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Sustainable Sussex Grow Log

Hi Everyone!
 
In January I began sowing chilli seeds for a community project that didn't exist - We had no name, no greenhouse or poly tunnel assembled and I had very little knowledge of chilli growing.
 
I've learnt a stack from the Chillis Galore Forum and we are now steaming ahead with our grow with aproximately 650 plants on the go.
 
I'm still pretty hectic potting up - we have had to pot-up twice so far as we had to save space as we built our heated bench and other infrastructure.
 
I'll try and get some photos and additional information on our glog but in the meantime here is a video montage of some of our work so far.
 

[media]http://youtu.be/KYkHtYf-shg[/media]
 
 
 
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Hi Ajdrew.

We love it too! It's so relaxing and quite literally, down to earth.

Check out the gardening projects in Portland Oregon and I think parts of Michigan. The U.S. has loads of amazing growing projects.
 
I've spent the day in a scorching hot greenhouse with a fan circulating lovely hot air - 27.5 degrees C at it's peak!
 
We've been having a few issues with pale new growth.  Only on a few plants but still worrying.  Maybe PH?
 

 
Most of our chillies will eventually end up in our 3 small polytunnels.  We have so far built one and half benches worth of micro-irrigation system - no water on this bit of the site yet - so have to sort that out sooner rather than later!  We may just build a small tower with an IBC full of water on it.
 

 
We currently have around 600 plants in our greenhouse and 50ish at home in my conservatory.  In the greenhouse we have 3 jumbo propagators and a hastily constructed 12ft x 2ft heated propagation bed with almost half a ton of sharp sand and water in it (great thermal mass).


 
 
I guess we are having the same problem as most - where does the space go?
 
Our plants seem to be doing ok.  They are alive at least.  Quite amazing considering the highest number of chilli plants I've grown is about 10 and that I have been potting up in to quite small pots - just to stall how much space we need in order to get poly tunnels built.
 

Photo from today (06 March)
 

12th March
 
 
 
Keith SustSussex said:
Thanks Grispa and Bumper. It's certainly a challenge and thoroughly enjoying it - especially today absorbing the sun in a hot greenhouse with my shirt off, in peace and quiet with 600 chilli plants :)
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As the temperatures drop and I prepare to go into the office for another day in front of the computer, I envy you.  A lot.  
 
Keith, initially we grew for sustenance.  Since then, have moved into a cottage niche to fund my obsession.  But none the less, am really turned on by community supported agriculture in most forms.  Letting the hippie in me come out, I do not know why the many municipalities are not more active.  Imagine the help it could be to low income folk and how much urban gardens could improve a neighborhood.  Empty lot or tended garden?  Seems like a no brainer to me.

Ah, but I can barely keep up with my own stuff.  So am making an effort to work with my kids school.  They operate a garden there to get kids interested.  Hoping that by next year our place will be attractive enough to welcome field trips.  The place might as well be a petting zoo, kids would love it.
 
ajdrew said:
Keith, initially we grew for sustenance.  Since then, have moved into a cottage niche to fund my obsession.  But none the less, am really turned on by community supported agriculture in most forms.  Letting the hippie in me come out, I do not know why the many municipalities are not more active.  Imagine the help it could be to low income folk and how much urban gardens could improve a neighborhood.  Empty lot or tended garden?  Seems like a no brainer to me.

Ah, but I can barely keep up with my own stuff.  So am making an effort to work with my kids school.  They operate a garden there to get kids interested.  Hoping that by next year our place will be attractive enough to welcome field trips.  The place might as well be a petting zoo, kids would love it.
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Couldn't agree more.  We have community gardens where people can get a plot to grow their veggies, a few places dotted across Canberra.  What blows us away is that our local Government invested in an arboretum that has lots of different and interested plots of trees, but no fruit trees?!  Imagine what a difference you could make to a region if you had a government subsidised orchard and veggie patch… First world problems I guess.  
 
What is great here is that about 10 years ago, an chef called stephanie alexander started school gardens with some govt funding and the model has run across most of the country now.  Awesome project for future generations to fall in love with gardening, sharing produce, and maybe… CHILLIES!!  
 
ajdrew said:
Keith, initially we grew for sustenance.  Since then, have moved into a cottage niche to fund my obsession.  But none the less, am really turned on by community supported agriculture in most forms.  Letting the hippie in me come out, I do not know why the many municipalities are not more active.  Imagine the help it could be to low income folk and how much urban gardens could improve a neighborhood.  Empty lot or tended garden?  Seems like a no brainer to me.

Ah, but I can barely keep up with my own stuff.  So am making an effort to work with my kids school.  They operate a garden there to get kids interested.  Hoping that by next year our place will be attractive enough to welcome field trips.  The place might as well be a petting zoo, kids would love it.
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That's great ajdrew.  Even a little bit of community action/integration goes a long way - and to share what you are creating is fantastic.  What are your plans for your place?
 
The only plan this year is to survive and maybe get things in order for next season.  Things fell into disarray this past year because I was fighting a really bad infection; MRSA.  Normal maintenance things did not get done and it all adds up.  So this year is get things back in shape, make enough money to fix what needs fixed and make things more attractive and safe. 

You efforts are so very clean, organized, and presentable. 
 
ajdrew said:
The only plan this year is to survive and maybe get things in order for next season.  Things fell into disarray this past year because I was fighting a really bad infection; MRSA.  Normal maintenance things did not get done and it all adds up.  So this year is get things back in shape, make enough money to fix what needs fixed and make things more attractive and safe. 

You efforts are so very clean, organized, and presentable. 
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That sounds tough Aj! Health problems can often get in the way of plans - and have done for me over the past 15 years. I hope you are better now and can steam ahead with your plans?

"Clean organised and presentable" - We try, although in a previous life I was a photographer, so despite taking photos on my phone out of convenience, I do tend to frame things so you can't see the mess! ;)
 
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