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Hydroponics gardening resources by Maximum Yield, a free how-to hydroponics gardening and indoor gardening bi-monthly magazine that is distributed internationally through stores that retail hydroponics gardening products.
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CLONING WARS bACk tO the bASICS:ProPer airflow
FREE
indoorgardeningexpo.com
DenverColoraDo, USa
MarCh 31- april 3
vanCoUverBC, CanaDaMay 14-15 JUly 16-17
San FranCiSCoCaliFornia, USa
oCtoBer 22-23
long BeaChCaliFornia, USa
2011inDoor garDening expo
www.maximumyield.com
USA
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
46 Clean and Green: Hydroponic Hygieneby Dr. Lynette Morgan
56 Nutrient Deficiencies – Part 2by Matt LeBannister
66 Cloning Wars by Brian Chiang and Josh Puckett
78 Frightful Weather, Delightful Tomatoesby Casey Jones Fraser
86 Building the Veg by Lee McCall
96 Back to the Basics: Proper Airflowby Jack Van Camp
104 Greenhouse Construction – Part 2: Framesby Philip McIntosh
112 What Should We Know About Biological Inoculants?by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.
122 Environmental Controlby Trevor Holt
10 From the Editor
12 Letters to the Editor
14 MaximumYield.com
20 Simon Says
22 MAX Facts
32 Product Spotlight
84 Beginner’s Corner
94 How It’s Made
102 Green Thumb Gardening
118 Avant-Gardening
120 Growing for Health
132 Talking Shop
136 Max Mart
140 Coming up in March
141 Do You Know?
142 Distributors
February 2011CONTENTS
9Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
122
46
66
10 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Happy
Valentine’s Day
FROM THEeditor jessica raymond
contributors
Jessica Raymond, [email protected]
Become a Maximum Yield contributor and have your articles read by 250,000 readers throughout USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Maximum Yield is the largest free-to-consumer indoor gardening magazine in the world. Every issue is available on maximumyield.com, which has thousands of unique visitors monthly.
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 five hydroponic technical books. Visit www.suntec.co.nz/consultants.htm and www.suntec.co.nz/books.htm for more information.
Lee McCall graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a concentration in Culinary Arts. Culinary school opened the door to research and work with hydroponics and organic production. Currently, Lee attends business school in Denver and focuses on continuing advancements with Maximum Yield and indoor gardening technology.
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.
Matt LeBannister developed a green thumb as a child, having been born into a family of experienced gardeners. During his career, he has managed a hydroponic retail store and represented leading companies at the Indoor Gardening Expos. Matt has been writing articles for Maximum Yield since 2007. His articles are published around the world.
Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. has 50 years of experience growing plants hydroponically. He is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens and has authored eight books and written articles for magazines that deal with hydroponic issues. He currently has his own consulting company, Grosystems, Inc. Dr. Jones currently lives in Anderson, SC, USA.
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.
Brian Chiang has worked for DiCon Fiberoptics, Inc., an advanced technology company based in California, for the last 13 years. Brian received his bachelor’s degree in physics from UC Berkeley and master’s degree in physics from UC Davis. He is currently the managing director for Kessil Lighting, a DiCon business division.
Josh Puckett earned his bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis on plant biology from Sonoma State University. He currently works at the UC Davis Foundation Plant Services. He has years of experience in the horticulture and agriculture industries. He also serves as an advisor for the Kessil Research team.
Trevor Holt is the owner of Sydney-based Hydro Masta Pty Ltd. He has over 20 years of experience in the hydroponics industry. Their website (www.hydromasta.com.au) contains a full library of hydroponic help tips and ideas, plus their online store of over 800 quality products. Email [email protected]
Jack Van Camp has been working for Homegrown Hydroponics. He has years of hands-on hydroponic gardening experience and will answer all of your questions through the Homegrown Hydroponics website at www.hydroponics.comHe loves to share his knowledge with eager gardeners both locally and around the world.
Another way to love your plants is by learning all you can about what they need and want. You can do so by attending one, two, three or all four of the expos on our 2011 North American tour. First stop on the tour is Denver, Colorado at the Colorado Convention Center with over 300 exhibits presenting the latest in indoor gardening gear. We invite all you gardening enthusiasts to attend general public day, April 3, from noon until 5 p.m. No registration necessary! This biggest ever Maximum Yield Indoor Gardening Expo will feature our industry’s best companies from across the globe that are eager to share their knowledge and expertise with beginners and inspire those grow-ers that have been growing for years. Learn, network and become the best grower you can be by attending this educational expo. More information is available at www.indoorgardenexpo.com
Since February is deemed the month of love, why not show a little love to your plants? Bathe them in the spectrum-specific light they crave; keep their environment clean and green; prevent nutrient deficiencies before they start; and take control in the grow room for maximum quality and maximum yields. Learning and perfecting your techniques is an endless journey, but a rewarding one. Writers this issue delve into some unique ways you can improve your grow by exploring a few winning factors that will influence your end results.
12 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Maximum Yield reserves the right to edit for brevity.
We want to hear from you!Write us at:Maximum Yield Publications Inc.2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9or Email us at: [email protected]
LETTERS TOthe editorConnect to MaximumYield.com InstantlyWhat is the black and white holographic symbol on the front cover of the Maximum Yield magazines? Is it a bar code of some kind?
Ed Kubinski
The QR (Quick Response) Code found on the cover of every issue of Maximum Yield allows you to instantly connect to www.maximumyield.com from your Smartphone. Once you have downloaded your choice of QR software to your Smartphone, simply scan the QR Code and your phone’s browser will auto-matically launch, redirecting you to www.maximumyield.com. Full instructions on using this feature are available on page 14.
A Keen EyeIn the October 2010 issue of Maximum Yield USA I read a wonderful article titled "Demystifying Nutrient Solutions." My comment concerns the table of "Major Elements and Micronutrients" on page 117. The naming of the ions under the Major Elements heading is correct, but the naming of the micronutrients is not.1. BO3
3-c is "borate," not "boron."2. MoO4
- is "molybdate" not "molybdenum.”
Laura Efferson
In my article “Demystifying Nutrient Solutions,” table one on page 117 lists the major elements and micronutrients, their ionic form and concentration range in solution. For the elements K, Ca, Mg, Cl, Cu, Mn and Zn, the name for the element and its ionic form are the same. For all the other elements, their elemental name and ionic form do not have the same name. Nitrogen (N) is the element name and the two N forms in a nutrient solution would be either the nitrate (NO
3-) anion or ammonium (NH
4+)
cation. Going down the list of elements, phosphorus exists in solution as either the monohydrogen phosphate (HPO
42-) or
dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO
4-) anion, sulfur as the sulfate
(SO42-) anion, boron as the borate (BO
33-) anion, iron as either
the ferrous (Fe2+) or ferric (Fe3+) cation and molybdenum as the molybdate (MoO
4-) anion. Terminology can be a chal-
lenge when discussing a scientific subject and hydroponics is no exception. It is my desire to present this subject accurately by properly identifying the elements and their forms found in a nutrient solution. - J. Benton Jones, Jr.
Delightful DesignSweet designs you guys are pushing out lately. I was really impressed with the “Tips and Tricks - Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms” article in the January issue of Maximum Yield USA. The spread caught my attention immediately, with an organic, easy-on-the-eyes feel, but the content was easy to navigate as well. The flow chart made diagnosing deficiencies straightforward. Keep up the good work. I would love to see more on LEDS and green options for pest and disease prevention.
Meghan Porter
Thanks Meghan. We always appreciate reader feedback. For more of what you want, flip to page 66 and 46 respectively for “Clon-ing Wars” (comparisons with LEDs) and “Clean and Green” (hygiene in the hydroponic grow room).
Freely GiveI would like to carry your publication in my store North West Hydroponic Supply. We are a new store just over the USA/Canada border in Ferndale, Washington. I've been a long time Maximum Yield reader and have been bringing in my own collection to pass on to my customers until we get some fresh issues delivered. Thank you for the great periodical and Happy New Year.
Rex Hilsinger
Seeing RedRed celery? That’s just freaky. According to the news item published in January Max Facts,“the celery turns red via selective breeding, arguably a more natural form of genetic modification.” But, it’s still genetic modification. Humans are playing “God” and manipulating nature to do their bidding, not allowing for the natural creation of food. Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer my celery to be green, my tomatoes to be red, my oranges to be orange…and the list goes on.
Scott Young
FREE
USA
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DenverColoraDo, USaMarCh 31- april 3
vanCoUverBC, CanaDaMay 14-15
JUly 16-17
San FranCiSCoCaliFornia, USa
oCtoBer 22-23
long BeaChCaliFornia, USa
2011inDoor garDening expo
www.maximumyield.com
Guidelines for Adventurous GUERRILLA GARDENERSGREENER GARDENS Techniques That Save Time, Money and the Planet
14 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER - Jim JessonGENERAL MANAGER - Don Moores
BUSINESS MANAGER - Linda Jesson
EDITOR - Jessica Raymond [email protected]
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USA DISTRIBUTIONAurora Innovations
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I N D O O R G A R D E N I N G
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 11 February 2011
Maximum Yield is published monthly byMaximum Yield Publications Inc.
2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9Phone: 250.729.2677; Fax 250.729.2687
No part of this magazine may be reproducedwithout permission from the publisher.
If undeliverable please return to the address above.
The views expressed by columnists are a personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect those of Maximum Yield or the Editor.
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ConnECt wIth MAxIMuM YIElD
EVEntSIt’s Expo Mania! All four 2011 expos planned on the North American Tour are selling out fast, which means you can expect nothing less than the best our industry has to offer in products and educational information at these high-profile events. Visit www.indoorgardeningexpo.com for dates and details.
SPEED READTake the next step in greenhouse design with framing tips, find solutions to common nutrient deficiencies, bone up on biological inoculants and create a clean, green growing environment.
lAtESt nEwSBeware of fake farmer’s markets and the newest and craziest genetically modified foods in this month’s latest news on the web.
Connect to MaximumYield.com instantly from your Smartphone with our Quick Response (QR) Code, found on the cover of every issue of Maximum Yield. Now you can access the best products, the most in-depth articles and information and the latest news, at high speeds. Simply download the QR Code Reader software compatible with your Smartphone, scan the QR Code and your phone’s browser will automatically launch, redirecting you to www.maximumyield.com. It’s that simple!
20 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
SIMONsays
Ahhh, the murky world of nutrient deficiency diagnosis! This issue can be a bane to rookie and veteran gardeners alike. Many people are far to cavalier about this issue and their solutions end up causing more problems either through misdiagnosis or over correction. First off check your solution pH in a water system or test the leachate in a soilless system. There is no point in trying to mitigate a nutrient problem if your plants’ roots are in a situation where they can’t access the right mineral balance.With all plant issues
you must visually assess the situation and track the movement of the issue on the plant structures themselves. Your question doesn’t specify enough to truly diagnose the issue, which is already difficult to solve without visual assessment of the plant in question. However, I will detail three of the most common deficiencies that could be causing the problem you are describing.Before commenting on the three most
likely causes of the problem, I would like to remind all readers that whenever possible, if you determine its worth the cost, sending away a dried tissue sample to a lab for analysis is a great way to check the nutrient balance within your plant. In fact this could be useful even for healthy plants so you have a baseline of nutrient ratios that you can specifically target in successive crops. For now let’s try and troubleshoot. Remember that taking the time to properly diagnosis a crop problem will benefit you in the future because you
will be able to identify and address the issue rapidly, keeping your garden growing in the right direction.One of the most common causes of
yellowing leaves in gardens is a nitrogen (N) problem. When deficient, nitrogen will cause new growth to be very small and plants will grow slowly. In cases of serious deficiency nitrogen will cause yellowing of leaves. In the case of nitrogen, which is mobile within the plant, you will see yellowing on the older, lower leaves
first as nitrogen is shifted to developing growth. Check with your local grow shop or nutrient manufacturer for a product suggestion and for an application rate. Spot treat a plant with a nitrogen foliar spray (nitrate nitrogen if possible) and assess the effect. A spot treatment is a technique of testing an product on a small part of your garden prior to applying it to all plants. If you are unsure of the problem you can try different spot treatments at the same time to try and isolate the issue.Another possible culprit is a lack of
magnesium (Mg). Again this issue will generally start in lower leaves but will be more pronounced initially in the leaf margin and along the edges of the lobes. Eventually the leaves will turn completely yellow with the exception of the venation. Remember that it starts from the older leaves because magnesium is not entirely
I have some yellowing leaves, both on the fringe and in a couple of cases the whole leaf. Two of the leaves look like yellow paint was spilled on them. Can you suggest possible causes?
Thanks,Charlie
mobile. This is distinct from the third possibility. Epsom salts (MgSO
4) are a
good idea for a root application or foliar spray. Check with your local grow shop or nutrient manufacturer for a product suggestion and an application rate and then spot treat a plant to assess the effect.Iron (Fe) deficiency also causes yellowing
in leaves and can be a common issue as well. Because iron is not incredibly mobile the deficiency will occur in the
newer leaves rather than the older leaves as compared to a magnesium deficiency. It will also start in the leaf margins working its way
to the middle while leaving the venation green. Chelated iron is available in many products and is absorbable as a foliar spray. Again, check with your local shop or nutrient manufacturer for a product suggestion and an application rate and then spot treat a plant to assess the effect.It is possible to find some products in
the market that combine useful options for all three issues in one bottle. Check with your local hydroponic retailer and ask about their calcium supplement options. In general these products will contain nitrate nitrogen, magnesium and chelated iron within their formula. I can’t emphasize enough what an excellent resource your local grow shop can be. Whenever you have nutrient issues be sure to consult their knowledgeable staff.
Good luck in the garden.
“With all plant issues you must visually assess the situation and track the movement of the issue on the
plant structures themselves.”
22 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
hydroponic news, tips and triviaMAXfacts
EYE lighting and Sunlight Supply Donate lighting for lake Metroparks Farmpark Greenhouse and hydroponics Displays EYE Lighting International, manufacturers of HORTILUX™ lamps, has partnered with Sunlight Supply, Inc. to donate new lighting equipment for the hydroponics green-house at Lake Metroparks Farmpark. EYE Lighting donated high pressure sodium and metal halide bulbs, and Sunlight Supply provided fixtures and ballasts to light over 300 square feet of growing area in the main hydroponics greenhouse."We look forward to seeing the effects of our new greenhouse lighting this winter," com-
mented Valerie Reinhart, horticulture education specialist for Lake Metroparks Farmpark. "Seeing all the vegetables and flowers in full bloom in the dead of winter should open people's eyes to the fun of gardening 12 months a year.”Lake Metroparks Farmpark is a 235 acre family fun, science and cultural center located
in Kirtland, Ohio. To learn more about the hydroponics greenhouse and the Great Tomato Works exhibit, visit www.lakemetroparks.com
Rain Gardens Sprouting up Everywhere __________________Rain gardens are increasingly popular with homeowners and municipalities and are mandatory for many communities nationally. U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists are finding ways to improve rain gardens so they not only reduce runoff, but also keep toxic metals out of storm drains.Rain gardens not only slow water down to give it time to soak into the
ground and be used by plants, but also filter out sediment and chemical pollutants. Scientists found that poultry litter biochar—activated carbons created from the charred remains of poultry litter—is a powerful pollutant magnet. It can attract heavy metals such as copper, cadmium and zinc, which are ordinarily tough to snag from wastewater.Tests are being conducted on the poultry litter biochar as well as other farm and industrial
byproducts at two demonstration rain gardens in Beaver, West Virginia, as well as at plots at a county landfill and a mineland reclamation site. (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)
Crops You Can Grow in Cold weather __________________________Just because it’s cold outside—and snowy in some regions—doesn’t mean you can’t keep up the green thumb you were developing all summer. It will be too late in the season to plant a lot of these, but depending where you live, there’s still time for a lot of them. • Cabbage: including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower
and romanesco.• Root veggies: including beets, carrots, turnips, rutabaga,
kohlrabi, parsnips, celery, radishes and potatoes.• Leafy greens: including kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard
greens, mache, lettuce and parsley.(Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com)
24 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
hydroponic news, tips and triviaMAXfacts
Can Kids thrive on a Vegetarian Diet? _________A nationwide survey of 1,258 eight to 18-year-olds found that an estimated 1.4 million kids are vegetarians. Plant-based diets are inherently healthier than meat-based diets, according to a host of studies, but this isn't to say that just by eating under the label vegetar-ian or vegan kids always eat healthier.According to a recent article in the
Washington Post, kids can thrive on a veg-etarian diet but there are some definite dangers that parents need to be looking out for to keep their little ones at optimal health.Dr. Hemant Sharma, a pediatrician at Children's National
Medical Center, recommends three meals and three ener-gy-dense snacks a day for his vegetarian patients includ-ing nuts, seeds and avocado, as well as such high protein foods as tofu and low-fat dairy and eggs. Particular areas of concern include iron, especially in teenage girls, and in vegan diets Vitamin D, B12 and calcium.(Source: www.treehugger.com)
Progress Earth Releases Short Film on Revolutionary Vortex Brewer _____________Progress Earth has recently released a short film detailing the Vortex Brewer, which is available now on their Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/user/ProgressEarth. Gardeners, retail stores, nurseries, landscapers and farmers can experience the benefits of the Vortex Brewer, a revolu-tionary system that creates living compost tea. Just over six minutes long, this film discusses the benefits of compost tea, a living solution, when created using the Vortex Brewer. It discusses working with living systems instead of against
them. Check out the Vortex Brewer short film avail-able for viewing now on www.youtube.com/user/Progres-sEarth.
26 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
hydroponic news, tips and triviaMAXfactsInfrared Sheds light on Beneficial Microbes ____________Infrared spectroscopy can quickly spot beneficial fungi on roots in soil. This type of spectroscopy has become established practice for quick and reliable analysis of grain and forage quality, as well as for other agricultural uses. The ability to quickly analyze field soils for these beneficial fungi, called Mycorrhizae, would allow scientists to judge which crop rotations or other farming practices increase mycorrhizal fungi. This is important nationwide to improve crop yields, and especially critical in semi-arid areas like the Central Great Plains.The test could simplify, speed and make more objective measurements of
Mycorrhizae in root samples compared to the standard method of visual scoring through a microscope. Scientists plan to study the spectral proper-ties of other crop-fungal species to see whether there are universal spectral signa-tures for this important group of organisms.(Source: www.ars.usda.gov)
new and Crazy Genetically Modified FoodsAccording to Sustainable Table, about 200 million acres of farmland worldwide are now used to grow genetically modi-fied organisms (GMOs). The most common GMO crops are soybeans, which represent 63 per cent of all GMO crops, corn at 19 per cent, cotton at 13 per cent and canola at five per cent. None of the following have been approved yet by the FDA, but with what we've seen so far, who's to say that they won't be in the future.
1. “Super Chicken Eggs” produce compounds that can fight a range of diseases from diabetes, to viruses to tooth decay.
2. “Non-Browning Apples” are missing the gene that produces the enzyme polyphenol oxidase.
3. “Fast-Growing Salmon” do not grow larger than regular salmon; they just achieve their size in 16 to 18 months rather than three years.
4. “Hyper-Producing Seeds” have an altered command gene that tells the plants when and how many flow-ers to generate.
5. “Enviro-Pigs™” are modified to produce 65 per cent less phosphorous in their poop and urine.
(Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com)
Beware of the Fake Farmer’s MarketsTwo major U.S. super-market chains have been holding misleading in-store marketing using “farmer’s markets” as their advertisement tag line. The trouble isn’t with grocery chains faking farmer’s markets, says the Wall Street Journal, but with the dilution of the term itself. Once people begin associating it with grocery stores, public will begin to stop seeing the direct-from-the-source connection that farmer’s markets imply.Of course, this implication at even non-store, outdoor
farmer’s markets isn’t always correct either. An investigative report by an NBC News affiliate in Los Angeles, California found that some sellers at LA-area farmer’s markets were pretending to be growers while actually just selling produce purchased at a wholesaler.The real trick to knowing what you’re buying at a farmer’s
market is, of course, to know the farmers themselves. Most legitimate growers are more than happy to allow you to visit and even tour their farms to see how they operate.(Source: www.aaronturpen.com)
28 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
hydroponic news, tips and triviaMAXfactshydroponics Goes Mobile ________________Calling all fans of Farmville, if you find yourself watering your crops on the bus, in the pub or sneakily at work then in the near future you could doing the same actions to produce real crops. The latest in hydroponic pocket gadgets will give users the power to control and assess the light, water and temperature levels of their system straight from their computers, iPhones, iPods or iPads.The product is a contained growing
chamber that uses high intensity LED lights with a drip irrigation system. The box is controlled by a gadgets and server software for real time control. This product will work even work with Twitter, giving crop updates through tweets.No longer will you have to rush home to make changes to
your system. Wondering about how your plants are doing, how much water they have had, how hot the system is or if your light schedule has kicked in will be a thing of the past.(Source: http://hydroponicsguide.co.uk)
lumiGrow Co-hosts “Sustainable Crops…” webcast ___________________LumiGrow, Inc., manufacturers of horticulture LED lighting technologies, co-presented a live webcast with Environ-mental Growth Chambers, Inc., the leading provider of con-trolled environment chambers for scientific research and commercial applications. During the 25 minute webcast, attendees learned how to reduce energy consumption up to 50 per cent by retrofitting greenhouses and environmental growth chambers with LED lights.The webcast featured Robert Starnes, senior superinten-
dent of agriculture for the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). UC Davis and other leading agricultural institu-tions have named energy-efficient research methods as critical to their sustainability strategies. These universities have identified environmental growth chambers and green-houses as among the biggest energy consumers on cam-
pus. This is because most are lit by incandescent, fluorescent or high intensity discharge fixtures and bulbs that output more of the color spectrum than plants can actually use, resulting in energy waste. Visit www.lumigrow.com for more information about LumiGrow and the benefits of LEDs.
30 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
MAXfacts hydroponic news, tips and trivia
Innovative Chefs Foraging for Miner’s lettuceEarly settlers in California and throughout the Northwest snacked on Vitamin C-laden miner’s lettuce to fend off scurvy, a disease that resulted from a deficiency in the nutrient. The disease was common among those that lived without ample supply of fruits and vegetables. Miner’s lettuce actually gets its name from the miners that used it to maintain health during the Gold Rush. Today many a renown chef forage for the lackluster weed in the fields outside of San Francisco.Miner’s lettuce is a native winter an-
nual that’s loaded with flavor and puts your average greens to shame. It’s found in natural plant communities, agricultural land and urban areas and loves cold, damp conditions.Miner’s lettuce is a green that even
the most finicky, vegetable-averse child will love. If you haven’t eaten miner’s lettuce before, try it first at a restaurant in a salad or boiled as you would spinach and you won’t be disappointed. And once you know exactly what you’re looking for, consider going foraging yourself.(Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com)
new York School Sees Benefits of hydroponicsLucky children in a New York school are now taking their science lessons in a rooftop hydroponic garden. The Manhattan School for Children has recently installed a 1,420 square foot rooftop greenhouse that is capable of producing around 8,000 pounds of produce annually. The hydroponic garden will produce tomatoes and strawber-ries as well as other crops that will be used by the school’s kitchen in preparing meals for the pupils.The rooftop hydroponics project is part of the wider activi-
ties undertaken by New York Sun Works, an organization focused towards promoting “urban sustainability”. Aqua-ponics is also a key element in the garden. At $800,000 the project has certainly been costly, however if successful it could pave the way for similar projects throughout the city.(Source: http://hydroponicsguide.co.uk)
32 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlightYOUR GUIDE TO THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST ITEMS Ask for them at your local indoor gardening store.
3D organics Presents Grow x 1-0-0 _____________________________Grow X 1-0-0 is an organic indoor/outdoor foliar spray that provides the ideal ratio of mi-crominerals and natural grow stimulators for instantaneous growth. Grow X 1-0-0 is nano-emulsified and contains organic nitrogen (from feather meal hydrosolate), fatty acids (from beeswax), proteins, hormones (from kelp) and microminerals (chelated with amino acids). One pint of Grow X 1-0-0 makes over 90 gallons of a ready-to-use spray. Grow X 1-0-0 is approved for use in organic crop production under National Organic Program Final Rule. Visit your local indoor/outdoor gardening shop for more information.
Carson Vision-Enhancement Devices _______________________See beyond the limitations of the human eye with Carson Vision-Enhancement Devic-es. The Carson Aura Digital Night Vision Monocular provides a bright, clear and sharp image. It allows gardeners to see without disturbing day/night lighting cycles and fea-tures a zoom function that delivers two to three times magnification. The Carson zOrb is a USB digital microscope with an integrated camera that displays the magnified images it collects right on a computer screen. Its impressive 35 times magnification (on a 14 inch monitor) allows users to see details of ordinary objects that they never knew existed, and its built-in internal illuminator ensures a clear and bright picture. Its built-in 640 by 480 resolution digital camera makes it easy to save images on the USB, and it even captures close-focus video. Order Carson Vision-Enhancement Devices from your local indoor gardening shop today.
It’s a Boy – Announcing the Max 6 _______The Max 6 from Can-Filters is in stock and available now at indoor gardening shops. The new addition to the line is three speeds (high 334 CFM, medium 264 CFM, low 201 CFM) and six inches high. This versatile product is smaller, stronger and more efficient. It is an inline mixed flow fan, with aerodynamically optimized airflow, quiet operation and extremely high efficiency. Max Fan saves space and
saves energy. Visit your local indoor gardening retailer to learn more.
hydrofarm’s new nutrient hand Pump _____Have you ever tried to pour out a small amount of liquid nutrient into a measuring spoon, only to have it spill all over the place? With Hydrofarm’s new one ounce nutrient hand pump, spills can now be avoided. Hydrofarm’s nutrient hand pump screws on to the lid of one gallon and 2.5 gallon nutrient containers and one full pump delivers one ounce of nutrients. For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer near you.
34 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlight
new From nutriculture and Atami – the wilma BIG 8 _____________________The Wilma BIG 8 is tailor made for growers using a two light set-up in an eight by four foot grow area. The additional space allows plants more room to grow big, and achieve larger yields. The combination of massive four gallon pots with the accurate feeding of active hydro means more root mass, greater nutrient uptake and increased yields. Bigger pots and wider pot spacing means there’s plenty of room to let plants grow. Grow in any medium—clay, coco, soil, rockwool—and set feedings on a timer to suit the lifestage of the plants. Visit your favorite hydroponics shop to learn more.
hydro International Presents 1,000 watt Bulbs ____________Hydro International’s new 1,000 watt HPS Super Bulb features outputs 145,000 lumens with an enhanced spectrum. The Super Bulb is a super heavy-duty, EPA and TCLP factory tested bulb. Visit an indoor gardening shop for more information on Super Bulbs.
upgraded Plant Pro Environmental Controller From Solatel Growers have requested new features on our Plant Pro Environmental Controller and those changes are finally here. The upgrade Plant Pro Environmental Controller offers exact electronic timing for lighting, irrigation, ventilation and CO2. New features include: separate day and night temperature settings; vent fan mode (fan and CO2 never on together) or sealed room mode (fan and CO2 are independent) where fan has sensor and timer modes; timing from power line or internal timekeeping signal (use with generator or noisy power line); and over temperature emergency shut down. For upgrade of existing units and more information visit an indoor gardening shop near you.
