Posts Tagged ‘Container Articles’

More and more people are using hydroponic techniques for growing plants indoors. Hydroponics systems have been used for many years by commercial growers but their systems can be complicated and require a lot of equipment.

Nowadays home hydroponics systems are a very practical option and offer many advantages over growing in soil or ordinary compost.

There are a number of techniques that can be used but the simplest of all is usually referred to as hydroculture. The system uses a Purlec Pot which actually consists of two pots, an inner and an outer. The inner pot is filled with an inert planting media and the outer pot contains water and nutrient. Capillary action draws water and nutrient up into the planting media where it is available for the plant. There is a third part to the Purlec pot – a water indicator which shows the amount of water in the outer pot. This means that it is easy to see if water is required but the bigger danger – too much water – can be eliminated.

The system is ideal for home hydroponics whether being used by beginner or expert, whether it is used for growing plants in the living room or herbs on the windowsill. Purlec pots are a low cost and practical answer to home hydroponics systems.

Who are they?

Secret Jardin are a  grow tent manufacturer who have their sales office based in Brussels, they were founded in 2006 with a view to enable everyone to grow plants in a portable environment by reproducing, and controlling natural environmental factors that affect growth.

We combine research, innovation and manufacturing quality to bring you total satisfaction with all our models.

The indoor grow tent manufacturer was the first to incorporate hammered effect mylar into its  grow tents (with the Mylar serving as a barrier to toxins generated by PVC, with a reflectivity value of over 95%).
Secret Jardin grow tents are suitable for growing a wide range of plants and are especially suited to those that may require specific conditions for optimal growth, such as – orchids, aloe vera, citrus plants, carnivorous or even tropical plant.

What do they offer?

Internally Secret a Jardin grow tent  has a 95% reflective hammered effect mylar layer which acts as a barrier against toxins (phthalates).

Some grow tents on the market sometimes use thick layers of white PVC as a reflective layer. This can spread toxins in the tent. However Secret Jardin use a very thin layer of PVC to bond the Mylar to the external fabric. They also use a high-temperature fabric manufacturing process which removes these toxins.

History of the Secret Jardin grow tent

2006

• Secret Jardin introduce a patented system for Mylar reflective surface internally – Giving 95% reflectivity

2007

• Double cuffed vent socks added with pulls to keep 100% light proof and odour free
• Vent windows included

2008

• Waterproof inner base liner
• Stronger lightproof zip
• Reinforced corners
• Strong carry bag
• Improved quality control
• Double cuffed socks for cool-tube lighting

Summary

From a Secret Jardin grow tent you can expect:-

• Quality materials
• Patented mylar coated reflective internal surfaces @ 95%
• 100% light proof when sealed
• Support structure rated to 30kgs
• Quick and easy assembly by just one person
• Fully washable for hygiene and odour control
• Light and compact design allows for ease of storage and transport
• Available in many different designs and sizes to suit the hobby grower up to commercial production

Now available from FluidsensorOnline.com

Images

What is Mildew?

Mildew is a fungus that looks like a dusting of castor sugar on the leaf and that harms the plant. There are many types of mildew. Very often a particular type of plant will have its own mildew, and that’s because diseases often evolve in line with the host plant. One type of mildew will attack cabbages and another only cucumber plants. Mildew can turn out to be so specific that it selects a specific variety. A form of mildew that attacks grains may prefer, say, either rye or wheat as its host, but not both.

Mildew variants have been given elegant Latin names such as Sphaerotheca macularis and Leveillula taurica. The first one has a taste for hops and strawberries. Blackberries and violets can also act as their host, meaning that this fungus remains fairly specific compared with other types of mildew. This mildew is far from choosy when it comes to its choice of host, infecting thousands of plant types, including many vegetables.

Recognising Mildew

Before any symptoms become clear the leaf starts to develop blister-like patches, and this is followed by the characteristic white powder where the blister was. The leaf looks as if it’s been dusted with powder. In general mildew is found on the upper side of the leaf, but there are exceptions. One type of mildew only grows on the underside of the leaf, so it’s no surprise it often gets overlooked.

True or False Mildew?

