Preserve potency-pests & decay

HOW TO PRESERVE POT POTENCY... by stopping bugs and fungi before they damage your weed

by The Bush Doctor

##CONTINUE##
Growers taking time to harvest a healthy cornucpoia of cannabis must also carefully watch over their cut crops. In addition to two-legged thieves, myriad bacteria, molds and insects have been known to rip-off your stash while curing, drying, or in the fridge. Avoiding these ubiquitous threats is nearly impossible, but there is a way to lessen their impact. The key is being able to manipulate storage conditions. A variety of bacteria grow on damp marijuana. Many are deadly. Researchers have found Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Streptococcus (group D) growing in government-supplied reefer. Salmonella muenchen was found in marijuana growing across the Midwest. (Let someone else roll the joints. I don't lick rolling papers anymore!) Under anaerobic conditions (i.e., damp marijuana stored in airtight containers), Clostridium species will rot pot; these are the famous boutlism bacteria. In addition, a number of bacteria-like Actinomycetes have been identified in confiscated ganja, including Thermoactinomyces candidus, T. vulgaris, and Micropolyspora faeni. These bugs cause allergic reactions (sometimes severe), as well as "Farmer's lung" disease. Insects in pot are less intense. Growroom critters, such as aphids and spider mites, rarely damage marijuana after harvest. Smith & Olson (a list of references appears at the end of this article) identified five beetle species from confiscated Mexican weed in San Francisco. They completed this study at the request of the DEA agents, whose offices were overrun by the pests. The predominant species, Tribolium confusum (confused flour beetle), attacks only seeds, not marijuana proper. Two other beetles cited in the study, Adistermia watsoni and Microgramme arga, are fungus feeders (the marijuana was moldy). Thankfully, the researchers found no cannabis equivalent to Lasioderma serricone, the tobacco cigarette beetle. Otherwise some whacked government lab would be growing the bugs en masse to spread across the continent. Fungi destroy more bud than bacteria and insects combined. Bacteria in marijuana may be more dangerous to humans, but they are rare. Molds are common, and can be nasty: Ramirez reports four policeman developing pulmonary histoplasmosis after pulling up a 5,000-square-meter plot of marijuana in Puerto Rico. Some fungi won't rot pot, but they will put you in the hospital. Many fungi causing disease in plants die off after their host is harvested. Exceptions include Botrytis cinerea (the cause of gray mold) and Alternaria alternata (brown blight). After harvest, your competition becomes Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus, and Mucor, the baddest actors on the planet. Each genus causes disease under different conditions: Ubiquitous Aspergillus grows on anything from rocket fuel to astronauts. The genus is millions of years old; while Home sapiens may come and go, Aspergillus will remain. Westendorp first found an Aspergillus species attacking Cannabis in 1854. More recently, Margolis & Clorfene describe a mold that increases potency in marijuana. Their "black weblike fungus" sounds like an Aspergillus species. What species, I'd like to know....

Schwartz scraped Aspergillus niger from the skull of a marijuana smoker experiencing sinus headaches. I frequently encounter A. niger growing in ganja stored at room temperature. It does not increase potency. Kagen also reports A. niger growing in moldy marijuana, along with two even nastier Aspergilli: A. fumigatus and A. flavus. Chusid et al. blame A. fumigatus for causing near-fatal pneumonitis in a 17-year-old. They note the patient buried his marijuana underground for "aging." No doubt the patient was looking for Margolis & Clorfene's fungus, but A. fumigatus found him instead. A. flavus, on the other hand, kills slowly. It oozes carcinogenic metabolites called aflatoxins. Llewellyn & O'Rear found aflatoxins contaminating Virginian marijuana. Aspergillus species grow better in warmer climates, Penicillium in cooler climates. Refrigerator storage encourages Penicillium infestation. Kagen et al. isolated Penicillium from marijuana cigarettes. Babu et al. identified P. chrysogenum attacking marijuana. (P. chrysogenum occurs abundantly in nature, and was Alexander Fleming's source of penicillin.) I isolated P. italicum from marijuana stored with an orange peel at 0 degrees Centigrade. Adding peels to pot imparts a "pleasant bouquet" (Frank & Rosenthal). In my case, the peel imparted a nidus of infection. P italicum, the "blue citrus mold," is notorious for its ability to spread by contact (i.e., "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch"). Five Mucor species have been described on Cannabis. Members of this genus grow fast and die young. One of them, M. hiemalis, regrettably bioconcentrates (and cannot metabolize) the herbicide paraquat from tainted substrates (Domsch et al.). Mucor's first cousin, Rhizopus, occurs in soil, ripe foodstuffs, and occasionally on people (especially diabetics). Grebeniuk isolated R. stolonifer from hemp stems. In an inoculation experiment, I quickly rotted some damp marijuana with a colony of R. stolonifer found growing on bread.

DIAGNOSIS

Rotting marijuana produces a spectrum of odors, from stale to musty to moldy. P. italicum perfumes a lavender bouquet, while A. flavus smells like a locker room. Clostridium bacteria stink like carrion. Infested marijuana often darkens in color and becomes crumbly. Anaerobic bacteria turn marijuana into brown slime. Marijuana undergoing rapid decay may feel warm to touch. (At this stage your stash is ready for the compost heap.) Tufts of fungi are often visible in mold material. In marijuana stored in darkness, strands look white to light grey. Exposed to light, storage molds spawn millions of colored spores in velvet clumps. A slight tap sends these spores into great billowing clouds. Generally, Rhizopus and Mucor produce grey-black spores; Penicillium species are light blue-green; and Aspergillus species are dark green-black. To check for aflatoxins, inspect your stash under a black light (in medicalese, a "Wood's Lamp"). Material contaminated with aflatoxin-producing A. flavus will fluoresce to a green hue under ultraviolet light. To screen for insects, simply shake samples in a No. 10 steel sieve. Of course, not all bugs found in marijuana cause damage. Some are simply "innocent bystanders" caught during harvesting and die right away. Live (and chewing) insects are more suspicious. A hand lens is helpful for I.D.

