Microscopic Harvests

March 1st Update.

So, as you can see, a lot has changed since I last updated.

Note: This picture has been taken the day that I administered nutrient baths to all plants that are + 2 weeks old. Expect growth.

Let’s start with the format:
 
I’ve split up the projects, mainly because I needed more room:

Tobacco is still in it’s original planter.

And has expanded to another small cup to better grow the strong seedlings that I handpicked for their traits much like cruel, cruel fate and Darwinism.

Peppers have been removed from their greenhouse, and have been split up.

With two “Hots” and two “Hybrids” replanted into larger cups to allow higher yields.

Garlic Chives have been cut down to two pots, because I got rather fed up with how the pellets were growing them. They’re shoddily growing, and I’m using them more as a test case than anything. 

Regrettably, the Mesclun didn’t really make it, the seed dispersion was really tight, and the entire pots grew together quickly, choking most out.

Here are the two survivors:





Then there’s a couple additions to the cabinet.

Garlic:

 

Tomatoes:



On the subject of lighting.

When I expanded my grow cabinet up, I found that my original idea wasn’t going to cut it, so I took out the old bar light, and replaced it with two porcelain sockets.
(And did all the wiring/installing at 3 AM when I had two hours of sleep in a total of 56. [Read: I should probably be dead.]) Plus I re-routed all the wiring, and made it make more sense on the way to the toggle switch.

On a side note, if anyone knows where to get a bulb that looks like the one on the left, let me know please. I’ll love you forever, I can’t find a replacement no matter how hard I look. 

 

Future additions are planned:

Currently working on a Hydroponic “Ebb & Flow” system to be put out on my balcony.

Still working through getting a plot to plant in through my parents seeing as I’m moving out there soon.

Temporary Vinyl cabinet covering to reflect light better than the brown walls I have now. (A solution until I can get my hands on some non-bubble mylar sheeting.)

 

New Grow: Tobacco, “Havana”

Tobacco?

This idiot’s growing Tobacco?

He must be some redneck.

About a week ago, I ordered a full growing kit that included tobacco seeds from the wonderful  SurfMonkeyCoconut on Ebay.



For a whopping $5  (And the guy even shipped it across the country for free.) I got:

500 ct. Havana Seeds
1 Instruction booklet
20 Big pots
10 Starter pots
20 Marker sticks

You can’t beat that with a stick folks.
If you’re interested in growing tobacco, take a look at starting with one of his kits:

SurfMonkeyCoconut on Ebay

And check out his instructional videos here:

SurfMonkeyCoconut on YouTube

So, kudos given, onto the plant!

 
These seeds are TINY.

I’m using the Jiffy potting soil again for this one, because of the success I’ve had with the Mesclun in it.

 

But this time, I got smart, and instead of trying to mix the soil and water together in the pots, I decided to put it in a bag and mix them that way, to make less of a mess.

 

It was a pain, but I got the soil nice and moist, and packed it into the starter tray.


 
Once that was done, I took a piece of paper and poured some of the extremely small seeds out onto it.



Then I just dipped my finger in a little water, and pressed into the seeds to pick them up and gently rest them on the soil.

 

A quick closeup of how I laid the seeds. (Yes, I know the camera sucks, I’m working on procuring a new, better one.)

 

Then it was time for a quick wrap in foil.

 

And procuring and filling a tray with water to act as a moisturizer.

 

And voila. We’re done!