tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186177640158310372024-02-28T15:41:37.682-08:00World Seed Cultivation DatabaseWORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-91107290190229652572012-08-10T15:07:00.001-07:002012-08-10T15:07:21.004-07:00World Seed Supply Supports “Dragibus” Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I first heard about <em>Dragibus</em> magazine, I saw potential in the concept but was skeptical of whether the end-product would actually live up to this vision. I had an idea in mind. But I’d have to see it to know what to think. For those of you who have not yet heard about this new publication, it is a quarterly print magazine focusing on entheogens, specifically the botany, history and cultivation of such. After receiving my copy of the first ever issue in the mail, I am happy to admit that the product has the potential to live up to that vision.</div>
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Much of the information circulating about the entho community has been recycled many times. Much of the “common knowledge” that people share is based on information that people have originally drawn from what I consider to be a considerably limited number of print sources. And although we regard a lot of the authors of these publications as experts, the authors themselves would tell you that the real experts are indigenous people who have much longer histories with plants we’re (comparatively) just beginning to discover. This is where experts themselves are going to learn. At the same time, modern society also has an affinity for scientific methods that can take this knowledge to the next level. So really, expanding the collective knowledge about entheogens comes about by researching more into historical use and by doing scientific research with plants.</div>
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A periodical on the subject of ethnobotanicals offers a forum for this type of activity to take place and a mode of disseminating the knowledge. Unlike print books, the periodical format offers the unique opportunity for the progressive exploration of topics. Each issue builds upon what has previously been printed, and new knowledge determines what topics are “current”. So I guess to put it simply, my vision involves a progressive flow of current topics and new research that will expand the collective knowledge of enthos even further.</div>
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On an aesthetic level, <em>Dragibus</em> is printed on high-quality paper with a sturdy cover that exceeds what most well-established magazines have to offer. Aside from this, the outside and inside covers at both ends of the magazine are designed with high-quality photography. The latter half of the issue is also generously packed with images of acacia confusa in Taiwan as they pertain to an article on exactly that. This gives the feel that you are reading a book that you’d keep in your library, not a magazine that you’d keep on your toilet and then discard.</div>
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<em>Dragibus</em>, judging by the first issue, has a satisfying diversity of topics. The first article, “Trichocereus and the Chavin: A Love Story” offers a look into the Chavin culture that once existed in modern-day Ancash, Peru. The article presents specific factual information regarding the archaeology and history of the temple of Chavin de Huantar, changing pace in the latter part of the article as it gives way to a creative interpretation of what an experience in the temple might have been like. If this article were a liberal arts student, it would major in history and minor in creative writing.</div>
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Another article, “Kratom Te’j: A modern Approach to an Ancient Beverage”, introduces the topic of using medicinal herbs to replace hops in the brewing process. This article may be appealing simply on its insight into the brewing process. But the article also introduces readers to the Ethiopian beverage called T’ej, a traditional type of alcoholic beverage. What you cannot expect to find anywhere else, though, is a recipe that modifies the process for making this traditional beverage using kratom (mitragyna speciosa) as a bittering agent. Hopefully this is the type of progressive knowledge we can expect from a publication like <em>Dragibus</em>, and with plans for follow-up articles centering on additional herbal brewing recipes, it would seem promising that we can.</div>
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<em>Dragibus </em>ends by taking us offshore, with a 9-page article on Acacia Confusa in Taiwan. Aside from the high-quality photos, this article offers far more than what you’re likely to get out of a Wikipedia article. Wikipedia is relevant not just because it epitomizes what the collective knowledge on a subject usually is, but because this article is also arranged by subject headings. In this case, the article covers seven different aspects of the tree. “Traditional Use in Taiwan” is among these subjects. Although the article indicates there being a fairly limited tradition of entheogenic use for this plant in Taiwan, the article does offer brief insight into the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan based on the author’s <em>actual</em>interactions with these people. An anecdote involving another plant and the author’s interaction with an aborigine man is humorous in its depiction of their rudimentary attempt at communication. But the limitations on communication coupled with what actually seems to have been conveyed leaves further room for study of the culture. Few of us have access to this type of experience ourselves. We’re not likely to find aborigines surfing the internet posting their firsthand accounts. But with plans for follow-up articles on the subject,<em> Dragibus</em> at least offers access to where we cannot personally go.</div>
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We can all look back on classic articles by pioneers like Gordon Wasson and Richard Evan Shultes and see what kinds of profound contributions they made to modern knowledge of entheogens. Original copies of these articles, such as the May 1957 copy of<em>Life</em> magazine featuring Gordon Wasson’s work with psilocybin mushrooms in Mexico, are considered collectible today. They are part of history. But every discipline thrives on continuing education and discussion of current events within that field. What will be the<em>Life</em> articles of today when we look back in fifty years? With only one issue in circulation,<em>Dragibus</em> is certainly in its infancy. It would be premature to make any type of predictions about its future. But we’re here following from Day One, and we would certainly recommend that anyone with a genuine interest in entheogens have a look at <em>Dragibus</em>.</div>
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You can find out more about <em>Dragibus</em> at <a href="http://www.dragibusmag.com/" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dragibusmag.com/</a></div>
</div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-61201072235035142692012-02-19T22:21:00.000-08:002012-02-19T22:28:01.362-08:00World Seed Supply’s Easy Guide to Morning Glory Growing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj348owdU7Hq2VSQWpP5VWTgVhtAV-rg15YVYL77KbwS-MAAAGKHHxCNAO9vxu7Pd-zVKbbUnD8i6zLmtTdz7UoE54vgikDn6YxJmNXHePUWOlgfuJXkLSM8dpLQ3jB93lccw0X0WKTQaQP/s1600/morning_glory.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj348owdU7Hq2VSQWpP5VWTgVhtAV-rg15YVYL77KbwS-MAAAGKHHxCNAO9vxu7Pd-zVKbbUnD8i6zLmtTdz7UoE54vgikDn6YxJmNXHePUWOlgfuJXkLSM8dpLQ3jB93lccw0X0WKTQaQP/s320/morning_glory.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Morning Glories are a classical favorite, and they are the first flowers many new growers start out growing. Morning glories are the ideal starting point for new growers because they are easy to grow, can withstand a wide range of environments and they have amazing coloration. The following guide will outline some basic instructions that can be used for ipomoea tricolor, ipomoea nil and ipomoea purpurea, which includes popular forms such as Heavenly Blue Morning Glory Morning Glory, Flying Saucers, Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory, Pearly Gates and Scarlet O’Hara Morning Glory. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Morning glories can be grown in pots or in the ground. But most growers choose to grow morning glories in the ground because they can take up a lot of root space. On the other hand, growers who do not have ground space, such as urban growers, have no choice. In that case, it is important to select the largest pot possible. You want something that is large enough to grow tomatoes. A two foot diameter pot that is about 1.5 feet high is sufficient. You will also need a good amount of soil to fill this pot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Morning Glories can grow in most soil types, even poor soils that you might not expect to be good for growing plants. In fact, morning glories actually seem to prefer average soil over very fertile soil. Average soil will give you better flower production in most cases. The soil should also be loose and well-draining. If you’re growing in containers, you want to add extra drainage because containers tend to cause soil to become more compact and less well-draining. Perlite, a type of volcanic glass that resembles little white balls of pumice, is a great additive to potted soils to keep it airy and well-draining. If you’re adding perlite, mix in about ¼ the volume of your total soil mixture. If you do not have perlite, you can also mix in about 1/3 sand. You should avoid soils that are high in clay though because they are most easily compacted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">If you’re growing in the ground, then you might want to prepare your bed in advance. Unprepared ground tends to be compact if you’ve never grown anything in that area. So you just want to till the soil with something such as a shovel or garden hoe to loosen it up a little. Four to five inches is deep enough. If you already have a flower bed or planter, your soil might be loose enough already. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Morning Glories, being a vine, require structure to climb. Morning glories can sprawl out along the ground, but if you have any other plants in the same area, the morning glories are likely to overtake them. When selecting your site, you usually want to utilize the morning glory’s climbing tendency to decorate your landscape. The mailbox is one great place to grow morning glories. Just dig out a small bed around the post of your mailbox and allow your morning glories to climb up and around your box. You may have to train the plants in the beginning to find their way up. But after the first few vines find their way up, the newer vines will use them to latch onto. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Other common structures that people use for growing morning glories include trellis, chain link fences, lattice, gutter leaders, bushes, telephone poles and even wires. If you want to assist your vines in starting up something like a wooden post, you can hammer in a few U-nails and guide the young tips of the plant through them. If you’re growing in containers, you can either place the entire pot near this type of existing structure, or you can use a tomato cage. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Aside from choosing a location that offers structure to climb, sunlight is important. Morning glories can sometimes engulf surrounding plants because they are gluttons when it comes to light. It is best to choose a location in full sun. You can still get plants to grow in less light, but they will usually have fewer blooms. Due to their high light preference, morning glories are usually not grown indoors, although they can be if you use supplemental lighting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Although morning glories are not usually grown to maturity indoors, it is quite common to start them indoors to get an early start on the season. Morning glories transplant well, and the early start may mean quicker blooming. If you’re in a warmer climate, you are probably better off starting outdoors to keep things simple and keep your windows free for other plants with more pressing needs. However, you may just want to start the seedlings indoors for the first week or two just because it is easier to control germination conditions indoors. In the north, starting indoors will give you a head start and give you something to do while it is still cold outside. But starting indoors is not necessary to get nice morning glory blooms by summer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Many grow guides suggest pretreatment for your morning glory seeds. Most commonly, these guides recommend nicking the seed coat and soaking the morning glory seeds in water for 24 hours prior to planting. These are techniques that are commonly employed for Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds as well. The two flowers are in the same family. But Hawaiian Baby Woodrose has a hard seed coat, and so these techniques are much more appropriate. The morning glory seed coat is much softer, and moisture has no problem penetrating. We have soaked morning glory seeds in water, and in many cases they sprouted within a day without any nicking. So these experiences combined with the fact that nicking is done to allow moisture to penetrate hard seed coats and the fact that morning glory seeds have a soft seed coat, there is no reason to nick the seeds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Soaking morning glory seeds will allow the seeds to germinate right away in the water at room temperature. This is obviously beneficial for maximizing and speeding up germination. But the seedlings can sometimes be waterlogged from this method, which may lead to more seedlings rotting later on. If you germinate your morning glory seeds in a container of moist seed starting soil, you should still end up with about the same germination rate with less risk of rotting. Just sow them at a depth of ¼”. But usually a pack of morning glory seeds is enough for the average grower anyway so that it does not make much difference which way you start them. With that in mind, you might as well go with what you find easier. What’s most important to realize is that despite nicking and soaking being part of most morning glory growing instructions, these steps are entirely optional. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">If you’ve decided to pre-sprout your morning glory seeds you will need to transplant them. You can sow them directly in the ground. But you might be better off letting them take hold in pots indoors. As mentioned previously, it is easier to control conditions indoors. Sometimes the surface of the soil outside might dry out causing your morning glory seedlings to die, even though they’ve sprouted already. Instead, try keeping your seedlings indoors until they develop their first set of true leaves. The first set of leaves sort of resembles dragon fly wings. The true leaves are the set that follows those. Plant your sprouted morning glory seeds with the root facing down with a spacing of about 2” apart. Keep them in a well-lit (preferably south-facing) window until they develop true leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">When it’s time to move your morning glories outside, don’t move them into the ground right away. Instead, move the pot outside in a shady area where the soil is not likely to dry out. Leave them there for a few days. Keep an eye on the seedlings just to make sure they are adjusting to the harsh world of the outdoors. If you see any signs of wilting, you can bring them back in until they recover. Try moving them back out again the following day, and repeat the process if necessary. Morning glories are rather hardy though, so they usually acclimate just fine. After a few days outside, transplant them to the ground once the sun has started to go down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Morning glories are a very low maintenance plant. Once they’re in the ground, the plants will pretty much grow themselves. Morning glories do not require any fertilization. Early on, you should keep them well-watered. But usually rain water will be enough once the plants are established. That is not to say you cannot water them more often. It is just saying that you can get away without much maintenance. You may want to guide the growing tips up whatever structure you’ve provided. But otherwise, you can just sit back and enjoy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">In the fall, you can collect your morning glory seeds. After the flowers fall off, they will be replaced by a capsule, which usually contains 4-6 seeds. It is important to wait until the capsules turn brown and crispy before harvesting the seeds. Otherwise, your morning glory seeds will be immature and shrivel up upon drying. The mature seeds should basically be dry, but it may be a good idea just to place them in a dry area for a week before storing them. The seeds do not mature all at once. You can keep harvesting from the first ripening until the plant dies. But in many cases, depending on your location and the species, morning glories will reseed themselves in the area that you planted. </span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: orange;">SHOP OUR STORE F</span></b><b><span style="background-color: black; color: orange;">OR HEAVENLY BLUE MORNING GLORIES & More</span></b><span style="background-color: black; color: blue; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: blue; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/categories.php?cat=Morning+Glories">www.worldseedsupply.org </a> </span></span></div><br />
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</span></span></div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-59849007728675273312012-02-10T15:46:00.000-08:002012-02-19T21:36:13.616-08:00World Seed Supply’s Guide to Perfect Poppies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><h1 style="background-color: #020400; color: #ff9900; font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.4em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; text-align: -webkit-auto;">World Seed Supply’s Guide to Perfect Poppies</h1><div class="postmetadata" style="background-color: #020400; clear: both; color: #ff9900; font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="entry" style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Poppies are some of the most beautiful flowers, and they come in a variety of shapes and colors from black to red to double flowered to peony. They are almost always grown from seed. But growing nice-sized healthy poppy plants is highly dependent upon growing conditions. Temperature, planting depth, spacing and soil can all affect your poppy plants negatively. In some cases, stressful conditions can signal to a poppy that it is at risk of dying. In response, your poppies will flower early in an effort to quickly spread some seeds. This results in little runts that are hardly impressive. But by adhering to a few simple guidelines, you can end up with that lovely display of poppy blooms that will brighten up your landscape this summer.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Starting Inside vs Outside</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Poppies can be grown indoors under lights, but the majority of growers grow them outside. In general, the poppy is considered an outdoor plant. So that is what this guide will focus on. It is common practice with many plant varieties to start seeds indoors as a method of getting a head start on the growing season. The idea behind this is that you can use the warmth of your house to begin the growing process when outdoor temperatures are otherwise unsuitable. However, poppies actually tolerate more cold than other plants. In fact, poppies prefer the cool weather. In some cases, they may even<em>require</em> cool temperatures to germinate. While most of the time poppies will germinate throughout the summer, we have also encountered many cases where growers could not get poppy seeds to germinate until temperatures were reduced. So if you are starting your poppy seeds later in the season, you may actually want to try the reverse practice of getting a head start. In other words, you may actually try rewinding the clock back to the cooler months by starting your poppy seeds in the fridge. This will give your poppies a chance to experience that cool period they like even after the time has passed for it to happen naturally. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">The drawback of starting poppy seeds indoors is that they can easily etiolate (stretch) if not given adequate light. Etiolation is a plant’s response to low light. It stretches in height hoping to reach up out of a crevice or over competing plants in search of more light. Many newbie growers will be excited that their plants are rapidly gaining height when this happens, but the quick growth comes at a price. In order to output more height, the plant has to sacrifice thickness. This ultimately results in an unstable foundation for the plant to stand on. Poppies grow as rosettes of lettuce-like foliage. But if there is etiolation early on, that big mass of foliage will only be connected to the ground by a thin tap root, which can easily snap and cut off the supply of water and nutrients. Etiolation is especially common indoors, particularly in a dark fridge. So, other than for the sake of providing cooler temperatures later in the season, it is recommended that growers sow their poppies outdoors.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">When to Sow Outside</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Outdoor sowing time for poppies depends on your location. In areas where the winters are relatively mild (zones 7 or warmer), it is best to sow your poppy seeds in the fall or winter. This will allow the seeds to sprout as soon as the temperatures turn warm enough for poppies to do their thing. The ideal poppy germination temperature is about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Poppy seeds and even poppy seedlings can handle frost, but most information recommends sowing poppy seeds in the early spring for growers in northern locations. Fall planting is recommended when possible so that you have the seeds in place, but growers in warmer locations can still sow in the spring with plenty of time before conditions turn ideal. The idea is you want to try to get in as soon as the ground is workable so that you have the longest season possible. The exposure to cold may also aid germination. But if you missed fall sowing, don’t let it discourage you from aiming for the spring no matter where you live.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Sunlight</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Mature poppies enjoy full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sun per day. You can still get flowers in partial sun, but they will be smaller. But early on, a bit of shade may actually be beneficial. According to one traditional method, poppies were planted between rows of corn so that they could be shaded by the stalks. Starting poppy plants in containers allows you to keep the seedlings in a shaded area early on while providing full sun later in the growth cycle. But if you’re direct sowing, you can always shade your poppy seedlings with other crops, potted plants or even with something like a lawn chair. Anything that will cast a shadow will help mimic the shade that young plants might experience in the wild. When you eventually increase the sun exposure for your mature poppy plants, it is best to do it gradually. Any sudden increases in light exposure always have the chance of shocking a plant. And if you chose to start your poppy seedlings in containers, be sure to get them used to the full sun environment they will be in before you attempt to transplant. The combination of transplanting and light increase is a recipe for shock. If it does not kill your poppies, it could cause serious setbacks.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Direct Sowing vs. Containers</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Most information suggests that poppies do not transplant well. This is true for mature plants, especially because the stems and roots can be somewhat brittle. But poppy seedlings transplant perfectly fine if you do so properly. Considering this, you have the choice between direct sowing or sowing in containers and then transplanting. If you’ve started your poppies indoors, then you’ll obviously be transplanting. But you can also choose to start poppy seeds in containers outside and transplant those seedlings to the ground. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">You might wonder what the point of sowing outdoors in containers instead of direct sowing is. There are several advantages actually. Transplanting works better for organization. You can arrange your poppy plants specifically where you want them whereas direct sowing can give you a more erratic pattern. The only way around it with direct sowing is if you really sow a lot of poppy seeds and then thin out to exactly where you want each poppy positioned. But ultimately you will waste more seed doing it that way. If you have plenty of seed to work with or you do not care about arrangement, then direct sowing is the way to go. Otherwise, the increased ability to organize is useful. This is especially apparent if you’re dealing with multiple poppy varieties or other flowers that you want to arrange in a certain pattern. