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How is Hydroponic Gardening Different from Regular Gardening?

By Tony Buel

When growing hydroponics, there are a vast variety of growing mediums that may be used. The mediums include materials, including perlite, vermiculite, coconut fiber, gravel, sand, or any number of other materials. Even air may be used as a hydroponic growing medium. The hydroponic growing medium is an inert substance that does not supply any nutrition to the plants.

All of the nutrition comes from the nutrient solution, typically combining water and fertilizer. Hydroponic fertilizer and fertilizer intended for use in soil (regular fertilizer) contain the three main nutrients. These nutrients are nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. The main difference between hydroponic fertilizer and dirt fertilizer is that hydroponic gardening fertilizers contain the proper amounts of all of the essential micro-nutrients that regular fertilizers do not include. The plants are expected to find these elements in the soil.

Problems may arise for the plants if any or all of the micro-nutrients are not present in the soil or have been depleted by successive or excessive plantings. Hydroponic gardening fertilizers are usually in a more pure form than are regular fertilizers so they are more stable and water-soluble.

Organic fertilizers are typically very different than either the hydroponic fertilizers or the dirt fertilizers in how the deliver nutrients to the plants. The organic fertilizers rely on the action of bacteria and microbes to help break down the material into its basic elements so the plant can easily use it. Hydroponic and regular fertilizers then supply the plants with these elements.

Another difference between hydroponic and regular gardening is that growing hydroponics can be extremely complicated. Hydroponics are controlled with computers and sensors which help control everything from watering cycles to nutrient strength, and the amount of light the plants receive. However, hydroponics can also be very simple. The average home hydroponic system usually consists of a few basic parts, including a growing tray, a reservoir, a timer controlled submersible pump to water the plants, and an air pump to oxygenate the nutrient solution. Light is, of course, also required to help the hydroponic garden to grow.

There are also micro-nutrients that are required for healthy plant growth. These micro-nutrients include calcium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, cobalt, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and molybdenum. These nutrients are the essential elements that plants need in very small amounts. Plants are likely to become sick without these trace elements and will develop all sorts of problems depending on which nutrient is missing.

The lack of micro-nutrients in food crops can mean a lack of nutrients in the food. This will result in the food not being as healthy as it could be and potentially lead people to develop health problems due to the lack of these essential elements. Any hydroponic gardener needs to use a good quality hydroponic fertilizer when they are growing plants using hydroponics.

It is also vital that the pH is controlled in both growing hydroponics and in the soil as well. Plants lose the ability to absorb different nutrients when the pH varies. The pH must be monitored during the entire growth cycle of the plants to maintain the maximum healthy uptake of nutrients. The pH of the nutrient solution will affect how well each element can pass through the root cell wall to nourish the plant. Once the gardener has properly calibrated the fertilizer concentrations and the pH of that solution, they can generally assume it will stay steady barring any unforeseen root disease.

Gardeners should always monitor their system too much rather than too little to avoid any problems. The ability to quickly and easily test and control pH in hydroponics is a major advantage over regular gardening, where testing and adjusting the pH is much more complicated and time consuming.

Hydroponic Gardening can be a fun and productive new way of gardening for you. We have tips and resources to get you started fast! Article: Hydroponic Gardening Author Tony Buel Hydroponic Gardening

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Buel
http: //EzineArticles.com/?How-is-Hydroponic-Gardening-Different-from-Regular-Gardening?&id=403529

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Farm thrives in city basement

Article courtsey of CNN

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) — A farm in the middle of a busy financial district might seem like a strange concept, but that is exactly what you will find under one skyscraper in downtown Tokyo.

The 1,000 square meter farm is based in a former bank vault in the basement of a 27-storey building in Otemachi, Tokyo’s central business district.

Using hydroponics, more than 100 different crops are grown in the subterranean farm.

The experiment, launched in February, is part of a campaign by leading Japanese temporary recruitment agency Pasona.

It aims to raise public awareness about agriculture and train Tokyo’s jobless — many of whom lost their jobs during the Japanese banking crisis — in the business of commercial agriculture.

Pasona spokesman Keisuke Nemoto told CNN that the farm, called “Pasona 02,” operates out of six rooms spread across two underground floors in the building, where Pasona’s headquarters are based.

More than 100 different types of plants, including flowers, vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce, and even rice, are grown there.

