Grow fodder in 7 days for Livestock

Fodder or animal feed is any feedstock used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them), rather than that which they forage for themselves in pasture and grazing land. It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and also sprouted grains and legumes.  The fodder system we are focusing on here today is a hydroponically grown, quick turn over, and cost effective system.  

With many regions of the world experiencing record droughts and peak water becoming more of a concern for many businesses and individuals who own and raise livestock,  seeking options and solutions to maintain the health and growth of their animals can be a challenge.  Sprouting fodder on site can be a dependable and low cost source of feed and nutritional supplementation, creating a local, on demand feed source that can build great resiliency and independence for homesteaders and those in agricultural industries.

The technique is not new and has been used and investigated for many years but has started to see a resurgence in use throughout the world as water and growing issues become more prevalent.  As a response to extreme droughts, a number of commercial companies (many in Australia) have been developed.  These companies offer large scale systems that are able to produce many tons of fodder feed per day and offer new options for ranchers and livestock producers.

Not only do fodder systems use less water than field grown hay, they also offer many other advantages, including higher productivity through increased nutritional value.  In this article, we will explore the benefits and challenges of small to medium scale hydroponic fodder growing to produce localized feedstock.

The Basics of Sprouting Fodder

Like sprouting grains for human consumption (wheatgrass, beans, alfalfa, etc), growing fodder as sprouted grains is relatively easy and has a rapid turn over from start to finished product.  The typical sprouting time for fodder is 6 - 8 days and can be adjusted depending on what stage of growth you want to harvest at and the type of animal your are feeding.  Many different grains can be used - wheatgrass, barley, oats, etc.  Barley is the most popular.  The basic method of growing fodder is as follows:

1. Soak the sprout grains or seed mix you wish to sprout for about 6-8 hours
   (An optional pre-soak in a very diluted bleach water solution can be used if there are concerns regarding mold - see later in the article)
2. Drain and spread into shallow trays that have drain holes
3. Water a couples times per day, keep moist and drained for the duration of growing cycle at a temperature range of 60 to 75°F (the lower end of the range help to reduce mold production)
4. Harvest at the desired stage of growth and feed to the animal

Here is what the growth cycle looks like for barley grass.

The fodder will grow from a dry seed to a 6 -7 inch plant in a little as 6 days.  With multiple trays being rotated on a daily basis, once can grow a continuous supply of fresh feed with very little space, power, and water requirements.   And the great part is that it is digestible by a great number of animals, from chickens and rabbits, to goat, horses, and cows, this living food can compliment the diets most farm animals.

Benefits of Sprouted Fodder

There are many benefits to be found from using fresh barley grass and spouted grains that has been organically and hydroponically grown. When barley is sprouted, it releases many vitamins and minerals as well as converting hard to digest starches in easily digestible proteins. Some of the benefits include:

• Water use reduction and conservation compared to field irrigation
• Reduction in overall daily feed costs. 
• Significant reduction if feed waste - the entire root mass is consumed with the grass
• Increased nutritional value in the feed
• High yield in a very small area
• Increase your independence by growing food for your animals with no need for cultivated land
• High digestibility
• Vitamins & mineral saturation
• Phytate reduction for pH normalization
• Enzymatic activity increase
• Increases in Omega 3, amino acids, natural hormones
• Hedge the increase in feed costs by pre-buying large quantities of grain to have on hand
• On-demand availability of fresh green feed 365 days a year - all season access.  

Issues and Considerations

• Mold and fungus growth can be a problem.  Sterile equipment, a low humidity environment, good temperature regulation, clean water, and good air circulation can all help avoid mold and fungus problems.  A one percent bleach solution can be used to wash the grains prior to the initial soaking. This will pre-sterilize the seed.
• Depending on the sprouting setup - it can be labor intensive to rotate and clean trays and transport the "wet" feed.
• Seed quality can play a factor in the overall success and quality of the fodder produced. 
• Storage of large quantities of grain needs to be considered in the costs and setup of a on-demand fodder system.  Keeping the stored grain from moisture and pests is important.
• Some systems require power to operate and a lack of power/water in emergency situations needs to be factored in to the setup. 

Conclusion:

When looking at starting a homestead or beginning to raise animals for personal consumption or as a commercial enterprise, the nutritional needs of the livestock being raised will become a key factor in the workload and expense of a setup.  Feed availability, quality and price are all continuous concerns.  With good nutrition and supplementation at the forefront - other issues of animal care can be reduced and minimized.

By growing sprouted fodder - one can provide a great source of nutrition to a wide range of animals (goats, rabbits, sheep, pigs, horses, cows)  and have the ability to locally acquire an on-demand feedstock.  This feed will improve the health of your animals, reduce your overall maintenance costs, and build more resiliency into the care of your animals.

