What plants to use in my system?

[George David]

Hello,

I currently have a ibc tote system. One bed with and eight inch depth. It will be a green house with a range of 65 to 100 degrees year round. It is a flood and drain system. I am using clay pebbles for media. The timer is set for 15 minutes every hour. The bed gets about 10 hours of sun light a day and 9 in the winter. I am currently using minnows I have caught from the pond. Crappie and bass ( cheap and fun ). System is cycled.  I currently have cucumbers in the bed now and seem to be doing good. They are starting to fruit. I also have a cayenne plant which is also starting to fruit. So with this information my question is? What will be my best choices of plants, eatable of course, to use?

Thanks

George

[Aquamaple]

George, I see no one more knowledgable has responded yet, so I'll pitch in what I've been able to comprehend. Your system is relatively new, right? It is my understanding that fruiting plants require much more of... everything, while leafy green type plants can get going and be very successful very quickly. I started my system (the plants part) in early may, and it seems to me the plants are doing quitewell, despite the blood sucking creatures that continually war with me over the plants. I did go right ahead with fruiting plants as well as leafy greens. I'm not overly concerned with excellent growth out of it this summer, but at least I have growth. My recommendation would be to determine your goal. If you want to go "by the book", maybe hit the fruiting plants after you've passed the 6 month mark.

[Jason Finn]

According to all my research George is exactly right. I am searching the forums with the exact same question as you and hoping to find a list of some sort cause I am ready to plant my system of 10 Totes. Good luck. I will post if I find anything great on the forums.

[George]

I like your strategy of using native fish.  You can grow seasonal vegetables, just like you would in the ground.  It's time to start thinking about fall/winter, lettuce, kale, carrots, broccoli (very slow from seed to harvest), collards, etc.  I don't have experience with greenhouses but I suppose that will extend your summer season a bit.  Outdoors here in N. Fla, I'm not planting for fall yet but I'm long done with planting for summer.  It may take some time for you to get your timing down and for your nutrient level to build.  You really won't need that greenhouse for a while yet.  Good luck.