Come on down and we will dial you in with the right filter and fan for your garden, or you can talk to one of our knowledgeable, friendly staff at 1-866-PGS-GROW!

Happy Gardening!

Hey guys, its been a cold winter, and it looks like spring has come a little early. It feels so good too! It also feels great to let everyone know that our end of year inventory is over and we are again fully stocked with all the essentials you need for your grow room. We are also gearing up for what is anticipated as the biggest grow season ever. Viva 2010, with outdoor and indoor projects being taken on in extremely aggressive levels, its super exciting for us to be able to provide for all the Sonoma County growers and beyond who are getting involved. We have -

• Traditional soils, organic blends, soilless blends, rockwool, and coco pots ready to go.
• Grow lights, electronic ballasts, magnetic ballasts, reflectors, high output fluorescent systems, LED Grow lights, replacement bulbs.
• Hydro trays, containers, smart pots, complete hydro setups.
• Complete organic and hydroponic nutrient lines – General Hydroponics, General Organics, House and Garden, Cutting Edge, Technaflora and tons of grow and bloom enhancers and accelerators.
• Carbon filters of every size and shape
• Wall, pedestal and exhaust fans and blowers of every shape and size
• Ducting, clamps, foil tape, flanges, reducers, extenders, splitters, splicers
• Co2 generators, controllers and parts
• Organic and chemical pest control products
• Master light controllers, Environmental controllers, High temp. shut off devices
• Water purification systems, accessories and replacement filters
• Ready to grow, self contained Darkrooms
• Valves, elbows, tees, custom hydro fittings, replacement sprayers and misters
• Full service repair dept. complete with loaner ballasts
• Full time accredited botanist

We love to serve and provide the best advice and products available in the indoor/hydroponic/organic gardening industry, give our friendly grow experts a call today and let us know how we can help you. 1-866-PGS-GROW

• Completely sealed! Heavy-duty gasket makes the Yield Master airtight.
• Includes tempered glass, built-in socket and 15′ lamp cord.
• Highly reflective European aluminum interior for excellent output and uniformity.
• Maximum air-cooling with built-in 10″ fittings.
• Durable white powder coated finish.
• EZ-Breeze™ aerodynamic junction box improves airflow and cooling.
• Lamp cord and socket are built into reflector.
• Glass retention bars hold glass firmly in place.

Poor yields can be caused by many different things, determining why a crop went bad is crucial!

The Top 10 Mistakes That Drag Your Yields Down

1.) Reduce Your Concentration!

Hydroponic growers adjust the pH of their nutrient solution to around 5.8 to 6.2 – this provides the best accessibility to the widest range of nutritional elements.  pH adjuster products are sold in grow stores in concentrated liquid (sometimes powder) form.  However, some growers get lazy and add this stuff neat (undiluted) to their nutrient solution.  This causes nutritional elements to precipitate out of the solution and therefore become unavailable to your plants.  To avoid this, make up a dilute solution of your pH adjusters – 1 part pH adjuster to 100 parts water – and use this instead.  The weakened concentration of your pH up or down will enable you to safely adjust the pH of your nutrient solution without damaging your nutrients!

2.) So Near, So Far …

More light = more yield … but only to a point!  In fact, grow lights can represent a mixed blessing for the indoor gardener.  Sure, they provide the all-important light photons essential for photosynthesis – your plants ain’t growing without them!  But these same lamps also generate a lot of radiant heat!    If your plants grow too close to your lamps they will become too hot and shut down (stop photosynthesizing).  In extreme cases they will scorch and burn and the growth tips will die.  This causes untold stress to your plants and drastically reduces your yields.

On the other hand some growers are overly cautious and raise their grow lights too high, causing their plants to stretch in search of more lumens.  The ongoing aim of every indoor gardener is to get as many growth tips in the “sweet spot” as possible.  This is the area where your plants are just at a safe distance away from your bulbs and receiving maximum light intensity.

Different growers combat this problem in different ways.  All growers should try to move the air in between the tops of their plants and the lamp using an oscillating fan.  Some growers also air-cool or water-cool their grow lights while some put their lights on a mover or spinner.

As well as a light meter, use a thermometer with a remote temperature probe to measure the heat at the tops of your plants.  For many popular indoor crops, the magic number is 82°F (28°C).  What’s the temperature reading at the top of your plants?

3.) Brrrrr!  Using Cold Tap Water!

First off, tap water can contain chlorine and chloramines plus high levels of other minerals (often not in a form that is useful to your plants) and other impurities.  You should always feed your plants with the best quality water you can.  Many professional growers and keen hobbyists take control over their water quality by investing in a water softener and reverse-osmosis water purifier.  Also, you should always make sure that the temperature of your nutrient solution is around 65 – 68°F (18 – 20°C) before feeding it to your plants.  Cold water shocks your plants’ roots and warm water contains drastically lower levels of dissolved oxygen.  If your indoor garden is suffering from high temperatures, using a slightly cooler nutrient solution can help your plants get through until you manage to correct your environment.

4.) Lights++ Environment–

So, you’ve managed to dial in your indoor growing environment with two, three or four lights and you’re growing healthy, happy plants and enjoying regular crops of your favorite veggies all year round.  Great, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you can expand by simply adding more lights!   You need to also consider how this will effect your growing environment.  Firstly, more plants will mean more transpiration, and a need for more CO2.  More lights equals more heat to get rid of.  So if you are thinking of adding more grow lights, make sure you budget for increased air transfer too – you’ll definitely need it!

5.) Unruly Plants

A crucial skill that every indoor gardener needs to learn is how to shape and train their plants so that they make the most of any artificial light source.  You need to let your plants know who’s boss.  Do not grow your plants too large.  Small to medium sized specimens are the way forward for most indoor growers.  Remember, your plants receive exponentially less light the further they are from the lamp.  As most gardeners light their plants from above, a common goal for many indoor growers is for shorter, squatter plants with wide canopies.  Think of a candelabra.  Pruning out the leading growth tip will encourage many types of plants to adopt this formation.

