Garden Update — Sunday, 22 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 | 12.8°C (feels like 12.8°C) |
| Outdoor humidity | 81% |
| Dew point | 9.6°C |
| Soil moisture (ch1) | 47% |
| Pressure | 1015.2 hPa |
7-Day Weather Forecast
🌅 Sunrise: 7:39 AM · Sunset: 7:50 PM · Day length: 12.2 hrs
| Date | Max | Min | Rain | Rain% | Wind | UV | ET₀ | Radiation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22/03 | 17.7°C | 11.4°C | 0.0mm | 10% | 15kph | 5.3 | 2.0mm | 12.6MJ/m² |
| 23/03 | 17.4°C | 11.8°C | 0.0mm | 0% | 14kph | 5.3 | 2.3mm | 16.1MJ/m² |
| 24/03 | 21.1°C | 11.6°C | 0.0mm | 0% | 8kph | 5.3 | 3.0mm | 18.4MJ/m² |
| 25/03 | 14.0°C | 12.2°C | 0.1mm | 3% | 25kph | 3.3 | 1.0mm | 6.0MJ/m² |
| 26/03 | 14.3°C | 13.0°C | 5.8mm | 47% | 50kph | 1.6 | 0.8mm | 3.6MJ/m² |
| 27/03 | 21.7°C | 14.5°C | 0.2mm | 50% | 48kph | 2.2 | 2.2mm | 9.1MJ/m² |
| 28/03 | 20.9°C | 16.1°C | 0.0mm | 33% | 11kph | 3.6 | 2.4mm | 11.4MJ/m² |
Generated at 7:22 AM NZDT
AI Model Comparison
⚠️ 2 model(s) did not respond:
claude-opus-4-6,claude-sonnet-4-6
🟢 OpenAI — gpt-5.4
The brassicas are not dry yet, but the bed has moved into a moisture deficit: the soil sensor is still a workable 47%, while the past 7 days ran about 1.4 mm more ET₀ than rain. With no rain due before 25–26 March and ET₀ climbing to 3.0 mm on 24/03, the broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are entering a short watch window where steady moisture matters more than abundance.
Observations
- Soil moisture has eased from 50–51% on 19/03 to 47% today → the brassica bed is drying back after last week’s rain rather than holding moisture.
- Past 7 days rain 12.9 mm versus ET₀ 14.3 mm → the bed is carrying a small accumulated moisture deficit despite the sensor still sitting in the ideal 40–60% range.
- Forecast rain in the next 3 days is 0.0 mm, with ET₀ rising from 2.0 mm today to 3.0 mm on 24/03 → the recently mulched bed will likely lose enough water to push young brassicas toward check in growth if left too long.
- No frost signal is present today: live temperature 12.8°C, dew point 9.6°C, and forecast minima 11.4–13.0°C through 26/03 → transplant stress today comes from drying and later wind, not cold.
- Wind is forecast to jump to 50.2 kph on 26/03 and 48.1 kph on 27/03 → the existing insect mesh becomes a structural issue as well as a pest barrier and could rub or tear if not secured.
Actions for Today
-
Brassica bed — establishment to early vegetative phase (22 days from planting) 47% soil moisture + 7-day balance of rain 12.9 mm minus ET₀ 14.3 mm + no rain before 25–26/03 → moisture is acceptable now but trending downward into a forecast drying spell → water once on the morning of 24/03 if the sensor is still below 45–46%, applying about 8–10 L across the 3.74 m² bed, slowly under the mulch and mesh.
-
Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage — early vegetative phase Netting is already on, but forecast wind of 50.2 kph on 26/03 and 48.1 kph on 27/03 → mesh movement can abrade leaves and loosen edges even when pest pressure is not the main issue → check and tighten the insect mesh by 25/03, securing edges and any high points so it cannot flap onto the plants.
-
Brassica bed — early vegetative phase Seaweed tonic was applied at planting on 28/02, now 22 days ago → the establishment feed has done its job and these transplants are now in active leaf-building rather than immediate root recovery → give no liquid feed today; wait until after the 26/03 rain and wind event, then reassess growth and colour before any further feeding.
Skip today
- Harvesting or blanching cauliflower — plants are only 22 days from transplanting, well before curd formation or harvest stage.
- Extra watering today — live soil moisture is 47%, inside the ideal brassica range, so watering immediately would be premature.
- Pest intervention — today’s advice has no observed pest sign, and no action is justified without a specific symptom.
Variety Watch
Green Dragon, Purple, and Side Sprouter broccoli — early vegetative — steady moisture now matters more than feed while leaf area builds
White, Cheddar, and Violet cauliflower — early vegetative — far too young for blanching; avoid any check in growth before curd initiation
Lion Heart, Dutch Red, and Cannonball cabbage — early vegetative — holding in the ideal moisture band, but the bed is drying gradually
Looking Ahead
The key shift is a dry, higher-demand spell through 24/03, peaking at 21.1°C and ET₀ 3.0 mm, followed by strong wind and 5.8 mm rain on 26/03. Prepare by watching the moisture sensor through 24/03 and securing the mesh before the 26–27/03 wind arrives.
Horticulture
Young brassicas are especially sensitive to uneven soil moisture because early leaf expansion is setting the canopy that will later support head, curd, or heart formation. When the root zone swings from comfortably moist to mildly dry, stomata begin to close, reducing carbon uptake and slowing the steady production of new leaves. In broccoli and cauliflower, that early slowdown can echo forward as weaker frame development before reproductive structures begin. Mulch helps by damping evaporation from the soil surface, but it does not erase a sustained gap between rainfall and atmospheric demand. That is why a bed can still read “acceptable” on a sensor while quietly moving into deficit over several days.
The bed sat at 47% all day while the air stayed damp and mild under the mesh.
This post was auto-generated by the Garden AI pipeline. Weather data from Open-Meteo · Claude & GPT insights · Built with Astro