Fat Fruit Friday # 6 - Going potty!

 Not the same one my american daughter-in-law means, 

when she asks my grandson if he wants to, 'go potty?'

And I don't mean POTTY 

as in dotty, silly, insane...

although any, or all, of these could apply.

I am talking potty mixes...or as you may refer to them,

Potting Mixes.

I am loving science in my Fat Fruit Greenhouse.

Here are the first of my experiments.

Following the progress of the plants, in and out of the greenhouse, 

and evaluating the performance of the various potting mixes 

will be interesting.

Like a real scientist, I have planned my experiments with one variable

(i.e. same plants, same pots, same potting mix but in a different location - in greenhouse/not in greenhouse. Or same plants, same location, different potting mix formula.)  

Some plants and seeds have been also planted in the garden beds...

these are my 'control groups'.

Seedling producers are making it easier for us scientists. by providing these mixed punnets.

These were perfect for my experiments.

I have planted one of each variety, 

in the same soil mix, and the same type and size pot.

One will be living inside the greenhouse 

and one outside.

Ooops!...the eggplants didn't make it into the experiments.
Goats, again!

Formula #1 - (20 October)

50% cheap potting mix

50% well rotted manure

Added blood and bone.

All seedlings and seeds in the greenhouse

Seedlings

• Grafted Grosse Lisse tomato
• Early money tomato
• Egg plants (grown from seed - can't remember the type)

Seeds

• Watermelon 

On the left: tomato - early money

Right - tomato - grafted gross lisse.

Both in IKEA self watering pots, which I already owned.

Formula #2 - (23 Oct)

70% good quality potting mix 

25% well rotted compost

5% river gravel/sand

Seedlings in greenhouse

• Tomato - Early money (will be able to compare with same variety in Formula #1)
• Chilli - black pearl
• Chilli - habenero heat

Chilli - Black pearl

The second set of tiered shelves from the greenhouse

being used outside.

Inside the greenhouse

Formula #3 - (23 Oct)

Good potting mix only

Seedlings in self watering pots in green house AND outside, AND in garden bed.

• Capsicum - Yolo Wonder
• Capsicum - Sweet Mumma

Capsicum's  eye-view of the sky, through the greenhouse roof.

There are some Broad Ripple tomatoes in that hanging basket.

I grew these from Diggers' seed, from a plant found growing

in a crack in the footpath in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis.

How could I resist that?  The above mentioned D.I.L.,

lovely son, only granddaughter and Mr Muscle 

live in Indianapolis.

Formula #4 - (23 Oct)

70 % well rotted compost

20 % good potting mix 

10% river gravel/stones 10%

Seedlings in the greenhouse AND in same type of containers outside.

• Capsicum - Big Bertha (I am a bit scared of her!)
• Capsicum - Cherry Pick
• Capsicum - Golden Bell
• Cucumber - Crystal apple (also in garden bed)

Seeds (24 Oct)

• Canteloupe/rock melon
• Salad mix (Goodman seeds, corn salsd, mizuna,  mibuna, spinach, lettuce, rocket)
• Beetroot - crimson globe (Mr Fothergills) - also in garden 3 days earlier.
• Spring onion - white lisbon (Mr Fothergils) - also in garden 3 days earlier.

Just greenhouse

• Chilli - Ever bearing perennial - Rainbow Chilli.

I will have to become a chilli fan,

with gorgeous bejeweled specimens like this one.

And even though it may look like it...

it is NOT plastic!

I have put in a path with some pavers I had on hand.  The black is weed mat
and I will be adding gravel eventually.  I am holding off on the garden bed for a while.
Daniel is working on something else to go in the green house, and I am not sure
of the layout and where everything will go yet.  Stay tuned...it is an exciting development.

There is a way to go, before the greenhouse begins to live up to its name and is full of fat fruit. 

But, I am sure you will agree, that progress is being made!