ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 11, 2014 0:25:46 GMT -5
Hills like the rest of the Cucurbitaceae family.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 11, 2014 0:20:47 GMT -5
Yes less "useful", especially if you are of the bare foot persuasion and allergic to bee venom.
As for edible lets not forget the clover, alfalfa, burdock, mallow... however all I've tried is clover and green mallow seed.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 21:02:17 GMT -5
Reclaim? I afraid the way I garden domesticated plant are only barely tolerated seasonal residents, the weeds still rule supreme! It can ever be see in my yard, the neighbors yard is a desert of bluegrass while mine is covered in waves of purple and white violets soon to be joined by clovers, dandelion, and plantain.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 19:03:42 GMT -5
Here's my attempt at Blueberries. The pots are 2' by 1'5", filled them mostly with leaves, grass, wood chips, and some homemade compost. Got the plants early to mid summer last year, they seem to be ding well, they have more than doubled in size.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 17:35:09 GMT -5
From what I have been able to gather it seems that the notion that you need a bog to grow Cranberries is a misconception. They do refer to the fields as bogs, but apparently they only flood them to aid in harvest (the berries float) and they are drained quickly there after.
The major obstacle I face is obtaining a low enough PH level. Cranberries need a PH of 4 to 5, the PH of my soil is between 8 and 9. I started a new composting project to see if I can make my own low PH soil useing only acidic organic matter such as pine needles and citrus peels.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 8, 2014 23:49:21 GMT -5
Wohoo! First real day of gardening this year.
Finished cleaning up some of last years debris that the rotor-tiller might not handle (Sunflower root balls and steams).
Rescued a few plants, a Cabbage that amazingly survived the winter, something that might be one of last years Celery, and some "weeds" that I'm not too familiar with (they might turn into something interesting).
Tilled part of the garden, and planted shelling Peas and Chickpeas.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 7, 2014 11:45:29 GMT -5
I didn't keep the seed separate so I'm not 100% sure but the overall germination rate was high, 80-90%.
However the seed I tried to start in soil just rotted, the ones in the image where started on paper towels. The ones I direct sow might not survive my soil ecology.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 6, 2014 23:12:13 GMT -5
I'm trying chickpeas this year. Boring supermarket soup-mix variety. The ones in the image are a germination test/head start. I was not sure if some of them where still viable as they where almost 15 years old and the internet was very unhelpful as to how long of a growing season they would need. It would appear that even though the seeds from two different sources (same brand different decades) looked the same I have two different varieties. It's a little hard to tell from the image but the plants in the middle have fan shaped leaves instead of frond like. I'm very interested to see how this turns out.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 13, 2014 2:08:03 GMT -5
I planted Coneflower, Yarrow, and Salvia today. (I'm trying to plant more stuff for pollinators in the yard.) I all ready have some Coneflower and Yarrow, a small patch of each, figured I needed more. I also started some Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme.
I use furrow/ditch irrigation so there is lots of wasted water between the hill plants, I decided that I might as well plant flowers there. So I had a 40' row of Cosmos in the garden last, it really attracted pollinators. Had bees and wasps of all sizes swarming them, also had humming birds dive-bombing me all summer.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 11, 2014 2:13:07 GMT -5
Planted more Cranberries from seed, also Raspberries and some Irises.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 10, 2014 16:45:32 GMT -5
Thank you bunkie.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 10, 2014 14:12:07 GMT -5
Hello and thank richardw.
I have some Joshua Tree's that I grew from seed (I know they're not true trees), also some English Oak seedlings that I started in the fall.
I grew five English Walnut's, an Almond, and a couple of Hazel nuts last year, I'm anxiously waiting to see if they survived the winter. I also have some Almond and Hazel nuts stored in the refrigerator that I'm planing to start this spring.
I planted a Black Maple the other day (I have fantasies of making syrup), however I know the probability of success with only one seed is low.
I also have seeds from the fruit trees on my property, Bartlet Pear, some variety of smaller plum, peache, apricot, five varieties of apple, and Black Mulberry.
Almost forgot the Alder and Pine seeds.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 10, 2014 13:09:06 GMT -5
Thanks raymondo.
I've been growing and saving my own flower seeds for the last twelve years, only recently (last four years) started with edible plants.
I defenitly have a wide rang of seed including one I'll never use. Ones that either wouldn't survive in my climate and would get too big to house indoors like grapefruit and lotus, or like cyclamen that the secrets to getting them to reach maturity and survive dormancy phases still elude me.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 10, 2014 0:13:10 GMT -5
Ya, I've accidentally grown mushrooms too. I grew more mushrooms in and around my potted blueberries last year than blueberries.
I'm not too fond of fungi, but the kind that grow on people seem to think I'm rather tasty. Perhaps if I eat more of them they will change their minds. lol
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Feb 9, 2014 21:51:39 GMT -5
One of this years projects, cranberries from seed. The seeds came from "fresh" store bought cranberries my dad got for a traditional mid December dish. I planted five seeds the day after collecting them the rest I stored in the refrigerator. After about a month of day time temps in the 80's to 90's and night time temps in the low 50's in my "sun room", the ones I planted for a germination test came up. The image was taken nine days ago, since then one of the seedlings died (either because the compost was too moist or from damping off) and the other two are putting out their second set of leaves. The seedlings are growing in home produced compost, hence the moss and the weeds I pulled before taking the photo. My water is also rather alkaline, the white and yellow deposits, I guess I'll find out if my high ph water and soil are too much for them.
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