GrowLog
Successful

Yellow Mustard in a Wicking Bottle with Food-Scrap Fertility and Springtails

Grow log by ERR0R1755 · Original thread

7 visual updates12 photos11 replies
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CropMustard
VarietyYellow Mustard, unknown culinary seed variety
Methodself-watering wicking bottle, soil container growing, in-container decomposition
Equipmentwicker bottle, cloth wick, water reservoir
Plants1
AudienceExperimental

What you can learnA highly unconventional closed-loop bottle trial combining seed-source testing, wicking, springtails, homemade fertility, flowering, and on-site decomposition.

Actions:2 Finished1 Transplant1 Nutrients1 Equipment1 Pruning
Useful practices
  • testing viability of culinary mustard seed
  • using a cloth wick in a recycled bottle
  • adding perlite and eggshell as a fungus-gnat barrier
  • adding springtails to assist decomposition
  • chopping the finished plant and returning it to the soil
Problems encountered
  • unknown variety and traits because the seed came from culinary seasoning
  • lower leaves became unhealthy
  • the plant grew taller than the Bounty light

*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.

Day 33
UPDATE#7
Grower update

Update #7

Actions taken

PruningCut the finished mustard stem at its base.
FinishedChopped the plant, placed it on the soil, and covered it again with sand.

E By ERR0R1755

For an experiment (and especially given the unconventional seed source), I would consider this a success! I've cut the stem at the base, removed the sand, cut up the entire plant and placed it on top of the soil (along with a few other dried leaves I had around), and covered it with sand once again.I'm curious to see the long-term effects this has and whether or not the springtails will break down the organic materials further so that future plants in this bottle grow better.
Day 32
UPDATE#6
Grower update

Update #6

E By ERR0R1755

Going to end this soon - the lower leaves look unhealthy, and the plant is taller than the Bounty's light.
Conversation
S
Shawn

Pretty flowers too bad you have to end,

Day 27
UPDATE#5
Grower update

Update #5

E By ERR0R1755

Flowers coming soon!
Conversation
S
Shawn

Lots of tiny buds

Day 22
UPDATE#4
Grower update

Update #4

E By ERR0R1755

I am impressed by how well this is doing. The roots have also grown through the wick and down into the water reservoir.
Conversation
S
Sher

That is impressive!!

S
Shawn

I love your experiments!

Day 15
UPDATE#3
Grower update

Update #3

E By ERR0R1755

Conversation
S
Shawn

That grew quite a bit in a week.

Day 8
UPDATE#2
Grower update

Update #2

Actions taken

EquipmentAdded a perlite layer and powdered eggshell to deter fungus gnats.

E By ERR0R1755

This is going well so far! I've added a layer of perlite and a dusting of powdered egg shells to deter fungus gnats. The roots have started growing down to the bottom of the bottle, and I can see the springtails moving throughout tunnels in the soil.
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update

Update #1

Not archivedOpen original URL

Actions taken

TransplantTransplanted a sprouted culinary mustard seed into a wicking bottle.
NutrientsUsed dehydrated powdered food scraps as a homemade fertility source.
FinishedAdded springtails from a colony to the bottle system.

E By ERR0R1755

I had set aside some seeds from a container of "McCormick Gourmet Organic Yellow Mustard Seed" seasoning, and I wanted to see if I could get any to sprout. One did, so I transplanted it into a wicker bottle, but I have no idea what variety it is or what traits it might have.For the wick I am using a strip of cloth from an old tattered shirt, and instead of buying fertilizer or using my AG nutes, I dehydrated and powdered some food scraps before mixing it into the soil.The charcoal chunks fell into the bottle when I was adding springtails from my springtail colony, but I've decided to leave them for now in case there are any springtail eggs on them. I'll probably remove them later.
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