In This Issue Plants, Light, and LEDs Part 10 Two Ways to Revive Your Favorite African Violets Featured Distributor Illuminate Today Napa, California illuminatetoday@gmail.com 1-866-774-0108 Featured Product: ABP3 The Aqua-Bar Professional model with 3 LED clusters which will provide expert results in fresh water aquariums up to 20" deep. Receive 10% off of your purchase of the ABP3 model in the month of January by simply mentioning that you are a reader of the LED Gardener. (Enter into Special Requests if using our website shopping cart.) Order now. 1-866-414-7244 Care to Comment? The LED Gardener appreciates all the input we receive from our readers. If you would like to submit an article or pictures; or if you would like to comment on a current article please send submissions and comments or questions to angela@led-grow-master.com You are receiving this email because you subscribed at led-grow-master.com If you do not wish to receive this newsletter :Request your name removed by emailing angela@led-grow-master.com Contact LED Grow Master Global: Admin@led-grow-master.com |
| LED Gardener |
 |
| |
 |
| January 1, 2009 Volume 4, Issue 1 |
Can we compare measurements of sunlight to those of lamp light? No, we can't, for two reasons. The first problem is that all of the published standards for the amount of light needed to grow plants are based on sunlight. But since we know sunlight and lamp light are not the same, and that sunlight contains many colors of light that are not used efficiently by plants, and that no two types of lamp light are the same, it's obvious that measurements of sunlight are not comparable to those of lamp light. Suppose a researcher publishes a paper that says you need "X" amount of sunlight to grow plants, and you use the exact same photometer to measure the light level generated by a metal halide lamp designed for growing plants, and the amount of light measured is much less than "X". Does this mean the metal halide lamp is not capable of growing plants? No, because part of the reason the reading from the metal halide lamp is lower is that it doesn't produce as many colors of light as sunlight. But if it produces enough light of the colors plants need, it can grow plants very well even if the photometer (designed for measuring sunlight) says it won't. The second problem is that, except for spectroradiometers, which are more common in laboratories than in the field, photometers do not give accurate readings of the light generated by man-made lamps. Research has shown that photometers under report the amount of light when used to measure man-made light generators. And when you measure light from the LED grow lamps, which are by far the most efficient type of grow lamp, the measurements made by photometers are even more unreliable. In fact, the user manuals provided by photometer manufacturers clearly state that these instruments should only be used for measuring sunlight, not lamp light. At this time, the fact is that all standards for the amount of light needed for growing plants are based on sunlight, which can't be compared directly to lamp light. At the same time the photometers people are generally using to measure the amount of light they are getting from man-made light generators are not suitable for that task. CEO- SolarOasis Revive Your Favorite African Violets Originally discovered growing wild in Tanzania over 110 years ago by a German officer with an interest in botany, the African Violet has become one of the most popular house plants in the world. The simplicity of care and the plant’s ability to provide beautiful blooms year round is surely a major factor in their popularity. They like moderate temperatures (LED grow lights will prevent over heating), about 12 hours of indirect light (I recommend LED grow lights of course), and a small amount of fertilizer and water (even less fertilizer and water when using LED grow lights). As with all house plants- the number one cause of death is over watering, so the most important thing is to establish a watering schedule that will not drown the delicate root system. Below you will find some tips to help your African Violets stay vibrant and full of blooms. Our first method of restoring a fading African Violet is a leaf cutting. Be sure that pots and tools are free from soil borne diseases and bacteria by washing them well in hot soapy water. Fill small, (3”) pots with a light soilless seed starting soil. A popular mix is 1 part peat moss, 1 part horticultural vermiculite, and 1 part perlite. Find a medium sized leaf and slice it’s stem at an angle leaving about an inch from the base of the leaf. Make a small hole in the soil and insert the sliced stem leaving about ½ inch of the stem above the soil. Water so that the soilless medium is moist but not soggy. You may have to push down the stem lightly to keep it underground after watering. Now place a small sandwich bag loosely over the pot so it is covering the entire leaf and the top of the pot. Small leaves will begin to show in 6-8 weeks. You will want to lightly fertilize by adding a small amount of fertilizer to the water when the first small leaves appear. After approximately 10 weeks, gently remove the African Violets from the pot and look closely to see each start and separate them. You will want to discard the initial starter leaf. Take each of the new plants and repeat the process above for an invigorated supply of your favorite African Violet. Our second tip is for restoring an old violet with “gooseneck” (plants that have lost their bottom leaves and now have elongated stems). Pull off the outer leaves until you are down to a small inner rosette. Make sure all of the flowering stems are removed. Next, gently pack the light, soilless medium into a clean 3“ pot. Now, cut the thick stem at an angle about ½ inch below the rosette. Bury this stem up to the base of the plant in the soilless mix and cover with a plastic bag after dampening the soil. While both of these methods are an easy way to propagate fresh African Violets- there are circumstances where you will likely want to dispose of the plant as opposed to working off of cuttings. Cyclamen mites will cause distorted leaves and flowers while weakening the root system and making the plant unable to take in water. If your plants are affected- you can take a leaf cutting and soak it overnight in water to try another violet but you will want to throw away the mother plant and keep the cutting separate from the rest of your plants as a precaution. Another common problem that may affect your African Violets is the condition caused by a fungus called Cylindrocarpon. The fungus thrives when the soil is wet and soggy. This is known as Root Rot, and can be identified by areas of the root zone turning soft and mushy. Root rot will cause an otherwise healthy-looking plant to topple over at the base. Barring these conditions- following the proceeding tips can provide you with beautiful blooms and years of enjoyment from any African Violet.--AL Copyright 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED LED Grow Master Global, LLC |
| Spectroradiometers and Measuring Sunlight |