David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Views of science and technology from around the world
While leaving Cuba, I noticed this old 3-engine jet on the side of the runway in Cuba (L-1011, MD-10, DC-11 Boeing 727?). It looks like it is used for emergency evacuation practice. No engines, and black soot on the fuselage.
AeroGarden Farm 08 Left (Day 33). L01 Plug; L02 Bok Choi; L03 Arugula; L04 Bok Choi; L05 Plug; L06 Arugula; L07 Bok Choi; L08 Bok Choi; L09 Arugula; L10 Plug; L11 Plug; L12 Arugula. This Farm was originally all Bok Choi. Those plants that didn’t spout or thrive were either plugged or replaced with Arugula from another Farm. At the last update (day 14): pH (5.44) and TDS (575 ppm). The tray has been consuming 1-2 L of deionized water every other day. On day 27: pH (6.25) TDS (370 ppm) so added 12 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden (4-3-6) plant food. The new pH (6.15) and TDS (669 ppm).
AeroGarden Farms 09 Left and Right (33 Days). L01-L06 Broccoli (Botanical Interests); L07-L12 Cauliflower (Botanical Interest); R01-R06 Swiss Chard (Botanical Interest); R07-R12 Arugula (Botanical Interests). At the last update (day 14) Farm 09 Left: pH (5.60) and TDS (650 ppm); Farm 09 Right: pH (5.20) and TDS (520 ppm). The trays have been consuming 1-2 L of deionized water every other day. On day 27 Farm 09 Left: pH (6.80) TDS (245 ppm) so added 16 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden (4-3-6) plant food. The new pH (6.59) and TDS (680 ppm). On day 27 Farm 09 Right: pH (4.90) TDS (309 ppm) so added 1 mL of Buffer and 14 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden (4-3-6) plant food. The new pH (5.85) and TDS (635 ppm).
AeroGarden Farm 10 Left (Day 33). L04-L06 New Mexico Hatch Pepper; L07-L09 Small Red Hot Peppers. The seeds planted in positions L01-L03, and L10-L12 didn’t make it (mold). It looks like after the first 14 days, the AeroGarden Farm pump cycle goes from 1 hour on and 23 hours off to either 1 hour on and 1 hour off or continuously on. As a result the seed substrate is always wet, not just moist. At the last update (day 14) Farm 10 Left: pH (5.33) and TDS (720 ppm). On day 27 Farm 10 Left: pH (5.85) TDS (697 ppm) so left as is (no buffer or plant food).
AeroGarden Farm 10 Right (Day 33). Positions R01 Cinnamon Basil (Tiny Greens); R02 Dark Opal Basil (Tiny Greens); R03 Genovese Basil (Tiny Greens); R04 Holy (Tulsi) Basil (Tiny Greens); R05 Basil (Tiny Greens); R06 Lemon Basil (Tiny Greens); R07 Sweet Basil (Tiny Greens); R08 Thai Basil (Tiny Greens); R09-R12 Cilantro (Botanical Interest). Some of the Basil plants are starting to do well, but a few didn’t make it. Same problem as above where the pump cycle program changes. At the last update (day 14) Farm 10 Right: pH (5.74) and TDS (620 ppm). On day 27 Farm 10 Left: pH (3.79) TDS (695 ppm) so added 4 mL Buffer. The new pH (6.10) TDS (695 ppm). I think the brown/red leaves are due to the solution becoming too acidic. In the six days since the pH adjustment there has been a burst of new green growth.
Daily Electric Energy Used (69.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun and warmer. Overall a net deficit of 37.5 kWh.
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AeroGarden Farm 04, Right Tray, Day 28. The Basil at position R01 is doing very well. The other Basil, Chives, Dill, Parsley, and Thyme plants are much smaller. The Oregano and Rosemary plants did not sprout. At the last update (Day 14) the bowl was drained and refilled with 8 L rainwater and 16 mL plant food. The new pH (5.89) TDS (525 ppm). At day 28 pH (4.11) TDS (467 ppm) so added 2 mL buffer and 8 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. The new pH (6.26) and TDS (650 ppm).
Daily Electric Energy Used (67.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (29.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun, not as cold. Overall a net deficit of 38.3 kWh. I’ve run out of credits for the excess electric energy produced this summer, so will be paying an electric bill this month.
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The strawberry plants in the Hydroponic Tubs appear to be doing better than the ones in the AeroGarden Farm (compare with yesterday’s post). In addition to adding more plant food based on the TDS, I am also titrating the addition of buffer to adjust the pH. I will watch the plants carefully, and my dilute with more water to bring the TDS between 500-800 ppm.
