First a video re “Planting Garlic”, then some pics of Tree Collard Planting (below the video):
Planting Garlic 3 of 6 (video):
Tree Collard Planting (pics):
The tree collard cuttings to be planted next to our sidewalk garlic bed came from this full grown tree collard. We harvest collard leaves to eat; the stalks leftover become cuttings to be propagated.
Tree collard cuttings to be propagated. Draw a line between the pruners and the leather sheath – that’s the expected soil line for the cuttings.
Tree collard cuttings left to thrive in water till planted SOON! The bucket contained rainwater and fallen leaves, a rich organic soup for the cuttings. Bacteria, fungi, and microbes in the water? Absolutely! And perhaps that’s a good thing. When I find out I’ll get back to you.
For more of Tony’s blog entries on tree collard, see:
First a video re “Planting Garlic”, then some pics of Soil Making in Leaf Trench Highway (below the video):
Planting Garlic 2 of 6 (video):
Soil Making in Leaf Trench Highway (pics):
Leaf Trench Highway, a fedge (food hedge) and soil-making trench along our garden path. The veggie bed lasagna layer of compostables include (bottom to top): alfalfa straw, fresh greens (prunings and weeds), dead sticks and leaves, hay straw, hot (newer) horse manure, compost soil, mulch, and plants growing through the mulch.
View from Salamander Resort (the barrel pond is Salamander Sunny Swimhole) to Leaf Trench Highway. The “highway” refers to the trench’s habitat connectivity ability – the habitat food forest trench is a pathway between Salamander Resort animal habitat AND Cottage Pond animal habitat, which is under the deck in the background.
See blog entry 20121120 Patio Veggie Pots 6 of 6 for more pics of soil making in Leaf Trench Highway AND how the veggie bed not only makes soil but also provides animal habitat and habitat connectivity.
Skyward Pumpkin harvested, taken down from its altar in the crosshatch of bamboo teepee trellis poles. Note the forced out-of-round shape; almost hurts to look at! Also notice the cozy spider web in the cracked-open vine. A red-backed Thompson’s jumper is tucked away, hoping we will GO AWAY!
Millipede in Skyward Pumpkin vine. So much for hiding – this millipede was very concealed in the pumpkin vine till I split the vine open to look for critters. Judging from the mess in its room, I would guess this is an adolescent millipede 🙂 . Note the hollow structure of the vine that invited the millipede in; I have cracked the vine in two, spreading the halves open like a book.
Skyward Millipede on the move, all kazillion legs. Note the millipede’s segmented antennae and how each body segment has 2 legs on each side of the body. Watch out, millipede, you're headed for Skyward Pumpkin’s butt crack!
Skyward Millipede further on down the road. How graceful!
Figure 4.194Right Side Up. Some of this millipede’s characteristics include: doesn’t bite (but does release a cyanide-based fluid that STINKS!), mostly a scavenger of organic debris, short antennae, slow crawler, legs are tucked under the body. Most of those characteristics are in contrast with a centipede’s: centipedes are fast, long-antennaed, predatory, and pack a mean bite. Figure 4.195 Up Side Down. Same millipede, probably more annoyed at this point.
Happy planting garlic, onions, and shallots and see you tomorrow.
You have landed on Day 6 in this 6-day series of videos depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
First some pumpkin pics:
Day 1 = flowers
Day 2 = vine
Day 3 = new fruit
Day 4 = green manure
Day 5 = seed saving
Today = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Seed Planting
Recording seeds used with camera, a portable note taker. These seeds were used to plant Straw Bale Recliner veggie bed, the planting area alongside our sidewalk. We planted first week of July and had a lush patch of sunflowers and pumpkin this fall. Skyward Pumpkins grew in this patch, from these seeds.
Seed Mixing Bowl with mostly green manure seeds -- vetch, fava bean, red clover, and white clover. I am a greedy planter; I want it all! I want my intended crop, perhaps some insectary plants to attract pollinators, and I want some green manure. Note that in the above bowl of seed, I mixed in soil. The soil will allow me to more thoroughly mix the seeds and give them bulk for my inexact hand dispersal (sometimes over my left shoulder).
Mycorrhizae to dust seeds before planting. Improves germination, plant survival, root development, plant happiness, plant emotional security -- JUST USE IT!
Dusted Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds. The black dust is mycorrhizae spore; the granules might be spore, might be a nutrient. The black and white-striped seeds (left) are mammoth sunflower. The solid white seeds (top right) are pumpkin.
Planting out a sunflower-pumpkin patch. Spore-dusted seeds sprinkled and ready to go. Bed half planted (might be siesta!).
Covering planted seeds with a layer of rice straw to provide mulch and to protect the seeds. The thin layer of straw will provide enough cover to deter birds and other critters from eating the seed, will keep water from washing the seeds away, and will discourage neighborhood cats from claiming the veggie bed as a litter box.
Pumpkin plant on its way! Note how the seed husk was lifted out of the soil and through the mulch layer by the young plant. Also note how the mulch is in place at germination -- the plant does not have to be disturbed -- it and its mulch pack are ready to go. Just add water and sunlight.
