Ideal Temperature for Indoor Gardening

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Kevin

Having a garden flourish indoors is a remarkably gratifying experience.  It is rewarding not only because of the outcome but because of the endeavor involved to actually have your garden happen as expected.  Hobbyists and professional gardeners alike will tell you that when poignant a garden indoors, the temperature is the hardest factor to take control of.  When restricted to a small space ballasts and lights can push temperatures sky-high in no time flat.  This is especially true during hot summer months when outside temperature reaches its peak.  Night time (lights out period) temperature can be just as difficult to regulate during cold winter month.

Most hydroponics gardeners are conscious that temperature in the grow room plays a major role and can greatly impinge on the growth of plants and the quality of the completed crop. It is important for gardeners to know that domineering the temperature of their garden in very precise ways can lead to a better-quality crop.  Drift too far from these ideal temperatures and watch your plants and crop endure.

Before getting started it is highly suggested that every indoor garden has a max/min thermometer.  This product allows the gardener to see exactly the fluctuations in temperature within their garden.  Instead of this useful tool there is no other truthful way to eloquent the different temperatures between daytime (lights on) and night time (lights off).  The difference between the two temperatures is very important to plant growth.

These temperature ranges will also vary depending on variety and species of plant.  For instance, some orchids require more than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and night-time temperatures in order to flower.

Ideal temperature also varies depending on whether or not CO2 is being introduced to the environment.  A more suitable daytime temperature when the air is being enriched with CO2 is 80F-85F.  This temperature range promotes the exchange of gases between the plants and the environment.  Also, it can speed up the process of photosynthesis. A plant in an environment at 86F can perform carbon extraction from CO2 twice as fast as at 68F.  It is still recommended that the night time temperature drop no more than 15F from that of the daytime temperature.  There is another relationship between temperature and the absorpsion of gases by plants that many hobbyist growers are aware of.  That is the relationship between the temperature of the water in your reservoir and the amount of oxygen the water can hold.  The best range that your reservoir can be between is 60F-75F.  Ideally the reservoir temperature should be at 65F because this level contains the most oxygen.  Also this temperature will help control transpiration (the act of drawing up nutrients by evaporating water throughout the leaves), and humidity levels.  Buying a simple floating thermometer will allow you to know where you fit in this range.

Another great reason for regulating the temperature in your grow room is that biological processes can be speed up exponentially by every degree.  This is true for your plants as well as the potential pests that may invade your grow room.  Pests such as spider mites can reproduce up to 10 times faster with every degree the temperature rises.  These pests can destroy a garden in no time flat, you really do not want to make it any easier for them.  With a daytime temperature at a steady 72F and night time temperature of 65F it is much easier to control and destroy spider mite, thrip, and many other pest populations.

Temperature is also very important when it comes to starting seeds and getting cuttings to root.  Placing seedling trays on a heating mat will reduce germination time dramatically.  Speeding up germination time usually leads to stronger and healthier plants.  Also, less time spent between crop cycles makes a garden efficient.  More harvests provided in less time can equal big bucks in the pockets of professional growers.

 

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Hydroponics Gardening : Key Terminology

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Kevin

In the specialized world of hydroponics gardening, it can sometimes seem like growers are using a foreign language. Here are some key hydroponics terms and their definitions that will hopefully make you better equipped to understand the world of hydroponic growing.

Medium – Medium simply refers to the material that your plants grow in. In traditional gardening, the medium is soil. In hydroponic gardening, it can be coconut fiber, clay pebbles, rockwool, water or even air. The medium you choose for your garden is going to depend upon your budget, goals and specific needs.

Nutrient Solution – A nutrient solution is a combination of water and water-soluble plant nutrients. The nutrient solution contains all the nutrients and moisture that a plant needs and is delivered directly to the root through the hydroponic system.

Conductivity – Conductivity is the scale by which one determines the strength of a nutrient solution. Pure, unadulterated water actually does not conduct electricity. But as salts that are found in plant nutrients are dissolved the water, the solution begins to be able to conduct electricity. As more salts are dissolved, the more the water is able to conduct. Thus, the strength of this electrical current is used to measure the potency of the solution.

Hydroponic System – Your system is determines how your nutrients are delivered to your plants. Usually it consists of a medium, a reservoir to store the nutrient solution, a pump or wick, and a timer. A hydroponic system can either be active or passive; meaning that it can either use a pump or a wick to deliver the solution. It can also be a recovery system; meaning that the solution is delivered back to the reservoir once it has been used on the plants, or non-recovery; meaning that the remaining solution is disposed of after use.