CONTROL

Avoid damaging plants before they completely dry (even while they are in the ground and growing). Wounded tissues release exudates on which fungi feed and establish a foothold. Lucas says diseased and nutrient-deficient leaves (as well as old yellow leaves) produce more exudates than healthy leaves. Expect more mold problems in poorly grown plants. The secret to stopping bacteria and mildew is moisture control. Even grey mold dies if plants are carefully and quickly dried. Oven-cured pot rots less than air or sweat-cured crops. Sweat-cured Cannabis (remember '70's Colombian?) maintains a "tradition" of Aspergillus contamination. The oven-drying method inevitably leads to a harsh product. So most people air-dry by suspending plants upside down with enough space for circulation. Drying rooms should be cool and dry, preferably in uninterrupted darkness. (Most storage fungi require light to sporulate and spread.) Living cannabis plants are about 80% water. Perfectly dried marijuana contains about 10%-15% water or moisture content (MC). Material below 10% MC becomes too brittle and disintegrates. Fungi cannot grow below 15% MC. Unfortunately, many growers market their crop above 15% MC. Cannabis, like corn flakes, is sold by weight, not volume. Tobacco farmers also allow thier product to gain weight by reabsorbing moisture before sale. They term this risky business "coming into order." Recently purchased products should be redried. Freezer storage will not protect damp pot. Placing lemon or orange peels in stored marjiuana is discouraged, as they raise the MC above 15%. Dipping Penicillium-infested plants in a solution of baking powder will inhibit these acid-loving fungi but the product must be rapidly redried. Maintaining stored marijuana at 10%-15% MC also discourages insects. Insecticides have no application in stored marijuana. Their residue pose a danger to customers. Also, water-based sprays will kill bugs but trigger a fungus infection by raising the MC. Fumigants (gas, not sprays or aerosols) contain no liquid, thus they do not trigger mold infestations. But they leave residues in air pockets of fumigated material. Big buds are full of air pockets. Poisons are very useful for disinfecting drying rooms, but only after the crop has been cleared out. Low temperatures will "freeze" an insect infestation. However, with rewarming, many bugs continue their destruction. Another drawback to freezing above-15% MC marijuana involves the aforementioned exacerbation of Penicillium. Heating marijuana in a 66-93 degree Centigrade oven for 10 minutes will kill most pests. This also dries out the product--again, the cornerstone of control. Marijuana should not be heated longer than 10 minutes or 93 degrees Centigrade to prevent THC oxidation.

Hydrogen peroxide

What are the benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide and how do i apply it?

Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) it is made up of Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2), however H2O2 has an extra Oxygen atom in an unstable arrangement - it is this extra negatively charged Oxygen atom that gives H2O2 its useful properties. H2O2 is used for many purposes including cleaning, bleaching, sterilizing, rocket fuel, animal feed treatment and in addition many miraculous claims about its health benefits have been made. This faq focuses on its use in horticultural applications. H2O2 is of great use for both hydroponics and dirt/soilless gardening.
##CONTINUE##
What Does Hydrogen Peroxide do?

H2O2 is an unstable molecule; when it breaks down, a single oxygen atom (O-)and a molecule of water is released. This oxygen atom is extremely reactive and will attach itself to either another Oxygen atom (forming a stable O2 molecule) or attack a nearby organic molecule. H2O2 will rapidly eliminate the Chlorine used in many municipal water supplies, as well as degrade any pesticides, herbicides or other organic matter that might be present. Well water is often high in methane and organic sulfates, both of which H2O2 will remove. Both the stable and O- forms will increase the level of dissolved oxygen. Increasing the DO in your nutrient solution will benefit the root system and be detrimental to harmful anaerobic bacteria such as pythium. Many disease-causing organisms and spores are killed by the free O- atom. The free Oxygen atom will destroy dead organic material (i.e., leaves and roots) in the system, preventing them from rotting and spreading diseases. H2O2 will help eliminate existing infections and will help prevent future ones. It is also useful for suppressing algae growth.

Over Watering

Both soil and hydroponic plants often fall prey to the same syndrome. Hydroponic crops often fail due to "root rot" and soil crops succumb to "over-watering." The actual cause is a shortage of Oxygen at the root zone, allowing a Pythium infection to take hold. In a soil system, the soil consists of particles, a film of water on the particles and air spaces between the particles. When too much water is put into the soil, the air spaces fill with liquid. The roots will quickly use up the dissolved oxygen within these pore spaces. If the root system has not absorbed the water within these pore spaces, air will not be able to enter and Oxygen within that space will become depleted. In a low oxygen environment, roots will begin dying within twenty-four hours. As the roots die, the plant’s ability to uptake water and nutrients will drastically decrease, and the plant will show symptoms of nutrient deficiencies (pale leaves, and slow growth). Plants will start to wilt (appearing water deficient) – at this point many growers will mistakenly water their plants! In a Hydroponic system, oxygen deprivation is often caused by high temperatures and inadequate nutrient circulation and/or aeration. High reservoir temperatures interfere with Oxygen's ability to dissolve into water. Temperatures above 70F (20C) will eventually cause problems, 62F-65F (16C-18C) is recommended. Oxygen deprivation symptoms in hydroponics are similar to that of soil - but at least you are able to check the roots. Healthy roots should be mostly white with maybe a slight yellowish tan tinge. If they are a brownish color with dead tips or they easily pull away there is at least the beginning of a serious problem. An organic, ‘dirt like’ rotting smell means there is already a very good chance it is too late. As roots die and rot, they remove Oxygen out of the water; as Oxygen levels are depleted even further. more will roots die - a viscous circle!. Reduced Oxygen levels and high temperatures encourage anaerobic bacteria and fungi, which attack the plant further mercilessly.

How does Hydrogen Peroxide prevent root rot & over-watering

Plants watered with H2O2 will experience extra oxygen in the root zone when the peroxide breaks down. This helps stop the Oxygen from being depleted in the water filled air spaces until air can get back into them. High Oxygen levels at the roots will encourage rapid healthy root growth. In a Hydroponic systems, H2O2 will disperse through out the system and raise Oxygen levels as it breaks down. Strong white healthy roots with lots of fuzzy new growth will be visible. This fuzzy growth has massive surface area allowing for rapid absorption of the huge amounts of water and nutrients needed for rapid top growth. A healthy plant starts with a healthy root system.

