Sunday, February 28, 2010
peas mishaps and re planting
My son decided to toppled my earthbox so all the sweet peas I placed in the earthbox were lost within the box. I re soaked 16 seeds and replaced the seeds that I could not find.
and
Today I checked my peas earthbox and I found two sprouts! ... hopefully more are coming in about a week or so =)
strawberry plants
they are looking strong!
i planted only half of my strawberry crowns (honeoye) and the other half (ft. laramie) are still in water and sprouting indoors. the ones outside are sprouting too but slowly because the weather is cold lately dipping close to probably 45 degree F at night and also it was raining friday and saturday.
i water the honeoye everyday just to keep the soil moist and drained the rest and i actually kept them all in cardboard box which helps with absorbing the excess water. they are probably not getting as much sunlight as i would like them to get, but hopefully the weather will be sunny and warm soon to help them grow stronger.
will be planting the rest of the sprouting strawberry plants soon.
i planted only half of my strawberry crowns (honeoye) and the other half (ft. laramie) are still in water and sprouting indoors. the ones outside are sprouting too but slowly because the weather is cold lately dipping close to probably 45 degree F at night and also it was raining friday and saturday.
i water the honeoye everyday just to keep the soil moist and drained the rest and i actually kept them all in cardboard box which helps with absorbing the excess water. they are probably not getting as much sunlight as i would like them to get, but hopefully the weather will be sunny and warm soon to help them grow stronger.
will be planting the rest of the sprouting strawberry plants soon.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
earthbox ready
I got my earthbox ready. I purchased it from amazon for under $45 dollars.
I soaked some peas and hope to plant them after 24 hours.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
a run to armstrong garden center
I finally got a chance to go to the garden center to purchase potting soil and some fertilizer. I also got 60 pots 6 inches wide for starting the strawberry's crowns before transplanting to a bigger potting which I cannot decide yet.
I have been looking for cheap self watering pots at gardeners.com for under $15 each for the 12 inches wide and 7 inches depth which should be workable. I am not sure how many strawberry plants to put into each pot yet I will hold that off until I get some greens growing from the crowns.
And I will like to give some away.
soaking the crowns overnight
Honeoye - June Bearer
It was recommended to soak the roots for 2 hours but I will soak it over night since I may not have the time to transplant today.
Ft. Laramie - Ever Bearer
Friday, February 19, 2010
strawberry's crowns
yes! my strawberry's crowns came in yesterday by ups. so excited!
i started getting them hydrated with wet towels.
hope to get those babies planted in pots tomorrow =)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
last frost date
If you are living in the United States, it is good to check The Old Farmer's Almanac at www.almanac.com to check your last frost date
Looks like good old Santa Monica Pier doesn't have a frost date and a grow all year round frost free =) and for Los Angeles Downtown USC last frost date is January 29th and beginning is December 21st both probability at 10 %.
So I am all good to go here ... woo hoo.
And still waiting for my seeds to come in.
I purchased some more organic seeds yesterday awhile waiting for my other seeds to come in:
Botanical Interests Bean Bush Tavera (French Filet) $2.15
Botanical Interests Basil Dolce Vita Blend Dolce Vita Blend $1.59
Botanical Interests Watermelon Moon & Stars $2.15
Botanical Interests Corn Sugar Pearl $1.91
Botanical Interests Arugula Wild $1.91
Botanical Interests Cucumber Japanese Soyu Burpless $1.51
Botanical Interests Pea Sugar Snap $1.91
Botanical Interests Leek $1.91
Botanical Interests Lettuce Mesclun Gourmet Baby Greens $1.91
Botanical Interests Fenugreek $1.59
Botanical Interests Cilantro Slow Bolting $1.35
Botanical Interests Radish Daikon Miyashige White $1.51
Botanical Interests Tomato Bush Italian Roma $1.43
Botanical Interests Tomato Cherry Sugar Sweetie $1.51
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
mail order came in
My self watering seed starter system by Lee Valley came in today.
I ordered some other stuff on Amazon.com and those will be coming in this week. Still waiting for my seeds from Park Seed. I checked on their website today still haven't mail out yet. I ordered it last week. I hope it is not the weather in South Carolina that is causing mail problems.
It is all about waiting but I am ready to rock n plant right now.
