Crop Update: Week 4

Bed A: :L Mustard

• All but one mustard plant has now flopped over on its side (5/6) - plants are still growing, just not upright

• White spotting on leaves identified as White Blister - very common among brassicas. Hopefully oscillating fan will decrease humidity and control spread. (I feel the need to comment that it strikes me as odd… nay, counterintuitive to use fans to control something that spreads by spores, but that’s just me…)

• Leaves starting to yellow, presumably due to the constant exposure to a high pH. I will continue leaving the pH unchecked, while monitoring the condition of the plants as their conditions worsen.
  (I’m now sort of curious if the taste is impacted by the variance in pH)

• Over the last few days I think that the fertilizer solution samples I’ve been taking have gradually become more transparent / less yellow.

• I also wanted to note that since I started running this bed that, I’ve been topping up the reservoir every 3 or 4 days. It has been 6 days since I last needed to top up the tank (I think I might be able to go 8), leading me to wonder why consumption seems to be way down… I’ve read that the algae used in biofuels consume a lot of water; maybe I’ve starved out most of the algae… would that explain the change in water colour and consumption?

White Blister and yellowing of leaves

Mustard plants still no true leaves, looking leggy
fan not doing much (anything?) to counter humidity

Kohl Rabi Kratky Mason - First true leaves have emerged, plants leggy - had less then ideal start on kitchen counter without adequate access to grow light, even after moved to living room. Surface of growing medium starting to dry out, hopefully roots have started to emerge from pot, into fertilizer solution.

Arugula Kratky Mason - No true leaves as of yet.


blame the delay on the extended time spent on counter waiting for light/power in living room.