Maximum Yield Modern Growing | UK EU Edition | May June 2017

MODERN GROWING
MAY/JUNE 2017
UK/EU EDITION • maximumyield.com
UVA &
UVB
NUTRIENT DELIVERY SYSTEMS
LIGHT DEPRIVATION
SPRING CLEANING
MICROPONICS

MODERN GROWING
MAY/JUNE 2017
FEATURES
26
The Curious Effects
of UVA and UVB
by Tom Forrest
While too much ultraviolet
radiation can be harmful,
new research shows how it
can be used for optimum
benefit to plants.
30
Let it Flow: Nutrient
Application Systems
by Dr. Lynette Morgan
One of the basic principles
of hydroponic growing is the
application of a balanced nutrient
solution. But that doesn’t mean
it’s always simple.
6 first feed

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10 from the editor
12 contributors
12 #maximumyield
tapped in
14 ask the experts
16 max facts
20 good to grow
grow cycle
36 Back in Black:
Light Deprivation Cultivation
by Kent Gruetzmacher
40 Get your Grow Space
Fresh and Clean for Spring
by Steve Cather
42 Microponics: Create a Tiny
Ecosystem in your Backyard
by Gary Donaldson
48 Fight for Your Lights:
LED Metrics
by Josh Gerovac
groundbreakers
movers & shakers
54 Good Green Earth Company
you tell us
56 Dr. Earth
61 max mart
62 distributors
10 facts on... Bases
66 by Philip McIntosh
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9

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from the editor
Growing food in
your community
generates certainty
and with certainty,
people can let
their guards
down a little.”
Nothing brings people together like food. Be it a
wedding, a holiday, a tailgate party, or a first
date, wherever there is food there are happy, social
people. It is and has always been a key social driver
in communities. Common ground, if you will. This
isn’t the case everywhere, however. There are many
communities in modern cities where neighbourhoods
are shattered, devoid of social connections. One of
those neighbourhoods is Tel Aviv’s Neve Sha’anan
quarter, a place with a history of violence. It is also
home to many foreign workers, many of whom speak
different languages, further deepening divides.
On the toughest street in Neve Sha’anan, though,
hope is blooming. According to the Jerusalem
Post, 29-year-old entrepreneur Lavi Kushelevich
has brought together Darfurian refugees, Chinese
workers, and Israelis through his Rooftop Gardens
project. “They don’t have the same language, so
they can’t communicate,” Kushelevich told the
Post. “But they can communicate through food.”
Rooftop Gardens allows participants to grow food
hydroponically in a place where just a short time ago
growing anything seemed impossible. On Saturday
mornings, they gather, take care of the garden, and
learn new techniques. Some of the crops they grow
include cucumbers, lettuce, basil, and bok choy.
Growing food in your community, Kushelevich added,
generates certainty and with certainty, people can let
their guards down a little.
In many other cities, urban gardening is having
a similar effect. It brings our agriculture closer to
us, reduces emissions and food waste, and results
in greener, healthier cities in which to live. The
innovation seems to have no end, and, hopefully,
neither does the social connectivity it creates.
As always, thanks for reading Maximum Yield and
if you have any questions feel free to contact us at
editor@maximumyield.com.
May/June 2017
GENERAL MANAGER
Ilona Hawser
EDITORIAL
editor@maximumyield.com
Toby Gorman
Jessica Skelton
Julie Chadwick
WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT EDITOR
Julie McManus
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10
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#maximumyield
Is Maximum Yield hosting any Indoor
Gardening Expos this year? Haven’t
seen anything about them yet.
Allan
Editor’s Note: Hi, Allan. Yes, you are
in luck! Maximum Yield is hosting two
indoor gardening expos this year under
a new name: GROWX. There will be two
GROWX trade shows happening this year.
The first is happening June 3-4 in San
Jose, California, and the second takes
place Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Detroit, Michigan.
We hope you can make it out to either
of these exciting new shows! Check out
mygrowx.com for exhibitor information.
contributors
STEVE CATHERS, an HCIcertified
cryogenics technician
and gasfitter living in Boulder,
Colorado, is the CEO of the
Colorado-based group of gasmonitoring
specialists, Sensor
Compliance LLC. He is also
co-founder and the former chief of engineering at
Multiponics LLC. Steve is a facial-hair enthusiast,
truth seeker, independent thinker, and autodidact.
GARY DONALDSON is
an Australian urban farmer,
the author of the Urban
Aquaponics Manual, and the
architect of microponics – the
integration of fish, plants,
and microlivestock.
Nice one!
Best issue yet.
@stealthgarden
One reason why we love the CMH!
Hygrowponics (@Hygrowponics) RT@
max_yield UV light is harmful to plant
tissue, but research shows that it can also
benefit our little green friends.
#indoorgardening, #lightscience, #UV,
#justlikenature, #columbus, #hilliard, #ohio
Interesting. I did not know
#seedlings need 18-24 hours
of light. #growyourown.
Bob Leeson @FarmerBobGreens
THOMAS FORREST was
introduced to aquaponics six
years ago and quickly became
an enthusiastic gardener.
Following his university
studies in business and
media, Thomas completed
his Production Horticulture Certificate at the
National Precision Growing Centre. He is a sales
representative for Stealth Garden in Australia.
JOSH GEROVAC is
a horticulture lighting
consultant at Fluence
Bioengineering. He has spent
the last decade working
in controlled environment
agriculture, from growth
chambers to commercial greenhouses. His
research and practice is focused on the influence
of light intensity and spectral light quality from
sole-source LEDs. He has a BSc in horticulture
production and marketing, and a MSc in
horticulture science, both from Purdue University.
KENT GRUETZMACHER
is a California-based
freelance writer and the west
coast director of business
development at Mac &
Fulton Executive Search and
Consulting, an employment
recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor gardening
and hydroponics industries. He is interested
in utilising his Master of Arts in humanities
to explore the many cultural and business
facets of this emerging industry by way of his
entrepreneurial projects.
Good to Grow product of the Day:
PureAg Pest Control
This stuff works...we were one of the
first Hydro Shops to carry it. Lil Shop
of Growers tested it in 2012 and have
carried it ever since.
Paul Fullerton @lilshopofgrower
RT @max_yield
@Max_Yield has an article in the
Feb. 2017 issue re:
#hydroponicsystems. Where can you
get the parts to build your own? Well,
@CampbellsIndoor of course!
@CampbellsIndoor
@taogrow
It’s all about the cations
and anions.
editor@maximumyield.com
@maximumyield
@max_yield
@maximumyield
@maximumyield
maximumyield
ERIC HOPPER’S past
experiences within the
indoor gardening industry
include being a hydroponic
retail store manager and
owner. Currently, he works
as a writer, consultant, and
product tester for various indoor horticulture
companies. His inquisitive nature keeps him
busy seeking new technologies and methods that
could help maximise a garden’s performance.
DR. LYNETTE MORGAN
holds a B. Hort. Tech. degree
and a PhD in hydroponic
greenhouse production from
Massey University, New
Zealand. Lynette is a partner
with Suntec International
Hydroponic Consultants and has authored
several hydroponic technical books. Visit
suntec.co.nz for more information.
12 first feed

tapped in
ask the experts
Q
Hello,
I’ll keep this short and simple: Do plants breathe?
Thanks,
Jacqui
A
Hi Jacqui,
Much goes on in a single breath.
When we humans breathe, the body
inhales oxygen through the lungs.
The oxygen is then circulated to cells
throughout the body via the bloodstream.
At this point, the oxygen and glucose are
converted to carbon dioxide and water,
yielding energy, in a process called
respiration or cellular respiration. The
carbon dioxide is then returned to the
lungs, where it is exhaled.
With plant life, things work a bit
differently. They don’t breathe, per se,
since they don’t use muscles to draw in air,
and they have no bloodstream to distribute
oxygen. Plants do, however, respire and
they rely on their leaves to perform the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
More specifically, they rely on a series of
tiny holes or pores found on the underside
of the leaf. These holes are called the
stomata (singular, stoma), and the number
of stomata on a given leaf varies from
plant to plant. In addition, plants also
use their roots, stem, and to some extent,
flowers to respire. Pores located on the
branches of the plant are called lenticels.
Stomata work hard, pulling double duty
as they also play a part in photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis and respiration are
complementary processes that use and
make the same substances—water,
glucose, oxygen, and carbon dioxide—but
in different ways. Using carbon dioxide
and water, photosynthesis creates oxygen
and glucose. As mentioned above, this
glucose is then combined with oxygen
to produce carbon dioxide, water, and
energy. A key difference between the
two processes is timing; respiration can
occur at any time, while photosynthesis
will only take place if there is sunlight.
This is why, in olden days, people
would refrain from putting plants in
their bedroom; they feared the plants
would steal the oxygen from the room
(via respiration) and suffocate them
during the night. Thankfully, this isn’t
true. Plants release much more oxygen
through photosynthesis than they
consume during respiration, so there is
nothing to be concerned with there.
But back to the stomata. By opening
and closing, the stomata not only
control the intake of CO 2 for glucose
production, but also allow air to escape
during photosynthesis and water and
carbon dioxide during respiration. The
opening and closing of these pores
is regulated by cells known as guard
cells. Guard cells are produced in pairs
and shaped like quarter moons placed
tip to tip with the dark space between
them forming the stomatal pore.
Stomata are sensitive and easily
affected by environmental conditions.
Too hot and they stay open longer and
in larger numbers. Too dry and they
may close to help preserve moisture.
When necessary, plants can control
their stomata density by producing
new leaves with fewer or greater
numbers of pores commensurate with
their immediate need.
So, to answer the original question,
yes, our little green friends actually do
breathe—but in their own way.
Regards,
Alan
Alan Ray has written five books and is a New York Times best-selling author.
Additionally, he is an award-winning songwriter with awards from BMI and ASCAP,
respectively. He lives in rural Tennessee with his wife, teenage son and two dogs:
a South African Boerboel (Bore-Bull) and a Pomeranian/Frankenstein mix.
TRANSPIRATION
Transpiration is the process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to stomata, where it is
released to the atmosphere as vapour through stomata by way of guard cells. Studies have revealed that
approximately 10 per cent of the moisture in the atmosphere is released by plants through transpiration.
Transpiration rates vary widely depending on weather conditions, such as temperature, humidity, sunlight
availability and intensity, precipitation, soil type and saturation, wind, land slope, and water use.
– water.usgs.gov
14
tapped in

