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

• Rooftop vegetable gardening: chili centil Monday, May 9, 2011
• Rooftop gardening: they rope me in  Thursday, April 28, 2011 
• Roof Top vegetable gardening  Tuesday, April 19, 2011