Garden Culture Magazine: AUS 1

GROW YOUR OWN : CILANTRO&WASABI

SECRETS TO BOOST YOUR HARVEST

THINK MICRO FOR MACRO RESULTS

1 0 T I P S : BE A BETTER GROWER INSTANTLYG M O CONTROVERSY

THE ART OF URBAN GARDENING & INDOOR GROWING

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YEAR 1

- ISSUE 1

· 2013

- PRICE: $

4.9

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AUSTRALIAN EDIT ION YEAR 1 - ISSUE 1 · 2013 - PR ICE: $ 4.99

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Veg-Booster enables young cuttings or seedlings to better expand branches allowing for fuller growth In the later flowering stages.

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IN THIS ISSUE OF GARDEN CULTURE: EARTHSHIPS50

72

WINDOWFARMING

22

K.I.S.S.

7 Foreword & Credits

8 Product Spotlight

14 Carbon dioxide in plants

19 K.I.S.S.

20 Humidity: the good, the bad & the ugly

25 Budget Gardening

28 The invisible garden: a perfect balance

32 Modern slavery and the illusion of consent

38 Aquaponics: a sustainable solution

46 Grow your own series: Cilantro

50 Earthships: down to earth

54 Korn is growing corn

56 Fungi, molasses & rock phosphate

62 10 tips: be a better grower instantly

65 The growing controversy of GMOs

67 Help Yourself - good food

68 Bitcoins: grow your own money

72 Window farming

78 Grow your own series: Fresh wasabi

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 8

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CONTENTS I GARDEN CULTURE

5 gardenculture.net

KORN

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7

FOREWORD & COLOFON I GARDEN CULTURE

FOREWORD

GARDEN CULTURE GOES DOWN UNDER

Here at the Garden Culture HQ we opened a bottle of nice

Champagne when we got the news about distribution in Aus-

tralia. We’re very proud and honored that our Australian and

New Zealand distributors loved our magazine so much that

they decided they wanted to pick it up for their customers.

Let me start off with what Garden Culture Magazine is and how we started. Back in 2011 we came up with an idea to make a maga-zine tailored to Urban Gardening. Our aim was to go beyond the gardening magazines currently out there which were made for a bit of an older audience than us. We love to grow in and around our homes and we sadly don’t have acres of land to do that. Because we all live in cities we started growing in our house, rooftops or our small balcony.

The current magazines out there just weren’t cutting it for us. We want cool stuff, techy gear and the latest kits around. Looking in the marketplace at that time there was nothing which had that so we decided to launch Garden Culture magazine in our home market, the Dutch market. From there it’s been a rollercoaster ride where we expanded faster than we ever imagined.

We hope you will have a lot of fun reading the magazine and learn a thing or two. If you have input, feedback or you like to write for us get in touch please. We’re active on Facebook or you can simple mail us at [email protected]. Alternative for more reading or a subscription on the magazine check out our website at www.gardenculture.net

Keep it green! Mike Nivato - Executive Editor

CREDITS

Garden Culture™ is a publication of GC Publishers B.V.

EDITORSExecutive Editor:Mike NivatoE. [email protected]

Art Director / DTPJob Hugenholtz

Special thanks the following contributors:Dan F, Wade, Tammy Clayton, April Kazema, Evan Folds, Fred Decker, Jeroen Kateehm, Sylvia Bernstein, Tom Alexander

PUBLISHERGC PublishersPostbus 4833200AL SpijkenisseThe Netherlandst. +1-855-427-8254 t. +31181-728101 (Netherlands)w www.gcpublishers.nete [email protected]

ADVERTISINGEric Coulombe E. [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONSE. [email protected]

DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSGrowHard Australia

ISSN: 2211-9329

© GC Publishers B.V.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the GC Publishers B.V.

Website : www.GardenCulture.net Facebook: facebook.com/GardenCulture Twitter : twitter.com/GardenCulture

gardenculture.net

fresh 8

Amino Treatment consists of a balanced complex of ingredients such as small silicate particles which are much smaller than those which you would find in normal silicon. Amino Treatment also contains a unique natural growth and flowering stimulator from an extract taken from plant seeds.This results in better nutrient distribution in the leaves, a higher photosynthesis ratio, stronger stalks, increased root activity, better and higher fruit production and a higher sugar content in the fruit. www.house-garden.com.au

The system is completely ad-justable to suit your growing needs. It can be set at three different heights giving your increased storage of water and improved air flow and drain-age. The Pro Pot System is easy to maintain and has been con-structed to be durable. Take your growth to the next level with Nutrifield’s Pro Pot System.www.domegarden.com.au

Nutrifield Pro Pot System

NF Zyme’s unique formula has the ability to opti-

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growth. It contains amino acids and micro nutrients

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and increase the plant’s metabolic rate. NF Zyme

aids in photosynthesis and food formation, which is

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NF ZymeOptimise plant development

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fresh 9 gardenculture.net

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT I GARDEN CULTURE

Optimise plant development

The people at Widowfarms have condensed all that

they learned in their open-source community proj-

ect into a working garden that anyone can use. Any

source of light is sufficient to grow plants using this

hydroponic system with sunlight through a window is

ideal. All you need is a Windowfarm Kit and the will

to grow. A Windowfarm won’t stop you from visiting

the grocers but a thousand will, and that is part of the

idea: to bring part of the farm into the city by letting

everyone participate.

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Bud Juice is an Organic Bloom stimulator. Consiting

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Hyper Fans are the next generation of fans available. Hyper Fan uses “Multi-Phase” EC Motors and power delivery to the fan blade is smooth, ultra efficient and vibration free. This fan uses up to half the power and produces half the heat of current leading industry mixed flow fans. This results in greatly reduced energy costs, less wear, improved reliability and increased lifespan. Hyper Fan produces the high-est pressure of any fan in its diameter, delivering more air movement through ducting, carbon fil-ters or air cooled hoods. A detachable speed controller is included. www.hyper-fans.com

Hyper Fans

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11 gardenculture.net

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT I GARDEN CULTURE

Liquid Lead contains a special formula precisely

designed for the heaviest harvest. A unique blend

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Animo Acids and Carbohydrates that will unleash

the full flowering potential of your favourite plants

or herbs. Liquid lead optimises harvest weight,

Promotes vigorous growth, increases health of

flowering plants and enhances flavor/taste. Liquid

Lead uses naturally derived active ingredients in-

cluding: Amino acids, carbohydrates, Vitamins, En-

zymes & proven biological yield enhancers

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Mammoth Tents have been well known

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Roots Excelurator is the top show piece in the House and Garden line of nutrients. It’s exact formulation is a well kept company secret. House & Garden maintains their own nutrient manufacturing facility as well as their own laboratories where they con-tinually test each batch of fertilizer they produce. This ensures that gardeners employing House & Garden receive high quality, consistent products.www.sunlightsupply.com

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Gold Label SubstratesCommercial growers worldwide recognise Gold Label as the premium quality substrate

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CocoBuffered coco peat, the fi nest quality, RHP certifi ed. A stable substrate based on the fi ne fi bres of the coco husk. Mineral as well as organic nutrients can be used with this fully organic, recyclable top quality substrate.

HydrocornInert clay pebbles (8-16mm) with a unique rough structure for better stability and root development. Developed for horticulture. The porous structure has a high water capacity and is suitable for both ebb/fl ood and top irrigation systems. Also available in XL 16-25mm.

HydroHydro expanded round clay pebbles have a very solid outer ceramic layer, which limits the uptake of water. They are ideally suited for intense irrigation hydroponic styles of growing. We recommend top watering systems for Hydro.

60/40 MixGold Label Hydrocorn and Coco is an ideal match for high water capacity, lower watering frequency and better rooting. We utilize the 8-16mm Hydrocorn from Gold Label and the purest Gold Label Coco to give to give you the perfect ebb and fl ood growing media which also works well in any pot based systems.

www.goldlabel.nlDistributed exclusively in Australia by Growhardwww.growaustralia.com

14

Plants, like all living creatures, need energy to survive.

Animals get this energy feeding on plants or other crea-

tures. But plants don’t feed on other creatures. Plants

store the energy they need by combining elements from

soil and air using sunlight to power the reactions. A rad-

ically different survival strategy compared to animals.

This method of energy harvesting is commonly known

as photosynthesis.

In essence, photosynthesis isn’t all that complicated,

however when inspected more closely, one will find out

that it is a cascade of many chemical reactions. To make

this a little less complicated photosynthesis can be split

up in two parts; ‘Light reactions’ and ‘light-independent

reactions’.

LIGHT REACTIONSLight reactions are the first part of photosynthesis.

These reactions require light in order to work. When a

Carbon dioxide in plants

photon from the sun or a grow light strikes the photo-

receptive pigment called chlorophyll, water is split into

two oxygen molecules and one positively charged hy-

drogen atom, also known as a proton. These protons in

turn are used by the plant in the light-independent reac-

tions. But most importantly, the plant uses the energy

of the protons to convert ADP (adenine di-phosphate)

into ATP (adenine tri-phosphate) by adding a phospho-

rous group. This is how plants store energy in a usable

way, essential in many vital processes. The ATP can be

used as a means to transport chemical energy, because

when it is converted back into ADP energy is released.

The molecule can then be recycled into ATP again. The

resources the plant has to invest in order to perform

these reactions is always the same. However, not all

wavelengths of light are equally effective at stimulating

chlorophyll, and some wavelengths transfer no energy

at all. In general plants are most efficient in the blue

and red ranges of the spectrum. Green light is poorly

There are a couple of things that plants can’t live without. Carbon dioxide is one of these substances.

It’s a gas, commonly found in the atmosphere. Although it isn’t as common as oxygen and nitrogen,

which make up around 99% of the atmosphere’s volume, carbon dioxide is still relatively common.

Over the past decade or so, carbon dioxide has been in the news frequently and has suffered from a

bad reputation for being a greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. This conclusion

has some merit since it is often added to greenhouses to boost plant production. This article is a short

introduction into the how and why of carbon dioxide addition in greenhouses.

An introduction:

15 15

CARBON DIOXIDE I GARDEN CULTUREBY JEROEN

gardenculture.net

Carbon dioxide in plants

absorbed by chlorophyll. Instead it is reflected into our

eyes, which makes plants look green to us.

LIGHT- INDEPENDENT REACTIONSThe dark reactions then follow up on the light reac-

tions. This is where carbon dioxide comes into play.

The proteins that were created during the light reac-

tions are now used to fixate carbon. Carbon fixation is

performed by plants using a process called the ‘Calvin

Cycle’. A number of different chemicals, including the

protons, carbon dioxide and ATP go into the reaction

and in the end yield a simple sugar which in turn can be

used by the plant to produce a number of other things

including larger sugars and starches. Contrary to the

light reactions, these light-independent reactions cost

the plant energy.

Like with any chemical reaction, or biochemical reaction

for that matter, a plant has to have all the ingredients

to perform photosynthesis. One of these ingredients is

going to be the limiting factor to the reaction. One can

understand that if enough water and light are available

to plants, CO2 could become a limiting factor. This can

certainly be the case since CO2 is present in the atmo-

sphere at levels around 360ppm (parts per million). This

and greenhouses

CARBON DIOXIDE I GARDEN CULTURE

16 16

is where it starts to get more difficult. Most

plants benefit from CO2 addition because the

enzyme that transports CO2 inside the plant

can get distracted. You see, this enzyme can

also bond with oxygen, transporting less carbon

dioxide into the plant. This makes the process rather

inefficient, as oxygen is available at higher concentrations in

the atmosphere. These plants, called C3 plants, benefit greatly

from added carbon dioxide.

CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCTION In a greenhouse there are a number of ways to produce

carbon dioxide. Piles of composting materials can be used

to produce carbon dioxide in a greenhouse however this

has drawbacks when it comes to pest control. A more

modern way to increase the CO2 concentration is by

burning propane, or some other gas. Gas burners can be

linked to controllers and sensors that monitor and adjust

the burn rate according to the need of the plants. This is

the most common method of CO2 production and, besides

recycling CO2 from another source, the least costly. Using

pressurized cylinders is too expensive and cumbersome.

There are some drawbacks to burning fossil fuels to pro-

duce CO2. With improper combustion there is a possibil-

ity carbon monoxide is formed instead of carbon dioxide.

This is a poisonous and potentially deadly gas, odorless and

definitely something to watch out for.

Carbon dioxide is something every plant needs and is pres-

ent in the atmosphere in small concentrations. In situations

where it’s preferable to grow crops intensively, CO2 is a

welcome addition to boost plant growth. The addition of

CO2 increases the rate of photosynthesis that is possible

in nearly all plants but other factors change too. In order

to get the maximum efficiency out of the added CO2, tem-

perature and humidity have to be pushed to an extreme. In

reaction to this the speed of every process in the garden

increases. This does sound rather easy, however a more

extreme climate also increases the chances of pests and

other problems one would want to avoid in the crops. Car-

bon dioxide addition requires a lot of attention to do well,

but it can be a valuable tool in increasing yields. It is the

next step for gardeners who have mastered their indoor

growing environment. 3

WHEN ENOUGH LIGHT AND WATER ARE AVAILABLE,

CO2 BECOMES THE LIMITING FACTOR

19

What could this possibly have to do with

gardening and the success or failure of

your garden? When you need a new cell-

phone do you head down to your local

electronics supplier and buy a bunch of

microprocessors and resistors and head

home to construct your new phone like

the mad doctor did with Frankenstein on

that stormy night? Of course not. You

head over to the cell phone store or dial

it up online and click buy, pay for it and

then start texting your friends to boast of your new pur-

chase. You don’t know how to wire or build a cell phone and

for most of you new growers, your garden is no different.