Q
Hi,
What are the commercial options for mediums and lights
(HPS or LED)? I have 17,000 square feet. Do I need 300
lights or more? Also, how should I set up the clone/mother
room? Should I have trays or just pots, no trays? I’m looking
to veg in three weeks, ideally, or four weeks, max.
Paul
A
Paul,
Thank you for your questions. First, when setting up a commercial
growing facility, remember that automation is your best friend. The
more equipment in the garden that can be automated, the better. This
automation will, in turn, reduce the amount of work that you must do.
In many ways, the choice of medium and growing system comes
down to the grower’s personal preference. Just about any growing medium can be
used successfully. However, when gardening on a large scale, logistics—including
disposal of the medium—should be considered. Stone wool is lightweight and
easy to transport, making it a good choice for large-scale gardens. It is also a great
medium for top feed systems, which are the preferred system for growers with
commercial-sized operations. Top feed systems with trays or troughs are easiest to
automate on a large scale. Still, while stone wool is commonly used by large-scale
commercial growers using this type of system, any soilless medium can be used
just as effectively with a top feed set-up.
The simplest way to determine the horticultural lighting requirements for a
commercial garden is to think in terms of watts (W) per square foot of space. The
typical high-performance indoor garden will provide 40-50W of artificial light
per square foot of garden space. It is important to remember that we are talking
about actual garden space, not the total square footage of the room. Assuming
your 17,000-square-foot facility will be filled wall-to-wall with plants, you should
plan on providing a minimum of 680,000W of light (for example, you could use 680
1,000W HID lighting systems). You could possibly reduce the total wattage required
if you are using induction or LED lighting systems in place of HID lighting systems.
Induction lighting systems and LED are more efficient at converting electricity into
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which means they can provide the same
usable energy as other technologies while consuming less electricity. That being
said, intensity is crucial to the development of large fruits or flowers, which is why
HIDs still remain the most popular choice for large-scale commercial gardens.
How long the plants are kept in the vegetative stage depends completely on
how large you want them before initiating the flowering cycle. For most indoor
growers, the desired size can be achieved in three to four weeks of vegetative
growth. For the cloning stage, again, automation will be a big factor in reducing
labour and increasing efficiency. A dedicated cloning space complete with
temperature, humidity, watering, and lighting automation will go a long way
in making the transitions of a perpetual garden smooth. The mother plant(s),
however, are typically kept in a soil container and in a separate area or room.
Keep on Growing,
Eric Hopper
Eric Hopper’s past experiences within the indoor gardening industry include
being a hydroponic retail store manager and owner. Currently, he works as a
writer, consultant, and product tester for various indoor horticulture companies. His
inquisitive nature keeps him busy seeking new technologies and methods that could
help maximise a garden’s performance.
PAR
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is the amount of light available
for photosynthesis. This light (light in the 400-700 nanometre wavelength
range) is required for all plant growth. Higher PAR promotes better plant
growth, and monitoring PAR is important to ensure plants are receiving
adequate light for this process.
– fondriest.com
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maxfacts
growing news, tips, & trivia
Swansea Community Farm Faces Closure
Swansea's only community city farm is facing closure unless it can raise £50,000.
Swansea Community Farm in Fforestfach offers free access to a variety of rare
breeds including sheep and bees, a healthy eating kitchen and café, and
sustainable orchards. Founded in 1998, the farm has been an accredited Agored
Cymru training centre since 2012. It has also delivered a range of courses in
cooking skills and healthy eating, food growing, nature conservation skills,
and animal care. Phil Budd of Swansea Community Farm said the farm
had fallen foul of austerity. “Everyone we speak to agrees that the farm
is doing vital work in reconnecting under-privileged urban youngsters
with where their food comes from, but when local authorities and the
Welsh Government have to choose between us and, say a hospital, it's
hardly surprising we are where we are now,” he said.
bbc.com
Forget Five; Eat 10
Portions of Fruit and Veg
According to scientists at Imperial College London, doubling your
recommended fruit and vegetable intake shows major benefit in reducing
the chance of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and early death. Research
found the greatest benefit came from eating 800 grams of a day,
which is roughly equivalent to 10 portions. Some of the best fruit and
vegetables to consume include apples; pears; citrus; salads and green
leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and chicory; and cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Eating 10
portions a day is associated with a 24 per cent reduced risk of heart
disease, a 33 per cent reduced risk of stroke, a 28 per cent reduced
risk of cardiovascular disease, a 13 per cent reduced risk of total cancer,
and a 31 per cent reduction in dying prematurely. This risk was calculated
in comparison to not eating any fruits and vegetables.
freshfruitportal.com
Young Farmers Invited to Join
Hydroponic Revolution in Wales
Young farmers on the Llŷn peninsula are being offered interest-free loans to set up
hydroponic units on their family holdings. A group of local businesses is looking to set up
a Welsh hydroponic network to coordinate the roll-out of the technology. Hydroponics,
the process of growing plants without soil, is being championed by Be Nesa Llyn, a
project self-financed by 11 businesses on Pen Llŷn that aims to help new start-ups and
fledgling enterprises. The group believes the technology, which is relatively simple
to set up, can offer a lifeline to farm businesses as they evolve into multi-functional
businesses in the wake of Brexit. Be Nesa Llyn is working with rural business agency
Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig (AGW) to develop business opportunities in Pen Llŷn. It
is offering interest-free loans, starting at £5,000, to set young people on their way.
Previous ventures have included a coloured eggs laying unit, self-tanning, woodturning,
and trampoline exercise classes.
dailypost.co.uk
16 tapped in

Lettuce
Grown
Under LEDs
Have Lower
Nitrates
Researchers in
China and the
UK have found
that hydroponic
lettuce grown under
light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) have lower nitrate
levels and enhanced freeradical
scavenging ability.
Their findings, published in
Journal of the American Society
for Horticultural Science, suggest that
continuous exposure to LED light could be
used to improve lettuce quality. Increasingly, vegetables
are being grown using efficient, soilless techniques such as hydroponics.
Hydroponic systems are favoured for their ability to improve water and nutrient
use efficiency and crop yields, and have the added benefit of allowing growers
to use fewer chemical fertilisers. “Vegetables, especially leaf vegetables, grown in
hydroponics can accumulate high levels of nitrate and other harmful substances,”
explained corresponding authors Professor Yang Qi-Chang from the Institute of
Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of
Agricultural Sciences, and Professor Lu Chungui from Nottingham Trent University.
asianscientist.com
Pope OK’s Squatters Urban Garden
Dozens of families have started tilling the soil and
planting their first crops as a squatters’ gardening
initiative takes root on Catholic Church-owned land
with the tacit blessing of Pope
Francis. The not-entirely-legal
urban garden that has sprung up
on the eastern periphery of Rome
is the brainchild of Omero Lauri,
a longtime activist in the capital’s
squatting scene. For the past four
years, Lauri and his friends have
been working the 15 hectares
(37 acres) of abandoned land they
occupied at Tor Tre Teste. They cleared
it of garbage and rocks, installed a wellfed
irrigation system and turned the land
into fertile plots that Lauri has been handing
over for free—with a nominal 30 euro a year
inscription fee—to needy families to farm.
“We believe that all people have the right to a
piece of land for free,” Lauri told the newest
families to the project after assigning them
their plots by lottery.
bigstory.ap.org
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17

max facts
Eating Healthy Cheaper Than Buying Junk Food
A new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs has found that healthy food
is, for the most part, cheaper than junk food. Unlike previous
studies, this new research measured the cost per edible weight
as opposed to the cost per calorie of 78 common food and drink
products. As reported in the Telegraph, the cheapest processed
foods cost “more than £1.92 per kilogram, whereas typical fruit
and vegetables cost less than that amount.” This finding
counters the thought that cost is driving poor nutrition and
obesity. “The idea that poor nutrition is caused by the high
cost of healthy food is simply wrong. People are prepared
to pay a premium for taste and convenience,” says Chris
Snowdon, the report’s author. “Given the relatively high cost of
junk food, it is unlikely that taxing unhealthy food or subsidising
healthy food would change people's eating habits.”
metro.co.uk
Global Boom Time for Urban Farms
Urban farming is booming worldwide, says French urban farming project consultant
Marie Dehaene. “There is a huge variety of formats and business models,” she says.
“There have also been changes in stakeholders, in the law, in building ownership,
and management that have encouraged people to do it.” However, local factors
determine the viability and format of such schemes, particularly at larger scales.
“In New York, most fresh produce comes from California or Mexico. California
is under environmental strain and there are concerns about traceability. In
Singapore, there is a drive for greater food self-sufficiency, while in Japan
there has been concern about polluted land post-Fukushima. People lost trust
in the quality of produce and some typically Japanese vegetables can’t be
imported. So, in these places, there has been a real reason to make it viable
on a large scale. There are also such projects in France, but there is a cultural
difference too.”
hortweek.com
Plymouth's Urban Farm Beginning to Take Root
Volunteers have helped plant Plymouth's biggest orchard as part of a
huge community park which will provide a green space in the growing
city. More than 200 fruit trees are set to provide free food for residents as new
homes and roads are built. Planning chiefs say they are keen to preserve the city's
green spaces even as the north of the city is developed. In early March, volunteers planted
216 fruit trees as part of Derriford's new community park. Plymouth City Council wants to open
up 140-hectares of the beautiful Forder, Seaton, and Bircham Valley. More than 200 volunteers
have already planted 900 metres of hedgerow to provide a new haven for wildlife. Plymouth
Environmental Action has led community planting days through the winter. Now the orchard has
taken root. The council said it will provide a free, healthy, local food source for residents and give
bees and other insects many more opportunities to pollinate.
plymouthherald.co.uk
18 tapped in

Urban Farmers Grow Award-winning
Salad in Hackney
Urban farmers are growing award-winning salad
on organic plots across Hackney. Growing
Communities, the not-for-profit company
that makes the salad, also sells
fruit, veg, jam, and sauce. It
was the first certified organic
producers from London. It has
a plot at Springfield Park
with a large polytunnel for
growing salad, tomatoes,
and melons. It also has
plots at Clissold Park, Allens
Gardens, and Hackney Tree
Nursery. The aim is to provide
alternatives to the globalised food
system by establishing a strong local
farming community“ one carrot at a
time”. The farm is run by volunteers
and anyone can help. London
residents can buy Hackney
Salad at St Paul’s Church
in Stoke Newington every
Saturday. Other people there
sell chocolate, cheese, cake,
and milk from within a 60-mile
radius. Hackney Salad won “best
London leaves” in the Urban Food
Awards two years ago.
hackneygazette.co.uk
Irish Cereal
Production
Dropped by
12.3 per cent
in 2016
Overall production of
wheat, oats, and barley
in Ireland decreased by
12.3 per cent in 2016,
the latest figures from the
Central Statistics Office (CSO)
show. This equated to a drop of
323,000 tonnes (t) across the board
last year; cereal production totalled
2,311,000 t in 2016. Cereals were sown
in a total of 280,300 hectares (ha) of farmland in 2016—a drop of 11,200 ha or
3.8 per cent, according to the CSO. The overall cereal yield also decreased by
8.7 per cent to 8.2 t/ha last year. Production of barley fell by 14.9 per cent or
259,000 t last year; barley yields dropped to 7.8 t/ha—a fall of 8.8 per cent on the
previous year. The total of area of farm land where barley was sown amounted
to 189,200 ha in 2016, some 13,600 ha less than 2015 figures.
agriland.ie
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19

