Everyone, just updated my trade status in my original post of May 21, 2005 11:38 am. Hope you will D-mail me if anything strikes your fancy. Gotta go - I'll be baaaack :)
Scented Geranium Swap, PT 2 (Pelargonium)
WOW, bluespiral, you have been busy!!
You might consider copying that list over to this thread so it's easier to follow comments.
I'm not sure what pungent creeping thyme you have from me that's not already on your list elsewhere, but it's not Thai Red Turtle Egg, LOL! I must have re-purposed that pot. I planted "eggplant" seeds that were supposed to be of that variety, but they came up as tomato seedlings! I'm sorry, I thought I had labeled the plants I sent back with you! Hmm. It could possibly be 'Lavender Thyme'. I'll have to try to nail down that ID for you, since the Lavender thyme is tender in our zone. Or maybe I gave you a couple of the ones I grew from seed (don't know the variety). Dmail me a picture if you can!
I'm glad you had good luck rooting that basil! It's a Genovese type basil that I grew from seed that a friend of mine brought back from Italy several years ago. The large leaves are easy to chiffonade and are also fabulous for pesto.
My 'Attar of Roses' cuttings are doing well, and the 'Cocoa Mint Rose' ones have started putting on new growth! But the 'Lime' and 'Southernwood' ones from the first round are still under lights on the heat mat.... they are pretty much sulking in their pots, and their roots have grown only marginally in the last month or so. Tom DeBaggio advises keeping them on the heat mat for a while during initial root development, but maybe it's time to take them off?
Jill, you and Princess are making me laugh so hard I don't know how I'ma gonna sleep tonight. I mooned over a lavender thyme for sale once, and it was a very lovely, hairy, ground-hugging mat - delicate effect - but no fragrance that I could detect, so I passed on it. Maybe we can make up our own name for this thyme: Thai Red Hairy Turtle Egg. Is it just me or does anyone else like tweaking those taxonomists over names? Seriously, this thyme you gave me is smooth, not hirsute, and it's low, but not as flat as a hairy mirror (I don't have a digital camera).
Princess has tried many techniques, unsuccessfully, to root creeping white torenia. She just d-mailed me if I knew anything she didn't. Well, not - except for a DG gardener writing in a year or two ago about how easily their torenia rooted in water after being chewed by their cow. Barb, got any cows up there?
Here's my update:
This is to edit my trade status here as of July 6, 2005 (and again 7/9/05).
I have already sent plants (non-SGs) to Critter, KathyAnn, BassetMom, Mystic, and Juttz (Juttz, am sending you those thymes on Monday), and they have agreed which SGs they might be able to swap for those plants - whatever comes from this at this point I will consider a gift - it's been most fun to get to know you all and share this madness for SGs.
BassetMom, I'll D-mail you what those trades are, if you want me to at this point.
I'd like to welcome all the new folks into this swap. I've gone quite crazy rooting everything in sight (most were rooted 2 weeks ago when I emerged from Jill's garden, staggering under a humongous load of plants - will root the rest tomorrow), so if there's anything you or anyone else in this group would like in the following list, let me know and I'll get them to BassetMom by 8/30. I am going to be so glutted with SGs if the ones I've already set up trades with are successful in their rooting escapades, that, at this point, I don't need anything more in return for these rootlings:
scented geraniums:
Attar of Roses (3)
Peacock (1)
Rose (It's probably Gray Lady Plymouth, not Rose) (5)
Rober's Lemon Rose (3)
Thymes (6 each):
very pungent upright thyme rooted from Korean grocery store
T. 'Spicey Orange'
Thymus lanuginosa (woolly thyme)
Creeping English thyme
T. 'Yellow Transparent'
Plain green lemon - this one's a paradise for the schnoz
variegated gold lemon
Thymus argenteus (silver thyme)
Hall's Woolly
Santolina:
silver/gray (6)
Green (S. viridis) (6) (already well rooted)
Lemon Verbena (3)
Basil - large, creped leaves (Jill's Genovese basil from Italy) (3)
Artemisia abrotanum (lemon southernwood) (6)
Ivy geranium - dark crimson (1)
Evolvulus - (1)
African Violet:
Ruffled Sheer Romance (5)
dwarf, variegated leaves in cream/pink/gray-green (2)
Persicaria 'Red Dragon' (2) (Jill - is name right?)
white creeping torenia (3)
Plectranthus coleoides (3)
I hope you all find something here that you like - As people let me know what they want, I delete from this list.
