read in this issue - pet bharo project · products and services offered 1. training in simpli˜ed...

Dedicated to the Soilless Gardening Industry of India

04 • AUGUST 2013www.soillessgardening-india.com

read in this issue: TRIMPRO – The History of TrimmersWhat can you grow in hydroponics? Fragraria ananassa

3 Great iPhone Apps for Your Gardening Needs

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED 1. Training in Simpli�ed and Commercial Hydroponics2. Consultancy Services and installation of Urban Roof Top Hydroponic Gardens3. Consultancy Services for Agronomy4. Turnkey Installation of Commercial Hydroponics Greenhouses5. Turnkey installation of Large scale Hydroponic Animal Fodder Systems (5-100 Tons/day)6. Supply of world class Hydroponic Nutrients7. Supply of Simpli�ed Hydroponics Hobby Kits8. Supply of Coco Peat for Commercial Growers (RHP Quality)9. Supply and Installation of Simple Backyard Greenhouses10. Water Analysis Facilities

MISSION"It is our Mission to take Hydroponics, as a technology, to every Indian household by reducing the barriers to entry for all. It is our dream to see every home and land owner adopt this technique in India in the next �fteen years".

VISIONOur vision is to see India as a power in the �eld of horticulture. To wipe the woes of every farmer in India in the next twenty years by providing cutting edge technology. We want every Indian Farmer to say it with pride "I am proud to be a farmer!"

CONTACT INFORMATION:102 Saptagiri Meadows, 24th MainJP Nagar 5th PhaseBangalore 560078Karnataka State, India

Mobile: 00 91 99022 11684 00 91 78294 48677E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Soilless Gardening India Magazine • August'13 | C

editorial

Dеар Readers

In this issue of Soilless Gardening – We would like to take the pleasure to announce opening of first exclusive online store for hydroponics industry. Indian hydroponics industry is growing at very fast pace. Many international companies have already entered Indian market and many more will be coming very soon.

We would like to thank all the participants for showing their faith in us & booking booths in our Mumbai Exhibition to be held on 7th to 8th February’ 2014. We have received overwhelming response from all segments of the industry for the Exhibition & very few booths are left. Your suggestion & queries are welcomed.

In addition, in this you issue you will know about the history of Trimpro – undisputed leaders of trimmers worldwide & Vydro – a miraculous plant substrate. Hope you will enjoy this month’s issue!!!

Team SGI

Aditya Chaudhary – [email protected]

Sandesh Shingote – [email protected]

Aditya ChaudharyPublisher

Sandesh ShingoteCo-founder

40

16

3020

26 12

COMMERCIAL HYDROPONICS Increases Food Supply which Decreases Impact on Nature

Conference and Mini-expoFebruary 7–8, Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, India

india

Soilless Gardening India Magazine • August'13 | 3

contentsIssue 04, August 2013

<Publisher:

Aditya Chaudhary [email protected]

< Co-founder:

Sandesh Shingote [email protected]

<Editor:

Mr. R Venkatesh [email protected]

<Graphic design and prepress: PublishEast Ltd.

[email protected]

<Webmaster:

Ms. Sunita [email protected]

<Representative:

Ms. [email protected]

<Technical Editor

Ms. [email protected]


04 • AUGUST 2013www.soillessgardening-india.com

READ IN THIS ISSUE: TRIMPRO – The History of Trimmers

What can you grow in hydroponics? Fragraria ananassa

3 Great iPhone Apps for Your Gardening Needs

06 Govt Woos Farmers with ‘High’ Subsidy on Greenhouse Projects07 Organic Farmers to Get Export Boost08 Mr Vimal Kaul, HGTIPL's New Mentor & Technical Director, HGTIPL10 Vertical Gardens Can Breathe Life into Smaller Urban Spaces

20 VYDRO A Miraculous Plant Substrate30 Hydroponics for Farmers

16 TRIMPRO – The History of Trimmers

12 Hydroponics – Required for INDIA?

36 Polyethylene Mulching for Vegetable Production 40 Three Things Your High-Value Plants Must Have42 3 Great iPhone APPS for Your Gardening Needs44 Hydroponic Tips for Increasing Yields

45 Can I Transfer Plants From Soil to Hydroponics?46 High pH Water…47 What Kind of Maintenance is Involved with a Hydroponic System?48 Exhaust Setup for an 8 x 8 Grow Room Tent

BC GHE

IBC,39 Greentech India

IFC Hydroponic Greenhouse Technologies India private Ltd.

04,05 Soilless Gardening (India) Conference and Mini-Expo

09 SGI Shoppe

29 TRIMPRO

news&events

who is who

26 What Can You Grow in Hydroponics? Fragraria Ananassa

General Hydroponics pages

cover story

soilless technologies 101

questions & answers

index

ÂContact information:

Soil less Gardening India MagazineOffice No – 6, MS House,Opp. Metro Pil lar No 57,Sikanderpur,Gurgaon – 122004, Haryana, INDIA

ÂMob: +91 828 573 0000 Â Fax: +91 124 400 2532

Â [email protected] Â [email protected]Â http://soillessgardening-india.com

ÂPrinted & Published by Aditya

Printed at Puspak Printers203-204, DSIDC ComplexOkhala Indusrial AreaNew Delhi

company profile

www.soillessgardening-india.com

2 days

Conference and Mini-expoFebruary 7–8, Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, India

india

We are inviting you to attend the 2014 Soilless Gardening (India) Conference and Mini-Expo organized in Mumbai, India

At the conference you will learn the important aspects of the hydroponic industry, ranging from the history of hydroponics, questions "How to start?" and "What kind of fertilizer to use?" to information about professional systems used in hydroponic growing.

Within the conference and expo, you will have the opportunity to meet and get acquainted with the renowned industry companies, such as General Hydroponics, which will attend the conference and expo in person and exhibit their products.

We invite all the companies engaged in agriculture & gardening, garden hobbyists and enthusiasts, professional agricultural businesses to attend the event in Mumbai, India.

unlimited businesses ideas

Visit www.soillessgardening-india.com for more details.

Conference and Mini-expo

india

Feb. 7, 2014

09:00—10:00 Registration of Visitors (Each visitor will receive a gift bag from our sponsors)10:00—10:45 History of Hydroponics11:00—11:45 History of Hydroponics in India12:00—13:00 Lunch break13:00—13:45 The hydroponic «Family Farm»: not only a concept, but also a practical reality14:00—15:30 Round Table Discussion15:30—16:00 Coffee break16:00—17:30 Round Table Discussion

Free, but only based on online registrations!

ROUND TABLE SUBJECTS:

• Hydroponics in the Modern Economy

• Animal feed and hydroponics technologies in India

• Family hydroponics farms in India; challenges and solutions.

• Indian hydroponics shops

• Presentation of the Institute of Simplified Hydroponics

• Bio stimulants; For or Against?

• General Industry Discussions

Please, do not hesitate to send us your proposals for round table subjects.

Feb. 8, 2014

10:00—18:00 Mini-Expo

Mini-Expo attendance is complete free and everyone is welcome!

CONFERENCE PROGRAM:

The entrance to the conference room is only after preliminary online registration.

13:00—15:00 Presentation and book signing of William Texier book “Hydroponics for beginners”• Hydroponics. What is it and how can you start?• Differences between soil and hydroponics cultivation (physical, chemical etc.• Different technologies regrouped under the word hydroponics• Different substrates used in hydro• Nutrition and supplementation: clear definition of each category and rapid over view of supplements.• Lightning of Plants (photo-culture flowers, vegetables, salad, sprouts)15:00—18:00 Hydroponics training course for beginners

CONTACT US:

Soilless Gardening India MagazineOffice No – 6, MS House ,Opp. Metro Pillar No 57,Sikanderpur, Gurgaon – 122004,Haryana, INDIA

Mob: +91 828 573 0000Fax: +91 124 400 2532

India: [email protected]

USA: [email protected]

Europe: [email protected]

6 | Soilless Gardening India Magazine • August'13

news&events

Govt Woos Farmers with ‘High’ Subsidy on Greenhouse Projects

PANJIM: In a bid to revive the State’s sagging agricultural fortunes, the Agriculture department is promoting a greenhouse farming scheme offering an attractive 100% per cent subsidy for the setup and 50% subsidy for the cost of cultivation.

The scheme, being offered as part of the Agriculture department’s move into hi-tech precision farming, is aiming at helping farmers achieve up to seven times higher yields in a lesser area through carefully controlling the environment in which the plants are grown helping with better yields.

