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Date: 29 October 2018. Breezy the Sea Urchin Octopus (and sprouting too)

© janice142
 

It all started with Pinterest. I enjoy spending time wandering around there. I suspect it is mostly a girl-thing. As a side note, you must register to view the site. As I was perusing, I spotted the coolest sea urchin shell with an air plant. It looked like a baby octopus. I wanted one!
 

Then my friend Cheryl surprised me with the very thing I had been wishing for.

I named her Breezy. She lived down below just outside of the shower.
 

Each Monday Breezy had a bath in a bowl of fresh water:

Thirty minutes in room temperature water was the formula I followed.
 

After her swim I would again return her to the head. The light down there is indirect.

 

After a time I noticed Breezy was not as plump and vigorous as when I received her.

To solve that I placed her under a blue strainer. It kept the plant under the water.
 

Breezy received a bath every Monday for several weeks. She was getting more dehydrated.

Thus I started putting her in water every few days for a half hour or so. Nothing helped.


Cheryl also made herself a sea urchin just like mine. She named hers LuLu.
 

This is LuLu. When I was talking with Cheryl I asked how LuLu was doing. She sent this picture:

I can see how plump and green LuLu remains.
 

Because LuLu continued doing so well, I had to try more. My Breezy was placed in the pilothouse where she got more light. I also have had her in the head with standard ambient light. Finally I tried tucking her into a corner with minimal light. Nothing helped.
 

In pondering the situation I decided that perhaps the hydroponics nutrient boost FloraGro might help.

Breezy is floating in water with FloraGro nutrients.

 

 

Regarding Sprouting, FloraGro and Hydroponics

 

I have been growing sprouts for years. As the weight came off [see the A Day of Reckoning (the diet) article] I started eating more sprouts. They fill me up and are healthy too.


Quite frankly those commercials regarding "roughage" that I remembered from so long ago no longer seem so weird. Sprouts provide fiber. Additionally they expand the quantity of food without an undue increase in calories.

 

My goal is to augment sprouts with seedlings. Thus, the interest in hydroponics. I believe I can have a miniature garden supplying a greater part of my daily salads by using hydroponics.
 

My first attempt was not totally successful. That is why I purchased FloraGro. Once I know how best to make hydroponics work on a boat, I'll post an article.

 


Sprouts are Easy!!! I grow almost everything in spice jars. If you're a soloist, start saving your empty jars. Couples will need larger containers. I opted for thrift store glass spice bottles. I selected shorter jars as I can keep them clean more easily.
 

Starter how-to for sprouting: Growing Lentil Sprouts

 

 

By growing my own sprouts I am able to enjoy fresh salads every day of the week. I enjoy a variety of sprouts including broccoli, wheat berries, mung beans, lentils, Chinese cabbage, radishes and more. All this is done aboard my 23' long boat.
 

What you'll need: Spice jars or, if you're a part of a couple, canning jars. Figuring 1/2 cup per serving, you would want to have either 1/2c jelly jars or the larger 1c size. NOT LARGER. You're on a boat, not in a house with unlimited shelf space.

I chose spice jars because I can grow a half dozen different sprouts in a very small area. Each day I start a new jar or two, keeping ten or twelve going most of the time.


Because I like lots of choices, I simultaneously grow a variety of sprouts. That way if I want something sweet I can enjoy wheat berries, while if I feel like spicy I opt for radish sprouts.


But I digress...

I use the blue plastic cover so Breezy will be fully submerged. Because she is so dehydrated, she floats.

I added a few drops of FloraGro to the water.


With attention and now FloraGro I am hoping Breezy will come back to life. I love the silly sea urchin/octopus. It is just the perfect sort of item to capture my interest. We shall see if I am able to restore her to health. I wish I had a clue as to why she did not thrive in the first place. That would be helpful.


In the meantime, autumn has arrived. That thrills me. This is my favorite time of the year. I am hoping the cooler weather will bring the end to Red Tide. That would be great.


Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for joining me in my world. And thank you for reading.
 

Have you had success bringing back to life a plant such as Breezy?
And, should I continue with FloraGrow or try something else next? What do you suggest?!?
 

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