GT Challenges #16: Seed-Starting Experiment

This is the perfect challenge.
We just received our first order of heirloom seeds. In the past we purchased seeds from the big box stores not thinking about finding them online.
Purple tomatoes, red carrots, even blue potatoes …. I never knew existed. This will be fun fun fun!

-- JTC

excellent!
I look forward to reading about the experiment and the results.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Well now, this is going to be a good one. I’m in – now just need to firgure out what with…

-- There's a box?

The challenge here for me will be to figure out if I can find a different way of doing things. The problem is….I am so use to starting seeds in a way that I know will produce the most successful seedlings for me. I love my little seedlings. I would hate not to give them the best start I can. I know they are ‘just’ little plants, but to me they could be my little babys. Once the seedlings have started their journeys, I look after them and nuture them for many months. That’s a lot of effort and time to gamble on.

Well, I’ll see what I can come with, MsDeb…..........

-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'

maybe a new flower on your list? Something you’ve never tried before?

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I don’t do many seeds my husband loves to do seeds. Maybe I will get him involved:) and both do it together:)

-- I love hostas:)

sounds like a challenge entry in itself—- doing it together!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I love challenges and so choosing an impossible one would be ideal. How about growing a banana tree in the UK from a slice of banana? I might try it and see if it can be done.

Last year I cracked open two cherry stones and found the seed inside with a lot of patience and gently hammering. One of them was damaged in the process but the other was fine. It was the damaged one that sprouted! Out of about 20 stones that’s all I managed to open that could be viable to grow. The others were damaged too much. One tree sapling is looking very healthy in my small plastic greenhouse. I also cracked open an apricot stone and got two seedlings sprouted. I gave one to a friend which she named after me and I have the other in my greenhouse. It seems to be still alive so that’s good. It is said that we cannot grow them in this part of England so I’ll just have to see what happens over the coming years.

When I bought the’American’ cherries I had asked the seller if I could grow them from seed and he said, ‘no’. I felt sorry for him as no doubt he doesn’t want to lose sales but there you go. I hope I get a cherry not too long from now but suffice it to say it probably won’t be this year.

-- Desktopgem

Congratulations on your perseverance and green thub! Many fruit trees are grafted on specific rootstock that have qualities preferred over the wild/ top graft variety. This helps control the size and vigor of the tree, so your original rootstock may grow but may also provide a larger tree and possibly less vigorous than a grafted one. Let’s hope I’m wrong and that your saplings grow well and bear healthy crops!

As far as growing bananas from a sliced banana, I think you’re dealing with undeveloped seeds here. I’ve grown a banana from seed and it was purchased in a packet as a rounded hard shelled nut that I had to score to allow moisture to soak in. It took some weeks to germinate but grew to a lovely miniature plant. Unfortunately it never fruited and has since died, but lived for about 5 years. I believe you need to cut down the plant to grow a new one to fruit.

-- A weed is a plant that is growing where it was not purposefully placed by human hands.

One of my challenges this year is to establish and grow a deer proof vegetable garden. So far I have fenced in several fruit trees that are mere sapplings. The paw paw trees will need to be fenced in before they leaf out even though they are listed on a “deer resistant” list of trees. They are known to even eat the holly leaves, so nothing is sacred when deer are hungry.

I also have a groundhog or two, as one tried to open my front door last week in search of a mate. Gotta’ keep those doors latched!

-- A weed is a plant that is growing where it was not purposefully placed by human hands.

I thought when people say you can’t grow fruit trees from seed it means that it won’t have good fruit on it. The fruits will be bitter.

Speaking of heirloom seeds. Does anyone have any heirloom corn seeds? When I was a kid my mom used to cook the type that had to come off the cob and it had to be boiled in water until the skin broke open and each corn piece had to be peeled before eating; they kind of look like chick peas but flatter and white round, and they tasted like nut. The outer skin was to thick to eat. This kind of corn is not available anymore since those sold are all genetically modified.

I will join the challenge. I already planted strawberries. Not sure how long it takes to start, I am still waiting.
My little boy who grew the cantaloupe started daisies. His seeds already sprouted and they are growing.
He might be more successful this time than I. ;0)