The department has till date secured around 10 applicants for setting up greenhouse projects all over the State, with 14 more scheduled to be approved soon.

Explaining the science behind the greenhouse technology, Assistant Director Nevil Alphonso explains that the higher yields are a result of controlling all the five factors that are required in optimum quantity to facilitate plant growth ~ sunlight, water, humidity, nutrients and pest control.

“In an open environment we can neither control the rain, nor the sun. If there is either too much or too little of any of the factors, the yield is reduced if not completely wasted. Here since we can control the environment the plants give a higher yield,” Alphonso explained.

As of now, the department has been focussing on farmers wishing to grow high value flowers and vegetables.

“It is unfortunate that Goans choose to get flowers from Bangalore and outside when they can do business here itself,” he said adding that if he had more land, he would have expanded. “As long as there is a market it is always profitable,” he adds.

The greenhouse technology is applicable for the flowers and vegetables. In the case of vegetables, the department is willing to buy back the vegetables at a prefixed price and sell them through the outlets of the horticulture corporation under the assured price scheme.

The farmer is compensated Rs 9.35/sq m of land greenhouse, which covers completely the area with 50% of the subsidy being paid from the Central government through the National Rural Horticulture Mission with the remaining 50% being borne by the State government. For the cost of cultivation, the 50% of the cost is borne by the Central government. The farmers have to avail of a bank loan initially, which is later paid back by the government if he successfully builds a greenhouse.

The only limiting factor is that the farmer has to have a minimum area of 100 m2 to build the greenhouse.

ÂSources – www.herald-goa.com


news&events

Organic Farmers to Get Export Boost

HUBLI: In a major boost to farmers in north Karnataka, organic produce from this region will soon be exported to European markets. Many farmers here have switched to organic farming method and are selling their produce in local markets through various organizations.

To meet the huge demand of organic products, traders from European countries have approached Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Buoyed by the new demand, KCCI in Hubli has started collecting data of organic farmers in north Karnataka. According to sources, organic produce export will only start after the completion of data collection.

Speaking to TOI, C N Karikatti, KCCI joint secretary, said: "We have successfully marketed organic products in north Karnataka. Farmers today are easily selling their produce in local markets through various organizations."

"To meet the growing demand of organic products, traders from European countries have approached us. Citizens in these countries prefer organic products because it is healthy. We have assured them that in the next couple of months, we will start exporting these products," he added.

"Collection of data includes quality and quantity of organic produce in the region, types of crops grown and details of

organic farmers. We also plan to collect the data of farmers from south Karnataka. The process of data collection will be done soon and we will provide a big platform for organic farmers to sell their products in European countries."

"Traders from Sirsi, Hubli, Gadag and Gulbarga are buying organic crops. I want my crops to reach European market," says organic farmer R T Patil from Bagalkot district.

"Exporting crops will help us financially and will encourage others to start organic farming," says Channappa Byali, farmer from Hebasur village.

ÂSource – Times of India


news&events

Mr Vimal Kaul, HGTIPL's New Mentor & Technical Director, HGTIPL

Hydroponic Greenhouse Technologies India Pvt Ltd is happy to announce the joining of Mr Vimal Kaul, as our new Mentor & Technical Director. He is a role model and doyen in Indian Hydroponics with several decades of experience. Mr Vimal Kaul is based in New Delhi and his joining us has strengthened our vision many notches and given us extra vigour to take the dream of our company even faster to its logical end i.e. spreading the Hydroponics technology in India. Mr Kaul will also be a part of our company's teaching endeavours when we start our full-fledged Commercial Hydroponic Training Courses to start very soon. The funny part is that recently he was a student trainee of ours in Simplified Hydroponics. Mr Vimal Kaul wears several caps, some of which are in the avatar of a Trainer, A Consultant, A Grower, A self-styled agronomist and what's more he shares the same passion as the founder

of HGTIPL viz. Lt Cdr (retd) CV Prakash. It took us close to five years to finally track and trace such a resource person who is a hands-on agriculturist. He has just recently helped a client grow 60 tons of Cucumbers in a period of under four months through the soil-less cultivation technique. His knowledge and experience is invaluable and he has a Midas touch. He has a deep spiritual connection with nature and all that is and in his presence the veils of ignorance in us simply fade away and it's very enlightening to be with him even if for a few moments. We are indeed fortunate to have him with us.

Here are, amongst many others, a few credentials of this distinguished gentleman;Mr Vimal Kaul is a Graduate in Science, with a Diploma in Business Management and has been into commercial agriculture since the year 1979. He initially worked on HOPS FARMS in Kashmir, owned by the UB Group of Companies. He later started his own farms in the Kashmir valley cultivating aromatic plants like Lavender, Rose etc. He also worked for 4 years with DRDA in the district of Kangra and Mandi for development of commercial floriculture in Himachal Pradesh. Since 1990 he has been a Consultant for the development of greenhouse cultivation of

both, flowers and vegetables. Mr Vimal Kaul has also been a Consultant to the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Institute, a Government of J&K organisation where he trained a number of educated youth in the field of commercial floriculture, in both open field as well as protected cultivation. He is presently involved in the following consulting activities:• Godavari Agro Farms Rajasthan for open field cultivation of papaya on 20 acres of land.• Ride Energy at Kurukshetra for 10 acres green house/net house for the cultivation of vegetables in soil-less media.• Hare Krishna at Kurukshetra for a 4 acre Green house for cultivation of Roses and Lilies.• Goel Agro Farms Kurukshetra for a 4 acre greenhouse for cultivation of Roses and Lilies.• Sandu Greens at Garonda in Panipat for a 10 acre Greenhouse area for cultivation of Roses and Gerbera.• One acre Green house at Amin in Kurukshetra, for cultivation of Roses.• One acre Greenhouse for cultivation of Cucumber in Sirohi, Rajasthan.• Also working on few projects for HGTIPL and will be fully involved in all projects of HGTIPL.

ÂSource – www.petbharoproject.co.in

online store for HYDROPONICS in

Coming Soon

Companies who are interested to showcase their products on the SGI Shoppe, may contact for details: [email protected].

www.sgishoppe.com

FIRST


news&events

Vertical Gardens Can Breathe Life into Smaller Urban Spaces

Shrinking spaces and apartment living have ensured that the balcony is the new garden. With even balconies turning into slivers of space, there’s often no provision at all for a green patch. What’s a homeowner to do? Bring home a vertical garden, that's what. Also known as a living or green wall, this could be the perfect solution in space-strapped homes. Once prominently used in commercial buildings, these botanical tapestries now bring nature into residential spaces too.

Why? If designed well, a living wall can cool concrete surfaces by a few degrees, help improve air quality, lower energy consumption and recycle grey water. Clearly, a vertical garden can make an existing structure energy efficient without major alterations. Before you begin, though, check that your balcony can take the weight of the living wall when it is fully saturated with water (about 6—8 kg per square foot).

How? A vertical garden can be created on any kind of wall, be it indoors or outdoors, with or without the use of soil. It can be a green facade (climbing plants grow directly on a wall or on specially designed structures; when plants grow along the sides

of a building, they are rooted in the ground) or a living wall (consisting of modular panels of stainless steel, geotextiles, irrigation systems, a growing medium and vegetation). Most of these walls are modular systems that can be installed to suit any size. They can either be clad on the wall or installed on a fabricated structure. ELT India, Greengrower and GSky are among the firms that install and service green walls.

What plants? More than 125 varieties of plants can be grown, depending on the climatic and micro-climatic conditions. A light intensity of 1,800 lux for six to eight hours allows many varieties to be grown indoors. Varieties that need proper exposure to morning, evening or afternoon light include Pepromia, Tradescansia, Setcretia Purpuria, Zaferlily, Jade, Rhoeo, Opeopogon, Chlorophytom,

Dracaena, Pilliea, Philodendron, money plants and ferns. Indoors, with a light level above 1,800 lux, Philodendron, Syngonium, Dieffen Bachia and money plants can be chosen. For a light level above 5,000 lux, the choice includes Pepromia, Tradescansia, Opeopogon and Cryptanthus.

The cost This depends the kind of plants used, installation challenges and overheads, size and location of site, and others. The price of good systems ranges between Rs. 1,650 and Rs. 1,800 per square foot. Some basic systems, consisting of a box and sacks, can cost any where between Rs. 800 and Rs. 1,200 per sq. ft. In case you want to green a roof, special systems are available that are suited for terraces and sloped roofs. These vary in price, depending on the type of green roof and size.

