You all know that I am a full-time RV dweller. I had joined a full time RV group a while back and that's where I met Gabi. I found out that Gabi is passionate about gardening, like I am and that we both faced challenges with limited space. Well, I did until January, that is. Gabi was wondering if starting a full time RV gardening group would be a good idea. I said sure it would be! She brought me on as an admin, we started chatting and found out that we are the same age and all sorts of other coincidences. I felt like I had known her for years. We did, however, take a different path with gardening. Here is my garden chat with her.
Q: What do you specialize in, as far as gardening?
A: Hydroponics
Q: When did you first get interested in growing?
A: Nursing school when my Professor introduce me to Aquaponics (using fish waste as nutrients).
But I didn’t want to bother with fishes. So I went with hydroponics.
Q: Do you have a personal favorite things to grow?
A: Anything I can eat, giggles.
Q: On average, how many plants do you grow at once?
A: currently 100, before I was growing 800+ per every two weeks.
**Side note: Nasturtiums are one of my favorite flowers to grow. I think the flowers are nasty-tasting, but I do pickle the seeds to make "Poor Man's Capers" and I use the leaves to make into a pesto sauce. Nasturtiums are an overlooked super-food.
Q:
Tell me about your mentor. Who are they and why?
A: BOOKS! I’m a super nerd. Self taught. I think being a nurse, a dog
breeder, and having a medical background helped me to understand things
at a Microbiology level. But it also helps to be one with my plant
babies. Very attentive to them.
Q:
Tell me what inspired you to start the Full Time RV Gardening group on Facebook.
A: I’ve
always been for the underdogs. I see the prices for vegetables at the
store and I get extremely upset that we would even have to pay those
prices. Here in Vegas, they pick their vegetables early so they can
deliver it to our desert stores. Well, it taste horrible. One night, I
was going thru the Full Time RV site on FB. People were talking about
someone growing outside their RV because they were stationary. I
thought, “NO!” Everyone can grow while moving around. It’s super easy! I
thought, let me help everyone that wants to help themselves, feed
themselves and their family for a fraction of what they charge! It will
blow their minds the aroma, the taste, the luscious greens they could
grow! Talk about “PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH” Again, for a fraction of what
they are charging you for that crap they sell full of pesticides and who
knows what else they put in their soil. Hydroponics is cleaner than
Organic. I want to help everyone who wishes to help themselves.
Q:
How many varieties of seeds are in your personal collection right now?
A: I’ve lost count. Every time I see a family member, they are shoving
seeds in my face to grow. I’ve even grown cannabis as a challenge.
Surprisingly enough, I was on someone’s show(The Grow Boss), being asked
how I did it. So, I have several totes full of seeds. Probably over 200
or so.
Q:
What is the rarest seed in your collection?
A: I’m simple. I don’t have rare seeds. I don’t have half the collection
I do now from when we had our giant house and my giant indoor garden.
Maybe later. I’m in a 5th wheel and hopefully when our cabin gets done
in the mountains, I will have some. Hubby knows I need a green house to
protect my veggies from all the deer, elks, or whatever veggie loving
creatures up there. Lol
If you want to join Full Time RV Gardening, click here.
Thank you, Gabi! I really enjoyed this chat with you. Aquaponics is something that I'm working slowly toward doing. I want to raise tilapia. I'm slowly collecting the necessary equipment to make a system. I'm sure I'll be asking you tons of questions in the future!
