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First Green Sproutings

Category: Miscellaneous | Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:09 am

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I looked in on the Aerogarden of Serendipity today and the Genovese Basil is sprouting up after only three days being "planted". It's actually beating out the Thai Basil, which was supposed to come up first. Regardless of which is first in sprouting, it's lovely to see them. I love growing things.


In other news, I had an opportunity to show The Maternal Parental the future site of My Not So Secret Garden today. We were riding in a cab with a really rude and dismissive cab driver. When I explained my plans for the garden plot I'm hoping to get, to my mother, he was really negative about the whole plan.


My actual plans are to grow food for The Maternal Parental and I, with a portion going to my friend for helping us out so much, as well as another friend who may or mayn't take up the offer due to his living so far from me. Any extra food will be given to those in need.


From both my own experience being impoverished and from watching Gardening programs that focus on community activism, I'm all too well aware that most food banks don't have a ready supply of perishable, fresh fruits and vegetables. It's mostly canned goods, boxed goods, and bagged goods.


While it certainly sustains, it's not always the healthiest option out there when compared with fresh produce. Being honest, and I have written about this in the past on my blog, fresh produce is a nightmare to get ahold of when you're on a limited budget. So, my plan was to give the extra to the food bank or, if they were unwilling/unable to take it, find a family in need to give it to free of charge.


Apparently, that was all too much for the allegedly charitable cab driver who scoffed at the notion and tried to poke holes in every aspect of my plan.


It's like, dude, why are you so invested in tearing my idea down? I hardly know ye and your dedication to obstruction goes way beyond constructive criticism.


Anyway...tangent.


So, The Maternal Parental got a chance to see the site and loved it. Though, she is worried about my ability to get there due to the Agoraphobia issue. I feel much more confident about it though. Between my friend taking me there on a semi-regular to regular basis and the distance being relatively short from the nearest bus stop, I feel somewhat confident that I can make it there.


I just need to actually get my hands on the site first...

Last edited: Wed Mar 02, 2016 5:27 am

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Wasted Time With Useless Video

Category: Hydroculture | Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:39 am

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After more than an hour of shooting video on the Aerogarden of Serendipity, all I have to show for it are a few pictures I snapped in between shoots. Most of the video is useless.


The positive is that I've got my new Aerogarden Bounty up and running.


Aerogarden Bounty New Gourmet Herbs Garden started 27 February 2016 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )





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The Greening

Category: Horticulture | Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:37 pm

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I finally got it. I finally got the Aerogarden Bounty.



Aerogarden Bounty delivered on 26 February 2016 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


If you're wondering why it's still in the box, there are two reasons for that.


1. I'm going to do an Unboxing video and upload it to YouTube. (See my links list for my vlog)


2. My "old" Aerogarden Ultra LED still has tomato plants ripening in it and I haven't deconstructed it yet.


Everything is going into play on or before 12 March. I'm selectively pruning smaller tomatoes from these plants to force the others to ripen faster. I just ate three, not quite red tomatoes off of the vine. They tasted a lot like store bought tomatoes. If they're picking them at that point, it's no wonder they're so flavorless.


I've been spoiled by vine ripened tomatoes. None but those can compete for flavor anymore in my eyes.


On the Outdoor Gardening front, I've compiled a shopping list for myself of things to get in preparation of obtaining My Not So Secret Garden. The waiting list is one year or more and, even then, Senior Citizens have priority first refusal of plots. That should give me enough time to get together a good collection of tools before my name even comes up.


I'm lucky I'm a very patient person.






Last edited: Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:38 pm

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Move Made - I'm On The Waitlist For A Plot

Category: Outdoor Gardening | Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:33 pm

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One day, in the not too distant future, I hope to get a phone call or a letter in the mail stating that I now have the opportunity to get a garden plot at my local Community Garden.


I made the call today and got put on the waitlist. Priority goes to Senior Citizens, and rightly so, before going down the list of people who've been waiting a long time to get a plot. Then, comes me. I'm so excited!!!!!!


I have a small listing of supplies I might need on my wishlist waiting for me to buy them. I need new hand tools as mine are old and rusted. I also, probably, need a spade. I was considering getting a short handled one.


Then, I have to get seeds and plants. Holy Molybdenum, I'm finally getting an outdoor garden!!!!!!!!


In other exciting news, I'm getting the Aerogarden Bounty today!!!!!!

My friend is buying my Ultra LED and the payment from that is partially financing the purchase of the newer Aerogarden, which I'm now calling the Aerogarden of Serendipity.


Right now, I'm ripening the last of the tomatoes on the plants in the Ultra LED. Hopefully, they'll ripen a little more quickly. I'm trying to keep the temperature at optimum levels for tomato ripening but it is Winter here and still very chilly outside.


That's about it, apart from my crocheting a cardigan for the Maternal Parental and a Boba Fett figurine for my friend.


Have a fantastic day, All!!!!! :)

Last edited: Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:36 pm

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Expanding My Territory

Category: Outdoor Gardening | Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:33 pm

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I am finally making moves to getting more growing space. In my community, there are garden plots available for rental for as low as $20USD per year. I am not sure as to the specifics beyond that but, if this is still accurate, you are reading the words of someone who is going to seize this opportunity as soon as it flies past her. For that princely sum, I would get a 4 foot x 20 foot plot to grow stuff in and a key to the growing space.



