Chaotic Coffee Klatch (tea also available)

[Lmizzler]

I didnt know you had that problem.


This might be the sexiest thing youve ever posted.

I know how to get the women and it’s with Carbs!

 

[Lmizzler]

Ok i have thawed out boneless chicken breasts in the fridge. What should i make for dinner? I was thinking either Japanese curry or Indian tikka masala. Both store bought sauces. Im thinking if I can find some trader joes garlic nann, ill do the tikka masala and Japanese curry if i cant find any nann. Leave it up to fate?

Tikka masala all day everyday! But naan is crucial to the meal for sure.

 

[Strixaluco]

Ouch. Just calculated budget for all the plants I'd like to have on my balcony + soil needed. 200€

 

[LupineOne]

Ouch. Just calculated budget for all the plants I'd like to have on my balcony + soil needed. 200€

And is that just to obtain them and get them set up initially?

 

[LittleSwitchy]

Ouch. Just calculated budget for all the plants I'd like to have on my balcony + soil needed. 200€

Have you thought about hydroponics? Takes up less space. Might be less expensive

 

[Strixaluco]

And is that just to obtain them and get them set up initially?

Yes. This year. Raspberry is perennial, and I might be able to get a few herbs to overlive the winter. Probably not strawberry or arctic raspberry, unfortunately. But most are annuals, as you'd expect on a balcony.

Will save a bit if I manage to grow some seedlings myself. Not the most expensive ones, though...

Not counting money for pots. Those I have. Didn't count the fertilisers yet.

 

[Strixaluco]

Have you thought about hydroponics? Takes up less space. Might be less expensive

140€ was just for the plants/seedlings. Not all of them would be easy to transfer into hydroponics, the equipment and growing medium would cost, and I'd have to learn to do it all, which I don't feel like at all.

 

[LittleSwitchy]

140€ was just for the plants/seedlings. Not all of them would be easy to transfer into hydroponics, the equipment and growing medium would cost, and I'd have to learn to do it all, which I don't feel like at all.

I understand that. The process is different. I don’t know the cost of the liquid fertilizers needed.

 

[Cogan]

Yes. This year. Raspberry is perennial, and I might be able to get a few herbs to overlive the winter. Probably not strawberry or arctic raspberry, unfortunately. But most are annuals, as you'd expect on a balcony.

Will save a bit if I manage to grow some seedlings myself. Not the most expensive ones, though...

Not counting money for pots. Those I have. Didn't count the fertilisers yet.

Don't you have a place to store the plants during the winter?
We have a small olive tree and a Nerium oleander that moves down in the cellar in November and is let out again in the garden in mid April. It has worked now for three years and the plants are growing fine. The oleander needs a new pot this year.

 

[Strixaluco]

I know I could get the balcony pretty for a lot less, but I happen to want many kinds of herbs, and several costly berries...

 

[Strixaluco]

I understand that. The process is different. I don’t know the cost of the liquid fertilizers needed.

Aquaponics als needs a pump or probably several, and all the pipes/hoses. And by growing medium I mean somethings for the plants to put their roots in.
Would need different pots, too. The ones I have now are not suitable for hydroponics.

 

[Strixaluco]

Don't you have a place to store the plants during the winter?
We have a small olive tree and a Nerium oleander that moves down in the cellar in November and is let out again in the garden in mid April. It has worked now for three years and the plants are growing fine. The oleander needs a new pot this year.

My cold cellar is just one cabinet, basically - and I'm lucky to have even that! The warm cellar would be too warm for overwintering plants. (It's also very full )

I don't have my own house, remember, just an apartment.

 

[Cogan]

My cold cellar is just one cabinet, basically - and I'm lucky to have even that! The warm cellar would be too warm for overwintering plants. (It's also very full )

I don't have my own house, remember, just an apartment.

Yes I know you live in a apartment, but sometimes the cellar storage is perfect for plants. How cold is the cold cellar? But you think it's too small?
An old fashioned root cellar would be perfect for plant storage!

 

[B2fromA2looking4U]

In the city I live, there are community gardens where the ground is provided by the city, usually vacant lots, Several people from where I worked would plant there. Usually there is a group that works the gardena dnsplit the produce. Also, the local Hospital has a garden where volunteers work the land and the produce is given away to those with low income and for others, pay a fee. Do they have anything like that in your City?

