Browsing through some of my photos yesterday I came across these 2 very different pics of a local landscape. This is a small, man made lake near my home and it made me think about replicating seasonal effects when gardening indoors. One of our goals as indoor growers is to mimic environmental and nutritional conditions that our plants are naturally exposed/conditioned to. Indoors we do so in an artificial way in order to have our crops respond and produce as we choose. For me these photos shine a great deal of importance on the fact that all plants depend on sometimes subtle, sometimes abrupt seasonal changes in order to identify its own lifecycle and where it stands within it. Some factors like latitude and altitude greatly influence how slow or quickly these changes can occur. We know and practice the basic signals such as reducing daylight hours from 18 to 12. Nitrogen rich nutrient mixtures change to Phosphorus/Potassium dominate mixtures. Some growers even switch from MH bulbs in veg to HPS bulbs in flower in order to mimic seasonal changes in the color spectrum of sunlight.

A “perfect” plant environment is one that matches that in which the plants genes originated. Not all aspects obviously need to match up but the better we replicate these environmental changes the better chance we have of success. So consider this next time you change crops or varietals. Length of daylight, daytime temperature, nighttime temperature of both air and soil/medium/nutrient solution, daytime humidity, nighttime humidity and soil chemistry, to name a few, all come into play. If you can trace any plant to its origin and closely mimic those ideal conditions indoors you can truly maximize genetic potential through tuned environmental conditions.

By now, if you have not heard of the multinational agricultural biotech company Monsanto, you have either been living in a cell at Gitmo or have been in a coma since the late 1980′s. It is one of the largest corporations based in the United States with over 21,400 employees worldwide. Monsanto came from humble beginnings in 1901 in the “Show Me” state of Missouri. The company was founded by John Francis Queeny. Mr. Queeny had spent the bulk of his professional career in the pharmaceutical industry. The name Monsanto came from his father in-law, Mr. Emmanuel Mendes de Monsanto. Mr. Monsanto was a wealthy financier of a sugar company in Puerto Rico and based in St. Thomas V.I. (Danish West Indies at that time). The company’s first product was the now famous if not infamous, artificial sweetener Saccharin, which it sold to the Coca-Cola Company. I’m sorry, did I say Monsanto came from humble beginnings. Scratch that. They started big and bad and just got worse with age. Ok, fast forward some 44 years, when Monsanto began manufacturing a now-banned pesticide called DDT. Some of Monsanto’s other carcinogenic gems (and they have more gems than the crown of Henry VIII) are Agent Orange, Aspartame aka NutraSweet, BST aka bovine growth hormone and PCBs. Now, Monsanto didn’t limit itself to simply manufacturing chemicals in an ongoing effort to improve the lives of millions. They branched out into developing the first nuclear weapons. Oh yes, Monsanto operated The Dayton Project, and later Mound Laboratories for the Manhattan Project. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and Monsanto makes the pavement.

Now let’s fast forward another 38 years to 1982. This was the year that Monsanto developed its first genetically modified plant cell. You may be wondering, why do they need to modify the genetics of a plant. Well silly, it’s so that plant can grow better in the presence of other Monsanto chemicals such as RoundUp. If you want your corn farm to be weed free, you need to use round up to kill the weeds. But if you spray round up on young corn plants, they die. So, you make “RoundUp Ready” corn. Doesn’t sound too insidious right? Enter, the Terminator Seed. The terminator seed produces plants that produce sterile seeds. Therefore, if a farmer wants to grow his crop again next season, he or she has to buy new seeds for that season. Did I mention that Monsanto was actually able to patent this seed technology. That means that if through natural pollen spreading via wind, your non-GMO crop gets pollinated by a neighbors GMO crop, you are now the proud owner of patented seed technology and must therefore abide by the patent laws of said GMO seed. If you try to resist the power of the dark side, you will be sued. Check out the documentary The World According to Monsanto which is a film by a French journalist named Marie-Monique Robin (see below). It has also been published in written form which has been translated to many languages. It is a real eye opener.

