Garden thread

LoveyChar wrote: »

You all are an inspiration and just being here is helping me to learn and do more!

I have a question...

First of all I just bought my first sprouted plants - cherry tomatoes and jalapenos. I bought three types of herb seeds - lavender, parsley, rosemary plus I bought bell pepper seeds.

Here's the question: have you ever bought a piece of fruit or a vegetable from the store and were successful in planting the fruit's seed to watch it grow? I can't plant an apple tree in my tiny backyard. But even if you did, I'd love to hear about it. I'm looking for something that doesn't take up much room. Thank you!

I don't have a green thumb at all but I've had really good luck sprouting scallions, onions, celery, and lettuce from scraps that I would otherwise have thrown out. Celery bases that looked really old and dead were doing really well in pots and are now thriving in my garden. Not fruits of course, but an easy way to get some garden success. The scallions grow well indoors. There's a video that I found helpful https://lifehacker.com/how-to-grow-vegetables-from-kitchen-scraps-1842858616

I've tried to plant seeds from my grocery store Meyer lemons and they never grow. I figure I'll eventually get some good seeds if I keep trying. I want a free lemon tree. lol

Unfortunately I am too far north for rosemary be a perennial. Sage on the other hand . . . I love roasted veggies with crispy sage, as well as various squash soups.

LoveyChar wrote: »

You all are an inspiration and just being here is helping me to learn and do more!

I have a question...

First of all I just bought my first sprouted plants - cherry tomatoes and jalapenos. I bought three types of herb seeds - lavender, parsley, rosemary plus I bought bell pepper seeds.

Here's the question: have you ever bought a piece of fruit or a vegetable from the store and were successful in planting the fruit's seed to watch it grow? I can't plant an apple tree in my tiny backyard. But even if you did, I'd love to hear about it. I'm looking for something that doesn't take up much room. Thank you!

I have a friend who has successfully grown cherry tomatoes seeds from tomatoes he was eating. I am going to try this too. We are making a dish containing fresh tomatoes tonight.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/planting-tomato-slices.htm

I have no proof, but I have some suspicion that the preservation methods for some commercial fruits/veggies these days have an effect on seed viability, or that in some cases, the hybridization (or growing techniques) to produce no/small/few/soft seeds at market ripeness (nicer for the eater) has rendered some less germination viable as a percentage of seeds.

Back in the day (1970s-80s), I sprouted a lot of citrus seeds, and routinely sprouted avocado seeds, then had both around as houseplants (no fruit indoors in Michigan! ) for years. Recent experiments have been much, much less successful. Don't actually know why, but do realize that stabilization of "fresh" fruit now can involve irradiation, storage in gas-filled sealed spaces, and who knows what else, so have wondered if there's a relationship.

For sure, the creation of varieties with no (or soft/small/immature) seeds is a bigger thing now. Ever wonder where seedless watermelons come from: Immaculate conception? Clones? (Kidding: Obviously, seeds, but the varieties came from hybridization.) Pretty sure immature/soft seeds have been pursued in breeding other things in which we eat the seeds, too.

LoveyChar wrote: »

@moonangel12 @AnnPT77 @summery79 @ReenieHJ @apogee Thank you for your input and sharing your experience, very interesting. I'm in zone 8a and I'm pretty sure that rosemary is a perennial here...I think so...we'll see...

Sage and mint are both herbs I'd like to try to plant one day plus basil and oregano.

Today I planted 31 Bell Pepper seeds.
(snip nice photo)

Sage: Easy, I'd buy plant(s) but seed usually works.

Mint: Way, way toooo easy, generally, one of the worst garden thugs. Plant in isolated pot! I'd buy a (one) plant that you like the scent/flavor of, because they're quite variable.

Basil: Conventional types, plant seed. Annual, and they grow fast, flower (too) soon from plants, and there isn't much speed advantage. Suggestion: Get a packet. Plant them around your tomato seedlings. By the time the small tomato seedling needs its whole spot, the basil will be big enough to cut and use.

Oregano: Definitely buy plants. These can be super variable from seed, and you probably don't need many plants. Buying the plant, you know what flavor you're getting. Seeds, you invest a good bit of time before you find out. Some are seriously "meh".

Just my opinions.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

LoveyChar wrote: »

@moonangel12 @AnnPT77 @summery79 @ReenieHJ @apogee Thank you for your input and sharing your experience, very interesting. I'm in zone 8a and I'm pretty sure that rosemary is a perennial here...I think so...we'll see...

Sage and mint are both herbs I'd like to try to plant one day plus basil and oregano.