Sorgina - thankx for your trade - the seeds of Aquilegia 'Black Barlow' and Allium 'Purple Sensation' are off.
Back to the present moment, about whether to take the Lime and Southernwood SGs off the heat mat - offhand, I don't know. Evidently, Pizzetti and Cocker, who wrote Flowers, say that ideal greenhouse conditions for pelargoniums are 50 - 60 degrees with good ventilation. They also say that pelargoniums are used to long periods of drought in their native habitats. Sooo, I'm thinking that lights plus heating mat indoors equal stuffiness, which doth not a happy SG make - so I'd take them off the heating mat now (assuming they've been there for 2 - 3 weeks?) and gradually get them more air, ventilation, coolth and natural light.
Well, I do like to play with words - hope I haven't confused more than helped.
Think Dave would let me change my moniker to HairyRedTurtleEgg?
Have edited the names of the ones Jill enlightened me about. "Jill's pungent creeper" is now "creeping English thyme"; however, Hairy Red still needs a moniker. The leaves and plant are so impossibly tiny, and the fragrance - fruity and spicey - is huge. Leaves are lime green and smooth. Any suggestions?
Edited to say that the Hairy Red Turtle Egg thyme is now thought to be Corsican mint.
This message was edited Jul 7, 2005 12:04 AM
This message was edited Jul 9, 2005 12:55 AM
This message was edited Jul 9, 2005 2:22 PM
LOL bluespiral that's too funny!
Okay, here's the scoop: I have my "Dr. Livington" cuttings in soil now because they weren't doing much in water. All of them but one look pretty decent but i haven't checked for roots because i don't want o damage any growth that has already formed unnecessarily. At this point i still want to participate but am doubting my ability to successfully root anything except mint.
There is hope, though. I discovered that SGs will live indfinitely in florist's tubes filled th a water + hydrogen peroxide mix. if it's at all acceptable i can send these tubes in for trade and let you all have your hand at rooting them?
I'm sorry i haven't been keeping up with this posting but i'm a student and work a full time job, but had a little ime this weekend to garden. I hope i can still participate but understand if not. thanks so much :)
scott
Although Tom DeBaggio lists scented geraniums as one of the "herbs that root readily in water," I've had variable luck trying it that way. It seems to vary with the variety -- 'Attar of Roses' does root fairly quickly in water, and I've had a few cuttings of 'Chocolate Peppermint' strike roots when all I was doing was using them as filler in a flower arrangement. But it seems to be more of a sure thing when you stick the cuttings in potting medium.
I posted a lenthy how-to from Tom's book in the initial thread for this swap. It's not a complicated thing, but it's a long post because I tried to address all the little details that he covered.
So, Scott, I'm willing to give it a go if you want to send me those cuttings, or you can try sticking them in potting medium and see how that goes. Take a look at that how-to post. Dmail me if you want to send cuttings, but I'd encourage you to have another try at it.
well, i was visiting my mom for a day and they all crisped up like potato chips! and i don't think my little plant can handle anymore cuttings being taken. i may have to regretfully withdraw from the swap. :(
Kathy_Ann, thank you for that nudge toward leaving the top green part of a cutting in the air - am rooting this last batch of cuttings outside on the porch and watering once a day in the morning from the bottom - it's working so much better than tenting or bagging the whole cutting in plastic while rooting it.
Also added more Perlite to the "pro-mix". Couldn't find any to buy, but outsmarted myself upon discovering some I thought I didn't have. Well, "outsmarted" may not be quite the term I need here...
Naien, we're trading all sorts of stuff, here. You wouldn't happen to have an extra moonflower vine to share would you? Vegetable seed in the greens department like autumn Chinese members of the cabbage family? Other greens seed - Romaine lettuce? I have found many unexpected surprises here - the good kind - but ya havta ask.
This message was edited Jul 9, 2005 4:21 PM
Your welcome Bluespiral LOL
Yes, got to agree with bluespiral on taking the cuttings off the mat, This time of year, its way too much heat, actually can cause mold and rot. Plenty of sunlight and moist soil and they should root, I have a bugger of a time rooting the celery scented, it always rots, But that's about theonly one that gives me fits. Hope you get that southernwood rooted,
How's the strawberry scenteds coming along, did someone get them rooted yet? are they giving you trouble too. Just wondering, if it's like the coconut one, hard to root since it was a trailing kind.