As much as I love the Aerogarden for snacks/light meals, it is not sustainable for anything more than that in the long term. As it stands, I do not have the room in my room to make a hydroponics system that could feed everyone I would like to feed. So, with that door closed to me for the foreseeable future, my most feasible option is to get a soil based growing space and work from there. Heck, for the space advertised, I could feed a lot of people I would like to feed. I have already promised some of the future harvest to one friend and another has automatic rights to the harvest as well because he is such a good friend and has helped us tremendously. It is only a question of getting the plot and supplies at this point.



It is also just a matter of getting the supplies to the growing space once I get it. I am definitely going to grow tomatoes and peppers. While peppers might not need staking, the tomatoes I would like to grow certainly will. For that, I would need the supplies for a trellis system. I would have no problems getting the stuff. I will just need to figure out a way to get it to the site. I do not know anyone with a truck, so I would either have to walk it from where I live or hire someone. I really do not think they would let me on the bus with some of the supplies.



Seeds are no difficulty. In fact, they are probably going to be one of the easiest things to acquire/transport. I will start them indoors here and then carry them to the grow site once they are big enough to survive on their own.



I am giddy with anticipation!!!!! :) :) :)

Last edited: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:41 pm

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Blissful Harvesting

Category: Foodstuffs | Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:46 am

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I've just eaten my first tomato from my Aerogarden of Hope. I've never tasted a sweeter tomato in my life. I'm used to the tomatoes in Supermarkets, so this was quite a change to that.



Second Tomato Harvested on the vine ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )






Second Tomato Harvested in my hand 25 January 2016 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )





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Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow...Tomatoes...Flotsam

Category: Miscellaneous | Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:59 pm

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So, yeah, I'm trapped in my home. Thankfully, I saw fit to get prepared when I first heard about this potentially mega snowstorm hitting two weeks ago. We may be trapped but we've got plenty to chow down on. See below...


Snow Outside My Front Door from Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


The potted plants are doing well. Spider plant and Snake plant are growing very vigorously.



Spider Plant and Snake Plant during Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


The Lemongrass needs a serious trim. I might make some tea and/or stir fry later this week.



Lemongrass during Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


All that remains, aside from the Spider and Snake plants, of my larger container garden. For now, I just have, aside from the above mentioned, Aloe Vera, Pineapples, and a Pelargonium growing. I may add a Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) and a Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus) to the mix.



Pelargonium, Pineapples, and Aloe Vera on the windowsill during Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


The tomatoes in the Aerogarden of Hope have really taken off since the last one ripened on the vine. Now, I have multiple tomatoes coming in, with some ripening even as I type this. All I know to do is trim the vines and keep both plants in water and Liquid nutrient. If I ever get that Aerogarden Bounty, I'll use this older model (Ultra LED) for growth experiments and extra growing space. I'll probably dedicate it to growing Herbs or something.



Two Ripening Tomatoes in the Aerogarden of Hope during Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


To keep from being bored, I've done a bit of baking before, during, and after the storm. This chocolate chip riddled banana bread was absolutely delicious.




Banana Bread with chocolate chips before Jonas hit ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


This Bread pudding wasn't bad either. In fact, the Maternal Parental ate most of it before the storm had even done its worst.




Bread Pudding made before Jonas ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


Last but not least, some icicles outside my bedroom window. I don't know how big they're going to get but, no thanks to some neighborhood kids, they're now tipping right towards my window.



Icicles outside my window after Jonas. ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )




Last edited: Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:57 am

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Happy 2016

Category: Hydroculture | Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 8:02 pm

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Not much has been happening here. Just watching these tomatoes grow out of all sanity. I trim them back but, just as quickly, they come back thicker than ever.


Aerogarden Tomatoes Full Shot ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


I'm even getting fruit. I'm very careful not to trim these off. I have an abundance of flowers on this plant which is causing me to sneeze mightily but I don't mind. It just means I'll have more tomatoes down the road.



Aerogarden Close up of Three Ripening Tomatoes ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


I'm really looking forward to eating these tomatoes. :)


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Growth Spurt

Category: Hydroculture | Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 6:07 pm

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So, this has been my past few weeks. I had to prune these tomatoes back heavily due to an invasion of some kind of mite in the Jalapeno Pepper plant. I was left with two scrawny plants that I was ready to give up on. I'm so glad I didn't.



Twin Tomato plants in the Aerogarden of Hope. December 2015 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


I'm even getting an inflorescence of tomato flowers. I'm sneezing my head off but they're perfectly lovely.



Close up of the Lesser Tomato flowers in the Aerogarden of Hope. December 2015 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


According to the Accuweather site, Christmas Eve is supposed to be 71F. I can haz Winter?

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Going, Going, GONE!

Category: Foodstuffs | Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 2:04 am

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The Cherry Tomato has been harvested and, according to the Maternal Parental, it was the best tomato she had ever eaten. :)


Aerogarden Cherry Tomato Pre-picking - 15 November 2015 ( photo / image / picture from xantedeschia's Garden )


Really looking forward to the next batch of tomatoes coming in. Thanks for reading.



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