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

Beat the winter blues this year by creating your very own salad factory that can run 365 days a year! Keith Roberto, author of “How To Hydroponics,” takes us through the process step-by-step.

There are many ways to grow lettuce hydroponically. Here’s a system that’s simple, inexpensive ($20-$30 complete) and “complex” enough to satisfy any first timer’s appetite for a fun project that actually works pretty well. It’s called the “Raft System.” In concept, the raft system does exactly as it says. Plants are grown in Styrofoam “rafts” that float in a shallow pool of nutrient solution. To keep the nutrient from stagnating, a small air pump is used to deliver oxygen to the solution and the eagerly awaiting roots.

Parts List

(1) 14 Gallon Roughtote reservoir
(1) Single outlet air pump (Elite 801)
(1) 2’ x 2’ x 1.5” rigid foam sheet
(9) 2” net cups
(1) 6’ x 1/4” air tubing
(1) Air stone
(1) Small bag of LECA
(9) Seed starting/rooting plugs
(1) 1/4” compression grommet
+ Hydroponic nutrients

Tools You’ll Need

Electric or battery powered drill
3/8” or 1/2” chuck 1 7/8” hole saws for cutting plant sites
3/8”drill bit for drilling grommet hole
Jigsaw or coping saw for cutting foam
Razor knife for cutting tubing
A pen or marker

Step 8: Fill ‘er up! Add water, nutrients and plug in your pump: your raft garden will start gurgling and your plants will grow in no time – don’t forget to give them plenty of light and top off the nutrient solution every time it drops 2-4” or so. It’s also a good idea to completely flush and clean your raft system every other harvest using a 10% bleach solution and scrub brush.

The Perfect Environment For Lettuce

Temperature: Lettuce prefers cooler temperatures. It bolts rapidly if things get too hot, especially if temps exceed 80 to 85°F (27 to 29°C). Ideal temps for most commonly grown varieties: 64 to 70°F (18 – 21°C) during the day and 55 to 61°F (13 to 16°C) at night. Higher temperatures can also cause burning on the leaf tips.

Relative Humidity (RH): 60 to 80 percent.

Nutrient Solution pH: 5.5 and 5.8 and EC from 0.6 to 1.0

Lighting: Compact fluorescents are ideal for the production of salad greens indoors. Lights should be switched on for 14-18 hours per day. Increasing nitrogen levels if growing under longer day lengths will speed up growth significantly.

Eager for more DIY hydro-projects? Check out Keith’s website, and stay tuned for more weekend projects from Urban Garden Magazine!

Hey guys, today I present an educational, in-depth, up-to-date, indoor horticultural growers guide that covers all principles of indoor hydroponic horticulture and gardening. This book contains 110,000 words, with over 300 diagrams, pictures, illustrations, graphs, tables, 3 dimensional CAD renderings, and is printed in full colour.

I was really impressed at the amount of great info available in this book, I strongly recommend it for all PGS blog readers.

This book goes further than most other indoor growers guides have gone before, presented in full color with 3 dimensional CAD renderings. In terms of literal content, quantity, quality and presentation, this book is a gem!

Australians have a passion for both hydroponics and greenhouses, and they both come together perfectly in this new resource. Practical Hydroponics and Greenhouses @ hydroponics.com.au has a ton of great info and is  put together really well. (Thanks to Dan and Everest at UrbanGardenMag for to hook up) Refreshing point of views from across the globe, giving us another place to read and learn from, a slightly different slant with fresh info varying from the US.

Organic Hydroponic Vegetables

The debate on “Organics” and “Hydroponics”

There is a huge popular debate about the value of “organic” fertilizers and methods, many people would like to apply “organics” to hydroponics. Currently accepted organic fertilizer
components are dependent upon organisms in the soil to convert the “organic” materials into a useable form for plants.

In hydroponics we provide the minerals required for plant growth directly, completely eliminating the need for soil and soilorganisms. The result is much higher growth rates, yields and even crop quality than organic methods can achieve. This is not what some people want to hear, but it is the simple scientific truth – and practically all scientists and educators in the fields of agriculture and chemistry know it and will be the first to agree. In fact, the kinds of materials which are permitted for use under “organic” regulations are not of sufficient purity to be used for hydroponic culture.

With this in mind it’s important to recognize the reasons that “organically” grown produce is gaining such popularity. Consumers want to buy produce which is not tainted with hazardous chemicals or poisons. There is an increasing public demand for methods which are gentle on our delicate planet and which don’t harm the soil, water or ecosystems. Hydroponic farming methods fit properly into this system of values if used appropriately. Hydroponics protects soil because it doesn’t use soil.

Less water is required for hydroponic culture and consequently more food can be cultivated with less water. The fertilizers we use for hydroponics are ultra-pure and leave no residue in the cultivated fruits and vegetables. Since hydroponic technologies are more efficient than soil methods, more people can be fed with less area and ecological impact.

THE ORGANIC HYDROPONIC DEBATE OPENING PANDORA’S BOX

As seen in the Growing Edge Magazine During the 1980’s, Americans increasingly became more healthconscious. Cholesterol was ruled out and exercise became a part of our daily routines. Today this still holds true, but even more so. What we put into our bodies is carefully scrutinized, even our fruits and vegetables, which has made “organic” a buzzword of the ‘90s. People are buying organic skin care products, “organic shampoos” and even “organic clothing”. Everybody seems to want “organic” and hydroponic growers are quite aware of this.

Why, then, are there hardly any “Certified Organic hydroponic growers” in the United States? Many go through a great deal of trouble to grow their crops “organically,” but even though they follow most guidelines, they still cannot get the recognition or certification necessary to sell their produce to most restaurants or natural food stores as “organic”. What is it that is separating organic from hydroponic methods? Why can’t these two technologies work together under today’s American states’ certification guidelines?

WHAT’S ORGANIC, WHAT’S NOT?

We would think that this is an easy question to answer, but it isn’t. In the United States there are numerous different definitions of “organic”, many of which differ significantly. Each state has its own regulations for labeling produce as “organic”. Additionally, there are 36 non-governmental organizations which can certify” produce as organic. For example, California growers who wish to sell their produce as “organic” must register with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and pass their inspection. However, California grower’s can also obtain certification through the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), which actually has higher standards for organic than the state has.

The CCOF certification is optional, but produce with California state registration and CCOF certification may be offered for sale within the state as “certified organic” If the grower chooses not to seek CCOF certification, the produce can be offered for sale in California as “organic,” but not “certified organic”. Any produce grown outside of the United States can be sold as “certified organic” in the country if one of the 36 non-governmental organizations certifies it. In fact, produce from any state can be granted certification from one of the non-governmental organizations, even if it does not meet the organic standards for the state in which it is being sold. Pretty confusing!

What this all means is that the “organic” label is a matter of bureaucratic definitions, which can vary from state to state, and country to country. In order to bring some kind of standard into play, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – along with state government regulators, non-governmental certifiers, consumers, industry interest groups, food processors and various special interest groups – is writing a federally mandated set of “organic” standards. No state will be able to apply more stringent standards than those of the federal. Sometime this spring, the federal standards will be released for a 90 day comment and review period, and by the end of 1996 or early 1997, these standards will become law, or “Frankenlaw”; we’ll have to wait and see.

The basic objectives of “organic” practice include the following:

Avoidance of pesticides, by use of natural pest controls (also applied by many hydroponics growers).

Caring for soil by recording nutrients and composting, and

Moderation of nutrient application with reliance on the bufferaction of humus derived from compost.

Soilless hydroponic cultivation moderates nutrient supply by the more exact measurements of soluble nutrient formulations, mixed to meet the optimum requirements of each plant species and growth phase. Many consumers select “organic” produce, believing that this is the only way to be assured of pesticide-free non—hazardous food. While “organic” farming methods do produce crops generally superior to and safer than those grown by agri-business practices, modern hydroponic techniques can put forth equally safe food that in many cases offers advances in nutrition and taste over their soil-grown “organic” counterparts. But to the consumer, it’s the label that counts, so an increasing number of growers throughout the United States are struggling to get organic certification in any way, shape or form.

Meanwhile, this whole situation poses an enormous dilemma to hydroponic growers who also want organic recognition for their produce. The primary problem for organic hydroponic growers is in the formulation of the soilless nutrient solution. A secondary issue, which concerns the federal regulators, is in the way used hydroponic nutrient and media such as rockwool are disposed of. Since “organic” is to a large extent a farming philosophy in support of a healthy environment, the federal concern is entirely reasonable.

