Saturday, June 9, 2012

Why It Is Important to Grow a Garden Before SHTF.

Here's what I think is the Million Dollar Garden Question:

Is this little 4 inch plant or these heirloom seeds I'm buying really the vegetable I have in mind?  Is this thing going to bear fruit that is the size and flavor that I am expecting?  Okay, well, that's two questions, but quite related. 

When I first started gardening last year, the most easiest plant for me to choose was the cherry tomato.  Mostly because I trust the little sliver of paper telling me it is, as well as the picture of what the little tomato will look like.

Eggplants, on the other hand, are a bit harder to figure out at my local nursery.  There was only one eggplant with a picture and that was the large Brinjal eggplant.  That wasn't what I wanted.  I am more used to the slender purple eggplants from Asia.  Last year, the only thing that matched my thoughts were labeled "Japanese Eggplant."  Perfect!  That's the one!  We bought three and with the help of my youngest son, planted our first container garden. 

A month went by and little slender purple fingerlike fruit began to grow.  We were excited.  Then the fruit quit growing at 5 to 6 inches.  Here's a picture:

Wait, that's it?  I let them sit on the plant thinking, hoping for one more growth spurt.  The vegetable tasted the same as what I am used to, but the size was disappointing.  Maybe I needed more water?  Maybe not enough nutrients in the soil?  Maybe it didn't like the coffee grinds I was throwing in.  Whatever I did yielded the same short fruit, now with less frequency because they were on the plant for too long. 

At the beginning of this year, two of the three plants eventually died with the third on life support.  Time to go shopping for another kind of eggplant.  Went to the same place, but this time, they had plants labeled "Filipino eggplant," again with no picture.  "Worth a try."  I told myself.  So I bought just one plant this time.  Here's the result:


Now that's more like it!  Since it passed probation, I went back to the nursery for more.  Too bad, so sad, all gone.  Ah crap.  One week, then two weeks went by and still no Filipino eggplants.  On the third week, I was in luck.  Just one scrawny little plant.  I decided to pass.  The fourth and fifth week went by with no success and the scrawny plant was long gone.  Proving patience is a virtue, six weeks went by and FINALLY!  I grabbed three of the best looking eggplants I could get.  With a big smile on my face, you would have thought I had found gold.  Needless to say, the plants including the once sickly Japanese eggplant are doing well along with the cherry tomatoes and bitter melon.


I hope this helps you decide that starting a garden now is imperative so you not only know what kind of vegetables you like, but also how much watering and nutrients they need to grow. 

Aloha,
J.

5 comments:

  1. awesome man. check out global buckets on the web. Im in an apt so my garden is alittle limited to my lanai. being as self sustainable as we can is the answer. I got about 20 or so plants and its really starting to take off. first harvest in a month or so im hoping. wish I had enough sunlight to grow big veggies like yours!

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  2. May you be blessed with over abundance this year. Curious if you've done anything to maximize the space. Even if I had a larger yard, thinking small and maximizing space would be great.
    Aloha,
    J.

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  3. ya thats why i use global buckets. I also am working on having my tomatoes grow out off the lanai so it takes less space and I am able to use the air space off my lanai. also hanging plants are used to maximize space. also got my vermicomposting going. got three buckets and may need more. Hey J when are you taking me shooting. I wanna go get a mossberg 500 and put a foldable stock and a pistol grip on it. you know a good place to get this?

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  4. Been real busy with family life. My range time is limited to 1 day a month and usually it's at the HRA/LIFE funshoot. Next one is set for July, but date is still TBA. This weekend is the shooting sports fair at kokohead shooting range. You should go. Best place to try out all the different kinds of guns and calibers. There will be a shotgun tent as well. Just remember to lean into it or you will get pushed around. If you can't make it, we'll set a date for July's fun shoot. As for gun shops, OGC Tactical, Kaneohe Gun Shop, Young Guns, Security Equipment. All are good. Shop around for cheapest price. Practice with your shotgun first before putting all the stuff on it.

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  5. thanks for the good info. ill let you know what I get. Also are you vermicomposting yet. Im just getting into it and enjoying it. also check out global bucket.com its a real cool way of gardening. a more effecient water usage way. i got 4 now and its cool it actually works using wicking. anyways keep posting interesting stuff. i know you busy with family but you get some cool ideas and stories!

    Shoots!

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