A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Harvest Day

My school operates an aquaponic greenhouse with 2 systems per class. We seeded a month and a half ago and the tilapia are eating and the plants were growing like crazy. At one point the cucumbers grew 3cm (1.2in) in one weekend. All of our seeds sprouted and grew like crazy. We held the plants in egg-cartons (I only suggest this if you have the power to keep bad bacteria at bay) so they would germinate.

Soon it was looking like a forest with the beans and cucumbers towering; the lettuce, basil, and cilantro looked like the undergrowth. Some nutrient deficiencies popped up with yellowing of the leaves. Some were looking like they were dying. CFL bulbs and supplementation helped the situation.

Fast forward to Friday the 4th when our teacher said it was time to harvest the lettuce greens that were 6-8 inches tall, it happened to be all of them. We trickled out to the greenhouse once our tests were done and off we went, pulling the baby greens by the root. A assembly line of some sort was made, pulling lettuce, cutting the roots, and cleaning. We then massed them and they were 66.9grams for our group. The other group who planted more heavily with it had 163grams.

Many of us clamored to get some of the finished product. I tried some and it was the best lettuce I ever tasted. Since we have flowers on our beans I'm waiting for some. Cucumbers too. The best part is if we grow enough then we can give some to the community. This happened one year. The announcements at the time read something like this(this is according to my teacher): come get free organic produce, pick up a box at room 316. I hope we grow enough for that to happen.

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Comment by Eric Warwick on December 3, 2011 at 10:59pm: The cucumbers and beans are churning out fruit like it's the only plant of it's kind. Still waiting to harvest those.

Comment by Eric Warwick on November 17, 2011 at 7:55pm: I know I blab about at least once (or twice) a day! :)

Comment by Teresa N Florida on November 17, 2011 at 6:41pm: That's great Eric, and hopefully the kids will get their parents turned on to aquaponics!!

Comment by Eric Warwick on November 9, 2011 at 3:32pm: LOL. Aquaponics is a god apparently.

Comment by Jake Schneider on November 9, 2011 at 12:22am: Awesome! Rock on Dude! But I'm befuddled and confused. Teenagers that LIKE veggies? What universe do such children exist? I have to threaten my kids with violence to get them to finish their veggies!!!

Comment by Sylvia Bernstein on November 6, 2011 at 7:04am: too cool, Eric! Congrats on your harvest, and thanks for sharing this with us!