which in turn will increase both rooting and yield. Many growers— myself included—have also reported im-

proved flavor with the addition of complex carbs and simple sugars. Metabolism boosters (also called catalysts or vitamin supplements) will help your plants utilize base nutrients while improv-

ing their overall growth and health.Think of these as your plants’ daily multivitamin. You wouldn't die without a multivitamin, but when taken properly, vitamins do help increase your strength, energy and organ functions—and the same goes for your plants.When shopping for metabolism boosters for your plants, look for the following ingredients: kelp, B vitamins, amino acids, protein hydrolysate, triacontanol, Quillaja Saponaria,Yucca, humates and plant extracts. Bloom boosters come in various forms and have three basic purposes: to trigger flowering, to increase size and quality and to ripen plants in the pre-harvest phase. Many growers just use one product for all three phases, while more particular growers use different bloom boosters at specific phases of the flowering cycle. One key to purchasing the right bloom booster is understanding the levels of phosphorus and potassium. Higher phosphorus can be used to trigger flowering or to ripen flowers, while higher potassium levels will increase cell division, which is the key to biomass and maximum yields. (Note: powdered bloom boosters will have PK levels approximately 10 times that of liquids, because liquid products contain water.This is normal, so don't be frightened by the higher numbers in powders).

The four most basic supplements are inoculants, carbohydrates, metabolism boosters and bloom boosters, in that order.

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There are about a million additional items you could use to improve your garden, but these are the basics—so take a trip to your local hydroponics retailer and check out all the cool toys and amazing additives that can help to increase your yield and ease your workload!

You wouldn't die without a multi-vitamin, but when taken properly, vitamins do help increase your strength, energy and organ functions—and the same goes for your plants.

Two boxes for every grow room Box Number One—the Tool Box

If you are an indoor gardener, you need tools. Like many growers, I have made the mistake of using the same collection of tools at work, at home and in the grow room. Inevitably, I’ll then find that I am at one place—and the tool I need is at a different location. After years of frustration from missing screwdrivers and drill bits, I went to the hardware store and stocked up.The tools you need in your garden will depend on your skill set and techniques. For

example, I do electrical repair and installation so I need wire strippers and a multi-meter, but if you pay an electrician to wire your set-up you might not need these specialty tools. Every grower should keep the following items on hand: screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers, heavy duty blunt pliers, crescent wrench, vise grips, gloves, dust mask, duct tape, hammer, mallet, channel locks, socket set, multi-purpose hand saw, power drill with assorted bits, heavy-duty bypass pruners, heavy-duty shears and a good knife. A mixed collection of screws, nails, nuts and bolts is also recommended. For higher quality manufactured locally, look for tools made in North America.

Box Number Two—the Boom Box

Call them portable stereos. Call them ghetto blasters. Whatever you call them, just go get one and put it in your grow room! These days you can get a boom box with radio, CD player and an input for your digital music player for less than $50. Adding music to your gardening experience will improve your attitude—and if you’re anything like me, the improved attitude will translate to an improved work ethic. I get way more done with a steady stream of reggae, hip-hop and punk rock echoing across the plant canopy. I have even seen some growers add a flat screen HDTV to the garden. That's great—if you want to watch television instead of getting anything done! Watching television requires your vision: if your eyes are on the screen, you aren't paying attention to the work at hand. In the past, I watched movies while working on a harvest. A few years ago, my wife suggested that I turn off the tube and crank up the tunes. She was right—what was once a 12-hour task is now completed in four! MY 142

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Tips and Tricks

An Electrical Primer

by Dr. Benjamin Grimes

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

Voltage

Circuit Rating (Amps)

Max Available Watts

Number of 1,000 Watt Lights

Number of 600 Watt Lights

Number of 400 Watt Lights

110/120 110/120 110/120 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240 220/240

15 20 30 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 100 125 200 400

1,800 2,400 3,600 4,800 7,200 9,600 12,000 14,400 16,800 19,200 24,000 30,000 48,000 96,000

1 2 3 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 20 25 40 80

2 3 5 7 10 14 17 21 24 28 35 44 70 141

4 5 8 10 16 21 27 32 38 43 54 68 109 218

Tripping a breaker means that your circuit has been overloaded or shorted. While it may be tempting, do NOT under any circumstances replace a breaker that is tripping constantly with a higher rated breaker; in other words, Do NOT replace a 15-amp breaker with a 20-amp or a 20-amp breaker with a 30-amp. Doing so is like striking matches and throwing them at a can of gasoline—you’ll be fine for a little while, but eventually one will catch and you’ll burn your house down. “I once was called to a house where the owner had replaced his 15-amp breaker with a 20-amp breaker, then [he] ran his two 1,000-watt ballasts off the line. Luckily for him the outlet terminal melted off before the wire ignited in the wall: it was the closest thing I’ve seen to a miracle,” The Green Man, Oregon. 220/240 circuits are generally capable of handling heavier loads for longer periods of time: these circuits usually supply power to your clothes dryer, oven and range and—in some homes—electric vehicle outlets. Most are rated to handle 30- or 50-amps at 220/240 volts. If you need more electricity than you are wired for, hire an electrician to install a new circuit that meets your needs: a $300 circuit install is a lot cheaper than a fire! MY About the Author: Benjamin Grimes Ph.D (hc) is a horticulture enthusiast. He regularly applies his extensive skills in engineering and science by installing his control systems for indoor gardens and greenhouses throughout Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Benjamin is devoted to the research and development of sustainable and alternative agriculture solutions.

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Seeking the ‘Maximum Yield?’ Start at the Beginning! Seeds and Germination The successful indoor gardener knows that achieving the ‘maximum yield’ involves trial and error, constant testing and careful recording of data—and it should all start long before you see that first green shoot…

by Ed Harwood

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Most seeds can last for several seasons when stored in a dry (less than six per cent moisture), dark spot at the appropriate temperature—typically five degrees." As growers, we are taught from very early on to test everything and record the data for future reference.We test our leaves, the growing medium, the soil and the water, but we should really begin testing and recording data even earlier in the process—with our seeds. Since seeds are generally a significant cost in any garden, their optimal performance is a major factor in your overall yield. All too often our planting records tend to be concerned only with the final product—and we ignore the impact of germination on optimizing yields per unit of time and on cost for final product. Germination performance, often referred to as vigor, depends on the seed itself (source, quality and variety), its treatment (dormancy, scarification), its environment (moisture, temperature, light) and the need for stem elongation. Seed genetics have the largest impact on germination, so you may wish to trial several varieties of the same species.

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Table I:

Seed Weight and Longevity for Home Garden Vegetables Crop

Seeds per Ouncea

Relative Longevity under Cool, Dry Conditions (Years)bc

Asparagus

700

three

Broccoli

9,000

five

Brussel Sprouts

8,500

five

Cabbage

8,500

five

Carrot

23,000

three

Cauliflower

9,000

five

Celery

70,000

five

Cucumber

1,100

five

Eggplant

6,000

five

Kale

9,500

five

Leek

11,000

three

Lettuce

25,000

five

Onion

9,000

one to two

Parsley

18,000

two

Pepper

4,500

four

Radish

3,000

five

Spinach

2,800

five

Swiss Chard

1,500

one to two

Tomato

11,000

four

Watermelon

200 to 300

five

Sources: a “Seeds”, The Yearbook of Agriculture, 1961, Stefferud, A., editor, The United States Government Printing Office. b Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 1960, Knott, Joe, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. c Vegetable Growing Handbook, 1979, Splittstoesser, W.E., AVI Publishing, Inc.

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Seeds come from many places besides the United States. For instance, imported lettuce seeds come mostly from Australia and Chile, as well as from Holland and the UK. Typically, seeds are harvested and then marked for the season in which they are meant to be planted. The distance seeds have travelled is not likely to be a factor in their quality unless they become moist (when they might begin germinating or rotting) or get too hot (possibly sterilized) or too cold (which might induce dormancy). Most seeds can last for several seasons when stored in a dry (less than six per cent moisture), dark spot at the appropriate temperature—typically five degrees. Different seeds have different properties, though—tropical plant seeds, for instance, often vary considerably in their tolerance of desiccation. Indeed, the text on seed germination is quite thick— which reflects the many types of seeds and their various requirements. When you buy seeds in larger quantities (pounds or above), the label will show the date when the ‘germination per cent’ was determined.The determination of this measurement was carried out under laboratory conditions engineered to get high numbers, so it isn’t a guarantee of performance under your particular garden conditions—although hydroponic results do often exceed these percentages to the advantage of the grower. Seeds come treated in a variety of ways, most often with pesticides and by pelleting. Pelleting is an aid to handling and may also provide nutrients. Pesticide-free seeds are generally available, but caution should be used to ensure that no diseases are present on the seeds that could end up damaging the mature crop—if you seal them with no oxygen and store them for some time with low moisture levels, pests will not be able to survive. Before planting, be sure that there are no requirements for any kind of treatment to release your seeds from dormancy—strawberry seeds, for example, require some time in the freezer before they are viable. Also, prepare your labeling scheme and a map of your location so that the records you

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Table 2:

keep of your seed trials will be accurate. Be sure to plant each batch with very similar conditions every time to ensure a good comparison. Here are some of the condiMinimum Per Cent Min °F Opt. °F Max °F Days to Germinate Under Crop Germinationab Optimum Temperature tions you should consider: and Moisture Conditionsc • Moisture: Be sure the maintenance Asparagus 60 50 75 95 10 of moisture levels is similar via covers and regular replenishment, if Broccoli 75 85 four applicable. Note that the amount of Cabbage 75 40 80 100 four contact a seed has with the growing Carrot 55 40 80 95 six medium will determine the moisture it receives. Cauliflower 75 40 80 100 five • Light: Be sure the amount of light reCelery 55 40 70 85 seven ceived by each batch of seeds is simiCucumber 80 60 95 105 three lar. Some seeds require a short burst of light or continuous light for best Eggplant 60 60 85 95 six results. I use a set of squares moving Kale 75 80 four from transparent to translucent to Lettuce 80 35 75 85 three opaque nested inside each other as covers for seed germination. Onion 70 35 75 95 six • Duration: Experimentation with covParsnip 60 35 65 85 14 ering your seeds for different periods Pea 80 40 75 85 six of time will provide various stem lengths, which can be helpful when Pepper 55 60 85 95 eight harvesting. I typically remove the Pumpkin 75 60 95 100 four covers just prior to or at the appearRadish 75 40 85 95 four ance of cotyledons (first leaves). • pH: Seeds have a range they find acSpinach 60 35 70 85 five ceptable and this should remain simiTomato 75 50 85 95 six lar for all batches being compared. Turnip 80 40 85 105 three • Density: Although allelopathy (the impact of natural herbicides produced Watermelon 80 60 95 105 four by plants to enhance their survival Sources: aMinimum per cent germination to federal standards. b chances in competition with other Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 1960, Knott, J.E., John Wiley and Sons, Inc. c “Seeds”,The Yearbook of Agriculture, 1961,Stefferud, A., editor, The United States Government Printing Office. plants) is not really of concern, your See also: Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, 2001, C.C. and J.M. germination tests can help determine Baskin, Academic Press. optimal densities for future yields. In my experiments I did find there was an optimum density for seeds and that too many or too few adversely affected yield levels. MY

Germination Data for Home Garden Vegetable Seeds

In my experiments I did find there was an optimum density for seeds and that too many or too few adversely affected yield levels. 152

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s t n a l P r u Giving Yo

p u k c e a Ch by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

Is tracking the nutrient element status of your plants and rooting medium really necessary? Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. explains why plants might need a checkup even if they don’t have any symptoms and tells us why we need more guys like him in the laboratory. >>

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giving your plants a checkup

Most greenhouse growers I have advised do not test and are not aware that their ability to produce high yields of quality fruit is being determined to some degree by the elemental content of their plants."

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It has been my experience over many years of advising hydroponic growers that few bother to monitor the nutrient element status of their crops by means of periodic leaf analyses, assuming that all is well until leaf problems appear as symptoms of a possible nutrient element insufficiency. Leaf analysis monitoring is just not a common practice—growers will tell me that it’s too expensive and that they are unsure of when and how samples should be collected and where the samples should be submitted for interpretation. Several years ago a greenhouse tomato grower called me, describing leaf symptoms that had appeared. I asked if he had collected a sample for analysis and the next day he arrived at my office with a leaf sample in hand.The visual symptoms he had described on the phone were not easily recognizable and when I looked at the leaves he brought I was still stumped as to the source of the problem. The grower had also been in contact with an advisor associated with the greenhouse growing system he was using and this expert suspected that the problem was due to atmospheric contamination, either from drifting agricultural chemicals (his greenhouse was in an active agricultural area) or from ethylene or some other gas being emitted from his gas heater.The leaf analysis, however, correctly identified the leaf symptoms as a zinc deficiency, induced by high phosphorus levels in the leaf tissue. I recommended that he remove phosphorus from his nutrient solution formulation—he followed

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giving your plants a checkup

my advice and when new growth emerged, there were no further deficiency symptoms. Several years ago I was advising four greenhouse tomato growers, making monthly visits to assist with the management of their crops and to collect leaf tissue for monitoring the nutrient element status of their plants. All were having challenges. About mid-season, magnesium deficiency symptoms usually appeared on the older plant leaves, the number of tomatoes affected by blossom end rot increased and the leaf analysis results suggested that there was an unexplainable accumulation of some elements in the plants.This accumulation had changed the ratio among the major cations as well as boosting the phosphorus content, which was now approaching one per cent—a level thought to be toxic. One grower did make a substantial change in his nutrient solution formulation, but unfortunately that change was not reflected in the elemental content of the newly emerging leaves. At this point, I wondered what the nutrient element content in the rooting medium was. All four tomato growers were monitoring the electrical conductivity (EC) of their medium solutions and resorting to water leaching when needed. At the end of the

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Unfortunately, laboratories providing leaf analysis services—including symptom interpretation for greenhouse tomatoes—are not that thick on the ground."

growing season, I collected perlite from the Bato buckets they were all using. A water saturation extraction of the perlite didn’t provide much useful information so I decided to treat the perlite as if it was a soil, using a soil extraction method.The analysis results were very revealing: it turned out there was a substantial accumulation of elements—particularly phosphorus—as well as potassium and calcium. The latter result explained the magnesium deficiency occurrence, due to the developing imbalance between the potassium and the calcium and magnesium. Perhaps the occurrence of blossom end rot could be related to the magnesium deficiency too, as this fruit disorder occurs when plants are under stress.The high phosphorus levels could also be interfering with biochemical processes in the plants, primarily affecting the functions of both iron and zinc. Sometimes a leaf analysis result can be misleading or difficult to interpret. A greenhouse tomato grower sent a leaf sample to a laboratory where I am available to interpret the results.The leaf analysis result was not very conclusive, so I contacted the grower asking him to describe the visual leaf symptoms. He said the leaf margins were drying and I asked him to send me a sample of the perlite in which his plants were rooted.When I looked at the assay results obtained by using a soil extraction method, I concluded that the leaves were deficient in magnesium, a state induced by an imbalance among the major cation elements potassium, calcium and magnesium. Although the plant analysis result hinted at a possible major element insufficiency, the perlite assay results confirmed that the deficient element was magnesium.

giving your plants a checkup

Another issue that must be considered when troubleshooting plant deficiencies is what is occurring in the rooting medium that might be influencing the nutrient element status of the plant." Unfortunately, laboratories providing leaf analysis services—including symptom interpretation for greenhouse tomatoes—are not that thick on the ground. Some states do provide leaf analysis services through their land-grant state universities, but they don’t provide rooting medium analysis services such as I have described—and this is equally true for most commercial soil and plant analysis laboratories, which are able to conduct the assay but are usually reluctant to make an interpretation. Even the most experienced large-acreage growers do little routine testing. As long as plants are not showing symptoms and all seems to be going well, why test? It’s a good question—without an easy answer. Experience has shown that plants grow well within a fairly wide elemental range, but what has not been well documented is that fruit yield and quality are both likely to be affected to some extent due to elemental insufficiencies even when there are no visual leaf or plant symptoms. Most greenhouse growers I have advised do not test and are not aware that their ability to produce high yields of quality fruit is being determined to some degree by the elemental content of their plants. Another issue that must be considered when troubleshooting plant deficiencies is what is occurring in the rooting medium that might be influencing the nutrient element status of the plant—an issue that also involves a time factor, as nutrient solution is being delivered to the rooting medium on a set schedule. It may be that the rooting medium is what requires monitoring and the nutrient solution formulation and use parameters need to be adjusted to avoid element accumulation and an increasing imbalance among the major cations.The elements of primary interest in this scenario are magnesium and its deficiency or imbalance with potassium and calcium, as well as the accumulation of phosphorus.

