Low Profile Dimmable LED Grow Light: Active Grow LoPro Max Review -Commercial LED Replaces HPS / HID AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-05-14 | Can a single LED grow light replace both HPS & fluorescent T5s? Should LEDs include Far-Red diodes on their boards? What features should professional grow facilities look for in a horticultural luminaire? In this unboxing, video review, we look at the 320W LoPro Max LED grow light from Active Grow. Lots of PPFD light maps so you can see exactly how to position this light for your application!This UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs======PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)======Active Grow 320W LoPro Max:► amzn.to/2zlrNXd (Amzn)Active Grow 640W LoPro Max:► amzn.to/3ckQl0S (Amzn)DISCOUNT CODES:Amazon (3% OFF): ALPEPPER2020Support my channel by buying thru my link! :-)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ======SPECS (320W)======• LED Diodes: Philips• UL Listed / IP65 Rated• Dimmer: 10-100% / 0-10V• Power: 320W• PAR Efficacy: 2.4 umol/J• PBAR Efficacy: 2.6 umol/J• 94 CRI: 23% Blue / 35% Green / 35% Red / 7% Far-Red• Coverage: 4 ft x 3 ft Vege / 4 ft x 2 ft Bloom• Distance: 6" - 24" from Plants======REFERENCES======Active Grow asked me to review their LoPro Max 320W LED grow system. This entire review is independent & unpaid. The only thing I got from Active Grow was the light itself (a pre-launch box at no cost).FORM FACTOR: The LoPro LED plant light is a lightweight, low profile luminaire, safety rated for dust & water exposure. The 4 LED strips or light bars remind me a 4 ft, high output T5 fluorescent light. The LED is nice & open, allowing for maximum air flow. Overhead light sources (such as sunlight in a greenhouse) can reach the plants due to the open design.It's not just a T5 replacement. Of course, you can dim it to lower wattages for less demanding applications. By default tho, it produces much higher light levels. Active Grow's system is a serious LED upgrade. The 320W LoPro produces more light than the most efficient 400 watt HPS systems. It even competes well against 600 watt single-ended HPS lights. The LEDs are much more efficient than any fluorescent bulbs & have a significant edge over top of the line HIDs.You need to be realistic tho. To replace a 750W or 1000W HPS, you need the 640W LoPro. That especially applies to double-ended bulbs in electronic ballasts. When you account for power draw at the wall DE HPS grow lights can reach an efficacy of 1.7 to 1.8 µmol/J. But these LoPro LEDs pump out more photons per watt, reaching 2.4 µmol/J.PBAR: Plant Biologically Active Radiation encompasses a broader spectrum than traditionally defined PAR. PAR photons range from 400nm to 700nm. But PBAR spans 280nm to 800nm. And these LEDs include Far-Red diodes (7%). Accounting for those photons, you get an efficacy of 2.6 µmol/J.FAR-RED LIGHT: Looking at the latest in LED science, manufacturers are focusing on full spectrum LEDs. To truly achieve that, they've added Far-Red LEDs. Why Far-Red LEDs? For one thing, there is the "Emerson Effect" (Emerson Enhancement Effect). For decades, horticulture scientists have known that adding Far-Red photons to higher energy PAR photons can create a synergistic effect, resulting in increased photosynthetic efficiency. That means: More growth & plant mass!FINAL THOUGHTS: I really like Active Grow's LoPro Max LED system. It's a little larger than what I need for my Wintertime seedlings. If I had a nice full size bench, it would be a no-brainer. But these aren't designed for small-scale hobbyists. The 320W model is an ideal fit for a 2x4 grow tent. You can safely hang the lights nice and close for a super high DLI during the bloom cycle. These are also great for various rack systems. These are professional, commercial grade LEDs, rated to be safe & reliable. This single system can replace everything in your grow operation, starting with T5s & finishing off with HIDs.#ProfessionalLEDs #LEDlights #GreenhouseLighting #LEDvsHPS#GrowSpace #Albopepper=======SUPPORT:=======W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper=======
Praying Mantis for Stink Bug & Spotted Lanternfly Pest Control in Gardens (Mantis vs Hummingbird?) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2023-02-27 | Who should get praying mantises? Are mantises good or bad for the garden? Some people get worried about Chinese praying mantises vs hummingbirds. But what about the pest control they offer? Preying mantises eat stink bugs as natural pest control. Mantises also eat spotted lanternflies.0:00 Intro: Praying mantis controversy0:25 Nat-native vs invasive status of Chinese mantis1:21 What do praying mantises eat?2:08 Praying mantis vs hummingbird vs conservationists2:52 How to get rid of stink bug pests3:26 How to get rid of spotted lanternfly pests4:19 Benefits of praying mantises for the garden4:48 Carolina mantis native US species5:08 How to order praying mantis egg cases5:49 How to hatch praying mantis eggs indoors6:11 Baby praying mantises hatching from egg case6:40 Saving mantis egg cases for the next year7:30 Why praying mantises are good8:03 Kids like to play with praying mantisesAre Chinese Praying Mantises Invasive?Some gardeners recognize praying mantises to be a great asset in the garden. They expect mantids to keep plants free of pests that can do harm. But they instruct people to make sure to get the native Carolina mantis. They falsely refer to the Chinese praying mantis as "invasive." Although the European & Chinese mantises are both non-natives, they certainly are not invasives.Do Praying Mantises Eat Beneficial Insects?Some conservationists also claim that Chinese mantises pose the risk of preying on pollinators and butterflies. They try to create the perception that the native Carolina mantises do not feed on any "beneficial" insects. But this is not true. All mantises living in the US are indiscriminate predators. The primary distinction between the Carolina mantis and its non-native cousins is its smaller size. The reduced size limits the types of prey that a Carolina mantis can catch. It is certainly large enough to catch precious pollinators like bees.Praying Mantises Eating Hummingbirds???One of the biggest controversies surrounding mantises has involved praying mantises vs hummingbirds. The larger Chinese mantises have been known to eat larger animals from reptiles to amphibians to birds. That includes our beloved hummingbirds. For this reason, many people have vilified the Chinese mantis. In reality, the list of hummingbird predators is quite large: Dragonflies, Spiders, Frogs, Snakes & other birds like Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlins, Mississippi Kites, and Loggerhead Shrikes. Then of course, there is the most obvious: sweet adorable Cats. In reality, there's no sane basis for singling out Chinese mantises.#PrayingMantis #StinkBug #SpottedLanterfly #HummingBird #PestControl #OrganicGardening #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Grow Lights 101: Best Plant Growth Spectrum Color? White vs Red/Blue LED + What is PAR & ePAR Light? AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2023-01-23 | Do plants use more light colors than we realized? What does the latest horticulture research mean for grow lights? What's the best color spectrum for growing plants?This video is all about Light Quality. What effect do different light wavelengths have on plants and their development? Do plants need UV light? How does Far Red light effect plant growth? Do plants use green light or is green light wasted energy? These questions are answered, along with scientific research that you can read more about, depending on your level of interest.00:00 - Intro00:32 - Kelvin Color Temperatures01:28 - Visible Light Spectrum01:39 - What is PAR Light?02:38 - Do Plants Use Green Light?04:30 - Benefits of Green Light For Plants05:07 - Photomorphogenesis05:25 - Do Plants Use UV Light?05:51 - Do Plants Use Far-Red Light?06:25 - How Plants Use Photoreceptors07:11 - What is ePAR Light?07:46 - What is the Emerson Enhancement Effect?08:33 - How Plants Use Green & Far-Red Photons09:07 - Is Full Spectrum Light Good For Plants?09:36 - Custom Light Spectrum vs Plant Shape10:57 - Is White Light Good For Home Gardeners?11:59 - How Do LEDs Make White Light?12:44 - What's the Best Light Spectrum?We'll take a look at the visible light spectrum (a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum). Why is it better to analyze grow light colors by their wavelengths rather than using generic Kelvin ratings? This video answers: What is PAR light (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)? It also looks at the McCree Curve & the Emerson Enhancement Effect. And we'll see how to define ePAR (Extended Photosynthetically Active Radiation). We'll compare the efficiency of LEDs, fluorescents, high-pressure sodiums and metal halides.When considering LED vs HID, the spectral composition can be a major factor. Some LEDs have a few limited color bands, using only blue & red light. Some include a "full spectrum" light source. How do they make white light from LEDs? This video explains phosphor coated white LEDs. Are these white LEDs good for plant growth?How do plants use green light? How does far-red light help plants to grow? What about plant photoreceptors?This is the basics of plant lighting and grow lights. It is intended to benefit a broad audience, from home gardeners, to greenhouse growers, to vertical farmers and even "medical" growers.#GreehouseGrowers #LEDLights #IndoorGardening #knowledge #ArtificialLighting #GrowLights #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Emergency 🔌 Backup: Portable Power Stations (Buying Guide) vs Gas Generators + OUKITEL P2001 Review AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-09-09 | Are portable power stations really able to replace gas generators? What are their limitations? What appliances can high end power stations run? How long will the charge last? What are some situations where power stations are most important? Who needs them the most?This is the video to watch if you're brand new to the concept. If you're trying to show someone why power stations might be worth the investment, this is the video to share!00:00 - Are you prepared? Why you need back up power.01:30 - OUKITEL P2001 Power Station: Intro + Unboxing02:25 - What is a portable power station?03:14 - Power Stations vs Gas Generators04:18 - Where to use a power station?06:29 - OUKITEL P2001: Feature Review08:55 - Power Station Buying Guide: Specs10:35 - How long will a power station REALLY run?12:32 - Power Stations: Estimating Power Demands14:29 - Power Stations: Charging features, Solar panels, Battery chemistry15:50 - Power Station Buying Guide: Model Comparisons17:45 - Final thoughts on the P2001 power stationalbopepper.com/reviews-garden-products-oukitel-p2001-portable-power-station.php=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=====================Best Value: OUKITEL P2001Discount Code: BABKKX6I► amzn.to/3xbTvAzOther Power Stations:Anker 757► amzn.to/3RseSG4BLUETTI AC200P► amzn.to/3qGqIRfEnergizer 2100W► amzn.to/3L5ENRpECOFLOW Delta Max (2000)► amzn.to/3RMCODDBALDR Portable Solar Panel► amzn.to/3cWrA0yKillAWatt Meter► amzn.to/3eBvo84USB LED Light Bulbs► amzn.to/3cBssHJElectric Hot Plate► amzn.to/3B4o2BH=====================For information on how to prepare for disasters & emergencies:► ready.gov#albopepper #BeReady #PowerStation #PrepTips #WinterStorm #prepper #SolarGenerator #BuyingGuides - - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
How to Build BETTER: Self Watering 5 Gallon Buckets (DIY Wicking Planters) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-07-20 | This improved self-watering Bucket system has a larger water reservoir without losing any soil capacity! It's an easy DIY garden project, perfect for urban or small-scale gardeners.00:00 - Self Watering 5 Gallon Bucket Overview00:36 - My Self Watering SIP Bucket Hack01:01 - Material List: Self Watering 5 Gallon Bucket01:26 - How to Build a Self Watering Wicking Bucket 02:07 - Filling SIP Bucket w/ Potting Soil & Fertilizer02:22 - Transplanting Seedlings into Self Watering Buckets02:50 - Where & What to Grow in a Self Watering BucketCheck my site for more tips:► albopepper.com/self-watering-5-gallon-bucket-planter.php===================RELEVANT LINKS(# CommissionsEarned)===================5/8" Poly Derby Rope (wicking cord):► amzn.to/3ySo3Y7The wicking cord has worked extremely well in my 5 gallon buckets. It's easier to set up than using a wicking basket. And even if plant roots grow down the rope, it still works well at drawing up water. I bought mine from a local hardware store, but I also supplied a link for convenience.THE BEST SELF-WATERING BUCKET DESIGN:Some self-watering bucket designs only use a single bucket which is then partitioned into a potting mix section resting above a smaller water reservoir. Those designs can save you a couple dollars since you don't need a 2nd bucket. But they reduce the water storage capacity along with the available root zone. The double bucket SIPs allow for even larger plants while boosting hydration significantly.The hack shown in the video gives an even further boost, allowing you to have a much larger water reservoir (7 quarts). These wicking buckets are quite sturdy when filled with water. But the plants can get massive! If your crop is super tall and you tend neglect the water reservoir, you can maintain stability by adding a brick to the reservoir. I personally don't need to do it since I keep the reservoir fairly full. But if your garden is in a super windy area, you might decide to play it safe, especially once your plants start to explode. 😉#Albopepper #UrbanGardening #ContainerGardening #WickingBucket #SelfWatering #SubIrrigated #gardenhacks- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
How to Keep Out: Deer, Rabbits, Squirrels & Birds from Garden with Fencing, Netting & Repellents! AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-06-17 | How to stop animals from destroying your garden? 14 Tips for humane wildlife control: deer, rabbits, dogs, squirrels, cats & birds on your property.00:00 - Urban Gardening & Animal Pest Control00:37 - No More Dog Poop on Sidewalk: Garden Fence01:25 - 21 Deer Resistant Flowers, Herbs, Groundcovers & Plants02:31 - Deer Proof Garden: Irish Spring Soap / Deer Spray / Fencing03:54 - Rabbit Fence for Garden05:14 - Protecting Tree Trunks & Roots from Rodents05:36 - Squirrel Proof Garden / Stop Cats From Pooping06:00 - How to Protect Berries From Birds / Bird Netting07:12 - Protecting Apples, Pears & Peaches from Pests07:36 - Save Money on Food Budget w/ Edible Landscaping!============================GARDEN PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS(# CommissionsEarned)============================Ornamental Garden Fence:► amzn.to/3mQTWuyIrish Spring Soap:► amzn.to/3xxfIIHDeer Stopper Deer Spray:► amzn.to/3MYZxJXGalvanized Wire Mesh Fencing:► amzn.to/3tGvEHrBird Netting:► amzn.to/3N1Euq6Garden Netting Stakes:► amzn.to/3tFq9caNylon Fruit Cloth (Maggot Barriers Organic):► amzn.to/3zH4Yu8=================DEER PROOF GARDEN=================• DEER "RESISTANT" PLANTS: Deer may try to eat almost anything, if desperate enough. But the plants shown in this video have held up very well for me!• IRISH SPRING SOAP: Placing it around sensitive plants can confuse & discourage deer from browsing. Place it in early Spring when young tender shoots emerge.• SPRAY DETERRENTS: Sprays may last up to 30 days before reapplying. If a plant sends out new growth, you may need to respray. Seems to work, but stinks for a couple days. Spraying edible plants is not advised.• DEER FENCING: Typically needs to be 6 to 10 feet tall. But it can be shorter if positioned strategically. A solid fence can't be seen thru, which stops deer from seeing where to land. Placing plants or objects in front of or behind, can make it impractical for them to jump. Double fences may work.===============RABBIT PROOFING===============• RAISED BEDS: Elevated garden planters can keep rabbits out of reach, protecting sensitive crops like lettuce.• RABBIT FENCING: The best solution is to completely exclude them from your garden. Galvanized wire mesh holds up for a long time. A mesh size of 1" or smaller works great. You need an impassible barrier at least 24" tall, up to 36" for jackrabbits. Be sure to fold a 6" lip outward onto the ground to stop them from digging under the fence.• TREE TRUNK PROTECTION: Wrapping wire mesh around the tree trunk will stop rabbit or other rodents from gnawing on the bark and girdling the plant.================SQUIRREL CONTROL================• HARDWARE CLOTH: Squirrels love digging at the base of plants & burying nuts. Laying wire mesh at the base of a plant will protect the roots from being dug up. For large areas, you can also try plastic netting to discourage this behavior.===============BIRD PROTECTION===============• WHITE / YELLOW / GREEN FRUITS: Birds are drawn to deep colors telling them a fruit or berry is ripe. Blueberries, red cherries & blackberries are all bird magnets. Some cultivars may trick birds into leaving them alone. Pink blueberries, white pineberries, yellow cherries, golden raspberries & hardy kiwis may survive, unnoticed.• BIRD NETTING: Using netting is the best way to keep birds off of your fruits & berries. A maximum 3/4" mesh size will ensure even small birds can't get thru. But the netting must be suspended above the plants to stop birds from perching on the net & reaching inside with their beaks. Either build a cage or try steaks to create a tent. Be sure the netting is tightly anchored to the ground to stop them from crawling underneath.====================NUISANCE CATS & DOGS====================• DOGS: Neighborhood dogs should be leashed. But when dog owners walk their pets, they may pee or poo on your property. Owners are required to clean up after their dogs, but not all of them do. The best solution to stop dogs from wanting to go on your property. Raised landscape beds with ornamental fencing will keep most dogs on the sidewalk. Removing the grass lining your sidewalk can also remove any temptation for dogs to use your lawn as a bathroom!• CATS: Cats are often more mobile than dogs. Cat owners may let the animal freely roam the neighborhood. They can help out with rodent control. But they may treat your freshly emptied garden bed as a litter box. I simply place plastic netting over the bed surface, which prevents cats from digging into the dirt, removing invitation for them to ruin your bed.#PestControl #DeerResistant #RabbitProof #OrganicGardening #GrowYourOwn #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees: Stop Damage without Traps (Making Friends w/ Garden Pollinators!) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-03-31 | What's the best way to protect wood from carpenter bee damage? Homemade carpenter bee traps are often used for pest control. But this won't stop bees from doing any more damage to your wooden structures! Just as importantly, are carpenter bees actually that bad?00:00 - The Problem w/ Carpenter Bees vs Bumble Bees00:54 - Benefits of Carpenter Bees as Pollinators in the Garden01:35 - How to Control Carpenter Bees without Traps or Poison02:29 - Pollinator Habitat: Bee Houses for Carpenter Bees03:11 - Growing & Pollinating Passion Fruit w/ the Help of Carpenter Bees03:57 - Pollinator Biodiversity Builds a Healthy Garden!• How Much Damage Do Carpenter Bees Cause?Female Carpenter Bees look for places to start a nest in wood. They prefer places where rain can't reach, like the underside or backside of surfaces. They bore 1/2" holes & tunnel through the wood. At times, this might include the wood of your home! They do not eat the wood like termites do. Most damage is superficial, primarily in surface wood. However, large carpenter bees (Xylocopa) might become economic pests when nesting in structural timbers, wooden water tanks, fence posts, etc.• Do Carpenter Bees Sting?Carpenter bees may seem scary but they're mostly harmless. The males tend to be more aggressive when protecting their nest. But only the females can sting, as the males have no stinger. Females have an all black head while the male carpenter bees have a white patch on their face. Carpenter bees are generally mellow, friendly bees. You can approach within just a few inches away and they will not pay any heed.• Identification: Carpenter Bees vs Bumble BeesCarpenter bees are large, fat bees that hover around our gardens & homes thru the growing season. They're easy to confuse with bumble bees as both may have similar black & yellow markings. One easy way to identify each is by the abdomen. Carpenter Bees have smooth, shiny abdomens. Bumble Bees are harry and may have more yellow. Bumble Bees nest in the ground. But carpenter bees are the ones found drilling holes and nesting in wood.• Do Carpenter Bees Pollinate?Despite what some pest control services might say, carpenter bees are excellent pollinators! They are native to many areas which should appeal to conservationists. And they're good for our gardens. They work extremely well at pollinating passion fruit flowers. Every year my vines yield huge masses of fruit, all thanks to carpenter bees!• Carpenter Bee Control:Getting rid of carpenter bees can be very difficult. Often people trap and kill them, but this won't stop them from coming back. Pesticides are certainly not the best way, especially for organic gardeners. A proven method on how to get rid of carpenter bees and keep them from returning requires protective coatings on wooden surfaces.Carpenter bees generally avoid treated deck lumber. But as the wood ages that won't be enough to deter them. At a bare minimum you need to apply thick coatings of paint to wood, including the underside of surfaces. When possible, applying a protective wrap of aluminum trim coil will give optimal protection. That's the best way to prevent carpenter bees from infesting your house.• Cohabitation Via Devoted Habitat!Don't view this purely as a DIY pest control project. View it as a relocation program. Provide carpenter bees with alternate habitat. You can make or buy houses for them and see if they will adopt them. A bee hotel may give the bees an easy place to inhabit, reducing their interest in your home. In this way, they won't damage your valuable property, but they'll still hang around the garden, rendering crucial pollination services!#CarpenterBees #Pollinators #PestControl #BeneficialInsects- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
