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Basil is best

After about a year of experience and collaboration with fellow growers, I have learned a few things about my kitchen herb garden. One of the most prominent things i have learned is that basil LOVES the Aerogarden. It grows much faster than you would expect, it seems to be able to cope with the conditions of the aerogarden, and my lack of proper upkeep the best. Not to mention it smells great in the morning

Can Green buildings save India from going grey?

A layman is very likely to show little interest in a speech or a discussion on green buildings. But, when the same person learns that there are only eight years left for us to save Mother Earth from the throes of emissions induced destruction, sitting up and taking notice is the only way out. Just to make people all the more aware and let them know what is happening and what’s in store on the green front, ECONOMICTIMES.COM had an interaction with three eminent personalities in the field of green building movement in India – Dr Prem C Jain, Chairman, Indian Green Buildings Council, Pankaj Gupta, Customer Care Leader, Trane India Limited and Kapil Thukral ,Director Energy & Resources, Deloitte India. Here are the excerpts

What is a green building and what are the key requisites for constructing a green building?

P C Jain: A green building is the one that makes the greatest possible use of natural light and air and least possible utilization of energy and water. It uses industrial byproducts, emphasizes on recycling of waste water, harvesting of rain water, least use of air-conditioning, less production of carbon dioxide and tries to safeguard the environment in every possible way. Making a building green begins at the planning stage. The aim has to be kept in mind throughout. Secondly, safety is paramount in case of a green building. If a laborer dies while the construction is on, the building is never given a green certification.

After the construction is over, it is not possible to make a building green. There are various requisites for planning and constructing a green building.

Firstly, identifying a site for the construction of the building is very crucial. Ideally the site should be located in a centralized place so that the inhabitants can use public transport and less or no fossil fuel run vehicles.

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Homemade Hydroponics System Plan

Homemade Hydroponics System Plan
By Kirk Gordon

Building your own water works system is quite simple and can be fun, if you know how to follow instructions. This particular type of system is best suited for water loving plants such as lettuce.

Only a few items are required to get you up and running in no time. The things you will need to build a water works hydroponics system are listed below.

Required items
1. External pump
2. Air line/tubing
3. Air stones
4. Water proof bin, bucket, fish tank to use as a reservoir
5. StyroFoam
6. Mesh Pots
7. Growing medium – Rockwool, Grow rocks, et
8. Hydroponics nutrients – (Grow formula, Bloom formula, Supplements, Ph)

Required tools
1. Black spray paint, paint – * Only required if reservoir is transparent
2. Sharp object – Knife, box cutter, scissors (This is not a task for minors – Get help from an adult)

Getting started
1. Find a container to use as a reservoir such as a fish tank or a bin/bucket of some sort. The reservoir should be painted black if it is not light proof. Allowing light to enter the reservoir will promote the growth of algae. It is a good idea to use a reservoir that is the same dimensions (length x width) from top to bottom (Example: Top: 36″x20″ Bottom: 36″x20″).

If possible, use a fish tank or similar container as your reservoir. Spray paint tank (if translucent) to black and let dry. Using se a knife or sharp object, score a line on the tank (scratch off some paint in a straight line from top to bottom) which will be your water level meter (Allow you to see how much water is in reservoir). Creating this line, however, is not necessary as you can determine how much water is in the reservoir simply by see how far down the floater (StyroFoam) has sunk. Adding the line gives a more accurate and convenient view of the nutrient solution level.

2. Use a tape measure to get the length and width of your reservoir. Measure from inside of the reservoir from one end to the other. Once you have the dimensions, cut the StyroFoam 1/4″ (inch) smaller than the size of the reservoir. For example, if your dimensions are 36″ in length and 20″ in width you should cut the StyroFoam to 35 3/4″ x 19 3/4″. The StyroFoam should fix nicely, with just enough room to adjust to water level changes.

lf the reservoir tapers off at the bottom (the bottom is smaller in dimension than the top) the floater (StyroFoam) should be 2″-4″ smaller than the reservoir, or more if necessary.