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Transplanting also offers you a chance to escape insects and weather. If you’re starting your poppies in a container you have the option of keeping the seedlings out of harm’s way, whether the threat is too much sun, a rain storm or a windy day. Ants, other insects and birds are known to carry away poppy seeds too. Just like humans, animals enjoy eating poppy seeds. While containers can still be occupied by ants, the ground is more likely to house a colony that will walk away with your crop before it ever sprouts. It is much easier to keep a container out of harm’s way.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Just like insects, wind or rain can ruin your direct sowing job. Even though the seeds are very tiny, wind usually won’t be <em>too</em> much of a problem unless there are unusual gusts. But rain is very likely to wash poppy seeds away. Poppy seeds float easily. And even your normal watering can cause seeds to pool together and sprout in the depressions of your ground space. So even if the seeds don’t get completely washed away, you end up having to thin out more than you intended. Containers give you the option to make adjustments that direct sowing does not. For one, you can move the containers into a protected area when you’re anticipating bad weather. Also, transplanting allows you to correct any type of pooling that might occur.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Choosing Soil and Preparing Your Poppy Bed</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Now that you’ve considered when and where you want to plant your poppy seeds, it’s time to consider soil. You want a soil that is very fertile with plenty of organic material. But it is also essential that it be loose and well-draining. Poppy seedlings are prone to rot when they are young, so a well-draining mix will be beneficial to prevent that. A good loamy soil such as compost mixed with sand is ideal. Some types of poppy naturally grow in dry gravelly soils, but even they will benefit from this more fertile alternative. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">It is important that your soil be loose when you’re growing poppies. Poppies have a taproot that needs to drive downward, and a compact soil will make this tougher to do. So prior to sowing, it is important that you prepare your poppy bed. Even if you’re starting your poppy seeds in containers, you still want to prepare your ground. Till the soil 8” deep over your entire bed to loosen it up and remove any weed roots that may be present. Otherwise, if you’re starting a new bed, you can till the ground below and add a thick layer of fresh soil over the top. Either way, you want to aim for 8” of cultivated soil for your poppy roots to grow in. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Direct Sowing</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Direct sow your seeds by scattering them over the surface of your prepared poppy bed. Aim to broadcast them so that they do not all land too closely together, or you will end up having to thin out seedlings anyway. Poppy seeds are extremely small, so consider that a pinch contains literally hundreds of seeds. Not every poppy seed will sprout, and not every sprout will mature, but you do not have to sow as densely as you would with grass seed. Afterwards, cover your entire growing space with a thin layer of straw about 1”-2” thick as a mulch layer. We will speak more about mulching later.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Starting in Containers</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">If you’re starting your poppy seedlings in a container, it is best to use one that is wide. Aluminum roasting pans are ideal for starting your poppy seeds. You can fill the pan with a seed starting mix, or you can use the same soil that you’ll eventually be growing in. Lay the soil flat, but do not compress it. With your index finger, make light depressions about a half inch apart in rows with the same spacing. Then sow your poppy seeds on the surface of the soil without covering them. As mentioned earlier, poppy seeds have a tendency to float and collect in the depressions. By intentionally making the depressions yourself, you can help determine where the poppy seeds will end up and therefore create a more uniform spacing. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">As an alternative to the aluminum tray method, some growers prefer to grow in biodegradable peat pots. With this method, you only plant a few seeds per pot. This allows you to transplant the entire pot to the ground so that you can avoid root damage altogether. The roots can grow through the pot after transplanting. You can aid transplantation even more if you tear off the bottom, and you can even tear away the entire pot if the roots haven’t grown into it. One of the drawbacks of using these pots over the tray is that they can dry out easier outdoors. So it is important to keep them regularly hydrated from below. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Transplanting</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Your poppy seedlings will grow together like grass. Allow them to grow as a network until they are about 2”-3” in height. But before you even begin, consider the time of day. Transplanting is always best done in the late afternoon after the weather has cooled. This will give your poppy seedlings the longest time before they have to face the strong noon sun. You never want to transplant during the hot part of the day because plants already can be stressed out by the heat. Even on a day that seems cold, the sun can still have a lot of effect ton seedlings. Young plants or those with damaged roots are especially vulnerable, and they can fry quickly. Transplanting during the morning is better than transplanting at noon, but it still means they will have to face the noon sun within a few hours. But if you transplant late in the day, it gives your seedlings all night and the next morning to recuperate. Just be sure to water your poppy bed the following morning so they are well-hydrated for their first brush with the noon sun after transplantation. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">This raises another point. You always want to make sure your seedlings are well-hydrated before transplanting. Just like making cuttings, transplanting offers a situation that may decrease the plant’s ability to absorb water. So you want to make sure your reserves are fully stocked ahead of time. Always be sure to fully water your poppy seedling tray about an hour before actually doing any transplanting. This will give the poppies adequate time to suck up what they need before the process begins. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">We mentioned before that poppies have a reputation for being difficult to transplant. The key to transplanting properly involves doing so at a young age and not damaging the roots. In order to minimize damage to the poppy’s roots, detach a small clump of poppy seedlings from the main network that you’ll have growing in your tray. This will help you gather all the soil around one or two central plants in the middle. The plants on the outside will suffer more damage, leaving the plants in the middle relatively protected. Using an aluminum tray for germination also allows you to go all the way to the bottom so that you can gather all of the soil below the plants without damaging the lower roots. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Next, dig a hole in your prepared poppy bed that is about twice the size of your root ball and bury your clumps in small mounds that are spaced about 12”-18”. Most people plant in rows, but feel free to adapt this spacing to a particular pattern or design that you have in mind. Once the clumps have adjusted to the ground, you want to keep the soil a little on the dry side. At this point, you will also want to thin out each clump, leaving only the best poppy plants to survive. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Mulching</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Whether you’re transplanting or direct sowing, it is a very good idea to mulch your bed with some straw. Mulching will help your transplants adapt because it will minimize evaporation from the soil. For a detailed explanation on the benefits of mulching, you can refer to our article, “Why Mulch?” <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?p=105" style="text-decoration: none;">http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?p=105</a> . But to describe briefly, mulching will help maintain proper soil moisture, help shade young poppy seedlings and help keep your poppy seeds in place during watering or rain. Many people neglect this step, but it can really make a difference in your success. If aesthetics are a concern, there are various mulches you can buy. Otherwise, straw is inexpensive and works great as mulch. You simply want to cover the entire area between your poppy plants with about a 1”-2” layer of straw. Mulch right up to the stems of each poppy plant. As the poppies grow larger, you can thicken the layer. Ultimately, you should find that this small step makes a difference in your results and cuts down on the effort you will need to put into growing. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Thinning Out</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Crowded poppies must compete for space and will ultimately suffer. Whether you’re direct sowing or you transplanted clumps of poppy seedlings, you ultimately want to thin out your plant population to reduce competition. Thinning involves plucking out the competitor plants and leaving only the best poppies to grow to maturity. Young poppy seedlings will appear as small rosettes that some people compare to lettuce. At about 2”-3” in height, you want to start thinning out your poppy seedlings. Early on, poppies can grow fine together, so you do not need to pluck every one right away. But that is the 2-3” mark is a good time to start the process. If you’re direct sowing, you’ll have a lot more thinning to do than if you’ve transplanted. But you will ultimately aim for a final spacing of about 12”-18”. By the time your poppy seedlings are 4”-5”, you should have a good idea of which ones to thin out and which to leave. So that is the point when you should have thinned out your bed to the target spacing. But whereas many growers tend to thin all at once, we suggest a more making-space-as-needed approach until the 4”-5” mark so that you can keep selecting from the best performing poppies. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Watering</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Poppy plants are somewhat prone to rotting, so they should be allowed to dry out between waterings. Mature plants only need to be watered every several days, especially if you’re mulching. It is also recommended that you water away from the stem to keep rot to a minimum and to help the roots spread out. Consider using a soaker hose. Otherwise, if you’re manually watering, try putting the hose to the ground to soak the soil rather than spraying. Once the petals have fallen off your poppies, it is common to hold back watering unless the plant appears to be drying out. This will ensure that the plant and seeds do not rot until they can be harvested.</span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Fertilizing</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Poppies prefer a neutral ph. Use a fertilizer with a neutral ph to ensure that the ph does not fall below 6. Most growers use organic fertilizers such as bloodmeal or an organic liquid fertilizer. Begin fertilization when the plants are about 10” tall. A fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, which is the middle number in the ratio found on fertilizer packaging, is ideal for poppies. The nitrogen level, which is the first number, should be comparatively low. Fertilize your poppies according to the instructions on the packaging of the fertilizer you’re using. </span></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">Harvesting</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span style="color: white;">Each poppy pod can produce hundreds, usually thousands of poppy seeds. When the crown on the poppy pod stands up and the pod takes on a chalky texture, it is time to harvest. You can cut the poppy pods from the stems and let them dry in the sun or in a dry area such as a boiler room. When the poppy pods are dry, cut off the crowns with a pair of scissors. This will open the top so you can pour out and collect the poppy seeds. After gathering your whole poppy seed harvest, run it through a strainer to sift out all the broken pod parts. Even if you’ve harvested a few pods, you should have plenty of seed to grow again the following year. But just like you thinned out your crop to select the best plants, you should focus your poppy seed collecting on just the best plants.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: black; color: orange;">SHOP OUR STORE FOR MANY POPPY SEED TYPES</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/categories.php?cat=Poppies">www.worldseedsupply.org</a></span></strong></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh006fsej2TBr9y5bi3fywUkatqT6ZJJ_kNnukAjylD0IIclX9U7RrlNogqkOk4BSmhz_dl87OElVzi9TYsjdwi0ntsQNAjEbbWz6NkTXMPdW7KXLyHWjq7WysEjbAS1OJa8lay8sk8yd9x/s1600/SDC15493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh006fsej2TBr9y5bi3fywUkatqT6ZJJ_kNnukAjylD0IIclX9U7RrlNogqkOk4BSmhz_dl87OElVzi9TYsjdwi0ntsQNAjEbbWz6NkTXMPdW7KXLyHWjq7WysEjbAS1OJa8lay8sk8yd9x/s320/SDC15493.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-64152302148654942632012-02-04T19:28:00.000-08:002012-02-19T21:40:59.555-08:00World Seed Supply's Guide to Growing Heimia Salicifolia & Myrtifolia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Heimia Salicifolia is an important Aztec herb featured on the statue of Xochipilli. Several unique alkaloids have been isolated from these heimia species that have been reported to have tranquilizing and anti-inflammatory properties. Heimia Salicifolia and myrtifolia are extremely similar both in appearance and active alkaloids. In fact, reports indicate that myrtifolia may be more active than salicifolia despite the popularity and historical significance of salicifolia. So the information in this guide can be used to grow either species.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">With the exception of the fact that the seedlings start out so tiny, heimia is a very easy plant to grow and is good for beginning growers. It can be grown easily indoors and will tolerate a wide range of environments.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; text-decoration: underline;">GROWING FROM SEED</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Heimia seeds are extremely small, like dust. In nature, the wind would carry Heimia seeds, dropping them on the surface of the soil, where they would eventually sprout. No amount of burying is necessary. It is also a general cultivation rule that the size of the seeds determines how deep the seed should be buried. In the case of really tiny seeds, they should be surfaced sowed, meaning that they should simply be pressed into the surface of the soil allowing light to reach them. Before sowing the seeds, make sure the soil is misted lightly so that the seeds have available moisture to absorb.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">After sowing, you want to cover the container with a piece of clear plastic to seal in the humidity. If the soil is moist enough and you mist regularly, they will grow without the plastic, but it makes life much easier. Plus, with the plastic on, you may not have to water because the evaporating water will condense on the plastic and drop back to the soil. If at any point you notice the soil is drying out, simply remove the plastic and mist the soil with a fine mister. This will occur more often if your temperature is higher. Be sure to add the correct amount of water to your soil and then remove the excess water collected on your plastic so that it doesn’t drop back into the soil and cause too much soil moisture. Although mature plants will take as much water as you can give them, I have an unconfirmed suspicion that the seeds can be drowned. A temperature of about 70 degrees F should be fine. Using florescent lights or placing in front of a sunny window will both work for germination and plant growth.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">From seed until it is a few inches high, Heimia S. grows painfully slow. Let them take as long as they need. It won’t continue like this forever. In the meantime, just keep the plastic on and make sure the soil stays moist. Be sure to mist if needed. When the seedlings are about 1/2″-3/4″ you can take the plastic off. Continue to keep the soil very moist. At 2 1/2″ it is an ideal time to transplant.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The soil you use in the new pots should be similar to the soil you used for germinating. Have your pots set up beforehand so that you can quickly transfer the seedlings without them spending much time in the open air. When transplanting, the most important thing to consider is to disturb the roots as little as possible. You’re most likely going to have a million roots tangled together, so some disturbance will inevitably occur. Some gentle prodding with a fork might be useful to help separate the roots.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Keep the seedlings out of any intense light and heat as they are especially vulnerable after transplanting. If at any point you notice wilting, make sure to water and put a plastic baggie over them to seal in humidity. You should keep this continually moist. Heimia plants are amazingly resilient to wilting, but they enjoy as much water as you can give them. Heimia Salicifolia, once established, will prefer partial sun. If under-watered, H. Salicifolia plants will wilt drastically, looking as if they are dead. They may also drop leaves. If you catch it within the first day of this you can almost always bring it back by saturating the soil. Any dead material should be cut back, which will result in a fuller plant.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; text-decoration: underline;">HEIMIA CUTTINGS</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Heimia plants can be reproduced by cuttings from mature plants. But since heimia tends to have woody stems, they can be a little tougher to root than other Mexican entheogens like calea zacatechichi or salvia divinorum. To minimize the difficulty of the process, it is best to select the newest growth because it is likely to be the softest. Soft growth roots easier than woody growth. You also want to use a rooting hormone, which can be either a commercial rooting hormone or a natural tea made of white willow bark (salix alba). Commercial rooting hormones typically contain indole-3-butyric acid and can be found in powder or gel form. The gel is preferred since it sticks to the stem even in water.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Another trick with rooting heimia salicifolia is to remove all but the top few leaves. This will lighten the load on the plant because it will not have to support so many leaves. A cutting that has been cut from the support of the roots on a mother plant is like a parent that has lost his or her job. By sending the kids off to live with grandma, or by trimming off some of the leaves in the cutting’s case, the parent has a better chance of surviving on savings and what little money he or she can scrounge without a formal income. So in those terms, the cutting can live on stored water and what little water it can draw up through its unrooted stem. Soft stems usually absorb water quicker, which is probably one reason why they tend to be easier to root than woody stems. For more detailed information on rooting plant cutting, including types of rooting mediums, please visit our article, <em>How to Root Plant Cuttings</em> <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?p=124" style="text-decoration: none;">http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?p=124</a></span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: black; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">SHOP OUR STORE FOR HEIMIA SALICIFOLIA SEEDS and MORE</span></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: #020400; color: #444444; font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/proddetail.php?prod=heisS500">www.worldseedsupply.org</a></span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7JDMeHQyoixNwtzOwQYHOpRmKOR4nI2b1AcXoiPiUPwTncSm0scBYIiSQ_dGJvDfpLbr02z4goin9UYz1QbphHDhjxXRnPnekblnX-XwSdhXVV7SobsNBUfyGdNjciReNh-xGxwHKTxD/s1600/Heimia_Myrtifolia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7JDMeHQyoixNwtzOwQYHOpRmKOR4nI2b1AcXoiPiUPwTncSm0scBYIiSQ_dGJvDfpLbr02z4goin9UYz1QbphHDhjxXRnPnekblnX-XwSdhXVV7SobsNBUfyGdNjciReNh-xGxwHKTxD/s320/Heimia_Myrtifolia.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Heimia Myrtifolia</div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-13474523814473538492012-02-04T19:12:00.000-08:002012-02-19T21:46:53.678-08:00World Seed Supply’s Mandrake Germination Guide<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Mandrake (Mandragora Officinarum) is a member of the nightshade family most notable for its use in witchcraft and its mention in the Harry Potter novel series. Mandrake has a rich folklore that dates back to biblical times. Like other nightshades such as belladonna, brugmansia, datura and henbane, mandrake contains highly toxic tropane alkaloids that can cause complete delirium, vomiting and death. Mandrake is an interesting plant that enjoys the cold weather and forms a huge taproot. Fresh roots sell for impressive amounts of money, although dried roots are fairly inexpensive.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Mandrake seeds have a reputation for being stubborn germinators. In general, nightshade plants frequently have this trait. When it comes to Mandrake germination, the process is entirely predicated on temperature fluctuations. The seasonal temperature fluctuations trigger the seeds to germinate. It is common for species of the Northern Hemisphere to germinate based on a rise from cool temps to warmer temps. This has led to a germination technique that is called stratification. Stratification works by placing the seeds in the fridge for a period of several weeks to several months in an attempt to simulate winter. To stratify your mandrake seeds, take a ziplock or other container of moist sand and place your mandrake seeds inside before placing the container in the fridge. You can use moist paper towels instead of sand, but paper has a higher tendency to grow mold. Mold can usually be wiped off without killing the seed, but it is obviously something you want to avoid when possible. Even moist soil will work for this process, but sand has the lowest tendency for mold.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">After about a month in the fridge, move your mandrake seeds to a warmer location and plant in a loose, fertile well-draining soil. Compost works very well. The subsequent act of planting the seeds in a warmer temperature acts as a seasonal change that triggers the plant’s temperature response, causing the seed to germinate. But what is interesting about mandrake is that the temperature fluctuation seems to work in the opposite way as well. We’ve noticed a trend of mandrake seeds planted in the early spring germinating in the following fall if they failed to sprout that spring. Occasionally, they will even wait until the spring of the following year to germinate. So it is important not to discard or reuse the soil if you didn’t get 100% germination because it will still contain seeds with the potential for germination.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Another method for triggering temperature responsive germination in seeds is what we call<em>winter sowing</em>. Winter sowing simply involves sowing the seeds outdoors during the cooler weather and allowing the natural temperature fluctuation to trigger the seed’s temperature response. In that case, you can plant the seeds in the ground or in the soil that they will ultimately grow in. Preferably, you want a location with full sun to partial shade. There is no need to harden the plants off when you winter sow, and the roots will not be disturbed by transplantation. Since winter sowing relies on cool temperatures, growers in the warmer zones must resort to stratification. But otherwise, this is our preferred method with mandrake. It was in our trials with winter sowing mandrake seeds that we noticed the tendency of the seeds to germinate in subsequent temperature fluctuations aside from just the initial one. This phenomenon likely works as a species preservation mechanism. In the event that a plant does not reach maturity or set seed, it still has backup genetics on deck that are ready to sprout.