By Raquel Neofit

The largest quantity of nutrients or mineral elements your plants require fall under the title of Macro Nutrients. They are the main elements plants need throughout their life cycle.

It’s worth the time and energy to research the right macro nutrient blend for your crop.

Marco Nutrients are:

• Nitrogen (N)
• Phosphorus (P)
• Potassium (K)

These three elements make up the fertilisers you find at your local hydroponic supplier and are classified by the N – P – K reading on fertiliser labels.

A good choice in fertiliser is one that shows a proven track record of research and the use of quality raw ingredients.

The right fertiliser product will consist of a two-step process because plants need different ratios of particular nutrients at different stages of their cycles. Look for fertiliser products like nf coco or Elements. Elements consist of two products, Elements grow A and Elements Bloom A.

For example, through-out the vegetative stage some plants require higher amounts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus and during their bloom stage they require more Phosphorus and Potassium.

So what do these essential elements do?

Nitrogen – The Growth Nutrient

Nitrogen is vital to life; it’s a fundamental component of amino acids and of proteins which include the green light-harvesting pigment, chlorophyll, essential to the photosynthesis process.

Nitrogen is also necessary for a plant to grow productively and deficiency of Nitrogen seems to be considered the most common deficiency in most plants, whether soil or hydroponically grown.

Nitrogen is a major component of hormones and vitamins and is a key factor in metabolism, cell growth and reproduction of all plant life.

It is also the element that generally produces the greatest dry matter yield response in plants.

Interestingly, Nitrogen is one of the most available elements we have, it makes up about 75% of the earth’s atmosphere, but it’s not ‘plant available’ in its current form.

Types of Nitrogen – There are three forms of Nitrogen available to plants

• Ammonium (NH4) – Ammonium ions bind and travel slowly through the medium, it’s readily plant available but can be extremely harmful if oversupplied.
• Nitrate (NO3) – Nitrate ions are easily absorbed by plants but leaching occurs quickly.
• Organic Nitrogen – Most Nitrogen is organic but needs to be converted by microorganism for plant uptake.

Deficiency signs

• Slow growth
• Yellowing of the leaves, especially in the older leaves, if the younger leaves are starting to turn yellow then you have major on-going deficiency problem (chlorosis)
• Thin roots that are too long
• Stunted shoot growth and thin spidery plants

Phosphorous – The Root Stimulator

Like Nitrogen, Phosphorous is a vital mineral and plays several key roles in the health and vitality of your plant.

It’s a key component in plant structure and an essential part of the enzymes for storing and transferring plant energy and an integral part of the nucleic acids,  or the building blocks (DNA) of plants and is present in all living cells.

Phosphorous carries genetic information to each new cell and aids in cell division. It’s also associated with shoot growth, increasing stem and stalk growth, stimulated root development, early growth spurts, enhanced flower formation, seed production and developing a stronger resistance to disease.

Phosphorous needs to be added early in the plants life for vigorous root development, but it is considered an immobile element in soil mediums, which means only about 20% of applied phosphorous will be absorbed by the plant.

Phosphorus uptake is also facilitated by the presence of mycorrhizal fungi.

A deficiency of phosphorous can be difficult to diagnose visually, but keep an eye out for the following.

Deficiency signs

• Possibility of dark green foliage
• A hint of purple on the stems and possibly the entire plant
• Stunted growth and slow growth
• Brown spots (necrosis)

Potassium – The Regulator and Quality Element

Potassium is absorbed by plants in large quantities and acts as a regulator in plant growth.

In particular, it’s associated with root growth and regulation of the rate of photosynthesis by activating the sixty known enzymes that are directly involved in plant growth – It directly affects the transfer, utilization and storage of sugars and proteins in the photosynthesis process.

Potassium is also linked to fruit quality and production.

Potassium is important for water and nutrient uptake because it is responsible for pH stabilization, respiration and transpiration (stoma openings) within plants. Without the regulation of these openings the exchange of Carbon Dioxide, water vapour and Oxygen is inadequate.

Crop quality is commonly associated with Potassium due to its effect on factors such as size, shape, colour, disease resistance and yield.

Deficiency signs

• Thin stems
• Brown spots on older leaves (necrosis)
• In advanced deficiency brown spots between the main veins
• Slight yellowing of leaves (chlorosis)
• Leaf dryness
• Leaves can curl or crinkle

Your yield and profit rely heavily on the nutrient choices you make so make sure you make the right decision when it comes to brands and products.

Contact our knowledgeable staff at Nutrifield and they will put in contact with someone who cares as much about your crops as you do.