“The fluorescent light is diffused throughout the room by the silver foil paper on the walls and three farmers harvest the vegetables and keep the plants healthy,” he said.

“We can electronically control the environment to provide the best conditions for organic rice cultivation.”

The harvest is supplied to restaurants in the building.

Nemoto told CNN that the project had helped raise an understanding among Japanese people about agricultural activities.

“Our country needs more farm workers so we built this facility here in the city so many urban people can now get an opportunity to experience farm work and learn about agriculture.”

More than 100 people visit the farm daily and the company is considering opening more in future.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to understand more about agriculture. Overall, it’s a great success,” Nemoto said

The Basics of Plant Growth; Part 1 Hormones.

By John R. Haughton

How Hormones Control Plant Growth

HORMONES CONTROL THE LIFE AND DEATH OF YOUR PLANTS

Five Hormones Determine Your Plant’s Success or Failure.

Five plant hormones have been identified as being responsible for the development of the plant throughout its life. Each of them has complicated functions. The relationship between their activities changes with the plant’s stage of development. Put simply, they are:

a) Auxins which develop in leaf buds and leaves.

b) Gibberellins which develop in shoot buds and seeds.

c) Cytokinins which develop in root tips.

d) Abscisic Acid which develops in mature leaves.

e) Ethylene which develops as a gas in any plant cell.

Auxins
These hormones are responsible for stimulating elongation in the plant cells. They tend to concentrate in the root and shoot tips and also on the underside of horizontal branches and stems. They cause the branch or stem to curve upwards to the vertical position.

Gibberellins
These hormones affect the rate of cell growth of the plant between the nodes. They are also responsible for slowing the growth in high light situations. They are involved in flowering, breaking the dormant cycle of the plant and in seed growth signalling.

Cytokinins
The division of the plant’s cells is controlled by Cytokinins. They stimulate the starting of leaf and shoot growth. In concentration they stop rooting, so care is needed around clones and seedlings.

Abscisic Acid
This hormone is part of the plant’s ageing process. It controls seed development as well as closing the stomata during periods of water stress.

Ethylene (C2H2)
This gas is produced within most of the plant’s cells as it ages and in concentration causes the fruits to ripen, flowers and leaves to age and leaves and fruits to fall.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005.

J R Haughton.

— All Rights Reserved —

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business,
Rickie Haughton is the owner of hydroponics-gardening-information.com which aims to cater for all levels of expertise in the field of hydroponics gardening. The website is packed with good content about all aspects off hydroponics gardening and offers a free hydroponics Club membership to all subscribers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R._Haughton
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Basics-of-Plant-Growth;-Part-1-Hormones&id=167960

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Hydroponic Monitoring and Reporting Systems

Many growers have experienced equipment failures and out of range environmental conditions that have ruined a healthy crop. Electrical components such as exhaust fans, intake fans, timers and pumps, will usually fail when least expected. The humid and somewhat corrosive atmosphere within a hydroponic micro climate can cause problems with hydroponic growing equipment.

An exhaust fan failure will cause temperature and humidity levels to rise quickly when HID or Sodium lights are hot. High temperatures and high humidity levels are often detrimental to plants and may ultimately destroy a crop. Intake fans providing fresh air and cooling can fail, resulting in poor air circulation and overheat conditions. Adequate air circulation is a vital element of a hydroponic micro climate, keeping the area cooled and providing adequate air circulation to plants. Receiving information remotely that heat levels have risen will give growers the chance to repair or replace faulty equipment before damage occurs.

As all hydroponic growers know, consistent, scheduled nutrient supply is crucial to healthy plant development. Nutrient availability to plants depends on the correct operation of the timers and pumps that do the work. Aeroponics, Ebb and Flow, and NFT systems all rely on on electric pumps to deliver nutrient. Pump failure is often hard to detect unless a grower manually checks that pumps are working. If a pump failure occurs, it may be a long period of time before the problem is detected. Left undetected plants may quickly deteriorate. To know that a pump has failed to perform its scheduled operation is valuable information that all hydroponic growers can benefit from.

Stable TDS levels in a reservoir are key to the success of any hydroponicly grown product. TDS levels can get dangerously high when water levels drop too low, causing symptoms such as nutrient lockout. Reservoir dry up can occur due to a leak in the system, or excessive time between reservoir refills. A reservoir detector will detect that the minimum allowable level has been reached and a refill is required.