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">You will find that mandrake generally does better in the cool or at least mild weather. Personal experience and conversations with other mandrake growers have both dictated that warmer temperatures can sometimes correlate with the plant suffering. In several instances, we’ve had plants lose their leaves. But what is important to know about mandrake is that the root is the life of the plant. As long as the root is living, the leaves have a good chance of returning. We have had plants that we thought died during summer return to life in the fall when the weather cooled down a bit. What actually took place was that the leaves had died back while the root stayed alive below the soil. Although it appeared that the plants were gone, the living taproot held enough life to allow the foliage to return.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">In another instance, we had some indoor plants that lost their leaves. In this case, it seemed that the reason had to do with an improper root depth. It is important that the mandrake root not be too deeply buried, or the stems of the leaves will be in greater contact with the soil. If you get any standing moisture, they can easily rot at the stem, causing the entire leaf to die. As mentioned earlier, a well-draining soil is imperative. It may be beneficial to put a layer of gravel or perlite at the top in order to improve the drainage specifically where the leaf stems are while allowing the majority of the taproot below to have access to a soil medium that holds a bit more moisture. Lighting also plays a factor because plants grown in lower lighting conditions will have thinner stems that could rot or snap more easily. But an ideal planting depth is one where the top of the taproot is about even with the soil. The taproot may sit slightly above the soil line as well, but you do not want it too far above because it can put extra tension on the stems, which is more of a problem with thinner leaf stems. As you can imagine, there are numerous factors that could lead to leaf loss. But in all cases we’ve experienced, new foliage was able to grow from a healthy taproot, even when all prior leaves had fallen off. So again, it is important to know that the root truly is the life of the plant when it comes to mandrake.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Indoor temperatures are usually fine for mandrake since they are mild. You can grow mandrake fairly easily indoors as long as you use artificial lighting. Window lighting is probably insufficient and will lead to thin leaf stems. But a fixture containing two T5 fluorescents is sufficient to support mandrake plants over the winter. However, you should also remember that mandrake is frost hardy. So if you have ground space, there is no need to bring them in for the winter. Depending on your living situation, this may just be a good plant if your indoor growing real estate is already occupied. And while mandrake may seem like a challenging species to grow, it is important to remember that there is leeway…both in the way that you can still expect germination even from seeds that did not originally sprout and in the way you can still squeeze life from a root that may otherwise seem <em>tapped</em> out.</span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: black; color: orange; font-size: large;">SHOP OUR STORE FOR MANDRAKE SEEDS </span></strong></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=Mandragoria+Officinarium">http://worldseedsupply.org/</a></span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZOxkQD9i2ug9sKOSN0Op7W5t8KuXX_UBT-fs4z2gpVKe3eYvRCp_EZeWI6kXoYwK1fkkJJw_ONmdw4p0Km5j7Z5EFb97RVRRSPGkk4XMd5lOtBcNK8ZgsSBGLmpE9Tsm8tkZRLkTsxBw/s1600/3718475_s1_i1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZOxkQD9i2ug9sKOSN0Op7W5t8KuXX_UBT-fs4z2gpVKe3eYvRCp_EZeWI6kXoYwK1fkkJJw_ONmdw4p0Km5j7Z5EFb97RVRRSPGkk4XMd5lOtBcNK8ZgsSBGLmpE9Tsm8tkZRLkTsxBw/s320/3718475_s1_i1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mandrake Grown from Seed</strong></div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-27278718460090819462011-12-13T02:01:00.000-08:002011-12-13T02:01:40.927-08:00How to Grow Calea Zacatechichi from Seeds and Cuttings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Calea zacatechichi is the most well-known of several dreaming herbs that make up the class known as oneirogens. Other dreaming herbs include Silene Capensis (African Dream Root), Entada Rheedii and Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort). Dream herbs are used to induce lucid dreaming, which, most accurately is described as an awareness that you are dreaming to the point that you can control dreams. But, on a more basic level, dream herbs also seem to be linked to increased dream recall or simply an awareness that you are dreaming even if you cannot control the dream. There are also a number of other herbs, particularly sedative herbs, which seem to cause increased dream activity in various users without them being specifically labeled as dream herbs. Mad Dog Skullcap, California Poppy, Lavender, German Chamomile and Agrimony are among these. The following guide is intended to explain the various growing techniques for calea zacatechichi.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Classic Mexican calea zacatchichi leaf is quite bitter. There is also a calea that is not. To distinguish the difference between the two, we label calea as either the bitter variety or the non-bitter variety. Dreaming herbs have variable effects from user to user, and they seem to become more effective with regular use. But collective information from various users includes enough reports to suggest that both the bitter and non-bitter caleas are active as oneirogens. The non-bitter variety happens to be that variety that most collectors have in cultivation even though most commercially available calea herb is the bitter variety. The non-bitter variety has more triangular-shaped leaves that are not as thick as those of the bitter strain. But distinguishing the two plants can be complicated by the fact that calea leaves can vary in appearance, even on the same plant. Both types of calea also have yellow flowers. But normally, it is pretty easy to tell the difference even without tasting the leaves. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As mentioned before, almost all collectors have the non-bitter variety of calea, so that is what the techniques covered in this guide will be based on. But it is probable that they will work just as well for either type. Calea is reproduced primarily through cuttings, and it seems that most of the genetic pool in the U.S. and Canada is made up of clones of one another and seeds produced from those clones. That is likely why that bitter variety is so difficult to find. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9qevbXcSt_G0l87YyhotnyrsJHtJbAFRUKJiasbZuiIGEoEYnq4a_VFpzpzfxHmGgTcfyJPQ0KZJHIK2JZrJO559atQdC5Cgk50W9bMbB0-lbohcbWwHd9HrPrC04pTSiU1cY1BGGw50/s1600/Calea_Plant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9qevbXcSt_G0l87YyhotnyrsJHtJbAFRUKJiasbZuiIGEoEYnq4a_VFpzpzfxHmGgTcfyJPQ0KZJHIK2JZrJO559atQdC5Cgk50W9bMbB0-lbohcbWwHd9HrPrC04pTSiU1cY1BGGw50/s320/Calea_Plant.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Non-bitter Calea Zacatechichi</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Cloning Calea Zacatechichi<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Calea is one of the easiest plants to grow once established. But many times it does not produce seeds. Seeds are not readily available for sale, and many of them are non-viable or have poor viability. On the other hand, cuttings are very easy to root. So that explains why cuttings are the most popular choice for reproduction. But again, this habitual cloning limits the genetic pool. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Calea clones can be rooted in any medium that is used for rooting. For more information on rooting and rooting mediums please visit our guide on rooting cuttings at <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?tag=how-to-root-plant-cuttings">http://worldseedsupply.org/blog/?tag=how-to-root-plant-cuttings</a> We typically root calea cuttings in water since it is easy and inexpensive. Rooting hormone is not required for rooting calea cuttings, but we have done tests that have shown cuttings rooted with rooting hormone will root slightly quicker and have a much better-developed root system. So you can avoid the rooting hormone if cost or availability is an issue. But if time is a concern, you’ll want to use it. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Rooting hormone is available in either gel or powder form and can be found in most garden centers or online. The gel is preferable to the powder because it will stick to the stem better, but the powder seems to be more readily available. The active ingredient in most rooting hormone products is usually indole-3-butyric acid. But you can also make your own natural rooting solution by boiling a couple grams of white willow bark (salix alba) and using the tea to root your cuttings. White willow bark is the same bark that is used as an herbal pain reliever and contains the precursor to acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin). You can find white willow bark in the herbs section at <a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/">www.worldseedsupply.org</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When rooting many plants, it is important to select your cutting right below a node on the mother plant. A node is the part of the stem where the leaves come out of. The mother plant is the larger plant from which you are taking your cutting. The nodes already tend to have higher levels of growth hormones that make rooting easier. But since calea roots so easily, selection at the node is less important than with other plants. You can be more liberal in your selection without fear of failure. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve selected a part of the mother plant to make your cutting, you can prepare to make the cut. It is usually a good idea to water your plant well about an hour prior to making the cut so that the cutting is well-hydrated. For cuttings that take a long time to root, it is usually a good idea to sterilize or sanitize your cutting tool. But we’ve never had any problems using an unsanitized scissor to make calea cuttings. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once the calea cutting is made, you need to apply the rooting hormone (if you’re using it). The gel will go on easily. But the powder requires that you to wet the stem of your calea plant first. We also usually mix some powdered rooting hormone in the water we’re using to root the calea cutting in. We do this so that the water becomes saturated with hormone. Otherwise, the powder has a tendency to wash off into the water anyway. To minimize washing off, we also try to gently put the dream herb cutting into water without too much movement so that the powder stays clumped on the calea stem. If you’re using the gel, washing off becomes less of an issue. Also, if you’re using a different rooting medium such as perlite, the powder will usually stay on easier as long as you don’t rub it off when sticking the cutting into it. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We usually place our calea cuttings in about 1-2 inches of water. When using other rooting mediums we’ll usually put a little bit more than 2 inches of medium since other mediums hold more air and less moisture than pure water. Once the dream herb cutting has been situated in the rooting medium, you want to cover the top of the cutting and the container with a clear plastic bag, such as a food storage bag. This is called a humidity tent. You can even use the produce bags that come free with your fruits and vegetables from the grocery store. The humidity tent keeps the air inside humid so that the dream herb plant does not dry out before it grows roots. Once the bag is laid overtop, secure the bottom with a rubber band and place the calea cutting in a well-lit area at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The advantage of using water is that you can see the calea roots forming. For other rooting mediums, you can test the root formation by tugging gently on the cutting. When it becomes restricted from moving, that means your calea roots are forming. But be sure not to pull too hard and damage the roots. You can begin seeing roots on calea cuttings in as little as six days, but it may take a few weeks, especially at cooler temperatures.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Transplanting and Growing Calea Zacatechichi Cuttings<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once your calea plant’s root system is formed, you can transplant your dream herb cutting to soil. It is best to wait until the root system is well-developed just to minimize any chance of failure. But you can technically transplant calea at any point once the roots have begun forming. Calea will grow in most commercially available soils from seed starter soil to potting soil to compost to cactus soil. Calea zacatechichi has a very low nutrient requirement. As a demonstration of this fact, we’ve even left calea cuttings rooting in perlite, which offers no nutritional value, for approximately a year. But like many plants that can handle low-nutrient environments, fertile soil will benefit the growth and leaf quality. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To transplant your calea cutting, simply place a few inches of soil into your container. Hold the calea cutting in the pot at the level you want it to be situated once it is planted. Be sure to let the roots hang down or spread out. Letting the roots spread will help them occupy more areas of the pot than letting them clump up in one spot. This will give them access to more nutrients than if you have them share one spot where they’ll be forced to compete for nutrients. While calea does not <i>require</i> more nutrients, providing more nutrients will mean faster root growth. Faster root growth decreases the time your plant needs to adapt to soil and increases the chance of success. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is important to add the soil to the pot without damaging your new calea roots. After every little bit of soil you add, spray it down to maintain even soil moisture. You want to make sure there is moisture everywhere in the pot that it needs to be. Your other option would be to saturate the soil afterwards. But spraying as you add the soil allows for a more even mix of air, soil and moisture throughout your pot. Once the pot is filled, you should pack the soil down lightly to help keep the calea cutting supported. But you do not want to pack the soil too hard because you can damage the roots or remove all the air form the soil. Air in the soil will help the root formation and reduce the chance for mold and bacteria growth in the soil. You can even add a little bit of hydrogen peroxide in the water to help the roots along and ward off these unwanted organisms. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve transplanted the calea to soil, it is usually a good idea to put it back in the humidity tent. Especially if the cutting was rooted in water where moisture was plentiful or if it does not have a well-developed root system, your calea may benefit from a little assistance. Keeping your calea in the humidity tent will take the burden off the plant that evaporation from the leaves causes. Usually after the first few days, the plant is ready to be removed from the humidity tent. When you first remove the calea plant from the humidity tent, just keep an eye on it over the first few hours to make sure it is adjusting well. If your calea plant wilts, you can just drape the humidity tent back over the top. The plant can stay in the tent as long as you want. But you must realize that an extended period in a humidity tent can make a plant dependent on the humidity tent, and it can require extra work to eventually acclimate it out of the tent. This goes for any plant, not just calea zacatechichi. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Calea zacatechichi can be grown in relatively low-light conditions, which makes it very easy to care for. It will do fine in most window lighting. It also does well outdoors or under fluorescents. Usually more light will give you darker and thicker leaves. But too much light will cause calea to turn purple or red. Just like human skin, calea leaves can sunburn. Sunburn will usually not kill the plant, but it is a sign that the plant is under stress. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Growing Calea Zacatechichi from Seed<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although growing calea from cuttings is easier and quicker, growing calea from seed is rewarding. Calea seeds are not widely offered, and many seeds are not viable or have very poor viability. Even “good” calea seed will usually have a low viability rate compared to most seeds of other species. Ideally, you want to procure your calea seeds while they are still in the in the pod. There are about 20 seeds per pod on average. In the pod, your calea seeds will be better protected from the air. They should also be stored in the fridge until use to help maximize preservation. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You should always start your calea seeds indoors where you can keep the conditions mild. Outdoors, you can have to deal with all sorts of conditions such as wind, animals, rain or too much heat that can wipe out your entire project in one moment. Calea seeds contain a skinny stick-like seed with a feathery tip connected to the top. Calea seeds should be germinated on the surface of the soil either on their sides or with the points of the seeds facing down into the soil, which is how they would end up if they were carried away by the wind after being released from the seed pods. It is important that the soil you are using to germinate dream herb seeds is lightly moist but not too wet because the seeds can develop mold very easily. A well-draining sandy soil will best help you achieve the proper soil moisture. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve sown your seeds, you want to cover the top of the container with a humidity tent and keep them at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A desk lamp with a compact fluorescent light is enough to start your calea seeds. Since your calea seeds will be on the surface, the first part of the soil to dry out, the humidity tent will help keep the seeds from drying out at any point until they germinate. But in order to minimize the chance of mold growing on your dream herb seeds, it is important to regularly air out the humidity tent over the course of the germination process. Calea seeds are small, so just a little mold can do harm.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Calea zacatechichi seeds can take several weeks before they begin sprouting, and they will germinate irregularly. You can end up with new sprouts several weeks after your first sprouts have popped up. The young calea seedlings are extremely small because of the thin seed they come from. This makes them extremely vulnerable until they mature. To help them grow up quickly, good fresh air exchange will give you an advantage. Be sure to air out your humidity tent as much as possible. Once your calea seedlings are about ¼”, you can take the tent off and begin blowing them lightly with a fan. This will also help strengthen the stems of an otherwise fragile plant. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Water your calea seedlings only by spraying the soil because pouring water into your pot can uproot and wash away your tiny calea seedlings. The roots of young dream herb seedlings are generally pretty shallow because the root system begins at the soil surface instead of down in the soil. But adding a small amount of rooting hormone to the water you’re using to water your seedlings can help the roots mature a little quicker. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Your container may still have calea seeds that are willing to germinate. Some of them can still germinate with the humidity tent off. But you want to make sure to keep the soil and the surrounding air moist. Another option is to separate the dream herb seedlings out into a different container so they can get some more air while keeping the unsprouted calea seeds inside the tent. But it is imperative that you avoid damaging the roots of the young calea seedlings. The advantage of the situation is that young calea roots are shallow, which means it is easy to get underneath them and pull up all the dirt around them without ever touching the roots themselves. It’s a little bit of a gamble in transplanting, but if you are careful, it should be fairly beneficial. Transplanting will also give you a chance to support the seedlings properly. With the shallow root system, calea seedlings are prone to falling over. But resupporting your calea seedlings and adding the fan is the perfect combo to develop good stem support in the early stages of growth. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By the time your calea plants are about three to four inches, they should be in the clear. You can go on to treat them according to the same instructions as you would a rooted calea cutting. More importantly, you will have one of the more genetically diverse calea plants. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Buy Calea Zacatechichi, Silene Capensis, Entada Rheedii and more </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">www.worldseedsupply.org</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">\</div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-19945748540808595392011-11-09T00:18:00.000-08:002011-11-09T00:18:57.327-08:00World Seed Supply's Cheap and Simple Lighting Options for Indoor Plants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People ask us all the time about lighting for their indoor plants. The following information will just offer three lighting solutions for indoor plants that most people should have access to and be able to afford. <br />
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While most serious plant setups use high pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide bulbs (MH), most plants can be supported just fine under fluorescent lighting. What's even better is that fluorescent bulbs can be bought cheaply and are inexpensive to run. The most accessible and efficient form of fluorescent lighting is the CFL or compact fluorescent light bulb. You can find these bulbs anywhere that sells light bulbs from grocery store to pharmacies to hardware stores. We've seen them as cheaply as one dollar. And while HPS and MH bulbs require special ballasts, compact fluorescent light bulbs can fit in any standard lamp fixture as they are. You can use these bulbs either by themselves or to supplement window light for plants. <br />
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One of the best ways to make the light accessible to your plants is to use desk lamps with bendable necks. This will allow you to adjust the lamp to fit the growth of the plants or to point the light at a particular area. CFL lights work well for starting cactus and plant seedlings as well as for maintaining mature plants. The following example is one simple setup using CFL light bulbs in a floor lamp / desk lamp combo.<br />
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Another source of fluorescent light is the fluorescent tube. These are the typical lights you will find in office buildings and other public places, and they are used because they are inexpensive to run. This setup will be a little more expensive, but it can support more plants than a CFL and will offer them much more light for good growth. Whereas the CFL system is more for sustaining plants, the tube setup can be used for actively growing plants and seedlings. The tubes require a special fixture which typically fits 4ft. fluorescent tubes. Most fixtures will hold 2 or 4 of these bulbs. </div>
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The tubes also range in thickness (from .25" to 1.5"). Thickness is based on a "T" scale from T2-T12. The T stands for<i> tubular</i>, and the number represents eighths of an inch. The different bulbs have different advantages. The T8 is the typical bulb with 8/8" or 1" diameter and will suffice for most vegetative growing situations. So all the fancy numbers aside, a four-foot long, one-inch thick bulb will work for your basic setup.</div>
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Aside from bulb length and thickness, you must also select from light color appearance. This is based on the color spectrum of the light that is produced. Color appearances include warm, neutral, cool white, natural light and daylight. It should be noted that warm is just the color of the light. Warm bulbs actually run the coolest with the daylight bulbs outputting the most heat. Many growers use the cool white bulbs for their plants, although the daylight bulbs are even better if you can find one. </div>
