Hydroponic Nutrients for Hydroponic Gardening

Want Big, Sugary, Tasty, Sweet-Smelling Marijuana Buds?

2012-01-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

Probably you’ve heard of carbo-loading and amino acid supplementation for endurance athletes. Now, plant scientists studying marijuana have discovered that your hydroponics plants have more energy, vigor and yield when you feed them carbohydrates, vitamins and amino acids through their roots.

In the good ol' days of Colombian Gold that sold in the USA for $20 an ounce, Colombian farmers poured sugar, vanilla, cinnamon or molasses into their marijuana root zone, hoping to sweeten their crops.

Nowadays, your hydroponics store offers several formulas that contain carbohdyrates in various forms. Some are said to boost plant energy. Others are said to boost bud taste and aroma. Only one of those formulas was designed for and tested on hydroponics marijuana.

One product that growers'll tell you to avoid is Brix Plus. Its maker recommends spraying it on your crops a few days before harvest. Some people use it after harvest. It's supposed to add weight and make crappy weed taste better. What it really does is clog leaf openings (stomata) that your marijuana plants breathe through. Dealers use it to pad their weed weight.

Because marijuana growers are always looking for miracle methods that increase bud size and potency, you see lots of information about hydroponics carbohydrates. But how accurate is this information? Let's look at an article about spraying carbohydrates on plants. The article is in the December, 2010 issue of Maximum Yield hydroponics magazine, and is authored by Craig Gribble.

Gribble's article, titled Plant Potential: Maximum Growth Through Foliar Feeding, claims that foliar feeding carbohydrates is far better than root feeding. But we all know plants evolved to take water and nutrition in through their roots, and that the only inputs our plants evolved to take in through their leaves are light and C02. So why would Craig Gribble say otherwise?

Perhaps Gribble believes what he is saying, but many suspect he has a self-serving agenda for his article. You see, Maximum Yield lists Craig Gribble as author of the article, but fails to identify him as a leading official with Dutch Master, a hydroponics nutrients company. Dutch Master makes foliar spray products. Their product names are cool (Liquid Light, Saturator, etc.), but Dutch Master provides only a few tidbits of information about their stuff, with not enough detail to prove how or whether their foliar products even work.

Shallow Water Culture - Hydroponic Lettuce

2012-01-31T19:00:00.000-08:00

Dry Hydroponics Inc. from Holland demonstrate their Shallow Water Culture Hydroponic Lettuce Production System.

American Hydroponics Greenhouse (2012 NFT system)

2012-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

The process of producing basil.

Modern Growlight Tactics Revealed-Beyond HPS

2011-12-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com presents Hydroponics Secrets-why adding full spectrum LED, LEP and MH grow lighting will help your modern hydroponics indoor crops yield bigger buds with host Erik Biksa

39 Aeroponic Pepper UPDATE (DAY 63)

2011-12-14T00:57:00.000-08:00

The 39 peppers have been in the aeroponic rails for 63 days and are doing great. In this video I show fruiting, long reach buzz pollination, and general info on my grow. Please subscribe and comment. Thanks for Watching.

Hydroponic Herbs in Your Kitchen Homemade System

2011-12-14T00:54:00.000-08:00

My new, homemade hydroponic systems. I'm growing herbs, cucumbers and peppers in my kitchen. Feel free to comment or ask any questions. Thanks for watching.

Fergal Phillips, Hydroponics - Museum of Science and Industry Smart Home Garden Lecture Series

2011-11-29T08:55:00.001-08:00

University of Illinois Extension, Museum of Science and Industry Smart Garden Lecture Series with Fergal Phillips, Hydroponics Expert. July 31, 2010.

Urban Grower Hydroponics Medical Marijuana Grow Guide

2011-11-29T08:50:00.001-08:00

Ever since the Canadian government started its Medical Marijuana Access Program in 2001, sick and dying Canadians have been able to apply for federal licenses allowing them to grow and possess hydroponics medical marijuana. The program is rightfully slagged by activists, doctors and patients as being too restrictive and bureaucratic, but hundreds of Canadians are now legally licensed to produce cannabis medicine. And when it comes learning how to grow the best medical marijuana, growers worldwide turn to licensed Canadian medical marijuana grower Remo and his video series, The Urban Grower.

Remo became The Urban Grower nearly ten years ago when Advanced Nutrients set up a medical marijuana grower assistance program that provides technical expertise and material support to medical growers who cannot maintain gardens on their own because of financial or medical difficulties.

When the hydroponics manufacturer wanted a professional grower willing to help other medical marijuana growers, it found Remo. His earliest Urban Grower videos featured Remo visiting licensed medical marijuana gardens to help hydroponics growers max the THC and weight of their crops.

Nowadays, Remo still shows you the latest medical marijuana hydroponics tips and tactics, but he also takes his cameras to the Cannabis Cup and other international marijuana events.

One of the first things Remo does when he visits a garden is a safety check, looking for defective equipment or dangerous conditions that create risk of electrocution or fire.

Remo wants to make sure the electrical supply is adequate for indoor lights, air conditioning and other hydroponics equipment. He tries to streamline electricity consumption for maximum cost-effectiveness.

Continue reading...
http://bigbudsmag.com/grow/how/article/urban-grower-hydroponics-medical-marijuana-grow-guide-may-2011

Drip Top Feed Hydroponic System Home-made Update

2011-11-29T08:47:00.001-08:00

Here is an update showing the system I built after some plant growth.

Hydroponics Home Gardening

2011-11-16T03:48:00.001-08:00

Hydroponics home gardening makes a great hobby and represents an effective way to cultivate your favorite plants throughout the year even in a small apartment. Find out more right now about how exactly this amazing system can benefit you! Visit www.hydroponicshomes.com NOW!

YOU’RE BEING ROBBED! Why States Aren’t Telling You the Truth About Your Hydroponics Nutrients

2011-11-16T03:21:00.001-08:00

Astonishingly, every time you go into your local hydroponics store and look at nutrient companies' product labels you’re being robbed of the truth and being forced to make a decision with incomplete information you would need to make the right choice.

That’s right, you don’t have the right to know the truth or what’s really in the product you’re paying for.

Can this be true? Absolutely... suppose for a moment you’re in your favorite hydroponics store and looking at two different companies' bloom enhancer labels trying to decide which one of those products is right for you.

But then, under close observation you notice both of the labels have exactly the same ingredients listed on them. One of the bloom enhancers is a little more money than the other so you think, "Hey I’ll save the extra money and buy the one that costs less," which under normal circumstances would be the right thing to do.

Only problem is... the one that was a little more money contained a whole lot more ingredients that you weren’t aware of because they weren’t listed on the label. The reality is the other bloom enhancer - the one you didn’t chose - would have actually given you significantly bigger flowers and yield.

Moreover, the bloom enhancer you didn’t chose would easily do this for you because it contained an additional twenty amino acids, citric and ascorbic acid. Plus a whole bunch of other goodies that were not allowed to be put on the label under any circumstances in any way.

Continue reading...
http://www.rosebudmag.com/hydroponics-industry/you-are-being-robbed-states-are-not-telling-truth

Home Solar Heated Hydroponic Greenhouse Project

2011-11-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Home Solar Heated Hydroponic Greenhouse Project describes growing vegetables in DWC deep water culture without soil. The prject features a solar collector for greenhouse heat and an automatic dip watering system.

UrbanGrower 35 Mailbag & New Stuff

2011-11-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.urbangrower.com On this edition of Mailbag & New Stuff Remo checks out Bud Candy from Advanced Nutrients, glass hot knives from Kush.ca, and a CO2 monitor that you can calibrate yourself....He also answers a few viewer e mails, giving some very wise advice, indeed! Remo is a Master Grower with a large following at http://www.youtube.com/urbangrower

The Importance of using an Aroma Enhancer in Hydroponics Gardening

2011-10-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

One of the most importanthydroponics supplements that you should use in hydroponics is an aromaenhancer. Using this supplement is something that your hydroponics plantscan certainly benefit from. Aside from making sure that your hydroponics cropsgrow healthy, strong and huge, it would pay off more if you could add value tothem. This is what an aroma enhancer can do to your precious plants. They canmake your plants become highly valuable.

What is the importance of using anaroma enhancer in your hydroponics gardening? If you are growing flowersin your hydroponics garden, this hydroponics supplement exceptionally improvesthe smell of your hydroponics flowers. When used correctly, they can turnflowers that smell dull into something that emit exhilarating andsweet-smelling scents.

For fruits and vegetables, you canexpect your crops to be better tasting if you use an aroma enhancer as asupplement. This is because the special sugars present in the formulation willhelp create that distinctive flavor in your crops, most notably with fruits.You will find that they’ll be sweeter and tastier compared to those grownwithout this kind of hydroponics additive. So if you want to make sure that youproduce only high yielding crops that are better-tasting or better-smelling,always consider using an aroma enhancer. This may be your best mehod to producecrops that are not only huge and strong but are also exuding great quality andvalue.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but ifyou have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself toread the best hydroponicsnewsletter on the web.

Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect EXTREME Demonstration

2011-10-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Advanced Nutrients presents "The pH Perfect EXTREME Demonstration" See how it works on three very different water pH levels. Perfect hydroponics nutrients every time, without adding pH adjusters or buying expensive pH hydroponics monitoring equipment?

Click to join the hydroponics revolution on the web.

Home garden greenhouse Hydroponic Tomatoes - 9 Advantages

2011-10-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking of growing your own hydroponic tomatoes then you should as they are delicious and you will make some serious money from them.

Tools For the Advanced Gardener

2011-10-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

Without the basics, your garden will simply not be able to achieve very much growth. Even if you are backed by an impressive set of high tech equipment and resources, your garden simply won't be able to achieve the large yields and delicious fruit and vegetables that are possible with a hydroponics garden. But once you have mastered all of the basic elements such as nutrient balance, temperature, basic maintenance, and pH balance, you should start thinking about other things that you can use to help your garden reach the next level of powerful growth.
Subscribe to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

3 Part Nutrients - Most beginning hydroponics growers use a basic nutrient mix that they use consistently throughout their plant's development. While plants can certainly grow healthy this way, this method is not the best way to get the absolute largest and healthiest plants that you can achieve. Your plant can benefit from different nutrients at different times and therefore it might be a better idea to provide it with different nutrient mixes at the propagation, vegetative, and flowering stages of development.

3 part nutrients make this process simple by grouping the nutrients that promote growth, nutrients that promote blooming, and the micronutrients into separate containers. You can then mix these nutrients together, depending upon how developed your plants are.

PK 9/18 - As your plants start to enter the flowering stage of development, you have to make certain that your plants get a solid boost of potassium and phosphorus. These nutrients are essential to full fruits and healthy blooms. But many people make the mistake of using PK 13/14 to give their plants a boost of these nutrients, which actually have the wrong ratio of phosphorus to potassium. More current and accurate research shows that hydroponically grown plants would benefit much more from a two to one ratio of these macronutrients. This is why you can experience the best results with PK 9/18 during this critical stage of you plants development.

B Vitamin Hydroponic Products - One of the greatest inhibitors to your plant's development and growth is stress. Stress can be caused by transferring your plant, through disease, or even extremely rapid growth. The best way to counteract this stress is through the use of B vitamin supplements, which help give your plants the energy they need to grow rapidly. These B vitamins can come from either organic or synthetic sources, depending upon your own growing preferences.

Seaweed Plant Food - If you really want to give your plants a great boost of nutrients and other things that they need, you should look to seaweed plant food. Years of research has confirmed that plant food derived from kelp has a ton of positive effects on plant growth and development. This is because kelp naturally contains a ton of hormones and vitamins that are known to have a benefit to plants. What is even better is that these supplements are totally organic, meaning that it is very unlikely that you will overuse them.
It is important to remember to always experiment with different organic nutrients, supplements, and other hydroponics products. Only by trying different hydroponics products and seeing how well your plant grows will you be able to truly find the products, nutrients, and supplements that will be best for your garden.

Discover how to greatly increase your yields continuously with absolute certainty every time you grow with the most recent proven tips and tactics that will show you how to realize even bigger yields using advanced nutrients, also sign up now for the free Bigger Yields Newsletter and receive a free bonus report: 7 Common Mistakes Growers Make. Michael Straumietis is the co-founder of Advanced Nutrients, the worlds leading authority and manufacturer of hydroponics plant nutrients and growth enhancing products guaranteed (or your money back) to give you unending bigger yields, with world wide distribution in 41 countries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1553172

Advanced Nutrients Testimonial

2011-10-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Ivan from Greencoast Santa Barbara sharing his experiences with Advanced Nutrients

Your ONE Source for Growing Medical Marijuana

Big Mike from Advanced Nutrients at the THC EXPO - 2009

2011-10-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com | Big Mike introduces Advanced Nutrients at the THC EXPO in 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Advanced Nutrients Grow, Bloom, Micro by AccessHydroponic.com

2011-09-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.accesshydroponic.com/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=20 Advanced Nutrients scientists conducted extensive research on plant tissue samples and found plants perform best when the ratio of application of our GMB(Grow-Mirco-Bloom) is 1:1:1. Professional and Grand Master growers may have the experience to experiment with that ratio, but our test gardens have shown great results with 1:1:1. When our GMB is used with the Bigger Yields System, nutrient absorption is higher than ever before possible with any 3-part formula.
Advanced Nutrients GMB is manufactured with the latest coatings, chelates and processes, which means much more nutrition is absorbed by plants. That's why you use a lot less of our nutrients when compared to General Hydroponics, which is 25% weaker than our 3-part.

