To get a quality harvest, and regardless  the season of the year in which we are going to consider creating a crop, whether indoor or outdoor, it’s always good to know and take into account the parameters with which we are going to work. Identifying our strengths and weaknesses, both at the level of technical knowledge and knowing the variety and the place of cultivation, are not easy tasks and the only way to know them is through experience. Later will come time to improve, to try other techniques and methods. Quality cannabis is a cluster of small factors. What a few growers are raised from the beginning is with what quality of water they will work …

Periodic table of elements

WHICH ALL CULTIVATORS HAVE IN COMMON? WATER

Whether for gardens, fruits, vegetables, flowers or cannabis, all growers need water to irrigate. Depending on the area where we are, we will have a water quality or another, and the way we are going to treat it will make us to get an extra quality and more production from our harvest. Most growers usually use tap water, the one they have the most at hand and why not say it: the cheapest one. Water helps us to add fertilizers and nutrients, so using tap water is not a good tool to start working with, if we want to take it seriously.

Then ask yourself this question, if you do not drink tap water and you only drink it bottled, why give it to your plants? Do you remember the phrase “cheap is expensive”? Well, in the case of using tap water without a previous treatment, it can be very expensive. But why?

To begin with, we will avoid possible problems of deficiencies and excesses: as we do not know how many minerals and in what proportion they are, it will be difficult to find out if any of our plants shows bad signs and which ones they are. This stresses plants and the fact of finding out late what kind of lack or excess is, can cause real headaches, slow down the cycle of the natural phase of the plant and decrease the aroma, quantity and quality of the fruit.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO TREAT WATER?

Tap water contains hundreds of dissolved substances in different amounts, such as mineral salts, phosphates, sediments, heavy metals, remains of the same pipes, and as we know ALL the municipal waters contain chlorine.

CHLORINE

Remember that it is a chemical element added by the human, essential for the supply of drinking water since it kills bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. At the same time, it is the number one enemy of the beneficial microorganisms present in the substrate, whose function is to keep the roots clean and healthy, which will negatively influence the absorption of nutrients and fertilizers at 100% and prevent the formation of a good root ball burning the roots. Remember that the formation of a good root ball is essential to have large flowers and obtain success when harvesting, as in cannabis plants occurs the same as in icebergs, we only see the exterior’s although the largest part is the one that is not seen and it’s the most important!

 Scheme of an entire iceberg

EC

A high EC can also be a problem. EC or electro-conductivity is the measure of the amount of dissolved mineral salts contained in water. It also contains dissolved pollutants such as heavy metals (Lead, Cadmium, Boron, Arsenic, Mercury …) that can be toxic to your plants (just like for the human body).

PH

Is the numerical value that expresses the concentration of hydrogen ions and measures the degree of acidity or alkalinity of water. We can measure acids through the concentration of hydrogen ions: strong acids have a high concentration of hydrogen ions and weak acids have a low concentration.

Plants, like people, have pH variations. If they do not have an adequate pH they will not have good health, being more exposed to the attack of fungi, viruses and unwanted insects. A recommended pH for the crop is between 6.5 and 7.5. We can achieve this by using a reverse osmosis unit, which will help us to stabilize the pH of the water, since the reverse osmosis water has a pH level of approximately 6.5 and not all the elements are absorbed in the same range.

Nutrient absorption values table

CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM

Calcium and magnesium are the other two main enemies to fight in the water. Although they are also nutrients for plants, they are found in water in the form of small crystals that are embedded in the roots and prevent nutrients and fertilizers from being absorbed.

Healthy roots can absorb 100% of the added nutrients. A high amount of mineral salts in your water can cause a saturation in the roots and can not absorb the necessary nutrients. Keep in mind that plants can reach up to 1.4 or up to 2.2 EC, depending on the genetics and stage of the crop. If for example the water we use has an EC of 1.0, we can only add nutrients up to 0.4 or 1.2 to reach the maximum levels. If on the contrary we start with a water of 0.1-0.2 or even 0.0 we can add many more nutrients to our plants.

TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY

Two other factors to take into account are the temperature (T / ^oC) and relative humidity (%). The higher the temperature, the greater need for irrigation. Depending on the combination of both parameters, some conditions or others that may affect the process, especially in transpiration and the assimilation of plant nutrients, will occur. The relationship between both parameters is called vapor pressure deficit or DPV (you can consult more information here).