I just rooted 2 more flats of scenteds the other day to sell later on.
Kathy_Ann, In a swap before this thread was started, Barb traded some cuttings of Fringed Apple and Strawberry SG. For the first 3 weeks, they looked fine, and then - grrrr - one by one their stems all got moldy at the "soil" line. I think Jill had the same problem with Fringed Apple, too, and I have a feeling the Strawberry SG isn't doing too well for her either. Juttz got the one Fringed Apple that seemed to do okay. Juttz - how's it doing?
I must say that when I was recently in the greenhouse of our local herb emporium, Stillridge, they had a huge mother plant (for propagating) of Strawberry SG, and it had the most beautiful clusters of light pink flowers.
Kathy, would you like for me to put you down for the lemon southernwood (it's an artemisia, not a scented geranium)? Let me know. If anyone wants more, there's quite a bit left to take cuttings from (You can always tell which plants are my favorites from their perpetually stubby haircuts).
My new practice is to keep the SG cuttings on the heat mat until they strike roots, then take them off. My heat mat is on a thermostat, so I figure it's just going on occasionally at night, which should be OK. When they're doing well enough to be potted up individually, then they go outside in a flat on the deck. The 'Southernwood' cuttings are off the heat mat, but several of them got a little mold, so they don't look as good (their baggie is now off, which will hopefully help).
My 'Fringed Apple' SG from bluespiral is hanging in there. No new growth, but at least it looks about the same as when I got it, so perhaps it is just busy growing roots down where I can't see, LOL.
My second round of cuttings from the strawberry SG (first round died before rooting) is still looking good, but hasn't really struck roots yet, and the same goes for another cutting of 'Lime' (about 2/3 of those have died before striking roots, but hopefully I'll have at least a couple to send). The 'Cody's Nutmeg' cutting that I pulled out to look at has started to swell at the base, so hopefully those will be rooting soon (they also look really good). Several more 'Chocolate Peppermint', 'Attar of Roses', and 'Cocoa Mint Rose' cuttings have roots and are ready for individual pots.
Still no luck with the 'Coconut' SG cuttings. After 3 rounds of cuttings that quickly failed, I may give up and concentrate on looking for seeds!
I have some coconut scented geranium seeds critter. their germination rate is prettty good, Someone else was wanting the coconut scented seeds too, but I can't remember, haven't been posting much lately. I have about 40 little tiny babies in the greenhouse LOL. They grow slowly though. I should have babies popping up on the floor pretty soon, cause I neglect to pick all the seeds off the pods soon enough.
bluespiral, I have lemon scented southernwood, and citrus scented southernwood, It may not be called citrus, may be called some other fruited scent, can't remember . and one other kind, i'd have to go out and look to see which it is though. can't remember
I got way too many herbs LOL. I do know the southernwoods root easily enough for me, and this past year, I've rooted quite a few rosemary cuttings too, couldn't get any to root last year. I just propigated a bunch of newer mints, they seem to be doing good.
oh yes, and at the end, when the swap is over, and we all start posting what we have and what we want, If I don't post everything and you said you wanted it, like the coconut seeds, please remind me, there were a couple here that wanted other things like a couple mints, I have those wrote down thankfully LOL, I'll go write down the seeds too,
Thanks, Kathy_ann! I was hoping to supply some coconut SG seeds as an "extra" since I hadn't been able to root cuttings, so maybe you can pass a few along to the swap for me. I'm sure I have some sort of seed in my "stash" that you'd like... I just harvested several varieties of columbine seed from a friend's garden.... we'll have to do some Dmailing closer to swap time to see what I can send to Barb for you!
Hmmm... seems I'm not the only one having problems. Naien, don't drop out. I would take cuttings or rooted plants and I may be doing the same thing by the time August gets here. Changed rooting hormone in hopes that will make a difference for me.
Bluespiral, just mark things with recipient's name as well as name of plant, etc. It should all work out fine.
I've been offline due to heat and kids. I have gotten two fairy doors in and river stone in place with three thymes for one of them. Am waiting on some thymes from trades for the other one. Sent off my herb RR box and I've been working on my 12-mo swap items, too, as well as spending time with Marc on his first days off. Now, I have to type in all the recipes for Ellie's cookbook... So, nothing happening here...