Most hydroponic systems depend heavily on electricity to power lights, fans, pumps, timers and many other important devices. Power failures due to breakers tripping or an outage in the area will shut down essential systems. If unattended to, a short power outage can result in timers becoming out of sync, affecting scheduled lighting or nutrient feed times. HID and Sodium lighting kits are fast becoming popular targets among thieves. Theft and vandalism of growing equipment and crops can set back production by days or weeks. Greenhouses and indoor growing areas can be protected with newly available monitoring systems.

Monitoring all aspects of a cultivating environment will insure that a crop matures fully with a minimum of set-backs. In addition, yields may be improved and protected due to speedy repair of broken equipment. This type of information technology, will ultimately, save time, and, increase yields. The statement “if only I knew” can become a thing of the past.

Article source- Maximum Yield

The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 2) Plant Energy

By John R. Haughton

Plant Energy Conservation Improves Yields.

Control over all of the factors that determine how much energy your plants will expend on any part of their growth is one of the reasons that hydroponics gardening is so successful.

The reasons that resources are wasted by the plant are varied but include the following factors:

Height

If the plant is growing too tall it wastes a lot of resources. The taller the plant grows, the more energy it uses on building extra and more substantial stems, as well as on transporting water upwards to the topmost foliage. Control the height and you avoid that waste.

Overgrowth

Allowing the plant to grow too bushy will result in excessive, elaborate networks of branch and leaf systems being produced. In order to give your plants the best possible chance of thriving, they must be able to absorb their optimum nutrition from the surrounding medium in the easiest manner If there are a lot of extra branches and leaves then your plants have to use more resources to maintain those systems. Judicious trimming removes the unnecessary branches and any suckers that are growing allowing the plant to put those extra resources into production of your crop.

Cut away as many bottom branches and suckers as possible. The suckers and shoots act as ‘sinks’ draining massive amounts of energy from the plant. The ‘sources’ of energy are the leaves, so it is important to maximise their efficiency also. Trimming out any old, yellowing leaves and any that are diseased or have pest damage, will ensure that only healthy efficient leaves remain.

Over Trimming

The removal of too many branches has the effect of making the plant use extra energy on repairs to its structure. Each time the plant is damaged it has to repair its wounds and this obviously uses energy and stresses it. Even though the plant suffers some damage and stress it is not as damaging to it as not being trimmed for some time and then having to suffer a large scale cutting out excess growth. This extra loss causes the plant greater stress and it needs to use a lot more energy in order to repair the greater damage.

Some trimming tips to be aware of:

1) Do not make the plant “bleed”. If you have to cause a large wound seal the cut end.

2) It is better, when removing small, fleshy, shoots and leaves, to pinch the stalk out using a thumbnail rather than cutting it with a knife. The reason for this is that it crushes the internal structures making it easier for the plant to repair the wound.

3) Larger shoots can be pinched until they fall over and then left until they start to wilt, usually about a day, before being cut off. This will give the plant a chance to seal the damaged area prior to removal of the excess.

4) Be aware of the possibility of infection from bacteria, viruses and fungi each time you expose the inside of the plant to the outside air. Cleanliness is essential if you wish to succeed in your endeavours.

Growing Media

Good quality media allows the plant to extract its nutrients and Oxygen with the least amount of effort. Poor growing media forces the plant to use more energy to find and then extract, the same nutrients and Oxygen from the medium.

Nutrient Imbalance

An imbalance in the nutrient solution, or a build up of salts, will cause the plant roots to struggle against the osmotic pressure and surface tension when trying to extract water from the surrounding medium.

Fungi and Root Rot.

Any form of root attack, by fungi or rotting etc. will cause the plant to waste cell energy on fighting that attack. This will result in a reduced plant potential.

Bacteria, Viruses and Insects.

Attacks from insects, viruses and bacteria will force the plant to sacrifice massive numbers of cells in its fight against them. This is because the usual way of defeating these threats is to isolate them within the damaged cells.

Chemicals.

