New and updated EZ-Clone 128

The EZ-Clone 128 site cloning machine has been updated.  Check out the flyer below for a look at the new design and a list of the new features.  These are in stock in both of our locations.

Open Sesame, Beastie Bloomz and Cha Ching - New 15 lb. Size

Foxfarm's three popular solubles now come in a larger 15 lb. size.  MSRP is $164.95 which works out to be $11.00/lb, for a huge savings.  

Our 2015 Seed Picks

The outdoor gardening season is upon us in the northeast, and if you've been looking forward to it since last year, you've probably already started the bulk of your seeds by now.  For plants like peppers and tomatoes, you're at that almost-too-late point to start from seed, but if you're determined enough do not wait any longer.  You still have plenty of time for your fall and winter greens/vegetables, and we've got some great picks for this year.  The only seeds we sell are from High Mowing Organic Seeds - they're 100% organic and now Non-GMO Project Verified.  They are the first seed company in the United States to be recognized by that organization, look for the label:

We carry a variety of their seeds, but here are our favorites for 2015:

Sylvetta Wild Arugula - One of the spiciest and most flavorful of all of the arugula varieties (in our opinion), a great salad or micro green.  Plants grow slowly, stay compact and are very resistant to temperature extremes (slow to bolt and make for a great fall/winter crop).

Golden Nugget Tomato - These plants produce a LOT of tomatoes, starting pretty early on in the season.  1-inch, juicy fruit, resistant to cracking.

Rosie Basil - We love the unique dark purple color of this basil, plus it is very aromatic with strong stems and uniform germination.  Great as a micro green, too.

Bangles Mini Bell Pepper Blend - A pretty mix of different shades of mini bell peppers (fruit develop to about 1.5" wide).  Each plant has a different color of pepper that ripens to red, gold or chocolate. 

Chioggia Guardsmark Beet - An improved strain of the traditional heirloom Italian Chioggia beet, these have better uniformity and are bolt-tolerant.  Plus the "bullseye" markings just look cool.  

Toma Verde Tomatillo - It is very hard to find organic tomatillos, so why not grow your own?  Tart when picked early, fruit get sweeter as they ripen.  Make your own salsa verde.

Tadorna Leek - A great fall/winter crop, but they need a long season (110 days to maturity).  You want to get these going and in the ground ASAP, that way you can start harvesting them in the fall.  We like the Tadorna strain due to their strong disease resistance.  

Pirat Lettuce - This heirloom lettuce variety is one of our absolute favorites.  Not only does it have great flavor, coloring and texture, it can handle almost anything.  Heat tolerant, resistant to downy mildew, tip burn, white mold and bacterial head rot.  Perfect for an outdoor garden but works just as well indoors.  

NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT: CANNA COCO BRICKS

Canna Coco (the best-selling premium coco coir growing medium) is now available in a brick.  Same superior quality as their bags of Coco, only more compact and easy to transport.  Each 40 Liter package comes with 2 bags that contain one brick each.  Each brick expands when wet to 20 Liters (approximately 7.5 dry gallons) and can easily be broken in half for 10 Liter portions.  This product is the perfect solution for people who want the ease of transportation of a coco brick but without sacrificing the quality of their coco medium itself, plus it is very cost-effective.  Visit Canna's website for a more in-depth look. 

Products We Love: Xtreme Gardening's Line of Beneficials

Beneficials are often overlooked in nutrient regimens, and the benefits FAR outweigh the costs.  Xtreme Gardening's line of beneficials is pretty complete and easy to add into any feeding/nutrient regimen you're already using.

Mykos is a pure Mycorrhizal inoculant.  Add it to any soil or growing medium to improve root growth, ease transplant shock and increase nutrient absorption.  It also comes in a wettable powder (WP) for use in water (mix it into your water with or without your other nutrients before watering your plants, or add it to your hydroponic system).

Azos is a very unique beneficial bacteria that makes nitrogen from the air processable for plants while also increasing the root zone.  This is great when starting seedlings and cuttings because the plants are getting "grow food" (nitrogen) naturally, so they're getting off to a great start before they're big enough to start getting fed actual nutrients.

