3/8/98
Time:
4:07:38 PM

Comments

I am looking for information on growing strawberries hydroponically, in greenhouses which are
already set up with a hydroponic system for growing English Cucumbers in rockwool. I will need to
know about fertilizer schedules, crop timing, temperatures, etc. My location is in Nova Scotia
Canada. My e-mail address is vanderkloet@ns.sympatico.ca Hope to hear very soon as we need to
make some serious decisions.

I did grow 3 strawberry plants one time. Get back to me in about a year.
Ron

Date:
3/10/98
Time:
10:51:57 PM

Comments

I am growing a hydroponic garden from found objects with some kids in my 5th grade class. My job
is to research and decide which are the best plants to grow and why. Can anyone help?

You can't go wrong with herbs and spices. They grow fast and last forever
Stick to plants that grow well in your area. Some plants don't do well in hydroponics so if they don't
take to your system then replace them with plants that do.
Just buy small plants that grow in your area and carefully rinse with a hose or soak in water to get all
the dirt from the roots.
It takes a few days for the plants to adapt to the garden before you see signs of new root and plant
growth.
Ron

Date:
3/13/98
Time:
10:31:38 PM

Comments

my hydroponic tomatoes are looking good but the green tomato have pronounced darker green top .
the nutrient solution e c goes off the chart 5+ . please advise larry.

Don't panic! That's normal. Tomato plants can't get to green. It's when they turn yellow then it's time
to panic.
Ron

Date:
3/15/98
Time:
1:26:35 PM

Comments

my new green tomatoes have a dark green top and dark sunken spots on the sides. What is my
problem?

If they were on the bottom I would say it was end rot but being on the sides I would say it must be
side rot. Or your just a rotten tomato grower.

Date:
3/15/98
Time:
3:46:37 PM

Comments

Hi Ron I can't thank you enough for all the help you have been to me. A big thank you for all the
information you have supplied. I have one more question to ask at this time. I purchesed an Ebb and
Flow System that is 5 feet long and 7 inches high. I plan to use either Pumice Stone or Grow Rocks,
the question is how deep should the medium be for vegetables. and cantaloupe? Thanks C Ritter
pritter@lcc.net

I would fill the system from 5 inches to all the way to the top with your medium to give the roots
plenty of room to grow. But let the water rise about 2 inches below your medium. Don't flood above
your medium to prevent stem rot.
Ron

Date:
3/16/98
Time:
5:18:59 AM

Comments

Question :What are nutrient solution A and B?

A liquid hydroponic nutrient solution called Formula One. I have been using it for years because I
grow plants in all stages of growth from the same nutrient tank. You mix solution A to your tank and
then solution B through the vegetative stage and the bloom stage. Most hydroponic solution has a
two part mix Grow for veg stage and Bloom for fruit producing stage.
The only place I know of to get it is Worm's Way http://www.wormsway.com They have a store in
Indiana, Florida, and Missouri.
Make sure you tell them you heard about them from Pipe Dreams on hydroponicsonline.com.Maybe
we can convince them to give club members a discount even though I haven't gotten one in 10 years.
Ron

Date:
3/16/98
Time:
3:21:52 PM

Comments

I realize vinegar can be used to lower ph but can it be toxic to the plants and does it work as well as
the general hydroponics ph reducer (phosphoric acid). Thanks MS

The problem with vinegar is it's not stable and won't hold your desired pH for very long so by adding
more might harm the plants.
By all means use pH reducer formulated for hydroponics. Theirs is no cheap easy way to grow
hydrponicly.
Ron

Date:
3/17/98
Time:
5:52:44 PM

Comments

Dear Ron:

This is a great website! I have one question about the plans you give to start up a hydroponic garden.
Do you have any nutrient solution you would recommend and how often should that solution be
changed? Thanks again. I'm sure I'll be back. Sincerely, Jason Karnezis

I use a liquid hydroponic nutrient solution called Formula One. I have been using it for years because
I grow plants in all stages of growth from the same nutrient tank. You mix solution A to your tank
and then solution B through the vegetative stage and the bloom stage. Most hydroponic solution has
a two part mix Grow for veg stage and Bloom for fruit producing stage.
The only place I know of to get it is Worm's Way http://www.wormsway.com They have a store in
Indiana, Florida, and Missouri.
You can use any nutrient solution that says on the label that it's formulated for hydroponics.
The recommend time to change your solution is 5 or 6 weeks. I admit I don't change mine that often
but I like to see how much I can torture my plants just to see how good my system is at keeping
plants growing.
Ron