36 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlight Your guide to this month’s hottest items.
oMRI listed Eco-hydro Fish liquid Fertilizer 2-4-0.2 _____________
Eco-Hydro Fish 2-4-0.2 liquid organic fertilizer is made from fresh, wild caught Pacific north-west fish. Marine fish contain many more elements, including trace minerals, than freshwa-ter fish, and are less susceptible to disease and parasites. Our Eco-Hydro Fish 2-4-0.2 is a hydrolysate, not an emulsion, making it ideal for both foliar and root applications. This prod-uct is screened twice through a 200 mesh Sweco screen so it will go through any fertigation system without clogging. Fish are an excellent food source for microbial action. Plant health is improved based upon the major increase of microbial action stimulated by Eco-Hydro Fish. Unproductive soil is easily rebuilt and replenished through repeated applications of this product. With Eco-Hydro Fish fertilizer, plants improve in color, health and considerable growth. For more information please visit an indoor gardening shop for more information.
Solar Flare™ t5 Vho Fluorescent lighting Fixtures _____________
Solar Flare™ T5 VHO Fluorescent Lighting Fixtures are made with 95 per cent reflective European aluminum. They are major brand solid state electronic bal-lasts with dedicated 120 volt or 240 volt input power. They feature heavy duty white steel housing and are louvered and slotted for efficient cooling capability. They come complete with two chrome wire hang-ers for mounting/hanging and an eight foot grounded power cord. Purchase your choice of lamps separately. VHO Lamps offer 7,200 lumens and 95 watts each and they feature a backlit on/off switch. The eight lamp and 12 lamp models offer two switches for a variety of configurations. Solar Flare™ fixtures come with a two year war-ranty. To learn more visit an indoor gardening shop near you.
Vital Earth’s® worm Castings _________________________________Worm castings, also known as vermicastings, contain water-soluble nutrients that greatly enhance soil conditioning. Our superior quality worm castings use only African night crawl-ers, raised in organic bedding with no toxic materials. Worm castings are rich in microbial life, which convert nutrients already available in the soil into plant-ready forms. Unlike other com-post, worm castings also contains worm mucus, which helps prevent nutrients from washing away with the first watering and holds moisture better than plain soil. Safe and pet-friendly, our worm castings should be an essential part of your garden, taking it to the next level. Available in: 2.25 pound buckets, 1.1 cubic foot bags and two yard totes. To learn more, visit a hydropon-ics shop near you.
new hydrofarm Measuring Cups _______________________________Hydrofarm’s measuring cups have reinforced handles, which allow you to easily measure pow-der, dust, liquid, seeds or pellets for your home, lawn or garden. They are sturdy, food grade plastic and virtually non-breakable. These measuring cups are perfect for digging deep into bags of fertilizer or other growing media and have an angled spout for mess-free pouring. Our measur-ing cups feature US and metric markings and are available in one, two, four, eight and 12 cups. For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer near you.
38 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlight Your guide to this month’s hottest items.
3D organics Presents Pre-Fruit x 1-0-1 __________Pre-Fruit X 1-0-1 is an organic indoor/outdoor foliar spray that delivers a precise ratio of microminerals and natural plant bloom enhancers for unsurpassable flowering quality. By weight, Pre-Fruit X 1-0-1 is over 20 per cent seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum), nano-emulsified and contains organic nitrogen, potassium, proteins, hormones, microminerals (chelated with amino acids) and neutraceutical grade Thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1). One pint of Pre-Fruit X 1-0-1 makes over 160 gallons of a ready-to-use spray. Pre-Fruit X 1-0-1 is approved for use in organic crop production under National Organic Program Final Rule. Visit your favorite indoor/outdoor gardening shop for more information.
organic laboratories now Available _______Organic Laboratories is one of the country’s leading producers and marketers of earth friendly pesticides and fertilizers. Tomato Maker is a revolutionary, natural-based fertilizer and soil conditioner that produces a robust tomato crop and provides comprehensive nutrition. Tomato Maker has shown to correct plant nutritional deficiencies and prevent blossom end rot. MycoStim is a natural-based biological soil and root inoculant with beneficial root colonizing fungi that increase the root’s ability to take up nutrients and water. Exel LG (lawn and garden) is a
broad spectrum systemic fungicide for turf, fruit trees, ornamentals and flowers. A systemic product, it has a foliar or root application that will work its way throughout the entire plant to prevent disease and attack existing disease. Organocide is an OMRI listed insecticide and fungicide for organic production, derived from a unique blend of soybean extract and sesame and fish oils. For more information, visit an authorized Hydrofarm retailer near you.
Emperor lighting From Megawatt _________Emperor Lighting is the next generation of high intensity discharge lights with an improved design for higher lumen output and enhanced color spectrums. Engineers worked with agricultural researchers to produce quality lights that trigger hormones in
plants to help increase flowering and encourage tight internodes. The Emperor Lighting line was engineered for use with all ballast types. These lights feature continuous operation, longer bulb life, less lumen depreciation over time and they can be used in both vertical and horizontal fixtures. The Emperor Lighting line has been approved for hot starts, and works with electronic and magnetic ballasts. They are stamped with a heat sensitive logo, which will change color once the lamp attains its full spectrum. German technology, Canadian design and backed with a one year warranty. Look for them in early 2011 at your favorite hydroponics shop.
Continued on page 42
Pwx240S Sequenced Power Expander From Solatel __________________________Control six 1,000 watt, 240 volt lamps with the PWX240S Sequenced Power Expander from Solatel. A six foot, 10 gauge power cable connects to 240 volt 30 amp service. The six foot trigger cord plugs into 120 volt controller or timer (not included) drawing very little current. Trigger switches current from power cable to outlets. Outlets are sequenced with 20 second on and five second off delay between pairs. This reduces power line problems. Visit your local indoor gardening shop for more information.
42 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlight
Continued on page 130
Introducing Black Magic Extra Stout From Microbrewed Fertilizer ____Black Magic Extra Stout is our flagship product that showcases Microbrewed Fertilizer's unique ability to bring small batch, craft-brewed, high end products to market at domestic prices. This crystal clear, 100 per cent soluble liquid flowering booster delivers the power you want without any thick or messy binding ingredients. When using Black Magic's pro-prietary blend of structured phosphite groupings coupled with new age bio-stimulant tech-nology, the grower is sure to see an increase in quality, flower size and density. Our craft batch brewing procedure blends high powered phosphites in conjunction with pure organic bio-stimulants to create a product that is unrivaled in quality and unmatched in value. Black Magic is suitable for all growing mediums and is non-clogging in drip, ebb and flow and even aeroponic sprayers. Visit a hydroponics shop near you for more information.
Vital Earth’s® organic Manna Mix _______________________________Manna is often described as a source of divine nourishment and this powerful blend of some of Vital Earth’s® most potent ingredients is indeed divine. This is our superior coconut-based plant-ing mix, and we think you will notice great improvement in the yields and quality of your end product. With Vital Earth’s® Coconut Pith, the holding capacity of the extra-long strands of coco-nut fiber creates the perfect air-to-water ratio for this triple-washed, low-saline, ideal container planting mix. Your plants are sure to be happy and healthy from seedling to harvest. Contains O.G. Cal-Phos and O.G. Dolomite Ag-10; Vital Earth’s® Coconut Pith; Vital Earth’s® Rose & Flower 5-9-4; MegaWorm® earthworm castings; mycorrhizal fungi and Vital Earth’s® Powdered Glacial Rock; fortified with Vital Earth’s® Organic Compost OMRI™. Available in 1.5 cubic foot bags and two yard totes. To learn more, visit a hydroponics shop near you.
Galaxy® Master Blaster Electronic Ballast __Silent, lightweight and extremely efficient, the Galaxy Mas-ter Blaster features extruded aluminum housing that is en-gineered to dissipate heat and keep the components cool. It comes standard with a six foot 240 volt cord. The resettable circuit breaker offers short circuit protection. The lamp cord receptacle is compatible with all Sun System® reflectors and sockets. The Galaxy Master Blaster is generator ready and operates on 240 volt power only. We recommend using a large air-cooled reflector with this ballast and lamp; the eight inch Sun System® Magnum XXXL™ is ideal for this application. Comes with a two year warranty. To learn more visit an indoor gardening shop near you.
Vital Earth’s® PhC Biopak® _____________Vital Earth’s® PHC Biopak® is a unique, dry, water soluble inoculant with beneficial bacteria. This product enriches the soil profile with beneficial microbes, which act as a sustainable fertility system. Once the microbes are in place in the root zone, they solubilize phosphorus, fix atmospheric nitrogen and can gradually improve soil tilth, which are processes that encourage healthy root growth. Live beneficial microbes can reproduce in the root zone to maintain populations and sustain beneficial activities. This product is all-natural. It helps recover stressed plants, helps with transplant shock and processes excess fertilizers to prevent nutri-ent lock and soil buildup. Available in one pound jars and five pound bags. To learn more, visit your favor-ite hydroponics shop.
Your guide to this month’s hottest items.
46 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
by Dr. Lynette Morgan
A little housekeeping can go a long way in keeping fungi, bacteria and viruses out of your grow space.
& Green Hydroponic Hygiene
Clean
47Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Many unseen nasties can cohabitate happily with plants in an indoor garden or greenhouse—after all, warmth,
moisture and nutrients provide a cozy environment for a wide range of life forms. Fungi, bacteria and viruses all tend to have survival stages that can be carried over from one crop to the next, making cleanliness and hygiene an important aspect of growing healthy plants. This, coupled with the fact that some fungi in particular can also have a negative effect on our health, means that growers need to do some housekeeping from time to time to make sure the growing area remains a pleasant and healthy place to relax in. While there are some very efficient high-tech cleaning compounds on the market, smaller growers don’t necessarily need to invest in an arsenal of disinfectants, as some of the older, simpler versions still work well.
What are we dealing with?Fungal spores, bacteria and viruses are difficult to keep out of a growing area as they can hitch a ride on new plants, seeds, equipment, growing substrates, clothing and footwear, as well as in dust, air currents or water, or they can be carried in by insects and other pests. For hydroponic growers, algae can become a cleaner’s nightmare as it will flourish anywhere there is light, moisture and nutrients, creating a persistent, slimy mess that can harbor fungus gnats and shore flies.
CleanA heavy infestation of sucking pests such as whitefly will rap-
idly leave a thick, black, sticky residue over every surface—this is honey dew, which the insects excrete as they are feeding, and which then becomes colonized by sooty mold. The honeydew/sooty mold residue becomes very difficult to remove—espe-cially once it’s fully dried—and this is often the biggest cleaning challenge for most growers. Apart from pest grime, bio-films can develop on many surfaces creating a layer of organic mate-rial, which can harbor a range of pests and diseases such as fungal spores and insect eggs. Bio-films can also develop on the inside of nutrient reservoirs and growing channels, and these can harbor waterborne diseases such as Pythium.
Carry over to new plantsOld plant debris—fallen leaves, trimmings, prunings and spent media—all create an ideal environment for pest and disease transfer. Some disease spores can survive for years inside old plant debris, while insect eggs may make the material a new source of infestations for many months to come. For this reason composting old plant material and growing media inside the growing area is not a good idea. Even growers who dump plant trimmings outside greenhouses have had issues with insect pests coming right back inside and carrying viruses with them. All old plant material should be bagged up, sealed and removed
from the growing area immediately, particularly where decaying or diseased foliage or plants are being removed.
Cleaning and disinfection products and proceduresThere is a huge range of disinfecting and cleaning prod-ucts on the market registered for use in the horticultural industry. Some chemical disinfectants and cleaners have the potential to be toxic to plants if residues are not removed before planting the next crop, and extra care needs to be taken with compounds used to clean reser-voirs, tanks and growing channels.There are several different types of disinfectants that are
commonly used in greenhouses, pack houses and indoor gardens for plant disease control and general clean-ing between crops. One of the oldest yet still quite effective disinfection agents is diluted household bleach (sodium hy-pochlorite), which provides a high kill rate for spores, bacteria and viruses when provided sufficient contact time. Bleach should be diluted to a 10 per cent solution with water before use in a well-ventilated area, and a contact time of 30 minutes should be allowed on surfaces being cleaned. Bleach residues, however, need to be thoroughly washed away before planting out the next lot of seedlings. The effectiveness of bleach can
be increased by mixing a little good-quality detergent (a non-ionic surfactant) into
the diluted bleach, which helps remove more grime and acts as a wetting agent. Other compounds typically contained in greenhouse disin-fection agents are quaternary ammonium chloride salts, hydrogen
dioxide and chlorine dioxide. Seventy per cent alcohol can also be used for dipping tools and wiping surfaces, and needs no rinsing to remove residues.For those who want their indoor garden to remain “chemi-
cal free”, hot water and detergent combined with some elbow grease can be highly effective if all the surfaces are covered and
well scrubbed. For stubborn grime, insect messes and sooty mold residues, using a paste of baking soda (sodium bicarbon-ate) can help as a scouring agent, but again it needs to be well
washed away after use. An old-fashioned household cleaning mixture of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid or vinegar is also suitable for cleaning a range of surfaces in the growing area, including chan-nel surfaces, tanks, equipment, walls and floors. There are also new products available that don’t use chemical compounds and have been designed specially for use in greener growing environments.Hydrogen peroxide (H
2O
2), also called hydrogen
dioxide, is another popular ingredient in cleaning agents. H
2O
2 is a powerful oxidant and disinfection
agent provided it is used at the correct dose (at least 200 to 300 ppm) and allowed a contact time of more than 15 minutes where spores and other thick dirt
“Usually it is the nutrient reservoir that needs the most attention when the
plants are growing, as algae, salt deposits, lime scale and other slime can
all build up.”
Commercial greenhouse growers need to take crop hygiene very seriously to help prevent major disease outbreaks.
48 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Above: Sparkly clean and disinfected, ready for planting a new crop.
Right: The ultimate in cleanliness and crop hygiene.
Clean and Green - Hydroponic Hygiene
50 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Clean and Green - Hydroponic Hygiene
may have accumulated. H2O
2 also needs to be well rinsed away
or left to dissipate over a period of a few days, as even low levels of residue—as low as 10 ppm—have been found to have a negative effect on the growth of young and sensitive seedlings in hydroponics.Running a solution of bleach or H
2O
2 through empty
solution culture systems such as NFT, DFT or aeroponics be-tween crops is a good way to clear out any organic matter or disease spores from inside the irrigation lines; however, these need to be rinsed well and run with clean water for at least 24 hours before replanting. Many growers who have a water supply that is considered “hard”—containing high levels of calcium—often find their pumps, tanks, irrigation lines and chan-nels scaling up with a hard white deposit. One of the most effective ways of re-moving this hard lime scale is with a soak of diluted acid (phosphoric or nitric), which will dissolve away the deposits; this method is particularly good for soak-ing drippers or emitters that are otherwise difficult to clean.
Hygiene during the cropping cycleWhile a good scrub with heavy duty disinfectant and clean-ing agents is fine when the growing area is empty, maintain-ing hygiene when there are plants in place is another matter.
Most plants are sensitive to many of the cleaning compounds we commonly use, including bleach, H
2O
2 and even repeat ap-
plications of soaps and detergents, so in-crop hygiene needs to be more delicate. Usually it is the nutrient reservoir that needs the most attention when the plants are growing, as algae, salt deposits, lime scale and other slime can all build up, particu-larly if some light is reaching the nutrient inside the reservoir. A quick drain, scrub and rinse should be all that’s needed to keep the nutrient tank in good condition when plants are still in the system. Any algae growing on other surfaces—such as on top of growing media, in return channels or on the floor where leaks occur—needs regular control. Putting lightproof plastic film covers over the top of growing media is the saf-est and most effective way of preventing and killing algae, as chemical control agents can cause phytotoxicity to the roots. On hard surfaces such as floors and channel tops, algae can be sprayed or wiped with disinfectant, provided none of this makes its way back into the nutrient solution. Algae can be a problem in an otherwise clean growing area as it acts as a food source for fungus gnats, and the gnat larvae can cause serious plant damage when they feed on the roots, as well as spreading spores of certain plant pathogens.Prevention of pest and disease problems is just as important as
cleanliness. For growing areas where dirty shoes may tramp in
Botrytis or grey mould spores become airborne and can land on surfaces all around the growing area, ready to infect a new crop.
Black, sticky, sooty mold grows on the honeydew excreted by sucking insects as they feed, which can cover foliage as well as other surfaces.
Whitefly and other sucking insect pests can be responsible for a lot of mess – honeydew and sooty mold are difficult to clean off surfaces.
Explosive pest outbreaks can desiccate a crop and make for a big clean up job.
Clean and Green - Hydroponic Hygiene
soil and other dirt, foot baths, even in a small growing area, can be important. A shallow tray with a nonslip mat on the base filled with diluted disinfectant (bleach or some other product), placed in the doorway so that anyone entering has to step both feet into it, has been shown to prevent many fungal spores and insects from entering the growing area. Allowing only clean water, equipment and materials to enter the grow room and regular monitoring of the plants is also important for preventing disease outbreaks. Pruning knives, scissors and other tools should be cleaned between crops with a quick dip in alcohol or a strong bleach solution, as this prevents the carryover of any sap-transmitted viruses or other spores such as Botrytis, which can infect cut surfaces.Any new plants or seedlings
being brought into the growing area should be thoroughly in-spected for pest or disease problems and, if possible, quarantined away from the main growing system for at least a week. New plant material is one of the most common sources of pest and disease introduction, so it pays to know what the early signs of any problems may look like before introducing any new addi-tions to the system.If the water supply to the hydroponic system is not from a
clean source, this can become a major obstacle to keeping a
Nutrient reservoirs often need attention to remove algae and other debris and sediment while the crop is still in the system.
Algae will grow on all surfaces where light, moisture and nutrients are present.
Algae growth on the top of rockwool cubes can become so thick as to retard nutrient flow down to the roots.
Clean, white plastic film makes a great cover for hydroponic systems to exclude light and algae growth.
hygienic growing area. Generally, municipal water supplies are treated with disinfectant chemicals, and although sometimes these chemicals—such as chloramines—can cause plant damage of their own, the water is usually free of plant pathogens. Collected rain or ground water may need treatment before use in hydroponic systems, although not all these water sources
would be considered as con-taminated for plant growth. Unclean water can contain a number of waterborne prob-lems, including the dreaded pathogens Phytophthora, Pythium and Fusarium. Luck-ily these days small hydroponic
growers have a good choice of water treatment options, with non-chemical methods such as UV (ultraviolet light), ozone or RO (reverse osmosis) providing less risk than chemical-based water disinfection agents.Keeping a clean, green growing environment is not only
more pleasant to work and relax in—it provides some sensible preventive measures in the grower’s unceasing battle against the unwanted insect intruders and nasty disease pathogens that are always looking to invade your indoor kingdom! MY
“If the water supply to the hydroponic system is not from a clean source, this
can become a major obstacle to keeping a hygienic growing area.”
52 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
by Matt LeBannister
Being an indoor gardener means you must fully take over the role of Mother Nature, caring for each plant and providing just the right nutrition for it to thrive and be healthy. For every plant and each stage of growth there are different nutri-tional needs that must be met. Plants in the vegetative phase of growth, for example, require larger amounts of certain nutrients like nitrogen for vigorous growth than plants in the bloom or flower phase, while blooming plants require more phospho-
rous than plants in the vegetative phase of growth. Using a quality multi-part nutri-ent can usually ensure that plants have all the nutrients they need present in their root zone. However, there are other factors that can affect a plant’s ability to absorb those nutrients, and when this happens a nutrient deficiency will develop—if the deficiency is prolonged, it can go on to become a more serious nutrient disorder.
“Using a quality multi-part nutrient can usually ensure that plants have all the nutrients they need present in
their root zone.”
56 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
NutrieNt DeficieNcies: Part twoIn the last few articles we discussed different nutrient deficiency disorders—many of which have similar symptoms—which can become serious if not properly diagnosed. In this final chapter on the subject, three common nutrient deficiencies are examined at length—sulfur, zinc and manganese.
by Matt LeBannister
57Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
sulfur DeficienciesSulfur is an immobile nutrient that can often be deficient in plants. It is a key component of many plant functions and is necessary for the plant to manufacture hormones, amino acids, proteins, vitamins—including B1—plant cells and seeds, and is also necessary for respiration. With sulfur required for so many vital processes, plants can really suffer when there is a prolonged deficiency of this important nutrient.The early symptoms of a sulfur deficiency can easily be
confused with a nitrogen deficiency. At first, they both show signs of a deficiency in the older leaves that begin to yellow in between the veins that remain green, but as the deficiency pro-gresses, the symptoms become more individual and identifiable. The leaf stems will begin to turn a shade of purple and become elongated, and stems will become woody near the base. If the deficiency continues and is left untreated, the leaf tips will burn and turn downwards. Plants with a sulfur deficiency will gener-ally be stunted and weak overall.A sulfur deficiency can be traced back to various causes. Using
a poor-quality, one-part nutrient solution might be respon-sible. Sulfur must remain separated from calcium in the bottle, and one-part nutrient solutions allow calcium and sulfur to combine, which makes the sulfur insoluble—meaning that the sulfur in the solution would not be available to be absorbed by the plant. This is actually the main cause of sulfur deficien-cies. Adding a half teaspoon per quart of Epsom salts—magne-sium sulfate—to your nutrient solution will provide adequate amounts of water-soluble sulfur to your plant if you suspect none is available. Having an overabundance of calcium present in the soil or
hydroponic solution can also cause a sulfur deficiency, because the calcium will bond with the sulfur, making it insoluble. Us-ing quality, balanced, multi-part nutrients will prevent this from becoming an issue.
58 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Another cause of sulfur deficiencies is having the pH of the soil or hydroponic solution too high, which locks out certain nutrients—including sulfur. Keeping the pH levels in the ideal range from 5.8 to 6.8 will ensure that the plant can absorb and retain all available nutrients.
Zinc DeficienciesZinc deficiency is also common in plants. Zinc, which is a micronutrient or trace element, is necessary for the produc-tion of chlorophyll, and without it photosynthesis cannot take place. Zinc can also promote the function of enzymes within the plant. The symptoms of a zinc deficiency first affect the younger
leaves and shoots. The youngest leaves will develop interveinal chlorosis, which is a lack of chlorophyll developing between the leaf veins. Young leaves will turn light yellow to pale green, and new growth will be stunted and smaller than the leaves of a healthy, thriving plant. As the zinc deficiency progresses in the plant, the youngest leaves will contort, then new growth will stop being produced completely. As the disorder reaches its peak, leaf tips will darken and die back.There are various reasons for a zinc deficiency. A common
cause is that the nutrient being fed to the plant is not complete and does not contain chelated trace elements, which are the
59Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
nutrients essential to plant development that the plant needs in small or trace amounts. Micronutrients can be left out of poor-quality nutrient solutions, but switching to a complete nutrient that contains the required trace elements can solve this problem and prevent it from happening again in the future. Nutrients that lack these trace elements can be made more complete by adding kelp meal to your mixture, or plants can be foliar fed with kelp spray. Kelp is an excellent organic source of 60 to 70 water-soluble trace elements. Zinc deficiency can also be caused when there is too little po-
tassium, magnesium or calcium present. This really stresses how important it is to use high-quality nutrients that contain the right types and levels of nutrients for vigorous plant growth.Fluctuating pH levels can also cause zinc deficiencies. When
pH levels rise above the ideal range, zinc and other nutrients can become locked out—although plenty of zinc may be pres-ent, the plant cannot absorb it with the pH level above 7.0.
“If pH levels drift below 5.8 or above 7.0 plants begin to lock out certain nutrients.
This means that no matter how much manganese you add to your soil or hy-
droponic solution, the plant will never be able to absorb it.”
Dropping the pH down between 5.8 and 6.6 and checking the levels more frequently will allow the pH-conscious gardener to maintain the plant’s ideal range, allowing the plant take in all the nutrients it requires.
Manganese DeficienciesThe final nutrient deficiency that is necessary to discuss is a manganese deficiency. Manganese is an element essential for the synthesis of chlorophyll, and for the electron transport associ-ated with photosynthesis. Manganese and iron are both important to the production
of chlorophyll, making the symptoms of manganese and iron deficiencies similar and often hard to differentiate. The young-est leaves on the plant will show symptoms first, beginning to yellow in between the veins, which will remain green. This is a sign of the plant’s inability to produce chlorophyll in adequate amounts. As the deficiency progresses, the rest of the leaves will begin to yellow in between the vein as well. Plant growth will become stunted, and if the deficiency is left untreated new growth and flowering may halt altogether. The leaves will eventually develop dead spots and fall off if the deficiency is left untreated and allowed to become severe. Manganese deficiencies have different sources. Often they are
caused by incomplete nutrients that don’t contain the proper trace elements, which means you should either switch to a quality multi-part nutrient or foliar feed your plants with kelp spray, which is a natural source of over 60 trace elements.If the nutrient solution you use has manganese present,
though, there is likely another reason your plants have become manganese deficient. A fluctuating pH level can be the origin of the problem again, because if pH levels drift below 5.8 or above 7.0 plants begin to lock out certain nutrients. This means that no matter how much manganese you add to your soil or hydroponic solution, the plant will never be able to absorb it. Adjusting and maintaining the pH levels to somewhere between 5.8 and 7.0 will prevent nutrient lockout and allow the plants to absorb all the nutrients necessary for healthy growth.Plants can also become manganese deficient if the soil or
soilless medium is poorly drained. This can be remedied by wa-tering less frequently or by using a more porous soil or soilless mixture. Adding some perlite to the mixture will also improve your drainage and help keep soil from becoming waterlogged.
Finally, an excess of potassium or phosphorous can also cause plants to become manganese deficient. When plants have phos-
phorous or potassium toxicities they will lock out nutrients, but checking EC levels frequently can prevent this from happen-ing. Growing mediums should be flushed with straight pH-balanced water every third watering to
prevent excess nutrients from building up. If you suspect that your plants are suffering from a nutrient toxicity then using a clearing solution to flush the growing medium can correct this problem, leeching the overabundant nutrients from the growing medium and the plant, correcting nutrient toxicities before they become too severe.
