Grow Video: Post Harvest Cleaning
Follow the instructions in this article after every harvest to prepare your Flex Farm for the next crop. Use the steps in the Flex Farm Maintenance article to clean your Flex Farm.
Always check your tank for debris. Remove any debris as it will clog the water lines and disrupt water flow.
You can replant your Flex Farm as soon as it is clean. We recommend planting seeds about 5 days for lettuce, and 7 days for herbs, before your harvest. This way, your new seedlings will be ready to transplant into your Flex Farm after harvesting.
Check out our Cleaning Toolkit for the essential cleaning tools to effectively clean your Flex Farm.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE ROTATIONAL HARVESTING, I.E. PLANTING AND/OR HARVESTING SECTIONS OF YOUR FLEX FARM AT DIFFERENT GROW CYCLE INTERVALS, YOU ONLY NEED TO CLEAN THE ROOT CHAMBERS AND PANELS THAT WERE JUST HARVESTED.
Instructions:
Unplug the light tower and set it to the side, out of the way of the Flex Farm.
Remove top caps and use the bristle brush in your Grower Toolkit to clean any debris out of the holes in the drip lines.
It is recommended to start at the first drip line hole from the irrigation line and work your way to the front of the system with the bristle brush. The water flow will help push debris away from the holes that have been cleaned.
After cleaning drip line holes, flush each of the drip lines using the valves at the front of the Flex Farm.
Place the provided measuring cup or a bucket under the valve located at the end of each drip line.
Open one valve and flush for at least 5 seconds. Close and repeat on the other side.
Unplug the pump.
NOTE: A 3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SOLUTION CAN BE PURCHASED AT MOST DRUG OR GROCERY STORES.
How to Clean the Panels:
To clean the panels, use a spray bottle or a washcloth to apply a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Wipe down with a cloth. Make sure to clean inside the plant spaces as well. This can be done utilizing a plant space brush.
How to Clean the Root Chambers:
To clean the root chambers, drip lines, and tank lids of the Flex Farm use the 3% hydrogen peroxide and a cloth, wipe away, and discard any debris, such as dead leaves, remaining roots, algae, and/or other plant matter.
Final Check & Reset:
Once you are done cleaning, check root chamber alignment, irrigation lines, and pump to ensure there is no disruption in water flow.
Check your water tanks for any large debris that might have fallen in and remove it.
At this point, if you need to refresh your water, refer to the Water Refresh Instructions.
Be sure to recheck your pH and nutrient levels before transplanting your next crop.