We decided to try starting them indoors!
Questions arose that require answers.. How early should we start? Just how big will they get? What to start them in?
1/2 Dozen cloves go in a bowl with water and in a few days roots are growing. Great start! That brought the though of trying hydroponic. Why not? I'm starting the roots in water, let's give it a go. Did some research to find a good nutrient mix, decided on the Kratky Method (passive) and away we go.
Me is a soil grower, so 6 more cloves went into a pot. The race begins!
The hydroponic's went to greens growing much quicker, but once the soil garlic started, it surpassed. Clear winner! Well, I figured out the soil had a much higher nutrient base. So I tried to up the hydroponic's and pretty much killed them.. Lesson learned, stay with the base amounts and slowly increase if required.
I also had too much water in it. I had soaked the garlic.
I also had too much water in it. I had soaked the garlic.
I have yet another hydroponic garlic test underway now.
Look at that root growth! This is the best I have seen yet!
This is just about a week in!
You can see the air space in this. Much better chance of success!
Look at that root growth! This is the best I have seen yet!
This is just about a week in!
You can see the air space in this. Much better chance of success!
Well, the soil still needs attention to ensure there's enough water.
This lead to the Wick System or better known as Self-Watering.
So I made my first one.
Not real happy of the cost, nor the space it takes up..
Back to the Drawing Board, well workshop..
This is a very simple system that requires so little effort it surprised us! A Nesting cup, with a wick, filled with soil and place in a vessel (I used: water bottles, cut wine bottles, a drinking glass and a plastic tumblers).
Once that wick gets going, you may actually have to restrict it a bit! Ya, works that well.
How easy is placing a seed (or cutting) in the soil for germination and it's already in it's grow vessel!!
Then I read about this guy that starts his tomatoes plants by simply cutting a 1/4" slice of tomato and buries it a 1/4" in the soil. Oh, we have to try this! Ya, it works!!
So now we have a system to get 'all' the plants going easily. We will be able to transfer outside without major shock to the plant. We're liking this!
So far we have harvested garlic greens twice and have 3 healthy tomato growing (cherry). We have a collection of 6 herbs germinating and 3 Romaine lettuce plants just getting started.
Who says you can't have an indoor garden? Not us!
Now it comes to good use of space. I've built a few prototype PVC style planters. Thought is I need a stand and incorporating that into the system would be great. I like the idea of vertical gardening. I like it even more for outside as well. Think about the volume possibilities per square foot... Just not happy with design as of yet.
I like the possiblities of the 'Wick System' better than the Kratky Hydropnic's. Kratky has limits, wick does not. Both are easy to do and fun. Just for us, I see the Wick System is what we'll chase and improve upon.
To this end, and all the experimentation, We have a product we're happy to sell, because it works!
Here, you can purchase the Starter Kit.
Think you don't have a 'Green Thumb', well you will learn you actually do! This is just too easy to do.
We thought about this quite a bit as to make it as easy as possible and as always, we're here to coach you along the journey.
We've put in the time and research (and $$) to get here. Save your self all of this and start here. It's what 'we' use, so it's what we'd sell.
Now it comes to good use of space. I've built a few prototype PVC style planters. Thought is I need a stand and incorporating that into the system would be great. I like the idea of vertical gardening. I like it even more for outside as well. Think about the volume possibilities per square foot... Just not happy with design as of yet.
I like the possiblities of the 'Wick System' better than the Kratky Hydropnic's. Kratky has limits, wick does not. Both are easy to do and fun. Just for us, I see the Wick System is what we'll chase and improve upon.
To this end, and all the experimentation, We have a product we're happy to sell, because it works!
Here, you can purchase the Starter Kit.
Think you don't have a 'Green Thumb', well you will learn you actually do! This is just too easy to do.
We thought about this quite a bit as to make it as easy as possible and as always, we're here to coach you along the journey.
We've put in the time and research (and $$) to get here. Save your self all of this and start here. It's what 'we' use, so it's what we'd sell.
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