Easy Vegetable Fertilizer for Home Gardening in Wicking Planters & Containers -DIY Potting Mix Tips AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-02-10 | Wondering how to apply fertilizer for large abundant vegetable crops? This video shows my tips for how much plant fertilizer to use in self-watering raised beds and containers. After years of testing, I show my easy method for refreshing potting mix soil year after year. By restoring the nutrients, you can enjoy a bumper tomato harvest, massive bell pepper yields, delicious large ears of sweet corn and huge watermelons!The best natural fertilizers include homemade compost and worm castings. But perhaps you're still learning how to make compost. Maybe you don't have the space and resources required. Or you just want an easy fertilizer for plants. There's nothing wrong with buying a quality blended organic fertilizer. Two brands I've used include Espoma and Jobe's. But it's important to know how to apply organic NPK fertilizer at home. That includes understanding how to calculate fertilizer rates.This video can help you to learn the basics of fertilizer in the context of sub-irrigated planters. Rather than a comprehensive guide addressing each macro and micro-nutrient that plants need, these tips show how simple it is to just select a product, apply it and the enjoy the results!00:00 - Gardening Planters with High Yield (Bell Peppers, Watermelons, Lettuce, Cucumbers)01:16 - Bagged Compost & Manure vs Homemade Compost & Worm Castings03:06 - All-Purpose Organic Fertilizers & Time-Release 04:15 - Annual Vegetable Formulation + High Nitrogen (Corn & Kale) vs Low (Tomatoes)05:25 - Confusing Fertilization Rates (Jobe's All-Purpose vs Espoma Garden-tone)07:37 - Organic Nutrients to Match Retail Potting Mix (Miracle-Gro)08:40 - How Much to Use for SIP Raised Beds & Containers09:44 - How to Mix Fertilizer in Soil for Best Results11:26 - Techniques for Maintaining Soil Health12:32 - Supplementation with Liquid Feed Fertilizer (Organic vs Synthetic) NPK13:07 - Water + Sunlight + Nutrients = Happy Gardening!• How do you know the best fertilizer choice for growing in your garden? • What do the NPK numbers mean on the side of a fertilizer bag? • Do certain plants need more nitrogen or phosphorous? I really like the primary fertilizers tested in this video because they have an excellent balance of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Sulfur (S) and Magnesium (Mg). You don't need to sweat it. The ratios are already figured out for you.• Should you use organic versus synthetic fertilizer?Even if you don't have a worm bin for making castings or any place to put a compost pile, you can still select organic fertilizers if you want to keep everything natural and organic. However, that doesn't mean a synthetic (chemical) fertilizer is bad. These can grow strong, healthy plants. And both options work well in self-watering garden beds. You can even mix and match. It's totally up to you.The nice thing with a blended, all-purpose organic fertilizer is that you don't have to get bogged down with buying individual components. I've seen gardeners who buy blood meal, bone meal, rock phosphate, green sand, rock dust and more. Then they have to blend it all to get a balanced nutrient mix. I've done this and it's a pain! Things like Epsoma Plant-tone or Garden-tone already have everything plants need, ready to go. That includes calcium and magnesium. So I've been able to skip dolomitic lime applications without experiencing BER in my peppers or tomatoes.Personally, I prefer organics in my SIPs, when mixed into the actual soil. But when using a liquid feed, a synthetic (like Miracle Gro Plant Food) can be highly effective. It can work quickly to restore the health of plants that are suffering from nutrient deficiencies. It can be applied as a root drench or even a foliar feed. There are also organic liquid fertilizers like seaweed or fish emulsion. These might come at a premium price though. And you should read the guaranteed analysis on the label. Some products make big claims but offer very little in the way of macro-nutrients.#Fertilizer #OrganicFertilizer #LiquidFertilizer #SelfWateringPlanters #WickingBeds #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
LED Grow Light Bar Review: Maxsisun MG3000 (3ft x 3ft Grow Tent) -Best Amazon Price at Premium Value AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2022-01-15 | How can you get the most uniform distance from an LED bar light? How much light is lost as a grow light is raised or lowered? After unboxing, I tested the PAR levels of the Maxsisun MG3000 to see how it can be configured for various growing applications. After taking over 800 PPFD spot readings with my Apogee SQ-520 sensor, I've compiled the results of my testing for this video product review.The MG3000 is a perfect fit for a 3ft x 3ft or 90cm x90cm grow space. It can be hung 12", 18" or up to 24" above the plant canopy in a 3 foot tent. The chassis is structurally reinforced to withstand up to 140 pounds of weight. It's a solidly built light as demonstrated by my "step test". 😜 The light comes fully built with no assembly required. It has a quality feel and the light output and spread is excellent.This UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=====================Mars Hydro FC-E3000 }--- Product Alternative!► amzn.to/3BvNEri (Amazon US)Spider Farmer SE3000 }--- Product Alternative!► amzn.to/3O3hxVOMaxsisun MG3000 }--- Out of Stock► amzn.to/3foKISt (Amazon US)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZSupport my channel by buying thru my link! 😃00:00 - Overview00:29 - Build Quality01:44 - Light Output03:13 - Light Coverage05:01 - Hanging Height06:49 - Dimming Feature08:19 - Recommendations============PRODUCT SPECS============• Diodes: SAMSUNG LED LM281B+• Full Spectrum: 3000K, 5000K, 660nm, 730nm (Far-Red Diodes)• Driver: MEAN WELL ELGC-300-H-AB• Power Draw: 289W• PAR (PPF): 687 umol/s• Efficacy: 2.38 umol/J• Coverage: 4 ft x 4 ft Veg / 3 ft x 3 ft Bloom• Distance: 12" - 24" from Plants• Dimming: On board dimming control from 29W to 289W MAX=================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS=================• LIGHT OUTPUT: The Samsung diodes & Mean Well driver are good quality. Not the premium top-of-the-line. But still very efficient, at an affordable price. Maxsisun properly tested the light & posted their integrating sphere test report in their site. At 289 watts it outputs a PPF of 687 umol/s which translates into an efficiency rating PPE of 2.38 umol/J.• LIGHT COVERAGE: The PPFD maps provided by Maxsisun were taken with an Apogee MG-620 light meter. This meter cover a broader spectrum than standard PAR (400-700nm). So I took my own readings with the standard Apogee SQ-520 sensor. In my test bed, I observed excellent light coverage from the center to the corners. For a flowering 12/12 cycle, this light is ideal over 9 sq ft. It could cover 16 sq ft for seedlings, clones or vegetative growth.• HANGING HEIGHT: I recommend a minimum of 12" or up to 24" in a 3x3 tent. You might go a little higher in a 4x4 tent for low light applications to achieve optimal light spread. Compared to 18", you can get a 4% boost in photon output by lowering the light to 12". But this comes at the expense of uniformity in coverage. For the best coverage from center to corner (in a 3x3 tent) try raising the light to 24". Be aware that the photons hitting the plant canopy will drop by 5% though.• DIMMING: The dimming function predictably reduces light levels. Expect a 50% reduction in power (wattage) to reduce light output by 50%. Note: The dimming knob cannot be relied on for accurately achieving your target brightness. Use a KillaWatt meter to check power at the wall or a light sensor to achieve your target brightness at the canopy.• FINAL THOUGHTS: Maxsisun's MG3000 is an excellent option for entry level medicinal growers, but also for hobby gardeners. It can easily replace a 400W HPS light. Or even up to a single ended 600W HPS. But a double ended HPS in a modern ballast will have higher output than this LED. It's an option for T5 fluorescent users. This 289W system can replace a 12 bulb, 4 ft T5HO fixture, which would normally consume 648W.The MG3000 was a good value, but due to stock issues I now recommend the Mars Hydro FC-E3000. See link above!#Maxsisun #ledgrowlight #BestLEDGrowLight #IndoorGrowing #LEDlighting #GrowYourOwn #ArtificialLighting #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
Budget/Premium LED Grow Light UPDATE! Atreum, ViparSpectra, Maxsisun, SpiderFarmer, MarsHydro Review AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2021-06-17 | Some of the best entry level lights on the market! Competition forces LED grow light makers to improve quality at lower prices. Reputable sellers are doing the proper lab testing so you know exactly what you're getting. This video review gives updated specs on previous models. The expanded line up includes: Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, ViparSpectra, Maxsisun & Atreum Lighting.7 popular "1000" LED grow lights. Some are ideal for small scale "medicinal" grows. But they're for home gardeners, growing lettuce, microgreens, seedlings & herbs. 5 Premium Models: HYDRA-1000, XS1000, SF1000, MF1000 & TS1000. 2 Quality Budget Lights: PB1000 Pro & P1000. Which are the best grow lights? It depends on your budget & application. This video covers the key metrics that will help you to decide. My PPFD readings compare light levels & quite importantly, we have lots of THIRD PARTY LAB REPORTS!0:00 - OverviewTEST REPORTS: 00:30 - Mars Hydro 01:08 - Third Party Labs 02:41 - Power Drop 03:42 - Voltage 04:40 - PPF vs Photon FluxPRODUCTS UPDATES: 06:25 - PB1000 Pro Review 06:49 - P1000 Review 07:47 - XS1000 Review 08:29 - HYDRA-1000 Review 10:45 - SF1000 ReviewCOMPARISONS: 11:37 - Efficacy 12:15 - Total PPF 12:47 - Value 13:37 - Winners14:11 - Recommendations16:12 - Companies17:18 - Final WordsThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=====================Atreum Lighting HYDRA-1000 5% off: ALBOPEPPER5► amzn.to/3e4RXPNMaxsisun PB1000 Pro► amzn.to/3pCuKaa (Amazon US)► amzn.to/3xkeXRA (Amazon CA)Maxsisun MF1000► amzn.to/3aDGHYI (Amazon US)► amzn.to/3vu7uOl (Amazon CA)ViparSpectra P1000: 5% off: ytPAlbopp► amzn.to/3vqzcvmViparSpectra XS1000: 10% off: yt10Albopp► amzn.to/3vr5RRwSpider Farmer SF1000: 5% off: PEPPER19► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amazon CA)Mars Hydro TS1000 ► amzn.to/2ZxONfdSupport my channel by buying through my link! :-)==================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS==================This video is a continuation from this one: youtu.be/g6n8VhVGKDYBe sure to watch it!• PB1000 Pro: Maxsisun's upgraded budget grow light includes a remote, IR diode & daisy chain power. Samsung LM281B+ diodes yield an efficacy of 2.1 umol/J. The price has been insanely low, so this it's an excellent value offering lots of photons per dollar!• P1000: ViparSpectra's entry level LED is extremely affordable. The 3rd party report from Light Laboratory Inc shows PPE of 2.2 umol/J. The total PPF matches the SF1000 ver3! It has a simple dimming knob & a beefy, finned heat sink. Not as many features as the PB1000 Pro, but it's a little more efficient.• HYDRA-1000: Atreum Lighting's new light is the most efficient one out of the line up. 3rd party labs back an efficacy claim of 2.7 umol/J. HOWEVER: the report was ran at 230V. So the efficacy will be slightly lower at 120V. To compare it to the other lights, my PPFD testing suggests a PPE of 2.5 at 120V. Regardless, it's still the leader. The PPF is much higher than the newer SF1000.• XS1000: ViparSpectra's premium LED is built on the same chassis as the cheaper P1000. But it has quality LM301B diodes & the XLG-150 Mean Well driver. PPE is 2.34. Running at 120W the PPF is 284. So it's a premium, option & worth the extra money.• SF1000: Spider Farmer sold "upgraded" units for over 3 months without telling buyers. The diode quantity increased & the layout changed. However, they dropped the 301B diodes, even though their listing advertised "Samsung LM301B". This is dishonest. I was even more upset to see their 100W grow light only drawing 91W. This newer LED has LESS output than the earlier model. My own PPFD readings show this, but so do the 3rd party lab reports. The light isn't horrible. But I recommend the HYDRA-1000 instead!• MF1000: It features a ribbed heat sink, daisy chain power connector & remote control. The reflector hood focuses photons helps to shield eyes when working next to it. Good for non-tent applications. PPE is 2.25. It's a good mid-end light. Not the most efficient but not too pricey. If you're impressed by the features, it's worth it. • TS1000: Mars Hydro's "1000" LED is a full 150W. So the output is the highest out of the pack (315 umol). PPE is only 2.2. A good value in that more expensive premium category!#BestLEDGrowLight #IndoorGrowing #LEDlighting #Horticulture #GrowYourOwn #ArtificialLighting #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
LED Grow Lights for Shelf System Gardening: SF300/SF600 vs T12 T5 Fluorescent (Spider Farmer Review) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2021-05-06 | LED grow lights for shelf systems make lots of sense. Why waste energy with old-school fluorescent lights for home grow projects? These LED are more than twice as efficient compared to traditional T12, T8 & T5 tube lights. They even outperform LED replacement shop lights. This Spider Farmer SF300 & SF600 review features grow lights that are excellent alternatives to older tech. Perfect for growing on window sills or grow rack shelf systems.0:00 - Overview1:06 - Features2:01 - Test Reports2:57 - SF300 PPFD Maps4:31 - SF600 PPFD Maps6:34 - SF300 Value7:43 - SF600 Value8:32 - RecommendationsThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=========================PRODUCT LINK (# CommissionsEarned):=========================Spider Farmer SF300 (Don't buy if it's more than $73):► amzn.to/3t4o06G (Amazon)Spider Farmer SF600 (Don't buy if it's more than $100):► amzn.to/3t3bSmt (Amazon)Support my channel by buying through my link! :-)=============PRODUCT SPECS=============SF300/600• Spectrum: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm• Driver: Unbranded, Non-dimmable• Efficacy: 2.3 umol/J• Distance: 6"-12"• Plants: Lettuce, Microgreens, Seedlings, Clones, Culinary Herbs, House PlantsSF300• 192 Diodes: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm• Power: 33W (29W)• Coverage: Optimal: 10" x 20" / Max: 18" x 30"SF600• 384 Diodes: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm• Power: 74W (65W)• Coverage: Optimal: 12" x 36" / Max: 18" x 42"==================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS==================Spider Farmer is tackling a niche market with these 2 fixtures. I was excited to see them doing it. Amazon is full of shoddy looking linear LEDs. No way to know what you're getting with those things. Growers have needed some affordable LEDs to replace the classic shop light approach. The SF300 / SF600 pumps out twice as many photons per watt compared to fluorescents.The SF600 is my preferred model from a value perspective. It can be used for large vigorous seedling production. It's suitable for clones, culinary herbs, lettuce, microgreens & houseplants. The natural looking white light is attractive in the home. If used to replace a 4 bulb T5 system, the SF600 can pay for itself pretty quickly through electrical savings.IMPROVEMENTS: These LEDs are nice but not perfect. I'd like to see a power supply with a good power factor. You can't brag about 'high efficiency' when your product has a PF of 0.6 or less. This limits these units to small scale, home users only. And even still, it's a product that wastes energy & isn't as good for the environment as it could be. Keep in mind: Many shop lights have bad power factors too. And plenty of other LEDs on Amazon face the same issue.A dimming feature would be helpful. I see lots of quantum-styled LED boards with dimmers even though growers may never use them. But in tight quarters on a grow rack, you might not have room to raise those lights. You can reduce the photo-period. But being able to dim the light would be so useful!Daisy chaining might be a nice option. Not for dimming, but for pass-thru power. A grower might have 3 or 4 of these. Cable management would be easier if they could all be connected.I would absolutely spread apart the 2 strips of diodes. They are much closer than they need to be. This causes light spikes in the center, while reducing light coverage at the sides. It forces the lights to be mounted higher. This could all be improved by adding a couple inches of space between the 2 LED strips.FINAL THOUGHTS: If you're looking to phase out some cheap shop lights, these lights are great. I advise getting the SF600. Only get the SF300 if your space is too small. The 600 is a massive upgrade to 2 bulb fluorescent systems. Make sure you have enough height. One 600 could replace a 4 bulb 4 ft T5 depending on your coverage area. (Technically the light output matches a 3 bulb T5.) Compared to other cheap LED strip lights, the SF300 & SF600 might be better. But you need good spec sheets for comparison. What's the true PPE? What about the Power Factor? Good luck getting that info from Amazon sellers. At least this review shows exactly what you're getting!