Home made Outdoor Deep Water Culture (DWC) Hydroponics Part 2

2011-09-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

This is the second video of my grow season. My tomato's just got flowers in the past week and I can already see some tomatos starting to form. I have 4 big boy on the corners and 2 cherry tomato in the middle. My peppers are also doing well with a lot of flowers starting. I had one strawberry plant die on me and two of them aren't looking to good. I think my net pots are too big for the shallow root system of the strawberry's i don't know but that are not growing like I thought they would. If you have any questions let me know!

Vertical Farming: The Future of American Farming and Sustainable Urban Living (Part I)

2011-09-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Kennedy's presentation on vertical farming from the 2011 Chicago Green Business Summit. Presented by United for a Sustainable America. Video by Alan Whitney. For more information on Hydroponics, be a regular at our hydroponic stream on the web.

Five Easy Ways to Increase the Uptake of Your Foliar Spray

2011-09-18T04:08:00.000-07:00

Using a foliar spray to increase the number of nutrients that your plants receive is a powerful, proven way to enjoy healthier plants. Yet at the same time, many hydroponic gardeners have probably heard of instances where someone used a foliar spray but only experienced very little benefit. Most of these cases are not the fault of the ingredients in the spray itself, but rather how they are applied. If you do not carefully consider every aspect of the proper application of the foliar fertilizer, you probably will not enjoy as big a return on your investment as you were hoping. Fortunately, careful application does not have to involve a lot of time or effort. Through a few small tweaks, you can easily make the most of your foliar spray feeding. Subscribe to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

Our Hydroponic Greenhouse - hydroponics system

2011-09-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

This video is our greenhouse. My husband built it. It grows our greens hydroponically. We have collards, Swiss chard, arugula, dandelion, watercress, lettuces, and romaine.

Hydroponics Vertical Garden

2011-09-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

DIY hydroponic garden. This is my vertical garden. Started with the idea of getting the most production out of a small space. By growing in the vertical styrofoam pots, you insulate the roots of the plant keeping them warm in winter and cool in the summer. By planting in coco coir, you have a completely nutreal media free of alkanlinity and PH; coco coir is necessary when using these vertical pots. Click to join the hydroponics revolution on the web.

Read more...

Lakeville Produce

2011-08-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Washingtonville, PA (Montour County) hydroponics growing facility. Producing several types of lettuce in a managed environment.

Archi's Acres: Video Tour of Commercial Hydroponics Operation

2011-08-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/index.php Archi's Acres is a commercial hydroponics operation also offering support to military veterans. Check out this video tour of their 2.5 acre organic farm near San Diego.

Watering & Container Sizes

2011-08-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com/finalphase, watering & container sizes, featuring erik biksa discussing watering & container sizes for hydroponics and organics crops.

pH And Mixing Nutrients

2011-08-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com/nutrientcalculator pH and mixing hydroponics nutrients, the importance of pH in the mixing order of hydroponics and organics nutrients

Hydroponic Lettuce Farm In Georgia

2011-07-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

A small family farm in Laurens County, Georgia is growing hydroponic lettuce. The Monitor's Ryan Naquin reports.

http://www.growersunderground.com/

Hydroponic Lettuce

2011-07-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

The methods of growing comercial hydroponic lettuce.
http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/index.php

High Hopes For Vertical Farming

2011-07-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

A UK based company has developed a method of vertical farming, using hydroponic growing techniques which don't require soil, saving space and energy.

http://www.bigbudsmag.com/

Ag-Environmental: 3 Boys Farm in Ruskin, Fl. (USA)

2011-07-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Robert! 3 Boys Farm receives Environmental Leadership Award (with VIDEO link)
Last week, Robert and Deborah Tornello traveled to sunny Daytona Beach, and at a breakfast ceremony on Friday, October 15, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson recognized 3 Boys Farm, Saturiwa Conservation Area, and Arapaho Citrus Management with his 2010 Environmental Leadership Awards. Advanced Nutrients Hydroponics

Be sure to see the fantastic video that Rick Lurding--Radio & TV Producer/Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture--made of 3 Boys Farm, which premiered at the breakfast (in Flash). You'll be so impressed, with both the farm itself and the lovely filmography and well-written narrative.

Of course, we're terribly proud of Robert, who's been tirelessly working toward this very green dream for many moons. And in addition to thanking Commissioner Bronson, we'd also like to thank Rick Lurding, as well as Gemy Hinton, and our intrepid crew at the farm, especially Greenhouse Manager Michael Lenas and his assistant, Giancarlo Tornello (Son One of the 3 Boys!)

Is Big Bud Better?

2011-07-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

You're likely to be among the 91.7% of growers who use bloom boosters every bloom cycle, so it's natural for you to want to be sure that your boosters give you the biggest yields possible for your garden. Advanced Nutrientd

To be precise, you look for bloom booster effects that include:

1. Larger, heavier, denser flowers

2. Flowers with more essential oils, aromatics, terpenoids, phenols and other potency factors

3. Measurable, significant increases in overall harvest weight and market value

How do most bloom boosters stack up in meeting these goals? Not as well as they could. In fact, until recently poorly-absorbed forms of phosphorus and potassium (P and K) were the main ingredients in most bloom boosters.

Worse yet, almost all bloom boosters have incorrect ratios or types of phosphorus and potassium. Most bloom boosters provide double the amount of phosphorus to potassium. That's not useful. Your plants are much hungrier for potassium than for phosphorus during bloom phase.

And when too much phosphorus is dumped into your plants, it creates a potential for phosphorus toxicity that works against flower production and overall plant health.

Not only that, your crops may taste harsh so they hurt your throat and lungs.

http://www.advancednutrients.com/bigbud is big bud better?, presents Erik Biksa discussing improvements in Big Bud bloom booster and how to get the best results in hydroponics and soilless crops.

Nutrients For Beginners

2011-07-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Douglas, a grower from Spokane, Washington, had been growing our types of plants for years.

He had recently switched to only eating organically grown fruits and vegetables and loved the health benefits. So he wanted to bring the same feeling into the crops he was growing.

Excited, he started with a common organic fertilizer called Earth Juice... and... in his own words it was "a nightmare"!

Why? There were many reasons. If you've ever tried growing organically before, ask yourself if any of these problems sound familiar...

- It was extremely hard to mix and apply unless he watered by hand which took way too much of his valuable time...

- It smelled horrible, like raw sewage, and made Douglas and his family want to retch whenever they went near the indoor grow room in their home...

- Fungus gnats began breeding in the sludge and spread all over his plants, his house and totally disgusted him and his family...

- While he was getting a decent harvest before with a 3-part synthetic blend, his plants were now pale green, sick looking and he was left with an "overflowing toilet" type situation in his grow room!

- And worst of all, It built up like sludge around his Rockwool and became like what you'd see at a raw sewage treatment plant...

Read more: Nutrients For Beginners
http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/products/iguana_juice/iguana_juice_product_information.php

http://www.advancednutrients.com/iguanajuice nutrients for beginners, presents Erik Biksa recommending which nutrients will give beginners the best results in hydroponics, organics and soilless crops

Biological Hydroponics Reservoirs

2011-06-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

GET THIS EASY WAY STIMULATE THE BREAKDOWN OF DEAD ROOT MATERIAL SO YOU SAVE MONEY AND MAXIMIZE YOUR YIELDS

Your plants' roots help you maximize your gardens yield when you give them a root zone filled with active enzymes that break down debris and promote nutrient absorption.

It goes without saying that your garden benefits from a convenient enzyme formula that breaks down dead material from your root zone, which creates reusable nutrition for your plants so you save money.

Here's the inside story...

TURN ROOT ZONE WASTE INTO NUTRITION FOR YOUR PLANTS

First of all, enzymes are molecules that take apart other molecules, and you can harness this fact to get more vigorous growth and maximize yields.

You see, if you were growing outdoors in the healthiest, most fertile soil, your plants' roots would be surrounded by billions of beneficial microbes that manufacture enzymes.

These enzymes are constantly breaking down dead roots, other organic matter, and unused nutrients. They transform them into materials that your plants use for fuel to make more vigorous growth and maximize yields.

Rich enzymes in the root zone are one main reason outdoor plants get so huge and productive.

But you can't just throw in any enzymes. You have to give your root zone the most powerfully appropriate enzymes for the job.

Turns out those exceptionally useful enzymes are chitinases, proteases, hydrolases, glucanases and cellulases.

When you insert live, thriving, concentrated amounts of these enzymes into your root zone, you create the vigorous enzymatic environment your roots need.

At the same time, the enzymes are turning debris into pre-digested food for your plants!

YOU GET WHAT YOU REALLY NEED IN AN ENZYME FORMULA

Now let's take a moment to examine how you get the perfect enzymes into a formula that works in your hydroponics garden.

Because what a lot of hydroponics companies do is take shortcuts that short circuit the value of enzymes. Instead of using the precise types and ratios of enzymes that have been shown to work the hardest and fastest in your root zone, some companies outsource their manufacturing so they don't know what's in their enzyme products.

Because when you want to deliver a guaranteed effective enzyme formula to gardeners, you have to get enzymes that have been specially extracted in professional bioengineering laboratories.

Scientists in these labs grow huge amounts of beneficial soil microbes (the kind that manufacture the enzymes your plants need), and then they ferment those microbes to get concentrated doses of enzymes.

After that, the enzymes are tested individually and together to ensure that they have maximum shelf life, viability and effectiveness in the root zone.

Read more: SensiZym

http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/products/sensizym/sensizym_product_information.php

http://www.advancednutrients.com/sensizym managing biological hydroponic reservoirs, presents Erik Biksa discussing using biological nutrients in hydroponic reservoirs for hydroponic and organic crops

THE BIGGER YIELDS FLOWERING SYSTEM™ - EXPERT GROWER LEVEL

2011-06-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

Ideal for growers that have gained some experience and have had successful crops, and for growers graduating from the Hobbyist Level in the Bigger Yields Flowering System™.

To increase yield levels an average of 17% over the Hobbyist Level (as above), the bundle at the Expert Grower Level includes three additional products. These additional products will further increase root mass, improve disease resistance, stimulate nutrient cycling, nourish microbes, boost plant energy levels, and provide enhanced flavor and aromas in a heavier yield.

ADVANCED NUTRIENTS - EXPERT GROWER BUNDLE

Advanced Nutrients - Expert Grower Bundle

Piranha – to improve the health of the root zone and microbial species diversity in the substrate for bigger yields and better resistance to root diseases, the beneficial fungi in the liquid suspension of Piranha quickly colonize growing mediums and roots once applied.

The proprietary Advanced Nutrients™ labs bred species of plant beneficial fungi include Trichoderma and Mycorrhizae, as well as many other species of fungi that were carefully selected to ensure the most effective interaction together for bigger yields. Piranha is engineered to work in harmony with the other species of beneficial bacteria, fungi and other products available in the different Bigger Yields Flowering System™ bundles.

Bud Candy – creates sweeter tasting flavors and aromas in flowers and fruits by supplying a precise blend of carbohydrates, oligiosacharides, esters, polyphenolic compounds, vitamins and amino acids. The combined spectrum of ingredients from SweetLeaf and CarboLoad supplement the plant’s natural carbohydrate levels for better growth rates while helping the plant to develop more terpanoids that enhance flavors and aromas. Bud Candy will also help to supply beneficial microbes in the root zone with an energy source for rapid colonization and multiplication.

Final Phase – promotes softer tasting fruits and better smelling flowers by removing excess nutrients from growing mediums and the plant that can have a negative impact on the harvest. Final Phase breaks the ionic bond between excess nutrients and growing mediums while reducing the potentially damaging internal effects “flushing” can have on plants. During the final week before harvest, Final Phase is much more effective than plain water at flushing out the residues that can negatively affect the carbon to nitrogen ratio in plant material. Final Phase also helps to remove excess nutrient ions for those growers intending to reuse their growing mediums.

Bigger Yields Flowering System™ Overview

Advanced Nutrients - Expert Grower Bundle

The Bigger Yields Flowering System™ is guaranteed to give growers huge yields of the highest quality, without a lot of complicated mixing rates. Simply put, the grower selects which of the bundled levels best suits their own skill level and garden, and can then leave the rest up to the proprietary pH Perfect™ Technology nutrient technologies incorporated into these revolutionary crop feeding nutrients.

