Are you excited about receiving your Abby and diving into the world of indoor gardening? While the unboxing experience might feel like Christmas morning, it’s essential to recognize that there are crucial elements missing out of the box for a successful grow cycle. Let’s delve into why and what steps you should take to ensure your Abby venture blossoms into a thriving harvest.
1. Hey Abby App’s Temperature and Humidity Readings: Not Always Accurate!
Out of the box, it’s tempting to rely solely on the Hey Abby app for temperature and humidity readings. However, it’s crucial to understand that these readings may not always be accurate. To ensure precise environmental monitoring, invest in a very inexpensive hygrometer that provides real-time results and app access. Testing the settings against an external device ensures that your plants are receiving the optimal conditions for growth.
2. Real-Time Information on Your Grow Environment
While the Hey Abby app is undoubtedly a handy tool, it’s essential to realize that it doesn’t provide real-time information on your grow environment. This could be due to server bandwidth or other behind the scenes technical issues that prevent the real-time transfer of data. Utilizing an external hygrometer allows you to monitor changes as they happen, ensuring you can promptly address any fluctuations that may impact your plants.
3. The Importance of pH Levels in Water
Understanding pH levels is crucial for a successful grow. Invest time in learning about the optimal pH range for your plants and regularly test your water. Maintaining the correct pH level ensures that your plants can efficiently absorb nutrients, promoting healthy growth and development.
While Hey Abby offers some of these products on their website, they are crucial to a successful grow and do not come with the unit itself. Plan accordingly.
4. Recognizing Warning Signs of Nutrient Deficiency
Being a successful indoor gardener goes beyond monitoring environmental conditions. Familiarize yourself with common warning signs of nutrient deficiency and other factors that could cause stunted growth or health issues in your plants. Prompt identification and correction of these issues will contribute to a bountiful harvest.
5. Humidity’s Role in Plant Growth
Understanding the relationship between humidity and successful plant growth is key. Different stages of plant development require varying humidity levels, so adapt your Abby’s environment accordingly. This knowledge will help you create an ideal setting for your plants to thrive.
In this case, we have purchased the Hey Abby “Smart mini USB humidifier with app control” for a very fair price of ~$25. It seems to be doing well despite its very small form factor.
6. Light Leak Inspection and Remediation
Check your Abby unit for light leaks, as these can disrupt the natural light cycles of your plants. If you discover any leaks, learn how to deal with them effectively. Light leaks can impact the flowering phase and overall plant health, so addressing them promptly is essential.
So far, with the light leaks we have found, we have remedied them with tape or foam to help mitigate external light exposure and it also helps keep the grow unit pressurized so that air is not going in or out of areas it should not.
7. Hydroguard: A Necessary Addition for Healthy Roots
To ensure the health of your plant’s roots, incorporating Hydroguard into your Abby setup is not just necessary but highly recommended. Hydroguard helps prevent root rot and promotes a beneficial microbial environment in your hydroponic system. By maintaining a healthy root system, your plants will be better equipped to absorb nutrients and thrive throughout the entire grow cycle.
8. Reconsidering the pH Pen: Look Beyond the Stock Equipment
While Hey Abby sells a pH pen, many users have found it less than reliable as well as rather expensive. Considering the critical role pH plays in nutrient absorption, investing in a high-quality pH pen can make a significant difference. Accurate pH readings are paramount for the success of your indoor garden, so choose a reliable pH pen to ensure precision in maintaining the optimal pH levels for your plants.
We decided to go with this highly rated APERA INSTRUMENTS AI209 PH20 Waterproof pH Tester Kit – which is working great so far!
9. Rockwool or Rapid Rooter: The Foundation for Seedlings
When starting your seeds, it’s essential to have the right foundation. While Abby provides a starting kit, some growers prefer using rockwool or rapid rooter plugs for germination. These mediums offer excellent aeration and moisture retention, providing an ideal environment for your seeds to sprout and develop strong root systems.
10. Boosting Intake Fan Power
Some users have reported that the intake fans on the Abby unit are weaker than desired. Adequate ventilation is crucial for maintaining a healthy growing environment. Consider upgrading or supplementing the intake fans to ensure proper air circulation, preventing heat buildup, and promoting optimal conditions for your plants.
We have also decided to purchase the Hey abby Smart USB Fan with app control 5V1A for additional air flow within the grow environment. Since it’s a “smart usb” connection, it will go directly inside the unit.
We did have to purchase a USB splitter in order to use 2 powered items inside the grow chamber. This is kind of a bummer because – again – out of the box, they should offer more than 1 USB plug for the powered devices they sell.
11. Drying Rack: Essential for Limited Space
If space is a concern, a drying rack becomes a necessary addition to your indoor gardening toolkit. Once your plants have reached harvest, a drying rack allows you to efficiently dry and cure your buds, maximizing available space and promoting an even drying process. Proper drying is key to preserving the potency and flavor of your harvest.
12. Hey Abby Starter Accessory Kit
Quite frankly, the Hey Abby Starter Accessory Kit should ship with every new order as you will absolutely NEED these products to help you along the way. The pruning kit includes a pruner, trellis net, extra airstone, strainer, 8 total magnetic hooks and 8 training ties.
While this kit does ship with the OG unit, it does not come with the 420 unit but it’s a highly recommended accessory that you will find helpful.
Incorporating these additional considerations into your Abby setup will not only address potential shortcomings but also enhance your overall indoor gardening experience. Just keep in mind the added expenditures of having to purchase these necessary items. By paying attention to these details, you’re taking proactive steps towards a successful and rewarding harvest. Happy gardening! 🌿 #AbbyGardeningHacks #IndoorGardeningProTips
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