Rose Gardening

Rose is one of my favorite flower, and many of you might also agree with me. But many of us had felt the difficulty in cultivating roses earlier in gardening endeavor. But as per the experts roses are one of the most resilient plants you can put into landscaping. This article will put some of the techniques which will definitely increase your success rate.

There are many varieties of plants available before planting choose the variety which is the most suitable for your local climate. For this you can check your local nurseries.

The pH range ideal for roses is between 5.5 to 7. In case the soil is more acidic you can add lime stones to bring it to this level. If the soil level is less acidic try mixing peat moss or growing media to make it to that level.

Roses need minimum 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight. So plant them accordingly. Lack of sunlight will weaken your plant.

At the time of transplanting you need to dig a big hole(at about 15 inch wide). Add compost. It is very important not to crowd your rose plant.

Roses requires plenty of water. So water regularly and make sure they don’t die out of thirst. Don’t sprinkle the water. It can cause the water to stay in the outer soil only and will not reach the main root which is deep in the soil. Sprinkling of water can also cause fungal growth. Also make sure that the water drains really well. Too wet soil can also be very harmful. For more information on watering read my early blog water the important but neglected factor in gardening.

You can also use mulch to prevent the water loss specially during summer.

Unlike some other plants discussed earlier, roses need good amount of feeding. So regularly add nutrients in the form of organic fertilizers. At the beginning of a summer season add some Epsom salt. This will boost the magnesium and sulfur needs of the the plant.

Pruning is very important for Roses. Cut out any dead branches and weak sub branches. Make sure air can flow freely through the plant. It will also help the plant look much more aesthetically good than a crazy mess of branches. Pruning always help to bring back strength to the main branches of the plant.

In case you are growing roses in the container, fertilizing becomes very important. As the roots of the plant cannot reach further into the soil in search of food you need to provide them regularly. But be aware of over-fertilizing. It causes the plants to yield lesser flower sometimes with root injury can actually kill the plant. One of the best option in this dilemma is to provide slow releasing fertilizers.

A word of caution: rose plants have thorn in them. So while pruning or any other activities wear gloves and eye glasses to protect yourself.

Do you want to add any other point? please mention it in the comment below.

Complete Rose Plant Care, 100% Quality Guaranteed, for Healthy Beautiful Flowering and Sturdy Plant 1Kg

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The Aquaponics Monthly Magazine Educating Everyone

The Newsletter That Became A Magazine

When we started the initial newsletter back in March 2013, we thought we would just see how it went. Our community on Facebook was growing rapidly and we needed to do more than just post pictures and PDFs.

We thought that by bringing people interesting stories from regular backyard, garage, basement aquapons we could encourage more people to get involved worldwide. We ended up attracting some really big names in the aquaponic farming industry too.

Within 4 weeks after we initially set up a newsletter, we were overloaded with people on mailing list. I was totally blown away, but obviously people wanted to learn more.  This is a GOOD THING! We changed over from a newsletter to an official magazine in June because of the time constraints, commitment involved and level of work we found ourselves doing. There have been some growing pains in the process but the magazine has become a very fast and exciting ride.

For me, aquaponics should be a worldwide growing experience that people can farm easily. Whether it is around a home or a commercial farm, aquaponics can change lives forever. This kind farming education on how to set everything up, takes time. People should never be in a hurry to learn about aquaponics but rather start off small and see how it goes from there.

I encourage everyday people to write about their growing experiences to inspire others. What someone may see as a silly experience, I see it as a journey and a way to teach other people. If we are to change our world for the better we have to help each other more. That means a novice can give something of value to others who are just starting out in aquaponics. I really like that there are failures and successes mixed into the articles we have received so far from the community.

I Look At Failure As A Plan For Future Success

How will anyone know how to become a better aquapon if they never had a dead fish or experience high pH? Failures reach us on a level which prove, we can also be very successful. No-one is perfect. Perfection stresses people out but learning as you go, can be a very enlightening experience for everyone.

I certainly do not claim to be a long time guru in the aquaponics field; however I do know that people have so much to share and give back to others aspiring to learn. For me, its more about the law of giving and receiving and the magazine is absolutely, enriching lives. Education is essential and the magazine has been about the worldwide education of aquaponics.

