Wait! Don't throw that out!!
Hello, Darlings,
I believe this is s common problem for most countertop hydroponic systems users, so I hope you find the following video useful.
Just a few updates!
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| Green Glaze Collards new growth 01.09.2026 |
Until next time,
Keep growing, Darlings
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
I'm here today with an update on the Hydroponic Tower System redo I did on 12/23/2025. If you read my previous post, you know that I had to break down and cleanse away the green algae that was growing in the tower due to the strong light entering the openings in the pods. I really debated on what to do about preventing the algae returning, and then I came up with using some "General Hydroponics GH3253 Rapid Rooter Replacement Plugs"
To fill the opening in the pods of the tower, I laid the General Hydroponics GH3253 Rapid Rooter Replacement Plug in the tower pods sideways and created holes for the seeds. After adding the Green Glaze Collards seeds in each available pod (eight in all), I moistened to plugs with nutrients. I then crossed my fingers in the hope that the seeds would sprouts. and they have done so, as you can see in the photo of the two sprouts below.
Finally, I brought in the Monstera plants because the sun outside was too harsh for them and to prevent vandals from further clipping their stems. The Monstera are now acting as sentinels for the two countertop hydroponic systems in the middle. The Monsteras were so large that I had to clip away some of the older stems and repot them.
Until next time,
Happy Holidays to All!
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
As promised, I am here with the results of cleaning my hydroponic tower system after the green algae attack. Following the recommended directions in my previous post, cleaning it was fairly easy. I also took this time to pick the larger leaves of the greens and set the system back up with their younger leaves.
All of the greens have strong roots, so I stuffed the younger leaf ones with some rockwool (very pliable) to hold them in place and maintain the moisture level around the roots. Like the greens we would plant outside during the fall, and then harvest in the spring and in the early summer, these hydroponic greens will grow new leaves after the older ones have been picked. Just keep giving them the same level of care as when they were first placed in the pods.
To reduce the amount of light surrounding the tower, I moved the system from the sunroom to a room that gets less natural light. In addition, I added an air pump to oxygenate the water, and tomorrow I will cover the open areas of each pod with foil to reduce the amount of light streaming directly into them.
In the pictures you can see I have a nice large bowl of mixed greens, which I will freeze for next year. I also trimmed back my lemon basil plant to six inches, and from the photo below you can get an idea of how large the mother plant was before I cut it back. These I will dry in the dehydrator. I also created a tasty fresh basic vegetable soup for night's dinner. I will post the recipe of Seven Ninety Seven, "Home Of The Bargain Queen" on another day.
I also want to share that all of the lights mounted in sunroom and the light that came with each hydroponic systems are all on timers. This means I do not have to turn them on and off each day, which is really nice.
Until next time,
Merry Christmas to All!
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2025
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
It has been a while since my last post, so today I wanted to upload the process of the California wonder bell peppers that I seeded on September the fifth. As you can see from photo below, the pepper is green and half the size store bought bell peppers, and not the large dark red stuffing size. This only meaning they still growing and will turn red when they reach full size.
The greens that I planted in my tower hydroponic systems are growing well. Who knew that you could grow collard, mustard and turnip greens indoors and in a hydroponic system? Anyway, I have run across an invader - green algae. Somehow too much light has gotten into the tower and allowed the green algae grow. My only guess is that sitting in the sunroom with all the other plant surrounding it for the potted plant, the rays of those grow lights are able to penetrate the pod openings in tower system giving the green algae a home.
Before pictures
The after pictures will come later this week, and after I have moved the system into the house.
In any case, the solution to getting rid of the algae is simple.
To clean green algae from a hydroponic tower, first, remove plants and drain the system, then manually scrub components with hot soapy water and a brush, followed by a sterilization rinse with diluted hydrogen peroxide (3% H₂O₂, about 3ml per gallon of water) or a vinegar solution, running it through the system to kill spores, and finally, rinse thoroughly with fresh water, blocking light from the reservoir to prevent regrowth, -- Google AI
I also plan to add a air stone, like in a fish aquarium. The benefits of having an air stone in a hydroponic tower system:
Adding an air stone to a hydroponic tower system provides crucial oxygen to roots for better nutrient absorption, promotes healthy root development, prevents root rot, and fights pathogens, leading to faster growth and higher yields by ensuring roots can breathe and thrive in the nutrient solution, even in systems with less direct air exposure like towers. -- Google AI
I hope this article is helpful to others that want to try growing vegetables in tower hydroponic systems.
Until next time,
Merry Christmas to All!
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2025
Well, Halloween is a few short weeks away, so I thought I would dress up the website to reflect the coming season. I chose this image, because when my husband and I first moved into our new home, we found a beautiful blue skull in the backyard. It is now sitting on the patio table in the sunroom.
I really like it, and it fits in well. Every Halloween season I drag out all my favorite horror films and enjoy having my own little Halloween fest. On my old entertainment site, I enjoyed adding my favorite 31 films with the intent of watching one everyday. That is usually the intent. However, I generally get to watch about ten of them before something attracted my attention. Perhaps, I will post a few on the newer ones next month.