Their tea brews are not only very easy to make, but they help with overall plant health and vigor while also breaking down other nutrients and making them more available to your plants.  The tea brews come in two parts: the "brew" and the activator.   If you don't have a tea brewer, you can make your own with a five gallon bucket, an air pump, air tubing and air stone.  Add tea brew to water, then add activator, then allow to "brew" for 24 hours for flowering plants or 48 hours for growing plants.

There is also CalCarb, which is a calcium based foliar spray for enhanced leaf and cell growth.

All of their products are compatible with almost all growing mediums and nutrient lines, so adding them to your schedule will only make your plants perform better.  Come in for some more info and to try some free samples.

Calcium Deficiency: Signs, Causes and Cures

The most common nutrient deficiency that our customers face is a calcium deficiency.  When you encounter it for the first time, it can be scary.  You might freak out and think your plants are dying.  They're not, they're just showing you that they need something.  It is very easy to diagnose and fix, hopefully this helps.

Signs:

The first sign of a calcium deficiency is yellow spotting on the leaves.  If left untreated, the yellow spots will start to become brown in the center and will eventually spread over the entire affected leaves.  They will then start to dry out, shrivel up and die.

From issue 24 of CannaTalk Magazine

Causes:

- Unbalanced pH.

pH is one of the most important factors in gardening.  If the pH level of your growing medium or nutrient solution isn't in the proper range, typically from 5.5 to 6.5, certain nutrients can't be absorbed by the plant.  So even though you may be feeding your plants everything they need to grow well and perform, they might not actually be taking it in.  You can check your pH with a variety of tools.  For testing water: paper pH test strips, pH indicator solution (General Hydroponics makes an inexpensive test kit, and a complete control kit that comes with pH Up and pH Down to adjust your pH) or a digital pH pen.  For testing soil: A soil tester that is cone-shaped with a dial or a Bluelab digital soil pH meter (the inexpensive pH testers with the long metal probes are unfortunately not very accurate).  With container gardening, you can always test the water you're feeding your plants and then the run-off from the bottom of the containers and "ballpark" the difference (for example, if your water is reading 6.0 and your run-off is reading 7.0, you can safely assume your medium has a pH of around 8.0).

Cure:  In hydroponics, you can simply adjust the pH of your nutrient solution with pH Up (which is alkaline) or pH Down (which is acidic).  In soil it will take a little longer to stabilize the pH (it takes longer to fix any problem in soil than it does in hydroponics), but you would do it using the same principle as reading the run-off.  For example, if your soil has a pH reading of 4.0, you would want to water with a solution that measures 8.0 for a few waterings to bring it up to 6.0.

- Using nutrients that don't have a high enough dose of Calcium.

New York, especially the five boroughs, has some of the cleanest water in the country (minus the chlorine) which means that it doesn't have a very high nutrient/mineral content.  This is typically a good thing because when your water starts out with a low PPM/EC/TDS/CF (all of the units of measure that are used to measure the amount of "stuff" in your water), you have more room to feed your plants the nutrients that they actually want and need.  When your water starts out with more "stuff" in it, you are limited in how much you can add to it to feed your plants.  When starting with water with a very low PPM (Parts Per Million, which is the most common unit of measure in the US in our industry), you have to make sure that you're adding all of the essential micro and macro nutrients for plant growth, in the proper ratios for the specific stage of growth that your plants are in.  That sounds complicated, but most of the base nutrients you see have a pretty well-balanced blend of these elements.  That said, sometimes plants need more.

Cure:  Use a calcium supplement (usually a blend of calcium and magnesium) such as General Hydroponics' CALiMAGic, which contains 5% calcium, 1.5% magnesium, 1% nitrogen and .1% iron (all of the most commonly deficient nutrients in the vegetative stage), or Aptus' Massboost which contains 7% calcium, 5% nitrogen and 1% magnesium.  Within a week or 2 this should fix your calcium deficiency.  New growth should start looking green and healthy.  (If you'd like to speed up the recovery process, when your plants are in their vegetative stage you can foliar-feed the Massboost.  Just be sure to follow their recommendations for foliar-feeding and always spray when the lights are off, or at sundown if growing outdoors.)

