SUPER GROW TIP

GUIDE
DISCLAIMER: SuperCloset, Inc. and all of the Company subsidiaries do not condone the usage of
Company products for any illegal activity. All SuperCloset products are engineered and intended for legal
purposes only. The consumer assumes all responsibility upon receipt of the product and
SuperCloset, Inc. will not be held liable for the consumer in a court of law.

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 GETTING READY TO GROW

The first thing to remember when growing is that your plants are living, breathing
organisms and need to be treated as such. Your plants will grow along with your
green thumb, so be patient at first and take things one step at a time. Pretty soon
you’ll be a Super Grower!!!

THE BASICS
LIGHT
If you have one of our cabinets that have an adjustable lighting system always keep your light
away from your canopy (the top of your plants) at the distance listed below

150W= 5” 250W =7” 400W=8” 600W=12” 1000W = 24”

These distances are true only for light fixtures that are air cooled like those in the Deluxe or
Trinity cabinets. For non-air cooled fixtures, add 4-6 inches to the above equations.

Light intensity dissipates on a logarithmic scale. Even a couple of inches of distance from the
canopy to the light bulb can mean a 50% decrease in the amount of light available for
photosynthesis. Try to keep your light as close as possible to your plants without burning the
tops.

Note: Never touch your bulb with your bare hands as the oils from your skin will damage it.
Never restrike your bulb when hot. Once the bulb has been turned off, you must wait 15 minutes
for it to cool before turning back on or irreversible damage can be done

Metal Halide vs HPS- There are two main types of HID lights that can be used for growing
indoors. High pressure sodium lamps contain more red spectrum and are generally used for the
flowering phase of plants, although they do a fine job with the vegetative phase as well. Metal
halide lamps contain more of a blue spectrum and are ideal for the vegetative phase of growing
plants, but don’t do well when flowering.

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 VEGETATIVE / FLOWERING PHASES,
LIGHT CYCLES &TIMERS
The VEGATATIVE phase is where your plants are establishing their root systems and devoting
all their energy toward leaf production. In your SuperCloset, the vegetative phase begins in your
cloning chamber in the SuperLocker, Deluxe, and Trinity and in the main chamber in your
SuperBox, SuperCube and SuperRooms.You can leave your fluorescent light on for 24 hours in
the cloning chamber for faster growth.

Generally the Vegetative phase requires a minimum of 18 hours of the light on and 6 hours
of darkness. Although up to 24 hours of light is tolerable.

The FLOWERING phase is where your plants begin dedicating all of their energy to the
production of fruits and flowers. In the outdoor environment flowering begins when the days of
summer get shorter and the useable light plants receive lessens; typically August is the month
where plants begin their flowering phase.

To induce flowering in your plants set your light cycle for: 12 hours of light and 12 hours of
darkness.

In your SuperCloset you determine when the flowering cycle begins. The height of your
plants when you decide to switch the flowering is VERY, VERY important factor in how
successful your harvest will be. Most plants will easily DOUBLE or TRIPLE in size once
flowering is induced. Below is the recommended MAXIUM height that your plants should
be at the time of switching to 12/12 light cycle.

------- SuperBox- 4-5 inches

------- SuperLocker- 7-8 inches
------- SuperCube- 7-8 inches
------- Deluxe- 8-9 inches
------- SuperFlower - 16-24 inches
------- Trinity -12-18 inches
------- SuperRoom Systems- 16-36 inches

THE ABOVE HEIGHTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW. THE ONLY TIME
YOU SHOULD STRAY FROM THESE GUIDELINES IS IF YOU KNOW YOUR
PARTICULAR PLANTS GROWTH PATTERN VERY WELL!!!!

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 SuperTip: If you live in very warm or very cold climates, consider running your lights at night
and leaving it off during the day. This will help regulate the internal temperature of the cabinet a
great deal and help speed up growth.

TEMPERATURE and HUMIDITY

Always keep in mind that the overall conditions in the room that houses your cabinet will
ultimately affect the conditions inside of your cabinet. The ideal temperature for the
ambient air temperature outside of your cabinet is 60°-70°F.

There is not a cooling device in your SuperCloset so if you have your cabinet/system in an
environment over 75 degrees F, you may experience heat issues inside your cabinet.

The ideal temperature range for plant development is between 74°-80°F with no CO2
augmentation and 80-84 if you are running CO2 inside your cabinet.

