Veggies - Farm Left (12/06/2017) ** Term 04/29/2018

[drbanks]

The picture says it

[drbanks]

I think I may have overplanted this.

Still trying to decide whether to fill the gaps in with sacrificial cilantro.

[MaryL]

Sacrificial cilantro is always a good idea I think.

[drbanks]

I'm seeing a sprout on one of the golden tom plants.

Not really sure if I'm going to get the pattypan squash to sprout.  The seeds are like pumpkin seeds (and if I stopped being an idiot for a minute and thought about it a bit, I would have seen that coming), and they simply won't fit all the way into one of the standard Aerogarden sponges.

I'm thinking that while I'm putting together some sacrificial cilantro pods this weekend, I'll try a second planting of the squash using a Rapid Rooter sponge.  As mentioned before, they're almost a perfect fit for the holes in the grow deck, and I've got at least four pepper plants thriving in those, without even using an Aerogarden sponge basket.  I just cut a flat spot into the side of the Rapid Rooter to allow for the water spot in the grow deck, and it all works great.

[drbanks]

Just planted 7 pods of sacrificial cilantro.

[drbanks]

Cukes look like they've sprouted already.

It's been so long since I've grown something other than exotic peppers, I've quite forgot how rewarding it is to see something sprout in less than a week.

[MaryL]

Dec 9, 2017 16:58:00 GMT -5 drbanks said:

Cukes look like they've sprouted already.

It's been so long since I've grown something other than exotic peppers, I've quite forgot how rewarding it is to see something sprout in less than a week.

Right?!  The cukes especially are such immediate gratification.

[drbanks]

So, I mis-counted.  Only six pods of cilantro.  All of which have sprouted.  As did my seed packet when I accidentally dropped it in water.  Sigh.

The one tomato plant is doing its thing.  The other one still hasn't shown its face, but if I look down into the pod, it's definitely growing. 

The cuke is coming along nicely, and the Patty Pan Squash... well, there's a stem with a squash seed on top.  Since I put two or three seeds in the pod, I'm assuming one of the others sprouted and took this one along for the ride.

[drbanks]

Lots of cilantro sprouts

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[serri588]

Looking good!

[MaryL]

That was fast for cilantro. Nice!

[drbanks]

They are by no means ready for harvest, but the Cilantros are showing real cilantro leaves, and I just couldn't resist pinching one off... you know, to make sure it tastes ok.

Oh, wow.  Why did I ever stop growing this stuff?  Lit up my tastebuds like a Bounty light panel.

[drbanks]

I really should post some pictures... this garden is verdant.

I keep stopping by to "sample" a cilantro leaf, you know, to make sure it's growing ok.

OMG, why oh why am I messing with those stupid peppers?  I'm about ready to kill off all my other gardens and replant them all with Cilantro.  This is the most delicious thing, ever.  Too bad I have a brown thumb when it comes to growing it.

[drbanks]

The cilantro has pretty well taken over, but one of the tomato plants is clearly visible on the left.  the pattypan squash near the front right and you can see the cukes behind it sending out tendrils.

[MaryL]

Your cilantro looks fantastic.  And I can’t wait to see how your squash turns out!

[drbanks]

Nor can I, I assure you!  I'm not normally a fan of squash, but this variety came up once in one of those meal kits, and I loved them.

[MaryL]

Dec 26, 2017 12:50:24 GMT -5 drbanks said:

OMG, why oh why am I messing with those stupid peppers?  I'm about ready to kill off all my other gardens and replant them all with Cilantro.  

Haha, I feel like that too sometimes.  Cilantro to the exclusion of other gardens.  And especially given that a significant portion of my cilantro doesn’t work out, or is short lived, the more cilantro gardens the merrier.  For those of us with the cilantro-loving gene, it’s the best herb, fullstop.

[Shawn]

I am actually going to stop my current Cilantro and start a fresh one along with an Oregano in my Kitchen harvest.  I need to make some fresh Salsa this week too.

[drbanks]

I just dumped nd refilled both halves of this beast.  I used the built-in drain pump to drain the left half, and the battery operated siphon to drain the right half.  Then used the siphon stick to refill the right half with a nearly full 5 gal bucket of late grow nutes (2:2:1).  Lugging that bucket of nutes from the bathroom to the mixing station, then from there to the dining room, was half my exercise.

The built-in drain pump in the thing, which is actually just the circulation pump with a hose attached, is so slow that I'd completed the D&R on the right half long before the left half finished draining.  But, it eventually finished, and I was able to fill it using the siphon stick with what was left in the bucket.

Then to lug the nearly 5 gallons of waste water back to the bathroom as the other half of my exercise.

Still to do are the three powergrower buckets at 2 gal each, then I can get started on the regular aerogardens.

The penalty I'm paying for taking last weekend off.  That and a nasty gnat infestation.

[serri588]

Did you have any trouble with the farm "forgetting" that it was on the drain menu and going back to normal operation? I think mine did that a couple times- it does take a loooong time.