Up-potting Apple and Pepper Seedlings. 03.05.2021

 Yesterday got a bag of potting soil during senior coronavirus hours at Costco, so this morning I up-potted the three apple seedlings and two of the peppers, from their six-pack cells into individual larger pots with actual potting soil.  They had good root systems. My theory, borne out by experience but never tested, is that when the roots reach the sides and bottom of the container and start winding around, the plant growth slows down and it doesn't thrive.  

The apple seedlings look surprisingly healthy, considering I don't know what I'm doing.  I wonder if, on being in real sunshine, the red coloration will darken. 

Background info:  

 The apple seedlings are Redlove™ Calypso™ X Golden Sentinel.  

So far, Calypso™  has red flesh and is sort of cranapple flavored. Quite tart and crisp.  Smaller than my other apples, although first year fruits are usually not as large or good as those from more mature trees.

Golden Sentinel is a Canadian development, a cross of ‘Discovery’ X (cross of Wijcik Spur MacIntosh x Delicious). Discovery is an English cross of . Worcester Pearmain with, possibly, Beauty of Bath, reported to have a bit of a strawberry flavor and red coloration that sometimes bleeds into the flesh. So Golden Sentinel has some good flavor genetics. I like it although it seems to be biennial bearing.

My pipe dream is to create a columnar apple tree with reddish leaves, pink flowers, red flesh apples that are sweeter than Calypso™ but more fragrant than Golden Sentinel, which I think is a good apple as is. Since two of the seedlings have reddish leaves, I might be part way there. They have a 50% chance of columnar trait. According to the Canada Plant Inspection Agency, Golden Sentinel has shorter internodes compared to McIntosh Wicjik, so it’s possible that I might see that in seedlings although I don’t know if I would recognize it. I try to put these on a top shelf where they get more sun, because I don’t know if the wavelength of the LED lights is suitable for red-pigmented leaves.

Training and Trellis for Apple Espalier. 3.5.2021

Yesterday  I  did some training of apple espaliers.  I'm using the espalier form around the perimeter of the fenced garden, for efficient use of premium deer-protected space, and to grow apples without need for ladders or excessive reaching overhead.  It will take a few years for these to reach their potential.  The Redlove™ Odysso™ and Redlove™ Calypso™ are one year old, the Redlove™ Era™ is two years old, and the Zestar™ is one year old.

I like that I can use the home grown timber bamboo for the horizontal aspect of the trellis.  The vertical posts are just fenceposts, and not as stable as I want.  Those will need replacing at some point, but I'm not up to it right now.

The tiers will need more growth at the ends, to fully utilize the horizontal trellises.  I thing I can let the tops grow and bend/tie them as they lengthen.  Also, two trees need another branch for the lower tiers, so I have small branches that I'm leaving in place and hope they lengthen this summer for bending over later.

These may benefit from more nitrogen fertilizer than I gave them last year, which was minimal or none.  I'd like to have the tiers more fully developed by the end of the year. 

These are situated perfectly for the summer pruning that espalier trees require.  I can putter around in the vegetable and fruit garden at the same time.

 Redlove™ Era™

Redlove™ Calypso™

Planting Onion and Shallot Seedlings Outside, Early. 3.5.2021

 It might be too early, but I planted some of the onion and shallot seedlings outside in the raised bed.  Given the gentle weather, overcast sky and predicted rain, I did not try to acclimate them to outdoors first.  This cleared some space on the seedling stand for additional plantings.  

The NY Early onion seedlings look fairly sturdy.  The shallot seedlings appear more delicate.  It might be early, but since winter onions and onion sets are starting to grow, I think these will be OK too.

I overdid the garlic and onions.  I need to decide on space for the other seedlings.  The other raised bed is reserved for peppers and pickle cucumbers.

Crocus. 3.5.2021

 Not much else blooming.  A crocus is a welcome sight.  Most of the little fruit trees are surrounded by various bulbs.  My hypothesis is that these bulbs might be bitter or toxic, so deter tunneling subterranean animals from damaging the young fruit tree roots.  I don't know that it actually helps.  I do like the cheerful flowers.

Kitchen Garden Starts, Potatoes and others. 3.1.2021

 Today I sorted through some of the potatoes that I stored in the garage from last summer.  It was cool and dark, and most of the sprouts don't seem excessive.  They were a mix of types, difficult to recognize.  I usually don't regrow from my own garden, preferring inspected, certified starts.  However, I plant in a different spot each year.  I did not notice any scab or rotting diseases.  There was no significant fusarium wilt.  So I will take a chance.  Last year, I also planted some sprouted home grown and grocery potatoes, and those did fine.

Most looked like the small ones on the right.  I cut up the big potatoes, a yellow flesh type, and sat them in the sunroom for the wounds to dry out.  They can be planted in a week.   If the sprout is a little long, I lay it horizontal or remove it to give the shorter ones a better chance.

Cut potato chunks sitting in the sunroom, with the cut edges drying.  These are yellow flesh, although not necessarily Yukon Gold.  Last year, I had some sprouted yellow potatoes that were from the grocery store, so grew them.  These might be descended from those, or from potatoes that grew on their own in the compost pile.

I also bought some actual tomato seeds ("True Potato Seeds",  TPS) - real seeds, not cut up tubers.  Those are not easy to find.  The variety is Clancy hybrid, an AAS winner.  It's not possible to predict how they will do, and while I have my doubts, it is always interesting to try new things. 

Clancy Potato seedlings.  So far germination is about 30%, which is OK.  Some might germinate later.  It's only been about a week since I planted them, so not too bad.

The marigold photo I forgot to upload yesterday.  Four cells are from the Volunteer French Marigold, and 2 cells are from the Volunteer Yellow Cherry Tomato.  So these are the "Volunteer's Offspring".

 

And one of the tomato six packs.  All of the tomato varieties have germinated.  It's the start of a good gardening year.

Last fall I saved flower heads from chives.  Even though they are perennial and last year's plant will return, I wanted to have some more.  Plus, growing new ones from seeds seems to result in more vigorous plants.  It's easy to separate the seeds.  I did the same thing as I did with basil, storing the flower heads upside down in a paper bag, then crushing them in my fingers to release the seeds, and using my fingers to remove most of the chaff.  A little chaff doesn't hurt anything.  Here are the germinating chive seedlings.  Also, about one week to germination.