What did you do in the garden today?

[gtaus]

FYI Bok-Choy is in the mustard family. They bolt - go to seed from a spring planting for me. Triggered by days getting longer. If planted when days are getting shorter they do not bolt. In the south I think they are grown in late winter I think. Here they will go to seed in late May

I am looking forward to having a few of my Bok-Choy plants bolting so I can save the seeds. I just started saving bean seeds a few years ago and that has been successful for me. So, now I want to try other plants as well.

 

[Sally PB]

You could try to lay some chicken wire or hardware cloth on top of the soil. The cats will not want to scratch on that and certainly won't be able to dig through it.

The plants will grow through it easily, too. Be sure to pull it up before winter, as it gets harder and harder to get out of there the longer it sits. Or just plan to plant seeds in the holes next year. In which case, chicken wire would be easier ( and cheaper) than hardware cloth.

I told Dear Wife that if we find some Baby Bok-Choy she likes, we will have to let a plant or two go to seed and save those seeds for future plantings.

Here's some info about saving brassica seeds. They can cross pollinate.
https://www.redwoodseeds.net/blogs/the-story-of-seed/14200361-brassica-basics-seed-saving-101

 

[gtaus]

Here's some info about saving brassica seeds. They can cross pollinate.
https://www.redwoodseeds.net/blogs/the-story-of-seed/14200361-brassica-basics-seed-saving-101

Shucks... Sounds like saving the seeds from some of my plants is not such a good idea. I was aware that my pepper plants could cross pollinate so I have never saved seeds from them. I have had good luck with saving my bean seeds, but now I wonder if it has been more "luck" then I thought!? I grow a variety of beans all in the same location, so I bet they are cross pollinating and the seeds I saved are probably no longer true to their type.

The more I learn.... But I guess it's all good to know because I don't want to waste my time and effort on saving bad seeds. Thanks.

 

[Sally PB]

There are several books on seed saving. I have The Seed Garden, and it's really good. Not a cheap book; big, lots of (beautiful) color photographs. See if it's in your local library? Or look for it used online? I get used books at ABEbooks.com.

Anyway, beans, tomatoes and peppers have what are called "perfect flowers," which means that they basically pollinate themselves, and don't need bees. So saving their seeds is fairly safe for not getting cross pollination.

"Bean flowers are perfect and self-fertile, meaning they can pollinate themselves. While bees will visit bean flowers, cross pollination does not happen very easily. Different bean varieties only need to be separated by 10-20ft to avoid cross-pollination."

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, I was going to add that I've saved tomato seeds for a few years. I've saved Amish Paste, and last year saved some Italian Heirloom and Hungarian Heart.

This year I'm going to plant some dill that I saved, and cilantro.

@BReeder! (I think it was you), I wish I'd known you wanted cilantro seed... I have GOBS! And it self-sows all over my garden now. I saved some because I want to plant some up by the house so it's more convenient to get on taco night.

 

[gtaus]

Anyway, beans, tomatoes and peppers have what are called "perfect flowers," which means that they basically pollinate themselves, and don't need bees. So saving their seeds is fairly safe for not getting cross pollination.

That sounded promising...

"Bean flowers are perfect and self-fertile, meaning they can pollinate themselves. While bees will visit bean flowers, cross pollination does not happen very easily. Different bean varieties only need to be separated by 10-20ft to avoid cross-pollination."

Rats. I grow all my different types of beans in the same raised bed(s). No separation at all. I thought it was kind of neat to have green beans, yellow beans, purple beans, etc... all growing in the same garden beds. I love picking a few of each type for supper. Sounds like I will have to grow different beans in different raised beds, away from each other, if I want to save the seeds. Oh well, it's good to know how things work. Thanks.

 

[Sueby]

I plant my beans close, save seeds & have not had any cross pollinate. Same with peppers. I have had tomatoes cross pollinate though. It was a sungold/brandywine cross & didn‘t turn out well, lol. (I don’t save these seeds, they are volinteers)

@TJAnonymous so sorry about the dog, that is so frustrating! I hope your birds are ok.

 

[Sueby]

At Lowe’s, I was seduced by the gladiolus and dahlia bulbs/roots.

I want to plant them, but, says to wait until all danger of frost has gone…which is mid May. But, if they are buried underground, do I have to wait?

FWIW, we have some glads planted behind the house, near the foundation. East facing. They come back each year. But only a few -maybe there were more before and only a few survived, but previous owners planted them. No dahlia experience, though.

Any advice?

Dahlias do not like cold at all, the bulbs (tubers actually) will die if they freeze. But, before I pull them in the fall I leave them for a couple frosts to kill off the foliage. I pull if there will be a freeze. Dahlias are one of the last things I put out in spring. Wait if you can, they do better with a late planting but as long as they don’t freeze they will survive.

eta - don’t water them either - they don’t like wet. I don’t even water when planting. In fact I have never watered a dahlia! Even during a drought, though I probably should have at that point.

 

[Acre4Me]

Dahlias do not like cold at all, the bulbs (tubers actually) will die if they freeze. But, before I pull them in the fall I leave them for a couple frosts to kill off the foliage. I pull if there will be a freeze. Dahlias are one of the last things I put out in spring. Wait if you can, they do better with a late planting but as long as they don’t freeze they will survive.

eta - don’t water them either - they don’t like wet. I don’t even water when planting. In fact I have never watered a dahlia! Even during a drought, though I probably should have at that point.

Thanks! Stored in the garage on a shelf on the interior house wall, so they won't get too cold there.

 

[jnicholes]

They are likely not just digging but using it as a litter box. Cats cover their urine and poop, hence the digging action. You could try to lay some chicken wire or hardware cloth on top of the soil. The cats will not want to scratch on that and certainly won't be able to dig through it.

Thanks, but won’t chicken wire get in the way of the stems of the plants? If not, I’m more than happy to try this.