Fernand Corbeil has became TERIS Supply Services inc.

New Address and Phone Number for Fabrication ConceptLab (Jardinage d'intérieur Huntingdon, Qc)

What is the Twister Machine?

EcoSystem Contest Update

Sun Gro Horticulture Expands Popular Sunshine^® Advanced Product Line

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles is Now Named Teris

O Canada, 10,000 miles from Coast to Coast 

Apollo 3 System… the Best Aero System in the World! 

MegaWatt HydroCulture Presents Its November/December New Products 

New LED Module Grow Light from Ohmax Lighting Company Limited 

Fighting Garden Pests with Beneficial Nematodes

The Best Plants You Could Ever Create

Gastronomy: Cooking with Whisky on St. Andrew’s Day (Celebrating the Patron Saint of Scotland)

LumiGrow Co-Hosts "Sustainable Crops: LEDs in Controlled Growth Environments" Webcast with Environmental Growth Chambers, Inc. and UC Davis 

LumiGrow ES330 LED Grow Light Halloween Harvest Sale! 

No Wire Nuts: Custom Lighting Controllers Online 

A Lung-Less Frog

What is the Twister Machine?

The Twister is the world's leading commercial leaf trimming machine designed specifically for large-scale growers.  The Twister leaf trimmer is recognized for its speed, quality, and reliability.  The Twister power trimmer is regarded as the fastest commercial leaf trimmer on the market.  If you have a lot of leaf that needs to be trimmed fast, the Twister leaf trimmer machine is your answer.

Visit: www.thetwistermachine.com

Contest Update

Draw Postponed for the “Win  an EcoSystem 2 (Eco2-18)” Contest

Jardin du Futur has just informed us that the draw for the Win an Ecosystem 2 contest will be postponed until December 31, 2010 to allow all participant retailers to send in the applications that have been submitted directly to them. When you return from the holiday recess at the beginning of January, visit the company’s Website (www.jardindufutur.com) or that of the Magazine (www.tigmag.com) to find out about the winner.

We wish you a very happy holiday season.

Great Value Garden Tools and Supplies at www.gardenerscentre.eu

Url: http://www.gardenerscentre.eu/garden-supplies/group/4/greenhouses
Key words: greenhouses, garden supplies, garden tools.

                 

Description: Shop online for a wide selection of greenhouses and gardening supplies, indoor and outdoor garden products, plants, garden furniture, and more items at low internet prices and fast home delivery service—gardenerscentre.eu.

www.gardenerscentre.eu offers an exciting range of garden tools and supplies selected from the best international designers plus a mix of exclusive and exceptional high-grade items. So if you're looking for garden tools and supplies they have plenty to inspire you. gardenerscentre.eu understands that great design doesn't have to cost a fortune. That's why they have selected a range of  garden tools and supplies that has the right balance between style, quality and price—you know you're getting great value for money.

Invitation to APEX 2011—Let’s Do Business! February 1-3, 2011 in Vancouver

By Aboriginal Investment, Trade and Procurement Conference Organizing Committee (info@apex2011.com)

Communications with Aboriginal Canada has never been more important to companies across Canada. With an Aboriginal population surpassing 1 million, Canada's Aboriginal make up includes the fastest growing youth demographic and over 30,000 business owners. Through agreements and modern Treaties, Canada's Aboriginal peoples are also gaining control of their lands and resources and are set to be major players in economic and resource development over the next decade and beyond. Through sponsorship or simply attending we invite you to seize this opportunity to join us at the table and begin or continue your dialog at APEX 2011—Let’s Do Business!

About APEX 2011:

APEX 2011 is Canada’s premier Aboriginal Investment, Trade and Procurement expo, featuring keynote sessions, workshops and Meetings in Minutes. Three days designed for North American delegates to forge connections, engage in high-level on-site meetings and take away tangible business results.

To register for APEX 2011, please visit www.apex2011.com.

Register before December 15^th to receive the $100 Early Bird discount!

Tourism: Landais Folklore, the "échassiers"

By TourAdour.com, the Holiday Guide to South West France (www.touradour.com)

Hundreds of years ago, the Landes was not as it is today. There were very large and flat expanses with high brushwoods and marshes.

For the shepherds to watch over their flocks, they had to go on stilts (around 1.40 m to 1.50 m high) called “échasses.” (The name for the men using these stilts is “échassiers.”) To attach the stilts to their legs, they have leather belts and to prevent the belts rubbing, they had gaiters “garnaches”, these they knitted themselves when they were watching over their sheep.

They wore a sheep skin vest (“prisse”) and as they had to make them themselves, they had very nice ones. To complete the uniform, they wore a black beret winter and summer. They also carried a “cuyoun” which is the ancestor of the Thermos flask, a dried marrow in which they kept their beverages either cold or warm.

Finally they had a long stave (pine poll), which was essential for the “échassier”, because he had to lean on something to keep his stability during long periods on his feet/stilts. It was also very useful to help him mount and dismount the stilts with only the strength of his arms, as generally he was by himself.

Stilts were also used by the postmen to travel through the area a lot quicker than by feet. The stilts were abandonned for a few years and then found utility again during the “Jacquerie” when the Landes was inundated with wolves, because the farmers were unarmed. With the stilts they could see the wolf packs arriving and stop them killing their flocks.

  
Landais "Échassiers" around 1930 near Arcachon.

“Our customers asked us to expand the Sunshine Advanced product line,” says Bill Naylor, Western Regional Sales Manager of Sun Gro Horticulture, “because they wanted a greater selection of grow mixes to fit their varied hydroponic growing conditions. They also asked for a simpler nutrient program that would still give excellent results. We believe these new Sunshine Advanced products are just what our customers have been asking for.”

                     

The new growing mixes have been scientifically formulated for hydroponic style gardening both indoors and out. Each mix is bio active, with selected strains of endomycorrhizae for optimized performance and root colonization. Unlike some products on the market, the mixes contain no filler “ecto” mycorrhizal strains which are only effective for certain types of trees like pine, spruce and fir. All of the mixes have been thoroughly tested by Sun Gro’s horticultural research team under appropriate hydro-style growing conditions.

All of the Sunshine Advanced grow mixes are formulated with earth-friendly ingredients to retain moisture, provide improved root aeration and drainage, and develop strong, healthy root systems for maximum stem, flower and foliage growth. Their organic nutrient package provides a supplemental charge after three to four weeks and the endomycorrhizal blend enhances the ability of plants to access nutrients in the root zone.

The following mixes are now available:
    ·        Sunshine Advanced Mix #4: The same popular pro-formula is now available in a ready to use 2 cu ft bag; the gold standard for hydroponic style growing.
    ·        Sunshine Advanced Super Hydro: A superfast draining mix, proven to drain twice as fast as ordinary potting soil. Available in a 2 cu ft ready to use bag.
    ·        Sunshine Advanced Rainforest Blend: An outdoor growing mix that holds and releases moisture just when plants need it; never soggy. Available in a 2 cu ft ready to use bag.
    ·        Sunshine Advanced Ultra Coir: premium coir enhanced with peat moss for hydro style growing or for adding texture to soil. Available in a 2 cu ft ready to use bag.

                                   

Sunshine Advanced is also making it easier for growers to optimize plant growth and flowering. The new line of Sunshine Advanced liquid nutrient Plant Fuels are designed to work synergistically with all four of the growing mixes, bringing balanced nutrition plus the convenience of one Grow and one Bloom formula. Both Plant Fuel formulations are low in phosphorus ensuring maximized mycorrhizal growth in the growing mix.

·        Sunshine Advanced Plant Fuel Max Grow: Developed to accelerate branching and root growth plus strengthen plants for strong upright growth. Available in 1 gallon and 1 qt. sizes.

·        Sunshine Advanced Plant Fuel Max Flowers: Formulated to encourage prolific blooming and enhanced bud formation. Available in 1 gallon and 1 qt. sizes.

Through ongoing testing by Sun Gro horticultural tech team in their trial greenhouses and outdoor gardens, Sun Gro ensures that the Sunshine Advanced product line will continue to provide the maximum results that professionals and consumers alike have come to expect from all Sunshine products.

The entire Sunshine Advanced product line is available throughout the United States at hydroponic specialty stores, or to retailers through their hydroponic distributor.

About the Company:

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles is Now Named Teris
By Stephane Corbeil (www.teris.co)

Fernand Corbeil Produits Horticoles has now outgrown its original identity and is now called Teris... But after 45 years devoted to constant and high quality customer service, only the name has changed. Tradition is intact at Quebec’s leader in gardening supplies where you still can find: 

• More than 20,000 products and specialized equipment for greenhouses, nurseries, garden centers, shops, etc., and…

• a full range of support services for retailers (purchasing management, inventory, quality control, online catalogs, etc.).

Let’s raise our glasses to the future of Teris.

Tel: 1-450-622-2710 or (toll free) 1-888-622-2710;

Fax: 1-450-622-4571;

17, Sainte-Rose Boulevard East, Laval, Qc, H7L 3K3, Canada

The French-Canadian photographer Bertrand Lemeunier, 30, crossed Canada ad mari usque ad mare, alone, by bicycle, between May 2007 and January 2008, to raise funds for the Children's Wish Foundation.

He managed to raise 30,000 $for the sick children. During his trip, he took thousands photographs in the ten Canadian provinces and in the three Northern Territories.

Then, with Éric Clément, reporter at the Montreal daily newspaper La Presse, he produced a book, O Canada, 10,000 miles from Coast to Coast, which is their second collaboration after Français de Montréal, another coffee table book published in 2005, at Les Éditions La Presse.

Self-published by the author, this 250 page bilingual book, O Canada, 10,000 miles from Coast to Coast shows the beauty of Canada, its most amazing and unique landscapes from Newfoundland to the Vancouver Island and introduces the reader to 30 Canadians, all of different origins and professions, whom Bertrand Lemeunier met throughout his trip and which Éric Clément interviewed.

For more information and a video of the book: www.bertrandlemeunier.com.

Contacts:

Bertrand Lemeunier, bertrand.lemeunier@gmail.com

Éric Clément, eric.clement@lapresse.ca, 514-378-0850

Apollo 3 System… the Best Aero System in the World!

By Michel Drouin (hesistore@hydrosystem.ca)

It's Time for Overdrive Results with Hydrosystem.ca Series (www.hydrosystem.ca)!