Clone – Cloning means reproducing a plant asexually through cuttings and tissue culture.

Photoperiod – This refers to the amount of light and darkness through a day. It is important to hydroponic growers because properly manipulating the photoperiod may have a big impact on how well your plants grow.

Macronutrients – These are the minerals that your plants need in substantial amounts such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Micronutrients- These are minerals that your plants need less of than micronutrients but are still important to their development. They include copper, iron, and zinc.

Lumen – A lumen is a unit of measurement used when discussing light output of grow lights. One lumen is the amount of light on one square foot emitted by a candle that is one foot away.

pH balance – This refers to how acid or alkaline your medium or nutrient solution is. A pH balance of 7 is considered neutral, with anything over 7 being alkaline and anything under 7 being acid. Without the proper pH balance in your hydroponic system, your plants will not receive the proper nutrients to grow to their potential, so constantly measuring this is essential to the success of your crops.

You can use these hydroponics terms and their definitions to further your research, improve your hydroponic system and better understand the wonderful world of hydroponics.

Resource Link

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Best Nutrients For Your Hydroponic Garden

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Kevin

In hydroponics plants are fed by Plant Nutrients Solution. In many hydroponic systems indoor gardening, plant roots grown in water. The coronation is suspended by many and various means above the water allowing the roots keep floating in the liquid.

Hydroponics is a soil less method of indoor gardening which means you have not to use soil as a growing medium for your plants. Plants can be grown in a solution of water, or other means, the culture medium, such as rockwool or coir. It is an ideal method for growing plants where soil may be less for healthy gardening, and places where there is no land available for the garden, as in urban areas in cities.

All plants need three components to grow and thrive: water, light and food. Without these things, plants die. The foods are very important for plant growth and eventually reach maturity, where it multiplies by flowering or fruiting. As for hydroponics, food is a specialized part due to factors soilless growing.

Role of Hydroponic Nutrients

All plants need the same growing conditions that is sufficient light, water and materials to manufacture their own food. Plants growing in soil, food is obtained by the absorption of nutrients from the soil. Since the soil is absent in hydroponics, food should be supplied to the plant by a different route. That’s where the Hydroponic Nutrients come in. These nutrients are specially formulated to meet all your needs of the plant. Another advantage is that most of the nutrients must be dissolved in water and then supplied to the plant.

Choosing Hydroponic Nutrients

Many companies manufacture hydroponic nutrients. Some nutrients can be used for general growth of the plant, while others focus on achieving specific outcomes, more flowers, fruits, etc. You can do your own nutrient solution, but probably not as effective as commercially available, which are scientifically organized and carried out rigorous testing. Here’s a guide to some of hydroponic nutrients.

Hydroponic Nutrients is a series of products manufactured by Advanced Nutrients. General Hydroponic nutrient solution is derived from many minerals as potassium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, boric acid, etc. which is essential for healthy plant growth. Series of Grand Master Growers offers a high quality nutrients for your plants hydroponically. Grand Master Growers specialty products are available as solutions in three parts. The solutions are designed to be applied at specific growth stages of a cycle of the plant to maximize nutrient efficiency.

Bloom Boosters specializing in hydroponic nutrients for growing fruit and flowers in plants. Bloom Boosters products are completely organic and promote the intense growth of the vegetation zones of plants. Nitrogen is the main nutrient supplied by these solutions, as well as limited amounts of micro-nutrients. Iguana Juice and Iguana Bloom are other nutrient solutions for growing fruit and flowers. Grow Juice promotes root growth, while Bloom juice is formulated to work during the flowering and fruiting stages. Another advantage of these solutions is the ability of nutrients on the basis of the color test the pH of the solution when mixed with water. Organic B Vitamin Booster is specifically designed for hydroponic culture media. While nutrients are available regularly, Vitamin Booster is specially designed nutrients for different substrates such as grow rocks, rockwool, etc.

Improve efficiency by providing nutrients hydroponic growth supplements at certain stages of plant growth. General Hydroponics growth supplements with vitamins and hormones give plants an extra boost during the critical stages of growth.

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Ways to Make Your Indoor Gardening Pay Off

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Kevin

How can you make your indoor gardening produce more and better harvests? Savvy gardeners are using humic acids to increase their indoor gardening harvest yield and quality.

Humic Acids are powerful natural compounds that work wonders in your plants’ root zone and inside plants. Yes, humic acids are an all-organic plant tonic that provide a wide range of benefits to your crops.