How to use/apply it

H2O2 comes in several different strengths: 3%, 5%, 8% and 35%, also sold as food grade Hydrogen Peroxide. The most economical is 35% which we recommend be diluted to three percent before using. When working with food grade H2O2, it is very important that you clean up any spills or splashes immediately, it will damage almost oxidize everything very quickly. Skin will be temporarily bleached pure white if not washed cleaned. Gloves are strongly recommended when working with any strong chemical. Food grade H2O2 can be diluted to three percent by mixing it one part to eleven parts water (preferably distilled). The storage container should be opaque to prevent light from getting in and it must be able to hold some pressure. If three-liter pop bottles are available in your area they are ideal for mixing and storing H2O2. There are twelve quarter liters (250ml) in three liters, if you put in one quarter liter H2O2 and eleven quarter liters (250ml) water in the bottle it will full of three percent H2O2 and the bottle can hold the pressure that the H2O2 will generate. Three percent Hydrogen Peroxide may be added at up to 3 ml's per liter (2 1\2 tsp. per gallon), but it is recommended that you start at a lower concentration and increase to full strength over a few weeks. For hydroponic applications, use every reservoir change and replace twenty-five percent (one quarter) every day. Example: In a 100L (25gal) reservoir you would add three hundred ml's (3%) H2O2 when changing the nutrient. You would then add seventy-five ml's more every day. [Editor’s note: high concentrations of H2o2 can be detrimental to organic additives (such as beneficial additives) and organic nutrient mixtures.]

Application: US Standard

1. 28*G/C= Liquid Oz's per day
Metric 10*L/C= Ml per day
Where; C= % concentration of H2O2 L= Number of liters in reservoir G= Number of Gallons in reservoir

Example: How much 3% H202 should I add to 7 gallons of nutes?
1. 28*7/3=2.986 Oz's each day.

Where to get it

35% food grade is called “food grade” because it has no toxic impurities. Of course your local hydroponics retailer or web stores have it (there may be shipping restrictions on high strength peroxides). The local feed supplier may have it in small towns. Prices range from fifteen dollars per quarter liter to eighty dollars a gallon. One gallon will treat up to fifty thousand liters of water. 3%5%, 8% Can be found at most drugstores or pharmacies, prices start at a less than a dollar for a one hundred-ml bottle that will treat one hundred liters.

Feed your head-stash

Food and water are two critical components to a successful garden. One of the simplest ways to increase the quantity of your harvest while maintaining quality is knowing the right times to water and feed. It doesn't involve mysticism by any means, but it does require a care and attention to learn the needs of your plants. When the plant is dry and thirsty, it needs water. When the root medium is heavy with moisture, it doesn't. This may seem obvious, but learning to zero in on the optimum times to feed and water is dependent on this simple fact. As with any other aspect of this industry, hands-on contact with the plants, and close attention to them, is of utmost importance. Different needs will present themselves in regard to feeding and watering times, depending on the amount and type of medium, the size of the plants, how recently they were planted or transplanted, the amount of light, heat and ventilation in the room, and other factors such as humidity and air pressure.
##CONTINUE##
Hydro systems

Hydroponic systems are usually automated and should have the simplest schedule to satisfy. Active hydro systems merely need the nutrient solution passed over the medium three or four times a day. This can be done by the disciplined hand, but a timer and pump will eliminate the need. Passive hydro systems allow the roots of the plant to reach the reservoir, eliminating the need for watering altogether. In both types of hydro systems, the reservoirs usually need to be topped off regularly, and the nutrient solution will need to be changed at least once every two to three weeks. This is to help eliminate the nemesis to all hydro systems: algae. Algae can clog hydroponic medium and its tubing. Algae, along with other pests such as mold, fungus and bacteria, are capable of blocking the aerobic quality of the hydro medium and suffocating the plant via its roots. These problems must be addressed immediately upon finding them. Better still is to take the necessary precautions to insure that they don't begin.

The optimum mix

Soil mediums, especially organic varieties, are the trickiest to learn to deal with. Regard the process as an ongoing education, and it will go fine. The difficulty is the many variables related to the problem. Depending on the "mix" of your soil, it may be heavy or light. Heavy soil is generally more moss than perlite and holds water longer. A lighter soil is generally more perlite or vermiculite, and therefore releases its moisture quicker. Learning to condition the soil you are working with is the first step to success. Different brands have different ingredients (and even the same brand may have different ingredients at different times). If you use the basic soil mix I recommend, where equal parts of perlite and coarse cut sphagnum moss make up about 70% of the overall mix, then you have the optimum mix. This mix seems to be the perfect blend for a regulated watering schedule.

Dry weight

Vegetating plants in small containers (two to four inch pots, or 16 to 24 ounce cups) may need watering as often as daily, others may be fine for a couple of days. Plants in larger containers (2 gallon and up) may go anywhere from three to six days between watering. The trick is in realizing when the plant is going to wilt, and watering it the day prior. This is done by physically lifting the plant container and judging its weight. The plant will suck its bucket of medium dry and then begin to wilt. Only experience can reveal what exactly the weight of the dry pot is. If a plant does happen to wilt due to drying out, check the weight of its bucket to see what too far is. We want to avoid wilting as much as possible, but a minor wilt is by no means fatal to the plant. I've seen wilted plants revived within twenty minutes when relieved of their thirst. However, wilting can also contribute to stunting.

