Issue 8
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Table of Contents:
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1. Some convenient measurements
If you're like me, when you want these measurements, you can't find them. So here they are for future reference:
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2. Growing specialty greens for your own tastes
The difference between European and American mesclun mixes is mostly one of piquancy. In other words, the European taste runs to a variety of flavors and contrasts while the American taste is deeply rooted in the lettuce family. In short, Americans like their mesclun somewhat blander.
Europeans lean more toward arugula, endive, lettuce and chervil. They want a salad which has variety in texture and in taste. They like their mixes to be crunchy, silky, sweet, tangy and bitter.
Again, we Americans will favor a variety of lettuces and normally avoid sharp flavors such as endive or arugula. I like the European version myself, but you will of course have different ideas as to what your mesclun mix should be.
You can add spice to your mix with radishes, escarole, nasturtiums, watercress (which I love!) and a little from the mustards family.
If you want a touch of bitter, then mix in one or two of these: endive, dandelion, radicchio, chicory.
And for some different, try mizuma or purslane, both mild and "silky" in flavor.
You may also want to throw in some basil, or chives (both garlic and onion). Some other herbs to consider would be caraway, anise, lovage, dill, coriander, chervil, angelica - as well as perhaps some chard or spinach.
Like I say, it all depends upon taste. You can discover the mesclun mix you like best by experimenting. Most seed companies offer all of the above. Your advantage for this would be to plant in small plots (even pots) and grow that which hopefully will be your ultimate mix.
Another thing to consider is color. Choose your different ingred- ients for color as well as taste. Let each compliment the other.
Once you've determined which suit you best, then grow individual plots or pots of them and clip when needed. Keep in mind that a fertilizer high in nitrogen (that's the first number on the bag) is best. Feed every two to three weeks and water well and on a regular basis. Wait until leaves are 6 or so inches long and then clip the top 3 inches. Soon you'll have another crop.
And, voila! You're ready to dine!
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3. Let's talk a little about beneficial insects
A. Got problems with ladybugs staying over winter inside you house or garage? Despair no more - but don't even think about using insecticides. These beautiful insects are too valuable to wantonly destroy. Not to mention what the insecticide can do to those who live indoors with the ladybugs.
Get several apples, slice them and place them where you want the ladybugs to congregate. They will even come down from the ceiling or rafters to enjoy the apples. Replace with fresh apple slices every few days until the job is done.
The job? Use a wet/dry vacuum. Put a piece of paper or towel in the bottom of the bag to break the insects' fall. I prefer just sweep- in them up with a regular broom and pan. Gently, of course.
Take the bag or dust pan outside and let the beetles go - as far as you can from the house or structure involved. Do it in a place which offers some protection such as high weeds or even grass.
What about this: why not put them in a large enough jar and place them in the lower part of your refrigerator for the coming spring? Guess what? You now have instant pest control when the time comes.
B. Suppose you just bought some beneficial to tame that wild bunch in your garden? You will want to release them upon their arrival, making certain you follow the directions which came with the shipment. Look at them closely so you can identify them once they are in your garden.
Place beneficial evenly throughout the garden or space you want to get under control. But remember: patience! Give the insects a chance to do their job. This usually takes 3-5 weeks.
And if you have the time and inclination, plant here and there and ahead of time a few plants of arrow, dill or catnip to furnish nectar for the beneficial you've released. This will keep them in your garden instead of them flying away to your neighbor's. Flowering plants are also good.
The thing to remember is to introduce your beneficial when the pest season starts. This will give plenty of food to your bene- ficials and they will stay with you.
And, of course, avoid pesticides. Be patient. If you've done your job correctly, the beneficial will do theirs.
C. Some major beneficial insects are: lacewing, tricogramma wasp, big eyed bug, damsel bug, collops, ladybug, ground beetle, parasitic wasps, tachinid fly, syrphid fly. And many others.
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4. Foliar feeding
When is foliar feeding a good idea? Foliar feeding is used for toning up or finishing off plants before shipment. It is also used when plants show some nutrient stress and need a quick boost. Like with cuttings or transplants. It can also be included as part of your regular feeding program to help increase the quality of your plants.
However, foliar feeding is not to be confused with regular feeding - it is a supplemental program, not the main program. And it can't be easily used on plants which have waxy, glossy or fuzzy leaves.
You must have the right conditions. You have to have a wetting agent which is not toxic included in your mixture. This agent will make the mixture flow evenly over the plant leaves and allow for good leaf absorption. The mixture must be applied until it starts to run off the leaves.
