Maximum Yield Modern Growing | UK/EU Edition | January/February 2017

MODERN GROWING 

UK/EU EDITION 

silver 

secrets 

FOR HEALTHY PLANTS 

STRENGTHENING YOUR 

PLANT’S ROOTS 

KELVINS EXPLAINED

contents 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 

FEATURES 

22 28 36 42 54 

22 Silver Secrets 

Kathryn van Druff 

28 Cal-Mag Supplements: A 

One-Two Punch For Plants 

Cory Hughes 

42 Balancing Plant Growth 

Regulator Principles 

Rich Hamilton 

52 Same Plant, Different Pots 

Grubbycup 

54 Who Is This Kelvin Guy? 

Sara Elliott 

34 10 Ways To Save $$$ At 

The Grow Shop 

by Shannon McKee 

36 Turn Your Weak Roots Into 

Strong Survivors 

Nicola Mills 

DEPARTMENTS 

8 From the Editor 

48 Movers & Shakers 

10 Letters to the Editor 

60 You Tell Us 

12 Ask the Experts 

62 Max Mart 

14 Max Facts 

64 Distributors 

18 Product Spotlight 

6 Maximum Yield | January/February 2017

from the editor | toby gorman 

Our content 

will include a 

wider look at the 

advancements 

in the growing 

world, both 

indoors and out.” 

The world of indoor growing is expanding at 

an incredible rate. No longer the alternative 

to traditional agriculture, hydroponics is now 

recognised as beneficial for many important 

reasons. Hydroponics yields require up to 50 per 

cent less land to grow the same amount of produce, 

and as the world’s arable lands are diminished by 

overfarming and climate change, hydroponics takes 

the pressure off the environment by leaving more 

land available for wildlife reserves, biospheres, 

and other protected areas. Drought-ridden areas 

like California will appreciate the fact that 

hydroponics uses only 10 per cent of the water 

needed for growing in soil, and far less chemicals 

and fertilisers—as much as 60 per cent less-are 

required. Growing and transporting food across 

the globe accounts for as much as 30 per cent of 

all greenhouse gas emissions. With hydroponics, 

we can grow almost anything right where we live, 

reducing the need for carbon emissions. This is 

especially important for people who live in the 

Far North. More and more, programs are being 

created to provide fresh produce for those who live 

in northern communities, reducing the need to ship 

relatively small amounts of food while providing 

food security with fresh, inexpensive fruits and 

vegetables. It is with these shifts in mind that 

we’ve made some editorial changes in Maximum 

Yield. As you may have noticed, on our cover we’ve 

changed ‘indoor gardening’ to ‘modern growing’. 

As the industry is evolving, so are we. Our content 

will include a wider look at the advancements in 

the growing world, both indoors and out. As we flip 

the calendar from 2016 to 2017, we are taking a new 

perspective on the world of modern growing, and 

we look forward to bringing these stories to you. We 

also wish you and your loved ones the very best for 

2017. In the meantime, we hope you have as much 

fun reading this issue as we did putting it together. 

As always, thanks for reading Maximum Yield 

and if you have any questions feel free to contact 

us at editor@maximumyield.com. 

January/February 2017 

GENERAL MANAGER 

Ilona Hawser 

EDITORIAL 

editor@maximumyield.com 

Toby Gorman 

Julie McManus 

Jessica Skelton 

Julie Chadwick 

ADVERTISING SALES 

250.729.2677 

SALES MANAGER 

Katie Rey - katie.rey@maximumyield.com 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES 

Jed Walker - jed.walker@maximumyield.com 

Michelle Fraser - michelle.fraser@maximumyield.com 

Erik Duivenvoorde - erik@maximumyield.com 

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Hailey Woolgar - hailey@maximumyield.com 

DESIGN & PRODUCTION 

ads@maximumyield.com 

ART DIRECTOR 

Alice Joe 

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 

Jennifer Everts 

Dionne Hurd 

Jesslyn Dubyna 

Holly Anderson 

Samira Saoud 

ACCOUNTING 

Tracy Greeno - accounting@maximumyield.com 

Katie LaFrance - ar@maximumyield.com 

Maximum Yield is published monthly by Maximum Yield 

Inc. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without 

permission from the publisher. If undeliverable please 

return to the address below. The views expressed by 

columnists are personal opinions and do not necessarily 

reflect those of Maximum Yield or the editor. 

2339 A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 

Phone: 250.729.2677; Fax 250.729.2687 

UK DISTRIBUTION 

Century Grow Systems • Easy Grow Ltd. 

Erith Horticulture • Nutriculture UK • Dutchpro 

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTION 

Dome Garden Supply • Holland Forge 

House N’ Garden • Hydroponic Generations 

Growlush • Way to Grow • Nutrifield 

USA DISTRIBUTION 

BWGS • Florida Hydroponics 

General Hydroponics • Humbolt Wholesale 

Hydrofarm National Garden Wholesale/Sunlight Supply 

Nickel City Wholesale Garden Supply 

Tradewinds • Urban Agricultural 

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION 

Brite-Lite Group • Biofloral Hydrotek 

Eddis Wholesale • Green Planet Wholesale 

Greenstar Plant Products Inc. • Growers Paradise 


letters to the editor 

contributors 

Michael Forsberg 

Hopelessly Hooked 

Getting your feet wet in hydroponics is not easy. However, 

when my local shop gave me a copy of your informative 

magazine, it answered a lot of questions on how to get 

started and what I needed. I am hopelessly hooked on 

Maximum Yield now. Thanks! 

Michael Forsberg 

Editor’s Note: Michael has won a cash prize to spend at his 

favourite indoor gardening shop, Happy Hydro in St. Louis, 

Missouri, for telling us why he loves Maximum Yield. 

Cory Hughes is a former police 

officer turned full-time commercial 

grower in Denver, Colorado. 

Sara Elliott Sara Elliott is a 

professional writer with extensive 

horticultural knowledge acquired 

through theoretical study and practical 

experience. You can find her gardening 

and lifestyle pieces in print and online. 

Higher Yields 

Maximum Yield is one of the best free gardening magazines I’ve read. The articles 

have given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, 

most of which have resulted in higher yields and healthier plants. I always look 

forward to my next issue. 

Daniel 

New Tech 

Maximum Yield keeps me updated on all the new technology and gadgets out there. 

It’s a great magazine for a newbie like myself. Best of all, it’s free. Thank you. 

Chase 

10 Years Strong 

I’m a fan of Maximum Yield because of the advice and direction it provides readers. I 

have been a grower for 10 years now and thanks to Maximum Yield my harvests are 

more beautiful and bountiful than ever. 

Troy 

Green Living Tips 

Maximum Yield is packed full of information on 

living a greener lifestyle. I enjoy reading the latest 

green tech in an easy-to-digest format with plenty of 

detailed illustrations and pictures. I am always learning 

something new from Maximum Yield! 

Jackson 

No Matter the Medium 

Maximum Yield offers great articles along 

with the newest technological advances. 

Each new issue is filled with useful 

information on how to help both novice 

and expert growers with their gardening 

efforts. Regardless of which medium a 

grower uses, there are always articles 

covering different systems and 

styles of cultivation, regardless 

of one’s setting. My 

personal preference is lowmaintenance 

indoor systems 

and I’m looking forward to 

learning from future issues. 

Keep up the great work! 

Romana 

Rich Hamilton has been in the 

hydroponics industry for more than 

20 years, working originally as a 

general manager in a hydroponics 

retail outlet before becoming 

an account manager at Century 

Growsystems. He enjoys working 

on a daily basis with shop owners, 

manufacturers, distributors and end 

users to develop premium products. 

Kathryn M. Van Druff (nee 

D’Imperio) is a freelance writer and 

marketing specialist with her own 

business, Dances with Words. She 

has years of experience writing 

about gardening, landscaping and 

home design topics. Kate is also 

an avid home gardener, wife, and 

mother to two daughters and a 

border collie. 

Shannon McKee lives in Ohio 

and has been a freelance writer for 

several years now, including on 

her blog, whyiwah.blogspot.com. 

Nicknamed a garden hoarder by 

loved ones, she grows a wide variety 

of plants in her urban garden. 

Grubbycup has been an avid indoor 

gardener for more than 20 years. 

His articles were first published in 

the UK, and since then his gardening 

advice has been published in French, 

Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech and 

German. He is also considered one 

of the world’s leading authorities on 

crochet hydroponics. 

Nicci Mills is a self taught 

horticulturalist with a keen interest 

in alternative growing systems. 

She writes for a number of online 

publications including GS, the 

gardening and sailing blog. 

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 

Did something in this issue of Maximum Yield 

catch your eye? Do you have an idea of a topic 

you’d like to see covered in a future issue? We 

welcome letters to the editor! And if you have 

a question or concern about what is 

happening with your plants, we’d be 

happy to pass on your question to 

one of our hydroponics experts. All 

comments and inquiries can be sent 

to editor@maximumyield.com. 


ask the experts 

Q 

I’m attempting to grow goldenseal in my aquaponic system, 

but the roots of my plants have blackened and there was 

some yellow wax oozing out of them. What can I do? 

Thanks, 

Van 

When root systems 

become discoloured or 

A 

darkened this generally 

indicates disease. 

A common culprit is 

Phytophthera species, the 

genus of a plant-damaging 

water mould. Phytophthera 

thrive, grow, reproduce, 

and infect plant roots in 

water, saturated soil, and along river banks 

and ponds. Flooded or saturated soils are not 

favourable for plant growth and can predispose 

plants to infection. Anywhere significant 

quantities of water collect, accumulate or flow, 

Phytophthora spp. can be found. The lack of 

oxygen in the water is typically what helps 

this fungus/mould flourish in ponds. Usually, 

because of the root failure, the plants will begin 

to wilt or fail completely. 

It is possible that your situation could be 

a different pest, however. You can bring (or 

ship) specimens to a certified laboratory to get 

confirmation—just check the associated costs 

before proceeding with this. The downside 

of mailing away for answers is that diseases 

spread quickly, especially to other plants of the 

same variety. 

The best way to control a phytophthora 

disease is before it starts. In the landscape, 

water regulation and good drainage is vital. 

In an aquaponic set-up, increase the amount 

of oxygen in the water with something like 

an air pump or air stone. There are meters 

available for checking the level of oxygen. 

Make sure your pump runs for at least 15 

minutes each hour. 

Overall, clean stock, crop rotation, 

sanitation, chemicals as needed, and host 

resistance are among the controls that can be 

implemented. Hydrogen peroxide has been 

successful in controlling the disease on the 

roots; however, in the case of aquaponics it 

may not be successful due to dilution issues. 

Do some research before trying this method. 

Removing an infected plant from the 

water and rinsing the roots in a light 

concentration of hydrogen peroxide (three 

per cent), then returning the plant to 

the system might help when done in 

conjunction with the addition of extra 

oxygen. As prevention is the best way 

to treat fungal diseases in the garden, 

you may need to remove the infected 

plants and discard them while you 

work to improve your water quality, 

and then re-insert new plants. 

Good luck! 

Frank Rauscher 

Frank Rauscher is a certified horticulturist and consultant for 

the hydroponic and landscape industry with a background in 

product development. Frank is a member of the Southern Nevada 

Landscape Association and is active in the Southern California green 

industry, where his focus is drought-tolerant xeriscapes. He specializes in 

discovering the “root-cause” of plant stress. 

YK? 

DYK? 

Goldenseal is a small plant with a single hairy stem. It has two jagged five-lobed leaves, small flowers and 

raspberry-like fruit. The bitter-tasting rhizome, or root, is bright yellow or brown, twisted and wrinkled. Goldenseal 

can be found growing wild in rich, shady soil in the northern United States, but it is now grown mostly on farms. 

– University of Maryland Medical Center, (umm.edu) 


Q 

What are the maximum light and CO 2 

levels that can be applied to a plant before 

destroying it? (Please note that limiting 

factors are all under control. Thanks!) 

Michael 

Thanks for writing in. That is a good question. Let’s first 

look to the sun for some information. The sun is the Earth’s 

A 

grow light and produces more than 100,000 lux, or roughly 

10,000 lumens, per square foot. This can be even higher 

when under direct sun. Lumens are a measure of the 

amount of light cast on one square metre. Most styles of 

artificial lighting do not provide anywhere close to that, but 

more important than lumens, which refers to the amount of 

visible light, is the amount of usable light. Plants see light 

differently than we do. They utilise much more of the red 

and blue spectrums of light, which the human eye is not as sensitive to. 

Plants use light during the process of photosynthesis. For this reason, it is 

important that your grow lights produce light waves in the wavelength ranges 

that are useful for plants, primarily the 400-700 nanometre range. Most lights 

cover all spectrums, but some are manufactured to produce light in certain 

spectrums more than others. Let’s go back to lumens and how much can be 

used. Illuminance is the way most growers judge their light. Most agree that 

ideal light levels fall somewhere in the range of 30,000-60,000 lux for vegetative 

growth and between 50,000-80,000 lux for the flowering stage. Serious plant 

problems surface at light levels above these, not to mention heat. 

CO 2, which is also involved in photosynthesis, is essential for plant growth, 

but there is a threshold of how much your garden will use. Ambient levels of 

CO 2 hover around 400-500 ppm. When you increase that level to around 1,000- 

1,500 ppm, you will see an increase in your yields and your plants will be much 

healthier. If the level rises to 2,000 ppm or higher, you will begin to see negative 

effects such as CO 2 burn. It is best not to allow your CO 2 levels to increase 

this high. Doing so not only hurts your garden, but it wastes CO 2 and money. 

As far as your choice of products, I would suggest using an all-natural form of 

CO 2 production versus a propane burner system or a tank system. The burners 

create heat and require the use of fossil fuels and tanks are cumbersome and 

must be refilled often. 

You should supplement your garden with CO 2 during both the vegetative 

stage, as well as the flowering stage. If you encounter high temperatures, CO 2 

will help your plants tolerate the high heat. In some instances, it may be what 

saves your garden from disaster. 

Glen Babcock is the owner of Garden City Fungi and 

the founder of ExHale Homegrown CO 2. Glen has been 

involved in agriculture his entire life. He graduated from 

the University of Montana with a degree in forestry and has 

been a mycologist for more than 26 years. His research has 

been published in scientific journals worldwide. 

LUMENS 

The lumen (lm) is a unit of luminous flux; a measure of the total quantity of 

visible light emitted by a source. The lumen is a measure of the total amount 

of visible light emitted from a given source, dependent on spectrum. 

– lumennow.org 

Maximum Yield | January/February 2017 

13

Hydroponics Retailer Sees Opportunity 

In the UK, Leeds shops and supermarkets are currently stocking 

fruits and vegetables of dismal quality; this is thought to be because 

they have now become more difficult to source. In line with this, 

one local hydroponic equipment supplier is urging people to grow 

their own vegetables. “We anticipate that, going forward, as the 

quality of vegetables that can been bought from shops continues 

to deteriorate, more and more people are going to be looking for 

alternative ways to source their vegetables, with hydroponics being the 

most popular choice,” says a spokesperson from Leeds Hydro Store. Just 

one of the examples of bad-quality produce being sold to the public saw a 

Leeds retailer ordered to pay a whopping £3,400 fine after selling rotten fruits 

and vegetables that didn’t meet basic standards. The director of Leeds City 

Stores admitted to breaching EU marketing rules for fresh produce, following 

a seven-month investigation by the Rural Payments Agency. 

– satprnews.com 

UK Students 

Create a Bottle 

Greenhouse 

In Suffolk, UK, students from Laxfield Primary 

School children have made a greenhouse out of 

recycled bottles. Under the school’s Food for Life 

program, pupils are encouraged to understand how 

food is grown and how a combination of good nutrition 

and physical activity contributes to a healthier life. The 

school has developed vegetable gardens that feature 

tomatoes, chillies, and peppers. “It has been great 

creating the garden. It’s so fun to do and I have grown 

my own vegetables,” says Riley Chapman, a pupil in year 

five. Lucy Hammond, head of school, adds, “Building the 

greenhouse was a real team effort. The parents collected 

hundreds of bottles for the school to build it. It was a 

fantastic recycling exercise for the children.” A similar 

greenhouse in Tasmania, Australia, is made from more 

than 6,000 plastic water bottles. 

– hydroponics.com.au 

MAXFACTS 

GROWING TIPS, NEWS, AND TRIVIA 

Agricool Raising Funds 

for Indoor Cultivation 

Agricool, the creator of Cooltainers, is a Parisian start-up 

company created in 2015 by Gonzague Gru and Guillaume 

Fourdinier, sons of farmers who couldn’t find any high-quality 

fruits and vegetables in the city. Fruits and vegetables sold in 

cities don’t have any taste and they’re full of pesticides, they 

say, adding that finding enough space for agriculture in the city 

poses a problem. Their solution? Cooltainers, where, inside, 

all growing conditions like irrigation, lighting, and CO 2 levels 

are optimised. Cooltainers can be placed almost anywhere in 

cities and towns and can be managed even by people without 

any previous experience in farming. Agricool spent 2016 in a 

major R&D phase, going from two employees to 30, and their 

harvests have multiplied by 10. Now, Agricool has announced 

a €4M fundraising round to help speed up development. The 

goal for 2017 is to install 75 Cooltainers, distribute 91 tonnes of 

strawberries, and begin work on two new crops. 

