01 November 2008

Our Hydroponics System

A few weeks ago I mentioned that our hydroponics were down for maintenance and that I missed being able to pick my daily salad. Where it was located is now almost always in the shade thanks to the trees in our neighbours place growing over the 10 years we've been here. So we've shifted it to where it's mostly in the sun and added another couple of rows. As you can see it's all home made (brilliant DH) with the battery that's needed to pump the water running from a solar panel (the large white thingi). The pump comes on 4 times a day for 5 mins and that's all it needs, the water with the nutrients is pumped up from the tank below and runs down the 4 channels and back down into the holding tank again.
The plants you see have been in for a week and already the strawberries have a flower. There are also my favourite fancy lettuces, mustard, parsley, chives and yesterday in went two round patty green courgettes and three different coloured cherry tomatoes, they'll probably need tying up to the fence later - hopefully! Still more room yet so I'll probably get a few more herbs and a dwarf spinach or two. This little corner of the garden is always where the grandchildren head for first in the summer, they even beat the birds to the strawberries!
If anyone would like to know the ins and outs of running a hydroponic system just let me know and I'll get all the details from DH.
Note: Okay I'm an idiot, I didn't even notice there was no solar panel on the white thingi, apparently it broke and we're just waiting to be able to afford a new one! I also knew all about it breaking according to DH!




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