 DPV table

IRRIGATION

Another key factor to have healthy and strong plants is irrigation. To begin with, we must choose which system we are going to use: manual, automatic or immersion (hydroponics will be discussed later, in an extended manner). There are also other systems on the market such as Auto Pot or similar.

The schedule in which we are going to water is another factor to consider. The best is water early in the day although some people prefer to do it at the last hour of the day. Depending on the conditions of the room and/or the place, we could expose ourselves to high levels of humidity during the night, since there is no light or heat to evaporate the water, which would lead us to take unnecessary risks of the appearance of fungi. It is advised to have a good ventilated room and the use of an air dehumidifier according to our needs.

THE GENETICS

Another of the main factors will be the choice of a good quality genetics and within the thousands of existing varieties to date, each grower has their preferences and knowledge but we advise those of a well-known bank with a good reputation.

The choice of the variety will also depend on the environment in which we are going to cultivate. For example, if we do it in a small indoor place, indica varieties may be a good option but if we do it in a large and spacious outdoor area, we may prefer a more sativa strain. If we take into account that outdoor is usually collected (as a general rule although there are always exceptions) between mid-September and the last of October, we will also have to take into account the area in which we live and its climatic conditions before these dates arrive.

 Freshly Germinated Sprout

In the next article we’ll continue talking about the importance choosing a good substrate, fertilizers, time to harvest, drying and curing.

The growing medicinal and cosmetic cannabis market, as well as a whole new industry of products based on CBD, the main non-psychoactive cannabinoid of the marijuana plant, has revolutionized the standards of product quality, which is directly related to the quality of production methods. We will see below the importance of water quality, which is often not taken into account as it should be.

The control of variables

The cannabis grower is generally very jealous of the control of environmental variables, particularly in those environments where he can control them to the maximum, as in indoor growing. We refer to light, temperature, relative humidity … but, what about water?

When it comes to achieving the best possible product with the available means, any bulb is not worth it. That is what even the most inexperienced cultivator knows. Similarly, does not measure the temperature or humidity as it sits on their skin, nor does it add nutrients to the eye. The grower knows that in the rigorous attention to detail is the success of the crop.

This attention to detail, also applied to water, can mean the difference between an acceptable crop and an excellent one. Or between a crop that you can’t commercialize and one that meets the demanding health standards of the pharmaceutical industry. Do not forget that water is not only essential for any living being, but, in the case of our crops, is the main means by which plants acquire their nutrients.

We can rely to a certain extent on the running water with which we irrigate our plants. It is possible that we know the EC (electro conductivity) of the water with which we irrigate and, if it is not a hard water, surely we even think that its quality is sufficient for our irrigation.

We can have a similar confidence in other sources of water: rain, wells, ditches … There is a whole area of the world of cultivation in which this acceptance of minimums is reasonable: that of gardening. A chrysanthemum may appear equally lush and beautiful with waters of different qualities (as long as we do not go to very polluted waters). But when we are talking about products for medical use and human consumption, the standard pursued is the search for the highest possible quality.

The demanding grower is not satisfied with accepting the minimum conditions: his objective is the best conditions. That is the scale of the competition: if during your cultivation you have attended to every detail perfectly except the water, you will not be able to compete with whoever started with quality water.

What is quality water?

When we talk about crops for products that are going to be developed in the pharmacological industry or for human consumption there is only one possible answer: quality water is one that basically consists of H2O. Any water source contains elements that, if not eliminated conveniently, will be absorbed by our plants and from there they will pass to the products that are made with them, such as chlorine, fluorine, magnesium salts, calcium, potassium, sulfates or, even worse, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, boron or arsenic, which are highly toxic not only for plants but also for humans.

Some of these elements, such as calcium and magnesium, are good for our plants, but at what concentrations? When we apply a program of nutrients to our crop, we will save many headaches if we control what is in the irrigation water. That is, starting with a low EC, we can add the calcium and magnesium that our plants need in the proper proportions, and the corresponding levels of nutrients according to our program.

A water free of unwanted elements is the ideal substrate to feed our plants.

