Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Not my favorite time of year, but hey, at the gardens we created come to a quick end. In the words of TV character Adrian Monk, " I don't mind change, I just don't like being there when it happens."
Brian

Besides the little cold spell we had. It will probably be a El Nino fall and winter.

For the Southwest that is very good news. It will bring badly needed moisture.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/el-niño-looks-imminent—heres-what-that-means-for-you/ar-BBOBif0?ocid=spartandhp

Yesterday I cut a bunch of strawberry runners from the garden and moved them to the greenhouse to try to root them then I will put them in the NOT-NFT since I have not used it for anything this year.

I am going to redo some stuff in the greenhouse next summer which means I'll be shutting most of the AP down for a bit (might keep a bed or two running so I don't lose it completely and be like starting over), I think one of the changes will be the NOT-NFT will get removed if I don't fall in love with it this winter with strawberry plants overwintering in it.

I haven't decided if I want to build a big plywood tank or maybe split it in two or three to still get more room than I have with the IBC tanks, but still be able to segregate different species in it.

I will probably build more beds above the fish tanks when I make up my mind what I'm doing, so they will get more use than the NOT-NFT.

I'm actually debating about pouring a concrete pad along the back half of the greenhouse north wall (actually have a partial under the barrels already) then building fish tanks all around the back wall and having a better shelving setup for the water barrels (or getting rid of the water barrels, I'm not sure how much they actually help, should stick temp sensors in them this winter to see if they are actually warmer than ambient temperature)

I am debating about some dual height beds like Brian's to get more space in my little greenhouse. Lots of thoughts in my head will try to work them out before next summer.

First snow yesterday. It was enough to pretty much cover the grass but by lunch time it started melting. Hit us again last night about the same it looks like grass is covered.

ouch... the big freeze begins!

How are your temps holding up in there?

Nice you finally got some of that white stuff!

My temps in the greenhouse were down to about 50F. I turned my heater on to keep it above 50 but haven't been home all weekend to check temps to see what it's really doing. I just finished my NAUI scuba instructor training conference which consumed my last three weekends and lots of work during the week so really it's been about 3 weeks since I've really got anything accomplished..

I decided next year I'm going to throw my hat into the beekeeping arena. I've been reading a lot, and placed my order for my bees today, scheduled to be shipped end of April. So I have until then to put together all of the equipment. I was going to do two hives from my reading it said that way you could compare them to see differences and know if something is going wrong easier, but my wife keeps rolling her eyes about the idea of getting bees in the first place, so I decided to just go with the one hive and expand later if all goes well.

I had planned on getting bees this past spring but when I started looking into it I was too late to place an order, so now my order is in, it's going to happen next year.

Honeybees are always a good idea. If you don't mind me asking where did you order from?
Brian

I placed an order with beekeepingUSA.com they had a 3 pound of Italian bees and queen package for $99 plus shipping set me back about $132 total... Was the best price I've seen so I decided to give it a shot. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out again so got my order in to ensure I will have something next year.

Ugh just went out to the greenhouse to check temps and I'm barely holding 42ish degrees with the pilot light running. Last winter when I installed it in january I was holding 50 no problem on pilot.. I had the straw bales around the base of the greenhouse that I hope is not making that big of a difference... But I'm thinking I'm going to have to get plastic to cover my windows... Maybe hope for a little warm spell to give me another chance to buy dirt and backfill against the greenhouse in place of the straw bales... But by now all of the landscaping places that don't keep their dirt inside will probably be done for the year because they won't be able to scoop frozen dirt with a loader even... I ran out of time this year and winter is winning the fight so far.

The small hoop house is below freezing but my water has not froze up yet. I am slowly pulling plants out of that system to put in the greenhouse because I am doubtful how much longer I can keep it from freezing. I will need to get the bluegills out of that system and move them into the greenhouse... And I never did get my trout so it's looking like another winter with no trout.

I haven't managed to do much lately, but I did buy some bags of dirt this past weekend and dumped it around the base of the greenhouse to backfill along my block foundation a bit in hopes of insulating it better. I had planned on putting dirt beds around the greenhouse just never got to it this summer, so I put dirt around about half of the greenhouse so far and will have to build the beds in the spring.

We have had pretty warm weather lately, it's been mid 40s every day this week so have been getting warmer temps in the greenhouse.

I added PVC rollers above the beds in the hoop house to attach the plastic on the beds in the center then cut the excess off, so now the plastic stays in place and isn't such a pain to access the beds for the winter. I've been lucky I have still been able to run the hose to the hoop house to water and just disconnect the hose and drain it so it doesn't freeze at night.

I've been battling major mice infestations in both the hoop house and the greenhouse. They have demolished my kale and Swiss chard, and are eating my jalapenos in the greenhouse like crazy. I have about 20 mouse traps in the hoop house I keep baiting with peanut butter and have probably killed about a dozen so far. Missing my snake friends from summer that I think helped keep the population in check.

I have a couple traps in the greenhouse and bought 8 more the other night. It seems to have slowed down so I hope that means I'm making a dent in their population, not that they are getting smarter and avoiding my traps.

I did manage to get my dad's tractor running a few weeks back now, so I used the box blade to knock down a bunch of weeds in the field hoping it pushes the mouse population away from the hoop house and greenhouse further. Plus I tossed poison in the barn and garage but didn't want to put the poison around our food sources.

I haven't been on here much lately so not sure when I'll be back. Merry Christmas everyone.

Merry Xmas back at ya rininger.
I second boss's comment, honeybees are always a good idea but be careful they are addictive like AP! Tough work over there with all the pests though.

dang I miss snow, we spent 12 months in USA over 30 years ago and were invited to have Christmas with a family in Memphis. Imagine waking up to snow on the ground on Chrissy morning.
bugga the cold wife & I were outside in jeans and T shirts having a fun time. Had to do some explaining to their neighbours after.

Loved it each Christmas brings back those memories.

But them comes the slush...holey moley interstate 40? Flagstaff 2AM and icicle hubcaps.. never believed it possible.

Hah Tonzz I don't know about 30 years ago what the weather around Memphis was like, but I have property about two hours east of Memphis that I have drove down to the week between Christmas and New year's every year for the past ten years and in that ten years I can say those folks in Tennessee don't know what winter is. It snows down there one day and melts the next day. It gets cold down there and they warn people to stay home. I live in Michigan I'm another 600+ miles north of there, we still drive 70 miles an hour on the interstate with that slush on the roads. It takes a lot of snow to get us to stay home.

It is looking like this Christmas will be the first without snow in a while though. We have only had one big snow storm so far this winter which we got about four or five inches of snow then it's warmed up a lot. It will probably hit us in January is usually our worst for snow fall.