Starting Seeds. 4.22.15

 I've been starting seeds for s few weeks.  Currently using 6-packs in a plastic tray with clear cover.  For germination, they are on a seed starting warming mat.  Once they germinate, I move them under the CFL grow-light system that I made in March 2014.  I have the seedlings as close to the lights as I can place them.  The two boxes of larger seedlings were just under the lights, the others are next to get the CFL light spa treatment.  The larger seedlings will go into the sunroom to grow them a bit larger before placing outside.  The sunroom is acting now as a greenhouse.

Seedlings already in the sunroom:  tomatoes, morning glories, nasturtiums, marigolds.

Seedlings heading to the sun room:  Four o'clocks, nasturtiums, many varieties of peppers.

Seedlings under the CFL system:  milkweed, joe pye weed, morning glories, French marigolds, swiss chard.  The swiss chard germinated in 2 days.

On the heating mat:  more of the flowers.

Too early for beans, zucchinis, and squashes.

I didn't have it in me to start early vegetables outside this year.  Other than snowpeas, which are germinating.

I had stratified the Joe Pye Weed and Milkweed seeds in zipper plastic bags, on moist paper towels, for 6 weeks.  Then placed on warming mat.  As the seeds germinated, I moved them into 6-packs with seed starting medium.  The milkweeds did very well with this method.  The Joe Pye weed seems too delicate.  However, there are 2 plants.  Considering this is an experiment and they grow very large, 2 plants is enough. 

The milkweed is Asclepias syriaca,  which I started for bee forage and nostalgia and novelty.  Does not grow here like it did in the midwest.  The balls of flowers are unusual. 

"Asclepiascommon" by Original uploader was Hardyplants at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons using CommonsHelper.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asclepiascommon.JPG#/media/File:Asclepiascommon.JPG

Unintended Cuttings. 4.19.15

This winter I used rods cut from tree trimmings to hold edging in place.  These are plums that started growing from the rods.  I don't know if they will continue.  The one on the right was eaten by rabbits.

Pawpaws and Persimmons. Progress Report. 4.18.15

Pawpaw blossom.  Sunflower pawpaw.  4.18.15

Saijo Persimmon with frost damage.  4.18.15

Yates Persimmon with frost damage.  4.18.15

There was a small frost.  Some damage occurred for new shoots and new leaves of grapes, some figs, Saijo persimmon, Yates persimmon sapling, Illinois Everbearing mulberry.  The plums and apples do not appear affected.  I'm not sure about the peaches, might be some peach leaf curl or other condition.  For the most part, I think the effects look minor and the plants should recover without problems.

Nikita's Gist Persimmon has nicely greened swelling buds, but they still look too tight to have been affected by the frost.

The first flower on the first pawpaw has opened and begun to color.   This is on Sunflower.  Too early to collect pollen and there are no other pawpaw flowers open to pollinate, yet.

Apple Grafts. Progress Report. 4.18.15

Keepsake Apple whip.tongue onto Jonared stock tree.  4 weeks.  4.19.15

Apple varieties whip/tongue onto Jonared stock tree.  4 weeks.  4.19.15

 The apple Fedco whip and tongue grafts from last month look good.  Most have swelling buds with leaves still smaller than a mouse ear.  Redfield, Porter, Priscilla, and Keepsake all have evidence of growth.  Granite Beauty is not there yet but is also not dehydrated so there is still a good chance.  This will be my sampling  / experiment tree, with a branch of each variety.  Very pleased so far.

I looked at the Fedco scion list again.  They are not selling more this year.  There are a couple of apple varieties that look interesting for next year - a long way away, and who knows what will happen.  The ones that I liked this time were King David and Sweet Sixteen, for interesting sounding flavors and disease resistance, and for the stories.

Jonared Apple with 4 whip and tongue grafts.  4.18.15

Jonagold W+T graft on M27 at one year.  4.18.15

The Jonagold that I whip and tongue grafted last year on M27, and planted in ground late winter, has bloomed nicely.  I've played the honeybee and pollinated with other varieties, especially Prairie Fire.

The unkown apple from the neighbor, on M27, shows no evidence of growth so far.  The Redfield on M27 has leaves the size of a baby mouse ear, but I'm not sure the rootstock is viable so it may be lost.

Plum Grafts. Progress Report for T-buds and Whip and Tongue Grafts. 4.18.15

The plum whip and tongue grafts that I did last month are looking good.   Buds are swelling for most of the grafts.

Of the Fedco grafts, Ember on Hollywood rootstock is almost leafing out.  Ember top-worked onto unknown plum, buds are swelling nicely.  Both Hanska top-worked onto unknown plum are greening and swelling.  One LaCrescent is doing so, the other one does not look dehydrated, so still has a chance.

Ember whip/tongue onto 1-year Hollywood rootstock.  4 weeks.  4.19.15

Of bud grafts from last summer, they were worth the wait.  Most are growing nicely.  Hollywood top-worked onto  several other trees, is growing.  One of the Prunus cerasifera buds bloomed and set fruit.   The other is growing leaves and stem.  I think I'll leave the fruit there, curious to see how they turn out.  I want only one branch of P. cerasifera, so if the fruiting bud-graft does not grow further, that's fine.  Shiro top-worked onto various trees is also growing on all, with some vigor.

I read several references recommending bud grafting for plums.  Clearly  bud grafting works for plums, but it looks like whip and tongue can also be successful.  There is still some growing to be done before I know for certain.  The advantage of whip and tongue is that budstock can be obtained as I did, in late winter/early Spring, and it does not take the long wait to see if they take.  That is also true in some cases for June budding, such as the Shiro and P. cerasifera buds that grew several foot after I June grafted them last year.

So far this looks like this year has great potential for plums and for grafting plums.

Hollywood Plum bud graft, approx 10 months.  4.18.15

Prunus cerasifera bud graft at 10 months.  4.18.15

Add caption

P. cerasifera plum T-budded onto unknown stock.  8 months..  4.19.15

La Crescent Plum whip/tongue top worked onto unknown plum  4 weeks.  4.19.15

Hanska whip/tongue onto unknown plum.  4 weeks.  4.19.15

Shiro T-bud onto unknown plum.  8 months.  4.19.15