AeroGarden - David Mathre Photography

Thursday (21-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic AeroGarden Farms Update

AeroGarden Farm 04, Right Tray, Day 39. The Basil at position R01 is doing very, very well. The other Basil, Chives, Dill, Parsley, and Thyme plants are much smaller. At the last update (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). At day 39 pH (4.00) TDS (491 ppm) so added 2.5 mL buffer and 4 mL of Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. The new pH (6.10) and TDS (615 ppm).

AeroGarden Farm 04 Right Tray at 38 days. R01-R03 Basil; R04 Genovese Basil; R05 Chives; R06 Dill; R07 Dill; R08-R09 Parsley; R10 Oregano; R11 Rosemary; R12 Thyme. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE) — AeroGarden Farm 04 Right Tray at 39 days. R01-R03 Basil; R04 Genovese Basil; R05 Chives; R06 Dill; R07 Dill; R08-R09 Parsley; R10 Oregano; R11 Rosemary; R12 Thyme. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 400, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 05 Left Tray Day 14. L01-L03 Cucumber (Burpee); L04-L06 Kale (Burpee); L07-09 Broccoli Raab (Burpee); L10-L12 (Bunching Onions (Botanical Interest). Initial bath: 8.0 L rainwater + 16 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food with a pH (6.45) and TDS (424 ppm). At 14 days pH (5.90) TDS (360 ppm) so added 10 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. New pH (5.90) TDS (621 ppm).

AeroGarden Farm 05 Right Tray Day 14. R01-R03 Zucchini (Botanical Interest); R04-R06 Swiss Chard (Botanical Interest); R07-R09 Broccoli Raab (Burpee); R10-R12 (Bunching Onions (Burpee). Initial bath: 8.0 L rainwater + 16 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food with a pH (6.45) and TDS (432 ppm). At 14 days pH (5.40) TDS (240 ppm) so added 1 mL buffer and 15 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. New pH (6.10) TDS (670 ppm).

AeroGarden Farm 06 Left Tray Day 16. L01-L09 Bok Choi (AeroGarden); L10-12 Broccoli Raab (Burpee). Initial bath: 8.0 L rainwater + 16 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food with a pH (6.39) and TDS (404 ppm). At 16 days pH (4.84) TDS (45 ppm) so added 1 mL buffer and 20 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. New pH (6.30) TDS (630 ppm).

AeroGarden Farm 06 Left Tray Day 16. L01-L09 Bok Choi (AeroGarden); L10-12 Broccoli Raab (Burpee). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

AeroGarden Farm 06 Right Tray Day 16. R01-R02 Zucchini (Burpee); R03-R04 Summer Squash (Botanical Interest); R05-R06 Cucumber (Burpee); R07-R09 Pea Shelling (Burpee); R10-R12 Pea Sugar Snap (Botanical Interest). Initial bath: 8.0 L rainwater + 16 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food with a pH (6.52) and TDS (415 ppm). At 16 days pH (5.01) TDS (160 ppm) so added 1 mL buffer and 15 mL Miracle Grow/AeroGarden plant food. New pH (6.48) TDS (590 ppm).

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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Monday (11-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic AeroGarden Farms Update

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).

AeroGarden Farm 04 Right Tray at 28 days. R01-R03 Basil; R04 Genovese Basil; R05 Chives; R06 Dill; R07 Dill; R08-R09 Parsley; R10 Oregno; R11 Rosemary; R12 Thyme. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

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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Saturday (09-November-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Indoor Nature in New Jersey

The Asian Lady Beetle is still on the Zinnia flower. My first indoor Marigold flower opened.

Asian Lady Beetle on a Pink Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Asian Lady Beetle on a Pink Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

First Indoor Hydroponic Marigold Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (75.5 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun and clouds, but cold outside. Overall a net deficit of 43.7 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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Thursday (07-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic Strawberry Gardens Update.

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 Left Tray at day 28. 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/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

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 05 Right Tray at day 28. R01-R12 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 500, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

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 Left Tray at day 28. R01-R12 Sweet Charlie Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

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).

AeroGarden Farm 07 Right Tray at day 28. R01-R12 Chandler Strawberry Plants (ISONS). Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

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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Wednesday (06-November-2019) – New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic Updates.

AeroGarden Farm 04 – Left Unit at 42 Days. F04L01 Plug; F04L02 Cosmos Dwarf; F04L03 Cosmos Early Dwarf; F04L04 Pug; F04L05 Zinnia Thumbelina; F04L06 Zinnia Lilliput; F04L07 Blue Cornflower; F04L08 Plug; F04L09 Plug; F04L10 Marigold; F04L11 Marigold; F04L12 Plains Coreopsis. The plants in this tray were moved from another garden two weeks ago. The Cornflower continues to grow very fast, but has not bloomed. The two Cosmos plants have not grown much. The Thumbelina Zinnia has one small flower beginning to open, and two more buds about to open. The Lilliput Zinnia is almost completely open, and has two more buds about to open. The Marigold is small, and has one small flower open, and two buds about to open. The Plains Coreopsis is growing, and seems to have a rouge Coreopsis plant that has a couple of buds? I tested the pH (4.89) and TDS (121 ppm). The rapidly growing plants need more food. I should also note that I have been adding more than a liter of water into the bath every day. Added 10 mL of Root Farm Base (4-0-1) and 10 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). After one hour tested the pH (5.24) and TDS (621 ppm). I hope this helps to get the Cornflower to bloom, and the Coreopsis plants to grow faster. I will test the pH and TDS on a weekly basis going forward.

Farm 04 - Left (Day 42). F04L01 Plug; F04L02 Cosmos Dwarf; F04L03 Cosmos Early Dwarf; F04L04 Pug; F04L05 Zinnia Thumbelina; F04L06 Zinnia Lilliput; F04L07 Blue Cornflower; F04L08 Plug; F04L09 Plug; F04L10 Marigold; F04L11 Marigold; F04L12 Plains Coreopsis. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE) — Farm 04 – Left (Day 42). F04L01 Plug; F04L02 Cosmos Dwarf; F04L03 Cosmos Early Dwarf; F04L04 Pug; F04L05 Zinnia Thumbelina; F04L06 Zinnia Lilliput; F04L07 Blue Cornflower; F04L08 Plug; F04L09 Plug; F04L10 Marigold; F04L11 Marigold; F04L12 Plains Coreopsis. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

It has been four days since I first took a focus-stacked image of the Zinnia flower. Now there are about four levels of petals, and at least one more level to open. So as I plan for a time-lapse sequence for the opening of Zinnia flowers, it takes several days or even a week to open completely. I also noticed an Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis hiding in the flower. In the fall a number of these non-native Ladybug look alikes invade the house to hibernate. They were imported to eat aphids. I hope that doesn’t mean I have aphids invading my hydroponic gardens.

Zinnia Flower. Composite of 23 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (70.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun. Overall a net deficit of 38.7 kWh.