EarthBox [LOS] - HSC - Garlic Budder

Introduction - Week 04 Summary - Ensign's log, stardate 9246.39, This week should have been the beginning of veg week 1, but instead this was a recovery week.. Growth has been pretty stunted and droopy.. Pretty sure I over-watered. Tried watering again which made it worse (damnit). I just want to water them, but I think I have to hold off.. Been misting the top growth, but did not top water for the rest of the week. To help with recovery, I lowered the light intensity back down to seedling levels. On the positive side, I think I fixed the humidifier! No disconnection issues all week! The issue was mineral buildup on the port. Also have a plan to fix the cover crop issue for the EarthBoxes. As usual, if these plants don't make it, will try again and pop more seeds. Just gotta keep on growing forward. [START OF WEEK 04] ========================================================== Garlic Budder #1 - WEEK 04 - Full Veg Wk1 Garlic Budder #2 - WEEK 04 - Full Veg Wk1 03/25/24 → 03/31/24 This Week's Estimated Goals ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DLI: ~23 mol/m2/d PPFD: ~300 μmol/m2/s VPD: ~1.0 kPa This Week's Meter Readings & Averages [Lights On: 16:00 - 10:00] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DLI: 18.92 mol/m2/d PPFD: 292 μmol/m2/s VPD: 0.92 kPa Soil %: [37.3, 29.9, 33.9, 36.7] ========================================================== Day 01 - Monday - 03/25/24 - Total Days: 028 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 79°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.1% - VPD: 0.93 kPa - Soil %: [42, 31, 36, 41] ----------------------------------- - [21:20]: Evening check. --- Growing along, sort of. --- Growth looks okay, but both girls are still a bit droopy. - [21:22]: Using a spray bottle filled with some premixed CalMag water (1tsp of CaliMagic to 1 gal distilled water), --- Misted the top soil of both growbags (~60 sprays each). --- Mainly focused on the top soil, but also misted the top growth. - [21:27]: Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 42% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 31% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 36% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 41% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] --- Moisture levels look identical to yesterday. - [21:28]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank is about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). Day 02 - Tuesday - 03/26/24 - Total Days: 029 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 78.9°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.1% - VPD: 0.92 kPa - Soil %: [40, 30, 35, 39] ----------------------------------- - [11:44]: Been doing a bit of research online and I guess the UIS connection issue is quite common. --- The best part is, the fix is quite simple. --- From what I understand, the main reason for the disconnection is a contact issue. --- Hopefully this works.. --- [*smokes a bowl] - [11:47]: Unplugged the Cloudforge T7 humidifier. --- Also disconnected the UIS (USB-C) cable from the humidifier. --- Woah! Looking a bit closer at the UIS port (keep in mind that the cable itself looks okay), there’s clear signs of some sort of mineral buildup. - [11:49]: Using a tiny flathead screwdriver along with a tiny strip of sand paper (400P), --- I gently cleaned the UIS port. --- The screwdriver scratched off a good chunk of the buildup, but the sand paper really helped! --- Folded the sandpaper strip a couple times to thicken it up. Then I gently rubbed both the top and bottom contacts. --- To ensure the contacts were clean, repeated the process a few more times with the sandpaper. - [11:57]: Re-connected the UIS cable. --- Also plugged the unit back in. --- Nice! --- Surprisingly, I think it worked! --- The unit immediately was detected by the controller and started up! --- Going to continue to keep a close check on the connection, but for now, I think the issue has been fixed! - [14:05]: Using some basic mounting putty, --- Sealed the gap around the UIS cable and port. --- After applying the putty, I ensured the connection was still good and surprisingly it was (a slight wiggle used to cause a disconnection)! --- So far so good, --- Hopefully the added putty will prevent further water damage from occurring. - [17:39]: Evening check. --- Growth is looking better. I think. --- Well I guess growth does not look worse. --- Both are still a bit droopy. --- Since the sensor readings have been the same over the past two checkups, decided to quickly agitate and re-seat all four soil sensors. - [17:52]: Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 35% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 28% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 31% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 34% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] --- Big difference! May need to give each sensor a wiggle before checkup. --- Been about two days since the last watering, going to give the ladies some Recharge! --- Please don’t frack this up Ensign.. - [18:01]: Filled a measuring cup with 2 cups of distilled water. ------ Added half of 1/64tsp of Quillaja Saponaria Extract ------ Added 1/32tsp of Recharge --- Mixed the solution and poured it straight into a pump sprayer. --- Misted the solution onto the top soil of both EarthBoxes (~1 cup each). --- Mainly focused on the top soil, but also misted the top growth. - [18:10]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was still sort of full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~1gal). Day 03 - Wednesday - 03/27/24 - Total Days: 030 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 78.9°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.4% - VPD: 0.92 kPa - Soil %: [37, 29, 33, 35] ----------------------------------- - [21:51]: Evening check. --- Both plants look pretty droopy.. --- Okay, no watering today. - [21:52]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). --- Clearly the watering did not improve anything. If anything, it made things worse.. --- Damnit Ensign.. --- Going to let the soil dry out even further. --- Please don’t die on me ladies! --- [*smokes a bowl] Day 04 - Thursday - 03/28/24 - Total Days: 031 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 78.9°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.3% - VPD: 0.92 kPa - Soil %: [37, 29, 33, 36] ----------------------------------- - [19:13]: Evening check! --- Still droopy. --- Maybe I need to water? --- Wiggled all four soil sensors a bit. - [19:23]: Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 37% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 30% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 33% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 36% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] --- Water levels are still pretty high. --- Not going to water today.. Really want to water. But I shouldn’t. --- Right? - [19:30]: Took general PPFD readings. --- Both plants were around 291 μmol/m²/s which gives a DLI of 18.86 mol/m²/d --- Not going to increase the PPFD. - [19:33]: Took the weekly height and light distance measurements. --- #1 is about 5" tall. --- #2 is about 5.5" tall. --- #1 was about 28.5" away from the grow light. --- #2 was about 27.5" away from the grow light. --- Damn, really stunted these plants.. - [19:39]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). --- [*smokes a bowl] --- Well.. As I try to hold off on watering.. --- Have a plan to fix the current EarthBox cover crop issue. --- Since I’m not using the plastic mulch covers, I think there’s too much soil. --- Going to de-mound the EarthBoxes. Plan to drop the soil level to about an inch below the top of the container. --- Once lowered, will try to sprout more cover crop. --- With the extra container space, I can use straw or rice hulls as a mulch again. --- With the excess soil from both EarthBoxes, decided to start a 3rd bean (probably another bean of Garlic Budder) in a 7 gallon Grassroots Living Soil fabric pot. --- Will top off and mix in some BuildASoil Potting 3.0 soil. --- This will be my first time growing in a fabric pot container so this should be quite fun. --- Placed an order with BuildASoil and now have a 7gal Grassroots pot on its way (along with more soil and Mycrobe Complete). --- What can possibly go wrong!? --- [*smokes a bowl] Day 05 - Friday - 03/29/24 - Total Days: 032 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 79.0°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.3% - VPD: 0.92 kPa - Soil %: [37, 30, 33, 36] ----------------------------------- - [21:37]: Evening check. --- Both plants are looking pretty droopy.. --- I really want to water, but not going to. --- Well at least the cover plants look nice and happy (damnit Ensign). --- While the soil continues to slowly dry, going to give a foliar feeding of some Clonex Clone Solution. - [20:51]: Filled a measuring cup with a cup of distilled water. ------ Added 1.25mL of Clonex Clone Solution --- Mixed the solution and poured it straight into a spray bottle. --- Misted the solution onto the top growth of both plants (~10 sprays each). - [21:59]: Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 38% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 30% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 34% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 36% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] - [22:01]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). --- Once the soil level drop to the 20ish range (most likely sometime next week), plan to scrape the excess soil off. --- While I wait for my BuildASoil order (mainly the fabric pot), I can store the dry soil in a plastic 5gal bucket (inside the tent). --- This way I can try to reset the cover crop sooner. Day 06 - Saturday - 03/30/24 - Total Days: 033 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 79.0°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.5% - VPD: 0.92 kPa - Soil %: [37, 30, 34, 35] ----------------------------------- - [21:28]: Evening check. --- Both plants are still droopy.. --- Maybe the soil is dry enough? --- Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 38% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 30% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 34% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 35% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] --- Levels still seem quite high.. --- Damnit Ensign.. I really (really) want to water! --- But going to continue to let the soil dry out. - [21:53]: Using a spray bottle filled with some premixed Clonex solution (1mL of Clonex Clone Solution to 1 cup of distilled water), --- Misted the top growth of both plants (~10 sprays each). --- Also gave each soil sensor a quick wiggle. - [22:14]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). Day 07 - Sunday - 03/31/24 - Total Days: 034 ----------------------------------- Daily Averages [~23:00] - Temps: 79.0°F [26.1°C] - Humidity: 72.6% - VPD: 0.91 kPa - Soil %: [31, 30, 33, 35] ----------------------------------- - [19:04]: Evening check. --- Both plants just look droopy and unhappy.. --- [*smokes a bowl] --- Going to continue to let the soil dry out. - [19:10]: Using a spray bottle filled with some premixed Clonex solution (1mL of Clonex Clone Solution to 1 cup of distilled water), --- Misted the top growth of both plants (~10 sprays each). --- Checked the Ecowitt soil moisture sensor data: --- 31% - [CH01 EB1 - Garlic Budder #1] --- 30% - [CH02 EB1 - Secondary] --- 34% - [CH03 EB2 - Garlic Budder #2] --- 36% - [CH04 EB2 - Secondary] --- Surprisingly, #1 has dropped by quite a bit. --- But even so, the sensor levels are still reading quite high. - [19:41]: Decided to add a few magnets to the bottom flap of the tent. --- When the lung room is completely dark, been noticing light shining through the front zipper seam. If I can see light seeping out, I’m guessing some could be leaking in. --- Using some neodymium magnets (3pairs - 6 total), I secured the zipper flap. --- For each pair or magnets, I first placed them where I wanted them (started from the bottom). --- Then I taped the inner magnet with aluminum tape and hot-glued the outer one. --- Repeated this for the rest. --- Nice! There shouldn’t be any more light leaks from the front. - [19:47]: Checked the humidifier. --- Tank was about half full. --- Refilled the humidifier with distilled water (~2gal). --- To further prevent any light leakage (if any), - [22:03]: Decided to rotate the EarthBoxes. --- While keeping the same order, I rotated each EarthBox 180 degrees (#1 is still on the left). --- [*smokes a bowl] --- Wow, what a rough grow week.. --- Always breaks my spirit whenever I see my plants like this.. --- Really don’t want to start more seeds, but may have to.. --- Looking back over the past couple of weeks, I’m pretty sure I fertilizer fed too early. --- Also the Agsil feeding was not the smartest idea. --- But just gotta keep on growing. --- I hope I’m doing the right thing by not watering. --- Plan to start watering again next week. --- Stay alive my ladies! Don’t die on me please! [END OF WEEK 04]