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The advantage of using this system is that the fixture can be hung above the plants by chain or rope and raised as the plants grow. This allows you to maintain the same light intensity as your plants grow without the plants touching the bulbs. Fluorescent lights do run very cool compared to other types of light, but they can still burn leaves if the bulbs are touching them. </div>
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The hanging system is typically employed inside a growing chamber or in places where there is something to hang the light fixture from. But small mini chambers can be set up anywhere using plastic storage containers. In this case, the cool output of the fluorescent light allows the bulbs to be rested on the edge of the storage bins. As a precaution, the setup can include small pieces of wood to rest the bulb on so that it is not actually touching the plastic. But the setup is really as simple as placing a tube fixture (two or four tubes) across the top of a large storage bin with two pieces of wood (if you choose) between the edge of the bin and the bulbs. If you choose to skip the wood just do some tests to make sure the heat of your bulb is compatible with the plastic in your setup. This particular example does not use the wood, and there is no damage to the plastic. For maximum efficiency, the inside of the bin should be lined with aluminum foil (dull side out) or mylar. But this picture shows just the minimal version of this setup. It should also be noted that the cover of the bin is typically laid over the top of the fixture to keep light from escaping. The overhanging areas of the bulb are also being utilized to grow cactus seedlings and root pereskiopsis cuttings. Use the biggest bins you can find to minimize overhang.</div>
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The last setup we would like to share actually involves a specific bulb we were fortunate to come across. It is made by General Electric and is called the Reveal 100. This 100 watt bulb outputs 1275 lumens and is a full-spectrum bulb. The full spectrum is what is important. We usually buy them at Home Depot for under $5, and they are warrantied for 2 years. This bulb is enough to support a large number of plants. We've fitted ours into a standard closet light fixture to support shelved plants. </div>
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The only drawback about this type of bulb is that is has a very high heat output. But it is also valuable in creating an environment for tropical and desert plants. The high output means that only very heat tolerant plants such as certain cacti can be placed close to the bulb on the top shelf. (The small pot on top contains a small astrophytum myriostigma.) We've even laid a screen across the top shelf for shading. But this setup will still support plants up to five or six feet away. Accordingly, we have plants on three lower levels of shelving, spaced 18" apart. You only see the top two levels in the photo. You can see some kratom plants and some Blue Agave being grown happily in this setup. Much of the growth for the kratom, which enjoys a lot of light, occurs outside of the shelving area in the open light. But the screen on top allows for plants that require a bit more shade to be grown underneath the shelving area. The different levels also allow you to work with different levels of light intensity depending on what you're trying to grow. We've also setup an upside down tub on the floor of the closet to fit additional plants. While the other setups we mentioned involve moving the light to change intensity, this system, with a fixed light, requires you to shift the plants to access different light intensities. Again, this setup would be most efficient if the walls were lined with aluminum foil (dull side out) or mylar. But do what we say, not what we do : ) </div>
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If you do not have a free closet to designate to your plants, you can still keep the Reveal 100 full spectrum in mind as a lighting option. Feel free to adapt ideas from the section on CFL lights. You can position your bulb using a desk lamp or other type of clip lamp. This type of bulb will support more plants than your CFL in a similar setup. But also keep in mind that it will produce more heat. Consider what it means for what plants will do best and what might become a fire hazard in your surrounding area. Whereas the closet fixture is already set away from anything else, you want to be sure when using a desk or clip lamp that you do not let the bulb touch anything that could potentially ignite. <br />
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At this point, we hope that you have at least one lighting option that fits your budget, your growing space and your plant collection. Keep in mind that these are just the basic setups for people looking to support their plants indoors. The more you are dedicated, the more you can tweak these ideas to maximize your conditions. This includes setting up light cycles, ventilation, humidification, carbon dioxide treatment and more. But we'll save these topics for future guides. <br />
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</div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-65778968536272961082011-05-25T02:22:00.000-07:002011-05-25T02:29:19.885-07:00Unpacking Plants and Preparing them for Growth After Shipping.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;">Shipping can be a time of depravation and trauma for a plant in many senses. And above that, we really do not know what kind of environment the plant was used to before it came to us. Your environment may be better or worse, but that still does not negate the need for some tender loving care. Some plants are hardier than others and will bounce back from even the most stressful situations. But in getting a new plant, our goal should be to gradually adjust the plant to its new home. That takes place in both the unpacking and in the adjustment processes. </div><br />
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You may or may not realize it, but even a package that has “Fragile” written all over it is subject to being stacked and bounced in the most aggressive ways. The sad reality is that when people have a job to do, they are more focused on getting the job done quickly than getting it done in a way that might be most beneficial to the customer. And if the package is uninsured, most workers really see no special obligation to “handle with care” if it means that doing so will make their job any more difficult. At the end of the day there is not all that much accountability from couriers, and so shippers may go through what seems like ludicrous lengths to make sure the plant does not move inside the box. It is your job to take that effort to the next level by carefully unpacking your plant. <br />
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When sending a plant, the shipper’s goal is usually to minimize movement of any part of the plant, including the leaves. That may mean folding the leaves in a particular position that may ordinarily be awkward, but in a way that will keep them from moving around and potentially breaking during shipping. Leaves may be folded up to keep them protected, but they will usually go back to normal once the plant is back at ease To minimize movement, shippers will often use all sorts of taping and packing that will keep the plant in place. The best bet when unwrapping your plant is to cut away the tape rather than tear it. Always cut away the secure environment that the shipper has provided so that the plant will be able to handle the unpacking process. Tearing or ripping can cause sudden unwanted movements that can lead to the snapping of a branch or leaf. Losing a branch or leaf may not doom a plant, but if it can be helped, why not allow as much of the plant to remain in tact as possible. Sometimes the tape will have attached itself to a part of the plant, so it is vital to be alert for these situations and to have gentle hands. <br />
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Most plants will come in what is called a humidity tent or humidity dome. This is most often just a clear plastic bag that has been placed over the top of the plant to keep it from drying out. While this may limit airflow, plants can usually last quite a while in their humidity tents without breathing. In fact, we have seen plants last months in humidity tent as long s the soil didn’t dry out too much. It is more vital to the plant’s survival that it remains hydrated. After a period of a few days, the air in the tent may be minimal (especially if it is pressed tightly in a box), and there may be a tendency for the plant to cling to the bag. This is normal and acceptable. It is usually a good idea to have a new humidity tent on hand to replace the one that the plant came in. Food Storage bags or the bags that you get produce in from the supermarket are good choices for humidity tents. Often you will have to cut away some of the bottom to free the plant if it is taped to the container. If the original humidity tent is salvageable, then it can be reused. Many growers make the mistake of taking the plant right from this point and putting it into what they read or know to be ideal conditions for the plant. This will often stress the plant and cause wilting, which in some cases can prove fatal. As long as there is no rotting material in the bag, you have to assume that the plant has been used to high humidity for at least the past few days, and a sudden drop could cause the plant to lose moisture from it leaves suddenly. <br />
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Preferably, you want to remove any material that may be dead or dried out. These are havens for mold. Next, you want to restructure the humidity tent over the plant so that it has a new supply of air. Prior to now, the plant has been in a box with no light. Even though your eyes might enjoy a certain level of light, if you had been in a dark closet for three days, your eyes would experience strain if placed back into reality. Therefore, you do not want to rush to get the plant into a full sun condition simply because that is what it normally prefers according to grow guides. Start your plant out in ambient room lighting for about a day or so. You can gradually increase the light intensity to the plant’s desired light preference. The same is true for the humidity. Most people do not have humidity gauges in their homes, and even so you do not know exactly what the plant’s experience with humidity was like in the past. Just as you gradually increase the plant’s light exposure, slowly remove it from the humidity tent. This can be accomplished usually by first undoing any type of securing agent, such as a rubber band, from the plant after a few hours. If at any point you see the plant begin to wilt, go back to securing the humidity dome. You can go on to remove the humidity tent from the plant entirely when it shows that it is ready. In many cases, you will be able to do this fairly suddenly. However, some plants will require a more gradual adjustment. You will be able to read your plant’s needs based on how the leaves act. Drooping leaves are indicators of low moisture content. Throughout all of this, you may wish to water the plant if the soil is dry. But if the soil is already moist, your best bet is to control moisture through humidity. Adding too much moisture to the soil is not always a solution. It can cause root rot and molds to form, particularly when airflow is not high. <br />
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Another common mistake new plant owners make is repotting too quickly. While most plants are kept in small containers to minimize shipping cost, they could use a repot when they arrive at their new home. But it is important to realize that repotting itself can be stressful to the plant and must be done in a timely manner. You do not want to disrupt the root system and cause additional trauma until the plant has shown that it is stable on its own. Once the plant has fully adjusted to its environment, only then should you repot your plant into a container that will allow it to flourish. Use the type of soil and pot that is recommended for your species. Plants are often kept rootbound to maintain size for shipping, but a good repotting session will do wonders for getting your plants to put on quick growth. With that said, you should allow extra adjustment for plants to be placed outside. Outdoor light, even in a shady location, is often many times stronger than bright light indoors. And just like you can get an early season sunburn from being inside all winter, your plants can go from vibrant to morbid in a matter of hours. So, it is important to provide plants that are going outdoors with extra water and to shade them from the sun, even if they truly prefer full sun. This can be done by starting them in shady locations and gradually moving them to those with more light. You can also use objects such as lawn furniture as shading devices to block the sun in the more intense parts of the day. Or if you prefer to go the natural way, surround your vulnerable plants with taller plants that are already accustomed to the sun’s ferocity. <br />
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Usually when you buy a plant, it is a special experience. You are in charge of another life, even if you may not view it that way. You may have invested a good deal of money or better yet, you may have been fortunate enough to add a rare specimen to your collection. So while it may seem like a lot of extra effort, you have a duty to do what you can to safely transplant that new life from one area of the globe to another; and that applies even if you are simply moving your own plant from inside your house to the outdoors. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>BUY HUNDREDS OF SEEDS , HERBS AND LIVE PLANTS</strong> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/">http://www.worldseedsupply.org/</a></div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-33348226249690128262011-02-08T21:08:00.000-08:002011-02-08T21:13:28.122-08:00How to Germinate Lotus Flower (Nelumbo Nucifera) Seeds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Lotus (nelumbo nucifera) is one of the most iconic flowers in history, and its presence can really improve the look of ponds and fountains on your property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But lotus seeds have an extremely thick seed coat that will keep water out unless you give it some help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The act of wearing down the seed coat to facilitate germination is called scarification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the case of the lotus seed, the scarification must be rather intense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This impermeable barrier allows the lotus seed to remain viable for years, but it means a little extra work for the grower. This guide will show you just what to do and how far to scarify your seeds to give them the best chance of success. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While you can scarify many seeds on sandpaper and with other abrasive materials, it is best to use a metal file to scarify lotus flowers seeds due to the especially hard coat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with a file, scarification can take a little bit of elbow grease. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We recommend scarification on the side of the seed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is best to place the file on a table and press the seed into the file as you rub it back and forth so you can have gravity work with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By trying to hold the file and the seed, it will take a lot more effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">You will notice that the lotus seed has essentially three layers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is an outer shiny layer, which ends where you see the white ring on the seed in the photo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there is another dark layer that comprises most of the seed coat and which will account for most of your effort when filing. There is then a yellowish layer inside the seed, which you will see once you file through the seed coat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you start to file, you will see a ring form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to keep going until the inner part of that ring begins to turn a light tan color as you approach the yellow inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The seed in the picture has just broken through the seed coat and into the yellow layer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We usually aim to stop right before this actually breaks through because it increases the chance that an infection can take hold. But if you keep the conditions clean, it will usually not affect the seed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that said, you do not want to file into the yellow layer if you can help it</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now that you have filed down the hard shell, water can penetrate into the embryo to begin germination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your next step is to toss the seeds directly into a glass or bowl or water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any amount of water that will fully cover the seeds is fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The seeds will start to swell initially. You will continue the soak until the seeds actually sprout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will usually take about a week, but it can sometimes take longer, especially if you did not scarify enough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will notice that the water can get cloudy pretty quickly. Therefore, you will want to be sure to change the water daily to reduce the risk of infection. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC6XSJyue12C4sSCC3yU0vWzhKpk0uQXc-CA6ap2gT55MpJIvRy-XcPvJM3rmUOnW5sihgP4J6IGKi9_GUgE3E2udi9neKBd3VVfXyrXgHsQlHD7jFh92AdFwoW7w1ZXPoNverYPoPVIh/s1600/SDC14184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC6XSJyue12C4sSCC3yU0vWzhKpk0uQXc-CA6ap2gT55MpJIvRy-XcPvJM3rmUOnW5sihgP4J6IGKi9_GUgE3E2udi9neKBd3VVfXyrXgHsQlHD7jFh92AdFwoW7w1ZXPoNverYPoPVIh/s320/SDC14184.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>When the lotus seeds finally sprout, they will split open and a stem will pop out. The lotus is unique in the sense because most seeds will sprout with a taproot emerging first. In the case of the lotus, the foliage emerges first. This stem actually contains an immature leaf that will later develop. When the stem becomes about 2-3 inches it will form an angled bend, which will then straighten out. You can plant the seed at this point or choose to wait until roots form. The roots will form out of the base of the stem. It is best to sow the sprouts directly into your pond, but you can choose to sow in 8” pots and transplant later. In the case of a fountain or a manmade pond that does not have a soil bottom you can plant the seeds in large containers that you will submerge. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Buy Nelumbo Nucifera (<a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=Nelumbo+Nucifera">Lotus Flower</a>) Seeds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Several Colors Available</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><strong>www.worldseedsupply.org</strong></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</div></div></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-46189643752416986342010-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:002010-12-30T20:02:12.854-08:00How to Send Seeds Safely Through the Mail Without Being BrokenUntil you’ve had some crushed, you probably are not aware of how easily seeds can be crushed in the mail. While some seeds can be sent unpadded and arrive unscathed other seeds can be smashed even after two layers of bubble wrap or a bubble mailer. This guide is designed to offer you two ways to send seeds cheaply through the mail without them being damaged. <br />
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We did not create this first method, but it is excellent for sending seeds that are tiny while still meeting the thickness requirements for a first class envelope. This method will keep the package under 1/8", meaning it can be sent with a first class stamp. This method is quick and easy, but it requires Popsicle sticks, which you may not have on hand. For this method, we recommend using some type of card stock. But plain paper should work too. The scissors really aren't necessary unless you want to use them to cut the tape. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>Supplies:</u></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">Scissors (perhaps?)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cardstock or index card</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tape</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 or more Popsicle Sticks</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seeds</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy3Rr0kRVDf9nvIP7oVpuzBU-MdhtIiPNBZjd7I1SjGa2AmP3HCVnVTg6HmmekuRXnfKgWE2NVb5RA5L4ICXF6mORXMmMywpsUadyGeElBcFaEeMExzEofmcCOWPTYQqzTwaxkz26CAqo/s1600/SDC14130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy3Rr0kRVDf9nvIP7oVpuzBU-MdhtIiPNBZjd7I1SjGa2AmP3HCVnVTg6HmmekuRXnfKgWE2NVb5RA5L4ICXF6mORXMmMywpsUadyGeElBcFaEeMExzEofmcCOWPTYQqzTwaxkz26CAqo/s320/SDC14130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Supplies</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHEHRsY83mfyZCwGEK62Gz2gfrnLrQa4Wps0-PgzFSE3uxFYszw8Jku1Czg9c2MxESbL9jlS76bvjrkVYOMEZXuTXY0khZFmYKjrz8mWG-QmkXQqiHRh36WDjFUY6YnOCvCPnZcdiKCUe/s1600/SDC14135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHEHRsY83mfyZCwGEK62Gz2gfrnLrQa4Wps0-PgzFSE3uxFYszw8Jku1Czg9c2MxESbL9jlS76bvjrkVYOMEZXuTXY0khZFmYKjrz8mWG-QmkXQqiHRh36WDjFUY6YnOCvCPnZcdiKCUe/s320/SDC14135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Start out by cutting your card stock to size to fit your envelope. An index card should fit pretty well inside a normal 3 5/8" x 6 1/2" envelope. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7WsMiboeAmPH7QB48Rh_IM_OXVFtvgf_6Jx0z2zBFVTO6cUQVKwd3IzN6Ytdh0XHFVHhAoaUEetompAuJj38rXrBLplKH1jRt83rlMVEq28OTPJRS-QoahpYrh2xPVvfQTnnHPaNNQEa/s1600/SDC14138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7WsMiboeAmPH7QB48Rh_IM_OXVFtvgf_6Jx0z2zBFVTO6cUQVKwd3IzN6Ytdh0XHFVHhAoaUEetompAuJj38rXrBLplKH1jRt83rlMVEq28OTPJRS-QoahpYrh2xPVvfQTnnHPaNNQEa/s320/SDC14138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Next, lay your Popsicle sticks on top with enough space between them to fit your seeds. </div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMeNiBHHGCJnm081ZMnIyvupjGMcz0uRPgv6KpmD7U9orG-bPorDiBp_eAR9_l0wnIgEHc_8XzPpV7aXaLbCoIC6KCXf2W5qhZcKEt9FbC_WhR-WQtjz-oNmbIzyS27TS3YukLMoQgLEw/s1600/SDC14139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMeNiBHHGCJnm081ZMnIyvupjGMcz0uRPgv6KpmD7U9orG-bPorDiBp_eAR9_l0wnIgEHc_8XzPpV7aXaLbCoIC6KCXf2W5qhZcKEt9FbC_WhR-WQtjz-oNmbIzyS27TS3YukLMoQgLEw/s320/SDC14139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Now, tape over your sticks to hold them firmly in place. Depending on how many seeds you have to send and the size of the packs, you can use more than two sticks. But two seems to be about right for most cases.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZxwPc81rmyg2TOiTicHJN5o8QcicOJyBKwQ3JUnteRAaW-HN8ALijdsPMAZJUm0JKQZqOw_0PBJ1DMi_CJxFRhjwy-UqdxSxzFk7Ijm8oUrf0s9QV2x1pibl-uWECMs8UMgudiS6ONmB/s1600/SDC14143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZxwPc81rmyg2TOiTicHJN5o8QcicOJyBKwQ3JUnteRAaW-HN8ALijdsPMAZJUm0JKQZqOw_0PBJ1DMi_CJxFRhjwy-UqdxSxzFk7Ijm8oUrf0s9QV2x1pibl-uWECMs8UMgudiS6ONmB/s320/SDC14143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Afterwards, your seeds go in between your sticks where they will be protected from rollers in the sorting facility and the general weight of other mail. Just use a piece of tape to hold them in place as you see above. Here we are using Peruvian Torch cactus seeds, which have very little tolerance for abuse.