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Category: Tips & Guides

How To Roast Green Chiles On The Stove
The green chili pepper is a variety of chilies that are harvested while the fruits are still young, tender, and green-colored. Roasting these green chilies is one of the most perfect ways of enjoying them in your meal. So, let’s learn how to roast green chiles on the stove.
Generally, chili peppers are used as an added spice in various cuisines and it gives that sharp heat to dishes. Regardless of your kitchen setup, learning how to roast this pepper won’t be a bad idea.
We have put together a list of various ways on how to roast green chiles on the stove for you to enjoy their great flavor. So read on to learn more on this.
What Are Green Chiles?
Green chiles are any varieties of pepper harvested when they are still young and green colored. Usually, their color will change from green to red or brownish-red as they ripen and mature. So will the intensity of their flavor matures and become spicier.
Normally, when the chile peppers are still small, their flavor will be hotter. Also, when the chile peppers remain young and green, their flavor will be milder.
These green chilies can be gotten fresh, canned, or pickled. The canned chiles can be processed into a sliced, whole, and diced. The common types of chilies are packed as green chilies are Poblano, Anaheim (New Mexico chile), or Pasilla and these are the milder types of chilies. They are great additions to different recipes such as soups, sauces, appetizers, stews, snacks, main dishes, and egg dishes.
Roasting Green Chiles: Why Roast Them?
Green chiles are so much better to roast because of the flavor derived from roasting them is so amazing. Roasting them is even better than eating them raw.
When you roast your chiles, it allows you easily take away the outer skin of the pepper. Doing this alters the flavor of the pepper. And these roasted chiles are soft and tasty and they will make an ideal stuffed pepper recipe.
How To Roast Green Chiles On The Stove & Others
Chili peppers can be roasted in various ways. You can roast chiles on the gas stove, on a griddle, in the oven, and so on. So let’s take a look at various ways on how to roast chiles.
1.    Roasting On The Gas Stove
Here is how to go about fire-roasted green chilies. Roasting chiles directly on the stove flame will require a gas stove with a burner. Switch on your burner and turn it to medium heat. Then the peppers should be arranged directly on the flames using tongs.
Let the skin of the pepper blacken and bubble up. You will notice this in about 2 to 3 minutes. Grill for about 5 minutes and when the skin starts to blisters, turn the chili pepper using your tongs. Do this until the pepper is evenly roasted on all sides and don’t allow the pepper to catch fire.
Go ahead and put the chili inside a plastic baggie and seal it. After about 6 minutes, the stem in the baggie will loosen the skin. You can now remove the chili from the baggie and peel off the skin with a fork or towel. Then throw away the skin. Your chili pepper is ready to be used as you wish.
2.    Roasting Using Griddle Or Comal
Another way to roast your chili is with a griddle. A griddle is also known as comal and it’s a non-stick flat metal pan often made of cast iron. It is mostly used to warm tortillas, toast spices, as well as roast peppers.
Put the griddle on the stove and turn the heat to medium and allow the griddle pan to be hot. Then place your chiles on the griddle pan.
Allow the pepper roast on the pan. With the help of tongs, turn the pepper from time to time as the skin blisters. Make sure both sides are entirely charred. If the pepper doesn’t flat on the griddle, you can always press them down with the help of a fork. This will help the pepper roast all around and you can get an even roast.
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When they have become soft and entirely charred, you can take them from the heat and put them in a plastic bag. Seal the plastic bag so the heat in the pepper will allow it to sweat. This way, the skin can come off easily when peeling. So the roasted pepper is ready to be used in any recipe of your choice.
Read more about Growing Spinach Indoors Hydroponics
3.    Oven Roasting
To roast in an oven, set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and oil the baking sheet in the middle of the oven. Put your chili peppers and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the skin are charred. Remember to always flip periodically in the process of roasting to get an evenly charred chile.
Once again, put your charred chili inside a plastic sealed bag. Then let the steam loosen the skin and peel off the skin with the help of a fork or towel. Then discard the skin. The roasted pepper is ready to be used in any recipe of your choice.
Safety Tips When Handling Roasted Green Chile
Follow these safety tips when roasting your chiles:
- Protect Your Hands and Eyes: The capsaicin produce by the chiles can burn your skin or hands. Work with gloves if possible or simply rub some olive oil on your hands before handling these peppers. Also, your eyes should be protected when handling these peppers. So, refrain from touching your eyes or any other sensitive part of your body.
- Ventilation: Fumes are usually emitted when roasting chiles and this can irritate your lungs. Therefore, ensure the area you will be roasting this pepper is well ventilated. The ventilation can come from either the stove hood fan or an open window.
FAQ’s
Can I roast chiles on the stove?
Yes, you can do that. You need to put them on a baking sheet or on a piece of foil, though.
Roasting is always better than cooking. Roasting will give you a more even heat distribution and the skin will be easier to remove.
It’s also great for making chili, where roasting the peppers gives them a smoky flavor that helps them stand up to the heat of the chili powder.
How do you roast a chile?
It’s simple, if you know how to do it. First, start with a fresh, dry chile (or two, or three, or even four). Next, put the chiles in a heavy-bottomed pan or cast-iron skillet. If you’re roasting one or two chiles, put them in a single layer. If you’re roasting a lot of chiles, put them in a single layer.
And then, turn the heat up to medium high and let the chiles cook for a while. But don’t expect to just turn the heat up to medium high and get instant gratification. It takes some time to roast a chile. The longer you let them roast, the better the flavor will be. That said, you can always remove the chiles from the oven when they start to smell nice and the skin is getting brown. You can also stop roasting when the chiles have darkened a bit on the outside, but still have a nice, bright red color inside.
How do you peel roasted Hatch green chiles?
You can peel them by hand or in a food processor. I usually just put the peeled and cut chiles into a large bowl, add about a half cup of water and mix with your hands. The water helps to loosen the skins.
To remove the stem and seeds, cut each chile in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half crosswise into three or four pieces. Remove the stem and seeds from each piece with a paring knife, then crush the pieces with a potato masher. Hatch green chiles are milder than Jalapeños, so they’re usually eaten raw (in salsas, salsa verde, etc.), but we also like them roasted with cheese, in enchiladas, etc. I would peel them before roasting them, just to make sure they don’t have any skins that will burn off. If you want a smoother surface on the chiles, I’d suggest trying a food mill or food processor instead of a potato masher. You can even do this in two batches if you’d prefer.
What’s the difference between jalapenos and green chile peppers?
Jalapenos are milder. They also have a thicker skin. The capsaicin is contained mostly in the membrane around the seeds and inner flesh. Green chiles have thinner skin, and the capsaicin is contained mostly in the flesh. They have a milder flavor than jalapeno peppers. It’s not quite as hot, but they still pack a punch.
Final Say How To Roast Green Chiles On The Stove
It is pretty easy to roast your chiles at home and incorporate them into your various recipes. So, you can always toss them in different foods and enjoy that delicious taste of a special meal.
So we hope you have been enlightened on simple ways on how to roast green chiles on the stove and other ways.
August 24, 2021
Can You Plant Zucchini In A Pot?
Ideally, the zucchini plant will grow huge and spread wide. Therefore, a substantial amount of garden space is needed for this plant. But the question is can you plant zucchini in a confined space such as a pot or container?
Zucchini, also called summer squash is used or paired with so many dishes such as summer salads, zucchini pasta, stuffed zucchini, etc. They are loaded with many nutrient benefits such as various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So, growing this lovely plant will be a great addition to your garden.
We’ve got here all you need to know about the growing zucchini plants the right way. We will also let you know if you can plant zucchini in a pot or container. So, continue reading for some insight into this.
What Are Zucchini?
The zucchini plant is known as a summer squash vining herbaceous plant. The fruits this plant produce are usually picked when their immature seeds and epicarp are still tender or soft and also edible.
Zucchini is packed with high nutrient content and is low in calories. They also contain other important minerals including iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.
Know If You Can Plant Zucchini In A Pot
Certainly, you can plant zucchini in a pot or container. Therefore, if you’re probably short of gardening space, you can opt for growing zucchini in a pot. So let’s find out how you can successfully grow zucchini in containers.
Growing Zucchini In Pots
You can grow zucchini plants in containers or pots and enjoy the same benefits as you would if you grow them in your garden. To grow this plant in containers, you will need to select the appropriate variety specially meant for containers.
Zucchini plant comes in two varieties namely bush and vining.
- Vine: the vining variety grows big and in a sprawling manner. They will grow in a long, snaking stalk and the fruits produced can grow anywhere along the vine. The vine variety grows very long and will require a lot of space. Basically, they are grown on mounds and they have their vines growing downwards. However, you can train them to grow upwards using a trellis. You can as well grow them in a tomato cage to reduce the area they occupy.
- Bush Varieties: the bush varieties on the other hand grow from a central point. They are usually more compact and their fruits will grow from the bottom of the plant. Their fruits and leaves grow from a central point. Thus, they don’t require too much space and it will be quite easier to harvest them.
Therefore, we can see that the bush variety will be ideal for growing in containers. Now let’s take you through how to grow this plant in a container.
However, Viney variety can as well be grown in a container if you have a very large pot or container. You will also need to dedicate time to training the vines to grow upright.
How To Grow Zucchini In A Pot
Follow these tips to help you with growing zucchini in containers or pots:
1.    Select The Right Container Or Pot
We recommend you choose a big pot or container regardless of the variety you will be growing. Your containers or pots can choose plastics, terracotta, ceramics, and so on.
Ideally, your container should be around 14 to 18 inches deep and 16 to 18 inches across. You can use a large plastic storage bins. You can also go for something a bit smaller such as a 5-gallon bucket or container. Ensure your containers or pots have drainage holes.
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2.    Potting Soil Mix And pH
After choosing the appropriate container that has drainage holes, go ahead and fill the container with the appropriate potting soil mix.
The Zucchini plant will flourish in a well-draining organic potting mix. So, ensure you use a good and quality commercial potting mix that comprises ingredients such as peat moss, soil, perlite, and compost. The soil mix should also be aerated and be able to retain moisture.
Just like all squash plants, the ideal pH for the zucchini plant ranges from 6 to 7.5 which is slightly acidic.
3.    Planting Site
The Zucchini plant loves the sun. Therefore, place your zucchini in a sunny site. Supply them with about 6 to 8 hours of daily sun exposure.
4.    Temperatures
For optimal growth, the ideal temperature for daytime should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The nighttime temperature should be around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The appropriate soil temperature for starting zucchini plant seeds should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
5.    Seed Sowing
Because this plant is a warm loving plant, seed sowing should be done after the last frost in spring. Put about 5 to 6 seeds in the middle of the container and about an inch and half below the soil.
Once the seedlings begin to germinate to a few inches, you should thin the seedlings back. The smaller seedlings should be cut off while leaving the two largest seedlings. Again, when the seedlings attain 8 to 10 inches, you should cut off the weakest ones and leave the healthiest ones intact.
Avoid pulling the seedlings when thinning them to prevent damaging their fragile roots. Instead, make use of scissors.
Another option you can go for instead of seed sowing is to simply plant the small zucchini plants. They are known as starter plants and you can purchase them at your local garden center. Pay attention to the plant variety you purchase and ensure they are suitable for your garden.
6.    Watering
Water your soil after sowing seeds. Afterward, water your soil and refrain from overwatering. During summer, water your plant three times a week and reduce watering times during rainy days.
Monitor the soil moisture and water more often during the hottest days. Make sure the soil is never totally dry.
7.    Harvesting
Harvesting is done when your fruits attain around half of their matured size. Your zucchini fruits are ready to be picked when they are about 6 inches long. Depending on the cultivar, you can begin harvesting from 45 to 60 days after seeds begin to germinate.
FAQ’s
How big of a pot do you need for zucchini?
If you are growing them for the first time, it’s a good idea to start small. If you’re not sure about what kind of space you have, then get a couple seeds and see how they do. The more you grow, the bigger the plants will get, but if you only have a small space, you can still grow a lot of zucchini.
You will have to figure out the spacing between the plants. If you want 2 inches between plants, then you will need 10 rows of 5 inch plants in a 3 foot by 4 foot bed. You could also grow 8 rows of 6 inch plants if you wanted. You can always transplant the plants later on if you decide you don’t want them in your beds. The size of your pots will depend on how big your plants grow. If they grow large and tall, you may want to consider buying bigger pots than what you currently have.
How do you grow zucchini in a pot?
If you are asking about growing zucchini in pots, then yes, that is possible. However, you will need to keep the soil moist.
The first step in growing zucchini in a pot is to prepare the container. You can buy a plastic container at any garden center or home improvement store for around $20. Make sure that the container has a drainage hole and a place for your plants to sit. You will also need to add some fertilizer to your container. I would suggest using the kind of fertilizer that is labeled as plant food and contains a slow release formula. You will need to put a good amount of fertilizer into the container. You will need to water the container until the water comes out of the drainage hole. You can also water with a spray bottle.
Can you grow zucchini indoors?
If you have a sunny, south-facing spot in your garden or even in a small patio, you can grow zucchini. It’s one of the easiest vegetables to grow and it will reward you with abundant, sweet, zucchini that is ready for harvest in just 45 days. You can grow zucchini indoors in pots or even in large containers.
Zucchini is easy to grow, as long as you start them off in a warm, sunny spot. In the summer months, plant them about 12 inches apart. During the winter months, you can plant them at the same time as tomatoes or peppers. They should be planted in the same kind of soil that you would use for tomatoes. You can choose to grow plants from seed or buy plants from a nursery. If you want to grow your own, you’ll need to give your plants plenty of room to grow. Don’t let them get too crowded. If they get too crowded, they will not grow well. It’s important to keep the plants watered and fertilized.
Conclusion On Can You Plant Zucchini In A Pot
We can see that it’s quite possible for you to plant zucchini in a pot. Just choose the right variety and the cultivar that suits your garden. Then follow our tips on how to plant your zucchini.
August 23, 2021
How Far Apart To Plant Green Peppers
Peppers can serve as a great addition to your garden. Be it green, red, yellow, etc, pepper are all awesome source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and other minerals. But do you know how far apart to plant your green peppers?
It is crucial you get the spacing for your peppers right as this is one determining factor to their final yield. Optimal air circulation is required by peppers for their fruit development hence, the need for proper spacing. Any space limitation could negatively affect the growth of your pepper because this can cause oxygen competition.
Therefore, let’s look into how far apart to plant green peppers for maximum yield.
Pepper Plant
Pepper is a warm-season crop that comes in various colors, shapes, and flavors. The pepper plants have so much versatility that you can simply select which variety to grow such as small bell pepper, hot peppers, bell peppers, etc.
Even with the versatility of the plant peppers, there is not really much difference in their seedling and planting requirements. The growing requirements for all pepper varieties are pretty similar and this makes them an easy plant to grow.
Growing Peppers
The growing requirements for green pepper are not so complicated, the most important thing is to get their plant spacing correctly. Therefore, all pepper growers should always know how far apart to plant any pepper, be it green, red, and yellow peppers.
Pepper loves warm weather which is why they are growing beautifully in most Texas areas. However, peppers can be grown in both indoor hydroponics and outdoor traditional garden successfully.
Guidelines On How Far Apart To Plant Green Peppers
How far apart to plant your green peppers will solely depend on these factors: distance between rows, the distance between plants, and distance from other peppers variety.
1.    Distance Between Rows
First, you should know that planting peppers in rows are not compulsory. You can decide to plant your peppers in other manners. In fact, some gardeners may prefer planting peppers in grid patterns, checkerboards, square feet, and so on. What matters is the result.
Row planting just enables you to move around your plants easily. Thus, you can conveniently move around to check your crops, and weeding and harvesting will be made easy.
But if you decide to plant your peppers in rows, the row spacing should be around 24 to 36 inches. This distance will conveniently allow your pepper to germinate to its full potential and grow maximum branches and fruits.
In a square foot garden, each pepper is planted 12 inches apart. The distance apart does not affect their pollinating process because pepper plants are self-pollinating. Therefore, they don’t require close spacing for pollination to occur.
2.    Distance Between Plants
The distance between pepper plants in the same rows should be about 18 to 24 inches. This plant spacing will allow maximum air circulation as well as reduce nutrient competition between plants.
3.    Spacing Between Other Pepper Varieties
If you will be planting different types of pepper varieties, you should consider the distance between one type of pepper to another type. This way, you can avoid hybrid creation due to cross-pollination.
Bees or any insects can convey pollen grains from one pepper species to another thereby resulting in hybrid pepper. This can affect and alter the resulting fruits of the plant pepper and their offspring.
For instance, planting bell pepper close to hot pepper may result in the hybrid of both peppers. Therefore, you may end up having a hot-tasting bell pepper.
So, to avoid this, it’s advisable not to plant different pepper species in the same garden. Plant your various peppers species in different raised beds. Another way to grow your various peppers species is to plant separate vegetables between them.
