CFL Grow Results: Hydroponic Basil & Sage With Time Lapse

[patonbike]

Do you need to drain and replace the water at some point?

[SleestaksRule]

@patonbike You really need to after 3 weeks for a small project like this. I let it go a month with simply topping it off.

[colmmolloy]

Hi SleestaksRule, I'm researching a small herb garden for my kitchen...I'm finding your videos very helpful so thanks! What CFL bulb are you using for your herbs? I was looking at a 125 watt blue spectrum but the bulbs are very big as you pointed out in another video. Do you think it would be possible to grow a variety of herbs under 2-3 65 watt CFLs? My thinking is that with three smaller bulbs the height could be adjusted over different groups of herbs. Thanks!

[layedout72]

nice job. plants look great. I have a question though, are you going from sprout to full plant under cfl only? i'm trying to gather info on how to start plants that are in rapid rooters and will go under a MH bulb when large enough. I can't find any starting growth info though.

[SleestaksRule]

@layedout72 I started them in the rockwool cubes under T5 bulbs (regular T12 would work too). Once I saw the roots pop out the side of the rockwool I put them under the CFL or in your case the MH.

[layedout72]

@SleestaksRule did you have the rockwool cubes in a dark container, or simply placed in a tray? i'm trying to get a "Starting" area made for my system.

[SleestaksRule]

@layedout72 The seeds went right into the rockwool and under the light. Always works for me.

[ArizonaAdventures]

thats really cool time laspe. great looking garden you've got there. how big of pump were you using?

[Liono68]

Super cool! :)

[Xevus123]

Thanks for the new video. Couple of questions

1) What ever happened to the "top secret project" ?

2) What nutrients did you used for indoor tomatoes last year ?

Also, i've been reading a lot about hydroponics and i think that reason why your indoor tomatoes grown so tall is HPS lamps. Red light promotes tall plants with increased internodal intervals.

[SleestaksRule]

@Xevus123 The top secret project was a carrot growing in a bottle with an air stone at the bottom. I was curious to see how a carrot would grow in DWC. I burned it with nutrients and it didn't recover. I'll try again. Last year I just used Maxigro for the tomatoes. They did ok but not near the result I got this year. I'm about to try some new tomatoes indoors but will handle it differently.

[Xevus123]

@SleestaksRule Did you used another nutrients for indoor tomatoes this year ?

[SleestaksRule]

@Xevus123 I used Maxigro then switched to Floramato.

[mhpgardener]

That was cool. The root mass was awesome. In the process of feeding, how does a root actually work? Are the nutrients absorbed all along the root, or just at the ends? Bobby

[SleestaksRule]

@mhpgardener The main roots are covered with tiny hairs that absorb the nutrients. The main root itself acts as a transport and also an anchor. Some people use foggers to get a really fine mist so that the root hairs really can take in the nutrients.

[Jksax914]

Good video. I enjoyed the time lapse.

[mediamaker2000]

I do have a question for you...How you trim down the basil to get some off of it and let it regrow?

[SleestaksRule]

@mediamaker2000 It can be trimmed down pretty far just above a set of leaves. I think I'll trim it down to just 2 or 4 leaves and see what happens. We have way more than enough and it should grow back in 2 weeks. I'll see if I can catch that mouse live and put him in a video. I saw it a few days ago and it was very slow.

[mediamaker2000]

I am so bummed that the mouse is not in the video! I mean depression category 5 bummed! :-( I like how the basil seems to shake as it grows LOL Like it's dancing! I'll have another time lapse coming out soon as well though it's not hydro. OK, I expect a pesto making video next! LOL

[garygardens]

Okay, your basil wins. I've cut mine back twice now (we used the leaves) because it keeps growing up into the lights. Fantastic growth. Your time-lapse was wonderful and a lot of fun to watch. Have you ever done hydroponics outdoors?

Regards, Gary

[SleestaksRule]

@garygardens I thought your sweet basil won. lol. I did bell peppers outdoors in 2009 in the same DWC containers that I use today. They were very healthy. I had to finish them up indoors under grow lights because I started too late in the year and they just started to flower when cool weather hit.

[PUMBAZZ]

HEy im in kind of a pickle i built a whole bubbleponic system but where im from(colombia) they dont sell hydroton nor rockwool! is there an alternative?! help pls :(

[SleestaksRule]

@PUMBAZZ You can try coconut fiber there is also Leca which is sort of like hydroton.

[19Photographer76]

Time lapse was interesting, I would have pointed it like you did not thinking of the growth. So essentially your using a bubble tub, right. Did you have the water level all the way up at the beginning? What planting medium did you use? I could look back but this will keep it all in one spot. Nice job ~ give the little guy some food:))

[SleestaksRule]

@19Photographer76 Right, just an air stone bubbling it all. I have a clear level on the side and have it marked to keep the nutrients just under the net pots. I let it run way low by accident but they were not hurt. I'm using rockwool, hydroton, and Maxigro for the nutrients. The little guy isn't little....he's fat and slow. He's not too afraid of me.

[LDSPrepper]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[TalksWithDirt]

Are the plants still following a day/night cycle even they have light 24-7? Do timers provide energy savings as well as the lighting cycle the plants expect, or do they indeed grow faster with constant light?

[SleestaksRule]

@TalksWithDirt I have them on a timer and only filmed when the lights were on 18 hours per day. I never tried lights 24/7 before but they do need a period of rest.

[Allen2045]

IM going to have to read up on Hydroponic and try it. Your plants look good.

[loislaney23]

Wow! That was great!! The little plants looked like they were swimming.