Grandmas-Garden

The Garden 3-22-8

2008-03-25T18:14:00.001-07:00

This is the garden.

The soybean plants climb the six strands of twine.
Tobacco plants line the perimeter.
An orange tree at the corner.
Random veggies and such.
Happiness.

The little garden has come a long way in a few months. What took a small amount of counter space now takes most of the floor.

A grander project is coming soon. Time for an upgrade.

Miscellaneous Plants 3-22-8

2008-03-25T18:06:00.001-07:00

So, I'm not 100% on this but fairly confident that this little fella here is American Ginseng. I had no idea when to expect these to germinate and it appears that it has.

In theory, the American Ginseng plant will just have to be kept alive for a few years to provide a beneficial root.

The experimental Cucumber plant seems quite happy to grow. There has been a fairly significant expansion of the first set of leaves in the last week and imagine the same from the newly forming ones.

Luckily, spring is just around the corner as this one will have to be moved outside.

And, we have the leaning tower of Stevia. I think restarting more space, a bit less light, and dry medium it could be a great plant.

Lesson number, stopped counting, Stevia - light shade, low moisture

Pepper Plants 3-22-8

2008-03-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

The pepper plants have responded the best so far to the hydroponics I believe. Within a very short time they acclimated and have just filled out great.

The Chocolate Habanero pepper continues to grow thick full leaves. The plant, unlike the Orange Habanero has not grown many leaf nodes, but has focused on denser growth.

The Orange Habanero pepper plant has grown much taller and a significant number of intermediate nodes. This far surpasses any pepper plants I have grown previously.

I am looking forward to the Tabasco pepper plants reaching a vegetative growth phase and catching up to the Habanero plants. I have little doubt that the Tabasco peppers will grow very well under these conditions.

Tobacco Plants 3-22-8

2008-03-25T17:47:00.001-07:00

The Burley tobacco is beginning to catch up a bit and should prove to be a formidable plant. The next series of these, if applicable, should be allowed more room for growth.

Burley tobacco is, as I understand it, a very common commercial plant so I imagine that given the necessary conditions this plant could grow quite large.

Growing much fuller, the Kentucky Hybrid tobacco plant provides a yield expected from a commercial crop. There is still very little stalk growth.

The leaves of the Kentucky hybrid plant are quite large and yellow quickly.

At long last there are great big blossoms on the top of the Tennessee Redleaf tobacco plant. Cheers to a fun growth cycle.

I do look forward to trying the Tennessee Redleaf. I am impressed with the speed and size of this plant's growth.

The flowers are actually quite colorful at the tips. This is a plant that certainly wants to seed.

The Walkers Broadleaf tobacco has begun to yellow around the base and I expect any flower buds to begin forming shortly. This plant will not grow as tall as the Redleaf.

The next series of this plant will also be provided with larger accommodations.

Cucumber, Stevia, Soybeans 3-15-8

2008-03-24T19:36:00.001-07:00

The soybean plants are acclimating to their new home and all seem to have survived the transition.

There has not been significant growth but there is an increase of activity at the leaf nodes.

This stevia plant is growing fairly well, but a bit unsteady. It's partner, however, does not look well at all. This one has been in less intense light longer than the other.

So, it seems that the light was just a bit unbearable for Stevia.

Leaves continue to open on the experimental cucumber plant growing yet another node.

Pepper Plant Pictures 3-15-8

2008-03-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

The Chocolate Habanero pepper plant is gorgeous. The leaves are thick and wide. I have no idea what to expect from future growth, I can only say that I expect great things and hopefully, some fantastic chocolate habanero peppers.

The Orange Habanero pepper is also growing quite well, however there are significant differences in growth style. the leaves are much thinner and narrowed than the chocolates. Also, there are dense clusters of leaves forming along the stalk in much greater number than the chocolate habaneros.

The two habanero plant varieties will be very interesting to compare throughout the growth cycle.

Trailing behind the other two, but planted a bit later, is the Tabasco pepper plant. This plants seems healthy. Looking forward to some nice juicy peppers.

Tobacco Plant Pictures 3-15-8

2008-03-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

The image to the right is Burley tobacco which has really just begun to thicken. It has lagged behind all other varieties that were planted at the same time.

