Food - David Mathre Photography

Monday (13-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Indoor Hydroponic Gardening

It has been nine days since the last AeroGarden hydroponic farm update. I’m finding that I need to feed the mature plants more often than every two weeks. Even nine days may be too long. Several of the auxiliary water bottles needed to be refilled.

AeroGarden Farm 01-Left. Tomato plants at 116 days. Harvested a few small yellow tomatoes. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.99 and the TDS was 089 ppm. Added 32 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food.

AeroGarden Farm 01-Left. Tomato Plants (116 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1000, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Various “edible” flowers (Dianthus, Snapdragon, Marigold, Calendula) at 116 days. Trimmed and pruned the dead flowers and leaves. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 4.71 and TDS was 156 ppm. Added 24 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food and 1 mL buffer up pH adjustment.

AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Flowers: Dianthus, Snapdragon, Marigold, Calendula (116 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 02-Left. Pepper plants at 115 days. The pepper plants are getting bigger, but no flowers. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.65 and the TDS was 126 ppm. Added 24 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food and no of buffer up solution.

AeroGarden Farm 02, Left. Pepper Plants (115 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 500, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 02-Right. Herb plants (Dill, Basil, Chives) at 115 days. The dill and parsley doing OK, others not as good. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.49 and the TDS was 635 ppm. No additional plant food or buffer added.

AeroGarden Farm 02-Right. Herb Plants - Basil, Dill, Parsley (115 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 500, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE) — AeroGarden Farm 02-Right. Herb Plants – Basil, Dill, Parsley (115 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 500, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 03-Left. Pepper and Basil plants at 115 days. The plants are getting bigger. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.80 and the TDS was 320 ppm. Added 16 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food and no of buffer up solution.

AeroGarden Farm 03, Left. Pepper Plants (115 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 500, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Various flowers (Dianthus, Zinnia, unknown, poppy) at 58 days. Dianthus and Zinnia blooming. Unknown one growing, but no flowers. Red and California poppies not blooming yet. Reset the LED lights to 17 hours on per day, and the pump to 60 minutes on, 0 minutes off (Flowers, High Growth Setting). After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.74 and TDS was 750 ppm. No additional plant food or buffer added.

AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Flowers: Dianthus, Snapdragon, Marigold, Calendula (116 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 05-Left. Flowers – Snapdragon, Celosia, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Gazania, and Poppy at 67 days. None blooming, pruned some of the large zucchini leaves from the next tray blocking the plants. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 5.1 and TDS was 565 ppm. Added 0.5 mL buffer up added.

AeroGarden Farm 05-Left. Flowers - Snapdragon, Celosia, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Gazania, Poppy (58 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE) — AeroGarden Farm 05-Left. Flowers – Snapdragon, Celosia, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Gazania, Poppy (58 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/50 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini and other vegetables at 67 days. The zucchini plants growing vigorously, others not as good. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 4.70 and the TDS was 190 ppm. Added 24 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food and 1 mL of buffer up solution.

AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Plants (67 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 07-Left. Strawberry plants at 94 days. Most plants growing well, harvested several strawberries. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 4.70 and TDS was 190 ppm. Added 20 mL of Root Farm Base solution, 20 mL of Root Farm Flower and Fruit solution, and 2 mL of buffer up.

AeroGarden Farm 07-Left. Strawberry Plants (94 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 07-Right. Strawberry plants at 94 days. Most plants growing well, harvested several strawberries. After topping off with DI water, the pH was 4.70 and TDS was 190 ppm. Added 15 mL of Root Farm Base solution, 15 mL of Root Farm Flower and Fruit solution, and 2 mL of buffer up.

AeroGarden Farm 07-Right. Strawberry Plants (94 days). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

The upper farms bins were cleaned, filled with DI water (8.0L) and AeroGarden/Miracle Grow plant food (16 mL). Then planted, and restarted as follows:

Farm 04-Left: Chives (all 12 positions). pH 5.58, TDS 487 ppm. Herb garden germination mode: Lights 17 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 04-Right: Bunching Onions (all 12 positions). pH 5.45, TDS 520 ppm. Herb garden germinationmode: Lights 17 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 06-Left: Ground Cherries (all 12 positions). pH 5.26, TDS 459 ppm. Tomato garden germination mode: Lights 16 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 06-Right: Burpee Sugar Snap Peas (positions 01-03); Snow Peas (positions 04-12). pH 5.46, TDS 520 ppm. Pepper garden germination mode: Lights 16 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 08-Left: Mustard (positions 01-06). pH 5.92, TDS 538 ppm. Lettuce garden germination mode: Lights 16:30 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 08-Right: Broccoli Raab (positions 01-06). pH 5.67, TDS 534 ppm. Tomato garden germination mode: Lights 16 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 09-Left: Swiss Chard (positions 01-06). pH 6.06, TDS 516 ppm. Lettuce garden germination mode: Lights 16:30 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 09-Right: Bok Choi (positions 01-06). pH 5.53, TDS 516 ppm. Lettuce garden germination mode: Lights 16:30 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 10-Left: Romaine Lettuce (positions 01-06). pH 6.06, TDS 516 ppm. Lettuce garden germination mode: Lights 16:30 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Farm 10-Right: Spinach (positions 01-06). pH 5.53, TDS 516 ppm. Lettuce garden germination mode: Lights 16:30 hours, Pump 60 minutes on, 660 minutes off.

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.0 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (9.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy most of the day, not much sun. A deficit of 54.9 kWh.

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Seven-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Late afternoon drive on Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I only went back to check if the Osprey was still dining on the fish it caught earlier in the afternoon.

alt_title. (David J Mathre) — Osprey with a fish for dinner. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (08-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Indoor Hydroponic Gardening

More macro flower images from the Indoor Hydroponic Farms. Also a small zucchini.

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.

AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Small Zucchini Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (67.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More Sun. A deficit of 34.7 kWh. Some of the hydroponic gardens are still off.

Current Weather Conditions

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Sunday (05-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Indoor Hydroponic Gardening

A number of the colorful flowering plants in the hydroponic gardens bloomed while I was away. I also harvested some strawberries. Some of the strawberries looked a little odd since I was not here to manually pollinate the strawberry flowers.

AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/5, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 02-Left. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Calendula Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Snapdragon Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Zinnia Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Zinnia Blooms cut from last December. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Strawberry Harvest from AeroGarden Farms 07-Left, 07-Right, and Hydroponic Tubs 01-08. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 400, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (66.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (20.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun. A deficit of 45.4 kWh. Some of the hydroponic gardens are still off.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (354 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (93 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A deficit of 261 kWh.

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Sunday (29-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

The extended family got together for a holiday celebration on Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s day. Lots of food and time to go walkabout in the urban garden. The Hibiscus flower series is a study of depth of field vs. len aperture (f/2.8, 1/500 sec; f/4, 1/250 sec; f/5.6, 1/125 sec; f/8, 1/60 sec, f/11, 1/30 sec; f/16, 1/15 sec).

Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.

Daily Electric Energy Used (28.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (7.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The outdoor temperatures went down and the sun was hiding. A deficit of 20.5 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.