3. Do not place StyroFoam in reservoir yet! First, you need to cut the holes for the net pots. Put the net pots on the StyroFoam where you want to place each plant. Using a pen or pencil, trace around the bottom of the net pots. Use a sharp tool such as a knife or box cutter to follow the trace lines and cut the holes for pots. (KIDS!!! Get help from an adult). On one end of the StyroFoam (any end), cut a small hole for the air line to run into the reservoir.

4. The amount of plants you can grow will depend on the size of the garden you build and the types of crops you grow. Remember to space plants appropriately so the each receive ample amounts of light.

5. The pump you choose must be strong enough to provide enough oxygen to sustain plants. Ask for a help choosing a pump at your local hydroponics supply store. Telling them the size of your reservoir (In gallons – 2, 5, 10 gallons, et) and they should be able to make a recommendation.

Connect the air line to the pump and attach the air stone to the free end. The air line should be long enough to travel from the pump into the bottom of the reservoir or at least float in the middle some where so the oxygen bubbles can get to the roots. It also must be the right size for the pump you choose. Most pumps will come with the correct size air line. To make your best guest, use a one gallon bucked/bottle or any container that you know the capacity and fill the reservoir. Remember to count how much it takes to fill the reservoir and you will know the capacity of your reservoir.

Setting it up
a. Fill reservoir with nutrient solution
b. Place the StyroFoam in tank
c. Run the air line through the designated hole/notch.
d. Fill the net pots with growing medium and place one plant in each pot.
e. Put the net pots into the designated holes in StyroFoam.
f. Turn on/plug-in pump and start growing with your fully functional, homemade hydroponics system.

Artifical lighting
If your hydroponics system is for indoor use, you will need to provide artificial lighting for plants to thrive. The size of your garden will determine how much light fixtures and watts you will need for proper coverage. Lighting stores can provide more information on selecting lights. When plants are in growth phase, they benefit more from HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps. In Bloom, HPS (High Pressure Sodium) increases yield and grow denser, heavier flowers.

Fluorescent light is also an option. However, fluorescent lamps does not offer the same amount of lumens as HID’s or HPS lamps. Fluorescent are good for starters and seedlings and for growers with ventilation problems. Fluorescent also burns much cooler than HID’s and HPS lamps allowing you to place plants closer to the light source without burning tender foliage.

Footnotes:
A homemade hydroponics system like this is not ideal for a large scale production or commercial usage. This particular system plan does not offer a way to conveniently change nutrient solution. An extra container would be required to hold the floater while you change the solution.

This article courtesy of http://www.hydroponicsearch.com – Hydroponics search engine and community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirk_Gordon
http://EzineArticles.com/?Homemade-Hydroponics-System-Plan&id=46552

Perfect peppers

St. David’s Hydroponics grows them for shipment across North America

They harvest about 75 kilos of giant, perfect peppers each week. St. David’s Hydroponics is a whopping 17 1/2 acres of agricultural activity under glass — and it’s hot. As I walked through the thousands of eight-foot tall pepper plants, workers were harvesting red peppers. Huge trailers full and overflowing with glistening, beautiful peppers were being wheeled into the packaging area to be sorted by size and packaged by weight. Boxes were piled high, waiting for shipment to grocery stores that would offer these tasty peppers within 24 hours of being picked. Now that’s fresh!

I grow peppers in my own backyard and what I found at St. David’s Hydroponics was an amazingly huge operation that was more science than I’d known to be possible.

Harvest ends in November. Plants are removed and new seedlings are planted. Within four to five weeks the pepper plants are two feet tall and after eight weeks or so, the first peppers come off the plants. From November to February, no peppers are harvested. Read more

Wall Mount Garden Fountains – One of Life’s Pleasures

Wall Mount Garden Fountains – One of Life’s Pleasures
By Don Schulze

Water gardens and fountains are quickly becoming the in thing for your garden. It seems even when there is hardly room for a good sized chair, people can find room for a wall mounted garden fountain. One of the most popular places to put one of these great little fountains is a small courtyard in the inner city. The sound created by the fountain tends to cancel the city noises, providing the occupants with a soothing escape.