 

[Strixaluco]

Yes I know you live in a apartment, but sometimes the cellar storage is perfect for plants. How cold is the cold cellar? But you think it's too small?
An old fashioned root cellar would be perfect for plant storage!

The warm one is room temperature. The cold is one is for storing jams and juices, even root veggies, aka maybe 5C. Temperature is ok, but I have bottles and jars there already, and have planned on buying potatoes and carrots in 5kg bags from the farmer. Not much space for plants left.

Also I know from experience that I'm not good at keeping plants alive that way. While raspberry will loose all leaves and won't need really watering, strawberry will keep the leaves surprisingly long. Aka needing some water.

And only a few of the plants areoperennial anyway.

 

[Strixaluco]

In the city I live, there are community gardens where the ground is provided by the city, usually vacant lots, Several people from where I worked would plant there. Usually there is a group that works the gardena dnsplit the produce. Also, the local Hospital has a garden where volunteers work the land and the produce is given away to those with low income and for others, pay a fee. Do they have anything like that in your City?

There are lots to rent, but they are extremely sought after. And I know myself. The nearest lots are several kilometers away. Im not the kind to haul my stuff there and back - I've tried that before and it didn't work out even when I it was just 1km and I was less fired.

I need to have things close. The balcony is just fine. Just seems like I'm not able to do this any cheaper than when I had a front yard to fill with pots and plants.

 

[Deadbed1968]

140€ was just for the plants/seedlings. Not all of them would be easy to transfer into hydroponics, the equipment and growing medium would cost, and I'd have to learn to do it all, which I don't feel like at all.

How about starting from seed? That should be much less expensive.

 

[LittleSwitchy]

There are lots to rent, but they are extremely sought after. And I know myself. The nearest lots are several kilometers away. Im not the kind to haul my stuff there and back - I've tried that before and it didn't work out even when I it was just 1km and I was less fired.

I need to have things close. The balcony is just fine. Just seems like I'm not able to do this any cheaper than when I had a front yard to fill with pots and plants.

Have you thought about setting up a kinda greenhouse on the balcony? PVC pipes and plastic sheeting would probably work. Least it would give you a jump start to growing season.

 

[B2fromA2looking4U]

I like the way we are all throwing out ideas to help Strix ( and I noticed others on Chaos). let's see what might work!

 

[Strixaluco]

How about starting from seed? That should be much less expensive.

The 3 most expensive ones, costing 70€, are the ones I can't. It would take too long - should have started ages ago. Not that you even find seeds of miniature raspberry... Or arctic raspberry. Those are always sold as plants.

The herbs I will try. Should succeed with some, then I think I transferred one or two to summer cottage last autumn, meaning I can get the back now. But some I'll need to buy, I've never managed to grow e.g. rosemary from seed.

I'm actually more confident with tomatoes than herbs. And courgette and salad I expect to grow from see, that was already taken into account. Peas too, of course. I have plenty of seeds from previous years and salad is the only one that doesn't last for years.

What will happen is that I'll probably skip a couple of plants, including arctic raspberry and a few more uncommon herbs, and ask for the hanging basket with strawberries (they sell such ready-made) as a birthday gift. And then try to grow from seed anything I can.

 

[Strixaluco]

Have you thought about setting up a kinda greenhouse on the balcony? PVC pipes and plastic sheeting would probably work. Least it would give you a jump start to growing season.

My balcony has glasses, meaning I can put tomatoes there in April. But got to start the seeds indoors now.

 

[Strixaluco]

I like the way we are all throwing out ideas to help Strix ( and I noticed others on Chaos). let's see what might work!

I can easily save some 70€ (assuming I'll really get that strawberry hanging basket as a gift). That doesn't meaning skimping on anything I really really want, just not going crazy over everything I can have on my balcony.

 

[Strixaluco]

But now, bed. Good night!

 

[rjr_1954]

Wow! Chaos is flying today!
Carry on good people, carry on!

Good evening @Photog1rl

 

[B2fromA2looking4U]

But now, bed. Good night!

Good night!