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re: 2020 Garden Thread
Posted on 4/8/20 at 11:06 am to eng08
Posted on 4/8/20 at 11:06 am to eng08
I've got some kinda weird blossom end rot deal going on on a few of my pepper fruits. Clipped them this morning. Not sure what the deal is. Calcium levels are good and they've been watered consistently. The issue only happened on 2 plants out of all of them, and only affected like 2 out of 5-6 fruits on each plant, so hopefully just an outlier.
1
Posted on 4/8/20 at 11:59 am to bluemoons
Now that we are stuck at home for a while, I decided to tackle a project I have been wanting to do for a few months: I built a garden multi-sensor, aka "Gardian."
It is solar-powered and measures air temp, soil temp, and soil moisture every 15 minutes. I am still calibrating the moisture sensor, but once I get values over a few days, I am going to set up triggers to start the sprinklers in the garden. Here is the view of my dashboard for the Gardian (plus the sprinkler system for the yard). The sharp dip in voltage for the moisture level and spikes for the temps are from when I installed the sensors in the garden.
It took a while to waterproof everything (apparently you can plasti-dip electronics). I am trying to think of other sensors to add. Maybe a photo-resistor to measure sunlight? pH sensors are expensive and really don't need real-time tracking. Some people say you can measure the "nutrients" in the soil, but its really just measuring ions, so not very specific.
It is solar-powered and measures air temp, soil temp, and soil moisture every 15 minutes. I am still calibrating the moisture sensor, but once I get values over a few days, I am going to set up triggers to start the sprinklers in the garden. Here is the view of my dashboard for the Gardian (plus the sprinkler system for the yard). The sharp dip in voltage for the moisture level and spikes for the temps are from when I installed the sensors in the garden.
It took a while to waterproof everything (apparently you can plasti-dip electronics). I am trying to think of other sensors to add. Maybe a photo-resistor to measure sunlight? pH sensors are expensive and really don't need real-time tracking. Some people say you can measure the "nutrients" in the soil, but its really just measuring ions, so not very specific.
Posted on 4/8/20 at 1:02 pm to guedeaux
frick me this is cool.
So you designed the program and all?
I really can’t think of anything to add sensor wise unless you just wanted to expand into a full weather station with wind, humidity, etc.
So you designed the program and all?
I really can’t think of anything to add sensor wise unless you just wanted to expand into a full weather station with wind, humidity, etc.
Posted on 4/8/20 at 2:38 pm to BallsEleven
quote:
So you designed the program and all?
I use Home Assistant on a raspberry pi as my smart home controller. For the Gardian, I connected the sensors and battery charger to a microcontroller and plugged in the solar panel. So, I really only had to program the microcontroller and then set up Home Assistant to talk to it.
I set it up to sleep for 14 minutes, wake up and send sensor readings to Home Assistant and then go back to sleep.
quote:
I really can’t think of anything to add sensor wise unless you just wanted to expand into a full weather station with wind, humidity, etc.
I think this may be part of my next project. I would need to beef up the battery capacity and solar panels to have it running non-stop collecting real-time wind and rain gauge data. Currently, I am using a small (cheap) solar panel and a small battery.
Posted on 4/8/20 at 3:40 pm to guedeaux
Question for the group: Previous homeowner had a raised garden bed in an area that only receives partial sun, 4-5 hours a day during summer due to large canopy tree. I built my summer garden where it receives full sun all day so no issues there. I'd like to utilize the partial sun area during the summer. Any growing suggestions for SELA for partial sun in raised bed? I think leafy greens do well in partial but isn't it too late for any real production? Root vegetables also come to mind but we really don't eat many nor have I had success in raised beds.
Posted on 4/8/20 at 4:32 pm to AutoYes_Clown
1/2 a day sun in the summer isn’t bad. Actually would help in keeping the soils moist. Most vegetables want full sun but I bet you could get melons or cukes or other vining plants to do well there
Posted on 4/8/20 at 6:31 pm to BallsEleven
Got bored and created a garden out of stuff laying around my garage. My backyard is pretty tiny. I think I only have like a quarter acre.