ÂSources – The Hindu

One Of the Biggest hydrOpOnicscOmpanies in the WOrld

Please send your enquires at [email protected]

general hydrOpOnicsappOints

sgi enterprises as their eXclUsiVe distriBUtOr for india.

state Wise distriBUtOr reqUired for india


cover story

HYDROPONICS– REQUIRED for INDIA?Author: Sanso – Author is an electronics engineer with interest in Indoor Gardening

O n one fine Sunday evening I was sitting with some friends and we were discussing the Indian Economy.

All of us were worried about the future. Indian economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and nobody is looking towards this part of our economy. I just do some web research on this and want to share the facts I came to know with everybody. I am not a professional writer so please …

The year 1965 marked the beginning of The Green Revolution in India paving way for huge productions of rice and wheat. M.S. Swaminathan is known as the "Father of the Green Revolution in India". The production of wheat has produced the best results in fueling self-sufficiency of India. Along with high yielding seeds and irrigation facilities, the enthusiasm of farmers mobilized

the idea of agricultural revolution and is also credited to M. S. Swaminathan and his team had contributed towards the success of green revolution. Due to the rise in use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers there were many negative effects on the soil and the land such as land degradation. Even after the heavy use of fertilizers & pesticides, Slow agricultural growth is a concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a living. Current agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable and India's yields for many agricultural commodities are low. The annual growth rate in agriculture production for 1994—2000 attaining only 1.5 % per annum.

Even though, India has shown remarkable progress in recent

years and has attained self-sufficiency in food staples, the productivity of Indian farms for the same crop is very low compared to farms in Brazil, the United States, France and other nations. Indian wheat farms, for example, produce about a third of wheat per hectare per year in contrast with wheat farms in France. Similarly, at 44 million hectares, India had the largest farm area under rice production in 2009; yet, the rice farm productivity in India was less than half the rice farm productivity in China. Other food staples productivity in India is similarly low, suggesting a major opportunity for growth and future agricultural prosperity potential in India.

Table below shows some comparison (Source Wikipedia.org) …


cover story

AvERAGE YIElD, India (2010) WORlD'S MOST PRODUCTIvE FARMS (2010)

Produce Tonnes per Hectare Tonnes per Hectare ProduceRice 3.3 10.8 Rice

Wheat 2.8 8.9 WheatMangoes 6.3 40.6 MangoesBananas 37.8 59.3 Bananas

Cotton 1.6 4.6 CottonFresh Vegetables 13.4 76.8 Fresh Vegetables

Potatoes 19.9 44.3 PotatoesTomatoes 19.3 524.9 TomatoesSoyabean 1.1 3.7 Soyabean

Onions 16.6 67.3 OnionsBeans 1.1 5.5 Beans


cover story

Main reasons for low production yield in India may be as follow…• Inadequate irrigation systems• Poor road network in rural parts• lack of cold storage and harvest spoilage• Low use of advance farming technologies• Small Land holding

Indian total factor productivity growth remains below 2 % per annum; in contrast, China has shown total factor productivity growths of about 6 % per annum, even though China too has smallholding farmers. If India could adopt technologies and improve its infrastructure, several studies suggest India could eradicate hunger and malnutrition within India, and be a major source of food for the world. It represents the largest sector producing around 28 percent of the GDP, is the largest employer providing more than 60 percent of the jobs and is the prime arbiter of living standards for seventy percent of India’s population living in the rural areas. These factors together with a strong determination to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains production have ensured a high priority for agriculture sector in the successive development plans of the country.

From the facts above it clear that by increasing agriculture we can make Indian Economy grow. In context to the outgrowing urbanized world, the food needs to be urbanized as well. The benefits of hydroponics in space are two-fold: It offers the potential for a larger variety of

food, and it provides a biological aspect, called a bio regenerative life support system. This simply means that as the plants grow, they will absorb carbon dioxide and stale air and provide renewed oxygen through the plant's natural growing process.

Major Benefits of Hydroponics are ...• Low water consumption • High production yield • Control on fertiliser• Very low use of pesticides• Less labour requirement• Environment Friendly

Hydroponics farms can be made on small land banks and produces much more yield. From the above facts it is clear that Hydroponics can bring 2nd Green revolution in India.

Keeping pace with the scaling food sustenance, urban food supplies need to be tripled. Hydroponics can be one of the possible solutions to increase the agriculture production. There is population increase and arable land declines due to poor land management, people will no doubt turn to new technologies like hydroponics and vertical farming to create additional channels of crop production. Because the environment is perfectly controlled, four cycles of harvest can be performed annually, instead of the traditional single harvest.

Now I can say one thing, HYDROPONICS in not only required but it’s must for sustained growth of Indian agriculture and economy.


news&events

DIRECTORY OF COMPANIES WORKING IN THE FIELD OF HYDROPONICS – YOUR GUIDE TO FIND PARTNERS.

PLEASE SEND YOUR ORDER TO: [email protected]


company profile

T rimpro has become the industry standard for leaf trimmers worldwide. Indeed, when one thinks of trimmers the name

that immediately comes to mind is Trimpro. But how did this all happen?

The company was founded by Pierre Mercier whose experience as a machinist at a company which made turbine engines inspired him to create the first Trimpro Original. He had been asked by a friend to try to develop a machine which would separate the leaves from plants with minimal damage to the

delicate flowers. After a couple of unsuccessful experiments he came up with the idea of creating a vacuum effect, like a turbine, under a grate so the leaves would be gently pulled through the slots where a spinning blade just below the surface of the grate would cut the leaves off leaving the flower on the surface. Prototypes were made and introduced to a distributor based in Eastern Canada by the name of Biofloral. The owner, Francois Deguire, immediately realized the potential of the product and agreed to take on the task of marketing and distributing Trimpro products.

The acceptance and demand from consumers was greater than anticipated forcing Pierre to move production from his garage to a machine shop with offices and storage. The company is based just outside Montreal, Canada and remains in the same location.

Patents were secured in Canada and the United States with Pending status in Europe and Australia. Andre Mercier, Pierre’s brother, joined the company to continue to expand its scope of sales. He was living in Barcelona at the time so travelled throughout the country as well

TRIMPRO – The History of Trimmers


company profile

as other parts of Europe and quickly picked up on the specific requirements of the region. To respond to the demands from European growers, a plant trimmer based on the same principal as the Trimpro, but smaller, was introduced to the market. It was called the Trimbox.

Soon after, enhancements were made to each machine to meet the particular demands of some customers. The Workstations for both the Trimpro and Trimbox were introduced resulting in four machines being available to meet most trimming styles, but


company profile

the continuous effort to improve did not stop.

The boys realized there was a requirement for a more productive and safer piece of equipment so they started the development of the second generation of trimmers. The focus was to design a machine which required less manipulation by the operator. A circular hermetic structure was added on top of the grate creating a whirlwind effect. Adding a stronger motor and a second set of the famous Trimpro blades created enough wind for the plants to move on the surface of the grate while the leaves were pulled through the slots and trimmed, the same concept as the original Trimpro. In 2006 this novel machine called the Automatik was introduced with great market acceptance.

It wasn’t long before requests to produce a higher volume Automatik machine were being received from growers. This led to the development and production of the largest Trimpro presently on the market, the Automatik XL. Again, a more powerful motor and extra set of blades were required as well as a redesign of the grate. The results were spectacular with immediate acceptance in the North American and Australian markets, Europe not being far behind.

In their continuing efforts to meet the requests of their customers, we introduced another new machine in 2010, the Trimpro Rotor. The design deviates from the traditional Trimpro but encompasses the same pride and engineering.


company profile

The plants are gently rotated over the grate by leather fingers and trimmed by the razor sharp Trimpro blade system. This machine compliments the Automatik by using a different technique to move the flowers on top of the grate. The Rotor quickly became the most popular trimming machine on the market with orders ranging from all over the world.

The success of the Rotor lead to the development of our first manual machine, the Trimpro Unplugged. Users of salad bowl type units quickly recognized the far superior quality of the Unplugged with its aviation grade 36:1 ratio metal gearbox, stainless steel blade sharpened on both sides and open top so the user actually sees the trimming process and progress.

This year we will be introducing yet another model, the Trimpro Rotor XL. This unbelievable trimmer will have the highest volume processing capabilities on the market. The unit also boasts total flexibility as, per all

our models, the blade height is adjustable and the Rotor XL also has dimmers on both the radial arms and blade speed.

