8" tomatoes? no way....

So here we are several weeks I believe into this indoor growing session and it's time for an update. I am now operating, if you want to stretch to call it that, 3 different setups. The setup here is at home, using 2 standard CFL's like you get at any hardware store, except the package claims 6500Kelvin; well into the range of sunlight. At the University I have an LED setup over a small container with tomatoes and cucumber, then above the shelf that's under I have a shelf built with a window box containing a variety of seeds lit by a standard 2x T12 shop lamp using daylight bulbs.

After transplanting part of the crop into a larger window box I found the plants I moved to be doing well. I was surprised to find the roots of the tomatoes and the peppers to have taken over most of the pots they were in. The tomatoes as you can see have flourished and grown considerably since they started as seeds one at almost 8" and the rest between 6-7".


The cilantro on the other hand I have not transplanted but I did thin it out some to give the rest more room to grow. Although I fear the cilantro may not be doing so well. One plant has given up completely and many of the others have yellowed quite a bit. From what I read online it could several things. Not enough light, soil too cold for nutrient pickup, soil lacking enough nitrogen, or santa clause isn't someing to town. I don't think that lack of moisture is an issue, I water the plants nearly daily and the cilantro about every other or every couple days, as per previous information of the plant not liking the water a little here and a little there. Guess time will tell, I would assume since I used potting soil that tends to be high in nitrogen maybe it has to do with temperature. (apt stays around 68-70)The Basil is having somewhat of the same issue. The plants are strong and sturdy, smell good and have sprouted their second leaves but I notice a strong yellowing tenge in these as well.

At least the peppers seem to be doing ok. I have thinned most the plantings to encourage growth and prevent over crowding. The peppers may be a little close but I'm hoping this will encourage root growth toward the front and back of the box.

I'm thinking it is about time to start some kind of matrix to track productivity, and hopefully next week I can get the light meter to measure these lights.

Update on growth at the school

My plants at school are taking off like wildfire. I'm starting to think the fluorescent fixture here putting out a greater quantity of light is making a difference. At first appearance the LED plants are lagging some behind the others above, this may prove the LED's to be ineffective, but...time will tell

We have sprouts!

So as expected these buggers are growing. Setup here at school has cucumbers and lettuce gettin after it already. It's been 3 days since I planted these and the cucumbers are broad leafed and a little over an inch tall. Although the cucumbers under the LED's have sprouted they are slower than the fluorescent setup. I think I may have planted it a day later but even then it's a little behind.



No pictures yet but the tomatoes at home are about 6" tall and thriving. Basil is starting it's second set of leaves. Cilantro looks sickly, but from what I read that seems common. I'll get them transplanted this week.

Pictures of the school setup

Ok, so these posts I made together but in the ability to keep my data straight on here I made 2 posts. So I would know when I planted seeds and progress. So last night I noticed the first few sprouts starting to come through. This plant stuff has really almost brought out a parental overseeing out of me for some reason, but I kind of enjoy it. Anxious to enjoy the harvest in the coming months. Sorry for the picture quality, I didn't have my camera and had to borrow one I am not familiar with.

Finally got this stuff done and together

I finally got my stuff at school setup and working. One LED setup using red and blue lights. Red is supposed to promote growth and the blue is supposed to promote flowering. That is setup under a shelf so it blocks the light above, to try and keep it as accurate as possible. The other light is a typical twin bulb t-12 daylight bulb setup. Still haven't measured the spectrum on any of these but soon as I do I'll get a matrix setup to show some data. These I also have setup on a timer to make it easier to regulate the light. With my random hours it makes it easier to control.

My oh My...

Well these buggers are growing fast. I've had to pick some out to thin the bunch of basil, and the tomatoes are shooting for the sky, and the peppers, well lets just say I'm shocked at the success. It appears a few of the green bell peppers from the grocery store are sprouting and I've more than doubled the number of sweet peppers I had before. It's time to start replanting some of these things in larger containers, looks like there might be a bountiful harvest in a month or two.













I finally finished the light fixture as well. I bought the ceramic light fixtures like you would use in a basement or closet for $1.50 at the thrift store. The reflector, wood, screws and brad nails were all scraps I acquired at no charge. I had to buy an extention cord to have a plug and wire. I've found it much cheaper to go buy one of these for $2.50 and cut the end off then buy wire and a plug. Then to hang it up, ceiling hooks, chain and 4 39 cent eyebolts.




I still need to work on something prettier to cover the shelf, the cardboard works for now, is cheap and effective, but...it's lacking in the aesthetic department. But at least the light is up. It currently only has 3 bulbs in it (Compact Fluorescent) I'm hoping I can get by with that, if not the box is made to hold one more for a total of 4. So...I guess we'll see.

Not much new

It's plants, they grow.....

only new development is a couple more of the peppers are sprouting, tomatoes getting bigger and the cilantro is kinda lanky.. here's pictures for viewing pleasure. Most of the seeds were a lot more successful than I had imagined, except the green pepper which was a gamble anyway, so I'm fearing that I may have to do some replanting in the near future. For now I"ve been using 1 specialized CFL, to light these, but I'm almost done with the reflector box that will hold 4 CFL's for these plants, and working on the setup at the school, more on those to come.

Finally!!!!

FINALLY!!!!!

I was worried about these little guys but they came through, the first sprout of the peppers! I don't think the green bell seeds I planted out of the supermarket pepper are going to sprout but this is good news.