We have had some really amazing articles from some of the best known people in the aquaponics industry and backyard hobbyists. The beneficial teaching and tips is always a great reference for people to go back and revisit at anytime from the magazine. The magazine is not something people will delete but keep it on their computer forever.

I have seen some great inventions come out from the magazine and we have been amazed. That wonderful imagination and ingenuity is still inside of us all. One article that comes to mind is the APDuino Project that is now getting a lot of attention. Back in June 2013 we highlighted this great electronic device to help people with their aquaponics systems. These guys are a very dedicated team of people and I am proud to have highlighted them in our magazine.

The magazine is also inspiring people by challenging them to write, it provokes their imagination and what each of us are capable of. I have been very proud to present some of the people in our magazine because whether they realize it or not they are making a difference in the lives of others.

We allow small business to boast about what they are doing too. All that we ask in return; is for the business to help promote the magazine by sending a link out to their subscribers or post a link on their websites. This is a win - win for everyone. Our magazine gets to continue the education and businesses get to showcase their business. If you would like to contribute an article then please visit our website here: Click this link. 

We release our magazine every month on the 10th and this month (August) we will mark six months of great articles, interesting ideas and people connecting to others.

This is our link if you would like to subscribe: http://aquaponics-how-to-guide.info/aquanewsletter/

Thank you everyone for the continued support

Victoria Kelley
Editor-In-Chief
ASC Magazine 

Aquaponics Survival Communities On Facebook  

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The Lemnaceae

The Lemnaceae, commonly known as duckweeds, are the smallest, fastest growing and simplest of flowering plants. Some of the current uses of Lemnaceae are a testimony to its utility: basic research and evolutionary model system, toxicity testing organism, biotech protein factory, wastewater remediator, high-protein animal feed, and carbon cycling participant. Sequencing of the Greater Duckweed, Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden, which has a genome size similar to that of Arabidopsis (150 MB), will address challenges in alternative energy, bioremediation, and global carbon cycling. 

Duckweed photo courtesy Todd Michael.

With the passage of the 2005 Federal Energy legislation, the drive to develop sustainable feedstocks and processing protocols for biofuel production has intensified. The search for new biomass species has revealed the potential of Lemnaceae species. These plants produce biomass faster than any other flowering plant. The carbohydrate content of the plant material also indicates a potential for ethanol production. Moreover, the carbohydrate in duckweed biomass is readily converted to fermentable sugars by using commercially available enzymes developed for corn-based ethanol production.

The utility of Lemnaceae species for bioremediation has long been recognized as well. Propagated on agricultural and municipal wastewater, Spirodela and related species efficiently extract excess nitrogen and phosphate pollutants. Duckweed growth on ponds effectively reduces algal growth (by shading), coliform bacterial counts, suspended solids, evaporation, biological oxygen demand, and mosquito larvae while maintaining pH, concentrating heavy metals, sequestering or degrading halogenated organic and phenolic compounds, and encouraging the growth of other aquatic animals such as frogs and fowl.

A better understanding of Lemnaceae species could also reveal the potential for their role in the global carbon cycle. Primitive aquatic plants have been implicated as the primary source of carbon sequestration that drove global climate change during the Early Eocene. The S. polyrhiza genome sequence could unlock the remarkable potential of a rapidly growing aquatic plant for carbon sequestration, carbon cycling, and biofuel production.

CCRES ALGAE

part of

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

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IBC Aquaponics Update

The IBC Aquaponic system in Delaware is still cycling.  Its had some pH swings, too high, then too low.  When it was high, I added some HCl to lower it a bit.  When it was low, I drained about 1/4 tank and added hose water which is high pH.  Green algae still a problem.  I cleaned algae from grow bed by waiting until the Bell siphon kicked on, shutting off the pump, and waiting until the water all drained from the grow bed.  Then I just wiped out the algae.  No sign of the two Koi fish added before cycling.  :(  Im sure theyre dead.  Well, now that Ive killed some fish, I guess Im a real aquapon.  :-/

When I last checked on the system on September 1st, the nutrients looked like this:

Seedlings are growing, and Im planning on adding them when they get a little bigger.

