While taking the recycling out to the curb early in the morning I noticed the sky lighting up with colorful clouds and a waning moon. I went back in a picked up a camera with a fisheye lens to try and capture it all.
Daily Electric Energy Used (59.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (29.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More clouds than yesterday. 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 29.6 kWh.
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.
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, 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 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, 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.
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 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 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 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.
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.
Daily Electric Energy Used (59.0 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (35.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun returned. Overall a net deficit of 23.8 kWh.
AeroGarden Bounty 01, 28 Days. Cosmos Dwarf Sensation, Cosmos Early Dwarf, Zinnia Thumbelina, Zinnia Lilliput Mix, Marigold Sparky Mix, Blanket Flower, Sweet Alyssum, Lance-leaf Coreopsis, and Plains Coreopsis (All wildflower seeds from American Meadows). All plants sprouted. The two Cosmos, two Zinnia, Marigold, and Plains Coreopsis continue to growing well. The Blanket Flower, Sweet Alyssum, and Lance-leaf Coreopsis are still very small and there is some mold growing on the brown substrate.
AeroGarden Bounty 02, 28 Days. Crimson Clover, California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Red Poppy Mix, Red Poppy, Blue Cornflower, Purple Cornflower, Lemon Mint, Lupine (All wildflower seeds from American Meadows). The Blue Cornflower (Bachelor Button) is growing robustly and blocking other positions. The Oriental Poppy and Purple Cornflower have not sprouted. The remaining planse sprouted, but are small and growing slowly.
I decided to move the larger successful plants to one of the AeroGarden Farm hydroponic trays where they will have more room to grow and develop. The smaller plants from both Bounty 01 and Bounty 02 that were alive were moved to Bounty 01, and the ones that had not germinated discarded. The tray was cleaned and filled with a fresh growth solution (4.25 L DI water + 12 mL plant food; pH 4.96, 592 ppm). Bounty 02 was was also cleaned and filled with a fresh growth solution (4.25 L DI water + 12 mL plant food; pH 4.93, 584 ppm). It was then restarted with new seeds. 01 Oriental Poppy; 02 Oriental Poppy; 03 California Poppy; 04 Nasturtium; 05 Purple Cornflower; 06 Red Poppy; 07 Red Poppy; 08 Red Poppy; 09 Red Poppy Mix.
The Swiss Chard in Farm 03 Left was blocking other plants and needed to be harvested again.
Daily Electric Energy Used (59.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (4.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy and rainy all day. Overall a net deficit of 54.8 kWh. Geothermal HVAC to heat the house (0 kWh), Hydroponics (22.6 kWh), Computers and Servers (19.5 kWh), Kitchen (2.6 kWh).