Plants on board

[Liltttzr]

Any one grow any plants on board while out cruising? My mom bought me a aero garden, it is set up for cooking spice's now was wondering if any one had any luck while out. I think I would not have to much of a problem, with me hanging around in the lakes. But would like to hear from others. :-D

[a64pilot]

Remember Waterworld?

[rebel heart]

I think plants onboard are inversely proportional to the amount of open water the boat experiences.

[roverhi]

We cruised for a year in SoCal and a year in French Polynesia with a Pothos Plant. It's still alive and flourishing in our yard nearly 40 years later. Herbs and sprouts would be a good thing to have on a boat. Greens were not easy to find once we got beyond the reach of supermarkets. When we did find them, they were expensive unless out of someone's garden.

Might want to check if there are any restrictions about bringing plants into a country. Thought we might have trouble bringing the Pothos into Hawaii but the Ag inspector didn't bat an eye over it.

[klmmicro]

As long as you can control the salt water saturation of the soil, it seems like it would be possible to grow edibles aboard. I am going to have a couple of small "house plants" on board and for the oxygen.

The Aero Garden would be would be cool for fresh herbs.

[Ocean Girl]

My parent sailed RTW and had various herbs aboard. Chives seemed the most hardy.
Here is a pic of her chive plant, it lived tucked up in the dodger. We had a warbler come visit while underway

[bobconnie]

We have grown herbs and such. And years ago we would start plants and put them in the ground where we were, on small Islands or atolls, where water was not a problem. We found it worked when we had the kids, but now with just the 2 of us we no longer try to grow food! Seems like now a days theres a lot more green stuff to buy then ever!! Of course we are cruiseing the Carribe, mostly Mexico and Belize, and the garden stuff is around if ya look !

[SvenG]

We sprout sprouts for fresh green crunch. Unfortunately the La Paz summer killed our seed stock but we're replacing it and will store it in the cooler bilge next time.

Biggest problem with the sprouts is that they need quite a lot of fresh rinse-water which is an issue when you live on solar-powered RO water.



-Sven

[JusDreaming]

We keep a couple of aloe plants, they are a hardy lot, and are fantastic for medicinal use especially any kind of burn. The islanders also drink the aloe juice for gastro regularity. I have accidentally tasted the gel and can't imagine drinking it

[Liltttzr]

I was wondering, since this is soil free system. It has a small sponge that is limited to the air. So herbs have been done with some success. The one I have is very small and I have a bunch of sealed seed packets. Mostly herbs, but some lettuce, and other veggie.

[zeehag]

i found that salty air kills bubbas lawn grass....has been a small problem ...
the basil was looking a bit piqued so i gave it to someone with a larger boat and a better cook pot.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I think plants onboard are inversely proportional to the amount of open water the boat experiences.

I'm boat shopping and it seems your correct. The boats that look like they never leave the slip have little gardens on deck

[JanetGroene]

Since so many shore plants are both edible and salt tolerant I wonder if anyone has tried keeping supplies of sea lettuce et al) on board?

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I think plants onboard are inversely proportional to the amount of open water the boat experiences.

I think it is more of an indication of a live aboard rather than open water time. We just set our aloes inside on passages

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I think plants onboard are inversely proportional to the amount of open water the boat experiences.

Good point. While I've seen (in books, mostly) deck top mini-greenhouses, I think realistically onboard agricultural starts and stops with lightweight trays of herbs suspended underneath the larger sort of cabintop hatch. Few boats have the layout or the headroom or, conversely, the altitude-challenged crew to pull this off, and I suspect it's the sort of thing that would work best on a mooring.

I know that five pounds of topsoil dropping through the seven foot headroom of our saloon to splash over the settee cushions would harsh my appetite for fresh herbs, but that's just me. I'm prepared to leave our vases at home when we go to sea, as well.