Worms in Aquaponics?

Last week I was cleaning out one of the beds that uses a continuous flow technique.  The plants had become so overgrown that it was time to do some serious pruning.  Because I was removing so much of the top of the plants I thought it would be a good idea to prune the roots as well.  These Everglades tomato plants are so hardy and they really respond to this pruning technique.

The grow media in this particular bed was a base of pea sized gravel with about 2 inches of expanded clay (Hydroton) on the top.

When the bed was first set up, I put some earthworms in there just to see how they did.  The answer to that question is..... they did wonderful thank you very much!  The earthworms help break down solids from the fish tank and help keep your grow beds clean.  They also assist with "mineralization" which is a fancy term that means they convert their food to available nutrients for the plant roots.  If you read much about serious aquaponics then you will run across the use of worms, but not earthworms.

My earthworms didn't know that they were not the preferred worm for aquaponics.  Each time I dug up some roots to prune I came up with enormous earthworms!  Now I know many aquaponic enthusiasts are crazy for red wigglers for their worms, but I am liking earthworms.  The first and foremost reason is because earthworms are cheap.  They are already growing in our compost beds.  We don't have hardly any red wigglers in our compost.  Maybe they aren't indigenous to South Florida.  I don't know, I just know that if you want red wigglers you have to buy them.

Because our compost pile is fed with bunny manure, I purge the worms before putting them in the bed.  I don't want to introduce any e.coli from our furred friends into the aquaponic gardens. 

Purging the worms is easy, just put them in a small amount of moistened corn meal for a few hours and they will have the equivalent of terrible diarrhea and vomiting. It is gross when you look in and see all that black gunk in the cornmeal, but the worm is clean inside and out.

I just give them a quick rinse in some water from one of the fish tanks and then into the bed they go and boy do they grow!

I put just a few earthworms in there when I set up the bed with the tomatoes at the end of last summer and now it is full of earthworms.  I have been routinely adding worms to each new bed that we set up, but I haven't done much in the way of digging around to see how they were doing.  Out of sight out of mind is the way they have been operating.

So I say if you don't have some worms in your grow beds, get some.  You may not have to go any further than your compost pile.

So do you use worms in your aquaponics beds?

Krazy for Kohlrabi!

Kohlrabi is a forgotten gem.  With the resurgence in interest in heirloom and other older vegetables kohlrabi may be poised for a comeback.  Look at how kale is the current trendy food when not too long ago it was eaten only because it was cheap and easy to grow.

Kohlrabi is the royal cabbage.  While it looks like a root vegetable, it is actually the stem of the plant you eat.  The name comes from the German for Cabbage Turnip.  When you look at kohlrabi (especially the purple varieties) you can see how it looks a bit like a turnip.  However, it is a member of the Brassica family.  Just like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts it has been selected by man for the characteristic of the bulging stem.

Looks Like a Turnip Tastes Like Broccoli

I am currently growing them using a flood and drain grow bed, deep water culture rafts, and nutrient film technique tubes.  Much to my surprise they are growing best with NFT.  I really thought they would excel in the grow beds and that they would be too top heavy for rafts or tubes. 

They do lean in DWC rafts and for some reason their bulb becomes elongated.  Doesn't change the taste but if you are growing for looks, well it looks odd. 

Leaning Tower of Kolhrabi

If you are growing for looks, you probably aren't growing kohlrabi to begin with because well
                     it is an odd looking veggie.
                                                                 Isn't it?

Kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked.  The taste is like the stem of the broccoli with a little bite of radish thrown in for a kick.  The smaller the "bulb" the more tender it is.  No matter the size, you certainly want to peel it before you eat it cooked or raw.  It has a very tough outer skin.

It is used in Asian and German cooking.  I prefer it cooked, but that is probably because that is how my Mom cooked it. 

If you look on the internet, you will find recipes for cooking the bulb and leaves.  I've never eaten the leaves....I was taught incorrectly that the stems and leaves were toxic to humans.  As an adult, I realize my Dad probably just said that because he didn't like the leaves. 

If you want to try it for yourself, it is very easy to grow in soil or in an aquaponic garden.  It likes cooler temperatures so you can direct sow seeds outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost.  So get them in the ground soon! They like a pH in the 6's and they need water to develop that fleshy stem.  If you grow in soil, beware that they have shallow roots.  Keep them well mulched if using soil. I haven't had a problem with cabbage worms but I did have to spray for aphids with my pepper/garlic spray (read about that here) on one set of tubes.  If using aquaponics, give them a try in NFT tubes.  I've been getting great results in both small and large tubes.

Are you krazy as I am for kohlrabi?

Small Tomatoes with Large Taste and Free Seed Offer

I just love small tomatoes!  They are perfect for sneaking a taste when working out in the gardens.  You can be hot and sweaty but that burst of juice in your mouth and the combination of sweet and acid on your tongue can be mighty refreshing.  Even when it comes in a very small package.

I read one time that there are about 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.  They fall into two categories:  determinate and indeterminate.  The determinate plants are a bush variety and grow until they set fruit (yes a tomato is a botanical fruit) on the terminal bud.  Then all fruit ripens over a 1 to 2 week period.

I like to grow indeterminate tomatoes.  For most of the country, this means that they will grow until killed by frost.  Since I live where we never have frost, we plant in the fall and our tomatoes grow until they are killed by the heat and moisture from our rainy season (sometime in May).

Most varieties of the smaller tomatoes are of the indeterminate variety.  This means you can enjoy their goodness all season long. 

Right now I am crazy for Yellow Pear and Everglades tomatoes.  Let's face it, who wouldn't be crazy about a tomato that has a waist? 

 

Just look at these little gems from the garden. Scarlett O'Hara herself would be green with envy of that small yellow waist!  And no corset was needed.  No pear has ever been as adorable as my yellow pear tomatoes.  They originated in Europe in the 1700's and fell out of fashion for a bit but have come back in a big way for such a small tomato.  While considered a "sweet" tomato, I think they are on the acidic side and taste tart.  They are yummy when tossed in salads, as a topping for frittatas, or simply enjoyed with a few leaves of basil, a pinch of salt, and a dash of oil and balsamic vinegar.

The other tomato that I am crazy for this year is the native Everglades tomato.  This is the only tomato that is native to South Florida.  Not only is it indeterminate but it can stand up to the heat and torrential downpours of our rainy season.  I have Everglades tomato plants in an aquaponics flood and drain bed that are almost a year old!  They grow on sprawling vines and produce in clusters of 8 or 9 like a cherry tomato.  I don't think you can kill an Everglades tomato.

If you look at this photo, I set one Everglades tomato on a quarter so you would have perspective on the size of this mighty tasting tomato.  It might be a small tomato but it has more sweet taste than any large beefsteak

These are addictive when eaten in the garden. It really is hard for me to get them to the house.  But if they make it, they are perfect in a salad.  Or eaten out of hand.  Good thing I have them everywhere...which leads me to the free offer.

I want to see the Everglades tomato get the attention it deserves.  If you will email me at allergycheryl@gmail.com and in the email subject put "Free Seeds" I will email you back with my address.  You can send a self addressed stamped envelope and I will send you some free Florida Everglades tomato seeds.  Then you can enjoy this awesome small tomato with a very very large taste