Sea to Sky Botanics
10004 103a Ave Edmonton, AB, Canada

My first book on Indoor Gardening is in the works! If you'd like to know when it'll be ready, send me a message:) I'm hoping to release it later this year. I'll be covering everything from: - indoor seed starting for your outdoor garden - how to grow root crops and vine crops in winter... - how to grow micro greens - hydroponics vs soil and the advantages and disadvantages of each - how to select grow lighting - how to deal with bugs Pictured : germinated bok choy seeds being grown as micro greens! Notice the tiny fuzzy root hairs..not to be mistaken for mould! This indicates healthy growth.

Do you have a hydroponic garden for your home? If so, you will want to consider the following: Trace elements such as silica are abundant in well managed soils and are vital for growing healthy plants. These trace elements are also vital for human health and we ingest these elements when we eat plants that have these elements. Unfortunately, silica (and other trace elements) are not found in the fertilizers that are sold with home hydroponic kits. How do we know this? It's be...cause silica does not remain soluble in concentrated liquid hydroponic fertilizers...which is what all fertilizers for hydroponic systems are. Once precipitated out of solution, silica is no longer available to plants. Why am I telling you this? It's mainly to debunk the health claims that are being made by companies selling hydroponic systems for homes. Unless you are purchasing trace elements to add in separately, then your plants are suffering..and you are not receiving the full benefits that you could be from the veggies you eat. Have you noticed that freshly harvested hydroponic produce goes limp? It's due to lack of silica - silica strengthens cell walls and protects against abiotic stress ( ie - deficient water that occurs after harvest). What's the solution? You can either source out your own trace elements and add them in seperately or grow with soil and purchase soil amendments that contain the trace elements. Fortunately, @earthsmithgardens will be providing not only indoor soil gardens but also all the amendments to ensure optimal plant (and human) health. These include not only the organic fertilizers such as glacial rock dust, kelp and worm castings that contain abundant levels of macro, micro and trace elements..but also beneficial microbes that ensure optimal nutrient uptake by plants (another story..). Education is a big part of what Earthsmith is about and will provide you with all the training and knowledge to optimize your growing. Furthermore, these learned skills will be transferable to your outdoor summer garden. Please follow along at @earthsmithgardens as they get closer to launching! #urbanagriculture #indoorgrowing #foodsecurity #gardening #gardencourse

Earthsmith is only 12 units away from its goal of selling 50 Zig Zags before year's end! Thank you to everyone who has supported with a pre-order! If you'd like to use this as a gift for someone, we are happy to provide you with a gift card. Manufacturing will take place in January and free delivery for Edmonton folks will be towards late January. Funds will be put towards startup fees that are necessary for launching. Did you know that the Zig Zag will grow seedlings for yo...ur outdoor garden? Start your seeds indoors and move your first outdoor harvest up by several weeks. You'll also save money on the cost of buying seedlings at the store and gain all the health benefits of growing plants indoors during winter. Earthsmith is an offshoot business of Sea to Sky and provides comprehensive grower knowledge so that you get the most out of your crops + learning. Stay tuned as we get closer to launching this business.

Earthsmith's sale ends in 4 days. Indoor gardening relieves stress, boosts creativity, productivity, and focus. Earthsmith provides soil based systems that use organic fertilizers and beneficial microbes which boost mental and physical health: (1) Mycobacterium vaccae, naturally contained in soil, stimulates the human immune system and boosts our serotonin levels. We are exposed to this bacteria through the inhalation and ingestion of small particles any time we dig into s...oil or eat veggies harvested from a soil garden. (2) We use mycorrhizae and probiotic bacteria in our growing kits - these organisms provide symbiotic relationships with plants and ensure that the plants receive trace elements such as silica, selenium and iodine that plants need to thrive. We in turn ingest these trace elements and receive optimal health; silica is important in protecting against Alzheimer's because it binds to aluminum; iodine is important for thyroid health; selenium is important for building strong a gut lining which in turn prevents against diseases such leaky gut syndrome. Earthsmith provides comprehensive training to maximize your learning + growing. Our full spectrum lights allow you to grow anywhere that doesn't have natural light. Earthsmith merging elements of science, design, art and sustainability.

Attn Teachers : @earthsmith has developed an educational program for students. Send us a message to learn more.