TIP:  If you are growing plants that are sensitive to photoperiod bear in mind that they will not respond immediately when you change your light cycle to induce flowering.  Growers of many plant varieties are often stunned by the amount their plants bolt (or stretch) after changing the day length simulated by their grow lights.  Err on the side of ‘small’ when deciding when to switch your plants from vegetative to flowering mode!

6.) Grow Like A Gardener, Not a Robot

So you think you’ve got your nutrient recipe down and now it’s just a question of making it happen.  But the best growers are always in a state of flux.  They are observing their plants on a daily basis, getting in among them, looking for signs of under / over fertilizing and adjusting their nutrient regimen accordingly.

This is especially important if you are making any chance, whatsoever, to your growing environment.  Improved air exchange or CO2 levels in your indoor garden will cause your plants to grow more vigorously.  The saavy grower observes and recognizes this and increases the strength of his nutrient solution accordingly.

Conversely, if the ambient temperature inside your indoor garden rises above optimum levels (e.g. during the summer months) your plants will inevitably use more water.  You should therefore decrease the strength of your nutrient solution.

7.) Stale Food

Re-circulating your nutrient solution?  Great – you’ll save on precious water resources, not to mention expensive nutrients and additives!  But ask yourself – how often do you really drain your reservoir, then rinse, and replenish with a fresh batch?  Once every week?  Once every two weeks?  Or once every … when you can be bothered?  Younger plants will tolerate less frequent nutrient solution changes than more mature plants.  But if you’re really going to turn on the charm, the time for super frequent nutrient solution changes is during flowering and fruiting.  This is when your plants’ nutrient requirements are at their highest and will benefit most from regular nutrient solution changes.

8.) Poor Propagation

Care early on pays massive dividends later.  Be especially patient and watchful during the propagation stage.  Give your plants time to establish healthy root systems before rushing them into a hydroponics system and flowering them off.  Ensure humidity levels are kept fairly high at 60-80%, especially early on.  This reduces stress on the young plant which, in turn, allows it to focus on that all-important root system.

A plant that has been “hardened off” for five or six days under a fluorescent veg lamp, for instance, still needs to be introduced to a 1000W metal halide with care.  Raise the metal halide 3-4 foot above the plants until you see the first signs of growth.  Break those babies in slowly.  What is often diagnosed as “transplant shock” is often more due to the shock of an increase in light intensity.

9.) Lack of Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen in your nutrient solution is so important we can’t harp on about it enough.  Oxygen in your nutrients promotes root health and speeds up your plants’ metabolism meaning it can grow faster and bloom copiously!  Lack of oxygen in your nutrients, on the other hand, invites all sorts of problems, the leader of the pack being pythium which can destroy your crop in a matter of days.  You can increase levels of dissolved oxygen in your nutrient solution by bubbling air into it – the smaller the bubbles, the better!

10.) Don’t Be a Dirty Sanchez

What’s that carpet still doing in your indoor garden?  Is that decomposing plant matter in the corner over there?  Still not got rid of that bag of old root balls from last crop?  Get a grip on your garden!  Clean as you go.  Keep it as spotless as possible.  Filter all air vents.  Think of your indoor garden as a laboratory and you won’t go far wrong.  The cleaner your growing environment, the fewer viruses your plants have to fight; the more energy your plants can put into their primary mission – growing and blooming!  Cleaning sounds boring, and it is.  But how boring is 10% more yield?  Nuff said.

Thanks to Urban Garden Magazine for the really great article ( Everest, you rock man! ) Original Page Here

For example, if the outside air in the summer time is 85°F, it will not be very effective for cooling a self-contained growing environment that uses HID (high intensity discharge) lighting. While HIDs can deliver bright light, they generate a tremendous amount of heat that must be managed. Air-cooled lamp reflectors can reduce the cooling requirement of any growing environment, making them a smart investment. However, there will still be some rise in ambient temperature in the grow room, and if outside air is relatively warm to begin with, the grow room will overheat. Overheating in grow room is the number one source of crop failure or disappointing yields for indoor growers.

If you are running centrifugal inline fans for air cooled lamp reflectors, a device like this can really improve the efficiency and operation of your CEA endeavor by continuously adjusting fan speed automatically.

Also, if humidity rises in traditional in/out gardens, the air needs to be exhausted and replaced with outside air. If the RH of the outside air is relatively high, which in most regions is more common than not, the grower loses control over the RH levels in the grow room, leading to poor crop quality and incidence of yield reducing flower and fruit rots, moulds, blights, etc.
Furthermore, increasing CO2 (carbon dioxide) levels in the growing environment can significantly increase yields and reduce cropping time, if properly managed. It is difficult to maintain elevated CO2 levels with in/out gardens because the air is exchanged frequently, if not continuously. The majority of any supplemental CO2 the grower introduces into the in/out grow atmosphere will quickly be exhausted away from the plants when the room is cooling (by exchanging outside air). This reduces the contact time the supplemental CO2 has with the crop, making it less effective if not ineffectual.

Most experienced and knowledgeable growers will maintain that CEA growing set-ups are more productive and easier to work with. A lot of newer growers view the idea of a sealed room with no active in/out fans as alien, and perhaps intimidating. Some smaller and mid-scale experienced growers agree with the CEA concept, but feel that such set-ups are reserved only for the large scale producer due to the additional expense involved versus traditional gardening set-ups.

Well the truth is CEA is more affordable and easier to access than it has ever been before. It can be more economical to upgrade an existing grow room to CEA than it is to create a completely new grow room due to the more frequent, larger and healthier yields that can be achieved. The following will discuss how to setup a hobby sized CEA environment using plug and play technologies available from professional hydroponics retailers or your favorite online sources.

You can also use the information in this article to convert your existing in/out set-up to a more productive and easier to control CEA grow room. Once you make the switch, you won’t look back. Do note, however, that CEA growing environments will use about 25 to 30 per cent more electricity versus traditional in/out set-ups. If electrical consumption is a major concern, there are some very energy efficient cooling methods for sealed environments now available, such as water cooling. Just be prepared for a learning curve and additional installation and trial time when taking advantage of water cooling for the first time. The savings in electrical consumption using water cooling can help to recapture some of the initially higher capital outlay in more energy efficient CEA set-ups.

