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Ask Ariel about gardening questions!
Ari Ben-Canaan:
--- Quote from: pennyjangle on February 09, 2010, 10:35:24 AM ---I had these types of plants in the 80's the roots grew in rocks with water only, isn't there a nutrient solution needed for this type of planting?
--- End quote ---
Depending on the plant, usually a nutrient solution is vital with hydroponics [some plants like Orchids and Bromeliads to not need very much solutions, and can get by on just rain water/purified water, Chlorine is bad for Orchids/Bromeliads]. Typical hydroponics solution are derived from soluble metallic salts. The idea is to have all the nutrients that would be in soil instead be dissolved into water.
One can use soil in hydroponics, but the nutrient solution should be cut by 50%. I like using soil and hydroponics together.
Ari Ben-Canaan:
I do not use Miracle Grow. I find it is too harsh for many plants, and it affects the taste of vegetables. If I need a high nitrogen formula I like to use either fish emulsion, or a blended organic fertilizer from Dr. Earth, or Whitney Farms. Your vegetables will taste much better.
You can add sugar to the water when you feed your blooming/fruiting plants, it helps with size and taste. Literally it's force feeding a plant carbon, and most plants are made out of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen [mostly] so sugar or molasses adds building blocks.
SuperThrive vitamins are another commonly available supliment which benefits plants greatly. SuperThrive is not a fertilizer, but it is added into nutrient solutions in addition. The stuff has 50 vitamins and hormones plants need, and it has a great track record of being effective stuff. One can soak seeds in water with SuperThrive in it to speed up seeds popping open and growing. SuperThrive is excellent when transplanting, or dealing with shocked or adding nutrient solution to plants with deficiency. SuperThrive is cheap, and the dosage is low, I think it's in most people's budget and well worth it. - I have had seeds crack open in less than 24 hours with SuperThrive, compared to the usual 3-5 days I need to wait in absence of SuperThrive's presence.
Edward:
Hi Ariel, I'm Ed & I'm from Oak Grove KY. I've been working the land with my grandpa since I was about 10 years old. We grow apple trees, pears, hazelnuts and plums. I love gardening, it's a parts of my life.. much as I love my little hometown and our big ol' farms, I want to move to Israel. Do you think there's a way I can find a good job there, in the Kibbutzes or somethin' like that?
arksis:
--- Quote from: Ariel Shayn on February 10, 2010, 12:23:22 AM ---I do not use Miracle Grow. I find it is too harsh for many plants, and it affects the taste of vegetables. If I need a high nitrogen formula I like to use either fish emulsion, or a blended organic fertilizer from Dr. Earth, or Whitney Farms. Your vegetables will taste much better.
You can add sugar to the water when you feed your blooming/fruiting plants, it helps with size and taste. Literally it's force feeding a plant carbon, and most plants are made out of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen [mostly] so sugar or molasses adds building blocks.
SuperThrive vitamins are another commonly available supliment which benefits plants greatly. SuperThrive is not a fertilizer, but it is added into nutrient solutions in addition. The stuff has 50 vitamins and hormones plants need, and it has a great track record of being effective stuff. One can soak seeds in water with SuperThrive in it to speed up seeds popping open and growing. SuperThrive is excellent when transplanting, or dealing with shocked or adding nutrient solution to plants with deficiency. SuperThrive is cheap, and the dosage is low, I think it's in most people's budget and well worth it. - I have had seeds crack open in less than 24 hours with SuperThrive, compared to the usual 3-5 days I need to wait in absence of SuperThrive's presence.
--- End quote ---
Thank you for your advice on Miracle Gro! I prefer the "organic" way too. How do you feel about adding manure to gardens? I don't know WHY, but this really creeps me out! LOL
Ulli:
--- Quote from: Ariel Shayn on February 10, 2010, 12:09:01 AM ---
--- Quote from: Ulli on February 09, 2010, 08:34:16 AM ---Hello Ariel,
what is your oppinion of Aquaponic-Systems.
Sincerly,
Ulli
--- End quote ---
I really like what I see. Dr. Rackary of the University at Virgin Islands runs a commercial aquaponics curriculum. I am very encouraged when I read about the work that goes on at UVI. I think Aquaponics has the potential to end much of the world's hunger at a cost of near zero. There is another program in British Colombia which has succesfully cultivated over 60 varieties of plants in aquaponics. I myself am toying with the idea of setting up a little home aquaponics thing with an aquarium, fish, and basil plants. - I think it would be really fun to travel around the world and teach poor people [who like Jews, ie, Brazil just added a Jewish Immigrant day to its national celebrated holidays] how to garden with aquaponics.
--- End quote ---
I think too, that this system has much potential. I went to the website of University at Virgin Islands. It is interesting. They do it, like I saw mainly outdoor. This saves a lot of energy for the Sodium-vapor lamps, that are usually used in this sector, specially to grow the little plants inside before planting them outside. But I think in the USA & Europe, you need a controlled environment because of the climate and sun-shining-time. So there is the problem with the energy. Perhaps it is possible to solve with good solar cells. In this way you could controll the energy costs, which are the greatest part of the total production-costs. But I am not shure if solar cells today are advanced enough.
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