2017, Small Primal Habits
SPH Interview
http://www.smallprimalhabits.com
[0:16] Alright today and talk to Tim about Hydroponics.
And the reason that I wanted to talk about Hydroponics is because I think it's an interesting talk but you forget to it later I attended some Hydroponics once and it was slight disaster so could be entertaining.
But I'm just kind of to start offer or maybe set like a.
A foundation why did you or what is Hydroponics just high level,
sohi Louisville Hydroponics is the process of growing food without soil so and traditional gardening your planting and dirt potting soil indoors or different things Hydro products eliminate.
The dirt and all the new Trans-Am normally come to the plant through that dirt and it uses water to get nutrients to the plants.
So you can grow in different types of.
[1:10] Mediums that are more in Newark the other plant holder.
All the food comes through the water so you are directly in control of what food that plan is getting how much of it weigh.
Sunset Point nutrients from the soil you're putting the nutrients actually in the water yes so you can nutrients right into the walk that you're feeding them.
[1:36] So that's a concept that's not very standard MLA me can I hear about everyone small but it's not exactly something that you would stumble upon so how did you start the likely your self in the Hydroponics.
Well so I like to Garden but.
I don't really like all the weeding in the killing a hard time finding time to do that with two young boys I'll be honest at home.
Times when I've managed to get a garden going outside and usually ends up getting eaten by the the local wildlife and so it's frustrating and I had heard about Hydroponics I knew about it,
and I wasn't rude but I never really got any further than that so I was probably for 5 years ago.
I started doing some independent research online there's lots of information about it out there decided I have.
Big unfinished basement under my house that I can try to play around in and so I decided to take the plunge and see if I could grow some food either indoors you around.
Indoors year-round which since we're in Illinois that's actually very very beneficial so so if you are automatically kind of giving it to water in the nutrients through the water what about sunlight then.
So the sunlight is imitated through artificial grow lights indoors so you can do Hydroponics indoors or out.
I like to do it indoors just because it's climate controlled not worried about extreme temperatures.
[3:12] It's also protects from bugs and insects so I don't need to use any kind of insecticides or any kind of chemicals try to keep the bugs and things from heating behind my plan.
And then you give benefits to being indoors as you can do it you around but they either you can you buy.
Wife's that are specially made that are basically the same spectrum of light as the sun is not going to be as intense as the Sun but they're they're pretty bright daylight if it's okay so.
I'm picturing this you're using water you have artificial light so start to visualize it in my head but what then if you're not doing it in soil are you actually growing the plants in.
Well there's a lot of different methods that you can use the what method do you use to use a couple different methods probably three types of methods that I use one is called Evan flow.
Which is worse flood and drain is kind of the layman's terms for it the plants will sit into the large tray.
That tree doesn't have any water in it but the plants need to be routed right in substrate in that tray where I usually use pots just because it's easier.
I'm in the pot I use was called Coco coir which is coconut fiber so if.
Cost of coconuts the recycle shredded up and in the end it looks a lot like potting soil but it's not it's completely inert but it's a place for that plant to sit with its roots kind of take home base.
[4:51] Then the new transferring tank underneath that table.
They're pumped up into the table on a timer they have been set up on timer so it's automatic and that table will fill up so the plants good.
From underneath and then the table drain back down into the reservoir.
And you flooded depending upon what you're growing and what kind.
Cycle of growth of 10 to the 4 times a day you'll flood the table another that the plants just sit there in the pie.
Guess that's all one method that's one method and that water that is. It is supplemented with all the nutrients of the plants.
The girl that's mixed into that water that water that is pumped in transpec Downs that water is recycled that water will last for almost though.
And then you change it to Refresher.
That's one method Evenflo another method called deep water culture where you put your plan of some kind of container that has holes all around the container we can is called the net pot.
How the roots grow down through that and hang actually directly into the water so you have the nutrient water.
The reservoir right under the plan and those roots will grow right down into that water once they hit that water they just start.
Taking what they need so I can experiment like that school right where you put some type of celery or something in the roots or in the water.
[6:21] Similar to the ebb and flow where the plants are fed from underneath which.
[6:31] It's better to feed plants from the bottom up because I purchase the root Groves to go down it also keeps the top layer of soil dry so it reduces.
[6:43] Habits of it for insects in different things cuz I don't like dry soil they like wet soil and still but the gravity-fed system is basically you have a large Reservoir off to the side it's elevated above.
Your plants.
The tubing that comes off of that and there's little controllers inside each pot the kind of it's like a float valve little control how much water gets into each one at a given time.