Water in medicinal cannabis

Cannabis is a natural accumulator of substances, to the point that it is used to clean floors of toxic and radioactive elements in a process known as phytoremediation. Recent examples are in Taranto, Italy, where a variety of hemp is being used to decontaminate nickel, lead and other substances. Cannabis was also used for the regeneration of soils after the fateful Chernobyl accident.

Literally a cannabis plant absorbs everything within its reach, hence the importance not only of the development of specific fertilizers for cannabis, but of the need to irrigate and administer the nutrients with quality water, either processed by filtration or by reverse osmosis, according to their EC levels. We do not exaggerate if we affirm what if we irrigate with any water, our cannabis plants will absorb anything. In fact, the elements that are absorbed by the roots will affect not only the quality, but the specific composition of cannabinoids and terpenes, which is a very sensitive issue in the production of medicinal products.

Thus, cannabis, especially for medicinal use, must be treated with the safest substances possible. In this sense, to achieve the best result we have to use suitable fertilizers for the variety that we are cultivating and control the environmental variables. But all this care loses its meaning if we do not start with quality water. The grower must always keep the final consumer in mind and must guarantee patient safety above anything else.

It’s summer and as it starts heating up, entire families will spend their days in their gardens, relaxing and enjoying the shade or cultivating their tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.

Later, will be the time to eat their produce, enjoying a barbeque with friends y family. Taking care of the garden is a fun hobby in most countries, uniting various generations, dedicated to growing vegetables, while choosing the right fertilizers and protecting their plants from pests. However, there is a factor that usually gets overlooked and never seems to get the attention that it really deserves.

We’re talking about water quality, a fundamental element to determine not only the success of your harvest, but also the health and taste of the produce that we cultivate.

After all, vegetables our made up mostly of water and they accumulate in their interior the quality that they receive. If the water used is contaminated or contains elements that are undesirable for the human body, our fruits and vegetables will be affected, both in quality and taste. It should be vital to irrigate with a good, clean quality water, free of contaminants.

In many cases, water from a well or a canal is used for irrigating a garden. While quality always differs from zone to zone, it’s never advisable to use well water, without a previous water analysis, due to possible presence of bacteria as well as pesticides and herbicides that can come from neighboring farms.

With water from a canal, if it’s close to a road or highway, we can find the presence of motor oils, gasoline and other residues. If the water has not been disinfected, in can turn into a veritable nest of bacteria. Water from the tap will always be more secure, especially from bacteria but it isn’t the best solution either for watering your garden. This due to the presence of CHLORINE. Also, in many arid areas the tap water can be very hard, with large quantities of salts like calcium, sulfates and chlorides.

Let’s look how these different factors affect the water with which you irrigate your garden:

Chlorine

Chlorine is present in all municipal water systems, working as a disinfectant to assure that water is potable for use by local residents. It also works to impede the formation of algae and fungi in the distribution pipes and water storage tanks. In summer, due to high temperatures favoring the growth of bacteria, the municipalities will increase the amount of chlorine added to the water. These greater quantities of chlorine are noted in the smell and taste of your tap water and many people opt not to drink it, using instead bottled water or home filter systems.

Of course, if the water isn’t great for drinking, your plants don’t want to drink it either. Another problem is that while chlorine works to kill off bacteria in your drinking water, it also will kill off beneficial bacteria that are in your soils and that interact with the root systems to promote better absorption of nutrients. The use of organic fertilizers is to increase the potential of these beneficial microorganisms, however, again the chlorine does not discriminate in which bacteria and microorganisms it kills off. So, we see that chlorine neutralizes the positive effects of organic fertilizers, while also burning the plants vitally important uptake roots, limiting the availability of nutrients.

Hard Water

Depending on the region, your local water can be very hard, with high levels of mineral salts such as calcium, magnesium, chlorides and sulfates. These salts increase the electro-conductivity (EC) in the water, which affects your roots absorption capacity. The EC levels that your plants can tolerate has its limits. The higher the quantity of mineral salts dissolved in the water, the less the capacity the roots will have of incorporating the essential nutrients.

We must also keep in mind that an excessively high amount of salts can cause what is known as “Nutrient Lock Out”, which is what happens when the roots are saturated and cannot absorb more nutrients. The salts are embedded in the roots blocking them, a situation that can cause death to the plant. There may also be heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, boron or arsenic in the water, which are toxic not only to plants but to humans.