I hope you find this article useful in your homestead setup and overall animal care.  As sprouted grains have numerous nutritional benefits for not only animals but humans as well, we are working on a number of articles that will highlight sprouted grains for human consumption.

By:Jason Wiskerchen

Source: http://www.peakprosperity.com

Hydroponics offers a great investment opportunity

TerraCrops is a producer and exporter based in the Mexican state of Puebla. It owns one and a half hectares of medium technology greenhouses, irrigated with well water and rain water treated with ozone, where they grow peppers in three colours: orange, red and yellow, using hydroponic techniques. They export mainly to Canada and the United States and they also have a packing station that meets all safety and food safety requirements.

TerraCrops, which mainly focuses on exports, was created to take advantage of the geographical proximity of Mexico with the United States and Canada to trade very good quality vegetables grown with all the benefits of European technology.

"There's no risk of being affected by frosts with this technology, so we can produce all year round," says Carlos Vazquezmellado, owner of TerraCrops. The company's best commercial opportunities arise during the northern hemisphere's winter, due to the cold temperatures in Canada and the United States, although at this time the company is studying the southern hemisphere's winter's market potential.

"The weather in Mexico is not so harsh, so the technology level needed for crop protection isn't that high. This allows producers to make smaller investments and to recover their capital faster," says Carlos. "That is why we get the best prices between October and March, with peaks in November and December."

TerraCrops' immediate objectives include launching their own brand and obtaining organic certification. The company hasn't used any pesticides for the last 10 years, controlling pests and diseases through prevention by organic products.

The company also plans to integrate smallholders into a DCP that can establish an interesting production volume. "There are many underused greenhouses in Mexico because they don't have the right market and appropriate technical assistance. We can collect their product, open up a market for it and grow with them."

TerraCrops is currently very interested in contacting potential investors for the company. Among other things, Carlos Vazquezmellado emphasizes that the firm is located in an area that enjoys social peace and security and has excellent logistical connections with the United States. The firm is open to any offer that guarantees a long-term relationship that is beneficial to both parties.

For more information:

TerraCrops
Carlos Vazquezmellado Robles
México
Tel.  222 269 0115, 244 444 1767
E-mail: cvr@TerraCrops.com
Web: www.TerraCrops.com

Source: http://www.freshplaza.com

Build your Oasis aeroponics System

To get started building this garden, you’ll need mostly common parts which should be available in local garden and housewares stores. If you run into problems sourcing the parts, visit the Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan online at: http://www.oasisagropk.com should a kit available by the time you read this which includes many of the harder to find items needed to build this garden. If you feel difficult to build system, feel free to order us at order@oasisagropk.com, our tem will contact you and your own ready made Oasis Aeroponics^TM  delivered  within next two working days.

Theory of operation.
Oasis Aeroponics^TM is the most advanced means of cultivating plants. It has been show to outperform soil based cultivation by up to a factor of ten! The reason it is so effective is that since the roots are suspended midair, they receive the maximum amount of oxygenation possible while maintaining 100% humidity for exceptional growth potential. The diagram at right details how the roots grow down through suspended baskets containing GroRox and into the misting chamber where they are gently sprayed with nutrient solution every few minutes.

Oasis Aeroponics^TM parts list
A. (1) 30-50 Gallon Plastic Container With Lid
We used a “Tucker” 42 Gallon Storage Container With Hinged Lid from Caldor, a local housewares store. You should have no problem finding these containers on sale in just about every type of store from home improvement/hardware to bed and bath. You want to use a container that is free from holes and made of a rugged, opaque plastic - preferably dark blue, black, green or red in color to keep light from passing through its walls and causing algae growth within the system.
The container needs to have a lid that fits securely as you will be cutting holes in it through which your plants will be suspended in plastic cups, allowing the roots to grow down within.

B. (1) 100-150 GPH Submersible Pump
We used a Beckett 150 GPH Submersible Pump from Home Depot, a home improvement store. These types of pumps are commonly available as fountain and pool/spa cover drainage pumps. I found 150-300 GPH pumps to work best.

C. (1) 1/4” > 1/2” Threaded Coupler
Connects the pump outlet to the 1/2” PVC pipe
D. (2) 1/2” PVC Male Threaded Couplers
To connect 1/2” PVC pipe to pump and valve
E. (1) 1/2” PVC Ball Valve
F. (1) 1/2” > 3/4” Garden Hose Adapter
G. (1) 1/2” PVC “L” Fitting
H. (1) 1/2” PVC “T” Fitting
I. (1) 1/2” PVC end cap
J. (1) 10’ PVC Pipe 1/2” Inside Diameter
The above parts can be purchased at a plumbing supply store.