“If the nutrient solution you use has manganese present...there is likely another reason your plants have become manganese deficient.”
60 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
62 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
There are such a wide variety of different nutrient defi-ciency disorders that plants can suffer from. Many have
similar symptoms, like yellowing or the development of brown spots on leaves, and the deficiencies which cause them can also be similar. Not using a quality multi-part nutrient solution might be one of your problems, while properly maintaining EC and pH levels can also be essential in preventing deficiencies from occurring. By learning the underlying causes of nutrient deficiencies you can better understand how to cure them and even prevent the deficien-cies from happening in the first place—valuable knowledge that will keep plants healthy and gardeners happy! MY
Sources: Gardening Indoors, The Indoor Gardening Bible, George Van Patten (2002, Van Patten Publishing)
CLONING WARSCLONING WARS
by Brian Chiang and Josh Puckett
DENSE MATRIX LED TECHNOLOGY BATTLES ITS WAY INTO THE LUCRATIVE WORLD OF CLONING.
66 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
There’s no question what dense matrix LED technology is capable of. With a growing presence in the indoor gardening industry, LEDs boast energy efficiency and long lifetimes, and—more importantly—they can produce specific spectrums optimized for plant growth. After years of research, scientists have discovered various wavelength combinations that enhance vegetative growth in addition to ideal wavelength blends for fruiting and flowering. Indoor growers everywhere are benefiting from the ability of LEDs to emit specific spectrums.
67Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
The deep light penetration that’s possible with dense matrix LED technology now allows LED lights to be used as standalone sources. These LED units are also great as boosters to supplement missing spectrums in existing grow light systems, and the flexibility of mixing and matching different spectrums is empowering growers to improve production and do more with their indoor gardens—such as plant steering.The efficiency of dense matrix LEDs derives from the
consistency of their light output. Growers can rest assured that with LEDs, their plants are constantly receiving the required light output. We’ve seen the power of LEDs in vegetating, flowering and fruiting applications, but what about for seeding, rooting and cloning? With low heat emissions that are ideal for sensitive seedlings or cuttings, LEDs should actually be perfect for these applications. Let’s see how dense matrix LED technology fares in the sphere of cloning.
Cloning and lightThroughout the history of agriculture, humans have developed techniques to control crops. Farmers have become more sophisticated in dealing with the mutations that naturally occur in plants by breeding different strains together, isolating traits and reproducing specific crops. It’s nearly impossible to know what each seed will produce, so farmers take notice of plants that display favorable traits and use asexual methods of reproduction, such as cloning. Often a hybrid breed is unable to reproduce, so these strains are cloned in order to replicate the results and maintain crop continuity. Rather than taking one strain and breeding it with another, it is easier and more economically viable to clone the existing hybrid plant. Cloning also eliminates stray mutations as well as genetic variability.
CLONIN
by Brian Chiang and Josh Puckett
68 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Growing processes are improved and expedited with the use of cloning. Waiting for a seed to germinate, reach a juvenile state and then finally mature requires an indeterminate and sometimes untenable amount of time. With cloning, however, this wait time is cut dramatically, and growers are able to see results at a much faster rate. If multiple cuttings are used, production can also be increased exponentially.The concept of cloning is relatively simple—a cutting is taken
from a plant, and then placed in a medium where it can have access to light and water. Timelines vary from crop to crop. There
are different types of cloning—hardwood, such as grapevines, comprised of lignified stems with a bud union; and softwood, such as tomatoes, consisting of green stems and leaves. For more complex setups, hormones and other nutrients can be used.When cloning indoors or in nurseries, fluorescents have
traditionally been used to provide light. Their relatively low heat as compared with other broadband sources is preferable for delicate, sensitive cuttings trying to re-propagate roots. An alternative to fluorescents is LEDs. In addition to wide wavelength selection, LEDs emit little heat and require little electricity. They are versatile and easily swapped out and used in other applications because of their small size. A typical LED lifetime of 50,000 hours saves the grower expensive bulb purchases. With all these advantages to consider—especially energy efficiency and light consistency—we set out to find how clones would perform under dense matrix LED technology.
Experiment #1: Comparison testingFor our experiments, we departed from a traditional approach to cloning and used cloning units designed to make the process
more accessible to the consumer. We chose to take softwood cuttings from tomatoes to see the propagation of herbaceous plant material more clearly, and for their responsiveness to different spectrums of light.The typical timeline for cloning tomatoes using fluorescents
over cloning units lasts about a week and a half to two weeks. Cuttings should begin forming calluses and start to root by the second or third day, and from days five to seven, root branching should be evident. By the 10th to 14th day, cuttings should be able to be transplanted.
Cloning Wars
“A typical LED lifetime of 50,000 hours saves the grower expensive bulb purchases.”
70 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
We successfully followed this schedule using dense matrix LED technology, and at the same time we tested the effect of different spectrums. For each of our experiments, a 30 site cloning unit was set up. Using green cuttings of Husky Cherry Red tomatoes, both terminal and middle cuttings, two nodes were left above the media and the rest exposed to the mist for most cases. Based on recommendations from
industry experts, trials were run under multiple wavelengths—green, red and purple at different intensities—to evaluate the LED treatment that would best promote rooting. We also set aside a unit to run in the dark for comparison as a control group.At the end of this experiment, we saw that light was necessary
for rooting in propagated green tomato cuttings. In the cuttings subjected to darkness, there was not only a lack of rooting, but also severe foliar degeneration. However, high intensities of light did not appear to be necessary for root production.
The results for the different intensities of purple light were comparable, and in all tests one dense matrix LED unit was installed over each cloning unit and found to be sufficient in terms of intensity.The red LED treatment from the
primary trials demonstrated the best rooting. There seemed to be little
advantage in continuing tests with green LED light due to
its lack of root promotion. (Please note: trials were conducted using green as the only source of light. While it is not a good treatment for promoting rooting when used exclusively, there remains the possibility that green in conjunction with other wavelengths of light might be beneficial for root production).
Although red outperformed purple as a rooting light treatment, our observations of the subjects under purple light showed sufficient promise for it to be included in the next experiment. Rooting results were also similar to tests run under fluorescent lighting; however, extremely healthy foliage vegetation and a dark green color on leaves, denoting dense chlorophyll production, was specific to our LED treatment.
Experiment #2: Blue, Red and Purple SpectrumsFor the next set of experiments, we
included blue light in addition to red and purple, as blue is known to be conducive to vegetative growth in early stages. To provide uniformity of environmental conditions, three cloning units were assembled in the same grow cube, but with separate dense matrix LED treatments over each unit at uniform heights.We analyzed performance by
taking percentages of rooting as well as root branching, and measurements of both wet and dry mass of the roots produced were also taken. The spectrum that caused cuttings to produce the most root mass fastest was determined to be the best light treatment.
“In all tests one dense matrix LED unit was installed over each cloning unit and found to be
sufficient in terms of intensity.”
Cloning Wars
72 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
After rooting results of each spectrum were compared for the first trial, blue was seen to outperform the other two light treatments as a root-promoting light.We ran the test a second time and rearranged the placement
of the lights to maintain the integrity of the experiment. Red light was placed over the unit that received the blue treatment in the first trial. In this second run, red provided better results for rooting as well as more root branching. However, when the first blue treatment was compared to the second red treatment, the blue demonstrated greater root mass overall, in addition to promoting longer root lengths.
We are currently running more tests to eliminate unit bias. Promising results from both the red and especially the blue treatments prove that dense matrix LED light works just as well as fluorescents for cloning, and suggests that the effectiveness of wavelengths varies with regard to different aspects of rooting (red for branching, blue for length).
ConclusionWhile the ideal wavelengths for cloning Husky Cherry tomato cuttings are still undergoing vigorous investigation, our current experiments do show that dense matrix LED technology is a viable, energy-efficient and consistent lighting alternative. The experiments also showed that LEDs produce healthy foliar vegetation, preparing the tomatoes to move easily to soil or soilless media. A compact form factor and long bulb lifetimes provide even more incentive to use dense matrix LED lights.Although it seems that intensity and specific wavelength combinations may not be as specifically important for cloning as they are for other phases of growth, the results from the second experiment have prompted us to probe more deeply into wavelength formulas. With the flexibility to pick and choose
spectrums with LEDs, we are continuing our studies on the effect of various wavelengths on different facets of rooting.As we do more research and technology continues to advance, growers can only benefit from the findings and innovations that arise. With its spectrum-specific, penetrating light, combined with low heat emission and vast energy savings, dense matrix LED technology will continue to push the boundaries of how light is used for indoor growing. MY .
“Our current experiments do show that dense matrix LED technology is a viable, energy-efficient and consistent lighting alternative.”
Cloning Wars
FRIGHTFUL WEATHER,
DELIGHTFUL TOMATOES
Winter is here, and it’s time
for homegrown tomatoes.
by Casey Jones Fraser
78 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
79Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Like everyone who loves toma-toes, I hate the loss of flavor those red gems seem to undergo this time of year, so I have resorted to grow-ing my own year-round.After various trials over the years,
I found a method for growing multiple tomato varieties in a small indoor area. Most indoor gardeners are familiar with T5 fluorescent lights. These narrow tubes have become a staple of our industry, and for good reason. T5 lights are great for small leafy plants (basil, lettuce, microgreens), and for the vegetative growth of flowering plants (one foot or shorter). Unfortunately, some growers who attempt flowering with T5 lights experi-ence small leaf growth and immature fruits. Recently, though, some companies have made technological improvements to T5 systems, and these changes have created new tubes and ballasts for improved plant responses.
The LightingI set out to grow full-sized and full-flavored tomatoes, and I wanted one of the new T5 systems to do it. I put my old favor-ite T5 next to the new system, and the difference was clear. The new one looked much brighter, without any increase in watt-age. Systems with increased wattage (and increased brightness) per tube are also available, and similar systems are on the market now from your local indoor gardening shop. I used the four foot eight-tube T5, because it fit perfectly over my two foot by four foot hydroponics table. Under the table, I used a 20 gallon reservoir for the hydroponic nutrient solution.
The PlantsCuttings were already rooted in an aeroponic cloning ma-chine. After growing out several tomato cuttings, I chose 10 plants to go into the ebb and flow system. Eventually, I chose the best six out of those 10 for fruiting and removed
the weaker plants.
80 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
The young tomato plants grew in one gallon grow bags with a coir-based mix for one month, and the table was flooded three to four times per week in 15 minute intervals. The soilless mix held enough moisture to last for days. Once the plants were well rooted, wa-tering was increased to once per day. A key to this growing tech-nique was no branches—each plant grew one vine! As the vine grew, I trimmed off branches and kept the main growth tip going. Once the plants reached nearly
two feet in height and began flowering, I transplanted the six best plants into three gallon fabric pots.The plants grew in a constant-drip hydro system, so I used a
combination of grow rocks and coir-based soilless mix in the three gallon fabric pots. Three inches of grow rocks went in first, then I packed a small amount of coir on the surface of the rocks. After removing the one gal-lon grow bags, I placed the plants on grow rocks, and four inches of soilless mix was filled in around each root ball. The top two inches were filled in with more grow rocks, and two drip lines were connected to each planter to ensure even watering. This system had six tomato plants, which means 12 drip lines in total. If any single drip line clogged the other drip-per continued to feed the plant, and if both drip lines clogged the soilless mix held enough moisture to last 24 hours or longer. Drip
lines were routinely checked for clogs—the use of enzymes in the reservoir can help prevent this problem.I used a soilless mix containing multiple varieties of root
inoculants, as roots grow stronger and faster with beneficial fungi and bacteria present, and I also added additional
bacterial and fungal products to the reservoir. With this system, roots grew through the fabric pots in seven to 14 days. However, the diatomaceous grow rocks are rich in silica and trace elements, and unfor-
tunately they can grow algae as well as tomatoes. To combat this
problem, I added covers made of black and white poly film to each planter—no more algae. The completed system grew three varieties of tomatoes: two Bran-
dywine, two Green Zebra and two Thesaloniki. Six tomato plants
“The diatomaceous grow rocks are rich in silica and trace elements, and
unfortunately they can grow algae as well as tomatoes.”
Frightful Weather, Delightful Tomatoes
81Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
in three gallon fabric pots sat in a two foot by four foot hy-droponics tray, and the ebb and flow system was replaced with a drip system—each plant had two drip lines pouring over the layers of grow rocks and soilless mix. This system quickly grew thick roots, stems and leaves.Many growers experience problems with vertical space when
growing tall plants. I needed to create a tomato garden where only two to three feet of vertical space was required between the base of the plant and the grow lights. Growers know that regular tomato vines grow to be very long—anywhere from five to 25 feet—and in greenhouses they can grow to over 100 feet. These tomatoes were no different, but I needed to manipulate that growth sideways instead of vertically. So as the growth tips continued, I trained them all in a clockwise direc-tion. I removed any branching so each plant was a single vine, and as each vine grew, it was tied down and trained to grow sideways. All of the plants grew on the same circular path. Eventually all of the vines will overlap each other, and even overlap themselves. Each vine can grow infinitely long, and it will stay in the same garden space. As the tomato plants grow, the older leaves and fruits are removed.
“I removed any branching so each plant was a single vine, and as each vine grew,
it was tied down and trained to grow sideways. All of the plants grew on the
same circular path.”
82 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Older parts of the vines are eventually bare of leaves and fruit, while the younger sections are covered with flowers and foliage. At this point, the bare vines act as living plumbing, delivering food and water to the furthest points on the plant, and bare vines begin to layer up on top of one another like extension cords.Flowers and fruits will now start showing up in larger
quantities, and the feeding recipe will be altered to meet the needs of the plants, which continue to get longer and lon-ger—although because I forced them into a clockwise pattern, they will always take up the same two foot by four foot garden space. Big round tomatoes will start showing up all over my indoor plants, even though temperatures are freezing outside. I couldn’t be happier!
The RecipeThe nutrient recipe included a basic A and B for-mula, as well as carbohydrates, enzymes, B vitamins, amino acids and a PK booster, with bacterial and
fungal inoculants added weekly. Some early fruits showed signs of blossom-end rot, so a calcium-magnesium supplement was added. As a test, after a few weeks the supplement was omitted. Interveinal yellowing occurred and blossom-end rot showed up again, so the calcium-magnesium supple-ment became a regular part of the recipe, and soon we had flawless ripening fruits all over the place.
The Taste TestI’ve got two beautiful Brandywine tomatoes in my hands, and it’s almost dinner time. Here’s the real test: an appetizer of tomato slices with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whoa! These taste like they were grown in my backyard. A few days pass. Now I’m dicing a Green Zebra and throwing it on some eggs. I prefer skipping the salt, so I need a very tasty tomato for my breakfast. Bingo! Another delicious summer-tasting tomato, grown in the middle of winter. My eggs have a new best friend. And the racquetball-sized Thesaloniki tomatoes have become a lunch-time staple—every time I make a sandwich, I pull a fresh one right off the vine and slice it up. My taste buds think it’s August!
Frightful Weather, Delightful Tomatoes
83Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Routine MaintenanceEvery few days, I check the vines for branching. As the branches are removed, the flowers get a good shake. Pollen starts flying around, and more flowers get pollinated, which keeps the to-matoes producing—without the need for bees inside the house. Maintenance includes removing old leaves, picking ripe fruits, removing any branches and changing the reservoir weekly. I also inspect for nutrient deficiencies and insect damage while I’m doing the routine daily upkeep. Pests are controlled with organ-ic sprays, and deficiencies are managed with slight alterations in the nutrient mixes. After a few months, the vines are wrapping around the garden, and some vines are nearly two inches thick. The ripe tomatoes are round and colorful, but most importantly, they taste like tomatoes.
Now it’s your turn. Visit your local hydroponics retailer for some supplies. Clear out a small space for your new tomato garden and start seeds or cuttings. Winter is a great time for gardening, so eat healthy and have fun. MY
HOW TO POT
AND REPOT
PLANTS
Follow these tips designed to help beginner gardeners pot
and repot plants quickly and easily.
by Therese Cressman
BEGINNER’S CORNER
Maximum Yield USA | February 201184
To pot a plant start with clean, scrubbed containers, preferably sterilized for the best success. Coarse steel wool or metal scouring pads clean pots in a jiffy.
Pot cleaning tips:• Most harmful organisms can be
killed by placing a stack of pots on a cloth under the hot water faucet and running hot water slowly into the top pot for five minutes.
• Another option is this quick recipe for cleaning pots: 50/50 water and vinegar solution. Works well on both plastic and clay containers.
Getting ready to plant:In planting, place a piece of broken crockery over the hole in the bottom of the pot and cover with a handful of soil (you can use a few small stones instead of crockery pieces). The idea is to allow water to drain (instead of being trapped in the pot) without losing soil. Placing a piece of broken crockery or a few rocks will provide filtered drainage.
How to pot a plant:• Hold the plant in the pot with its
crown just below the rim and spread the roots out evenly.
• Fill the pot gradually with soil and firm it, without packing, as each handful is put in.
• Final soil level should be at least ¼ inch below the pot rim to allow for easier watering.
How to repot plants:In repotting plants, remove as much old soil as possible from roots, particularly from the top of soil ball, disturbing roots as little as possible. Use a pot proportionate in size to the plant. Plants should be shifted to bigger pots as they grow larger.
Consider the container:• Unglazed clay pots provide ideal
growing conditions for plants. They are porous, providing necessary air circulation to roots and have drainage holes in the bottom, making overwa-tering less likely.
• Plastic pots are lightweight and easy to handle but, as in metal or ceramic containers, water evaporates slowly, so you have to be careful not to overwater.
• If drainage is not provided, water can accumulate in the bottom of the container. Then roots rot and give off gases toxic to the plant.
• If you find a pot unattractive, set it in a jardinière that better suits your taste.
When to repot a plant:When the plant has exhausted the nutritive value of the soil in the pot, it should be transferred to a larger pot to maintain its normal growth.
Determine if a plant requires repotting:• First remove the plant from the pot.
Do this by turning the plant upside down, supporting by two fingers on each side of the stem against the soil. Tap the rim of the pot on the edge of a bench or table. This will loosen the pot so it may be removed.
• If the plant requires repotting, there will be a heavy mat of roots showing through the dirt. If the roots have lost their healthy creamy white color and instead are of rusty appearance, repot-ting is required at once.
• Handle the plant with care so that no more earth than necessary is disturbed or broken from the roots. Remove all the soil down to where the roots begin.
• The general rule of thumb is to select the next largest size of pot, putting enough soil in the bottom to raise the plant to a height where all roots will be nicely covered and the soil is at least one half-inch from the top edge of the pot.
• A stick is handy for firming the soil around the edge of the pot.
• Always water thoroughly after potting, making sure all soil is well moistened. MY
HOW TO POT
AND REPOT
PLANTS
Sources:
Better Homes & Gardens
Garden Book (v
intage insert)
House Plants –
Indoor Flowers an
d Bulbs and How To Grow Them by
Frederick J. Fryer (1
946)
85Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
BUILDINGby Lee McCall
Vegetative growth chambers, or “veg rooms”, are designed to promote healthy structural and foliar development.
the Veg
86 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
87Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
“Everything that is dependent on luck or climate or nature outside is able to be deftly controlled
for crop production by the indoor gardener.”
Bountiful harvests are the result of patience, care, attentiveness, precision and—most importantly—consistency. Gardening of any kind, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, in soil, in coco or hydroponic, is a very time-consuming physical hobby, almost like a full-time job. The art involved in this age-old practice is unique to every individual, as there are unlimited ways to ac-complish great results, depending on the grower’s style; however, without diligence and discipline an optimum operation is noth-ing more than a pipe dream. Quality rewards are only possible if the effort put into maintenance of the garden is the equivalent of what is expected out of it.Indoors, complete environmental control is at the grower’s
fingertips. Everything that is dependent on luck or climate or nature outside is able to be deftly controlled for crop produc-tion by the indoor gardener. Bugs, molds, mildews and viruses or ideal levels of H
2O, airflow, sun
and CO2 are specific examples
of what is normally pretty much out of the complete control of most outdoor garden-ers. Inside, however, controlling these variables becomes a matter of how precisely and efficiently the grow room is designed. The canny design of an immaculate grow lab, when done properly, allows crops to reach their full potential without the harsh stresses found in the outside world.
88 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Indoor crops that produce fruits or flowers will need two separate areas, one for healthy overall vegetative growth and one for bloom production. The same level of care and attention that is required in the bloom phase should go into the vegetative growth phase of every crop as well. Realistically, a fruit or flower can only be as good as the plant responsible for producing it. If the “veg” phase of the plant lifecycle is unhealthy, expect the bloom or flowering phase to follow closely in the same pattern.
Vegetative growth chambers or “veg rooms” are designed to promote healthy structural and foliar development. This is a crucial stage in the lifecycle af-ter initial seed germination or clone propagation, and it ultimately affects the overall health of the plant in the flower-ing stage, determining the quality and quantity of any harvest you can expect. Commonly, grow rooms designed for vegetative growth only are best illumi-nated by either metal halide (MH) or T5 fluorescent lighting. These types of lighting systems are available in a wide
variety of styles to allow versatility for the grower and lamp options are exten-sive, ranging from 2800K up to 10,000K for halides, and three K to 6400K for T5s. Vegetative plant growth tends to favor four K to 7000K; personally, I find most available options in between these two temperatures to be effective. As far as superiority between halides and
Building The Veg
“A fruit or flower can only be as good as the plant responsible for producing
it. If the “veg” phase of the plant life-cycle is unhealthy, expect the bloom or flowering phase to follow closely in the
same pattern.”
90 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
T5s goes, each style has pros and cons. Several companies have also been making good progress in LED development, which is proving to be very beneficial for promoting both vegetative and flowering growth. Certain LEDs are able to produce spectral outputs unattainable by traditional HPS, MH and fluorescent
light systems, and I have found these to be excep-tionally effective for use as supplementals when used in conjunction with either T5
or HID lighting. Providing useable spectral outputs to
the garden is every bit as
important as the available concen-
tration of watts per square foot being displaced. You can maintain
either a 24 hour or 18 to six (18 hours on, six hours off) lightcycle in your veg room to promote vegeta-
tive development, although I prefer 18 to six, since it allows the crop to cease photosynthesis for a small
period of time during which the plant systems can enjoy a “breather” and start up fresh again afterwards.Depending on the variety and strain of crops being
grown, most gardens favor temperate (approximately 70 to 75°F) but not overly warm (85°F and above) temperatures; 20 to 40 per cent humidity levels are comfortable, while higher humidity levels of 50 per cent and above may not necessar-ily hurt the garden, but will usually invite more problems than benefits. Carbon filtration exhausting is occasionally overlooked for veg rooms as some growers think it unneces-sary, but it will definitely promote a cleaner environment overall, with less chance of foliar fungal or mildew attacks.
CO2 enrichment is another often-
overlooked additive that is available to benefit crop production in the vegetative stage, which when used properly and efficiently will yield exceptional results in foliage size,
growth rate and fruit site development.Container size is another factor that influences the vegeta-
tive growth stage, primarily of concern for growers who favor sphagnum peat moss, coco (coir), or organic soil. Freshly rooted cuttings or germinated seedlings are tender to transplant and susceptible to shock when young and fragile, and their undeveloped root masses are quicker to drown in excessively large containers that hold too much moisture-laden grow medium. In my personal experience, when seedlings and clones are transplanted into smaller (half gallon or less) containers, this will allow the grow medium to dry at a quicker rate, allowing roots to expand as they reach out for more moisture and nutrients to feed from. Plants that are almost root-bound but still displaying healthy vibrant roots growing in containers of this size will transplant nicely into larger (two to five gallon) containers of the same or an equivalent type of substrate. Growers that utilize raised bed methods may benefit from allowing their plants to grow vegetatively in containers and then transplanting them into the beds prior to the bloom phase. Growers using rockwool, hydroton, diatomite, perlite
Building The Veg
“Carbon filtration exhausting is occasionally overlooked for veg rooms as some growers think it
unnecessary, but it will definitely promote a cleaner environment overall.”
92 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
be restricted by the container size sup-porting the root mass.Root inoculants containing beneficial
bacterial and fungal colonies will increase root mass vitality, soil structure and plant
vigor and increase transplant success rates. Compost teas are always excellent sources for these microbe-rich solutions; I prefer to feed these to the plants separately from other base nutrients and additives. Water-soluble and granular forms may be amended into the grow mediums or into the planting holes upon transplant. Direct
contact of fungal spores to the roots and bacterium to the grow media will initi-ate strong colonization. It is also always highly recommended to implement a two-stage dechlorinator and sediment
filter—at the very least—for those who have access to decent tap water. Those subject to high PPMs (parts per million) of unwanted minerals or toxicities out of the tap should consider reverse osmosis—new and improved models feature
two-to-one waste water ratios with rela-tively high flow rates of roughly 1,000 gallons per day.Preventative maintenance against
insects using agents such as neem oil, pyrethrins or beneficial insects will help keep detrimental garden pests off young clones and seedlings. Those plants that
“Root inoculants containing beneficial bacterial and fungal colonies will increase root mass vitality, soil structure and plant vigor and increase transplant
success rates.”
Building The Veg
and PET-1 need not follow this
advice about container size as closely due to
the air-to-moisture ratios always present with the use of these prod-ucts. So long as the roots are protected from direct contact with light and given ample amounts of oxygen and fresh nu-trients, the vegetative growth of short term (eight week) flower-ing crops should not
93Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
do become subject to infestations will more than likely carry the problem over to the bloom phase if they are not seen to before reaching this stage of growth. Foliar sprays are best done with the lights off so as to prevent burning on delicate foliage; resume normal lightcycles once the majority of the solution has dissipated off the leaves. Overuse of oil-based
sprays may impede leaf transpiration and clog the stomata, while sulfur vaporizers that control mildews and molds will have a similar effect if overused.Overall cleanliness will promote a sterile
garden and ensure stress-free transitions from vegetative to flowering states. Avoid
over-fertilizing and over-watering
and provide clean bright light with mild temperatures, and vegetative production will flourish. Top, bend, prune and crop plants to promote even canopy growth and increase yields. And remember that the next cycle is always what makes the wait worthwhile—so relax, sit back and watch them grow! MY
94 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
HOW IT’S MADE
JD-Lightings electronic ballasts may be new in the market, but we have been in production long enough to know quality ballasts. Our engineers use modern, state-of-the-art equipment to create high-performing products for consistent light output, bulb compatibility, safety and energy efficiency, and our electronic ballasts are constantly being improved with new technology. We carefully test each one in a rigorous quality-control process so you can concentrate on your garden.
To ensure a top-quality product every time, JD-Lightings uses only cutting edge tools and technology for every step of the process from research to assembly, testing to final production.
