Gardening: (2016– )

heidih · January 16, 2019

58 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I wonder if taking cuttings is legal?

if not commercial use it is

Martin Fisher · January 24, 2019

In the past I've explained my personal philosophy as to edibles in lawns rather than ornamentals—especially perennials (or annuals or bi-annuals that self-seed easily.)

I can't, personally, and with a conscience, bark about folks going hungry without promoting edibles as much as possible—not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

I'll be adding several new things this year—unless I spiral in to a severe bout of depression.

The following one has me rather excited:

From Will Bonsall, at The Scatterseed Project.

"Dystaena Takesimana - "Wild Celery", "Korean Pig Plant" –a rare perennial (I offer seed) endemic to Ullung Island off Korea; edible and highly nutritious, I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage – I've only tried it raw, never steamed; supposedly very valuable for forage, especially in very early spring. Collected by my late friend Prof. Elwyn Meader during the post-war occupation of Korea; he claimed it produced more valuable fodder per-acre than alfalfa; also very valuable as a nectiary."

Will told me that it's very hardy!

He's sending me some seeds!

"I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage."

I'm extremely happy to hear that it's not like lovage—'celery' on STEROIDS! LOL :laugh:

heidih · January 24, 2019

Can we talk nasturtiums? The seed capsules pickled like capers, the leaves as a spicy green, and the flowers in salad. No work - just a bit of seasonal rain Even though the gardeners ripped mine out the seeds fell and with the bit of rain we had they are thriving. Had some tender young leaves in soup the other day.

**Smithy** · January 24, 2019

I love nasturtiums. Unfortunately, they don't do well in our climate...except, possibly, for the very dedicated gardeners in my area. I am not one of those, at present. But they are delightful to look at and a nicely versatile table addition.

I must speak up for lovage...yes, it is celery on steroids. What's not to like? :raz:

heidih · January 24, 2019

I love lovage! We marketed it as "Bloody Mary plant". The stem is hollow and tastes of celery. Use as the straw

JoNorvelleWalker · January 24, 2019

Nasturtium fan here. Burpee discontinued the ones I used to grow.

Toliver · January 24, 2019

I found this article fascinating...

"Plants can smell, now researchers know how"

Quote

Plants detect a class of odor molecules known as volatile organic compounds, which are essential for many plant survival strategies, including attracting birds and bees, deterring pests, and reacting to disease in nearby plants. These compounds also give essential oils their distinctive scents.

Years ago I read an article on tomatoes that claimed when a tomato plant was under attack by pests, the plant could release a chemical/scent that alerted nearby tomato plants about the pests. Then the plants would change their chemistry so any bugs dining on the plants would not get any sustaining nutrition and eat themselves to death, basically.

This new article's information as to how this "signalling" happens was enlightening for me and I thought I would share it with the rest of the class.

Martin Fisher · January 24, 2019

15 hours ago, heidih said:

Can we talk nasturtiums? The seed capsules pickled like capers, the leaves as a spicy green, and the flowers in salad. No work - just a bit of seasonal rain Even though the gardeners ripped mine out the seeds fell and with the bit of rain we had they are thriving. Had some tender young leaves in soup the other day.

Yes, for sure.

I usually plant "Empress of India" because I'm weird about having things a 'certain' way. LOL

The 'capers' are great.

Many years ago, when my maternal grandmother grew nasturtiums—we usually ate the leaves in sandwiches, egg salad and the like.

But they're great in salads, as are the flowers—as you mentioned.

Edited January 24, 2019 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

Martin Fisher · January 24, 2019

14 hours ago, heidih said:

I love lovage! We marketed it as "Bloody Mary plant". The stem is hollow and tastes of celery. Use as the straw

Yeah, the straws are cool!

The plant is great when blanched—deprived of sunlight in early spring.

I first learned about lovage MANY years ago for Annie Proulx, who wrote "Brokeback Mountain."

heidih · January 24, 2019

3 hours ago, Toliver said:

I found this article fascinating...