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So now that I’ve convinced you that both leaf and rooting medium analyses are crucial steps in the hydroponic grower’s quest for the fabled ‘maximum yield,’ I have to break the bad news: there just aren’t enough facilities around that can perform these important tests—and even fewer analysts attached to the facilities in question who are capable of correctly interpreting the test results. What the indoor gardening scene needs now are analytical service laboratories that can provide leaf and rooting medium analysis service as well as qualified personnel able to interpret the results, advising growers on what nutrient solution formulations and use parameters should be applied in order to correct and avoid plant nutrient element insufficiencies. MY

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Beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corner

Hydroponic Simplicity:

A Tribute to Steve Jobs by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

Dr. Jones reminisces about Steve Jobs and wonders how the iGrow system might have worked.

The two 30-gallon cans in the background contain nutrient solution. The depth of nutrient solution in the nine-gallon containers on the right and 13-foot long troughs on the left are maintained by the use of float values that are fed by gravity nutrient solution from the 30-gallon cans. The nine-gallon containers are planted to either tomato or pepper rooted in perlite and the two 13-foot-long troughs planted to green bean rooted in perlite. The same nutrient solution formulation is used for these crops.

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The recent passing of Steve Jobs brought back memories, as my first computer was an Apple II. My next computer purchase was a Macintosh, as I was just beginning my writing career and this computer had the capabilities I needed. I had founded two international journals, serving as their executive editor; with my Mac, as it was fondly called, I could boot any submitted disk, scan submitted manuscripts, edit and then generate cameraready copy for publication. I purchased two additional Macs and for more than 10 years, I edited hundreds of manuscripts and wrote many articles, book chapters and seven books. I still have these Macs, but I have now reluctantly converted to a Microsoft system laptop, which I am using to write this article. As I read the tributes to Steve Jobs, the word simplicity was frequently mentioned, as Jobs wanted his products to have a simplicity that would make them unique and impossible to modify their operating system or attach other devices. Some have argued that this has limited the acceptance of Apple computers, turning away those wanting to add additional software and hardware capabilities. As I thought about the concept of simplicity, I wondered if could it be applied to hydroponics. The most commonly used hydroponic growing systems and operating principles are wide in scope and can be easily modified. Today’s hydroponic grower can choose from a number of growing systems—some better suited for particular uses than others—employing various operating procedures, so simplicity may not actually suit hydroponic growing.

With every Apple product Jobs made the decision how it was to be used.You didn’t have a choice of options or the ability to modify its operational characteristics or functions. His products sold because they did what they were designed to do—and they did it so well. So, let’s design a hydroponic growing system as Jobs would have, employing a fixed design and operating procedure. The rooting vessel is either a box or trough, the size optional—depending on how easy it is to handle—with a depth of nine-inches. The rooting medium is perlite and the rooting container is filled to a depth of precisely seven-inches. This depth is critical, so anything less or more than seven-inches will adversely affect plant growth. Either by hand measurement and addition or with the use of a float value, an inch of nutrient solution is constantly maintained in the bottom of the rooting vessel. If the depth of the

solution is more or less than one-inch, plant growth will be adversely affected and if the depth of the nutrient solution fluctuates, root growth will be impaired as well. The nutrient solution is a diluted modification of the Hoagland/Arnon nutrient formulation (see note below). If anything other than this nutrient solution formulation is used, plant growth will be adversely affected. What are the selling points for this Jobs-inspired hydroponic growing system? This system is simple in its design and easy to build and operate, with no loss of water or reagents to the environment, no need for elaborate equipment, timers or a nutrient solution recovery system and no need to monitor the rooting medium for EC or pH. No electrical power is required. All of the water and nutrient elements are totally utilized by the plant and a wide range of plant species will grow well in this system, whether it is placed outside or in a controlled environment. Hmmm—what do you think? Would you use this hydroponic growing system? MY Note: This nutrient solution formulation is described in my book, Hydroponic Handbook: How Hydroponic Growing Systems Work, pages 57 to 58.

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

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you tell us

“If Your Plants Could Talk…”

Doreen Langa

We spent a few moments with Doreen Langa from EYE HORTILUX to chat about the best bang for your buck in the grow lamp department and how the “steady and sure” path to market means better quality in the lighting biz. Maximum Yield (MY): What products in the EYE H line are you most excited about right now and why? Doreen Langa: EYE HORTILUX™ is excited to launch our newly redesigned 1,000-watt HPS lamp that has been improved for more reliable use on all electronic ballasts. This new lamp is packaged in stickered boxes—we made the environmentally friendly decision to use up our inventory of old boxes (retail cartons) and overlay a ‘new and improved’ sticker so as not to waste packaging. One easy way to distinguish this new lamp is to look at the glass along the base of the lamp: it’s completely clear—gone is the traditional silver-color getter flash along

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the bottom (see picture). Look for both the stickered and new style packaging at your local hydro stores (see insert).The product inside is the same new lamp. Other improvements to the lamp include a stronger build (with fewer welds) and an improved thermal design that increases reliability under varying frequencies (60 to 100,000 hertz). Our ultra-pure vacuum seal also delivers improved lamp performance. From an environmental standpoint, HORTILUX™ has always been the market leader and is one of the few lamp brands in the hydroponic industry to have had its products tested and certified as EPA/TCLP compliant. Look for the EN—environmentally friendly—symbol on our lamp boxes, which means that the lamp inside is considered non-hazardous waste, is completely lead free and contains less mercury than standard HPS lamps. Another green feature of this lamp is that all barium has been removed. Choosing HORTILUX™ brand lamps means you are not only doing the right thing for your plants—you’re also doing the right thing for the environment!

MY: What other products does EYE Lighting offer that are important to today’s modern indoor gardener? Doreen: EYE HORTILUX™ will be launching an electronic ballast this fall that is designed and manufactured by our parent company Iwasaki Electric in Japan. This ballast will not only optimize the performance of our HPS and metal halide lamps but lamps from other manufacturers as well— look for more information to be released very soon. This ballast will truly be a game changer for the hydroponics industry, as we have been perfecting the technology for years. As with all products manufactured and designed by our Japanese parent, it is “Simply the Best!”

MY: What design elements are used in your products to ensure superior performance and ease-of-use? Doreen: There are two major elements that guarantee superior performance from our products: the first is our exclusive arc-tube chemistry—EYE HORTILUX™ uses one-of-a-kind chemistry that no other manufacturer has access to in the industry. Simply put, we own our chemistry! This means that the chemical dosing of our bulbs (which provides the full spectrum plants require) is unique. The second element that sets our products apart is quality: our bulbs are engineered in Japan and built in the USA and all HORTILUX™ bulbs are produced in compliance with strict environmental controls in an ISO14001:2004 facility. Every lamp is hand inspected and lit prior to shipment and all factory waste is disposed of properly following strict environmental guidelines. All these technological innovations and process controls may mean you pay a little more for our lamps—but, if your plants could talk, they would tell you that HORTILUX™ is worth every penny! MY: In your opinion, what is the ideal lighting arrangement for a beginner with a modest grow room set-up? Doreen: Beginner and expert growers both have many choices when it comes to lighting. Many growers start vegetative growth with metal halide lamps (increased blue spectrum) and finish with high pressure sodium (increased red spectrum). Some growers stick with one type of lamp for the entire cycle—and there is nothing wrong with this option. The best advice we can give growers is to not dim any lamp, whether it’s a HORTILUX™ or any other HID lamp,

because dimming a lamp changes its spectral output. The chemicals within the arc tube are not fully energized when dimmed and this phenomenon decreases the spectral quality of the light, so we always suggest that you choose the best wattage for the plants being grown and operate your lamps at full power. MY: Why are HID lights ideal for indoor gardens? What benefits do they offer? Doreen: The three most important aspects of lighting for highly productive plant growth are intensity, spectrum and focus. (For a complete article on this subject visit our website at eyehortilux.com and query Newsletter, Issue 2: 2011). Currently, there is no other type of lighting source that delivers the intensity and spectrum required for plant growth as economically as HID (high intensity discharge lighting).Within the category of HID lighting, high pressure sodium (HPS) is actually your best option when you consider the cost of achieving the desired lumens per watt.While LED lighting certainly has the ability to deliver exact blue and red spectral peaks from the plant sensitivity curve, currently they are unable to provide the intensity (lumens per watt) required in a reasonable price range for large grows.That’s why you might want to consider LEDs for vegetative growth only, or for supplemental lighting within an HID system. Another benefit of HID lighting is that it also delivers light in the areas outside the visible range—like the sun, HID lighting delivers ultraviolet light (UV) and infrared light (IR), both critical for healthy plant growth and not necessarily produced with all artificial light sources. MY: What can gardeners expect from EYE Lighting in the future? Doreen: EYE Lighting and EYE HORTILUX™ will never stop bringing quality products to market. Having traditional Japanese roots, our company philosophy leads us to take a very steady and sure path to market, always striving to deliver proven, world-class technology

with every innovation. Although to the uninformed it could appear that we are slow to react to industry trends, this is not actually the case. With a less than .05 per cent return rate on our lamps it is clear that we make sure the kinks are worked out long before a product is released and our loyal customers appreciate our diligent quality control and careful craftsmanship. Our United States manufacturing team operates with exactly the same philosophy of proven technological innovation and quality workmanship— and they too take pride in ensuring the products used in your garden are safe and reliable and as environmentally friendly as we can make them. You can learn more about our product offerings and our recommended publications at eyehortilux.com MY Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

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talking shop

The Victory team from left: Rob Richardson (owner), Josiah Gordon (sales associate and in-store garden tender) and George Calagias (owner).

AT A GLANCE Company: Victory Hydro Gardening Owners: George Calagias and Rob Richardson Location: 1387 East South Boulder Road, Louisville, CO Phone: 1-303-66-HYDRO (66-49376); 1-855-55-HYDRO (55-49376) Email: info@victoryhydro.com Motto: “Helping you grow with fair prices and honest advice.”

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A local-minded grow shop balances the high-tech fun of hydroponics and the earthly benefits of organic growing while guiding customers beyond the marketing to help them find the best products possible for their gardens. George Calagias and Rob Richardson didn’t really have any idea what they were doing when they opened Victory Hydro Gardening in August, 2010 in Louisville, Colorado—they just knew they didn’t want to keep working for somebody else. “I worked in politics and as a legislative aide before moving to Colorado to work in sales and marketing within the cycling and triathlon industry,” Rob tells us, “and I was at a point in my job at the time where I was looking for an exit. My wife and I visited an old friend in Sebastopol, California where he had owned and operated a few grow shops and I kind of just had an epiphany—I have always had a love for growing and I had worked in retail before and knew I was really good at both. To add to that, I knew deep down inside I was never going to be fulfilled, professionally, until I worked for myself.” Rob’s epiphany happened at just the right time for his friend George, who happened to be looking to change careers at exactly the same time. “I had been very successful over the years with my construction business in

Arizona. However, when the economy tanked in 2008, Arizona was—and still is—one of the hardest-hit states and the housing and development market completely dried up,” George explains. “I’m not one to remain idle, so I began looking for other opportunities. Around that time, Rob called me with his idea of opening a grow store in the Denver/Boulder area. The rest, as they say, is history!” Rob had some hydro experience and he had worked in the retail business before, while George had the business acumen that came as a result of running his construction business for 30 years. They weren’t indoor growing experts by any means, but they had determination and drive and their positive attitude was a hit with their customers. In an industry that is notoriously hard on retail start-ups, how did Rob and George manage to stay afloat? “Word-of-mouth has always been our bread-and-butter marketing tool,”

Rob says. “Those who shop here quickly hydroponics and testing new products.” our customer replies, ‘No, but I like to just experience the value in coming to our Rob and George believe firmly that carhang out and talk to these guys. This place store for their gardening needs. Eventurying quality products is the way to go. is just like the bar!’ So, I feel our greatally, they tell a few friends who end up “We try to dedicate our shelf space to est strength is the relationships we garner visiting us—and so on. Our location quality hydro products, like Cyco and with our customers. Of course, before helps too, as we sit in front of one of the GH, whose results speak louder than the they are customers we win them over busiest grocery stores in the area and marketing fluff inundating the industry.We with our over-the-top customer service, next door to a bustling liquor store. So, also try to offer a variety of unique, qualitylow and honest prices, honest advice and referrals and location have helped to get driven lines of organics—brands like diverse product selection. But it’s that people in the door—then, once inside, bond we create with our customers which GreenGro Mycorrhizae,Vital Earth’s and we lay on the magic and more often Nectar for the Gods are three that really really sets us apart.” than not we end up making a first-timer stand out in that category,” George says. While it was just the two of them in a regular on the spot! Once someone Finally, when we asked them about the shop at first, they’ve had to enlist experiences our product variety, hontheir business philosophy and where a little help now that the business is est advice, low prices and welcoming they thought the grow business was doing so well. environment, they realize we heading, Rob summed it all are the people they wish to up for us: “Our success lies "Once someone experiences our product do business with.” in the countless customers variety, honest advice, low prices and “We have also focused we’ve honestly helped when welcoming environment, they realize we are other stores could not or marketing energies on our the people they wish to do business with.” website, victoryhydro.com,” adds would not. It’s easy to say George, “which is designed to ‘no need is too big to fill’, be information-heavy while but it’s not always easy for also having the capability to capture ona business to say no need is too small “We recently brought on our first emline sales. We’ve recently begun producing to fill. We’re here for the little guy as ployee, Josiah, who has been a great ada series of ‘how-to’ videos that are featured dition to our business,” Rob says. “While much as we are for the big guy. It’s still there and on our YouTube channel titled a relatively new industry and naturally, it has been essential to our business ‘growshopvideos’. In addition, we view it has some shortcomings. However, it model for George and I to be intimately our customers as friends. For example, is still a small industry where relationinvolved with every aspect of the busione day a regular customer stopped in and ships do matter. Most of the manufacness—right down to helping customers brought his brother along. Right away, our turers and distributors have not reached load items into their vehicles—Josiah has customer bought some things but then that inhuman corporate level and are helped us by bringing in a lifetime of we all started talking about his garden and, indoor and outdoor gardening experquick to respond to the needs and after about 20 minutes, the conversation concerns of a shop like ours. As long tise. When not working at the shop, he had covered all kinds of topics. Finally, as that sort of dialogue is maintained, I spends much of his time working in his brother asked him, ‘Hey man, are you believe there is a very bright future for both his indoor and outdoor gardens and gonna buy something else or what?’ Then continually learning more about organics, hydroponics retailers.” MY Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

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DO YOU KNOW?

Propane tanks are inexpensive, weigh less and last longer than CO2 tanks and if your house has natural gas, you can get a CO2 generator that will hook up directly to your gas line.

A successful indoor gardener can easily produce seven to 10 times more food than a traditionally farmed plot of the same size outdoors.

EC is the preferred unit of measurement for hydroponics—meters which give readings in ppm are not actually measuring parts per million, but measuring EC and then using an inbuilt, approximate conversion factor to give a reading in ppm.

The Sunset and USDA zones can help determine which storebought plants are appropriate for your climate: check the available sunlight hours in your space and compare them to the listed requirements of prospective seeds and plants.

8. 4.

Be careful what you kill—not all microbes and insects are harmful; in fact, most are not.

How many lights should go over your plants? Here’s the formula: [Total square feet / wattage of lamp to be used] x watts per square foot desired = number of lights required.

220/240 circuits are generally capable of handling heavier loads for longer periods of time: these circuits usually supply power to your clothes dryer, oven and range and—in some homes— electric vehicle outlets. Most are rated to handle 30 or 50 amps at 220/240 volts.

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Only recently have specially designed reflectors that burn lamps in a vertical orientation but still allow for eight inch glass-sealed air-cooling emerged onto the market.

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Plants without access to large amounts of phosphorous during the fruiting and flowering phase will be stunted in growth and fruit production.