Some of the challenges involved with creating a place for your wall mounted fountain are:

1. Power to run it. This can be one of the biggest challenges you can face, especially in the city where your garden walls may be part of your neighbors garden wall. The power consumption will be quite small and yet the circuit must be ground fault protected, especially since you will be working with water. The most commonly used method is to run an extension cord from an outlet to the fountain location. Great care must be taken with this method. Consult you local codes or call an electrician.
2. Picking just the right design for your landscape. As with all hardscape projects, the fountain design needs to be carefully thought out because you will be living with it for a long time. Whether large or small, make sure the design is one you can find plants and furniture to match. Shopping on-line for your fountain can help with the selection process even if you do buy local.
3. Plan the surrounding plants. Depending on whether you choose a small or large wall fountain, they are best when surrounded on either side by a tall planting. For those areas where a patio is desired or maybe already in place, large planters or a collection of smaller pots can be used to grow your plants. Planters also have the added benefit of mobility.
4. Surrounding furniture. The design of the fountain dictates the design of the furniture. Spanish style fountains should be matched with Spanish furniture, etc. Your little place of peace should be comfortable for those lazy hours of reading or contemplation.

When all the parts of the design are carefully considered, the final product can be very appealing. The smaller the location, the better the planning must be. Small areas tend to be far less forgiving and much more visible.

One of the more popular designs for very small locations is a latticed arch covered with ivy. Even in noisy locations, the funnel effect of the arch covering the fountain tends to channel the sound out the front of the arch. Placing a chair inside the arch or just outside provides the occupant with the relaxing water sounds. Strategic placement of surrounding trees to block street noise can create a small, relaxing haven. Just another location where planters can be the perfect fit.

With so many reasons to make your personal landscape the most inviting place for family, friends, or just for yourself, my free reports can really help out. Visit me for Landscape and Hardscape News. I cover everything in your landscape, some things you didn’t know you had.

Another great source of landscaping supplies, with all the hard to find things that make a garden so personal, can be found here. They offer more than 4,000 garden decorations and products and seem to specialize in finding the most unique and wonderful products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Schulze
http://EzineArticles.com/?Wall-Mount-Garden-Fountains—One-of-Lifes-Pleasures&id=1017863

Cape nonprofit plants ideas

MARSTONS MILLS — The Isaac Crocker Homestead, a gray-shingled Colonial, sits on 6.58 acres that overlook a pond on two sides. Flowering heirloom apple trees, a giant chestnut tree and buttercups dot the historic farm.

But when the property at 330 Olde Homestead Drive went on the market, there was talk of moving the house, the barn and the quaint wooden silo from the site where it’s been since 1750, said Marilyn Fifield of the Barnstable Historical Commission.

Now, thanks to grants totaling more than $1 million, the homestead is being purchased by a nonprofit corporation that promises to carry on its farming tradition, albeit with a modern twist.

Cape Abilities, a Hyannis-based organization that trains and employs adults with mental and physical disabilities, will launch a hydroponic center at the property and restore the 250-year-old bowed-roof house and its barn, the organization announced yesterday. “It’s a quintessentially Cape Cod setting,” said Larry Thayer, Cape Abilities director. “Our goal is to preserve the property. This will be a working farm.”

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Neptune Industries, Inc. Featured on NBC Local News

Neptune Industries, Inc., a next generation aquaculture technology company, headquartered here, said today its waste-to-energy technology was featured Wednesday, May 7, on the 11:00PM NBC Local News 6 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The segment can be viewed at http://www.nbc6.net/goinggreen/16194147/detail.html.

The news segment, features research sponsored by the State of Florida’s Farm-to-Fuel Grant program, and shows how the Company integrates its Aqua-Sphere(TM) closed containment, fish-rearing equipment with a floating algae production system that uses the waste from the fish as fertilizer for the algae. As a result, fish can be farmed without polluting the water and the surrounding marine environment, while commercial quantities of Algae can be produced for Florida’s alternative energy program.

According to Ernest Papadoyianis, Neptune’s President, “The need for bio-fuels that are both economically viable and environmentally friendly is tremendous. As the public has come to better understand the problems we face with corn ethanol, algae production has rapidly emerged as one of the top oil sources for bio-fuel.”

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