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How To Grow Peppers
Follow these guidelines to learn how to grow your green pepper the right way:
1.    Seed Planting
The first thing you should know when it comes to planting peppers is that they love warm surroundings. Therefore, you should allow the soil to warm up to at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit before planting. Grow your plant where they can receive full sun.
You can start your seed germination indoors or simply sow seeds directly into the soil. Seedlings should be planted about 3 weeks after the last frost has elapsed.
2.    Stake Your Pepper
Peppers will grow very huge so they will benefit from stake or cage for support. Therefore, we recommend you tie your growing plant to stakes so they can remain upright. Don’t wait until your plants are big before staking them or they might end up damaged. Stake each plant while they are still young.
3.    Fertilizer Application
Your green pepper will need fertilization. If you’re making use of manure, we recommend using chicken manure. Once your pepper begins to flower, supply them with a balanced organic fertilizer in ratio 3:1:5 every 4 weeks. Pepper doesn’t require too much nitrogen because excess nitrogen will promote leaf growth rather than fruiting.
4.    Watering
Too much watering is not required in pepper plants because overwatering can cause root rot. Avoid watering the pepper plant but water their roots.
5.    Weeding And Pest Control
Always weed your pepper garden regularly. Also, the pest can be controlled with organic solutions or chemicals.
Green peppers are fairly pest-free. However, you may have issues with fruit flies. You can use water mixed with soap and spray any aphids you see on your green pepper plants.
6.    Fruit Production
You should begin to see fruit production after 11 weeks of transplanting. You will enjoy fruits production for many months up until winter begins. Make sure you don’t leave your pepper fruits on the plant for too long as this can slow down flower production.
How Far Apart To Plant Green Peppers
FAQ’s
How close together can you plant peppers?
Peppers are one of the most important crops grown in the United States, and they’re also one of the most variable. Some grow fast and big, but others grow slowly and small. The peppers we eat come from a wide variety of different types that have been bred for specific characteristics, but we don’t know exactly how much genetic variation exists among all these varieties.
There’s no hard and fast rule. If you’re planning on growing them for fruit, the distance between rows should be about 3 times the width of a pepper seedling. That means in your case you want to plant at least 30 cm between each row.
Can I plant bell peppers next to tomatoes?
Yes. Bell peppers are a cool-weather crop and like other warm-season vegetables such as beans, lettuce and onions, they will do better if planted close to tomatoes. The two plants should be no more than 6 inches apart, but you can plant them closer if you like. Bell peppers can also be grown in containers or on a trellis, where they will be a little more forgiving of poor soil conditions.
Can I plant peppers in the same spot every year?
You could plant two varieties of pepper at a time. When you have one that is done flowering, pull it out and plant another. There’s nothing wrong with planting peppers in the same spot every year. It’s just that they are not going to be as big or as productive as if you planted them in different locations.
Can peppers and cucumbers be planted together?
Peppers and cucumbers are not compatible plants, but if you really want to plant them together you can do so. If you have a large garden, you can have both growing at the same time in different areas of the garden. Both plants can grow up to 10 feet tall, so you need to be sure that they do not come into contact with each other. You can also try planting them in a greenhouse.
Do peppers need a trellis?
Peppers (Capsicum annuum) are very happy growing on the ground, as long as you give them some room to spread out. They will need a trellis for support, if they’re growing too close together, or if they’re growing too tall. If your plants are not too far apart, they might be fine on the ground. You might be able to let them grow as is, or you could use a trellis to keep them upright, and still let them grow where they like.
How tall do pepper plants get?
Peppers are pretty easy to grow, and will grow up to 5 feet if you keep them fed and watered. The key is that they need good soil and plenty of light.
You can easily grow your own peppers on a sunny patio or balcony. They’re one of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed. You can grow peppers in a pot or in the ground. You’ll want a warm, sunny spot for peppers, and you’ll need to water them regularly. If you choose to plant them in the ground, you’ll want to plant them in a protected area away from frost.
Conclusion On How Far Apart To Plant Green Peppers
Pepper needs to be spaced appropriately so they can receive adequate air circulation. Appropriate spacing will also reduce nutrient competition among plants.
Generally, how far apart to plant green peppers will depend on the distance between the plant rows and the distance between each plant. Follow our guidelines on how to space your pepper plant the right way for maximum yield.
August 23, 2021
Italian Long Hot Pepper Plants
One popular pepper that is fried and eaten in Italian cuisine is the Italian long hot pepper plants. These peppers have now become so popular in the United States dishes because of their versatility. They are also common used as essential staples in most cooking even all around the world.
These Italian long hot peppers are loved by many because of their added spicy flavor and the rich and complex look it gives any dish.
If you’re looking to grow hot peppers, then the Italian long pepper plant will be an amazing addition to your pepper and vegetable garden.
What Are Italian Long Hot Pepper Plants?
Italian long hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) is also known as Italian long hot chili peppers, Italian frying peppers, cubanelle peppers, Italian roster peppers, and long hot peppers.
Italian long hot pepper plants have their fruit as elongated, curved, slender, and straight pods. They will grow typically around 6 to 8 inches long and are slightly wrinkled and mostly curvy. The shape of this Italian pepper fruit may look awkward but hey, that’s what makes them so special.
What Are Italian Roaster Pepper Used For?
Even though they are known as hot long peppers, their spice is mild. They have that distinctive flavor that will leave your dish tasting great. Now when you roast them, they will give you that smoky sweetness that you will never forget.
They will ripe from green to red and green is their young phase, while bright red is their matured phase. They can be used either as green or red for cooking. These Italian peppers are ideal for stuffed long hot peppers, sandwiches, grilling, hoagies, pizza, and so on. So they are perfect for both frying and slicing.
The Italian roaster peppers can as well be added to pasta, sauces, marinades, and salsa in chopped and puree forms.
If you’re adding them to meals when cooking, they will be entirely incorporated including their skin and seeds. Because of their mild spicy and sweet tasting flavor, they can be used in large amounts for salads and appetizers.
However, because of their slender body and inner walls, they don’t have adequate space or capacity to withstand fillings.
Tips On How To Grow Italian Long Hot Pepper Seeds
Seed Sowing
Plant when the soil and weather is warm. About 3 seeds of the Italian long hot pepper should be sown a quarter-inch deep into the soil. Ensure you use a well-draining soil mix. You can use a soil mix of equal part of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, and compost. Then work the soil properly.
If you wish, you can divide your garden in rows of shallow planting furrows with a garden hoe. Space your plant about 24 inches between plant rows. The furrow dept should be around 4 inches into the soil. Each plant’s distance should be about 18 inches.
The seeds can be germinated indoors and transplanted outdoors. If you’re sowing seeds outdoors, the seeds should be spaced evenly and appropriately to allow air circulation.
Watering
As your plant grows, water the plant root directly. You need to retain an evenly moist soil. more watering is required during hot seasons, and less watering around spring months or raining periods. However, avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
Supply With Full Sun
You should plant in an area where there is the full sun because this pepper loves warm conditions. Supply your long pepper with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. The ideal temperatures should be around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The best germinating temperatures for peppers are around 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. But this may be hard to achieve except you’re growing with a germinating heating pad.
Once the seeds have sprouted, move and transplant them outdoors. Do this when the average temperature around the night period is around 55 degrees warm. Also, ensure your planting site receives with full sun.
Soil Mulching
Mulch your soil to prevent weeds and maintain moisture. You should apply about 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch around your plant soil. if you notice any weed, ensure you take them out.
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Support
Your pepper will require supports as they grow. So drive a stake into the ground a couple of inches from your plant stem. Begin staking when your pepper has grown a bit and reached its young stage.
Fertilization
Once they begin to flower, they will need fertilization to produce optimally. Use a complete fertilizer containing NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) of ratio 5:10:10. The nitrogen value should be low because too much nitrogen can cause excess leaf growth rather than flowering or fruiting.
Growth And Harvesting
The long hot pepper seeds will yield pepper fruits of 6 to 8 inches long. At this stage, they are already ripe.
The Italian long hot pepper plants will take about 60 to 70 days to attain maturity. The plant will begin producing its hot pepper fruits by first turning yellow-green then orange, and finally, bright red when it’s fully ripe. You can either harvest them they are plump green or matured bright red. When harvesting, cut the stem and don’t pull the plant to prevent injuring the plant.
We also recommend you wear a pair of gloves to protect your hands from this hot pepper. You can as well put on some goggles to protect your eyes if need be. Wash your hands appropriately after picking your peppers.
Harvesting should be done every 2 to 3 days to promote continuous or more flower and pepper production.
FAQ’s
Is it worthwhile growing Italian Long Hot Peppers?
Growing the Italian long hot peppers is a great way to get your hands dirty and learn a lot of things. They are easy to grow in your home garden and they will provide you with some delicious food and wonderful aromas.
The first thing you need to know when you start growing these plants is that there are different types of peppers, and they are classified according to their size, shape and color. Some are grown for their fruit, while others have a more ornamental value.
How do you grow Italian long hot peppers?
If you want to grow hot peppers, then you should keep in mind that they need a certain amount of light and heat, as well as water. Soil The first thing you should think about when it comes to growing your own hot peppers is the type of soil that you will use. Hot peppers like the soil to be rich in minerals and nutrients. It is important to use good quality soil because some soils can cause the roots of the plants to rot. You should also try to avoid using heavy, clay soils, as they can cause the peppers to not grow properly. Water Hot peppers need a lot of water to grow, and they do not like to dry out. It is important that you water the plants regularly. They usually need around four inches of water per week. If the soil is not moist enough, then you can also add a little bit of fertilizer to the soil. Light Most hot peppers like a light source that has high temperatures and low humidity. The plants will produce better fruit when the temperature stays around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity level is around 50%. You should also make sure that the area where the pepper plants are growing does not get too much direct sunlight.
What should I do if I don’t have experience growing peppers?
When growing your own peppers, you may want to start with a pepper that is easy to grow, such as the sweet peppers, which have a long shelf life and do not need any special care. However, you may want to try some of the hotter peppers if you like spicy foods. A good way to start your garden is to plant seeds. Plant them in a pot and keep them in a warm, sunny location. This will help the seeds germinate faster. You can also buy a few plants at a nursery. These plants are already started and will not need to be planted in a pot. When you are ready to plant, make sure you select a place that has good drainage. If you live in an area where there is a lot of water, then you will have to make sure that the soil drains well.
Conclusion On Italian Long Hot Pepper Plants
The Italian long hot pepper plants will produce thin hot pepper for your culinary needs. They are so easy to grow indoors hydroponically or in your traditional outdoor garden and they won’t give you much stress. All you need do is to supply them with good sunlight.
August 23, 2021
Do Bush Beans Need A Trellis?
Generally, beans are an excellent food source that can be used as green vegetables and they have great nutritional benefits. One easy and simple garden crop to grow is the bush beans variety. But do you know if bush beans need a trellis for support? Keep reading for information on this.
Bush beans come from two types of beans which are pole beans and bush beans. Just as the name implies, these beans grow in a bushy manner. On the other hand, pole beans grow as climbing plants. But we will be focusing more on bush beans.
In this post, we will be discussing if bush beans do need a trellis. So let’s get right into this.
Do Bush Beans Need A Trellis?
The straight-up answer is no! Bush beans don’t require support such as a trellis. This is because bush beans will grow in a busy manner. They will majorly grow up to two feet tall and two feet wide, unlike pole beans that grow in a climbing manner.
Garden Beans
Garden bean includes green beans which are also categorized into bush beans and pole beans. They are as well known as common beans.
Bush bean is one excellent type of garden crop to grow especially for newbie gardeners. They are so easy to grow and you will get a return of bountiful yield. Also, the bush bean will not give you the stress of planting as they don’t require support such as a trellis.
Beans Bush: What Are They?
Bush beans are a common vegetable garden grown in most homes. Both bush beans and pole beans are scientifically known as Phaseolus vulgari so they are members of the same species.
We can further break down bush beans into 3 categories namely green shelling beans, snap beans, and dry beans. Green shelling beans have their pods tough thus, only the seeds are eaten. Snap beans are known as green beans and are eaten as pods or eaten fresh. Then dry beans are left to fully ripe and turn dry on the plant and rehydrated before eating them.
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These bush beans are available in different colors varieties such as yellow, green, and purple. They are also available for varieties that are ideal for drying or shelling.
Bush beans will require little space to grow and lesser maintenance compared to pole beans. Also, the bush bean will take up less space in your garden.
Growing The Bush Garden Bean Seeds
Generally, all types of garden beans seeds should be planted after the danger of frost have elapsed. They require warm soil of at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit to grow appropriately. They also require full sun for optimal growth.
If you have a cool spring weather experience, hold on a bit. Avoid planting too early when the soil is still a bit cold. This is because cold and dampness will slow down seed germination and may also cause root rot.
We also do not recommend germinating garden bean seeds indoors because they may not survive transplanting. This is because of their tender or fragile roots and the roots can be easily harmed while transplanting.
As we have mentioned, growing bush beans is very easy. It does not take as much time to grow as pole beans would and it will produce its beans on time.
To plant, bush beans use well-draining soil and soil rich in organic material. Bush beans usually emerge at once. Thus, we recommend staggering your seed planting every two weeks to help with a consistent harvest.
Use soil that is neutral or slightly acidic. The ideal pH should be between 6 to 7 ranges.
How To Plant Bush Beans
You should plant bush beans about 1 to 3 inches deep and 3 inches apart. If you’re using sandy soil to plant your bush bean, plant it a little deeper but don’t let it go too deep. When planting more than one row, the distance apart should be 18 to 24 inches.
The seeds of bush beans will begin to sprout after 6 to 10 days or about one to two weeks. Bush bean will take about 50 to 55 days to produce while pole bean will take around 55 to 65 days.
Care For Bush Beans
Bush bean does not require so much care once they begin to grow. But here are some things you can do to care for them as they grow.
- Watering should be done once per week and water in about 2 to 3 inches deep. Ensure you don’t miss their watering needs so they can keep flowering. You can water during the hot days to avoid over dampness of foliage.
- Always weed your garden but do this carefully so you don’t disturb the fragile roots of the bush bean.
- Bush bean does not require too much fertilization. But if you wish or if necessary, you can supply with fertilizer. Do this after the bean has germinated or after a heavy bloom and the set of the pod. The amount of fertilizer should be half the rate used for other vegetables.
Harvesting Bush Beans
Harvesting of bush beans can be done even before the pods are fully matured and when they are still fragile. This is usually about a week or two weeks after blooming. Also, ensure you harvest your beans from time to time so as to encourage continuous plant production. You can even make the habit of picking them every day.
When picking the bush bean by hand, gently hold the branch with one hand and pick the pod with your other hand. This is to prevent breaking the plant.
Storing
Bush bean can be stored in a tight-proof or moisture-proof container inside the refrigerator. You can as well can your beans. Ensure you keep your canning process safe and sterile.

FAQ’s
How can you trellis bush beans?
Trellising is a process of training plants to grow vertically instead of horizontally.
They give a more orderly appearance to the garden, which is important if you want to sell produce at market. If you want to grow something other than vegetables, however, trellis structures are not suitable.
If you’re growing cucumbers or beans (or tomatoes or peppers) on the ground, you can start by using a tomato cage. This is a simple structure that fits around the plants’ main stems and holds them up. You can buy them from garden centres, but if you want to make your own, you can use wood or bamboo poles, or you can just tie them together. Trellis structures are most commonly used in the vegetable garden.
The first year I grew them I did not know how to trellis them and had to wait until they were big enough to climb the wires.
How do you use bamboo?
What You Need:
-Bamboo stakes (they come in packs of 50 or 100 at your local home improvement store) -Ties (you can buy these at any hardware store, or you can make your own. I like to make my own ties. They are easy to use, inexpensive, and you can choose whatever color or pattern you want.)
-Trellising wire
-Scissors
-Gloves (I use rubber gardening gloves. They keep me from getting splinters)
What You Do:
Step 1 -Measure the distance between your bamboo stakes. Mine were spaced 8 inches apart. If you have a different spacing, multiply this number by 2. The length of your trellis should be twice as long as your bamboo stakes.
Step 2 -Cut the trellising wire to the length you need. Mine was 8 feet long. You can get away with a shorter length, but it is better to err on the side of caution when using wire.
Step 3 -Attach one end of the trellising wire to the first bamboo stake. I used a staple gun. This will prevent the wire from sliding off the bamboo stakes.
Step 4 -Attach the other end of the trellising wire to the next bamboo stake.
Step 5 -Repeat steps 2-4 for the rest of your trellis.
Step 6 -Tie your beans to the trellis with your ties.
What can I do if I didn’t trellis them in time?
I would suggest you prune the branches now. When they are grown up and have few leaves, prune them and keep them under control. This will give them more space and make them strong and healthy.
Conclusion On Do Bush Beans Need A Trellis
We have concluded that bush beans do not require a trellis because they will only grow wide and bushy. Pole bean on the other hand requires support such as a trellis.
