This week we’re discussing something often overlooked by new growers - container sizes. This is a key factor in your successful grow, but many newbies stumble along the way when learning about getting your plants into the right pots. In this edition of Hydro 101, I'll tell you how to pick out the correct container size for optimal results, and also what to expect from the container size you choose.

Hey hydro-heads, we’re back with another edition of Hydro 101. This time around,  I'm going to teach you how to prevent molds and mildew on your indoor crop. Disease can happen to the best of us, but if you follow these three easy steps, you'll stand a fighting chance against these common little nasties.

Air movement is mandatory, especially when growing indoors. Air movement helps to provide your crop with a more natural environment, preventing higher temperatures and humidity.

We’ve covered a lot of ground here in Hydro 101 since we started. Now that you've got the best lighting, the right medium and the perfect nutrients to get you started, it's time for the fun stuff. As a woman I enjoy shopping, but there's nothing quite like going shopping for your next big crop. Whether your starting from seed or clone, you need to know what to look for in both, and most importantly what to stay away from.

Last week we introduced all you new growers to the idea that you can cultivate your crop of choice outdoors. Of course, it depends on your location and the time of year, but outdoor gardening can be a lot of fun and viable a way to grow. In some cases, it can even turn out better than indoor hydroponic growing. Of course, there are trade offs either way, but a lot of growers I know enjoy getting outdoors when the season is right.

New indoor growers are sometimes surprised to find out that they can cultivate outdoors as well. There’s a lot to consider, from preparation to location and privacy, but done right, growing outdoors is much easier than growing indoors. You don't have to create the perfect environment like you do indoors because Mother Nature does that part for you. Also you don't have to pay an electric bill for your outdoor garden because the sun does the work for you. For those of you interested, outdoor season has already begun in many parts of North America, but it’s not too late to get started.

Hi, growers. Welcome to the third installment of our series on pests and diseases. Set backs can be discouraging for new growers, but don’t sweat it - pests and disease come with the territory, whether you’re a rookie indoor grower or a grand master hydroponics gardener. Huge yields is the name of the game when it comes to cultivation, so we’ll talk about some of the bugs that can ruin your crop. From white flies, aphids, thrips, and fungus gnats to the worst of all - spider mites!

Last week I introduced you to some of the basics of battling pests & disease in your hydroponics indoor garden. We focused on methods of eliminating diseases like powdery mildew. This week, we’re going to look at some other factors hydroponics growers need to think about, like humidity and air flow in your indoor grow room.

One of the most difficult things for beginning growers to grapple with is pests & disease in your hydroponics indoor garden. But it’s not just a problem of the novice grower. No matter how experienced a hydroponics grower you are, sooner or later you will encounter some form of plant disease, mildew or fungus. Pests are another crop killer, but in the first installment of my three-part series we’ll look at disease.

It's bloom time! Personally, the bloom phase is my favorite part of hydroponics indoor growing. This is the stage where all the hard work you have put in during pre-veg and vegetative phases will pay off, which is why we love hydroponics gardening in the first place. Last time, we talked about pre-veg and veg phase. But there are a few things you will have to do differently than you did during the vegetative stage. Bloom phase (sometimes called “flower” phase) requires an adjustment to your indoor grow room’s lighting, humidity and nutrients.

Last week I introduced new growers to the soil vs. hydroponics debate, and gave my two cents on where to begin. This week, I want to provide some more guidance for those of you just getting your feet wet with indoor growing. Whenever you hear growers talking about hydroponics gardening, you hear a bunch of new terms and lingo that can be confusing to newbies. In particular, you’ll hear people talking about pre-veg, veg, and bloom, which are the growing phases of your crop.

Good water is essential for growing hydroponically. Unlike in soil, nutrients are readily available in water. The roots don’t have to struggle or search to get their food. They are less stressed and are able to grow to their full potential. Hydroponic vegetables are larger, more abundant, and delicious.

Spider mites. Powdery mildew. Aphids. Root rot. All can quickly destroy the utopia you’ve created for a healthy and productive community of plants. But each of these blights can be avoided or, if they’ve already taken hold, eradicated. Let’s take a look.