Still Learning

A dog at the farmers market trying
out our Per-PET-ual Pet dish

Let me just say again...I am NOT a Master Gardener. I've tried to garden for years, with limited success. It was not until we started gardening in boxes...specifically Garden Anywhere Box, that I could admit to myself that I might actually be a gardener. That is why I am so passionate about GAB. If I can be a successful gardener, anyone can. 

That being said, I am still learning. This year we experimented with putting clay pots in our Per-Pet-ual Pet Dish. Just like with the boxes, water would come up from the bottom. Since the dishes are hooked into our watering system, there will always be fresh water going to the pots. But, there would not be plastic on the top like with GABs. 

This method has worked brilliantly this summer. I've been able to harvest greens for smoothies and grow some of the tinier seeds like carrots, radishes and beets. Don't get me wrong. These seeds will still grow in a GAB, but the clay pots make it easier to broadcast the seeds. 

Peas

Beets

Carrots

Well...I learned something new...

I was worried about the pots getting the nutrients that they needed. I decided to try adding fish emulsion to my watering can to add to the pots. Big Mistake and a DUH moment. 

Red Romaine lettuce and radishes

Larry went out to check the garden this morning and discovered two of my pots had been dug up. I'd planted a pot with Romaine lettuce and radishes last week.  The little leaves were just sprouting. I planted another pot yesterday with some carrot and beet seeds. I could not imagine what happened. I suspected raccoons, but they do not ever bother the boxes. Then I figured it out. 

Fish emulsion + CATS= Digging in the Pots. I even found my watering can overturned and drained dry.

I replanted this morning and will keep an eye on my plants...and the cats.  So, lesson learned. I will still try fish emulsion, but only through the watering tube, so that the cats can't get to it. I'll just have to use something else to fertilize my little pots although, they've been growing just fine on their own.