The thermometer/hygrometer (the white square digital device) that comes with your system will
tell you what your temperature and humidity at the base of your hydroponic system and the top
of the canop. The temperature is the number on top and the relative humidity number is on the
bottom. On the back of the device there is a “IN/OUT” switch.

IN is the sensor inside the actual device.

OUT is the probe at the end of the of the white line. Run the white line into the cabinet from one
of the rear elbows and suspend it off to one side of the cool-tube reflector, level with the canopy
of your plants. Make sure that the probe is not in direct light from the bulb as this can give an
inaccurate reading. The OUT probe should read the desired range of 74°-80°F here.

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The ideal relative humidity percentage for VEGETATIVE growth is: 55%-65%.

The ideal relative humidity percentage for FLOWERING production is: 45%-55%

If your humidity percentage is LOWER than the ideal percentages listed above then consider
getting a small humidifier from Bed, Bath and Beyond, Amazon.com, or your local drugstore.
These can typically be purchased for less than $45. Make sure you get one that you can adjust
the desired humidity on the unit. Place the humidifier inside the cabinet and set your desired
humidity. Be sure to monitor regularly as humidity can rise very fast inside of your cabinet.

If your humidity percentage is HIGHER than the percentage listed above then consider
purchasing a de-humidifier. These can be purchased from Bed, Bath and Beyond, Home Depot,
Loewes or Amazon.com. These units will remove the excess moisture from the air inside your
SuperCloset. You can run the de-humidifier in the room that houses your Supercloset, thus de-
humidifying the air that’s pulled into your cabinet.

SuperTip: Hit the “RESET” button on the back of your Thermometer/Hygrometer to reset the
high and low temperature readings. Keeping a log of these high and low readings will insure that
you are maintaining a nice, consistent environment for your plants.

AIR FLOW
Airflow is Everything! In nature, air is always refreshed using the wind. One of the main reasons
why your SuperCloset is the best system on the market is because of the maximum amount of
airflow generated in the cabinet. Airflow equals faster, bigger and higher quality growth and less

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chance for undesirable mildews to form. The Internal Circulation Fan (ICF) assists with this, as
does the exhaust fan behind the carbon filter. Be sure to use both at all times unless you are
running CO2 in your cabinet.

Always place the ICF at the level between the light and the top of the canopy. Position the ICF
so that it blows across this space. DO NOT point the ICF directly at your plants. You want the
tops of your plants to gently sway back and forth just like they would in your garden outside.

Fresh air enters your SuperCloset passively through the vent elbows on the back of your cabinet.
Make sure there are no objects blocking these vent elbows on the back of the cabinet.

There is an exhaust fan behind the OdorSok carbon filter. This fan should run 24/7 all the time
unless you are injecting CO2 into the system. Please refer to the CO2 DVD to correctly set your
timers to adjust your exhaust fan and CO2 injection system if you are using the Co2 Regulator
Package. If you are using CO2 Boost, you inject C02 whenever the lights are ON.

WATER, NUTRIENTS, and PH/TDS

Each of our SuperPonics systems has a different volume of water needed to keep the system
running efficiently. The necessary amounts are listed below by cabinet/system:

SuperBox: 2 gallons SuperLocker: 5 gallons SuperCube: 5 gallons

Deluxe: 12-15 gallons Trinity: 12-15 gallons/ per reservoir Buddha Box: 35gallons

Big Buddha Box: 60 gallons BubbleFlow Buckets 6-Pack: 28-35gallons

It is recommended that you change your water every 7-10 days.

It is advised to mix your water, nutrients and PH UP/ DOWN in a bucket, barrel or basin before
adding to your SuperPonics reservoir. This will ensure that all nutrients are mixed
THOROUGHLY before adding them to your Superponics system. It is best to let this mixture
stand for 10 minutes before adjusting your PH. Ideal pH is 5.8

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What is TDS? Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is the amount or concentration of nutrients in your
water in Parts Per Million (PPM). On the SuperPonics Recommended Feed Schedule, you will
see the recommended TDS count for each week of your plants life cycle. These numbers are not
absolute but a general ball-park recommendation. When it comes to adding nutrients it’s a good
idea to think “Less is More”. So try to add less nutrients than more when preparing your nutrient
solution.

