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Issue 52: USA & Canada

Control

Being in control of your garden can be challenging. Outdoor growing is subject to the elements and changing weather patterns. Extreme weather can wreak havoc on your plants; protecting them can sometimes be impossible. When growing indoors, you are ultimately in complete control. Or at least you should be. 

Things can go wrong, even when you have all the equipment running like clockwork. I recently bumped into my timer and added 30 minutes of light to my night cycle. Luckily, I have equipment that measures and logs data such as temperature, humidity, VPD, and light levels. I could see the blip of light on when it shouldn’t have been. I might have never caught it if it wasn’t for my NIWA controller. I also use AirComfort, a similar product that measures and logs the same data. These two products are affordable and easily integrated, allowing you to know what is happening in your room and send a notification if something is off.

Indoor growers rely on technology to help them create the perfect environment. Adam Clarke, our HVAC guru, gives his take on VPD in “Psychometrics, Vapor Pressure and the Seemingly Never-Ending Chase for your Setpoint.” Rich Hamilton breaks down the best temperatures for each stage of a plant’s life in “The Importance of Temperature Control.” If you are new to LEDs or still trying to figure out what environmental and nutritional needs your garden has compared to HPS, check out “LED to Stress” by Everest Fernandez.

While many extra factors come into play when growing outdoors, a couple of our writers have taken the bull by the horns to ensure their gardens make it to harvest. In “The Benefits of Using Shade Cloth on Yield and Quality of Vegetable Harvests,” Anne Gibson writes about protecting her plants from the blistering heat. In “Passive Solar Geothermal Greenhouse at the 45th Parallel,” Marci Babineau explains how her backyard venture has led to better self-sustainability throughout a cold Canadian winter.   

If your grow room requires a technical upgrade, why wait? Visit your local hydro shop and get that new LED, controller, pH meter, and silica. You may pick up some pointers from experienced gardeners at the same time!

Happy Gardening

 

In this issue

Passive Solar Geothermal Greenhouse at the 45th Parallel

It’s not easy becoming more self-sustainable in a cold climate, but Marci Babineau is going the extra mile with her passive solar geothermal greenhouse.

5 Cool Ways To Light Up Your Indoor Growing Space

Ready to let your green thumb shine in your indoor growing space? You’ll need good lighting for that! Here are some ways to make that happen for your plants.

Duchess Farms

South Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Fresh-cut flowers grown without pesticides and herbicides? Yes, please! Duchess Farms grows beautiful seasonal blooms for the community to enjoy.

Galiano Grow House

Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada

Galiano Island is picturesque but remote. Galiano Grow House is striving to create a strong local food economy and healthy people.

Garden Travels: Quebec’s Reford Gardens Are Good For The Soul

Road Trip! Catherine Sherriffs and her family make the 11-hour trek from the Laurentians to the Gaspesie, making a pit stop at the breathtaking Reford Gardens.

Chlorine and Plants, Almost Everything You Need to Know

We know gardens need water to thrive, but have you considered your H20 source? Keaton Haines explains how too much chlorine might impact your plants.

Crop Shading: Using Shade Cloths for Veggie Gardens

Take steps to protect your crops from sunburn and heat stress. Anne Gibson explains that home gardeners can get better harvests using tools like shade cloth.

A Grower’s Guide To Staggering Mushroom Harvests

Growing and eating mushrooms is all the rage these days! Xavi Kief guides us through staggering mushroom harvests so we can enjoy them longer.