Maximum Yield USA May 2011

USA

FREE

LEDs

MAKING YOUR INVESTMENT WORTHWHILE

Hybrid Hydroponics CROP STEERING SUSTAINABLE CITYSCAPES

+ MORE!

www.maximumyield.com

2011

Indoor gardenING expo SAN FRancisco California, USA July 16-17

long beach california, usa october 22-23

indoorgardeningexpo.com

NEW: Follow us on Twitter

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

3

4

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

5

6

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

7

8

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

FEATURES 56

CONTENTS May 2011

46

Hybrid Hydroponics With Bio Buckets

56

In Balance - Plant Steering for Vegetative and Generative Growth

by Casey Jones Fraser

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

66

A Hydroponics School Curriculum

76

Bumble and Bumble - Star Pollinators in the Greenhouse

90 96

104

by Peggy Bradley

by Donald Lester

More to the Story - Nutrient Solution Formulations and Uses

by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

LEDs - Making Your Investment Worthwhile

by Theresa Ryan

104

Your Own Japanese Garden: Part 1

112

A Beginner Grower’s Insight

124

Urban Hydroponics From BrightFarms Systems

136

Wonderful Watercolors:

by Steve Proski

by Lee McCall

136

by Philip McIntosh

by Jack Van Camp

DEPARTMENTS 10 12 14 20 22 32

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

74 88 102 110 122 134

Beginner’s Corner Avant-Gardening Tips and Tricks Growing for Health Green Thumb Gardening

144 149 154 155 156

Talking Shop Max Mart Coming up in June Do You Know?

Distributors

You Tell Us

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

9

FROM THE editor

jessica raymond

Spring is a great time to celebrate the indoor gardening industry as it continues to grow and we continue to learn and share the advantages of organic and controlled environment gardening.

Evidence of this gardening revolution was evident at the recent Denver, Colorado Expo where over 286 exhibits showcased the latest products and technologies to help gardeners grow their best yields. If you missed this great event, we have two more expos planned for 2011 in San Francisco, CA (July 16-17, 2011) and Long Beach, CA (Oct 16-17, 2011).

In the meantime, in your hands you have an issue full of the latest information the industry has to offer from hybrid hydroponics and plant steering for vegetative and generative growth, to LEDs and super star pollinators—bumblebees. Spring is now here and a lot of growing will be concentrated in outdoor gardens at this time. Farmer’s Markets are springing up across the country and there’s a huge emphasis on growing your own and supporting the local community. Just look at what commercial design consultants BrightFarms is doing in New York with hydroponics (pg. 124). This is a great opportunity for you to expand your hobby garden into a viable business selling at local farmer’s markets and to restaurants.

Maximum Yield is proud to announce the newest edition to our family of publications—Maximum Yield’s Hydro Life.

Launching August 2011, Hydro Life will be available at hydro, bike, board, surf, tattoo shops and more, and will celebrate the exciting lifestyles and passions of the industry. For more information on how you can get a copy or to promote your company in this much anticipated publication, call us at 1-250-729-2677.

Jessica Raymond, Editor

contributors

editor@maximumyield.com

Peggy Bradley is the executive director

for Carbon Question International. She has a master’s degree in civil engineering and works in the field of hydroponics, specializing in using the technology to help humans reduce their impact on the earth. She was nominated for the Japan Institute of Technology Environmental award and completed the Children’s Hydroponic Exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. has 50 years of experience growing plants hydroponically. He is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens and has authored eight books and written articles for magazines that deal with hydroponic issues.

He currently has his own consulting company, Grosystems, Inc. Dr. Jones currently lives in Anderson, SC, USA.

Lee McCall graduated from

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort.

Donald Lester is the plant

Jack Van Camp has been working

Casey Jones Fraser owns Garden

Philip McIntosh is a science and

Theresa Ryan is the director of operations for AIBC International’s LED Grow Lights Division in New York.

She conducts product research and development, improves quality standards and measures for indoor grow lighting and creates educational content for ledgrowlightsoutlet.com and aibcusa.com.

Prior to AIBC, Theresa worked on organic farms across Europe and the United States to promote sustainability.

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.

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.

products manager at JH Biotech, Inc., a California based agricultural technology company with 27 OMRI certified products. Donald has a master’s degree in agronomy with an emphasis in entomology. He is an agricultural scientist with over 10 years of research experience and 50 scientific publications to his credit. technology writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany and chemistry and a master’s degree in biological science.

During his graduate research he used hydroponic techniques to grow axenic plants. He lives in Colorado Springs, CO. where he teaches mathematics at Challenger Middle School.

Johnson and Wales University with a concentration in Culinary Arts.

Culinary school opened the door to research and work with hydroponics and organic production. Currently, Lee attends business school in Denver and focuses on continuing advancements with Maximum Yield and indoor gardening technology. for Homegrown Hydroponics. He has years of hands-on hydroponic gardening experience and will answer all of your questions through the Homegrown Hydroponics website at www.hydroponics.com He loves to share his knowledge with eager gardeners both locally and around the world.

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

10

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

11

LETTERS TO the editor

California Dreamin’

Eye on Colorado Retailers

Thanks for the great information on options for greenhouse frames in the February issue. Personally I prefer wood frames for my greenhouses—I have three in varying sizes. I love the west coast look of wood and I’ve found them to be fairly weather resistant with the proper treatment. Plus they can be set up for the greenhouse gardener on a budget. I love spending time reading and relaxing in my south-facing unit when the sun is warm; I built-in a six foot, single planked redwood bench for just that purpose. Thanks again for the article.

Maybe I’ll try adding a fourth greenhouse in one of the styles suggested.

I used to get your magazine from Midwest Gardening Supplies in Minneapolis.

Since moving to Fort Collins, Colorado. I would love to continue reading your magazine. Which stores offer Maximum Yield? The Grow Shop or Way To Grow are the two stores where I would love to see this magazine available for the customers. I hope to see the next issue in the stores here in Fort Collins.

Aaron Gardner Oceanside, California

Your local grow shop Way to Grow does carry Maximum Yield.

Other shops in the area that carry our magazine are: Alpenglow Garden Supply, Bath Nursery and Garden Center and Indoor Paradise Hydroponics. Simply flip to the back of Maximum Yield for addresses and contact information for these stores. If your local grow shop is not carrying Maximum Yield for their customers, simply have them call us to become a distributor.

Yellow and Mellow In the December 2010 issue of Maximum Yield USA, I was happy to see Matt LeBannister’s article on dealing with yellowing leaves. Yellow leaves are a recurring problem in my crops. I was wondering if a nitrogen deficiency could be the problem in yellowing bamboo stalks as well. In an older online article from Therese Cressman (“Growing Guide: Lucky Bamboo, July 2010”) she says yellowing leaves are a sign of too much light or too much fertilizer. She recommends removing the yellow leaves right away. I did but my bamboo continued to suffer. Any suggestions to help my bamboo are much appreciated.

Karl Talbot

Trichoderma Schmichoderma What is the effect of Trichoderma fungi on weeds? I also want to know how to spell the names of these weeds.

Sara Qadomi

If the leaves on the lower part of the plant are the ones that are yellowing it is likely to be a nitrogen deficiency. With bamboo it could be caused by fluctuating pH levels. Using pH drops to check the water before it is replaced might do the trick.

Bamboo is often grown in containers that cannot be drained.

I would recommend replacing the growing container and medium to rid the root-zone of built up nutrients that cannot be flushed. Hope this helps.

Trichoderma fungi are known to infect and live in a symbiotic relationship with many types of plants, including crop plants and weed species. Trichoderma are most famous for their dual benefits to crops: solubilizing soil nutrients for the plant and producing enzymes to attack soil pathogens. However, Trichoderma is also known to produce some substances toxic to weed hosts. Nodeweed (Synedrella nodiflora) and Alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) are known to naturally harbor Trichoderma fungi, and the weed Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is known to be susceptible to Trichoderma toxins, specifically oxalic acid. Isolating biopesticide materials from Trichoderma fungi is a relatively new field of study.

Maximum Yield Contributor: Matt LeBannister

Maximum Yield Contributor: Donald Lester

Ruth Alston

We want to hear from you!

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

12

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

13

Coming up on the Web Upcoming Events

8th Annual San Francisco Expo 2011 Maximum Yield’s 2011 Indoor Gardening Expo tour will once again be making a stop in San Francisco July 16 to 17, 2011 at the Fort Mason Center. This event offers education and entertainment rolled into one. We look forward to seeing you all in San Fran in just over two months. Countdown with us to this world-class event on indoorgardeningexpo.com

Contests Win BIG and Grow BIG by entering our latest contest

by June 15, 2011. Gear up for grabs includes: Vital Earth’s® PHC BioPak® (one pound jar), COM-100 Waterproof TDS/EC (Nutrient) Meter by HM Digital, Inc., JD Lightings 600 watt Electronic Ballast and Nature’s Solution Organic Products.

Latest News Did you know that each zodiac sign represents the ideal time for different garden tasks? Or that it takes 1,000 times more water to feed us than is does to satisfy our thirst? These interesting hydro facts—and more—are highlighted online this month.

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

www.maximumyield.com www.facebook.com/MaximumYield www.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 | May 2011

I N D O O R

G A R D E N I N G

VOLUME 12 – NUMBER 2 May 2011 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 Christina Indseth - christina@maximumyield.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN ads@ads.maximumyield.com Mike Linden - mike@maximumyield.com Daniel Peters - daniel@maximumyield.com Tina Skujins - tina@maximumyield.com Jennifer Duong - jennifer@maximumyield.com ACCOUNTING - Lee Anne Veres leeanne@maximumyield.com USA DISTRIBUTION Aurora Innovations BWGS, BWGS West and BWGS East General Hydroponics Hydrofarm Hydro International National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply R&M Supply Tradewinds CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION Brite-Lite Group Biofloral Eddis Wholesale Greenstar Plant Products Inc. Hydrotek MegaWatt Quality Wholesale UK DISTRIBUTION Growth Technology Hydrogarden Northern Hydroponic Wholesale Nutriculture UK AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION House N Garden Futchatec Growth Technology Hydraspher

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

15

16

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

17

18

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

19

SIMON says

Hey Simon, I was at a talk you gave late last year and I am a little confused.

In your Maximum Yield column and articles you discuss organics a lot, but during your talk you seemed to dismiss organics and biology for indoors gardens…what gives?

Hoping you can help with my confusion.

Mike

Sorry to be confusing Mike, but I am glad you picked up on this point. I am an organic enthusiast and always want gardeners to consider more natural options, including the use of microbes. We have horribly damaged our top soils around the world and these microscopic helpers could play a vital role in soil replenishment.

I believe I know the talk you are referring to in your question, and I just want to clear up my message a little. In essence what I was suggesting is that our understanding of soil biology is still very limited, even though our industry is the place to be for cutting edge microbial opportunities.

I made the point that it might be better to focus on specific types of biology in indoor gardens because achieving the full complexity of natural top soil is virtually impossible. The biodiversity of the soil ecosystem, or food web, starts with bacteria and fungi but moves through nematodes and protozoa all the way to arthropods, making indoor replication an exceptional and perhaps unrealistic goal.

Instead, choose specific microbes for their mode of action and benefits. It is possible that these organisms will be aggressive and take over the rhizosphere and it’s true that this imbalance is unnatural. However, trying to achieve balance as suggested is a pretty lofty idea, so it’s better to hand pick your helpers and treat them well.

I also talked about making sure you get the most from your biology for hire. This means understanding how to stimulate it with compounds such as humic acid but also realizing its preferred physical and chemical surroundings. A chemical example would be that mycorrhizal fungi can be inhibited by an oversupply of available phosphorous.

Now before you fungal fanatics out there get too upset, there is still good evidence that even though biology might not function at its highest level, it can still provide tremendous benefit through concepts like biofilms and other unknown synergies.

20

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

As for physical surroundings, be cautious with over-stimulation of biology, which can result in an oxygen draw down and pockets of anaerobic conditions. Nearly all beneficial microbes require oxygen to function properly.

As I suggested, we really have a limited understanding of what is going on in the rhizosphere, but good gardening is always about observation so be sure to try a few different products this year to find the logical biologicals for your indoor garden spaces. MY Do you have a question for Simon?

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

Maximum MaximumYield YieldUSA | April USA | May 2011

21

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Air and Root Zone Temperatures Influence Growth and Flowering of Snapdragons Growth chamber studies using elevated root zone temperatures and greenhouse studies using two root zone and two night air temperatures were conducted to determine the effects on growth and flowering of Rainier White and Tampico cutflower snapdragons.

Results: Chamber-grown snapdragons with the root zone at 86°F had shorter stems and a lower dry weight than those at 68°F. Holding the root zone above 79°F increased time to flower. Greenhouse-grown Tampico and Rainier White snapdragon stems were longer with increased root zone temperature regardless of night air temperature. Time to flower was reduced an average of six days with increased root zone temperature and 12 days when the night air was maintained at 68°F. This study demonstrated that the effects of relatively low greenhouse temperatures may be offset by root zone heat.

(Source: www.helpinggrowers.com)

High-Tech Crop Map AgroAtlas is a new interactive website that shows the geographic distributions of 100 crops; 640 species of crop diseases, pests and weeds; and 560 wild crop relatives growing in Russia and neighboring countries. The impetus behind developing AgroAtlas was to promote world food security, particularly in Newly Independent States—countries of the former Soviet Union striving to broaden their agricultural base.

AgroAtlas has the potential to aid in the detection and identification of insect pests, pathogens or weeds that have entered—or could enter—the United States from Russia or neighboring countries.

(Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

The Food Water Relationship

Students Learn, Tour Organic Farming Chiropractic and naturopathic students and faculty of the National University of Health Sciences (NUHS), located in Lombard, Illinois recently toured whole-food supplement manufacturer Standard Process Inc.’s manufacturing plant.

The 57 NUHS visitors learned how organic farming techniques are used to grow crops on the company’s 420 acres of certified organic farmland. During the visit, they also followed product through the company’s stateof-the-art manufacturing processes.

(Source: www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com)

On average we drink between two and three quarts of water per day.

It takes 1,500 quarts of water to produce just 2.2 pounds of grain and 10 times that amount—15,000 quarts—to produce 2.2 pounds of meat. Total agriculture accounts for 70 per cent of total water use.

To produce enough food to satisfy a person’s daily needs takes about 3,000 quarts of water. It takes 1,000 times more water to feed the human population than it does to satisfy its thirst. The world is thirsty because it is hungry.

Lesson: water is a renewable but finite resource.

(Source: www.fao.org)

22

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

23

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Get Smart In a study to be published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, researchers show that the mere presence of plants in an office setting boosts one’s ability to maintain attention. Scientists have also shown that exposure to naturalistic environments, such as those with much foliage, has regenerative effects for directed attention.

(Source: www.scientificamerican.com)

From Meat Packing to Vertical Farming One of Chicago’s most interesting real estate deals of the past year was a former meatpacking facility in Back-of-the-Yards acquired to be converted into a vertical farm. Developer John Edel acquired the four story building in July with plans to convert it into a vertical farm using aquaponics grow beds indoors and a greenhouse on the roof. In addition to the farm, Edel’s vision for the 93,500 square foot building calls for a brewery. According to a Chicago Reader article from August, Edel ultimately wants the building to be zero net energy, meaning that he’ll harness energy from one process to power another.

(Source: http://chicago.curbed.com)

24

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

25

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Big Ag Wants Government Ban on Cameras in Factory Farms If House File 589 passes, filming and distributing video content of animal abuse in Iowa factory farms will be punishable by law, with ‘offenders’ facing penalties up to $7,500 and five years in prison. But which part of the situation deserves a trip to the courtroom—the filming and distribution of video content or the animal abuse?

Animal-rights activists point out the obvious: that the bill will silence whistleblowers.

Unfortunately, with an agricultural industry that was responsible for $24.7 billion in direct sales in 2008, Iowa’s lawmakers would need to take a brave and principled stand to vote the bill down.

(Source: www.takepart.com)

Recycle Smarter Generally fluorescent lamps are four to five times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. However, they do contain small amounts of mercury. The mercury is not exposed to the environment unless the lamp is broken at the end of its life. The best way to prevent the release of mercury from lighting is to recycle lamps. Recycling lamps captures the mercury, allowing it to be reused.

A business has developed to collect and recycle end-oflife mercury lamps from commercial buildings. Options for retail consumers are expanding rapidly as well. Many local governments now collect end-of-life lamps and some retailers such as Ikea and Home Depot are also taking back lamps.

