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Hydroponics Giant Hydrofarm Plans New Northern California HQ After IPO, 3 Acquisitions
Becoming a publicly-traded company, moving its headquarters from Petaluma temporarily to the East Coast, spending $343 million to acquire three more companies, prepping to return to a larger North Bay hub. It’s been a busy seven months for indoor farming equipment maker and distributor Hydrofarm
THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL
June 25, 2021
Becoming a publicly-traded company, moving its headquarters from Petaluma temporarily to the East Coast, spending $343 million to acquire three more companies, prepping to return to a larger North Bay hub. It’s been a busy seven months for indoor farming equipment maker and distributor Hydrofarm.
On Dec. 14, nearly 10 million shares of Hydrofarm Holding Group stock started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “HYFM,” harvesting proceeds of $182.3 million, according to the March 31 annual report. The company did a follow-on offering of 5.5 million shares ended May 3, netting $309.8 million more.
After peaking at $92 in mid-February, the share price was $56.96 at the close of trading Friday.
Then early this year, Hydrofarm shifted its headquarters to its Philadelphia-area distribution center. It’s one of nine totaling 900,000 square feet that the 4-decade-old company operates in the U.S., Canada, and Spain. Hydrofarm also has offices in China.
That happened because Hydrofarm was lining up a larger location elsewhere in the North Bay, something it has been looking for over the past few years.
Hydrofarm had planned to relocate its headquarters from Petaluma to the 250,000-square-foot Victory Station warehouse south of Sonoma, but that deal didn’t materialize amid the rapid cooling of demand for real estate from the newly legal cannabis industry, according to real estate sources.
Hydrofarm couldn’t be reached for comment on its North Bay plans.
While cannabis has become a key driver of demand for controlled environment agriculture products, Hydrofarm got its start in Marin County during the disastrous drought of 1977-1978, the Business Journal reported in 2010. Founder Stuart Dvorin developed water-saving hydroponics that gained traction among gardeners.
The product line expanded to energy-efficient grow lights and germination kits. Then Hydrofarm moved into manufacturing and distributing indoor gardening equipment for both professional growers and hobbyists.
Today, key markets are growers of cannabis, flowers, fruits, plants, vegetables, grains and herbs. The portfolio now includes 26 internally developed, proprietary brands with about 900 product variations under 24 patents and 60 registered trademarks. The company also has over 40 exclusive and preferred brands totaling another 900 stock-keeping units.
Company brands account for about 60% of sales. The total catalog, which carries products from over 400 suppliers, includes over 6,000 SKUs.
“Our revenue mix continues to shift towards proprietary brands as we continue to innovate, improving overall margins,” the annual report said. “Further, our revenue stream is highly consistent as, in our estimation, we believe that approximately two-thirds of our net sales are generated from the sale of recurring consumable products including growing media, nutrients and supplies.”
Net sales last year were $342.2 million, up 45.6% from 2019. The company speculated in its annual report that the coronavirus pandemic shelter-at-home public health orders contributed to this jump in sales. Net revenue the previous year grew only 11.0% from 2018.
First-quarter net sales were $111.4 million, up 66.5% from a year before. The company attributed that to a 59.6% increase in the volume of products sold plus a 6.9% increase in price and mix of those products.
A sign of its commitment to remain in the North Bay, Hydrofarm earlier this year secured a lease for a 175,000-square-foot new distribution warehouse at 2225 Huntington Drive in Fairfield. Meanwhile, Hydrofarm founder Stuart Dvorin was preparing to sell the 110,000-square-foot main Petaluma facility at 2249 S. McDowell Blvd. Extension, a $17.5 million deal that closed June 7.
“We also intend to relocate our existing distribution operations in Northern California from the existing Petaluma building to a larger distribution center in the surrounding area,“ the company wrote in its annual report.
Started in Marin County in 1977 as Applied Hydroponics, Hydrofarm moved the headquarters to Petaluma in 1994, employing 65 at the time. It gradually expanded to 150,000 square feet there with a staff of more than 150 employees by 2010 and then to 195,000 square feet in the city in 2017. The company employed 327 full-time in all locations as of the end of February, it reported.