You’ve spent hours researching online, head out to your lo-

cal Hydro store or order online and acquire your new grow

equipment, head home and start to assemble the puzzle of

pots, trays, tubing, pumps and then muster up the courage

to mix up your first batch of feed solution. You’ve done all

this with no experience growing a plant and no knowledge

of how it should all work, why?

Your new garden is a like a new baby. Would you bring

your new bundle of joy home and sit him in front of a giant

19

NY prime steak and expect him to

eat? Absolutely not. You’ve got to

take it slow, learn to walk before

you run and K.I.S.S.

A new grower should start simple

with one ore two lights, minimal

number of plants, pots with soil

and a very basic nutrient feed

solution. Hand water these new

born babies and spend time in

your garden EVERY DAY!

Take the time to study your plants. Study their reactions, what

makes them happy and of course, what makes them sad. As

you get through your fist crop or two, you will begin to realize

that there is more to indoor gardening then meets the eye.

Only then can you begin to make the educated decisions need-

ed to outfit your garden, and progress into a more advanced

and automated grow system.

The simpler your first garden is, the more SUCCESSFUL

you will be! There will come a time for the latest technol-

ogy and all the bells and whistles, just think of the evolution of

spy planes. Clarence Johnson said it right when he coined the

phrase - Keep It Simple, Stupid! 3

K.I.S.S. I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

Keep It Simple StupidHistorical concepts for a Bumper Crop

YOUR NEW GARDEN IS A LIKE A TINY BABY. WOULD YOU BRING YOUR NEW BUNDLE OF JOY HOME, SIT HIM IN FRONT OF A GIANT NY PRIME STEAK AND EXPECT

HIM TO EAT?

The acronym was coined by Clarence Johnson, lead

engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works (creators of

the Lockheed U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird spy planes,

among many others). The principle is best exemplified

by the story of Johnson handing a team of design engi-

neers a handful of tools, with the challenge that the jet

aircraft they were designing must be repairable by an

average mechanic in the field under combat conditions

with only these tools. Hence, the ‘stupid’ refers to the

relationship between the way things break and the so-

phistication available to fix them.

The principle most likely finds its origins in similar concepts such as:

• Albert Einstein’s maxim that “everything

should be made as simple as possible, but no

simpler”.

• Leonardo da Vinci’s “Simplicity is the ultimate

sophistication”.

• Mies Van Der Rohe’s “Less is more”.

• Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s “It seems that

perfection is reached not when there is noth-

ing left to add, but when there is nothing left

to take away”.

BY DAVID GREEN

http://martin/

http://works/

http://u-2/

http://blackbird/

http://einstein/

http://vinci/

http://rohe/

http://xn--exupry-eva/

20

THE GOOD,

The Bad & THE UGLY

21 21

light cycle. However, different plants and different stages of

growth require varied humidity. So, be sure to learn what the

best RH levels are for your crop at each stage, as some plants

will prefer a drier climate and others need high humidity.

A seed sprouts and rapidly develops a good foliage

canopy and abundant roots in the cooler, shorter days

of late spring and early summer when high moisture

is present. As temperatures climb and day length

increases, high outdoor humidity can be a bad, even ugly

thing. The purpose of an indoor garden environment

is to give plants optimal conditions through all stages

to harvest. Coaxing them to produce that bumper

crop you want includes controlling relative humidity.

This is why many indoor hydroponic growers have separate

vegetation and flowering to fruiting grow chambers. It is

also why some plants are good indoor companions and

others aren’t.

gardenculture.net

Moderation applies to all life formsAs a grower you must regulate the environment and

climate for your crop. Especially if you don’t want

them to go on strike, get lazy and refuse to perform.

It is best to take your role as climate creator seriously.

Understanding what relative humidity (RH) is and how it

affects the plants in your indoor garden is an important

part of a healthy crop and an abundant harvest. The

wrong humidity level can present you with a number

of issues that vary by crop type. At early growth stages

low humidity can cause your crop to go on a binge eating

spree while profusely perspiring. The result is they burn

to a crisp from the loss of water that maintains nutrient

levels in their systems. Obviously, this is bad, at best.

In an attempt to improve dry conditions the plants will

absorb more nutrient solution than in proper humidity.

At the same time they rapidly shed water through the

cell pores on the underside of the leaves known as the

stomata. What is the result of this undesirable situation?

Even a weaker solution will lead to nutrient burn.

What’s the right RH Level?It would be great if it were that easy, to have one metric to

aim for here. You have an average humidity level of 50-75%

for best results with dark cycle RH levels being higher than

BY TAMMY CLAYTON

Everything and everyone is affected by humidity, or

the lack of it. Plants are more sensitive to humidity

levels and its variations than humans or animals.

We manage to live through the discomfort. Plants

manage humid conditions too, but the effect

can be undesirable. Improper humidity levels

affect plant functions and can cause irreparable

damage to roots, stem, foliage, flower and fruit.

The worst case scenario is pretty ugly. You could

watch the death dance in horror, not knowing

how to stop the process.

HUMIDITY I GARDEN CULTURE

UNDERSTANDING WHAT RELATIVE HUMIDITY (RH) IS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE PLANTS IN YOUR INDOOR

GARDEN IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF A HEALTHY CROP

AND AN ABUNDANT HARVEST

Common Hydroponic Crop Relative Humidity (RH) Averages• Chilli Peppers: Ideal 50-70% (RH), with

65% being optimal.

• Bell Peppers: Ideal RH is 75%.

• Tomatoes: Ideal RH is 65-75% at night and

80-90% for light cycle.

• Herbs: Most prefer 40-50% RH

• Cucumbers: Will do well at 70-80% (RH), with

75% being perfect.

• Lettuce: Maintain RH below 70% at all times.

All House & Garden base A&B are 100% made in Holland, composed of pure liquid base elements, unlike most other “premium” nutrients on the market, we dont use powders or bulking agents.

Because H&G only use a liquid mineral base, this ensures plants can uptake all the available food without having to separate out the unusable compounds. All our base nutrients are made with

computer controlled precision, slightly heated during mixing for extended periods of time to ensure our base nutrients are blended to perfection. All nutrients are batch tested in our state of the art

factory in Holland to ensure the outstanding quality H&G is renowned for. Our base nutrients come in three variations - Hydro / Cocos / Soil, to accomodate the various substrates available.

All House & Garden base A&B are 100% made in Holland, composed of pure liquid base elements, unlike most other “premium” nutrients on the market, we dont use powders or bulking agents.

Because H&G only use a liquid mineral base, this ensures plants can uptake all the available food without having to separate out the unusable compounds. All our base nutrients are made with

computer controlled precision, slightly heated during mixing for extended periods of time to ensure our base nutrients are blended to perfection. All nutrients are batch tested in our state of the art

factory in Holland to ensure the outstanding quality H&G is renowned for. Our base nutrients come in three variations - Hydro / Cocos / Soil, to accomodate the various substrates available.

C

M

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CM

MY

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CMY

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H&G WINDMILL AD.pdf 1 19/07/13 5:18 PM

23 23

HUMIDITY I GARDEN CULTURE

VARYING RH LEVELS NEEDED FOR DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES GERMINATION & PROPAGATION STAGE: Maintain rooting

cuttings or germinating seedlings humidity at above 80%. A

propagator makes controlling RH more manageable and allows

your new crop to concentrate energy on producing the roots.

Some crops can be successfully propagated in your grow tent

using a humidifier with a humidistat.

YOUNG PLANTS: Between minimal foliage to breathe

out water (transpiration) at night and the hot lights, many

growers experience problems keeping the RH levels

high enough to produce strong growth and plant vigor.

In 0,6 m2 of grow space, using two 600 watt lights, you’ll

generally find 35-50% RH and a temperature of 22-28 C.

As described earlier, low humidity will make the plants work

overtime at creating humidity. You don’t want the RH to drop

below 40%. This brings issues with nutrient overload and other

related problems. Your target RH level at this stage of growth

should be 60-70% for faster root growth, leaf development

and more compact plants.

VEGETATIVE STAGE: These larger immature plants have more

shoots and leaves. They will take up increasing amounts of

nutrient and emit more water vapor as they increase in size.

At this stage you want to ensure the RH levels don’t climb too

high. This danger increases as plants thicken.

FLOWERING & FRUITING STAGE: The ideal RH range here

is 50-60% during daylight cycle and 60-70% during the dark

cycle. Keep on top of RH control, as both fruit and flower are

easily damaged by fungal disease with soaring humidity. High

humidity related fungal problems can ruin many kinds of fruit,

vegetable and flower crops.

Increasing the RHMisters and humidifiers are used to increase RH levels. The

more water vapor being emitted by your plants into the

grow room environment, the less the humidifier or mister

needs to be run. For plants that need tight humidity control a

humidification system with HR-HRSA humidistat is best.

Decreasing the RHVentilation drops your grow room RH level. Depending on

your crop and grow space situation, at times an extraction

fan with a variable speed control is all that is needed. High

RH levels can also be corrected by with a dehumidifier.

Great care is needed to not remove too much moisture,

creating a dry environment. This can cause some plants to

emit water through leaf tips, allowing it to collect on foliage

and promote disease development. Ultra-sensitive plants

may do best with a humidification system that precisely

delivers both humidifying and extraction functions in one.

Measuring Your Humidity LevelsTo stay on top of the RH level at all times, you

need an instrument known as a hygrometer

to give you humidity readings. Be sure

to select one that is water resistant and

designed for the demands of hydroponics.

These will give you the connected accurate

temperature and humidity measures.

RH Changes with Temperature VariationIn your grow space, the relative air humidity is influenced

by temperature. High RH disrupts a plant’s ability to

get rid of excess water. Low RH makes the plant emit

too much water and can cause the intake of CO2 to

stagnate, leading to impaired growth. Nutrient up-

take rate increases with dry air, and for about every 5.5

C temperature increase the amount up-take doubles.

Both of these fluctuations greatly affect your crop.

Ideally, you want your grow room to have a lower humidity

during the day cycle than the night cycle. During the

darkness hours in the growing space, many assume that

without the heat of grow lamps, the humidity will drop.

This assumption could get ugly. In darkness, plants breathe

out water, increasing the need for air flow and ventilation.

Ignoring this puts your entire crop at risk for pest and

disease outbreaks, among other health issues. 3

...IT IS BEST TO TAKE YOUR ROLE AS CLIMATE CREATOR SERIOUSLY

gardenculture.net

25

If it’s all in the ‘too hard basket’,

then don’t despair! Start with these

easy-to-grow plants and get at least

some food on the table without the

need for garden tools. These ideas

only require minimal time and a few

basic supplies to start saving money

and improving your health.

The easiest plants to grow are those

that don’t require gardening skills and only minimum

time input, materials and space. Herbs that grow in a

glass of water on a well-lit bench or window sill are an

ideal choice.

If you buy spring onions (or you may call them shallots),

save your money and regrow them from now on. With a

sharp knife, cut your spring onions about 5cm above the

root. Use the leaves in your meals but add the stem base

and roots to a small glass with 1-2cm of clean water.

Change the water daily to prevent bacteria growing,

then watch new green leaves grow. Snip with scissors

for tasty, free meal additions!

25

Instead of buying bunches of fresh herbs, propagating

your own will save you money and reduce wastage.

For example, add leftover stems of mint, lemon balm,

rosemary or basil (with lower leaves removed) to a glass

of water. Change water daily. Roots should develop in 2

weeks or less and provide free plants to transplant into

a pot for an easy herb garden.

Mint and lemon balm are both shade lovers. Lemon

balm tea is a natural anti-depressant, can lift the spirits

BUDGET GARDENING I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

IF YOU BUY SPRING ONIONS

(OR YOU MAY CALL THEM

SHALLOTS), SAVE YOUR MONEY AND REGROW

THEM FROM NOW ON.

Have you tried growing herbs or vegies only to give up when it doesn’t seem as easy as first thought?

The goal of eating healthy home grown food, becoming more self-reliant and living more sustainably

can sound wonderful in theory but in reality, often presents challenges. Limited space, time, money and

sunlight are just a few issues to contend with. Then there’s learning how to garden, what to grow when

and pesky possums pinching your produce.

BY ANNE GIBSON

Budget Edible Solutions for Urban Micro Gardeners

“Limited space, time, money and sunlight?”