False mildew looks like true mildew. The general rule is that false mildew is found on the underside of the leaf, with true mildew on the upper side of the leaf. But that’s the general rule: as we noted just above, true mildew can sometimes be on the underside of a leaf.

P. humuli or Pseudoperonospora cannabina is one such false mildew. Taxonomically this is rated as identical to another false mildew, P.cubensis, that causes problems in cucumber cultivation. It first appears on the underside of the leaf in the shape of brown or even black discolorations that then turn into a fungal web that’s a sort of violet going on grey colour. A mosaic of dying patches starts appearing on the upper side of the leaf.
This mildew is known for attacking hop cones and causing them to turn brown.

Identifying Mildew

1. Sphaerotheca macularis

This true mildew grows on the upper side of the leaf (figures 1 and 2). Its optimal spore reproductive conditions are temperatures between 15 and 27 degrees and relative humidity in the 75% – 98% range. But when relative humidity is lower the fungus happily compensates for the reduction in the number of successfully germinating spores by increasing the numbers released. So relative humidity is less of a factor for survival of this fungus. Rain and persistent dew do, however, hamper its dissemination.

2. Leveillula taurica

The fungus can survive on a great many other plants and on dead plant material such as leaves. It is fairly insensitive to climate. It is comfortable in temperatures between 15 and 33 degrees and is equally at home in conditions of low and high relative humidity, with between 75% and 85% being its favoured range. Infections often start in the older leaves of mature plants. In addition to direct damage, infection caused by this mildew will render the tops more sensitive to being scorched in the sun.

3. Pseudoperonospora cannabina

Pseudoperonospora cannabina is a false mildew that grows on the underside of a leaf. Unlike a true mildew the colour of this fungal web is not so much white as grey. The fungus usually gets discovered because yellow, later brownish, patches start appearing between the veins on the upper side of the leaf (figure 3). Ideal conditions for this fungus are temperatures between 15 and 22 degrees and relative humidity between 80 and 100%. Pseudoperonospora cannabina can also survive in seeds from infected plants in the ground.

Infection

If the conditions on the leaf are ideal (let’s say the right temperature and humidity), a spore landing on it can germinate. A fungus filament will pass from the spore via a damaged part of the leaf or a stoma into the interior, and here the circumstances must be favourable as well. The filament then thickens and once it has penetrated properly a secondary thickening process takes place, and this allows the fungus to absorb nourishment from the plant cells. Further thickening then follows with more filaments (in the case of L. taurica this will be mainly on the plant the first time and in the case of S. macularis it’ll be on the surface of the leaf). The fungus then forms reproductive organs from which, by asexual reproduction, new spores are expelled into the air, so beginning the infection cycle.
Conventional types of mildew such as S. macularis only grow on the leaf surface, not inside the leaf. As we have seen, L. taurica is no conventional mildew. It can grow for 21 days hidden away inside the leaf tissue before coming up at the surface. This means that once an infection can be spotted, many more leaves have been invisibly infected.

True mildew spores need to be able to germinate and then to be able to grow into the leaf. Germination calls for the spores to have moisture on the leaf such as dew. But sprouting requires a dry leaf.

The chances of infection are therefore the most acute during a dry, warm period when there’s condensation on the plant in the mornings, which happens when the air warms up faster than the plant itself. If the plant is suffering from dehydration, then it’s extra sensitive to such an infection.

Plants in tunnel greenhouses or in poorly ventilated areas are especially susceptible to mildew infection, especially if moisture on the leaf evaporates within three hours as the heat rises or with a bit of a draught. These are ideal circumstances for spores to germinate and sprout. Draughts are also excellent for spreading spores.

Fungicides

Until now, only chemical products have proven their effectiveness against a mildew infection. One example of the relatively effective products you can buy at your local garden centre is that of triasol-based compounds (triadimenol, tebuconazole and bitertanol). If your plants have more or less completely stopped growing, as in the last weeks before the harvest or in the case of a very severe mildew infection then these systemic products will not work well, and you will need a direct contact product. Unfortunately these aren’t known for their effectiveness. The reason is that mildew needs to be attacked directly and every patch that gets omitted will remain.

