Readjust, relocate, revise, acclimate and other such synonymical verbs

So, there have been changes. Along with a lot of learning, some mistakes, a blunder or two...also each moment with joy hidden in it, if only I knew where to look and was willing to look---  there, I've defined life.

Firstly, the blunder of not reacting to aphids right away. The cucumber is still bearing the brunt. Not dead, but not in sparkling health either. 'It's never too late' and 'never give up' were the learnings. Consequently, the cleaning and exposure to direct sunlight led to the movement of zucchinis/ water-melon out into the soil under open skies. Incidentally, the French bean has joined them for similar reasons. Also because it already has begun to fruit.

                                                      

Using a soft wet cloth to clean each leaf of the affected plants inside the green-house (namely the two bell-peppers and the three varieties of chillies apart from the cucumber), has really proved effective--laborious, but effective. Here's the underside of a red bell-pepper leaf with aphids yesterday morning. 

I gave it a gentle scrub with the cloth. This is how it looked the same evening.

And this is how, this morning. The aphids are back, but in a much dwindled strength. Needless to say, I've repeated the process today too.

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All the more needless to say, I'd clean them again and again and again till we get back to a completely disease free environment.

And then the mistake of planting the two tomato plants (Suhyana, the bigger one and Cherry tomato, the smaller one), the way I did. The Suhyana housed in a grow-bed has grown to be a tall boy. It's reached my chest level (I'm 5' 8") and just beginning to flower. So it may continue to grow even taller. This grow-bed was placed along the long edge of the igloo shaped greenhouse (with it's ceiling the lowest at the sides and gently rising towards the centre). As it grew the plant began to seriously jut into the green-house frame. So now, I've moved the grow bed to the centre of the structure, hoping that the vertical space atop the still growing plant proves enough.

As far as the Cherry tomato goes, I was naive enough to believe that the small size of the tomato would be a result of a small sized plant too (and so, I'd planted it into the raft system). Two things have now happened. One, the plant just continues to grow. The raft is not designed to house plants that tall.

Two, the nutrient solution used in a raft system is of the 'Grow' type (implying it's good for plants in the process of growing only and NOT flowering). The moment a plant begins to flower, its nutrient requirements undergo a subtle change. These are catered to by a 'Bloom' type nutrient solution. None of the greens in the raft system (namely spinach, swiss chard, basil, lettuce, methi, oregano etc) really flower. While, the cherry tomato has now begun to flower. 

Thus, I realise that it has to move out of the raft system. Easier said than done. For, the plant was literally well-'entrenched' as seen...

So, with a heavy-heart, a sound mind and lips trembling with prayer the cherry tomato has been uprooted from the raft and transplanted into a grow bed. Major major change. I'd keep all of us posted on how it progresses from here. Before I go, a peek at the greens in the raft systems.

'Moving' tales

'We've moved', said the Zucchinis and the Water Melon.

So, keeping in line with how the aphid-attack is meant to be dealt with, Shankar over the weekend kept himself busy by using an old sock and a bucketful of water to painstakingly clean the leaves/ shoots/ stems/ flowers of all the affected plants. As I returned this morning, they genuinely gave a comparatively cleaner look. And then, I decided that the next logical step would be to show the plants (at least those that were feasible) some un-adulterated sunlight. Thus took the transplantation of the zucchinis and the water-melon, who now reside in an exclusive patch of soil in the backyard, thus...

There is a little risk in what I've done. There's something called 'transplant shock'...something that a plant may suffer because of a sudden change in environment. In this case, I've not only changed the medium from nutrient fed coco-peat to soil, but also exposed the plants to direct sunlight. But I have a feeling they'd survive. Incidentally, I've just learnt, the water-melon's vine in any case should be resting on soft ground unlike the way it was hung onto the green-house's frame earlier. So, that's that.

The 'Rafters' are doing good. Can't deny that it's a different joy to see a bit of green leaves on your table each time you eat. 

A few days back I'd got a couple of garlic cloves (thanks to my boss). Some special variety from the hills. Fat and white. I'd plugged them both. I'm happy to announce that one of them has decided to see the light of day, and in a striking 'upright' manner at that.

And then the highlight of the day. If you've been with me so far, you might remember a little experiment at seed priming I'd tried. So of the six grow-plugs (two each of Asparagus, Rosemary and Parsley), one has thrown out a shoot. And unless, I'm seriously mistaken, it's Asparagus. Which is very surprising...because it's known for asparagus seeds to take about 6 weeks to germinate...for me it's happened in a bit less than 3 weeks. So it's either the priming or me about to display a foot in my mouth. Let's wait. For now, watch...

Ants 'tell-tales'

The fight is on. But a fight continues to be one-sided, till you really know your enemy (as any professional combatant would advise). But now I know. It's some bloody ###***$$$$ (loooonnng censor-blip) bug called the 'aphid' that's killing the cucumber and brewing trouble in the lives of the zucchinis/ bell peppers/ french beans. And it's the ants that gave away the culprit. 