K. (4-8) 16 Oz. “Solo” Plastic Cups
Final quantity depending on how many grow sites you choose - you will also need some smooth, clean gravel or GroRox to fill these cups with and provide an anchor for your plant’s roots. You’ll need about 2 cups per grow site.
L. (1) Cycle Timer +/- 20% Duty Cycle
A cycle timer is one that turns on for “x” minutes and off for “x” minutes and then repeats this “cycle” as long as it is plugged in. We used an NFT-1 cycle timer that is specifically manufactured for hydroponic applications. It turns on for 1 minute and then off for four minutes. This is effectively a 20% duty cycle which keeps the roots wet and the pump from running continuously which would heat up the nutrient solution quickly.
M. (6-8) Micro Sprayers - 180 or 360 Degree pattern
Pictured at right are actually three different types of micro sprayers - be sure to use those designed for low pressure applications or else they will not “spray”
1) Stocking or Filter Bag - not shown

Step 1. Measure the diameter of your selected growing baskets at the shoulder or at approximately 3/4 its height. Record this width as it will be the width of the holes you will need to cut to accept the cups. For Solo brand 16 Oz. cups, the diameter is 3”

Step 2.
Measure the depth of the cups from where you have measured the diameter -This distance or depth is how far into the misting chamber your cups will sit and is important in determining at what height to mount the spray manifold.
For Solo brand 16 Oz. cups, the depth is 3 1/4”

Step 3. The Sprayer manifold will run lengthwise inside the misting chamber (Parallel to top and bottom in picture on right). You need to determine the spacing and quantity of grow sites for your system now.
We chose to have seven grow sites with three in front and four in back – see inset photo... Basically all you need to do is to mark off the centers of the holes you will cut in the next step - USE A RULER!

Step 4.
Using a holesaw - size determined from Step 1. - and the marks you just made in the previous step, cut out the grow sites. Use CAUTION with the hole saw -You can also use a sharp razor knife to cut them or a pen-type soldering iron to melt them. Whatever you use BE CAREFUL!!! Sand the edges to make them uniform.

Step 5.
Now you will need to measure the distance from the lid down to the bottom of he misting chamber. Simply use a tape measure and record this measurement as it will be used in the following step.

Step 6.
Now subtract the cup depth from Step 2 from the distance measured in step 5. Make a mark on the inside of the chamber at this height - this is where the bottoms of the cups will be situated once placed into the system. You will use this mark to determine the proper height to mount the misting manifold.

Step 7.
From the mark you made in Step 6 (A), mark off two more lines, the first (B) at one inch below and the second (C) at 1 1/2” below. This is so that the tops of the sprayers are at the same level as the bottoms of the cups. Some sprayers will aim the spray upwards at a slight angle - you may wish to try them out first to determine if this is the case. Your goal is to get the spray to hit the bottoms of the cups.
Look at the drawing of the completed injection manifold in Step 16. It will give you a better idea of what you will be creating in these next few steps...

Step 8.
At the height of the last mark you made (#2 from above), drill a 7/8” hole at the horizontal center of each end of the misting chamber. Remember - the misting manifold runs lengthwise (left to right) inside the chamber and it runs parallel to the top and bottom of your chamber. These holes need to be perfectly aligned so use care in judgement.

Step 9. Cut a 6” piece of 1/2” PVC and insert it through one of the holes you just drilled. This will be the drain side of the chamber so if it is to be placed in a tight space -you should consider which side you want the drain fitting to be on... On the inside of the chamber and on the end of the 6” pipe, insert the 1/2” PVC “T” fitting so that the extra opening points downward into the chamber and the opposite end opening faces the opposite side of the chamber.

Step 10 - 11.
Get out your pump and screw on the 1/2” threaded PVC adapter (C) and one 1/2” PVC threaded coupler (B)

Now lay the pump down on the bottom of the chamber with the outlet facing up towards the “T” fitting and measure out a length of pipe (D), to connect them. You want the pipe to be long enough to fit snugly and maintain proper alignment. Now you may remove the pump and vertical pipe and drill a pressure relief valve into the fitting as shown in the picture above (A). The hole should be drilled through only one side of the fitting and pipe with a 3/8” drill. The purpose of this hole is to allow excess pump pressure to bleed off inside the chamber, causing a gentle circulation inside the reservoir. By keeping this joint free from glue, you can rotate the pipe inside the fitting to vary the amount of relief (pic. B shows a 50% setting.)

Step 12. Now you can glue on the “L” fitting on the outside of the chamber and attach the ball valve with the remaining 1/2” PVC threaded fitting. To this you will screw in the garden hose adapter which will serve as your drain system. A simple twist of the valve will allow you to pump out old nutrient solution instead of having to upset the plants to drain it manually with a bucket.