Compounds based on chlorothalonil, imazalil or myclobutanil are contact products for use against mildew. This group of compounds has recently been supplemented by a naturally derived product that attacks true mildew with the help of enzymes. CannaResearch is carrying out extensive research on this, together with other naturally based compounds. CannaResearch advises against the use of sulphur spraying as a contact product because this leaves residues that are visible for a very long time.

First try out a product on a plant to see if any damage arises from the dosage you’re using. It’s best to do this before you have an outbreak of mildew.

What’s the damage?

The share of harvest you may lose is very much a question of whether the infection has been limited to the leaf, but if the infection has attacked the fruit as well losses can be as high as 100%. The period when the infection hits is also significant. If the infection comes late in the cultivation it’ll have significantly less of an effect on the yield than one that hits when the plants are still young.

The rule of thumb is that mildew growth accounting for 1% of the leaf surface equates to a 1% reduction in harvest. A surface that has been attacked tends to get overestimated, and drawings have been prepared to help in making the estimates

In Conclusion

Climate control is the key to avoiding mildew infection. Good ventilation and not too high a level of humidity are indispensable, as is ensuring that moisture on the leaf gets followed by dry conditions. In general harvest losses resulting from a mildew infection will not be too heavy, but if the plant gets infected early on in its life cycle or if the tops get infected the damage can become pretty serious.

The point here is that, even if you use chemical products, it’s difficult to do much against an infection towards the end of the cultivation or against a severe outbreak. Climate control is one thing, but checking frequently for mildew and reacting on time are important too. It may be impossible to guarantee you’ll never have any mildew problems, but we’d like to hope that this article will help you reduce your chances of major problems.
.
.
.
.
Reproduced with the kind permission of Canna-UK

What is Sulphur?

Sulphur is one of the molecular building blocks for a number of proteins, hormones and vitamins, such as vitamin B1. It appears in many important plant tissues, such as in seeds and in cellular moisture. In the form of sulphate, sulphur fulfils an important role in the water equilibrium in the plant, as well as in the soil.

For hydroponic gardening, all the nutrients a plant needs are given while watering. As a result of this, fertilisers designed for hydro culture contain high concentrations of lime and sulphur. In order to prevent calcium and sulphur from reacting with each other so that poorly dissolvable gypsum is formed, the two materials are kept separate by manufacturers by means of “A” and “B” packaging.

Symptoms of a deficiency

It would be expected that the earliest symptoms would first appear as a light green colouring in the young leaves. However, in practice, we’ve repeatedly noticed that the symptoms were the most obvious in the older leaves.

Development of a deficiency

• Light green coloration in one or more large/older leaves.
• Strong purple coloration in the leaf stems (due to the production of anthocyan pigment).
• More leaves change colour, and the light green colour changes in places to deep yellow.
• When the shortage is extreme, the plant has lots of deep yellow leaves with purple stalks and leaf stems. Additionally, growth and flowering are inhibited.

.

Reasons for a deficiency

With outdoor cultivation, a shortage of sulphur rarely occurs. In potting soil, a sulphur deficiency can occur when the pH is too high, or too much calcium is present.

Solutions for a deficiency

• It is easier for the plant to take up sulphate at a lower pH level. Check the pH of the medium, and lower it if necessary with sulphur, saltpetre, phosphor or citric acid.
• When there is a deficiency, the best thing to do is add sulphur in an inorganic form with a fertilizer containing magnesium, Epsom salts for hydro, and kieserite in soil.
• If organic fertilising is preferred, composted mushroom fertilisers, and fertilisers from animal sources can be used. Sulphur is only absorbed by the plant in the form of sulphate, which appears in the soil during decomposition of organic sulphur compounds. This process takes time. Therefore preventative work is advised, along with a well composted fertiliser.

.

.

Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is Calcium?

Calcium occurs throughout the entire plant. It is used for many processes in the plant, however, calcium is most important for the growth process. It has a regulating effect in the cells and contributes to the stability of the plant. Plants have two transportation systems at their disposal: the xylem vessels and the sieve vessels. Most nutrients can be transported via both systems, however, for calcium this is not possible. Since calcium can be transported almost exclusively
via the xylem vessels, it is an element that deposes of little mobility within the plant. It is, therefore, important that a sufficient amount of calcium is always available in the root environment, so that it will be continuously available for absorption by the plant.