At Hydrosystem.ca, we are experts in the production of hydroponic systems since 1997.

Over the years, Hydrosystem.ca has developed a considerable expertise in the field of hydroponic systems and has continuously evolved to meet the requirements of its clientele.

Fast Growth and Ease of Use!

Before releasing the Apollo 3 System, our engineers have performed a large number of culture tests. And judging by these tests, no other system allows such rapid growth with such important yield.

Many varieties of plants can be grown very fast. The system increases the quality and the concentration of essential oils and active ingredients in medicinal, aromatic and seasoning herbs.

                                             

· By twinning the two deep channels, we have created the “double-channel root chamber”. This innovation thus allows the roots of your plants necessary space for their maximum growth in total darkness.

· Thanks to its central positioning, the atomization spraying procedure of the Apollo3 System is most efficient. It creates a molecular vortex all around the roots with the on-coming under pressure nutrients perfectly atomized and hydrogenized. It then makes easy their absorption by the roots for a spectacular growth.

· Putting in an anti-root strip above the return channel of nutrients allows elimination of lengthy soaking of roots in nutrient surplus. This process allows Apollo3 System to maintain an ideal aeroponic environment during the entire culture cycle.

· Adjustable Lighting Support that allows adjusting the height of reflectors to maximize zone lighting. Our supports adapt to most available reflectors now on the market. With culture area having a surface of 400 mm x 1200 mm (16 x 48 in.), you have access at all times to your plants and their roots. You can increase your culture surface at all times.

· Pumps and Interior Plumbing to eliminate risks of water damage and planned space to install optional control devices.

· Large Tank Cover is movable for easy access to nutrients and to pump.

· Pump is set on “Quick Cam” for easy emptying of tank.

· Graduated tank for easy mixing of nutrients.

· Instruction Guide for easy start-up of your first culture.

· Quick set-up and detailed assembly mode.

· Made of ABS type plastic plus metal to reduce risk of cross contamination and facilitate upkeep.

· The high pressure (40 psi) feeding system is capable of giving each of the pulverizers the ideal needed pressure for perfect atomization of nutritive solution. What's more, as all the plumbing feeding links are found INSIDE the culture tubs or the feeding tank, this ensures better protection against water leaks.

· All parts shipped in rigid cardboard box.

                      

You can reach us by contacting Alexandre at 450-371-7000, extension 224, or by email at: hesistore@hydrosystem.ca.

MegaWatt HydroCulture is Proud to Present its November/December New Products

By Tania Courte (www.megawatthydro.com)

Xplode 0-0-5, Green Gold’s Newest Product

The long awaited new Green Gold product Xplode 0-0-5 has finally arrived! Xplode 0-0-5 is a 100% natural fertilizer derived from a mixture of seaweed and other plant extracts to help boost vegetative growth and increase the number of flower sites. It gently releases nutrients into the soil, naturally correcting any nutrient deficiencies. It is available in 250ml, 500ml, 1L and 4L formats.

MegaWatt HydroCulture Now Exclusive Distributor of the Shark Cage

                   

                                        

The Shark Cage has a lot of advantages that make it a unique system. Imagine having your own organic garden 365 days/year! It is very light, weighs less than 50 pounds and comes with wheels which make it easily maneuverable. The Shark Cage has no walls, allowing for better control of the system’s temperature and easy management of the rate of humidity which allows maximum growth. The “dualflector” is a reflector and a deflector at the same time. The system opens entirely for easy access to your plants. Ask your nearest retailer for more information.

Green Gold 10 inch Air Cooled Reflector, the Largest One Available in Canada!

            

The Green Gold 10 inch Air Cooled Reflector features:

· German Miro^® aluminum insert 95% reflective;

The New Plug'N'Grow's iGS-221: Integrated Controller for Temperature, Humidity and CO₂!

                                            

Only ONE controller to manage ALL indoor gardens’ climate parameters! The new Plug’N’Grow iGS-221 features:

ONA Odor Neutralizing Agent

                                   

ONA Odor Neutralizing Agent has been solving problematic odors with great success since it arrived on the market in 1995. Formulated from essential oils, it will tackle the most difficult odors and literally eliminate them—no masking—no cover-up — just neutralization and elimination. The odors are gone. This reputation for effectiveness has caused hydroponic gardeners around the world to use it successfully, and they keep coming back for more.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

For any wholesale inquiries, and for more information, contact your MegaWatt HydroCulture sales representative at 1-800-575-2515.

 New LED Module Grow Light from Ohmax Lighting Company Limited
By Angela, Ohmax Lighting Company [angela@led-ohmax.com]

Ohmax Lighting Company Limited has successfully promoted its newest product for the international market with its new module design LED Grow Light series at the last Hong Kong Lighting Fair on October 2010. As you know, we are a professional LED Grow Light manufacturer in Shenzhen, China, where are located most of LED manufacturers in the country.

Our LED Grow Light has held the patent for the module design.

There are three kinds of ratio for our grow light:
1. Ratio of red/blue: 8:1 (for flower growth);
2. Ratio of red/blue: 7:2 (for vegetable growth);
3. 7 Color System: especially designed for specific medicinal plants.

We can also provide the different ratio according to customers’ special requirements.

For more information, please visit our website:  www.led-ohmax.com.
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon!

 Fighting Garden Pests with Beneficial Nematodes

By Pete Kovachevich, PGSGrow

Let’s face it (I love to say that), pests in our gardens can seriously hold us back from having the kind of crops we all wish for. Anytime you use a pesticide spray of any kind, you instantly set the stage for constant spraying thereafter. Bugs become resistant to sprays and they become harder and harder to combat. Beneficial nematodes (www.ehow.com/how_2262035_use-beneficial-nematodes-garden.html) are an alternate and brilliant way to address your pest problems.

What are Beneficial Nematodes?

Nematodes are microscopic living creatures that can be found in your soil. The beneficial nematodes are an organic gardener’s dream because they are hungry predators that feed on the larva of some of our nastiest garden pest.  When you release these beneficial predators, they lay and wait in the soil for the larva of crane fly, fleas, root weevils, grubs, cut worms, borers, gnats, and a wide range of other pests. The good news is that they leave hard working worms alone and they don’t harm birds, pets, or humans. To learn more, see: www.ehow.com/how_2262035_use-beneficial-nematodes-garden.html#.

Stay Green with your Foliar Applications

At PGS, we celebrate this organic and green way of ridding your garden of pests. We carry Koppert brand nematodes (www.koppert.com) and they will knock out your fungus gnats, thrips and any other soil born bugs. Make a foliar application on your leaves and the nematodes will attack the leaf born bugs too.

Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of chronically spraying chemicals on your plants to fight insects! Everytime you spray, you’re killing not only the bad bugs, but all the beneficial microorganisms, that are so crucial to your success! Try a pack of Entonem today and watch your bug problems disappear!
 

Know your Enemy!

Don’t hesitate to browse the Internet for topics and tags like: beneficial nematodes, biological pest control, garden pests, green pest control, nematodes; and all items under the category: pest control, etc.

The Web can also help you identify what kind of bug is eating your garden. But if you’re not sure do not hesitate to come and see us or a professional at your local year-round garden store and ask us or them for identification and advice.

And take a look at our mugshots below! Here are some of your worst enemies!

                      

 The Best Plants You Could Ever Create!

By Pete Kovachevich, PGSGrow

If you have ever wondered what kind of science you would be studying if you were in a university program about horticulture, this is it! I recently discovered this technique because we had a plant tissue kit that was begging for someone to use it. My curiosity got the best of me and soon I found myself embarked on a fascinating academic journey. What I discovered are new levels of precision, technology and science for gardeners like us.  After twenty years of taking cuttings at random, our community now needs to look in this direction.  This really is a brave new world and I look forward to sharing it with you.

What is Micropropagation?

Micropropagation is a way to clone plants axenically*. Terminal buds collected from branches of mature plants are surface sterilized and placed in test tubes containing a specific nutrient medium. The different media we are experimenting with usually contain a carbon source, vitamins, plant hormones and antibiotics. Plantlets grown from buds of the same plant, barring mutation, will be clones, that is genetic replicates of the plant from which they were cut. Once we are able to maintain rapidly multiplying plant stocks in the lab, we can use them as a source for additional micro propagation or subculturing.

Subculturing involves dividing sterile plantlets into smaller segments and growing plants from these pieces. This is how we grow Widgeon-grass (Ruppia maritima) in the lab, and we are in the process of developing this technique for Shoal-grass (Halodule wrightii). Widgeon-grass is the easiest seagrass to micropropagate; other species, such as Shoal-grass (Halodule), Manatee-grass (Syringodium filiforme) and Turtle-grass (Thalassia testudinum), are increasingly difficult. We are focusing on one species at a time.

Why Use Micropropagation?

Compared to standard nursery techniques, micropropagation has the potential to produce more plants in less time. Fewer stock plants are needed because an explant** can supply a great amount of material from which clonal material can be subcultured. Also, not having to rely on seeds and other propagation methods ensures greater uniformity in plants produced. Clones can be screened for different attributes and used for specific applications, or genetic variability can be assured by mixing different clonal strains in restoration projects. Another advantage to micro propagation is the contamination-free condition of the plants produced and the ability to produce microbially fit stocks that resist pathogens.

On YouTube, you can watch a compilation of detailed techniques like this short film (Tissue Culture – part 1): www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Glb3l9mbY.

Tuesday, November 30, cocktail from 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. and diner at 7.30 p.m.

– $275 per person.

Price includes the workshop, recipes, addresses, tasting, sit-down dinner, alcohol, and wines. Perfect to treat yourself or some friends.

Information: infos@cornelliertraiteur.com and www.cornelliertraiteur.com.

LED lighting products can improve plant quality while they reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by up to 50 percent. LED lights also avoid the escalating full lifecycle costs of lighting fixtures that contain hazardous lead and mercury. Motivated by the opportunity to reduce costs and comply with legislative bans on wasteful lights, researchers are increasingly adopting LED technology. These users typically recoup their investment in less than two years by significantly reducing power usage, cooling requirements and maintenance costs. Rising energy costs further accelerate ROI.

"Retrofitting a single growth chamber saves enough energy to power a dozen single family homes for a year," said LumiGrow CEO Kevin Wells. He added, "Our customers are applying their substantial energy bill savings to fund exciting new research."