Hydroponic Tub 01 (Left) Day 45 and Tub 02 (Right) Day 28. Tub 01 has six strawberry plant runners from the outside Grow Towers. Tub 02 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Tub 01 (pH 5.28, 807 ppm); Tube 02 (pH 6.93, 477 ppm). The plants in Tub 02 are getting bigger. During the last two weeks added rain water a couple of times. Not sure if this is due to evaporation or respiration. Tub 01 added 1.0 mL buffer, 5 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1), and 5 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Tub 02 added 10 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1), and 10 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Post addition Tub 01 (pH 6.20, TDS 1080 ppm); Tub 01 (pH 6.24, 1010 ppm).
Hydroponic Tub 03 (Left) and Tub 04 (Right) Day 02. Both Tubs have Sweet Charlie Strawberry plants with washed roots (ISONS). Tub 03 (pH 4.34, 649 ppm); Tube 04 (pH 4.39, 703 ppm). The plants in both tubs are getting bigger. During the last two weeks added rain water a couple of times. Not sure if this is due to evaporation or respiration. Tub 03 added 2.0 mL buffer, 5 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1), and 5 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Tub 04 added 2.0 mL buffer, 5 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1), and 5 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Post addition Tub 03 (pH 6.34, TDS 887 ppm); Tub 04 (pH 6.38, 951 ppm).
Hydroponic Tub 05 (Left) Day 45 and Tub 06 (Right) Day 28. Tub 05 has six strawberry plant runners from the outside Grow Towers. Tub 06 Chandler Strawberry Plugs (ISONS). Tub 05 (pH 6.06, 1208 ppm); Tube 06 (pH 5.07, 781 ppm). The plants in Tub 06 are getting bigger. During the last two weeks added rain water a couple of times. Not sure if this is due to evaporation or respiration. Tub 05 no additions. Tub 06 added 1.0 mL buffer, 5 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1), and 5 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Post addition Tub 05 (pH 5.86, TDS 1220 ppm); Tub 06 (pH 6.18, 1041 ppm).
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). Tub 07 (pH 4.34, 1191 ppm); Tube 08 (pH 4.02, 1240 ppm). The plants in both tubs are getting bigger. During the last two weeks added rain water a couple of times. Not sure if this is due to evaporation or respiration. Tub 07 added 2.0 mL buffer. Tub 08 added 2.0 mL buffer. Post addition Tub 07 (pH 6.20, TDS 1194 ppm); Tub 08 (pH 5.40, 1220 ppm).
Daily Electric Energy Used (66.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.19 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny most of the day. Overall a net deficit of 33.1 kWh.
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AeroGarden Farm 05, Left Tray, Day 28. Chandler Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). Even though I replaced the buffer solution two weeks ago, the plants seem worse and/or have died. The roots are brown with very few if any new white roots. I checked the pH (4.54) and TDS (520 ppm).
AeroGarden Farm 05, Right Tray, Day 28. Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). Even though I replaced the buffer solution two weeks ago, the plants seem worse and/or have died. The roots are brown with very few if any new white roots. I checked the pH (4.19) and TDS (553 ppm).
AeroGarden Farm 07, Left Tray, Day 28. Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). Even though I replaced the buffer solution two weeks ago, some plants seem worse and/or have died, although some have new white roots. I checked the pH (5.07) and TDS (714 ppm).
AeroGarden Farm 07, Right Tray, Day 28. Chandler Strawberry Plants (from ISONS). Even though I replaced the buffer solution two weeks ago, some plants seem worse and/or have died, although many have new white roots. I checked the pH (5.09) and TDS (720 ppm).
I ended up culling the dead plants in all of the above gardens. Those that had new white roots were all moved to Farm 07 Left Tray and Farm 07 Right Tray. The dead leaves were trimmed. The hydroponic bath solution was replaced with 8.0 L rain water plus 15 mL Root Farm Base (4-0-1) and 15 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). Farm 07 Left pH (6.5) TDS (750); Farm 07 Right pH (6.27) TDS (726). Will check back in one and two weeks to see if these plants continue to grow.
AeroGarden Farm 05, Left Tray. Cleaned and filled with 8.0 L rain water with 16 mL of MiracleGro/AeroGarden plant food (4-3-6); pH (6.45) TDS (424 ppm). The tray was then planted with L01-L03 Cucumber (Burpee); L04-L06 Kale (Burpee); L07-L09 Broccoli Raab (Burpee); L10-L12 Bunching Onions (Botanical Interests).
AeroGarden Farm 05, Right Tray. Cleaned and filled with 8.0 L rain water with 16 mL of MiracleGro/AeroGarden plant food (4-3-6); pH (6.45) TDS (432 ppm). The tray was then planted with R01-R03 Zucchini (Botanical Interest); R04-R06 Swiss Chard (Botanical Interest); R07-R09 Broccoli Raab (Burpee); R10-R12 Bunching Onions (Burpee).
Daily Electric Energy Used (71.6 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (14.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy all day plus rain. Overall a net deficit of 57.5 kWh.
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