2017 is when Hydrofarm made a big expansion into Canada with the acquisition of Eddi’s Wholesale and Greenstar Plant Products. That deal helped Hydrofarm become a top supplier of hydroponics gear in Canada, the company said.
This year, Hydrofarm has acquired three more companies. Los Angeles-area premium nutrient maker Heavy 16 was picked up for $78.1 million, and Humboldt County’s House & Garden portfolio of brands for $125 million. A $161 million deal was announced this month for Aurora International Inc. and Gotham Properties LLC, Oregon-based manufacturers and suppliers of organic hydroponic products.
“We view M&A as a significant driver of potential growth as the hydroponics industry is fragmented and primed for consolidation,“ Hydrofarm wrote in its annual report.
Hydrofarm also has been fertilizing its C-suite with acumen in the past couple of years. At the beginning of 2019, Bill Toler came in as CEO, bringing with him over 3 decades of senior executive experience at major consumer packaged goods companies, including most recently seven years as CEO and president of Hostess Brands. B. John Lindeman came in as chief financial officer in March 2020 with 25 years of agriculture and finance executive experience.
Inside The Deals
Lease: Fairfield Commerce Center, 2225 Huntington Drive, Fairfield
Property type: Industrial
Size: 175,404 square feet
Tenant: Hydrofarm
Owner: TreaJP Venture Fairfield LLC
Date: Early 2021
Sale: 2249 S. McDowell Blvd. Extension, Petaluma
Property Type: Industrial
Size: 110,000 square feet
Buyer: Scannell Properties 531 LLC
Seller: Stuart Robert and Emily Alice Dvorin LDGT Grantor Trust
Agents: Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer, and Meridian Commercial the seller.
Date: June 7, 2021
Price: $17.5 million
Sources: Cushman & Wakefield and Business Journal research
Lead photo: Hydrofarm's former headquarters on South McDowell Boulevard Extension in Petaluma (Facebook.com/Hydrofarm)
Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction, and real estate. Before the Business Journal, he wrote for Bay City News Service in San Francisco. He has a degree from Walla Walla University. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.
VIDEO: What Is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a form of farming that uses a nutrient solution root medium, rather than soil, to grow plants
How Hydroponics Works, Types, And Pros and Cons
May 28, 2021
Hydroponics is a form of farming that uses a nutrient solution root medium, rather than soil, to grow plants. Also referred to as tank farming, hydroponic plant roots may simply hang in water containing a mixture of dissolved nutrients or be supported by an inert substrate growing medium.
Often, the irrigation and fertilizing is performed mechanically in smaller spaces, and even vertically (known as vertical gardens), making it a more budget-friendly and labor-saving farming method. Vegetables like cucumbers and leafy greens like spinach are some of the most popular plants that are grown hydroponically, but gardeners can easily grow herbs or fruiting plants like strawberries, as well.
How Does Hydroponics Work?
Jtasphoto / Getty Images
Hydroponics involves any plants that are grown without the use of soil, the plants simply get their essential nutrients from a different source. Depending on the type of hydroponic system used, the plant’s roots may grow directly into a liquid solution or into a medium such as clay pebbles, peat moss, or sand (in an aggregate system). This way, the grower has control over environmental conditions like temperature and pH balance as well as the plant’s exposure to nutrients.
Hydroponics can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Some operations can range 25,000 square feet and produce 10,000 heads of lettuce per day, yet something as uncomplicated as sticking the base of a leafy vegetable into a glass of water to regrow is also a form of hydroponics. While soil is often the easiest method of growth among traditional gardens, plants don’t technically need it; the photosynthesis process, where they use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose for energy, only really requires water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients. Nutrients for hydroponic gardening consist of both macronutrients and micronutrients, including carbon, phosphorus, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, nickel, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron, and chlorine.
Types of Hydroponics
There are several techniques when it comes to hydroponics, all with different levels of difficulty, maintenance requirements, and budget. Beginners are suggested to start with either the basic wick system or the deep water culture system before graduating to more expert-level systems like the nutrient film technique, the ebb and flow system, drip systems, and the aeroponic system. Non-soil growing mediums can include sand, rock wool, peat moss, perlite (a form of obsidian), and coconut coir (the fibrous, middle portion of the coconut between the shell and the outer coat). Because of the versatility of hydroponics, growers can also get creative with medium materials that might otherwise go to waste, such as sheep wool and rice husks.
