Grow Log, Home: Round 2

Grow log for my home hydroponics setup, round 2.

Fri 29 July 2022

2022-03-05: Started germinating
2022-03-07: Just barely noticed germination
2022-03-08: Noticed all leaves except spinach again
2022-03-10: Transplanted into tote
2022-03-12: measured pH: 6.0
2022-03-20: thinned out weak plants
2022-03-25: lettuces have no roots below net pot. others have lots of roots in the water. some leaves have a weird film on them, some have white stuff.
2022-03-28: Three lettuces wool dry on top. No roots below net cup. Roots are growing a bit out the sides. Dropped wool to bottom of net cups, topped water up to 1 cm above bottom of net cup. This might harm the other plants? The lettuce roots grew through a lot of the clay balls but not enough to reach the water.
- I assumed the clay balls would wick up enough water that it wouldn't matter.
2022-03-30: EC measured 1.1. trimmed oldest leaves, lettuce roots now good in water
2022-04-01: pH measured 6.7. brown tips on lettuce.
2022-04-06: Harvested first salad, arugula and cress taste horrible like paint thinner. Lettuce was good.
2022-04-14: Terminated.

Germination

index is top left in tray
rinsed all equipment with water
1 L growth solution prepared
- 1 L tap water
- 1.3 mL plant food
- 0.5 mL pH Down for 5.5 pH
forgot to shake plant food
12 mineral wool cubes each soaked for 10 seconds
three seeds of each, except five for arugula and cress in X pattern
hole was opened with a broken toothpick
seeds tamped down the hole with the toothpick
remaining solution added to the bottom of the tray

Result

(columns left to right)

iceberg lettuce LT541
arugula MS483
romaine lettuce LT470
cress MS495
butterhead lettuce LT458
spinach SP705

Growth

used 102 L HDX tough totes
- sides bow out quite a bit, try duct taping
100 L growth solution prepared
- 100 L tap water (estimated)
- 117 mL plant food (needs more?)
- 10 mL pH down to 6.0
cut six holes into Foamular
transplanted sprouts into net cups
layer of clay balls under and around sides of starter plug
filled tote pretty much to brim
tote sides bowed out quite a bit. maybe it's 110-120 L full of water?

Layout:

(reading order)

iceberg lettuce LT541
romaine lettuce LT470
butterhead lettuce LT458
arugula MS483
cress MS495
arugula MS483