IncrediGrow FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Curious minds grow better plants. Whether you're growing your first houseplant, building an elaborate hydroponic contraption, or trying to figure out why your tomato plant has decided to be dramatic, we've got answers.
About IncrediGrow
What exactly is IncrediGrow?
IncrediGrow is a Calgary garden centre specializing in hydroponics, indoor gardening, houseplants, fertilizers, growing media, irrigation, propagation, legal exotic herbs, orchids, and plant care. From tropical plants and orchid bark to beneficial insects, specialty nutrients, and hard-to-find plumbing fittings, we carry an unusual assortment of products for growers, gardeners, and DIY enthusiasts.
We're not a traditional landscaping nursery, so you won't find outdoor trees, shrubs, sod, or bulk landscaping materials here. Instead, we focus on helping you grow healthier plants, build custom growing systems, solve gardening problems, and discover products you never knew you needed.
Do I need to know anything about hydroponics to shop here?
Absolutely not. You don't even need to know what hydroponics is.
We welcome first-time houseplant owners, experienced growers, experimenters, and everyone in between.
New to hydroponics? Start here →Do you only sell hydroponics equipment?
Not even close! We carry houseplants, specialty fertilizers, growing media, plant pots, grow lights, pest management supplies, propagation equipment, irrigation fittings, and plenty more.
It's entirely possible to come in for a bag of potting mix and discover an entire category of gardening supplies you didn't know existed.
Can you help me find an unusual fitting or build a custom growing system?
We'll certainly try! Bring measurements, photographs, sketches, or the actual component you're trying to replace.
We stock a variety of tubing, connectors, adapters, irrigation components, and other supplies for custom gardening projects. Not every project comes in a box.
Why Is My Plant Doing That?
Why are my plant's leaves turning yellow?
Yellow leaves can be caused by watering problems, nutrient deficiencies, root damage, environmental stress, or simply natural ageing.
Unfortunately, plants are extraordinarily good at showing symptoms and remarkably bad at explaining their causes.
Explore our Plant FAQ Hub →Why do my houseplants get miserable every winter?
Shorter days, dry indoor air, cold windows, and seasonal changes in growth can all affect houseplants.
Some plants naturally slow their growth during winter, meaning their watering and nutrient requirements may change too.
Caring for Houseplants During Winter Dormancy →What is that mysterious white crust on my pots?
It could be a buildup of dissolved minerals or fertilizer salts left behind as water evaporates. The source and severity depend on your water, fertilizer, growing medium, and watering habits.
What Is This Crust? →Are those little white rocks in my soil Styrofoam?
Probably not! They're often perlite, a naturally occurring volcanic glass that's expanded using heat.
Perlite helps create air spaces in growing media, while vermiculite generally retains more water. They're useful for different reasons.
Perlite vs. Vermiculite →Why are Philodendrons so popular?
They're wonderfully varied, with everything from compact, self-heading plants to climbing varieties with dramatic foliage.
Some are prized for their striking colours, unusual leaf shapes, or relatively forgiving care.
Philodendrons: The Jungle Royalty of the Houseplant World →Bugs, Pests & Tiny Creatures
Why do tiny flies keep appearing around my plants?
You may have fungus gnats. Their larvae commonly develop in damp growing media, feeding largely on fungi and decaying organic matter.
Controlling the flying adults helps, but managing the conditions supporting the larvae is often essential for lasting control.
All About Fungus Gnats →What are those tiny jumping bugs in my soil?
They might be springtails! These tiny organisms commonly inhabit moist growing media and feed on fungi and decomposing organic material.
They're generally harmless to established, healthy plants and can contribute to the decomposition process.
Springtails: Love 'em or Hate 'em →What is that terrifying black-and-orange bug? Is it a baby ladybug?
Possibly! Ladybug larvae look nothing like the familiar round, spotted adults.
Many resemble tiny black-and-orange alligators, and some are enthusiastic predators of aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
Identifying Ladybugs →Do you actually sell live ladybugs?
Yes, when seasonally available! Live ladybugs are beneficial insects commonly used to help manage aphid populations.
Proper storage, release conditions, and pest identification matter. Ladybugs aren't a universal solution for every garden insect.
Our live ladybugs are available for in-store pickup rather than shipping.
Learn About Ladybugs →Will BTK kill every bug in my garden?
No. BTK is a biological insecticide that targets susceptible caterpillars when they ingest it. It is not a general-purpose insect killer.
Pest identification and correct application timing are essential.
Caterpillar & BTK FAQ →Growing Plants in Unusual Ways
Can plants really grow without soil?
Absolutely. Plants need water, oxygen, nutrients, appropriate environmental conditions, and physical support. They don't necessarily need soil.