"LED technology is the next step in our continual evolution in delivering proven solutions that meet our clients’ exacting requirements for research and resource management," said Chad Pearce of EGC.

To register for this complimentary webcast, go to: http://www.lumigrow.com/webcast/.

Learn more about energy-efficient agricultural research at the EGC and LumiGrow booths at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, October 31-November 3, 2010, in Long Beach, CA.

  

About LumiGrow, Inc.
LumiGrow, Inc. is the leading provider of high-efficiency LED lighting solutions for horticultural applications. Proven in third-party studies to improve crop quality and reduce operational costs, LumiGrow LED lighting systems are the proven choice of researchers and commercial growers including Dow AgroSciences, Duke University, US Department of Agriculture and University of California at Davis. Headquartered on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated. For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit www.LumiGrow.com

About EGC
For over fifty years Environmental Growth Chambers (EGC) has set the standard for quality equipment in the controlled environment industry. Through the development of new designs and products, EGC has consistently demonstrated its ability to foresee the evolving needs of users and to remain the industry leader.

Founded in 1952, EGC entered the controlled environment field with innovative greenhouse controls. Due to demand for more controlled experiments in the 1950’s, EGC moved into the plant growth chamber market, then in its infancy. In the early 1960’s EGC added controlled environment rooms to its product line. This was followed in the 1970’s by the addition of microprocessor controls and lighted biological incubators in the 1980’s.

In keeping with its tradition of state-of-the-art technology, the 1990’s has seen EGC’s introduction of unique new lighting systems and innovations such as EGC’s patented Day-Lit line of chambers. EGC now has the world's largest selection of controlled environment products. EGC’s equipment is manufactured by experienced tradesmen at the company’s Ohio facilities. With corporate headquarters in Ohio, the company maintains several regional sales and service offices in the U.S. Worldwide participation in far reaching projects is provided by an organization including agents in over 60 countries.

 LumiGrow ES330 LED Grow Light Halloween Harvest Sale!

By George Chan (gchan@lumigrow.com)

Huge sale on the LumiGrow ES330 LED Grow Light.  Get $500 off until Halloween!

                                                                    

Learn more » 

    

 No Wire Nuts: Custom Lighting Controllers Online
By Darryl (info@nowirenuts.ca)

Darryl from www.nowirenuts.ca has 25 years of experience as an electrician and 3 years of Electrical Engineering. His website offers custom-built lighting controllers with four to forty lights. You can have a lighting controller built to your needs and specifications. Numerous options are available: from thermal shut-downs to solid state relays, No Wire Nuts offers the most advanced custom lighting controllers. All enclosures are NEMA-rated, 16-gauge or14-gauge steel, not sheet metal. For more information contact info@nowirenuts.ca.

Indeed up until now, we believed that animals went from a stage of aquatic life to a stage of air-breathing by developing paws to amble on and lungs to breathe. An evolution towards the complete disappearance of lungs is like a step backwards. The Borneo from took several million years to accomplish this transformation, and it did so in order to better adapt to the types of rivers found on the Polynesian island.  Borneo’s rapids and rivers are famous for their cold and violent currents, and we all know that cold water contains more oxygen. This lead, for the Indonesian frog, to the direct development of quicker exchanges between its skin and the rivers’ water.

 Tips & Tricks

Using Gibberellic Acid to Manipulate Plants

Par Fred Leduc (fredsmagicgarden@gmail.com)

Gibberellic acid (GA) is a naturally occurring plant hormone that regulates plant growth and triggers seed germination. Gibberellic acid (complete chemical name) is: 2,4a, 7-trihydroxy-1-methyl-8-methyle negibb-3-ene-1, 10-carboxylic acid-1, 4a-lactone.

Gibberellic acid (complete chemical name) is: 2,4a, 7-trihydroxy-1-methyl-8-methyle negibb-3-ene-1, 10-carboxylic acid-1, 4a-lactone

Gibberellins (Gas) are used in agriculture for various purposes. GA-3 is sprayed on seedless grapes to increase grape size and yield, and on lemons, blueberries, sweet and tart cherries, artichokes and other crops to increase or decrease fruit set. These effects are highly dependent on concentration and stage of plant growth. For example, 2ppm of GA-3 promotes flowering of dwarf Ipomoea nil (Morning Glory) but 20-200 ppm inhibits flowering. A solution of 10 ppm applied to pea seedlings nearly doubles shoot length, if applied at 3 days old, but barely affects 9 day old seedlings. GAs are used to speed up tree-breeding programs.  GA-3 applied to Chinese cabbage seeds overcomes the need for chilling or long days to trigger flowering. Studies have found an increase in the GA levels in seeds during cold treatment and germination. The germination of old seeds has been improved with the use of GA. GA-3 may trigger the germination of dormant seeds, in many cases overcoming the need for special or prolonged conditions such as cold treatment. Gibberellic acid is mainly used to improve seed germination, produce bigger plants and flowers and to manipulate the gender of flowers.

Depending on how you use gibberellic acid, you can generate male flowers on a female plant and use the pollen from the same plant to generate female seeds or to pollinate another female plant. There are also some reports that it will generate a larger number of female plants. This is generally not documented and requires more research.

There are over 100 different gibberellins and plants that have GAs will have several different types of GAs. Gibberellic acid is present in rice, corn, wheat, barley and many other common plants. Corn contains twelve GAs, rice has fourteen, and wheat and barley contain 5. Onions produce GA in the roots and it acts as a suppressant, preventing the bulb form swelling until the proper time. GAs control sex differentiation in spinach, hemp, maize and many other plants. GAs control shoot elongation in many plants, and the dwarf forms of some plants are caused by GA deficiencies. Developing peach seeds are rich in GA-3 and extracts have been used to induce flowering in short day dichotomous plants.

Gibberellic acid is extracted from the Gibberella fujikuroi fungus. It is a natural product, not manufactured. Gibberellic acid is already naturally found in plants and using gibberellic acid will help you get better results from your plants.

Improving Seed Germination

A seed is a dormant embryo that will remain dormant until it has the right external conditions to start the germination stage. Seeds contain certain chemicals that prevent germination until the seed has the correct conditions to germinate, such as the right temperature and humidity. The main inhibitor is abscisic acid, which must be removed from the seed at the same time as the seed releases its germination hormone (i.e. gibberellic acid). By soaking the seed you already are providing some of the conditions needed to wash away the abscisic acid; even better, you can add gibberellic acid to the water to make sure that the seed gets enough gibberellic acid to ensure rapid germination. The faster germination that gibberellic acid provides also means that seeds will spend less time risking mould and rot. Rapid germination will not only ensure that more seeds will germinate but that more will survive.

The gibberellic acid concentration should be in the range of 100-250 ppm; soak the seeds in it for 24 hours. In some cases, the seedling may grow so quickly that it begins to lean over. If this happens, add more soil around its base, to support it.

Manipulating the gender of flowers: to induce male flowers, use a spray of 10 to 200 ppm; female flowers are induced with 200 to 300 ppm and more than 600 ppm will hinder any flowering. For various reasons, there has been some significant interest in affecting the gender of some plants. For five consecutive days, spray a plant with a 100 ppm gibberellic acid solution. Within two weeks male flowers may appear. Beware: there is much information on the internet about this use of gibberellic acid, but it does require some trial and error before becoming a reliable process. The results will likely vary depending on which type of plant you are using it on.

– Saturday, October 30 at 6 p.m.

– Information: infos@cornelliertraiteur.com and www.cornelliertraiteur.com.

On the following links, you will find some photos and quotations about our products in PDF files.

• 90W LED Aquarium Lamp;
• Grow Light Quotations;
• 90W Grow Light;
• 18W LED Underwater Light Quotations;
• Grow Spotlight Quotations;
• 70W Street Lamp Quotations.

                                                     

For more information, please visit our web site at www.g-lightled.com or contact us by email. Your kind feedback is appreciated by us!

Best Regards 

Website: http://www.g-lightled.com/ 

MSN: szgreenstar03@hotmail.com

 Ohmax Lighting Co Ltd invites You at the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (October 27-30, 2010)
By Alice Chen (alice@led-ohmax.com)

The Hong Kong International Lighting Fair is coming. We sincerely invite you to our booth (GH-F15) on show time! From October 27 to October 30, 2010, we will be exhibiting at the "HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair 2010 (Autumn Edition)".

We treasure every opportunity to meet with you, our valued customer. We cordially invite you to visit us.

Our booth number is GH-F15 in the Grand Hall.

To help you find us easily at the expanded Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre,

– please click here to view the Guide to Zones; and

– take a look at our booth location.

You can contact us at show hours:
Cell phone: 00852-92712197 for Mr. Terry.
Cell phone: 00852-61770310 for Ms. Ellen.

For more information about the fair, please visit www.hktdc.com/hklightingfairae

With Compliments

Ohmax Lighting Co Ltd
www.led-ohmax.com

"Not just a festival focused on music, but rather a festival of spiritual consciousness, environmental and political activism and awareness..."
– Jambase.com

Earlier this month, General Hydroponics was a proud sponsor of Earthdance 2010, a 3 day camp-out celebration for World Peace and Unity, set amidst a beautiful old growth oak forest, featuring 5 stages of entertainment uniting Jamband, World, Conscious Lyricism, Electronica, Reggae and Folk. The festival was also featuring Global Artisans Market, Late Night Cinema, Healing Village, Kidlandia, Speakers Forum, Activist Alley, Workshops, All Night Music Cafés and much more!

On the main stage, the following artists performed: Michael Franti and Spearhead, Matisyahu, Zap Mama, Kinky, Dumpstaphunk, Rootz Underground, The West Coast Hip Hop Massive Featuring: Lyrics Born, Gift Of Gab, Lateef the Truthseeker, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Beats Antique, Yard Dogs Road Show, Delhi 2 Dublin, BLVD, Wisdom, Indubious, Sila and the Afro Funk Experience, Lo Cura, Blane Lyon, Suzanne Sterling, Cornflower, Vibrant EYEris, Todd Boston, and Shovelman.

On the Arlo Forest Stage, partygoers enjoyed: Eoto, Hot Buttered Rum, Delhi 2 Dublin, Lynx and Janover, Flowmotion, Lo Cura, Sasha Rose, Shimshai, Sambada, Alice Di Micele, Sila and the Afro Funk Experience, Soul Union, TapWater, Lilla D'Mone, Indubious, Trevor Green, Elders Wisdom Council, and the Jeff Jones Band. 