Symptoms of a deficiency

The older, larger leaves just above the bottommost ones will show the first symptoms. Yellow/brown spots occur, which are often surrounded by a sharp brown outlined edge. In addition, the growth is curbed and in serious cases the tops are smaller than normal and do not close.

Development of a deficiency

• The symptoms often appear quickly; within one or two weeks of the first spots being visible on the older leaves. The spots usually start as small, light brown specks that increase in size over time.
• After two weeks, the older leaves show ever increasing spots and the spots also often appear at the edge of the leaves, as with a potassium deficiency or with scorch symptoms. The spots have a sharp outline and do not originate exclusively at the edge of the leaves. A lag in development is often already noticeable within a week.
• Sometimes the growing points will wrinkle up and around the fruits you will find thin, small leaves that are not spotted.
• The older leaves die off slowly and yellowish cloudy spots may appear around the necrotic spots. The older the leaf is, the more serious the symptoms are.
• The flowering is also hindered and slowed down. Fruits stay small.

Reasons for a deficiency

• Culture on calcium fixing soil.
• An excessive amount of ammonium, potassium, magnesium and/or sodium in the root environment. The absorption is curbed mostly by ammonium and least by sodium.
• Problems with the evaporation caused by an excessively high EC value or by excessively high or low relative humidity.

Solutions to a deficiency

• If the EC value of the substrate or the soil is too high, it can be easily rinsed out with pure and if necessary acidified water.
• Additional calcium can be applied through the nutrient solution by means of liquid lime fertilisers such as a calcium nitrate solution. With an excessively acidic soil, lime milk can be used to increase the pH.
• Use the appropriate soil that is not too acidic. Acid soil often contains insufficient amounts of lime. Good potting soil and Coco substrates are already limed.

.
.
Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is magnesium?

Magnesium is an indispensable element. In plants, it represents a building block for chlorophyll (leaf green), and therefore, it is essential for photosynthesis. At the same time, magnesium plays an important role in the energy transfer. Together with calcium, it is also a component of tap water, influencing water hardness. Inorganic magnesium fertilisers are produced using the same bases that are used to produce potassium fertilisers.

Symptoms of a deficiency

When there is a shortage, the leaf green in the medium-old leaves under the flowering top will be broken up, and the magnesium will be transported into the young parts of the plant. This breakdown is visible as rusty brown spots and/or vague, cloudy, yellow spots between the veins. A slight shortage of magnesium hardly affects flowering, although the development of the flowers makes the deficiency symptoms worse.

Development of a deficiency

• Signs of a deficiency first appear around the 4th-6th week. Small, rusty brown spots and/or cloudy yellow flecks appear in the middle-aged leaves (under the top of the plant). The colour of the young leaves and the fruit development are not affected.
• The size and number of rust-brown spots on the leaves increase.
• The symptoms spread out over the whole plant, which looks ill. When the shortage becomes acute, the younger leaves are also affected and flower production will be reduced.

Reasons for a deficiency

• A very wet, cold and/or acidic root environment.
• A high quantity of potassium, ammonia and/or calcium (for instance high concentrations of calcium carbonate in drinking water, or clay soils rich in calcium) in comparison with the quantity of magnesium.
• A limited root system and heavy plant demands.
• A high EC in the growing medium, which hinders evaporation.

Solutions for a deficiency

• When a shortage is diagnosed, the best thing to do is spray with a 2% solution of Epsom salts.
• Fertilisation via the roots: Inorganic: Epsom salts on hydroponics or kieserite (magnesium sulphate monohydrate). Organic: composted turkey or cow manure.

Recovery

Rectify the possible causes: In soil, when the pH is too low (less than 5), use magnesium containing calcium fertilisers. On hydro, temporarily apply a nutrient solution with a higher pH (6.5). When the EC is too high, rinse and/or temporarily feed with drinking water only. When growing indoors, keep the root temperature between 20 – 25 degrees Celsius.

.
.
.
.
.
.
Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is Potassium?

It is necessary for all activities having to do with water transport and the opening and closing of the stomas. Potassium takes care of the strength and the quality of the plant and controls countless other processes such as the carbohydrate system.