Bottom feeding

After getting the soil mix down and learning the right watering time by the dryness, or weight, of the medium container, there is one more important tip to best maintain the proper watering schedule for your plants. I call this tip the bottom feeder method. Not merely because the method was perfected in a white-trash trailer park, but because it serves the nutrient and solution to the outside-bottom of the medium container. The solution is then sucked up by the roots through the holes in the bottom of the buckets. This method requires that the buckets be placed within the confines of a watertight container, such as a solid grow tray or a kiddie pool. The nutrient solution is then dumped or pumped right into the tray, watering many plants at once. It takes the plants anywhere from an hour to a few hours to soak up all of the moisture that they need. Individual mini-trays may be used for each individual container, but this causes much more tedium during watering. There are a number of trays, from large to small and of varying styles and sturdiness, available on the market these days. Some may hold a dozen small plants while others may hold twenty or thirty large plants. An entire grow room may be water-proofed as well. First, lay out a layer of 2-inch thick Styrofoam insulation panels larger than the intended pool. Next, a basic wood frame is constructed to the exact size of the desired pool on top of the Styrofoam. Finally, a swimming pool liner or landscaping pond liner is laid over the area and over the edges of the wood frame, after being fitted to the space. Plant containers may be placed directly in the pool and watered all at once. Please note that although this method allows the greatest ease of watering a large number of plants, it would be nearly impossible to judge exactly how much water these plants would consume in any given watering. Therefore, the garden needs to be checked a few hours after watering to see if the plants need more, or if the excess solution needs to be removed from the pool.

Less is more

The main focus of feeding should be the concentration and mix of fertilizers in the solution. I cannot emphasize enough that "less is more" when it comes to fertilizing plants. If too little fertilizer is used the only problem will be a slightly smaller yield. Too much fertilizer, however, is liable to ruin the entire crop. It is generally recommended to use less fertilizer than the instructions call for. Most fertilizer companies print their maximum allowed amounts for mixing. I like to use half of what the directions call for. This is especially true if one is mixing different nitrogen fertilizers. If two or more nitrogen fertilizers are used during the same feeding, then even a smaller ratio of each is needed. That is, if two nitrogen fertilizers are mixed together during one feeding, then only a quarter the recommended amount of each is needed to make the final concentration truly half strength. Nitrogen is the most commonly abused fertilizer additive, but this same logic should be applied to phosphorous and potassium concentrations as well. When the fertilizer concentration is low enough, then fertilizer may be added during each watering (except, of course, the last few weeks of pure water flushes). The plants should look like they are thriving if they are properly fed. The leaves should stretch up and out to receive the light. Their color should be bright and consistent with a shiny, healthy glow. New growth should be obvious daily, and the old growth should last as long as possible. Underfertilized plants will merely be slow or, at worst, small, but overfertilized plants may look burned or splotchy. The leaves may become curled, with unnatural looking colors from bright yellow to dusty brown. The stems may stretch and turn dark, or they may harden and solidify, stunting growth. All in all, an overfertilized plant will look unhealthy and deeply in need. If signs of overfertilization appear, it may be necessary to dilute the concentration with pure water. For one or two waterings flush the plants with water only, and see if the situation improves. There are organic soil additives on the market that eliminate the need for any extra fertilizer additives in the water. Many of these fertilizer additives are made up of harsh petrochemicals. The best organic substances I've found are bat and seabird guano and pure worm castings. Fossilized bat and bird guano come in a powder form, while pure worm castings are like a very rich manure. Both may be added to soil to enhance its nutrient level. Most indoor plants do not remain in the same container for any longer than two months. So once the right soil mix is obtained then water alone will suffice, or water with a B-vitamin supplement to help the plant best metabolize the nutrients available to it. Plants grown using this method produce some of the most outstanding flavors and desirable palate and head.

A tale of two gardens

A Tale of Two Gardens
##CONTINUE##
Liz started a garden to keep herself supplied with primo buds. She wanted an efficient low care system which would produce high quality buds without much effort. Since she did not have a lot of space to spare, Liz emptied a closet and prepared it to serve as a garden. She painted the 4'x4'x7' closet flat white and installed a heavy plastic tarp on the floor to prevent water spillage. She hung a 400-watt high pressure sodium (HPS) lamp from a hook in the ceiling with a chain so it was adjustable. A 20 lb. CO2 tank and short interval timer were placed in the chamber to inject the gas into it. A hole was made in the wall to vent an exhaust fan connected to a thermostate-humidostat. This was designed to keep the room termperature in the 70s and the humidity in the 50s. An oscillating fan was placed in the room to keep the air Circulating. (a negative-ion generator was used to control odor). Now it was time to start the seeds. Small rockwool cubes were placed in a tray and watered with a dilute solution of hydroponic vegetative growth stage fertilizer. The tray was drained of water so that only 1/4" - 1/2" layer remained. A seed and a label were poked 3/8" deep into each cube. The cubes were kept moist. The seeds, descendants of several varieties of Dutch seed, germinated in a few days and were ready for transplanting nine days later. The seeds were transplanted into round 6" diameter containers filled with pebble-sized crushed lava rock. The rock absorbs water and transports it through capillary action, much as a tissue moves water. Six containers were placed in each tray. An aerator was placed on the bottom of each of the five trays. Each aerator was attached to a gang valve which in turn was connected to a single small aquarium pump. The containers were watered from the top with a full-strength vegetative growth stage nutrient/water solution. About two to three inches of water was left in each tray for the lava to draw up, much like a wick. When the water level went down in the tray, unfertilized water was added.

Part 2

Last month, Liz transplanted into 6-inch containers. Liz's closet garden took off. In 30 days, the plants were 18" tall and growing very rapidly. Liz changed the fertilizer solution in the trays every 10 days and kept the light about two feet above the plants. She made sure that the water level in the trays was maintained at about two inches. During the month that she was away from the garden for a three and a four day stretch. Though the water level in the trays had dropped a bit when she returned, the plants were still healthy and doing fine. The plants looked vigorous and showed no signs of deficiencies. Shortly after these pictures were taken (sorry no pics), Liz turned the lights back to 12 hours to induce flowering.