The success of the Trimpro product line is based on the fact that they are simple, efficient and durable machines. When introduced they responded to a real market need as apart from scissors there were really no other products available to growers. By constantly improving upon the original model through innovation,

they succeeded in building an excellent reputation, one which is the envy of their competitors. This is backed up by their excellent after sales service and warranty.

Trimpro has grown from a concept to an established company employing more than 20 people in their shop and offices. Proudly made in Canada, the Trimpro line of trimmers are simply the best on the market.

ÂVisit us at www.trimpro.com


who is who

VYDRO A Miraculous Plant Substrate

"There is a way that plants speak, most of the times we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough to pay attention to the story..."

T he growth medium is the most important aspect of sustainability to any landscaping endeavor. The most intricate and

aesthetically pleasing landscape design will fail, if the growth medium used , does not provide sustainable growth conditions. The growing of plants involves a number of cultural inputs. Among these, the most important is the type of growing medium used. Growth media provide the appropriate physical and chemical properties necessary for plant growth. Growing plants in landscaped parks or fields

varies from growing them in a private garden or in planters or pots. Many a times field soils are not found fit for growing certain plant varieties at micro level. This is primarily because such soils do not provide the aeration, drainage and water holding capacity required. To improve this situation various “ soilless” growing substrates have been developed. These substrates can be engineered as per plant requirements for aeration, drainage, anchorage, etc. Some of the most commonly used amendments for the production of soilless growth media are peat and peat-like materials, wood residues, bagasse, rice husk, sand, perlite, vermiculite. Although amendment combinations may vary, basic objectives in the preparation of a growing media are alike. An effective program should produce a growing media that is:

1. Porous and well drained, yet retentive of sufficient moisture to meet the water requirements of plants between irrigations;

2. Relatively low in soluble salts, but with an adequate exchange capacity to retain and supply the elements necessary for plant growth;

3. Standardized and uniform with each batch to permit the use of standardized fertilization and irrigation programs for each successive batch;

4. Free from harmful soil pests and pathogenic organisms.

Since innumerable amendment combinations can produce a growing medium with these characteristics, it is important to consider both the economic as well as cultural optimums.


who is who

Recently, experts in the field of horticulture have put a lot of light on structural soilless growing substrates and much is yet to be explored in this arena. These substrates are generally manufactured as per company standards. Hence, the physical and chemical properties of this substrate are also standard.

One amongst the structural growth media is a substrate called VYDRO®, which is being explored by ELT India. Before putting more light on VYDRO substrate, it is important to have a basic idea about the different types of growth media.

TYPES OF GROWTH MEDIAA proper growth medium is essential to give plants the right start. Prolonged, vigorous plant growth requires a good nutrient balance, achieved through soil additives.

Depending on the ingredients used, the intended porosity, root anchoring capacity, nutritional value, etc. growth media can be broadly classified as follows.

A. Natural Growth Media comprise of naturally occurring garden soil. Various macro and micro nutrients rich fertilizers can be added to the soil for healthy growth of plants.

B. Engineered Growth Media contain various organic substrates in fixed proportions.

The advantages over natural growth media are the minimum use of fertilizers, good control over the physical properties of the media and the ease of use.

C. Structural Growth Media, unlike natural and engineered growth media, are manufactured and are available as ready to use substrates. They are superior than the other types of growth media because they are lightweight, have standard physical and chemical properties like water & nutrient retention, consistent performance in varied climatic conditions, etc.

One of the main functions of growth media is to store moisture & nutrient to supply it to plants between rainfalls or irrigations. While growing plants in any of the media, one has to keep in mind the most important aspect – fulfilling the water requirement of the plant and hence the water retention capacity of growth media. Drastic change in climatic conditions is leading to depletion of available water for horticulture as well as agriculture, thus making smart water management an essential aspect. With the world's finite water supplies under severe pressure, there is a need to create new solutions that can help manage water more intelligently. This realization led to the development of VYDRO® substrate, a completely new type of lightweight material for growing plants.

VYDRO® substrate is a polyurethane-based, extremely

lightweight, chemically inert hydrophilic foam with a very high water holding capacity. It can absorb up to 30 times its own weight in water – keeping it 'locked in' to prevent casual loss through evaporation. It stores the optimum mix of air and water to ensure perfect plant growth. It is a highly versatile plant-growing medium. Due to the physical internal structure of VYDRO® substrate, water molecules can easily enter its cells, but can not easily exit them. Such water stored in the VYDRO® matrix is easily made available to plants as roots can penetrate VYDRO® substrate without much efforts. Tests have proven that vegetation grown on VYDRO® substrate requires upto 40% less irrigation, thus making it highly useful & exciting substrate for large-scale public landscapes. It offers unlimited potential to bring the benefits of smart water management in traditional gardening. Because of its high water buffering capacity & its ability to rehydrate over multiple growing cycles, VYDRO® meets the exact performance standards of a substrate and can be used as the central technology for green roofs, living walls as well as horticultural and recreational applications for a wide variety of environments, climates and plant types. Use of VYDRO® in landscapes increases planting possibilities, improves weed control, reduces maintenance.

Planting on roof is gaining popularity everywhere as more & more architects are proposing it for mitigating the impact of climate changes. To meet


who is who

ElT GREEN ROOF SYSTEM (with vYDRO) (Extensive)

increasing demand, VYDRO® substrate makes the installation of Green roofs a viable option for newly built as well as old buildings. Traditional growth media used for Green roof can be heavier weighing between 3—10 kg per Sft. VYDRO® offers weight savings of up to 70% compared to standard systems, and is particularly

useful for projects where weight and structural strength are critical – for example, in retrofitting older buildings. A one-meter cubed area of VYDRO® substrate weighs just 30kg. The same area covered in lava stone would weigh approximately 1,500kg. After studying & experimenting different aspects of this product,

now ELT India is the sole distributor of VYDRO® for Indian Territory. This product is patented technology of Huntsman international.

After studying various aspects & challenges involved in growing plants in VYDRO®, ELT India has developed products for using in modern Landscape world.

VYDRO® BASED PRODUCTS: 1. GREEN ROOF

CONvENTIONAl GREEN ROOF WITH DRAINCEll


who is who

Advantages of VYDRO® based green roof system over conventional green roof system are: • VYDRO® based system is lighter & lesser in depth• Easy to install, less water requiring• Easy to transport & handle• Uniform water & nutrient distribution• Enhanced planting possibilities• Rapid vegetation growth• Lesser maintenance cost

VYDRO® makes the green roof system compact and supports a healthy growth of plants. This system is suitable for balconies and small terraces of newly constructed as well as old apartments, which may/may not be designed to bear the load of a conventional system. VYDRO® substrate’s ability to retain water over longer periods of time has enabled creating landscapes on rooftops or terraces even in hot dry conditions where creating such gardens earlier was ruled out.The weight of VYDRO® based system is 5—8 kgs/sft as against 12—15 kgs/sft of conventional green roof system.

2. GREEN WALL• VYDRO based green walls are modular systems which are easy to install and maintain, and can be used for aesthetics as well as urban farming.• ELT proposes to use VYDRO based green walls in two ways; one with the typical ELT India module system and another by directly installing VYDRO on existing wall.• The plants in VYDRO based green wall can be replaced easily and one can use number of plant varieties for creating different patterns.


who is who

4. GREEN STRINGS 5. OTHER INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

• These are rope-like, suspended vertical planters containing VYDRO as a substrate.• They have an in-built drip irrigation system.• This innovative product can be used for screening spaces or just as aesthetical elements for indoors as well as outdoors

3. GREEN CURTAIN• ELT India uses VYDRO to create semi-permeable screens, to create a visual barrier between two spaces like parking lots, balconies, etc.• This system comprises of planters of varying lengths connected vertically, suspended from the ceiling or beam with the help of wire ropes. • VYDRO acts as a substrate in each planter.


who is who

6. PLANT VARIETIES AND VYDRO

• ELT India has been experimenting with a number of plant varieties and their survival in VYDRO® substrate.• Variety of hardwood species, succulents, ornamentals, crops, etc. have been grown in VYDRO® and checked for their survival and growth pattern.• ELT India's studies show that the growth of plants in VYDRO is healthy, plants require less water and they sustain in extreme climatic conditions.• Even though VYDRO has ability to retain water, plants are never in water logged condition; as highlighted by the survival of less water requiring varieties like succulents.