August 23, 2021
MH Or HPS For Flowering
Both MH (Metal Halide) and HPS (High-Pressure Sodium) are great indoor grow lights for your various plants. However, do you know if MH or HPS is good for flowering? We will answer that in this post.
For general plant growth, both MH and HPS are good for growing. But each of these grow light has specific light characteristics it will offer your plant according to their needs.
The growth stages of plants include vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stage and each of these stages require specific light spectrum. However, in this article, we would like to know if MP or HPS grow light is better for flowering plants. So, continue reading to find out more about this.
MH And HPS Grow Lights
Metal halide (MH) and high power sodium (HPS) are both products of high-intensity discharge (HID). They are quite efficient in terms of indoor growing and can mimic the work done by sunlight. The two grow lights require a ballast to start. Thus, a complete lightning kit is recommended so you don’t miss any important parts especially if you are just starting out.
Let’s take a look at some info on both MH and HPS grow lights.
MH Grow Light
This grow light is a type of HID lamp and they are good for growing plants in their various stages. However, they are mostly or preferably used in the vegetative stage of a plant’s life cycle. They contain a crisp or bluish-white color spectrum, but most MH grow light may lack red wavelengths which are needed for flowering.
Metal halides are built quite closely to mercury vapor lamps. The main difference is that they are composed of additional metal halide compounds in the quartz arc tube and this is to enhance the efficiency and color performance.
Metal halides are rated with a high lumen output of about 100 lm per watt. They are quite long-lasting and can last up to 20,000 hours. They also require a ballast to function.
MH grow lights are known to emit heat. Thus, you should know the appropriate hanging distance to your plants’ canopy. The ideal grow light distance for metal halide plants should be around 8 inches to 25 inches. However, know that this will depend on the type of plant you have and the wattage of your grow light.
HPS Grow Light
HPS grow light is also a type of HID light. Their spectrum comprises red, orange, and yellow wavelengths that enhance roots and flower development. For this reason, they are the best for the flowering phase of a plant. They require a ballast to power on and sustain the electrical arc.
HPS grow lights are less expensive and are great for indoor gardening. However, high-pressure sodium grow light produces heat, therefore the appropriate hanging distance should be considered.
The grow light distance to your plants’ canopy can be around 6 to 34 inches and this will depend on the type of plant you’re growing. It will as well depend on the wattage or strength of your grow light. Also, you should ensure you investigate the plant you have so you can establish the appropriate growing conditions. This is to avoid plant burns from positioning your grow light too close to your plants.
In addition, a ventilation system should be put into considerations to ensure the environment is no too hot for your plants.
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MH or HPS For Flowering
Metal halide (MH) and high-pressure sodium (HPS) are both high-intensity discharge (HID) grow lights. They are both great for most of your plants’ growth stages and growers usually use them together for a complete grow light system. But which is better for flowering between MH or HPS?
Ideally, HPS is the best for flowering plants. Growers usually begin with a metal halide (around the vegetative phase of a plant) for growing. Then once the plant enters the flowering stage, it is been replaced with high-pressure sodium.
Also, most metal halide grow lights lack the red wavelength that is responsible for the flowering stage. This is why they are not so great for flowering but just vegetative phase. Hence the need to always switch to high-pressure sodium, HPS grows light during the flowering phase.
HPS For Flowering
HPS grow lights are composed of a reddish or orange color spectrum which is associated with the flowering phase of a plant.
The higher lumen or light intensity is also gotten from high-pressure sodium lights. The intensity is usually 25 to 40 percent greater than metal halide bulbs or even the same wattage. This is why HPS is better for flowering because the more light the better for the flowering plant results.
FAQ’s
What is better for flowering HPS or MH grow lights?
HPS lights are great for vegetative growth and flowering.
They’re more expensive than MH lights, but they produce much higher amounts of light. They have a lot of heat though, so you’ll need a good ventilation system to keep it cool.
MH grow lights are much cheaper than HPS grow lights, but they’re not as efficient at producing light. They only produce about half the amount of light that HPS grow lights do, and they don’t get very hot. If you have the room, you can grow with MH grow lights. They’re perfect for smaller grow spaces.
Can you use both at the same time?
If you would like to save on costs but would like to treat your plants well, a good idea would be a good idea to get one of each.
What I use is a mixture of both. My HPS lights are in a big space, so they’re really bright and powerful. But my LED grow lights are in a small space, so they’re more efficient. I like using LED grow lights because they produce less heat, which is important for my plants. I also like the idea that you can control them, so I can adjust the brightness of each light to suit my plants. There’s also a lot of varieties of LED grow lights out there, but if you’re looking for something that will fit in your space, you can find one that does the trick.
What light spectrum is best for flowering?
Light Spectrum is the primary input to the plant. Plants have evolved with certain light spectrums that are best for growth. We are interested in finding out which light spectrum(s) are best for flowering. This may differ depending on the species and the time of year. If you are interested in growing cannabis plants indoors, you will want to use a special light spectrum. A light spectrum is a specific range of wavelengths of light.
As a general rule of thumb, red radiation is the best light for driving photosynthesis at the flowering stage of a plant.
Final Thoughts On MH or HPS For Flowering
Even though HPS is the best for flowering, utilizing both MH and HPS in your indoor garden is a perfect combination for all your plants’ stages. So, if you’re wondering which you should go for, we would say the two.
MH is great for the vegetative stage, while HPS is great for the flowering and fruiting stage and this combination will give you the best growing result.
However, technology has advanced and our regular traditional MH and HPS grow lights is been replaced with LED lights. LED grow light can be used as a standalone light for all your plant growth stage. LED used to cost a lot to purchase, but now, there are various options that can suit your budget.
However, LED grow lights still costs a bit more than the traditional HID, but at a reasonable price. Again, LED lights won’t emit much heat as HD lights do and your investments in the cooling system will be lesser.
All in all, whichever choice you decide to go for, be sure that either HID or LED light will give your plants what they require to grow adequately with the right conditions.
August 23, 2021
How To Clean An Air Stone
You may be one grower that replaces your air stones frequently. But do you know you can clean your airs stones, reuse them, and save some little money? This is why we will be teaching you how to clean an air stone and renew its effectiveness.
Air stones will help aerate your plant roots by creating bubbles in a hydroponic system. As these stones work hard to provide oxygen to your plants’ root, they may slowly lose their effectiveness. This may be as a result of the surface inside your tank getting clogged as time goes on. Thus, the need for cleaning.
Even though air stones are cheap to purchase and most growers just replace them, you can actually clean them to rejuvenate their value. So, let’s dive in and discuss how to clean an air stone for your plants’ benefit.
What Is Air stone?
Airstone is a piece of porous stone or lime wood. They help create bubbles in water and are used to aerate hydroponic tanks or fish tanks.
The bubbles produced are pushed through the system with the help of an air pump and the bubbles allow oxygen to be dispersed throughout the system. The air stones are usually immersed in a water tank of the nutrient reservoir.
How To Clean An Air Stone & Restore Their Effectiveness
Usually, air stones may start to lose their effectiveness around 6 weeks of use. However, this can differ depending on the mineral composition of your water. Cleaning your air stones not only removes dirt, but also disinfects them from bacteria, algae, and even dust.
Even though cleaning your air stones may take some time, it is, however, a great way of extending its use. So, let’s take a look at how to clean an air stone in order to restore their good working conditions and perform like new.
How To Clean Air Stones
Step 1
Turn off or disconnect your air stones and take them out of your tank. Go ahead and rinse the air stone in fresh or clean water. Then gently scrub off any excess build-up from the outer part and ensure you don’t scrub too hard.
Step 2
Next, allow your air stone to boil for ten minutes on low heat. Doing this will help take out internal dirt from the air stones at the same time sterilize the stone. After boiling, allow them to cool down and let them dry.
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Step 3
When the air stones are dry, the next step is to soak them in a cleaning solution. Soak them in a mixed bleach and water of ration 1 to 3 respectively. Soak them for 24 hours or two days depending on dirty your air stones are.
Bleaching can as well destroy any leftover bacteria that may be hiding deep inside the stones.
Step 4
The next step is to rinse off all the bleach. You can go ahead to attaching an airline from an air pump to the air stone and immerse it in clean water. This will further rinse off any residual bleach or even dirt.
Step 5
The next and final step is removing the air pump and allowing the air stone to dry. Then your air stone is ready to be reused.
Other Methods Of Cleaning Air Stones
Some people, especially aquarium owners, are usually skeptical about using bleach to clean their air stones because of the effect on aquariums. Therefore, there are other methods you can use in cleaning your air stones.
1. You can use water and vinegar to soak your air stones. Using this method will take out dirt especially calcium lime deposits that is as a result of your reservoir having heavy mineral composition.
2. Use hydrogen peroxide to soak your air stones overnight. Once you’ve done this, go ahead and wash thoroughly. Then blow air through the air stone till it is totally dried.
3. Another cleaning agent is the denture-cleaning tablets. They are a dilute type of sodium hypochlorite bleach and they are safer than liquid bleach. So, get some clean water and put your air stone inside, and put as many denture-cleaning tablets. Allow your air stone to soak all night and wash using clean water and blow some air through the stone. Then you allow them dry.
4. Another way on how to clean an air stone is to boil it for 5 minutes then let the air stone cool. When it’s cool, blow some air through the stone until it’s totally dry.
5. The last method of cleaning the air stone involves washing and carefully scrubbing off the outer part that is dirty. This can usually be enough if only the outer part of the stone is dirty. But this method won’t kill microorganisms.
The plastic tubing is another piece of equipment that needs to be cleaned for you to have a total air stone mop-up. Air stones use plastic tubing to connect to an air pump. You can use one of the above soaking methods to clean them.
Benefits Of Cleaning Air Stone
There are benefits to cleaning and reusing these air stones and they include:
- Saves Cost: one obvious benefit of cleaning air stones rather than buying or replacing them is that it saves you cost.
- Airstone Lifespan Extension: you can extend the usage of your air stone and reuse them several times.
- Reduce Waste: cleaning and reusing your air stone rather than replacing them is a way of reducing wastage. Thus, you will be helping your community by reducing environmental wastage.
FAQ’s
How often should I clean your air stone?
Every month. Air stones need to be cleaned regularly because they collect dust, lint and moisture from the air. These particles can make your air feel unpleasant.
What’s the easiest way to clean my air stone?
The easiest way to clean an air stone is to turn off the unit, take out the air stone and use a soft cloth to wipe it down. If the air stone is covered with dust, lint or moisture, simply wipe it down and allow it to dry. You can also use a damp cloth or sponge to clean the air stone. Just make sure that the water doesn’t drip onto the unit itself. If you don’t want to remove the air stone from your air conditioning system, you can also purchase an air stone cleaner that will help keep your air stone clean. These air stone cleaners come in different shapes and sizes and are designed to fit different types of air stones. Some of them even have cleaning attachments.
Can you use hot water?
The first thing that I do is give it a good wash with hot water. I do this by putting it into a sink full of hot water and swishing it around for a bit.
Then I rinse it out. Next I put it into a dishwasher and run it through the washer. I have found that if I run the washer at high speed, which is about the highest setting, then the water doesn’t get too hot. After the washing is done I wipe it off with a rag and then dry it with a paper towel. Once it’s dried, I put a thin layer of silicone spray on it and let it sit there for about 15 minutes. Then I take a dry cloth and rub it down the outside of the stone. That seems to get all the dust off and make it look really good. The last thing I do is put it in my glass container and store it away for next time.
How long do air stones last?
Air-filled ball bearings are made of a rubber material that is compressed to create a tight seal. The compression of the air and the ball bearing creates a durable product. I’ve read that the plastic is very durable.
My old set lasted me 8 years. I was using them daily. If you’re using them daily for a few months, then they’ll probably last.
Final Say On How To Clean An Air Stone
The best time to clean your air stone is when you notice your plants are stressed, which may result from low oxygenation. So, when you notice the performance of your air stone has reduced, then that’s a sign for cleaning.
Sign to take note when your air stone is in despair is when some part of your system is covered in slime. Or when you notice some fibers settling on your grow medium which will cause blockage.
So, get cleaning to rejuvenate your air stones.
August 18, 2021
String Beans Versus Green Beans
If you’ve come across the names string beans and green beans and you’re wondering what the difference is, wonder no more. We are here to tell you all about string beans versus green beans.
Green beans are one of the most popularly known around the world. They are so easy to grow and are very delicious. They also have great nutritional benefits.
But what is the difference between string beans versus green beans? Let’s find out.
Types Of Common Beans
Generally, we have 3 types of common beans and they are snap beans, dry beans, and shell beans.
The young pods that are harvested before the seeds develop are known as snap beans. Now, these snap beans are also known as green beans and are otherwise known as string beans.
Usually, the majority of beans are grown especially for seed harvesting. These beans are often known as dried beans in their many different varieties.
String Beans vs Green Beans
Both sting beans and green beans are scientifically known as Phaseolus vulgaris. When we talk about string beans, green beans, and snap beans, all these beans are one and the same. They are just simply called many names. But why are these beans that are the same been called different names?
First, why are they called string beans? These beans are also known as string beans because a time came when these green beans have a string running across the entire length of their pods. But now, the majority of the green beans we purchase from the market today don’t have strings.
So why are they also called snap beans? They are also known as snap beans because they can break or snap easily. So when you bend and break these beans, they will make a snapping sound.
Check out the Best Way to Germinate Seeds in Hydroponics
Differences Between Green Beans and String Beans
As we said, both string beans and green beans are the same. The only visible difference we can say is from the two types of green beans which are pole beans or bush beans.
Bush beans are beans that will grow in a bushy and short direction and they don’t require support. Also, all green beans are bush beans.
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Pole beans are climbing beans that usually require support from trellis or stake. All bush beans are green beans. However, not all pole beans are green beans because not all pole beans are common beans.
Read more about The Step by Step Process of Growing Broccoli from Seed
Green Beans & Their Appearance
Green beans including their outer pods are considered unripe. However, they are eaten this way. Green beans are usually eaten as vegetables.
We have about 130 varieties of green beans and they are grown to be consumed in their green and unmatured condition.
Appearance: Not all green beans look alike. Green beans can be flat and wide, round and fleshy, or even slim, long, and round. Some will be a bit shorter than others. So, string beans or snap beans are wide, flat, and round. They are also known as Italian flat beans and they are a variety of green beans.
Green Beans, Are They All Green?
The majority of beans are usually green. However, not all beans are green. Some beans variety comes in various colors.
- Purple Beans for instance are purple in color and they have the pigment anthocyanins that are responsible for the purple color. However, when you cook these purple beans, their pigments eventually shed and turn green. These types of beans are a little sweeter than the regular green beans.
- Haricots Verts is another type of green beans and the name means green beans in French. These beans are more tasteful than the regular green beans. Also, you can stumble on them in the store to be labeled as French green beans.
- Wax Green is also under green beans but they lack the pigment chlorophyll. For this reason, they always remain yellow even after cooking. They have seeds that are pale blue and their pod or flesh remains yellow. Their taste is just like green beans but in a nutty and grassy way.
- Rattlesnake Pole Bean is another variety of green beans. This bean comes in green and has purple stripes.
Nutritional Benefits Of Green or String Beans
There are lots of nutritional benefits to green beans or string beans. They include:
- Green beans are high in fiber and protein thus it helps promote the body’s general health.
- It encourages healthy weight loss.
- Enhance healthy bone development.
- Promote healthy blood pressure.
- Beans reduce free radicals in the body. Thus, it decreases the risk of the overall disease. It can as well promote a slow aging process.
- Beans assist in cell division and normal DNA production.
- Beans can help protect your body from unwanted infectious diseases.
- Promotes the reduction of blood cholesterol levels.
These beans have great nutritional value and here is some nutrition they contain:
- Vitamins (Vitamin A, B, C, and K)
- Calcium
- Manganese
- Folate
- Iron
- Potassium
- Beta-carotene
- Magnesium
They are also very low in saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol, making them healthy food to consume.
FAQ’s
Is green beans the same as string beans?
Is green beans the same as string beans?
The short answer: yes, they’re both green beans. But there are several differences that make them unique. Green beans are one of the most common types of beans.
They have a bright green color and are available in many different varieties. They are considered to be one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Most green beans are grown indoors in controlled conditions, but some farmers grow them outdoors in warmer climates. Regardless of where they’re grown, green beans can be used in many different ways. You can boil them, roast them, steam them, sauté them or even use them as a side dish.
Why are green beans called string beans?
String beans were probably named this way because the seeds look like strings.
The common green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a plant in the family Fabaceae and is also known as green bean, garden bean, pole bean, cowpea, or black-eyed pea. It is cultivated for its edible seeds, which are also called beans. Green beans are a popular vegetable in many countries, especially in Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America.
The edible pods of the green bean contain an edible seed. The beans are eaten cooked or raw. They are also used in soups, salads, and stir-fries. Green beans have a long history of use as food. They have been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. Today, they are grown all over the world.
