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This topic started mixed-in with a Kale grow comparing kale grown in Aerogarden, manual hydroponic "splasher", and soil. But, in the Indoor Salad book, one of my DIY projects is a splasher. So I started out just wanting to test the instructions for the DIY project, since it's been a while. Then I wanted to try out my new 1-part vegetative organic nutrients vs. one-part vegetative inorganic nutrients.
Then I decided I wanted to sell a kit for this DIY project, as a launch special to go with the book. Then I needed to select the product components and verify them and the instructions. And bonus seeds to go with the selected lettuce seeds...
Yeah, like that. It kind of snowballed.
Anyway, the first couple posts here are just copy-pasted from the kale growlog. Then further posts of tester salad's progress.
Then I decided I wanted to sell a kit for this DIY project, as a launch special to go with the book. Then I needed to select the product components and verify them and the instructions. And bonus seeds to go with the selected lettuce seeds...
Yeah, like that. It kind of snowballed.
Anyway, the first couple posts here are just copy-pasted from the kale growlog. Then further posts of tester salad's progress.
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Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Toy choi and mims are "bonus seeds" on the splasher product. Summer crisp lettuce is the main feature.
I planted toy choi in my AGPro same day as the splasher, and it's using the same nutes (though I didn't dump and refill at 1 week point). Planted baby choi in another AG mini last night, not comparable. (Baby choi are a bigger dwarf variety, and take 10 days longer than toy choi.)
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Summercrisp splashers still in their prime, and I planted toy choi on Sunday - 4 in a new configuration splasher, shorter tub on top. The splashers seem to grow a little better with fewer rocks and more reservoir, and it's certainly cheaper that way on shipping, so reconfigured the product today - less growstones, more reservoir.
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Lettuce harvesting last week (still haven't eaten it all):
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
I bet you'll like the summercrisp.
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Oh well, live and learn. I found some of the lettuce you recommend and will be ordering some.
Yes, I have all loose leaf lettuce. I had my first salad using it tonight~! It is a bit thin, but it did taste
good!
Whatever you do, don't over-feed lettuce. It gets nutrient burn really easily (browned crunchy edges, poor growth and flavor).
I'm impressed with this lettuce variety - summercrisp - for looking pretty and crunchy all the time, even in winter dry air. And resisting bolting even in summer heat. From what you're saying, it's mostly the choice of variety. Sounds like you're growing "loose-leaf", which does tend to be paper-thin grown indoors. Though two of these splashers are loose-leaf - red sails. It seems to grow at loose-leaf speeds but have more body than most. Still loose-leaf floppy, though, which I don't like for the splashers. Keep getting the leaves caught in the tubs. And as far as the "red" goes... it isn't, very.
Edit: BTW, one of the IndoorSalad products, the lettuce splashers refill, can be used as an Aerogarden kit. It comes with this lettuce seed plus bonus seeds.
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
Libby
Verdict: the organic and inorganic nutes grow about the same, within error tolerance (no two plants get the same light, attention, perfect water levels, etc. - close enough.) All tubs seem to grow about right for hydroponic lettuce, slightly slower than they would with full aeration. No real surprises.
From now on I just eat the lettuce.
The mimulus is so unimpressive, I checked back to a previous grow. It really did look like nothing at 3 weeks, then flowered at 6 weeks. This one might take longer.
Moderator. Author of Indoor Salad, Ecigs 102, and the Calm Act climate apocalyptic series.
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