#IndoorGrowing #LEDlights #HomeGarden #SeedStarting#GrowingGreens #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Spider Farmer, Maxsisun, Mars Hydro - Entry Level LED Grow Light Comparisons, Test Reports & Reviews AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2021-02-21 | Are LED sellers truthful with their efficiency claims? How can you tell? Who's being honest? In this LED grow light video review, I decided to audit 4 popular Amazon vendors (Spider Farmer, Maxsisun, Mars Hydro & ViparSpectra) to see if their lights match the PPE product specs shown on their websites. Which companies are most truthful?This review features 6 popular LED grow light models from the "1000" category. Some of them might be ok for a single "medicinal" plant. But these are ideal for home gardeners, growing things like lettuce, microgreens, seedlings & herbs. Three premium models: SF1000, MF1000 & TS1000. Three budget lights: SF1000D, PB1000 & TS600. Which lights are best? I took PPFD readings comparing the light levels. The video shows several other metrics for comparing these grow lights.Be sure to watch Part 2: youtu.be/WmjOSzSF-HI0:00 - Overview1:21 - Integrating Sphere TestsLights & PPFD Tests: 06:19 - SF1000 07:14 - SF1000D 08:07 - PB1000 08:46 - MF1000 09:27 - TS600 10:28 - TS1000Light Comparisons: 11:46 - Shady Tactics 13:13 - Output & Efficacy 14:40 - Cost & Value 16:04 - Features 18:51 - Company20:01 - Final WordsThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=====================Maxsisun PB1000► amzn.to/3pCuKaa (Amazon US)► amazon.ca/gp/product/B08342W6NW (Amazon CA)Maxsisun MF1000(Remote)► amzn.to/3aDGHYI (Amazon US)► amazon.ca/gp/product/B08P1M47Q5 (Amazon CA)Spider Farmer SF1000:Discount Code: PEPPER19► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amazon CA)Mars Hydro TS1000 ► amzn.to/2ZxONfd (Amazon US)Support my channel by buying through my link! :-)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ==================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS==================Although I reviewed & tested 6 LED grow lights, I'm only able to recommend 4 of them: SF1000, PB1000, MF1000 & TS1000. The SF1000D & TS600 are subpar units. Unless you can get them at a super cheap price, you're better off just buying a PB1000.• SF1000: Spider Farmer originally released this LED at $140. A year later, they had added a dimmer box & raised the price to $160. It wasn't making any extra light. It just cost more. They originally listed it as PPE 2.7. Then they claimed PPE 2.9. This was false. Their Integrating Sphere test reports show the PPE is only 2.5! It's still very efficient. It also has a higher percentage of Far Red light vs the other LEDs. So I do recommend it. But I would not pay more than $160 for it.• SF1000D: Growers might mistake the SF1000D for a SF1000 without the dimmer. But that's not the only difference! It has Samsung LM301D diodes. It doesn't have a branded driver. And so the power factor is low (0.69). The efficacy is much lower. The PPE is only 2 (even though the label said 2.6). At $100 or higher, this light is simply not worth it.• PB1000: Maxsisun's budget grow light. A very nice entry level light at a good price. It's nice & clean, similar to how the SF1000 started out. Samsung LM281B+ diodes are less efficient than the SF1000/SF1000D ones. But it has a good driver & more of diodes, allowing them to run at a lower voltage. Thus, the efficacy is 2.1 umol/J & it runs at a true 100W.• MF1000: It has more features than the others: Ribbed heat sink, daisy chain power connector & remote control for power & dimming. The reflector hood helps to focus the photons (along with a smaller diode footprint). It doesn't output much more light than the PB1000. But it distributes the light differently (good for non-tent applications). The PPE is slightly higher (2.139 vs 2.077) & it includes a Far Red diode. But it has that premium price too. If you're impressed by the features, then it's worth it. • TS600: Mars Hydro didn't want me to review this light. They had NO test report for it. It has false PPE specs on the label (PPE 2.3). It is probably more like 1.8 umol/J. This is based on my PPFD readings compared to the MF1000 (which matches wattage & also has a reflector hood). The TS600 has a poor power factor (0.7). It's not very bright & not as efficient. I don't advise buying it.• TS1000: Unlike the other 100W models, this LED is a full 150W. So the output is much higher! I was given an old test report. But my PPFD readings support an efficacy of 2.1 or even 2.2. It would be fair to compare this light to the others, except it costs LESS than the SF1000. And you can dim it too. A good value in that more expensive premium category!#ArtificialLighting #IndoorGrowing #LEDlighting #TestReports #GrowYourOwn #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
Super Bright LED Grow Lights Replace High Watt HPS -Best Value: Spider Farmer Dimmable SF4000 Review AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-10-10 | High powered LED grow lights push the limits in both efficiency & overall brightness. This newly revised panel is strong enough to easily outperform 600W DE HPS systems, while consuming only 2/3 the power! When compared to a brand name Quantum Board*, Spider Farmer's grow lights generate more PAR photons (PPF) per dollar spent. A much better value without sacrificing on performance. In this unpaid product review, I measured light levels from my Spider Farmer SF4000 LED plant grow light. These lights were sent at no cost, to take objective PAR readings & demonstrate the new dimmer function!00:00 - Overview01:09 - Estimating Tent Size04:27 - PPFD Maps05:17 - Center Readings?07:32 - Dimming Feature08:13 - Final WordsPrevious Reviews:"1000" Model Grow Lights pt1: youtu.be/g6n8VhVGKDY"1000" Model Grow Lights pt2: youtu.be/WmjOSzSF-HISpider Farmer SF2000: youtu.be/lK28aiRQ_VsThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs==================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)==================Spider Farmer SF1000:► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amzn CA)Spider Farmer SF2000:► amzn.to/2Nbs97b (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/2PJj8E6 (Amzn CA)Spider Farmer SF4000:► amzn.to/2uAFz5z (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/3aRJaNA (Amzn CA)Support my channel by buying thru my link! :-)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ============PRODUCT SPECS============• Diodes: SAMSUNG LED LM301B• Spectrum: 3000K, 5000K, 660-665nm, 760nm (Far-Red)• Driver: MEAN WELL XLG-240-H-AB• Power Draw: 457W• PAR (PPF): 1217 umol/s• Efficacy: 2.7 umol/J• Coverage: 5-6 ft x 5-6 ft Veg / 4-5 ft x 4-5 ft Bloom• Distance: 18" - 30" from Plants• Dimming Knob: 58W - MAX (w/ Daisy Chain Controls)=================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS=================SF4000 review:APPLICATION: At 457W of power, this LED can replace a quality 600W HPS system (double-ended bulb in digital ballast). A suitable choice for indoor agricultural production. It can be used in individual tents for stealth grows. Excellent for traditional 12hr flowering crops but also day-neutral (autoflower) crops grown in sea of green applications. The light is great at ambient CO2 levels but also suited for high ppm CO2 usages. It can supply plenty of photons for high yields. Just be sure you select the right tent size.COVERAGE AREA: Spider Farmer recommends veg: 6x6 & flower: 5x5. The light will work in those tent sizes, but performs better at veg: 5x5 & flower: 4x4. The resulting PPF per square foot would be optimal over that tighter area. But you need to dial things in correctly. That means getting all of those 9 cardinal parameters right: Light, CO2, Wind, Humidity, Temperature, Nutrients, Water, Oxygen & Root-zone Temperature. Just be sure to select the proper hanging height!TOO BRIGHT??? As noted in the video, some lighting companies are focusing their attention on having the highest PPFD values for their center readings. At a certain point, those readings can be TOO high, resulting in poor plant response. Although plant yield tends to increase as PPFD level rise, the relationship is not linear. At a certain point, you're simply wasting energy, bombarding plant tissues w/ more photons than they can use.Also, if the center PPFD readings are excessively high, this should not be viewed as a 'selling point.' This simply indicates that the grow light is too close & needs raised higher. The result will be more reasonable PPFD levels that spread more evenly across the entire plant canopy. The SF4000 is so bright, you simply need to raise it a little higher than other lights. I would say that the absolute minimum is 18".FINAL THOUGHTS: I do highly recommend the SF4000. The added dimming function increases its flexibility. It can easily replace an HPS system & it is a better value that other branded LED lights. Compared to buying two SF2000s, a single SF4000 generates MORE light at a reduced cost. But at full power, it's tremendously bright! So place it at the right height & cover the proper area for your application.* NOTE: This light is NOT a "Quantum Board". Horticulture Lighting Group (HLG) has registered that term as a trademark. Don't confuse Spider Farmer's panels with actual "Quantum Boards" as they are in NO way affiliated! Alternate terms that could be used instead include: quantum LEDs, quantum styled panels or QBs. Generally, these have a large quantity of LEDs, spread out over a large area, in contrast with point sources like COBs.#IndoorGrowing #LEDlighting #ArtificialLighting #QuantumLEDs #GrowYourOwn #Albopepper••••••••••••SUPPORT:••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper••••••••••••
🍉 When to Pick Perfectly Ripe Watermelons Grown in the Garden - Best Time to Harvest Every Time! AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-09-18 | How to tell if your watermelon is ripe in 5 seconds! Knowing what to look for when picking a watermelon is crucial if you want a sweet, juicy fruit that's bursting with flavor! There are quite a few tips out there. But my number one, most important gauge for ripeness is demonstrated in this video. When you buy watermelons from the store or farmer's market you are relying on others to decide when a watermelon should be picked. And too many times... that results in a bland tasteless fruit. 🤢 Yuk!That's why growing your own watermelons in the garden is so much better! You have complete control over when your fruits are harvested, allowing them to be properly ripened on the vine. And when the watermelon is still connected to the plant, you can check out the most crucial factor that takes all of the guesswork out of the process.🍉 STORE BOUGHT WATERMELONS:When buying watermelons from a vendor, you're stuck using some rather subjective methods for determining ripeness. Here are a few common tips for how to pick a ripe watermelon:1) THUMP - People love to tap and thump watermelons, listening for a hollow thump. But this tip is highly subjective and not very reliable as not all varieties make a soft "hollow" sound when knocked.2) HEFT - If you have a stack of similarly sized watermelons, you can lift each and try to look for ones that feel heavier for their size. Having a scale would be a much more objective way to pick watermelons that are denser and full of juicy goodness.3) WATERMELON COLOR - The darkness or brightness of a fruit does not help much with determining ripeness. Different varieties will have different colors. And foliage cover can cause a fruit to be lighter in color. Watermelons with full sun exposure may be more tanned, but that doesn't mean they are more or less ripe. Some people look at the sheen of the skin. If it looks less shiny and more dull, then this might be a sign of ripeness.4) FIELD SPOT - Watermelons grown in the field will have a pale spot on the underside. This area was shaded from sunlight and never produced pigment in response. On a young, immature watermelon, that field spot will be bright white. But as the fruit ripens, the spot darkens a little into a creamy yellow color. So look for darker spots to find riper, sweeter watermelons. But what if there is no field spot??? That doesn't mean the watermelon isn't ripe. Rather, that indicates that the fruit received sunlight from all angles. The watermelon in my video is a perfect example of that! See if you can figure out why...🍉 HOME GROWN WATERMELONS:Common questions folks have when growing watermelon is "When do I harvest my watermelon?" It's all about the tendril baby! A quick reliable way to tell if your watermelon is ripe. When you grow your own fruits and veggies you can determine exactly when to harvest. And with watermelons, that means you have direct access to the best determinant of ripeness: The curly tendril or pigtail opposite of where the fruit is attached to the vine will let you know.If it's green, leave it be. When the fruit is still developing and ripening, the tendril will be bright green, matching the color of the rest of the vine. But once the fruit has matured, that tendril starts to turn brown and dry out. I always wait until the tendril is completely brown and dry. Then it's good to go! 😍 I might even wait a few additional days just to be sure.NOTE: Some sources say "Sugar Baby" requires an extra 10 days from the point that the tendril turns brown. So if you have that type, be sure to give it the extra time before picking.#watermelon #howtopick #pickingwatermelon #GrowingWatermelons #WhenAreWatermelonsRipe #SelfWateringPlanters #RaisedBedGarden #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Electrical Savings: LED Payoff Cost Calculator (High Efficiency Upgrades for Home & Grow Lights) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-06-07 | Can expensive LEDs save you money compared to HID / HPS lights? Do you know the ROI (Return On Investment)? Sure, you can save money on your electric bill by switching to more efficient lights. But how much will it really save you? Should you invest in LED lighting technology?You might be growing food indoors using artificial lights. Or perhaps some special "medicinal" plants... What about home lighting? How soon will your light upgrade pay for itself?TRY MY SAVINGS CALCULATOR:► albopepper.com/LED-grow-light-upgrade-cost-savings-calculator.phpTo calculate your daily electrical cost you first need to know: Your cost of electricity (per kWhr). The hours of operation. And the EXACT wattage consumption of the light you are using. Once you know this, you can use my cost calculator to do the math for you:To determine the pay off period, you need to know how many days a year you will run your lights. And also the purchase price of both light options.In this recent video review ( youtu.be/PCaesi_M5DQ ) I examined the Active Grow LoPro Max LED system that replaces both conventional T5 fluorescents AND high pressure sodium lights. The LEDs might seem more pricey compared to older, cheaper options. However, once you've done the math, you can determine how long it will take for the energy savings to pay off your investment.This UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=============PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=============Active Grow 320W / 640W LoPro Max:► amzn.to/2zlrNXd (Amazon)DISCOUNT CODE: (3% OFF): ALPEPPER2020Active Grow LED T5 Replacement Bulbs:► amzn.to/34OS2jl (LED Bulbs ONLY -as Shown in Video)► amzn.to/32zeKvE (LEDs + Fixture -If You Don't Already Own a T5 Ballast)Kill-A-Watt Meter► Amazon Link: amzn.to/2m1GCqiLED lighting offers more benefits than simple savings in electricity. Although electrical costs are the easiest to calculate, there are other factors to consider.REDUCED HEAT GENERATION: Switching to more efficient lighting technologies can mean a significant reduction in heat generation. This can translate into reduced cooling costs.IMPROVED OPERATIONAL TOLERANCE: LEDs are better for environments where they will be turned on and off frequently. In home and commercial environments, they can outperform fluorescents. LEDs do not require a warm up period to reach maximum brightness. They also work better in colder environments.IMPROVED LIFESPAN: You can expect more than double the lifespan out of your LEDs versus fluorescents. Most T5 bulbs will have a rated lifespan of 20,000 hours. In contrast, LEDs claim to offer 50,000+ hours of operation.An extra factor deals with how quickly a light loses its intensity. Some bulbs may not have burned out but after enough hours of operation, their brightness will start to drop off significantly. LEDs offer a real advantage in this regard as they tend to hold their brightness for a much longer period.This video was a REBOOT. If you're curious to see what the original version was like, you can still see it here:► youtu.be/Lhb4oK-9kNY#InteriorLighting #CostCalculator #LEDupgrades #LEDvsHPS #IndoorGardening #LEDReplacementLights•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Best Homemade Seed Starting Potting Mix Test / Review: Miracle Gro, Espoma, Simple Organic DIY AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-02-06 | Stop overpaying for seed starting mixes! Learn how to make a DIY seed starting mix that's better than retail. Which mix yields faster, bigger seedlings? Is organic seed starting mix always better? What can you do to energize plants that are slowing down & turning yellow? This grow test shows what works & what doesn't!NOTE: In this unpaid, independent review, all prices are from Dec 2019.The test compared 2 retail brands of seed starter mixes (Miracle-Gro vs Espoma) I used a 2nd type of Miracle-Gro Mix, a bulk bag of MG Moisture Control. While similar in physical properties, the higher NPK values makes it more fertile.I tried more than 1 organic option, also making a DIY potting mix from coir (coco), vermiculite & perlite. (No peat moss). To fertilize, I used Espoma's all-purpose vegetable fertilizer: Garden-tone. This organic nutrient source yields excellent growth. I wish the same could be said for Espoma's Seed Starter mix!1:41 Slide Correction: albopepper.com/images/DIY-RECIPE-2020.pngEspoma's Amazon listing showed a photo of the potting mix bag stating: "earthworm castings". Worm castings are a great organic nutrient source for growing strong, healthy plants. But the bag I received did NOT list worm castings. As the seedlings emerged it became clear that Espoma used NO nutrients at all in that mix. Their marketing claims were grossly false & misleading. And my test is clear proof! More below...=============PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)=============LED LIGHTS (Spider Farmer)SF 1000:► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amazon CA)SF 2000:► amzn.to/2Nbs97b (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/2PJj8E6 (Amazon CA)ORGANIC FERTILIZEREspoma Garden-tone:► amzn.to/2uSQPupBASIC SEEDLING MIXMiracle-Gro 8Qt Seed Starter (2 pk):► amzn.to/2SepsD0EMERGENCY NUTRIENTSMiracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food, 4 lb:► amzn.to/2GNAeef===========RESULTS===========5 seeds in each container / 3 types of vegetables: Lettuce, Kale & Peppers. Each mix germinated at least 1 seedling out of 5. But as time progressed, I saw clear distinctions between each.ESPOMA SEED STARTER (organic): Not very good at absorbing water. Seeds germinated ok. But did not appear very impressive. After germination, the seedlings remained extremely small & never developed. They slowly yellowed & lost vigor. Espoma instructs growers to feed the plants with a fertilizer or to transplant. I think a good seed starting mix will be able to feed seedlings for at least a couple weeks. The seller claimed their product is "rich" & promotes root development. Without NPK, I find this to be an empty claim. The mix was overpriced & a waste of my money.MIRACLE-GRO SEED STARTER (synthetic): An acceptable seed starting mix. It's fine for a beginner. Water absorption was ok. Seeds germinated fine. There was enough nutrient to keep plants growing for the first 3 weeks. Plant growth is not impressive, but it's not too disappointing & the price was better than Espoma's.DIY MIX w/ ESPOMA FERTILIZER (organic): My homemade potting mix worked very well. It had the fastest water absorption. Germination was good. The nutrients allowed plants to grow nicely. In fact, the lettuce was extremely healthy & larger than expected! It's organic too, so there's no need to compromise!MIRACLE-GRO MOISTURE CONTROL (synthetic): MG Moisture Control mix is not marketed or intended for seed starting. But it worked well for kale, peppers, beans, corn & zucchini. Lettuce was the only plant with issues. The seeds were slow to germinate & the rate of germination was low. I would not advise EITHER form of Miracle-Gro potting mixes for lettuce. In both MG mixes lettuce leaves show signs of either disease or damage. But otherwise, it's a good mix option.VERMICULITE w/ DELAYED MIRACLE-GRO PLANT FOOD (synthetic): I thought it would be interesting to also grow seeds in some coarse vermiculite. (Ideally, I would recommend medium or fine grade for seed starting.) This mix served as an informal control for the 1st few weeks. Then I decided to use those plants to demonstrate how a liquid plant food can quickly restore depleted plants. Within a week of application, I was already able to see the seedlings perking up in response.=============FINAL THOUGHTS=============This video shows several viable seed starting options. But ONE product I would NEVER advise is: Espoma Seed Starter mix. Without supplementation, it won't work any better at growing plants than simple vermiculite. I could never see the price justification for it. I was so disgusted, I wrote Espoma asking for a refund!#SpringGarden #IndoorGardening #Fertilizer #Horticulture #MiracleGro•••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••