JD-Lightings Electronic Ballasts are waiting to grow for you.
be mounted accurately directly onto the surface of PCBs. Our ballasts’ dimming features work at settings of 50, 75 and 100 per cent, with a 110 per cent setting that is proven to actually hit 1,100 watts. Our electronic ballast dims gradually, while our leading competitors use a single dim-ming method—where users experience a sudden brightness and then dimming to a low aluminum level—which may cause damage to the lamps.
Quality ControlInput Quality Control: Electronic ComponentsJD-Lightings insists on maintaining quality control right from the get-go—mounting each component individually onto the motherboard. These transformers are first carefully tested for high voltage, and only then are qualified components delivered to the relevant production lines.
Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Flow ControlNext, the heart of the circuit board is con-structed through our SMT flow control system, which proceeds through three steps: printing, multi-function mounting and reflow soldering. A good footprint design for the printed circuit board (PCB) clearly designates the recommended dimensions of the solder applications to ensure reliable solder joints. Printing is the process of solder paste-printing on to the board, which stencils out a place-ment for an adhesive known as solder paste. The multi-function mounter then automatically applies the solder paste on to the board for temporary adhesive attach-ment of components until the soldering process melts the paste. Reflow soldering is the process by which components are then put under controlled heat to melt the paste, thus permanently connecting the
The core to our electronic ballast is a square-shaped printed circuit board (PCB) that dissipates heat more efficient-ly than our leading competitor’s long-shaped boards, and our surface mount technology (SMT) system allows units to
95Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
components. It is important to monitor each stage of this process carefully in order to ensure proper heating zone tempera-tures are maintained to melt the paste, adjoin the appropriate surfaces and solidify the solder joints without overheating or damaging the electrical components.
Reflow Soldering InspectionAfter the reflow soldering process, there are three surface mount technology (SMT) lines to check for proper place-ment of components. Qualified units then get passed on to the manual inser-tion lines, which insert electronic plug-ins onto the printed circuit boards. These are then passed on to our wave solder-ing machine to solder on the electronic plug-in units.
AssemblyOnce all electronic units are soldered in, the PCBs are sent to our assembly department where the output cord, PCB drawer, bridge rectifier, input baffle and triode are all attached by members of our qualified production team. Each builder will assemble one ballast from start to finish and will test each unit before pass-ing it on to the next department.
Testing MethodsTo ensure safety, all our ballasts are tested internally at each stage of production. We test at different settings during quality control because we know a ballast mal-function can affect your entire hydro sys-tem and delay your crop growth. So what separates good ballasts from bad ones? At JD-Lightings, we are confident that our industry-leading quality control system will maintain our extremely high stan-dards of quality and safety throughout
the entire production process. Our sys-tem ensures that each ballast is subjected to a rigorous battery of tests, including a function test, a preliminary test, a power adjustment test, a high potential test, a burn-in test and a final test.
High Potential Test (Hipot Test)The hipot test verifies the integrity of the electrical insulation within the ballast to prevent electrical hazards. A series of increased voltages is applied between current-carrying conductors and the me-tallic framework of the ballast to detect leakage of current, and any flawed prod-ucts are corrected at this stage to ensure complete electrical safety for our users.
Power AdjustmentThe power adjustment test checks the power status and allows adjustments to the rated power range. This step also confirms that the dimming features of 50, 75, 100 and 110 per cent are calibrated properly and tests for bulb compatibility and resonance ignition.
Crest Value TestThe crest value test measures the maxi-mum current of each ballast.
Burn-in TestThe burn-in test—also known as the aging test—is used to test ballast perfor-mance, lighting lamp/ballast-system ef-fectiveness and the flux and color quality of each unit over time.The manual testing system is an efficient
and precise method to determine the po-tential of each electronic ballast. We test in different chambers under controlled environments, analyzing the results in order to provide consistent light output and complete compatibility with various lighting systems. The goal of our research
and development team is to constantly improve the efficiency of our current technology and continue to provide a safe, reliable, and high-performing elec-tronic ballast to our customers.
Final ProductionSealing MachineOur electronic ballasts are resin-sealed with modified asphalt to ensure electri-cal components are insulated all the way through, without any air or moisture. Resin casting is used in this important step in the final production process in order to protect the PCB and electri-cal units from environmental factors and mechanical damage as well. Our high-tech sealing machine maintains an even distribution and an elevated temperature in order to keep the heated material flowing without allowing any unwanted thickening of the sealing agent.Once final testing is performed and signed
off on, the finished product is then deliv-ered for ballast cleaning, appropriate label-ing and packaging before eventually being shipped off to end-users everywhere.And that’s how we do it. We utilize
cutting-edge technology in order to bring you the finest electronic ballasts available on the marketplace today, and subject each unit to an exhaustive battery of tests in order to guarantee our valued customers the highest possible standards of quality and safety.JD-Lightings’ Electronic Ballasts are
ready to grow with you! MY
“Our ballasts’ dimming features work at settings of 50, 75 and 100 per cent, with a 110 per cent setting that is proven to actually hit 1,100 watts.”
BACK TO THE BASICS: PROPER AIRFLOWIt might not seem as important to the process at first glance as heat, light or humidity control, but proper airflow cannot be overlooked when gardening indoors. Plants absorb water and nutrients though osmosis, but these elements can only be carried a couple inches off the medium with osmosis alone. The rest of the uptake for the plant requires transpiration—the plant’s continual loss of water through its leaves—to suck water to the upper parts of the plant. Plants are 75 to 85 per cent water, and this constant flow gives the plant its rigidity. With proper airflow and controlled temperature, you will be able to consistently maintain the maximum parameters for optimum plant growth.
Good airflow and air exchange are basic requirements for providing plants with essential gasses they need for photosynthesis and respiration. Good airflow helps the plant with transpiration, which in turn helps the plant in cooling itself, while sufficient volumes of good-quality air will keep CO
2 at a constant level and will enhance the overall wellbeing
of the organism.CO
2 makes up only a small fraction of the atmosphere and the
percentage in the air is always fluctuating, although it is usually present at around 300 or 350 parts per million. Oxygen makes up 21 per cent of our atmosphere, while the bulk of our air is nitrogen at 78 per cent. While plants do need oxygen—which
by Jack Van Camp
96 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
98
is relatively abundant—at the leaves and the roots to complete respiration, carbon dioxide is a little rarer, so the answer to keeping up carbon dioxide levels is more airflow. Lack of airflow in grow rooms and greenhouses creates carbon dioxide deficiencies, which result in low yields.All of the very complex actions a plant needs to perform
regularly are best done in a comfortable setting, and what seems like a nice day to you is also a nice day to a plant—79°F at 60 per cent relative humidity is good. But daily temperature changes, too much or too little water, humidity fluctuations and inadequate airflow can all negatively influence the metabolic rate of the plant. Plants have different ranges of tolerance for growing, and if temperature
and humidity stray too far on either side of particular comfort ranges the plant suffers. If the temperature gets too hot, for example, the metabolic rate of the plant increases and it will rush through essential processes that will ultimately weaken its foundations. If the room is too cold, on the other hand, then water transport and absorption functions become impossible, and plant metabolism goes downhill quickly. Temperature and humidity must both be controlled by proper airflow, which will also influence the germination of seeds, the success of cuttings
and the onset of flowering. In the grow room the moisture content of the air should also be measured and controlled because of the effect it can have in a positive way. Water vapor in the ambient air can be measured either as a percentage of relative humidity, or—more accurately—as vapor pressure deficit (VPD). The air holds different amounts of water at different temperatures, even though the relative humidity reads the same. The water-holding capacity of the air doubles for every 10° increase in temperature, so if your room reads 80 per cent relative humidity, it will hold around 14 pounds of water at 50°F. With a 10° increase in
“temperature and humidity must both be controlled by proper airflow, which will also influence the germination of seeds, the success of cuttings and the onset of flowering.”
98 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
temperature to 60°F, the air will hold around 28 pounds of water at the same 80 per cent relative humidity reading.When the air is full of water, a dew point is reached and
the water-saturated air can condense out “free water” in the form of condensation on the plants and the structures of the room. When the air is totally full of water, the plants stop transpiring and proper metabolizing slows to a crawl. This is all a result of lower VPD readings. With high VPD readings, the air can hold more water and plants are encouraged to transpire rather than shut down, but with too high a VPD reading the plant will dry out and be unable to replenish itself with water fast enough. Control of VPD can be achieved with heating and cooling thermostats in conjunction with humidifiers or dehumidifiers. There are also chart recorders that will give a 24 hour, seven day or 31 day print reading with a dew point display, or a digital thermometer and hygrometer that can give you a high and low temperature and humidity reading over a 24 hour period.Adequate airflow, temperature and humidity are the most
important factors for plant growth, but carbon dioxide in the surrounding air must also be present at an optimum level in order for photosynthesis to take place. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water vapour at the same time, which is a bit of a trade-off. As an example—although an extreme one—there is corn. In order for a corn plant to intake
carbon atoms from the air, it must open its stomata. Every time this occurs, water vapor is lost. In Michael Pollan’s book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” he states “It’s as though every time you opened your mouth to eat, you lost a quantity of blood.” In this case, 97 per cent of a corn plant’s intake comes from the air and three per cent comes from the ground. All this is directly influenced by factors such as humidity, air movement in the room and temperature and the rate of water loss depends on these three factors. The plant’s ultimate goal every morning is to get as much carbon dioxide to itself as it can, although the carbon dioxide is in the air in a relatively small percentage. The plant must take in carbon dioxide while retaining as much water vapor as possible.Maintaining balanced temperature and humidity will keep
your plants’ transpiration running smoothly, and proper airflow will keep respiration occurring. With carbon dioxide being such an important factor in plant growth, it is also a good idea to consider adding it to a grow room. First, set up your room to run efficiently with normal air and then add carbon dioxide whatever way you choose. Carbon dioxide injectors with tanks and gas-burning generators are two ways to add
carbon dioxide to your environment. The increase in carbon dioxide should be measured using a formula for your room dimension, in which the length, width and height of the room are multiplied by .0015. This formula will give you approximately 1,500 PPM of carbon dioxide in one hour of burn or injection. Shutting down your outtake
fan for two or three hours to boost carbon dioxide levels is not a good idea in any situation, as heat will build up quickly and the plants’ stomata will close, causing them to go into stasis. There are also other negative results that could occur, such as stretching and failure to metabolize magnesium.There is a product available that excretes carbon dioxide from
organic compost and is driven by air pressure. You can set this unit on a timer during light hours and let it run for 90 days. After the compost is spent, you can use it for fertilizer for your outside garden and you do not have to lug tanks or sequence timers and fans. The important thing is, whichever method you choose to employ, to have extra carbon dioxide present in your grow area at a concentration higher than the ambient air around you.Keep your air moving and monitor the temperature and
humidity and you’ll get maximum yields. MY
“Shutting down your outtake fan for two or three hours to boost carbon dioxide levels is not a good idea in any situation, as heat will build up quickly and the plants’ stomata will close, causing them to go into stasis.”
Back to the Basics: Proper Airflow
100 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
GREEN THUMB GARDENING
Industrial hemp is an extraordinarily useful plant that can provide environmentally friendly food, fiber, fuel, medicine and building products. Hemp is incredibly robust to the point in some places it is invasive and considered a noxious weed. Some varieties are very hardy and able to thrive in saline and heavily degraded soils. It’s these characteristics that make it a great candidate to replace pesticide and herbicide dependent crops such as cotton. Hemp is also a water miser and can be processed into useful products with little energy and without requiring toxic chemicals.
Here are some other fast facts about hemp:• Hempseed has high levels of protein, carbohydrates,
fiber, vitamins, essential fatty acids and trace elements.
• Hempseed oil comprises nearly ⅓ of the seeds’ weight making it a viable source for cooking oil, lighting and bio-fuel.
• Hempseed oil is also beneficial as a body care product and can be made into soaps, conditioners and lotions.
• The stalk provides an incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber that’s been used in the shipping industry for centuries. As hemp can grow over 10 feet tall, the long fibers are perfect for rope.
• The short fibers of the stalk can be used in textiles as a replace-ment or blender fiber for cotton.
• The core of the stalk can be used to make paper and organic plastics.
THE AMAZINGHemp Plant
102 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
• The woody core, known as hurds, can be mixed with lime, sand, plaster and cement to create very strong concrete or building bricks.
• The core fiber can also be utilized in producing fiber-board that is twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard.
• The stalk can also be used to make methanol and ethanol.
• Hemp can be planted as a crop for restoring the fertility of fields in the process of stock rotation.
• Given its fast growth, hemp may also be useful in carbon sequestration (taking carbon out of the air and putting it back into the earth).
• Hemp is a great insulation material that can be ap-plied in the wall cavities and roof spaces of houses as a replacement for fiberglass batts.
• The flowers and leaves are used to make medicines for treating many ailments such as glaucoma and cancer sufferers can be prescribed it to ease pain.
And that’s just a short list. Currently, most hemp prod-ucts are imported. Thankfully, this is changing; but the changes are too slow. Hemp is truly an amazing plant that countries should be making far more use of in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment. We should be doing more to help farmers grow it in our own countries or growing it ourselves. MY
“The core of the stalk can be used to make paper and organic plastics.”
Maximum Yield USA | February 2011 103
CONSTRUCTION PART TWO:
by philip mcintosh
FRAMES
In part one of “Greenhouse Construction” (Maximum Yield USA December) we looked at some basic design parameters and floor/foundation construction options. With respect to the design it boiled down to “do you research before starting to build?” With floors, the primary issues were cost and maintainability.Once a location has been chosen and the foundation has been
installed (at least to the point where the rest of the structure can start to go up), next comes the frame, which is the subject of this article.
104 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
105Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Greenhouse FramesThe greenhouse frame supports whatever covering is used to transmit light to the interior of the building. The frame may also serve to support shelving, wall-mounted equipment such as fans or control systems, and provide structural support for doors. For these reasons, the shape and assembly method used for the frame requires forethought and planning. A greenhouse frame can range in cost and complexity from a simple hoop design made from plastic pipe, all the way up to a custom job costing tens of thousands of dollars (or more).
Plastic. The venerable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) hoop style greenhouse is not the most robust of structures but it works and it’s hard to beat on price. A number of viable hoop structure ideas can be found on the Internet. One basic design calls for a wooden rectangular base with short sections of rebar ham-mered into the ground outside the base at regular intervals. The open ends of long sections of ¾ inch PVC pipe are then slid over each piece of rebar on one side and bent over to the other side onto the opposing piece of rebar (see “How to Build an Inexpensive
106 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Hoop-Style Greenhouse” in the refer-ences). Another section of pipe runs along the top to give rigidity to the structure. Heavy-duty tie wraps fasten the top pipe to the tops of the arches. Some wood frame construction on both ends provides support for doorways and light equipment mounting. The only realistic covering for a hoop is plastic sheeting (more on that in the final article in this series).A small PVC hoop greenhouse
can be put together for less than $100 and a larger one, suitable for a small commercial venture or
more extensive plant collection, can be built for around $500, which is an amount significantly less than that of any other approach. A nice advantage of PVC hoop construction is that it provides for a fast and inexpensive way to expand growing space as needed. Rectangular PVC pipe greenhouse
frames are also possible. They can be made from PVC pipe assembled with standard joints intended for building PVC furniture, although they cost more and, unless well-designed and supported, are not as sturdy as hoop frames.White schedule 40 PVC has poor
resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and will usually last for several years at most
when exposed to direct sunlight before becoming brittle and easily broken. PVC frames can be painted to shield
Greenhouse Construction - Part Two
them from the sun’s damaging rays to extend their service life considerably. Dark-colored (usually some shade of grey) schedule 80 PVC has good UV resistance, but is more expensive and less flexible.PVC hoop frame greenhouses do not
handle heavy snow loads well but the curved shape is resilient under wind stress. With diligent snow removal and regular inspections, they can provide many years of service.Another option for plastic framing is
UV-resistant polymer resin. This kind of plastic material is popular among greenhouse kit suppliers. It can be made in attractive colors, and has good structural, chemical and environmental stability. It’s easy to cut and drill for assembly but not flexible, so designs must be similar to those specified for wood or metal frame construction such as rectangular or A-frame buildings.
Do-it-yourself builders can purchase dimensional sections of new or recycled plastic “lumber” to create any desired custom frame. It won’t be cheap though—with prices for two by four boards running from $3 to $5 per linear foot, depending on whether or not they are fiber reinforced.
Wood. Wood is the oldest and most familiar framing material in use for all manner of buildings, greenhouses included. Many attractive and efficient homes for plants have been built from
108 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
standard dimensional lumber. Small, fully assembled structures are sometimes available for delivery from local portable or ready-made building suppliers and many reasonably priced wood frame kits are offered by manufacturers. Depending on the size, wood frame structures can be purchased or built for a cost of about $500 up to many thousands (or even tens of thousands) of dollars.Although not as stable as plastic resin,
wood offers several attractive features. Many people prefer the appearance of wood over plastic resin or metal and few would argue that a PVC frame is better looking. Inexpensive pine lumber
is available just about everywhere and it can be stained or painted to improve its appearance and weather resistance. Treated lumber is a good choice for framing any outdoor building that is not necessarily waterproof, and after it has cured for several months, it too can be painted or stained to improve its appearance. If cost is of no concern, redwood makes for a beautiful and lasting frame.Appearance considerations aside,
wood is easily cut and shaped, and a variety of fastening methods from good old-fashioned nails to specially designed framing joints make putting together a small wood frame greenhouse a one-day (or less) job. Wood also offers the option to build indoors, vents and benches as integral parts of the frame. You can’t really do that with a PVC hoop.Plans for greenhouse frames are
available at building suppliers, in books found at your local library, or free on the Internet (see references). In fact, just about any framed building plan can be adapted for a greenhouse application, so long as proper drainage is provided for
the roof.Metal. Galvanized steel framing has become popular in residential and com-mercial construction in recent years for several reasons. Assembly is quick with the right tools (e.g. a pneumatic or elec-tric screw gun). A U-shaped steel track is fastened to a foundation to layout the shape of the structure. C-shaped studs are then placed in the track at regular intervals and fastened with screws at the bottom and to a capping track on top. Since the studs are made from formed galvanized sheet, they are not very heavy, yet they are strong, stable, and somewhat flexible which makes for very stress resistant buildings. Steel is not attacked by insects, bacteria or fungi. Unlike wood studs, steel studs are highly uniform
which makes for less on-the-spot prob-lem solving when a board does not fit right because of warpage. If needed, steel studs are easily cut with metal saws. Steel is a good choice for a large greenhouse that needs to support a lot of weight such as glass glazing or heavy wall and ceiling mounted equipment.Steel frame construction presents some
disadvantages. For one thing, the only real option for a sizable foundation is a poured slab. Nothing else provides the needed stability and mounting surface for the bottom tray attaching screws. Small freestanding greenhouses that simply rest on the ground are possible though (staked to the ground with rebar). Steel framing is a bit more expensive than wood, and it takes certain tools, skills and experience that are unique to the material and construction method. Steel is a poor insulator, but this is normally not an issue in building a greenhouse. Rust can form where the galvanized coating has been cut or drilled, so some treatment (paint, for example) is needed to cover
Greenhouse Construction - Part Two
“Wood also offers the op-tion to build indoors, vents and benches as integral parts of the frame. ”
110 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Greenhouse Construction - Part Two
these exposed areas. Steel frame kits are pre-cut and drilled but make sure the members have been treated if any holes or cuts were made after the initial galvanizing process.Galvanized steel tubing like that used
for electrical conduit can be used for hoop structures as well. Some companies sell the bending tools needed to form the tubing into the correct shape. Steel hoop frames are suitable for
Quonset-type structures that can be made much larger and more stable than is possible using PVC pipe.Aluminum is another metal used
to build structures using the same techniques as are used for steel.
Aluminum is lighter in weight and thus easier to handle for a do-it-yourself builder. It is also easier to cut and drill. Aluminum is corrosion resistant and is provided by greenhouse building suppliers in green and white, which most people prefer in appearance to unpainted galvanized steel. Aluminum can support glass as well as any other covering, but since it is not as strong as steel it’s probably better suited to smaller structures.Once your frame is up and you’ve given
it a stress test with a few good shakes (at least), it’s time for the outer covering. There are a number of options including plastic sheeting, rigid plastics, fiberglass and glass. The pros and cons of each will be addressed in the next and final installment of this series on greenhouse design and construction. MY
ReferencesAnonymous. Agricultural Building
and Equipment Plan List. University
of Tennessee Extension; http://bio-
engr.ag.utk.edu/extension/ExtPubs/
PlanList97.htm (Accessed December
27, 2010)
Anonymous. Greenhouse Designs,
Blueprints, and Plans. H2outhouse.
com, Inc. Greenhouses, http://www.
h2othouse.com/html/plans.html (Ac-
cessed December 27, 2010)
Anonymous. Metal Frame Green-
houses. Greenhouses.com., <http://
www.greenhouses.com/metal-
framegreenhouses.html> (Accessed
December 28, 2010)
Trenholm, Dave. 2008, How to Build
an Inexpensive Hoop-Style Green-
house. <http://www.albertahomegar-
dening.com/how-to-build-an-inex-
pensive-hoop-style-greenhouse/>
(Accessed January 5, 2011)
“Aluminum is lighter in weight and thus easier to handle for a do-it-yourself builder. ”
What Should We Know About
BiologicAl inoculAntS?
by Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr.
Dr. J. Benton Jones, Jr. defines biological inoculants and their working nature in an attempt to dissect a statement that spurred a debate.
112 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
113Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
What Should We Know About
BiologicAl inoculAntS?
A statement in the June 2010 issue of Maximum Yield’s Industry News magazine caught my attention as the con-tributor stated, “Diversity of biological inoculants is the most important element in any organic garden, especially if the garden is an indoor short cycle crop.” The focus of his statement was on the value gained from the use of biologi-cal inoculants added to an organic-based rooting medium, particularly when time is a factor. I would agree that there is much that is unknown on this subject and equally as much misinformation out there. To understand what biological inoculants are and how they work, one needs to know what factors influence the decomposition of organic matter and what occurs around plant roots. Let’s take the latter subject first.Around the plant root there develops a cylindrical zone
called the rhizosphere (the narrow region of soil that is directly influenced by root secretions and associated soil micro-organisms - see figure one). This is an active bio-chemical zone that has both enhancing and protective aspects. Substances absorbed by the root are taken from the rhizosphere, which has biological and chemical charac-teristics quite different from the rooting media itself. The
An illustration of the rhizosphere: A = Amoeba consuming bacteria, BL = Energy limited bacteria, BU = Non-energy limited bacteria, RC = Root derived carbon, SR = Sloughed root hair cells, F = Fungal hyphae, N = Nematode worm
Figure 1
114 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
rhizosphere is normally more acidic than the rooting media, and is a zone within which various elemental interactions occur that both prevent and enhance root absorption of cer-tain elements as well as small molecular substances. The forma-tion and stability of the rhizosphere varies with root medium conditions and the characteristics of the plant root. When there is a constancy of conditions within the rooting medium a
rhizosphere will form around the plant roots, but its form and function will vary considerably depending on conditions, and the exact nature of its purpose and functions is still not that well understood.Within the rhizosphere there can exist what are called
Mycorrhizae, which are symbiotic fungi having a particular association with each plant species. Mycorrhizae play a major
“A common practice when planting tree seedlings or woody ornamentals
is to treat the roots with a Mycorrhiza organism in order to enhance survival
and stimulate initial plant growth.”
role in the growth of most plant species—particularly so in woody-stemmed plants and trees. A common practice when planting tree seedlings or woody ornamentals is to treat the roots with a Mycorrhiza organism in order to enhance survival and stimulate initial plant growth, particularly when plant-ing into a relatively infertile soil or when the soil has less than desirable physical and chemical properties.Now let’s address those factors that influence the biologi-
cal characteristics of the whole soil or of an organic soilless medium. Micro-organism types and populations are mainly determined by plant species, with many different micro-organ-isms existing at varying population strengths when a diversity of plant types is present. Within a mono-culture plant grow-ing system, the variety of organism types decreases, but the number of organisms of the few types that are present is high. Such a condition will reduce plant productivity, the extent of the reduction dependent on the physio-chemical proper-ties of the rooting media. Under any of these grow-ing conditions, the addition of an organism as an inoculant will not alter the microbial makeup nor significantly alter the biological activ-ity within the rooting medium. However, for a freshly prepared organic soilless medium, inoculation with a particular organism can be beneficial to the plant being rooted in that medium if the organism applied is able to use
What Should We KnoW about biological inoculantS?
115Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
“An inoculant may contain a single organism or a mix of organisms, and may be
comprised of either bacteria or fungi or a mix of both.”
116 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
medium and the plant roots themselves become major factors influencing micro-organism populations and activity. What ben-efit can be derived from the use of an inoculant to enhance plant growth for short-season organically grown plants—the question being addressed at the beginning of this article—can only be answered by knowing the characteristics of both the plant being grown and the properties of the rooting medium, as well as the types of micro-organisms in the applied inoculant.An inoculant may contain a single organism or a mix of organ-
isms, and may be comprised of either bacteria or fungi or a mix of both. An inoculant may contain organisms that already exist in the rooting media, so why is it necessary to add them? If the organic rooting medium has a stable biological character, the inoculate micro-organisms will not be able to further decompose the rooting medium anyway. Therefore, if the objective is decom-position in order to release elements from their organic solid phase into a solution phase for root absorption—where they can be utilized by the plant for its growth—it will not occur.Before we go further, let’s discuss what is happening in the
organic rooting medium that impacts elemental plant utilization.Only those elements that exist in ionic form in the solution
phase are available for root absorption. Those elements in solution
substances existing in the medium as an energy source while providing growth enhancement to the plant.All micro-organisms require an energy source to survive and
grow—that energy source may exist primarily in the rooting medium itself, or it may be obtained from organic materials sloughed off from the roots of the growing plant. Without an energy source, micro-organisms in the inoculant will not sur-vive. Therefore, the biochemical properties of both the rooting
What Should We KnoW about biological inoculantS?
117Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
exist in equilibrium with the solid phase that may have a cation exchange capacity or chelating ability affecting their availabil-ity for root absorption, while inorganic chemical reactions can change soluble elements into an insoluble form and vice versa. The level of biological activity will affect the elemental com-position of the solution phase, since micro-organisms are equal competitors for the same elements as those required by plants. For the gardener attempting to grow organically, suitable sources of organic fertilizers that are balanced in their elemental makeup
are difficult to find. In addition, most organic composts are not reliable sources for the essential nutrient elements needed by plants for several reasons. The concentration of an element can vary considerably, for example, even though it was generated from the same initial ingredient sources, such as manures, garbage, plant product wastes, and so on. For composts, since they are the end product of decomposition and therefore have some degree of stability—that is, they are not easily subject to further decomposi-tion—adding an inoculant may not stimulate decomposition at all if the compost does not have the easily available energy source required by the organisms in the inoculant. The idea that just inoculating an organic substrate will always result in decomposi-tion cannot be relied upon.So the general use of an inoculant is probably not to be rec-
ommended, since the characteristics of the inoculant, the plant species and the rooting medium will all determine the effect obtained. Therefore, the “diversity of biological inoculants” is not “the most important element” as suggested in the opening state-ment—the situation is actually far more complicated. MY
“For composts...adding an inoculant may not stimulate decomposition at all if the compost does not have the
easily available energy source required by the organisms in the inoculant.”
118 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
AVANT-GARDENING
Harvesting lavender:•Waituntiltheflowershavejustfully opened. The fully opened lavender flowers are fragrant but not overpowering. You will want to preserve the flowers at this point because they contain a fine concentration of essential oils. The longer the flowers are in bloom, the less potent they are.
Lavender is not only beautiful to look at, it smells great as well. Lavender can be used to decorate your home, in cooking and in some home remedies. Commercially grown lavender can be purchased in dried form or as lavender oil, but you can easily grow and harvest your own. Growing lavender will surely add beauty to your garden.
•Useapairofprunersorsecateursincutting the flowers. Be careful when cutting so you don’t crush the flowers.
•Cutrightabovetheleaves.Also,pickflowers that are part of a long stem. This way when you dry the lavender, you can easily hang the flowers using the stems.
How to Harvest and Storeby Troy Marshall
Lavender
•Encouragemoreflowerstogrow.Youcan accomplish this by leaving around one to two inches of green when cutting. Don’t cut the woodiest parts.
•Useadryingrack.Althoughthisisnotrequired, a drying rack for herbs and flowers makes it easier for you to dry your lavender.
119Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
AVANT-GARDENING
Drying and storing lavender:•Hangthelavender.Intheabsenceofadryingrack,youcanuse strings or rubber bands to hold the stems together and hang these upside down. You can group the stems into six before tying them together firmly. Another option is to hang the lavender stems individually on a string. If your home is located in an area with low humidity, you can group the stems together in half dozen bunches. Otherwise, it is best to hang each stem separately in order to dry the flowers faster.
•Placethelavenderinadry,darkplace.Inamoistenvironment,the lavender will mold and rot. The ideal drying temperature is between 86 to 90°F on the first drying day. For the next drying days, the temperature should be between 75 and 82°F. Attics and lofts are great places to dry them. You can also place the lavender in brown paper bags with holes at the bottom and on the sides so air comes in.
•Checkthedryingprogress.Onceinawhile,seehowthelavender is doing. The stems will shrink so adjust the string or tighten the rubber bands. After a month, the lavender should be dry enough.
•Storethelavenderinadry,darkplace.Youcanplacethemin a cardboard box or a brown paper bag with no holes. Depending on how you want to use the dried lavender, you can choose to remove the flowers from the stems or keep the flowers on the stems.
Lavender has many uses. They can be used for decorating your home by including them in a dried flower arrangement. The dried flowers can be added to scented sachets or used in candle making. Aromatherapy oils and lotions come infused with lavender oil. It is very easy to grow, harvest and store lavender. Instead of buying dried lavender, consider growing lavender plants yourself. MY
(Source: www.howtodothings.com)
119
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT pH?
The “p” stands for potential and the “H” stands for hydro-gen. Okay, so that makes it as clear as mud. What is potential Hydrogen? A scientific explanation would state that pH refers to the plant’s ability to attract hydrogen ions. A less scientific explanation says pH is the acid/alkaline balance.Translated into a language those of us without a PhD can
understand, the pH level refers to the acidity and alkalinity of both the water and the growing medium. If the environment is too acidic, that means the plant will not attract enough hydrogen, while an environment that is too alkaline will at-tract too much hydrogen. An environment that continually fluctuates from one extreme on the pH scale to the other is unhealthy for the plant.Hydrogen is one of four elements all living plants need to
survive. Without hydrogen, the plant would wilt and not be able to take in nutrients. Plants absorb hydrogen through the water via a process called osmosis*. This hydrogen-osmosis cycle is what keeps nutrients traveling from the water into the plant. Once a plant has died due to lack of water, there is no amount of water that can be added to it that will revive it.The level of pH is measured on a scale of zero to 14 with
zero representing the highest concentration of acid and 14
by Charlene Rennick
“The level of pH is measured on a scale of zero to 14 with zero representing the
highest concentration of acid and 14 representative of the most alkaline.”
Have you ever wondered why the “p” in “pH” is a lower-case letter while the “H” is capitalized? What does it mean?
GROWING FOR HEALTH
120 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
representative of the most alkaline. Seven is the magic figure for pH because it means that there is a balance of acid and alkaline in the solution and is often referred to as pH neutral. It is usu-ally sufficient to say that a pH neutral environment is perfect for most plants, but some vegetation requires water or a growing medium that is more acidic than alkaline in order to flourish or have the right color of blossoms, while other plants prefer the opposite. Testing strips for pH can be purchased to determine exactly what the acid/alkaline balance is in your water or growing medium. A variety of instrumentation and meters are also available. These products make it easy to adjust the pH level for home gardeners or for mixing nutrients for your own hydroponic garden.
*Recyling Water via OsmosisReverse Osmosis (RO) is a method of removing pathogens or disease-carrying organisms from water, especially in areas where safe drinking water is scarce. When used in hydroponics, rainwa-ter is collected and then filtered through an RO system to make it clean and safe for agricultural use. Hydroponic systems collect the water used by the plants, filter it through reverse osmosis and then add nutrients to make it nutritious for plants.
Osmosis is the name given to the process by which mole-cules, naturally and without any scientific intervention, move from a weaker solution to a stronger solution through any porous (permeable) membrane.
Reverse Osmosis is contrived. That means it is not a naturally occurring phenomena. Pressure is used to reverse the flow of water back through a permeable membrane from a stronger, more concentrated area of mineral content to a weaker one. This forcibly removes salt and other minerals from
sea water or very hard water that has a high calcium or mag-nesium content.The process uses a fine membrane as a filter to remove salt
and minerals from water in addition to larger pieces of dirt and pollens. It doesn’t remove all harmful substances, though. Some contaminants and pollutants have particles that are so tiny that they slip through the membrane, so reverse osmosis is usually combined with a carbon filter to further purify the water.Because reverse osmosis strips most of the minerals from
water, it becomes void of nutrients. In order to make it healthy for use in hydroponic gardens, nutrients have to be added for the plants. Neglecting to add nutrients to RO-filtered water would strip the plant of its own nutrients. MY
121Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
“Reverse Osmosis is contrived. That means it is not a naturally occur-
ring phenomena.”
122 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
EnvironmEntControlIt is essential to know your plants’ particular needs well to obtain good results. The aspects to consider are numerous but the climate, particularly airflow, temperature, temperature, humidity and CO
2
enrichment certainly influence the most growth and yield (harvest quantity and quality). So, what are the effects of climate on plants and which methods can be used to more efficiently control them in indoor gardening?
by Trevor Holt
AirflowThe importance of good air exchange and CO
2 availability in an indoor growing envi-
ronment cannot be overstated. Airflow and CO
2 are so often overlooked and can have a
dramatic effect on the overall health and perfor-mance of plants.An ideal environment requires at least 30 air changes
per hour; therefore, a good extraction fan is paramount. More air movement is better than not enough.To calculate the size of the fan you would need, measure
the length, width and height of the space, then multiply this figure by 1,000. This will give you the cubic quart capacity of the space. Finally, divide this figure by 30 (the air changes required per hour). This will give you the required fan size.Equally as important as an extraction fan is an intake fan. If the intake
hole is too small you will create a vacuum and the extraction fan will end up fighting against itself and probably (over time) burn out. The intake vent should be three times the size of the exhaust vent unless the latter is also powered by a fan to draw the air in. A good gauge to see if your air exchange is correct is to try and close the door to the room. If it’s difficult then you need to increase the size of the intake or add a fan that pushes air in as well.
123Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
TemperatureFluctuations in temperature can cause considerable problems. A temperature between 73 to 80°F is desirable. Gener-ally it may be difficult to maintain this temperature range, however, as a general rule try to keep the space as close to this range as possible. Sudden leaps and dips in temperature should be avoided as this can cause undue stress to plants. High temperatures of 86°F and above will cause the plants to transpire. If they are unable to replace what is lost quickly enough, they can become stressed and may die. It is advisable to cut your nutrient strength by half if there is the possibility of an increase in the transpiration rate or hot weather is predicted. If temperatures fall below 59°F the uptake of vital mineral salts is impeded, creating a deficiency in the plant, usually indicated by a pur-pling of the stem. To counter this, a tank heater should be used as this will help keep the root zone warm.
HumidityHigh humidity is another cause for concern, as dramatic fluctuations in humidity can cause bolting in the plants (stretching), blistering on the leaf sur-face and mold problems on flowers. A humidity of 40 to 60 per cent is desir-able. Fresh air intake and good air circu-lation is absolutely essential to healthy plant growth and is a good way of keep-ing the humidity in check. Coincidently,
plants tend to grow best in climates approximate to human comfort. If you visit your grow space
and it feels like a fridge or a furnace, it’s likely that your plants are feeling uncomfortable.If growing in a greenhouse, choose
a location that faces east away from the intense heat from the afternoon sun. Alternatively, run your “lights on” period at night.
“High humidity is another cause for concern, as dramatic fluctuations in
humidity can cause bolting in the plants, blistering on the leaf surface
and mold problems on flowers.”
124 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Environment Control
“In my opinion using any of the [previously men-
tioned] methods without monitoring the actual CO
2
levels...is hit and miss.”
CO2 EnrichmentCarbon Dioxide (CO
2) is one of the
essential elements required in photo-synthesis. Increasing CO
2 levels is the
most effective and immediate way to enhance and increase plant growth rates. Research by biologists and plant physi-ologists throughout the world have long recognized the benefits of CO
2 for plant
growth. Horticulturists and greenhouse growers have used CO
2 generators to
enhance growth rates on plants for many years with amazing results.Carbon dioxide is an odorless gas and a minor constituent of the air we breathe. It comprises only 0.034 per cent (340 parts per million, or ppm) of the
atmosphere but is vital to all life. Plants are made up of about 80 to 90 per cent carbon and water with other elements being nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phospho-rus and trace elements making up only a small percentage. Almost all of the carbon in plants comes from this minor 340 ppm of carbon dioxide in the air. By increas-ing the CO
2 in your growing environ-
ment from between 1,000 and 1,500 ppm your plants will grow strong. With higher CO
2 concentrations the stomates under
the leaves that allow the passage of CO2
into the plant will close slightly as their
workload is decreased. This results in less water loss and more water usage within the plant. The plant cells work more effi-ciently with plant growth rates increasing from 70 to 200 per cent.Simple sugars like glucose provide plants
with energy and are formed into the more complex plant parts such as car-bohydrates, amino acids, protein,
cellulose, leaves, roots, branches and flow-ers. The oxygen that all plants give off comprises about 80 per cent of the earth’s atmosphere, which is used by humans, animals and marine life. The importance of CO
2 and good airflow in the growing
environment equates to about 75 per cent of the plant’s total food source with the other 25 per cent coming from around its root zone. It is critical to get your envi-ronment right or disaster will follow.The next question for the grower is how
do you increase the CO2 levels in the
greenhouse? There are three methods of increasing CO
2 levels in the environment:
injecting CO2 by way of bottled CO
2
cylinders, which you hire from the gas company; using L.P.G gas burners, which supply heat and increase the CO
2 levels
in the environment; and with home made concoctions using yeast and sugar.
Manual CO2 MethodAny extra CO
2 around the
plant will help. I would sug-gest before attempting this that you look at getting your air exchange in your garden cor-rect before adopting any sort of CO
2 injecting
methods. If the air exchange is not correct, you can stress the plant.
“By increasing the CO2 in your grow-
ing enviroment from between 1,000 and 1,500 ppm your plants
will grow strong.”
128 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Environment Control
Bottled CO2This method injects CO
2 into the grow-
ing environment with a regulator, flow meter and solenoid, which is connected to a timing device and periodically opens the solenoid to let the gas flow through to emit-ters. The emitters are placed above the plants; the CO
2 then falls
from the emitters onto the plants. The plants, in turn, absorb the CO
2
rich gas. Injecting bottled gas can be extremely effec-tive because of the purity; how-ever, it can also be extremely danger-ous in enclosed areas, therefore, never put the cylinder inside the growing environment. Always store the CO
2
bottles outside the grow room as CO2
becomes unstable above 86°F.Above is listed the bottle sizes and
calculations you will need to make, to get
the full benefit of using bottled CO2 gas.
Your gas consumption depends upon the volume, cycle time and lights on period. If you have a large space, a short cycle time and an 18 hour lights on period,
you are going to use a lot of gas, and cylinders will not last long.The E size is the most practical size as
the large G size cylinders are very heavy and the small D size cylinders do not last long in grow rooms larger than 70 cubic feet.
To know what levels are required and how much to add to achieve 1,500 ppm you need to calculate your volume. This is done by measuring the length, width and height of the space. To calculate
take the average background CO
2
level of 350 ppm then your desired CO
2 level you
wish to achieve, for example 1,500 ppm, which is 1,500 ppm (desired) minus 350 ppm (background level) = 1,150 ppm needed to inject. You then take the cubic capacity by enrichment level = volume of CO
2
required. If your flow metre is in gal-
lons, there are 220 gallons in 35 cubic feet, so multiply room volume by 220, which will give you cubic quarts. Now that you know how much CO
2 to add,
you need to decide how often you want to release (frequency), and how long you want to release (period).
CO2 gas bOttles COme in three sizes1. size D contains 212 ounces of carbon
dioxide equivalent to 660 gallons2. size e contains 529 ounces of carbon
dioxide equivalent to 1,671 gallons3. size g contains 1,093 of carbon dioxide
equivalent to 3,476 gallons
129Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
In my opinion using any of the mentioned methods without moni-toring the actual CO
2 levels in the
environment is hit and miss, and a CO2
infrared sensor is the only way you are going to get accurate CO
2 levels
consistently.
L.P.G or Natural GasEach burner uses 0.075 kilograms per hour of gas. Twin burners will provide an atmosphere of approximately 1,500 ppm in a ventilated 49 by 49 foot area. Each burner produces 7.8 ounces of CO
2 per hour.
Models are available in two, four and eight burn-ers. The unit incorporates an electric solenoid and pilot light to turn the unit on and off automatically. Ventilation is important in conjunction with CO
2 generation
and heating.CO
2 being heavier than air will ini-
tially be lifted with heat to the top of the growing area then fall and disperse evenly through the plants.On many models, each burner at
maximum gas rate burns app. 2.6 ounces per hour of propane. This produces 3.15 MJ (875 watts) of useful heat and 7.8 ounces of CO
2. Without
allowing for factors as wind chill, excess number of air changes per hour, wind velocity and direction etc. this would give approximately 41 to 50°F rise. In a greenhouse, enough ventilation may be achieved by heat convection through the fan outlet without it being operated. It is dangerous not to have adequate ventila-
tion as CO2
in high levels of concentra-tion is harmful to humans. Poor ventila-tion can also be detected by build up in
humidity, which can be detected in sev-eral ways: moisture on the walls; a “sweet taste” to the air when drawn in over the tongue; or measured by a hygrometer. CO
2 levels can be accurately measured
with the use of disposable gas phials. Each growing area—whether indoors or out—will have its own unique growing environment, therefore, individual adjust-ment and some experimentation will be needed to find the right level for your garden. MY
FIRE IT UPModern and well constructed gas fired CO2 generators are designed for use in grow rooms. Always use a high quality model and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure safe and trouble-free operation while boosting growth rates and yields.
“On many models, each burner at maximum gas rate burns app. 2.6 ounces per hour of propane. This produces 3.15 MJ (875 watts) of
useful heat and 7.8 ounces of CO2.”
130 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
PRODUCTspotlightContinued from page 42
hydro International Presents Bloom organic S.w.t.n.R _____________Hydro International’s Bloom Organic S.W.T.N.R controls aroma production, enhances flavor and increases plant health. Growers should use one milli-liter per quart of nutrient solution every week. Bloom Organic S.W.T.N.R contains natural flavor enhancers, carbohydrates and sea minerals. Available in one quart, 0.5 gallons, three gallons and five gallons. Visit your local hydroponics shop for more information on Bloom Organic S.W.T.N.R.
hydro International Presents In-line BlowersIn-line blowers from Hydro International feature superior air and sound performance with a choice of 110 volts/60 hertz or 220 volts/50 hertz. These high performance blowers feature a maintenance-free balanced motor that is made in Japan. They are wide in size and air flow range and cased in leather and super quiet. Available in four, six, eight, 10 and 12 inches. Visit your local hydroponics shop for more information.
FD-100 Flood Detector From Solatel _______With Solatel’s new FD-100 you can detect overflow of water or nutrients if a pipe breaks or a drain clogs. A flood sensor is connected by a 10 foot cable to a control box with two 120 volt, 15 amp outlets. “Flood On” outlet is on during flood and off during no flood. The “Flood Off” outlet does the opposite—it is off during flood and on during no flood. The hold switch selects automatic or manual reset. Check out the
FD-100 at your favorite indoor gardening shop.
MY
132 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
TALKING SHOP
According to John Alvarez and Larry Blake of Tulare County Growers Supply, staying on top of new developments in the industry and communicating with customers is all-important in the hydroponics retail game.“With the hydro industry you learn something new every day—if you don’t, you’re not reaching your customers,” says John. “We decided to open Tulare County Growers Supply to give people a choice and a fair price,” he continues. “There are so many new customers turning to hydroponics. We noticed a demand to open a new hydro store in our area.”In 2009 the two
founded their new store in Farmersville, California.John Alvarez’s family
had been involved in agriculture-related business ventures for over three generations. John himself had built many companies from the ground up over the years but seems to have found his true calling in the hydroponics industry. Larry Blake, who also has a strong
background in agriculture, acquired his business acumen working for over 17 years in every aspect of the plastics industry from manufacture to design. With the
combination of business smarts and passion for the hydroponics industry these two were able to bring to their new venture, Tulare County
Growers Supply soon became one of the leading hydro stores in the Central Valley.Like so many start-up businesses Tulare
County needed to be able to carry that
first high-quality product line on their roster to have any credibility in the marketplace, and for them it was Maverick Sun Lighting. “Our start-up years were touch-and-go just like many businesses, but with the territories that many large
“With the hydro industry you learn something new every day—if you don’t, you’re not reaching
your customers.”
Store name: Tulaware County
Owners: John Alvarez and Larry Blake
Location: 435 W Noble Ave. Unit A Farmersville, CA
Phone: 559-732-8247
Fax: 559-732-8246
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.tcgrowerssupply.com
At A gLAnCe
From left: Jesse, John and Alfred at the Bakersfield location.
suppliers have [acquiring quality product lines] was the main problem we had to overcome,” says John. “We would like to thank Maverick Sun, Sunlight Supply and R&M Supply for seeing an opportunity to do business with us.”The first years were not easy—the
two partners had to handle everything themselves, and they found it difficult initially trying to juggle the long hours demanded by a retail outlet with all the headaches of dealing with distributors and finding good quality products to carry. They soon discovered that it was all about customer service in the grow supply trade. Customers appreciate the personal touch, and if you’re selling a good product at a fair price and offering service that makes every visit to the store a pleasure, you won’t go far wrong. “Stay on top and keep your customers happy,” John stresses. “They are
your number one advertisers.”The two entrepreneurs now have a
second store in Bakersfield, California, and they employ 10 full-time workers between their two locations as well as running a warehouse operation to distribute some of the great new products they have made it their business to discover. “We carry as many products as we can in the
hydro industry,” John explains. “One of these products is the Liquid Ladybug spider mite killer. There are new
products [like this] every day, which keeps us busy looking for them so we can offer them to our customers.”Running a hydroponics business is also
about being open to new ideas, John and Larry have discovered. “We learned a lot about the hydro industry since we have opened the doors,” says John, “And we learn every day.” New products, new science and a constant stream of
customer-generated tips and comments make this the kind of business where the successful operator can never afford to stop learning. “In this industry you grow with it, or you fall behind—never let your store fall behind!”John and Larry plan to continue to
keep learning new things about their industry every day, and to keep giving their treasured customers the solid service that has brought them this far in a tough marketplace. “When we started Tulare County Growers Supply we had a motto: stay strong and move forward,” John explains. “I guess if you never forget that you will be successful.”The constant search for new products
to address the needs of their customers is just one aspect of Tulane County’s commitment to providing superior service. John can’t seem to stress this enough, “Team work—working hard for our customers—that’s our biggest strength.”John Alvarez and Larry Blake seem to
have found the winning formula for success in the ever-changing hydroponics industry—hard work, constant learning and over-the-top customer service. So what’s next for these guys? “Don’t ever think there is no room to grow—because there are opportunities every day,” John confidently assures me. And will they ever change their winning formula? “It has never changed,” he laughs. “Customer service is number one!” MY
133Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
“Team work — working hard for our customers — that’s our
biggest strength.”
Owners John and Sol Alvarez.
136 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
MAX-MART
137Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
LLC
13762 Doolittle Drive, San Leandro, CA 94577
Phone: 510.903.1808 Fax: 510.764.1246
www.hydrogardendelight.com
138 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
MAX-MART
139Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
140 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
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Controlling Salt Build-UpSalt build-up is a common occurrence in hydroponic solutions and soilless systems, which can be serious and even fatal for plants. Luckily there are a number of easy options to correct the problem that growers of all skill levels can implement.
The Pythium PredatorDo you run and cower when you hear the word Pythium? You’re not alone. This plant plague can strike at any time leaving behind wilted leaves and brown roots. By understanding how and why it spreads, you will more easily be able to control and eventually prevent this devastating disease.
Hairy Root Tissue Culture and the Future of HorticultureSince the dawn of agriculture, humans have controlled and experimented with plant species. The modern techniques of tissue culture assist with cultivation and micropropagation of plants by the millions, as genetic clones.
141Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
DO YOUknow?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
A typical LED’s lifetime is 50,000 hours.
Diatomacious grow rocks are rich in silica and trace elements, and unfortunately can grow algae.
Sucking pests such as whitefly excrete honey dew, a thick, black, sticky residue on leaf surfaces, which becomes colonized by sooty mold.
The rhizosphere is the narrow region of soil that is directly influenced by root secretions and associated soil micro-organisms that develops around a plant’s roots.
If your room’s relative humidity reads 80 per cent, it will hold around 14 pounds of water at 50°F.
Often a hybrid crop breed is unable to reproduce on it’s own, so strains are often cloned in order to replicate results and maintain crop continuity.
Bare vines on some crops, particularly tomatoes, act as living plumbing, delivering food and water to the furthest points on the plant, and bare vines begin to layer up on top of one another like extension cords.
In addition to developing on plant surfaces, bio-film (a layer of ‘dirt’ or organic material) can develop on the inside of nutrient reservoirs and growing channels where they may harbor waterborne diseases such as Pythium.
All micro-organisms require an energy source to survive and grow, which may exist in the rooting medium or obtained from organic materials sloughed off from the roots of the growing plant.
Overuse of oil-based sprays may impede leaf transpiration and clog the stomata.
Sulfur is necessary for the plant to manufacture hormones, amino acids, proteins, vitamins—including B1—plant cells and seeds.