- Under-feeding

Sometimes plants just want more food.  If your pH is on point and you're using a good nutrient that contains a higher percentage of calcium, look for signs of other deficiencies.  For a chart of what all of the major nutrient deficiencies look like, come in for a free copy of CannaTalk issue 24.  If you see signs of a calcium deficiency, but maybe it looks like a nitrogen deficiency too, and also kind of iron (or some other mix..) you might not be feeding them enough.

Cure:  Try and increase the amount of food you're giving them, but be very careful.  Adding too much, too soon, can cause over-fertilization and burn your plants.  This is when a PPM meter comes in handy.  You can know exactly how much you're feeding your plants and make notes of what they want, and when they want it.  We usually recommend increasing your nutrients by only 100-150 PPM at a time.

- Nutrient Antagonism

Sometimes when it looks like you a have a deficiency of one nutrient, it's really because you have an excess of another.  This is known as "nutrient antagonism."  An over-abundance of potassium and/or salt is a very common cause of calcium deficiency when using coco coir as a growing medium.  Coco has a lot of naturally occurring potassium and sodium (sodium due to the sea water that is present where the coco is originally grown) which is an antagonist of calcium.

Cure:  When growing in a coco coir medium, be sure to use a high quality brand!  Canna Coco has already been treated and buffered to correct any nutrient/salt excesses beforehand so it isn't an issue, but a lot of other brands have not been treated the same way.  This is why many people have negative results when using sub-par brands of coco coir.  Just add a good quality calcium supplement to your nutrient regimen and the problem should correct itself.  If you're growing in a soil or soilless medium, such as Pro-Mix or Rockwool, just give the plants a good flush (see our article on Flushing) and the next time few times you feed, add in a dose of a calcium supplement.

From Aptus' Education Manual

Price Reduction - Active Air CO2 Systems

Hydrofarm's Active Air CO2 Systems are now $114.95, reduced from $145.00.  This is a complete kit that comes with a CO2 regulator (for your 20/50 lb. CO2 tanks), timer and 1/4" air tubing.  Available in an "under 10'x10'" and an "over 10'x10'" size.  CO2 enrichment is a huge addition to your indoor garden or greenhouse, increasing your yields (on average) 20-30% and accelerating overall plant growth.  Before buying nutrients or additives that claim to increase your production, perfect your environment!

New 2014 Seeds Are In!

Today we received our first batch of 2014 seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds!  As always, they're 100% organic and non-GMO.  Our picks for this year are:

Copia Tomato - Indeterminate with yellow and red stripes on the outside and awesome marbling on the inside, produces large tomatoes, 85 days.

High Mowing's Gourmet Lettuce Mix - This mix takes the work out of choosing - a great blend of versatile lettuces that are excellent as baby: Black Seeded Simpson, Parris Island, Rouge d'Hiver, Red & Green Salad Bowl, Lolla Rossa.

Moon & Stars Watermelon - This heirloom variety is not only really pretty with a dark rind and yellow "moon & star" spots, it produces large, sweet fruit especially in the hot summers of the northeast. 95-100 days.

Valentine's Day Radish Mix - A mix of round garden radishes in red, pink, purple and white, along with the red and white elongated heirloom French Breakfast radishes.  25 days.

This is a 2-strain pick.  Yellowstone and Cosmic Purple Carrots.  Their interesting colors make them great for farmer's markets or just to add some color to a meal.  Yellowstone carrots tend to get a little longer at 9" (Cosmic Purple get to be about 7") and they are both mature at 70 days. 

Corno di Toro Sweet Peppers - This Italian Heirloom variety is one of my favorites.  Nice sweet flavor, Italian "horn" shape, grows really well in New York, ripens to red in 78 days.

These are just a few of our favorites, stop by to see our full selection or call with inquiries.  We can also special-order any varieties we don't currently carry and bulk seeds for microgreens or large plots.  Check out the High Mowing website to view their full selection.   

Win Free CANNABOOST! Our best-selling nutrient additive.

Canna is currently holding a giveaway for CANNABOOST, our best-selling nutrient additive.  A highly recommended addition to any nutrient regimen - you don't need to stop using anything you're currently using, CANNABOOST is completely compatible. Also great for use with any growing medium or system, it is the most versatile fruiting/flowering stimulant on the market.  Your plant health, fruit/flower production and overall crop quality will improve just by adding this into your current recipe. If you've always wanted to try it but didn't want to make the commitment, now's your chance.  Go to the Canna website and answer a few question and you could win a 0.25 liter, 1 liter or 5 liter bottle of CANNABOOST!