(Source: www.sunlightsupply.com)

26

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

The Perennial Plate: Sustainable Food Series Last year, The Perennial Plate—an online weekly documentary series dedicated to socially responsible and adventurous eating—went from a small Minnesota website to a nationally syndicated show with over 12,000 weekly viewers. This year in season two, the series main character—chef and activist Daniel Klein—will be traveling across North America to share inspiring food stories with as many people as possible.

Each week Daniel will be Daniel Klein hunting, farming, fishing Photo credit: Stephanie Cogan and foraging and then cooking up a delectable feast. Videos will be posted weekly on theperennialplate.com This time around, the show will go far beyond just posting free videos.

The new website offers an interactive element by which people across the country can contribute story ideas, host events and follow the trip.

A blog is also included to showcase the many great stories, pictures and recipes that don’t make it into the films. After the trip is finished, the plan is to edit the journey into a feature length piece and release it with a cookbook compiled of recipes from across the country.

If you want to see more real food films, help out by contributing to this show. Join Daniel for a real food road trip.

(Source: www.kickstarter.com)

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

27

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Pruning by Nature We prune plants to make them more beautiful, to encourage flowering and to help them grow strong and healthy.

Some trees and shrubs never need to be pruned while others require a seasonal cutting.

Light pruning for health: Careful cuts throughout the year go a long way to ensure healthier plants. Remove any part of the plant that looks diseased before it can spread. Do not prune later in the summer.

Pruning the natural way: Each species has its own natural beauty, and pruning should enhance this form not fight it.

Work from the inside out. Strive to retain enough outer foliage so that each cut is cloaked in leaves.

Pruning deciduous flowering shrubs: How and when you prune deciduous flowering shrubs influences the size and quantity of blossoms, or whether they flower at all. The key is to know when it flowers, and whether blossoms develop on the older twigs or newly grown ones.

Recycle your prunings: Recycle the clippings in your home, garden or city compost site.

(Source: www.monrovia.com)

Reading Herbal Tea Leaves: Benefits and Lore Scientists in Boston, Massachusetts have looked into the science-based evidence of health benefits from drinking three of the most popular herbals in America.

Chamomile tea: The scientific literature on the bioactivity of chamomile found no human clinical trials that examined the calming effect. There are, however, findings describing test tube evidence that chamomile tea has moderate antimicrobial activity and significant antiplatelet-clumping activity.

Peppermint tea: In test tubes, peppermint has been found to have significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities, strong antioxidant and antitumor actions and some antiallergenic potential.

Hibiscus tea: Based on a human clinical trial, it’s been reported that drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.

(Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

28

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

29

MAX

facts

hydroponic news, tips and trivia

Lunar Gardening According to organic gardener Dawn Ingersol—who has been using the ancient form of gardening by the planets for 30 years—a garden can benefit from the cycles of the zodiac. In each of the 12 zodiacal signs, the moon reflects the special characteristics associated with that sign: Dry masculine cycles Aries, Gemini, Leo or Aquarius: The best time for pulling weeds, plowing, tilling and killing pests Productive, moist, earthy and feminine cycle Taurus: A good time to plant root vegetables and potatoes Fruitful, moist and feminine cycles Pisces: A good time to plant most things, especially for root growth; Cancer: A good time for planting and irrigation; Scorpio: A very productive sign for planting most crops, especially vines Barren, dry and masculine cycle Sagittarius: A good sign to plant onions and hay and for cultivation Moist, earthy and feminine cycle Virgo: A good sign for weeding and cultivating— and also for pest control Semi-fruitful, moist, airy and masculine cycle Libra: A good time for planting crops and root growth; also a good sign for planting flowers and vines, corn and other livestock needs MY (Source: www.morrisdailyherald.com)

30

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

31

PRODUCT spotlight

GUIDE TO THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST ITEMS YOUR Ask for them at your local indoor gardening store.

Gardens for Small Spaces EarthBox’s new MiniGarden is ideal for any gardener with a limited amount of room. The unique design is compact yet still has the ability to hold up to two cubic feet of growing media. It is 25 inches by 23 inches and is just less than six inches wide and stackable with other MiniGarden units. Each unit features a three-layer design with three pockets per layer for your plants, and also comes with a water collections tray, three lids with trays and 18 assembly clips. Pick up the new Earthbox MiniGarden at your favorite indoor gardening shop today.

Introducing the New HydroStar E-Ballast by Greenstar Plant Products

Vital Earth’s® Soluble Seaweed Extract 1-1-17

HydroStar by Greenstar Plant Products is a line of valuepriced import items that allow growers to get the highest quality at a low price. We are incredibly excited to introduce our first HydroStar product to the market: the HydroStar Electronic Ballast. This non-dimming, 120/240 volt, CUL-approved ballast will run halide or sodium lamps and is programmed for a “soft-start”.This ballast features silent fan-less operation, the highest quality components and a three year exchange warranty. For more information or to order, visit your local indoor gardening shop.

Vital Earth’s® Soluble Seaweed Extract 1-1-17 is made from Ascophyllum nodosum, a marine plant exclusive to the North Atlantic. When used as directed, it improves overall plant health, quality and nutrition. Foliar application: 2∕3 teaspoons to one gallon of water. Ground application: 1 1∕3 teaspoons to one gallon of water. Apply in desired amounts. Apply as early as possible to the roots of the plant for maximum benefits.

For more information visit an indoor/ outdoor gardening shop near you.

Fiskars Now Available at Indoor Garden Shops Fiskars is a leading brand of functional, user-friendly hand tools and beyond. Fiskars products feature fully hardened stainless steel blades for long-lasting sharpness and can be used either right- or left-handed. Their pruning and floral snips come with blade covers and feature comfortable soft handles to improve control and reduce hand fatigue. Fiskars products come with lifetime warranties. Established in 1649, Fiskars is the oldest company in Finland. Fiskars launched the world’s first plastic-handled scissors in 1967. Since then, these orange scissors have sold more than one billion pieces worldwide. For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer near you.

32

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

33

PRODUCT spotlight

Hydro International Presents Bloom Imuno 1 and 2 The plant health regulators in Bloom Imuno 1 and 2 elicit the plant’s own ability to defend against pathogens, eliminating the chance of pathogens acquiring resistance. Foliar applications provide an increase in the defence capability of the root system as well as aerial portions of the plant. The main ingredients in Bloom Imuno 1 and 2 are naturally derived from the sea or BP grade vitamins. Bloom Imuno 1 and 2 also contain a non-ionic surfactant making it a complete solution for plant health and pathogen control. Visit your favorite indoor gardening shop to learn more.

Titan Controls® Helios 15™ ETL Listed 8 Light Controller With Timer Sunlight Supply®, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the new Helios 15™ - eight light controller with timer from Titan Controls®. This ETLlisted controller is acceptable for use in commercial applications. Manufactured in the United States, the Helios 15 features two premium quality Siemens brand relays, a durable powder coated steel chassis, a German made ‘on-board’ 24 hour timer and NEMA 6-15R UL-listed power outlets. Controlling up to eight 1,000 watt lights at 240 volts has never been easier. Visit your local hydro shop for more information.

Humboldt County’s Own Snow Storm Ultra If you like Purple Maxx/Snow Storm but you’re not interested in color, then you’ll love Snow Storm Ultra. We discovered we really had two products in one so we separated and optimized Snow Storm. There’s absolutely no product on the market like Snow Storm Ultra, whether a sugar water or carbohydrate-based product. This is the real deal developed by real growers—a genuine Humboldt County original. Try it and see for yourself. Samples and feeding charts are available at retail stores.

34

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

SunGro Full Page

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

35

PRODUCT spotlight

Your guide to this month’s hottest items.

Agrowtent – Clever Design and the Best Price on the Market Hydrotek is proud to present Agrowtent, a new modular chamber for vertical hydroponics. Agrowtent features an integrated vertical growing system that allows you to use the walls instead of soil to grow your favorite plants. Equipped with an opaque tent fabric and several new innovative features, Agrowtent makes maximum use of the light source and optimizes crop yields. Growers can double the tent’s capacity without doubling the cost of accessories. Its innovative design makes accessing plants easy, thanks to the sliding cooling tube. For more information visit your favorite indoor gardening shop.

Vital Earth’s® O.G. Seabird Guano Liquid Bloom 2-5-0 This all-natural liquid organic fertilizer is a special formula extracted from seabird guano, bone meal and kelp to give phosphorous and other essential nutrients to your fruiting and flowering plants. It contains no additives, no fillers and is 100 per cent organic. Liquid Bloom improves the flavor of vegetables and fruits and promotes intense fruiting, flower and blooming. Great for flowers too. Available in one quart, one gallon, 2.5 gallons and five gallons. For more information about Vital Earth products, visit an indoor gardening shop near you.

Hydro International Presents Flexible Ducting Our flexible ducting is by far the best on the market. Not only is it super heavy-duty, it is the thickest you’ll find, with cable and string reinforcements. When we say they are virtually tear-proof we mean it! Non-insulated with our reinforced film laminate jacket, our ducting is perfect for all pressure heating and cooling systems. Available in the following sizes: four inches, six inches, eight inches, 10 inches and 12 inches. Visit your favorite indoor gardening shop for more information.

New Colorful Pulse Start Metal Halide Lamps by Plantmax Nickel City Wholesale Garden Supply is pleased to present Plantmax’s new trio of pulse start lamps. The color of natural sunlight is cool in early spring and in the fall, and warm in the summer. Plantmax brings these changes indoors with three new bulbs: 7,000K for sprouting and vegetative growth, 3,000K for flowering and blooming and 10,000K for finishing and harvest. All three are available in 400, 600 and 1,000 watts. Pulse start lamps have a built in igniter, put out more lumens and last longer than probe start lamps. These lamps are commercial grade and designed to withstand the high frequencies from digital ballasts but still compatible with older electronic ballasts. Now available at indoor gardening shops across the country.

36

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

37

PRODUCT spotlight

Your guide to this month’s hottest items.

Humboldt County’s Own Bush Master Manufactured by Emerald Triangle Products in Humboldt County, Bush Master was specially developed to speed the transition to bloom, allowing plants to put more energy into flower development for a longer flowering cycle. Growers who carefully take two or three cycles to precisely optimize Bush Master for their particular plants will see drastic increases in yields. Plus, plants will finish seven to 10 days earlier. Works well with all nutrient lines. Bush Master is extremely concentrated so a little goes a long way. Free samples and feeding charts, plus free shipping are available to retail stores.

10” by 20” Mesh Tray New at Authorized Hydrofarm Retailers Grow like a pro with Hydrofarm’s 10 by 20 inch Mesh Tray.

This tray nests completely in Hydrofarm’s CKTRAY and most standard sized nursery trays. The unique mesh bottom keeps plants stable and is ideal for watering and draining cuttings and young plants. The strong, durable plastic will last for many seasons. For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retail shop near you.

Discover All the New Secret Jardin Products From beginners to more experienced gardeners, there is a new Secret Jardin grow tent to suit every grower’s needs and wishes. A new complete range of products, innovations and a selection of accessories for tents are now at your disposal. Secret Jardin products benefit from technological innovations including stronger components and better light proofing. All products come with a two year extended warranty. Available products include Dark Room II, Darkstreet II, Dark Room Twin, Dark Propagator and Dark Dryer. Visit a hydroponics retailer near you for more information.

Nectar for the Gods Available Exclusively From BWGS Retailers Nectar for the Gods fertilizers by Oregon’s Only Organics are available now across the country, only from exclusive BWGS retailers. This unique series features 14 cleverly-named fertilizers with a variety of uses. Herculean Harvest liquid bone meal promotes prolific blooms and encourages buff growth; Medusa’s Magic soil nutrient consists of proteins and enzymes suspended in a worm casting tea; and kelp-derived Poseidonzyme foliar spray has a plethora of potential uses from soil and hydroponic gardening to a soak for seeds. Nectar for the Gods fertilizers are now available at authorized BWGS retailers across the country.

38

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

39

40

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

41

PRODUCT spotlight

Your guide to this month’s hottest items.

Introducing the HydroHut Estate HydroHut has released its long awaited HydroHut Estate, linkable from all sides to another Estate. The Estate measures 127 inches by 127 inches by seven feet tall and has the strongest frame in the industry. There is no center down pole. Instead, we use 25 millimeter galvanized, powder-coated steel poles to give growers the best frame in the industry. The Estate is large enough to fit two full size four by eight foot tables with room to walk around them. The Estate ships in two. HydroHut is the only patented grow tent in the USA. Visit an indoor gardening shop near you for more information.

Dirt Bags Exclusively From Authorized Hydrofarm Retailers Lightweight and reusable, Hydrofarm’s Dirt Bags offer value and versatility to all gardening enthusiasts. Made from porous breathable fabric, Dirt Bags allow your plants to thrive, promoting exceptional root health and vigorous plant growth. The soft-sided construction allows the bag to conform to your terrain, making them the perfect choice for all growing areas. Our bags are stronger than similar products, with reinforced seams and strength-tested fabric, so they won’t tear when supporting even the heaviest crop.

For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer near you.

EcoPlus® Commercial Grade Water Chillers Sunlight Supply®, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the new Commercial Grade Water Chillers from EcoPlus®. Available in 0.5, one or 1.5 HP, these chillers are energy efficient and provide optimum performance. Suitable for use with reservoirs, hydroponic systems or aquariums, the EcoPlus® Commercial Grade Chillers may be plumbed with one inch hard PVC pipe or one inch flexible tubing. They feature remote temperature control, a 30 foot power cord and temperature memory in the event of a power failure. These chillers are friendly to those with a “set it and forget it” mentality. Visit your local hydro shop for more information.

Nutriculture’s Best Selling Hydro Range Just Got Better Nutriculture is proud to unveil the GT150 NFT Gro-Tank. At just six inches tall, the GT150 features an ultra-low level nutrient reservoir. Tailor-made for tent growers, it is designed to fit small growing areas. It is easy to set up allowing growers to manage just one tank for up to 25 plants. An adjustable delivery system allows growers to place the pump on either side of the reservoir. Now available in the US at your favorite indoor gardening shop.

42

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Vital Earth’s® O.G. Seabird Guano Liquid Grow 4-3-4 This all-natural liquid organic fertilizer is a special formula extracted from seabird guano, fish solubles and potassium sulfate. This unique blend is designed to give your plants nitrogen and other essential nutrients for vegetative growth. It contains no additives, no fillers and is 100 per cent organic. Liquid Grow promotes vigorous vegetative growth and is excellent for vegetables, herbs and shrubs.

Available in one quart, one gallon, 2.5 gallons and five gallons. For more information visit your favorite indoor gardening shop.

New Sunleaves Products Offer Something for Everyone New Sunleaves Duct Defenders are great for indoor gardeners looking to create a strong defence against pesky bugs and mold, mildew and unpleasant odors. Duct Defenders and Duct Defender Replacement Filters are available in four, six, eight, 10 and 12 inch diameters. Sunleaves Trellis Polyester Netting protects and supports up to 60 pounds of plants, and its six inch mesh allows easy access to fruits and flowers. Sunleaves Tool Sanitizer Spray helps fight harmful bacteria and diseases on tools. Visit your favorite indoor gardening shop today for more information on Sunleaves Duct Defenders.

Continued on page 142

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

43

44

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

45

Hybrid Hydroponics   With

Bio Buckets

by CASEY JONES FRASER

If you want to grow a small number of HUGE plants, try hybrid hydroponics with bio buckets.

Your roots and yields will be bigger than anything I could ever describe in this article.

46

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

47

Hybrid Hydroponics

Please don’t handle your roots. I had to lift them out of the bucket for the photos.

Great root systems give us great plants. Large yields just aren’t possible without large root systems, and most indoor gardeners can tell you their favorite method for achieving thick mats of healthy white roots—although their advice will vary widely. Some growers will even combine multiple techniques to reap the benefits of different styles of gardening.

Top-feed drip systems and deep water culture are two common hydroponics methods known for creating amazing root systems. Some of the most popular growing media are soilless mixes and grow rocks (usually expanded clay), both of which are known for generating luscious root growth.

While researching root growth, I heard about some European growers running an interesting hybrid hydroponics garden and obtaining yields higher than I ever thought possible. I dug up as much information as I could about their operation, and then I built a small grow focusing on those same hybrid techniques.

The plant growth was so fast I could barely keep up with it, and the roots were massive. If you want to grow a few really BIG plants, this might be the ideal hydro system for you.

