A Slow Start

I started melons and cucumbers. I didn't know if the melons would take because the seeds were kind of old but they did. But something wasn't right. Leaves were browning and the plants stunted. So I didn't plant them and instead planted some tomatoes I started as part of a backup plan. The cucumbers I started turned out ok though and I have some growing on the balcony now. As well as some hot peppers. So that's it for this season: cucumbers, tomatoes and hot peppers. Keeping it simple this year.

I'm loving this grow light

After a couple of weeks I can really see the difference between plants grown in the window and plants grown under my grow light. No surprise, really, but I wasn't convinced that a handful of blue and red LEDs in a cheap grow light fixture where going to be good enough. Guess I was wrong. There are three seedlings in each pot. The one from the window is on the left. It's a bit more stretched out because it doesn't get overhead light. This was the best pot from the window. Some of the other plants there aren't as healthy looking. But all of the pots under my grow light look similar: stocky and well formed.

I have a tray of pepper seedlings under the light as well. The seeds were a bit old and I didn't think they would all germinate. But they have and now it looks like I'll have more than enough. The beans I started outside last week aren't doing anything. But the weather has been a bit cool lately. Should start warming up again after the long weekend. I won't put any cucumbers or melons out until the end of the month.

Under the Lights

I picked up this LED grow light last year. I didn't really have any place to put it or real need for it at the time. It emits a fairly narrow blue and red spectrum of light which the plants enjoy but it's not that great to look at. I started some cucumber and melon seeds last month and normally I just place them in the window but not this time. I placed half under the LED light on a metal shelf in my kitchen. And they appear to be growing well. Much more compact than the plants growing in the window.

The problem with the light fixture is that despite its size, the lighting strip only runs down the middle of it. Even with two rows of pots beneath the strip I still see the plants leaning towards the light in the middle of the fixture to maximize their exposure. I could probably lower the pots a bit at this point. I don't think they need to be that close to the source. But I'll probably move them all to the window soon to make room for a tray of pepper plants. They probably need the light more than these guys.

A Few Beets

These have been festering in the planter with the celeriac for a while now. There were more but the ones closer to the celeriac were very small. Too much shade next to their towering neighbours. These ones got more sunlight. More and bigger would have been nice but I had low expectations. These were planted in some extra space created by harvesting a couple of heads of radicchio a few month ago.

I think these will just go in the oven as they are. Easier to peel that way. They will make a little snack for someone. I think I'd like to grow enough next year to make some beet pickles. With the right amount of sunlight I know I can grow bigger beets. Enough for a couple of small jars of pickles I think. I can also save myself some time and just buy a big bag for a few dollars and turn those into pickles. Not as fun that way.

Not over yet

I didn't think I'd get any tomatoes this year, but the brandywine plant I started late did eventually put out some fruit for me. This is the largest and it has lots of visual character. I cut the first tomato from this plant a couple of weeks ago and it was very meaty. Juicy, with few seeds. Just what I like from a brandywine. There is one more large tomato out there I'm going to let ripen for another day or two. Then I'll be ready to take the plant down.

I've also got beets and celeriac to pull. The weather is getting cooler now. Doesn't feel quite like autumn yet, but it's coming.