Hydroponics Gardening is in essence a clean occupation so infections and attacks by predatory insects should be minimal. If damage occurs, it is often more damaging to treat the plant with chemical insecticides and fungicides than to use gentler methods. A lot of the chemical remedies contain products which kill not only the pest but the plant cells as well. Most of these are less damaging to the plant at lower temperatures

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business, Rickie Haughton is the owner of http://www.hydroponics-gardening-information.com Your First Choice For Hydroponics Gardening Information, the Hydroponics-Gardening-Information website is packed with good content about all aspects of hydroponics gardening and offers a free Hydroponics Gardening Information Club membership to all subscribers.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006, John R Haughton – All Rights Reserved

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R._Haughton

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Basics-of-Plant-Growth;-(Part-2)–Plant-Energy&id=212849

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Tips On Growing With Rockwool

For several years essentially there was only one brand of horticultural rockwool available to hobbyist growers. This is quite a bit different from the situation in commercial greenhouse production whom on a world-wide basis there have been several brands available. The intent of this information is to better acquaint the hobbyist user with rockwool in general, so that he or she can make informed decisions about their rockwool purchases as well as easily adjust when switching between brands.

As a medium rockwool offers an almost infinite number of possibilities with regard to fiber length, fiber density, fiber orientation and additives (such as wetting agents) that can be used to alter it’s characteristics. Typically manufacturers have based their decisions on what type, of product to make on their local markets. The resulting products take on the desired characteristics of the target growing region and different brands become known for their firmness, drainage, strength, etc., based on this. Since growing conditions differ quite a bit around the world, even under controlled environment greenhouse production, there is no such thing as an “ideal” horticultural rockwool product. This fact applies not only to differences in greenhouse growing conditions but also to hobbyists.

The current Energro brand products have a standard 5.5 lb per sq foot density for slabs, miniblocks and blocks, These products also are all made from “random” wool, i.e., the surface orientation is one in which there is a “serpentine” pattern that increases the bonding strength of the rock-wool fibers and provides greater compression strength. Block and miniblock fibers run vertically while slabs are produced in both vertical and horizontal form. Energro does not produce the softer “one year” slabs because the lack of rockwool density in this type of product results in soft spots, causing inconsistent drainage, compression that reduces air space and eventual breakdown of the rockwool prior to the end of the crop cycle. “One-year” slabs were introduced as a marketing gimmick and to justify high-priced “multi-year” slabs. They do not have a place in any good grower’s garden.

The drainage characteristics of a rockwool product can be altered by changing one or more of a number of factors: fiber length; fiber diameter; fiber orientation (vertical or horizontal); concentration of wetting agent; tightness of random fiber; and wool density. It can be difficult sometimes to compare the claims of one manufacturer with another because simply having a particular fiber diameter or orientation on one product does not necessarily mean that the aeration, water-holding capacity or drainage profile of another is different between the two products. For example it is possible to make horizontal fiber slabs that are “drier” than “vertical” fiber slabs of exactly the same wool density (you simply make the slab taller, and go from a 3″ to a 4″ high product).

The take home lesson: every other factor has to be exactly the same before you can say that a change in wool density, fiber orientation or other characteristic automatically makes out product wetter, drier or better draining than another, And ultimately, the deciding factor should be how well your plants grow on the substrate! Of course, the fact of the matter is, that different brands of rockwool tend to be slightly different (for the reasons discussed in the first paragraph). How does a grower deal with this? First of all, talk with the manufacturer to find out how commercial growers use his or her product versus another. Do they irrigate more heavily or change the frequency of irrigation? Do they recommend different EC or pH ranges when growing in their products Are their products structurally different (eg., Energro’s BAB 12 block) and therefore require a different irrigation strategy for maximum benefits? A little homework up front can save a lot of time and aggravation later.

Energro slabs and blocks use slightly higher density wool than Grodan yet they have exactly the same water-holding capacity (and therefore aeration) on a volume/volume basis. But because the Energro has a slightly higher wool density there is greater moisture-holding capacity and therefore flooding should be scheduled less frequently or the duration of flooding should be shortened. That is exactly what a commercial grower would do, recognizing that the two brands have different drainage characteristics.

Conversely, when using BAB-12 blocks in a flood system, you would increase, the duration and frequency of flooding (compared to 3″ or 4″ blocks) because of the much greater rockwool volume of the product and it’s high profile. Again, this is exactly the way a commercial grower approaches irrigation scheduling, when growing a crop on a substrate with a larger volume, overall irrigation volume is increased Proportionately and when using a higher-profile product (eg., going from a 3″ high to a 4″ high slab) you have a higher column of rockwool that allows you to irrigate aggressively without fear of waterlogging the plants.