Each individual planter includes a 10 inch mesh container in a three and a half gallon bucket. The mesh basket holds several inches of grow rocks, a grow block in the center and two inches of soilless mix on top. Two top-feed drip lines run constantly, and two and a half inches of bubbling water sits just

“If you want to grow a few really BIG plants...[hybrid hydroponics] might be the ideal hydro system for you.”

48

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Roots grow quickly in the 2.5 inches of deep water culture inside each bucket.

under the mesh basket, creating a level of deep water culture at the bottom of each bucket.

I started with some well-rooted ‘pineapple’ tomato clones transplanted into four inch grow blocks. After about three weeks of ebb and flow in grow blocks, the tomato plants were really growing and roots were popping out all over the blocks. At this point, it was time to move them into a new hydro system and set the lights to a 12/12 schedule for flowering.

My flowering garden space is two and a half feet by two and a half feet, with a 400 watt metal halide grow light specifically tuned for flowering. With the light hanging vertically in a six inch air-cooled glass tube, no reflector is used.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

49

Hybrid Hydroponics

“In the past, I would have flowered nine small plants in this space, but with the bio buckets I am now able to grow four monster plants.”

A two foot by two foot flood tray sits in the garden, the perfect size for four buckets. In the past, I would have flowered nine small plants in this space, but with the bio buckets I am now able to grow four monster plants.

I drilled a one and three quarter inch hole into the side of each bucket to allow the nutrient solution to overflow safely into the tray as the bucket is filled by the drip lines.

The large size of the hole will also allow you to fit an air stone through it, which will keep the solution bubbling inside each bucket.

After the buckets were drilled, I added the 10 inch mesh containers. These containers are made to fit on buckets and are available at your local grow store. Two inches of expanded clay grow rocks were then added to the bottom of each mesh container.

I used pineapple tomato plant clones, rooted in grow blocks.

50

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Step 2. Add a 10 inch mesh container to the 3.5 gallon bucket.

The grow block, complete with a pineapple tomato plant, was placed on top of two inches of grow rocks. Then I filled in more expanded clay rocks around the block.

With the expanded clay grow rocks surrounding the grow block, two and a half inches of space remained at the top of each container. I filled in that space with two inches of soilless mix—made up mostly of peat moss and perlite—on top of the grow rocks. Once all four buckets were complete, they were ready for installation into the hydroponics system.

The buckets were now in the two foot by two foot tray. The first step here was to add air stones to each bucket via the one and three quarter inch hole. I ran two small round air stones off of a quarter inch air line into each bucket, which will ensure that the two and a half inches of water in each bucket will never get stagnant or anaerobic (low in oxygen). This step is important because aeration prevents root rot.

The next step was to add two drip lines to the top of each container. If one dripper ever gets clogged, the other dripper will keep flowing. If that dripper is also clogged, the DWC layer will keep the roots from drying out.

The entire system is built above a 20 gallon reservoir filled with a mild nutrient solution (750 ppm). Once the pump is turned on and the drip lines are flowing, the buckets will start to fill with nutrient solution. After the solution reaches the two and a half inch level, the liquid will start spilling out of the one and three quarter inch hole. Each bucket is thus constantly overflowing, with the solution draining back into the reservoir.

So the nutrient solution is running through the various layers of growing mediums and dripping down into the bucket.The two and a half inches of deep water culture is fed by the drip stream and bubbled by the air stones.The result is an oxygen-rich environment—perfect for roots and beneficial bacteria and fungi.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

51

Hybrid Hydroponics

Step 3. Add two inches pf expanded clay pellets to the container.

To ensure that this environment is not overtaken by diseasecausing bacteria or fungi, a few precautionary steps should be taken. First and foremost, the water temperature should never rise above 71°F. Higher temperatures will decrease oxygen and encourage anaerobic bacteria and mold, while lower temperatures—between 60° and 71°—will create an environment that is safe for roots and friendly breeds of micro-organisms.

Always inoculate your garden with various strains of oxygenloving bacteria and fungi. Bacteria strains should include several types of Bacilli, including Paenibacillus, while fungi strains should include Glomus Mycorrhizae for root expansion and Trichoderma for disease protection. These micro-organisms are available in granular, powdered and liquid products, although some of the most diverse mixes of beneficial microbiology come from high-end compost teas. Get a recommendation from your local hydroponics store.

Some readers are probably shuddering at the thought of a soaking wet soilless mix setting on top of their valuable roots—“I thought oversaturated soil causes root rot?” Allow me to explain.

“Higher temperatures will decrease oxygen and encourage anaerobic bacteria and mold.”

Plants become overwatered when they can no longer obtain oxygen in the root zone, but with a rich blend of beneficial bacteria and cool temperatures, the water will contain copious amounts of oxygen regardless of how wet the medium gets. Overwatering becomes impossible.

After a day of continuous flowing, the hydro system will start to show a frothy layer of foam, both around the drains and in the reservoir. An ebb and flow system with the same nutrients and supplements is only a few feet away, and has no foam. The levels

52

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Step 5. Surround the block with more expanded clay pebbles.

of oxygen and microbiology are obviously much higher in the hybrid hydroponics system.

After a few weeks in the bio buckets the plants were growing out of control and required steady pruning to shape them—I ended up pruning enough to get over 100 clones per month without even trying.

Big ropes of roots were appearing in the buckets, surrounding the air stones. Looking at the roots, certain features become obvious. Root sizes include thick, tubular roots, medium roots and millions of tiny root hairs. These roots were attempting to grow in every direction, including upward. Roots typically grow outward and downward, but given such an ideal situation they can defy the norm and even grow towards the sky.

With the surprising amount of biomass produced in such a short period of time this system is obviously capable of huge roots and record-setting yields, and the vertical lighting system allows the plants to grow tall and full. A powerful blower keeps the light cool, and the plants will grow right up against the tube.

Maintenance includes monitoring the pH daily, changing the reservoir weekly, checking drippers for clogs and general plant care. Considering the large yield and the amazing health of the plants, the amount of work required is actually minimal. Although the 20 gallon reservoir is kept on a cold concrete floor—which keeps the water temperature in the 60s—during the summer some growers may need a chiller to keep reservoir temperatures in check. MY

Direct hydro Half Page

Nutrients and supplements A and B (base nutrients) Biodynamic tonic (micronutrients) B vitamins and amino acids (metabolism boost) Microbe inoculant (beneficial bacteria and fungi) Enzyme concentrate (rootzone protection) *use only chlorine-free water Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

53

54

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

55

In Balance Plant Steering for Vegetative and Generative Growth

by Dr. Lynette Morgan

Dr. Lynette Morgan offers her tips for balancing vegetative and generative growth through crop steering.

Growth balance is something many indoor growers may not be tuned into—after all, plants are programmed to grow leaves, flowers and fruit with little input from us. However, some of the tools used by the commercial greenhouse producers of fruiting crops can be applied on a smaller scale, and crop steering is a useful technique to know and understand. Crop steering works on the principle that there are two different types of growth with flowering and fruiting plants: the vegetative phase, which refers to foliage and stem growth, and the generative phase, where flowers form and fruit begin to set and develop. Balanced growth means the plant produces just enough foliage to support a good number of developing flowers and fruit, thus maximizing yield without putting a lot of extra energy into unnecessary amounts of foliage.

What is vegetative growth?

We often hear about plants that might have gone overly vegetative—a common occurrence under lush hydroponic growing conditions with plenty of water and nutrients. Overly vegetative crops are fairly easy to recognize. With plants such as tomatoes, the stems are often very thick—sometimes described

56

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

as being like tree trunks—and the foliage is lush and light green with large leaves. Overly vegetative growth means the plant doesn’t have a lot of developing flowers or fruit, and is instead sending most of the assimilate produced via photosynthesis into further leaf growth. Any flowers that develop may be small and weak and may even abscise, as leaf growth is favored over generative growth in this condition. The canopy of an overly vegetative crop often appears very dense, with many long leaves, and will present fast growth and rapidly increasing plant height, but few mature fruit and sparse flowering.

Strong vegetative growth is common in young plants, which naturally favor a high degree of foliage development. However, certain other conditions also favor vegetative growth, and this sort of development is common with plants growing under mild conditions where there is little or no plant stress. Using substrates that retain a lot of moisture—such as fine grade coconut fiber—and running lower-nutrient EC levels also encourages vegetative growth, as do reduced light levels, high humidity and plenty of water from small frequent irrigations, especially with young plants or those grafted on vigorous root stocks.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

57

In Balance

Flowering and fruiting crops large and small will give optimal yields if the vegetative/generative balance is correct.

implement some measures to keep things on track. With tomato crops there are some basic measurements that can be used to determine the vegetative-versus-generative balance. A tomato plant with a balanced growth habit tends to have a stem thickness of approximately one third of an inch in diameter at six inches below the growing point.

A much larger diameter indicates the plant is heading in a vegetative direction, and a much thinner stem means the plant is going generative.

A number of plants should be measured and the average reading taken, as there is always some natural variation between plants in a crop.

What is generative growth?

Steering the plants in the right direction

A plant that has become overly generative is one where the assimilate being produced is largely being directed to the developing flowers and fruit at the expense of further leaf development. An overly generative plant may also have yields restricted due to a lack of foliage development, which is required to provide the assimilate required for flower and fruit development.

In tomatoes, this is often described as thin growth, with leaves being small and sparse and petering out at the tops. The plant stem becomes thinner, as opposed to the tree trunk-like stem diameter of plants, which are overly vegetative, and sometimes the flower clusters are short and bent in a downwards direction.

Usually generative plants have a high number of flowers or fruit, which attract the bulk of the assimilates produced by the leaves. While a highly generative plant may seem like a good idea in order to maximize yields, in reality this sort of lack of balance means there is insufficient foliage to support the number of flowers and fruit which form, and in many crops this will mean smaller fruit size and reduced yields.

Factors that favor generative development include older plants with heavy crop loading, growing in warm conditions with high light levels, CO2 enrichment and low humidity or VPD. Freely draining growing media and restricted moisture, higher EC and harsh growing conditions caused by light and heat also tend to encourage generative development.

Fortunately, there are many tools and techniques that can be used with a protected-environment hydroponic crop where the grower has control over all growth factors. Tomatoes and capsicum have the best selection of cultivars that have been bred for vegetative or generative or even balanced growth habits, and it’s worth selecting these for certain growing

Getting the balance right Experienced growers will soon learn to tell if a crop is looking a little too vegetative—often before flowering begins—and can 58

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Well formed and sized tomato fruit require sufficient vegetative growth to support fruit development as well as the right level of fruit loading.

Young plants tend to be quite vegetative in nature.

conditions. In indoor gardens many tomato and capsicum plants respond to the highly protected environment by going more vegetative, so selecting cultivars with a generative growth habit often helps in obtaining better yields. Tomatoes grown in a summer glasshouse with high levels of natural light and a heat stress are better selected from the more vegetative cultivars in order to give a better balance of growth under the harsher growing conditions. Cultivar alone, however, is usually not enough to guarantee a good growth balance, and some degree of growth manipulation is often required for many indoor plants.

Steering with temperatures, light, humidity and CO2

As a general rule, lower light or shading favors vegetative growth and high light intensity favors generative growth. High humidity favors vegetative growth, low humidity favors generative growth. CO2 enrichment favors generative growth once flowering or fruit set has occurred as it allows greater production of assimilate from the same leaf area. Most growers understand these basic concepts and their effects on growth balance, although a more advanced tool is available in the use of day/ night temperature differentials (DIFs), which can be used to steer a crop back into more balanced growth. DIFs work well in indoor gardens where the grower has good control over temperatures, and they are also used to promote the transportation of assimilates from the leaves into the fruit. High day

“While a highly generative plant may seem like a good idea...in reality this sort of lack of balance means there is insufficient foliage to support the number of flowers and fruit which form.” temperatures tend to promote stretching and elongation of the plant, as well as an increase in leaf area. Night temperatures do not play a role in this particular relationship, but the difference between day and night temperatures is important to flowering and fruit development. Environmental conditions also play a role—low light levels and warm temperatures promote stem

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

59

In Balance

elongation and a tall weak plant, so the temperature should be kept cool and matched to the light levels. A low DIF (where night and day temperatures are similar) is used to stimulate vegetative growth, while a greater DIF (where night temperature is much lower than the day temperature) results in more generative growth. This means it’s often a good idea to impose day and night temperatures, which are fairly close to each other early in the plant’s life to stimulate good foliage growth, then switch to a greater DIF with much lower night temperatures as the plant comes close to flowering and fruit set. From then onwards, tomato and capsicum growers may change the DIF settings to push either vegetative or generative growth as required.

Steering with EC and moisture levels Along with temperature DIFs, conditions in the root zone act to steer plants towards more vegetative or generative growth to help maintain balance. Growing substrates with a high waterholding capacity—such as fine-grade coconut fiber, peat and vermiculite—tend to favor vegetative growth, while those with a much freer draining nature, such as coarse perlite, encourage more generative growth, although irrigation management also plays a large role in root-zone moisture levels.

A high moisture content in the growing media created with the use of frequent irrigation and a relatively low EC of the nutrient solution will promote water uptake by the plant and encourage vegetative growth. Applying controlled plant stress with the use of higher EC or deficit irrigation practices will have a more generative effect. Deficit irrigation may include reducing the volume applied at each irrigation, allowing more time between irrigations and allowing the media to dry slightly

Cucumber hybrids tend to be highly generative under good growing conditions.

60

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Capsicum of all types and fruit sizes can have problems maintaining a good growth balance and often produce fruit in flushes.

overnight by restricting early morning and evening irrigations. This type of deficit irrigation and the use of high EC to force plants into generative growth must be used with caution, however, as moisture fluctuations in the root zone can lead to an increase in fruit splitting and cracking, and are also associated with an increase in blossom end rot development in tomatoes and peppers under certain growing conditions.

Sizing up tomato fruit The warm parts of tomato plants (growing points, fruit, leaves) attract more assimilate than colder parts do. A small difference in temperature can make a considerable difference to the distribution of assimilate within the plant—thus warm fruits attract more sugars for growth than those that are cooler. A good technique used by growers to boost fruit growth and size is the pre-night drop. This process involves allowing the plants to receive increased warmth in the late afternoon. This heat is then absorbed by the fruit tissue, while sugars accumulate in the photosynthesizing leaf tissue. During the evening the temperature is then dropped back quickly by several degrees. The drop in temperature causes the thinner mass of the leaves at the top of the plant to cool quickly, while the fruit, having a much

“Cultivar alone...is usually not enough to guarantee a good growth balance, and some degree of growth manipulation is often required for many indoor plants.” larger mass, remains warm for longer. The cooled leaves then unload their assimilate sugars to the warmer fruit tissue, forcing more sugars for growth out of the foliage and into the fruit.

Overall, the 24 hour temperature average is not affected by this process, so it does not affect plant internode length or stem diameter. The rate of assimilate importation into the developing fruit determines fruit size and the amount of assimilate that is sent into the fruit is highly dependent on the temperature of the fruit tissue—the warmer the fruit tissue, the more sugars are imported into the fruit. The optimal fruit temperature for sugar Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

61

In Balance Environment Control

highly effective provided it is carried out correctly—some growers use infrared thermometers and internal fruit sensors to check leaf and fruit temperatures when they first attempt this process, to ensure that there is a sufficient temperature difference between the leaves in the head and the warmer fruit below.

Plant steering with peppers and crop unloading Peppers tend to grow in flushes, with periods of leaf growth alternating with periods of fruit growth. This usually results in fruit being harvested in flushes during the first few Under hot/high light summer conditions, tomato months of the crop, which is a normal growth Large fruited bell peppers tend to grow with alternatcrops can become overly generative with small, cycle, but not one that is favored by growers ing periods of leaf and fruit growth. sparse leaves and a very heavy fruit load. wanting a regular supply of fruit. Usually, after o o the second flush of fruit is harvested, pepper importation is between 73 and 77 F. As an example, the preplants will then resume a more balanced state of growth, with night temperature drop might be from a late-afternoon warmo a consistent pattern of vegetative and generative growth. There ing of up to a maximum of 77 F, followed by a drop of three to o o is little that can be done about this natural cycle of vegetative four hours at 60 to 62 F in the evening. From then onwards and fruit growth in peppers, but if the halt to vegetative growth normal night temperatures are run. This technique works best goes on for too long, yields can be reduced and future harvests in indoor gardens that have good temperature control, and is delayed. One effective method of forcing both pepper and

62

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

63

In Balance

tomato plants into unloading some fruit so that vegetative growth can be speeded up is to increase the temperature.

Another method is to harvest some fruit before they are completely ripe, which may mean harvesting fruit from young pepper plants when mature green rather than waiting for the first signs of coloration.