The feeding chart provided with each of the bundles, whether the grower is at the Hobbyist, Expert, Professional or Grand Master Grower Level has been developed and refined to give crops optimal nutrient levels and ratios for massive yields every time. Advanced Nutrients™ has developed the first-ever pH Perfect™ Technology nutrient system for crop feeding.

By simply using the value added, combined formulations there are fewer bottles and easier mixing rates. Add 4 ml of base nutrients, and 2 ml of the additives per Liter, and that’s it. The pH of the solution will instantly correct itself into the optimal range when the components are mixed with water. The formulations contain a proprietary “smart” release of acid and alkaline molecules, that will correct the pH to optimum and keep it there.

With the Bigger Yields Flowering System™, nutrient uptake is unparalleled. Chelation is a process that makes nutrients more available to plants on a molecular level. The nutrients supplied to the crop will have the highest level of chelation available from any product in the marketplace, ensuring maximum nutrient uptake; under the widest range of growing conditions.

Combining the pH Perfect™ Technology with an unsurpassed level of chelation ensures that the balanced ratios of the formulations used in the Bigger Yields Flowering System™ are constantly being delivered to and taken up by the plants root system. The formulas used take care of the crop from top to bottom, promoting huge root systems, thicker stems, bigger leaves and the hugest blooms.

Advanced Nutrients™ has added value and simplified the use of the individual products in the system by creating 2-in-1 and even 5-in-1 products. For example, when growers add base nutrients, not only will they be adding balanced ratios of chelated macro and micro elements; they will be adding crop enhancers such as humates, fulvates, amino acids, and even a high quality non-ionic surfactant. These crop enhancers can help to improve the performance of any growing system, whether the grower likes to garden in dirt or produce hydroponically. Each of the growing levels offered gives progressively bigger yields; the grower selects the level that suits their skill level and needs.

Urban Grower

We check out an awesome grow that uses Advanced Nutrients PH Perfect..

Outdoor Grows Heavy Harvests

2011-06-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

NOW YOU CAN GET A FASTER, HEAVIER, AND MUCH BIGGER HARVEST BY ONLY FEEDING YOUR OUTDOOR PLANTS ONCE PER MONTH!

If you would like more colorful, juicier, bigger harvests from your outdoor plants... while at the same time... slashing your application time to just once every 3-5 weeks... then this article will show you how a new scientific discovery now makes that possible.

What's more: with this "once per month" fertilizing schedule, scientists have perfected the ability to make absolutely sure your plants get the exact nutrients, fertilizers and fuel your plants need exactly when they need it.

Advanced Nutrients - Heavy Harvest

Never too much, never too little, and your plants will think you've been feeding them every single day without fail... even though... you're only visiting them every 3-5 weeks.

Even better: this breakthrough promotes and sustains abundant beneficial microbe production in the soil around your plants, creating an optimal environment for fast growth and big harvests.

HERE'S HOW EASY IT IS TO GET FASTER GROWTH AND BIGGER YIELDS WITH HEAVY HARVEST™...

This scientific breakthrough, HEAVY HARVEST™, was developed by the research team at Advanced Nutrients as a three-blend fertilizer so you only have to visit your outdoor plants a few times per season to make sure they grow faster, stronger, and give you bigger harvests.

Here's how it works: At the beginning of spring, you simply use Heavy Harvest Spring blend and visit your outdoors plants to give them exactly what they need, as little as every 5 weeks.

The formula is time-released (that's why you only have to do it about once per month) and it contains the exact ratios of engineered nutrition and co-factors your plants need for faster, earlier growth.

Plus, it gives your plants the perfect nutrition formula to make sure they're starting off strong and more resistant to stress and diseases that could harm them later.

After your spring applications, it's time to sit back and relax. That's because you don't have to do another application until summer arrives.

Instead of fussing with fertilizers made for vegetable gardens and grandma's roses that require you to go back and forth to your outdoor garden every week, you can rest assured you're using a unique fertilizer for the plants you grow and they're getting the best nutrition possible for their growth phase.

NO MORE SWEATING UNDER THE HOT SUMMER SUN BECAUSE YOU'LL SPEND LESS TIME THAN EVER FERTILIZING!

Even better is when summer rolls around, the air is hot, and humidity is at its highest-you won't have to make dozens of trips to go fertilize. No more sweating in the hot, blazing sun again and again. All you do is make your fertilizing trips every 3-5 weeks during summer to apply the specially developed Heavy Harvest Summer blend and you're good to go! This summer-specific blend is packed full of the correct ratio of phosphorous, potassium and other essential nutrients your plants need to have all the fuel, food and nutrition they need to start blooming strong. You'll see your plants get bushy, sturdier and thicker than ever. The stalks will fill out bigger than before, thicker than before and more robust than ever-setting you up for a huge harvest when the time comes. And again, because of the scientifically developed time-release formula, that's all you do during the summer months. Just a few, simple applications and you're done for now.

Advanced Nutrients - Heavy Harvest, outdoor grows heavy harvests, presents Erik Biksa giving some pointers for outdoor grows with heavy harvests

Growing Fruits and Vegetables in Containers

2011-04-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

Growing fruits and vegetables in containers provides a unique challenge, it can be hard to make sure they have plenty of water. Fortunately it's not hard to work around this, just use commercially made pots with a reservoir or make your own.

To learn more about home hydroponics systems, please subscribe to the best hydroponics newsletter on the web!

Kushie Kush Bloom Booster

2011-04-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.GrowersUnderground.com Check out this website if you want to grow buds as big as your arm! Check out this video that helps you achieve your goals of Bigger Yields, Bigger Buds!

To learn more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics videos on the web!

Video Duration: 0:01:54

Read more...

The Importance of Heat to Hydroponics Systems

2011-04-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Photosynthesis, which is essential to all plant life, can only occur when the atmosphere in your hydroponics system is sufficiently warm. Should the temperature fall too low or should it fluctuate too much throughout the course of a day, photosynthesis may be stunted, incomplete, or not occur at all.

To learn more about hydroponics, check out the biggest buds on the web!

Spannabis 2011 Big Mike Advanced Nutrients

2011-04-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

It's the Urban Grower Remo interviewing Big Mike about Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect and the New Jungle Juice product.

Video Duration: 0:03:41

To join the revolution for bigger yields, check out the Growers Underground!

Read more...

Enhancing Flavor with Hydroponic Gardening

2011-03-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

One of the many advantages of growing your own vegetables hydroponically is that your vegetables often taste better. The produce you get from the supermarket is often very bland for a number of reasons.
First, most farmers do not grow for taste, they grow for yield. They get paid just as much for a bland tomato as a delicious one so they would rather have a large, mediocre crop than a smaller, delicious tasting one. Also, the vegetables that you pick up at the market are usually picked long before they are ripe to allow more time for transport. Allowing a vegetable to ripen on the vine transfers more sugars from the plant to the vegetable itself, resulting in superior taste.

To learn more about hydroponics, visit one of the loveliest gardens on the web!

Hydroponic Watercress / Vegetables

2011-03-10T18:39:00.000-08:00

Noncirculating Hydroponics in Hawaii...aloha....

Video Duration: 0:03:20

To learn more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics videos on the web!

Read more...

Have You Got a Hydroponic Closet?

2011-02-14T21:08:00.000-08:00

A closet can give you substantially better yield results than traditional gardening methods. Have you ever used a hydroponic closet? Would you like to try?
Hydroponics is a kind of liberation for gardeners as it removes the usual negative constraints associated with outdoor crop growing. For instance, a gardener has no control over his outdoor environment. However, using hydroponic gardening methods the indoor gardener becomes the boss, as it were, and controls the environment using basic science principles, affording fresh produce all year round whilst maximizing output to boot.
To learn more about hydroponics, join the hydroponics revolution on the web!

How To Build an Aeroponic / Hydroponic Marijuana Clone Box

2011-02-14T21:02:00.000-08:00

This is my Aeroponic / Hydroponic Marijuana Clone Box , its a great way to clone your favorite marijuana plant , This box is easy and cheap to make all you need is a underwater pump , a tub , PVC pipe , rubber tubing , mister caps and root plugs.

Video Duration: 0:03:14

To learn more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics videos on the web!

Finding the Right LED Garden Lights

2011-01-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

Homeowners will see a rise in the value of their home when they use lights to spruce up a garden. Lights do not have to be a drain on the hydro bill, when you pick LED lights to do the trick. Energy saving garden lights make perfect sense, for anyone who wants a nice garden without having to spend a lot each month on the bill.
To learn more about hydroponics, check out the biggest buds on the web!

Tomatoes and Gardening Tips: How to Build a Small Hydroponics Tomato Grower

2011-01-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

In order to build a small hydroponics tomato grower, start by using seeds in a moist paper towel before transferring them over to seed trays. Discover why a hydroponic tomato grower should be placed in a hot, sunny spot with help from a sustainable gardener in this free video on growing tomatoes.

Video Duration: 0:02:42

To learn more about hydroponics, visit one of the loveliest gardens on the web!

Read more...

Hydroponic Gardening: How to Grow Orchids

2010-12-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

Do you love orchids? If you are a passionate grower and you love growing orchids, you will be happy to know that you can also grow this precious plant using hydroponic gardening.

Just like for the ones grown in soil, you will need to ensure that your orchids will have proper nutrients, adequate supply of lighting and the accurate temperature and humidity range should you decide to do hydroponic gardening. In terms of lighting, a 400 watt HID light is ideal for many orchid species. Orchid plant species that require intense lighting may be placed directly under the lamp while low light plants may be placed farther away from the lamp.

To learn more about hydroponics, please check out the biggest buds on the web!

The 400 watt dual purpose light fixture can effectively provide a 6′ x 6′ growing area. To promote lush flowering, the Metal Halide lamp should be replaced with a High Pressure Sodium bulb that emits the red and orange color spectrum. Once in bloom, orchids may be removed from the grow room and displayed anywhere. It is also important to note that orchids grown under high intensity lights consume more water than those grown outdoors. However, it is important to make sure not to over water. Ideally, the roots should be almost dry before watering.

In terms of nutrient feeding, orchids grown in hydroponic gardening using supplemental lighting will need to be fed more often because of their vigorous growth. One very potent hydroponics nutrient that you can use is Advanced Nutrients’ 100% organic nutrients formula, Iguana Juice Grow and Bloom. By using this formula, you can be sure that the roots of your orchid plants will not burn and they will grow strong, healthy and lush. You can also use all sorts of growing medium for your hydroponic orchids. For example, expanded clay pellets are uniform in size and quite porous allowing orchid plants to easily stabilize while providing great capillary action. Available in a variety of sizes, clay pellets are a great environment for orchids with thick roots and they do not wear out easily so you can use them for several growing seasons. Another good mix of soilless medium that you can use is the combination of perlite and vermiculite. Perlite and vermiculite are heated natural minerals which can be used individually or with a mixture of peat and bark. Both perlite and vermiculite have a light and fluffy quality that will not get waterlogged. These media are well suited for orchids with thin, airy roots.

Finally, in terms of temperature and humidity range, fresh air and good ventilation are essential for orchids under artificial lights. High humidity required by orchids is an ideal breeding ground for fungus which is why good air movement using a wall or a ceiling mounted fan will help to eliminate fungus and viruses while circulating the air. To keep the humidity at a proper range, grow room walls can be draped with plastic. When white plastic is used, humidity retention and increased light intensity can be achieved inside the grow room, thus, allowing you to have better success in growing orchids using the method of hydroponic gardening.

Hence, if you are interested to discover more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics videos on the web.

Plant Nutrient Deficiencies, HS 26

2010-12-21T22:42:00.000-08:00

Erik Biksa discussing common plant nutrient deficiencies in hydroponics and organic crops.

Video Duration: 0:06:00

To join the revolution for bigger yields, check out the Growers Underground!

Water Farm Hydroponics Use Massive Reservoirs Connecting Multiple Growing Units

2010-11-12T00:52:00.000-08:00

Water farm hydroponics is definitely the best facility large business owners could use for extensive soilless cultures. Hydroponic systems all function on the same basis with the only mention that according to plant growing extension, the size of the system has to be adjusted properly.

To join the revolution for bigger yields, check out the Growers Underground!

This is the case of the water farm hydroponic system that includes very large reservoirs and several growing units connected with the help of a controller that keeps them all balanced in terms of nutrient solution. The important thing is that this system, though mainly devoted to large users, can very well be organized so as to occupy as little space as possible at home.

Size variations

The main constituent in the hydroponic system is the reservoir, since without enough space to keep the nutrient solution, you can’t develop a large culture. The biggest water farm hydroponics systems use reservoirs as large as thirty-five gallons, and there are several producers that manufacture this size: for instance American Hydroponics.

Another company that designs water farm hydroponic systems is Greentrees Hydroponics. The advantage with their products is that the complete system occupies very little space due to its very economic design.