Although the latter factor has no bearing on the quality and safety of the produce itself, the impact upon the planet is a real driving force behind the issue of “organic” farming. If hydroponic growers can find a way to completely recycle exhausted water, nutrients and media, then the argument in favor of “organic-hydroponic certification” becomes much stronger, but there’s still the issue of formulating a satisfactory organic hydroponic nutrient mix.

Organic nutrient regulations prohibit the use of many mineral salts and highly refined substances, including food and pharmaceutical grade ingredients that are extremely important for successful hydroponic nutrient formulation. Only unrefined minerals can be used on “organic” crops and these often don’t dissolve well or contain quantities of impurities, some of which are even relatively toxic but are “natural” and therefore “okay”, according to organic standards. For example, mined phosphate may contain excessive amounts of fluoride, good for teeth in very small quantities, but harmful to humans in excess.

Mined phosphate also can contain small amounts of radioactive elements such as radium, which releases radon, also not good for human health. Chlorides, too, are permitted for organic cultivation but though they are naturally mined, they can be bad for both plants and soil, especially if used in excess. Some soils used by organic farmers contain such toxic elements as selenium, which can accumulate in the plant tissues and produce. Amazing, isn’t it?

When refined, any impurities or toxicities such as those listed above are removed, but refined minerals make for non-organic produce. Blood meal, bone meal, fish meal and manures pose almost no potential safety hazards, but they don’t dissolve very well; they must be broken down through microbial action in the soil and therefore don’t work well in hydroponic applications. There is also a problem that sometimes arises when using manures. The Western Fertilizer Handbook, an important guide for American farmers, points out that many gastro-intestinal illnesses can he traced back to manures used on organically gown crops.

In the summer of 1995, a serious outbreak of salmonella poisoning resulted from an organic cantaloupe crop growing in soil fertilized with fresh chicken manure. The rinds of the melons had become contaminated and the bacteria caused serious intestinal illness for many consumers.

Another point that can be made is that strict vegetarians or animal rights activists may be offended by the use of blood, bone, horn, hoof and feather meals to grow their food, but these are primary nutrient sources for organic farmers. As you can see, this issue Is very complex and there are many points of view. Essentially though, “organic” farming is part philosophy and part methodology, but unfortunately defined bureaucratically.

Look out for Part 2 Tomorrow!

Ok, so you have grown a few crops and now your ready to maybe “kick it up” a little. Sounds good, we all get to that point, and building an indoor hydroponic, or container garden from scratch can not only be fun, but incredibly rewarding as well. Instead of mapping out different systems for you guys, and explaining features, I going to work from the premise that you guys are familiar with the equipment we will be featuring today. I want to show you how PGS has everything necessary to help you design your dream grow room.

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

All the little things you do to improve your indoor garden add up over time and directly equate to a better harvest and higher quality product. Humidity can build up in your room from many different sources, one of the major ones is your reservoir. A simple lid on your res can drastically reduce the escaping humidity but a better solution is to remove the water source from your room completely. This gives you extra space in your garden, and removes the water completely from the equation. This 55 gallon drum is made of food grade plastic, and fits easily anywhere outside of your indoor garden, you can then run a hose from it to your room, and you instantly have removed extra humidity while reclaiming valuable space in your garden. I recently implemented this concept and have room now for bigger plants, and have lowered my humidity in one fail swoop.

This page has been designed to help answer the important questions beginning growers might have when just getting started in hydroponics. A lot of these concepts are connected to each other. Follow the links and put the pieces of this growing puzzle together.

The more you know, the easier it is to grow!

Carbon Dioxide

During photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide (CO2), light, and hydrogen (usually water) to produce carbohydrates, which is a source of food. Oxygen is given off in this process as a by-product. Light is a key variable in photosynthesis.

Conductivity

Measuring nutrient solution strength is a relatively simple process. However, the electronic devices manufactured to achieve this task are quite sophisticated and use the latest microprocessor technology. To understand how these devices work, you have to know that pure water doesn’t conduct electricity. But as salts are dissolved into the pure water, electricity begins to be conducted. An electrical current will begin to flow when live electrodes are placed into the solution. The more salts that are dissolved, the stronger the salt solution and, correspondingly, the more electrical current that will flow. This current flow is connected to special electronic circuitry that allows the grower to determine the resultant strength of the nutrient solution.

The scale used to measure nutrient strength is electrical conductivity (EC) or conductivity factor (CF). The CF scale is most commonly used in hydroponics. It spans from 0 to more than 100 CF units. The part of the scale generally used by home hydroponic gardeners spans 0-100 CF units. The part of the scale generally used by commercial or large-scale hydroponic growers is from 2 to 4 CF. (strength for growing watercress and some fancy lettuce) to as high as approximately 35 CF for fruits, berries, and ornamental trees. Higher CF values are used by experienced commercial growers to obtain special plant responses and for many of the modern hybrid crops, such as tomatoes and some peppers. Most other plant types fall between these two figures and the majority is grown at 13-25 CF.
–Rob Smith

Germination

When a seed first begins to grow, it is germinating. Seeds are germinated in a growing medium, such as perlite. Several factors are involved in this process. First, the seed must be active–and alive–and not in dormancy. Most seeds have a specific temperature range that must be achieved. Moisture and oxygen must be present. And, for some seeds, specified levels of light or darkness must be met. Check the specifications of seeds to see their germination requirements.

The first two leaves that sprout from a seed are called the seed leaves, or cotyledons. These are not the true leaves of a plant. The seed develops these first leaves to serve as a starting food source for the young, developing plant.

Growing Medium

Soil is never used in hydroponic growing. Some systems have the ability to support the growing plants, allowing the bare roots to have maximum exposure to the nutrient solution. In other systems, the roots are supported by a growing medium. Some types of media also aid in moisture and nutrient retention. Different media are better suited to specific plants and systems. It is best to research all of your options and to get some recommendations for systems and media before making investing in or building an operation. Popular growing media include:

• Composted bark. It is usually organic and can be used for seed germination.
• Expanded clay. Pellets are baked in a very hot oven, which causes them to expand, creating a porous end product.
• Gravel. Any type can be used. However, gravel can add minerals to nutrient. Always make sure it is clean.
• Oasis. This artificial, foam-based material is commonly known from its use as an arrangement base in the floral industry.
• Peat moss. This medium is carbonized and compressed vegetable matter that has been partially decomposed.
• Perlite. Volcanic glass is mined from lava flows and heated in furnaces to a high temperature, causing the small amount of moisture inside to expand. This converts the hard glass into small, sponge-like kernels.
• Pumice. This is a glassy material that is formed by volcanic activity. Pumice is lightweight due to its large number of cavities produced by the expulsion of water vapor at a high temperature as lava surfaces.
• Rockwool. This is created by melting rock at a high temperature and then spinning it into fibers.
• Sand. This medium varies in composition and is usually used in conjunction with another medium.
• Vermiculite. Similar to perlite except that it has a relatively high cation exchange capacity–meaning it can hold nutrients for later use.

There are a number of other materials that can (and are) used as growing media. Hydroponic gardeners tend to be an innovative and experimental group.

Hydroponic Systems

The apparatuses used in hydroponic growing are many and varied. There are two basic divisions between systems: media-based and water culture. Also, systems can be either active or passive. Active systems use pumps and usually timers and other electronic gadgets to run and monitor the operation. Passive systems may also incorporate any number of gadgets. However, they to not use pumps and may rely on the use of a wicking agent to draw nutrient to the roots.

Media-based systems–as their name implies–use some form of growing medium. Some popular media-based systems include ebb-and-flow (also called flood-and-drain), run-to-waste, drip-feed (or top-feed), and bottom-feed.

Water culture systems do not use media. Some popular water culture systems are raft (also called floating and raceway), nutrient film technique (NFT), and aeroponics.

Light

Think of a plant as a well-run factory that takes delivery of raw materials and manufactures the most wondrous products. Just as a factory requires a reliable energy source to turn the wheels of its machinery, plants need an energy source in order to grow.

Artificial Light

Usually, natural sunlight is used for this important job. However, during the shorter and darker days of winter, many growers use artificial lights to increase the intensity of light (for photosynthesis) or to expand the daylight length. While the sun radiates the full spectrum (wavelength or color of light) suitable for plant life, different types of artificial lighting are selected for specific plant varieties and optimum plant growth characteristics. Different groups of plants respond in physically different ways to various wavelengths of radiation. Light plays an extremely important role in the production of plant material. The lack of light is the main inhibiting factor in plant growth. If you reduce the light by 10 percent, you also reduce crop performance by 10 percent.

