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CANADA November-December 2013

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6 Maximum Yield Canada | November/December 2013

CONTENTSNovember/December 2013

DEPARTMENTS8 From the Editor

10 MaximumYield.com

12 Letters to the Editor

14 Ask the Experts

16 MAX Facts

22 Product Spotlight

64 You Tell Us

66 Talking Shop

68 Max Mart

71 Distributors

73 Coming up Next Issue

74 Do You Know?

FEATURES

46 How to Buy a Growroom on a Budget by Casey Jones Fraser

50 Of Moulds and Mildewsby Philip McIntosh

56 Weed Eaterby Raquel Neofit

58 The Original Greenhouse Effect: How Greenhouses Can Change the Way You Growby Matt LeBannister

30 Winterizing Your Growroom by Lee McCall

34 Gardening for Geeks: By the Numbers by Grubbycup

38 Organic Hydroponicsby Dr. Lynette Morgan

44 Neat Freak: Tips for Reducing Cross Contamination When Working Your Cropby Karen Wilkinson

30

34

58

50

56

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PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim JessonGENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores

BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson

eDitoriAl [email protected]

editor-in-chief Linda Jesson Assistant editor Julie McManusAssistant editor Jenn McGarrigle

ADVertiSiNG SAleS Sales Manager Ilona Hawser

[email protected] Hepples - [email protected] Montague - [email protected]

Jed Walker - [email protected] Dale - [email protected]

DeSiGN & ProDUCtioN [email protected]

Art Director Alice Joe

Graphic Designers Jennifer Everts

Dionne HurdJesslyn Gosling

ACCoUNtiNG Tracy Greeno - [email protected]

Katie LaFrance - [email protected]

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTIONBrite-Lite Group • Biofloral • Eddis Wholesale

Greenstar Plant Products Inc. • MegaWatt Quality Wholesale • Green Planet

USA DISTRIBUTIONAurora Innovations • BWGS • General Hydroponics

Humbolt Wholesale • Hydrofarm Hydro International

National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply Nickel City Wholesale Garden Supply

R&M Supply • Tradewinds

UK DISTRIBUTIONDirect Garden Supplies • Growth Technology

Future Harvest Development Europe Hydrogarden

Nutriculture UK • Dutch Pro • Maxigrow

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION Dome Garden Supply • House N Garden

Futchatec • Growth Technology • Hydraspher

Maximum Yield is published monthly byMaximum Yield Publications Inc.

2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9Phone: 250.729.2677; Fax 250.729.2687No 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 Yieldor the editor.

Publication Agreement Number 40739092

Printed In Canada

VOLUME 16 – NUMBER 4 November/December 2013

Linda Jesson

Message from the

Editor

FroM tHe eDitor | LiNda JESSON

Brrrr … the Canadian winter is upon us, but that doesn't stop indoor gardeners! In fact, winter is the optimal time for growing inside. As Lee McCall explains in “Winterizing Your Growroom”, cooler weather allows for enhanced environmental control.From readying your grow space for Old Man

Winter to everything you need to know about preventing and treating mould and mildew problems, this issue will help growers enjoy a continuous harvest all season. For those who love numbers, we've included an article on how to mathematically deduce how productive your garden is, which is handy when plan-ning what to plant next. Also in this issue are tips on reducing cross contamination in the growroom, the benefits of greenhouse growing, growing organic food in a hydroponic system and which weeds can go on your plate instead of the compost pile.Are you flipping through this issue hoping

to find a Christmas gift for a green-thumbed relative or friend? Be sure to check out the new products section and Casey Jones Fraser's arti-cle on buying a growroom on a budget to find

the perfect present for your loved one.Maximum Yield's 2013 Grow Like a Pro Indoor Gardening Expo Tour

wrapped up last month in Long Beach, California, but we are planning an exciting lineup of cities to visit next year. Stay tuned to indoorgardenexpo.com for details about the 2014 tour and we hope to see you in the new year!In the meantime, enjoy the winter growing season and happy holidays!

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CONTribuTOrS

COMiNG uP ON THE WEb

Become a Maximum Yield contributor and have your articles read by 250,000 readers throughout USA, Canada, UK, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Every issue is available on maximumyield.com, which has thousands of unique visitors monthly.

maximumyield.comfacebook.com/MaximumYieldindoorgardeningexpo.comtwitter.com/max_yield

ConneCt with US

Scan itConnect to maximumyield.com instantly from your smartphone with our Quick Response (QR) Code found on the cover of every issue of Maximum Yield.

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

Dr. Lynette Morgan holds a B. Hort. Tech. degree and a PhD in hydroponic greenhouse production from Massey University, New Zealand. Lynette is a partner with SUNTEC International Hydroponic Consultants and has authored fi ve hydroponic technical books. Visit suntec.co.nz for more information.

Karen Wilkinson is a budding gardener with previous experience working in the hydroponics industry. Her background includes daily reporting, technical writing, marketing and promotions. After spending years living along California’s northern coast, she made her way to Sacramento where she currently lives and breathes the yoga lifestyle.

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

Maximum Yield’s Hydrolife oct/Nov issue Available NowIn the current issue of Hydrolife you’ll find informa-tion on making your own jam and heavy metal detoxification. We feature an interview with pro snowboarder Iris Lazz and catch up with members of the Longboard Girls Crew, who tell us all about the sport of longboarding, from road rash to reach-ing speeds exceeding 50 km/h. You won’t want to miss this edition of Hydrolife, which also includes a feature on how to pick out the perfect mountain bike, a column on how to get your snowboard ready to go for the season and more. Hydrolife Oct/Nov is available online now at myhydrolife.com

one More Chance to Win i’m a Fan ContestTell us why you are a fan of Maximum Yield and you could win a $100 gift card to your favourite indoor gardening shop and also have a chance at the grand prize of a $1,000 gift card to your favou-rite indoor gardening shop. Visit maximumyield.com to enter online and to read some of the great responses we’ve received. Contest closes December 14, 2013.

Meet the teamThroughout 2013 there have been a few changes at the Maximum Yield office, including the addition of some great people to the team. To learn more about our cur-rent roster, check out maximumyield.com/about-us

Author ArchivesHas a particular Maximum Yield contributor caught your eye recently? Look them up using our online author archives. Simply visit maximumyield.com/resources/author-archive

Free Digital SubscriptionReceive Maximum Yield in your inbox every month. Sim-ply subscribe to the digital edition of Maximum Yield by filling out the form at maximumyield.com/subscriptions

Stay tuned For our 2014 indoor Gardening expo lineupNow that the final stop in the 2013 Grow Like a Pro Indoor Gardening Expo Tour has wrapped up in Long Beach, California, we’re looking ahead to 2014 and firm-ing up tour dates and locations! Plan to attend one, two or all of our expos. Stay tuned to indoorgardenexpo.com for details so you can plan your 2014 vacation.

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

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

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

Raquel Neofi t is a freelance writer for the horticulture, travel and lifestyle industries. She has a background in business and radio, and is an avid believer that hydroponics is the future. Follow Raquel’s writing on her blog, Black Thumbs Guide to Growing Green—the misadventures of the vertical herb gardening movement—and My Food Story on Facebook.

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Friendly FeedbackEver wondered what it would be like if your garden were to outgrow everyone’s wildest expectations? I want to thank Maximum Yield for helping mine to flourish far beyond what I dreamed possible. Providing us with this free place to share research, ideas and products is invaluable. I started hanging out at local hydro shops, getting all the samples I could and working hard in the garden. Now I work at the local hydro store. Thanks again Maximum Yield and a big green thumbs up to you all. Ray Crowley, via email


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LETTErS TO THE EdiTOr

Ninth I’m a Fan WinnerMarko Portuondo from Connecticut is the ninth winner of Maximum Yield’s I’m a Fan Contest! Marko said, “I’m not going to get all technical on why I’m a fan of the magazine. You guys freakin’ rock! And because of that, my indoor garden rocks. I’ve learned countless things from your articles, which has made me a pretty successful grower. You’ve got to love Maximum Yield, baby!” Thank you for the great response, Marko, and congratulations on winning Maximum Yield’s ninth I’m a Fan contest! We hope you enjoy your $100 gift certificate at your favourite indoor gardening shop, Liquid Sun Hydroponics in Windsor, Connecticut.

Tell us why you’re a fan of Maximum Yield and you could be the next winner. Visit maximumyield.com for full contest details. Ladies, the men have spoken, and now we want to hear why you are also fans of Maximum Yield. Write in and win! Email your responses to [email protected]

Eighth I’m a Fan Winner Glendon Warner from South Carolina is the eighth winner of Maximum Yield’s I’m a Fan Contest! Glendon said, “Last week I was shopping at my local garden store and saw the free copy of this magazine. I was blown away by all the informative articles and tips, not to mention a ton of manufacturer and product information I was never even aware of! I have fallen in love with this perfect publication; I read the magazine six times already and can’t wait for the next issue! This magazine is perfect for me and I’m so glad I saw the copy and took it home.” Thank you for your great response, Glendon, and congratulations on winning Maximum Yield’s eighth I’m a Fan contest! We hope you enjoy your $100 gift certificate at your favourite indoor gardening shop, The Green Thumb.

Glendon Warner

Marko Portuondo

What our followers are saying on Twitter:

Your Two CentsWe recently asked Maximum Yield Facebook followers what they thought about genetically modified food crops. Here’s what we heard back!

“I think it should be labelled and I think I won’t buy it.”Dan

“There is no doubt that we need to select desirable traits and keep them or add them to our produce…it’s about how and from what source. Selective breeding is a natural but time-consuming process. Genetic modification is a quick laboratory process. Both can result in undesirable outcomes (for example, toxic traits). What I am concerned with is the source of the laboratory genetic modifications. Splicing the genetics of bacteria and bugs into our fruit and vegetable seeds is something that would never happen in the wild and with something we would never consume on its own. If source genetics were strictly allowed from other plant mate-rial only, I may be more accepting.”Christian

“I’m all for genetic modification, but not for food.”Eron

“We think the concern about GMO crops isn’t that they don’t taste as good as non-GMO crops, which is still true. It’s about what these GMO crops are doing to our bodies. We need to understand the health ramifications first. Remember, before they were trying for better aromas and flavours, it was higher yields and pest resistance, and neither of those panned out.”Evershine Hydroponics

Angela Lundmark @LEDGrowMaster “What a nice bunch. Thanks for the follow and for what you do to promote indoor agriculture. Cheers and such.”

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Can LED lights work for all stages of growth?Thomas Johnson

Yes, LED lights can work for all stages of growth. There are many LED lighting systems available with spectrums tailored for specific stages of growth (e.g., more blue wavelengths for vegetative growth and more red wavelengths for bloom-ing). It should be noted, however, that LEDs used for horti-culture are a relatively new technology and there are some drawbacks (high cost and light penetration being the most prevalent). My tests with LEDs have shown that the current LED lighting systems available are more suitable for vegeta-tive growth or plants that are short in stature. Keep on growing,Eric Hopper

Eric Hopper

What nutrients would be suitable for growing saffron? I am going to have a go at it this year for the first time and want to grow it in hydroponics.Cheers,Bill

Saffron requires just a general purpose, complete hydroponic nutrient. For the first few weeks after the dormant bulbs are planted, the flowers and first leaves use the reserves provided in the bulb for growth, so minimal nutrients are required. However, after flowering, the plant must then produce a lot of foliage for a period of eight to 10 months, which feeds the developing bulblets from which the crop is propagated and during this stage the plants need a vegetative growth hydroponic formulation or product.I suggest you contact a hydroponic retailer and obtain a general purpose vegetative

hydroponic nutrient product—this has to be a hydroponic product as many of the general purpose liquid plant foods you can buy from garden suppliers are

not suitable for soilless production. The hydroponic nutrient product should contain all of the following elements: N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, B, Cu and Mo and you will need to dilute this according to the instructions on the product (typically hydroponic nutrients come as two-part or three-part stock solutions that are diluted with water).

Also, you will need an EC meter to check the concentration of the nutri-ent solution—EC meters can be purchased from your local hydroponic retail shop. Saffron should start off at a low EC of around 1.0, increasing to 2.2 when foliage has grown. Also, it needs reasonably high-quality water. Rainwater should be fine, but avoid city water supplies due to the water treatment chemicals they contain. Good luck with the saffron.Dr. Lynette Morgan

Dr. Lynette Morgan


aSk THE ExPErTS

15Maximum Yield Canada | November/December 2013

http://www.technaflora.com

Pests Spread as World Heats UpA new study has revealed that global warming is resulting in the spread of crop pests towards the North and South Poles at a rate of nearly three kilometres per year. Between 10 and 16% of global crop production is currently lost to pests, which include fungi, bacteria, viruses, insects, nema-todes, viroids and oomycetes. The study sug-gests that these fi gures will increase further if global temperatures continue to rise as predicted and that the warming climate is allowing pests to be-come established in previously unsuitable regions. The study used published observations of the distribution of 612 crop pests collected over the past 50 years.(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Plant Health PartnershipResearchers with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada are joining forces to support the nation's horticulture industry. The aim of this partnership is to improve effi ciencies and share critical knowledge and expertise in matters of plant health. Joint projects include part of the government's Genomics

Research and Development Initiative —a research team is adding thousands of DNA bar codes to national and international databases—and the study of plum pox virus and methodologies for eliminating this virus from infected plant material.

