Daily and Weekly Checks (Glasshouse / Substrate Systems)
This page is a practical routine checklist for maintaining stable crop performance.
The goal is to catch drift early and avoid over-correction.
Daily checks (10–15 minutes)
Climate and canopy
- Minimum/maximum temperature (since last check)
- Humidity / VPD trend (morning and afternoon)
- Condensation / leaf wetness in early morning
- Vent opening behaviour (stuck vents, overshooting, large swings)
- Signs of heat stress (leaf cupping, wilting, scorch)
Irrigation and drainage
- First irrigation time (too early/late relative to light)
- Total irrigations so far vs expected
- Drainage present? (yes/no and roughly when it starts)
- Any blocked drippers or uneven wetting
- Runoff EC and pH quick check (spot sample)
Crop behaviour
- Leaf posture and colour (turgor, dullness, shine)
- New growth quality (soft/hard, distorted, slow)
- Any sudden symptom patterns (edges, tips, interveinal)
- Root zone smell / obvious anaerobic notes (where visible)
One “numbers snapshot”
Pick one consistent time daily (e.g. late morning) and record:
- Feed EC / pH
- Drain EC / pH
- Drain % estimate
- Outside weather note (bright/dull, windy, cold night)
Consistency beats precision.
Weekly checks (30–60 minutes)
Calibration and equipment
- Calibrate pH meter
- Check EC meter against standard solution if available
- Clean probes and store correctly
- Inspect irrigation filters and flush lines if needed
Water and nutrient verification
- Confirm raw water EC, pH, alkalinity trend (if you track it)
- Confirm stock tank levels match expected use
- Cross-check injector ratios / dosing system behaviour
- Inspect for precipitation or sludge in tanks/lines
Root-zone assessment
- Do a consistent substrate check:
- moisture pattern
- smell
- root colour and density (where possible)
- Look for compaction or channeling
- Note any areas performing differently (zones, bays, benches)
Drainage and accumulation control
- Estimate average weekly drain %
- Check whether drain EC is drifting upward week-on-week
- If EC is rising, confirm:
- drain % adequacy
- uniformity
- climate stress (VPD/heat) limiting uptake
Crop inspection (structured)
- Walk the crop in a consistent pattern
- Take a small set of repeat photos each week
- Note:
- pest pressure
- disease pressure
- new symptom development
- fruit/flower quality changes
Sampling schedule (simple baseline)
Raw water analysis
- Seasonally (or when source changes)
- More often if using blended sources or boreholes
Feed solution lab check (optional)
- Monthly or when troubleshooting persistent drift
Drain/substrate lab check (optional)
- Monthly for long crops
- During troubleshooting
Common warning signs (what they usually mean)
Rising drain EC + falling uptake
Often indicates:
- root oxygen stress
- VPD stress reducing function
- insufficient drainage fraction
- salinity accumulation
Leaf disorders despite “correct feed”
Often climate-transport issues:
- humidity too high (low VPD → low transpiration)
- swings between too dry afternoons and wet nights
Symptoms worsen after you “fix it”
Often stress memory / recovery lag:
- plant physiology responds with delay
- over-adjustment creates instability
Key principles
- Watch trends, not snapshots
- Change one thing at a time
- Make small adjustments
- Stabilise before optimising
The best systems don’t chase perfection — they avoid drift.