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7lmwG9-rjkXYesqrg01-6zdEkbmgJ7Luhz3QfFRpF4FPwvW6TMC4clUAy9WudiXH2AbmodOQtgLf4VcjTgjRp919C4vVQhfzhT2QGPXeaqsddKae-m8XHF-zh7yO7tWPYBP7M7euR7H0/s1600/SDC14145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7lmwG9-rjkXYesqrg01-6zdEkbmgJ7Luhz3QfFRpF4FPwvW6TMC4clUAy9WudiXH2AbmodOQtgLf4VcjTgjRp919C4vVQhfzhT2QGPXeaqsddKae-m8XHF-zh7yO7tWPYBP7M7euR7H0/s320/SDC14145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At this point, the seeds are ready to go into your envelope where they should fit nicely and flatly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTz5tsVNAAaSrn-Z0Rjf3Vltq-uee1qznUxTQucuRJ71lopMApgRkQdBPWKQiSsMHp7LxbXGfr5Euq9YdtSoEDu5L7r6d3lykw31zKPBAEBXz25El_wlT2RXOWq5W7aWizHNbLKMdrubtK/s1600/SDC14148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTz5tsVNAAaSrn-Z0Rjf3Vltq-uee1qznUxTQucuRJ71lopMApgRkQdBPWKQiSsMHp7LxbXGfr5Euq9YdtSoEDu5L7r6d3lykw31zKPBAEBXz25El_wlT2RXOWq5W7aWizHNbLKMdrubtK/s320/SDC14148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just to test them, we've placed them beneath 36 lbs of weight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now let's get to method two. We at World Seed Supply used this method for a number of years to send seeds for some of our Ebay orders. Eventually, our order load became too great and we found a reasonable source for bubble mailers. But this method is still great for the average person. When we first started shipping seeds, there weren't the same requirements for thickness from USPS. We were able to bulk the package up as much as we needed. But when the rules changed we had to find something that would stay under 1/8" but still protect the seeds. We assumed that since bubble mailers offer two layers of protection, that would suffice here. But we eventually came to learn that three layers of bubble wrap are really what is needed. And they can still pass for the 1/8" thickness requirement, allowing them to be sent as an "envelope with a rigid object." Seeds that need delivery confirmation cannot be packed using this method since a package must be over 1/4" to add that service. This rule is intended to keep senders from adding delivery confirmation to letters and any other piece of mail. Without being able to add delivery confirmation, this method is best for inexpensive seeds, sending seeds to someone you know and trust or sending internationally, since international tracking is generally too expensive anyway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><u>Supplies:</u></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scissors (definitely for this one)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tape</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">12"x12" sheet of bubble wrap</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Envelope (3 5/8" x 6 1/2")</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seeds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaKUx6c36K40SavdF4LiGRFvJ7hDHSl0RX7nVgepPJai3pD14nIvyi6b3ifok665P-DFoY2ZKO8krOwxHbJsQLNYYe41xzluhchMfKhb_pbl8LBS3bzKyfkI3UJif7-Sh5aMuC24c4tBR/s1600/SDC14156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaKUx6c36K40SavdF4LiGRFvJ7hDHSl0RX7nVgepPJai3pD14nIvyi6b3ifok665P-DFoY2ZKO8krOwxHbJsQLNYYe41xzluhchMfKhb_pbl8LBS3bzKyfkI3UJif7-Sh5aMuC24c4tBR/s320/SDC14156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Start out with a single 12" x 12" sheet of bubble wrap. This picture shows a piece that is missing a little strip. The one in the first picture is a full sheet. But it was from the inner part of a roll of some cheap bubble wrap where the bubbles where neraly deflated. You want something with a little life in it. We will explain more on this later. But as long as you have one full 12" side, it ill work. You can actually pack two envelopes with one 12"x12" sheet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qi2s3op6Eh9bDyLaRiJ9T4XgCvVQcLtMx79aGsBLSAOFOQV0UJiNlocr4xtmZZNvMa6Zub6diSablLeD9Lp2GJCQf24IK8om2iZVjh2khnRJhWJan7Mr0-YGacxHS9KLupgmZNcLDq0j/s1600/SDC14160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qi2s3op6Eh9bDyLaRiJ9T4XgCvVQcLtMx79aGsBLSAOFOQV0UJiNlocr4xtmZZNvMa6Zub6diSablLeD9Lp2GJCQf24IK8om2iZVjh2khnRJhWJan7Mr0-YGacxHS9KLupgmZNcLDq0j/s320/SDC14160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taking the remainder of the original sheet of bubble wrap, cut off a second folded strip that is the same width or even a little thinner than the strip you made before. Half of this piece is going to be used for the third layer. Going back to the concept of bubble thickness, if you have a new roll of bubble wrap, it might be too much to use three layers of that. So sometimes a piece of the partially deflated bubble wrap from the inside of the roll is good to use for the middle layer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-6psE2jrwXXLiBAPaCjxWDSF4nP5-KNr6mopPU6X46ps8qEOc6UilDEHLaIYWcPCy07rYcY4CLVtHwh-8qRB-MTMnI5RFI5a_SoLIdJKSaRt6aZVpJQCVZnsfhQ7aEf3hKthhWD2rppC/s1600/SDC14161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-6psE2jrwXXLiBAPaCjxWDSF4nP5-KNr6mopPU6X46ps8qEOc6UilDEHLaIYWcPCy07rYcY4CLVtHwh-8qRB-MTMnI5RFI5a_SoLIdJKSaRt6aZVpJQCVZnsfhQ7aEf3hKthhWD2rppC/s320/SDC14161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here you see that we snip of the folded end of the strip we just cut. This serves to separate the two layers so you can use one for the third layer of your homemade bubble mailer. But it also helps shorten the piece enough so that it can fit in between without hanging out on the end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFI1mtauuNkhOlh5NybjlwjZsjeomUX5E6s5V6-2EleLzJezp7a54hTPYvCjZadkUJLpmX-KSkbJf8XCyJSqQ7MpEfoz1KW3BrOa63YZaNhEv0ZXkfpwipuyiB5MHNgbWazYX7rIiTCsmX/s1600/SDC14164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFI1mtauuNkhOlh5NybjlwjZsjeomUX5E6s5V6-2EleLzJezp7a54hTPYvCjZadkUJLpmX-KSkbJf8XCyJSqQ7MpEfoz1KW3BrOa63YZaNhEv0ZXkfpwipuyiB5MHNgbWazYX7rIiTCsmX/s320/SDC14164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here you see the original strip opened up with the piece you just made placed on one side. The bubble of the two layers will interlock, increasing the strength and reducing the thickness of the two layers. You will notice that it is a little less than half the length of the original, which allows the larger piece to be folded nicely. If the little strip is too long or you have it over too far, you can get some bunching up in the corner where the fold is. If anything, it is best to leave and excesss towards the right end where it can be cut off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XXdqpfj0ulCOtcOtv4N42tvrN3yRF6JzuCP_rZbAlXwMWEdUhtYyfTpmeRuEoY6blFqqJQ4A1mgyaU-2J7k5GAeru8cfE6YhVnMy5gGPYj6A2T3nO0JuaZxVQP-TewSNwJR6LubhMhDV/s1600/SDC14167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XXdqpfj0ulCOtcOtv4N42tvrN3yRF6JzuCP_rZbAlXwMWEdUhtYyfTpmeRuEoY6blFqqJQ4A1mgyaU-2J7k5GAeru8cfE6YhVnMy5gGPYj6A2T3nO0JuaZxVQP-TewSNwJR6LubhMhDV/s320/SDC14167.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now it is time to place your seeds on top of the two layers and tape the packet in place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKgx3Eiw7wH2ao9nj8kKmsE1zVV5HRJNH-GX7qRGGcGV9e_oC_VWGhFozXPVeR5-J9HDUdH3gHVZ_Ut8eZzirkjwXo75rdqCJd9sdDGof81rqeT9wRYUs46W0C0MN5Ujavu-prbeMvE5b/s1600/SDC14170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKgx3Eiw7wH2ao9nj8kKmsE1zVV5HRJNH-GX7qRGGcGV9e_oC_VWGhFozXPVeR5-J9HDUdH3gHVZ_Ut8eZzirkjwXo75rdqCJd9sdDGof81rqeT9wRYUs46W0C0MN5Ujavu-prbeMvE5b/s320/SDC14170.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By folding the other part of the strip over the two layers, you end up with your three-layered padding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rmhiW8uaeNovbQtRhnB4LRvQMnGwjBOcRk_g3I7TrixXQt6cpGvP0jNRORUfeMtWUUEzCCU7RLm4HbSgmvpQgamHQQh3DrKaelOwMY52wWZP3_cOTmSBs0_nGEYe5QMr3XICHR1AGlOZ/s1600/SDC14171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rmhiW8uaeNovbQtRhnB4LRvQMnGwjBOcRk_g3I7TrixXQt6cpGvP0jNRORUfeMtWUUEzCCU7RLm4HbSgmvpQgamHQQh3DrKaelOwMY52wWZP3_cOTmSBs0_nGEYe5QMr3XICHR1AGlOZ/s320/SDC14171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Proceed to trim any ends that need to be trimmed and tape them up. You will notice that the folded end does not need to be taped.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsq5Jea7iDTmbSE0giIYKvGawJ2sOdWJWENeQw8_CVtEyr6YD1nc4h3Rep7MtumOQyNApnnyMM3vH9naKWDJn6Fkbr8utVp2Yxod4h37eez0LDseoSXauLUtC1s19X1swNdBlwH1HbFYd/s1600/SDC14174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsq5Jea7iDTmbSE0giIYKvGawJ2sOdWJWENeQw8_CVtEyr6YD1nc4h3Rep7MtumOQyNApnnyMM3vH9naKWDJn6Fkbr8utVp2Yxod4h37eez0LDseoSXauLUtC1s19X1swNdBlwH1HbFYd/s320/SDC14174.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once again, 36 lbs. of weight are placed on top to demonstrate the validity of this method.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEILkOo2QRYu2qnkt2QAW5l2cwiPSyKsMsDCaYbQ3eOu79qY7_uDNSUAiI0GJ90qCu72h6pA-3CUKtgZtpQ_azvxgDILGt3s5febC2q5Srrx_Zsjc0OiVUwHLQwH5R_BOWti0ypYFPl6t/s1600/SDC14176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEILkOo2QRYu2qnkt2QAW5l2cwiPSyKsMsDCaYbQ3eOu79qY7_uDNSUAiI0GJ90qCu72h6pA-3CUKtgZtpQ_azvxgDILGt3s5febC2q5Srrx_Zsjc0OiVUwHLQwH5R_BOWti0ypYFPl6t/s320/SDC14176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just to prove that the seeds are indeed under there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oZlpQzFmPOSYjmubcl-SN_-wGU9epbttrY3IVRkFg7HmgfTNXDpuGgFd13pa4EVc1rADdXGDkGTGWNEqMqEWiBlNj0vTHLQamda3QodnvU4yLSxpKGc3QmG6HDGM5y_EAUiDVE3QEHiv/s1600/SDC14178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oZlpQzFmPOSYjmubcl-SN_-wGU9epbttrY3IVRkFg7HmgfTNXDpuGgFd13pa4EVc1rADdXGDkGTGWNEqMqEWiBlNj0vTHLQamda3QodnvU4yLSxpKGc3QmG6HDGM5y_EAUiDVE3QEHiv/s320/SDC14178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And again, they are totally unharmed.</div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-11210695713703686122010-12-27T00:25:00.000-08:002010-12-27T00:40:53.843-08:00The Mallacht's Worm Compost Tea RecipeWe were given permission to post this guide by The Mallacht. This is a guide for making worm casting tea. Worm castings are a euphemism for worm poop. It is also known as vermicast or worm humus. Like the solid waste of many other animals, worm castings are a wonderful fertilizer than can be used in place of chemicals for organic gardening. In addition to fertilizing, compost tea is believed to help prevent disease in plants. Gardeners often equate worms with a healthy soil, and this is because worms help to foster the web of life within the soil by breaking down organic matter and making nutrients readily available to plants. It also helps increase beneficial aerobic bacteria. By making a tea using worm castings, gardeners can add these beneficial nutrients to their soil in liquid form without actually having the worms present. Through aerating the tea, you can increase the levels of beneficial bacteria in your tea and your soil.<br />
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Essentially what you are doing is creating a culture of beneficial aerobic bacteria. When water sits for a long time without moving, it eventually becomes bacteria ridden or disgusting because harmful bacteria, or Anaerobic (anti-air) bacteria, thrive in an environment lacking oxygen. So when you use the bubblers to oxygenate the water, you are creating an environment that is perfect for the beneficial (aerobic) bacteria thus creating a thriving culture of them. Beneficial bacteria help break down components in the soil that would otherwise be useless to plants.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Materials Needed:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Two Socks to use as tea bags</div><div style="text-align: center;">Enough worm castings to fill the two socks (1 bag = $10)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Black Strap brand molasses (said to be the best brand)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Air Stones (preferably 4 or more)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Aquarium pumps for the airstones</div><div style="text-align: center;">Standard 5-gallon bucket</div><br />
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Here’s a picture of what a completed setup looks like without water<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDedeqVQ9V4aJgiVGu4iKwNz-RsbZN2klBTUuYJZU9eA59mCoCYFSsUYYeuJXZBqDTaoOy963kEc7xFVWESCT0GzMCfebG_tCfpC22-yS2wsQ6D_8WjhzJrKk3gidtdXDxFZ4lbeVyvYHl/s1600/378329587-P1030189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDedeqVQ9V4aJgiVGu4iKwNz-RsbZN2klBTUuYJZU9eA59mCoCYFSsUYYeuJXZBqDTaoOy963kEc7xFVWESCT0GzMCfebG_tCfpC22-yS2wsQ6D_8WjhzJrKk3gidtdXDxFZ4lbeVyvYHl/s320/378329587-P1030189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, there are four airstones in the bottom. Tying them together can keep them from floating, which is important because they work better on the bottom.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-XSp7H2lWjkX7Ng2vvvPYBRd-jYew8RKy75xlfaz0KZodMM-D5BR2INLrXuS3BeL4aGSiLozK8GhkYPzo_BMZQ0PJeK6TDPS-qhaCBazTLVjdjY9wHQkXeFKhTjSSqQETRpkg59fDYZS/s1600/378342843-P1030191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-XSp7H2lWjkX7Ng2vvvPYBRd-jYew8RKy75xlfaz0KZodMM-D5BR2INLrXuS3BeL4aGSiLozK8GhkYPzo_BMZQ0PJeK6TDPS-qhaCBazTLVjdjY9wHQkXeFKhTjSSqQETRpkg59fDYZS/s320/378342843-P1030191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">A picture of Grandma’s Black Strap molasses</div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fJtkDNJPyGYOLylq-KjXZ0aKUXA-bJHAmXDpqPok5TWELZ1VzqoEsMKc1D7YM3t1AoHHM7FDddEOM1EAadWGJkQBX1UeDNwYDb9PGI15o4OEPRaRnZBjvZ65OrTRdmHpDmb6YXGt1F-0/s1600/379074087-P1030195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fJtkDNJPyGYOLylq-KjXZ0aKUXA-bJHAmXDpqPok5TWELZ1VzqoEsMKc1D7YM3t1AoHHM7FDddEOM1EAadWGJkQBX1UeDNwYDb9PGI15o4OEPRaRnZBjvZ65OrTRdmHpDmb6YXGt1F-0/s320/379074087-P1030195.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Afterwards 2-3 tablespoons of Grandma’s Black Strap molasses are added.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvuFP_fN-Svvvt1gz24CgyXb33L6Pg3YmasZ3VmtWoV-h9xT3CHPuCQNV7BUA2VbcXSUwP2srUo9V_DvFqyRo2XNTlygp3EUuQ9QuBwMFCIpvfk4z5uI3wVHZ70YmqVRPn5uNJMHxj8_Y/s1600/379090829-P1030198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvuFP_fN-Svvvt1gz24CgyXb33L6Pg3YmasZ3VmtWoV-h9xT3CHPuCQNV7BUA2VbcXSUwP2srUo9V_DvFqyRo2XNTlygp3EUuQ9QuBwMFCIpvfk4z5uI3wVHZ70YmqVRPn5uNJMHxj8_Y/s320/379090829-P1030198.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The worm castings are added to the socks and placed in the water for “brewing” This shows the setup in full operation</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQd72kt3luBTOiNPCVCRPNCl5yxSpARfMsycQ87WEP66PSYmAXsgGVH__cecVAOZYKwpWSN00YObt1YlxH9yFGclv3qBTDLyUpDZnyly_NXKDs2JnF7HR9xCDqjFxAY8gC2oT3chscZXt/s1600/378354763-P1030193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQd72kt3luBTOiNPCVCRPNCl5yxSpARfMsycQ87WEP66PSYmAXsgGVH__cecVAOZYKwpWSN00YObt1YlxH9yFGclv3qBTDLyUpDZnyly_NXKDs2JnF7HR9xCDqjFxAY8gC2oT3chscZXt/s320/378354763-P1030193.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPqWbb4_fAoNx1wYnP3oHdNIb8IffNeJgnI6P-dtO1BFR6z6JO9DmP0d4KzdMKyQvAn57z9ws7tjJ5dpNhdK9UPV9RPoFiLUonh_1flaH9hwFcVNr-MnOyBdvG8WhIv3DrGQYIlgZKYGz/s1600/378364067-P1030194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPqWbb4_fAoNx1wYnP3oHdNIb8IffNeJgnI6P-dtO1BFR6z6JO9DmP0d4KzdMKyQvAn57z9ws7tjJ5dpNhdK9UPV9RPoFiLUonh_1flaH9hwFcVNr-MnOyBdvG8WhIv3DrGQYIlgZKYGz/s320/378364067-P1030194.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A pump is wired with a switch like this so that you can more easily fill gallon jugs and further aerate the tea.</div><br />
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Of course it may be overkill, but it helps to create more of the frothy foam that you are looking for. Let it run for 48-72 hours or more. A good amount of foam is a sign that the tea is ready. The more foam the better. It seems that the foam is indicative of there being a large amount of beneficial bacteria present. <br />
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So FOAM = READY for use<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-79299270689144838272010-12-22T07:21:00.000-08:002010-12-22T07:47:54.885-08:00How to Germinate Hawaiian Baby Woodrose Seeds (HBWR)Germinating <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=505">Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds</a> can be tricky for some growers. Two factors that make Hawaiian Baby Woodrose somewhat difficult to work with is their hard seed coat that does not allow moisture to easily penetrate and a tendency to rot easily. This guide will assist you in overcoming both of these factors so that you can successfully germinate your seeds. <br />
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When beginning germination, the first thing you must do is prepare the seeds to receive moisture from the outside so that they embryos can wake up. To do this, you want to file the hard seed coat thoroughly. This process is called scarification and can be accomplished using either a file or some large grit sandpaper. You want to file the seed coat away from the little circle on the seed (the germ eye) and towards the pointy end of the seed. This is because the root of the seed will come from the end with the germ eye, and you do not want to damage it with your filing. <br />
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Next, you want to load the seeds up with moisture so that they can germinate quickly. If you were to leave them in the soil without soaking, it would be difficult for them to absorb enough moisture, especially because most of the moisture would have to enter through the nick you made by filing. Soaking will also soften up the seed coat to allow the root to emerge through the other end. Simply submerge your seeds entirely in plain water and let them sit for 24 hours. After 24-hours you will notice that they are swollen, which means they have taken up the water they need to sprout. <br />
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The point where germination usually fails is after soaking. The soaked seeds tend to rot easily, especially in soil. Therefore, it is advised to use an inert medium such as a paper towel. Wet a paper towel in pure hydrogen peroxide so that it is moist but not soaking. The paper towel should not leave excess moisture on the surface of a table if it has the proper moisture content. You are using hydrogen peroxide instead of water because peroxide has the ability to resist mold and bacteria better than water. Before you place your seeds in the moist paper towel, blot them dry with a dry paper towel. This will remove any dissolved material on the outside of the seed that pathogens can breed on. <br />
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Fold your seeds up in the peroxide paper towel and place them in a plastic zip seal baggie. Do not seal the baggie though because you want some airflow. Check the seeds each day for germination and to make sure the paper towel is not drying out. If it is, you can add some additional peroxide. Once you notice sprouts and the roots are about ¼” long, it is time to transplant them into soil.<br />
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Hawaiian Baby Woodrose likes a soil that is rich, well-draining and has good airflow. Plant your seeds with the root facing down at a depth of about ¾”. Keep the soil consistently moist (not wet) at room temperature. From this point on, your seedlings should be easy to grow. Established plants enjoy plenty of sunlight but will survive indoors (without flowering) as well. For pictures of the process follow this link <a href="http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/13669503">http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/13669503</a><br />
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</div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-81084765222862927242010-12-17T09:26:00.000-08:002010-12-20T02:39:24.729-08:00How to Root a Cactus Cuttting<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Supplies:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/proddetail.php?prod=tricbC001">Cactus Cutting</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cactus Soil</div><div style="text-align: center;">Perlite</div><div style="text-align: center;">Large Plant Pot</div><div style="text-align: center;">2-3 Stakes</div><div style="text-align: center;">A few feet of rope or string</div><br />
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Like other plants, columnar cacti such as <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/proddetail.php?prod=tricpC001">San Pedro Cactus</a> and <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/proddetail.php?prod=tricpeS100">Peruvian Torch</a> can be reproduced as cuttings. Many columnar cacti have adapted to be able to grow roots from just about anywhere on the plant in the event that a piece would break off. We tend to think of rooted cuttings standing upright, but that is not how it would happen in nature. Most likely, a cactus arm or tip would break off and land on its side. Many people do not realize it, but a broken cactus arm can actually root on its side and send up one or multiple growing tips. But for the purpose of this guide, we will talk about how to root cactus cuttings in the upright position. <br />
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Rooting cuttings is very simple and actually does not require much effort at all. After all, a cutting that roots in nature has no human help at all. The same idea should be kept in mind when rooting at home. Rooting really does not involve you other than to set up your cactus cutting in the position you want the cactus to grow in. Many people stress themselves out over what they can do or might be doing wrong to get the cactus cutting to root. But the truth is that the cutting will root on its own when it is ready. The amount of time it takes for a cactus cutting to begin rooting can be anywhere from a few months to several months. As long as the cutting does not rot, it will root. So your job in rooting the cactus is simply to set up the cactus, prevent conditions that could lead to rot and have patience. <br />
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One of the conditions that is helpful for preventing rot on your cactus cutting is providing airflow to the buried tip of your cactus cutting. That means you want to have a soil that is not compact. Perlite is the best way to avoid compaction and provide aeration in your soil. Perlite is a type of highly porous volcanic glass that resembles pumice. Perlite appears as small, round, non-uniform, white particles. Some people mistake perlite in potting soil mixtures for Styrofoam balls. Even if you are using a commercial cactus potting soil, we at World Seed Supply recommend adding at least 50% perlite to your soil. This may seem like a lot, but it will keep the airflow constant so you can avoid rot. <br />
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Aside from limited airflow, the other condition for rot is moisture. So it is important that your soil is dry before you use it. Unlike rooting plant cuttings where moisture is imperative for the cutting to survive, cactus cuttings already store the moisture they will need until they root. The cactus flesh does not absorb water well on its own and is prone to infection. It is believed that when the cactus becomes thirsty, it will actually trigger rooting. So aside from rot, it is counterintuitive to the rooting process itself. <br />
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Once you have your soil mixture you want to fill up a large pot. You want to use a good-sized pot if you have the room. For a 12” cactus <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/proddetail.php?prod=tricbC001">cutting</a>, a pot that is about 10” in diameter and 10” deep is ideal. Sometimes pots can be expensive, so even a bucket or similar large container you might find at the dollar store will work if you drill holes in the bottom. This will give your cactus the room it needs to grow once the roots begin growing. If you want nice thick growth, a good root system is essential. <br />
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Before you root any cutting it is essential to make sure that it is well-calloused. Just like a scab over a cut, a wound, in this case a slice, on a cutting will scab over. A well-calloused cutting will be dry rough and hard. If there is any moisture present on the cut, leave it in a dry place to finish healing. If you not follow this advice you will almost certainly have to deal with rot. <br />
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We usually position the cactus upright, burying the bottom 3” of the cutting underneath the soil. If your cactus cutting is not a tip, it does not matter which side is up or down. At a 3” depth the cutting should be able to stand up on its own. If not, go a little deeper. This is a suitable depth for helping the cactus stand up. But it also gives enough flesh below the soil for roots to come from. You can even bury the cutting a little deeper if you do not mind it starting out shorter. With a good root system, it may just give you a taller cactus in the long run. <br />
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If you are rooting indoors, your cactus cutting can probably get away without being staked. But if you want to be on the safe side or you have pets or are rooting outside, then you can use stakes to hold the cutting upright. You can use two to three stakes place around the cactus to hold it up. Stick them deep into the soil so they can gain a good foothold so that they offer maximum support. Wrap a length of rope or string around your stakes and the cactus cutting at the point where they all meet. You can use several wraps to help secure everything together. Then tie it off. Leave the cutting at room temperature, and the roots will form when the cactus is ready. And most important of all, do not water. <br />
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<strong>The Humidity Tent</strong><br />
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In our original guide, we mention that we prefer to use small Chinese soup containers to germinate cactus seedlings. It turns out that the Chinese soup container is assistive to this technique. As many guides suggest, the seeds should be covered with clear plastic after sowing. Newly sown seeds need a combination of light, moisture and air. While clear plastic wrap works well, the opening of a quart-size zipper seal bag fits perfectly over top of the Chinese container. This gives you a perfect seal to lock moisture in while creating a pocket of air, so the seedlings have a little extra air to breath than with clear wrap pulled flatly over the top of the growing container. The pocket offers the added benefit of limiting the amount of condensation that forms. If you are already using a different type of container, the same type of scenario could be set up with a different bag, although it seems that the Chinese container and quart-sized bag were made for each other.<br />