Limited Edition Product: Bluelab Grower's Toolbox

For a limited time, Bluelab has made a Grower's Toolbox, which includes a:

- Bluelab pH pen
- Bluelab ppm pen
- Bluelab Grow Book
- Bluelab pH & Conductivity Probe Care Kit (which includes cleaning and calibration solution for both pens, sample cups and cleaning tools)

The price of the box is $199.00, which is a great value since the items separately normally cost over $240.00.  It is currently in stock at both locations.

SALE: HORTILUX 1000W HPS LAMPS

Now through 12/31/13, Hortilux 1000W HPS Lamps - $75.00 (MSRP: $129.95)

Intro to Canna's COCO Line - Special Offer

Canna's COCO growing medium and nutrient line is one of the most popular choices of our customers due to its ease of use, high quality and great results.  A lot of people are hesitant to try it, though, because coco is still a fairly new medium.  It's not soil, but it's not going to be used in a hydroponic recirculating system, so what is it?  Coco is basically the fibers from a coconut husk.  These fibers act as capillaries, or sponges, and absorb and store the water/nutrients you give them so your plants can take them as needed.  Salt from nutrients don't build up quickly like they do in soil, so flushing is rarely necessary.  You still put the coco in containers and top feed like you would with soil, but the growth of your plants is rapid like it is in hydroponics.  We always say, quality of soil, speed of hydroponics - Coco is the perfect "in-between" medium.  It's also not like soil where you use it once and you have to throw it away and buy more, you can reuse Coco up to three times.  

  

Not all Coco is created equal!  Canna Coco is the best of the best when it comes to the quality of the actual coco medium.  It is harvested from a private area, and it is the only RHP certified UN-STEAMED Coco substrate.  What that means is that it is 100% natural and comes with all of the naturally occurring species of beneficial fungi, specifically a species of trichoderma, an aggressive fungi that protects your roots from harmful bacteria and pathogens that can cause root rot.  You will not find that species in any other product because they cannot be exported when separated from their natural living environment.  All other RHP certified mediums steam their product which kills all of the beneficial microbes. 

Canna has done extensive research and they have designed a line of nutrients to work specifically with their Coco medium.  The base nutrient is a 2-part formula, Coco A and Coco B, that is used in both the vegetative and flowering stages of growth (there aren't separate "Grow" and "Bloom" formulas).  Their 4-additive system is simple and easy to use, and provides all of the specific ingredients for different stages of growth.  It is a complete line that provides high yields and superior quality.

If you haven't yet, now is the time to try Coco.  All you have to do is grow a couple of plants using their line and you will see the difference.  We're offering an introductory package with everything you need to complete a full plant cycle (and still have plenty left over) including:

(2) 1 Gallon Premium Containers
(2) 5 Gallon Nursery Containers
(1) Bag of Canna Coco
1 Liter of Canna Coco A
1 Liter of Canna Coco B
1 Liter of Cannazym
1 Liter of Rhizotonic
1 Liter of PK 13/14
1 Liter of Cannaboost
Canna Coco Info Guide and Feeding Chart

Normal Retail Price: $303.67 / SPECIAL INTRO PRICE: $250.00 

SUMMER SALE - Hydrofarm Daystar Reflectors

Daystar Reflector - Complete with Socket Assembly and 15' Cordset - MSRP - $159.90, SALE PRICE - $95.00

Daystar 6" Air-cooled Reflector - With built-in 6" flanges and removable glass lens - MSRP - $169.95, SALE PRICE - $99.95

Over 40% Savings!

On sale until August 30th or while supplies last.

Indoor Gardening in the Summer

Many indoor gardeners believe that once you grow indoors, you never go back outside.  Gardening indoors gives you complete control over your environment and conditions - nothing is left up to chance or Mother Nature.  There is always an answer to a negative outdoor condition (air conditioners and heaters, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, backup generators for power loss, etc.), but there's no denying that the conditions outdoors definitely affect what we need to do indoors to create the perfect environment.  Growing indoors in the summer has many challenges, hopefully these tips will help you avoid having to deal with them.

