Can You Grow A Japanese Maple From A Cutting?

I love Japanese Maples! We have one in our back yard, and I'd love to have one in the front as well. I hadn't even considered the option of propagating a new tree from a cutting, until I stumbled upon the idea here. I surfed around again and found more info here.

I think I'm definitely going to try. I'll have to look at our tree to see if there is any new growth I can clip to use - otherwise I might have to wait until spring.

Here's a summary:

• Use a cutting from new growth, between 6 and 8 inches long.
• Cut at an angle where a leaf meets the stem.
• Remove all but the last two or three leaves.
• Dip in a rooting hormone (such as Rootone).
• Put cutting in moist perlite.
• Maintain humidity (seal in plastic, or mist regularly).
• Place somewhere with good light.
• Once roots have appeared (about 8 weeks later), you can then move the cutting out doors, if you allow it to gradually adjust to the new temperature.
• Plant in the ground at least a month before the first frost.

Rooting success is apparently related to the age of the tree - the younger the tree, the more likely your cuttings will be to survive. I'm not sure how old our JM is, other than the fact that it was an established tree when we bought our house, eight years ago. Hmmm. (I'm still going to try ;)





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Nonstop Mocca Yellow Begonia

Here's another addition to my front garden! It is a Nonstop Mocca Yellow Begonia. It's a new floral for me, so I thought I'd do some research to aid in its care. Here's what I found out about Begonias:

• They like well drained soil, as they will rot if they become too moist, but the soil should not be left to dry out completely between watering.
  
• They like sun, but should be protected from the most intense sun if your climate is hot and dry.
• Bring inside before first frost, but not into a room that's too warm.
  
• When you bring them inside, start with the sunniest location you can find and then gradually allow them to get used to reduced amounts of light.
• Zones: 3-11 (Annual in zones 3-8; Perennial in zones 9-11).
• Tubers can be saved over the winter to start new plants the following year.
• Leave foliage in place after blooming has finished for the season, as the leaves can continue to generate food for the bulbs/tubers. Foliage can be cut back once it turns yellow.
• Begonias can be propagated from cuttings.
  

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Mold On Zucchini Leaves

This is my latest gardening hurdle: there is powdery, grayish mold on many of my zucchini leaves. As it turns out, there are a few simple things you can try to combat this.

First and foremost - never put moldy leaves in your compost. The spores will survive and spread.

As for getting rid of mold on leaves, I was able to find three different organic solutions that can be sprayed directly on the plants to alleviate mold:

1. Chamomile tea. Make a strong brew and let it cool first before spraying. Chamomile tea is high in sulfur and is a natural fungicide.
2. Baking soda and water. Mix 1 tbsp of Baking Soda and 1 gallon of water and spray on leaves.
3. Skim milk and water. Combine at a 50/50 ratio and spray on. This remedy supposedly changes the pH of the surface of the leaves, which prohibits the mold from surviving.

PS - here's a handy link http://www.ghorganics.com/page15.html with more remedies for other plant diseases (in addition to mold).


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Cabbage Worm

Aw, he's cute!!! Too bad he and his lil' buddies are devouring my pretty blue ornamental cabbage.

I picked off all the worms I could find yesterday, and tossed them in the yard as far away from the garden as I could (they turn into the Cabbage White butterfly so I didn't have the heart to kill them).

My edible cabbage in the back garden has also been devoured, and although I can't find any worms, I do recall seeing these lovely little white butterflies flitting about (ah-HA!).

The butterflies deposit their small eggs on the underside of the leaf. After a short time (about a week), the eggs hatch and the worms start munching away, nourishing themselves to make their chrysalis for the next generation of butterflies.

Hmmm.

I found a great article on this topic at EcoSMART, which includes a photo of the eggs, as well as several solutions including:

• Use floating row covers and/or nylon stockings to cover your plants.
• Remove and destroy the worms (does throwing them across the yard count? I'm thinking not, lol).
• Plant other things to deter these pests (such as RED cabbage, Mint, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme or Hyssop).
• Catch the butterflies with nets or sticky tapes.

They also sell their organic insectide, which is another option to try.