Young Sunflower Plant boasting its seed husk. Note the delicate young red-purple amaranth seedlings off to the right of the sunflower seedling.
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 6 of 6
You have landed on Day 5 in this 6-day series of videos depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
First some pumpkin pics:
Day 1 = flowers
Day 2 = vine
Day 3 = new fruit
Day 4 = green manure
Today = seed saving
Day 6 = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Seed Saving
Cold Storage Pumpkin. These pumpkin have been stored a few months since harvested last fall. Each pumpkin has seeds, so if the fruit does not look edible, perhaps it will provide good seed in a month. That fresh, viable seed can be dried, then planted. Note how the pumpkins were stored in an apple box; its pocket-hole liner allowed good ventilation UNDER the fruit.
Dandelion seed in bowl. A high-sided bowl was used to dry this light, easy-to-blow-away seed.
Drying Tomato Seed. A lot of moisture here; to protect the bookshelf (tray of seeds will be stored above to dry) a plastic cafeteria tray, newspaper, and office paper are used to soak up the tomato’s juices. Note the use of the fruit labels for easy labeling.
Sunflower drying over winter. A corner of this room is used to dry the sunflower because A LOT of debris will fall to the ground. A dropcloth under the drying stalks makes cleanup/harvesting fallen seed easier.
Sunflower head, dried, ready to have its seeds harvested.
Harvesting Sunflower Seed. I like to also harvest the dry pulp from the head and mix it in with the seed before planting. Benefit unknown re mixing in the pulp, but my gut likes the idea.
Harvesting Callendula Seed in a bucket. The still-alive and well plant is leaned into the bucket so that those seeds that are ready to fall will will not scatter and be lost (unharvested).
Yes, seed collecting is fun. And, don’t forget partly why we do it — to increase food producion and increase biodiversity. So what happens to those critters that get captured during our seed harvesting? Start by giving them a break!
Allowing critters to escape from seed harvesting might be as easy as providing them access out. In this example, the bucket was rested on its side to allow critters to crawl out. Note the tucked-up-against-the-bucket hose bib. Nice to give the critters a chance to escape, but would be a bummer to have a breeze roll the bucket and dump all the seed — Nature’s way of saying, “These seeds belong HERE!” Note the escaping Thompson Jumper spider on the right.
Weevils Trapped In Holyhock Seed Bag. The pruners are being used to keep the trapped weevils from having to spend months in a plastic bag. Besides clearing my conscious (one of the weevils could be Grandpa Tony!), I also want to free these glorious ambassadors of biodiversity because they pollinated the holyhock in the first place.
Hey gang! I found it — this is the way out.
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 6 of 6
You have landed on Day 4 in this 6-day series of videos depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
First some pumpkin pics:
Day 1 = flowers
Day 2 = vine
Day 3 = new fruit
Today = green manure
Day 5 = seed saving
Day 6 = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Green Manure
Squash grown for green manure to establish new planting bed. The over-planted (like WAY TOO MANY!!!) squash and pumpkin vines will be harvested to create soil. Likewise, the vines could be "chop-and-drop'ed" in place and covered with soil -- the vines would become a rich source of compostable material as microbes, fungi, and critters (insects, etc.) break it down.
Tony harvests green manure (squash vines) to feed earthworms. Those are not just squash vines that have grown ridiculously abundandant. Those are sheets of moisture, sponges of sugar, and whole communities of resident microbes/insects. Earthworm bin, compost pile, under a new soil mound, the harvested squash vine is a delicacy for the garden.
Sure, composting can be rewarding. But frankly, I hate turning the pile. Permaculture slacker! But I do try to make up for some of my sins. My favorite use of green manure is to pile it and mound soil over it. I try to imagine the busy life of microbes/crawly critters/earthworms/mollusks/a rooting skunk all working the pile. Indentured servitude in my soil mound, and I have no guilt! In fact, I have provided jobs.
Green Manure from Norwegian Hill Basket.
Harvest from Norwegian Hill Basket. The fruit is nice, it's food. The squash flowers are very nice to have; they can be breaded and fried for a delicacy. The green manure, and a piled high wheelbarrow of it!, is Life worth living for, realized dreams, a reason to keep on going. We now have organic material to create healthier soil. Talk about riches!
And my favorite use of green manure — burying it. For one, I believe plants above the mound will have an easier time sending roots into the warm soil. Roots that seek the warmth and nutritious moisture that the breaking down greens provide will send roots along the loosely packed decayin greens and grow far and wide.
Leaf Trench Highway filled with green manure, including squash greens. LTH, our soil-making trench, stores our green mulch for six months to a year. The greens are layered with other garden assets, like brown leaves, rotten fruit, and twigs according to REMP standards. Invented by you, whenever you find the time, Real Estate Marketting Principles, are very effective in the garden -- what can you do to have microbes and critters big and small want to move in your mix of organics. For one, water the area. Once you attract the critters and microbes, relax. Harvest your compost-rich soil when ready.