Better water, better quality

In summary, the goal is to achieve an abundant and healthy harvest, one that is also beneficial for the human body y gives satisfaction to the grower for a job well done. In this sense, controlling the quality of water we use in our gardens gives us better control of our growing process, eliminating unknown variables when troubleshooting problems, while also permitting a better control of the nutrients our plants receive.

The quality of water we use for our plants directly affects their production and their health. If we irrigate with an unknown quality of water, our results will also be unknown. This can affect the taste, smell, look and nutritional value of our what we produce. On the other hand, using good, clean, quality water will permit your plants to correctly absorb the nutrients that you add and will result in more abundant, delicious, healthy and quality fruits and vegetables. If we choose to drink cleaner, healthier water for our own consumption, why not the same for our plants and gardens? There solutions available to achieve better water quality for our plants and gardens, so next time you water, ask yourself: Am I giving my plants the best quality water? And would I drink this same water that I’m giving to my plants?

Irrigation is one of the most important elements in urban garden care. The quality of vegetables and fruits, even their flavors, depend on what quality water you will use. Water is the basis for growing and gardening. But irrigating in a wrong way or with inappropriate water, can damage plants. To prevent this, you can follow some of the useful tips for watering your urban garden that we explain you in this article.

We tell you the 4 tips to irrigate your urban garden

1. Control the soil before plant

Before start planting your urban garden, you must keep in mind the kind of soil where we will sow the seeds, because depending on its features, water frequency and amounts can differ.

If you have sandy soil, must irrigate more frequently because this kind of soil doesn’t hold moisture well. On the other hand, if we have clay soil you must take care not to water in excess because we can rot the plants roots due to the high humidity.

2. Control the plants watering needs

It’s important to know the plants needs when we irrigate them, because not all plants in the urban garden need the same water care. Some will need more water, some less water, so it will be helpful to spread them in the plot according on their water needs:

-Leafy vegetables, like spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, Swiss chard…, they need a lot of water, so it’s important to irrigate them more frequently.

-Fruiting vegetables, like tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, capsicums…, they need moderate irrigation during the flowering stage. If they receive a lot of water while they are flowering, it could be harmful for their growth. Once they have borned fruit, you can go back to a regular irrigation.

-Onions, garlic and other similar vegetables need moderate watering.

-During summer and dry seasons, it is recommended to irrigate urban garden more frequently to prevent problems because of the lack of water, like dry leaves or damaged plants. It’s important to irrigate early in the morning or in the evening to protect plants from sun effects.

3. To use the appropriate irrigation system for our urban garden

There are different kind of irrigation systems for urban gardens. Depending on the plot area, the distribution of what we plant, and our irrigation needs, we have to decide which better fits into our plans to get our urban garden in the perfect conditions.

Watering with a Garden Hose:

If we have our garden on a terrace or small yard, this system is ideal and least costly. We should water like a soft rain, so that the water pressure doesn’t remove the nutrients from the soil and also keeping in mind that in many cases it is counterproductive to water the plants leaves.

If we have a bigger urban garden and we don’t have appropriate hose and not enough time to irrigate by hand, there are other automated systems that will distribute the water around all the plot easily:

Sprinkler irrigation:

this system use sprinklers that distribute the water around the garden like rain. If you want to use this system, you need a good water pressure so that water arrives everywhere on the plot. This irrigation system allows you to program the irrigation, and guarantee that the water will arrive to all the plants in the same measure.

Drip irrigation:

this automated system uses water more optimally and avoids loss of nutrients in the soil. That’s why is the most recommended for urban gardens. Water is infiltrated to the roots plants by a pipe system and drips around the garden.

4. Use quality water for irrigation

We can follow the irrigation advice previously written to achieve the best results, but if we do it with chlorinated water we won’t get them. Vegetables and fruits won’t be of such quality as we want, because chlorine will interfere on the results.

All municipal water supplies contain chlorine, a chemical disinfectant used to kill off deadly bacteria and virus in the water supply, especially in summer. We know our tap water contains chlorine because of the smell and the taste. If we are growing our own food because we are looking for healthier and organic quality fruits and vegetables, with genuine flavor, it makes no sense to irrigate them with chlorinated water. We need the best water quality posible to achieve organic results and authentic taste.