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good to grow
ask for these products at your local hydro shop
GrowMax Water POWER GROW 500
Removes up to 99 per cent of chlorine and up to 95 per cent of
dissolved salts and heavy metals from water. Eliminating chlorine from
water protects plant roots and the beneficial microorganisms of soil.
By lowering the EC, you get 100 per cent effectiveness from nutrients,
which means that starting with a lower EC, you can add more nutrients to
the plants to achieve healthier growing and greater production. Reverse
osmosis POWER GROW 500 produces up to 20 litres an hour (L/h) of pure
water. Includes a complete installation kit with easy indoor and outdoor tap
connectors. GrowMax Water also offers a range of water filters to eliminate
chlorine, with capacity up to 2,000 L/h, and a range of reverse osmosis
systems with production of up to 3,000 L/day.
– growmaxwater.com
AgroLED Sun Par 390 LED Fixture
AgroLED’s Sun Par 5,000K and, an
industry first, 2,000K LED are designed
and produced by one of the most
respected names in horticultural
lighting. The 2,000K offers all the
benefits of flowering found in
HPS lamps. The 5,000K delivers
full-spectrum lighting for full-term
plant growth. A sustained, maintenance-free life is a vital value of
LED, and thermal management dictates LED life. Sun Par’s thermally
managed, properly driven, high specification components, including
high-quality, Japanese-made Nichia brand chips and Meanwell drivers,
equate to a superior fixture for the most extreme conditions. Includes
two types of interchangeable optics to accommodate various mounting
heights: a 90-degree beam spread for higher mounting applications and
a 120-degree beam spread for a wider coverage area at lower mounting
heights. IP65 rated. Comes with an industry first, 12-foot Convertible
Smart Volt 120/240V power cord and eye bolt-style loop for mounting.
– sunlightsupply.com
Easy-Grow
Bugged
Out Insect
Ventilation
Screens
Prevent
insects from
contaminating
your growroom
with the new
Bugged Out
insect ventilation
screens from
Easy-Grow. Made from a fine mesh to prevent any
insects from passing through your ventilation system,
while maintaining airflow. Available in four-, five-, six-,
eight-, 10- and 12-inch sizes.
– easy-grow.co.uk
Reiziger’s Boosters, Nutrients, and Substrates
In the early 1980s, the Seed Bank of Holland pioneered a revolutionary approach
to breeding and set a new benchmark in plant cultivation, assisted by the use of
specialised nutrient formulations. Kept a closely guarded secret and handed down
from one generation of Dutch craftsmen to the next, Reiziger is born from these
original recipes, giving them a heritage that delivers the same exceptional yields and
flawless quality attained by Dutch breeders and growers for over 30 years. Reiziger’s
boosters, nutrients, and substrates are alive with pioneering know-how to help
enhance the cultivation of all fruiting and flowering plants. They offer demanding
craftsmen exactly what they need to afford magnificent harvests. Forward-thinking
formulation and a host of unseen technologies make Reiziger modern and dynamic.
Their endless surge of power and invigoration set them streets apart from others.
– reiziger.com
20 tapped in

LUMii BLACK Metal-cased
Magnetic Ballast
The Metal Magnetic Ballast is the first to arrive out
of the LUMii BLACK range and it has hit the ground
running. LUMii BLACK is a new range of budget
horticultural lighting that seeks to keep the cost low
without compromising quality or performance.
The range consists of two 600W ballasts, a
600W metal-cased magnetic ballast, and a
600W electronic ballast with dim and boost
functions, a Dutch Barn-style euro reflector, a
600W HPS lamp, and (coming soon) both four- and eight-way contactors. Supplied
with a flying IEC lead, this ballast enables you to add any reflector fitted with a
universal IEC socket. It’s simple to start growing: just add a reflector and a lamp
with the same wattage as the ballast. The well-vented metal case ensures the ballast
runs cool and quiet. It is also fully wall mountable, thus making more space in your
growroom. It has an IP rating of 20 and runs at 2.9A. The LUMii BLACK Metal-cased
Magnetic ballast can be used with any 600W HID lamp.
– hydrogarden.com
Vitalink BioPac Powder
VitaLink BioPac is back, but in powder form! Full of
beneficial microbes including trichoderma, BioPac
Powder improves function, root development, and
tolerance to and from stress. BioPac Powder is
suitable for use in all growing substrates and will
assist with nutrient availability and uptake. Add
VitaLink BioPac Powder at each complete solution
change when using recirculating hydro systems. If
you’re growing in substrates, use BioPac Powder
once—each time you transplant or re-pot. This
ensures good colonisation by the microbes and
quick establishment of your plants. Enhance plant
vitality by using VitaLink BioPac powder.
– hydrogarden.com
Culture Solutions UC Roots
UC Roots is the most versatile root zone optimiser available
to those growing high-value crops. Its mineral descaling
properties make it an ideal nutrient addition to those
growing in hydroponic applications, though it also provides
the same benefits to all cultivation methods. In addition,
UC Roots ability to prevent root rot and potentially harmful
biofilm buildup has shown to aid in root development. Add
UC Roots to your gardening systems in all growth stages,
including cloning systems, for rapid root growth. UC Roots
is available through National Garden Wholesale and all
authorised dealers.
– cch2o.com
tapped in
21

good to grow
Ideal Air DriFecta
Ideal Air has just introduced an exciting new air conditioning and humidity
control system for indoor gardeners. DriFecta is not only a commercial-grade
air conditioner, but also allows for independent humidity control. Temperature
and humidity can have independent set points, which allow growers to
precisely dial in their ideal growing environment. Even if a temperature set
point is achieved, it will continue to operate the dehumidification feature
until the desired humidity level is achieved. DriFecta units are available in
sizes ranging from three to 25 tonnes. DriFecta units are designed for roof
mounting on a curb, they can also be slab mounted at ground level. Every unit
is completely charged and wired, and only one electrical outlet is required.
The units are piped and tested at the factory to provide for quick and easy
field installation. All models are convertible between bottom and horizontal duct
connections. Available in electric/electric and gas/electric models.
– ideal-air.com
ONA Car Freshener
The ONA car freshener is a revolution in car
odour control. The ONA car freshener leaves
your car smelling pleasant and fresh, effectively
neutralising any smells and humidifying the air,
improving air quality, and stopping damage
from second hand smoke, dry air, dust, and
more. Use with the new ONA Liquid 50-millilitre
refills, available in Tropics, Fresh Linen, and
Polar Crystal fragrances.
– easy-grow.co.uk
Rainmaker Battery Powered
18V Backpack Sprayer
Another first from Rainmaker, this all-purpose sprayer is ideal
for hand watering, applying herbicides, pesticides, liquid
fertiliser, and for use in many home applications. Using a
premium Sanyo rechargeable and removable
battery pack, which is included, you’ll get
hours of use on a single charge. You can
adjust the flow from low to high with
the flip of a switch. Product includes
a 22.5-inch lance with quick-connect
feature for the nozzle attachments,
three spray nozzles (ranging from
fine mist to stream), a trigger
with a lock-on option that can be
engaged for continuous spraying,
padded shoulder straps,
an integrated filter, and a
four-foot hose.
– rainmakersprayers.com
P.L. Light Systems NXT-LP HPS 1,000W System
The new NXT-LP HPS 1,000W system from P.L. Lights offers
a wide and exceptionally uniform light distribution to
deliver optimum light intensity evenly across the surface
of the crop. Included in the box is the NXT-LP fixture, cast
aluminium housing with electronic ballast, reflector bracket,
lamp holders (1,000W DE), alpha reflector, mounting points, a sixfoot
120V power cord, a six-foot 240V power cord, 1,000W electronic
DE lamp, hanging kit, two S-hooks, two two-foot lengths of chain, a wire
bracket, and two eye bolts.
– tradewindsgarden.com
22 tapped in

tapped in
23

good to grow
EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generators
Do you need potable water for your hydroponic, greenhouse, or other
grow space? Do you need a dehumidifier? Do you need safe water to
drink for you and your family? Did you know that they can all be found
in one machine, just by plugging into an electrical outlet? Water can be
created from air by EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs)
without an existing water source. All you need is 35 per cent or higher
humidity; 70-80 per cent is optimal. EcoloBlue offers the opportunity
to be water-independent and sustainable, whether you need just five
to eight gallons of water a day for personal use or thousands of gallons
a day for a commercial operation. Since its inception, EcoloBlue
has grown its product line from a single home/office unit to a full
industrial line of AWGs, a fully contained emergency preparedness
container, and an EcoloBlue Water Station. The EcoloBlue range varies
from up to 30 litres/eight gallons a day for the home/office market, up
to millions of litres per day in customisable water stations.
– ecoloblue.com
Advanced Hydroponics
of Holland Starters Kit
Advanced Hydroponics’
Starters Kit offers you value
for your money. All the
required nutrition for your
plants are included in one
box. This Starters Kit includes
the cultivation of two to
three plants and leads to
optimal growth and flowering
results. Try this starters kit
from Advanced Hydroponics
if smell, taste, and quality is as important to you as it is to
us. Suitable for all systems including soil, hydro, coco, and
rockwool. Package includes: Dutch Formula Grow 500ml, Dutch
Formula Bloom 500ml, Dutch Formula Micro 500ml, Natural
Power Root Stimulator 250ml, Natural Power Growth Bloom
Excellarator 250ml, Natural Power Enzymes 250ml, and Natural
Power Final Solution 250ml.
– advancedhydro.com
Easy-Grow Insuliner
The Insuliner from Easy-Grow is designed to give maximum
insulation of your indoor gardens heat thermals, preventing
the escape of costly thermal energy. It is the latest foil for the
horticultural market from Easy-Grow and is their strongest and
thickest foil yet at 200 micrometres (μm). Available with a raised
diamond pattern to spread light more evenly, or flat silver for
maximum reflection. Insuliner is five layers thick and completely
light-proof, and has a black backing.
– easy-grow.co.uk
Demon Nutrients Boost
Boost from Demon Nutrients is the ultimate stimulator, delivering increased flower
size, weight, and quality when used during the flowering phase. Boost also helps plants
deal with disease, damage, and pests. It contains an array of bio-stimulants, growth
stimulators, and photosynthesis stimulators that combine to enhance flowering and
fruiting. Designed to be used throughout the plant's flowering phase in conjunction with
any other nutrient range, it's a great way to get more from your plants.
– demonnutrients.com
24 tapped in

feature
UVA and UVB
Tanning
Your Plants:
The CURIOUS
Effects of UVA and UVB
by Tom Forrest
While getting a tan on is a favourite holiday pastime,
we often forget the nasty consequences of too
much sunlight on our skin. UV light is harmful to
plant tissue too, but research shows that it can
also benefit our little green friends.
26 feature