Light transmission should be your major consideration when purchasing a growing structure for a protected crop. Glass is still the preferred material for covering greenhouses because, unlike plastic films and sheeting, its light transmission ability is indefinitely maintained.

No gardener can achieve good results without adequate light. If you intend to grow indoors, avail yourself of some of the reading material that has been published on this subject. If you are having trouble growing good plants, then light is the first factor to question.
–Rob Smith

Natural Light

A large part of the success in growing hydroponically is planning where to place the plants. Grow plants that have similar growing requirements in the same system. Placing your system 1-2 feet away from a sunny window will give the best results for most herbs and vegetables. Even your regular house lights help the plants to grow. Make sure that all of the lights are out in your growing area during the night. Plants need to rest a minimum of 4 hours every night. If your plants start to get leggy (too tall and not very full), move the system to a spot that has more sun. Once you find a good growing area, stick to it. Plants get used to their home location. It may take some time to get used to a new place.
–Charles E. Musgrove

Macronutrients

• • Nitrogen (N)–promotes development of new leaves
  • Phosphorus (P)–aids in root growth and blooming
  • Potassium (K)–important for disease resistance and aids growth in extreme temperatures
  • Sulfur (S)–contributes to healthy, dark green color in leaves
  • Calcium (Ca)–promotes new root and shoot growth
  • Magnesium (Mg)–chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color and absorbs sunlight to make food, contains a Mg ion
    –Jessica Hankinson

Plants need around 16 mineral nutrients for optimal growth. However, not all these nutrients are equally important for the plant. Three major minerals–nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)–are used by plants in large amounts. These three minerals are usually displayed as hyphenated numbers, like “15-30-15,” on commercial fertilizers. These numbers correspond to the relative percentage by weight of each of the major nutrients–known as macronutrients–N, P, and K. Macronutrients are present in large concentrations in plants. All nutrients combine in numerous ways to help produce healthy plants. Usually, sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) are also considered macronutrients.

These nutrients play many different roles in plants. Here are some of their dominant functions:

Micronutrients

Boron (B), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe) manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn) are only present in minute quantities in plants and are known as micronutrients. Plants can usually acquire adequate amounts of these elements from the soil, so most commercial fertilizers don’t contain all of the micronutrients. Hydroponic growers, however, don’t have any soil to provide nutrients for their plants. Therefore, nutrient solution that is marketed for hydroponic gardening contain all the micronutrients.
–Jessica Hankinson

Nutrient Solution

In hydroponics, nutrient solution–sometimes just referred to as “nutrient”–is used to feed plants instead of plain water. This is due to the fact that the plants aren’t grown in soil. Traditionally, plants acquire most of their nutrition from the soil. When growing hydroponically, you need to add all of the nutrients a plant needs to water. Distilled water works best for making nutrient. Hydroponic supply stores have a variety of nutrient mixes for specific crops and growth cycles. Always store solutions out of direct sunlight to prevent any algae growth. See also conductivity, macronutrients, and micronutrients.

Disposal Unlike regular water, you need to be careful where you dispose of nutrient. Even organic nutrients and fertilizers can cause serious imbalances in aquatic ecosystems. If you do not live near a stream, river, lake or other water source, it is fine to use old nutrient on outdoor plants and lawn. Another possibility is to use it on houseplants. However, if you live within 1,000 feet of a viable water source, do not use your spent nutrient in the ground.

Osmosis

The ends of a plant’s roots aren’t open-ended like a drinking straw and they definitely doesn’t suck up a drink of water or nutrients (see capillary action). Science is still seeking a complete understanding of osmosis, so to attempt a full and satisfactory description of all that’s involved in this process would be impossible. However, we can understand the basic osmotic principle as it relates to plants.

First, consider a piece of ordinary blotting paper, such as the commonly used filter for home coffee machines. The paper might appear to be solid. However, if you apply water to one side of it, you’ll soon see signs of the water appearing on the opposite side. The walls of a feeding root act in much the same way. If you pour water onto the top of the filter paper, gravity allows the water to eventually drip through to the bottom side. Add the process of osmosis and water that’s applied to the bottom side drips through to the top.

With plants, this action allows water and nutrients to pass through the root walls from the top, sides, and bottom. Osmosis is the natural energy force that moves elemental ions through what appears to be solid material. A simplistic explanation for how osmosis works, although not 100 percent accurate, is that the stronger ion attracts the weaker through a semipermeable material. So, the elements within the cells that make up plant roots attract water and nutrients through the root walls when these compounds are stronger than the water and nutrients applied to the outside of the roots.

It then follows that if you apply a strong nutrient to the plant roots–one that’s stronger than the compounds inside of the root–that the reverse action is likely to occur! This process is called reverse osmosis. Many gardeners have at some time committed the sin of killing their plants by applying too strong a fertilizer to their plants, which causes reverse osmosis. Instead of feeding the plant, they have actually been dragging the life force out of it.

Understanding how osmosis works, the successful grower can wisely use this knowledge to promote maximum uptake of nutrients into the plants without causing plant stress–or worse, plant death–from overfertilizing. All plants have a different osmotic requirement or an optimum nutrient strength.
–Rob Smith

Oxygen

As a result of the process of photosynthesis, oxygen (O) is given off by plants. Then, at night, when light isn’t available for photosynthesis, this process is reversed. At night, plants take in oxygen and consume the energy they have stored during the day.

Pests and Diseases

Even though hydroponic gardeners dodge a large number of plant problems by eschewing soil (which is a home to any number of plant enemies), pests and diseases still manage to wreak havoc from time to time. Botrytis, Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Verticillium cover most of the genera of bacteria that can threaten your plants. The insects that can prove annoying include aphids, caterpillars, cutworms, fungus gnats, leaf miners, nematodes, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies.

A few good ways to prevent infestation and infection are to:

• Always maintain a sanitary growing environment
• Grow naturally selected disease- and pest-resistant plant varieties
• Keep your growing area properly ventilated and at the correct temperatures for your plants
• Keep a close eye on your plants so if a problem does occur, you can act quickly

With insects, sometimes you can pick off and crush any large ones. Or you can try to wash the infected plants with water or a mild soap solution (such as Safer Soap).

If a problem gets out of control, it may be necessary to apply a biological control in the form of a spray. Research which product will work best in your situation. Always follow the instructions on pesticides very closely.

Alternatively, there are a number of control products on the market today that feature a botanical compound or an ingredient that has been synthesized from a plant material.

On botanical compounds as controlling agents:

Over the last few years, researchers from all around the world have started to take a much closer look at any compounds present in the plant kingdom that might hold the answer to our pest and disease control problems. Many companies have even switched from producing synthetic pesticides to copying nature by synthesizing naturally occurring compounds in a laboratory setting. Extracts of willow, cinnamon, grapefruit, garlic, neem, bittersweet, lemon grass, derris, eucalyptus, and tomato have been helpful in controlling diseases and pests.
–Dr. Lynette Morgan

pH

The pH of a nutrient solution is a measurement of its relative concentration of positive hydrogen ions. Negative hydroxyl ions are produced by the way systems filter and mix air into the nutrient solution feeding plants. Plants feed by an exchange of ions. As ions are removed from the nutrient solution, pH rises. Therefore, the more ions that are taken up by the plants, the greater the growth. A solution with a pH value of 7.0 contains relatively equal concentrations of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions. When the pH is below 7.0, there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxyl ion. Such a solution “acidic.” When the pH is above 7.0, there are fewer hydrogen ions than hydroxyl ions. This means that the solution is “alkaline.”

Test the pH level of your nutrient with a kit consisting of vials and liquid reagents. These kits are available at local chemistry, hydroponic, nursery, garden supplier, or swimming pool supply stores. It is also a good idea to test the pH level of your water before adding any nutrients. If your solution is too alkaline add some acid. Although such conditions rarely occur, sometimes you may have to reduce the level of acidity by making the solution more alkaline. This can be achieved by adding potassium hydroxide (or potash) to the solution in small amounts until it is balanced once again.
–Charles E. Musgrove

Photosynthesis

Plants need to absorb many necessary nutrients from the nutrient solution or–in the case of traditional agriculture–the soil. However, plants can create some of their own food. Plants use the process of photosynthesis to create food for energy. Carbohydrates are produced from carbon dioxide (CO2) and a source of hydrogen (H)–such as water–in chlorophyll-containing plant cells when they are exposed to light. This process results in the production of oxygen (O).