Good ranges of PPM/TDS to stay in during the different stages of growth are as follows:

--- Seedling/ Cloning stage- 0-100 PPM

--- First week of vegetative stage- 200-500 PPM
--- Vegetative stage- 500-800 PPM
--- First half of Flowering 600-900 PPM
--- Last half of flowering 800-1200 PPM

SuperTip: It is always good to know if your plants are “heavy feeders” or “light feeders” and
thus require higher or lower nutrient concentration. Ask the nursery or wherever you get your
seeds or plants from, what the plants in your SuperCloset system require as far as nutrient
strength. If unknown, middle of the road is always the safest.

Over feeding plants is a common mistake that many growers make, but is easily correctible in
hydroponics. Signs of over-feeding include leaf tips that curl up, discoloration of outer portions
of the leaves, and general stunted growth. If you experience any of these symptoms, “flushing”
the grow medium with plenty of fresh water, performing a reservoir change and decreasing the
TDS/PPM of the nutrient solution should help to the reverse the problem in about a week or so.
Keep in mind that many toxic signs can also be signs of deficiencies within the plant. Flushing
can never hurt, so start there before trying to go the other direction and increasing nutrient
strength.

TIME TO GROW!!
STARTING FROM SEED: GERMINATION
You will need a pack of seeds, 1.5” Rockwool GrowPlugs, and the pH kit.

1. Locate the small hole on top of each of your rockwool cubes.

2. Make sure you have soaked and conditioned your rockwool effectively. The AOK starter
cubes provided only need to be soaked for 10 seconds.
You will not need to water your pre-soaked rockwool cubes during germination if your
humidity is over 70%.

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3. Place one seed in the hole, and cover it up with a small piece of rockwool or pinch the
hole closed so that it is completely dark around the seed.

4. Place it the SuperCloner. If your temperature is lower than 70°; turn on your T-5 lighting
system for a little extra warmth. You want your ambient temp around your germination
area to be 75°-80.

5. If you have the Total Germination Package you are in the money.

6. Place your rockwool cubes with seeds in the tray. Place the Dome over the Tray and
make sure the heat mat is squarely placed under the tray. Set the thermometer to 80°,
making an ideal environment for your seedling to sprout.

7. Wait patiently for about 4-7 days for the seed to poke it head up and out of the cube.
Once the seeds have broken the surface of the rockwool cube, remove humidity dome
and make sure T-5 lights are on. At this stage, too much humidity or overly wet cubes
can lead to the fragile stem of the seedling to rot.

8. At first, seedlings can shoot up rapidly, appearing a bit leggy, and not able to support
their own weight. This is common and easily remedied by propping the young seedling
up with a small twist tie.

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 9. You will soon see roots coming out of the bottom of the rockwool cube. The plant is now
ready to move into your Supercloner, if you have one, to continue to develop a stout root
system before moving up to the flowering chamber.

STARTING FROM SMALL PLANTS or CLONES :

SUPERCLONER (for vegetating and cloning)
You will need the 2” Net Cups, Water, Grodan Cubes, the PH Testing Kit, very sharp Scissors,
Cloning Gel, and Cloning Solution (optional).

1. Fill the SuperCloner with water until it is 1.5 inches from the bottom of the net cups. We
recommend you use a solution specifically made for the cloning process like Root 66.
Add 5ml (1 teaspoon) per 1 gallon of water These solutions contain B-1 and a variety of
hormones that help to initiate the rooting process in your cutting. Most plants like water
to be acidic, around 5.5-6.2, which is yellow when testing your water with the supplied
PH test kit.
2. Now fill each of the net cups with a single, preconditioned rockwool cube making sure to
face the broad end with the hole facing up.
3. Take a cutting off of the top 4-6” of the plant. It is best to make the cut right below a
lateral shot at a 45° angle

4. Cut the stem laterally to promote rooting;

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5. Immediately dip the freshly cut end into the cloning gel. This will help to seal the cutting
and avoid an issues with disease or trapped air which can cause the clone to rot and die.

6. Place the cutting into the hole on the top of the rockwool cube and press down gently
until it stands up right on its own. Repeat this process for as many clones as you desire to
make.

7. Clones may also be taken from spots further down the branch as long as there is a lateral
shoot that can become a main stock once the clone is rooted.

8. Covering your SuperCloner with a humidity dome is recommended.

9. You may now turn on the air pump, leaving it on at all times. The bubbles from the
diffusers will reach the surface, pop, and create a mist that will in turn keep all of the
cubes moistened. The water level may vary, but just make sure the bottom of the
reservoir lid has moisture on it. Leave in clone/veg chamber until a strong root structure
has developed.

