Okra Seedlings and Fig Cuttings. Progress Report. 12.31.13

Carini Fig Cutting 12/31/13

 I was concerned about the Carini Fig tree after freezing to 8F a few weeks ago.  Today the tree looks like there might be some frost damage, but not dead.  Frost damage is visible on several fig trees as withered, blackened stems.  The main stems are OK, including the Carini fig.

I noted a branch which I had pruned off earlier, but did not save the cutting properly and it dehydrated in the fridge.  Today I cut it back closer to the trunk.  There are roots, and a small green bud.

Carini Fig Cutting 12/31/13

Dominick Fig Cuttings 12/31/13

 I cleaned the cutting, rinsed, pruned a bit, and potted in seed starter medium.  This is how I handled a start from Sal's Fig last year and it grew nicely.

This looks OK.  That looks alive bodes well for the main tree as well.

Okra Seedlings and Fig Cuttings 12/31/13

I would be disappointed to lose this tree.  It has a great story, grows nicely, and developed delicious figs the first year of growth.  It did so well, I gave away 3 starts.  I regretted not saving one for myself as a backup.  This cutting is now the backup.  I hope it grows.  It looks like it might.

The Dominick fig cuttings have nice root initials along the stems.  They look like they are ready for a great start.  It's only 2 weeks after starting them.

I rinse the cuttings every other day in plain water.  When the paper towel starts looking stained or mildewed, I discard it to compost and replace with another water soaked, not quite dripping wet paper towel.  This time I used a diluted houseplant food, designed to use as a weak solution.

All cuttings, and the seedlings, are on the heating mat under a one-bulb fluorescent light.  I need to get a timer for the 2-bulb system.  Someone who I won't name liberated the previous timer, leaving me with this one.

The Baby Bubba Okra seedlings are not as lanky as the Dwarf Green.  They probably don't have enough light.  The light is on 12 hours, off 12 hours.

Late December Gardening. Seedlings, Kitchen Garden Prep, Raised Beds, Lime. 12.28.13

Okra Seedlings

Seed and Cutting Setup

Today didn't do much.  In winter garden work can be when I feel like it.

Noted the okra seedlings have germinated.  That's 4 days.  See warming mat makes a big difference.  I had soaked them 1/2 day before planting.  That probably also helped.

I don't know how they will do inside.  That's why it's an experiment.

Chili pepper seeds have not germinated yet.

Opened fig cutting bags 2 days ago, and rinsed them.  Anticipate doing the same tomorrow.

Today -

1.  Spread lime in raised beds and around trees and shrubs.  I calculated the amount as 1 pound per 4 X 8 raised bed.  I estimated the area around the trees and shrubs, and orchard trees, and applied similar amount.  Two 25 pound bags.  Will need another later.

2.  There were some garlic plants and perennial onion volunteers that I pulled out a week or two ago when I cleaned up that raised bed.  I had set them aside.  Today I separated them into individual plants, and planted them.  They did not look the worse for wear despite sitting outside a week or 2.

3.  Spread blood meal around onion starts.  Something has been eating them.  Maybe the blood meal will be a deterrent.  The amount is the recommendation of nitrogen supplement.

4.  Cleaned up the strawberry raised bed.  Removed the fencing.  Raked out the deteriorating straw.  Pulled the few weeds.  Did not cut off dead leaves.  That can be later.  Plan:  Mulch this winter with compost.  Later this winter build a better fencing system, maybe a hinged box with chicken wire sides.  Wait until growth starts, to add straw again.

That's about it.  Sounds like a lot, but non of it was difficult and none took very much time.

More kitchen garden planning. 12.28.13

Image source:  vintageprintable.com

This is a table, template originating from about.com.  I edited out the vegetables I don't want, added others, changed for family of 4 to the 2 of us, and made some other changes.

In the raised beds, one row is 4 feet.  A bed is 4ft by 8 ft, a half bed is 4 ft by 4 ft.

Over-planning but have been sick and this makes me feel better.