The Greentrees water farm hydroponics systems use the traditional drip kind of irrigation. The structure material is high impact plastic that can be successfully used for indoors as well as for outdoors purposes. The package includes a reservoir, a growing tank, an air pump, a pumping column as well as grow rocks and a specific quantity of nutrients.

Being able to grow large crops by optimizing the used space is a great achievement for anyone in the gardening business, try it and see for yourself. For extensive gardening several such water farm hydroponic systems can be used, depending on your intentions.

Water Farm Hydroponics Price Variations

Given the fact that even with large water farm hydroponic systems there are size variations, the prices change accordingly. Usually, the prices vary between $150 for the smaller water farm hydroponic systems and go up to $500 for very large once. It is recommended that you don’t purchase any system until you know for sure what kind of culture you are going to grow.

Comparing pricers on the Internet is a good idea, not to mention that you can subscribe for newsletters and receive regular updates on prices, promotions or special discounts. Thus you are sure to make a good deal!

Hydroponics Secrets Episode Five, Aeroflo Tips

2010-11-12T00:49:00.000-08:00

Erik Biksa reveals tips, tricks and information to give hydroponics growers bigger and better yields.

Video Duration: 0:06:22

To learn more about aeroponics, please subscribe to the best hydroponics newsletter on the web!

Gardening Hints for Healthy and Happy Plants

2010-10-21T00:38:00.000-07:00

Plants, like all living things have basic, minimum requirements to sustain them. Generally, they are food, water and a suitable environment. But if you want them to thrive you need to get more specific. One of the best things to do is look around your neighborhood and see what kinds of plants look great. It means they love your local conditions and are probably easy to grow.

To join the revolution for bigger yields, check out the biggest buds on the web!

With real estate, the 3 key things to remember are location, location, location. With plants it’s preparation, preparation, preparation! Your plants will thrive if you take care of the basics before bringing them home. You need to make sure your soil is enriched with organic material, providing ongoing, accessable nutrients.

This will also help with conditioning of the soil, encouraging helpful micro-organisms and creating the correct PH levels. Continue to add organic matter to the soil for as long as you want a healthy garden.

Be sure to plant your new plant(s) in a suitable place for them in your garden. Some plants cannot tolerate full sun. Others need a minimum of five hours sun to do well.

Also, take into consideration the mature size of the plant. If you have a small courtyard planting a seedling that will mature into a large tree could be a costly mistake. Read the label on your plant or ask the nursery staff if you’re unsure.

Watering is essential to keeping your plants healthy and happy. Deep watering once or twice a week(depending on your rainfall and the season), rather than surface watering often is far more beneficial to plants as it encourages them to grow deeper root systems.

Deeper root systems allow plants to access water and valuable nutrients and gives them the ability to withstand longer periods without water. Mulching with organic material is also beneficial to your garden, preventing moisture loss, soil erosion and helping with weed control, while adding organic matter.

Remember to experiment with your garden. That’s the only way to discover what plants love living in your area and those that don’t. Try different things and see what works for you. You could chat with your plants or even try planting with the cycles of the moon.

Children love to be involved with the garden. If they show interest you could offer them a small plot of their own to look after. They will be delighted with their efforts when they see tiny seeds mature into food or flowers, and so will you.

Hydroponics Secrets Ten, Hydroponics Enzymes

2010-10-21T00:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com presents Hydroponics Secrets featuring Erik Biksa revealing tips and tricks to give hydroponics and organic growers bigger and better yields.

Duration : 0:09:29

To learn more about hydroponics, please subscribe to the best hydroponics newsletter on the web!

How to Raise the Strongest Most Beautiful Bulbs

2010-09-22T01:56:00.001-07:00

Bulbs are your best bet for success. It’s almost impossible to make a mistake because all the nutrients that the flower needs, are in the bulb. What you may find difficult, is actually choosing which bulbs you want.

This article will help you select healthy bulbs and will give you tips on how to get them ready, from preparing the soil, fertilizing, and planting.

To join the revolution for bigger yields, check out the Growers Underground!

Selecting Healthy Bulbs

The secret to a fantastic flower garden is choosing high-quality bulbs. Make sure that you always buy your bulbs from a reliable source, whether you are shopping from a catalog, outlet or local store. Even if the bulbs are a little more costly, you will save money on the long run, if the source is a good one, than simply searching for the best bargain.

Because the bulb stores the energy in the bulb (in the form of starch,) larger bulbs may produce larger flowers. This does not mean however, that you should buy only large bulbs. Don’t hesitate to buy smaller ones as well from a reliable source. These smaller bulbs may just need a season or two to catch up to the larger ones. If you want to have spectacular blooms this year, then buy the larger bulbs.

If you’re buying your bulbs from a local store, inspect them carefully. They should be firm and not have any cuts, blemishes or spots on them. They should not feel dry or light, but more on the heavy side for their size. The basal plate (where the roots emerge) should be solid and firm. It’s okay for the bulbs to have loose skin or little nicks. This would not affect their development in any way.

Getting Ready

It’s always important to choose the right spot for your bulbs, whether it be inside or outside. You probably know about the differences in planting in the garden; how certain plants will thrive better under certain conditions than others.

When you select your location for your new bulbs, try to think about its needs and where it may do best. Don’t forget that even a few feet can make a huge difference with levels of light. What may be suitable lighting at the edge of your shrubs may not be suitable over by the corner of your house, even if it’s only a small jog away.

Preparing the Soil

Except for Siberian irises, most bulbs prefer loose, porous soil because they need to have good drainage. If your soil does not drain well, improve it by adding nutrients, raising the beds, or installing drain lines.

Almost any soil can benefit from organic materials, especially sandy and heavy clay soils.

Fertilizing

Mix bone meal or superphosphate into the soil at the bottom of each planting hole. Because phosphorus does not move easily; it must be planted deep enough to allow the roots to reach it.

Planting

Try to plant your bulbs as soon as you can when the weather permits and is suitable for planting. If you can’t plant them right away, store them in a cool place such as your refrigerator. Never store them in closed bags as they might rot. Bulbs need to breathe!Open the bags or place them instead in paper ones.

Most bulbs are planted at a depth three times their diameter. It’s easier if you dig up a larger area at the proper depth, set them inside the hole, and then cover them.

How to Build Hydroponics Ebb and Flow

2010-09-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

EBB and Flow Advantages over DWC (deep water culture) are easy to move plants around, change resovior, rotate plants, set them outside unit.

To learn more about hydroponics, please subscribe to the best hydroponics newsletter on the web!

Growing Hydroponic Marijuana: How to Determine Male Plants from Female Plants

2010-08-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

If you plan on growing hydroponic marijuana, it would also help if you knew what type of marijuana plant you’re growing. Sensimilla marijuana is a term for female plants that have not produced seeds. Not producing seeds allows the plant to use more energy producing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and other chemicals that users require. As an ancient tradition for cannabis growers, the sensimilla is the result of removing male plants from the grow environment before they have a chance to fertilize the female marijuana plants. More growers prefer to grow sensimilla indoors in the form of hydroponics because growing it outdoors can be difficult. This is because in an outdoor setting, a single male marijuana plant can fertilize female marijuana plants within an area of a few hundred feet.

To learn more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics videos on the web!

So before you start growing your hydroponic marijuana plants, there are a few things that you need to know. If you have started from clones, it is most likely that the clones you obtained were female marijuana plants. But if you have grown from seed, you will have to separate the male marijuana plants from the female marijuana plants before the male plants flower and produce pollen, unless you are planning to produce seeds as well. However, there is approximately a 50% chance a seed will be either a male or a female.

Assuming that all the marijuana seeds are of the same strain, the male marijuana plants will always mature sooner compared with the female marijuana plants. This is because the male plant will have small oval pollen sacks that the female will lack. Once you see these sacks, remove the male plants from your hydroponic garden. In contrast, white hairs or pistils will begin to develop at bud sites of female plants. Male plants from some marijuana strains may be potent, while other strains are worthless. But if you wish to ensure that you can greatly benefit from your hydroponic marijuana, you can remove the male marijuana plants from your garden.

Hydroponics Secrets Episode Four, Piranha and Tarantula

2010-08-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Celebrities for Advanced Nutrients

2010-07-20T02:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.growersunderground.com Join on this website if you want to take your indoor garden to the next level! Check out these Hollywood celebrities who love Advanced Nutrients! Even Big Mike gets into the action! Try it, and you will too!

Video Duration : 0:1:5

To learn more about hydroponics, visit one of the loveliest gardens on the web!

An Overview of Sunflower Diseases

2010-07-20T02:49:00.000-07:00

Sunflowers have always been the target of disease. Even though some of them are most dominant in certain locations in the U.S., others manifest wherever the crop is grown. For example, head rot is prevalent throughout California, but downy mildew can be found on crops harvested across the entire country. Over the past few decades, more than 30 diseases have been found on crops (though most of them either won’t cause severe damage or can be controlled easily). Below, we’ll explore a few of the most important diseases and the type of damage they usually cause.

To learn more about plant diseases, please subscribe to the best hydroponics newsletter on the web!

Rust

Rust is a constant thorn in the side of commercial growers because it evolves, making it difficult (though, not impossible) to cultivate resistant hybrids. It’s caused by a fungus called Puccinia helianthi and shows up on sunflower planted throughout the U.S. In mild cases, you’ll notice auburn-colored spots showing up on the leaves and stems. When an infestation has occurred, rust can show up on the backs of the heads.

The damage caused by rust can be substantial. It can lead to reduced seed count, smaller seed size, and less oil content. The most effective way to prevent an infestation is to plant resistant breeds, though again, it’s hard to keep up with the fungi’s evolution. Also, it’s worth noting that some types of fertilizer can make the problem even worse.

Downy Mildew

Another disease that affects sunflower crops nationwide is downy mildew. It’s usually found in places where the soil is either water-logged or has a significant amount of clay. For years, professional growers were able to use resistant breeds to keep it at bay. However, new strains of the parent fungus (Plasmopara halstedii) have caused growers to revisit their methods. Most hybrids that are used commercially can resist a couple of different strains of downy mildew. However, 9 strains have been identified in the U.S.

This fungus often takes hold at the seedling stage. When that happens, it stunts the growth of the crop and causes the heads to face skyward (as opposed to nodding late in the growth cycle). If the infection spreads across the entire crop, it can have a significant impact on seed yield.

Spots

Spots can appear on the stems and leaves of sunflowers due to 2 different fungi: Alternaria helianthi and Alternaria zinniae. They’re dark brown and can gain control quickly during the flowering stages. The infection is mostly seen in crops that are grown in the Northern states and is associated with high humidity and warm temperatures. If you plant sunflowers in soil that is already infected, there’s a good chance you’ll see spots during the early growth stages.

There are a couple of fungicides that can be used on crops to prevent an infestation. But, most growers prefer to use crop rotation methods. When they notice sunflowers that are infected with spots, they’ll typically bury them, so they’ll decompose quickly.

Disease Management

The strategies that are used to manage the onset and spread of diseases vary by grower. Some use fungicides and seed treatments. Others rotate crops. Most professional growers make use of hybrids that are resistant to specific infections. That said, there’s an ongoing challenge to develop resistance to new strains of the most prevalent fungi. In all cases, it’s important to limit the rotation of sunflowers in the same soil to at least 4 years. Not only does that help minimize the spread of diseases throughout the crops, but it also helps increase yield and soil productivity.

Sunlight Supply--The Truth

2010-01-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.GrowersUnderground.com Hey Sunlight Supply is using some really un-cool and unbelievably illegal STRONG ARM tactics by threatening to put a group of hydroponics storeowners out of business unless they start a boycott of Advanced Nutrients products.

Sunlight Supply CEO Craig Hargreaves will easily put these storeowners out of business because he controls the supplies of grow lights, bulbs and ballasts. Plus, the other things those storeowners needs to stay in business.

Sunlight Supply and the good ol' boys club have been playing these shenanigans for the last seven years on our community. Now they've taken their scheming to a whole new and illegal level.

This video exposes the dirty underbelly of hydroponics good ol' boys club and their leader Craig Hargreaves of Sunlight Supply - it's pretty graphic - they're actually doing this right now.

The video contains a lot of industry insider, store owner and personal stuff in it, so don't watch it if that's not your thing.

If you care about our hydroponics community and your hydroponics storeowner then you'll definitely want to watch this now.

Sunlight Supply--The Truth Video on YouTube

Hydroponics Grow Enhancers: The Answer to Getting Bigger Yields

2009-10-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Using an effective grow enhancer can definitely give you bigger yields and better crops. These products are also popular because they can be used through any stage of plant development such as germination, vegetation, and flowering. Grow enhancers are considered very effective because they contain a powerful combination of vitamins and other substances designed to help stimulate plant growth.

