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Sunday, January 18, 2015

Hydroponics In My Kitchen? What?!

 

My dear husband purchased a hydroponic planter 
for my Christmas gift.

It was set up two weeks ago and here are the results so far.  According to the supplier, we should harvest something within 5 weeks of planting.  Two weeks down, three more to go.

The plants are basil and salad tomatoes.  I chose not to plant dill as I really don't care that much for dill.  The basil should go well with the tomatoes in a salad.  

Now, when the plants get a bit taller, and start blooming, I have to pretend to be a bumble bee and shake the plants with my hand or an electric tooth brush for pollination to take place.  That should be interesting.  

No matter, the full spectrum plant light does help brighten my kitchen on these short days and long nights.  The new foliage also lends to lifting my spirits a bit.  I also like to garden, whether in my small plot in the back yard, or in containers.  I will be updating the progress of this project, too.




01 February 2015

This view shows quite a jump in height between the 18th and the 26th of January.  

Another application of nutrients was given, as well as the addition of more water.  The lamp has been adjusted to accommodate the height of the tomatoes, which are in the end and middle of the planter.  If one looks carefully, the basil is peeking out from the back of the planter.  Although the basil seeds germinated days ahead of the tomatoes, the plant’s growth is slower.


Yesterday’s pic shows another leap in height and diameter of the plants.  Again, the light was raised to accommodate the plants.

I measured the height to be approximately 6 inches.  There is a cluster of blooms waiting to burst open, and I can see me, doing the “bumble bee thing” of shaking the blooms for pollination to occur.


I apologize for the extreme highlights.  I know that I need to utilize the filtering capabilities of the iPhone camera (newer OS).  I will try to do better on the next post.







The last pic is of the cluster of blooms at the center of the plant in the foreground.  I am hoping that they do produce fruit.  I know that this is a bit of folly to some, but the light and the presence of these plants helps ward off the seasonal affective disorder that I have during short days of winter.   

I have discovered as the plants have become more massive, that I have to watch the water level of the tank beneath them, and add water more often than before.  I continue to move he light upward as the plants grow taller.  It will soon be time to prune, I am sure. 





~:~:~:~:~
"Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens 
reflect the kind of care they get."
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.


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