Computer controlled grow box – Part 1

 CheapVegetableGardner 029

The Idea and Design

My PC Grow box was very effective though it did have some shortcomings along with my desire for tinkering caused me to create a new version code named “Project Everbearing” after the test subjects for the project, several Everbearing strawberry plants I propagated from my garden last Summer/Fall.  The specific shortcomings I wanted to overcome were temperature control and limited size.  My grow box has to live in my garage so on cold nights the temperatures can fall low enough to kill my summer seedlings (tomatoes/cucumbers)  Size is an easy fix just make it bigger though it is more difficult to keep a larger grow box warm and still well lit.�

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Create a cheap PC thermometer with PS2/Gamepad Controller

You might be thinking what does this post have to do with vegetable gardening? Bear with me, I don’t have time to do a complete write up on it right now but let’s just say this is a component for “Project Everbearing” I gave my 7-year-old the honors of coming up with the codename, since he is my faithful assistant and cheerleader.

For my current project I need the ability to measure temperature with my PC. Now there are plenty of gadgets out there I could have simply purchased a commercial product for around $40+ and saved myself a lot of time but I really wanted to brush some dust off my soldering iron and try to save some cash, this is the CHEAP vegetable gardener after all.

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