A wide range of crops need manipulation of the vegetative/generative balance, including melons.

Summary To direct plants into a more vegetative growth habit: Shade crop or reduce light (but not so low as to severely restrict photosynthesis); apply frequent irrigations; allow less dry-down of the root zone overnight; use moisture-retentive fine-grade growing

64

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

media; lower EC; increase humidity; reduce day temperature; use a low DIF (similar day/night temperatures).

Peppers respond to fruit unloading practices if vegetative growth has been severely limited by a heavy crop load.

To direct plants into a more generative growth habit: Apply a little stress—increase EC, restrict moisture in the root zone, allow media to dry slightly more overnight. Increase light levels and temperature, increase CO2, drop back humidity. Use a freer-draining media

or more careful control over irrigation, drop back irrigation frequency and amount.

Use a greater DIF (night temperatures much lower than day temperatures). For sizing up fruit, use pre-night temperature drop method to force assimilate out of leaves and into developing fruits. MY

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

65

Peggy Bradley and the Institute of Simplified Hydroponics (ISH) team educate school-aged children throughout Zimbabwe and Israel on hydroponics—and the kids run with the idea. Now the Jamaican Department of Agriculture and ISH are proposing a model for Jamaica that could be the basis for hydroponic education anywhere. It fundamentally ensures that children learn how to grow their own food and are capable of eventually obtaining food security.

I think it was my own experience in elementary school that interested me in educational reform. I remember those grades—from first to eighth—as a sort of long and boring imprisonment of body and soul.

When I got to college,

66

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

67

A HYDROPONICS SCHOOL CURRICULUM

education started to be interesting. I could pick my own subjects, I was learning and my creativity was sparked and challenged. I started to think.

In college I became interested in new types of education, such as that offered at the Summerhill facility in England. After I threatened to tear up my diploma at graduation because the engineering department was not retaining women and minorities, the dean of science at Oregon State University hired me to teach a class in an attempt to keep more women and

minorities in science and engineering.

This class allowed me to learn about how people learn; how they retain knowledge.

When I first started teaching simplified hydroponics, I found another opportunity to learn about alternative methods of education.

Our first project for the Institute of Simplified Hydroponics was an elementary school in eastern Zimbabwe. A school of 900 children exists there in a beautiful village without running water or electricity. There are only 50 books in the school,

no chalk for the teachers, no pencils and no paper.

We started a demonstration garden and gave classes in teaching children hydroponics.The year was 1996 and Zimbabwe had been an independent country for just 16 years.The former country of Rhodesia had been a British colony, and before 1980 the native African children had not been able to go to school.

The building of a school was a deep source of pride for the village and the national government.When we started our village garden, elders of the village appeared

and started to work with the children, helping them to plant seedlings and stake up growing plants.

The elders could not read or write or do math, so they had been inadvertently excluded from the children’s education.

But the gardens brought them back, with the children needing the knowledge they could provide.

A few years later, in 2000, I was introducing simplified hydroponics to a sixth grade class in Tocah, Israel, in the settlements.

From the moment I stepped into the classroom, I knew I had found the new form of education I had been seeking.

There were 12 students, all 12 years old, in the sixth grade class.They were sitting around a rectangular table, not in individual desks facing a teacher in front. I started the class by opening up our classroom kit, which includes curriculum for a six 68

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum MaximumYield YieldUSA | April USA | May 2011

69

A HYDROPONICS SCHOOL CURRICULUM

week course. The course had six experiments, meant to be completed over the whole six weeks.

The Israeli children divided all six experiments up on the table and proceeded to do all six experiments at once.They asked a million questions as they worked—will

this work for flowers? What else can we use for substrate? What about nutrients?

As children asked questions, other children would suggest answers.The teacher and I stood by to occasionally make a comment or maintain a bit of discipline.

Three hours later, the six experiments

were completed and on the window waiting to sprout.The children then divided up the model-building tasks, all eight of them, building models with clay, paper and colored pencils, still asking tons of questions.They built ancient Egyptian gardens and modern NASA hydroponic systems.

By the next day the children, school administration and teacher had together decided to build a real system outside the classroom.

Instead of a demonstration garden, they decided to build a wastewater treatment wetland. We spent the next three weeks on a small stream on a slope that cleaned water through mosses, mussels and reeds.

After Israel, it has been in my mind to do something about promoting a new model of education, a gardenbased curriculum that would ensure each child would be able to grow their own food and later provide nutritious produce for their family.

Through the Institute of Simplified Hydroponics (ISH) we have been developing a course of learning for different grades to support elementary schools. We have had a first grade curriculum and a sixth grade curriculum in use now for over a decade, and both are highly rated by several educational groups. We have also developed a 70

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

71

A HYDROPONICS SCHOOL CURRICULUM

board game, Hydroponica, which is used in all our classes.

In 2010, a government official in Jamaica contacted ISH to help with food security in Jamaica. Our meetings continued over a five month period, and were concluded with a proposal for a new educational model based on the school gardens.

In Jamaica, 75 per cent of the nation’s food is now imported from other countries. There is over 50 per cent unemployment in Jamaica, and the average family spends over 50 per cent of their income on food. What little employment there is available is mostly based on the tourist industry, now hard hit by the economic downturn.

Just north of Jamaica, in Cuba, organoponic technology now produces 50 per cent of the vegetables consumed in the island nation. Jamaica has the same tropical climate and much better access to water and materials—they could certainly use organic technology to advance food security.

The Jamaican government was already setting up gardens in schools, with over 1,000 sites already established in elementary schools. But they needed a curriculum, a method of integrating what they could learn in the school garden into the classroom. So we developed a curriculum together for grades one through eight. Although this curriculum is specifically designed for Jamaica, it could be adapted to any country without too much tinkering.

Stay tuned for the June issue of Maximum Yield USA where Peggy outlines the hydroponics curriculum proposal for Jamaica students in grades one through eight.

ISH is at www.carbon.org and the educational materials used in this curriculum can be purchased online. Anyone wishing for further education in this technology is invited to attend training in Jamaica or Missouri later this year. MY

27, 28, 29 72

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

73

BEGINNER’S CORNER

Five Minute Lesson:

Keeping a Close Eye on Temperature

The best thing you can do to avoid extreme temperatures in the grow room or greenhouse? Pay attention.

Extreme temperatures affect us. They affect plants too.

Temperature affects plant growth, flowering, seed production and pollination. If the environment is too cold, seeds won’t germinate, cuttings won’t root and flowers won’t produce pollen.Your plants will grow slowly or stop growing altogether.

If the environment is too cold, your seeds won’t germinate and cuttings won’t root.

Plants can die from oxygen deficiency or succumb to pathogens that like higher temperatures.

74

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Control your nutrient solution temperature.

Temperature affects the growth rate and structure of plants. Most plants prefer a root zone temperature of 65 to 72ºF (cooler for winter crops, warmer for tropical crops). Keep your solution at around 68ºF for the best oxygen content and uptake by the roots. High water temperature (above 72ºF) quickly reduces dissolved oxygen and increases the risk of root disease. Cold water temperature can shock roots and cause other problems. Adding water to your reservoir? Get it to the same temperature as the root zone water before you start the pumps. Rapid changes to the temperature of the solution will stress plants.

Prevent big temperature swings.

In winter: Put a heat mat under your reservoir or use aquarium heaters for your nutrient.

In summer: Use chillers and protect your solution from direct sunlight by insulating it or sinking your reservoir in the ground.

Tips

If you can’t prevent temperatures from rising too high, lower plant stress levels by lowering the strength of your nutrient solution. A warm, dry environment evaporates water quickly. Evaporation can cause big problems by increasing the concentration/conductivity of the nutrient solution.

Can’t easily lower the temperature of your growing environment?

Try covering your reservoir with black and white plastic (white side up, black side down). This will reflect light away and help prevent evaporation. Reducing direct light on the solution will also slow or prevent the growth of algae and bacteria. If you’re growing indoors, be aware of the heat from plant lamps. A slight change in a light’s position can make a big difference to growth. Outdoors, or in a greenhouse, the amount of sunlight will affect the temperature of your growing environment.

Article contributed by

Bluelab Corporation Limited

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

75

Bumble and Bumble Star Pollinators in the Greenhouse

by Donald Lester

As more and more greenhouses are constructed, the need for indoor pollination increases. Honeybees are generally thought of as the most common pollinators, and they are the most widely studied; however, bumblebees are as good—or better—than traditional honeybees at pollinating many seed and food crops. Keep reading to find out why.

76

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Bumble and Bumble

.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of the food grown for human consumption in North America is pollinated by bees. Bees are used in over 30 different countries on more than 25 different crops. In 2000, researchers examined the economic value of honeybee pollination in US agriculture based on national agricultural statistics and interviews with beekeepers and research personnel. They estimated that there were 2.5 million colonies rented for pollination purposes in 1998 and that pollination services amounted to $14.6 billion of agricultural output in 2000. Bumblebees may be best pollinators of the following seed and food crops: Alfalfa Apples Blackberries Blueberries Broad beans Buckwheat Celery Cherries Clover Coriander Cotton Cranberries Cucumbers Currants

Fennel Gherkins Gooseberries Gourds Kiwi fruit Lemons Lima beans Lupins Marrows Melons Mustard Oil seed rape Oranges Peaches

Pears Peppers Plums Pumpkins Raspberries Runner beans Soybeans Squash Strawberries Sunflowers Tomatoes Turnips Vetches Watermelons

“Bumblebees are generally regarded as being less aggressive than honeybees.”

In the past, greenhouse operators traditionally hand pollinated their crops, but as the size of the operations increased, producers started looking for alternatives. Bumblebees are far more efficient than hand pollination. In fact, a study done at Penn State concluded that “tomato growers who eliminate pesticides in the greenhouse can use bumblebee hives to pollinate their crops, saving 15 hours of labor per acre [per day] required for manual pollination. Research indicated that bumblebees pollinate more efficiently, leading to yield increases of as much as 25 per cent.”

Not only are bumblebees better for greenhouse pollination than hand pollination, they are also better suited for greenhouse pollination over honeybees for several reasons.

First, honeybees suffer from the ‘colony collapse disorder’ that we have heard so much about in the news lately. Honey producers also add plastic strips impregnated with pesticide to their hives to fight Varroa mites, thereby increasing the chance of pesticide residues in honey, while bumblebees 78

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

79

Bumble and Bumble

do not suffer from Varroa mites like honeybees do. Finally, bumblebees have an advantage over other bees in that they can warm themselves on cold mornings and operate at lower ambient temperatures.

A common assumption is that the buzzing sound of bumblebees is caused by the beating of their wings. The sound is actually the result of the bee vibrating its flight muscles, and is achieved while the muscles are decoupled from the wings.

Bumblebees have been known to reach an internal temperature of 86°F using this method. Because of this warming mechanism, bumblebees are most active in the morning and afternoons at temperatures between 50° and 86°F. They function best at temperatures between 59° and 77°F, although they are known to operate at temperatures down to 41°F with windy and cloudy conditions. These temperature ranges are only averages, since there are over 250 known species of bumblebees.

“It is estimated that 30 per cent of the food grown for human consumption in North America is pollinated by bees.”

80

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Bumble and Bumble

Bumblebees are sold commercially by several vendors. They come in a maintenance-free cardboard box, often containing fewer than 50 individuals. The typical colony includes a queen, workers and brood (pupae, eggs and larvae), and a bag with sugar solution provided as a food source. This solution is intended to keep the bees going for the total life expectancy of the hive, since crops such as tomatoes have blossoms that do not produce nectar. The box has two tubes inserted into it: one tube is a two-way valve to let bees in and out of the box, while the other tube is a one-way valve to let bees into the box but not back out again. This tube is useful for locking bees into the box during spray applications or when moving the hive.

It is best to place the hives along the south side of the main path in the greenhouse in order to have maximum shade from the crop in summer. It may even be necessary to provide extra shade, with a piece of Styrofoam or other water-impervious material that does not radiate heat. Distribute the hives evenly along the pathway, in plain view, approximately four to six feet above ground level with the flight hole facing east. The best position for the hives is on a horizontal platform so that the sugar solution will not leak.

82

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

83

Bumble and Bumble

“BumbleBees...have problems with their orientatation in the greenhouse, especially during the darkest months of the year.”

The placement of the hives is important. Carbon dioxide is often used by entomologists to anesthetize insects for short periods of time in order to handle them safely, and prolonged exposure to carbon dioxide can reach dangerous levels for bumblebees. In high-carbon dioxide growing environments, therefore, it is best to restrict any carbon dioxide supply in the immediate vicinity of bumblebee hives.

The side walls and roof vents should be covered with insect screens (50 mesh) to restrict the entrance of pest insects into the greenhouse and simultaneously keep bumblebees and beneficial insects from escaping. Overhead air circulation fans and exhaust fan outlets should be covered with screen as well, to prevent the bumblebees from being sucked out of the greenhouse or being killed by hitting the fan blades.

Ants can raid and destroy a hive, so it is important to keep them away from the bees. Use a bead of grease or petroleum jelly around the hives as a physical barrier, and avoid contact between plants and the hive, since this can act as a bridge for ants to reach the hive.

84

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Bumble and Bumble

Before opening the flight hole, allow the colony to calm down for a minimum of half an hour after placing in position. Open the flight hole of newly placed hives on the day they arrive during the brightest time of the day, and allow for a minimum of four hours of effective pollination per day.

Bumblebees are generally regarded as being less aggressive than honeybees. However, there are certain precautions one should employ when handling any bees. For example, do not wear perfume, makeup, cologne, aftershave or any other odorous materials that may attract the bees, and do not let children play near the hives or disturb them. Bumblebees are also attracted to the color blue, so it is best to avoid using blue sticky trap cards or wearing blue clothing that may attract the bees.

Bumblebees need ultraviolet light for orientation and navigation. When artificial lights overpower the natural light, bumblebees have problems with their orientation in the greenhouse, especially during the darkest months of the year. When this happens, bumblebees may become damaged by flying against the hot lights, and in order to compensate for the loss of worker bees it may be necessary to add extra hives to the greenhouse.

Bees in general are very susceptible to insecticides and other chemicals. Use pesticides selectively, since many of the traditional classes of insecticides will have a negative impact on the hive and may damage the bumblebee population. Contact a bumblebee vendor for specific information about persistence and compatibility of specific materials and the timing of any pesticide applications. In fact, rather than using pesticides in the greenhouse, it is important to remember that bumblebees perform best when used in conjunction with natural enemies to control pests.

So—if you are going to make the switch to growing insectpollinated crops in the greenhouse, consider using bumblebees.

They offer many advantages over honeybees, and they will save you countless hours of hand-pollination labor. Why not let Mother Nature help you become more natural in your indoor food and crop production? MY 86

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

87

AVANT-GARDENING

How to

Sterilize

Soil at

HOME

Pre-mixed potting soil from grow shops is sterilized—weed seeds and diseased organisms are killed—to give your plants the best growing environment possible. Most commercial potting soil is already sterilized but if you want to use the rich dark soil right from your garden or reuse your potting soil, here are a few different ways you can sterilize it.

Oven Method (small batches):

Fill an ovenproof container about three inches deep with soil, mix in a generous amount of water (not enough to make it runny or soupy but thoroughly wet) then cover with aluminum foil. Bake the soil in a pre-heated oven (200°F) until the temperature of the center of the soil reaches 180°F (use a meat thermometer to measure). Once the soil temperature reaches 180°F, bake for 30 minutes. Do not overheat or over bake the soil since it can release toxins harmful to plants as well as kill beneficial organisms. Baking soil can smell quite foul, this is normal.

Microwave Method (small batch):

To use the microwave to sterilize soil, put about two pounds of moist soil in a

88

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

thick, plastic bag. Leave the top open and place it in the center of the microwave. Treat it for two to five minutes on full power, checking the temperature in the middle of the soil with a thermometer. When the target is reached (180°F to 200°F), close the bag carefully and put in a cooler to hold the heat in the soil.

Allow to cool. (Source: www.tcpalm.com)

Sun Method (large batches):

Choose a spot in the yard that receives at least six hours of sun during the day (eight hours a day is best). Lay out clear plastic sheeting and cover with a layer of dirt about four inches deep. Spray the soil generously with water (not so much water that it becomes runny muck). Cover with another sheet of clear plastic and secure the plastic in place by laying a border of rocks all along the edges of the plastic.

Bake the soil in the sun for at least four weeks in hot, sunny weather and up to six to eight weeks in cooler weather (this technique is only good for summer). Rake up the soil each week to make sure the heat reaches all the soil.