Plant Problems

Every now and again, you are sure to run into a problem with your plants. This is just a simple fact of any type of gardening. The key is to act quickly, armed with quality knowledge.

Mineral Deficiency Symptoms

Nitrogen deficiency will cause yellowing of the leaves, especially in the older leaves. The growth of new roots and shoots is stunted. In tomatoes, the stems may take on a purple hue.

A phosphorous deficiency is usually associated with dark green foliage and stunted growth. As in nitrogen deficiency, the stems may appear purple. But since the leaves don’t yellow as they do in nitrogen deficiency, the whole plant can take on a purplish green color.

Iron deficiency results in yellowing between the leaf veins. In contrast to nitrogen deficiency, the yellowing first appears in the younger leaves. After a prolonged absence of iron, the leaves can turn completely white.
–Jessica Hankinson

Wilting

This condition can be caused by environmental factors or disease (usually caused by Fusarium). Nutrient and media temperature can be adjusted to remedy wilt. However, if Fusarium have taken hold, the chances that your plants will survive are slim.

If wilting is due to environmental causes:

Try to spray the plants and roots with cool, clean water to rejuvenate them. If this hasn’t helped them by the next day, try it again. If the plants respond, top-off the nutrient solution and check the pH. If the plants don’t respond to the misting, empty the tank, move it to a shadier spot, and refill with cool, fresh nutrient solution. Don’t reuse the old solution–start with fresh water and nutrients.
–Charles E. Musgrove

If wilting is due to a system blockage of nutrient:

I have seen tomato plants that have been so dehydrated due to a nutrient supply blockage that they were lying flat and for all the world looked stone-cold dead. When the nutrient flow resumed and the plants were given the less stressful environment of nighttime, they rebounded so well that I wondered if I had dreamed the previous day’s “disaster.” The moral of this story is to always give plants a chance to revive, even when the situation looks hopeless.
–Rob Smith

See also pests and diseases.

Propagation

Plants can be propagated by a number of methods. Growers can let a plant go to seed, collect the seeds, and then start the cycle over again (see germination). Another method is to take stem cuttings, which is also known as cloning (because you are creating an exact copy of the parent plant).

Although this process won’t work with all plants, it is a highly effective technique. Simply cut off a side shoot or the top of the main shoot just below a growth node. Make sure that there are at least two growth nodes above the cut. Remove any of the lower leaves near the base of the new plant. This cutting can then be rooted by placing it in water or in a propagation medium (perlite works well) that is kept moist. The use of some rooting hormone can help your chances of success.

Pruning

Remove any discolored, insect-eaten, or otherwise sick-looking leaves from plants. Picking off some outer leaves or cutting the top off a plant can help it grow fuller. Use sharp scissors to prune your plants. Sometimes you will want to prune a plant to focus its energy on the remaining shoots. Pruning is an art and should be performed with care. Damaged or dying roots may also need to be pruned from time to time.

Soil

Never use soil during any aspect of hydroponics. If you ever move a plant from a soil-based situation to hydroponics, remove all traces of soil or potting mix from the roots. Soil holds lots of microbes and other organisms and materials that love to grow in and contaminate your hydroponic system. Some of these will actually parasitize your plant and slow its growth. This is another advantage of hydroponic growing: The plant can get on with growing without having to support a myriad of other organisms as happens in conventional soil growing.
–Rob Smith

Temperature

Different plants have different germination and growing temperatures. Always make sure that you check each plant’s growing requirements–especially minimum and maximum temperature levels. Keep in mind that specific varieties of plants may have different requirements.

Water

Because the water supply is the source of life for your plants, quality is important. All plants rely on their ability to uptake water freely. Between 80 and 98 percent of this uptake is required for transpiration (loosely compared to perspiration in animals), which allows the plant to produce and somewhat control its immediate microclimate. Plants also need clean, uncontaminated water to produce their own healthy food supply.
–Rob Smith

The water you use in your hydroponic system needs to be pure. It is always a good idea to test your water source before adding nutrients so you aren’t adding an element that is already present. In small systems, it would be wise to use distilled water.

If you are starting a larger hydroponic operation, it would be a good idea to have a water analysis completed. Factors such as sodium chloride (NaCl, or salt) content and hardness will be of great use to growers. Also, groundwater can have elements normally not present in conditioned water. A key piece of advice: Get to know your water!

Hey guys, I just realized that our HWY 12 virtual video tour hasn’t been posted yet, and that’s unacceptable! Our HWY 12 location is one of our most organized and well stocked stores. Come and visit Austin over there and tell him Pete sent you from the blog and get 10% off your next purchase. 1-866-PGS-GROW

If I had a dime for every person who comes in and asks us how to fatten up their crops, I would be rich. Adding a bloom enhancer at the near end of your crop can do the trick but which one is the question! Well, off the top of my head, Kool Bloom from GH has to be one of the most popular bloom additives ever. I must give everyone a small warning to be gentle at first when you use this product, while it will deliver bigger yields , fatter buds, and increased quality, it will also straight up sizzle and burn your plants to oblivion too if overused. For every 10 people who walk out of the store with some Kool Bloom, 2 or 3 will come back saying there plants are unhappy from it. It is ALWAYS from over use. GH has a legacy of recommending more in there feeding schedule then is necessary and is my biggest complaint of GH products, but there is no denying that Kool Bloom liquid and powder both perform perfectly when applied correctly. In general, (no pun intended ) it is more then a great idea to use half strength of any GH product, watch how it effects your plants, then adjust accordingly. I personally have used Kool Bloom with magical results, and would recommend it to anyone needing or wanting that extra kick at the end!

A highly concentrated nutrient additive, Kool Bloom (0-10-10) promotes abundant flowering and helps facilitate ripening in annual flowers and herbs. Rich in phosphorous and potassium, it is also fortified with General Hydroponics secret ingredients. This blend enhances production of essential oils and fragrances by mildly stressing plants during the formation of fruits and flowers. Can be used as a nutrient additive during the second phase of reproductive growth, or as a stand-alone nutrient at the very end of a plant’s life cycle. Promotes larger, heavier fruits and flowers.

Unique Features:
• Encourages abundant flowering.
• Facilitates ripening in annuals.
• Boosts production of essential oils and fragrances.
• Increases size and weight of fruits and flowers.
• Precisely formulated to boost potency and enhance the performance of all types of nutrients.

General Hydroponics Feed Chart – PDF format

Directions for Use:
Hydroponics: Mix your usual nutrient solution, then add 1-2 tsp. per gallon.

Soil: Add 1-2 tsp. per gallon of water, then apply according to your normal watering schedule.

Ingredients: Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sulphate.

Lost in a sea of plastic trays …

I spotted them as soon as they came in through the door of the growshop.  This couple weren’t just browsing.  To me it was obvious that this was their first time in a hydroponics store.  I watched them eye up the seemingly endless array of nutrients, additives, powders and other plant products.  Then they spied the plastic trays stacked up next to the grow tents.  They looked them up and down with evaluative frowns, and finally they continued to the pipettes, propagators, pumps, sheeting, ducting, fans, filters, lights, reflectors … well, you know … the whole shebang you see in any growshop really!

Eventually, they made their way to the counter looking a bit overwhelmed.

“I want to start growing hydroponic”, began the young gentleman.

“Well you’re in the right place!”, my chirpy salesman friend responded sipping a well brewed cup of coffee.  The chap gestured a half spin around to glance at the store again and, turning back, asked a very simple question: “Where do I start?”

Q. What plants can be grown in a hydroponics system?
A. Anything that can be grown in soil can be grown hydroponically.  Flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, and ornamental shrubs.  You name it!

Where to start?

The hydroponics store can be a daunting place for a newcomer.  With all the aforementioned peripheral products on show (often specific to growing indoors) the core simplicity of hydroponics can all too easily be lost.

So, for now, forget about growroom design.  Forget about lights, fans, ducting, and all that.  Hydroponics is none of these things. Hydroponics is simply growing without soil. If you want to start thinking about growing hydroponically, the logical place to start is by taking a look at the different types of hydroponic systems available.  All hydroponic systems are trying to do the same thing.  That is – to provide oxygen, water and nutrients to your plants’ roots, these (along with light) are the essential core elements that your plants need to grow and flourish. Whether you are growing indoors using supplementary lighting, or in a greenhouse, the science of hydroponics remains the same.

Fundamentally, hydroponics is very simple and there are lots of easy to use and affordable systems out there to help you achieve brilliant results.

Why different systems?

