Chinese Chive Seedlings. 3.30.2021

 The old Chinese Chive plants are not thriving at all.  They are perennial but I think they are just too old.  Some may be twenty years old.  Plus, they didn't get good treatment last year.  I think some will recover but doubt we will get a lot of meals from them.   So I planted more seeds from what I saved last summer.  They germinate quickly, about 5 days after planting, on a heating mat.

It takes quite a lot to get enough for a meal.  I will continue to try to revive the previous bunches.  We may get some meals from them.  The seedlings may not be big enough in their first year.  So we may have to buy some at the Asian market.  That's OK but of course home grown is better. 

Starting them now, giving them lots of TLC, maybe I can speed the process.

Kitchen Garden Seddlings. Progress Notes. 3.30.2021

 Today I'm resting from a medical procedure last week (or maybe two weeks ago now?).  Plus the second COVID shot.  So it's just obsessing over the seedlings, and maybe a trip outside later.

I've been sitting some of the chill tolerant seedlings out on the deck to get time more tolerant to unfiltered sunlight, expose them to more light and wind, and get them ready for permanent outdoors life.  Just the nontropicals that like chill, or can tolerate it.  Currently it's overcast, which is helpful, a little too cool but OK.  Some have been outside for 2 to 4 hours on previous days - potatoes, apples, celery.  Today's goal is maybe 5 or 6 hours.  Depending on how bright it is outside.

Those celery are for Ning.  Homegrown is much stronger flavor than grocery.  I ate the "microgreen" thinnings, nice celery flavor.  The cultivar "Utah" is shorter and greener, while the Chinese type is taller and has white stems.  There will be enough for quite a few meals when it's ready.

Those apple seedlings again.  The top is #3, the last to germinate but quite vigorous now.   Currently still fertigating with 1/4 tsp miracle gro per 2 quarts rainwater.  They need water almost daily.

The second is greener than when it started out.  Stem shows a bit of red but minimal.  The most vigorous of the three.  It also seems to be starting tiny branches at the leaf nodes.

#1 is odd.  It had distorted leaves at first, then I replanted it.  Then it got a longer stretch of thin stem, now a tuft of smaller leaves with narrow internode spacing.   It seems to be growing now.  No idea what the final tree  will be like, or what its fruit, if any will be like.  But it's fun to grow them.

Apple Seedling Progress Report. 3.27.2021

 Just showing one, but all three of the apple seedlings are growing nicely.  When it's nice outside, I'm setting the plants outside in full sun for a few hours.  They get "fertigated" with 1/4 tsp of Miracle Gro per 2 quarts rainwater, just about daily.  

Maybe it's just my imagination.  I still think the stem is stouter than I expected, with closer than expected internode spacing.  The big question will be whether that will continue. 

So far I'm loving the burgundy color of these leaves and the stem.  Another seedling is darker, and one is almost entirely green now.

Pinching Peppers and Eggplants. 3.27.2021

 Some of the peppers are developed to the point where I can pinch out the tops, leaving four good leaves / leaf axils.  I do this so that the plants will be well branched from the outset.  Instead of one growing point, there will be at least four.

Before photo of Banana Pepper seedling.  It's doing nicely, has four good leaves with reasonably separated leaf axils.

Same plant after pinching.  I actually don't "pinch" although that's what it's called.  I use a scissors with a fine tip, to cut at the right point and not crush stem or cause other damage.

Here is an Early Jalapeno that I pinched about a week or two ago.  The branches are starting to grow nicely.  It's interesting that branches may be starting at the cotyledons too, so it's possible there will be six branches instead of four.

In the background someone can be seen watching for cats, considered by someone to be the spawn of Satan :-).  

Some internet writers state this "forces" the plant to produce branches, or "directs energy" to the branches and roots.  In reality, the growing tip produces a plant hormone, auxin, that flows downward in the plant.  The auxin inhibits growth of lower buds.  Without the auxin produced by the growing tip, which is now removed, the buds at those leaf axils are released from dormancy and grow.   That's different from "forcing".  

This year I'm trying the same for at least some of the Japanese eggplants.  They are from the same plant family, and seem to have similar growth habits, as peppers. 

Northpole Apple. Pruned and Ready to Bloom. 3.27.2021

 This is the Northpole apple tree on unknown but aggressive rootstock.  Or, planted to deeply so the scion grew  its own roots.  Twenty or twentyone years old.  I pruned it a couple of weeks ago.  I actually like the odd shape and sturdy trunk, but it's too vigorous for the small garden and less aggressive pruner.  My newer grafts are on less aggressive rootstocks.