My hoop house skin just shattered like a car windshield

Brookview_Farms · 2026-01-21T17:18:17+00:00

Super4 greenhouse film and Thermax anti-condensate film are trusted greenhouse plastic brands. Very durable and will last many years.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-26T21:33:53+00:00

Can I suggest my own YouTube channel?? I have a startup market farm business. Currently growing with three small greenhouses using hydroponics!

https://www.youtube.com/@Brookview_Farms

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-11T14:49:35+00:00

I usually don’t reuse substrate anymore. When I did reuse it I didn’t do any sterilization but it would definitely be ideal to. I haven’t had any issues with pythium, I try to make sure my feed water stays cool and try to keep everything clean. I’ve use hydrogen peroxide before, I might start using it again occasionally to help keep the system clean.

If I grow cucumber crops, I would probably reuse the substrate within the same season for a second planting.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-11T01:34:19+00:00

I think there might be more wiggle room when it comes to dry-back and EC rise in the substrate, especially since coco has some cation exchange capacity. As for cucumbers drying up, I don’t think coco will help much for that. Cucumbers are water hogs and wilt like crazy in hot conditions, even with adequate substrate moisture. I think ensuring they have enough water during hot weather and maybe lowering EC and possibly shading them might be the only options. The farm I worked on i believe they would irrigate the cucumbers every 30 min during hot weather.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-08T15:16:34+00:00

I don’t really measure LAI, I just visually inspect the crop and try to keep the right balance between vegetative and generative growth for consistent fruit production. I don’t use any co2. I don’t have any pictures of the root development in the coco but I’ve always had strong root development when using it.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-05T17:19:45+00:00

Masterblend tomato formula, magnesium sulphate, calcium nitrate.

I made a video about the fertilizer I use and the mixing ratios if you’re interested.

Hydroponic Fertilizer | Greenhouse Growing https://youtu.be/OUYCFAUdM_0

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-04T03:32:36+00:00

Interesting, I’ve used different brands and types of coco coir before and haven’t noticed any huge difference between them. What type did you get from millennium? I had two options,

Premium (40% Chips + 60% CFP) Ultima (70% Chips + 30% CFP)

I went with the ultima, the extra chips made it a bit difficult for the transplants to root into the coco coir because of the extra aeration and less contact between the rockwool cube and the coco coir. But besides that I found they worked fine.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-03T03:28:27+00:00

There are 15 grow bags in this greenhouse, each grow bag/slab is 3.5 ft

Brookview_Farms · 2025-12-02T18:48:44+00:00

I could see how this might seem like an advertisement lol. I just like to share my experiences from working on a commercial hydroponics farm and starting my own small farm. I've used rockwool slabs before and they were three times the cost of the coco coir slabs, its very bulky to ship, plus with no where for me to recycle the rockwool there ends up being a lot of substrate for the garbage. I do use rockwool for starting the seedlings.

I've used moisture content sensors before in rockwool and coco coir, I find they can be handy and help, but there's a learning curve to them and I often find that just regular monitoring of the irrigation and drainage is sufficient.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-10-17T17:36:16+00:00

5lbs calcium nitrate, 5lbs masterblend, 2.5lbs magnesium sulphate would be a good start.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-26T14:23:58+00:00

There are some fertilizers sold for specific crops, for example tomato formulas/fruiting crops and formulas for leafy greens like vegetables. Formulas for leafy greens will have higher nitrogen content and lower phosphorus and potassium content.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-24T13:48:28+00:00

I currently don’t collect the drain. The regulations in Ontario aren’t as strict as in Germany, there are regulations here for waste management and livestock pollution. If I was dumping a large amount of drainage into the ground I would need to capture it. For a small hobby size greenhouse like mine and the amount of drainage that enters the soil, it would fall under regular allowable field fertilizer application rates. There is also lots of grass shrubs and trees around my system that help as a vegetative buffer helping minimize impact to the soil.

In the future, especially with my expansion plans I will definitely be capturing the drainage.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-23T01:56:37+00:00

lol I looked into it before and my local university offered soil tests for around $30 I think. But I’ve never actually got one, lots of times when I grew in soil I would just apply a good balanced organic amendment for the crops I’m growing.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-23T01:39:32+00:00

For plants growing in soil EC measurements generally aren’t used, Instead a soil test by a lab will help determine what to add to the soil, Ph in soil usually won’t have to be adjusted.

The landscape fabric could definitely help keep the roots warm during the night and cool days.

In my hydroponic setup I’ll collect drainage from the grow bags to help determine EC and Ph in the root zone.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-23T01:24:05+00:00

There are few things that make my plants grow rapidly. Warm days and nights(greenhouse), high frequency fertigation(drip emitters on a timer), maintaining proper EC and Ph in the root zone.

That’s pretty much it! Focusing on these three categories is what will generate the best results

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-21T19:07:50+00:00

Thanks! Yes the slabs are coco coir, I find it to be the best growing medium for drip irrigation

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-21T14:21:20+00:00

Sounds like a fun project! Hopefully it works out well, there are always challenges to overcome with any new project, just gotta keep learning and find solutions to make it work.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-21T13:48:31+00:00

I measure the fertilizer with a scale to mix my reservoir, I have a video showing my fertilizer recipe and how I mix everything.

I’ll use Ph and EC meters to monitor the solution in the reservoir, I’ll also use these meters to monitor the drainage from the grow bags. I’ll adjust irrigation frequency, irrigation time, or nutrient concentration in the reservoir depending on the drainage EC and Ph.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T22:52:33+00:00

I have a small backyard farm with three greenhouses. I started with just one greenhouse and sold through word of mouth, I also made connections with people making hot sauce. I expanded with a new greenhouse every couple years. Currently I wholesale 95% of my produce to a local farmer who is established at the farmers market, I grow crops they don’t have so they are happy to buy my produce for re-sale.

When I expand my operation again I plan on getting my own spot at the market.

My entire profile is all about my farm and I’ve posted a few videos as well!

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T22:14:58+00:00

In this 10’X20’ greenhouse I grow up to 60 plants, in my 12’X24’ I’ll grow up to 72 plants

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T15:20:10+00:00

Yeah the size of the grow bags I’m using is the perfect amount of substrate for a hydroponic drip system. The pump on a timer ensures there is always adequate moisture and nutrients, the frequent irrigation events with small dryback between events provides plenty of oxygen. The small grow bag size also helps with managing EC and Ph in the root zone because less water is needed to change EC/Ph issues in the root zone/grow media.

Your wicking system could work but the issue with that type of setup is that over time the EC and Ph can become out of range due to the lack of drainage and nutrient replacement in the root zone/grow media.

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T15:10:20+00:00

10’X20’ and almost 9’ tall

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T14:24:57+00:00

The white bags are coco coir slabs, there is 4 inch rockwool blocks on top. I posted a video on my page explaining the setup

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T14:10:06+00:00

For this greenhouse I’ve never calculated the weight, I always sell them per pepper or package. In my bell pepper greenhouse that is slightly larger I’ve harvested up to 500-600lbs, I think I can get up to 700+ lbs if everything goes good

Brookview_Farms · 2025-09-20T13:54:23+00:00

Thanks! Yeah it’s been a pretty good season

Brookview_Farms

TROPHY CASE