Under the Electronica Dome, dancers were entertained by: Gaudi, Bluetech, Heavyweight Dub Champion, Opiuo, Adam Ohana, Nickodemus, David Starfire, Emancipator, Masaladosa, Dunkelbunt, Dragonfly, Oz, Murray, CB, Zack Darling, The Irie, The Irie Dub Mafia with Special Guests, Soul Medic and Rocket-T, Lotus Drops, iNi, Charles Lazarus, Solace, and Miss Murray.

At the Diner Divine, the party continued with: Lynx and Janover, DJ Gaudi – "rare dub" late night sessions, Flowmotion, Organik Time Machine, Sasha Rose, Tapwater, Rara Avis, Scott Hukabay, Blane Lyon, Vibrant Iris, Soul Union, Trevor Green, Lilla D'Mone, Raquy and the Caveman, Stevie B, Cornflower, Alex Theory, and Wavy Gravy Comedy Show with special guest Scoop Nisker.

The fifth stage was the Lotus Temple Dome. It was a beautiful sanctuary, housed in a 44' diameter dome that represents the heart of the Global Healing Village as well as providing a calm, meditative space of tranquility. The Lotus Temple also offered an exciting program of speakers and workshops during the day and sacred music at night including Midnight Kirtans and Acoustic Heartsong music:
• Sufi Soul – devotional sufi chants;
• Suzanne Sterling – sacred devotional chants;
• Raqay and the Caveman – sacred middle eastern music;
• Prema Mayi – sacred devotional chants.

For more info: http://earthdancelive.com.

Now Exclusive Distributor of the Shark Cage

The Shark Cage has a lot of advantages that make it a unique system. Imagine having your own organic garden 365 days/year!!! It is very light, weighs less than 50 pounds and comes with wheels which make it easily maneuverable. The Shark Cage has no walls, allowing better control of the wool’s temperature and easy control of the rate of humidity which allows and maximizes growth. The Dualflector is a reflector and a deflector at the same time. The system opens entirely for easy access to your plants. Ask your nearest retailer for more information.

Green Gold Bat Guano Grow and Bloom

Green Gold Bat Guano Grow 8-4-2 is a high Nitrogen fertilizer which provides immediate available nutrients to the plants, ensuring rapid and exceptional root and flower development. Use Green Gold Bat Guano Grow 8-4-2 for “explosive” green growth that most other guano products can’t live up to. If you want lush shiny leaves, large flower development and overall plant health try using it today!

Green Gold Bat Guano Bloom 0-12-4 is like probiotics for your plants. The microbial flora contributes to this phosphorus-rich fertilizer, making it a soil amendment that should not be overlooked! Use Green Gold Bat Guano Bloom 0-12-4 to blast the brix content, (sugar-to-alcohol ratio in plants), even higher in your favorite flowers, fruits or vegetables. Warning! Users may be blown away with the “explosive” root and flower developmental stages!

House & Garden 1 Liter Roots Excelurator

House & Garden has just released its 1 liter format Roots Excelurator! Roots Excelurator is the best and most powerful root stimulator on the market, and now that it is available in a larger format! 1 liter is equivalent to 3333 liters of solution.

This powerful root stimulator ensures the explosive growth of the roots and rids the plant of brown roots. Roots Excelurator is packaged in a light-proof aluminum container with a sealed lid to guarantee that the product stays fresh. Roots Excelurator is a must-have for every successful grower.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

For any wholesale inquiries, and for more information, contact your MegaWatt HydroCulture sales representative at 1-800-575-2515.

www.megawatthydro.com.

 A Simple Green Solution: Plant Pots from Cow Pies

By Jim Della Croce

CowPots^™ (www.cowpots.com) were an invention of necessity. Brothers Matt and Ben Freund, second-generation dairy farmers in the northwest hills of Connecticut, wanted to find a use for the vast quantities of manure that covered their fields.

The Freunds have been leaders in developing technologies to help farmers produce milk in an environmentally sound manner. Since 1997, Freund’s Farm is one of only a handful of farms across the United States to have continuously run a methane digester. Cow manure is heated by the methane gas collected from the digester, and liquid from the digested manure is applied to crops in a timely fashion to optimize the crop’s nutrient uptake. The Freunds then use the excess material and the energy created by the process in the production of CowPots.

“We wanted the cows to provide everything from the feed stock to the energy for the production of CowPots,” declares Matt Freund. “Our goal is to be totally sustainable.” CowPots, along with the Freunds, have been featured on the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs and on Larry King Live.

CowPots are designed to be planted in the ground and are 100% biodegradable. The production process eliminates weed seeds as well as pathogens and offensive odours. Tender, young roots easily penetrate the sides and bottoms of the pots, allowing them to get air and grow unrestricted. The manure attracts earthworms and is good for the garden overall. And unlike peat, which is mined from bog ecosystems, or plastic, which is derived from finite fossil sources, cow manure is a renewable resource.

CowPots are made in the U.S., and beside the currently available 3” or 4” CowPots in 12 packs, now gardeners can grab the 3” CowPots in 6-cell flats with three flats per package. CowPots are also available loose in bulk: 5 inch square and round pots, and 6 cell flats now join the already popular 3 and 4 inch square pots. CowPots are distributed by The Liquid Fence^® Company of Brodheadsville, PA. “CowPots benefit significantly from The Liquid Fence Company’s extensive sales and marketing capabilities,” said M. Freund. “They’ve got a great reputation for producing effective, environmentally-friendly products.”

CowPots manure fibre-based growing pots are available at home and garden retailers across the country and online at www.liquidfence.com.

 HOMEbox^® in Prague in September!

By Denis Sauermann

From 16^th to 19^th of September a brand new Eastern European hydroponic trade show will be held in Praha. This is the first show of its kind in Czech Republic and therefore a highlight. Of course Eastside-Impex will attend and you can find us at booth no. 127.

 We will present our new catalog with a lot of information around all our products. All shop owners who will come by will get a brand new present, so visit us for a beer.

                                
We provide 2 years warranty for all our products!

The HOMEbox^® seal of quality stands for our demand of high quality materials. We solely use the best materials for our products.

www.homebox.net 

 Smart Pots, Happy Containers!

By R. Kelly

The patented Smart Pot is for the gardener who wants a container that will grow the best possible plant. It’s a new and unique advancement in container technology that’s better than any other method of container gardening. It’s:

  • better than standard black-plastic containers;

  • better than ceramic (clay) containers;

  • better than raised beds;

  • better than decorative containers.

The patented Smart Pot is a soft-sided fabric container that has the rigidity to hold its shape and can even support large trees. In fact, the Smart Pot was originally developed for and has been used by commercial tree growers for over twenty years.

The Smart Pot is an aeration container. It has the unique ability to air-prune—and enhance—a plant’s root structure. A highly branched, fibrous root structure is the key to growing a better plant—with more flowers and fruits, and more resistance to insects and diseases.

In any container garden, the container you use makes a difference. Find out what size of container to use, and how to grow your own tomatoes. Look over our website (www.smartpots.com) and e-mail us questions. Then try the Smart Pot for your smart garden! Your plants will thank you. Their root structures will thank you. Aeration is the key. Happy container gardening!

 "Gro-SMART with Grodan^®"

By W.D.

At the recent Garden Expo in San Francisco, Grodan released the debut of a new series of training videos aptly named, Gro-SMART with Grodan. The first of its kind, the Gro-SMART series was designed to be played in indoor gardening shops to help educate the consumer. But in addition, Gro-SMART is quickly becoming invaluable to stores as a training tool for employees, new or otherwise. Either way, it’s a fantastic way to maximize ones growing power.

For those who missed the San Francisco show, Gro-SMART will also be playing in booth 104 at Grow 2010 Expo in Los Angeles, October 1-2. “We wanted to dispel common misconceptions about Grodan and Grodan products, while at the same time, show—not just tell growers how they can achieve the absolute best results”, Vibeke (Vee) Kjoelhede, North American Retail Business Manager, explains.

                                               

Nine main segments plus a bonus video make up the series. Titles include Benefits of Hydroponics and Grodan, Environmental Focus, Product Line, Soaking/Conditioning, Starting Plants, Transplanting, Ebb & Flow Made Easy, Drip Irrigation Made Easy, and Patio and Container Gardening. The bonus section features how to use Grodan Grow-Cubes™ and Grow-Chunks™ using Ebb and Flow bucket systems that are popular across the U.S. at present. 

Entertaining and educational, these videos are highly recommended. Take a few minutes to watch them for yourself. After all, the videos are free to play and can be downloaded from www.grodan101.com or from www.youtube.com (search for Gro-SMART). Also watch for new videos that will be uploaded to Grodan’s Website in the near future.

 LumiGrow, Inc., Introduces LumiGrow ECC™ LED Light Bulbs for Environmental Control Chambers and Greenhouses
By George Chan

   

LumiGrow, Inc., the leading provider of LED lighting solutions for agricultural and horticultural applications, today announced the release of the LumiGrow ECC™ series, a direct replacement for the incandescent bulbs used in environmental control chambers (ECCs) and greenhouses. The LumiGrow ECC-R™ and ECC-FR™ LED light bulbs provide plants with Red (660nm) and Far Red (740nm), respectively, and use 75 percent less energy than the incandescent bulbs they replace.

While other energy-efficient retrofit products, such as compact fluorescent bulbs, produce general illumination, they do not produce the Red and Far Red of incandescent bulbs. In independent laboratory studies conducted by both academic and industry researchers, the LumiGrow ECC-R bulb’s Red levels were shown to match those of 100-Watt bulbs, and the ECC-FR bulb’s Far Red levels slightly exceeded those of 100-Watt bulbs. Researchers can create custom color blends to achieve desired growth effects by simply varying the ratio of ECC-R bulbs to ECC-FR bulbs. The LumiGrow ECC’s dimming feature enables further fine-tuning of light levels.

Governments worldwide are restricting the use of wasteful incandescent lights. For example, the sale of 100-Watt bulbs is prohibited in the European Union. By September 2011, the EU will have banned the sale of nearly all incandescent bulbs. In the US, incandescent bulbs will be phased out beginning with 100-Watt bulbs in 2012 and ending with 40-Watt bulbs in 2014. Australia has already placed an outright ban on the sale of the bulbs. The LumiGrow ECC bulbs simply screw into standard sockets, making them a straightforward retrofit that ensures compliance with new legislation.