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 Completely Rooted Clone

10. MAKE SURE YOUR ROCKWOOL CUBES ARE MOIST, NOT SATURATED.
Saturated cubes can lead to fresh cuttings rotting, rather than rooting.
11. Adjust your water level accordingly based on the wetness of your rockwool cubes. --
-Raise the level of water in your SuperCloner if they are a little dry day after day.
-Remove a little water if they are a little too wet.

TRANSPLANTING
You will need: A completely rooted plant, Hydroton rocks, 3” Net Cups.

1. FIRST RINSE THE HYDROTON ROCKS by poking holes in the bottom of the bag
with a fork. Place under a faucet and flush out all the brown dust/residue. This helps
to not clog up the pump and sprayers.
2. Gently remove the completely rooted plant (see above picture) from the 2” net cup.
Plants should be about 6-8” tall. If you are pulling your clones/small plants from soil
MAKE SURE TO WASH OFF ALL DEBRIS
3. It is okay if some of the roots tear during this process but try to keep it to a minimum.

4. Layer 1-2 layers of the hydroton clay rocks in the bottom of the 3” net pot

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 5. Suspend the rooted clone above the two layers of rocks and then fill in the
surrounding area around the clone with the hydroton rocks so that the cube is centered
and completely surrounded by the clay pellets.

6. While cuttings establish a strong root system, spray the foliage once with Thrive
Alive B-1 Green solution. Mix 4 tsp (20 ml) of Thrive Alive B-1 Green for every 1
gallon (4 liters) of water to prepare the solution.
7. If your plants seem to wilt or begin to fall over then, make sure your rockwool cubes
are moist, not saturated.

FILLING THE FLOWERING CHAMBER

SUPERPONICS HYDRO SYTEM
You will need well rooted clones or seedlings, Hydroton rocks, PH Tester, and Nutrients.

1. Fill a separate container to make your nutrient solution. We recommend filling up a

bucket, barrel or basin. Note how many gallons you put into it so that you know the
correct amounts of nutrients to add. (See above table in the WATER section for system
needs) Refer to the SuperPonics Recommended Feed Chart for recommended nutrient
levels.

2. Use your TDS meter to measure the Parts Per Million (PPM) of your nutrient solution.
Just turn on the meter drop it into the solution to the “HM” line on the meter and press
“HOLD” (See Next Picture)

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 3. Again refer to your SuperPonics Recommended Feed Chart for recommended PPM for
each week of plant growth.

4. Fill the water in your reservoir up to about 2” below the 3” net cups. This will be the
level that you will want to maintain throughout the cycle of your plants.
5. You can now turn on your Air Pump to create the oxygen rich root Jacuzzi that will be
home to your plants root systems. Be sure to space the Air Stones in your reservoir as
evenly as possible to insure maximum bubble coverage at the surface.

SuperTip: At first, we suggest you only use the bubbles that the Air Pump creates to water the
cubes from below, bubbling/misting just like the Supercloner works. Overhead watering at this
point can be too much for the small, developing root systems. Once you see roots come out the
bottom of the 3 inch net cups, after about a week, the plants are ready for some extra love for
above. You can now turn on your water pump (with timer) to come on for 15 minutes intervals, 3
times a day or every 6 hours . As your plants get bigger their water requirement may increase,
but the overall goal is for the medium in the net cup to be MOIST, not SATURATED.

ROTATING YOUR CROP

Rotating your crop or “The Pertual Grow” is the way to minimize the amount of time between
harvests and maximize your annual production out of your SuperCloset.

With most of our cabinets you should be able to rotate your crop. Group “A” will start in the
Seedling Chamber. After the plants have good roots coming out the bottom and good leaf
development, they are ready for the Flowering Chamber.

You will take your Clones (cuttings) from these plants once they grow about 8-12”. Make sure
you ONLY take clones while still in vegetation phase for most plants, meaning while your

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lights are on for at least 18 hours a day. Place cuttings into your rockwool cubes and then into
the cups located in the SuperCloner.

Now you have plants both flowering and vegetating (after they clone with roots) if you have a 2
chamber system. If you have the Trinity 2.0 you have 3-chambers to utilize for moving your
plants between based on their size and age. Repeat the process. We’ve seen as many as 60-70
plants growing in some of our larger cabinets!!!

NET TRELLIS and TIE DOWNS

The purpose of the net trellis is to enable you to do proper tie downs and manage your plants
effectively. The net trellis will help increase your yield by focusing plant growth horizontally
instead of vertically. Horizontal growth will keep your plants shorter and more full and bulbous.