These benefits include:

* Better survival rate for seedlings, grafts, transplants and cuttings
* More efficient use of nutrients lowers fertilizer costs
* Increased resistance to disease, insects, drought, heat and stress: less crop losses
* Better growth during production phase for larger, higher quality harvests
* Increase germination and viability of seeds.
* Stimulate plant growth.
* Increase quality and quantity of yields while improving their physical appearance and nutritional value.

It is truly amazing how much organic power humic acids bring to your indoor growing.

And the good news is that humic acid is real easy for you to use. During veg cycle just add the recommended amount to your nutrient water once a week. If your plants are stressed or overworked, you increase the dose.

You should definitely increase the dose of humic acid during peak flowering. You will get bigger flowers and higher quality crops because of the organic benefits that humic acid puts into your plants.

There are not many organic plant tonics that can top the overall strength and usefulness of humic acid. It’s a unique way to bring the rich, nutritious power of earths densest nutrients into your hydroponics gardening.

And here’s a tip from indoor gardening expert Erik Biksa: use humic acid to pre-treat rockwool and other sterile hydroponics root zone media before each crop cycle so your plants will have a root zone that balances out at the proper pH. When your root zone is the proper pH, your plants can take in nutrients way better.

This comprehensive product can be used from start to finish in your garden because it ensures early vigor in seedlings and clones, hastens maturity and floral development, makes plants better able to thrive despite heat and stress, and facilitates faster, more efficient utilization of nutrients and vitamins.

If you don’t want to miss out on healthier plants and heavier harvests, get Humic Acid right away.

[ Reference Site :http://ezinearticles.com/?The-7-Crucial-Ways-That-Humic-Acid-Makes-Your-Indoor-Gardening-Pay-Off&id=1431271 ]

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ph : Hydroponics Plants Problems and Solutions

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Kevin

What is pH?

pH is a scale from 1 to 14 that measures acid-to-alkaline balance. One is the most acidic, 7 is neutral and 14 is most alkaline. Every full point change in pH signifies a 10-fold increase or decrease in acidity or alkalinity. For example, soil or water with a pH of 5 is 10 times more acid than water or soil with a pH of 6. Water with a pH of 5 is 100 times more acidic than water with a pH of 7. With a 10-fold difference between each point on the scale, accurate measurement and control is essential to a strong healthy garden.

Cannabis grows best in soil with a pH from 6.5 7. Within this range, marijuana can properly absorb and process available nutrients most efficiently. If the pH is too low (acidic), acid salts bind nutrients chemically, and the roots are unable to absorb them. An alkaline soil with a high pH causes nutrients to become unavailable. Toxic salt build up that limits water intake by roots also becomes a problem. Hydroponic solutions perform best in a pH range a little lower than for soil. The ideal pH range for hydroponics is from 5.8 6.8. Some growers run the pH at lower levels and report no problems with nutrient uptake.

Hydroponic ph-Perfect Chart-

Method for Adjusting Nutrient Tanks
This is the correct order.

* Top up your tank with water first
* Test your nutrient strength
* Raise the strength by adding equal amounts of A and B if necessary.
* Now test pH

* Adjust pH with pH Raise or pH Lower. Dilute* the pH adjustment solutions as directed on the labels.

* Concentrated adjusters are so acidic or alkaline that if used in a concentrate there will be a reaction with the nutrients dissolved in the tank. This can imbalance your highly formulated nutrient.

f testing both Nutrient Strength and pH, the nutrients are still best changed each week. However, Nutrients need only to be changed on a fortnightly to four weekly basis if desired.
The more often you change your nutrients, the more ‘balanced’ your solution will be. But as you will be adding nutrient as you go, the nutrient balance does not become as critical as it does without adjustments.

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Enjoy Growing Herbs in Your Indoor Garden

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Kevin

Now a days indoor gardening is the most popular and accepted trend, now bodies are growing their own greens and herbs for cooking. This acclimated to be article that you bare alfresco amplitude for but in the aftermost few years, technology has fabricated it so alike addition active in an accommodation with bound amplitude can abound his or her own herbs. The trend for growing aftermath instead of affairs it has piggybacked on the advance for amoebic and convalescent aliment as blubber in the United States rises, and back there is annihilation added good for you than vegetables that you abound yourself, agronomical has taken off in popularity. Some of the technology that has fabricated it attainable for bodies to booty agronomical out of the garden is a adjustment of growing alleged hydroponics. Agriculture is a way to abound plants application water, appropriately “hydro,” as a advance average in abode of soil. This makes it attainable to abound herbs in your home or accommodation throughout the absolute year. Year annular advance is one of the abounding allowances of hydroponic assemble agronomical that will advice you accomplish a added amoebic and cocky comestible lifestyle.