The BAB- 12 also is an excellent alternative for drip irrigation for growers who do not have the space for slabs. With the high-profile BAB the grower can irrigate more frequently without fear of being too wet and 3″ and 4″ blocks root very well on the BAB. Growers should take care in an ebb and flow system not to mix the smaller growing blocks with the BABs, however, because of the differing irrigation requirements. After transplanting cubes in GB6 or GB4 blocks, plants should be grown for whatever period of time is sufficient to establish strong root systems before putting them on top of the BABs. Of course, if the grower is using drip irrigation, the block can be put on top of the BAB immediately after transplanting the, cubes and the roots will follow the moisture down and into the larger substrate with no problem. Another interesting tip: it has been widely assumed that horticultural rockwood must be pre-soaked in a solution that lowers the pH of the substrate prior to use. This is based on a bit of an “urban legend.” Rockwool is a “bonded” product. A bonding agent is used in production to ensure that individual fibers stick together and do not fall apart under normal use conditions. Rockwool is inert and has a neutral pH, The binder used in the rockwool has a high pH, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE BINDER FROM THE ROCKWOOL IS TO BOIL IT! Hopefully you do not boil rockwool prior to use! The only thing that occasionally might be helpful would be to soak blocks (not propagation cubes) in a dilute nutrient solution so that there is no ionic or osmotic effects during initial flooding or dripping due to the differences between the regular water and the nutrient solution.

Another Tip: depending on the brand of rockwool and the type of product (block, slab, etc) being used the EC and pH levels at the rockwool/root interface may be slightly different, Why? Differences in water-holding capacity and/or frequency of irrigation will affect the relative concentration of nutrients in the substrate. Plants, of course, do not take up every nutrient equally at a given pH and therefore changes in the amount of a given nutrient near the roots will result in differences in uptake with different rockwools. That’s why you irrigate with nutrient solution rather than pure water when there is an EC imbalance. You want to maintain (as closely as possible) the appropriate concentrations of all of the nutrients to avoid large EC and pH fluctuations. So remember to monitor EC and pH carefully when you switch from one brand to another to ensure that you are maintaining the correct nutrient concentration.

Article source: Maximum Yield

The Basics of Plant Growth; Part 3 Root Formation in Cuttings

By John R. Haughton

A ROOT CALLUS CONTROLS THE FUTURE OF YOUR CUTTINGS

Rooting Compounds can be used to promote the growth of a root callus at the damaged stem end of your cutting. This repair will happen and roots grow naturally, albeit more slowly, because of the auxins present within the cutting. The delay caused by the plant having to transport auxins from its top to the cut stem can thus be avoided.

It is important to note that the smallest amount of synthetic rooting compound should be used to avoid slowing the root growth and delaying the rooting process. A very delicate balance exists between auxins, which regulate root production and growth, and cytokinins, which regulate shoot development and growth. It is this interaction of these two hormones that is responsible for the root callus formation. If this hormone balance is upset the consequences will be dire indeed. So in this case, less is very definitely more.

When the cut stems are treated and placed in the growing medium, the stem cells have to repair themselves and organise the development of a root system, or the cutting will die. In order to achieve this calluses are formed at the cut ends. These firstly seal and repair the damage but then form new root cells.

Rooting mixes that contain auxins (IBA) must be used sparingly and for a short time only. As the roots start to grow out of the calluses the presence of too much auxin will cause the formation of new callus growth, slowing, or even stopping the new root development. Often the roots will only start to form after the rooting compound has all been absorbed and or dissipated in the surrounding medium.

There are usually three strengths of rooting compound, No1 containing 0.001% active ingredients, No 2 containing 0.004% active ingredients and No3 containing 0.008% active ingredients. Because too great a concentration of auxins will retard the root development, it is necessary to determine the cuttings own auxin concentration before proceeding. This is best done by trying a few cuttings on each strength compound and monitoring the results. You can then use the best one on your new cuttings.

Some of the rooting compounds also contain a fungicide. This type of product may help to protect the cuttings from fungal infections before the damaged stems have repaired.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006.

J R Haughton.