Why not?  We don’t all drive the same car do we?  All systems have their pros and cons.  Some are small, good value for money and easy to use – but don’t permit much scope for fine tuning or up-scaling.  Some systems are suited to particular applications (such as one or two large plants) whereas others can also adapt to growing larger numbers of small plants too.  Some systems are more expensive and have plenty of scope for tweaking, but inherently there’s more potential for things to go wrong.

As well as asking yourself questions about the space you have available, make sure you ask yourself a few more of these practical questions:

• How much time will you have to spend with your plants?
• Will you often be leaving them unattended for more than a night or two?
• How confident are you in your own DIY abilities?
• How many flights of stairs would you have to haul 50 litre bags of growing medium up (if you were to choose a system which required it?)
• Does the space in which you want to grow suffer ever from extreme temperatures?  (I’m thinking specifically of attics here)
• How much space do you have for a nutrient tank?
• How important is it for the system to operate quietly?

Hydroponics in a nutshell

The word “Hydroponics” comes from Greek, “hydro-ponos”.  Literally it can be translated as “water (hydro) at work”.  So what “work” is the water doing?  Well, as it happens, quite a bit actually!  Hydroponic plants are not grown in soil. Instead all the nutrients they need are supplied directly from the water.  This is achieved by first dissolving special hydroponic nutrients into the water – the resulting “mix” is often referred to as a nutrient solution.  It contains all the essential food in a directly accessible form – food which a plant would usually have to search for in soil by creating an extensive root system.

Hydroponics:  Pros and Cons

The advantages of hydroponics include:

• Higher yields
• Increased growth rates
• More control over nutrient and water levels
• Maintenance involves less labour
• Soil borne diseases are virtually eliminated
• A sterile growing environment avoids soil borne pests
• While removing soil-grown crops from the ground effectively kills them, hydroponically grown crops such as lettuce can be packaged and sold while still alive, greatly increasing the length of freshness once purchased
• Fewer pesticides are required
• Edible crops are not contaminated with soil
• Water use can be substantially less than with outdoor irrigation of soil-grown crops
• Many hydroponic systems give the plants more nutrition while at the same time using less energy and space
• It provides the plant with balanced nutrition because the essential nutrients are dissolved into the water-soluble nutrient solution

Of course there are some down points:

• Higher set up cost than just buying some soil and pots although yield benefits make this worthwhile
• Less margin for error
• Recirculating hydroponic systems (those which pass the same nutrient solution over the roots more than once) can spread disease between plants. Nothing to do with hydro, I problem common will all growing
• If timers or electric pumps fail or the system clogs or springs a leak, it can spell disaster for your crop so it’s important not to buy the cheapest pumps and timers

How does hydroponics give higher yields?

Hydroponic growing media is lighter than soil so it allows roots more access to oxygen and a better flow of water and nutrients  and all this helps to stimulate root growth. Plants with ample oxygen in the root system also absorb nutrients faster. The nutrients in a hydroponic system are mixed with the water and sent directly to the root system so the plant does not have to expend energy searching in the soil for the nutrients that it requires.  The hydroponic plant requires very little energy to find and break down food. The plant can then invest this extra energy to grow faster and to produce more fruit.

Active vs. Passive

Before we talk about specific types of hydroponic systems, it’s useful to explain a few ‘core’ principles to help us distinguish between them.

You may have heard of “active” and “passive” systems.

An active hydroponic system is labour saving and automatically provides plants with water and nutrients much more frequently than is possible with manual feeding. Active hydroponic systems actively move the nutrient solution, typically using a pump.  In active systems more nutrient solution is passed over the root-zone than the plants actually take up.  Active hydroponics is a bit like dining at one of those conveyer belt sushi bars with those endless little nibbles going round and round.  Lots more food is presented than you can actually eat!  (Unless you’re a fat bastard.)  You just take what you want when you need it, but the more frequently the roots have opportunity to take up nutrient solution the more nutrient solution they will be able to take up and the bigger the yields will be.  The roots are able to take up much more nutrient solution than if they were manually fed just a few times per day – and this results in higher yields. In the last thirty years the technique has become the main commercial growing technique.

Q.    What do you mean by “growth media”?
A.    Growth media, growing media, medium, substrate … it’s all amounts to the same thing.  Some hydroponic systems need a substitute for soil so that the plant has ‘something’ to actually grow in – to keep it sturdy for one thing – but also to absorb nutrients for the roots to take up.

Restrictive and non-restrictive growth media

In order for active hydroponics systems to work effectively, the flow of nutrients must not be restricted by overly absorbent growing media – otherwise things would get very soggy and oxygen starved.  NFT uses very little medium – most commonly 3 or 4” cube but if you’ve got good  plant support you can just use a 1” propagation cube. Coco fibre is a restrictive media.  It absorbs nutrient solution into itself rather than letting most of it merely flow through it like clay pebbles.

Hydroponics at its simplest:  Passive hydroponics using pots

With passive hydroponics the plants are grown without soil but the grower has to decide what quantity of water and nutrient and in what ratio the plants should be fed.   The simplest example of passive hydroponics is hand-watering your plants in pots of coco fibre.  This is the most basic way of growing hydroponically – ideal for beginners.  If you don’t mind the added labour of watering your plants regularly, and you are happy to guess how much water and nutrients to feed your plants then it’s an attractive and cheap option, although yield increases won’t be anywhere near as large as in an active hydroponic system.

Water your plants little and often.  Sit every pot in its own deep saucer.  Once they are well established in their pots you can supply nutrients solution by watering the saucer, rather than the top of the pot. The growing medium will suck the nutrient solution upwards through capillary action and keep a moist, yet aerated environment around the roots. Remember, moisture, nutrients and air is the winning root-zone combination.  A lot of growers feed their plants by watering from the top –this isn’t ideal for established plants.

The size of your pots should reflect the desired finishing size of your plants.  A 3 – 5 litre pot is fine for a maturing a cutting that has had little or no vegetative growth since rooting.  Whereas a 10 or 15 litre pot can accommodate a much larger plant that has enjoyed a lengthy vegetative period of four to six weeks or more.  Obviously these are just ‘rules of thumb’.  You will have to experiment for yourself with your own particular plants and varieties and see which works best for you.

Recirculate or run-to-waste?

As well as considering hydroponics systems as “active” or “passive”, they are often divided into two alternative categories:  Recirculating and run-to-waste.

When a hydroponic system is described as “run-to-waste” it means that any excess nutrient solution that has drained from the root-zone is not used again.  It is usually collected in a waste tank to be disposed of later.  This means that the nutrient solution is only ever used once.

In recirculating systems (Ebb and Flow, NFT) any excess nutrient solution is fed back into the nutrient reservoir to be ‘recycled’.  You will need to keep an eye on rising pH and nutrient strength in your reservoir as this will tend to fluctuate (over a period of time not straight away).  Many growers top their reservoirs up with water every few days and adjust the pH back to optimum levels at the same time.  The larger your nutrient reservoir, the less your susceptibility to changes in conductivity and pH.  Depending on the size of the nutrient reservoir, it’s advisable to completely change its contents with freshly made nutrient solution every one or two weeks for most hobbyist applications -

Recirculating systems allow you to pass more nutrient solution over your roots because you don’t have to worry about waste.  They use non-restrictive mediums (or no medium at all).

Let’s take a look at a popular type of recirculating system:

The Ebb and Flow System (aka Flood and Drain)

The Ebb and Flow system is particularly popular with growers who want to change feeding schedules throughout the plants lifecycle, especially those cultivating mother plants. It uses a submersible pump in the nutrient reservoir to pump nutrients into an upper tray containing the plants.  The theory of “flood and drain” is very simple:  When the pump is switched on, the nutrient solution is pumped up to the upper tray and it floods the root system, getting rid of any old air that was in the root-zone.  Once the nutrient solution has reached the maximum level, it starts to drain back into the reservoir via an overflow pipe.  As the nutrient solution drains back down into the reservoir, the root-zone takes in a fresh supply of oxygen rich air and stale air is pushed out.

More oxygen = increased metabolic rate = increased nutrient intake = more growth!

Clay pebbles are often used in ebb and flow systems.  The tray is filled with pebbles and young plants grown up in rockwool cubes are inserted into the pebbles once roots start showing.

Some gardeners in the UK grow their plants in pots filled with coco coir and clay pebbles, or a mixture of small chunks of rockwool and clay pebbles, and sit these pots in the flood tray – the capillary action of the roots take up the nutrients they need in a similar way to the passive pot hydroponics method described earlier.

Active Ebb and Flow is a low maintenance hydroponics solution, which offers growers more control and great results are possible.  Two key factors to get right are the automatic flood times and flood frequency.