Beets	1 row	Spring + Fall plantings.  Trying again. Protect.
Bush Beans	1½ beds	Succession Plant.  Experimenting with varieties.
Pole Beans	½ bed	Single Planting.  Northernmost bed due to height.
Carrots	1 row	Succession Plantings.  Experiment with varieties.
Swiss Chard	1 row	Re-Grows after Harvesting Outer Leaves
Sweet Corn	1 row?	If there is room.  Needs deer protection deer.  Needs to be on north side so not shading other plants.
Cucumbers	1 row	Single Planting.  Experiment with varieties.  Pickles + fresh.
Mesclun	1 row	Spring + Fall Crop for greens.
Lettuce	1 row	Succession plantings.
Onions	1 bed	Winter onions already planted for winter growth + scallions. Perennials are June harvest, October re-plant.
Snow Peas	1 row	Succession, Spring and Fall plantings
Okra	1 bed	Multiple varieties, experiments.  Needs soil warming method.
Garlic	1 bed	Already planted.  June harvest, October re-plant.
Sweet + Chili Peppers	½ bed	Multiple varieties, some known + some experiments
Winter Squash + Pumpkins	5 hills	Outside raised beds due to sprawling vines.  Multiple varieties.
Radishes	1 row	Succession Plantings
Summer Squash	½ bed	Multiple Varieties.  3 hills.  Bush types.
Tomatoes	1 bed	Multiple Varieties. 1 to 2 each.
Turnips	1 row	Spring + Fall plantings.

Some Old Botanical Illustrations. 12.26.13

These are selected images I liked from vintageprintable.com public domain downloadable images. The illustrate the topics very well.

Onion

Pelargonium, zonal geranium

Peppers

Red Mulberry

Fig

Soil pH for various plants. 12.26.13

Image source - vintageprintable.com

After having the soil tested, and reading the recommendations, I looked up what a number of my garden plants require.   According to the info I could find, many would tolerate soil pH in the range of my soil, pH 5.05.  Which must make sense, because they grew in it last year.  However, if I lime the soil, maybe some or most will be more vigorous, or more productive, or produce earlier.

From this site - the gardenhelper.com  I edited out vegetables I don't grow and don't plan to grow.

Vegetable Optimal pH Beans 6.0-7.0 Beet 5.6-6.6 Broccoli 6.0-7.0 Cabbage 5.6-6.6 Cantaloupe 6.0-7.0 Carrot 5.0-6.0 Catnip 5.0-6.0 Chili pepper 5.0-6.0 Chives 5.0-6.0 Cucumber 5.0-6.0 Dill 5.0-6.0 Eggplant 5.0-6.0 Garlic 5.0-6.0 Kiwi 5.0-7.0 Lettuce 6.5-7.0 Mint 6.0-7.0

Vegetable Optimal pH Okra 6.0-8.0 Onions 6.2-6.8 Parsley 6.0-8.0 Peasmage 5.6-6.6 Peppers 6.0-8.0 Potato 5.8-6.5 Pumpkins 5.0-7.0 Radish 6.0-7.0 Raspberry 6.0-6.5 Rhubarb 5.0-7.0 Rutabaga 5.0-7.0 Shallots 5.0-7.0 Spinach 5.0-7.0 Squash 6.0-7.0 Strawberries 6.0-7.0 Sunflowers 6.0-7.0 Sweet corn 6.0-7.0 Swiss chard 6.0-7.0 Tomatoes 5.5-7.0 Turnip 5.0-7.0 Zucchini 6.0-7.0

From various websites,

Image source vintageprintable.com

Apple - 5.0 to 6.8
Bearded Iris - slightly acidic to almost neutral, about 6.8
Buddleia 5.5 to 6.5, another site states 6.0 to 7.5. They grew like crazy in my ph 5.05 soil. Cherry - 5.5 to 8.0 prefer 6.5; another site state 6.2 to 6.8
Chinese Haw - 4.3 to 7.3
Dogwood 5.0 to 7.0
European Ash 5.0 to 8.0
Figs - 6.0 to 6.5
Ginkgo - 5.0 to 8.0
Golden Chain Tree - 5.0 to 8.0 Iris - 6.5 to 7.0
Linden - 7.0 to 8.0 but another site states 4.5 to 7.5 and prefers 7.0; another site states 5.0 to 8.0
Lilac 6.0 to 7.5 but there is a massive lilac in our soil pH 5.05
Mulberry - 5.5 to 7, another site states 5.5 to 6.5
Okra - 6 - 8 Paw Paw - 5.5 to 7.0 but another reference states 5 to 6
Peach - around 6.5
Pear - 6.0 to 6.5 but tolerate 5.0 to 7.5
Persimmon - 6.5 to 7.5 Plum - 5.0 to 6.5
Quince - 6.0 to 7.0
Red Twig Dogwood - 5.0 to 8.0
Tomato - 6.0 to 7.0 better if 6.5 to 6.8
Weigela 6.0 to 7.0


Acidic, 4.5 to 6.0:
 Pieris, Rhododendron, Azalea, Camellia.