And as the plant uses the water the float valve opens and it just refill spin-off from your Reservoir off to the side.
One of my favorite systems because it's so simple to take care of.
How is truly kind of a set-it-and-forget-it type of system you have one reservoir that's easy to clean and refreshed you never have to empty that Reservoir because it just gets used it but never gets.
[7:34] Lowe's refill it.
Are you want to hear about my experience let's go ahead and say which model I was following,
but if you look on the internet it's called the fodder system.
And the one I particularly chose is for the reason why you would do it is to supplement chickens.
With a green vegetation in the winter.
So she used a higher there's cut like like 17 different ways you can do it by pick the five gallon.
Drum where you buy the $2 5-gallon jugs.
Drill holes in the bottom and then I put a couple and I can't remember exactly which seeds are used in twice a day.
I had it on time it would run water through but the one I just let the water run all the way through it I didn't ever.
Thought about nutrients or anything.
I put in a basement in a pair right on right on top of the sump pump so I didn't just put the water right in the sump pump.
And I put the timer on it but I just costly was dealing with mold.
[8:53] In like the growth wasn't very good and I and I think I did have like a modified grow light but.
Pretty much gave up because I couldn't ever get a solid Mass.
Green fully Jimmy the chickens did like it and have my four-year-old daughter take him over the chickens and throw it out there and she's excited she is that's really kind of 1 reasons why did it but.
What do you think I was doing wrong.
Well I mean that kind of depends what I was probably come on figure it out,
keeping it too wet will encourage that mold to grow if you getting the top.
Wet and then sitting under those lights conditions for that mold to grow older algae not mold it probably isn't.
Green slimy looking stop at allergy and that's Prime conditions for Alex the girl that he's not going to hurt your plan so I can it hurt you if you consume food or plant it was near it.
But it's not pretty to look at so the best thing to try to do to keep the top layer dry which is why we tend to use some other types of methods wear,
you don't like in a deep water culture system that area the top around the base of the plan is NeverWet all the waters down and blow only the roots are exposed to the water the plant ever.
[10:14] The leaves the plants never goes planter Drive in tire.
[10:19] I'm so that discourages a lot of bugs and allergies and things like that they like those wet conditions because the stuff.
It's probably better to do some of the type of system where the top can dry out faster or you feeding from underneath.
Alright so you're selling me on the idea listen to my problem and now you're going to say John you're going to take the next steps of trying to be successful what would you give me advice on trying to make it out of the gate.
Simple as a first step that somebody's just kind of toy with the idea would do because.
Of the different systems or somebody who's not understanding you may say it's simple it takes care of itself but to me and my man he said flow you said nutrient you know there's all these questions running through my head so.
[11:15] So walk me through what I would do to have my four year old have a successful experience with Hydroponics there's a few options there are out of the box that you can now they're going to be Chia Pet.
[11:30] But there are some like commercial type system that you can get.
And where they'll give you all the instructions I could even give you new Trans-Am like a tablet form you know and so it is really kind of take some of that.
The guesswork in the learning curve out of it but the way that I learned was.
Reading online there's thousands of YouTube videos out there people doing this stuff that will gladly show you how to do it any and honestly it's a little bit of just learning to do it you know you're going to say all the biggest.
Thing that kind of helps me get over the hump honestly I am active on some social media sites join someone like groups.
Do hydroponic gardening and actually kind of got.
Hooked up with a guy he actually was up in Michigan and he just kind of decided kind of Mentor me and he just kind of adopted me as his pet and I was supposed to pictures on the group on the pain what's wrong here what's going at this.
And he started private messaging me one night we private message for probably an hour back and forth and it was based like him slapping me in the face saying you doing what are you doing out of that.
I learned the most important thing I can do to keep a daily log what I'm doing.
Because then I can see look back and see you I can see what I've done what I change so you can act any can learn so I started keeping a daily log what I was doing when I realized.
[13:06] That I was reacting to every little thing and I was adding things and taking things away and in the plants were just constantly stress.
And so had to learn it less is more kind of with Hydroponics you know get your system setup.
And then let it do its thing don't over love it mean if your people a willingness to kind of learn.
Admissions a four-year-old you know there are some ecosystems that you can buy or order some very simple methods that you can use.
That are almost foolproof you know it's with children cuz I work with kids a lot.
Come outside of work back to the Cub Scout to do about a program for local park district,
I am currently working with our school out in Germantown the middle school and working with the 7th grade science teacher we're setting up an aquaponics Garden in his classroom which is a form of hydroponic fish.
The new Transformer Waters of the fish tank.
