Getting a late start writing today and keeping it brief – our first frost is projected to hit this weekend so I need to finish up all the outside maintenance. Unfortunately, that also means I probably shouldn’t spread the clover seed that arrived yesterday and wait until spring. I think I’m going to cover my last two San Marzanos to protect them from the frost and hopefully get another couple weeks of ripening – there are enough unripe tomatoes on the vine for a nice batch of bruschetta.
I also need to prep a window sill planter for my winter basil. I’ve had great success growing basil in the window, and the perk of it being right there, fresh and ready to use to be quite the convenience when cooking.
I’ve been reading more about gardening and seed saving, in particular tomatoes, but I have been doing things a bit different than the articles have recommended. The articles tend to suggest washing and “fermenting” the seed before storing, saying that the bit of pulp “jelly” that sticks to the seed can inhibit germination. I have found that storing the seed with that bit of pulp, then soaking them prior to planting works quite well. My theory is that the pulp hydrates and helps store water close to the seed aiding in germination. I’m sure there are other concerns, like the pulp could retain moisture and end up molding during storage, but if dried properly, I believe that my method works well. My thought is that in nature, the seeds don’t have a human washing them and replanting them – they drop where they drop and then grow. My best Brandywine plants of the season were volunteers from last season that I overwintered.
I also take a bit of a different approach to collecting seed. I don’t like the idea of taking the best and juiciest tomatoes and sacrificing them just for seed – I see that to be a waste. I prefer to use them as normal but scrape the seed out and save them that way. This has two benefits – I get to eat the best tomatoes and I’m collecting seed from the best ones for genetic refinement. This method is easier for the slicers than the paste tomatoes, but when I make batches of bruschetta, I’m still able to collect the seed from them.
Another new development – I’m slowly turning my wife into a plant lady. We were gifted a succulent display some years ago and managed to keep one alive all this time but it was getting leggy and needed care. She got terracotta pots and succulent soil and we now have about a dozen succulent babies. She also has decided she quite enjoys jalapenos so I’m going to order some seed so she can grow a few plants. And the best news – talking with her this morning about the San Marzanos and my desire to learn canning, she seemed to show an interest in that as well. I figure we can come up with a good multipurpose sauce recipe and start canning it for use in the off season, or whenever we’re just too lazy to go through the full process of cooking. The only ingredient I think I’ll need to source outside my garden will be the mushrooms, though I have considered taking a stab at growing some Bellas and Shiitaki once I have the greenhouse built.
Anyhow, time to get back to work…
Interesting Tidbits
Song of the day: Time Stand Still by Rush
You Should Be Storing These Seeds In Case Of Global Collapse – “To some, the thought of stores running out of food during a crisis may have at one time seemed outrageous. The empty grocery store shelves last spring, however, made that scenario feel much more possible. In the event of a national or global crisis, having a collection of emergency seeds is an excellent way to ensure that you and your loved ones will be able to sustain themselves.”
The dawn of the post-literate society – “More than three hundred years after the reading revolution ushered in a new era of human knowledge, books are dying. Numerous studies show that reading is in free-fall. Even the most pessimistic twentieth-century critics of the screen-age would have struggled to predict the scale of the present crisis.”
“You forgot the bass!” Metallica’s …And Justice For All producer recalls his shock at hearing album’s final mixes – “Flemming Rasmussen produced Metallica’s …And Justice For All and was as surprised as anyone else by the bass guitar sound”
Nirvana Wins Lawsuit Filed By Naked Baby From ’Nevermind’ Cover – “Nirvana has won a court ruling, dismissing the lawsuit filed by Spencer Elden, the man who was the naked baby appearing on the cover of the grunge rock’s 1991 album, Nevermind.”
Police can’t search cars based only on pot smell, Florida court says – “Pointing to laws allowing use of medical marijuana and hemp, a state appeals court Wednesday reversed course and said police officers can’t search vehicles only on the basis of smelling cannabis.”
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