Nature is interesting, in this case also devastating for my plants.  So as I may have mentioned earlier, along with the little bugs, I saw a lot of ants (the big black ones) doing rounds of the affected plants. In addition I saw a lot of sprinkled sticky dust like residue dropped all around the plant and on the plastic tank housing the Kratky system. On Googling, I was enlightened to what was really happening. There is a large variety of aphids. These are soft bodied insects that affect vegetable/ fruit bearing plants/ trees alike. They pierce and suck on the fluids from the tender parts of plants. Alongside, they excrete a sticky powdery residue which for some strange reason is exotically called 'honey-dew'. Ants love it and feed on it. And in the bargain land up protecting the aphids from their natural predators. A complete story of 'friends with benefits'. 

Aphid management is by and large similar to what I'm already doing. Except that it needs to be much more committed and pain-painstakingly more laborious than what I'm accomplishing. It would involve the physical removal of the entire colonies of aphids from over/ under each leaf/ stem/ flower...either by hand, a wet soft cloth/ paper or by a gently forceful (whatever that means) water spray. Then the use of the tri-oil insecticide I'd used or the use of insecticidal soap etc etc. It's going to be a long drawn affair. I'm prepared.

Mean-while I also felt like giving myself a kick for something else that I should have taken care of much earlier. I'd noticed that in all the three raft systems, pods of plants on either of the extreme edges seemed drier than the ones at the centre or the other extreme. So far, all I did was put a cap-full of nutrient solution to moisten the coco-peat, where I found the pod to be dry. It's only yesterday, that I realised that none of the rafts had a perfectly horizontal platform. Consequently, the nutrient solution inside was naturally tilted along the imbalanced platforms' gradient. So the roots of the plants on the edge where there was lesser nutrient were unnecessarily exerting more and were not getting as much nutrient as they should have. Lesson learnt. The platforms have been immediately changed. Their effect evidenced and verified thus...

 The make-shift platform. Shows the spirit-level bubble way off the mark.

The centre-table now serving as the platform. The bubble dot on target.

Among other learning, another that dawned upon me, was when I shifted the rafts from the previous to the present platform. Each raft contains about 14 litres of nutrient solution. Given the low height of the raft and it accommodating the weight of approximately 14 kg, it understandably becomes unwieldy and tricky to lift and move about. Generally two people are the best bet to equally balance the raft when full. To my surprise, the first raft that I'd started felt so light, it seemed empty. Inspection revealed that the roots of the plants in it are well entrenched all over and have consumed more than half the nutrient solution inside. It was interesting to see the basil's roots for instance.

I immediately got around to refilling the raft to its initial level of the nutrient solution. It took almost 8 litres of nutrient solution to do that. This though, with a fair amount of trepidation. As the nutrient levels go down in hydroponic systems, the roots elongate and grow fine hair like things on them to soak the maximum life giving nutrients. When you replenish such systems, there's a likelihood of 'drowning' and thus killing the roots. But if you don't replenish, they'd die in any case . Catch 22. I am the experimenter, who likes to err on the positive. So I've done that. And I anxiously wait. The results shall prove lessons for future.

It's Friday again. I'd be absent again. I'd rush back again, come Monday.

August May-day !!!

Five days gone by. Just like the cucumber seems to go by...it's dying. The question is, what does one do? Do I give up? Or do I do something about the fact that I've been inspired by and that I've identified with situations such as...Dr Ryan Stones' in 'Gravity' (2013); Aron Ralstons' as described in his autobiography 'Between a rock and a hard place' (2004) ; Ajit Singhs' as he climbed that mountain again and again and again under fire (1999); Evert Stenmarks' as he lay buried under an avalanche for eight days (1955); I could go on.

The situation...the leaves are withering, curling, dying. The baby fruits seem under distress. The plant stands thus...

My problem is, complete inexperience, total lack of knowledge and frequent spells of absence. But I have the Net and Neeraj (aka Angel 1). So, I've begun by nipping the dead leaves at the bottom as advised. I've also been advised to show the plant some direct sunlight for sometime. It'd be a challenge. Let me see how I manage to do that. If the situation stays the same or deteriorates I try home-made insecticidal soap (more on that later).

The others meanwhile seem to be doing well. Proof in eating the pudding...

That's leaves from the 'oh so fragrant' Basil, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Rucola (aka rocket leaves) and Lettuce. Which means that the plants in the raft systems seem to be doing fine.

And so do the Zucchinis (though there's some discoloration of leaves there too, which concerns me), the French Bean, the Bell Peppers, Onion, Tomato, Water Melon and the Radish.

And then again, the final empty grow-bed is also planted with tomato.

I'm here for another couple of days. By the end of that I hope I know what to do.