Well, I think I have said enough to peak your interest. Now it’s up to us to fight the good fight. Fight for your rights, fight for your mind, fight for your food. FOOD FIGHT!

For further reading, see:
Vanity Fair
National Geographic

Across the country many other similar organizations such as the Sonoma County Agricultural Preserve are working to preserve the family farm as well as the open space that promotes wildlife and plant habitats. Look for similar programs in your area and see how you can participate to help protect the family farm and establish open space for your family to enjoy for generations to come.

A rain garden is a shallow, constructed depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants & grasses. It is located in the landscape to receive runoff from hard surfaces such as a roof, a sidewalk or a driveway. Rain gardens slow down the rush of water from these hard surfaces, hold the water for a short period of time and allow it to naturally infiltrate into the ground. A rain garden can be thought of as a water quality system because it filters the runoff from your roof and lawn and recharges the groundwater. ¹

Usually, a rain garden is a small garden which is designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus, that are found in stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are ideally sited close to the source of the runoff and serve to slow the stormwater as it travels downhill, giving the stormwater more time to infiltrate and less opportunity to gain momentum and erosive power.

Below the surface of the garden, a number of processes are occurring which mimic the hydrologic action of a healthy forest. Soils are engineered and appropriate plants selected for the rain garden. The garden is a small bioretention cell in which stormwater is cleaned and reduced in volume once it enters the rain garden. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels and overall sediment loads in the stormwater are reduced by the action of the plants and growing media on the water. Multiple rain gardens over an area will have a positive cumulative effect on both the volume and quality of stormwater run off. Some municipalities even offer a small grant for building a rain garden due to it’s beneficial effects.

Most rain gardens are populated with either herbaceous perennials, woody shrubs or trees. This does not mean that annuals are not possible for such gardens; rather it means that the gardens have been designed for habitat and low maintenance goals rather than purely seasonal aesthetics,color effects or production. Some annuals are good candidates for a higher maintenance version of a rain garden. ²

Rain gardens are a great example of the ingenuity and adaptability of gardens and gardeners to their local environment and resources. With nature and technology plants can be grown under any circumstances and in any environment, so while I enjoy the plants of the rainy pacific northwest I hope everyone takes a look at the unique properties of their local climate and environment and how that effects both indoor and outdoor gardening this winter!

Additional resources

About Rain Gardens:
Wikipedia
Sue Ellingson

How To Guides (PDF)
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Oregon State University

Notes:
¹ Low Impact Development
² Rain Garden Network

The view surrounding GH Sebastopol changes month by month as the once prominent apple orchards yield to the ever expanding vines of progress. Western Sonoma was once renowned for its Gravenstein apples. Today when people think of Sonoma County I am confident that the first thing that tickles the brain is the melody of flavorful grapes in their favorite wine. On our property here at GH we have about a dozen Gravenstein trees that we plan on keeping for the long run. We often take “apple walks” from mid summer to fall, up the hill to our favorite tree for fresh pickings. Around the neighborhood, tractors can be seen plowing down the orchards to make way for new vines as the crop of choice has changed. This changing of the guard got me thinking about this very specific variety of apple and how it became so popular and dominant in this area. The great botanist, horticulturist, and agricultural pioneer Luther Burbank once proclaimed “”It has often been said that if the Gravenstein could be had throughout the year, no other apple need be grown.”

