Last count...34

It was time to face the truth and bid adieu to the cucumber. The plant bore a total of 34 cucumbers . It still had a large number of flowers and cucumbers to be, on it...there still was nutrient enough to sustain the plant for close to another month. But, the aphids had returned, taking benefit of my absence in body and spirit these past few days...and they returned with vengeance. So almost each leaf was affected. I could have tried to save the plant, but that would also have involved putting to risk the other healthy plants namely the bell peppers, spinach and such like in close proximity. I chose the lesser evil and let this too go. 

As can be seen above and below...the root system was robust and still going strong. And there's no doubt that the clean nutrient remaining in the tank would have sustained the plant to continue to bear fruit. But like I said, it was a difficult choice and I made it. I've learnt my lesson well. Things can go wrong at any stage. You need to be positive, prepared and vigilant.

As Shankar and I were taking off the plant's vines from the wire mesh, we were surprised to see a cucumber wedged tight between the metal mesh and the poly-film on top.

It took quite a bit of patient manoeuvering to finally get the cucumber out from the base of gh1.

Surprisingly, it came out quite unscathed. Thankfully, it was delicious.

On a positive note then, the DIY raft has found it's rightful place inside gh1, with happily gurgling nutrient already becoming familiar with the baby roots of the recently germinated spinach. I have to share here though, that while the commercially available raft houses approximately 14 litres of nutrient, the DIY raft needed 22 litres for the water surface to kiss the base of the net-pots.

I shall keep us all posted on the progress these spinach plants make. For, if they do as well as they do in the commercial raft...well they'd be doing that, at almost 1/3 rd the cost. Also, if I'm convinced that this could be a sustainable system, I'd make it sure to fill up gh1 with a lot many more such. The current number of rafts totals to four.

And well, the bell peppers are still growing in size. So I'm allowing them to. Also, I have to admit that I'm yet to read up on how to know when is the right time to harvest capsicum.

And this brings me up to the year end. This might possibly be the last post for 2014, for I'm travelling for the next few days. It'd be an eager me returning around the new year, sharing of how things have been. Cheers and ciao!

The DIY raft

Remember one of my Nov's posts called 'Stuff happening'? I'd mentioned in that of a simple 'do it yourself' raft I'd started upon. Well, for one reason or another the project got delayed. That's okay, but this morning as I picked up on the job from where I'd left, I was yet again introduced to the fact that the small basic things you learn when you work with your own hands, do a great lot for your inner content. My work place therefore today found me barely making it in time, though with an accompanying halo of satisfaction.

What I'm about to recount below is a step by step methodology of doing the deed, especially for those who'd like to try a hand at it themselves.

1. I marked a grid on the previously cut thermocol sheet, such that each intersection was approximately 6 inches(") from its adjacent one. I also ensured that a gap of at least 2" would remain between the edges of the sheet and the holes to be.

2. I measured the size of the holes on the commercial raft's lid and cut a paper to size as shown above. The idea was to use it as template to draw circles at appropriate places on the grid. I then intended to use something called a 'hole saw' tool to cut through the marked circles. Hole saw is nothing but a circular saw. Here's the set I have. It's cheap and readily available at any good hardware store.

3. To my pleasant surprise, the 2.5" and the 2" hole saws could easily be used to cut holes of the desired size. And then came a bit of learning. As I've explained earlier, the seed goes into the coco-peat grow plug...the grow plug goes into the net pot...the net pot goes through the hole in the lid such that, it's own netted portion is exposed down below, while it's neck rests snugly in the lid above...the nutrient water surface below just about skims the base of the net pot...capillary action feeds the roots of the just germinated seed with the nutrient through the net pot--through the coco-peat grow plug...the roots grow downwards and the plant grows upwards...finally, the roots begin to emerge out of the grow plug and find spaces through the net-pots' slots to actually get to the nutrient around. Everyone's happy. But, for it to be so...it is imperative that all the slots of the net pot actually get exposed below the lid. And here was a small challenge.

4. In a commercial raft, the lid is a thin (though sturdy) plastic sheet with holes for conical  net pots to easily go through all the way down, till their necks gets stuck and can't go through the hole. 

In this case however, the lid is 1.25" thick thermocol sheet. So if there's a through and through hole, the conical shape of the net pot would go down partially...it would get stuck much before the neck encounters the sheet...all the slots would not get exposed below the sheet...the roots of the plant thus, would not find as many slots to go through and sip on the nutrient, everyone is unhappy.