Another one of the allowances that hydroponic assemble agronomical offers is that this blazon of growing is attainable for abounding added bodies than acceptable gardening. Back hydroponic area booty up abundant beneath amplitude than a acceptable garden, bodies who could accept never developed plants are able to. This can be a huge account to bodies that alive in baby apartments or burghal areas with alone bound space. Because the amplitude is abate it additionally reduces the bulk of assignment that has to go into the garden. You will not accept to edger the plants that you abound hydroponically, nor will you accept to anguish about pests that can abort or eat your herbs. Other allowances of hydroponic assemble agronomical include, assurance from acrid acclimate conditions, abolishment of pesticides and fertilizers, and a afterpiece adjacency to your plants. All of these allowances accomplish hydroponic assemble agronomical a astute best for bodies attractive to abound their own herbs. The one abrogating aspect of hydroponic assemble agronomical is the bulk of electricity that it takes to abound plants in this manner.

If you appetite added advice on the allowances of hydroponic assemble agronomical you can acquisition abundant advice online. Alpha off by accomplishing a chase on any chase agent and go from there. There are things like growing tips and online shops area you can but aggregate you charge to alpha your own hydroponic garden.

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How To Grow Hydroponic Garden of Stevia

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Kevin

Stevia is an herb with a natural sweetness. When used as a food additive, it gives a sweetness to drinks and pastries, without the calories of sugar or the potential dangers of chemical sweeteners. Stevia extract is easily accessible through online retailers, but it is more economical to grow and create your own. Stevia can be grown in a garden outside standard if you live in a tropical zone. For all others, a hydroponic garden provides healthy, good quality stevia, use it all year.

Instructions

Step 1

Measure around the pot using for plant (one with the hole) under the lip of the pot. Mark this measurement. Then measure the diameter of the vessel opening. Mark this measurement, as well.

Step 2

Saw a hole in the table, which is of the same size as the first measurement. Drill a hole smaller than the diameter of the pot or the pot will fall through the hole. The dish needs to rest in the hole without falling.

Step 3

Place the planting pot in the hole in the table. Fill the pot one or two inches high with the growing medium chosen.

Step 4

Place the tray of two gallons under the planting pot. This tray will collect water from the pot planting.

Step 5

Attach one piece of tubing to the intake valve on the water pump and the second piece of tubing to the outgoing valve on the air pump.

Step 6

Place the water pump on the floor next to your tank. Place the free end of the tube in the tank. Make sure the tube to the bottom of the bucket. Use tongs to hold the tube in the bucket. Do not squeeze the tube closed.

Step 7

Place the end of the hose out on the edge of the planting pot. Use clothespins to attach the hose. Do not pinch the tube.

Step 8

Connect the water pump timer and plug into an electrical outlet timer.

Step 9

Fill half of bucket with water and turn on the pump. After three to four minutes, depending on the pump, water should flow into the tank  through tube and container planting.

Step 10

Turn off the water pump.

Step 11

Place the Stevia plants in planting hole bucket. Make sure the roots are well covered by the filler material chosen.

Step 12

Add liquid nutrient to reservoir bucket. Follow the directions given on package.

Step 13

Turn pump on, and enjoy STEVIA.

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Gardening Jobs for February

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Kevin

February is the time of year, when the mornings are frosty, the grass crunchy and either a low hung sun, or miserable grey day can be assured. But there are dozens of jobs in the garden to do.

Finish pruning deciduous trees – Most deciduous trees are best pruned when dormant, in late autumn or winter. Don’t prune in early spring, as many trees bleed sap if cut at this time of year.

Prune autumn raspberries – Prune autumn fruiting varieties in mid-winter, cutting the old canes back to ground level. Tie in new stems to the supporting wires as they grow, using garden twine.

Rejuvenate potted plants – Give potted plants an instant boost of nutrients by replacing the top layer of soil with fresh compost.

Chit early potatoes – Get a head start with your potato crop by chitting tubers now, about six weeks before you plan to plant them out.

Prune summer clematis – Give summer-flowering clematis a hard prune. It sounds drastic, but the plant will put on rapid new growth during spring.

Take hardwood cuttings – You have until spring to make hardwood cuttings of holly, mock orange, azalea and other woody shrubs to make new plants.

