With Christmas just around the corner, it’s never too early to start crossing items off your gift to-do list. To make your life easier, we have put together a list of Hydroponics gifts for under $20. Make your friends’ and family’s Christmas a little merrier with the gift of hydroponics!

Smart Pots

These soft growing containers allow more air to reach the growing medium and roots, improving drainage and keeping the root system from overheating on hot days. Smart Pots start at only $4! Buy Now!

Hydroponics and Microforms CD Rom

This informational CD allows you to view over 1000 pages of practical, easy to follow information on hydroponics, aquaculture, urban forestry. Only $18.95. Buy Now!

“The Best of Growing”

Are your friends interested in hydroponics? Check out our 3 different volumes of “The Growing Edge” Magazine-a compilation of various growing articles. Volumes start at only $18.95! Buy Now!

The Hydroponics “Gift Basket”

Buy a variety of these small gifts and put together your very own “Hydroponics Gift Basket”

Mini Clipper: Ideal for cutting & trimming flowers. Only $2.95. Buy Now!

Bonsai Shears: Larger than the clippers, these also work great for trimming and cutting flowers. Only $9.95. Buy now!

Trellis Netting: Get your friends or family started with growing tomatoes, beans, grapes, clematis, sweet peas, or other vining plants. This netting comes in 2 sizes and starts at only $5.95! Buy now!

International Measure Mug: Make measuring easy! This great mug cross references all values and is large and sturdy. Only $12.95. Buy Now!

Temperature Gauge: This floating gage delivers easy and accurate readings of your water temperature. Reads in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. Only $1.95. Buy now!

For other gift ideas, go to  Hydroponics Unlimited Growing Gifts. Happy Holidays!

As Sir Francis Bacon said, “knowledge is power” and nothing is truer for survival in an industry that is vastly and quickly expanding. America’s Best constantly strives to be ahead of the curve with product knowledge and trends and also in educating their customers.

“Knowing hydroponics systems and products and how to set up a grow room is the key to growing successfully—we help you through the entire process,” Paul said. “We constantly

test new products and give customers samples to try and request their feedback. It’s a network.”

America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center and its employees are continually educating themselves.

“Always reading, trying new products, talking to manufacturers, attending grow shows,” Paul said. “…myself and all my employees.”

“I have personally used all the products I carry and I know they work,” he said. “We want to make sure the customers are educated and comfortable using the product before they leave the store.”

“We pre-program and calibrate all of the pH and PPM meters before we sell them,” Paul said. “We have custom nutrient/grow room charts that show all the nutrient and grow room high/low parameters to help keep the PPM, pH, air temperature, water temperature, CO2 levels and humidity at the correct levels for optimum growth. We always have up-to-date catalogs, magazines, feeding charts and various literature for the customer to take home with them, for free, to help further their education.”

America’s Best is known for their helpful and experienced staff. “Word around Antelope Valley is we love to help,” he said. “If you educate the customers and help them reach a successful crop, they will come back and bring their friends!”

In 2005, with the encouragement of friends—many of whom Paul introduced and educated about indoor gardening—Paul opened the first hydroponics store in the Antelope Valley, Palmdale Hydroponics. “They told me I was a true pioneer of hydroponics,” Paul said.

Paul’s experience with growing started long before he opened Palmdale Hydroponics. With a father who was an engineer as well as a landscaper and mother that was a “plant fanatic” it was only natural that Paul became interested in growing. In high school he took horticulture and continued growing outdoors for seven years before starting with indoor gardening.

“In 1988, I started growing indoors,” Paul said. “The first hydroponics store to open in the entire country wasn’t far from my home. It was there I received my first lessons in hydroponics and bought everything I needed to start my own hydroponics system.”

For the next 18 years Paul developed his expertise of indoor gardening. His passion for horticulture and expertise in hydroponics leads him to believe that hydroponics is the way of the future.

“When hyperinflation hits the U.S., this is when you will start to see hydroponics systems in every home,” he said. “Like the computer, this will be a modern tool for everyday living.” Hyperinflation increases the prices of all food products forcing people to purchase inexpensive low quality processed foods, which in turn leads to an unhealthy population. Hydroponics can help combat this.

“Many of the fruits and vegetables we consume are being waxed, died, sprayed with pesticides and exposed to radiation, which is extremely harmful to humans and the environment,” Paul said. “This is just another reason why everyone should learn hydroponics.”

