Seed Lists and mutual advice swap

[Opsa]

Excellent advice, Lindorm- thank you!

Here's the contets of my little seed box right now:

Spinach Bloomsdale (left over from last year- had no luck with it, but may try again.)

Broccoli Calabrese

Beet Detroit dark Red (Can't forget the Motor City!)

Onion Evergreen bunching (A must for pizza)

Dill Long Island Mammoth (or as they say on Long Island- Lon Guylind!)

Coleus Rainbow Mixed

Bachelor Button Blue Boy

Basil Sweet (Gots ta have that pesto!)

Nasturtium Scarlet gleam

Lettuce Little Gem, Iceberg, Val D'Orges, Bib (successful leftovers)

Tomato Red Cherry, Morning Sun (probably will only do the cherry)

Saved from plants last year:

Nicotiana rustica regular and Delaware indian

Cleome

Cosmos


I'll probably start some of these on the windowsill this week.

[Aggie]

Need to get those rustica seeds mailed to you, Ops - I've literally been in town for 35 hours in the past two weeks, so it's kind of fallen off the priority list.    Should get some time in the next week.

[Opsa]

Great! I have your seeds in an envelope and ready to go. All I have to do is get to the PO.

[Opsa]

 

I made it to the post office just now. They're off, Aggie!

[Opsa]

Another update:

I had the need for seed yesterday and started several veggie seeds on my windowsill Jiffy pot starter.

[Aggie]

OMGS!  Needed that smudge today!  Thank you!


Will get that out ASAP - I forget because it's snowing that planting season doesn't start in July for everyone.

[Opsa]

So you got it? Yeay!   

I have basil seeds sprouted on my windowsill, and it looks like one cherry tomato plant is beginning to show up. I check on them several times a day. My babies!

[Opsa]

UPDATE:

I got Aggie's Tulsi and rustica seeds today. I'm looking up if I can start them this late in our area.

It looks like I can start the Tulsi. I will try them in my outdoor window boxes.

[Opsa]

UPDATE UPDATE!

Sowed some Tulsi and 1K rustica on the solstice- how cosmic is that?

Below is a photo of some of my 'Delaware sacred' nicotiana rustica, which has just begun to bloom. The flowers are chartreuse, and the soft leaves are covered with potent oil.

I wouldn't dare smoke it for recreation, it's so potent. You'd definitely have to have your mind smudged and ready for serious contemplation. Some little beasties have been nibbling on some of the leaves, though. Maybe I have shamanistic bugs? 

[Aggie]

It's lovely!  Quite different flowers from a N. sylvestris, which I'm more familiar with.  I will hopefully get around to planting this weekend; I need to clean out the hordes of coleus clones (to be moved outdoors) that are invading my garden space.

Tobacco, if approached properly, really seems to lend itself to communing with other plants - given what you've said about the rusticas, I suspect that one could really get a main line going with the Great Spirit by having a little tobacco ceremony in the presence of your plants, perhaps with a naturally withered leaf.  Proper respect would definitely be in order.

I didn't think any bugs would touch the stuff, must be tough ones.

[Opsa]

I actually did make and use some smudgesticks with some naturally withered leaves from last year before sowing this year's seeds. I also smudged before sowing the Tulsi and thousand-year rustica, just out of respect.

Also, I have a wonderful old oak tree that's dying (of old age-it's been dropping limbs and is also dangerous) and some tree surgeons are going to cut it down in a week or so, which makes me sad. But I asked the rustica if I could take a leaf to give to the tree as a farewell gift. It showed me a leaf with a little robin's down stuck to it, which I took with thanks.

It is said that the Great Spirit can hear your thoughts when rustica smoke is around- so you'd better be having good ones!

You've got excess coleus?! I tried to start some from seed, but only two survived. Maybe it's too hot here for them.

[Aggie]

I'd recommend buying a plant or two, and then making cuttings (or just pinch a stem or two from somewhere ).  The stuff roots in plain water in a couple of days, and pots up without fail, for me.  I started with probably three swiped cuttings, and now I have dozens of the blaggards!  They like house life, especially if they are in a bright location.  The biggest issue I have with 'em is that one variety keeps trying to flower on me - I pinch back the buds, generally, but let one batch go to see if it will die off or keep trucking.  When it gets ratty looking, I just start some new cuttings and scrap the old, tired plants. 

Two of the varieties I have are probably hybrids, as they don't seem to flower.  When these get overgrown, they start trailing, and root where they hit soil, sending up vertical shoots along the stem.  It's probably the most prolific and pathetically easy houseplant I have; it droops to let you know when it needs water, but bounces back from droughts quickly.  It used to take our 80C apartment no problem, so I doubt heat will bother established plants.  They may need partial shade outdoors - not sure.

Wish I was nearby and had a workshop to craft that oak into something to keep - it's great wood to work with.  Oak picnic table for the yard might be a nice memorandum.

[Opsa]

What a lovely thought.

It's been a great tree. It's very tall, and has provided shade, served as a lookout place for all the local birds- we've heard owls in it, seen hawks perch on it. It's probably the tallest tree in the neighborhood.

It will be odd to have a gap there where it once stood.

I do have some of it's babies around the yard, though, and may plant one in it's place.

The owner of the house next door is taking the wood to use for heating. I guess that will be a good use of it, but a piece of furniture would last.

As for Coleus- hmmm... I know where some is growing.... 

[Aggie]

Planted sacred tobacco (all 3) by the midnight moon on Saturday, and holy basil by the noon sun on Sunday.  I spent all Saturday overhauling the indoor garden in preparation.

Here's a tulsi song for you, Ops... (there are a few on YouTube).

[youtube=425,350]6t2XwLv5Mfk[/youtube]

   

[Opsa]

Beautiful song, thank you! Looking at the Tulsi in all it's stages of life made me think of a family photo album. It is obviously well loved.