Stratifying Seeds (I Hope)

I took a break from the blog last week because it was New Year's, and in the wake of the Christmas holiday there was nothing much to talk about. I hope that most were able to enjoy a little time off with friends and family.

We are in the heart of winter now, but it's still time for me to begin the preparations for new plants in the spring. I wrote in previous posts that in the fall I collected some seeds from the wild and from plants in the garden. Many of those seeds have to be properly prepared if I am going to sow them for growing this year.

Separating milkweed seeds from the fluff

When we buy packets of seeds from the store or online, they are usually properly prepared and ready to be planted right away. However, the seeds of many plants, especially perennials, have to go through a winter's cold before they are willing to germinate in the spring. This is a protective measure so that seeds do not drop in the fall and begin to sprout, only to be killed by freezing temperatures.

Because I collected these seeds rather than leaving them in the dirt outside, I will need to give them a simulated winter inside before I can use them in the spring. This process is called stratification. this is something I have never tried before and I am hoping that it works, giving me productive seeds to start a little later this year.

Milkweed seeds ready for a cold treatment

To stratify the seeds, I needed some kind of medium to hold them during the process. Many experts have recommended a variety of options including vermiculite, perlite, and sand. I have chosen fine peat moss, made from decomposed sphagnum. I purchased it from a garden store, so it is sterile, meaning that it should be free from diseases and unwanted seeds from weeds.

Peat Moss

I took a bit of peat moss from the sealed packaging and added some water in a bowl. I then nestled the seeds in the dampened moss. Dampening the moss is supposed to allow the seeds to absorb some moisture, helping prepare them for eventual germination.

I put each bunch of seeds into small plastic resealable bags. After a few days at room temperature to encourage the seeds to take up some moisture, I put those bags in the refrigerator. I chose the bottom drawer of the refrigerator because that tends to be the coldest place without freezing.

I am currently stratifying for different species: Common Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Jimson Weed, and Common Mullein. Stratification times can vary widely for different types of seeds, but for these particular species I think that about a month will be enough time in the cooler. 

I am very hopeful that this process will yield positive results come spring. If it does not work out though, it was at least an interesting learning experience.

New plants and giveaways

I have been very busy in the garden lately. I have added a number of new plants to the garden, and most things are coming along very nicely. I have also been waging a losing battle with the weeds, digging them out with a full shovel.

One of my new additions is pole beans. I have made another trellis for them out of sticks from the woods. The bluebirds love to perch on it, but I haven't gotten a picture of it yet. The beans are sprouted and looking very healthy. Hopefully I can keep the critters off of them.

notice the bloodmeal sprinkled about to discourage critters

I have sown some new root vegetables too. I am trying two varieties of carrots, both heirlooms, of course, one white and one orange. They have not germinated yet, but I hope they will soon. I planted beets as well, and they are doing very well so far.

I also received some generous gifts for the garden over the weekend. Ike Mumma of the NPS at Antietam National Battlefield brought over an Alaskan cabbage plant. After seeing the garden on a visit to the house, a couple from Hagerstown brought an heirloom yellow tomato plant to add to the garden. Both are now in the garden and doing well so far.

Mr. Mumma's cabbage - flanked by mint springs to deter the critters

The new tomato

Other plants in the garden are doing very well, and already I am harvesting tasty things! My first plantings of red radishes are ready, so I have been pulling those. Some are sweet and others hot. Strawberries are also coming in and they sure are sweet and tasty!

Other plants out here in the garden are doing a little bit too well. I have a number of herbs that are spreading too much and need to be cut back. I hate to just throw them away though, so I am looking for people who are interested in taking some plants for themselves. Here is the list of plants that are available for the taking:

Peppermint

St. John's Wort

Lemon Balm

Oregano

Marjoram

Sage

Lamb's Ear

Rue

Let me know if you are interested. I would rather they go to good homes than the compost pile.

mint, St. John's wort, lemon balm

Enemies in the Garden

It has been a while since my last post, but the garden is progressing. As it gets warmer outside, more beds in the garden are being filled, some with pretty plants, others with weeds. Unfortunately all of this warm weather has also brought out some of my sworn enemies.

Public Enemy No. 1: The Groundhog

I planted my cabbages in the garden recently, much to the delight of the groundhog, who quickly nibbled most of them to nubs before I got any deterrents into place. Thankfully that is all she has seen fit to devour thus far, but it is very frustrating.

The National Park Service is attempting to trap the groundhog, but after a week the miserable little rodent is proving too smart to take the bait.

For now my best line of defense is sprinkling bloodmeal on the ground in each of the vulnerable beds. It seems to be working for now, though perhaps she has simply already eaten the choicest greens and will wait to return for more.

I intend several other tactics to repel furry pests of all stripes. This will include spraying vulnerable greens with cayenne pepper water, planting mints, calendula (pot marigolds), borage, or other plants which may discourage pests, and placing cotton bags of pet hair near the vegetables. If you have any other methods of passive resistance to recommend, please share them!

Public Enemy No. 2: Field Bindweed

Field Bindweed is a non-native, very invasive perennial plant. It is a relative of the Morning Glory and also has a rather attractive flower when in bloom. Unfortunately is also grows incredibly fast and out of control, strangling other plants and climbing on just about every surface imaginable. It spreads both by seed and by an unbelievably impressive root system which can grow many feet deep. It is also resistant to chemical herbicides of various stripes.

Bindweed has taken up residence in the Pry Garden and there seems to be very little I can do about it, short of constantly pulling it's surface shoots as quickly as I find them. The speed of the plant's growth is genuinely amazing. It threatens to strangle just about everything in the garden if left unchecked.

Enemies of the small and multi-legged persuasion are not yet a real problem, but that is merely a matter of time. My first current line of defense is planting some sacrificial crops near my vulnerable plants. I have planted radishes among my cabbages and peas, which will hopefully be more attractive to pests like flea beetles. When the time comes for worrying about cutworms, I will be employing protective rings to deter those nasty critters. Slugs are already an observable presence in the garden; my tactic with these slimy pests will be beer traps, something that has worked very well for me in the past. Slugs are attracted by containers of beer, in which they promptly drown. The possible pests are quite diverse, and I will likely wait and see what will be a problem before I go too crazy with my preemptive tactics.