UVA and UVB
“
CRYPTOCHROMES,
phototropins, and
Zeitlupe (ZTL) are
the three primary
photoreceptors that
mediate the effects
of UVA. UVB light is
primarily mediated by
the UV-R8 monomer.”
Sunlight is the portion of the sun’s
electromagnetic radiation that
includes infrared, visible, and ultraviolet
(UV) light. It’s these ultraviolet light
waves that can cause harmful radiation
to our dermal tissue. But, how have our
floral friends evolved to deal with this
UV light energy?
Well, UV radiation can be harmful to
plant tissue too, but modern research is
proving there are also several distinctly
positive responses to UV radiation.
WHAT IS UV LIGHT?
Let’s take a step backwards and look
at the basics. Ultraviolet light is an
electromagnetic radiation with a
wavelength from 10-400 nanometres (nm).
This is a shorter wavelength than
visible light but longer than x-rays. This
radiation can be broken down into three
bands: UVA (320-400 nm), UVB (290-320 nm),
and UVC (100-290 nm). Radiations with
wavelengths from 10-180 nm are sometimes
referred to as vacuum, or extreme, UV.
These radiations propagate only in a
vacuum. Thanks to the ozone layer, only
UVA and UVB rays reach the Earth’s
surface. UVC rays can’t make it through,
which is lucky as they could have
catastrophic effects.
HOW DOES UV LIGHT AFFECT PLANTS?
As sunlight shines down upon a crop,
plants expose the surface of their
leaves to capture solar rays. While
some of this light energy is used in
photosynthesis, some regulates different
developmental processes—such as
advancing growth in good conditions or
causing deviations for survival during
periods of stress—to optimise the
photosynthetic processes and detect
seasonal changes. This light-mediated
development of form and structure is
known as photomorphogenesis.
The different developmental or
physiological changes are induced
by a plant’s photoreceptors, which
detect specific wavelengths of light.
Photoreceptors are also sensitive to
light quantity, quality, and duration.
For example, plants growing beneath
the canopy use phytochromes to sense
the reduced amount of light reaching
the plant and regulate such processes
as shade-avoidance, competitive
interactions, and seed germination.
However, it is extremely difficult for
scientists to match specific responses
to individual photoreceptors. Typically,
multiple photoreceptors will interact
to produce a single change. Also, some
photoreceptors like phytochromes
are sensitive to more than one light
wavelength. (Phytochromes, which
mediate many aspects of vegetative
and reproductive development, are
responsible for absorbing red and
far-red light but also absorb some blue
light and UVA radiation.)
When it comes to UV radiation, there
are several other photoreceptors
responsible for absorbing those
wavelengths. Cryptochromes,
phototropins, and Zeitlupe (ZTL) are
the three primary photoreceptors that
mediate the effects of UVA. UVB light
is primarily mediated by the UV-R8
monomer. It has been proven that UV
light influences photomorphogenic
responses including gene regulation,
flavonoid biosynthesis, leaf and
epidermal cell expansion, stomatal
density, and increased photosynthetic
efficiency. However, don’t forget that UV
radiation can also damage membranes,
DNA, and proteins. That’s why many
plants undergo photomorphogenic
changes designed to protect them from
these rays when their photoreceptors
sense the presence of radiation.
28 grow feature cycle

For example, numerous agricultural
crops can synthesise simple phenolic
compounds and flavonoids that act
as sunscreens and remove damaging
oxidants and free radicals. In
certain crop species, these phenolic
compounds can be extremely desirable
and it can be beneficial to the farmer to
enhance this aspect of production.
HOW CAN GROWERS UTILISE THIS
UV ENERGY WITHOUT CAUSING
DAMAGE TO THEIR CROPS?
Although this is a fairly recent field
of botanical science, there are reports
of dramatic increases in essential oil
production by flowering crops grown
under lightbulbs with higher UV output.
Modern metal halide (MH) and ceramic
metal halide (CMH) lamps often include
precisely calculated and optimised
amounts of UVA and UVB output.
High UV bulbs are generally
recommended for use in the last two
weeks of a flowering cycle once the
generative development is completely
established. This allows for a crop
to continually develop in size and
growth vigour while also protecting
the flowers and canopy with increased
resin production.
Like all aspects of horticulture, balance
is the key to effective UV use. Too much
or incorrect ratios of PAR/UVA/UVB
will not help, but the correct amounts
could encourage some incredibly useful
results. Timing is also an important
part of UV application. When given
UVB throughout the entire growth cycle,
sensitive plants such as leafy greens
often display reduced growth (plant
height, dry weight, leaf area, etc.) and
photosynthetic activity. Generally, the
effectiveness of UVB also varies both
among species and among individual
strains or genetics of a given species.
If you’re looking to utilise UV in your
garden, it’s worth discussing with your
local hydroponics store about the best
approach for your chosen plant species.
Overall, it’s valuable to research
the best applications of UV in your
garden whilst catering to your
specific plant’s physiological requirements.
If we use this technology
correctly, we can enjoy the delicious
benefits of plant sunscreen. This
means your flowers will smell better,
your fruit will taste superior, and your
herbs will have a higher potency in
the kitchen. Enjoy the tan!
“
THERE ARE
reports of dramatic
increases in essential
oil production by
flowering crops grown
under lightbulbs with
higher UV output.”
feature
29

feature
nutrient application systems
by Dr. Lynette Morgan
The application of a balanced nutrient solution to
plant roots is a basic principle of hydroponic growing.
Making this irrigation as efficient and effective as
possible, however, is a little more complex.
30
feature

nutrient application systems
Irrigation is a key component of hydroponic gardening and
a common cause of concern for many indoor gardeners.
Fortunately, the technology has come a long way since the
early days of manual watering and gravity-fed systems.
Today, there is a wide range of highly efficient and advanced
nutrient delivery equipment available for even the smallest
grower. Of course, ensuring nutrients flow at the optimal rate,
frequency, and concentration are all dependent on using the
correct delivery system. So, before you begin planting, give
a little consideration to choosing suitable pumps, drippers,
or emitters; matching up the correct irrigation method; and
ensuring even pressure within hydroponic system.
APPLICATION METHODS
Different hydroponic systems employ a diverse range of
nutrient delivery methods. Solution culture systems such as
nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep flow technique (DFT)
may appear to feature the simplest and straightforward
methods of hydroponic nutrient application. Nutrient solution
is continuously pumped to the top of each growing channel
or trough, through which it flows past the roots and back to a
central reservoir. However, factors such as nutrient flow rate,
equalised delivery volumes to each growing channel, and
control over EC and pH back at the reservoir all become part
of the nutrient management system. Similar considerations—
nutrient application frequency and volume—are required with
ebb and flow systems.
Drip irrigation, which is currently the most commonly
used hydroponic nutrient delivery system, relies on even
distribution of solution to each plant at the correct frequency;
factors that are largely based on variables such as plant
size, growing substrate properties, container volume and
dimensions, and environmental conditions.
Aeroponics requires nutrient to be delivered directly
to the root system via the use of high-pressure misters
or foggers, which may be intermittent or continuous.
Overhead sprinklers are also still used in some greenhouse
and outdoor systems, though they are not popular in indoor
gardens due to the leaf wetness and inefficiency of nutrient
distribution. The exception to this may be in propagation
areas where high humidity is beneficial to prevent
desiccation of clones while they form new roots.
All these delivery systems need to be paired with a method
of dosing or controlling the nutrient solution composition
before it is applied to plants. Many indoor gardens are reliant
on manual dosing to reach the correct EC and pH; however,
automation of even small hydroponic systems is becoming
increasingly popular.
Nutrient delivery in a multi-level, movable channel system.
Commercial nutrient dosing and delivery systems may be complex, but
scaled down models are suitable for indoor gardens.
“DRIP IRRIGATION, which is currently
the most commonly used hydroponic nutrient
delivery system, relies on even distribution of
solution to each plant at the correct frequency.”
32 feature

nutrient application systems
“CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS will either pump
a small volume of water to a high delivery head or a
large volume of water to a low head.”
PUMPS
Most NFT hydroponic systems utilise centrifugal pumps, which
can produce a constant flow of nutrient solution rather than the
pulsating flow associated with piston or diaphragm pumps.
Centrifugal pumps will either pump a small volume of water to
a high delivery head or a large volume of water to a low head.
A delivery head is the highest point that the pump must push
water to in a system. With NFT systems, the delivery head is the
height measured from the surface of the nutrient solution in the
reservoir to the top of the growing channels.
To select the correct size of pump that will deliver the
correct volume of nutrient solution, you need to determine the
system’s delivery head height, flow rate in litres or gallons per
minute, and—for basic NFT systems—the number of channels.
(The standard rate of a basic NFT system is one litre per
minute per channel.)
These specifications can be listed on pump packaging either as
a pump performance curve showing head capacity at different
flow rates, or simply as flow rate at a set head height. Also,
growers should be aware that pump capacity and flow rates
tend to fall over time, and with increasing nutrient temperature.
Allowing for future system expansion is always a good idea.
DRIP IRRIGATION
As mentioned above, drip irrigated hydroponics is the most
commonly used method of nutrient application. These may be
set up and run as either a batch feed or inline dosing system.
Smaller indoor gardens often utilise batch feeding, in which a
central tank containing several days’ worth of working-strength
nutrient solution is made up and manually adjusted for EC and
pH. This solution is irrigated onto the plants using a pump and
timer or manually controlled by the grower as required. Batch
feeding is easy to set up and run; however, time is required to
mix up the working-strength solution every few days.
Inline dosing is a more automated system widely used
in commercial hydroponic operations. Also known as
“fertigation” or “direct dilutor/injector systems”, inline dosing
systems are installed on the main water supply. As water
flows through, nutrient concentrates and pH control chemicals
are directly dosed into the flow at the correct rate to obtain
the EC and pH required for a crop. Inline injector systems may
use several different designs for drawing up and blending
concentrated stock solutions and other additives to create this
balanced nutrient solution. The advantage of this system is
that it eliminates the need for a large central nutrient reservoir
filled with working-strength solution and dosage rates can be
adjusted as required. It also reduces the amount of labour and
time required to make up batch feeding tanks.
Adjustable flow emitter allows nutrient solution volume to be controlled
separately for each plant.
Ebb and flow nutrient application used on a seedling nursery bench system.
NFT flow rates down each channel need to be uniform and at the
correct volume.
feature
33

