Took the next step in starting cuttings. Went and took a couple of cuttings from a Crape Myrtle along Unser. This one is purple. Thing I realized when I got close enough is that they tend to look purple from a distance but up close are basically a deep pink. That's okay. Maybe I can manage to grow it a really deep pink, so it looks more purple up close. This probably means the red ones are just a different deep shade of dark pink.
I was going to get a cutting from a red one, also but the bike died. I do keep the extra battery in the trunk of the bike, so wasn't stuck. I've only been taking short rides lately, so it wasn't much of a surprise. After that, I wasn't comfortable turning the bike engine off again, so just came home. Make sure both batteries are charged again and go back to get the red cuttings later this week.
The cuttings I did take I soaked for a short while with honey and water, then planted in potting soil tonight.
Took the grape vine cuttings out a few minutes ago from the freezer, trimmed them and stuck them directly into a honey and water solution.
The blueberry cuttings are looking good so far. I left one or two leaves on most of the branches to help the plants maintain energy. The leaves haven't shriveled yet, so I hope I'm doing something right.
I've definitely realized it's much easier to start vines and bushes from cuttings than trees.
Went to check and tie up the tomato plants outside some more tonight and was really happy to see the first tomatoes of the year forming! They're still very small but I was happy to see them. One problem I noted is that I need some different button drippers for the tomato plants. One of them is spraying way too much and decreasing pressure in the line, so not all of them are getting enough water. I manually watered them this evening. Hope to see them shoot up further in the next couple of days because of that.
After a few years of experience and analysis, my ideas for the garden continues to evolve. At this point, the major ideas I am thinking of is largely leaning toward main crops of tomatoes, grapes (Thinking of making at least one whole row of seedless grape vines.) and blueberries. If I can get the cuttings to grow well, I will make another row of blueberries. Those and a few things daughter and I enjoy like spinach, green beans, watermelons, cantaloupe and carrots but mostly more expensive crops. Maybe I could sell them but most of these can be preserved. I keep hoping for a good strawberry crop but this year was a wash again. They're too temperature and salt sensitive. Still trying to expand the plum and apple crops and having some success. Plus pumpkins, of course. Just because I like growing them.
In any case, I still keep trying to expand the flowers growing, also. Even if I ever stop trying to grow crops, I want the flowers there for daughter, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. And yes, for me. I do enjoy walking out and seeing a wide variety of colors. Sure a big difference from when I moved in and the first couple of years, when I kept trying to grow flowers for daughter but they kept failing every time. At this point, I have flowers coming up which I don't even recall planting!
I was going to get a cutting from a red one, also but the bike died. I do keep the extra battery in the trunk of the bike, so wasn't stuck. I've only been taking short rides lately, so it wasn't much of a surprise. After that, I wasn't comfortable turning the bike engine off again, so just came home. Make sure both batteries are charged again and go back to get the red cuttings later this week.
The cuttings I did take I soaked for a short while with honey and water, then planted in potting soil tonight.
Took the grape vine cuttings out a few minutes ago from the freezer, trimmed them and stuck them directly into a honey and water solution.
The blueberry cuttings are looking good so far. I left one or two leaves on most of the branches to help the plants maintain energy. The leaves haven't shriveled yet, so I hope I'm doing something right.
I've definitely realized it's much easier to start vines and bushes from cuttings than trees.
Went to check and tie up the tomato plants outside some more tonight and was really happy to see the first tomatoes of the year forming! They're still very small but I was happy to see them. One problem I noted is that I need some different button drippers for the tomato plants. One of them is spraying way too much and decreasing pressure in the line, so not all of them are getting enough water. I manually watered them this evening. Hope to see them shoot up further in the next couple of days because of that.
After a few years of experience and analysis, my ideas for the garden continues to evolve. At this point, the major ideas I am thinking of is largely leaning toward main crops of tomatoes, grapes (Thinking of making at least one whole row of seedless grape vines.) and blueberries. If I can get the cuttings to grow well, I will make another row of blueberries. Those and a few things daughter and I enjoy like spinach, green beans, watermelons, cantaloupe and carrots but mostly more expensive crops. Maybe I could sell them but most of these can be preserved. I keep hoping for a good strawberry crop but this year was a wash again. They're too temperature and salt sensitive. Still trying to expand the plum and apple crops and having some success. Plus pumpkins, of course. Just because I like growing them.
In any case, I still keep trying to expand the flowers growing, also. Even if I ever stop trying to grow crops, I want the flowers there for daughter, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. And yes, for me. I do enjoy walking out and seeing a wide variety of colors. Sure a big difference from when I moved in and the first couple of years, when I kept trying to grow flowers for daughter but they kept failing every time. At this point, I have flowers coming up which I don't even recall planting!
No comments:
Post a Comment