Branching Out's Seeds and Sprouts

[Branching Out]

Baker Creek has this lovely habit of sending a *free* bonus packet of seeds with each order, and I am always curious to see which seeds they include. The last parcel had Yedikule, an ancient lettuce of Constantinople that is new to me and that has an intriguing story: https://www.rareseeds.com/lettuce-y...5XFtPHywiwgy-p2qe82uRnLKVSCwb_fhoCAQoQAvD_BwE
This seems like a worthy candidate for seed saving and sharing, so I started some of the seeds on vermiculite right away. They germinated well, and are ready to prick out after just one week.

I had also placed some 'Cut and Come Again' mix zinnia seeds under a damp paper towel in the fridge to hydrate five days ago, and I was very surprised to see that they had in fact begun to sprout. In the fridge. Wow. That seeds of this heat-loving annual would germinate rapidly in a cold fridge seems rather puzzling (and just plain wrong!) Is it possible that zinnias need heat to grow and bloom, but prefer cold and damp to germinate? I want to try this trick again, so there are now three more little cups of zinnia seeds in the fridge.

 

[digitS']

Well, they surprised me as well, BranchingOut. Look at the introduced species map: LINK

I thought that they may be like some of their native cousins in the Southwest and Mexico and not be able to venture north. I still doubt if they could handle any sort of a frost. We never have them volunteering here at home.

If it is southern Utah, it may as well be subtopics but Pennsylvania and Ohio!

Steve

 

[Branching Out]

Well, they surprised me as well, BranchingOut. Look at the introduced species map: LINK

I thought that they may be like some of their native cousins in the Southwest and Mexico and not be able to venture north. I still doubt if they could handle any sort of a frost. We never have them volunteering here at home.

If it is southern Utah, it may as well be subtopics but Pennsylvania and Ohio!

Steve

The introduced species map is an interesting tool-- and I too am surprised that zinnias show up in those states.

 

[Branching Out]

The past few days friends have been coming by to pick up some of my extra tomato and pepper seedlings, which is lovely. It also helps reduce the number of plants that I am caring for. We have a warm spell coming so I'm trying to get as many plants in the ground as I can. They dry out really fast in pots, but in the ground it's a different story. Last week we got 4" of rain so there should be lots of moisture available for their roots. And a couple of days ago we found the first tomato of the season on a tiny dwarf called Andrina. It's about the size of a marble and it's green-- but it's a tomato!

This evening I prepped several spots with compost, fertilizer, and a good deep watering so I can plant out melon and cucumber seedlings tomorrow. It has been a full week of long days in the garden, and I am feeling rather exhausted. Some nights I'm in bed by 8pm, but then I often wake up at 2am thinking about what I am going to plant where the next day.

 

[Celtic_Rumor]

Baker Creek has this lovely habit of sending a *free* bonus packet of seeds with each order, and I am always curious to see which seeds they include. The last parcel had Yedikule, an ancient lettuce of Constantinople that is new to me and that has an intriguing story: https://www.rareseeds.com/lettuce-y...5XFtPHywiwgy-p2qe82uRnLKVSCwb_fhoCAQoQAvD_BwE
This seems like a worthy candidate for seed saving and sharing, so I started some of the seeds on vermiculite right away. They germinated well, and are ready to prick out after just one week.

I had also placed some 'Cut and Come Again' mix zinnia seeds under a damp paper towel in the fridge to hydrate five days ago, and I was very surprised to see that they had in fact begun to sprout. In the fridge. Wow. That seeds of this heat-loving annual would germinate rapidly in a cold fridge seems rather puzzling (and just plain wrong!) Is it possible that zinnias need heat to grow and bloom, but prefer cold and damp to germinate? I want to try this trick again, so there are now three more little cups of zinnia seeds in the fridge.

What soil are you using for these little seedling cups? -CR

 

[Branching Out]

What soil are you using for these little seedling cups? -CR

Good question! The little cups are filled with vermiculite, which seems to work well for germinating seeds. It is quickly becoming my preferred medium for starting lettuce, basil, and peppers seeds because the seeds stay moist-- even when I am away for a couple of days. You would think the seeds would mold, but that rarely happens. The vermiculite is somewhat buoyant and very airy-- so the seeds are kind of floating on a vermiculite raft.

Vermiculite also makes it easier to have my friend care for the seeds if I am away. The cups can go to my friend's house, and they just top up the water every day or two.

 

[flowerbug]

Good question! The little cups are filled with vermiculite, which seems to work well for germinating seeds. It is quickly becoming my preferred medium for starting lettuce, basil, and peppers seeds because the seeds stay moist-- even when I am away for a couple of days. You would think the seeds would mold, but that rarely happens.

...
with the cups being exposed to the open air eventually you may have mold spores getting in them. i don't know how vermiculite might react to a bleach solution to get them cleaned up again, but an experiment might be worth it.