Started my SS6 with 3 pods salad Greens w/ custom mesclun, arugula, GR lettuce

[MaryH]

I don't think it is endives but mizuna or shungiku are possibilities.

[MaryH]

I had given one of my BB&B NYC AG3 in black to my sister for an early birthday present and will keep her in stock with seed kits for the next year.  I even set it up for her today since she had an SS6 for 2 months in the box before I bought it off her.

She would have liked cherry tomatoes but both SS6 and AG3 are not suited and doubt she would remember to pollinate them. Thus after some discussion, we agreed on salad greens.   The regular salad green pods while prolific are sometimes a bit bland so we decided on 2 salad green pods for bulk and 1 custom pod with arugula to give it a little kick of flavour.

It has been set up at 7pm EST on May 5th.  I think she might remember nutrient every 2 weeks and water occasionally in addition to the harvest.   I just saw a dried up bamboo plant in her house and it takes a lot to kill one of those.

[MaryH]

I have given her single packs herb nutrients rather than the double pack lettuce nutrients to prevent her from over feeding. 

By the look of things both herb and salad green uses AG small tabs and should be interchangeable.  This will keep her experimenting but small and controlled experimentation.

[MaryH]

Day 28 - May 5

This is after the 2nd harvest for a side salad of the Salad greens.  The arugula is small but almost ready for harvest and Mesclun is growing but the Grand Rapid Lettuce at 14 days are still way behind.

[MaryH]

Missed week 5 pictures while I was in Orlando so here is
May 19 - Day 42

My Mom did not harvest it at all while I was away so they got very big.  The arugula caught up with the salad greens and the Mesclun had an arugula, a couple of what looked like mizuna and 1 I cannot identify yet.

[MaryH]

Here is a photo of Mom's SS6 at Week 16 on May 19.

The Dill and Basil did the best.  Oregano is getting better and Thyme is a little small.  The 2 empty spots had been replaced by some tomato seedlings about 3 weeks ago but they are still a bit small and not sure if it is due to Rockwool, too heavy concentration of nutrients, being shaded by dill, etc. or lights being too high.

[bab43]

The gardens have really become rich and bountiful - they look really healthy Mary.  You and your Mom will be able to have a big harvest - enjoy!

[MaryH]

Thanks Marianne. 

The grand rapid lettuce in my garden is not doing well and about to be pulled since they are completely buried under the others and very, very short.  They started later and was shaded overshadowed by the others but the seeds themselves might not be that good since they grow far slower than the salad greens at similar time.

I look in my Mom's outdoor garden today and lots of little mint, dill and cilantro that are coming up from seeds that dropped from last year.  She still has lots of seeds for those in the fridge even with the ones she gave away at seeds exchange.

She is going to pull lots of baby dill and I suggested to her that she should chop and freeze with a little water rather than drying them as she had been doing.  She had been pulling some baby mint and dropping them in her tea and I got to try some and they are not bad.  She is not sure which type of mint it is since she bought 4 different types one year and two types survived.  One in the garden plot and the other in a outdoor container. 

I think when her herb garden runs its course, I probably will suggest that she does not do dill for her next herb garden since she has so much of it in the outdoor garden but she might not do herb right away.

[MaryH]

Can anyone identify the leaf(s) of mesclun that is at the lower left corner of the SS6?  I had identified some arugula and have a couple of what looks mizuna but the small oblong leaf with slightly serrated edge I don't know.  The photos are in reply 44.

[MaryH]

Did a little research.  The USC where I got the Mesclun mix described it as:

Mesclun salad mix - a mixture of colourful Lettuces, Arugula, Red Giant, Lacinato Kale, and Shungiku

http://www.twowingsfarm.com/seeds.cfm#Salad%20Mixes
Went to the website of Two Wing Farm, the seed provider and got:

Mesclun Salad Greens - A mixture of colourful Lettuces, Arugula, Red Giant, Mizuna, Russian Red Kale, Lacinato Kale and Shungiku. Broadcast and cover lightly for cut and come again.
 
This was more informative since the two more likely options were Mizuna or Russian Red Kale.  It does not look like the Mizuna picture on the website and looks a lot like the Red Russian kale on another organic seed provider site so I think it is Red Russian Kale.

http://www.southernexposure.com/productlist/prods/25102E.html

The smaller beaver tail / oblong shaped leaf might be red giant.

[MaryH]

Have been a little busy to go and do the harvest this past week.  Made a salmon and red pepper quiche for my parents for dinner and did the harvest this Sunday so we had quiche and salad with the greens, grape tomatoes, cukes, red pepper and cherries.

