Container Garden 2010

5 GALLON SELF-WATERING CONTAINER MADE WITH A HOME DEPOT BUCKET





I FORMED THE RESERVOIR USING 1/2" HARDWARE CLOTH
AND COVERED IT WITH PERMEABLE CLOTH








BE SURE TO DRILL A DRAINAGE HOLE.

GREAT TOMATOES !!!



I HAVE FOUR UPSIDE DOWN BUCKETS BUT I DON'T LIKE THE CONCEPT. WATER DRIPS ON THE LEAVES OF THE PLANTS WHEN YOU WATER AND THIS CAUSES PROBLEMS.

I HAVE A DRIVEWAY ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND A SIDEWALK ON THE OTHER. MY BACK YARD HAS A FEW SMALL FLOWER BEDS SO I PLANT A LOT OF DIFFERENT VEGETABLES IN SELF WATERING CONTAINERS, SUCH AS THESE ONIONS.

THESE CONTAINERS ARE 18 GALLON CONTAINERS AND ARE ALSO SELF-WATERING. I HAVE MODIFIED THE DESIGN BUT I GOT THE BASIC IDEA FROM www.josho.com.

EGGPLANT

HELGA BEANS

SQUASH

I STILL GROW A FEW THINGS IN THE GROUND SUCH AS THIS NEW ZEALAND SPINACH WHICH IS TAKING OVER THE BACK YARD.

I ALSO HAVE SOME WAL-MART WINDOW BOX CONTAINERS WHICH WORK VERY WELL. THEY ARE SELF-WATERING AND FAIRLY ECONOMICAL AND GET THE JOB DONE.

LETTUCE

EGGPLANT, PEPPERS, SWISS CHARD, PARSLEY, CILANTRO, AREGULA AND HERBS SUCH AS BASIL, ROSEMARY, AND THYME.

HAPPY GARDENING!

ALBURQUERQUE TRIP

The new doll house.

Patrick and Shanti

Akeva reading to Shanti

Akeva, Shanti, and Grandpa

Tita and Akeva

Epic Bonita Day on the Tradition 10/02/2009

WATCHING FLOCKS OF BIRDS WITH FOAMERS BELOW

SEE THEM? TOP LEFT

HOOK-UP

EEEEEEHA!!!!

Went out on the Tradition last Friday and it turned out to be an EPIC day of fishing. We had set up on the Northwest corner of Catalina Island and were fishing Calico Bass. Capt. Steven Conrady spotted a large flock of birds about a mile off shore. He decided to investigate. It turned out to be a huge school of Bonita feeding on bait balls of Sardines and Spanish Mackeral. It was absolute pandemonium for about the next two hours. They would hit whatever was thrown at them. I even caught 2 fish at one time. The 1st fish hit my small jig and it went through its gill plate and another fish hit it. That was a first for me. There were 14 fishermen on board everyone took home limits.




MULTIPLE HOOK-UPS

FULL SACKS

I couldn't lift my sack it was so heavy. I had to hand them out one at a time to get them cleaned.

We really like Bonita. It is very important to bleed them immediately after they are caught. I have Morgan slab them. When I get home I cut the skin off and cut out the dark meat. I usually saute them in taryaki sause and bake them in the oven or grill them over the barbecue. I leave the skin on if I am going to smoke them.



QUALITY BONITA

NEW ZEALAND SPINACH & OTHER GOOD STUFF

ONE OF THE GREATEST SURPRIZES IN THE GARDEN THIS YEAR WAS NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. NEW ZEALAND SPINACH IN ALL THE MARKETS IN COSTA RICA AND WE HAD EATEN IT THERE. IT GROWS WILD IN VACANT LOTS ALONG THE STRAND HERE IN MANHATTAN BEACH. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTOS THAT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL GROUND COVER. WE PICK IT ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AND IT SEEMS TO IMPROVE WITH PICKING. WE JUST BLANCH IT IN BOILING WATER FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, DRAIN IT, AND SERVE WITH BUTTER.

THESE ARE 17 GALLON STORAGE BINS THAT WERE ON SALE AT HOME DEPOT. TWO HAVE LETTUCES, ONE HAS CILANTRO, AND ONE HAS BEETS. THEY ARE DOING QUITE WELL.

POTATOES, BASIL, AND PARSLEY.




PLENTY OF HERBS.