Some of the ornamental plant varieties proved to be successful in VYDRO substrate as per experiments done at ELT India, Pune are – Pepromia, Schefflera, Money plant, Philodendrons, Spathiphyllum, Chlorophytum, Pilea,

Tradescantia, Ivy, Asparagus springeri, Homalomena, Dracaena, Jade, Impatiens, Lea coccinea burgandi, Cryptanthus, Rhoeo, Dianthus, Ferns, Sedum, etc. Also, crops such as tomato and chilly; herbs like basil, celery, mint and parsley have been successfully tried in VYDRO.

ROOT GROWTH IN VYDROFUTURE PROSPECTS AND EXTENDED APPLICATION IN URBAN FARMING• Plant survival and growth with the use of hydrophilic foam is a Big achievement in Urban farming also as it is best system for retrofit applications. One will be able to us maximum area as the load is no more constraint.• Bigger shrubbery can also be grown over terrace • Soilless growth of plants offers advantages like minimal use of insecticides and pesticides for root zone protection, which is a positive aspect for urban farming.

In short one can say VYDRO® is going to revolutionize not only landscape industry but Agriculture as well.

ÂFor more detai ls contact: Pradeep Barpande, [email protected]



By Noucetta Kehdi – GHE

WHAT CAN YOU GROW IN HYDROPONICS?

“ FRaGRaRia x ananassa” is the common strawberry, also called “garden strawberry”. It comes from the

Rosaceae family, a very wide family of plants, which includes, on the edible crop side, apples, pears, quince, almonds, apricots, plums, and cherry among many others (see wikipedia.com).

There are 600 varieties of strawberry nowadays, all deriving from the original 5 or 6 wild species. They vary in shape, color and taste depending on cultivars and range from acidic to very sweet. It is said that the larger the berry the more water it contains, and the small wild strawberry is usually the tastier. Part is true, but with the new cultivars and hybridization today there are commercial varieties that taste extremely good.

Demand for strawberries is year-round, worldwide. In open fields they generally fruit from spring to end of summer, depending on your region. They are also grown in greenhouses, in soil

and hydroponics, and produce abundantly as long as they get the right environment. Strawberry is a good candidate for a hydroponics family farm. When your product is local, and your service fast and friendly, you will sell your production wherever you are. When it is tasty and of quality, then you can also sell it at your own price (or just about…)

Especially in hydroponics, strawberry grows profusely and easily. When grown from seed, it will need around 13 to 15 months to start fruiting. This is why most producers by bare root plants, with no leaves and a minimum of

roots, to start their operation.You can also grow your own strawberries at home, buying young seedlings from the farmer’s market. About 20–30 plants provide enough fruit for a family, but even a couple of plants can be a delight to grow. Over the years we grew our strawberries with organic and mineral nutrients, in all our systems, including the TriSystem. We always got the best results and spread our harvests to friends and fellow workers at GHE.

Below find our recommendations for Daroyal strawberries growing in an AeroFlo with Flora Series, Diamond Nectar.


FRAGRARIA ANANASSA

ml / 10 L EC FloraGro FloraMicro FloraBloom Diamond Nectar** pHSeedlings 0.3 – 0.6 6 6 6 20 5.5

-6.5

Vegetative 1.4 – 1.8 15 15 13 20 Flowering & fruiting 1.9 – 2.5 15 12 13

Grenoble, France, 2013-05-20

GrowinG bioponic sTraweberries in an aeroFlo wiTh biosevia

This project started in Grenoble this last fall. Yohan Hubert, one of our young and excellent French hydoponicists, sent us his feedback.

1. To start, prepare a nutritive solution with BioSevia Grow 70%, BioSevia Bloom 25%, Diamond Black 1,5%, Diamond Nectar 1,5%, BioWorm 2%. Bring EC to 0,5.

2. Start your AeroFlo. NB: It is not necessary to use

all your AeroFlo sprayers; you are essentially looking for a good flow at the beginning of the line, enough to secure good circulation and a minimum of oxygenation.

3. Place your strawberry ready to produce bare root plants.

4. Prepare a biofiltre with a mix of micro-organisms (BM or SubCulture depending on your environment).

Keep the same nutrition until the first leaves appear. If you see any chlorosis, just spray with a little micro-elements. Bio Essentials is an excellent choice. Later, if the bacterial

life develops correctly, you won’t need to add micro-organisms anymore. (Also, it is recommended not to add them too often, as they will prevent the bacteria and fungi to develop and do their job).

With the first flowers (20 days later) change the nutritive solution to BioSevia Grow 47%, BioSevia Bloom 49%, 1% Diamond Black, 1% Diamond Nectar, 2% BioWorm. Bring EC to 0,7.

Keep this mix all the way until harvest. Do not empty the reservoir, but leave the micro-organic life to proliferate.



In % EC BioSevia Grow BioSevia Bloom Diamond Nectar Diamond Black BioWormSeedlings & Vegetative 0.5 70% 25% 1,5% 1,5% 2%Flowering & fruiting 0,7 47% 49% 1% 1% 2%

Bare root plant ready to plant

Young strawberry roots

Wild Mara des bois growing bioponically in a Panda System

Our Daroyal strawberry production in an AeroFlo 20 - 2013

Daroyal in our AeroFlo

Wild Mara des bois growing in a Panda with BioSevia

Strawberry harvest - 800 grams average every week from one AeroFlo 20

Our Daroyal strawberry production in a Dutch Pot Hydro - 2 x 4,5 m2

Wild Mara des bois growing in a TrySystem with BioSevia

Temperature may be a factor to modify the solution if it is over 30°C. At that time apply BioSevia Grow 30% and BioSevia Bloom 66%. It may also be a good idea to increase your solution oxygenation. To do so, add more sprayers or place an air stone in the reservoir. If you have a large operation with a main tank exposed to heat, also add an oxygen source inside to prevent excessive development of micro-organisms. Let your EC vary, and only adjust the solution when you are filling the tank again. Using rainwater is also a good addition.

Yohan’s strawberries are sold today to the next doors bakery, where they make excellent strawberry pies for the neighborhood. Both our projects, Yohan’s and ours, hydroponic and bioponic, are a success. Each week since end of April, we have been harvesting 1,5 kg from our large DPS Hydro system, and about 800 g from our AeroFlo 20! And we know we can do much better, if only the weather this year could be a little sunnier and warmer !

ÂFor more info, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or visit our blog www.ghe-blog.com

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who is who

HYDROPONICS for FARMERS

WHILE STEVE JOBS WAS CONNECTING THE DOTS…WE WERE …

V E G E TA B L E S F R O M S I M P L E H Y D R O P O N I C S

CONNECTING THE POTS!

HgTIPl brings simple inexpensive hydroponics technology for farmers which can help them supply high end retail chains with pesticide free international quality vegetables all through the year. Retail chains are looking for such progressive farmers..Are u one? If so join the bandwagon!

Farming...Just got smarter!

HAS HyDROPONIC PRODUCE EvER BEEN SOLD TO A WORLD CLASS RETAIL IN INDIA

HGTIPL SUPPLIED WORLD CLASS SPINACH TO A WORLD CLASS RETAIL CHAIN FOR ALMOST 12 MONTHS FROM ITS BIDADI HYDROPONIC GREENHOUSE AND IT WAS RETAILED ON THEIR SHELVES IN BANGALORE. THE PALAK (SPINACH THAT WE SUPPLIED WAS POSSIBLY THE BEST EVER qUALITY IN INDIA AND FETCHED AND UNBELIEVABLE FARM GATE PRICE. ÂCopyright of HGTIPL


who is who

PRESENT SCENARIO AND FUTURE POTENTIAL

RETAIL CHAINS ARE LOOKING FOR GROWERS WHO CAN BECOME SUPPLIER PARTNERS IN THE LONG TERM WHO CAN SUPPLY FRESH PRODUCE AS PER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

THE ACTUAL PROBLEM ON GROUND TODAY IS THAT THERE IS HARDLY ANY GROWER WHO CAN SUPPLY FRESH PRODUCE IN KEEPING WITH THEIR STANDARDS OF qUALITY, RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY.

THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWERS IS HUGE HOW AND IN THE COMING FUTURE TO BECOME A PART OF THEIR BUSINESS GOALS AND OBjECTIVES.

MNC RETAIL CHAIN NEEDS OF FRESH PRODUCE IS HUGE AND THOSE GROWERS OR PROGRESSIVE FARMERS CAN HAVE THE FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE.