Date:
3/18/98
Time:
12:35:21 AM

Comments

I'm looking into hydroponics for food supply to poor people in the Southern African Region. If you
are like-minded or in a position to give assistance in any way, please E-mail Bruce Kockott at the
following adress - cscentre@global.co.za

Thanks for all the terrific Hydro news and info Bruce

Date:
3/18/98
Time:
2:08:26 PM

Comments

Hi Ron I live in Mpls MN and have a flood and drain system in my basement. I am growing
cucumbers and I would like to know how what I need to do for pollination. I also am growing
tomatoes and the leaves are curling down could this be caused from to much nutrients in my solution.
I am watering 10 min. on 10 min.off. I do not have a PPM meter I use 3 teaspoons of Dyna Grow
per gal. of water. Other than the curling leaves my tomato plants look great and my cucumber plants
that grown in the same system look good execpt the edge of the cucumber leaves are yellow. Thanks
for any help you could give me Walt

Yes I would say to high of ppm. I would cut it in half and watch for better results and don't forget to
keep your pH between 5.4 to 6.8.
Ron

Date:
3/18/98
Time:
5:52:36 PM

Comments

Does anyone know of any sites where I can download free plans to build a hydroponic garden?
Mike C.

Yes I do. This web site does. Da!

11 plant garden
9 plant garden plans
Bucket garden plans
Ebb & Flow garden plans
Gallon garden plans
Gravity garden plans
Flood & Drain garden plans
Swamp cooler plans

Date:
3/21/98
Time:
11:15:23 AM

Comments

Hi After three weeks of good seed development in the hydroponic system , the leaves are getting
white spots and the seedlings are dying off. Any comments Still stuck in the initial stage Thanks

Something is off. Check for to high of ppm and the right pH. You may want to grow your plants in
dirt until they are 4 or 5 inches tall before transplanting to your hydro system. Young seedlings have a
tendency to get damper off decease and die before they get well rooted to the system.
Ron

Date:
3/22/98
Time:
1:29:30 AM

Comments

Ron,

I read in a couple of posts your recommendation to just leave the drip emitters on constantly.
Currently I have them on for about 30 minutes every 90 minutes or so. Would they be better off by
having the pump going continuously?
Thanks!

No don't run continuously unless you have an NFT system. Your time sounds perfect to me. You
will know if you need to water longer if the tops of your plants wilt between watering.
Ron

Date:
3/24/98
Time:
6:14:48 PM

Comments

Ron, How does the solution get to the plants? What size pump would you recommend,
Thanks, Jim

A submersible pump from 70 Gallon Per Hour for the smallest garden to 200 GPH or over for
commercial size sits in your nutrient tank and when the timer turns the pump on it pumps the solution up to the plants to the correct height which is determined by the height of the overflow pipe..
You can use a large pump for a small garden by using a flow control valve to slow the water to the
garden. Or just crimp the hose like I do sometimes.
Ron

Date:
3/25/98
Time:
4:50:54 PM

Comments

Hello everybody. If you are growing in rockwool or you are selling it, contact me. I would like to
make you an offer of rockwool for hydroponics { If you want to import from Slovakia, contact us.
Cheap, good quality. Try it, you will see, how can you grow cheaper.slabs, cubes, miniblocks, grist.

Contact> Frank Ondrusek, ISOSTONE, LTD., Slovakia, Europe, Tekovske Luzany. e-mail>
isostone@mail.pvt.sk

Date:
3/26/98
Time:
7:10:49 PM

Comments

I'm looking for information on growing veggies hyroponically at high altitude (10,000 ft and up).
Does anyone have any info or experience, or know who I could contact regarding this subject?
Thanks Case

Date:
3/27/98
Time:
1:44:21 AM

Comments

Considering the fact I've started an outside crop, under natural earth conditions, Im wondering what
to expect of it's quality. Adequate? Shit? What?

As long as you add the correct chemical or organic fertilizers to that natural earth and don't forget to adjust the pH for the kind of plants you want to grow. Try them time release fertilizing pellets They save you a lot of work.
You then should be able to grow some pretty adequate shit.
Ron

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