In recirculating systems such as NFT, DFT, and float or
pond systems, automatic controllers are often used to
maintain the correct EC and pH level. These units use EC
and pH probes permanently installed in the flow of nutrient
to measure these parameters at regular intervals. When
the controller senses a drop in EC, more stock solutions are
automatically dosed into the nutrient flow until a feedback
system determines the EC is at the correct level. Water
top-ups are also automatically controlled to keep the tank
volume consistent. While automatic controllers may seem
like the ideal way to reduce time and labour in monitoring
a nutrient solution, they can’t fully replace manual EC and
pH checks as failures are known to occur occasionally,
even in well-designed equipment. EC and pH probes also
require frequent calibration and checking to ensure reliable
monitoring and adjustment of the nutrient solution. In
particular, pH probes have a limited lifespan and inaccurate
readings from these can lead to crop damage and loss.
That’s why automated doser units are reliant on correct and
regular maintenance.
MISTERS, DRIPPERS, AND EMITTERS
Selecting the correct equipment for your nutrient delivery
system is essential. Drippers, misters, and emitters are
available in a range of flow rates and working pressures,
and they are usually matched to a specific growing
substrate and/or crop. Those with lower flow rates are
typically used with coarser, freer draining substrates to
slow the downward flow of nutrient and help uniformly
wet the root zone. Pressure compensating emitters allow
for an even flow of nutrient to each plant in the system.
Some dippers are designed to prevent unwanted leakage
and solution loss between irrigations. Finally, indoor
gardens that have a diverse range of plant sizes, maturity
levels, and species on the same irrigation system are good
candidates for adjustable flow rate drippers. These allow
larger plants to receive higher flow rates than smaller
plants on the same nutrient distribution system, and flow
rates can increase as plants grow.
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Layout also affects the distribution of nutrient solution to individual
plants around a drip irrigation system. Drip systems
may consist of either inline or microtube systems. Inline
systems are more suited to large media beds where the emitters
are directly attached to or embedded in the irrigation
supply pipe, which runs down the centre of the bed. Microtube
systems use tubing of a smaller diameter, which is installed
into the lateral irrigation lines with emitters or drippers fixed
on the end. Each plant or growing container can have one or
two microtubes with emitters pegged into the substrate near
the base of plant. Using microtubes allows a more uniform
pressure at the emitters, provided the irrigation is correctly
designed and has a pump of sufficient capacity.
One of the main issues encountered by hydroponic growers
is the differences in volume of nutrient solution received by
plants in various parts of the drip system. Some plants may
end up overwatered while others are constantly too dry, and
these issues become difficult to remedy once the irrigation
system is in place. To achieve uniform and constant nutrient
flow rates to all emitters in the system, a ring or loop layout
can be installed. This consists of emitters placed into lateral
irrigation pipes connected at both ends to a ring main
system, evening out the flow and pressure round an irrigation
system. Each ring main is supplied by a main irrigation
pipe running directly from a pump or pressure water supply.
This largely prevents the issue of plants furthest away from
the pump receiving the lowest volume of nutrient solution at
each irrigation.
Selecting the correct irrigation pipe diameter is an aspect of
hydroponic system design that is often overlooked. The type,
number, and flow rate of the irrigation emitters determine the
size of irrigation lateral pipe needed in terms of flow rate and
pressure required. As such, if the flow of nutrient appears too
low from some emitters, it is often more effective to increase
the diameter of the delivery pipes rather than invest in a more
powerful pump. A large capacity pump will not compensate
for irrigation pipes that are too small to carry the nutrient solution
flow rate required.
Growers setting up hydroponic systems for the first time or
renovating an established indoor garden to improve nutrient
management and delivery need to take solution flow and
delivery into consideration. Under- or overwatering of individual
plants, slow or insufficient flow rates in NFT systems,
and inaccurate dosing can all be prevented with the correctly
designed irrigation system.
Float or raft systems may seem like a simple way to supply nutrient
solution, but oxygenation, EC, and pH still need careful control.
34 feature

grow cycle
light deprivation cultivation
BACK BLACK:
IN
The Basics of Light Deprivation Cultivation
by Kent Gruetzmacher
Tricking your herbs, vegetables, or flowers into
thinking harvest time is approaching through light
deprivation can result in more frequent highquality
yields. While becoming popular, light
deprivation greenhouses take some dialling
in. Kent Gruetzmacher sheds some light on
the basics of blackout gardening.
36 grow cycle

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light deprivation cultivation
The popularity of light deprivation
cultivation has been on the
rise over the past few years. There
are several reasons why, but key
factors include higher-quality yields
and off-season harvest times, allowing
growers who utilise this method
to supply the market with a particular
product when others can’t. In light
deprivation growing, horticulturalists
use sunlight to fuel their gardens
while simultaneously employing
environmental controls not seen in
traditional outdoor grow scenarios.
This blend of cultivation styles allows
light deprivation gardeners to combine
their knowledge of indoor and outdoor
growing to produce exceptional crops.
Furthermore, light deprivation requires
less electricity and allows for harvests
during better weather.
Plant Photoperiods
The most definitive characteristic of
light-deprivation cultivation is the
artificial simulation of equal 12-hour
light/dark photoperiods. Using light
deprivation, cultivators seek to mimic
the photoperiods of the late summer
and early fall, which trigger plants
to produce flowers. This idea of artificially
induced flower periods represents
a merging of outdoor and indoor
growing methods. While indoor
growers have timers that simulate
night and day in a growroom, light
deprivation growers must devise other
means to black out the sunlight during
the 12-hour dark period. It should be
noted, however, that artificial light
deprivation methods are only necessary
in evening and morning in most
areas. Exposing your plants to sunsets,
moon rises, and the fresh air of
summer nights will generally improve
their quality. With that said, light
deprivation enthusiasts must devise
blackout systems that cover the entire
canopy and exterior of their gardens to
block all sunlight in the simulation of
nighttime conditions.
Frames, Hoop-houses,
and Greenhouses
No matter how sophisticated or
simple cultivators wish to make
their operations, all light deprivation
crops require an exterior frame that
supports a blackout system. There are
three routes one can take in the creation
of a framework: wood frames, hoophouses,
and greenhouses. Gardeners can
create wood frames by placing heavy
wooden posts in cement at the ends of
the garden. These wooden posts have
heavy cables that support the tarp and
allow for it to easily slide over the canopy
of the garden. Secondly, PVC hoophouses
can be constructed by pounding
two-foot pieces of rebar into the ground
at opposite ends of the garden and
simply bending the PVC over the canopy
and onto the rebar, forming a “hoop.”
Finally, greenhouse kits and frames
make excellent support over which
to pull blackout tarps. Greenhouses
provide growers with the ability to utilise
more environmental controls than with
wood frames and hoop-houses, and
greenhouses have opaque walls as well
as door systems, making them more
attractive for privacy and security.
Tarp Systems
The sort of tarp-pulling system one
chooses for a light deprivation operation
will prove to be important for the
duration of a flowering cycle. This is
because the tarp has to be pulled over
the entire canopy of the garden twice
a day for an entire 55- to 70-day flower
cycle. Therefore, light deprivation cultivators
have to be present twice a day, for
two months solid, to ensure this task is
complete. In the novice operation, as seen
with wooden frames and hoop-houses,
it’s often possible to simply pull the tarp
over the frame by hand or with the aid of
ropes. To aid in this process, growers also
devise pulley systems mounted on trees
and wooden poles to help with getting
a tarp over a large or tall frame system.
Finally, greenhouse companies have
designed a number of automated, less
labour-intensive systems that black
out daylight. These automated
systems include motorised tarp
pulley systems as well as
large blinds that fold over
on one another to create
a completely dark
environment.
“
THERE ARE THREE
ROUTES ONE
CAN TAKE IN THE
CREATION OF A
FRAMEWORK:
WOOD FRAMES,
HOOP-HOUSES, AND
GREENHOUSES.”
38 grow cycle

Airflow During the
“Night” Period
Regardless of the scope of a light deprivation
operation, all cultivators need to
consider airflow in their gardens when
the tarp is pulled over the canopy during
nighttime simulation. This is because
the tarp hinders all airflow from outside
the canopy, presenting challenges with
humidity and subsequent issues with
mold and mildew. To remedy these
concerns, growers must employ intake
and outtake fans similar to those found
in indoor growrooms to ensure a steady
exchange of air when the coverings are
drawn. When choosing the size of inline
fans for intakes and outtakes, gardeners
should use similar considerations as seen
with indoor growing. Exhaust fans should
completely exchange the air in a light
deprivation garden in five minutes or
less. Depending on the size and the structure
of a garden, intakes and outtakes
can be mounted on the framing system or
simply placed on the ground. However,
for air to move efficiently, it’s essential
that the ducting connected to these fans
is long enough so that the ends are not
covered by the tarp when it is pulled
over the frame.
Light deprivation greenhouses essentially
signal plants that seasons are
changing earlier than they actually are,
so growers can manipulate their crops to
produce more robust and frequent crops.
Keep in mind that some plants react
better to light deprivation methods than
others, and that issues such as excessive
heat or humidity, lack of oxygen to
the roots, and pest infestations can be
prohibitive. Once dialled in, however,
light deprivation technology can be
used to harvest early and often, particularly
in late summer and early fall.
grow cycle
39