If you want to know more about the Gravenstein, and what it has meant to this area of the country, below are a few links you may enjoy:

The Gravenstein Apple Fair
Gravenstein Apples Struggle to Survive in Sonoma County
US Presidia: Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple
Wikipedia: Gravenstien

Everything was frozen over this morning when I hopped in the car to go to work. All of the leaves have fallen off my mulberry and apple tree, and my tomatoes are wilting and dead in the frost. So in the dark of the morning I tried to look around and see which trees & plants are still giving off color and making the winter less gloomy. Around my North Bay neighborhood plenty of Japanese Maples are popping with red and yellow leaves. Looking at my deceased garden I started to think that I really need to gear up earlier for winter and plant vegetables for a winter garden. But then again, what should I plant? I found the following links to winter friendly plants:

Plants for the Winter Garden

Fall & Winter Vegetable Planting Guide

These are great suggestions! I can’t wait to get this rolling next fall!

I picked up a Poinsettia plant the other day while grocery shopping and started wondering, “Why is this plant associated with the Christmas Holiday season”? Here are some interesting facts I learned about this beautiful plant that may help shed some light on your questions?

The Poinsettia (Euphorbia Pulcherrima) is native to the Southern Mexican countryside. Known to the Aztec people as “Cuetlaxochitl”, this star shaped plant was used to make dyes and medicine for the ancient people. The legendary Aztec king, Montezuma would have these beautiful plants caravanned to his temple because they could not be cultivated in the high altitude region of his empire.

Contrary to popular belief, the Poinsettia is not poisonous. A 50lb child would have to eat 600 bracts (leaves) to have a toxic effect. That is about 40 plants worth of leaves. Interestingly, the Aztecs used the sap from the plant to treat fevers.

Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, for whom the plant is named, introduced the Poinsettia to the U.S. in 1828. As the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Poinsett introduced the American elm to Mexico and was looking for a new species to bring back to his South Carolina greenhouse. The Poinsettia grew so well that he began propagating them for friends and other greenhouses.

In the 1920’s a California farmer decided to try his hand at growing Poinsettia’s. Paul Ecke, Sr. loved the beautiful colors of the plant and the fact that these beauties bloomed in December. Mr. Ecke had the notion that these plants could potentially be big sellers for the December holidays. He moved his family ranch to Encinitas, CA and the rest is history. Paul Ecke single handedly traveled the country selling his Poinsettia mother plants to greenhouses. Encouraging them to up sell as a great holiday plant. Even now, the Ecke Family control about 70% of Poinsettia sales around the world.

If you enjoy Poinsettia’s this time of year the way I do, take good care of your plant. Poinsettia’s DO NOT like to be over watered. When the media is dry to the touch it’s time for another watering/feeding. Feed them a solution of FloraNova Grow; remember the red flowers are actually the plants leaves. So we enjoy this plant more often than not in it’s vegetative cycle. I feed my plants 5 ml/gal of FloraNova Grow every 5 days. They also do not like a lot of heat or to be in direct sunlight. Take good care of them and Poinsettia’s will reward you with their beauty long after the holiday season.

A gentleman in Michigan provided us with these epic root photos for our RapidStart Roots Contest, and evidently this plant isn’t even his most epic:

This root system is from a clone clipped on October 16th, 2011. It measures over 37” when extended. Here they are looped to support the RapidStart. I wish the pictures were better but it is not easy dealing with roots three feet long. FYI- The plant is about 13” tall and thick like a hedge.

Truthfully I am not real impressed with these particular roots. I am in the process of transplanting my plants. I have been doing it over two days. I started with the biggest plants and this plant was the 17th in line. These may be some of the longest roots but others have almost two times the mass. I just happened to check my Facebook page and see the contest while taking a break.

I have a picture of me holding up a plant that is over 5’6” tall by the bottom of the roots. The roots were about three feet long overall. The plant was bigger in diameter than a 55 gallon drum. It probably weighed about twenty pounds in all. I used the GH FloraSeries Expert Aggressive Calculator to grow it. The roots were insane, the top 18” were 6” in diameter and hard like a rock, you could not stick a pencil through them. Every plant of six was like this. The plants were as healthy as they could be.

I have changed systems for a variety of reasons (none of which are because it did not work) so I may never get roots like that again. I invented the solution delivery system and it is considerably different than any other. I believe that my system, as it currently is, is the easiest and cheapest to build, cheapest to maintain, most nutrient efficient system in use and it produces the highest yield to time ratio, 14 weeks from clip to harvest.