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Photo courtesy of Joseph Kemp

COMING UP IN FFEBRUARY

Ask the Experts Issue The devil is in the details and our expert contributors are certainly thorough, providing their performance secrets for success in the grow room. They enthusiastically submitted their topic suggestions essential to any specialist’s growing repertoire. Our February Ask the Experts Issue is a must-read for any grower. Beginner hobbyists can delight in and daydream of what could one day be; and the practiced hydroponicists can start to implement one technique at a time to advance their grow.

• • • •

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Efficiency and the Indoor Garden Power-free Watering Expert Cloning Techniques Beyond the Basics – MIST (modularity, irrigation, substrate and technology) Top 10 Mistakes Made by Advanced Growers Growth Hormones Chelated Nutrients and Amino Acid

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More!

•

www.maximumyield.com Maximum Yield USA February will be available next month for FREE at selected indoor gardening retail stores across the country and on maximumyield.com Subscriptions are available at maximumyield.com/subscriptions.php

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MAX-MART

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MAXIMUM YIELD ALABAMA Alabama Organics 3348 Bethel Road, Hammondville, AL 35989 256-635-0802

distributors

ALASKA Brown’s Electrical Supply 365 Industrial Way, Anchorage, AK 99501 907-272-2259 Far North Garden Supply 2834 Boniface Parkway Anchorage, AK 99504 907-333-3141 Southside Garden Supply AK 12870 Old Seward Highway, Unit 114, Anchorage, AK 99515 907-339-9997 Holmtown Nursery Inc. 1301 - 30th Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701 907-451-8733 Ground Control Landscape ServicesHydroponic & Garden Supplies 1067 Ocean Dr. Homer ,Alaska 99603 907-235-1521 Northern Lights Greenhouse & Garden Supply Suite 105-9737 Mud Bay Road Ketchikan, Alaska 9901 907-225-GROW (4769) Alaska Jack’s Hydroponics and Garden Supply 1150 S. Colony Way, Ste.9 Palmer, AK 99645 (907) 746-4774 Anuway Hydroponics Suite #1 2711 W Walnut Rogers AK 72756 USA 479 631 0099 Peninsula Garden Supply AK 44224 Sterling Highway, Suite 4, Soldotna, AK 99669 907-420-0401 Far North Garden Supply 300 Centaur Street, Wasilla, AK 99654 907-376-7586 ARIZONA Sea of Green Flagstaff 204-C E. Route 66 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928-774-SOGF(7643) The Hydro Closet 5826 West Olive Avenue #106 Glendale, Arizona 85302 602-361-2049 Homegrown Hydroponics 2525 West Glendale Ave Phoenix AZ 85051 602-368-4005 Sea of Green West 2340 W. Bell Road, Suite 116, Phoenix, AZ 85023 602-504-8842 ACI Hydroponics 1325 South Park Lane, Tempe, AZ 85282 800-633-2137 Homegrown Hydroponics 601 East Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282 480-377-9096 Sea of Green Hydroponics 1301 E. University Dr. Tempe AZ, 85281 800-266-4136 Gonzo Grow 10297 W Van Buren Street, Tolleson, AZ 85353 623-780-GROW Natural Pools & Gardens 2143 North Country Suite C, Tucson, AZ 85716 520-323-2627 Sea of Green Hydroponics 402 North 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85705 520-622-6344

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Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

ARKANSAS Mickey’s Mercantile 1303 Highway 65 South, Clinton, AR 72031 501-412-0214 Old Soul Organics and More 1771 Crossover Road, Fayetteville, AR 72701 479-444-6955 Growfresh Organics & More 2900 Zero St, Ste 106 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-648-8885 Fermentables 3915 Crutcher Street, N. Little Rock, AR 72118 501-758-6261 Anuway Hydroponics 2711 W. Walnut Street, Rogers, Arkansas 72756 479-631-0099

CALIFORNIA Greenleaf Hydroponics 1839 W Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92801 714-254-0005 Grow It Yourself Gardens 401 Sunset Drive, Suite L, Antioch, CA 94509 925-755-GROW High Desert Hydroponics 13631 Pawnee Road, #7 Apple Valley, CA 92308 760-247-2090 American Hydroponics 286 South G Street, Arcata, CA 95521 800-458-6543 Humboldt Hydroponics 601 I Street, Arcata, CA 95521 707-822-3377 Let it Grow 160 Westwood Center, Arcata, CA 95521 707-822-8733 Northcoast Horticulture Supply 639 6th St. Arcata, CA 95521 707-826-9998 Sweet Harvest Hydroponics & Organics 1041 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande,CA 93420 (805) 473-0004 Auburn Organic 4035 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, CA 95602 530-823-8900 High Street Hydro 180 Cleveland Avenue, Auburn, CA 95603 530-885-5888 Quail Mountain Ranch 230 Palm Ave Auburn, CA 95603 530-889-2390 Tell 2 Friends Indoor Gardening 62 Sutherland Drive, Auburn, CA 95603 530-889-8171 Bakersfield Hydroponics Bakersfield , CA 1 (661) 808-4640 Stop N Grow 5455 Rosedale Hwy Bakersfield, CA 93308 (661) 859-1988 Green Leaf Hydroponics 3903 Patton Way #103 Bakersfield CA 93308 661-245-2616 Kern Hydroponics 2408 Brundage Lane, Suite B, Bakersfield, CA 93304 661-323-7333 The Hydro Shop 3980 Saco Road Bakersfield, CA 661-399-3336

Better Grow Hydro Los Angeles 5554 Bandini Boulevard, Bell, CA 91106 323-510-2700; 877 640 GROW Super Starts PO Box 732, Bellmont, CA 94002 650-346-8009 Berkeley Indoor Garden 844 University Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710 510-549-2918 Berkeley’s Secret Garden 921 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710 510-486-0117 Hydroponic Connection, The 2816 San Pablo Ave Berkeley, CA 94702 510 704-9376 Brentwood Hydroponics & Organics 560 Valdry Ct #85 Brentwood, CA 94513 925-634-6704 Good To Grow & Global Garden Supply 1350 Rollins Rd Burlingame, CA, 94010 (650) 733-4420 Advanced Garden Supply 3113 Alhambra Drive, Unit F, Cameron Park, CA 95682, 530-676-2100 Precision Hydroponics 132 Kennedy Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008 408-866-8176 Elite Horticulture Supply 22330 Sherman Way, C13, Canoga Park, CA 91303 818-347-5172 Hydro International 7935 Alabama Avenue Canoga Park, CA 91304 Advanced Hydroponics 17808 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country, CA 91351 Myron L Company 2450 Impala Drive, Carlsband, CA 9210-7226 760-438-2021 661-299-1603 San Diego Hydroponics North County Coastal 6352 Corte Del Abeto #J Carlsbad CA, 92011 760-420-8934 The Greenhouse Garden Supply 7619 Fair Oak Blvd. Carmichael, CA 95608 1 (916) 515-9130 NorCal Creations PO Box 28, Cedar Ridge, CA 95924 Garden Connection, The 2145 Park Avenue, Unit 2 Chico, CA 95928 530-342-7762 Hydro King 2540 South Whitman Place, Chico, CA 959282 530-893-GROW (4769) Grow4Less garden Supply & Hydroponics 320 Trousdale Dr., Suite L Chula Visa CA 91910 619-425-GROW Citrus Heights Hydrogarden 8043 Greenback Lane Citrus Heights, CA 95610 916-728-4769 Conrad Hydroponics Inc. 14915 Unit E, Olympic Drive, Clearlake, CA 95422 707-994 3264 Under The Sun 12638 Foothill Boulevard, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423 707-998-GROW (4769) Gro More Garden Supply 2937 Larkin Avenue, Clovis, CA 93021 559-348-1055

G & G Organics and Hydroponics 901 W. Victoria Street Unit D, Compton, CA 90220 310-632-0122 Concord Indoor Garden 2771 Clayton Road, Concord, CA 94519 925-671-2520 Hydroponics Plus 2250 Commerce Avenue, Suite C Concord, CA 94520 925-691-7615 Hydrostar Hydroponics & Organics 1307 W. Sixth Street, #211, Corona, CA 92882 951-479-8069 The Hydro Spot 21785 Temescal Cyn Rd Corona Ca, 92883 A+ Hydroponics & Organics 1604 Babcock Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949-642-7776 The Hydro Source 671 E. Edna Place Covina, CA 91723 877 HYDRO 82; 626-915-3128 Let it Grow 1228 2nd Street, Crescent City, CA 95531 707-464-9086 Northcoast Horticulture Supply 1070 Highway 101, Crescent City, CA 95531 707-464-1200 Seaside Hydrogarden 1070 Highway 101 North, Crescent City, CA 95531 707-465-3520 Pacific Coast Hydroponics 4147 Sepulveda Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90230 310-313-1354 Dr. Greenthumbs Hydroponic Garden Supplies 566 San Ramon Valley Blvd. Danville, CA 94526 925-314-9376 Constantly Growing - Davis 123 D Street Davis, CA 95616 530-756-4774 Constantly Growing 6200 Enterprise Drive, Suite A Diamond Springs, CA 95619 530-642-9710 Harvest Hydroponics 6650 Merchandise Way Suite B, Diamond Springs, CA 95619 530-622-5190 Victory Garden Supply 1900 N Lincoln St #100 Dixon CA 95620 707 678 5800 The Lucky Garden, Dublin Hydroponics 7071 Village Parkway Dublin, Ca 94568 925-828-GROW (4769) Grow A Lot Hydroponics, San Diego 1591 N. Cuyamaca Street, El Cajon, CA 93612 619-749-6777 Indoor Garden Solution Inc. 12424 Exline Street, El Monte CA 91732, 626-453-0443 Go Green Hydroponics 15721 Ventura Boulevard, Encino, CA 91436 818-990-1198 A Fertile World (Eureka) 6th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-444-0200 Bayside Garden Supply 4061 Highway 101 Ste 6 Eureka, CA 95503 1 (707) 826-7435 Humboldt Hydroponics 1302 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-443-4304

Northcoast Horticulture Supply 60 West 4th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-444-9999 Constantly Growing 4343 Hazel Avenue, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 916-962-0043 Fallbrook Hydro 208 E Mission Rd Ste B Fallbrook CA 92028 1 (760) 728-4769 Tulare County Growers Supply 435 W. Noble Avenue, Unit A, Farmersville, CA 93223 559-732-8247 Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - North 6241 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA 95018 831-335-9000 Eel River Hydroponics & Soil Supply 164 Dinsmore Drive, Fortuna, CA 95540 707-726-0395 The Shop 6542 Front Street, Forestville, CA 95436 707-887-2280 Dirt Cheap Hydroponics 17975 H Highway 1, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 707-964-4211 Hydrogarden Mendocino County 1240 North Main Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 707-962-9252 A Fertile World (Fortuna) 610 7th Street, Fortuna, CA 95540 707-725-0700 Northcoast Horticulture Supply 357 Main Street, Fortuna, CA 95540 707-725-5550 Nature’s Secret Garden and Supply 41469 Albrae Street, Fremont, CA 94577 510-623-8393 Roots Grow Supply 1330 North Hulbert, #101 Fresno, CA 93728 559-840-0122 Tower Garden Supply & Organic Nursery 403 W. Olive Avenue, Fresno, CA 93728 559-495-1140 Valley Hydroponics 207 E. Sierra Ave. Fresno, CA 93710 559-449-0426 Grow Wurks Hydroponics 765 S. State College Boulevard. Suite J Fullerton, CA 92831 714-253-Grow (4769) SB Hydro 1109 W. 190th Street, Unit #F, Gardena, CA 90248 310-538-5788 Golden Gecko Garden Center, The 4665 Marshall Road, Garden Valley, CA 95633 530-333-2394 Probiotic Solutions 20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, CA 95441 707-354-4342 South Valley Hydroponics 320 Kishimura Drive, #3 Gilroy, CA 95020 1-866-848-GROW Zen Hydroponics 1801 Victory Blvd. Glendale, CA 91201 877 ZEN Grow 818 806 4500 Stop N Grow 340 Pine Avenue, Goleta, CA 93003 805-685-3000

All Seasons Hydroponics 17614 Chatsworth Street, Granada Hills, CA 91344 818-368-4388 AG Natural 403 Idaho Maryland Road, Grass Valley, CA 95945 530-274 0990 Grass Valley Hydrogarden 12506 Loma Rica Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945 530-477-2996 Vital Landscaping Inc. 12817 Loma Rica Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945 530-273-3187 West Coast Growers Hydroponics 13481 Colifax Highway, Grass Valley, CA 95945 888-924-4769 Joy's Green Garden Supply 340-A Elm Ave Greenfield, CA 93927 831-674-1416 M.G.S. 22540 D Foothill Boulevard, Hayward, CA 94541 510-582-0900 Thrive Hydroponics 70 A West North Street, Healdsburg, CA 95446 707-433-4068 Bear Valley Hydroponics & Homebrewing 17455 Bear Valley RD. Hesperia CA 92345 760 949 3400 Emerald Garden 13325 South Highway 101, Hopland, CA 95482 707-744-8300 Surf City Hydroponics 7319 Warner Street, Suite B Huntington Beach, CA 92647 714-847-7900 Dutch Garden Supplies Park Circle Suite 12 Irvine CA 92614 949-748-8777 West Coast Hydroponics, Inc. 27665 Forbes Road, Unit 10 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 949-348-2424 La Habra Hydroponics 1301 S Beach Blvd, Suite O. La Habra, CA 90631 562-947-8383 Grass Roots Hydroponics 31875 Corydon, Suite 130 Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 951-245-2390 South County Hydroponics 22511 Aspan Street, Suite E Lake Forest, CA 92630 949-837-8252 Clover Hydroponics & Garden Supply 43 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, CA 95453 707-263-4000 San Diego Hydroponics East County 11649 Riverside Drive, Suite 141, Lakeside, CA 92040 619-562-3276 Total Hydroponics Center Inc 4820 Paramount Blvd Lakewood, CA 90712 562-984-GROW (4769) Weather Top Nursery 44901 Harmon Drive, Laytonville, CA 95454 707-984-6385 CNG Garden Supplies 22 Ricknbacker Circle, Livermore, CA 94551 925-454-9376

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MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

DL Wholesale 6764 Preston Ave. Suite D Livermore CA 94551 510 550 0018 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 6485 Brisa Street, Livermore, CA 94550 888-570-4678 (Southern CA) Garden Depot, The 203 Commerce Street, Suite 101 Lodi, CA 95240 209-339-9950 Valley Rock Landscape Supply 2222 N H Street Lompoc CA 93436 P: 805 736 0841 805 735 5921 Green Coast Hydroponics 2405 Mira Mar Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90815 562-627-5636 Grow Light Express 5318 East Second Street suite 164, Long Beach, CA 90803 888-318-GROW Long Beach Hydroponics & Organics 1772 Clark Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90815 562-498-9525 Atwater Hydroponics 3350 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039 323-663-8881 Green Door Hydro and Solar 830 Traction Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90013 212-625-1323 Hardman Hydroponics 3511 Youree Dr., Shreveport Los Angeles 71105 318-865-0317 Hollywood Hydroponics and Organics 5109 1/2 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027-6105 323-662-1908 Hydroasis 2643 S. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90232 888-355-4769 LAX Hydro 10912 S. La Cienaga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90304 310-337-6995 Nirvana Hydroponics 340 South San Pedro Los Angeles, CA 90013 310-795-2914 Sunland Hydroponics 4136 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065 323-254-2800 Green Giant Hydroponics 7183 Hwy 49 Unit B Lotus CA 95651 530 622 4465 California Green Hydroponics 16491 Road 26, Suite 101 Madera, California 93638 559-674-1400 grow 22333 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 101 Malibu, CA 90265 310-456-2910 Deep Roots Garden Center & Flower Shop 207 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 310-376-0567 B & S Gardening Supplies 592 Commerce Court, Manteca, CA 95336 209-239-8648 Monterey Bay Horticulture Supply 218 Reindollar Avenue Suite 7A, Marina, CA 93933 831-38-HYDRO Two Chix Garden Supply 1230 Yuba Street, Marysville, CA 95901 530-923-2536

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Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