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<strong>Lighting Progression</strong><br />
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A simple compact fluorescent bulb is suitable for starting cacti seedlings for the first few months. But they key it to keep it right on top of the seedling containers. A small desk lamp with a bendable neck is ideal for directing the light at your seedlings at this close range. Eventually, you will want to move your seedling to stronger lights such as four-foot fluorescents or even HPS. If possible, you should look towards eventually moving your seedlings outdoors, if not just for the warmer months. It is important to realize that outdoor light is drastically stronger than even the best indoor lights, so you will have to start your seedlings out in complete shade and gradually expose them to more light. If the seedlings begin to turn red or purple, it is a sign that they are getting too much light.<br />
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<strong>Venting </strong><br />
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Cactus seedlings enjoy water, and you should look to give them as much as possible without them rotting. So to avoid this you need to create a good enough supply of fresh air. You can accomplish this by venting. Venting does not occur continuously. It is part of a cycle. So you would start the cycle by having the humidity tent locked on tightly for a few days. Keep in mind that you should be keeping the soil moist. It should not be saturated, but moist like the tip of a new marker where the moisture is readily available but not ready to come out on its own. Now, if you were to leave the humidity tent on consistently, the air would stagnate and lead to mold. So this is where venting comes in. Venting simply means that you pull off one side of the opening of the bag. Due to the ideal fit between the Chinese container and the quart-sized bag, the opening is able to be a small slit such that you are literally able to create a vent while still having the tent largely in tact overhead. You can leave the tent in the vented position until the very top starts to dry out. After that, simply spray your soil back to its original moisture, put the tent back on tight and the cycle begins again!<br />
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*Maintain this cycle, transplanting at about 1 inch in height.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVxz62oG1YROvesN3i-PwSTeFVkfKHn74DLh3M5M75Dg9ecnzxoBmnSfUMkwnmIzIZu8tXeEM8pyF9_edArNe56YiuDMS_Uq5wklc_HbsKl-ggMAtdT4wz3GGr_dVRJdE_kbQlBExWUV0/s1600/SDC13924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVxz62oG1YROvesN3i-PwSTeFVkfKHn74DLh3M5M75Dg9ecnzxoBmnSfUMkwnmIzIZu8tXeEM8pyF9_edArNe56YiuDMS_Uq5wklc_HbsKl-ggMAtdT4wz3GGr_dVRJdE_kbQlBExWUV0/s320/SDC13924.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Humidity tent in the vented position</strong></em><br />
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</div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-3627440316783516552010-12-16T00:02:00.000-08:002010-12-16T00:14:13.719-08:00How to Root Plant Cuttings<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Supplies Needed:</span></strong></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">1 mother plant</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 pair of scissors</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rubbing alcohol (optional)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rooting medium of your choice</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rooting hormone (optional)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 quart-sized Chinese soup container or suitable replacement</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 clear plastic bag</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 rubber band</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Rooting cuttings is a task that can range in difficulty depending on the species being rooted. Some plants such as coleus or salvia divinorum are known to root quite readily. They will form roots in a wide range of mediums while being exposed to a variety of conditions. Other plants may either have a high tendency to rot too quickly or are stubborn to send out new roots. Some cuttings can last months until the leaves eventually drop off and the plant dies. This guide is geared towards those plants that will root in a straightforward manner without manipulation of factors specific to that type of plant’s rooting requirements. In other words, this guide will help you learn to root plants that will root under general conditions. </div><br />
In general, cuttings can be rooted in a variety of mediums. Theoretically, anything that can deliver moisture to the cutting’s tip will work. The better choices will also provide aeration, which may be necessary for some of the less willing plant species. Among the most popular rooting mediums are plain water, perlite, vermiculite, plain soil (or sand) and rock wool. <br />
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Rock wool is a synthetic material with a spongy quality that is made of a dense network of fibers. It is used as insulation aside from its use in horticulture and hydroponics. Rock wool has a tendency to produce great root networks. However, the rockwool may have to remain attached to the stem when the cutting is moved to soil to avoid any risk of damaging the newly developed roots. This is especially true for plants with thin roots. <br />
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While some growers will choose to root their cuttings in plain soil, it is usually advised to use one of the other options because they are less likely to carry molds and bacteria that could lead to stem rot. But plain soil does have its place. It is generally the preferred medium for rooting cacti and succulents. <br />
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Sand tends to be a slightly better choice for most other plants because it lacks the organic material that can harbor pests. But sand can also be denser than some of the other options, which limits airflow and the movement of newly forming roots. <br />
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Vermiculite and perlite are both non-organic soil additives that are used to aerate the soil. As rooting mediums, they offer this same benefit. But vermiculite is known to retain more water and be less airy than perlite. For more information on the difference between perlite and vermiculite see our article <u><a href="http://worldseedsupplydotnet.blogspot.com/2010/12/perlite-vs-vermiculite-how-to-tell.html">Perlite vs. Vermiculite: How to Tell the Difference</a></u>. These mediums are great for both hydration and aeration, and unlike rockwool, they are easier to separate from the root mass and will blend better into the soil once transplanting occurs. <br />
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Aside from these other mediums, many growers choose just to root cuttings in plain water. Using plain water will offer no better way of ensuring that the stem tip has a constant supply of water. But water does limit the amount of air that can get to the tip. Changing the water constantly will help increase oxygen content and reduce pathogens. A much more sophisticated way to increase oxygen content in water is to run a fish tank bubbler with an air stone at the end into your water. Some will even use this method with a combination of perlite and water, with the perlite giving something for the root to grow into. While this method may look pretty, it is probably not necessary for most species of plants. <br />
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Each of these different mediums has benefits and drawbacks, but when all is said and done, they should all be suitable for rooting a plant such as coleus or salvia. As you experiment, you will eventually come to learn what you prefer for each type of plant. <br />
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So once you have chosen your rooting medium, you will need a cutting to root. Choosing a piece to root is important not only to the cutting you’re rooting, but to the mother plant. Since new growth occurs at the nodes (where leaves connect to the stem), you want to make the cutting just above the node so that you leave an area suitable for new growth left at the tip of your branch. If the leaves are in pairs, there is one node on each side if the stem. When taking a cutting, you should keep in mind that snipping a growing tip will cause a plant to split into two growing points, one from each node. Keeping this in mind will give you an idea of how the plant will continue to grow after the cutting has been made. Although you will end up with two new growing points in place of the one, these new tips will be thinner. So you do not want to make too many cuttings in a row from the same tip. In some cases, it may be better to take a side shoot off the main branch if you can find one. <br />
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Making a cutting with your scissors is self-explanatory. However, you may want to take the extra step of sanitizing your scissors with rubbing alcohol before making the cut. This will help keep things clean and reduce the chances of infection. <br />
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It is also important to select the type of growth that will give you the best chance of success. New growth is the easiest to root. This is most likely because this type of growth is still full of growth hormones. Woody growth tends to be difficult if not impossible (depending on the species) to root cuttings from. So try to avoid it if possible.<br />
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The cutting you choose should not have an overabundance of leaves on it because this will just work against you by sapping water from the plant. If your cutting has a lot of leaves, it is a good idea to remove some. Your cutting can only draw in a limited amount of water without roots. The more leaves a cutting must divide that water supply by, the more it will be stressed. In fact, some of the more difficult species to root will only work if you remove all but the top leaves. All too often, people focus on the way the cutting will look rather than if it will be well-established. New leaves will always form, so don’t hesitate to get rid of the baggage before you begin the rooting process.<br />
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Once you have selected a cutting, what do you do? Well, first you need to decide if you are going to use rooting hormones. Rooting hormones are not necessary for many cuttings to form roots. However, a trial test (see <u><a href="http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/12932929#12932929">here</a></u>) with calea zacatechichi, a plant that is known for easy and quick rooting, has shown that rooting hormone is till effective. Even with a plant that can root very effectively, the rooting hormone showed even quicker rooting and a much more established root network. The most common rooting hormone, which can be found in most garden centers, is indole-3-butyric acid. It is most often seen in powder form. But gel form is better if you can find it since it adheres and remains on the stem better and longer. If you’re against the use of chemicals you can always look into using a tea of willow bark. The alkaloids in willow bark are a natural rooting hormone, which we have used to root mitragyna speciosa (kratom). Since you cannot apply the tea to the stem like you would with chemical rooting hormones, you just use the willow bark tea in place of water, either straight or to hydrate another growing medium. <br />
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So now you’re ready to root. Chinese food containers are just an example of a container you can use, but any jar or container that will keep the cutting upright will work. Fill the bottom 2-3 inches of your container with your rooting medium of choice. Thoroughly hydrate the medium. There’s not a lot of technique to this. Just get it wet. If you’re using perlite, you can let a little bit of water pool at the bottom. You want it fully wet. Now, take your clean finger or a pencil and poke a hole in the medium. If you’re using rockwool, you can use something like a BBQ skewer to get a good hole established. Then stick your cutting in the hole you made. If you’re using powdered rooting hormone, wet the cutting tip first before applying the rooting hormone. Then, stick it in the hole. Take your clear plastic bag and put it over the top of your container. Seal the opening of the bag around your container by placing a rubber band over it. This “humidity tent” will conserve moisture so that the cutting does not lose too much moisture from its leaves during the rooting process. <br />
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Once your cutting is set up, it is important to leave it in a place that is out of intense light or heat since these conditions have a tendency to stress the plant. Aim for a neutral setting. Some species do have temperature parameters for rooting. But as a general rule, room temperature is fine. To avoid stagnant air, open the top of your tent every few days to let fresh air in. Leave your plant in its rooting chamber until you see a well-developed root network. It is best off in the long run to be patient and wait for a good root system to guarantee a smooth transition into soil. Congratulations, you’re now able clone plants!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiD7vXEeAJZeXaTH258zIjjh3Zykqui1tpsDNF0ICvx8ZL-9Y5jaWLQm876PGX2CwnqjoiZZGpljhFeGT2vP4MNOym9BVgLuACMRzaUmQHi5c3xpyWBI56-pGBauyJbkppFgP4yzQwrZcf/s1600/Mandrake+Plant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiD7vXEeAJZeXaTH258zIjjh3Zykqui1tpsDNF0ICvx8ZL-9Y5jaWLQm876PGX2CwnqjoiZZGpljhFeGT2vP4MNOym9BVgLuACMRzaUmQHi5c3xpyWBI56-pGBauyJbkppFgP4yzQwrZcf/s320/Mandrake+Plant.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The question of when to plant flower seeds is relative to your area and the type of seed being planted. In general, you want to think of the "time to plant flower seeds" as the time within the seasonal cycle of your area more so than the literal time of year. <br />
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Ideally, you want to start the seeds as early as possible so that you can maximize the amount of time you get to enjoy your blooms. But if you plant the seeds too early, it is possible to stunt growth of young seedlings or kill them altogether. The best thing to do is look on the packet or look up a grow guide for the individual species you are growing. This will give you an idea of the seasonal conditions that are optimal for the given species you are trying to grow.<br />
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But let's talk about some general terms. If you are dealing with flowers such as poppies you actually want to start them very early in the season. I can say from experience that cosmos and leonotis nepetifolia (klip dagga) are not flower species that will be hurt from planting too early. You will see many packets or grow guides talking about starting the seeds as soon as the ground is workable. In this case, it means that once the ground has thawed enough that you can work in it, you can plant your seeds. Again, these are seeds that can tolerate and may even benefit from cold or frosty conditions. So when you talk about the time that this occurs, it goes back to being dependant on area. <br />
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It seems that the most common recommendation you will run into is plant the seeds after the danger of frost has passed. While the seeds themselves may be able to withstand frost, these are usually plants whose seedlings are frost tender. Many seeds in nature have mechanisms to prevent them from germinating all at once. Packaged seeds have a tendency to produce quicker and more regular germination to please the customer. But it removes the plants defense from the "irregular" nature of weather. So if you were to plant a species whose seedlings are frost tender too early, you may end up with a spout of nice weather that causes most of your seeds to germinate only to experience a period of frost that kills your seedlings. So if you pick a time in which you know the danger of frost has passed to plant your seedlings, you can avoid this problem. In many areas, May is suitable for this. But in other areas you might even wait til early June. On the other hand, you will be able to plant earlier than May down south.<br />
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But all of this speaks about planting outdoors. Many growers get a head start on the season by starting seeds indoors or in something like a greenhouse. Again, this will affect the question of what month you can plant. If you have suitable conditions, you can technically start plants or flowers in any month, and you can grow just about any species (even tropical) plants in your location. But the key to this is being able to provide suitable conditions. Indoor light simply cannot match the light outdoors. Even a well-lit window probably has less light than a shady area outdoors. <br />
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When you start your plants indoors you have to consider two things. The first is whether the conditions are suitable to maintain the plant long enough to get it outdoors. Seedlings tend to require lower light than established plants. This makes sense not just because seedlings are smaller and have less biomass to maintain. Seedlings often get their start beneath leaves, branches or under the shade of other plants. As they grow higher, they eventually find the light they need to maintain adult growth. It seems that nature understands this and has made seedlings adaptable. If your seedlings start out very tall and skinny, it is likely that your house lacks the light even to maintain seedling growth. For this, you would want to supplement the light with a grow bulb or compact fluorescent. But imagining you get past this, you do not want to start your seedlings so early that you pass the seedling stage before you can get them outdoors. So even indoors, the time of when to plant can be dependant on where you live and when the weather is warm enough outside. But it will give you a head start. As for determining when indoor planting is right, you can often look on the seed packet or in a grow guide for help. Of course, if you supplement the natural light in your house with something like fluorescent lights, you can often determine yourself when you want to plant because you will have sufficient light to keep the plants going beyond what natural light alone may offer. <br />
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The second thing you want to consider about starting seeds indoors is called hardening off. Essentially, this is the idea of getting your seedlings used to the harsh outdoor world. As mentioned before, the sun will be stronger outdoors. Just as people tend to get burned easily early in the season after lack of sun exposure, so do plants. To get your plants used to these conditions, you want to gradually expose them to the outdoors over a period of time while also increasing the amount of light you expose them to until they reach their final growing place. <br />
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Here is a basic plan for hardening off: Start them off in complete shade for a few hours a day. Over the next few days increase the time the plant it outside until it is outside all day. Monitor the plant for any signs of stress. Then eventually you want to gradually increase the light exposure until you find that your plant can tolerate its final growing place. <br />
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Some packets and grow guides will actually mention starting seeds indoors x number of weeks before the last frost. But they do not explain much of what I have just described. This will help you in such cases. Starting flowers from seed can be a bit more work than buying plants. But with seeds you will usually be able to get a lot more flowers and a lot more variety for the same price. Each year your skill will improve so that growing from seed will be second nature. But if you have any reservations about your ability when starting out, go for easy-to-grow varieties like Grandpa Ott's Morning glory, cosmos, klip dagga, California poppy, Purple coneflower (echinacea) or sunflowers. You can find seeds for most of the locally, but we also carry them at World Seed Supply. Perennials such as echinacea will return each year while some like Grandpa Ott's morning glory have a tendency to reseed. So you initial efforts will pay off in the long run. Don't be discouraged. Happy planting!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-72817504959275559372010-12-10T12:06:00.000-08:002010-12-10T12:09:01.240-08:00Why Mulch?Mulching your garden will improve your plants’ health and save you time in the garden. They say time equals money. Well, mulching equals more spare time for you. So, if you are not already doing it, here is some “valuable” information. Many of us might already be mulching our flower beds to control weeds. But the benefits of mulching are not just limited to weed control. Mulching allows the soil to retain moisture and heat longer. It can extend a growing season. It also provides an environment that houses beneficial insects and works to improve your soil over time. Mulching can even reduce infestation.<br /><br />You may very well be familiar with mulching when it comes to landscaping and flower beds. Landscapers often use mulch to keep weeds from overtaking their projects. So why not do the same in your garden? If you haven’t been mulching, then you’ve probably been busy fighting with weeds that compete for light, moisture and root space with your plants. But in today’s world time is precious commodity. And gardening is supposed to be a hobby, not another chore. Any idea that saves time is usually a good one. You can use straw as an inexpensive alternative to traditional mulches. By putting a thick layer down, you block new weed seeds from reaching the soil below while starving seeds that are already below of the light they need to thrive. This is not to say that it will block every weed. After all, life has a way of adapting to just about any obstacle. But it will certainly free up more time to spend on the more enjoyable endeavors in your garden.<br /><br />Another way mulching saves you time is watering. Just as the mulch creates a barrier to weeds, it does so with moisture. Mulch blocks the sun’s rays from directly beating on the soil. At the same time, mulch keeps soil moisture from evaporating right out into the air where it disappears. After leaving the soil, moisture can remain in the mulch itself where it is still of more use to your plants than if it had dissipated. By conserving water, it means that you will spend less time watering. This is beneficial to the environment and to your water bill. Just like time is money, water is money. So even if you have a sprinkler system so that watering time is not so much an issue, mulching will still help you save in other ways.<br /><br />Mulching can also benefit you timewise by extending your growing season. Just like mulch will help maintain moisture, it acts as an insulator. In this way, it can insulate the roots of late-season crops so that you may be able to get some extra growing time out of them. In some cases, mulching the roots can even help perennial plants survive the winter in an area where it might otherwise just miss being able to do so, due to cold temperatures. It may not do much for the leaves and branches of the plant. But if the roots are preserved, the rest of the plant will regenerate much quicker and stronger than growing from seed. Or depending on the case, this may save you the time and space of having to bring plants indoors for the winter.<br /><br />On the other side of the spectrum, mulching can buy you time in the early part of the season too. Mulching can help you get an early start on the season with seeds you are sowing in the ground by helping keep the soil a little warmer. A loose layer of straw will also work well to help shade new seedlings from the intense sun until they get on their own feet. By this, we mean having a layer of straw (or other mulch) that is not packed so that there are gaps in between the pieces where seedlings can grow. The shadows created by the pieces of the mulch will create shading for seedlings just getting off to their start in life. As the seedlings grow, just add more mulch until you have the thick layer of mulch you will need later in the season. This shading will keep them from being stressed while improving their moisture supply to ensure your seedlings get off to a better start. And getting back to the concept of time, a better start should mean quicker growth. So you may spend just a little less time waiting for your plants to start producing.