Initially, I wanted to be quite ambitious and try growing root vegetables because I hadn’t seen too many people growing anything apart from leafy greens, herbs, and tomatoes online. I decided against it because I knew this setup was quite clumsy and turnover times for root vegetables are pretty high. So I planted something more conventional – spinach. I figured I’d learn the ropes first before trying something more unorthodox. The first few days were quite nerve-wracking because I had no idea if things were actually working or if the experiment would be a complete failure.
I did not start my seeds separately in a germination table because I knew very little about it. I took a shot in the dark, and placed the seeds into the perlite directly, hoping for the best. I had 12 liters of water in the reservoir and mixed in the nutrients as specified on the bottle. I didn’t have a pH sensor or an EC meter so things were far from precise. I flooded the system 3 times a day and a couple of days later saw the first signs of life. Quite surprising, considering how I was winging it for the most part.
The seedlings were leggy but I left them alone and they got better with time. One unusual thing I noticed was there were 2 to 3 seedlings growing out of the perlite when I distinctly remember planting only one seed in each net cup. I probably accidentally planted more without realizing it. I didn’t have the heart to cut them off so I just let them be. And no, I did not name my plants. I was considering it, but no, I did not. Also, some of them have purple stems which I’ve not quite figured out why yet.
December 22, 2017
Fledgling Urban Farmer 