When Paul opened Palmdale Hydroponics, he was the sole employee for the first year.

In 2007, Paul’s fiancée, Victoria Wouk came on board. “Her master’s degree in business administration and marketing has really helped the business expand to other avenues,” he said. “In 2009 we launched our online store HydroponicsUnlimited.com, which she runs.”

At the beginning of 2010, Paul moved to a new location that could better serve their clientele and customers.

“We moved to a 3,000 square foot location with a roll-up door for easy loading,” he said. “We felt that this new fullystocked location (one-stop-shop) deserved a new name and decided on ‘America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center’.”

With the launch of the website America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center created an additional avenue to offer their products and expertise to their customers. The online store allows them to reach customers throughout the United States and give them the same benefits that Antelope Valley locals have been receiving since 2005. The online market has become saturated with new stores opening all the time, but America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center remains optimistic that quality will beat quantity.

“Online is the future,” Victoria said. “It’s a marketplace that you need to be in these days.”

America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center has over 2,800 products, many demos and interactive displays, a convenient location, an online store and new and innovative products.

As written on their website, “…whether you are a beginner or experienced, growing hydroponics herbs on the windowsill of your apartment or operating a full-service hydroponic greenhouse we have what you need from organic nutrients, additives, supplements, grow mediums, to a full range of bulbs, meters, controllers and complete grow systems.”

It comes down to integrity, honesty and hard work that have contributed and will continue to contribute to America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center’s success and growth.

“This is an extremely difficult business,” Paul said. “You really need to do your research and know what you are getting into. You just have to take it one day at a time, always moving forward and making progress. One thing for sure is you have to love a challenge.”

America’s Best Hydroponics and Garden Center is located just off Highway 14 on Palmdale Blvd. tucked behind a main shopping center. The new location attracts to new customers, makes it easier for customers to load and receive their products, and since it is not on the main boulevard, this decreases traffic and allows for plenty of parking space.

Download the PDF Maximum Yield Talking Shop – June 2011

JD Lightings high performing Electronic Ballasts are a technological revolution that creates energy efficiency and produces more Lumen output than magnetic ballasts. This grow light system works with both Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Lamps . They are silent, lightweight, extremely efficient – 99.9% power factor, soft starting, increases lamp life and reduces lumen depreciation. They eliminate the need for conversion lamps or multiple light systems. MH lamps are better suited for seedlings and vegetation stages, while HPS lamps promotes fruiting and flowering.

Dimmable Features

50% 75% 100% and 110%

E-Ballast Features

• Extruded aluminum housing is engineered to dissipate heat and keep the components cool.
• Resin-sealed case for completely silent operation
• Resettable circuit breaker for short circuit protection.
• Wire core 120/240V compatible
• Completely silent and lightweight
• Operates both HPS & MH lamps
• Extremely efficient – 99% power factor
• Detachable power cord that allows easy change over
• Available in 250, 400, 600, and 1000 Watts
• 5-YEAR WARRANTY — 3 year full + 2 year prorated

1. Botanicare Nutrient Charts: We have taken the pdf of the nutrient chart provided by Botanicare and uploaded it to Hydroponics Unlimited so that it is easily accessible: Check it out at http://hydroponicsunlimited.com/mm5/nutrientfeedsched_PALM.html

2. General Hydroponics Nutrient Chart: Not only does General Hydroponics provide a basic display of their nutrients, but they also have a fully functional application with Nutrient System, System Type, Water Type, Program Level and Feeding Schedule.  Check it out at http://www.generalhydroponics.com/calculator/index.html

3. Advanced Nutrients Calculator: Advanced Nutrients has a nice nutrient calculator: Check it out at http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/calc/

4. Canna Nutrients: Canna has some great resources that help you use their products: Check it out at http://www.canna-uk.com/grow_info

5. Hydroponics Dictionary: Hydroponics Dictionary has a handy application that does common hydroponics calculations: Check it out at http://hydroponicsdictionary.com/hydroponics-tools/

Download Proper Plant Conditions (pdf)

2. Flush plants every three weeks with a flush product or water with 1/4 strength nutrients and Cannazym or Hygrozyme.

3. No need to run CO2 when lights are off (nighttime). The plants make their own CO2.

4. If you run CO2, run the temperature at 76 – 80 degrees when the lights are on.

5. CO2 levels should be at 600 – 900 during the Vegetated stage.

6. CO2 levels during the Flower stage should be at 1100 – 1500.

7. First watering should be when the lights first come on (morning).

8. Last watering should be 1-1/2 hours before the lights shut off (most mediums).

9. Change your nutrients every 7-14 days.

10. Always pour your nutrients in your reservoir one at a time so they mix slowly.

11. Always keep an air bubbler and air stone in your reservoir for oxygen.

12. Never water plants when the lights are off unless the plants look like they are wilting from no water (this is very rare).

