experimenting further with sprouts etc.

i received an interesting pack of mixed sprouts and couldn't wait to try it...i planted them on wednesday last week and within a very short time they were flying out of the power plant mini.

sprouts are so good for you, healthy and tasty..how cool.
i scattered the seeds on top of a moistened sponge. i then covered the seeds...and really they were just sitting on top of the sponge, all shapes and sizes. i left them in the dark for 2 days and then lifted up the cover. my next step was to pour some more water over them, just enough to keep the sponge moist, i did it delicately because i didn't want to wash the 'loose' seeds away.

then they went for it!...as you can see very healthy, i should have cropped them by now, but wanted to see how tall they'd get...i tasted a few and although they look essentially the same..long and lanky, they all tasted exceptionally different.
i'll post the mix, but i'm sure one was a very strong spiciness...it took me a while to get over it!

on another note the power plant pro on test- is growing crazily well...the mixed salad took over in a fight with the chili plant..nice

btw...check out the first retailer to carry the power plant pro and the power grow lamp...it's Brookstone..the lamp is an absolute steal at the moment..it's awesome for all types of plants and great for propagating, it fits snugly with both the pro and the mini...the price of the lamp will never be that low again! take my word, it's a great combo, lamp and pro...you just need the seed and the imagination!

reaching for the sky

here's a picture of the mint reaching out from the sponge. they look happy...!

you can see the basil behind, i used some in a cocktail mix yesterday, the weather is perfect at the moment, 80 degrees. i muddled (mashed) the basil with some ice, vodka and a cranberry mix i bought from William Sonoma, based on some legendary cocktail made at the gramercy tavern in NYC...it was refreshing, the perfect end of summer drink.

at last...i planted the mint

here are a few images of the basil pistou growing happily and healthily in my kitchen. she has continually sprouted new leaves and unlike the other basil i've grown, she doesn't seem to need paring back....she just grows up a little and sprouts loads of new leaves...she really is a bushy plant.

you'll also see alongside the power plant- my mint. i planted this morning, only took a few minutes, so keep checking back, as i'll be updating the site regularly.

for those of you 'in the know' prepara just upgraded the nutrient for the power plant series..this new stuff is awesome...they sell it at their site...enough for a couple of years growing.
(if your power plant came with the very early yellow nutrient you'll now find the new green stuff to be like steroids for your plants!!...they love it....and its natural and the stuff has won awards from the hydroponic gardening industry - FYI all the recent shipments of powerplant had already been upgraded to the new stuff...it's just the yellow nutrient that is the old stuff)

how does your garden grow?

recently i've heard a few people mention the need for a timer with the power plant, however, this was based upon old instructions included with the packaging.
the laboratory technicians at prepara discovered the power plant mini actually runs better when left on full time...no need for the timer!


and btw, running it full time should be a quiet and tranquil experience-sounding very much like a faraway trickling stream.

a New plant to try!
i thought i'd include a video here of a very interesting plant we grew....it's incredible and so much fun!!!!
it's called a 'sensitive' plant (mimosa pudica) and you can see why...it didn't take long to grow, possibly 5 weeks to this point.
we just planted the seeds and plugged the power plant mini in and left her to grow
you can see a more formal description here on Wikipedia

mystery-to be solved?

ok, so here are the leaves on the 'mystery plant,' a little more developed...can you guess what it is yet? (in the first two pictures)
i cant be sure what will happen with it, but i'll keep the blog upto date with it's developments.

also, the pistou is making great headway now...the leaves are doubling up and in a few more days i'll be pinching them back to encourage bushier growth.

oh, and btw have you checked out the demo video at;

http://www.prepara.com/power_plant.php


it shows how quick these prepara power plant minis are to set up.

Pistou forming up

here are some images of the two prepara power plant minis i have in my kitchen.
the basil pistou has just grown some real leaves, they're tiny, but perfectly formed, they look like mini versions of the pictures on the seed packet.
i have a small crop at one end of the sponge area, the other seeds sprouted along the length but not as successfully as this small bunch.

here's an interesting fact i learned;
each packet of seed sold by a manufacturer actually has a propagation success rate (i.e. 95% etc) this success rate will also vary by type...so a basil pistou sold by X may be more likely to grow than that sold by manufacturer Y!....so don't buy cheap seed...thats the only logic i can see

i'm fascinated by the growth of secret experiment, theyre drinking alot and they are getting real bushy...hopefully they'll continue on with some more 'root' growth. i think there's too many along the sponge, but i didnt want to start paring them back yet, as my daughter loves brushing her fingers over them...she knows it helps them grow!

full of flavors...but not mixed!

since the basil was trimmed there's been a lot of newer bushier growth.
the leaves are growing in tighter groups, i'll likely use some again this weekend, it'll be the 3rd crop.

in this crop you'll see i planted siam basil in one half (the pointy leaves) and italian sweet basil in the other.
however, now i wish i'd just done one varietal.
both are delicious, but they are so different in flavor.

the siam is truly the same fragrance and flavor as that found in thai food. it has an especially strong liquorice taste and reminded me very much of my favorite pad thai dish..yum yum

the sweet basil is great for pizza and pesto, much less pungent!

talking of which;
i thought i'd share my latest pesto mix
the 'power plant pesto' great for spreading on sandwiches-panini anyone?, especially with tomatoes and mozzarella

heres my recipe for a small qty;
take 1-2 cup of leaves- tightly packed
2 tablespoons of roasted marcona almonds (i've been heating some marcona nuts my wife bought at costco ...salted....add them into a pan with a dash of olive oil and stir regularly until they brown...you'll probably need to do twice as many, cos when you taste them -they are out of this world!)
2 tablespoons of grated parmesan
1 small garlic clove-peeled
half tablespoon lemon juice-or lime juice
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin oil

combine ingredients of; basil, nuts, cheese, garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water, season with salt and pepper in a small blender...i use a stick blender. Puree until you make a paste (you could use a mortar and pestle with such a small qty of pesto...the old way!)
add in portions of the olive oil, just enough until the paste becomes a smooth buttery texture...good for spreading.