Day 85
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
And a picture to update. I am actually seeing a couple better leaves on the plant in back, but the main plant is the productive one.
GrowLog
SuccessfulItalian Dandelion Reboot with One Highly Productive Plant
Grow log by pfunnyjoy · Original thread
5 visual updates6 photos15 replies
View recapCrop🌱Italian dandelion, chicory
VarietyItalian Dandelion
MethodAeroGarden hydroponics
EquipmentAeroGarden 6 Elite+
Plants-
AudienceAdvanced
What you can learnA mixed-success chicory diary showing seed-starting difficulty, nutrient sensitivity, and the value of maintaining a productive survivor.
Actions:4 Solution4 Pruning2 Equipment1 Nutrients1 Harvest1 Transplant
Useful practices
- replacing burnt seedlings
- switching nutrient formulations
- regularly harvesting the strongest plant
- removing failed plants
- using foil around thick plant bases
Problems encountered
- difficult germination
- nutrient burn
- spindly seedlings
- uneven plant performance
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
Day 58
UPDATE#4
Grower update
Update #4
Not archivedOpen original URL
Actions taken
SolutionChanged the reservoir solution.
PruningRemoved two plants that were alive but not growing.
TransplantMoved the spindly plant toward a deeper reservoir position.
EquipmentReplaced pod covers with foil.
2024-02-13Rinse and refill. The large plant continues to do well. The plant in the right rear corner has grown, but it is spindly and with a lot of brown spotting. The leaves are more stem than anything green. The plant to the left of the successful plant has some actual leaves now. I think the two plants at the left rear and middle rear are a total loss and have removed them. They were still alive, but not growing and hardly had any roots.The spindly plant has a long tap root, and I wondered if it was languishing because of being on the shallow end of the reservoir bowl. I moved it inward, but in the process, it kind of flopped over a bit. The same happened to the small left plant when I removed the pod cover. I replaced both pod covers with foil. Hopefully they’ll perk up. I need to do some harvesting later.Nutrients (per gallon):1.6ml GH CALiMAGic4.0g GH MaxiGro5.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxideNutrient mix pH: 6.0Nutrient mix EC: 1.4
Conversation
P
2024-03-01Rinse and refill, a couple days late. The two front plants are still giving leaves, got a NICE harvest just a couple days ago from them! The spindly plant in the back has not improved. It’s growing leaves, slowly, but all are very thin.Nutrients (per gallon):2.0ml CALiMAGic5.7g GH MaxiGro5.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxideNutrient mix pH: 6.0Nutrient mix EC: 1.7
L
Maybe you should just remove the spindly plant? Sometimes a plant just doesn't thrive. Maybe the proximity to the light post is the problem? I avoid the hole in front of the light post on my Bounties, because plants never seem to do well in that spot.
P
I haven't noticed any issues in the past about growing near the light post, but yeah, if the plant doesn't do better, I might pull it. However, it looks like it might be rallying after the rinse and refill. I've got two normal looking leaves on it today! There's another young green leaf, remains to be seen if it will be spindly or not.
P
Oops! I was wrong about the spindly plant. What I thought were non-spindly leaves were ones that had leaned over from the high yield plant. Which needs harvesting again. That's fine, as I was going to make some green juice tomorrow.So I may end up pulling the spindly one. the leaves are better than they were, but still more stem than anything else.
Day 17
UPDATE#3
Grower update
Update #3
Actions taken
HarvestReported two harvests of four to five leaves.
SolutionChanged the solution using a lighter nutrient mix.
PruningRemoved a dead plant and trimmed damaged leaves.
EquipmentRemoved a warped TPU cover and fitted a foil skirt.
