Addendum to a September Farm Report (with updates)

2022-09-18

CASTOR, POLLUX, and HAZEL STONE MASON JARS

with a new, individual halo lights turned on.

CASTOR, POLLUX, and HAZEL STONE MASON JARS

with the new, individual halo lights turned off

I requested assistance from fellow Arghers on Argh Ink to assign names to the next half-dozen Mason jars. In part, my post there said:

What I need… and the reason for this post… is six more names. Six horrible pun names.

I may have found the first – Freya is a Vanir goddess of sex, fertility, war, and wealth. The idea of a Freya Mason matches my scents of humor. I think Castor and Pollux might be stretching things too far. They were the twin sons of Roger and Edith Stone in Heinlein’s The Rolling Stones. “Stone” Mason jars… If I could force myself to that length for the pun, I’d also have Roger, Edith, Hazel, Buster, and Maude to draw from. I’ll keep all those in a pocket.

Maybe I could name the one that gets the red cozy, “Rouge.”

Responses only reinforced using the Stone Family names. Then today, the first packages arrived, and as you can see above, the decision is made. I expect a third halo light tomorrow, which will mean three more jar gardens in commission.

I haven't decided what to plant.

2022-09-19

Castor has a Romaine Lettuce seed pod, the last of the Romaines from my most recent order. Six other Romaine seed pods occupy every other bay in Ethyl. The difference, of course, is that Castor has his very own halo grow lamp. 18 more seed pods are on order.

This afternoon, the second order of (2) halo grow lights arrived, so now Hazel has a halo, too. No water nor seed pod, yet, but she's ready when I am. I also ordered three more of the Orange/Grey/Green neoprene cozies, because they'll arrive before the Blue/Black/God ones. After I evaluate the halo lamps, I'll think about more of those. Maybe.

13 of 22 GARDENING UNITS

Please note under Phredd and Ethyl (and Grit, Hilda, and Fredonia) a new white shelf, curtesy of Rubbermaid. It measures roughly 12 by 36 inches and increases the usable footprint. I might be able to put all six amber jars between Phredd and Ethyl.

19:00

EGS (eldest grandson) just toured the farm and was told all the names and stories behind them. After the Texas names, his suggestion: “Why don’t you name one of them for where your favorite writer lives? New Jarsey.” (guh-ROAN!!!) So, I’ll name it Jenny and put (from New Jarsey) on the back. Maybe I’ll spoonerize one Deeling, like JarDeeling Tea?

2019-09-19

The farms are suffering a major Algae Bloom. This past Wednesday, Feed Me Seymour day, I added, per the dosage table on the bottle, more Plant Nutrient than I ever had before. I think it's cause and effect. The only other variable is that I've used a deal more tap water on some of the gardens than distilled water. That's an easy fix, I suppose.

Sheba will wait a few days. I planned to rip out the tomato plant as soon as the last six ripen. If an Heirloom Cherry Tomato plant sprouts between now and then, Sheba will get it, else I'll find out what Black Cherry Tomato plants look like.

Ethyl was just cleaned, refilled with distilled water, and six Romaine Lettuce seed pods were planted. I'll watch her. All of the Mason jars were filled with tap water. Most got the "recommended" dose of nutrients. I'm watching them. I'm watching everything.

2019-09-20

Everything in Phredd got flushed and washed with Clorox. Much slime needed neutralization and removal. I did a quick inventory of seed pods on hand - nearly all of them are Golden Harvest Tomato and Heirloom Cherry Tomato seed pods. I have two foil pouches of six Gourmet Herb seed pods. I have used a sprig or two of most of the herbs, but I'd rather grow lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes.

I won't plant tomatoes in Phredd, though I could. I'm expecting seeds for mini-sweet peppers but they're running late. I also have eighteen lettuce seed pods on order. Phredd could get six of one or the other, or a mix.

I harvested another tomato from Sheba and now I count nine little green balls. The algae bloom infesting her hasn't completely done her in, yet. A lot of her branches and leaves are withered. I've pruned much away, and what's left looks... sick.