5. The solution lied in cutting through a stepped hole. Like the crater of a volcano. 

And that's exactly what I did. I used the 2.5" hole saw to cut through partially. The drill bit helped in marking the centre. I now used the 2" hole saw to cut a gaping hole through, the same centre. A point to note here. The thickness of the thermocol may not allow the hole saw to easily go through and through as it tends to get embedded and kind of stuck. So the moment it gets stuck, retract...turn the thermocol around and go cutting through the other side and Voila!!! All there's left to do now, is peel off the excess thermocol bitten into by the larger tool, to have a step of a larger diameter leading to a through and through hole of a smaller diameter.

6. Another thing. You may need to hit and try a few times to exactly know how much is 'partial' for the bigger hole saw. The moment you are sure, mark a line on the hole saw itself for you to know the limit to which it needs to go through and then stop.

7. It makes sense to practice the first couple of holes on a piece of thermocol which you can discard. Only when you are sure, does it make sense to go drilling through the real thing.

8. It helps if you first finish all the jobs of the larger hole saw in one go.

And then get on to the smaller dia tool to go all the way through.

And it definitely makes sense to carry out the entire process outdoors, as the thermocol balls have a way of frolicking around, that can be hard to handle indoors. Also please use protective eye-wear...I didn't...and a teeny particle of the thermocol frolicked around my right eye ball for the larger portion of the day. 

And after all of this of course, please be the responsible earthling and clean up!!! 

There!!! that's that. 12 grow plugs sit quietly in a dark spot, with spinach seeds impregnated. The coming week should hopefully see them germinated and ready to go into the DIY raft. I shall keep us posted.

Moving on...

So among other things these past few days, Interstellar (Christopher Nolan's latest magic) happened. It's possibly the only movie I've seen so far that made me read about it before I watched it...and even more (and I still continue) after. Our world, our universe is truly that spectacular. And I quote from 'Space', a novel by James Michener, to put things in perspective.

 "You and I live on a minor planet attached to a minor star, at the far edge of a minor galaxy. We live here briefly, and when we’re gone, we’re forgotten. And one day the galaxies will be gone, too. The only morality that makes sense is to do something useful with the brief time we’re allotted."

It's perspective after all, that allows us to introspect and then let go and move on and hope. It's the eternal magic in our world that inspires us to do as simple a thing as grow plants...sans soil. I'm really joyful for and grateful to my-bit-in-the-place, that gives me the semblance of doing 'something useful in the brief time I've been allotted.' 

Most of yesterday and today were spent in a lot of pruning of the tomatoes...chillies and the bell peppers. Speaking of which, the first ever bell pepper that showed its face is fast transforming into a beauty. Not much on size, I think it'd rely on colour to charm.

As would this beautiful hot blooded blood red chilly!

I still have a few of the bell peppers growing inside gh1. One of these has sprung two promising fruits. I wait eagerly to see how big these grow.

Even though, it's about 5 months since I started this little place...yet, the process of the plants surprising me and me surprising the plants continues. Take the asparagus for instance. One, it continues to grow as dreamily and look equally dreamy as it began; two, ever so often at it's base a new stalk appears and begins its ramrod straight growth upwards...each time it happens, my hopes take a leap as it gives the look of a proper asparagus sprig to be...soon however, it suddenly changes it's mind and continues as yet another stem with it's fern like growth.

Or take the sole radish for instance. I'm sure, it is genuinely intrigued why, I haven't plucked it out so far. Well the reason is...it's a constant source of beautiful and strong tasting green leaves. And I just don't have the heart to let that go. For instance, here's the latest crop I'd harvested from this one plant.

(and of course the cucumbers, chillies, cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes and rocket leaves).

Or the oregano for that matter. I remember, initially it just won't grow in size. Many times, it looked as if on the brink of dying. Now, however is  a different story altogether. Not only is it flourishing, but also fast spreading... making me have second thoughts about allowing it's further growth within the raft system.

And well, it seems it's soon going to be time to say bye to the cucumbers (I've harvested 22 so far)...as the nutrient inside the tank is almost about to finish. Let's see how long the plant actually lasts and how many of these luscious juicy crunchy wholesome fruits of the gourd family total out to.

And lastly, I must admit...it's something else to wake up to tall plants just outside your bedroom window; or for that matter to have them in constant view from your breakfast table, with a peep of chillies here and a wink from cherry tomatoes there.

Turbulence

I've been a bit quiet. Personal turmoil. All of us undergo the same...nothing new. Big, but not new. And so far, I was sure that unaffected by anything, the plants carried on with their lives. I guess I was wrong. My absence, a little neglect and possibly how they perceive me right now doesn't seem to be doing too many bright things for these innocent beings. Dr Jagdish Chandra Bose, in fact had proved the sensitive nervous system and a vibrant emotional life of plants, using his invention called the 'Bose Crescograph'. I guess I need to be more careful...with the plants, just like with people. I'd write more this week.