Northcoast Horticulture Supply 1580 Nursery Way McKinleyville, CA 95519 707-839-9998 Mendocino Garden Shop PO Box 1301, 44720 Maint Street (at Hwy. 1), Mendocino, CA 95460 707-937-3459 Hooked Up Hydroponics 1004 W. 15th St. Suite B & C, Merced, Ca 95340 209-723-1300 The Urban Farmer Store 653 E. Blithedale Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941 415-380-3840 Mission Viejo Hydroponics 24002 Via Fabricante Suite 502 Mission Viejo, CA 92691 949-380-1894 Coca’s Central Valley Hydroponics 116 West Orangeburg Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350 209-567-0590 Year Round Garden Supply 11000 Carver Rd. #20 Modesto, CA 95350 Tel: 209 522 2727 Green Light Hydroponics 2615 Honolula Ave. Montrose, CA 91020 818-640-2623 South Bay Hydroponics and Organics - Mtn. View 569 East Evelyn Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94041 650-968-4070 Redwood Garden Supply 55 Myers Avenue, Myers Flat, CA 95554 707-943-1515 Endless Green Hydroponics 25 Enterprise Court, Suite 3 Napa, CA 94558 707-254-0200 Wyatt Supply 4407 Solano Ave. Napa, CA 94558 707-251-3747 Conejo Hydroponics 3481 Old Conejo Road #106 Newbury Park, CA 91320 805-480-9596 Stop N Grow 640 S. Frontage Road, Nipomo, CA 93444 805-619-5125 Valley Garden Solutions Inc. 15650 Nordhoff Avenue, Suite 104, North Hills, CA 91345 818-336-0041 Foothill Hydroponics 10705 Burbank Boulevard, N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-760-0688 One Stop Hydroponics 12822 Victory Boulevard North Hollywood, CA 91606 818-980-5855 Lumatek Digital Ballasts 33 Commercial Boulevard, Suite B Novato, CA 94949 415-233-4273 Marin Hydroponics 55 Frosty Ln Novato, CA 94949 (415) 233-4104 Marin Hydroponics 1219 Grant Avenue, Novato, CA 94945 415-897-2197 Roots Grow Supply 40091 Enterprise Dr. Oakhurst CA 93644 559 683 6622 3rd Street Hydroponics 636 3rd Street Oakland, CA 94607 510-452-5521 Bloom Hydro 1602 53rd Ave. Oakland CA 94601 707 980 0456

Medicine Man Farms 1602 53rd Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601 707-980-0456 Plant-N-Grow 1602 53rd Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601 707-980-0456 Hydrobrew 1319 South Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054 760-966-1885; 877-966-GROW Socal Hydroponics 1727-B Oceanside Boulevard, Oceanside, CA 92054 760-439-1084 Cultivate Ontario 2000 Grove Ave #a110 Ontario, CA 91761 909-781-6142 Flairform 1751 S Pointe Avenue, Ontario, CA 91761 213-596-8820 GreenCoast Ontario Unit 102-103 1920 South Rochester Avenue Ontario, CA 1 (909) 605-5777 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 1950 C South Grove Avenue, Ontario, CA 91761 888-888-3319 Palm Tree Hydroponics 2235 E 4th St,Suite G Ontario, CA 91764 909-941-9017 RH Distribution 1751 S. Pointe Avenue Ontario, CA 91761 888-545-8112 Green Coast Hydroponics 496 Meats Avenue Orange, CA 92865 714-974-4769 Natural Pest Controls 8320 B Hazel Avenue, Orangevale, CA 95662 916-726-0855 Advanced Soil & Garden Supply 350 Oro Dam Boulevard, Oroville, CA 95965 530-533-2747 Igrow Hydro 2280 Veatch Street, Oroville, CA 95965 530-534-4476 Orville Organic Gardens 5250 Olive Hwy Ste 1 Oroville, CA 95966 530-589-9950 US Orchid & Hydroponic Supplies 1621 South Rose Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033 805-247-0086 Pacifica Hydroponics 90 Eureka Square Pacifica, CA 94044 (650) 355-5100 America’s Best Hydroponics & Gardening Center 641 W. Palmdale Blvd. Unit D Palmdale, CA 93551 661-266-3906 Hydroponics Unlimited 641 W. Palmdale Blvd. “D” Palmdale, CA 93550 661-266-3906 Palm Springs Hydroponics 4651 Ramon Road, Palm Springs, CA 92264 760-327-ROOT DNA Hydroponics Inc 19345 North Indian Canyon Drive, North Palm Springs, Suite 2-F CA 92258 760-671-5872 New Leaf Hydro 34150 123rd Street, Parablossom, CA 93553 661-944-2226

Alternative Hydro 3870 East, Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107 888-50-HYDRO Better Grow Hydro Pasadena 1271 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasedena, CA 91106 626 737 6612 365 Hydroponics 2062 Lincoln Ave Pasadena, CA 91103 1 (626) 345-9015 Supersonic Hydroponic and Organic Garden Supply 3850 Ramada Drive, Unit D2 Paso Robles, CA 93446 805-434-2333 Foothills Hydrogarden 3133 Penryn Road, Penryn, CA 95663 916-270-2413 Funny Farms Hydroponics 963 Transport Way, #12 Petaluma, CA 94954 707-775-3111 House of Hydro 224 Weller Street, #B, Petaluma, CA 94952 707-762-4769 Wyatt Supply 1016 Lakeville St. Petaluma, CA 94952 707-762-3747 JNJ Hydroponics 4774 Phelan Rd. Suite 2 Phelan CA 92371 760 868 0002 Turbo Grow 1889 San Pablo Avenue, Pinole, CA 94564 510-724-1291 Hillside Hydro & Garden 4570 Pleasant Valley Road Placerville CA 95662 530-644-1401 Best Yield Garden Supply 3503 West Temple Avenue, Unit A, Pomona, CA 91768 909-839-0505 Emerald Garden 8249 Archibald Avenue, Ranch Cucamanga, CA 91730 909-466-3796 GreenLeaf Hydroponics 2212 Artesia Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 310-374-2585 Radiant Roots Gardening & Hydroponics 1394 S Pacific Coast Hwy Redondo Beach, AB 90277 1 (310)540-2005 Shadow Valley Aquatics 75 Kimick Way, Red Bluff, CA 96080 530-526-0479 Bear Roots Hydroponics 1615 East Cypress, #5 Redding, CA 96002 530-244-2215 Dazey’s Supply 3082 Redwood Drive, Redway, CA 95560 707-923-3002 Humboldt Hydroponics 2010 Tunnel Road, Redway, CA 95560 707-923-1402 Redway Feed Garden and Pet Supply 290 Briceland Road, Redway, CA 95560 707-923-2765 Sylvandale Gardens 1151 Evergreen Road, Redway, CA 95560 707-923-3606 Humboldt Hydroponics 2174 Pine Street, Redding, CA 96001 530-241-7454

Hydro King 105 Hartnell Avenue, Suite C and D, Redding, CA 96002 888-822-8941 Orsa Organix 111 Willow Street, Redwood City, CA 94063 650-369-1269 Mendocino Greenhouse & Garden Supply 960 East School Way, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 707-485-0668 EZ Green Hydroponics 7017 Reseda Boulevard, Reseda, CA 91335 818-776-9076 Hydro Hills Hydroponics 19320 Vanowen St. Reseda CA 91335 Box Of Rain Inc. Po Box 302, Rexford, CA 59930 406-755-7245 Hi-Tech Gardening 5327 Jacuzzi Street, #282, Richmond, CA 94804 510-524-4710 The Urban Farmer Store 2121 San Joaquin Street, Richmond, CA 94804 510-524-1604 Discount Hydroponics 4745 Hiers Avenue, Riverside, CA 92505 877-476-9487 All Ways Hydro 2220 Eastridge Ave. Suite C Riverside CA 92507 888-HYDRO98 Calwest Hydroponics 11620 Sterling Avenue, Suite A Riverside, CA 92503 800-301-9009 Hydro Depot 5665 Redwood Drive, #B, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-584-2384 Igrow Hydro 9000 Atkinson Street, Roseville, CA 95678 916-773-4476 Green Acres Hydroponics 1215 Striker Avenue, Suite 180, Sacramento, CA 95834 916-419-4394 Greenfire Sacramento 3230 Auburn Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95821 916-485-8023 Green Thumb Hydroponics 35 Quinta Court, Suite B, Sacramento, CA 95823 916-689-6464 KY Wholesale 8671 Elder creek Rd. #600 Sacramento, CA 95828 916 383 3366 Mystic Gardens 8484 Florin Road, #110, Sacramento, CA 95828 916-381-2464 Sac Hydroponics 9529 Folson Boulevard, Suite C Sacramento, CA 95827 916-369-7968 Skywide Import & Export Ltd. 5900 Lemon Hill Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95824 916-383-2369 Tradewinds Wholesale Garden Supplies 1235 Striker Avenue #180, Sacramento, CA 95834 888-557-8896 Green Joint Ventures 61 Tarp Circle, Salinas, CA 93901 831-998-8628 Reforestation Technologies International 1341 Daton Street, Units G&I Salinas, CA 93901 831-424-1494; 800-RTI-GROW

National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply 1900 Bendixsen Street , Bldg. 1, Samoa, CA 95564 800-683-1114 (Northern CA) Greenmile Hydroponic Garden Supply 1480 South E. Street, Suite D, San Bernardino, CA 92408 909-885-5919 Garden Shed, The 1136 El Camino Real San Carlos, CA 650-508-8600 Pure Food Gardening/Microclone 830 H Bransten Rd. San Carlos,CA 94070-3338 Green Gopher Garden Supply 679 Redwood Avenue, Suite A, Sand City, CA 93955 831-899-0203 Modern Gardens 26620 Valley Center Dr. Santa Clarita, CA 91351 661-513-4733 Best Coast Growers 4417 Glacier Avenue Suite C, San Diego, CA 92120 800-827-1876 City Farmer’s Nursery 4832 Home Avenue, San Diego, CA 92105 619-284-6358 Green Lady Hydroponics 4879 Newport Avenue, San Diego, CA 92107 619-222-5011 Home Brews & Gardens 3176 Thorn St San Diego, CA 92104 619 630 2739 Indoor Garden Depot 1848 Commercial St. San Diego CA 92113 619-255-3552 Innovative Growing Solutions (IGS) 5060 Santa Fe St. Ste.D San Diego, CA 92109 858-578-4477 Mighty Garden Supply 4780 Mission Gorge Pl. #A-1, San Diego, CA 92120 619-287-3238 Miramar Hydroponics & Organics 8952 Empire Street San Diego CA 92126 858-549-8649 Oracle Garden Supply 5755 Oberlin Drive, Suite 100 San Diego, CA 92121 858-558-6006 Pacific Beach Hydroponics 1852 Garnet Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109 858-274-2559 San Diego Hydroponics Beach Cities 4122 Napier Street, San Diego, CA 92110 619-276-0657 Wai Kula Hydrogardens 5297 Linda Vista Road, San Diego, CA 92110 619-299-7299 Direct Hydroponics Wholesale 1034 W. Arrow Hwy#D San Dimas, CA 91773 888-924-9376 Liquid Gardens 1034 West Arrow Hwy.#D San Dimas, CA 91773 888-924-9376 Extreme Hydroponics 11479 San Fernando Road C, San Fernando, CA 91340 818-898-0915 Plant It Earth 661 Divisadero San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 626-5082

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181

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Plant It Earth Warehouse 1 Dorman Ave. San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 970-2465 Grow Your Own 3401 Traval Street, San Francisco, CA 94116 415-731-2115 Hydroponic Connection Warehouse, The 1995 Evans Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124 415-824-9376 Nor Cal Hydroponics 4837 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118 415-933-8262 Plant It Earth 2279 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94114 415-626-5082 Urban Gardens Unlimited UrbanGardens 704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 415-421-4769 San Francisco Hydro 123 Tenth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 The Urban Farmer Store 2833 Vicente Street, San Francisco, CA 94116 415-661-2204 US Garden 417 Agostinio Rd San Gabriel Ca 91776 626 285-5009 Inland Empire Hydrogarden 1301-C South State Street, San Jancinto, CA 92853 Hahn’s Lighting 260 E. VA Suite 1, San Jose, CA 95112 408-295-1755 Plant Life 32 Race Street, San Jose, CA 95126 408-283-9191 South Bay Hydroponics and Organics - San Jose 1185 South Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 408-292-4040 D&S Garden Supplies 17-130 Doolittle Drive San Leandro, CA 94577 510-430-8589 Hydrogarden Delight 13762 Doolittle Drive, San Leandro, CA 94577 510-903-1808 Central Coast Hydrogarden 1951 Santa Barbara Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-544-GROW Healthy Harvest Hydroponics and Organics 2958 S. Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805.596.0430 San Diego Hydroponics North 802 N. Twin Oaks Valley Road #108 San Marcos, CA 92069 760-510-1444 H20 Gardening 355 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 310-514-1416 Marin Hydroponics 721 Francisco Blvd East San Rafael, CA 94901 415-482-8802 Pacific Garden Supply 128 H Carlos Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903 San Rafael Hydroponics 1417 Fourth Sreet San Rafael, CA 94901 415 455 9655 Green Coast Hydroponics 3560 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 805-898-9922 advanced hydroponics and gardening

704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

182

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

Nutes Int’l 204 N Quarantina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 805-687-6699 Planet Earth Hydroponics 102 East Haley St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 P. 805 899 0033 Urban Grow Systems 204 N Quarantine Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103 1 (805) 637-6699 Santa Clarita Valley Hydroponics 25835 Railroad Ave. #26 Santa Clarita CA 91350 661 255 3700 661 255 3701 California Hydroponics 310 Coral Street, Suite C Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-423-4769 Hydro-Logic Purification Systems 370 Encinal St, Suite 150, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 888 H2O LOGIC Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - West Side 815 Almar Avenue, Unit K, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-466-9000 Full Sun Supply 3535 Industrial Drive, Unit B-3 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 877-FULL-SUN Gonzo Grow 2550 Guerneville Road,Suite C, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 707-546-1800 Gottagrow Garden Supply 769 Wilson Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 707-544-7782 Green Logic Garden Supply 860 Piner Road, #38, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 707-843-3156 Organic Bountea 1919 Dennis Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 800-798-0765 Pro Gardening Systems 3715 Santa Rosa Avenue #2, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 707-585-8633 Sun-In Hydroponics 1257A Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 707-578-5747 Sweet Leaf Hydroponics 1611 Sebastobol Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 707-575-GROW (4237 Wyatt Supply 747 Yolanda Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95404 707-578-3747) Santee Hydroponics 7949 Mission Gorge Road, Santee, CA 92071 619-270-8649 Gardening Unlimited 60 Old El Pueblo Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 831-457-1236 Pro Gardening Systems 765 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-829-7252 Better Choice Hydroponics 610 S. Washington Street, Senora, CA 95370 209 533 2400 Go Big Hydroponics 4501 Van Nuys Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818-789-3341 Bloom Brothers Garden Supply, Inc. 3293 Industry Dr. Signal Hill, CA 90755 562 494-0060 We Grow Hydroponics 3350 East Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93063 805-624-4566

Abundant Hydroponics LLC 1611 Shop Street, #1-A, S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 530-54 HYDRO Advanced Garden Supply 2660 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, Building C, Unit 9, S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 530-541-4769 Farm Hydroponics, The 1950 Lake Tahoe Boulevard #3, S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 530-541-3276 Valley Hydro and Organics 19230 Sonoma Hwy. Sonoma CA 95476 707 396 8734 Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - East Side 4000 Cordelia Lane Soquel, CA 95073 831-475-9900 Orange County Hydroponics 12797 Beach Boulevard, Stanton, CA 90680 714-893-9493 HomeGrown Indoor Garden Supply 681 A Grider Way, Stockton, CA 95210 209-477-4447 Golden Harvest Hydroponics & Garden Supply 8626 Lower Sacramento Road #48, Stockton, CA 95210 209-951-3550 M&M Garden Supply 2509 West Lane, Suite B Stockton, CA 95205 209-939-0664 Pacific Ave Indoor Garden Supply 4633 pacific Ave Stockton , CA 95207 209-955-0945 City Farm Hydroponics 8903 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Sun Valley, CA 91352 818-767-2076 Sunland Hydroponics 8300 Foothill Boulevard, Sunland, CA 91040 818-352-5300 Anthony’s Garden & Lighting Supply 30 Ridge Road, Suites 8 & 9 Sutter Creek, CA 95685 209-267-5416 Tahoe Garden Supply 645 Westlake Boulevard, Suite 2, PO Box 487 Tahoe City, CA 96145 530-581-3200 The Otherside Hydroponics 19425 Ventura Blvd Tarzana CA 91356 818 881 hydro (4937) Hydroponics 4 Less 41669 Winchester Avenue, Temecula, CA 92590 800-A1-HYDRO Inland Empire Hydrogarden 28822 Old Town Front St. #206 Temecula, CA 92590 886-74-HYDRO 805 Hydroponics & Organics 1785 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 805-494-1785 Art of Hydro 2636 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 805-230-2227 Green Thumb Lighting & Garden 1647 W. Sepulveda Boulevard, Unit 5, Torrance, CA 90501 888-326-GROW Los Angeles Hydroponics and Organics 3007-3009 W. Artesia Blvd. Torrance, CA 90504 310-323-4937 Anything Grows 10607 W. River Street, Building 3 Suite C, Truckee, CA 96161 530-582-0479

