UPDATE: Sabal minor Seedlings

I have noticed that my Sabal minor seedlings are starting to fan out and there are a total of 9 seedlings now. They are looking very nice and healthy.

UPDATE: Chinese Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei

So I uncovered my Trachy a few days ago and the winter this year was really mild, the coldest temp this winter was 14 F. My Trachy did very well this winter, it managed not to defoliate. I protected it again this year with a tomato cage wrapped in bubble wrap stuffed with straw, and a trash bag over the top of it to keep the moisture out. This method iv used for 2 years in a row. I am just so happy it didn't loose it's leaves. Hopefully this year it will really take off.

Sabal Minor Palm Seedlings

So the last few years I have been pretty obsessed with hardy palms. I bought some Sabal minor palm seeds from Gayland Penny at Penny's Palms http://www.pennyspalms.com/. He is a good supplier, the seeds took a while( about 3 months) but they germinated. I had to file them though with a nail file and soak them for about a week before I planted them. Sabal minors have a tough hard seed casing. Sabal minors are a cold hardy palm that can be grown in northern climates with protection, hardy to zone 7b without protection. They are native to the southeastern United States. I am kinda excited because iv never grown palms from seed before. I will update there progress, wish me luck.

UPDATE on Tomato, Pepper, and Eggplant seedlings

It's been out five weeks now since I planted my tomatoes, eggplants, and Peppers. They have grown a lot and are getting pretty big. They look pretty healthy but I think some of the plants in the back weren't getting enough light so I moved them closer to the light, they were looking a bit pewney. I will probably have to repot them next week.

Seed Starting Time

It's February, it's chilly, but it's time to start thinking about planting seeds. I planted some Tomato, Pepper, Eggplant, and a few Genovese Basil seeds because I love it so much. I usually direct sow some of my Basil directly into the garden but I like to start a few plants earlier so I can harvest sooner. Among the Tomatoes I am planting this year are my favorite tomato of all time the Cherokee purple, They are an heirloom variety said to have originated with the Cherokee Indians in Tennessee, they taste amazing. This year I decided also to try my hand at Sungold cherry tomatoes, I have read that they are one of the best cherry tomatoes. I also planted some chocolate cherries, SuperSweet 100 cherries, as well as Mortgage lifter, I love the heirloom tomatoes. For my peppers I am growing a mixture of several varieties of Bell peppers, california wonder, I got the mix from Burpee, as well as early Jalapenos to spice things up a bit. I am only going to grow one variety of eggplant this year, the Italian heirloom Rosa Bianca, it has nice mauve and white colored fruits that are round they taste great and the plants are quite prolific, I have grown this variety for the last several years. If you need advice starting some seeds of your own refer to my previous post seed starting 101. For an easy way to start hardy perennials check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svGQbn6tcvk&context=C37834a1ADOEgsToPDskIbjsC6BIiebaMKtYWSS_8N

Norfolk Island Pines: Living Christmas trees

Norfolk Island Pines(Araucaria heterophylla) is not a true pine but it is a tropical conifer belonging to the genus Araucaria which is represented by 19 species endemic to many Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. The Norfolk Island pine is native to Norfolk Island in the Pacific ocean located between Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Sapling Norfolk Island pines are popularly sold as live Christmas trees and these plants can make excellent houseplants when small. They are also a popular landscape tree in warmer coastal regions of the United States, such as south Florida, coastal California, south Texas, and Hawaii. It is also a popular landscape tree in Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Honduras, and South Africa. This tree is hardy in USDA zones 10-11 and possibly in zone 9 if it is planted in a protected microclimate. This species has high tolerance for salt and winds making it popular in coastal areas. This species when kept as a houseplant prefers moderate lighting. Never Keep this tree below 40 degrees F. Water once a week when the soil becomes dry. This species can be a bit challenging because it has relatively high humidity needs. When the tree gets to tall larger stems can be cut down and the tree will produce branching offshoots from the roots, or it can be replaced. This species is a slow grower and is moderately easy to grow. Overall this is one of my favorite houseplants to grow and makes a nice green houseplant and or a perfect live Christmas tree. I just picked up a seedling tree at Wal-Mart today. They are available around the holidays at most big box stores, supermarkets, and garden centers.

Cherokee Purple Tomato

I just wanted to share with everyone the heirloom Cherokee Purple Tomatoes I grew this year. They are delicious, they are very flavorful. They Probably are the best tomato iv ever eaten. They do look a little bit scary though because of their dark coloring reminds me of a poison apple or something. This variety reportedly originated in Tennessee among the Cherokee Native American Tribe.