I ordered some other stuff on Amazon.com and those will be coming in this week. Still waiting for my seeds from Park Seed. I checked on their website today still haven't mail out yet. I ordered it last week. I hope it is not the weather in South Carolina that is causing mail problems.
It is all about waiting but I am ready to rock n plant right now.
Friday, February 5, 2010
raining
Yes, raining today. I think it is the continue of el nino in SoCal since two weeks ago.
Every time it rains in Los Angeles, everything can go wrong ... flooding, mudslides and pot holes on the roads. I never seen that much pot holes surfacing until 1 week of continuous raining cats and dogs and sometimes elephants.
I do hope there is more rain this year to end the drought =)
Every time it rains in Los Angeles, everything can go wrong ... flooding, mudslides and pot holes on the roads. I never seen that much pot holes surfacing until 1 week of continuous raining cats and dogs and sometimes elephants.
I do hope there is more rain this year to end the drought =)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
collecting seeds and saving seeds
01 Mark a couple fruits from several plants (12 is not too many, the more separate plant sources, the better and healthier the diversity of genes).
02 Let the marked fruits mature. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, etc will be past their prime and softening. Leave winter squashes on the vine either until the vines wither or a serious frost threatens. For beans leave them till they mature and dry out on vines.
03 Fruits with seeds trapped inside are obviously easier to collect than those that are released from small pods. Collect tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squashes, melons, gourds, okra and tomatillos when they are very mature. Immature seeds won’t sprout, ever. Cut them open and collect the seeds. Some will be dark (like watermelon) and some will be very light or white (cucumbers, melons). The easiest way to dry them is to lay the seeds out on a paper or towel or on several layers of newspaper and allow them to air out and dry for several days. It is important that the seeds are dry and clean when you store them. Dirty or damp seeds run the risk of rotting or growing mold. When the seeds are dry, sort through the seeds discarding any shriveled, broken, or discolored seeds.
Collecting seeds from tomatoes are a little different, as they have a coating that prevents sprouting, and you’ll have to remove it by fermentation (and it helps kill any bacteria, too). Squeeze the seeds out of the tomato or scrape them out with a spoon into a quart jar. Add just as much water as you have seed pulp and stir. Put the jar in a place where you won’t notice the unpleasant smell for three days. Don’t worry about the mold that forms, it’s part of the process. On the third day, scrape off the mold and stir the rest of the contents. Spoon or pour off all the yucky stuff on the top, including any floating seeds (they’re no good if they float), and save the seeds that are sitting on the bottom of the jar. After you’ve poured out most of the junk, add more water to the bottom seeds and stir again. Pour off anything that floats. Repeat until all you have in the jar is clear water and seeds sitting on the bottom. Pour through a strainer, and then dump the seeds onto a glass plate or cake pan and stir a couple of times a day to help them dry. Some people spread them out on paper towels instead, and let them stick to the towel as it dries out. When they are thoroughly dry, they just roll or fold the paper towel and put it in a labeled paper envelope for storage, and tear them apart when they plant them next year. Otherwise, keep stirring them around on the plate until they’re dry and mostly separated.
Same goes with saving strawberry seeds. Allow the fruit to over ripen before it is picked. In short, it should be slightly squishy. Place these over ripe berries into a fine holed strainer and gently shove the pulp through the sieve in order to separate the seed from the fruit. Try not to crush the seeds. Next, rinse the seeds well under gently cool running water. This should be done while they are still in the sieve so that they don’t washing down the drain. Allow them to air dry for several days. When the seeds are dry they will not cling to each other and can be easily moved across the plate with your finger.
Smaller seeds like parsley, carrots and dill will need to be watched carefully, and harvested when they are fairly dry. If you think you might forget and they’ll fall to the ground, you can make simple cloth (polyester organdy or similar fabric allows air in and dries quickly after rain or watering) drawstring bags to put over the seed heads as they are maturing, pull the string snugly around the base of the flower and tie in a bow. When they’re dry and crisp, just cut the heads off the stems with the bags still on, and collect them in a large bowl. Remove the bags and tap out the loose seeds when you’re out of the wind. Be sure to mark the kind and variety of seeds that they are.