Remember that the principal difference(s) between CEA and traditional in/out grow rooms is that an air-conditioner or chiller will cool temperatures without exchanging air. Humidity can be lowered with a de-humidifier, which typically cycles more often in the dark cycle as the air conditioner operating during the lighting cycle tends to keep humidity levels in the optimal range. Carbon dioxide is supplied via CO2 generators or bottled CO2, and the air is kept purified and free of contaminants with an activated carbon filter and/or HEPA filter scrubbers. The grower sets the desired temperature, humidity and CO2 levels on their control equipment and the perfect growing environment is maintained everyday, consistently for better harvests year round. The level of control offered is every grower’s dream; you can manipulate the environmental parameters on a weekly basis to help encourage different traits in the crop throughout the cropping cycle. The colorations of flowers and fruits at harvest in a CEA endeavor can be very dramatic and tantalizing.

Step 1: Seal the Room

The growing environment needs to be well sealed in order to be effective and efficient. The easiest way to accomplish this is to purchase a pre-fabricated grow tent or hydro hut; they are available in a multitude of sizes, anywhere from as small as two feet by two feet to beyond 10 feet by 10 feet. Look for manufacturers that have a history of standing behind their product when making a selection. Pre-fabricated grow tents and hydro huts are completely sealable, and usually have multiple zippered openings to contain light and air, while maintaining complete darkness for the dark phase, which is absolutely essential. They are easy to clean and relatively water-proof, allowing people to set-up a high quality grow room in any space that fits without making any significant alterations to existing rooms. You can usually have one completely assembled using minimal or no tools in less than one hour. Note however that they are not well insulated, so the area you set them up in should be, ideally.

If you already have a grow room, make sure to seal up any cracks and leaks. Go through the following checklist:

• Remove and seal off previous intake and exhaust ports, you may choose to keep them for use with air-cooled lighting however.
• Seal off any cracks with expanding foam, available in cans. Make sure to wear gloves and old clothes when applying.
• Ensure that any duct work, i.e. air cooled reflectors, is well sealed using aluminum tape.
• Make sure that the doorway does not leak air. This can be accomplished by using a sheet of durable and reflective poly sheeting with some heavy duty adhesive zippers or Velcro strips.
• Retain your carbon filter and fan; you will need this for “scrubbing” the air within the CEA growing set up.
• Ensure that the grow room itself is well insulated to improve efficiency and reduce noises that can be disturbing outside of the growing area.

Step 2: Equipment Checklist:

Environmental Controller(s)
You will need:

• cooling thermostat
• de-humidistat
• high temperature kill-switch

A high-temp kill switch is a relatively simple device: if the temperature gets too high due to equipment failure or other problems, it shuts off the HID lights until temperatures go back to normal or until the problem is remedied. This device can save your crop.

Fan speed controllers are also recommended for use with air-cooled lighting and carbon scrubbers. For air-cooled lighting, a high quality fan speed controller will reduce your cooling requirements by more energy intensive equipment such as air-conditioners. The controller featured in this article allows the air-cooled lighting fan(s) to remain at a constant “on” at a speed and decibel pre-set by the grower. If temperatures increase, fan speed increases and vice versa. Also, if the temperature becomes too cool, the device will shut-off the air-cooling fans allowing for the growing environment to maintain the optimal temperature. If you use centrifugal fans for any kind of cooling purposes, get one of these controls!

Carbon Dioxide Gear
One of the benefits of running a CEA grow room is that you can effectively supplement and maintain increased levels of CO2 in the growing environment for faster growth rates and bigger yields. CO2 can increase your yields by as much as 30 per cent, assuming all other growing parameters are optimal, which is achievable in a CEA set-up.
You will need:

• either a CO2 generator (propane/natural gas) or a tank (bottled CO2)
• an infrared CO2 monitor/controller (pricey, but worth it) or a timer.

Note: if going with a REG (regulator, flow meter and solenoid) system for bottled CO2, you may choose an IR monitor/controller or a timer. If going with a CO2 generator, only an IR monitor/controller is recommended for safety and accuracy.

Environmental Control

Air Conditioner
The AC or chiller unit is at the heart of all successful CEA operations. ACs are energy intensive, although they can keep a sealed room at the perfect temperature when sized correctly for the number of lamps and other sources of heat like gas fired CO2 generators. The rule of thumb is to allow for about 4500 BTUs of cooling for every 600 to 1000 watts of light. The exact BTU rating required is somewhat dependent on how well the room is insulated; if the ballasts are in the room or not; if air cooled lighting is being used; as well as if a gas fired CO2 generator will be. Again, usually 4500 BTUs is a good rule of thumb. It’s better to get a unit that’s a little bit of overkill than to have a unit that can’t keep up, forcing the grower to shut down individual lamps.

For most hobby sized, one to two light endeavors and a portable upright style AC will do the job and they are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. They are commonly available in 9500 to 12,000 BTU ratings for cooling. They also have the benefit of being able to plug into common 110/120 volt household circuits, although an entire circuit (breaker) should be dedicated to the AC unit.

Most upright portable ACs will use a discharge hose to vent heat away. This means discharging heat to the outside, along with a small volume of air from the grow room. The air volume discharged is relatively small versus fan cooling rooms and cycles on and off rather than constant, so CO2 supplementation still remains relatively efficient. Also, since a carbon or HEPA scrubber operates 24/7 in the growing area, offensive odors are not released to outside of the growing area through the AC discharge. Sometimes growers need to lengthen the hose for discharging warm air away; this will likely void warranties although it can be accomplished with duct booster fans and insulated flexible ducting.

An alternative method to create a small CEA environment is to install a window air conditioner in a spare room. The air in this room is kept cold at all times and can be vented into the CEA growing area to cool the air as necessary via intakes and ducting; the air from the growing area can be vented into the spare room, which now acts as the “lung” for the growing endeavor, keeping it cool and fresh. In these instances you may want to retain the duct ports from your existing grow room.

There are specialty air conditioners available that are better suited to CEA endeavors, although they usually need to be obtained from specialty suppliers. These types of units exchange absolutely no outside air with the air inside of the growing environment. “Split” ACs are an example of this, as well as units that utilize an exclusive air intake and exhaust to the AC unit itself. The intake and exhaust never touch the air from the growing environment; they are used exclusively to keep the AC blowing cold air into the grow room when activated by the cooling thermostat. In this method the AC itself is acting as a sealed unit.