Besides of this, watering our urban garden with chlorinated water will not only damage the vegetables final quality, but also cause growing problems in plants, like burned roots, yellow leaves, problems with compost… To get quality water, free of chemicals and pesticides, you can use water filtration systems, which eliminate chlorine up to 99%, and also reduce the herbicides, pesticides and other contaminants.

If the water also has a high concentration of mineral salts (hard water) this can be a problem too, because high mineral water can harm your plants and vegetable final quality. In this case, you can install a garden reverse osmosis system, which will eliminate up to 95% of salts and heavy metals dissolved in the water.

These filtration and reverse osmosis systems come with easy indoor and outdoor connections to the tap and the garden hose and even to the water tanks, and are easy to adapt to other irrigation systems. They are also available with different flow capacity, for small, medium or even industrial size gardens.

At GrowMax Water we are specialists in water systems for hydroponics and gardening. Visit our website and inform yourself about how these systems could help you to maintain a healthier urban garden. They are great for organic growers who want organic vegetables and fruits, with the best final quality.

Plants, like humans, need a healthy feeding, according on the genetics and depending on the growing stage. Calcium and magnesium are two of the indispensable nutrients in their diet, as important as phosphorus, iron, nitrogen, potassium, and manganese, in the right amounts. A lack of this essential nutrients can cause problems in the plants while they are growing and we get bad final results.

Knowing some of the symptoms of a lack of basic nutrients in plants, we can control better the plants growth and we will ensure that they have the right amounts of food.However, it is important to distinguish between the macronutrients, that are absorbed in big amounts, and the micronutrients, which are also necessary for plants nutrition, but only in small amounts (high levels of this nutrients can damage them).

Previously in other post, we talked about the importance of calcium and magnesium in plants. Today we are going to talk about the skills of the rest of essential nutrients, starting with the macro-nutrients, the ones plants need in big quantities.

What are the essential nutrients for our plants?

Phosphorus

It’s an essential nutrient, because it is one of the necessary elements for carrying the energy through the plant. Phosphorus helps to build cells, DNA, proteins and enzymes. The higher concentrations of phosphorus are in the plants roots, the growth peaks and the vascular tissue, what it means, in the develop parts of the plant.

In young plants, the presence of phosphorus is indispensable for a good growth, because in the first quarter of plants life is when more phosphorus they absorb.

When there is a lack of phosphorus: the plant stops growing and the branches development slow down; also it turns in a dark green color. Finally, if the time goes by and we don’t fix the lack of phosphorus, can appear necrosis in the oldest leaves and deformation.

Nitrogen

It’s one of the most important nutrients that the plants need, and an essential part of proteins, chlorophyll, vitamins, hormones and DNA. Nitrogen is a component of the enzymes, so it has an active role in the plant metabolism, promoting their growth. Some positive effects of nitrogen in the plants are bigger leaves, more quantity of branches and a longer growing season.

But a lack of nitrogen can cause the opposite effects. A lack of this nutrient delay synthesis protein, and the plant have to broke its own proteins to keep satisfying its needs. When this happens, it produces a surplus of carbohydrates due to the proteins breakdown. That’s why leaves stems and plant stem turn into purple color.

Due to the lack of nitrogen, also appears with time a chlorophyll breakdown, turning green color of the leaves into yellow or whitish green, till they finally wither and fall down.

A lack of nitrogen also can affect the plants roots. If there is a lack of nitrogen during the early stage of growing, the whole plant is damaged and it doesn’t grow enough (the plants organs don’t grow right, stooping general growth). If it happens in advanced age, effects aren’t so devastating as when the plant is younger.

Potassium

Potassium is present around the whole plant and it’s essential to carry the water through all the plant structure. It’s also indispensable for opening and closing stomata and get strength and quality to the plant.

When there is a lack of potassium there is an evaporation reduction. When this happens, the leaves temperature increase and cells burn, mainly in the edge of the leaves.A lack of potassium makes that leaves tips show a grey edge, which then turn into rust-colored, till leaves fall off. Another symptom are yellow leaves from the edges to the leaves nerves, and brow and rust-colored spots of died tissue.

An overload of salt (sodium) around the plants roots can cause the lack of potassium. That’s known as a Nutrient Lockout, when plant roots are blocked and they can’t absorb the rest of nutrients they need.

