Saturday, February 27, 2021

Lupins still haven't sprouted yet

 ^^^

Potatoes from last year are all sprouting!

 Checked on them in the fridge today... That'll teach me for procrastinating in eating them...  I guess these ones weren't good fridge keepers.

So, I'll just hope they don't grow too quickly, and will plant them in a few months.

Saturday, February 20, 2021

2 parsleys sprouted so far

 One of each variety (Single Hardy Italian and Forest Green).  Potted them up.

Celery all sprouted and potted up

 Wow!  All at once.  No sign yesterday, then today boom! there they all are.

At least one of the sets of celery "pots" I put two seeds per cell, will thin to strongest.

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Onions have almost all sprouted! Potted them up, 2 in each tiny cell, total 16. 4 left unused.

 ^^^

No sign yet of celery, parsley (either kind), or lupin

Vegan-friendly potting soil!

After learning that Pro-mix's MP mix has bird-based fertilizer (due to trade secrets they couldn't tell me if it's from the feathers, eggs, or birds themselves), I emailed them to ask if any of their mixes aren't formulated with animal products.  To my great surprise, yes! their Premium Potting Mix and Premium All Purpose Mix are vegan-friendly.  Of course there can be contamination from the production line, but the formula itself doesn't include any animal-based products, including the fertilizers which are synthetic.

So I picked up three bags, and put my home-made mixing plans on hold.

I'm donating the MP mix to a local community garden, and have re-potted the broccolis and begonia into this new soil.


Monday, February 15, 2021

Sigh... Notes for making my own starting mix next year.

Ok, here's what I'll try.


Base:

- 4 parts coconut coir

- 1 part perlite

- 1 part vermiculite.


Then, need to fertilize.  Can look into these as fertilizers:

- cottonseed meal "Cottonseed meal fertilizer provides a healthy kick of slow-releasing nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus. The heavy protein in the cotton meal slows decomposition. Soil microbes have to process the proteins to release nutrients the plants can use.  Because of its slow-releasing nature, you can use higher quantities of cottonseed meal. There’s no fear of fertilizer burn with this, making it a safe and sustainable long-term option. And it takes 1-4 months for it to fully break down, so applications can be spaced out.  The average NPK for this meal is 6-2-2, making it a viable nitrogen option. Different manufacturers have slightly different ratios of nutrients. It’s wise to check the label for your specific brand.  Since it has high organic content, it helps to keep the soil aerated. This reduces compaction in the soil and can help plants to thrive. Soil tilth greatly improves with added organic matter.  Cotton meal holds quite a bit of water when saturated. This makes it a great amendment for water retention in garden beds!  For every 100lbs of meal used, 9lbs of agricultural lime is needed to bring the soil back to neutral." (https://www.epicgardening.com/cottonseed-meal/)

- alfalfa meal "Alfalfa Meal 3-1-2 Alfalfa Meal is an all natural fertilizer made from fermented alfalfa plants. It’s great at replenishing worn out soils when used as a soil amendment." "If you want to add nitrogen to your soil, try using alfalfa meal or the alfalfa pellets sold for rabbit feed. Alfalfa is a quick-acting source of nitrogen, with healthy amounts of phosphorus and potash. Organic Gardening magazine called rabbit pellets "an excellent all-purpose fertilizer.""

- kelp meal "Kelp meal will add some potassium, but it is mostly prized for its valuable micronutrients that can increase yields and reduce plant stress.

Alfalfa, cottonseed, and soy meals: These are a good source of nitrogen (alfalfa 2.5 %, cottonseed 7%, soybean 6.5%, approximately.) They have a slow to medium rate of release. It is important that they be listed as organic, because some may come from crops that have been genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides. Alfalfa and cottonseed meals will also add potassium (alfalfa about 2%, cottonseed about 1.5 %.) Alfalfa will add a few trace minerals. Soybean meal is also a source of phosphorous (about 2%.)

Humic acid: Consists of organic compounds found in compost. Humic acids increase soil microbial activity, improving its structure and enhancing root development.

Mycorrhizae: This is actually a group of fungi that grow on the roots of plants and form a symbiotic relationship that aids in the absorption of water and nutrients. It is said to increase a plant’s resistance to disease and drought.

Epsom salts: A fast acting fertilizer containing about 10% magnesium and 13%sulfur. It can be applied in its granular form or dissolved in water as foliar spray (use 1 tbsp. salt to 1 gal. water.)

Rock phosphate: A mineral powder that breaks down slowly and contains both phosphorous and calcium. Colloidal phosphate contains less phosphorous and calcium than hard rock phosphate but the nutrients are in a form the plants can use more readily. Still only a small percentage will be immediately available in your growing mixture.