Water cooled ACs are the ultimate for CEA endeavors. All of the heat is discharged down the drain with water, and no hot air needs to be discharged anywhere. Typically a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute is required to effectively operate water cooled air-conditioners, so access to large volumes of cold water is required.

However, as stated previously for most small hobby sized CEA endeavors, a portable upright AC is inexpensive, easy to find and relatively efficient.

De-Humidifier
This will help to keep humidity from climbing to excessive levels in a tightly sealed room, as the crop transpires water through the leaves that was absorbed through the roots. Excessive humidity levels encourage stretchy low yielding growth and often promote diseases such as rots and mildews. A de-humidifier will add a bit of heat to the growing environment, and will discharge condensed humidity through a drain hose. You can save this water and use it for other purposes. The de-humidifier is controlled by the de-humidistat, which operates 24/7, although the de-humidifier will cycle most often during the dark cycle when the AC cycles are infrequent. If you use water chillers/fan units to cool the growing environment, you will really need to step-up your de-humidification capabilities. For most applications, count for about 25 to 30 pints per 24 hour period of de-humidification capability per 1000 watt lamp of garden.

Carbon/HEPA Scrubber (with fan)
You may already have one or several of these if you are converting your existing grow to CEA. Otherwise, you will need to size-up an appropriate activated carbon filter or HEPA filter. In fact, the best solution is to use both. Have your fan draw the air from the grow room through the activated carbon, then discharge and re-circulate it through the grow room through a specialty inline HEPA filter. This will keep the air smelling fresh and clean, while reducing insects, spores, dust and pollen in the growing area. This equals healthier air yields, healthier plants and fewer problems. Usually for an area with two to four HID lights, a six inch inline centrifugal fan with the correct sized carbon filter and the six inch fan mount HEPA will keep the air perfectly fresh for you and your garden.

Well, that should give you enough to do between the time you read this article and the continuation that will appear in the next edition of this magazine. Besides, you may already have a crop in progress, and will have to wait until you harvest to make the switch to CEA from your existing in/out growing set-up. Start to take note of which pieces of equipment you already have that can be used to make the upgrade, while researching and sourcing any other controllers, appliances, etc you will require to make the change-over complete and effective.

The extra time and expense that you put into this will be worth it when you are able to realize exacting and complete control over the temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in your growing environment. Not only will you potentially yield more at harvest due to improved CO2 levels, you will be able to bring out delicious and eye pleasing qualities in your plants that can best be achieved through precise temperature manipulation made possible by running a sealed and air conditioned environment. In the next installment we will discuss putting it all together and how to make the most of your modern day CEA growth chamber, including crop feeding, for the biggest and tastiest yields you have ever had. Until next time!

Article By  Erik Biksa

Galaxy Electronic HID Ballast

Lets start with the foundation of any indoor garden, lighting…First thing is first, electronic ballast, or magnetic ballast. We have both types stocked in 600 and 1000 watt varieties.

Harvest Pro Magnetic HID Ballast

Next thing to consider….Light Reflector. We carry a HUGE line of options, priced competitively. We can help you determine the optimal reflector for your situation based on 20+ years of experience.

HID Reflectors Stocked and Ready

Moving on to…. grow method. If your a die hard organic soil or soil-less fanatic, or a hydroponic scientist, we have a complete stock of containers, hydroponic mediums, and complete systems to meet anyone’s needs.

Next Step… Ventilation.
Anyone serious about growing indoors knows that ventilation is one of the most important things to take seriously. PGS has got you covered. Dampers, Filters, Extenders, Fans, Clamps, Reducers, Controllers and more….

Lets continue on to CO2 Enrichment… Tired of small yields and airy product? Increase your yields and overall structure with CO2 enrichment. We carry a large line generators, tanks, regulators, and controllers.

Little things that make the difference between bumper crops and bogus results.

Keep your plants happy and healthy through the entire bloom cycle!

Now lets address Environmental Control….
Now that you have a great room in the making, don’t let the environment go to shit with neglect! Dial in the perfect temperatures, humidity levels and your electricity to run flawlessly at all times. PGS has any kind of controller for your environment you can imagine.

Get Notified While Your Gone If You Have a Fire or a Breakin

Onto… Propagation What good is all of this without clones and cuttings to get your future crops ensured? PGS carries popular aero clone machines, as well as tradition Oasis, and Rockwool cubes, clone solutions, gels, and powders, modern T5 fluorescent systems and more…..

The key to success over a long period of time, is an intelligent, planned out nursery program, that includes all the things you would address in your bloom or vegetative environment. Temperature, co2 levels, relative humidity etc… Your future crops are only as good as the plants your nursery produces! Take the extra time to really create a perfect nursery and you will enjoy years of massive crops and prosperity!

T5 Fluorescent Grow Lights - Perfect For Vegetative Growth and Propagation

Let’s not forget the staple of ALL gardens.. Nutrients

Ah… what to say about nutrients? Take the time to learn what works best for your particular situation. We can help, we have just about every major plant nutrient product that is available today, AND we know how to use them.

Perhaps you want a ready to go Growroom? There are some really great ready to go grow rooms that are easy to assemble, and easy to break down. They make alot of sense for even the most experience growers in some situations. They come in every size for any project… Including massive Mammoth size ones for epic projects.

Don’t let garden pest ruin all your have built!… Pest Management.

After all your doing to build this dream room, don’t let bugs ruin this scenario! PGS has a full arsenal of organic and non-organic forms of pest management.

PGS Pest Managment Station

Did we almost forget Water Quality? Hell NO!

Without healthy, clean water as a basis, you will NEVER have a bumper crop. PGS has simple pacific sands filters, to full on huge RO systems.