<br />Along with these benefits, mulching will also improve your soil quality. Healthy soil is an entire ecosystem with the plants only being one part. Mulching helps provide a home for beneficial insects, fungi and micro-organisms. Insects like ladybugs, centipedes and spiders help by feeding on potential pests. Mulching also has a tendency to attract earthworms, which are often good indicators of soil health. Earthworm castings, which is a nice way of referring to the solid waste of the worm, have countless benefits to the soil. Castings act as a fertilizer and can increase a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. The castings also contain bacterias and microorganisms that, just like the worms, help break down organic matter. As organisms break down the mulch, it will help provide additional nutrients to the soil. By working with nature’s natural chemistry you can forgo the monetary and health expenses of using chemical fertilizers.<br /><br />Another good thing about mulch is that it allows you to foster that ecosystem in your garden in a way that it is partitioned. The microorganisms and insects that break down organic matter tend to lie primarily in the soil below the mulch. The mulch layer prevents splash up during watering that can introduce soil-borne diseases to the foliage of your plants. This mulch barrier also works out well for fruits like cucumbers and melons that may lie on the ground. While their roots can still partake in all the benefits of the mulch, the fruits can lay atop the mulch layer, keeping them away from excess moisture as well as many organisms that might invade the fruit. Instead, the fruits are left up above that layer with you, the one who will be doing all the eating.<br /><br />At the start of this, you may have thought of mulching as just an extra thing to do in your gardening this year. But mulching is one of those extra steps that pays for itself. If you can take a single step that will save you time, money and at the same time increase productivity, then only poor planning should prevent that step from happening. We could go on further about the benefits of mulching, but this article is very much about saving time. And I think we’ve spent just enough to get the point across.WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-59169036155549401922010-12-09T17:08:00.000-08:002010-12-09T17:14:19.399-08:00Perlite vs. Vermiculite: How to tell the Difference<div align="left">Several years ago, I had an experience where I specifically needed perlite for a gardening project. When I got to the gardening section of this store, I discovered that they were out of perlite. I asked a store employee for help, and he confirmed that perlite was indeed out of stock everywhere in the store. Instead, the employee tried to sell me vermiculite, insisting they were basically the same thing. While this is true in one respect, this mistake could also ruin your project. While working for the same purpose in one respect, perlite and vermiculite are completely opposite in another. So it is important to know the difference between perlite and vermiculite so that you are never influenced to do something that could ruin your gardening projects by incompetent store employees.<br /><br />Vermiculite and perlite are both non-organic soil additives that are used to aerate the soil. As rooting mediums, they offer this same benefit. Vermiculite is a spongy material made from mica whereas perlite is a type of highly porous volcanic glass that resembles pumice. Perlite appears as small, round, non-uniform, white particles. Some people mistake perlite in potting soil mixtures for Styrofoam balls. While both mediums are used for aeration, they cannot always be used interchangeably.<br /><br />Both perlite and vermiculite are great at retaining water, but vermiculite retains much more water and offers a little less aeration than perlite. Vermiculite literally acts as a sponge that will retain water to the point of saturation. Perlite holds water by having a large amount of surface area within the nooks and crevices of its vast pores. But being porous and made of volcanic glass it allows excess water to drain much more readily than vermiculite.<br /><br />In a case where you have especially thirsty plants and want the soil to hold extra water, vermiculite would be a better choice. You might find that perlite will dry out too quickly in this situation. But if you were growing cacti, you would eventually discover that the amount of water vermiculite holds would lead your plants to rot. Perlite, on the other hand, would be well-draining and suitable for your cacti mixture.<br /><br />Vermiculite is also used in mycology to add moisture to the substrate that mushrooms will grow on. Perlite would fail miserably at this task. Perlite can also be used in mycology or horticulture to raise humidity levels. Because perlite has more surface area, it fosters higher humidity by evaporation off this extra surface area. Vermiculite would not work as well for this though because it would retain much more of that water.<br /><br />So essentially, perlite and vermiculite are the same in that they can retain more water than many other things, and they can aerate soil. But vermiculite differs from perlite because it retains water and creates a soil mixture that retains water, whereas perlite fosters a well-draining soil mixture. Likewise, vermiculite’s tendency to retain water makes it a good additive to mushroom substrates but a bad candidate for increasing humidity. Perlite’s hard, porous nature makes it a great mechanism for increasing the humidity of a given area but disqualifies it as a candidate for creating a substrate that will retain moisture.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">HUNDREDS OF SEEDS, LIVE PLANTS, DRIED BOTANICALS AND MORE</span></strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><span style="font-size:180%;">www.worldseedsupply.org</span></a></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-19528484635144837492010-12-08T17:23:00.001-08:002010-12-15T03:23:38.065-08:00How Hardy is Silene Capensis?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvzOs8t_n2_cDOSzaTPPpQ1MyxQDZ3qsbcV9FTqmoWSbHvUBzErUaMqdwb9f07PDGj9q-Gtui4uoit0AP1CB6kayNZdabGyBqIXxn922GuovsqvYl4VzFiln_FBH_9DpWx98bOyl6qcXa/s1600/Silene+Capensis+in+December.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548487123541883010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvzOs8t_n2_cDOSzaTPPpQ1MyxQDZ3qsbcV9FTqmoWSbHvUBzErUaMqdwb9f07PDGj9q-Gtui4uoit0AP1CB6kayNZdabGyBqIXxn922GuovsqvYl4VzFiln_FBH_9DpWx98bOyl6qcXa/s320/Silene+Capensis+in+December.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div>One might think that silene capensis would be rather tender being from South Africa. Well, apparently silene capensis can tolerate freezing temperature better than most plants. The silene capensis plant shown above has been subjected to freezing temps for at least three straight days with the thermometer dropping as low as 27 degrees F. According to Wikipedia, it seems that silene capensis can tolerate temps down as low as -5 degrees C (about 23 degrees F). With the leaves in such good shape on young plants, I am willing to bet that this species can withstand even lower than what Wikipedia predicts. </div><div></div><div align="center">SHOP OUR STORE FOR LIVE SILENE CAPENSIS <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=15">PLANTS</a>, <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=367">SEEDS</a> & <a href="http://worldseedsupply.org/products.php?cat=368">DRIED ROOTS</a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><span style="font-size: 180%;">www.worldseedsupply.org</span></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-33645593133940056742010-09-28T22:58:00.000-07:002012-09-26T17:39:23.110-07:00Growing Kratom Indoors: How to Grow the Easy Way<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It seems that some people make growing kratom seem harder than it really is. But don’t be scared off from getting one of these wonderful plants because the truth is that kratom is rather easy to grow and will put on growth rapidly compared to a lot of other plants. Some guides have made it seem like if you do not have an expensive lighting system or a special soil, your kratom plants are doomed. Well, we’ve had a bit of experience with growing kratom indoors over the years, in all sorts of environments, and we’ve come to realize that a lot of that information leads to a lot of unnecessary worrying.<br />
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At least one popular kratom guide suggests that commercial soils are unfit for growing kratom plants. But we have had nothing but success by growing kratom using plain Miracle Grow potting soil, a tip we saw being recommended in another guide and decided to test ourselves. We’ve also had similar success using our own soil mixtures to grow kratom. We’ve found that mixtures that are fertile and well-draining will generally work. But we have experienced firsthand how proper soil ph is also essential to growing kratom. It has been suggested that the ideal ph for growing kratom is between 5.5 and 6.5. Without the proper ph, kratom will not be able to take up the proper nutrients from the soil, and it will exhibit signs of nutrient deficiency. In one soil mixture, we used compost that proved to be on the alkaline side. This caused a sudden change of yellow, blotchy leaves on the affected kratom plants. After adding some sulphur to acidify the soil, it corrected the problem. <br />
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We’ve also experienced soil ph changes in some other kratom plants due to water. After noticing similar changes in kratom leaf color as we did with those that were growing in the compost, we tested the ph of the water we were using. Despite that we were using distilled water, our tests showed that the ph of the water was extremely low. As distilled water interacts with the air, it can cause the ph to change significantly. In this case, the change was enough to damage our kratom plants. You can test your water if you happen to have a good ph meter on hand when growing kratom. Unfortunately, a good ph meter will usually run about $100 and cheaper meters are considered unreliable. Otherwise, you can periodically test your kratom’s soil using a soil test kit. <br />
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We recommend using a large pot for your kratom plant simply because more room can’t hurt. But we have also found that kratom does not become rootbound quite as easily as other plants. We’ve maintained some bushy kratom plants in what would be considered small containers, so they can survive. But larger containers will allow your kratom plants to spread out below the soil, take in more moisture and grow quicker. It will also mean that you can get away with watering your kratom less frequently because the pot will hold more moisture. Some kratom growers will water their kratom plants more frequently, but we recommend watering the plants well whenever the top of the soil starts to dry out. This seems to supply enough moisture for rapid growth without subjecting the plants to standing in water that could promote root rot and other types of disease. <br />
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When it comes to light, it might seem that you need a High Pressure Sodium system to grow kratom because kratom loves light. Kratom does seem to greatly enjoy that type of light and will grow nice under such intensity. If you’re looking to pamper your kratom plants, HPS or LED is certainly the way to go. But kratom also will grow very well if placed directly under fluorescent lighting, which is much cheaper to run and can be set up with significantly less cost and effort. Even a single 18 watt (120 volt) compact fluorescent bulb has been proven to work for growing small kratom plants without the plants suffering any maladies. We have also found that a 100 watt (120 volt) full spectrum halogen bulb can support one or more kratom plants. A 24-hour light cycle will work if you do not mind the extra electricity consumption. With that said, it seems that more light will in fact produce darker kratom leaves with redder veins, and this is likely where the emphasis on heavy lighting comes in. Kratom vendors seem to identify various strains of kratom by the redness of their veins. But, in fact, a kratom plant with very red veins can change to have purely green veins depending on the conditions. We suspect that this phenomenon is similar to human skin tanning under more sun exposure.<br />
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Another condition that kratom requires is high humidity. The average humidity of Bangkok, Thailand tends to be between 90% and 94% during the morning. But it can range between 53% and 70% in the pm hours depending on the time of year. This suggests that kratom has at least some natural exposure to medium range humidity. While you do not want your kratom plants to be in a dry environment, you can easily create suitable humidity without exhausting yourself. Humidifiers can be used to give your kratom plants a humidity boost, but they are expensive to buy and run. Plus, these devices use up unnecessary energy. Instead, there are other options for giving your kratom plants the proper humidity.<br />
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Kratom leaves are waxy, and so they hold onto moisture more easily than say salvia leaves. This seems to provide a bit more room for error when it comes to a short-term humidity drop killing a kratom leaf. You tend to have some extra time to notice visual clues that your kratom plant could use more humidity. A higher humidity will produce much nicer kratom leaves with more of the characteristic glossy shine whereas kratom leaves in lower humidity tend to be more roughly textured and perhaps a little discolored. Kratom also has a tendency to drop leaves when it is really unhappy.<br />
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You can use the leaf texture to determine when adjustments are needed before dropping takes place. If you can get your humidity to up around 90%, your kratom plants will probably never complain. But judging from the climate of Bangkok and our personal experience, you do not have to be alarmed if you see fluctuations in your humidity. It’s normal for humidity to fluctuate even within a self-contained growing environment, especially as temperatures fluctuate and cause more or less water to evaporate. But it should be easy enough to keep your average humidity up to a suitable 70, even where your external humidity is lower. <br />
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Since external humidity tends to fluctuate and may not reach 90%, even at a high point, it is best to keep your kratom plants in some type of contained environment. It is easier to control humidity in a container. For example, small kratom plants can easily be kept in a fish tank terrarium with a light placed directly overhead. Continual pruning will be needed to maintain size, but your kratom plants will probably be very happy inside. You can spray the sides of the terrarium every so often or even fill the bottom with an inch or two of moist perlite if you want to add additional humidity. We do not recommend direct misting as a substitute for true humidity because it is only a temporary solution and does not provide the same type of humidity as evaporated moisture. If you have a grow closet with a lot of plants, it is likely that there will be enough moisture in the air simply due to evaporation from the soil. But if ventilation or other factors keeps the air drier, adding an aluminum roasting tray of moist perlite to the vicinity will work in this case too. The idea is not to become overly focused on temporary humidity fluctuations but to try to maintain a high average humidity and pay attention to the visual clues. <br />
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Aside from humidity, temperature is rather important when it comes to growing kratom. The ideal temperature for growing kratom is between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. However, most households tend to keep temperatures around 68 degrees. This would be considered similar to low wintertime temperatures in Thailand, but we have found that kratom plants will still grow decently in this range. So you do not need to live in a tropical climate or roast yourself out of your house to grow kratom. Artificial lights will also add as much as 20 degrees depending on ventilation and the type of lighting. So you can easily maintain ideal temperatures in an average household. Anything below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, though, would start to noticeably slow your kratom’s growth. <br />
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We have exposed kratom plants to wintertime temperatures as low as 50 degrees. But as temperatures dropped into the 50’s, we had leaves that turned red in color and eventually dropped off. In our test, the kratom plants remained under these conditions for weeks before the leaves totally dropped. However, in some cases, dropped leaves may still be capable of growing back once temperatures rise again. On the other end of the thermometer, it has been suggested that growth slows significantly if kratom plants are exposed to temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But we have experienced good growth even with steady temperatures as high as 96 degrees. <br />
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In retrospect, it seems that kratom does allow some leeway with regards to its conditions. It is not quite as demanding as many people believe as long as you take some time to provide an adequate setup. It is not exactly a plant that you can leave by your window, but neither is it a plant whose conditions are hard to meet with the proper planning. As a general outline, situate your plant in a large pot with some Miracle Grow potting soil or a similarly textured mix with a ph between 5.5 and 6.5. Place the plant(s) in some type of contained growing environment such as an aquarium or a growing closet that will help maintain humidity and temperature levels. Provide some type of direct artificial light overhead, whether HPS, LED or fluorescent. Keep in mind that the stronger lights will provide nicer leaves, but the fluorescents will certainly provide sufficient light to maintain healthy growth. <br />
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When it comes to maintenance, aim to maintain temperatures between 75-90 degrees Fahrenheit, which your lighting and contained environment should help achieve. Monitor the humidity, adding moistened perlite to the environment if needed. Water your plants when the soil just starts to dry out. Fertilize with a liquid plant food according to the directions on the packaging. Watch the leaves for signs of drying out or nutrient deficiency. Periodically check the soil ph, especially if you notice discoloration. And don’t forget to take plenty of pictures to post online. If you have not yet gotten a plant feel free to visit the World Seed Supply's Kratom Collection Website and check for availability <a href="http://www.kratomcollection.com/">www.kratomcollection.com</a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">KRATOM: BALI, MAENG DA, EXTRACT and MORE</span></strong></div>
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WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-27770245371410577312010-07-12T23:23:00.000-07:002010-12-17T09:53:19.776-08:00How to Grow Klip Dagga (Leonotis Nepetifolia)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSOV_ywsYflbeabA5afIu8WqOKlVAMGYIasS2KiA21an3fUSIata30oON65vLfl9vgkrFMeM7wIZQzPHmt58pREo0nzhMlNspzfKWKY9DtWac0xntWm_aDR9DRHx81IuZqejX30i9Q7Nt/s1600/Klip+flowers.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493273688525486834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSOV_ywsYflbeabA5afIu8WqOKlVAMGYIasS2KiA21an3fUSIata30oON65vLfl9vgkrFMeM7wIZQzPHmt58pREo0nzhMlNspzfKWKY9DtWac0xntWm_aDR9DRHx81IuZqejX30i9Q7Nt/s320/Klip+flowers.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
<div>Leonotis Nepetifolia, more commonly known as klip dagga, is one of the easiest enthobotanicals to grow. Leonotis Nepetifolia tends to get quite tall, but it is a great choice for beginning gardeners as long as they have the appropriate space. While smaller plants can be grown inside, klip dagga is more of an outdoor plant. Klip dagga is usually grown as an annual but can be kept perennially. This flowering stalk, which can reach 10 feet in height, is normally grown in the ground. But it will grow in large pots as well. We at World Seed Supply have grown full size klip dagga plants in pots that were approximately 11” deep and 11” in diameter. While these leonotis plants did not have any trouble reaching their full potential in pots that size, it is worth noting that the dagga plants had a tendency to fall over simply from getting too tall. Therefore, actions such as using a larger pot, tying the plant to some type of support, or cutting back growth might be suggested for growing klip dagga. Potted plants will also require more regular watering than those in the ground, especially in strong sun. </div><div></div><div align="left"><br />
Leonotis Nepetifolia can grow in a wide variety of soils, even those that are somewhat infertile. But naturally, klip dagga plants will prefer soils that are rich and well-draining. As for many of our outdoor plants, we prefer to use pure compost for growing klip dagga. Compost seems to produce leonotis plants that are much healthier with larger leaves and thicker stems. It is normal to see plants with leaves that are 6 inches</div><div align="left"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493273265958668002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOZTZYmQODlzeMTwP0rNu8lpdIdWjIgKpLtCT8d-tZox73eKSv9vJXAC36eumRX_tbAxSnP69DAsb4H9pgRFfKlLCoI9iWT33bNVVYwF7KkKrnXVvhheP0HZblnJb9ENSStKwzKcZOWGM/s320/Fat+dagga+leaf.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></div>or more in length (not including the stem). Despite being giants, leonotis nepetifolia plants have roots that are comparatively shallow. About eight inches of compost placed on top of ground that has been tilled will give the best results.<br />
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You can choose to start your plants directly in the ground, in a container outdoors or in a container indoors. Don’t become too focused on any of these as a requirement. Do what suits you best. Either way, you should still end up with skyscraping plants by the end of the season. Klip dagga seeds are not killed by freezing and will readily germinate from seed scattered by the year’s previous crop, even in the northern U.S. However, our experience has shown that seed started outdoors where the winters are cooler will sometimes be delayed in germination until favorable temperatures begin, usually in late May to June. <br />
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Leonotis nepetifolia seeds started indoors will give you a head start on the season, but they will need to be hardened off. By that, it means that the small klip dagga plants will need gradual exposure to the outdoors, during which time they are likely to lose leaves. Even so, it seems that leonotis nepetifola is one species that will benefit from being started indoors ahead of time, at least in the north, as long as the appropriate acclimation steps are taken. </div><div><br />
On the other hand, if you are not confident that you will be able to properly acclimate your klip dagga plants or you do not feel like putting in the effort, it makes sense simply to wait until the weather warms a bit so you can start your leonotis seeds outdoors. At that point, you will either start seedlings in a separate container, which will allow you to select the best ones and transplant them in an organized manner into some kind of flower bed, or you will start them in the ground directly. Just be sure to choose a final location in full sun. An ideal transplantation size for leonotis nepetifolia plants is about 4”-5”. </div><div><br />
You should sow your leonotis nepetifolia seeds at a depth of about 1/8”. For the most part, klip dagga seeds germinate easily and hold viability well. We have found klip dagga seedlings growing quite readily in different areas, including the soil of certain cacti pots where klip dagga seeds inadvertently landed. However, we have also encountered a few instances where growers had trouble getting klip dagga seeds to germinate. In some instances, the problem has been solved by increasing watering. One tip that should be minded when watering is that the soil must remain evenly moist for enough time that the seeds can absorb the water. This is a general watering tip that applies to growing many types of seeds (but not all). Sometimes, even a heavy dose of water can be counteracted by a strong sun or dry air that dries the soil too quickly. In that case, mulching the soil with some hay or moving a container to a slightly shadier spot might make a difference. Indoors, misting the soil surface deeper or more frequently could help. A steady, even soil moisture with considerable warmth should be your goal. In fact, we’ve had good results with starting leonotis seeds indoors using bottom heat. That coincides with our findings about outdoor germination increasing in the later months, which means a temperature increase could potentially benefit your dagga grow early on. </div><div><br />