“Start with these easy-to-grow plants”

Microgreens basil eready for harvestLemon

balm leaves

AUTHOR BIOAnne Gibson is author of the SOW

SIMPLE™ Guide To Growing an

Abundant Organic Edible Garden

eBook and publishes The Micro

Gardener, an inspiring DIY garden

website. She is a writer, consultant,

speaker and community educator

and teaches people how to grow

highly productive edible gardens on

a budget in urban spaces. She is also

Editor/Founder of Green Journey

(www.greenjourney.com.au), an award-winning sustainable living

website. Anne is passionate about helping people grow nutrient-

dense food, upcycling materials in the garden and maximising yields

for minimal time, money and effort. Visit www.themicrogardener.

com for more information or check out here facebook atfacebook.

com/TheMicroGardener

27

BUDGET GARDENING I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

and relieve morning sickness if drunk with lemon first

thing in the morning. Mint has antiseptic, antiviral and

anaesthetic properties and chewing a few leaves can

help relieve sore throats, colds, coughs, and headaches.

These are great medicinal and culinary herbs to have on

hand. Why waste time going to the chemist when you

can have healthy alternatives right at home?

Aloe vera is another hardy home pharmacy plant that

thrives on neglect, grows well in a sunny spot indoors

or outside in a shallow pot, with well-drained potting

mix and an occasional watering. Break off a leaf and

scrape the gel inside as an aftershave balm or skin

moisturiser, to heal burns, soothe stings, bites, rashes

and cuts. Keep cut leaves wrapped in the fridge.

For delicious salad or smoothie ingredients packed with

digestive enzymes, microgreens are the perfect solution.

These baby greens are healthy ‘fast food’ you can grow

from ‘seed to feed’ in just 1-3 weeks depending on seed

variety. Add about 2-3cm of moistened seed raising mix

to a container with drainage holes (reusing a plastic

strawberry punnet is ideal). Adding a sprinkle of rock

minerals will boost nutrient value and flavour. Evenly

spread a tea spoonful or so of organic herb or vegetable

seeds over the mix. Sprinkle a little extra seed raising

mix to just cover seeds, mist with water in a spray

bottle and cover with a clear lid. Place in a well-lit area

and mist daily to keep seeds moist until they sprout and

grow. Snip with scissors just before adding to meals.3

MINT HAS ANTISEPTIC, ANTIVIRAL AND ANAESTHETIC PROPERTIES AND CHEWING A FEW LEAVES CAN HELP RELIEVE SORE THROATS, COLDS, COUGHS, AND HEADACHES. THESE ARE GREAT MEDICINAL AND CULINARY HERBS TO HAVE ON HAND

Microgreen buckwheat garnish on salad

Spring onions regrowing in water

28

growth truly a sign of thriving plants? Or is it obesity?

Plant obesity and deficiency are what attract and create pests

and disease, not unlike a human on a bad diet. Truthfully, the

average gardener believes that pests and disease are bad luck.

Due to this lack of perspective, most attempt to kill their

problems away instead of addressing the roots of the issue.

It’s a vicious cycle. Most of the time we are creating our own

problems. What should we expect when we use artificial

fertilizers and toxic pesticides

to grow living plants?

Even hydroponic fertilizers

contain no more than 17

elements, or only what a plant

has to have. Most plants can use upwards of 30-40 elements

directly or indirectly, some more than that, but microbes use

every single one of them to work their magic. Growing a

garden without all of the elements in play is like hiring someone

to build a house and giving them half the tools.

Consider using rock dusts or sea-mineral based products to

increase elemental diversity in the garden. Not only will you

increase yields, but you will build the innate capacity in plants

and microbes to fend for themselves. After all, why would

Mother Nature make an element not needed in the garden?

The same is true for microbes. The greater the mineral and

biological diversity in the garden, the more strength and

The quality of food cannot truly be evaluated until it is eaten,

but we cannot taste all the things that are harmful to us and

artificial flavoring has resulted in us forgetting how food is

supposed to taste anyway. We are farther away from the farm

and our food than at any point in human history. Many farmers

don’t eat what they grow. Agriculture has collectively become

a race to the bottom line where the food that is produced is

designed to sit on a shelf, not nourish our bodies.

People are clamoring for real

food. Community Supported

Agriculture (CSA) programs

and farmer’s markets are

booming, and record numbers

of people are planting gardens for the first time in their lives.

The future of food is to know your own personal agriculture.

What better way can you do this than by growing your own?

Growing the best garden of your life is done through the

marriage of quality gardening products and techniques, and

a proper perspective towards the natural world. One of the

primary ideas to keep in mind when growing a garden is diversity.

Using cheap budget fertilizers that have 6-7 elements in them

is the equivalent of fast food for plants. Sure, the plethora of

artificial gardening products available on the market stimulates

plant growth and often creates higher yields initially, but is the

Check this out. Some of the most important things regarding the evaluation of a garden and the food

it produces cannot be observed. The majority of people don’t realize that the soil is alive and teeming

with beneficial microbes, because they can’t see them.

Think of it this way...

don’t feed your plants,

feed your soil

THE INVISIBLE GARDEN

29

balance you bring to the ecosystem. Think of it in this way…

don’t feed your plants, feed your soil. Microbes have been

helping and protecting plants since the beginning of time and

they are not going to stop anytime soon. In fact, over half of the

carbohydrates a plant makes for itself through photosynthesis

are exuded through roots to attract beneficial microbes.

A great way to enhance the

beneficial microbes in your garden

is by brewing compost tea. This

involves using aeration to grow

microbes from compost in the

presence of biological food sources

and mineral catalysts. Compost tea can and should be used

in every garden, including hydroponics, as it is a great way to

make sure you are growing thriving plants. After all, people

don’t make plant food, microbes do.

In addition to the friendly microbes and fungi there are

other invisible forces active in your garden that affect the

growth of all plants. For those feeling truly experimental,

consider planting by celestial rhythms. It is well known that

lunar cycles affect plant growth. There are many “plant

by the moon” calendars online. There is even a method of

gardening called Biodynamics that includes a broader range

of celestial phenomenon and recommended planting days,

flower days, root days, etc. It’s fascinating. Biodynamics is

used extensively in other countries like Australia that have

poor soil, and is also used widely in viticulture. Not many

farmers pay closer attention to their crops than those

growing grapes for wine. The idea of working with natural

energies in the garden is a foreign concept to most, but life

is defined by energy on every level of its existence. The

29

articulation and use of subtle energies is the new frontier

of farming and gardening. The philosophy that utilizes the

subtle forces of nature in the garden is called Bioenergetics

and seeks physical, mineral, biological and energetic

balance. This is the sweet spot that allows plants to truly

thrive and become vitamins for life.

Beyond all the products and techniques, the most powerful

tool we have in the garden is our perspective. What we

think, we grow. Sure, we don’t have to grow this way, but the

question is…what are we missing?

You will find your own way into testing and verifying these

ideas, but hopefully some seeds of experimentation have been

planted. Now get growing! 3

A PERFECT BALANCE I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

PLANT OBESITY AND DEFICIENCY ARE WHAT ATTRACT

PESTS AND DISEASE, NOT UNLIKE A HUMAN ON A BAD DIET

BY EVAN HOLDS

NF COCO A&B

32

BORN TO WORK“ “MODERN SLAVERYand the illusion

of consent

33 33

MODERN SLAVERY I GARDEN CULTURE

BORN TO WORK

If you’ve got kids, you’ll probably hear these words on a daily

basis. It’s not that “fairness” is a childish concept; it’s more

that the idea establishes itself so early that it runs to the

very foundations of our collective consciousness and

remains there for the rest of our lives. Indeed,

as we grow older many of us hold on to the

belief that we possess an intrinsic ability to

recognize when a situation is equitable.

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

In reality though, this world of fairness and equity is dependent

on one thing; our brains and our willingness to exercise them.

For instance, if I declare myself the “leader” of a remote

Polynesian island and convince its inhabitants that I am their

deity incarnate whom they must please with daily offerings of

their youngest, fairest maidens, while the men labor all day in

the fields and copper mines so that I, the Great Lord Everest,

may be glorified and gracious in sparing them my wrath. The

islanders, if taken in by this almighty bounder, may conclude

that their situation is quite fair and just. It’s a square deal: they

offer up their bodies for sexual and agricultural services in

exchange for my “wrath” being spared. On the other hand,

as an outside observer, you might conclude that they’re being

exploited for their ignorance.

If that example seems a little weak then picture another

scenario, a little closer to home perhaps. Let’s say you and

I are neighbors, living out in the lesser-trodden parts of the

Humboldt countryside in Northern California. Add to this

blissful scene a single cow grazing on my ample pastureland.

And you, perhaps not enjoying so grand an estate, are content

to take care of a small brood of chickens. Now, I’m not

suggesting that this situation is unfair. I may have chosen to

work longer and harder for my larger slice of this fine Earth.

But, in the spirit of community, we choose to share stuff. I

like eggs and you like milk, so we agree to make a swap

each morning: a pint of my (or Daisy’s) milk for two of your

(chickens’) eggs. What could be simpler than this direct barter?

Notwithstanding our animals’ rights or wrongs, so long as we

humans establish mutual consent, we can share and enjoy our

collective resources and life seems a whole lot more sunny-

side-up for the both of us.

However, here’s where the plot begins to curdle. What if I

awoke one morning intent on pursuing a more favorable

deal for myself—say, just half a pint of milk in exchange for

your two eggs? What then? A civil discussion over the garden

fence, perhaps, with the hope of modifying our consensual

agreement? Of course, you might inform me that I can “keep

my milk” or other choice words to that effect. So what if I

choose to avoid confrontation by secretly diluting your “pint of

milk” with rainwater? Just a few drops at first so as not to raise

your suspicions, yet slowly but surely, over the course of a year

or so, I diluted the milk to the point where it’s actually fifty

percent water! I’m patting myself on the back for executing

this change so gradually, while all along you are none the wiser!

I laugh with contempt at your hapless children, for watery

milk is all they’ve ever known! Moooooohahahahaha! Another

generation of suckers is born!

Perhaps I’m guilty of overly-indulging this example. Maybe I’m

assuming a little too much naiveté on your part? Surely you’d detect

that something was up with the milk, wouldn’t you? Nevertheless,

emboldened by your seemingly boundless gullibility, I decide to

take my scam to a whole new level. Instead of giving you watered-

down milk, one day I turn up at the garden fence with something

entirely new. It’s a piece of paper. I call it a “milk certificate.”

“You can redeem this for ‘real milk’ anytime! (Wink, wink)” I

assure you, “What’s more, you can use these milk certificates as

payment in trades with other vendors. It’s so convenient for you!

And, best of all, you don’t have to keep them in the refrigerator!”

Okay, by now you’ve guessed it; we’re talking about money,

not milk. But this milky analogy needs a few modifications

before it even comes close to accurately reflecting our

gardenculture.net

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H&G GC chess AD 2.pdf 1 19/07/13 5:22 PM

35 35 35


gardenculture.net

services. (The Spanish discovered

this when they returned from the

Americas with boats laden with

gold. They thought they were

going to be incredibly wealthy, but

the amount of goods and services

available back home had not really

changed. Result? Prices simply

went up!) The real privilege of the

super-rich is their priority lane access to this newly created

money. In essence, it’s not so much the quantity of money

they have, but the fact that they get to spend it into circulation

first, before the rest of us cotton on to the fact that it’s been

watered down. By the time these dilute dollars finally meander

to you and me, it’s little more than cloudy water, or symbolic

cloudy water, or … confused? Good. Now get back to work.

Perhaps we need to ask ourselves this very simple question:

what is money? Don’t shy away from it—no need to

overcomplicate it either. You don’t want to spend your

life chasing an enigma now do you? Don’t leave this to the

“experts”—the people whose career depends on maintaining

their intellectual propriety with confusion and obfuscation.

You shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that money is

intrinsically a bad or evil thing either. At the very least concede

that it’s very useful stuff, helping us to transcend the limitations

of direct barter. Problems really occur when we seek money

as if it were the true wealth in and of itself, rather than merely

a symbolic means of exchange.

So what are we to do? Should we join some protest movement

waving “End the Fed” banners? Should we petition our

governments for greater freedoms, or is that, as the monetary

prophet E.C. Reigel wrote over fifty years ago, just an absurd

act of deference, “wholly lacking the spirit of a freeman.” In

short, are we going to take responsibility for the mess we’re

in, or are we going to let “the economists” sort it all out for us?

All facetiousness aside for a moment, one by one, we are

indeed waking up to the fact that something is very wrong.

Looking at the world with the eyes of our ancients we realize a

fundamental truth—our monetary system has been corrupted

to one where national sovereignty is a joke on a naive

populous. We are collectively enslaved to ‘unelected’ central

banks through usurious and fraudulent money systems, an

eternally un-payable “debt,” created out of nothing but our

promise to repay. It is a deeply absurd and untenable situation

present predicament of economic

slavery. You see, up until 1971, a

dollar was redeemable for gold.

Gold was chosen because it was

viewed as universally valuable.

People, knowingly or unknowingly,

accepted dollar bills in exchange

for real goods or services backed

by a belief that these little pieces of

paper would be later accepted by others—and an assurance

that they were also convertible into physical gold at any

time—well, during banking hours at least.

However, since the dollar was decoupled from the gold

standard, it has lost around 90% of its purchasing power.