TO BECOME A PREFERRED BRANDED VEGETABLE VENDOR IS BY NO MEANS EASY AND ONLY POSSIBLE BY LIFTING ONES GROWING TECHNIqUES TO ATTAIN THEIR NOD.

ÂCopyright of HGTIPL - Commercial in confidence

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL GAP

GLOBAL GAP IS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD RELATING TO THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, WHICH INCLUDES A TROUGH ASSESSMENT OF THREE PERSPECTIVES:

< ENSURING CONSUMER HEALTH THROUGH PRODUCE CLEANLINESS.

<ENSURING SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENTS AND EMPLOYEE SAFETY.

< ENSURING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WHILE PREVENTING POLLUTION OR DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS CAUSED BY THE GROWING PROCESS.

ÂCopyright of HGTIPL

OUR TECH DIRECTOR:MR vIMAL KAUL – 34 YEARS IN HYDROPONICS – A DOWEN AND OUR MENTOR

PLANTS GROWING IN SIMPLE POLyBAGS


who is who

Hydroponic Greenhouse Technologies India Private Limited based in Bangalore is the leading company in the field of Hydroponics in India having pioneered this in India in Oct 2008.

The founder and CEO of HGTIPL, Lt Cdr (retd) CV Prakash has been at the forefront of this move to establish a viable Hydroponics Industry in India.

The initial three commercial greenhouses where wholly imported from South Korea and were no doubt excellent systems however the costs of importing the same was too huge to help with achieving a reduced ROI time.

HGTIPL have now devised home grown commercial hydroponic hybrid systems that do an equally good job of producing high yields of vegetables with international quality.

The passing of a bill in parliament less than a year ago where 51 pc FDI in multi-brand retail has now brought a great opportunity for growers all over India as these multinational retails chains like Tesco, Carrefour, Wal-Mart are now looking for dependable sources for supply of fresh vegetables and fruits.

HGTIPL‘S MODEL FOR LINKING GROWERS AND BuYERS IN THE FOOD SuPPLY CHAIN

GROWER

TECHNOLOGy

BUyER

HAVE PASSION, HAVE TECHNOLOGY, HAVE BUYERS -

THEN WHY WILL IT NOT SUCCEED!

COME LET'S GROW TOGETHER, LET'S BE PART OF A NEW

AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION.

These multinational brands have very stringent quality requirements that need to be met throughout the year by prospective suppliers and growers.

The requirements are as follows:• Continuous 365 days non-stop supply• Reliable logistics ability to link with their supply chain • Consistency in quality of vegetables in terms of shape, size, colour, texture etc.• Fresh produce must pass through and acceptable sorting, grading and packing system• Produce must pass HACCP certifications• Produce must pass nutritive value criteria


01 • FEBRUARY 2013 • www.soillessgardening-india.com

read in this issue:

Hydroponic Growing Mission for India: Fighting Hunger, Boosting Economy

Hydroponic Growing Mission for India: Fighting Hunger, Boosting EconomyAn Interview with Noucetta Kehdi from GHE

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You will be sent your free copy of the magazine to your email once they are published. A link to the magazine will be sent to your personal email once each new issue is available; You will be sent all news, offers and alerts from the Magazine and the industry in the region; You will be benefit from free entry tickets to the events and expos organized by the magazines.

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read in this issue:

“HYDROPONICS, CHANGE The WAY YOU GROW” an Agriculture Revolution by Plant Genome Sciences

“HYDROPONICS, CHANGE The WAY YOU GROW” an Agriculture Revolution by Plant Genome SciencesHydroponics, What Can You Grow? Herbs and Salads


02 • APRIL 2013 • w w w. s o i l l e s s g a r d e n i n g - i n d i a . c o m

COMMERCIAL HYDROPONICS Increases Food Supply which Decreases Impact on NatureVENTSnl | AutoPot Watering Systems | Greenfield Hydroponics Systemsread in this issue:

03 • MAY 2013 • w w w. s o i l l e s s g a r d e n i n g - i n d i a . c o m


COMMERCIAL HYDROPONICS Increases Food Supply which Decreases Impact on Nature

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who is who

• Produce must have been through strict IPM (Integrated Pest management) and within pesticide residue limits.

The opportunity is humongous, however at this point in time it is a great challenge for the buyer and the growers, as achieving and meet-ing the lofty criteria set by the buyers is expect-ed to be a herculean task considering the pres-ent state of affairs and conditions under which our fresh produce is being grown in India.

HGTIPL has therefore through years of under-standing the agricultural landscape of India come up with certain solutions for potential and existing growers/farmers that could help change the way fresh produce is grown and handled in a way that it merits the best remu-neration for their efforts. It is a solution that will be a win-win for both Buyer and Grower.

HGTIPL intends to play a key role by being the technology provider, agronomy advisor, trainers of greenhouse staff and will be the auditors of the growers to ensure that they are following the operating procedures to fulfil the buyer’s requirements.

In the proposed model these are the steps that are suggested and envisaged by HGTIPL for prospective growers and progressive farmers.

• For those farmers having existing poly-houses in reasonably good shape; these can be easily converted into hydroponic facilities to grow a variety of crops.• For those who are entering the field; they must get the Government of India approved poly-houses set up and also avail of subsidies where possible. • Once the poly-houses are set up, HGTIPL will provide all necessary support to install the Hydroponics part inside the greenhouse as per the chosen crop.

• Restructuring of Greenhouse Internals (case by case basis)

• Visit to all farms study and evaluation

• Give suggestions for changes per GH

• Preliminary report submission

• Present Bill of Materials per GH

• Study of existing Equipment capabilities/calibration

• Raw Material Sourcing

• Nutrient Formulations

• Nutrient Sourcing

• Crop Planning

• Crop Cultural Management

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

• Disease identification and management

• Practical application of biological control agents

• Setting Up of SOP-Standard Operating Procedures

• Presenting of Cultural Practices of Ginger

• Training of Workers, Supervisors, Managers and Agronomists

• Blue Book of Responsibilities

• Record keeping and Data Logging

• Greenhouse Environment controls

• Greenhouse Irrigation Controls

• Rhizome Management and Handling Procedures

• Irrigation Regimes for Ginger

• Safe and effective use of chemicals

• Identification and management of pests and diseases

• Post-harvest practices

• Farm and greenhouse hygiene – how and why

• Hydroponics – understanding and managing effectively

• Diligence needed in Hydroponics

• Nutrient Management

• Handling of Acids

• Greenhouse Hygiene Management

• Farm Safety

• Occupational Health and Safety Issues

• Farm management review plan

• Team Management

• Equipment Operation and Maintenance

• Stores Handling

HGTIPL WILL HELP IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:


who is who

PREPARING A SIMPLE POLY-HOUSE FOR HYDROPONIC GROWING

HAPPY HYDROPONIC CAPSICUM FARMERS IN j&K – FIRST TIME GROWERS

HGTIPL will help the growers to become an efficient supplier of fresh produce to large retail chains, both Indian and Multinationals.

HGTIPL also will continuously audit the growers and be available to help them with any help or assistance that they may need.

The future of fresh produce in this country is truly one of great potential and we are entering an era of branded fresh vegetables and fruits of very high quality and this is going to be a game changer in a very short time to come.

There are quite a few projects that are happening in north of India at the moment and these all hold great promise in the coming years.

HGTIPL believes that unless future of horticulture is in modern technology and it must be driven by passion, diligence and devotion. “The science of Hydroponics has never failed, the people behind it matter”. If the correct procedures are followed there is no reason why a crop would fail in the first place.” Says Lt Cdr (retd) CV Prakash, a passionate hydroponics man.

The idea is to make farmers do agriculture as a business.

ÂFor more detai ls one can look up www.petbharoproject.co.in



POLYETHYLENE MULCHING for Vegetable Production Ku Shital Dagwar, Dr. Hemalata Ganjare and Ku Kalpana KurhadeAssistant Proffesor, Shri Shivaji College of Horticulture, Amaravati (M.S.)

IntroductionPolyethylene mulch has been used commercially on vegetables since the early 1960s. Currently, polyethylene mulch is used on thousands of acres of vegetables. The vast majority of mulch is used on tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, and melons.