Hydroponic systems can grow plants using nutrient solutions and growing media such as expanded clay, rockwool, or coco coir.
Hydroponics 101 →Can I grow plants in little clay balls?
Yes! Expanded clay pebbles, often called Hydroton, are commonly used in hydroponic systems.
They provide physical support and air spaces around roots, but they don't supply a complete nutrient program on their own.
Learn About Expanded Clay →Can I grow microgreens without soil or another growing medium?
Yes! Certain microgreens can be grown using substrate-free methods with suitable equipment, moisture management, and seed support.
The best approach depends on the type of seed and the growing system.
Grow Microgreens Without Substrate →Can I really grow vegetables using fish waste?
Yes. It's called aquaponics, and it combines aquaculture with hydroponic plant production.
Beneficial microorganisms help transform fish waste into forms of nutrients plants can use. A properly balanced system can recycle water between fish and plants.
The Allure of Aquaponics →Can I grow my own pineapple indoors?
You can! Pineapples can be propagated from suitable crowns and grown as tropical container plants.
Producing fruit takes patience, adequate light, warmth, and favourable growing conditions.
Build Your Own Pineapple Kit →Water, Nutrients & Grow Lights
Calgary has hard water. Why would my plants need Cal-Mag?
Hard water often contains calcium and magnesium, but their concentrations and availability don't automatically match a plant's nutritional needs.
Whether additional supplementation is beneficial depends on your water composition, nutrient program, growing medium, and crop.
Calgary & Cal-Mag →Can chlorine in tap water hurt my plants?
The effect depends on the concentration, whether the water contains chlorine or chloramine, and how it's being used.
Municipal tap water can be perfectly suitable for many growing applications, but certain biological systems may require special attention.
Is Chlorine Bad? →Are expensive fertilizers always better?
Not necessarily. A plant can't read a price tag.
Nutrient balance, application rates, water quality, growing medium, and plant requirements are often much more important than the price of a bottle.
Understanding Base Nutrients →Are lumens a good way to compare grow lights?
Not on their own. Lumens describe brightness as perceived by human eyes, rather than directly measuring the photosynthetically active light available to plants.
Other measurements, such as PPFD and DLI, are often more useful when evaluating plant lighting.
All About Lumens →Why do some plants flower when the days get shorter?
Some plants use changes in the length of uninterrupted darkness as a signal to flower. This response is called photoperiodism.
Other plants are less dependent on day length and may flower according to age, maturity, or environmental conditions.
Understanding Photoperiod Plants →Growing in Calgary
Can I grow vegetables indoors during a Calgary winter?
Absolutely! With suitable grow lighting, temperatures, nutrients, and environmental conditions, you can grow herbs, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and other crops indoors.
Leafy greens are generally easier starting points than large, fruiting plants.
Learn About Indoor Hydroponics →Which herbs grow best in Calgary?
Our climate presents some interesting challenges, including a relatively short outdoor growing season and considerable temperature variation.
Fortunately, plenty of culinary herbs can grow successfully here with the right care.
Best Herbs for Calgary →Why did people once think tomatoes were poisonous?
Tomatoes have a surprisingly strange history, including centuries of suspicion and confusion about their safety.
It turns out that something as ordinary as a tomato can have a wonderfully bizarre past.
The Sinister History of Tomatoes →Shopping at IncrediGrow
Do you ship across Canada?
Yes! We ship eligible products across Canada. Some products may be restricted because of their size, weight, fragility, or other shipping considerations.
Shipping Information →Do you offer free shipping?
Qualifying Canadian orders of $200 or more before taxes may receive free shipping, excluding the territories and certain oversized, heavy, or otherwise excluded items.
Check our shipping policy for the complete eligibility conditions.
Free Shipping Details →Can I order online and pick up in Calgary?
Yes! Free in-store pickup is available at our Calgary location.
Select pickup at checkout and wait for your order-ready confirmation before coming in.
Pickup Information →Where is IncrediGrow located?
IncrediGrow Garden Centre
#7, 2015 – 32 Avenue NE
Calgary, Alberta T2E 6Z3
We're across from PM Hobbycraft, with free parking directly in front of the store.
Phone: 403-230-0065
Email: sales@incredigrow.ca
Regular hours: 10 AM–6 PM, seven days a week. Holiday hours may vary.
What if I have a question you haven't answered?
Ask us!
Whether you're dealing with an unusual plant problem, searching for a mysterious fitting, or considering a growing experiment that sounds mildly ridiculous, we'd love to hear what you're working on.
Email IncrediGrow or visit us in Calgary.
Stay Curious. Grow Something Incredible.
Gardening is an endless experiment. You can spend decades growing plants and still discover a strange root adaptation, an unfamiliar beneficial insect, or a technique that changes the way you grow.
At IncrediGrow, we think that's the best part.