You will need your Net Trellis and 4 Magnetic Hooks

1. Once your plants have reached about 10-12 inches in height, it’s time to use the Net
Trellis. Place your 4 magnetic hooks in opposing corners of your cabinet just below the
top of your canopy. Attach the 4 corners of the Net Trellis to the Magnetic Hooks and
make sure the netting is taut

2. As your plants continue to grow up through the net trellis, you may want to slowly raise
it to match your plants increased height. By the final weeks of flowering, you want it to
be at the level of the heaviest flowers so that it can help the plant support their weight,
thus allowing it to focus its energy on further flower production.

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 3. Use the green twist ties to attach extra heavy flowers or in the beginning stages to
spread branches apart which will force lateral branching from below and create a fuller
canopy.

4. You will always have a few plants that are stronger and more resilient than others.
Make sure to use the net trellis to tie down these plants and keep the canopy as even as
possible throughout the flowering stages.

SuperTip: It is sometimes a good idea to perform an understory clean up from time to time.
Sometimes bottom branches are completely shaded from the thick top canopy and don’t get
enough light to become sizable flowers. Pruning some of these off can offer better air flow down
at reservoir level as well as directing energy up to the main fruits at the top of the plant.

STAKING YOUR PLANTS

Staking your plants is a great way to increase your yield. By supporting your plants with stakes
you allow them to focus their energy on the production of new vegetation during the vegetative
stage and fruits and flowers during the flowering stage. You should notice an increase in plant
vigor by utilizing the staking technique.

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You will need bamboo stakes, scissors or shears, wooden stakes, plant ties and your established
plants.

1. Cut the bamboo stake so that it is between 12-18”

2. Insert the stake into the net pot or into the top of the rockwool cube; whichever is
more stable for the stake

3. Loosely tie the branch of your plant to the stake with a plant tie

4. Repeat this process for all of your plants that you have established

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 NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
All plants, including tomatoes, need micronutrients and macronutrients. Macronutrients include
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Plants get their carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen from air and water. The other macronutrients come from the nutrients included in
your system. Micronutrients include iron, manganese, boron, zinc and copper. Plants also need
calcium, magnesium and sulphur in amounts between the other two. When plants can't get
enough of one or more nutrients, they become deficient in them.

The below guide was composed by Wade Berry from UCLA in his anlaysis of “Symptoms of
Defiencey in Essential Minerals” IT IS ONLY A GUIDE FOR TOMATO PLANTS AND A
HELPFUL TOOL FOR YOU TO TRY TO JUDGE ABNORMALTIES IN YOUR PLANTS.
SUPERCLOSET WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR THE INFORMATION BELOW.

Magnesium. The Mg-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.A) show advanced interveinal
chlorosis, with necrosis developing in the highly chlorotic tissue. In its advanced form,
magnesium deficiency may superficially resemble potassium deficiency. In the case of
magnesium deficiency the symptoms generally start with mottled chlorotic areas developing in
the interveinal tissue. The interveinal laminae tissue tends to expand proportionately more than
the other leaf tissues, producing a raised puckered surface, with the top of the puckers
progressively going from chlorotic to necrotic tissue. In some plants such as the Brassica (i.e.,
the mustard family, which includes vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rape, rutabaga and turnip), tints of orange, yellow,
and purple may also develop.

Magnesium deficiency symptoms in tomato

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Manganese. These leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.B) show a light interveinal chlorosis developed
under a limited supply of Mn. The early stages of the chlorosis induced by manganese deficiency
are somewhat similar to iron deficiency. They begin with a light chlorosis of the young leaves
and netted veins of the mature leaves especially when they are viewed through transmitted light.
As the stress increases, the leaves take on a gray metallic sheen and develop dark freckled and
necrotic areas along the veins. A purplish luster may also develop on the upper surface of the
leaves. Grains such as oats, wheat, and barley are extremely susceptible to manganese
deficiency. They develop a light chlorosis along with gray specks which elongate and coalesce,
and eventually the entire leaf withers and dies.

