Garden Update — Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Daily insights generated from live sensor and weather data, compared across 3 AI models. Sensor data from Ecowitt GW1200 · Weather from Open-Meteo · Dunedin, NZ
Live Sensor Readings (Ecowitt)
| Sensor | Value |
|---|---|
| Outdoor temp | 12.9°C (feels like 12.9°C) |
| Outdoor humidity | 82% |
| Dew point | 9.9°C |
| Soil moisture (ch1) | 46% |
| Rain today | 1.5mm |
| Pressure | 1014.4 hPa |
7-Day Weather Forecast
🌅 Sunrise: 7:32 AM · Sunset: 8:00 PM · Day length: 12.5 hrs
| Date | Max | Min | Rain | Rain% | Wind | UV | ET₀ | Radiation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17/03 | 16.6°C | 12.3°C | 0.0mm | 23% | 25kph | 5.6 | 2.1mm | 15.9MJ/m² |
| 18/03 | 17.2°C | 10.9°C | 3.2mm | 73% | 26kph | 5.5 | 1.5mm | 6.9MJ/m² |
| 19/03 | 16.6°C | 10.6°C | 0.0mm | 0% | 16kph | 5.5 | 2.5mm | 17.8MJ/m² |
| 20/03 | 14.9°C | 12.2°C | 0.0mm | 0% | 10kph | 5.5 | 1.4mm | 9.7MJ/m² |
| 21/03 | 17.3°C | 9.7°C | 0.0mm | 5% | 7kph | 5.5 | 2.5mm | 17.7MJ/m² |
| 22/03 | 17.7°C | 11.9°C | 0.0mm | 11% | 7kph | 5.0 | 2.1mm | 13.9MJ/m² |
| 23/03 | 16.0°C | 12.6°C | 0.0mm | 10% | 18kph | 4.2 | 1.7mm | 13.0MJ/m² |
Generated at 7:48 AM NZDT
AI Model Comparison
⚠️ 2 model(s) did not respond:
claude-opus-4-6,claude-sonnet-4-6
🟢 OpenAI — gpt-5.4
The main point today is that the brassica bed is still within the safe moisture band, but it is running on a real moisture deficit and has been drying for a week. All 12 brassicas are only 17 days from planting, and the live soil sensor reads 46%, so this is still an establishment phase bed rather than a harvest-phase one. With only 1.5 mm of rain today and just 3.2 mm forecast over the next three days, the broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage need moisture conserved more than they need intervention above ground.
Observations
- Soil moisture fell from 52–55% on 10/03 to 46% today → the whole brassica bed is drying through the root zone even though it is still inside the ideal 40–60% range.
- Past 7-day rain totals 17.7 mm against 15.7 mm ET₀, but 12.0 mm of that rain fell on 13/03 alone and the sensor has still slid down to 46% → much of that surplus was short-lived, so the transplants are no longer coasting on the earlier soaking.
- Forecast rain in the next 3 days is only 3.2 mm while ET₀ from 17–19/03 totals 6.1 mm → the bed is likely to continue drying unless the forecast rain over-delivers.
- Wind has been consistently brisk, with 22.4–28.1 kph actuals over the past week and 25.6 kph forecast tomorrow → evapotranspiration pressure stays up on the young brassicas even in mild temperatures.
- The maintenance log says comfrey mulch was applied on 12/03, but the bed record still says “Mulch: none applied yet” → mulch depth/status is uncertain, which lowers confidence in how fast the current 46% reading will fall.
Actions for Today
-
Brassica bed — establishment phase (17 days from planting)
Soil moisture is 46% and still in the ideal band, but the 7-day trend has dropped from the low 50s to mid 40s and forecast ET₀ exceeds forecast rain by about 2.9 mm over 17–19/03 → the bed is not dry today, but it is moving that way → do not water today; recheck the sensor tomorrow evening after the forecast 3.2 mm rain, and only water if ch1 is at or below 40–42%, applying 8–12 L across the 3.74 m² bed in a slow soak. -
Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage — early root-establishment phase
Comfrey mulch was logged 5 days ago, but mulch status is contradictory in the bed notes → moisture conservation is too uncertain while the bed is trending downward → confirm that the mulch is actually present and sitting clear of stems; if it is patchy, top it up this afternoon to a thin 2–3 cm layer between plants, not touching the transplant crowns. -
Whole brassica bed — post-establishment tonic timing
Seaweed tonic was applied on planting day, 17 days ago → that establishment drench has done its job, and these plants are now in active root expansion rather than immediate transplant shock → no repeat liquid feed today; reassess feeding at about the 3–4 week mark from planting if growth looks to slow, rather than feeding on schedule without a plant cue.
Skip today
- Blanching cauliflower heads — all three cauliflower are only 17 days from planting, far too young to be forming curds.
- Harvesting any broccoli or cabbage — every plant is still in early vegetative establishment, well ahead of the expected May–July harvest window.
- Netting changes — fine insect mesh is already in place and forecast wind peaks at 25.6 kph, below the >30 kph urgency threshold given in the rules.
Variety Watch
Broccoli (Green Dragon, Purple, Side Sprouter) — early vegetative establishment — root-zone moisture is still acceptable but trending down
Cauliflower (White, Cheddar, Violet) — early vegetative establishment — too young for curd care; steady moisture matters most now
Cabbage (Lion Heart, Dutch Red, Cannonball) — early vegetative establishment — mild weather suits leaf build, but drying soil will check momentum first
Looking Ahead
The key shift is a small rain event on 18/03: 3.2 mm forecast against 1.5 mm ET₀, followed by two drier days with ET₀ of 2.5 mm and 1.4 mm. That rain may pause the decline, but it is unlikely to fully reset the bed, so the moisture reading on the evening of 18/03 will matter more than the forecast itself.
Horticulture
Newly transplanted brassicas spend their first few weeks rebuilding the fine root hairs that were disturbed at planting. Those root hairs do most of the water and nutrient uptake, but they only function well when the soil stays evenly moist and oxygenated at the same time. If the bed swings between wet and drying, the plant keeps diverting energy into root repair instead of pushing leaf area, and leaf area is what later drives head, curd, and heart formation. That is why young broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage often respond more to steady moisture than to extra fertiliser in the first month after planting.
The bed sat cool and damp today, with the brassica patch at 46% moisture under a grey, windy sky.
This post was auto-generated by the Garden AI pipeline. Weather data from Open-Meteo · Claude & GPT insights · Built with Astro