142 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
ALABAMAAlabama Organics3348 Bethel Road,Valley Head, AL 35989256-635-0802
ALASKABrown’s Electrical Supply365 Industrial Way,Anchorage, AK 99501907-272-2259Far North Garden Supply300 Centaur Street,Wasilla, AK 99654907-376-7586Far North Garden Supply2834 Boniface ParkwayAnchorage, AK 99504907-333-3141Holmtown Nursery Inc.1301 - 30th Avenue,Fairbanks, AK 99701907-451-8733
ARIZONAACI Hydroponics1325 South Park Lane,Tempe, AZ 85282800-633-2137Homegrown Hydroponics601 East Broadway Road,Tempe, AZ 85282480-377-9096 Homegrown Hydroponics 2525 West Glendale AvePhoenix AZ 85051602-368-4005 Natural Pools & Gardens2143 North Country Suite C,Tucson, AZ 85716520-323-2627Sea of Green Hydroponics1301 E. University Dr.Tempe AZ, 85281800-266-4136Sea of Green West2340 W. Bell Road, Suite 116,Phoenix, AZ 85023602-504-8842Sea of Green Hydroponics402 North 4th Avenue,Tucson, AZ 85705520-622-6344
ARKANSASFermentables3915 Crutcher Street,N. Little Rock, AR 72118501-758-6261 Growfresh Organics & More2600 S Zero St, Suite CFort Smith, AR 72901479.648.8885Mickey’s Mercantile1303 Highway 65 South,Clinton, AR 72031501-412-0214Old Soul Organics and More1771 Crossover Road,Fayetteville, AR 72701479-444-6955
CALIFORNIA3rd Street Hydroponics636 3rd StreetOakland, CA 94607510-452-5521805 Hydroponics & Organics1785 E. Thousand Oaks BoulevardThousand Oaks, CA 91362805-494-1785 A+ Hydroponics & Organics1604 Babcock Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627949-642-7776A Fertile World (Eureka)65th Street, Eureka, CA 95501707-444-0200
A Fertile World (Fortuna)610 7th Street,Fortuna, CA 95540 707-725-0700 Abundant Hydroponics LLC1611 Shop Street, #1-A,South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150530-54 HYDROAdvanced Garden Supply2660 Lake Tahoe Boulevard,Building C, Unit 9,S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150530-541-4769 Advanced Garden Supply3113 Alhambra Drive, Unit F,Cameron Park, CA 95682,530-676-2100Advanced Hydroponics17808 Sierra Highway,Canyon Country, CA 91351661-299-1603AG Natural403 Idaho Maryland Road,Grass Valley, CA 95945530-274 0990All Seasons Hydroponics17614 Chatsworth Street,Granada Hills, CA 91344818-368-4388Alternative Hydro3870 East, Colorado Boulevard,Pasadena, CA 91107888-50-HYDROAlways Sunny Hydroponics708 W. Swain RoadStockton, CA 95207209-473-9827Always Sunny Hydroponics2511 West LN. Stockton, CA 95205209-939-0660 All Ways Hydro2220 Eastridge Ave. Suite CRiverside CA 92507888-HYDRO98 American Hydroponics286 South G Street,Arcata, CA 95521800-458-6543America’s Best Hydroponics & Gardening Center641 W. Palmdale Blvd. Unit DPalmdale, CA 93551661-266-3906 Anthony’s Garden & Lighting Supply30 Ridge Road, Suites 8 & 9Sutter Creek, CA 95685209-267-5416Anything Grows10607 W. River Street, Building 3 Suite C,Truckee, CA 96161530-582-0479Art of Hydro2636 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.Thousand Oaks, CA 91362805-230-2227 Atlantis Garden Supply2851 A Whipple Road,Union City, CA 94587510-487-8007Atwater Hydroponics3350 Glendale Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90039323-663-8881Auburn Organic4035 Grass Valley Highway,Auburn, CA 95602530-823-8900B & S Gardening Supplies590 Commerce Court,Manteca, CA 95336209-239-8648Bakersfield Hydroponics2408 Brundage Lane, Suite BBakersfield, CA 93304661-323-7333Bare Roots Hydroponics1615 East Cypress, #5Redding, CA 96002530-244-2215
Beginning HydroponicsPO Box 1232,Corona, CA 92787951-735-4446Berkeley Indoor Garden844 University AvenueBerkeley, CA 94710510-549-2918Berkeley’s Secret Garden921 University Avenue,Berkeley, CA 94710510-486-0117 Best Coast Growers4417 Glacier Avenue Suite C,San Diego, CA 92120800-827-1876 Best Yield Garden Supply3503 West Temple Avenue, Unit A,Pomona, CA 91768909-839-0505Better Choice Hydroponics610 S. Washington Street,Senora, CA 95370209 533 2400Better Grow Hydro Pasadena1271 E. Colorado Boulevard,Pasedena, CA 91106626 737 6612 Better Grow Hydro Los Angeles5554 Bandini Boulevard,Bell, CA 91106323-510-2700; 877 640 GROWBloom Hydro1602 53rd Ave. Oakland CA 94601707 980 0456 Box Of Rain Inc.Po Box 302, Rexford, CA 59930406-755-7245Brentwood Hydroponics & Organics560 Valdry Ct #85Brentwood, CA 94513925-634-6704 BWGS-CA7530 W. Sunnyview AvenueVisalia, CA 93291888-316-1306 California Hydro Garden1043 South Glendora Avenue, Suite AWest Covina, CA 91790626-813-0868California Hydroponics310 Coral Street, Suite CSanta Cruz, CA 95060831-423-4769Calwest Hydroponics11620 Sterling Avenue, Suite A Riverside, CA 92503 800-301-9009 Central Coast Hydrogarden1951 Santa Barbara Street,San Luis Obispo, CA 93401805-544-GROWCitrus Heights Hydrogarden8043 Greenback LaneCitrus Heights, CA 95610916-728-4769City Farm Hydroponics8903 Laurel Canyon Boulevard,Sun Valley, CA 91352818-767-2076City Farmer’s Nursery4832 Home Avenue,San Diego, CA 92105619-284-6358Clover Hydroponics & Garden Supply43 Soda Bay Road,Lakeport, CA 95453707-263-4000CNG Garden Supplies22 Ricknbacker Circle,Livermore, CA 94551209-836-5550 Coca’s Central Valley Hydroponics116 West Orangeburg Avenue,Modesto, CA 95350209-567-0590
MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors
143Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Concord Indoor Garden2771 Clayton Road,Concord, CA 94519925-671-2520Conejo Hydroponics3481 Old Conejo Road #106Newbury Park, CA 91320805-480-9596Conrad Hydroponics Inc.14915 Unit E, Olympic Drive,Clearlake, CA 95422707-994 3264Constantly Growing6200 Enterprise Drive, Suite ADiamond Springs, CA 95619530-642-9710Constantly Growing4343 Hazel Avenue,Fair Oaks, CA 95628916-962-0043Constantly Growing - Davis123 D StreetDavis, CA 95616530-756-4774Cultivate Ontario2000 Grove Ave #a110Ontario, CA 91761909-781-6142D&S Garden Supplies17-130 Doolittle DriveSan Leandro, CA 94577510-430-8589Dazey’s Supply3082 Redwood Drive,Redway, CA 95560707-923-3002 Deep Roots Garden Center & Flower Shop207 N. Sepulveda Blvd.Manhattan Beach, CA 90266Telephone: 310-376-0567Direct Hydroponics Wholesale14228 Alberts Way,Chino, CA 91710909-606-5885Dirt Cheap Hydroponics17975 H Highway 1,Fort Bragg, CA 95437707-964-4211Discount Hydroponics4745 Hiers Avenue,Riverside, CA 92505877-476-9487 Dr. Greenthumbs Hydroponic Garden Supplies566 San Ramon Valley Blvd.Danville, CA 94526925-314-9376 Dutch Garden Supplies17831 Sky Park Circle Suite 12 –CIrvine CA 92614949-748-8777Eel River Hydroponics & Soil Supply164 Dinsmore Drive,Fortuna, CA 95540707-726-0395 El Centro Hydro & Brew Supply Inc.591 main Street, Suite N-2El Centro, CA 92243760-235-4985Elite Horticulture Supply22330 Sherman Way, C13,Canoga Park, CA 91303818-347-5172Emerald Garden8249 Archibald Avenue,Ranch Cucamanga, CA 91730909-466-3796Emerald Garden13325 South Highway 101,Hopland, CA 95482707-744-8300Emerald Garden307 East Perkins Street,Ukiah, CA 95482707-463-2510Endless Green Hydroponics25 Enterprise Court, Suite 3Napa, CA 94558707-254-0200 Evergreen Hydroponics923 N. Central Avenue, Suite B,Upland, CA 91786909-946-7100Everything Green Hydroponics915 Texas Street,Fairfield, CA 94533707-432-0774Everything Green448 Georgia Street,Vallejo, CA 94590707-647-0774
Extreme Hydroponics11479 San Fernando Road C,San Fernando, CA 91340818-898-0915EZ Green Hydroponics7017 Reseda Boulevard,Reseda, CA 91335818-776-9076Farm Hydroponics, The1950 Lake Tahoe Boulevard #3,S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150530-541-3276Flairform1751 S Pointe Avenue,Ontario, CA 91761213-596-8820Flower Hut Nursery603 4th StreetWheatland, CA 95692 530-633-4526Foothill Hydroponics10705 Burbank Boulevard,N. Hollywood, CA 91601818-760-0688 Foothills Hydrogarden3133 Penryn Road,Penryn, CA 95663916-270-2413Full Sun Supply3535 Industrial Drive, Unit B-3Santa Rosa, CA 95403877-FULL-SUNFunny Farms Hydroponics963 Transport Way, #12Petaluma, CA 94954707-775-3111 G & G Organics and Hydroponics901 W. Victoria Street Unit D,Compton, CA 90220310-632-0122Garden Connection, The 2145 Park Avenue, Unit 2Chico, CA 95928530-342-7762Garden Depot, The203 Commerce Street, Suite 101Lodi, CA 95240209-339-9950Garden Highway Garden Supply598 Garden Highway #22Yuba City, CA 95991530-755-2877Garden Shed, The1136 El Camino RealSan Carlos, CA650-508-8600Garden Spout, The44800 Highway 101,Laytonville, CA 95454707-984-7260Garden Spout, The630 S. Main Street,Willits, CA 95490707-456-0196Garden Warehouse6355 Scarlet Court, #2,Dublin, CA 94568925-556-3319Gardening Unlimited60 Old El Pueblo Road,Scotts Valley, CA 95066831-457-1236Go Big Hydroponics4501 Van Nuys Boulevard,Sherman Oaks, CA 91403818-789-3341Go Green Hydroponics15721 Ventura Boulevard,Encino, CA 91436818-990-1198Golden Gecko Garden Center, The4665 Marshall Road,Garden Valley, CA 95633530-333-2394Golden Harvest Hydroponics & Garden Supply8626 Lower Sacramento Road #48,Stockton, CA 95210209-951-3550Gonzo Grow2550 Guerneville Road, Suite C,Santa Rosa, CA 95401707-546-1800 Gottagrow Garden Supply769 Wilson Street,Santa Rosa, CA 95404707-544-7782
Grass Roots Hydroponics31875 Corydon, Suite 130Lake Elsinore, CA 92530951-245-2390 Grass Valley Hydrogarden12506 Loma Rica Drive,Grass Valley, CA 95945530-477-2996Green Acres Hydroponics1215 Striker Avenue, Suite 180,Sacramento, CA 95834916-419-4394Green Coast Hydroponics3560 State Street,Santa Barbara, CA 93105805-898-9922 Green Coast Hydroponics2405 Mira Mar Avenue,Long Beach, CA 90815562-627-5636 Green Coast Hydroponics496 Meats AvenueOrange, CA 92865714-974-4769 Green Coast Hydroponics11510 Whittier BoulevardWhittier, CA 90601562-699-4201 Green Door Hydro and Solar830 Traction Avenue,Los Angeles, CA 90013212-625-1323Greenfire Sacramento3230 Auburn Boulevard,Sacramento, CA 95821916-485-8023 Green Leaf Hydroponics3903 Patton Way #103Bakersfield CA 93308661-245-2616Green Giant Hydroponics7183 Hwy 49 Unit BLotus CA 95651530 622 4465Green Gopher Garden Supply679 Redwood Avenue, Suite A,Sand City, CA 93955831-899-0203Green Joint Ventures61 Tarp Circle,Salinas, CA 93901831-998-8628 Green Lady Hydroponics4879 Newport Avenue,San Diego, CA 92107619-222-5011GreenLeaf Hydroponics2212 Artesia Boulevard,Redondo Beach, CA 90278310-374-2585 Green Light Hydroponics2615 Honolula Ave. Montrose, CA 91020818-640-2623 Green Logic Garden Supply860 Piner Road, #38,Santa Rosa, CA 95403707-843-3156 Greenmile Hydroponic Garden Supply1480 South E. Street, Suite D,San Bernardino, CA 92408909-885-5919Green Thumb Hydroponics35 Quinta Court, Suite B,Sacramento, CA 95823916-689-6464Green Thumb Lighting & Garden1647 W. Sepulveda Boulevard, Unit 5,Torrance, CA 90501888-326-GROWGreentrees Hydroponics Inc.2581 Pioneer Avenue, Unit DVista, CA 92081760-598-7551GreenWay Hydroponics11510 Whittier Boulevard,Whittier, CA 90601562-699-4201Grodan Inc.5152 Commerce Avenue,Moorpark, CA 93021541-646-8245 Gro More Garden Supply2937 Larkin Avenue,Clovis, CA 93021541-646-8245
Dutch Garden Supplies17831 Sky Park Circle Suite 12 –CIrvine CA 92614949-748-8777
144 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Grow It Right AquaponicsPOB 552,Eureka, CA 95502707-407-6519Grow A Lot Hydroponics, San Diego1591 N. Cuyamaca Street,El Cajon, CA 93612619-749-6777 Grow 4 Less Hydroponics320 Trousdale Ste L Chula vista, CA 91910 619-425-GROW (4769)Growers Choice Hydroponics1100 Carver Road,Modesto, CA 95350209-522-2727Growers Choice Hydroponics16754 East 14th Street,San Leandro, CA 94578510-278-6200Grow4Less garden Supply & Hydroponics320 Trousdale Dr., Suite LChula Visa CA 91910619-425-GROW Grow It Yourself Gardens401 Sunset Drive, Suite L,Antioch, CA 94509925-755-GROWGrow Light Express5318 East Second Street suite 164,Long Beach, CA 90803888-318-GROWGrow Your Own3401 Traval Street,San Francisco, CA 94116415-731-2115 Grow Zone718 Willow Rd. Menlo Park CA 94025650-326-4769Grow Wurks Hydroponics 765 S. State College Boulevard. Suite J Fullerton, CA 92831 Grunder Family Organics & Hydroponics12321 Magnolia Avenue, Suite C,Riverside, CA 92503877-468-7974H20 Gardening355 West 7th Street,San Pedro, CA 90731310-514-1416Hahn’s Lighting260 E. VA Suite 1,San Jose, CA 95112408-295-1755 Hardman Hydroponics3511 Youree DrShreveport La 71105318-865-0317Harvest Hydroponics6650 Merchandise Way Suite B,Diamond Springs, CA 95619530-622-5190Healthy Harvest Hydroponics and Organics2958 S. Higuera St.San Luis Obispo, CA 93401805.596.0430High Desert Hydroponics13631 Pawnee Road, #7Apple Valley, CA 92308760-247-2090High Street Hydro180 Cleveland Avenue,Auburn, CA 95603530-885-5888Hi-Tech Gardening5327 Jacuzzi Street, #282,Richmond, CA 94804510-524-4710Hollywood Hydroponics and Organics5109 1/2 Hollywood Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90027-6105323-662-1908Home Brews & Gardens3176 Thorn StSan Diego, CA 92104619 630 2739 Home Life Hydroponics and Organics1745 East Vista Way,Vista, CA 92084760-643-2150
Hooked Up Hydroponics339 S. Golden State Boulevard,Turlock, CA 95380209-668-1300House of Hydro224 Weller Street, #B,Petaluma, CA 94952707-762-4769Humboldt Electronics2547 California Street,Eureka, CA 95501707-443-9408Humboldt Hydroponics1302 Union Street,Eureka, CA 95501707-443-4304 Humboldt Hydroponics2174 Pine Street,Redding, CA 96001530-241-7454Humboldt Hydroponics601 I Street,Arcata, CA 95521707-822-3377Humboldt Hydroponics2010 Tunnel Road,Redway, CA 95560707-923-1402Humboldt Nutrients65th Street,Eureka, CA 95501888-420-7770 Hydroasis2643 S. Fairfax Avenue,Los Angeles, CA 90232888-355-4769Hydrobrew1319 South Coast Highway,Oceanside, CA 92054760-966-1885; 877-966-GROWHydro Depot5665 Redwood Drive, #B,Rohnert Park, CA 94928707-584-2384Hydrogarden Delight13762 Doolittle Drive,San Leandro, CA 94577510-903-1808Hydro Hills Hydroponics19320 Vanowen St.Reseda CA 91335Hydrogarden Mendocino County1240 North Main Street,Fort Bragg, CA 95437707-962-9252Hydro International7935 Alabama AvenueCanoga Park, CA 91304Hydro King105 Hartnell Avenue, Suite C and D,Redding, CA 96002888-822-8941Hydro King2540 South Whitman Place,Chico, CA 959282530-893-GROW (4769)Hydro-Logic Purification Systems2825 Mattison Lane,Suite 103,Santa Cruz, CA 95065888 H2O LOGIC Hydronation2491 Boatman Drive, Suite BWest Sacramento, CA 95691916-372-4444 HydroPacific - Hydroponics & Garden Supplies351 C Hastings Av.,Ukiah, CA 95482707-467-0400 Hydroponic Connection Warehouse, The1995 Evans Avenue,San Francisco, CA 94124415-824-9376Hydroponics 4 Less41669 Winchester Avenue,Temecula, CA 92590800-A1-HYDROHydroponics Market15816 Arminta StVan Nuys, CA 91406818-305-6261Hydroponics Plus2250 Commerce Avenue, Suite CConcord, CA 94520925-691-7615
Hydroponics Unlimited641 W. Palmdale Blvd. “D”Palmdale, CA 93550661-266-3906 Hydrostar Hydroponics & Organics1307 W. Sixth Street, #211,Corona, CA 92882951-479-8069 Igrow Hydro2280 Veatch Street,Oroville, CA 95965530-534-4476Igrow Hydro9000 Atkinson Street,Roseville, CA 95678916-773-4476 Indoor Garden Depot1848 Commercial St. San Diego CA 92113619-255-3552Inland Empire Hydrogarden1301-C South State Street,San Jancinto, CA 92853886-72-HYDROInland Empire Hydrogarden28822 Old Town Front St. #206Temecula, CA 92590886-74-HYDROInnovative Growing Solutions (IGS)5060 Santa Fe St. Ste.DSan Diego, CA 92109858-578-4477Kaweah Grower Supply1106 1/2 N. Ben Maddox Way,Visalia, CA 93293559-625-4937Kern Hydroponics2408 Brundage Lane, Suite B,Bakersfield, CA 93304661-323-7333 KY Wholesale8671 Elder creek Rd. #600Sacramento, CA 95828 916 383 3366La Habra1301 S Beach Boulevard, La Habra, CA 90631562-947-8383 LAX Hydro10912 S. La Cienaga Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90304310-337-6995Lazy Gardeners Hydroponics ‘N’ More14626 East Whittier Boulevard,Whittier, CA 90605562-945-0909Let it Grow1228 2nd Street,Crescent City, CA 95531707-464-9086Let it Grow160 Westwood Center,Arcata, CA 95521707-822-8733Liquid Gardens21752 Devonshire Street,Chatsworth, CA 91311818-718-7624Long Beach Hydroponics & Organics1772 Clark Avenue,Long Beach, CA 90815562-498-9525 Los Angeles Hydroponics and Organics3007-3009 W. Artesia Blvd.Torrance, CA 90504310-323-4937Lumatek Digital Ballasts33 Commercial Boulevard, Suite BNovato, CA 94949415-233-4273M&M Garden Supply2509 West Lane, Suite BStockton, CA 95205209-939-0664M&M Garden Supply22540 D Foothill Boulevard, 2509 Westlane Suite BStockton, CA 95205Marin Hydroponics1219 Grant Avenue,Novato, CA 94945415-897-2197Medicine Man Farms1602 53rd Avenue,Oakland, CA 94601707-980-0456
MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors
145Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Mendocino Garden ShopPO Box 1301, 44720 Maint Street (at Hwy. 1),Mendocino, CA 95460707-937-3459Mendocino Greenhouse & Garden Supply900 East School Way,Redwood Valley, CA 95470707-485-0668Merced Hydroponics1809 East 21st Street,Merced, CA 95340209-726-4769M.G.S.22540 D Foothill Boulevard,Hayward, CA 94541510-582-0900Mighty Garden Supply4780 Mission Gorge Pl. #A-1, San Diego, CA 92120619-287-3238 Miramar Hydroponics & Organics8952 Empire StreetSan Diego CA 92126 858-549-8649 Modern Gardens26620 Valley Center Dr. Santa Clarita, CA 91351661-513-4733Monterey Bay Horticulture Supply224B Reindollar Avenue,Marina, CA 93933831-38-HYDROMonterey Bay Hydroponics and Organics81 Hangar Way, #1,Watsonville, CA 95076831-761-9999Myron L Company2450 Impala Drive,Carlsband, CA 9210-7226760-438-2021Mystic Gardens8484 Florin Road, #110,Sacramento, CA 95828916-381-2464National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply1900 Bendixsen Street , Bldg. 1,Samoa, CA 95564800-683-1114 (Northern CA) National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply6485 Brisa Street,Livermore, CA 94550888-570-4678 (Southern CA) National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply1950 C South Grove Avenue,Ontario, CA 91761888-888-3319 Natural Pest Controls8320 B Hazel Avenue,Orangevale, CA 95662916-726-0855Nature’s Secret Garden and Supply41469 Albrae Street,Fremont, CA 94577510-623-8393New Leaf Hydro34150 123rd Street,Parablossom, CA 93553 661-944-2226NorCal CreationsPO Box 28,Cedar Ridge, CA 95924Nor Cal Hydroponics4837 Geary Boulevard,San Francisco, CA 94118 415-933-8262Northcoast Horticulture Supply60 West 4th Street,Eureka, CA 95501707-444-9999Northcoast Horticulture Supply357 Main Street,Fortuna, CA 95540707-725-5550Northcoast Horticulture Supply1070 Highway 101,Crescent City, CA 95531707-464-1200 Northcoast Horticulture Supply639 6th St.Arcata, CA 95521707-826-9998
Northcoast Horticulture Supply1580 Nursery WayMcKinleyville, CA 95519707-839-9998Northcoast Hydrogardens3450 North State Street,Ukiah, CA 95482707-462-7214
No Stress Hydroponics7543 Santa Monica Boulevard,West Hollywood, CA 90046323-845-9874Nutes Int’l204 N Quarantina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 805-687-6699One Stop Hydroponics12822 Victory BoulevardNorth Hollywood, CA 91606818-980-5855Oracle Garden Supply5755 Oberlin Drive, Suite 100San Diego, CA 92121 858-558-6006Orange County Hydroponics12687 Beach Boulevard, Unit H,Stanton, CA 90680714-893-9493Organic Bountea1919 Dennis Lane,Santa Rosa, CA 95403800-798-0765Orville Organic Gardens5250 Olive Hwy Ste 1Oroville, CA 95966530-589-9950Orsa Organix111 Willow Street,Redwood City, CA 94063650-369-1269Pacific Beach Hydroponics1852 Garnet Avenue,San Diego, CA 92109858-274-2559Pacific Coast Hydroponics4147 Sepulveda Boulevard,Culver City, CA 90230310-313-1354Pacific Garden Supply128 H Carlos Drive,San Rafael, CA 94903Pacifica Hydroponics90 Eureka SquarePacifica, CA 94044650-355-5100Palm Springs Hydroponics4651 Ramon Road,Palm Springs, CA 92264 760-327-ROOT Palm Tree Hydroponics2235 E 4th St,Suite GOntario, CA 91764909-941-9017 Plant It Earth2279 Market Street,San Francisco, CA 94114415-626-5082Plant Life32 Race Street,San Jose, CA 95126408-283-9191Plant-N-Grow1602 53rd Avenue,Oakland, CA 94601707-980-0456Precision Hydroponics132 Kennedy Avenue,Campbell, CA 95008408-866-8176Probiotic Solutions20889 Geyserville Avenue,Geyserville, CA 95441707-354-4342Pro Gardening Systems 3715 Santa Rosa Avenue #2,Santa Rosa, CA 95407707-585-8633 Pro Gardening Systems765 Petaluma Avenue,Sebastopol, CA 95472707-829-7252 Redway Feed Garden and Pet Supply290 Briceland Road,Redway, CA 95560707-923-2765Redwood Garden Supply55 Myers Avenue,Myers Flat, CA 95554707-943-1515Reforestation Technologies International1341 Daton Street, Units G&ISalinas, CA 93901831-424-1494; 800-RTI-GROW RH Distribution1751 S. Pointe AvenueOntario, CA 91761888-545-8112
Roots Grow Supply1330 North Hulbert, #101Fresno, CA 93728559-840-0122 Roots Grow Supply 40091 Enterprise Dr.Oakhurst CA 93644559 683 6622Sac Hydroponics9529 Folson Boulevard, Suite CSacramento, CA 95827916-369-7968San Diego Hydroponics East County11649 Riverside Drive,Suite 141,Lakeside, CA 92040619-562-3276 San Diego Hydroponics Beach Cities4122 Napier Street,San Diego, CA 92110 619-276-0657San Diego Hydroponics North802 N. Twin Oaks Valley Road #108 San Marcos, CA 92069760-510-1444San Diego Hydroponics North County Coastal 6352 Corte Del Abeto #JCarlsbad CA, 92011760-420-8934 San Francisco Hydro123 Tenth Street,San Francisco, CA 94103San Rafael Hydroponics1417 Fourth Sreet San Rafael, CA 94901415 455 9655Santa Clarita Valley Hydroponics25835 Railroad Ave. #26Santa Clarita CA 91350661 255 3700661 255 3701Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - West Side815 Almar Avenue, Unit K,Santa Cruz, CA 95060831-466-9000Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - East Side4000 Cordelia LaneSoquel, CA 95073831-475-9900Santa Cruz Hydroponics & Organics - North6241 Graham Hill Road,Felton, CA 95018831-335-9990Santee Hydroponics7973A Mission Gorge Road, Santee, CA 92071619-270-8649 SB Hydro1109 W. 190th Street, Unit #F,Gardena, CA 90248310-538-5788Seaside Hydrogarden1070 Highway 101 North,Crescent City, CA 95531707-465-3520Shadow Valley Aquatics75 Kimick Way,Red Bluff, CA 96080530-526-0479Skywide Import & Export Ltd.5900 Lemon Hill Avenue,Sacramento, CA 95824916-383-2369Socal Hydroponics1727-B Oceanside Boulevard,Oceanside, CA 92054760-439-1084South Bay Hydroponics and Organics - Mtn. View569 East Evelyn Avenue,Mountain View, CA 94041650-968-4070South Bay Hydroponics and Organics - San Jose1185 South Bascom Avenue,San Jose, CA 95128408-292-4040South County Hydroponics22511 Aspan Street, Suite ELake Forest, CA 92630949-837-8252South Valley Hydroponics320 Kishimura Drive, #3Gilroy, CA 950201-866-848-GROW Southern Humbolt Garden Supplies34919 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, CA 92399 909-797-6888
146 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Sparetime Supply208 E. San Francisco Avenue,Willits, CA 95490-4006707-459-6791Specialty Garden Center1970 East Vista Way, Suite 10,Vista, CA 92084760-758-4769 Stop N Grow340 Pine Avenue,Goleta, CA 93003805-685-3000 Stop N Grow4160 Market Street, Unit 11Ventura, CA 93003805-639-9489 Stop N Grow640 S. Frontage Road,Nipomo, CA 93444805-619-5125 Sun-In Hydroponics1257A Cleveland Avenue,Santa Rosa, CA 95401707-578-5747 Sunland Hydroponics8300 Foothill Boulevard,Sunland, CA 91040818-352-5300 Sunland Hydroponics4136 Eagle Rock Blvd,Los Angeles, CA 90065323-254-2800 Supersonic Hydroponic and Organic Garden Supply850 Shasta Avenue, Suite BMorro Bay, CA 93442805-772-5869Supersonic Hydroponic and Organic Garden Supply3850 Ramada Drive, Unit D2Paso Robles, CA 93446805-434-2333Super StartsPO Box 732,Bellmont, CA 94002650-346-8009 Surf City Hydroponics7319 Warner Street, Suite BHuntington Beach, CA 92647714-847-7900Sweet Leaf Hydroponics1611 Sebastobol Road,Santa Rosa, CA 95407707-575-GROW (4237)Sylvandale Gardens1151 Evergreen Road,Redway, CA 95560707-923-3606Tahoe Garden Supply645 Westlake Boulevard, Suite 2, PO Box 487Tahoe City, CA 96145530-581-3200Tell 2 Friends Indoor Gardening62 Sutherland Drive,Auburn, CA 95603530-889-8171The Green Shop66420 Mooney Boulevard, Suite 1Visalia, CA 93277559-688-4200The Hydro Source671 E. Edna PlaceCovina, CA 91723877 HYDRO 82; 626-915-3128The Hydro Shop3980 Saco RoadBakersfield, CA661-399-3336 The Otherside Hydroponics19425 Ventura BlvdTarzana CA 91356818 881 hydro (4937)The Shop6542 Front Street,Forestville, CA 95436707-887-2280The Urban Farmer Store653 E. Blithedale Avenue,Mill Valley, CA 94941415-380-3840The Urban Farmer Store2833 Vicente Street,San Francisco, CA 94116415-661-2204