Let pea pods and beans dry on the vine. Then collect them on a dry day into an open container and let them dry even more out of the weather. Remove from the pods when they are dry and crisp, and store in marked paper bags.
Carrots, cabbage, parsnips, leeks, onions, celery, beets, turnips, kohlrabi and salsify are biennials. They produce their crop one year and their seeds the next spring, and then they die. Here is some info for cold climates, as you will have to make some effort to keep them alive through the winter for them to flower the next year.
http://www.cog.ca/documents/Savingseedsofbiennialvegetables.pdf
Most of these have umbel-type flowers, and cloth bags may be the easiest way to collect the largest amount of seeds. If you try to harvest them when they are green, they will not be viable and won’t sprout.
Some seeds are at the base of the dried flowers, like sunflowers, artichoke and cardoon. Cut the dry heads off and rub or pull the dry center of the flowers off. The seeds are embedded in the base of the flower. Remove and dry.
06 Seeds must be carefully stored to retain their viability. Store them in marked paper bags or envelopes, which will allow them to dry out more if they need it. Plastic bags contribute to molding and rot if they aren’t dry enough. Keep cool and dry. Heat and moisture will decrease their viability considerably. Some people store their seeds in a freezer, but if the seeds are too moist, it will kill the embryo. A refrigerator is a better place, or a cool basement.
02 Let the marked fruits mature. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, etc will be past their prime and softening. Leave winter squashes on the vine either until the vines wither or a serious frost threatens. For beans leave them till they mature and dry out on vines.
03 Fruits with seeds trapped inside are obviously easier to collect than those that are released from small pods. Collect tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squashes, melons, gourds, okra and tomatillos when they are very mature. Immature seeds won’t sprout, ever. Cut them open and collect the seeds. Some will be dark (like watermelon) and some will be very light or white (cucumbers, melons). The easiest way to dry them is to lay the seeds out on a paper or towel or on several layers of newspaper and allow them to air out and dry for several days. It is important that the seeds are dry and clean when you store them. Dirty or damp seeds run the risk of rotting or growing mold. When the seeds are dry, sort through the seeds discarding any shriveled, broken, or discolored seeds.
Collecting seeds from tomatoes are a little different, as they have a coating that prevents sprouting, and you’ll have to remove it by fermentation (and it helps kill any bacteria, too). Squeeze the seeds out of the tomato or scrape them out with a spoon into a quart jar. Add just as much water as you have seed pulp and stir. Put the jar in a place where you won’t notice the unpleasant smell for three days. Don’t worry about the mold that forms, it’s part of the process. On the third day, scrape off the mold and stir the rest of the contents. Spoon or pour off all the yucky stuff on the top, including any floating seeds (they’re no good if they float), and save the seeds that are sitting on the bottom of the jar. After you’ve poured out most of the junk, add more water to the bottom seeds and stir again. Pour off anything that floats. Repeat until all you have in the jar is clear water and seeds sitting on the bottom. Pour through a strainer, and then dump the seeds onto a glass plate or cake pan and stir a couple of times a day to help them dry. Some people spread them out on paper towels instead, and let them stick to the towel as it dries out. When they are thoroughly dry, they just roll or fold the paper towel and put it in a labeled paper envelope for storage, and tear them apart when they plant them next year. Otherwise, keep stirring them around on the plate until they’re dry and mostly separated.
Same goes with saving strawberry seeds. Allow the fruit to over ripen before it is picked. In short, it should be slightly squishy. Place these over ripe berries into a fine holed strainer and gently shove the pulp through the sieve in order to separate the seed from the fruit. Try not to crush the seeds. Next, rinse the seeds well under gently cool running water. This should be done while they are still in the sieve so that they don’t washing down the drain. Allow them to air dry for several days. When the seeds are dry they will not cling to each other and can be easily moved across the plate with your finger.
Smaller seeds like parsley, carrots and dill will need to be watched carefully, and harvested when they are fairly dry. If you think you might forget and they’ll fall to the ground, you can make simple cloth (polyester organdy or similar fabric allows air in and dries quickly after rain or watering) drawstring bags to put over the seed heads as they are maturing, pull the string snugly around the base of the flower and tie in a bow. When they’re dry and crisp, just cut the heads off the stems with the bags still on, and collect them in a large bowl. Remove the bags and tap out the loose seeds when you’re out of the wind. Be sure to mark the kind and variety of seeds that they are.