The LumiGrow ECC series bulbs operate at just 17 Watts, producing annual savings of over 500 kilowatt-hours compared to 100-Watt bulbs. In addition, they avoid the electrical cooling requirements inherent to incandescent lights because they do not emit infrared light. An estimated 80 percent of the energy burden of environmental chambers results from removing the unwanted infrared energy generated by incandescent bulbs. For example, replacing 45 100-Watt incandescent bulbs in an average (8' x 8') style chamber with LumiGrow ECC bulbs would reduce the heat load of an environmental growth chamber by 176,000 BTU’s (18 tons) per day.  That’s enough to cool an additional 1000 square feet of office space all day.

LumiGrow ECC bulbs last 10 to 20 times longer than standard bulbs, minimizing capital outlay and ongoing operating costs. Users can expect to recoup their investment in less than two years by significantly reducing power usage, cooling requirements and maintenance costs.

“The academic community has clamoured for an LED solution to reduce the high costs and energy demands associated with operating growth chambers and greenhouses,” said Kevin Wells, founder and CEO, LumiGrow. He added, “We’re pleased to answer the call with the LumiGrow ECC series.”

About LumiGrow, Inc.:
LumiGrow, Inc. is the leading provider of LED lighting solutions for agricultural and horticultural applications. Proven in third-party studies to boost crop yield and reduce operational costs, LumiGrow LED lighting systems are the tested-and-proven choice of researchers and commercial growers including Dow AgriSciences, Duke University, US Department of Agriculture and University of California at Davis. Headquartered on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated.

LumiGrow delivers energy- and cost- efficient retrofit solution to address global ban on incandescent bulbs. LumiGrow, LumiGrow ECC, LumiGrow ECC-R and LumiGrow ECC-FR are trademarks of LumiGrow, Inc.

For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit http://LumiGrow.com.

Optimum Hydroponix^® welcomes the addition of three intoxicating cocktails Mystik Root, Mystik Grow and Mystik Bloom to its family of products. These potent potables combine a rich blend of all natural ingredients with highly concentrated seaweed, botanical extracts, more than 30 trace elements and amino acids which drive natural plant functions to the extreme through superior assimilation of nutrients. Mystik Root, Grow and Bloom motivate and nurture performance, fueling crops with maximum energy through all stages of plant life. Product of Holland, bottled in Canada by Optimum Hydroponix. Available from distributors of Optimum Hydroponix in the following formats: 500 ml, 1 litre and 4 litres. For more information ask your favourite hydroponic retailer or visit www.optimum-hydroponix.com.

Titan Beefs Up Your Blooms

Optimum Hydroponix^® is happy to report the arrival of Titan 0-10-7. A natural power- pack loaded with botanical hormones, extracts, and minerals to boost and steer the maturation process targeting plant energy directly to buds cultivating fruit that thrives and phenomenal flowers. Indulge plants with Titan’s divine energy that empowers flowers to their absolute potential.  Use with your favourite fertilizer or plant nutrition program during the final 3 weeks of flowering prior to harvest. Product of Holland, bottled in Canada by Optimum Hydroponix. Available from distributors of Optimum Hydroponix in the following formats: 500 ml, 1 litre and 4 litres. Visit www.optimum-hydroponix.com. 

ZenZyme, Because Breaking Up is Hard to Do

The DripCap features:

• Allows for an even distribution of water and nutrients to saturate the block and root zone, this technique increases root mass and plant yields.

• Minimizes and/or eliminates algae, fungus gnats, shore flies and their root eating, crop damaging, larva.

• Eliminates the labour, expense and need for the pesticides, larvicides, bactericides, and fungicides that would have been required to combat these problems.

• Eliminates lower leaf rot by acting as a spacer disallowing direct contact between the lower leaves of the plant and the moist growing medium.

• Acts like a vapour barrier slowing the evaporation rate of moisture so you water your plants less saving on water and nutrients.

Due for release in September 2010 are two new additional DripCaps:

• 6” (15cm) – Square DripCap;

• 10” (25cm) – Round DripCap.

CubeCap Canada is working on host of other DripCaps in various shapes and sizes in order to cover the most popularly used containers and grow mediums, including soil based.

For inquires, more information and pictures on the DripCap and CubeCap go to: www.cubecap.ca or write to info@cubecap.ca.

• Featuring musical artists: Random Rab, Shawna & Laura, Heyoka, Malarkey, Auditory Canvas, Energy Alchemist, and Zack Darling.

• With Antics and Performance Troupes by: Dr. Megavolt* (High-Voltage Man Meets Lightning); Luminesque (Tribal / Burlesque / Fire Dance Troupe); Marlow (Aerial Ballet Magic); and Toniq Vivant (Belly Dance Fusion / Burlesque Troupe).

• Laser Light Show by Nomadix Lasers.

• Plus Two Aerial Stages Featuring: Kameko (silks); Loni (silks); Amanda (silks); Holly (lyra); Bones (silks); Polly (silks); Marlowe (ballet); Jocelynne (lyra); and Alyra (net).

Hosted in the legendary Saddle-Span Amphitheater Concert Tent • Gourmet tea bar serving up the global goodness all night long • Dr. Megavolt's only theme-camp appearance • Two aerial stages • Dual main stages featuring simultaneous DJ's performances and dance troupes • Art car block party • Laser & light shows • Gourmet soundsystem and audio mixing • Playa diva burlesque fashions • and most importantly, YOU!

*Megavolt's ONLY theme-camp appearance!

 EXPO 2010 Registration Now Open!
By Landscape Ontario Association [communication@landscapeontario.com]

Registration opens for Expo 2010—formerly Garden and Floral Expo—October 19 and 20, 2010 at Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Register Today!

EXPO 2010, formerly Garden and Floral Expo, enters a new decade teaming with ideas, plants, products, and vendors to stir your imagination and stock your shelves for the 2011 spring season. We are pleased to invite you to attend EXPO 2010 on October 19 and 20, 2010 at the Toronto Congress Centre to find out what trends are driving the market and your success. You'll see hundreds of recent plant introductions and new products; learn from dynamic retail experts from around the world and take away progressive and ready to use ideas that will grow your business profits.


Make the Most of Your Visit—Attend our Symposiums

You'll find that the EXPO 2010 line-up of educational events offer excellent learning opportunities to both improve and expand on your knowledge and skills with three symposiums and the Green for Life stage presentations by Master Gardeners. These four key educational events are scheduled at separate times and run from October 18 to 20, 2010 at the Toronto Congress Centre. "We are very excited about the educational events and speakers we have lined up at Expo 2010 this year," says Sally Harvey, CLP, CHT, Manager, Education and Labour Department. "In 2009 Landscape Ontario introduced a new look, a new show and a new experience and we hope to continue that trend this year, especially with our symposiums, Green for Life stage and the speakers line-up".

Register today for one or all three symposiums!

Great pricing: Early bird pricing is in effect until October 1, 2010:

• Garden Centre Symposium
Presentations by: Judy Sharpton, Doug Green, Eve Tigwell and Tom Intven
Monday, October 18, 2010
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Landscape Designers' Breakfast
Presentation by: Theresa Syer
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
8 - 10 a.m.
• Environmental Design - Interior Plantscape Breakfast & Networking Event
Panel Moderated by: Peter Tigchelaar with Panelists: Joanne Young and Kathy Fediw
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
8 - 10 a.m.
• Green for Life Stage
October 19 - 20, 2010
11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m.

www.locongress.com

IGS Expo will be connecting related businesses, national distributors, local consumers, suppliers, manufacturers, and associated services and will be showcasing the latest in innovative products and technologies over a three day period. IGS will be producing this venue to promote growth in the hydroponics and related indoor gardening industry while highlighting San Diego Counties 2.5 million residents and its local business. IGS Expo is looking forward to help grow and expand your business through our indoor grow show.

Available through IGS Expo:

• Sponsorship;
• Booth Rentals;
• Display Booths;
• 1,100 sq ft stage available for presentations;
• and many more advertising options.

IGS Expo's Indoor Grow Show Hours of Operation:

• August 20^th, Business to Business mixer: 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.;
• August 21^st, Public: 10:30 – 7:00 p.m.;
• August 22^nd, Public: 10:30 – 7:00 p.m.

 New Videos from Hydro Innovations!  

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Hydro Innovations ChillKing chiller line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PsGxnlTW7o

 

Ice Box Video part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0uRrMvfucY

 

Ice Box Video part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CulolkUgyGc

 

Ice Box Review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_aysVOpbI

 

Water-cooled system installation part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1YA_SFB_5A

 

Water-cooled system installation part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Dl4cRon6A

 

HydroGEN PRO Installation part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehn7B2R1KNU

 

HydroGEN PRO Installation part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzJVGkJBia8

 

Water-cooled grow freezer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la01dLfnta0

 

Co2 product line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUyQATRtgwE

 

 

– Stephen Keen
Owner
Hydro Innovations
Icehouse Distribution
512-917-0248 Cell
512-285-4606 Fax
www.hydroinnovations.com

BioFloral Presents:                 

Bud+ from nutri+

Bud+ is a bloom stimulator for mid-bloom phase and is ideal for all fertilizer programs. It has a unique blend of phosphorus, magnesium and amino acids assuring visible results, and contains several sources of phosphates. Rich and concentrated, Bud+ increases the floral density, improves the taste and increases the overall weight of the plant.

Ice Box



The Ice Box is a safe and effective way to water-cool the air leaving your reflectors without adding a/c or more fans. It uses a water to air heat exchanger to water cool the hot air your reflectors produce. Water-cooling is much more effective and efficient than air-cooling.

Hydro Gen CO₂ Generator
The HydroGEN is the world's first and only water cooled CO₂ generator. Water cooling is capable of removing 86% of the heat produced by traditional CO₂ generators. The HydroGEN has loads of other options and features not available in any other CO₂ generator on the market.

Contact us to find authorized dealers near you: 1-877-384-9376 or info@biofloral.com.

Visit www.biofloral.com.