Thinking back to our milk for eggs exchange, you might be

tempted to picture a bottle of slightly cloudy water being

handed to you over the garden fence, or a fistful of worthless

“milk certificates.” But think again. For, if I am assuming the

role of the banker in this scenario, I’m actually asking you to

borrow some pieces of paper (with no mention of milk, eggs,

sex, honey or anything else that’s tangible) and pay interest for

the privilege! All these pieces of paper represent is your debt

to me—a debt that I have created out of nothing, meanwhile

you pledge to forfeit your house if you don’t keep up the

repayments! Perhaps the Polynesian islander’s example wasn’t

so far out of whack?

With the woe-is-us-machine we know and love as the Internet

now running on all twelve-cylinders, it’s easy to blame Wall

Street greed, the Illuminati, the neoconservatives, the royal

family—anybody, in fact, but ourselves for the mess we’re

in. But the inescapable fact is the only thing that holds up

our monetary system is our persistent belief in it and our

unwillingness to embrace viable alternatives. Our problem is

one of philosophy, not politics. How have so many of us been

hoodwinked into accepting such an absurd tautology: a dollar

is worth another dollar—what sort of insidious, circular,

recursive symbolism is this? But then, take these dollars away

and how are you going to pay for your groceries?

You really don’t need a PhD in economics (or any other

pseudo-science for that matter) to understand that as more

make-believe money is pumped into the financial system,

the purchasing power of each dollar is diluted, just like the

nourishment of our watery milk. This is inevitable so long as an

inflated money supply chases the same amount of goods and

WE ARE INDEED WAKING UP TO THE FACT THAT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH OUR MONEY SYSTEM

37 37 37


gardenculture.net

WE ARE COLLECTIVELY ENSLAVED TO

‘UNELECTED’ CENTRAL BANKS THROUGH USURIOUS AND

FRAUDULENT MONEY SYSTEMS

for any person to endure. Yet

the mainstream media persist in

echoing the bankers’ threats of the

sky falling down and untold misery if

we don’t put up with the status quo.

Heaven forbid if enough people

discover the truth—that we don’t

actually need banks at all in order to

issue currency and trade with each

other, on a personal, corporate or

even national level.

The Internet has helped us share

our ideas, but its real power is in the

creation of a common monetary

language. Forget about “internet-

banking”—that’s just a sideshow.

Imagine a new form of money,

issued by the producers of this world. By producers I mean

the corporations that generate our electricity, or make our

computers, or grow the tomatoes. Imagine money backed, not

by debt, or by gold (or tungsten) but by … wait for it … real

stuff. Cars, beef burgers, Thai massages, goods and services

that we use every day. Sounds unbelievable? Well, so did the

concept of a spherical earth to most people a few thousand

years ago. It’s time to unplug from the Matrix.

At the center of it all is a global scale of value. What’s that?

Well, think of an inch. Or, if you prefer, think of a centimeter,

a foot, a mile, or a furlong. Where would we be without these

universal units of length? Now imagine if we created the same

thing, but for value. Of course, we’ve been conditioned into

mistaking our monetary units as our value units. When we

talk about the value of things we invariably think in terms

of dollars, or pounds, or yen, don’t we? This beautiful, shiny

phone costs $799. This car costs $25,000. This house is

valued at $500,000. We need to stop thinking like this.

This ignorance is at the kernel of our enslavement to the

bankers. We are guzzling watery milk without so much of

a whimper of complaint. Now it’s time for a good burping.

Unlike an inch or a centimeter, the dimensions of a dollar

keep changing. We call this “inflation.” But how then can we

measure “value” using these shape-shifting units of exchange?

It’s almost as if we are confusing the item being measured with

the ruler it’s being measured on. Are you beginning to see the

magician’s sleight of hand? Money has no real value.

Crucially, take note that a global

scale of value is not the same thing

as a global currency. Moreover,

a global scale of value would

give birth to thousands, maybe

millions of different currencies,

not just one—but they would all

be measured on the same scale,

and all of them backed by goods

and services in common demand.

The ratio of credit to demand

(i.e. offers to buy vs. offers to sell

a company’s credit token) can be

instantly evaluated, thanks to the

Internet, meaning the actual value

of the credits in circulation can

adjust in real time. The idea of

money as fluid and self-correcting,

does not reward greed and is based on real goods and services.

It may be a little tricky to grasp at first but really we’re only

describing a world where the monopoly over the issuance of

credit, currently enjoyed by banks, has been removed. If this

sounds crazy then remember, so did the idea that the world

was a sphere and that there were potentially people living

“upside-down.”

Ultimately, the real treasure of this planet is you and I. It’s time

for the credit commons to be restored to the people instead

of being monopolized by bankers who create nothing. Until

enough of us wake up to their false pretentions towards deity,

docile and malleable human beings will remain the ultimate

resource to be controlled, manipulated and exploited. 3

Footnote: Everest Fernandez did not accept any legal tender in return for

writing this article, but that doesn’t necessarily imply he wasn’t paid.

Want to know more? Check out these amazing videos:

The Essence of Money (7 minutes)

http://youtu.be/qBX-jaxMneo

Digital Coin – An Introduction (15 minutes)

http://youtu.be/dkXclJr1Z4U

http://youtu.be/qBX-jaxMneo

http://youtu.be/dkXclJr1Z4U

38

“Can we feed the more than 9 billion people anticipated to live on this planet in 2050

without destroying Earth’s life support systems?” This captivating conundrum was the

title of a cover article for Nature Magazine’s edition titled “Solutions for a Cultivated

Planet.” The article details the findings of an international group of scientists and

researchers who gathered at the University of Minnesota tasked with nothing less

than figuring out how to sustainably secure the world’s future food supply.

39

AQUAPONICS I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

How does it work? Aquaponics is, at its most

basic level, the marriage of

aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics

(growing plants in water and without soil) together in one integrated

system. The fish waste provides organic food for the growing plants

and the plants naturally filter the water in which the fish live. The

third and fourth critical, yet invisible actors in the play are the

beneficial bacteria and composting red worms. Think of them as

the Conversion Team. The beneficial bacteria exist on every moist

surface of an aquaponic system. They convert the ammonia from the

fish waste that is toxic to the fish and useless to the plants, first into

nitrites and then into nitrates. The nitrates are relatively harmless

to the fish and most importantly, they make terrific plant food. At

the same time, the worms convert the solid waste and decaying

plant matter in your aquaponic system into vermicompost.

BY SYLVIA BERNSTEIN

The sustainable solution for the world’s future food supply



“Farm and ranch lands cover nearly 40

percent of Earth’s land area”

While aquaponic techniques can’t address this shocking

statistic per se, they can certainly mitigate the impact. Be-

cause aquaponics is a soil-less growing technique, plants and

fish can be grown anywhere, including on land that is consid-

ered unfertile (too sandy, too rocky, too toxic) and even in

old warehouse buildings and unused parking lots.

“Agriculture consumes nearly three quar-

ters of the earth’s available water”

Because aquaponics is a recirculating system, the only

water “lost” is either held in the plants, transpires through

their leaves, or evaporates from the top of the fish tank.

Aquaponics is generally thought to use less than a tenth of

the water of traditional agriculture for the same crop output.

“Agricultural activities such as clearing land,

growing rice, raising cattle and overusing fer-

tilizers make up 35 % of the single largest con-

tributor of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere”

None of these practices have any place in aquaponic growing.

1

2

3

4

5

“About 40% of all crops the planet produc-

es are used to feed animals.”

Fish are the single most efficient converter of feed

to flesh of any edible animal. One and a half pounds

of feed will bring to harvest one pound of edible, om-

nivorous fish fillets. It takes eight pounds of feed to

produce the same single pound of beef fillets.

While not mentioned in the article, we should

also add “consuming petroleum” to this list.

Between oil-based fertilizers, oil-fueled farming

machinery, and long distances between farm and table,

modern food is “dripping” with oil. Aquaponic systems

on the other hand, have no oil-based inputs and are run

entirely on a small amount of electricity. This electric-

ity can be created through currently available renew-

able energy methods.

Nothing in the Nature Magazine report was

surprising for anyone engaged in the worldwide

‘future of food’ dialog. However, what was

striking was that aquaponics (growing fish

and plants together in a recirculating, soil-

less system) was not included among the set

of proposed solutions. Aquaponics is a food-

growing approach that addresses the harmful

practices cited in the study and simultaneously

realizes the potential for increased food

production envisioned by the researchers.

Widespread adaptation of aquaponics

could both alleviate all of the environmental

destruction cited by the researchers and provide the vehicle for increased sustainability and productivity.

First, the environmental problems with current agricultural practices were outlined in the report as follows.

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1

Aquaponics is not the answer to all of our future

food supply and environmental issues. Grains and

root crops, for example, will probably always be most

efficiently grown in the soil. But for above ground,

vegetative crops and fish protein, there simply isn’t a

better growing technique on, and for, the planet. 3

2

3

4

5

The researchers then recommended five changes to

current practices that they believe will not only help

to solve the issues stated above, but will also extend

our ability to feed the burgeoning world’s population.

All but one can be implemented through aquaponic

growing techniques.

“Halt farmland expansion.”

As explained above, because aquaponics is a soil-

less growing system that can be set up anywhere, it is

perfectly suited to address this goal.

“Close yield gaps. Many parts of Africa,

Latin America and Eastern Europe have

substantial “yield gaps”- where farmland is

not living up to its potential for producing crops.

Closing these gaps through improved use of

existing crop varieties, better management and

improved genetics could increase current food

production nearly 60 percent.”

Because of the consistent and ideal mix of water, oxygen

and fertilizer that an aquaponics system provides, plants

grow significantly faster in an aquaponics system than

they do in soil. In addition, plants can be placed closer

together in aquaponics systems because they are not

competing for those resources in their root zone. This

is an answer to the search for “better management”

techniques that the researchers are seeking.

“Use inputs more strategically. Current

use of water, nutrients and agriculture

chemicals suffer from what the research

team calls “Goldilocks’ Problem”: too much

in some places, too little in others, rarely just

right. Strategic reallocation could substantially

boost the benefit we get from precious inputs.”

Since aquaponic systems use comparatively so little

water, inherently produce their own nutrients, and use

no agricultural chemicals, the problem of redistribution

becomes a non-issue.

“Shift diets. Growing animal feed or biofuels

on top croplands, no matter how efficiently,

is a drain on human food supply. Dedicating

croplands to direct human food production

could boost calories produced per person by

nearly 50 percent.”

Fish protein is not only heart-healthy but, as

mentioned above; it is the most efficient converter

of plant protein to animal protein known to man.

“Reduce waste. One-third of the food farms

produce ends up discarded, spoiled or eaten

by pests. Eliminating waste in the path from

farm to mouth could boost food available for

consumption another 50 percent.”

Because aquaponics systems are raised off the ground

they tend to have fewer pest issues than traditional

agriculture. And because aquaponic farms can be set

up anywhere, producing food directly within densely

populated communities can be implemented right now,

with no new technologies needed. The path from farm

to table can be made as short as down the block or

even from back yard to table. Thus, aquaponics is an

attractive way to localize food production and to cut

out the waste inherent in the long paths we have from

farm to market to home – paths that could be reduced

to near zero with widespread aquaponics.

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Sylvia Bernstein

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Bio

Sylvia Bernstein is the author of “Aquaponic

Gardening: A Step by Step Guide

to Growing Fish and Vegetables

Together” and the President and Founder of

The Aquaponic Source, the leading U.S.

based company focused entirely on the home

aquaponic gardener. She runs the Aquaponic

Gardening Community, the largest online

community site dedicated to aquaponic gardening

in North America, and is the Vice Chairman of the

Aquaponics Association. She also writes

the Aquaponic Gardening Blog and teaches

and speaks extensively about aquaponics and its

exciting potential.

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http://aquaponicscommunity.com/

http://aquaponicsassociation.org/

http://theaquaponicsource.com/blog/

46

Grow Your Own Series:

Scrumptious salsas, south of the border dishes,

along with a variety of Asian and Indian delicacies

just aren’t the same without the unique zip of

different parts of the cilantro plant. Admittedly,

there isn’t any middle ground with this herb when it

comes to taste buds. You either love it or hate it. If you en-

joy the taste, you can’t beat the just-picked vivaciousness it

adds to cuisine. While it is available dried, cilantro is at

its divine best freshly snipped from the plant. Within

hours of being cut, fresh cilantro loses a great deal of

flavor, so if you’re purchasing it by the bunch in the produce

aisle, you’re already missing out on a lot. It’s simple

to keep a never ending supply on hand at home.

47

CROP BIOGRAPHYFor many people, cilantro is excitingly new and trendy. Actu-

ally this wildly popular ingredient is as old as the hills and used

in many foods and confections we’ve been enjoying forever.

Properly identified as Coriandrumsativum, this name comes from

the Greek word ‘koris’ and means ‘stinky bug’. Coriander is its

common name in English and many other languages, but today

generally refers to the seed. The leaves are known as ‘cilantro’

in Spanish, which is how the plant got to Mexico and why the

leaves are so commonly used in Mexican food and the cuisine of

other South American countries.

This is one of the few plants that all parts are edible, as well as

being classed as both an herb and a spice. Dried coriander seeds

are a spice derived from the sweetly fragrant, lacy flower heads

that are used ground or whole in cooking, baking and preserv-

ing. The pungent leaves and stems are classed as an herb, and

together with the roots are used in cuisines from around the

world. Which plant part is favored most often, depends on what

culture created the recipe.