Another spray option, which I might try because I can mix it myself and is chemical free, is the combination of 1% garlic, 1% fish oil and 98% water. You can visit this site for more information on this.

Flour, dusted on the leaves when they're damp from dew or rain, also works. The worms eat the flour, become bloated, and die. I'm considering trying this as well, since it's a totally non-toxic option. This e-How article by Chris McLaughlin describes the flour method.

There are many things you can do to combat the Cabbage Worm - I'm planning to add to this post as I come across more information. Meanwhile, I guess I'll try one of the remedies described above and see what works!
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PS - I just went out back and inspected my cabbage - I saw some eggs, although no big clusters of them - AND I saw some that had hatched into tiny baby worms (about 1-2 mm in length)!! Previously I had scanned for full grown worms and not seen any, but this time I looked closer...

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Strawberry Runners Propagation

Here's an update on my strawberry runners - I tried propagating them by planting them in their own pots while they were still attached to the mother plant. Apparently it's working, because not only are they thriving, but one has even grown a blossom! All I have to do now is decide when I'm going to cut them free...

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Shasta Daisies

I added a new perennial to my front garden: Shasta Daisies.

I read that they are a Perennial and bought a plant without much further thought. It looks as though I made a good purchase because it turns out that they're hardy and easy to grow. Here is some information about the Shasta Daisy:

• They can survive in planting zones 5-10.
• They like well drained soil and full sun.
• They are very drought tolerant, and can withstand more summer heat than many plants.
• They attract bees, birds and butterflies.
• Care includes deadheading (this will promote further blooming), and dividing the plant every 2-3 years.
• They have sturdy stems, and flowers easily remain upright even after a hard rain.
  

So far I've deadheaded a few flowers from the plant I bought, and it continues to thrive. Hopefully it'll be a part of my garden for years to come!


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Growing Avocado Pits

I was turning my compost pile with a shovel one day last summer when I saw what looked like a tall weed. I pulled it out from the earth only to discover it was a sprouted avocado pit! Intrigued, I planted it in a pot where it thrived, until the cold of our BC winter killed it.

I've been meaning to try growing one again, but this time with indoor potting soil so that I can keep the plant warm in the house this winter. I debated whether or not to simply fill a pot with potting soil and put the pit in it (because that apparently works!), but then I thought I'd do some Internet research on the topic.

Voila! The toothpick suspension water sprouting method! (See picture).

• Clean the avocado pit and remove the thin skin.
• Make a slice down one side of the pit.
• Suspend the pit with toothpicks so that the narrower part of it is above the water and the wider part is below.
• Check water daily to ensure that the bottom half of the pit is still touching it.
• Wait and watch!

The trick to growing avocado plants indoors is adequate sunlight - bright windows are best. I have mine on my kitchen window sill overlooking our sunny back yard.

I'll post more pics as it grows!

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Growing Strawberry Runners

Previously I've tried cutting strawberry runners and then planting them alone, with no success. Here's a tip I heard recently that I am in the process of trying.

Before cutting the runners off the mother plant, secure them in pots and let them establish themselves in the soil, while they're still attached. Only then can you cut them free and transplant them elsewhere.

Wish me luck!

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Are Green Potatoes Toxic?

Yes, according to Snopes, and many other sources.

The green is from chlorophyll, which is not the dangerous part, but is present along with the toxin: solanine. Large amounts of solanine consumed at one time can cause nerve damage, and smaller amounts consumed regularly can be carcinogenic.

Potato greens (leaves, stems) should never be eaten, and if you find any green on your spuds, it should be cut away, or the entire potato discarded. I found this one in my garden (see picture), and tossed it into the compost heap.



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Harvesting Seeds From Peas

I am becoming more and more interested in obtaining my own seeds directly from the plants I've grown. My Father-In-Law has shown me how with marigolds, and when I saw these dried peas still on my aging plants (see pic), I wondered if you could with peas as well.

Apparently you can, as I read on this and many other web sites. The trick is to leave the pods on the plant until they're very dry, and then store them in an envelope until next season. You want all of the moisture to be gone, so that no mildew forms during storage.

I've taken the peas in this picture and put them away for next season... hey, you never know! And to think that in previous years I may have composted perfectly good seeds ;)


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