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Hydroponics grow things 'perfectly'
By, Harley Richards, Red Deer Advocate (CN AB), 10-15-04

Larry and Karen Smith with an aeroponic system: bigger, faster-growing and better-tasting produce in your basement.

Frustrated by late snowfalls, early frosts and too little gardening time in between?

Larry and Karen Smith have a solution.

The Red Deer couple recently opened Alberta Cultured Gardens Ltd., a business specializing in hydroponic gardening systems and supplies. They carry the lights, pumps, timers, fertilizers, micronutrients and everything else needed to grow plants in your home - regardless of the depth of the snow or severity of the cold outdoors.

Not only does a hydroponic system extend your gardening season to 12 months, it result in bigger, faster-growing and better-tasting produce, say the Smiths. "Hydroponics is about creating a perfect growing environment," said Karen.

That perfect environment includes special light bulbs for growing and flowering, and the right mix of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and micronutrients like copper, iron and magnesium. Water quality is also critical, with regular testing and corrective measures often necessary.

"The pH of your water is probably one of the most important things in hydroponic growing," said Karen.

Impurities like chlorine commonly found in tap water must be controlled as well.

If you like the feel of dirt under your fingernails, you're out of luck with a hydroponic system. Instead of soil, an inert growing medium like peat, rockwool or clay pellets is used.

At its most basic level, hydroponic gardening involves a light source and nutrient-rich water.

More serious growers can increase the size of their system, and add equipment like reflective wall coverings, venting systems and timers.

The Smiths even have aeroponic systems, which mist the plants' roots instead of watering from above.

Cost ranges from about $300 for a basic setup to nearly $1,400 for an elaborate aeroponic system. The Smiths recommend something in between for anyone serious about indoor growing.

Electricity costs will probably range from $20 to $35 a month, depending on the size of the light bulb used.

Some plants, like green peppers, must be manually pollinated, said Larry. But this is a fairly simple process.

More adventurous growers can even clone plants. Karen explained this is done by taking new growth tissue, placing it in a rooting hormone, and eventually planting it.

The Smiths are optimistic their business at No. 1, 4699 61st St. will do well - because it's the only one of its kind between Calgary and Edmonton. In fact, it was the lack of hydroponic dealers in Red Deer that attracted the Smiths from Langley, B.C., this summer. "There was no store here," said Larry, noting the market in British Columbia is saturated.

The short growing season here was another reason the Smiths thought Central Alberta was ripe for indoor gardening.

"Basically, you've got eight months of the year you can't grow anything here," observed Larry.

Virtually anything can be grown hydroponically, with vegetables, flowers, bedding plants and herbs all common choices. The equipment could also be used to produce illegal crops like marijuana, acknowledged Karen, but that's an application she and Larry actively discourage.

"If they tell me they're going to be doing something illegal, I'm going to ask them to leave." A sign at the front of the store emphasizes this policy.

For people looking for an indoor alternative to backyard gardening, hydroponics is gaining popularity. The Smiths point out that the industry even has its own magazines and trade shows.