Manganese deficiency symptoms in tomato

Molybdenum. These leaves (See Web Figure 5.1.C) show some mottled spotting along with
some interveinal chlorosis. An early symptom for molybdenum deficiency is a general overall
chlorosis, similar to the symptom for nitrogen deficiency but generally without the reddish
coloration on the undersides of the leaves. This results from the requirement for molybdenum in
the reduction of nitrate, which needs to be reduced prior to its assimilation by the plant (see
textbook Chapter 12). Thus, the initial symptoms of molybdenum deficiency are in fact those of
nitrogen deficiency. However, molybdenum has other metabolic functions within the plant, and
hence there are deficiency symptoms even when reduced nitrogen is available. In the case of
cauliflower, the lamina of the new leaves fail to develop, resulting in a characteristic whiptail
appearance. In many plants there is an upward cupping of the leaves and mottled spots
developing into large interveinal chlorotic areas under severe deficiency. At high concentrations,
molybdenum has a very distinctive toxicity symptom in that the leaves turn a very brilliant
orange.

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 Molybdenum deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Nitrogen. The chlorotic symptoms (see Web Figure 5.1.D) shown by this leaf resulted from
nitrogen deficiency. A light red cast can also be seen on the veins and petioles. Under nitrogen
deficiency, the older mature leaves gradually change from their normal characteristic green
appearance to a much paler green. As the deficiency progresses these older leaves become
uniformly yellow (chlorotic). Leaves approach a yellowish white color under extreme deficiency.
The young leaves at the top of the plant maintain a green but paler color and tend to become
smaller in size. Branching is reduced in nitrogen deficient plants resulting in short, spindly
plants. The yellowing in nitrogen deficiency is uniform over the entire leaf including the veins.
However in some instances, an interveinal necrosis replaces the chlorosis commonly found in
many plants. In some plants the underside of the leaves and/or the petioles and midribs develop
traces of a reddish or purple color. In some plants this coloration can be quite bright. As the
deficiency progresses, the older leaves also show more of a tendency to wilt under mild water
stress and become senescent much earlier than usual. Recovery of deficient plants to applied
nitrogen is immediate (days) and spectacular.

Nitrogen deficiency symptoms in tomato

Phosphorus. These phosphorus-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.E) show some necrotic
spots. As a rule, phosphorus deficiency symptoms are not very distinct and thus difficult to

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identify. A major visual symptom is that the plants are dwarfed or stunted. Phosphorus deficient
plants develop very slowly in relation to other plants growing under similar environmental
conditions but without phosphorus deficiency. Phosphorus deficient plants are often mistaken for
unstressed but much younger plants. Some species such as tomato, lettuce, corn and the brassicas
develop a distinct purpling of the stem, petiole and the under sides of the leaves. Under severe
deficiency conditions there is also a tendency for leaves to develop a blue-gray luster. In older
leaves under very severe deficiency conditions a brown netted veining of the leaves may
develop.

Web Figure 5.1.E Phosphorus deficiency symptoms in tomato

Sulfur. This leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.F) show a general overall chlorosis while still retaining
some green color. The veins and petioles show a very distinct reddish color. The visual
symptoms of sulfur deficiency are very similar to the chlorosis found in nitrogen deficiency.
However, in sulfur deficiency the yellowing is much more uniform over the entire plant
including young leaves. The reddish color often found on the underside of the leaves and the
petioles has a more pinkish tone and is much less vivid than that found in nitrogen deficiency.
With advanced sulfur deficiency brown lesions and/or necrotic spots often develop along the
petiole, and the leaves tend to become more erect and often twisted and brittle.

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 Web Figure 5.1.F Sulfur deficiency symptoms in tomato. (Epstein and Bloom
2004) (Click image to enlarge.)

Zinc. This leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.G) show an advanced case of interveinal necrosis. In the
early stages of zinc deficiency the younger leaves become yellow and pitting develops in the
interveinal upper surfaces of the mature leaves. Guttation (see textbook Figure 4.5) is also
prevalent. As the deficiency progress these symptoms develop into an intense interveinal
necrosis but the main veins remain green, as in the symptoms of recovering iron deficiency. In
many plants, especially trees, the leaves become very small and the internodes shorten,
producing a rosette like appearance.

Zinc deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Boron. These boron-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.H) show a light general chlorosis. The
tolerance of plants to boron varies greatly, to the extent that the boron concentrations necessary
for the growth of plants having a high boron requirement may be toxic to plants sensitive to
boron. Boron is poorly transported in the phloem of most plants, with the exception of those
plants that utilize complex sugars, such as sorbitol, as transport metabolites. In a recent study,
(see Brown et al. 1999) tobacco plants engineered to synthesize sorbitol were shown to have
increased boron mobility, and to better tolerate boron deficiency in the soil.

