Since the Great Divide

Hello, Darlings

This evening I am posting some photos of the growth of the lettuce, chives and scallions growing in the three repurposed countertop pod boxes since I added the 1.4” T8 light tubes and the cardboard to panels to separate them. Added to the fact that I also gave the plants fresh water and more nutrients, I believe that I have perfected my countertop grow light center. Although still young, each of the vegetables has grown well in less than a week.

 

                                                                            Parris Island Romaine Lettuce

                                     Front: Broadleaf Chive . Rear: “Lillia” Red Bunching Onion

 

                                                                          K2 Golden Cherry Tomatoes

Well, this is all for today, so as always,

Keeping on growing!

 A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026

DIY Grow Light Center Plants Update

 Hello, Darlings

 As the above title states this is an update off the progress of the plants growing under my DIY Grow light center and using repurposed countertop pod boxes. 

The remains of old previous lettuce plants have all been cleaned and are ready to be eaten, and theses new plants are growing well. 

 

These scallions and broad-leaf chives have yet to reach their maturity, but I have chipped them a couple times to make egg omelets for breakfast. Added them into the egg mixture with a little salt, pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper with a side of bacon, toast and fruit side, and  you have a great yummy meal.

These are the older tomatoes that moved from a countertop hydroponic in the house, because I wanted to seed some new ones. I didn't think they survive the transplant but they are well.

Before the transplant

The above Roma tomato plant is the one I stated in a hydroponic system; it had growing so fast and tall that I transplants in this pot. I did,n't think it would live, but it did, so I might repeat the process with several more seeds and then after they germinates plant them all in a larger pot.

 The long view of the pods. I put cardboard between them because the larger plants, the lettuce and the tomatoes plants were crowding out the scallions and chives. In addition to the card board, I added a couple of 1.4ft T8 led grow lights; because I discovered that when I raised the 4ft T8 center lights, the seedlings below had less light to grow. By adding the 1.4ft lights on to the pipe at its original 7inch height, the seedlings have enough light to continue to grow healthy. In addition, you can see that the blackout curtains are closed. This is due to the fact that one afternoon this Florida heatwave had the sunroom's temperature at 97 degrees. I am now keeping the the curtains closed with the portable ac running at 75 degrees and two oscillating fans running at opposites ends of the run. The sunroom door also kept open. Doing all this stabilizes the sunroom's temperature at 80 to 82 degrees by 4PM each day. So farm the plants love it. 

 

This Polka Dot plant was one of many gifts given to workers where my husband works. It happened to be a special event day a month ago. This Polka Dot plant started out 3 to 4 inches tall in a 4 inch pot, but I re-potted two days ago, because it has grown so fast just sitting beside DIY Grow light center.  

One finally photo. I brought in my Rose Of Sharon plant and placed behind the fountain of Malawi and Kamuzu.

  A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026

Spring Greens Roundup 2026

 I spent plenty of time early this morning, and most of the afternoon, picking, cleaning and packing up greens for the remainder of this year. The five 2.5 gallon zip lock bags pictured below are four Glaze Gen Collard Greens, and one of mustard greens. Add these to the half dozen or so bags already in the freezer, and we are covered with greens from now and throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. Since there is only my husband and me here, the greens should last because I only cook about a three-quart size sauce pan worth, or what would equal a 27 ounce can of store bought greens.

 

Now that the two hydroponic tower systems are free and clean, they are ready for a whole new variety of vegetables. However, I will include some turnip greens as well, because we like them mixed with mustard greens and sliced turnip bulbs. 

50-pod hydroponic tower system

30-pod hydroponic tower system

I also picked the last of the Parris Island Romaine Lettuce and after cleaning the three countertop pod-boxes, I seeded more of them in one box. The broad leaf chive and scallions in the middle box are coming along slowly and will probably be months before they mature, and at this point I am undecided on what to grow in the third box. They are limp because I removed them from the pod box so that it could be cleaned. However, they straighten up in time time.

I am completely done with cucumbers and Roma tomatoes. I have no luck with them at all, so I will not waste any more resources on trying to grow them.

 A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026

It's Official!

That's right, the names Malawi and Kamuzu are now the official names for the mother and daughter statue in my sunroom. I love them so much that l had a special nameplate made for them, so when anyone sees them, they would know who they are to me.

 

Also, for you Buffy fans, some good news.....

 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Stakes Her Way Into New Ongoing Comic This Summer from Kelly Thompson & Stephen Byrne!

 A Widescreen Online Review Plus Article@2026 

American Seed's Roma VF Tomato Seeds

Hello, Darlings

While I was looking through my seed container for another seed pack, I came across a pack of  Roma VF American seeds nearly two years old. I bought these seeds when my gardening interested centered on growing outdoor container plants. Whether it was my planting skills, or a third hand at work, the plants did not thrive. However, now that I have become an indoor gardener, growing and caring for soil based potted houseplants and water based ones in my hydroponic systems, I am also learning that there is possibility of more choices in what I can grow as well, so when I found these Roma seeds, I decided to experiment and give them a try in one of my countertop hydroponic system, regardless of the seeds age.

Roma VF Tomatoes are semi-determinate in their growth habit - In beans, this is commonly referred to a "half-runner" type beans. Plants with this growth habit are usually short, compact bushes and meet the main definition of being  determinate, but along with producing a primary main crop, they will usually produce short runners and depending on the location, additional fruit. 

That was on April 04, 2026 and today I am happy to share the fact that the seeds are still good and like their smaller cousins, the cherry tomatoes, they have germinated into healthy sprouts.  See photos below.

 

 

 

This is a good start for these tomato sprouts, and I will be charting and posting their progress out their growth cycle. 

  

So, stay tuned.

P.S. I  have also seeded a couple more California Wonder Pepper seeds, and in the strainer are K2 Tomatoes that were picked for tonight's salad. In addition, the Parris Romaine Lettuce plants have doubled in size since I raised the middle light bars.