– agricool.co 


Europe Set 

to Host World 

Farmers’ 

Programme 2017 

The Worlds Farmers’ 

Programme will be hosted 

at the Jaabeurs Expo 

Centre in the Netherlands 

on May 9-10, 2017. The 

programme is designed 

to give farmers access to 

technology and expertise to 

improve agricultural productivity, 

boost investments, and reduce 

post-harvest losses. Promoting learning 

and interaction amongst farmers and the 

developing and developed world, the programme is set to 

intrigue people of all ages. Farmers from all over the world will 

gather to see how things are done around the world. A spokesperson from UK 

hydroponics store Tropicanna Horticulture commented: “It is great to see that 

this programme is coming to Europe and we believe that it is most definitely 

going to be a huge success. Not only will it be great for UK farmers 

to meet other people within the industry and start to build 

highly beneficial relationships, but it also will assist 

in combatting something incredibly 

important—worldwide hunger.” 

– digitaljournal.com 

Tips for 

Foliar Spraying 

Think you know about foliar spraying? Here 

are a few things you may not know. Plants get a lot of 

nutrients quickly when you foliar feed. They absorb and 

use nutrients sprayed to leaves almost instantly—way more 

efficiently than nutrients added to media. Foliar feeding 

is a great way to correct deficiencies, bulk up your yield, 

improve plant health, and feed plants when roots aren’t 

performing well. How does it work? Nutrients and 

stimulants move into leaves via diffusion. This is where 

particles move from an area of high concentration 

(the foliar feed) to areas of low concentration (the 

leaf). Just remember that diffusion works both ways. If 

there’s a higher concentration of nutrients in the leaf 

cells than in your foliar feed, you can end up pulling 

nutrients out of the leaves. That’s why you always use a 

strong solution when foliar spraying. For more tips on this 

fertilisation method, check out the Growell blog. 

– growell.co.uk 


15

max facts growing tips, news, & trivia 

Improving Crop-stress Detection Methods 

A cutting-edge technology system that can remotely monitor soft fruit crops 

for stresses is being developed in the UK through funding via an Innovate UK 

consortium, including AHDB Horticulture and the James Hutton Institute. The 

automated imaging system will be able to monitor and measure how 

plants respond to stresses, such as drought, pests, and diseases. It is 

hoped the system will not only enable growers to keep a constant 

remote monitor for signs of stress on crops, but could even control 

fertigation or alert growers to when crop protection is needed. Julie 

Graham, geneticist and project lead at the James Hutton Institute, 

says, “Plants adjust stomatal opening to maintain water balance 

and nutrient uptake, control leaf temperature, and optimise 

photosynthesis. “The effects can be monitored and measured 

using imaging technologies. For example, infra-red thermography 

can measure leaf temperature, which is related to stomatal 

opening and is a reliable indicator of plant physiological status.” 

– horticulture.ahdb.org.uk 

More Rooftop Farming Coming to France 

Thirty-three teams have been selected by the City of Paris for the 

Parisculteurs project, which aims to use rooftops and car parks in the 

capital for vegetable, fish, and hops farming. Among those selected 

are landscapers, farmers, architects, associations, and start-ups. 

Thirteen of the locations are being made available by the City 

of Paris and 20 by partners. Each project shows a huge variety 

in farming techniques, including aquaponics, aeroponics, 

permaculture, and container gardening. Pénélope Komitès, 

assistant to the mayor and in charge of green spaces, says 

these are “concrete responses to the climate and food double 

challenge that towns and metropolises are faced with.” The 

5.5 hectares of farmed plots will help to collect rainwater and 

reduce urban heat islands. The first farms will be set up at the 

beginning of 2017, but the City of Paris is already aiming to 

reach 100 hectares of farmed plots by 2020. 

– hortidaily.com 

Irish Tomato Grower Expands Greenhouse Business 

CambridgeHOK is currently in the construction phase of their appointment by Martin Flynn of MF 

Nurseries to supply and build the second phase of their business development plan. 

The structures will comprise of a 5,120-square-metre Venlo glasshouse and an 

880-square-metre packing/storage area to facilitate modern tomato 

production. The packing area will be clad with colour-enhanced 

insulated panelling and feature aluminium side windows. The 

electrically operated Rapid rollup doors will provide fast, easy access 

between all working areas. The latest-specification Venlo glasshouse 

will ensure all natural light available will be evenly distributed 

throughout the entire growing area. The growing area will also 

benefit from the installation of a horizontal translucent energysaving 

cloth screen system. The unique slipping clutch screen 

system can function as either a thermal energy screen and/or 

a high light shading system, as is seasonally required. 

– cambridgehok.co.uk 


Choose Chicory This Winter 

A vegetable and/or salad leaf, chicory has a white bulb with tightly packed 

elongated cones and overlapping white leaves with pale yellow tips. The 

roots are propagated in warm, moist peat or sand, while the white, fleshy 

leaves are left to develop in darkness. Chicory can be eaten raw or cooked 

and comes in red and white varieties. Although called chicory in the UK, it is 

more commonly known as chicon or witloof (meaning white leaf) in Belgium 

and is called endive in the US. Chicory is available throughout the winter 

months. Choose chicory with crisp, freshlooking 

leaves that are springy to the 

touch and tightly packed. Once 

picked and exposed to 

light, chicory leaves start 

to become more bitter, 

so they should be stored 

wrapped in paper to keep 

out the light and eaten 

as soon after picking 

as possible. Chicory 

is particularly good 

wrapped in ham, covered 

with a Béchamel sauce 

and baked in the oven. 

– bbc.co.uk/food/chicory 

Information Technology Company 

Enters Greenhouse Industry 

Fujitsu, a leading provider of IT products and services for the global 

marketplace, has established a new company in Finland. Fujitsu Greenhouse 

Technology Finland Oy has been set up to operate a plant factory equipped 

with an agricultural information and communication technology (ICT) system, 

and to produce and sell agricultural products. The plant factory is equipped 

with the latest technologies, including Fujitsu’s food and agricultural cloud 

service, artificial lighting such as LEDs, multi-tier growing trays, and full 

automation. The new company, jointly financed by Robbe’s Little 

Garden, which commenced operations in November 2016, 

will begin full-scale production in the first half of fiscal 

2017. Fujitsu and Robbe’s Little Garden 

aim to grow and deliver a steady, 

year-round supply of vegetables 

in Finland, which has few hours 

of sunlight during its harsh 

winters. Fujitsu also aims to 

package its know-how and 

cloud services resulting from 

this business and deploy 

them throughout the 

European Union. 

– fujitsu.com 


17

product spotlight 

HOTTESTPRODUCTS 

ASK FOR THEM AT YOUR LOCAL HYDRO SHOP 

ExHale CO 2 Bags 

ExHale CO 2 Bags cultivate CO 2 24 hours a day with no need to refill bottles or use 

expensive CO 2 production units. The power of ExHale lies in the mycelial mass inside 

the vented cultivator, which cultivates CO 2 continually for six months. ExHale Bags come 

complete and are cultivating CO 2 even before you get out of the checkout line. No 

need to turn it on or off, simply place ExHale in your grow space and leave it alone to 

do its job. Placing the ExHale cultivator slightly above the level of your plants will ensure 

they receive the CO 2 they need 24 hours a day for six months, guaranteed. 

Dutchpro Multi Total 

Dutchpro Multi Total is a grow 

media improver that aids the 

key processes necessary for 

turning organic material 

from dead plant matter into 

beneficial nutrients. It sparks 

off significant root growth 

by improving the water 

retention capabilities of soil 

and promoting nutrientproducing 

bacterial life in 

the substrate. Multi Total 

also stimulates the cationic 

exchange of minerals 

and micronutrients, and 

improves plants’ resistance 

against fungi and stressful 

situations. This product is 

suitable for every irrigation 

system, as well as most soil, 

hydro, and coco set-ups. 

CANNA CalMag Agent 

Water quality can be the single 

most important thing for a grower. 

Having the best starting point for 

your plants can have big impacts 

down the line, particularly where 

calcium is concerned. If your water 

is particularly soft, or you make use 

of reverse osmosis water in a hard 

water area, it may be nice to drink, 

but it may not have the right levels 

of salts (particularly calcium and 

magnesium) for proper plant growth. 

Using CANNA CalMag Agent to treat 

your water, and ensuring you have 

the correct base on which to apply 

your main nutrient line, can reap 

huge benefits for your harvests. One 

of the strongest concentrations on 

the market, CANNA CalMag Agent 

is the ideal solution to problems 

associated with soft or hard water. 

Dutchpro Starter Packs 

Dutchpro Starter Packs, available in for both soil and hydro/coco gardens, 

contain everything you need to start a small-scale indoor garden, including 

one large bottle of Original Grow, one large bottle of Original Bloom, and one 

small bottle each of Take Root, Explode, and Multi Total. Feed schedules and 

instructions are also included. All Dutchpro nutrients are stable and clear and 

contain organic elements to keep plants vital and green. 


Flower Filter 

The Flower Filter utilises the finest 

virgin Australian RC412 granular 

carbon—the best in the world— 

removing 99.9 per cent of odours 

and impurities from the air. The carbon 

is tightly machine packed, which allows 

for more carbon and less movement, and its 

open-air mesh design maximises airflow. With 

the top and base made from 1.6-millimetre 

aluminium, and a refined aluminium flange, the 

Flower Filter is lightweight and easy to handle. 

Flower Filters come with two free pre-filters and 

replacement carbon sleeves are available to 

purchase for enhanced lifespan. 

CANNA 

Additives 

CANNA additives 

are used 

alongside the 

main CANNA 

nutrient line to 

improve plant 

health and yield. 

CANNAZYM 

speeds up the 

breaking down of dead root material and activates beneficial microorganisms. 

CANNA RHIZOTONIC is a powerful, algae-based vegetative 

stimulator for plant roots. CANNABOOST increases the uptake of 

nutrients by boosting the metabolism of your plants, and CANNA 

PK13/14 stimulates flowering. CANNA has more additives available, 

just ask for them at your local hydroponics shop. 

Nutrilife SM-90 

Nutrilife SM-90 is a leading root system/ 

foliar spray. This multi-purpose wetting 

agent can be used in both field and 

hydroponic applications. Nutrilife 

SM-90 improves spray coverage in soil 

and on plants, as well as lengthens 

contact and control of sprays. It also 

improves the lateral movement of 

moisture in soils and increases the 

speed of moisture penetration in soils 

and growing medias. Additionally, this 

product reduces surface tension of 

spray nozzles and irrigation systems, 

helping to maintain cleaner lines and 

drippers. Nutrilife SM-90 is available in 

one- and four-litre bottles. 


19

product spotlight 

O 2 Grow 2120-A Spider 

The 2120-A Spider from O 2 Grow delivers oxygen directly at the root in 

every bucket. This unit was specifically designed for use in deep water 

culture systems. Each emitter will supersaturate 8-14 gallons of water 

per bucket. The O 2 Grow line of products from the Oxygen Research 

Group will raise oxygen saturation levels 50 per cent higher than what air 

stones can achieve. The O 2 Grow emitter technology works by electrically 

separating the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen. The pure 

oxygen nanobubble is re-absorbed back into the water. Supplemental 

oxygen is important whether you are growing hydroponically or in soil. 

Oxygen at the root helps prevent root disease, enhances nutrient uptake, 

and increases flower and fruit yield. O 2 Grow emitters come in a range 

of sizes able to oxygenate water reservoirs from 10 gallons up to 250 

gallons. Spider units are available with either 6 or 12 emitters. Get out of 

the Stone Age with O 2 Grow. 

Dutchpro Original Bloom A+B 

Award-winning Dutchpro Original Bloom Hydro/Coco 

A+B is a complete bloom feed that is perfect for hydro 

and coco growing methods. It has all the essential 

macro- and micronutrients necessary for maximum 

blooms. Dutchpro 

Original Bloom Hydro/ 

Coco A+B is available in 

a variety of sizes and is 

included in Dutchpro 

Starter Packs. Use 

it with Dutchpro 

Original Grow 

Hydro/Coco A+B for 

the best results. All 

Dutchpro nutrients 

are stable and clear 

and contain organic 

elements to keep 

plants vital and 

green for their entire 

growth cycle. 

Easy Grow 

Lightweight 

Rope Ratchets 

Easy Grow Lightweight 

Rope Ratchets allow for 

easy hanging of your 

growroom equipment. With 

a maximum weight capacity 

of five kilograms, these 

ratchets pull tight, lock 

in place, and will never 

break, slip, or rust. They 

are made with special 

composite materials that 

are both heat and cold 

resistant. Each package 

includes eight feet of 

braided polypropylene rope with carabiner clips that 

provide a secure hold. Rope Ratchets are excellent for 

hanging reflectors, light fixtures, carbon filters, ventilation 

equipment, and much more. Sold in packs of two. 

600W Electronic Ballast 

Offering tremendous value for money without compromising on quality, the 

new 600W Electronic Ballasts are lightweight and silent-operating. Supplied as a 

stand-alone ballast with a flying IEC lead, it means you can add any reflector 

fitted with an IEC socket to start growing. They are also supplied with four 

rubber feet for floor use. The ballast features dim and boost functions, giving 

you the ability to control the light output from your lamp to your plants. There 

are two dimmable options (down to 250W and 400W) and a super-lumens 

boost option (600W+Boost) which is on average a 10 per cent increase in 

output. For best results, always use the correct lamp per wattage setting. It 

is recommended to use it with the LUMii SunBlaster Lamp for best results. This 

600W Electronic Ballast is sold exclusively by HydroGarden Wholesale Supplies 

and will be available soon from all good hydroponic stores near you. 


ilver 

ANOTHER WAY TO KILL PATHOGENS 

ecrets 

by Kathryn Van Druff | Most people don’t think of using colloidal silver to cure their own health, so it’s 

no surprise gardeners don’t think of it to improve their plants’ health, either. Kathryn Van Druff gives us 10 

secret benefits of ionic colloidal silver in the garden that will make you wonder why it’s not more common. 



23

SILVER SECRETS 

You may have heard of colloidal 

silver’s healing powers in human 

health. Some people use it when 

they feel a sinus infection coming 

on, while others have used colloidal 

silver to treat skin conditions and 

infections, including bacteria, yeast, 

viruses, and parasites. Known as 

nature’s antibiotic, it’s no surprise 

that colloidal silver can also offer 

preventative, therapeutic, and 

restorative properties to our plants 

and our gardens. 

Colloidal silver is essentially pure 

water with ultra-tiny nanoparticles 

of silver suspended inside. The ionic 

form of silver is capable of killing 

more than 650 different pathogens. The 

US Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) named silver as an oligodynamic 

biocide, which means it attacks 

primitive life forms but doesn’t harm 

more mature organisms. The beauty 

of using colloidal silver in the garden 

is that it’s very safe for the plants, but 

it tenaciously targets the bacteria, 

parasites, and other pathogens. 

In his published work, Use of 

Colloids in Health & Disease, 

in 1919, Alfred Searle wrote: 

“Applying colloidal silver to 

human subjects has been done 

in a large number of cases with 

astonishingly successful results. For 

internal administration, orally or 

hypodermically, it has the advantage 

of being rapidly fatal to parasites 

without toxic action on its host.” 

From a gardening perspective, 

this sort of result opens the door to 

remarkable possibilities. In particular, 

it suggests a rapid remedy to common 

garden pests and problems without 

harming the plants, helpful pollinators, 

or the humans who consume the 

ensuing fruits or vegetables. Here are 

some of the top ways your garden can 

benefit from a touch of colloidal silver. 

An Organic Alternative to Potentially 

Harmful Chemicals and Pesticides 

Whether you’re growing commercially 

or simply for your family’s dinner table, 

no one wants extra chemicals on their 

fruits and vegetables. When treated 

with pesticides, plants tend to absorb 

topical chemicals. Colloidal silver is a 

safer, more organic alternative to many 

of the poisons marketed for gardens 

and farm pest prevention. 

Effective Eradication Plants of 

Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Eggs 

Colloidal silver effectively inactivates 

the oxygen metabolism enzyme needed 

to sustain life for these undesirable 

organisms. Spraying colloidal silver 

onto plants infected with bacteria, 

fungi, and viruses swiftly causes these 

undesirable organisms to suffocate and 

perish, all without the negative effects of 

traditional pesticides or the toils of other 

pest removal methods. An application of 

colloidal silver also is reportedly safe for 

children and family pets that may come 

into contact with the plants. 

No Harm to Pollinators 

Honeybees, ladybugs, and other beneficial 

insects do not seem to have a negative 

response to colloidal silver. Whether 

it’s found in their drinking water or 

placed upon surfaces they touch, such as 

leaves and blossoms, this eco-friendly 

garden enhancer keeps your garden’s 

pollinators happy and healthy, too. 

Bigger Fruits and Vegetables 

In a study published in the March 

2010 issue of the journal Mycobiology, 

green onions were treated with 

silver nanoparticles at the roots to 

eradicate Sclerotium cepivorum fungal 

infections. In addition to clearing up 

the fungus, the silver increased the 

fresh weight and the dry weight of 

the onions, producing larger, more 

desirable vegetables. 