A few good men

As I walked late in the evening yesterday, defiant to the fever, the guilt of not having done enough to procure the right pesticide for the plants (especially the cucumber) gnawed deep. I finally called the Just-Dial people. As I spoke to them, their characteristic efficiency was heard as a faint blip of a new message received on the cell. I thanked...disconnected and was just about to view the message they'd sent, when I received a call. An unknown number. "Hi Sir, this is Mr Gopi Krishna...this is with regard to your query for pesticide dealers etc etc."
I, like anyone get sold on efficiency and competence. Mr Gopi Krishnas' voice exuded both. The long and the short of it is...I got to speak to his boss, Mr Neeraj (proprietor of a pest control shop--see www.skeeterfree.in) . I explained my predicament. A patient listener, who seemed to have the ability to empathise without many words. I also mentioned of this blog, to explain to him of what I was doing. And then the unexpected happened. He offered to see the plants and do the first treatment himself. I knew, it'd cost a bomb. Home visits generally do. But I was desperate. So we fixed a time for today morning at 9.

At 2 minutes to 9 today, having driven a bit more than 30 km, Mr Neeraj called me from a very prominent pre-decided landmark. I led him the short distance home. He was accompanied by Mr Gopi. For their time and actions for the next hour or so, I'd like to rechristen them as Angel 1, Angel 2.

They saw the plants. They were almost sure, it was some fungal disease. Then they got to action.

They'd got these along with them...

The oil a mix of three essential oils viz. Neem oil, Citronella oil and Geranium oil in proportion. So two table-spoons of baking soda and a tablespoon of oil was mixed to a litre of water. The three oils are hydrophobic (implying they don't mix well with water). The baking soda helps in overcoming that. The solution was put into the pressure sprayer. Necessary pressure was built and then began the treatment...

From all conceivable angles, for all the plants. Now it's a repeat after a days's gap. Then it's a wait and watch for the next 4-5 days. If it works--great!!. If it doesn't, I get another Angelic visit with some other solution.

I'm positive, it'd work. For angels fly, I believe in magic and there seems to be a divine presence looking after the entire adventure. Also, angels don't charge you. I insisted on paying for their time, the expertise, the hardware and the cost of material. They refused to listen. I guess, it's a long-term investment into a great friendship.

 I'm off again for the next five days. Shankar is aware of what's to be done. I'm sure, it'd be an anxious me entering home five days later.

Flower power

Here's a confession. I'm lazy. Sometimes without reason, I procrastinate. That I've got a miserable throat, an irritatingly runny nose and a near-constant low grade fever, isn't helping much. What I need now is either inspiration or a kick. So here I am almost 45 days into my green adventure...constantly putting off the buying of organic pesticide/ gathering information on what if, the plants attract bugs. And they have. Surprisingly inside the green house. It's a mini invasion of mini mites, whose might  by no means seems mini, who seem to as if have just one goal in life--constantly, languidly nibbling at my leaves and now flowers. 

I returned after an absence of five days, this morning. I'm here for just two days and then I need to travel again. Today was spent part marveling at the progress of the green beings, the magic of the start of bloom on the cucumber and the zucchinis and part wanting to kick myself in the rear for not having done anything thus far on the pest/ insect control front. 

That's the two zucchinis overshadowing almost everything in the vicinity.

And that's its promising flower. The little white abstract doodling you see on the leaf just below the flower is the handiwork of some mysterious bug.

The bell peppers, onion and tomato.

The little, now not so little fellows in the raft system.

Basil

Swiss Chard (I consumed a leaf of this today. Loved it.)

(That's the one that I ate)

Lettuce

Spinach

Cherry Tomato

And then, the cucumber...with its little flowers underneath which hide baby cucumbers. Putting up a brave fight against the pests so far...but ultimately relying on me...to do something.

The top of the plant has reached the ceiling of six and a half feet. It's already beginning to hold on to the criss-cross of the metallic frame.

To wrap it up, all my lethargy finally has been brought to its knees by the little flowers. I've spoken to people and hopefully shall soon be able to report on a much more positive note about the crusade against things 'bugging' my plants.

Raft raft raft

This is just a little update. Now all the three rafts (NFTs) are fully operational. So I hope to grow additional Swiss Chard and Spinach (8 plants each); three Methi plants ; two Lettuce and one Parsley.

Incidentally, it feels strange how the plants grow and sometimes you don't even realise it. Like your first child, who suddenly appears surprisingly bigger when the second one arrives. Juxtaposed the same on the transplanted beauties below. Then and now.

In addition, the primed seeds from the last post have been placed for germination. I wait and watch (anxiously). 

Work forces me to travel yet again. Consequently I'd be out for the next five days. But I'm a little less worried now. For, most of the things are in place for now. It's just the plants in the grow beds, that need to be watered once a day. Shankar does a dutiful job of that.