(Source: agr.gc.ca)

MAXFACTS NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

Winter WheatSome farmers see winter wheat as a last resort, or just a way to spread out harvest work. But according to numbers published by the Prairie provincial governments, win-ter wheat can be one of the most profi table crop options. Lately, the gap between winter wheat and spring wheat prices has narrowed, with prices for the former get-ting closer to prices for the latter. And winter wheat can out-yield spring wheat.(Source: agcanada.com)

Plant Health PartnershipResearchers with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada are joining forces to support the nation's horticulture industry. The aim of this partnership is to improve effi ciencies and share critical knowledge and expertise in matters of plant health. Joint projects include part of the government's Genomics

MAXMAXMAXNEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIANEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

Some farmers see winter wheat as a last resort, or just a way to spread out harvest work. But according to numbers published by the Prairie provincial governments, win-ter wheat can be one of the most profi table crop options. Lately, the gap between winter wheat and spring wheat prices has narrowed, with prices for the former get-ting closer to prices for the latter. And winter wheat can out-yield spring wheat.(Source: agcanada.com)


MAX FACTS hydroponiC newS, TipS And TriviA



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Taking Action on Bee MortalitiesOntario is bringing together a group of experts to provide advice on how to prevent bee mortalities. The Bee

Health Working Group, comprised of beekeepers, farmers, agri-business

representatives, scientists and staff from both federal and provincial government

agencies, will provide recommendations on how to mitigate the potential risk to honey bees

from exposure to neonicotinoid—-a pesticide used for corn and soybeans. The working group will provide its recommendations by spring 2014. There are 3,000 registered beekeepers in Ontario managing about 100,000 honey bee colonies. Honey production contributes $25 million to the province's economy.(Source: omafra.gov.on.ca)(Source: omafra.gov.on.ca)(Source: omafra.gov.on.ca)

Support for Future FarmersCanada's next generation of farmers and producers will benefi t from continued support from the Cana-dian government. Up to $5.17 million in federal dollars will be spent on 4-H Canada initiatives over the next fi ve years. “With their new ideas, fresh perspectives and optimism, youth leaders and young farmers are key to achieving global food security,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Celebrating its 100th an-niversary this year, 4-H Canada will use the federal funding to further its Embrace the Future initiative, aimed at growing membership in rural areas, introducing 4-H programs in urban and suburban areas and strengthening the 4-H experience nationwide.(Source: agr.gc.ca)

Fun Cranberry FactsThe cranberry gets its name from Dutch and German settlers, who nicknamed it the “crane berry” because when cranberry vines bloom in the late spring, the pale fl owers resemble the head and bill of a crane. The cranberry, primarily grown in fi ve United States states as well as in British Columbia and Quebec, is one of only a handful of major fruits native to North America. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. A perennial plant, cranberries grow on low-running vines in sandy bogs and marshes. Because cranberries fl oat, some bogs are fl ooded with water when the fruit is ready for harvest. Others are harvested using machines resembling lawnmowers that “comb” fresh cranberries off the vines.(Source: oceanspray.com)


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Apple Crop ReboundsOntario apple producers have rebound-ed dramatically from a horrible growing season last year that decimated most

of the crop and kept provincially-grown apples out of grocery stores for months. This year's crop is set to produce an estimated 8.5 million bushels of apples, says Ontario Apple Growers, an association that represents all growers in the province with four or more hectares of apple orchard. That's signifi cantly better than last year, when frost wiped out about 80% of the crop and pushed some growers out of the business.(Source: chathamdailynews.ca)

Dung Beetles vs. Global WarmingCattle contribute to global warming by burping and farting large amounts of greenhouse gases and some of the same gases are also emitted from cow patties on pastures. But now researchers have found that beetles living in cow pats may reduce emissions of the key greenhouse gas—methane. Cattle farming for meat and milk are major sources of methane. Dung beetles aerate the poop, which has a major impact on how carbon escapes from cow patties into the atmosphere because methane is primarily born under anaerobic (living without air) conditions.(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Gardening Goes Up in QuebecCommercial rooftop gardening is taking off in Quebec. In 2011, Lufa Farms opened the world’s fi rst commercial rooftop urban farm in Montreal, and the company recently launched a second, larger operation in Laval. Located on top of a building that also houses a furniture retailer and other commercial tenants, the new green-house employs a positive pressure system that keeps out insects while producing 30% more produce than the fi rst greenhouse with less energy inputs. Both greenhouse operations use hydroponic systems to produce vegetables and being on top of a heated building means that it needs only half of the energy compared with a conventional farm.(Source: treehugger.com)


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Dung Beetles vs. Global WarmingCattle contribute to global warming by burping and farting large amounts of greenhouse gases and some of the same gases are also emitted from cow patties on pastures. But now researchers have found that beetles living in cow pats may reduce emissions of the key greenhouse

poop, which has a major impact on how carbon escapes from cow patties into the atmosphere because methane is primarily born under

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PrOduCT SPOTLiGHT

YOUR GUIDE TO THIS ISSUE’S

HotteSt iteMSAsk for them at your local indoor gardening store

Botanicare Cocogro Cloning PlugsBotanicare’s new Cocogro Cloning Plugs provide an alternative to traditional peat and tree bark-based rooting plugs. Cocogro Cloning Plugs are the first coco coir-based plugs in the industry. Coco coir-based plugs were developed specifically for cloning and provide a higher air-holding capacity than traditional plugs as well as a natural resistance to patho-gens. CocoGro Cloning Plugs do not easily become overly saturated or water logged. They allow for quicker and more vigorous rooting perfor-mance, and contain the ideal nutrient charge to promote explosive root development. A healthy clone is the key to a fruitful harvest. Try Cocogro Cloning Plugs today to experience the latest in cloning technology from Botanicare. For more information, visit a nearby indoor gardening store.

Head Masta from CX HydroponicsMany growers obtain high quality at the expense of high yields, or vice versa. Head Masta ensures both a heavy yielding and high-quality crop. In addition to stimulating an internal hormonal signal that increases flower formation and creating additional flowering sites, Head Masta pumps plant cells full of extra vitamins and minerals required by the plant to convert excess light and nutri-ents into the highest quality proteins, amino acids and carbohydrates. Head Masta also adds weight-producing silicon to flower cells and increases its thirst for potassium. Head Masta works with plants to transform them into a high-yielding, high-quality super crop. All CX Hydroponics additives, including Head Masta, are formulated to work well in any medium and with any nutrient line. All CX Hydroponics products are designed for use with consumable crops and are PGR/hor-mone free. Stop by a local gardening store for more details.

Dirt Defense GlovesDirt Defense Disposable Nitrile Gloves have all the positive benefits and features of latex gloves without the drawbacks of being made of latex. Dirt Defense Disposable Nitrile Gloves are great for a wide range of uses including gardening, painting, auto repair and much more. Gloves are available in medium, large and extra-large. The gloves are dispos-able and durable and feature textured fingertips and enhanced tactile sensitivity for easy, comfortable use. The gloves are chemical repealing and protect the skin against stains and other hazards. Plus, they are black, which hides stains during use. For more information, stop by a local retailer.

oxyClone 20-Site ClonerSunlight Supply is pleased to announce the release of the OxyClone 20-Site Cloner. The OxyClone 20-Site Cloner works on the principle of re-circulating oxygenated water created by the OxyHead. It can be used with Eco Air 1 for super oxygenated water. The OxyHead draws in oxygen from the atmosphere and produces turbulence to continuously nourish your cuttings in super oxygenated water. There are no spray jets that clog up and the water stays cool. Kit includes two sets of neoprene oxycerts (20 coloured and 20 black), one OxyHead, one moulded cover and one impact-resistant reservoir. It’s made of black, lightproof materials and comes with a 90-day warranty. For more information, visit a local indoor gardening store.


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Smart Pot transplanter Due to popular demand, High Caliper Growing, the makers of Smart Pot®, have ex-panded the transplanter line of products. Now available in both 3.78-L and 7.57-L sizes, the Smart Pot® Transplanter is a re-usable fabric container with an open side for easy removal of plants when transplanting. Whether using soil or a different medium, the Smart Pot Transplanter’s convenient overlapping design allows for easy transplanting with all growing mediums. With the Smart Pot Transplanter, you will receive all of the same benefits when using a standard Smart Pot. Features include an increase in aeration, heat release through evaporative cooling and superior drainage. Now Smart Pot has made transplanting even easier. For more information, look for Smart Pot at your favorite retail gardening store.

Grodan’s Grolog iPhone App Grodan has launched its first iPhone app. Known as GroLog™, this free, powerful tool enables the grower to be even more successful by recording and monitoring their nutrient solution’s daily levels, environ-mental conditions and several other important variables. The GroLog also features a built-in programmable event calendar that sends phone alerts to the grower so they never miss a watering, forget to check pH or overfeed their plants again. Users can even print or email customiz-able reports and graphs straight from their phones. To download the GroLog, simply search for it by name in the Apple Inc. app store. The GroLog is the simplest and easiest way to stay dialed in.

ozone environmental technologies Presents New room Model Ozone Environmental Technologies has been the overwhelming leader in hydroponic ozonation since 1994. Our extensive line-up of l Uvonair products are manufactured in Canada, using only the highest quality components on the market today. In our efforts to continue to improve our products we are pleased to announce we are introducing a new and improved room model to the market, which has a slightly new design. This new design, built using a stronger polycarbonate plastic, achieves a more aerodynamic design and will increase durability and air flow, which will add an increase of 15% in ozone production. All models conform to UL safety standards. For more information, , visit a nearby indoor gardening store.

Bio2 5Shot Power Pack Carbon Dioxide enrichment SystemLooking for a way to increase growth rates? Wondering how to get heavier and more luscious harvests but could never afford the expense of CO2 enrichment? Now you can! The BIO2 5Shot Power Pack from Mega Mass Plant Products has arrived. The 5Shot Power Pack delivers a five week charge of BIO2 for your BIO2 Biological CO2 Enhance-ment System in this convenient, simple package. In keeping with the natural format, the packaging and printing has been kept to a minimum. That means fewer costs for us and therefore we can deliver an inexpensive product to you. It’s natural, economical, convenient and effective CO2 production. For more information, visit a nearby indoor gardening store.


Square Mesh Pot Bucket lidThe Square Mesh Pot Bucket Lid is perfect for customized, home-made hydroponic systems. It is extremely thick and durable and is made with mesh on the sides and bottom for maximum aeration. These products are among the industry’s first square models that can be used with clay pebbles or other growing mediums, work with virtually any standard 19-L bucket and are available in black. Visit an indoor gardening retailer for more information.

Super Sun De reflectorSunlight Supply is pleased to announce the arrival of the Super Sun Double-Ended (DE) Reflector—the latest addition to the Sun System® line of reflectors and made specifically for double-ended 1,000-W HPS horticulture lamps (not included). Unique double-ended construction allows for maximum optical efficiency and uniformity. Full spectrum DE lamps used in this fixture focus on the red component for increased photosynthetic response. They offer improved PAR values and increased PAR/lumen maintenance (up to 90% PAR at 10,000 hours of operation). The Super Sun DE’s compact design delivers maximum light to growing spaces using 95% reflective, textured German aluminum interior for excellent uniformity, output and diffusion. Product features galvanized steel housing with durable powder-coated finish. The Super Sun DE is manufactured in North America with exacting standards and the finest quality components and includes a detachable 4.5-m lamp cord at the reflector and at the ballast. Visit a local retailer for more information.

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Fresh New look For Botanicare’s ZHoBotanicare’s benefi-cial root inoculate ZHO has a fresh new look and is easier to use. Now packaged in user-friendly wide mouth jars, ZHO is more convenient to apply and store. ZHO is a unique and proprietary blend of beneficial endo-mycorrhizal fungi, trichoderma fungi and highly available L-glycine amino acids. ZHO promotes rapid new root growth, dramatically improves the plants’ ability to uptake water and nutrients and protects roots from pathogens. In addition, ZHO was specifically formulated for fruit-bearing and heavy-flowering plant types. We chose only endomycorrhizal species due to their ability and prefer-ence for colonizing mainly soft-stemmed plant types. This means you get more of what works, and less of what doesn’t. With its improved packaging, ZHO remains competitively priced based on application rates. For additional information, visit a nearby indoor gardening store.

regen-A-root from CX HydroponicsGrow monster roots with Regen-A-Root. Regen-A-Root stimulates mon-ster root growth while boosting the naturally occurring immune de-fences of plant root systems. Instead of containing rooting hor-mones, Regen-A-Root contains the required precursors for naturally occurring plant Auxins. This approach guaran-tees phenomenal root development without sacrificing top growth, making it safe to use throughout both vegetative and flower-ing stages. A lush, healthy, productive root system every time is CX Hydroponics’ guarantee to you. All CX Hydroponics additives, including Regen-A-Root, are formulated to work with any nutrient line. For more information, check out a local grow store.

Sun System Agrotech Medium reflectorThe Sun System Agrotech Medium Reflector is Sunlight Supply’s latest addi-tion to the Sun System®reflector line. This lightweight reflector is all aluminum with a galvanized steel back plate for a durable but easy-to-use product. The Agrotech Medium Reflector features 95% reflective German aluminum for excellent reflectivity and diffusion. The Sun System lamp cord is compatible with Sun System, Galaxy® and other ballasts and is fully detachable from both the ballast and the reflector for ease of use. The fully enclosed socket assembly protects wiring from heat and UV light and easily attaches with four small bolts. Visit an indoor gardening store for more information.

Bio2 Starter Kit Carbon Dioxide enrichment SystemAlready have a sealable pail? Looking for economic, reliable, easy-to-use CO2 enrichment? Tired of constantly worry-ing about excessive heat and humidity from conventional CO2 production methods? The solution has arrived! Mega Mass Plant Products presents the BIO2 Starter Kit, a small package that carries a big bang! This CO2 enhancement kit supplies the parts necessary to turn a sealable pail into your very own BIO2 Bucket Kit, a biological CO2 enhance-ment system that really works—no heat, no humidity and no electricity! You will be amazed, your plants will love you and your harvests will be huge. Each kit has three BIO2 (40 g) packets inside to keep your garden energized for a full three weeks. For additional information, visit a nearby indoor gardening store.

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PrOduCT SPOTLiGHT

NatureVAC Vacuum Sealers and Bags NatureVAC Vacuum Sealers and Bags keep food fresh up to five times longer. Seal in meats, herbs, seafood, fruits, vegetables, grains, pasta, lentils, cheese, coffee, leftovers and more. The NatureVAC Vacuum Sealers and Bags are full of features and benefits that will assist your needs. Quality construction, user-friendly controls and fully automatic operation are just a few of the features that make these great items to have around. The sealers safely package moist, dry and delicate food. Keep all your food and produce fresh with NatureVAC Vacuum Sealers and Bags. For more information, visit a local retailer.

royal Gold Coco Royal Gold is proud to be one the largest coco fibre soil and soilless producers in North America. Ready for use right out of the bag, Royal Gold Coco is processed and rinsed in Humboldt County, California, with the utmost care and attention. The finest grade of coco fibre is imported from consistent and reputable sources for all Royal Gold products. The Royal Gold crew then washes the select fibres to remove any residual salt content, with pure Humboldt rain water from our in-house water catchment system. We then begin our proprietary buffering process. This gives the grower a ready-to-use product of unparalleled purity and consistency. Royal Gold does all this right here on North Ameri-can soil, with pride! Use as a stand-alone medium or to enhance the performance of any native or bagged soil you prefer. Available in Canada exclusively through Green-Planet Wholesale. Visit a retail shop for more information.

Flo-n-Gro’s Drip-n-GroFlo-n-Gro brings you the new Drip-n-Gro dual top feed drip system. This innovative bucket system comes ready to use with all the critical components pre-fabricated to allow for easy set-up and to get you gardening fast. Packaged in a food-grade, 208-L reservoir, the Drip-n-Gro includes six 15-L Gro sites with 360º mesh inserts to promote lateral root growth, top-off float valve, control module with exclusive feed manifold and all the required irrigation tubing. All you have to do is add your favourite grow media, nutrients and plants. You can expand your Drip-n-Gro system to up to 60 Gro sites using the Drip-n-Gro Expansion Kits available separately. Designed for quick set-up, the Drip-n-Gro assembles in less than an hour. For more information, check out a local indoor gardening retailer.

Bio2 Bucket Kit Carbon Dioxide enrichment System

Always wanted to try CO2 enrichment but never knew how? Hate the expense involved in

starting with bottles and meters? You now have a solution! Mega Mass Plant Products presents the BIO2 Bucket Kit, a biological

CO2 enhancement system that really works! Designed for use in grow tent environments, this system will turn your plants into large, lush, dense, hardy, thriving flora—no heat, no humidity and no electricity.