Greener Leaves and Stronger Roots 

Using ionic colloidal silver in the 

garden can transform the overall 

health of the plant. In addition to 

treating and preventing pathogens, 

viruses, and fungi, the silver 

nanoparticles can impact the strength 

of the root system and the size and 

hue of the leaves. Large, vibrant green 

leaves indicate a truly healthy plant. 

Better Plant Immunity and 

Improved Cell Rejuvenation 

People may turn to colloidal silver 

supplements for a variety of illnesses 

and infections, from swimmer’s ear 

to pink eye. The silver is known to 

improve a person’s immunity, so it 

makes sense that plants can also gain 

a beneficial immune boost. Colloidal 

silver helps to make the plants more 

robust in preventing issues before 

any problems even occur, but also in 

recovering from damage caused by 

nuisance organisms. 

“KNOWN AS NATURE’S ANTIBIOTIC, IT’S NO 

SURPRISE THAT COLLOIDAL SILVER CAN 

ALSO OFFER PREVENTATIVE, THERAPEUTIC, 

AND RESTORATIVE PROPERTIES TO OUR 

PLANTS AND OUR GARDENS.” 


SILVER SECRETS 

No Pathogen Immunity Over Time 

One of the main problems with 

traditional antibiotics is that bacteria 

can morph over time, becoming immune 

or less responsive to the effectiveness 

of the drugs. Unlike antibiotics, 

pathogens, viruses, fungi, and bacteria 

do not develop immunity to silver 

nanoparticles. Applying colloidal silver 

in the garden should continue to offer 

improvements for the foreseeable future. 

Safety to Gardeners 

Many people ingest colloidal silver 

or apply it topically to treat various 

conditions. If there is a chance you 

ingested colloidal silver, you should 

always make absolutely certain 

that you are using true colloidal 

silver and not silver protein or ionic 

silver, as some toxicity may occur, 

depending on use. Check the Silver 

Safety Council’s Silver Safety Pyramid 

(silversafety.org) to ensure proper 

daily, short-term, and lifetime usage. 

“WHETHER IT’S FOUND IN THEIR DRINKING WATER 

OR PLACED UPON SURFACES THEY TOUCH, SUCH 

AS LEAVES AND BLOSSOMS, THIS ECO-FRIENDLY 

GARDEN ENHANCER KEEPS YOUR GARDEN’S 

POLLINATORS HAPPY AND HEALTHY, TOO.” 

Water Purification 

Colloidal silver possesses a unique 

ability to purify water supplies and 

reservoirs. Various airlines employ 

silver water filters to keep waterborne 

illnesses at bay when airborne. NASA 

also leveraged the power of silver for 

its purification properties, developing 

a copper/silver ionisation process to 

sanitise the water. The purification 

process removes bacteria and algae 

from the water, as evidenced by 

its original intended purpose of 

dispensing silver ions and killing 

bacteria in the potable water supply on 

the Apollo spacecraft. Using colloidal 

silver in your watering can, rain barrel, 

or other water collection system allows 

you to ensure the water is free from 

bacteria, algae, and pathogens before 

you water your garden, giving your 

plants pure, healthy water. 

No Residue Left Behind 

After spraying colloidal silver onto your 

plants, you can rest easy knowing that 

no residue remains. Your fruits and vegetables 

are still perfectly safe and healthy 

for your family to enjoy. Colloidal silver 

may also be combined with water and 

vinegar to create a fruit and vegetable 

wash. The Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention reported in its recent 

study, “Epidemiology of Foodborne 

Norovirus Outbreaks, United States, 

2001-2008,” that produce accounted for 

46 per cent of all foodborne illnesses 

across 17 food categories. In terms of 

norovirus, more than half of the cases 

were tied to produce, particularly leafy 

vegetables and fruit. According to a 

recent study published in the journal 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology 

colloidal silver can deactivate murine 

norovirus (mouse-based norovirus). 


How to Apply Colloidal 

Silver to Your Garden 

Colloidal silver works rapidly and 

efficiently. In many cases, it needs only 

moments of contact with the fungus 

spores or other organisms. Applying 

colloidal silver to your garden can be 

a relatively effortless process. 

• Apply small amounts of a diluted 

solution to the roots to fortify the 

plant while also preventing root rot. 

• Mix a diluted solution containing 

one tablespoon of colloidal silver 

and one litre of water and spray on 

the leaves and flowers. 

• Add to your watering can at the rate 

of one tablespoon per litre of water. 

Interestingly, plants may have 

the ability to control their rate 

of absorption of colloidal silver. 

Researchers found that the more 

nanosilver they applied to the green 

onions, the less the plants absorbed. 

This indicates that the plants 

absorbed only what they needed to 

promote their protection and healing. 

One study suggests that, over time, 

soil can become contaminated with 

the silver particles, causing the 

plants and young seedlings to respond 

in a certain way. In this study, pine tree 

seedlings exhibited reduced growth. 

If heavy silver saturation is a concern, 

you may find container gardening to be 

a good place to start with your silver 

application. This way, you can replace 

the soil any time you choose if things 

aren’t going the way you envisioned. 

With this in mind, moderation may be 

the key to using colloidal silver in your 

gardening endeavours. 

“AFTER SPRAYING COLLOIDAL 

SILVER ONTO YOUR PLANTS, 

YOU CAN REST EASY KNOWING 

THAT NO RESIDUE REMAINS.” 


27

Cal-Mag Supplements: 

A One-Two 

Punch 

for Plants 

by Cory Hughes 

If the leaves in your garden are starting to grow in misshapen 

patterns or are showing spotty, discoloured patches, odds are 

you have a nutrient deficiency. Identifying deficiencies can 

be a challenge, but once you have eliminated your primary 

macronutrients from the list, your problem probably lies with 

your secondary nutrients—calcium and magnesium. Fertilising 

your garden with a cal-mag supplement will strengthen your 

plants and ensure a lush, green hue returns to your beauties. 


Calcium and magnesium are two of the 

three secondary nutrients required by 

plants, the third being sulphur. They are 

secondary in as far as quantities required 

for growth, not importance of function. 

Simply put, calcium and magnesium are 

necessary for plant growth and development 

and are easy to fix in the case of 

a deficiency. While nitrogen stands as 

requiring the highest levels in a nutrient 

feed, secondary nutrients calcium and 

magnesium only require about eight to 

10 per cent of that amount. While their 

required levels are much lower, their 

importance can’t be understated. 

Calcium 

Calcium is important for strengthening 

a plant’s cell walls and maintaining 

its structure. The importance of 

calcium becomes evident when you 

see degradation of the leaves, which 

eventually shows up as discolouration 

and canker-like sores. When calcium 

is absent, the integrity of the cell wall 

falls apart. Calcium is not mobile inside 

the plant, so the plant cannot borrow 

from nearby areas to make up for local 

deficiencies. Instead, calcium depends on 

transpiration to reach its destination. 

“ 

Calcium is not mobile 

inside the plant, so the 

plant cannot borrow from 

nearby areas to make up 

for local deficiencies. 


29

CAL-MAG SUPPLEMENTS 

Once absorbed by the root system, 

calcium is then pulled through the plant 

and deposited where needed as excess 

water, which played a role in the transpiration 

process, escapes the plant 

through tiny pores called stomata. As 

the process depends on the flow of water 

through the plant, any factor that affects 

hydration levels, such as humidity and 

temperature, can have a significant 

impact on calcium levels, even if your 

feed blend is properly mixed. 

Calcium deficiencies also result in 

stunted root growth. Many times, even if 

the soil is rich in calcium, it may not be 

in a form readily available for absorption 

by the plant. This is where supplementation 

comes in. By supplementing 

calcium in a form that is geared 

toward maximum uptake, you increase 

the amount of bio-available calcium 

in the soil, which results in a muchneeded 

boost for your plants. A plant 

with increased calcium levels will result 

in a higher than usual pH in the soil. 

However, finding a higher than usual pH 

level is not necessarily an indicator of 

well-balanced calcium levels. 

Magnesium 

Magnesium deficiencies are easily identified 

by a yellowing of the leaves with 

distinct green veins. As magnesium can 

float freely throughout the plant, the 

veins remain green as newer leaves are 

actively sucking up what magnesium is 

available. This results primarily in deficiencies 

in older leaves. 

Magnesium is the key element in chlorophyll, 

which gives plants their vibrant 

green colour. This secondary plant nutrient 

also plays numerous roles in the 

photosynthesis process, including the 

activation of enzymes and the creation 

and transportation of sugars throughout 

the plant. The most common cause of 

magnesium deficiencies is simply a lack 

of adequate application. 

Enter the One-Two Punch 

Balancing your magnesium and other 

secondary nutrients is vital since 

disproportional amounts can limit 

uptake. Fortunately, treating calcium 

and magnesium deficiencies can 

be handled in one shot. Adding a 

cal-mag supplement to your plants 

can help alleviate many of the 

symptoms showing up in your 

garden. There are a handful 

of approaches to cal-mag 

supplementation. You 

can head to your local 

grow shop and pick 

up one of a handful 

of excellent quality 

fertilisers, or you can 

mix up a batch at home. 

While supplementing 

with calcium by itself, 

it is possible to use 

foliar application, while 

the vast majority of 

cal-mag supplements 

require introduction to 

the root system. 

a 

“ 

While supplementing 

with calcium by itself, 

it is possible to use 

a foliar application, 

while the vast majority 

of cal-mag supplements 

require introduction to 

the root system. 



31

CAL-MAG SUPPLEMENTS 

Mixing your own cal-mag supplement 

at home is as easy as measuring 

out raw nutrient salts. Each of the 

commercial manufacturers has their 

own formulation, but they all follow 

similar methods, tweaking things here 

and there in order to achieve specific 

results. If going the route of mixing up 

your own cal-mag, start with magnesium 

sulphate, otherwise known as 

Epsom salts. Epsom salts are a staple 

of the gardening community for 

magnesium supplementation 

and make the perfect base for 

your cal-mag mix. 

The next ingredient is 

calcium nitrate. Calcium 

nitrate is a common plant 

fertiliser used in standard feed 

mixes. As both calcium and 

magnesium come in a chunky, 

powdery form, they need to be 

dissolved in water at specific ratios. 

Taking into consideration personal 

preference, your calcium should 

be at a parts per million (ppm) of at 

least double that of magnesium. One 

example of a homemade cal-mag 

has a ppm ratio as follows: 120 ppm 

magnesium and 260 ppm calcium. This 

breaks down, per gallon, to 5.8 grams 

of calcium nitrate and 4.6 grams of 

magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts). 

You can always adjust your mixture to 

compensate for specific deficiencies, 

depending on the symptoms you are 

seeing in your garden. 

If all of this sounds like too much work, 

there are plenty of cal-mag formulations 

out there that are ready to go. Many of 

them include additional nutrients like 

iron or nitrogen, but they all stay within 

certain parameters regarding their 

levels of calcium and magnesium. 

“ 

Everything from high 

temperature and 

humidity to an imbalance 

in your fertilser can 

result in calcium and 

magnesium deficiencies. 

Nutrient deficiencies in the garden 

can arise for a multitude of reasons. 

Everything from high temperature 

and humidity to an imbalance in 

your fertiliser can result in calcium 

and magnesium deficiencies. The 

decaying of leaf structure, fading of 

leaves, and yellowing with green 

veins are indications your calcium and 

magnesium levels are low. As these 

two nutrients play such an important 

role in plant growth and development, 

it is important to be able to recognise 

the symptoms of deficiency quickly and 

respond appropriately. Really coming to 

understand the roles that calcium and 

magnesium play in your garden is vital 

in knowing how to correct problems 

that arise from deficiency. 



33

y Shannon McKee 

Let’s face facts. Gardening 

in any form takes money, 

and often indoor gardening 

using hydroponics can be 

even more expensive than 

just putting a few tomato 

plants in your backyard 

plot. Finding ways to save 

money can help you keep 

doing what you love longer, 

and may even help you to 

expand your efforts. Here are 

some pointers on how to save 

money the next time you hit 

your favourite shop. 

1. Talk to the Employees 

You may believe that it’s against 

a shop employee’s best interests 

to talk to you about ways to save 

money, but they know their loyal 

customers are hooked on growing 

and will come back for more. They 

can give you all kinds of tips on 

when or how to shop for supplies 

based on their upcoming sales, 

clearance items, and more. 

2. Buyback Programs 

Employees are also 

knowledgeable about whether or 

not the shop may have buyback 

opportunities. Some stores will 

buy back your old equipment 

when you upgrade or downgrade 

in order to resell to their bargain 

hunters. You can use the cash you 

make off your old equipment to get 

discounts on newer items, or buy 

used equipment if it’s been vetted 

by the shop employees. 

3. Warranties 

Warranties can also be a good 

thing to look into when buying 

your items. Finding an item with 

an amazing warranty may not 

save you money when you check 

out that day, but it will in the future 

if something goes wrong and you 

can have it fixed or replaced for 

free rather than opening up your 

wallet to do so yourself. 

4. Social Media 

Keep an eye on your favourite 

local shops on social media, or 

sign up for their newsletters. 

This is another great way of 

staying informed of all the 

deals they offer throughout the 

year. Plus, some places give 

discounts to people who follow 

them on social media or sign 

up for their emails. 

5. Samples 

Be sure to ask for samples of 

products that you haven’t tested 

in the past. Many shops will 

have samples on hand from their 

suppliers behind the counter—all 

you have to do is ask. This saves 

you from buying a full-sized bottle 

and finding that you preferred your 

old brand better. 

6. Reusable Products 

Another way to save money is to 

look into the possibility of using 

reusable grow media such as 

soil, coco coir, or clay pebbles. If 

you’re able to get a few uses out 

of a grow medium, this not only 

saves you the money from having 

to buy the product as often, but 

also time as you won’t have to go 

to the store as frequently and risk 

being tempted to pick up items 

you don’t really need. 


7. Bulk Buys 

Apply some of the money-saving 

tricks you’ve learned at the 

grocery store. Look for products 

that are shelf-stable and buy 

them in bulk. For instance, 

you can often get a great deal 

on larger packs of light bulbs 

where each bulb ends up 

cheaper than if you were buying 

them in smaller packs. 

8. Shelf Life 

Another grocery store trick you 

should keep in mind is not buying 

items that will expire before you 

use them up. Yes, you may be 

saving money per ounce or item, 

but if you end up throwing out a 

lot because it’s expired, then it’s 

not really a savings. Consider 

going in on buys with a friend 

or relative if you are looking to 

buy these items with the savings 

without having any go to waste. 

9. Coupons, Rebates, 

& Clearances 

Be on the lookout for any way 

to save money off the regular 

price. Things like coupons, buyone-get-one 

(also known as a 

BOGO), rebates, and clearance 

bins should be like catnip to you. 

Use coupons and BOGO deals to 

stock up on shelf-stable items. 

Rebates are often offered by the 

manufacturer, so be sure to pay 

close attention to the instructions 

on how to get your savings. It may 

take a few months before you get 

your cheque or gift card, but it’s 

well worth the little effort you 

need to put in. Clearance bins 

are often a good way to find items 

that may be overstocked, being 

cut from the product line, or are 

nearing their expiration dates. 

10. Make a List 

How often do you get to the 

store and find that you’re buying 

more than what you planned on 

purchasing, and then you regret 

some of your impulse purchases? 

Going in with a list can help you 

stay on track with your buying 

needs and save you money. 

These tips and tricks will make a 

big difference in your grow budget. 

You’ll be happier with the amount 

of money you’ve saved, and maybe 

you’ll be able to save enough cash 

to update your equipment or buy 

the equipment for the extension that 

you’ve been dreaming about. Happy 

bargain shopping! 

How do you save money at your 

local grow shop? Email us your 

tips at editor@maximumyield.com. 


35

STRONG 

Turn Your WEAK Roots into 

SURVIVORS 

Taking an out-of-sight, out-of-mind 

approach to your plants’ roots will 

only result in weak, rotting roots and 

unhealthy plants. To build strong roots, 

create a plan for the environment 

beneath the soil. Nicola Mills tells us how. 

by Nicola Mills 


Plants sometimes need an extra 

boost to strengthen or establish 

their root systems. Whether starting 

from seed or supporting a growing 

plant, you need that foundation 

to provide structure and pull in 

water and nutrients. Most plants 

are also unlikely to grow above 

their base or crown roots without 

a deeper, stronger system below. 

When that structure is severed 

by transplanting or unearthing, 

plants quickly weaken and become 

susceptible to diseases like root rot. 

Although applying the right balance 

of fertiliser and water can help with 

recovery from such a shock, the wrong 

amount can easily cause fatal problems. 

However, when disaster strikes, 

applying root stimulators and other 

enhancements can help rejuvenate 

your soil and the plants that rely on it. 

Fundamentally, the best approach to 

developing more robust roots is creating 

a clear plan for soil and plant 

care that is grounded in cultivating a 

healthy below-ground environment. 

