s
pH Water
Having the correct pH balance in your nutrient mixes,
as well as your regular water supply, is essential for
vital plant processes. Nonetheless, when repeatedly
using the same nutrient recipe over extended amounts
of time, cultivators might lose sight of their pH levels.
This is because growers assume they should just be
adding the same amount of pH up or pH down with
recurrent nutrient mixes. Furthermore, some growers
fail to check the pH of their water supply when
watering with straight water. Both bad habits can have
devastating consequences on the health of a garden.
This is because the pH of both well and city water can
fluctuate with changes in the weather. Even if you have
been using the exact same nutrient recipe and water
supply for years, resolve to take the extra time and
check your pH levels with every watering. The digital
hand-held meters out there make this step in the
growroom super simple.
Preventative Spraying
It is easy to lose the motivation for consistent spraying
if you’re not experiencing any observable issues with
bugs, molds, or mildews. Nevertheless, if you fail to do
preventative upkeep with regular spraying, greater
problems can easily arise. Once bugs, molds, and
mildews have taken hold of a garden, the work load
involved with eradicating the problem is far greater
than it is with pre-emptive measures. Consequently,
precautionary spraying should be done at least twice a
week to ensure a vigorous yield. Furthermore, different
sprays should be rotated throughout the plant’s life
cycle to ensure pests don’t build tolerances to specific
products. Don’t neglect this simple chore in 2017.
Fundamental Cleanliness
Having a sterile environment in a growroom goes
far beyond what is visible to the naked eye. Most
plant nuisances are next to invisible in their infantile
stages. Even if your previous crop was harvested
completely free of visible pests and mildew
problems, eggs and spores can still be lurking in
the growroom. The conscious cultivator realizes that
every component of a growroom needs to be sanitized
on a regular basis. Pots, walls, floors, equipment,
and reservoirs should be thoroughly cleaned with a
mild bleach and water solution after each harvest.
To ensure the most efficient performance of hoses,
pumps, and sprayers, these tools should be bleached
and sanitized regularly to eradicate the buildup
of decomposing organic residues. The benefits of
fundamental cleanliness cannot be overstated.
This practice will help with future troubleshooting
scenarios and save you loads of heartache. Put this
New Year’s resolution at the top of your list.
Cleaning Glass Hoods
As all indoor gardeners are aware, electrical bills
are one of the principal expenses in a growroom.
However, for cultivators using air-cooled hoods, regular
cleaning of the tempered glass on light fixtures is often
overlooked. Over time, dust and dirt particles build
up on both surfaces of the glass and considerably
diminish the strength of the light that plants receive.
Consequently, electrical bills remain inflated while
usable spectrums of light slowly wane. For the new
year, make your lighting as efficient as possible and
plan on cleaning the glass of your light fixtures with a
glass-cleaning product at least once per harvest.
Dating Equipment
If you keep your operation working all year long,
it’s easy to lose track of the ages of bulbs, ballasts,
carbon filters, and fans. Over time and with heavy
use, the performance of these essential growroom
components begin to decline. Therefore, it’s important
to keep detailed records on equipment purchase dates
and your accompanying receipts to ensure maximum
performance. In conjunction with the use of a light
meter, knowing the age of your light bulbs will help
with decisions concerning the timing of replacements.
Finally, keeping detailed accounts of purchase
dates will help ensure all equipment warranties
are honored when applicable. This detail-oriented
approach to equipment maintenance will save you
time and money in 2017.
Kent Gruetzmacher is a California-based freelance
writer and the west coast director of business
development at Mac & Fulton Executive Search and
Consulting, an employment recruiting firm dedicated to
the indoor gardening and hydroponics industries. He
is interested in utilizing his Master of Arts in humanities
to explore the many cultural and business facets of this
emerging industry by way of his entrepreneurial projects.
Pots, walls, floors, equipment, and reservoirs
should be thoroughly
cleaned with a mild bleach and water
solution after each harvest.
Maximum Yield USA | January 2017
105