Week 4 Review: Grow Diary
Week Overview
This week marked significant progress in the grow. The plants are establishing themselves well, with a visible improvement in their structure and overall health. It was a week of observation, top dressing, and ensuring proper care to set the stage for vigorous growth in the coming weeks.
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Key Activities
1. Top Dressing Application
I prepared a mix of compost (cattle manure, paddy straw, green manure, poultry litter, and coconut coir pith) combined with rice husk char for added pH buffering and soil structure improvement.
This was applied evenly to all pots to provide a slow and steady release of nutrients while improving aeration and microbial activity.
2. Watering Schedule
After 8 days without watering, I hydrated the plants, ensuring the compost and char mixture started breaking down and integrating into the soil.
3. Observation of Plant Health
Most plants are thriving with strong, deep green foliage and a healthy canopy.
A few leaves displayed slight yellowing on the edges, possibly due to minor pH or nutrient inconsistencies.
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Plant Development
The plants have grown noticeably in height and are branching out, setting the foundation for future stages.
Stem strength is increasing, and new leaf growth is vigorous, with most plants responding well to the environment and nutrients.
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Challenges
Nutrient Management: Minor signs of stress (slight yellowing) prompted close monitoring of soil pH and nutrient uptake.
Moisture Balance: Ensuring even watering without over- or under-watering remains a focus.
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Plans for Week 5
1. Continue monitoring plant response to the top dressing.
2. Check soil pH if symptoms like yellowing persist.
3. Maintain a balanced watering schedule to optimize nutrient absorption.
4. Evaluate if any additional nutrient supplementation is necessary.
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Conclusion
Week 4 has been a solid growth week, with the plants showing promise despite minor stress. The addition of compost and rice husk char appears to be a positive step, and I'm excited to see how this impacts their development in the coming weeks. Onward to Week 5!