“THE BEST APPROACH TO 

DEVELOPING MORE ROBUST 

ROOTS IS CREATING A CLEAR 

PLAN FOR SOIL AND PLANT 

CARE THAT IS GROUNDED 

IN CULTIVATING A HEALTHY 

BELOW-GROUND ENVIRONMENT.” 

BUILDING BETTER SOIL 

The first step in that plan should be 

choosing the right fertiliser or soil 

enhancer, and this starts with a soil 

test to accurately measure nutrient 

levels. Determining your indoor garden’s 

unique needs is important because 

greenhouse-grown plants have only 

known the intensive care of their artificial 

conditions. As a result, they cannot 

handle actual soil and have a harder 

time adapting to different environments, 

whether that be in one’s backyard or 

indoors. However, appropriate plant 

care can help by mimicking the native 

climate for your plants in terms of water, 

light, humidity, and temperature. 


37

STRONG SURVIVORS 

After assessing your soil needs, you can then turn 

to the plants themselves. In particular, over time, 

they will deplete the nutrients originally provided 

by their soil, even as regular watering leeches 

those resources from the soil. Yet, unlike the great 

outdoors, indoor soil can only be replenished with 

additives and fertilisers. Traditional fertilisers, 

though, have multiple disadvantages, from their 

odorous smell to basic costs, seasonal effectiveness, 

and storage and use requirements. Soil enhancers 

and stimulants, on the other hand, provide easy-touse 

alternatives that can save time and money by 

helping build soil and root structure in kind. 

Both synthetic and natural options within these 

categories should be applied according to their 

instructions to avoid damage, although natural 

products are less likely to harm plant life. In 

general, fertilisers and stimulants should be applied 

fairly regularly—around once a month or more often 

during the hard work of flowering or fruiting and the 

fast growth of spring. Be sure to monitor and analyse 

changing conditions to help adapt to your plants’ 

needs, with weak growth and yellow-green colour 

specifically signaling poor nourishment. 

“WHEN IT COMES TO ROOT 

GROWTH, YOU SHOULD AIM 

FOR STIMULATING POTASSIUM 

AND PHOSPHORUS RATHER 

THAN NITROGEN.” 

REJUVENATE WITH 

PHOSPHORUS & POTASSIUM 

Plants rely on many naturally occurring micronutrients. 

However, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus 

are vital to overall plant growth, especially photosynthesis, 

cell division, and fruit, flower, and seed 

development. Accordingly, fertilisers are rated by 

an N-P-K ratio for the contained percentage of each. 

As these nutrients are used up over time, they will 

need to be replenished, and fertilisers provide a 

means to prevent deficiencies by doing just that. 

When it comes to root growth, you should aim for 

stimulating potassium and phosphorus rather than 

nitrogen, which promotes growth while weakening 

the roots, flowers, and fruits that the previous 

encourage. Phosphorus, in particular, not only helps 

root systems grow, it also balances high nitrogen 

levels resulting from drought and compacted 

soil. Potassium, on the other hand, encourages 

dense and strong root growth. Both are especially 

well-suited for organic gardening and for younger 

plants as these additives can easily be naturally 

sourced and are not harsh on plant life. At the same 

time, fertilisers also carry other nutrients, including 

silicon, which improves pest, disease, drought, 

heavy metal, and salt resistance. 

The main natural sources for these soil 

enhancements are phosphorous-laden livestock 

manure, high-potassium granite meal and wood 

ash, and low-nitrogen rock phosphate and bone 

meal. For both phosphorus and potassium, 

you can get the same levels of nutrients from 

synthetic fertilisers, which are easy-to-use and 

ideal for plants already suffering from 

deficiencies. In either case, the best 

time to apply these nutrients is 

before planting by working 

fertiliser several inches into 

the soil around existing roots. 



39

STRONG SURVIVORS 

STIMULATE WITH 

ROOT BOOSTERS 

Root boosters, meanwhile, combine 

various vitamins, hormones, and other 

elements that support root growth in 

order to improve the uptake of nutrients 

through existing roots. While these 

products often tout the benefits of 

vitamin B1 or thiamine, any positive 

results are undoubtedly caused by 

additives, including humic acids, kelp, 

and rhizobacteria like mycorrhizae. 

Rhizotonics actually contain myriad 

root-stimulating hormones, along 

with bacteria that stabilise and 

digest nitrogen and minerals in the 

soil. Within B1 boosters, it is the root 

stimulators like auxins that stimulate 

roots, such that water and a small 

amount of fertiliser would better boost 

growth than thiamine alone. 

“BECAUSE PLANTS GET THEIR NUTRIENTS 

FROM THEIR ROOT SYSTEMS, ENSURING 

ROOT HEALTH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT 

PART OF ANY FORM OF GARDENING.” 

Auxins are naturally occurring plant 

hormones that often come as part 

of B1 boosters and actively create 

strong, deep root systems. Some 

examples include indolebutyric acid, 

naphthylacetic acid, and indoleacetic 

acid, the latter of which specifically 

helps plants focus on cell growth. 

Auxins stunt crown and other growth 

in order to establish lateral roots, 

so they can be especially helpful in 

nurturing transplants and growing 

plants from cuttings. However, they 

should not be applied to seedlings, as 

doing so will stunt plant and primary 

root growth. In bringing together 

auxins and other elements, though, 

root boosters can improve nutrient 

uptake by transplanted or otherwise 

severed root systems and so help as 

much as initial root growth. 

NURTURE WITH 

MYCORRHIZAE FUNGUS 

Another common ingredient in root 

boosters is mycorrhizae, which is a 

group of root-colonising fungi found 

all over the world except Antarctica. 

These fungal growths share a mutually 

beneficial, symbiotic relationship 

with most of the world’s land plants. 

Mycorrhizae specifically aids in 

the uptake of minor nutrients 

and can be traced back to 

the earliest fossil records 

as filaments that penetrate 

and become extensions 

of root systems. In so 

doing, they help absorb 

water and nutrients, deter 

bacteria and other fungi, and build 

stronger underground structures. Plants 

are so dependent upon mycorrhizal 

fungi that many woody plants like oak 

trees would actually die without them 

entangled in their roots. 

Mycorrhizae boosters are generally 

included with growing media or as 

water-soluble mixes to help mimic 

the symbiotic relationship found in 

pristine soils. Such treatments are 

especially well-suited to building 

root systems in hydroponic gardens 

and rebuilding bacteria populations 

within urban soils because they 

support adaptation. Furthermore, 

this natural soil enhancement 

is a great solution for improving 

nutrition, drought tolerance, and 

overall survival of plants in organic 

gardens. More generally, mycorrhizae 

boosters can be a strong foundation 

for starting and maintaining indoor 

plants and gardens. 

Because plants get their nutrients 

from their root systems, ensuring 

root health is the most important 

part of any form of gardening. 

For indoor gardens, in particular, 

mimicking natural conditions can help 

strengthen seedlings, transplants, and 

established plants alike. However, 

using soil enhancements to promote 

root growth is not a one-size-fits-all 

approach. Instead, you should focus 

on adapting to your plant and soil’s 

unique needs in order to take care of 

them when they need it. Proper care 

and watering remain the best ways 

to maintain plant health, so use the 

above information to help balance soil 

enhancements and to cultivate strong 

roots and healthy plants. 



41

alancing 

Plant 

Growth 

Regulator 

Plant growth regulators have their benefits, 

but they also have their drawbacks that can 

include health concerns for people who 

consume what they grow. Rich Hamilton 

explains what plant growth regulators are, 

what they do, and what questions consumers 

should be asking when purchasing them. 

principles 

By Rich Hamilton 


Starting with the basics, PGR 

stands for plant growth regulator, 

sometimes also referred to as a 

plant hormone. Every plant naturally 

produces tiny amounts of hormones 

to control its normal functions such 

as root growth, height, node and 

internode growth, flowering, quantity 

of flowers, fruit, and any other 

developmental growth. 

Plant growth regulators are a chemical 

or mix of chemicals that make a plant 

change beyond its naturally physiological 

growth actions, through the 

cells, organs, and tissues. It does this by 

either slowing down the rate of growth 

or maturation, speeding up the rate of 

growth or maturation, or altering the 

natural behaviour of a plant. Note that 

this does not include any substances 

that are intended as plant nutrients, 

including trace elements, plant inoculants, 

or nutritional chemicals. 

The term PGR has come to include 

many things, and not all of them are 

harmful. Some of the major classifications 

of plant growth regulators are 

auxins, cytokinins, ethylene generators, 

gibberellins, and growth inhibitors/retardants. 

Auxins elongate shoots. 

They are primarily used to increase 

growth, flower formation, and root mass. 

Plant growth regulators 

are a chemical or mix of 

chemicals that make a plant 

change beyond its naturally 

physiological growth actions. 


43

PGR PRINCIPLES 

Cytokinins stimulates cell division 

and are primarily used to increase 

root mass and new bud growth. 

Ethylene generators ripen fruit and 

are primarily used to ripen fruit 

uniformly, giving the plant consistent 

fruit size and weight. Gibberellins 

elongate cells and stimulate cell 

division and are primarily used to 

increase fruit and flower size. Finally, 

grow inhibitors and retardants stop or 

slow down growth. They are primarily 

used to increase flower production by 

shortening the internodes, make more 

node sites, and/or to completely stop 

the lateral growth of a plant. 

So, the big question is, are PGRs 

illegal? Well, no, not if they are used 

on ornamental plants. Without going 

too far down the rabbit hole of what 

is and isn’t legal, what I can say 

is that some are prohibited for use 

on plants grown and intended for 

human consumption. 

Good Control 

PGRs are a great way to control 

plants. They will, if used in the right 

mixtures at the correct dosages, 

considerably improve the desired 

factors. PGRs can help a plant 

produce more flowers and fruits and 

assist in producing even consistent 

flowers and fruits. They can help you 

keep plant height consistent and 

reduce the time it takes for a plant to 

produce its flowers and fruits. They 

can also make a plant less susceptible 

to fungi, diseases, and pests. 

PGRs can control plants in order to 

preserve the balance between the 

modern world and the natural world. 

By that I mean they have been used 

to stop growth in trees growing too 

high and that otherwise would have 

to be destroyed to prevent them from 

growing under bridges, telephone 

cables, and in other urban locations, 

damaging or obstructing footings, 

buildings, and foundations. 

At the other end of the scale, 

they can make houseplants more 

manageable and become more 

resilient to stress and disease. 

PGRs are also used commonly and 

successfully within the retail flower 

business. They are used to make the 

flowers more appealing to the retail 

consumer by improving consistency 

in flower size and colour. 

We’ve covered the positives, so what 

are some of the negatives? As is often 

the case, when something seems too 

good to be true, it usually is. 

PGRs can control plants in 

order to preserve the balance 

between the modern world 

and the natural world. 

A Moral Choice 

Most people, including shop owners 

and customers, would prefer not to sell 

or buy products that contain PGRs, if 

given a choice, but most do. There are 

several reasons for this, the first being 

the companies that produce the nutrients 

and additives do not always inform shop 

owners that their products contain PGRs, 

so the shop owner is none the wiser. 

On the flip side, some of the products 

that contain PGRs are so popular and 

sought after, a shop owner may find him 

or herself stuck with a moral choice. The 

owner can attempt to educate customers 

as much as possible on the benefits of 

non-PGR products, but the bottom line is 

that they are a business, so if they don’t 

have the PGR products a customer wants 

in their store, they run the risk of losing 

that customer and sale to a rival. 

Finally, there are those people who are 

only interested in achieving the heaviest 

and most financially rewarding yield 

from the plant and are willing to overlook 

the health concerns related to PGRs. 



45

PGR PRINCIPLES 

In reality, PGRs are out there and it is 

impossible to tell what plants they are 

in and at what levels. But this can all be 

taken care of if plants are flushed before 

harvest, right? 

Wrong. 

PGR chemicals are nearly all 

systemic, which means that once 

they are taken up into the plant, 

trace chemicals will always be 

in the plant, its flowers, fruits, 

roots, tissues, pollen...everything. 

Most people, including 

hydroponics shop owners and 

customers, would prefer not 

to sell or buy products that 

contain PGRs, if given a choice. 

Therefore, it follows that if you cannot 

be sure what levels of PGR are 

present in the additives you are using 

due to the lack of information given 

in the ingredients list, then you would 

have no idea of the level of potentially 

harmful PGRs in any part of your fully 

grown plant, including the fruit before 

and after harvesting. 

The Right Questions 

There is a lack of pretty much any 

regulation or regulative body on 

chemicals used in the hobbyist hydroponics 

industry. This means that most 

of the nutrient and additive companies 

don’t have to state whether their 

product contains any PGRs, the quantities 

contained or specify which PGR 

it is. The bad press surrounding PGRs, 

most notably that the majority of them 

are banned in most countries for use 

on plants and their fruits that are 

intended for human consumption, only 

adds to the desire to keep their presence 

in any products a secret. 

You’re probably thinking that surely 

the nutrient companies can’t knowingly 

put these chemicals in their 

products without telling the customer. 

However, like antibiotics in meat or 

chemical ingredients in packaged 

foods, the simple and honest truth is 

yes, some of them do. Not only that, 

they also don’t tell us. Like anything 

else you consume, know what you are 

buying. Here are a few questions to 

ask a retailer or manufacturer when 

purchasing nutrients: 

● 1 What PGRs, if any, are in the 

products you sell? 

● 2 What will those PGRs do 

to the plant? 

● 3 Should they be used on 

anything intended to be 

consumed by humans? 

● 4 What effects will the chemicals 

have if the produce of the 

plant is consumed? 

The bottom line is that the next 

time you go to buy nutrients, ask 

if the product contains PGRs. Only 

by asking and buying better can 

we create a better, safer market for 

ourselves in the future. 



47

movers & shakers 

Les Sourciers 

LOCATION: 

Lagraulet du Gers, France 

PHONE: 

+33 787116165 

WEB: 

lessourciers.com 

YEARS IN BUSINESS: 

3.5 

Les Sourciers – Sustainable Hydroponic Microfarming 

The founders of 

the Les Sourciers 

microfarm in the French 

countryside admit they 

had no agricultural 

background before 

starting their business, 

but that didn’t stop 

them from pursuing 

and profiting from their 

new-found passion. 

French chefs prefer produce that is 

clean, pest-free, good-looking, and 

tasty—the more local, the better. In 

southwest France, farmers at Les Sourciers, 

a hydroponic microfarm that grows 

herbs and vegetables, are fulfilling that 

demand. In addition to what’s growing, 

the farmers also provide locals with 

lessons in hydroponics on the weekends. 

It is just these types of lessons that inspired 

the establishment of their business 

in the first place. 

“My husband and I had no agricultural 

background,” confesses Les Sourciers 

co-founder, Marion Sarlé. “We were 

working in the car industry and decided 

to take a U-turn with our lives. We took 

a hydroponics course and thought 

it was fascinating. We met William 

and Noucetta from GHE (General 

Hydroponics Europe), who encouraged 

us to start our own hydroponics business 

and become farmers,” she adds. 

It didn’t take long for the pair to find a 

650-square-metre greenhouse. At this 

time, GHE was just developing a microfarming 

department with its AeroFlo 

system. “Aero hydroponics is very efficient 

and not that common, at least not in 

hydroponic food production in France, so 

by using this system and GHE’s Flora series 

nutrient solutions, we knew we could 

make a competitive difference. It was 

the best way to learn quickly and with a 

small upfront investment,” says Sarlé. 

The Sarlés experienced success almost 

immediately. “Our first results were very 

good, super-healthy, nutritious, tasty 

greens. The chefs immediately loved 

our produce for its strong taste and our 

business grew very fast,” says Sarlé. 

“At the beginning, we only aimed to 

grow herbs, but the chefs convinced us to 

try vegetables, explaining that they can’t 

stand tasteless tomatoes anymore. It was 

good advice! With the combination of 


our heirloom varieties and hydroponic 

system, we now offer amazingly tasty tomatoes 

and peppers that are good-looking 

and clean.” 

Les Sourciers sells its produce mainly 

to high-end restaurants—around 25 

chefs to be precise, some of which have 

Michelin stars. They offer more than 100 

different kinds of herbs, edible flowers, 

vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, 

and even some microgreens. They also 

get a lot of requests for rare, surprising 

herbs, such as oyster leaf, cheese plant, 

Aztec sweet herb, and Szechuan buttons, 

but the items they sell in the highest 

quantities are basil and tomatoes. 

All of the produce is super fresh, 

harvested early in the morning, and 

delivered personally to the restaurants 

every day before the first lunch 

service. “What our clients receive 

has been harvested only a few hours 

earlier, and their customers can taste 

the difference in flavour and crunchiness. 

We are always looking for new 

varieties that could surprise them; 

they love rare greens,” Sarlé says. 

Before Les Sourciers entered the market, 

the chefs in the area would have to 

buy herbs that had travelled from Israel, 

Spain, or the Netherlands. “The fact that 

we grow and sell local really makes a 

difference, and also means the chefs can 

store produce longer,” says 

Sarlé. “The chefs want clean, 

pest-free, good-looking, and 

tasty products. Fortunately 

for us, these chefs are ready 

to spend more for this kind 

of high-quality product,” 

she adds. “Working with the 

chefs is very rewarding; they 

are grateful for our unique 

products and communicate a 

lot about our farm.” 

