The period between collecting scions and being able to graft is the WORST! I can’t wait to actually GRAFT, but all I can do is look at the scions in the fridge, or look at my list of scions coming from Bob Purvis, or look for new grafting posts on this forum, or look at the trees I’m going to graft onto, which I do three times a day. FRUSTRATING!
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But planning is part of the fun. I also started some fig trees which helps also, lol.
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The other thing is it’s a stressful time because the stone fruits are starting to blossom, but there is still rain coming…
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I second that- just potted up some black currant cuttings the other day.
It’s also time to start planting seeds…
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I put some pepper seeds in to soak last night.
What do you soak them in and what is the results you are hoping to achieve? I’m just curious, there have been many debates over soaking seeds and the different solutions to use.
How long do you soak them?
I don’t like this time of yer as I go from doing nothing to trading scion and starting seed prep, and spraying trees! I’m super busy all of a sudden!
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Did you spray already or just getting ready?
I just used a little room temperature water and will plant them tonight. I figured it would just get them nice and hydrated. How do you start your seeds, I am sure your expertise far exceeds mine.
Well, when I used to sell seedlings I grew lots of seedlings of both pepper and tomato.
For peppers I used 288 and 144 seedling trays and would sift pro mix to get out all of the perlite fill the trays and compress a little then just pop in one seed into every cell and cover with more sifed medium. Bottom water somewhat heavily for the initial wetting (kind of like soaking the seed only not that extreme). Then just stick on heat source and keep between 85 and 90 degrees. Keep moist but not wet after initial watering.
Once the mix dries a bit I cover with paper towels and spray with water bottle, this helps to keep moisture level up. Keeping paper towel moist helps to keep top of medium from drying out.
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Thanks for the tips, I have a tray with a dome on it and a heat mat under neath. I used pest pots because they seem to be less likely to rot seeds. I have had the potting soil in for several days with the heat mat on letting the soil get hydrated but not soggy. I picked out twelve types of peppers to grow this summer.
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No, but we are going into a warm spell. So I expect buds to start swelling early this year.
I’m going to prune my stone fruit Thursday, and collect scion for trades. After I prune, I will spray trees. We are also coming into a dry spell, so a good time to spray copper. I will spray copper again in March.
When my strawberries start to grow, I will spray them with captan, and also hit my trees.
For seeds I do the same as the podpiper, except I use a dome over seeds with vent windows. I adjust windows for some air circulation, but not much. I like to use watering mats, but need new ones, so no mat this year.
I keep wet with spray bottle, not to disturb soil. I do not soak. But that does help germination from what I have heard.
I hate this time of year too. Short days, windy / cloudy if not cold weather, a dull brown landscape. It’s depressing. I often think of a parody I heard on Prairie Home Companion of Climb Every Mountain. The chorus was; “Better Than Average, Is The Best You Can Hope For” (In February) I have no lack of work this time of year thanks to the nursery and orchards. Every task reminds me of the good things to come in a few weeks and that is a blessing.
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I don’t dispute the rest of it (other than sometimes it is a white landscape), but the days aren’t that short anymore. We’re actually back to late October (when it was much warmer…) levels of light.
I’ll tell you why I love this time of year.
- It doesn’t contain July and August.
- I don’t walk out to discover what ELSE likes to eat what I grow.
- No sense of overwhelm
- The cloudiness. When the sun comes out strong, I hope for clouds and a breeze or I have to retreat.
But that is just me.
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I love to go down and visit family in VA. It is always a joy to head south and after about an hour drive the trees get leaves and I see flowers and the grass gets greener… then the temperature warms up…
I hate driving back north and the leaves disappear, flowers disappear, grass gets browner, and the temperature starts getting colder…
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I feel almost guilty saying this because I know SoCal is much warmer but I put in my time in upstate NY, and I just was thinking how much I love this time of year. This morning a whole hour flew by as I wandered from tree to tree looking at swelling buds, new tiny leaves. It’s seriously magical.
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I grafted for the first time last year, so now i’m getting antsy too. On top of that, we have another kiddo due in just a few weeks, so I’ll have to run out and graft between diapers and with a lack of sleep!
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Congratulations, a future fruit tree grower no doubt.
I’ve been accused of caring about my trees more than my children. When that happens I just spin it back around, “But I’m growing the fruit trees for the children…”
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