Charlotte

6 Reasons to use Hydroton in Your Grow System

June 7, 2008 By Charlotte

by Charlotte Bradley

Recently, we decided to give hydroton (expanded clay pellets) a try
in our ebb and flow system. So far I have been quite happy with
this grow medium. It is easy to work with and our plants have been
growing well.

Hydroton pebbles:

Eco-friendly; the pebbles are made from clay, a resource that is
both plentiful and renewable.
Reusable; As long as you clean them thoroughly, hydroton pebbles
can be reused. Sterilizing with bleach (1 part bleach, 9 parts
water) and then a through rinsing is the usual recommendation.
pH Neutral; Hydroton is almost completely inert and will not
release any minerals into your solution that could affect pH levels.
Drain freely leaving roots well oxygenated.
Have a smooth round surface that won’t cut delicate roots.
Do not compact which helps to ensure good root aeration.

Hydroton clay pebbles are sometimes combined with other grow media
in hydroponics systems, such as rockwool or coconut coir.

Building your Own Vertical Hydroponic Garden

June 3, 2008 By Charlotte

Building your own gardening system can be an interesting and satisfying project resulting in a versatile, inexpensive garden where plants flourish.

For do-it-yourself types, EasiestGarden.com sells hydroponic garden plans for the home gardener who wants to grow lettuce, strawberries, flowers, herbs and other small plants. We recently had a look at the plans for building your own vertical hydroponic system. The final product is a four tube vertical garden that is quite attractive and functional. If you are looking at wall (vertical) gardening, these plans are excellent as they can be scaled to your own requirements.

Introducing LED Bulbs to Hydroponic Gardening Systems

June 2, 2008 By Charlotte

By: Charlene Rennick

Although the jury is still out on whether or not LED bulbs are a confirmed improvement over regular hydroponic grow lights, currently the LED bulbs have several distinct and known advantages.

In the absence of side by side testing against Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium bulbs, some benefits of substituting LED bulbs can be appreciated in a hydroponic garden.

Setup your Indoor Garden in a way that Minimizes Potential Damage

May 31, 2008 By Charlotte

I was reading through some blogs the other day when I stumbled upon this story. An individual had set up an ebb and flow system in their spare bedroom and had everything working well. The individual had planned out their garden well with timers and ventilation so that all that was required was changing of the nutrient solution on a weekly basis.

How LED Grow Lights Recycle your Money

May 28, 2008 By Charlotte

By: Charlene Rennick

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. This kind of bulb has been popular for decades to illuminate clock displays, stereo equipment, flashlights and outdoor-lit advertisements. Because they emit more light per watt than regular incandescent light bulbs, they have a potential to save hydro dollars and excess energy consumption.

Recently, advancements in LED technology have produced more sizes and shapes of LED bulbs increasing their application base as a regular household lighting device. They leave less of a carbon footprint than an incandescent bulb and do not produce much heat when lit. The most widely-known benefit of LED bulbs is that they produce light for a longer period of time. LEDs have an average lifespan of 35 000 to 50 000 hours as opposed to 1000 to 2000 incandescent or 30 000 fluorescent hours.

LED bulbs have several less obvious advantages. They can be used more efficiently as a colour bulb than other types of lights because they do not require additional filters to change the hue. Because of their shape, they lend themselves more readily to being direction-focused; whereas, incandescent bulbs need additional accessories to train the light emissions. LED bulbs have a solid structure; they are not particularly delicate and are not as susceptible to electrical surges or shocks as incandescent, fluorescent and halogen bulbs. For lighting that requires frequent on/off phases, LED bulbs are more resistant to the wear and tear than fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. This makes LED bulbs a better bet for use with a timer. In addition, LEDs lose brightness over a long period of time. This gradual dimming has the advantage of providing a warning period before a replacement will be necessary; it avoids the risks associated with an abrupt burn-out. With some applications, the sudden absence of light creates environmental damage or human safety hazards due to spontaneous darkness. LEDs light up quickly and are mercury-free. Overall, they perform better over time than fluorescent, incandescent and halogen bulbs.