Your plants will also benefit from increased pest and disease resistance. Use BIO2 Biological CO2 Enhancement and turn your garden into a jungle. For more information, visit a local retailer.

http://www.excelair.ca

WinterizingGrowRoomyour

Read on to understand more about why your winter growroom should feature a water chiller and other suggestions for maximizing the space.

by Lee McCall


Winterizing

As summer winds down and we head into harvest time, indoor gardeners become busy preparing our growrooms for winter—otherwise known as our prime indoor growing season. Now is the time to add more lights and expand our growing space. Those unfortu-nate growers who have suffered from excessive heat all summer long are only able to turn lights back on now after they’ve been off all summer—heat from the summer sun has now diminished and no longer will excessive hot spells decimate our growrooms.

Cooler weather allows for enhanced environmental control. In residential growrooms, adding heat is a lot easier than trying to subtract it, especially during those peak summer heat waves that make it nearly impossible to generate a successful crop without the aid of tons of air conditioning. By the time you’ve put in your second year indoors, though, you should have learned a few lessons. Obviously the fluctuation in temperature from winter to spring to summer can throw off many first-time growers who may have pulled a beginner’s luck crop off earlier that winter season. Having learned the hard way, we now know to either prep the room with the appropriate amount of A/C or run fewer lights during the summer months. Although LEDs are becoming more popular as a viable indoor grow light option, the rumour is that you shouldn’t expect the same weight-to-watt ratio. Instead, their benefit lies in the energy savings these efficient grow lights offer as the trade-off for a possible—but not guaranteed—small loss in yield.

“you can recycle grow light heat back into the house in order to reduce natural gas costs from furnaces or added electrical costs from space heaters.”


http://www.tnbnaturals.com

“Winter is a great time for indoor gardening. Seasonal crops that may have been difficult to source for consumers during the

winter months. . . can be produced indoors on a

perpetual cycle.”

Prior to entering the ideal indoor growing season, one lesson I’ve learned has been to generate a healthy vegetative crop while it’s still warmer outside in preparation for the approaching cold weather. T5s, LEDs and lower-wattage metal-halide lights are an excellent source of vegetative spectrum light with lower heat and energy output compared to 1,000-W systems, and many growers are making the switch in their growrooms. Kick off the beginning of the colder season with a healthy veg crop just waiting to transition over into its flowering cycle, because time is valuable and you should make the most of the indoor season. The goal is to achieve more successful flowering cycles during this time since it’s much easier to control environmental problems; in other words, there is less heat and there

are fewer bugs during winter. As opposed to trying to Band-Aid a lost-cause flowering crop suffering from mite damage and heat stress, build the health and vigour of a healthy veg room up a month or so prior to the cold season, so that when the cooler season has arrived you have an immaculate, stress-free crop of stock plants, mature veg-etatives and cuttings ready to go all season long.

Non-air-cooled horticultural lighting reflectors are ideal in the winter growroom so long as the emitted heat does not affect room comfort. In places like the foothills and deep into the mountains, where long periods of near- or below-freezing tempera-tures are more common, growers may be inclined to use these types of hoods. One major benefit is a stronger penetration of light to

the crop due to the fact that no loss is experienced from glass lenses or duct ports on the reflectors. Actual surface area square footage of plant production may increase and the crop may receive higher radiant levels of useable light when these reflectors are employed, as compared to air-cooled alternatives.

winterizing your growroom


If non-air-cooled reflectors are not an option, use only what is needed to keep air-cooled lights cool to the touch. In colder regions, growrooms operating on a p.m. to a.m. schedule will have the least amount of radiant heat hindering production. Because the room will oper-ate and function its on cycle during the coolest parts of the day, there will obvi-ously be less ambient heat at night to combat in conjunction with growroom appliances—such as lights, CO2 genera-tors and so on. Below-freezing air used to cool off air-cooled reflectors hous-ing high-wattage HID lamps may cause condensation to occur on duct runs, walls and equipment. Either temper the air in a separate space indoors prior to allowing it to enter the reflector hous-ing, or operate the fans on rheostats or fan-speed temperature controllers to facilitate less energy consumption and prevent uncomfortably cool tem-peratures. Also, you can recycle grow light heat back into the house to reduce natural gas costs from furnaces or added electrical costs from space heaters—you’d be surprised how much usable heat a few 1,000-W lights will generate! Make sure to HEPA filter all fresh-air intake points, as plant pests and other nasty organisms will be looking to vacation in the HID oasis you’ve created.Water-chilled systems are another great

example of new-age growroom tech-nology currently sparking the interest of avid indoor farmers intending to keep production consistent year-round. Cloning systems that once suffered from pumps overheating reservoir solutions are easily kept to a specific chilled tem-perature dictated automatically by por-table and weatherproof water-chilling

units. Although water chillers may seem like a luxury, you can save energy by operating them in the winter since colder air is more readily available. If you’re running a chiller to improve the condition of your nutrient solution, you’re probably already using an air pump to provide enhanced oxygen levels to the root—and if not, it may help. Place the air pump in a cold closet, crawl space or garage if possible and run the air line to the air stone or diffuser. Avoid lengthy air lines, as this may decrease the overall pump output. Low water tem-peratures may also decrease oxygen availability to the root system, so don’t get overzealous with tempera-tures below 18°C or suffocation could result. Reservoir heaters (I prefer titanium) combine plug-and-play versatility with a low electrical draw and many integrate a digi-tal LCD for precise temperature control and to prevent overheating. Keep the reservoir at a solid 18 to 21°C for optimal root health and nutrient uptake and to ensure that concentrations of dissolved oxygen are available to your plants.

Winter is a great time for indoor gardening. Seasonal crops that may have been difficult to source for consumers during the winter months because they were field or greenhouse grown can be produced indoors on a perpetual cycle and you’ll be able to charge top-market price for these out-of-season rarities. Fresh yellow-striped boar tomatoes, delicate squash blossoms, ghost peppers and more can now all be harvested in December or January due to the research that has been done and the technological innova-tions that have resulted in the last few years in the world of indoor horticulture. I urge everyone who is passionate about indoor high-tech gardening to try to enlighten an interested friend or family member. Seeds, dirt and a fluorescent bulb are all it takes to start the beginning of a wonderful addiction—and the more minds we have working together to pro-mote our industry, the more inno-vation will continue to thrive in the world of hydroponic, organic and year-round gardening.

“Prior to entering the ideal indoor growing season, one lesson I’ve learned has been

to generate a healthy vegetative crop while it’s still warmer outside in preparation

for the approaching cold weather.”


some gardeners are very artistic in their approachto gardening, in that they are content to estimate and

remember which years had good harvests and whatplants were the most productive. others, however, like

to nerd out and use a more scientific method…



As your dAtAset increases over the seasons,

your estimates should improve as, over time, the good years and bad years

will tend to cancel each other out."

On the scientific side, there are empirical ways to show how productive a garden was. The first and sim-plest bit of data to collect is simply what was grown. That’s because it’s helpful to know which varieties you’ve tried and which ones you like best when sitting down and making wish lists with seed catalogs. For example, I like the flavours of black krim and big rainbow tomatoes more than I do early girls, which is handy to know when I’m picking out seeds to plant next year. When looking for new varieties to try, you can try those similar to known favourites or you can try something completely different from what you have in the past.A somewhat more labour-intensive piece of data

collection is how much was harvested in kilograms. Note that plants with smaller harvests, such as saf-fron or lavender, might be easier to measure in smaller units like grams. To make the math easier to follow, the numbers used

in the following examples are hypothetical. Let’s say two black krim tomato plants yielded 4.5 kg of toma-toes, or three big rainbow tomato plants yielded 4.08 kg of tomatoes. If individual plants aren’t tracked, cal-culating how much each plant averaged is simple: just divide the amount harvested by the number of plants. If two black krims produced 4.5 kg, the average from each plant is 2.27 kg. Using this same calculation, each big rainbow plant produced on average 1.36 kg.

http://www.smartpots.com


This information can be used when selecting how many of each variety to plant for the next season. If the goal is to have 13.61 kg of tomatoes for the season evenly split between the two, the math would suggest planting three black krims and five big rainbow:

13.61 kg ÷ two varieties = 6.8 kg/variety6.8 kg ÷ 2.27 kg/black krim = three plants6.8 kg ÷ 1.36 kg/big rainbow = five plants

I recommend planting a couple more of each as a safety net since extra harvest tends to be a smaller issue than not having enough. As your data set increases over the seasons, your estimates should improve because over time, the good years and bad years will tend to cancel each other out.Outdoor gardeners can easily compare growing sea-

sons, spring and fall plantings, spring and fall harvests, and harvests year to year. Indoors, the seasons are a bit more arbitrary. Summer and fall are created with light-ing timers and other environmental controls. A growing season can be as short as a few weeks, or extended to several months. Indoor gardeners tend to refer to the number of days in each life stage, with the days spent in summer-growth variable dependent on the gardener and the number of days in the fall stage varying with the cul-tivar. To account for these differences in season length, a time factor can be included into calculations to compare them. To do this, simply take the planting date and sub-tract the harvest date to find the number of days between.

For example, if our black krim tomato plants were started May 23 and harvested September 9, the season would be 110 days (nine days in May, 30 in June, 31 in July, 31 in August, and nine in September). Then, the average yield of 2.27 kg per plant could be divided by the 110 days it took to grow them to show an average daily production rate of 20.4 g per day (2.27 kg ÷ 110 days = 20.4 g/day). If the big rainbow finished in 60 days, then the 1.36 kg yield per plant would be divided by 60 to show a rate of 22.68 g per day. Since the black krim produced 20.4 g per day and the big rainbow pro-duced 22.68 g per day, the big rainbow is a better producer—a fact that might not be apparent before calculations. Even though the amount harvested per big rainbow plant is less, it took less time until harvest and the next set could be stared sooner. Individual plants with high production rates

are particularly good candidates for saving seed. Although production should not be the only factor in selecting parent plants (preference and quality should also be taken into account), quantity is often considered a desirable trait.Once the base rate of production is calculated, it

can be used in conjunction with other pieces of data for a variety of useful purposes: nutrients, grow-ing media and other expenses can be taken into account. For example, if nutrient A comes in a 3.79-L bottle and is applied at a rate of 29.5 ml per litre, then there are 484.53-L treatments in the bottle.

IndIvIduAl plAnts wIth

high production rates are particularly good candidates for saving seed."

gardening for geeks


Indoor gArdeners

tend to refer to the number of days in each life stage, with the days spent in summer-

growth variable dependent on the gardener and the number of days in the fall stage

varying with the cultivar."

So, if that bottle costs $20, then each treated litre costs just under 16¢ (484.53/$20). If nutrient B comes in a 15.14-L jug, and is applied at 236.59 ml per litre, then there are 64 treatments in a bottle. If the jug costs $40, then each treatment costs 62.5¢. When deciding which of these to use in the future, it will come down to whether nutrient B is worth an additional 46.5¢ per treated litre. To find out for sure, test a few plants using each nutrient. Record the nutrient expenses used to grow both sets and calculate the differences in production rates at harvest. To be worthwhile, the more expensive nutrient should produce enough to cover the additional expense.The same can be calculated for electricity and lighting

costs. Each additional 1,000-W light adds 1 kWh in electri-cal expense, not to mention the cost of the equipment and bulb replacements. If a change in gardening tech-niques is shown to improve, only then consider keeping the change instead of returning to previous methods. Improvements to the garden should result in improve-ments in production or quality to be cost-effective.

While only the most avid of gardening geeks will calcu-late every plant in the garden, this type of information can be valuable when comparing successes and deter-mining the value of a change in the garden. By compar-ing production rates before and after, improvement can be compared to cost and future plans fine-tuned accordingly. The benefits of homegrown vegetables include peace of mind and knowledge of the condi-tions that the food was grown under, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be grown with a nod to efficiency and expense concerns as well.

http://www.excelair.ca

ORGANIChydroponics

by Dr.Lynette Morgan

When is an organically-grown hydroponic tomato not organic? When it’s Canadian, apparently…


“In Canada, and most other countries around the world, no form of hydroponic system can be labelled as organic, as soil is considered the cornerstone of crop production.”

In many countries only soil-based cropping can be considered organically certifiable; in others, soilless organics is possible.

Is growing organic vegetables in a hydroponic system even possible? The answer to this question is rather complex and strangely enough depends on which country you live in. We often think of organic plant production as being strongly tied to the soil, with composts, manures and other “natural” products the sole source of nutrients, which is a long way from the advanced technology of soilless production. However, if you are growing plants in the United States,

then a soilless hydroponic system can most certainly become organically certified and be considered officially and legally organic if it uses the correct and allowable organic inputs. In Canada, and most other countries around the world, no form of hydroponic system can be labelled as organic, as soil is considered the cornerstone of crop production. A hydroponic system using allowable inputs such as coco

fibre or perlite for a substrate and acceptable organic liquid nutrients can be legally certified as organic under the USDA National Organic Program, while the National Organic Standard of Canada clearly states that growers must “abstain from using hydroponics and aeroponics.”1 This is where the confusion over whether hydroponic methods can be considered organic or not arises. Since the exact same soilless system would be considered organically certifiable in one country and totally non-organic in another adjacent country, it all depends on which country you live in.

It is the interpretation of the term organic that leads to these discrepancies—different countries and differ-ent organic certification agencies have varying ideas about what organic actually means. To some, an organic growing system must incorporate soil—which excludes hydroponics—to others, so long as the plant is growing in a natural, soilless substrate such as compost, coco fibre or organic liquid nutrients, then soil is not required for the system to be considered organic. Of course, for those not involved in commercial crop production, this dispute over what organic means probably doesn’t matter so much—most of us just want to take a natural and sustain-able approach to producing healthy, chemical-free fruit, vegetables and herbs for our own use.

Since fully certified organic hydro-ponic systems are legally recognized in the United States—and many produc-tive organic greenhouses are currently in operation—we really need to take a look at how these United States growers manage their systems to get an idea of what is involved in organic hydroponics. The USDA National Organic Program sets the standards for what is allowable in organic systems and provides lists of allowable inputs. For hydroponic growers, the easiest way of finding out what they can and can’t use in an organic hydroponic system is to check out the OMRI website.2 OMRI (the Organic Material Review Institute) provides a list of the allowable products—fertilizers, grow-ing media, pest and disease control products and so on—that can be used under organic production. There are hydroponic products listed as being organically acceptable and usually this information is displayed on the prod-uct label or on advertising. Some prod-ucts that are listed were not specifically designed for hydroponics, but can be incorporated into a soilless system.


Nitrogen deficiency can be a common problem in organic hydroponic systems if microbial nutrient conversion doesn’t occur rapidly enough.

Coconut fibre or coir is considered an acceptable organic hydroponic substrate for organic growers in the United States.

“While organic solution culture systems do exist, smaller growers are advised to start out with a basic system that incorporates an organically allowable substrate.”

