"Be cool man"

It's only November and already we have had warm days so I am expecting a hot summer.

In preparation I have installed 3 Fog outlets to increase the moisture in the air in my HERB Tunnel

This is where I propagate my replacement Herbs for My LIVE HERBS AUSTRALIA programme which you can read about on the website www.hydro-gardening.com

It will be interesting to learn how to get the best from this, all part of the fun.

A really fine fog that cools the air.

The ideal control would be a time clock controlled also by air temperature, I will work on it.

Also this week have been receiving an incredible amount of comment about the Petunia display at the Salt Restaurant on the Esplanade in Hervey Bay.

These will get a trim back soon so they rebound for Xmas.

Definitely not for Autopot.

3 in the coffee product and the one at the end is control.

Very sick looking plants covered in spots and losing colour.

The one on the right is the control in potting mix.

Well I don't need to go any further with this experiment as you can see, unfortunately this exciting product had a chemical reaction the our own nutrient that dose not mean to say there is anything wrong with it and it could be a good soil enhancer but it is not for the Autopot system.

Let's take a Coffee break.

I want to share something that I find rather interesting,  I came across at the localmarkets an enterprising couple that have a product called Ground up Soil Mixes whereby they collect all the used coffee beanz (UCB)  under the name of  Been Beanz Services. They turn this into 2 products and one I liked the look of as it felt very light and well airated.

Lovely to handle.

They could see I was interested so at the end of the day they brought me what they had on display so I could try it out and report back on it, so I have planted up a window box today with 3 pots with the coffee mix and one pot with a herb and veggie potting mix as a control.

Lets see what happens

Like most potting mixes today the herb & veggie mix has a lot of wood in it where as the beanz mix is very pliable and lovely to handle so we will watch with interest and keep you informed.

No excuse.

Well its almost 2 months since I have updated my blog which is SLACK.

yes I have been very busy but that's no excuses. In my last update I talked about testing out planting numbers with different pot for my herbs. Well things have taken off in that direction and I now offer live herbs for the Chefs that really care rather than the bunch that starts to deteriorate from day one.

It's a managed system just like you would manage indoor plants and of course I am using the incredible Autopot Smart- Pot. I cultivate my back up supply using the capillary table and my own development basted on the same principle using the Autopot technology called a HYDRO smart pad, we make a couple of different sizes. more info on the web page about them along with other new things.
www.hydro-gardening.com

This is the mobile unit with a selection of herbs.

This is the smaller of the new HYDRO Smart Pad  it can hold up to 55 30ml pots so great for seedlings

and it will take up to 25 of the next size up.

Beetroot.  We all know that no self respecting Aussie would have a Burger without Beetroot, this year I grew it in a window box unit with better results than last year when I used a 10" Hydrotray.

In case you think I only grow vegetables, what do you think about my little Orchid in it's SMART-POT, are they not the most versatile unit around. 

Remember check out the web.

www.hydro-gardening.com

Parsley and the Auto pot System

To met a couple of commercial requests for quality flat leaf parsley I have set about testing different planting density's as well as different container sizes from the 10" double Hydrotray to the Smart-Pot and the Window box and all are doing great so far, but what I want to see is the recovery rate when I start harvesting.

This is 21 day from planting in a Smart-Pot

What you see here is plantings in both window boxes and 10 'Hydrotray

the Hydrotray is planted at 4 per pot and some of the window boxes are at 3 per pot and some at 2 per pot so it will be interesting to see which recovers best. All are planted in Osmacote Organic soil.

Here we have a few 6' pots on the capillary table planted at 3 per pot.

A quick view of one side of my grow house those are Cauliflowers in the foreground with Tomatoes hanging from the roof at the far end.

August Roundup

At last a few sunny days, I made use of the wet spell to build my website take a look!

http://www.hydro-gardening.com/

You can notice the days are starting to get a little longer so wont be long and we will be complaining about the heat.

Everthing is growing extreamly well as you can see.

Winter Tomatoes

FARTHER TOM   

YELLOW VARIETY 

                 

PINK PEARL

                         

With a week of rain and miserable weather its a wonder anything is growing but thanks to the Autopot system I am enjoying freshly picked tomatoes with plenty coming on.

KALE

One of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet is making a big come back I notice woollies has changed its name but it is the wonderful  KALE. Belongs to the same family as cabbage but if you want a super health drink toss it in the juicer add either a Granny Smith apple or whatever combination you fancy and enjoy.

A Quick Roundup

Just a quick roundup in my back yard, How many of you are still enjoying home grown tomatoes?

Here is a couple of my yellow variety, several other varieties under test as well.

Set up right and you should be able to enjoy all year round. 

 My Capillary Table Tomato coloring up.

Just love the Winter Cabbage

The Savoy Cabbage planted up to 10" Last week.

Cauliflower planted up last week also.

My Broccoli is still producing Multiple flowers even after I have taken the main flower head

A pretty little Viola just to brighten the place up.

Step 2 of current experiment
10 days ago I mentioned I was going to start my Cauliflower and Cabbage plants off in the 6" Window Box pots, then move them onto the 10" Hydrotray, The idea is to shorten up the grow cycle by giving them max support at the early stage.

Cauliflower 

Well today I moved the 2 strongest plants on, noted that there was very well developed roots in fact you can see them protruding through the bottom of the pot even with the root mat, let me show you what I have done Yes I am using quality potting soil and have my Perlite / vermiculite 50/50 Mix in the bottom of each pot I call it my wick.

Sugar loaf Cabbage

As you can see they are starting to get a little big for the 6" pot.

You can seethe roots showing

naturally you need to be careful transferring these plants as you don't want to disturb them in any way, note I have a hole large enough to take the entire pot so no disruption.

Cabbage & Cauliflower

Here you can see the finished transplants, the other 2 plant in the window box I have joined up into one and will give them a few more days before moving them onto a Hydrotray.

June is Busting out all over.

Well the wet cold weather has not stop ed things growing with the Auto pot System in fact somethings thrive in the cooler weather.

This month I am experimenting with starting my winter veggies off in the window box with the intentions to transfer to the 10" Hydro tray when they have developed a good root base, the idea is that I may shorten the harvest time by having my plants closer to the food source at an earlier stage than would happen if they started in the larger 10 " pots. No harm in trying, I am even tempted to leave some varieties in the window box as things do so well in them.

Thought I would also share my indoor plantings that are in the Smart - Pots take a look at these.

I take this with me for display and people keep asking why isn't these doing as good
you know the answer its the Smart -Pot.

Moth Orchid brought and potted up 2 weeks ago see the flower spike all ready

This is also taking off like a rocket

This has doubled in 2 weeks look at the fresh growth shooting up.

Here is my experimental planting plus other examples for this time of the year.

Snow peas in hanging basket

Cabbage starting to heart up

Cabbage and Collie flower in window box's

Broccoli coming along fine

Yellow Tomato grown on a Capillary table

Salad Green Bowl and Darwin picking Lettuce

Up Date on the everlasting Tomato
I have talked about growing Tomatoes from cutting on a couple of occasions but I still get funny looks from people and I don't think they believe me so let my again show you what is happening right now in my grow house.

This Tomato has never been planted out, it has spent all its life on the capillary table and was grown from a cutting.

Here you can see the roots projecting from the bottom of this pot
this is another 1 of 3 more cuttings just carefully put into potting mix and nothing else and sitting on the capillary table.

Three more cuttings all different variety's happy on the capillary table ready to replace my current crop.
When I first plant them I give a couple of watering's from the top just to make sure the capillary action gets started.