Day 47 - May 24

The late started Grand Rapid Lettuce was overshadowed and not enough roots to survive the crowding and its thirsty / hungry companions so it passed.

[bab43]

It does not look like the Mizuna picture on the website and looks a lot like the Red Russian kale on another organic seed provider site so I think it is Red Russian Kale.

I think you tracked it down Mary.  It's good to know what caused the issues in my garden 

Great harvest - I expect it was enjoyed!  Sorry the Grand Rapid Lettuce didn't make it.

[MaryH]

It was cheap seeds and don't think it is that great.  If I am going to go through the time to grow salad greens, would prefer harder to find or high value ones such as arugula, Mesclun, frisee, sorrel, etc.  I can always buy regular lettuce and accent with what I grow.

So your baby greens with the issue was Russian Kale too?

[Moontiger]

It looks like you have a great harvest going.  That dill looks wonderful!  I am hoping that the gourmet seed kit that comes with the SS6 on its way to me will include dill.  I also have my own seeds (just in case).

I think you're right about the plant being Red Russian kale.  I kept looking at the picture and couldn't make up my mind, but I think you nailed it.

Mary, I am so impressed -- I've been reading your posts about your mom's gardens, so looks like you have a lot going on not only for yourself but for your family, too.  I've been thinking of getting my sister an AG, but I know she would never add water or nutes to it.  So instead I will probably share what I have growing indoors and out.  It's just easier that way.  But I am certainly in awe of what you do.

[MaryH]

The gourmet herb kit comes with Dill.

It took a while and it looked a little like Mizuka but not quite and the first kale picture I saw was very different.  Having gone back to the seeding source website and got an exact list and looked up their pictures, I am pretty sure it is the Red Russian kale.

My Mom likes to garden but she is in her late 70s so gradually outdoor gardening would be harder for her.  That is why we started looking for an AG SS6 for her last Xmas.  I bought an AG 6 which would be for me to some extent and I will grow a season of tomatoes in it to make good that claim.  But it will find itself to my Mom next Mar / Apr with a seed starting kit since she did a lot of work with her seeds this year and I think it would be much easier with the seed starting kit in AG.

My sister gets enthusiastic about things but sometimes do not follow through so that is why I bought the SS6 off her since I know I would use it and she might not.  But the good thing about the gift of AG3 to her is that I started it for her and I actually called her last Tuesday when it was ready for first feeding.  She actually remember to check water a few times in between so good start. 

I started it with Salad Green which is an easy and good fast results to see if I can build her interest and see if she can remember to keep it fed and watered.  I thought about that for a bit and even though she wanted cherry tomatoes, she would not polinate or do things to it that needs to be done.  She has several dried up looking plant including a sickly ficus and it takes a lot to make a ficus unhealthy looking but forgetting to water it would do it.  It helped that she have started thinking she should eat organic and being a vegetarian, salad may be the easiest.

If you want to give something to your sister, I would say start small.  BB&B has the AG3 for $48+tax.  If it does not work out, not as much money spent / wasted.  Alternatively if she likes flowers, start it and give it to her when it starts flowering so only 1 type of nute and water to worry about.  If still not a good option, sharing what you grow can be good so she gets all the benefits and none of the issues / work.

 

[MaryH]

My Mom was in the hospital end of May till mid June for 3 weeks and the AG were sadly neglected since I was spending a lot of time at the hospital and had to check on her seedlings for the outdoor garden so AGs got the short stick.  Only did a few harvest after the 6-7 weeks and terminated the garden when it bolted and was dying end of July.  Also terminated my Mom's herb garden since they picked up some kind of gnats and was infesting the basil and oregano as well as thyme.  Dill was coming to the end too after 6 months so havested everything and planted some basil cuttings outside.

Both AGs have been cleaned out.  Mom is not feeling 100% yet and still have a surgery end of August with her outdoor garden is already a lot of work so we have not planted anything yet.  I am thinking about hiatus and might plant something mid-September although I have been thinking about cloning Stevia, Pineapple Sage and mini-roses until we are ready for tomatoes  garden and probably basil and lettuce garden...

[bab43]

I hope your Mom will be better soon and that you'll both be enjoying your gardens again.

Nice to see you back at the forum Mary!

[MaryH]

Only off and on since I am kicking off a new project and commuting on top of it.  For 3 weeks of commute so far, 1 cancellation to my advantage since i was able to catch a delayed earlier flight, 1 stranded overnight in Montreal and 1 mechanical / reroute racing for a meeting.