Symptoms of deficiency

Evaporation is reduced if there is a shortage of potassium. A consequence is that the temperature in the leaves will increase and the cells will burn. This occurs mostly on the edges of the leaves, where normally, evaporation is highest.

Development of a deficiency

• Tips of the younger leaves show grey edges.
• Leaves turn yellow from the edge in the direction of the veins and rusty-coloured dead spots appear in the leaves.
• The tips of the leaves curl up radically and whole sections of the leaves begin to rot. The leaves keep on curling and ultimately fall off.
• An extreme shortage produces meagre, unhealthy-looking plants with strongly reduced flowering.

Reasons for a deficiency

• Too little, or the wrong type of fertilizer.
• Growing in potassium-fixed soils.
• An excess of sodium (kitchen salt) in the root environment, as sodium slows down potassium intake.

Solutions for a deficiency

• In case the EC in the substrate or soil is high, you can rinse with water.
• Add potassium yourself, either in inorganic form: Dissolve 5 – 10 grams of potassium nitrate in 10 litres of water. In acidic soils, you can add potassium bicarbonate or potassium hydroxide (5ml in 10 litres of water).
• Add potassium in organic form: Add a water solution of wood ash, chicken manure or slurry of manure (be careful not to burn the roots). Extracts of the grape family also contain a lot of potassium.

Extra Information

• In case the EC in the substrate or soil is high, you can rinse with water.
• Add potassium yourself, either in inorganic form: Dissolve 5 – 10 grams of potassium nitrate in 10 litres of water. In acidic soils, you can add potassium bicarbonate or potassium hydroxide (5ml in 10 litres of water).
• Add potassium in organic form: Add a water solution of wood ash, chicken manure ir slurry of manure (be careful not to burn the roots). Extracts of the grape family also contain a lot of potassium.

.
.
.

Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is Phosphorous?

Phosphorus plays an important role for all living organisms and is an essential nutrient element for plants and animals. It has a key position in the combustion processes of the cell, and in the total energy transfer of the plant. It is also a “building block” of the cell walls, the DNA, and all sorts of proteins and enzymes. For young plants, the presence of phosphate is indispensable; about 3/4 of the phosphorus consumed during a plant’s life cycle is absorbed in the first quarter of its life. The largest concentrations of phosphorus are found in the developing parts of the plant: the roots, the growth shoots and the vascular tissue.

Symptoms of a deficiency

Plants remains rather small with purple/black necrotic leaf parts, which later on become malformed and shrivelled.

Development of a deficiency

• At first, the plant becomes dark green – a different sort of dark green (blue/green) as appears when there is a shortage of potassium
• The growth in height, and the development of the plant’s side shoots are inhibited.
• After 2 to 3 weeks, dark purple/black necrotic spots appear on the old and medium-old leaves, making the leaves malformed.
• The purple/black necroses expand to the leaf’s stem. The leaf turns, curls considerably and dies off.
• The dead leaves are curled and shrivelled, have a typical ochre purple colour, and fall off.
• The plant flowers fully, but the yield will be minimal.

Reasons for deficiency

• Due to the low concentrations in which phosphate appears in nature, the affinity of plant cells for phosphorous allows easy absorption through the whole root. Therefore, shortages do not happen very often, except when:
• The growing medium has too high a pH (higher than pH 7). In such cases the plant cannot absorb phosphorus due to the fact that insoluble phosphorous compounds develop.
• The ground is too acidic, or too rich in iron and zinc. This hinders the absorption of phosphate.
• The soil has become fixated. Phosphate cannot be absorbed anymore.

Solutions to a deficiency

Always use inorganic phosphates as these are easy to absorb. Also always mix the phosphate fertilizer THOROUGHLY through the soil.
When pH is too high, acidify the medium by using a thinned solution of phosphoric acid.
Choose products that have a guaranteed phosphate percentage on the packaging instead of alternative phosphate-containing products like guano or manure.

.
.
.
.
.

.

Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is Nitrogen?

