3DScrogged 🔧 Musical 🎧 Tao's Bella: Sequence of Unfolding Grace (scheme in week 6)

W3.D1(18) 🌿 As we step into the third week of our plant's journey of growth, she's thriving and unfurling her leaves with vigor! 🍃 To boost her development and foster a strong, healthy root network, we've introduced Voodoo Juice by Advanced Nutrients. 🌺 🔍 Voodoo Juice contains bacterial cultures, each playing a unique role in supporting plant growth through distinct biochemical activities: 🌱 Bacillus licheniformis churns out enzymes like proteases, breaking down proteins and complex molecules for easier nutrient absorption by the plant, thus promoting better growth and health. Research highlights these enzymes as key players in nutrient cycling and making nutrients more available in the soil. 🍂 🛡️ Bacillus pumilus secretes substances that guard plants against pathogens and bolster soil health. These include alkaline proteases, known for their gentle yet effective dehairing abilities, hinting at their protective role against pathogens in crops. Additionally, it produces a thermostable alpha-arabinofuranosidase, aiding in the decomposition of complex carbs to boost nutrient access for the plant. 🌼 🚀 Bacillus subtilis emits compounds that kickstart plant growth and immune responses. It's famed for its bioactive substances, including cyclic lipopeptides such as surfactins, iturins, and fengycins, known for their strong surfactant and antimicrobial properties. These play a part in biofilm formation, pathogen defense, and possibly in improving nutrient absorption by plants. 🌱 🍃 Paenibacillus polymyxa is a pro at nitrogen fixation, turning atmospheric nitrogen into a form plants can use. It also produces phytohormones that encourage root growth. Studies show its ability to boost plant growth, by enhancing seedling length, biomass, and nitrogen intake. This process improves soil nutrient content, supporting vigorous plant growth. 🌟 Together, these bacteria work wonders in the soil, breaking down complex molecules, fighting off diseases, stimulating growth, and enhancing nutrient availability, crucial for nurturing healthy, robust plants. 🌿🌱 PS. This is not AN promo. I'm just trying to figure out how it works )) For the first time, I took on the task of topping - the technique of pruning the top of my plant. It was quite the easy journey! 🌱✂️ W3.D2(19) 🌿 Post-trimming update: Everything went smoothly. Didn't treat the cut, and it looks just fine. Growth has continued without a hitch. 🌱✂️ 🚿 Today, I sprayed the soil again with a neem oil and water mixture. Added a few drops of liquid soap as an emulsifier to ensure the oil blends well with the water. 💧🛁 🔍 Observing the aftermath of the early growth issue - the red stem. After transplanting, the entire stem turned red, but now, this red layer is peeling off, clearly visible in the photos. 📸 💦 I'm overwatering again, noticing the leaves starting to curl into little boats. This time, I'm confident I'll manage to dial it back. 🌊🍃 PS. I studied something about water transfer in plants 🌱 Root Water Absorption: It all begins with the roots soaking up water from the soil 🌍. This process is driven by the difference in water potential between the soil and the plant. Water moves to where its potential is lower, i.e., into the roots. Water Potential (ΨΨ): Water potential is the ability of water to move from one area to another due to osmosis, gravity, and other factors 🌊. It's like the potential energy of water in a system compared to pure water (which has a zero water potential under standard conditions). For plants, water potential directs the flow of water—from the soil into the roots, within the plant itself, and into the atmosphere through the leaves. Water potential decreases due to transpiration, osmotic pressure of dissolved substances, and physical pressure inside the plant. Regulation Through Pressure Change: Leaf twisting occurs due to changes in turgor pressure within cells 🍃. Turgor pressure is the pressure of water inside the cell, maintaining its volume and shape. When this pressure decreases, leaves start to twist. Role of Aquaporins: Aquaporins are protein channels in cell membranes that regulate water flow through cells 💧. They are crucial in maintaining turgor pressure, a key mechanism for keeping cells and the whole plant in shape. Aquaporins can adjust their activity in response to various signals, such as drought, salt stress, or mechanical damage. By controlling water passage, aquaporins regulate intracellular water volume, and thus, turgor pressure, allowing plants to maintain optimal cell pressure for their structure and functions, even when external conditions change. Why Water May Be Insufficient Despite Overwatering 💦 Despite the apparent excess of water during overwatering, plants can still experience a water shortage for several reasons: Soil Aeration Problems: Too much water in the soil can push air out of the soil pores, making it difficult for oxygen to reach the roots. Roots need oxygen for respiration and efficient water and nutrient absorption 🌬️. Decrease in Water Potential: During overwatering, the soil's water potential may become too high (less negative), reducing the potential difference between the soil and the roots, slowing down or stopping water movement into the plant 📉. Root System Damage: Prolonged exposure of roots to overly moist soil can lead to root rot and decrease the plant's ability to absorb water 🚫🌿. Breathing of Roots 🌱 Mitochondria as Centers of Breathing: The primary cells involved in the respiration of roots contain mitochondria, which act as the "power stations" of the cell. In mitochondria, the oxidation of organic substances occurs, releasing energy essential for all the plant's life processes. Oxygen from the soil, penetrating the roots, is used in mitochondria for oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in the production of ATP - the universal energy source for cellular processes. Root Hairs and Respiration: Breathing is especially active in root hairs - elongated cells of the root epidermis that increase the root's contact area with the soil. Root hairs have high mitochondrial activity, ensuring efficient oxygen absorption and energy release. Nutrition and Water Absorption 💧 Active and Passive Transport of Nutrients: The energy produced during respiration is used for the active transport of nutrients from the soil into