In the other hand, we have micronutrients. Despite being needed in less amounts by the plants, they are also essential for they growth and healthy.

Iron

It’s a common nutrient in the soils but in large amounts, could be toxic for plants, so it’s a micronutrient. Furthermore, iron is more difficult to absorb than other nutrients because usually it’s present in the soil as an insoluble component. There are only few soils where iron is available for plants in the necessary form.

The absorption of iron by plants greatly depends on the pH. Normally, acid soils have enough iron available for plants. Some symptoms of a lack of iron: leaves that continuously turn into yellow, or even into white; leaves with necrosis and plants that stop growing.

Manganese

Manganese is found in high concentrations in the meristem (the most active part in plants), and to a lesser extent, in plants roots and stems. It’s an essential trace element for plants, which turn on enzymatic actions, as for example, the water division during photosynthesis or the cell membranes formation.

This nutrient is absorbed by plants through the roots and goes across the whole plant haltingly, but easier than other nutrients, like iron or calcium, less soluble.

A lack of manganese cause physiological changes in plants: the proteins production decrease, minimizing the plant capability for absorbing nitrates. When this happens, the plants growth is delayed and appear symptoms in the leaves, similar to the symptoms of the lack of iron or magnesium.

But in the lack of manganese cases, yellow spots are between lateral nerves, and the rest of the leaf keeps its green color. No whitening. So this must not be confused with the lack of iron, which turn yellow al the leaf.

High levels of pH can make a lack of manganese, because with a high Ph, manganese becomes manganese dioxide, which can’t be absorbed by the plant.

Reverse osmosis to prevent the lack and the excess of nutrients

There are a lot of fertilizer products and nutritional supplements to feed our plants: compost products, fluid products or even solid. Adding these products, we give all the essential nutrients to the plants, according to their needs in each growing stage, to prevent the symptoms and problems explained above.

But in advance of adding these nutritional supplements to the irrigation water, it’s very important to control the EC of water. In such way, we will know the amount of salts and minerals already dissolved in our tap water. However, we can’t control the exact amount of each mineral and salts in water only with an EC meter. So if we add to this water high amounts of calcium, for example, and the water already have a lot of calcium (hard water) we’ll cause a Nutrient Lockout in the roots. Or we can cause the opposite situation if the water we are using have low levels of calcium.

Using reverse osmosis water, we lower EC up to 95% and get water free of salts and minerals. We achieve the perfect balance between water and the right amounts of nutrients for feeding our plants. How? We know that plants can receive an EC of up to 1,4 to 2,2, according to its genetics and depending on the growing stage. The higher the EC level is, less nutrients we can give to our plants. So if we start with an EC in the water of only 0,1 or 0,2, then we will be able to add much more nutrients.

Essential nutrients and pure water

Most exigent growers prefer to use directly ultra pure water (000 ppm), to be sure that all the nutrients they give to the plants are exactly from the nutrients solutions and supplements, but not from water. And for that, they use reverse osmosis systems like Maxquarium 000PPM, which has been designed for hydroponics and also for aquariums industry, where they need the most pure water, and that produces up to 20L/ h of pure water.

GrowMax Water also offers the de-ionization filter Kit to achieve an ultra pure water (000 ppm). This is an available accessory to install in all reverse osmosis systems.

Using ultra pure water, growers only have to add the amount of nutrients they want to the water with their nutrient supplement,  without worry about the EC of the water they will use.

To sum up, using reverse osmosis together with nutrient supplements, we can prevent growth and nutritive disorders mentioned above. We must keep in mind the right amounts of nutrients our plants need, according to their growing stage and features, and control their growing.

Grow it to the Max with GrowMax Water!

Autumn is here and we start a new season of indoor growing. It’s time to prepare our grow room and review all the indispensable accessories to get the best results. A Water Filtration unit or Reverse Osmosis system is the first accessory you will need to get the best quality water for growing

As a house must be built with a good and strong foundation, you must also start with pure water to have a strong foundation for growth. A clean, free of chlorine and low EC water, is the right way to help our plants grow to their full potential. Just us we keep in mind the nutrients and fertilizers we are going to use, is also important prepare the water before we start to irrigate our plants.

