May 09, 2026
Generated lab notebook from daily_summary, plan_journal, and setpoint audit data. It is intentionally chronological and may include in-progress cycles before validation.
🌅 Morning Cycle (5:54 AM) — iris-20260509-0551
validated
5/10
none recorded
Result: Planner score 57.7 with 53.7% both-axis compliance. VPD was the bottleneck (60.3% VPD compliance vs 78.0% temp). The dry-window forecast did materialize enough to produce 1.87h VPD-high stress, under the <3h target, but the plan badly missed the evening/overnight recovery: 13.5h VPD-low stress and 2.5h dew-point-risk hours, with min dew-point margin 3.9F. Heat stress reached 2.23h during solar load, no cold stress. Cost stayed acceptable at USD 3.92, below the 7d average USD 5.05, driven by electric/fog plus gas; misting-only water was 481 gal but total water meter reporting was 0 gal, suggesting meter/accounting mismatch for yesterday.
Reflection
Validating previous cycle: iris-20260508-2132
Previous hypothesis: Operator recovery plan after OpenClaw planner execution stalled during the May 8 SUNSET cycle. This intentionally preserves the current safe active tunables overnight while the ESP32 v2 band-first controller continues enforcing relay safety every 5 seconds. The next SUNRISE cycle should replace this holdover with a normal Iris (our OpenClaw AI agent) plan. Result: Planner score 57.7 with 53.7% both-axis compliance. VPD was the bottleneck (60.3% VPD compliance vs 78.0% temp). The dry-window forecast did materialize enough to produce 1.87h VPD-high stress, under the <3h target, but the plan badly missed the evening/overnight recovery: 13.5h VPD-low stress and 2.5h dew-point-risk hours, with min dew-point margin 3.9F. Heat stress reached 2.23h during solar load, no cold stress. Cost stayed acceptable at USD 3.92, below the 7d average USD 5.05, driven by electric/fog plus gas; misting-only water was 481 gal but total water meter reporting was 0 gal, suggesting meter/accounting mismatch for yesterday. Score: 5/10
New finding: Aggressive dry-day fog/mist settings can meet VPD-high targets but must unwind earlier and wider than the 17:00 reset when evening RH rebounds; otherwise VPD-low dominates the score and creates dew-point risk overnight. → Added to Lessons Learned
Hypothesis
Testing: Time-gated severe dry-day response: delay aggressive mist/fog until the live morning dry ramp, run strong support during RH ⇐16%, then reset wide by evening to avoid VPD-low saturation. Expected outcome: Planner score >65, both-axis compliance >65%, VPD-high stress <3.0h despite outdoor VPD peak 3.25 kPa, VPD-low stress <2.0h overnight, dp_risk_hours <0.75h, cost <USD 8.00 with water use justified by VPD recovery.
Conditions (structured)
80.0°F
8.0%
898.0 W/m²
44.0%
humid/low-VPD dawn, then clear severe dry-air window from 10:00-15:00 with RH 8-23%; clouds return late afternoon but air remains dry until evening
Expected stress windows
guarded initial thresholds and 45s gaps while live VPD rises from 0.47 kPa
engage 1.05-1.20 kPa, gap 15-25s, vpd_weight 2.3-2.7, fog_escalation 0.15-0.25, earlier cooling bias
reset to engage 1.70, all 2.30, 55s gaps, fog_escalation 0.60 after the dry window
Parameter rationale
limit VPD-high stress during the severe dry window to under 3h without pre-misting the humid dawn period
speed VPD recovery while VPD is climbing, then reset wider by evening to avoid VPD-low recurrence
use vent+fog assist during hot-dry ventilation instead of trying to extend sealed mist cycles
prioritize productive driest zones and avoid wasting center-zone pulses
pre-cool/vent earlier so humidity control is not fighting a late thermal spike
Setpoints
Saturday May 09
Primary crop-band changes:
Humid dawn guard: current VPD 0.47 kPa and dp margin 6.6F; a
Morning ramp: outdoor RH drops to 36% and VPD 1.35, so start
Peak severe dry: RH 8-16%, outdoor VPD 2.31-3.25, solar 738-
Hold severe posture through driest hours: RH 8-10%, VPD 3.0-
Late afternoon taper: clouds return and solar falls, but out
Evening reset: after fog window closes and outdoor RH recove
