EzGro ELITE

 Instructions for Set-up and Use

(FOR DETAILED PICTURES GO TO www.ezgro.com AND CLICK ON “INSTRUCTIONS”)

(FOR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS CALL 800-651-1701 or EMAIL ezgro@up.net )

 

PART 1: CHECK CONTENTS OF THE KIT

 

Kit Includes:
4ea  Quad Pots, to grow 16 plants
1ea  5 gallon Reservoir Base
1ea  Reservoir Cover
1ea  Water Pump
1ea  Timer
1ea  Support Pole
1ea  Support Pole Rubber Plug
1ea  Diffusion Cup 
1ea  Sheet of Mesh Screen
1ea  Nutrient Measuring Cup
1ea  Measuring Stick
1ea  EzGro Formula Part A (nutrient)
1ea  EzGro Formula Part B (nutrient)
1ea  Grow Media Supply (3 bags)
1ea  Instructions

                                                                                   

YOU WILL ALSO NEED: 2 CLEAN AND EMPTY 1-GALLON PLASTIC CONTAINERS (SUCH AS MILK/WATER JUGS) AND A FUNNEL.

 

PART 2: BASIC ASSEMBLY

 

1.  ADD ABOUT ONE INCH OF WATER TO THE 5 GALLON RESERVOIR AND PLACE THE WATER PUMP IN THE BOTTOM, WITH SUCTION CUPS FACING DOWN.  THE PUMP’S OUTLET HOLE NEEDS TO BE CENTERED.  USE A TAPE MEASURE TO ACHIEVE THIS, OR JUST ESTIMATE THE POSITION AND ADJUST THE PUMP LATER IN STEP THREE.   BE SURE THE POWER CORD IS UNRAVELED AND EXITS THE RESERVOIR IN ANY CORNER.

 

2.  PLACE SUPPORT POLE INTO WATER PUMP OUTLET HOLE.  AT THIS TIME, SET THE FLOW RATE ON THE WATER VALVE TO ALLOW ABOUT 25% FLOW (IN OTHER WORDS, THE VALVE SHOULD BE OPEN ABOUT ¼ OF THE WAY.) 

 

3.  PLACE THE COVER ON TOP THE RESERVOIR BY SLIDING IT DOWN THE SUPPORT POLE.  IF THE COVER DOES NOT FIT SQUARE, OR IF THE SUPPORT POLE IS NOT STRAIGHT, THEN ADJUST THE WATER PUMP POSITION BY LOOSENING THE SUCTION CUPS.  SECURE THE WATER PUMP AND SUPPORT POLE BY PUSHING DOWN ON THE SUPPORT POLE, GENTLY.

 

4.  PLACE THE MESH SCREEN ON RESERVOIR COVER OVER THE DRAIN HOLES.  THIS KEEPS GROW MEDIA FROM DROPPING INTO THE RESERVOIR.

 

5.  PLACE TEMPORARY RUBBER PLUG INTO TOP OF SUPPORT POLE.  THIS PREVENTS GROW MEDIA FROM ENTERING THE SUPPORT POLE DURING THE PLANTING PROCESS (TO PROTECT PUMP FROM POSSIBLE DAMAGE).

 

PART 3: PLANTING, FINAL ASSEMBLY, AND GETTING STARTED

 

SOME SUGGESTED PLANTS  ARE: TOMATOES, SWISS CHARD, LETTUCE, STRAWBERRIES, ORIENTAL GREENS, CABBAGE, SPINACH, BELL PEPPERS, CHILI PEPPERS, BEANS, PEAS, ARTICHOKE, CUCUMBERS, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, BABY CARROTS, ONION, RADISHES, HERBS, AND FLOWERS.  THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS, BASED ON EXCELLENT RESULTS WE HAVE SEEN.  DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS AND LET US KNOW YOUR RESULTS!!

LARGE ROOT VEGETABLES SUCH AS POTATOES AND TALL VEGETABLES SUCH AS CORN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED. 

WE SUGGEST PUTTING LARGER PLANTS IN THE BOTTOM QUAD-POTS AND SMALLER PLANTS NEAR TOP.

 

1.  OPEN A BAG OF GROWING MEDIA AND ADD ABOUT 1 ½ GALLONS OF WATER, MIXING THOROUGHLY (YOU CAN DO THIS RIGHT IN THE BAG).  SATURATE THE MEDIA UNTIL IT EXPANDS.  BE SURE IT IS WET.  ANY EXTRA WATER WILL DRAIN OUT OF THE QUAD-POTS.

 

2.  USING A SCOOP OR YOUR HANDS, FILL A QUAD-POT WITH THE WET MEDIA TO WITHIN ¾” OF TOP RIM, PACKING IT LIGHTLY.  IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE MEDIA IS NOT PACKED TIGHTLY, OR IT WILL INHIBIT PLANT GROWTH.