Water quality control in indoor growing

With indoor growing we can control the light hours, the temperature and humidity in the room according with the plant’s needs and we can even control the water quality that we will use to irrigate them. There are different accessories for this that must be in our indoor room: the EC meter, for measuring the quantity of dissolved mineral salts are in the water (but which doesn’t tell us the quantity of each salt component), and a pH meter, very important to control the pH levels.

These water treatment systems and control accessories are very helpful for growing, because water is not the same everywhere. We can receive soft water (low EC) or hard water (high EC), according on the amount of mineral salts we have in our tap water. Hard water contains a high level of dissolved salts, that will directly influence the quantity of nutrients we need to add to the water we give to our plants.

-Keep in mind that our plants can receive an EC of up to 1,4 to 2,2, according to its genetics and depending on the growing stage. The higher the EC level is, less nutrients we can give to our plants. Here an example:

“If the water we use has an EC of 1,0 then we will only be able to add from 0,4 to 1,2 of nutrients to reach our maximum levels. If on the other hand, we start with an EC in the water of only 0,1 or 0,2 or even an EC of 0,0 then we will be able to add much more nutrients to our plants.”

– Less nutrients we can add, more risk for deficiencies in our plants, like deformed leaves or with yellow and brown spots because of a lack of calcium ; yellow leaves because of the lack of magnesium, among other problems.

-With a high EC level, the water will have high levels of calcium, and will cause lime scale in the roots, decreasing its absorption capability.

-If we irrigate with hard water and then we add even more nutrients to our soil, we can cause a nutrient lockout , that can inhibit the growth of our plants.

Reverse osmosis systems eliminate up to 95% of all dissolved salts, lowering the EC, getting pure water. They also eliminate heavy metals and chlorine up to 99%. Also, reverse osmosis helps to stabilize the pH, between 6 and 6,5.

“Using reverse osmosis you will get clean, pure, quality water for growing to the max indoors.”

However, even if the water from the tap doesn’t have high EC levels, chlorine will be the enemy, because as we all know, it is a chemical that attacks plants roots, burning them, while also killing off beneficial micro-organisms (link to the article) whom live in our fertilizers.

Water Filtration Systems are the solution to eliminate chlorine up to 99% and also reducing sediment, rust and oxidation. These systems also eliminate Herbicides, Pesticides and Volatile Organic Contaminants that also affects the plants.

In summary, if you are preparing your indoor room with indispensable accessories for the new growing season, remember to include a water treatment system (link). Together with the EC meter and pH meter, you will achieve clean, quality water that your plants deserve.

Grow it to the MAX this indoor season, with GrowMax Water!

Summer is here and it’s time to take a deserved break. It’s time to pack your bags and go to the beach, to the mountains or, ultimately, anywhere without stress. But, what we do with our plants if no one can water them while we are off? There are a few tricks for watering plants while we are gone that keep them hydrated until we come back.

We must avoid our plants dying and try to keep our plants as healthy as we do during the rest of the year. One easy solution would be to ask a friend or neighbor to irrigate them twice a week, but during holidays it’s difficult. If we go on holiday for a short time (a week) we can prepare the plants and keep them ready until our return. If we are planning a longer trip, there are also some tricks to prevent lack of water in our plants.

Prepare our plants before we go

If we are going to be away of home only for a week, we can leave them without any irrigation system. However, it’s important to follow some advice before we leave so that upon our return home we see little damage in plants and they are easy to fix with our usual care.

First of all, we have to water them well before leaving to maintain the maximum humidity for as many days as possible, but without flooding the plants and also never put them into a bowl full of water directly in contact with roots, because they will rot.

We have to put the plants in a cool place where sun and heat don’t affect them constantly. This way, they will benefit more from the environmental humidity and they won’t get sun dried. If you have indoor plants, you must put them in a room with dim light and some ventilation.

If we cut back the biggest leaves, dry leaves and branches before going on holidays, it will also help our plants to keep better humidity and they will be stronger without constant water.

Automatic systems to irrigate

If we stay away of home for more days, we have to find alternatives to irrigate the plants. But also following the steps explained in the previous paragraphs before leaving. If we have outdoor plants in our garden or terrace, it will be useful to install automatic irrigation systems.