Not related to this topic, but thought about after looking for images to ponder for this post.  The vintageprintable image at the top does not give a source, but the caption states those are 3 year old black locust trees, form seed, in Kentucky.  About 1910.   That's a lot of growth in 3 years.  It makes me wonder - is it because they are from seeds?  Because they are a fast growing black locust?  Because the climate and soil in that Kentucky forest was super good in the 1900s?  All?  I think more people should try to grow trees from seeds.  We would have more diversity, the trees would be free, and if some achieve that size, that fast, then there would be faster biomass accumulation and faster shade.

Soil Analysis. 12.25.13

This report is very helpful. It changes significantly how I am going to supplement my garden and orchard soil this year.

I'm very impressed.  It is a well written, easy to follow report.  They were fast and thorough.  I am happy I sent them a sample and will make use of the recommendations.

The main points-

- My soil is very acidic.  They recommend lime.  That also increases the calcium.
- The iron level is super high.  I thought form the leaves iron was low.  I planned to supplement it.  Wrong thing to do.
- The recommendations include adding trace boron, trace copper.   For that, add a tiny amount of borax, and a tiny amount of copper sulfate.  The recommended amount is so small, I don't know if I will do anything about that.  Better to under-do it than over-do it.  Too much boric acid is toxic to plants.
- The recommendations include adding some epson salts for magnesium and sulfur.
- I thought the soil would need more potassium and phosphorus.  In reality, the potassium is high, and phosphorus is very high.  So just add a nitrogen source.  Fish emulsion might be a good source.

Garden Planning 2014. 12.24.13

From Victory Seeds, average last frost dates:

Average last frost date for Vancouver WA:  May 14
Average last frost date for Battleground WA:  May 21 

Most of my vegetable gardening is in Battleground.  One difference - I may be using water walls and row cover to protect from frost.  That can pus the date forward a little.  

Then from calculator on "The Cheap Vegetable Gardener" - I edited out vegetables I won't be growing and made a few other changes.  Super handy calculator.  The author has most of the vegetables I want to grow.  I used the Battleground last date, May 21.

Vegetable Name	Seed Start Date	Estimated Transplant Date	Estimated Harvest Date
Onion - I'm using bunching	2/19/2014	4/25/2014	6/24/2014
Pak Choi (1st)	3/12/2014	4/6/2014	5/11/2014
Parsley	3/11/2014	5/7/2014	5/25/2014
Lettuce (1st)	3/12/2014	4/6/2014	5/6/2014
Swiss Chard	3/19/2014	4/20/2014	5/8/2014
Cabbage (1st)	3/19/2014	5/1/2014	6/22/2014
Peppers	3/25/2014	5/29/2014	6/23/2014
Tomato	4/2/2014	6/4/2014	6/21/2014
Spinach (1st)	4/9/2014	N/A	5/24/2014
Peas	4/9/2014	N/A	6/13/2014
Turnips (1st)	4/9/2014	N/A	6/8/2014
Watermelon	4/16/2014	6/27/2014	7/15/2014
Basil	4/24/2014	6/14/2014	7/23/2014
Potatoes	4/30/2014	N/A	8/8/2014
Radish	5/1/2014	N/A	6/5/2014
Beets	5/1/2014	N/A	7/5/2014
Carrots (1st)	5/10/2014	N/A	7/24/2014
Corn	5/10/2014	6/7/2014	7/29/2014
Cucumber	5/10/2014	6/16/2014	7/9/2014
Okra	5/10/2014	6/11/2014	7/14/2014
Pumpkin	5/10/2014	6/7/2014	8/28/2014
Winter Squash,	5/10/2014	6/16/2014	8/28/14
Zucchini / Summer Squash	5/10/2014	6/16/2014	7/4/2014
Lettuce (2nd)	5/14/2014	N/A	7/8/2014
Beans	6/4/2014	N/A	8/13/2014
Dill	6/11/2014	N/A	8/15/2014
Carrots (2nd)	6/27/2014	N/A	9/10/2014
Cabbage - Napa	8/24/2014	9/21/2014	11/7/2014
Onion - Bunching	8/24/2014	N/A	11/2/2014
Turnip (2nd)	8/24/2014	N/A	10/23/2014
Lettuce (3rd)	9/3/2014	N/A	10/28/2014
Spinach (2nd)	9/10/2014	N/A	10/25/2014
Garlic	11/12/2014	N/A	3/17/2015