Additionally my system has built in redundant safety systems that ensure no problems if the pump fails and prevents overflow. The problem with my ideal/original system is that the standard equipment is not suitable.

I am currently using the new FloraSeries expert feeding schedule and am very happy with the results. However, I do believe that my last yield will have been bigger and I used the Expert Aggressive Calculator. There are many variables though (one is the system change) so I plan to do a fully controlled experiment with the feeding schedule as the independent variable and yield as the dependent variable. I will start this experiment in about one month and will keep you posted.

In my opinion it’s a good idea to fill the plant with as much sugary water as possible towards the end of its life to add weight as well as density.

As the plant comes close to harvest, it’s important to get the plant to use up any remaining nutrients it might be storing away for later use. I’m starting to hear that keeping a high level of pk towards the end of the cycle is also a good idea.

Osmosis[1] is the movement of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, aiming to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides. It may also be used to describe a physical process in which any solvent moves, without input of energy, across a semipermeable membrane (permeable to the solvent, but not the solute) separating two solutions of different concentrations. Although osmosis does not require input of energy, it does use kinetic energy and can be made to do work.

Net movement of solvent is from the less concentrated (hypotonic) to the more concentrated (hypertonic) solution, which tends to reduce the difference in concentrations. This effect can be countered by increasing the pressure of the hypertonic solution, with respect to the hypotonic. The osmotic pressure is defined to be the pressure required to maintain an equilibrium, with no net movement of solvent. Osmotic pressure is a colligative property, meaning that the osmotic pressure depends on the molar concentration of the solute but not on its identity

So with this we know that to remove the build-up, we need to add a lower concentration of ppm but at the same time fulfill the plant’s needs until the day of harvest???

My jury is still out on this one so I am hoping for a lot of good feedback people!

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmosis “Osmosis”

Such is the thinking behind vertical farming. The idea is that skyscrapers filled with floor upon floor of orchards and fields, producing crops all year round, will sprout in cities across the world. As well as creating more farmable land out of thin air, this would slash the transport costs and carbon-dioxide emissions associated with moving food over long distances. It would also reduce the spoilage that inevitably occurs along the way, says Dickson Despommier, a professor of public and environmental health at Columbia University in New York who is widely regarded as the progenitor of vertical farming, and whose recently published book, The Vertical Farm, is a manifesto for the idea. According to the UN’s Population Division, by 2050 around 70% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. So it just makes sense, he says, to move farms closer to where everyone will be living.

Better still, says Dr Despommier, the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides can be kept to a bare minimum by growing plants indoors in a controlled environment. Soil erosion will not be a problem because the food will be grown hydroponically—in other words, in a solution of minerals dissolved in water. Clever recycling techniques will ensure that only a fraction of the amount of water and nutrients will be needed compared with conventional farming, and there will be no problem with agricultural run-off. It doesn’t seem to be a matter of if, simply when this becomes commonplace.

This one sits right on top of the soil and drips water out very very slowly, over time. You, of course, need to refill it occasionally but it should be fine for about a week at a time. It’s great for when you go out of town, have a busy schedule or just plain forget to water your plants. Just keep an eye on the level. Here’s how you do it:

You’ll need a few things to make it work:

• a 2 liter plastic bottle, with the lid
• a sewing needle
• a  small flame of some kind (candle, lighter, whatever)

Heat the sewing needle with the flame, being careful not to burn your fingers. Once it’s hot, pierce a small hole in the lid of the bottle. This will allow water to drip out. Heat the needle again and pierce another tiny hole in the base of the bottle. This will allow air to flow through the bottle, to compensate as the water drips out. Next, fill the bottle with water, screw on the lid and tip it over into the soil. You can bury the cap about an inch into the soil, near the plant’s root system. That’s all you need to do! Simple! The water will drip out slowly, giving roots a nice, even flow.

