One of the major benefits of hydroponics is that you can grow anywhere and anytime of the year. I recently stumbled across a project called Window Farms from www.windowfarms.org.  Basically the concept behind them is that you can grow indoors in any space, but specifically in spaces without a lot of room.  See below:

“Researchers have argued that to grow some of his own food is the most effective action an individual can take for environment, not only because of the food industry’s heavy carbon footprint but also because participating in agricultural production cultivates a valuable skill set around sustainability issues.

Many neighborhoods (particularly low income ones) in cities aroun the world are considered food deserts, meaning little fresh food is easily accessible. Residents tend to consume processed, packaged, and canned food having depleated nutrients.

Few other projects provide opportunities for such direct personal involvement, make this productive use of existing construction, or so directly target urban dwellers estranged from agricultural issues.

Inner city dwellers can grow their own food in their apartment or office windows throughout the year by means of these elegant, inexpensive, vertical, hydroponic vegetable gardens made from recycled materials or items available at the local hardware store. The first system produced 25 plants and a salad a week in mid winter in a dimly lit 4’ x 6’ NYC window.”

If you go to www.windowfarms.org you can download instructions for creating a kit.  It’s just a great thing to see hydroponics growing to all areas and new ideas for growing spreading.

The holidays are quickly upon us and then the end of the year.  The holiday season always sneaks up on us and comes with a wrath of emotions and expressions.  Then it’s on to New Years resolutions and what we’ll do next year that we should’ve done this year.  The same cycle happens every year, but this years a bit different.  We’ve hit a down turn in the economy — it’s affected everybody.  We’ve also brought the idea of health care and how it should be handled to the forefront.  No matter which side of the aisle you sit, it is very obvious that changes need to be made in policy towards health care… or do they? 

 I was reading today an article in Urban Garden Magazine entitled “Food for Thought” and it brought up some interesting points, but also pointed the health problems in America–obesity, cancer, and so forth right back at us, the consumer.  “Nutrition as it is today, does not supply the strength necessary for manifesting the spirit in the physical life. A bridge can no longer be built from thinking to will and action.  Food plants can no longer contain the forces people need for this.” (Steiner, The Agriculture Course)  Food has become about quantity over quality.  “Take, for example, the tomato.  If we could only compare a tomato today versus a tomato 100 years ago on a scale of nutrient density, we would see a dramatic difference in the two pieces of fruit; the 100 year old fruit being much more healthy and nutrient dense.” (Urban Garden Magazine) Now there’s no way to test such a statement, but what it brought to my attention was the need to pay more attention to what we are fueling our bodies with. 

Science has advanced and has let us grow the most perfect fruits and vegetables year around no matter the climate, but we are still fueling our bodies with junk food. Now it’s nearly impossible for a busy household to grow and maintain enough food for them to live without buying outside resources, but if everyone took a deeper look at how they could fit producing fresh fruit and vegetables into their daily life we may solve health care.  I have no hard evidence or scientific studies, well not on hand at least, but as always said, to eat healthy avoid the black hole in the middle of supermarkets–shop the outside.  Better yet, why not grow the outside yourself.  Hydroponics has allowed for the rapid growth of food year round and with less space.  So how does this bring us back to the holidays and the new year?  Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate how we get our food and what we fuel our bodies with.  I’m not saying cut off from society and start a community farm, but every bit helps and with technology and innovation it’s easier and more available than ever before. 

If you haven’t hear of hydroponics, check it out.  Google it and read about it.  Beyond being more sustainable, the hydroponics practice is often more energy efficient and more environmentally aware.  There are a ton of great resources out there.  So when you’re thinking about the holidays this year, take a look at hydroponics, it’s something everyone can get behind and can bring communities together.

I stumbled upon a section on Co2 in the “How to Supercharge Your Garden” book written by Graham Reinders and illustrated by Marseene Mainly. I thought I’d share a piece of the chapter as it kind of made me laugh inside, but also displays our innate relationship with nature and the plants that we grow. See below and enjoy;

“People laughed when it was claimed that playing music to plants made them grow better.  It really did because the sound vibrations actually strengthen the stem fibers, shorten the internode length, and cause stress growth reactions  from the plants.”

(Go figure.  I wonder which genres produce best results.  It might depend on the plant…)

“Then people laughed when it was claimed that singing to plants made them grow better.  However, it is true.  The CO2 from human breath actually makes plants grow faster.  If you and a few gardeners stay in the indoor garden area during the light period, the plants would do very well.”

(So I’m not that crazy after all.  I knew my tomatoes loved a morning serenade.)

“It is thought that the massive plants that developed millions of years ago had lived in an environment with much more carbon dioxide in it.  In their evolution, the plants will maintained the capacity to use much more carbon dioxide than the world has now.”

(So create more CO2? Not so sure on this one…)

“Luckily in smoggy cities, the CO2 level can be as high as 500 PPM, and by just having a good circulating fan, the plants should have enough CO2 for a medium-light indoor garden.”

(Yes luckily.  And we’re located just outside of LA, so we’re very lucky!  So smog is good?)

“A high-light garden with the carbon dioxide amount increased from an ambient level of 300 PPM to a high level of 2,000 PPM can nearly double plant growth.”

(Bring on the Co2)

This book is a great resource and walks you through a number of areas dealing with both growing in general and hydroponics.  A must read for anyone interested in growing.

Check it out…

Need a little Jump Start?  Hydroponics Unlimited is giving you a free litre of Advanced Nutrients Jump Start when you purchase $100 or more of any Advanced Nutrients products from hydroponicsunlimited.com. If that’s not enough we’ve got a full line of hydroponics and growing supplies for beginners to experts.  Furthermore, got a question, need some help getting started?  Contact us and we’ll help you start growing GIANT TOMATOES!

What’s the best light for seedlings?
I have a 250w MH and a 400w MH. I think I’ll go with the 250w to keep electric costs down. I would use fluorescents but I’m not sure if they’ll put out enough light. Is the 250w too much on seedlings?
The best light for cloning and seedlings is a fluorescent T-12 tube.  This full spectrum fluorescent is ideal for seedlings.  You can purchase this light from HydroponicsUnlimited.com.
http://www.hydroponicsunlimited.com/product/BUAG24.html