By Raquel Neofit

Plant nutrition can be a complex scientific endeavour, but it’s handy to have a grasp on the basics of what benefits each nutrient or mineral offers your plants and which nutrients are necessary for them to thrive. It doesn’t hurt to be able to recognise some of the signs of nutrient deficiency either.

Luckily with hydroponic gardening you are in control of Mother Nature and her elements and all it takes is a little basic knowledge and some quality nutrient products.

First of all let’s look at why a plant requires nutrients for optimal growth – this tends to fall under the term ‘plant nutrition’. Think of your body; if you are lacking in certain vitamins or minerals, you never quite feel like you can reach optimal output levels. You are tired, weary, droopy! So too are your plants if they are deficient in essential nutrients.

Every element is responsible for a different aspect in your plants growth cycle and some are more important than others at different stages of this cycle.

Without the benefits of adding nutrients to your hydroponic medium, plants can experience stunted or slow growth, minimal or poor quality fruit production, the filaments (fine, delicate hairs) on the root system may suffer which will affect the entire life cycle of your hydroponic crop. The problems can go on and on, discolouration, weak stems, roots…

So, what are the nutrients essential to plant life;

It is commonly accepted that there are twenty mineral elements which are considered beneficial. Of these, sixteen are considered essential nutrients, although three of them are absorbed from the atmosphere through leaf uptake or photosynthesis, and the other thirteen of these are considered to be root absorbed, or to a lesser extent through foliar application. This list of thirteen elements is then broken down into three groups.

• Macro Nutrients
• Secondary Nutrients
• Micro or Trace Nutrients

Macro Nutrients
As the word suggests, macro nutrients are the main nutrients plants need to grow and are required in the greatest amounts. Without them, your crop will not thrive. Your plants will probably dis-colour, droop and not produce a desirable or profitable yield.

These nutrients are your first consideration when planning your hydroponic nutrient schedule.

Next we move into the world of Secondary Nutrients
Secondary nutrients are required in smaller quantities, but none the less, deliver valuable substance to the growth cycle, health and yield of your plant.

Then we have micro nutrients or you may have heard the term trace elements.
Although classed as micro nutrients, don’t be tempted into diminishing their importance to your plants health. It’s just that they are required in much smaller quantities.

And remember that different plant species thrive on different combinations of nutrients, it’s worth acquiring some knowledge of your chosen crops requirements.

It’s also interesting to note the criteria an element must meet to be considered an essential nutrient. The following seems to be the general consensus in the world of scientific research;
1. Without the element the plant cannot grow effectively on its own
2. The element is required to fulfil a role within metabolism
3. There is no other alternative for that element

A: You can use our tank controllers to adjust your pH in the aquaponics system. Just keep in mind that only small quantities will create large changes in pH. Also note that the pH down will promote algae growth due to elevated phosphorous levels.

To send us an enquiry simply fill in this form at www.nutrifield.us/contact or comment on our facebook page!
We will be happy to help.

Sulfur works to lower pH but if you aren’t careful it can also lower beneficial bacteria levels, as it is also used as a disinfectant. Some of the more successful agents in this pH battle are amino acids and beneficial bacteria. Amino acids directly impact pH through their acidity, while one function of certain beneficial bacteria in soil is that they react with organic matter and also end up producing acids, which lower the pH level. As the chart indicates, some nutrients will get locked up at low pH levels, so what you want to achieve is a balance.
Being aware of the pH of your soil is obviously important and there are test kits that do a decent job in evaluating it.

Kits also abound for testing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, the primary macronutrients. Beyond these, however, the indoor gardener is generally in the dark about what’s in their soil. If the crop that you are growing is sufficiently valuable you may want to have your soil analyzed by a lab to better understand what needs to be done to help produce the yield you are looking for.

I’ve had many soil samples evaluated by laboratories over the years and found that some labs are much more reliable than others. The cost of lab work can vary greatly as well and just because the price is higher doesn’t mean the results will be more reliable! You’ll need to do some research to find the right lab for you. For starters, don’t worry about having to ship your soil to a lab—just finding the right lab is your number one issue.
Often the recommendation to use a local lab is based on the premise that they will better understand local soil, but of course indoor growers usually use soils from many different parts of the country and the cost of freight is not generally the biggest part of the testing expense anyway. You’ll be looking at a minimum of somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 for a complete soil test.

Maybe you are a better shopper than I am and can find a better deal. Some labs are certified and some are not and you should ask about this—the costs of the tests are important, but their accuracy is crucial. Another consideration is the organization of the lab itself.

You don’t want the results of someone else’s test given to you, do you? This is not common, but it does happen. Ask the lab for customer references. Ask to see sample reports and see if they will help you interpret the results, as these reports can be complex to understand. Finally, the Internet is a great tool for finding a quality lab.