Step 13. You can now place the pump and its vertical manifold back into the chamber, connect the vertical manifold to the “T” fitting and then cut a piece of 1/2” PVC pipe to connect to the open end and pass at least 4” through the opposite side of the chamber. This horizontal structure is the misting manifold.

Step 14. Cap off the open end of the misting manifold as it exits the chamber on the opposite side of the drain using the 1/2” PVC end cap. Most of these PVC fittings will fit snugly - use glue when necessary and to prevent leaks.

Step 15. Our particular container had two small holes in the handles at either end of the chamber. We used a hot melt glue gun to seal them up. Make sure you inspect your chamber for any holes and plug them up with hot melt glue or aquarium safe silicone.

Step 16.
Using the diagram at right as a general guide - mark off locations for the sprayers at even intervals along the top of the misting manifold. We found that the 150 GPH pump we chose had enough power to run eight sprayers so we put five across the top and three upside down between them to provide even more spray to the roots.

Step 17. Drill the holes to accept your sprayers. Make sure you don’t drill them too big otherwise you will not get a good seal and the sprayers may pop out due to pressure. Antelco make a line of small garden sprayers perfect for this application -we have them on our site if you can’t find any locally.

Step 18.
Screw or glue in your sprayers with silicone sealant. The ones we use screw in using their included wrench. You’ll probably want to remove and clean the sprayers between crops as even the finest filter may pass small root hairs that will eventually clog your system.

Step 19.
Get your grow cups together for this step. Here we used a small pen-type soldering iron to melt the root holes into the bottoms of the Solo brand cups. You could use a razor blade or drill to cut them out too. Make sure you don’t make the holes bigger than your growing medium otherwise it will all fall out!

Step 20.
The more holes the better - again - make sure they are not big enough to allow loss of your growing medium (gravel , expanded clay pellets or lava rock). The holes only need to go about 1/2 way up the cup.

Step 21.
Our lid required the use of a plastic skirt, duct taped to the inside of it to prevent water from spraying outside of the chamber. Here you see the lid, upside down with the finished cups in place and the plastic skirt (cut from a garbage bag) securely taped in place around the perimeter of the lid. When the lid is in place, the skirt hangs down between the inside of the chamber and the outside of the cups to prevent over-spray from causing a leaky mess....

Step 22. Time to Test - Fill ‘er up - I made marks on the vertical manifold to indicate the water level in gallons - to do this, simply fill it up a given amount at a time and mark it off accordingly. Spray should reach all walls of the chamber - you can adjust their strength by rotating the vertical manifold and adjusting the relief valve.

Step 23.
Put the lid on, making sure that the plastic skirt (if required) falls into place. Insert the cups and fill them with a layer or two of your growing medium. Run the pump and make sure that the medium is getting moistened through the holes in the cups.
You can pull out the cups as the pump runs and check for water droplets on their outside too. The medium only needs to get slightly moistened so that until the roots grow down and out of the cups, they can feed. You can adjust the relief valve to increase/decrease spray.
After your system is complete and checked out, you can prepare your seedlings for transplanting into the system. We planted this array of salad greens, tomatoes, basil, oregano, dill and sage about three weeks before transplanting.
You will see that our seedlings sprouted in both rockwool cubes (on left) and in the Cocofiber (on right). Cocofiber needs to be rinsed off the roots before transplanting into the cups. All in all we have determined the Cocofiber to be better for sprouting seeds than rockwool but it is much messier than the rockwool cubes!

Step 24.
To transplant your seedlings or cuttings, make sure they have at least a set of true leaves and have developed a small root system. Simply line the bottoms of your cups with a layer or two of medium and then backfill around your plants to offer them support in their new home. You should pre-moisten the medium with nutrient solution first to avoid drying out the roots.

Step 25. Here are two sweet basil plants that we just transplanted. Notice that we backfilled the medium all the way up to the growing tops. We did this so that the roots had plenty of support and moist medium available until they mature and grow out beyond the confines of their cup.

Step 26.
After about a week, you will see the roots beginning to poke through the holes in the cups and down and into the misting chamber - once this happens plant growth really takes off since the benefit of Aeroponics is realized.
I have found that the best spray cycle is a 1 minute on / 4 minutes off routine. It seems to be just the right ratio of on/off to allow the plants enough nutrient in high heat/strong lighting conditions. The NFT-1 cycle timer is a perfect match.