13. If using R/O water, add Calcium/Magnesium/Iron.

14. Spray your plants 45 minutes before turning lights on (or when the leaves are dry).

15. Spray water temperature should be between 75 – 85 degrees (luke warm).

16. I recommend using Foliar Spray all thru the vegetative stage and once every 5-7 days during

the first 3 weeks of flower.

17. PH is how acidic or how alkaline your water or nutrients are. Hydro = 5.3 – 6.3 , Soil = 6.2 – 7.2

18. The following meters measure your nutrients/food levels. PPM (Parts Per Million) , TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) , EC (Electro Conductivity)

19. I highly recommend Microbial Inoculants like Nature’s Solution Tea or Great White.

20. Store all your nutrients in a cool and dark place.

21. Spray plants for bugs every 7-10 days (spray for spider mites every 3 days) or use an auto sprayer 24/7.

22. If water temperature falls below 63 degrees, add a heater. If water temperature above 76 degrees, add a water chiller.

From Hydroponix:

What makes a good Cloning Gel or Solution?

There are four main ingredients in a cloning solution: water or dry base, the active ingredient, vitamins/minerals, and antibacterial/antifungal elements.  Each element is an important ingredient and plays a major role in promoting root development.

The water, sometimes gel, combines the active ingredient, vitamins, minerals and antibacterial elements.  For some cloning solutions, the water is replaced with a dry base.  In other solutions, the water is combined to form a gel which helps to remain in place around the plant stem increasing the amount of time the stem remains in contact with the solution.  The water or dry base also helps to seal the end of the cutting preventing water loss and other harmful elements from entering.

The active ingredient is usually a hormone or a group of hormones.  There are several that are commonly used at various strengths.  This ingredient is what initiates root cell formation.  Common hormones are IBA and NAA.

The vitamins and minerals provide essential elements to help feed the newly formed roots as well as keeping the plant nourished.  A common vitamin is B1.

The antibacterial and or antifungal ingredients prevent bacteria and fungus from growing.  Rooting usually takes place in 5 – 10 days which is a sufficient amount of time for bacteria or fungus to enter the cutting and take over.  These ingredients help to neutralize these harmful elements.

Not all cloning solutions are created equal.  A number of them are missing one or more of the essential elements.  Some may have too much or too little of each important element, particularly the active ingredient and antibacterial or antifungal elements.  Always do your homework and talk to others to find out their success with a particular product.

1. The environment is sustained and controlled minimizing the usage of water, green house gasses and does not contaminate the environment.
2. Hydroponics grows more plants and more vegetables and the production quantity directly increases by ten times than the natural environment.
3. Ground water gets saved as you do not have to irrigate large patches of land.
4. Control over nutrient balance.
5. Significant reduction of soil pests and diseases.
6. pH and nutrient levels are simple to measure and maintain.
7. When you use less pesticides the quality of taste of the fruits and vegetables is much higher and is also less harmful to people who eat them.
8. Hydroponics cultivation can be done within city limits and fruits and vegetables can be grown in urban areas — less distance between producer and buyer.

A few disadvantages that have been noted are:

1. The cost of starting a hydroponic garden are greater than soil gardens, but these trends are starting to change.
2. Pumps and other electronics such as Timers susceptible to power outages — but this is easily fixed by having back up pumps and other equipment.
3. Another often noted disadvantage is that hydroponics is more technical — this may be true, you can’t just throw a seed in the ground and water it, but if that was your gardening method you’d probably never get into hydroponics.

Hydroponics has the ability to change the way the world looks at food production.  We can produce much larger yeilds in smaller spaces than traditional soil gardening using less water.  All these things will be very important as populations continue to grow and land, water and food become less readily available.  Let the hydroponics revolution begin!