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 Boron deficiency symptoms in tomato

In plants with poor boron mobility, boron deficiency results in necrosis of meristematic tissues in
the growing region, leading to loss of apical dominance and the development of a rosette
condition. These deficiency symptoms are similar to those caused by calcium deficiency. In
plants in which boron is readily transported in the phloem, the deficiency symptoms localize in
the mature tissues, similar to those of nitrogen and potassium. Both the pith and the epidermis of
stems may be affected, often resulting in hollow or roughened stems along with necrotic spots on
the fruit. The leaf blades develop a pronounced crinkling and there is a darkening and crackling
of the petioles often with exudation of syrupy material from the leaf blade. The leaves are
unusually brittle and tend to break easily. Also, there is often a wilting of the younger leaves
even under an adequate water supply, pointing to a disruption of water transport caused by boron
deficiency.

Calcium. These calcium-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.I) show necrosis around the base
of the leaves. The very low mobility of calcium is a major factor determining the expression of
calcium deficiency symptoms in plants. Classic symptoms of calcium deficiency include
blossom-end rot of tomato (burning of the end part of tomato fruits), tip burn of lettuce,
blackheart of celery and death of the growing regions in many plants. All these symptoms show
soft dead necrotic tissue at rapidly growing areas, which is generally related to poor translocation
of calcium to the tissue rather than a low external supply of calcium. Very slow growing plants
with a deficient supply of calcium may re-translocate sufficient calcium from older leaves to
maintain growth with only a marginal chlorosis of the leaves. This ultimately results in the
margins of the leaves growing more slowly than the rest of the leaf, causing the leaf to cup
downward. This symptom often progresses to the point where the petioles develop but the leaves
do not, leaving only a dark bit of necrotic tissue at the top of each petiole. Plants under chronic
calcium deficiency have a much greater tendency to wilt than non-stressed plants.

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 Calcium deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Chloride. These leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.J) have abnormal shapes, with distinct interveinal
chlorosis. Plants require relatively high chlorine concentration in their tissues. Chlorine is very
abundant in soils, and reaches high concentrations in saline areas, but it can be deficient in highly
leached inland areas. The most common symptoms of chlorine deficiency are chlorosis and
wilting of the young leaves. The chlorosis occurs on smooth flat depressions in the interveinal
area of the leaf blade. In more advanced cases there often appears a characteristic bronzing on
the upper side of the mature leaves. Plants are generally tolerant of chloride, but some species
such as avocados, stone fruits, and grapevines are sensitive to chlorine and can show toxicity
even at low chloride concentrations in the soil.

Chloride deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Copper. These copper-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.K) are curled, and their petioles
bend downward. Copper deficiency may be expressed as a light overall chlorosis along with the
permanent loss of turgor in the young leaves. Recently matured leaves show netted, green
veining with areas bleaching to a whitish gray. Some leaves develop sunken necrotic spots and
have a tendency to bend downward. Trees under chronic copper deficiency develop a rosette
form of growth. Leaves are small and chlorotic with spotty necrosis.

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 Copper deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Iron. These iron-deficient leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.L) show strong chlorosis at the base of the
leaves with some green netting. The most common symptom for iron deficiency starts out as an
interveinal chlorosis of the youngest leaves, evolves into an overall chlorosis, and ends as a
totally bleached leaf. The bleached areas often develop necrotic spots. Up until the time the
leaves become almost completely white they will recover upon application of iron. In the
recovery phase the veins are the first to recover as indicated by their bright green color. This
distinct venial re-greening observed during iron recovery is probably the most recognizable
symptom in all of classical plant nutrition. Because iron has a low mobility, iron deficiency
symptoms appear first on the youngest leaves. Iron deficiency is strongly associated with
calcareous soils and anaerobic conditions, and it is often induced by an excess of heavy metals.

Iron deficiency symptoms in tomato.

Potassium. Some of these leaves (see Web Figure 5.1.M) show marginal necrosis (tip burn),
others at a more advanced deficiency status show necrosis in the interveinal spaces between the
main veins along with interveinal chlorosis. This group of symptoms is very characteristic of K
deficiency symptoms.