The basics of organic hydroponicsThe basic principle of true organic hydroponics is nutrient conversion—that is, the conversion of organic compounds into plant-usable nutrient ions via the action of microbes. Whether a plant is obtaining nutrients from a traditional non-organic nutrient solution or via organic fertilizers makes no difference to plant uptake—the root system absorbs the exact same mineral ions in both systems. However, in the organic system the nutrient ions first have to be released from organic materials, while in hydro-ponics we supply the nutrient ions directly via fertilizers dissolved into a solution. Although this microbial conver-sion process occurs naturally in soil, in soilless systems it requires a helping hand to speed up the process and keep it ticking over so that rapid plant growth will always be sup-plied with sufficient nutrients at the right time.Most commercial organic hydroponic growers in the

United States use an OMRI-listed liquid fertilizer blend. There are huge numbers of these to choose from and larger growers often need to blend two or more to get the balance of nutrients just right for the crop they are grow-ing. Liquid fertilizer products might also require some amendment—and organic production does allow for the use of some fertilizer salts—so organic hydroponic plants are not totally reliant on organic compounds alone. These allowable fertilizers have to be “naturally occurring” and the OMRI list contains a good range of salts that can be

used to boost the mineral content of organic nutrient solutions. Some of the allowable fertil-izer salts include: boron (borax and solubor), calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, dolomite, iron sulfate, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium sulfate (the non-synthetic kind) and potassium chloride. Fertilizers that are consid-ered synthetic such as calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and monopotassium phosphate, which make up much of the volume of a standard hydroponic nutrient solution, are not allowable. Nutrient additives and boosters for organic pro-duction are widely available in various forms and humic and fulvic acids are also considered to be organically allowable.

Substrates and systemsWhile organic solution culture systems do exist, smaller growers are advised to start out with a basic system that incorporates an organically allowable substrate. This sub-strate will give you a good degree of buffering capacity and will provide an ideal environment for the nutrient conversion microbes, which form the basis of the system. Organically-allowable growing substrates are listed by OMRI. Many growers have found coconut fibre to be ideal and it is a substrate many hydroponic gardeners are already familiar with. Coco fibre for use in organic production can’t have had any synthetic materials added to it, including condition-ing fertilizers or surfactants. Some brands of peat, perlite and vermiculite are also on the list, which will allow you some flexibility in terms of blending your own growing

organic hydroponics


Natural and sustainable materials make up the basis of organic growing.

medium and using these as propagation materials. Many commercial organic growers blend coconut fibre with other materials such as compost or vermicast (worm castings), as these materials not only provide a small amount of read-ily available nutrients, but also a wide range of microbial species that can immediately start the nutrient conversion process when fed organic nutrient solutions.The substrate forms the basis of any organic system and to

make sure it is going to perform well with organic nutrients, it can also be inoculated with one of the many microbial

products that are considered organically allowable. This inoculation process should be continued throughout the plant’s life. Beneficial microbial products for addition to the nutrient solution or drenched into the root zone have become common additives in hydroponics anyway, but they are even more essential when using organic solutions.New organic substrates incorporated into a hydroponic

system should be conditioned before use—that is, fully moistened, inoculated with microbes, fed a small amount of organic nutrient and left to sit in a warm growing area for


http://www.onaonline.com

Growers wanting to try organic hydroponics are advised to start with low nutrient-demanding crops such as lettuce and other salad greens.

“Once your plants are in place, your irrigation system will need to be run a little differently than it would be in a non-organic hydroponic system. Drip irrigation is advised, as the root zone should never be oversaturated.”

at least a week or two before planting out. This will give the microbial communities time to get established and build up their numbers before starting to break down organic compounds into plant-usable nutrient ions—all ready for the first plants to go in.Once your plants are in place, your irrigation system will

need to be run a little differently than it would be in a non-organic hydroponic system. Drip irrigation is advised, as the root zone should never be over-saturated—only a small volume of leachate from the base of the growing containers is required. The root zone in organic systems is finely balanced between the requirements of the nutrient conversion microbes and the root system itself. Both require high levels of oxygenation and overwa-tering will prevent much of the aeration that should occur in the pores of the growing medium. Organic systems have a higher requirement for oxygenation in the root zone due to the heavy populations of microbes that are required and many organic crop failures are directly attributable to overwatering or poor aeration.EC and pH control in hydroponics is also different in

organic systems. Many organic nutrients don’t conduct

electricity, so EC readings might not provide a true indica-tion of the concentration of an organic solution. Levels of pH also tend to run higher in healthy organic systems than many growers are used to maintaining in standard hydro-ponics. Since pH-lowering acids like nitric and phosphoric commonly used in hydroponics are not organic, your pH is best left to stabilize on its own. Some organic nutrient prod-ucts naturally have a high pH, so growers should try to select

those with a more suit-able pH range for use in their soilless systems.

Organic pest and disease controlOnce growers have established a healthy root zone and are feeding their plants with a suitable organic blend of nutrients, the next issue with organic production tends to

be pest and disease control. Under organic production standards, the range of sprays for common plant prob-lems is rather restricted. Synthetic or chemical pesticides and fungicides cannot be used, which eliminates some of the more effective controls many hydroponic growers are

reliant on. With organic produc-tion, prevention of pest and disease problems becomes even more essential. Screening vents, double-door entrances, close inspection of planting material coming into the growing area, sticky indicator traps and monitoring of plant health are all important steps you can take to either prevent or catch an infesta-tion early on.Of the organically allowable pest

control products, many indoor gardeners are already familiar with neem oil and extracts, which are derived from the Indian neem tree. Many neem spray products are listed as organic and they can give you good control over a wide range of insect pests. Beneficial and predator insects as part of an integrated pest management program are also widely used by organic growers and there is also a range of microbial spray prod-ucts available, such as BT for cater-pillars. Disease control can be little more complicated, although there are biological controls available such as Beauveria treatments and other

organic hydroponics


organic hydroponics

Commercial organic hydroponic greenhouse crop of young tomato plants.

“For those completely new to organic hydroponics, the ideal plants to start with are those with lower nutrient requirements.”

non-synthetic fungicides based on microbial species. Copper and sulphur sprays for bacterial and fungal infections can be used in some cases and hydrogen peroxide is allowable under United States organic standards for cleaning and disease control.

Organic hydroponic problemsMany of the problems grow-ers new to organic hydroponics encounter originate from a lack of understanding of their new growing system, which—although soilless—is still quite different from standard non-organic hydro-ponics in terms of plant nutrients and many other factors as well. Finding suitable nutrient sources is the biggest hassle many will face as most organic fertilizer products are designed for use in soil and often products need to be blended or boosted with allowable fertilizer salts to get a well-balanced nutrient with all the essential elements for plant growth in soilless systems. Nutrient deficiencies can be common in organic hydro-

ponic systems, with calcium often being difficult to supply in plant-usable form without the use of calcium nitrate, which is not considered organic. Growers using a hard water supply containing some naturally occurring calcium have a distinct advantage. Nitrogen can also be a problematic element, as organic nitrogen sources are reliant on microbial action to break down organic compounds fast enough to supply all the nitrogen required for plant growth. Hydroponic plants are heavy feeders of nitrogen and sometimes growth can outstrip supply, so with common hydroponic nitrogen fertilizers such as calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate not permitted under organic produc-tion, nitrogen nutrition can sometimes limit growth. This all means that organic hydroponic growers need to have a good understanding of what healthy plants should look like as well as being able to recognize the early signs of any nutrient deficiencies.For those completely new to organic hydroponics, the ideal

plants to start with are those with lower nutrient require-ments. Crops like lettuce, salad greens and many herbs can usually be grown in a coco fibre/vermicast mixture with

a dilute liquid nutrient carefully drip-irrigated to prevent saturation of the root zone with good rates of success. From there your system can be upgraded to produce more nutri-

ent-demanding crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and cap-sicum. With a little skill and experimen-tation using the wide range of organically allowable products and materials listed by OMRI, organic hydroponics is cer-tainly achievable, but

whether or not your crops will be recognized as organic will depend entirely on which country you live in!

1 Organic Production Systems General Principles and Management Standards, National Standard of Canada, CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006

2 OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute), omri.org omri.org/sites/default/files/opl_pdf/crops_category.pdf


Having a tidy growroom can lead to greater

and healthier yields. However, this is not

always as simple as it sounds. Here,

Karen Wilkinson shares a few tricks

to help you keep things clean.

Neat FreakTips for Reducing Cross Contamination When Working Your Crop

by Karen Wilkinson

A growroom or greenhouse can be seen as a reflec-tion of its owner’s diligence and the crop’s growth potential. An unkempt, dirty and neglected grow-ing space is less conducive to propagating healthy, hearty plants, whereas a clean, tidy, well-main-tained area is more likely to result in a bountiful harvest that is free of afflictions. It sounds simple enough in theory, but the realities can be much more demanding. It’s just like maintaining your car’s engine: the

best way to ensure a successful crop is to continually perform preventative maintenance and to develop a cleaning routine that works within your schedule. Unlike a car mechanic, however, you want to keep your tools and yourself as clean as possible when working with plants. With proper knowledge and practice, you can

develop the wherewithal to keep your space free of dirt, dust, debris, pests and disease potential, with minimal effort. The following is a compilation of habits and tips to keep your growroom, tools and self as clean as can be while maintaining a fertile environ-ment. Oh, and remember that consistency is key.


Tips for Reducing Cross Contamination When Working Your Crop

The growroomThis is your plants’ home, so keep it tidy and clean! Growrooms are full of stuff—hydroponic systems, cords, fans, grow equipment, plants, containers, dirt and nutrients—and it can get messy. Of course, if messes are left unnoticed too long, they can easily spill over and affect your end product. Conversely, if every-thing has its place and is consistently maintained, you will be rewarded with lovely plants.

• Make a daily habit of clearing dead leaves and other plant matter from inside containers, on the ground or in hydroponic systems. Dead plant matter can quickly morph into a breeding ground for pests and disease.

• Be vigilant in cleaning reservoirs either weekly or biweekly to maintain proper nutrient and pH levels.

• Clear the intake filter at least once a month to inspect for bugs and to maximize airflow. The filter is a guard against dirt, dust, bugs and other unde-sired outdoor matter from tainting your room.

• Create a routine to eradicate and prevent pests. Prevention is the easiest way to keep a growroom pest-free—once they’re in, they’re a pain to get rid of. Also, be sure to change out sticky traps as needed.

• Clean up spills immediately. Water, plant runoff, nutrients and whatever else that ends up on the floor can add to the room’s humidity and lead to mould development.

• Keep the ground free of unnecessary debris. This includes cords (an obvious safety precaution), equip-ment and anything else that could get in the way while sweeping debris and leaf matter from the floor.

• Thoroughly clean and sterilize any reusable growing mediums.

• Once a grow cycle is complete, give the room a metic-ulous scrub down. Clear out and sanitize the entire room and all tools, shelves, mediums and anything else that could use it.

The toolsThese bad boys are extensions of you. Measuring cups, clippers, metres, lights, spray bottles…they’re all ways to ease and enhance the growing process. But they can get dirty! As a general rule, clean everything after each use and when showing signs of grime.

• Sanitize and clean clippers, shears and other tools with alcohol or flame right after every use. Make it one of those amazingly anal-retentive habits as it cuts down on possible cross contamination. Your disease- and pest-free plants will thank you. Plus, putting away clean tools means they’re ready for the next use.

• Clean pH and TDS metres regularly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Maintain a clean fan by keeping its blades and filters free of dust and dirt. Clogged filters can reduce their efficiency; proper upkeep will keep airflow at a maximum.

• Maximize the amount of light shining through lights and hood glass by keeping them clean and clear. Dust builds up slowly over time (making it hard to notice), but clearing it away is a relatively simple task to keep up on. Ideally, give them a good dusting once a month.

• Clean measuring cups after using and label spray bottles to avoid confusion. This sounds elementary, but pouring the wrong liquid is not a mistake you want to make.

YourselfYour hands, hair, clothes and feet can all be conduits of dis-ease, so it’s best practice to keep yourself as clean as can be! • Before entering the growroom, thoroughly wash your

hands. And if you’re a smoker, wash anything that’s been touched by tobacco because exposure to it can easily spread disease like the tobacco mosaic virus.

• If you were recently in a greenhouse, field or any-where with heightened exposure to pests, shower and change clothes so as to not bring bugs into the growroom.

• As much as our pets are parts of our lives, they have no place in a growroom. They can easily transfer pests to plants, leave behind fur and even munch on your growing babies.

• If you want to be über meticulous, wear latex gloves while working in your pristine growroom. Some people even wear booties on their feet as an added provision.

In the case of growing, there’s no such thing as being too careful. Keep in mind that hot water and bleach are excellent disinfectants and that routine is your friend. Your plants’ livelihoods are affected by many factors, so the more control you have over those factors, the better odds your plants have at growing into healthy, lovely ladies. And since everything is connected—from the hands handling the plants to the containers housing them to the air being circulated by the fans—make sure those connections are clean. MY



From lights and ventilation to food, grow media, reflection and enclosures, hydroponic expert and enthusiast Casey Jones Fraser breaks down how to set up an affordable indoor garden. Included are material

lists and how much you can expect everything to cost.

by Casey Jones Fraser

How To Buy A Growroomon a Budget


Are you paging through this magazine in search of a gift? Did your boyfriend (or girl-friend) leave a copy in your car accidentally on purpose? Or maybe you’re new to gardening and you want to use that cheque grandma sent you to outfit your first growroom...If you’re looking into buying an indoor

gardening set-up, I can provide a list of all the items you will need to get started. Now, I don’t want to mislead you on the cost, so let’s get that out of the way right from the get-go. Some growers will spend $5,000 setting up their first indoor garden—and that kind of budget will get you a room full of gear and a high-end garden that will yield commercial amounts of produce. That is not what we are talking about here, but you will still need to fork out some dough. For your first garden, you should prob-ably figure on a budget of at least $650 to $1,100. It’s great if you can afford more, but if you’re new to all of this, your budget is likely to be fairly limited.

“ the grow light is the heart of your indoor garden.”

LightThe grow light is the heart of your indoor garden. If you could grow big, healthy plants with household lighting, everyone would have tomatoes growing in their kitchens. If you could grow healthy vegetables with a cheap light from the hardware store, grandmothers across the globe would grow zucchini plants in their laundry rooms!

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For a grow light that will take your garden from vegetative growth to fruiting and flowering and into harvest, you should get an HID lighting system. HID grow lights fall into two categories: metal halide (to promote vegetative growth) and high pressure sodium (to promote fruiting and flowering). These days, you can get a switchable lighting system that can run either MH or HPS lamps—I recommend you start with an all-in-one system that combines the ballast (power supply) and reflector into a single unit.

You’ll need to buy:All-in-one lighting fixture (400-W, switchable)400-W metal-halide lamp400-W high-pressure sodium lampCost: $300

airCool, fresh air is required for plants to grow—they need moder-ate temperatures and CO2 to generate bio-mass. You could do this with an air conditioner

and a CO2 generator, but that would add $1,000 to your budget. For a small, 400-W garden, just use a high-quality inline blower. This will remove hot air from the garden space, letting fresh air in. Out with the heat and in with the CO2-laden air! If your proposed garden space is relatively chilly, just go with a 10.16-cm blower, but if you’re dealing with a warmer space, go with the 15.24- or 20.32-cm version. The ideal temperature range is around 21 to 27°C.