The Urban Farmer Store2121 San Joaquin Street,Richmond, CA 94804510-524-1604Thrive Hydroponics70 A West North Street,Healdsburg, CA 95446707-433-4068Thunders Hydroponic Center1729 Yosemite Boulevard,Medesco, CA 95354TNC Supply9490 Main Street, P.O. Box 763Upper Lake, CA 95485707-275-9565Total Hydroponics Center Inc4820 Paramount Blvd Lakewood, CA 90712562-984-GROW (4769)Tower Garden Supply & Organic Nursery403 W. Olive Avenue,Fresno, CA 93728559-495-1140Tradewinds Wholesale Garden Supplies1235 Striker Avenue #180,Sacramento, CA 95834888-557-8896Tulare County Growers Supply435 W. Noble Avenue, Unit A,Farmersville, CA 93223559-732-8247 Turbo Grow1889 San Pablo Avenue,Pinole, CA 94564510-724-1291Two Chix Garden Supply1230 Yuba Street,Marysville, CA 95901530-923-2536Quail Mountain Ranch230 Palm AveAuburn, CA 95603530-889-2390Ultra Lo Hydroultralohydro.com937-252-8224 Under The Sun12638 Foothill Boulevard,Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423707-998-GROW (4769)Urban Gardens22516 Ventura Boulevard,Woodland Hills, CA 91364818-876-0222Urban Gardens Unlimited704 Filbert Street,
a d v a n c e d h y d r o p o n i c s a n d g a r d e n i n g
7 0 4 F i l b e r t S t r e e t , S a n F r a n c i s c o , C A 9 4 1 3 3
UrbanGardensSan Francisco, CA 94133415-421-4769 US Garden417 Agostinio RdSan Gabriel Ca 91776626 285-5009 US Garden417 Agostinio RdSan Gabriel Ca 91776626 285-5009US Orchid & Hydroponic Supplies1621 South Rose Avenue,Oxnard, CA 93033805-247-0086Valley Garden Solutions Inc.15650 Nordhoff Avenue, Suite 104,North Hills, CA 91345818-336-0041Valley Hydroponics6632 N Blackstone Avenue, Unit B Fresno, CA 93710 559-449-0426 Valley Rock Landscape Supply2222 N H StreetLompoc CA 93436P: 805 736 0841805 735 5921 Victory Garden Supply1900 N Lincoln St #100Dixon CA 95620707 678 5800Vital Landscaping Inc.12817 Loma Rica Drive,Grass Valley, CA 95945530-273-3187 Watch It Grow Hydro9453 Firestone Blvd. Downey, CA 90241562-861-1982
Wai Kula Hydrogardens5297 Linda Vista Road,San Diego, CA 92110619-299-7299Weather Top Nursery44901 Harmon Drive,Laytonville, CA 95454707-984-6385We Grow Hydroponics3350 East Los Angeles Avenue,Simi Valley, CA 93063805-624-4566 West Coast Growers Hydroponics13481 Colifax Highway,Grass Valley, CA 95945888-924-4769West Coast Hydroponics, Inc.27665 Forbes Road, Unit 10Laguna Niguel, CA 92677949-348-2424Western Auto1156 Main Street,Fortuna, CA 95540707-725-1189
COLORADOACME Hydroponics 300 Nickel St Suite 3 Broomfield, CO 80020 720.524.7306 All Seasons Gardening 434 Turner Drive, Suite 2B Durango, CO 81303 (970) 385-4769Alpenglow Garden Supply2712 South College AveFort Collins, CO 80525970-266-8888Bath Nursery & Garden Center2000 E. Prospect,Fort Collins, CO 80525970-484-5022 Blue Sky Hydroponics1301 Florida Road Unit CDurango, CO 81301970-375-1238Boulder Hydroponics1630 N. 63rd Street, #5,Boulder, CO 80301303-415-0045 Brighton Hydroponics839so.Kuner rd., Brighton Colorado80601303-655-1427BWGS-CO 11685 E. 55th Avenue Denver, CO 80239 888-316-1306 Chlorophyll3801 Mariposa St. Denver CO 80211 303-433-1155 Colorado Grow3400 Industrial Lane, Unit 10ABroomfield, CO 80020 P (303) 465-GROW (4769) Cultivate Hydroponics & Organics7777 W. 38th Avenue, #A120A, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033303-954-9897 Deep Roots Garden Supply1790 Airport Road, Unit 1Breckenridge, CO 80424970-453-1440 Denver Hydroponic & Organic Center6810 North Broadway, Unit DDenver, CO 80221303-650-0091Desert Bloom Hydroponics445 Pitkin Avenue,Grand Junction, CO 81501970-245-6427Ever Green Hydroponics Inc.1131 Francis Street, Suite A,Longmont, CO 80501303-682-6435Family Hydroponics-Boulder2125 32nd StreetBoulder, CO 80301303-996-6100Garden Tech737 Garden of the Gods Road,Colorado Springs, CO 80907719-278-9777
MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors
147Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Go Green Hydro1005 Caprice Drive,Castle Rock, CO 80109303-688-0599Greeley Nutrients700 11th Street Unit 101Greeley CO 80631970 673 8302Greenhouse Tech917 East Fillmore,Colorado Springs, CO 80907719-634-0637GroWize3225 S. Wadsworth Boulevard,Lakewood, CO 80227303-986-2706Grow Store South, The5050 S. Federal Boulevard, #37,Englewood, CO 80110303-738-0202Grow Store, The8644 W. Colfax Avenue,Lakewood, CO 80215888-510-0350GWS Hydroponics7025 Highway 82 Building 4B,Glenwood Springs, CO 81601970-384-2040Head Start Hydroponics & Organic Gardening Emporium34500 US Highway 6, Unit B-9,North Edwards, CO 81632970-569-313 High Tech Garden Supply 5275 Quebec St.Commerce City, CO 80022720-222-0772Hydro Grow Supply644 Peterson Road,Colorado Springs, CO 80915719-596-2600Hydro Planet711 Washington Avenue,Golden, CO 80401303-279-6090Hydro Shack, The220 Main Street, Suite EFrisco, CO 80443970-668-0359 Indoor Garden Warehouse8100 S Akron St., Suite 322,Centennial, CO 80112720-496-2110Indoor Paradise Hydroponics309 S. Summit View, Unit 17,Fort Collins, CO 80524-1462970-221-3751J&D Organic Growing Solutions217 1/2 Clayton Street Brush, CO 80723970-310-5408Lyons Indoor Gardening138 Main Street,Lyons, CO 80540720-530-3828Mile High Hydroponics37 Strong St. Brighton, CO 80601303 637 0069National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply3550 B Odessa Way, Aurora, CO 80011866-877-4188 (Northeast) Nick’s Garden Center2001 S. Chambers,Aurora, CO 80014303-696-6657Olympic Hydroponics Supply LLC.1530 S Nevada Avenue,Colorado Springs, CO 80906719-635-5859Polar Ray5171 Eldorado Springs Dr.Boulder, CO 80303303 494 5773Primo Gardens 1600 North Ave. Suite BGrand Junction, CO 81501970-241-1209 Rocky Mountain Hydroponics and Organics15985 S. Golden RoadGolden, CO 80401720-475-1725Rocky Mountain Lighting and Hydroponics7100 N. Broadway, Suite 3DDenver, CO 80221303-428-5020Roll-N-Green Farms Horticultural Supply25797 Conifer Rd #A-8Conifer, CO 80433303-838-5520
The Grow Outlet4272 Lowell Boulevard Denver, CO 80211 303-586-5543Ultra Lo Hydro ultralohydro.com937-252-8224 Victory Hydro Gardening1387 E. South Boulder Rd.Louisville, CO, 80027 Tel: 303-664-9376 Way To Grow301 East 57th Ave.Denver, CO 80216303-296-7900Way To Grow3201 E. Mulberry Street,Fort Collins, CO 80524970-484-4769Way To Grow6395 Gunpark Drive,Boulder, CO 80301303-473-4769
CONNECTICUTHarvest Moon Hydroponics775 Silver Lane,East Hartford, CT 06118860-568-4067LiquidSun® CT10C South Main Street,East Windsor, CT 06088860-254-5757Organix Hydroponics749 Saybrook Road, (Tradewinds Plaza)Middletown, CT 06457860-343-1923
FLORIDA3D Hydroponics and Organics7139 US Highway #19,New Port Richey, FL 34652727-847-3491Absolute Hydroponic Garden Center Inc1607 Old Daytona SteetDeland, FL 32724386-734-0696Advanced Hydro Gardens4960 NW 165 Street, Suite B-4,Miami, FL 33014866-97-HYDROAtlantic Hydroponics430 Count Street,Melbourne, FL 32901 321-821-1535 Biofloral6250 NW 27th Way,Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 877 735 6725Best Hydro4920 Lena Road,Bradenton, FL 34211941-756-1928Blossoms Experience, The7207 NW 54th Street,Miami, FL 33166866-452-4769Cultivating Eden Hydroponic Supplies946 18th Avenue SW,Vero Beach, FL 32962772-564-8880East Coast Hydroponics & Organics461 Forrest Avenue, Suite 105Coca, FL 32922321-243-6800 Eden Garden Supply5044 N. Palafox Street,Pensacola, FL 32505850-439-1299Esposito Garden Center2743 Capital Circle NE,Tallahassee, FL 32308850-386-2114 Evershine Hydroponics1519 Capital Circle NE Unit #35Tallahassee FL 32308850-765-0040EZ Grow Green604 S.W. Bayshore Blvd.Port St. Lucie, Fl 34983772-807-7755Florida Garden Supplies2692 W 79 Street,Hialeah, FL 330161-800-931-5215 Florida Garden Supplies8020 Belvedere Road, Unit 4, West Palm Beach,FL 33411800-931-5215
Florida Garden Supplies9545 Sunset Drive, Miami, FL 33173800-931-5215 Florida Garden Supplies8442 Tradeport Drive, Unit 200,Orlando, FL 32827 800-931-5215 Future Farms Inc., The14291 SW 120th Street, Suite 105Miami, FL 33186305-382-2757Gardener’s Edge Gainesville5000 NW 34th Street, Suite 13,Gainesville, FL 32605352-375-2769Gold Coast Hydroponics1539 SW 21st Avenue,Fort Lauderdale, FL 333121-800-780-7371Gold Coast Hydroponics4241 SW 71st Avenue,Miami, FL 331551-800-780-6805Grace’s Hydro-Organic Garden Center8877 North 56th StreetTampa, FL 33617813-514-9376Green Thumb Hydroponics Supplies13482 North Cleveland Avenue,Fort Meyers, FL 33903239-997-4769GreenTouch Hydroponics Inc.5011 S State Road 7, Suite 104Davie, FL 33314954-316-8815Green Winters Inc.147 Tomoka Avenue,Ormond Beach, FL 32174386-235-8730Grower's Choice & Hydroponics11855 North Main Street,Jackonsonville, FL 32218904-683-4517 Growing Garden Inc., The12811 SW 42nd Street,Miami, FL 33175305-559-0309GrowSmart Indoor Garden Centers14587 Southern Boulevard,Loxahatchee, FL 33470561-429-3527Harvest Time Hydroponics14414 N. Florida Avenue,Tampa, FL 33613813-264-7101Healthy Gardens and Supply of Florida, Inc.196 East Nine Mile Road, Suite F,Pensacola, FL 32534850-912-4545High Tech Garden Supply2975 West New Haven Avenue,Melbourne, FL 32901321-821-0853Hydroponic Depot II2395 S Tamiami Trail #19Port Charlotte FL 33952941 255 3999tHydroponics International Inc.7029-10 Commonwealth Avenue,Jacksonville, FL 32220904-693-6554Hydroponics of Tampa120 W. Bougain Villea,Tampa, FL 33612813-333-6828Hydro Terra Corp.924 North Federal Highway,Hollywood, FL 33020954-920-0889Monkey Hydroponics940 West Oakland Ave. Unit A1 Oakland FL 34787 407 574 8495 National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply455 S. Andrews Avenue, Pompano Beach, FL 33069877-649-3567 (Southeast)
Palm Beach Discount Hydroponics – East968 North Congress Ave.West Palm Beach, FL 33409561 296 6161Palm Beach Discount Hydroponics – West14703 Sothern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470561 296 8555
148 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Palm Beach Hydroponics Supply, Inc.968 N. Congress Avenue,West Palm Beach, FL 33409561-296-6161Palm Coast Hydroponics4490 N Hwy US1 Ste. 108Bunnell FL 32110386 246 4119Simply Hydroponics & Organics7949 Ulmerton Road,Largo, FL 33773727-531-5355Simply Hydroponics & Organics (North)3642 South Suncoast Boulevard,Homosassa, FL 34448352-628-2655Stoney Hydro @ Schiro's Barn n Garden Supplies7812 Causeway Boulevard,Tampa, FL 33619813-626-0902The Healthy HarvestSte. 126 21113 Johnson St.Pembroke Pines, FL. 33029Tel: 954-538-1511Urban Organics & Hydroponics5325 Fairmont Street,Jacksonville, FL 32207904-398-8012Urban Sunshine6142 S. Orange AveOrlando, FL 32809407-859-7728 Urban Sunshine6100 Hanging Moss Rd ste 500Orlando, FL 32807407-647-4769 Urban Sunshine1420 E. Altamonte Dr.Altamonte Springs, FL 32701407-830-4769 VitaOrganix7921 NW 67th StMiami, FL 33166786 845 8633Worm’s Way Florida4412 North 56th Street,Tampa, FL 33610800-283-9676; 813-621-1792
GEORGIAAtlantis Hydroponics1422 Woodmont Lane, #4,Atlanta, GA 30318404-367-0052 Atlantis Hydroponics2561 West Point Avenue,College Park, GA 30337678-510-0032 Flora Hydroponics Inc.2475 Jefferson Road, Suite 600Athens, GA 30607866-404-0551Savannah Hydroponics & Organics4107 Eighth Street, Suite CGarden City, GA 31408912-349-4030
HAWAIIAiyah’s Garden3-3122 Kuhio Hwy. unit B-2Lihue, Hi. 96766808 245 2627Aqua Plant Hawaii / Kahala Hydroponics4224 Wailae, Suite 1A,Honolulu, HI 96816808-735-8665Eco-Island Supply810 Haiku Road, #394Haiku, HI 96708808-575-9171Green Hands of Aloha1713 Mary Street,Honolulu, HI 96819808-847-4263Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply300 Hukilike Street, #2M,Kahalui, HI 96732808-871-6393Pahoa Feed & Fertilizer15-2754 Old Government Road,Pahoa, HI 96778808-965-9955
IDAHO
Boise Hydroponics614 North Orchard Street,Boise, ID 83706208-344-3053Greenthumb Greenhouses5895 Ensign Avenue,Boise, ID 83714
ILLINOISAerostar Global824 South Kay Avenue,Addison, IL 60101Alternative Garden Supply615 Industrial Drive, Unit ACary, IL 60013800-444-2837Big Grow Hydroponics9225 Trinity Drive,Lake In The Hills, IL 60156847-854-4450Brew and Grow359 W. Irving Park Road Unit E,Roselle, IL 60172630-894-4885Brew and Grow3625 N. Kedzi Avenue,Chicago, IL 60618773-463-7430Brew and Grow3224 South Alpine Road,Rockford, IL 61109815-874-5700Brew and Grow2379 Bode Road, Schaumburg, IL 60440630-771-0555Brew and Grow181 Crossroads Parkway, Bolingbrook, IL 60194847-885-8282Fertile Ground463 West MacArthur Drive,Cottage Hills, IL 62018618-259-5500Goldman's Grow Shop910 Greenwood Road,Glenview, IL 60025847-657-7250
Inc.
Green Fields8137 N. Milwaukee,Niles, IL 60714847-965-5056Grow Big Hydroponics7817 B North 2nd Street,Manchesney Park, IL 61115815-637-4769Hydrocork20647 Renwick Road,Crest Hill, IL 60435815-838-0100 Kreation’s Indoor Gardening Center3427 Old Chatman Road,Springfield, IL 62704217-341-0821 Let it Grow - CarbondaleWest Main Street,Carbondale, IL 62908 573-450-5401 Organic Garden Center 9223 Skokie Blvd.Skokie, IL 60077(847) 675-2722 Prairie House Garden Center15151 South Harlem Avenue,Orland, IL 60462708-687-3131Water Works Indoor Gardening1900 South Dirksen Parkway,Springfield, IL 62703217-553-6929
INDIANABWGS-IN7854 North State Road 37,Bloomington, IN 47404800-316-1306 Five Point Gardens56555 Oak Road,South Bend, IN 46619574-287-9232 Frogs Lilly Pad, The706 Citation Road,Carmel, IN 46032317-846-4610
Harvest Moon Hydroponics1336 East Washington St.Indianapolis, IN 4620317-780-8070Hops & Harvest4616 E. DuPont Road, Suite Q,Fort Wayne, IN 46825260-918-3035Magic Bulb Garden Center6229 Allisonville Road,Indianapolis, IN 46220317-202-2852Sunleaves Garden Products7854 North State Road 37,Bloomington, IN 47404888-464-9676Worm’s Way Indiana7850 North State Road 37,Bloomington, IN 47404800-598-8158 Worm’s Way Mail Order7850 North State Road 37Bloomington, IN 47404800-274-9676
KANSASGreen Circle Hydroponics6890 W. 105th Street,Overland Park, KS 66212913-642-3888
KENTUCKYGarden Grove Organics29 East 7th Street,Covington, (Cincinnati Metro), KY 41011859-360-1843Grow Shop, The of Lexington2320 Palumbo Drive, Suite 130,Lexington, KY 40509859-268-0779Louisville Hydroponics3471 Taylor Boulevard,Louisville, KY 40215502-366-4000New Earth Garden Center9810 Taylorsville Road,Louisville, KY 40299800-462-5953Worm’s Way Kentucky1360 Donaldson Hwy. Suite A,Erlanger, KY 41018800-669-2088
LOUISIANAGeaux Hydroponics!2126 O’Neal Lane,Baton Rouge, LA 70816225-751-4769Laughing Buddha Nursery4516 Clearview Parkway,Metairie, LA 70006504-887-4336Ourcrazydeals Hydroponics201 Angus Drive,Yungsville, LA 70592337-303-6146Urban Organics285 St. Claude Avenue,New Orleans, LA 70117504-352-4709
MAINEEvergreen Garden Center301 Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101207-761-2800 Green Thumb Indoor Gardening19 Stage Road,St. Albans, ME 04971207-938-5909Greenlife Garden Supply611 US Rt. 1York, ME 03909978 262 9966 High Tech Garden Supply – Maine178 Rand Rd.Portland, ME 04102Phone 207-899-4387Urban Garden Center235 Lewiston Road,Toposhan, ME 04086207-373-0990
MARYLANDEast Coast Organics2800 Sisson Street,Baltimore, MD 21211
MAXIMUM YIELDdistributors
149Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Healthy Gardens and Supply5001-F Harford Road,Baltimore, MD 21214443-708-5144Maryland Hydroponics Inc.10051 North 2nd Street, Laurel, MD 20723301-490-9236Maryland Hydroponics Inc.12130 Nebel Street, Rockville, MD 20852240-551-4625Meadowview Feed & Garden Center1202 Meadowview Road,Pasadena, MD 21122443-817-0018Purple Mountain Organics100-7010 Westmoreland Avenue,Takoma Park, MD 20912877-538-9901
MASSACHUSETTSGreenlife Garden Supply481 Boston Road, Unit 4,Billerica, MA 01821978-262-9966Green Path Garden Supply276 West Main Street,Northborough, MA 01532508-393-4181Harvest Moon Hydroponics29 Washington Street, Route 1Foxboro, MA 02035800-660-6977 High Tech Garden Supply560 Boston Turnpike (Rt.9)Shrewsbury, MA 01545508-845-4477LiquidSun® MA8 Lynwood Avenue,Holyoke, MA 01040413-539-6875 New England Hydroponics15 D College Hwy. (Rt. 10),Southampton, MA 01073888-529-9025 Worm’s Way Massachusetts121 Worc-Providence Turnpike,Sutton, MA 01590800-284-9676
MICHIGANBIg Creek Hydroponics555 Old Little Lake Road,Marquette, MI 49855906-249-5297Cultivation Station of Michigan Inc., The23529 Little Mack Avenue,St. Clair, MI 48080586-775-9485 Cultivation Station of Michigan Inc., The6540 Allen Road,Allen Park, MI 48101313-383-1766 Cultivation Station 3 Inc.46912 Gratiot,Chesterfield, MI 48051586-949-7453 Flo-N-Grow.214 N. 2nd Street,Niles, MI 49120269-683-1877 Flower Factory, The2223 East Highland Road Highland, MI 48356248-714-9292 Green Forest Indoor Garden Supply, LLC.2555 N. State(M-66) Rd.Ionia, MI 48846 616-523-6111Gro Blue Indoor Gardening Supplies270 W. Liberty Street,Ann Arbor, MI 48104734-913-2750Grow Store, The721 W. Blue Star Drive,Traverse City, MI 49684231-421-5191 Grow Show, The4095 Stone School Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48108(734)-677-0009(734)-677-0509Growco Garden Supply1042 Michigan Street, NE,Grand Rapids, MI 49503877-939-6900 Growing Consultant2260 Apple Avenue,Muskegon, MI 49442231-773-5600High Tech Garden Supply7889 Telegraph Road.Taylor, MI 48180313-908-7554
Holland Hydroponic Outlet587-40 East 8th StreetHolland, MI 49423616-298-7395Home Grown Hydroponics8075 Gratiot Road, Unit C,Saginaw MI 48609989-781-1930Homelight Gardens3471 S. Huron Road,Bay City, MI 48706989-922-0088Horizen Hydroponics1614 Leonard Street, NW,Grand Rapids,MI 49504866-791-1664 Horizen Hydroponics4646 W. Main Street,Kalamazoo, MI 49006269-567-3333HotHydro®5245 Jackson Road, Suite FAnn Arbor, MI 48103734-761-5040; 877-893-0716Hydroharrys.com24500 Dequindre,Warren, MI 48091800-461-8819Hydro Heaven73647 W 8th Mile Road,Detroit, MI 48235313-861-0333; 877-823-2076 Hydro Giant 14455 Ford Rd,Dearborn, MI313-216-8888 Hydro Giant19363 Eureka Rd,Southgate, MI734.281.8888 Hydro Giant 21651 W. 8 Mile Rd.Detroit, MI (8Mile & Lahser)313-387-7700Hydro Grow, The8210 Telegraph Road,Taylor, MI 48180313-633-0641Hydrospot34236 Michigan Avenue,Wayne, MI 48184734-722-1285 Hydro Vision 1247 e Grand River Howell, MI 48843 Hydro Vision 1910 West rd Trenton, MI 48183 Hydro Vision 2858 E Highland rdHighland, MI 48356 Indoor Garden Superstore2570 Dixie Highway,Waterford Twp., MI 48328248-673-2200; 877 22 HYDROJ&L Growco206 S. Michigan Avenue,Big Rapids, MI 49307231-796-1528Kalamazoo Indoor Garden450 W. Maple,Kalamazoo, MI 49001269-344-2550Light Green Water3661 Highland Road,Waterford, MI 48329248-681-0001 Stealth Hydro15 E. Cross Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48198866-998-1916 Sunnyside Hydroponics24930 Gratiot Avenue,Eastpoint, MI 48021586-777-2528Sunshine Supply Co.5800 East Pickard Street,Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858989-775-3700Superior Growers Supply19582 Middlebelt Road,Livonia, MI 48152248-473-0450 Superior Growers Supply 4870 Dawn Avenue,East Lansing, MI 48823517-332-2663Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC 3218 W. Houghton AvenueWest Branch, MI 48661989-345-8800Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC9091 W. Lake City RoadHoughton Lake, MI 48629989-422-2800
Synthetic Sun Hydroponics, LLC799 S. Wisconsin AvenueGaylord, MI 49735989 731 8800 Ultra Lo Hydroultralohydro.com937-252-8224 Urban Gardening Center, The2520 22nd Street,Detroit, MI 48216313-898-0200 Van Hydro7480 N State,Davison, MI 48423810-653-8267Wild Child7740 M 72 East,Traverse City, MI 49690866-711-GROW
MINNESOTAAmerican Garden Supply601-6th Avenue, North,Princeton, MN 55371763-631-0543 Brew and Grow8179 University Avenue,Fridley, MN 55432612-780-8191Duluth Hydroponics26 W 1st StreetDuluth, MN 55802218-341-7253Eco Garden Supply800 Transfer Door 25 in rearSt. Paul, MN 55114651-647-1896Eden Indoor Organic Gardens831 Highway 75 NorthMoorhead, MN 56560218-477-EDEN (3336) Indoor Gardening10 NE 3rd Street,Faribault, MN 55021507-209-1546 Interior Gardens115 -1620 Central Avenue NE,Minneapolis, MN 55413800-498-4178; 612-870-9077Midwest Hydroponics3440 Belt Line Boulevard, Suite A, Minneapolis,MN 55416888-449-2739 Still-H2O Inc.14375 North 60th Street,Stillwater, MN 55082651-351-2822
MISSISSIPPIIndoor Garden Shop LLC1310 Bienville Boulevard,Ocean Springs, MS 39564228-875-3725
MISSOURIDivine Hydroponics301 North Bishop Avenue,Rolla, MO 65401573-426-2348Grow Your Own Hydroponics3617 Saint John Avenue,Kansas City, MO 64123816-241-2122Green Circle Hydroponics12 East Missouri,Kansas City, MO 64106816-421-1840 Green Thumb Organics249 Mid Rivers Mall Drive,St. Peters, MO 63376636-397-4769 (GROW) Heartland Hydrogardens705 Vandiver Drive, Suite G Columbia, MO 65202573-474-4769
HYDROGARDENS
Let It Grow - Springfield2519 E. Kearney Street,Springfield, MO 65803417-862-GROW Let It Grow - Girardeau879 S. Kings Highway,Cape Girardeau, MO 63703573-803-0628 U-Grow1724 North, 13th Street,St. Louis, MO 63106314-452-6368 Worm’s Way Missouri1225 North Warson Road,St. Louis, MO 63132800-285-9676
150 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
MONTANAAlpengrow Nursery Supplies238 Highway 93 S.,Eureka, MT 59917406-882-4496Bizzy Beez LLP5875 Highway 93 S,Whitefish, MT 59937406-863-9937Big Sky Garden Supply528 West Idaho, Kallispell, MT 59901 406-755-1465Cornucopia Grow Your Own127 Stoner Creek RoadLakeside, MT 59922406-709-1076Dr. Green Thumbs1106 West Park,Livingston, MO 59047406-222-7440Heightened Harvests2018 Main Street #4,Billings, MT 59105406-252-4311Heightened Harvests3103 Harrison Avenue, Suite BButte, MT 59701 One World – Life Products906 BroadwaterBillings MO 59101406 839 9969
NEBRASKAAdvanced Hydro-Ponics10711 Mockingbird Drive,Omaha, NE 68127 (108th and L-Q)402-991-6630 Paradigm Gardens8949 J Street, Suite 5,Omaha, NE 68127402-339-4949 Patio-Ponics3255 Cornhusker Highway, Suite 4Lincoln, NE 68504402-466-9218
NEVADAAAA Indoor Organic Garden SuperCenter2101 S. Decatur Boulevard, #21,Las Vegas, NV 89102702-450-4769Advanced Gardens Hydroponics3111 South Valley View, (on Desert Inn West of Valley View) Suite V103Las Vegas, NV 89102702-257-4769 All American Hydroponics2675 East Patrick Lane, Unit 8,Las Vegas, NV 89120702-894-9888Anything Grows190 West Moana Lane,Reno, NV 89509775-828-1460Best Hydroponic Supply6818 W Cheyenne,Las Vegas, NV 89108702-750-9300Carson Valley Hydroponics2520 Empire Ranch Road,Carson City, NV 89701775-884-4769Hydro Store, The7145 W. Ann Road,Las Vegas, NV 89130702-434-9376Hydro Store, The1014 W. Sunset Road,Henderson, NV 89014702-434-7365Lorraine Ink290 Spear Court,Fernley, NV 89408775-575-7757Nevada Hydroponics4700 B Maryland, Suite 1,Las Vegas, NV 89119702-798-2852
NEW HAMPSHIREHydro World17 White Birch Lane,Lincoln, NH 03251603-745-3030
NEW JERSEY77HYDRO37 Fairfield Place,West Caldwell, NJ 07006877-774-9376Claraqua4 Redwood Court,West Windsor, NJ 08550East Coast Horticultural Supply1652 Hurffville Road,Swewell, NJ 08080856-228-5290 Garden State Hydroponics511 Avenel Street,Avenel, NJ 07001888-300-8711Green Touch 2 Hydroponics Inc.888 Route 33, Unit 1,Hamilton, NJ 08619609-570-8829 H Y D R O P O N I C S I N C .