Part 3

Liz's garden was in mid-flower. The buds were swelling and creating their characteristic definition. The Early Pearl and Northern Lights bids grew along main branches, developing their configurations, then swelling out. The Skunks were maturing slower, their buds growing large on the primary branches. The plants looked healthy with no sign of deficiency. They were growing fast and vigorously. The system continued working without a hitch. Liz added water to the trays as needed to keep a level between 1 and 2 inches. The fertilizer solution was changed in each tray every ten days. Liz changed over to flowering fertilizer when she turned the lights down to 12 hours. Still, the plants showed no signs of lack of nitrogen (N). Because of scheduling problems, Liz was unable to take cuttings off the plants until two weeks after turning the lights down. After taking the cuttings she placed them in the refridgerator for a few days until she had time to work on them. From bottom up, her cloning kit consisted of: + A small heating mat (sold in nurseries) over the wooden bookshelf + A plastic tray about three inches deep, filled with water + An aerator sitting at the bottom of the tray hooked to a pump + And an almost flat styrofoam plate salvaged from a fruit carton. (The plastic tray had melted into the mat a little, so it was replaced with a glass tray.) The clones were cut from the bottom of the plants. Liz trimmed them to about 2 1/2"-3", leaving only a few leaves at the top. She punched holes with a pencil and inserted the cuttings. The styrofoam held the clones in place. The water-nutrient solution contained flowering fertilizer at 1/4-strength and Olivia's rooting solution (a brand name). The heating mat kept the water in the tray at a constant warmth, in the low to mid-'70s. The aerator insured adequate supplies of oxygen to the stems. The flowering fertilizer was used to limit leaf growth and help stimulate root growth.

Part 4

Liz transplanted the seedlings to 6" pots about 90 days ago. Now half the garden has been harvested. The Early Pearls and some Northern Lights have blossomed, ripened, and been cut. This leaves some NL crosses, the Skunks, and Hash plant. Hash plant seems to be having a hard time flowering and probably needs a shorter light period The glands have filled with resin causing the buds to floresce. New pistil growth has stopped. The fan leaves are yellowing and dying, leaving the maturing buds naked. The tray and pot system worked extremely well. Liz now changes the water every two weeks and adds water as needed to keep the level at between one to two inches. the five-parts-lava-one-part-vermiculite mix stays moist through capillary action, but has large air spaces, so the roots always have oxygen. The water itself is aerated with a small fish-tank air pump. Roots have been growing out of the containers into the water trays. They look healthy and white. The clones, which were started last month, are now rooted, ready to be transplanted into the garden. They have been growing in a tray filled with water. They are supported by a styrofoam divider salvaged from a vegetable box. The water is kept at 75 degrees F. using a fish-tank thermostat-heater.

Part 5

Liz has harvested all of the plants in the garden, yielding between 6 and 8 ounces. She likes all of the plants, but especially the NL-Skunk crosses. Liz now has three growing areas. Her largest space, is the 4' x 4' flower room. Underneath this garden, she has built a small vegetative growth space which can handle either clones or plants which are less than 8" tall. It is lit using flourescent lights. This space is not being used right now, but will be soon. There are only a few clones left in the rooting chambers. The rest of them have been potted and placed in the flowering room, where they are being given constant light. Some of the plants which were harvested are also in the room. Most of the buds have been picked off them, leaving only leaves on a stem no higher than 12". The plants are expected to revert to vegetative cycle and then will be reflowered. The lighting cycle will be cut back to the flowering cycle of 12-on/12-off within a few weeks.

Part 6

All three of Liz's gardens are being used now. The rooting section, the stage two vegetative growth section and the flowering section have healthy plants. The rooting section consists of a glass baking dish filled with water slightly enriched with high phosphorous fertilizer. Styrofoam forms the float on the water, holding the clones in place. The water is aerated using a fish-tank pump and aerator unit. To promote rooting, the water is kept between 70-75 degrees F. using a plant heating mat. The second stage garden is where the rooted clones are fattened up before flowering. The space is lit by flourescents and allows the plants to get about a foot tall. The plants in Liz's main garden, where flowering takes place, are in early flowering and filling out. Most of these plants have already flowered once. After removing the buds from the plants, Liz let them go into a vegetative cycle by running the lights continuously. After a few weeks the flowereing cycle regimen of 12 hours light/12 hours darkness was reinstated. When plants are reflowered they tend to be very bushy. To eliminate small branches crowding the area, most are clipped off. Liz let most of the branches grow. As a result she has hundreds of flowering sites on each plant, but they are much smaller than they would be with fewer branches. Liz is away, so she has placed "water fountains" in her garden to make sure that the plants do not go dry. The reservoirs are designed to keep the water level at two inches. The water is stored in a 2-liter plastic soda bottle and travels through a small tube directly into the tray.

A tale of two gardens

A Tale of Two Gardens
##CONTINUE##
Liz started a garden to keep herself supplied with primo buds. She wanted an efficient low care system which would produce high quality buds without much effort. Since she did not have a lot of space to spare, Liz emptied a closet and prepared it to serve as a garden. She painted the 4'x4'x7' closet flat white and installed a heavy plastic tarp on the floor to prevent water spillage. She hung a 400-watt high pressure sodium (HPS) lamp from a hook in the ceiling with a chain so it was adjustable. A 20 lb. CO2 tank and short interval timer were placed in the chamber to inject the gas into it. A hole was made in the wall to vent an exhaust fan connected to a thermostate-humidostat. This was designed to keep the room termperature in the 70s and the humidity in the 50s. An oscillating fan was placed in the room to keep the air Circulating. (a negative-ion generator was used to control odor). Now it was time to start the seeds. Small rockwool cubes were placed in a tray and watered with a dilute solution of hydroponic vegetative growth stage fertilizer. The tray was drained of water so that only 1/4" - 1/2" layer remained. A seed and a label were poked 3/8" deep into each cube. The cubes were kept moist. The seeds, descendants of several varieties of Dutch seed, germinated in a few days and were ready for transplanting nine days later. The seeds were transplanted into round 6" diameter containers filled with pebble-sized crushed lava rock. The rock absorbs water and transports it through capillary action, much as a tissue moves water. Six containers were placed in each tray. An aerator was placed on the bottom of each of the five trays. Each aerator was attached to a gang valve which in turn was connected to a single small aquarium pump. The containers were watered from the top with a full-strength vegetative growth stage nutrient/water solution. About two to three inches of water was left in each tray for the lava to draw up, much like a wick. When the water level went down in the tray, unfertilized water was added.

