Ginkgo Seedling

Here is a ginkgo seedling that just popped up in the chives last week. The seeds were collected last fall, washed, refridgerated, then planted in various protected spots around the yard. Kind of the "squirrel nut" method. The picture is approximately life size.

This is the only one so far this year to sprout. It may have been the mold on the seed hulls (I had hoped that this would help soften the hull, but this was unplanned mold). Last year 7 sprouted, but something ate 4 of the seedling trees during the winter, leaving 3.

There is also a "right way", usually involving storing the seeds in the refridgerator after treating with brief immersion in diluted bleach solution (to kill mold), and nicking or scoring the seeds prior to planting in moist sand or moist paper towels.

Then again, there is the idea of eating, not planting the seeds, referred to as "ginkgo nuts'. I tried a few last fall. Maybe again this year, now that I know more about them.

The method for growing figs in Japan (with link to original site)

These photos of pruned, dormant figs are from a web site by Ken Love in 2004. It basically looks like a modified espalier style of pruning the fig trees. He describes the Japanese method as (paraphrased from the linked site):

Young trees are grown to about 2 meters tall. They are then gradually lowered to a horizontal position, over a period of about 10 days. These cordons are then tied to horizontal supports, about 40 cm above the ground.



A pair of verticals can be tied in opposite directions; or 4 in an X pattern. The lateral's tips are pruned at a length of 2.5 to 5 meters.

During the dormant season, the vertical branches are pruned to 2 to 3 nodes each. When shoots appear, only the outermost shoot is kept. During Spring, shoots for fig production sprout from the horizonal limbs. These are pruned such that new upright cordons are 30cm to 50 cm apart, with 50 being considered optimal for production. The vertical shoots are tied to supports. Each vertical produces 18 to 20 fruit per season.

There are many more photos on the site; I could not find clear photos of figs in production stage. This looks like a nice method for back-yard production of figs, since it could be applied to a limited space.

Pole ("cordon") method for tomatoes. Works for me.

The first yellow Brandywine is starting to ripen. These tomatoes are so plentiful and heavy that they bent over the steel pole. Better Boys are starting to ripen too.

The cordon (pole) method works best for me here in this climate. I think it's because it allows for maximum sun exposure and keeps the leaves away from the ground and unshaded. I pinch the new branches ('suckers') at one leaf, which some call the Missouri Pruning method.

"Work / Life Balance" (not)

 

Yesterday I mistakenly thought I was offf work. Got a call, where are you? It was a hard week - physically, mentally, emotionally. Working an 8th consecutive day was too much. But I did it anyway. 

Tomatoes. Bike miles.

Today's tomato harvest. There are at least a couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes daily. In bowl, Lemon Boy (big yellow), Better Boy (big red), Tomande (medium red) various varieties of Cherry.

Lemon Boy is 15 ounces, 2nd one that size.

Bike miles: Sun=20; Mon=20; Tues=20; Wed=10; Thurs=20, Fri=20 so 110 miles this week. My legs feel rubbery. Time for a little break.

A powerful weed: Tansy Ragwort moved me 2000 miles. Flat tire.

 

It now seems like a previous lifetime, but this is the plant that moved me from Indiana to Oregon in about 1990. Tansy ragwort is an herb that you do not want in your garden - eaten, the toxic alkaloids target the liver, causing fatal hepatic venoocclusive disease. This European weed grows throughout the region west of the Cascades, a nonnative plant that, as shown in this photo, grows even in the oceanside forest at Ecola.

It's a long story. At the time, it was thought that I could bring expertise, by way of my graduate work, that would help prevent toxic effects of these plants on cattle. Life ultimately took other (less carnivorian) turns, but without the presence of this weed and the havoc that it causes to the bovine liver, I might never have seen the Pacific Northwest, let alone moved here.

Flat tire today, at E 89th and Millplain - 8 miles from home. Walked bike to what turned out to be a closed bike shop 10 blocks from there. Took bus home. Interesting diversion. Learned how to attach the bike to the rack on the front of the bus (easy - I always wondered how they do that). One, not-quite-all-there woman on the bus kept staring at me and smiling. All-in-all, not a disaster; plus I'll take the spare (more rugged) bike to work tomorrow (I will not be stopped!). 

Four Herbs: Rosemary, Chinese Chives, Thyme, Rose Geranium

Creeping Rosemary - strongly fragrant, pine - lavender scent. Good in marinade for vegetables.


Chinese Chives - garlic flavor, good in stir fry and Chinese dumplings


Thyme and Rose Geranium - I havent used in food. Bees like the thyme blossoms and it makes a good groundcover. The Rose Geranium has a great herbal scent.



Too tired for any other comments. Bulb catalog came - but are any more needed?
Bike another 9 miles each way, 54 miles so far this week. It's not the bike that makes me tired, it's the stress of the workday. 208# BP 139/86 HR 65

Epiphyllum oxypetallum "night blooming cereus"

The blossoms opened completely at 11 pm. Fragrant, amazing to look at. By 5 am they were nearly closed, now fully closed.

I did try to pollinate 2 of the blossoms. Curious to see if they make fruit.

Vitals:
Bike to work. Today, 9 miles each way (same as yesterday).
Wt 209. BP 128/87. HR 76

Tan Hua Kai Lei: Night Blooming Cactus Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Looks like it will bloom tonight. Auspicious in Taiwan.

Grown from a cutting - a gift from a colleague. This cactus was more or less neglected last winter in a South window. It was moved to a sheltered north & eastern location outside this Summer. More expert instructions are available.

I'll need to get up at various times tonight to see what happens. Photos to be posted tomorrow if the flowers open.

Hard work day. Bike tomorrow.

I cant say much about work in this blog, since this is public. So, I'll just say it was a long day with a lot of stress. Even though it's Saturday.

Tomorrow I'll bike to work. It's not the same location as my usual work. The setting is bike-friendly. This is the bike locker section of the parking deck - Out of the elements, and roomy locker for each bike, with overflow rack (I haven't seen the overflow rack used. There is a locker room with a shower. Traffic is OK - more than the back streets that I usually use, but there is a bike lane.

Off to bed early.