So, I was going to cook beets this week…I harvested them and guess what?  I was ROBBED, that’s right, ROBBED…see what happens when you DON’T give a dog a bone, as the song says you should?  But she’s so cute, who can be angry for long? 

Actually, this is a game we’ve played for years.  I don’t like feeding my dog rawhides or other questionable chew toys, so we started playing in the garden when she was a pup.  I would pull up carrots and other root vegetables for her to eat (in the yard…really fresh carrots and beets stain anything they touch!), while I worked, but her favorite plant is the asparagus plant, as you can see.

She also likes to attack empty flower pots, so she enjoys spring planting very much and waits at my side to steal any pot as soon as I empty it.  Of course, the game is no fun if I don’t go chase her, at least not as MUCH fun!  Here’s a link to the beet game we played this past weekend: 

So having failed to rescue my beets, let’s talk about the New Year and what’s coming up:  my new goal is to publish here weekly.  Every other week I will focus on garden to-dos and fun family ideas.  On the alternate weeks, aquaponics will be the focus. 

Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics.  You see, this goes back the sustainability we discussed last post.  Hydroponics require expensive chemicals and fairly frequent water changes.  Aquaculture produces fish waste which requires treatment and disposal.  Aquaponics combines the two, using the excess fish waste to feed the plants which in turn filter the fish water, cleaning it.  And anyone can do this at home, at least that’s what I’m out to prove this year.

 I will have two systems going.  The first will be a fairly large system requiring some outdoor space, using a 250 gallon IBC tote and several 50 gallon stock tanks.  This system will use the ebb and flow method.  My second system will be a 3 gallon aquarium with a floating raft on top.  This weekend, I bought hydroton pebbles and one stock tank for my large system and started making a list of other items I will need. Hydroton is expanded clay beads used in hydroponics as growing media.  You can use ¾” gravel in your aquaponics system, but hydroton weighs about 1/3 as much as gravel.

Here’s where my garden is right now:  my mini green house has been put together and sits outside full of tropical and tender perennials like my lemon tree, stevia plant, lemon grass, basil and a volunteer tomato I found growing in my mustard plants.  One of my blueberries, being very confused by recent weather, blossoms as we speak, as do my snow peas, so I’ll be pollinating this week. Spinach is sprouting, and I need to plant more lettuce, which I will do this week, for next week’s blog, showing you how to start seeds inside.  Until then, have a great week!

If you’d like, you can find me on Facebook: Sharon Self Johnson, linkedin (sccontainergarden@gmail.com), youtube or Google+ (if I ever figure it out!).

Remember, bloom where you’re planted!