Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Sweet. BTW - your kitchen bench looks just like ours only yours is neater

rofl VB, that's scary

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we had our usual type of harvest yesterday, but I thought I'd take some pictures and tell of some specific results for our system.

Successes
.. four types of beans have all done really well, we get a meal for all the family each day and have from 7 weeks after planting. Very happy with beans

.. silverbeet, rainbow chard, beetroot tops have all done well, even managing to grow well despite the constant attention of the caterpillars. Have some for dinner most days

.. lettuce - a few types, most have bolted, but we still pick meals each day

.. herbs - basil, parsley, nasturtium, chives, sage all doing well, used each day

.. cucumbers (not picked yesterday) pretty good, but savaged by some stabbing bug.

.. tomatoes - first 300g Brandywine picked and eaten yesterday. Axl was impressed There are lots more ripening.

Not as Successful, but alright
.. carrots - I've never been entirely successful with carrots anyway, so no real difference there The tops are full and leafy, the roots are small but tasty. We ate 6 of them last night in a stirfry.

.. beetroot - leaves are great and yummy, the roots, again, are small. Haven't picked any for eating yet.

.. corn - small but tasty cobs.

.. peas and snowpeas - very slow growth and flowering. Very limited fruiting. Not too happy with peas

.. Strawberries - just starting to flower, lost about half the plants to death Taking their own sweet time about this.

Other plants that should be mentioned
.. grapevine - currently putting out new shoots and doing nicely.

.. dwarf lemon, dwarf lime, finger lime - always putting on new leaves, growing nicely.

.. mulberry cuttings - only got 2 struck, these will be potted out from the system soon. I think the constantly damp sand is messing with them

.. garlic and shallots - most of the bulbs sprouted and are growing well.

.. thyme - killed it twice but then I also killed it in the dirt. I like thyme, going to have to work on this one.

.. rosella seedlings - starting to do well.

.. ROSEMARY! From an entire packet of seeds, one seed germinated! The plant is about 3cm tall and has about 8 leaves. Don't look too closely, it might get shy and hide


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Jaymie,
How much light do your lemon and lime trees like? The nursery here has started carrying more tropical plants, and I have noticed dwarf banana and a dwarf citrus--maybe Clementine or Caladine or something like that. It's very tempting, but not if they are just going to drop all their leaves and cark it.

Or maybe I should just train up the eggplants. They look like small trees already!

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Rules are for the obedience of the ignorant and the guidance of the wise.

the citrus, well everything, gets some dappled shade through the day, but the rest of the time is about 50% shade cover (shadecloth). If we didn't cover things with shadecloth, they'd fry. So lots of light, but indirect sun.

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great looking harvest there J... yummy toms

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We care enough to help everybody with AP

Good work Jaymie.

Cracking along there J! A few brownie points with Axl with that tommie crop!

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www.thefishfarm.com.au

Jaymie I wouldn't be too despondant about the peas/snow peas and strawberries, they all prefer "cooler/colder" temperatures.....

Even my strawberry crowns haven't started to flower yet and I wouldn't expect them to do so or fruit for another month or two.... you have the benefit of "tricking" them with higher temps, they probably think it's spring.

I think the peas and strawberries will start to come on better now that your temps are dropping.

Some strawberry varieties are also light hours dependant and wont start to flower until the amount of daylight hours between sunrise/sunset drops below a certain trigger point.

Were your runners day "neutral"?

Of course most of what I've said is based on my experience down south and soil based growing, so it might all go out the window with AP anyway.

I wonder if F&F strawberry plants are flowering, think he got his in a few weeks before yours Jaymie and he's been colder for about a month as well.

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Fresh By Nature - Distributor of Aquaponic Systems and Products in NSW
http://www.freshbynature.com.au

Great harvest jaymie Luv the look of the Toms..Alot of things have happen since you started your system not long ago

Nice show J, my peas didn't do well either, but then planting in December prolly wasn't a good idea - gonna give them another go this month

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Do it - like 'Ell!

Sure is an awesome harvest. Oh, and happy anniversary, maybe a little late but best wishes anyway.

thanks Joyce, lovely to see you again Lots of dry weather your way I hear.

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We have been in a drout season and lots of fires all over Florida until a few days ago. Different areas of the state have had down pours, we have had some rain, but need lots more. It is good to be getting back on line more. Last time I was on was only Friday and still 1400 posts since then. Last year I joined in July and had the time to read everything. Now I do speed catching up. I just went back though your site. Alot has been done and plenty to be proud of. How many grow beds did you finally end up with?

we have the big bed 3500L, medium bed 2000L, 16 flat half drums x 100L, 6 vertical half drums x 100L, 8 towers x 25L, two bath tubs with duckweed. So lots and varied beds.
I was away from Friday until Tuesday and had 1500 posts to try to get through, lots were just skimmed

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