🌱 Fast & Easy Seed Germination: How to Start Seedlings from Paper Towel Method (Container vs Baggie) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2020-01-18 | Pre-sprouting (pre-germinating) is a great little hack to quickly sprout your vegetable seeds. This tip is fast and super easy. It improves germination rates and allows you to plant young seedlings directly into fertilized soil (potting mix). It also allows you to conserve seeds by just planting one seed per pot.🌱 When you plant seeds directly into soil or potting mix, those seeds need to compete with the nutrients in the soil. Whether organic or synthetic, those nutrients exist in the form of fertilizer salts. This results in osmotic pressure that tends to pull moisture away from adjacent seeds. So the seeds take a little longer to imbibe (absorb) the water from the soil. Some seeds may be so sensitive that they don't emerge at all if the soil is too heavily fertilized.That's where this simple technique comes in. By placing the seeds on a wet paper towel, the seeds can freely absorb water with minimal effort. A ziplock baggie can be used. Or a simple container like a dish. Once sealed off from the outside air, the air inside stays humid and the seeds don't dry out.🌱 As soon as I see the first set of leaves emerge, I plant the seedlings into their potting containers. Just handle them gently by their leaves, rather than the stems or roots. This method works with annual vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, kale, watermelon and corn. All different kinds of seeds can be tried including perennials, flowers, alpines, trees and shrubs.Garden Hacks🌱 Seed Germination 🌱 How To Grow#GardenHacks #PaperTowelMethod #SeedStarting #FastSeedGermination #PreSprouting #howto #GardenScience #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Next Gen Quantum LED Panels: Cheap, Easy & Super Efficient Boards (Spider Farmer Grow Light Review) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-12-09 | Modern LED grow lights are efficient enough to replace older, higher wattage LEDs from just a few years ago. This newer panel outperformed my expensive LED while consuming HALF the power! When compared to a brand name Quantum Board*, Spider Farmer's grow lights can generate MORE light at a lower price ( 8:58 ). In this unpaid product review, I unboxed & measured light levels from my Spider Farmer SF 1000 LED plant grow light. I received the light at reduced cost & took objective PAR readings to see how much brighter these quantum styled LEDs are!Watch this video for the latest info:"1000" Model LEDs Update: youtu.be/WmjOSzSF-HIThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)===================== Discount Code: PEPPER19Spider Farmer SF 1000:► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amzn CA)Spider Farmer SF 2000:► amzn.to/2Nbs97b (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/2PJj8E6 (Amzn CA)Spider Farmer SF 4000:► amzn.to/2uAFz5z (Amzn US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/3aRJaNA (Amzn CA)Support my channel by buying thru my link! :-)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ=============2021 SPECS (120V)=============• Diodes: SAMSUNG LED LM301B (270 total pcs)• Driver: Mean Well XLG-100-H-AB• Power Draw: 100W (92W actual)• PPE 400-700nm: 2.41 umol/J• Photon Efficacy (380-780nm): 2.50 umol/J• Total PPF (400-700nm): 221.5 umol/s• Photon Flux (380-780nm): 230 umol/s• Spectrum: 3000K, 5000K, 660nm, 760nm• Coverage: 3' x 3' Veg / 2' x 2' Bloom• Distance: 12" - 24" from Plant Canopy==================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS==================Spider Farmer's board uses a typical horticultural color blend, optimized for plants. The broad spectrum of white light is easy on the eyes. Good for accurately monitoring plant health.What really counts is how much light it throws. And this light is BRIGHT! Objective measurements were taken w/ my Apogee SQ-520 quantum sensor. It gives more accurate readings when comparing custom LED spectrums. I saw strong consistent numbers at 24 inches. With an average PPFD of 375, running this light at a cycle of 18 hrs on / 6 hrs off would produce a DLI of 24.3.The SAMSUNG Diodes may have an efficacy of 2.7 micromoles per joule, but Spider Farmer's specs did NOT reflect the overall luminaire efficacy. I've sent the latest 2021 model to a 3rd party lab. The true PPE is only 2.41 umol/J. So pay attention to that! For an entry-level, consumer-grade grow light, it's quite good.Would this LED be a good upgrade? Let's say your older LED outputs 1.6 micromoles per joule & draws 150W. Multiply them for a total output of 240 PPF. This SF-1000 should draw 100W at 2.4 umol/J, so it would output 240 PPF. In theory, it should be able to replace a 150 watt LED or maybe a little higher. But the problem I've been seeing is that Spider Farmer's newer units keep running at lower & lower wattages.Spider Farmer doesn't use bogus wattages like '1000W'. And that's great. But their "100W" model still has it's own issues. I now have the 3rd revision of this LED & the power dips down to 91W after warming up. This reduces the photon output. So it might be 100W for the 1st 5 minutes, but who cares? If the stabilized power draw is 8 or 9 percent lower than expected, the consumer is getting ripped off.FINAL THOUGHTS: I think this LED was an excellent upgrade for my small growing space. It's a great option for lettuce and nicely sized seedlings in a 3' by 3' area. If you're growing high-end fruiting or blooming plants, it offers entry level performance in a 2' by 2' area.It's a great light that has worked well for me. And the efficacy surpasses many competitors. HOWEVER: I've tested a newer LED from Atreum Lighting. The HYDRA-1000 matches or exceeds the SF1000 in efficacy. And the final operating wattage is at least 20W higher which yields even more photon output. Plus, it's been listed at a lower price. So I really recommend that unit instead!Atreum Lighting HYDRA-1000:► amzn.to/3e4RXPN* TERMINOLOGY NOTE: This light is NOT a "Quantum Board". Horticulture Lighting Group (HLG) has registered that term as a trademark. Don't confuse Spider Farmer's panels with actual "Quantum Boards" as they are in NO way affiliated with each other! Quantum styled panels have a large quantity of LEDs, spread out over a large area, in contrast with point sources such as COBs. Quantum is simply a common word in the English language used to describe "a large quantity" of hundreds of diodes per light fixture.#IndoorGrowing #LEDlighting #QuantumLEDs #ArtificialLighting#GrowYourOwn #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••
High End LED Grow Lights: Coverage Area & Distance - LED vs T5 vs HID (Spider Farmer SF-2000 Review) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-11-04 | How high should you place your grow light? How much area can it cover? In this unboxing, video review, we look at the SF-2000 quantum style LED board from Spider Farmer. The PPFD readings can help you to optimize your growing area depending on your crop and its stage of growth. Plant size, plant density and growth phase makes a difference!Be sure to watch this series of various "1000" models:pt 1: youtu.be/g6n8VhVGKDYpt 2: youtu.be/WmjOSzSF-HIThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbs=====================PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)===================== Spider Farmer SF 1000 (92W):► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/320wZss (Amazon CA)Spider Farmer SF 2000 (200W):► amzn.to/2Nbs97b (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/2PJj8E6 (Amazon CA)Spider Farmer SF 4000 (450W):► amzn.to/2uAFz5z (Amazon US / UK / DE)► amzn.to/3aRJaNA (Amazon CA)Support my channel by buying through my link! :-)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ=============PRODUCT SPECS=============• 606 Diodes: SAMSUNG LED LM301B• Driver: Mean Well - Dimmable!• Power Draw: 202 Watts• Efficacy: 2.7 umol/J• Spectrum: 3000K, 5000K, 660nm, 760nm• Coverage: 4 ft x 3 ft Vege / 3 ft x 2 ft Bloom• Distance: 18" - 27" from Plant Canopy==========REFERENCES==========https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-238-w.pdfhttps://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/leds-vs-hps.pdfhttps://www.canr.msu.edu/floriculture/uploads/files/updateefficacy.pdf==================PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS==================I measured the light levels of Spider Farmer's 200 watt SF-2000 grow light. I took a variety of PPFD readings using my Apogee quantum light sensor. This video shows my readings at 2 different heights and 7 coverage areas. Two readings were without side reflection. The others used reflective sidewalls.When comparing the light levels of any two grow lights, it's better to use PPFD measurements. Measuring lux or lumens is less reliable, especially with custom light spectrums. But simply showing a center PPFD reading isn't enough! How much area can the light cover? How evenly is the light distributed?Longer LED panels can spread the diodes out over a longer area, allowing you to get some pretty consistent light coverage. But you still need to see the light map over a given area at a set distance. And it's important to account for side reflection and the role that it plays in boosting photon penetration.Of course, you also need to consider the needs of your plants. Are they young, still growing in their vegetative state? Or are they mature, producing blooms, buds or fruit? Different stages require different DLI (Daily Light Integral) levels. And some plants also require shorter photoperiods, which in turn, increases light demands.DIMMING OPTION: I like SF-2000 specs, but it's overpowered for my small growing area. Used for seedlings & vegetative growth, my grow chamber has a top & bottom section. In the bottom, I've continued to use a 2 foot T5 because of limited vertical clearance. But now I can finally retire my outdated, inefficient fluorescent! I dimmed the SF-2000 to 75w. It pumps out three times as much light as the old T5 without using any extra power! The revised models now have a proper, external dimming knob which makes this even easier!Watch my video on the 4000 for a demonstration:youtu.be/Cl5P3sKDQ0oFINAL THOUGHTS: I liked my SF-1000, but I like the SF-2000 even more. It packs more diodes onto each board. That means fewer watts per diode. I would expect that to translate into longer life. The PPFD values are impressive. Spider Farmer also offers a 400 watt unit (SF-4000). However, depending on the price, it might be better to just buy two SF-2000s rather than a single SF-4000. You would get much more flexibility in how the light can be distributed over the plant canopy. So run the numbers & see which is better for you!#IndoorGrowing #LEDlights #QuantumPanels #ArtificialLighting#GrowSpace #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
MY Dad: A Professional Landscapers Yard / Garden Tour + Personal Interview! AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-06-13 | His career as a landscaper might surprise you. But the tour of his yard will absolutely take your breath away! It's been 4 years since we last had a glimpse of his landscape. So much has changed since then.Located in Western PA, he lives in temperate growing zone 5. His property gets direct sun, filtered sun, and shade. My Dad has built perennial landscape beds that include natives, edibles and many weeping trees. He perfectly balances the use of deciduous trees that provide a showy display in the Fall. But his use of evergreens, maintains privacy and structure during the frigid Winter months.His yard demonstrates many luxuriant plant arrangements that a person can use to beautify their home and garden. And his raised bed gardens continue to expand with each new growing season.As a professional landscaper, my Father has a lifetime of experience and he's done much more than what we've shown here. Check out his site to see even more photos!★★★ Visit My Dad's Website: ★★★http://alslandscaping.net#LandscapeDesigner #TemperateLandscape #SeasonalLandscape #BackyardGarden #Albopepper #AlsLandscaping•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
TEN Ground Covers for Weed Control +2019 May Urban Garden/Edible Landscape Tour Albopepper Walk-thru AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-05-30 | Select the best ground covers for blocking out weeds and reducing the need for wood mulch. What plants work well for shade vs sun? What about drought vs wet conditions? Which plants can handle foot traffic? Are there any edible ground covers? Watch to find out!When it comes to keeping weeds at bay, sheet mulching with cardboard and wood mulch is a great way to reclaim an overgrown, weedy bed. But it's only a quick fix and temporary measure. Weed seeds will still blow in and before you know it, new weeds are starting to sprout.That's why competition is so crucial. Don't leave areas bare and vacant. Plant them in with layers of bushes, shrubs and ground covers. Creeping perennials are the lowest on the ladder, literally hugging the ground and crowding out many opportunistic weed seeds.But selecting a ground cover is not a one size fits all decision. On my property I've experimented with over a dozen different kinds. Some have failed to hold up. Others have made the cut. I'm going to show you the ten ground covers that I'm currently growing.Pay attention to where they appear in relation to my property line, buildings, walkways and other plants. Hopefully these options will give you some ideas for designing your own lush plantings!•••••••••••••••••••••••••••TEN Ground Covers on My Lot•••••••••••••••••••••••••••0:00 - Overview of Site4:25 - Gravel Walkway5:42 - 01 ► Creeping Thyme 6:25 - 02 ► Elfin Thyme 6:47 - 03 ► Irish Moss 7:26 - 04 ► Strawberries 8:14 - 05 ► Sedum Stonecrop 8:57 - 06 ► Sweet Woodruff 9:40 - 07 ► Lingonberries 9:55 - 08 ► Kinnikinnick, Bearberry 10:20 - 09 ► Arctic Raspberries, Nagoonberry 10:40 - 10 ► Leptinella, Brass Buttons11:43 - Additional TipsRead More at Albopepper.com:► link.albopepper.com/grnd-cvrMy Favorite Resource on Ground Covers (non-endorsed):★★★ stepables.com ★★★#GroundCovers #NaturalGardening #LowMaintenance #CreepingPerennials #WeedControl #Permaculture #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Buy Fruit Trees & Berry Bushes for a Home Orchard / Food Forest! -Backyard Edible Landscape Options AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-03-07 | Find the largest selection of edible plants for your urban garden! Choose between local vs online nurseries, selling grafted fruit trees, berry bushes, fruiting vines and edible ground covers.► QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS VIDEO:What are the pros and cons of growing plants from seed vs cuttings? How long does it take a fruit seedling to mature compared to a grafted clone? How does grafting work? What are the advantages of local nurseries? How are online trees packaged and shipped? What's the difference between potted vs bare root plants? What's a good resource to help with edible landscaping design or backyard orchard care?► RELIABLE GENETICS THAT SAVE TIME:Can't you just plant a seed from an apple or pear to start your own fruit tree? Well, you sure can! Seedling grown trees have the most natural, undisturbed root systems. But this process does have some drawbacks. Firstly, it may take several additional years before you ever get to experience any fruit from that seedling. And once it DOES mature, it might produce fruit that is not as good as the parent plant.Adapting plants through natural breeding is a crucial part of modern fruit cultivation. And many commercial growers are actively developing new and improved varieties. But for us as consumers, we are often limited on time and space. Thus, it is most advantageous to buy cloned varieties from established nurseries. These are often grafted onto hardy root stocks, using mature fruiting wood. That means that within just one year you might be enjoying fruit from your new tree!► LOCAL VS ONLINE VENDORS:Obviously, it can be quite convenient to just drive into a local nursery and pick up a few plants. You don't have to pay for shipping costs. You get to hand pick your exact plant. And it's more likely that you'll be choosing from varieties that are adapted to grow in your local area.Online nurseries are very good options though. They give you even more choices. You'll be able to select from a nearly endless variety of apples, peaches, pears and so on. And you'll also have access to other types of plants that are missing from your local box store. Goumis, sea berries, hardy kiwis, persimmons, jujubes and aronia. If you want them, you might need to look online!► ONLINE EDIBLE PLANT NURSERIES:• Raintree Nursery (Washington)raintreenursery.comAmazing selection of plants you've never heard of, including west coast natives. A good balance between selection and price. My preferred online plant seller.★★ COUPON: C10 for $10 off your order of $75 or more!• Bay Laurel Nursery (California)baylaurelnursery.comOnline seller of Dave Wilson's Nursery fruit trees. Huge selection of grafted stone fruits, with multiple root stock options. I've purchased my bare root peaches, apricots & plums from them. Even a 4-in-1 grafted variety! Try to pre-order between August to December for shipping in the next year's season.• Edible Landscaping (Virginia)https://EdibleLandscaping.comBroad selection of edible plants, including some uncommon varieties. Shipping is available year round, although stock fluctuates. I got a very nice potted Asian Persimmon grafted on an American Persimmon root stock.• Just Fruits and Exotics (Florida)https://JustFruitsandExotics.comLots of unique fruiting plants, including an impressive selection of persimmons. My mother-in-law's Asian Persimmon came from this vendor.• One Green World (Oregon)https://OneGreenWorld.comLarge selection, including some remarkable west coast natives. In years past, I've received good quality plants after ordering multiple plants from them.► READ MORE ABOUT PLANNING A BACKYARD ORCHARD:Backyard Orchard Barriers to Growing Fruit Trees:link.albopepper.com/barrier00Tips For Planning a Backyard Orchard and Growing Fruit Trees:link.albopepper.com/backorch00Lee Reich Books:• Landscaping with Fruit: amzn.to/2lMCSqd• Grow Fruit Naturally: amzn.to/2NdBidi• The Pruning Book: amzn.to/2tLtuaB#BackyardGardening, #HomeOrchard, #EdibleLandscape, #FoodForest, #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Why Organic is Safer! GMO vs NonGMO vs Organic -Avoiding Monsanto Roundup (glyphosate) Contamination AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2019-01-01 | What's the most important reason for buying Organic? How can you reduce exposure to pesticides & herbicides like glyphosate? Is Roundup really that bad? What about GMOs? What does that NonGMO label mean? 00:00 Gardening & Farming for a Healthier Planet 01:17 What Does GMO Mean? 02:33 What's Wrong with GMOs? 04:01 Herbicide Tolerant GMOs: RoundUp Residues 05:33 The Dangers of Glyphosate & Cancer Risk 08:16 Pre-Harvest Glyphosate Application 09:19 Non-GMO vs Organic Labeling 10:39 Organic Foods Reduce Pesticide & Herbicide Levels in Our Bodies 11:35 How to Reduce Exposure to Pesticides & Herbicides 12:58 Switch to Organic When Possible, But Keep Eating Plants! 14:57 Organics Offer Real Benefits••••••••••••••••CONTROVERSY:••••••••••••••••► GMOs: Some GMO produce has been unpalatable & thus, never went to market. Some genetically engineered organisms benefit us by improving disease resistance. But the most common traits are bt & ht genes. Other GMO modifications can lengthen the shelf life of harvested crops. Mushrooms that take longer to go bad. Tomatoes that have a longer storage life. Apples that don't turn brown.Many of these GMO traits are designed to support retail chain profits & industrial agriculture practices. They may reduce some food waste & improve efficiency, keeping costs lower. But they also promote widespread herbicide application, while doing little or nothing to improve flavor or nutritional content of our food. (Don't get me started on Golden Rice.)