the root cells against the concentration gradient. This includes the transport of ions like potassium, phosphates, and nitrates, essential for the plant's nutrition. Simultaneously, the passive transport of water and dissolved substances occurs through the cell membranes along the concentration gradient. Cells Facilitating Water Absorption: The main role in water absorption is played by the root hair cells and root cortex cells, where water moves via apoplastic (through the intercellular space) and symplastic (through cytoplasmic connections between cells) pathways. In the endodermis, the root's inner cortex layer, water and dissolved substances are directed into the plant's vascular system, where they can be transported to the leaves and other organs. The Link between Respiration and Nutrition 🔄 Energy Dependence of Nutrient Transport: The energy obtained from respiration directly affects the roots' ability to absorb nutrients from the soil through active transport. The Relationship between Respiration and Water Exchange: Oxygen, needed for respiration, and water, essential for the transport of dissolved nutrients, are interconnected. A lack of oxygen in waterlogged soil can disrupt not only respiration but also the absorption of water and nutrients. If a plant is provided with all the necessary nutrients in optimal concentrations, it can rely on passive absorption to obtain them. 🌱 Passive absorption occurs along the concentration gradient, where substances move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration without the expenditure of energy. 🍃 In such conditions, the plant does not need to use energy in the form of ATP for active transport of substances against the concentration gradient. Active transport is activated when it is necessary to move nutrients from soil with low concentration into root cells, where their concentration is higher. 🌿 This process requires energy expenditure in the form of ATP, as the movement goes against the natural concentration gradient. Active transport allows the plant to obtain the necessary nutrients even in conditions of their deficiency in the environment. 🌼 Thus, by maintaining an optimal level of available nutrients in the growing environment, it is possible to reduce the plant's need for energy expenditure on active absorption, allowing the plant to use its energy resources more efficiently for other processes, such as growth and development. 🌺 W3.D3(20) Absolutely thrilled to share today's update in our grow journey! 🌱 After diving deep into the science of water absorption (huge shoutout to @nonick123 for the direction! 🙌), I've embarked on a fascinating path to optimize our green babie growth. 🚀 First off, I stopped on the watering : reducing water intake can actually enhance soil aeration. 🌬️ This, in turn, boosts ATP production in the roots, a vital energy currency for plants. If all goes well, we should see those twisted leaves straightening out as a sign of success. 🍃 🌟 I'm also experimenting with enriching the nutrient buffet for our plants' root systems. The goal here is to foster an environment where passive absorption reigns supreme, allowing our plants to allocate ATP to other critical tasks more efficiently. 🌼 By focusing on these two vectors, I'm hopeful we'll unlock new levels of growth and vitality. It's all about finding that perfect balance between hydration and nutrition, ensuring our plants have everything they need to thrive, while also conserving their energy for where it matters most. 🌞 W3.D4(21) Day 21 of our journey has arrived. 🌱 After reducing the watering, development started to accelerate. I don't notice a clear reduction in the leaf curling caused by overwatering and decreased turgor pressure, but the growth of other parts continues. 🌿 I'm really curious and concerned about the condition of the top after pruning. It looks healthy. 🌼 Wanted to mention that for pruning the top, I used disinfected manicure scissors. I'm also interested in the soil condition, but I'll be able to connect my new soil sensor with an rs485 interface and find out the soil condition only in the coming days. A huge thank you to everyone reading these chunks of text. Your attention is the energy for this diary. 💖 W3.D5(22) Today, we observe how leaves that once curled up due to lack of water are now unfurling 🍃. This process, a testament to the resilience of life, is facilitated by the normalization of internal water balance. The sight of a plant’s top pushing forth new growth, even after being trimmed, is a powerful reminder of nature’s relentless drive. Both these phenomena are driven by ATP, the energy currency of life, which fuels not just plants but humans too. Just as these leaves stretch towards the sky, our lives are powered by the same force, highlighting the shared essence of vitality in all living beings. 😊✨ W3.D6(23) Today, I decided not to wait for the RS485-USB converter for my Soil Analyzer to arrive but to go ahead and rinse the soil with checks instead. 😄🌱 In the process, I found out that the irrigation and drainage system were not up to par and had to be revamped. 🚿🔧 After that, I washed the soil with 20 liters of water at TDS 32. Initially, the output was 1400, but I managed to get it down to 600. 🌊👍 Night had already fallen, and it was time for the little lady to sleep, so I finished by drenching the soil with an extra 2 liters of nutrients and left it until tomorrow. 🌙✨ Let's see what the new day brings! 🌞🌻 W3.D7(24) Here we are, at the end of week three in our growing journey, and it's time for a little reflection 😌🌿. 1️⃣ My attempt at topping was less than perfect - the cut spot just kept growing upwards and sprouting new shoots. It seems my plant is more resilient than I anticipated, always reaching for the sky ☝️🌱. 2️⃣ I thought I could get by with a small amount of reused soil - that gamble didn't pay off. It's a reminder that cutting corners with the foundation can lead to shaky results 🤦‍♂️🌍. 3️⃣ Just as I was starting to get the upper hand on overwatering, flushing the soil brought it right back. It's like taking one step forward and two steps back with these watering woes 💧🚶‍♂️. 4️⃣ Despite these challenges, I'm not giving up. I'm determined to see this grow through to the end. There's always something to learn and ways to improve, no matter the situation 🌟🌱. Let's keep growing, learning, and staying Zen through it all 🧘‍♂️✌️.