Amazing things

Amazing things grow in my water garden called aquaponics.
A Neem tree appeared , without my help , recently.

I have two Neem trees in the backyard . One is doing ok but the other is more of a bush.
I noticed the ok one was blooming this year but I did not see any seed form.
Recently, however, I pulled an 8 inch tall Neem tree seedling out of the aquaponic system,
The  roots were amazingly about 18 inches long.

How did it get there ? Had to have been a bird bringing the seed from my ok tree to the planting medium
bin or to the net pot in the system.

An YES I am sure it was a Neem tree.
I sent it off to live in a neighbors yard. I will watch and see if it lives.

Seed time

Now is the time to order your aquaponic seeds. The new seed catalogs for next year are coming out
and the seed supply is probably as good as it's going to get .

Here on the Big Island of Hawaii we have seeds sold in our grocery stores, hardware stores, Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowes. The germination rate on these seeds is usually less than 50 % but if you buy seeds now, dated for 2012 ,  you should get a better germination rate.  I like to keep them in the refrigerator in a ziplock plastic bag until I use them.

For the very best germination and generous seed packets I like to order
from BakerCreek Heirloom seeds. They have a seed catalogue that is a real joy to read .

The Engine that Runs the System

We often think an aquaponic system is pretty much like a hydroponic system 

but that is not the case. Fish are the engine that run an aquaponic system.

Fish give off the excretions that, when they break down, feed the plants.

The plant roots then clean the water before it is returned to the fish.

The fish also feed us. We harvest at least 5 pounds of fish each month.

Our white and golden Tilapia are fed a dry seafood based food

as well as a few lettuce leaves. They have a very light flavor that is

best when sauteed in olive oil and lemon. 

My Favorite

My favorite vegetable in the Aquaponic System is Swiss Chard. It grows a little slower than lettuce
but has a wonderful flavored . I wash it, chop it up and throw it in a skill with olive oil and garlic.
Add a handful of sunflower and pumpkin seeds and half a cup of walnuts and stir fry until wilted.
Splash a little balsamic vinegar in the mix and serve over brown rice .
A wonderful meal  in less than 5 minutes.

Rain is Your Friend

We have been having really big rains the last day or two. One would think that
the aquaponic system would not like that much water being added, but just the opposite
is true. The system seems to thrive on rainwater.
This week we are enjoying some beautiful swiss chard with rainbow colored
stems. Tomatoes are now 4 feet high and covered with green tomatoes.
Leeks are almost ready for harvest. Anyone have a good recipe for Leeks ?