[14:16] Two ways that plants need so that water for the fish tank pump to plant a plant clean the water the water circulated back to the fishtail.
For setting up a whole kind of recirculating Cogeco system in his classroom for some different animals that he's raising two different projects he's doing in his class.
Which is fun and exciting for me to be apart of it's one of the things I've wanted to do is find ways to get it into the school systems.
Hydroponics is a great way for kids to learn science technology math I mean all these different be no key subjects.
Winchester Hands-On fun learning so very simple systems I can help you send me a few links I'll put them in the notes interview so.
How much produce do you say you get out of your Hydroponics set-up in your basement so I have a 10 foot by 12 foot area square feet and I have.
Different times different amounts of things growing in there.
This winter I think in here as much done as I wanted Scott to ran out of time but.
When I have the whole thing going I probably have three to four tomato plants.
324 pepper plants one to two cucumber plans and then usually off to the side I'll have an area where I'm growing some lettuces are some herbs like basil or cilantro is so when.
[15:53] Everything starts to come in when things are starting to write then I don't have to buy tomatoes or Peppers or lettuce or anything at the grocery store you know that in between those Cycles I don't get all the trying to plan those cycle.
Harvesting to read my mind,
prom enjoy doing it but I have so many other things I have to do with my kids and family and other commitments that,
I literally probably spend 15 to 20 minutes a day.
On the hydroponics on a normal basis and then I may spend an hour down there when I'm really doing some of the main that's like you know cleaning out reservoirs refilling Envy no refresh.
[16:43] Brother wise.
You know once you get to a point where you have that system established in your cousin dialed-in in a solid process as you know how much nutrients and mix with your water is everyone's water is different and you know.
Luceti's care itself you're just going down to make sure nothing so big learning curve and then just making sure that it.
Doesn't dry it doesn't look like anything has changed in that scenario looking at the leaves.
Some basic protein no chicken Tomatoes kind of under control things like that but what a lot of people probably don't know that.
Pepper plants are Ashley perennials they're not adding.
I'm the reason we only get one cycle out of them Outdoors it's goes winter comes but I've had pepper plants in my basement I had jalapeno plants that I could prove they were two and a half years old you know that they would.
Fruit I would bring them back it would grow back out fruit again in the back.
Finally got rid of them only because I was getting kind of tired of eating jalapenos and I wanted to try some other varieties I'll be honest but they will just keep producing if you take care of the plan.
Go to keep on going over there with like little trees that they had probably four inch diameter but actually look like that.
On the tomatoes come out and that's because the new flower fruit.
[18:21] How to keep things going once you really get it a staff so on that.
Obviously your house is now the standard house temperature and you don't do anything different temperature wise for that section is just a slightly maybe call her cuz it's a basement.
You have to do anything with humidity or water my basement is.
[18:49] That's pretty conditions it stays at about 68 degrees down there pretty much year-round.
I'm not What's the grow lights are on in the area that warms it up soon seventies mid upper 70s was ideal for tomatoes and peppers and things like that.
I don't have problems with humidity my house is that,
dry and so the plants team keeps you from running this is the temperature that 40 50% humidity.
And it seems to work well for me and everybody's.
Situation of setup will be different if you're in an area where like if I had it upstairs and it was in a closed in area.
I would probably have to do something later to get the heat from those lights out of there.
Cousins in a big cooler space more open space around it I actually just hung some curtain.
It's a white reflective curtain to keep the light in cuz you want to keep that light focused in the area but there's lots of ways for heat to this cave and even I don't know.
[20:00] Submission the peppers were very beneficial that Unionville quite a few vegetables what would you had the most success with.
[20:09] I think the papers are probably the easiest there are I mean truly easy to take care of.
Nice thing about Peppers to another thing to keep in mind when you're growing indoors if you don't have the pollinators right so.
Pepper's don't really need pollinators all pepper needs is it if you have a fan circulating through the room that's enough to shake the pollen out of those flowers and they're going.
[20:37] Tomatoes to the pond at themselves so in a pepper and tomatoes are popular Greenhouse vegetables female on female parts are in the same flower you don't need to transfer pollen from flower to flower ticket.
[20:52] I said with peppers all they really need is a breeze or you shake them you know once you see the flowers come on it just kind of shake a little bit and and all that Paul and you'll see it falling.
Tomatoes a little more work that's made of the easiest way to do it I found silly.
I bought those electric toothbrushes and vibrating toothbrush and I just I just turned on and tap the back of each flower and you'll see the pollen just kind of exploded out of it it's kind of cool to watch it if you like that stuff.
