Even though I thought all of the butterflies were gone for the season, I came across an American Lady feeding on the Marigolds in my remaining Wildflower Meadow. Also a Hoverfly and a Spider.
American Lady Butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)American Lady Butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hoverfly. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Spider. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Spider. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (61.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Another sunny day, but at this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels part of the day. Overall a net deficit of 26.7 kWh.
AeroGarden Farm 05, Left Tray, Day 14. Chandler Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). The plants do not look as well as when they were transplanted. The stalks have turned red, and the leaves seem to be drying. The new roots do not appear to be forming as compared with the roots in the Hydroponic Tubs (see below). I checked the pH (3.53) and dissolved solids (704 ppm). The pH is too acidic, so I decided to empty the water and replace with a new solution (8.7 L DI water and 24 mL of Miracle Grow plant food). New ph 4.38 and dissolved solids (570 ppm). I hope this turns things around.
AeroGarden Farm 05 Left Tray at day 14. R01-R12 Chandler Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 35 mm, f/10, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05, Right Tray, Day 14. Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). The plants do not look as well as when they were transplanted. The stalks have turned red, and the leaves seem to be drying. The new roots do not appear to be forming as compared with the roots in the Hydroponic Tubs (see below). I checked the pH (3.77) and dissolved solids (533 ppm). The pH is too acidic, so I decided to empty the water and replace with a new solution (8.7 L DI water and 24 mL of Miracle Grow plant food). New ph 4.38 and dissolved solids (570 ppm). I hope this turns things around.
AeroGarden Farm 05 Right Tray at day 14. R01-R12 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 35 mm, f/10, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 07, Left Tray, Day 14. Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). The plants do not look as well as when they were transplanted. The stalks have turned red, and the leaves seem to be drying. The new roots do not appear to be forming as compared with the roots in the Hydroponic Tubs (see below). I checked the pH (3.77) and dissolved solids (489 ppm). The pH is too acidic, so I decided to empty the water and replace with a new solution (8.7 L rain barrel water and 17 mL of Base and 17 mL of Bloom plant food). New ph 6.08 and dissolved solids (750 ppm). I hope this turns things around.
AeroGarden Farm 07 Left Tray at day 14. R01-R12 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 35 mm, f/10, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 07, Right Tray, Day 14. Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). The plants do not look as well as when they were transplanted. The stalks have turned red, and the leaves seem to be drying. The new roots do not appear to be forming as compared with the roots in the Hydroponic Tubs (see below). I checked the pH (3.70) and dissolved solids (500 ppm). The pH is too acidic, so I decided to empty the water and replace with a new solution (8.7 L rain barrel water and 17 mL of Base and 17 mL of Bloom plant food). New ph 5.95 and dissolved solids (708 ppm). I hope this turns things around.
AeroGarden Farm 07 Right Tray at day 14. R01-R12 Chandler Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 800, 35 mm, f/10, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hydroponic Tub 01 (Left) Day 31 and Tub 02 (Right) Day 14. Tub 01 has six strawberry plant runners from the outside Grow Towers. Tub 02 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). The previous 100 W LED Grow Lights were replaced with AeroGarden 45 W Grow Lights. The lights are programed to go on at sunrise and off at sunset. These plants appear to be doing well. Tub 01 (pH 6.06, 698 ppm); Tube 02 (pH 5.62, 740 ppm). The trays were drained and replaced with 6 L of rain barrel water and 12 mL of Base and 12 mL of Bloom plant food. Tub 01 (pH 6.06, 727 ppm). Tub 02 (pH 6.16, 739 ppm)
Hydroponic Tub 01 (Left) Tub 02 (Right). Day 24 L01-L06 Strawberry Runners from outside Grow Towers; R01-R06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 320, 35 mm, f/11, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hydroponic Tub 01 (Left) Roots. Day 24 L01-L06 Strawberry Runners from outside Grow Towers; Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hydroponic Tub 02 (Right) Roots. Day 24; R01-R06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hydroponic Tub 03 (Left) and Tub 04 (Right) Day 02. Both Tubs have Sweet Charlie Strawberry plants with washed roots (ISONS). The previous 100 W LED Grow Lights were replaced with AeroGarden 45 W Grow Lights. The lights are programed to go on at sunrise and off at sunset. These plants appear to be doing well. Tub 03 (pH 4.52, >1000 ppm); Tube 02 (pH 4.25, 693 ppm). The tubs were drained and replaced with 6 L of rain barrel water and 12 mL of Base and 12 mL of Bloom plant food. Tub 03 (pH 6.18, 716 ppm). Tub 04 (pH 6.05, 707 ppm).
Hydroponic Tub 03 (Left) Tub 04 (Right). L01-L06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry free roots (ISONS) ; R01-R06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry free roots (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 320, 35 mm, f/11, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hydroponic Tub 03 (Left) Roots. Day 24 L01-L06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)Hydroponic Tub 04 (Left) Roots. Day 24 R01-R06 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hydroponic Tub 05 (Left) Day 31 and Tub 06 (Right) Day 14. Tub 05 has six strawberry plant runners from the outside Grow Towers. Tub 06 Chandler Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). The previous 100 W LED Grow Lights were replaced with AeroGarden 45 W Grow Lights. The lights are programed to go on at sunrise and off at sunset. These plants appear to be doing well. Tub 05 (pH 5.53, 690 ppm); Tube 06 (pH 5.56, 683 ppm). Did not change the solution, just added 12 mL of Base and 12 mL of Bloom plant food.
Hydroponic Tub 05 (Left) Tub 06 (Right). L01-L06 Strawberry Runners from outside Grow Towers; R01-R06 Chandler Strawberry Plugs (ISONS) . Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 250, 35 mm, f/11, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hydroponic Tub 07 (Left) Day 14 and Tub 08 (Right) Day 14. Tub 05 has six strawberry plant runners from the outside Grow Towers. Tub 06 Chandler Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). The previous 100 W LED Grow Lights were replaced with AeroGarden 45 W Grow Lights. The lights are programed to go on at sunrise and off at sunset. These plants appear to be doing well. Tub 07 (pH 5.25, 733 ppm); Tube 08 (pH 5.00, 687 ppm). Did not change the solution, just added 12 mL of Base and 12 mL of Bloom plant food.
Hydroponic Tub 07 (Left) Tub 08 (Right). L01-L06 Chandler Strawberry free roots (ISONS) ; R01-R06 Chandler Strawberry free roots (ISONS) . Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1/4 lens (ISO 320, 35 mm, f/11, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (61.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Another sunny day, but at this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels part of the day. Overall a net deficit of 26.7 kWh.