grow cycle
spring cleaning
Get Your
Grow Space
Fresh and Clean for Spring
With spring just around the corner, let Steve Cather
give you some tips on what you can do to help your
garden stay healthy and pest-free.
While spring may be the proverbial
season for cleaning, these helpful
tips should become a regular part of your
gardening regimen. Most issues can be
traced to a failure in preventive measures
that we may have become lazy about as
the seasons while away. The effort you
make now will pay dividends in the form
of a healthy harvest.
Sweep your floors regularly
A common mistake made by indoor
gardeners is allowing organic debris
and material to accumulate in the space
they use. These small bits of plant
matter and soil attract and feed pests
of all types. The ruinous and notorious
spider mite is tiny by virtually any standard.
A floor that is free of organic material
is a wasteland to a bug. The journey
to your garden is a marathon of epic
proportions. If a mite doesn't find any
sustenance on the way to the promised
land, it will starve to death long before
it reaches a suitable meal.
Clean your plastics
A plastic surface may seem non-porous
and uninviting as a habitat. When that
same plastic has a layer of slime, dirt,
and nutrient salts adhered to it, the situation
changes dramatically. Between
crops, you have unlimited access to all
parts of your system. Reservoirs and trays
should be washed using a light hydrogen
peroxide or bleach mixture. Three per
cent hydrogen peroxide should be mixed
1:1 with water. Bleach can be mixed at
¼ cup bleach to one gallon of water.
Wipe all surfaces and remove any accumulated
material from the cracks and corners.
Remove bulkheads and other fittings and
soak or scrub them. Bulkheads are easily
cleaned with a bleach water soak followed
by a cycle through the dishwasher. Take
your time and do it right. This is the cost of
doing business.
Clean your pumps
An item many gardeners overlook is the
common water pump. When cleaning your
system, be certain you dismantle the pump
inlet assembly and clean the components.
The impeller on most aquarium-style pumps
is removable and should be completely
cleaned prior to reuse in the next cycle. Use
paper towels and/or an old toothbrush to
clean the cracks and corners. I'm not going
to lie to you. It isn't a fun job. However,
taking five to 10 minutes to dismantle and
sanitise your pump will ensure proper operation
throughout the coming cycle.
Clean or replace your tubing
Along with the pump cleaning you should
begin a standard practice of cleaning your
tubing as well. Short sections of tubing can
be cleaned using a paper towel moistened
with your bleach water solution. Using a
coat hanger or a chopstick, you can push
a wad of paper towel through the tubing
to remove organic deposits that may have
accumulated inside. If the prospect of this
slave labour doesn't appeal to you then
it may be time to pony up a few bucks to
replace the tubing. Twenty dollars' worth of
tubing goes a long way toward maintaining
your sanity and the health of your garden.
40 grow cycle

By Steve Cather
Scrub your pots
When was the last time you actually
cleaned your pots? Most gardeners dump
the dirt out and consider the container
ready for reuse. Those used pots still
hold organic material, nutrient salts, old
soil, and possibly pests. A good blast
with a garden hose is usually enough to
restore them to a like-new condition. If
the accumulation is more persistent, you
may need to use a small brush to break
the chunks loose. When using fabric
pots, you may be best served by replacing
them after two to three crops.
Clean your glass
You spent all that money on the latest
and greatest equipment. Make it work for
you at peak efficiency. If you have vented
hoods with glass, you need to keep them
clean. You're paying for the light. Make
sure it reaches your plants. A layer of
dust inside a light fixture can prevent
that valuable light from reaching your
leaves. Clean the glass inside and out at
least every 90 days.
Calibrate your pH meter
That fancy pH meter you bought needs to
be regularly maintained. If you haven't
been consistent with calibrations, now
is the time to correct that situation. If
your meter isn't calibrated, those nutrient
problems you have been battling will
just continue to get worse. Correct pH
is critical for healthy plants with strong
defenses. Establish a routine of cleaning,
calibration, and testing your meters.
“
Pre-planting and
post-harvest are the
best times to replace
smoke detector
batteries, check your
carbon monoxide
detectors, test your
carbon dioxide
regulators, sensors,
and alarms for
proper operation.”
Test your safety equipment
A safe garden feeds a safe gardener.
Pre-planting and post-harvest are the
best times to replace smoke detector
batteries, check your carbon monoxide
detectors, test your carbon dioxide
regulators, sensors, and alarms for
proper operation. Carbon dioxide can
be dangerous. Don't cut corners on this
equipment. Keep it in fine fettle so it will
do the same for you.
Clean or replace your filters
If you use air conditioners, carbon filters,
or water filters, now is the time to restore
their efficiency and efficacy. A dirty
water pump filter will reduce flow and
may be a source of disease and disaster.
Wash your water pump filters and
check your filters often. I can't stress this
enough. A carbon filter with a thick layer
of dust on the pre-filter is not working as
well as it could. Clean or replace your
carbon scrubber pre-filter once per year.
Spend the time now or do the time later.
An ounce of prevention may just add up
to a pound of cure.
grow cycle
41

grow cycle
microponics
MICROPONICS
CREATE A
TINY ECOSYSTEM
IN YOUR BACKYARD
by Gary Donaldson
Many growers have heard of
aquaponics, which incorporates
the use of fish and fish waste into
a hydroponic system to both feed
plants and offer a source of protein.
Microponics takes this process to
a whole new level, and Australian
farmer Gary Donaldson, who coined
the term in 2008, explains how.
42 grow cycle

microponics
INTEGRATED FOOD PRODUCTION
Integrated systems are always more
than the sum of their parts. Integration,
in a microfarming context, is essentially
about value creation. An integrated food
production system should provide for
better quality, greater quantity, shorter
timeframe, and lower cost.
Aquaponics is the integration of fish
and plants through the combination
of recirculating aquaculture and
hydroponics. Aquaponics is an example
of integration on a small scale: the
fish produce waste that is converted to
plant nutrients, the plants take up the
nutrients; and, in so doing, clean the
water for the fish.
Microponics is the integration of fish,
plants, and microlivestock through
the combination of recirculating
aquaculture and other plant and
animal production systems.
We eat the fruit, vegetables, herbs,
and fish from our aquaponics systems
and the wastes from our kitchen go to
the worms or black soldier fly larvae.
The worms and larvae are then mixed
with duckweed to become food for other
microlivestock. In this simple model,
there is no actual waste in a landfill
sense. The so-called waste product of
one organism becomes the feedstock for
another. And the scope of integration
doesn’t stop there. We can add other
small livestock (like rabbits, chickens,
quail, ducks, snails, and bees) and water
gardening for edible plants like Chinese
water chestnuts and water spinach.
In this extended model of integration,
we get fish, quail/chicken/duck meat
and eggs, worm castings/tea, duckweed,
vegetables, herbs, rabbits, skins, and
honey. We also get pollination, pest
control, cultivation, and weed removal.
MICROPONICS ORIGINS
The challenge when designing small
integrated food production systems
is to see every output as a resource,
even waste body heat and expired
carbon dioxide.
When I first set out to describe a concept
of small-scale integrated food production
several years ago, I called it integrated
backyard food production (IBFP).
Like aquaponics, IBFP is a descendant
of the integrated aquaculture work
of the New Alchemist Institute.
With its inclusion of microlivestock,
however, IBFP has retained a more
direct relationship with integrated
aquaculture.
“Integrated backyard food production”
became too much of a mouthful, so
in 2008, it became microponics. The
name suggests its own origins—
the combination of micro-farming,
microlivestock, and aquaponics.
When it comes to fish production,
aquaponics and microponics both start
off in the same place. A recirculating
aquaculture system (RAS), or micro fish
farm, is at the heart of both microponics
and aquaponics.
The connection of a plant-growing
system to the RAS creates a simple
aquaponic ecosystem that, because they
are in the same water column, benefits
both the fish and the plants.
In the past 10 years or so, we’ve
designed and built many aquaponics
systems in which we’ve grown jade perch,
barramundi, silver perch, and Murray
cod. We’ve also experimented widely with
hydroponic growing systems including
nutrient film technique (NFT), raft culture,
tray system, and satellite pots.
44 grow cycle

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microponics
The key advantage of aquaponics
is that it offers a crop of fish for the
same amount of water that it would
otherwise take just to grow the plants
also by feeding the fish, you feed the
plants.
The difference with microponics
is that you can access that benefit
regardless of the plant growing
system.
Square foot gardening (SFG),
pioneered by American Mel
Bartholomew, is as waterwise
as any aquaponics
system and just as
productive when it
comes to growing
plants. Sheet
mulching (as
described by
the late Bill
Mollison and
David Holmgren
of permaculture
fame) is a soilbased
option that
is both water-wise
and very productive.
We’ve used SFG and
raised sheet mulch beds
in conjunction with our
aquaponics systems. We also
use the nutrient-rich water to
irrigate several fruit and fodder trees.
Our use of water is leveraged even
further given that the water from
our aquaponics systems comes
from rainwater tanks. Rainwater is
better for plants because it is free
of toxic substances like chlorine or
chloramines. The use of water from
an aquaponics system to irrigate
plants is also better for the fish. Any
accumulation of suspended solids or
nitrates is kept in check by regular
replacement with fresh rainwater.
While microponics is distinguished
by its encouragement of a wider
variety of plant growing systems,
its principal point of difference is its
integration of microlivestock and other
organisms. The prevailing wisdom
in science says that the greater
the biodiversity in an ecosystem,
the better it is—and that’s where
microponics really distinguishes itself.
MICROPONICS ELEMENTS
Useful microponics organisms include:
• Fruit, vegetables, and herbs
• Freshwater fish and crayfish
• Japanese quail for meat and eggs
• Chickens for meat and eggs
• Fruit and nut trees
• Muscovies and other waterfowl
• Bees
• Aquatic plants—duckweed, azolla,
water spinach, and Chinese water
chestnuts
• Fodder plants and trees—pigeon
pea, amaranth, comfrey, chou moellier,
tagasaste, and moringa
• Live animal protein—black soldier
fly larvae, feeder roaches, mealworms,
and worms
• Farmed rabbits
• Snails
• Mushrooms and fungi
• Other forms of microlivestock—
heritage breeds of goats, pigs, and
sheep—even microcattle, such as
the ancient Irish breed, the Dexter.
APPLIED MICROPONICS
Okay, so what does the integration look
like on a practical level? Currently,
we grow fish, vegetables, herbs, trees,
Japanese quail, chickens, black soldier
fly larvae, worms, and duckweed.
Here’s how our microponic unit works:
• The fish provide nutrients for
plants (including duckweed)
and the plants clean the water
for the fish.
• Plant residues and fish processing
wastes are fed to black soldier fly
larvae. The larvae are fed to fish,
chickens, and quail.
• The chicken and quail meat and
eggs go to the kitchen and the
viscera (guts) are fed to the black
soldier fly larvae. The feathers
are composted.
• The castings from the larvae
(which retain up to 50 per cent of
their original protein level) and
kitchen scraps are fed to worms.
• The worm castings are mixed with
46 grow cycle

compost and used as a soil conditioner
for trees, vegetables, and
fodder plants; the worms are fed to
fish, chickens, and quail.
• Chickens fertilise the trees and
keep weeds at bay. They also eat
spoiled fruit and the fruit fly larvae
that it contains.
• Other chickens and quail eat
the fodder plants and provide
manure (and eventually feathers
and other processing wastes) for
worms, black soldier fly larvae,
and composting systems.
The important thing about
microponics is that there is no such
thing as waste—everything becomes
part of the nutrient cycle. Waste
heat from chick brooders and lights
(and even the waste body heat from
animals or birds) can be used to
modify environments in favour of
other organisms. The scope of such
integrations is limited only by one’s
imagination.
The integration of fish, plants, and
microlivestock leverages the volume
and quality of the food that we grow
and it makes for a healthier and more
resilient food production environment.
Our goal is to put clean, fresh food on
the dinner table, so we use what works
best—for the fish, plants, microlivestock,
and other organisms, and that’s what
microponics is all about!
grow cycle
47

grow cycle
LED lighting metrics
Fight
for Your
Lights:
LED METRICS GROWERS
NEED TO KNOW
With horticultural LED lighting still in its
infancy, there are a lack of clearly defined
metrics that measure performance. Fluence
Bioengineering’s Josh Gerovac points
growers in the right direction to get the
most out of their LED lights and better
understand how they help plants grow.
by Josh Gerovac
48
grow cycle

