Hydroponic Workshop

For seed starting you might consider a 90 watt red...

2012-05-02T23:56:48.159-04:00

For seed starting you might consider a 90 watt red/blue/white. I have had good luck with HTG Garden Supply for these lights. They also have them on EBay and you could try bidding on one. Good Luck.

Hello Jack, Can you divolge your source for your L...

2012-05-02T22:12:51.027-04:00

Hello Jack,
Can you divolge your source for your LED's? I've considering some to begin my seeds indoors. I've been using a 2ft x 2ft fluorescent (2 u-tubes) my seedlings get very leggy with the diffuser almost on top of the higher leaves.

Rick, We have three stores in this area that I vis...

2012-04-02T20:38:06.633-04:00

Rick,
We have three stores in this area that I visit, and each of them carries horticubes. Today I bought two sheets of 104 each, 204 total, and got a buy on them for nine dollars. That is 4.4 cents a cube. Three of us are getting together to buy them by the case. I am very surprised that your dealer does not carry them. Look them up online, greenhousemegastore has them for thirteen dollars and change for a box with two 104 cube sheets.
Jack

Hmm.. I've never heard of horticubes before.. ...

2012-04-02T18:57:10.343-04:00

Hmm.. I've never heard of horticubes before.. I visited the local hydro store today at lunch and picked up a Root Riot kit that can handle 50 seedlings -- with a tall dome for $32.. I'll be trying that out today -- I was going to get Rockwool but the sales guy steered me away for the same reasons you cite.. I was also concerned about the rockwool not breaking down afterwards leaving me with something to toss out. The root-riot claims it's completely biodegradable which is nice.

If you are using hydroponic nutrients they are usu...

2012-03-30T16:16:15.436-04:00

If you are using hydroponic nutrients they are usually buffered. The pH could be high, or low, and slow growth, and cause any number of nutrient deficiencies. You should have some means to check your pH. A good investment would be a pH test kit used to test water in an aquarium. A pet store, or department, would have these and the cost is minimal. It would last you for a year or so.

Is it essentail to have a ph meter? because i have...

2012-03-30T15:59:52.030-04:00

Is it essentail to have a ph meter? because i have multiple plants growing in a "DWC" set-up and i have never checked it. I live in an appartment building, what are the signs that i have a ph problem?

http://grow4show.blogspot.ca/

I'm excited to find your post! Had no idea you...

2012-03-25T18:05:37.718-04:00

I'm excited to find your post! Had no idea you could grow beets and carrots hydroponically. I will be reading though your posts to learn all that I can!
Thank you for sharing!

Those peppers look good!

2012-02-28T18:03:32.786-05:00

Those peppers look good!

Ahh, I gotcha. I'm actually up in Rochester, ...

2012-02-14T10:55:12.766-05:00

Ahh, I gotcha. I'm actually up in Rochester, so our climates aren't all that different.

Thanks again for the information and the blog. I'll keep reading for info and inspiration. :)

I did not intend to imply that you were disagreein...

2012-02-13T12:12:18.604-05:00

I did not intend to imply that you were disagreeing, only wanted to clarify. Sorry if you got that impression. Here in upstate New York I have noticed leaf tips turning brown in early spring and fall from overwatering. During the summer, when the plants are using gallons of nutrients, the systems work fine.

I'm not disagreeing with you, or saying they d...

2012-02-13T12:00:19.056-05:00

I'm not disagreeing with you, or saying they don't tend to overwater. I was just commenting that you were the first I've seen to make the indoor/outdoor distinction for usage.

The CEO of the Autopot company recommended that I ...

2012-02-13T11:57:51.194-05:00

The CEO of the Autopot company recommended that I pot up the cucumbers and not add liquid to the system for four to possibly six weeks. What does that tell you? In the summer, in the greenhouse, they work OK. Indoors, in the tents, tomatoes and peppers seem to show signs of overwatering, but survive.

I have seen posts regarding autopots overwatering on sites devoted to growing plants to smoke.....

Hmm, interesting. You're the first I've s...

2012-02-13T10:58:19.435-05:00

Hmm, interesting. You're the first I've seen to suggest that the Autopots weren't intended for use indoors. I see your point, though. On the other hand, aside from certain plants and configurations, most people using them seem to be having good luck both indoors and out, and they do have the advantage of being relatively low-maintenance.

I'm thinking I'll do either hydroton and coir, or perlite and coir, this spring. If all goes well, maybe I'll invest in lights and such for my basement for the rest of the year. If overwatering starts to be a problem, I'll look into feed valves.

Thanks for the info!

Yes, I have considered adding hydtoton. To keep my...

2012-02-12T16:17:22.925-05:00

Yes, I have considered adding hydtoton. To keep my expenses low I have reused the same hydroton for at least five years. Adding it to the coir, in my opinion, would make cleaning and reclaiming it messy and difficult. If the metering did not solve the problem that was to be my next remedy. Actually, the problem turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the shut off valve and meter solved the problem. I don't believe autopots were intended to be used indoors, where conditions are very much different. The plants do not take up very much liquid indoors, so overwatering becomes an issue. That said, I would never install autopots, even outdoors, without adding the shut off valves.

Hi, I've been following your blog for a couple...

2012-02-12T15:33:25.716-05:00

Hi, I've been following your blog for a couple months now as I think about doing an outdoor Autopot setup this spring/summer. Watching your plants develop and reading your commentary has been useful and a bit inspiring.