Nitrogen is one of the important elements a plant needs. It is an important part of proteins, chlorophyll, vitamins, hormones and DNA. Because it is a component of enzymes, nitrogen is involved in all enzyme reactions and plays an active role in the plant’s metabolism.
Nitrogen is mainly absorbed by the plant in the form of nitrate and ammonium. It can also be absorbed via small organic molecules. It is important that the balance between nitrate and ammonium is correct in the feeding otherwise the pH in the rhizosphere (environment immediately surrounding the roots) will become too high or too low. Plants with nitrate as their source of nitrogen have a higher organic acid content. This has an influence on the taste and storage life of the harvest among other things. Nitrate is converted into ammonium in the plant by the nitroreductase enzyme. Ammonium is then assimilated into organic molecules. Nitrogen has a positive influence on the plant’s growth. The plant gets bigger leaves, more branches and the vegetative period is extended.

Symptoms of a deficiency

• Stalks will turn purple and leaves will yellow and finally fall off.

Development of a deficiency

• The plant is a lighter colour as a whole.
• Larger leaves in the lower part of the plant turn light green. The leaf stalks of the smaller leaves now also turn purple. Typical vertical purple stripes appear in the stem.
• Leaves in the lower part of the plant turn more yellow and then become white. Finally, the leaves whither and fall off.
• The growth is visibly inhibited giving shorter plants, thinner stems, less leaf formation and smaller leaves.
• Further yellowing and whitening occurs in the top and middle parts of the plant.
• Leaves on growing points remain green longer but they are a lot less green than at normal nitrogen levels.
• Forced flowering starts and there is substantial leaf loss.
• Substantial reduction in yield.

Reasons for a deficiency

Deficiency can be caused by incorrect feeding or giving feeding that contains insufficient nutrient elements. Substrates that contain a lot of fresh organic material can cause nitrogen deficiency because microorganisms bind the nitrogen. A lot of nitrogen can be bound, particularly in the first weeks; this is released later but it is generally too late.

Solutions to a deficiency

Raise the EC of the feeding and rinse the substrate well with it.
Add nitrogen yourself to the feeding solution by using urea, blood meal, semi-liquid manure or by using a special “mono-nutrient’ product.
Spray the underside of the leaves with a nitrogen solution. This can best be done at the end of the day, just before the lights are turned off. Be careful not to cause burning.

.
.

.

.

Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK

What is Iron?

Iron is a vital element for plant life. Iron has a number of important functions in the overall metabolism of the plant and is essential for the synthesis of chlorophyll. In general, iron is poorly absorbed by the plant. It can only be sufficiently taken up by the roots in certain forms and under proper conditions. Soil seldom contains too little iron, but it is possible that forms of iron that can be absorbed by the plant are lacking. The absorbency of iron is strongly dependent on the pH. Ordinarily, there is sufficient iron present in absorbable form in acidic soils.

Symptoms of a deficiency

Iron deficiency can occur during periods of heavy growth or high plant stress and is characterised by a strong yellowing of the young leaves and the growth shoots between the veins. This occurs chiefly because iron is not mobile in the plant. The young leaves can’t draw any iron from the older leaves. With a serious iron shortage, the older leaves and the smaller veins in the leaf can also turn yellow.

Development of a deficiency

• Green/yellow chlorosis, from inside to the outside in the younger leaves and in the growth shoots. The veins remain mostly green.
• Continued yellowing of the leaves to sometimes almost white. Also, large leaves turn yellow. This inhibits growth.
• In serious cases the leaves show necrosis, and the plant’s growth and flowering are inhibited.

Reasons for a deficiency

• The pH in the root environment is too high (pH> 6,5).
• The root environment contains a lot of zinc and/or manganese.
• The concentration of iron is too low in the root environment.
• The root temperature is low.
• The root medium is too wet, causing the oxygen supply in the roots to stagnate.
• The root system functions inefficiently due to damaged, infected or dead roots.
• There is too much light on the nutrition tank; light promotes the growth of algae. Algae also use up the iron and break down iron chelates.

Solutions for a deficiency

• Lower the pH.
• Iron chelates can be added to the substrate.
• Drainage can be improved, or the ground temperature can be increased.
• A leaf nutrient with iron chelates can possibly be applied. If a good fertiliser is used with hydroponic growing, an iron deficiency is almost out of the question.
• The best thing you can do is spray the plants with a watery solution of EDDHA – (max. 0.1 grams per litre) or EDTA chelates (max. 0.5 grams per litre).
  .
  .
  .

Reproduced with kind permission from Canna-UK