Wick System
This system has no electrical component and doesn’t require any advanced machinery, which is why it is considered the most basic of the hydroponic systems. The plants are suspended in a growing medium above a tank filled with water and nutrient solution, which are transported to the plants’ roots by way of a wick (like a piece of rope or felt) connecting the solution with the growing medium.
While the wick system is cheap and easy, it’s not suitable for plants and vegetables that require a lot of water, plus it can be inefficient in delivering nutrients. Hydroponic aficionados refer to this system as the "training wheels" of hydroponics.
Deep Water Culture
Imgorthand / Getty Images
Another easy system for new growers, the deep water culture system consists of plants that are suspended over a reservoir filled with water and nutrient solution. The roots are submerged into the liquid, so there is a constant supply of both water and nutrients, but need an air pump to continuously pump bubbles into the reservoir and provide the roots with oxygen. It's an inexpensive, recirculating process that creates less waste, but it doesn’t always work for plants that are larger or require longer growing periods.
Aeroponics
An aeroponic system is perhaps the most complex and expensive hydroponic method, but can also be the most effective. The plant’s roots are actually suspended in air and misted with a water/nutrient solution using an oxygenating air pump, either a small continuous mist or an interval cycle. That way, the roots are provided with continuous nutrients and exposed to constant oxygen without the risk of oversaturation. Aeroponic systems are relatively simple to monitor, but even a slight malfunction can cause the plant roots to dry out and die quickly.
surabky / Getty Images
Nutrient Film Technique
In the nutrient film technique, the water and nutrient solution are held in a larger reservoir with an air pump to keep it oxygenated. The plants themselves are grown in a nearby channel (called net pots) and the water pump is set on a timer that pushes the water through the channel at certain intervals. The roots aren’t completely submerged, but the pump helps deliver a thin film of nutrients and water to the plants.
At the end of the channel, the solution can be dropped back into the main reservoir to be reused. Apart from being a low-waste continuously flowing system, this method ensures that the roots don’t become suffocated with too much solution and requires little to no growing medium. However, it requires a lot of observation, since any malfunction in the pumps or clog in the channel can ruin the plants.
Hydroponics at Home?
Having your own hydroponic system at home is a great way to grow your own plants and vegetables faster than the traditional outdoor soil technique, or if you live in a city apartment without access to an outdoor gardening plot. For beginners, it's best to start with a simpler, less expensive system like deep water culture or wick. All systems, however, will require a reservoir or other large container, a nutrient source, and water, while many may also include a growing light, medium, and an air pump.
As urban gardening continues to rise in popularity, so does technology. There are plenty of indoor or outdoor hydroponics gardens in a wide range of budgets available to consumers who don’t have the time or space to create sophisticated hydroponic operations.
Pros and Cons
Not only do hydroponic plants yield more crops, they also require less space and can be used year-round. Plus, plants grown hydroponically typically use less water than traditional farming, can yield larger amounts, and rarely require pesticides or chemicals. For example, a 2018 study in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation found that nutrient film technique hydroponic systems save 70% to 90% of water among leafy and other vegetables. By leaving out the soil component entirely, you’re also leaving out all of the potential issues (like plant pests and diseases) that can come with it.
Used hydroponic water, however, contains nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen that can be hazardous if it enters waterways, potentially causing excessive growth of algae that kills aquatic animals or contaminating drinking water. Most growers dispose of leftover hydroponic nutrients by filtering out the minerals and disposing of the remaining wastewater after it's been purified, and those who work on a smaller scale may reuse wasted nutrients in future hydroponic projects. Some researchers have even been successful in reusing the nutrients found in non-recycled hydroponic waste solution for growing other plants in greenhouses.
Lead photo: Chonticha Vatpongpee / Getty Images
How Vertical Farming Will Shape The Post Pandemic Food Supply Chain
We're building for a future where modular vertical farming solutions are an accessible means of food production in urban areas. By modular vertical farming solution, we are referring to turnkey grow systems from the size of a shipping container down to a household appliance.
We're building for a future where modular vertical farming solutions are an accessible means of food production in urban areas. By modular vertical farming solution, we are referring to turnkey grow systems from the size of a shipping container down to a household appliance.