- Air conditioning.  A must.  You cannot have a successful summer growing season indoors in the tri-state area without it.  A lot of the most common fruits, vegetables and herbs require growing temperatures no higher than 80 degrees fahrenheit.  In a CO2 enriched environment plants can take higher temperatures, but it should still never exceed 90 degrees.  Using HID lights, with outdoor temperatures in the 80's, 90's and sometimes 100's, the ideal temperatures are nearly impossible to maintain without air conditioning.  If you already have an air conditioner, make sure it's in proper working order before the summer starts.  You don't want to be taken by surprise on that first hot day and have your plants suffer.  A little late for that last piece of advice now, but it's good to keep in mind for next year.

  

- Have a hygro-thermometer in each room that records the minimum and maximum temperature and humidity readings.  That way if a piece of equipment is not operating properly and causes a change in your environment, you can catch it as soon as possible even if you're not there when it happens.  Sunleaves makes a great hygro-thermometer that comes with an external sensor, so you can monitor the temperatures in two rooms at once.  Autopilot makes one that measures the temperature, humidity and CO2, and also records the readings every 30 minutes (and stores them for 24 hours), so you know exactly WHEN things changed (which can be very helpful when trying to diagnose a problem).

- During heatwaves, electric companies sometimes reduce voltage to help lessen the strain on their power systems.  When this happens, you're not getting your full power input.  High wattage lights may not get their full "juice" so they will work harder to power up, which can damage the ballasts and/or bulbs.  They can also be damaged when the power jolts back to its full potential, which is one reason why surge protectors are so important.  They're relatively inexpensive when compared to the costs of new ballasts and bulbs.  You may even lose partial power (some of your lights may work while others don't).  If this happens, don't panic.  Wait until the heatwave passes and then test your equipment once voltage is fully restored.  If your equipment still isn't functioning, some of the damage incurred may be covered under warranty.  Bring it in to the shop and we'll take a look at it.

- Water temperature is very important in hydroponic gardening.  The perfect water temperature range is 65-68 degrees.  Low 70's can be ok, but once it climbs above 72-73 you run the risk of harmful bacteria, fungi and pathogens breeding and infecting your root zones.  High water temperatures are the main cause of root rot, and unfortunately sometimes once you get it, there's no getting rid of it.  If you're having a hard time controlling your water temps, seriously think about investing in a water chiller.  They aren't the cheapest pieces of equipment but sometimes they're the only answer in successful hydroponic gardening (especially in the summer).  You can use products like H2O2 or Botanicare's Aqua Shield to help treat your water and prevent disease, just be careful when using H2O2 because it will kill any beneficial bacteria and fungi you may be adding to your nutrient solutions. 

- Air-cool your lights.  By creating a sealed line, where cool air is being pulled from an unused room with an in-line fan, through your lights via ducting, then out of the room (either into another room or directly outside), you can bring down your room temperatures considerably (typically 5-10 degrees).  This will ease the load on your air conditioner and help lower your cooling costs, since fans use less electricity than A/C's.  The sealed line is important because you don't want to waste the cool air from the A/C that you're already putting into your room by exhausting THAT air through the lights, or waste your CO2 if you're using it.

- Most people opt for CO2 enrichment over bringing in fresh air during the summer months, due to the fact that the fresh air you'll be bringing in is probably hotter than the room itself (and CO2 helps plants combat the heat).  However, if you must, (and this goes for all times of the year, not just the summer) make sure to protect your garden by using an intake filter!  Bugs and molds are alive and well outdoors.  The last thing you want to do is bring them in to your sterile environment where they can (and will) thrive.  If you're in the city, don't think you're immune.  They're everywhere.

- If it's an option for you, scale back.  Even when you have the required equipment, running it all can be expensive.  If you go full bore all year long and you don't feel like fighting the heat, cut back.  Use half of your growing space during the height of the summer.  You'll save money on cooling costs and give yourself a little break.  You worked hard on your garden all year, you deserve it!

