Spring is here which means anyone with a garden is bound to do some type of transplanting. A well executed transplant is one key to having a bountiful harvest. Whether you garden in soil, soilless, or hydroponics, there are a few helpful hints that will make this transition nice and easy for you and your garden. The number one goal when transplanting any full grown plant or newly rooted cutting or seedling is to reduce or eliminate “transplant shock”. We … Continue Reading →
A common pest to most outdoor and greenhouse gardens are caterpillars. These are ravenous feeders that, when left unchecked, do lots damage. There are a few precautions that you can take that will defeat these quickly and safely. First step is knowing what to look for to identify caterpillar activity. One sure way to tell is when you see your flowers partially eaten and small black specks are left around the area. Those are the droppings of the caterpillar and … Continue Reading →
Cold Frame Basics The term “cold frame” typically refers to a low profile covered structure used to protect plants from the elements. Often cold weather, and excessive wetness or moisture can hinder the growth of small plants – so a cold frame can be a viable solution to nurture the plants to a size where they can withstand the elements. As far as greenhouses go, the term cold frame actually has more than one meaning. Basically, the different groups that … Continue Reading →
Spider mites are one of the most common garden pests and can be found feeding on the leaves and stems of vegetables, plants, fruit trees, and vines. Spider mite control becomes increasingly difficult once the pest has been well established in the garden so early detection is very important. Although related to insects, mites are not insects but members of the arachnid class along with spiders and ticks. The spider mite also known as “web-spinning mite” is the most common … Continue Reading →
When looking at spray options in relation to pest management, it is important to look at what you are trying to achieve. If you are growing fruits, vegetables, or greens; the least “toxic” approach is always best. Over the years a number of products have been developed to combat the various pests in the garden, with some having more successful than others. With all the choices these days on the shelf, here is a breakdown of some of the least … Continue Reading →
What is Relative Humidity? Humidity is a term used to describe the concentration of water in the air. Warmer air can hold more water vapor; the maximum amount of water that air can hold is contingent upon the temperature of the air; the warmer the air the greater amount of water vapor that can be held. The capacity of water that the air can hold changes with temperature. The temperature also influences the volume of water that the air can … Continue Reading →
Aphids are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They usually occur in colonies on the undersides of tender terminal growth. Heavily-infested leaves can wilt or turn yellow because of excessive sap removal. While the plant may look bad, aphid feeding generally will not seriously harm healthy, established trees and shrubs. However, some plants are very sensitive to feeding by certain aphid species. Saliva injected into plants by these aphids may cause leaves to … Continue Reading →
Here is an often time over-looked trick for all you container gardeners who water by hand. What I am curious to know is, do you burp your hose? What I mean is, do you clean out your hose after you water, and do you do the same before you water the next time? This is something that is often overlooked by beginning gardeners and it is a simple trick that will help keep all your plants happy… Here is what … Continue Reading →
Now you ask yourself, what is the difference between scrubbing and exhaust? It is rather simple really, exhaust empties the air out of the growing space, and scrubbing cleans the air while keeping it in the growing space. Do you want to keep CO2, but get rid of smell? Scrubbing is a good option for those who have a closed room system, or for folks who need some extra filtering. Scrubbing will help keep garden odors in the room, while … Continue Reading →
How to increase your harvest! As your plants begin to flower, their metabolism begins to increase and there are several tricks gardeners us to get the most out of their plants. Here is one. We will use our friend the tomato to illustrate these principles in action. And to let my biased be known, it is the belief of this author that organic methods will yield a tastier fruit than their conventional counterpart; however these conventional methods will yield a much … Continue Reading →
What are my late term options for fighting garden pests? One of the most common problems we talk with folks about is fighting garden pests late into the plant’s life-cycle. As it gets later in the season, what options are available to the gardener? First, I can’t go any further without saying, that prevention is the key to avoiding any sort of issue. Preventative spraying during the vegetative cycle, and continuing into the beginning of the fruiting/flowering phase is one … Continue Reading →
As a gardener and more specifically as an indoor gardener, it is my complete control of the environment that truly makes my garden a masterpiece. Monet’s paintings of his garden are well known, where every brush stroke contributes to the beauty of his work; such is the same for my garden, where one of my most important strokes is my use of a pk boost. There comes a moment during the plant’s development when the need for phosphorous and potassium … Continue Reading →
My grow room or garden is way too hot. What can i do? Summer’s here and the time is right…for heat issues. Mastering grow room cooling techniques in your hydroponic garden is important during the summer months because a garden can suffer greatly when heat gets out of control. If you are among the fortunate few who live in a cool coastal climate, these tips may not be for you. For the rest of us, here are some tips to … Continue Reading →
Should I Use Reverse Osmosis Water in My Garden? Water quality is a crucial element to any garden’s success; whether you are a container and soil gardener, or hydroponic farmer, you know this statement rings true. Have you had problems with nutrient lock-out? Yellowing plants? Check the parts-per-million (ppm) of the water you are using. Many successful gardeners believe that using a reverse osmosis system to make pure, clean water, is one of the best things for your garden. The … Continue Reading →
Hey everybody! This is Sarti from Santa Cruz Hydro – Scotts Valley (formerly Rooted Hydroponics), here with your gardening tips and tricks of the month…the basics of garden transplanting. First, make sure you have enough material; whatever you choose as your medium. One of my favorite nutrients for successful transplanting is Botanicare Liquid Karma. I found it works well with anything from rock wool, coco, pro-mix, to soil. I like to use it as a root drench to prepare the … Continue Reading →
Symptoms The foliage turns yellow and practically no new growth is produced. Root aphids attack many garden plants, including aster, Braille, calendula, primrose, and sweet pea, as well as corn and strawberries. Spot them Root aphids generally have short legs and short antennae, and, thus, are especially adapted for life in the soil. Where large numbers of these insects are present, they suck out so much sap from the roots that the plants do not receive sufficient nourishment. These little … Continue Reading →
In the past, outdoor farmers have only been able to enjoy one bountiful harvest per year. But times and techniques have changed, and now they may pull as many a six successful harvest per year. With light deprivation, also known as light depo, depo, or deps, a farmer tricks his plant into thinking that it is autumn by blacking-out the light for period of the day , thus forcing the plants into an early flowering phase. There are many techniques … Continue Reading →
Good pruning techniques can make all the difference in your herb garden. Just the same bad pruning techniques can harm and even ruin you bountiful harvest. Pruning techniques are good to train the plant, maintain plant health, and control growth. Most of all we want to maximize the efficiency of photosynthesis. Here are some key techniques and tips that will keep your plants happy and strong. • Never prune your plants when they are too young. This can cause slower … Continue Reading →
If I had to say what one of the questions I was asked the most, it would probably be, “So what should I keep my pH at”? I am faced with this question each and every day at the shop and every time the answer seems to differ. Why is this? Simply put, there is no one single answer. First, let’s get familiar with pH and what it means in the context of gardening. In chemistry, pH is the measure … Continue Reading →
Recently, PGR’s (plant growth regulators) have been a hot-topic of discussion. A couple of issues back; we outlined the basic plant hormones responsible for stimulating or in some cases, retarding plant growth. Needless to say, volumes can be written about this topic. So what we are going to do here is tackle them one at a time, to ultimately give you a complete picture of how these various hormones can help in your garden. We will start with the auxins, … Continue Reading →
