Hydroponics update

I had to take out a few non-performers. Buttercrunch did not work, probably due to me using tomato nutrient mix, when I should've used "lettuce mix". (  I'll get it right next time).
Certain tomato breeds started out good, but later all the leaves kinda curled up, but were still green. No idea why. They are clipped off at the base now. Gone.

The one tomato "breed" that exploded was the Red Robin. It's a giant, finally showing a few blooms. This plant is shading over the remaining plants in this tub.

Bok Choy (various spellings of this plant)... has been doing great (even on the tomato mix).  We've harvested leaves twice for meals, but these plants are still thriving.

Cukes are blooming like crazy, but I nearly let the nutrient level get too low. Refilled all three tubs today with about 8 gallons of nutrients mix.

I really need to get a few new seedlings started.

Okay, that's all folks.

Buttercrunch lettuce... epic failure

Only The Strong Survive....!!!

I yanked out all my sickly lettuce today...murdered the whole lot.

Due to me not mixing the nutrients correctly and using tomato nutrient formula for lettuce, I ended up with some leaf edge "rot". They were growing great for around 33 days since seedling stage... But eventually all of them developed brown leaf edges.
Oddly the park choi has not shown any leaf edge issues.
Oh well. The tomatoes and cucumbers are doing good so far.
Starting over on more lettuce soon...WITH the correct nutrient mix.

31 days after transplanting...lettuce leaf edge rot??

Sunglasses added for scale

Bok Choy (pak choi?) Is doing great.

Other lettuce strains not good. Leaf edge rot of some sort. I'm thinking it has to do with my tap water. Realized too late that you have to pay attention to ppm levels. Gonna try to start with rain water next time.

Tomatoes and cukes doing good too.

Sold my 1984 Toyota FJ60 Land Cruiser today.

Had the Craigslist ad running for several weeks. Finally someone in my area showed interest and bought it today. $3,500 cash.

Waaay too cheap, but I really need to get rid of some cars. TXDOT vehicle appraisal has this car with 168,000 miles valued at $6,000.

These old Land Cruisers, when totally restored bring $45,000.. believe it or not!!!

Happy buyer drove it home.

Another hydroponics update coming soon.

Adios

Lettuce Explosion

17 days after transplanting...
27 days from seed planting.

Buttercrunch lettuce

Pak choi lettuce

Various tomatoes

Growing, growing, growing!!.....and dog ACL surgery.

Just "set and forget"...!!!

I still need to figure out a slick and easy method to construct a trellis for the cucumbers, and supports for the tomatoes... but I'll come up with something.

My good boy "Mojo" has been limping for a few months. Turns out he has a torn ligament in his rear leg (called ACL in humans). $3000 later he is beginning a long, slow 12 week recovery period. He's pretty miserable, and I've got to stay nearby 95% of the time. Short outdoor leash walks ONLY for potty time.

He had me sleepwalking with a flashlight around the yard this morning at 3:30AM. Fun times.!! And he just sniffed and walked around. Never did any business.

Had to build a quick ramp, as he can't handle steps for many weeks.

Okay....Dat's It..!!

Indoor hydroponics...update pics

It's been about 2-1/2 weeks since I planted these seeds in the grow cubes. About one week since I transplanted from seedling tray into nutrient tubs and net cups.
Roots are reaching down into the nutrient solution.

I think I transplanted about a week or so too early, according to some YouTube vids. But everything seems like it's okay. Time will tell.

Veggy Indoor Hydroponics... update.

I've been interested in indoor hydroponics for a few years. Many YouTube videos and online educational websites later, not to mention a few years of slowly gathering all the parts needed....it's FINALLY happening!!

Since my fascination commenced, the lighting technology has evolved and the old (very hot and energy sucking) incandescent lighting has given way to cool running, low energy LEDs. And in the last few years the LEDs have come down in cost, and quality has improved.
A couple of years ago, we moved out of town (it WAS less townish when I built there in 1993, things change). This new-to-us home came with a "spare" fully functioning, albeit rough, double-wide mobile home. A 1982 model. Great Man cave.!!

I'm converting one bedroom into a grow room. With small window unit AC.

I've tried "square foot gardening" with limited success. Things go great with veggies until the Texas summer heat arrives, then no matter how well you water them, the intense summer heat stops veggie production. Nice green plants, no flowering/no fruit. Until late September to early Dec.
3-4 years ago, I bought a nice pawnshop Husquavarna (sp?) tiller, fenced off (deer, rabbits, etc) a section of nice bottom land soil at my former home, enriched the soil with alpaca "beans" and peat moss. Ran a long hose to this garden. Had good success, again summer slowed it way down. (Then sold the place!!)
Last year, at new home, I did container gardening with buckets on a harbor freight  wagons to move into shade on hot days. Same results. The heat stops production.

Okay, enough rambling, and build-up. Here are some pics...

Amazon sourced. A 600 watt and a 300 watt LED light.

The 600 has switch for the 2 growing modes. Different light spectrum/color.

Some of these Pak Choi lettuce seeds are tiny!!

Using cheap Home Depot $7 mortar mixing tubs for nutrient container. 8 gallon.

And cut up one inch foam board for tubby top panels.

I have one LARGE mortar tub for tomatoes. 23 gallons. Mounted low since tomatoes can get very tall. Grow lights hang from ceiling.

I'm lining walls with cheap Mylar $2 "space blankets". This is commonly seen with "wacky weed" growers, so can't be bad for veggies, right?

Seeds are sprouted in nutrient solution soaked grow cubes for a few days under an LED light with a timer. 18 hours on/ 6 hours off for now.

These 2 tables will hold the smaller tubs for lettuce, after cleaning off my set up paraphernalia. Grow lights are very bright pink lights.

Scale for measuring nutrients, air stones for bubbling in nutrient tubs.

Multi port air pump for air stones (not required but will help keep nutrients and oxygen churned up in tubs)

Net pots for grow cube transplants. Need to cut perfectly sized holes in Styrofoam panels for these net cups. Proper spacing between is important.

Gotta get the PH level to the correct level for plants. 6.2-6.5 is best. Our tap water is around 8... really high. Special LED lightshade glasses. These LEDs can give you a headache trying to work in the same room for long.

Sprouting tray. Nearly done with this stage.

5 days of sprouting time with this pic. Color rendition off due to grow light.

I better get busy suspending my grow lights.!!!! And filling tubs with water and nutrients!!

Well, that's about it for now. More pics in a few weeks, with plant progress.

(Previous blog post on mini-split AC...waiting for AC guy to make final connections and start up.)

Adios...!!

Latest progress...

The tomatoes have landed...in their permanent home, under the 600 watt blue grow light.

(Had to order one more 300 watt LED grow light light...too many seedlings.!!)

West Texas

great sundown one evening

tin shack at Fustercluck Corner.

view down the long driveway to our gate.

small swamp cooler helps, but only if you sit right in front of it while it's running.

all recycled corrugated tin for the shack exterior.

Low sunlight just before sunset hitting 9 Point Mesa

This little 6,000 btu window unit saved our lives!!! The older I get the less I like the HEAT. I built the one bedroom with R19 insulation in all 4 walls, and even insulated the floor. So we have the one "chill room" that has the small window unit AC. Hung a sleeping bag over the door.

And this propane powered generator also saved our lives. Ran this genny 18 hours a day on the 104 degree says. noon to daylight.

Back home now.