'Enlightening' trip

I was in Mumbai this past week. I got an opportunity therefore to explore a bit on SIKCO engineering. Mr Milton Sikder is the gentleman I met. Apart from delving in windmills, solar panel solutions, bio-gas plants and electrically powered bicycles they also manufacture LED based grow-lights for hydroponically grown plants. It was good learning and I intend to experiment a bit in the field now. The obvious gains are for places where sunlight is an issue. Also, plantation can be carried out in more environmentally controlled enclosures for exotic plants/ fruits. And of course, it is also known to affect the over-all yield, as the plants are free from the day-night cycle, where the genuine growth gets restricted to daylight hours.

The irony is, that I have to travel yet again tomorrow. So it's only next week now, that I can hope to pursue whatever additional I want to. This includes the innovation on the hydroponic raft I've mentioned earlier. Meanwhile, the plants in both gh1 and gh2 are doing great!

Here's the cucumber for starters. So far I've harvested 12 large sized cucumbers from the plant. 

The leafy greens of rucola, spinach and Swiss chard in the three raft systems have picked up well too.

I've also become a huge fan of the grow-bags. These individual havens of lush beauties provide a rich medium for their sole inhabitants. So the bell peppers, the sweet basil and the asparagus all display gleeful expressions nestled comfortably in their respective bags.

The taller plants in gh2 are also stable and seem to be getting an adequate amount of diffused sunlight through the translucent plastic sheets on top. Here's a view from my dining room's window overlooking the backyard.

 

And O! the winters are almost here. My morning run today, greeted me with the first whiffs of smoky

exhalations and a ground veiled thinly in mist. The evening sky was something else though.

Phew!

It wasn't easy. But it was worth it. The move of tall plants from gh1 to gh2 (the new high ceiling-ed structure) was quite a logistic challenge. For, it's not everyday that you displace your plants like that and in the bargain completely under-estimate the extent of planning required for an apparently mundane task. Here's the sequence and learning of what not to do, if you ever need to do what I needed to. 

Shankar and I snap all the strings supporting the cherry tomato to the frame of gh1. The plant sags. We begin to panic. We lift off the grow bed, foolishly trying and miserably failing in supporting the now wildly flailing many branches of the plant. We somehow step out of the green-house. Shankar is suddenly reminded he has a family...3 kids, a wife and a father-in-law. He mentions maybe we could use some help from them. I cry, yes. He vanishes...with me, precariously balancing the plant and the grow-bed, partly resting it on ground and also seeing nothing but for a green blur, with tomato smells & and leaves creeping under my collar, into my eyes and ears. The family returns on a run. By this time, some friendly (and inquisitive) creepy crawly has begun it's inspection of the insides of my right nostril. Tripping, sneezing, laughing and uttering urgent gibberish this caterpillar of humanity and plant moves towards gh2. We place the grow-bed on ground...I dislodge the bug from my nose...the family departs laughing. Shankar and I look at each other, not so amused. And definitely decided that that's not how, we'd move the balance two grow beds. Here's what we concluded. One...we'd need to tie a network of string at the ceiling of gh2 beforehand, as a ready and flexibly placed support-grid for the soon to arrive plants. Two...before detaching the plant from its support strings at gh1, the requisite manpower required for the transfer, needed to be in place. I also considered keeping a clothesline clip handy for personal safety, but dropped the idea. 

So, while we got the string support-grid in place at gh2, the cherry tomato rested thus...

Soon our strings were in place and so were our wits. And the cherry tomato stood tall, happily supported and it's leaves abundantly exposed to light and air.

We'd learnt our lesson well and we imbibed what we'd learnt to the T. The balance grow beds soon followed and gh2 now looks like a place that means business. 

Gh1 meanwhile, is back to looking like a beautiful haven for hydroponic hobbyists. 

Apart from the fact that the tall plants now have enough space to grow and breathe, it also gives me an opportunity to prune and shape them better. One gets a much clearer picture of what, how much and where all to snip, for the overall health of the plant. Also, one gets to see the produce that one never knew existed. For instance, I never new that the tomatoes that I'd planted later had already begun to fruit...or that the 7 feet tall chilly was already producing mouth watering lush upright bombs.

The next in line is the filling up of the gh1 with the improvised raft systems I'd earlier spoken of. Unfortunately, I need to travel this entire week. So, that'd need to wait. But I shall keep us all posted. Meanwhile, the cucumbers are consistently bringing a lot of cheer and crunch at home.