A birthday present from MrFothergills!

A birthday present from MrFothergill!  Really you shouldn't have!  They didnt know it was to arrive just in time for my birthday, but I thought this gift of a sprouter, along with four packets of seeds was very timely - thank you!
 I have been persisting with the microgreens, and eventually e-mailed them and suggested trialling a sprouter as I have the feeling that will work better in my climate.
The microgreens have been very tasty, but dont grow very big, and the ones in water do attract  mosquitoes.  We had a prawn starter for my birthday dinner (the prawn shells are now buried in the veggie patch)  and I got the grand kids to help me pick some basil and watercress microgreens to sprinkle on the plates.  Greens! they ate them!  Now I wouldnt say it was a full serving of veggies, but the cuteness factor did play a part. For that reason alone it is worth trying sprouts and microgreens.
I put a Tablespoon of seed in each layer - trying fenugreek, and then tatsoi, mizuna and wombok (those came in the asian greens pack).  Once you add the water up past the little nozzle it automatically runs down through each layer - rather  clever!
I still had a few veggie seeds from the previous package MrFothergills sent me, and those were planted out in the garden over the weekend.  I planted a few soy beans as an experiment in the wet season and they actually did fine, so will see how they do now, our climate is a bit different and so sometimes it take a bit of experimenting to see when to grow crops.  I have never had much success with silverbeet before so am anxious to see what happens in this little corner of my garden.  I am planting quite close together as you see, not allowing space for weeds - beans behind, silverbeet in front and cherry tomatoes in  the middle.  All watered by my marvellous leak free soaker hose.

I am so grateful to have this chance to trial lots of different seeds and ways of growing veggies since this can be a very harsh climate.  I suspect this sprouter is going to be very useful to make sure that I can grow green produce year round.   My next crop will be snow peas which will grow in the top layer as microgreens.




Comments

  1. SamiTue Mar 18, 12:30:00 PM

    Happy belated birthday Gill. Good luck with your veggie patch.
    It was far too hot this year and I didn't water regularly, no rain for over 100 days....so most of the veggies didn't make it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Mar 20, 01:08:00 PM

      Thank you Sami, So sorry about your veggie patch, there has been so much drought around, and then other areas get too much.

      Delete
  2. Carolyn ♥Thu Mar 20, 03:38:00 AM

    Hope your day was full of sunshine! I'm so envious of all of your green... we are rotating between brown and white right now as Winter is heaving it's last dying breath. So... I'm pretending it's Spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Mar 20, 01:09:00 PM

      Carolyn,
      I have just been enjoying your photos - you find beauty hidden under all that snow. I love how you expose it.

      Delete
  3. KimThu Mar 20, 07:32:00 AM

    Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!
    I have admired those sprouters for a while but I am a bit worried it will fill up my cupboard with all my other 'must have' gadgets. I would love to know how you go with it as time goes on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Mar 20, 01:11:00 PM

      Kim,
      I totally hear you, but I thought the microgreens would do so well outside, and they havent. I do like the fact that I can have as many or as few trays growing as I want. I am hoping this will do both sprouts and microgreens - stay tuned.

      Delete
  4. VirginiaCThu Mar 20, 10:43:00 AM

    Hope you had a lovely birthday and I am wishing you many many more.
    A timely gift from Mr. Fothergills indeed.....the sprouter is an interesting contraption....hope it works well for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Mar 20, 01:12:00 PM

      Virginia,
      Thank you! I am amazed at how the water manages to run through and circulate through all the trays.

      Delete
  5. JacquelineTue Apr 01, 01:35:00 PM

    Happy belated birthday, dear Gillian! God's manifold blessings and goodness be overflowing for you and your family always. Have a wonderful day and rest of the week. Enjoy your gift!

    ReplyDelete

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