"Plants can smell, now researchers know how"

Years ago I read an article on tomatoes that claimed when a tomato plant was under attack by pests, the plant could release a chemical/scent that alerted nearby tomato plants about the pests. Then the plants would change their chemistry so any bugs dining on the plants would not get any sustaining nutrition and eat themselves to death, basically.

This new article's information as to how this "signalling" happens was enlightening for me and I thought I would share it with the rest of the class.

If that interested you need to get hold of "The Secret Garden" by David Bodanis. That type of chemical communication is very much a part of plant life. I picked it up at a plant sale on the 25cent table. Blew my mind.

Edited January 24, 2019 by heidih (log)

Martin Fisher · January 24, 2019

That's very interesting.

Years ago—MANY years ago—when I was raising coturnix quail.

I wrote a paper, for school, about inter-egg communication among clutches of quail chicks just prior to hatching in order to sync hatching.

It's assumed that this behavior had developed so that the quail chicks could/would hatch at close to the same time so as to be up and running as a group ASAP to avoid predators.

I've always been fascinated by this sort of thing.

I wish I still had the paper!

And yes, this is gardening related, the quail droppings were used in compost for garden fertilizer.

heidih · January 24, 2019

Hey our local stables let gardeners in to collect manure. There are dedicated big 5 yard bins for manure and you are allowed to "help yourself" Yes! - in Los Angeles.

kayb · January 25, 2019

On 1/23/2019 at 6:37 PM, DiggingDogFarm said:

In the past I've explained my personal philosophy as to edibles in lawns rather than ornamentals—especially perennials (or annuals or bi-annuals that self-seed easily.)

I can't, personally, and with a conscience, bark about folks going hungry without promoting edibles as much as possible—not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

I'll be adding several new things this year—unless I spiral in to a severe bout of depression.

The following one has me rather excited:

From Will Bonsall, at The Scatterseed Project.

"Dystaena Takesimana - "Wild Celery", "Korean Pig Plant" –a rare perennial (I offer seed) endemic to Ullung Island off Korea; edible and highly nutritious, I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage – I've only tried it raw, never steamed; supposedly very valuable for forage, especially in very early spring. Collected by my late friend Prof. Elwyn Meader during the post-war occupation of Korea; he claimed it produced more valuable fodder per-acre than alfalfa; also very valuable as a nectiary."

Will told me that it's very hardy!

He's sending me some seeds!

"I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage."

I'm extremely happy to hear that it's not like lovage—'celery' on STEROIDS! LOL

Re: Ornamental edibles. I have a flower bed (raised, brick border) that goes across half of the front of my house (from carport to front stoop). It is my herb garden. Mid to late afternoon often finds me out there harvesting herbs to go in dinner. I grow mint, summer savory, oregano, thyme, basil, sage, chives, cilantro and parsley. The cilantro and parsley are just to the sorth side of the stoop, which is elevated five steps and affords them a little more shade (front of house faces west), so they take a bit longer to bolt.

My big mistake was planting mint in the bed. It will be a mint bed in two or three years.

6 hours ago, Toliver said:

I found this article fascinating...

"Plants can smell, now researchers know how"

Years ago I read an article on tomatoes that claimed when a tomato plant was under attack by pests, the plant could release a chemical/scent that alerted nearby tomato plants about the pests. Then the plants would change their chemistry so any bugs dining on the plants would not get any sustaining nutrition and eat themselves to death, basically.

This new article's information as to how this "signalling" happens was enlightening for me and I thought I would share it with the rest of the class.

I just KNEW tomatoes were smart!

6 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

Yes, for sure.

I usually plant "Empress of India" because I'm weird about having things a 'certain' way. LOL

The 'capers' are great.

Many years ago, when my maternal grandmother grew nasturtiums—we usually ate the leaves in sandwiches, egg salad and the like.

But they're great in salads, as are the flowers—as you mentioned.

Going to attempt nasturtiums after I move and get new garden beds set up. I have had "pickled" nasturtium flowers, which I think were just tossed in a very light viniagrette, with steak tartare, and they were marvelous.

chromedome · January 25, 2019

11 hours ago, kayb said:

My big mistake was planting mint in the bed. It will be a mint bed in two or three years.

