Products We Love: Bluelab pH and ppm pens

Since we first started carrying their products over ten years ago, we've known Bluelab to be the "Cadillac" of metering brands. They are top quality and easy to use so we recommend them whenever we can. Most serious growers know about their Truncheon, the EC/PPM/CF measuring stick that has a five year warranty and never needs calibration (and also conveniently doubles as a nutrient solution stirrer). A few years back they released the pH Truncheon, which, due to probe-issues, was quickly taken off of the market. Since then they've come out with their Combo Meter, a handheld meter that measures ppm/EC/CF, pH and water temperature (and the Guardian, a continuous-monitoring meter that measures the same things), but we've had SO MANY requests for them to make a stand-alone pH pen to use in conjunction with the Truncheon. We've also gotten requests for a stand-alone ppm pen by those growers who are either on a budget and don't want to buy a Truncheon or who are trying to get a more precise reading (the Truncheon measures in increments of 100 ppm).

About 3 months ago we received our first shipment of Bluelab's independent pH and ppm pens. So far the response has been excellent, absolutely no complaints from the people who have bought them and we personally like them a lot. We've had no returns yet which is a really good sign, especially since other brands' (cough-Oakton-cough) pH pens have been coming back more often than ever. Both pens feature (from the Bluelab website):

• Measures conductivity/pH (respectively) and temperature
• Selectable units for conductivity (on the ppm pen) and temperature (˚C & ˚F)
• Backlit LCD display
• Calibration optional (ppm pen)
• Successful calibration indicator
• Hold function
• Low battery warning
• Fully waterproof
• Auto off function
• Automatic temperature compensation

Also, last month at the Long Beach Maximum Yield trade show we caught up with Chris from Bluelab and just last week we had a visit from Cindy...some big Bluelab / The Grow Room news is on the horizon. Check back here some time in the middle of January for the announcement! We still have some Bluelab lanyards that we took back with us from the show (good for hanging your meters in your rooms or for wearing them while working so your hands are free...or just for your keys!) so if you want one just ask. They're free!

Bulb and Bottle Recycling

A service we've been offering to our customers over the past few years and one we don't think is taken advantage of enough is our bulb and bottle recycling program. The CFL and HID bulbs we use in this industry contain mercury, which is really harmful if it leaches into our ground water, or if it's burned by waste incineration and released into the environment. Recycling lamps allows the mercury to be captured and reused. Once a month we bring old bulbs to the local hazardous waste recycling facility. Most CFL bulbs are now able to be recycled at big-box stores like Lowes and Home Depot (but we also accept them). For more information on bulb recycling, or to find a recycling center near you, check out these links:

- LampRecycle.org - provides answers to most questions regarding lamp recycling

- earth911.com - good information on recycling in general, plus you can find out where to recycle almost anything

Besides bulbs, we also offer bottle recycling. Bring us your empty, clean nutrient bottles and we will recycle them for you.

CANNAtalk - Issue 14 2011

We just received in both stores the new issue of CANNAtalk, the magazine put out by Canna Nutrients (it is not primarily about their nutrients, it has great articles on the science behind growing and useful info on growing in general, as well as some more in depth advice in regard to the use of their products). I always get asked why plants in the flowering stage need red light as opposed to blue light, and there's an article written by Geary Coogler (BSc Horticulture) that goes into scientific detail as to why (in short, it triggers flower production, but read the article to see why, how and what else it does). There's also a good Grower's Tip as to when and why to change out your bulbs.

Botanicare's Strapped

After trying to reorder Botanicare's Strapped (their Black Strap Molasses) and being told they were back-ordered indefinitely, we received this email from Botanicare:

As of today we still have quarts in both Nyack and Queens that are stable and unaffected.

UPDATE: 11/29 - Our distributors have assessed that their current stock of Strapped is absolutely fine and we have quarts and gallons in stock in both locations.

Products We Love: Rootbastic from Atami

The new Rootbastic is Atami's answer to faster root growth. It's designed to be used once your cuttings show their first signs of roots. Unlike other products of its kind (RapidStart, Roots Excelurator, etc.) it is VERY concentrated and has a high NPK rating (3-14-3) so you don't have to use much of the product at all. The dosage is 0.3mL per gallon of water and using any more than that would be detrimental to your plants.We recommend visiting their website and reading their "Important Notes" section before using Rootbastic to insure proper understanding of this unique product and to avoid any problems. Since it has been on the market for such a short amount of time we haven't received much feedback on it yet, so come in for your free sample and let us know what you think!

UPDATE: We're starting to get feedback from people who have tried samples and their results have been awesome. We've heard from multiple people who had previously tried the competitors' products that Rootbastic is by far the best of all the early-stage root developers. Our own results were the same, so we're recommending it! We would still recommend use of your beneficial bacteria/fungi products (Great White, Piranha, Tarantula, etc.) to colonize in your soil if you are a soil gardener, in conjunction with the use of Rootbastic in the early stages of root development. Also, if you're already using Rhizotonic continue using that as well because it has many other added benefits besides root development (disease fighting, increased cell division/more branching and flowering sites, etc.)

Advanced Nutrients - Now in Smaller Sizes

Over the years, customers with smaller gardens who may have just wanted to TRY the Advanced Nutrients line of products before fully committing to buying the whole line may have been dissuaded by the premium prices that go along with their premium nutrient formulas. Recently, Advanced Nutrients began making their products in 2 new and smaller sizes - 500mL and 250mL. We now carry most of their product line, especially the base nutrients and most popular additives, in 500mL sizes. We also have 250mL-sized samples of some of their popular additives such as Voodoo Juice and Bud Candy, so if you've ever wanted to try their products but were unsure of what your results would be, just ask for a sample!

Changes to Pro-Mix BX

The original Pro-Mix BX no longer contains Mycorise and has been changed back to the black bags that they used a few years ago:

The Pro-Mix BX containing Mycorise now is considered a premium product that has 50% more Mycorise in it than before and costs about a dollar or two more per bale. The benefits of Mycorise is that it increases root development which, in turn, helps the plants fight transplant shock and get off to a better start.