Fernand Corbeil Honoured with the 2010 Dunamis Award

Fernand Corbeil Horticultural Products, from Laval, Québec (Canada), has been honoured last April with the 2010 Dunamis Award in the Distributor-Wholesaler category. The award was presented by the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Company president Stéphane Corbeil thanked everyone who directly or indirectly contributed to his company’s success. “I am proud to be able to count on an extraordinary team of devoted individuals who genuinely take our company’s growth to heart. I’d also like to take this occasion to thank our partners, manufacturers and of course our clients without whom our business couldn’t have become what it is today. We are confident pursuing the path we have chosen, and to do so I am counting on all of these people to once again help us rise to the challenge.”

Bigger Location for Brite-Lite Ottawa

The Brite-Lite Indoor Garden Center in Gloucester near Ottawa, Ontario, moved into a larger location to better serve customers. Fortunately the new store is easy for customers to find because it is located in the same mall, just a few doors down from its old home. Brite-Lite Gloucester opened in 2002 and is one of the 11 indoor gardening and hydroponics speciality shops in the Brite-Lite/Qué-Pousse retail chain in Ontario and Québec.

>> Brite-Lite Gloucester, 1677 Cyrville, (corner Meadowbrook and Cyrville), Gloucester, ON, K1B 3L7, Canada, tel: (613) 842-8999, www.hydroponix.com. 
  

 Global Sol Fest 2010 @ the Beautiful Craneway Pavilion, Richmond, CA

By Mystic Beat Lounge [info@mysticbeatlounge.com]  

The inspiration for Global Sol was born out of the band Hamsa Lila and it is being produced by House of Hamsa along with other amazing Bay Area partners.

Global Sol will feature some of the most amazing live music acts, special guests late night surprises and DJ from all over the world!

Global Sol will combine an incredible array of visual experiences, immersive light installations, interactive art installations and a global bazaar vending village with diverse and organic food, tea and energy gardens, along with magical refreshments both alcoholic and non-alcoholic @ the bars.

See also Tech Nomadic Solar Powered on the Water: Dance Performances, Parades, Video Installations on the water under the stars w/ amazing bridge and city views!

Come bring your light to the Global Sol, a Two Night Sun-Powered Dance Party & Benefit @ the Incredible New Craneway Pavilion, from 7pm till 4am late night, on Friday August 6 & Saturday August 7, 2010!

Featuring:

Friday: Arrested Development (First tour in over 10 years!), Eoto (Late Night after Phish), Haamsa Lila & Special Guests (Late Night after Phish), Afrolicious Live (Dynamite Groovz), Globalsonic DJ, Fabian Alsultany (Tabla Beat Science), Motion Potion DJ (FunkMaster, Bonaroo, LIB, Silent Disco), and DJ Dragonfly (Groove Garden).

Saturday: Ernest Ranglin (Jamaican guitar legend) w/ Yossi Fine + INKX + Audio Angel, Hamsa Lila w/ MC Rai + Ashel Seasunz + Ernest Ranglin (Late Night after Phish), Fabian Alsultany (Tabla Beat Science), Eoto + Michael Kang + Kyle Hollingsworth (4 members of String Cheese ~ Late Night after Phish), Cheb i Sabbah (Global Club Legend), Kenge Kenge (From Obama's Kenya Tribe), and Afrolicious DJ (Global Groove).

Spectacular Visual Art: Videolicious (60 Foot Wonder Wall), JacobEye (Video Glo-ball Visionz), Michael Christian (Fire Flower Sculptures), Michael Divine (Ten Thousand Visions), Karma Moffet (Art & Tibetan Bowl Ritual) & More TBA!

Going to see Phish @ the Greek? The curfew there is 11pm. Get late night tix to either night of Global Sol & catch Five Hours of awesome headliners for 30% off! Free shuttle rides for all Adv Ticket holders, otherwise $5! Go 2 Buy Tickets!

Go Tech-Nomadic: BackStage Pass iPhone App (add your own photos @ the event.) Get it Here!

Check out our stellar vendors!

Full Info: http://globalsolfest.com.

Buy Tix: http://tix.houseofhamsa.net/events/110471/GLOBAL-SOL.

Check Website & Facebook Soon for Hard-Copy Ticket Outlets.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126219427416468.
Help us help: Women’s Earth Alliance (www.womensearthalliance.org).

 New LED Grow Lights from Opte Optoelectronic Co., Ltd

By Jimmy Zhang (jimmy_wonderful@hotmail.com)

Opte Optoelectronic (Dongguan) Co., Ltd, is a high-tech manufacturer specialized in the research, development, engineering and marketing of LED based lighting solutions. We have professional engineers and we are especially well-placed in the field of LED Grow Light. Due to high quality and very competitive price, our products are well sold to more than 30 countries such as USA, UK, Spain, Holland, Japan, and Italy etc. For details about us, please visit our website listed below. If you are interested in this product, don't hesitate to contact us.

About Opte Optoelectronic (Dongguan) Co., Ltd
Opte Optoelectronic (Dongguan) Co., Ltd was founded in May 2006 and is mainly engaged in LED lighting products development, manufacturing and marketing. Our company has a strong team of self-orientated R&D engineers and a superb manufacturing capacity related to our core technology development and core high precision components controlling which are our company's advantages. Opte has established a unique quality control system by performing temperature testers, luminance testers, voltage withstand testers, shock proof and salt spray testers. In nearly two years high speed growth, Opte has owned a 5000 square meters modern production plant, over 150 employees and workers, and a series of advanced and well-equipped machines and full test equipment. These are the solid foundations to guarantee a high quality and reliable products to our customers. Inheriting Chinese traditional idea of “Hundred Years Business” and interpreting our motto of "integrity, passion, agility and innovation", Opte will continually develop excellent products and far-exceeding customer's expectations, and strive to keep walking in LED lighting world.

Opte Optoelectronic (Dongguan) Co., Ltd, tel: 86-13711997760, fax: 86-769-83202040, e-mail: jimmy_wonderful@hotmail.com, Skype: jimmy_wonderful.

Website: www.dgopte.com.

 MegaWatt Re-vamps their Website!
By Tania Courte (www.megawatthydro.com)

Megawatt is very pleased to invite you to look at their new (bilingual) website at www.megawatthydro.com. You will note the many products, photos and product descriptions and the easy-to-use menus.  One of the first hydroponic resellers to have a website, Megawatt has invested many hours over the past year in the new one.

 HOMEbox^® at the Grow 2010 Trade Show in Manchester (UK)

HOMEbox, inventors of the portable growroom [www.homebox.net], were presenting all their products at the Grow 2010 trade show in Manchester, UK, last March. Their UK wholesaler partners IKON International (www.ikon-international.com) and Highlight Horticulture (www.highlight.to) were operating booths next to them and were also answering questions regarding distribution. HOMEbox were also sponsoring the VIP-Bar and the Show-After-Party with one of their wholesalers, Highlight Horticulture. At the end of the show, a special price—a high quality PitBike—for their retailers was presented in the VIP-Bar section. Congratulations to the winner! More info about the show can be found at the Grow 2010 website: www.grow2010.com. And don’t forget, Grow 2010 USA will be held at Los Angeles, California, on October 1st and 2nd, 2010 (www.grow2010.com/usa-show.php)! – H.B.

 Jardin du Futur Presents its EcoSystem™ 2—18 or 24 Slabs—Versatile Vertical Growing System

Once your customers try vertical, they’ll find it hard to grow any other way!  Now available, the EcoSystem™ 2 is the long-awaited successor to the world’s most popular vertical growing system.
We are very excited about this new product and we are not modest about admitting it. Our revolutionary EcoSystem 2 features striking improvements.

What’s New?
EcoSystem 2 means:
• It fits 18 (Eco-2-18 unit) or 24 (Eco2-24 unit) rockwool slabs instead of 20 slabs in original EcoSystem. Growers tend to go for 4 to 6 plants per slab. Compression fitting ensure leak-proof operation;
• An improved dripper system;
• A separate reservoir (grower can use any size!) which is easier to clean and use;
• Multiple EcoSystems 2 can be fed from the same reservoir;
• A turn-key air cooling system;
• Not a rockwool fan? No problem! The EcoSystem 2 can accommodate pots too (using any growth media)!
• A more accessible growing area. Easier to maintain. Unit opens completely or partially to allow easy plant maintenance;
• A vastly increased airflow through the grow space thanks to 40 cm (16”) gap between the bottom of the unit and the floor;
• No Velcro® required to hold slabs in place;
• Simplified preparation. Hose attachment to pump for easy pre-soaking of rockwool slabs in the machine itself.
The EcoSystem is distributed all over North America by a large network of retailers and in Europe as well (United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, etc.). Check the list of retailers on the Website.

Visit www.jardindufutur.com (info@jardindufutur.com) or call (toll free) 1-866-527-3469 to know more about the EcoSystem 2 and our new prices.

– R. Roy & C. Marin

 2010 International Horticultural Lawn and Garden Trade Show

Last January, Canada’s 37th International Horticultural Lawn and Garden Trade Show and Conference were held in Toronto and were featuring Fencecraft, Ontario Parks Association’s Explorations and The Green Forum. As a unified industry it offered an awesome, powerful and enviable face-to-face opportunity to learn from each other, discuss ideas and collaborate on projects that will generate prosperity for lawn and garden businesses in the year ahead. Gardeners were invited to come and associate with all of the great people in the industry. Visiting the Congress was an opportunity to see some of the immense contributions made by all of the great people to the industry and to each other.

Visitors from Canada and all over the world were in Toronto to meet more than 550 vendors and discover new products. It’s always exciting and interesting to see what new products and trends will shape the industry for the coming year! The Congress was also offering many conferences to expand your gardening skills and knowledge. The pre-show specialty sessions were held to cover landscape design, irrigation, IPM, OPA’s 54th Annual Educational Forum and more. During the show, visitors could choose from over 30 sessions in Canada’s premier green industry conference program.

Visit www.locongress.com to watch videos of the trade show and to view full information about the congress in an interactive brochure.

 2010: International Year of Biodiversity

The UN declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). Throughout the year countless initiatives will be organized to disseminate information, promote the protection of biodiversity and encourage organizations, institutions, companies and individuals to take direct action to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity worldwide. The celebrations for the International Year of Biodiversity are led by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Visit: www.cbd.int/2010.