Part 2

Last month, Liz transplanted into 6-inch containers. Liz's closet garden took off. In 30 days, the plants were 18" tall and growing very rapidly. Liz changed the fertilizer solution in the trays every 10 days and kept the light about two feet above the plants. She made sure that the water level in the trays was maintained at about two inches. During the month that she was away from the garden for a three and a four day stretch. Though the water level in the trays had dropped a bit when she returned, the plants were still healthy and doing fine. The plants looked vigorous and showed no signs of deficiencies. Shortly after these pictures were taken (sorry no pics), Liz turned the lights back to 12 hours to induce flowering.

Part 3

Liz's garden was in mid-flower. The buds were swelling and creating their characteristic definition. The Early Pearl and Northern Lights bids grew along main branches, developing their configurations, then swelling out. The Skunks were maturing slower, their buds growing large on the primary branches. The plants looked healthy with no sign of deficiency. They were growing fast and vigorously. The system continued working without a hitch. Liz added water to the trays as needed to keep a level between 1 and 2 inches. The fertilizer solution was changed in each tray every ten days. Liz changed over to flowering fertilizer when she turned the lights down to 12 hours. Still, the plants showed no signs of lack of nitrogen (N). Because of scheduling problems, Liz was unable to take cuttings off the plants until two weeks after turning the lights down. After taking the cuttings she placed them in the refridgerator for a few days until she had time to work on them. From bottom up, her cloning kit consisted of: + A small heating mat (sold in nurseries) over the wooden bookshelf + A plastic tray about three inches deep, filled with water + An aerator sitting at the bottom of the tray hooked to a pump + And an almost flat styrofoam plate salvaged from a fruit carton. (The plastic tray had melted into the mat a little, so it was replaced with a glass tray.) The clones were cut from the bottom of the plants. Liz trimmed them to about 2 1/2"-3", leaving only a few leaves at the top. She punched holes with a pencil and inserted the cuttings. The styrofoam held the clones in place. The water-nutrient solution contained flowering fertilizer at 1/4-strength and Olivia's rooting solution (a brand name). The heating mat kept the water in the tray at a constant warmth, in the low to mid-'70s. The aerator insured adequate supplies of oxygen to the stems. The flowering fertilizer was used to limit leaf growth and help stimulate root growth.

Part 4

Liz transplanted the seedlings to 6" pots about 90 days ago. Now half the garden has been harvested. The Early Pearls and some Northern Lights have blossomed, ripened, and been cut. This leaves some NL crosses, the Skunks, and Hash plant. Hash plant seems to be having a hard time flowering and probably needs a shorter light period The glands have filled with resin causing the buds to floresce. New pistil growth has stopped. The fan leaves are yellowing and dying, leaving the maturing buds naked. The tray and pot system worked extremely well. Liz now changes the water every two weeks and adds water as needed to keep the level at between one to two inches. the five-parts-lava-one-part-vermiculite mix stays moist through capillary action, but has large air spaces, so the roots always have oxygen. The water itself is aerated with a small fish-tank air pump. Roots have been growing out of the containers into the water trays. They look healthy and white. The clones, which were started last month, are now rooted, ready to be transplanted into the garden. They have been growing in a tray filled with water. They are supported by a styrofoam divider salvaged from a vegetable box. The water is kept at 75 degrees F. using a fish-tank thermostat-heater.

Part 5

Liz has harvested all of the plants in the garden, yielding between 6 and 8 ounces. She likes all of the plants, but especially the NL-Skunk crosses. Liz now has three growing areas. Her largest space, is the 4' x 4' flower room. Underneath this garden, she has built a small vegetative growth space which can handle either clones or plants which are less than 8" tall. It is lit using flourescent lights. This space is not being used right now, but will be soon. There are only a few clones left in the rooting chambers. The rest of them have been potted and placed in the flowering room, where they are being given constant light. Some of the plants which were harvested are also in the room. Most of the buds have been picked off them, leaving only leaves on a stem no higher than 12". The plants are expected to revert to vegetative cycle and then will be reflowered. The lighting cycle will be cut back to the flowering cycle of 12-on/12-off within a few weeks.

Part 6

All three of Liz's gardens are being used now. The rooting section, the stage two vegetative growth section and the flowering section have healthy plants. The rooting section consists of a glass baking dish filled with water slightly enriched with high phosphorous fertilizer. Styrofoam forms the float on the water, holding the clones in place. The water is aerated using a fish-tank pump and aerator unit. To promote rooting, the water is kept between 70-75 degrees F. using a plant heating mat. The second stage garden is where the rooted clones are fattened up before flowering. The space is lit by flourescents and allows the plants to get about a foot tall. The plants in Liz's main garden, where flowering takes place, are in early flowering and filling out. Most of these plants have already flowered once. After removing the buds from the plants, Liz let them go into a vegetative cycle by running the lights continuously. After a few weeks the flowereing cycle regimen of 12 hours light/12 hours darkness was reinstated. When plants are reflowered they tend to be very bushy. To eliminate small branches crowding the area, most are clipped off. Liz let most of the branches grow. As a result she has hundreds of flowering sites on each plant, but they are much smaller than they would be with fewer branches. Liz is away, so she has placed "water fountains" in her garden to make sure that the plants do not go dry. The reservoirs are designed to keep the water level at two inches. The water is stored in a 2-liter plastic soda bottle and travels through a small tube directly into the tray.

Aero-hydroponic

Aero-Hydroponics: The Method Of the Future

by Lawrence Brooke

##CONTINUE##
NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.

