The Cheap Vegetable Gardener

Building of an indoor computerized grow box

13.6 years ago indoor growbox 31 Comments

Before going into my latest version of the grow box, I think it would be good to go through the brief history of my computerized grow boxes.

Version 1: PC Grow Box

It all started with my daughter’s question for her science project “Why don’t strawberries grow during the wintertime?”  After some discussion she decided because it was too dark and too cold (pretty smart for a kindergartener)  To prove her hypothesis we created the original computer grow box.

Now the only thing computerized about this one was the fact that it was made from an old PC case using a simple lamp timer hooked up to control the CFL lights and a incandescent to provide a little extra heat.  This system worked great the strawberry plant thrived and produced about a dozen berries and we had proven that yes you can grow strawberries during the wintertime.

As with any iterative development process I did look at some of the shortcomings of this design and made some improvements.  Though this was the perfect size for this experiment when I started consider using this for starting some of my seedlings the plants quickly overgrew this small space.  The other problem was the ability to maintain ideal temperatures for growing.  As the ambient temperature rose in my garage so did the grow box (by plus 15F normally) so this became a maintenance issue trying to keep this in check.  This led to the next version.

Version 2: The True Computerized Growbox

This is where things started to get a little technical, my primary concern was temperature control.  This would allow me to create the perfect growing environment for my seedlings and plants by using a pretty simple software program, an arduino prototyping board for the electronics, and a few solid state relays I was able to achieve pretty consistent temperature in the grow box.

This design led to a couple of issues; first it worked great for seedlings but as the plants matured I ran out of room fast.  Second was temperature control, the CFL/incandescent combo was good at adding 10-15 degrees to the ambient temperature but when weather got very cold or hot there was not much that could be done to get the box out of these extremes.  These we the inspirations for the most recent build.

Version #3: The deluxe computerized grow box

Space: First off the new box is over 3 times bigger than its predecessor.  This allows ample space for plants to grow up and out as needed.  Specially the dimensions are 4 feet wide and tall with a depth of 2 feet.  It is constructed underneath my workbench which is supported from studs in the wall and 2”X2” posts as legs supporting the actual workbench.  The walls of the grow box is made from a single sheet of quarter inch plywood…I probably should have spend a couple extra dollars for half inch for a little more insulation but hey this is the Cheap Vegetable Gardener.  Speaking of insulation…there is none, I might rethinking this while growing peppers over the summer to save a little on heating costs but for now I don’t need it.

Lighting and Heating: Here are a couple more major improvements in this build. I have installed a 120 watt LED system from Advanced LED Lights and picked up a pair of 150 watt ceramic reptile heaters for $17 each on Amazon. Now for me this was a pretty big purchase but they were a steal provided they normally sell for $40 each at my local pet store. Between the very cool LEDs putting almost no heat and the heaters pumping out as much as I can need, this grow box is ready for any adverse weather that comes my way no matter what season.

Ventilation: I went simple with this high performance CPU fan dangling from a couple of wires…this is on my list to create a better install of this but hey I have a newborn at home give me a break =)

Watering: I really liked the bottom feeding system that I had in the old grow box but provided that now I have four separate trays to fill this makes things a little more complicated.  For the watering system material I chose to go with PVC pipe because it is easy to work with and is fairly inexpensive.  Another benefit is because I am using a low pressure system to pump the water in (low end pond pump) just making them hand tight is good enough to prevent leaks and allows me to make quick and easy modifications as needed.

This was good when I made the misfortune of making the intake (see picture above) a little two low and accidentally created a syphon and if I wouldn’t happened to have been in the garage when it kicked on I would have had nearly my entire 5 gallon bucket of water on the floor of my garage.

The next problem was that water will simply flow out the first free flowing outlet, so to create a small amount of water pressure to ensure the trays were getting filled evenly I used a threaded 1/2” cap with an 1/8” hole in the middle to restrict the flow enough for even distribution.  The rest of the piping included a couple of elbows, 4 T-joints for each tray and an end cap to stop the flow of water at the end of the pipe.