When working out how long to flood for, remember the extra time it takes for the nutrients to drain back into the reservoir.  Ideally, you won’t want to be using a standard 15 minute segmental timer to control your pump as fifteen minutes (plus drainage time) is too long for the root-zone to be without oxygen – a negative to basic ebb and floods.  Obviously flood times will vary depending on the size and exact type of the system you are using, but as a general rule of thumb, once the nutrients have flooded to their maximum level (delimited by some form of overflow drainage mechanism that will be incorporated into the system) then it’s time to stop pumping.   All good Ebb and Flow systems will come already supplied with the correct type of pump – one that allows the nutrient solution to drain back through it.

The required flood frequency will increase as your plants mature and their nutrient requirements increase.  During the early stages, one flood a day might be sufficient.  Whereas, towards the end of flowering period your plants may require four or more floods a day.  Also, consider what medium you are using.  How much does it absorb the nutrient solution?  A restrictive medium like coco coir will need a lot fewer floods than clay pebbles, for example.

Ebb and flow moves a lot of water around.  It may sound like an obvious thing to say but just make sure the reservoir is sturdy and fit for purpose.  A couple of friends of mine were growing in an attic using a huge old second-hand nutrient tank which had two trays sat on top of it rather than one.  They hadn’t noticed that it was already a little warped.  During the flood cycle, the weight of top trays caused the tank below to crack and …… the rest of the story is very wet indeed…

Ebb and flow systems are not always based on a grow tray.  Some ebb and flow systems work by connecting a series of special pots to a reservoir tank.  (Often referred to as a ‘multipot’ system).  The nutrient solution is pumped to each pot via a network of hosing.  Each pot acts like its very own mini flood and drain system.  Plants sit in an upper pot, which sits on a slightly larger lower pot.  Nutrients are pumped into the lower pot – the base of the upper pot is perforated so that the plant roots can feed.

There are several different types of ‘multipot’ systems on the market.  Consider the number and size of the plants you wish to grow and measure this against the size of the pots used by the system you are considering.  In the early stages when your plants’ root systems are minimal, be sure that the flood height achieved by the system actually meets their roots.  Otherwise, you can help things along a bit by hand watering for a few days.  It’s also worth ensuring that your multipot system drains as well as it floods.  Often it’s possible to make a few simple tweaks to optimise any given system for your particular environment – such as raising the plants up a few inches higher on a platform, so that gravity helps drain any run-off nutrients out of the pipe work and back into the reservoir.

Various systems are available as 4, 6, 12, 24, 36, or 48 pot systems.

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

The Nutrient Film Technique or NFT is also known as a ‘pure water culture’ technique insofar as the plants’ roots are not grown in any solid medium such as coco.  Although saying that, many growers start their plants off in rockwool cubes, and then sit them within an NFT system.  The roots are contained in a plastic trough or tube through which nutrient solution is constantly circulated.

NFT is probably the most popular hydroponic growing method in the UK with Nutriculture’s GroTank being the first commercially produced active hydroponic system on the market back in 1979. It produces huge yields by ensuring that the roots have constant – rather than just frequent – access to water, nutrients and oxygen.

As implied by the name, the depth of the nutrient stream is very shallow – just a couple of millimetres.  This is to make sure that the roots have lots of access to oxygen.

So how do you create this “nutrient film”?  Well, first of all the nutrients are pumped from the reservoir into the trough where the roots are sitting.

The bottom of the trough needs to be inclined at a very slight angle.  Nutrient solution enters the trough at the top of the incline, and gravity pulls the nutrients along the trough.  The run-off nutrient solution then re-enters the reservoir. Modern systems use special pumps which aerate the nutrient solution

NFT gives tremendous results.  It is the arguably the easiest active hydroponic method to use because there are no watering schedules to calculate – once you are set up you just check pH levels and keep the tank topped-up. The plants just take what they need, when they need it and whatever they don’t need flows away so there is no chance of under-watering or over-watering – the biggest challenges facing growers.

It is important not to buy a cheap pump because if the pump fails plants can dry up quickly in an NFT system as there is no growing medium surrounding the roots to provide a fall-back, although the capillary matting provides some safeguard.  One of the great things about NFT is the lack of growing medium, although  this means there is less natural insulation around the roots to provide protection against extremes in temperature.  So an NFT system with a thermostatically controlled heater is a good option.

NFT systems come in all shapes and sizes from 70cms long to a whopping 3metre long – there’s an NFT system for everyone.

Dripper Irrigation

A Recirculating Dripper System.

A dripper system can either be recirculating or run-to-waste.  Nutrient solution is fed from the reservoir via a pump along some piping.  This piping sometimes terminates in a “dipper ring” where it typically feeds one plant, or it splits off (usually via an adaptor) into several narrower pipes and into “dripper spikes” to feed multiple plants.  These spikes are inserted into the growing medium by each plant site.  Nutrient solution drips out of the dripper spike and into the growing medium.  Adjustable dripper spikes allow you to individually adjust the drip rate to each plant.  Any excess nutrient solution needs to be fed either back into the nutrient solution (recirculating) or to a waste point (run-to-waste).

Many active hydro drip irrigation systems offer the precision and control of hydroponic feeding combined with the flexibility of growing in pots.

Pots are placed on a support tray that rests on a nutrient tank and periodically nutrient solution is delivered to each plant through a dripper to each pot. So for those of you who prefer to grow in pots this method spares you the hours and hours needed to manually feed. If you don’t want to grow the number of plants supplied with a particular system you can simply remove some of the pots!

You can find systems in various sizes (4, 8, 10, 16, and 20 pot systems) – make sure you check that the dripper supplied are compatible with the media you want to grow in.  Some manufacturers generous supply a range of drippers to suit different media.

Another great example of a self-contained recirculating dripper system is the Aquafarm and Waterfarm by General Hydroponics.  Both systems work on the same principle – they differ only in size and price. Plants are grown within a chamber filled with clay pebbles. The growing chamber is suspended above a reservoir filled with nutrient-enriched water. An air pump drives the nutrient solution up through the “pumping column”, to the drip-ring, where it then drips down through clay pebbles. This infuses the nutrient with oxygen and constantly bathes the roots. .

Some growers increase the diameter of the drainage holes in the top pot first to allow the root systems more space!

Remember, as with all recirculating systems, keep an eye on rising CF and fluctuating pH and change the nutrient solution regularly.

Low pressure sprinkler / droplet systems

Amazingly, it’s possible to grow plants in air!  Often these systems are referred to as ‘aeroponic’ because the plants are fed via a nutrient mist.  The plants are secured (typically via net pots) at the top of the system and their roots dangle down into a lightproof box.  Inside the box, a submersible pump is used to push the nutrient solution through atomisers, creating a mist.  The idea is that the roots have increased oxygenation, of course, which speeds up growth.

As with NFT, there’s no media to speak of really – other than maybe something to start them off in.  Great insofar as there’s not sack after sack of medium to dispose of afterwards – but remember to keep an eye on ambient temperatures.

High pressure fine mist systems (True aeroponics)

True aeroponics is achieved when plants are fed via a fine nutrient mist.  High pressure and air compressors are used to create the optimum sized particles for liquid and oxygen feeding 100% of the time.  In the past there have been problems creating this mist due to clogged atomisers.  In the last issue of UGM we featured the Atomix – a British made true aeroponic system that has overcome these problems with state-of-the-art atomising technology.

Hopefully as well as expanding your knowledge on the types of hydroponic systems available, and the vocabulary that is used to describe them, you’ll be better able to make the right choice for your own particular circumstances.   There are probably as many different ways to grow as there are growers!  If you’re a beginner, my advice is keep things modest and simple from the offset – experiment with different ideas in your growroom and circle of friends.  It’s not about saying which hydroponic system is the best – more, which one works best for you.

Well, that’ll do for now!  We’ll be covering lots more systems in a whole lot more detail in future issues, as well as a few that we left out for brevity’s sake!

Thanks to UrbanGardenMagazine for the article Original Page Here

So, searching around the internet and in desperate need of a feed chart for House and Gardens Aqua Flakes, I could not find an updated 2009 feeding chart to save my life. I quickly realized that I needed to scan and post these House and Garden charts ASAP. So without further banter, here are 15 different charts, 5 for Aqua Flakes , 5 for Soil A/B, and 5 for Bio 1 Component.