Ok, I could go on and on about all the rest of the odds and ends, but the point is WE HAVE IT, from white plastic, Mylar, timers and fittings. Above all we offer a smile, and countless years of combined experience. Call us for prices and tell them Pete from the blog said to give you a deal!!! 1-866-PGS-GROW

]]> http://pgsgrow.com/blog/2009/11/19/custom-build-your-dream-indoor-garden-with-pgs/feed/ 0 http://pgsgrow.com/blog/2009/11/09/air-king-still-pushing-air-around-with-oscillating-wall-mount-fans/ http://pgsgrow.com/blog/2009/11/09/air-king-still-pushing-air-around-with-oscillating-wall-mount-fans/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:20:15 +0000 Pete http://pgsgrow.com/blog/?p=1231 When it comes to old school, it doesn’t get more hardcore then Air King. They have been around for a long long time and I think I have seen more of these babies in grow rooms then just about any other fan. These are really instant health boosts for your garden, keeping the stagnant air in the corners of your room fresh.

N-P-K = Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium

N = Nitrogen 7-9-5
Nitrogen is the first major element responsible for the vegetative growth of plants above ground. With a good supply, plants grow sturdily and mature rapidly, with rich, dark green foliage.

P = Phosphorus 7-9-5
The second major element in plant nutrition, phosphorus is essential for healthy growth, strong roots, fruit and flower development, and greater resistance to disease.

K = Potassium (Potash) 7-9-5 The third major plant nutrient, potassium oxide is essential for the development of strong plants. It helps plants to resist diseases, protects them from the cold and protects during dry weather by preventing excessive water loss.

Fertilizers are chemical compounds applied to promote plant and fruit growth. Fertilizers are usually applied either through the soil (for uptake by plant roots) or by foliar feeding (for uptake through leaves).

Fertilizers can be placed into the categories of organic fertilizers (composed of decayed plant/animal matter), or inorganic fertilizers (composed of simple chemicals and minerals). Organic fertilizers are ‘naturally’ occurring compounds, such as peat, manufactured through natural processes (such as composting), or naturally occurring mineral deposits; inorganic fertilizers are manufactured through chemical processes (such as the Haber process, also using naturally occurring deposits, while chemically altering them (e.g. concentrated triple superphosphate.

Properly applied, organic fertilizers can improve the health and productivity of soil and plants, as they provide different essential nutrients to encourage plant growth. Organic nutrients increase the abundance of soil organisms by providing organic matter and micronutrients for organisms such as fungal mycorrhiza, which aid plants in absorbing nutrients. Chemical fertilizers may have long-term adverse impact on the organisms living in soil and a detrimental long term effect on soil productivity of the soil.

Chemical Content

Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions, the three major plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium known shorthand as N-P-K); the secondary plant nutrients (calcium, sulfur, magnesium) and sometimes trace elements (or micronutrients) with a role in plant or animal nutrition: boron, chlorine, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and (in some countries) selenium.

Organic and Non-organic

Both organic and inorganic fertilizers were called “manure”, derived from the French expression for manual (of or belonging to the hand) tillage, however, this term is currently restricted to organic manure. Though nitrogen is plentiful in the Earth’s atmosphere, relatively few plants engage in nitrogen fixation (conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to a plant-accessible form).

It is believed by some that ‘organic’ agricultural methods are more environmentally friendly and better maintain soil organic matter (SOM) levels. There are some scientific studies that support this position.

History

While manure, cinder and ironmaking slag have been used to improve crops for centuries, the use of fertilizers is arguably one of the great innovations of the Agricultural Revolution of the 19th Century.

Key figures in Europe

In the 1730s, Viscount Charles Townshend (1674–1738) first studied the improving effects of the four crop rotation system that he had observed in use in Flanders. For this he gained the nickname of Turnip Townshend.

Justus von Liebig

Chemist Justus von Liebig (1803–1883) contributed greatly to the advancement in the understanding of plant nutrition. His influential works first denounced the vitalist theory of humus, arguing first the importance of ammonia, and later promoting the importance of inorganic minerals to plant nutrition. Primarily Liebig’s work succeeded in exposition of questions for agricultural science to address over the next 50 years

In England, he attempted to implement his theories commercially through a fertilizer created by treating phosphate of lime in bone meal with sulfuric acid. Although it was much less expensive than the guano that was used at the time, it failed because it was not able to be properly absorbed by crops

Sir John Bennet Lawes

At that time in England, Sir John Bennet Lawes (1814–1900) was experimenting with crops and manures at his farm at Harpenden and was able to produce a practical superphosphate in 1842 from the phosphates in rock and coprolites. Encouraged, he employed Sir Joseph Henry Gilbert, who had studied under Liebig at the University of Giessen, as director of research. To this day, the Rothamsted research station the pair founded still investigates the impact of inorganic and organic fertilizers on crop yields

Jean Baptiste Boussingault

In France, Jean Baptiste Boussingault (1802–1887) pointed out that the amount of nitrogen in various kinds of fertilizers is important.

Metallurgists Percy Gilchrist (1851–1935) and Sidney Gilchrist Thomas (1850–1885) invented the Thomas-Gilchrist converter, which enabled the use of high phosphorus acidic Continental ores for steelmaking. The dolomite lime lining of the converter turned in time into calcium phosphate, which could be used as fertilizer, known as Thomas-phosphate.

Bosch Farben and Haber

In the early decades of the 20th Century, the Nobel prize-winning chemists Carl Bosch of IG Farben and Fritz Haber developed the process that enabled nitrogen to be synthesised cheaply into ammonia, for subsequent oxidation into nitrates and nitrites.

Erling Johnson

In 1927 Erling Johnson developed an industrial method for producing nitrophosphate, also known as the Odda process after his Odda Smelteverk of Norway. The process involved acidifying phosphate rock (from Nauru and Banaba Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean) with nitric acid to produce phosphoric acid and calcium nitrate which, once neutralized, could be used as a nitrogen fertilizer

Industry

British

The Englishmen James Fison, Edward Packard, Thomas Hadfield and the Prentice brothers each founded companies in the early 19th century to create fertilizers from bone meal.

The developing sciences of chemistry and Paleontology, combined with the discovery of coprolites in commercial quantities in East Anglia, led Fisons and Packard to develop sulfuric acid and fertilizer plants at Bramford, and Snape, Suffolk in the 1850s to create superphosphates, which were shipped around the world from the port at Ipswich. By 1871 there were about 80 factories making superphosphateTemplate:Where?.