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The onset of potassium deficiency is generally characterized by a marginal chlorosis progressing
into a dry leathery tan scorch on recently matured leaves. This is followed by increasing
interveinal scorching and/or necrosis progressing from the leaf edge to the midrib as the stress
increases. As the deficiency progresses, most of the interveinal area becomes necrotic, the veins
remain green and the leaves tend to curl and crinkle. In some plant such as legumes and potato,
the initial symptom of deficiency is white speckling or freckling of the leaf blades. In contrast to
nitrogen deficiency, chlorosis is irreversible in potassium deficiency, even if potassium is given
to the plants. Because potassium is very mobile within the plant, symptoms only develop on
young leaves in the case of extreme deficiency. Potassium deficiency can be greatly alleviated in
the presence of sodium but the resulting sodium-rich plants are much more succulent than a high
potassium plant. In some plants over 90% of the required potassium can be replaced with sodium
without any reduction in growth.

PEST & DISEASE CONTROL

Everyone at some point will have to face a grower’s worst enemy, harmful pests or disease. But
with a keen eye and the proper preventative measures, you can drastically reduce your run in’s
with these problems.

1. Always make sure to maintain a clean environment inside and outside of your cabinet.

2. For pest control, use an organic spray such as neem or garlic/pepper based products. Most
of these products can be used right up until day of harvest with no ill effects on the plant
or fruits.

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 3. Remember that using sprays is most effective if applied regularly, even before you have a
bug or mildew problem.

4. MAKE SURE YOUR LIGHTS ARE OFF WHEN SPRAYING ANYTHING ON YOUR
LEAVES TO PREVENT LEAF BURN. Many sprays are phototoxic and even plain
water can act like a magnifying glass for the light to burn your leaves. Always spray at
least 2 hours before your lights come on, giving ample time for the foliage to dry before
daylight comes.

5. Powdery mildew thrives in warm, humid, calm environments. Make sure to keep the
relative humidity in your cabinet around 45-55% at all times. Keep your internal
circulation fan going at all times to increase air flow. And again, preventative sprays
applied regularly, before the problem arises, is the best solution.

6. Check the roots of your plants often for signs of root aphids. These are common in any
hydroponic system, but can be easily be avoid by keeping your reservoir clean and
terminating any pests at first sign with an appropriate root drench.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF YOUR SYSTEM

It is good practice to thoroughly clean your cabinet, reservoirs, and all of its components after
each cycle to insure that all your future harvests will be as healthy and prosperous as your last.
List below are some tips to help insure a clean grow environment at the start of each cycle:

1. Clean your reservoirs out with a mild bleach solution after each harvest. Fill the reservoir
half way up with this solution and allow the pumps to cycle the water for a few minutes
to insure all areas are sterilized. Rinse with fresh water afterward.

2. Wipe down all inside surfaces to insure that any build up is removed from the walls or
floor of your cabinet.

3. If any of your drip emitters start to slow or stop flowing, simply remove the small plastic
“T” or “L” and gently blow through one end. Root matter and/or nutrient buildup is
usually to blame and can easily be removed using this method.

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 4. The Hydroton rocks included with your cabinet can be used indefinitely as long as they
are disinfected between each use. To do so, soak in a 5-10% bleach solution for about an
hour, then rinse thoroughly.

5. Cleaning the Light Tube in your cabinet from time to time is always a good idea and will
insure the maximum amount of lumens are getting through the glass and on to your
plants.

6. HPS and Metal Halide bulbs have a life span of about 16-24 months if used regularly.
After this time they will still light up but have lost a majority of their effective qualities.
When changing your bulb, be sure to NEVER touch the glass with your bare hands as the
oils from your skin will damage the bulb, resulting in drastically reduced life span of your
light. New bulbs may be purchased directly from SuperCloset or from your local Hydro
Store.

For all other questions regarding your cabinet or general growing topics, feel free to contact our

knowledgeable, friendly staff by email at info@supercloset.com

Or call Monday thru Friday at 1-877-GROW SUPER.

ENJOY!!

DISCLAIMER: SuperCloset, Inc. and all of the Company subsidiaries do not condone the usage of
Company product for any illegal activity. All SuperClosets are engineered and intended for legal purposes
only. The consumer assumes all responsibility upon receipt of the product and SuperCloset, Inc. will not
be held liable for the consumer in a court of law.

Congratulations and Happy Growing! You are on your way to becoming a SuperCloset
Super Grower! Feel free to contact us with any questions and we’ll be happy to help!

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 SuperCloset, Inc P.O. Box 883663 San
Francisco, CA 94188 (877) GROW-SUPER
www.supercloset.com

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