Green beans are considered to be a healthy food, and they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The name “string bean” is usually applied to a variety of green bean that is grown for its edible pods, not its seeds. The name was originally applied to the green bean because it had a stringy texture when cooked.
Are string beans pole beans?
String Beans are definitely not pole beans. They are related to bush beans, which are edible. Bush beans are also known as runner beans, as they grow fast and look like runners.
The main difference between string beans and pole beans is the shape. Pole beans have a straight, vertical stem and string beans have a curved one. This makes them more difficult to harvest as they grow from the ground, but they also grow faster and produce more beans. String beans are best for long-term storage.
What is the benefits of string beans?
The benefits of string beans are many. First, they are a very healthy vegetable that can be consumed in a variety of ways. They contain plenty of fiber and other nutrients. Some of the common nutrients that can be found in string beans include vitamin K, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and folate. Nutrients that help to maintain a healthy immune system Vitamin K: Vitamin K helps to prevent the breakdown of bone and teeth. It is also important for healthy blood clotting.
Potassium is important for heart function and muscle contraction. Potassium is also needed for the body’s electrolyte balance. Iron is necessary for the proper functioning of the body’s red blood cells. Iron is also needed to make new blood cells. Magnesium is required for strong bones and teeth. Magnesium is also needed for energy metabolism. Phosphorus is needed for healthy bones and teeth. It is also important for normal growth. Folate is essential for the development of the brain, especially in women. Folate is also important for the prevention of anemia and birth defects.
Final Say
String beans and green beans are all the same. They are called sting beans because they used to have stings running across the whole length of their pods. Some call them snap beans as well because when you bend and break them, they snap easily. Therefore, there is really no difference between string beans versus green beans.
Green beans are only categorized as pole beans or bush beans variety. The pole beans are climbing beans, thus, they require support such as trellis or stakes. On the other hand, bush beans do not usually require support. However, know that not all green beans are pole beans but all bush beans are green beans.
These beans will make a delicious meal and they are rich in nutritional values. Therefore, beans will be a great addition to your garden.
August 18, 2021
Aeroponics Nutrient Solution Recipe
If you’re wondering what the aeroponics nutrient solution recipe entails, then we’ve got all you need to know here. Aeroponic is an environmentally friendly way of growing plants. It is just like a hydroponics system but plants here are literally grown in the air and the nutrient here are been misted over the plants.
Aeroponics gardening makes use of a special way of feeding plants and the nutrient solution supplies the nutrient for the plant’s development.
In this article, we will be discussing more on aeroponics nutrient solution recipes, how aeroponics works, and many more. So, continue reading to gain some knowledge.
Aeroponic Farming System
Just like hydroponics, aeroponics farming makes use of growing plants in a soilless environment. The plant roots are suspended in the air thus; this brings about the name ‘Aeroponic.’
The aeroponic system is quite similar to the hydroponic system. However, the difference is the way nutrients and environmental conditions are delivered and controlled.
In an aeroponics system, plants are cultivated in a closed space and the roots are sprayed or misted with a nutrient solution every given interval.
Various plants such as vegetables, green, etc, can be grown in the aeroponic system and they will offer you bountiful yields.
Aeroponics Nutrients
The nutrient supplied in aeroponic plants is organic liquids and they include nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and so on. Easily assimilated by plants because they are in pure form. Therefore, nutrient absorption is faster and simpler.
Aeroponics Nutrient Solution Recipe
Growing various plants in aeroponics means you should be able to supply all the required materials needed for your plants to grow adequately. Part of the things to be provided is a nutrient solution.
Different stages of plants require specific nutrient regimes. The nutrient solution you will be providing should have a complete structure of primary nutrients, secondary nutrients, and macro and micronutrients. All of these nutrients must be in the right proportion according to what your various plants require.
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The primary nutrient includes nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
The secondary nutrient includes magnesium, calcium, and sulfur.
Macronutrients include iron, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chloride, manganese, and so on.
The correct pH is one determining factor in their absorption. So, let’s take a look at the ideal pH for the aeroponics nutrient solution.
Ideal PH For Aeroponic Nutrient Solution
Ideally, most plants will absorb nutrients efficiently when the pH is slightly acidic. While some other plants may prefer a bit of an acidic pH range. The most important thing is for you to have good information about the type of plant you will be growing.
How Aeroponics Works
The Aeroponics system utilizes a sprinkling method of feeding plants and plant roots are suspended in the air.
The system has small nozzles which are made up of tiny sprinkler heads. This generates the mist for a short period. Set the sprinkler to sprinkle nutrient solution every 10 or 15 minutes per day. This misting will engulf the plant roots where it hangs long enough for some of this nutrient to be assimilated.
Once the mist stops, some of the nutrient solutions drip off to give the plant root a chance to receive oxygen. So they use this brief moment to take in oxygen until the next round of misting continues.
Advantages Of Aeroponics
You stand to gain lots of things growing with aeroponics. Below are some benefits of the aeroponic system:
- Less Space With Abundant Yield: aeroponics farming offers you the ability to grow various plants in a limited space. You also enjoy bountiful yield in that little space. Achieve abundant yield in a limited space with a vertical garden.
- No Nutrient Run-off: because the nutrients are usually in an enclosed space, nutrient run-off is reduced.
- All Year Round Production: aeroponics makes use of soilless techniques and plants are grown indoors. Therefore, all environmental conditions such as sunlight, temperature, nutrients, etc, are controlled. It gives you total control whereby you can even predict crop timing and grow quality plants. This means no weather or climate change or disturbance and all your plants get to grow all year round. Thus, you enjoy all-year-round food production.
- Safer And Environmentally Friendly: growing with aeroponics is very environment friendly and your plants are safe from contamination. This is because your setup is in an enclosed environment, thus protecting and eliminating any possible pollution. Therefore, it reduces the likelihood of using any type of herbicides or pesticides thereby offering you a more organic farm product.
- Efficiency: the efficiency of the aeroponics system is 3 or more times greater than outdoor traditional farming. The design of an aeroponic system is to maximize the growth and production of plants.
Downsides To Aeroponics
Even though aeroponics offers lots of benefits one can’t resist, there are still some downsides to them.
You need a bit of skill to run an aeroponics system efficiently. Take, for instance, the nutrient solution concentration. You need to sustain the nutrient concentration with accurate parameters. Any little malfunction can put your entire plant at risk.
Also, you need to ensure the misters always work at the specified time and they must not stop. If they stop for any reason like a power outage, your plants’ roots will dry out quickly. Now this will be bad for your plant if this happens.
Another drawback is that your misters may suffer clogging from mineral deposits in water solutions. But to avoid this, ensure you clean your misters regularly.
How Much is Hydroponic Nutrient Solution?
The cost of hydroponic nutrient solutions can vary widely. Some brands have small bottles that cost around $10 to $20, while larger containers can cost upwards of $100 or more. When shopping for hydroponic nutrient solutions, you should remember that the cost can vary based on the specific nutrients it contains and the form it sells (e.g., liquid, powder, or tablets).
It’s a good idea to compare prices from different manufacturers and retailers to find the best deal. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of other supplies and equipment, such as grow lights, a growing medium, and a container or system for the plants to grow in.
What Nutrients For Hydroponic Vegetables?
Hydroponic vegetables typically need a balanced nutrient solution that provides all the essential nutrients plants require to grow and thrive. These essential nutrients include:
Nitrogen (N): necessary for leaf and stem growth
Phosphorus (P): essential for root development and flowering
Potassium (K): important for overall plant health and disease resistance
Calcium (Ca): essential for cell division and the development of strong roots and stems
Magnesium (Mg): necessary for chlorophyll synthesis and the proper functioning of enzymes
Sulfur (S): important for the production of proteins and enzymes
In addition to these primary nutrients, plants require trace elements like iron, zinc, copper, and manganese to support their growth and development. Most hydroponic nutrient solutions are formulated to provide all of these nutrients in the correct proportions. However, following the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing and applying the solution is important to ensure that your plants get the nutrients they need.
How Do You Test for Hydroponic Nutrients?
There are several ways to test for the presence and concentration of nutrients in a hydroponic solution. Try one of these methods!
Conductivity Meter: This device measures the nutrient solution’s electrical conductivity (EC). The higher an EC value, the more nutrients are present. Low EC values can indicate a deficiency.
pH Meter: The pH of a nutrient solution can affect the availability of specific nutrients to plants. Most hydroponic plants prefer a slightly acidic pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. It is essential to regularly test the pH of the nutrient solution to ensure it falls within this range.
Nutrient Testing Kits: These kits typically come with test tubes, reagents, and instructions for performing a series of chemical reactions to determine the presence and concentration of specific nutrients in a solution.
You should regularly test the nutrient solution to ensure that your plants get the nutrients they need in the correct proportions. If you notice any deficiencies or imbalances, you may need to adjust the concentration of the nutrient solution or add supplements to correct the problem.
What Are The Best Organic Hydroponic Nutrients?
Several organic hydroponic nutrients can help your plants thrive. Some of the best are:
Bone Meal
Using bone meal in its liquid form is best for a hydroponic system. This organic fertilizer is an excellent calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus source. However, there is a slight learning curve. Not all plants prefer a protein-rich supplement, and you’ll have to experiment with quantity to see what your plants prefer.
Guano
This fertilizer consists mainly of insect and bat remains. It decomposes and builds up in a layer on the surface of caves from where it is extracted. Guano, especially bat guano, is extremely powerful. If your hydroponic plants need calcium and phosphorus, guano is a good choice. It also has significant amounts of potassium and nitrogen.
Blood Meal
A mixture of blood meal and water makes a potent hydroponic fertilizer. Blood meal contains the essential nutrient nitrogen. Hydroponic plants need nitrogen for proper cell division and growth.
How Do You Mix Hydroponic Nutrients A and B?
The specific instructions for mixing hydroponic nutrients A and B will depend on the particular product you are using. Here are some general steps for guidance:
1. Determine the volume of nutrient solution you need. This will depend on the size of your hydroponic system and the number of plants you are growing. Most nutrient solutions come with mixing instructions that guide how much of each product to use based on the volume of water you are using.
2. Gather your supplies. In addition to nutrient solutions A and B, you’ll need a clean container to mix the solution. A measuring cup or scale to measure will help you measure the nutrients. Use a clean spoon or fork to stir the solution.
3. Begin by adding the water. Fill your mixing container with the appropriate volume of clean, pH-balanced water.
4. Add nutrient solution A. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the amount of nutrient solution A you need to add to the water. Pour the solution into the water and stir to mix it thoroughly.
5. Add nutrient solution B. Follow the same steps you did for nutrient solution A.
6. Test the solution. Use a conductivity or pH meter to test the nutrient solution to ensure it is within the recommended range for your plants. If necessary, adjust the concentration of the solution by adding more of one of the nutrients or pH-adjusting solution.
It’s important to carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing the nutrient solution to ensure that your plants get the right balance of nutrients. Different plants have different nutrient requirements, so it’s a good idea to research the specific needs of your plants and adjust the nutrient solution accordingly.
How Long Can You Store Hydroponic Nutrients?
Hydroponic nutrients don’t go bad, but they do lose effectiveness. The shelf life of hydroponic nutrients varies depending on the specific product and how it is stored.
Generally, you can store hydroponic nutrients in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for several years before seeing a decrease in effectiveness. Pick products with an expiration date far off and check the storing instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Final Say On Aeroponics Nutrient Solution Recipe
The Aeroponics system is a great way of farming and there are lots of benefits to this system. They are quite similar to hydroponic techniques; however, there are a few differences between them.
Supplying your aeroponics plants with the appropriate nutrient solution recipe is crucial to their growth. Also, various plants of different stages require various nutrient regimes. Therefore, ensure you have good information on the type of plant you’re growing. Also, obtain the right nutrient amount for your plant growing needs.
FAQ’s
How do you make nutrient water for aeroponics?
You have to get a nutrient solution. There are many brands available from hydroponic supply stores, but you can also buy one that is specifically designed for aeroponics. The general principle is the same as any other hydroponic solution, so I’ll focus on the differences between the two types. Aeroponic solutions use water as the carrier fluid instead of air.
It’s not quite as simple as that, though, because it must be treated differently than regular nutrient solutions. For instance, the amount of oxygen in aeroponics is very important. It’s necessary for the plant to grow well, and there is a range of concentrations within which plants can survive. Water with too little oxygen will be stagnant and won’t move around the roots. Too much oxygen will cause stress to the roots and leaves. Aeroponic nutrient solutions are typically more concentrated than regular solutions. A typical aeroponic solution will have a 10:1 ratio of water to nutrients, while a standard hydroponic solution will be closer to a 1:1 ratio. That means the amount of liquid you need to use in an aeroponic system is less than the amount required by a regular system. Aeroponic nutrient solutions also have a different formula than regular hydroponic solutions.
What is the best nutrients for aeroponics?
Aeroponic nutrient solutions are a mix of fertilizers, chelates, and micronutrients that are fed to plants through an air mist. Aeroponics is a form of hydroponic gardening that can be used with either soil or rockwool media. The aeroponics nutrient solution feeds the plant with nutrients and oxygen, while avoiding contact with dirt and water, which are both needed by soil-based plants.
Nitrogen is one of the most important elements to be considered when building your own aeroponic nutrient solution. Nitrogen comes in two forms: Inorganic Nitrogen – Inorganic nitrogen is the most common type of nitrogen used in aeroponic systems. It comes in the form of ammonium nitrate and urea.
Is aeroponics better than aquaponics?
Aeroponics and aquaponics are two ways of growing plants in water. Aquaponics seems like a better way to grow plants, so I wanted to learn more about it.
Aeroponics is a way to grow plants using air instead of soil. There are many types of Aeroponics systems, but the most common ones are called “vertical farms.” These are towers that hold the water, and a misting system that sprays nutrient-rich water on the plants as they grow. The water is recirculated through the tower. How Does Aeroponics Work? This is how it works: The plants are grown in trays, which contain holes that allow air to flow through the soil. The plants use this air as oxygen, and also absorb the nutrients. This means they don’t need soil, just water.
What are the benefits of aeroponics?
Aeroponics is a system that is used to grow plants in water. Aeroponic systems use the same principles as hydroponics, but instead of using soil to hold water and nutrients, it uses air to do so. The benefits of aeroponics over hydroponics are numerous. Aeroponics is more efficient than hydroponics because it uses far less water than hydroponics. A hydroponics system requires about 40 gallons of water per week. An aeroponics system only requires about 8 gallons of water per week. The use of air to hold nutrients means that there is no need for soil. This reduces the risk of mold, mildew and other contaminates. In fact, an aeroponics system can be run with very little maintenance. Hydroponic systems require regular cleaning. This includes the use of soaps, cleaners and a lot of time to keep the system clean.
August 18, 2021
What Are Rapid Rooters Made Of?
Rapid rooters are great for germinating seeds and plant cloning. They are also perfect to use as a growing medium in your different hydroponic systems. But do you know what rapid rooters are made of? Well, let’s discuss this.
Rapid rooter is a variety of starter plug and it is loved by both traditional growers and hydroponic gardeners. Using rapid rooters in your hydroponic garden will give you ease to gardening. They will give your seeds or plants an excellent germination rate.
So, here is what you need to know about what rapid rooters are made of. We will also guide you on how to use them.
What Are Rapid Rooters Made Of?
So, what are rapid rooters made of? Rapid rooter can be composed of sphagnum peat moss or tree barks. This peat moss is composed of all-natural soil-less decomposed organic materials which are mostly sphagnum peat.
Therefore, rapid rooters are made up of composted materials. This composted material has great absorbing capacity and it does not compact easily.
Rapid rooters are very efficient and are made to supply adequate air to water ratio especially to your plant roots. The excellent air to water ratio is thanks to the peat moss it’s made of. So, this helps enhances the growth of roots and development of plants generally.
Why Use Rapid Rooter Plugs?
You stand to gain a lot using rapid rooter plugs for your indoor gardening. It will make your growing process easy and it also has an excellent absorption rate.
Rapid rooter plugs are great for starting seeds which you can transplant into your hydroponics or outdoor soil afterward. You can as well use it for cloning plants cuttings and also as a growing medium in your hydroponics system.
They are not made of nutrients, therefore no worries about any nutrient interference when you make use of them in your garden. However, they need to be soaked before use in a balanced pH nutrient solution. Doing this will encourage better seedlings or plant development.
How To Use Rapid Rooters
It’s pretty easy to use rapid rooters and we will show you how.
General Hydroponics Rapid Rooter Plant Starters, 50 Plugs
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Step 1- Soaking
Soaking your rapid rooters in distilled water to re-hydrate them is the first step. You can soak for a couple of hours or up to 24 hours. Once you’re done soaking, the rooter plugs are ready to be used.