Hooked Up Hydroponics 339 S. Golden State Boulevard, Turlock, CA 95380 209-668-1300 Emerald Garden 307 East Perkins Street, Ukiah, CA 95482 707-463-2510 HydroPacific - Hydroponics & Garden Supplies 351 C Hastings Av., Ukiah, CA 95482 707-467-0400 Northcoast Hydrogardens 3450 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482 707-462-7214 Wyatt Supply 2200 N. State St. Ukiah, CA 95482 707-462-7473 Atlantis Garden Supply 2851 A Whipple Road, Union City, CA 94587 510-487-8007 Evergreen Hydroponics 923 N. Central Avenue, Suite B, Upland, CA 91786 909-946-7100 TNC Supply 9490 Main Street, P.O. Box 763 Upper Lake, CA 95485 707-275-9565 Everything Green 1650 Lewis Brown Dr. Vallejo, CA 94589 707 647 0774 Hydroponics Market 15816 Arminta St Van Nuys, CA 91406 818-305-6261 886-72-HYDRO Stop N Grow 4160 Market Street, Unit 11 Ventura, CA 93003 805-639-9489 BWGS-CA 7530 W. Sunnyview Avenue Visalia, CA 93291 888-316-1306 The Green Shop 66420 Mooney Boulevard, Suite 1 Visalia, CA 93277 559-688-4200 Kaweah Grower Supply 1106 1/2 N. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia, CA 93293 559-625-4937 Greentrees Hydroponics Inc. 2581 Pioneer Avenue, Unit D Vista, CA 92081 760-598-7551 Home Life Hydroponics and Organics 1745 East Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084 760-643-2150 Specialty Garden Center 1970 East Vista Way, Suite 10, Vista, CA 92084 760-758-4769 Monterey Bay Hydroponics and Organics 81 Hangar Way, #1, Watsonville, CA 95076 831-761-9999 Evergreen Farm Feed and Garden 1131 Main Street Weaverville, CA 96093 1 (530) 623-2884 California Hydro Garden 1043 South Glendora Avenue, Suite A West Covina, CA 91790 626-813-0868 No Stress Hydroponics 7543 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046 323-845-9874 Hydronation 2491 Boatman Drive, Suite B West Sacramento, CA 95691 916-372-4444 Flower Hut Nursery 603 4th Street Wheatland, CA 95692 530-633-4526

Green Coast Hydroponics 11510 Whittier Boulevard Whittier, CA 90601 562-699-4201 GreenWay Hydroponics 11510 Whittier Boulevard, Whittier, CA 90601 Lazy Gardeners Hydroponics ‘N’ More 14626 East Whittier Boulevard, Whittier, CA 90605 562-945-0909 Garden Spout, The 260 Margie Dr Willits, CA 95490 707-456-0196 Sparetime Supply 208 E. San Francisco Avenue, Willits, CA 95490-4006 Hydromagic Supply 40 N. East St. Suite F Woodland,CA 95776 530-661-0117 Urban Gardens 22516 Ventura Boulevard, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818-876-0222 Ultra Lo Hydro ultralohydro.com 937-252-8224 Garden Highway Garden Supply 598 Garden Highway #22 Yuba City, CA 95991 530-755-2877 Golden Valley Hydroponics 870 W. Onsott Rd. Ste F Yuba City, CA 95993 (530) 763-2151 Southern Humbolt Garden Supplies 34919 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, CA 92399 909-797-6888 707-459-6791 Yucca Valley Hydroponics 56825 Twentynine Palms Hwy. Yucca Valley, CA 92284 760 369 0300 COLORADO South Park Hydroponics 42 E Buckskin Rd. Alma CO 80420 719 836 1533 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 3550 B Odessa Way, Aurora, CO 80011 866-877-4188 (Northeast) Nick’s Garden Center 2001 S. Chambers, Aurora, CO 80014 303-696-6657 The Big Tomato Indoor Garden Supply 14440 E. 6th Ave. Aurora, CO 80011 (303) 364-4769 Family Hydroponics-Boulder 2125 32nd Street Boulder, co 80301 303-996-6100 Polar Ray 5171 Eldorado Springs Dr. Boulder, CO 80303 303 494 5773 Way To Grow 6395 Gunpark Drive, Boulder, CO 80301 303-473-4769 Deep Roots Garden Supply 1790 Airport Road, Unit 1 Breckenridge, CO 80424 970-453-1440 Mile High Hydroponics 37 Strong St. Brighton, CO 80601 303 637 0069 Brighton Hydroponics 839so.Kuner rd., Brighton Colorado 80601 303-655-1427 ACME Hydroponics 300 Nickel St Suite 3 Broomfield, CO 80020 720.524.7306

Colorado Grow 3400 Industrial Lane, Unit 10A Broomfield, CO 80020 (303) 465-GROW (4769) Hydrofarm CO 400 Burbank St Broomfield, CO 80020 800-634-9990 J&D Organic Growing Solutions 217 1/2 Clayton Street Brush, CO 80723 970-310-5408 BIG BloomZ 1011 Caprice Drive, Castle Rock, CO 80109 303-688-0599 Indoor Garden Warehouse 8100 S Akron St., Suite 322, Centennial, CO 80112 720-496-2110 Garden Tech 737 Garden of the Gods Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719-278-9777 Greenhouse Tech 917 East Fillmore, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719-634-0637 Hydro Grow Supply 644 Peterson Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80915 719-596-2600 Purple Mountain Hydroponics LLC 1530 S Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 719-635-5859 Room To Grow LLC 422 South 8th Street Colorado Springs CO 80905 719 633 8682 Roots and Rocks Hydroponic and Organic Garden Supply 1014 S. 21st Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904 719-634-1024 High Tech Garden Supply 5275 Quebec St. Commerce City, CO 80022 720-222-0772 R-n-B Horticultural Supply 25797 Conifer Rd #a-8 Conifer, Co 80433 303-838-5520 Roll-N-Green Farms Horticultural Supply 25797 Conifer Rd #A-8 Conifer, Co 80433 303-838-5520 Global Organics & Hydroponics 11 N Broadway Cortez CO 81321 970 564 8100 Your Grow Bud 6801 South Emporia St. Suite 106 Greenwood Village, CO 80112 Tel: 303-790-2211 BWGS-CO 11685 E. 55th Avenue Denver, CO 80239 888-316-1306 Chlorophyll 3801 Mariposa St. Denver CO 80211 303-433-1155 Denver Hydroponic & Organic Center 6810 North Broadway, Unit D Denver, CO 80221 303-650-0091 Rocky Mountain Lighting and Hydroponics 7100 N. Broadway, Suite 3D Denver, CO 80221 303-428-5020 The Grow Outlet 4272 Lowell Boulevard Denver, CO 80211 303-586-5543 Way To Grow 301 East 57th Ave. Denver, CO 80216 303-296-7900

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

183

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

All Seasons Gardening 434 Turner Drive, Suite 2B Durango, CO 81303 (970) 385-4769 Blue Sky Hydroponics 1301 Florida Road Unit C Durango, CO 81301 970-375-1238 Grow Store South, The 5050 S. Federal Boulevard, #37, Englewood, CO 80110 303-738-0202 Alpenglow Garden Supply 2712 South College Ave Fort Collins, CO 80525 970-266-8888 Bath Nursery & Garden Center 2000 E. Prospect, Fort Collins, CO 80525 970-484-5022 Gold Coast Hydroponics West 8101 S.W. Frontage Road Suite 300 Fort Collins, Colorado 80528 970-232-3220 Indoor Paradise Hydroponics 309 S. Summit View, Unit 17, Fort Collins, CO 80524-1462 970-221-3751 Way To Grow 3201 E. Mulberry Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 970-484-4769 Hydro Shack, The 220 Main Street, Suite E Frisco, CO 80443 970-668-0359 GWS Hydroponics 7025 Highway 82 Building 4B, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-384-2040 Hydro Planet 711 Washington Avenue, Golden, CO 80401 303-279-6090 Rocky Mountain Hydroponics and Organics 15985 S. Golden Road Golden, CO 80401 720-475-1725 Desert Bloom Hydroponics 445 Pitkin Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501 970-245-6427 Primo Gardens 1600 North Ave. Suite B Grand Junction, CO 81501 970-241-1209 Greeley Nutrients 700 11th Street Unit 101 Greeley CO 80631 970 673 8302 GroWize 3225 S. Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80227 303-986-2706 Grow Store, The 8644 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80215 888-510-0350 Ever Green Hydroponics Inc. 1131 Francis Street, Suite A, Longmont, CO 80501 303-682-6435 Ultra Lo Hydro ultralohydro.com 937-252-8224 Victory Hydro Gardening 1387 E. South Boulder Rd. Louisville, CO, 80027 Tel: 303-664-9376 Lyons Indoor Gardening 138 Main Street, Lyons, CO 80540 720-530-3828 Head Start Hydroponics & Organic Gardening Emporium 34500 US Highway 6, Unit B-9, North Edwards, CO 81632 970-569-313 Cultivate Hydroponics & Organics 7777 W. 38th Avenue, A120A, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 303-954-9897

184

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

Salida Hydroponic Supply 1242 C Street Salida, CO 81201 (719) 539-4000 CONNECTICUT Grow Crazy 11 Berlin Rd. Unit 2 Cromwell CT 06416 203 660 8486 Harvest Moon Hydroponics 775 Silver Lane, East Hartford, CT 06118 860-568-4067 LiquidSun® CT 10C South Main Street, East Windsor, CT 06088 860-254-5757 Rogue Hydroponics 160 Broadway Hamden, CT 06518 866-277-4432 Organix Hydroponics 749 Saybrook Road, (Tradewinds Plaza) Middletown, CT 06457 860-343-1923 Delaware Sunny Day Organics 1867 Coastal Hwy. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware MD 19917 302 703 2538 FLORIDA Urban Sunshine 1420 E. Altamonte Dr Altamonte Springs, FL 32701 407-830-4769 Best Hydro 4920 Lena Road, Bradenton, FL 34211 941-756-1928 Palm Coast Hydroponics 4490 N Hwy US1 Ste. 108 Bunnell FL 32110 386 246 4119 East Coast Hydroponics & Organics 461 Forrest Avenue, Suite 105 Coca, FL 32922 321-243-6800 GreenTouch Hydroponics Inc. 5011 S State Road 7, Suite 104 Davie, FL 33314 954-316-8815 Absolute Hydroponic Garden Center Inc 1607 Old Daytona Steet Deland, FL 32724 386-734-0696 Organic Grow Hut 2 780 Deltona Blvd. #107 Deltona, Florida 32725 1-888-574-grow 386-259-5777 Gold Coast Hydroponics 1539 SW 21st Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312 1-800-780-7371 Biofloral 6250 NW 27th Way, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 877 735 6725 Green Thumb Hydroponics Supplies 13482 North Cleveland Avenue, Fort Meyers, FL 33903 239-997-4769 Gardener’s Edge Gainesville 5000 NW 34th Street, Suite 13, Gainesville, FL 32605 352-375-2769 Florida Garden Supplies 2692 W 79 Street, Hialeah, FL 33016 1-800-931-5215 Hydro Terra Corp. 924 North Federal Highway, Hollywood, FL 33020 954-920-0889 Simply Hydroponics & Organics (North) 3642 South Suncoast Boulevard, Homosassa, FL 34448 352-628-2655

Hydroponics International Inc. 7029-10 Commonwealth Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32220 904-693-6554 Grower’s Choice & Hydroponics 11855 North Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32218 904-683-4517 Urban Organics & Hydroponics 5325 Fairmont Street, Jacksonville, FL 32207 904-398-8012 Simply Hydroponics & Organics 7949 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33773 727-531-5355 GrowSmart Indoor Garden Centers 14587 Southern Boulevard, Loxahatchee, FL 33470 561-429-3527 Palm Beach Discount Hydroponics – West 14703 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470 561 296 8555 Atlantic Hydroponics 430 Count Street, Melbourne, FL 32901 321-821-1535 High Tech Garden Supply 2975 West New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, FL 32901 321-821-0853 Advanced Hydro Gardens 4960 NW 165 Street, Suite B-4, Miami, FL 33014 866-97-HYDRO Blossoms Experience, The 7207 NW 54th Street, Miami, FL 33166 866-452-4769 Florida Garden Supplies 9545 Sunset Drive, Miami, FL 33173 800-931-5215 Future Farms Inc., The 14291 SW 120th Street, Suite 105 Miami, FL 33186 305-382-2757 Gold Coast Hydroponics 4241 SW 71st Avenue, Miami, FL 33155 1-800-780-6805 Growing Garden Inc., The 12811 SW 42nd Street, Miami, FL 33175 305-559-0309 VitaOrganix 7921 NW 67th St Miami, FL 33166 786 845 8633 3D Hydroponics and Organics 7139 US Highway #19, New Port Richey, FL 34652 727-847-3491 Florida Garden Supplies 8442 Tradeport Drive, Unit 200, Orlando, FL 32827 Urban Sunshine 6100 Hanging Moss Rd ste 50 Orlando, FL 32807 407-647-4769 Urban Sunshine 6142 S. Orange Ave Orlando, FL 32809 407-859-7728 Green Winters Inc. 147 Tomoka Avenue, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 386-235-8730 800-931-5215 The Healthy Harvest Ste. 126 21113 Johnson St. Pembroke Pines, FL. 33029 Tel: 954-538-1511 Eden Garden Supply 5044 N. Palafox Street, Pensacola, FL 32505 850-439-1299 Healthy Gardens and Supply of Florida, Inc. 196 East Nine Mile Road, Suite F, Pensacola, FL 32534 850-912-4545

National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 455 S. Andrews Avenue, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 877-649-3567 (Southeast) Hydroponic Depot II 2395 S Tamiami Trail #19 Port Charlotte FL 33952 941 255 3999t EZ Grow Green 604 S.W. Bayshore Blvd. Port St. Lucie, Fl 34983 772-807-7755 Mr. Nice Guy Hydroponics 1800 NW. Federal Hwy., Stuart, FL 34994 772 934 6785 Esposito Garden Center 2743 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-386-2114 Evershine Hydroponics 1519 Capital Circle NE Unit #35 Tallahassee FL 32308 850-765-0040 Grace’s Hydro-Organic Garden Center 8877 North 56th Street Tampa, FL 33617 813-514-9376 Harvest Time Hydroponics 14414 N. Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613 813-264-7101 Hydroponics of Tampa 120 W. Bougain Villea, Tampa, FL 33612 813-333-6828 Stoney Hydro @ Schiro’s Barn n Garden Supplies 7812 Causeway Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33619 813-626-0902 Worm’s Way Florida 4412 North 56th Street, Tampa, FL 33610 800-283-9676; 813-621-1792 Monkey Hydroponics 940 West Oakland Ave. Unit A1 407 574 8495 Winter Garden FL 34787 13054 W Colonial Drive Winter Garden, FL 34787 407-656-GROW(4769) Cultivating Eden Hydroponic Supplies 946 18th Avenue SW, Vero Beach, FL 32962 772-564-8880 Florida Garden Supplies 8020 Belvedere Road,Unit 4, West Palm Beach,FL 33411 800-931-5215 Palm Beach Discount Hydroponics – East 968 North Congress Ave. West Palm Beach, FL 33409 561 296 6161 GEORGIA Atlantis Hydroponics 1422 Woodmont Lane, #4, Atlanta, GA 30318 404-367-0052 Flora Hydroponics, Inc. 1239 Fowler St. NW Atlanta, GA 30318 Flora Hydroponics Inc. 2475 Jefferson Road, Suite 600 Athens, GA 30607 866-404-0551 Flora Hydroponics, Inc. 195 Paradise Blvd. Athens, GA 30607 Atlantis Hydroponics 2561 West Point Avenue, College Park, GA 30337 678-510-0032 Alpha Hydroponics and Garden Supply Inc. 3904 N Druid Hills Rd. Suite 247 Decatur GA 30033 404 590 4769