You’ll need to buy:Inline blowerCost: $120 to $200The leaves in the garden should also experience

a gentle breeze, marked by a subtle movement of the plant canopy. You can accomplish this with a simple, 15.24-cm clip-on fan, since we’re talking about a relatively small garden space.

You’ll need to buy:Small clip-on fanCost: $20

FoodSo far we have covered three basic things that most living creatures require: light, fresh air and an appropriate temperature range. With those parame-ters covered, it’s now time to think about what your plants will want to eat.Many nutrient companies make amazing fertil-

izers and supplements for the indoor gardening industry—you can go simple or complex, chemical or organic, or even try some combination of these methods. Simple nutrient kits cost about $40 and should contain all of the required ingredients for sustaining plant health. Your local hydroponics shop can also show you more complex, scientific nutrient charts that can help you figure out how to take your yield and quality to amazing new heights; if you decide to go with one of these fancy nutrient lines, you may end up spending closer to $200.

You’ll need to buy:Nutrient kitCost: $40 to $200

“ cool, fresh air is required for plants to grow.”

“ simple nutrient kits cost about $40 and should contain all of the required ingredients for sustaining plant health.”

how to buy a growroom


the roomYou may already have a space picked out for your pretty little plants, but you’ll still need one final thing: reflec-tive material or an enclosure. If you are working in a closet or the corner of a basement, you will need only some reflective material. Polyethylene plastic sheeting is available with a white side to reflect light and a black side to make it lightproof—this sheeting can be washed off and you can hang it like a curtain to create the walls of your growroom. If you are in a small closet, you can simply line the walls with this plastic sheeting, giving you a washable surface that reflects light.If you are in a basement or large room you may want

to consider a grow tent–-a heavy-duty canvas enclosure made to house your garden. The inside is lined with reflective material so you don’t need the black and white poly and it will come complete with ventilation ports, zipper doors and waterproof floor liners. If you can afford the extra cash, these tents are the way to go.

You’ll need to buy:15.24-m of black and white polyCost: $50or:Grow tent (76.2 cm by 76.2 cm by 182.88 cm)Cost: $200

“if you are in a small closet, you can simply line the walls with this plastic sheeting.”

Putting it all togetherShopping online for these items is an option but you will get much better customer service when shopping at a real hydroponics store where they’ll show you how all of the stuff works together to create a plant-perfect environment. Online stores can’t take the parts out of the box and show you how they work in person and there is no substitute for solid information and a helping hand—plus some stores may offer a discount when you buy all of the items at once.So get that special someone the gift that truly keeps

on giving: give them the opportunity to get involved in the hydroponics revolution. You’ll change some-one’s life and you’ll both feel better for it.


http://www.hydroponics.com

Ah, fungi and their relatives fungal protists. Wonderful organisms, aren’t they? From a strictly biological point of view, they

are indeed fascinating. From an economic perspective, they are a nightmare.

MOULDs OF

MILDEWsAND by Philip McIntosh


Few things strike more fear into the hearts of farmers than the appearance of fuzzy or powdery growth on their plants. Hydroponic growers face the additional horror of finding roots engulfed by an unspeakably gross slime or rot away before their eyes. Ah, fungi and their relatives fungal protists…what a fascinat-ing nightmare.

MOULDS AND MILDEWS ARE FUNGIWhat are commonly called moulds and mildews are usually members of the fungi kingdom. Fungi are eukaryotic (contain a nucleus), heterotrophic (obtain food from their environment), absorbers (they release enzymes into their environ-ment to break down organic matter that they then reabsorb) that never contain chlorophyll (this separates them cleanly from all plants and plant-like organisms) and reproduce either sexually or asexu-ally by budding or by the production of spores. A note on spores: spores are not like seeds. Seeds contain a complete

multicellular plant embryo, while a spore is a single cell that is specially designed for dispersal and survival. Some spores die relatively rapidly if conditions are right, but other spores are more surviv-able and can remain dormant for quite some time until conditions are right for germination. This puts them in alliance with other eukaryotic organisms, such as plants and animals. Although the disease symptoms fungi exhibit can be similar to those that accompany bacterial infec-tions, fungi are nothing like bacteria. Since they are eukaryotes, fungi possess a much greater complexity of cellular organization and structure than bacteria. Fungal mould can strike anywhere.

ALthOUgh thE DIsEAsEsymptoms fungi exhibit can be similar to

those that accompany bacterial infections, fungi are nothing like bacteria.”


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Fungi are a diverse lot. They range from single-celled yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae—used in bread and beer making—to the colourful and majestic mushrooms like Amanita muscaria, which rapidly appear after a good rain. However, mycologists do not always agree on exactly how they should be classified. Like plants, fungi have historically been classified on the appearance of their reproductive structures, but, not all fungi produce clearly observable reproductive structures. To make it even more difficult, some fungi pro-duce different kinds of reproductive structures depending on the environ-ment, or whether or not they are able to undergo sexual, as opposed to asexual, reproduction.

means only. Asexual spores are gener-ated by the standard eukaryotic cell division process called mitosis. With the exception of variations produced by random mutation, all mould spores are genetically alike. This is not a good strategy for adapting to new environ-ments, but it is an excellent short-term survival strategy. Mould spores are produced by the millions and float about easily in the slightest movement

of air, which is one reason why moulds can be hard to get rid of.Spores tend to arise near the centre

of the colony before radiating out-ward to cover the expanding myce-lium. The mycelium is composed of a mass of fungal cells called hyphae, which are extending thread-like tubu-lar cells. Mould spores are often quite colourful. Brown, black, green, blue, yellow, purple and shades of orange and red are commonly spotted, and they provide an initial clue as to the species. Fortunately for growers, most moulds are saprophytes that gain their nutrients from already dead organic matter. However, some moulds are decidedly plant parasites, either by nature or by opportunity. Plant diseases caused by fungi include rusts, smuts and various forms of rot.

MOULDSWhat we generally refer to as moulds are fungal colonies that begin as white fuzzy growth on some substrate, such as a piece of fruit or other bit of decay-ing organic material. However, the term mould is rather a catch-all, as it simply describes a fungal colony that is either producing no spores at all or eventually produces spores by asexual

POWDEry MILDEWs appear as white powdery spots, usually on the older lower leaves first, but can spread to cover the entire plant if unchecked.”


of moulds and mildews

MILDEWSMildew... now there is an interesting term. It means different things at differ-ent times. Mildew is some-times the name given to a foul-smelling and seem-ingly non-obvious fungus growing in a damp place where it is not supposed to. On the other hand, some fungal species have been given specific names, such as powdery mildew or downy mildew. Powdery mildew is usually

a member of the fungal order Erysiphales, and the ones of specific interest to hydroponic growers belong to the genera Podosphaera and Erysiphe. Powdery mildews appear as white powdery spots, usually on the older lower leaves first, but can spread to cover the entire plant if unchecked. The causative agents prefer moderate to high humidity and warm temperatures. The severity of the disease depends on many factors, including the variety of the host plant, the age and condition of the plant and the weather conditions during the growing season. Powdery mildews are a bit fussy, however, and a particular spe-cies will only infect a few types of plants.

PROTECTING AGAINST AND TREATING FUNGAL INFECTIONSThere are thousands of different plant diseases caused by fungi, includ-ing rusts, smuts, blights, damping off disease and rots. Fungal infections are particularly troublesome because fungal cells are in many ways similar to those of other eukaryotes (such as plants), which makes it difficult to find chemicals that will attack fungus, yet be harmless to plants and people. There are some treatments avail-able for particular fungal diseases, although these treatments might be only partially effective.

Fortunately, most plants of com-merce are available in disease-resistant varieties. However, just because a plant is resistant to fungal infection, does not mean it is completely immune.

Overcrowding, poor air circulation and unnecessarily high humidity will doom even the hardiest of varieties. And, even with the best of practices, some-times fungal pathogens still appear.

Powdery mildew.

thErE ArE thOUsANDs of different plant diseases caused by fungi, including rusts, smuts, blights,

damping off disease and rots.”


MOULD sPOrEs ArE produced by the millions and float about easily in the slightest movement of air, which is one reason why moulds can be hard to get rid of.”

Rust, pictured here, is a plant disease caused by fungi.

of moulds and mildews


Like bacteria and viruses, fungi can find their way into a host plant through cuts or breaks in the plant epidermis (hence why it’s important to treat plants gently). Also, some fungi produce special penetrating hyphae that are capable of forcing their way into plant tissues or growing in through stomata—powdery mildew is one example.

Heirloom cultivars also pose a problem for they require nothing short of close inspection and rigid adherence to procedures for proper environmental conditions.Treatment options for fungal diseases

include pruning diseased leaves and stems or the complete destruction of diseased plants—better to intention-ally destroy half a crop than to lose all of it to an unchecked infection.

Diseased plants should be disposed of properly and not used in compost for future application. Anti-fungal treatment options that might be acceptable to organic and natural growers include compounds of copper and sulfur, or hydrogen per-oxide. Other methods that are based on plant oils—for example, neem oil, bicarbonates and lipopeptides

fertilizer late in the growing cycle. Mildews thrive on healthy turgid tissues such as those encouraged by application of nitrogen. A grower can take proactive steps to protect a crop from attack by moulds and mildews. Good air circulation, elimi-nation of overcrowding, appropriate watering practices and vigilance are the key to consistently healthy and disease-free plants.

One of the most dreaded afflictions of plants in a hydroponics opera-

tion is pythium rot. Although pythium does appear to be

rather fungus-like, it is actually a fungal protist.

Close attention to hygiene, a solid program of system

maintenance and cleaning, and the use of an ultraviolet sterilization

lamp in recirculating nutrient systems can help prevent the appearance of pythium. Also, maintaining an ade-quate oxygen supply and a tempera-ture between 20 and 22°C in the root zone makes it difficult for pythium to gain a foothold.

Be sure to keep these tips in mind to keep moulds and mildew at bay in your grow space. Have your own ideas? Get in touch with us at [email protected]

(a combination of a fatty molecule and a protein fragment)—are under investigation. Some say they work and other say they don’t. If pruning, removal or organic-chemical methods fail, commercial fungicides do work; although, not everyone will consider this approach acceptable.With respect to the powdery and

downy mildews, avoid overhead watering and application of nitrogen

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So you’re down on your hands and knees pulling weeds…ever think about making

all that work really worthwhile by eating them instead of throwing them away?

It’s funny how popular things can fall out of favour. Centuries ago, much of the plant life we now classify as weeds was part of the everyday diet, but as the years rolled by, they were down-graded to nothing more than a nuisance. Today, however, we again realize these hardy plants hold a multitude of medicinal uses and abundant amounts of vita-mins and minerals—some in extremely high proportions compared to the common garden variety vegetables and herbs we purchase day to day. In fact, weeds are becoming fashionable again!Edible weeds are even

making an appearance in the kitchens of the world’s best chefs, so keep an eye out the next time you visit your favourite restaurant—you might just find some of these wild greens on the menu. There are also hundreds of wild weeds, herbs, flowers, trees and shrubs lying in wait for you to forage. These wild edibles can add a

rustic charm to your daily greens intake. They’ll help you to greater health and give your boring old salads and stir-fries an

interesting, healthy and flavoursome boost. So, interested in giving these retro plants a

try? Here’s a few common edible weeds, some ideas on eating them and a few

old folk uses for them:

DandelionsWe’ve probably all seen a child sporting a dandelion necklace around her neck, but have you ever encouraged her to eat it? Dandelions are prob-ably the most common edible weed around and they hold some awesome medicinal

benefits. Dandelions can help purify the blood and when

made into a tincture, it can strengthen the liver. They also contain carotenes, which can

help fight cancer and heart disease. They are high in beta carotene and vitamins A and C. The entire dandelion can be eaten and has a much higher

by Raquel Neofit


“Start by consuming small amounts of these

weeds as you introduce them into your diet

and then gradually build up consumption.”

Wild violetsThese leaves and flowers are great to add to salads, and they make a deliciously fra-grant tea. The flowers are also beautiful when used as top-pers on desserts (try candying them, too). Violets have great medicinal properties like soothing ulcers and detoxify-ing the liver.

BurdockBurdock helps the body digest fatty acids and aids the processing of lipids in the liver. It’s also a great source of dietary fibre. Studies suggest burdock has prebiotic properties and has been used topically for skin conditions

like eczema and psoriasis. The Chinese used burdock to help ease sore throats and colds.Treat burdock like a vegetable and add it to soups,

stews and stir-fries to increase nutritional value.

PlantainAlso known as white man’s foot, plantain behaves like a bitter leafy green. Prepare and use it as you would spinach, arugula or kale. As with all bitter greens, it is high in nutrients.

A few notesWe’ve mentioned using herbal tinctures throughout this arti-cle. A tincture is a concentrated herbal extract using almost flavourless alcohols (think vodka) to extract the goodness from herbs and plants. Finally, remember to only eat wild plants you can identify;

some can be deadly or in the very least make you extremely sick. So, find a good resource manual. Also, start by consum-ing small amounts of these weeds as you introduce them into your diet and then gradually build up consumption.

nutritional value than most of the leafy greens we consume. The young leaves are sweeter, but they increase in bitterness as they grow bigger. Steep them to make herbal tea, or add to stir-fries, soup or salads.

PurslaneRich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, purslane is very versatile. Add it raw to salads or throw it into your next stew, stir-fry or veggie dish. Also, try sautéing it with other common greens in soy sauce, garlic and fresh ginger for an interesting side dish.

ChickweedChickweed is great for the digestion. It’s high in iron, vitamin C, protein, omega-6 fatty acids and more minerals than we have room to list here. A chickweed tincture can help with thyroid issues and weight loss. If pounded in a mortar and pestle, it is also great for application to bites, sores or burns.Chickweed is becoming a popular basil replacement in

pesto, and it adds a gentle, herb-like quality to soups and stews. It’s also a delicate addition for salads. Use it sparingly, though; it can cause diarrhea in copious amounts.

YarrowYarrow’s a perennial weed that treats colds and flu. If turned into a tincture, it is an effective insect repellent. Yarrow can help heal wounds and cuts, and it is commonly held that chewing on fresh yarrow leaves will ease a toothache. It’s also effective in relieving fever and stomach cramps. Young leaves can be added to salads, stews and soups. Also,

steep the stems and leaves for a lightly scented tea. When using yarrow flowers, only use the white ones.


OriginalGreenhouse Effect:

How Greenhouses Can Change the Way You Grow

by Matt Lebannister

The term greenhouse effect doesn’t have to be a bad thing—it can describe the enjoyment that growers will feel when they discover a way to extend their beloved

hobby through the chilly winter months and diversify the contents of their gardens…


How Greenhouses Can Change the Way You Grow


http://www.envirotechgreenhouse.com

The word greenhouse has come to mean something negative lately. Whenever you hear the word on television or read it online or in the paper, it is invariably connected in some way to global warming. The greenhouse effect is a term used to describe the process by which the gases we have released into the atmosphere through manufacturing, driving cars, using aerosol cans and so on are trapping the solar energy that is believed to be causing global warming.There is another type of greenhouse effect, however—one

that is positive and beneficial to life. It is the effect that allows you to taste the first strawberry or tomato of the season, to smell beautiful flowers that you grew yourself in the middle of winter when you are surrounded by snow or to create a tropical paradise that is all your own. There are numerous benefits to building a greenhouse, apart from the sheer joy it can bring, from conserving energy to being able to grow year-round. Greenhouse gardening is a great way to be active, mentally and physically, while doing something productive and staying in touch with nature.