The Oasis PVC Pipe Gardens^TM
These designs were inspired by the many commercially available hydroponic gardens that utilize PVC pipe as a main design component. PVC pipe is relatively inexpensive, easy to work with and extremely durable. These designs allow easy expansion owing to their popularity among commercial growers and family farmers. Perfect for producing large harvests of rapidly growing crops such as salad greens, tomato, chilies, culinary and medicinal herbs and decorative flowers. This garden requires a bit more skill and some power tools to complete. There is the option to build it with either three inch, four inch or six inch diameter PVC according to intended use. Indoors use with 250-1500W MH or HPS light for best results when sunlight isn’t available. Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan provide complete ready to use PVC NFT system for both home use and commercial farmer. Our expert team of R&D department modify these system according to our country needs and available resources in order to maximize the profit of farmer. We always try to provide low cost system with high return outcome. 

For feasibility study send your request at order@oasisgropk.com , brief feasibility study provide on FREE of charges, if you are requesting detail feasibility PKR 3000 charged for one acre feasibility.

Plant growth stage in Hydroponics Garden

A plant’s life cycle begins with germination, recognized by the above-ground appearance of a growing shoot. Mated to this shoot are two small, round leaves known as cotyledons (A). Once these leaves begin manufacturing food, the plant begins to grow and enters the seedling stage. During this time the plant develops it first set of true leaves, resembling those of a mature plant. The primary formation of a root system begins. The root development that takes place at this time is key to the rate at which the plant will continue to grow. Providing the proper environment for the roots will ensure that your crop will have a chance to flourish.

Once the root system can support further growth, the vegetative stage begins. Nutritional requirements at this time call for large amounts of nitrogen, required for the production of chlorophyll, as growth during this period is primarily stem, branch and leaf. The most substantial growth over the lifecycle of the plant occurs in the vegetative stage and will continue unless interrupted by a change in environment or lack of water/nutrients.

The final stage of the organisms lifecycle is the reproductive stage. Because the objective is now to reproduce, and thus carry on evolution, energies are directed to the manufacture of flowers, seeds, and fruit. The primary nutritional requirements begin to shift at this time from a high-N diet to a low N, high P-K diet. This is due to a considerable slow down in vegetative growth while reproduction takes place. This change prompts a switch in nutrient solutions from a vegetative formula to a flowering, or 'bloom' formula. Many hydroponic nutrients now come as a two part system for exactly this reason. In some plants, reproduction is triggered by a change in the length of daylight, this characteristic is called photoperiodism. It is this characteristic which governs when these plants may be sown and harvested if growing outdoors. Indoors, be sure to provide the proper photoperiod for your crop or they may never fully develop. Changing the length of artificial daylight can trick the plant into
flowering early. Commercial growers use this trick to deliver flowers to markets out of season and at a premium to vendors and customers alike.

If you are growing indoors, for lack of natural insects, you must play “bee” by pollinating the flowers on your plants manually. For tomatoes and peppers a delicate touch with a brush on each flower will help the plant pollinate itself to produce fruit. There are commercially available plant “shakers” that vibrate the flowering plants every so often to accomplish the same. I have found that the breeze from a strong circulating fan is usually sufficient to cause pollination indoors.

Planning your first Oasis hydroponic garden

Consider the space you have available for your intended garden. Don’t forget that if you plan to grow indoors in a tight space you will also need room to access your garden and perform routine maintenance such as pruning and nutrient changes. For this purpose, leave yourself ample space to work. Too many people try to fit too much garden into too small a space. Remember - a hydroponic garden will give you a significantly higher yield than a soil garden of equal size. If you plan to grow indoors, consider the location for its access to direct sunlight. Most plants need a minimum of 4-6 hours direct sunlight and a total of at least 12-14 hours of light daily.
Your garden will not benefit from more than 18 hours of light daily however. A south facing window is a great place to start (assuming you live in the northern hemisphere) and to provide supplemental lighting, or in the case of providing exclusive lighting indoors, consider purchasing a High Intensity Discharge lighting system. HID lighting systems are available in either High Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH) configurations. HID lighting systems for horticulture provide maximum efficiency in converting electricity to light and will provide your garden with sufficient intensity of light to thrive.

Outdoors you can take advantage of the natural sunlight to supercharge your garden. Outside you will have to consider the effects of the weather including temperature and heat/cold. Direct sunlight will heat up the nutrient solution in your garden. Maintain the nutrient temperature between 65 and 75 degrees for best results - temperatures outside this band will slow the growth of your crop. Rainwater will cause the pH and concentration of your nutrient solution to drift if it gets into the system. Make provisions to keep rainwater out of your hydroponic system - This is more of a problem with the hydroponic planter design as it has a large exposed area to receive precipitation. Plastic skirts can be cut from plastic bags which when placed around the stems and over the grow sites will keep rainwater out of the other two hydroponic garden designs. To protect your nutrient solution from excessive heat and strong direct sunlight, consider using celotex or another type of reflective insulation commonly available at building supply stores. Make sure all electrical connections are kept dry as per manufacturer’s instructions.