Big Grow Hydroponics 9225 Trinity Drive, Lake In The Hills, IL 60156 847-854-4450 Grow Big Hydroponics 7817 B North 2nd Street, Manchesney Park, IL 61115 815-637-4769 Gardinside 618 S. Rt. 59 suite 104 Naperville, IL 60540 630-276-9885 Green Fields 8137 N. Milwaukee, Niles, IL 60714 847-965-5056 Autumn Bloom Alternative Indoor Gardening 1020 Derby Street Pekin, Illinois 61554 309-642-6943 Prairie House Garden Center 15151 South Harlem Avenue, Orland, IL 60462 708-687-3131 Brew and Grow 3224 South Alpine Road, Rockford, IL 61109 815-874-5700 Brew and Grow 359 W. Irving Park Road Unit E, Roselle, IL 60172 630-894-4885

Savannah Hydroponics & Organics 4107 Eighth Street, Suite C Garden City, GA 31408 912-349-4030 Atlantis Hydroponics 5182-B Brook Hollow Parkway, Norcross, GA 30071 770.558.1346 HAWAII Eco-Island Supply 810 Haiku Road, #394 Haiku, HI 96708 808-575-9171 Aqua Plant Hawaii / Kahala Hydroponics 4224 Wailae, Suite 1A, Honolulu, HI 96816 808-735-8665 Green Hands of Aloha 1713 Mary Street, Honolulu, HI 96819 808-847-4263 Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 300 Hukilike Street, #2M, Kahalui, HI 96732 808-871-6393 Aiyah’s Garden 4558 kukui st. kapa’a, Hi. 96746 Aiyah’s Garden 3-3122 Kuhio Hwy. unit B-2 Lihue, Hi. 96766 808 245 2627 Pahoa Feed & Fertilizer 15-2754 Old Government Road, Pahoa, HI 96778 808-965-9955

Organic Garden Center 9223 Skokie Blvd. Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 675-2722 Kreation’s Indoor Gardening Center 3427 Old Chatman Road, Springfield, IL 62704 217-341-0821 Water Works Indoor Gardening 1900 South Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62703 217-553-6929 Midwest Hydroganics 949 W Irving Park Rd. Streamwood IL 60107 630 483 1600

IDAHO Boise Hydroponics 614 North Orchard Street, Boise, ID 83706 208-344-3053 Greenthumb Greenhouses 5895 Ensign Avenue, Boise, ID 83714 ILLINOIS Aerostar Global 824 South Kay Avenue, Addison, IL 60101 Brew and Grow 181 Crossroads Parkway, Bolingbrook, IL 60194 847-885-8282 Let it Grow - Carbondale West Main Street, Carbondale, IL 62908 573-450-5401 Alternative Garden Supply 615 Industrial Drive, Unit A Cary, IL 60013 800-444-2837 Brew and Grow 3625 N. Kedzi Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 773-463-7430 Fertile Ground 463 West MacArthur Drive, Cottage Hills, IL 62018 618-259-5500 Brew and Grow- Crystal Lake 176 W. Terra Cotta Ave. Crystal Lake, IL 60014 1 (815) 301-4950 Midwest Hydroganics 20647 Renwick Road, Crest Hill, IL 60403 815-838-0100 Goldman’s Grow Shop 910 Greenwood Road, Glenview, IL 60025 847-657-7250 Grow Masters 4641 Old Grand Ave. Gurnee, Il. 60031 (224) 399-9877

Inc.

INDIANA BWGS-IN 7854 North State Road 37, Bloomington, IN 47404 800-316-1306 Sunleaves Garden Products 7854 North State Road 37, Bloomington, IN 47404 888-464-9676 Worm’s Way Indiana 7850 North State Road 37, Bloomington, IN 47404 800-598-8158 Worm’s Way Mail Order 7850 North State Road 37 Bloomington, IN 47404 800-274-9676 Frogs Lilly Pad, The 706 Citation Road, Carmel, IN 46032 317-846-4610 Hops & Harvest 4616 E. DuPont Road, Suite Q, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 260-918-3035 Harvest Moon Hydroponics 1336 East Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 317-780-8020 Magic Bulb Garden Center 6229 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46220 317-202-2852 Maximum Grow Gardening 6117 E Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219 317-359-GROW (4769) Five Point Gardens 56555 Oak Road, South Bend, IN 46619 574-287-9232

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MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

KANSAS Green Circle Hydroponics 6890 W. 105th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212 913-642-3888 KENTUCKY Garden Grove Organics 29 East 7th Street, Covington, (Cincinnati Metro), KY 41011 859-360-1843 Worm’s Way Kentucky 1360 Donaldson Hwy. Suite A, Erlanger, KY 41018 800-669-2088 Grow Shop, The of Lexington 2320 Palumbo Drive, Suite 130, Lexington, KY 40509 859-268-0779 Louisville Hydroponics 3471 Taylor Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40215 502-366-4000 New Earth Garden Center 9810 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40299 800-462-5953 Bluegrass Organic Grow Shop 125 Quinn Dr., Nicholasville, KY 40356 859 887 0677 LOUISIANA Geaux Hydroponics! 2126 O’Neal Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225-751-4769 Laughing Buddha Nursery 4516 Clearview Parkway, Metairie, LA 70006 504-887-4336 Urban Organics 285 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117 504-352-4709 Ourcrazydeals Hydroponics 201 Angus Drive, Yungsville, LA 70592 337-303-6146 MAINE The Urban Garden Center 600 Wilson St. Brewer, ME 04412 1-207-989-2020 LiquidSun of Maine 51West Gray Rd. Gray, ME 04039 207-657-8033 Natures Palate Indoor Garden Store 1321 Mercer Rd ( rte2) Mercer, Maine 04957 877-587-4150 207-587-4150 Evergreen Garden Center 301 Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101 207-761-2800 High Tech Garden Supply Maine178 Rand Rd. Portland, ME 04102 Phone 207-899-4387 The Urban Garden Center 659 Warren Ave Portland, ME 04103 1-207-347-2350 Green Thumb Indoor Gardening 19 Stage Road, St. Albans, ME 04971 207-938-5909 Urban Garden Center 235 Lewiston Road, Topsham, ME 04086 207-373-0990 Greenlife Garden Supply 611 US Rt. 1 York, ME 03909 207-363-0844

186

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

MARYLAND East Coast Organics 2800 Sisson Street, Baltimore, MD 21211 Healthy Gardens and Supply 5001-F Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214 443-708-5144 Maryland Hydroponics Inc. 10051 North 2nd Street, Laurel, MD 20723 301-490-9236 Meadowview Feed & Garden Center 1202 Meadowview Road, Pasadena, MD 21122 443-817-0018 Maryland Hydroponics Inc. 12130 Nebel Street, Rockville, MD 20852 240-551-4625 Purple Mountain Organics 100-7010 Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 877-538-9901 MASSACHUSETTS Greenlife Garden Supply 481 Boston Road, Unit 4, Billerica, MA 01821 978-262-9966 GYOstuff – Grow Your Own 2400 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140 617-945-1654 Harvest Moon Hydroponics 29 Washington Street, Route 1 Foxboro, MA 02035 800-660-6977 LiquidSun® MA 8 Lynwood Avenue, Holyoke, MA 01040 413-539-6875 Green Path Garden Supply 276 West Main Street, Northborough, MA 01532 508-393-4181 High Tech Garden Supply 560 Boston Turnpike (Rt.9) Shrewsbury, MA 01545 508-845-4477 New England Hydroponics 15 D College Hwy. (Rt. 10), Southampton, MA 01073 888-529-9025 Worm’s Way Massachusetts 121 Worc-Providence Turnpike, Sutton, MA 01590 800-284-9676 MICHIGAN Hydro Vision 11820 Belleville Belleville, MI 48111 (734) 325-6210 Growers Outlet 7720 Clyde Park SW Byron Center, MI 49513 616-878-4444 A Plus Hydroponics of Michigan LLC 9750 Cherry Valley Ave SE Caledonia MI 49316 (616) 891-0706 Hydro Vision 5844 N. Shelton Rd. Canton, MI 48187 (734) 335-6818 Hydro Grow Room 15201 N. Holly Road, Unit B Holly, MI 48442 248-369-8333 Aric’s Indoor Garden Supply 611 Main st. Norway, Michigan 49870 (906)563-1518 Cultivation Station of Michigan Inc., The 6540 Allen Road, Allen Park, MI 48101 313-383-1766

Gro Blue Indoor Gardening Supplies 270 W. Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-913-2750 Grow Show, The 4095 Stone School Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (734)-677-0009 (734)-677-0509 HotHydro® 5245 Jackson Road, Suite F Ann Arbor, MI 48103 734-761-5040; 877-893-0716 Homelight Gardens 3471 S. Huron Road, Bay City, MI 48706 989-922-0088 J&L Growco 206 S. Michigan Avenue, Big Rapids, MI 49307 231-796-1528 Greenway Gardens 916 W 13th St Cadillac, Mi,49601 231-775-7075 Hydro Vision 303 W 14 Mile Rd. Clawson, MI 48017 (248) 435-2250 Cultivation Station 3 Inc. 46912 Gratiot, Chesterfield, MI 48051 586-949-7453 H2O Grow Supply 3364 Arent Ct Coloma, MI 49038 269-468-3890 Van Hydro 7480 N State, Davison, MI 48423 810-653-8267 The Grow Station 5670 Telegraph Rd. Dearborn, MI 48127 313-406-5147 800-797-4769 (GROW) Hydro Giant 14455 Ford Rd, Dearborn, MI Cultivation Station – Eastern Market, The 2518 Market Street, Detroit, MI 48207 313-394-0441 Hydro Giant 21651 W. 8 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI (8Mile & Lahser) 313-387-7700 313-216-8888 Hydro Heaven 73647 W 8th Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48235 313-861-0333; 877-823-2076 Ultra Lo Hydro ultralohydro.com 937-252-8224 Urban Gardening Center, The 2520 22nd Street, Detroit, MI 48216 313-898-0200 Superior Growers Supply 4870 Dawn Avenue, East Lansing, MI 48823 517-332-2663 Sunnyside Hydroponics 24930 Gratiot Avenue, Eastpoint, MI 48021 586-777-2528 Hydro Vision 495 Fenway Dr. Fenton, MI (810) 714-1719 Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 799 S. Wisconsin Avenue Gaylord, MI 49735 989 731 8800 Growco Garden Supply 1042 Michigan Street, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 877-939-6900

Home Grown Hydroponix 5333 Plainfield Suite C, Grand Rapids Michigan 49525, 616-361-2924 Horizen Hydroponics 1614 Leonard Street, NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 866-791-1664 Hydro Grow Room 15201 N Holly Rd Unit B Holly MI, 48430 248-369-8333 Flower Factory, The 2223 East Highland Road Highland, MI 48356 248-714-9292 Hydro Vision 2858 E Highland rd Highland, MI 48356 (248) 714-5556 Holland Hydroponic Outlet 587-40 East 8th Street Holland, MI 49423 616-298-7395 Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 705 S., Loxley Houghton Lake, MI 48629 989-422-2800 Hydro Vision 1247 e Grand River Howell, MI 48843 (517) 552-4965 Green Forest Indoor Garden Supply, LLC. 2555 N. State(M-66) Rd. Ionia, MI 48846 616-523-6111 Horizen Hydroponics 4646 W. Main Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 269-567-3333 Kalamazoo Indoor Garden 450 W. Maple, Kalamazoo, MI 49001 269-344-2550 High Tech Garden Supply 2815 East Grand River Ave.Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 580-0555 Hills Hydro 1290 S. Lapeer Rd. Lake Onion, MI 48360 (248) 693-5747 Horizen Hydroponics 5425 W. Saginaw Highway Lansing, MI 48917 517-323-ROOT Hills Hydro 700 Main St. Ste III Lapeer, MI 48446 (810) 245-8687 Superior Growers Supply 19582 Middlebelt Road, Livonia, MI 48152 248-473-0450 Northern Lights Hydroponic and Garden Supply 29090 Campbell rd. Madison Heights, MI 48071 248-439-6269 BIg Creek Hydroponics 555 Old Little Lake Road, Marquette, MI 49855 906-249-5297 Growing Consultant 2260 Apple Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49442 231-773-5600 Sunshine Supply Co. 5800 East Pickard Street, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 989-775-3700 Flo-N-Grow. 214 N. 2nd Street, Niles, MI 49120 269-683-1877 Super Grow 288 W. MONTCALM PONTIAC, MI 48342 248-24SUPER (78737)

Green Earth Hydroponics 8127 Portage Rd. Portage, MI 49002 269-342-4190 Hydroponics Highway Inc. 2708 14th Ave. Port Huron MI, 48060 810-982-4769 Hydro Vision 66783 Gratiot Ave. Richmond, MI 48062 (586) 430-1956 Hills Hydro 896 S. Rochester Rd. Rochester Hills, MI 48307 (248) 650-4937 Green Thumb Hydroponics and Organic Indoor Supply 8460 Algoma Suite G Rockford MI 49341 USA 616 884 5500 Home Grown Hydroponics 8075 Gratiot Road, Unit C, Saginaw MI 48609 989-781-1930 Hydro Giant 19363 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI 734.281.8888 Hydro Vision 22180 Pontiac Trail South Lyon, MI 48178 (248) 435-2268 Cultivation Station of Michigan Inc., The 23529 Little Mack Avenue, St. Clair, MI 48080 586-775-9485 High Tech Garden Supply 7889 Telegraph Road. Taylor, MI 48180 313-908-7554 Hydro Grow, The 8210 Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI 48180 313-633-0641 Great Lakes Green Horticultural Supply 757 S. U.S. Highway 131 Three Rivers, MI 49093 269-278-130 Grow Store, The 90 N U.S. Highway 31 South , Traverse City, MI 49685-7923 231-421-5191 Wild Child 7740 M 72 East, Traverse City, MI 49690 866-711-GROW Hydro Vision 1910 West rd Trenton, MI 48183 (734) 301-3745 Hydroharrys.com 24500 Dequindre, Warren, MI 48091 800-461-8819 Indoor Garden Superstore 2570 Dixie Highway, Waterford Twp., MI 48328 248-673-2200; 877 22 HYDRO Light Green Water 3661 Highland Road, Waterford, MI 48329 248-681-0001 Hydrospot 34236 Michigan Avenue, Wayne, MI 48184 734-722-1285 Indoor Eden 11090 Hi Tech Dr. Whitmore lake MI 48189 810-355-1465 Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 3218 W. Houghton Avenue West Branch, MI 48661 989-345-8800 G.C. II Whitehall, MI 49461 231-893-2400

G.C. II 1006 E. Colby St. Suite A Whitehall, MI 49417 231-893-2400 AAA Hydroponics LLC 22 50th Street Wyoming, MI 49504 616-249-8338 Cultivation Station – Grand Rapids, The 4907 S. Division Ave., Wyoming, MI 49548 616-855-4440 Stealth Hydro 15 E. Cross Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48198 866-998-1916 MINNESOTA Duluth Hydroponics 26 W 1st Street Duluth, MN 55802 218-341-7253 Indoor Gardening 10 NE 3rd Street, Faribault, MN 55021 507-209-1546 Brew and Grow 8302 Highway 65 NE., Minneapolis, MN 55432 763-780-8191 Interior Gardens 115 -1620 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 800-498-4178; 612-870-9077 Midwest Hydroponics 5825 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park,MN 55416 888-449-2739 Eden Indoor Organic Gardens 831 Highway 75 North Moorhead, MN 56560 218-477-EDEN (3336) American Garden Supply 601-6th Avenue, North, Princeton, MN 55371 763-631-0543Q Still-H2O Inc. 14375 North 60th Street, Stillwater, MN 55082 651-351-2822 Eco Garden Supply 800 Transfer Door 25 in rear St. Paul, MN 55114 651-647-1896 MISSISSIPPI Indoor Garden Shop LLC 1310 Bienville Boulevard, Ocean Springs, MS 39564 228-875-3725 MISSOURI Let It Grow - Girardeau 879 S. Kings Highway, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703 573-803-0628 Heartland Hydrogardens 705 Vandiver Drive, Suite G Columbia, MO 65202 573-474-4769 Green Circle Hydroponics 12 East Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64106 816-421-1840 Grow Your Own Hydroponics 3617 Saint John Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64123 816-241-2122 Let It Grow - Springfield 2519 E. Kearney Street, Springfield, MO 65803 417-862-GROW U-Grow 1724 North, 13th Street, St. Louis, MO 63106 314-452-6368 Worm’s Way Missouri 1225 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132 800-285-9676