Aqua Flakes

Soil A/B

Bio 1 Component

Here ya go folks, so many people ask us for this information and it certainly seems VERY hard to find. We carry the full line of HOUSE and GARDEN nutrients at our retail locations and online. 1-866-PGS-GROW

Hey guys, hope you had a great weekend! I noticed as I was creating the PGS online store that there were virtually NO images of quality 4×8 hydroponic trays online. I took it upon myself to grab some we had in stock and take some photos. These trays arte called “tray huggers” and they are made from 40% recycled plastic. They also are the best quality trays I have seen on the market. The dimensions are true to the inside of the tray and you will be able to use this tray for a very long time as the quality is absolutely suburb. If your looking to make sure your trays don’t leech or gas off toxic substances over time these are for you. Available in 4×8, 4×4, 3×3, and 3×6, If I had to say it, I personally think these are the best hydro trays you can buy! We have all sizes in stock both online and at our three retail locations. 1-866-PGS-GROW.

Ever considered trying hydroponics? Thought It might be too hard or complicated for you? This Ebb and Grow system is perfect for any novice or expert horticulturist. With big results and minimal maintenance, you can have a booming hydro garden today.

The versatile 12-site Ebb & Gro System allows different size and shape configurations to fit your exact growing needs. Simply connect the interchangeable two-gallon grow pots to the controller unit and connect the controller unit to the 55-gallon reservoir for easy set-up. This ebb and flow system floods and drains the planters several times a day. Ebb & Gro comes with necessary tubing, pumps, and built-in timer, and all components fit into the reservoir for convenient transportation and storage.

This Ebb & Gro System is sold as a complete unit only. The controller and an optional six-site Ebb & Gro expansion kit are available separately

After designing and building so many large commercial hydroponic systems throughout the world, it’s often a nice change of pace to create small hobby systems for home use. They’re fun to make and even more fun to use and observe. And of course, when filled with a variety of plants, a home hydroponic garden can spruce up any patio, solarium or living room. By far the best aspect of a home system in my opinion is convenience. Even in the dead of winter you can have fresh flowers all the time if you wish and no more running out to the store because you forgot a green pepper, one of the most important ingredients in that recipe you wanted to try tonight.

Over the years I have made a number of home hydroponic systems from materials I could find nearby, whether they be PVC tubes from the hardware store or plastic bags from the supermarket. My whole philosophy of hydroponics is to keep it simple, and this is even more important for home units. Nobody wants to come home from a long day at work to battle with their garden.

The Basics

If you understand how hydroponic systems work–which is not difficult–you should have no problem building and maintaining the home unit I describe below. Most hydroponic systems employ some type of media, like rockwool, expanded clay pellets or perlite, to support plants and hold nutrient solution in their root zone between watering cycles. In medialess systems (often referred to as “water culture”), a continuous supply of nutrients is provided to plant roots either in a fine mist (aeroponics) or flow, in which the root tips hang (Nutrient Film or Flow Technique). A combination system, called aerohydroponics, employs both the flow of nutrient and the fine mist for the best of both worlds. Another water culture system is the float system, which many of you have probably read about in other articles I’ve written for The Growing EDGE. This type of system works by placing plants in a foam board so their roots hang through it, and floating the board so their roots hang through it, and floating the board on the surface of the nutrient solution in a tray or pan. There’s no doubt that all of these systems work very well, but they do have some drawbacks for home applications.

For example, medialess systems that rely on the continuous flow or misting of nutrient solution–like aeroponics, NFT and aero-hydroponics–are more at risk from power outages and mechanical failures. Because they have no media to hold solution in the root zone, if a blackout occurs, roots are subject to drying out, which can happen very quickly and destroy your entire crop. The float system is not very practical for home use as it limits your growing choices to short term crops like lettuce since the roots are submerged in the nutrient at all times. The roots of longer term crops would start to break down in these conditions after a while. Also, the nutrient solution is very accessible to pets and children, which could be harmful to them.

Top-Feed Tray System

The system I prefer, and have on my own patio, is a recirculating tray unit filled with perlite. In this top-feed drip system, a two-inch layer of perlite serves as the growing media and nutrient is dripped in at one end and gravity-fed to a drain at the other end, which directs it back to the tank for recirculation The system requires very little attention and if the power goes off, a dripper clogs or a pump failure occurs, you have 12 to 18 hours to correct the situation. And because it works with a medium, the nutrient is buffered, which helps minimize errors in mixing calculations if you accidentally knock the pH off balance a little.

I first set this system up for a neighbor of mine who owns a local French restaurant. When my son saw the unit producing beautiful, thriving herbs in her house, he insisted we have one of our own, so within a week, we built a double unit and planted it with herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, flowers and any other seeds my son could get his hands on. That was three years ago. Today the system is still on our patio putting forth an abundance of fresh food and flowers.

Parts and Assembly

The parts for my home unit were all bought locally and are easy to replace if necessary. The two roof pans used for the growing beds are 12 inches wide, two inches deep and 6 feet long. Often used for construction projects, roof pans like these are available in most hardware stores. They are aluminum with an enamel coating, which is excellent because they are so durable. However, if you cannot find pans like these, it’s very easy to build similar beds from wood. All you have to do to prepare them for hydroponics is line them with double layer, six-millimeter polyethelene to make them waterproof.

For actual growing system, you’ll also need a small Maxi-Jet aquarium pump and either a recycling container with a lid or a 10-gallon Rubbermaid® storage bin for the nutrient tank. We’ll get to the irrigation supplies a little later.

To make the stand, you can use regular Schedule 40 three-quarter-inch PVC pipe, and fittings to connect the pipes together. It is essential for you to create a one-inch slope from one end of the stand to the other for nutrient drainage to occur. The diagram below shows the construction of the stand and its slope for a single bed. You’ll want to build your stand according to how big your growing area is. My home system, as you can see in the photos, is a double-long bed. To start off, you may want to just make a system with only one growing bed (roof pan).

Once the stand is ready, the trays just get pop-riveted to it, using a silicone sealant to caulk around the rivets. Then you drill two half-inch holes in the lower end of each sloped tray and screw a male half-inch PVC adapter into each; don’t forget to caulk around them with silicone to protect against leaks. Connect equal lengths of half-inch PVC pipe to each adapter, using elbows and a T-fitting to create a cross-bar between the two that will join them into a single drain line to the nutrient tank, which should be situated directly beneath the drainage holes. Refer to the diagram below for a better idea of how this should look. In the systems I built, I fitted each of the drain holes in the end of the growing beds with a three-inch tube of window screening to prevent perlite from entering the nutrient tank.

Now for the most important part, the nutrient delivery system. You’ll notice that the photo of my home unit differs a little from the diagram. I used PVC piping for my irrigation line and it doesn’t go all the way around the growing beds. You can do that, or you can follow the diagram, using either half-inch PVC pipe or standard half-inch irrigation line, which can be bought at any do-it-yourself home store or K-Mart®.

To follow the diagram, lead half-inch irrigation tubing from the pump in the nutrient tank up and around the growing beds to the high end of the tray. Obviously the tubing won’t just stay like this and it will bend as you curve it around the beds, so you’ll need to cut it into sections, connecting them with elbow-fittings around each corner. In total you’ll have to cut the line into five different sections, connecting them with four elbows. You’ll need a yard stick or measuring tape to determine where you’ll need to make your cuts and connections. Precise measurements are dependent on the height of your stand and square footage of your growing bed. The end of the irrigation line will need to be closed off as well. If you use PVC pipe, end pieces can be bought to close off the tubes. With irrigation line, you can use a figure eight end adapter to do this. All it is a piece of plastic shaped like a figure-eight; you stick the end of the tubing into one of the loops in the figure eight, bend it and stick it through the other loop. The bend closes off the line. One point that should be made: if you use irrigation line, it probably won’t stay stiff above or along the outside of the growing bed as pictured in the diagram, so you may have to afix it somehow to the edges of the tray or just lay it along the surface of the perlite around the edge of the bed.

Finally, at the opposite end of the bed from the nutrient tank, drill a couple of holes into the irrigation line with an 1/8-inch drill bit or irrigation line key punch. Once you pop the drippers or spaghetti tubing into those holes, your feed lines are ready.

Almost Done

At this stage, you’re ready to test the unit. Prepare the perlite by flushing all the dust out. Don’t forget to wear a mask when you do this; the dust is bad for your lungs. When it’s ready, pour it into the system, smoothing it out about a half-inch from the tip of the tray. Fill your nutrient tank with water and plug in the pump. If there is too much pressure from the pump, make a small hole in the pipe near the pump. When everything is running okay, add nutrient and plant!

Testing the EC and pH of your nutrient solution should be done daily.

