Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Up-potting Schlumbergera Seedlings. 11 Jun 24.

 I planted these Schlumbergera seeds 6 Dec 23, from seeds that I saved from my own plants and cross pollinated myself.

They grow slowly but I'm surprised at how sturdy sone of the seedlings are.  There is also quite a diversity of appearances.


The roots are not deep, but they are tightly entangled. They were difficult to separate.



 

I selected the most vigorous looking plants to separate and plant into three or four inch containers, three plants per container.  This is similar to how the plants are sold, a few together in 4 inch pots, but these plants are much smaller and in juvenile stage.






I also replanted the remaining smaller / less vigorous seedlings together again in a small container.


I haven't grown Schlumbergeras from seeds before, so I don't know if any seedlings might bloom this winter.  They are still quite small, so I have my doubts.  There is quite a diversity in shape and vigor among the seedlings.  It's an interesting experiment.

Planting Out Marigold Seedlings. 11 Jun 24.

 Today I planted seedlings from my home-saved marigold seeds.  I've raised these through multiple generations over eight or ten years.  The original plant was a volunteer in my vegetable garden, probably a seed fallen from some plants I grew previously.  But I don't know.  It's a nice variety.


I also planted up the Alumnia Vanilla Creme marigold seedlings


I'm glad I got them moved on to their summer containers.

Up-Potting Alpine Strawberry Seedlings. 11 Jun 24.

 These are the alpine strawberry seedlings.  I planted the seeds 30 April.  Here.


I decided to up-pot the seedlings in the most crowded cell.  It's  interesting to look at how developed the roots are, for such tiny plants.


I planted the seedlings in eight-packs.  One with eight seedlings, the other with sixteen, two per cell.




I don't know yet what I will do with all of the other seedlings.  I'm thinking they'll go into rectangular group pots, like I did with the Ozark Beauty strawberry plants.

We'll see how they do.  Time will tell.

Original seed packet.




Saturday, June 01, 2024

Water - Rooted Tomato Cutting. 1 Jun 24.

 Her's the accidental cutting of Supersweet-100 that I took, after the stem of my small plant was eaten by a slug.  I made a clean cut, using a razor blade, put the cutting into water, and kept it in a window in partial sun.  So that was 14 May, making it 14 days.


I planted it in a small container in pitting soil, today.


Here was the original cutting.


Now I'll gradually acclimate the cutting as it settles in and starts growing.  We'll see how it does.

Friday, May 31, 2024

Reblooming Red Miniature Rose ¿Danika? 31 May 24.

 Here is the red Valentines Day rose that I bought in early March and bare- rooted, then up- potted on 16 March.    The first new flower appeared about a week ago.


I wasn't sure I liked it but now...  a very nice, reblooming miniature potted rose. 

It can't take full sun.  The flowers get sunburn.  


I'll add to this post, after a doctor's appointment yesterday, I stopped at the Safeway next door.  I thought this one there, marked down (post Mothers' day) would be fun to treat the same way.


I didn't wait this time.  The original peat medium is just too finicky.  It dries out too fast, sometimes overnight, leading to dead flowets and crispy leaves.  I bare-rooted it by un- potting and swishing around in a bucket of water.


There were three plants.  A good number for a group pot.  Not a lot of roots.  No wonder they wilt so quickly in peat.

I planted in regular potting soil (I use Black Magic).


I try to spread the roots out as much as possible.  Also, I went from about  4" pot to about 6" and a bit deeper.

Watered in.  They can be floppy at first, so a stake might be a good idea.  I didn't but I might tomorrow.


Bare rooting while in full bloom seems drastic, but each time I do it, the plant doesn't miss a beat.  The new soil and larger volume to keep the current flowers blooming longer and set it up for future success.

Edit:  From the list of choices on the container, this is Felicitas Kordana Light Pink.  I can't be 100% certain, but it's the closest match.  The grocery store plants are meant to enjoy and discard, so not sold with cultivar names.

Edit:  corrected some typos.