One of main reasons why grow enhancers can give you bigger yields is because they provide your plants with essential B Vitamins. Using certain concentrations of B vitamins is a very potent way of stimulating plant growth. For example, vitamin B1or Thiamine helps promote the synthesis of sugars that your plants need to thrive. By adding this vitamin as grow enhancers into your reservoir, you increase your plants’ ability to absorb these sugars, thus, giving you large, hearty fruits and vegetables. This B vitamin complex also contains vitamin B2 or Riboflavin that activates an enzyme to catalyze the ability of plant cells to turn oxygen and sugars into the energy that they need to grow.

Grow enhancers are also often packed with seaweed or kelp extract which contain powerful plant hormones designed specifically to encourage plant growth. These hormones send a signal to your plant cells to grow and divide very rapidly, which leads to faster growth, faster harvest time, and bigger yields. And to make these nutrients and vitamins as effective as possible, high quality grow enhancers come with a humic acid base. Humic acid has the ability to chelate, or bind positively charged ions that can allow your plants to absorb more nutrients than usual.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but if you have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

How to Produce Bigger Flowers in your Hydroponic Garden

2009-10-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Plants need nutrients in order to grow and flourish and the most important factor that can affect you’re their size what you feed them. Provided that your indoor growing environment is within the correct temperature, humidity and lighting, your plants will either grow or die depending on what kind of hydroponics nutrients you supply them. To produce bigger flowers, it is highly recommended that you use bloom boosters.

Bloom boosters provide extra amounts of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) which are known to be very competent contributors on the growth and size of the flowers. But not all bloom boosters available in the market today can provide you with bigger flowers. Some of them fail to manufacture or formulate the accurate ratio of phosphorus and potassium that can truly give you desirable results. In most cases, these bloom boosters can actually harm your plants, e.g. lesions on the leaves, leaf tip burning, slow growth, plant toxicity, and small harvests.

If you want your plants to produce bigger flowers, take note that the correct ratio or proportion of an effective bloom booster should contain a PK 9/18 formula. When you use a PK 9/18 ratio, you will produce impressive plants and flowers without overfeeding. The 9/18 ratio is proven to give the fastest, most productive flower growth because it is specially blended with superior-sourced nutrients in just the right ratio so your plants absorb what they need to make the best fruits and blooms.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but if you have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

How 2 Part Nutrients Work on your Hydroponic Plants

2009-10-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

Always keep in mind that the successful growth of your hydroponic plants depends on what you feed them. The nutrient solution that you supply them plays a very important role in giving you a bigger and healthy crop. It is also very important to know that hydroponic 2 part nutrients always work better compared to one part formulations. This is because a hydroponic 2 formulation is carefully designed to be more readily available to your plants at the right times, unlike a one part formula that has the tendency to cause build ups in your hydroponics systems because of the many elements present in it.

Plants require different ratios of nutrients during their vegetation and flowering phases. Therefore, it is more appropriate to use a formulation that contains 2 part nutrients. This is to maximize the potential of your plants in specific stages of their growth. These types of formulations are very competent in giving your plants the precise nutrients that they should absorb in a particular growth phase.

The 2 part nutrients focus mainly on what your plants need as they flourish in either their vegetative or flowering stage. For example, in the flowering stage, potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) should be more highly available because these macronutrients can contribute to budding, flowering and fruiting in plants. In addition to getting better and more nutritious crops, you can also use potent plant additives or supplements that can work well with your existing nutrient feeding program.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but if you have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

2 Part Hydroponics Nutrients: Why are they Important?

2009-10-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hydroponic plants need the correct temperature and humidity, moisture, light, air, the absence of pathogens and the correct ratios of nutrients in order for them to thrive. Thus, it is important for any novice hydroponic grower to know the essentials of plant nutrition to be able to maximize the genetic potential of his hydroponic plants.

A hydroponic nutrient solution is composed of water, dissolved air and a dozen essential elements in their proper proportions. These essential elements are divided into two categories: the macronutrients and the micronutrients. The macronutrients are required to be supplied in greater amounts, while the micronutrients are delivered to the plants in smaller quantity. To make the most out of your nutrient feeding, it is advisable to use 2 part hydroponics nutrients to help in the different stages of your plants’ development.

The 2 part hydroponics nutrients consist mainly of two components; the Grow formulation and the Bloom formulation. The Grow formulation contains more nitrogen (N) that promotes better and stronger shoot and leaf growth in the vegetative stage, while the Bloom formulation contains higher phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) that help in the budding, flowering and fruiting of plants. Both formulations are very essential for healthy plant growth. These formulations also promote faster growth and vigorous flowering because they also contain the right amounts of minerals that your plants need at specific stages of development.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but if you have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.

Growing Hydroponic Fruits and Vegetables at Home: Information Search

2009-04-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

Growing hydroponic fruits and vegetables at home is pretty easy if you just have the right attitude to it. Hydroponics is actually a method that allows any individual to have the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables in places where it would seem impossible. This is one of the amazing undertakings that hydroponics gives people. This gardening method will be most appreciated by those living in the city and those who do not have any space for traditional gardening. This is because it will give them the best chance to grow healthy and nutritious crops indoors.

Your first step in learning how to grow hydroponic fruits and vegetables at home is to get as much relevant and accurate information as you can. The Internet is a fantastic source of information about hydroponics, however as with all other areas of internet research there's just as much useful information as there are inaccurate ones. Knowing the difference between the two will determine your chances of success or failure. However, one way to get relevant and useful information on the net is to subscribe to hydroponic newsletters that are from a reputable source.

The very best hydroponics newsletter is available from the following url: http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter.
You can also solicit information about hydroponics through books and manuals to broaden your knowledge about the method.

Getting armed with the right information about hydroponics can help you produce vegetables and fruits with higher nutritional value. Visit this blog regularly for more useful information about growing hydroponic plants and vegetables at home.

Grow Lights

2009-04-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

Grow lights are electric lamps designed to promote plant growth by emitting an electromagnetic spectrum that is needed for photosynthesis. The emitted light spectrum is similar to the sun, thus allowing outdoor condition possible in indoor gardening. The natural color of daylight has a high color temperature that appears to be bluish. With the use of the color rendering index, it is possible to compare how much the lamp matches the natural color of the sunlight. There are several types of grow lights. These are as follows:

1. Incandescent grow light—has a red-yellowish tone and low color temperature. This type of grow light is solely used to highlight indoor plant groupings. It has a life span of 750 hours and considered to be less energy efficient because it produces more heat rather than light.

2. Fluorescent grow light—a standard fluorescent is usually used for growing vegetables or for starting seedlings. It produces twice as many lumens per watt of energy consumed as incandescent. It has an average usage of up to 20,000 hours.

3. Metal-Halide (MH) HID grow lamp—has a white light in the range of 2700 to 5500 Kelvin and a color rendering index of 65-75. With this type of grow light, plants appear to be almost identical to those grown outdoors. Metal halide lamps are five times as efficient as incandescent lamps and can last up to 25 times as long. It has a usable lifespan between 10,000 to 20,000 hours, depending on the wattage.

4. High-pressure sodium lamp—has a yellow light in the range of 2200 Kelvin and color rendering index of 22. Actually, the light is toward the red end of the spectrum. Most plants need red spectrum light when they are flowering. HPS lights are sometimes used in conjunction with the blue spectrum Metal Halide lights. Or you can buy conversion bulbs, and use a blue bulb for vegetative growth and the regular HPS bulb for budding and flowering.

5. Combination HPS/MH lamp-- combines a metal halide bulb and a high pressure sodium bulb in the same reflector, either with a single integrated ballast assembly or two separate ballast assemblies. The combination of blue metal halide light and red high pressure sodium light creates an ideal spectral blend and extremely high outputs.

6. Switchable, convertible and two-way lamp—is used to burn either a metal halide bulb or an equivalent wattage high pressure sodium bulb in the same fixture. This fixture is used for propagating and vegetative growing plants under the metal halide, then switching to a high pressure sodium bulb for the fruiting or flowering stage of plant growth.

7. LED grow lamp—is attractive to indoor growers since it does not consume as much power, does not require ballasts, and produces a fraction of the heat of HID lamps. The lamp consists of arrays of many wide-spectrum red and a few narrow-spectrum blue LED’s of specific wavelengths. LED grow lights have shown promise through plant research by NASA and many universities, and have even surpassed HID lights in some tests, when all the other variables are the same.

To discover more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics newsletter on the web, at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter.

Why Choose LED Grow Lights?

2009-04-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

LED or light-emitting diodes is an electric light source which uses a cluster of semiconductor diodes. When the diodes are switched on, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes and energy is released in the form of a light. LED lights are usually compact with integrated optical components to shape its radiation pattern and assist in reflection.

In hydroponics or indoor gardening, the use of LED Grow lights is recommended because it presents many advantages over traditional light sources and the use of such lighting is much favored compared to the traditional HID Lights because of the following:

1. Efficiency. LED produces less heat, energy and pollution. Because it has a directional pattern, the emitted energy does not get wasted on the rest of the spectrum. In addition, it also produces more light per watt than incandescent bulbs.

2. Economical. LED saves you energy and therefore saves you money. Compared to using an average HID Light that only lasts for 10,000 hours or 1.1 years, a LED Grow Light can extend to 60,000 hours which is equivalent to 6.9 years.

3. Excellent plant growth. Because of the accurate lighting that LED supplies your plants, the precise amount of light that your plants need to flourish is obtained, thus, giving you healthier, nutritious and remarkable crops.

4. Extra simple. With the LED Grow Light as your light source for your plants, you won’t be needing anymore bulbs, ballast, reflector and cooling system.

5. Extra safe to use. LED is perfectly safe to use on plants. It is also safe for gardeners because it replaces at least four hydroponic instruments in the facility thus reducing the risk of short circuit.

To discover more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics newsletter on the web, at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter.

Hydroponic Horticulture Has Advanced Our Food Supply

2009-04-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

The use of hydroponics as a method of producing crops has been proven to increase food production in modern greenhouses. It has been labeled to be the most effective and practical way of growing healthy crops today because it reduces costs of farming with pest control procedures and introduces the precise nutrient intake to plants. Moreover, the method requires less water (only 5% of water is required) compared to the water requirement of traditional farms yet it produces five to six times the produce per square foot that field agriculture is able to do.

This new agricultural technology has been a breakthrough in the need for a less spacious venue for farming yet guarantees maximum yield to the producers, plus safe and unblemished produce. With this method, more healthy crops are expected to be produced, thus, allowing us to advance our food supply. Also, greenhouses are usually located closer to the urban centers they supply, so transportation costs are reduced. Not to mention that they can produce food year round.

Books and manuals have been made to assist growers on the proper procedures with regards the plant watering system and nutrition feeding of plants. Simple may it seem but proper administration is needed to exactly formulate the nutrition for the plants. Nowadays, there are thousands of Hydroponic gardening centers throughout the

United States

that aim to establish it as an alternative gardening method, because it is more cost effective and highly beneficial to plant growers. For a hydroponic gardener, hydroponics means produce at its best; meaning, higher yields, environment friendly technology, minimal labor and high return on investment.

To discover more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics newsletter around.

Hydroponic Gardening Leads to Bigger Yields

2009-04-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

Growing hydroponically allows the grower to have bigger, healthier plants that usually grow faster and produce more fruit. For example, a seed can grow into a flower in two months or less if you grow it indoors and use the proper lighting.

A hydroponic gardener knows that one of the principal requirements of a successful hydroponic gardening is to have the best lighting equipment. Most cultivated plants need sunlight. However, when you grow plants indoors, artificial light is definitely necessary. The intensity of the light that you are going to use must be high but you’ll have to make sure that it does not increase the temperature. LED lights offer indoor plants a type of light most similar to sunlight, as do High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights, but the latter need a cooling fan, otherwise the temperature in the grow space will be too high.

Moreover, for hydroponics, a pH from 5.5 to 6.2 (which is slightly acidic) should be maintained. This level is suitable for most hydroponic crops. The letters pH stands for Potential of Hydrogen and is the symbol for the hydrogen ion (H+) in liquids. pH has a range from 0 (acidic) -14 (alkaline), with 7 being neutral. Ensuring that the pH remains within this range will help maintain good plant health.

Only Advanced Nutrients is offering a revolutionary new system called pH-PPM Perfect ™ Technology, which allows growers to dispense with laborious pH and PPM readings. The nutrients in four different bundles are specially treated with a coating that causes roots to absorb them very fast, regardless of the initial pH or PPM of the solution. In fact, these products create a Sweet Spot by automatically raising the pH if it’s too acidic and lowering it if it’s too alkaline.

The secret to getting bigger and healthier plants by using hydroponics as a method is as simple as making sure that all essential aspects of the methods are covered. Like the proper lighting equipment to be used, the correct temperature and humidity, the most effective fertilizer to be provided to your plants, etc.

Remember that a successful and healthy harvest is only possible if you have carefully studied the correct ways on how to grow it properly through hydroponics. Just the right attitude and knowledge and you’re all set.

