Charlie Brown and my first DIY hydroponic garden

[tonydedo]

As I’ve said before, I know nothing about gardening. However, I do remember my great uncle teaching me how to plant zucchini: “Put it in the dirt, and stand back!” At seven-years-old I was disappointed when zucchini vines didn’t immediately come springing out of the ground like the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, but the sentiment was not lost on me - zucchini is easy to grow. So it seemed like a good start for my victory garden.



However, as I walked past a sad looking zucchini plant on the discount rack of my local garden center, my inner Charlie Brown kicked. “This little green one here seems to need a home; I think it needs me,” and off I went with what turned out to be twenty heirloom Black Beauty seedlings stuffed into a coffee can.



So I took the 14 strongest looking seedlings and dropped them into my first DIY hydroponic garden.  The jury is still out as to whether or not these little guys are going to make it, and now after doing a little more reading, I'm worried if they do there won't be enough room.  This is either going to end badly, or everyone one of my neighbors are going to find gift wrapped zucchini on their doorstep in a couple months.

[Sher]

Jul 15, 2020 1:40:32 GMT -5 tonydedo said:

<abbr data-timestamp="1594795232000" class="o-timestamp time" title="Jul 15, 2020 2:40:32 GMT -4">Jul 15, 2020 2:40:32 GMT -4</abbr> tonydedo said:


So I took the 14 strongest looking seedlings and dropped them into my first DIY hydroponic garden.  The jury is still out as to whether or not these little guys are going to make it, and now after doing a little more reading, I'm worried if they do there won't be enough room.  This is either going to end badly, or everyone one of my neighbors are going to find gift wrapped zucchini on their doorstep in a couple of months.

Okay, I am ROFLOL!  I am picturing a jungle of zucchini bursting from your system, and your neighbors' faces when they find dozens of gift wrapped zucchini on their doorsteps!

Yep, it's way too many squash for your system. One might work.

You might transplant the other 13 seedlings into plastic cups with holes for drainage, acclimate them to the outdoors, then plant them outside and see if you little shop of horrors fantasy materializes. 

Or if that sounds too daunting, you could just give them a decent burial in a compost bin!

This looks like fun!

[tonydedo]

The Charlie Brown zucchini finally have a permanent home!

The AeroGarden Farm is lovely, but at $600-$800 for 12"x32" and two 60w lights, it's not the most practical way to build my Covid Victory Garden.

This DIY deep water culture system has two 18"x27" grow spaces, four 75w panels and cost about $200.  It ain't pretty, but neither is my zucchini. 

[Sher]

That is a superb looking system, tonydedo!

[ERR0R1755]

I love it! I just ordered some stuff for a full blown setup on my end too, since I desperately want to grow things taller than a foot

[Shawn]

Our very own Mike has made these and had good success.  I know he used those storage containers and had light panels hanging.  He posted pictures here somewhere.

Looks like it is gonna be a lot of fun working on this project. Enjoy!

[tonydedo]

I noticed something odd about the Charlie Brown zucchini today; each plant has one dying leaf, all in the same spot on the very first stem of the plant.  I assume this has something to do with the anatomy, but don't understand exactly what's going on.  Anyway, I pruned most of the dying stems but left a couple to see what would happen.  Otherwise, the Charlie Brown zucchini seem to be doing alright.

[Sher]

I have only grown zucchini in soil, so I don't know what is going on there. Sorry I can't help you.

[tonydedo]

IT'S ALIVE!!!

Yup, so they Charlie Brown zucchini are definitely thriving!  I'm probably going to have to pull a couple plants from each garden, because it's getting dense and it's hard to find the flowers without wrecking the plants in the process.




Speaking of which, I have a plethora of male flowers, but no ladies yet.  That's okay, because squash blossoms are delicious!

[Sher]

The male flowers usually emerge first.

I have read that the male flowers are sweeter, so insects like to visit them first. Then they move to the female flowers, spreading the pollen.

Cool, huh?

[Shawn]

That is looking really good.  You are doing well with it.

[tonydedo]

Pollinating zucchini is awkward AF.

[waterphoenix]

Hi tonydedo, any updates on this zucchini project? Have you gotten any fruit?