Known disadvantages of LED bulbs are that they are more expensive at the outset to purchase without considering their long-term savings advantage. They cannot be used in dimmer switches and can be subject to extremes in temperatures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_sink). Another drawback is that LED bulbs generate light from a different part of the spectrum. This causes objects to be perceived as an altered colour from that which would be produced if the same object was viewed using natural sunlight or incandescent light. Sometimes, the electrical current source may need to be adjusted to accommodate the LED bulb. Presently, there is some concern that the blue light content of LEDs may conflict with safety regulations. This issue is called the blue-light hazard and it may have a negative effect on the eyes.

In addition to their longer life span, energy saving benefit and reduced noise, LED lights eliminate the need for a ballast which is necessary to control the voltage. If both Metal Halide and HPS bulbs are in use, more than one type of ballast is needed; thus, substituting LED lights potentially eliminates more than one piece of equipment.

The use of LED lights as a substitute for HID grow lights in indoor gardens looks promising, however its practical application for hobby gardeners is probably a few years away yet.

Plan Your Garden by Picturing the Harvest

May 24, 2008 By Charlotte

I came across a good tip today in a great book I was reading (Hydroponic Gardening by Steven Carruthers). Very basic, but it made sense to me. The author suggested only planting what you would be likely to need or use during the harvest period. Create a mental picture of how your garden will look during harvest time. If you can only use 6 heads of lettuce and 4 cabbages during the 6-week harvesting time, then only plant that many – or perhaps a couple more just to ensure success in case of some type of failure.

Marjoram and Oregano

May 19, 2008 By Charlotte

Oregano and Marjoram are often confused or simply considered the same herb. They are not, however. Oregano has long been called wild Marjoram, but scientists have discovered that the two herbs are actually distinct. This is hardly relevant, however, as throughout history the two herbs are used interchangeably.

[Read more…] about Marjoram and Oregano

Use a Circulating Fan to Ventilate Your Garden Room

May 17, 2008 By Charlotte

Ventilation is an important consideration for a successful hydroponic garden.Plants require carbon dioxide in order to photosynthesize and the by-product of this process is oxygen.

If you have an indoor hydroponic garden, you will need to make sure you have adequate ventilation. If the room is small or enclosed, the heat buildup from the lamp as well as the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels may not create an optimal for your plants.

Hydroponics Systems for Citrus Farms

May 15, 2008 By Charlotte

Starting the day without orange juice sounds unthinkable to many. In the not-so-distant future, orange juice could become unaffordable due to problems with citrus farming. In Florida, one of the larges citrus producing areas in the world, farmers are experimenting with hydroponics growing systems to help reduce problems with “Greening,” an increasingly prevalent disease of citrus trees.

When to Transplant Seedlings

May 10, 2008 By Charlotte

A question that often comes up, is when to transfer seedlings into their permanent home, whether it be to a soil-based or to a hydroponic grow system.

This depends on a few things: 1-the type of plant, 2-the container used to start the seed, 3-where you are transplanting to, 4-how much time you wish to spend nurturing growing seedlings.

In their excitement, people sometimes transfer their seedlings as soon as they see a leaf or two. You need to wait until at least the first or second set of true leaves appears. (The very first ones up are not true leaves). Some people advise waiting until the plant is 4-6 inches tall.

If your container is very small or crowded, you will need to move the seedlings sooner. For example, seeds started in an egg carton will quickly outgrow their container. (This can be a great choice if you plan to transplant outdoors into soil as most roots will push right through the paper variety).

Seedlings need to be monitored and tended in order to ensure that they don’t dry out. As they grow, this is even more imperative as they consume more water.

However, you should be able to see good root development prior to transferring the seedlings. If you do not and you transfer the seedling too early, the root will become saturated and growth will be stunted. A little bit later than sooner is a good rule to use when transferring seedlings. Just make sure to give them regular attention so your efforts aren’t wasted!

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