If you know where the nutrient levels in your soil are to start with and where they are somewhere around the halfway point, you should have a good idea on how your nutrient and watering protocol is performing. If you stick with the same potting soil, you won’t need to re-test for the initial phase. If your crop is really important to you, testing your soil in a methodic way can yield genuine benefits. I say methodic because you need to be consistent with what you do in order to gradually improve your results. Use top- quality soils, nutrients and water. Take notes on what you’re doing so you have some basis for your comparisons and so you’ll be able to notice changes in the future. Be a good agronomist and get the yield and quality you want—if your investment in your garden really matters, be professional about how you grow!

This article is featured in the hydroponics magazine ‘Maximum Yield‘
December 2011, USA issue.

http://bit.ly/vFJFTI

by Frank Rauscher

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If you are having trouble with a nutrient deficiency or any other gardening or hydroponic problem, please feel free to ask the friendly team at Nutrifield.

A: The dilution will vary depending where in the cycle the plant is. (please visit our feeding schedule to help you at http://www.nutrifield.com.au/feeding-chart )

For early vege / grow use 1.5mL/L and keep slightly increasing until you get to 2mL/L in early flower. This can then increase to 2.5mL/L and then a maximum of 3-3.5mL/L in late flower.

Remember to add water to the tank until half full and then add part A and mix well, then add more water and then add part B and mix well.

Good luck!

Fresh Fruit Vegetable – public domain -USDA
Is a pumpkin fruit or vegetable? Tomato fruit or vegetable? Do you know? Find this amazing nutrition fact herein: the difference between fruit and vegetable.
Is it a fruit or vegetable? Pumpkin, fruit or vegetable? Tomato, fruit or vegetable? To determine the difference between fruit and vegetable (which has troubled minds since there were such terms as vegetable and fruit,) let’s examine what makes a fruit a fruit and what makes a vegetable a vegetable.

Here is the definition of fruit:
“The term fruit has different meanings depending on context. In botany, a fruit is the ripened ovary—together with seeds—of a flowering plant. In many species, the fruit incorporates the ripened ovary and surrounding tissues. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds. In cuisine, when discussing fruit as food, the term usually refers to just those plant fruits that are sweet and fleshy, examples of which include plum, apple and orange. However, a great many common vegetables, as well as nuts and grains, are the fruit of the plant species they come from. No one terminology really fits the enormous variety that is found among plant fruits. Botanical terminology for fruits is inexact and will remain so.” (Wikipedia.org)

Are we clear now? Or are you just more confused? Don’t feel bad; many others are confused too. Here is what Science Bob has to say about this question: Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

Answer: “To really figure out if a tomato is a fruit or vegetable, you need to know what makes a fruit a fruit, and a vegetable a vegetable. The big question to ask is, DOES IT HAVE SEEDS?

If the answer is yes, then technically, you have a FRUIT. This, of course, makes your tomato a fruit. It also makes cucumbers, squash, green beans and walnuts all fruits as well. VEGETABLES such as, radishes, celery, carrots, and lettuce do NOT have seeds (that are part of what we eat) and so they are grouped as vegetables.”

By these definitions, a pumpkin is a fruit, botanically speaking. So are squash and zucchini.

Modern society commonly refers to all these fruits as vegetables:

• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Tomato
• Cucumbers
• Green beans
• Capsicum peppers
• Bell peppers

The definition of vegetable:
“Vegetable is a culinary term. Its definition has no scientific value and is somewhat arbitrary and subjective. All parts of herbaceous plants eaten as food by humans, whole or in part, are generally considered vegetables. Mushrooms, though belonging to the biological kingdom, fungi, are also commonly considered vegetables…Since ‘vegetable’ is not a botanical term, there is no contradiction in referring to a plant part as a fruit while also being considered a vegetable. Given this general rule of thumb, vegetables can include leaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (carrots), flowers (broccoli), bulbs (garlic), seeds (peas and beans) and of course the botanical fruits like cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and capsicums.” (Wikipedia.org)

This is the correct answer for all your food trivia pursuits:
If you are speaking in a botanical, scientific context, then pumpkin, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, tomato and squash are FRUITS because they all have seeds. If you are speaking in culinary terms, they can all be properly called VEGETABLES.

Case solved, right? Not quite. The United States Supreme Court entered into this fascinating debate and gave a legal verdict on whether a tomato should be classified as a vegetable or a fruit. They decided unanimously, in Nix versus Hedden, 1883, that a tomato is a vegetable, even though it is a botanical fruit.