► GLYPHOSATE: Some countries have banned it's usage, but proponents assert that excluding Roundup increases reliance on even MORE toxic alternatives. Banning it might not effectively trigger agricultural reform. But if consumers vote with their dollars for organic alternatives, then more farmers will be prompted to make the switch.► ORGANICS: To dismiss organic agriculture as useless "marketing hype" is a gross overgeneralization. Promoting that view is irresponsible. People cite copper fungicide as being super toxic, although being approved for organic gardening. However, they don't cite which crops are treated with it & they ignore the worse formulations used on conventional crops.Each product should be assessed on a case by case basis. Conventionally grown strawberries are laden with pesticides. So grow your own! Spinach is also very contaminated, but not if you buy organic. Meanwhile, onions and broccoli are much cleaner. So conventional should be just fine. Regardless, eating more fruits, vegetables & whole grains should always be promoted. Don't ever avoid eating whole plant products out of fear of contamination. Compared to eating extra animal products, you'll be much better off!Does the USDA Organic standard need an overhaul? Perhaps. But that's no reason to throw it out & reject everything it stands for. Advocate for reform where needed. Promote those refinements that you believe in. Why not push for pesticide labeling on ALL of our foods? Until consumers are better informed about pesticide residues in their foods, choosing Organic produce is a sensible choice. The same goes for home gardening!!!••••••••••••••••LINKS:••••••••••••••••► GMOshttps://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/usda.gov/topics/biotechnology/biotechnology-frequently-asked-questions-faqsers.usda.gov/data-products/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us/recent-trends-in-ge-adoption.aspx► Rounduphttps://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdfhttps://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/2016/glyphosate_IARC2016.phpoehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/crnr/glyphosate-listed-effective-july-7-2017-known-state-california-cause-cancer► Scientific StudiesGlyphosate & the Gut Microbiomemdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416Soy Plants & Roundup Residues:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24491722Elementary Student & Pesticides in Urine:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290988Differential Effects of Glyphosate & Roundup:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15929894Effects of Preparation on Pesticide Residue:sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713506002696Cancer Risk vs Benefits of Eating More Veggies:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22981907Dioxins Intake from Foodsncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11346131► EWG Resourcesewg.org/news-and-analysis/2018/08/how-does-ewg-set-health-benchmark-glyphosate-exposureewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincerealewg.org/foodnews/summary.phpewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php#Albopepper #nonGMO #organic #organicfood #cancer #GMO #monsanto #Roundup #FoodReform #GoVegan••••••••••••••SUPPORT:••••••••••••••WEB ➝ albopepper.comFB ➝ facebook.com/albopepperIG ➝ instagram.com/albopepperTEES ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper••••••••••••••
Easy DIY Hydroponics for Lettuce Plants (Compact Indoor Grow Container from Upcycled Clorox Wipes) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-08-30 | My favorite mini hydroponic system for growing lettuce greens or herbs! No pumps. Minimal investment in materials. And this DIY container is totally free, since it's a re-purposed plastic canister.These 105 count Clorox wipes containers have a nice wide base and can hold lots of nutrient solution. The lid fits snuggly. And a 2 inch net cup can fit perfectly into the preformed opening. With just a couple of cuts, the container is modified and ready to go!COMPLETE MATERIAL LIST (# CommissionsEarned) if you're new to hydroponics:• Clorox Wipes 105 Count: amzn.to/2PG9hfJ• Two Inch Net Cups: amzn.to/2MTwMTR• Hydroponic Nutrient Solution (A+B+C) - Lettuce Fertilizer 8-15-36: amzn.to/2BLwv10 - Calcium Nitrate: amzn.to/2MZhZHD - Magnesium Sulfate: amzn.to/2PHrRnV• Rapid Rooter Plugs: amzn.to/2PDLltt• Red Sails Lettuce Seeds: amzn.to/2PHshuv• Sansi LED Grow Light: amzn.to/2whdzCb• pH Meter: amzn.to/2MQhbEJ• TDS Meter: amzn.to/2obpaOzClorox wipes are a consumable product. So you might avoid using sanitizing wipes to reduce waste. But if you already buy these, why not upcycle the empty containers!? Health care facilities, schools and workplace environments are all places that may use such products. If you come across them in your activities, ask people to save the containers for you.If you are concerned with plastic safety, these canisters are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) #2 plastic. Many common food items are packaged with it including yogurt, milk, water, and juice containers. Being relatively stable, HDPE is considered a "safer" plastic for food and drink use.Are you new to the idea of hydroponics, especially Dr. B.A. Kratky's non-circulating method? Watch my intro to the topic here: youtube.com/watch?v=ZGCqIK9YbdE#HydroponicLettuce #KratkysMethod #Clorox #upcycled #Recycling #IndoorGrowing #UrbanGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
2018 June Urban Garden / Edible Landscaping Tour + Plant & Book Ideas (Albopepper Walk-thru) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-07-01 | Converting your entire property into a lush, edible landscape can be fun and rewarding. Of course, there may be design challenges to overcome. In this video, I show you some plants that I've placed on my small suburban lot in order to feature verdant greenery, while also creating some seclusion and privacy.At least 90% of all plant species on my lot are edible or perhaps medicinal in some way. There are the usual berries and fruit trees, from Goumis to Persimmons. But also things that can be used as herbal medicine like St. John's Wort and Yarrow. New Jersey Tea, Chamomile and Sweet Woodruff can be used in teas. Some things love full sun. But some fruit bearing plants actually do well in shade, such as Jostaberries, Gooseberries and Currants.If you are serious about digging in, I encourage you to check out some of the books featured in this vid:Lee Reich: - Landscaping with Fruit: amzn.to/2lMCSqd - Grow Fruit Naturally: amzn.to/2NdBidi - The Pruning Book: amzn.to/2tLtuaBMichael Judd: - Edible Landscaping w/ Permaculture Twist: amzn.to/2KzBVzA(# CommissionsEarned)For all of my book reviews: http://albopepper.com/reviews-gardening-books.phpEdible landscaping just makes good sense. And as you've seen in this video, it certainly melds well with conventional gardening techniques too. On my property I have 3 sub-irrigated (self watering) beds that are used for my annual vegetable production. And there are some nice raised beds too!#EdibleLandscaping #GardenBookReviews #GrowYourOwn #UrbanGardening #AlGracian #Albopepper #FoodForest==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Seed Starting Containers: 10+ Ideas for Vegetable Gardening -Quick Tips AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-03-19 | What type of containers or pots work best for seedlings? Let's examine a variety of seed starting systems. Hopefully this will guide you in selecting a growing system that works best in your situation!10+ SEED STARTING CONTAINERS (# CommissionsEarned): 1: Retail Pots - amzn.to/2pjYmg5 (Amazon) 2: Reclaimed Nursery Pots - FREE! 3: Reclaimed Food Containers - FREE! 4: Hydroponic Net Cups - amzn.to/2FHMIpC (Amazon) 5: Cow, Peat or Coir Biodegradable Pots - amzn.to/2GD6T58 (Amazon) 6: Seedling Flats or Cell Pack Trays - amzn.to/2G3bIXK (Amazon) 7: Peat Jiffy Pellets - amzn.to/2FLo6MM (Amazon) 8: Cone-tainer / Ray Leach Tubes - bit.ly/2HIaC0S (Ebay) 9: Root Pruning Air-pot Containers - amzn.to/2pkDaGK (Amazon) 10: Soil Blocker Cubes - amzn.to/2FRwVAH (Amazon)BONUS: Self-watering, Sub-irrigated Containers (albopepper.com/albo-stein.php)READ MORE: albopepper.com/seed-starting-trays-containers.phpSELECTING THE RIGHT SEEDLING POTS:When it comes to seed starting, there is no perfect, single solution. What's the best seed starting container? That depends on which factors are most important to you:PLANT QUANTITY: The number of plants you plan on growing will determine the growing system you chose. Production environments like a greenhouses or nurseries produce thousands of seedlings. To produce high volume, nurseries rely on systems that are compact and allow for smaller, denser plants. PLANT SIZE: What if you're a small scale urban gardener who only grows a few peppers and tomatoes? You may benefit from a system that supports larger, more vigorous seedlings. Larger seedling containers grow larger root systems. UPFRONT COST: Many gardeners grow food to SAVE money (not spend more). Other gardening hobbyists have no problem dumping hundreds of dollars into their systems. But they don't care because it's something they love doing. Some systems require an upfront investment that slowly pays for itself over a course of years.RENEWABILITY: Some seed starting solutions may seem simple and affordable at first glance. But they may be designed to keep you coming back, year after year. This is something worth considering. Would you prefer a reusable product that you can clean and use again next year?ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Some options are designed to air prune plant roots, resulting in better transplant vigor. Other systems work with capillary water mats, reducing watering frequency.#IndoorGardening #SeedStarting #GardenSupplies•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
High End LEDs vs T5 Fluorescent! Thrive Agritech: Infinity Linear (Review & Lettuce Test) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-02-15 | The Infinity Linear LED grow light from Thrive Agritech is a unique horticulture lamp that brings a lot to the table. In this test, I compare these LEDs to 4ft T5HO fluorescents. Supposedly a single Infinity Linear can replace TWO 4ft high output T5s. So I'll run four T5s against two Infinity Linears (placed side-by-side).This is my NEW recommendation for a splash proof, low profile LED grow light:Active Grow 320W LoPro Max:PRODUCT LINK (# CommissionsEarned):► amzn.to/2zlrNXd (Amazon)DISCOUNT CODE: ALPEPPER2020 (3% OFF) My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZ2020 UPDATE:This product has been discontinued. However, I've recently tested a newer 4 foot LED grow light that is even more efficient and a much better value: The Active Grow LoPro Max 320W. It is UL Listed and meets IP65 standards. The LoPro Max has 4 LED light bars. And a single unit makes more light that SIX of these Infinity Linears combined! But the comparative price is much better. Plus it's dimmable! See Amazon link above. ↑↑↑Here are some newer LEDs that offer an excellent value:► Maxsisun MG3000: youtu.be/Tw6-w2gybgo► Spider Farmer SF300/SF600: youtu.be/RXbR-hcXeQ4c► Active Grow LoPro Max: youtu.be/PCaesi_M5DQ► Spider Farmer SF-2000: youtu.be/lK28aiRQ_VsLED TEST:I grew a single row of Kratky's hydroponic lettuce plants (four under the center of each light). I selected Red Sails, a fast growing leaf lettuce. The lights were placed 9" above the seedling canopy (10.5" above the soil surface). Lights were not raised during the test. The Infinity Linears were placed alongside each other on 6.75" centers.LED vs T5 Test Results:3:16 - Test Bed Placement3:25 - Nutrient Setup4:34 - Recorded Data4:46 - Growth Comparison5:16 - Growth vs Water Consumption5:46 - Yield vs Water vs Power6:14 - Power Cost vs Plant YieldPRODUCT REVIEW:In my test, I was able to achieve 36% MORE growth, using 36% LESS power. The LEDs generated much less heat. This resulted in 36% LESS water consumption. When comparing the energy costs to run each light, and the resultant growth, the LED grow lights produced twice as much lettuce mass per dollar of electricity. So these lights really do live up to their claims.The Infinity Linears are lightweight, water proof, and versatile in their configuration options. They're ultra-efficient. My version produces 2.0 micro moles of light per joule. But the latest models have been upgraded to an efficacy of 2.2! Many LEDs claim to have a long lifespan, but in a year's time I've seen them flicker or burn out. Thrive Agritech stands behind their products though. Their five year warranty is a big deal.Unlike some COB and UFO style LEDs, the Infinity Linears do not generate a single hot spot of point light. Instead, they emit light in a continuous linear nature. I think these lights are good for close placement, fixed location installations. Perfect for a grow rack. They could certainly be raised, but in a long daisy chain configuration, doing so might be impractical.Look for these to excel at vege cycle plant growth and propagation systems. Plant cloning, seed starting, culinary herbs, lettuce greens and microgreens. These are good for home gardening but commercial operations as well: Greenhouses, Vertical Farms, Tissue Culture Labs, Hydroponics, Aeroponics and Aquaponics.#VerticalFarming #IndoorGardening #LEDvsT5 #UrbanGardening #LEDGrowLights #AlbopepperNOTE: Thanks to Thrive Agritech for sending me these lights to keep. Although this review was unpaid, I did not have to pay for the lights.•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Self-watering Planter Basics: How to Design DIY Gardening, Sub-irrigated, Wicking Beds (Albopepper) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-01-26 | What's the key to success? Sub-irrigated planters (SIPs) are often referred to as "self-watering" systems. Also known as wicking beds. How do they work? There are various ways to construct them. The systems shown in this video do no not use a base of gravel. Instead, the water reservoir is created by hollow pieces of corrugated, perforated drain pipe. Such drain pipes are inexpensive and easy to transport. Their light weight speeds up installation and makes them ideal for applications like roof terraces, balconies and decks. Also, if the system needs moved or deconstructed, the process is MUCH easier!0:00 - Self-Watering / Wicking Bed Overview0:35 - Examples of SIP Self-Watering Planters1:04 - How Self-Watering Planters Work2:43 - What Soil to Use for Self-Watering Planters3:05 - Quick Tips for Success w/ Wicking Beds3:45 - What to Grow in SIP Self-Watering Planters Sub-irrigated System Basic Components:- Water-tight Container- Aeration Screen- Wicking Media- Overflow Hole- Fill TubeLearn more at my website:► albopepper.com/sips.phpWATER-TIGHT CONTAINER:Any food grade plastic container will work fine, including 5 gallon buckets, totes or IBCs. Beds can be built from lumber or composite materials and then lined with a water tight liner. Look for a non-toxic, fish safe pond liner. PVC will work ok but I personally prefer 45 mil EPDM liners.AERATION SCREEN:The growing media is suspended above the water reservoir with an air gap in between. The soil releases excess moisture rainfall or irrigation. The root zone receives air, allowing for respiration & preventing root rot. The upper edges of perforated pipes form the aeration screen in these SIPs.WICKING MEDIA:Potting mix slowly absorbs water as plants needs it, pulling it up from the reservoir through capillary action. The wicking material connects the reservoir to the soil enabling this process. Pieces of cord can serve as a wick. Or in corrugated pipe system, narrow bands of potting mix provide the wicking. Wicking materials should be highly absorbent will resisting decomposition.OVERFLOW HOLE:An overflow hole is placed at the side wall to prevent overfilling of the planter. It is slightly below the aeration screen. With corrugated pipe systems, the hole center is be around 3.25 inches.FILL TUBE:To directly sub-irrigate the planter, you'll need a fill tube. This allows you to pump water directly to the reservoir, filling the system up. I generally combine soda bottle that then funnels into a 1/2 inch PVC pipe.QUICK TIPS:- Your SIP must be leveled for consistent moisture absorption.- Avoid raw manures due to pathogen issues.- Bagged manures & composts may contain high levels of salts.- Avoid fine silty particles which reduce aeration & lead to compaction.- Both synthetic & organic fertilizers can work in SIPs.- All-purpose organics may offer minerals like calcium & magnesium.- Apply all dry & liquid nutrients to the potting mix not the reservoir.- In temperate regions, SIPs work best with annual crops rather than perennials.#albopepper #SelfWatering #UrbanGardening #DroughtProof #HighDensityGardening #WickingBeds•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Photoperiod vs Intensity: PPFD / DLI Experiment (Hydroponic Lettuce LED Lights) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2018-01-01 | Light cycle vs light intensity. How do these relate to each other when setting up your grow lights? What is DLI? In today's video, we focus on hydroponic lettuce grown under some small 15w SANSI LEDs.Watch PART 1 of this series for further context:youtube.com/watch?v=gHWf4Hfi3hATEST OBJECTIVES: To compare the growth of hydroponic lettuce grown under a daily light integral of 16 delivered through varying photoperiods (12/12, 16/8, 24/0). Also, to determine if continuous light on a lettuce plant will induce flowering or elongated growth.KEY TERMS:PHOTOPERIODISM: The physiological growth or reproduction response of a plant when exposed to a specific photoperiod or day length and the corresponding period of darkness.DLI: Daily Light Integral refers to the total number of PAR photons, delivered to a square meter area through the course of a 24-hour period. It is expressed as moles of light (mol) per square meter (m−2) per day (d−1).PPFD: Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density as measured in micromoles per second, per square meter(μmol/m2/s) is a snapshot of all PAR light falling on a surface within a single second.TEST BED - PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned):Lettuce - Tom Thumb: http://shrsl.com/bzt8 (Botanical Interests)SANSI - White LED Light: http://amzn.to/2zEUQzT (Amazon)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZTest Setup:Lettuce 1: 10.25" Distance - 370 PPFD @ 12hr = 16 DLILettuce 2: 12.5" Distance - 278 PPFD @ 16hr = 16 DLILettuce 3: 21" Distance - 185 PPFD @ 24hr = 16 DLIFresh Weight (tops only):Lettuce 1: 77gLettuce 2: 81gLettuce 3: 93g - No Bolting OccurredSLIDE CORRECTION (6:59):I showed the remaining solution & failed to convert that number to solution consumed as labeled. Here is the replacement slide:http://albopepper.com/images/Photoperiod_PPFD_DLI_Experimental_Results.pngLettuce 1: 1125mLLettuce 2: 1252mLLettuce 3: 1341mLSUMMARY:There is a direct relationship between light intensity and photoperiod. DLI is a measurement that accounts for both parameters. Light intensity (as measured in PPFD) is documented and then converted to a 24 hour period, adjusting for the dark cycle as well.When plants receive insufficient light, light intensity can be boosted by placing the light closer to the plants. However, increasing the duration of the light cycle is also a possible option. Both approaches effectively raise the DLI and boost plant growth.Of course, when plants are getting too much light the reverse applies. Raising lights might solve the problem. But reducing the light cycle is advantageous due to the reduction in power consumption. Thus plant may yield more mass per watt consumed.#Horticulture #GrowLights #knowledge #IndoorGrow #Lettuce #UrbanGardening #GrowingTips•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Preventing Tip Burn: Hydroponic Lettuce (Indoor LED Grow Light) PPFD Experiment AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-10-26 | Growing lettuce indoors under artificial lights may results in deformity of the leaves. Brown necrotic tissue at the leaf edge is known as tip burn. What causes tip burn? Whether you're a home gardener of a commercial greenhouse grower, this is an important issue to address.Watch PART 2 of this series covering Light Duration:youtube.com/watch?v=dQlOJ1zvoPIOUTER TIP BURN:Causes of outer tip burn are not as clear as inner tip burn. Outer tip burn seems to relate to insufficient water or high salt levels. Low humidity and excessive air flow can contribute to this problem.INNER TIP BURN:Causes are easier to explain and relate to poor calcium supply in young, developing leaves. But often, it's not because the nutrient solution lacks calcium. Instead, the cause is linked to insufficient evapotranspiration.As plants transpire, they pull nutrients up through their tissues. Under high light levels, growth rate is boosted. But if the plants can't transpire fast enough, they can't adequately supply their increasing demand for calcium.TEST BED - PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned):Lettuce - Tom Thumb: http://shrsl.com/bzt8 (Botanical Interests)SANSI - White LED Light: http://amzn.to/2zEUQzT (Amazon)My PPFD Meter (Apogee Instruments):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZTest 1: In my initial test, I used a 15w Red/Blue LED from SANSI. The spectral composition of the lights caused a shade avoidance response. This test was ultimately ruined due to unexpected elongation of the lettuce plants.Test 2: In this 2nd test, I switched to full spectrum white LEDs (SANSI, 15w). The plant growth was dramatically different, resulting in a successful experiment.Light 1: 9.5" Distance - 575 PPFD @ 16hr = 33 DLILight 2: 13.5" Distance - 278 PPFD @ 16hr = 16 DLILight 3: 22" Distance - 175 PPFD @ 16hr = 10 DLISolution: 6.2pH 1720 ECExperiment Day 1: 09/18/17Harvest: 10/16/17Fresh Weight (tops only):575 PPFD = 80g278 PPFD = 55g175 PPFD = 9gThe lettuce grown under 278 PPFD white light grew very well. It exhibited fast, healthy growth without any deformities from inner tip burn.SOLUTIONS TO INNER TIP BURN:1) Increase Air Flow - A fan can be used to increase air flow, resulting in higher plant transpiration rates. This, in turn, results in more calcium being pulled through the plants roots and into the leaves.2) Decrease Light Intensity - Reducing light intensity reduces the rate of growth. This, in turn, reduces calcium requirements, allowing leaves to develop without defect.Lettuce is considered a low light plant. Typical maximum DLI values can be from 15 to 17 DLI. Ideal PPFD is from 250 to 300, with a maximum of 400 PPFD. This is just a general guide and can vary with cultivar and environmental factors.HORTICULTURE REFERENCES:Hydroponic Lettuce Handbook:http://www.cornellcea.com/attachments/Cornell%20CEA%20Lettuce%20Handbook%20.pdf© Cornell University CEA Programe-GRO Alert:http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2015_431.pdfVolume 4, Number 31 April 2015#Hydroponics #GrowLights #GrowingTips #IndoorGrow #Lettuce #UrbanGardening #knowledge•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
