Better Be Planting This Year. 2022+ And Up MEGATHREAD

[flippinfleck]

I did some sauce today as well. My container is a little different though...

Processed into a 5 gallon jug. Started yesterday and ran out of time. Into the fridge with two frozen bottles to keep it cool. Finished the tomatoes today and they're on the camp stove simmering down now. End result will be sauce (unseasoned pints) and pizza sauce (half pints).

Wife did some peperoncini, a bunch of it. She's putting together some salsa as well. Won't be doing my cowboy candy today as time is limited, that'll be a tomorrow thing.

 

[enbloc]

@Cara Fett and I came into some lemon seeds from fruit-bearing trees from her grandmother's SoCal home. We're not in a position to start indoor/greenhouse growing yet and no longer have access to the trees for additional fruit or seeds.

Suggestions for long-term citrus seed storage? Sealed mylar with an oxy absorber? Fridge or cool basement?

Since we can't get more seeds from the garden, these are potential heirloom seeds and we don't want to mess that up.

You really need to get them in dirt, even if you need to grow them indoors to start. Citrus seeds are not meant for storage and will either rot or dry out

Not an expert by any means but like @FunnerGunner said; start a couple of seeds indoors. It's best to determine their viability... Nothing worse than collecting, drying, storing seeds that never germinate.

Then there's this...
Texas Citrus Nursery Production

Washed seed should be surface-sterilized in hot water maintained at 125°F for 10 minutes, then dipped in one percent 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate, air dried and packaged for storage or planting. Properly treated and packaged in sealed plastic bags, seed can be stored in a refrigerator for several months with little loss in viability.

 

[flippinfleck]

@Cara Fett and I came into some lemon seeds from fruit-bearing trees from her grandmother's SoCal home. We're not in a position to start indoor/greenhouse growing yet and no longer have access to the trees for additional fruit or seeds.

Suggestions for long-term citrus seed storage? Sealed mylar with an oxy absorber? Fridge or cool basement?

Since we can't get more seeds from the garden, these are potential heirloom seeds and we don't want to mess that up.

I'm not sure how many seeds you have. I am sure there should be a member or two in this thread who have setups that could overwinter a seed or two for you.

Sort of like pet sitting, but for trees.

 

[Boarder700]

Mmmm pesto.

 

[FunnerGunner]

I'm not sure how many seeds you have. I am sure there should be a member or two in this thread who have setups that could overwinter a seed or two for you.

Sort of like pet sitting, but for trees.

I put lemon seeds from the fruit from MB into dirt and they grew. Had them indoors (it was winter) then moved the pot outside this spring and they put on some nice growth.

I dont really have a plan for them but may bring 1 back in for fun to see how big i can get it.

@kieron If the seeds are really important to you this is what I would do.

EDIT: nerdy explanation is this: Citrus grows in hot climates where there generally isnt a cold period so seeds do not need stratification/ over wintering properties so they are very tender and germinate very easily IF planted right away. Think of an avocado or lemon. It falls on the ground in hot weather, decays a bit, then starts growing ASAP. Much different than something like an apple/cherry which drops/eaten survives the digestive tract, overwinters and starts growing in spring.

 

[flippinfleck]

I put lemon seeds from the fruit from MB into dirt and they grew. Had them indoors (it was winter) then moved the pot outside this spring and they put on some nice growth.

I dont really have a plan for them but may bring 1 back in for fun to see how big i can get it.

@kieron If the seeds are really important to you this is what I would do.

EDIT: nerdy explanation is this: Citrus grows in hot climates where there generally isnt a cold period so seeds do not need stratification/ over wintering properties so they are very tender and germinate very easily IF planted right away. Think of an avocado or lemon. It falls on the ground in hot weather, decays a bit, then starts growing ASAP. Much different than something like an apple/cherry which drops/eaten survives the digestive tract, overwinters and starts growing in spring.

When I said overwintering I meant growing it indoors during the winter months.

Normally I would start something like that in a 1 gallon pot and then move out in the spring. We still dont know why @kieron can't do this, nor when they may be ready to take posession of the now growing lemon tree.

In a situation like this, I would start it indoors in a 4" pot and then move it to a 5g pail. Under lights in a temperature regulated environment, of course. Somewhere that could handle the height required for such an endeavor. Then I would hand off the 5g pail to the seed owner for permanent planting.

We still dont know why @kieron is trying to save the seeds. Could be living in an apartment and plans to be in a house two years from now.

Of course, I've seen folks grow lemon trees in a southern facing window with no additional lighting.

Meh.

 

[kieron]

When I said overwintering I meant growing it indoors during the winter months.

Normally I would start something like that in a 1 gallon pot and then move out in the spring. We still dont know why @kieron can't do this, nor when they may be ready to take posession of the now growing lemon tree.

In a situation like this, I would start it indoors in a 4" pot and then move it to a 5g pail. Under lights in a temperature regulated environment, of course. Somewhere that could handle the height required for such an endeavor. Then I would hand off the 5g pail to the seed owner for permanent planting.

We still dont know why @kieron is trying to save the seeds. Could be living in an apartment and plans to be in a house two years from now.

Of course, I've seen folks grow lemon trees in a southern facing window with no additional lighting.