greentouch2NEW MEXICOAHL Year Round Garden Supply1051 San Mateo Blvd. SE,Albuquerque, NM 87108505-255-3677AHL Year Round Garden Supply9421 Coors Blvd. NW Suite K,Albuquerque, NM 87114 505-899-0592 All Seasons Gardening3600 Osuna Road, Suite 406 Alburquerque, NM 87109 505-508-4292 All Seasons Gardening1228 Parkway, Suite E Sante Fe, NM 87507 505-438-GROW Common Shaman1319 San Mateo N.E.,Albuquerque, NM 87110505-255-6463
NEW YORKBklyn Hydro & Garden3116 McGuiness BlvdBrooklyn NY 11222718-383-0095Bronx Hydro & Garden39 Bruckner Boulevard,Bronx, NY 10454718-993-3787Brooklyn Farms521 Hicks StreetBrooklyn, NY 11231347-725-3491 California Hydroponics27 Corporate Circle,East Syracuse, NY 13057315-432-9387East Coast Hydroponics14649 Horace Harding Exp,Flushing, NY 11367718-762-8880Environmental Gardens8 John Walsh Boulevard, Suite 310Peekskills, NY 10566800-254-0507; 914-736-6676FutureGarden Inc.59 Central Avenue,Farmingdale, NY 11735516-420-0884 Greentree Nursery308 Elmira Road,Ithaca, NY 14850607-272-3666Green Zone Hydroponics 2148 Niagara Falls Blvd. Tonawanda, NY. 14150 716-693-9663 Grow Room, The8 Bridge Street,Nyack, NY 10960800-449-9630Harvest Moon HydroponicsHenrietta Townline Plaza, 3047 West Henrietta Road,Rochester, NY 14623716-865-7353Harvest Moon Hydroponics340 West at 59,Central Nyack, NY 10960Harvest Moon Hydroponics147 Fourth Street,Troy, NY 10960
Healthy Harvest Organics and Hydro163 Broadway,Fort Edwart, NY 12828518-480-4698Hudson Valley Hydroponics217 Route 32 North,New Paltz, NY 12561845-255-3633Hydro Garden Center1069B Lyell Avenue,Rochester, NY 146061-800-277-1322Hydroponics of Buffalo1497 Hertel Avenue,Buffalo, NY 14216716-838-3545Hydroponics Shops of America2606 Erie Boulevard,Syracuse, NY 13224315-251-2516Indoor Outdoor Gardener8223 5th Avenue,Brooklyn, NY 11209718-836-2402KG Garden Supply1327 Floyd Avenue,Rome, NY 134401-877-KG-HYDRORevolution Hydroponics 309 West State St.Olean NY 14760716.373.Grow (4769)Saratoga Organics & Hydroponic Supply19 Front Street,Ballston Spa, NY 12020518-885-2005; 800-850-4769Sunlight Solutions Hydroponics2045 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Suite 13,Niagara Falls, NY 14304888-GROWBOXSunset Hydroponics & Home Brewing1590 West Ridge Road,Rochester, NY 14615866-395-9204 The Grape Vine4020 Hempstead TurnpikeBethpage,NY,11714516-731-1100Upstate Hydroponics2026 Lake Rd unit BElmira, NY 14903607 483 9199
NORTH CAROLINABe Well Hydroponics & Urban Gardening4732 Monroe Road,Charlotte, NC 28205704-344-8010BWGS-NC4045 Perimeter West Drive, Suite 400Charlotte, NC 28214 800-316-1306Fifth Season Gardening Company21 B Westside Dr. Asheville NC 28806828-225-5007 Fifth Season Gardening Company45 Banks Avenue,Asheville, NC 28801828-253-4112Fifth Season Gardening Company106 South Greensboro Street,Carrboro, NC 27510919-932-7600Fifth Season Gardening Company1616 D-3 Battleground Avenue,Greensboro, NC 27408336-271-3373Fifth Season Gardening Company5619-A Hillsborough Street,Raleigh, NC 27606919-852-4747Flow & Grow Hydroponics & Organic Garden Center4521 Cumberland Road,Fayetteville, NC 28306910-423-FLOW (3569) Good Harvest Garden Center 629 Oakridge Farm Hwy.Mooresville NC 28115704-658-9136
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151Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
High Tech Garden Supply2712 B Freedom DriveCharlotte, NC 28208704-697-0911New Age Gardens2236A US Highway 70,Swannanoa, NC 28778828-299-9989Progressive Gardens6005 Oleander Drive,Wilmington, NC 28403910-395-1156
OHIOAdvanced Hydrorganics Indoor Garden Center5204 Darrow Road,Hudson, OH 44236234-380-1287Akron Garden Center434 W Wilbeth Road,Akron, OH 44314330-724-2700Cleveland Garden Center Inc.727 East 185th Street,Cleveland, OH 44119216-481-7868CropKing134 West Drive,Lodi, OH 44254330-302-4203Carefree Garden Center134 West Drive,Lodi, OH 44254330-302-4203Dayton Hydroponics3856 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, West Carrolton, OH 45449937-859-3999Eastside Hydroponics550 Ohio PikeCincinnati, OH 45255513-528-GROWGarden Connections3341 Centerpoint Dr.Grove City OH 43123614 871 0707Garden Indoors of Ohio4720 Indianola Avenue,Columbus, OH 43214800-833-6868Greenleaf Hydroponics1805 Elm Road,Warren, OH 44483330-372-1039Grow Wizard, The5700 Denison Avenue,Cleveland, OH 44102216-961-2500Harvest Moon9215 Market Street,Youngstown (North Lima), OH 44452800-776-8399Herb-N-Garden Center14901 Puritas Avenue,Cleveland, OH 44135216-252-2001Hydro Gardens and Lights1144 N Memorial Drive Lancaster, OH 43130 705-65 Hydro Indoor Garden Worx906 Blue Avenue,Zanesville, OH 43701866-900-9679Indoor Gardens1222 Hill Road, North,Pickerington, OH 43147614-866-6065Kissed by the Sun Hydroponic10740 Reading Road,Cincinnati, OH 45241513-769-0159Magic Home Gardens209 Cemetery Road,Canal Winchester, OH 43110614-837-2440Magic Home Garden4538 Indianola Avenue,Columbus, OH 43214614-263-2440Summit Hydroponics1030 Kenmore Boulevard Akron, OH 44314-2114330-753-5222Sweet Greens5540 Brecksville RoadIndependence, OH 44131800-421-7084Toledo Hydroponics Ltd.855 S. Holland-Sylvania Road, Suite 2Toledo, OH 436151-877-893-0716Trinity Hydro Organics465 Woodman DriveRiverside, OH 45431937-252-GROW
Urban Gardens671 E. Center StreetMarion, OH 43302740-375-2800
OKLAHOMAAAAAHA! Hydroponics Unlimited P.O. Box 74,Oakhurst, OK 74050Organics OKC Garden Supply3620 N Pennsylvania Avenue,Oklahoma City, OK 73118405-528-GROWTulsa County Hydro-Organics1928 W. Albany,Broken Arrow, OK 74012918-259-HYDROUrban Garden3141 E. 15th Street,Tulsa, OK 74104918-289-0018OREGON ADVANCED ORGANICS & GARDEN SUPPLY290- B MERLIN AVENUEMERLIN, OREGON 97532541-659-1466American Agriculture9220 Southeast Stark Street,Portland, OR 97216800-433-6805Anthony’s Garden & Light Supply93779 B Troy Lane,Coos Bay, OR 97420541-266-8822Aqua Serene2836 W. 11th Avenue,Eugene, OR 97402541-302-9073 Aqua Serene465 Applegate Way,Ashland, OR 97520541-482-7600 Aurora InnovationsPO Box 22041,Eugene, OR 97402866-376-8578 Basin Indoor Gardening1221 Main Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97601541-273-2023B.I.G.S.155 SW Century Drive, Suite 401,Bend, OR 97702541-385-5222BIGS Warehouse2606 SW 4th Street, Unit BRedmond, OR 97756541-504-8886 Bloom Garden Supply518 NE 20th Ave.Portland, OR 97232(971)255-1336Cascade Horticulture39570 Pioneer Boulevard,Sandy, OR 97055503-668-8242Corvallis Hydroponics & Organics5490 SW Philomath Boulevard,Corvallis, OR 97333541-738-2820Everybody’s Garden Center2701 SE 14th Avenue,Portland, OR 97202800-669-5483Forever Green Organic Hydro Gardens7530 Crater Lake Highway,White City, OR 97503541-826-2946Garden Spout, The4532 South East 63rd Avenue,Portland, OR 97206503-788-4769Gorilla Garden Supply1810 Virginia Avenue,
Garden SuppliesNorth Bend, OR 97459541-756-5005Green Zone Garden Center & Hydroponic Supplies 454 S.W. Coast Hwy Newport OR 97365 USA P: 541-265-8252 Green Zone Garden Center & Hydroponic Supplies1845 S W Hwy. 101 Ste. 3Lincoln OR 97367 USA P: 541 994 7070 Green Thumb Hydrogarden and Organic Supply2021 West Main Street,Medford, OR 97501541-779-8600Grow America Garden Supply LLC11511 SW Pacific Highway,Tigard, OR 97223503-841-6868Growing Crazy (Hooked On Hydroponics)817 W. 2nd Street,Medford, OR 97501
H2organic LCC620 NE 3rd Street,McMinnville, OR 97128503-434-6107Herb N’ Jungle Hydroponics930 SE Textron Drive,Bend, OR 97702541-382-4010Homegrown Garden Supply7112 NE Gilsan Street,Portland, OR 97213877-EZ2-GROWIn & Out Gardens 1574 Skypark DriveMedford, OR 97501541-858-3333 In & Out Gardens 93484 Hwy 99 SouthJunctin CIty OR 97448 541-234-2342 Indoor Garden Center 1697 SE 25th Street, Salem, OR 97302 503-566-7888Indoor Garden Depot15828 SE McGloughlin Boulevard,Milwaukie, OR 97267503-786-2445 Indoor Garden Supply536 SW 6th Street (rear alley), Redmond, OR 97756541-504-7750Island Flowers & Indoor Garden Center909 N. Tomahawk Island Drive, Suite 103, Portland, OR 97217503-546-3185J-N-B Hydro 2 Go155 West Central Avenue,Sutherlin, OR 97479541-459-9211Ladybug Indoor Gardens3960 W. Main Street,Medford, OR 97501541-618-4459Lights Distributing9843 SW 55th Avenue,Portland, OR 97219Liquid Sun1845 Southwest Highway 101,Lincoln City, OR 97367541-994-7070Moonshine Park Farm135 South East 62nd, Unit FSouth Beach, OR 97366541-444-2298Northern Light and Garden Beaverton9290 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Beaverton, OR 97005503-297-7331Northern Light and Garden Grants Pass1203 Rogue River Highway,Grants Pass, OR 97527541-474-1700Northern Light and Garden Salem1915 Lancester Drive,Salem, OR 97305503-364-4769Oregon Rainforest Co.19949 E. Burnside Street,Gresham, OR 97233503-465-9909 Paradise Supply LLC560 NE. "F" Street, Unit C,Grand Pass, OR 97526541-955-7293Rain or Shine13126 NE Airport Way,Portland, OR 97230503-255-1981Rogue Silicates Inc. POB 21,Azalea, OR 97410541-837-8590Roots Garden Supply5426 North Gay Avenue,Portland, OR 97217503-285-4768Roseburg Hydroponics853 SE Stephens Street,Roseburg, OR 97470541-229-1420SunInside Gardening Co.665 Conger, Unit F,Eugene, OR 97402541-686-9966The Good Earth Organics30088 Redwood Highway,Cave Junction, OR 97523541-592-4496Urban Flora2865 South East,Portland, OR 97214503-236-3344
152 Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
MAXIMUM YIELDdistributorsVital Organix932-B SE “M” StreetGrants Pass, OR 97526541-226-9283Westcoast Organic and Hydroponic Supply12410 SE 282nd Avenue, Unit CBoring, OR 97009503-766-4106Wizard's Garden, LLC621 Spruce Street, Unit C,Myrtle Point, OR 97458541-572-2333
PENNSYLVANIABuds to Blooms Garden and Supply Co., LLC509 Orchard AvenueKennett Square, PA 19348484-860-8056422 GROW1775 North Main Street ExtensionButler, PA 16001-1327724-561-3777 FlairformPOB 1417,Lansdale, PA 19446215-395-6353 Full Bloom Hydroponics84 South 24th Street,Pittsburgh, PA 15203888-872-3602Garden Indoors of Pennsylvania208 Route 13,Bristol, PA 19007800-227-4567Harvest Moon Hydroponics1239 South Airport Road,Allentown, PA 18103610-432-4949Healthy Gardens and Supply1012 Lincoln Avenue,Prospect Park, PA 19076866-32-HYDROHigh Tech Garden Supply20232 Route 19, Unit 6,Cranberry Twp., PA 16066724-473-1113Home Hydroponics of Pittsburgh2008 Smallman Street,Pittsburgh, PA 15222412-232-7030Home Hydroponics of Pittsburgh830 Route 119,Greensburg, PA 15601724-836-1118Hydro Ponics of Harrisburg310 South 10th Street, Lemoyne, PA 17043877-684-3808National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply450 Grim Lane, York,PA 17406877-779-7111(Northeast) New Stanton Hydro150 Post Ave.New Stanton, PA. 15672724-635-0297Organic Garden Center800 Washington Blvd.Williamsport, PA 17701570-322-3120PA Hydroponics & Home Gardening Supply20 Quaker Church Road,York Springs, PA 17372717-528-4175Pocono Hydroponic Solutions25 Route 611Bartonsville, PA 18321Tel: 570-730-4544RH DistributionPOB 1417Lansdale, PA 19446888-545-8112 Western Pennsylvania Innovative Gardening1177 Pittsburgh Road, Suite 103Valencia, PA 16059724 - 903 - 0800
RHODE ISLANDGood To Grow34 Nooseneck Hill Road ,West Greenwich, RI 02817401-392-3100 Hydro-Earth1243 Mineral Springs Avenue,North Providence, RI 02904401-305-5520LiquidSun® RI1179 Central Avenue,Pawtucket, MA 02861401-722-2724Oakworld Garden Center39 West Street,Barrington, RI 02806401-245-5705Organically Grown768 Atwood AveCranston, RI 02920401-944-0549Solar Seed Hydroponics, Inc.2406 Putman Pike,Chepachet, RI 02814 401-710-9010
SOUTH CAROLINA247 Garden Supply535 D Clemson Road,Columbia, SC 29229803-788-4445All Good Hydroponics & Gardening6729 Two Notch Road,Columbia, SC 29223803-708-4819 GreenSpirit Hydrogarden1864 Meeting Street,Charleston, SC 29405843-225-1GRO; Greenspirit Hydrogardens3600 Unite 1 Hwy.17 S.North Myrtle Beac, SC 29582843-361-7777 Green Thumb Unique Gardening & More1230 Rutherford Road,Greenville, SC 29609864-271-8830
SOUTH DAKOTAGreen Earth Products Inc.5700 Highway 79 S.,Unit 1,Rapid City, SD 57702605-342-1307
TENNESSEEAdvanced Hydroponic Garden783 French Mill Road,Dandridge, TN 37725800-521-1643Advanced Hydroponic Garden6912 Clinton Highway,Knoxville, TN 37921866-938-3318All Seasons Gardening and Brewing Supply Co.924 8th Avenue, South,Nashville, TN 37203800-790-2188Atlantis Hydroponics1800 Rossville Avenue, #3,Chattanooga, TN 37408423-752-5400National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply126 Belinda Parkway,Mt. Juliet, TN 37122888-265-9005 Perpetual Harvest75 Riverport Drive,Jackson, TN 38301877-422-3391Sun City Hydroponics2235 Whitten Road, Suite 104,Memphis, TN 38133901-372-8100
Worm’s Way Tennessee901 Main Street, Nashville, TN 37072 800-397-4153
TEXASAbundant Harvest Hydroponics & Organics3101 Avenue E East,Arlington Road, TX 76011817-649-0100Airline HydroponicsP.O. Box 980904, Trader’s Village #363,Houston, TX 77098713-942-0484Botani Garden15120 Bellaire BlvdHouston, TX 77083281-575-1999Brite Ideas Hydroponics & Organics4360 S.Congress Avenue, #310,Austin, TX 78745512-444-2100Earth Organics1360 Lee Trevino Drive,Suite 105El Paso, TX 79936915-591-9500Field of Dreams Indoor Growing Supplies5302 Slide Road Unit B,Lubbock, TX 79414806-793-2901GreenMaker Nursery3030 Northwest Loop,Stephenville, TX 76401254-965-7273 GroGreen Hydroponics4015 Main Street,Dallas, TX 75226214-370-9984Happy Harvest Hydroponics & Organic1500 Crescent Drive, Suite 202Carrollton, TX 75006972-466-1300Houston Discount Hydroponics9384 Richmond Avenue,Houston, TX 77063713-464-9406Hydro Mart3841 Main Street,Rowlett, TX 75088972-475-6114Hydroponic Nation9700 Almeda Genoa Road, Suite 108,Houston, TX 77075281-501-9636Innergrow Hydroponics24451 Interstate Highway 20,Wills Point, TX 75169866-475-4769Jolly Green Hydroponics (Greenhouse Horticultural Supplies)13628 Neutron Road,Dallas, TX 75244 (866) WE-JOLLY; 469-341-5555 Lone Star Hydroponics and Organics1302 Motor Circle,Dallas, TX 75207 214-634-9376 Organic Garden & Feed 3801 N Interstate Hwy 35, Suite126, Denton Texas 76207 940-381-9890 Sol Organics & Hydroponics1634 Babcock Road,San Antonio, TX 78229210-366-9082Texas Growers Supply5990 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E. #602,Humble, TX 77396281-441-3739
153Maximum Yield USA | February 2011
Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Central Austin)5126 Burnet Road,Austin, TX 78756512-459-4769Texas Hydroponics & Organics (South Austin)2125-A Goodrich Avenue,Austin, TX 78704512-440-4769Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Dallas)3400 Elm Street,Dallas, TX 75226214-744-4769Texas Hydroponics & Organics (Houston)7730 A Park Place Boulevard,Houston, TX 77087713-641-4769Ultimate Hydroponic Garden Supply6125 West Sam HoustonParkway, North Suite 206Houston, TX 77041713-856-8425
UTAHSalt Lake Plant & Hydro60 West 3300 S. #6 ,South Salt Lake, UT 84115801-488-3200
VERMONTGreen Thumb GardeningP.O. Box 235, Route 15,Underhill, VT 5489800-564-9376Greenthumb - Vermont394 Route 15,Jericho, VT 05465 802-899-4323LiquidSun® VT1 Bellows Falls Road, (Route 5 North)Putney, VT 05158802-387-1100Peak Hydroponic Garden Supplies20 School Street,Plainfield, VT 05667802-454-8000
VIRGINIABlue Ridge Hydroponics & Home Brewing Co.5524 Williamson Road, Suite 11Roanoke VA 24012540-265-2483Clean & Green Technologies196 Corning Drive,Christiansburg, VA 24073866-694-1628Fifth Season Gardening Company900 Preston Ave. Charlottesville VA 22903434-293-2332 Hydroponics & Growlights13400 Occoquan Road,Woodbridge, VA 22191703-490-0700I Love Hydroponics612 N. Sheppard Street,Richmond, VA 23221804-377-3020I Love Hydroponics368 Newtown Road, #105,Virginia Beach, VA 23462757-490-5425Inside-Out Garden Supply6517 Backlick Road,Springfield, VA 22150703-451-3259
WEST VIRGINIAPanhandle Hydroculture800 East Moler Ave.Martinsburg, WV 25401304-240-7587
WASHINGTON509 Grow2718 N DivisionSpokane, WA 99207509-327-GROW(4769)
Aqua Serene3839 Stone Way North,Seattle, WA 98103206-547-GROW (4769) Eco Enterprises1240 NE 175th Street, #BShoreline, WA 98155800-426-6937Garden Smart500 Bond Drive,Castlerock, WA 98611360-274-7960Green Gardens Distributing12738 Bel-Red Road,Bellevue, WA 98005425-454-5731Green Tree Hydroponics and Garden12316 Pacific Ave SouthTacoma, WA 98444 253-495-6757Good 2 Gro3507 W Clearwater Ave. Kennewick WA 99336P: 509 737 1313 Go-N-Green Hydroponics1241 State Ave Suite #102Marysville, WA 98270(360)386-8230Grow Center, The2808 W Sprague Soca WA 99202509-456-GROWGROGRO HYDRO12316 32nd AVE NE #103Seattle, WA 98125 Healthy Grow Indoor Garden Supplies10 SE Everett Mall Way Suite BEverett WA 98208425-374-2227Hydro-Tech2121 Aurora Avenue, North,Seattle, WA 98103206-547-2202Indoor Garden Depot6400 NE Highway 99, Suite H,Vancouver, WA 98665360-993-7779 Indoor Garden Depot1401 S. 324th Street,Federal Way, WA 98003 253-874-1112 Indoor Garden & Lighting8606 Preston Fall City Rd. SEPreston WA 98050425 222 9661 Indoor Garden & Lighting3839 6th Avenue,Tacoma, WA 98406253-761-7478 Indoor Garden & Lighting23303 Highway 99, Suite A,Edmonds, WA 98026425-673-2755 Indoor Garden & Lighting714 South Central Avenue,Kent, WA 98032253-373-9060 Indoor Garden Supply LLC1250 Atlantic Ave,Woodland, WA 98674360-841-8055InDoor Gardening1158 CommerceLongview WA, 98632360-353-3851 Indoor Tropics 5930 Sunburst Lane #B Cashmere, WA 98815 509-470-7782 Island Horticulture Supply 8608 S March Point Rd.Anacortes WA 98221 P: 360 293 000Island Hydroponic & Supplies1515 5th Street #B,Marysville, WA 98271425-299-5855Kent Garden Supplies Ltd.18817 East Valley Highway,Kent, WA 98032425-251-9299
Kitsap Garden & Lighting2130 6th Street,Bremerton, WA 98312360-377-1277Linda’s Gardening & Hydroponics11522 Canyon Road East,Puyallup, WA 98373253-531-9641Liquid Sunshine Hydroponics5087 Lincoln Road,Blaine, WA 98230M & R Lighting17238 Memorial Drive,Mt. Vernon, WA 98273360-848-1080M & R LightingUnit C 22914 Highway 410,Buckley, WA 98390253-891-4190Mike's Indoor Garden Supply6121 172nd Street NE #A,Arlington, WA 98223(360) 474-1900National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply 4525 NW Fruit Valley Road, Vancouver, WA 98660 888-478-6544 (Northwest) National Garden Wholesale / Sunlight Supply5408 NE 88th Street, Building A,Vancouver, WA 98665888-478-6544 Northern Lights Gardening4159 Hannegan Road,Bellingham, WA 98225360-715-8585Northwest Horticulture Supply161 Hooker Road, #1,Sequim, WA 98057360-582-0702Renton Indoor Garden Center207 Sunset Blvd. N, Building A,Renton, WA 98055425-917-9000River City Hydroponics1514 East Francis Avenue,Spokane, WA 99208509-464-0246Sodo Hydro1727 1st Ave. South,Seattle, WA 98134888-904-9376Solar Shop306 West 4th Street,Tonasket, WA 98855509-486-4508Spokane Organic and Hydroponic Supply4823 East Sprague Avenue E.,Spokane Valley, WA 99212509-534-4055 VM Indoor Garden Supply 2903 NE 109th Ave Ste. D Vancouver, WA 98682P: (360) 256-2933
WISCONSINAric's Indoor Garden Supply1104 West Wisconsin Avenue,Appleton, WI 54914920-574-3258 Brew and Grow285 N. Janacek Road,Brookfield, WI 53045262-789-0555Brew and Grow3317 Agriculture Drive,Madison, WI 53716608-226-8910Grow BIG Hydroponics954 S. Westland,Appleton, WI 54914920-749-4769Paradigm Gardens4539 Helgesen Drive,Madison, WI 53718608-241-3800
PUERTO RICOTecno-HydroAve Campo Rico GJ17,Carolina, PR 00982787-752-8252
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Organic Garden & Feed3801 N Interstate Hwy 35, Suite126, Denton Texas 76207940-381-9890