The only downside to all 

of this is that because they live in the 

deep countryside, they have to drive a lot 

to deliver. “We would love to be able to 

deliver with drones!” Sarlé jokes. 

Les Sourciers view their farm as a 

new way of doing hydroponics and 

are enjoying changing the image of 

“tasteless” hydroponic culture in France. 

In France, the majority of the hydroponic 

production is done in huge production 

greenhouses, using rockwool media 

and highly concentrated fertilisation in 

an open system. The tomato varieties 

are chosen for their yield, resistance 

to transportation, and lengthy storage 

capabilities; sometimes they are 

harvested green, Sarlé explains. “The 

result is quantity, not quality, and the 

footprint is quite bad for nature,” she 

adds. “We want to use the hydroponic 

technique because we think it is very 

clever, but we are trying to do it the other 

way, aiming for quality and not quantity 

while proving that it is still profitable on 

a small scale.” 

That being said, all the media Les 

Sourciers uses is reusable, and no 

chemicals are used to clean the clay 

pellets. The AeroFlo is a closed-loop 

system that allows growers to use a 

complete nutrient solution with low 

EC. In their system, Les Sourciers grow 

heirloom varieties that are harvested 

when ready and sold locally the same 

day as harvested. “We have observed 

that mixing the varieties in the same 

systems is very beneficial for pest 

control. We use no treatment of any 

kind—no chemical treatments and no 

organic treatments. Our polyculture 


49

LES SOURCIERS 

methods allow us to do so without big 

losses,” Sarlé says. “You would think 

that because all the roots are floating 

in the same water, if one plant gets a 

disease, all of the others would too, 

but that is not the case. Many times an 

outbreak will infect one or two varieties, 

but all of the other plants will remain 

healthy. So, you have to ask yourself: 

Would you rather lose money because of 

the two per cent of your plants that got 

ill and died, or lose money by buying 

preventive products to avoid diseases?” 

Another thing boosting the quality 

of the produce at Les Sourciers is the 

fact that they keep and reuse almost 

all of their seeds. “We believe because 

they never had any treatments, their 

genetics are becoming stronger and 

stronger. This is in addition to the 

fact that they are every time more 

adapted to our water system and to 

our climate,” explains Sarlé. 

After more than three years in 

business, Les Sourciers now uses a 

quarter of its greenhouse for research, 

one quarter for vegetable production, 

and one half for herb production. The 

owners also added a nursery in order 

to go faster with the younger crops. 

“After three years, we now know better 

what the chefs need, so it is easier for 

us to design and plan the correct crop 

varieties,” says Sarlé. Overall, the goal 

of Les Sourciers is to prove that with 

their kind of hydroponics, it is possible 

to make a living out of a small area, 

and that small-scale polyculture allows 

you to do it sustainably, with reusable 

media and a closed-loop system. 

In terms of the near future, Sarlé says 

her and her husband are looking into 

going even more organic with their 

process. “We are very excited about 

bioponics,” she says, referring to a form 

of organic hydroponics based on the use 

of BioSevia products developed by GHE 

and invented and patented by William 

Texier, the man who introduced the 

Sarlés to hydroponics initially. “We have 

been using bioponics together with other 

mineral solutions and the results are 

amazing. We believe this kind of mixed 

solution has a lots of potential.” 

Another part of their future plans include 

keeping up social media efforts, 

pointing to their YouTube tutorials as 

an example. “We have realised that 

many farmers are doing an amazing 

job, but don’t communicate much, 

so we use social media to share our 

discoveries and learn from everyone. 

We also have many people who want 

to follow our weekend courses. With 

the rising interest in vertical farming, 

hydroponics in general has become 

a real trend. Soon, we will be doing 

some consulting for big urban vertical 

farming projects in France, so we will 

see where that goes!” 

Moving forward, the plans aren’t 

necessarily to grow bigger in one area, 

but to branch out into more regions. 

“We have had a lot of chefs from bigger 

cities (Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux) asking 

us for our unique products, but we 

“ 

With the combination 

of our heirloom varieties 

and hydroponic system, 

we now offer amazingly 

tasty tomatoes and 

peppers that are goodlooking 

and clean.” 

want to stick with our local strategy,” 

Sarlé explains. So, instead of posting 

them their products, the pair say they 

would rather train other people who 

are building facilities like theirs in 

other cities and regions. “With this 

approach, we sincerely hope the entire 

industry will benefit from new growers 

and shared experiences,” says Sarlé. 



51

SAME 

PLANT 

DIFFERENT 

POTS 

by Grubbycup | While it may not be magic, 

it is possible to grow the same plant in 

more than one container at the same time. 

By layering or by rooting cuttings, plants 

that share the same DNA can be produced, 

creating on demand identical twins (almost). 

Many plants have the ability to 

produce roots along their stems and 

at budding sites. This is because the 

basic building block cells (meristem 

cells) of plants are able to develop into 

a variety of cells as they mature. The 

meristem cells found in the leaves, 

stems, and roots all start out the same, 

and it is only as they develop that they 

grow into specialised leaf cells, stem 

cells, and root cells. This is important 

because which type of cell a particular 

meristem cell will turn into depends in 

part on the environment it is in. 

Some plants make use of this to extend 

their range. Vining plants, in particular, 

are often able to make roots along their 

stem (especially at budding sites with 

their high concentration of undeclared 

meristem cells) where the stem comes 

in contact with moist soil. This gives 

not only additional anchoring points for 

the plant, but the roots can help supply 

moisture and nutrients along the length. 

The same plant may have a central 

main root system, and then satellite root 

systems at various places. 

Since this creates sections of the plant 

that have both root systems and shoots, 

these sections— once established— 

don’t need to be connected to the original 

plant anymore. If for some reason 

the vine is damaged or cut, the satellite 

section can continue to grow independently 

of the parent plant. 

Gardeners can use this property to 

propagate such plants. A technique 

called simple layering involves 

intentionally burying sections of stem 

to encourage rooting. Once the roots 

are established, the sections are cut 

apart. It is important to note that up 

until the connection is severed, it 

is still all the same plant. Once cut, 

while technically they could be called 

separate plants, they will share the 

same genetic code and gender since 

they were originally the same plant. 

There are variations on the layering 

theme. Sphagnum moss or similar 

can be tied to a branch and kept 

moist to root above ground branches 

(known as air layering), growing 

tips can be bent to come into contact 


with soil (tip layering), stems can be 

bent horizontally and either partially 

buried at several points (serpentine 

layering) or buried straight across 

in stages (trench layering). All of 

these techniques involve getting 

roots to develop and then cutting off 

the rooted sections of stem to create 

“new” plants, which are, in a way, 

still the same plant. 

Layering methods all basically 

involve putting a section of stem 

into a growth medium, keeping it 

moist enough to encourage roots, 

and finally cutting the rooted section 

away from the parent plant. 

However, there is another way to 

vegetatively (non-sexually) propagate 

plants, which is very similar to layering 

but changes the order. Instead of 

separating the new plant after it is 

rooted, it is separated first, then placed 

into a grow medium, and then roots are 

encouraged to develop. This method 

is commonly referred to as rooting 

cuttings or cloning, in tribute to the 

matching DNA of both plants. 

Since the cutting is removed from the 

parent plant before it has developed a 

root system, the stem must be kept moist 

so it can supply moisture to the rest of 

the plant. Eventually, the meristem cells 

in the moistened stem will take their cue 

and mature into root cells, forming the 

start of a new root system. 

At its most basic, cutting the end of a 

branch and placing the stem in water 

on a windowsill until it roots is a 

way to root cuttings. Ways to improve 

over this method include aerating the 

water (adding an air stone), supplying 

stable lighting with an artificial light, 

and regulating environmental factors 

such as heat and humidity. 

Care must be taken not to allow the 

stems to dry out, or the plant will go into 

terminal wilt and die. Care must also 

be taken not to keep the stem too wet 

for too long, or it can encourage lethal 

fungal growth commonly known as root 

rot. Up to a point, the better aerated the 

water, the longer contact with the stem 

is allowable. There are rooting solutions 

on the market that contain hormones to 

help convince the meristem cells into 

developing into root cells. 

While not all plants can be started 

from cuttings—some woody plants 

are easier to layer than keep cuttings 

alive for the length of time needed—for 

those that will (tomatoes in particular 

are easy to root cuttings from) taking 

cuttings tends to be the method of 

choice for starting new plants from a 

mother plant. 

“ 

Layering methods 

all basically 

involve putting 

a section of 

stem into a 

growth medium, 

then keeping it 

moist enough to 

encourage roots.” 

Rooting cuttings has some benefits 

over layering: it tends to be less labour 

intensive, requires less space, can root 

plants quicker, and more plants can be 

made from a single parent plant easily. 

Trying down branches to layer 

takes both effort and time. Wellcared 

for cuttings can start to root 

days or weeks before their layered 

equivalent. Any section with a 

growing tip (apical meristem) and 

stem section can be attempted to be 

used, allowing for several cuttings to 

be made from each donor plant. 

An advanced form of rooting cuttings, 

known as tissue culture, involves using 

only small sections of a mother plant, 

treating them, and then placing them in 

a special sterile grow medium to allow 

the meristem cells from any part of the 

plant to grow roots (and shoots). 

Even for gardeners who specialise in 

plants that are usually propagated 

by either layering or cloning, there 

is value in understanding the 

similarities and differences between 

the two methods so they have a 

better overall understanding of the 

mechanisms involved. 


53

Who is This 

Kelvin Guy? 

If the Kelvin scale 

was a character 

in a suspense 

novel, he’d be the 

misunderstood loner 

who possessed 

information vital 

to untangling the 

convoluted plot. 

by Sara Elliott 


If you’re a little unclear about the 

kelvin (K) rating on your grow light, 

you’re not alone. The Kelvin scale 

can be counterintuitive in a couple 

of ways, but understanding it is an 

important detail when pursuing the 

goal of healthy plant development. 

Kelvin and Temperature 

Let’s start with a simple refresher. Kelvin 

is a temperature measurement often 

preferred in scientific circles because it 

can be useful in a number of different 

contexts. The bottom of the scale denotes 

absolute zero, a condition where there 

is no measureable kinetic energy in an 

object. It’s as cold as it can possibly be. 

The coldest objects in the universe will 

have a rating of zero on the Kelvin scale. 

The incremental measurements when 

using kelvin are the same as when 

using Celsius (˚C), another type of 

temperature scale. Where they differ, 

however, is the definition of zero. On the 

Celsius scale, zero is the freezing point 

of water. As mentioned above, zero on 

the Kelvin scale is absolute zero. For 

reference, 0 K is equal to -273.15˚C. 

The Kelvin Scale 

and Colour Temperature 

Kelvin is a fundamental unit of 

thermodynamic temperature, which 

means it measures heat. So, it would 

make sense that colour temperature 

ratings are really heat ratings, right? 

Well, yes and no. 

Although kelvin is a heat 

measurement, it doesn’t quantify 

the amount of heat a light fixture is 

pumping into your growroom when 

applied to colour temperature. Instead, 

it measures how closely a light source 

approximates full-spectrum sunlight. 

The Kelvin scale can be used to do this 

by exploiting the colour changes that 

occur when an object is heated. 

For a real-world example, think of an 

incandescent filament. As the filament 

gets hotter, it first begins to glow red 

then orange, yellow, and so on. These 

colour changes are measured as heat 

values in kelvin, but correlate to colour 

spectrum changes, too. By applying the 

Kelvin scale to these specific hues or 

colour ranges, it’s possible to select light 

values favourable for specific phases of 

plant photobiology. Kelvin can also be 

used to identify full-spectrum lights that 

most closely approximate sunlight. 

Is Blue Cool or Hot? 

Let’s look at this concept a little more closely. 

Light sources can be somewhat classified 

based on their kelvin values using a scale 

from 1,000-8,000 K. Here are some general 

examples to give you an idea of how the 

scale relates to different types of light: 

• Candlelight: 1,800-1,930 K 

• Sunlight at Sunrise or Sunset: 2,000-3,000 K 

• High Pressure Sodium (HPS): 2,200 K 

• Incandescent: 2,700-3,000 K 

• Compact Fluorescent (CFL): 2,700-6,500 K (various) 

• Metal Halide (MH): 3,200-5,500K (various) 

• Sunlight at Noon on a Clear Day: 5,000-5,400 K 

“ In colour psychology, humans tend to associate blue hues 

with cooler environments, often defining them as calmer, 

chillier shades. However, blue has a higher kelvin rating and 

colour temperature than that of red, orange, or yellow light. 

” 


55

WHO IS THIS KELVIN GUY? 

As you can see, candlelight, which is 

toward the red end of the visual spectrum, 

has a lower kelvin rating or range 

than light on the white or blue end of the 

spectrum, such as that produced by a 

fluorescent fixture in an office building. 

This is another way in which kelvin 

can be confusing. In colour psychology, 

humans tend to associate blue hues 

with cooler environments, often defining 

them as calmer, chillier shades. 

However, blue has a higher kelvin rating 

and colour temperature than that of red, 

orange, or yellow light. Going back to 

our incandescent filament example, a 

white or blue filament is hotter than a 

red or yellow one. 

Colour Temperature and 

Visible Light Wavelengths 

It may seem possible to convert light 

wavelengths to colour temperatures. 

However, the relationship between the 

two isn’t as intuitive as it might appear. 

Visible light within the electromagnetic 

spectrum—that is, all the colours of the 

rainbow—has a wavelength range of 

390-700 nanometres (nm). For example, 

blue light has a wavelength 

of around 475 nm and red 

light has a wavelength 

of about 650 nm. Colour 

temperature ratings, 

however, don’t represent 

a single wavelength 

value. These ratings 

actually contain many, 

many wavelengths 

that collectively 

appear as a 

particular hue. 

Colour Temperature 

and Plants 

In nature, plants have access to 

balanced, full-spectrum sunlight that 

includes all light wavelengths. During 

photosynthesis, most plants employ 

the entire visible light spectrum. To 

perform some other functions, though, 

they rely heavily on specific portions 

of the light spectrum. For example, 

during early growth, light on the blue 

end of the spectrum (6,500 K) triggers 

leaf, stem, and root development. 

Later, an increase in red spectrum 

light (2,700-3,000 K) encourages and 

sustains flowering and fruiting. 

For indoor growers, understanding 

how plants use light makes it easier to 

manipulate colour temperature and use 

lighting efficiently in order to maximise 

the developmental potential of plants. 

Kelvin colour temperature ratings are 

useful measurements when determining 

the best light for different phases of 

plant development, but there are other 

light-related factors to think about, too. 

They include, but are not limited to, 

light intensity and duration (AKA daily 

light integral, or DLI), heat 

output, bulb longevity, 

equipment cost, and 

energy consumption. 

For the best results, understand 

what type of lighting your 

plants will need before you invest 

in equipment, and use tools like 

colour temperature to fine-tune your 

growing strategies. 

“ It may seem possible to 

convert light wavelengths 

to colour temperatures. 

However, the relationship 

between the two isn’t as 

intuitive as it might appear. 

” 


COLOUR 

TEMPERATURE 

& YOUR HOME 

LIGHTING 

If you think the value of colour 

temperature is limited to the 

confines of your growroom, 

guess again. The technology 

has widespread uses, some 

of which touch pretty close to 

home. Colour temperature is 

used in photography, publishing, 

the film industry, and astrophysics. 

It is also a key component 

in lighting for business 

and residential applications. 

Take a look at your stash of 

everyday lightbulbs and you’re 

likely to see they include a 

kelvin range. Popular ENERGY 

STAR* bulbs are rated for both 

energy efficiency and colour 

temperature. Their colour temperature 

ratings can help you 

identify and consistently purchase 

the light hue, or hues, 

that function best for the room 

or task you have in mind. 

Generally, a colour temperature 

range of 2,000-3,000 K produces 

warm, cozy yellow light great for a 

bedroom, dining room, or family 

room. A higher range of 3,100- 

4,500 K produces cool white 

lighting effective for a kitchen 

workstation or a desk lamp. 

Lighting in the white, blue range 

of 4,600-6,500 K works best in 

spaces where visibility is critical, 

such as stairways, entryways, and 

garage workspaces. 

*ENERGY STAR is a joint venture 

between the US Environmental 

Protection agency (EPA) and the US 

Department of Energy (DOE) tasked 

with establishing standards for energy 

efficient products. Goods that carry 

the ENERGY STAR logo can be up 

to 30 per cent more energy efficient 

than their unrated counterparts. 


57

GROW WITH US. 

Grow. Heal. Live. Enjoy. 

MODERN GROWING

EXPERIENCE 

THE FUTURE 

OF GROWING 

SAN JOSE, CA 

June 3-4, 2017 

San Jose McEnery 

Convention Center 

DETROIT, MI 

Sep 30-Oct 1, 2017 

Cobo Center 

mygrowx.com | #growx2017 

Dark orange

you tell us 

TNB Naturals Inc. 

tnbnaturals.com 

1-888-543-8988 

"There’s Nothing Better" 

TNB Naturals develops safe, 

all-natural products that 

are both highly effective 

and environmentally 

friendly at the same time. 