After World War I these businesses came under competitive pressure from naturally-produced guano, primarily found on the Pacific islands, as their extraction and distribution had become economically attractive.

The interwar period saw innovative competition from Imperial Chemical Industries who developed synthetic ammonium sulfate in 1923, Nitro-chalk in 1927, and a more concentrated and economical fertilizer called CCF based on ammonium phosphate in 1931. Competition was limited as ICI ensured it controlled most of the world’s ammonium sulfate supplies.

North America and other European Countries

Other European and North American fertilizer companies developed their market share, forcing the English pioneer companies to merge, becoming Fisons, Packard, and Prentice Ltd. in 1929. Together they produced 85,000 tons of superphosphate/year in 1934 from their new factory and deep-water docks in Ipswich. By World War II they had acquired about 40 companies, including Hadfields in 1935, and two years later the large Anglo-Continental Guano Works, founded in 1917.

The post-war environment was characterized by much higher production levels as a result of the “Green Revolution” and new types of seed with increased nitrogen-absorbing potential, notably the high-response varieties of maize, wheat, and rice. This has accompanied the development of strong national competition, accusations of cartels and supply monopolies, and ultimately another wave of mergers and acquisitions. The original names no longer exist other than as holding companies or brand names: Fisons and ICI agrochemicals are part of today’s Yara International and AstraZeneca companies.

Major players in this market now include the Russian Uralkali fertilizer company Uralkali (listed on the London Stock Exchange), whose majority owner is Dmitry Rybolovlev, ranked by Forbes as 60th in the list of wealthiest people in 2008.

Inorganic fertilizers (mineral fertilizer)

Naturally occurring inorganic fertilizers include Chilean sodium nitrate, mined rock phosphate, and limestone (to raise pH and a calcium source).

Macronutrients and micronutrients

Fertilizers can be divided into macronutrients and micronutrients based on their concentrations in plant dry matter. There are six macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, often termed “primary macronutrients” because their availability is usually managed with NPK fertilizers, and the “secondary macronutrients” — calcium, magnesium, and sulfur — which are required in roughly similar quantities but whose availability is often managed as part of liming and manuring practices rather than fertilizers.

The macronutrients are consumed in larger quantities and normally present as a whole number or tenths of percentages in plant tissues (on a dry matter weight basis). There are many micronutrients, required in concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 parts per million (ppm) by mass. Plant micronutrients include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), chlorine (Cl), and zinc (Zn).

Tennessee Valley Authority: “Results of Fertilizer” demonstration 1942.

Macronutrient fertilizers

Synthesized materials are also called artificial, and may be described as straight, where the product predominantly contains the three primary ingredients of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), (known as N-P-K fertilizers or compound fertilizers when elements are mixed intentionally).

Reporting of N-P-K

Such fertilizers are named according to the content of these three elements. For example, if nitrogen is the main element, the fertilizer is often described as a nitrogen fertilizer.

Regardless of the name, however, they are labeled according to the relative amounts of each of these three elements, by weight (i.e, mass fraction). The percent of nitrogen is reported directly. However, phosphorus is reported as the mass fraction of phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅), the anhydride of phosphoric acid, and potassium is reported as the mass fraction of potassium oxide (K₂O), which is the anhydride of potassium hydroxide.

Fertilizer composition is expressed in this fashion for historical reasons in the way it was analyzed (conversion to ash for P and K mass fractions); this practice dates back to Justus von Liebig.

Mass fraction conversion to elemental values

Since the N-P-K reporting basis just described does not give the actual fraction of the respective elements, some packaging also reports the elemental mass fractions. The UK fertilizer-labelling regulations ^[10] allow for additionally reporting the elemental mass fractions of phosphorous and potassium, rather than phosphoric acid and potassium hydroxide, but these must be listed in parentheses after the standard values. The regulations specify the factors for converting from the P₂O₅ and K₂O values to the respective P and K elemental values as follows:

In phosphorous pentoxide, the element phosphorous constitutes 43.6% of the total mass of the compound. Thus, the official UK mass fraction (percentage) of elemental phosphorus is 43.6%. [P] = 0.436 x [P₂O₅]

Likewise, the mass fraction (percentage) of elemental potassium is 83%. [K] = 0.83 x [K₂O]

Thus an 18−51−20 fertilizer contains, by weight, 18% elemental nitrogen (N) , 22% elemental phosphorus (P), and 16% elemental potassium (K).

(Note: The remaining 11% [100 - (18 + 51 + 20)] is known as ballast or filler and may or may not be valuable to the plants, depending on what is used as filler.)

Nitrogen fertilizer

Nitrogen fertilizer is often synthesized using the Haber-Bosch process, which produces ammonia. This ammonia is then used to produce other compounds (notably anhydrous ammonium nitrate and urea) which can be applied to fields. These concentrated products may be used as fertilizer or diluted with water to form a concentrated liquid fertilizer, UAN. Ammonia can also be used in the Odda Process in combination with rock phosphate and potassium fertilizer to produce compound fertilizers.

The production of ammonia currently consumes about 5% of global natural gas consumption, which is somewhat under 2% of world energy production.

Natural gas is overwhelmingly used for the production of ammonia, but other energy sources, together with a hydrogen source, can be used for the production of nitrogen compounds suitable for fertilizers. The cost of natural gas makes up about 90% of the cost of producing ammonia. The price increases in natural gas in the past decade, along with other factors such as increasing demand, have contributed to an increase in fertilizer price

Nitrogen-based fertilizers are most commonly used to treat fields used for growing maize, followed by barley, sorghum, rapeseed, soyabean and sunflower^{[citation needed]}. One study has shown that application of nitrogen fertilizer on off-season cover crops can increase the biomass of these crops, while having a beneficial effect on soil nitrogen levels for the cash crop planted during the summer season.

Agricultural versus horticultural fertilizers

In general, agricultural fertilizers contain only 1 or 2 macronutrients. Agricultural fertilizers are intended to be applied infrequently and normally prior to or alongside seeding. Examples of agricultural fertilizers are granular triple superphosphate, potassium chloride, urea, and anhydrous ammonia. The commodity nature of fertilizer, combined with the high cost of shipping, may lead to use of locally available substitutes or materials from the closest and/or cheapest source, which may vary with factors such as the relative cost of transportation by rail, ship, or truck.