My grandmother's house was on a lake, and when I was a kid there were two kinds of mint growing right at the verge. One more or less stayed put but the other invaded the lower lawn heavily, taking over about 2/3 of it. My father used to complain that on a hot summer's day, the oils of the mint plant would just about knock him off the riding mower.

After she died and the property was sold, the new owner quelled the mint by bulldozing the entire site and building a McMansion on it, blocking the view of the lake from any position other than inside the house.

Martin Fisher · January 28, 2019

Like an idiot, I may have let a couple unique pepper cultivars go extinct!!!

For years I had a keen interest in developing dwarf peppers with unique qualities.

Most notably "Baby Cayenne" and "Baby Pequin."

But, I fell into a very deep depression and lost interest.

So, I'm going to attempt to revive some very old seed—if I can find the seed.

I have been studying the subject and I've developed a strategy.

I've known for a long time that Dr. Carolyn Male and Dr. Craig LeHoullier were a able to revive very old tomato seeds via diluted "blue stuff", AKA liquid Miracle-Gro.

I grow organically, but I'm not against using that stuff or something similar in a desperate situation such as this.

Baby Cayenne

7 inch long chile on an 8 inch tall plant!

3 plants in this container... plants are 8-10 inches tall, 12-14 inches wide.
An amazing amount of chiles on such tiny plants.

Baby Pequin

Dwarf plant to 10-12 inches tall, 12-14 inches wide.
Fruits are upright, up to 3/4 of an inch long, medium heat, nice flavor.

Edited January 28, 2019 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

heidih · January 28, 2019

Yup that dang blue stuff! I am Ms. Organic but a grower friend swears by it as a "reviver".

Thanks for the Crepes · January 28, 2019

Yup, me too. Miracle-Gro is the bomb.

Martin Fisher · January 28, 2019

I ordered 8 ounces of Miracle-Gro.

The following is interesting: http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1346

**Shelby** · January 29, 2019

Got my seeds in the mail yesterday.

Pumpkin-Connecticut Field

Sweet Corn-Nirvand Hybrid (highly recommend)

Green Onion

Banana Pepper

Cucumber-Burpee Pickler

Watermelon-Crimson Sweet and Georgia Rattlesnake

Squash-Golden Zebra and Burpee's Best Hybrid

Radish-Perfecto

Jalapeno-Big Guy

Bell Pepper-California Wonder

Bush Bean-Blue Lake

Okra-Clemson

Lettuce-EZ Serve and All Season Romaine

Mustard Green-Southern Giant

Cantaloupe-Hale's Best

Spinach-Bloomsdale

Collard Green-Georgia

Tomato-Steakhouse, Fourth of July, Early Girl, Better Boy and Baby Boomer

Onion and potato sets coming later

Edited January 29, 2019 by Shelby (log)

TicTac · January 29, 2019

On 1/23/2019 at 7:37 PM, DiggingDogFarm said:

In the past I've explained my personal philosophy as to edibles in lawns rather than ornamentals—especially perennials (or annuals or bi-annuals that self-seed easily.)

I can't, personally, and with a conscience, bark about folks going hungry without promoting edibles as much as possible—not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

I'll be adding several new things this year—unless I spiral in to a severe bout of depression.

The following one has me rather excited:

From Will Bonsall, at The Scatterseed Project.

"Dystaena Takesimana - "Wild Celery", "Korean Pig Plant" –a rare perennial (I offer seed) endemic to Ullung Island off Korea; edible and highly nutritious, I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage – I've only tried it raw, never steamed; supposedly very valuable for forage, especially in very early spring. Collected by my late friend Prof. Elwyn Meader during the post-war occupation of Korea; he claimed it produced more valuable fodder per-acre than alfalfa; also very valuable as a nectiary."

Will told me that it's very hardy!

He's sending me some seeds!

"I find it's flavour a bit strong though nothing like (ugh!) lovage."

I'm extremely happy to hear that it's not like lovage—'celery' on STEROIDS! LOL

Be careful with that stuff.

