A garden can be a very relaxing place
when all is healthy, but it can be a
source of concern when things take
a left turn and you don’t know why.”
from the
EDITOR
TG Toby Gorman
14
Maximum Yield
Y
ou’ve done everything right. Painstakingly
documented your plants’ nutrient regimen
and growth, ensured pests have been kept
at bay, measured and remeasured EC and
pH with all the latest high-tech tools, and
watered as precisely as possible.
Still, something is wrong. Your plants don’t
look healthy. They certainly aren’t productive.
Maybe they failed to sprout at all. What went
wrong? Unfortunately, your beloved plants
can’t articulate what ails them, so it’s up to
you to retrace your steps and troubleshoot.
The unknown can cause anxiety in many
gardeners, especially when a season’s worth
of work can go to waste. A garden can be a
very relaxing place when all is healthy, but
it can be a source of concern when things
take a left turn and you don’t know why.
In her article “Sick Plants: Getting the
Diagnosis Right” on page 52, author Sally
Nex provides insight on what can go wrong
and how to diagnose the problem, as well
as words of wisdom.
“When you first discover your sick plants,
diseases and pest attacks can seem like
mysterious disasters,” says Nex. “Don’t
panic, though. Take time to methodically
work through the symptoms and figure
out exactly what’s wrong. Once you know
the ailment, like any good doctor, you can
prescribe the right medicine.”
Of course, knowing how to prevent problems
is important, and Nex provides some tips
on how to reduce the risk of being your own
worst enemy. The latest technology also
helps. Today’s meters, software, and sensors
are more advanced than ever, and with some
amazing innovation on the commercial side in
recent years, that technology is trickling down
to home growers. For more on recent grow
tech, check out Kent Gruetzmacher’s article
“High-tech Tools for Growrooms” on page 34.
Whatever you’re growing, there is nothing
better than having a healthy crop from seed to
harvest. Hopefully some of the insight in these
pages can help you achieve that. If you’re
looking for information on other grow topics,
please visit maximumyield.com, it’s loaded
with thousands of articles designed to help
you get the most out of your garden.