Hardware: The PC I scraped together from spare parts and was showing an end in life was near, so I upgraded the 12 year old desktop with my 7 year old laptop.  Which added a little performance but also cleaned up the need for LCD display, keyboard, mouse.  As an added bonus this made the brains of grow box much more portable which allowed more evenings of troubleshooting in my living room versus cold garage.

Software: This is an area where I will be the first to admit I went overboard on, but when you find something you are passionate about it is very easy to do.  Building upon the previous version of my software for the old grow box I made some cosmetic changes to give the UI a design that is similar to a thermostat.  I also included some temperature trending (up/down arrows next to the temperature) along with some basic (Min/Max/Avg) information for quick analysis for the climate of the grow box on that day.

To have easy access to see how the plants have been doing while I have been away I have the ability to view the current conditions inside the box but also to check on images taken in the past.

Finally we have the “Settings” screen which allows the ability to change optimum temperature range, lighting conditions, and watering configurations.  I also added an hydroponics mode which works on timed on/off cycles versus being based on moisture content in the soil.

Lastly as I mentioned previously I have implemented Windows Phone 7 mobile support, which I am still limited to using on an emulator given Verizon taking their sweet time bring a model for to market for me to purchase…this provides a view into the grow box and also allows me to remotely turn on/off the controls watering, lighting, heating, and the fans within the grow box.

Overall I couldn’t be more pleased with my current configuration and the plants are thriving in their closely monitored and controlled climate…now I just have to hope that the temperatures outside will fall into some reasonable ranges to they can thrive outside of this box.

Many uses for egg shells in your garden

13.6 years ago easter, egg shells 9 Comments

This time of year you probably have a larger number of egg shells heading to your trash.  Between dying Easter eggs and our new tradition of making Ukrainian Easter bread (uses over a dozen eggs) I end up with quite a pile of egg shells.

The good news is there are many uses for these to use in your planting and in your garden.

Use #1 Soil amendment: Egg shells consist of calcium carbonate which many of your plants desperately need; apples, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, citrus, conifers, cotton, curcurbits, melons, grapes, legumes, lettuce, peaches, peanuts, pears, peppers, potatoes, tobacco, and tomatoes (just name a few)   What I like to do is collect the egg shells and throw them in a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer.  Once I have a dozen or so saved up I put them into the oven (when I am warming it up to bake something else) and give them a good toasting.  I quick spin in the coffee grinder and I have some great calcium powder to apply to plants when planting, or seep in some water overnight to give your tomatoes a quick boost if they are appearing sufficient.

Use #2 Compost nutrient additive: If you start getting too much lying around you can also add some to your compost pile to give that black gold a little extra boost.  Just be sure you crush them finely (or powder as mentioned in Use #1) or you will just find a bunch of whole eggshells in your finished compost.

Use #3 Seed pots: If you are even just a little bit careful when cracking these eggs you can add a little soil to these egg shells add a seed and use them to start seeds.  Provided that the seeds are round you will want to also save the egg carton to keep them upright.

Use #4 Pest deterrent: Using the same method of creating a powder in Use #1 this granule form can be sprinkled around the base of your plants to deter cutworms and slugs who will find these abrasive surface undesirable.

Winner of the WetCircuits power strip is…

13.6 years ago Uncategorized Leave a comment

The winner of the WetCircuits powerstrip giveaway is Journey11.  For the rest of you stay tuned this growing season since I am always on the lookup for products to giveaway.

How to keep deer out of your garden

13.6 years ago deer, guest post, pests 6 Comments

Photo from Alberta Home Gardening

Ever-Increasing Deer Damage

Deer are one of the most widely distributed mammals, inhabiting every continent throughout the world, except Antarctica and Australia. As the human population increases, the natural habitats of deer continue to decline causing deer to have no where to go, but developments and suburban areas. The result is a continual increase in property damage caused by deer. Not only is property damage an issue, deer harbor diseases that can be passed to humans, pets and livestock. Finding an effective deer repellent is crucial to protecting your family, pets and yard.

There are many ways to control deer from entering your land and destroying your property. Some are effective and others are not. One method that is not very effective is planting “deer proof” plants. The label “deer proof” is in fact a misnomer because a hungry deer will eat any plant when preferred food sources are scarce.