— All Rights Reserved —

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business,
Rickie Haughton is the owner of hydroponics-gardening-information.com which aims to cater for all levels of expertise in the field of
hydroponics gardening. The website is packed with good content about
all aspects off hydroponics gardening and offers a free hydroponics
Club membership to all subscribers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R._Haughton
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Basics-of-Plant-Growth;-(Part-3)–Root-Formation-in-Cuttings&id=223351

Controlling Aphids

Aphids are an insect with a soft body that utilizes their mouthparts to pierce and suck the sap from plants. These colonies of insects can usually be found on the underside of newly growing terminal growth. If a leaf becomes heavily infested it will appear yellowish and will eventually wilt.

This is caused by the colony removing large quantities of the leaf’s sap. Much of the damage caused by aphids is cosmetic, meaning it looks unsightly to the homeowner. Generally speaking a healthy tree or shrub is able to withstand several years of aphid attacks. While consuming the sap of trees and shrubs, aphids produce a liquid, sugary waste product commonly known as “honeydew”. If you have ever parked your vehicle under a tree and noticed a sticky residue on it you have experienced this. Sooty mold can also grow on these sugary deposits found on the branches and leaves. This causes them to acquire a blackish discolouration.

THE PROBLEM BEGINS:Winged aphids or “colonizers” will fly around searching for a suitable host tree or shrub. Once they have found such a plant, they will drop wingless young on the new growth and continue on their way. These nymphs feed voraciously on the sap and increase in size. In 7-10 days they will mature and are capable of producing live young, generally 40-60 young each. The interesting thing about this is that most are born female. This creates a population explosion in no time. An example of this is fewer than 12 colonizers can produce hundreds if not thousands of offspring in just a few weeks. This process continues until the plant can no longer support the population. At this point, new winged aphids are produced and the cycle is repeated.

CONTROLLING APHIDS:By discovering the aphids early you can minimize the effects they will have on your trees and shrubs. Keep an eye on terminal growth. Examine underneath new leaf growth for groups of aphids. By being vigilant you can usually control theses colonies by hand, either crushing them or pruning. If however, you discover aphids on more than 10% of your plant, you may want to consider using a contact insecticide to control them.

As this is an insecticide please be sure to follow the instructions on the label carefully before and when applying them to your plants. For a contact insecticide to work effectively you must actually hit the aphids before control will be successful. Ensure you use an even thorough spray pattern when applying. Concentrate on growing points and protected areas within the plant. If possible spray underneath leaves for effective control.

CULTURAL CONTROLS:As stated earlier, you may be able to control small populations of aphids by crushing them by hand or by pruning out affected areas. A good rinse with your garden hose will also dislodge some of the colony. Ladybugs and lacewings are also very effective at controlling aphids. These predators will consume large quantities of aphids

Paul is a Certified Pesticide Applicator in Alberta, Canada. He has over 15 years experience in the lawn care industry.

Click HERE and HERE to go to Hydroponic Dictionary’s entries on Aphids to find out more.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Burke

The Brix meter explained

Text of an article based on an interview with David von Pein

Farmers are recognising the need to continually monitor the health of both plants and the soil to ensure their produce is of a quality that attracts optimum prices in this competitive marketplace.

An easy to use device, which has traditionally been used in vineyards to determine optimum harvest times, is simplifying the way in which producers can monitor plant quality, thereby providing farmers with a guide to continuously improve the plants and soil from which they make a living.

The Brix meter. A hand-held device, with a prism at one end, and an eyepiece at the other. When just a few drops of sap or juice are placed on the prism and held up to the light, the light passing through the sap is refracted (bent) according to the composition of that sap.

The brix measurement can be read off the scale, showing levels of sugar, minerals, proteins and vitamines in the plant’s juices, commonly referred to as dissolved solids.

The brix meter provides more than just an indication of the nutritional value of the produce itself, it can be used to help monitor underlying problems in the soil in which the produce is grown.

Retired farmer, David von Pein, explains that brix readings provide an instant monitoring mechanism so that we can see what is going on in our soil.

“If we can identify what the soil is lacking in, we can implement management techniques to help restore the soil to health,” said David.

“This in turn will have a flow-on effect to plants grown in that soil.”

In conjunction with the presence of weeds and insects, brix levels can be used to help assess crop health.

David explains that if you analyse a weed, whatever elements the weed is high in indicates what the soil it was growing in, is lacking.

He uses a common problem to illustrate this: Paterson’s curse, a weed high in cooper. During extended dry periods, sheep eat more of this weed, and levels of livestock death due to copper toxicity increases.

