Experiments, observations, and lessons learned

[Zeedman]

once the seeds are fully dried can they be frozen for long term storage?

I don't see why not. since the seeds of all other gourds grown as vegetables can be frozen. Can't remember the term (help me out here @Pulsegleaner ) but as far as I know, only some tropical seeds will die if frozen.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I don't see why not. since the seeds of all other gourds grown as vegetables can be frozen. Can't remember the term (help me out here @Pulsegleaner ) but as far as I know, only some tropical seeds will die if frozen.

The term you are looking for is "recalcitrant". And to clarify, it isn't the freezing that will kill such seeds, it's the drying down (and, in a few cases, simply not going straight from the fruit to the soil, like the breadfruit seeds I mentioned.)

 

[Zeedman]

Last night, I was blanching & boxing all of the shell beans, to freeze them. I wasn't happy with the blanched color of BE#3, and wondered if I could change it into something more appealing. So half way through the process, I tried adding some lemon juice to the blanching water, to see what would happen.

Bird Egg #3 shellies, blanched in plain water (top) and when lemon juice added to water (bottom). A good way to deal with the dull purplish/grayish of most cooked shellies.

 

[Zeedman]

When I had finished blanching all of the beans (and steamed a bowl of butter beans) I added some vinegar to the dark red bean blanching water, and boiled the luffa skeleton in there, hoping to both clean & sterilize it, and to perhaps dye it. The stiff luffa became very pliable in the boiling water, and I was able to easily fold it into the pot. After an hour, with occasional kneading in-pot with a wooden spoon, I pulled it out & rinsed it. The finished luffa was still pliable, so I folded it twice to make a thick sponge, and weighted it down until the shape was set.

It remains to be seen whether the color is permanent, and how durable it will be... but I think it will make a good shower sponge.

 

[flowerbug]

Last night, I was blanching & boxing all of the shell beans, to freeze them. I wasn't happy with the blanched color of BE#3, and wondered if I could change it into something more appealing. So half way through the process, I tried adding some lemon juice to the blanching water, to see what would happen.
View attachment 52862
Bird Egg #3 shellies, blanched in plain water (top) and when lemon juice added to water (bottom). A good way to deal with the dull purplish/grayish of most cooked shellies.

if i cook Purple Dove beans in alkaline water they will come out grayish, but a bit of vinegar or other acid will turn them pinkish (it doesn't really bother me what color they are).

 

[ducks4you]

WOW! @Zeedman !
I know that you wrote about growing these, but I Never heard of anybody else growing loofa before you posted about it.
VERY impressive!!!

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Incidentally, if you ever find your loofas too big for your purposes, Native Seeds/SEARCH sells (or sold) seed for Luffa operculata one of the numerous mini loofas of Asia, which has fruit just about the right size for a kitchen scrubby (Trade Winds fruit also had a wild loofa, but I think that was a full sized, and Trade Winds has a track record of getting in seeds once and never again, so it may no longer be available.)

As I said at some point earlier, next year I may start playing around with the Apple Luffa, an odd little hybrid, in that 1, it's more of a sphere than a typical long shape and 2. So far, it's the only loofah I have ever seen with white seeds (as opposed to black) Hopefully, in a year or two, I can de-hybridize it into something I can keep consistently.

 

[Phaedra]

This year, all the gladiolus bulbs I planted in the pots didn't flower. Maybe the summer was too dry, and the pots couldn't hold enough water.

None of them blossomed, but the foliage grew well. I emptied the pots today and well, at least the new bulbs are super big!

Much bigger than the original bulb (the darker and smaller part, bought from the shops)

I kept the last two pots as the foliages are still green.

Lesson learned:
1. Gladiolus might adapt better if I directly grow them in the soil instead of the containers.
2. Just like peonies and dahlias, container planting can be used for preparing the roots, bulbs, and tubers, so they are more ready for the next growing season.

 

[ducks4you]

It could be that the bulbs were lifted before the leaves thoroughly dried down.
I have had same problem with my black iris, only leaves in it's new spot, then this year, ALL flowered...on the north of the house bed, VERY shady, btw.
Lovely bulbs!

 

[baymule]

I love gladiolus and iris! I want some flowers! I’m keeping my eye on what looks to be canna lilies on the side of this road I live on. I have just the place for them too. The AC condensation line drains to a puddle on the side of the house. Full sun in the morning, shade in afternoon. Should be a perfect spot.

I may make that end of the house a flower bed. It’s a grassy strip between house and driveway. I’ll have to see what I can do to make it more attractive.

So that’s my observation, come spring, it will be my experiment and we’ll see what I learn.

ETA; just had a thought. Maybe I can scoop out that drain puddle, concrete or brick/tile it in some way to make a small frog habitat. Plant flowers around it for cover, half bury old flower pots for frog houses.