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 4 of 6
You have landed on Day 3 in this 6-day series of videos depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
First some pumpkin pics:
Day 1 = flowers
Day 2 = vine
Today = new fruit
Day 4 = green manure
Day 5 = seed saving
Day 6 = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Young Pumpkin in Percy's Pearmain Portal. Note the thick stem, a sign that this pumpkin is going to be a biggy! Also note how the stem comes off the vine at a 90-degree angle, which will allow the vine to sit on top of the soon-to-be large pumpkin. Note the shriveled, dieing off flower. See the next pic, which shows this pumpkin's growth a month later.
Adolescent pumpkin (maybe Junior High). Note 1) how the vine was dragged up on top of the pumpkin (the vine was alongside the fruit when younger; see previous pic) so that the growing pumpkin would not pull away from the vine. With the vine on top and pumpkin below, why wanting the fruit to come off of the vine at a 90 degree angle (as mentioned in previous pic) becomes clearer.
Young pumpkin growing across Rock Birdbath. Note how quickly the fruit has grown yet the vine is not very developed beyond it. Also note how the young pumpkin still has the shriveled flower attached.
Years later, I am starting to really have fun with the lushness, almost unreasonable growth, of pumpkin vine.
Skyward Netted Pumpkin. Now this project has been fun! My goal was to have a pumpkin grow in the air, suspended off the ground. This pumpkin almost made it to the top, that is, to the crossing bamboo poles, where I was wanting a pumpkin to hang out for a while – at least till Halloween. Spore Lore’s blog entry, 20121030 Skyward Pumpkins and Happy Halloween, tells all.
Skyward Netted Pumpkin -- close-up view. Note the thick stem, 90-degree stem, and the black plastic landscape netting that supports the weight of the pumpkin in the air on the not-so-strong vine.
And my favorite of the year…drumroll, please!
Skyward Nestled Pumpkin -- close-up view. At last, a pumpkin vine has climbed up to the very crotch of the bamboo teepee AND fruited in a perfect orientation to wedge itself in FOREVER! You do it – I am not going to be the one to tell Skyward Nestled Pumpkin it’s time to move on.
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 3 of 6
You have landed on Day 2 in this 6-day series of videos depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
First some pumpkin pics:
Day 1 = flowers
Today = vine
Day 3 = new fruit
Day 4 = green manure
Day 5 = seed saving
Day 6 = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Pumpkin vine undergrowth. Note the older (dark green) segments of vine and the male flowers (far right) with their tall thin stalks.
Banana squash vine climbing up into pine tree in author's garden. Although not a pumpkin, the vine is very similar to a pumpkin vine. Pumpkins are a type of squash -- all pumpkins are squash but not all squash are pumpkin (very new proverb).
Banana squash vine climbs higher into the pine tree. Note what an adept climber the vine is, sending curled tendrils out in front to grab hold of/wrap around ANYTHING.
Pumpkin vine growing up a bamboo trellis pole. The "curly tendrils" (see above pic) on the right, will lead in front up the climbing-for-the-sun vine, wrap around the pole, and support the vine as it continues to bear fruit and grow higher. Note 1) the intentionally left branch stub on the home-harvested bamboo pole, and 2) how nicely that hold-on point secures a soft hanger for the vine (always carry more hair ties than you need for your hair and a few extra rubberbands).
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 2 of 6
Now that Halloween is over (in a couple of hours), I want to run through what to do with the seeds from pumpkin carving. The next few days will be a new video each day depicting the fine art of collecting/processing/storing pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Oh, about seeds, so glad I can legally harvest from the pumpkin that we have — that might not be the case some day if we lose food freedoms from mega agriculture corporations. Keep food (and seeds) available to the people — vote Prop 37 (California)!!!
First some pumpkin pics:
Today = flowers
Day 2 = vine
Day 3 = new fruit
Day 4 = green manure
Day 5 = seed saving
Day 6 = seed planting
THEN a video re “Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds”. 6 videos (1/day) for the series!
Male pumpkin flowers have a long thin stalk as long as a foot from the vine. These flowers are pollen suppliers -- they will not die back and leave a fruit underneath the shriveled petals, as do the female flowers.
A female pumpkin flower being pollinated by a small swarm of midges.
Female pumpkin flower with typical bulbous base, close to the vine. Too early to tell whether pollination was successful -- the fresh petals tell me that this flower bloomed the night before or early this morning. The petals will die back by the next day. If she is not pollinated, the small base will shrivel up and fall off the vine. If she is pollinated, the flower petals will still die back, but the bulbous base will grow bigger -- a pumpkin is born!
European Honey Bees gather pollen in a squash flower. Note 1) the dusting of pollen on the bees' entire body; 2) the chamber-like ovule of this female flower; and, 3) the nectariferous area, or the inside bowl , that collects falling nectar -- sticky and hairy!
An interesting blog explaining pumpkin flower pollination, including hand-pollination (being your own pollinator): Pumpkin Nook
Saving Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Seeds — 1 of 6