For those who aren’t aware of it, there is a defining difference

between an herb and a spice, though we use these words inter-

changeably today. Spices are fragrant or aromatic plants parts

that are also edible. Herbs also have healing properties used for

medicine, beneficial properties used in cosmetics and food pres-

ervation, along with adding great flavor to food or drink.

BENEFICIAL ELEMENTSThe earliest record of health benefits from the coriander or ci-

lantro plant is in ancient Egypt where it was brewed into tea as

a cure for urinary tract infections, as well as made into salves

and poultices.You know there is something truly special about

a plant when its seeds are buried with King Tut to use in his

afterlife. Cilantro tea is still used in holistic medicine today and

in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat disorders

of the stomach. The Greeks also used the essential oils from the

foliage and stems for making perfumes.

It is known to be high in antioxidants and has antibacterial, anti-

fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and has shown excel-

lent results in treating diabetes where it lowers the blood sugar.

Cilantro is also used in the U.S. today for fighting cholesterol,

and research shows it is twice as effective at killing Salmonella

as gentamicin.

SEED VARIETIES & CROP PLANNINGFor those who try to time outdoor garden harvest of toma-

toes, jalapenos and cilantro for the most heavenly of salsas, the

heat required to finish off the peppers and tomatoes makes the

plants quickly bolt and turn into coriander. As soon as the plant

47

begins to form flowering stems, the sought after flavor of ci-

lantro is ruined as the leaves become bitter tasting. This makes

indoor growing of cilantro even more valuable year around.

Coriander, like all other cultivars, has been paid great attention

to by hybridizers. You will find seed varieties available that are

sold as having improved flavor and slower seed setting. Still, this

annual performs best for prolonged cilantro harvest at cooler

temperatures, so be sure to make note of this inherent trait.

Pinching back flower stems buys you a little more foliage harvest

time, but not much. For continual harvest, it is better to start

new seeds about every 4-5 weeks to ensure that you have a

continual supply of fresh cilantro for whipping up your favorite

dishes.

All varieties of cilantro or coriander mature to about 60 cm tall

at flowering, so be sure to have ample height for lighting adjust-

ment as they grow.

SOWING & GROWING INFOCilantro is a great candidate for indoor gardening with its hardy

constitution, minimal light requirements and preference for

lower ambient temperatures. With good grow lighting, you can

enjoy great success in potting soil, but it is also a simple crop for

hydroponic containers, and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) or

drip irrigation systems. In a greenhouse it is difficult to maintain

the climate for this crop and it is prone to fungal infections. Days

that are too short cause the plants to quickly thin, wither and

die off, so don’t cheat your plants out of any of the required

sunshine hours.

This member of the carrot family does not transplant well, so

CILANTRO I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

HIPPOCRATES PRAISED THE HERB FOR ITS HEALING BENEFITS AND WAS USING TEA BREWED FROM

THE LEAVES TO TREAT HEALTH DISORDERS IN 500 B.C.

GYO Fast Facts• pH range 6.5-7.5 for best results

• Cilantro likes low humidity

• 20-23 C best for leaf harvest

• 11-hour daylight minimum

• Crop yield: 0.5 Kg. / 1.5 m.)

of NFT trough

• Harvest per sowing: 2-3

• Harvest 12 months a year is possible

BY TAMMY CLAYTON

TASTE BUD TEASERSRub it on meat, sprinkle it in salads or have

a constant supply for any number of ethnic

dishes. Cilantro is used in so many popu-

lar dishes today; it will be hard to imagine

how you lived without it constantly avail-

able for picking fresh. Here’s an awesome

sounding recipe to try.3

49 49

CILANTRO I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

you will want to start and finish it in the same medium. The

best mediums for hydroponic growing of cilantro are high quality

free-draining soilless mixes or sterile media. Seeds start best at

20-24 C, and will germinate in 5-7 days. Cilantro is best started

misting the medium twice a day and keeping the container in a

covered germinating tray or sealed plastic bag. Maintain full sun

lighting for 12-14 hours each day. Plants are ready for your drip

irrigation or NFT hydroponic system when the seedlings are 5-7

centimeter tall. The plant’s preferred daytime temperature is

24 C and 15.5 C at night with no more than 75% humidity and

a minimum of 11 hours of sunlight a day. Higher grow room

temperature brings bolting rapidly. You want only the immature

parsley-like leaves for cooking. Once the feathery leaves that

precede bolting appear, you might as well allow it to produce

seed. The feathery leaves are bitter and of no value.

You can expect good harvesting in 4-6 weeks. If you can’t wait

that long to whip up some salsa, you can begin cutting as early

as when you have about 15 cm of leaf and stem available. The

plants will continue to generate new stems, as their goal in life

is to flower and set seed. Just don’t expect them to grow thick

and full in the face of your impatience for culinary ingredients. At

the same time, trimming helps to stall bolting. If you’re after both

seed and leaf, plan your crop and harvest accordingly.

Controlling the heat that causes cilantro to quickly bolt and start

the seed setting process is much easier to accomplish with light-

ing versus summer temperatures outdoors. This plant does very

well under standard fluorescent or high output fluorescent lights

and High Intensity Discharge (HID) grow lights. With the thin

leaf structure and hot HID lights, you will need a fan with the

power to circulate air rapidly enough to prevent over-heating of

your crop. The last thing you want after successfully producing

great plants is to burn the uppermost foliage.

Nutrients for cilantro will be ‘grow’ solutions that are high in ni-

trogen for increasing leaves and roots as opposed to flower and

fruit. If your interest in growing fresh cilantro is more business

orientated, plan on the full 6 weeks for your first crop harvest.

You’ll find a good market for this fast growing herb in super fresh

condition almost anywhere, especially when organically grown

which will bring the highest wholesale crop income.

Spicy, piquant sauce perfect for topping off botanas or

grilled vegetables. For fresher fire, omit the cayenne

and add a jalapeno pepper. A little dab will do you.

This flavor explosion sauce will go a long way.

• 60 mL olive oil

• 1 scallion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 15 mL toasted pine nuts or walnuts

• 7.5 mL lime juice

• 237 mL lightly packed cilantro leaves

(short stems)

• 237 mL lightly packed parsley

sprigs (small stem)

• Few pinches of cayenne pepper

• .5 mL teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients but the salt and

cayenne in your blender or food

processor and mix to combine. If

you’re using fresh chilli, you will want

to add it with the first ingredients.

Add the salt and puree until smooth. Transfer

to a small serving dish for the table. Bon appetite!

Cilantro Pesto

DAYS THAT ARE TOO SHORT CAUSE THE PLANTS TO QUICKLY THIN, WITHER AND DIE OFF, SO DON’T CHEAT YOUR PLANTS OUT OF ANY OF THE REQUIRED SUNSHINE HOURS

50

D O W N T O E A R T H

Coming from the north, east or west it seems like

a little hill grown over by grass. Approaching the

Earthship from the south, one finds a crystal-like

greenhouse instead. Surprising, but with a moment’s

thought, you realize that the windows are facing

south for a good reason. They are directed toward

the most sunlight, toward where the sun gives life

– in the Northern hemisphere, anyway. And this is

one of the key concepts of what Earthships are all

about: to enable one to live comfortably with what

nature has to offer.

Earthships

51

Public Park Nooterhof in the city of

Zwolle (the Netherlands) lodges one

of these Earthships. This Earthship

functions as a public tea house, open-

ing its glass doors to visitors fascinated

about living in and with the earth, and

outside the paradigm of the modern

urban world.

THREE PRINCIPLESKnown as radically sustainable green,

these curious buildings covered in dirt, not only spare the en-

vironment, but help improve several issues the environment is

faced with nowadays. As is often the case with brilliant ideas,

the principles behind an Earthship are surprisingly simple. In

fact, the buildings leave anyone first looking into their concept

startled by its simplicity. Three principles make Earth-

ships extremely green: the use of recycled products,

self-sufficiency for its inhabitants, and the implementation of

sustainable technologies.

STACKED TIRES FILLED WITH EARTHStanding next to the Earthship’s 50-100 cm thick walls makes

you realize that they are nearly impossible to penetrate, or

even to disturb. It is discarded car tires, stacked like bricks

51

and jam-packed with earth, that make

up the building’s frame. Visitors of

the tea house are allowed a peak into

the Earthship’s outer walls. A small

piece of the northern wall has been

left unfinished. It shows a couple of

the thousand discarded car tires that

shape the walls.

However impressive, not car tires but

earth is the humble secret ingredient

that makes up the Earthship. Just as the building’s name

suggests. Earthships use earth as their weapon in a building’s

never-ending battle with the ambient air temperature-with

hardly any intervention of air conditioning or heating. Earth

functions as thermal mass that passively absorbs natural heat

when the sun is out. During the night or on cloudy days, the

earth gives its stock of warmth back to the room. This way,

even in climates as chilly as the Dutch have, Earthships provide

for a constant indoor temperature year-round with a minimum

of utility bills.

GLASS WALLSDon’t assume that an Earthship will have an aesthetics defi-

cit. Quite the contrary. Its car tire, earth-filled walls are

EARTHSHIPS I GARDEN CULTURE

THREE PRINCIPLES GIVE EARTHSHIPS THEIR DEEP GREEN COLOR: THE USE OF RECYCLED PRODUCTS,

SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR ITS INHABITANTS, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

gardenculture.net

radically sustainable greenEarthship in Taos, New MexicoEarthships

BY MAAIKE VISSER

52

Earthship in Zwolle, the Netherlands

53

EARTHSHIPS I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

normally plastered and painted over making them appear

similar to those of an elegant, modern adobe style house

that would fit into any community. The inside walls, how-

ever, are the walls that allow for creativity in interior de-

sign. Looking at these artsy walls you would almost forget

that they are sound-damping, temperature moderating as

well as fine-looking.

EFFICIENCY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCYNow that the ‘earth’ part of the concept has been ex-

plained, the mystery remains why these buildings are

dubbed ships. This piece of the puzzle will fall into place

at the moment one enters an Earthship. Walking into one

of these self-sufficient capsules feels like boarding a ship.

Suddenly you are separated from the world - autonomous

even. For Earthships are not connected to any power, gas,

water or sewage lines, they are fully self contained. Not

only does this trigger a strong feeling of independency, it

also allows for more efficiency in terms of energy, water,

economics and environment.

Rainwater that hits the Earthship’s roof is collected, fil-

tered in plant troughs several times, and then used and

reused. Starting off as drinking water, it seconds as shower,

washing machine, and toilet water, after which it is finally

used to water the plants. And solar panels on top of the

roof generate enough electricity and warmth for a family to

get through a normal day.

THE FIRST EARTHSHIPOne tire at a time, an experienced international Earthship

crew finished construction of the Dutch tea house in 2009.

This was the first Earthship built in the Benelux Union area of

Europe, but certainly not the very first of its kind. Introduced

by American eco-architect Michael Reynolds, the prototype

Earthship was built in the desert of Taos, New-Mexico.

Reynolds has been devoted to building houses out of natural

resources and discarded items since graduating from the Uni-

versity of Cincinnati in 1969. His conviction that, with the right

formula, products can be recycled to form buildings that won’t

spoil the resources and beauty of the earth, led him to design

the first Earthship in the 1970’s. He has authored five books

on the topic, and directed the film ‘Garbage Warrior’ in 2007.

WORLDWIDE HYPEThe tea house in Zwolle is just one of the many Earthships

that can be found worldwide. After some start-up trouble,

they now have reached global celebrity status. Around the

world today, you will find hundreds of Earthships with doz-

ens of specialized crews building more of these uber green

structures. Each building is custom made to fit the climate

it is placed in, and through a process of trial and error, each

new Earthship is a bit better than the last.

As for the Netherlands, after having introduced Earthships

to the Benelux, the country is currently the first in Europe

to develop an official Earthship district. Last spring con-

struction began on twenty-three more of these exciting

self-sufficient buildings in the city Olst.

YOUR CUP OF TEA?Earthships are remarkable buildings that enable civilized

living while helping to restore the exhausted and damaged

environment. Anyone interested in these sustainable and re-

cycled buildings can visit the tea house Earthship in Zwolle.

Reflecting over a cup a fair-trade tea here makes you realize

all too well the beauty and comfort of radically sustainable

living. And while you are there, don’t worry about enjoying

that piece of pie: it has been locally grown. 3

AS EARTHSHIPS ARE NOT CONNECTED TO ANY POWER, GAS, WATER OR SEWAGE LINES,THEY ARE FULLY SELF-CONTAINED

54

KornWhen you picture the

members of Korn, you

probably don’t envi-

sion them with propaga-

tors, nutrients and grow

lights—but, between

world tours and a gruel-

ing recording schedule, the

band is determined to take

steps towards control-

ling their own food supply.

Here’s why…

Via a friend I got in contact with

Jim Otell, Korn’s right hand man,

and Toi Russell, the band’s tech support guy. Jim and

Toi’s job is keeping Korn sounding good and feeling good.

Their jobs require the highest level of dedication. Eleven

albums, countless concerts and running the sound both

on the road and in studio, these guys work grueling hours

and have tons of responsibility. The rock and roll lifestyle

can be a killer—literally. The members of the band all gave

up all drugs (including alcohol) years ago. They made a

decision to live sober, healthier lives and focus on mak-

ing music. But when it came to their diets nothing had

changed.

