FROM THE editor
jessica raymond
‘Tis the season when your indoor garden may take a back seat to growth projects outdoors. Crops are craving your attention from every angle, and keeping optimal levels is becoming a challenge. With all this multitasking, helping hands in the form of simplified, automated technology may be the answer to awesome yields indoors and out. For help with automation, check out this issue’s “You Tell Us” with Jim Fah and his take on plant driven water and feeding systems. The days are hot and you and your plants are craving some serious hydration. But just as you wouldn’t want to ingest chemically-treated water, your plants deserve the utmost quality water. Australian Trevor Holt delves into the issue of water quality and provides proven tips on keeping it pure. In an effort to keep a focus on the local, we are introducing a new column, “Talking Shop” featuring Australian retailers across the continent. This issue introduces the van Aurich family of Aquaponics WA in Canning Vale, Perth. Your favourite local grow shop could be featured next. Submit a request for a retail shop you would like to see by emailing editor@maximumyield.com
Speaking of local, flip to page 40 for Michael Bloch’s take on food cooperatives or “Community Supported Agriculture” and how you can get involved in this green approach to food sharing. And don’t forget to stay involved in the Maximum Yield community by subscribing to our free, monthly E-News, keeping you connected to the industry’s latest news, current events, tips, tricks, sneak peaks and our special reader-submitted “Listen In” where your questions are answered by the most knowledgeable individuals in the field. Stay connected to maximumyield.com for updates on our exclusive 2010 contests for our Aussie readers. Happy holidays from Maximum Yield! Jessica Raymond, Editor
letters to the editor
editor@maximumyield.com
Shine a Light on Me
Fresh Water
Danny Presley
Thank you Donette Lamson
Do plants require high lumens as with H.I.D and HPS lighting? Will the lower lumen 300 LED create the same results as 600 watt HPS?
Referring to a 300 watt LED versus a 600 watt HPS lighting system, which one would yield better depends upon a few things. However, as a short answer, it's more likely that if you took the best 600 watt HPS set-up and put it against the best 300 watt LED set-up, you would likely find the LED system would provide a higher yield. Again though, many factors are conducive as it’s like comparing boats to cars. Erik Biksa
Retailing Inspiration
I own a retail store in Brisbane, and we carry your magazine. We all love the information that you folks have to offer and find we are getting rid of them as fast as we order them. I would like to recommend more features on Australian retail stores. It’s nice to hear what others like us are working on in their area of the country. Thank you and keep up the good work. Michael McLean Look for our new column “Talking Shop” and Canning Vale’s Aquaponics WA starting with this issue of Maximum Yield. Serving to inspire readers and retail stores alike, Talking Shop will feature hydroponic retailers across Australia and their initiatives to bring hydroponics to growers around the world.
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MAXIMUM YIELD Australia - November/December 2009
Do you have any articles or data on reverse osmosis for hydroponic growing?
Richard Gellert has a great article: RO Logic: A Thinking Man's Guide to Reverse Osmosis is an excellent feature that is sure to provide you with the background and education that you are seeking on this topic. You can find RO Logic by following the link below: http://maximumyield.com/ article_sh_db.php?articleID= 356&yearVar=2008&issueVar =July/August For Richard’s latest article Calcium and Magnesium: Beyond the Obvious, pick up the Sept/Oct issue of Maximum Yield Australia or visit maximumyield.com
Maximum Yield reserves the right to edit for brevity. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Write us at: Maximum Yield Publications Inc. 2339A Delinea Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5L9 or Email us at: editor@maximumyield.com