Phaedra's 2023 Adventure

[Phaedra]

I kept digging out some plants that could grow better in different locations. My target is to use those perennial and multi-functional plants as much as possible in our garden.

Chive is one of the plants I like very much - tasty, lovely flowers, good for pollinators. I dug another two clumps and cleaned them up. After trimming the roots, soaking in water with a bit of liquid tomato fertilizer for 30 mins, and repotting them in the 9cm pots, I harvested the upper parts. Now, 8 smaller clumps are sitting on the outdoor shelf. I will transplant them a few weeks after we re-organize the chicken runs.

I also dug out one well-developed basal shoot (I guess it's at least one-year-old.) from our rugosa rose. Not as many roots as I imagined, but well, nothing wrong with taking it a try.

I also pinched the Basils to encourage more side shoots.

Pak-Choi, I harvested outer leaves before transplanting them.

Today's harvest - tiny but lovely

 

[Phaedra]

Next experiment: overwinter tomatoes

From successfully overwintered chili plants, I want to try the same on tomatoes. I 'discussed' this experiment with ChatGPT, and GPT suggested that tomatoes are very sensitive to root disturbance. Therefore, it's not practical to treat them as other bare-root perennials.

Mmmm...

Then I asked, let's say there is a Level 1 to 10 scale of root disturbance sensitivity. Level 10 is the most sensitive, and where are Dahlias, Chili, and tomatoes on the scale? I am surprised to see its answer: Dahlias 9 / Tomatoes 7~8 / Chili 5~6!

I didn't buy this conclusion, as I always trim Dahlia roots before storing them for winter dormancy.


Well anyway, I don't want to store tomatoes as other bare-root perennials. What I will do is cut them back, trim the roots, transplant them back into pots (with new soil) in the middle or late September, and keep them indoors (unheated room). This is how I overwintered the chili plants.

Have you ever tried something similar? I am curious about what will be the differences between tomato plants overwintered like this and those developed from suckers.

 

[Phaedra]

We will have another two rainy days, and then some good spring weather next week. Hopefully, this cherry tree will have its full blossom then.

For the herb garden

For the cut flower garden - snapdragons, this is one of the two trays

Foxgloves, will flower only next year

More Dahlia tubers are sprouting.

 

[Phaedra]

The sowing is going on. The herb garden, especially the part to produce tea ingredients is done. The part of producing seasoning elements will keep going. For example, I sowed garlic chives and Taiwanese basil today.

The vegetable and cut flower garden continue to have new members. April might be the busiest month as both summer and winter crops have to be sowed, or a bit in May.

I tried a lot of new plants this year, why not?

The germination domes on duty - normally, each of them can host two varieties.

Then, they all went to the boiler room, where the temperature remains 22-24 degrees C.

Spring flowers are on the way.

Cherry radishes should be ready in maybe another 10 days.

 

[Phaedra]

All the perennials I divided in mid-Feb are doing well, see the new roots from the Sedum, just amazing!

Compared with the day I just divided them, wow, so different.

 

[flowerbug]

you do a ton of amazing things there! great results.

 

[Phaedra]

you do a ton of amazing things there! great results.

Thank you.

Today, I am defeated again by the Adzuki beans. @Zeedman May I ask for your advice? Are older Adzuki beans much more difficult to germinate? I tried twice in the past three weeks, and both times the beans just sat in the module trays for two to three days and then rotten.

It's already the third day (in a row) that we have morning frost until 9~10am. Tomorrow will be the same. The 2-week forecast shows no warm weather, I will delay sowing sweet corn until the 2nd half of April.

I made some Chocolate today - 85% and 90% dark chocolate mixed with a bit of white chocolate (for different colors and sweetness), nuts, and candied fruits.

They look lovely.

2/3 went to the neighbors on both sides - who didn't love chocolate?

 

[Zeedman]

Today, I am defeated again by the Adzuki beans. @Zeedman May I ask for your advice? Are older Adzuki beans much more difficult to germinate? I tried twice in the past three weeks, and both times the beans just sat in the module trays for two to three days and then rotten.

It's already the third day (in a row) that we have morning frost until 9~10am. Tomorrow will be the same. The 2-week forecast shows no warm weather, I will delay sowing sweet corn until the 2nd half of April.

Adzuki are hypogeal, so the cotyledons stay under ground like runner beans, peas or favas. They take longer to germinate than mung beans, and need warmer soil. The sprouts are very thin initially, and might have trouble breaking through heavy soil. Hmmm... I didn't write down the germination date last year, but I think they took about 10 days.

Seed age is not necessarily a factor; the Takara Early I grew last year was from 2015 seed, and still had fairly good germination. Store-bought adzuki might not do as well though, since those were likely stored in less than perfect conditions.

I've been waiting for a warm spell to mail your adzuki seeds @Phaedra , it looks like I should be able to send them Friday.

 

[flowerbug]

warmth, they start better when it gets warm enough. still i plant them in this mostly clay soil and they will grow, but they don't start fast like other beans, they seem to take a while to get going and then when it gets warmer they do much better.

 

[Phaedra]

Thanks @Zeedman and @flowerbug! Would you please help me figure out from the below steps where might be the reason I have failed twice so far?

1. I tried two ways to prepare the seeds, soaked (for about 6 hours) and dry.
2. The soaked ones stayed in the living room (about 20 degrees C) and the dry ones stayed in the boiler room (about 22-24 degrees C)
3. Same compost for sowing, with certain moisture - The dry beans were sown in the wetter soil (you can't squeeze water from the soil).
4. Both batches failed in 3-4 days and turned molded.

Thank you again.