Temporary Interruption

I redesigned my rain gutters into a vertical bank along my northeast wall replacing the grow tubes which had been a problem because of water supply restrictions of the 1/4" supply. A call from York City for a family emergency in March of 2014 meant I had to leave immediately before I had adjusted the gutters well enough to ensure good flow rate through the new system or plant for the coming season. In July I returned to find that my son had kept my main system going with the mint thriving and a few gold fish still alive. A new grandson dictated my return to New York before I did any further work in the greenhouse. the diagram below depicts my new gutter arrangement

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The Sweet Smell of Partial Success

I returned fro a three week visit to Florida to welcome a new grandson who was born in St. Augustine on the 22 of May to find that I could gather a handful of really tasty strawberries from my greenhouse. The tomato and pepper plants have thrived and are setting fruit. Best of all, the blend of scents from mint, strawberries and various herbs is heady. On a visit to the Grow House in Denver during the Aquaponics Conference last September I noticed that they set potted plants with holes in the bottom nestled into the flood and drain grow beds. I followed that practice with my various nursery plants this year. I set the four inch peat pots into the gravel beds without any apparent negative effects.

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