All you need to do is pull it out when it’s empty, refill it and put it back. These can be used outside in the garden, in containers and planter boxes, as well as houseplants. You can use smaller bottles for smaller plants; you’ll just need to refill them more often.

This watering bottle is so simple and cheap to make. Give it a shot and leave the stigma of the “black thumb” behind you.

However, because not everyone can start out with soft and/or purified water, our expert team developed FloraMicro Hardwater, which reduces the problems associated with hard water and maintains proper nutrient balance. It is formulated to compensate for the elevated calcium levels in your base water. 

But where is the cut-off? When do you know you need Hardwater versus normal FloraMicro?

Here is the answer:

Use FloraMicro Hardwater when your starting water contains over 200 ppm or Calcium above 70 ppm.  Always test your starting water, especially if you know that it’s prone to being hard. Using FloraMicro Hardwater will help you avoid nutrient imbalance, which can lead to severe deficiencies or, more likely, toxically high levels of certain nutrients.

If your levels are only slightly high, try blending the normal and Hardwater FloraMicros together. If your water contains 30 to 50 ppm Calcium, you can mix the original FloraMicro with FloraMicro Hardwater to create a perfect Micro blend for your plants.

Share your experiences using FloraMicro Hardwater with us! Are there other tricks you use, when dealing with hard water? Leave a comment and let us know.

Increase the light: Some of us may have been relying on natural light these past few months, to save on energy. Well, that time is pretty much coming to a close. Not only are the days getting drastically shorter, the light is also less intense and effective. Inevitably, if we rely on natural light, we are moving our containers and/or hydroponic systems closer to windows or even outside. It’s time to shelter them once again, especially if you are growing cold-sensitive plants (like orchids, avocados and tomatoes). It’s time to turn the lights back on a regular schedule, to make up for the lack of natural light. Most plants benefit from at least 6 hours a day but tomatoes need more like 8-10.

Keep it toasty: Most plants prefer mild to warm temperatures year-round and will thrive better when those requirements are met. So, keep your house or growing space toasty this winter. Keep the thermostat at a minimum of 60° (most plants really prefer around 68° for best growth). The biggest problem is cold roots. If the water circulating is frigid, your plant roots can receive a shock and incur damage. You can put on a sweater to save on the heating bill but what’s your tomato supposed to do? Home improvements to increase energy efficiency always help, too. Move your systems away from drafty areas and keep an eye on things.

Watch your humidity: Winter is the driest time of the year, humidity-wise. The air becomes brittle and arid in most regions, causing chapped lips and dry skin. This problem is compounded by our indoor heating systems, whether it’s wood, gas, or electricity. They all dry out the air. Plants react to this about as poorly as people do. Growing hydroponically means that there is lots of water around but most of it (depending on the system) doesn’t do much for the air. You can add a humidifier to your growing space or home (this will benefit everyone: people, pets and plants) AND/OR get a spray bottle and mist the foliage of your plants once every few days. This is NOT a good idea if your plants are subject to mold, powdery mildew or other fungi, however. Leaves should be lightly misted, not soaked, to prevent mold growth.

One last tip: try something new this winter. The days are short and cold. Things get a little quiet. Why not try an experiment? Grow a plant you’ve never grown before! Attempt propagation! Try a new system or nutrient supplement to shake things up!

Are any of you trying a new experiment this winter? Leave a comment!

Do you have any other tips for adapting plants to the cold? Let us know below!

Stay tuned for new videos as we continue to post them. Connect with us by subscribing and becoming our YouTube friend. Leave a comment on your favorite and let us know what other types of videos you would like to see from us! Find our GeneralHydroponicsUS YouTube channel HERE!

Check out the installation of our new Cogenra Hydrid Solar panels below. These babies now power up many of our facilities here at GH headquarters, saving energy and fuel.