Extend your growing seasonOne great benefit of gardening with a greenhouse is the ability to extend your growing season. Solar-heated greenhouses allow light to pass through the glass while trapping the heat within, so gardeners can start propagat-ing outdoor plants inside the greenhouse early, giving them a head start on the growing season by allowing them to plant flourishing seedlings right after the last spring frost.Greenhouses also allow gardeners in short-season regions

to extend their growing seasons by using the greenhouse’s ability to protect plants from cold and frost and to trap solar heat. Many gardeners will actually grow in their greenhouses year-round, although if your region is excep-tionally cold some supplementary heat might be required. Using a thermostat-controlled heater can help keep your tropical paradise warm throughout the coldest of winters. If you don’t want to use a heater, you can run traditional Christmas lights around the greenhouse to add a little extra heat—if you use green or red lights you won’t disturb the darkness cycle of your plants’ photoperiod. Another solu-tion is just to grow plants that thrive in cooler temperatures during the winter months.

Save energyAnother important benefit of gardening in a greenhouse

is saving energy. When you garden indoors you will have to provide everything necessary for plant growth—including light. This usually means that to raise fast-growing plants such as tomatoes, you must provide a high-intensity dis-charge (HID) lamp to give the plant enough light to thrive. A 1,000-watt, high-pressure sodium bulb and ballast can only effectively light a three-metre by three-metre space, so the larger the garden, the more light you will need to use. This can become quite costly as you need a ballast for each light. You’ll also have to buy bulbs (metal halide for the vegetative stage and high-pressure sodium for flowering) and those bulbs will need replacing every eight to 12 months, depend-ing on use—and of course you’ll have to pay for the electric-ity to run those lights 12 to 18 hours a day. Greenhouses are designed to efficiently capture the free

solar energy provided by the sun, thus eliminating the need for costly lights, although you might need to supplement the

light during the winter months to increase its intensity or to extend the daylight photoperiod to keep vegetative plants from blooming before they are mature enough.

Create a tropical paradiseOne of the most exciting aspects of gardening in a green-house is the ability it provides you to create a tropical micro-climate. If you were to try to create a tropical environment indoors it would be difficult—you would need a lot of light and humidity and that would expend a large amount of elec-tricity. The humidity could be damaging to a home as well, possibly causing mould and fungus to penetrate walls and rot wood. Pests might also become a big problem. Greenhouses that aren’t made with wood won’t rot, however—and they are designed to hold in heat and humidity. Greenhouses are perfect for raising those tropical flowers and orchids that you’ve always wanted.

“you can run traditional christmas lights around the greenhouse to add a

little extra heat.”


the original greenhouse effect

“ greenhouse gardening is a great way to be active, mentally and physically.”

Diversify your gardenOne great feature of gardening in a greenhouse is how versatile your garden can become. When gardening indoors, you usually have to stick to either plants that love intense light or plants that prefer medium to low levels of light. When gardening in a greenhouse, though, you don’t have to choose—you can do both. There are many ways that you can grow plants that love intense light right alongside those that prefer less. One way is to install a shelving system in your greenhouse. The plants that need intense levels of light—such as vegetables and many flowers—should be positioned on the top shelves. This places them closer to the ceiling, which is where direct intense sunlight enters the greenhouse. Keeping the medium- to low-light loving plants on the lower shelves will ensure that they receive their light at an angle, making it less intense.There are other options to help you diversify the kinds

of plants you can grow in your greenhouse garden. For instance, you could apply different materials to diffuse the light coming into your greenhouse—like using translucent white plastic along the windows and ceiling of the area you wish to allow less light through. A fine mesh is also suitable for diffusing light coming into your greenhouse. These mate-rials are easy to apply and easy to take down if more or less light is required, which can make propagating seedlings and clones in the same space as mature plants a simple matter.There are huge benefits to having a garden with many dif-

ferent plants growing in it—not only is it a joy to have such a variety of plants, it can actually make your garden healthier. It is well known that monocultures—where only one type of plant is grown—can be risky. In the event of a pest or disease outbreak, a monoculture can be wiped out quickly, while gar-dens containing a variety of different plants are more likely to survive a pest or disease outbreak.



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Live healthyGardening in greenhouses isn’t just fun and rewarding—it can improve your health as well. Greenhouses give you the opportunity to grow healthy, organic fruit and vegetables all year long. Gardening also keeps us healthy by keeping us active—the few hours we spend tending to our beloved plants each day is a mild cardiovascular activity, keeping our hearts healthy and strong. Gardening helps you to relax and lowers your blood pressure and a greenhouse can also help prevent and treat SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

There is more to greenhouses than meets the eye—they can provide us with healthy food and visually pleasing orna-mentals, they give us a way to extend our growing seasons, they can improve our mental and physical health and they can even provide a tropical getaway right in our backyards. Greenhouses improve and enrich our lives and—most impor-tantly—they allow us to enjoy gardening all year long.

“a greenhouse can also

help prevent and treat sad

(seasonal affective disorder).”



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YOU TELL US

“the two of us formed tnb naturals inc., invested in a website and started a gorilla-like marketing plan aimed at anyone and everyone who would listen.”

Tell us a little about how your company started.The company officially started about two years ago when Travis Rypkema, the creator of what is now known as the Enhancer, was looking to expand the product’s presence. He contacted Josh Brazier, an old friend from high school, who was engulfed in the business world and always looking to expand his portfolio. Josh: The two of us formed TNB Naturals Inc., invested in a website and started a gorilla-like marketing plan aimed at anyone and everyone who would listen. Travis: We made some major changes to the packaging and started advertising. This led to a serious increase in sales and the TNB name began to gain some attention in the industry.

Who are the people behind your company? Travis, an avid gardener and family man and Josh, a university gradu-ate and dedicated entrepreneur. Travis: The two of us bring different aspects to the table, but complement each other nicely.

The philosophy behind TNB Naturals Inc. is to develop safe, all-natural products that are highly effective and environmentally friendly. Co-owners Travis and Josh tell all about the company’s premier product —the Enhancer—and why they call it the most effective, all-natural CO2

in the industry.

Josh Brazier, left and Travis Rypkema formed TNB Naturals Inc. about two years ago.

TNB Naturals is based in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada. Tell us about this region. Josh: We both grew up in B.C. and love it here. The Okanagan is an amazing place to live, with extraordinary summers and mild winters, plus we know a lot of people in the industry out here. We started selling the product locally, then things just grew from there. This area is known world-wide and we display “Made in B.C.” proudly on our label.

How did you come up with the idea for The Enhancer CO2 Dispersal Canister? How does it work? Josh: This product was developed for growers by growers, and as a result, we’re proud to say we haven’t come across another CO2 product capable of delivering the high ppms the Enhancer has become known for. Sunlight Supply recently conducted a test on the Enhancer in a 1.22-m by 1.22-m sealed chamber. They were shocked to see it reach 5,000 ppm after the first day. At that point they stopped the test to exhaust the room and add a fan. When we saw the results, we knew we really had something special. In a 3.66-m by 3.66-m by 2.44-m room, gardeners can expect to hit anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 ppm depending on their set-up. The idea was all Travis—he experimented for years until he discovered the perfect formula. Travis: I felt there was a major void in the market. Sure, there were a few options for natural CO2, but none that hit the level of CO2 a plant needs to really notice a difference. The Enhancer is activated when water is added and the bottle is shaken, and the ingredi-ents cause a reaction that puts off high amounts of CO2. The Enhancer actually slows the release of CO2 at night, a feature that may be unique to this product. It’s really as simple as that—add water and shake, let the Enhancer do the rest.

How is it different than other CO2 products? What are the benefits to using your product? Josh: The Enhancer is user-activated, whereas other prod-ucts are activated before the consumer buys them. It works off natural photosynthesis and actually decreases the amount of CO2 at night or when the lights are off. This is crucial because, as it says in The Growers Handbook: “excess levels of CO2 during the lights-off period have been shown to be detrimental to yield.” Users know the CO2 will be at its maximum performance and gardeners don’t need to wonder how long the product has been on the shelf or how long it’s been putting off CO2. Travis: It’s a natural way of delivering CO2 to your grow space, is much safer than propane or natural gas burners and emits no heat. Aside from that, adding CO2 increases a grower’s final yield and improves the overall health of plants. One of the biggest selling features is the Enhancer’s three-year shelf life, whereas many other products have a much shorter shelf life because they are already activated.

Is the Enhancer an environmentally friendly product?Josh: The Enhancer is made from a combination of all-natural, biodegradable ingredients and it’s packaged in a recyclable bottle. When we first started, we were actually using recycled bottles, but as demand increased, that option was no longer feasible. Things sure have changed, but we’ll never forget those days—we know where we started out and I think that really makes us appreciate where we are now.

Any new products coming down the line in the near future? Travis: It’s always been our plan to develop an all-natural product line. The Enhancer has allowed us to break into the market, now the plan is to release other products under the TNB brand. We are focusing on the Enhancer and doing our best to stockpile product. Other products are in the works, we are just trying to decide what product we’ll release next.

Where are your products distributed? Any plans to expand in the near future? Josh: The Enhancer is distributed across North America and more recently has been introduced to the UK, Europe and Australia. The goal is worldwide distribution and with the way things have been going, we don’t see that as an unrealistic goal.

What else should we know about the business? Josh: Well, we’re just a couple high school friends who have set out to make a name for ourselves in this industry. A lot of people were skeptical in the beginning, so it’s nice to show them we belong in this industry and are here to stay. We’re also the only Canadian CO2 company we know of and are confident we have the best all-natural CO2 product on the market.

“ we haven’t come across another co

2 product capable of delivering

the high ppms the enhancer has become known for.”


at a glance

Company Northern Lights Green Supply

owner Mike Tedesco

LoCation 1938 Hwy #20, RR1 Fonthill, ON LOS 1E6

phone 1-905-892-3743

web northernlightsgreensupply.com

emaiL [email protected]

motto “Purveyors of Earth-Saving Technologies Naturally”

It’s been nearly 20 years since the owner of Northern Lights Green Supply, Mike Tedesco, opened up shop in Ontario. Before then he was working retail at a local Home Centre. “I decided to get into the hydroponic ‘indoor gardening’ industry because I saw it as a rapidly growing industry with very few stores in Ontario,” Mike shares. He’s referring to 1994 in the Windsor, Ontario, region, which is where he first opened up. Four years later, with the help of family, he opened a second location in the Niagara, Ontario, region. Starting out, it was just Mike responsible for everything. “It was me, myself, and I,” he laughs about having to learn and do it all.But it wasn’t the learning curve that he considers his initial

struggle; it was overcoming the negative stigma sometimes linked to his store due to the nature of what he sold. Mike tactfully dealt with any of those preconceived notions by upholding an atmosphere of professionalism and commitment to all aspects of growing, and the environmental and personal benefits of growing your own medicine, food or favourite flowers.“Green is not an option, it is our survival,” Mike can often be

heard saving.With green in mind, the first group of products that Northern

Lights Green Supply explored were natural alternatives to toxic

Top: Northern Lights Green Supply’s storefront. Below: Bob, Roxy and Eric manning the front desk.


TaLking ShOpTaLking ShOp

chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other environmentally unfriendly products. Mike soon found these alternatives and it was not long before Agrogreen Canada and Diatomite Canada were formed.Agrogreen Canada would specialize in plant-based

fertilizer and cleaner concentrates, and Diatomite Canada would focus on alternate growing media (Horticultural Grade Diatomite, Aussie Gold, Orchid bark, etc ). “Our main focus nowadays is the distribution and sales of food-grade Diatomaceous Earth (fossil shell flour) for human consumption,” Mike says. “There are several health food stores across Canada that are carrying it as a natural cleanser and source of beneficial silica. This natural form of silica is also an inexpensive and great soil/media enhancer as well.”“Agrogreen specialty liquid fertilizer is still one of our

most successful indoor/outdoor garden products; it’s effective, super-concentrated (one litre will treat an acre) and affordable,” shares Mike. Agrogreen is formulated from natural botanical extracts including pine and neem. It contains plant growth stimulating factors, primarily auxins, which promote unparalleled vegetative growth, plant health, plant vitality and higher fruit yields. It’s 100% biodegradable and non-toxic, where any leaching of Agrogreen® from soils into water catchment basins and the water table is not harmful but actually beneficial (referenced in a Maximum Yield article called “Pine-ing for Organics” July/Aug 2003). “Another of our successful products is our all-purpose concentrated cleaner called AgroKlean, which works on any surface, fabric, material or being. An excellent cleaner for grow rooms, it is also successfully used in greenhouses, households, restaurants and most recently in a large hotel chain in Niagara Falls,” adds Mike.Even though most of the time Mike can be found at

Agrogreen Canada’s office (next door), you can still find someone at Northern Lights Green Supply that can take care of you. Mike considers his company’s strengths to be the fact that the company has been around for two decades and

web northernlightsgreensupply.com

emaiL [email protected]

motto “Purveyors of Earth-Saving Technologies Naturally”

“we provide reaL, naturaL produCts that are effeCtive aLternatives to toxiC ChemiCaLs, pestiCides and fungiCides.”

that his staff have many years of experience helping growers. Northern Lights offers a level of service and expertise that has proven successful over the years as well as plenty of stock and customer support as well. Mike feels his partners/associates represent the core values of the company and that’s what makes a big difference.Education is also at the heart of Northern Lights Green

Supply’s business. “We educate, as well as provide a service,” says Mike, adding that they also run radio advertisements to help get the word out, and provide various seminars for agricultural clubs and the local chapter of the Orchid Society, among other places. “Naturally, Northern Lights is still staying diverse, and has stayed true to its philosophy of being purveyors of earth-saving technologies. Northern Lights Green Supply is always looking to new alternatives in growing media, natural fertilizers and any other technology that helps our earth,” shares Mike, adding that it’s not a motto they chose per se, it’s just what they do. This belief led to both the store and Agrogreen Canada being recognized for their “deep and genuine commitment to the environment” by a federal Member of Parliament. “We provide real, natural products that are effective alternatives to toxic chemicals, pesticides and fungicides,” says Mike.One of Mike’s most memorable times in the indoor

gardening industry was when he had the opportunity to meet and work with a world-renowned scientist on a research project with the Government of Canada and the Queen to study organic and natural fertilizers in greenhouse production. And, after all these years growing, Mike’s most important piece of advice for all is to keep growing and evolving naturally.Northern Green Lights Supply is located in Fonthill, a

small community located just west of Niagara Falls. The community has a few small industries, but is primarily a residential suburb known for its vineyards, fruit orchards, nature trails and tourism. For more information, check out northernlightsgreensupply.com

Left to right: Plants thriving inside the shop; Fully stocked shelves in the store; Roxy and Lucky welcoming customers; Lights on display at Northern Lights Green Supply.