How To Grow 🍄 Mushrooms Outdoors at Home in the Garden! Wine Cap Mushroom Identification Cultivation AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-09-24 | It's so easy to grow edible mushrooms outdoors! Wine cap (Garden Giant / King Stropharia) mushrooms, are great for beginners to grow. This single variety appeals to guerrilla gardeners, permaculturalists, organic gardeners, homesteaders and urban gardeners alike.Visit my site for more photos and info:albopepper.com/wine-cap-mushroom-bed-cultivation-stropharia-rugosoannulata.phpCORRECTION (4:15): When I said March 12th, I meant June 2th.MUSHROOM IDENTIFICATION:Stropharia rugosoannulata are very easy to identify, and are less likely to be confused with other indigenous fungi. The trademark traits include a red-wine colored cap, grey-violet gills and a creamy-white colored stalk that displays an annulus or ring. If spotted soon after emergence, the cap may still be tightly closed, hiding the gills and perched at the height of the annulus. Over time the cap opens up exposing the gills which then darken with spores.WINE CAP CULTIVATION:Cultivation can be scaled to any property size. Site preparation is quite easy. Wine cap spawn can be purchased in pegs or sawdust. Unlike shiitake which do well with log cultivation, wine caps are best suited for in-ground or raised bed cultivation. Rather than logs, common stropharia substrates are wood chips, saw dust or straw which can be placed on or into the ground. Old wood chips are acceptable or new ones will work too. Allowing hardwood chips to age for a few weeks can improve colonization. Shade to partial shade seems to work well. Areas that tend to stay moist are ideal. Fall or Spring are the preferred seasons for inoculation.MUSHROOM HARVEST:If prepared in the Spring your first harvest may occur as soon as 8 weeks later. Weather fluctuations in moisture and temperature seem to signal mushroom emergence. But keep in mind that the process is quite random. So you need to visit your garden on a frequent basis. Placing your spawn in zones of frequent activity ensures that you won't miss any of your precious harvest. To pick them, simply cut them at the base with a sharp knife.HOW TO COOK WINE CAPS:Wine cap mushrooms are fairly versatile in cooking recipes. Many people suggest preparing them in the same fashion as portobello mushrooms. They work very well in sauté recipes. They have a slight nutty, earthy flavor. We've added them to homemade soups. And we've even stuffed the caps and baked them.MUSHROOM PRESERVATION:The mushrooms store well in a paper bag in the fridge for several days. Just be sure not to wash them. They also dry very well with a food dehydrator. This methods allows for long-term storage. Then they can be rehydrated and used in stocks and soups.WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???Do you have a small piece of land? Do you have access to free wood chips, perhaps from an arborist? Would you like some free organic mushrooms? Growing wine caps allows you to use existing resources to produce healthy food. At the same time you build rich soil and soil biota. A perfect example of stacking functions. The gardening technique in this video can work even in HOAs (home owners associations) where people often have major restrictions on their garden activities. Wine cap mushroom cultivation is the solution!#WineCaps #GrowingMushrooms #GuerrillaGardening #FoodForest #UrbanGardening #Mycology #SoilBuilding #RaisedBedGardens #GardenGiant•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
PAR Light Quality LEDs & HID: Plant Grow Light Basics -101 (Do Plants Use Green Light?) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-08-17 | NOTE: This video has been completely revised & updated:► youtu.be/kUpEQ4kU148 Selecting artificial grow lights can require research and sometimes growers face conflicting information. How can we select the best lights for our application? Should we rely on weed growing forums for all of the facts? What about university level research? This video is intended to explain many basic principles surrounding plant lighting and its application in horticulture.The focus of this video is all about Light Quality. What effect do different light wavelengths have on plants and their development? Do plants need UV light? How does Far Red light effect plant growth? Do plants use green light or is green light wasted energy? These questions are answered, along with scientific research that you can read more about, depending on your level of interest.REFERENCES:2:40 - academic.oup.com/plphys/article/160/1/145/61097534:06 - academic.oup.com/pcp/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pcp.a0292984:07 - journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/39/7/article-p1617.xml4:19 - link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-1848-0 Amazon: http://amzn.to/2wbOwSO5:17 - academic.oup.com/pcp/article/50/4/684/1908367We'll take a look at the visible light spectrum (a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum). We'll see how color wavelengths are measured in nanometers. What is PAR light (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)? Various light types have unique spectral profiles, as measured by a spectrometer. We'll quickly look at a few charts from LEDs, fluorescents, high-pressure sodiums and metal halides. Many of these can be rated on the Kelvin color temperature scale, which is discussed as well.When considering LED vs HID, the spectral composition can be a major factor. Some LEDs have a few limited color bands (in blue and red ranges). Some include a "full spectrum" light source. How do they make white light from LEDs? One common approach, shown in this video, is to use a phosphor coating.This is the basics of plant lighting and grow lights. It is intended to benefit a broad audience, from home gardeners, to greenhouse growers, to vertical farmers and even "medical" growers. But Light Quality is only one of many factors that are worth consideration.In future videos we'll explore Light Intensity and how horticulturists measure it. We'll look at PPFD vs Lumens. Then we'll examine differences in light efficiency. Finally, we'll consider various form factors and their pros and cons.#GreehouseGrowers #LEDLights #IndoorGardening #knowledge #ArtificialLighting #GrowLights #Albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Trellis Plant Support Ideas + 2017 July Urban Garden, Edible Landscape -Albopepper Walk thru AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-07-18 | Vining plants can be trained to grow on a trellis to increase plant density. This year I've replaced my self-watering totes with a nice SIP raised bed. This allows me to construct a much better trellis system for my vegetables!Here are some basic garden / trellis supplies that I've found to be indispensable:- Twine Plant Clips: amzn.to/2v820Lj (Amazon)- Jute Cord: amzn.to/2uyLhDU (Amazon)- Polyester Netting: amzn.to/2t5AhcN (Amazon)- 4-Way Tee PVC Fitting: amzn.to/2vspqKZ (Amazon)- PVC Coated Welded Wire: amzn.to/2utsgSE (Amazon)- Green Stretch Tie: amzn.to/2thLU4t (Amazon)- Turnbuckles: amzn.to/2upt37m (Amazon)- 16 Gauge Galvanized Steel Wire: amzn.to/2tvBYzu (Amazon)- 12 Gauge Galvanized Steel Wire: amzn.to/2uyPdo7 (Amazon)(# CommissionsEarned)I've been diligently pruning and training annual veggies to grow up several plant support systems. They're going vertical, greatly increasing yield within a small space. This includes beans, peas, spaghetti squash, cantaloupe and even watermelon! I'm also training fruit bearing perennials using various trellis and espalier techniques. My vining or espalier plants include air potatoes, passion fruits, currants, plums, Asian pears and a hardy kiwi.In this video we take a closer look at how fence posts, U-posts and T-posts can be used for plant training in your edible landscape or backyard orchard. They can be combined with polyester netting, galvanized wire, welded wire or lattices. Some systems will support more weight than others. Some will last much longer. They may be used to for aesthetics, creating a nice privacy screen. Or they may be barely visible, allowing plants to grow unobstructed.Growing in conventional raised beds can be highly productive. But many veggies perform even better in self-watering beds and containers. When combined with effective trellising, you'll be amazed at how many vegetables you can squeeze into a small space!We've finished harvesting a bumper crop of strawberries. We've enjoyed a steady trickle of raspberries and alpine strawberries. And now the blueberries and aronia have ripened. Our passion fruit has already begun to flower which means we'll have fruit even sooner than last year. I'm looking forward to watermelons and cantaloupe! :-D#RaisedBedGardening #UrbanGardening #VerticalGardening #SelfWateringGarden #BackyardOrchard==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
2017 May Urban Garden, Edible Landscaping - Albopepper Memorial Weekend Walk-through Tour AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-05-29 | It's early Memorial Day weekend in my small space urban garden. My edible perennials are really taking off! As my berries and fruits trees are getting more established, they are now beginning to bear fruit! I continue to train plants to grow on a variety of trellis systems to increase plant density. Espalier pruning techniques have kept trees looking nice while remaining compact.As many over-story plants are getting established, I continue to layer in some smaller, plants which include herbs, flowers, and fruit bearing ground covers. I've set up a few mini fruit tree guilds and other companion plantings.In the one acidic loving fruit bed I have blueberries, lingonberries and wintergreen. These are all quite happy growing alongside each other. At the base of my 4-in-1 stone fruit multi-grafted tree (peach + apricot + plum + nectarine) I also have oregano, citronella balm and yarrow. In another edible landscaping bed I have an Asian persimmon, some honeyberries, Alpine strawberries and garlic chives. The trellis systems are all in place. No doubt, the passion fruit will be an aggressive grower. My Chinese yam (air potato) is growing very well. And my hardy kiwi is already blooming and setting fruit!There as for my annual veggies, some plants are growing in conventional raised beds. Others are benefiting from my self-watering beds. I have phased out my SIP totes and built a massive 4ft x 8ft wicking bed. I can't wait to see how the plants respond!These are the annual vegetables I'm growing this year:CONVENTIONAL RAISED GARDEN BEDS:- Garlic- Onions- Peas- Green Beans- Corn- Strawberries- Alpine StrawberriesSELF-WATERING BEDS:- Snap Peas- Lettuce- Arugula- Corn- Zucchini- Spaghetti Squash- Cantaloupe- Sweet Peppers- Watermelon#RaisedBedGardening #EdibleLandscaping #Biointensive #SmallSpaceGardens #SelfWateringGarden==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Experiment: Red Light vs Blue Light -How Spectrums Affect Plant Growth- LED vs CFL AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-02-12 | Blue light vs Red light. Which is better for vegetative growth??? Instinctively, the answer might seem obvious: Blue light is for vege! That basic mantra is plastered all over the internet. But if the issue was so simple, then why are many LED grow lights are sold using such a large ratio of red to blue? Why don't we see many pure blue "vege" lights?Wouldn't nurseries growing seedlings want all blue LEDs? Wouldn't indoor lettuce farms prefer all blue light since they don't want their lettuce to bloom (bolt)? Are horticulture LEDs high in red light because most of the artificial lighting market is targeting weed growers who want marijuana producing massive buds?THE EXPERIMENT:I decided to stop making assumptions and to test this for myself! Specifically, today's experiment tests the following HYPOTHESIS: Blue light fuels vegetative growth. Thus lettuce plants grown in the absence of blue light will grow slowly and develop less plant mass than lettuce grown under blue light.I set up several grow chambers using 4 types of artificial light sources: Full Spectrum 6500k CFL, Pure Blue 450-460nm LED, Red/Blue 460+630+660nm LED and Pure Red 620-630nm LED. One hydroponic (Kratky's Method) lettuce was placed under each light.QUICK CHARTS:1:44 - Lights Specs for This Test2:14 - Specs for Hydroponic Solution7:27 - Final Results of Lettuce Growth8:03 - Photosynthetic Absorption Spectrum8:10 - Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)10:53 - Recommended Light Levels for Lettuce12:02 - PPFD Light Readings for the LightsThis UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbsMy Apogee Instruments PPFD Meter (# CommissionsEarned):► amzn.to/3ebJiHZRESULTS:It turns out that red light was able to grow just as much plant mass as blue light. An added advantage to red LED light was that it generated just as much PAR light, while consuming 29% less electricity.The red light might have produced a large plant, but the plant quality was not desirable. The stem & leaf growth was very elongated. It was similar to a lettuce plant that is bolting. The leaves were pale, indicating low chlorophyll levels. They were very weak, easily separating from the stem.The blue LED showed similar dry weight as the red, but it had higher chlorophyll levels, exhibiting a much greener color and stronger tissues. Growth was still undesirable tho, as the plant stretched vertically, rather than staying compact. It might appear that light levels were too low, but the PPFD PAR numbers were actually too high. Also, the blue light did not generate as much root mass.Check these sources for appropriate PPFD levels for lettuce:http://www.cornellcea.com/attachments/Cornell%20CEA%20Lettuce%20Handbook%20.pdfhttp://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/71067.pdfThe Red / Blue LED resulted in a more natural, compact growth pattern. Clearly the lettuce plants require a mixed ratio of reds and blue in order trigger a compact growth characteristic.PAR:Many growers focus on chlorophyll A + B adsorption charts, assuming that other wavelengths of light are useless to plants. However, PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) spans the entire range of light between 400nm & 700nm. All of this light can fuel photosynthesis w/ varying degrees of efficiency. Additionally, photosynthesis is not the only concern of a grower.PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS:We must account for photomorphogenesis, which deals w/ the way plants grow in response to various wavelengths of light. This can even include wavelengths beyond the realm of PAR, such as UV light. Plants display various morphologies or developmental traits in response to combinations of light. A classic example is the ratio of red to far red light.In this test, we saw that including blue light at a ratio of 1:3 (blue to red) was able to prevent the plant from growing in an elongated fashion. This photomorphogenic response explains why we see the popular red / blue mixture of LEDs that are so common in grow lights.FINAL THOUGHTS:Full spectrum light is the best way to ensure that plants are getting everything they need. But producing such light in LEDs can reduce efficiency. Red and blue LEDs are the colors that offer highest levels of efficacy. Their light is readily absorbable by chlorophyll and easily drives photosynthesis. In a proper ratio of blue to red, most plants respond with natural looking growth.What about green light? Do plants use green light, or it wasted energy?Find out at my site:albopepper.com/red-blue-LED-grow-lights-with-no-green-spectrum.php#ScienceExperiments #LEDGrowLights #VegetativeGrowth #IndoorGrowing #ArtificialLightings #HydroponicLettuce #UrbanGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Kratky Hydroponic vs Worm Casting Potting Mix -Overview + Lettuce Test AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2017-02-07 | Are you considering basic hydroponics? What about a potting mix built from worm castings? Here's a quick overview of both. I performed a simple side-by-side test using lettuce plants. Both methods work well and here are a few tips.METHOD 1: Kratky's Method of HydroponicsThe Kratky method is named after B.A. Kratky, a researcher from the University of Hawaii. His technique is a passive type of hydroponics. It eliminates the need for pumps or any circulating system. This video does not reference a raft system (where the plant floats directly on a nutrient solution). Rather, I use the suspended pot technique. There's an air gap separating the lid or planting surface from the nutrient solution.HYDROPONICS MATERIAL LIST (# CommissionsEarned):► Two Inch Net Cups: amzn.to/2MTwMTR► Hydroponic Nutrient Solution (A+B+C) - Lettuce Fertilizer 8-15-36: amzn.to/2BLwv10 - Calcium Nitrate: amzn.to/2MZhZHD - Magnesium Sulfate: amzn.to/2PHrRnV► Rapid Rooter Plugs: amzn.to/2PDLltt► pH Meter: amzn.to/2MQhbEJ► TDS Meter: amzn.to/2obpaOzThis gap of humid air allows for the exchange of gases and the proper aeration of plant roots. Plants need oxygen to carry out respiration. The air gap supports healthy growth without requiring you to actively aerate the solution itself. As the solution is depleted, the level drops and the upper plant roots become air roots. They exhibit a fine, hairy texture and are specially adapted for oxygen absorption.A huge advantage of Kratky's method is that it can be easily scaled and duplicated. You can use one large tray of solution for a large batch of plants that are all planted and harvested at the same time. Or you can have an individual container for each and every plant, starting and harvesting them on a staggered timetable. There is no huge investment in infrastructure, either way. And once the plants are set up, they can grow with literally zero user interaction!A key limitation with this type of hydroponics is that you should not top off the reservoir once it is mostly emptied out. Re-submerging a large portion of upper air-roots may drown them, injuring the plant. You can maintain a certain water level or allow it to go lower. But it should not be raised.REFERENCE:► https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/VC-1.pdfMETHOD 2: Organic Potting Mix with Worm CastingsGrowing plants in a traditional potting medium is an easy way to get into gardening. The buffering capacity of a soil or potting mix makes it more forgiving when it comes to pH and nutrient levels. You don't need to invest in many materials either. Raising red worms to produce worm castings, creates a renewable nutrient source that makes up a substantial amount of your potting mix. In this video, I was using 25% castings by volume.Primarily, your reoccurring cost will be the other components of your mix. Common potting mix ingredients include peat moss, coir (coco), vermiculite, perlite and growstones. Buying your components in bulk can be a cost effective way to make your own mix and can be much cheaper than buying retail potting mixes. This is especially true of seed starting mixes which are unnecessary and quite overpriced.Using worm castings can be tricky, because each batch can vary in strength. I recommend doing a small test in advance to see what ratio works for you. If seeds are not germinating, you may need to reduce the amount of castings used. I tried 50% castings but had to scale back to 25%. This year's batch is apparently stronger than last year's.TODAY'S TEST HYDROPONIC vs POTTING MIX:I started all seedlings in vermiculite. After they germinated, I transferred them to their growing containers. Both grew very well, but the hydroponic lettuce grew just a little faster and larger. However, nearly all of the nutrient solution was depleted and it was time to harvest. On the other hand, I continued growing the potting mix lettuce, watering as needed.Each method is viable and has distinct advantages. I plan on continuing to use Kratky's method for my grow light experiments. This is a "set it & forget it" technique. It is a nice, clean option for apartment gardening. But for seed starting, I'll keep using my worm casting potting mix.#KratkyHydroponic #IndoorGrowing #GrowingLettuce #ApartmentGardening #SustainableGardening #WormCastings #SmallSpaceGardens #UrbanGardening•••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••