Let pea pods and beans dry on the vine. Then collect them on a dry day into an open container and let them dry even more out of the weather. Remove from the pods when they are dry and crisp, and store in marked paper bags.
Carrots, cabbage, parsnips, leeks, onions, celery, beets, turnips, kohlrabi and salsify are biennials. They produce their crop one year and their seeds the next spring, and then they die. Here is some info for cold climates, as you will have to make some effort to keep them alive through the winter for them to flower the next year.
http://www.cog.ca/documents/Savingseedsofbiennialvegetables.pdf
Most of these have umbel-type flowers, and cloth bags may be the easiest way to collect the largest amount of seeds. If you try to harvest them when they are green, they will not be viable and won’t sprout.
Some seeds are at the base of the dried flowers, like sunflowers, artichoke and cardoon. Cut the dry heads off and rub or pull the dry center of the flowers off. The seeds are embedded in the base of the flower. Remove and dry.
06 Seeds must be carefully stored to retain their viability. Store them in marked paper bags or envelopes, which will allow them to dry out more if they need it. Plastic bags contribute to molding and rot if they aren’t dry enough. Keep cool and dry. Heat and moisture will decrease their viability considerably. Some people store their seeds in a freezer, but if the seeds are too moist, it will kill the embryo. A refrigerator is a better place, or a cool basement.
organic kabocha squash seeds
My mommy in law saved the seeds from an organic kabocha squash I purchased at a local Japanese store.
It is dried and ready for planting.
I think this seed can be planted outside without indoor germination. But I am going to do some research to make sure.
This is something I picked up awhile reading for research:
Squashes, pumpkins & gourds consist of five different species. They will cross within the same species, but won’t usually cross between the species in nature. So, if you wanted to grow one variety of each species, you should be able to grow them all in one yard and still get pure seed.
01 cucurbita pepo: pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, yellow crookneck summer squash, scallop/patty pan squash, delicate, vegetable gourds, and small, hard shell gourds (yellow-flowered)
02 cucurbita moschata: butternut squash, Long Island cheese squashes, Dickinson and Kentucky field pumpkins, seminole pumpkin, neck pumpkin, calabaza
03 cucurbita maxima: buttercup squash, banana squash, hubbard squash, kabocha squash, lakota squash, arikara squash
04 cucurbita mixta: green-striped cushaw (aka Kershaw)
05 cucurbita ficifolia: shark-fin melon
(Note: none of the squashes will cross with the white-flowered hard shell gourds)
It is dried and ready for planting.
I think this seed can be planted outside without indoor germination. But I am going to do some research to make sure.
This is something I picked up awhile reading for research:
Squashes, pumpkins & gourds consist of five different species. They will cross within the same species, but won’t usually cross between the species in nature. So, if you wanted to grow one variety of each species, you should be able to grow them all in one yard and still get pure seed.
01 cucurbita pepo: pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, yellow crookneck summer squash, scallop/patty pan squash, delicate, vegetable gourds, and small, hard shell gourds (yellow-flowered)
02 cucurbita moschata: butternut squash, Long Island cheese squashes, Dickinson and Kentucky field pumpkins, seminole pumpkin, neck pumpkin, calabaza
03 cucurbita maxima: buttercup squash, banana squash, hubbard squash, kabocha squash, lakota squash, arikara squash
04 cucurbita mixta: green-striped cushaw (aka Kershaw)
05 cucurbita ficifolia: shark-fin melon
(Note: none of the squashes will cross with the white-flowered hard shell gourds)
Monday, February 1, 2010
some cool websites
www.yougrowgirl.com
I joined the forum so I can learn about gardening and growing.
www.simplyrecipes.com
Lovely family recipes ... I simply love the instructions and photographs that goes with each recipes.
I joined the forum so I can learn about gardening and growing.
www.simplyrecipes.com
Lovely family recipes ... I simply love the instructions and photographs that goes with each recipes.
What I purchased for germinating indoors?
I narrowed down into these things that I wanted to start:
a self watering germination system
seed starting soil or mix
seeds
Which plant germination system should I get?
I found a wonderful system and seemed that it could be reused over several seasons of planting. A self watering seed starter system by Lee Valley. They have two systems one is the window sill and the other one is a bit larger.