A Brief History

The aero-hydroponic method was developed in Israel in the early 1980's. Dr. Hillel Soffer, senior researcher at the Volcani Institute at Ein Gedi developed the aero-hydroponic method to overcome the challenges presented by the hot, arid conditions at Ein Gedi. The discoveries that followed the development of aero-hydroponics offer great benefits to all hydroponic growers. During a two-year period from 1986 to 1988, Dr. Soffer performed extensive research using the aero-hydroponic method at the University of California at Davis, where he had received his Ph.D. in the early 1970s. The specific area of research was in quantifying the effect of various levels of dissolved oxygen on root growth, especially in the propagation of plants from cuttings. The findings of his research were published in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, and HortScience. Both studies were co-authored with David Burger at UCD. In addition, Dr. Soffer presented his findings at the annual conference of the Hydroponic Society of America in 1988. Except for the papers mentioned above, very little has been printed up to now on the aero-hydroponic method. The method was patented internationally, though few licenses for the production of equipment have been granted. Without aggressive commercial support, the aero-hydroponic method has remained largely a research tool, known mostly to university researchers.In the meantime, the rockwool method was becoming available internationally following 12 years of exhaustive research and a strong marketing program with lots of investment in advertising, production and distribution, first in Europe and later in Japan. Following nearly a decade of rockwool use, the Dutch contacted Dr. Soffer to request permission to develop and use the aero-hydroponic method. The reason for the sudden interest of the Dutch in the aero-hydroponic method has implications for the development of hydroponic cultivation worldwide. For rockwool cultivation to work efficiently in most commercial operations it is preferred to a use a non-recirculating nutrient solution. Nutrient solution is sent on a one-way trip through the rockwool and is then discarded. The real cost advantage of rockwool cultivation over other hydroponic methods was that the nutrient did not have to be recaptured and recirculated, reducing the system complexity of reservoirs, plumbing, pumps and pH and conductivity controllers. The once-through nutrient system also reduces the problem of nutrient solution becoming imbalanced due to erratic uptake of minerals by rapidly growing plants; plus the build up of dissolved minerals from slowly dissolving rockwool. The discharge of enormous amounts of spent nutrient solution has become a major problem in Holland, contaminating surface and ground waters. Consequently, the Dutch government has prohibited the dumping of nutrients resulting in renewed interest in recirculating systems such as aero-hydroponics. As leaders in both horticulture and commercial hydroponics, the Dutch have recognized the value of a method, which enables rapid and trouble-free cultivation and eliminates the problems of disposing of spent nutrients and exhausted media.

The Aero-hydroponic Method

Aero-hydroponics is not a simple method to understand. The equipment required is somewhat more complicated than other hydroponic methods, but there is a great advantage in that once an aero-hydroponic system is set up, it will run almost indefinitely without additional investment in such disposable components as growing media and non-recirculating nutrients. What is most surprising about aero-hydroponics is not how it works, but why plants grow better. The key is dissolved oxygen at the root boundary zone. The essence of Dr. Soffer's work at UCD was in quantifying root growth in proportion to dissolved oxygen. Only the green parts of the plant can form oxygen from carbon dioxide - roots require a supply of oxygen for metabolism and growth. Plant growth in oxygen deficient conditions, such as those found in many soils, is limited. Dr. Soffer found the enhanced oxygen at the root zone produced enhanced growth. In aero-hydroponics, the nutrient solution is sprayed through the air in order to infuse the nutrient with dissolved oxygen. The method differs from classic aeroponics in that most of the plant's roots are not suspended in air and fed by a spray of nutrient solution; rather, the majority of the roots are submerged in oxygen-infused nutrient which is in constant motion in order to maintain high levels of dissolved oxygen at the root boundary zone where oxygen and nutrients are taken in by the plant. The result is a propagating tool of unsurpassed performance. Dr. Soffer was successful in propagating plant varieties at UCD that had never been propagated before. He took particular delight in propagating varieties of conifers and even pistachio trees (pistachio cuttings required 90 days to generate roots). Moreover, he found that cuttings could be rooted aero-hydroponically in purified water without using rooting hormones such as IBA or NAA. This is because plant tissue already contains the natural rooting hormone IAA (Indole Acetic Acid).

Aero-hydroponic Systems

Aero-hydroponic systems can be built using quite a variety of materials and in numerous design configurations. The Ein Gedi "Mini Unit" which was used at UCD for dissolved oxygen studies is a stand-alone module which supports four plants in 10 liters of nutrient solution. An electric motor mounted on the top of the unit spins a nutrient sprayer, which lifts nutrient solution and sprays it onto the "aerial roots." Additionally, the rotation causes the nutrient within the unit to stir, moving it constantly over the submerged roots. Large-scale aero-hydroponic systems follow the design of the commercial installation at Ein Gedi. These commercial systems consist of "canals" or growing chambers with plant sites on top. A pump provides the pressure to drive a system of sprayers to supply the aerial roots, while the submerged roots hang into the flowing nutrient in the canal. Both of these systems share fundamental characteristics, which define the aero-hydroponic method. The plants are supported above the flowing nutrient. The roots hang down through an air gap in which nutrient is sprayed, then into the moving nutrient solution below the air gap. The nutrient sprayed through the air gap is not so much intended to feed the plant, but rather to infuse oxygen into the nutrient solution wherein the feeder roots remain constantly submerged. It is these submerged roots in oxygen rich nutrient that provides most of the nutrition and oxygen for the plant.

Home Installation

The AeroFlo system is designed and built by General Hydroponics following the Aero-hydroponic method. It consists of a reservoir placed below the growing chambers, which support the plants. The nutrient in this system is changed every two weeks and the pH is adjusted to 5.5 to 6.5 and nutrient conductivity is maintained at about 800 to 1200 ppm. Since there is no growing medium except a handful of "GROROX" at each plant site, pH remains very stable and only requires an initial adjustment when mixing fresh nutrient, if the water supply is of good quality. The AERO-HYDROPONIC METHOD is without doubt the most advanced hydroponic method that has been developed to date. The cost of constructing and installing systems, plus the complications of obtaining licensing, have been deterrents to widespread commercial application. This is changing as commercial growers, researchers, serious hydroponic gardeners and manufacturers become aware of the capabilities and value of aero-hydroponics.