- soybean meal "I use soybean meal in a similar way to how alfalfa meal is used. It's also found in big sacks at a farm store, so maybe not practical for a small space, but it is very inexpensive purchased that way."



https://www.planetnatural.com/product/biothrive-grow/?fbclid=IwAR3za5vSbhJ7AOxjXHkY5IEC3Al1YCsBkrakbr8bnKfd7WplSJTE0I8_eq0

https://www.amazon.com/Bio-Thrive-Grow-4-3-3-Gallon/dp/B006IGEM5E/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=BioThrive+Grow+(4-3-3)&qid=1574180605&sr=8-5&linkCode=sl1&tag=planetnatur03-20&linkId=d8fdd3a98905225869fba6381bd5dc83&language=en_US

~~~

Some references:

https://eorganic.org/node/3442 -- one of the recipes has no compost.



 http://www.artfulveganliving.com/veganic-gardening/permaculture/veganic-potting-mix/

"To begin making a soilless potting mix, you will first need to consider how long the plant will be growing in its pot and how soon you will need to begin fertilizing. A basic seed starting mix only needs enough nutrients to get the plant started. These usually contain only a few ingredients – peat moss or coconut coir, or pine bark or any combination of these along with perlite and/or vermiculite and sometimes compost. A small amount of added fertilizer will help keep the seedlings growing for 4-6 weeks when they can be transplanted. When planning to grow plants in pots for longer periods of time you will need to fertilize regularly..." 

http://www.soilmender.com/products/yum-yum-mix-plant-food/   Ingredients:  "Alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, kelp meal, greensand, rock dust, rock phosphate, humate and dry molasses"

https://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Is-Your-Garden-Vegetarian-Alternatives-to-2890979.php?fbclid=IwAR03BWZpJbpHKgMJ_pHpEvYqf8Ta3moKATWqyVX25dglsUX_2_rzhj0anro

https://www.facebook.com/groups/438437196236308/permalink/1633263083420374/

https://savvygardening.com/diy-potting-soil/

"A by-product of the coconut industry, coir looks and acts a lot like sphagnum peat moss in both commercial and DIY potting soil blends. It has more nutrients than peat moss and lasts even longer, but it’s more expensive to purchase. Coir fiber’s pH is close to neutral.... vermiculite adds calcium and magnesium... Add fertilizers to peat-based potting soils because these mixes don’t naturally contain enough nutrients to support optimum plant growth. ...I use leaf compost from a local landscape supply yard"

http://www.leereich.com/2014/05/to-fertilize-or-not-to-fertilize-that.html

https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/articles/vegan-organic-gardening

https://generalhydroponics.com/products/florablend/

https://www.gardenbetty.com/how-to-make-your-own-seed-starting-and-potting-mix/

https://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/vegan-fertilizers/?fbclid=IwAR172hfdpgVCYBfRyzZ-b5FvKp1IDVG9qgA0G2L5-7Nwciwz4Xr4lN5PXvE


Broccoli: 8 of 10 sprouted! Moved from baggie into pots.

 Pots filled with the Promix MP, and seed placed into little well of vermiculite.

(Nothing else has sprouted yet.)

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Tuberous begonia started

 Moved the one remaining yellow tuberous begonia from its paper bag winter hide-away into its starter pot with the Promix.  Now we wait.

Fresh bag of Promix MP -- has little spots of pale white moldy-looking substance

I won't be using last year's left-over Promix this year, in case whatever the/those diseases were last year got their start in that bag.  I'm sure it's all throughout the outdoor soil now anyway, but, may as well give a fresh bag a try, just in case.

So this year picked up a new (ginormous -- 60 lbs) bag of Promix MP.  Opened it today and saw little spots of pale white moldy-looking substance various spots along the where the bag opened.  Scraped the top off and will throw that out, just in case, though a web search shows it might be normal and not a concern.

Lupins soaking for 24 hours

 Started the burgundy two-tone lupin seeds I collected from BH last year by putting them to soak for a day.  My first time trying lupins indoors from seed but it seems they should soak for a day first.

Parsley (two kinds), celery, broccoli, and onion started in paper towel baggies

The parsley (both kinds) are from seed packs a few years old.

The celery and broccoli ares from the foil pack many years old.

The onion are from my 2019 collected seeds.


Thursday, February 11, 2021

No snow cover along house walls -- sorrel and north asparagus completely exposed

 Not much snow this year...  The areas along the house walls, especially the north and east walls, the bare ground is visible.  The sorrel, and all of the north wall asparagus, are completely exposed...  With temps reaching the -20s recently.  Oh well, we'll see what happens, the asparagus has been a mess lately anyway...