Macro - David Mathre Photography

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.

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Monday (04-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Nature in New Jersey.

I have noticed that when I make ice cubes using deionized water using a Zero Water purifier, “ice spikes” are often formed.

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

Daily Electric Energy Used (74.5 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out, but much colder outside. Overall a net deficit of 41.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (11.9 kWh).

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Saturday (02-November-2019) — New Jersey

Indoor Hydroponic Garden

The first of the wildflower seeds that I planted in a AeroGarden hydroponic Farm that started to bloom. It is a “Lilliput Zinnia” from American Meadows. I started this set of seeds 39 days ago. The flower is still only partially open and is taking more than one day to open. It looks like there will be at least two more layer of petals. This is a focus-stacked composite of 66 images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens. When the next flower starts to bloom, I want to try to do a time-lapse video.

First indoor hydorponic Zinnia flower starting to bloom. Composite of 66 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE) — First indoor hydroponic Zinnia flower starting to bloom. Composite of 66 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (80.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out, but much colder outside. Overall a net deficit of 46.8 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (9.9 kWh). Monthly server backups also adding to the always on usage.

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Monday (28-October-2019) — New Jersey

Autumn Indoor Nature in New Jersey

One of the cactus plants I bought back inside started to bloom with tiny pink flowers. The following image is a focus-stacked macro image of the flower taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and composite created using Helicon Focus.

Tiny Cactus Flower. Composite of 30 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (60.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (26.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun out in the morning, but then cloudy. At this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels in the afternoon. Overall a net deficit of 33.9 kWh.

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Sunday (20-October-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey

Last week I noticed something attached to the Cosmos stalk. I didn’t know what it was. Today, I found out that it was an egg sack as I came across a Praying Mantis laying her eggs.

Praying Mantis egg sack. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1000, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 1250, 112 mm, f/8, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Praying Mantis laying eggs. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 500, 112 mm, f/4, 1/70 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (6.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. It rained most of the day so not much sun. Overall a net deficit of 58.5 kWh. Geothermal HVAC to heat the house (2.7 kWh), Hydroponics (22.6 kWh), Computers and Servers (21.7 kWh), Kitchen (3.4 kWh).

Weekly Electric Energy Used (410 kWh) from Sense and Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (192 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 218 kWh.