Josh Brazier shares the 

company’s Reduce, Reuse, 

Refill ideology, and how 

its premier product—The 

Enhancer—can be called 

the ultimate green product, 

right down to its packaging. 

TELL US A BIT ABOUT HOW YOUR 

COMPANY GOT STARTED. 

Several years ago, longtime gardener 

Travis Rypkema created The Enhancer 

CO 2 dispersal canister after trying 

several other natural CO 2 products on 

the market. The Enhancer was developed 

in his spare time from his fulltime 

job at the local lumber mill of a 

town in the Okanagan Valley region of 

British Columbia, Canada. Once Travis 

had the first version of what is now 

known as The Enhancer, he enlisted 

my help to expand the product’s 

presence. The two of us formed TNB 

Naturals Inc. together in 2013. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PREMIER 

PRODUCT, THE ENHANCER. 

The Enhancer is a highly effective, 

user-activated CO 2 canister that delivers 

a high rate of CO 2, comparable to 

a costly CO 2 system. The Enhancer’s 

unique features include its ability to 

slow the release of CO 2 during the night 

cycle, improving overall plant health 

and final yield. The Enhancer has a 

three-year shelf life and generates some 

of the highest ppms in the all-natural 

category of CO 2 products. In a 12x12-foot 

growroom, gardeners can expect to hit 

anywhere between 1,200 and 1,500 ppm, 

depending on their set-up, for up to three 

weeks. On top of this, The Enhancer is 

made from a combination of all-natural, 

biodegradable ingredients and it’s 

packaged in a recyclable bottle—in fact, 

when we were first starting out, we were 

actually using recycled bottles. 

HOW DOES IT BENEFIT 

THE ENVIRONMENT? 

As much as 40 per cent of all household 

waste is typically made up of plastic 

from packaging, containers, and other 

items. We think all manufacturers need 

to be sensitive to this issue and do all 

they can to reduce environmentally 

harmful packaging. To this end, TNB 

has been using a plastic container that 

can be recycled. This is much more 

beneficial to the environment than 

using propane or natural gas. 


THE REFILL PACK 

represents a major 

step forward in 

logistical efficiency 

and forwardthinking 

packaging.” 

YOU RECENTLY INTRODUCED A 

REFILL PACK FOR THE ENHANCER. 

HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOUR 

PRODUCT EVEN GREENER? 

With the introduction of the refill pack, 

we have discovered a way to not only 

cut down on packaging, shipping, and 

possible waste, but also reduce the 

impact on the environment at the same 

time. An added bonus is that we can 

offer this greener product at a reduced 

cost to the consumer. 

WHAT INNOVATIVE IDEAS DO 

YOU IMPLEMENT FOR RUNNING 

A GREEN BUSINESS? 

We follow the Reduce, Reuse, Refill 

ideology when it comes to manufacturing 

our products. The refill packs 

represent a major step forward in 

logistical efficiency and forward-thinking 

packaging. We plan to continue 

to work towards developing products 

with lower environmental impacts, 

products that are both convenient to 

use and that reduce household waste. 

We hope that customers will co-operate 

with us in these efforts through the 

use of these refill packs. 

WHAT DO YOU DO TO REDUCE YOUR 

COMPANY’S CARBON FOOTPRINT? 

We began making the easiest changes 

first. Similar to most businesses, energy 

use is only second to travel as the 

largest portion of a company’s carbon 

footprint. With that in mind, we made 

some simple changes around the office, 

like turning off and unplugging electronics 

when not in use. To make things 

simple, we plugged our computers, 

printers, and fax machines into a single 

power bar. We turn those power bars 

off when we leave for the day, further 

decreasing our utility bill and impact on 

the environment. 

We also turn down our thermostat at 

night and on weekends, as well as keep 

the air conditioning set lower, except 

for the hottest part of the summer. 

Just recently, we installed LED lights 

throughout our facility and offices to 

further reduce our energy consumption 

and thus, our carbon footprint. By reducing 

waste, we create efficiencies and 

reduce costs, which allows us to pass 

savings on to customers. Finally, we 

continually pursue simplification in the 

materials we use to make our packaging, 

ensuring they can be recycled. As 

more consumers recognise and participate 

in recycling, there will be less litter, 

less waste sent to disposal, less use of 

virgin materials, and potential savings 

in greenhouse gas emissions. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TNB? 

While we’re really excited about 

the introduction of the refill 

packs, we’ve actually released 

a few additional products in the 

meantime, first and foremost, the 

highly anticipated Enricher, an allnatural 

plant booster and corrective 

supplement that can be used from 

the first day of vegetation to the last 

two weeks of flower. It promotes bigger 

yields, greener plants, and bigger buds 

while improving flavour, overall plant 

health, and resin production. We’ve 

also brought a new pair of lightweight 

trimming shears to the market with 

a re-enforced spring and soft rubber 

grips that cushion the hand. Further 

variations will be introduced throughout 

the year. Finally, we most recently 

released our very own CO 2 Monitor and 

Thermo Hygrometer. In addition, we 

are currently exploring the feasibility of 

marketing several new products under 

the TNB brand. Throughout the research 

and development stage, emphasis will 

continue to be on using materials that 

have a lower environmental impact. 

Connect With TNB 

WEB: tnbnaturals.com | INSTAGRAM: tnb_naturals | FACEBOOK: TNB-Naturals | TWITTER: @tnbnatural 


61

max mart 

To advertise on this page, call 1.250.729.2677 


YOUR AD 

COULD 

BE HERE! 

MYTV 

maximumyield.com | 1.250.729.2677 

Watch. Learn. Grow. 

maximumyield.com 

To advertise on this page, call 1.250.729.2677 


63

maximum yield distributors 

Retail stores listed alphabetically by shop name. 

Interested in carrying Maximum Yield in your store? Distribution is available by contacting Century Grow Systems, Dutchpro, Easy Grow Ltd., Erith Horticulture, and Nutriculture 

UK. Already a distributor? Call 1-250-729-2677 to update your listing. 

UNITED KINGDOM 

1st Hydroponics 

Unit 5 K-Line House, West Rd. 

Ipswich, Suffolk 

UK IP3 9FG 

+44 (0) 1473 279829 

Cell: +44 (0) 7847 468 837 

1st-hydroponics.co.uk 

21st Century Garden 

9 Adrian Ave. 

London, Greater London 

UK NW2 1LX 

+44 (0) 2083 614659 

21stcenturygarden.co.uk 

Ace Hydroponics 

Luton St. 

Keighley, West Yorkshire 

UK BD21 2LE 

+44 (0) 1535 958747 

ace-hydroponics.co.uk 

Acorn Horticulture 

65 Deep Ln. 

Sheffield 

UK 55 ODU 

+44 (0) 1142 458581 

acornhorticulture.co.uk 

Addloes Lighting & 

Hydroponics 

16-A Maple Rd. 

Winton Bourmouth, Dorset 

UK BH9 2PN 

+44 (0) 1202 524525 

addloEst.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Ahppy Hydro Hydroponics 

Wheatley Hall Trade 

and Business Centre 

Doncaster, South Yorkshire 

UK DN2 4QR 

+44 (0) 1302 341 004 

ahppyhydro.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Animal and Garden 

Supplies Ltd. 

Unit 1 Eastlake Cl. 

Litchard Ind. Est., Bridgend 

South Wales 

UK CF31 2AL 

+44 (0) 1656 663030 

animalandgarden.co.uk 

Anglia Hydroponics 

62 A Straight Rd. 

Boxted, Colchester, Essex 

UK C04 5RD 

+44 (0) 1206 272677 

angliahydroponics.co.uk 

Aquatech Horticultural 

Lighting 

Unit 3F, Spa Fields Ind. Est. 

New St. Slaithwait, Huddersfield, 

West Yorkshire 

UK HD7 5BB 

+44 (0) 1484 842632 

Ashton Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 3 Pk. Parade Ind. Est. 

Welbeck St. S. 

Ashton-Under-Lyne, Manchester 

UK OL6 7PP 

+44 (0) 1613 391673 

ashton-hydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Avagrow Ltd. 

29B Heaver Trad. Est., Ash Rd. 

New Ash Green, Kent 

UK TN15 7HJ 

+44 (0) 1474 248286 

avagrow.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

--------------------------------------------- 

Avagrow Ltd. 

Unit J2 Cuxton Industrial Est., 

Station Rd. 

Cuxton Rochester, Kent 

UK ME2 1AJ 

+44 (0) 1634 787227 

avagrow.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

B&M Farm Hydroponics 

2A Hollin Hall Farm 

Golcar, Huddersfield, 


UK HD7 4PF 

+ 44 (0) 1484 461053 

Basement Lighting Ltd. 

Unit 3, The Old Maltings, George St. 

Newark, Nottinghamshire 

UK NG24 1LU 

+44 (0) 1636 650189 

basementlighting.com 

Belfast Indoor Gardening 

50/52 Upper Queen St. 

Belfast 

UK BT1 6FD 

+ 44 (0) 2890 232113 

thebigshop.com 

Big Stone River Garden 

Center 

Unit 1 East Gate 

Grimsby, Lincolnshire 

UK DN3 29BA 

+44 (0) 1472 241114 

--------------------------------------------- 

Bill & Ben’s Hydro World 

Unit D15 & D16 Erin Trade Centre 

Bumpers Way, Chippenham 

Wiltshire, 

UK SN14 6LH 

+44(0) 1249 447796 

billandbens.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Blooming Borders 

Unit 3, Borders Bus. Pk. 

Longtown, Carlisle, Cumbria 

UK CA6 5TD 

+44 (0) 1228 792587 

Boss Hydroponics 

Unit 79 (A) Carlton Ind. Est. 

Barnsley, South Yorkshire 

UK S71 3HW 

+44 (0) 8456 445544 

Bradford Hydroponics 

95-97 Manningham Ln. 

Bradford, West Yorkshire 

UK BD1 3BN 

+44 (0) 1274 729205 

bradfordhydroponics.co.uk 

Branching Out 

Unit E, The Old Brewery, Durnford St. 

Ashton Gate, Bristol 

UK BS3 2AW 

+44 (0) 1179 666996 

Bright Green UK Ltd. 

42-44 Princess Rd. 

Hull, Yorkshire 

UK HU5 2RD 

+44 (0) 1482 341925 

brightgreen-uk.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Brit Crops Ltd 

Unit 9 OJ’s Ind. Pk. Claybank Rd. 

Portsmouth, Hampshire 

UK PO3 5SX 

+44 (0) 2392 669111 

eastlondonhydro@hotmail.com 

britcropshydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

BriteLite Hydroponics 

Unit 11 Roman Ind. Est. 

Croydon 

UK CRO 2DT 

+44 (0) 2086 834424 

britelite-hydroponics-uk.com 

Bub’s Allotment 

The Rural Granary Bus. Ctr. Unit 

18 North St. 

Hellingly, East Sussex 

UK BN27 4DU 

+44 (0) 7528 098103 

bubsallotment.co.uk 

Bud-eez Hydroponics 

137 Broad St. 

Dagenham, Essex 

UK RM10 9HP 

+44 (0) 2082 203757 

bud-eez.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

BudMaster LED 

Glan Y Mor Rd. Llandudno 

Junction Conwy. 

Gwynedd North Wales 

UK LL31 9RU 

+44 (0) 8000 43LEDS 

budmaster.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Castle Hydroponics 

Unit 31, Winpenny Rd. Pk.house 

Ind. Est. East 

Newcastle, Under Lyme 

UK ST5 7RH 

+44 (0) 1782 576308 

castlehydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Chesterfield Hydroponics 

Centre 

Unit 1-6 Ambrose Buildings, 

Broombank Rd. 

Chesterfield, Derbyshire 

UK S41 9QJ 

+44 (0) 1246 260874 

chesterfieldhydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Chrissie’s Garden 

Unit 33 Portsmouth Enterprise Ctr. 

Quartermain Rd. 

Portsmouth 

UK PO3 5QT 

+44 (0) 2392 667887 

chrissiesgarden.co.uk 

Clockwork Horticulture 

Unit 2 New Cravengate 

Industrial Estate, Leeds 

UK LS11 5NF 

+ 44 (0)113 212 78 75 

clockworkhorticulture.com 

Concept- Indoor Grow Ltd. 

Bay 15 Brittanic House, Stirling Way 

Borehamwood, Herts 

UK WD6 2BT 

+44 (0) 7703 700300 

indoorgrow.co.uk 

Congleton Hydroponics 

#3 Silk St. 

Congelton, Cheshire 

UK CW12 4DH 

+44 (0) 1260 2794444 

Crofters Bio Gardens 

Unit 2 Bloomsgrove Ind. 

Es.Ilkeston Rd. 

Radford, Nottingham 

UK NG7 3JB 

+44 (0) 1159 782345 

D-Teks Ltd. 

Unit 28 & 29 East Coast Bus. Pk. 

Kings Lynn, Norfolk 

UK PE34 3LW 

+44 (0) 1553 770177 

d-teks.co.uk 

Discount Hydroponics 

1 Bus. Bldg. Waltergrave St. 

Hastings, East Sussex 

UK TN34 1SJ 

+44 (0) 1424 428186 

DS Progrow 

Hydroponics Warehouse 

Unit 16 Blaydon Business Centre 

Cowen Rd. 

Blaydon Newcastle 

UK NE21 5TW 

+44 (0)792 563 4520 

dsprogrow.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

East London Hydro 

Unit 12, 4 Raven Rd. 

London 

UK E18 1HB 

+44 (0) 208 504 6644 

eastlondonhydro.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Eastbourne Hydroponics 

47 Upperton Rd. 

Eastbourne, East Sussex 

UK BN21 1LT 

+44 (0) 1323 732241 

Elements Hydroponics 

44 Auster Rd. 

Clifton Moor, York 

UK YO30 4XA 

+44 (0) 1904 479979 

elementshydroponics.com 

Enhanced Urban Gardening 

152 London Rd. 

Wokingham, Berkshire 

UK RG40 1SU 

+44 (0) 1189 890510 

enhancedurbangardening.co.uk 

Esoteric Hydroponics Ltd. 

8 Martyr Rd. 

Guildford, Surrey 

UK GU1 4LF 

+44 (0) 1483 596484 

1-hydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Essex Hydro-Garden 

Unit 3a Tonbridge Works, 

Tonbridge Rd. 

Harold Hill, Romford Essex 

UK RM3 8TS 

44 (0) 1708 377617 

essexhydro-garden.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Equip2Gro 

24/26 Godstone Rd. 

Kenley, Surrey 

UK CR8 5JE 

+44 (0) 208 660 0467 

Fast Grow Hydroponics 

Unit 3 Webnor Ind.Est. 

West Midlands Wolverhampton 

UK WV2 2LD 

+44 (0) 1902 404247 

fast-grow.com 

Forever Green Hydroponics 

150 Westmount Rd. 

London, Etham 

UK SE9 1XA 

+44 (0) 2088 500906 

--------------------------------------------- 

Future Garden Ltd. 

(Chelmsford) 

15 Rob Johns Rd., Widford Ind. Est. 

Essex, Chelmsford 

UK CM1 3AG 

+44 (0) 1245 265929 

info@futuregarden.co.uk 

futuregarden.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

--------------------------------------------- 

Future Garden Ltd. 

(Chigwell) 

Brownings Farm, Gravel Lane 

Chigwell, Essex 

UK 1G7 6DQ 

+44 (0) 2085 027722 

info@futuregarden.co.uk 

futuregarden.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Garforth Hydroponics 

B/O 11A Main St. 

Garforth, Leeds 

UK lS25 1DS 

+44 (0) 1132 867444 

garforthhydroponics.co.uk 

The Golden Potter 

25 Argyle Way, 

Ely Distribution Centre 

Cardiff, Wales 

UK CF5 5NJ44 

(0) 2920 593990 

thegoldenpotter.com 

Great Stuff Hydroponics 

30 C Ellemeres Ct. 

Leechmere Ind. Est. 

Sunderland 

UK SR2 9UA 

+44 (0) 1914 474098 

hydroponics-hydroponics.com 

Great Stuff Hydroponics 

24 Collingwood Ct. 

Riverside Pk. Industrial Est. 

Middlesbrough 

UK TS2 1RP 

+ 44 (0) 1642 224544 

hydroponics-hydroponics.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Greater Manchester 

Hydrogarden 

7/8 Chanters Ind. Est. 

Atherton, Manchester 

UK M46 9BE 

+44 (0) 1942 884612 

gmhydrogarden.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Green Daze Hydroponics 

Ashington 

Unit 9 Waterside Ct. 

North Seaton Bus. Pk. 

Ashington, Northumberland 

UK NE63 0YG 

+44 (0) 1670 818003 

greendazehydroponics.co.uk 

Green Daze Hydroponics- 

Gateshead 

10 Wellington St. 

Gateshead 

UK NE8 2AJ 

+44 (0) 1914 789107 


Green Daze Hydroponics 

South Shields 

79/81 Fowler St. 

