What a difference a week makes:
last week:
this week:
The chives are almost touching the light, and it looks like I’ve got to prune the basil a bit. The idea is to keep all the herbs growing at about the same height before I raise the light. Looks like the mint and parsley need a little help. The dill on the other hand is doing too well – just to spite me. (I don’t care for dill). It’s starting to fill in the spaces between its neighbors. It better not touch the basil and taint it!
Anyone else out there already harvesting (somewhere that gets snow), barely 1 month into winter?
I wasn’t expecting to have to prune just yet – so I have no plans for the herbs! Into the freezer, or the oven to dry for now I guess.
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.
9 comments so far
GrandmaT
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5305 posts in 1026 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 954 days ago
Amazing what a difference one week makes. They really look healthy …
-- "A beautiful garden is a work of heart" -- Royal Oak, MI - Zone 5
MsDebbieP
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8102 posts in 1148 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 954 days ago
looking yummy.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
Michal Bulla
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294 posts in 1164 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 954 days ago
Looks great. I should try it, but there is not so easy to get hydroponic garden in Slovakia. It’s expensive…
-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com
syble
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126 posts in 954 days
posted 953 days ago
I think i saw that at linns and things, looked really cool, how do you like it? seams to be woring quite nicely for you! I grow all my herbs in the garden and deal with them dried through the winter. don’t be afraid to pinch that basil back hard, it can take it. my plants reach 2-3’ tall and i cut them back hard, and they grow great! Keep up the good work!
sib ;)
scottb
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213 posts in 1027 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 953 days ago
Just cut back the basil and chives. Dill tomorrow or the next day. I really like this gardening system, and would recommend it. apart from the initial set up, I’ve spent less than 5 minutes in 4 weeks maintaining it. WAY easier than weeding, watering, etc…
Michal, you can probably make something similar on the cheap, just need a couple lights, CFL bulbs on a timer (or just leave them on all the time for maximum yield!) some container to hold the water, and some sort of screen or something to hold the growing sponges just at the surface of the water. That, seeds and figuring out what sort of nutrients they’ll need and your good to go.
I suppose I should google it and make my own large scale one!
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.
scottb
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213 posts in 1027 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 952 days ago
I trimmed off about a dozen basil leaves and 1/3 off the top of the chives.
I added some of the basil to my lunch (organic turkey, lettuce, & provolone wrap) – so fresh and delicious! It tasted like it was spring (even as I looked out at the snow).
Now to start planning some menus for this years harvest, already in progress!
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.
Jason
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840 posts in 1002 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 952 days ago
Looking great, Scott! Congratulations on your successful experiment…I look forward to next week’s images!
-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit
MsDebbieP
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8102 posts in 1148 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 952 days ago
oh you are making my mouth water!! (and my Visa card twitch)
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
scottb
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213 posts in 1027 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 952 days ago
I’ll keep track of the harvest. I’m curious to see how much I’ll be knocking off my grocery bill, since I won’t be buying fresh basil, etc… at the market (super or farmers)
-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.