Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Some flowers such as carnations and dianthus are said to be very good performers in hydroponic situations. I think such flowers would perform well in AP.

It may be worth compiling a list of flowers that are expected to be very well suited to AP.

Dianthus
Carnation
Lobelia (string of pearls, cambridge blue etc.)
Gerberas
Gypsophila
Oriental lily

I'm going to try Monarda Didyma as soon as I finish my system. They've got square, hollow stems, so maybe they're good with water?

I've got a strange variety that grew over two meters tall in a sunny spot with thousands of really nice flowers (they're only supposed to grow to about half of that), too bad I had to give up that veggie garden.. It doesn't get over a meter tall now I had to put it in a shady spot in our backyard..

I think sweet peas might be worth a shot.

Orchids apparently can be grown but are very difficult as they are prone to root rot.

I have carnation cuttings doing well in Ap, so you can tick that one off the list

nasturtiums are growing happily as well as a "rockery mixture" the kids threw in

Mine too as are the marigolds - I was only thinking about cuttings

Our current system is under 98% shadecloth, therefore we have a small issue with light when it comes to vegetables. We have put cyclamens in instead. They seem to like the system.

I am thinking of trying a satelite pot system to grown gerbera in cocopeat via drip feed from a pond. Apparently gerberas are a little fussy regards nutrient levels.

I am no expert at all, but I was told recently that if fish waste nutrient levels are ok for tomatoes (high demand feeders), then many flowers which are much less nitrogen hungry (low demand feeders) will grow very slowly when using the same pond water.

Anyone have any experience of this?

Best wishes for Christmas.

Johnnie

Johnnie

I tried growing a few flowers in an indoor AP system we had at TAFE. The Gerberas went well at first and we got a couple to flower then they all just up and died. The system was using artificial lighting so this may have had something to do with it I dont know. The vegies grew well though.

I haven't tried flowers as yet but I think Joel has an affinity with flowers

I had gerberas going okay until the fungus got them.
Now we have some lisianthus in which are looking very promising.

i think faye might have a flower bed..............

Yep, think Joel spends most of the time looking after it though .......

I have a few carnations growing in a tiny flood and drain trial system under the eves of my home in perth, also a bit of shade cloth .. but they are amazingly heathy despite low light and small gravel filled pots. They are bending towards the light.

In the same tiny growbed, I have some petunias that are flowering, but really stunted. No sign of disease ... just small plants, big flowers.

I look at the amount of water that is flowing ... and am thinking that for some of these flowers, drip from a header tank may be better than flood and drain ...

Another friend told me that a little stress is good for flowers.

So I am learning ....

Any ideas most welcome...

My sister gave me a handful of "Cosmos" seeds to fling into the big bed, They went off! Huge plant very quickly and lots of flowers as well!
(still pullling out seedlings now )