South Shields 

UK NA33 1NT 

+44 (0)1914 540746 


--------------------------------------------- 

Green Fever 

18 Hartshill Rd. 

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire 

UK ST4 7QU 

+44 (0) 1782 414448 

green-fever.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

GreenKeeper Hydroponics 

141 Brook St. 

Chester, Cheshire 

UK CH1 3DU 

+(44 (0) 1244 630501 

greenkeeperhydroponics.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Green Spirit Hydroponics 

Ltd. 

Unit 6, Rockingham Bus. Pk. 

Rockingham Row, Birdwell 

UK S705TW 

+44 (0) 1226 399837 

greenspirit-hydroponics.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Green Spirit Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 5-230 Woodbourn Rd. 

Sheffield, South Yorkshire 

UK S93LQ 

+44 (0) 1142 753353 

greenspirit-hydroponics.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Green Stream 

12-14 Vivian Rd. 

Harbourne, Birmingham 

UK B17 ODS 

+44 (0) 1214 262675 

greenstream.co.uk 

Green World 

1618 Market Vaults 

Scarborough 

UK YO11 1EU 

+44 (0) 1723 370900 

greenworld.ne.uk 

Greener than Life 

575- 577 Holderness Rd. 

Hull, East Riding 

UK HU8 9AA 

+44 (0) 1482 374201 

Greengrass Indoor 

Gardening Supplies 

Unit 5A Alexander Ct. Hazleford Way 

Newstead, Nottingham 

UK NG15 0DQ 

+44 (0) 1623 755055 

--------------------------------------------- 

Greenhouse Effect 

Unit 2 Eagle Farm Cranfield Rd. 

Wavendon, Milton Keynes 

UK MK17 8AU 

+44 (0) 1908 585283 

ghedirect.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Greenleaf Systems 

Unit 2, Millers Bridge Ind. Es 

Seymour Liverpool/Bootle 

Merseyside 

UK L20 1EE 

+44 (0) 1519 331113 

greenleafsystems.co.uk 

The Green Room 

(Indoor Gardens) Ltd. 

Unit 2, North Point Bus. 

Est. Enterprise Cl.. 

Medway City Estate 

Rochester, Kent 

UK ME2 4LY 

+44 01634 716764 

thegreenroomvip.co.uk 

Greens Hydroponics 

Unit F Totterdown Bridge Trading Est. 

Albert Rd. 

St. Philips, Bristol, Somerset 

UK BS2 0XH 

+44 (0) 1179 713000 

hydroculture.co.uk 


Greenstream Hydroponics 

12-14 Vivian Rd. 

Birmingham, Harbourne 

UK B17 0DS 

+44 (0) 1214 262675 

greenstream.co.uk 

Greensea Hydroponics 

Unit 1G Gregory Rd. 

Mildenhall, Suffolk 

UK IP28 7DF 

+44 (0) 1638 715350 

greenseahydroponics.co.uk 

Greenthings Hydroponics 

Unit 1, Adjewhella Chapel 

Barriper Camborne, Cornwall 

UK TR14 0QW 

+44 (0) 1209 611870 

greenthings.co.uk 

Grotec Hydroponics 

393 Manchester Rd. 

Rochdale, Greater Manchester 

UK OL11 3PG 

+44 (0) 1706 750293 

grotec.co.uk 

Grotech Ltd. 

Unit 21. Saddlers Hall Farm 

London Rd. 

Basildon, Essex 

UK SS13 2HD 

+44 (0) 1268 799828 

grotechonline.co.uk 

Grow 4 Good Ltd. 

22i Beehive Workshops 

Durham 

UK DH1 2XL 

+44 (0) 1913 757667 

grow4good.net 

Grow Better 

Unit 76A, Wharfdale Rd. 

Tyseley, Birmingham 

UK B11 2DE 

+44 (0) 121 707 7219 

growbetterhydro.com 

The Grow Den 

2 Hothfield Rd. 

Rainham, Kent 

UK ME8 8BJ 

+44 (0) 1634 239333 

Grow Green Ltd. 

15-17 Green Ln. 

Castle Bromwich, Birmingham 

UK B36 0AY 

+44 (0) 121 241 6445 

grow-green.co.uk 

Grown Up Hydroponics 

51 Edison Rd. Rabans Lane 

Aylesbury, Bucks 

UK HP19 8TE 

+44 (0) 8000 842 843 

grownuphydroponics.com 

GroSupplies 

Sovereign House, Ellen Terrace 

Sulgrave, Washington, Tyne & Wear 

UK NE37 3AS 

+44 (0) 1914 153345 

grosupplies.com 

GroWell Hydroponics- 

Birmingham 

Unit 6 Birmingham One Trad. Est. 

Clement St. 

Birmingham 

UK B1 2SW 

+44 (0) 8433 571650 

growell.co.uk 

GroWell Hydroponics - 

Bristol 

Unit 1 Day’s Rd. Commerical Ctr. 

George Jones Rd. 

Bristol 

UK BS2 0QS 

+44 (0) 8452 235088 

growell.co.uk 


Coleshill 

Units 9-11 Coleshill Trade Pk. 

Station Rd. 

Coleshill, Birmingham 

UK B46 1HT 

0845 344 2333 

growell.co.uk 


Dudley 

Unit 52 Enterprise Trad. Est. 

Hurst Lane, Dudley 

UK DY5 1TX 

+0845 345 6991 

growell.co.uk 


Hockley Heath 

Ivy House Farm, Grange Rd. 

Hockley Heath, Solihull 

UK B94 6PR 

+44 (0) 8433 571640 

growell.co.uk 


Sheffield 

Unit #3, Pkwy One, Pkwy Dr. 


UK S9 4WU 

+44 (0) 8456 445544 

growell.co.uk 


South London 

Unit 8 Chelsea Fields Ind. Est. 

278 Western Rd. 

Merton, London 

UK SW19 2QD 

+44 (0) 8453 455174 

growell.co.uk 


Wembley 

Brent Trad. Est., North Circular Rd. 

London 

UK NW10 0JF 

+44 (0) 0843 357 1642 

growell.co.uk 

Growing Life 

#6 Newington Green Rd. 

London 

UK N1 4RX 

+44 (0) 2070 339541 

+44 (0) 800 083 3437 

growing-life.com 

Growlogic Horticulture 

Unit 3 Stafford St. 

Dudley, West Midlands 

UK DY1 2AA 

+44 (0) 1384 256159 

growlogichorticulture.co.uk 

H2gro 

Unit 7, City Bus. Pk., Marshwood Cl. 

Canterbury, Kent 

UK CT1 1DX 

+44 (0) 1227 766113 

h2gro.co.uk 

H2gro 

Unit B, Jarvis and Rowell Est. 

Burnham Rd. 

Dartford, Kent 

UK DA1 5BN 

+44 (0) 1322 273444 

h2gro.co.uk 

Hackney Hydroponics 

265 Wick Rd. 

Hackney 

UK E9 5DG 

+44 (0) 20 8533 0497 

hackneyhydroponics.co.uk 

Halifax Hydroponics 

20 Drakes Ind. Est., Shay Ln. 

Halifax, West Yorkshire 

UK HX3 6RL 

+44 (0) 1422 381693 

halifaxhydroponics.co.uk 

Happy Daze Hydroponics 

Unit 4, Craven Ct., Hedon Rd. 

Hull 

UK HU9 1NQ 

+44 (0) 1482 224 299 

Happy Gardens Ltd. 

Unit 9, Kelham Bank Ind. Est., 

Kelham St. 

Doncaster, South Yorkshire 

UK DN1 3RE 

+44 (0) 1302 761386 

happygardensdoncaster.co.uk 

Haverhill Hydroponics 

Centre 

Unit 14 Spring Rise Falconer Rd. 

Haverhill, Suffolk 

UK CB97XU 

+44 (0) 01440709474 

haverhillhydro.co.uk 

Heavy Harvest Hydroponics 

Dalweb Industrial Park, Unit 4 

Gravel Ln. 

Banks Southport, Merseyside 

UK PR9 8DE 

+44 (0) 1704 211805 

hhhydroponics.com 

HFM Pyrotechnics Ltd. 

165A Londford Rd. 

Cannock, Staffordshire 

UK WS11 OLD 

+44 (0) 1543 500800 

hfmgroup.com 

HG Hydroponics 

Unit 4, Earlfield Cl. 

Lincoln, Lincolnshire 

UK 1N6 3RT 

+44 (0) 8456 435523 

hg-hydroponics.co.uk 

Hi9THC Ltd. 

Unit 34, Lillyhall Bus. Ctr., Jubilee Rd. 

Workington, Cumbria 

UK CA14 4HA 

+44 (0) 7821 914646 

hi9thc.co.uk 

High Street Hydroponics 

Unit 56 Hebden R., Berkley Ind. Est. 

Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire 

UK DN15 8DT 

+44(0) 1724 857191 

Hippy Heaven 

26 High St. Ealing 

London 

UK W5 5DB 

+44 (0) 2088 407717 

ouchtattoo.co.uk 

Holland Hydroponics 

17 Rondin Rd. 

Ardwick, Greater Manchester 

UK M12 6BF 

+44 (0) 8458 720570 

hydroponics.co.uk 


Handbridge Mill 5 Parliament St. 

Burnley, Lancashire 

UK BB11 3JT 

+44 (0) 8458 720590 



Express 

Unit 1 Flint Trade Pk., Holywell Rd. 

Flint, Wales 

UK CH6 5RR 

+44 (0) 8458 720565 



Express 

Unit 4 Leeds Rd. Trade Pk., 

Leeds Rd. 

Huddersfield 

UK HD2 1YR 

+44 (0) 8458 720580 


Hollinwood Hydroponics 

Unit A Bourne St. 

Hollinwood, Oldham 

UK OL9 7LX 

+44 (0) 161 681 5151 

hollinwoodhydro.co.uk 

The Home Grower Ltd. 

Unit 8, Oak Ct., Crystal Dr. 

Smethwick, West Midlands 

UK B66 1QG 

+44 (0) 1215 411446 

--------------------------------------------- 

Hulton Hydroponics 

Wharton House, Wharton Ln. 

Little Hulton, Manchester 

UK M38 9XF 

+44 (0) 7856 398 295 

hultonhydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Hydro2Grow- Crawley 

Unit 15 The Stanley Ctr., Kelvin Way 

Crawley, West Sussex 

UK RH10 9SE 

+44 (0) 1293 535157 

hydro2grow.co.uk 

Hydro2Grow- Sutton 

299 Gander Green Ln. 

Sutton, Surrey 

UK SM3 9QE 

+44 (0) 2086 443780 

hydro2grow.co.uk 

Hydro 1 Stop 

Unit 35 Deykin Pk. Ind. Est., 

Deykin Ave. 

Aston, Birmingham 

UK B67HN 

+44 (0) 1213 280876 

hydroponics1shop.co.uk 

Hydro Basement 

Unit D, Hoyle Head Mills, New St. 

Earlsheaton Dewsbury 


UK WF12 8JJ 

+44 (0) 1924 450086 

hydrobasement.co.uk 

Hydrodaze 

Unit 9a, Treloggan Ind. Est. 

Newquay, Cornwall 

UK TR7 2SX 

44 (0) 1637 850770 

hydrodaze.co.uk 

Hydro Hobby 

Unit 4 Brook Farm, Stoneleigh Rd. 

Gibbet Hill, Coventry 

UK CV4 7AB 

+44 (0) 2476 414161 

hydrohobby.co.uk 

Hydro Station Ltd. 

Unit 10 Hillfoot Ind. Est., Hoyland Rd. 


UK S38AB 

+44 (0) 1142 491636 

hydrostationltd.co.uk 

Hydrodragon Ltd. 

113-115 Alfred St. Roath 

Cardiff, South Glamorgan 

UK CF24 4UA 

+44 (0) 2920 490333 

hydrodragon.co.uk 

Hydroglo Ltd. 

The Top Store South Rd. 

Towerhamlets, Dover, Kent 

UK CT17 OAH 

+44 (0) 1304 203199 

hydrogloltd.co.uk 

Hydrogrow Systems Ltd. 

Unit 7, Acton Bus. Pk. 

Fields Farm Rd. 

Longeaton, Nottingham 

UK NG10 3FZ 

+44 (0) 1159 730007 

hydrogrowsystems.co.uk 

Hydrologic Hydroponics 

2 Brewery St. 

Skegness 

UK PE24 5LG 

+44 (0)1754 811 961 

The Hydroponic Warehouse 

Unit 15., Bay Airport Ind. Est. 

Kingston Pk. 

Newcastle, Tyne and Wear 

UK NE3 2EF 

+44 (0) 1912 862045 

thehydroponicwharhouse.co.uk 

Hydroponica 

130 Doncaster Rd. 

Wakefield, Yorkshire 

UK WF1 5JF 

+44 (0) 1924 362888 

salehydroponics.co.uk 

Hydroponica York 

Unit 3 Oakwood Bus. Pk., 

Northfield Ln. 

Upper Poppington, York 

UK YO26 6QZ 

+44 (0) 1904 768737 

The Hydroponics Centre Ltd. 

Unit 24, Port Talbot Bus. Units 

Addison Rd. 

Port Talbot 

UK SA12 6HZ 

+44 (0) 1639 888891 

thehydroponicscentreltd.co.uk 

Hydroponics Superstore 

62 Lytham Rd. 

Blackpool, Lancashire 

UK FY1 6DY 

+44 (0) 7852 513375 

hydroponicssuperstore.co.uk 

Hydroponic Whse 

Unit 16 Kensington Bus. Pk. 

Ilkeston, Derbyshire 

UK DE7 5NY 

+44 (0) 115 930 5444 

Hydropower 

255 Holton Rd. 

Barry,Wales 

UK CF63 4HT 

+44 (0) 7725 551479 

hydro-power.biz 

Hydrosense 

47 Scarrots Ln. 

Newport, Isle of Wight 

UK PO30 1JD 

+44 (0) 1983 522240 

--------------------------------------------- 

HydroZone UK 

13 Delacourt Rd. 

London 

UK SE3 8XA 

+44 (0) 20 8858 3503 

hydrozoneuk.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Hygrow Hydroponics 

Unit C -55 Sunningdale Rd. 

South Pk. 

Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe Lincs 

UK DN17 2TW 

+44 (0) 172 4842 212 

Hygrow II 

Unit 3&4, 30 Oslo Rd. 

Sutton Fields, Hull 

UK HU7 0YN 

+44 (0) 1482 833643 

hygrow.co.uk 

Hygrow III 

825 Hessle High Rd. 

Hull 

UK HU4 6QF 

+44 (0) 1482 351990 

hygrow.co.uk 

Hytec Hydroponics 

Old Wales Wood Colliery 

Mansfield Rd. 

Sheffield 

UK S26 5PQ 

+44 (0) 1909 772872 

hytechydroponics.com 

The Inner Garden Ltd. 

Unit 14., Cornish Way 

West, Galmington 

Taunton, Somerset 

UK TA1 5NA 

+44 (0) 1823 274791 

theinnergarden.co.uk 

J.D.L Hydroponics- 

Cheltenham 

Unit 2A, The Runnings 

Kingsditch Trad. Est. 

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 

UK GL51 9NJ 

+44 (0) 1242 516131 

jdlhydroponics.co.uk 

J.D.L Hydroponics- 

Gloucester 

Unit 52 Space Business Pk. 

Olympus Pk. 

Quedgeley, Gloucester 

UK GL2 4AL 

+44 (0) 1452 887255 

jdlhydroponics.co.uk 

Junction 10 Hydro 

Unit 55 Downs Rd. 

Willenhall, West Midlands 

UK WV13 2PX 

+44 (0) 1215 686850 

totalhydro.com 

Kernow Grow Ltd. 

11 D. Kernick Ind. Est. 

Penryn, Cornwall 

UK TR10 9EP 

+44 (0) 3300 104420 

kernowgrow.co.uk 

King Of Green 

18-24 Saint Helens Rd. 

Westcliff on Sea 

Westcliff, Essex 

UK SS0 7LB 

+44 (0) 1702 347536 

kingofgreen.com 

Kitbag Hydroponic 

Warehouse 

22 Pool Bank St. 

Nunaeton, Warwickshire 

UK CV11 5DB 

+44 (0) 2476 641033 

kitbagshop.org 

Leeds HydroStore 

Unit 5 Felnex Rd. 

Leeds, West Yorkshire 

UK LS9 0SS 

+44 (0)113 249 4730 

leedshydrostore.co.uk 

Lothian Hydroponics 

172 S Mid St. 

Bathgate, West Lothian 

UK EH48 1DY 

+44 (0) 1506 650501 

lothianhydroponics.co.uk 

Maidstone Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 6 Boxmend Ind. Est. 

Maidstone, Kent 

UK ME15 9YG 

+44 (0) 1622 692669 

maidstonehydroponics.co.uk 

Manchester Hydroponics 

Unit 1A, Reliance St. 

Newton Heath, Manchester 

UK M40 3AG 

+44 (0) 1616 887333 

manchesterhydroponics.co.uk 

Med Gardener 

Unit 11, Barton Bus. Pk. 

Eccles, Manchester 

UK M3O OQR 

+44 (0) 1617 079860 

Mellow Yellow Hydro Ltd. 