LED lighting metrics
The metrics used to quantify some
horticulture lighting can be confusing
at times. If you have been researching
horticulture lighting systems, you have
likely been bombarded with a variety
of metrics that manufacturers use to
market their products. Some terms and
acronyms you are likely to see include
watts, lumens, LUX, foot candles, PAR,
PPF, and PPFD. While all of these terms
are related to lighting, only a select few
really tell you the important metrics of
a horticulture lighting system. If you
are looking to optimise your growing
conditions or researching what lighting
system is best for your operation, a firm
grasp on the nuances of lighting metrics
is the foundation to cultivation and
financial success.
Horticulture LED lighting technology
is still in its infancy and there is an
abundance of misinformation, unlike
other industries that have established
clearly defined metrics to assess the
performance of a solution. Take, for
example, the automotive industry. We
all have a general understanding of
horsepower, miles-per-gallon, and even
torque. These are all critical metrics
used to determine whether a vehicle
can perform a specific application (i.e.
towing a trailer or racing in a quartermile)
and to evaluate options when
looking to purchase a vehicle. Metrics in
LED horticulture lighting should provide
the same type of insight; they should
accurately and consistently answer the
questions, “Can this light perform the
function needed, and, more specifically,
is it optimised?” While there is currently
“ Horticulture LED lighting is still in its infancy and
there is an abundance of misinformation, unlike other industries
that have established clearly defined metrics to assess the
performance of a solution.”
a lack of industry standards for LED
lighting in horticulture—and some
manufacturers take advantage of this by
misreporting or inflating performance
claims—many lighting companies
in the industry are encouraging the
implementation of formal industry
standards to ensure performance claims
can be verified. Lighting technologies
like high pressure sodium and metal
halide have had these standards in
place for years.
Still, the start to standardising the
answers to these LED performance
questions is with a firm grasp on the
metrics by which horticulture lighting is
measured. While other measurements
like the daily light integral are important,
for the purpose of this article, we
will focus on photosynthetically active
radiation and photosynthetic photon flux.
It should also be mentioned that growers
should not use a foot candle/LUX sensor
when taking light measurements, since
these follow the sensitivity curve of the
human eye and give wrong information
when comparing light sources with
different spectrums. Instead, a quantum
sensor, which is designed to follow the
sensitivity curve of plants and measures
the number of photons between 400 and
700 nanometres (nm), should be used.
Photosynthetically
Active Radiation
Let’s start with photosynthetically
active radiation (PAR). It’s s a much
used, and often misused, term related to
horticulture lighting. PAR is the spectrum
of light (specifically 400–700 nm, which
are the primary wavelengths of light
used to drive photosynthesis). Knowing
the spectrum of a lighting system is
extremely important and can easily
be achieved by requesting a spectral
power distribution chart from a lighting
manufacturer (Fig. 1 & 2).
Spectral distribution will have
significant implications on the growth
and development of plants, along with
Fig. 1: Spectral distribution chart of an LED system.
50 grow cycle

the overall energy efficiency of a lighting
system. However, the amount of PAR delivered
to a crop is an equally (if not more) important
metric to focus on. Photosynthetic photon flux
(PPF) and photosynthetic photon flux density
(PPFD) are two metrics used to
measure the amount of PAR.
Photosynthetic
Photon Flux
This measures the total
amount of PAR that is
produced by a lighting
system each second. This
measurement is best taken
using a specialised instrument
called an integrating sphere,
which captures and measures
essentially all photons
emitted by a lighting system.
The unit used to express PPF
is micromoles per second
(μmol/s). Photosynthetic
photon flux is a very important
metric if you want to be able
to calculate how efficient a
light is at converting electrical
energy into photons of PAR.
Fig. 2: Spectral distribution chart of an HPS lighting system.
“ While it’s nice to know the PPF of a lighting system,
PPF alone is often useless information to a grower.
grow cycle
51

LED lighting metrics
If the PPF of the light is known along
with the input wattage, you can
calculate how efficient a horticulture
lighting system is at converting
electrical energy into PAR. However, it
is important to note that PPF does not
tell you how much of the measured
light actually arrives to the plant
canopy. While it’s nice to know the
PPF of a lighting system, PPF alone is
often useless information to a grower.
Photosynthetic
Photon Flux Density
Photosynthetic photon flux density
(PPFD) measures the amount of
PAR that actually arrives at the
plant, or, as a scientist might say,
“the number of photosynthetically
active photons that fall on a given
surface each second.” PPFD is a spot
measurement of a specific location on
your plant canopy, and it is measured
in micromoles per square metre per
second (μmol/m 2 /s). If you want to
find out the true light intensity of a
fixture over a designated growing
area, it is important that the average
of several PPFD measurements at
a defined height (typically, the top
of your crop canopy)
are taken. Lighting
companies that only
publish the centre point
PPFD directly below their
lighting fixture grossly
overestimate the true
light intensity of a fixture.
A single measurement
does not tell you much,
since horticulture lights
are generally brightest
in the centre, with light levels
decreasing as measurements
are taken towards the edges of a
coverage area. It is easy for lighting
manufacturers to manipulate PPFD
data if buyers are not educated on
the proper way to measure PPFD.
To ensure you are getting accurate
PPFD values over a defined growing
area, the following needs to be
published by the manufacturer: the
maximum, minimum, and average
measurement; measurement
distance from light source (vertical
and horizontal); number and
location of measurements; and the
min/max ratio if only an average
PPFD is provided.
“ Understanding the correct
metrics to use will not only allow
you to make better purchasing decisions of
horticulture lighting systems, but will ultimately
make you a better grower. ”
“PPF” is commonly used to describe
PPFD by academics in peer-reviewed
journals, and debate continues among
plant scientists and engineers on which
usage of the term is correct. One way
to avoid ambiguity when reading a
journal article or product brochure is
to focus on the unit of measurement.
If the unit includes m 2 , then the unit is
referring to the light intensity at the
surface of a plant canopy (PPFD). If m 2 is
not included, then the unit is referring
to the total PAR emitted from a light
source (PPF). Understanding the correct
metrics to use will not only allow you
to make better purchasing decisions of
horticulture lighting systems, but will
ultimately make you a better grower.
52 grow cycle

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Maximum Yield magazine covers topics such as hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics,
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issue is focused on showing you how to reach your maximum yield with informative articles,
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groundbreakers
movers & shakers
Good Green
Earth Company
BUSINESS NAME
Good Green Earth Co.
BUSINESS ADDRESS
48 Dunnett Dr.
Barrie, ON L4N 0J6
PHONE NUMBER(S)
1-705-984-6208
WEBSITE
goodgreenearth.ca
NUMBER OF YEARS
DOING BUSINESS
3
With a focus on composting organic waste, Good Green
Earth lives up to its name by using centuries-old sustainable
biotechnology called bokashi, where beneficial microorganisms
are used to compost organics, eliminate harmful pathogens
naturally, and create healthy soil that produces strong,
productive, disease-free plants. Company founder Gary Crowell
explains the reasons behind starting Good Green Earth.
How did your business get its start?
It started out as a necessity to deal
with our own home organic waste.
We found that traditional composting
wasn’t very effective and our organics
green bin had its own inherent issues,
including the smell and bugs. We
began work on creating a product that
would be specifically for the grower,
using probiotic principles in soil and
plants. The result is a living organic
soil amendment that infuses the soil
ecology with essential nutrients,
vitamins, minerals, and beneficial
microorganisms. We started
marketing the Bokashi Compost
System and Bokashi Culture Mix
as a sustainable solution to the
organic waste and landfill problems,
while at the same time creating a
premium compost. In the beginning,
we started out small, working out
of the home, producing the mix in
the garage, and then moved out to
the farm where there was a lot more
room and resources.
54
groundbreakers

with no foul odours or bugs. This rich
compost has twice the nutrient value and
moisture of traditional compost, with
none of the inherent issues associated
with regular compost.
What makes your products unique?
We produce the only probiotic bio-intensive
soil amendment in Canada. We inoculate
non-GMO Canadian wheat bran
with beneficial microbes, add a plethora
of vitamins, minerals, organic whole
food complex, amino acids, and special
agri-minerals mined in northern Ontario
and then put the mix through a unique
fermentation process. The end product
is a true living, organic soil amendment
that can be used with organic or
conventional growing methods. Bokashi
PRO-GRO actually kills pathogens and
coliforms in the soil and plants as well
as create a density of nutrients and
minerals that is absent in most soils and
in all soilless mediums. This product can
be used through all stages of growth,
from rooted clone, vegging, through to
flowering cycles. It can also be used with
synthetic nutes and will cut down on
fertiliser usage. It also has applications
in a soil mix, as a top dressing, or as a
tea and foliar spray. The run-off is highly
beneficial to the environment.
How has the business evolved over the
years and where do you distribute?
We recently partnered with Home
Hardware [in Canada] to market our
Bokashi Compost Systems and Bokashi
Plus Culture mix nationwide under
the My Good Green Garden product
line, and we currently sell our products
through Homegrown Hydroponics and
online at goodgreenearth.ca
Where do you see the
company in 10 years?
We expect to scale up our Bokashi
composting sector to include institutional
and commercial organic waste
programs. We want to be a leader in the
probiotic gardening products community
and educate the public on how to get
back to growing our medicine and food
the way it is meant to be done. We want
to put back into the soil what we take
out, leaving no negative mark of our
existence on this good green Earth.
What is your company’s philosophy?
To provide an environmentally
sustainable alternative to chemicals,
pesticides, and toxins, and to regenerate
our soils with all the essential elements
necessary to create and sustain a
strong, productive, disease-free garden.
We continue to strive to find new
solutions to today's problems with
regards to our air, soil, and water.
Briefly summarise the products
you manufacture.
Bokashi PRO-GRO is a living, organic,
fermented soil amendment that builds
a strong disease- and pest-free soil
food web, resulting in strong, productive
plants. Bokashi Plus Culture mix is
a probiotic soil amendment, compost
accelerator, and natural odour control
using beneficial microbes in a fermented
wheat bran base. Bokashi Compost
System turns all food scraps, including
meats, cheese, and small bones into
nutrient-rich compost within weeks
This rich compost
has twice the nutrient
value and moisture of
traditional compost,
with none of the
inherent issues
associated with
regular compost.”
groundbreakers
55

