Maximum Yield USA 2012 September | Page 151

"Christmas lights between your plants can also provide a low-energy solution to heating a growroom when the grow lights are off." flexible, begin to bend the plants over so that instead of growing vertical, they grow horizontal along the floor. Continue to lash the plants down as it grows, thus turning a tall plant—such as a tomato—into a vine-like ground-dwelling plant like squash. The opposite can be done if your grow space is low in surface area, but tall in height.You can put up lattice, stakes or netting and weave vine-grown plants like squash vertically to maximize space. Nets can be used when fruit is produced to bear the weight and keep the fruit from dropping and being damaged. The last tips I have are not for the squeamish since they involve human urine. Did you know human urine can be used as a fertilizer? Human urine is high in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and is sterile as long as you don’t have a urinary tract infection. Also, if you are finding that outdoor pests such as rabbits, skunks or raccoons are invading your outdoor garden and stealing your crops, spreading some human urine around the edges of your garden can help deter them. Animals are generally afraid of humans and the marking of your territory with urine should be a sign for them to stay away There are so many strange gardening tips and techniques out there, it really is hard to know what works and what doesn’t. If you have any strange, but successful, gardening tips you would like to share please send them to us at [email protected] MY About the Author: Matt LeBannister developed a green thumb as a child, having been born into a family of experienced gardeners. During his career, he has managed a hydroponic retail store and represented leading companies at the Indoor Gardening Expos. Matt has been writing articles for Maximum Yield since 2007. Maximum Yield USA | September 2012 149