Unit B1A Towngate Works, Dark Ln. 

Mawdesley, Lancashire 

UK L40 2QU 

+44 (0) 1704 822609 

mellowyellowhydro.co.uk 

Midland Hydroponics 

Russells Garden Ctr. 

Baginton Coventry 

UK CV8 3AG 

+44 (0) 2476 639109 

midland-hydroponics.com 

Mousehold Garden Centre 

63 Mousehold Ln. 

Norwich, Norfolk 

UK NR7 8HP 

+44 (0) 1603 413272 

mousehold.net 

My Grow Hydroponics 

35 Hill Lane Cl., Markfield. 

Leicester, Leicestershire 

UK LE67 9PY 

+44 (0)1530 249 537 

NASA—Nature and 

Science Agriculture 

Unit 4D Thornhill Industrial Estate 

Hope St. 

Rotherham 

UK S60 1LH 

+44 (0)1709 829 030 

natureandscienceagriculture.co.uk 

National Hydroponics 

Unit 6, Lark St. 

Bolton 

UK BL1 2UA 

+44 (0) 7754 228930 

www.nationalhydroponics.co.uk 

New Age Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 1 Albert Place, Albert Mill 

Lower Darwen, Lancashire 

UK BB3 0QE 

+44 (0) 1254 661177 

newagehydro.co.uk 

Norfolk Lights 

& Hydroponics Centre Ltd. 

Unit 2 Guardian Rd., Ind. Est. 

Norwich, Norfolk 

UK NR5 8PF 

+44 (0) 1603 666199 

norfolklights.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Northwich Hydroponics 

Centre Ltd. 

Unit-7, Kingfisher Ct., Denton Dr. 

Northwich Cheshire 

UK CW9 7TT 

+44 (0)1606 215 585 

northwichhydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

NPK Technology Ltd. 

Unit 20, Commerce Way 

Upper Parliament St. 

Liverpool 

UK L8 7BA 

+44 (0) 151 228 8306 

npktechnology.co.uk 

NPK Technology Ltd. 

Unit 11 Peninsula Business Park 

Reeds Ln. 

Moreton Wirral 

UK CH46 1DW 

+44 (0) 151 678 6000 

npktechnology.co.uk 

Oasis Hydroponics 

Unit 34, Camp Hill Industrial Estate 

John Kemp Way 

Birmingham, West Midlands 

UK B12 0HU 

+44 (0) 121 753 5115 

oasishydro.co.uk 

One Stop Grow Shop 

Unit C1 Fenton Trad. Pk. 

Dewsbury Rd. 

Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire 

UK ST4 2TE 

+44 (0) 1782 749955 

onestopgrowshop.co.uk 

Peterlee Hydroponics 

9 Lister Rd. Peterlee 

County Durham 

UK SR8 2RB 

+44 (0) 191 5861752 

peterleehydroponics.co.uk 


65

maximum yield distributors 

The Persy Grow Shop 

4 Kings Mews 

Brighton, East Sussex 

UK BN3 2PA 

+44 (0) 1273 777335 

persygrowbox.co.uk 

Plant Life World 

Unit 11 Riverside Wy. 

Ravensthorpe Ind Es. 

Dewsbury, West Yorkshire 

UK WF13 3LG 

+44 (0) 1924 492298 

plantlife.co.uk 

The Plant Pot 

69 Ratcliffe Gate 

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 

UK NG18 2JB 

+44 (0) 1623 422711 

theplantpot.co.uk 

Plantasia 

Brill View Farm Ludgershall Rd. 

Bicester, Oxfordshire 

UK OX25 1PU 

+44 (0) 8707 555225 

plantasia.co.uk 

Plantwell Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 3, 50 Village Farm Rd. 

Pyle, Bridgend 

UK CF33 6BN 

+44 (0) 1656 749593 

plantwell-hydroponics.co.uk 

Plantwell Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 14, Ely Industrial Estate 

Williamstown, Tonypandy 

Rhondda, Cynon Taf 

UK CF40 1RA 

+44 (0) 1443 430045 

plantwell-hydroponics.co.uk 

Premier Grow Hydroponics 

Unit S Tungsten Pk., Maple Dr. 

Hinckley 

UK LE10 3BE 

+44 (0)145 5613888 

premiergrow.com 

Premier Grow Hydroponics 

11 Pinfold Rd. 

Leicester 

UK LE4 8AS 

+44 (0)116 2697580 

premiergrow.com 

Progrow-Exeter 

5 Westwood Units, Alphinbrook Rd. 

Marsh Barton Ind. Est. 

Exeter, Devon 

UK EX2 8QF 

44 (0) 1392 276998 

progrow.co.uk 

Progrow-Plymouth 

Unit 63 Christian Mill Bus. Pk. 

Tamerton Foliot Rd. 

Plymouth Devon 

UK PL6 5DS 

+44 (0) 1752 771667 

progrow.co.uk 

Pro Hydro Washington 

15 Whitworth Rd. 

Armstrong, Washington 

Tyne and Wear 

UK NE37 1PP 

+44 (0)151 4479299 

Riverside Hydroponics 

Riverside Ind. Est. Bridge Rd. 

Littlehampton, West Sussex 

UK BN1 75DF 

+44 (0) 1903 713777 

riverside-hydroponics.co.uk 

Rootzone Hydroponics Ltd. 

Unit 2 & 3., The Green Bus. Ctr. 

The Causeway 

Staines, Middlesex 

UK TW18 3AL 

+44 (0) 1784 490370 

hydrowebshop.com 

Rotherham Hydroponics 

Centre 

Unit 8, Springfield Cl. 

Rotherham, South Yorkshire 

UK S61 4RQ 

+44 (0) 1709 252256 

rotherhamhydroponicscentre.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Rutland Horticulture 

Unit 6 Station Court, Whissendine Rd. 

Ashwell, Rutland 

UK LE15 7SP 

+44 (0) 1572 723 485 

rutlandhorticulture.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Sale Hydro 

71 Dane Rd. 

Sale Manchester, Lancashire 

UK M33 7BP 

+44 (0) 1619 739899 


Sale Hydro - (Handforth) 

Unit 11 Big Storage, Stanley Cr. 

Bus. Pk. Earl Rd. 

Cheshire 

UK SK86 PT 

+44 (0) 161 485 1728 


Sea of Green UK 

25 Eastcott Hill 

Swindon, Wiltshire 

UK SN1 3JG 

+44 (0) 1793 617046 

seaofgreen.co.uk 

Seymour Green Hydroponic 

Centre 

Unit 4, Ford House Rd. Ind. Est. 

Steel Dr. 

Bushbury, Wolverhampton 

UK WV10 9XA 

+44 (0) 1902 782900 

seymourgreenhydroponiccentre.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Somerset Hydro 

Unit4 Technine, Guard Ave 

Houndstone Bus. Pk. 

Yeovil Somerset UK BA22 8YE 

+44 (0) 1935 420720 

somhydro.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

SouthCoast Hydroponics 

Unit 8., Enterprise Ind. Est. 

Enterprise Rd. 

Horndean, Hampshire 

UK PO8 0BB 

+44 (0) 2392 598853 

southcoasthydroponics.com 

SouthCoast Hydroponics 

269 Commercial Rd. 

Portsmouth 

UK PO1 4BP 

+44 (0) 7899 368 461 

southcoasthydroponics.com 

Southern Hydro Centre 

9 Mamesbury Rd. 

Southampton, Hampshire 

UK SO15 5FT 

+44 (0) 2380 704080 

southernhydro.co.uk 

Southern Lights 

19A Grace Hill 

Folkstone, Kent 

UK CT2O1HQ 

+44 (0) 1303 210003 

SRS Hydroponics 

260 Manchester Rd. 

Walkden, Manchester 

UK M28 3TR 

+44 (0) 1617 033691 

srshydroponics.co.uk 

Starlite Systems 

226 Albert Rd. 

Plymouth, Devon 

UK PL2 1AW 

+44 (0) 1752 551233 

starlitesystems.co.uk 

Sub-Garden Supplies 

Unit 45J Leyton Ind. 

Village Argall Ave. 

Leyton, London 

UK E10 7QP 

+44 (0) 2085 399563 

subgardensuppliEst.com 

--------------------------------------------- 

Sunlight Gardens 

Unit D3, Hastingwood Trad. Estate. 

Harbet Rd. 

Edmonton, London 

UK N18 3HT 

+44 (0) 20 3763 6052 

sunlight-gardens.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Sunrise Hydroponics 

127-129 Newcastle St. 

Burslem, Stoke on Trent, Staffshire 

UK ST6 3QJ 

+44 (0) 1782 813814 

sunrisehydro.co.uk 

Super Hydro Garden 

Eagle Centre Way 

Luton, Bedfordshire 

UK LU4 9US 

+44 (0) 1582 561154 

TC Hydroponics 

247 Camberwell New Rd. 

Camberwell 

UK SE5 0TH 

+44 (0) 2072 773669 

tchydroponics.co.uk 

The Crop King Grow Shop 

88 Trinity St. 

Gainsborough 

UK DN21 1HS 

+44 (0)1427 612 938 

thecropking.co.uk 

The Green Room 

(Indoor Gardens) Ltd. 

Unit 2 North Point Bus. Est. 

Enterprise Cl. 

Medway City Estate 

Rochester, Kent 

UK ME2 4LY 

+44 (0) 1634 716764 

thegreenroomvip.co.uk 

The Green Machine Ltd. 

Unit 1A., Felin Puleston Ind. Est. 

Ruabon Rd. 

Wrexham 

UK L13 7RF 

+44 (0) 1978 265090 

thegreenmachineonline.com 

The Growers Shop 

Unit 7 Redcomb Bus. Pk. Desford Rd. 

Enderby, Leicester 

UK LE19 4AD 

+44 (0)116 284 1091 

thegrowersshop.co.uk 

The Hydro Store 

Unit B1 Tenterfields Bus. Pk. 

Halifax, West Yorkshire 

UK HX2 6EQ 

+44 (0)1422 883290 

thehydrostore.co.uk 

Thetford Urban Gardens Ltd. 

25 Brunell Way 

Thetford, Norfolk 

UK IP24 1HP 

+44 (0) 1842 765566 

thetford-urban-gardens.com 

Top Yield Hydroponics 

Unit 5, Oakleigh Farm, Rayleigh Rd. 

Hutton, Brentwood, Essex 

UK CM13 1SE 

+44 (0) 1277 200665 

www.topyield.co.uk 

Trafford Hydroponics Ltd. 

136 Higher Rd. 

Urmston Manchester 

UK M41 9AZ 

+44 (0) 1612 227838 

traffordhydroponics.co.uk 

Triangle Hydroponics 

Unit 6, Bournemouth Central Bus. 

Pk. South Cote Rd. 

Bournemouth 

UK BH1 3SJ 

+44 (0) 1202 556661 

trianglehydroponics.co.uk 

TRU: GROW 

789 Lincoln Rd. 

Peterborough, Cambridgshire 

UK PE1 3HE 

+44 (0)1733 891 525 

trugrow.co.uk 

Ugrow Organic- London 

Studio12, Imperial Studios, 3-11 

Imperial Rd. 

London 

UK SW6 2AG 

+44 (0) 2073 865559 

u-grow.com 

Ugrow Organic- Glasgow 

11 North Canal Bank St. 

Lanarkshire, Glasgow 

UK G4 9XT 

+44 (0)141 341 3352 

u-grow.com 

UK GroWorks 

94 Upper Wickham Ln. 

Welling, Kent 

UK DA16 3HQ 

+44 (0)208 854 5160 

ukgroworks.co.uk 


Unit 4 Belltower Ind. Est. 

Roedean Rd. 

Brighton 

UK BN2 5RU 

+44 (0)127 362 4327 



Unit F16 Northfleet Ind. Est. 

Lower Rd. 

Gravesend 

UK DA11 9SW 

+44 (0)132 283 8131 


Warehouse Hydroponic 

Yielding 

Unit 42 Bank Quay Trad. Est. 

Slutchers Ln. 

Warrington, Cheshire 

UK WA1 1PJ 

+44 (0) 1925 637837 

warehousehydroponics.co.uk 

Wednesfield Hydroponics 

11 Bognop Rd. 

Wolverhampton, West Midlands 

UK WV11 2BA 

+44 (0) 1268 784027 

Wheatley Hydroponics 

& Grow Shop 

Wheatley Farm, London Rd. 

Rayleigh, Essex 

UK SS69ES 

+44 (0) 1268 784027 

www.wheatleyhydroponics.co.uk 

WHF Garden Centre 

Shetcliffe Lane 

Bradford 

UK BD4 6QJ 

+44 (0) 1274 652 277 

whf-hydro.co.uk 

IRELAND 

Bloom and Grow 

16 Eyre St. 

Newbridge County 

Kildare Ireland 

+353 (04) 543 7639 

bloomandgrow.ie 

Bloom and Grow 

4A Slaney Court, Dublin Ind. Est. 

Glasnevin 

Dublin 11 Ireland 

+353 (01) 860 3917 

bloomandgrow.ie 

Deep Route Gardening 

16 Georges Quay 

Cork City 

Cork Ireland 

+353 (021) 431 1064 

deeproutegardening.ie 

Deep Route Gardening 

Unit 3 Mungret St. 

Limerick, Ireland 

+353 (06) 141 5810 

deeproutegardening.ie 

Get Up & Grow Cork 

Unit H1 Marina Commercial Pk. 

Center Park Rd. 

Cork Ireland 

+353 (021) 427 8958 

getupandgrow.ie 

Get Up & Grow Dublin 

Units 2-3 Henrietta Pl. 

Dublin Ireland 

+353 (01) 872 7240 

getupandgrow.ie 

The Grow Shop 

Ardsallagh, Navan 

Co. Meath, Ireland 

+353 (046) 902 0625 

growshop.ie 

The Grow Shop 

1A Eklad Park, Malahide Rd. 

Business Park, Coolock 

Dublin Ireland 

+353 (01) 867 4978 

growshop.ie 

The Grow Shop 

Unit 1, Doughiska Industrial Estate. 

Doughiska Rd. 

Galway Ireland 

+353 (09) 173 5617 

growshop.ie 

SCOTLAND 

Abergreen Horticulture Ltd 

Arch 8 Palmerston Rd. 

Aberdeen, Granpian 

Scotland AB11 5RE 

+44 (0) 1224 574737 

abergreen.co.uk 

Edinburgh Organics 

6C W. Telferton, Edinburgh 

Scotland EH7 6UL 

+44 (0) 131 669 0493 

edinburghorganics.com 

EZ Grow Perth 

77 Scott St. Perth 

Scotland PH2 8JR 

+44 (0) 1738 624193 

facebook.com/ezgrowperth 

Glasgrow 

15 Parnie St. Glasgow 

Scotland G15RJ 

+44 (0) 1415 527522 

glasgrowhydroponics.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Hamilton Hydro Ltd. 

Unit 13&16 Murray Ct. 

Hillhouse Ind. Est. Hamilton 

Scotland ML3 9SL 

+44 (0) 1698281148 

hamiltonhydro.co.uk 

--------------------------------------------- 

Hydra Hydroponics 

41 Tower St. 

Edinburgh Scotland EH6 7BN 

+44 (0) 1315 611332 

hydraonline.co.uk 

Premier Hydroponics Ltd. 

1 Horsewater Wynd 

Hawkhill Dundee 

Scotland DD1 5DU 

+44 (0) 1382 202 556 

premierhydroponics.com 


Unit 6, Freskyn Pl. 

Broxburn 

Scotland EH52 5NF 

+44 (0) 1506 852199 



Unit 5 Evans Bus. Ctr., Harvest Rd. 

Newbridge 

Scotland EH28 8LW 

+44 (0) 1313 332 777 


Progrow Scotland 

Unit 6., Nasmyth Square Houston 

Ind. Est. 

Livingston, West Lothian 

Scotland EH5 45GG 

+44 (0) 1506 430830 

progrowscotland.co.uk 

The Wee Hydro Shop 

Unit #12 Carbery Pl. 

Mitchelson Ind. Est. 

Kirkcaldy, Fife 

Scotland KY1 3NE 

+44 (0) 1592 655611 

HUNGARY 

BABYLON grow 

Csurgói street 15. 

Budapest, Pest megye 

Hungary 

+36 (0) 20 381 2802 

babylon-grow.eu 

Gomoa Trade Kft. 

Lágymányosi street 5. 

Budapest, Pest megye 

Hungary 1111 

+36 (0) 20 566 1186 

gomoa.net 


Petofi avenue 50. 

Szeged, Csongrád megye 

Hungary 6725 

+36 (0) 20 406 2182 

gomoa.net 


Kazinczy street 3. 

Pécs, Baranya megye 

Hungary 7621 

+36 (0) 20 351 4294 

gomoa.net 

Interested in carrying Maximum Yield in your store? Distribution is available by contacting Century Grow Systems, Dutchpro, Easy Grow Ltd., Erith Horticulture, and Nutriculture 

UK. Already a distributor? Call 1-250-729-2677 to update your listing. 



67

Maximum Yield Modern Growing | UK/EU Edition | January/February 2017

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