Hey, growers! After a short summer break, I'm eager to get growing again, but first
I need to run through my checklist. You know, those neglected little jobs
that build up over a season. You should take the opportunity to clear out, and
start with a clean slate in between crops, whether you had pest issues or not.
Lots to cover here, so I've included bullet points in the video description
below. Okay, our big scary list of jobs falls
into seven cute little categories: the overall cleanliness of your grow room or
grow tent, lighting, ventilation, irrigation, grow systems, meters, and
supplies. You're going to need some rubber gloves, washing-up sponges, bleach, 35%
strength hydrogen peroxide, a soft fabric cloth, a dustpan, a brush, mop,
bucket, hot water, and at least a whole day of your precious, yet fleeting little
life. Hey, sounds like a checklist for an episode of Dexter, but no, it's for your
grow room! Switch off all your electrical devices in your grow room, except for
your extraction fans, as this will help remove any bleach fumes, and keep you
from passing out. And don't forget eye protection when using bleach or hydrogen
peroxide! First step: cleanliness. Empty your grow room or grow tent. You can keep
lights and hanging stuff in place, but be sure to clean the floor, grow trays,
freestanding fans, reservoirs, pumps, root balls, and harvested plants. Everything
like that must go! Sweep away debris off the floor, especially old flowers,
leaves because those, my friends, are a favorite for pests and mold. Next, fill a
mop bucket with the hottest water your hands can stand, add 3/4 of a cup of
strong bleach for every gallon of water-- that's 50 milliliters per liter. This
will blast away any mold spores, insect eggs, pollens, and anything else that
shouldn't be there. Mop your floor with the bleach solution. If your walls aren't
made of porous plaster board, like mine, sponge those down, too. Same goes for grow tents.
If you find mold on your walls, you're not ventilating enough. You may
want to invest in a dehumidifier, too. As for me, I'm going to line all my walls
with the Sun Film for added reflectivity, and ease for cleaning my next grow. You
can wipe this stuff down or simply replace it every year. Similarly, for
added peace of mind, you can simply rip out your plastic waterproof floor cover
and replace it with fresh stuff. Check for dust buildups on ballasts,
especially if they're fan-cooled. Wipe down electrical cords with alcohol-based
sterile wipes. Obviously, remember not to get the electrical items wet during
cleaning, and like I said, be sure everything is switched off. Onto lighting!
Clean your reflectors, inside and out, using a soft fabric cloth, not paper or abrasives.
Use a 3% vinegar solution, and rinse well with distilled or reverse osmosis water
to prevent calcium spots. Check for dust accumulation on top of
your reflectors, too, and use a standard window cleaning product to buff up the
glass panels on air cooled hoods. Verify that the deducting connectors are
secure. Consider the age of your lamps, and whether they're due for a
replacement. You can watch my video all about it
here! Ding! You're welcome! Otherwise, give them a wipe with a dry cloth. Next,
ventilation. Your intake filters and bug screens will inevitably get clogged. This
means they're doing their job, people! These Phresh intake filters are awesome,
and they come with removable dust filters. Slip them off, bash out the dust
inside, and put them in the washing machine. Same goes for your carbon dust
filter sleeve. Remember to dry them before slipping them back on. You'll be
amazed at how much more efficiently your fans work with clean filters. As you know,
I love my Hyper Fans, not least because they've been doing me proud for nearly 3
years of almost continual use! Incredible! Also, check for cracks-- not of the
Plumber variety-- holes and leaks. Remember, duct tape is a grower's best friend, and a
drag queen's, unless you've been kidnapped! Okay, now on to the nitty gritty: irrigation
and growing systems. I'm cleaning and sterilizing my grow trays and plastic pots
using a hydrogen peroxide solution: two parts water to one part of 35%
hydrogen peroxide. You can make a bath for it by soaking tools and smaller
items like air stones, pumps, irrigation tubes, propagation lids, and trays, etc. You
should scrub larger items, like reservoirs, by hand, removing all that
scum, and then rinsing thoroughly. Remember to open up your submersible
pumps, and clean out your filters. Clean water is a big deal. My Hydrologic
reverse osmosis water purifier has been doing an excellent job for 18 months now,
but it's definitely due for a set of new filters, as my PPMs have risen to over
100. You can pick up these replacements at your local grow store. Simply
disconnect it from your water supply, unscrew, empty, and replace sediment
carbon and reverse osmosis filters and BAM! It's that easy! Same goes if
you're using a pre-softener. You may well need to replace those salt cartridges;
it's a five-minute job, and well worth your time. Finally, while you're getting
all this stuff done, don't forget to calibrate those pH meters. You may also
want to stock-up on handy supplies: spare pH probes, KCL storage solution,
calibration fluids, Cal-Mag, and of course, latex black gloves. Wait, those are from
my personal list... Base nutrients, particularly, bloom
components, which tend to get depleted first. Also, I like to treat myself to new
propagators every year for that special clean feeling, just like underwear.
Also, due to the fact that friends never seem to return them-- you know who you are.
If you've ever had any pest problems, consider deploying a total release fogger,
closing the door, and returning in a few hours. Boom! And we're done! Remember,
keeping your grow room clean should be an ongoing affair, not just every once in
a while. Subscribe for updates and make me feel loved; it's completely free after
all and every click on that big red subscribe button makes my cell phone
vibrate deep in my pocket 0.6 seconds. Alas, I haven't figured out how to make
it last any longer yet. So while my pleasure is brief, the power for you to
please is in your index finger. Until next time, amigos!
This is Everest, waiting patiently for his next buzz. Bye-bye.
Oh! It's starting already!