Miss Permanenza – The First Layer

Growtendo64 The seedling broke through the soil on Day 1 (Jan 25) and showed a very stable development throughout the first week. Light intensity was set to approximately 230 µmol/m²/s, measured with a PAR sensor. This resulted in compact growth with no stretching, indicating a healthy balance between light and early root development. The cover crop is thriving and helps maintain a stable microclimate on the soil surface. Watering was kept very minimal during this phase: the mulch layer was lightly moistened with 1–2 day old tap water, never soaking the soil. The focus was on supporting soil biology rather than pushing vegetative growth. The seedling is growing steadily in the center of the pot, showing healthy structure and good vigor. Overall, this was a very relaxed and controlled start to the first Living Soil / No-Till run, exactly as intended.

Growtendo64 During week two, Miss Permanenza shows a very stable and controlled development. The seedling grows compact with no signs of stretching, confirming that the chosen light intensity is well balanced for this stage. The cover crop is developing evenly and was cut back by about 50% during the week. The cut material was left on the surface as mulch to reduce competition and actively feed the soil biology. Watering continues to be sensor-based and very gentle. When soil tension reached around 200 mbar, watering was done in two steps with a total of approximately 1–1.3 liters, bringing the substrate back into an optimal range of about 115 mbar. Later in the week, a light follow-up watering of around 0.5 liters was sufficient at 186 mbar. To further activate the living soil system, 50 compost worms were introduced directly onto the soil under a small light-blocking cover. Within roughly ten minutes, all worms had fully moved into the substrate, indicating suitable moisture, temperature, and overall soil conditions. Towards the end of the week, light intensity was increased to around 340 µmol/m²/s with a DLI of approximately 22, marking the transition into early vegetative growth. Overall, the plant appears healthy and stress-free, with a clear focus on root development and soil activity.

Growtendo64 Week 3 marked the clear transition into a stable vegetative phase. Transpiration increased noticeably, and overall growth became more dynamic. At the beginning of the week, substrate tension was 186 mbar. I applied 1.5 L of water, which resulted in a clean rehydration down to 122 mbar the following morning – an ideal moisture range for a 50 L living soil no-till setup. Later in the week, I ran a small watering test: At 211 mbar, I applied 1.0 L, resulting in 169 mbar. This confirmed that 1 liter acts more as a correction rather than a full reset. On February 12th, I reduced approximately 4/5 of the cover crop to reduce competition and focus energy on the main plant. A total of 1.5 L was applied that day. Interestingly, the mbar values remained very stable over 24 hours (165 → 163), indicating good internal moisture distribution and balanced soil structure. Climate adjustment: VPD was set to 1.1 ±0.1 kPa during daytime and 0.9 ±0.1 kPa at night, matching the increasing vegetative demand. Lighting: PPFD ranged between 340–370 µmol with a DLI of approximately 22–24. Internode spacing remained compact with no signs of stretching. Week 3 conclusion: Very stable phase. Roots are active, water demand is increasing moderately, and the system behaves consistently and predictably with no visible stress.