Wistful dreams of gardens past, never made ...

[ninnymary]

Ducks, just for you.

 

[Jack Holloway]

I started pepper plants and tomato plants. I didn't write the date down when I started them, but I think it is less than a week for the tomatoes and about 2 weeks for the peppers. At least one seed has sprouted for each variety in 71% of the peppers and 50% of the tomatoes. Many/most of the varieties of both types were old seed, not stored correctly, so not too bad. Three varieties of tomatoes that I wanted most to grow out for more seed have sprouted at least one seed each. Wisconsin 55 Gold, Muzark, and Marianna's Conflict. One of the peppers that has not sprouted is Trinidad Perfume Pepper, which SESE says has very extended dormancy!! It is a C. chinense pepper and that species usually has a long germination time. Many others that have not sprouted are C. chinense as well. C. chinense should be started 12 weeks before that last frost date, if not earlier. Some people started them in December/January. I was late in starting the peppers.

End of update. I'll respond to posts tomorrow.

 

[digitS']

Jack, organized information for gardeners is of importance for record keeping and future reference. TEG becomes a resource.

Perhaps, everyone is aware of this but the forums have a good search feature. Ferreting out a list your own posts on a thread is easy and each can loaded for viewing in a separate tab. Searching provides posts listed by dates and the first few words of our posts. I have considered printing that page as an index and then using "advanced search" for quick access. Anyway, I have considered it .

Hopefully, there are plenty of ideas that we can take pleasure in sharing as any of us "journals" along through a year.

Steve

 

[Branching Out]

One of the peppers that has not sprouted is Trinidad Perfume Pepper, which SESE says has very extended dormancy!! It is a C. chinense pepper and that species usually has a long germination time.

I was reading an article from Growing for Market magazine, and one of the commercial growers said for peppers they place a small piece of damp newspaper on top of the soil to hold in moisture, and to exclude light because peppers like darkness. They seemed to think that it helped the peppers to germinate. I hope to do my own side by side trial soon, to see if there really is a difference.

 

[Jack Holloway]

If you really want those Himalayan blackberries gone, fence them and get a couple of pigs. They will root it down to bare earth, and eat the roots. Feed the pigs out for the freezer. It’s a win-win!

Alas, I live in a city, where pigs, sheep, most other livestock are not allowed. Goats are allowed for 3 weeks, then must be gone for a month, then 3 weeks, then gone a month, then 3 weeks, then not allowed for a year. Not enough help really with those limitations.

Power tools will help.

Yes, I have found they do help.

i was thinking a flame thrower...

I'll have to look for one, haven't seen them at the feed stores around here.

RoundUp doesn't kill wild blackberries out west. We have to use Crossbow.

I think the yard guys used a combo of RoundUp and Crossbow. The fumes from Cross bow can kill things to, so I told them not to do it on a windy day.

I purchased a weed burner last year, and spent the summer kicking self in seat for not having done it sooner. It is a remarkably effective way to keep weeds down in fence lines - and for knocking down weeds that are thorny or irritating. That might be an effective addition to your anti-blackberry arsenal. Perennials such as those will re-sprout; but if you keep "razing canes" before they can re-energize the roots, it might weaken them enough to be killed by other methods. I've done something similar to eliminate thistle from my gardens.

Weed Burner, I'll look for one of those.

Laying down thick mats of cardboard will help choke them out and the cardboard will become dirt in 6 weeks if you bury it, or so is the claim of Instahedge, who ship hedges in cardboard pots.
No sun, no berry canes.
IF you can burn them, they burn very well. Otherwise, you can find somebody, some Place to remove the cuttings for you.

I've done that in the front yard. It does work. But I have to keep at it as then the seeds start sprouting...

 

[Jack Holloway]

I was reading an article from Growing for Market magazine, and one of the commercial growers said for peppers they place a small piece of damp newspaper on top of the soil to hold in moisture, and to exclude light because peppers like darkness. They seemed to think that it helped the peppers to germinate. I hope to do my own side by side trial soon, to see if there really is a difference.

I hadn't read that. I do use covers to keep the moisture levels up. I also bury the seed about 1/4 inch, that seems to work for me. If they don't come up, I'll start some next year with fresh seed, and earlier.

 

[baymule]

Ducks, just for you.

Mary I want to be you when I grow up….. well maybe not. I am Chaos and Confusion, I’ve come to like my crazy ways. But maybe come visit and have a cold glass of iced tea!

 

[flowerbug]

[re: cardboard]

I've done that in the front yard. It does work. But I have to keep at it as then the seeds start sprouting...

yes, persistence is needed with bad infestations.

 

[Zeedman]

One of the peppers that has not sprouted is Trinidad Perfume Pepper, which SESE says has very extended dormancy!! It is a C. chinense pepper and that species usually has a long germination time. Many others that have not sprouted are C. chinense as well. C. chinense should be started 12 weeks before that last frost date, if not earlier. Some people started them in December/January. I was late in starting the peppers.

I grew "Trinidad Perfume" in 2021, started the same time as other peppers. My germination was very spotty, and only about 10% - but that was from 6-year-old seed. The 4 plants that survived though produced A TON of peppers, and I saved a lot of seed. If you would like to try again, I'd be happy to get some in the mail; just PM if interested.

"Trinidad Perfume" makes a really beautiful pepper jelly (it's really more of a pepper jam). It took hours to clean all the peppers for this, but was well worth it.

 

[ninnymary]

Mary I want to be you when I grow up….. well maybe not. I am Chaos and Confusion, I’ve come to like my crazy ways. But maybe come visit and have a cold glass of iced tea!

I would love too!

Mary