Fridays Up Date

With the tempature sitting around the 30 plus I'm glad I am an Autopot grower otherwise I would have to spend all my day watering if I was going to have anything left alive at the end of day.

So whats happening in my back yard?

As I like to keep a variety of things growing so people can get a good idea of what they can be achieving themself, plus I need to keep my display young enough to be able to shift it in the Mobile unit.
Most thing are to big within a couple of weeks to take, but its good to have plenty on show when people come around which is what I encourage.

School Walkway

Some time back you would have read about me installing a Smart pump at one of the local schools to feed 18 hanging baskets along a walk way to their new assembly hall, A couple of weeks back I did a replant with a Purple Craze Petunia and they are now look amazing, see for your self and the best part is they don't have to do a single thing its totally self managed.

Loving the sun

What a way to start your day with a walk along this path to assembly

Check out this progress with the 4 week lettuce trial, as I have always thought Green Mignonette would be the best for the trial but as you know I have tried 2 others so far and have been very disappointed, but look at this at 14 days they could be on target so far.

Green Mignonette 14 days in drinking cups

Though the weather has been very hot my capsicum are still producing even though they are showing a little wilt. The purple has been a stronger plant and has good shape fruit.

Purple & Yellow Capsicum 

Here is my second planting of the black Russian Tomato I had to destroy my last one as it got some sort of bug but these are off to a flying start, I also have them in a different location. They have great big flowers compared to my other Tomatoes

Black Russian

Hybrid Cucumber

My Hybrid cucumber is enjoying this weather, this variety has only female flowers therefor every flower turns into a fruit if you enlarge this photo by clicking on it you will see its covered in cucumbers 

Hybrid 101

This Tomato I am realy interested in it is a hybrid medium size fruit developed for hydroponics, I have growen it from seed and so far its doing well. The one next to it is my favorite Pink Pearl.

Tomato No Mess & Burks Backyard Italian Tomato

These are another couple of interesting plantings I will be interested in how they do and will as always keep you informed. The Burks backyard variety is a squat looking plant so far it will be interesting to see how it cops in this system.

Holidays & Plants

We are about to approach the silly season when some of you  will pack up and head for the beach others will visit friends and love ones so what are you going to do about you plants, they are a little like your pets do you take them with you or do you leave someone to look after them?
Lets divide the plant into 2 locations, Indoors and out doors and lets talk about indoors to start with.
Yes you can stack them all into the bath and trust you don't drown some, Yes you can have that lovely neighbour pop in and water them. Now If you are like the average home owner with indoor plants you have probable killed a few by either over watering or under watering over the years and finally you have some that are doing well, are you really prepared to let some one else take over or as I said stack them in the bath.
What I want you do do is think seriously about what I call a brilliant product its called "A SMART POT"by Auto pot systems, This is a self Watering plant driven container that depending on the plant species, it can let you go away for weeks at a time and come home to thriving happy plants.
Now don't compare this with some sort of self watering trough container this is a plant driven concept which means your plant gets exactly what it requires not what you or your neighbour think it needs,
Take a look at this example.

My Peace Lilly in a Smart Pot

Thriving

This container has 3 Lt. of water plus nutrient around the outer side of the container this feeds the plant through a wick controlled by a Smart -Valve which is controlled by the plant itself so no more over or under watering of indoor plants I never touch this plant just check that the container has water and if necessary top up
As for food I add between 1 to 2 ML per Lt. of A & B nutrient about every second fill.
This is the smaller of the series there are larger ones available.
Talking about larger if you are worrying about your large outdoor tubs you have while away all you need to install a "Smart Dripper" this will keep big tubs or special fruit trees in peek condition while you are away.
Now if you are using the Auto pot System for your Veggies all you need to do is make sure you have a big enough tank to last for the time you are away or connect a float that will top up in your absence.
Allways check for blockages and make sure everything is working as it should be for taking off and all wil be well.
If you want to know more about preparing for holiday getaways please drop me an Email  auto.group@optusnet.com.au

Hears what is happening in my back yard.

Zucchini 2nd crop.

Black Russian Tomato 

This is my second planting of this Tomato, the last one I had to destroy as it caught some disease that set it back. I have a policy if it's not doing well then it gets destroyed on the spot.

2nd Hybrid Cucumber covered in fruit

Asian Lettuce.

You often see the Asian Mix growing but this is a single variety which is doing well the pots on the right are actually just sitting on the Capillary table in spare pots.

Sweet Corn growing in recycled medium

The 4 week Lettuce update

Well my second test with growing lettuce a different way has reached the 4 week time frame that I have allowed. This test was with butter head lettuce a little better than the iceberg but still not up to the normal standard in fact it is now getting to hot with temperatures over the 25 which has lettuce bolting to seed so I may be pushing my luck to complete the next cycle which is now with Green Mignonette which is my favorite lettuce and most consistent, it will be interesting to see how this goes they are planted straight from the punnet and topped up with 50/50 Per lite mix.

