Stuff happening

For starters, both the vacant rafts are house-full again. It's the spinach and Swiss Chard that adorn the clean plastic underneath. So all the three rafts are fully-op. 

And then, as I'd written in the previous post, the plan to cover the backyard shed into an enclosed green-house like structure is fast turning into reality. And I really need to profoundly thank an old friend. I'd merely mentioned to him the fact that I was anxiously looking for shade-net and I didn't have a fortune to spend on it. The next evening...he called. An hour later, we met at a convenient RV and there it was, sitting snug in the boot of his car...all the shade net I needed. I asked him how...he just smiled and waved it away. Really, I don't know who and whom all to thank. And then there's Shankar, who got into action this morning. And kind courtesy him, the shade-net is more or less in place. It's a few more additions here and there and I'd be ready to shift the tall plants from the now dwarfed green house, to this taller cove.

And speaking of relocating the tall plants, I realise that gh1 (the original green-house, thus 1) would suddenly seem very bare and forlorn, post the move of the tall tomatoes and bell peppers and the chillies. To counter that, I intend to fill it up with more raft like units and possibly some more experimental stuff (more on that later).  I say, raft like units and not the original rafts (as seen in the first picture of this post), for a simple reason. Cost. And it was with this factor in mind that I made a few very basic purchases this Sunday, namely a tub and some thermocol (commercial name for polystyrene sheets). And here's how I put them to use. I would sheepishly overlook the fact, that it took me ages to get it right and only after being clumsily submersed in about a zillion snow-like thermoplastic granules, to get this to happen.

And as you might have guessed, I would soon try to plant freshly germinated greens in this INR 420/- worth genuinely DIY kit (add to that approx INR 300/- for the aeration pump and air-stone). It'd be interesting to see, if I succeed. For if I do, I'd do it in less than one third the cost of commercially available hydroponic rafts. 

The cucumbers meanwhile have gone crazy. Not knowing, if it was the right time to pluck I tried my luck with one of these.

And this green beauty didn't disappoint. The skin is very thin...the seeds aren't too many...extremely crunchy...very firm yet very juicy...not at all bitter at the extremities...so practically I ate the entire cucumber except for very thinly sliced ends. Well actually, there were a few accompaniments to the cucumber.

The bright looking chillies have managed to turn excitingly bitter, the cherry tomatoes sweet and the rocket leaves aptly pungent. My salad at lunch was good. Here's how...

And speaking of tomatoes, this weekend seemed like a bumper harvest from just two branches off the cherry-tomato 'tree'.

The chillies are also progressing well. And I completely surprised myself one morning, when while I anxiously searched for the bright looking upright beauties on the one chilly plant that still hadn't fruited, my eyes literally bumped into much darker chillies pointing earthwards. Like this...

juxtaposed with these...

I am a little concerned about the bell peppers though, for except that one baby capsicum (that's Oh so beautiful) nothing else has peeked out so far. But I'd be patient and hopeful, looking at this one...

And last but definitely not the least, I have to admit that this little chameleon has permanently adopted the asparagus support inside gh1 and courtesy this, he spends much more time with the plants than I do. I guess, he's welcome.