I'm $0.01 pounds released it's done again it's going to fruit cucumbers can be more challenging because it was male and female flowers.
The theater the flower types or something.
The other obvious you know but you need to get pollen from that male to female for that cucumber to actually take hold and grow or you grow a greenhouse typo.
[21:46] I have a few of those are tried in these things seem to work pretty well so they were much easier I'll be on there some type of hybrid its design for that so if you were going to buy the Cucumber.
You did make sure that it's that variety is for that has one of my one that's more for indoor growing.
So of the all the stuff that you grow which is your favorite vegetables to eat you know so there's nothing better than,
Toyota right off of I know your mother and I like tomatoes standard like I like some of the.
You know the turkey purples on the black rims and some of those things that are just really sweet and flavorful Tomatoes but I'm also a big fan of.
Pepper's I grow from sweet to streamly hot peppers make a lot of salsa and so you know I like those hot peppers for myself so you know and then those tomato salsa.
[22:46] I'm really partial to the tomato.
[22:50] I keep the tomatoes on there before my kids get to know my kids love the little the little tiny ones that cherry tomatoes kind babe.
[23:04] So you said you've got a 12 by 10.
Your kids are starting to get older and they said that April every time at way that you expanded into more of your basement.
[23:15] Will an unfinished basement so if you ever had one of those that tends to be the storage unit,
out of sight out of mind area.
If I wanted to really expand that could.
I am about to have some discussions with some folks in the Hydroponics no industry that.
[23:47] Might be willing to.
Donate me more lights if I would then donate video and things for their channels and catch a stuff like that it's just a matter of I would need to do so.
Work.
Now and then how much more time you have to spend on a test right now you got it down to a very minimal amount of time investment because you got your process.
And now you're like well if I did anything else going to.
Truly spiked my time I mean that's part of it.
The threat to the dumpster having that process down.
[24:35] It took me.
[24:37] Maybe you're not returning starting a few different times but I really kind of figured out.
The right mixture of things again everyone kind of water I used to have water.
Some people buy filtered water some people put expensive filtration systems in there how you guys deal with Corey those things that I usually like.
I put the water in two large containers a couple of days before I plan to use it and letting it sit open in the air like that.
The gas is all the chlorine out of it like leaving is chloramine in my area so I don't need to worry about that it's just still chlorine in my water so that it won't come out,
and was let us raise the calcium you know the hardness of your water you know and we don't have a lot of that I'm at some lucky so pretty good water.
Figure out the right mix about the nutrients.
And in that was probably what took the longest because the plans don't respond instantly you know it's it can be if you need someone to you realize.
Overfed that one heater under seating or something is not going right and sometimes you can turn around and save it and sometimes it's back to the drawing board.
Go back to your notes that was the key thing okay what did I do for this batch.
[26:09] And now I see my own fruits as I don't have to buy seeds I don't want to.
Hydro the type of couple opened I pull out some seeds you know the one you store only leaves you no tomatoes with a different process to reclaim the seeds but it's simple you know.
But you know so Hydro much less water than small gardening.
Reusing and recycling syclenet water on for periods of time you using small amounts of water in a contained area versus I never would have thought that if you watering the garden.
Most of that water you're spraying it's just kind of sleeping off into the ground grass never see it.
Verizon Hydroponics you know you're using probably some of the statistics will say about 80% less water in it supposed to know in a recirculating you don't reach.
The water stays with the plastic tie.
I'm so I like that part of it I'm not an angel but I try to be a little bit environmentally conscious I do try to be conscious of what my children eat.
Where it comes from but I really like your nutrient concept because I think in this day in age depend on what studies to look at.
There is a overwhelming amount of evidence about the lack of nutrients in a lot of vegetables we get at the store versus getting them local you can talk organic not but when it comes right down to it.
[27:50] That amount of nutrients that is void in the soils.
In from over farming leads to a lot less transitioning into your food.
Is factory farming and everything is genetically modified to look like so.
If you wonder why every tomato I buy in the package the exact same size and shape it's because the plants are modified you know overtime.
Bro that was doing all of that sometimes they're sacrificing some of the.
[28:31] Quality in the nutrient value of that food plus a lot of that food is harvested early.
You know things on a truck well it drives across the country in different things and so you know having that right and right there on the vine allowed to develop to full maturity is definitely healthy.
Okay so it's a you got me sold I pull up when your link something to do this.
Walk me through just really fast high-level maybe 5 bullet points and what if she lets you use your school for example.
You're going to go with their what are the five steps you're going to take brand new project so the first one sounds like his test your water to walk me through what they would be so we want to know what your water is like how much space you have.