groundbreakers
you tell us
Dr. Earth
PO Box 460 Winters, CA 95694
1-707-448-4676
drearth.com
26 Years in Business
“A Chance to Change the World”
Among the first companies to merge probiotics
with organic products, Dr. Earth’s strength lies in its
ability to innovate, create a family of manufacturers,
and use existing relationships to grow together.
The company owns three federal patents and
manufactures a complete line of organic fertilisers—
both dry and liquid —soils, controls, fungicides, and
OMRI-Listed weed killers. Based in California, they
now distribute in every US state and employ a staff
of 122. Founder and CEO Milo Shammas explains
how Dr. Earth has been expanding over three
decades and what lies at the heart of their success.
What did you and your partners do
before starting this company?
I founded the company when I was 25 years old in Los
Angeles, California. I worked in multiple industries prior
to Dr. Earth, including construction of custom homes with
my older brother as an architect and general contractor.
I worked in landscape installation during these
construction jobs. I also worked both in front and behind
the camera whenever I could, as I grew up with all the
major studios within walking distance from my home.
How did you get into this industry?
I was an organic gardener when I was seven years old
and took botany when I was 12 years old, while in
Grade 7. I loved plants and loved to grow them. I came up
with a fertiliser idea, which was to add living organisms
to organic fertilisers to make them work. And they did;
by the time I was 27 years old, I had single-handedly
changed the face of the lawn and garden industry.
What were the start-up years like?
Hard, exciting, full of promise. I was terrified and
had to beg, borrow, and work with what I had. I never
expected anything and everything was difficult
because it was new and I had no one to help me. Some
of my struggles included paying the bills and dealing
with regulations at the city, county, and state level.
That was the hardest. I asked as many people as I
could for advice how to overcome these challenges.
I was in desperate need of a mentor with experience.
56 groundbreakers

How many people were employed
by the company at the beginning?
In the first 18 months, it was just me and some migrant workers
I hired to help hand blend the fertilisers in my parents’
backyard until I could afford to rent a building in downtown
L.A. They also helped me formulate, buy, sell, clean, and cook.
What did you first produce?
Organic 7 all-purpose fertiliser. One product in one size.
How did you gain market share
and recognition?
I travelled all over America alone and gave product
knowledge meetings to as many retail locations as I could. I
stayed on the road, sometimes three weeks at a time, to teach
everyone that living organics were the future. It was hard and
a daily battle, but after about eight years, I gained validation
and respect for my work because several knock-off companies
copied my work, which gave me instant credibility.
What are some of your proudest moments?
When I was named the man that revolutionised the organic
industry by IGC Magazine and was featured on the front
cover, and when I wrote and got to hold the first copy of
my first book (Healthy Garden Healthy You). I was also
randomly invited to a backyard party once and saw
Dr. Earth fertiliser in their shed and introduced myself.
“ IT IS ONE OF THE most exciting
and fulfilling feelings anyone can
ever have because the company
becomes a living part of you.”
What significant things have you learned
so far about the industry?
It is the kindest industry, full of loving and caring people.
People that love plants are generally very good people.
I love our industry and am very proud to be a part of it.
What have you learned about starting
and growing a company?
It is one of the most exciting and fulfilling feelings anyone can
ever have because the company becomes a living part of you.
You nourish it every day, you care for it, you feed it, you love it,
it is like your child and one of the most important things to you.
It’s the greatest feeling ever.
What words of wisdom can you share
about the business, the industry,
or the future of the industry?
Keep on the path of innovation with a sustainable stance.
Share your favourite story from a day on the job.
Being filled with organic fertiliser dust from head to toe
because it’s all you have, with a few shovels and particle
masks. Doing things the old-fashioned way.
What makes your employees great?
How does your team bond?
They communicate regularly, they trust each other,
they respect each other, they care about each other,
and we are a family.
groundbreakers
57

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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

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groundbreakers
61

groundbreakers
distributors
retail stores listed alphabetically by city in each state
UNITED KINGDOM
1st Hydroponics
Unit 5 Greenwich Cl., Landseer 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,
West Yorkshire
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
greendazehydroponics.co.uk
Green Daze Hydroponics
South Shields
79/81 Fowler St.
South Shields
UK NA33 1NT
+44 (0)1914 540746
greendazehydroponics.co.uk
---------------------------------------------
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. Est.
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
62 groundbreakers

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 Central
Unit 6 Birmingham One Trading Est.
Clement St., Birmingham
West Midlands, UK B1 2SW
+44 (0) 8433 571650
www.growell.co.uk
GroWell Hydroponics -
Bristol
Unit 1, The Commerical Ctr.,
Days Rd, St. Philips, Bristol
Greater Bristol, UK BS2 0QS
+44 (0) 117 955 8404
growell.co.uk/bristol
GroWell Hydroponics -
Coleshill Superstore
Units 8-11, Coleshill Trade Pk.
Station Rd., Coleshill, Birmingham
West Midlands, UK B46 1HT
+44 (0) 1675 433991
growell.co.uk/birmingham-coleshill
GroWell Hydroponics -
Dudley
Unit 52, Enterprise Trad. Est.
Pedmore Rd., Brierly Hill, Dudley
West Midlands, UK DY5 1TX
+44 (0) 1384 79015
growell.co.uk/dudley
GroWell Hydroponics -
Hockley Heath
Unit 4, Ivy House Farm
Grange Rd., Hockley Heath, Solihull
West Midlands, UK B94 6PR
+44 (0) 1564 730800
growell.co.uk/hockley-heath
GroWell Hydroponics -
Sheffield
Unit 3, Parkway Bus. Pk.
Parkway Dr., Sheffield,
South Yorkshire, UK S9 4WU
+44 (0) 8456 445544
growell.co.uk/sheffield
GroWell Hydroponics -
Merton
Unit 8, Chelsea Fields Ind. Est.
278 Western Rd., Merton, London
Greater London, UK SW19 2QD
+44 (0) 20 8648 6327
growell.co.uk/london-merton
GroWell Hydroponics -
Wembley Superstore
Unit 2, Brent Trade Est.
N. Circular Rd., London
Greater London, UK NW10 0JF
+44 (0) 114 243 9242
growell.co.uk/london-wembley
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
Holland Hydroponics
Handbridge Mill 5 Parliament St.
Burnley, Lancashire
UK BB11 3JT
+44 (0) 8458 720590
hydroponics.co.uk
Holland Hydroponics
Express
Unit 1 Flint Trade Pk., Holywell Rd.
Flint, Wales
UK CH6 5RR
+44 (0) 8458 720565
hydroponics.co.uk
Holland Hydroponics
Express
Unit 4 Leeds Rd. Trade Pk.,
Leeds Rd.
Huddersfield
UK HD2 1YR
+44 (0) 8458 720580
hydroponics.co.uk
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
West Yorkshire
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.
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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
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
groundbreakers
63

distributors
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
salehydroponics.co.uk
Sale Hydro - (Handforth)
Unit 11 Big Storage, Stanley Cr.
Bus. Pk. Earl Rd.
Cheshire
UK SK86 PT
+44 (0) 161 485 1728
salehydroponics.co.uk
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
UK GroWorks
Unit 4 Belltower Ind. Est.
Roedean Rd.
Brighton
UK BN2 5RU
+44 (0)127 362 4327
ukgroworks.co.uk
UK GroWorks
Unit F16 Northfleet Ind. Est.
Lower Rd.
Gravesend
UK DA11 9SW
+44 (0)132 283 8131
ukgroworks.co.uk
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
Premier Hydroponics Ltd.
Unit 6, Freskyn Pl.
Broxburn
Scotland EH52 5NF
+44 (0) 1506 852199
premierhydroponics.com
Premier Hydroponics Ltd.
Unit 5 Evans Bus. Ctr., Harvest Rd.
Newbridge
Scotland EH28 8LW
+44 (0) 1313 332 777
premierhydroponics.com
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
Gomoa Trade Kft.
Petofi avenue 50.
Szeged, Csongrád megye
Hungary 6725
+36 (0) 20 406 2182
gomoa.net
Gomoa Trade Kft.
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.
64 groundbreakers

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groundbreakers
10 facts on...
TURN UP THE
BASE?
There are acids and there are bases. And then, of course, there are salts.
Let’s talk about bases this time.
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
by Philip McIntosh
BASES COUNTERACT the properties and behaviours
of acids. If you split a water molecule just right, you get a
hydronium ion (H + ) and a hydroxide ion (OH - ).
IT’S THE RATIO of H + to OH - that determines the
acidity or basicity of a solution. More OH - makes it a base.
BASES ALSO REACT with fats and oils,
which is why lye (NaOH or, historically,
KOH) is added to tallow to make a
simple kind of soap.
BASIC SOLUTIONS are not created by
splitting up water molecules. Basic solutions
are made by the dissolution of a substance
that releases free hydroxide ions.
LIKE ACIDS,
bases are
characterised by
their pH value—the
negative logarithm of
the H + concentration.
A solution with a
pH greater than 7
has more free OH -
ions, which is what
makes it basic.
UNLIKE
ACIDS,
which tend
to be sticky,
sour-tasting,
and have a
strong smell,
bases tend to
be slippery and
bitter-tasting,
with little odour.
WAIT A MINUTE! Ammonia? Yes, ammonia
has a strong affinity for an additional proton (H + ),
so when it’s added to water, it rips one off a water
molecule to produce NH 4
+
and OH - in solution.
COMMON SOURCES
of hydroxide ions include
sodium hydroxide (NaOH),
potassium hydroxide (KOH),
and ammonia (NH 3).
PEOPLE TEND to fear acids, but bases can be
dangerous, too. A strong solution of NaOH is used
to dissolve flesh off of bone. Don’t get any on you.
66 groundbreakers