Bell peppers
Carrots, onions, strawberries, potatoes in some milk crates I used to use when I taught middle school.
Tomatoes (to be said in the same manner as Samwise”s “potatoes” voice) using old yard sign wires.
Bell peppers
Carrots, onions, strawberries, potatoes in some milk crates I used to use when I taught middle school.
Tomatoes (to be said in the same manner as Samwise”s “potatoes” voice) using old yard sign wires.
Posted on 4/8/20 at 6:54 pm to alajones
Innovative. I like it! 
ETA:
These are just my Early Girls. I also have Better Bush and Roma’s. If they do as well, I’m gonna be up to my eyeballs in tomatoes!
ETA:
These are just my Early Girls. I also have Better Bush and Roma’s. If they do as well, I’m gonna be up to my eyeballs in tomatoes!
This post was edited on 4/8/20 at 7:32 pm
Posted on 4/8/20 at 9:46 pm to PillageUrVillage
Man I'm jealous.
My Better Boy tomatoes are struggling right now. They're still pretty small, but I keep getting a few flowers on each plant, only for them to wilt away into nothing. It's frustrating.
My Better Boy tomatoes are struggling right now. They're still pretty small, but I keep getting a few flowers on each plant, only for them to wilt away into nothing. It's frustrating.
Posted on 4/9/20 at 6:27 am to BlackCoffeeKid
Try self-pollinating with an electric toothbrush. Hit the stem with the flowers on it and look for pollen flying. (Do not use the brush on it).
Posted on 4/10/20 at 8:00 am to ChenierauTigre
Had some bad weather come through last night. 40-50 mph winds. My plants took a beating, but they should recover. Apparently there are a lot of trees down in the area. It’s too soon for this crap.
Posted on 4/10/20 at 8:56 am to PillageUrVillage
quote:
Had some bad weather come through last night. 40-50 mph winds. My plants took a beating,
Same. Hadn't had to tie anything up yet so it was all laying over.
Tied it up with a lattice style i saw somewhere...first year trying it instead of poles.
Took my eye off the ball this week and found those little caterpillars had wore me our...sevin dust happening TODAY
Posted on 4/10/20 at 8:58 am to PillageUrVillage
Pillage u got it rocking! Looks amazing
:cheers:
:cheers:Posted on 4/10/20 at 9:56 am to DomincDecoco
Thanks! Yeah that’s what some of mine look like. My beans especially have a bunch of shredded leaves.
Posted on 4/10/20 at 10:06 am to PillageUrVillage
Little bastards are small. Sevin dust Corp stock is gonna go up .25 point today
Posted on 4/10/20 at 11:31 am to DomincDecoco
quote:
...sevin dust happening TODAY
Same, man. Same.
Posted on 4/10/20 at 11:41 am to BlackCoffeeKid
quote:
sevin dust happening TODAY
Yup!
Something went to town on my okra sprouts yesterday so I dusted all of them...then went to town on all the ant mounds in my yard.
Posted on 4/10/20 at 11:43 am to BallsEleven
I’ve been fortunate. I haven’t had much of a bug problem yet. But I do treat my surrounding lawn heavily with insecticides. So I’m attributing it to that. One good thing about the nasty weather yesterday, I had spread some lawn fertilizer in the afternoon. So it got thoroughly watered in.
This post was edited on 4/10/20 at 11:44 am
Posted on 4/10/20 at 12:24 pm to PillageUrVillage
Usually I don’t have any issues except for ants but that’s because I’m the highest lot in my immediate area.
I try not to go heavy on the pesticides so I don’t nuke the bees and other pollinators. However there’s a guy that dusts fields nearby with his plane so he is probably doing that anyway.
I try not to go heavy on the pesticides so I don’t nuke the bees and other pollinators. However there’s a guy that dusts fields nearby with his plane so he is probably doing that anyway.
Posted on 4/10/20 at 12:34 pm to BallsEleven
I’ve had no problems with the spectricide granules and bees. It’s mostly the critters that crawl along the ground that get it. I’ve actually been seeing a lot of bees lately, which is a lot different from this time last year. I’m excited about that.
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