To discover more about hydroponics, please check out the best hydroponics newsletter around.

Hydroponics Grow Robust Plants

2009-04-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

In growing plants hydroponically, it is very important to make sure that your plants have all the nutrients they need to grow and resist diseases.

Generally, some nutrients that are found in soil are not present in a hydroponics setting so you will need to add these missing nutrients to produce the best crop possible. You have to be careful, because only the best fertilizers in the market today can help you get great results. All you need to do is to avoid inferior products and understand how the good ones can help you grow robust plants.

Let’s start off with understanding the content of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Both types of fertilizers are labeled with a sequence of three numbers. These numbers indicate the percentage of the three main compounds found in all fertilizers: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Nitrogen helps plant foliage grow strong; phosphorus helps roots and flowers grow and develop; and potassium is responsible for overall plant health. Fertilizers can also contain a variety of other vitamins and minerals that vary from one brand to another.

Now, what’s the difference between organic and inorganic fertilizers?

Inorganic fertilizers, also known as synthetics, are made of chemicals that are the components of the nutrients that plants need. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are derived from what was once a living plant or animal. Microorganisms break the remains down to release their benefits to your plants. This process is a natural occurrence that enables your plants to benefit as nature intended.

However, plant scientists have developed very refined synthetic nutrients, usually using chelated ingredients, that are just as good for your plants as organics. Used in conjunction with some organic ingredients, such as humic acid, these synthetics perform as well as organics, and some do even better.

As one plant scientist puts it, when plants absorb nutrients on the molecular level, they don’t know the difference between synthetics and organics.

More and more growers, however, especially those that have home hydroponic gardens, are now switching to organic fertilizers because they believe that organics offer more benefits in growing healthier plants. Even if organic fertilizers seem to work slower than inorganic ones, and even if organic nutrients sometimes clog hydroponic pumps and tubing, these growers insist that the produce tastes better. They don’t realize that by flushing the system thoroughly after using synthetics, you are able to achieve the exact same taste and the bigger yields that growers yearn for.

For more information on how hydroponics grows robust plants, you can visit http://www.advancednutrients.com/artcats.php?catID=1.

Easy Hydroponics---Scorpion Juice

2008-09-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

One of the main problems with growing delicate flowers, like roses, in a hydroponic setting is the onslaught of infestations like Black Spot or spider mites. In order to inoculate your plants against any kind of pests or diseases, apply Scorpion Juice as a foliar spray, or pour it into your reservoir. It imparts acquired systemic resistance, and results in more robust, healthier plants, and bigger yields!

Home Hydroponics—Pruning the Correct Way

2008-08-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

In any garden, whether traditional or hydroponic, it is essential to prune plants to keep them both healthy and looking nice. Pruning is not merely grabbing a pair of scissors and chopping away at your plant. There is actually a correct way to do this—one that won’t damage your plants. There are also several different kinds of pruning, depending on what part of the plant is being pruned and why. Below we will explore both the different types of pruning and the correct way to prune plants in your home hydroponics garden.

The three most frequent types of pruning are sucker pruning, cluster pruning and leaf pruning. Many plants develop “suckers” or branching growths from the main stem. These will develop into their own stem with branches. In order to keep the main plant strong, removal of these suckers is necessary. This also helps keep your plant from spreading too much horizontally.

Cluster pruning involves the flower or fruit of your plant. Plants do not bloom evenly. This can cause a plant to look lopsided and can cause the plant to utilize nutrients unevenly. Home hydroponics gardeners often take time to remove smaller or less healthy blooms in order to enable the healthier ones to grow larger. This also enables the gardener to control how evenly the blooms are spread out on each plant.

Leaf pruning serves two purposes. The home hydroponic gardener removes dead or dying leaves to enable more nutrients to get to healthy parts of the plants. By leaving these dead leaves attached, you not only have a plant that looks unhealthy, you risk having a plant that is actually unhealthy. Another reason for leaf pruning is to prune off lower leaves of the plant. This enables more light to reach the lower branches, thus creating a stronger base.

The first step in pruning is to remove any dead or dying leaves. This can normally be accomplished by simply pinching where they are connected to the plant. Next, look for any dead branches that you can remove. There is no need to allow them to remain on the plant when they have no purpose. Using pruning scissors cut these branches off as close to the main plant as possible without cutting into the good plant material. Once the dead parts are removed, check for any sickly leaves or branches and gently remove them. By doing so, you allow the nutrients to work harder at feeding the healthy parts of the plant.

Now it is time to consider how you want your plant to look. Remove any lower leaves that are cutting off needed light and any suckers. If you want your plant fuller, removing stray branches will enable those left intact to grow. Oftentimes, a plant will create to smaller branches where one is removed, thus creating a fuller plant.

Home hydroponics gardening is increasing in popularity, especially with the rising costs of gas and food. Making sure your plants are as healthy as possible will help save you money in the long run. For more information on creating the best possible home hydroponics garden you can, visit http://www.advancednutrients.com/artcats.php?catID=1

and discover the secrets of high yield hydroponics.

Hydroponic Gardening - Soybeans

2008-07-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

Soybeans are one of the most versatile of crops. While they have been grown for some time as a possible alternative fuel source, they are finally being recognized for their nutritional value. As meat prices continue to rise, alternative sources of protein-rich food are being turned to—and soybeans fit the bill. Let’s explore some of the special growing conditions needed for soybeans in your hydroponic garden.

One of the first things necessary when growing soybeans is to inoculate them with special nitrogen-fixing bacteria. This is used to allow the beans to absorb nitrogen more readily. You dust the seeds with this special solution before planting. These inoculates come in both powder and liquid form. Fungicide treatments applied to seed before planting are designed to protect the plants from root rot diseases. Many fungicide treatments can be mixed with inoculation materials and applied at the same time.

Soybeans grow like many other beans, vining and needing some sort of structure to support them. Construct a support system in your hydroponic growing area by running a line from one end of the area to another. When this is done, provide lines from each plant upward to the main line. This will enable your soybeans to grow upward, providing more space for plants and allowing bottom growth to obtain enough light. Soybeans need a great deal of light to produce flowers, which will then become your soybeans. Without enough light, your plants will not flower.

While soybeans need a great deal of light, they do not like either high temperatures or great humidity. The growing environment would be ideal if it stays around sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Humidity in the hydroponic growing area also needs to be kept low to prevent causing your soybeans to rot.

A growing medium such as a peat/vermiculite blend is best for your soybean crop. You may also want to consider placing pebbles at the bottom of your growing container, as they prefer a well-drained medium that allows the roots plenty of room to breath.

Soybeans are an excellent choice for the hydroponic gardener. Provide them with a growing medium that drains well, plenty of light and a pre-treatment with a special nitrogen-fixing inoculate and you will soon have one of the most versatile crops available.

Finally, to help ensure your soybeans get the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - Leeks

2008-07-02T02:36:00.000-07:00

Leeks are part of the onion family. They have a milder flavor, however, and are often preferred to their stronger tasting cousin. This vegetable is very versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked and both leaves and stems are edible. In addition, this cold-weather crop is so easy to grow, it is almost a must in any hydroponic garden.

Leeks do best in a perlite growing material. This allows the roots plenty of air by providing adequate drainage. The roots of the leeks are the most wanted part and you do not want to keep them too moist or you can cause root rot. An ebb and flow system will work perfectly while growing hydroponic leeks as it will enable the gardener to control how moist the growing medium remains between feedings. Leeks prefer a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0 for optimal growth and will benefit tremendously from added nitrogen.

One of the most preferred methods of feeding leeks is the drip irrigation method. This method allows for adjustments to be made easily should it be necessary. You want to keep the roots slightly moist, but allowing them to remain wet for too long can cause rot. The adjustment valves on the drip irrigation system are easier to maintain than some other hydroponic methods.

Leeks have very few problems with insects. Having your hydroponic garden inside either your home or a greenhouse should eliminate this pest problem completely. It is important to remember that commercial pest solutions are highly discouraged in the hydroponic garden. If absolutely necessary, visit your local hydroponic supply store and obtain a pest product specially formulated for hydroponics. These are developed to cause the least amount of damage possible to your leeks and other plants.

Being cold weather crops, your growing area temperature can be as low as twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit, but you really don’t want to allow this low of temperature for too long. During germination, set temperature at seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit and provide as much light as possible. Once your plants have become as big around as an average pencil, they will be ready to plant in their final growing area. At this point, the temperature in the growing area needs to remain between fifty-five and seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit, preferably at the lower end of this spectrum. Temperatures above seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit will jeopardize the growth of your leeks.

Finally, if you want to give your leeks the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Greenhouses - Glass versus polyethylene

2008-06-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

Once you have had a taste of hydroponic gardening, you may find yourself wanting to expand your efforts to a scale that is bigger than what can fit in the corner of your living room. It is time to start looking into a greenhouse. There are so many kinds of greenhouses on the market today, that it can often be confusing deciding which is best for your particular needs. Let’s explore two of the most common types of greenhouse coverings, glass and polyethylene film. Hopefully, this will make your choice a little bit easier.

When deciding between glass panels and polyethylene film covering, there are several factors you need to take into consideration. These factors include how much you can afford to or are willing to spend; environmental factors required for the hydroponic plants you are growing; and how permanent, or temporary, you want your greenhouse to be.

Glass is the most expensive covering for a greenhouse, costing on average six times more than polyethylene film. The framework of your greenhouse will also be more expensive, as glass is heavy and needs a stronger framework. Glass, however, can withstand extremes in temperature better and will not need to be replaced as often as polyethylene film. This being the case, within twenty-five years, you are looking at the same general cost for covering and the difference comes in the amount spent on the framework. If you are unsure about how long you plan on maintaining a hydroponic garden, you may wish to go with the less initial outlay.

Glass covering is the best choice for allowing sunlight to reach your plants. It allows more of the rays to reach your garden; however, you may need to look into some type of coating on the glass to help diffuse the sunlight and allow it to reach more of the leaves. For insulation against extreme temperatures, polyethylene film works better than glass. Polyethylene film, however, can “sweat”, dripping onto the plants inside and increasing the overall humidity level of the interior. Some of these films are now being made with a coating that helps alleviate this problem.

Glass greenhouses last longer than those covered with polyethylene film. Glass can weather well for over twenty-five years. If you are planning a long-term venture, this may be your best choice. Keep in mind, however, that glass can’t stand impacts as well as polyethylene film and you may find yourself replacing panels more often. If you are merely leasing your property or are not sure how long you may continue with hydroponic gardening, you may consider polyethylene film coverings. Many inflatable structures are made of this and are easy to assemble or disassemble, making it easy to re-locate or eliminate the greenhouse.

Finally, the greenhouse is only a starting point for a productive hydroponic garden. To help ensure your plants get the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Easy Hydroponics--Humic and Fulvic Acids

2008-06-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.advancednutrients.com/h2--visit this url to read all about a magic ingredient that boosts plant performance and watch this video to see how you can increase your yields even more!

Easy Hydroponics--Piranha, Tarantula, Voodoo Juice

2008-05-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hydroponic Gardening - Peas

2008-05-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

When I was young, I was like most kids and would not eat peas—until my mother came up with calling them “nice, green peas”. I ate them like there was no tomorrow. With hydroponics, you can turn all your peas into “nice, green peas” that are full of nutrition and taste unlike traditionally grown peas.

Before setting up to grow your peas, you will need to select the variety you prefer, bush or vining. This will help determine how much space you will need, as well as whether or not some type of support will be necessary. Peas grow best in cooler temperatures and require growing material, such as perlite, that does not hold moisture too long. One of the most important things to monitor when you grow your peas is the pH balance, as pea plants are very sensitive to acidity levels. Finally, you will need some type of lighting to keep your peas healthy.

Bush peas can be trimmed back when between six and eight inches high. By trimming the tip and first set of leaves, two branches will sprout. This encourages the plant to grow outward instead of just upward. For vining varieties of peas, you will need to have some type of support in place. An ideal solution to this is to have a rope hanging from one end of the growing area to the other. Each plant then has a string leading upward from the plant. This enables the pea plant to be wrapped around the rising line as it grows. This not only allows for less space being needed per plant, but also enables the available light to evenly fall on the upper and lower leaves.

Temperatures in your hydroponic growing environment need to be on the rather cool side for growing peas. While peas can withstand temperatures as low as twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal growing temperature is between fifty-five and sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature falls too low, the flowers will become sterile. Acidity needs to be constantly monitored. Peas grow best when the pH level is between 6.0 and 7.0. If it falls below this level, calcium uptake by your peas will be jeopardized.

Either high-pressure sodium light or low-pressure sodium light can be used as supplementary lighting in your hydroponic growing area. Make sure the lamps are positioned so that the lower parts of your pea plants receive an adequate amount of light. When there is insufficient light, the plants grow taller and spindlier, reducing their strength.