Q&A with Alexander Olesen, Co-Founder | Babylon Micro-Farms
Tell us about yourselves and Babylon Micro-Farms.
While still taking full course loads at the University of Virginia, we were actively involved in the Social Entrepreneur Program, a reflection of our values and determination to incubate a socially good company. Our original vision of starting an environmentally responsible company to provide fresh food to refugees living in camps by building hydroponic farms was put to the test when logistical realities of adequate power supply and access to clean water forced them to put that aspect of the business on hold. We became determined to develop a technology-based solution reducing the cost, complexity, and infrastructure requirements to grow fresh food. This technology is the backbone of Babylon’s platform today, the R&D has taken a dedicated effort for over 4 years. Our commitment to building Babylon into a successful company required an unforeseen amount of perseverance and we ran into a few issues along the way. We're now a team of 23 people working tirelessly towards the same goal of creating an integrated platform for modular vertical farming. It's inspiring to work alongside so many talented people and it's so rewarding to see how well our products are being received in the market and we're just getting started.
How have your customers' priorities shifted due to the pandemic?
Our institutional customers, predominantly from the education, healthcare, hospitality, and senior living spaces, have had a completely different set of priorities since the advent of COVID. We have been amazed at their complete commitment to their people - staff, students, patients, residents, and visitors. They were required to do an incredibly hard, fast pivot to safeguard the safety of the people they are responsible for and to and have done an outstanding job. Schools had to close their doors and learn how to operate virtually, hospitals were hit hard and continue to be, and the hospitality industry will take some time to recover. Senior living community residents have been the most vulnerable to the pandemic and the protocols that were put in place almost instantly have saved many lives. We are proud of how our partners responded to the ongoing public health crisis and that in the midst of all the challenges we continued to be able to supply them with fresh food, despite the lockdowns and quarantines. Our remote management system enabled us to make sure at least one thing stayed consistent for our partners during a difficult time for them.
How do you feel urban farming, and specifically modular indoor farming, addresses these new problems and priorities?
1. Supply chain resiliency - We provide peace of mind that fresh produce is being grown there on-site.
2. Reduced Food waste - Our customers love harvesting highly-perishable produce as needed and not having to waste anything
3. Improved Nutrition - We have much higher quality produce that is free from pesticides and it's helping our customers improve their diets.
How has the pandemic shaped the trajectory of indoor farming?
The pandemic has focused a very bright light on the frailty of our food systems and supply chain. The growth of the indoor farming industry has been rapidly escalating as a result, as demonstrated by the enormous sums being raised by companies that are actively involved in addressing the vulnerabilities and trying to ensure a safer, more sustainable, and hopefully a more equitable food system for the future.
Why is Babylon’s software platform important to the industry? How is it different from what’s out there today?
We're solving a very different set of problems to most people in this industry. We're building for a future where modular vertical farming solutions are an accessible means of food production in urban areas. By modular vertical farming solution, we are referring to turnkey grow systems typically from the size of a shipping container down to a household appliance. We do not compete with the large industrial growers at all. Most companies in this emerging segment are focused on creating configurations of hydroponic systems to optimize specific markets, aesthetics, or certain crop varieties, etc. There's nothing wrong with that and it's exciting to see all the innovation. However, our firm belief is that there is not a one size fits all solution to this market and that every modular vertical farming solution shares the same scalability challenges. These are the challenges we are trying to address through our remote management platform. The platform enables us to control semi-automated hydroponic systems through the cloud and aggregate the data from all the farms in our fleet. We combine this with an automated inventory fulfillment system that enables us to prepare and ship consumables to our customers while they interact with their farm through a simple app. The software infrastructure we are developing creates a superior user experience for the end consumer and provides data analysis that is critical to scaling support for a distributed network of vertical farms. In this way, we seek to be an enabling platform that can help grow the market for modular vertical farming solutions as an accessible alternative to large scale, capital intensive, commercial growers.
What is Babylon’s vision for the future?