Another option is installing a fence around your property. This method is also not the best deer repellent as deer can jump over fences, even as high as 8 feet. Installing a fence is not only ineffective, it is also costly and detracts from the look of your landscape.

There are more effective and cost-efficient methods to stop deer from entering an area. They include motion detector sprinklers, liquid deer repellents and electronic deer repellents. These methods harmlessly condition deer and other wildlife to stay away. (Preventing Deer Damage)

A Motion Detector Sprinkler – An Innovative Deer Repellent

An effective, cost-efficient, and safe deer repellent is the innovative motion detector sprinkler. This type of deer repellent utilizes water spray and noise to create a humane and highly effective solution to property damage caused by deer. Not only is it effective on deer, it can protect areas from all types of destructive animals, including cats, dogs, raccoons, groundhogs, opossums, skunks, squirrels and geese. The motion detector sprinkler keeps cats from using gardens as their litter box, prevents dogs from digging up recently seeded lawns, and keeps rabbits from feasting on gardens. Moreover, it is the perfect way to prevent cats, raccoons and birds from eating fish out of a decorative pond. A safe, effective alternative to chemical repellents, the motion detector sprinkler is also a highly economical solution in place of fences, perfect in those areas where fencing is not an option due to aesthetics or local land ordinances.

How The Motion Detector Sprinkler Works

This humane animal and deer repellent offers 24-hour protection for yards, gardens and landscaping. When the infrared motion sensor detects movement, a startling burst of water ejects from the sprinkler. The “tic tic tic” noise of the sprinkler, combined with the sudden jet of water, causes a negative experience for the trespassing animals and wildlife. This negative experience conditions them to avoid the area in the future. Motion detector sprinklers will guard up to 35 feet in every direction for a total of 1000 square feet of coverage. To protect a greater area, link multiple sprinklers together. Thanks to the random spray pattern and adjustable sensitivity detector these innovative sprinklers use, animals won’t become accustomed to the water sprayer.

Setting Up A Motion Detector Sprinkler

A motion detector sprinkler installs quickly and easily. First, determine proper placement to increase its effectiveness. Place the system where you see animal or deer paths. Look for tracks or droppings and intercept the animals on their way to food, such as vegetable plants, flowers, shrubs or ponds. The simple set up consists of installing a standard battery, connecting the sprinkler to a hose, and using the step in stake to push the unit into the ground. High-tech systems include an infrared proximity and pivoting sensor, which automatically turns the unit on when deer are in sensing range. Eco-friendly models use only 2-3 cups of water per spray. Mid-range models offer remote functionality, timer options and a sprinkler mode. Premium models can be placed in any location since they are solar-powered and hose-less, as water is supplied by a refillable basin (Havahart Spray Away).

Liquid Deer Repellent

The most effective liquid deer repellents target both the highly developed sense of smell and taste of deer. Putrescent egg and garlic target the deer’s sense of smell. To a deer, these scents mimic the smell of a decaying animal, fooling the deer into thinking a predator is nearby. This activates the deer’s flight response, causing the deer to flee the area out of fear. Capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, targets the deer’s sense of taste. A deer will immediately stop feeding on plants treated with capsaicin due to the burning sensation upon contact, making capsaicin an excellent deer deterrent. Liquid deer repellents are applied directly to plants and come in convenient, ready-to-use formulas. Higher end liquid deer repellents are undetectable to humans after drying and only need to be reapplied every few months. If using in vegetable gardens, be sure the liquid deer repellent has the OMRI logo, which means it is approved for use in organic gardening (Capsaicin).

Electronic Deer Repellents

Electronic deer repellents work very similar to an electric fence. They are battery-powered and installation is easy. Simply apply a scent lure to the deer repellent posts and stake them along paths that deer frequent. The deer that wander on a homeowner’s property won’t be able to resist temptation of the scented lure and will touch the posts and receive a static shock. This gentle, yet unpleasant, shock will condition the deer to stay clear of your yard, providing effortless 24-hour protection (Havahart Electronic Deer Repellent).