Although, this variety does promise a strong yield and may prove to be a pleasant smoke so who knows.

The Kentucky Hybrid tobacco is growing fairly well and has begun to yellow at the lower leaves. As a note, Kentucky tobacco as well as the other tobacco varieties really need much more room for roots.

They will mature in small containers, but this is about as small as would be desirable.

Oh the Tennessee Redleaf tobacco has begun to flower nicely. These have not opened yet, however, a bit of color has begun to show at the tips.

The Tennessee Redleaf has been a great plant and hopefully proves to be an enjoyable smoke.

Finally, the Midewivan Sacred plant has flowered and begun filling a pod with seeds. This plant has been an excellent specimen to grow. There is rapid beginning growth followed by slower vertical growth enabling leaves and flowers to thicken and weight the stalk.

I thoroughly enjoy growing Midewivan Sacred tobacco and intend on growing it more in the future.

The Walkers Broadleaf tobacco plant is beginning to mature with a yellowing of the bottom leaves and denser clusters of leaves forming close to the stalk tip signaling preparation for flower growth.

Soybean Plants 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Soybean plants continue to grow around each other. Do we think they are strangling or supporting? I don't really know. But, it's fun to watch.

Stevia 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:09:00.001-07:00

The next couple of images are of Stevia. I moved one out of the flood table to try a drier and less lit environment. It does appear that this has been helpful.

Notice that this one has not grown much and appears sickly.

Now. this one that was moved about a week ago seems to have much healthier leaves. I'm hoping as it dries that the base will strengthen.

Kentucky and Burley Tobacco 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:07:00.002-07:00

The Kentucky Hybrid tobacco plant is starting to take over its container now and is growing quite quickly.

Burley Tobacco still seems to follow the pack but promises a strong yield so that's a nice trade-off. I wonder if anyone else has experienced these same growth differences.

Walkers Broadleaf Tobacco 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:07:00.001-07:00

The Walkers Broadleaf tobacco plant has stayed around the same height for a week or two and I believe is starting to prepare flower buds. Nothing is really visible yet though.

Tabasco Pepper Plant 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Slowly, the Tabasco Pepper plant is growing. Notice how the leaves are longer and thinner than the Habaneros. I think that's cool. It seems that the leaf shape emulates the pepper to follow a bit.

Habanero Pepper Plants 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Chocolate Habanero Pepper plant is shorter with much broader leaves. Growth of this specimen has been significant over the last couple of weeks.

The Orange Habanero pepper plant is doing very well. This one continues to grow taller and has nice long leaves.

Midewivan Sacred Tobacco 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

The Midewivan Sacred tobacco plant continues to flower. There were only a couple open last week and many have followed. As the ones at the top open there are buds growing out of the leaf nodes.

Midewivan Sacred is such a beautiful plant.

Tennessee Redleaf Tobacco 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

These next couple of images are neat. The first is the side view of a Tennessee Redleaf Tobacco plant, the next is a top view shot of it. I like the flower buds at the top of the plant. I thought one or two would have opened by this week, but they are just beginning to open slightly now.

The top view shows the flower buds better. I believe that this plant will continue to grow a fair amount as it flowers. Commercially I think this would be the time to top the plant.

There will be none of that here.

Experimental Cucumber 3-8-8

2008-03-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I know that I neglected to add a picture of the experimental cucumber plant last post. Here is the plant currently. Not much has changed in the last week aside from the leaf getting slightly larger.

Additionally, I did not upload a picture of the banyan tree this week either and again, this is because there has not been much change in growth.

Plants 3-1-8

2008-03-03T15:01:00.001-08:00

This image may be a bit difficult to see, but this is a Banyan Tree Seedling that has just germinated. Hopefully it lives for a bit as I have had these for months and this is the first I have seen.

This tobacco plant to the right is the Burley Tobacco which I recently mov justed to a larger container. It seems to be taking to its new home and is growing quite well so far.

My Chocolate Habanero pepper plants are continuing to do well and seem to have perked up a bit since the addition of the new light. They are actually gaining on the Orange Habaneros which have easily outpaced the Chocolates so far.

