#hydroponics update: I’ve now got 11 pak choi 🥬 in my #Kratky method setup but it’s been super slow, my suspicion has been that my garage is too cold so I’m now running an experiment, one box is not insulated or heated, the other has a cheap 10W aquarium heater set to 18C and also badly done insulation - let’s see how this goes (also knew all those cheap hygrometers would come in handy!)
The bits and bobs that make up #hydroponic , #kratky ,#aerogarden builds can add up. Storing them requires planning right along side planning for the plants.
One of the 3 hydroponic Kratky tomatoes I started a few months ago is doing really well and I missed the blooming period and was surprised to see the tomatoes growing in the back.
Not expecting much, I just did it because I gate seeing the balcony empty in the winter. I guess tomatoes like the climate of South of France more than I expected.
I'm going to plant directly into the grow bin... I don't need to do a separate seeding phase and then move it over. I think it'll germinate / sprout right in the bin and then grow roots down into the nutrient water.
I'm going to harvest a week earlier this go around... at about five weeks. The leaves seemed fuller then.
I'm going to move the Kale and Arugula to more light and keep the light the same for the leafy greens.
I'm going to try to grow some spinach and bok choy this go around as well! Maybe swap out the gold leaf for some romaine lettuce. I did four bins this go around. I'll get two more for the kitchen shelf.
I really don't like using the rockwool. I mean.. it works GREAT. Like its awesome. But it's 6 cents a cube (expensive, right!?!?!). But I also don't like having to clean it off the plants when I harvest. I'm going to experiment with soil and hydroponic cups and see if that works. Dirt is... dirt cheap. Like... fractions of a cent per plant and much easier to clean off. I'll start a new thread on that. (note: I might still use up some of my rockwool this next go around, but I'll be phasing out of it)
I need to expand. Need to grow more. I'm going to build some more grow shelves. Maybe put them in the garage or spread them around the house.
I really want to grow two more types of items. Beans and Fruit Bearing Plants (Peppers, Tomatos, Cucumbers, Squash, etc.) - To that end, I'm going to start experimenting with Kratky reservoirs - Still cheap. Still passive. Still automated. Still hands off.
I'm going to get more people to use the Olio app for decentralized food swapping. Gonna push the idea that we give away at least 20% of our crop to our neighbors. We can feed everyone. We have the means of production here. We have localized coordination and distribution here. We are building post-scarcity food.
Alright... Lastly, I have enough photos and notes, I can build out a DIY How-To. Once I get that written, I'll add it to this thread and close it out. Cheers all!
5x Buttercrunch
5x Romaine
5x Pak Choy
5x Arugula
5x Kale
5x Spinach
I'm not seeding separately. I planted right in the grow bins. We'll see if that works.
Using Kratky method. So I've poured as much water and nutrients as each plant needs and I'm leaving it alone for a couple of months. No pumps, no aerators, etc. Just a food safe plastic 5-gallon bin with water & nutrients and nothing else.
I also added more light. So before I had three LED T5s on both levels. Now I have four on top and five on the bottom.
I'm using rockwool held in with pool noodle sections (the light green circles on top). I'm going to be looking into using other mediums here in the future.
(See thread for previous build information and crop)
Can't be bothered documenting things recently but looking at plants growing is always good. Nice to be able to harvest enough leaves for a salad almost every day.
There are news about sewing and weaving but another time, I guess. #hydroponics#kratky#kratkymethod
Meanwhile #Kratky#hydroponics happened. I use the most DIY system possible: bottles, 3d printed inserts that allow refilling, and where I didn't use inserts, there are pieces of disposable straw.
Growing on South side open balcony in 30+C is quite different from grow lights inside they use in the videos. Those plants drink a lot, and some liquid evaporates, so I need to refill a lot and designed and printed a tiny funnel to fit the straw (not pictured). #3dPrinting
First #hydroponic#strawberries. These have not been very successful, I think I missed the season. Sounds like they also prefer more oxygen in their hydroponic solution than the #Kratky bucket method provides - probably a #DWC system would be more appropriate. #gardening
My first tomatoes of 2023 are probably going to be from hydroponic!
Lost most of my Tiny Tim tomatoes to soil gnats and have (once again) only 4 plants. W in hydroponics and 2 in self watering planters.
The one in Kratky is doing very well and it's healthy and clean roots are reaching down to where the nutrient rich water is. I may have to find a slightly bigger reservoir as the plant is very thirsty with all the tomatoes growing.
Exciting to see the new season is finally starting to work after a bad start with bugs and silly mistakes.