pepperhead212's 2024 garden

[pepperhead212]

I always try to start from cuttings, as it is much easier, but usually in early or mid October, when I have to do the cuttings, the basils don't really have many good stems to take cuttings from, so this year I started some cuttings back in late August, and had new plants by mid September, and was getting most of my basil from those plants, plus new growth all over them, to take cuttings from for the hydro. I'll have to remember to do that from now on. The epazote always has some new growth for cuttings, even when most is flowering. And with all of those, all I used to root them was tap water - changed every few days - nothing added to it.

[pepperhead212]

I got a large amount of leaves collected, and ground up today, and got my garlic and shallots covered by about 4". The rest will get saved.

The seeds are sprouting quickly in the hydroponics, though the one Thai basil cutting, is bolting, which I was afraid it might, since it started turning purple on the tip, even while rooting. So I found a totally green cutting yesterday, and stuck it in one of those coir things I am starting all those seeds in - the only empty one left. Hopefully this one won't bolt. The other basils are getting new growth, and doing fine. The lettuce germinate in less than 2 days, and most of the brassicas are just becoming visible in the holes, though the herbs are taking longer, as expected.
Lettuce, germinating after less than 2 days. 11-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[JayneR13]

I've found that in my hydroponics as well: lettuce germinates very quickly, herbs take much longer. And I've had more than a few that didn't germinate at all, even from fresh seed. Meh. Replant and move on, right? This is the way of gardening.