 A Quick Breakdown of Humboldt Wholesale Exclusive Products
By Sam Kagan (info@humboldtwholesale.com)

                                              

House & Garden Nutrients

We are proud to be the exclusive North American distributor of House & Garden Nutrients. Made in Holland, House & Garden Nutrients are our most important Dutch product. The creator of this product, William Van De Zwaan, is responsible for creating several other nutrients out of Holland, although this is his signature line. The research done by Mr. Van De Zwaan and his staff of scientists is meticulous. He has a huge facility with 10 football fields of roses where they do all their research. Most nutrient lines tend to be complicated. House and Garden simplifies the process and the results are amazing, so naturally people love it. We consider ourselves lucky to have established a great relationship with such a remarkable company.

Global Green House Digital Lighting

Global Greenhouse Digital Lighting is another one of our premiere products. The development of this product brought us to Asia, where the best digital lighting technology exists. The best manufacturing facilities are in China and the best components (capacitors) are made in Japan. Combine the two and you have Global Green House Lighting. We knew from our retail experience that there was a tremendous need for better digital ballasts. The ballasts we were selling from our retail locations kept getting returned mainly because of cheap components. We did all the necessary research and decided to make our own. We made sure only the best components are placed in our ballasts.

Tray Hugger Eco-Friendly Gardening Tray

This is another product that we knew there was a need for. Tray Huggers are the first eco-friendly gardening tray made with recycled plastics. These are heavy-duty trays so there is no sacrifice in going green. We even priced them cheaper so there is no reason for people not to use them. The California manufacturer we get them from also uses green power for their electricity, so this is an example of us trying to move our company in a greener direction.

Mad Farmer

Made in California, Mad Farmer is a line of plant enhancements, additives and nutrient controls formulated specifically for hydroponics. With no dyes and better base nutrients, this product is clean, stable, concentrated and OMRI certified when available.

We also distribute Cutting Edge Solutions, California's #1 nutrient line created right here in Humboldt County. We also stock Plant Success, Fiskars, Can Fans and Filters, Hannah Instruments and everything else gardeners need to be successful.

If you are interested in carrying our products give us a call at 1-707-840-0999 or email info@humboldtwholesale.com@humboldtwholesale.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

 Brite-Lite Group Announces:

1. Clonex^® Comes to Canada

Clonex the ultimate rooting compound used by professionals and hobby gardeners the world over since 1989, is now registered and once again available for sale in Canada. It is a high performance, water-based, rooting compound developed by Growth Technology™ Ltd. Clonex is a tenacious gel that remains in contact around the stem, sealing the cut tissue and supplying the hormones (including .31% IBA) needed to promote root cell development and vitamins to protect the delicate new root tissue. It has a full spectrum of mineral nutrients and trace elements to nourish the young roots during their important formative stages. Clonex is available in 100 ml and 250 ml formats. Also available in single-use 15 ml packets.

2. Mo’Koko Premium Select Coco Substrate

Brite-Lite Group is pleased to introduce our new line of premium, RHP certified coco substrates. Mo’Koko carries the RHP stamp, the Dutch Standard of Quality for horticulture. RHP certification guarantees that quality has been stringently monitored from raw materials to production and storage, satisfying that the highest chemical and physical requirements have been met. Available in pre-washed and buffered 4.5 kilo compressed blocks or loose and ready-to-use 50-litre bags, homogeneous, stable, pest free and easily recyclable. Mo’Koko is an excellent alternative for the environmentally conscious grower.

For more information contact your local indoor gardening retailer or call Brite-Lite Group at 1-800-489-2215.

Visit: www.hydroponix.com.

  Company Profile

Master of Nutrients

By Fred Leduc

A Quick Presentation

Founded in 1996, Advanced Nutrient rapidly became specialized in the development of products specifically designed for indoor plants. Its products are ideal for the home gardener. They are recommended by many American government agricultural specialists, by professional horticulturists, by a Canadian institute on medicinal plant research and by various associations of horticultural producers.

Advanced Nutrients has a team of five PhD holding specialists, three chemists and 65 employees, all working to provide you with the best nutrients, specifically designed for indoor plants. The proof is plain to see. The company regularly performs research, tests and studies, to ensure to gardeners sturdy plants with an incomparable health and vigour.

Ask for Advanced Nutrients products at your local hydroponic store. And as says an authorized dealer in Mauricie: “don’t forget that Advanced Nutrients puts their local distributors first!” If you have any question regarding their lines of products, call Northern Lites in Gatineau, Quebec, at 1-866-969-7711. New growers are always wanted to experience Advanced Nutrients’ product lines.

Interview with Mike Straumietis, Co-founder of Advanced Nutrients and Editor-in-Chief of Rosebud magazine

A while back, for the first issue of the Indoor Gardener magazine in the fall of 2004, when I talked with a scientist – who has since then left the company – from Advanced Nutrients, he kept a few things to himself, saying he didn’t know if Mike Straumietis would like me talking about this or that. So I decided call Mike and ask him.

Fred: Mike, how did you get started in making nutrients?
Mike Straumietis: I was supplying other people’s nutrients and we had other lines of bulbs, ballasts, growing mediums. You name it: we had it. Then one day we said, you know what, we could make better nutrients than the people that are out there. Because we knew we could do that. So why not look at bringing in the nutrients, since we were into all the other stuff.

F.: You started out at a hydroponics store?
M.S.: Yeah, we started selling our stuff in a hydroponics store.

F.: In Canada?
M.S.: In Canada.

F.: That was the hydroponics store in Vancouver?
M.S.: Actually in Abbotsford.

F.: When was that?
M.S.: Around 2000? Carbo Load was one of the first products we came out with, and it did real well. There was nothing like it in the marketplace. We started selling more and more nutrients and we thought we should focus on the nutrients and not so much on the equipment end of it, because we had the resources to do it.

F.: So it’s only been about ten years?
M.S.: We’ve been in business since about 1996.

F.: As Advanced Nutrients?
M.S.: No, as Creative Solutions. We brought on Advanced Nutrients around 2000.

F.: Your product line has grown into quite a number of different products.
M.S.: Yeah, we have over a hundred different products now. We’re coming out with a new line and that’s going to add an additional 20 products right there. We’ll bring out 9 right away but there’re 20 products that have been formulated for us.

F.: Can you tell me about your specific nutrients for indoor plants?

M.S.: Yes, well, once we were established in the marketplace, we started coming out with different varieties. We actually grew indoor plants. Eventually, I’ll take pictures of them and say, if you grow this kind of plant and you use our nutrients this way, this is what you’ll get!

F.: Every time?
M.S.: I wish I could say every time but there are all these environmental things that go along with it, like diseases and bugs. If the growers use sound growing practices, they can get close to that.

F.: What can you tell me about your successful product called Scorpion Juice (launched in Summer 2004)? Will it help plants go further into the growing season? Make them more frost-resistant?
M.S.: Not frost-resistant so much as disease-resistant longer towards the end of the cycle. When botrytis (grey mould) would strike, you spray the plant before the botrytis starts; most people know when putting out their plants when the botrytis starts.  It’s an antiviral. It’s the first antiviral on the market place. It also kicks in the plants immune system. It’s a systemic required resistance. When the plant is being attacked, you spray Scorpion Juice on the plant and it will quarantine the infected area with a ring of dead cells around it. It also stimulates plants very well in the vegetative stage. You give it to a plant during the vegetative stage and during the flowering stage, every three weeks and it pumps the plant up. The size difference was huge between our controls and the ones we had given Scorpion Juice to.

F.: Could you describe the kind of technology research you’re going through to propose a new type of product?
M.S.: A few years ago, we did a lot of research for a product^(*). It was a bio-catalyst. The technology came from Japan. It was researched and made by a scientist we once worked with. It took months to make, with the fermentation processes that it has to go through and everything. […] Some people say our products are very expensive, but you only need to take one drop per litre.

F.: Are you borrowing any of these technologies from other parts of the plant industry?
M.S.: Yeah, sometimes when we see a product that is being successful, that the people are starting to buy. We’ll usually take that product, have a look at it and do a few other things. We either duplicate it and bring it out at a better price or we make our own version of it – in most cases that’s what we do. We look specifically at indoor plants to see how it works and if it works well. We know so much about gardening products that we could say “add this to it”, “add that to it” and “make it better”, and that helps to form the competition. People like to use different products. You don’t have to use all our products. It’s like a tool chest: you could take this product over here and that product over there and maybe you don’t like that product or you like this product better. I mean we have two different bloom boosters. We have Bloom Booster and we have Big Bud and we sell both of them. Big Bud sells the most, but some people still want to use the Bloom Booster. We have different tools for whatever you’re looking at. Some varieties of plants do better with certain types of nutrients than they do with others.

F.: You’re getting all the information from your own grow rooms. And do you have a lab in a grow room?
M.S.: Yeah, a grow room that we actually set up, support, put the equipment in and we run protocols in.

F.: In the lab, is there an average yield per light?
M.S.: No; it depends on what we’re going for. Sometimes we’re not going for yield […], and we’re doing all kinds of things. We’re not even looking at yield at all: we’re looking more at how amino acids go, at how carbohydrates go. We had one of our biggest yield with a combination of our products.

F.: Do you just use one light?
M.S.: A thousand watt high-pressure sodium.

F.: And how many plants?
M.S.: That particular time I believe they were growing 30 plants underneath the light.

F.: Do you have growers coming over and going, “hey, help me out”?
M.S.: Oh yeah, all the time. Well not “help me out” but basically they’re willing to try new products before they hit the market. That’s usually the trial test, first to our lab then to actual growers; then it goes on the market.

F.: Do you have some kits that are idiot proof?
M.S.: We have a Sensi Pro box that’s idiot proof… well, that’s what we call it. It goes by every week and whatever is in the box, you just throw it into a 100 litre reservoir and mix it up and give it to your plants. It automatically balances the pH level.

F.: When we started, you said you were getting ready to go around the world.
M.S.: Yup. I want to start trailing around the world and selling nutrients. We have distributors in Australia now as well as in Holland and the U.K. The Holland guys are handling Switzerland, Italy and Belgium so I’ll be going all around those areas.

F.: Are you getting many international sales in Canada?
M.S.:  We can’t keep up with it. We can’t grow a company that fast because whenever you get a new distributor, you have to dump hundreds of thousands dollars worth of nutrients because you have to help carry the product along while it’s in its first stages, before it becomes really popular. It’s crazy. Wherever we go, we become the most popular nutrient for a certain time period. In the U.K. [because of competitors] we can only grow a company so fast but we’ve received interest from Spain, Germany, and Slovenia. We get people from all over the world who are interested in our nutrients and we just can’t keep up with it. Basically what we’re doing […] is establishing our worldwide distribution network. Once we get that established then we’ll start pushing some of the other things. Once we get the nutrients established, we’ll start getting into some of the other equipment… maybe charcoal filters and fans, that type of stuff that people need and help absorb our worldwide distribution center.