Once your leonotis plants are growing in their final locations, all you need to worry about is keeping them adequately watered. These tall plants will generally soak up as much as you can water them. We recommend watering leonotis plants deeply every one to three days. Fertilizing is optional, particularly if using compost, and can be done monthly with an organic fertilizer. Leaves and flower petals can be harvested throughout the growing season. Seed pods can be harvested in the fall by cutting the entire flowering stalks from the plant. Lastly, don’t forget to take pictures! </div><div><br />
</div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">BUY KLIP DAGGA seeds, plants, flowers and more:</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><span style="font-size: large;">www.worldseedsupply.org</span></a></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-84368284137500027162010-07-05T22:54:00.000-07:002010-07-05T23:01:40.658-07:00World Seed Supply’s Easy Pickle Recipe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aQxPLyhTFXbNowgDwGtQwkScBBq64YneyO-V99a9vs8tEi6mix8TZQ4qejI_qiUYz4eGp1PBp2T3lTdpu4YWXLEqEC2wvhczVY2tMYGnJzY96yHy5K9d49U0Fd6NXY5UPDHpXtuAlD5r/s1600/SDC12841.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490668085037885346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aQxPLyhTFXbNowgDwGtQwkScBBq64YneyO-V99a9vs8tEi6mix8TZQ4qejI_qiUYz4eGp1PBp2T3lTdpu4YWXLEqEC2wvhczVY2tMYGnJzY96yHy5K9d49U0Fd6NXY5UPDHpXtuAlD5r/s320/SDC12841.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Ingredients:<br /><br />Pickling Cucumbers<br />4 Cloves Garlic<br />3 Cups Water<br />¼ Cup Kosher Salt<br />1 gram Coriander seeds<br />½ gram dill seeds<br />3 sprigs of fresh dill and/or 1 tsp dried dill<br /><br />The number of cucumbers you will need will depend on the exact container you use and the size of the cucumbers. We generally find quart size Chinese soup containers or full pint mason jars suitable. An ideal cucumber size is about 3”, although you may end up with different sizes in your batch. <br /><br />Start out by slicing your cucumbers into spears. Afterwards, you will want to slice your garlic thin and then cut the slices in half once. When you are close to being done, add your water, kosher salt, coriander, and dill seed to a pot and bring to a boil. Place your cucumber spears, sliced garlic and fresh or dried dill in your container. Once the contents of your pot reach a boil, add them to the container as well. Set the container aside until it cools, then refrigerate. Allow 2 days or more for best flavor. It’s as easy as that. In just minutes you can have all the exceptional pickles you could want. <br /><br />Feel free to adjust the garlic and salt to your taste. You may also substitute more of either dill seed or coriander seed if you do not have both. It is also worth noting that you will tend to have a bit more brine than you will use in one container of pickles, so you can always carry it over to the next container. After you eat the pickles from one container, you can reuse the brine many times for later batches. </div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-57364023646060413772010-06-10T02:18:00.000-07:002010-06-10T02:33:24.453-07:00World Seed Supply's Complete Pepper Growing GuidePeppers are one of the most rewarding plants you can have in your garden. A single plant can give you an abundance of fruits that you can enjoy for months. But maximizing your harvest and heat depends on knowing exactly what to do to give your peppers everything they need.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481073519752605778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4WRfMuDneGjOv7r3yqybnc_8tMUlycr1iQpwlXKjTHEXCQykbI2U_fpEQjJkxt7ztVtWQVQAQUFIAyAeWbI9dixKXlrJ_JRTtOKCflEdrO6dXgdppO-WTbc_bML19F5P28QUUTE4qI1o/s320/Nagas+Stamped.jpg" border="0" /><br />Before you even begin growing hot peppers, the first thing you need to do is select the type of chili pepper you want to grow. There are countless types of chili peppers, coming in all shapes and sizes and ranging from completely mild to lava-gargling, surface-of-the-sun hot. The heat of hot peppers is measured on a scale, called the Scoville Heat Scale. The way this scale works is that it measures how much a hot pepper must be diluted before the mixture is no longer spicy. Since the test is based on human involvement, it is not an exact science, and this is why there tends to be arguments over which peppers are hotter than others. But it gives a general idea of what to expect from a given variety of chili. With that said, it should be noted that the heat of a pepper relies very heavily on the growing conditions. A normally excruciating pepper can end up being nearly mild if the right conditions are not met.<br /><br />For those extreme tasters, we at World Seed Supply offer some of the world’s hottest, including the Naga Jalokia, The Red Savina Habanero and the Desert Tepin. We also offer visually appealing types like the Chocolate habanero, which is anything but sweet, and classic types, like jalapeno and cayenne.<br /><br />Now let’s get into the garden. The first mistake many pepper growers make is in the soil selection. In World Seed Supply’s experience, we have NOT found average potting soil or seed starting soil to be a good choice for peppers. Never use topsoil for chili peppers either. You want a soil that is well-draining and very fertile with plenty of organic matter. There seems to be debate over whether to use or avoid peat for hot peppers, so we figured we would just clarify. A little peat will not hurt your hot peppers, but you should never choose a soil in which peat is a major component. Peat is added to many soil mixtures to help with water retention and to provide a light medium that roots can easily penetrate. But it does not provide adequate nutrition and tends to dry out in strong sun, and once that happens it can be difficult to re-hydrate. But a small amount of peat (or used coffee grounds) can be useful just to increase the acidity of a mix.<br /><br />Germinating your chili peppers indoors in advance and sowing directly outdoors are choices that each offer benefits and drawbacks. This is why we at World Seed Supply usually do a little of both and then choose the best plants to work with. The germination rate of pepper seeds seems to be higher when started indoors because you have more control over moisture. The advantage of pepper seed started outdoors is that it does not need to be hardened off. Hardening off is the process of adjusting a plant to the intense sunlight of the outdoors. Even though you may think your house is very bright, it rarely compares to the sun’s power outdoors. So, just like some individuals will use a few days in the tanning booth at the beginning of the summer before they can safely sit outside without burning, indoor plants will need some type of gradual exposure. At World Seed Supply, we usually begin exposure in an extremely shady spot such as under a deck or in the shade under a lawn chair. Hardening off can result in an adjustment period where growth slows down. So if you do not have a good amount of light indoors you might find that pepper seeds started outdoors will outpace seed started indoors at an earlier date. So if you have the extra seed to spare, it is a good idea to try both methods.<br /><br />When germinating pepper seeds indoors, we recommend a 50/50 mix of cactus soil and perlite. Perlite is a very light, very porous type of volcanic rock that is similar to pumice. It comes in bags of tiny round particles that resemble foam balls. This 50/50 mix is actually a common mixture that works well with most plants. You should be able to get a bag of each for under $10 total. We have found that Hoffman brand or Shultz’s cactus soil seems to have a good consistency and a nice black color. An ideal Ph for hot peppers is about 5-6. The only consideration with a cactus soil base is that cacti prefer alkaline soils, so this is where you may want to lower the ph by adding in something like a small amount of peat or coffee grounds. If you have an adequate light source, you can start peppers at any time of year. Just be sure to harden them off slowly when you eventually put them outside.<br /><br />We at World Seed Supply also like to grow our peppers in compost, which we order by the truckload. Just to be clear, growing hot peppers does not require two types of soil. The 50/50 mix is suitable for your entire growing project if you want to leave it in that. We just prefer compost for all growing that takes place outdoors, especially if we’re putting pepper plants in the ground. But since compost tends to carry insects, we don’t use this to start pepper seeds indoors. We do start some pepper seeds outdoors directly in compost. But seeds started indoors will be started in the mix mentioned above and transplanted to compost once they are ready to go outside. Good compost is well-draining and does not compact. Yet, it holds moisture well. Younger compost may be more beneficial for growing peppers since it tends to be more acidic. If you do your own composting, you can also increase the acidity by composting more things like fruit or pine needles. Otherwise, if you find that your compost is a little on the alkaline side, you might then go ahead and add in just a little peat or some spent coffee grounds to lower the ph.<br /><br />Another traditional soil amendment for hot peppers is epsom salt (magnesium sulphate), which adds magnesium and sulphur to the soil. While most soils do not lack in these minerals, many growers use this to help the fruits set. Epsom salt is also useful in clearing out soils that have other salt buildups. These buildups tend to occur in potted plants, especially if tap water is used. Some pepper growers will mix a small amount of epsom salt in with the soil in the beginning of the season, while others use it in the water or as a foliar spray (1 Tbs per gallon). Others will scratch the granules into the surface of the soil. Epsom salt treatment will help prevent yellowing leaves that many growers see later in the season as the result of magnesium deficiency. This can have an effect on growth and flavor.<br /><br />When planting, it is a good idea to sow your pepper seeds with the point facing down. The seed’s point is where the root will emerge from, so having the root positioned in advance will ensure that it drives down into the soil where it belongs. The seed should be sown at a depth just deeper than the diameter of the seed, so that the upper rim of the seed lies just below the soil line. Take measures to avoid the soil being too compact around the seed. Compact soil can actually choke seeds that would have otherwise grown. Compact soil inhibits airflow and holds the seed down. By planting loosely with the pepper seed point down and the rim at the soil line, the seed is ready to start rising out of the soil as soon as it begins to sprout.<br /><br />Once the pepper seeds have been planted, keep the soil lightly and evenly moist until germination. During and before germination, bottom heat is extremely beneficial, particularly for the more exotic peppers like the naga jalokia, which come from tropical climates. For these, you want a soil temperature that is no less than 65 degrees F. For more exotic varieties, you may not see results in temperatures below 80 degrees. You may get away with cooler temperatures for other pepper seeds. But you will find that a few degrees can make a difference for these varieties. Also keep in mind that the soil temperature is not always the same as the air temperature.<br /><br />Indoor seeds need only be watered by misting the soil with a spray bottle. At no point should it get wet though. Too much moisture can cause the pepper seed embryo to rot. It can also cause the stems of new chili seedlings to do the same. The soil can be allowed to dry out slightly between watering. But it is also important not to let the soil dry out completely. This may be a particularly sensitive issue if bottom heat is applied, since the heat can dry things out pretty quickly. But it is important to keep on top of this because if the soil happens to get too dry just as the embryo is waking up it could kill the seedling before you even realize anything was going on. The result is that you will unwittingly be tending dead seeds, waiting for them to pop up.<br /><br />You may be accustomed to seeing pepper seedlings after two weeks or so, but be prepared to wait a month or more with some varieties, especially if temperatures are not ideal throughout. It is also common to see new sprouts weeks after others have first emerged. After the seeds have sprouted, be sure to keep the seed coats moist so that they can easily fall off. Occasionally, seed coats of pepper seeds will have trouble falling off. Keeping the seed coats moist will keep them pliable so that the plants can break free. It is usually best to allow the seed coat to fall off the pepper seedling naturally due to the risk of snapping the stem during handling. But in some cases you may have to remove the seed coat manually. A utility knife, scissors and a pair of needle nose pliers may be useful in this case to help slice the seed coat and pull it apart without causing damage to the leaves.<br /><br />Your seeds can be transplanted once they’ve grown about two sets of true leaves and are about 3-4”. We at World Seed Supply do not recommend transplanting seeds from indoors to the outdoors instantaneously. Going back to the subject of hardening off, you should take your entire tray or pot of pepper seedlings and give them a week or so to get used to the sun. If you are transplanting to pots, you will want to use a pot that is at least 12” in diameter and about 12” in height for each pepper seedling. If you are planting chili seedlings in the ground, you can plant most varieties about a foot apart in rows 24 inches apart. A foot is a close spacing, but it allows the pepper plants to lean together and support each other. You may also opt to space pepper plants up to 2 feet apart if you want to maximize sun exposure on all sized. It is also recommended to plant your pepper plants along with flowers such as California poppy, Joe Pye weed or monarda citriodora (bee balm) that will attract bees and other pollinators. These companion plants and the helpers they bring are likely to increase the yields of peppers and other fruiting plants as well.<br /><br />As the plants grow, you will need to fertilizer them about every four weeks. To remain organic, you can use bonemeal and seaweed fertilizer. Bonemeal is a natural source of phosphorous that is known for boosting blooms and does well for peppers too. Bonemeal is essentially crushed bone, which slowly releases nutrients into the soil as the bones are digested by microbes in the soil. Bonemeal may not work with sterile soils, since it requires microbes to activate the nutrients in the bonemeal. If using compost, this is certainly not an issue. Most cactus soils should also be fine, but you can always sprinkle a bit of ground soil at the bottom or top of your pot just to be certain. Kelp fertilizers tend to be good sources of potassium. If you’re using a chemical fertilizer, just look for something that is geared toward increasing blooms. A tomato fertilizer should also suffice. A ratio of about 5-10-10 is good. Please note that compost already has a good supply of nutrients that will be released slowly and over a long period of time. Since chemical fertilizers can be quicker acting, it is important not to overdo them. Too much nitrogen can actually kill the heat of your peppers.<br /><br />Aside from fertilization, watering is an obvious part of growing peppers. Your pepper plants should be kept well-watered, especially if they are in pots. Peppers, especially many of the hottest ones, are known for growing in hot climates. But you are likely to still see them wilt on a hot summer day. You can water your plants every day or two to keep them growing nicely. This is especially important while the plant is growing in size (before fruiting) because more branches will eventually mean more peppers. However, many growers find that stressing pepper plants during fruiting will help increase the heat of the peppers. Many people wonder how to make hot peppers hotter. If you are looking for the hottest pepper possible, and especially if you’re looking to impress people, this may be a good idea. But in that case, you may want to grow a few extra pepper plants because stressing can decrease the number of fruits you will get from each plant. It is also worth noting that watering the ground without wetting the leaves has been said to have a positive effect on potency. We at world Seed Supply do not typically practice this.<br /><br />Along with decreasing water, you may be able to make your hot peppers hotter by giving them more sun during fruiting. If you have your chili pepper plants in pots, you can always look for an area with more sun. But if your plants are already in the ground, you might wonder how you can possibly give them more sun. Well, you can’t give the plants more sun. But you can give the peppers more sun. Cut off any of the larger leaves that seem to be shading your peppers. This will not only reduce the amount of diverted energy, it will allow more sun to reach the peppers directly.<br /><br />Harvesting is the most rewarding part of growing peppers. It is important to harvest peppers regularly to keep the plant productive. It is widely believed that peppers that are left on the plant longer will be hotter and will have a better taste. If you have ten plants or so, you may find yourself with peppers to pick everyday once they start coming. This will last until the cold weather puts a damper on your season. We at World Seed Supply usually harvest peppers once they have turned from orange to red, but before they turn a deep red. A simple snip with a pair of scissors at the tip of the pepper stem is all that is needed. If you will be drying your peppers, you can string them up with a thread ran through the stem tips. A hot sun will work well to dry peppers. But a boiler room is usually preferable because rain is not a factor, and it can be used even going into the late fall when sun strength decreases. It is important that the area used for drying be very arid. You want the peppers to dry quickly because the moist chamber of a pepper is a great place for mold to develop. Cutting the tips off peppers may help the cause, but it is not a guarantee that mold will not form. In circumstances where an ideal drying environment is not available, it may be best to cut peppers into small pieces and lay them out to dry.<br /><br />ALWAYS wear gloves when handling or cutting peppers. There should be no chemicals outside the skin, so picking can be done without gloves. But pepper oil can stay on the skin for days despite showers, intense washing, rubbing alcohol or whatever other attempts you make. In fact, a hot shower will only spread the capsaicin to all your most favorite areas, and while you may have a tolerance built up in your mouth that does not always extend to other areas.<br /><br />When the season is about to draw close, it is beneficial to cut the growing tips off all branches unless there is a pepper there. By cutting the tips, the plant’s energy will divert from leaf growth into maturing the existing peppers. Many people also do not realize that peppers are perennial plants and can be saved for the following season. It is important to realize that bringing plants indoors can mean bringing pests indoors. Often an infestation will not expose itself for weeks or even months. We recommend quarantining the plant from any other indoor plant during this time. If window space is limited, this can be accomplished by covering the plant with a clear plastic bag and securing the bottom with a large rubber band or something of the sort. For more information on removing pests, please refer to our article, “Treating Pests on Houseplants: A Complete Regimen.”<br /><br />Though you should easily be able to keep a pepper plant alive indoors over the winter, most indoor conditions do not offer enough light for fruiting. Flowers will usually form but will fall off before maturing. This is normal and should not be cause for concern. Some varieties can actually fruit indoors as well, especially if additional light is supplied. By keeping your plant alive for another year, it gives you a great head start on the season and is a very good way to increase your pepper yield the following season. You might even expect the peppers to be a little hotter than the previous year.<br /><br /><p> </p><p><strong>OFFERING MANY OF THE WORLD'S HOTTEST PEPPERS</strong> </p><p><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/peppers.html"><span style="font-size:180%;">http://www.worldseedsupply.org/peppers.html</span></a><br /></p>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-70060544539115530532010-05-27T01:13:00.000-07:002010-05-27T01:16:58.893-07:00How to Make Weather-Proof Labels for Outdoor PlantsWe’ve seen many instances where people have had trouble with labeling their outdoor plants. It would seem like a simple enough issue, but weather has a habit of washing away even our best efforts. And many of us have come to realize the hard way that permanent marker is only permanent indoors. Then, there are weather-proof labels you can purchase. But in today’s economy, everyone is looking to avoid buying what they don’t have to. Perhaps saving that little bit on labels will mean you can buy some extra seeds. With little to no investment, you can create weather-proof labels for your outdoor plants using our preferred method.<br /><br />To start, all you will need is a written or typed label listing your plant type, a 2 x 2 polyethylene zipper baggie and some clear packing tape. If you bought your seeds from World Seed Supply, you most likely just need the seed packet and some tape. We typically ship our smaller seed counts in 2 x 2 polyethylene bags with little tags that depict the species. Larger seed counts will come in larger bags. So in this case, or if you obtained seeds elsewhere, you may need to acquire smaller bags. A considerably larger bag may work, but it may also create an environment that allows more moisture to gather inside. Moisture is the enemy. If you do not already have a tag with your seed variety, you can easily make one by writing in ink or by printing one out on the computer. Just aim to keep the print to a length that is no more than 1.5”. <br /> <br />At this point, you should have the three required supplies. The rest is pretty simple. Take a 3” piece of clear packing tape and place it sticky-side-up with the two shorter sides at the top and the bottom (just as you would place a sheet of looseleaf when writing). Place the label at the top edge of the tape. Average packing tape is 2”, so if you kept your print length to around 1.5”, none of it will hang off the edges. The print can be up or down. Fold the label on the tape end-over-end so that you are laminating the label with the packing tape. Keep folding until you’ve use up the whole length of tape. Now, place the laminated label inside the 2 x 2 polyethylene zipper baggie. Tape completely over the opening of the bag with the packing tape so that there is no way water could get in. You can now tape this onto your pots right under the rim where it will be most hidden from the rain. For plants already in the garden, you can tape these onto anything such as a flat rock or a piece of wood and place it in the vicinity of the plants you are trying to identify. <br /><br />In our experience, these weather-proof plant labels have worked very well. They have stood the test of some pretty intense downpours. But if you still want to be on the safe side, it may be a good idea to create a map of your garden. Depending on your conditions, you can even alphabetize pots or plants. Often, effective solutions are found in simple things. Today, we hope you’ve found our simple solution useful.<br /><br /><br />OFFERING HUNDREDS OF RARE, SACRED, MEDICINAL, ORNAMENTAL & CACTI SEEDS<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.net/"><span style="font-size:180%;">www.worldseedsupply.net</span></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.worldseedsupply.org/"><span style="font-size:180%;">www.worldseedsupply.org</span></a></div>WORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-618617764015831037.post-55530587473143071182010-05-26T18:56:00.000-07:002010-05-26T19:00:23.623-07:00NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHEDAfter much work and about seven months, the new version of our site is launched! Currently, the inventory reflects, for the most part, what we had for sale when we began working on the new site. Our inventory expanded considerably since then. We will be continuously updating with new products to include what we have in our current inventory, so be sure to check back for our latest stock updates. <br /><br />Thanks ,<br /><br />World Seed SupplyWORLD SEED SUPPLYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09439971468226075489noreply@blogger.com0