In other words, a particular nitrogen source may be very popular in one part of the country while another is very popular in another geographic region only due to factors unrelated to agronomic concerns.

Horticultural or specialty fertilizers, on the other hand, are formulated from many of the same compounds and some others to produce well-balanced fertilizers that also contain micronutrients. Some materials, such as ammonium nitrate, are used minimally in large scale production farming. The 18-51-20 example is a horticultural fertilizer formulated with high phosphorus to promote bloom development in ornamental flowers. Horticultural fertilizers may be water-soluble (instant-release) or relatively insoluble (controlled-release).

Controlled release fertilizers are also referred to as sustained-release or timed-release. Many controlled release fertilizers are intended to be applied approximately every 3–6 months, depending on watering, growth rates, and other conditions, whereas water-soluble fertilizers must be applied at least every 1–2 weeks and can be applied as often as every watering if sufficiently dilute.

Unlike agricultural fertilizers, horticultural fertilizers are marketed directly to consumers and become part of retail product distribution lines^.

Health and sustainability issues

In many countries there is the public perception that inorganic fertilizers “poison the soil” and result in “low quality” produce However, there is very little (if any) scientific evidence to support these views. When used appropriately, inorganic fertilizers enhance plant growth, the accumulation of organic matter, and the biological activity of the soil, thus preventing overgrazing and soil erosion. Studies in Australia show ‘biodynamic’ or ‘organic farms are less productive and less sustainable than conventional farms that used inorganic fertilisers. The nutritional value of plants for human and animal consumption is typically improved when inorganic fertilizers are used appropriately.

Many inorganic fertilizers do not replace trace mineral elements in the soil which become gradually depleted by crops. This depletion has been linked to studies which have shown a marked fall (up to 75%) in the quantities of such minerals present in fruit and vegetables. However, a recent review of 55 reputable scientific studies concluded “there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs”

In Western Australia deficiencies of zinc, copper, manganese, iron and molybdenum were identified as limiting the growth of broad-acre crops and pastures in the 1940s and 1950s. Soils in Western Australia are very old, highly weathered and deficient in many of the major nutrients and trace elements. Since this time these trace elements are routinely added to inorganic fertilizers used in agriculture in this state.

There are concerns regarding arsenic, cadmium and uranium accumulating in fields treated with fertilizers. The phosphate minerals contain trace amounts of these elements and if no cleaning step is applied after mining the continuous use of phosphate fertilizers leads towards an accumulation of these elements in the soil. High levels of lead and cadium can also be found in many manures or sewage sludges.

Phosphate fertilizers replace inorganic arsenic naturally found in the soil, displacing the heavy metal and causing accumulation in runoff Eventually these heavy metals can build up to unacceptable levels and build up in produce.

Another problem with inorganic fertilizers is that they are now produced in ways which cannot be continued indefinitely. Potassium and phosphorus come from mines (or saline lakes such as the Dead Sea) and such resources are limited. Nitrogen sources are effectively unlimited (forming over 70% of atmospheric gases), however, nitrogen fertilizers are presently made using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal, which are limited.

Innovative thermal depolymerization biofuel schemes are experimenting with the production of byproducts with 9% nitrogen fertilizer from organic waste^.

Organic fertilizers (‘natural’ fertilizer)

A compost bin

Naturally occurring organic fertilizers include manure, worm castings, peat moss, seaweed, sewage and guano. Sewage sludge use in organic agricultural operations in the U.S. has been extremely limited and rare due to USDA prohibition of the practice (due to toxic metal accumulation, among other factors.

Cover crops are also grown to enrich soil as a green manure through nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere by bacterial nodules on roots; as well as phosphorus (through nutrient mobilization) content of soils.

Processed organic fertilizers from natural sources include compost (from green waste), bloodmeal and bone meal (from organic meat production facilities), and seaweed extracts (alginates and others).

Mixed definitions of ‘organic’

There can be confusion as to the veracity of the term ‘organic’ when applied to agricultural systems and fertilizer. The problem is one of confusion of terminology between agricultural and chemical disciplines.

Minerals such as mined rock phosphate, sulfate of potash and limestone are also considered organic fertilizers, although they contain no organic (carbon) molecules. Some ambiguity in the usage of the term organic exists; however, it is simple to differentiate with a separation between the scientific and colloqial uses (as in velocity in common usage (Speed) and physics usage(Velocity)–see Velocity (disambiguation)).

Synthetic fertilizers, such as urea and urea formaldehyde, are organic in the sense of the organic chemistry definition of organic, can be supplied organically (agriculturally), but when manufactured as a pure chemical is not organic under organic certification standards

Naturally mined powdered limestone mined rock phosphate and sodium nitrate, are inorganic (in a chemical sense) in that they contain no carbon molecules, and are energetically-intensive to harvest, but are approved for organic agriculture in minimal amounts

The common thread that can be seen through these examples is that organic agriculture defines itself through minimal processing (e.g. via chemical energy such as petroleum—see Haber process), as well as being naturally-occurring (as is, or via natural biological processing such as the composting process).

Benefits of organic fertilizer

However, by their nature, organic fertilizers provide increased physical and biological storage mechanisms to soils, mitigating risks of over-fertilization. Organic fertilizer nutrient content, solubility, and nutrient release rates are typically much lower than mineral (inorganic) fertilizers. One study found that over a 140-day period, after 7 leachings:

• Organic fertilizers had released between 25% and 60% of their nitrogen content
• Controlled release fertilizers(CRFs) had a relatively constant rate of release
• Soluble fertilizer released most of its nitrogen content at the first leaching

Disadvantages of organic fertilizer

It is difficult to chemically distinguish between urea of biological origin and those produced synthetically. Like inorganic fertilisers, it is possible to over-apply organic fertilizers if does not measure and distribute the required amounts according to the recommended amounts for the plot of land in question. Release of the nutrients may happen quite suddenly depending on the type of organic fertiliser used.