Tactical tunable changes:
Humid dawn guard: current VPD 0.47 kPa and dp margin 6.6F; a
Morning ramp: outdoor RH drops to 36% and VPD 1.35, so start
Peak severe dry: RH 8-16%, outdoor VPD 2.31-3.25, solar 738-
Hold severe posture through driest hours: RH 8-10%, VPD 3.0-
Late afternoon taper: clouds return and solar falls, but out
Evening reset: after fog window closes and outdoor RH recove
Sunday May 10
Primary crop-band changes:
Sunday reset: cooler morning with low outdoor VPD; hold mode
Sunday midday dry posture: forecast RH 18-33%, VPD 1.4-2.2,
Tactical tunable changes:
Sunday reset: cooler morning with low outdoor VPD; hold mode
Sunday midday dry posture: forecast RH 18-33%, VPD 1.4-2.2,
Changed secondary parameters:
initial 0
initial 0
initial 0
initial 0
initial 0.4
initial 90
initial 60
initial 300
initial 120
initial 120
initial 120
initial 360
initial 90
initial 15
initial 60
initial 500
initial 60
0 → -1
0.4 → 0.25
90 → 60
120 → 90
360 → 300
60 → 45
60 → 45
-1 → -2
0.25 → 0.15
90 → 60
300 → 240
45 → 30
45 → 30
-2 → -1
0.15 → 0.35
60 → 90
60 → 90
240 → 300
30 → 45
30 → 60
-1 → 1
0.35 → 0.6
90 → 120
90 → 120
45 → 60
60 → 90
1 → 0
0.6 → 0.45
120 → 90
300 → 360
90 → 60
0 → -1
0.45 → 0.3
120 → 90
360 → 300
60 → 45
60 → 45
Full secondary parameter dump
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.4.
Value 90.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 360.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 60.
Value -1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.25.
Value 60.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 90.
Value 120.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 45.
Value 500.
Value 45.
Value -2.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.15.
Value 60.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 60.
Value 120.
Value 240.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 30.
Value 500.
Value 30.
Value -2.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.15.
Value 60.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 60.
Value 120.
Value 240.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 30.
Value 500.
Value 30.
Value -1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.35.
Value 90.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 90.
Value 120.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 45.
Value 500.
Value 60.
Value 1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.6.
Value 120.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 90.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.45.
Value 90.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 360.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 60.
Value -1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.3.
Value 90.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 90.
Value 120.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 45.
Value 500.
Value 45.
🌆 Evening Cycle (11:26 PM) — iris-20260509-2004
validated
4/10
none recorded
Result: The plan aimed to prevent the massive overnight VPD_LOW stress from the previous day by using higher engagement thresholds (1.8 kPa) and a fog escalation of 0.8. While it successfully managed the overnight period, the plan was reactive rather than proactive to the morning’s steepening VPD ramp. The forecast underestimated solar irradiance (1173 vs 898 W/m2), which accelerated the humidity drop. The planner score was low (57.7) due to poor compliance (53.7%) as the VPD climbed quickly once the sun rose. The attempt to ‘pre-cool’ via bias_cool (3.0) was insufficient against the solar-driven VPD rise.
Reflection
Validating previous cycle: iris-20260509-0551
Previous hypothesis: Saturday is the first genuinely severe dry-air day after Friday’s VPD-low miss. The plan keeps dawn guarded while indoor VPD is still low, then ramps hard before the 10:00-17:00 RH 8-23% / solar 570-900 W/m² window. Experiment: sharply time-gated dry-day posture — aggressive only during confirmed dry solar stress, then fast evening reset to avoid another saturated night.
