Both soil and hydroponic gardeners encounter root decay problems at some point, but as we all know – happy root systems make happy plants. There are many products on the market to help gardeners with root issues, but perhaps the two most common ones are Canna’s Cannazym and World Garden LTD’s Hygrozyme. Cannazym is a blend of 12 different enzymes that break down dead root material and convert it into a mixture of glucose and minerals. This product also contains easily absorbable vitamins … [Read more...] about Cannazym vs. Hygrozyme: Battle for the Roots
Hydroponics
Electrical Conductivity and hydroponic gardening
Electrical Conductivity (EC) measures a material's ability to conduct an electric current and the conductivity of a solution is directly related to the amount of salts dissolved in it. The more salts, the higher the EC. Why is this relevant to hydroponic gardening? Well, hydroponic nutrients are primarily composed of mineral salts, so Electrical Conductivity can give you an idea of how many nutrients are in your solution. Each ion in the solution has a different specific conductivity and … [Read more...] about Electrical Conductivity and hydroponic gardening
Plant Lighting Pt 1: Plants see PAR, humans see Lumens
Most gardeners know lumens to be the “measure of the total ‘amount’ of visible light emitted by a source.” What they often do not know is that this “visible light” only refers to light that is visible to the human eye with no regard to the distribution of that light energy over the spectrum. Why does this matter? Imagine three lamps: let these lamps be red, blue, and green, and let each emit the same number of watts of optical energy. On a lumen scale, the red and blue lamps would have a much … [Read more...] about Plant Lighting Pt 1: Plants see PAR, humans see Lumens
To flush or not to flush?
Flushing is often regarded as something that should be done at the end of your plant’s life cycle before harvesting. In reality, flushing has three major roles that benefit both the plants and you, the gardener, throughout the whole growth cycle. Flushing: 1) Keeps the growing medium and reservoirs clean 2) Keeps root zones and plants happy and healthy 3) Improves taste and aroma by removing excess chemicals and nutrients from plant tissue Flushing regularly (up to every 7-10 days) removes … [Read more...] about To flush or not to flush?
Battling heat and root problems
Spring and summer are great times to practice hydroponics outdoors without expensive lighting systems, but indoors or out, we’re all going to be battling the heat and the stresses it can cause to our plants. Decaying, dying, and dead root material can be the bane of many hydroponic (and some soil) growers - especially during the warm summer months! As gardeners, we must remember that as the temperature in the root zone increases, the rate of respiration of the root tissue also increases. … [Read more...] about Battling heat and root problems
Cloning Nutrients: What’s the difference?
So you're interested in propagating plants via cuttings? Once you've mastered the basics, the next step is to give your plants the best opportunity to switch from producing green stem cells to manufacturing root cells. Giving your plant root-stimulating hormones will increase your chance of successful plant rooting and help your plant develop higher quality roots at a faster rate. While there are many plants that root on their own (often just in a cup of water), these roots are never as … [Read more...] about Cloning Nutrients: What’s the difference?
An Introduction to LEC Light Systems
Light Emitting Ceramic technology is getting a lot of attention from indoor growers, and we thought it would be great for our customers to know a bit more about these innovative lighting systems. What: Light Emitting Ceramics are a new iteration of the classic HID (high-intensity discharge) lamps. The superior ceramic tube allows the bulb to burn at a higher temperature, creating light much closer to the sun’s*. Being able to operate more efficiently at higher temperatures means a boost in … [Read more...] about An Introduction to LEC Light Systems
Are your hydroponic plants eating their nutrients?
In hydroponics gardening, plants get all of their nutrition from the minerals found in hydroponic nutrients. Getting your plants to eat their minerals is a bit more complicated than simply providing enough minerals, however. There are many types and brands of nutrients available on the market, but no matter what kind you choose, plants can only consume the minerals if the conditions are right. A grower can mix nutrients in a reservoir, but this doesn't necessarily make them available to the … [Read more...] about Are your hydroponic plants eating their nutrients?
Managing Carbon Dioxide in Your Grow Space
If you are green to gardening you might not know that carbon dioxide, the gas we all exhale, is critical to plant growth and development. Photosynthesis, the process through which plants use light to create food, requires carbon dioxide. CO2 concentration in ambient air ranges from 300-500 parts per million (ppm), with a global atmospheric average of about 400 ppm. If you are growing in a greenhouse or indoors, the CO2 levels will be reduced as the plants use it up during photosynthesis. … [Read more...] about Managing Carbon Dioxide in Your Grow Space
Basil Grow Journal Week 7 (3/23-4/1)
Some big changes were made in the basil grow this week. The plants were switched from their initial top drip set up to an ebb and flow. For more information regarding the differences and advantages of each system, I'll refer you to a post I made a few months ago regarding using cloners, top drip and ebb and flow systems for an efficient continuous harvest system. In any case, the ebb and flow system, which works by flooding the entire Botanicare tray with nutrient solution, should solve the … [Read more...] about Basil Grow Journal Week 7 (3/23-4/1)