2024-01-02: 1 monthOne plant is doing quite well. I’ve harvested it twice, getting 4-5 leaves each time. The other seedlings are struggling. One died. All badly damaged leaves trimmed again.Today is rinse and refill day, and I’m keeping the nutrients even lighter in hopes that the remaining seedlings will grow. It may hinder the more progressed plant, but that might not be all bad if the others can catch up a little.I discovered that the TPU pod cover on the more developed plant was warping rather badly and popping off the pod, potentially letting light in. This may be a detriment to this style of cover for plants that get thick at the base. At least the slit makes them easy to remove. I’ll see if putting it in warm water for a bit helps reshape it. Meanwhile, I grabbed some foil and made a little “skirt” for the plant.Nutrients (per gallon):1.0ml CALiMAGic 2.0ml Flora Micro 2.0ml Flora Gro 2.0ml Flora Bloom 5.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxide1.0ml pH DownpH: 6.0EC: 0.7Where there's green there's hope!
Conversation
L
pfunnyjoy, the plant that is doing well is probably hogging the nutrients. The weaklings might do better if you moved them, or the large plant, to another garden.
P
It's possible. But I don't yet have room for another garden cleared. I'm to let it ride, if it's only the one plant, then it can go wild. Which it seems inclined to! I can see what looks like quite a gnarly bunch of roots under it! So I'm not sure it would be easy to move.As for the seedlings, they may be damaged enough that they wouldn't thrive anywhere. This garden just has to be a learning garden, hopefully next time, I'll have a whole garden full thriving.
P
2024-01-09Rinse and refill. The one plant has taken the nutrients down to 0.6 EC. No idea if the other seedlings will make it or not. I’ve cut damaged leaves off them again. The single happy plant is producing nicely, so I want to keep it fed. Trying MaxiGro again.I've been harvesting the successful plant every 2-3 days and adding the greens to my green juice. Although not a true dandelion, it is growing like a weed!Nutrients (per gallon):1.0ml CALiMAGic3.0g GH MaxiGro3.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxide1.4ml pH DownNutrient mix pH: 6.0Nutrient mix EC: 1.0
P
2024-01-25Rinse and refill. Trying to up the nutrition, but not burn the smaller plants, which are starting to grow again, though not enough yet to be productive. Definitely need to do some harvesting on the large plant!Nutrients (per gallon):1.2ml CALiMAGic3.4g GH MaxiGro4.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxideNutrient mix pH: 6.0Nutrient mix EC: 1.2
Day 4
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
Actions taken
SolutionChanged the reservoir early and switched to GH Flora series.
PruningSnipped off the most damaged leaves.
2023-12-21: Day 19The seedlings are growing, but not looking good. Lots of nutrient burnt or curled leaves. I've had it, I'm switching to GH Flora series and seeing if that helps. The switch to AG nutrients has done nothing wonderful. In case the room was too warm, I shut the vent off a couple days ago. Early rinse and refill.Nutrients: GH Flora series1.0ml CALiMAGic2.5ml Flora Micro2.5ml Flora Grow2.5ml Flora Bloom5.0ml 3% hydrogen peroxidepH: 6.0EC: 0.8The most damaged looking leaves have been snipped off. Wait and see what happens mode.
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update
Update #1
Actions taken
SolutionChanged the reservoir on day 14.
PruningRemoved the worst nutrient-burned leaves.
NutrientsLowered the nutrient dose and diluted the reservoir.
2023-12-15: Day 12Add nutrient light has come on. PH is 6.0. EC is 1.1.The taller sprouts seem to have a bit of nutrient burn or other problem. I guess I can try using a little less in the way of AG nutrients. I don’t know what else to do, other than carry on, see if the seedlings can get going and thrive.2023-12-17: Day 14Rinse and refill day. Removed the worst nutrient burned leaves. I’ve cut the AG nutrients to 7ml, instead of 2 capfuls (8ml). It’s also possible the issue is with the amount of cal mag, but our water is EC 0.0 and supposedly soft, so the plants probably need some.AG nutrients: 7.0ml per gallonCALiMAGic: 2.0 ml per gallonPH Down: 0.5 mlEC of the mix seemed a bit too high at 1.1, so I filled the garden with nutrient water, but about a half inch short of the fill line, then added PH adjusted water from my watering jug. Hopefully the plants will like this better. Playing it by ear.PH 6.0EC 0.9