This is a simple Autopot trial using Pea Keledon Wonder in three different soil mixes.
- Standard commerical garden center compost.
- Pure Perlite
- Approx 50% CoCo /50% Perlite mix.
There are 12 auotpot twinpot systems connected to a 220tlr tank. The tank was filled on Monday 20 July 09 with Tap water. The tap water is “HARD” and normal PH from the Tap is 9. The PH was not tested at this time.
The Pea Keledon Wonder trial will use 3 of the 12 twinpot systems. The other autopot systems will be used for Sweet Peppers, Dwarf Beans, Broad Beans and later some Cauliflower, Cabbage and using large 11ltr tubs carrots. These are not high value vegetable crops that one would normally grow in Autopot systems because of the the cost of setting up the system, but these are crops that can be sown or transpalanted in July/Aug.
According to the seed packet Pea Keledon Wonder can be shown as late as July and ready for harvest 11-12 weeks after sowing.
Each 6.5ltr Autopot will have 4 seedlings planted ( in corners) and the two pots in a twinpot system will have the same soil mix. The autopots will be housed in a greenhouse. Initally supported with Circular Plant supports (Medium). Canes will be added as plants grow.
It would have been useful to add Airdomes, but I don’t have any power to the green house.
The seeds were sown early July 09 in a propagator.
Pea and Dwarf Bean Seedlings in propagator
23 July 09
They were transplanted to pots on the evening of 23 July 09. 100ml of Canna Hydro Veg A & B (200ml total) was added to 200ltr water tank.
Perlite is dry so approx 500ml of water was added to the pure perlite pots.
Water was added to the coco blocks to break them up before mixing with the perlite.
24 July 09
Water butt EC level tested – 13 which should be ok for young growing plants.
Tags: Pea - Kelvedon Wonder
Summary of my Autopot activities for July 09.
Wife agreed to getting extra greenhouse/poly tunnel for the garden. She has slowly got used to the idea of getting fresh vegetables from the garden instead of the supermarket.
After much tought I decided to get another 6ft by 8ft green house instead of poly tunnel ( always next year for that).
This month is a bit after the event.
1 – 21 July 09
1. Cleared green house base area. This is next to first green house. Site gets early morning sun upto about 4pm when the sun passes behind a neighbours trees. The greenhouse is orentated West to East and will get winter sun for most of the winter (possibly not around the period 15th December to 15 January). I had been noting areas in the garden that were getting winter sun to help plan the planting of my squarefoot gardens.
2. Build Green house – Basic B&Q 6ft by 8ft
Green House Waiting Glass
3. Ordered Autopot green house system with aquapots and 100ltr water butt to use in strawberry tubs ( my tubs kept drying out – killing plants). I have some strawberries growing in my raised beds but tubs use less space.
4. Installed Autopots in green house.
Installed Greenhouse Autopot System
5. Transplanted two sweet pepper plants from raised beds. This plants were being swamped by nearby tomatoes. The sweet pepper plants were “left overs” from my propagation sessions. I think they are “Califormia Wonder”
Two transplanted Sweet Peppers
6. Sown pea and bean seeds in propagator. As it is late in the season will plant some late beans(Tender Green Dwarf Bean) and peas (Kelvedon Wonder) as experiment.
- Simple Pea Keledon Wonder Trial - Seedlings transplanted on 23 July
