Botanicare Samples

If you've ever wanted to try Botanicare products such as their Pure Blend Pro or CNS 17 line of base nutrients, or their popular Sweet additives, now is the time. Danny from Botanicare stopped by a couple of weeks ago and brought us lots of samples to give out, so come by and get yours. He also gave us an update on the Strapped product issues, the current batches are fine and we have quarts and gallons at both stores.

"Black Friday" deals (or until they're gone)

I know this isn't really the type of industry where Black Friday is a huge shopping day, but every year we get asked if we have any specials going on. Here are a few items we're having a sale on, not just for Black Friday but until they're gone:

Under Current 12XL - comes with quad-lids (4 plants per bucket) but if you'd like different lids we can order them - Normal Price - $1474.95 / Our Price - $1130.00

Hydrofarm 42" Parabolic Reflector - Normal Price - $109.95 / Our Price - $84.95

Sunlight Suppy Galaxy 1000W/600W/400W "Select-A-Watt" Electronic Ballast - Normal Price - $359.95 / Our Price - $275.00

Sunlight Suppy Vertizontal Reflector - Normal Price - $157.95 / Our Price - $110.00 (does not have a built-in socket, the price with the socket/lamp cord is $130.00, normally $186.90).

Olivia's Cloning Gel - 2 oz. and 4 oz. sizes - Normal Price - $14.95/$21.95 / Our Price - $10.95/$16.95

Canna - Terra Vega / Terra Flores 20L - Normal Price - $326 / Our Price - $240

Right now most of these items are in Nyack, but if you're a customer at our Queens store just give us a call and we'll bring them down there for you. We also accept phone/mail orders.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of our customers: This year (and every year) we are thankful for all of you. We hope you and your families have a very happy Thanksgiving.

We will be closed on Thanksgiving but we'll be open our normal hours on Friday and Saturday.

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.