See above. We envision a world where controlled environment crop cultivation becomes the predominant source of major highly-perishable produce categories, such as, leafy greens, herbs, vine crops, berries, etc.. As the market grows we need modular vertical farming solutions that are accessible and can scale more easily than the large scale, capital intensive, commercial operations that dominate the headlines today. These solutions are not mutually exclusive and we need both in order to reform our food system. New technologies and new business models are making modular vertical farms viable. We're aiming to be the platform that drives this segment forward.
About Alexander Olesen
Alexander Olesen, CEO, and Co-founder of Babylon has embraced and excelled at every opportunity he has encountered, from academic challenges to bootstrapping his second company, Babylon Micro-Farms, at the age of just 21 while still taking a full course load at the University of Virginia. Originally from England, Alexander relocated to attend the University and was actively involved in the Social Entrepreneur Program, a reflection of his values and determination to incubate a socially good company. The original research into the technology that became the basis for Babylon's success was based on research to provide low-cost food systems for refugees. He maintains the vision for the company and is an expert at managing people and bringing on partners and investors.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AgriTechTomorrow
VIDEO: Which Type of Hydroponic System Is Better?
I am fairly sure that my standard answer of, “it all depends” annoys most of the people I am speaking to. From suppliers to growers and from researchers to hobbyists there is always a desire to know and understand which system is the best
January 21, 2021, | Chris Higgins
Hint: They are all just irrigation systems.
One of the questions that I get most frequently is, “Which hydroponic system is the best?”
I am fairly sure that my standard answer of, “it all depends” annoys most of the people I am speaking to. From suppliers to growers and from researchers to hobbyists there is always a desire to know and understand which system is the best.
So why do I answer, “it all depends”?
Whether we are talking about nutrient film technique (NFT), deep water culture (DWC), drip irrigation systems, aeroponics systems, ebb and flow systems, or any other system we should agree that these are all just variations of irrigation systems.
Buffer capacity means security. Buffer capacity means you can leave for a day without fear of losing the crop.
Next let’s talk about the systems suppliers and their sales representatives. Suppliers of hydroponic systems will all tell you why theirs is better, but the conversation should really revolve around what factors cause their systems to fail. Every system has a weakness. Your crop, your budget, your facility and your geographic location will likely quickly highlight these weaknesses.
A large variety of hydroponic systems all at once – Big Tex Urban Farms
So, how do you determine what system is best for you?
Here are the things you should know, think about and research thoroughly before you invest.
What crop are you going to grow? If you are planning to grow tomatoes, it’s very unlikely that you will want to invest in a nft system or a dwc system. The needs of your crop will help direct you into the right direction. Likewise, a closed loop drip irrigation system is unlikely to be the answer for lettuce production.
Know your budget. Your budget will play a major role in this decision making process. Do not only think about the upfront costs of the system. Make sure to include the operational and labor costs associated with running the system 7 days a week 365 days per year.
Know your environment. Each crop type will respond to these 9 environmental variables (see diagram below) in different ways. As a grower your ability to manage these variables will be a primary indicator of your ability to achieve your target yields. The irrigation systems primary function is to help you control the 4 variables surrounding the root zone (see diagram below and focus on root zone temp, nutrients, water and oxygen.) Your geographic location and crop will determine which of these variables are most important.
Truly understand the design. In the recent Urban Ag News article, “Important Tips For Designing A Hydroponic Production Facility” I discussed the importance of buffer capacity. Buffer capacity in your irrigation system plays some very important roles. First, it will help you manage your nutrients. Second, it will help your crop deal with variations in temperature. Third and most importantly, it will be a primary indicator of how much time you can spend away from your farm.
Figure out your maintenance and spare parts plan. Irrigation systems break. Irrigation systems get clogged. Irrigation systems need to be serviced and fixed. Make sure you understand everything from how to access the most vulnerable and weak parts of the system to how long it will take you to get replacement parts and what parts you should plan to carry in case of an emergency. Think about redundancy!
Labor is KEY! Consider every aspect of labor. From the education requirements of running the labor, to the amount of labor needed to operate and maintain the system to the importance of labor needed on the system on a regular basis.
Budget • Scale • Access
Which brings me back to where we started. Which hydroponic system is the best? It truly all depends. All we know for sure is that if a supplier tells you, “you can grow every crop in our system”, be concerned. It might be true, but I can almost guarantee you that you cannot grow every crop profitably in their system. If a supplier struggles to help you clearly understand and answer the questions posed in this article, look for a new supplier. There are plenty that will.