Butter head at 4 weeks stage.

Not happy with this lot

                              

                                       Green Mignonette at start of 4 week trial

It's November Allready!

Well this month has  gone fast and we will soon be sitting down to that Xmas dinner. I wonder how many will be eating fresh produce from there own garden or should I say Autopot Garden.
Maybe this is something you could think about when you are planning you plantings set your self a goal to have the things you love to eat ready just for Xmas, think of the satisfaction and what a reward for your effort not to mention your body.

Jabotacaba

For those of you that belong to our GROWER GROUP you would have seen this picture which I put onto the front cover of our monthly news letter "FRESH" I am fascinated by it, their are about 5 different varieties and it comes from Brazil it taste great but the skins are tough and full on tannin so you spit the skin and the seed out and enjoy the flesh. talking about the GROWER GROUP any body is welcome to join us I don't care who you brought your system from we just love sharing Ideas and information on how to enjoy producing fresh food with the Autopot system if you would like to be part of the group just email your contact details to auto.group@optusnet.com.au and we will include you onto our data base.

Purple Capsicum

This Purple capsicum is doing very well the plant has always been healthy, I have a yellow one next to it and it is not as strong a plant so this one gets my tick of approval.

Ivy Geranium

My Ivy Geranium just keeps keeping on and I take it with me when I am out with the Mobile display and there would not be a day that someone wants to buy this. All they need is an Autopot hanging basket and you will have magnificent displays of thriving plants.

My Dwarf Mandarin

Thia little fellow is doing extremely well it's in a 12" single Hydrotray you can the fruit developing and there is plenty of new growth,  the poor thing gets dragged around with the Mobil display as well just shows you how good the system is.

Abundance of food

As you can see I have lot's happening on my Caplas table I would love a row of them things just thrive on it.

On the table and Utilising Waist

I am so excited about my new Calpus table it will allow me to produce more of my own seed stock.

New hybrid capsicum and Tomato

Lettuce Plugs

I am impressed how well the plants grow on it, the roots draw to it in no time, if you look you can see them in the pictures. the last few days we have had continuous wind and the table has kept up with the vaporisation.
I often get asked about recycling my medium, I used to but have decided the results are not as good second time round unless you spend reasonable time leaching out the old nutrient. What I now do is dump into cheep 40 Lt containers with plenty of holes drilled in the bottom and grow my bulky things like potatoes, rock melons and such giving them a hand feed once a week when I do a mix other wise the get a good wet with the hose

Rock Melon in Waist Medium

Sweet Potato in Waist Medium

The 4 week test

You may remember I started an experiment in growing lettuce in a 12" single hydrotray as I had seen in a picture. At the time I planted the wrong variety but decided to see how they went and would judge each variety at the 4 week mark which is what it take with my normal planting in the window box.

 Iceberge lettuce in the 12' single pot no soil no medium

I have lifteed the Iceberg which was with no soil at all I have now replanted Butterhead by popping out of the punnet leaving the soil and root ball untouched and filling the water cup with Perlite/ Vermiculite 50/50 mix. At the end of the 4 week I will replace that with the Green mignonette.

4 weeks grown in drink cups

Lovely crisp lettuce but not as big or developed as my normal method

Butterhead now on the 4 week test untouched root ball and Perlite / Vic Mix

I will also trial butterhead with the no medium option as well to be fair to each variety.

Seedling and spare pots on the capsul table

Also this week I added a Caplus table to my Autopot Garden this will alow me to produce more of my own seedling so I am absolutly rapt.

The new table fits in the middle and is hooked up to the same system

Whats happening at my place

October is disappearing fast and the weather can't make up its mind but the garden is enjoying the odd cooler day but the extremes do play havoc with plants.
You will need to keep a watch on things like lettuce providing a bit of shade on the hot days or they will bolt as well as get brown around the out side edges of the leaves.


This week busy replanting the hanging baskets at a local school which highlights what you need to do re maintenance when you are re potting and replacing clean everything out thoroughly.

Otherwise things are racing along I can't eat the amount of food that I can produce so I think I will start taking the extra to the markets each weekend and give people a chance to taste real fresh food.

Hanging baskets ready to be scrubbed

Cleaned and turned ready to remove base to clean Smart-valve

Root sneak through and can upset the valve operation

Ready for replant when plants arrive.

Beetroot for summer

My purple Carrot experiment

I have already picked 3 off this

Snow peas coming into flower

Capsicum  going great

Moved my seedlings up to a bigger pot

My Lettuce experiment coming along OK.