Finally, to help ensure your peas get the best nutrition possible and become “nice, green peas” instead of plain old peas, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - TIPS

2008-05-15T01:30:00.000-07:00

When it comes to hydroponic gardening, you can find a great deal of information available for reading. Often, however, there are tips that don’t warrant an entire article, yet they are of importance if you want to grow the best fruits, vegetables and flowers possible. Read on to learn of five important tips that can help make a difference in your hydroponic adventure.

Tip #1 In the trickle irrigation system, you need to take special care in making sure your gravel is the correct size. Lateral movement of the solution along the roots is necessary. For this reason, any gravel that is larger than a quarter of an inch in diameter is not recommended, as it will inhibit this flow. The idea size of gravel is anywhere between one-eighth and one-fourth inch in diameter.

Tip #2 If you are fairly new to hydroponic gardening you may still be searching for the growing method that suits your needs best. One method that does not get mentioned often is called “sack culture”. With this method, you poke holes in a thin bag made of polyethylene. This bag is approximately six inches. You fill this sack with a mixture of vermiculite and peat. Once the ends are sealed, the bag is hung up. Plants are placed in the evenly spaced holes you made previously. A hydroponic solution is introduced into the top of the bag and allowed to make its way down through the planting medium within the sack. Excess solution drains from the bottom.

Tip #3 You may find it desirable to add calcium, nitrogen or sulfur to your hydroponic garden to help it produce better. Calcium nitrate will provide both calcium and nitrate nitrogen in the best forms for your fruits and vegetables. Products such as http://www.advancednutrients.com/landing_pages/sensi_cal_grow_landing.html are specially formulated to provide added calcium without damaging your plants. If you still need extra nitrogen, provide it through the use of potassium nitrate or potassium sulfate, which will also add any needed sulfur. Magnesium sulfate can also be used if necessary.

Tip #4 Germination of seeds can be a tricky time in your hydroponic gardening experience. To help your seeds shed their shells during germination, you need to keep them moist. Using coarse vermiculite to cover the cubes you germinate your seeds in can do this. Use plain water until germination and then a diluted hydroponic nutrient solution until the leaves develop. It is then important to make sure your water is at the proper pH balance. This can be accomplished by using http://www.advancednutrients.com/landing_pages/ph_up_landing.html or http://www.advancednutrients.com/landing_pages/ph_down_landing.html depending on whether you need more or less pH. Pre-treating your water with hydrogen peroxide will help if Reverse Osmosis water is not readily available.

Tip #5 Running your hydroponic solution through an ultraviolet sterilizer will help rid it of bacteria, fungi and some viruses that can damage your plants. Unfortunately, this can also harm chelates in your nutrient solution. What this means is that elements such as iron may end up being reduced. This will cause harm to your fruits, vegetables and flowers because they won’t be getting the complete nutrition they need. By adding specially formulated products that include the chelated nutrients, you will be able to combat this problem.

Hydroponic Gardening - pak choi

2008-05-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

With oriental cuisine becoming more and more popular, pak choi makes a wonderful addition to your hydroponic garden. This leafy plant, a type of Chinese cabbage, grows quickly, is fairly simple to keep happy and is not prone to insect infestations when grown in a greenhouse. Two of the most important components in pak choi production are light and ventilation. Read on to find out how you can successfully grow pak choi in your hydroponic garden.

Growing pak choi takes approximately thirty-five days from planting to harvest. This allows growers to produce several crops per year. The growing cycle is divided into two parts, with the germination period being ten days in length and then re-locating the seedlings to grow to full size. During the germination period, light is provided to the plants for twenty-four hours a day. It is not recommended that a gardener use incandescent lamps during this stage, but instead use fluorescent lighting. This does serve a major purpose. Incandescent lights emit red waves, which can cause the plants to grow tall and spindly. Fluorescent lights, which emit blue light, will help stalks develop shorter and thicker, providing a strong base.

The nutrient film technique (NFT) is the most popular used for growing pak choi once it has been moved to its final growing area. The proper amount of overall, even light is necessary for the growth of plants. High-pressure sodium lamps are the recommended grow lights for this final growing stage. These bulbs not only put forth the correct color of light, they enable an even distribution of light.

The proper rate of plant transpiration is necessary to prevent tipburn. This is when the tips of the leaves turn brown because they are not getting the proper amount of calcium to the leaves from the roots. This is easily prevented. The best way to help pak choi achieve the proper transpiration rate is to outfit your greenhouse with some type of turbulator fan. This will work with the lighting to allow the hydroponic nutrient solution to move upwards from the roots and through the leaves at a rate that will keep your pak choi healthy.

Hydroponic gardening eliminates nearly all pests in a hydroponic garden. The quick rate at which pak choi matures and is ready for harvest, on average thirty-five days, is not long enough for any pests that may get into the greenhouse to set up colonies of any significance. If you are growing other crops in the same environment and find pest control necessary, using traditional pesticides may end up damaging all your plants. If absolutely necessary, hydroponic supply stores offer specially-formulated pest control products that are much safer.

Finally, to help ensure your pak choi gets the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - Cilantro

2008-05-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

Cilantro is a parsley-type herb. When grown for leaves only, it is called cilantro but if allowed to continue growing to seed, it becomes what is called coriander. In this article, we will discuss cilantro. Cilantro grown hydroponically does well with the drip irrigation method, somewhat less light than some other crops and a wide variety of pH conditions. This plant is easy to grow, takes up fairly little space and is often ready for harvest in six weeks time.

Cilantro does not relocate well, so it is often best to plant seeds directly into the growing medium you will be using. This plant grows equally well in perlite, vermiculite, coco peat, rock wool or Oasis foam. The main consideration is that the medium allow for proper drainage so your plant does not become over-watered. Using a drip irrigation method will allow better control over the amount of hydroponic nutrient solution your cilantro receives.

Cilantro prefers a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5, but is tolerant of some variation in regards to this. Plants need to be started nine to twelve inches apart, but this distance can be reduced to a mere six inches once leaves start maturing. It takes an average of a week to ten days for seeds to germinate and the leaves are ready to harvest in as little as six weeks. Cilantro grows quickly and is ideal for herb sellers because of this quick turn-around. Each plant can grow to anywhere between eighteen and twenty-four inches in height.

Lighting requirements for cilantro are versatile and the plants can grow under standard fluorescent, high output fluorescent or HID grow lights. As with any use of grow lights, you will need to make sure they are placed at the proper distance to provide enough light, yet not burn the leaves. Standard fluorescents can be as close as two to four inches, but you will need to place other fluorescent bulbs at least a foot above the plants. HID (high intensity discharge) grow lights need to be placed even further away. Ideally, they will be two to four feet above the tops of the plants. With HID grow lights, you will also want to have a fan circulate air and cause the plant leaves to move to prevent over-heating.

Cilantro is a hardy plant that can withstand low temperatures. It needs light but cooler temperatures to remain as cilantro longer. The higher the heat, the quicker this herb flowers. Once this happens, the plant becomes bitter and the flowers need to be left to go to seed, becoming coriander. This plant self-pollinates very well so does not need help. Any pest problems can be virtually eliminated by growing your cilantro hydroponically inside a greenhouse.

Finally, to help ensure your cilantro gets the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponics Cats 2--Organic Iguana Juice

2008-05-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hydroponic Gardening - Systems - CO2 generation

2008-04-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is necessary for plants to enable photosynthesis. Without CO2, or without enough, plants will not be able to thrive. Many hydroponic gardeners find it helps plant growth to provide an extra amount of CO2. This can be done in a variety of different ways. The two most common ways to increase the amount of CO2 in your hydroponic garden is by utilizing bottled CO2 or by purchasing a CO2 generator.

The most popular method of introducing added CO2 is the bottled CO2 method. This involves a system that includes a CO2 tank, a flow meter, a pressure gauge and a valve. The tank itself holds the CO2 gas. This gas is released through the valve, which must have some type of timer attached to it to help regulate the use of the CO2. Both the flow meter and pressure gauges help the hydroponic gardener judge whether the level of CO2 is appropriate for his or her needs. It is important to note here that, while increasing CO2 levels can help plants grow, allowing too much CO2 into the growing environment will have the opposite effect and your plants will perish. Hydroponic gardeners need to research in advance to see what level of CO2 is recommended for the crop being grown.

Using a CO2 generator is more cost effective and somewhat easier. However, this method also has the added element of increased heat that will need to be taken into account and compensated for by including an air-cooling system of some type in your growing environment. CO2 generators work to produce CO2 by burning either propane or natural gas. Most systems are placed on a timer that releases the burned fuel at a regulated time. The biggest hazard possible with a CO2 generator is that it is essential you keep it in perfect working order. Defective units will produce carbon monoxide instead of CO2 if they are not working properly. This will not only kill your plants, but may very well kill any humans who enter the growing environment.

One more expensive way of producing additional carbon dioxide in your greenhouse is by the use of dry ice. Dry ice is actually a solid form of CO2. When allowed to “melt” it returns to its gaseous state. This method should really only be used in a pinch. There is almost no control over the amount of gas released into the air or at what rate the dry ice will become gas. There is a lot of room for potential danger to plants using this method.

Adding extra CO2 will not, however, help increase plant growth unless light and temperature are also at optimum levels. Proper nutrition and water are also essential factors in optimal growth. All these factors must be strong and be working together for best results. To help ensure your plants get the best nutrition possible, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - HID lighting

2008-04-28T04:44:00.001-07:00

Hydroponic gardeners often find it necessary to supplement the available light in their growing area. This is especially true when the growing area is inside the home. Greenhouses offer more light, but this is not always enough to produce healthy fruits, vegetables or flowers. Grow lights take care of this need for added light. It can be difficult for hydroponic gardeners to decide between the many options available in the way of grow lights. Let’s explore HID lights here and see what they have to offer.

The letters HID stands for “high intensity discharge”. These lights operate with a properly matched transformer, capacitor and lamp, which consist of an inner arc tube possessing a chemical mixture. Working together, these elements help provide a very long-lasting grow light for any hydroponic garden. There are two kinds of HID lights that I’d like to talk about today. These are sodium and metal halide. These two offer different benefits to the hydroponic gardener.

Metal halide HID lights emit a wider spectrum of light and include more of the blue and violet rays needed by plants that do not get enough sunlight. These lights are most useful during the vegetative stage of growth. Plants grown under metal halide HID lights tend to grow shorter and stockier, this makes for a stronger plant. Metal halide lights are also used more frequently in foliage-only growing. An added advantage of the wider light spectrum is that gardeners growing crops such as flowers are more likely to use metal halide lights because the resulting colors of the flowers appear more natural in the less harsh light.

Sodium HID lights emit more red, orange and yellow rays, which, when used alone can cause plants to grow tall and spindly. These lights are used mainly when there is enough natural sunlight present to produce the necessary blue and violet rays needed by plants. Many hydroponic gardeners do prefer sodium lamps to metal halide because sodium lights are more energy efficient and often last longer.

Many growers use Metal Halide (MH) for vegetative growth, and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) for budding and flowering. Only rich growers can afford to run the two systems with their own shades and ballasts, independently. Most growers use conversion bulbs, which very conveniently use the corresponding system’s fixtures. So if you have a Metal Halide system, use it for vegging, then put in HPS conversion bulbs into the same system, for flowering.

What often works best in regards to healthier fruits, vegetables and flowers is to use some combination of metal halide and sodium HID lights. The combination provides adequate amounts of both red and blue spectrum colors, both of which are needed for healthy plant growth. Using a combination of the two will provide your hydroponic garden with the best that both have to over. This will translate into healthier plants and a more productive growing season.

Lights alone won’t guarantee bumper crops, but work in conjunction with factors such as temperature and nutrition. With this in mind, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - LED lighting

2008-04-28T01:48:00.000-07:00

As much as we’d like to depend completely on the sun to provide all the necessary light for our hydroponic gardens, that is not possible. The majority of hydroponic gardens are inside, whether inside a greenhouse or our homes. Greenhouses offer more light than having your hydroponic garden in your home, but this is often still not enough to produce adequate light for growing fruits, vegetables and flowers. This lack of natural sunlight makes it necessary to supplement with grow lights. There are many types of grow lights available to hydroponic gardeners, but let’s focus on LED lights for now.

LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode. This is one of the most popular types of grow lights. The heat given off by these is not as intense as with other types of grow lights. There is also the ability to provide different color of lights with LED lighting, which is helpful for increasing growth at various stages of a plant’s life. Younger seedlings do better with blue light. More mature plants prefer red or orange.

With LED lighting, it is easy to change the light color to accommodate whichever growing stage your garden plants are currently in. Additional benefits of LED grow lights are the decrease in power consumption, less heat is produced and bulbs often last longer than other types of grow lights. In addition, light can be focused on a smaller area because of the reduced heat. This allows gardeners to provide extra light where it may be needed without producing too much light for other plants in the area.