“I didn’t know any better than to serve them the stan-

dard of modern American cuisine, fast food and junk

food,” Jim lamented. Then, about two years ago, Jim

spoke to record producer Ross Robinson. “He told me

is growing Garden Culture visits Korn’s recording

studio in Bakersfield, California to find

out why the legendary nu-metal band is start-

ing their own indoor food garden.

that I should take better care of

the guys—that life on the road

was tough and the diet that

went with it was just not good

for them.

So Jim decided to replace pro-

cessed junk food with healthy

alternatives. He made daily vis-

its to Whole foods and Trader

Joes. Kale chips replaced regular

chips. Salads took the place of

chips and pizza. Within just a

few months the guys were look-

ing and feeling great. It turned

out Ross was 100% on the money and the band members

became hooked, so to speak, on healthy eating. The next step

was to cut out all the shopping. “Few folks really have the

time to go shopping every day, just to enjoy fresh fruits and

vegetables.” That’s when Jim first thought about growing his

own garden—how could it be any fresher?

Corn ?!

PHOTOS BAND: TDC PHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK

55

KORN I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

Thank you to Bloomington Wholesale and Secret Jardin for supplying the

Grow Tent and Cameron Laubisch andJordan Gartenhaus from Grohaus

Automation for supplying the amazing Hydroid.

Toi approached hisfriend, Pat Gallager, about their garden

aspirations. Pat owns The Hydro Store in Reno Nevada,

and manufactures a bucket-style system for growing hy-

droponically, called the Hydrolife 7.8. The seed to Korn’s

garden was planted.

In the beginning of this year I was contacted by Pat and

seven days later I landed at LAX and was on my way to

the studio in Bakersfield, CA. Originally Toi had an idea to

set up an 2.4m X 2.4m grow tent garden producing food

hydroponically. I contacted some industry friends and

quickly we got hooked up with a tent from Secret Jardin

and a kickass grow room controller from Grohause.

However, in the process of discussing their requirements,

plans quickly started to turn into something bigger. To-

gether we conceived the plan for the 30 X 8 foot room

Korn had available for growing fresh produce.

Here is the fun part. This garden is going to grow, literally.

In the process of discussing their requirements, the plans

quickly started evolving into something bigger. Together we

conceived the plan for the entire 9 X 2,4 m room Korn had

available for growing fresh produce. This is just the beginning.

In a couple of weeks I’m back at Korn’s studio to finalize the

set-up of a new and bigger grow room. Check out the next

issue of this magazine for the follow up of Korn. 3

Jonathan Davis

Ray Luzier

Reginald Arvizu

BY ERIC COULOMBE

Korn Who?

Korn’s unique distorted seven-strings

style launched a new sound in American

metal music, coined Nu Metal. Copied

by many bands, Korn has forever left its mark on

American music. The band first formed as LAPD

(Love And Peace Dude) and was later changed

to Creep. They renamed to Korn after the vo-

calist, Jonathan Davis, joined the band in 1993.

Unfortunately, in 2005, the nu-metal godfa-

thers lost their guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch

to other projects. Korn’s current line-up

is vocalist Jonathan Davis, Brian “Head”

Welch, James “Munky” Shaffer, Reginald

“Fieldy” Arvizu, and Ray Luzier.

www.korn.com

Who is Who?

Jim Otell has been one of Korn’s technical supervi-

sors, the guitar tech, and a friend of the band for al-

most 14 years. In the service of Korn Jim wears many

hats; his newest will be gardener.

Toi Russell has been with the band since 2010. He

is the ProTools Guy and technical support for the

drums. Like Jim, Toi does tons of different things.

When they say the show must go on, it these guys

who get that done. They are the glue. Of course they

have lots of help too!

Pat runs The Hydro Store in Reno Nevada. He also

manufactures a Deep Water Bucket System called

the Hydrolife 7.8.

More info www.thehydrostore.com

56

Fungi, Molasses, & ROCK PHOSPHATE

Many plants go through a juvenile stage where they sharply increase in size before shifting

their energy into flowering and fruiting. The size plants reach during this stage has an impact

on how much harvest they produce.

Beneficial fungi, molasses, and rock phosphate have been used to help boost plant growth

during this critical stage for years. They work in harmony to help plants thrive.

57

GROWTH BOOSTERS I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

BY GRUBBYCUP

Fungi, Molasses, & ROCK PHOSPHATE

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYCORRHIZAE AND THE PLANT IS A SYMBIOTIC ONE; BOTH ORGANISMS

BENEFIT FROM THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH EACH OTHER

The two most important fungi for most gardeners are

ecto-mycorrhizal, and endo-mycorrhizal.

Ectomycorrhizae form primarily on tree and woody plant

roots, although some can form on a wide variety of plants.

The fungus forms a covering on the roots, and then branch-

es out into the surrounding soil. Similar to hair ex-

tensions for roots, this fungal web called hy-

phae both extends the reach of the root

system, and increases the amount of

surface area collecting nutrients for

the plant. This network of nutri-

ent collecting hyphae is anchored

between the cortex cells of the

roots. The hyphae pick up nutri-

ents from the soil, and transport

them to the plant in exchange for

carbohydrates made by the plant.

Certain varieties also have antibi-

otic properties, which help protect the

plant from infection, and the sheathing of

fungus on the roots offers some protection from

nematodes. Since the hyphae strands are thinner than

roots, they not only extend the reach of the root system

by meters, but they can also exploit smaller nooks and

cracks in the growing media. One milliliter of colonized

soil may contain up to four meters of ectomycorrhizae.

For most other green leafy plants including vegetables, en-

domycorrhizae is the more important fungus.

Instead of helping the plant by extending the root system,

they improve the existing root system. Where ectomycor-

rhizae help by moving nutrients into the plant, endomycor-

rhizae help move nutrients within the roots themselves,

speeding them to the rest of the plant for use. Weaving

itself into the cortical cells of the roots, endomycorrhizae

Since beneficial fungi take time to establish and colonize

the root system, they are best introduced early. Mycor-

rhiza fungi are beneficial and assist in nutrient collection

and uptake. Adding carbohydrates to a nutrient solution

is a gardening trick for boosting plant performance going

back to at least the 1960’s.

Mycorrhizae (fungus-roots) are found

naturally occurring in healthy “live”

soil. Sterile hydroponic media may

require a spore inoculation to es-

tablish colonies. They are caused

by mycorrhiza fungi infecting a

plant root and the two together

are what are known as mycorrhi-

zae.

Plants with well-established mycor-

rhizae tend to perform better than

those that do not. Approximately 90% of

all plants can benefit from some form of mycor-

rhizae, including trees, shrubs, and garden plants. The

relationship between mycorrhizae and the plant is a sym-

biotic one; both organisms benefit from their association

with the other. The plant provides a carbohydrate source

for the fungus, and in return, the fungus helps assist the

plants in nutrient uptake, drought resistance, and blocking

their environmental niche from pathogenic fungi. It is bet-

ter to have helpful roommates than destructive ones, so

making sure beneficial fungi take up the space can prevent

something worse from moving in. Mycorrhizae collect and

process nitrogen, phosphorus and a variety of micronutri-

ents and pass them to the plant. Of particular use is their

ability to increase phosphorus uptake, which dramatically

increases over non infected plants.

Mycorrhizae spore

with external hyphae

59


gardenculture.net

tablished, the infected roots should serve as a host to

allow the fungus to spread throughout the root sys-

tem. Much like a small colony of mold will take over an

entire loaf of bread; in a healthy root system mycor-

rhiza will spread to fill the available space. Plant im-

provements from inoculate use are particularly pro-

nounced when used early in poor or sterile mediums.

In soil that already contains high levels beneficial fungi,

adding more spores has a less pronounced effect.

Mycorrhizae thrive on carbohydrates, which is part of

what they receive in payment from the plant in exchange

for helping the plant thrive. One way to boost benefi-

cial microorganisms including mycorrhizae is to feed

them with a carbohydrate additive such as molasses.

Carbohydrates (saccharides) are molecules with spe-

Roots with mycorrhizae

THE BENEFITS OF ADDING CARBOHYDRATES ARE MOSTLY INDIRECT; THEY FEED THE BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS AND MYCORRHIZAE WHICH HELP THE PLANTS

form small structures called arbuscules. These arbus-

cules are where the fungus delivers the transported

nutrients for the plant to receive, and picks up carbo-

hydrates supplied by the plant. Nutrients transported

by endomycorrhizae include nitrogen, phosphorous,

potassium, calcium, sulfur, and zinc, with an emphasis

on phosphorous uptake. Of particular use is where

rock phosphate is being used as a phosphorous source

instead of the more available superphosphate, as en-

domycorrhizae speeds the solubility conversion. Add-

ing endomycorrhizae generally replicates the effect

of increasing the strength of phosphorous in nutrient

solution by improving existing phosphorous uptake.

Although commonly already present in healthy soil,

mycorrhizae fungus levels can be increased by adding

powdered spores (inoculants) available at garden and

hydroponic shops. Sterile media and poor soils can be

brought from a complete absence of mycorrhizae to

abundance with the use of inoculants. All they need is

food (carbohydrates), water, and half a chance. High

applications of chemical nutrients can be detrimental

to development, so this system is less appropriate for

“goose pate” style gardens where nutrient is supplied

to the plant at the upper end of its ability to absorb.

This can create an apparent paradox where continu-

ing to apply additional nutrients can impede the plant’s

nutrient absorption. For example, killing off the endo-

mycorrhizae will require additional phosphorous to be

added to make up for the loss in efficiency and uptake.

If using mycorrhizal inoculants, apply at the beginning

of the season to establish the colonies early. Once es-

61


gardenculture.net

cific combinations of carbon and

water. A subset of carbohydrates

are the sugars ending in “-ose”.

For example, table sugar is sucrose

(C12H22O11), milk sugar is lactose

(also C12H22O11, but the atoms are

arranged differently), blood sugar

is glucose(C6H12O6) and so on.

Carbohydrates store energy that

many life forms can use, people included. The “sugar

rush” from eating a lot of sweets is an effect from over-

indulging in sugars. The energy is easily converted, but

then is quickly used. Keep in mind that unwelcome visi-

tors such as ants may be enticed to visit if a carbohy-

drate banquet is available, so make sure to clean up any

spills promptly.

The benefits of adding carbohydrates are mostly indi-

rect. They don’t help the plants directly, they feed the

beneficial microorganisms and mycorrhizae which help

the plants. These microorganisms use the ready energy

available in carbohydrates to thrive and reproduce.

Cane syrup, maple syrup, fruit juice, and molasses

can all be used as carbohydrate sources. Dilute to

10 ml. per 3,8 l.) of water. Cleanliness is a must, as

these may attract insects and leave a sticky residue.

Ants may be attracted to the residue, and if hydrated

(mixed with water) and allowed to go anaerobic (stale)

these may encourage the wrong sort of fungal growth.

Molasses (also known as Treacle) is a byproduct of sugar

refining, and contains not only plenty of carbohydrates

to add to your garden, but potassium, nitrogen, and iron

as well. Many micronutrients are locked in their chelated

form and require a chelating agent to unlock them. Mo-

lasses acts as a chelating agent (like Humic Acid), by en-

ergizing the root level biology, it makes micronutrients

more readily available for nutrient uptake by the plants.

Be careful when purchasing molasses as prices vary

widely. Although all three are usable for gardening

purposes, molasses marketed as a plant additive tends

to be very expensive, molasses intended for human

consumption is moderately priced, and molasses sold

as cattle feed supplement tends

to be pretty cheap. Molasses sold

for cattle feed is often mixed with

a grain to add structure. The ad-

dition of grain not only makes the

molasses easier to work with, but

adds compostable organic material

as an additional benefit. Personally,

I tend to purchase molasses made

for human consumption, as I don’t have a large garden;

I like it on my pancakes, and in Shoo Fly Pie. Apply at

two teaspoons (about 10ml.) per gallon of water, or the

same amount per pancake.

To complete the trio, add a good dollop of powdered

rock phosphate to the mix. Not only will this provide

the mycorrhiza with a supply of phosphorous to supply

the plant, but it can also provide a suitable environment

for other beneficial organisms to take up residence. The

well fed mycorrhiza should be put to work, and what they

do best is absorb and supply phosphorous to the plant.

Rock phosphate is available in two forms, “soft rock”

phosphate, and “hard rock” phosphate. Soft rock phos-

phate contains a higher amount of immediately available

phosphorous, and is usually the choice for container

soil enhancement. Hard rock phosphate is better suit-

ed to improve a field where plants are to be grown for

several years, or where the soil is reused.

Mycorrhiza help bring phosphorous and other benefits

to plants, and carbohydrates help mycorrhiza. During

early growth is a good time to add inoculants with a

packed carbohydrate lunch and rock phosphorous des-

sert to your growing media. Feeding your fungus car-

bohydrates regularly throughout flowering can have the

end result of giving your plants a phosphorous boost, and

reintroducing spores can help reestablish lost colonies.

Beneficial fungi help with keeping plants well fed, and

proper nutrition is one of the keys to bountiful har-

vests. Embrace the fungus among us, feed them, and

give them phosphorous to carry.