Step 2- Plant your seeds
The next thing to do is to put the rooter plugs into your seed tray or grow tray. Put some seeds into the center holes and if there’s no hole, gently tear the tip of the plug and place your seeds. You should plant more than one seed to enhance the possibility of successful germination.
Once again, tear the tip of the plug and cover or place it over the seeds. This is to give the seed a dark environment which is required for its germination.
Step 3- Water Your Grow Tray
Put about 16 ounces of water in your seed tray every two or three days or as need be. The rapid rooter plugs will wick up water to remain moist.
Step 4- Supply with low-intensity light
Next, go ahead and cover the grow tray with a dome to retain the moisture and warm environment.
Then supply them with some low-intensity grow lights such as fluorescent, LED lights, and so on. Remember to always keep your plugs moist by adding water to the grow tray when needed.
Step 5- Germination
Make use of a heating pad or mat to provide some extra heat to your seeds. This is done because seeds tend to germinate better when supplied with some little heat.
After a couple of days, your seeds will begin to germinate and emerge out of the hole reaching for light. Once your seedlings grow to a certain stage, you can increase the intensity of light. This will help prepare them for their vegetative stage.
Once you notice some good amount of root system emerging through the bottom of the rapid rooter plug, that’s a sign it’s ready to be transplanted. So, your seedlings are ready to be transplanted into your hydroponics system or traditional outdoor garden.
When your seedlings are transplanted into your hydroponic system, supply them with a low dose of nutrient solution. Then gradually increase their nutrient dose to gear them for their subsequent plant’s stages.
Storing Rapid Rooter Plugs
Your rapid rooter plugs need to be stored properly to prevent them from going bad. Inappropriate storage of rapid rooter plugs can cause pathogens, mold, and fungi infestation. When you notice this infestation, there’s nothing that can be done. So they must be disposed of properly.
The right way to store your rapid rooters’ plug is in an airtight container such as Ziploc bags. One other occurrence you may notice when you open your rapid rooter package is to find them very dry. They have not turned bad in this case. You can fix them by simply immerse them in some water to re-hydrate them. Also, apply nutrients to them.
FAQ’s
Are Rapid Rooter plugs organic?
Rapid Rooter Plugs are not organic. They are made with materials that are commonly found in our environment. Rapid Rooter plugs are made from natural products.
Are rapid rooters reusable?
Rapid rooting is used to quickly and easily root cuttings and seedlings in containers. It speeds up the process of root formation. After rooting, the plant can be transferred into its final container or planted directly in the garden.
If you’re using plastic plugs, you must remove all of the plug from the pot and then reuse it on another plant. The plastic plugs on Amazon are really cheap, they can be reused on many plants. When you put it in the pot, the soil is held in place.
What pH do you soak rapid rooters in?
This is what we used to soak them in and what most of the nurseries use. However, some people have had success soaking them in a different pH than 6.
How do you grow seeds from a plug?
It is best to grow plants from seed directly in the soil. There are exceptions, such as seedlings that need to be potted up before they can go outside. But generally, it’s easier to plant seeds in soil than to plant plugs in soil.
If you want to plant a plug in soil, you’ll need to take the plug out of its pot, place it in a container of soil, and water well.
Can I put Rapid Rooter in soil?
Yes, you can use it in the soil. You will need to do a little preparation before applying this product to the soil. How long does it take for the root to start growing? When it is applied, the root will start growing within one to two hours. The roots will start growing very rapidly and will start to grow into the soil. After 2-4 weeks, the root system will be fully developed and it will not require further maintenance.
How do I apply Rapid Rooter? Apply Rapid Rooter to the soil with a trowel or shovel. Spread it on top of the soil using a hand spreader. Mix it with the soil using a hand spreader. How often should I apply Rapid Rooter? Apply Rapid Rooter at least once a year. The best time to apply this product is in spring and fall. It is recommended that you apply the product twice during the season. If you are applying it in spring, apply it in March. If you are applying it in fall, apply it in September.
Conclusion On What Are Rapid Rooters Made Of?
Rapid rooters plugs are made of sponge-like materials and are also composed of entirely natural soil-less organic grow plugs. They are perfect for seed germination and plant cuttings propagation. You can as well use them for your hydroponics system as a growing medium.
Using rapid rooter in your Garden will make things easier because they will easily take in water and nutrient solutions. They will also provide the root of your plant with good air circulation. Therefore, they will encourage a healthy root system, especially in your seedlings. So, this will turn into offer great harvest and profitable one for your garden.
August 18, 2021
Drip Rings Hydroponics
In both hydroponics and aquaponics, moisture and nutrient solution needs to get to the right place for your plant to grow optimally. Using drip rings in your hydroponics or aquaponics is a great way of conveying water or nutrient to your plants.
Drip rings hydroponics will deliver the nutrients to your plant root thereby maintaining adequate moisture level to your root zone. Your grow media are not left out as well as they will also take in and retain some good moisture that will be available for your pants’ use.
Therefore, there’s no worrying or issues of dryness or in your hydroponics plants or even grow mediums. We are all about easy gardening and we will be teaching you how to make your drip rings hydroponics. We will also be recommending some drip rings you can purchase, so read on for more info.
Hydroponic Drip Ring
Hydroponics drip rings is a round-shaped ring used in delivering water and nutrient to grow mediums and plants roots. The drip rings hydroponics has holes that have been strategically poked to emits water and nutrient content directly into your plant and grow media. It is also fitted with a half-inch water inlet that you can use to plug any watering configuration.
Therefore, it is an irrigation system that assists in sustaining an evenly consistent moisture environment in the root zone. You can use these drip rings for irrigating soil, peat, as well as hydroponic media.
The hydroponics drip rings can be used in both indoor and outdoor gardens and they will make a great irrigation system for your garden.
DIY Drip Rings Hydroponics
It is pretty easy to make your DIY drip rings. We have made things easy for you by giving you a step-by-step way of making your drip ring.
Materials
- Wires (small and big wires)
- Clips to holding
- Plastic or rubber tubing
- Pairs of pliers for bending wires
- T fittings for connecting your drip ring
- PVC cutter, a poker, or any cutting tool to make holes around your drip lines
All these materials can be obtained from your local hydroponic store or online shopping sites.
Steps On How To DIY Drip Ring Hydroponics
Follow these steps to begin your DIY ring setup:
Step 1
The first step is to cut the tube and connect the two ends with the T fittings. You will need to cut the tubing according to the size of your plant bed or the individual plant area you wish to cover.
Step 2
Drill some holes around the drip ring. You can drill 5 or more holes depending on the length of your tube ring.
Step 3
Then your drip ring is ready to be positioned on your plant bed or individual plant area. You can use the T fitting for your hydroponic nutrient water inlet.
Ensure you clean your hydroponics drip rings between each growing cycle.
Some Recommended Drip Rings Hydroponics
If you don’t want to go through the stress of the DIY process, you can simply purchase readymade drip rings for your hydroponics garden. Here is some recommended drip ring you can go for:
1.    HYDROFLOW HGC748086 Irrigation Fitting Rain Ring Drip Emitter
The hydroflow rain ring drip emitter is a convenient irrigation ring that can be used in the soil as well as hydroponics. They are durable and suitable for both indoors and outdoors use.
The ring has specific holes that will allow water nutrients to rain over your plants and it will totally cover your hydroponic growing media. Therefore, it can be used for any type of growing media.
The hydroflow rain drip emitter is very easy to clean between every grow cycle. The parts will come apart easily for cleaning and inspection. When it’s time to clean, just soak and rinse it with any cleaning solutions such as citric acid, peroxide, or any soft bleaching water mixture.
It has a half-inch water inlet that can be easily plugged into any watering design. It comes with 3 removable stakes that will hold the ring in the perfect spot and it can be placed at any desirable watering height.
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2.    Bloom Brothers GGWR06 Inch Hydro Halo Water
The bloom brothers hydro halo is another effective drip ring you can use in your hydroponic garden. It is suitable for all growing media and can be used for both indoor hydroponics and outdoor purpose.
It features 3 stand removable stakes that help keeps the drip ring in one position. If you want, you can use the drip ring without the stakes.
It is pretty durable thus, can be used for years and it’s easy to clean between every grow cycle.
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3.    HydroHat 6″ Drip Ring Plant Watering System
The HydroHat drip ring plant watering system is also a good option to go for. It will evenly emit water and nutrient solution around your plant base.
This drip ring can be used for all types of grow media and it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor gardening purposes. It is also long-lasting and quite easy to clean.
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Final Say On Drip Rings Hydroponics
There’s nothing major about constructing your drip rings. Building a drip ring for your hydroponic garden is pretty easy and you can get it done with a couple of parts. Just follow our steps on DIY drip rings.
However, if you don’t want to go through the stress of building your drip rings, you can simply go for one of our recommended drip rings.
All in all, making use of drip rings hydroponics will offer your hydroponics plants lots of benefits that will ensure your plants grow optimally.
Read more about Drip Irrigation For Tomatoes In Containers.
August 16, 2021
DIY Grow Light Controller
Having control over your indoor garden space is the beauty of indoor gardening. Part of this control can be experienced with a DIY grow light controller. Utilizing a grow light controller is a safe and reliable way of operating your indoor garden.
You will require a grow light controller especially if you’re not always in your home to operate your grow light. As such, you can set your grow light to operate at specific times or hours using a grow light controller.
In this post, we will be discussing DIY grow light controller as well as recommending some grow light controllers to purchase. So, continue reading to find out about this.
What Are Grow Lights?
Grow light is a lamp or light powered by electricity and it’s used in supplying plants the light they need to grow. Grow light is usually meant to imitate the work done by the sunlight on indoor hydroponic plants.
Most grow light will supply a full spectrum for a plant’s growth. They emit a different color spectrum that helps stimulate the development of plants.
There are various types of grow light such as fluorescent light, light-emitting diodes (LED), high-intensity discharge lights, and so on. All these grow lights have various characteristics and they function differently but they all provide light for your plants’ growing needs.
So, supplying your indoor plants with optimal light is one crucial factor in their growth. However, you need to know the duration to which your grow lights will be on for.
Grow lights are not meant to be on for 24 hours. Different plants require different light duration that must be followed for their optimum growth.
Also, the various plant stages of your plants will require different light requirements. With the grow light controller, you can set your light to a specific time which will run even in your absence.
Grow Light Controller
So, why do we need a lightning controller for our indoor gardening? Making use of a grow light controller gives you a safe way of operating your indoor garden.
Take for instance the high intensity grow light (HID) that offers good light intensity which allows you to grow your plants efficiently. However, the HID consumes much power especially when you first switch them on. This means they are high voltage requiring them to be ignited.
Now, an HID grow light requires a special ballast to power them or operate. This ballast produces a high inductive electrical power that powers on the lamp. Usually, the lamp fitting is attached to the electronic ballast and the ballast will be connected to a power source. Now, with the HID requiring a lot of load to power on and this may cause some malfunctioning issues as they run.
So, this is where the lightning controller comes in. Depending on the controllers’ capacity, it will help you run 2 and even more grow lights of specific capacity smoothly. The lightning controller will bring safety and simplicity to your indoor garden.
DIY Light Controller
To build or set up your DIY grow light controller, simply follow the process here.
Some Recommended Grow Light Controller Box
If you don’t want to go through the stress of a DIY grow light controller, you can simply purchase ready-made ones. So, below are some recommended grow light controllers for your indoor garden:
1.    Titan Controls HGC702843 Professional Series Helios 18 – 12 Light 240 Volt Controller
Here, we have the Helios Titan controls for controlling your grow lights. It can run up to 12 high-intensity discharge (HID) grow lights at 240 volts. Therefore, you can run all your 12 lights on a single timer. Isn’t that great?
With this Helios Titan grow light controller, you can even run two different timing programs using the dual trigger cord sets. The front panel is removable and it permits you easy access to wire the controller into your power system. It is also made of durable materials that you will enjoy for a long time.
Titan Controls Helios 18-12 Light 240 Volt Controller

w/Dual Trigger Cords (4/Cs), Brown/A

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All in all, this Helios Titan control is a safe way to operate high-intensity grow light in your indoor garden.
2.    Top Grow 8 Lighting Relay Ballast Maximum 8000W Grow Light Controller for Hydroponics
Next, we have the Top Grow 8 light controller. This grow controller is a reliable controller that will permit you to run up to 8 grow lights. Each outlet allows you to run 1000 watts of 8 different grow lights resulting in 8000 watts total or maximum light wattage.
The 8 outputs permit you to operate 8 different grow lights at 120/240 volts together. The light controller is also pretty durable and it will be perfect for your plants’ growing system.
It features a trigger cord that allows you to plug into a standard 24 hours timer to vary the lighting programs.
8 Lighting Relay Ballast Maximum 8000W Grow Light Controller
$57.99

Hydroponics Light controller for Indoor Double Ended Grow Lights and Grow Tents

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02/12/2026 10:03 pm GMT
3.    Titan Controls 8-Light Controller, 240V – Spartan Series
Here is another Titan grow controller which is suitable for running up to 8 grow lights. It allows you to operate grow light of up to 8000 watts in your indoor garden. This means you can run 8 different 1000 watt grow lights.
The grow light controller is made of durable material. This controller is also contained in a rust and dust-free compartment as well as moisture-proof compartment.
The Titan grow light controls also features dual cord sets that permit you to operate two separate lightning programs.
Titan Controls – Spartan Series 8 Light Controller – 240 Volt, Tan

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FAQ’s
How do you make a light controller?
What do you need? This is what I use: 1 x Raspberry Pi 3 Model B 4 x 100 watt power supplies (I got mine from Amazon) 4 x high quality heat sinks (I got mine from Amazon) 4 x 2, 1A power adapters (I got them from Amazon) 4 x 6V 2A power supplies (I got mine from Amazon) 4 x MOSFETs (I got mine from eBay) 8 x LED lights (I got mine from Amazon) The process is fairly simple. You take the LED lights and the Raspberry Pi and put them in a box. Then you connect it to your AC power supply and run it for 10 minutes to charge the battery and the battery will last long enough to grow plants. The only thing I would suggest is that you put the lights on a heat sink or a radiator to prevent the LEDs from burning up.
How many volts does a grow light need?
Voltage determines how much power the light bulb can provide to your plants Voltage determines the color temperature of the light bulb (e.g. warm white vs. cool white) Voltage determines how fast your plants grow (i.e.how fast they mature from seed to harvest) A higher voltage will provide more energy and produce more light. If you use a high-powered LED, it should be able to provide a sufficient amount of light for most plants. However, if you are using a low-powered LED, you may want to increase the voltage by adding an extra transformer or inverter to boost the output. You can find voltage conversion kits on Amazon or eBay. The kit usually includes a power supply with a voltage range from 12 to 60 VDC and a transformer or inverter to change the voltage to 120 VAC.
How do you use a grow light timer?
You can use any of the timers that are sold by GrowTek.com. This timer allows you to choose when your lights will turn on and off. It can be used in conjunction with any grow light you buy from Growtek.com.
What do light controllers do?
They administer the light that you pants receive over the day. Light is the most important factor for a plant’s growth. Plants need light to grow, but also require it to produce fruits, flowers, seeds and so on. Plants also need the right amount of light. Too little light can cause plants to grow poorly or not at all. Too much light can harm plants.
The amount of light you use depends on several things. The first thing you need to consider is the kind of plant you are growing. Some plants are sensitive to sunlight, while others tolerate it better. There are also different types of light bulbs. You may have noticed that some lights produce more light than others. This is because some bulbs have a higher wattage. If you plan to grow an indoor plant, you should use a fluorescent light. It is safe for plants and does not produce too much heat. You should also consider the position of your light. You will need to ensure that the light is positioned in a way that it reaches the plant. If you have a single plant, you should position the light so it is aimed at the leaves.
Final Say On DIY Grow Light Controller
Different plants require different light timing schedules for their growing needs. Therefore, it’s important you provide them the right light duration. So, you can do this by simply plugging your various grow lights into a standard timer or controller.
There are many benefits to using a grow light controller for your plants’ growing system. You get to control more than one grow light giving them separate light timing schedules. Thus, the lightning controller offers you control, simplicity, and safety to your indoor garden. So, you can go for a DIY grow light controller or simply purchase a ready-made brand.
August 16, 2021
How Far Apart To Plant Pole Beans
Getting to know how far apart to plant your pole beans is one step to achieving maximum bean yields. Pole beans grow tall on climbing vines and it’s crucial you give them the appropriate spacing for the ease of gardening.
Growing beans plants in your garden will offer you great benefits such as a large quantity of yield. You also enjoy their amazing flavor and pleasant health benefits.
Proper spacing of pole beans gives you the ease of harvesting during the end of their bountiful harvest time. So, let’s find out how far apart to plant our pole beans.
Planting Pole Beans
Pole bean is a type of green beans crop. Generally, there are two types of green beans growing styles you can plant and they are pole and bush. Pole beans grow about 5 to 6 feet or even more. Therefore, pole beans require trellis or staking. On the other hand, bush beans will only grow about one foot or two feet.