My dad has started constructing a PVC frame for a small greenhouse.  Were going to try to use insulation, water heaters, and maybe a small space heater to keep the system running through the winter.  Well see how it works out!

The bell siphon had stopped working for a few days.  It seemed like the grow bed wasnt filling up quick enough to kick on the siphon.  We took apart the pump and cleaned the filter, and it pumped water much faster, fixing the siphon issue.

Below are a couple sketches of my plans for the system.  I was originally thinking of adding a solids filter that would sit above both grow beds, but now Im thinking that if I add a sump tank to grow duckweed, I can add a radial flow solids filter, and a solids lifting overflow to the sytem, which might help keep the system clean, especially the pump.

Old Plan

New Plan

Were deciding between a 90 degree roof, or a rounded roof.  I think the 90 degree roof will help keep snow off the top of the greenhouse, which is my major concern.

We just have to get the greenhouse up before it gets cold.  My dads having almost as much fun with this project as I am!

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Building a Muffler for a Drain Pipe

This system is in my friends bedroom, and he asked me to make the drain quieter.  Heres what I did, and it worked really well.  After building this muffler, you cant even tell when the water is draining unless youre watching the water level in the fish tank.

This was the sketch of my idea.  The drain pipe would point down into the fish tank, but would not be submerged in the water.  A larger diameter pipe would sit around the drain pipe, with the bottom end submerged.  The larger pipe would be held onto the drain pipe with a wooden dowel through both pipes.  The larger pipe will muffle the sound of the splashing water.  To reduce the noise further, you could plug the top of the larger diameter pipe with cloth, foam, saran wrap, etc.

 I ended up using saran wrap, and the larger diameter pvc pipe wanted to float, so it started leaning to the side.  This may help the muffler, because the water runs down the side of the pvc pipe rather than splashing into the tank.  Im planning on replacing the saran wrap with something better looking, but I want to test some options.

Our tilapia Zeus seems to miss the splashing water, though.  He used to like being splashed with the draining water.  Oh well, it needed to be quieter.

And the garden is looking good.  The growth has been slow, because the water was pretty dirty.  I did a partial water change, and cleaned the filter and plumbing.  I hope that helps the plants a bit.  After the water change, the nitrates are still high, and the pH is about 7.5.  I added a little pH down to get the pH closer to 6.8.

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HAPPY EASTER

HAPPY EASTER

May your Easter be blessed with health, longevity, love and a lot of happiness!

CCRES Team

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Windowfarm update

Hey everyone!  Its been a while since my last update, and Ive been seeing some great growth in my windowfarm recently, so heres an update.

The Basil is growing pretty slowly.  Its on the top shelf of the windowfarm, so maybe its not getting as much light as the rest of the plants.

The parsley is jumping out, stretching towards the window!

The Rosemary plant is growing strong.  This one was bought from Home Depot a few weeks ago, so it was already growing.  Ive been using it in some recipes too.  I threw some sprigs into the slow cooker with some pulled pork that I cooked last night.  It turned out incredible.

The Strawberry plant is growing well, too.  The leaves are getting bigger, and Ive seen a bunch of flowers bloom.  The white flower petals fall off, and it looks like a baby strawberry.  Ive never grown strawberries before, so Im not sure if these will get bigger and turn into strawberries or not.

I used the green onions this morning on pulled pork grilled cheese sandwiches (might be my new favorite grilled cheese variation).  I had started them from some green onions that I got at the supermarket.  I cut them a few times, so they werent growing back very big anymore, so I pulled them to make room for something else.

The lavender doesnt seem to be doing too well.  These guys shot up pretty quickly, and then kind of stagnated.  Im not sure if theyre getting too much light next to the window, or not enough because theyre down in the solo cup.

The parsley on the window sill is doing awesome too!

Lana got a Venus Fly Trap that is starting to open up!

I also switched out the airline tubing and the one-way check valve for my airlift.  The thin airline tubing was getting clogged with the solid waste from the fish tank.  Also, the check valve was clogged, and barely working, so not very much water was getting to the plants.  Im not so sure that the airlift is capable of filtering the solids in the tank, so Im considering adding a water filter as well.

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