Experiment in cucumbers begins

I began a test to see if cucumbers started in small pots could be transplanted into a hydroponic system for more efficient change out of plants between crop turns.

The hybrid cucumber seeds were started in mid-August and grew until the end of September in the pots before I transplanted them into Bato buckets.

Each cucumber plant was a foot and a half to two feet long, therefore giving each plant almost a month head start before being placed in the system.

So far each of the transplants seems to have fared well even though cucumbers are not usually suited for transplanting.

Comments

Greenhouse seeds started

148 tomato seeds, started 1/5/2024. Seeds maintained at 80° F. 35 ground cherry seeds and 10 pepino seeds started 1/5/24, maintained at the same temperature. 56 pepper seeds started 1/6/24, maintained at 84° F. Notes: cutting back on tomato production, experimenting with novel crops. This is the latest that I've ever started the greenhouse tomatoes.

Straightneck squash planted March 21, 2021

Today, I planted 20 containers of straight neck summer squash. I used last year's perlite in each of the Bato buckets, only pulling out the roots to last year's crops. In some of the buckets I needed to top off the perlite with new perlite. The seeds were from Willhite, tested October 2018. I sowed five seeds in each bucket. April 4, 2021 update: reseeded after poor germination so far.

Microgreens Restarted

After several rounds of failed microgreens using Sure-To-Grow growing pads, I've now opted for coconut coir. The problems that I've had with the pads are that they either dry out too fast between waterings and stay soggy too long after a watering. They also seem prone to growing mold. My trial microgreens crops are radish, kale and sunflower (one tray of each), started today, November 30, 2015. I'll now see if I can be successful with a more traditional medium. I suspect that the pads are a poor medium, and that the coir will provide a more evenly moist growing environment.

Sustainable Farm Journal

Search This Blog