These two green beans are all climbers and both require slightly different care. But in this article, we will be focusing more on pole beans. Let’s go further to know when is the best time to grow pole beans.
When To Plant Pole Beans
Pole beans should be planted after the danger of frost has elapsed. Thus, they can be planted around spring or early summer.
Pole Bean Planting Instructions
It’s pretty easy planting pole beans and you will enjoy a great harvest if you plant them the right way. Below are the steps to planting them:
Step 1- Sow your seeds
Beans generally are tender legumes. They don’t thrive well when transplanted because of their fragile roots. Therefore, germinating their seeds indoors may not be advisable.
So, the best way to plant your pole beans is to sow them directly into your soil. Make sure you push the seeds into the soil to about one or one and a half inches deep.
Step 2- Pole Beans Spacing
How far apart you should plant your pole beans seeds should be about 4 to 8 inches to about 3 or 4 seeds. For rows, also plant about 3 to 4 seeds and space them 2 to 3 feet apart.
Step 3- Temperature
Generally, green seeds are warm-weather crops and will do well in air temperature around 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature is one crucial factor to consider when planting pole beans. The soil temperature in your garden should be around 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the surrounding air should be around this temperature range. This will promote quick germination and prevent root rot.
Step 4- Trellis or teepee support
As your pole beans grow tall or vertically, they will require support. Thus, your pole beans will need trellis or teepee for support. If you want to make use of a teepee, obtain about 3 long pole branches and they should be approximately 6 to 7 feet tall. Tie these 3 long poles together at the top and spread out the base of the support to form a circle.
Once your poles begin to grow tall and vines grow up, tie them up to the pole. This way, you are able to train your pole beans to continue twirling around the pole throughout their growing season.
More Tips To Growing Pole Beans
- Use Excellent Draining Soil: The soil you will be using to grow your pole beans should be well-draining. Well-draining soil will help prevent root rot and powdery mildew. They should also be filled with lots of organic amendments so you can enjoy bountiful yield at the end of the harvest.
- Sunlight: Supply your pole beans with a full direct sun of about 6 to 8 hours per day. The temperature should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit preferably. However, avoid too high temperatures as this can predispose your pole beans flower to start dropping. Therefore, whenever there is high heat, we recommend using row covers to shield your beans plant.
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- Water Appropriately: Your pole beans need to be watered the right way and avoid overwatering. Watering should be applied directly to the soil to maintain good moisture and avoid drying out of the soil. Water 2 inches deep every week.
- Mulching: We recommend mulching your soil to your bean plant. This will maintain warm soil, prevent drying out of the soil and also minimize weed. So, your plant can flourish and produce great yields.
- Soil pH: The appropriate soil pH for pole beans is slightly acidic and the pH should be around 6.0.
- Nutrient Application: Your pole beans will require a bit of fertilizer. You should add your fertilizer before planting your pole beans.
- Pest & Disease Control: You can prevent diseases such as mildew by maintaining adequate air circulation between vines. Whenever you spot big insects, you can simply pick them off by hand. Then aphids can be removed by water or using neem oil.
Harvesting Pole Beans
Bean plants tend to produce bountiful yields and you can obtain a yield of several pounds of beans from just a single bean plant. For pole beans most varieties, you should expect your first harvest around 60 to 70 days.
You can start to harvest your pole beans once you notice the pods are full and swollen. Ideally, you should pick your beans every 3 to 5 days as this will help prevent you from harvesting older beans. Older beans tend to be woody and bitter.
We encourage you to harvest your pole beans consistently as this will encourage new flowers. This will also enhance your vines to live longer.
How far apart are bean poles?
When planting bean seeds, it is best to space the rows about 1/2 the length of a bean seed. For example, if the row spacing is 6 inches and the seeds are about 1/4 inch long, then the space between the rows should be 3 inches. Seeds should be planted about twice as deep as they are wide.
How tall should pole bean trellis?
A six feet trellis should be fine.
What should not be planted near pole beans?
Pole beans are fairly easy to grow and are a great crop to have for a small garden.
Pole beans are a great nitrogen fixing crop. They will help to fix some of the nitrogen in the soil and convert it to nitrates that can be used by the crops you plant next. Pole beans are often planted as a cover crop after harvest and they can be pulled or cut at ground level. If you have a large area, you could consider planting a couple of different varieties.
However, onions, garlic and chives should not be planted near pole beans.
Will pole beans climb string?
They’ll climb, but not much. If you plant them right next to the supports, then they won’t grow taller than 2 feet.If you use trellis supports, you could probably get them to grow a little taller than that.
Can you grow pole beans on a fence?
If you have a fence (wood or metal) and the pole beans are only planted within the fence then they should be fine. They should not grow to high. If the fence is too low it might be hard for them to climb up.
Why are my pole beans not climbing?
Some varieties will climb if they’re in containers. You may need to stake them. Or transplant into larger containers so they’ll have room to grow. If they aren’t climbing, it’s probably because they’ve been transplanted and the roots haven’t established yet. I’d keep them for another week or two, then take a few out and look at the roots.
It might be a matter of the bean seeds being in the ground too long.
If there’s no soil movement, you need to get the soil moving. If you have any good tools for that (e.g. spade), then start digging, turn over the soil, till it down, etc.
Conclusion On How Far Apart To Plant Pole Beans
Growing pole beans will be an awesome addition to your garden. How far apart you should plant your pole beans should be around 4 to 8 inches for 3 to 4 seeds. While growing in rows, you should plant about 3 to 4 seeds and space them 2 to 3 feet apart. Remember to always support your climbing beans with stakes or trellis.
August 15, 2021
What Is An Action Spectrum
If you are wondering what an action spectrum is, we’ve got you covered here. Getting to know about the action spectrum in various plants will give you an idea of how plants make use of different lights for their development.
The lights we see consist of various wavelengths and light has a comprehensive relationship with plants. Plants will either absorb or reflect the different colors of the light spectrum. This absorption or reflection affects the process of photosynthesis that will determine how your plants process their food.
Now, let’s have a discussion about the role of the light absorption spectrum, light action spectrum, and how they are connected to photosynthesis. We will also talk about various plant pigments, their functions and, many more. So, let’s begin.
Absorption And Action Spectrum
Both absorption spectrum and action spectrum play a significant role in the plant process of photosynthesis. Let’s go further by looking at what these two entails and discuss more details on them.
What Is An Action Spectrum?
Firstly, let’s define what the action spectrum is. An action spectrum is an illustration (usually showed in a graph) that reveals the rate of photosynthesis at various light wavelengths. Thus, it illustrates the wavelength that propels photosynthesis.
Action spectrum was first discovered and titled by T.W. Engelmann when he was researching on algae Cladophora. The action spectrum gives an insight into the nature of the photoreceptor involved. It also helps us understand the differences between the absorption spectrum of a known pigment. Action spectrum will illustrate the usefulness or effectiveness of light in photosynthesis.
Maximum photosynthesis usually takes place in the red and blue light spectrum. Next, let’s take a look at what the action spectrum of photosynthesis is.
Photosynthesis Action Spectrum
The action spectrum of photosynthesis in any given plant will indicate high light absorption for red or violet and orange or red color spectrum. It will also show maximum light absorption in the blue region. However, it will indicate a low absorption rate for the green or yellow color spectrum.
The colors blue and violet on the light spectrum have the shortest wavelength and the highest energy. On the other hand, red has the longest wavelength and has the least amount of energy.
Absorption Spectrum
The absorption spectrum will indicate all the colors of light absorbed by a given plant. It describes the electromagnetic radiation range of plant absorption. It relies on the cellular and molecular structure of a plant. So, it varies depending on the plant species.
Pigments
The pigment is a common name used for a molecule that takes in or absorbs light with color. Also, we can term pigment as any chemical compound that assimilates visible radiation between 380 nm (which is violet) and 760 nm (which is red).
These pigments assimilate light rays from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum known as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).
Now, any type of colored substance generated by a plant is known as plant pigment. There are different pigments contained in plants and they result in the different colors we see. These plant pigments give rise to leaves’ color, flowers, as well as fruits. Now the most crucial function this pigment offers is control over the photosynthesis process with plants’ growth and development.
Plant pigments will only absorb the wavelength of light ranging from 700 nm to 400 nm. Now, this is the ideal PAR range for plants.
Below are the 3 major plant pigments that determine plant color:
Chlorophyll
This pigment is one of the most important in plants because it is directly involved in the plants’ photosynthesis. Their absorbing wavelength spectrum is 429 nm and 659 nm. They are also responsible for the violet-blue and orange-red colors.
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Carotenoid
They are accessory pigments. Involved indirectly in photosynthesis. Even though plants can’t photosynthesize with carotenoids, this pigment can still transfer the light energy they get down to chlorophyll.
Carotenoid pigments are photo-receptive agents that prevent harmful reactions. They are also responsible for the orange, bright yellow, and red colors in various plants, vegetables, and fruits.
Anthocyanins
This pigment plays a crucial role in the reproduction of plants. It as well helps by attracting pollinators and seed disperses. They are, however, not directly involved in the photosynthesis process. But just like carotenoids, they also help shield plants from harmful rays.
Absorption Spectrum Of Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a type of pigment and in nature, we have 6 types of chlorophyll. However, in plants, there are 2 major types of chlorophyll which are chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B. The region of the spectrum that plant chlorophyll absorbs differs for both chlorophylls A and B.
Chlorophyll A and B have different roles they play in photosynthesis. Chlorophyll A is the main pigment that is involved in photosynthesis. On the other hand, chlorophyll B is a supplementary pigment that receives light energy which it will pass to chlorophyll a.
The color spectrum that chlorophyll A absorbs is violet and orange. On the other hand, the color spectrum that chlorophyll B absorbs is blue and yellow. Both chlorophyll a and b hardly absorb the green spectrum. The green light is reflected rather than being absorbed. So, this results in the green color of most plants.
FAQ’s
What does action spectrum of photosynthesis indicate?
Photosynthesis is the process that provides the energy necessary for growth and development of plants and algae. The primary role of photosynthesis is to fix atmospheric CO~2~ into organic molecules, such as sugar or starch. Carbon is stored in plant tissues during the day and it is released at night to fuel respiration. Photosynthesis uses solar energy (in the form of photons) to create chemical energy from water and carbon dioxide.
Photosynthetic organisms absorb light energy from the environment in order to convert it into chemical energy. In plants, this is realized by the light-harvesting complex (LHC) II and the reaction center (RC). The RC is the part of LHCII that contains the primary quinone electron acceptor Q~A~.
The action spectrum is the distribution of photons that excite a biological reaction or process. The spectrum of the light that reaches the Earth’s surface is called the solar spectrum, and its shape is modified by absorption and scattering in the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface .
What action spectrum indicates is the rate of photosynthesis.
How does the light spectrum affect plant growth?
Plants need a certain amount of energy in order to grow and thrive. This energy is provided by the sun. The energy that plants receive from the sun varies depending on how the light spectrum is. This means that plants grown under different light spectrums will have different growth rates. Sunlight is composed of different wavelengths of light. The spectrum of sunlight can be broken down into three main categories: red, green and blue. These wavelengths are all present in sunlight but are more or less prominent depending on the time of day and the season. In general, the more intense the wavelength, the greater the energy of the light. The spectrum of sunlight has an effect on the growth rate of plants in a variety of ways. For example, plants grown under a red spectrum of sunlight grow faster than those grown under a blue spectrum. Red light causes the plant’s photosynthetic pigments to absorb more of the light, which leads to increased plant growth. The opposite is true for blue light. Blue light inhibits the photosynthetic pigments of plants, which decreases plant growth.
Additional Say On What Is An Action Spectrum
We hope by now you have been enlightened on what an action spectrum is and you can see the role they play in a plant’s photosynthetic process and developments.
Remember, the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll that determines photosynthesis lies in the blue and red regions. Also, light wavelengths within the range of 400 nm to 700 nm are utilized by plants for photosynthesis and this is the ideal PAR range.
August 12, 2021
Too Much Potassium In Plants
Supplying your plants the appropriate level of potassium is beneficial to their growth. A bit of extra potassium isn’t too bad; however, too much potassium in plants can be pretty detrimental to them.
This is why you need to know the amount of potassium needed by plants. You also need to know how to reduce potassium in soil whenever there’s an issue of excess addition in order to save your plants.
So, let’s dive in and talk about problems caused by too much potassium, how to solve excess potassium in the plants’ soil, the benefits of potassium in the soil, and more.
Potassium Soil
A soil that has a healthy amount of potassium will experience plant flourishing. It is an important nutrient component required for the optimal growth of plants. Potassium is a macronutrient and it is the third value in the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium) ratio.
Potassium helps with photosynthesis and will enhance the rigidity of plants and also helps with disease resistance. It will also help with the drought or stress that your plant may experience.
Potassium should be supplied in the correct amount and a little extra amount may be fine. But when it gets too much, it will lead to issues that will cause nutrient deficiency.
Generally, the right quantity of potassium level should range from 40 to 80 ppm.
Too Much Potassium In Plants Soil
When potassium in plants becomes too much, it interrupts the absorption of vital nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, nitrogen, and so on. This in turn will lead to a deficiency in nutrients which will be a risk to your plants’ development.
The first signs you will notice when there is excess potassium present in the soil is:
- The leave veins may begin to show a red color patch.
- The older growth of the lower stem will start to experience yellowing of foliage and the rest of the leaves remain light green.
To detect or confirm excess potassium in your plant soil, simply have your soil tested. This is the only accurate way of confirming excess potassium in plants. Garden testing kits can be used to test excess potassium in soil and they can be purchased at your local garden or nursery center.
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How To Lower Potassium In Soil
The following things can be done to relieve the presence of excess potassium in plant soil:
- Dilute With Water Addition: Loosen the soil with a shovel and add water to dilute and remove excess potassium in the soil. After doing this, let the soil dry totally and repeat the flushing process two or three times more.
- Use Low Potassium Fertilizer Contents: When you are purchasing your fertilizer, the products you’re buying have the main macronutrients listed out. These main macronutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). So, to decrease potassium in plant soil, go for products that contain a low amount or zero amount of potassium (K). Note that in this case, your plant will do well without potassium.
- Plant Cover Crops: Cover crops of legumes can also help as they will increase nitrogen fixation. This will only boost the nitrogen level without increasing potassium or phosphorus level.
- Use Organic Manure: The ratio of NPK in organic fertilizers is usually low. Chicken manure for example has an NPK of 4:3:3. The nutrients in manure also decompose slowly which can reduce potassium build-up.
- Remove Rocks or Stones: Rocks contain minerals such as mica and feldspar rich in potassium. Therefore, separate and remove as many stones or rocks as possible to prevent them from releasing their minerals into the soil.
- Mix Crushed Eggshells With Soil: If you are making use of a small area, mix and dig in mussel shells or broken eggshells into the soil. This can assist in balancing nutrients in the soil. Wood ash or soft phosphate can also be added to the soil to improve calcium rather than potassium.
Preventive Measure
Constant monitoring or testing your soil can help detect early if there is any excess nutrient in the soil. If your soil tests enough or high potassium level, you should refrain from adding more fertilizers that may contain potassium.
Another thing you can do if you already have enough potassium levels in your soil is to always choose nutrient products low in potassium.
Benefits Of Potassium In Plants
The macronutrient potassium (in the right quantity) is essential to plants in many ways and growers rely on potassium for healthy crop production. Below are the benefits of potassium in plants:
- In plants, the movement of nutrients, water, and carbohydrates is connected with potassium.
- Potassium will help enhance the size and quality of vegetables and fruits. Thus, it is essential for edible foods.
- It is used as a regular fertilizer scheme in lawns, gardens, and orchards. It also enhances the blooming of roses and other flowering plants and enhances strong stems and developed flowers.
- The plant cell that controls water is regulated by potassium. Potassium will as well aid some enzymes in a plant cell.
- Deficiency in potassium will cause plants to be unable to convert nutrients into nutrients required by roots, leaves, and fruits.
- Potassium will also assist plants in water usage and it will help with drought or stress experienced by your plants. Thus, saving your plants from diseases and heat stress.
- Enzymes activation in plants requires potassium and it helps with the production of starch, protein, as well as ATP. ATP production helps regulate the rate of photosynthesis.
FAQ’s
What are the effects of too much potassium in plants?
Potassium is a mineral, one of the most common minerals in the Earth’s crust. It is an essential part of plant life, and all living things need it to grow. Plants absorb it through their roots and use it to make plant cells function properly. Some plants take up potassium in quantities far greater than other plants, but they can’t store it in their cells like other plants. So what happens when these plants take up too much potassium?
So what happens when these plants take up too much potassium? They grow more slowly, or not at all.
What are the symptoms of potassium in plants?
Potassium is a mineral that is necessary for plant growth, according to the University of Maryland Extension. Potassium helps control the size of the plant, maintain healthy and strong roots, increase resistance against stress, and create energy reserves. Keep Learning The level of potassium in the soil is the first thing that needs to be considered when planning to grow plants.
