Arbason and Lola trial.

The Arbason and Lola seedlings have been planted in the greenhouse, and I will be using red/blue/orange LEDs for supplemental lighting to give the seedlings a little extra boost. There is an adjustable plant hanger advertised on TV, also sold by Wal-Mart, that I found ideal for suspending the LEDs. It is half the cost, and works better, than the adjustable hangers offered by the local hydroponics dealers.

Another reason for adding supplemental lighting is to overcome shading from adjacent plants that are still producing fruit and have not yet been removed.

Some minor modifications have been made to my home built autopot, one of which will hopefully improve the performance. As seen in the photo, I added a plug on top so that I can check the level in the tray without disturbing the plant. Additionally, the reservoir tray had a slight elevation molded into the bottom, which prevented the valve from completely closing.

To overcome this problem, I cut a quarter inch thick piece of plastic to fit the reservoir, forming a new completely flat floor. The valve was then secured to this plastic piece with a small stainless steel screw to prevent it from moving or floating.

The latter modification should allow the media to dry slightly, and not get soggy, before the reservoir is refilled.