Urban Gardening Tips for Renters: Self-Watering Containers / Rooftop Terraces / Community Gardens AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-11-21 | Every year, a larger portion of our population is taking up residence in cities and suburban areas. Many urban dwellers would love to have a small garden and to grow their own food. But unfortunately, they may not own their own land. Want can a renter or tenant do to be able to garden in urban areas, even if they have no land to grow on?There are three strategies that can enable you to experience the joy of outdoor gardening: Community Gardens, Container Gardening & Self-watering Containers or Planter.COMMUNITY GARDENS:Gardening is a growing trend in urban and suburban areas. And community gardens are often a crucial tool for enabling people to have access to a small plot of their own. You may have one in your area. Each community garden will have it's own set of rules. You may be able to secure your own raised bed that will only cost a nominal fee each year.If you live in an apartment, you may have literally NO outdoor spaces at you disposal. In such a case, a community garden would be a perfect fit for you! You may have shared access to tools or materials like mulch an compost. Many such gardens also have very perennials like berry bushes and fruit trees.CONTAINER GARDENING:If you have a small outdoor living space, you might enjoy growing on-site. Container gardening is the perfect way to do so. You don't have to worry about disturbing the soil on your rental property. In fact, you might not even have any soil. But large containers will allow you to grow full sized vegetable plants. And smaller containers, like window boxes and great for things like lettuce or herbs.As renters, we might find that we move from time to time. A container garden will allow you to pack up you garden and move it along with you. Some people have even grown fruiting perennials like dwarf fruit trees in this way.Read more: http://albopepper.com/pots.phpSELF-WATERING PLANTERS:These are really just an extension of the container gardening. But sub-irrigated containers are worthy of having their own separate category. You might see these referred to as SIPs (sub-irrigated planters). But basically, they simply containers that contain a water reservoir.This extra pocket of water is slowly wicked upward as the moisture in the soil get used by your plants. This gives you an extra cache of water. Your plants enough a nice buffer against droughts and hot Summer days. They grow larger and healthier, experiencing reduced water stress. Watering is less of a chore for you, and you may even be able to skip a few days between watering.There are many retail kits, such as the EarthBox. In this video we look at a City Pickers SIP kit. Buy these are easy to make yourself, using DIY instructions. Window boxes, 5 gallon buckets and 18 or 30 gallon totes are all possible candidates for an SIP conversion.See my site for lots of self-watering container ideas:http://albopepper.com/sips.phpWHERE CAN YOU CONTAINER GARDEN?There is a nearly endless list of possible locations for growing some fruits or veggies in containers. Think of hardscapes, spot that are paved with concrete, asphalt, stones or brick. Options include: Along a sidewalk or walkway, on a deck or patio, along a driveway, on a balcony or even... a rooftop!GARDENING ON A ROOFTOP TERRACE:In many urban areas buildings are designed with flat roofs. Sometimes such spaces are efficiently used as an outdoor living area. Similar to a deck or a patio, such rooftops allow residents to sit an relax. If you have access to a rooftop terrace, why not take full advantage of this valuable resource? Install a small container garden!TIPS FOR GROWING ON A ROOFTOP:- SAFETY:Only grow on roofs that you are authorized to access. There are factors like insurance and liability that must be taken into consideration. A rooftop terrace would be mostly flat. It would also have a railing or parapet along the edge. If you have a situation like this, then do waste this great opportunity!- WEIGHT:Different rooftops are designed to bear different amounts of load. Using containers, rather than massive planters can reduce the volume of soil required and the total load placed on that roof. Keep your containers relatively light, using a light-weight potting mix to fill them. Some SIP tutorials will showcase designs that use gravel in the reservoir. This is unnecessary and it makes the containers excessively heavy. Avoid such designs.- WINDS:Winds on a roof can get strong. For free-standing, unsupported planters, select a container that is not top heavy. Look for a wider base that is not quite as tall. Grow plants that have a lower center of gravity. For taller plants, be sure to properly secure and fasten down their supports.#UrbanGardening #RooftopGardens #ContainerGardening==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Danver Carrots Started Indoors in Conetainers + Companion Planting - November 11 Harvest AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-11-14 | This year I planted 2 batches of carrots. For my 2nd planting, I wanted to share some new things that I tried so you can see how it worked out for me. For several years, I've continued to grow my favorite carrot: Danver. The Danver carrot is great for growing in soils that have a lot of clay. And this variety is also a very large carrot (if you plant it in the Spring and harvest in the Fall).I ordered my seeds from Botanical Interests: http://shrsl.com/?exgaINTERPLANTED / COMPANION PLANTING:The harvest shown in this video was a bonus harvest. All of the carrots were planted alongside other vegetables. I tucked plants into any free space I could find. Carrots with beans. Carrots under a towering tomato. Carrots at the base of corn. Under peppers. Next to watermelons. How did these companion planted carrots turn out?In some spaces the carrots actually did fairly well. In other spots it was more hit and miss. Root crops like carrots occupy a different space in the plant canopy. So they can fit under taller plants. But for the carrots to thrive, they still need to be able to get nutrients and light. So just bear in mind that they won't perform as well if other plants choke them out. Try things out and see what works for you!WHAT ABOUT TRANSPLANTS / STARTING CARROTS INDOORS? Conventional wisdom often teaches us that roots crops should be directly sown from seed. Carrots are not recommended as transplants. But why? Is it possible to grow carrot seedlings? Well, I was determined to find out!So I tried starting some carrot seedlings indoors in cone-tainers. I was surprised to see that many of these transplanted carrots grew even larger than the directly sown ones. This was not a formal experiment by any means. But the fact that the carrots fared so well has given me reason for optimism.The key to successfully growing carrot transplants is to select very deep containers. Carrots are basically just a huge taproot. To get a straight, long carrot, you need to have a long, undisturbed root. Once the root tip terminates, the carrot forks and gets all distorted. That's why these containers are so great!Order some cone-tainers (ray leach tubes): http://bit.ly/2fPYVL6READ MORE ABOUT BREAKING GARDEN RULES!http://albopepper.com/breaking-garden-rule-02--some-seeds-must-be-direct-sown.php#ContainerGardening #SelfWateringGarden #OrganicGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
T5 HO Fluorescent vs LED Replacement Bulb Grow Lights for Shelves -Hydroponic Lettuce Test & Review AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-10-17 | In the world of fluorescent grow lights, T5 tube lights are efficient and reliable for plant growth. An inexpensive investment, they work well in grow racks for small-scale gardeners as well as commercial grow operations, working well for seed starting, lettuce production and culinary herbs.But the bulb lifespan is not so great and continual advancements in LED technology has resulted in a maturing market of super-efficient grow lights. LEDs may have higher upfront costs, but they offer many advantages: Mercury-free, Recyclable, Longer Product Life, Less Heat Generation & Improved Electrical Efficiency.This UPS power station can backup a grow light!► youtu.be/h3sUUHCEqbsThese LEDs are my NEW recommendation instead of the ones in this video:AMAZON PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned):► amzn.to/3ltUZPY (LED Bulbs ONLY -as Shown in Video)► amzn.to/32zeKvE (LEDs + Fixture -If You Don't Already Own a T5 Ballast)MUCH better price and even MORE efficient!Or check out this option:► Spider Farmer SF300/SF600: youtu.be/RXbR-hcXeQ4cLED LIMITATIONS:Not all LEDs are designed to operate in the same form factor. Many SMD Panels, UFOs, Par38 & COB designs require 12 or more inches of vertical clearance to achieve proper light distribution. In contrast T5 fluorescents create uniform light while running cool enough to be placed within a few inches of plant canopy. What types of LED lights can be placed very close to your plants, just like T5s?On Ebay and Amazon you can find some low watt panel LEDs that claim to offer adequate growth. I've tried a couple. And my testing showed how a 5 star review on Amazon doesn't really count for anything these days. Previous video: youtube.com/watch?v=EtRWbltewB0My real-life testing has shown this LED form factor to be a high quality solution. I'm happy I had the opportunity to share this cool T5 upgrade with you guys.This LED light is a 4 foot bulb that is designed to plug directly into an existing T5 ballast! By swapping out your old fluorescents, you can get the same great growth at a mere 45% of the original electrical consumption. So in a 4 bulb configuration, you can drop from 205w to just 92w (actual consumption)!TEST BED:T5 Fluorescent / 2ft x 4 bulbs (6400k) - 96w (86w actual)Coverage area: 22.5" x 13.5" = 304 sq inT5 LED Direct Replacement Tube / 4ft x 4 bulbs - 120w (92w actual)Coverage area: 46" x 13.5" = 621 sq inDistance: Lights were placed 6" from soil surface.Plant Set Up: Red Sails leaf lettuce grown from seed in Kratky's hydroponic trays. - Seeds from Botanical Interests: http://shrsl.com/?efe4RESULTS:Of course, energy savings is useless, if the light doesn't perform. But after comparing my 2 foot T5 fluorescent with this 4 foot system, I'm happy to say that this light has done really well! In expending 7% more power, I observed at least 43% more growth. And there was potential for even more. :-) If compared to a 4 foot fluorescent system, I'm sure these LEDs would be able to keep up with no problems!RECOMMENDATIONS:For small scale hobbyists, the upfront price is fairly competitive. You need to analyze how many months out of the year you'll be running them. The lights are excellent quality and they perform very well. But if you're just starting out, you might want to look elsewhere, especially if you don't already own a T5 fixture.On the other hand, if you already own a T5 fluorescent grow light, switching to the LEDs will enable you to grow year round at a reduced operation cost. I personally am considering growing hydroponic lettuce throughout the Winter since the electrical costs will be so much less!If you're running a full time operation and have been relying on T5 grow lights, I recommend running the numbers and seeing how quickly these lights could pay for themselves. If you're in a warm climate, don't forget to account for reduced cooling costs. LED T5s make MUCH less heat. How quickly will these lights pay for themselves in energy savings? That depends on your electrical rates and the hours you run these on an annual basis. Watch this video for a more thorough explanation: youtube.com/watch?v=Lhb4oK-9kNY#GrowLights #IndoorLighting #LEDGrowLights #IndoorGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
How to Sift Worm Castings from Vermi-Compost Worm Bin / Grow Box AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-10-03 | Year after year, my outdoor worm box planter performs very well! I get buckets and buckets of castings that need sifted. The red wigglers survived another Winter outdoors. I insulated them with a massive pile of Autumn leaves. Underneath, I fed the worms with my usual bedding of cardboard and garden waste.By the middle of the Summer, these worms had chewed through ALL of it! All that was left was a massive pile of deep, rich vermi-compost. So I had to scoop out bucket after bucket of worm castings. In total it was about 36 gallons (loosely pre-sifted)!In order to finely sift the worm castings at this larger scale, I had to devise a slightly better system. So I upgraded my basic screen door method. I used some recycled wood to construct a basic frame. Then I wrapped the metal screen mesh around it. This allowed my to quickly sift the vermi-compost into my wheel barrow.Generating worm castings is a highly sustainable way of generating your own natural organic nutrients. The castings work great as a fertilizer, especially in container gardening. In fact, this past Winter, I did some tests using worm castings to make a seed starting mix. The results where impressive!Check my site for more tips:► link.albopepper.com/wormsVIDEO 1:youtu.be/-1U2Oh-FhuYUPDATE 2:youtu.be/HittDAeJeA4UPDATE 3:youtu.be/fU4gANW57S4#WormCastings #Permaculture #SustainableGardening #SaveTheWorms #OrganicGardening #VermiCompost- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
Raised Beds & Edible Landscape -Grandpas Garden (Year 2) +Fruit Trees! AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-08-29 | My grandparents' raised bed garden is now in its 2nd growing season. All vegetables are now grown in these five 4' x 12' raised beds. This is easy gardening due to reduced weeding and no rototilling. But it's also a high density method that generates a bountiful yield of annual crops!I wanted to share how plant spacing has worked out. This has been a fairly diverse garden with: peas, beans, onions, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, watermelon, honeydew, carrots and beets! We created a complete planting diagram. We set up a few trellises. And we used some interplanting or intercropping methods. This has created a more diverse polyculture. And has allowed us to maximize food production in a smaller space.Extending the project even further, we planned out an edible landscaping bed that is comprised of fruit trees and berry bushes. It's a basic food forest approach, as seen in permaculture. We have larger fruit trees for the overstory (peaches, paw paws, cherry plum & mulberry). Then there are small berry shrubs that can fix nitrogen (goumi). The comfrey is a dynamic nutrient accumulator. Next year we'll integrate an additional layer of plants by adding a ground cover. Plant groupings like this are sometimes called fruit tree guilds. It is the start of a mini food forest!We planned the positioning of the trees to fall mostly on the northern side of the garden beds. This will avoid shading out of the annual veggies as the backyard orchard starts to fill out. The fruiting perennials will be able to form a wind break creating a slight microclimate. This effect is called a sun trap and it can be used to create a small pocket of warmth that can boost garden productivity.#EasyGardening #RaisedBedGardens #BackyardOrchard #CompanionPlanting #OrganicGardening==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Baby Round Zucchini: Grown in 5 Gallon Self Watering Buckets AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-08-23 | Here's a quick video showing some Baby Round Zucchini that I've grown in some 5 gallon self-watering buckets. These sub-irrigated containers have a water reservoir that makes it easier to keep the plants watered, even during a drought.I got this variety of mini-zucchini from Botanical Interests. The intent is to harvest these when they are small and immature. At a size of 3 inches, they are still soft and can easily be cooked as a typical Summer squash. But if you allow them to get too big, then they get much harder. At this point, you would need to prepare them like a Winter squash.After shooting this video we sliced and quickly boiled the tiny zukes. They were delicious with just some salt, butter and black pepper! But the extra-large one required major boiling to soften it up. Afterwards, we stuffed it and it was pretty good. Just be sure to cook it long enough to soften it up.My personal recommendation is to pick 'em when they're wee little guys!This is the link to the product page at Botanical Interests: http://shrsl.com/?dkz1#GrowYourOwn #WhyIGarden #ContainerGardening #SelfWateringBuckets #SmallSpaceGarden==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Battling Squash Vine Borer - 2016 Aug 6th Urban Garden & Edible Landscaping Walk-thru -Albopepper AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-08-10 | The mid-Summer heat has been taking its toll. We haven't had a drought, but even still the plants have needed lots and lots of water! I can't imagine growing crops in containers without a self-watering reservoir. The sub-irrigated planters have made for easy gardening. xDThis is my first serious season for growing squashes. I've tried both Summer Squash and Winter Squash. Zucchini, spaghetti squash, acorn squash and red kuri. They've grown fast and pumped out a bountiful yield. But the larger concentration of cucurbitas has become a beacon to new pests. Squash Bugs have been on the prowl.And the most destructive has been the Squash Vine Borer. Squash vine borers will lay small individual eggs under the stems of your plants. If you are not vigilant, the emerging larvae will then eat your plants from the inside out!!! In this video I show a quick tip to prevent squash borers. Also I show how one of my squash vines was able to survive even though the base of the plant had been destroyed.I love my annual vegetable garden. Every Summer it explodes with massive growth! But then the plot is open and barren in just a few months. I'm enjoying my research into permaculture and edible landscaping as I've begun planting various edible perennials. Most won't grow quite as quickly in the 1st year, but they offer an element both stability and beauty in your yard. They can really round out your gardening experience.In this video I show a glimpse of my comfrey which have been a great biomass accumulator. And I have several edible vining perennials. The hardy kiwi is slowly establishing itself. My Chinese yam (air potato) is already making tiny bulbs on the vine. But the show stopper has been the passion fruit (passiflora). This FAST growing beautiful vine has remarkable sweet smelling flowers. The pollinators love it. And I'm excited to try my first ripened fruit!!!Here are few annual vegetables featured in my urban garden:00:56 - Red Kuri (Winter Squash Heirloom) http://shrsl.com/?di0t03:59 - Sweet REBA Acorn (Winter Squash) http://shrsl.com/?di0v07:59 - Onion Ailsa Craig Exhibition (Long Day Heirloom)12:09 - Crimson Sweet Watermelon (Heirloom) http://shrsl.com/?di0y13:14 - Orient Wonder Bean (Pole Yard Long) http://shrsl.com/?di0zThese permaculture perennials are shown in my edible landscape:09:19 - Russian Comfrey: Bocking 1409:35 - Wild Yam, Chinese: Dioscorea batatas (air potato)10:42 - Maypop Passionflower: Passiflora incarnata14:15 - Hardy Kiwi: Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ (self-fertile)#RaisedBedGardening #OrganicGardening #SmallSpaceGardens #SelfWateringGarden #EdibleLandscaping #WhyIGarden==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