The Oasis PVC Pipe Gardens^TM
These designs were inspired by the many commercially available hydroponic gardens that utilize PVC pipe as a main design component. PVC pipe is relatively inexpensive, easy to work with and extremely durable. These designs allow easy expansion owing to their popularity among commercial growers and family farmers. Perfect for producing large harvests of rapidly growing crops such as salad greens, tomato, chilies, culinary and medicinal herbs and decorative flowers. This garden requires a bit more skill and some power tools to complete. There is the option to build it with either three inch, four inch or six inch diameter PVC according to intended use. Indoors use with 250-1500W MH or HPS light for best results when sunlight isn’t available. Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan provide complete ready to use PVC NFT system for both home use and commercial farmer. Our expert team of R&D department modify these system according to our country needs and available resources in order to maximize the profit of farmer. We always try to provide low cost system with high return outcome. 

For feasibility study send your request at order@oasisgropk.com , brief feasibility study provide on FREE of charges, if you are requesting detail feasibility PKR 3000 charged for one acre feasibility. 

What is hydroponics?

Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions (water containing fertilizers) with or without the use of an artificial medium (sand, gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, perlite, peatmoss. coir, or sawdust) to provide mechanical support.

Liquidhydroponic systems have no other supporting medium for the plant roots: aggregate systems have a solid medium of support. Hydroponic systems are further categorized as open (i.e. once the nutrient solution is delivered to the plant roots, it is not reused) or closed (i.e. surplus solution is recovered, replenished, and recycled). Hydroponic growing (as opposed to soil growing) allows you to control the nutrient levels for your plants directly. Because of the higher control over nutrients, hydroponically grown plants generally have a much higher yield than similar plants grown in soil.

A plant gets its food source by turning Co2, light and water (or hydrogen) into carbohydrates through a process called photosynthesis. With hydroponics growing, plants are grown without soil so they must get their nutrients from the nutrient solutions added to water. The absence of soil in growing means that hydroponics systems must have some way of supporting the plants while still allowing the bare root system maximum exposure to the nutrient solution. Often a “growing medium” is used for support and to aid in moisture and nutrient retention in hydroponics growing. Because they lack media to store water and nutrients, water culture systems need a continuous flow of nutrients to prevent drying out the plant roots.

What Are Robber Flies: Information About Robber Fly Insects

By Kristi Waterworth

The garden is full of insects, and it can be difficult to sort out friend from foe – one garden visitor who needs a better PR department is the robber fly. Robber flies in gardens should be a welcome sight, but their bee-like appearance and aggressive nature can leave gardeners wondering, “Are robber flies dangerous?”

What are Robber Flies?

Robber flies are members of the family Asilidae and distant relatives of the common housefly. Their appearance is somewhat frightening – after all, a big, hairy, humped flying insect isn’t usually a good thing. Robber fly insects are a mixed blessing to gardeners, if they’re seriously perturbed, they can inflict a painful bite, but they also help rid the garden of harmful pests like grasshoppers, other flies, wasps, leafhoppers, white grubs and pupating beetles.

There are many different types of robber flies, ranging in size from 3/8 to 1 1/8 inches long. They may be observed hanging around on the stems of plants looking for prey or flying just above the ground. All stages of robber flies aggressively attack and eat pretty much anything they can catch, including the occasional bee, butterfly or other beneficial insect.

Where are Robber Flies Found?

Robber fly information isn’t as abundant as info about the more popular beneficials like ladybugs and lacewings. This may be because they exist in a relatively narrow climate band. Although there are over 1,000 species in the United States alone, they prefer arid, sunny habitats like deserts. A few robber fly species are found in woodland settings, but they tend to congregate along the edge of the forest, or in grasslands.

Is Robber Fly Control Necessary?

Robber flies in gardens are not considered problematic enough to require pest control, but if you want to deter them from your garden, target the soil-dwelling larvae. They often hide under wood or other objects that keep the soil moist. Bacillus thuringiensis will quickly destroy the fly larvae, but keep in mind that their removal opens your lawn up to attack from grubs and other soil pests.

Adults should not be sprayed with broad-spectrum pesticides, since this will destroy the insects that you’re presumably hoping to protect in your garden. Most gardeners tolerate this visitor, even if they do munch a few butterflies or bees. The extensive pest control they will provide in your garden and landscape far outweighs the damage they do to a few other individual beneficial insects.

Source:http://www.gardeningknowhow.com

Plants calling for help

When pests attack your plants, believe it or not, the plants advertise it to predators who eat those pests. Of course, they don't scream out, "Hey, there's food here!" Instead, they release volatile chemicals—natural substances that easily evaporate and diffuse through the air—that cue beneficial organisms to come over and take out the pests.