Dedicate to it I'm what's that space like temperature humidity things like that what do you really want to grow because depending upon what you want to grow.
Things change you only want to grow lettuce.
You don't need to invest in big high powered grow lights only certain things you can grow lettuce is under fluorescent tube lights you know that's what I usually use soap in my big bro area that's reserved for the freedoms did you need that intense light you know for those.
My medicines and creams to come here sitting under fluorescent lights in a separate area of the space that you know which is plenty you don't for those so if you want to go cheap and you just want to go to try to get started.
Lettuces and greens is up to is by far the easiest way to start a fast Apple growing Cycles done in about 35 days and so you learn quickly.
[30:07] Can I figure out how to mix them and then you get that right away if you able to eat that food within a month or so starting a.
And then from there if you decide you want to get bigger that's when you have to look at.
Bigger Burl Ives you know different things other than reasonable I thought I bought on Amazon know nothing fancy is 100 and.
The $35 for the girl like that I have and it grows tomatoes and peppers just fine you know just 600 watt.
So it puts out a lot of heat a lot of light but because the food I wish my four-year-old like lettuce.
Benefits of cilantro.
[30:58] Is very popular when you when you had a Google search microgreens come up a lot because to me it just looks like you harvested early.
It's a different it is a different type of seed and.
But the other benefit of the microgreen is that what you're doing your harvesting it that a very young age what they found by studying those those plants is the nutrient density of some time 50 to 70% higher.
In those young plants then it is in the adult counterpart plan.
I'm so I might be bringing the popular one now.
Arugula or sunflower rings are going to head microgreens of these.
In about seven to 10 days. You know how seed Sprouts it's kind of unique process but the seeds sprout keep them covered.
And so for the first bit of gross you don't even really let me get exposed anyway.
Then once you take it once you uncover a good look all yellow and sickly it's kind of weird looking and within about 24 to 48 hours of being exposed to light the green up and it looked beautiful and that.
[32:17] And that's their Peak nutrient density they're very.
Flavorful so some of the spicy ones of Cameron the names of the law but are very spicy but they're great and salads and sandwiches.
And I haven't,
done it yet Ashley pot seeds have to get it going to be like Alfalfa what do I think enough outside like store it's kind of like that from a conceptual.
Very similar in Sprouts chicken ground a mason jar on your counter at home but they're at their super short growing cycle in your ear.
Harvesting it basically went still just a ceiling.
To do a follow-up on the microgreens because that is a little side job making sounds pretty interesting.
All right then walk through everything is there anything that you want that I missed the Turkey Point or that you want to bring up.
No I think that the key is you know that anyone can do that.
Fresh locally grown food is the best food to have.
And there's no way around that there's a feet to table you know kind of saying that is literally I go downstairs my pick up tomato I bring up stairs I slice it and put it on.
No you just can't beat that and everybody loves it in the summer that's what people plant their Gardens in the summer if you don't have the time.
[33:51] Are you don't enjoy the outdoor gardening or you can't get the stuff to grow out of there without the animals all heating if you don't want to put up an unsightly fence you know in your yard or everybody you know indoors with Hydroponics is a great.
Method to use definitely the future of gardening you seen that cotton cute hydroponic so they're down there it's.
[34:15] Glenn's I'm from Decatur Illinois so ATM is Guy.
That huge Hydroponics system that is amazing to see but that's on a scale that's nowhere near what we're talking about I mean it.
Huge tanks and they do a ton of fish and all kinds of crazy stuff I'm those commercial you know the commercial even commercial hydroponic you're going to find some you can go to the grocery store and buy a hydroponic tomato.
[34:42] Lucas Till they're still again back to your plan earlier they're trying to do production not they're more worried about.
Perfect size the perfect love to catch up you know they're harvested early you know so again is still commercial farming is Justin hydroponic which works but you run into the same things have not been going so.
[35:07] Breakfast nook flavor fantastic.
Tim I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us and we'll put this out and you can listen to the recording and I will add with the window.
Look at the post,
I'm allowed a couple of those links you said you'd give me I'll put them right there and then maybe if I think you've convinced me to maybe consider doing it again her at least try it again if any one of those questions I love to talk about this stuff.
Non-24 contact information.
[35:43] Great Hobbies believe that serves multiple purposes in your home and then for your family and so I'm more than.
[35:53] Well I might be easy cuz I live in the country and my water I can grab it before.
Price Griffin the wealth I'm a I'm a lookout on the water part alright well again thank you for taking the time and if you want I'll add your.
Alright thanks everybody.