TaLking ShOp


MaX-MaRTMaX-MaRT


MaX-MaRTMaX-MaRT

http://www.growersparadise.com


MaX-MaRT

visit usonline

maximumyield.com

retail business forsale in armstrong, b.C.

Established profitable retail business (grosses $200k plus) in great location for sale in Armstrong, B.C., (business only) specializing in tropical plants, organic herbs, hydroponics, nursery, and gifts. Strong customer base and good supplier relationships along with staff in place make this a care-free investment. Purchaser may also choose to operate business. Armstrong is a spectacular place to live, a wonderful safe community and this is a great opportunity to be your own boss.

Same owner for 6 years, health problem forces sale.

5 year lease available from landlord:$1,000 per month (plus $400 in utilities) for 3,000 square feet of retail space.

Serious inquiries only. Financial statement to be supplied to purchaser upon offer acceptance.

Kelly Rankin604-781-4687 • [email protected]

bogarts gardening supply


MaX-MaRT MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors retail stores listed alphabetically by city in each province.

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

IncrediGrow Garden Centre103-7500 MacLeod Trail SE

Calgary, AB T2H 0L9 403-255-0740

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

Quick Grow1-1204 Edmonton Trail Road NE Calgary, AB T2E 3K5 877-426-4769

Smart Grow2422 - 23 Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2E 8J4 403-236-9999

Twins Greenhouse13 - 2235 30th Avenue, NE Calgary, AB T2C 7C7 403-273-2881

All Season’s Garden Centre10027 81 Ave., Edmonton, AB T6E 1W7 780-448-2385

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

Hydro-Lite12249 Fort Road

Edmonton, AB T5B 4H7 780-477-7860

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

Niloc Wholesale Inc.Box 82008 Yellowbird RPO Edmonton, AB T6J 7E6 780-885-4769

Northern Lights Indoor Gardening Centre10108 100th Ave. Grand Prairie, AB T8V 0V5780-538-3277

BRITISH COLUMBIAInterior Gardener’s Supply221 - 1 McDermid Road, Box 1779 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-3399

OK Garden Supply104-5498 267th Street. Aldergrove, BC V4W 3S8604-607-7263

Bogarts Gardening Supply3545 Okanagan St. Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0250-546-9790

Jon’s Plant Factory3925 E. Hastings St.Burnaby, BC V5C 2H8604-294-3000

Hygro Gardening Supplies Inc.1791 Tamarac Street Campbell River, BC V9W 5Y7 250-286-0424----------------------------------------------

Canadian Garden Supply1730 Highway 3

Castlegar, BC V1N 4W1 250-304-2911

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

Sun Beam Central3444 River Road Chemainus, BC V0R 1K4 250-246-1379------------------------------------------

Valley Indoor Geenhouse Supplies

103 - 44195 Yale Road West Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2

877-702-1169------------------------------------------

Sundogz Garden Supply1824 Alberni Hwy. Coombs, BC V0R 1M0250-954-2046

Art Knapp2855 Wentworth Road Courtenay, BC V9N 6B7 250-334-3024

Just-N-Tyme Greenhouse and Hydroponics Supply1094 McKenzie Avenue Courteney, BC V9N 3C5 250-703-0476 ------------------------------------------

Progressive Growth2459 Cousins Avenue

Courtenay, BC V9N 3N6250-334-8425

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

Pacific NW Garden Supply1139B Industrial Road 3 Cranbrook, BC V1C 5E3 250-489-4761

Cowichan Hydroponic Supplies4 - 2955 Jacob Road Duncan, BC V9L 6W4 250-746-0244

Duncan Plants & Ponics6512 Bell McKinnon Road Duncan, BC V9L 6C1 250-746-5591

Better Than Nature Enderby1900 George Street Enderby, BC, 250-838-5502

Sunshine Gardens Greenhouse Superstore 5 - 1744 Kelly Douglas Road Kamloops, BC V2C 5S4 877-372-2270

Room 2 Grow901 Laval Crescent Kamloops, BC V2C 5P4 250-372-3663

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

West Coast Hydroponic Garden Shop

113 - 805 Notre Dame Kamloops, BC V2C 5N8

250-851-2992

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

Aqua Gro Hydroponics SuppliesSuite 101 2689 Kyle Rd. Kelowna, BC V1Z 2M9 250-769-7745

Better Than Nature Kelowna725B Evans Court Kelowna, BC V1X 6G4 250-868-8978

Oasis12 - 1771 Cooper Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T1 250-763-4769

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

Quick Grow Indoor Garden Center1945 Kirschner Rd. Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N7250-861-3434

BC Hydroponics3 - 20092-93A Avenue Langley, BC V1M 3Y4 604-888-5716

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

GreenStar Plant Products Inc.9430 198 Street, Langley, BC V1M 3C8 604-882-7699

Pacific Western Garden5785 203A Street. Langley B.C V3A 1W7 604-510-4839; 778-898-5888

Excel Air Systems200 - 20170 Stewart Crescent Maple Ridge, BC V2X 0T4 604-728-0757

Pacific NW Garden Supply109 - 20110 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P7

Planting Plus Greenhouse Supplies and Hardware22394 Dewdney Truck Road Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3J2 604-466-5949

Triple Tree Nurseryland20503 Lougheed Highway Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2P9 604-465-9313------------------------------------------

Gro Green Garden Supply7260 Park Street

Mission, BC V2V 6G8604-814-4345

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

Nutty Zone5 & 6 - 33201 London Avenue Mission, BC V2V 4P9 604-814-2223

Long Lake Nursery Hydroponic Supply4900 Island Highway, North Nanaimo, BC 250-758-5012 --------------------------------------------

Progressive Growth41 - 1925 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1

800-405-4769 ------------------------------------------

Word of Mouth Hydroponics Inc.1-1611 Bowen Rd.,Nanaimo, BC V9S 1G5250-591-1180

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

Tridon Hydroponics12 - 1708 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1G9

250-755-1900------------------------------------------

Vancouver Island Garden Supply Ltd.4770 Wellington Rd Nanaimo, BC V9T 2H3 250-585-8881

Pacific NW Garden SupplyUnit 14- 104 Silica Street Nelson, BC V1L 4M1 250-354-4767

Buckerfields587 Alberni Highway Parksville, BC V9P 1J9 250-248-3243

Better Than Nature Penticton101 - 78 Industrial Avenue, West Penticton, BC V2A 6M2 250-770-8978

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

Aurora Lighting750 3rd Avenue

Prince George, BC V2L 3C5 250-564-9888

------------------------------------------Backwoods Hydroponic & Garden10590 Carlson Road Prince George, BC V2K 5E5 250-963-9541

PG21798 Nicholson Street Prince George, BC V2N 1V6 250-612-4769; 1-888-817-4769

Skytek Indoor Solutions833 4th Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3H5 800-975-9835

Spruce Capital Feeds1694 Quinn Street Prince George, BC V2N 1X3 250-564-6010

Omega Garden Inc. 1695 Peligren Place Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 2S3 250-752-1301; 888 976 6342

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

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

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

-------

S.A. Ecoline Products Ltd.5671 Auto Road, SE

Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4S1 250-833-4769

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

Nico’s Nurseryland830 - 28th Street, NE Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2S7 250-804-2004

Mylo’s3837 Squilax Anglemont Hwy Scotch Creek, BC V0E 1M0 250-955-0525

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

Happy Acres Greens & Backroad Hydroponics Equipment2058 Cambie-Solsqua Road Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0 250-836-3878

Garibaldi Nursery38917 Progress Way, Squamish Industrial Park Squamish, BC V0N 3G0 604-892-3892 -------------------------------------------

Coast Pet & Plant SuppliesUnit 6 12342 83A Ave.

Surrey, BC 604-599-1778

------------------------------------------Fat Eddies Systems Inc.

108 - 18760 96th Avenue Surrey, BC V4N 3P9

604-888-2499

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

Garden King Supplies7533 135 Street, Unit 109 Surrey, BC V3W OM8 604-598-1912

Pacific NW Garden Supply15374-103A Avenue Surrey, BC V3R 9V8 604-588-4769; 800-443-4769

Warehouse Garden Supplies & Hydroponic109 - 8173 128 Street Surrey, BC V3W 4G1 604-543-3177

BN Garden Supply4493 Boundary Road Vancouver, BC V5R 2N3 604-431-2977

Double AA Garden Supplies Ltd.2908 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 4C9 604-876-8837

Pacific NW Garden Supply2137 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V5L 1V2 604-254-4765

U-Grow Garden Supplies8265 Main St. Vancouver, BC V5X 3L7604-880-1111

Vancouver Garden Supply4894 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5V 4H5 604-879-8167

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

Fraser Valley Greenhouse Supplies Ltd.45653 Lark Road

Vedder Crossing, BC V2R 3N7fraservalleygreenhouse.com

604-858-0455

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

Advanced Garden Supplies7979 Aspen Road Vernon, BC V1B 3M9 250-545-9545

AJs Pets & Things3219 - 31st Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 2H2 250-549-3222

Better Than Nature Vernon506 25th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 1P4 250-260-4466

Northern Lights Greenspace3 - 2706 45th Avenue Vernon, BC V1T 3N4 250-558-4757

OK Garden Supply12-4601 23rd Street. Vernon, BC V1T 4K7778-475-6075

Indoor Jungle2624 Quadra Street Victoria, BC V8T 4E4 250-388-5611

Mr. Fertilizer9 Burnside Road, West Victoria, BC V9A 1B2 250-381-4644 -----------------------------------------

Progressive GrowthUnit #111-1790 Island Highway

Victoria, BC V9B 1H5 250-391-9519

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

Sunwest Garden Supply2035 Unit B Louie Drive Westbank, BC V4T 1Y2 50-768-1636-------------------------------------------

Good Guys Gardening Center250 Mackenzie Ave. S.

Williams Lake, BC V2G 1C6250-392-2069

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

Trees Company Nursery & Garden SuppliesG9 C17 RR1, 7030 Powell Road Winlaw, BC V0G 2J0 250-226-7334

MANITOBABetter Than Nature Winnipeg14 Gertrude, Winnipeg MB R3L OM6 204-453-3032

Gro Pro International Hydroponics101-904 Porthee Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3G 0P4 204-956-1389

Kleen Gro Hydroponics218 Osbourne Street South Winnipeg, MB R3L 1Z3 204-475-7096

My Two Sons2 - 2055 McPhillips Street Winnipeg, MB R2Y 3C6 204-339-3489

Nature’s Nutrition819 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3J 0G4 204-889-2979

Northern Lights Hydroponics129 Regent Avenue East Winnipeg, MB R2C 0C2 204-415-5106

Ready Set Grow!375 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R3C 2H2 204-668-GROW


MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors retail stores listed alphabetically by city in each province.

NEW BRUNSWICKCanadian Green Products811 Central St. Centerville, NB E7K 2B9 506-276-3555------------------------------------------

Dieppe Hydroponics988 Champlain St. Door #3

Dieppe, NB E18 1P8 506-384-4769

----------------------- Craft N’ Grow60 Micmac Road, Eel Ground, NB E1V 4B1 506-624-9317

Ultimate HydroponicsBox 1191, Hampton, NB E5N 8H2 506-639-5948

Scott’s Nursery Ltd.2192 Route 102 Highway Lincoln, NB E3B 8N1 506-458-9208

Atlantic Hydroponics & Greenhouses Inc.42 Brandon Street Moncton, NB E1C 7E8 506-858-0158

Jardins Notik Gardens798 Gray RoadSt-Charles, NB E4W 4N9 506-876-9100

Century Gardening20 Bayside Drive St. John, NB E2J 1A2 506-657-9982

NOVA SCOTIADen Haan’s Garden World12688 Highway 1, Brickton Annapolis County, NS B0S 1M0 902-825-4722

Woodland Farm Nursery3544 Highway 1, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0 902-532-7617

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

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

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

Mmad Hydroponics4400 Second Division Road Digby Co. NS B0W1M0902-778-1922

Sweetleaf Smoke Shop and Hydroponics3132 Isleville Street Halifax, NS B3K 3Y2 902-454-6646

Plant Manager Gardening12 Industrial Drive, Richmond County Industrial Park, Lennox Pas-sage, Cape Breton, NS B0E 1V0 902-345-2112

Steve’s Hydroponic Headquarters131 Sackville Drive Lower Sackville, NS B4C 2R3 902-865-7764

Greenfield Grow & Brew69 Wilson Mountain Road Murray Siding, NS B6L 4N7 902-897-6568

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

Woodin Nickel Hydroponics3393 Central West, Highway 4

Pictou County, NS BOK 1H0 902-695-7640

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

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

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc.521 Dunlop Street West Barrie, ON L4N 9W4 705-721-8715

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

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

BMA Hydroponics404A Maitland Drive, Unit 2

Belleville, ON K8N 4Z5 613-967-9888

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

Home Hydroponics289 Rutherford Road, South 22 Brampton, ON L6W 3R9 905-874-GROW

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

Growers Paradise40 Regan rd. Unit 11

L7A1B2 Brampton, ON905 495 4040

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

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

J & C Hydroponics343 Elgin Street, Unit A Cambridge, ON M1R 7H9 519-622-9969

Pro Grow Indoor Garden Supplies1710 Bishop St. Unit 2 Cambridge, ON N1T 1T2 519-624-7692

Hydrogarden1122 Paul Street Cornwall, ON K6H 6H5 613-360-6996

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

Diatomite Canada1938 Hwy #20, RR#1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 866-650-1136

Northern Lights Green Supply1938 Highway 20 (at 406), RR 1 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 905-892-3743

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre1677 Cyrville Road, Meadowbrooke Plaza Gloucester, ON K1B 3L7 613-842-8999 ------------------------------------------

Happy Hydroponics 68 Princess Street

Hamilton, ON L8L 3K9 905-545-8434

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

Garden Depot605 Justus Drive Kingston, ON K7M 4H5 613-384-8882

Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Centre1659 Victoria Street, North, Unit 6 Kitchener, ON N2B 3E6 888-670-0611

Kawartha Hydroponics12 Lindsay St. S. Lindsay, ON K9V 2L6705-324-5200------------------------------------------

AKA The Indoor Gardener 207 Exeter Road, Unit D

London, ON N6L 1A4 519-652-4224

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

Best of Hydroponics360 Richmond Street London, ON N6A 3C3 519-858-1533

Ontario Growers Supply1540 Fanshawe Park Road West London, ON N6H 5L8 519-641-3992

Vantage Hydroponics1 Adelaide Street North London, ON N6B 3P8 519-451-4769

Markham Hydroponics95 Royal Crest Court 18 Markham, ON L3R 9X5 905-305-0698

Nature’s Garden Supplies24-340 Don Park Road Markham, ON L3R 1C5 905-470-7887

All Seasons1000 Dundas Street East Mississauga, ON L4Y 2B8 905-848-2619

Green Thumb Hydroponics3075 Ridgeway Drive, 25 Mississauga, ON L5L 5M6

Iponic Zone151 Brunel Road, Mississauga, ON L4Z 2H6, 905-502-7211

Hydro Culture Emporium Inc.1315 Richmond Rd. Unit #7 Ottawa, ON K2B 8J7 613-715-9472