It is expensive at USD$21.50 for the larger system with 24 cells at 2 inches in width. In comparing to the typical toss away system, the reuse factor would probably save a bunch in a long run.
Why I really chose this is because I am sometimes forgetful with watering so that way there is still water before it is total dry 2-3 days of saving me from dying seeds =)
Or I could really make my own trays and things from around the house.
Which seed germinating soil to use?
For seed starting soil there are several factors I thought about
I want my garden to be organic so whatever I am going to pick out will be OMRI certified.
I also came across this germination mix awhile researching from New Orleans Food and Farm Network
2 parts coconut coir
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
http://www.noffn.org/article.php?story=howto.seedstarting
Coconut coir is the bi product of coconut tree which is a renewable resource when it comes to planting. I am sure on your research you read about using peat moss, sawdust etc.
But why coconut coir wins out? It is 100% environmental friendly and has the best physical property to promote easy root growth and chemical property such as anti fungal that helps plant to get rid of soil borne disease, and also contain amount of potassium and phosphorous that plant loves. It has a high capacity for retaining water up to 8 times of its weight! It is porous for drainage and air which is good for plant growth.
Perlite is a volcanic mineral that is sterile and with a neutral pH. The surface of each particles are tiny closed cells and bubbles. They hold moisture and nutrients well for plant roots to absorb.
Vermiculite is similar to perlite. It is a mineral in the mica family. It is sterile and free from disease and will not turn moldy and rot.
One great point made by the New Orleans Food and Farm Network is you don't want to use soil when you germinate ... because I wanted to get the Black Gold starting soil mix. I like the information on their page on how to start germination. I am going to use their recommendation on the homemade germination mix.
I also found those coco can plugs ... I want to try those. They are OMRI certified.
What seeds did I purchase?
I purchased some organic seeds at Park Seed.
| Item# | Item Description | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5851 | Tomato MoneyMaker Organic | 1 | 1.95 |
| 5883 | Tomato Cherry Sweetie Organic | 1 | 2.50 |
| 5879 | Carrot Nantes Organic | 1 | 1.95 |
| 5119 | Baby Chinese Cabbage Wa Wa Tsai Hybrid | 1 | 1.95 |
| 5836 | Broccoli Belstar Hybrid Organic | 1 | 2.50 |
| 5940 | Corn Luscious Hybrid Organic | 1 | 2.95 |
| 5854 | Organic Pole Bean Blue Lake FM-1 | 1 | 1.95 |
| 5947 | Squash Garden Sun Hybrid Organic | 1 | 3.95 |
I also came across Botanical Interests ... a beautiful website. I am waiting for the organic scallions to be in stock before I go ahead and purchase more organic seeds from them.
I can't wait for them to come and start my germination.
where do i start?
If you are like me who wants to start planting food and looking at where to start. Let's do it together. I am a novice and we can share thoughts on growing food.
Growing food should not be complicated, but if you are starting you don't really know where to begin. I say some research would do some good.
First I found out where my growing zone or hardiness zone is by going to the
USDA Hardiness Zone Map
I am located in Santa Monica, California and my hardiness zone is 10.
What does that really mean?
A hardiness zone is a geographically-defined area in which a specific category of plant is capable of growing, by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. A plant that is described as “hardy to zone 10” means that the plant can withstand a minimum temperature of -1°C. A more resilient plant that is “hardy to zone 9” can tolerate a minimum temperature of -7°C.
So when you are look into what plant seeds to buy and plant you can ask if it will be perfect for your hardiness zone.
Growing food should not be complicated, but if you are starting you don't really know where to begin. I say some research would do some good.
First I found out where my growing zone or hardiness zone is by going to the
USDA Hardiness Zone Map
I am located in Santa Monica, California and my hardiness zone is 10.
What does that really mean?
A hardiness zone is a geographically-defined area in which a specific category of plant is capable of growing, by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. A plant that is described as “hardy to zone 10” means that the plant can withstand a minimum temperature of -1°C. A more resilient plant that is “hardy to zone 9” can tolerate a minimum temperature of -7°C.
So when you are look into what plant seeds to buy and plant you can ask if it will be perfect for your hardiness zone.
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