HYDROGARDENS

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

187

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Green Thumb Organics 249 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, St. Peters, MO 63376 636-397-4769 (GROW) MONTANA Heightened Harvests 2018 Main Street #4, Billings, MT 59105 406-252-4311 Magic City Organic & Hydroponic Supply 812 Central Billings, MT 59102 (406)-245-LEAF(5323) One World – Life Products 906 Broadwater Billings MT 59101 406 839 9969 Heightened Harvests 3103 Harrison Avenue, Suite B Butte, MT 59701 Alpengrow Nursery Supplies 238 Highway 93 S., Eureka, MT 59917 406-882-4496 Butteopia 127 Main Street, Butte, Montana 59701 1-406-782-8476 Big Sky Garden Supply 528 West Idaho, Kallispell, MT 59901 406-755-1465 Box of Rain Indoor Garden Center 860 N. Meridian Road B-19, Kalispell, MT 59901 406-755-RAIN (7246) Cornucopia Grow Your Own 127 Stoner Creek Road Lakeside, MT 59922 406-709-1076 Dr. Green Thumbs 1106 West Park, Livingston, MO 59047 406-222-7440 Bizzy Beez LLP 5875 Highway 93 S, Whitefish, MT 59937 406-863-9937 NEBRASKA Bodhi Organic Garden Supply 1438 S1 St. Ste 6 Lincoln, NE 68502 402 438 6785 Patio-Ponics 3255 Cornhusker Highway, Suite 4 Lincoln, NE 68504 402-466-9218 Advanced Hydro-Ponics 10711 Mockingbird Drive, Omaha, NE 68127 (108th and L-Q) 402-991-6630 Paradigm Gardens 8949 J Street, Suite 5, Omaha, NE 68127 402-339-4949 NEVADA Carson Valley Hydroponics 2520 Empire Ranch Road, Carson City, NV 89701 775-884-4769 Lorraine Ink 290 Spear Court, Fernley, NV 89408 775-575-7757 Hydro Store, The 1014 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, NV 89014 702-434-7365 AAA Indoor Organic Garden SuperCenter 2101 S. Decatur Boulevard, #21, Las Vegas, NV 89102 702-450-4769 Advanced Gardens Hydroponics 3111 South Valley View, (on Desert Inn West of Valley View) Suite V103 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702-257-4769 Advanced Gardens Hydroponics 7850 Dean Martin Dr. Suite 506 Las Vegas,NV 89139 702-247-4769

188

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

All American Hydroponics 2675 East Patrick Lane, Unit 8, Las Vegas, NV 89120 702-894-9888 Best Hydroponic Supply 6818 W Cheyenne, Las Vegas, NV 89108 702-750-9300 Hydro Store, The 7145 W. Ann Road, Las Vegas, NV 89130 702-434-9376 Nevada Hydroponics 4700 B Maryland, Suite 1, Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-798-2852 Anything Grows 190 West Moana Lane, Reno, NV 89509 775-828-1460 Everything Green Hydroponics P.O Box 34869 Reno, Nevada 89533 NEW HAMPSHIRE Natural Roots Hydroponics 24 Crown St. Nashua, NH 1 (603) 204-5528 NEW JERSEY Garden State Hydroponics 511 Avenel Street, Avenel, NJ 07001 888-300-8711 Bergen County Hydroponics 70 Essex Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 201-342-2001 Green Touch 2 Hydroponics Inc. 888 Route 33, Unit 1, Hamilton, NJ 08619 HYDROPONICS 609-570-8829 East Coast Horticultural Supply 1652 Hurffville Road, Sewell, NJ 08080 856-228-5290 77HYDRO 37 Fairfield Place, West Caldwell, NJ 07006 877-774-9376 Claraqua 4 Redwood Court, West Windsor, NJ 08550

greentouch2

NEW MEXICO AHL Year Round Garden Supply 1051 San Mateo Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 505-255-3677 All Seasons Gardening 3600 Osuna Road, Suite 406 Alburquerque, NM 87109 505-508-4292 Common Shaman 1319 San Mateo N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87110 505-255-6463 All Seasons Gardening 1228 Parkway, Suite E Sante Fe, NM 87507 505-438-GROW Santa Fe Hydroponics 821 W. San Mateo Road, Suite 4, Santa Fe, NM 87505 505-467-8454 NEW YORK The Grow Room 32-32 49th Street Astoria, NY 11103 718-218-GROW (4769) Saratoga Organics & Hydroponic Supply 19 Front Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 518-885-2005; 800-850-4769 The Grape Vine 4020 Hempstead Turnpike Bethpage,NY,11714 516-731-1100

INC.

Bronx Hydro & Garden 39 Bruckner Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10454 718-993-3787 Bklyn Hydro & Garden 316 McGuiness Blvd Brooklyn NY 11222 718-383-0095 Brooklyn Farms 51Hicks Street St. Brooklyn, NY 11231 347-725-3491 Indoor Outdoor Gardener 8223 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209 718-836-2402 Hydroponics of Buffalo 1497 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14216 716-838-3545 Harvest Moon Hydroponics 340 West at 59, Central Nyack, NY 10960 California Hydroponics 27 Corporate Circle, East Syracuse, NY 13057 315-432-9387 Upstate Hydroponics 2026 Lake Rd unit B Elmira, NY 14903 607 483 9199 FutureGarden Inc. 59 Central Avenue, Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-420-0884 East Coast Hydroponics 14649 Horace Harding Exp, Flushing, NY 11367 718-762-8880 Healthy Harvest Organics and Hydro 163 Broadway, Fort Edwart, NY 12828 518-480-4698 Saratoga Organics & Hydroponic Supply 10 Saratoga Ave S. Glen Falls, NY 12803 (518) 798-820 Greentree Nursery 308 Elmira Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-272-3666 Crossroads Hydroponics & Organics 181 S. Plank Rd. Newburgh, NY 12550 845-561-GROW Hudson Valley Hydroponics 217 Route 32 North, New Paltz, NY 12561 845-255-3633 Sunlight Solutions Hydroponics 2045 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Suite 13, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 888-GROWBOX The Grow Room 8 Bridge Street, Nyack, NY 10960 800-449-9630 Revolution Hydroponics 309 West State St. Olean NY 14760 716.373.Grow (4769) Mor Gro Hydroponics 5680 State Route 104 E Oswego , NY 13126 315-877-8725 Environmental Gardens 8 John Walsh Boulevard, Suite 310 Peekskills, NY 10566 800-254-0507; 914-736-6676 Harvest Moon Hydroponics Henrietta Townline Plaza, 3047 West Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14623 716-865-7353 Hydro Garden Center 1069B Lyell Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606 1-800-277-1322

Sunset Hydroponics & Home Brewing 1590 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14615 866-395-9204 KG Garden Supply 4575 Commercial Drive New Hartford, NY 13413 877-KG-HYDRO LiquidSun of New York 1702 Fiero ave Rotterdam, NY 12150 518-952-4654 Hydroponics Shops of America 2606 Erie Boulevard, Syracuse, NY 13224 315-251-2516 Green Zone Hydroponics 2148 Niagara Falls Blvd. Tonawanda, NY. 14150 716-693-9663 Harvest Moon Hydroponics 147 Fourth Street, Troy, NY 10960 NORTH CAROLINA Advanced Hydroponic Garden 55 Shiloh Road #6 Asheville, NC 28803 1 (828) 277-3488 Fifth Season Gardening Company 21 B Westside Dr. Asheville NC 28806 828-225-5007 Fifth Season Gardening Company 45 Banks Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 828-253-4112 Fifth Season Gardening Company 106 South Greensboro Street, Carrboro, NC 27510 919-932-7600 Be Well Hydroponics & Urban Gardening 4732 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205 704-344-8010 BWGS-NC 4045 Perimeter West Drive,Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28214 800-316-1306 High Tech Garden Supply 2712 B Freedom Drive Charlotte, NC 28208 704-697-0911 Flow & Grow Hydroponics & Organic Garden Center 4521 Cumberland Road, Fayetteville, NC 28306 910-423-FLOW (3569) Fifth Season Gardening Company 1616 D-3 Battleground Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27408 336-271-3373 Good Harvest Garden Center 629 Oakridge Farm Hwy. Mooresville NC 28115 704-658-9136 Fifth Season Gardening Company 5619-A Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27606 919-852-4747 New Age Gardens 2236A US Highway 70, Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-299-9989 All Season Hydroponics 890 South Kerr Avenue, Wilmington, NC 28410 Progressive Gardens 6005 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403 910-395-1156 OHIO Akron Garden Center 434 W Wilbeth Road, Akron, OH 44314 330-724-2700 Summit Hydroponics 1030 Kenmore Boulevard Akron, OH 44314-2114 330-753-5222

Campbells Indoor Gardening Supplies 1721 Greenville Road Bristolville, OH 44402 330-889-0049 Magic Home Gardens 209 Cemetery Road, Canal Winchester, OH 43110 614-837-2440 CincyPonics 3314 Harrison Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45211 513-661-3886 Dumont Seed Co. 619 30th ST. N.W. Canton, ohio 44709 330-492-0204 Dayton Hydroponics 4920 Provident Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 513-942-7111 Eastside Hydroponics 550 Ohio Pike #136 Cincinnati, OH 45255 513-528-GROW Kissed by the Sun Hydroponic 10740 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241 513-769-0159 Cleveland Garden Center Inc. 727 East 185th Street, Cleveland, OH 44119 216-481-7868 Grow Wizard, The 5700 Denison Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102 216-961-2500 Herb-N-Garden Center 14901 Puritas Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44135 216-252-2001 Garden Indoors of Ohio 4720 Indianola Avenue, Columbus, OH 43214 800-833-6868 Magic Home Garden 4538 Indianola Avenue, Columbus, OH 43214 614-263-2440 Garden Connections 3341 Centerpoint Dr. Grove City OH 43123 614 871 0707 Advanced Hydrorganics Indoor Garden Center 5204 Darrow Road, Hudson, OH 44236 234-380-1287 Sweet Greens 5540 Brecksville Road Independence, OH 44131 800-421-7084 Hydro Gardens and Lights 1144 N Memorial Drive Lancaster, OH 43130 705-65 Hydro Carefree Garden Center 134 West Drive, Lodi, OH 44254 330-302-4203 CropKing 134 West Drive, Lodi, OH 44254 330-302-4203 USA Hydrogarden 7450 Industrial Pkwy, Ste. A Lorain, Ohio 44053 440-282-4880 The Grow Shop 165 Davids St. Marion OH 43302 740 223 7467 Urban Gardens 671 E. Center Street Marion, OH 43302 740-375-2800 Top Garden Products 8600 East Avenue Suite C. Mentor, OH 44060 440-290-8773

Indoor Gardens 1222 Hill Road, North, Pickerington, OH 43147 614-866-6065 Trinity Hydro Organics 465 Woodman Drive Riverside, OH 45431 937-252-GROW Toledo Hydroponics Ltd. 855 S. Holland-Sylvania Road, Suite 2 Toledo, OH 43615 1-877-893-0716 Greenleaf Hydroponics 1805 Elm Road, Warren, OH 44483 330-372-1039 Dayton Hydroponics 3856 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, West Carrolton, OH 45449 937-859-3999 Harvest Moon 9215 Market Street, Youngstown (North Lima), OH 44452 800-776-8399 Indoor Garden Worx 906 Blue Avenue, Zanesville, OH 43701 866-900-9679 OKLAHOMA Tulsa County Hydro-Organics 1928 W. Albany, Broken Arrow, OK 74012 918-259-HYDRO AAAAHA! Hydroponics Unlimited P.O. Box 74, Oakhurst, OK 74050 Organics OKC Garden Supply 3620 N Pennsylvania Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73118 405-528-GROW The OKC Urban Gardener 3711 N. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73118 405-521-9300 Urban Garden 3141 E. 15th Street, Tulsa, OK 74104 918-289-0018 OREGON Aqua Serene 465 Applegate Way, Ashland, OR 97520 541-482-7600 Astoria Indoor Garden Supply 1343 Duane St. Unit C Astoria OR 97103 503 468 0606 Rogue Silicates Inc. POB 21, Azalea, OR 97410 541-837-8590 B.I.G.S. 155 SW Century Drive, Suite 401, Bend, OR 97702 541-385-5222 Herb N’ Jungle Hydroponics 930 SE Textron Drive, Bend, OR 97702 541-382-4010 Northern Light and Garden Beaverton 9290 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Beaverton, OR 97005 503-297-7331 Westcoast Organic and Hydroponic Supply 12410 SE 282nd Avenue, Unit C Boring, OR 97009 503-766-4106 The Good Earth Organics 30088 Redwood Highway, Cave Junction, OR 97523 541-592-4496 Anthony’s Garden & Light Supply 93779 B Troy Lane, Coos Bay, OR 97420 541-266-8822 Corvallis Hydroponics & Organics 5490 SW Philomath Boulevard, Corvallis, OR 97333 541-738-2820

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

189

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Aqua Serene 2836 W. 11th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402 541-302-9073 Aurora Innovations PO Box 22041, Eugene, OR 97402 866-376-8578 SunInside Gardening Co. 665 Conger, Unit F, Eugene, OR 97402 541-686-9966 Advanced Indoor Gardens 17831 se 82nd drive Gladstone, OR 97027 503 305 6341 Northern Light and Garden Grants Pass 1203 Rogue River Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527 541-474-1700 Paradise Supply LLC 560 NE. “F” Street, Unit C, Grand Pass, OR 97526 541-955-7293 Vital Organix 932-B SE “M” Street Grants Pass, OR 97526 541-226-9283 Oregon Rainforest Co. 19949 E. Burnside Street, Gresham, OR 97233503-465-9909 In & Out Gardens 93484 Hwy 99 South Junctin City OR 97448 541-234-2342 Basin Indoor Gardening 417 N. Spring St. Klamath Falls, OR 97601 541-273-2023 Green Zone Garden Center & Hydroponic Supplies 1845 S W Hwy. 101 Ste. 3 Lincoln OR 97367 USA 541 994 7070 H2organic LCC 620 NE 3rd Street, McMinnville, OR 97128 503-434-6107 Green Thumb Hydrogarden and Organic Supply 2021 West Main Street, Medford, OR 97501 541-779-8600 Growing Crazy (Hooked On Hydroponics) 817 W. 2nd Street, Medford, OR 97501 In & Out Gardens 1574 Skypark Drive Medford, OR 97501 541-858-3333 Ladybug Indoor Gardens 3960 W. Main Street, Medford, OR 97501 541-618-4459 Advanced Organics & Garden Supply 290- B Merlin Avenue Merlin, Oregon 97532 541-659-1466 Indoor Garden Depot 15828 SE McGloughlin Boulevard, Milwaukie, OR 97267 503-786-2445 H2organic LCC 620 NE 3rd Street, McMinnville, OR 97128 503-434-6107 Wizard’s Garden, LLC 621 Spruce Street, Unit C, Myrtle Point, OR 97458 541-572-2333 Green Zone Garden Center & Hydroponic Supplies 454 S.W. Coast Hwy Newport OR 97365 USA P: 541-265-8252 Gorilla Garden Supply 2011 Union Ave, Garden Supplies North Bend, OR 97459 541-756-5005