How to Install an Inexpensive Raised Bed Garden - No More Poor Soil! AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-07-28 | This Spring was exciting for my mother-in-law as we installed a brand new raised bed garden. We kept it simple by installing only a single garden bed. We selected a location that is extremely close to her zone of activity. Just 2 feet from her back porch was a level spot that had excellent sun exposure. So we used 2"x10"x8' lumber to construct a 4 foot x 8 foot raised bed. The total volume was about 1 cubic yard.Her garden box has nearly 10 inches of soil depth. This is a perfect solution for dealing with poor soil conditions. Perhaps you only have clay or rocks in your backyard. Many urban or suburban lots are stripped of their natural fertile soil at the time of construction. Then these residential lots are backfilled with poor quality fill. It might be good enough for a lawn that receives annual weed-n-feed applications. But this is hardly a recipe for a rich, organic garden!Read more: Raised Beds► link.albopepper.com/bedsMany square foot gardeners will fill their beds with "Mel's Mix" which is comprised of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 vermiculite. Filling this bed with over 26.6 cubic feet of Mel's Mix would be more costly than what our budget permitted. So instead, I had a delivery service that brought in 4 cubic yards of 50/50 top soil and mushroom manure. This allowed us to adjust the grade of the site, to install an edible landscaping bed, and to also fill up this box. To improve water retention and soil texture, I also added 2 cu feet each of vermiculite and peat moss.Things have been growing well! I tried to allow for generous plant spacing, choosing to dispense with the square foot grid method. Even with the looser spacing, the plants are taking over and overflowing!One way to optimize space and boost plant density is to train vining plants to grow vertically. So on 2 sides of this raised bed, I used U-posts and fencing wire to create a plant trellis. This also serves as a natural barrier to animal pests. I placed a small patio slab in the box to allow us to step into the box without compacting the soil. This was only needed because of the obstruction created by the trellis.My Mother-in-law never considered that she might be able to grow in this space because of the poor soil. But with some planning and determination we've found an affordable solution that has gotten her excited about gardening. She can sit on her back porch and see how things are growing. Watering is easy and weeding is minimal. Next year, she won't have to rototill since she won't ever be stepping onto this soil. We can just apply compost and perhaps a little organic fertilizer and this garden bed will be ready to go!#AlboPepper #RaisedBeds #EasyGardening #RaisedBedGardens #UrbanGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Native Bird Nest in My Non-native Tree! Young Hatchling Baby Robins in My Backyard Urban Garden AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-07-25 | What's going on!? I thought that you need NATIVE plants to be able to provide habitat for native birds. These apples aren't native to the US. Someone forgot to mention that to these baby robins!More on Native Plants vs Non-natives here:link.albopepper.com/nativeI'm excited to share a quick little glimpse of my baby birds! These young robin hatchlings are the latest residents of my tiny urban garden. The robin decided to create a nest in the center of my columnar apple tree. I was surprised to peak in and see some little blue eggs after only a month.The fruit trees in my backyard orchard, have a ground cover of strawberries. Yesterday I was harvesting berries and thought I would take a peak. Sure enough, the eggs had hatched! Often I've found little berries that have been nibbled on by neighborhood robins. But we're growing enough that we've been able to share. Now that the community is growing, we'll have to see how things work out.I know that robins love earthworms. I've spent the entire Spring covering up the holes they've left in my beds. Supposedly, robins will eat other insects as well. I wish I knew what kinds. Perhaps they can assist with some organic pest control in the summer months!#BabyRobins #Non-natives #Gardening #NatureWatch #GreatOutdoors #Albopepper- - - - - - - - -SUPPORT:- - - - - - - - -W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper
2016 July 4th Albopepper Urban Garden Update AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-07-06 | It's early Summer in my small space urban garden. My vegetables are really taking off! I continue to experiment with optimal lighting, plant spacing and organic fertilizing. Training my vining plants to grow on a variety of trellis systems has been a crucial technique for increasing plant density.Compared to previous seasons, my beans are lagging behind in their development. They took a serious hit from pill bugs that would feed on the young tender leaves as they were barely emerging from the ground. I had to plant a 2nd planting of seeds. Additionally, I even started some beans in seedling trays to give them a fighting chance. I had the same issue with some corn that I had started in my cold frame. Things are coming along, but not as quickly as I'd hoped.On the other had, this might be my best year ever for watermelons! I'm trying 3 varieties to see how each performs. They are really taking over. I've trained them up a small trellis, but I clearly need a larger one for next season. Lots of watermelon fruits are setting and the plants look very healthy. I'm optimistic. :DThis is the year of the squash for me. Last growing season was my 1st time trying a squash (hybrid half-size spaghetti squash). I had avoided squash, because of the space requirements. But the bounty is too irresistible! Here are some tips: Limit the quantity of plants. Select varieties that are dwarfs or that have a bushing form. Use a trellis to control spread and optimize density in small gardens. Also, diligent training is crucial. Check on the plants every day and gently redirect them as needed.There are some plants that I prefer to grow in conventional raised beds. But many other veggies are thriving in the more elaborate self-watering beds and containers. With good light, nutrients and water you'll be amazed how abundant your vegetable growth can be!These are the annual vegetables I'm growing this year:CONVENTIONAL RAISED BEDS:- Kale- Garlic- Onions- Peas (already harvested)- Green Beans (runner beans + pole beans)- Carrots- Canary Melon- Corn- PotatoesSELF-WATERING TOTES / BEDS- Sweet Peppers- Watermelon- Carrots- Lettuce- Mustard- Arugula- Corn- Purple Broccoli- Kuri Squash- Acorn Squash- Spaghetti Squash- Tomato- Zucchini- Bok Choy (Toy Choy)#RaisedBedGardening #Biointensive #SmallSpaceGardens #SelfWateringGarden #GrowYourOwn==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
Growing Snap Peas, Snow Peas & Shelling Peas in Raised Bed Garden! (Taste Testing Organic Peas) AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-06-22 | How to grow peas? This is my 1st year growing them so I had to give it a shot! Every year I like to try new vegetables in my urban garden. What plants might grow really well in your climate? What delicious varieties of fruits and veggies are you missing out on? Grocery stores offer a very limited variety. The flavor and freshness might not be so good. These are all reasons to grow things yourself!==================PEA SEEDS (# CommissionsEarned)==================► Oregon Sugar Pod II (Snow Pea): amzn.to/3qKVzJG► Cascadia (Snap Pea): amzn.to/3qJdO2q► Tom Thumb (Shelling Pea): amzn.to/3vlRdwbI never grew peas before (mainly because I never really liked peas). Many people think peas are gross! In doing some research, I found that the flavor of your pea will diminish quickly. Just like with corn, as soon you pick your pea, the yummy sugary goodness starts to convert to starch. Refrigeration helps to slow down that process. But even still, a long shelf life makes for a yucky pea!In this video, I show 3 different types of peas: Snow Peas, Snap Peas & Shelling Peas. When harvesting the snow and snap peas, you can eat the entire pod. It is less work, offers a higher yield and tastes delicious! With shelling peas, you split open the external pod casing and pop out the little peas.Peas are a great cool weather crop to start at the end of Winter or in early Spring. Low bushy varieties (such as Half Pint) can be grown right in containers. But the taller climbing peas (Oregon Sugar Pod II / Cascadia) will quickly grow up a trellis. This makes good use of vertical space in a small urban garden. Also, you can practice succession planting by growing warm weather crops in the same space, after your pea harvest. I'm doing this with beans. I intend to devote a small space in my garden to peas from now on!I'm convinced that gardening should be a heritage that is available to each and every one of us. We've outsourced our food production for far too long! Eating healthy, quality food is a basic human right. Our children should be encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables at an early age. A family garden is a great way to do so. Check out my article on why we should garden:http://albopepper.com/why-you-should-garden--improved-food-quality.php#IHaftaPea #EatYourPeas #HealthyLiving #WhyIGarden #UrbanGardening #RaisedBedGardening••••••••••••SUPPORT:••••••••••••W E B ➝ https://albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepperJazzy Frenchy - Music: http://www.bensound.comBarroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310Artist: http://incompetech.com Comedic Juggernaut - Music to Delight by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100288Artist: http://incompetech.com
Landscape Fabric Pros & Cons Finding an Alternative thru Sheet Mulching for Weed Control AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-06-07 | Should you use landscape fabric? What causes it to fail? Are there any alternatives to a synthetic weed barrier? What should be considered as a long term solution?Landscape or weed fabrics create an impassible barrier that stops the upwards growth of plants from underneath. For this barrier to work properly though, an application of mulch is needed. As a short term solution for reclaiming a weedy bed, the fabric can help you out.DISADVANTAGES OF LANDSCAPE FABRIC:Synthetic weed barriers can accomplish a task, but they are no silver bullet. Wood based mulches are biodegradable, so they slowly break down, forming a layer of soil. That upper layer can be a perfect rooting medium for fresh weed seeds. Before long, you may start to see that your beds are just as weedy as they were before.All the while the microbial processes that rejuvenate your soil are being hindered by this synthetic, barrier. Earthworms and various arthropods cannot freely pass from below the soil up to the surface.Your perennial plants become girdled as they grow wider and wider. Clumping and rhizomatous plants get trapped underneath. And creeping or layering plants cannot properly root as they get entangled in the fabric.A BIODEGRADABLE ALTERNATIVE:A free, biodegradable alternative is simple old cardboard. This idea is a form of sheet mulching. In permaculture, sheet mulching can be done to reclaim an area of land that might have been weedy or even covered with grass.Cardboard is applied. Then a layer of mulch. In creating a highly fertile site, a gardener may put several layers of materials. Leaves, compost, grass clippings, straw, etc. But in more conventional landscape applications, it would certainly work to just put a wood based mulch.Weeds or grasses will be unable to pass up through the cardboard. With the inclusion of mulch you smother these unwanted plants, making way for new plantings. Over time, that cardboard is eaten by earthworms and won't interfere with biological processes.LONG TERM STRATEGY:Do you want to reduce mulching requirements? How can you keep out weeds? Nature abhors a vacuum. So your final landscape or garden should be designed in a way that fills those large empty spaces.Plan out multiple layers of trees, bushes, shrubs and herbal plants. Allowing these to fill in your beds, choking out any weeds that make their way into your property. To cover large areas of ground, without relying on grass, consider using ground covers.Complete Article:► link.albopepper.com/fabric#SustainableLandscaping #SaveTheWorms #NoHerbicides #WeedFree #OrganicGardening•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
Jora 70: Hot Compost Tumbler Review -After 2 Years in My Urban Garden AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-05-30 | After nearly 2 years of using my Joraform JK 270 (Jora 70) tumbling composter, I am now able to share how it has performed over time. Are compost tumblers worth the money? How durable is this tumbler? Should you buy this compost system?Buy the Jora 70 (JK270) from Amazon:amzn.to/2u7mZBy (# CommissionsEarned)Compost Thermometer: amzn.to/3juP7D7There are many methods for approaching composting. To create a hot compost, the more conventional method is to build a large pile of organic matter (3 ft x 3 ft). To accelerate the composting reaction, you can occasionally turn the pile over. A well balanced pile can get very hot, effectively killing pathogens and weedy materials. The drawback of this technique is that it can be labor intensive. Turning a large pile can become tedious, a process that some people prefer to avoid. Also, you need more space on your lot and a larger volume of waste materials.Vermi-composting is an excellent alternative that offers its own set of advantages and drawbacks. A worm bin could be set up just about anywhere, even in an apartment! Using red worms can be very cost effective as well. But processing larger volumes of waste can become a challenge, especially woody materials. Also, some gardeners are turned off by the large number of seeds that survive the process.Using a tumbling composter fills a vital niche in the world of sustainable organic composting. A spinning tumbler requires less space on the ground. It does not need as much organic material to effectively reach high temperatures, especially the insulated ones like the Jora 70. It can be turned every single day with little effort.In my small urban lot, this system allows me to compost indoors, processing waste that would not work well in my red worms pile. I put my shredded woody materials, my weeds, seeds & diseased cuttings into this thing. I add enough greens to get up to 135 to 160 degrees F. And then I let the hot composting begin! Meanwhile, the worms in my worm box work great at chewing through soft vegetable scraps, cardboard and Autumn leaves.I highly recommend the Joraform tumbler to anyone whose circumstances merit it. Such tumblers excel in urban settings where space is limited. Rodents are kept out. This tumbler can even be locked, making it viable in the worst of neighborhoods. But the Jora 70 is not cheap. You need to have a modest budget. Otherwise, I advise spending your limited cash on other things for your gardening.Read more: Vermi-composting► link.albopepper.com/wormsRead more: Composting:► link.albopepper.com/compostRead my detailed review of this tumbler at my site:link.albopepper.com/jora#AlboPepper #Compost #Tumbler #CompostTumbler #Jora #Fertilizer #Soil•••••••••••••••••••••SUPPORT:•••••••••••••••••••••W E B ➝ albopepper.comF B ➝ facebook.com/albopepperI G ➝ instagram.com/albopepperT E E S ➝ shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper•••••••••••••••••••••
2016 Early May Albopepper Urban Garden Walk-through AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening 2016-05-11 | So far this Spring I've had a parade of new perennial herbs, flowers & ground covers. I continue to plant more fruiting shrubs, vines & trees. Finally, my edible landscape is taking shape! When I first bought my home 3 years ago, I immediately began ripping out ornamental shrubs and trees to make room for edible ornamentals. A common approach in permaculture is to stack as many functions as possible from any given object.Flowering herbs are sometimes edible (Oregano, Thyme, Chives & Rosemary), or consumed as teas (Echinacea & Chamomile). They may be medicinal (Comfrey). They benefit pollinators while providing habitat for beneficial insects. Their essential oils can help to deter pests (Lavender). The biomass from their clippings can be composted. All the while, they smell nice and are aesthetically pleasing.Ground-covers offer a way to add a 2nd layer of plants to a spot that is already occupied by taller plants. They anchor the soil in place, preventing soil erosion caused by wind and water. They may be herbal in nature, like Roman Chamomile. They may serve as food, producing fruits (Nagoon Berry, Wintergreen, Kinnikinnick & Strawberries). They might serve as a grass substitute, reducing the need for mowing (Elfin Thyme). Certainly, maintenance is reduced as ground covers choke out any competing weed plants. Once a landscape bed is covered by a perennial ground cover, there is no longer any need to apply mulch in that location.Vining perennials can enhance privacy by creating a living visual barrier of green (Maypop Passiflora). Their vertical nature means a small foot print (Chinese Yam), which is great for an urban setting. The ability to shade a sunny wall (Hard Kiwi) can reduce structural solar gain during hot Summer months. And of course, the ability to generate food is a vital function.In a society that is concerned with malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, how could we neglect the health benefits of fruiting shrubs? On my lot, I'm trying to amass a variety of berry crops. Beyond the basic blueberries and strawberries, I'm branching out. I've begun to plant Salal (an evergreen), Gooseberry and Currants in the shade. I'm using Goumis, which are nitrogen fixers and produce a lycopene rich berry. I'm trying out Lingonberries. I've also planted an Aronia (Chokeberry) which is rich in anti-oxidants. These plants create a pleasing landscape when in bloom. Pollinators are happy. Not much space? Sometimes these can be tucked in the understory of a larger fruiting tree as part of a fruit tree guild.For fruit trees, I have 2 peaches, 1 apricot, 1 jujube, 1 persimmon, 3-in-1 Asian pear espalier, 2 types of columnar apples and a 4-in-1 peach / plum / apricot / nectarine. All of this with space to walk around. I hope this walk-through gives you a few ideas that might help you to expand your horizons! :D#RaisedBedGardening #GardenDesign #PerennialPlant #LandscapeDesign #GrowYourOwn==================================Support AlboPepper.com and get some cool garden shirts that I designed myself:shop.spreadshirt.com/albopepper==================================
