Can you be more specific about the day and night temperatures you were running? I read an abstract from a study recently that asserted higher nighttime temps than day temps led to increased yield. I'm assembling the necessary equipment to do it myself and should have it all ready to go in a month or so.Hey everyone! I hope your week went by with few problems!! Here's a quick update on the garden The Tangie in the back left isn't going to be very tall, but she's got a lot of branches, and super strong tangerine smell....she smells so good! The Dr. Grinspoon in the back right is still growing...I think the dark period temps are just a tad bit on the chilly side for her, but she'll have to make do! I adjusted my lights-on temps to run from 78-82F instead of 76-80F, as well. Here's the pic:
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On a side note, I'm really becoming convinced there's something to this dark-period temp >= light period temp, as mentioned in the papers discussed a while back. If you compare the growth rates to this summer(the 20's pages), when I run the AC at lights on after I come home from work, and no AC at lights off, when I'm away, so it's actually hotter in the tent during lights off. Anyway, if you look at the pics, you can clearly see that the plants grew much faster and larger. There was more stretch, but the plants were larger. That's the only difference between then and now, so this summer will really seal the deal for me. It would be great if someone else that's not a climate-control cheapskate, like me, could try it out for a cycle!
Lights on temps were 76-80F(but sometimes hotter, and especially at lights on, sometimes longer depending on how long i stay at work) (house AC set to 72) lights off temps were ~75 at first, then rising to 85-90 until lights on, depending on how hot it is outside...i open the house windows when i leave, and i have window fans to help circulate air, but it still gets pretty hot. I let it go until I can't stand it, haha.Can you be more specific about the day and night temperatures you were running? I read an abstract from a study recently that asserted higher nighttime temps than day temps led to increased yield. I'm assembling the necessary equipment to do it myself and should have it all ready to go in a month or so.
This is something I believe I can replicate, so I'm going to give it a go here in a bit. Part of my evil plan is to tame the wily nighttime humidity monster; if temps stay up, it's easier to keep RH under control, right? It's when temps fall that RH spikes and creates ideal conditions for powdery mildew and worse. I thought it was pretty sneaky, myself!Lights on temps were 76-80F(but sometimes hotter, and especially at lights on, sometimes longer depending on how long i stay at work) (house AC set to 72) lights off temps were ~75 at first, then rising to 85-90 until lights on, depending on how hot it is outside...i open the house windows when i leave, and i have window fans to help circulate air, but it still gets pretty hot. I let it go until I can't stand it, haha.
if i had my choice, i'd probably keep it about 85F during lights off and stay with 76,78-80,82 lights on temp.
I'm bracing for this, as weird as it sounds. The two I've already installed in my veg are so much cooler the whole space runs 8 degrees lower now.many plants grow better in warmer soil, look around you, watch your veggy garden. Many seeds even rot if put in cold soil, or go dormant. When I first switched to LEDs I had not considered the effect on soil temps. Plants stayed small and transpiration slowed and overwatering was hard to control. Fungus gnat army loved it.
Put an hid in winter just to help but this year I ducted in a bit of air from furnace. All is well. Hps is stored.
grow some macadamia nuts and you can make banana nut breadim not sure if any of you guys remember the banana plant that infested my garden with spider mites last year....well i threw it outside to die because it pissed me off so bad, but it lived and grew, so I started taking care of it again. Anyway, it still has mites, which is scary, because I had to bring it inside to shield it from the cold. I just don't touch it and vacuum around it very often.....seems to be alright, but I can't wait to get it back outside! Anyway, the thing is a beast now and still it's growing so fast!! Check it out:
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who knew that COBs can also grow banana plants...in addition to roses, beans, spinach! not sure if it gets enough light to ever make some bananas, but it still looks cool. I've a 5000K 3070 supplementing the window sunlight.grow some macadamia nuts and you can make banana nut bread
Insecticidal soap.im not sure if any of you guys remember the banana plant that infested my garden with spider mites last year....well i threw it outside to die because it pissed me off so bad, but it lived and grew, so I started taking care of it again. Anyway, it still has mites, which is scary, because I had to bring it inside to shield it from the cold. I just don't touch it and vacuum around it very often.....seems to be alright, but I can't wait to get it back outside! Anyway, the thing is a beast now and still it's growing so fast!! Check it out:
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got a favorite brand? the last thing i tried was "bayer advanced 3in1 mite and insect control" It did not kill the mites.Insecticidal soap.
I use Safer soap.got a favorite brand?
yeah, im not really feeling like mixing up some concoction of different things and eventually getting it right...i just want to spray something on the plant and have it kill the mites without spending a lot of money. I know there's gotta be something that actually works, but I haven't found it yet. The mites seem to stay on the plant. They don't get carried around by the cat or anything. The thing has been in the house since the end of Nov, and the gardens are still g2g Kind of risky, I know, but it's not a big deal if something does happen- I'll be alright since it's not paying any bills and it's only 3 months from seed to bowlDr bronner's works. 4tbs/gal. I also use with pyrethrum when I'm really angry. DE is always here and neem is at the ready! This old guy would sacrifice the plant and burn it and it's soil in a Bon fire. Mites never get a free ride inside!
actually the half life is quite short so you can use the area after a few days of airing out. but still, it is a last resort, imho. and definitely cant have the room be part of your house if it's sealed with the rest of the house.That don't come inside either. At least be aware of what that is all about. Not to be used in areas used by humans.