Peace, love, and puka shells. 3

MYCORRHIZA HELP BRING

PHOSPHOROUS AND OTHER BENEFITS TO PLANTS, AND CARBOHYDRATES HELP MYCORRHIZA

1

2

3

4

5

62

6 Too Much is Never Good!

The wisdom of moderation is first taught to us as

children and rings true until the day we die. Too much

of anything can be bad for us, and it’s the same way with

plants. Moderation is key. Don’t overwater your plants.

Don’t overdose them with nutrients. Instead of feeding

them half a gallon of water at once, use moderation. Spread

that half a gallon out to four different feeds spaced through

the day. You don’t drink a gallon of soda all at once. You

drink it one glass at a time. The same goes for your plants.

Too much is stressing them out. Moderate.

Measure, Monitor and Check

Measuring is one of the most important things when

growing. Don’t just measure your temperature in one

place. Measure it in multiple places to make sure your

climate is the same everywhere in your grow room. In

addition, it’s good to know what happening when you’re

not looking at the instruments. Get a data logger that

can tell you what’s going on when you’re at work or

asleep. Make sure your water is the right temperature by

measuring it, and at the same time make sure the pH and

EC/TDS are correct as well. The same goes for lighting. Get

a light meter to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Monitor

all these parameters. Correct them when necessary. You

will see improvements instantly.

Whatcha Doing That For

Know what you’re doing before you’re doing

it. I know this sounds lame, but a lot of growers

do stuff without knowing why they are doing it.

Think before you act. Why are you upping the dose?

Why are you changing the height of your lamps?

Sometimes the question is just as important as the

answer. If you’re unsure about how to fix a problem

- check out the internet, call a friend or visit your

local hydro store. Don’t make hasty decisions

without knowing the outcome.

10 TIPS: BE A BETTER GROWER INSTANTLY!

Quality in - Quality out

Using quality items saves you lots of trouble in

the long run. Saving $40 on a pH meter seems like

a good idea when you’re in the store. Somewhere

down the road when you need to calibrate it or need

replacement parts, you’ll discover it wasn’t your best

idea. The same goes for critical items like ballasts, fans

or carbon filters. You don’t want them to break or

fail in the middle of your grow. Also, your substrate is

very important. A cheap bag of soil or media is cheap

for a reason. The quality of the components used in

substrates make up a big portion of the price. Going

into this cheap will hurt your bottom line in the end

Don’t Skimp on Climate Control

Climate is essential for a plant to survive or thrive. With

a bad controlled climate you can be sure the outcome of

your grow isn’t what you expected. I understand an A/C

is expensive but it’s even more expensive to buy an extra

A/C because your initial A/C can’t cut it. The same goes the

exhaust fan if your growing without A/C, bigger is better.

Not only will it cool quicker but it also makes less sound

because your exhaust fan doesn’t have to work as hard.

Prevention is Better than Cure

It is better avoid a bad thing from happening than

it is to fix the bad thing once it has happened. So

what can you do right now? Run a tight operation.

Clean your grow room, and don’t let dead leaves or

plant materials lay around in your room. Clean before

starting a new grow. It’s also very important when

you’ve been outdoors or inside a friends grow room to

change your clothes. Another great natural prevention

is the introduction of beneficial bugs into your grow

room. This truly “bio control” method helps you

prevent and fight pest infestations by introducing their

natural enemies in your room before they can get to it.

Should mites come along they won’t have a chance in

getting to your crop. Instead, its dinner time for their

natural adversaries.

10 TIPS I GARDEN CULTURE


7

8

9

10Spend More Time in Your Garden

Don’t just spend time sitting in your grow room.

Look at the plants closely. Use a magnifying glass

to see things better. The more time you spend with

your plants the better you can “read” them, or see

problems before the disaster strikes. For example, a

spider mite infestation doesn’t just explode. It starts

with one plant and then steadily becomes more and

more. When you see massive webs across your plants,

you’re too late, and you haven’t spent enough time with

your plants. The same goes for malnutrition or crop

deformation. It started small, with one plant. When

you’re onto it early, you can still steer things back in

the right direction.

Be Passionate

Good relationships are formed with passion.

It isn’t any different with the relationship

between you and your crop. Being passionate makes

everything much easier, more fun and makes the

learning curve less steep. Grow because you want

to grow and focus on things you like to do when

growing. Don’t dwell on the stuff you dislike. If

you need to do something you dislike - turn on the

tunes and dream about better times. Just remember

the more you focus on the positive, the better the

outcome will be.

Educate Yourself

The thing that sets experts apart from novices is

education. They know how to recognize problems,

and how to correct them. You’re reading this magazine,

so you’re well on your way to a good education. To

become an expert, you need to do more. Buy a book

on growing plants, take a subscription on Garden

Culture, get a DVD and above all read more on the

internet. You’re never too old or young to learn. Even

experts with 25+ years of experience under their belt

can still learn new things as long as they are open for it.

Keep it Dark

How do you feel being rudely awakened in the middle

of the night with a big flashlight in your face? That how

your plants feel every time you interrupt their rest to work

in your grow room or to show your friends. Just don’t do it.

Buy a green LED light to work or look in your grow room

when your plants are awake. Also it’s important to make

sure your room is actually dark when the lights are off. Plants

can have a lot of stress with light leaking into the grow room,

so make sure it’s dark. Leaks are easyly spotted by standing

in your room with the lights off in the middle of the day.

YO U W I L L S E E I M P R O V E M E N T S I N S TA N T LY

“SOMETIMES THE QUESTION

IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ANSWER”

65

COLUMN I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

I first became aware of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) when press

releases from Calgene, Monsanto and other large biotech companies started

crossing my desk in 1995. I felt honored and proud that these large companies even

knew Growing Edge existed, the magazine I was publishing at the time.

BY TOM ALEXANDER

Calgene created a tomato called, Falvr Savr, which through

genetic engineering slowed the ripening process preventing it

from softening and rotting, resulting in a longer shelf life, yet

retaining its natural color and flavor. It seemed cutting edge. So

without knowing all the specifics, both good or bad, pro and

con, I wrote a cover story in Growing Edge magazine touting all

the talking points that were in the press release.

The Flavr Savr tomato eventually was a failure due to only

yielding 40-50% of traditional field grown tomatoes. Calgene

was eventually bought out by Monsanto, who is now the largest

GMO company in global agriculture.

My cover story created a firestorm of response from organic

growers and environmental activists. So much so, that a few

issues later, I wrote another cover story titled Frankenfood. In it

I presented the views of people and groups who were alarmed of

the dangers of GMOs

for the future of

agriculture, gardening

and consumers

eating the genetically

engineered food.

Unlike traditional

hybrid breeding

where like species are

deliberately crossbred

for desirable traits.

Genetically modified

breeding takes genes from distinctly different plant species

creating a totally new variety of plant. Many of these genetic

modifications have tried to boost nutritional benefits or

productivity, but the two main traits that have been added

to date are herbicide tolerance and the ability of the plant to

produce its own pesticide within the plant. These results have

no health benefit, only potential economic benefit for the

biotech companies.

The profit motive has made many people question the safety

of the GMOs. Scientists who study these GMOs must sign

nondisclosure agreements, leaving the biotech company free to

approve or disapprove releasing the results of any GMO studies.

It has been difficult to find independent funding to conduct

unbiased health studies of genetically engineered crops. Studies

conducted or funded by GMO companies may be skewed to

their advantage and negative results may be withheld from

summary data shown to regulators and the public.

What is outrageous is the pollen from field grown GMOs

trespassing and polluting crops miles away from the GMO crops.

When the trespassed upon grower replants saved contaminated

seeds, Monsanto sues them for patent infringement. Monsanto

has already filed lawsuits against hundreds of farmers for illegally

using GMO patented seeds, and there have been judgments as

high as a million dollars, with the average judgment being about

$170,000. GMO pollen pollution can ruin an organic farm’s crop,

profit and reputation.

The solution to this problem is to grow as much of your own

food as possible, hopefully far enough away from a commercial

farm growing GMO crops. Reading every issue of Garden

Culture magazine will help you do that.

THE GROWING CONTROVERSY OF GMOs

Tom Alexander has written on agriculture and gardening

since 1980. He published Growing Edge magazine from 1990

until 2009. The Growing Edge website is still active at www.

growingedge.com . He is a member of the Garden Writers

Association.

G M O A P P R O VA L S I N A U S T R A L I A

W O R L D W I D E FA C T S : 17.3 million farmers grow biotech crops.

170 million+ hectares growing GMO crops globally

US$34 billion global 2012 GMO seed market value

US$160 billion GMO grown produce grown annually

230% GMO seed prices increase since 2000

Canola

Corn

Cotton

Lucerne

(AlfaAlfa)

Potato

Rice

Soybean

Sugarbeet

G r o w i n g o n t h e E d g e

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67

Not only can you check

them out here, inhaling

scintillating aromas -

there’s a visual invitation

to help yourself to some

fresh picked herbs for

dinner. Who could

resist? Have a seat

and contemplate the

possibilities in front of

you. Highly irregular. How delightful.

The world could be a richer and friendlier place if more

neighborhoods had someone like this around. He planted

20 different kinds of herbs in these wicking container

gardens along the footpath just so he could offer them to

anyone who happens by.

A lovely idea. Generosity abounds. Is there more to it?

What’s the real story here? Why would someone be

inspired to plant a garden for the anyone and everyone.

Was it for the karma points?

Hardly. While he enjoys every thank you note tucked into

his letterbox from someone who feasted on the curb herbs

and even getting to know his neighbors after all these years,

the real reason is to inspire people to grow fresh food.

Once the self irrigating containers are constructed and

planted, maintaining any garden like this is a breeze. Just

67

don’t let them run out of water, and you’re good to go. A

little labor that will definitely give you miles of good karma,

whether you like it or not.

Don’t forget a bench. It’s the finishing touch and makes

the garden so much more inviting. The bench adds a social

air. Its a sign of welcome, a resting spot, a place to strike

up a conversation or simply consider the beauty of what

the gardener has to offer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just

sturdy. Whip up something fascinating using reclaimed

wood from pallets.

Thanks, Jock Keene of Sydney, for growing the good food

revolution forward. We appreciate you sharing your garden

pics and hope you get your wish... to inspire people to grow

food. We’ll do our part and spread your inspiring idea for

Help Yourself gardens around the world. 3

GOOD FOOD I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

THE WORLD COULD BE A RICHER AND

FRIENDLIER PLACE IF MORE

NEIGHBOUR-HOODS HAD

SOMEONE LIKE THIS AROUND.

You never know when some fresh young leaf will grab your attention. Tossing off alluring scent. Infusing

your mind with an urge to do something a bit wild and less predictable. Herbs are like that. They just can’t

help but share what the sun has energized them into creating. The scent makes it really hard to walk by

without at least a little look-see, a bit closer inspection.

BY TAMMY CLAYTON

“Highly irregular. How delightful”

Help Yourself

Jock Keene’s ‘Help Yourself garden’ in Sydney

Is your company in need of a face lift?

GC Publishers is your ‘cosmetic surgeon’ of

choice when it comes to re-vamping your

company’s marketing needs.

We specialize in creative concepts, from a

fresh new logo or new advertisement to a

high-tech website. For every budget.

We’re happy to talk to you about your

specific needs and wishes.

www.GCpublishers.netGCpublishers

68

BITCOINS

GROW YOUR OWN

MONEY

69

BITCOINS I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

BY DAVID MURPHY

In final months of 2010, at the height of the Wikileaks scandal, the major online financial institutions

VISA, Mastercard and Paypal moved to cut off the supply of donations to the site, under pressure

from powerful governments around the world. Faced with ruin, Wikileaks turned to an alternative

currency. One that wasn’t controlled by any government around the world. A currency that had

essentially been created with the press of a single key, by an enterprising young programmer who was

known in the cybersphere as Satoshi Nakamoto. It was called bitcoin.

ers there are, the less each one re-

ceives, and the system is designed to

run for a twenty year period, yield-

ing no more than 21 million bitcoins.

It is the combination of these fac-

tors that give bitcoins their value, in

much the same way as gold acquired

more value than water in the an-

cient world, because it was limited

in quantity and took a great deal of

effort to extract.

Almost as soon as mining began, Bit-

coin exchanges opened on the web.

If you can’t be bothered spending

your own money on a mining ef-

fort, then you can simply buy a miner’s coins with

conventional money through a more traditional digi-

tal currency system such as paypal. At the peak of

their value, a bitcoin was worth more than $16.83

although market fluctuations and other factors have

since brought the price back down to about $5.61.

For your cash, you get what is essentially a block of

uniquely encrypted data. It cannot be replicated, and

because every copy of the program keeps a record

Twenty years of aggressive

growth on the internet has given

us a string of dotcom billionaires.

From Larry Paige to Mark Zuck-

erberg, the ability to conjure up

vast sums of money simply by

having the right idea at the right

time is nothing new. But what

Nakatomo was trying to achieve

with bitcoin was something dif-

ferent. His system mimicked the

popular peer-to-peer networks

already used by millions to down-

load and share their favourite

games, movies and music; it also

incorporated new anti-spamming

and cryptography technology which would enable it

to create money literally out of nothing.