Finally, focus on building a professional network with experience in the commercial hydroponics industries. Ask lots of questions and understand the full benefits and limitations of any system you choose.
Final hint: Aquaponics growers use one of these systems as well
Which Type Of Hydroponic System Is Better?
So why do I answer, “it all depends”?
Hint: They are all just irrigation systems.
One of the questions that I get most frequently is, “Which hydroponic system is the best?”
I am fairly sure that my standard answer of, “it all depends” annoys most of the people I am speaking to. From suppliers to growers and from researchers to hobbyists there is always a desire to know and understand which system is the best.
So why do I answer, “it all depends”?
Whether we are talking about nutrient film technique (NFT), deep water culture (DWC), drip irrigation systems, aeroponics systems, ebb and flow systems, or any other system we should agree that these are all just variations of irrigation systems.
Buffer capacity means security. Buffer capacity means you can leave for a day without fear of losing the crop.
Next let’s talk about the systems suppliers and their sales representatives. Suppliers of hydroponic systems will all tell you why theirs is better, but the conversation should really revolve around what factors cause their systems to fail. Every system has a weakness. Your crop, your budget, your facility and your geographic location will likely quickly highlight these weaknesses.
A large variety of hydroponic systems all at once – Big Tex Urban Farms
So, how do you determine what system is best for you?
Here are the things you should know, think about and research thoroughly before you invest.
What crop are you going to grow? If you are planning to grow tomatoes, it’s very unlikely that you will want to invest in a nft system or a dwc system. The needs of your crop will help direct you into the right direction. Likewise, a closed loop drip irrigation system is unlikely to be the answer for lettuce production.
Know your budget. Your budget will play a major role in this decision making process. Do not only think about the upfront costs of the system. Make sure to include the operational and labor costs associated with running the system 7 days a week 365 days per year.
Know your environment. Each crop type will respond to these 9 environmental variables (see diagram) in different ways. As a grower your ability to manage these variables will be a primary indicator of your ability to achieve your target yields. The irrigation systems primary function is to help you control the 4 variables surrounding the root zone (see diagram 0.0 to understand the variables.) Your geographic location and crop will determine which of these variables are most important.
Truly understand the design. In the recent Urban Ag News article, “Important Tips For Designing A Hydroponic Production Facility” I discussed the importance of buffer capacity. Buffer capacity in your irrigation system plays some very important roles. First, it will help you manage your nutrients. Second, it will help your crop deal with variations in temperature. Third and most importantly, it will be a primary indicator of how much time you can spend away from your farm.
Figure out your maintenance and spare parts plan. Irrigation systems break. Irrigation systems get clogged. Irrigation systems need to be serviced and fixed. Make sure you understand everything from how to access the most vulnerable and weak parts of the system to how long it will take you to get replacement parts and what parts you should plan to carry in case of an emergency. Think about redundancy!
Labor is KEY! Consider every aspect of labor. From the education requirements of running the labor, to the amount of labor needed to operate and maintain the system to the importance of labor needed to check on the system on a regular basis.
Budget • Scale • Access
Which brings me back to where we started. Which hydroponic system is the best? It truly all depends. All we know for sure is that if a supplier tells you, “you can grow every crop in our system”, be concerned. It might be true, but I can almost guarantee you that you cannot grow every crop profitably in their system. If a supplier struggles to help you clearly understand and answer the questions posed in this article, look for a new supplier. There are plenty that will.
Finally, focus on building a professional network with experience in the commercial hydroponics industries. Ask lots of questions and understand the full benefits and limitations of any system you choose.
Final hint: Aquaponics growers use one of these systems as well.
VIDEO: Common Mistakes When Setting Up Hydroponics
Even if you have a lot of guidance in setting up your grow space, you may make mistakes in the initial development stages
January 4, 2021 | By Joy King
Starting a hydroponics garden is thrilling. It's an exciting project where you can enjoy the progress your plants make over time. However, producing perfect plants requires some skill and attention to detail that take time to develop. Even if you have a lot of guidance in setting up your grow space, you may make mistakes in the initial development stages.
What is hydroponics?
