Blueberries

Replaced medium with Growrocks. No transplant shock.

Mulberry putting out flowers

After freezing during transport and loosing all of its leaves, I was worried my mulberry tree would go dormant for a while. But instead it put out new leaves AND flowers! When the new growth slows a bit, I will transplant the little guy into hydroponics/soilless media.

Pink lemonade blueberry plant with its new leaves. We had to add mylar and treat the soilless media with neem oil several times in order to knock out a white hairy mold that had started to grow on the surface and walls of the basket. This is most likely because peat is excellent at retaining moisture. Combined with a constant supply of water via the dripper, this is a perfect home for mold and fungus. Luckily, this type of mold is not really harmful and can be used as a soil additive.

The Jersey blueberry has started producing buds so we should see some new baby leaves soon.

Japanese Trifele Tomato

Moved our Japanese Trifele Tomato seedling to a bucket. 

Citrus Trees

New leaves emerging from the dwarf clementine tree. This marks the end of a tense period of leaf drop and twig die back that I was sure would leave the clementine in the same state as the Meyer lemon below. I attribute its resurrection to the transplant into gritty mix soilless growing media. A link to the exact mix can be found on the resources page. 

The Meyer lemon 'twig' now appears to be dying as well (note the discoloration). I had hoped it would bounce back after being put in Al's gritty mix like the clementine did and I thought I noticed some new growth, but most likely I will be buying a new lemon. Luckily the local garden center just got a huge shipment of what look like 5 year old citrus trees complete with fragrant flowers and setting fruit.

Tomato fruit

Strawberry Update

First strawberry turning red!

Runner creeping out of hydro strawberry. We will root and runners we get and double the number of strawberry plants we have.

Strawberry Roots

Yellow Pear Tomato root system

Spaghetti Squash.

This squash took off. It might be from its ability to take in high nutrient levels. We will add this to a 5 gal bucket soon. The root system is looking great.  

Yellow Doll Watermelon

Started our Yellow Doll Watermelon by Monsanto. It's in a 5 gallon DWC setup for the watermelon's large root system. First time using Growrocks as a hydroponic medium.

Blueberries, zucchini, and squash

Harvested daisies with AquaFarm.

Blueberry plants freshly placed in soilless sphagnum peat and pine mix for acidity with added holly tone for nutrients. Left: pink lemonade. Right: jersey. Both are fed recycled water via drip system.

Now leafless mulberry after it got frost bitten during transit. If the buds put out new leaves it will get transplanted into a soilless mix as well.

Strawberries sharing a bucket with spare zucchini and squash due to a 100% germination rate.

Whole hydro setup.

Tomatoes and newly potted spaghetti squash (left) and zucchini (right).

Strawberry and blueberry totes.

Close up of pink lemonade blueberry sprouting its new leaves.

Close up of the first blooms on the hydroponic yellow pear tomatoes.

Hydro & Soilless Plants

2-3 foot (1 month old) Yellow pear cherry Tomatoes in deep water culture hydroponics. First blooms about to open. Soon tomatoes cages will be required.

Dwarf clementine and leafless Meyer lemon in soilless gritty mix with drip irrigation on a timer. I am hoping that the lemon with put out new leaves soon now that its in a warmer place with more reliable light, water, and nutrient supplies.

One of zucchini and spaghetti squash starters nearly ready for hydro. They will be trained up a trellis against the wall to save space. Watermelon seeds are coming and will be done in the same manner.

A sucker from the lemon that we are trying to root. It should be a palmello.

Strawberries, pink lemonade blueberry plant, and frost bitten mulberry tree under intense grow light (camera trying to compensate). Blueberry and mulberry will go into soilless setups this weekend after a trip to the local hydro store.

Close up of the pink lemonade blueberry plant with its new green leaves emerging!

Window Plants

All of the plants in our windows being grown under fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs. Each is grown in traditional potting mix except the AquaFarm. The circular bulbs at the top are ivy growing from a recycled coke bottle up over a paper lanturn frame placed around a CFL bulb. These serve to light this side of the room which is pretty dark when the grow lights go off at night and are thus on a switch.

Majesty palm (lowest maintenance besides aloe). In a self watering planter that maintains moisture level. Stones on top prevent fungus gnats (and bad dogs in search of a place to hide a bone).

AquaFarm betta fish (yet to be properly named). He feeds the plants, the plants filter the water, and we eat the plants.

Yellow pear cherry tomatoes (grown from seed). All clones in hydroponics posts were taken from these just after the first harvest of fruit. Even after having their tops whacked off they continue to produce. They are auto watered by a terra cotta watering spike hooked to a milk cartoon full of water and nutrients.  (The basil stretching in front is jealous of their light) The is also the only window that ever gets enough light to grow anything on its own.

Strawberries just beginning to set their first fruit with an outrageous bloom rate (hard to keep up with pollinating them by hand). Each of these was grown from barefoot plants and the runners they sent out are now in the hydro set up. (Clay spikes for watering and rocks to prevent gnats)

Yellow Gerbera daisy finally decided its happy and has 4 blooms on it in various states (most since bringing it home last year).

Cilantro sprouting in AquaFarm. I also planted basil, chamomile, rosemary, and thyme, but they are harder to see.

Reference Point

Xmas daisies just starting out.

Barefoot strawberries soaking in water prior to planting.

Strawberries just after new leaves formed.

Sweet potato vines just starting. (They're now above the window at >5 feet)

Old setup with trees in living room.

First tomato starting to ripen.

Tomato clones just after last one was transferred to hydro.

Tomatoes and strawberries with umbilicals still attached.

First bloom on the strawberries.

Daisy blooms starting to come up.

Daisy in full bloom with tops of carrots in background.