Hydroponic solutions

General Hydroponic Recipes Salt Fert Recipes
##CONTINUE##
Geeezz I like answers like this. This is the kind of discussions I am looking for. I wish i was as diplomat and fine writer like you. But unfortunatly I am not :) I am a rough, short fused ,undiplomatic and grouchy old fart. maybe reading messages like yours and ~shabang~ will teach me how to act properly here. I am working on it :) You got it right bro. If I would be newbie, I would not start with salt fert. It is simply too complicated. But when I did start growing many years ago, GH wasn't on the market yet,so I have had to learn to work with salt fert. And since then I can compare the difference between both type of fert. from seeing other crop of my friends who are using GH. And they keep asking me how to get the harsh taste out of their weed. But they wouldn't switch for salts, so I sure don't expect to convert everyone here :) I never did work with organic fert, since I wouldn't have a clue about what is going on in the substract when I would be adding some chem fert like GH. Impossible to know because of the large amount of mineral in organic fert, combine with Chemical fert, end up being a brew too hard to control. I don't like to not knowing what is going with my fertilization. The only thing I can say is as long as urea nitrate is used, it will be very hard to get a smooth taste with the finished product. urea Nitrate seem to stick forever in the plant and is so hard to wash out.

My friend have tried to rinse with water only for 2 weeks prior harvesting and they still have this harsh taste, and I don't. I don't cure neither. It is on the market 5 days after harvesting with no harsh taste and very sweet. Those who are using organic fert should not add micronutrient before half way thru the growing process. It is less harmfull to lack a bit of micronutrient than to have too much of them. Many peoples are overfeeding, wich create super problems. Don't forget that the guys selling the product wants you to use as much as possible , they want to make money. I suggest to those who want to do a test, to have a few plants with half the fert you are using for the other plants and see for yourself. Can you beleive i have been fertilizing my KONG weed only twice a week so far? and do they ever grow fast these guys. You can see when your plant is ready for another shot of fert because of the top leaves getting paler green. The main thing is better less fert than too much. when nutrient start to lock up it is very hard to know what to use to undo this since we can't know exactly what is locked up with what. if you don't overfertilize you won't get fert lock up. Micronutrient are the most touchy part about fertilizing. It has to do with the kind of water you are using. Other thing that growers should know is the amount of oxygen the roots system get. OK ,P2O5 has 5 atoms of oxygen for 2 phosphorus,but as soon as you balance your ph the O5 is reacting and oxydize turning iron to rust and zn to who knows what, instead of giving the oxygen to the roots. This is why it is an incredible mess to describe. If anyone wants to learn more about all of this go to this url . EVERYTHING is there. Full course on nutrient and all.

Doesn't matter if they talk about tomatoes, super site to learn about ferts. read the section about Soil reaction (ph) they know what they are talking about. Will save me a lot of typing :) i hope this help Bye for now and thanx for the input. I needed that :)

I would give some tricks about salt fert only if there are someone using this kind of fertilizer right now,or intend too. It would be useless for me to post on salt fert if nobody plan to use it. If there is someone who is starting with salt fert, let me say this: don't be surprise to see larger leaves and paler as well. Don't overuse Nitrate to try to get the same dark green as GH would do, the leaves are very happy with this paller green. The plant will grow much faster than with other type of fert so you will have to watch closely cause it will go fast and you will have to keep track of the calcium Nitrate ,because it is the only Composant of all the familly to watch for. Calcium Nitrate does wonder but can kill the plant too if missused. The other composants will stay the same ratio during all the plant life, only the amount will vary. You don't have to use K2SO4 ,instead raise the KH2PO4 and KN03, slightly. Overfeeding is easily recognised with salt Fert because of the rapidity of this type of ferts to work. If you start seeing Nitrate overfert, Rinse the medium and let the plant drink the water. you won't burn them unless you fertilize when the medium is too dry. Over feeding with P or K is very rare with salt fert . The only one to watch for will be the Micro nute, don't overuse it, and the Calcium Nitrate. If i get some peoples interested on this subject, i will post later on the WONDER of Calcium Nitrate and all the Good things this stuff can do to your plant. Friendly yours Frenchie ... O.M. is gonne

I hand water ,in Promix#4, i use a garbage container about 80 liter. One is filled with water and Monophosphate potassium KH2PO4 (one small plastic fert cup) Micro nutes and one tea spoon of MgSO4 (half a fert cup)depending if the water in your locality is hard or soft. hard water contain enough Magnesium , Calcium and sulfates to do the job. I use this Mix for Washing twice a week. If the promix is too dry, use plain water ,wait 2 hours then fertilize. The other container is filled with the full recipe.Smaller the plant ,more water i use (to let the medium get dry ,good for the roots). The solution has to be as fresh as possible, not cold.When you fill up the reservoirs, make sure to make as much bubbling with the hose to oxygenate the water. At the rate the plants will drink,you should never have some old solution. When flowering,i use half and half (both reservoir)so i can play with the Nitrates. Fresh Promix should keep his PH in good shape aqll the way. Overwatering degrade the peatmoss . With salt ferts to tell you the thruth, the last time i did check the PH was 15 years ago and was neutral so i never checked it again since. The only way I can see if something goes wrong is by looking at the leaves and the way they grow. The growth will be very consistant, so if something goes wrong,you can see it. The only fert to watch is like i said calcium Nitrate, this stuff on an very thirsty (dry) will kill it in 4 hours. If you see the tip of the leaves turning brown, flush with water and let it dry and pray. I 'll stop here for now. waiting for questions.

calling it monophosphate potassium may get some strange looks across the counter, better to call it monopotassium phosphate. True there is only one phosphorus atom per molecule and thus "mono = one" says monophosphate is fine, the ambiguity in the compound is the number of potassium atoms present as the phosphate can attract one, two or three potassiums, thus it is better to specify "monopotassium phosphate" and there'll be no ambiguity as to the number of potassium atoms per phoshate compound. Using a heater would do, just make sure you make some Bubling each day to keep the oxygen level nice. If you go with a Pump system,then the water get oxyganeted with the flow and spraying. One can for example: make a new solution, go with it for one day, if half the solution is left in the reservoir,add water for the next day. Then discard waht's left ,to get a fresh solution on the third day. The best is to be able to use the solution as quickly as possible but i sometime use the same solution for up to 4 days if i don't have enough plants and too much solution. After stretching wich was minimal the Kong went down to a more normal level as water intake.... When one plant is processing at least one liter of fluid a day, you can say... it is in shape and growing. 2 liter a day, you're in business. :)