Today I planted 31 Bell Pepper seeds.
(snip nice photo)

Sage: Easy, I'd buy plant(s) but seed usually works.

Mint: Way, way toooo easy, generally, one of the worst garden thugs. Plant in isolated pot! I'd buy a (one) plant that you like the scent/flavor of, because they're quite variable.

Basil: Conventional types, plant seed. Annual, and they grow fast, flower (too) soon from plants, and there isn't much speed advantage. Suggestion: Get a packet. Plant them around your tomato seedlings. By the time the small tomato seedling needs its whole spot, the basil will be big enough to cut and use.

Oregano: Definitely buy plants. These can be super variable from seed, and you probably don't need many plants. Buying the plant, you know what flavor you're getting. Seeds, you invest a good bit of time before you find out. Some are seriously "meh".

Just my opinions.

Good, good stuff...I appreciate the advice and sharing your experience. For everything I bought seedwise, I bought the expensive coated seeds called 'Sow Easy.' They're supposed to grow easier (I really won't have a comparison, though).

Afterthought on mint cultivation: It can be a freebie. In a good bit of the country, you'll find it growing streamside usually in semi-open shade/partial sun. They're darned close to everywhere in the US, very common, even in cities.

Look for the square (cross-section) stems, look online to recognize the leaf-form, usually a little crinkly and scallop-edged. They're fairly low-growing plants. Here (Michigan) some of the wild forms have reddish stems. If it looks close, pick a leaf and crush: You'll know - strong mint scent. I can't speak for other parts of the country (but I'll bet it's true elsewhere, too ): None of the plants I can think of that cause contact dermatitis (think poison ivy, among others) look at all like it. (Stinging nettle, Urtica sp., is about the closest I can think of, and it's a taller thing with fine hairs, where most common wild US mints - Mentha sp. - are not hairy.)

Make sure you're in a place where it's legal to take wild plant material, dig up a little chunk with some roots, keep the roots damp, plant in similar light conditions at home and keep moist. Easy.

The university rowing team rigger (boat maint. guy) told me he'd never seen mint growing on the river where we row. One day, I pulled a tiny sproutlet that was growing in a crack between plastic-composite planks on our dock, and handed it to him. Stuff is common there, too.

I bought chocolate mint, spearmint, and peppermint this year - all in their cozy pots lemon balm is potted as well. I remember reading an article years ago about a guy who had a massive mint garden with tons of varieties- what a dream!

Spent all day in the garden(s) getting things cleaned up, seedlings planted, seeds in he ground (someni forgot needed soaking so they will go out tomorrow or Monday). I am pooped! Took some masks to a couple from church and she took me on a tour of her yard. All hardy perennials, most with a story to go with them. She gifted me several things including these massive hens and chicks (or bitties depending on how far south you go). She pulled up a huge sheet of them for me! I have them in a few spots around the yard, really hoping they will take to the rock beds.

@acpgee I saw your post on the produce thread about how to plant tomato slices and I read the blog. Let us know how it goes.

summery79 wrote: »

LoveyChar wrote: »

You all are an inspiration and just being here is helping me to learn and do more!

I have a question...

First of all I just bought my first sprouted plants - cherry tomatoes and jalapenos. I bought three types of herb seeds - lavender, parsley, rosemary plus I bought bell pepper seeds.

Here's the question: have you ever bought a piece of fruit or a vegetable from the store and were successful in planting the fruit's seed to watch it grow? I can't plant an apple tree in my tiny backyard. But even if you did, I'd love to hear about it. I'm looking for something that doesn't take up much room. Thank you!

I don't have a green thumb at all but I've had really good luck sprouting scallions, onions, celery, and lettuce from scraps that I would otherwise have thrown out. Celery bases that looked really old and dead were doing really well in pots and are now thriving in my garden. Not fruits of course, but an easy way to get some garden success. The scallions grow well indoors. There's a video that I found helpful https://lifehacker.com/how-to-grow-vegetables-from-kitchen-scraps-1842858616

I've tried to plant seeds from my grocery store Meyer lemons and they never grow. I figure I'll eventually get some good seeds if I keep trying. I want a free lemon tree. lol

Do you put your scallions in water in the sun? I just started some in the house but don't have a sunny window. They come out real thin in the house so I'm thinking of keeping them outside and later planting in a few pots, I go through a lot in my salads.

If you all can find it I found a new-to-me mint in Green Acres, not sure if it's in other places aside of this area. It's berries and cream and it's amazing in water. I had a chocolate mint but rarely used it and normally use my other mint in water, should've bought peppermint too but already went crazy buying every basil variety. Also have stinky catnip but my cats don't care for it, only one who does is one of the ferals I feed.