A quick update and new plantings

With the long weekend I managed to get a little more planted and plan stocks that will travel in the mobile display that I have finally got to the almost completed stage, just waiting for the signage to arrive.

Here is a quick up date, things change almost overnight with this prolific growing system.

Egg plant

Patio Tomato's very strong and will travel well

My favorite pink pearl with clusters hanging allover

Lots of Cucumbers makes a great chutney.

Rome Tomato's very healthy, good stock.

Overview of my sheltered area.

My Petunia ( Pink Craze) in the window box still doing well.

Easter Catchup

Happy Easter,

just a quick update, even with a lot of rain the Petunia can still put on a show.

Note the Change to Blog Page, since day one I have had trouble about just where the Autopot System fits into the world of gardening. It is not a true Hydroponic with all it's waist and salt challenges and its definitely not anything conventional where you dig and sweat, so what is it?

I have called it HYDRO GARDENING The scientific control of water and nutrient for plant growth)
This is space age Hydroponics. NO run off, No Salt build up so no flushing and you can use any form of potting product it's just there to hold the plant up. This means you can purchase that plant of choice from your nursery just add it to the system with its magic (Smart valve) which is controlled by the plant itself  how brilliant is that.
I reckon the plant knows more about what it needs in the way of water and food than either you or I. That's why AUTOPOT is so Brilliant.

My window box Petunia

Hanging Basket cumming along nicely

Burp less Cucumbers

Roma Tomato's seedlings from a local grower.

My favorite Pink Pearl starting to color

Crazy cucumbers

My new planting of cucumbers has gone mad fortunately I have keep them to one end of my shelter so they don't steal all the light like they did last time.

It's also about time I updated the growth of the window box Petunia's

I have also added 2 hanging baskets with a Cascading Petunia it will be interesting just how well these do.

Pink Craze

Cascading Petunia

Remember the green Ginger I re potted well there are shoots popping up all over it's loving the constant feeding that is supplied by the Autopot System.

Green Ginger sprouting vigorously

It's salad tonight

This is how you enjoy a Salad when you are an Autopot System Grower.
You just step out the back door and pick what you want fresh from the garden when you want it.

Minuet Lettuce, Asian Mix Lettuce, Baby Spinach, Rainbow beet, Basile, Parsley

Chives, Truss Tomato, Coriander, Snow peas, Lebanese Cucumber.

PLEASE NOTE there is no Woolworth's,  Cole's or IGA. or such packaging around, this is the 

REAL EAT FRESH. 

The great thing is it's all growing on my fence and not a sod was lifted.

In my last Blog I said I would keep you up to date with the progress of the Petunias in the window box

well here we are.

New additions

Managed to get my hands on a couple of Thji Green Ginger plants though they where a little pot bound I am hoping they will respond to being re-planted into a 10inch Hydrotray and enjoy the constant Nutrient supply of the Autopot system.

The more home work I do on this plant species which there are 1400 varieties the more I believe it is ideal for the Autopot growing system so we will follow with interest.

Zingiber Officinale Thji Green Ginger

I have also finally added some flowering plants to my examples, Petunia pink craze this is the variety that you see in the Autopot web site there is a purple one as well. I planted this up at a recent workshop on the 17th of March. I will add updates so you can see the growth as it happens.

Petunia Pink Craze

I mentioned how I had to improve the light  for the Tomato's well they have responded just great with flowers all over, that was a good lesson learnt see for your self.

Had to replace the cucumbers as they did not like the chop back I had to give them, they are now well away from the tomatoes so should be OK this time.

New Cucumbers

I also have a few herbs as well as  Butternut Pumpkin growing just in pots not connected to the system but what I do is feed them manually with the nutrient mix each time I top up and they are doing well as you can see.

Mint

Parsley and Chives

Butternut Pumpkin

Another new planting is my Rhubarb I have now replanted it into a 12inch hydrotrayand used 2 roots only. I love Rhubarb and am looking forward to it thriving in the Autopot system as it need to be well feed.

Rhubarb racing away

Here are a few more delights that we enjoy with the Autopot growing system.

Zucchini

French & Butter Beans

Brussels Sprouts & Broccoli

Cabbage

Rainbow beet & Baby Spinach

Lettuce

Asian Mix Lettuce

Snow Peas

Capsicums

A lesson learnt

A couple of post back I mentioned about plants getting enough light well as my cucumbers took over the canopy with there vigour's growth it became obvious that my Tomatoes where starting to suffer and to top it all off I had used a 40% Green Shade Cloth as I had been advised by someone who should no better. So drastic measures had to be be the order of the day. All the shade cloth was removed and the Cucumbers under went a severe cut back to let in the light and the results are incredible almost immediately the Tomatoes are on the mend with fruit starting to set properly I will probable have to replace the cucumbers if they continue to sulk but it was well worth the lesson, next time I will plant them at the opposite end of the shelter so they don't effect the tomatoes. I already have there replacement coming along in a 150mm pot.
The new plantings of veggies  that are now all outside are as happy as a pig in mud and the snow peas are forming all ready.

Out in the rain and loving it.

Tomatoes now with plenty of good light

 Snow Peas just hanging about.

A Smart Idea

Tomato in Hanging Basket

Look carefully at this very smart Idea, it's a simple way to overcome the challenge of increasing light if you are undercover, what you have here is a Tomato in a hanging basket with an expendable chain so as the plant grows you lower it down, this allows the the plant to get maximum light at it's growing tips at all times, not to mention you have plenty of room to move around underneath. The Basket is connected to the Autopot pump system that powers the entire Gardensmart operation, but this can work just the same if you are using a gravity feed.
While I am talking about good ideas you might find it worth while joining the Sustainable Gardening Web site to get their updates and news letter as they have lots of good handy hints and information for all thing gardening.
                                                              www.sgaonline.org.au