After dropping the twine on my Nugget bines a third time, one of the the bines has again reached the top of the twine. I think at this point I'm going to let the top of the bine start slumping over. I read that would encourage the growth of laterals. I think that the length on that Nugget bine is at approximately 15 feet now. I think that's pretty good for a bine growing on a condo balcony.
The stumpy Cascade seems to have given up and shriveled to death. That sucks, but that's the reason I bought two rhizomes of each variety.
The surviving Cascade is still shorter than the two Nugget bines, but it's started shooting out new horizontal growth. I hope those are the laterals I've been reading about.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cheap Fermentation Temperature Control Update
The modifications I've made to my temperature control (putting my cold water reservoir in my mini refrigerator) are not working out well. So far, the control seems to have trouble keeping the beer below 68 during fermentation. That isn't so bad for the Belgian blonde I'm doing right now, but I like some of my other beers to ferment cooler. I may consider looking for a larger reservoir.
I'm also considering changing the placement of my temperature probe. Right now I have it attached to the carboy below the first couple inches of beer. But I've notice my temperature readings near the bottom of my carboy are about 8 degrees cooler than near the bottom couple of inches. Something to look into later.
I'm also considering changing the placement of my temperature probe. Right now I have it attached to the carboy below the first couple inches of beer. But I've notice my temperature readings near the bottom of my carboy are about 8 degrees cooler than near the bottom couple of inches. Something to look into later.
Hop Update
A couple of days ago I had to add about five extra feet to the twine on my Nugget hops. The Nuggets are continuing to grow vigorously. The healthy cascade is still growing rapidly, though not as impressively as the Nuggets.
Unfortunately, the sickly Cascade is looking like a goner.
As for the fungus gnats, I've been letting my soil dry until I see the leaves at the top getting a little crispy before I water. I've also been watering with the garlic solution. The gnats aren't as plentiful as they were, but there's still a lot of them buzzing around my pots. I've also started putting out little dishes of vinegar mixed with a few drops of dish soap around the plants. The vinegar traps look like they're catching hundreds of gnats, but they don't stop coming. I didn't want to use poison on my plants, but I'm starting to reconsider now that I'm seeing gnats buzzing around my house (where they might land in my beer).
Unfortunately, the sickly Cascade is looking like a goner.
As for the fungus gnats, I've been letting my soil dry until I see the leaves at the top getting a little crispy before I water. I've also been watering with the garlic solution. The gnats aren't as plentiful as they were, but there's still a lot of them buzzing around my pots. I've also started putting out little dishes of vinegar mixed with a few drops of dish soap around the plants. The vinegar traps look like they're catching hundreds of gnats, but they don't stop coming. I didn't want to use poison on my plants, but I'm starting to reconsider now that I'm seeing gnats buzzing around my house (where they might land in my beer).
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