A sprinkler system or drip irrigation installation in the garden or terrace will allow us to program watering for all the plants during our absence. They are also useful during the year. But if we don’t have the budget, or they are indoor plants or in a balcony, we can use home remedies that will help to maintain plants hydrated.

Homemade systems to irrigate plants

We can easily create a watering system with a plastic bottle. It consists of a drip irrigation system that will provide constant water to plants but without flooding them. We have to open a hole in the cap (just as big as a water drop), fill up the bottle and put it upside down, staked in the soil of the pot, and the water will be provided gradually to the plants roots. The bigger the bottle, the more water that will be provided.

We have to put one bottle in each pot or near each plant, so we guarantee all the plants will have enough water and will be hydrated during our absence.

There is a similar homemade system, but using little clay cones. They are dispensers that we have to screw in the bottle, and then stake in the soil with the bottle upside down. As in the previous system, water will be provided to the plant drip to drip, but there is a difference: the clay. This material has microporous qualities that guarantee that water will be better dosed.

Plants always need quality water

With these tricks to irrigate plants during our holiday, we avoid problems caused by lack of water. In summer, plants suffer more problems due to high temperatures, so irrigating them when we are off  on holiday is important for taking care of them. However, water quality, water without chlorine, is also very important for their care. That’s why we shouldn’t forget to always use clean water, treated by filtration systems. These systems can also connect directly with the installations of automatic irrigation systems.

Now we can pack our bags and start a happy holiday, knowing that our plants will be well hydrated and healthy for the days or weeks that we will be gone.

Beneficial microorganisms are a vital part of the soil and, consequently, an important part of plants food. They are also an essential part of organic composts. But there is an enemy of these micro-organisms: chlorine.

These micro-organisms are very important for the soil food web. They are micro, but they have a big function in the soil, because they directly affect the plants food, breaking down organic matter and converting it into a form that is readily available to plants. We not only find beneficial micro-organisms in forests or gardens, but also in substrates, soils and composts we use for potted soil and growing at home.

Bacteria and Fungi in plants

Bacteria and fungi are two kinds of beneficial soil micro-organisms we find living near plants to feed from their green matter. At the same time, they help plants to achieve the food they need, into a form readily available for them.

Bacteria are the oldest, most primitive forms of life and come in three styles or shapes: spiral, coccus and rod-shaped. In nature, bacteria serve as one of the main decomposers of organic matter, second only to fungi, making them a vital part of the soil food web. As they decompose organic matter, the bacteria ingest organic carbon compounds, nitrogen and any other elemental nutrients present. When the bacteria dies, all these nutrients are held in the soil. The process by which the nutrients are converted into plant-accessible forms is called mineralization.

Another example of beneficial micro-organisms are mycorrhizae, a type of fungi that growers include in composts to protect plants roots from diseases that can affect them, and to guarantee a better absorption of nutrients. In nature, these kind of fungi and plants have a mutually beneficial relationship, because they help each other to get food.

Beneficial micro-organisms are also used for avoiding parasites and other pests. By using specialized micro-organisms, like Bacilus Thuringiensis to kill worms, we can protect our plants from different parasites that affect their growth and health.

Organic compost and beneficial micro-organisms

Growers know about the importance of nutrients for the plants. A good soil is one of the basis for the plants growth and for this reason they use quality composts and fertilizers to stimulate the soil.

Beneficial micro-organisms are an important part of organic fertilizers. They improve the soil, and allow the beneficial micro-organisms to easily convert the organic matter into food available to plants.

Chlorine, the enemy

However, even with the positive effects that these micro-organisms have, there is an enemy for them: Chlorine, and especially in summer. All municipal water supplies contain chlorine, a chemical disinfectant used to kill off deadly bacteria and virus in the water supply. With hot weather, there are more possibilities of bacteria and virus, so the levels of chlorine in the water are even higher.

As chlorine is used to eliminate bacteria from water that can affect the human body, irrigating with chlorinated water can also kill the beneficial micro-organisms that live in the soil near plants, and that we find in every potting soil.

To obtain a chlorine-free water, High Capacity Activated Carbon Block Filters are used, which are incorporated into all our water treatment systems, designed exclusively for hydroponics and gardening.

Eliminating chlorine from your water is the best way to maintain the effects of beneficial micro-organisms in our plants.