Types of MulchBasically, three major colors of mulch have been used commercially: black, clear, and white (or white-on-black). Recently, several other colored mulches have been researched, including: silver, aluminized,

red, blue, yellow, green, and others. Black mulch is used most widely because it retards weed growth, resulting in less chemical usage. Black is popular for cool seasons because it warms the soil by contact. Clear polyethylene is used widely because it promotes warmer soil temperatures by heating soil directly and trapping the heat by the greenhouse effect than black mulch. Clear mulch requires use of labeled fumigants or herbicides underneath to prevent weed growth, unless it is used for solarization. Clear mulch is not used much in warmer area because of the higher temperatures and weed growth underneath. White or white-on-black mulch is used for fall crops, which are established

under hot summer conditions. Soils under white mulch or white-on-black mulch remain cooler because the mulch absorbs less radiant energy. Some growers create their own “white” mulch by painting the surface of black-mulched beds with white latex paint or other similar products, a common practice where fall crops are double-cropped on black mulched beds of a spring crop. Highly reflective silver or metalized coatings on polyethylene have become important as a method of reducing thrips and tomato spotted wilt virus in tomato crops. These mulches repel the tomato spotted wilt virus vectors, flower thrips, and the tobacco thrips.



1. increases early yields. The largest benefit from black polyethylene mulch is the increase in soil temperature in the bed, which promotes faster crop development and earlier yields.

2. aids moisTure reTenTion. Mulch reduces evaporation from the bed soil surface. As a result, a more uniform soil moisture regime is maintained and the frequency of irrigation is reduced slightly. Irrigation is still mandatory for mulched crops so that the soil under the mulch doesn't dry out excessively.

3. inhibiTs weed GrowTh. Black, white-on-black, and silver-on-black mulches greatly inhibit light penetration to the soil. Therefore, weed seedlings cannot survive under the mulch.

4. reduces FerTilizer leachinG.Fertilizer placed in the bed under the mulch is less subject to leaching by rainfall. As a result, the fertilizer program is more efficient and the potential exists for reducing traditional amounts of fertilizer.

5. decreases soil compacTion.Mulch acts as a barrier to the action of rainfall, which can cause soil crusting, compaction, and erosion. Less-compacted soil provides a better environment for seedling emergence and root growth.

6. proTecTs FruiTs. Mulch reduces rain-splashed soil deposits on fruits. In addition, mulch reduces fruit rot caused by soil-inhabiting organisms, because there is a protective barrier between the fruit and the organism.

7. aids FumiGaTion. Mulches increase the effectiveness of soil fumigant chemicals. They do not provide a barrier but allow a water layer to form under the mulch and it is this water layer that slows down the loss of the fumigant. Virtually impermeable films (VIFs) have recently come on to the market as a new mulch film technology for improving fumigant gas capture under the mulch.

8. aids in manaGinG oTher pesTs.Highly reflective mulches assist pest management strategies for pests and the diseases, especially viruses, they may carry. Metalized mulches have been shown to repel thrips and reduce incidence of tomato spotted wilt virus in tomatoes.

BENEFITS OF MULCH



By Karp Volkov, Advanced Nutrients

Y our hydroponics high-value plants can give you lots of joy, but only if you give them what they really need. Here

are three essentials:

Clean Water: Almost all water available worldwide from municipal water supplies and wells contains minerals, toxins, and pollutants that aren’t good for people or plants.

Most water comes out of the tap loaded with calcium and iron, along with whatever has gotten into the water supply from industrial, agricultural, or urban pollution. A water analysis might find arsenic, lead, mercury (from coal smoke), chloramines, pesticides, herbicides, estrogen, and pharmaceutical waste in the water you drink, bathe in, and give to your plants.

Deal with polluted water by collecting and using rainwater, getting bottled water, or installing a water filtration system. Reverse osmosis is the best

water filtration method, but you’d want to also install a water softener to take minerals out of the water before it hits the reverse osmosis filters. If you don’t have system-wide softening, your reverse osmosis filters will need to be changed more often…and they cost a lot.

High Intensity Light: Professional hydroponics growers use high-intensity lighting that features a ballast, a reflector hood, and a high-intensity discharge (HID) bulb. If this sounds like it will cost a bit of money, you’re right, but it pays off by providing enough light intensity and the right wavelengths that your particular species of plants need.

Look for digital dimmable ballasts, and HID bulbs engineered for your plants. These bulbs are exemplified by Advanced Nutrients Diamond bulbs, which are among the most modern HID bulbs made.

HID lighting creates heat in an indoor garden and the heat has to be removed to keep your plants from having heat stress. Heat is removed through active venting that takes hot air from the garden area and brings fresh, clean cooler air from outside the garden.

THREE THINGS YOUR HIGH-VALUE PLANTS MUST HAVE



Hydroponics Nutrients: Plant genetics and growing conditions affect how fast your plants grow and how much they produce. But your plants are also greatly affected by what you feed them. If you’re growing in soil, you may not realize it but most soil doesn’t contain enough nutrition to power your crops for the best performance all the way through bloom phase.

If you’re growing in soilless hydroponics such as rockwool, aeroponics, hydroton, coco coir or similar materials and methods, you absolutely have to provide plants with all the essential fertilizer elements they need.

It’s best to use hydroponics and organic fertilizers made specifically for your type of plants, because your plants have unique needs that are different from the nutritional needs of tomatoes and other crops.

Companies such as Advanced Nutrients are seen as worldwide

pioneers for making modernized fertilizers, additives, and boosters so your crops are pushed to give you the maximum performance that their genetics allow.

The company recently introduced a new type of nutrients that provide all the basics your plants need while avoiding chemistry problems (related to pH) that you experience when you use other brands of nutrients, or have water that contains too many minerals and other materials.

Just remember: soil runs out of nutrients, and cheap fertilizers will harm your plants and deprive you of the full weight and enjoyment of your harvest.

Now you’ve read about three things your plants must have: high-intensity light, clean water, and quality hydroponics nutrients. There are other things they need too, so stay tuned to this magazine and you’ll get more and more information that will increase the health, growth rate, and productivity of your high-value crops.

Âwww.advancednutrients.com

Removing heat increases electricity costs, and HID bulbs and ballasts suck down considerable amount of electricity. That’s why many indoor growers focus on growing during colder months, because the HID heat helps keep their dwellings warm and the heat doesn’t have to be vented as much.

If you don’t have the space, heat dispersal apparatus, or investment rubles to be able to use HID lighting, you can attempt to grow high-value plants using T-5 high-output fluorescent lighting, compact fluorescent lighting, or induction lighting.

These forms of lighting don’t generate as much heat, and they use less electricity, but they fail to generate the intensity and spectrum your plants need for the best growth and yield. If you choose to use lighting other than HID, it’s best to grow only small plants that get no taller than half a meter tall. Non-HID lighting just doesn’t have the firepower to provide enough light for larger plants than that.



3 GREAT iPhone APPS for YOUR GARDENING NEEDS

T here will be no mistaking in saying that Apple is far from being caught up with at the market

of smartphones. Its iPhones are the best selling devices in the US and European markets despite their high prices. The trend is only going into Apple's favor with the growing market share of its products. With this information in mind, it does make sense that Apple's devices are an attractive market for app developers. The growing market and increasing demand made the app store a busy place. You can find virtually everything in the apps available in the iTunes store: from balancing your nutrition to finding your way in an unknown city, from picking a name for your not-yet-born child to calculating steps you make per day.

In the lavish world of apps offered through Apple's online store, we came up with 3 apps, which we believe will help you with your gardening needs. See these below:

GH Nutrient CalculatorBy General Hydroponics

This Nutrient Calculator app can be used to assist your growing setup with the help of General Hydroponics. The app allows to easily store the details of multiple hydroponics setups on your iPhone or iPod Touch so you can carry them everywhere.

The Nutrient Calculator will determine the exact amounts of nutrients needed to make your garden thrive. It will help you calculate the necessary nutrients for different plants for different growth stages. the app It has different categories like Nova, Flora, Tomato and Basil.

The app can be downloaded here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gh-nutrient-calculator/id326208668



Botany BuddyBy AVAI Ventures Inc.

The app is a tree and shrub guide for gardeners, professionals, educators, and nature lovers. It is a good tool for identifying plants in the field and selecting plants for a yard. This app is a collaboration of a veteran landscape designer and lifelong gardener, an innovative and creative technology team with major photo contributions from Oregon State University, University of Arizona Arboretum, Proven Winners®, and Botany Buddy’s private library.

The app makes it easy for professionals and educators to share images with as many “Botany Buddies” as they like. Collection sharing can save professionals, educators, and students thousands of dollars in printing and shipping, plus countless hours processing information.