Tips 

• Reusing potting soil without sterilizing it first is okay when planting mature plants; however, new seedlings or bedding plants require soil that is sterilized to have the best chance to thrive.

• Don’t use soil straight from the garden for potting soil alone. Instead mix it with other ingredients to make it lighter and more beneficial for your plants.

• After the soil is sterilized it will likely be hard and clumpy so break it down first before mixing with other ingredients.

• Before placing potting soil in pots, make sure that the pots themselves are sterilized since they can also harbor disease organisms.You can wash the pots in a bleach and water solution.You can use these same methods to sterilize used potting soil and sand.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

89

MORE TO Nutrient Solution Formulations and Uses

by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.

Eliminate nutrient element insufficiencies and help your crops reach their maximum biological potential by further understanding the formulation and usage of nutrient solutions.

In a series of past articles appearing in Maximum Yield I discussed some of the parameters associated with formulating and using nutrient solutions. Even after applying nutrient solutions, growers might still be faced with essential nutrient element insufficiencies in certain crops. These insufficiencies may not always manifest themselves as visual plant

90 90

Maximum MaximumYield YieldUSA | May USA | May2011 2011

symptoms—although the rate of plant growth may be affected—but for fruiting plants such as tomatoes, fruit yield and quality may fall below the maximum potential.

Without knowing the maximum yield potential, it is impossible to assess—for each combination of hydroponic growing method and crop—how well a nutrient

solution formulation is able to supply the elements required at each stage of plant development in order to achieve the biological maximum. For example, I would estimate that under what would be considered ‘optimum’ growing conditions, tomato fruit yield obtained by most greenhouse growers is probably only between 50 to 70 per cent of maximum.The question is: why?

In this discussion let’s assume that environmental conditions are properly set and maintained at optimum levels, and that the problem is only with the nutrient element supply system that adversely affects plant growth and yield. Also, this discussion is concerned only with flood and drain and drip irrigation systems, although the nutrient film technique (NFT) could be similarly affected, but to a lesser degree.

Initially, all of the essential nutrient elements required by the plant are supplied by the nutrient solution. However, with each successive irrigation a residue of the solution that was previously applied remains—the amount and composition depending on the frequency and volume of each irrigation. The plant also plays a role in determining the elemental composition of the residue due to root absorption, which removes portions of the elements from the applied nutrient solution.

With each additional nutrient solution irrigation the plant now has two sources of elements for root absorption—those being applied with each nutrient solution irrigation and those elements left behind as residue in the rooting media. At some point in this routine the grower is advised to run a test that will monitor the electrical conductivity (EC) of either the effluent from the rooting medium generated with each nutrient solution irrigation, or from a sample taken from a reservoir in the rooting medium. When the EC of the obtained solution reaches a certain level, the grower should water leach the rooting medium in order to remove the ‘accumulated salts’.

If this is not done on a routine basis, these accumulated salts will begin to affect water (and accompanying element) absorption by the plant roots.

“The major advantage wh en using this hydroponic growing syst em is that all of the applied water and nu trient elements are utilized by the plant.”

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

91

More to the Story

What is not generally known is that a potential third source of nutrient elements can begin to form—precipitates of calcium sulfate and phosphate—with other elements, such as magnesium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc becoming either trapped within or absorbed on the precipitate’s surfaces. Initial precipitate formation provides the ‘seed’ that keeps the precipitation process going with each nutrient solution application. The other driving force that enhances precipitate formation in the rooting medium is the extraction of water by plant transpiration, which concentrates the elements in the retained nutrient solution. These precipitates cannot be water leached from the rooting medium, and their accumulation will begin to significantly influence the nutritional status of the plant. Since the surface and immediate area around the plant root is strongly acidic, root precipitate contact will result in some dissolution, and those elements released will be available for root absorption. In

92

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

addition, with precipitate formation, there is a reduction in the solution concentration of those elements forming the precipitates that can affect nutrient element availability. This may be one explanation why in mid-season, visual symptoms of magnesium, iron and zinc deficiencies sometimes appear in those crops with high requirements for these elements.

At this point the plant now has three nutrient element sources, and what portion from each source is being absorbed by the roots is unknown. One could conclude at this point that the nutritional aspect of the growing system is out of control, and that nutrient element insufficiencies are likely to occur, manifesting themselves as visual leaf symptoms or as unseen problems affecting the plant and preventing it from functioning at its biological maximum.

So what are the strategies one can use to maintain nutrient element availability control? Good question—without an easy answer. Here are a few suggestions: Apply sufficient nutrient solution at each irrigation to leach what remains behind from the previous irrigation (but what do you do with the effluent?)

Apply only one or two aliquots of full-strength nutrient solution in one day’s cycle, and then only water as needed to maintain fully turgid plants

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

93

More to the Story

It is interesting that Allan Cooper—the inventor of the nutrient film technique—observed this same phenomenon of nutrient element accumulation. He recommended exposing plant roots only periodically to a full-strength nutrient solution, and then applying only water or a very dilute nutrient solution when necessary to satisfy the water requirements of the plant.

Another more complicated strategy would be to monitor the nutrient element content of the plant by periodic plant analyses, and, based on the assay

results, adjust the nutrient solution formulation and application procedures in order to maintain the plant’s nutrient element content within the sufficiency range specified for that plant species and particular stage of plant growth. A similar strategy would be to apply only what is specifically needed in terms of the amount and balance of nutrient elements, based on the crop requirement at each stage of plant growth (a carefully crafted nutrient solution formulation would be required, coupled with specific use

“Even a carefully crafted nutrient solution formulation and use program may not be sufficient to av oid the potential for a pla nt nutrient element insuffici ency.”

factors). I once consulted with a tomato grower who used the flood and drain growing method—after mid-season, he only needed to include the elements nitrogen and boron in his nutrient solution formulation, as all the other required elements were in sufficient supply as accumulated residue in the rooting medium.

In order for any of these strategies to work, the plant itself must be a cooperative entity in terms of growth characteristics and response to changing environmental conditions—such as light characteristics, air temperature, humidity and movement—as each of these factors will affect water absorption, and this will in turn affect nutrient element absorption by the roots. So even a carefully crafted nutrient solution formulation and use program may not be sufficient to avoid the potential for a plant nutrient element insufficiency.

94

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

What is the final answer? Use a hydroponic growing system that maintains a constant level of nutrient solution in the base of the rooting vessel, and a rooting medium of perlite, composted milled pine bark or possibly even rockwool or coir—substances that have long-term physical and chemical stability as well as a ‘wicking’ characteristic.The plant itself is now in control, absorbing water and nutrient elements from a constantly maintained rooting environment, and requiring a nutrient solution with a low elemental concentration.The major advantage when using this hydroponic growing system is that all of the applied water and nutrient elements are utilized by the plant.

c growing sys“Use a hydroponi a constant tem that maintains lution in the level of nutrient so g vessel, and a tin o ro e th f o e as b f perlite, como m iu ed m g tin o ro e bark or possiin p ed ill m ed st o p l or coir...” bly even rockwoo

There is also a better chance that plants growing under such conditions will remain in a condition of nutrient element sufficiency, and will be more likely to reach their maximum biological potential. MY

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

95

LEDs

Making Your Investment Worthwhile

by Theresa Ryan

LED grow lights are flooding the market with the promise of saving energy, enhancing the growth cycle and glowing for years. Here’s how to choose the best LED indoor grow lights and make your investment worthwhile.

What to look for when buying LED grow lights I’m sure you’ve noticed that LED grow lights are not cheap—and if they are, you need to know why. An educated consumer ends up with the best value for their dollars spent. The LED grow light market is filled with manufacturers churning out plastic models that are inefficiently designed in order to lower costs. The consumer buys an LED light with no ventilation that burns out in five months, just when the warranty expires—perfect. In order to prevent this frustrating scenario, you need to know who you are buying from and develop trust in the company before purchasing their LEDs.

LED bulbs LED bulbs (or chips) are the most important components of your new

96

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

light. Cree, Bridgelux and Semiled are the world’s leading providers of highperformance LED chips. Can’t find this information on an LED grow light manufacturer’s website? Simply ask your retailer who manufactures their chips; this will ensure that your lights are bright, efficient and long lasting. Some manufacturers keep costs down by using poorly designed plastic LED chips, and I can assure you these will not provide

optimum illumination and will die very quickly.

Power supply Small, precious LED chips need protection from their power supply, so specially designed circuits protect the chips even in the event of a power failure. Ask your potential supplier what their power supply failure rate is—a safe design will be under five per cent. If your power

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

97

LEDs – Making Your Investment Worthwhile

supply fails and the chips are protected, you can easily replace the power supply for under $10. After all, your LED chips are meant to last 50,000 hours, and in most cases the power supply will die before that.

Heat dissipation At this point you are beginning to see a trend—you really have to care for that little chip. After all, it’s pumping out the light that grows your crop. LED chips are very sensitive to heat, and if the design of the chip and the material used allows heat to build up, the light will burn out very quickly. The chip needs to breathe—it needs air circulation. A heat sink base houses the chips internally, and while some manufacturers use thin pieces of flat aluminum board or plastic to increase surface area, this configuration does not allow heat to dissipate, and in this situation the chip will overheat and die in about four to six months.

A solid lighting fixture, on the other hand, will use a cast metal heat sink with fins or a column structure to ensure the chips have proper airflow. Better heat flow equals peak performance— and a longer lifespan.

Wavelength Lower efficiency ratings on HID bulbs stem from the fact that their light wavelengths are not directed 100 per cent onto the

98

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

“Find a company who can give you a reliable guarantee on their product.

With a big initial investment, you want to be covered in case of any defect and ensure the lights are actually saving you money on energy.”

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

99

LEDs – Making Your Investment Worthwhile

subject—instead, they emit their light at a full 360 degrees. The beauty of LEDs is their direct wavelength—there is no wasted light bouncing off the top of the housing and reflecting back, or spreading out in other directions away from where the growth is happening.Your LEDs should boast a strong, direct wavelength with a chip housing designed to reflect directly onto wherever you position it, thus ensuring the output is being used efficiently and is keeping your plants as strongly illuminated as possible.

Warranty Find a company who can give you a reliable guarantee on their product. With a big initial investment, you want to be covered in case of any defect and ensure the lights are actually saving you money on energy. If the new LED lights you’re considering aren’t very good, the supplier will probably not be willing to offer you a substantial warranty, because low-quality LED lights deteriorate very quickly.

Some foreign factories state they offer warranties to US customers, but even if the warranties are legitimate, the logistics of returning the defective items overseas can be extremely difficult if they don’t have a branch in the US. If your lights stop working, you would have to ship the lights back overseas, wait a very long time for a diagnostic—and then who knows if you will ever see the light again? Check out companies that offer at least a two year warranty and a return process online for you to check out. If you’re feeling like a real social animal, you might also want to call them and talk to a customer service rep to get some answers.

Company location, information and a live contact If a company does not freely offer contact information such as a phone number, address or a contact person, stay away. Some will just display an e-mail address. Be extremely wary with these companies. Whether they offer great prices or not, you’ll want to avoid getting scammed by sellers overseas looking to make a quick buck.

Price Some companies boast super-low prices on their LEDs—you need to think about what materials they are using in order to keep the prices so low and still be a profitable business. Investigate, and look for the key qualities we’ve discussed.

LEDs are the future for indoor growers who are serious about consuming less energy to produce higher crop yields of strong, healthy plants. Replace those lights that make your meter spin like crazy now, and invest in LEDs that’ll save you energy, time and money—but first be sure to do your homework. Follow these guidelines and find a reputable company that uses state-of-the-art technology and the best materials available to produce the high-quality LED fixtures you’ll need to achieve your best crop. MY 100

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

101

TIPS & TRICKS

d e : s R e t i M r e d i Sp

ol r t n o C d n a n o ti a c i f i t n Ide

red control rom d n a y identif them f how to help you rid ce again. g in w o on an Kn njoy it at mites c spider arden—and e garden pests th nly g e r a r ommo you er mites , most c Red spid ar iety of plants ce you get an n v affect a nd camellias. O red spider a nd s a fi l le a il t az n, you w on the plant. I io t a t s fe e in r e e h h t w f y o er mites ev ant to take care t becomes n t r la o p p e is im re th fo e b n infestatio tly damaged. en per man

red a s i t a Wh er mite? e either spid er mites can b mite

Red spid ean red spider mite op er the Eur ther n red spid . The u o ty) or the S common var ie mally t or s (the mo spider mite is n ile n wh Europea n apple trees, acks a o n att only see r n spider mite e h t the Sou ty of plants. r ie a v ids and r e wid e arachn aller and r a s e it Spider m iders, but are sm here n (w to sp y sectio related d o b e n ly o have on two). ve a h spiders tiony red spider mites a c i f i t n Ide that is infested b and will have a A plant look unhealthy rsides of their is nde t to will star arance to the u al that the dust e e p v ap s. l re “dusty” inspection wil the spider mite e t e s c h t a f lo n leaves. C oving and is in me webbing o o m s actually may also have es of plant. ch nt The pla or on the bran e id under s 102

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

pider of red s n s il a t e d a e g glass c e out th sily mak but a magnifyin ites are— a e t o n ider m You can the naked eye is . Red sp le h ib it is er mite w v s e e mit mor ted spid ce of white s t il o a t p s e d o e a pie he tw make th all red. T some off onto he type.

— ly s u g io h obv uis t ockin red. Kn easier to disting y ll ia t r pa it ill make paper w nts. vironme e n e l o o ugh th tive in c Contpidroerlmites are mol srteadc spider mites isantdhrlaodybugs are Red s contro ewings sed. All t way to l predators. Lac s can also be u table s e b e h T ite pu ura heir nat ut predatory m vailable from re use of t b a , d e r e a s nly u ators commo ider mite pred r mites. p s . ed spide s e r s r e e e t t h a t n e f in c o m e g supply es to eli hould b heir gardenin also use pesticid ork best.You s t il k w also l ey will You can soaps and oils h ly t p s a im s h idal may houg t s e s it e id m r Insectic ic e d areas. st using pe and the red spid a to non-treate careful e ar rs predato sticide treated natural e p e h t om move fr

spider e of red e fr e r a ts the our plan y and keeping y e r u s n h e make nts healt t way to ust. Also e red The bes eeping your pla of debr is and d p th by k help kee ts. MY free l il ts n w la is p mites is h r n atered. T und you vironme areas aro lants are well w fer very dry en rp pre sure you s away as they e isit it m tr icks v spider d n a s tip out dening com or check r a g e r tions For mo ningknowhow. m/ques e o d c r . a w g . o w h ww know rdening www.ga

ol red r t n o c ay to ough the w t s e b “The mites is thr edators. spider eir natural pr gs are u h use of tings and ladybsed...”

Lacew commonly u

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

103

by Steve Proski

Japanese gardens are traditionally ruled by Zen philosophy. Each feature has a deeper representation and as you walk through your garden each day, you may even absorb some of the peace embedded in the Zen philosophy. In the first article of this series the focus is on the ambience, focal points, rocks and lanterns.

104

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

105

Your Own Japanese Garden: Part 1

“One very large Japanese lantern and one smaller one elsewhere can look effective. These usually come in two traditional styles, one more fat-bellied and squat than the other. They are most commonly found in black or pale gray.”

Ever walked past someone’s garden and been so enraptured by the front yard that you hardly registered what the house looked like? In these days of the difficultto-shift property market, that is the kind of garden you want.

Front yards that have appeal may draw a buyer into your home. If they like the way you have finished your yard they’ll be more inclined to want to look at your home.

At this time of the year a yard is more about evergreens and accessories than flowers, as there are very few blooms available.

For this reason the Japanese garden stands out at this time of year. A Japanese garden can lend itself to almost any climate, from snowy to humid, from rainy to desert.

To get an idea what a Japanese garden looks like, first check out a few magazines or books, or review illustrations on the Internet. Choose illustrations that are similar

in size, shape and layout of your garden.

There are several elements that can be used to create a peaceful and tranquil garden. In Zen philosophy, this is created by simplicity.

The relaxing ambience that encourages meditation can be achieved by placing a bamboo or rattan chair plus a small table near a wall or in front of a lattice fence. If you live in a hot climate, group the seats under a tree or parasol. Stillness is ideal.

Two other abstract notions suggested in a Zen garden are represented physically by a focal point that is not placed centrally, and secondly, a ‘window’ to a hidden part in your garden.

This can be represented by a piece of tall, latticed fence work, or a tree with shrubs around, or a pagoda, or even simply a bench that is partly concealed.This ‘hide and reveal’ theme is suggestive of the quest

for human enlightenment and it also offers privacy.You may wish to incorporate your seating here for that reason.