I think radishes could be earlier.  Maybe with peas. The chart is earlier than I've been starting tomatoes.

This year I want to get out the "Wall-o-water" and see if any of them hold water.  Then use them for tomatoes, peppers, okra.

Fig Cuttings and Okra & Pepper Experiment. 12.24.13

It's very early to do this.  But what harm does it do.

Prepped cuttings a nice guy sent me for Maccool Fig and more that another nice guy sent for Dominick fig.  Both are family propagated figs that family members made available for others.  Can be searched on figs4fun forum.

Washed the cuttings.  Trimmed to right size about 4inches. Thoroughly clean tools betwen varieties.

Used sharp knife to make vertical incisions near base.  Roots often grow much faster from the cambium layer exposed by the incisions.

Dipped in Dip-and-Grow at 1:5 dilution.  This is from last year.  I hope it's still good.

Labeled- very important!

Then wrapped in wet but not soggy paper towel.  Place into plastic food bags.  Seal.

Also set out seeds of 2 okra varieties to soak.  Plant them tonight.  Baby Bubba and Long Green Dwarf.  Those because both are sold as more compact or dwarf so if the grow indoors I might have room for them.

And 2 pepper varieties.  Tabasco and Red Portugal.  Planted seeds directly in seed starter medium.  I will cover with plastic in a while.

I will grow them under lights, on a heating mat.  If the grow, that's very interesting.  If not, it wasn't much effort.  My coworker told me she starts okra plants before now and grows them all winter.  I read peppers can make nice houseplants.

Sauerkraut Day 2. 12.22.13

It's been a day and a half after mixing up the sauerkraut.  The bubbler is putting out about a bubble a minute.  The airlock has pushed all of the water to the exit side. Much faster than the first batch.

The second jar is also bubbling.  Has not spilled over yet.

Winter Solstice Gardening. 12.21.13

It was a nice day.  40s and 50s, sunny.  I slept very late.  Needed to, Ive been sick.

Today I did some kitchen garden chores....

Added one wheelbarrow of mole-hill soil to the last raised bed.  It's about 1/3 to 1/2 full now.  Covered half of that with leaf compost which after other chores was all I had left.

Added 2 wheelbarrows of 50:50 mole-hill soil:leaf compost mix, to the original first raised bed built late summer 2012.  It had settled several inches.  Covered with a couple of inches of leaf compost.  At one end is a 6 inch wide row of chinese chives.  I covered those with compost too. 

Cleaned up the 2nd bed from last year.  It has grown garlic, onions, and Chinese chives at one end.  Then pole beans last summer.  I raked out the weeds and largest pieces of straw mulch, filled in some low spots, then covered the rest, including degrading straw mulch, with a couple inches leaf compost.  This bed also has a 6 inch wide row of Chinese chives at one end, which I covered with an inch of compost.  Those are fully dormant, not at all visible exceot a few drued flower stalks.  No tilling, not needed and causes loss of soil structure and organic matter.  Now that bed is ready for next Spring.

Planted 3 rows of Egyptian Walking Onion sets I found in the garage.  They were pretty dried out but look viable.  Those went into a raised bed that has a low tunnel row cover for protection.  It is an unusual time to plant but the soil was soft and easy to plant in - raised beds are wonderful.  

Found a plum seedling and a ginkgo seedling in that last raised bed.  I remember planting those seeds fall 2012.  moved to where I have other tree seedlings heeled in until I figure out where to plant them.

Using the ipad photo blog function for the first time.  Here is my fire.  Off to shower and rest.  It sounds like I did a lit but none of these chores was difficult.  The ground was soft, the compost was dry and light, the weeds pulled wth almost no effort.