Wikipedia describes hydroponics as "a type of horticulture as a method of growing plants, usually crops, without soil. It's become popular in vertical and indoor farming. Let's examine some common errors to avoid when setting up a hydroponics grow:
Ignoring plants
New growers may not devote the amount of time necessary to grow hydroponically. Some mistakenly believe that they can check in on plants on the weekend. But, a lot can go wrong if you're not regularly checking on them. Even if your system is fully automated through a grow controller, it's essential to check on your plants daily to ensure that everything is going smoothly.
Check that your automation system isn't clogged or failed in some other way. Once you are a more experienced grower, it will become easier for you to identify failures in your systems and problems with your plants since you're dedicating time to their wellbeing.
Going overboard
More is not always better, particularly in regards to plant growth. Often, problems arise in the grow room from a lack of experience in tending to plants grown hydroponically. It usually takes time to understand how to irrigate and fertilize plants properly. Overwatering is often detrimental to plants, and beginners often do not realize they are overwatering before it is too late. Excessive nutrients, or nutrient burn as it's referred to, is also a common problem for beginners.
Overcrowding plants
It is common for beginners to overestimate how many plants will fit in their grow space. When you first plant them, it may seem that your plants have a lot of room, but once they grow up, they will need that extra space to maintain growth. Be vigilant about removing excess plants and pruning if overcrowding seems like it will be a problem. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and plant fewer plants.
Sudden changes to the environment
You need to give your plants time to adjust when you make changes. One of the most common problems that beginners face is when they suddenly change the grow room's light levels or room temperature. Any sudden increase in light may cause leaf bleaching and burning. It's better that you make changes gradually, giving your plants time to adjust.
Final thoughts
There are many scholarly books on starting hydroponics grow room or space. Do your research and enjoy your hydroponic garden! It's a rewarding way to grow food, cannabis, or flowers.
Source: Growlink
Tags: Hydroponics, Nutrient Dosing System, Wireless Automation, Automated Grow System, Customer Service, Automated Grow Systems, Nutrient Delivery System, nutrients, automation
AmericanHort Adds Two To Its Staff
Holly Scoggins is the new director of educational programming, and Nicolas Leas is the digital web manager
Holly Scoggins (left) and Nicolas Leas (right) Photos courtesy of AmericanHort
Holly Scoggins is the new director of educational programming, and Nicolas Leas is the digital web manager.
November 23, 2019
AmericanHort has added two new staff members: Holly Scoggins, the new Director of Educational Programming, and Nicolas Leas, the Digital Web Manager.
Scoggins has her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University and has been a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech since 1999. She has deep experience in areas that include undergraduate and graduate education, research and extension/outreach. She has also led research and education programs in a variety of industry areas.
Scoggins will be based out of Blacksburg, Virginia. She will be combining her expertise with Meagan Nace and help us grow the capacity of the AmericanHort Education Team. She is the president-elect of the Perennial Plant Association and enjoys gardening, beekeeping and saltwater sports like snorkeling and fishing.
Leas was born in Belgium, lived in Switzerland for 11 years and grew up primarily in Dublin, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio State with a degree in international relations and diplomacy and has more than 15 years of experience working in website design and development. His most recent role was with a company in Korea where he designed, managed and developed e-commerce websites in the beauty and pet product industries.
Leas will be the hands-on, digital web expert on our AmericanHort marketing team. He'll be responsible for helping AmericanHort grow and manage our digital content and services including websites, SEO, SEM, email campaigns and more.
He loves to travel, is a fitness buff and is active with Pilot Dogs where he raises and trains future seeing-eye dogs.
Is CEA-Grown Produce REALLY Better For You?
As a lifelong farmer - one who has grown commercially using conventional field techniques, organic soil methods, as well as Controlled Environment ("CEA") technologies, I hope to shed a bit more light on the subject. Maybe you'll like what you hear, maybe you won't. But in either case, I'd love to hear from you
August 18, 2019
Joe Swartz
Vice President/Lead Horticulturalist at AmHydro
I get this question a lot.
More than you might think!
Strong opinions are plentiful.......and misinformation abounds.