Plants that are deficient in potassium will have leaf yellowing, wilting or other signs of illness. Potassium is also a component of chlorophyll, which is what makes plants green.
How do you fix too much potassium in soil?
The most common way to correct this is to apply a slow release fertilizer that will be available for a longer period of time. In the case of potassium, I use something like Potashite which is a slow release fertilizer that releases potassium at a rate of about 0.5 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. over a 3 year period. Another option is to add wood ash to your soil.
Wood ash contains potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous. I would recommend adding a small amount at first until you see how much it grows, then add more if you need it. The amount that you need will depend on the size of the plant.
Conclusion On Too Much Potassium In Plants
There is no disputing the importance of potassium in the development of plants generally. However, you need to be aware of the right amount to supply your plant soil. Too much potassium in plant’s soil can be pretty detrimental to their growth.
Ensure you always test your soil with the right testing tools especially when you want to apply your NPK fertilizer. When you notice you have a high level of potassium, you should make use of fertilizer with a low or zero potassium ratio.
August 11, 2021
Growing Spinach Indoors Hydroponics
Let’s talk about growing spinach indoors with hydroponics. The spinach veg is an excellent food loaded with many nutritional benefits. Therefore, it will be a great addition to your garden having these fresh leafy greens and they will grow so well in hydroponics.
The spinach growing season is usually restricted to spring and fall. But with growing spinach hydroponically, you get to enjoy your spinach all year round.
We are all about easy indoor gardening and we have outlined all you need to know about growing spinach indoors hydroponics.
Spinach Hydroponics
Growing spinach in hydroponics is very rewarding. You get to enjoy plucking your fresh leafy greens from your indoor garden rather than buying from the grocery stores.
Here is a guide on how you can go about growing spinach in your hydroponics, so read on to learn more.
Tips To Growing Spinach Indoors Hydroponics
Let’s look at how you can germinate hydroponics spinach from seeds. So, the first thing is to germinate your seeds using rapid rooter plugs. Before germinating, always soak the seed plugs in water. Also, ensure you only put a couple of seeds into the plugs to get a successful result.
You can sow about 4 or 5 seeds in each rapid rooter plug. To enjoy a continuous year-round harvest, you can continue to sow new seeds every couple of weeks.
Unlike other leafy greens such as lettuce, basil, etc, it can take up to 3 weeks longer for your spinach seeds to germinate. The ideal temperature for your spinach seed to grow optimally is around 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, give them a light duration of about 12 to 14 hours per day.
Avoid using a heating mat or pad because spinach is a cool-weather crop and raising their temperature can cause poor germination.
You will need to pinch off the heads of several plants once the seedlings begin to sprout above the starter plugs. Ensure you pinch and not pull so you don’t disturb the root system. Only the healthiest or strongest seedlings should be left to continue their growing process.
Once you notice the root emerging out of the starter cube, you can now transfer your spinach seedlings into your hydroponic system. Then you should begin your spinach growth on a one-quarter diluted solution before you increase the strength of your solution slowly.
Hydroponic System For Growing Spinach
We have various types of hydroponics systems and many of them can work for growing indoor hydroponics spinach.
The best types of hydroponics to grow with spinach include nutrient film technique (NFT), raft, and deep water culture (DWC).
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Spinach plants usually have shallow roots, therefore, your hydroponic systems do not need to be so deep. Nevertheless, one of the easiest ways to get started with growing spinach hydroponically is by using the deep water culture system (DWC).
Light Duration For Hydroponic Spinach
Spinach is a low to moderate light duration requiring plant and they don’t need too much intense light. You can supply your hydroponic spinach plant with about 10 to 14 hours of light a day.
There are many different grow light options you can go for when it comes to growing spinach indoors with hydroponics. One great choice is the fluorescent grow light. This is because of its minimal heat emission, moderate power consumption, and affordability.
Nutrient and PH Requirement For Spinach Hydroponic
Clearly, we want our spinach to always grow bountifully in its vegetative stage. To achieve this, you need to provide your spinach plant with NPK nutrients with a high nitrogen ratio. This same nutrient scheme will encourage only the vegetative phase and it can be used up until the harvest period.
Therefore, nutrients high in nitrogen, as well as phosphorous, will enhance the growth of your spinach. The appropriate pH range for spinach is around 5.5 to 6.5.
Temperature Requirements For Spinach
Spinach does not require too high a temperature as they are cool weather crops. The appropriate temperature range for spinach is around 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ensure your hydroponic spinach temperature does not 70 degrees. If it gets to 70 degrees, it may lead to plant bolting. Bolting is when your plant starts entering into the flowering stage which usually leads to bitter-tasting spinach.
Hydroponic Spinach Spacing Requirement
Because spinach is a shallow-rooted plant, it does not need a deep grow bed. So, you can give your spinach plant about 4 to 5 inches of space apart.
Harvest Time Duration For Spinach Hydroponics
Spinach plants should attain their full maturity around 35 to 40 days. Just like the lettuce cut and come again, you can simply harvest a small portion of your spinach. You can as well harvest the whole plant.
Benefits Of Growing Hydroponics Spinach
When you grow spinach hydroponically, you enjoy lots of benefits, and below are some of these benefits:
1. Loaded With Great Nutrients: The leafy spinach is an incredibly healthy food that can be added to your food recipes. It is loaded with iron, vitamins, and folate. It is also great nutrition for blood health and bones.
2. Easy To Garden With: Growing spinach in hydroponics is one easy plant to garden with. Your plants will be less prone to soil-borne disease and have no stress of weeding.
3. All-year-round Supply: Unlike when you grow spinach in an outdoor traditional garden, you may be restricted to growing spinach only during spring. But with growing spinach indoors hydroponics, you enjoy all year round freshly spinach supply.
4. Rapid Growth: Growing spinach with hydroponics encourages faster growth and a healthy abundant yield.
FAQ’s
Can spinach be grown hydroponically?
Yes. You will find that there are many different methods to choose from and you can even mix and match them to suit your needs. As long as there is adequate oxygen, water, nutrients and light, your plants will thrive.
It is very easy to grow spinach in a hydroponic system. Most people use the soilless mix (hydroton) with rockwool or vermiculite for growing. The plants need a lot of light and need to be fertilized regularly. You should know the amount of water you are giving the plant by the size of the container. For example, a large pot will require more water than a smaller one. You can also check the potting soil for moisture content. If it is dry, you can add water.
Can you grow spinach without fancy equipment?
Yes, you can. The first time I tried it, I used a plastic pot with holes drilled in it, a plastic cup for water and a piece of cloth as a growing medium. It worked pretty well. Here’s what I did: I had a 10-inch pot with holes drilled in it, so I put two pots side by side, about 2 inches apart. I put the pot that was to grow spinach in the second one.
I put the pot with the plastic cup on top of the spinach pot, and put the plastic cup right over the holes in the spinach pot. Then, I put a small plastic cup with water in it next to the spinach pot. The plastic cup was a bit bigger than the pot, so I could put a few seeds in it and put the pot right over them. I put a little bit of soil in the bottom of the plastic pot, so that the roots wouldn’t get dried out. Then, I put some seeds in the plastic cup, and put the pot right over the seeds. When the seeds germinate, they’ll grow up through the holes in the bottom of the spinach pot and into the water. You can use any kind of seed, but I found that spinach seeds germinated the fastest.
In a couple days, the plants will be big enough to transplant into their permanent pots. I put the little seedlings in a bigger pot, and then planted them outside in my garden.
Do all lettuces need the same amount of light in a hydroponic system?
The amount of light needed for spinach varies quite a bit depending on the variety of spinach that’s being grown.
This means that if you want to have the very best crop you should look into the best types of grow lights for the type of lettuce that you are growing.
Final Say
As we can see, there are awesome benefits to growing spinach indoors with hydroponics. Simply follow our tips on how to successfully grow your spinach in the comfort of your home and enjoy fresh green spinach.
Remember; keep your spinach seed moist when germinating. Transplant them into your hydroponics when the roots have sprouted out of the germinating cubes. Start with moderate nutrients and gradually raise the nutrient strength as they develop. Also, supply spinach with low light intensity and a short duration of about 12 hours daily.
August 11, 2021
Three Way Meter PH/Light/Moisture
If you’re looking for a garden tool to measure the soil moisture content of your soil, light, and help control pH levels in the soil, then you’re talking about the three-way meter pH/light/moisture. It is a three different soil tester in one device, isn’t that awesome?
You may come across this gardening tool being called various names such as 3-in-1 soil tester, 3-way soil meter, soil analyzer, multi-purpose soil meter, and so on. Whichever name you see, they are all the same.
The three-way soil meter for plants allows you to easily monitor the conditions of your plants. Therefore, you get to give your plants the best care by using this gardening tool. In this article, we will be discussing more info on the three-way PH/light/moisture meter, how to use it, and more. So, let’s begin.
More Info On The 3 Way Soil Meter
The three-way meter PH/light/moisture is a piece of long metal equipment that is usually pushed into the soil. It is used to test measure moisture levels, soil pH, and light intensity.
- Firstly, the three-way meter will help you monitor the pH range in the soil as they become acidic or alkaline. This way, you get to adjust the pH levels to the appropriate range that is required by the particular plant you are growing.
- Secondly, the meter will help you test if your plants are receiving optimal sunlight for proper growth.
- Then lastly, the meter will test for moisture level to let you know if your plants require more watering or less watering.
Generally, this 3 in 1 meter is a great way of keeping in touch with the conditions of your growing plants. So, you get to offer your plants the appropriate care they need to grow strong and healthy.
Let’s dive in further by looking at the 3 things this meter measures and their importance.
- Importance Of Soil PH In Plants
One crucial factor that can’t be ignored when growing different plants is the soil pH. The availability of various nutrients and how they are been absorbed by plants largely depend on soil pH.
If the pH of your soil is out of range, your plants will not grow well and produce a good yield. They will end up looking stressed and if this is not resolved on time, your garden stands a chance of being futile.
This is why you need to always monitor your soil pH and you can do this using the three-in-one soil pH meter.
- Importance Of Sunlight
Sunlight is a key factor in the growth of your plant as it is an important source of energy for all plants. Light gives off energy that is absorbed by plants which feed the process of photosynthesis. This process of photosynthesis where plants make their food is needed for the survival of your plant.
The rays of sunlight give off different color spectrum needed by your plant in its various stages of growth. The vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages, all require a specific spectrum to flourish. It’s crucial you give your plants the required light.
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So, with the three in one soil pH meter, you can as well test for light and always give your plant the right intensity for its growth.
- Importance Of Moisture
The third important measurement the three in one pH meter detects is moisture level.
When you underwater your plant, it can cause wilting, brown tips of leaves, dryness of leaves, as well as leaf curling. This shows your soil is dry and requires moisture. Overwatering on the other hand can cause brown tips of leaves, yellowing of leaves, root rot, and wilting.
Overwatering and under watering are both detrimental to your plants and the three-way meter pH/light/moisture can help you prevent this.
How To Use Three-Way Meter PH/Light/Moisture
Step 1- Soil PH Testing
To test for soil pH, dip the pointed forks into the soil. The first reading you see should be the pH and it’s measured on a scale of 1 to 14. Reading from the first value 1 which means most acidic. So, the value 14 reading most alkaline and the number 7 means neutral.
Most plants prefer a slightly acidic medium and will preferably grow between the 6 and 7.5 pH range. You can adjust the soil pH to suit your various plants by adding limestone to increase the pH and add sulfur to lower the pH range.
Step 2- Moisture Testing
For moisture readings, inset the pointed fork into the soil to be tested and press the button on the meter. Go ahead and see the moisture readings. The moisture content level can be read in a 10 percent increment and it will move from no moisture to total saturation.
Usually, the majority of the soil will prefer mid-range moisture value. So, you can always detect if you are over watering or under watering. If you find yourself overwatering, you can simply add sand to your soil to improve drainage.
Step 3- Light Testing
To detect light, simply push the button on your 3 way meter till it falls on light testing. The light testing can calculate the intensity of light in foot candles from the range 0 to 2,000.
The light intensity for different plants varies. Some plants prefer full sun, while some others prefer partial sun or shade. Therefore, be aware of the type of plant variety you have and their light requirements.
However, the light requirement for average indoor lightning is about 100-foot candles.
Note: After every use, ensure you wipe clean the forks of the tester using distilled water and a clean cloth. Always do this between every use. This is to ensure all your readings are not contaminated or affected and to get the correct readings.
FAQ’s
What is a three Way PH/Light/Moisture meter?
This 3-in-1 meter is designed to measure the relative humidity (RH) and the soil/plant water potential in one unit. It is also able to measure pH.
It usually has an LCD screen and a touch screen and is a very compact unit that’s easy to use, and a very handy tool to have in your garden.
They work on the same principle as an analog thermometer (a little bit more expensive). You insert a probe into the soil, and the meter will indicate the current temperature of the soil, which is the same as the air temperature, minus the water vapor content in the air, plus the humidity in the air. If there is no water in the soil, then the meter will indicate that the soil is at the dew point. If there is water in the soil, then the meter will indicate the temperature of the water.
What is the difference between a soil probe and a moisture meter?
A soil probe measures the relative humidity of the air around the roots of plants. It has a tip that goes into the soil, and it measures the relative humidity of the soil. A moisture meter on the other hand, measures the water potential of the soil. It does this by measuring the pressure inside a sealed chamber which is connected to the soil.
It is not as precise as the soil probe, but it is much faster. The soil probe will tell you how moist the soil is, and it will tell you how dry the soil is. The moisture meter will tell you how dry the soil is. Both are important, and knowing both can help you get the most out of your plants. A soil probe is the best way to measure the relative humidity of the air around your plants. It will tell you if there are any problems with the air around your plants. A moisture meter is great for measuring the water potential of the soil, and it will tell you how wet or dry the soil is. It is very useful to know what the water potential of the soil is, because it tells you how much water the plant needs.
Is it costly?
It is a very expensive tool, which isn’t surprising as many people even have trouble figuring out how to use all of its features. In part, you’re paying for the easiness with which it is to set up.
Most people use it as a tool to determine when it is that they should add fertilizer to their lawn, vegetables and flowers.
Conclusion On Three Way Meter PH/Light/Moisture
We can see the three-way pH/light/moisture meter is a great way of closely monitoring the conditions of your garden. It can be used for both outdoor and indoor gardening. Therefore, this is a great tool to have in your garden.
August 10, 2021
How Often Should I Flood My Ebb And Flow
Ebb and flow also known as flood and drain have some watering schedule rules to follow. How often you should flood your ebb and flow system will depend on different factors. So, this is why we will be enlightening you on this.
The important thing is to flood your plants before your grow media dries out. So, you flood your plant for a particular time and drain them after the flooding time has elapsed.
Therefore, the watering schedule of your ebb and flow system will require adequate monitoring so your plants do not drown or dry out. So, let’s dive in to know how often you should flood your ebb and flow system.
Ebb And Flow System
Ebb and flow or flood and drain system is a type of hydroponic system that makes use of the intermittent supply of nutrient water solution which flows over the roots of the plants.
The nutrient solution flows also across the inert grow medium used in the ebb and flow. This grow medium ensures to retain some water for the use of plants for some time until the system is flooded again.
The idea behind this versatile hydroponic system involves the movement of water across the grow tray from time to time. This water is rich in nutrients required for plants growth. The system has a pump that pumps the nutrient-filled solution from the reservoir below.
Gravity is used to return the nutrient-filled water back into the reservoir where it flows back up to be reused.
As the nutrient solution is being pumped, it moves up reaching the grow tray or container. This nutrient solution now drenches the root of the plants until they reach the water limit.
Usually, the ebb and flow makes use of a timer that controls the water flow which goes on or off. This way, the flooding schedule is monitored. As the timer goes on, it pumps nutrient-filled water above the plants and when the timer goes off, the pump is stopped.
However, you still need to know how long the timer should be set to know how often you should flood your ebb and flow. So let’s look into this.
How Often Should I Flood My Ebb And Flow?
When we talk about how often you should flood your ebb and flow, what we mean is how many times should the nutrient water flow through the plants. This will depend on the factors we are going to be looking at and this will help you deduce how to plan your hydroponics system watering schedule.
Then once you’ve observed your plants’ response to the watering schedule you give them, you can be sure of a perfect flood and draining cycles.
Ebb & Flow Hydroponics Tips – Factors To Consider
1.    Size Of Plant
The size of your plant is one determinant of how often you should flood your ebb and flow hydroponic system. The bigger the plant size, the more frequency is required to flood your system. This is because bigger plants have more stomata they use to transpire or give off water into the atmosphere.
Therefore, smaller plants will require less flooding. You should also increase the flooding frequency as your plants grow and get bigger.
