Two sets of pictures for viewing pleasure today, one from May 14th and the other from today, the 21st. Also a few pictures scattered about from the setting up of an aquaponics table. Haven't decided on which fish yet, thinking bluegill, catfish, or tilapia to be raised in the 110 gallon tub. Up top in the beds, Brandywine and san marzano tomatoes, with chocolate bell, chocolate habanero, and banana peppers, with two yellow crookneck squash. Still planning on putting in a couple cucumbers and maybe another tomato or two into the remaining space. Basically, aquaponics is taking aquaculture, or raising fish, and combining it with hydroponics. It sounds scary, but I have had aquariums for the past 7 years so I am not so nervous about aquaculture. However, I have zero experience with hydroponics as I prefer soil gardening. Time to learn something new, as aquaponics is virtually drought resistant, weed free (woohoo!!), plants grow up to 30% faster, and best of all the fish waste is converted through the nitrification process into nitrates which are the nutrients for the plants. Talk about awesome, chemical free and a symbiotic relationship requiring no external inputs (besides fish food)! Don't get me wrong, I feel soil gardening is as close as it gets to natural, but think about the vegetation and plant life found on river sides before categorizing aquaponics as not natural. Possibly inhumane raising the fish in the 110 gallon tub, but in terms of efficiency and a close loop symbiotic relationship, I will try my best to accommodate the fish.
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| May 8th the aquaponics stand is done being clear coated |
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| May 9th the tub has been running for 4 days and finally the stand, rocks, and paneling has come together! |
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| May 14th blue potatoes are doing well, after a third raised bed tier was added! |
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| May 14th view of the potatoes, chard, and peppers |
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| May14th view of the beets, tomatoes, onions, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, and dill. |
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| May 14th view of the cucumbers and garlic |
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| May 14th strawberry bed, onions, carrots, and bush beans in the background |
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| May 14th the first few plants were added as the ammonia present has started to convert to nitrite and finally nitrate for the plants. |
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| April 14th view of the tomato, basil, and oregano bed, yes the weed pulling is getting the best of me, but slowly we are getting everything cleared out. |
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| May 14th view of the pumpkins |
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| May 14th view of the watermelon, the yellow one was thinned out |
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| May 14th view of some corn sprouts in one of the three sister mounds, looking a bit nitrogen deficient as the soil was just sand a few months ago. |
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| May 14th the center mound of the 20x20 spiral garden. Turkish oregano, pac choy, sage, black beauty eggplant, beneficial flowers, and quinoa sprouts (left to right). |
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| May 14th brings our first eggplant blossom! |
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| May 14th the peas and purple sweet potatoes to the left, just starting to pop out the soil. |
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| May 14th view of the corn in the sister mounds. |
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| May 14th interesting finding a tomato growing out the side of my watermelon mound. It needs to be removed or transplanted because corn and tomatoes are NOT companion plants, but actually enemies. |
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| May 14th view when I looked up.. poison in our skies, which will fall to the soil and lungs waiting below... :( |
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| You're looking at geoeingeering, not contrails. Very different as one is water vapor and the other is aluminium oxide being sprayed in out atmosphere. |
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| May 14th, you can tell the difference by how the trails dissipate. Contrails dissipate almost instantly, why chemtrails actually spread and dissipate over the sprayed area. This is done without general public knowledge or permission. Be aware of what is in your air when you go out. The crossing patterns are often used, as parallel trails to cover a large area. |
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| May 21st view of the beets, onions, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, and dill |
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| May 21st view of the cucumber plants going vertical, one has cucumbers on it, and what remains of the area where garlic was harvested today. |
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| May 21st view of the strawberry, onions, carrot, and bush beans. |
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| May 21st view of the tomato and herb bed, still half needs tending |
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| May 21st view of the Habanero whom is finally fruiting decent sized peppers! |
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| May 21st view of Jessi's flower garden, a little chaotic but starting plants for friends causes lots of small planters, soon to be transplanted at their homes! |
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| May 21st attempt to get the whole 20x20 in view |
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| May 21st pumpkins are thriving, blossoms soon! |
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| May 21st you can see the huge pumpkin plants, then purple sweet potatoes are really filling up their allocated space now, with peas blooming and fruiting, another week and we should have fresh peas! |
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| May 21st watermelon starting to really take off with the corn in the background |
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| May 21st our first garlic harvest! Not the most sizable bulbs but you have to start learning somewhere! |
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| May 21st, the Anna Apple has been ravaged from the bottom up about 3/4 of the tree, deer are relentless eaters in the country. They actually ate 3 or 4 fruits which were spotted developing around march/april. |
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| May 21st view of the blueberry bushes. Still having a hard time keeping the orchard watered :( |
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| May 21st the poor Fuji Apple has yet again been eaten alive. Going to have to try a couple of other methods since the garlic didnt work as planned. |
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| May 21st the Satsuma Mandarin is still fruiting, although it seems we may lose most if not all fruit as the tree puts her energy towards her roots these first couple years. |
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| May 21st view of our first peaches forming. Three in this picture if you can see them! |
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| May 21st update of the aquaponics setup. Have the Bala Shark from our 55 gallon tank living in the 110 gallon tub. Hopefully he stays healthy for years to come, even as another breed of fish is raised in the same tub for consumption. |
