June Gardening Tips

[American Beauty Gardener]

Tip # 1 - Cooling your nutrient tank There may be
times when it is either necessary or smart to cool the solution
in your nutrient tank. If so, consider the use of a
water chiller. These units are most often used in aquarium
tanks when raising fish.

A water-chiller will cool, aerate and circulate the
solution. They are available in 1/10, 1/4 and 1 horsepower
units. The right size chiller for your tank should
be able to hold the solution temperature at between
70 and 75 degrees.


Tip # 2 - Preparing medium mixtures Most
planting mediums contain some combination of
sand, peat, perlite, pumice and vermiculite. The
specific proportions depends on how they are used
and plant growth. You may find the following
mixture table useful.

For potted plants: peat: perlite: sand (2:2:1)

For propagation of cuttings: peat: perlite (1:1)

For propagation of cutting & potted plants:peat: sand (1:1)

For bedding plants: peat: sand (1:3)

For propagation of cuttings: peat: vermiculite(1:1)

For pots & beds - good for flowers that like acid conditions - light
weight, excellent
aeration: peat: sand (3:1)

For propagation of cuttings - light weight:
vermiculite: perlite (1:1)

For potted plants: peat: sand (4:1)
.


Tip # 3 - Growing vigorous crops for
transplanting - If you are growing crops, such as
melons or cucumbers, that you intend to transplant
outdoors, consider using rockwool tall blocks.
These blocks are 4 inches in depth and will allow
you to grow your seedlings to a later stage
before transplanting.

Remember that both rockwool cubes and blocks
must be thoroughly moistened before seeding or
transplanting. If there are any dry spots they
will restrict root growth.


Tip # 4 - Caterpillars & cutworms - Despite your
best effort, caterpillars and cutworms still have
a way of invading a grow-room. Caterpillars are
the larvae of butterflies and cutworms are the
larvae of moths.

These larvae feed on the aerial parts of plants.
The cutworms climb up the plant and feed during
the night. Caterpillars feed above ground both
day and night. When you see notches in the plant
leave, cut stems and petioles, you know you have
an infestation.

There are a number of effective chemical
pesticides available. Or, you can use a
biological control such as Bacillus
thuringiensis, marketed as Caterpillar Killer.
Also, Trichogramma evanescens is a small wasp
that effectively controls over 200 species of
larvae by laying their eggs in the eggs of
butterflies and moths. These are available via
special order at American Beauty Garden Center.


These tips were provided via ti...@advancednutrients.com