The introduction of something tall lends itself to the look of the Japanese garden.

Western gardens tend to be larger and boast a flat expanse of lawn; Japanese homes usually have tiny gardens.They tend to be more vertical, and tall shrubs will often be placed to hide the house from the street.

For an inexpensive focal point, you can dig a bed and plant a bamboo or a red Japanese maple (miniature or full size) plus other plants in it.The bamboo bushes and trees will live in most mild North American areas, though you may have to cover it in severe frosts. A very large cactus or groupings of cacti will also make an interesting focal point.

Smaller beds can be dug in across the yard.The center of the yard is deliberately left empty, and a lack of symmetry is desired.This reflects the lack of perfection in the world.

For some authentic Japanese atmosphere, one tall and one shorter black lantern can be well placed along your winding (never straight) pathway, or sometimes peeking out from among a selection of shrubs and plants.

106

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

107

Your Own Japanese Garden: Part 1

A small pathway can lead to nowhere, and Zen gardens will always have at least one pathway of either white round gravel or gray flattened gravel winding its way through your shrubs; several glimpses of this pathway will satisfy the unity and harmony requirement of Zen gardens.

Whilst lanterns are more of a Buddhist tradition, they have come to represent the essence of the Japanese garden, so they are also included in Zen designs.

One very large Japanese lantern and one smaller one elsewhere can look effective.These usually come in two traditional styles, one more fat-bellied and squat than the other.They are most commonly found in black or pale gray.

Some of the most inexpensive modern lighting will lend itself to the Japanese mode.The ‘push-in’ mushroom type lamps are very easily assimilated into the Zen garden design.

Rocks and stone are a big feature of the Japanese garden, with different sized rocks grouped seemingly at random. Smaller rocks will look good grouped with your focal point, or added to a bush or plant grouping.

Try to find at least one big rock. If you have one big one, you can group smaller ones beside it and finish off with a fern or two.

Stones represent life’s immovable mountains.

If that really resonates with you, beware; just one rock will suffice; you do not need a rock for each immovable mountain in your life!

If you feel that you have numerous immovable mountains in your life, then stay tuned for “Your Own Japanese Garden: Part 2” where the de-stressing values of water sounds will be discussed. MY

About the Author:

If you’re looking for help with Cave Creek AZ real estate, look no further than Az-Homes4u.com. Alice and Stephen Proski have the experience and professionalism that you deserve as you buy or sell property in the Scottsdale real estate market. Read more at www.articlesbase.com

108

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

109

GROWING FOR HEALTH

by Barbara Pleasant

QUICK INDOOR CROPS:

LETTUCE Under a sunny, south-facing window or a small space under grow lights is the perfect place to grow quick crops of lettuce indoors.

There is a comical symmetry to the fact that the translucent clamshell boxes used to package gourmet salad greens also make ideal containers for growing lettuce indoors. To get the boxes ready for duty, use the tip of a stout knife to make eight or nine gashes in the bottom of each one. Then add two inches of moist potting soil, soilless mix or medium before planting a pinch (about 25) lettuce seeds, barely covering them with soil. After generously spritzing the surface with water from a pumpspray bottle, pop on the tops and slip the boxes under a grow light or in any warm, bright spot.

Five days later, when the seeds are up and growing, remove the tops and place them under the boxes, so they become watering trays.

110

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

The soil usually stays nicely moist if you fill the trays with water every day. Don’t try to remove the labels from the lids; hot water will warp them, especially if they’re made from cornstarch.

“You can let your boxes of lettuce bask in the sun from a south-facing window on bright days, but they will be happy to spend most of their time under a grow light.”

You can let your boxes of lettuce bask in the sun from a south-facing window on bright days, but they will be happy to spend most of their time under a grow light. Keep the lights on for about 12 hours a day (e.g., from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m).

The first cutting should be ready in three to four weeks. By holding the boxes sideways, you can clip the leaves right into a colander while keeping the growing

crowns intact. The plants will be ready to cut again in about two weeks.

If you want to use the clamshell boxes to start another crop, you can lift out the mat of seedlings and transplant it to a larger container. As days get warmer, you can start lettuce and other salad greens in clamshell boxes and transplant the mats into a cold frame or plasticcovered tunnel. MY

About the Author: Barbara Pleasant is a garden writer who lives in Floyd, Virginia. Visit www.BarbaraPleasant.com to learn more.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

111

Ins ght A Beginner Grower’s

by Lee McCall

It’s in the (grow) bag.

Everything the beginner needs to know for a thriving indoor garden.

112

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

113

A beginner Grower’s Insight

A gold rush is currently taking place in the hydroponics and year-round gardening industry. In various states and parts of the world, the market has multiplied overnight. The once large percentage of connoisseur and aficionado growers has now—in many aspects—diminished and given way to larger populations of new consumers and players unfamiliar to this ancient practice and the potential quality capable of being produced. Those who are not seasoned veterans—but have the desire to investigate—should start off with a smaller garden in order to familiarize themselves with the discipline it takes to achieve top quality and yields. With smaller gardens it is usually easier to maintain exceptional quality control standards. With a small garden, more time is available for learning, opposed to the time needed to maintain a larger grow with more variables.

“A garden is a living project that requires maintenance and care in order to prosper.”

114

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

A beginner Grower’s Insight

One of many qualities a successful gardener should posses is selfdiscipline. Much like keeping a fish tank or pet, a garden is a living project that requires maintenance and care in order to prosper. Consistency is also beneficial as long as the operator understands the plant’s needs. Without consistency there is no stability, and without self-discipline there is no chance for consistency.

The next step is to understand the elements needed to make a garden grow: light, nutrition, CO2 (carbon dioxide), and of course, H2O. These factors

116

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

help the grower achieve specific crop growth patterns. Research the different materials needed prior to purchase.

“Aim for approximately 60 to 70 watts of light per square foot of crop space. This amount is ideal for high light loving plants that require full sun exposure throughout the growth stage.”

There are many different options and varieties on the market; knowing which ones supersede others for the same dollar amount is important when initially investing. Study different gardening techniques in both hydroponics and soil cultivation before planting so there is less chance of surprise problems occurring.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

117

A beginner Grower’s Insight

Obtain a basic understanding of different no guarantees in gardening; accidents will lighting styles beneficial for plant growth. happen and problems will arise.The more Lighting is one of the major expenses you preparation, knowledge and experience will need to invest in so pre-plan as much you have under your belt, the more efas possible and use your garden space ficient you will become at reaping a higher efficiently. Aim for approximately 60 to quality harvest.

70 watts of light per square foot of crop Lastly, practice makes perfect and every space.This amount is ideal for high light grower has his or her own idea of the loving plants that require full sun exposure perfect grow. Gardens are always evolving throughout and thus the growth will pres“Plenty of fresh, filtered air IN and old ent new stage.

Maintain obstacles air filtered OUT will keep the room ideal temas they fresh with replenished CO2 levels.” peratures of adapt to 75 to 80°F different when grow surroundlights are operational and humidity levels ings or environments. No matter how of 30 to 45 per cent.Tropical varietals will much experience you have, the learning prefer higher levels of humidity and may never stops.Too many variables and talents tolerate temperatures in excess of 85°F. exist that equate to good results; therefore Plenty of fresh, filtered air IN and old air there is never really a wrong way to garden. filtered OUT will keep the room fresh Maintaining the same garden in the same with replenished CO2 levels.There are location may ensure better performance

118

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

119

A beginner Grower’s Insight

and growth from most strains. I have always found that picking a select number of strains based on preference and available garden space eases the task.The more times a strain is grown from clone to harvest, the more the grower learns about that particular variety. In most instances for first time growers, the third or fourth harvest with a certain type is better than the first.This may be due to the ability of being able to understand the sensitivities of the strain and how it reacts to certain nutrients, temperatures, etc. Keep a journal to log important data and notes as you progress in your trials as a grower.This may later prove to act as a personalized grow guide. Use common sense and be safe when installing or assembling a grow room. Much of the equipment and products in climate controlled gardens use high current energy or hazardous materials. Always read the instruction manuals and safety labels on products for safe handling and usage.

As more garden centers open and more people become growers or introduce someone they know to the practice, the market grows.This industry is a small, but effective part of the economic chain

120

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

helping to stimulate economies worldwide.

Currently, there are more players in the market than ever before and the number continues to multiply. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and end-users continue to swarm in, diversifying a

“This industry is a small, but effective part of the economic chain helping to stimulate economies worldwide.” once limited market. Although I have only worked in a few industries, I have yet to see anything supersede the growth and expansion currently taking place in the hydroponics and yearround gardening market. As supply and demand increases, so does competition among businesses. This builds a higher standard for companies in our industry to do business, and increases the available options and alternatives. Prices become tighter, margins become lower and companies have no choice but to

innovate in order to distinguish themselves from competitors. This principle is the same for commercial growers who compete for locked-in distribution with a single entity. There are many similarities between the restaurant industry and indoor gardening industry. For example, restaurants and gardening centers tend to develop regular customers—loyal patrons that return for the experience.

We are creatures of habit; once we find satisfaction we are more likely to remain loyal. Restaurateurs are also the presenters of the end result we as growers put our time and heart into producing; both are passionate about the same principle in the end…to create. MY

GREEN THUMB GARDENING

FARMER’S MARKET dos and don’ts

by Aaron Turpen

The goal of supporting your local farmer’s market is not just to get great food, but to support your local economy. Organic, local foods are healthy, taste great and are a big part of a more sustainable lifestyle for all of us.

Farmer’s market season is finally upon us.

Some North America markets are open already while others will open in the next few weeks. Those who enjoy direct-fromthe-grower food know that their local farmer’s market is the best place to get healthy, natural, locally-grown produce.

Here are some simple tips to ensure that you have the best experience possible and get the best food you can find.

122

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

DO arrive early. Get there as soon as

DO offer trades.While most farmers will

the market opens to be sure you see what the best booths have to offer and also to avoid the crowds. Most farmer’s market customers arrive in the midmorning before lunch and by then, the offerings have been well-picked over.

not negotiate on price (and it’s insulting to try to haggle them, as they work hard), many are receptive to trades. If you have a surplus of homemade pickles from last year, bring some with you and offer to trade. If you grow an unusual variety of squash, there may be someone willing to try it and trade for seeds. Many farmers are experienced barterers, so if you have something compelling, you may have a trade.

DON’T buy the first thing you see. Instead walk the market first. See what everyone has to offer, ask questions and then make purchase decisions. One tomato may not be exactly like the next. Some may be in better shape or more ripe; some may be a sweeter variety; and some may not be organically grown.

DON’T bring credit cards or checkbooks. Most of the sellers at these markets prefer cash. Have cash in your pocket and be ready to buy when you arrive.

Most of the sellers at farmer’s markets are not going to accept credit cards and many are leery of checks.

DO ask questions. Especially about new things you haven’t seen before. Ask what type of corn you’re looking at, question whether the crops were grown organically and always be interested in trying something new.

DO have fun and socialize. There is always more going on than just booths with stuff for sale. Farmer’s markets are frequented not only by patrons but also their children and pets and children.

Many markets will include booths featuring alternative and hand-crafted goods.

Get to know who’s in your area and what they’re doing. The more you buy local (food or otherwise), the better. MY

DON’T forget your own bags. This not only helps the planet, but it also saves the farmers some money as they won’t have to buy or transport bags for you. A wagon or cart is another great option to help you carry all the great stuff you’ll find.

DO find out where the farmer is located. Also find out what else they have to offer that they didn’t bring.Your lettuce and tomato purchase today may be coming from a sustainable farm that also offers meat, dairy and more.

About the Author: Aaron Turpen is a professional writer living in Wyoming in the USA. His blogs cover organic/sustainable living and environmental considerations (AaronsEnvironMental.com) and the science debunking mainstream medical and proving alternatives (HiddenHealthScience.com).

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

123

URBAN

HYDROPONICS FROM BRIGHTFARMS SYSTEMS

by Philip McIntos

h

Few people doubt that things are going to have to change if the planet and the organisms that live on it are going to make it over the long term—and no species will have more impact on the future of the Earth than we humans will.

As more and more people become convinced of the need to include sustainability in the design and construction of future living space for an ever more crowded planet, our cities are slowly but surely becoming greener.

The evidence for this can be seen in the expansion of green roofs and green walls in cities around the world.

Cityscapes are becoming less dominated by concrete and steel as creative projects are realized to make them more livable and more sustainable.

Photo caption: Artist’s rendition of an in-store hydroponic installation for production of fresh greens.

Photo credit: BrightFarms.com

124

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

125

Urban Hydroponics

Hydroponics Goes Downtown Historically, food has been shipped into cities from farms located some distance away. The distance a harvest must be transported before getting to market is frequently hundreds of miles and in many cases is much greater. In the global economy, the distance between places where crops are grown and where they are sold at market may even be thousands of miles. Much of the produce consumed by Americans is grown in Mexico or places even further away.

Given the amount of fuel needed to move produce so far, the carbon footprint of such operations is huge. And what about the quality of the produce that is hauled such a long way? Food can seldom be picked at just the right time for optimum taste, texture or appearance when it could be many days before it is offered for sale to a consumer.

126

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Wouldn’t it be better to grow food closer to where it is needed? In selected markets around the U.S., growers and businesses are teaming up to produce food intended specifically for local consumption. One company in the thick of this movement on the east coast is BrightFarms, LLC. BrightFarms’ vision is

to eliminate shipping altogether by growing produce hydroponically right at the point of use.

BrightFarms New York based BrightFarms was formed out of a merger between Better Food Solutions and BrightFarm Systems. The

Artist’s rendition of hydroponic greenhouse installed on a multi- story building roof. Photo credit: BrightFarms.com

company is not directly involved in food marketing but is active in the design, financing, building and operation of rooftop and other innovative greenhouses. The company’s clients are primarily supermarket retailers, but they have also worked with food service providers and some large urban school districts. Using expertise in science, engineering and design, BrightFarms works closely with the senior management of supermarket chains to identify and meet their specific produce needs.

BrightFarms manages and oversees the entire design and construction process for urban greenhouse projects, but often uses subcontractors, on a case-by-case basis, for specialized tasks. How it usually works is that after a plan has been formulated, BrightFarms hires a general contractor to manage a project under the company’s supervision.

Five projects in urban environments have been completed, including one each at a Whole Foods Market, The Science Barge and Manhattan School for Children. Four more are planned for 2011 including one integrated into an afford-

“BrightFarms’ vision is to eliminate shipping altogether by growing produce hydroponically right at the point of use.”

able housing project in the Bronx, commercial rooftop greenhouses in Queens and a demonstration project in New York featuring a vertically integrated greenhouse (VIG). In a VIG, edible plants grow in trays hung from cables inside an inhabited structure while at the same time providing shade and cooling, and improving air quality.

The Science Barge is the world’s first urban, carbon neutral, hydroponic greenhouse. Photo credit: BrightFarms.com

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

127

Urban Hydroponics

Hydroponic lettuce grown at the Mahattan School for Children. Photo credit: BrightFarms.com

The produce grown in the New York VIG will supply an on-site restaurant with fresh greens. A key feature of all these installations is a zero or close to zero transport distance between the growing area and the consumer.

“We have witnessed amazing enthusiasm among our core client group (supermarkets) for our concept and the quality of product we are able to offer,” explains Benjamin Linsley, BrightFarms’ vice presdient for business development and public affairs. “In the past six months we have had eight major supermarket groups committing to develop sites with us.” The BrightFarms model is based on taking an existing set of tried and tested technologies (hydroponic greenhouses) and bringing them into unfamiliar territory, i.e., the urban realm. It can take some time to work out the details of any particular project, but a greenhouse can usually be taken from the planning stage to completion in about a year. “As with any new and powerful idea, individual components are often slower to put into place, as people engage with an unfamiliar concept and apply rigorous due diligence,” he adds.

In a 2005 project the company built and operated the world’s first carbon neutral, urban hydroponic greenhouse. It grew tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and peppers in the heart of New

“A key feature of all these installations is a zero or close to zero transport distance between the growing area and the consumer.”

128

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

129

Urban Hydroponics

York City. Greenhouse visitors were pleased to eat vegetables produced without harm to the environment. Linsley and his colleagues are justifiably proud of this accomplishment. “Because we grew the tomatoes and lettuce for taste and not for shelf life, and people were able to eat the produce within hours of harvesting, the taste of these items was far superior to anything our visitors had ever eaten before.”