The app can be downloaded here:http://itunes.apple.com/app/botany-buddy/id327837061

Vital AlmanacBy MobBase

Vital offers you the complete gardening enthusiast's almanac for growing organic fruits and vegetables by using the power of the moon. The app allows users to have daily updates for lunar garden charts, moon phases as well as other relevant information like videos, tricks, advice and useful links.

The app can be downloaded here:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vital-almanac/id380269185


questions & answers

HYDROPONIC Tips for INCREASING YieldsBy Advanced Nutrients

A ll hydroponic growers want the same thing: bigger yields and faster harvests. This is not a feat achieved

easily. It takes hard work, the right equipment, and careful consideration of your specific situation. But with the right hydroponics tips, any grower can enjoy amazing returns harvest after harvest.

Keep a Grower's Journal — It can be exceedingly difficult to keep track of all the variables that go in hydroponics. When you make a change that either results in weaker plants or a bigger yield, it can be tough to exactly pinpoint what made your plants change. This is where a grower's journal is critical. You can use it to keep track of every change in nutrients, watering, pH level, lights, as well as record on how your plants are faring on a day-to-day basis. You can use this data to pin point what factors are helping your plants. Over time, you can fine tune all the factors that go into your grow.

Be Careful with Water — This is probably one of the most valuable hydroponics tips you will ever hear. If you use too much water, your roots will rot. If

you use too little, your roots will dry out. You need to very careful with adjustments here to achieve optimum hydration. Watch the leaves of your plants before and after each watering. If your plants appear to perk up after a watering, water more often. If your plants appear to wilt shortly after a watering, water less often.

Make Liberal Use of Your Pruning Shears — Any time you see a leaf or stem that appears useless or rotting, prune it off. Anything you see that appears to be robbing valuable energy and nutrients from the rest of the healthy plant is a waste. The "cleaner" you can make each individual plant, the bigger your yields will be.

Pay Attention to Your Nutrient Solution Temperature — Far too many people ignore this. Keep your nutrient solution in between sixty-five and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. Too much below or above this, and your plants will not get all the nutrients that they need.

Invest in a Plant Stimulant or High Quality Fertilizer — For hydroponic gardening, picking up a bag of plant

nutrients at your local chain feed store just isn't going to cut it. You need a plant stimulant that is designed specifically for hydroponic growing. Make sure the fertilizer you purchase comes from a reputable hydroponic retailer.

Use CO2 Generators Carefully — You should only use CO2 generators with your hydroponic system if you an experienced gardener who knows what he or she is doing. It's true that this method can dramatically increase yields, but it can also kill your crop if done sloppily. When using a CO2 generator, it is important to increase the amount of light and nutrients your plants are receiving as well. You should also measure your atmosphere conditions very carefully. Most plants can use up to 1,500 parts per million, assuming all other conditions are optimized. If your CO2 levels reach or exceed 2,000 parts per million, your plants most certainly are going to die. So whenever you hear hydroponics tips regarding carbon dioxide levels, make sure it is backed up by plenty of research.

Âwww.advancednutrients.com


questions & answers

Asked by AMIT SINgH

CAN I TRANSFER PlANTS FROM SOIl TO

HYDROPONICS?

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Y es, you can all you need to do is wash the roots of the plant by dipping in water and try to remove as much of the soil matter as possible. Be very careful with the delicate roots so the plant doesn't go into too much transplant shock. After the roots are somewhat

clean go ahead and pot the plant in any of your favorite hydroponic media and begin a standard watering regimen with a touch of B-1 in the solution for a week or so to aid in the recovery from transplanting.

Send your ArticleS,

SuggeStionS & newS at:

[email protected]


questions & answers

Asked by SANgEETA

HIgH PH wATER…my well waTer has a ph oF 8.3. i have Tried lowerinG The ph so i can use iT For hydroponics, buT iT bounces back & aFFecTs my Garden. how do i correcT my waTers ph.

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T he main culprit for hard water is Calcium Carbonate. In small amounts, the pH of the water will only need a small adjustment. The ideal pH of the water you start with would be 7.0. After adding hydroponic nutrients and additives, the ideal pH of the solution should be around 5.9—6.2.

"Urea can be applied in granular form for soil grown crops. In hydroponics, it is not advisable to use urea. The reason is that urea needs to be broken down first by certain soil bacteria to convert it to ammonia NH3 and then to NH4 which is the available form. You can mix urea in solution but up to 0.5 to 1% only. In excess will burn your plant. Another thing, urea contains biuret and buiret can burn the plants. The biuret content of urea should not exceed 2.25 %. Ask your supplier on this. It should be indicated in the label."

The sulfuric acid is a strong product, so it might bind some of the nutrients needed for the plant. Again, watch for nutrient deficiencies.

The farther your water is from a pH of 7.0, the less desirable it is to use for hydroponics. If the TDS of your tap water is over 150, there is reason for concern. If the pH of your tap water is over 7.5, I would not even consider using it. I have made this mistake before, and in hindsight I wish I had paid the extra cash and bought bottled water. You can use either spring water or distilled water....in bottled form both should be OK.

The only other option would be to use a reverse osmosis filter with your well water, which would reduce the ppm of your water to nearly zero. The removal of Carbonates (and Sulfur, Iron, and Sodium) from your water will also drop the pH substantially (possibly down to 7.0). The only drawback with a reverse osmosis system is the initial cost of the system, which can be a little expensive. If you decide to go this route, I recommend a 3 stage reverse osmosis filter for the best results.


questions & answers

Asked by VIkAS lAMbA

wHAT kIND of MAINTENANCE is INVOlVED

with a HYDROPONIC SYSTEM?Q

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A s with soil-based production, producing crops in hydroponic systems always requires maintenance. The following list may seem like a lot of work; however, as you become experienced most tasks and checks will only take a few minutes each day.

daily• Check reservoir for water levels, pH and TDS fluctuations.• Check room temperatures and humidity percentages.• If you use CO2, the CO2 system should be checked to ensure that it is working correctly.• Check watering system. If a pump fails it should be replaced immediately. If drippers are blocked they should be cleaned or replaced immediately.• Check plants for disease and insect infestations. It is always best to stop disease and insect outbreaks early. The longer an infestation is left the more difficult it will be to cure, yield losses will be high and crop failures are possible.• Check plants for leaf discoloration and deformities that may be caused by such problems as nutrient deficiencies or nutrient burn (over feeding), as well as leaf curl from lights being to close.• Crop hygiene is extremely important. Cut off and discard diseased leaves. If a plant is badly diseased, it is always better to throw out one or two plants to control disease outbreaks than it is to destroy a complete crop. The same applies to insect infestations, especially spider mites.• General maintenance – failed light bulbs, light movers, fans, loose ducting, leaks etc. should be replaced or repaired.

weekly• The growing medium should be flushed once a week to stop nutrient lock up.• Complete reservoir change should done weekly to prevent nutrient imbalances and bacteria build-up.• Foliar spraying for disease and insect pests should be done weekly to prevent outbreaks.

end oF each crop• The hydroponics system should be completely sanitized at the end of each crop. This will minimize disease carry over to the next crop.• The grow room should be sanitized with insecticides and fungicides. Walls, floors, ceilings and equipment should be wiped down to remove insects/eggs and fungi spores. The cleaner the grower is in his growing room the fewer problems he will have in the following crop.


questions & answers

Asked by VINI

ExHAuST SETuP FOR AN 8 x 8 gROw ROOM TENT

i have an 8 x 8 Grow room TenT ThaT i'm noT sure how To seTup The venTilaTion For (The exhausT and inTake).

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E nclosed garden spaces such as closets, grow boxes, and grow tents quickly build up too much heat. Heat rises, so the number one rule would be to exhaust the grow tent from holes near the top.

As you exhaust air, you create negative air pressure (a vacuum) inside the grow tent. Opening some air intake vents will automatically allow cool, fresh air to pour into the grow tent. Cold air sinks, so these air intake holes should be positioned low to the ground to scoop the coolest air right off of the floor.

In professional grow tents, there are usually flaps over the air intake holes. This allows you to "customize" the airflow pattern inside your grow tent.

Lights put off too much heat, and ventilating the grow tent with cool air off of the floor just isn't enough to keep your grow tent from over-heating. If you ventilate your grow lights with an exhaust fan of their own, this will prevent much of their heat from going into the grow tent.

It is best to exhaust all of this warm air to the outdoors. If you are simply exhausting it into the room in which you set up your grow tent, the entire room will become too warm to keep your grow tent under required temp.

"Please, share your questions with us at support-us/cd/[email protected] or [email protected]"

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