It functions on a simple principle. Bitcoins can only

be produced by completing complex mathematical

puzzles, a process referred to as mining. The puzzles

require a real world investment, in terms of comput-

ing power and the energy required to run a proces-

sor, and prospectors are rewarded by the occasional

trickle of bitcoins into the system. The more min-

GROW YOUR OWN

MONEYFOR YOUR CASH, YOU GET WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A

BLOCK OF UNIQUELY ENCRYPTED DATA.

IT CANNOT BE REPLICATED

71

BITCOINS I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

of where every bitcoin was created,

it would take a million times more

work to fake the file than to create a

real one. If you delete the encrypt-

ed data, or damage the computer it’s

stored on, it’s gone. Other than that, it works just

like any real world commodity. You can spend it at an

exchange, or with a retailer – anyone else who runs the

bitcoin software. You don’t register your name, and

none of your personal details are included in the coin.

Everything is tied to a single bitcoin address, secured by

incredibly complicated, paired encryption keys.

The irony is that the supposed anonymity of bitcoins is

a fallacy. The lengthy chain of data encrypted by each

computer includes all of the transactions ever pro-

cessed by the system, linked to the various IP addresses

of the users. With enough forensic investigation, any

particular transaction can be traced back to a physical

location. There are now sites that offer what is called

a bitcoin “fog”. This fog acts as a mixing service where

funds transferred to the fog get mixed with other us-

ers’ funds and when requested are paid out in multiple

randomized transactions to further obscure the source

of the money.

SO WHY DID SATOSHI NAKAMOTO

CREATE BITCOIN, AND

SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR OFF THE FACE OF THE WEB?

So why did Satoshi Nakamoto cre-

ate bitcoin, and suddenly disappear

off the face of the web? He had

done nothing illegal and he didn’t

stand to make some outrageous,

immoral level of profit from floating the company a year

down the line. Like a 21st century Salk, the creator of

the polio vaccine, he gave his invention away. There

have been suggestions that Nakamoto hoarded a stash

of bitcoins before the software’s release, and that at

the optimum moment in the bitcoins twenty year lifes-

pan he will release them onto the market and make mil-

lions. But like everything else surrounding Nakamoto,

it is merely rumour, heaped on speculation, stacked on

a wobbly pile of guesswork. Is he a single individual? A

cadre of programmers working under a collective alias?

The other coders credited with developing the bitcoin

technology, and with maintaining it, stay tight-lipped

about his identity. For them, the individual isn’t impor-

tant. The project is more about good old-fashioned

rebellion. A reaction to the financial irresponsibility

demonstrated by the world’s leading institutions over

the last five years. It’s about taking digital currency out

of the hands of administrators and governments, and

putting it back in the hand of the private individual. 3

72

W I N D O W

With farm land decreasing at the same time that population numbers are increas-

ing globally, vertical hydroponic gardens may be one solution to the world’s food

shortages. Being ecologically and economically sound, hydroponic gardening is one

of the fastest growing areas of patenting in the U.S. today. The trend is far from

restricted to the U.S. Many innovators across the globe are creating these gardens

in urban environments.

f a r m i n g

73 73

WINDOW FARMING I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

BY MELANIE VOTAW

Some of these farms are large scale, such as

the vertical greenhouse called Plantagon,

which is set to be built in Linkoping, Swe-

den. The concept is a helix system in

which plants are transported on a spe-

cial elevator. The crops grow during

the slow ride down the helix, and an

automatic harvesting machine allows

the food to be harvested in batches.

A smaller scale, grassroots urban

agriculture movement was launched

in New York City in 2008 by Britta

Riley and Rebecca Bray. What start-

ed as a simple idea has since turned

into a worldwide movement and a

company called Windowfarms. More

than 33,000 people now participate in

the Windowfarms community.

Their concept was created for people to

become more nutritionally independent.

Using a vertical stack of recycled bottles in

which plants are rooted in clay pellets with no

soil, a pump at the bottom sends liquid nutrients to

the top. The nutrients then trickle down through the root

systems of the plants, and the roots remain compact, re-

quiring less space than plants grown in dirt. As a result,

organic vegetables can be grown indoors in any climate

year-round using natural or artificial light.

Riley and Bray knew that NASA had been using hydropon-

ics to explore growing food in space, discovering that opti-

mal nutritional yield can be achieved by running high quality

liquid nutrients over plant root systems. So, they gathered

some friends and created their first prototype. As Riley

said in her 2011 TED talk about Windowfarms, the first

systems were “leaky, loud, power-guzzlers that

Martha Stewart would definitely never have ap-

proved.” She and her team were able to grow

enough vegetables for a single salad a week

in their New York apartments, but they

wanted to work out the bugs in the sys-

tem and make it better. So, they opened

the idea to co-developers in what Riley

calls “open source collaboration.”

In order to encourage this collaboration,

they created a social media website that

spilled the beans on how the systems are

created, as well as what was not work-

ing. They hoped people would take the

idea and run with it. And run they did.

A number of people wanted to become

more nutritionally independent, so they

each worked on improving and customizing

the farms for their own needs.

One Windowfarms enthusiast, for example,

discovered that using air pumps instead of water

pumps would cut the carbon footprint of the system

by nearly half. Another learned by trial and error that he

could get his strawberry plants to fruit in low light by sim-

ply changing the nutrients in the liquid. A Windowfarmer

in Finland outfitted the system with LED grow lights.

As people shared their ideas and discoveries, Riley’s team

incorporated the improvements that were most likely to

benefit the majority. The end result? Manufactured kits

that became available for shipment in the U.S. and a few

other countries in the summer of 2012.

Funding for manufacturing was achieved through crowd-

sourcing. Riley’s Kickstarter.com page was begun with

the goal of raising $56,000 in Windowfarm pre-sales. She

MORE THAN 33,000 PEOPLE NOW PARTICIPATE IN THE

WINDOWFARMS COMMUNITY

a small amount of electricity is required to run the Win-

dowfarm. In the U.S., the average electricity cost of even a

4-column farm is just over $3.20 per year.

While these small vertical hydroponics do not grow every-

thing, such as root vegetables or tall grain plants like corn

and wheat, most plants like greens and herbs, as well as

fruit, can be grown, with heavier plants tied to the metal

rack that holds the bottles.

raised $288,407 instead. Windowfarms is now both a for-

profit company with a patent and a non-profit organiza-

tion. The for-profit company makes the products, and the

proceeds fund the non-profit, which focuses on the com-

munity, the movement, and education.

CREATING A VERTICAL HYDROPONIC FARM AT HOMEIndividuals can build their own Windowfarm rather than

purchase a kit using the instructions provided on the

organization’s website. Setting it up can take from a few

hours up to a full day. After that, the system is mostly self-

sustaining. Water simply needs to be changed weekly, and

some cleaning must be performed monthly.

The systems are 1.2 m tall, fit in different sized windows,

and are hung by a hook or sit on a platform below the

window (on the floor, a shelf, or the windowsill). Wide

windows can handle several columns, while tall windows

can accommodate one on top of the other. Some growers

use clip-on CFL or LED lights on timers to better control

the environment for their plants.

After the initial material costs, maintenance expenses are

minimal. If the pump is run on a timer, as suggested, only

Recycling: collecting plastic bottles in Manhattan for creating window farms

WINDOWFARMS IS NOW BOTH A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY WITH A PATENT AND A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

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VERTICAL IS THE FUTUREWhile Plantagon is centralized, and the Win-

dowfarms concept is decentralized, both

seek to grow food in cities as a response to

global crowding. Riley says that urbanites rely

on others more than rural dwellers. “It’s pre-

cisely when we hand over the responsibility

for all of these things to specialists that we

cause the kinds of messes that we see with

the food system,” she said in her TED talk.

As a result of these food system issues, the

vertical hydroponics trend is fully entrenched.

As more and more people move into urban

environments, growing their own food or

purchasing from sources like Plantagon may

become the norm rather than a novelty. 3

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Grow Your Own Series:

FreshWasabi

If you’re a regular patron of Japanese restaurants, fiery green

wasabi paste is a familiar and welcome sight. So, it might

come as a surprise to learn that you’ve probably never

tasted real wasabi. Most restaurants use a substitute made

from Western-style horseradish and other ingredients,

including vinegar and mustard powder.

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That’s because real wasabi, Wasabia japonica, is rare and

expensive even in its Japanese homeland. It’s native to the

cold upland streams of that mountainous country, and is

notoriously difficult to grow. It flourishes only in a nar-

row range of conditions, and most cultivars are specific to

one small region of Japan. However, commercial growers

in Japan, Taiwan and North America have slowly learned

to coax this uncooperative plant into producing reliable

crops.

Wasabi is part of the larger brassica family, which also in-

cludes the cabbages and mustards

as well as Western horseradish and

other root plants including turnips,

daikon and the familiar garden rad-

ish. Like horseradish and the mus-

tards, its fiery nostril-clearing char-

acter is a chemical defence against

predators. When the cell walls are

crushed or grated, enzymes in the

root quickly convert stored sulphur

compounds into an irritating chemi-

cal called sinigrin. It’s highly volatile

and aerosolizes quickly, which is

why you feel the effect primarily in

your sinuses.

Growing wasabi can prove a fas-

cinating project for experienced

gardeners in search of a challenge.

The plant requires lots of shade,

ideally 75 % coverage or better. It

requires high humidity and cool air

temperatures, ranging from 8-20 C,

and flourishes best at 12-15 C. In

warmer, sunnier or drier climates

the shade-type greenhouse can be

the best solution, providing shelter

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and a microclimate that can be kept humid and tempera-

ture-controlled. A fertilizer containing sulphur will help

increase the root’s potency.

In nature, wasabi grows in a semi-aquatic environment

along stony riverbeds. If you have running water on your

property, or have an existing hydroponic system, you can

use that water to cultivate wasabi. Prepare a deep bed

or large box-shaped planter, approximately 75-125 cm in

depth. Fill the bed with stones approximately 6-8 cm in

diameter, leaving 10 cm at the top. Cover the stones with

a layer of rounded gravel the size of

large peas, approximately 6-8 cm.

Finally, fill the rest of the bed with

fine sand.

The plants will flourish best when

the water flows gently down a slight

slope, usually 2 to 4 degrees. Water

should be distinctly cool, with an

ideal temperature of 12-15 C. Wa-

ter flow should be gentle, no more

than 10 cm per second, to produce

straight and healthy rhizomes. If the

water flow is too strong, the roots

will grow in a curved shape. The

flavor will still be fine, but if you’re

growing them for sale, curved roots

don’t fetch as high a price.

Wasabi can also be cultivated on

dry land, in a light, well-drained soil

with lots of sand and organic mate-

rial. Prepare your beds in an area

where there’s a lot of natural shade,

or where you can easily shade the

plants with a cover. The plants re-

quire constant moisture even on

WASABI I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

BY FRED DECKER

GROWING WASABI CAN PROVE A FASCINATING PROJECT FOR EXPERIENCED GARDENERS IN SEARCH OF A CHALLENGE

LIKE HORSERADISH AND THE MUSTARDS,

WASABI’S FIERY NOSTRIL-CLEARING CHARACTER

IS A CHEMICAL DEFENCE AGAINST HERBIVORES

81

WASABI I GARDEN CULTURE

gardenculture.net

land, so plan to irrigate with soaker hoses or some other

form of low-flow irrigation. Monitor your plants closely.

Provide more water if they wilt, and less if you begin to

find stem rot.

Wasabi can be propagated from seed, slips or the small

plantlets that grow around the crown of a mature plant.

Plantlets 3 cm long, with four or five leaves of their own,

can usually be planted directly into your aquatic or dry-

land beds. Place each plantlet in its own hole, about 30 cm

apart, with about 1 cm of the root left above the surface

once you’ve patted the sand or soil back into place. Plants

grown from slips or seeds must be grown to a height of

approximately 5 cm before transplanting into their beds.

The fiery roots will usually be large enough to harvest in

16 to 24 months, depending on your growing conditions.

Remove plantlets from the main stem for replanting, and

then wash the root thoroughly. Trim away any small roots

then peel the stem with a paring knife or peeler. As with

chilli peppers, it’s best to wear gloves while working with

fresh wasabi. The juices can be decidedly unpleasant if they

find their way to a sensitive spot.

Real wasabi is best when grated as needed. Japanese chefs

use a special grater made from shark skin, but a very fine

conventional grater will also work. The flavor will reach its

peak within 3 to 5 minutes, and will diminish within 15 to 20

minutes if it’s left uncovered. Fresh wasabi has the familiar,

fiery effect in the diner’s sinuses, but mellows quickly to a

sweet and complex flavor quite unlike the artificial variety.

Grate only as much as you need for one meal, then store the

remainder of the root tightly wrapped in your refrigerator.

It will keep for several weeks. To preserve your wasabi for

the longer term, slice and dehydrate the roots. Grind the

dried roots into powder in your spice grinder, and store it

in airtight packaging in a cool, dark place. 3

WASABI CAN BE PROPAGATED FROM SEED, SLIPS OR THE

SMALL PLANTLETS THAT GROW AROUND THE CROWN OF A

MATURE PLANT

Japanese wasabi farm

Garden Culture Magazine: AUS 1

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