Deadhead winter bedding – Deadhead faded flowers from your winter bedding plants to keep them tidy and encourage more colourful blooms well into spring.

Prune free-standing fruit trees – While they’re still dormant, prune large apple and pear trees to remove dead, dying and diseased branches.

Choose new fruit bushes – Plant new fruit bushes for the coming year.

Take root cuttings – Propagate your favourite perennial plants from root cuttings. Light is not important until shoots have begun to appear above the soil. So, the best spot for starting root cuttings is in a gently heated wooden greenhouse, kept frost-free in winter.

For best gardening systems and products you can visit Hydroponics Store of Advanced Nutrients. Here you will get all the information about soil less gardening, plant nutrients and hydroponic gardening equipments.

[ Reference Site: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_G_Davidson]

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Hydroponics Nutrients to Begin Indoor Gardening

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Kevin

Plant nutrients are very necessary for plant growths in hydroponics. Here is  the list of best quality nutrients products which a beginner grower can use in his hydroponics gardening.

Voodoo Juice – is included to promote bigger root systems faster to support the demands of high producing crops. Voodoo Juice is not a fertilizer, and is a proprietary blend of laboratory-bred super bacteria that improve the health of the plant and the growing medium by colonizing and multiplying. Growers will have bigger root systems for better nutrient uptake, healthier plants and fewer cropping problems.

Big Bud – for improved weight, density and quality in flowers and fruits, Big Bud is applied through the peak flowering phase. The correct ratio of phosphorus to potassium along with a full spectrum L-amino complex ensures that rapidly developing blooms and fruits swell to their full size with added density. Big Bud also promotes better tastes, smells and essential contents in harvests.

B-52 – to prevent the effects of environmental stresses from reducing crop gains, a complete and balanced full spectrum of vitamins and other growth co factors are supplied with applications of B-52. The multiple forms of B vitamins and other bio-available substances help plants to better process water and nutrients for growth without exhausting the plant. The ingredients in B-52 will stimulate better branched plants, bigger root systems and help to nourish beneficial microorganisms.

Overdrive – to achieve maximum fruit swell and blossom girth in the later flowering phase, Overdrive supplies ripening plants with the proper nutritional balance of phosphates, potassium, complexors, vitamins and other important cofactors. Plants near maturity make their biggest weight gains in the final weeks, and Overdrive helps to amplify and extend this natural process for bigger yields. The precise blend is also intended to improve color, fragrances, flavors and essential oil contents in flowers and fruits harvested.

[ Reference Site : http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/ProductList.php ]

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Hydroponics Nutrients for Plant

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Kevin

Hydroponics is a soil less method of indoor gardening which means you have not to use soil as a growing medium for your plants. Plants can be grown in a solution of water, or other means, the culture medium, such as rockwool or coir. It is an ideal method for growing plants where soil may be less for healthy gardening, and places where there is no land available for the garden, as in urban areas in cities.

All plants need three components to grow and thrive: water, light and food. Without these things, plants die. The foods are very important for plant growth and eventually reach maturity, where it multiplies by flowering or fruiting. As for hydroponics, food is a specialized part due to factors soilless growing.

How do hydroponic plants eat?

In hydroponics plants are fed by Plant Nutrients Solution. In many hydroponic systems indoor gardening, plant roots grown in water. The coronation is suspended by many and various means above the water allowing the roots keep floating in the liquid.

In some systems, the water in which the rest of the roots of the plants were aerated with a small pump, which allows nutrients to be pushed around the roots where the roots can make contact with the plant nutrients and hydroponics nutrients can also be taken by the plant through the use of cord. This drill-based system requires no pump.

Not all hydroponic systems are water based, however. You can also grow your plants in some form of media, which could include peat, vermiculite, perlite, coconut fiber, rock wool, and others. The medium helps to keep the crown of the plant out of water, but keeps the roots in contact with hydroponic nutrients.

All plants, whether growing indoors or not, they need a variety of nutrients. The main plant nutrients in hydroponics are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants need macronutrients in greater amounts of micronutrients, but all are necessary for all plants to thrive.

In a traditional garden, plants get nutrients from the soil, now a days without soil plants are nothing if the gardener not providing hydroponics nutrients to it.

If you are growing food and organic vegetable garden you want, do not worry: hydroponic nutrients to take the form of organic gardening supplies suitable for fruits, green leafy vegetables, melons, berries, grapes and many other types of food plants suitable for hydroponic gardening.

Posted in Hydroponics gardening, Hydroponics Life Style, Hydroponics Nutrients | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment