Rain, and much colder predicted for the next few days. Trying to catch up on some winter preparations. The rain barrels and outdoor hoses needed to emptied before it freezes. I am continuing to cut down the remaining wildflowers and clearing the walkway around the house. I am going to miss not having the rainwater for the hydroponic systems. For the winter I will need to filter the well water (ZeroWater) to remove the sodium chloride added from the water softener. Some of the work was recorded as time-lapse video with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera.
Daily Electric Energy Used (70.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More clouds than yesterday. At this time of the year the sun is lower, and the Sycamore tree leaves shadow the solar panels part of the day. Overall a net deficit of 38.7 kWh.
AeroGarden Farm 04 – Left Unit at 42 Days. F04L01 Plug; F04L02 Cosmos Dwarf; F04L03 Cosmos Early Dwarf; F04L04 Pug; F04L05 Zinnia Thumbelina; F04L06 Zinnia Lilliput; F04L07 Blue Cornflower; F04L08 Plug; F04L09 Plug; F04L10 Marigold; F04L11 Marigold; F04L12 Plains Coreopsis. The plants in this tray were moved from another garden two weeks ago. The Cornflower continues to grow very fast, but has not bloomed. The two Cosmos plants have not grown much. The Thumbelina Zinnia has one small flower beginning to open, and two more buds about to open. The Lilliput Zinnia is almost completely open, and has two more buds about to open. The Marigold is small, and has one small flower open, and two buds about to open. The Plains Coreopsis is growing, and seems to have a rouge Coreopsis plant that has a couple of buds? I tested the pH (4.89) and TDS (121 ppm). The rapidly growing plants need more food. I should also note that I have been adding more than a liter of water into the bath every day. Added 10 mL of Root Farm Base (4-0-1) and 10 mL Root Farm Bloom (1-4-7). After one hour tested the pH (5.24) and TDS (621 ppm). I hope this helps to get the Cornflower to bloom, and the Coreopsis plants to grow faster. I will test the pH and TDS on a weekly basis going forward.
Farm 04 – Left (Day 42). F04L01 Plug; F04L02 Cosmos Dwarf; F04L03 Cosmos Early Dwarf; F04L04 Pug; F04L05 Zinnia Thumbelina; F04L06 Zinnia Lilliput; F04L07 Blue Cornflower; F04L08 Plug; F04L09 Plug; F04L10 Marigold; F04L11 Marigold; F04L12 Plains Coreopsis. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 640, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
It has been four days since I first took a focus-stacked image of the Zinnia flower. Now there are about four levels of petals, and at least one more level to open. So as I plan for a time-lapse sequence for the opening of Zinnia flowers, it takes several days or even a week to open completely. I also noticed an Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis hiding in the flower. In the fall a number of these non-native Ladybug look alikes invade the house to hibernate. They were imported to eat aphids. I hope that doesn’t mean I have aphids invading my hydroponic gardens.
Zinnia Flower. Composite of 23 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus (DAVID J MATHRE)Asian Ladybeetle hiding in a Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens and popup flash (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/16, 1/30 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (70.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun. Overall a net deficit of 38.7 kWh.
AeroGarden Bounty 01 at 42 Days. 01 Crimson Clover; 02 California Poppy; 03 Red Poppy Mix; 04 Lupine; 05 Strawberry; 06 Blanket Flower; 07 Sweet Alyssum; 08 Coreopsis Lance-leaf; 09 Strawberry. Only the Crimson Clover, Lupine, and Lemon Mint were doing OK. The others that had previously sprouted died and had mold/algae growing on the substrate. I checked the pH (5.80) and TDS (659 ppm). Additional plant food was not added. The dead plants were removed.
AeroGarden Bounty 01 at 42 days. 01 Crimson Clover; 02 California Poppy; 03 Red Poppy Mix; 04 Lupine; 05 Strawberry; 06 Blanket Flower; 07 Sweet Alyssum; 08 Coreopsis Lance-leaf; 09 Strawberry. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 250, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Bounty 02 at 14 days. 01 Oriental Poppy; 02 Oriental Poppy; 03 California Poppy Mix; 04 Nasturtium; 05 Cornflower; 06 Red Poppy; 07 Red Poppy; 08 Red Poppy; 09 Red Poppy. The Oriental Poppies sprouted, the California poppy is doing well, the Nasturtium didn’t sprout, the cornflower sprouted, and 3 out of 4 of the Red Poppies sprouted. I check the pH (5.65, and TDS (629 ppm). The plants that sprouted were moved to Bounty 01, and a new set of seeds started in Bounty 02.
AeroGarden Bounty 02 at 14 days. 01 Oriental Poppy; 02 Oriental Poppy; 03 California Poppy Mix; 04 Nasturtium; 05 Cornflower; 06 Red Poppy; 07 Red Poppy; 08 Red Poppy; 09 Red Poppy. Image taken with a Leica TL-2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 320, 35 mm, f/8, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (70.6 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (16.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds. Overall a net deficit of 41.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (6.4 kWh).
The deer continue to stay near the house during hunting season. I didn’t even need to go outside to get the images of nibbles weeding my wildflower garden.
Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.
Young deer (winter coat) in my wildflower garden. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)Doe and fawn (winter coat) outside my wildflower garden. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)Doe and fawn (winter coat) in and outside my wildflower garden. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Daily Electric Energy Used (70.6 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (16.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds. Overall a net deficit of 41.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (6.4 kWh).
I have noticed that when I make ice cubes using deionized water using a Zero Water purifier, “ice spikes” are often formed.
Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.
Daily Electric Energy Used (74.5 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out, but much colder outside. Overall a net deficit of 41.1 kWh. Geothermal HVAC was on to heat the house (11.9 kWh).