Because of their dilute concentration of nutrients, transport and application costs are typically much greater for organic than inorganic fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers from treated sewage, composts and sources can be quiet variable from one batch to the next. Unless each batch is tested the amounts of nutrient applied are not precisely known.

[edit] Environmental risks of fertilizer use

High application rates of nitrogen fertilizers in order to maximize crop yields, combined with the high solubilities of these fertilizers leads to increased leaching of nitrates into groundwater The use of ammonium nitrate in inorganic fertilizers is particularly damaging, as plants absorb ammonium ions preferentially over nitrate ions, while excess nitrate ions which are not absorbed dissolve (by rain or irrigation) into groundwater. Nitrate levels above 10 mg/L (10 ppm) in groundwater can cause ‘blue baby syndrome‘ (acquired methemoglobinemia), leading to hypoxia (which can lead to coma and death if not treated)

Nitrogen-containing inorganic fertilizers in the form of nitrate and ammonium also cause soil acidification

Eventually, nitrate-enriched groundwater makes its way into lakes, bays and oceans where it accelerates the growth of algae, disrupts the normal functioning of water ecosystems, and kills fish in a process called eutrophication (which may cause water to become cloudy and/or discolored—green, yellow, brown, or red). About half of all the lakes in the United States are now eutrophic, while the number of oceanic dead zones near inhabited coastlines are increasing.

As of 2006, the application of nitrogen fertilizer is being increasingly controlled in Britain and the United States. If eutrophication can be reversed, it may take decades before the accumulated nitrates in groundwater can be broken down by natural processes.

Storage and application of some nitrogen fertilizers in some weather or soil conditions can cause emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O). Ammonia gas (NH₃) may be emitted following application of ‘inorganic’ fertilizers, or manure/slurry. Besides supplying nitrogen, ammonia can also increase soil acidity (lower pH, or “souring”). Excessive nitrogen fertilizer applications can also lead to pest problems by increasing the birth rate, longevity and overall fitness of certain pests.

The concentration of up to 100 mg/kg of cadmium in phosphate minerals (for example, minerals from Nauru and the Christmas islands) increases the contamination of soil with cadmium, for example in New Zealand. Uranium is another example of a contaminant often found in phosphate fertilizers; also, radioactive Polonium-210 contained in phosphate fertilizers is absorbed by the roots of plants and stored in its tissues. Tobacco derived from plants fertilzed by rock phosphates contains Polonium-210 which emits alpha radiation estimated to cause about 11,700 lung cancer deaths each year worldwide. 

For these reasons, it is recommended that knowledge of the nutrient content of the soil and nutrient requirements of the crop are carefully balanced with application of nutrients in inorganic fertilizer. This process is called nutrient budgeting. By careful monitoring of soil conditions, farmers can avoid wasting expensive fertilizers, and also avoid the potential costs of cleaning up any pollution created as a byproduct of their farming.

Hazard of over-fertilization

Fertilizer burn

Over-fertilization of a vital nutrient can be as detrimental as underfertilization. “Fertilizer burn” can occur when too much fertilizer is applied, resulting in a drying out of the roots and damage or even death of the plant. According to UC IPM, all organic fertilizers, and some specially-formulated inorganic fertilizers are classified as ’slow-release’ fertilizers, and therefore cannot cause nitrogen burn. Organic fertilizers are as likely to cause plant burn as inorganic fertilizers.

If excess nitrogen is present, some plants can exude the excess through their leaves in a process called guttation

Environmental toxicity of fertilizer

Toxic fertilizers are recycled industrial waste that introduce several classes of toxic materials into farm land, garden soils, and water streams. The consumption levels of toxic fertilizer are increasing lately in the U.S. from citizens who are purchasing the wrong chemicals for their gardens as well as choosing the wrong company to purchase it from.

This is leading to major environmental problems due to the fact of toxic waste being processed and planted into our land and water. The most common toxic elements in this type of fertilizer are mercury, lead, and arsenic.

Between 1990-1995, 600 companies from 44 different states sent 270 million pounds of toxic waste to farms and fertilizer companies across the country

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration:

“Current information indicates that only a relatively small percentage of fertilizers is manufactured using industrial wastes as ingredients, and that hazardous wastes are used as ingredients in only a small portion of waste-derived fertilizers.”

and

“[the] EPA has continually encouraged the beneficial reuse and recycling of industrial wastes.”

Heavy metal content of recycled fertilizer

Steel industry wastes, recycled into fertilizers for their high levels of zinc (essential to plant growth), wastes can include the following toxic metals:

• lead
• arsenic
• cadmium
• chromium and
• nickel

Toxic organic compounds

Dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) have been detected in fertilizers and soil amendments

Global issues

The growth of the world’s population to its current figure has only been possible through intensification of agriculture associated with the use of fertilizers.There is an impact on the sustainable consumption of other global resources as a consequence.

The use of fertilizers on a global scale emits significant quantities of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Emissions come about through the use of:

• animal manures and urea, which release methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in varying quantities depending on their form (solid or liquid) and management (collection, storage, spreading)
• fertilizers that use nitric acid or ammonium bicarbonate, the production and application of which results in emissions of nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide, ammonia and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

By changing processes and procedures, it is possible to mitigate some, but not all, of these effects on anthropogenic climate change.

The nitrogen-rich compounds found in fertilizer run-off is the primary cause of a serious depletion of oxygen in many parts of the ocean, especially in coastal zones; the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen is greatly reducing the ability of these areas to sustain oceanic fauna. Anoxic respiration by bacteria in the eutrophicated marine zones also releases nitrous oxide to the atmosphere. Through the increasing use of nitrogen fertiliser, which is added at a rate of 120 million tons per year presently to the already existing amount of reactive nitrogen, nitrous oxide has become the third most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane, with a global warming potential 296 times larger than an equal mass of carbon dioxide, while it also contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion.

The mining of phosphorus for fertiliser uses leads to the depletion of the global (fossil) phosphate resources. It is unclear whether peak phosphorus has already been passed or has yet to come.

See also

• Controlled release fertiliser
• Terra preta
• Ecological sanitation
• Food security
• Ocean nourishment
• Organic fertilizer
• Plant nutrition
• Soil conditioner
• Vermicompost

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