{"conditions":{"outdoor_temp_peak_f":80.0,"outdoor_rh_min_pct":8.0,"solar_peak_w_m2":898,"cloud_cover_avg_pct":44,"notes":"humid/low-VPD dawn, then clear severe dry-air window from 10:00-15:00 with RH 8-23%; clouds return late afternoon but air remains dry until evening"},"stress_windows":[{"kind":"vpd_low","start":"2026-05-09T06:00:00-06:00","end":"2026-05-09T09:00:00-06:00","severity":"medium","mitigation":"guarded initial thresholds and 45s gaps while live VPD rises from 0.47 kPa"},{"kind":"vpd_high","start":"2026-05-09T10:00:00-06:00","end":"2026-05-09T17:30:00-06:00","severity":"high","mitigation":"engage 1.05-1.20 kPa, gap 15-25s, vpd_weight 2.3-2.7, fog_escalation 0.15-0.25, earlier cooling bias"},{"kind":"vpd_low","start":"2026-05-09T19:00:00-06:00","end":"2026-05-10T07:00:00-06:00","severity":"medium","mitigation":"reset to engage 1.70, all 2.30, 55s gaps, fog_escalation 0.60 after the dry window"}],"rationale":[{"parameter":"mister_engage_kpa","old_value":1.4,"new_value":1.05,"forecast_anchor":"Sat 11:00-17:00 outdoor RH 8-16%, VPD 2.31-3.25, solar peak 898 W/m2","expected_effect":"limit VPD-high stress during the severe dry window to under 3h without pre-misting the humid dawn period"},{"parameter":"mister_pulse_gap_s","old_value":60,"new_value":15,"forecast_anchor":"dry window has RH <=13% from 12:00-17:00; lesson for <20% RH calls for 15-25s gaps","expected_effect":"speed VPD recovery while VPD is climbing, then reset wider by evening to avoid VPD-low recurrence"},{"parameter":"fog_escalation_kpa","old_value":0.5,"new_value":0.15,"forecast_anchor":"post-PR-A fog assists VENTILATE at vpd_high_eff + fog_escalation; outdoor VPD peaks 3.25 kPa","expected_effect":"use vent+fog assist during hot-dry ventilation instead of trying to extend sealed mist cycles"},{"parameter":"mister_vpd_weight","old_value":1.5,"new_value":2.7,"forecast_anchor":"south/west become driest in clear solar and south misters are most effective","expected_effect":"prioritize productive driest zones and avoid wasting center-zone pulses"},{"parameter":"bias_cool","old_value":0,"new_value":-2,"forecast_anchor":"solar 573-898 W/m2 by 10:00-14:00 with forecast high 80F","expected_effect":"pre-cool/vent earlier so humidity control is not fighting a late thermal spike"}]}Result: The plan aimed to prevent the massive overnight VPD_LOW stress from the previous day by using higher engagement thresholds (1.8 kPa) and a fog escalation of 0.8. While it successfully managed the overnight period, the plan was reactive rather than proactive to the morning’s steepening VPD ramp. The forecast underestimated solar irradiance (1173 vs 898 W/m2), which accelerated the humidity drop. The planner score was low (57.7) due to poor compliance (53.7%) as the VPD climbed quickly once the sun rose. The attempt to ‘pre-cool’ via bias_cool (3.0) was insufficient against the solar-driven VPD rise. Score: 4/10
New finding: On clear spring days with high solar irradiance, the transition from a humid night to a dry morning requires a much more proactive approach to the VPD ramp. Instead of waiting for the VPD to hit the threshold, mister_engage_kpa should be lowered significantly earlier in the morning (around dawn/sunrise) to ‘pre-buffer’ the greenhouse humidity before the solar peak hits. This prevents the rapid ‘shooting past’ of the VPD target. Reliance on late-morning transitions is too reactive when solar gain is high. → Added to Lessons Learned
Hypothesis
Testing: Manual recovery for timed-out SUNSET trigger; overnight humidity reset then delayed Sunday dry-day ramp. Expected outcome: Overnight dp_risk_hours adds <0.5h after 20:00, vpd_low stress does not exceed 5h total, cold_stress stays <1.5h, and Sunday enters noon dry ramp with VPD in or near band without morning saturation.
