Week #6, October 10, 2013: Rage Against The Machine

I think I should just let the pictures do the talking this week lest I overwhelm you with my prolixity. I couldn't figure out what was killing my plants but this week I happened to stumble upon something in the lab.

No, it wasn't the WINDEX spill depicted in the below montage; which by the way I cleand up in accordance with MSDS protocol. Matt insisted he wear a Hazmat suit but I knew we had a financial responsibility to the Biosciences department and cleaned it up with Mr. Clean Premium Reusable Wipes instead; but, I digress...

So what was killing my plants, you ask? Could it be the sheet of ice in the grow box? Hmmm... the thermostat read  29 C°, yet ice was forming on the back wall. My intuition told me something wasn't working properly so I notified the authorities. It just goes to show that you can't always rely on technology and when it becomes blatantly obvious to the most casual observer, you know something has gone awry. 

On a happier note, you can see how well my other plants are doing and if you look closely you can see the tendrils of my pea plant grasping for the bamboo shoot Matt placed in the pot ever so carefully a few days ago.

Just to stir things up a bit, I did a side project for Josh. He was hoping he had isolated Agrobacterium; however, after a most rigorous gram stain and subsequent microscopic inspection, Josh's pipe dream had evaporated quicker than 91% isopropyl alcohol in the Phoenician desert in July. I haven't told him yet so let's keep this one on the down-low. 

There is not much more to report on my garden outside except for the colder temperatures are inhibiting any further germination. I am content with my row of Mung Beans and one Lima Bean plant. I am going to plant additional specimens next week and take my experiment to the next level. Are we there yet?