Meh.

Cara's grandmother passed away last year, her CA home and garden of nearly 60 years left the family, and the lemon trees are likely no longer accessible. The 40 or so seeds we have are one of the few remaining legacies from that generation of the family. The seeds were gathered from lemons frozen for a year. When juicing and zesting lemons for a gallon batch of limoncello and half gallon of lemon curd, it was a surprise to discover five or six seeds began germination before being frozen. We've another four moderate sized lemons in the freezer.

At present, we're in a MA condo complex with plans to eventually purchase property in NH and relocate. The back of the condo faces easterly and mostly shaded due to a treeline close to the unit. Front of the condo gets afternoon sun, but has only a narrow strip of planter before the common area sidewalk. Since neither of us has experience with citrus, our hope was to store the seeds until we put down our roots, research citrus gardening and could add a greenhouse to the new home.

It sounds like they're not likely to germinate due to the frozen storage, but I'll get them potted under a grow light ASAP. If they aren't viable, I may be making a visit to Grandma's house around October, hat in hand, for a few lemons.

Thanks for the tips and advice, everyone!

 

[Boarder700]

Second round harvest of eggplant post smoking. We really only use them for baba ganoush. I also have to thank God for such a phenomenal wife. This harvest wouldn’t go very far without her turning it into something even more delicious and preserving it.

 

[Brucewillis4316]

First time growing pumpkins. Early in the seedling starting phase, my pumpkin, summer squash and zucchini, as well as cucumber seedlings flipped over in the greenhouse, so all the identification sticks got all mixed up. I planted everything that survived the flip, but I didn’t know one from another at the time.

 

[Boarder700]

First time growing pumpkins. Early in the seedling starting phase, my pumpkin, summer squash and zucchini, as well as cucumber seedlings flipped over in the greenhouse, so all the identification sticks got all mixed up. I planted everything that survived the flip, but I didn’t know one from another at the time.

They look perfect!

 

[Sauer Grapes]

First time growing pumpkins. Early in the seedling starting phase, my pumpkin, summer squash and zucchini, as well as cucumber seedlings flipped over in the greenhouse, so all the identification sticks got all mixed up. I planted everything that survived the flip, but I didn’t know one from another at the time.

They’re beauties! They’ll make great pies, or maybe jack-o-lanterns….

 

[enbloc]

Love the story! Pic makes me sad though... Love those big, purple beauties.

Do they taste good smoked?

 

[SpaceCritter]

Love the story! Pic makes me sad though... Love those big, purple beauties.

Do they taste good smoked?

For Baba Ganoush I've been known to advise "Roast them until they look like they're ready for the garbage pail, then they're done."

 

[enbloc]

They look like they had the life sucked out of them...

 

[Boarder700]

Love the story! Pic makes me sad though... Love those big, purple beauties.

Do they taste good smoked?

I forgot a before picture again. Definitely doesn’t look appetizing here, but baba ganoush is delicious. Smoked eggplant, tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon, paprika, our own season salt. All chopped up in the food processor. Absolutely delicious. Most restaurants don’t smoke it enough.

 

[enbloc]

I've never had it... unless there is an Irish edition with potatoes...

 

[Boarder700]

My wife and I were both raised on traditional New England / Irish fare. But somehow we started branching out and never looked back. I think it makes us cultured, or something.

 

[flippinfleck]

Struggling with keeping this sunflower standing up. Darn thing weighs a ton.

Gave it some extra support today in case this rain brings high winds.

The others aren't quite as large though we should be set on sunflower seeds for some time. My son loves them.

 

[enbloc]

MASSIVE!

 

[slap shot]

Here’s a sunflower. Person next to it is 5’9”

 

[enbloc]

???

 

[kieron]

Twenty lemon seeds in the pots, six in the bag. They'll be on a 12 on /12 off cycle with the grow light.


Thanks for the advice, let's hope the seeds weren't ruined after being frozen for a year!

 

[SpaceCritter]

Some nice late season tomatoes:


Those will become salsa.

Some dodgier (spotted etc) late season tomatoes: to the sauce!

 

[SpaceCritter]

Meanwhile, my fall greens are doing nicely. Pouring rain so I'm not going out for a photo, but my kohlrabi should be ready in a couple weeks.

 

[enbloc]

Twenty lemon seeds in the pots, six in the bag. They'll be on a 12 on /12 off cycle with the grow light.
View attachment 658477

Thanks for the advice, let's hope the seeds weren't ruined after being frozen for a year!

Think good thoughts... and talk to them.

 

[Brucewillis4316]

Don‘t know where these came from in my garden. ID? Can I eat them? Surprise, surprise, surprise…Golly.

 

[enbloc]

Don‘t know where these came from in my garden. ID? Can I eat them? Surprise, surprise, surprise…Golly.

Looks like a cross between Delicata and Crookneck squash...

 

[Gidge]

Last of the season (except for the zillion cherry tomatoes I still need to harvest) :

​

 

[SpaceCritter]

My kohlrabi and escarole are getting big...

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I’m winding down now except for cherry tomatoes, some green big boys, and plenty of banana peppers. My carrots aren’t
quite done growing, looking forward to those sweeties.