As a lifelong farmer - one who has grown commercially using conventional field techniques, organic soil methods, as well as Controlled Environment ("CEA") technologies, I hope to shed a bit more light on the subject. Maybe you'll like what you hear, maybe you won't. But in either case, I'd love to hear from you.
In recent years, the general public has been inundated with media stories about the various Controlled Environment Agriculture ("CEA") technologies. Stories of monumental financial investments and "futuristic" growing technologies seem to have permeated every news cycle and public interest storyline. A quick online search of terms such as "food miles," "climate change," "sustainability," or "urban farming" will likely fill your screen with headline after headline about the latest quest to produce more and better quality food. In fact, if that weren't true......you'd likely not be reading this now.
"Indoor food factories? Shipping container farms? Automated greenhouses? Outdoor fields?..........So what really does grow the best food for myself and my family?"
The simple fact is this:
Whether a crop is grown using CEA techniques in a greenhouse, outdoors in a field, or on the Moon, for that matter, is NOT what will determine it's nutritional value.
The actual nutritional content of any crop is simply a function of 3 basic parameters -
3 and only 3!
They are:
- 1. The particular crop/cultivar - Every plant has a genetic predisposition and physiology - the grower has control of external parameters, but not the internal ones.
- 2. The physical environment the plant was grown in - This is either supplied by nature and/or the grower and includes light quantity and quality, temperature, humidity/ VPD, C02 levels, air movement, etc etc)
- 3. The nutritional/microbial environment available to the plant's root zone - This includes not only the nutrients readily available to the plant, but also root temperature, pH, dissolved Oxygen and the beneficial microbial life in the root zone. This microbial flora is constantly stimulating plant growth, metabolizing waste products, breaking down chemical compounds, and inhibiting harmful pathogens. People tend to underestimate the importance of managing the rooting environment and developing and maintaining these microbes.
That's it! Nothing more and nothing less.
However, even a slight deviation (be it a natural occurrence of an error in your growing) can have HUGE consequences in your crop performance.
This is why many high value producers are moving into using Controlled Environment Ag (“CEA”) growing techniques. CEA allows them to produce crops that are undoubtedly more nutritious and flavorful than many of their conventionally grown counterparts. The ability to optimize these 3 factors is unmatched in appropriate CEA growing techniques - mind you, there are some amazing growers out there on conventional farms, growing fantastic and nutritious food too!
Proper design and application make all the difference in the world!
Using CEA, we can select appropriate varieties (selected for taste and nutrition, rather than the ability to ship thousands of miles and sit on supermarket shelves for days!), provide a near-perfect growing environment, and manage both nutrition and biological activity in the root zone to a very high degree. This also underscores the need to utilize APPROPRIATE CEA technologies! Greenhouse hydroponic, indoor vertical, shipping container farming and more are NOT created equal! Each situation is different, so the choices of the correct technologies are of critical importance.
So, when I am asked, "Is CEA-grown produce really better for you?" I always answer - "It's not quite as simple as that." However, when considering the above-mentioned factors, it is certainly MY preferred method to grow the highest quality, most nutritious and best tasting produce.
There are many ways to grow nutritious, healthy, and sustainable food. This is just one of the many great techniques we use. The more that we can do to support and nurture the PLANT........the better that it will provide for US!
Joe Swartz
VP AmHydro Joe @Amhydro.com
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Published by
Joe Swartz Vice President/Lead Horticulturalist at AmHydro - 35 years as Controlled Environment Ag Consultant and Commercial
#hydroponics #sustainability #green #urbanfarming #urbanag #farming #food #CEA #indoorag #indoo
AmHydro Partnership With Indian Company Moves Forward
Farms2050 plans to be the hub for hydroponics in India and is ready to provide guidance and consultation to those with interest in turn-key hydroponic solutions
With Many Hands And Hard Work, This Multi-Acre Farm Has Been Built From The Ground Up And Is Now Producing Beautifully
Located in Bengaluru, Farms2050 is the largest hydroponic farm in India where water is scarce, agricultural knowledge abundant and the need for sustainable solutions is urgent.
Farms2050 Timeline:
July 2018 - AmHydro sends 2 containers across the ocean
January 2018 - AmHydro production crew travels for installation
April 2019 - Jenny Harris and Joe Swartz visit for additional training
July 2019 - Farms2050 is in full production