Harvest Time Hydroponics5918 Main St., Niagra Falls, ON L2G 5Z8 289-296-7754------------------------------------------

Second Nature Hydroponics4 - 2133 Royal Windsor Drive

Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5 905-403-4769

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

Nature’s ElementsBox 119 500 Mill Street Neustadt, ON N0G 2M0 519-799-5323------------------------------------------

Yield of Dreams Hydroponics559 Steven Court 12

Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z3 877-778-7960

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

Green Kingdom Hemp1103 Cassells Street

North Bay, ON P1B 4B3 705-494-7169

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

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

LV Garden Supply415 Oakdale Road Unit 379 North York, ON M3N 1W7 416-744-7762

Supply For You3615 Weston Road, Unit 6 North York, ON M9L 1V8 416-741-8062

All Grow Hydroponic391 Marwood Drive, Unit 14 Oshawa, ON 866-606-4723

Paradise Gardens Hydroponics2158 Chiefswood Road Oshweken, ON N0A 1M0 519-445-2275

Ontario Hydroponics103015 Grey Road 18 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6 519-372-1144

EnvirotexPO Box 21069 Paris, ON N3L 4A5 519-442-1237

Peterborough Hydroponic Center347 Pido Road, Unit 32 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 705-745-6868

Sweet Hydroponic Gardens776 Bruce Street Renfrew, ON K7V 3Z8 613-433-9600

Bluewater Hydroponics1173 Michener Road, Unit 12 Sarnia, ON N7S 5G5 519-337-7475

Indoor Gardens Canada2952 Thompson Road Smithville, ON L0R 2A0 905-957-6969

Green And Clean761 Barrydowne Road Sudbury, ON P3A 3T6 800-246-5503

Northern Hydroponics236 Simpson Street Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3H4 807-623-3666

Greenthumbs Garden Supply338 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M4L 1T7 647-345-GROW (4769)------------------------------------------

grow it allhydroponics for everyone

Grow It All Hydroponics Inc.165 Geary Avenue, Unit 3B

Toronto, ON M6H 2B8 416-588-9595

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

Homegrown Hydroponics Inc.26 Meteor Drive Toronto, ON M9W 1A4 416-242-4769

Hydrotech2436 Kingston Road Toronto, ON M1N 1V2 416-267-4769

Jungle Hydroponics2215 Gerrard Street East Toronto, ON M4E 2C8 416-699-0861

Toronto Hemp Company665 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M4Y 1Z9 416-920-1980

Truly Local851 Queen Street, West Toronto, ON M5R 2K2 647-855-5932

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

Indoor Farmer10 Wyman Road, Unit 4, Waterloo, ON N2V 1K7.

519-886-9200----------------------- Grower’s Choice Hydroponics1621 McEwen Drive 14 Whitby, ON L1N 9A5 905-725-GROW

Northern Lights Hydroponics2690 Oulette Ave Windsor, ON N8X 1L7 519-254-4015

Urban GreenHouse Hydroponics & Aquaculture7635 Tecumseh Road E. Windsor, ON N8T 3H1 519-944-8444------------------------------------------

Ozone Environmental Technologies

361 Rowntree Dairy Road Unit 4 Woodridge, ON L4L 8H1

905-264-6618------------------------------------------

QUEBECUn Monde Sans Terre565 Beausejour Alma, QC G8B 5V3 418-480-3274

Hydro-Tonyque761 Avenue Gilles Villeneuve Berthierville, QC J0K 1AO 450-836-8088

HydrofolieAutoroute 15Blainville, QC JFC4GL438-395-5133 ------------------------------------------

Plant-O-Maxx3169 Blais,

Boisbriand, QC, J7H 1H2 514-968-7799

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

Gerard Bourbeau & Fils Inc.8285, 1 re Avenue Charlesbourg, QC G1G 5E6 418-623-5401

Les Grands Jardins Lavel2900, Boul. Cure-Lavelle Chomedey, Laval, QC H7P 5S8 250-729-2687

Simplement Vert8B Georges-Gagne Delson, QC J5B 2E1 514-913-8378 (VERT)------------------------------------------

Hydrosphere 20002400 rue Canadian, Suite 104 Drummondville, QC J2C 7W3

819-478-9791-----------------------------------------

Les Serres Binette Inc2568 Boul. Mercurre Drummondville, QC J2A 1H2 819-478-7195

Pablo Jardinage Drummondville2080 Joseph St-Cyr Drummondville, QC J2C 8V6 819-475-2525

Les Entreprises Fernand Pigeon Inc.174 Beaudoin Nord Durham-Sud, QC J0H 2C0 819-858-2777

Hydromax Gatineau3-1695 Atmec (porte 6) Gatineau, QC J8P 7G7 819-663-7470

Naturexpert Inc.828 Chemin du Sixième Rang Gatineau QC J8R 3A4

Jardinages Gilles Robert Inc.574 St-Hubert Granby, QC J0H 1Y5 450-375-3441

Méristème Hydroponique871 Dufferin Granby, QC J2G 9H8 450-991-1514

Jardinage d’intérieur Huntingdon72 DalhousieHuntingdon, PQ J0S 1H0, Canada 450-322-6079

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

Biofloral675 Montee, St. Francois Laval, QC H7C 2S8 877-38-HYDRO------------------------------------------

-------

Brite Lite Hydroponics940 Bergar,

Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-669-3803

------------------------------------------Espace Culture Boutique17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7V 3K3 450-622-2710

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles - Horticultural Products 17 boul. Ste-Rose Est Laval, QC H7L 3K3 450-622-2710

Hydro Times1533 Boulevard Cure Labelle Laval, QC H7V 2W4 450-688-4848

Hydromax Laval295 Boulevard Curé Labelle Laval, QC H7L 2Z9 450-628-8380

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

Qué-Pousse - Laval940 Bergar

Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 450-667-3809

------------------------------------------Point De Vue880 Chemin St-Féréol Les Cèdres, QC J7T 1N3 450-452-2878 / 1-877-510-2991

Hydro Rive-sud4721 Boulvard de la rive sud Levis, QC G6W 1H5 418-835-0082

Boutique Grunge364 Rue Sherbrooke Magog, QC J1X 2S1 819-847-4141

Hydromax Mont-Laurier388 Rue Hebert Mont-Laurier, QC J9L 2X2 888-609-4476

Hydroculture Guy Dionne8473 - 19th Avenue Montreal, QC H1Z 4J2 514-722-9496

Hydro Expert12752 Industriel Montreal, QC H1A 3V2 514-624-3091

B&S Electrique Inc.2240 Pitt Street Montreal, QC H4E 4H1 514-931-3817

Distribution De la Plante5498 Hochelaga Suite 910 Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-1111

Hydromax Montreal9300 Lajeunesse Montreal, QC H2M 1S4 514-381-0111


Hydromax St-Henri3522 Notre-Dame Montréal, QC H4C 1P4 514-481-3939

International Hydroponique5478 Hochelaga St Montreal, QC H1N 3L7 514-255-2525

Momentum11289 London Avenue Montreal, QC H1H 4J3 888-327-4595

Pousse Magique Atwater3522 Notre-Dame, ouest, Montreal, Qc H4C 1P4 514-481-3939

Qué-Pousse - Montreal2215 Walkley Montreal, QC H4B 2J9 514-489-3803

Summum Bio Teck2100 Ontario Est Montreal, QC H2K 1V5 866-460-2226

Univert 4 Saisons2100 Ontario Est Montréal, QC H2K 1V5 514-527-2226

Vinexpert De L’Est6384 Beaubien est Montreal, QC H1M 3G8 514-354-8020

XXXtractor Inc.1228 St. Marc Montreal, QC H3H 2E5 514-931-4944

Qué-Pousse - Mont. Tremblant462 Montée Kavanagh Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 2P2 819-429-6145

MegaWatt Hydroculture636 Route 364 Morin Heights, QC J0R 1H0 450-226-2515

Fleuriste Savard Inc.1833 boul. Louis-Frechette Nicolet, QC J3T 1M4 819-293-5933

Qué-Pousse - Point-Claire1860D Sources Blvd Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5B1 514-426-5057

Boutique Echologik829, cote d’Abraham Quebec, QC G1R 1A4 418-648-8288

Boutique Echologik790 St - Jean Quebec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828

échologik798 St Jean Québec, QC G1R 1P9 418-648-2828; 418-648-8288

Hydroculture Guy Dionne1990 Cyrill-Duquet Local 150 Québec, QC G1N 4K8 418-681-4643

Pousse Magique515 rue Lanaudiere Repentigny, QC J6A 7N1 450-582-6662

Fred Lamontagne Inc.356 Chemin du Sommet Est, Rimouski, QC G5L 7B5 418-723-5746

Qué-Pousse - Sherbrooke4394 Bourque Rt. 112 Rock Forest, QC J1N 1S3 819-563-0353

Hydro Plus149 avenue Principale A Rouyn Noranda, QC J9X 4E3 819-762-4367

Rap Hydroponique5700, rue Martineau Local 7 Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8B1 450-768-5188Culture Uni Vert36 rue de Martigny E Saint-Jérôme, QC J7Z 1V4

Comptoir Richelieu Inc.350, du Collège Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 6T7 800-363-9466

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

Hydrobec2145 Lavoisier Suite 4 Ste-Foy, QC G1N 4B2 418-687-1119

Chanvre du Nord Inc.38 DeMartigny est St-Jérome, QC J7Z 1V4 866-565-5305

Hydro Sciences4800 de la Cote-Vertu Blvd. Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1J9 514-331-9090

Pablo Jardinage Shawinigan5023 Boulevard Royal Shawinigan QC J9N 6T8 819-731-9766

Sherbrooke Hydroponique3545 King Est, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 5J4 819-829-9299

Plant-T-Plantes3439 boulevard Fiset Sorel-Tracy, QC J3P 5J3 450-780-0008

Qué-Pousse - St-Constant6264 Route 132 Ste-Catherine, QC J0L 1E0450-635-4881

Benoit Dupuis Extincteurs Inc.2503 Victoria Street Ste-Julienne, QC J0K 2T0 450-831-4240

Hydroponique 200084 Boul. Curé Labelle Ste-Therese, QC J7E 2X5 450-971-0726

Pépinière Eco-Verdure965 Boul. Sauvé St-Eustache, QC J7R 4K3 450-472-6474

Amazonia Hydroponique394 Boulvard Arthur-sauve St. Eustache, QC J7R 2J5 450-623-2790----------------------------------------------

P.P.M. Hydroponique504 Rue du Parc

St. Eustache, QC J7R 5B2 450-491-2444

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

Hydrotek12300 Rue de l’avenir

St. Janvier, QC J7J 2K4

St-Jean Hydroponique747 rue St-Jacques

St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC J3B

2M9

450-346-9633

Hydromax Terrebonne1674 Chemin Gascon

Terrebonne, QC J6X 4H9

450-492-7447

Hydromax Trois-Rivières6157 rue Corbeil

Trois-Rivières Ouest, QC G8Z 4P8

819-372-0500

Pablo Jardinage Intérieur2 Des Ormeaux Suite 500

Trois-Rivières, QC G8W 1S6

819-693-6000

Rap Hydroponique326 Rue Vachon

Trois-Rivières QC G8T 8Y2

819-376-5959

Hydromax Val-David895 route 117 nord

Val-David, QC J0T 2N0

888-320-0129

Val d’Or Hydroculture1261 3e Avenue

Val d’Or, QC J9P 1V4

Horticulture Piégo228 Pierre Bertrand Sud

Vanier, QC G1M 2C4

418-527-2006

Qué-Pousse - Vaudreuil-Dorion3666-D, boul. Cité des Jeunes

Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 8P2

450-424-0306

Centre Jardin Denis Brodeur15 Nord C.P. 658

Waterloo, QC J0E 2N0

Sonador Horticulture Inc.819-479-2941

SASKATCHEWAN

Busy Bee UpholsteryBox 811, 134 5th Avenue East

Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0

306-648-3659

B&B Hydroponics and Indoor Gardening1404 Cornwall Street

Regina, SK S4R 2H7

306-522-4769

Waterboy Supply401 Dewdney Avenue East

Regina, SK S4N 4G3

306-757-6242

YUKON, NUNAVUT

ANd NORTHWEST

TERRITORIES

Porter Creek Indoor Garden Centre1307 Centennial Street

Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3Z1

867-667-2123

COMing UpNEXT ISSUE

pLUS: hydroponic news, tips and trivia, hot new products, exclusive giveaways and more!

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

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www.maximumyield.com

Lighten Up!Maintaining a healthy and productive indoor garden requires a certain amount of devoted time and effort. Many variables exist that must all be considered prior to completion of a productive growing system. in his next submission, Lee McCall gives a lowdown on lighting basics for a beginner’s growroom.

Exotic ContaminantsWater is water, right? Wrong. There is a lot more in your water than just hydrogen and oxygen; in fact, there could be some nasty exotic contaminants floating around. We’re talking ferrous iron, arsenic, boron and perhaps a lot more. Do you know what’s lurking in your water supply?

Pest ID and Control plant pests are highly evolved to travel from crop to crop, even if those crops are protected by an enclosed structure. Since indoor plants are protected from cold winters, insects can happily exist all year-round with little check on population growth. Review Dr. Lynette Morgan’s pest identification guide for some suggestions on how to deal.

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7.4 .3.

1.

6.

2.

DO YOU KNOW?

Plants need moderate temperatures and CO2 to generate biomass and the ideal temperature range is around 21 to 27°C.

A hydroponic system using allowable inputs such as coco fibre or perlite for a substrate and acceptable organic liquid nutrients can be legally certified as organic under

the USDA National Organic Program, while the National Organic Standard of Canada states that growers must abstain from using hydroponics and aeroponics.

To determine how productive a garden was, one piece of data collection is how much produce was harvested in kilograms. If individual plants

aren’t tracked, calculating how much each plant averaged is simple: just divide the amount harvested by the number of plants.

Growers should clean up spills in your growroom immediately. Water, plant runoff, nutrients and whatever else that ends up on the floor can add to the room’s humidity and lead to mould development.

In your winter growroom, you can recycle grow light heat back into the house to reduce natural gas costs from furnaces or added electrical costs from space heaters—you’d be surprised how much usable heat a few 1,000-W lights will generate!

There are many ways you can grow plants that love intense light right alongside those that prefer less in a greenhouse. One way is to install a shelving system. The plants that need intense levels of light—such as vegetables and many flow-ers—should be positioned on the top shelves.

What are commonly called moulds and mildews are usually members of the fungi kingdom.

Sudden leaps and dips in temperature should be avoided in the indoor growroom as this can cause undue stress to plants. High temperatures of 30°C and above will cause the plants to transpire. If plants are unable to replace what is lost quickly enough, they can become stressed and may die.

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maximum yield canada nov/dec 2013

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