Aerogarden

[labradors]

Do let me know how the Rosemary turns out!

Too funny about the thumbs down for growing flowers :). I have flower gardens too, but I really love my veggies, and cannot imagine using an AG for them, but people seem to love growing petunias in them!?!?!?

Glad the methi pancakes turned out well. It's so exciting when we can harvest veggies from our AG's. I have a tomato that's about ready to give me a punnet full of cherry tomatoes! I swore I wouldn't bother, as I had some bad experiences growing tomatoes (in soil) under lights, but this (Kratky) tomato is doing well so far. (The secret is to only grow the micro's).

[lolotsung]

Does anyone know why my parsley looks like it's dying?

So I tried buying some wide mouthed mason jars because I notices some algae inside. They are shorter so the black bag covers them better. Also I noticed my mint roots are black but the plant looks healthy. Should the roots look white? I have been using the AeroGarden food and I noticed someone on the internet said to use half the amount in kratky jars. Some people were using other food like Envy, General Hydroponics, Masterblend

Two basil plants died. I noticed mould at the bottom. I Changed all the water and put in new jars. Maybe roots are rotting? Also, side note, two basil plants did run out of water (still moist in the jar) before I noticed their leaves were wilting. I'm not so sure how much this effects plants "not in soil"...

[labradors]

I think that your parsley is dying because you have drowned the air roots. When you start Kratky, you can keep the water level close to the bottom of the net pot so that the roots can be in the water. After the plant has grown and the water level has gone down, you will find the air roots (which look white, fuzzy and bulky). I usually allow a space of 2" below the bottom of the net cup for the air roots and, once I determine where that is, I draw a black line with marker pen or stick a long piece of duct tape along the waterline on my jars to make it easier for future top-ups.

I don't think all roots are white. I haven't grown mint in hydroponics but my basil roots look brown yet they are healthy.

The amount of AG nutes per gallon is 11 ml. (I use vinegar jars to store mine when I make it up. Bottles for distilled water work too). Just use the water from the gallon jugs for every top up.

I use Maxigro because the AG nutes are so pricey and I'm saving my little bottles to use with my Aerogardens.

Good luck!

[lolotsung]

Oh ok, I haven't checked the prices. That's a good idea. I think my next adventure will be a dwarf tomato plant. My family is wondering why I'm a gardener now. I said it's part of my emergency preparedness plan. They said wouldn't it be easier buying some canned food. . Oh boy, I watched about 10 kratky videos and not one person mentioned air roots. They said leave a gap so they can get oxygen but no mentioned of drowning white fuzzy air roots. LOL. Now I know. Thanks!

[lolotsung]

I am watching a video on how to grow parsley and the person said to top up with water because the plant will consume water faster than nutrients and you might have to high a concentration of water so you need to check the total dissolved solids. I think I need a meter.

[labradors]

Air roots are very important. I'm surprised that nobody mentioned them. Don't get them wet either! I killed a plant by pouring water over the air roots. Now I just lift the whole plant up high when I top up.

I don't have a clue about EC meters. I have learned that the cheap pH meters don't work. The expensive ones are pricey for a few jars of Kratky. Most people just wing it, tossing out the water from time to time, and starting afresh. I managed to save a tomato plant doing that :). I might get the liquid pH tester stuff as we have well water, which may throw things off a bit!

If you try a tomato plant, it should probably be a "micro". I'm growing "House" which grows a foot tall. One is smaller, and it's in a quart sized mason jar. The other is in a gallon pickle jar. It's difficult to support them, especially with an overhead light. I might try an upside-down cage next time.

I want to try Aztek some time. Pinnochio, Birdie Jaune and Tiny Tim are other micro varieties. Red Robin tastes good (I've grown it in soil).

[lolotsung]

Oh boy, I've been pouring water right into the pot. Willy nilly. I didn't know you can't get the air roots wet. I took a better look at the parsley roots and I don't see white or anything fuzzy except at the bottom it's white. The air root area is brown. Some YouTubers just pour water into the pot. Some say don't lift cause you may damage the delicate roots. None mentioned not getting the air roots wet. I'm ok with wing it. I told my neighbor I have 5 basil plants and I'm not sure what to do with them. She said turn them upside and dry them. They aren't any different from what you buy in a jar for $4. Have you ever tried putting a plant from a kratky jar into the soil in your backyard?

[labradors]

It's odd that you cannot see the air roots, they are usually quite bulky right underneath the pot, but yours are skinny in that spot. I use an indoor watering can with a skinny spout to direct the water along the side of the jar so as not to get the air roots wet. I don't have to lift the large plants too much doing that. I don't think it matters to lift the small plants until the roots get huge and even then I just gently squeeze them to get them back inside the jar.

I've recently planted several Perpetual Spinach and a Basil into the garden. The spinach looks great. The Basil was rather large and is looking a bit sad, but I keep everything well watered and shaded from the sun. (I'm finding it difficult to harden-off things in Kratky jars as I don't want to put glass jars outside and risk them breaking).

Another idea for you is to take cuttings of your basil and put them in water (inside) to root. Once the roots are nice and big, it's easy to plant them. That could be a back-up idea :).