Conditions (structured)
71.0°F
20.0%
887.0 W/m²
31.0%
humid/cool overnight with outdoor VPD near 0.1-0.5 kPa, then clear dry Sunday afternoon; current indoor VPD 0.34 kPa and dp margin 5.2F after today’s dp minimum 3.9F
Expected stress windows
suppress mist/fog with high thresholds, 60s gaps, fog_escalation_kpa 0.8, and short sealed window
ramp at late morning to engage 1.3, all 1.8, gap 25s, fog escalation 0.3 while solar/RH dry ramp is present
Parameter rationale
reduce heater-to-vent oscillation and cold_stress without raising crop bands
prevent overnight misting and reduce VPD-low/dp-risk hours
delay fog until the real Sunday dry ramp instead of extending saturation
Setpoints
Saturday May 09
Primary crop-band changes:
evening_settle
Tactical tunable changes:
evening_settle
Sunday May 10
Primary crop-band changes:
midnight_posture
pre_dawn
sunrise recovery
late_morning_dry_ramp
Tactical tunable changes:
midnight_posture
pre_dawn
sunrise recovery
late_morning_dry_ramp
Changed secondary parameters:
initial 3
initial 0.5
initial 0
initial 0
initial 0.8
initial 180
initial 60
initial 300
initial 120
initial 180
initial 120
initial 1200
initial 240
initial 90
initial 15
initial 30
initial 240
initial 60
initial 500
initial 120
3 → 2
0.5 → 0
0.8 → 0.7
180 → 150
180 → 150
30 → 45
2 → 1
0.7 → 0.5
150 → 120
150 → 120
1200 → 900
240 → 300
240 → 180
120 → 90
1 → -1
0.5 → 0.3
120 → 90
120 → 90
45 → 60
180 → 120
60 → 30
90 → 60
Full secondary parameter dump
Value 3.
Value 0.5.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.8.
Value 180.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 180.
Value 120.
Value 1200.
Value 240.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 30.
Value 240.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 120.
Value 3.
Value 0.5.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.8.
Value 180.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 180.
Value 120.
Value 1200.
Value 240.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 30.
Value 240.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 120.
Value 2.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.7.
Value 150.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 150.
Value 120.
Value 1200.
Value 240.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 45.
Value 240.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 120.
Value 1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.5.
Value 120.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 120.
Value 900.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 45.
Value 180.
Value 60.
Value 500.
Value 90.
Value -1.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.
Value 0.3.
Value 90.
Value 60.
Value 300.
Value 120.
Value 90.
Value 120.
Value 900.
Value 300.
Value 90.
Value 15.
Value 60.
Value 120.
Value 30.
Value 500.
Value 60.
End-of-Day Summary
Climate
61.4–88.7°F; avg 69.9°F
0.26–2.49 kPa; avg 0.77 kPa
45.3–87.1%
Stress Hours
- Heat stress (>85°F): 2.2h
- VPD stress (>2.0 kPa): 1.9h
- Cold stress (<55°F): 0.0h
Economics
USD 2.50
USD 1.42
USD 2.330
USD 6.25
Equipment Runtimes
Primary exhaust runtime.
Secondary exhaust runtime.
Intake vent runtime.
Fogger runtime.
Electric heater runtime.
Gas heater runtime.
Supplemental lighting runtime.
South mister runtime.
West mister runtime.
Center mister runtime.
Water
- Total: 481 gal
- Mister: 481 gal
Crop Health (Gemini Vision)
Observation notes are collapsed below to avoid publishing partial vision snippets.
Observation notes are collapsed below to avoid publishing partial vision snippets.
Observation notes are collapsed below to avoid publishing partial vision snippets.
Observation notes are collapsed below to avoid publishing partial vision snippets.
Observation notes are collapsed below to avoid publishing partial vision snippets.
Vision observation notes
Foliage appears green and healthy, no obvious signs of stress.
[browning roots, desiccation] Hanging roots appear dry and somewhat brown, suggesting possible under-watering or low humidity despite the current reading.
Seedlings appear healthy and are establishing well.
Seedlings appear healthy, no visible signs of stress.
Seedlings appear healthy, no visible signs of stress.
Hourly Pattern
RH 61.7%.
RH 61.3%.
RH 62.6%.
RH 63.4%.
RH 65.8%.
RH 67.9%.
RH 69.6%.
RH 75.5%.
RH 77.0%.
RH 81.4%.
RH 83.6%.
RH 84.5%.
RH 84.0%.
RH 77.4%.
RH 72.3%.
RH 74.5%.
RH 82.0%.
RH 81.2%.
RH 79.9%.
RH 76.0%.
RH 72.9%.
RH 72.4%.
RH 70.3%.
RH 64.6%.
7-Day Stress Context
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.
Cold stress 0.0h.