Scientists are exploring how plants use volatile compounds to attract pest predators. Researchers refer to these chemicals as herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) because they are made in response to a plant-eating pest.

Back in the 1980s, entomologists Marcel Dicke, Ph.D., of Wageningen University (then still a student) and Maurice W. Sabelis, Ph.D., of the University of Amsterdam, both in the Netherlands, were studying spider mites on bean plants when they had a crazy brainstorm. Did the infested bean plants have a mechanism for attracting predatory mites? As it turned out, they did.

Since then, scientists have found that nearly all plants produce HIPVs. For example, corn can release HIPVs under the soil to attract nematodes that parasitize corn rootworms, or above ground to attract parasitic wasps that kill stem-borer larvae. It can even sound the alarm when a stem-borer egg is laid on a corn leaf, before any damage occurs.

At the time, Dicke and Sabelis's discovery attracted little interest from plant breeders. Without realizing it, hybridizers sometimes bred the capability to produce HIPVs out of commercial crop varieties.

But times have changed. Individual plant varieties vary greatly in their ability to produce HIPVs, Dicke says. "There are some varieties that cry for help and others that whisper for help." Growers who use beneficial organisms in pest control want varieties that can "shout" with HIPVs. Breeders are now working with cucumbers to select for greater HIPV production.

Scientists also identified which volatiles corn produces when attacked by stem borers, and found that a legume in the genus Desmodium releases the same chemicals all the time. By intercropping corn with Desmodium and planting a grass attractive to stem borers around the perimeter of the field as a trap crop—a system known as "push-pull"—farmers in Kenya increased their yields more than threefold.

The technology that works in Kenya may not help American gardeners who deal with different pests and beneficial insects. More research is needed into how HIPVs might help organic growers. In the meantime, knowing about HIPVs helps us understand how our plants defend themselves against pests—without pesticides.

Originally published in Organic Gardening Magazine August/September 2013.

Edible Flowers

Edible flowers add a special touch to salads. Once the salad has been tossed with dressing, pick off petals from edible flowers and toss them on top. Many flowers have a strong flavor, so use a light hand when adding them to your greens.

Nasturtium
Available in a scope of colors. Both flowers and leaves add a peppery flavor to mixed greens.

Calendula
A prolific grower, calendula blossoms grow in abundance. Sprinkle individual petals lightly on a salad.

Herb Flowers
Basil, chives, dill, fennel, and arugula flowers all add a spark of aromatic flavor and a burst of color to salads.

Viola
Whether wild or cultivated, delicately flavored violas jazz up a bowl of mesclun greens like nothing else.

Borage
Intense blue star shaped flowers add a burst of color that contrasts nicely with greens. The flower's delicate flavor tastes similar to cucumber. Separate the flower from the stem for a softer texture.

Source:http://www.organicgardening.com

Low Cost High Tunnel Construction

eOrganic author:Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Introduction

High tunnels are becoming increasingly popular for use by small farms who often market directly to consumers.  Although they have proven to be economically advantageous to farmers who wish to capitalize on high prices obtained either early or late in the growing season, permanent high tunnel structures do represent a significant capital investment.  The cost for a standard size tunnel, including plastic (two layers) and all the materials required for construction can range from $1.50-$2.50 per square foot without labor and freight charges.  This represents an initial investment of several thousand dollars, which is simply too much for some small farms.  Although most growers are able to pay for their tunnels within a few growing seasons, others cannot justify the investment.  For this reason, extension and research personnel at the University of Kentucky have been working on developing a low cost high tunnel covered with a single layer of plastic that can be assembled or moved in an afternoon.

This low cost high tunnel only provides about 3 ^oF in frost protection, compared to 7 ^oF for a double poly tunnel. This tunnel design has proven to withstand 60 mph winds with little damage in central and western KY.   This tunnel will not withstand much more than a very light snow event (<1 inch), however it is not meant to be used through the winter in parts of the country that receive significant snowfall.  The best time to use this tunnel is for a few months in early spring and mid-fall that receive low daily temperatures and mild frosts.  Demonstrations in Central and Eastern KY have shown that growers can reach the market up to three-four weeks earlier with tomatoes grown in this tunnel than in the field.  The added income from these early tomatoes more than offsets the initial costs.