Meanwhile, I have set up my hydroponic systems with the usual herbs and vegetables. They are growing well. As for what they are, you can check out my previous posts, because today's plants are of the same variety as back then. I found that these plants grow easily, and are easy to maintain as well as being tasty additions to our diet.
Perhaps one day I will give you pictorial tour of the sunroom, and then tell you how I put it together. Since it is my first experience with a sunroom, there was a lot I had to learn about shielding the plants from the sun rays, its heat and humility, and also what are the right types of cooling and heating systems.
You say, "Heating systems. This is Florida. Why would you need a heating system?
Well, yes it is Florida, and during some of the past winters it has been pretty cold. Since it is my educated guess that this sunroom is not insulated, I believe it will as cold out there as it can get hot right now. Therefore, good portable cooling and heating system is very helpful. But more on all things sunroom on a later date. Right now, I am working on some minor things that will make the sunroom the perfect place to drink a cup of tea and watch the sun rise, read a book, or better yet, toast a brilliant sunset goodnight with a glass of wine.
Until then,
Happy Halloween!
Hello, Darlings,
UPDATE: MAY 25, 2025
When I wrote the previous post below, I started some come confusion. We wanted the help of family members during our move due to our advance ages and physical ailments. To correct the mistaken idea that we are alone and without help, I want to state that what we cannot do ourselves, we will have the help of professional movers. This move is just a little harder on us physically and the extra hands of family would be helpful.
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Because I have badly injured my left ankle, plantar fascia and Achilles tendon muscles on New Year ’s Day, I have not been able to work in my container garden outside, many of the plants out there have died. Now, we have to move to a new resident, and there is only the two of us to do the work, which meaning things will be made harder because I can only stand and move about on my foot for a short period of times. Depending on the activity, I use foot braces, my cane and crutches or wheelchair to get about.
I share this information, because until we are resettled in a new resident, there will no new post.
Until next time,
Chow, Darlings
Monday, April 07.2025
Today, I am trying to root a couple avocado seeds. Instead of placing the seeds in a dark place like my first attempt two years ago, I have placed these two seeds on the top level of my large hydroponic system. I was tempted to place them inside the system, but I want to view the whole rooting process. As many growers know, Avocado seeds take weeks to root, so I added 1/8 teaspoon of rooting medium to their water.
Sadly, my first attempt at rooting an avocado seed was technically not a failure. It rooted as expected, and sprouted as expected but after so many week, in a dark place, mainly out of sight, out of mind, as the old saying goes. What I ended up with was a very tall and sickly pale stem with dwarf leaves that no amount of nursing would bring it into good health.
Nevertheless, and on to one of my successful propagated plants, below is a current photo of the Ficus Benjamina (Wintergreen Weeping Fig Tree cuttings that I rooted back on August 18, 2023. The pot contains to cuttings that doing well. Sometime, perhaps, later this year, I add a few more cuttings to fill the pot and to someday match the mother pant.
My adventures in indoor hydroponic gardening are progressing well, regardless of the power surges that occurred, Friday. Nevertheless, below are photos of the latest progress of the newest veggies and fruits I am growing.
They are as follows:
I have also planted some baby cucumbers, wonder bell peppers and mini watermelons. The cucumber seeds were planted earlier and have already sprouted, while the bell pepper and watermelon should sprout within a few days.
It will be interesting to see how well these plants do.
Finally, like the lettuce, I am using one hydroponic system just for herbs. Some of the little sprouts are beginning to show now.
Well, this is all for now. When there is more progress, I will add another post.
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article
Today, January 26, 2025, I seeded some more ‘Tiny Tim’ tomatoes, so that we would have more this coming spring. The four older plants are still doing well, and although, they took four months to mature and are still putting out more tomatoes, they will not last forever. They look a little ragged, because I trimmed back the heavy leaf growth. We have been eating them with in casseroles and salads. The Parris Island Romaine lettuce is tasty like regular romaine.
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Keep in mind, I clean these hydroponic systems once a month, but filter the water in them more frequently, as the water and the liquid nutrients are the plants only source of food, which gets used up quickly depending on the plants needs. Therefore, and remember this, I know if there are problems.
Finally, if you have been following this journal, you know I rooted my ‘Angel Begonia’ in one of the hydroponic systems, because it had become too leggy. The photo below shows how well it is doing now. I also intend to germinate some flowers for spring as well.
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No entries were written in
December 2024, because I wanted the plants to grow more before posting a new
entry online. I would say that my experience with Hydroponic indoor gardening
to date is successful with very little hiccups.
The plants are as listed below, not in order:
SsSee the video.
UPDATE: As some of you may have discovered there is an embedding error between Google and YouTube that prevents viewers from watching YouTube without sign in or some cases viewing video at all Firefox. Therefore, I have added a share link for the above, However if you are using Firefox, you will probably need to sign in to your YouTube personal account. Let's hope that this embedding error is fix soon.
In addition, there are various herbs seeds planted. However they just beginning to spouted and are to see of camera. The store green onions were bought on October 30, 2024 and are still growing. One the leaves is budding; however, I will remove, so that it will not flower.
The lettuce in the larger planter is ragged, because we eat regularly for salad and BLTs sandwiches. While the Spearmint plants are regular trimmed and made into tea and my favorite summer evening drink, mint julep to keep the plant in control.
All in all my experience is successful.