The Kentucky Hybrid tobacco continues to flourish. It appears that this plant just needs to get to a certain stage before real growth begins. So, expect a slow start but a rapid pace once the plant has passed the seedling stage.

This one is great. The Midewivan Sacred tobacco plant has done so well in the
flood table and the flowers are starting to peek out. This should seed shortly.

The Orange Habaneros are doing quite well, but these pepper plants seemed to have slowed down a bit while the Chocolate Habaneros and the Tabascos have begun to pick up the pace.

Finally, some solid growth is beginning for the Tabasco pepper plants. These will start to show real promise over the next month or two.

Walkers Broadleaf tobacco grows very well but I suppose that based on the name I could expect more significant growth from the leaves. Possibly part of the mix is missing like more root room or better lighting. Even so, this is a strong producer and is maturing very well.

The Tennessee Redleaf Tobacco is getting closer to flowering and the preflowers are much longer and narrower than that of the Midewivan Sacred Tobacco. I expect flowering from this one within a week or two.

The soybean plants seem a bit stunted. I think perhaps I should have allowed more room and planted less. Alternatively, it could be like the case of the Midewivan Sacred Tobacco where there was slowed growth prior to flowering.

Luckily, I have plenty of soybean seeds so more experimentation will continue.

The Stevia plant continues to grow despite the light and/or wetness issues. Though, the leaves are deformed and the plant does not appear entirely sturdy. Still waiting to see what happens. Hydroponics isn't for everything. This is probably one of those cases.

If anyone has any experience with Stevia please share.

New Light 400w MH

2008-02-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

So, finally, I have decided to upgrade the lighting. I have been keeping costs minimal but yearning for stronger lighting.

I think that my plants will be happy. I found a Sun System 2 400w metal halide light at a reasonable price so I couldn't resist.

There is no describing the difference in light. It's amazing.

I just hooked up the light last night so I'm not sure what effect it will have on the plants. Next week should be telling.

Pepper Plants 2-23-8

2008-02-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

The Chocolate Habanero pepper plants are doing very well in the hydroponic container. There are a couple of them growing currently.

Just as exciting as the Chocolate Habaneros are the Orange Habanero peppers. These have been doing very well so far. I imagine that a very strong growth phase for both types of Habanero is about to occur.

Last of the pepper bunch are the Tabasco peppers. This one has essentially only had 2 leaves for quite a while so this third and fourth are welcome additions. Much like the other peppers there appears to be an affinity for hydroponics.

Edible Plants 2-23-8

2008-02-23T19:33:00.001-08:00

So, the experimental cucumber has been moved to the hydroponic container.

Still, the leaves have not separated the seed husk from the plant but I imagine this must happen soon. The leaves are growing fairly large as compared to the stem.

I started to unwrap the soybeans a bit and have temporarily attached them to the wall to prevent them strangling each other. I had imagined that by now they might be sturdier.

These will be interesting to watch over the next couple of weeks.

Still, I am a bit disappointed at the appearance of the stevia plants. I am almost certain that these conditions are not ideal for this plant.

Truthfully, I just don't really know. Maybe that's how it grows. Maybe it's sick. No idea. I'm going out on a limb and saying that the stalk can't harden off because of the excess water and the leaves can't take that much direct sunlight.

Watch it or move it?

Tobacco Plants 2-23-8

2008-02-23T19:26:00.001-08:00

Just moved the Burley Tobacco to a larger container this week. Very few of these have germinated and grown to a reasonable size compared to the other varieties so hopefully this one continues to grow well.

The Kentucky hybrid tobacco seems to be doing quite well and is beginning to fill out its new home. One of the plants is quite a bit more developed than the other. There is definitely no question for me why this plant is grown commercially for yield.

It's amazing what a bit of light can do for the Midewivan Sacred Tobacco plants. This one has grown much larger and stronger than the rest. At the top and at the leaf nodes there are flower buds that are coming along nicely. I hope to see these flower soon.

Still the strongest producer, the Tennessee Redleaf Tobacco plant has started to bud. Both this and the Midewivan Sacred should flower around the same time.