“I’ve always been a big foodie, a lover of urban life and hugely passionate about the environment,” Linsley says.

“These components are not always easy to find in a company—I consider myself fortunate to have found this opportunity when I did.”

There is plenty of room for continued growth of the BrightFarms model. As Benjamin tells it, “We have ambitious, but very realizable growth plans for the next 10 years. At a macro level, we want to challenge the food industry to provide better, healthier products to customers and to damage the environment less.

We are determined to build a successful and innovative company on the path to doing so.” BrightFarms has also formed relationships to build sustainable

agriculture projects overseas in the UK and United Arab Emirates.

BrightFarms Projects Whole Foods Market, Milburn New Jersey. Austin,Texas based Whole Foods Market has always been interested in good corporate citizenship and is known for its concern for the environment and support of local growers. BrightFarms oversaw the design and construction of a small proofof-concept project built into the Milburn Whole Foods store.The greenhouse allows

“I’ve always been a big foodie, a lover of urban life and hugely passionate about the environment,” says Benjamin Linsley, BrightFarms vp for business development and public affairs. for the production of high quality, fresh herbs both for sale to customers and for inclusion in in-house prepared foods.The design features a recirculating hydroponics system and vertical growing towers installed at the front of the store.This puts the system front and center for all to see, plus maximizes the light available to the plants.

Hydroponic lettuce grown in midtown Manhattan. Photo credit: BrightFarms.com

130

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Urban Hydroponics

The Manhattan School for Children.

The Sun Works Center at PS333.

The Science Barge. The Science

The rooftop greenhouse at the Manhattan School for Children was designed by BrightFarms to use renewable energy. It uses hydroponic technology to grow food in one of the most densely built-up urban areas to be found anywhere in the world.

As befitting of a school environment, the installation is used for students to study environmental science, nutrition and botany.

This NewYork public school wanted to promote sustainable thinking in its students and community and sought to provide a resource that would be a focal point for environmental studies.The rooftop greenhouse features a rainwater collection system and includes learning spaces for both class and personal research projects, a composting center, insect growing areas and a weather station.

Barge is a unique hydroponic farm that was stationed near midtown Manhattan for two years during 2007 and 2008.

The barge is now located in Yonkers and

“The rooftop greenhouse features a rainwater collection system and includes learning spaces for both class and personal research projects, a composting center, insect growing areas and a weather station.”

is managed by Groundwork Hudson Valley. Billed as “the only fully functioning demonstration of renewable energy supporting sustainable food production in New York,” the steel-hulled barge gets its power from solar, wind and biofuel energy. Like many urban agriculture projects, it too utilizes rainwater, plus employs a river water purification system.This floating facility grows tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, bell peppers, lettuce and herbs, without pesticides and with no carbon emissions.

How long will it be before you see a hydroponic, renewable energy powered greenhouse gracing the skyline of a city near you? Probably not long.

They look good, they are good for the planet, provide healthy food and are showcases of where we need to be headed if cities are to remain livable.

Who doesn’t want that? MY

132

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

133

YOU TELL US Maximum Yield sits down with Bart Stephens, general manager and product designer for Wingscapes, to discuss their incredible and fun new product—the TimeLapse PlantCam.

Maximum Yield (MY): What was your motivation behind the creation of Wingscapes?

Bart Stephens: I wanted to bring some of the innovative products originally created for the outdoor sporting goods market to a new market: lawn and garden.

MY: Who are the names and faces behind Wingscapes?

Bart: I am the general manager and product designer. Melissa and Kim are the voices you hear when you call Wingscapes and they are responsible for our impressive customer service.

MY: What made you decide to enter the indoor gardening industry?

Bart: We received so many phone calls from indoor gardeners asking about our product and the ability to use it indoors.

So the reason we even considered entering the indoor gardening market is because of customer demand and requests for the product.

MY: What benefits does the PlantCam offer gardeners?

Bart: People record their hobbies, but it’s more challenging for gardeners because the changes happen so slowly. Taking

134

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

progress pictures requires a lot of discipline— the Timelapse PlantCam changes this equation.

You can insert a joke here about watching grass grow but to be honest, watching grass grow at 100 times its normal speed is truly fascinating. Plants actually move a lot. Until now, there has never been an easy way to see a plant’s growth and progress. Our product brings that process to life.

Not only do you get the before and after of the growing cycle—you get the entire process in high-definition, crystal

clear, living color.

The photos and videos created by the Timelapse PlantCam are perfectly formatted for e-mailing and sharing online via YouTube, Facebook, etc.

MY: What design elements are used in the PlantCam to ensure superior excellence and ease-of-use?

Bart: The PlantCam features weatherproof housing and extremely intuitive settings and options, which allow you to start and stop the PlantCam at any time of day, set the interval at any length of time and convert the photos into a video with a push of a button.

The Timelapse PlantCam technology offers an innovative view of any sequential event. To create a time-lapse movie, simply set the camera to take still photos at the desired time interval—immediately, 30 seconds, one minute, five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, three hours, six hours or once a day. It will automatically turn on after each interval countdown, take a photo and then return to battery conservation mode.

After you are finished taking photos in time-lapse mode, simply set the camera to “Convert to Movie” and it does the work for you.

MY: What exciting features can gardeners expect from the PlantCam? Bart: Friends will be jealous of videos demonstrating your prowess in the garden. While it is something most people don’t think about, I’m very excited about how easy we’ve made it to set up. Our mounting bracket attaches to anything and very easily adjusts and our laser aiming device ensures the camera is perfectly aimed to capture exactly what you are intending to photograph.

MY: What is Wingscapes’ role in actively supporting local causes and community building?

Bart: Community building is probably the biggest benefit we offer. When gardeners are able to easily and conveniently share compelling photos of their hard work online, people with common interests from all over the world can connect, share their passions and benefit. It’s exciting to be a part of that community and

“You can insert a joke here about watching grass grow but to be honest, watching grass grow at 100 times its normal speed is truly fascinating.” contribute to the connections.

Regarding local causes, we are a major supporter of Jones Valley Urban Farm, a non-profit farm school in Birmingham, AL that teaches kids about agriculture and nutrition. They are committed to helping Birmingham grow organic produce and healthy communities through urban farming and education.

MY: How can gardeners stay connected to Wingscapes and learn about new products and promotions?

Bart: There are several ways to stay in touch with us. Customers can sign up for our newsletter online at www. wingscapes.com/contactus/newsletter.

Within our newsletters customers will learn about new products, special offers and contests; plus, we include stories about how our cameras are being used in unique ways.

In an upcoming newsletter, we’ll be showing you how Aviva Rahmani, an ecological artist, sometimes uses a Timelapse PlantCam to create her work. Her film “Desecration/Resurrection,” which she produced last summer, has been shown in forums from New York City to Berlin and can also be viewed online (http:// vimeo.com/16174025) This film uses a split-screen technique to compare the impact of last summer’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with the renewal of a Gulf of Maine wetlands known as the Ghost Nets site.

We enjoy seeing our cameras used in so many different ways and we are thrilled to be bringing this kind of technology to a variety of markets in an affordable way.

Other ways to connect with us include joining our community on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Wingscapes); we appreciate the *like* and having our customers share their experiences with us. Or, you can join us on YouTube (www.youtube.com/Wingscapes).

MY: What can gardeners expect from Wingscapes in the future?

Bart: Products that are easy to fall in love with because they’ll help you enjoy even more of what you already love to do.

Gardeners can also expect exceptional service. We pride ourselves on being available to our customers and helping them be as successful as possible. Without our customers we’d be nothing. MY

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

135

Wonderful

Watercolors

by Jack Van Camp

‘Tis the Season for Beautiful, Blooming Orchids

1

Far from being difficult and finicky as is the popular belief, orchids are easy and rewarding plants to grow by following a few simple steps. Beautiful flowers can be sitting on your windowsill for many weeks during every month of the year.

1. Do not over water orchids.

There are 10 or 12 popular mediums in which orchids thrive and they all have different water retention qualities.

With the super efficient heating systems available nowadays, the humidity levels tend to be on the low side.

Orchids like humidity levels between 40 and 70 per cent.

If your house is dry, perlite or sphagnum moss in plastic containers will stay moist with a weekly watering. If your house has humidity levels in the 60 to 70 per cent range, fir bark or combinations of rockwool and cork nuggets in clay pots will stay moist with a once per week watering.

Using reverse osmosis or distilled water will eliminate salt buildup. Misting the orchids with a hand sprayer is also a great way to create humidity. In their natural environment, mist and fog occur regularly for most orchids.

2

2. Give orchids the proper amount of light.

Some orchids are happy with light levels as low as 200 foot candles and others can thrive in 2,000 or even 5,000 foot candles. Phalaenopsis is one of the most popular and most recognized orchids. There are about 50 species of phals that will do nicely in an east window where light is relatively low, around 1,000 foot candles. Catileya like higher light levels and would do nicely in a south window. All orchids can be placed in a south window setting. Light-loving orchids should be placed closest to the window and lower light orchids can be set further back from the window at varying degrees. For a house or apartment with no suitable light source, a good quality, high output fluorescent is all that’s needed for orchids to thrive. In a natural setting, orchids will

136

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

dwell in the treetops, the jungle flora, on fence posts and in the crotch of trees. All these niches have the proper amount of light and water for that particular orchid.

3

3. Fluctuate temperature.

Don’t be afraid to let orchids cool at night and warm during the daylight hours. Orchids, like the phalaenopsis, will tolerate a temperature fluctuation from 59 to 82°F. A temperature drop at night is critical for good flower set to be established, so you can nudge the orchids up against a cool window to achieve a more pronounced fluctuation. A 20° drop in temperature is common in their natural setting and this may seem pretty big, but in reality, all plants respond better with some sort of temperature drop. An orchid at home will do fine with a six to 10° drop in the evening.

4

4. Manage nutrients.

When I purchased my first orchid (a phalaenopsis) and asked about proper feeding, I was told “weak, weekly.” I never forgot that saying, and it works. There are many nutrients available, some pre-made especially for orchids and others as powder solutions that you can mix yourself. Some good nutrients for orchids are a 30-30-10 in powder form or a two part A and B solution. There are also one part organic nutrients on the market and fish emulsion, which work well, especially for outdoor plants. These nutrients should be mixed at ¼ strength and used on a weekly basis.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

137

wONDERFUL WATERCOLORS

“When I purchased my first orchid (a phalaenopsis) and asked about proper feeding, I was told “weak, weekly.”

There are indicators that show when the orchid is getting too much or too little food, but following the quip “weak, weekly” should make feeding foolproof.

There are nearly 22,000 accepted species of orchids and thousands more not yet identified in the orchid family worldwide. There are 1,000 native species in Australia and in the bulbophyllum family alone, there are 2,000. In 1510, the Spaniards brought the first orchid back from South America. It was vanilla. James Cook brought orchids back from around the world to Britain. Orchid gardening was born in England at the Kew Gardens in the late 1700s.

Orchids come from the tropics where there are no seasons.

The closest an orchid gets to seasons is dry and wet.

138

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

139

wONDERFUL WATERCOLORS

The light in the tropics is consistent, so when you find a happy spot for an orchid it is best to leave it where it is. At nurseries where orchids are sold the plants will have stakes or tags that take the guesswork out of what a plant needs in the way of light. They will be marked high, medium or low light. Failing that, the web can tell you pretty much anything you need to know about orchids and their needs.

Today, rather than sailing around the world to find orchids, you can purchase any variety you want through mail order or even better, through members of an orchid club near you. When you mail order from an organization, you will receive a product guide to choose from. Once you have chosen your plants you will be sent the bare root in a plastic bag surrounded by moss.

From there, pot it, water it and enjoy. Orchid clubs are a great

140

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

way to find out about these exotic plants. Usually you can purchase peoples’ extras from a table set up at meetings.You can glean some good advice from members as well.

My first orchid was a gift, and shortly after receiving it, I bought another. At one time I had 25 or 30 between the basement and main floor of my house. Today, I have six plants that I can rotate from fluorescents to the windowsill. I’m not going into the orchid business, but it’s easy to be taken in by the orchid’s exotic beauty.

If you’re interested in getting started with orchids, I would suggest two or three orchids that are easy to keep indoors.

The phalaenopsis is number one. This orchid comes in a myriad of colors and its flowers last a long time. Phals do not need a lot of light and after the flowers are done you can cut off the spike at the last flower and shortly thereafter more flowers appear. My wife refers to these orchids as living watercolors. The second orchid would be a Jewel orchid. I keep this plant in a peat and coco fiber mix. It’s from Hawaii and likes lots of light and moisture. This is the easiest orchid I have ever taken care of. It likes to be root bound and taking cuttings is practically 100 per cent successful. Three times a year spikes will appear and shoot out, up to three feet from the base of the stems. Small white flowers pop out all the way down the stem. These flowers stay for up to eight weeks.

They are stunning and also carry the subtle scent of vanilla.

Last year I counted 14 spikes on one pot of jewel orchids.

Orchid number three is any type of Dendrobium. Some of these orchids look like aliens or bizarre insects. The colors and shapes are out of this world. Dendrobium orchids prefer cool temperatures, medium light levels and respond well to 30-30-10 fertilizer.

With a few simple steps, anyone can enjoy a little summer all year. MY

142

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

PRODUCT spotlight

Continued from page 43

Your guide to this month’s hottest items.

Quiet and Powerful Stealth Series From Hydrotek Stealth Series filters, fans and controls are part of a highly effective air filtering system. The Airbox Stealth is the only inline filter with push/pull capability and is adaptable to any existing duct system. It features interchangeable high flow carbon filters and is 100 per cent air tight. Available from 500 to 3,500 CFM in five sizes. Stealth Fans are quiet, reliable and efficient with aerodynamic cowling. Available in four to 12 inches and guaranteed for five years. The Speedmaster, a dial router speed controller, and the Timemaster, a heavy duty dual plug timer, were made for hydroponic lighting, pumps and air purification systems. For more information and to order the Stealth Series products visit your favorite indoor gardening shop.

Humboldt County’s Own Gravity Gravity is a unique and original Humboldt County product. Gravity is made from kelp extract that is put through a further proprietary selective extraction process. Gravity will harden and bulk up your flowers far beyond anything achievable with fertilizer alone. When used with your favorite nutrient line, Gravity and Snow Storm Ultra together will finish your plants in a way that simply can’t be duplicated with any other products. Try it and you’ll know why it’s called Gravity. Free samples are available for testing at your local retail shop.

Hydro International Presents Waterproof Poly Film This waterproof poly film is black on the outside and white on the inside. The black backing and white surface work together to reflect 90 per cent of the light striking it and send light back to the growing area. This waterproof, lightproof film also helps prevent algae and mold growth on walls. Double it up by putting the black surfaces together to economically and effectively partition off indoor gardens.

Available in 10 by 100 feet (six millimeters). Visit an indoor gardening shop for more information. MY

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

143

TALKING SHOP

AT A GLANCE Company: Grower’s Choice & Hydroponics Owner: Jason Cornwall Location: 11855 N Main Street, #6 Jacksonville, Florida Phone: 1-904-683-4517 E-mail: growerschoicejax@yahoo.com Web: http://hydroponicsgc.com Motto: “A one-stop-shop for all your hydroponic needs.”

144

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Jason Corn wall

Jason Cornwall figures that his customgrowing hobbyist, but his ‘real job’ was ers shouldn’t have to experiment with his home remodeling business. Jason new, untried products—that’s his job. noticed something as he pursued his Jason, who opened Grower’s Choice hobby, though: he had to drive all over & Hydroponics in Jacksonville, Florida town to get the products he wanted, and on Earth Day (April 20) in 2009, makes the stuff he bought didn’t always meet it his business to personally test every his needs. Nobody seemed to be runnew product he sells, and if it doesn’t ning the kind of retail outlet that Jason work as advertised, he doesn’t carry it. envisioned—a one-stop-shop that carried “The one piece of advice I can give,” all the products indoor growers need, says Jason,“is don’t think you know staffed by people who could provide everything—this industry is changing valuable advice because they had handsevery day.There on experience with are always new “The one piece of advice I can give,” the products. and innovative says Jason, “is don’t think you know “I got tired of makproducts coming everything—this industry is chang- ing frequent trips to out—some good ing every day. There are always new different stores trying and some bad.” and innovative products coming to find all the prodBut he realizes out—some good and some bad.” ucts that I needed,” that many of his says Jason, “so I customers just don’t have the time decided to open my own store and have or facilities they would need to stay a large variety of inventory so you would on top of new products, so he does only have to make one trip to the store. it for them.