The best time to apply is on a low-humid day with an overcast sky, in the morning between 6 and 10 am. The temperature should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Centigrade). And never in bright sunlight or in a drought or wilt situation. In short: not on dry hot days.
Urea type fertilizers are best providing they are biuret-free. DO follow the directions. Although urea is a good foliar fertilizer, too much of a good thing is too much. Avoid nitrate nitrogen because it doesn't absorb easily and will burn the leaves.
If you want to apply micronutrients (which may be your only option) use the chelated or organic bound types. You can use sulfate salts of the inorganic type too. Make sure you follow the directions for application. And have a leaf test of the plant done before you start - to make certain the plant does have a micronutrient deficiency.
Sometimes, when you have blossom-end rot or fruit rot in fruits or vegetables, you can help the situation by applying a foliar spray of calcium. Use calcium nitrate or calcium chloride at the rate of 3 tablespoons to 5 gallons of water. Repeat up to four times every 8-9 days.
Foliar feeding can be quite beneficial to your plants, but bear in mind where the deficiency you're trying to correct came from. Right! The nutrient solution is where you have to look to make corrections for future crops.
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5. Cuttings and their care
Don't keep cutting trays on concrete floors - too cold. Root-zone temperature should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Centigrade). Your cuttings need high humidity but not too high. Take off the cover for a little while at least once a day. Get rid of any moisture on the cover. The minimum distance between the top of the tray dome and fluorescent light should be no less than a foot or 30 cm.
It's a good idea to have small thermometers in your cutting trays - so you can keep track of the temperatures inside. Adapt the cut- tings to the "outside" by taking off the dome for a few hours during daytime (or the time you have them under light). If the cut- tings begin to wilt or seem to be under stress, place them back under their domes and try again 3-4 days later. For cuttings which take too long to adapt to "outside" conditions, you may have to use a "damp off" solution to alleviate the situation. Again, FOLLOW the instructions.
Don't use fertilizer on cuttings at first. Better to use one tablespoon of vitamin mix (check your supplier) to one gallon of water. While under their caps or domes, cuttings normally won't need any further watering for 40-60 days. If you use a media such as perlite which drains rapidly you may need to water sooner. When the cuttings can stand on their own without the protective dome, they will need more water. But remember that to much water will cause rot in the roots and the stems. Keep an eye on it.
After the cuttings begin to show signs of new roots, or new top growth, you can use a 1/3 mix of fertilizer designed for flowers, such as 12-24-12 (or where the second number is the highest). This is also the time to lower the lights to about 3 inches (9 cm) above the top growth. The light distance will have to be watched and changed as the plant grows. You don't want to burn the new growth.
Lights should be kept on around 20 hrs each day as the cuttings root. After rooting and now being fed that weak fertilizer solution described above the cuttings will need six hours of dark to rest in. It's a good idea to set that dark period to the one used in your greenhouse or where you intend to transfer the cuttings for further growth.
For protection against fungus, use the "damp off" described above (or similar fungicide) either as a foliar spray or for watering in. For spider mites, check with your supplier and then use the suggested insecticide as directed. Spray over and under the leaves. Also spray the tray inside to catch mites which are crawling away. Fungus gnats can be brought under control with a pesticide which is on the mild side. Check the product first.
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6. Some incidentals
A. A short list of edible plants to grow you may never have heard of: Magenta V Orach, Burgundy Splendor Amaranth, Bulls Blood Beet Leaf, Dutch peppers, Low light Red lettuce, European Long Cucumbers, Truss-Type Red and Yellow Tomatoes...and more from Ornamental Edibles at (http://ornamentaledibles.com/default.html).
B. The well-known Dr Alan Cooper was one of the first designers of NFT systems. His stated primary aim was to provide a growing system which could be used in poor Third World countries. One of his main ventures was setup so the local uneducated native could run the NFT system on his own and with just a little help from time to time.
Dr Cooper would certainly be proud of the Shona people in Zimbabwe. Here the natives are using hydroponics to fight off malnutrition. They have been able to survive without depending on local agricultural traditions. The natives now have a greenhouse setup where they use bamboo piping for their NFT system. Liquid drawn off from a bed of worms and their castings gives them a fine organic nitrogen fertilizer. (The same could be done with bat or bird droppings. Just mix with water and, voila! You have another fine organic fertilizer.)
Makes one wonder: is there no end to man's ingenuity?
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