In a similar vein, the presence of insects also provides an important indicator.

“A plant with low brix makes an easy target for insects who sense the plant’s ill health, and will hone in for an easy feed.” David explains that healthy plants, registering a high brix level, indicate superior resistance to pests and diseases, which ultimately means less time and expense need be spent on pest control measures.

Moreover, for the consumer, produce with high brix levels have increased sugar, mineral and protein levels, and have improved flavour.

Mr von Pein was first introduced to Brix meters when reading Dan Skow’s book Mainline Farming for Century 21. About this time he saw first hand, a case involving one of his friends.

“He had massive health problems. Whilst overseas, he was introduced to the use of rock dust and barley green, and used his learning to fix himself up. Upon returning to Australia, he started his own rock dust business.

When rock dust was first introduced many trials were undertaken. David explained one of these tests involved two tomato plants – one grown with urea, the other with rock dust. When the plants were ripened, fruit was taken from each bush and put in saucers in direct sunlight. The tomato grown with urea quickly turned into watery mush. The tomato grown with rock dust slowly shrivelled up.

Fascinated by these concepts, David borrowed a Brix meter to conduct his own investigation. Impressed with the pattern he was seeing emerge when testing individual paddocks and crops, David hunted around to buy his own meter, but was shocked to find the exorbitant price attached to the instrument.

It snowballed from there. Soon after, another of his friends, also complaining of the high cost of the instrument, approached David for a source of reasonably priced meters. David instigated a bulk-buy deal which saw more farmers, who have been previously discouraged by cost, jump on the bandwagon.

David von Pein’s interest in sustainable agriculture saw him seek out research and participate in in-field experience. Inspired by their findings, he follows closely research conducted by prime movers in the organic field; Dr Dan Skow, Dr Philip Wheeler, and Dr Arden Anderson to name just a few.

David explained that some of the research conducted by these recognised agricultural scientists is hard to go past. One of his ‘mentors’, Dan Skow is practicing vetinarian in the States.

Dr Skow has enjoyed widespread success solving problems in animals. Working on the premise that as animals live on what comes from the soil, Skow believes that by assessing what animals are eating, and treating the soil to correct any imbalance identified, the subsequent feed produced from the rectified soil will see the animals’ overall health improve in kind.

Pulling up yet another, in a series of documented trials that support the case, David explains a trial conducted by Dr Arden Anderson.

“A herd of cows fed on lucerne with low brix reading were being feed grain at a rate of about 33 pounds of grain to produce a quantity of milk. However, when the same herd was put in a paddock of lucerne with high brix, only 12 pounds of grain was needed to supplement the herd to produce the same amount of milk.”

David encourages us to look at the flow through for humans.

Arden Anderson runs a clinic in Michigan, USA. Through monitoring Brix, and ensuring his patients consume produce with high brix levels, Mr Anderson has established a record of treating patients who have been unable to find a remedy using conventional medicine.

Already, some US and Japanese companies are hot on the trail of what they see as an important nutritional indicator, and are turning away produce with a low brix level.

David uses the common cucumber as an example of some of the produce with low nutritional value available today. A cucumber’s brix level should be on the bottom of the scale a ‘6′ and a ‘13′ reading at the top.

“Recently I tested a conventional cucumber, randomly selected from a supermarket, and it measured 3.5″ said David.

David explains that nutritionists have been telling us for years, with campaigns such as the healthy food pyramid, that our bodies need a range of elements which can be found in a mix of fruit and vegetables. He insists that to have food with good nutritional value containing all the elements we require, we need to get the soil right.

David alludes to the amount of sickness and ill health we see in the world as being consequences of stepping outside of the law of nature.

“I believe that ill health, from cancer to allergies are, in the main, caused by imbalance. Initial research is indicated that by merely increasing nutrition value of food intake, many allergic symptoms in humans and animals alike can disappear.

“We need to try and learn laws of nature and work with it in the way that was intended.

“If we can get the soil right, we will have good food.”

Hot on the heels of this belief, David uses the Brix meter, in conjunction with a comprehensive chart on plant health to improve soil fertility, with the addition of calcium and phosphate that a low brix level indicates may be deficient in the soil.

“The benefits of this approach have been varied, and fertilising programs can be verified by the resulting increase in brix levels.