Being a grower myself I knew I could “That’s why I test all products bestock my store with products that people fore I carry them in my store,” Jason need and use the most.” explains. “So my customers don’t Jason’s philosophy seems to be working have to spend their money testing out. He and his fiancée Crissie recently them—that way we can weed out moved from their original 1,500 square the bad ones for them.” foot retail outlet a few doors down to Jason started out like most of his their new 5,000 square foot shop, and customers—he was an avid indoor business is brisk.

“It is great to have an up-and-running grow room,” says Jason. “That way you can show people hands-on how different systems operate.”

“At first we were a little slow because a lot of people didn’t know we were here,” Crissie says, “but we started advertising online and in Maximum Yield and other magazines.”

That got the ball rolling, but Jason and Crissie are convinced that word of mouth is their most powerful marketing tool. “It helps to be friendly and knowledgeable about products in your store,” says Crissie, “so when people have problems or questions you can steer them in the right direction.” According to Crissie, if you give them the right advice they’ll keep showing up—and that’s the best advertising of all.

Jason and Crissie have always believed that carrying a great selection of tested products and offering superior customer service are the most important things they can offer their customers, and they make sure they live up to this philosophy every day.

“For lighting, we carry Hydrofarm equipment because of their great warranties,” says Jason. “We also carry all major brands of nutrients such as General Hydroponics, Botanicare, Humboldt Nutrients, Foxfarm and many more. All products we carry we have tested and know are quality

products. We also offer many deals for people buying multiple products at once.”

When you go to Grower’s Choice, you never have to worry about getting bad advice from an inexperienced employee, either—because Jason and Crissie are the only employees, and they make sure that one of them is always on hand to help.

“I decided to keep it just the two of us,” says Jason, “that way somebody knowledgeable of the products is here at all times.”

And these two are willing to go above and beyond to keep their customers coming back, too.

“Our company’s philosophy has not changed over the years,” Jason states. “One thing we always pride ourselves on is we always take care of the customer, no matter how small or big the order is.We are always available by phone, 24/7.That way if any unexpected problems arise, we are able to be reached, or if you need to come in on our day off we can meet you at the store, too.”

Jason and Crissie offer one other feature at their

shop that, along with their caring customer service and great selection, keeps their customers satisfied and interested in returning.

“It is great to have an up-andrunning grow room,” says Jason. “That way you can show people hands-on how different systems operate.”

Jason and Crissie feel that their instore grow room is one of the best tools they have—people can see the action of products first hand, and they get hooked on the whole concept of watching the plants from seed to harvest.They can also see the benefits of different growing, lighting and irrigation systems.

“In our grow room we have ebb and flood, aeroponic, NFT and deep-water culture systems.This way people can come in and get an idea of what kind of system they like,” says Jason. “It also creates a lot of buzz with our customers, as they like to come in and check the progress of our garden. It also helps convert the soil users to hydroponics, as they can see the benefits, such as being cleaner. And,” he continues, “if done right—no pesticides!”

Jason and Crissie are continuing to learn as they grow their retail and online business, because that’s the nature of the indoor growing industry—you either keep learning or you get passed by.

Jason agrees: “We are always learning new things every day, as new products and new ideas come out.”

Add this determination to keep on top of new industry developments to their policy of round-the-clock customer care and great product selection, and it would seem that Grower’s Choice has found a winning formula. MY

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

145

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

147

148

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

MAX-MART

149

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

149

MAX-MART

GRowco indoor Garden supply

150

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | April 2011

150

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

151

MAX-MART

152

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

153

MAX-MART

COMING UP IN june

LLC

Phone: 510.903.1808 Fax: 510.764.1246 13762 Doolittle Drive, San Leandro, CA 94577

www.hydrogardendelight.com

Oceans of Life: Deriving Nutrients From Marine Life

Keep your plants happy and healthy by feeding them an organic diet rich in plant nutrients from the sea.

Hydroponics in Jamaica

In this second article in the series, Peggy Bradley (Institute of Simplified Hydroponics) outlines the hydroponics curriculum proposal for Jamaica students in grades one through eight.

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

Have you ever yearned to dig in the soil and learn about food-raising practices of yore, the practices of which were based on organic farming? WWOOF organizations are connecting folks with food and the Earth around the globe.

Green thumb and beginner gardening tips and tricks, growing for health, 25+ new products and technologies, new grow gear to be won and much more.

www.maximumyield.com Maximum Yield USA June will be available June 1 for FREE at selected indoor gardening retail stores across the country and on maximumyield.com Subscriptions are available at maximumyield.com/subscriptions.php 154

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

I N D O O R

G A R D E N I N G

DO YOU

know?

7

Whilst lanterns are more of a Buddhist tradition, they have come to represent the essence of the Japanese garden, so they can also included in Zen designs.

8

LED bulbs (or chips) are the most important components of LED lights; quality chips ensure that your lights are bright, efficient and long lasting.

9

Inoculating your garden with various strains of oxygen-loving bacteria and fungi can help expand roots (Glomus mycorrhizae), protect against disease (Trichoderma) and more.

Research indicates that bumblebees pollinate

efficiently than manual pollination, leading 10 more to yield increases of as much as 25 per cent.

1

Plants become overwatered when they can no longer obtain oxygen in the root zone.

2

In 2000, pollination services amounted to $14.6 billion of agricultural output.

3

Using substrates that retain a lot of moisture—such as fine grade coconut fiber—and running lower-nutrient EC levels encourages vegetative growth.

4

If accumulated salts are not removed from the rooting medium on a routine basis, they will begin to affect water absorption by the plant roots.

5

Tropical plant varietals prefer higher levels of humidity and may tolerate temperatures in excess of 85°F.

6

In Cuba, organoponic technology now produces 50 per cent of the vegetables consumed in the island nation.

11

A tomato plant with a balanced growth habit tends to have a stem thickness of approximately one third of an inch in diameter at six inches below the growing point.

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

155

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

ALABAMA

CALIFORNIA

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

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 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 PabloAvenue Berkeley, CA 94702 (510) 704-9376 Brentwood Hydroponics & Organics 560 Valdry Ct #85 Brentwood, CA 94513 925-634-6704 Advanced Garden Supply 3113 Alhambra Drive, Unit F, Cameron Park, CA 95682, 530-676-2100

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 Holmtown Nursery Inc. 1301 - 30th Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701 907-451-8733 Northern Lights Greenhouse & Garden Supply Suite 105-9737 Mud Bay Road Ketchikan, Alaska 9901 907-225-GROW (4769) Anuway Hydroponics Suite #1 2711 W Walnut Rogers AK 72756 USA 479 631 0099 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) 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

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 2600 S Zero St, Suite C 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

156

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

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 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 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 Watch It Grow Hydro 9453 Firestone Blvd.

Downey, CA 90241 562-861-1982 Garden Warehouse 6355 Scarlet Court, #2, Dublin, CA 94568 925-556-3319 Grow A Lot Hydroponics, San Diego 1591 N. Cuyamaca Street, El Cajon, CA 93612 619-749-6777 El Centro Hydro & Brew Supply Inc. 591 main Street, Suite N-2 El Centro, CA 92243 760-235-4985 Go Green Hydroponics 15721 Ventura Boulevard, Encino, CA 91436 818-990-1198 A Fertile World (Eureka) 65th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-444-0200 Humboldt Nutrients 65th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 888-420-7770 Humboldt Electronics 2547 California Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-443-9408 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 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 831-335-9990 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 Western Auto 1156 Main Street, Fortuna, CA 95540 707-725-1189 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 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 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 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

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

157

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

LAX Hydro 10912 S. La Cienaga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90304 310-337-6995 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 Deep Roots Garden Center & Flower Shop 207 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 Telephone: 310-376-0567 B & S Gardening Supplies 590 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 Northcoast Horticulture Supply 1580 Nursery Way McKinleyville, CA 95519 707-839-9998 Thunders Hydroponic Center 1729 Yosemite Boulevard, Medesco, CA 95354 Mendocino Garden Shop PO Box 1301, 44720 Maint Street (at Hwy. 1), Mendocino, CA 95460 707-937-3459 Grow Zone 718 Willow Rd. Menlo Park CA 94025 650-326-4769 Hooked Up Hydroponics 1004 W. 15th St. Suite B & C, Merced, Ca 95340 209-723-1300 Merced Hydroponics 1809 East 21st Street, Merced, CA 95340 209-726-4769 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 Growers Choice Hydroponics 1100 Carver Road, Modesto, CA 95350 209-522-2727 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 Grodan Inc. Moorpark, CA 93021 541-646-8245 Supersonic Hydroponic and Organic Garden Supply 850 Shasta Avenue, Suite B Morro Bay, CA 93442 805-772-5869 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

158

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Shadow Valley Aquatics 75 Kimick Way, Red Bluff, CA 96080 530-526-0479 Bare 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 Grow Your Own 3401 Traval Street, San Francisco, CA 94116415-731-2115

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 advanced hydroponics and gardening

704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

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 Nutes Int’l 204 N Quarantina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 805-687-6699 Santa Clarita Valley Hydroponics 25835 Railroad Ave. #26 Santa Clarita CA 91350 661 255 3700 661 255 3701

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

159

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

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) 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 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 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 Golden Harvest Hydroponics & Garden Supply 8626 Lower Sacramento Road #48, Stockton, CA 95210 209-951-3550

160

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

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 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 448 Georgia Street, Vallejo, CA 94590 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 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 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 Southern Humbolt Garden Supplies 34919 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, CA 92399 909-797-6888 707-459-6791

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 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) J&D Organic Growing Solutions 217 1/2 Clayton Street Brush, CO 80723 970-310-5408 BIG BloomZ 1005 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 High Tech Garden Supply 5275 Quebec St. Commerce City, CO 80022 720-222-0772 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 970 739 6755 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 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 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

CONNECTICUT

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 Organix Hydroponics 749 Saybrook Road, (Tradewinds Plaza) Middletown, CT 06457 860-343-1923

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 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 Wholesale 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, Jackonsonville, 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

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

.

161

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

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 Wholesale 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 Wholesale 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 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

162

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

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 Winter Garden FL 34787 407 574 8495 Cultivating Eden Hydroponic Supplies 946 18th Avenue SW, Vero Beach, FL 32962 772-564-8880 Florida Garden Wholesale 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. 2475 Jefferson Road, Suite 600 Athens, GA 30607 866-404-0551 Atlantis Hydroponics 2561 West Point Avenue, College Park, GA 30337 678-510-0032 Savannah Hydroponics & Organics 4107 Eighth Street, Suite C Garden City, GA 31408 912-349-4030

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 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

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

Hydrocork 20647 Renwick Road, Crest Hill, IL 60435 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 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 Brew and Grow 2379 Bode Road, Schaumburg, IL 60440 630-771-0555 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

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 4620 317-780-8070 Magic Bulb Garden Center 6229 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46220 317-202-2852 Five Point Gardens 56555 Oak Road, South Bend, IN 46619 574-287-9232

Inc.

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

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

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 Green Thumb Indoor Gardening 19 Stage Road, St. Albans, ME 04971 207-938-5909 Urban Garden Center 235 Lewiston Road, Toposhan, ME 04086 207-373-0990 Greenlife Garden Supply 611 US Rt. 1 York, ME 03909 978 262 9966

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

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

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 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 Hydro Giant 14455 Ford Rd, Dearborn, MI 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 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

Horizen Hydroponics 1614 Leonard Street, NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 866-791-1664 Flower Factory, The 2223 East Highland Road Highland, MI 48356 248-714-9292 Hydro Vision 2858 E Highland rd Highland, MI 48356 Holland Hydroponic Outlet 587-40 East 8th Street Holland, MI 49423 616-298-7395 Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 9091 W. Lake City Road Houghton Lake, MI 48629 989-422-2800 Hydro Vision 1247 e Grand River Howell, MI 48843 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 HTG Supply-Lansing Michigan 2815 East Grand River Ave.Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 580-0555 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 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 Home Grown Hydroponics 8075 Gratiot Road, Unit C, Saginaw MI 48609 989-781-1930 Hydro Giant 19363 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI 734.281.8888 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

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

163

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

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 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 Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 3218 W. Houghton Avenue West Branch, MI 48661 989-345-8800 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 8179 University Avenue, Fridley, MN 55432 612-780-8191 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

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 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

NEVADA

Indoor Garden Shop LLC 1310 Bienville Boulevard, Ocean Springs, MS 39564 228-875-3725

MISSOURI

164

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 Green Thumb Organics 249 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, St. Peters, MO 63376 636-397-4769 (GROW)

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

MISSISSIPPI

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

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

HYDROGARDENS

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

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 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 Hydro World 17 White Birch Lane, Lincoln, NH 03251 603-745-3030

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 HYDROPONI C S 609-570-8829 East Coast Horticultural Supply 1652 Hurffville Road, Swewell, 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 AHL Year Round Garden Supply 9421 Coors Blvd. NW Suite K, Albuquerque, NM 87114 505-899-0592 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

I NC .

NEW YORK 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 Bronx Hydro & Garden 39 Bruckner Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10454 718-993-3787 Bklyn Hydro & Garden 3116 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 Greentree Nursery 308 Elmira Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-272-3666 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 Grow Room, The 8 Bridge Street, Nyack, NY 10960 800-449-9630 Revolution Hydroponics 309 West State St. Olean NY 14760 716.373.Grow (4769)

KG Garden Supply 1327 Floyd Avenue, Rome, NY 13440 1-877-KG-HYDRO 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 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

Mor Gro Hydroponics 5680 State Route 104 E Oswego , NY 13126 315-877-8725

OHIO

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

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

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

Dayton Hydroponics 4920 Provident Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 513-942-7111 Eastside Hydroponics 550 Ohio Pike 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 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

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

165

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

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 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 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

166

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

In & Out Gardens 93484 Hwy 99 South Junctin City OR 97448 541-234-2342 Basin Indoor Gardening 1221 Main Street, 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 1810 Virginia Avenue, Garden Supplies North Bend, OR 97459 541-756-5005 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 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 Roseburg Hydroponics 853 SE Stephens Street, Roseburg, OR 97470 541-229-1420 Grow America Garden Supply LLC 11511 SW Pacific Highway, Tigard, OR 97223 503-841-6868

PENNSYLVANIA Pocono Hydroponic Solutions 25 Route 611 Bartonsville, PA 18321 Tel: 570-730-4544 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 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 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 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 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 450 Grim Lane, York,PA 17406 877-779-7111(Northeast) PA Hydroponics & Home Gardening Supply 20 Quaker Church Road, York Springs, PA 17372 717-528-4175

Greenspirit Hydrogardens 3600 Unite 1 Hwy.17 S. North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 843-361-7777

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

TENNESSEE Atlantis Hydroponics 1800 Rossville Avenue, #3, Chattanooga, TN 37408 423-752-5400 Advanced Hydroponic Garden 783 French Mill Road, Dandridge, TN 37725 800-521-1643 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 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

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 Organically Grown 768 Atwood Ave Cranston, RI 02920 401-944-0549 Hydro-Earth 1243 Mineral Springs Avenue, North Providence, RI 02904 401-305-5520 Mother Nature Hydroponics 1268 Post Rd. Warwick RI 02888 401 780 0600 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 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

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 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 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 GreenMaker Nursery 3030 Northwest Loop, Stephenville, TX 76401 254-965-7273 Innergrow Hydroponics 24451 Interstate Highway 20, Wills Point, TX 75169 866-475-4769

UTAH Salt Lake Plant & Hydro 60 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 Clean & Green Technologies 196 Corning Drive, Christiansburg, VA 24073 866-694-1628

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

167

MAXIMUM YIELD distributors

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 Co. 5524 Williamson Road, Suite 11 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

168

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

Retail Stores listed alphabetically by city in each state.

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 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 Island Hydroponic & Supplies 1515 5th Street #B, Marysville, WA 98271 425-299-5855 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 253-495-6757 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 Brew and Grow 285 N. Janacek Road, Brookfield, WI 53045 262-789-0555 Brew and Grow 3317 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53716 608-226-8910 Paradigm Gardens 4539 Helgesen Drive, Madison, WI 53718 608-241-3800

PUERTO RICO Tecno-Hydro Ave Campo Rico GJ17, Carolina, PR 00982 787-752-8252 ARE YOU CURRENTLY DISTRIBUTING MAXIMUM YIELD FROM YOUR RETAIL STORE?

If so, pass along your contact information to us here at the magazine care of ilona@maximumyield.com and we will add your store’s name, address and telephone number to our distributor listing in an upcoming issue.

Win big grow big Full Page

Maximum Yield USA | May 2011

169