 

3. WHEN USING STARTER PLANTS, REMOVE AS MUCH DIRT AS POSSIBLE FROM THE ROOTS BEFORE PLANTING IN THE QUAD-POTS.  YOU MAY DO THIS BY HAND OR BY GENTLY RINSING THE ROOTS WITH WATER.  TAKE CARE NOT TO DAMAGE ROOTS.

 

4.  USE YOUR FINGERS TO DEPRESS A HOLE IN THE GROW MEDIA, IN ABOUT THE CENTER OF EACH POCKET OF EACH QUAD-POT.  THESE HOLES MUST BE LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE ROOTS WITHOUT CRUSHING THEM.  NEXT INSERT THE PLANTS INTO THE HOLES.  PRESS MEDIA GENTLY AROUND THE BASE OF EACH PLANT.  IF YOU ARE USING SEEDS, SIMPLY COVER THE SEEDS LIGHTLY WITH GROW MEDIA.  SEEDS SHOULD BE PLANTED THE SAME DEPTH AS THEY WOULD BE IN SOIL.

 

5.  SLIDE EACH QUAD-POT DOWN THE SUPPORT POLE.  THE FIRST QUAD-POT WILL REST ON THE RESERVOIR COVER.  TURN THE NEXT QUAD-POT SO IT FITS IN THE NOTCHED AREAS OF THE QUAD-POT BELOW.  REPEAT UNTIL ALL QUAD-POTS ARE IN PLACE.

 

6.  PLACE DIFFUSION CUP ON TOP OF THE HIGHEST QUAD-POT, AND REMOVE THE TEMPORARY RUBBER PLUG FROM THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT POLE.  YOU MAY STORE THE RUBBER PLUG IN THE DIFFUSION CUP FOR FUTURE USE.  (IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU USE THE PLUG WHENEVER YOU MOVE QUAD-POTS ON OR OFF THE SUPPORT POLE, TO PREVENT GROW MEDIA FROM ENTERING THE POLE AND PUMP.)

 

7.  FILL THE RESERVOIR WITH 5 GALLONS OF WATER AND THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS (AS DESCRIBED IN THE “MIXING NUTRIENTS” SECTION BELOW).  BE SURE NUTRIENTS ARE MIXED VERY WELL INTO THE WATER.  YOU MAY USE THE MEASURING STICK TO STIR THE NUTRIENTS THROUGH THE FILL HOLE OF THE RESERVOIR COVER.  WHEN YOUR RESERVOIR IS FULL, USE THE MEASURING CUP TO CAP THE FILL HOLE.

 

8.  PLUG THE TIMER INTO A 110v OUTLET AND FOLLOW THE TIMER DIRECTIONS FOR PROGRAMING.  WE SUGGEST THAT YOU SET THE TIMER TO ACTIVATE THE PUMP 4 TIMES EVERY 24 HOUR PERIOD, FOR ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINUTES PER WATERING.  YOU MUST MONITOR YOUR PLANTS AND ADJUST THE PUMP CYCLES AS NEEDED.  (SEE “TIPS” SECTION BELOW FOR MORE ADVICE.)

 

9.  CHECK YOUR RESERVOIR EVERY 10-14 DAYS USING THE MEASURING STICK, AND REFILL AS NEEDED.  AS YOUR PLANTS MATURE, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REFILL RESERVOIR MORE OFTEN BECAUSE YOUR PLANTS WILL BE CONSUMING MORE.

 

PART 4:  MIXING EZGRO FORMULA NUTRIENTS

 

YOU WILL NEED 2 CLEAN AND EMPTY ONE-GALLON PLASTIC CONTAINERS AND A LARGE FUNNEL.  MARK ONE CONTAINER “A”, AND ONE CONTAINER “B”.

*KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS*

 

1.  USING THE FUNNEL, ADD THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF EZGRO FORMULA “A” (GREEN POWDER) INTO THE GALLON CONTAINER MARKED “A” THAT HAS BEEN HALF FILLED WITH WARM WATER.  SHAKE TO DISSOLVE AND FILL CONTAINER TO THE TOP WITH WARM WATER.  SHAKE MORE.

 

2.  USING THE FUNNEL, ADD THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF EZGRO FORMULA “B”(WHITE POWDER) INTO THE GALLON CONTAINER MARKED “B” THAT HAS BEEN HALF FILLED WITH WARM WATER.  SHAKE TO DISSOLVE AND FILL CONTAINER TO THE TOP WITH WARM WATER. SHAKE MORE.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:  THESE ARE THE CONCENTRATED NUTRIENTS THAT WILL BE MIXED WITH MORE WATER AND USED FOR FEEDING YOUR EZGRO ELITE.  THIS QUANTITY SHOULD LAST THE ENTIRE SEASON.  SHAKE WELL BEFORE EACH USE.