David is the first to say that the brix readings are not ‘the be all and end all’, but can provide a major indicator in the form of instant monitoring of what is going on in our soil which points to what we need to do to fix it.

Other influences such as pH and conductivity, which work together, can be assessed in sol and plant sap for a different level of testing.

By in large, brix indicators are easy to translate: a low brix reading points to low nutrition, and a high brix reading indicates the higher nutritional value of produce.

Several factors influence brix readings. Brix readings vary at different times of the day in accordance with climatic conditions. As heat and light affect the way sugars concentrate in plants, readings should be taken under similar conditions to maintain an accurate record of the crop’s progress.

David advises that to ensure consistency readings should be:

1. Taken at one time of the day (allowing two hours of sunshine in the morning is best he advises).
2. Taken from the same part of the plant (after choosing to take the reading from the plant stem or leaf, ensure all subsequent readings follow suit).
3. Recorded in order to track soil conditions and fertiliser management programs are adequately ensuring the best possible health of plants.

“If the brix content is on the increase, you are on the right track. If it is consistently low, you may need to look at revising your crop and soil management program.”

He follows this up by explaining that brix is just an indicator, albeit a good one.

“While brix is a good indicator, variables do exist. Even in a plant with high brix, high acidity levels can translate to poor nutritional value.

Take home points

In summary, management of soil nutrition has the following flow on effects for plants: less disease, less insects, better ’shelf-life’ and more flavorsome.

Moreover these factors are all indicators of a greater-good:better health for animals and humans alike.

“It is imperative that as a nation we need to start thinking about the nutritional value of food grown and eaten in this country. If we can achieve greater nutrition in our food, more people could live healthier lives on the same amount of food.

“Using soil and tissue tests are an important first step to find where the deficits lay, so righting measures can be taken to restore natural balance.

“High quality food is worth good money.” he said.

Reprinted from BFA News – Winter 2001 edition, pp22-23.

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All grow lights are not created equal

There are five types of HID lights, and they include mercury vapor, low-pressure sodium, xenon short-arc lamps, metal halide and high-pressure sodium. Metal halide and high-pressure sodium make great hydroponic lights.

Hydroponic gardening is one of the most popular methods for plant production. This allows people with no land, or land unsuitable for plant growth, to produce food and flowers with ease. As you go about building your up your hydroponics system you will want to invest in excellent grow lights. Many gardeners choose HID, or high intensity discharge, grow lamps because they most closely resemble natural sunlight, and this is conducive to excellent plant growth in an indoor growing situation. However, not all grow lights are created equal.

A metal halide grow light produces a light in the blue spectrum, which is useful to young plants to help them attain maturity. For this type of light to work, electricity flows through a mix of metal halides and mercury, as well as argon gas. The metal halides have an affect on the color of light the lamp produces as well as the strength of the light. Metal halide lights are made up of a metal base and a bulb made out of glass. Inside the lamp you will find wires, a quartz arc tube, tungsten electrodes, metals and gas. In order for a metal halide lamp to function properly, you must use an electrical ballast, often gardeners choose a digital ballast for this purpose. The ballast controls the flow of electricity to the light bulb, and metal halide bulbs, when used with a specially designed ballast, allows for dimming of the light as well. Metal halides offer a great deal of control over the color temperature, or the color of the light, produced, which is why hydroponic gardeners like these lights.

A sodium vapor light, on the other hand, uses sodium to produce light in the red spectrum. Unlike the metal halide lamp, the high pressure sodium light uses an alumina arc tube. Alumina makes use of a diffused aluminum oxide, which is necessary because of the great deal of chemical activity that occurs with a high pressure sodium arc within the bulb. A high-pressure sodium lamp also must use a ballast such as futurebrite digital ballast to control the flow of electricity to the light, much as it does in the metal halide application.

Indoor gardeners enjoy using both of these types of bulbs because they give off a very intense light, which is needed by plants to thrive. Blue spectrum light of metal halide bulbs is beneficial when plants are young to enhance growth, while red spectrum light provided by high-pressure sodium lamps helps plants produce flowers and fruit. Select both lamps to enhance your plants’ entire lifetime photosynthesis needs.

Susan Slobac is an expert in indoor gardening with a long history of using hydroponic gardening techniques. Offering seasoned advice for all plant enthusiasts, from the novice to the professional, Susan provides meaningful and insightful tips to make the most of your indoor garden.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Slobac

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