Wednesday, May 18, 2011

rooftop gardening: Condition them for transplanting.

Tomorrow 19th of May 2011 the seedlings are a month old. The time is up for all of them to move up to the rooftop. There is a need for conditioning, under the hot sun, starting with 3 hours on the 16th of May , 17th the whole day under the hot sun. By the 18th, 780 chili centil seedlings will be transplanted  in white polybags. The other 20 seedlings will be spared for Dato M and other dignitaries to finish off on the 19th.  I heard they are going to do a bit of media hype to push through an exciting entrepreneurial branding ~ rooftop gardening. They are strategizing now, how to get  around Dato Azman , the chairman of Hotel Association Malaysia, and other parties controlling flat idle rooftops, to go for rooftop gardening. The group is very committed with the whole idea of being enterprising and working against all odds to green the concrete jungle. I am happy for them. I wonder what Rosie n Partners think about the whole thing, this particular branding....

The group is also preparing chains of related entrepreneurial activities,  germination, temperate climate gardening, marketing, market research, consultancy, online shopping for agro products,  value-add products, etc. It seems they are putting in place entrepreneurial , research  and CSR activities  hand in hand. Passion and enthusiasm will carry them through and at the same time always bearing the concept of doing more with less.

Seedlings currently at 8th leaves should be strong enough to fend themselves, growing with cocopeat as growing media, and water plus fertilizer in doses, 5 times a day. The standard requirement is 1.5 liters of water everyday per polybag. Divide 1.5 liters with 5 times intake, then it comes to about 300ml per dose. 





1000 chili centil seedlings are conditioned to hotter environment

I can tell you, it's hot out there...
They are still under my automatic irrigation tent, feeling the heat of the day. I wonder what the young seedlings are saying as they condition themselves for harsher environment. At the same time, I wonder too what the other plants under the tent are talking as they look down on the young babies.... The young tomato , petola, and matured malabar spinach probably motivate them by saying " Don't worry, you will get used to it..... I have gone thru that before.., see, I am alright."

malabar spinach and chili centil

petola overlooking chili centil seedlings

tomato plant comparing height.

I wonder what will  the days ahead be like, as the chili plants journey to the rooftop, getting used to the drip system , growing and gripping hard against heat and wind, and as they eventually present the enterprising group with the sweetest, hottest, reddest and the most bountiful and wonderful harvest by the 19th of July.


bangchik and kakdah, tanah merah kelantan

earlier posts on rooftop gardening


    10 comments:

    1. Very interesting project! I cant wait to see the results. I will be keeping up with your posts!

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    2. suka bercucuk tanam.ada masa nnt nak baca kat blog ni.

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    3. Interesting contrast, I am conditioning my plants to the outdoors so they can tolerate the cool nights, which they haven't had to experience before. Hope to plant in a few days.

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    4. I see you are growing new petola seedlings. Ours are almost gone but they surprise us with blooms in cool weather.

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    5. And we bring our young plants out of the greenhouse to harden them off and condition them to the cooler temperatures!

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    6. Loved the update and indeed, a very interesting project. Good luck!

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    7. Looks like the chillies are having friends of different species. Those bigger plants may assist to cool down the temperature a little. All the best!

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    8. They are looking really good.I am sure you all will have the hottest and the reddest harvest.

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    9. Jenn's Cooking Garden!
      Everyone is keen to see what's the outcome...

      anie,Nagoya
      Anda boleh refer bila-bila masa. Menanam pokok senang saja, kita cuma layan keperluan dia saja...

      Rebecca @ In The Garden
      Yeap... different conditioning. Let them get used to the real world, bit by bit, so that they dont die in shock!

      Malay-Kadazan girl
      I was a bit lavish with petola the last time. Now, I just grow one petola!

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    10. Sue@Green Lane Allotments
      Yea, they need that hardening... if they can talk, they would say, Thank You!

      Jeanne
      Thanks..., there will be more updates. We are negotiating with local paper, for a weekly column... for rooftop gardening updates!

      One
      Thank you.... rooftop gardening is a project worth doing, it deals with harshness of concrete jungle in the most natural and green way

      Stephanie
      Thanks..., I hope they grow and stay healthy for at least two years....

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