Back in Stock: Bloom/Yellow Bottle Silica

After having been backordered since August, Bloom (also known as Yellow Bottle and/or Advanced Floriculture) Silica is finally back in stock.  Potassium silicate plays an important role in your plants' structure and overall health, strengthening cell walls, creating thicker stems and branches and allowing your plants to naturally protect themselves against pests, disease, heat and drought.  Silica can also be used in place of pH Up, so not only will your plants be benefitting from the product itself, you will effectively be adjusting the pH of your water and nutrient solution.  With an NPK of 0-0-31.2, and 21% Silica, this is by far the strongest, most effective and most economical potassium silicate product on the market.  Compare with Advanced Nutrients' Rhinoskin (0-0-0.4 / 0.15% Silica), Dynagro's Pro-TeKt (0-0-3 / 7.8% Silica), Botanicare's Silica Blast (0-0-0.5 / 2% Silica) , even the new General Hydroponics' Armor Si (0-0-4 / 10% Silica) and Hydrodynamics' Silicate (0-0-5 / 11% Silica).

New Product: EZ-CLONE Classic Cloning Systems

EZ-CLONE, the most effective and popular cloning machine, has been redesigned.  The new EZ-CLONE Classic cutting system has 75+ improvements over the original model, most notably:

-the change in material from ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) to HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) which is UV Resistant, doesn't conduct as much heat (meaning your water will stay cooler), is more environmentally friendly and is FDA, NSF and USDA approved for contact with food.

- shallower and slightly smaller holes for cloning collars and 2 finger recesses for easier removal and less chance of damage to your cuttings

- smoother finish for easier cleaning (cleanliness is key when cloning, the tiniest bit of bad bacteria/fungus and you won't get roots)

- more sites in each unit (32, 64, 128) and the addition of a smaller, 16 site unit

- lower price

To see a complete list of all of the updates and changes made, click here.

If cloning from multiple plants at the same time, print out EZ-CLONE's cloning diagrams to document and keep track:

EZ-CLONE 16 - EZ-CLONE 32 - EZ-CLONE 64 - EZ-CLONE 128

We now have all sizes, in stock.

Canna's TERRA line of nutrients

With the outdoor gardening season officially here in the northeast, most people are turning to soil as their growing medium.  With so many options for fertilizing, it can get confusing.  Some people choose to build their fertilizer into their medium (with guanos, "meals"- bone/blood/fish/kelp/alfalfa etc., earthworm castings, compost, or a time release fertilizer).  Other people choose to stick with a liquid nutrient that they mix into their waterings.  For that option, Canna has designed their Terra line of nutrients specifically for use with soil.  Terra is a one-part base nutrient (you use Terra Vega in the vegetative stage, Terra Flores in the flowering stage).  Whether you use it as a stand-alone nutrient or in conjunction with Canna's additives (check out their Grow Guide to make your custom feeding chart), it is excellent for use with all soils.  If you're looking for an organic option, try their Bio Canna line (made with no animal ingredients whatsoever).

Back in stock: Advanced Nutrients' Connoisseur

After being sold out for a couple of weeks, Advanced Nutrients' Connoisseur ("pH Perfect" formula) 2-part flowering-stage base nutrient is fully restocked in both stores.

Products we Love: 8" Max Fan HO - Variable Speed

The majority of companies that make in-line fans have a serious void in their product line-up.  Most 8" in-line fans push somewhere between 700-750 CFM (cubic feet per minute) and most 10" in-line fans push 750-795 CFM.  12" in-line fans typically start at 1100 CFM.  So what do you do if your airflow needs fall into the 800-950 CFM range?  You can always use a 12" in-line fan with a fan speed adjuster (an inexpensive add-on that can really help you dial in your airflow), but sometimes space is limited and doesn't allow for the use of multiple reducers (12"-10", 10"-8", etc.).  

To solve that problem, Max Fan has made an 8" in-line fan with a built-in variable speed feature:  Speed 1 - 750 CFM, Speed 2 - 850 CFM, Speed 3 - 932 CFM.  It is a powerful fan that surprisingly runs very quietly and has a 5 year warranty.  

Another great product from the same manufacturer is Max Duct, a high quality ducting featuring triple foil laminate, covered in white UV resistant PVC.  Since this ducting is so heavy-duty, it 100% reusable.  It comes in a variety of sizes (4"-20" diameters), in 25' rolls with two hose clamps.  If you're setting up a new ventilation system, it is a must-have.

Mention this blog entry and get 10% off on these products until June 1st.

Earth Day 2013

In celebration of Earth Day, get a free pack of seeds with any soil/soilless growing mediums.