It is an awful weed which has basically taken over my backyard (no idea where it came from) but some Korean friends love it and often come to pick (and bring me awesome kimchi in exchange!) bags full of the stuff.

I would suggest pots, unless you want it to completely take over.

Very invasive.

Martin Fisher · January 29, 2019

17 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Be careful with that stuff.

It is an awful weed which has basically taken over my backyard (no idea where it came from) but some Korean friends love it and often come to pick (and bring me awesome kimchi in exchange!) bags full of the stuff.

I would suggest pots, unless you want it to completely take over.

Very invasive.

Thanks!

It doesn't appear to spread via runners or the like, so it must just reseed easily.

Any edible that may drive out "Creeping Charlie" is a good thing!!!

Seriously, I have ways of "easily" controlling rambunctious plants if they become a problem—unless it's something like evil bindweed!!!!

The backyard and side yards are full of rambunctious, mostly wild, edibles that are perennials or annuals/biennials—that reseed and spread easily: lambsquarters, broadleaf plantain, patience dock. strawberry spinach, dandelion. pokeweed, purslane, knotweed, etc.

TicTac · January 29, 2019

It does indeed spread underground with offshoots which are resilient as stink!!!

It also spreads with seed.

I do not mind it, and have prepared it in the fashion my Korean friends have suggested - but it is not something I would consume in large quantities!

JoNorvelleWalker · January 30, 2019

10 hours ago, Shelby said:

Got my seeds in the mail yesterday.

Pumpkin-Connecticut Field

Sweet Corn-Nirvand Hybrid (highly recommend)

Green Onion

Banana Pepper

Cucumber-Burpee Pickler

Watermelon-Crimson Sweet and Georgia Rattlesnake

Squash-Golden Zebra and Burpee's Best Hybrid

Radish-Perfecto

Jalapeno-Big Guy

Bell Pepper-California Wonder

Bush Bean-Blue Lake

Okra-Clemson

Lettuce-EZ Serve and All Season Romaine

Mustard Green-Southern Giant

Cantaloupe-Hale's Best

Spinach-Bloomsdale

Collard Green-Georgia

Tomato-Steakhouse, Fourth of July, Early Girl, Better Boy and Baby Boomer

Onion and potato sets coming later

You must have more acreage than I. For my garden I am still deciding but I may include a pepper. Meanwhile my peas are suffering black thumb disease.

Martin Fisher · February 1, 2019

On reviving the old pepper seeds.

I found a heck of a lot of "Baby Pequin" seeds—hundreds!!!

I found what I think are the "Baby Cayenne" seeds—the labels totally faded on some of the old saved seed containers.

There are no more than 50 seeds.

Here's the tentative plan:

Surface sanitization with diluted hydrogen peroxide to kill fungi, molds, etc.

Aeration in diluted Miracle-Gro, maybe 0.25% to 0.5% for a time. I bought a round air stone and and air pump that's adjustable.

I'll place the seeds in a clam-shell tea ball while they're being aerated.

I'll attempt gemination in a agar fluid gel in an incubator.

I know about germinating in agar, or gelatin, or clear gel cat litter—I don't think the fluid gel thing has been done before—maybe, maybe not!

Thoughts, anyone?

ETA: Waiting on the Miracle-Gro. It should be here early next week.

The shed door is frozen shut, so I can't get to the air tubing!!! :angry:

High temperature of 53° is forecast for Monday—so I should be able to get into the shed before I receive the Miracle-Gro.

Edited February 1, 2019 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

Martin Fisher · February 1, 2019

Anyone watched the documentary "Back To Eden"?

"Back to Eden Film shares the story Paul Gautschi and his lifelong journey, walking with God and learning how to get back to the simple, productive organic gardening methods of sustainable provision that were given to man in the garden of Eden. The food growing system that has resulted from Paul Gautschi’s incredible experiences has garnered the interest of visitors from around the world. Never, until now, have Paul’s organic gardening methods been documented and shared like this!"

There are also follow-ups on YouTube.

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