190

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

American Agriculture 9220 Southeast Stark Street, Portland, OR 97216 800-433-6805 Bloom Garden Supply 518 NE 20th Ave. Portland, OR 97232 (971)255-1336 Everybody’s Garden Center 2701 SE 14th Avenue, Portland, OR 97202 800-669-5483 Garden Spout, The 4532 South East 63rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97206 503-788-4769 Homegrown Garden Supply 7112 NE Gilsan Street, Portland, OR 97213 877-EZ2-GROW Island Flowers & Indoor Garden Center 909 N. Tomahawk Island Drive, Suite 103, Portland, OR 97217 503-546-3185 Lights Distributing 9843 SW 55th Avenue, Portland, OR 97219 Rain or Shine 13126 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97230 503-255-1981 Roots Garden Supply 5426 North Gay Avenue, Portland, OR 97217 503-285-4768 Urban Flora 2865 South East, Portland, OR 97214 503-236-3344 BIGS Warehouse 2606 SW 4th Street, Unit B Redmond, OR 97756 541-504-8886 Indoor Garden Supply 536 SW 6th Street (rear alley), Redmond, OR 97756 541-504-7750 DC Hydroponics & Organics 7275 Green Siding Rd. Roseburg, OR 97471 541-679-3700 Roseburg Hydroponics 853 SE Stephens Street, Roseburg, OR 97470 541-229-1420 Indoor Garden Center 1697 SE 25th Street, Salem, OR 97302 503-566-7888 Northern Light and Garden Salem 1915 Lancester Drive, Salem, OR 97305 503-364-4769 Cascade Horticulture 39570 Pioneer Boulevard, Sandy, OR 97055 503-668-8242 Moonshine Park Farm 135 South East 62nd, Unit F South Beach, OR 97366 541-444-2298 J-N-B Hydro 2 Go 155 West Central Avenue, Sutherlin, OR 97479 541-459-9211 Samurai Greenhouse Supply 32067 Old Hwy. 34 Tanget, OR 97389 541-928-3431 Grow America Garden Supply LLC 11511 SW Pacific Highway, Tigard, OR 97223 503-841-6868 Pharmer Hydroponics 11135 SW Industrial Way Bldg 10-4 Tualatin, OR 97062 (503) 486-5751 PENNSYLVANIA

Pocono Hydroponic Solutions 25 Route 611 Bartonsville, PA 18321 Tel: 570-730-4544 Green Solutions Hydroponics 1700 Orange Street Berwick, PA 18603 570-752-1530 Garden Indoors of Pennsylvania 208 Route 13, Bristol, PA 19007 800-227-4567 422 GROW 1775 North Main Street Extension Butler, PA 16001-1327 724-561-3777 High Tech Garden Supply 20232 Route 19, Unit 6, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 724-473-1113 New Moon Indoor Garden Supply 20550 Route 19 Perry Highway, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 724-591-8086 Easton Hydroponcis 437 N. Hampton St. Easton, PA 18042 484-373-3232 Home Hydroponics of Pittsburgh 830 Route 119, Greensburg, PA 15601 724-836-1118 Buds to Blooms Garden and Supply Co., LLC 509 Orchard Avenue Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-860-8056 The Companion Plant 363 E. Main St Kutztown, PA 19530 1 (610) 683-9676 Flairform POB 1417, Lansdale, PA 19446 215-395-6353 RH Distribution POB 1417 Lansdale, PA 19446 888-545-8112 Hydro Ponics of Harrisburg 310 South 10th Street, Lemoyne, PA 17043 877-684-3808 Always Green Garden Supply 4400 Old William Penn Hwy Ste. 106 Monroeville PA 15146 412 646 1243 New Stanton Hydro 150 Post Ave. New Stanton, PA. 15672 724-635-0297 The Companion Plant 363 E. Main St Kutztown, PA 19530 1 (610) 683-9676 Full Bloom Hydroponics 84 South 24th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 888-872-3602 Home Hydroponics of Pittsburgh 2008 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-232-7030 Healthy Gardens and Supply 1012 Lincoln Avenue, Prospect Park, PA 19076 866-32-HYDRO Home Hydroponics of Pittsburgh 9 North Main St. Washington, PA 15301 724-222-0200 Western Pennsylvania Innovative Gardening 1177 Pittsburgh Road, Suite 103 Valencia, PA 16059 724 - 903 - 0800 Organic Garden Center 800 Washington Blvd. Williamsport, PA 17701 570-322-3120

SOUTH DAKOTA

National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 450 Grim Lane, York,PA 17406 877-779-7111(Northeast)

Green Earth Products Inc. 5700 Highway 79 S.,Unit 1, Rapid City, SD 57702 605-342-1307

PA Hydroponics & Home Gardening Supply 20 Quaker Church Road, York Springs, PA 17372 717-528-4175

TENNESSEE Innovative Hydroponic Supply Inc. 3286 North Park Blvd. Unit G Alcoa TN 37701 865 984 0280 Atlantis Hydroponics 1800 Rossville Avenue, #3, Chattanooga, TN 37408 423-752-5400

RHODE ISLAND Oakworld Garden Center 39 West Street, Barrington, RI 02806 401-245-5705 Solar Seed Hydroponics, Inc. 2406 Putman Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814 401-710-9010

Advanced Hydroponic Garden 783 French Mill Road, Dandridge, TN 37725 800-521-1643

Organically Grown 768 Atwood Ave Cranston, RI 02920 401-944-0549

Perpetual Harvest 75 Riverport Drive, Jackson, TN 38301 877-422-3391 Advanced Hydroponic Garden 6912 Clinton Highway, Knoxville, TN 37921 866-938-3318 Sun City Hydroponics 2235 Whitten Road, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133 901-372-8100 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 126 Belinda Parkway, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 888-265-9005

Hydro-Earth 1243 Mineral Springs Avenue, North Providence, RI 02904 401-305-5520 The Organic Grow Hut 375 Putnam Pike- Ste 13 Smithfield, RI 02828 (401)349-4141 South County Hydroponics 51 Old Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879 401-783-1733 Mother Nature Hydroponics 1268 Post Rd. Warwick RI 02888 401 780 0600

All Seasons Gardening and Brewing Supply Co. 924 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203 800-790-2188 Worm’s Way Tennessee 901 Main Street, Nashville, TN 37072 800-397-4153

LiquidSun® RI 1179 Central Avenue, Pawtucket, MA 02861 401-722-2724 Good To Grow 34 Nooseneck Hill Road West Greenwich, RI 02817 401-392-3100 Growin’ Crazy 93 Kingston Road Wyoming, Rhode Island 02898 401-284-0810 SOUTH CAROLINA GreenSpirit Hydrogarden 1864 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29405 843-225-1GRO; 247 Garden Supply 535 D Clemson Road, Columbia, SC 29229 803-788-4445 All Good Hydroponics & Gardening 6729 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29223 803-708-4819 All Season Hydroponics 6729 Two North Road, 10B Columbia, SC 29223 803-708-4819 The Urban Garden Hydroponics 9557 Two Notch Rd. Ste. E Columbia, SC 29223 803-788-9313 All Season Hydroponics 1350 Hwy. 501 Business, Store 3&4 Conway, SC 29526 843-347-9266 Green Thumb Unique Gardening & More 1230 Rutherford Road, Greenville, SC 29609 864-271-8830 Greenspirit Hydrogardens 3600 Unite 1 Hwy.17 S. North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 843-361-7777

TEXAS Abundant Harvest Hydroponics & Organics 3101 Avenue E East, Marshall, TX 76011 817-649-0100 Brite Ideas Hydroponics & Organics 4360 S.Congress Avenue, #310, Austin, TX 78745 512-444-2100 Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Central Austin) 5126 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78756 512-459-4769 Texas Hydroponics & Organics (South Austin) 2125-A Goodrich Avenue, Austin, TX 78704 512-440-4769 Third Coast Horticulture Supplies 7010 Burnet Rd., Ste.A Austin, TX 78757 512 459 4353 Happy Harvest Hydroponics & Organic 1500 C rescent Drive, Suite 202 Carrollton, TX 75006 972-466-1300 GroGreen Hydroponics 4015 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75226 214-370-9984 Jolly Green Hydroponics (Greenhouse Horticultural Supplies) 13628 Neutron Road, Dallas, TX 75244 (866) WE-JOLLY; 469-341-5555 Lone Star Hydroponics and Organics 1302 Motor Circle, Dallas, TX 75207 214-634-9376 Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Dallas) 3400 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75226 214-744-4769

Organic Garden & Feed 3801 N Interstate Hwy 35,Suite126, Denton Texas 76207 940-381-9890 Earth Organics 1360 Lee Trevino Drive,Suite 105 El Paso, TX 79936 915-591-9500 Airline Hydroponics P.O. Box 980904, Trader’s Village #363, Houston, TX 77098 713-942-0484 Botani Garden 15120 Bellaire Blvd Houston, TX 77083 281-575-1999 Houston Discount Hydroponics 9384 Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX 77063 713-464-9406 Hydroponic Nation 9700 Almeda Genoa Road, Suite 108, Houston, TX 77075 281-501-9636 In-N-Out Garden Supply 11011 S Wilcrest Drive Ste K Houston, TX 77099 1 (281) 568-5265 Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Houston) 7730 A Park Place Boulevard, Houston, TX 77087 713-641-4769 Ultimate Hydroponic Garden Supply 6125 West Sam Houston Parkway, North Suite 206 Houston, TX 77041 713-856-8425 Texas Growers Supply 5990 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E. #602, Humble, TX 77396 281-441-3739 Field of Dreams Indoor Growing Supplies 5302 Slide Road Unit B,Lubbock, TX 79414 806-793-2901 Hydro Mart 3841 Main Street, Rowlett, TX 75088 972-475-6114 Sol Organics & Hydroponics 1634 Babcock Road, San Antonio, TX 78229 210-366-9082 Innergrow Hydroponics 24451 Interstate Highway 20, Wills Point, TX 75169 866-475-4769 UTAH Wasatch Hydroponics 4050 South Howick, Suite 11E, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107 801-716-4133 Salt Lake Plant & Hydro60 West 3300 S. #6 ,South Salt Lake, UT 84115 801-488-3200 VERMONT Greenthumb - Vermont 394 Route 15, Jericho, VT 05465 802-899-4323 Peak Hydroponic Garden Supplies 20 School Street, Plainfield, VT 05667 802-454-8000 LiquidSun® VT 1 Bellows Falls Road, (Route 5 North) Putney, VT 05158 802-387-1100 Green Thumb Gardening P.O. Box 235, Route 15, Underhill, VT 5489 800-564-9376 VIRGINIA Fifth Season Gardening Company 900 Preston Ave. Charlottesville VA 22903 434-293-2332

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

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MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Clean & Green Technologies 196 Corning Drive, Christiansburg, VA 24073 866-694-1628 I Love Hydroponics 612 N. Sheppard Street, Richmond, VA 23221 804-377-3020 Lucky Roots 612 North Sheppard St. Richmond, VA 23221 804-377-3020 Blue Ridge Hydroponics & Home Brewing Company The Williamson Road Plaza, 5327 D Williamson Road Roanoke, VA 24012 540-265-2483 Inside-Out Garden Supply 6517 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA 22150 703-451-3259 I Love Hydroponics 368 Newtown Road, #105, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 757-490-5425 Hydroponics & Growlights 13400 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-490-0700 West VIRGINIA Panhandle Hydroculture 800 East Moler Ave. Martinsburg, WV 25401 304-240-7587 WASHINGTON Island Horticulture Supply 8608 S March Point Rd. Anacortes WA 98221 360 293 0000 Mike’s Indoor Garden Supply 6121 172nd Street NE #A, Arlington, WA 98223 (360) 474-1900 Belfair Garden & Lighting 24090 NE State Route 3 #F Belfair,WA 98528 360-275-2130 Green Gardens Distributing 12738 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, WA 98005 425-454-5731 Northern Lights Gardening 4159 Hannegan Road, Bellingham, WA 98225 360-715-8585 Liquid Sunshine Hydroponics 5087 Lincoln Road, Blaine, WA 98230 Kitsap Garden & Lighting 2130 6th Street, Bremerton, WA 98312 360-377-1277 M & R Lighting Unit C 22914 Highway 410, Buckley, WA 98390 253-891-4190 Indoor Tropics 5930 Sunburst Lane #B Cashmere, WA 98815 509-470-7782 Garden Smart 500 Bond Drive, Castlerock, WA 98611 360-274-7960 Grow Center, The 615 South Fir DeerPark WA 99006 509-276-GROW Healthy Grow Indoor Garden Supplies 10 SE Everett Mall Way Suite B Everett WA 98208 425-374-2227 Indoor Garden Depot 1401 S. 324th Street, Federal Way, WA 98003 253-874-1112 North West Hydro Supply 1355Pacific Pl Unit 117 Ferndale WA 98248-7824 360-778-3254

192

Maximum Yield USA | January 2012

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

Good 2 Gro 3507 W Clearwater Ave. Kennewick WA 99336 509 737 1313 Indoor Garden & Lighting 714 South Central Avenue, Kent, WA 98032 253-373-9060 Kent Garden Supplies Ltd. 18817 East Valley Highway, Kent, WA 98032 425-251-9299 Grogro Hydro 12403 NE. 124th Street, Kirkland, WA 98034 888-7-GROGRO 425-820-6200 KP Indoor Garden Store 8912 Key Peninsula HWY N Lakebay, WA 98349 253-884-SURE (7873) InDoor Gardening 1158 Commerce Longview WA, 98632 360-353-3851 Indoor Garden & Lighting 20505 Highway 99,, Lynnwood, WA 98036 425-673-2755 Go-N-Green Hydroponics 1241 State Ave Suite #102 Marysville, WA 98270 (360)386-8230 Green Acres Indoor Garden & Lighting 514 State Ave Suite #102 Marysville, WA 98270 360-658-GROW (4769) Island Hydroponic & Supplies 1515 5th Street #B, Marysville, WA 98271 425-299-5855 Mike’s Indoor Garden Supply 1204 East Wheeler Road, Moses Lake, WA 98837 (509)766-5856 M & R Lighting 17238 Memorial Drive, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 360-848-1080 Northern Lights Gardening 1524 Riverside Dr #2 Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 360-982-2217 Indoor Garden & Lighting 8606 Preston Fall City Rd. SE Preston WA 98050 425 222 9661 Linda’s Gardening & Hydroponics 11522 Canyon Road East, Puyallup, WA 98373 253-531-9641 Renton Indoor Garden Center 207 Sunset Blvd. N, Building A, Renton, WA 98055 425-917-9000 Eco Enterprises 1240 NE 175th Street, #B Shoreline, WA 98155 800-426-6937 Aqua Serene 3839 Stone Way North, Seattle, WA 98103 206-547-GROW (4769) Grogro Hydro 12316 32nd AVE NE #103 Seattle, WA 98125 Hydro-Tech 2121 Aurora Avenue, North, Seattle, WA 98103 206-547-2202 Sodo Hydro 1727 1st Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98134 206-682-9377 888-90HYDRO (904-9376) Northwest Horticulture Supply 161 Hooker Road, #1, Sequim, WA 98057 360-582-0702

509 Grow 2718 N Division Spokane, WA 99207 509-327-GROW(4769) Grow Center, The 2808 W Sprague Spokane WA 99202 509-456-GROW River City Hydroponics 1514 East Francis Avenue, Spokane, WA 99208 509-464-0246 Spokane Organic and Hydroponic Supply 4823 East Sprague Avenue E., Spokane Valley, WA 99212 509-534-4055 Green Tree Hydroponics and Garden 12316 Pacific Ave South Tacoma, WA 98444 253-536-1791 Indoor Garden & Lighting 3839 6th Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98406 253-761-7478 Solar Shop 306 West 4th Street, Tonasket, WA 98855 509-486-4508 Indoor Garden Depot 6400 NE Highway 99, Suite H, Vancouver, WA 98665 360-993-7779 National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply 4525 NW Fruit Valley Road, Vancouver, WA 98660 888-478-6544 (Northwest) National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply 5408 NE 88th Street, Building A, Vancouver, WA 98665 888-478-6544 VM Indoor Garden Supply 2903 NE 109th Ave Ste. D Vancouver, WA 98682 P: (360) 256-2933 Indoor Garden Supply LLC 1250 Atlantic Ave, Woodland, WA 98674 360-841-8055 WISCONSIN Aric’s Indoor Garden Supply 1104 West Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton, WI 54914 920-574-3258 Grow BIG Hydroponics 954 S. Westland, Appleton, WI 54914 920-749-4769 H2oGrow 1150 Madison rd Beloit WI 53511 608-289-1852 Brew and Grow 285 N. Janacek Road, Brookfield, WI 53045 262-789-0555 Garden Supply Guys 752 Memorial Drive - Suite A Green Bay, WI 54303 920-857-9493 Brew and Grow 3317 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53716 608-226-8910 Paradigm Gardens 4539 Helgesen Drive, Madison, WI 53718 608-241-3800 Brew and Grow 2246 Bluemound Road Ste. B Waukesha, WI 53186 1 (262) 717-0666 PUERTO RICO Tecno-Hydro Ave Campo Rico GJ17, PO Box 1450 Carolina, PR 00982 787-752-8252

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