Greenhab Report – February 08th

Crew 221 GreenHab Report 08FEB2020

GreenHab Officer: Jessica Todd

Environmental control: Heating. GreenHab door shade cloth (40%) (30%) on. Door opened today for four hours from 2:45 pm to 6:52 pm due to very warm weather.

Average temperatures: 24.33°C

Hours of supplemental light: 19:30 to 00:00

Daily water usage for crops: 14.7 gallons

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 1 gallon

Water in Blue Tank: 227.3 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 2

Changes to crops: One of our succulents has died (picture attached). I managed to rescue three out of five, waiting on one, but sadly the other one is completely dead. Rest of the GreenHab looks really healthy, including the tomatoes. Ginger plant going strong and we have some new bell peppers and lettuce sprouting!

Narrative: Morning watering was a little late today due to the early EVA, but plants all look really healthy. Commander Maria and I set up a new experiment in the GreenHab, attempting to grow mungbeans in different ratios of Earth and Martian soil. We have several beds of mungbeans growing in 100% Earth Soil, 100% Martian Soil, 50%/50% Martian/Earth Soil and 70%/30% Martian/Earth soil. We will be monitoring the soil pH and nutrients to see if the Earth soil can populate the Martian soil with some healthy bacteria (Mark Watney style!). Evening watering was uneventful, all the plants save the succulent look pretty healthy. We should be ok to harvest herbs again tomorrow.

Harvest: NA

Support/supplies needed: NA

Other Notes: Sprayed one of the lettuce plants with pesticide. The bugs seemed to have fled the sprayed herbs and onto the lettuce. The lettuce plants in the hanging Ikea pots are having trouble with over-moist soil, as the pots have no drainage. Am I able to mix some perlite in with them to help absorb up the water? Also should I fertilize the plants at all while I’m here?