We recently had the opportunity to both meet and have an engaging conversation with Dr. Rada Petric, Director of the Institute for the Environment at Highlands Field Site in Highlands, North Carolina, as well as Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Petric is studying the fascinating world of bat’s, in-particular their migration patterns and ecological impact on North Carolina. Hello! It’s great to meet you Dr. Petric. Please … [Read more...] about A Bat Talk
Hydroponics
Introduction to Lighting
There are so many different lighting options available in this day and age so I wanted to do a quick rundown on the different styles and how you could use them in your indoor gardens. If you are like me and like to get your spring seeds started and ready before planting time, I like to get mine started under a T5 fixture. These come in a wide range of sizes ranging from 2ft, 3ft, and even 4ft long fixtures. They also come in single bulbs, dual bulbs, quad bulbs, and some even with an eight … [Read more...] about Introduction to Lighting
Cloning Problems and Solutions 2022
-Mike Weeks- This is one of our Top 15 most popular articles based on customer feedback and engagement. Originally published in May 2018, it has been updated with new product plugs and images. As always, please leave us your comments below! When it comes to taking plant clones, even experienced growers can experience frustrating challenges. Oftentimes, this is just a matter of developing bad habits in the delicate process that ultimately leads to failure. This article will point out some … [Read more...] about Cloning Problems and Solutions 2022
More Adventures in Kratky Hydroponics
-Pam Scott- I have been growing lettuces indoors, in a south facing window or in the green house, for years. These lettuces are grown in window boxes to be harvested when they are bigger than microgreens but smaller than full-size lettuce heads. We use cut and come again varieties such as Cos, Sierra and Red Sails, which provide us with a ton of leafy salad greens throughout the winter months. Having recently become obsessed with eating a variety of Thai dishes where the food is … [Read more...] about More Adventures in Kratky Hydroponics
Food for thought: Powdered Nutrients for Hydroponics
-Mike Weeks- When I got into growing indoors back in 1999, I visited my first hydro store in Athens Georgia and was completely overwhelmed by all of the brands of fertilizers that they offered. Many are still considered the tried and true brands because they simply work. From three part formulas, to the A and B combos, there were clearly many ways to feed plants. The one thing that all of these nutrients had in common was that they were liquid and available in gallons or quarts. I was aware … [Read more...] about Food for thought: Powdered Nutrients for Hydroponics
Watering, When You Gotta Go! – Products Review
-Elliott Richter- Today’s Product review is actually a review of 4 options for keeping your plants watered when you have to leave for a trip, work, vacation, what have you. We will be covering 2 products each from Blumat: the Easy Adapter and Classic Junior Universal Automatic plant waterers (aka “Carrots”), and from Bosmere: Mr. EverGreen and Bottle Plant Drinks, where both Bosmere products are twin packs. Overview: Everyone has been there. A last minute trip pops up due to an … [Read more...] about Watering, When You Gotta Go! – Products Review
Water: The First Step in Hydroponics
-James Gordon- Interested in Hydroponics? If you said yes then this blog is for you. Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start): in any gardening application water is one of the most important things to consider. When talking about Hydroponics it's even more important! Being educated and getting your water dialed in right will only improve your success rate, so let's dive into this and see what are the most important things to cover when looking at water in hydroponic … [Read more...] about Water: The First Step in Hydroponics
Product Spotlight: Photontek LEDs
-Mike Weeks- With cooler temperatures upon us and outdoor gardening slowing down, we thought this would be a good time to introduce you to a recent addition to our LED offerings that we are excited to bring to you for your indoor growing space. We love these Photontek lights for many reasons, but their clever design, diode quality, pricing, and sizing options were a plus when making our decision to offer these in our stores. LED lighting has finally earned a place in the indoor … [Read more...] about Product Spotlight: Photontek LEDs
Roots Organic Liquid Line
-Ryan Blankenship- One of my all time favorite liquid organic nutrients is from Roots Organics. This company uses top quality inputs that help create some of the best tasting fruits and flowers in my opinion. Their products are all CDFA certified which is an organic certification from California. Their testing is very stringent and more difficult to get than your traditional OMRI certification. I feel this is one reason why Roots Organics is a bit better than some of the other organic … [Read more...] about Roots Organic Liquid Line
Introduction to Hydroponics: Integrated Pest Management
-James Gordon and Kamron Kinder- Greetings everyone! Welcome back to Introduction to Hydroponics. In this blog we will be talking about IPM, Integrated Pest Management. Integrated Pest Management is the cornerstone of every garden, as without it, you run the risk of undoing all your hard work. So let's go over what needs to be done for this very important part of our garden to thrive. From raised beds, to indoor gardens, to small air plants hanging in the window, IPM will help keep … [Read more...] about Introduction to Hydroponics: Integrated Pest Management