Additional benefits from this type of design include the ability to make the tunnel as long as is necessary. Because much of the labor is in constructing the endwalls, there is not as much difference in labor costs for constructing a 300 foot long tunnel compared to a 100 foot long tunnel. Obviously materials costs are more, but it allows flexibility for the grower depending on market conditions. Another positive for organic growers in particular is the ability to easily disassemble the tunnel and move it from one location to another.  One of the central tenets of organic agriculture is the idea of crop rotation. Unfortunately with some of the more permanent high tunnel structures proper rotation is difficult. Often growers find themselves growing the same crop in the same location for many years.  Failure to rotate annual crops does not comply with organic requirements, and in many cases results in high levels of soil-borne diseases.  Organic growers in particular have had to adapt to find creative ways to deal with these diseases, including grafting of resistant rootstocks, biofumigants, and soil solarization.  Being able to quickly move a tunnel allows growers to easily rotate and avoids many of these problems. The following are step-by-step instructions on how to assemble this type of tunnel. This design is constantly being modified to find the most economical use of money and labor while still providing a sturdy useful structure. Below is a detailed outline on how to construct this tunnel.

Constructing the high tunnel

In this tunnel we have already laid plastic in the field and transplanted.  By assembling the tunnel over the already formed beds we can use traditional tractor mounted bedshapers and transplanters, saving the need for specialized equipment.  Here anchors are made from one inch diameter pieces of steel pipe 18 inches in length with a single turn of auger flight welded to the end.  Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

These anchors are placed on eight foot centers the entire length of the tunnel.  Generally they are spaced 12 feet apart, which is enough to easily cover two beds made on six foot centers.  Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

The anchors are then augured into the ground with a small hydraulic driven motor which can be hooked to a tractor.  Anchors are driven into the ground so that the "hook" that is welded on the side is just at the soil level.  Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Then 1.5 inch schedule 40 pvc pipe is placed over the anchors. Typically pipe  can be purchased in 20 foot lengths. A 20 foot pipe will form a tunnel 12 feet wide at the based with a center height of just over six feet.  Pipes should be painted with a latex paint.  Experience has shown that non-painted pipe may cause  plastic to degrade where it comes in contact with the pipe.  Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Endwalls were constructed the previous season.  These are made from 2x4 lumber and have a number of aluminum channels attached to them for fastening plastic.  They are quickly put in place and attached to the end loops.  In addition, ropes are run from either side of the door to anchors that are sunk deep into the ground. Mobile home anchors are inexpensive and work well for this purpose. Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

A lightweight metal pipe is then attached to each bow using aluminum cross connectors. A typical source of pipe would be the top rail for a chain link fence. This pipe is very important as it gives the entire tunnel rigidity. Demonstration plots showed that tunnels with the center pipe withstood very strong (60 mph) wind gusts while those without the pipe did not.  The rigid pipe also helps shed water after rains. Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Ropes are then attached to anchors at each end and attached to the first three bows on either end in crisscross fashion. These ropes help tighten the tunnel and improve end-wall stability. Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Plastic is then unrolled and pulled over the house. Because the plastic is meant to be removed during the winter months, a lighter weight (4 millimeter) plastic can be used if desired.  However, 6 millimeter plastic has shown to be able to withstand wind to a much greater extent than 4 millimeter in central KY.  Once pulled over the hoops, the ends of the plastic are attached to the endwalls using "wiggle wire" put into the pre-fastened channels (shown in the far right photo). Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Then nylon rope is fed back and forth over the plastic attaching to the hooks that were welded on the side of the anchors. The rope is sent down the tunnel and attached to every other hook then it is brought back up the tunnel and attached to the remaining hooks.  The rope is twisted at each hook so that the rope can be easily tightened as needed. By using the rope to hold the plastic cover down, one does not have to permanently affix the plastic to any base. Therefore when warm weather strikes the plastic can be pulled up on each side easily venting the crop inside. In fact, this type of structure was used to grow organic colored bell peppers during the summer in Lexington, KY.  It served to keep rain off of the peppers, reducing fruit rot and the spread of bacterial spot of pepper. Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

Total assembly time for a 160 foot long tunnel from start to finish can be done with 2-3 people in about 3-6 hours, depending on experience level.  The end walls would take an individual about 2 hours each to build.  While these tunnels only give about 2-3 ^oF of frost protection alone-more if an additional layer of plastic or remay is placed in the tunnel, they effectively increase the number of hours above 50 ^oF when used in spring. Thus they promote rapid growth and early fruit when used for tomatoes.  Above is a picture taken on June 20, 2008, in the mountain region of East KY. The plastic had been removed, but one can easily see the difference in growth and fruit set on the tomatoes 'Mt. Crest' planted in the tunnel and those outside the tunnel. Both were planted on the same day in late April 2008.  While not for everyone, these inexpensive tunnels can give growers a jump on the season without a large investment of capital.  Photo credit: Tim Coolong, University of Kentucky

This is an eOrganic article and was reviewed for compliance with National Organic Program regulations by members of the eOrganic community. Always check with your organic certification agency before adopting new practices or using new materials. For more information, refer to eOrganic's articles on organic certification.