DO NOT MIX THE TWO CONCENTRATED NUTRIENS TOGETHER, OTHER THAN INSTRUCTED IN STEP 3 BELOW, AS THEY WILL SOLIDIFY.  KEEP NUTRIENTS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR EXCESSIVE HEAT/COLD CONDITIONS.

 

3.  USING THE MEASURING CUP, ADD 10ml OF CONCENTRATE NUTRIENT “A” AND 10ml OF CONCENTRATE NUTRIENT “B” FOR EACH GALLON OF FRESH WATER WHICH IS ADDED TO THE RESERVOIR.  AS AN EXAMPLE, FOR YOUR FIRST FILLING, YOU WILL USE 5 GALLONS OF WATER AND 50ml OF EACH NUTRIENT.  ONCE THE PLANTS ARE WELL ESTABLISHED (USUALLY AROUND 30 DAYS) YOU CAN INCREASE EACH NUTRIENT FROM 10ml TO 15ml PER GALLON OF WATER.

IF STARTING FROM SEEDS OR VERY SMALL PLANTS, CONSIDER USING LESS THAN 10ml OF EACH CONCENTRATE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS TO ALLOW GERMINATION.

 

PART 5:  TIPS FOR SUCCESS

 

-  USE THE MEASURING CUP AS A CAP FOR THE RESERVOIR COVER FILL HOLE.  IT’S A HANDY STORAGE PLACE FOR THE CUP AND IT KEEPS DIRT, LEAVES, INSECTS AND PESTS OUT OF THE RESERVOIR.

-  THE WATER FLOW RATE IS ADJUSTABLE USING THE VALVE LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SUPPORT POLE.  NORMALLY ABOUT ¼ OPEN IS SUFFICIENT, BUT YOU MAY ADJUST AS DESIRED.  WATER SHOULD SIMPLY PERK (NOT SPRAY) FROM THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT POLE.

-  ROTATE THE QUAD-POTS OCCASIONALLY TO ALLOW ALL PLANTS EQUAL SUNLIGHT.  THIS IS EASILY DONE BY LIFTING THE QUAD-POTS AND ROTATING THE ENTIRE STACK TO THE DESIRED POSITION (LIFT FROM THE LOWEST QUAD-POT).  TRY ¼ TURN EACH WEEK.

-  WITH THE EZGRO ELITE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO OVER-WATER YOUR PLANTS, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO OVER-NUTRIENT THEM.  IF YOUR LEAVES SHOW TIP BURN, THEN THE PLANTS ARE GETTING MORE NUTRIENTS THAN THEY NEED.  TRY LOWERING THE CONCENTRATION OF NUTRIENTS BY ADDING MORE FRESH WATER, AND LESS NUTRIENTS TO THE RESERVOIR. 

-  AS YOUR PLANTS MATURE THEY WILL REQUIRE MORE WATER.  IDEALLY THE GROW MEDIA SHOULD BE MOIST AT ALL TIMES.  IF YOU NOTICE THE MEDIA GETTING DRY, YOU MAY NEED TO VARY THE TIMES AND DURATIONS OF THE WATERINGS (AS AN EXAMPLE MAYBE YOUR PLANTS NEED 4 FEEDINGS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND NONE AT NIGHT)

-  START WITH NEW GROW MEDIA AND NUTRIENTS EACH SEASON FOR BEST RESULTS.  THIS IS AVAILABLE FROM EZGRO, SIMPLY ORDER THE ANNUAL REFRESH PACKAGE. (800-651-1701, or www.ezgro.com ).  THIS PACK INCLUDES OUR SPECIAL GROW MEDIA AND OUR EZGRO FORMULA NUTRIENTS.

-  THE TIMER IS NOT INTENDED FOR REALLY WET LOCATIONS AND SHOULD NEVER BE SUBMERGED.  WHEN USING TIMER OUTDOORS CONSIDER COVERING IT WITH A PLASIC BAG.

-  IF IT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE YOUR EZGRO ELITE, THIS IS MOST EASILY DONE WHEN THE RESERVOIR IS LOW OR EMPTY.  REMEMBER, WHEN RESERVOIR IS FULL, THE GARDEN WEIGHS ABOUT 35 POUNDS MORE.

-  IF YOU NEED REPLACEMENT PARTS OR COMPONENTS ANYTIME, THESE ARE AVAILABLE FROM EZGRO at 800-651-1701.

 

OUR GUARANTEE TO YOU:

 

EzGro Company guarantees that our products really work. If you are not completely satisfied with our products, for any reason, we will give you a full refund of the purchase price*. Simply call or email within 60 days of your purchase and we will help you with the return process.

* NOTE: You must return items in original shipping cartons. All shipping costs are non refundable.

 

THANK YOU!

The EzGro Company