I am interested in what type of growth will occur while the plant is flowering.

Walkers Broadleaf tobacco remains very similar to the Redleaf in appearance. However, it still does grow tall faster, and the leaf stems are much longer.

This plant should produce a nice yield.

Edible Plants 2-16-8

2008-02-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

The Experimental Cucumber in the seeding tray is still growing taller with the leaves filling in, yet the seed has still not been shed from the top. I find this interesting as I imagined that by now this would have occurred.

I am curious what the initial root growth is like and if there would be any harm, or benefit, in moving this now to a larger container. There are a couple so maybe I'll move one this week and see what happens.

The soybean plants are gorgeous. The stalks of each wrap around the others and continue to grow strong. I'm sure for yield that I would be better off thinning out the plants, but they are fun to watch.

If leaves happen to be your thing, like they are for me, then this is a great plant to have. The leaves on these plants are unreal, looking almost artificial.

The Stevia plants are still a bit slow growing. I suppose that strong light and hydroponics are not ideal for these. A test is in order. Maybe planting this in another area near a window would yield stronger results. In any event, they are still growing strong and continue to produce leaf nodes so I'm not planning to move them from the hydroponics.

Tobacco Plants 2-16-8

2008-02-18T17:54:00.000-08:00

The Burley Tobacco still lags behind the others. This is the plant after approximately 2 months of growth from germination. Finally, though, the plant is beginning to take shape. This had the lowest germination rate and slowest growth of all the tobacco varieties that I have planted so far.

The Kentucky Hybrid Tobacco plants have reached a solid phase of vegetative growth. There are actually a couple of plants in this container, but the majority of the growth is just one plant. The leaves of this variety appear lighter in color than the others. This holds true, so far, in the drying as well.

The Midewivan Sacred Tobacco plants continue to grow taller than the rest and yield from the leaves is much lower. At the top of this plant a set of flower buds is beginning to form as well as at the higher nodes.

Not surprising, but certainly exciting, the better light source in the flood table has made this specimen significantly stronger and encouraged much more growth than the others.

Still, the Tennessee Redleaf plant is outgrowing the others. Just recently flower buds have begun forming on this plant. Hopefully flowering will begin soon on this and the Midewivan Sacred plants. The others I imagine will be a bit behind based on growth patterns so far.

Contrary to the Midewivan Sacred, though, the leaf nodes do not appear to be growing flower buds, at least not yet.

The Walkers Broadleaf plants have come into their own now. The plant appears to be growing much faster and stronger. Still, the stalk growth seems to be the major focus of this plant. The stalk as well as leave stems are longer and stronger than the other varieties.

Pepper Plants 2-16-8

2008-02-18T17:48:00.001-08:00

To the right is the Chocolate Habanero Pepper plant. This has done much better since being moved. The leaves have filled out well and no longer appear wholly deformed. There is a new light on the way that should help the peppers really thrive.

At right is a Tabasco Pepper Plant. This has not changed entirely much but based on previous experience these are slow in this phase and should pick up well shortly.

Since these were just moved to the hydroponic container recently I imagine that over the next couple of weeks the benefit of this system will begin to show.

Still the leader of my pepper plants, the Orange Habanero is wasting no time in growing out. Not as much up, but definitely out. The leaves are broadening and lengthening quite well. This plant out-paces the Chocolate Habanero and certainly the Tabasco pepper.

Edible Plants 2-9-8

2008-02-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

The experimental cucumber is growing nicely. The seeds are still attached to the seedlings. Already these appear to be pretty hardy plants. Still not sure what to expect from this variety. As soon as the seeds are shed and the plant is a bit stronger it will be moved to a larger container.

The Stevia plants have done much better since being moved out of the direct light. I expect that it was just a bit too much for these plants. My hope, and expectation, is that this plant will begin to bush out a bit more as the leaf nodes appear to be getting closer and growing additional leaves more rapidly.

The soybean plants are growing well, but they are all over the place. Each seedling has its strengths and weaknesses so I haven't decided to pull any or move any quite yet. I expect some significant growth in the next couple of weeks as the expected lifetime of these plants, according to the packet, is not much longer than that for full maturity.