LED lights require an increased initial investment, but they are less expensive in the long run. LED lights are energy efficient, using less power to run than standard bulbs. These bulbs also tend to last for a longer period of time, making it unnecessary to replace the bulbs as frequently as other types of grow lights. The added length of time can amount to seven to ten years under the right circumstances.

If you are switching to LED grow lights from another method, you may need to make some adjustments in other factors of your growing environment. The lower heat output of these lights makes it unnecessary to use air-cooling equipment as much as other lights. In addition, the cooler environment will cause less evaporation and will lower the amount of water and hydroponic nutrient you require. This in itself will help lower production costs.

Finally, to help insure your plants get the best chance to grow to their maximum potential, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - Systems - Air Cooling

2008-04-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

While many plants thrive in high temperatures, there is a limit to the amount of heat any particular plant can tolerate before it begins to wilt and die. The very nature of hydroponic gardening, from grow lights to enclosed greenhouses, makes it necessary to provide a system of air-cooling for your fruits, vegetables or flowers. Let’s explore what can raise the temperatures in your growing area and how to effectively initiate air-cooling.

The very structure of a greenhouse allows for heat to build up. The sun coming through glass or plastic can heat an enclosed area quickly. By providing vents throughout the greenhouse, and fans that blow the heat toward the vents, you can help cool the air inside. Warm air rises, so having vents placed near the roof on either end of the greenhouse will
Help alleviate excessive heat.

The use of CO2 can increase both the heat and the humidity within the greenhouse. The best way to help combat this is to set up vent fans. Placing these on a timer will enable the hydroponic gardener to periodically blow out hot, humid air, allowing fresh, cooler air to take its place. Adding a dehumidifier to the growing area will additionally help with the high humidity that often accompanies the use of CO2.

The biggest heat creators, by far, are grow lights. The heat given off by the grow lights can cause damage to plants if it is not decreased considerably. Many lights used in hydroponic gardening come with a fan system meant for air-cooling already incorporated in their design. If you are using a lighting system that does not come with such fans, it is advisable to set up some fans to help keep the air around the plants circulating and cooler. One powerful enough to cause the plants to move slightly is preferable, as this will also help prevent light landing only on one spot of the plant leaves, causing them to burn.

There are many systems available solely for the purpose of air-cooling in your hydroponic growing area. Some of these consist of fans and vents; others include a cooling pad and baffles. Baffles are installed to help keep cooler air at plant level. These are not essential, but are nice to have to help keep your fruits, vegetables and flowers cool and happy.

Once you have taken care that your plants are cool enough to grow well, you will want to do all you can to keep your hydroponic garden healthy. With this goal in mind, you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics and subscribe to the Advanced Nutrients newsletter at http://www.advancednutrients.com/newsletter/. Advanced Nutrients is the world’s foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Easy Hydroponics--Big Bud Bloom Booster

2008-04-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hydroponic Gardening - Tomatoes

2008-04-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

For those just venturing into the world of hydroponic gardening, tomatoes make an excellent first choice. Tomatoes grow well in a greenhouse when the three most important elements are present. Let’s explore the ideal environmental conditions, nutrition and pest control factors that will enable you to grow a successful crop of tomatoes.

The correct balance of light, nutrients and humidity are essential components in hydroponic vegetable gardening. Natural light for indoor gardening can’t always be relied upon to provide adequate photosynthesis. Lacking enough light, tomato plants do not produce enough sugar. By positioning both the greenhouse and the plants so that the natural light flows north and south, the plants can be evenly lit. In addition, the use of grow lights within the greenhouse can provide the extra light necessary for optimal growth. Unless you’re in a glass greenhouse, by covering floors and walls with white paint, hydroponic growers can help increase the reflection of light onto the tomatoes. For tomatoes, the perfect humidity level in the greenhouse should be between 65 and 70 percent. Temperatures should not vary too much, although tomatoes do well when the nighttime temperature is ten degrees below that of the daytime Ideally, temperatures should be seventy-three degrees during the day and sixty-three during the night.

Proper nutrition is essential for optimum growth of your tomatoes. Unlike soil-grown vegetables, those grown by the hydroponic method have a great advantage in that the ideal nutritional needs of the plants can be met easily. Many commercial formulas are available. These hydroponic nutrients have been formulated after a great deal of research to provide your fruits, vegetables and flowers with the exact combination they require. By simply following the directions included, your tomato plants’ nutritional needs will be met.

Pest control is much easier when dealing with hydroponics. The elimination of the soil helps to get rid of quite a number of threats. It is not recommended that commercial insecticides be used on hydroponically grown tomatoes. These products can damage the plant. For some infestations, adding a natural predator to your greenhouse is ideal. These, however, have short life spans and have to be replaced often. If there are no such natural predators, or you prefer not to go this route, there are specially formulated pest control formulas, such as Scorpion Juice and Barricade made by Advanced Nutrients that can provide the protection from pests without harming your tomatoes.

Once you have provided the ideal growing environment, proper nutrition and effective pest control, you should soon find yourself with some of the healthiest tomatoes there are. Indoors gardening the hydroponics way will soon become your preferred method of growing all your fruits and vegetables. Finally, if you want to harvest robust, abundant fruits and vegetables you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics at http://www.advancednutrients.com/freereport/ Advanced Nutrients is the world's foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - Sweet Peppers

2008-04-18T03:02:00.000-07:00

Sweet peppers (also known as Capsicums) come in a variety of colors. This variety makes them appealing to many hydroponic gardeners. Sweet peppers are more difficult to grow than tomatoes, but with attention to their special requirement, greenhouse production can be very successful. Other than correct hydroponic nutrients, which are essential in all hydroponic gardening, light and temperature play a large part in the success or failure of your crop. Pollination and pest control follow closely behind. A final, yet extremely important factor in success requires knowing how much fruit each plant can produce without over-taxing it. Let’s look at the physical environment first.

Temperatures in the greenhouse where you have planted your hydroponic garden need to stay between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the growing stages of the sweet peppers. Higher temperatures will see your peppers growing faster, but the fruit will be smaller and of poorer quality. Anything lower can result in losing flowers before they have had a chance to mature. Sweet peppers love light. This is a crop where good quality grow lights are almost essential. Depending on natural lighting will see your crops failing while attempting indoor gardening. Air humidity should remain below eighty percent.

Some hydroponic vegetable gardening sees plants self-pollinating. This is not the case with sweet peppers. It is possible to manually pollinate your plants using a small paintbrush or cotton swab and gently rubbing it across the center of each flower. Commercial pesticides are never recommended for hydroponic gardens. If the need arises, however, relying on products found at hydroponic supply places such as
will be safer for both your plants and you.

It is tempting to allow your sweet peppers to produce as much fruit as they will, but this can result in poor quality fruit and unhealthy plants. The first flower on each plant needs to be removed. This creates stronger fruit in successive blooms. Often the plant itself will shed this flower, but manual removal may be necessary. When a plant is expected to support too many fruits, the roots can begin to rot and leave the plants susceptible to disease. For this reason, it is necessary to prune excess fruit as it starts to grow. Younger plants can’t handle as much fruit as older ones. A suggested rule of thumb in hydroponics is to limit the fruit on each plant to between twelve and twenty on young plants and no more than forty on older ones. The earlier the hydroponic gardener removes the excess fruit, the healthier the plant will remain.

By taking the time to stock your greenhouse with the correct hydroponic nutrients, an adequate number of grow lights and proper pollination, you will help your indoor garden of sweet peppers succeed. It is well worth the effort and will make your hydroponic vegetable gardening a pleasurable experience. Finally, if you want to harvest robust, abundant fruits and vegetables you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics at http://www.advancednutrients.com/freereport/.
Advanced Nutrients is the world's foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere.

Hydroponic Gardening - Strawberries

2008-04-18T03:01:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are a fairly easy plant to start with if you are just beginning to explore the world of hydroponics. Indoor gardening is perfect for these plants and they will grow equally well inside your living quarters or in a greenhouse or enclosed porch. Your choice of place will depend on how large a crop you want to cultivate. Strawberries do well in a planting mixture of perlite and bark. It is easy to pollinate smaller crops by hand, but adding specially bred bumblebees to your growing area can easily pollinate larger crops.

Start your strawberry crop by clipping “runners” from a grown plant or purchasing some from a garden center. Rooting can easily be done by placing the cuttings in perlite and covering with plastic to keep moisture and humidity in. Once rooted, you will need to place your clippings in a cold area for approximately three months. This will simulate the winter that strawberries need in order to begin growing. This done, your plants can be moved to a permanent container. The container will need to provide a way to allow the hydroponic nutrients to flow freely past the roots as well as provide needed air for the roots.

Strawberries need five to six hours of full spectrum light daily and this can be accomplished with the use of grow-lights. This lighting schedule will need changed to twelve hours on/twelve hours off when it is time to fruit. Temperatures should be within the range of 67 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit at all times for optimum growth. Strawberries do well if allowed to hang down. For this reason, you can “layer” your containers to make better use of space.

Your hydroponic strawberry garden will need to be pollinated in order to flower and produce fruit. For one or two plants, manual pollinating will work. This is a matter of simply brushing the centers of the strawberry flowers and using a fan. Most hydroponic gardeners, however, produce crops much larger and it can take a lot of time to manually pollinate. Adding specially bred bumblebees to the area helps to pollinate greenhouse crops. It is not advisable to use any commercial insecticides on your hydroponic garden. Strawberries, however, are not likely to be plagued by many pests. If necessary, a specially formulated product like Barricade, sold at Advanced Nutrients, will help take care of the problem.

There, in a nutshell, is all you need to successfully produce strawberries the hydroponics way. As you can see, the process is much simpler than many hydroponically grown plants. Strawberries are a wonderful way to start your exploration of hydroponics. Little space needed, no soil, room temperature and pre-formulated nutrition. What more could you ask for? Finally, if you want to harvest robust, abundant fruits and vegetables you should check out the seven best-kept secrets of hydroponics at http://www.advancednutrients.com/freereport/ Advanced Nutrients is the world's foremost supplier of hydroponic nutrients to discriminating growers everywhere

Easy Hydroponics--Organic Iguana Juice

2008-04-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

The Personal Benefits of Hydroponics Indoor Gardening

2008-02-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

Everybody enjoys freshly grown fruits and vegetables; but traditional gardening can be more trouble than most people are willing to endure. A person can put in hours of hard work digging, planting and watering an outdoor garden only to have insects or the weather destroy everything. Venturing into hydroponic growing of fruits and vegetables can eliminate disasters caused by insects and the weather by allowing the gardener greater control at every stage of growth. Fruits and vegetables produced through hydroponic growing are healthier than either store bought or dirt-grown produce. If that isn’t enough, a person can save money in several ways with hydroponics.

Setting up a hydroponic system inside enables the gardener to control nearly every aspect of the growing process. Outside, plants are at the mercy of drought or too much rain. The indoor system allows for manual adjustment of temperature, humidity and amount of light and moisture available to make sure plants get the ideal environment. Soil may not have the ideal mix of nutrients or the correct pH balance needed to produce the best fruits and vegetables. Hydroponic systems help monitor the pH balance so that it can be adjusted properly. By using hydroponic nutrients such as Connoisseur or Nirvana, plants are given the exact combination of nutrients for optimal growth. With the use of special high intensity discharge lights, which mimic the sun, a gardener can guarantee that clouds and poor weather do not rob plants of the necessary amount of sunlight they need to grow strong.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are known to be healthier for everyone. By eliminating soil, hydroponic growing eliminates such impurities as pollution from the air, rain or the neighbor’s cat thinking your garden is his litter box. Diseases that find soil the perfect breeding ground are eliminated completely. Being indoors and within the controlled environment of a hydroponic system, insects can be eliminated from the start. This makes it unnecessary to use pesticides on your fruits and vegetables. This not only makes the produce healthier to eat, but also eliminates the risk of damaging the plants.

Hydroponic growing is economic as well as healthy. The cost of fruits and vegetables varies according to season. By growing your own produce you will be able to save hundreds of dollars a year on the purchase price alone. Hydroponic systems allow for greater yield. Your plants are healthier and larger and the controlling of the environment allows for faster growth, enabling a person to produce a greater number of crops each year. Water usage is lower because the hydroponic system makes it unnecessary to constantly hose down your plants to prevent damage from dry weather and “recycles” the water that it does use. Gardening tools can cost a great deal of money, but an effective hydroponic system can be set up for little cost. Something as simple as a fish tank, with pump, can be a container and grow lights are inexpensive to run. If a gardener opts for LED grow lights, which are just as effective as high intensity discharge lights, the cost can be reduced even further.

For more information on hydroponics, visit the Advanced Nutrients website.
They have informative articles as well as products to help you on your way. The personal benefits of hydroponic growing of fruits and vegetables indoors are numerous. A gardener has greater control over every aspect of the growing process from temperature to number of crops per year, the resulting produce is much healthier for consumption and the cost will appeal to the most frugal of gardeners—and insects, weeds and the neighbor’s cat won’t think your garden is their personal playground!