Growing Fruits / Vegetables on Board

[lovinlifebda]

Originally Posted by sarafina

seems like herbs would be the most useful gardening to do aboard. I bet something like this would work...



Hang it on the life line in nice weather, hand it on the towel rod in heavy weather...

Hi Sara,
I'm very interested in the herb container set you suggested. Do you happen to remember where you saw it online?
Many thanks!
Cheers,
Sharna

[Roaring Girl]

We do grow herbs - we use ortlieb buckets, which are actually square waterproof bowls which are really tough, and plant basil, coriander, mint, parsley. These sit very handily under the sprayhood, forward of the companionway where they are very well protected from spray. We have to manage watering carefully as these are not drained bowls so between either drying out or getting too damp, you have to keep a bit of an eye on them. But it's absolutely great to have them on board and they do really well. One lot got all the way from the UK across Biscay to southern Spain, survived the winter there and only kicked the bucket (sorry!) from Moroccan heat.

For a short while, I don't see why that wouldn't work with cut-and-come-again salad as well, but we haven't tried that (yet).

Also, sometimes sprouted beans in those three layer things, which take up very little footprint and need remarkably little light.

Anything bigger (including tomatoes), I'd probably avoid if we were actually going to sail anywhere, but if we planned six months on the hook somewhere, it might be worth exploring.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Why Not? Well--for one reason, the first foreign port you pull into, the Health and Agricultural Inspector is going to quarantine your boat and make you pull out the whole business--dirt and all, together with your veggies and the various bugs'n beetles they might be carrying; bag it/them up; and have the whole business delivered to a hazardous waste disposal site. That last thing any country needs is some latter-day Johnny Appleseed spreading invasive species to decimate their agricultural industry. Moreover, unless you're pulling a Donald Crowhurst, or Bernard Moitessier, there is no passage longer than about 30 daze--which isn't enough time for a "crop" (of anything but difficulties) and by carefully selecting one's fresh provisions, and storing them properly, they should endure until one can resupply (cabbages, potatoes, onions, carrots, even green tomatoes wrapped in newpaper, will endure. And, if one must have "fresh greens", one can grow a crop of sprouts very readily in a corner of the cockpit in paper cups in a week or so--but be prepared to ditch them, and the fresh eggs, frozen meat, poultry, etc; and, any remaining fresh provisions, before expecting to be granted free Pratique in most foreign ports. I understand the NZ and Oz are particularly strict about this as is Tonga, Fiji, the Galapagos; most central American Countries, etc., etc, etc.

FWIW...

Hear, Hear... a voice of sanity from amidst a sea of frustrated gardeners.... LMAO....
I you wanna 'Garden'.....
Buy a Cottage...
Boats transfer enuf dodgey 'Sea Life'... don't add to the problems... unless your a "Marina Bound" live-aboard who never slips the lines...

[lovinlifebda]

A big thanks to both Roaring Girl and Boatman 61. We're about to be new liveaboards in Bermuda and will sail mainly locally. We'll be here for around three years before heading off to 'foreign' waters so the product suited our short term wants/needs.
Cheers!

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by lovinlifebda

Hi Sara,
I'm very interested in the herb container set you suggested. Do you happen to remember where you saw it online?
Many thanks!
Cheers,
Sharna

Hi, Cool but wicked expensive;

http://www.vivachistyle.com/?m=pro&f...=10841&i=10991

you know how Italians are!

I think you could rig something up that would function similarly for much less. Half gallon or quart plastic milk cartons trimmed and used to hold square potted herbs perhaps?

[ConradG]

Yeah, this Italian likes nothing better than good fresh food! (wine, also of course)!
Great thread and great ideas.
I see the plastic milk jug with it's top cut off, hanging from some yarns as a good solution. Amazing how tolerant many herbs are. I still have two potted Basils that are producing even in my NE winter, short days, (they're getting longer now!)
Just have to come up with a way to get things inspected for the custome man...

[Ocean Roads]

What about the hydroponic AeroGarden? If living with a gen, or a well managed and supplied battery bank.

My mother has one at her house and it works great. Shopping on line I found they make a few smaller models, less space and less power.

The light likes to stay on for most of the day, but kill the power when you need to and I bet they won't grow as fast, but they still should grow.

Or get creative and change out the 120v to 12v LEDs, now we are on to something!

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by dirtysouth

What about the hydroponic AeroGarden? If living with a gen, or a well managed and supplied battery bank.

My mother has one at her house and it works great. Shopping on line I found they make a few smaller models, less space and less power.

The light likes to stay on for most of the day, but kill the power when you need to and I bet they won't grow as fast, but they still should grow.

Or get creative and change out the 120v to 12v LEDs, now we are on to something!

Here you go:
12 Volt LED Grow Light Kit - HomeGrownLights.com

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by sarafina

Hi, Cool but wicked expensive;

VivachiStyle® Store | Legnoart | GALLERIA hanging garden

you know how Italians are!

I think you could rig something up that would function similarly for much less. Half gallon or quart plastic milk cartons trimmed and used to hold square potted herbs perhaps?

You can get them half price if you buy them in $. I checked out the sites and the amount 117 is the same but the currency symbol changes.

Maje

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Why Not? Well--for one reason, the first foreign port you pull into, the Health and Agricultural Inspector is going to quarantine your boat and make you pull out the whole business--dirt and all, together with your veggies and the various bugs'n beetles they might be carrying; .

FWIW...

We had a thread about growning herbs last year. One of the cruising members said that she just claims then as provisions. She hasn't had any of her plants taken.
Maje

[Captain J]

Sprouts, easy, quick turn around take up little space.
Growing Alfalfa Sprouts

Cpt. J

[MarkJ]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Mushies!