2.    Grow Media
There are various growing mediums that can be used in flood and drain hydroponic systems. We have Rockwool, coconut coir, vermiculite, expandable clay pebbles, and so on. But you should know that each of these grow media differs in terms of water intake and water retention.
Grow media such as Rockwool can absorb and retain adequate moisture, thus requires minimal flood and drain cycles. However, grow media such as expandable clay pebbles requires more time to be flooded because of their slow water absorbing capacity.
3.    Temperature
The heat produced by sunlight or the type of grow light you have can hasten up evaporation. Domestic heating systems and some other factors may bring about a hot environment and can predispose your system to water loss. This will tell you how much to flood your ebb and flow hydroponic system.
Also, as the season changes for outdoor ebb and flow, you will need to adjust the flooding times to suit seasonal variations.
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4.    Hydroponic System Size
The size of your hydroponic system is another factor to consider when deciding your system’s flood and drain cycles. A bigger and deeper system requires lesser flood and drain cycles. On the other hand, the shallow and smaller system requires more flood and drain cycles.
5.    Type Of Plants
Some plants are water-loving thus requires more watering schedule while some are less water requiring. This is why you need to learn about the type of plant you will be growing. Get to know how much watering they prefer.
6.    Light
Light plays a role in the transpiration rate of your plants. Just as we mentioned earlier, the type of grow light used in your flood and drain hydroponic garden will contribute to the watering schedule. Therefore, in order to evaluate the flood and drain timing, consider the grow light distance to plants, power of grow light, and light duration.
A stronger light, longer light duration, as well as a closer light distance will require more flooding cycles. This will help cover up for the lost water through the stomata in the leaves.
7.    Humidity
Humid environments contain saturated moisture thus, your flood and drain cycles should be minimal. On the other hand, dry environments increase transpiration in plants more. Thus, you should flood and drain your system more often.
FAQ’s
How often should you flood and drain?
If you plan on using 100 gallons, you will need to fill the tank and let it sit for at least 24 hours. I would recommend doing this once a week. You will need to refill the tank with fresh water at least every other day. If you live in a humid area, you may want to add a dehumidifier to help dry out your plants. For the most part, you don’t want to keep water sitting in the system for extended periods of time. This can cause nutrient depletion and algae growth.
What plants can be grown in a Ebb and Flow system?
With the Ebb and Flow system, you can grow a variety of plants from herbs to fruit and veggies.
It is a great option for growing small fruits and veggies like lettuce, strawberries, and peppers. You can even grow tomatoes, kale and cucumbers in an Ebb and Flow.
Ebb and Flow is a technique where the growing medium is moved around the plants in a controlled fashion, alternating between dry and wet. In this way the roots are kept moist and healthy and can grow to their full potential. The flow and ebb system is a very efficient way to water your garden without the use of soil.
What is the best medium for flood and drain?
The best medium for flood and drain is usually a sand-based mixture, such as: Cemented sand Diatomite Clay-based media. You can use clay pebbles as well:
How fast does hydroponic water flow?
The flow is controlled by your pump. You could have a 1GPM (gallon per minute) pump, and you can use a 0.5GPM (half gallon per minute) pump, too. If you’re going to use an air stone, it’s important that you don’t put too much pressure on the air stone. If you do, the stone will crack and you’ll have to replace it. If you put more than 1 psi (pounds per square inch) on the stone, it will crack. So use a reasonable amount of air pressure to get the most out of your pump. I wouldn’t use an air stone at all unless you are using a very high-powered pump like a 1HP (horsepower) or 2HP pump.
How do you control water flow in hydroponics?
There are several ways to control the amount of water that flows through your system. The easiest way is to use a pressure regulator, and set the flow rate accordingly. You can also attach a pump to the output of your main supply line, and turn it on or off. This is less convenient, but more reliable.
Conclusion On How Often Should I Food My Ebb And Flow
Deciding on the appropriate watering cycles for your flood and drain hydroponic system is an important point to know. The goal is to prevent your plants and grow media from drying out completely or drowning.
You should follow our tips above to help you decide how often you should flood your ebb and flow hydroponics system.
August 10, 2021
3 Tier Plant Stand With Grow Lights
Using 3 tier plant stand with grow lights is a good way of growing plants in a vertical manner especially if you have issues with space. This will give you the access and advantage to growing more plants to give you more yields.
Also, if your fragile seedlings or clones are not so ready to face the harsh outdoor conditions, you can simply use a suitable plant stand with grow lights.
In this post, we will be talking about how you can use 3 tier plant stand with grow lights. We will also give you some recommend stand you can purchase for your growing plants. So, let’s begin.
Using Grow Light Shelves
Grow light stand will help you withholding your grow light as well as some other hydroponic equipment. They will basically help with the arrangement of your plants.
When considering using grow light shelves for your indoor growing plants, ensure you have the right size of length that fits the shelves. Although, it’s not much of a big deal if you have the length a bit longer. This is just to allow your growth set up will look well arranged.
So, the horizontal length of your shelve should be almost the same length as the shelve. This means if you have your shelve to be 4 feet long, your grow light length should be within that range.
Also, the compartments of your shelves should have holes where you can easily hang your grow light.
How To Set Up Growing Shelf
You can either purchase a complete tier plant shelf with grow lights or simply build a DIY grow shelf stand.
To build your own setup, simply purchase the grow lights, grow trays, and the shelving unit. Then you go ahead to attaching the grow lights on each shelf tier.
Depending on how many grow light tiers you have, go ahead and set them up with your grow lights. Also, depending on how much light intensity your plants require, you can set up one or even two grow lights for each stand.
Each tier of your shelf should open lines where you can attach your grow lights. Your grow light should have a chain or wire rack that you can use to hang over each tier and hook it up with your grow light. The hook will allow you to move your grow lights up and down.
Moving your grow light up and down will allow you to set up the appropriate height of your grow and plant distance. You can always adjust the light anytime especially to suit the stage your plant is. Go ahead and put your growing tray on each tier and adjust your grow light appropriately.
For starting seeds, your grow lights should be positioned close for about a week. For this reason, you should go with low emitting heat grow lights such as fluorescent lights.
Some Recommended 3 Tier Plant Stand With Grow Lights
Readymade grows light shelves will save you the stress of building your light shelving. So, here is some recommended 3 tier plant stand with grow lights:
1. Gardener’s Supply Company Indoor Grow Light, 3-Tier Stand Sunlite Light Garden
The Gardener’s supply Sunlite garden 3 tier grow light stand features indoor grow light with plant trays for your plants. You can start your seeds and grow your plants with this 3 tier stand. It is pretty easy to assemble and it comes with clear instructions to guide you through the assembling.
They offer a brighter light for your plant growing needs. You also get the pleasure of moving the grow light up and down for you to get the right grow light distance. The fixtures also come with a pull chain for easy height adjustments.
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This 3 tier plant stand arrangement will look so decorative in your living room or anywhere indoors. You can grow your seeds with this stand as well as growing herbs and houseplants. You can also try other plants like orchids with this 3 tier grow light stand.
Overall, this is a great 3 tier plant stand with grow lights that will serve as an excellent starting point for your seeds or plant propagation.
2. Gardener’s Supply Company LED Grow Light Stand, Heavy Duty 3-Tier
The Gardner’s supply LED grow light stand is another nicely built 3 tier stand. It is made of heavy-duty steel which makes it durable. It is well painted and the holes are well lined up.
This stand is also pretty easy to set up without the need for professional help all you need to do is just go through the instructions. It also comes with nice trays for growing plants and the shelves are water-tight.
The LED grow light is a full spectrum that will assist your plants through different grow life cycles. The bulbs are long-lasting and can last up to 50,000 hours of use.
You can grow various plants such as basil, lettuce, parsley, sweet peppers, etc under the stand grow light. They are also ideal for growing flowers and other plants.
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It also has adjustable light features that allow you to raise or bring down the lights for your plants’ comfort. Their lights are also low emitting heat.
This 3 tier stand also has a rolling caster that allows you to easily push or move anywhere around your home.
However, this 3 tier plant stand with grow lights is at a high price but you can enjoy the price of the money spent.
FAQ’s
How beneficial are grow lights shelves?
A grow light shelf is basically a box with a lid that you can place over your grow light. The box is made from either acrylic or metal and can be placed over your grow light. You can use a grow light shelf to help control the temperature of your plants, which means you can control the amount of light your plants receive. It will also help to keep the light on a constant level, which makes it easier to control. The grow light shelf will help to save space as you don’t need to put the grow light directly over your plants. If you don’t have a grow light shelf, your plants could end up receiving different amounts of light at different times. You can use the grow light shelf to create a greenhouse effect.
How do you make a plant shelf with lights?
The following instructions are for hanging a plant shelf with light fixtures. This is an easy project that you can do yourself in about one day or less. Supplies: – 1 sheet of plywood cut to size – Drill bit – Screws – Wood glue – Paint – Plants Step 1: Cut two pieces of plywood of equal length. Step 2: Drill Holes for Screws Drill holes into each of the four corners of your plywood. The holes should be about 1 1/2 inches from the edge of the plywood. Step 3: Attach the Plywood to the Shelf Attach the plywood to the shelf using wood glue and screws. Make sure that the plywood is level when you are attaching it to the shelf. This is an important step because you will want to ensure that your lights will hang straight. Step 4: Drill holes in the light fixtures where the light bulbs will go. Step 5: Apply paint to your plant shelf and light fixtures. Step 6: Enjoy!
How many grow lights per shelf?
The total number of grow lights per shelf is determined by the length of the grow light fixture and the spacing between the grow lights. You can have 4 grow plants per shelf. Each grow light fixture can support up to 6 plants.
What color grow light is best for seedlings?
Greenhouse or cold frame seedlings should be grown under fluorescent lights. A grow light is a high-powered light bulb that has been specially designed to grow plants and seedlings. Grow lights are designed to mimic the natural light cycle of the sun, with wavelengths and intensities that are suitable for plant growth. There are two types of grow lights: metal halide and fluorescent.
Final Say On 3 Tier Plant Stand With Grow Lights
It’s really quite great having a 3 tier plant stand with grow lights because of its versatility. It offers you the benefit of growing in a vertical manner with a managed space.
You also get to grow various plants including seedlings, clones, and other types of plants indoors.
August 2, 2021
Grow Light Height Above Plants
The height of grow light above plants needs to be positioned appropriately for your plants to absorb adequate light and at the same time prevent plant burns. With the various types of grow light available in the market, each of them has a specific distance to be obeyed so your plants can flourish.
All the stages of a plants’ life cycle, be it vegetative, flowering, fruiting, or even seedlings require the correct grow light distance to grow adequately. This shows the distance you give between your grow light and plants will have a say on the overall indoor garden yield. So, let’s get right into discussing grow height above plants.
How Close Should Grow Lights Be To Plants?
Even though determining the exact grow light height above plants cannot be specifically ascertained: we can still give a good starting point. What will help is to begin with trial and error. Then you gradually move the grow light closer to or farther away till you get the appropriate distance that suits your plant’s growing needs.
Like we said, various grow lights have different hanging distances. So, each of this grow lights will determine the distance to your plants’ canopy. The wattage (which is one of the determinants of the strength of a grow light) of the grow light will as well decide how far or how close the distance will be.
For example, grow lights that generate more heat will require them to be hung a bit far from the plants’ canopy to avoid plant burns. At the same time, some grow light generates powerful spectrum that requires them to be hung a bit far from plants’ canopy to prevent bleaching. (I.e. leaves turning white)
Let’s take a look at the grow light height above plants for LED, HID, and T5 fluorescent lights. We will also look at how far your grow light should be during various plant stages such as seedlings, vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stage.
1.    HID Grow Light Height Above Plants
HID grow lights are known to generate more heat. Thus, they should be positioned at least 12 inches from your plants’ canopy. Also, if your grow light is powerful say for instance 1000 watt, it should be hanged at least 15 inches away. Lesser HID wattage lights of 400 or 600 watts can be hanged around 20 to 25 inches respectively. This grow light distance is ideal for all plants stage.
2.    LED Grow Light Height Above Plants
Even though LED lights don’t emit too much heat, their light spectrums are very powerful. They can be too overwhelming on some types of plants that they may suffer bleaching if positioned too close.
Grow light of 900 watts and above should be positioned 26 to 42 inches away from plants’ canopy. Then 600 to 850 wattage of LED light should be positioned 24 to 26 inches away. 450 to 550 watts LED grow light should be hung 20 to 30 inches away from plants. And 240 to 400 watts needs 16 to 30 inches LED grow light distance.
While this LED grow light height above plants is obeyed, it is necessary for LED lights to be moved closer to the plant during the flowering phase. This is because they will require more light intensity during this stage.
3.    Fluorescent Grow Light Height Above Plants
Fluorescent grow lights are one of the most efficient lights to use as they offer smooth blended energy and spectrum. They are low generating heat which makes them safe to be placed close to plants’ canopy. Placing them too far from the plants will reduce their light intensity thus; reducing the energy the plants receive.
Although fluorescent light comes in various shapes and sizes, we will generally recommend a distance of at least 12 inches away from your plants. Ensure the height does not exceed 12 inches as this can reduce the light energy your plants receive.
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However, you can do a trial by starting at a grow light distance of 5 inches. If you notice any discomfort symptoms shown by your plants you can move the grow light a bit higher. Do this until you find the perfect spot that will suit your plants.
You can use the stated grow light distance using fluorescent light for all plant stages.
Grow Light Distance Seedlings
Seedlings are known to be pretty fragile. So this is why we need to know the appropriate grow light hanging distance to these seedlings. However, seedlings also need to be supplied with a good amount of light so they can grow efficiently. Depriving seedlings of adequate light will cause slow development and leggy growth.
For LED grow lights, you can do a distance of 8 to 12 inches away from your seedlings. While for T5 fluorescent grow lights, you can do a distance of 5 to 6 inches away from your seedlings.
How Much Light For Seedlings
Let’s determine the amount of light seedlings require using PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation). We will be looking at achieving 120 to 150 micromoles per second per meter square of PAR delivered to your seedlings. Also, you can supply your seedlings light for 12 to 18 hours per day.
FAQ’s
Do Grow lights have to be above plants?
Grow lights can be placed above the plants.
Grow lights can be placed at any height from ground level to 15 feet or more. I would recommend that you do not place your grow light directly on the soil as this will cause your plant to burn and eventually die. The best way to position a grow light is to have it over a pot so that the roots are just barely touching the sides of the pot and the rest of the plant is in shade.
This will keep the plant healthy and happy. You can also hang a hanging plant holder with a light bulb in it over a pot.
Any wattage will do as long as it produces enough light to promote growth. A good wattage light would depend on what type of plants you are growing, how much space you have and your budget. There is no “best” wattage light. It depends on your own personal preference and budget. Grow lights are available in a wide variety of wattages, from 1 watt to 50 watts. The higher the wattage, the more light is emitted.
How do you tell if grow light is too close?
There are many ways to tell if a grow light is too close to the plants.
You’ll want to consider the distance from the light fixture to the plant, and the height of the light fixture. If the light fixture is high enough, it will not be visible above the top of the pot or growing substrate. This can be a problem with fluorescent lights, which are very high. If the fixture is too low, you’ll see shadows cast by the light fixture on the plants.
You can measure the amount of light your plants get by measuring how far the light has to be moved to get the same amount of light on the plants.
The first thing to look for is light color. If the light is very yellow, then it is too close. If the light is blue, then it is too far away. This is because red light penetrates deeper into the plant and makes it grow faster, while blue light makes the plants more spindly.
Another way to tell if the grow light is too close is to look at the reflection on the leaves. If there are little lights reflected on the leaf, then it is too close. If you see a lot of refl
Can grow lights be too bright?
Grow lights can be an important part of growing indoor plants. However, some growers have noticed that their plants seem to grow a bit more slowly when the lights are on, and they also grow a bit larger. Growers sometimes use light intensity to control the size and shape of their plants.
Your choice will depend on how much light you need, the type of light you want to use, and your budget. The three main types of lights are fluorescents, metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps. Fluorescents are the cheapest, but have a very narrow color spectrum, which can cause problems if you’re using plants that require more than one color of light. Metal halide is the most expensive, but has a broad color spectrum, and produces a lot of heat,. High-pressure sodium lamps are the least expensive of the three, and they have a broad color spectrum, they produce less heat, and the spectrum is similar to natural sunlight.
Final Note On Grow Light Height Above Plants
Determining the appropriate grow light height above plants is not so difficult to tell if you have the right knowledge. Different grow lights are built differently and they have their various hanging distance that must be followed. Follow our guidelines on the right distance to hang your grow light.
Also, some of these grow lights have the manufacturers’ recommended hanging distance stated on the grow light package. You can also start with that and later adjust your grow light until you get the appropriate distance.
Note that once you purchase a new grow light, it is recommended you keep a close eye on your garden to see how your plants receive this new light. This way, you can quickly notice any slight change in your plants’ response to the light and make the right adjustments accordingly.
July 30, 2021