So, there you have the difference between fruit and vegetable and an amazing nutrition fact. A tomato is a fruit AND a vegetable. A pumpkin is a fruit AND a vegetable. The age-old question of “Is it a fruit or vegetable?” has been resolved. Next, we will tackle “Which came first – the chicken or the egg?” (You do know it was the chicken first, right?)

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http://sally-odum.suite101.com/fruit-or-vegetable–a9756
Nov 29, 2006 – Sally Odum

A: Most people innocently think coco coir and Coco peat are the same thing, but alas they are not.

Coco peat is the by-product during the manufacturing of coco coir. It is much finer and more of a powder then coco coir. Coco coir is also much more water absorbent!

Coco coir is produced from coconut husks following a precise ageing and treatment process.

It consists of a range of chipped and long strand material with smaller quantities of super fine material (commonly referred to as coco peat). The word peat often refers to partially decomposed material from the ground and hence the aging of coco coir in some peoples mind can lend to the terminology of coco peat. All in all it is important to remember not all coco coirs are equal.

Nutrifield’s NF Coco Premium is Coco Coir and more information can be found on http://www.nutrifield.com.au/mediums/nf-coco-premium-bags/

My plants are dying and I’m get small whites bugs coming into my recirculating tanks.
The little white bugs in your tank are the larvae of the Sciarid fly.  If you are seeing them in your tank it means you have a full blown infestation.  The larvae feed on the plants root system and can quickly starve a plant.  The Sciarid fly lays over 200 eggs every few weeks and a such early detection and prevention is a must.

What do scarid fly look like and how do I treat them?
The Sciarid fly is a small black fly that will live on and within the top layer of your media.  The flies like conditions that offer high humidity, warm temperatures and away from the light.  This is why a hydroponic media is the ideal breeding ground for Sciarid flies.  Prevention is better than cure and the best type of prevention is to limit the habitable environment in which they can survive and flourish.  A smart way to do this is to use Nutrifield nf Hydro Clay as a thin top coat to your favourite hydroponics media.  As the nf Hydro Clay holds little water it will dry out relatively quickly and eliminate on of the key environments required for Sciarid flies to breed.  Once infestation has occurred a pesticide will need to be used to cure the issue.  It is important to understand that the larvae would have been feeding on the plants roots and as such it is extremely important to concentrate on growing those roots back for increased nutrient uptake.   This is an excellent time to use NF Zyme for all your root and shoot growth and Plant Starter to help build roots out towards immobile elements such as Phosphorous.  Please note that Plant Starter can not be used until 4 days after the pesticide used to treat the Scariad fly was added.

How do I detect spider mite and how do I treat them?
Spider Mite can be a real nuisance and generally breed extremely quickly and can devastate an entire crop if careful notice isn’t taken.  Spider mite will always be present on the bottom of a leaf before they are seen on the top.  Simply flip over a leaf on every plant periodically and watcht he leaf for small moving dots or tiny white eggs.  If you have either of these you have most likely caught the mites at an early stage.  If you see webs (as spider mites spin webs hence their name) then you have a full blown infestation.  Spider mites are unique in the fact that due to their rapid breeding rates they quickly become immune to pesticides.  So it is important to ensure that when a pesticide is applied for mites that it is thoroughly applied and then reapplied within seven (7) days to ensure all the hatched eggs are also killed.

I have little white flys in my room, what are they?
There are a number of possibilities here but more than likely the problem is Aphids.  Aphids live on the sap of your plants and they will cluster on the bottom of your leaves and in you bud sites.  The Aphids are actually green but they are highly transparent to the human eye and hence seem to be whitish.  Aphids are generally responsible for passing on diseases from plant to plant and as such it is important to control these immediately.

What can I do to prevent insects getting into my hydro set up?
There are some basic things that you can do as a hydroponics gardener to reduce the possibility of insect attack.
1.       Ensure the inlet fans have filters with small enough holes to allow air through and reduce bug entry.  Stockings are a cheap alternative but hydroponics heap filters work best.
2.       Limit conditions that the pest will breed in such as dirty floors covered with leaf compost, stagnant pools of water, high humidity for long periods of time in shaded areas.
3.       Prevent cross contamination for one hydroponics site to another by ensuring all visitors are clean.

Have any other pest questions that weren’t covered or simply want to contribute? Feel free to post a comment below, contact us via our website or post it straight onto our facebook wall!

We love helping out hydroponic and Nutrifield fans.

A: Yes you can safely use Nutrifield A and B nutrients on your wheat grass and any short cycle food crop with excellent results. The dilution rates will vary slightly form crop to crop but this should be easy to work out after a few nutrient mixes.