The thing I like most about this unit is that it gives me a 12-square-foot growing area that can easily be doubled without even switching to a larger nutrient tank. With 24 square feet of growing area, you should have enough produce to feed a family of four. Another great feature is that it is very easy to maintain, and if you go away on vacation, you can simply add a small float valve and line to a water hose to keep the tank filled. I have left our unit for over three weeks with this method, and other than our herbs being overgrown and little yellowish, everything survived, and within a few days of my return all was back to normal.

Have fun with your new hydroponic unit, and remember to spread the word that hydroponics works and grows!

Gordon Creaser is a regular columnist for The Growing EDGE and professional hydroponics consultant.

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General Hydroponics has been the industry standard for as long as anyone in this business can remember. It’s been kind of mystifying that they have not come out with an organic nutrient line until now. The PGS crew was at the indoor gardening expo this weekend, and GH announced and showcased it’s organic plant food line, simply called, General Organics. It was honestly the most exciting part of the show for me personally only because I’ve been waiting for GH to do this for 20 years, since I first used their 3 part formula in soil (works great BTW).  I can’t wait to try it for myself, and I will be sure and do a full report, until then here is what GH have published on their blog. We will have General Organics on our shelves soon. 1-866-PGS-GROW

From General Hydroponics Blog

Our new line is launching soon, and this week I will be sharing profiles of each product, as well as information about organic methods and regulations. I also hope to any questions you might have. I want to start today with the backbone of the line, BioThrive Grow and BioThrive Bloom. These products have been created by the same team that brought FloraNova to the market. In fact, our head of research and development, has a strong background in sustainable agriculture, and this line is just the beginning of his vision of pure organic hydroponics.

The General Organics line is a total departure from the conventional rules of hydroponics. Right out of the bottle the products can be mixed and hand watered on plants growing in soil, or soil less media. However, keeping these nutes in a reservoir is much more technical. During this upcoming release, Jessica Lilga and I will be putting together tons of information and recommendations so that the experienced grower can achieve success.

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I just found this other interesting article from GH on organic certification, with all the changes and drastic actions taken by OMRI, I think this is some vital information and I appreciate the attempt to clear the air a bit.

PGS plans on doing a full post on the complete line once we carry it all.

Happy Aloha Friday guys! PGS is gearing up for the “Growing Your World Green” horticultural trade show in San Fran. We will be on hand to learn about new products and new technologies that have developed over the last year from all the biggest names in cultivation. If your in town or at the show, please say hello to us. We will have Pro Gardening Shirts

I would like to personally thank all the people who come into the store and write to me saying how much they love the PGS Growers Blog! I really enjoy sharing the knowledge that is collectively accumulated not just by me, but by all of us here at PGS and through hours of research on the net. There are so many great resources for learning, and we want to find them all and absorb them into our database.

Being from NYC myself, I am really excited about today’s ALOHA Friday post. I just found this video on Youtube about a barge in NYC on the Hudson river, that has an off grid hydroponic food producing facility that is creating a sustainable way to grow food for people locally. BRAVO to them and I think this kind of concept is going to be “the way” soon.

Keeping agriculture sustainable increasingly means keeping it local. Besides the environmental benefit of reducing reliance on fossil-fuel guzzling transportation, eating local food is a more seasonal and often healthier experience. With concern about food security growing, it might turn out to be safer, too. The folks in charge of the Science Barge, a new urban farming experiment in New York, are bringing local food production closer than ever. In this video Vanessa Rae learns about the floating greenhouse facility, which is designed as a demonstration of how urban space, especially rooftop space in big cities like New York, can be used to efficiently produce food. Self-powered by solar panels, wind turbines, and a biodiesel generator, the Science Barge uses state of the art computer technology and an agricultural technique called hydroponics to grow fruits and veggies using much less water and space than field farming. Watch out, city slickers. Farm country is coming to your neighborhood.

Super Huge thanks and respect to RIVERWIRED.COM for the video and the green vision they have.

There is a nice variety of hydroponic trays available on the market. We carry a wide range of styles, sizes, and colors. A white tray will increase the overall brightness in your room. ( as will white pots instead of black ) I recently changed from using white trays with white pots, to using black trays with black pots and there is a HUGE difference in light. Two of the best hydro trays we have come in two sizes

3′x6′

4′ x 8′

Made from 40 percent recycled food grade plastic, they are called “tray huggers”. Anyone looking for the best quality hydroponic trays possible will be super pleased with these. We have them in stock and ready to go at our retail locations, and our online store. 1-866-PGS-GROW

How do you make your plant nutrient solution? Chances are you pour your nutrients into your reservoir, stir them around and then measure your PPM and PH and adjust accordingly. This is the minimal one should be doing! Check out this great article from Maximum Yield and Bob Taylor. It goes into great detail on how to precisely dose your plants!

Dosing Procedures for Nutrients and Additives

Nutrient performance is far more complex than simply using a quality brand. Although growers typically blame the nutrient for poor plant performance, the failure to follow basic dosing procedures is the cause of many problems.

Step 1.

Volume of nutrient solution: As a guide, allocate at least 2.5 gallons of nutrient solution per large plant (e.g. tomato), or around a ½ gallon for smaller plants (e.g. lettuce).

This is especially important for re-circulating systems because larger nutrient volumes will undergo smaller changes in concentration (EC) and pH. In hot weather, insufficient nutrient volume could result in EC soaring to toxic levels, which could seriously damage your plants. Larger nutrient volumes will also reduce how frequently top-up water is needed.

Step 2.

Dosage rates: The dose rate depends upon your growing medium (soil, expanded clay, etc) and the phase of growth – seedling, vegetative or flowering. Refer to the manufacturer’s dosage chart.

Figure 3.1 A white precipitate forms when the separate ‘parts’ of a two or three part are combined in too little water.

Step 3.

Add the majority of water before adding nutrients and additives: Never mix nutrients and additives together in small amounts of water.

With two and three-part nutrients, the “parts” are kept separate for good reason. When these parts are mixed together in concentrated form (or in too little water), a white precipitate will form – as is often seen in nutrient reservoirs (Figure 3.6b and 3.1).

Step 4.

Thoroughly stir the nutrient: Always stir immediately after adding each nutrient and additive (or even top-up water). This eliminates regions where less soluble nutrient species are concentrated. It also removes regions of extreme pH (either high or low), thereby preventing the destabilization of nutrients that are unstable outside of the pH window of 5.0 to 6.5.
Step 5.

pH control: Do not leave pH unchecked for a long period of time. Quickly add all nutrients and additives then, after thorough mixing, immediately check pH and adjust if necessary. Allowing pH to rise above 6.5 is a common cause of white precipitate in nutrient reservoirs.

Step 6.

Maintaining nutrient concentration: (Does not apply to ‘run-to-waste’ systems). As plants grow they simultaneously remove both water and nutrients from the nutrient solution. This may cause the nutrient strength to either increase or decrease – depending on which is being consumed at the faster rate. Typically the nutrient concentration tends to increase, especially in hot weather because water loss can be excessive due to both plant uptake and evaporation. Therefore, ensure the water level is kept relatively constant. When this is done, the concentration or conductivity (EC) will be relatively predictable. (Concentration will slowly decrease as the plants consume nutrients). Check the EC about every second or third day and if necessary add sufficient nutrient to stay within the target range.

NOTE: High salinity (salty) make-up water may cause EC to increase.

Figure 3.6 This is what can happen when an undiluted, high pH additive is added to the working nutrient solution (see 3.6a). Unless pH is quickly corrected to below 6.0 – 6.5 the precipitate will remain (see 3.6b). A similar result can also be expected when other dosing techniques are not followed.

Step 7.

Further notes:
+ Beware of high pH additives: The best dosing technique to adopt with additives that increase pH significantly (silica, PK additives) is to add them to the water and adjust the pH down to 6.0 prior to adding the nutrient.

The less preferred but simplest alternative is to pre-dilute the additive in a separate volume of raw water. Then once this solution is added to the nutrient solution, quickly lower the pH to below 6.5. Note: A white cloudy precipitate (calcium sulphate) may form where the pre-diluted additive initially merges with the nutrient solution. However, because the initial particle size of the precipitate is small, it will usually re-dissolve if the pH is immediately re-adjusted (Figure 3.6a).

+ Two and three part nutrients: Avoid “roughly measuring” out the nutrient dose – always add the correct amount of each part. In the case of a two part, ‘under’ dosing part ‘B’ for example, could cause a deficiency in over half the nutrients required (i.e. P, K, S and all of the trace elements – except iron).