Paul's Harvest Gardens

[Paul]

Thought I'd start a thread to share my set up;
Harvest 2019 set up on 09-11-2020
My first Harvest 360 set up on 09-19-2020 and added the second one on 09-23-2020.  When I set up the second 360 I moved three romaine pods started on 09-19-2020 so the tomatoes and romaine were all started on that date....I just added the additional 360 on 09-23-2020 during a double secret underground husbands only covert operation!

Day one of Harvest 2019 started on 09-11-2020 and then this morning's photos of the Harvest 2019 and two Harvest 360s.  The Harvest 2019 has the standard gourmet herb pods, one 360 has three heirloom cherry tomato pods and the other 360 has three romaine pods

[Shawn]

All your plants are looking great Paul.  You are really doing well!

Oh what healthy looking plants. Please keep us updated on their growth through to harvests!

[Paul]

Thanks Shawn!  Even the spouse unit sat down "in the garden" this morning.  She had a cup of coffee as I was setting up my work day, commented how much nicer this is than the aquaponics we were doing years ago and was amazed at the growth in such a short time.

[Paul]

Thank you Corinne!  I appreciate the encouragement
I will post weekly updates and look forward to my first harvest!  I'll certainly post that too.

[Sher]

Paul, you have a beautiful little garden.

And I am delighted that your wife is also enjoying it!

[Paul]

Although it seems a bit soon for an update post I just had to share---

Romaine


Gourmet Herbs (notice some change in the G Basil?


`maters


This is what is missing from the G Basil!!!  Had to trim, just too soon in my opinion to raise the lights on this one just yet.  I'll have to trim the T Basil too later today.


I trimmed some of the initial dill which was just absorbing nutrients.  Did that yesterday noonish - close up

Verdant! I have my eye on that succulent looking Romaine especially!

[Paul]

Thanks Corinne!  I can't wait to have a salad with a home made vinaigrette with the other herbs!  We had BLTs yesterday and I was really tempted to clip a few romaine leaves but restrained myself.  I had to defer to a Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA to hold myself back 

[Sher]

Those are some of the most meticulously maintained hydro gardens I've seen.  They are head turners!

[Paul]

 thank you sher01!  I probably have a wee bit of ocd! 

[Paul]

I harvested some advice from Shawn today (in case you're wondering why I'm posting so much today - I decided to call in "cough cough" sick today and instead of the usual Halloween binge watch since it's October I've been perusing the threads).
Shawn had mentioned rotating pods on a couple of threads I read.  Some of the reasons I believe mentioned made this a propitious opportunity to say that the comments made answered some questions I had on my mind.

Questions like roots in the filter system, and root weaving if that's a proper term?
I read that Shawn had rotated pods for lighting reasons and again elsewhere for filtration.  I'm not positive but I think there may have been a reference to root rot as well.

Armed with this information rotated most of my pods today.
This makes a lot of sense - the lighting is static as opposed to the movement of the sun.  Then we have the issue of space for roots to do what they want to do and there's only so much "Room at the Inn".  And then with the filtration and roots this makes so much sense, the last thing we need is our filtration and pump to fail.

Thought I'd mention this here since this is my first thread, a noob, and really like sharing with the community!

[Shawn]

Yes Paul, I do rotate often for all the reasons you mentioned.  One of my main reasons is to also keep each set of roots contained into balls.  They form and do not hurt the plant as long as you do not over turn as to make them too tight.  Here is what they look like:




This helps with them getting into the filter and pump.  I still at times will trim the roots if need but not until they are really mature (or no space in tank).


The other reason is it does give all sides of the plant light as well as when you see plants start to lean one one, when turning they will turn another direction when turned (toward the light).


It is something that I put into practice some time ago and kept up with it.

[Paul]

The hidden gem doing this is the fantastic aroma!  You get all that fantastic smell of the herbs and the wafting aroma of the tomatoes and lettuce or whatever in the air.  "ooo ooo that smell!"

[Paul]

Probably a bit early but here is today's basil havet -

[Paul]

Staying on topic, herbs from the AG Harvest 2019, harvested basil today 10-07-2020 garnished on wings with proper Buffalo sauce.  Basil harvested today was started on 9-11-2020 - sorry about the horrible pic ;

[joes]

Your gardens look healthy and beautiful!

With the basil, I think you want to cut off the top and tops of branches, about 1/4 above a set of big leaves. If you cut off the tips it will grow more branches. I think it is a better way to harvest than taking individual leaves. 

[Paul]

Thanks joes!  I'm pruning down to just above the lower growth or branches. At first I was pruning just the leaves but experience growing in aquapnics and growing other plants I remembered it's better to prune just above new growth as opposed to "topping off" the leaves ready for harvest.  Thanks for the advice!!!

[Shawn]

I prune off leaves or sections depending on my mood LOL...  But those leaves (and dinner) look great.

[Paul]

YEAH!!  Water change time!  Red light alert!  Today AG1 with the herbs gave the old nutrient red light alert.  This being the second nute add since initial setup (almost 30 days can you believe it??) it's time for the monthly water change.
Took a snap of the root system - so glad Shawn recommended the pod rotation.  I would imagine there would be quite a rat-nest of roots had I not taken that advice.
Oh - as some might have noticed I'm a wee bit analytically retentive, and have a little (just a little LOL) OCD.  When I add nutes in the two capful dose I decided to measure into an unused dome the two capfuls and mark the dome with a sharpie.  Now I just pour to the line from the bottle into the dome and don't have to mess around rinsing out the nute cap.  Ya, it's the little things in life that I get excited about 
Love me some roots!