Anyway, regarding your troubles with cucumbers and the Autopots generally overwatering: Have you considered a mixture of hydroton and coco coir, possibly with a layer or two of straight hydroton on the bottom of the pots? I've seen a couple mentions of this as something to help with "wet feet" elsewhere on the 'net.

Nate, Sorry about your plant. If you want to send ...

2012-02-03T19:34:59.851-05:00

Nate,
Sorry about your plant. If you want to send a photo use:
blog at-sign stitchedart.com

Don't know if I can help, but I will try.

Jack

Hey Jack, Anyway I could collaborate with you and...

2012-02-03T14:43:32.144-05:00

Hey Jack,

Anyway I could collaborate with you and get some help on my indoor tomato grow. haha.

I have a burpee big boy planted under an LED grow light and using hydroponics. The plant was looking amazing but now it has developed some white fungus type material and is looking quite sickly.

It's still flowering and I'm not real sure about pollinating. I've been using an electric toothbrush. Maybe I just need to be more patient and it will pull through here.

Anyways, would love to send you some pics and get your opinion.

Thanks for the compliment on the photo. We are al...

2012-01-16T14:24:32.589-05:00

Thanks for the compliment on the photo. We are also having a mild winter, but it is cold today. The Hudson river has not frozen over yet, and I don't remember a January with the river open in many many years. Most of my grows only last about 90 days, and I wash and bleach the pots between grows. I leach them with a clearing agent if I suspect a salt build up during a grow.

Matt, I had thought of the moisture on the roots, ...

2012-01-16T14:17:15.322-05:00

Matt,
I had thought of the moisture on the roots, and been controlling the smart valve with a shut off valve, letting the system dry somewhat before opening the valve allowing it to refill. I will try to place something under the pots to raise them slightly. Good suggestion. Thanks,
Jack

Beautiful picture, I would expect to see this in a...

2012-01-16T14:12:10.041-05:00

Beautiful picture, I would expect to see this in a growers magazine!

I took advantage of 41 degree winter day to power wash some of my AutoPot equipment. Was wondering, how often do you empty and re-setup your AutoPots with your year-round growing?

Matt

Jack, Thank you for the quick reply! Glad to hear...

2012-01-16T14:07:35.720-05:00

Jack,
Thank you for the quick reply! Glad to hear that you are letting your cucumbers continue for awhile. I was thinking back to your May 24, 2011 posting about Little Leaf Cucumbers, where the male flowers preceded the female flowers.

About the yellow leaves, I checked with the Easy2Grow manufacturer from the UK. Regarding too much moisture on cucumber roots, this can lead to some yellowing also. One of their staff members had a photo of a pad used to lift the pots up slightly from the tray, but still maintain contact with the tray water. They reported that cucumbers were their most sensitive plant regarding soil moisture.

You do such a wonderful job with your growing that I would not question your methods. I thought you might be interested in the aforementioned findings.

Matt

Matt, I don't believe the problem is any of th...

2012-01-16T11:25:11.833-05:00

Matt,
I don't believe the problem is any of the above. The first sign of stress was some yellowing between veins. Thinking magnesium, I added a small dose of epsom salts. It continued, so I increased the calcium nitrate. I had already added P and K when the plants began flowering. The leaves are really small and there is hardly any growth. They have not overgrown the lights, as there is still plenty of room for growth. As posted, the root systems were healthy. The growing tips are green and healthy, but very small. They are, however, sending out great clusters of male flowers.
The nutrients and pH are at the correct level, and indoor conditions are perfect, in terms of temperature and humidity. At this point I am going to let them continue for a few weeks while replacement seedlings develop. They have been growing since late November, and the whole process is just taking too long. Sometimes, it is best to regroup and start over.
Jack

Jack, I have been following your cucumber grow and...

2012-01-16T10:57:14.942-05:00

Jack, I have been following your cucumber grow and am interested in why your yields diminished so early. The AutoPot is an ideal growing tool.

I have seen where cucumbers in containers have stopped yielding earlier than expected. Sometimes when an overly mature cucumber signals the plant to stop. Other times production stops when the vine is allowed to hold a number of cucumbers between picking.

With indoor grows, the cucumbers have such a large leaf canopy that they can 'outgrow' the grow lights used.

If you have any idea on your situation, I would be interesed. It would be good to figure this out before I replant my cucumbers this year.

Matt

It is nice to know that someone is getting useful ...

2012-01-10T21:35:13.268-05:00

It is nice to know that someone is getting useful information from the blog.

To answer your question regarding the ebb and flow systems; I use restaurant bus boxes. One with the cover forms the reservoir and one on top for the growing tub. In other words, two boxes and a cover make a system. They are inexpensive and durable and large enough to hold about fifteen four inch net pots each.

Look online for them. I have used this company many times.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/21-x-15-x-7-high-density-polyethylene-bus-tub-bus-box/70221157%20%20%20%20BK.html

Hi! I just want to thank you for all the awesome ...

2012-01-10T21:08:48.845-05:00

Hi! I just want to thank you for all the awesome information you provide in your blog (I have learned so much).

I have a question though. How have you built your ebb and flow system for the lettuce (the stores charge so much and it looks like you are using rubber maid bins). I currently have lettuce growing in a drip system using rubber maid bins, but your ebb and flow looks like a better use of space. I tried searching your blog but perhaps I am just not looking in the right spot.

Thanks so much!!