spiceoflife's Blog

Surprised Again!
Jan 25, 2008 | 9:14 AM PST

Jeeze, the packet of seeds I bought should have read 60-120 weeks, not 60-120 days to germination! I just had another olive seed sprout after 10 months of waiting! I think I might have figured out why. I had recently moved some plants around in my living room and the flat of old seeds wound up closer to the air register, which meant that it was just that little bit warmer than it had been, and it might have been enough to tip the scales. Regardless, I have now doubled my number of olive trees. :-)

Regards,

Rober
t

Row Cover Update, and a SURPRISE!
Jan 17, 2008 | 4:59 PM PST

Well, I finally made the time and screwed up enough courage to face the result, and the result is that the rowcover was off for a sufficient length of time to kill all but just one or two baby bok choi. Oh well. I ate the last little plants, and at least those were tasty. It's only another two months before I'll put it back up for an early start in the spring.

I know I keep promising to post some pics. It's a good thing I never promised a date, just "soon." So in geological time, it's only been a split second :-p. Soon, honest!

My yard managed to get snow free for a few days early this week due to the unseasonably warm weather. Of course, there's snow out there again, now. And we're supposed to get an inch or two tonight. But then rain again, on Friday.

Surprise!

Way back on March 18 of 2007, yes, 10 months ago! I planted my passion fruit seeds, daturas and some olive pits. Well, as my readers know, my datura's came up pretty good. (There are a few pics in my albums) I managed to get four plants out of those 8 seeds growing and flowering very well (if I do say so myself) outside in the yard. I also have 4 passion fruit vines that are also still going very well inside over the winter, even though they are little light deprived. But the olives never did a thing - until Tuesday of this week! I happened to look in the flat and there was a seedling just breaking through.

I had learned my lesson from growing the avocado plants from the pits. I had never waited long enough for those to sprout until last year when they literally sat on the window sill for 5-6 months before they sprouted. So, this time, even though I had already had half of the seeds in the flat sprout, I kept the soil moist and warm, and I was finally rewarded with a small olive sprout. At least, I'm pretty sure that it's an olive sprout. I had labeled the cover with the contents, and the olive seeds were at one end, but the cover might have gotten turned around. So, I'm hoping it's an olive tree sprout. Regardless, whatever it is, it's been sitting in the flat for 10 months, just waiting for the right time to pop up.

I read someplace (maybe tomclothier or one of the sites referencing Deno) that the first seeds to germinate do not always turn out to be the hardiest ones of the bunch.

I hope this one turns out to be one of those late germinating, hardy ones.

Also, my 32 pomegranate seedlings are doing great. They're all between 2 and 6 inches tall. I need to get them into pots soon, though. They can't stay in the flat much longer. I'm sure they're already rootbound. Andy my longan berry seedlings are about 8 inches tall now. They're also doing well. I've potted one up already.

Pics soon. Really. I promise! And Rachel, you'll like the dragonfruit plant pics. ;-)

Regards,

Rober
t