Works Cited

Preventing Deer Damage. 12 May 2010

Capsaicin. 19 April 2010. 22 April 2010

Havahart Spray Away. 12 January 2011

Havahart Electronic Deer Repellent. 12 January 2011

Guest Post Written By Havahart®

WetCircuits water resistant power strip giveaway

13.7 years ago free, giveaway, indoor growbox, wet circuits 31 Comments

I previously reviewed the WetCircuits water resistant power strip and risked death by electrocution to prove the products worth.  In acknowledgement of my valiant bravery they have agreed to provide another power strip for me to giveaway to the great readers of CheapVegetableGardener.com

If you haven’t heard of the WetCircuits power strip it built to be shock resistant so pouring water on it, pushing tweezers into the outlets will not shock you.  This may seem like a pointless feature but if you have ever spilled coffee (or dumped a watering can of water) on an outlet you will appreciate these features greatly.  Now I must say it is much more entertaining to see this in action so check out the video from WetCircuits.

 

If you think their video was done with camera angles and expensive video editing, here is my own independent recreation of one of their experiments.

 

So if you are in the continental United States, just enter a comment below and I will pick a winner at random on 04/23/2011 Midnight PST.

There are multiple ways to enter:

• 1. Add a comment to this post
• 2. Like CheapVegetableGardener on Facebook (add an additional comment to the post)
• 3. Like this contest in facebook (add an additional comment to the post)
• 4. Mention this giveaway on your site/Twitter (add an additional comment to the post)

How to make your own vanilla extract

13.7 years ago cheap, storing, vanilla, vodka 21 Comments

Every time I buy vanilla I always have to stare at the bottles for a few minute contemplating if I should pay the extra cost for “Pure Vanilla” versus the imitation stuff.  Provided the real stuff costs 15 times more than the fake stuff when I walk away with my little eye dropper worth of pure vanilla extract for the small fee of $7.99.  Just for the record that equates to $638.72 per gallon, which makes gasoline look pretty cheap.

The last time I made this purchase I decided this is the last time I would be buying vanilla and in the future I would simply make my own.  After looking into the process I was blown away by how simple it was.  Take some vanilla beans seep them in some alcohol and wait until it looks like vanilla.  There are many advantages to making your own vanilla first of which is cost.  For the same $7.99 I purchased 2 ounces of vanilla for I can make 12.68 ounces of my own.  Another great benefit is as soon as you start looking for vanilla beans online you will see there are many different types to choose from creating your own special blends using beans from different areas as well as a variety of alcohol to infuse it in.

Many recipes I came across describe how to make super high concentration versions that require to to reduce your usage by quarter or half.  I decided to attempt to make some single strength vanilla so mine should be similar to that purchased in the stores.  I confirmed that commercial vanilla extract has 13.35 oz. of vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol.  Provided I am using 375 ml of alcohol in my batch I would need 1.33 ounces of vanilla beans which equates to approximately 2.5 vanilla beans, which I picked up for $2.99 for 3 pods.  Next was alcohol choice, for this you want something about 70 proof (35% alcohol) some obvious choice in this range are vodka, rum, or bourbon.  With a desire to keep costs low and a desire to be able to see how the liquid’s color changed I went with the second cheapest 375 ml bottle of vodka I could find (I splurged and spent the extra 50 cents).

Step 1: As mentioned above the process is very easy, you start by splitting the vanilla beans lengthwise.

Step 2: Take the split beans and cut them to one inch lengths.

Step 3: Insert cut beans into bottle of vodka

Step 4: Shake bottle (when you think about it)

Within a few days your alcohol will begin to get dark and have a nice vanilla smell, but keep holding out for the good stuff.

After about a month your vanilla should be fully infused and have some vanilla with approximately the same strength as the expensive stuff you buy in the store at a fraction of the cost.

Now at this point you have a couple options:

Option #1: Screen out the vanilla beans (and fragments) and if beans (after dried)are still fragment place them into a sealed container with a few cups of sugar to make your own vanilla sugar.

Option #2: Let the vanilla to continue to infuse and have progressively stronger vanilla.  For super flavor shake before using to get some of the bean fragments into your measurement.

Option #3: Top off the bottle with alcohol after use to have a nearly endless supply of vanilla.  Eventually you will need to add a couple more beans.

Since alcohol is naturally a great preservative, if you keep your vanilla out of light (or in a dark glass container) it should be good for about 5-6 years without losing too much flavor.