F.: Thanks a lot. You’ve answered everything.

_ _ _

^(*) This product [Emerald Shaman] is now discontinued.

Preparing the Project

“As soon as we arrived, we contacted a hydroponics store (Better Than Nature Indoor Garden Center - www.betterthannature.com) to find out more about the products and equipment required to obtain a yield of fruits and vegetables that would be worth it considering the chosen lighting power (we chose eight light bulbs, 1,000 watt each). Coming from an agricultural background, we knew how to increase quality and yield, but we must live with our times, and we wanted to experiment aero/hydroponic cultivation."

“After a few explanations on the functioning of every system demonstrated in the store, we were convinced to use a space-saving system built in the shape of an inverted pyramid (V-shaped), the Plant Tier^® (or Pipe Dreams) 160 made by Future Harvest. Three Plant Tier 160 can fit in our indoor garden, each system measuring 240 cm x 240 cm at its base. Our growing space is a room with a surface area of approximately 115 m³. The lighting comes from eighth 1,000-watt high-pressure sodium Plantastar lamps (from Sylvania).”

“The cost of each system was approximately 2,465 Canadian dollars, including the cultivation tubes, irrigation system, high-pressure water pump (which will be submerged), a timer, and a V-shaped support. We also purchased three electronic controllers (one for each pump), for $380 each. Indeed, something needs to turn off the lights if ever a water pump broke down. We also added to our list of purchases fans, bulbs, carbon filters, a multiple-measure device (NutraDip^TM’s Tri-Meter CMS, measuring pH, ppm and temperature), nutrients, and reflectors.”

From Growth to Flowering

“We used Plantroids’s Quickroot rooting gel to start our various cuttings, and we were very surprised to discover that after eight days, nice long roots had appeared. We fed the plantlets a mixture of nutritive elements and vitamins (6 ml per 4 litres of Holland Secret’s Prop-O-Gator and 1 ml per 4 litres of Holland Secret’s Super B+). This last supplement can be replaced by an equivalent: SUPERThrive^TM (concentrated B1 vitamins made by the famous Vitamin Institute), again at 1 ml per 4 litres. Cuttings prospered in a reproduction dome: Nutriculture’s Propagator^®. We maintained the temperature in the dome at 27°C. As soon as the clones reached a height of 10 cm, we estimated it was time to transplant them in our three PT systems.”

“Growth in the PT systems started quickly, and we modified our lighting cycle (18 hours of light and 6 of darkness per day) to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness per day once the plants reached a height of 12.5 cm That is the time when growth accelerates and when nutritive elements are optimally absorbed when the nutritive solution is maintained at a pH of 5.8. The nutritive solution’s temperature must also be stable (around 19°C). From then on, we emptied the reservoirs once a week, throwing out the already used nutritive solution and rinsing the system for 24 hours using only pure water with an unmodified pH.”

“The average temperature is now maintained at 28°C during the day and between 15.5 and 18.5°C at night. The ambient humidity should not go above 60%, but rather should be maintained closer to 40%. Five oscillating fans are simultaneously in use to ensure a constant fresh-air circulation. Two centrifugal air extractors at a speed of 3,200 RPMs exhaust the air through two 60-cm carbon filters. Equipped with an air-entry fan with a cooling capacity of 29 m³/min (cubic metres per minute), they completely evacuate the room’s air in less than four minutes (29 x 4 = 116 cubic meters – I remind you that our room is 115 m³), which prevents the garden’s air from becoming overly warm.”

*If you need to, use this online tool to calculate the revolutions per minute: www.profweb.qc.ca/lveillette/RPM.htm.

A Few Problems (Quickly Solved) and the Tests We’ve Performed

“When we transplanted our cuttings, we were surprised to see that they were infested with spider mites and their roots were invaded by black-gnat larvae. We sprayed Doktor Doom’s Botanics^® insecticide twice against spider mites (during the first and third weeks) and saw no more afterward in our garden. We also added Wilson’s insecticide/fungicide Garden Doctor^® to each reservoir during the second and third weeks. This managed to efficiently control the expansion of black gnats, but did not eradicate them. From now on, we will use the CubeCap^TM made by www.cubecap.ca, which will be more efficient.”

“Here’s our tip to maintain the proper average temperature of the nutritive solution. Since the reservoir is located outside the garden, on the cold cement floor, the temperature it’s subjected to oscillates between 18.5 and 21.5°C depending on whether it’s night or day. We’ve run a hose from each reservoir, allowing for a constant flow of cold water. The nutritive solution’s temperature when entering the PT systems is thus maintained to around 19°C. That is the ideal temperature for roots to absorb minerals properly.”

“For our nutritive solution, we’ve used FHD’s Holland Secret nutrient line, as recommended by the salesman at our hydroponic store. Holland Secret’s Bada-Bing and Bada-Bang were used during the growth stage, at a dosage of 800 to 1,000 ppm. Flowering plants were fertilized using Holland Secret’s Bada-Bloom at a dosage of 1,000 to 1,300 ppm. The tenth day, we added Holland Secret’s liquid nutrient Bud Bloom Plus. It increases the flowering yield. Over the last three weeks, we added Holland Secret’s Veg Bloom Plus liquid nutrient to each reservoir, and also used it as a foliar spray.”

Harvest Time

“Six to four days before we harvested, we rinsed every conduit of the PT systems using Quick Grow South’s nutritive-solution cleaning-product Double Flush and water. During the three days before we harvested, we finished rinsing the conduits and reservoirs using only pure water with an unmodified pH so as to evacuate any nutritive-product residue.”

“Two weeks before the harvest, we started cleaning out the systems, removing yellowing leaves and any excess foliage that was preventing the proper development of the flowering tops (or fruit). It’s essential to undertake a rinsing stage at least five days before harvesting (as we’ve seen, we did it in two three-day steps).”

“With Future Harvest’s Pipe Dreams, some growers believe it’s not necessary to use reflectors. They recommend using only a black and white Mylar sheet. We didn’t dare listen to this advice this time around, but we will attempt another experiment using Mylar. For our second experiment, we’ll also add a carbon dioxide generator (CO₂) in our garden. We’ll see what a difference in yield it makes. What we can say however after this first harvest using aero/hydroponics is that the Plant Tier system has made fulfilled gardeners out of us when it comes to yield and quality per light bulb. Happy growing!”

Visit: www.extremegrowing.com (Future Harvest Development)

The author, researcher and librarian Helen Jasmin, shows more than 300 visuals, highlighting the passion of gardening and the undeniable influence of nature on artists.
The narrator, Delphine Belisle, reads excerpts from Mrs. Reford 's diary and correspondence while saxophonist Antonin Marineau plays various musical pieces recreating the atmosphere of the Belle Époque.

Expo & slide show of 300 images are shown at Librairie Monet, Galeries Normandie, Montreal, [www.librairiemonet.com]. Also visit: www.refordgardens.com.

 Rebirth after Crime: Healing through Art

The Centre for services in Restorative Justice presents an exhibition of works of art created by victims of crime. Patrons will discover the world of fifteen artists, young and old, professional and amateur, and their unique experience through paintings, photographs, drawings and poems. The exhibition highlights how it is possible to recover from the pain of crime through art and educates visitors to restorative justice. Between vengeance and denial, the participating artists have chosen the middle path.

The exhibition runs at La Salamandre Art Centre in Montreal. Created in 2001, the Centre for services in Restorative Justice (CSJR) is a non-profit association that promotes restorative justice to the general public but also to specialized organisations.

Information by tel.: 1 514 933-3737 or e-mail: csjr@csjr.org, [www.csjr.org].

As a result of the development of a new communication strategy and of customers’ feedback gathered at various trade shows where our team participated during the last year, Souris Verte, at the dawn of 2010, gave priority to the redesign and update of its Web site.

Having a goal to improve the information and services offered according to their customers’ progressive needs, the Souris Verte site now offers the following novelties:

• Updated information on products and biological care for babies, children and mothers;
• FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to correctly direct the information search;
• Links to other useful references;
• A press-room where you will be able to consult press-releases and various information;
• A list of registered retailers to direct you towards the nearest location;
• A subscription form to receive the “Souris Vite” newsletter;
• Details on our various events and promotional activities;
• And much more…

To discover our new Web site, visit us at www.sourisverte.ca. Finally, with the start of 2010 which outlines Souris Verte’s 15^th anniversary, we invite you to come and visit us regularly to discover the many activities and contests that will be planned to outline this big celebration…

This April, Greenie Mouse (Souris Verte) was also thrilled to meet their clients at Montreal Parents and Kids Fair, the one and only true family fair for 18 years! The event for parents and future parents counts more than 50 000 visitors each year! Patrons came at Place Bonaventure to meet us with their kids aged from 0 to 6. We were honoured to meet them and answer their questions on biological care for babies and more. Contests were held at our booth—in association with Mère Hélène and Maman pour la Vie—and many patrons were rewarded with a grand total of more than CAN$4,700 in prizes!

About Greenie Mouse:

For 15 years Greenie Mouse (Souris Verte) has been offering a complete line of entirely natural products for baby, children and mother for which many are verified or certified by EcoCert^®, a leader in biological and environmental certification in the Canadian and European markets. All their products are made without dye, synthetic perfume or petroleum derived products.

Furthermore, many products are acknowledged by Health Canada and have their own NPN (natural product number) insuring the best possible quality and a respect of the most rigorous norms of the industry.

For more information: 514 963-0710 or luc@sourisverte.ca.

 Falero Hydroponics, Hardware & Lumber, in Miami
By Gus Gonzalez

Falero Hydroponics, Hardware & Lumber, in Miami, offers full line of hydroponic systems, organic fertilizers, grow lights, trimming machines, plumbing, hardware, paint, roofing and electric supply, and much more. The answer to your hydroponic needs, Falero Hydroponics is also number 1 in offering the best price for your growing projects. Their new website is currently under construction. The company is currently improving its website and is adding more products, all in order to serve you better. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or would like to place an order, please feel free to contact them at: 1 305 266-8878 [www.falerohydro.com].