Barb
Barb, next to your activity level, I feel like the Ent-TreeMan who presided over Rip Van Winkle's snooze.
Kathy_Ann, In addition to Critter, I think Sorgina was also interested in coconut SG seed or any type of SG seed, since seed is less complicated to move across international boundaries. And also possibly Princess - maybe we can infer from her posting of geranium seed anatomy that she'd want some too.
Y'all, I've got about 11 SGs as listed above for whom no one has expressed any interest. Since not every cutting is rooting as hoped, are we going to pool what we wind up with and be flexible about what we may be lucky to acquire? Or give to those in this swap who don't have many SGs? Or donate to Barb's fund raising efforts?
Wow Karen, you beat me to it- I was just about to put up my hand to say 'me too!' to the coconut SG seeds or, as you so rightly state, any other SG seeds. Many thanks!!
BTW, your seeds are in their bubble envelope along with one or two 'extras', and I'm just writing you a letter to accompany them and answer your latest questions, as I write quicker by hand than by keyboard. (How oldfashioned!)
Barb,great to see you on line again-I was beginning to get concerned. I agree with Karen- how do you manage to do so many things? You're amazing!
Maggi xxxx
Raising my hand for coconut seeds too..I had some years ago and they sure do germinate very well....Im not doing real well on teh rooting cuttings..my daughter killed most of mine when I was on vacation..Im starting some new ones but some of the plants I got were small to begin with..tomorrow I will go out and try again with some..hoping to get a goodly amount to send it..crossing my fingers...Judy
Blue, I think some folks have expressed interest in a few varieties that they really, really hope to have from this swap, but I don't think there's any lack of interest in your others! I figure next month we'll all post our "have" lists and our "wish" lists, and we'll divvy up the pool of cuttings accordingly. And if I put in 6 'Attar of Roses' SGs, and only 4 people want them, then I'd like the other 2 to stay with Barb & Ellie for their next sale. It's also fine with me if I give more cuttings to the swap than I receive.... I would love to manage to send in a couple dozen cuttings (we'll see how I do in the end), and I know I don't have room for 20 new SGs that have to be overwintered, LOL!
Hi everybody! The business of getting cuttings is a test of patience, persistence and ingenuity, isn't it? Good luck to you all -I'm following your adventures on this thread and am almost glad I can't join in the cuttings part! (Not really-I'd love to be able to participate more fully in this and other swaps.) In case anybody has enough plant left after cuttings to give seeds, don't forget I'm interested in them! As if you could ,with Karen posting reminders on my behalf,bless her! My list of swap seeds is finally available on a trade list in the official place,which will make it easier to consult-my original one has got rather lost in this long thread. Thanks,
Maggi xxxx
For my part I don't mind getting some SG's I already have. I think the more the merrier and the greater everyone's return. And, I've never met one I didn't like. I'd raise my hand for those coconut seeds if I could lift it over my head (if there are any left).
As for letting me keep from for Ellie's sales, you are all very kind and very generous. My main concern is everyone getting a fair share here that makes all this worthwhile.
Man, it's hot here! I couldn't even get outside to do anything, even in the evenings. And, it still seems to sap my strength inside in the A/C! Course, the two kids could have something to do with that, too. Hope all our southern friends weathered Dennis well...
As for all I do, I bet if you all listed your to-do's here they'd be extensive too. I just keep track of mine...
Barb
I'll have plenty of coconut scented geranium seeds to go around, will send double for you barb so you can give some to ellie for her sales.
I'm not too sure on shipping seeds over seas though? How should I do that Barb, since I'll be sending everythng to you. What should I do about Maggi's seeds?
Kathy Ann, would it save you some time & effort if you sent me the coconut geranium seeds? I'd be happy to package and label a share for everyone in the swap. I'll be sending Maggi some columbine seeds down the road any way, so I could include them in her packet.
Well, I really don't mind packing them up for everybody in the swap and sending them to the person who's going to distribute everything else. It might be a good idea to send maggi's to you though. I won't be counting how many goes into each baggie, LOL, but I do know there may be some chaff inthere too, That's one thing I know I don't have time to do is clean the seeds. well, you know, as a matter of a fact, I had already packed up about l0 packets for selling on ebay, I think there's l2 seeds in each pack with no chaff . I'll pack up some more zip lock bags of seeds tomorrow sometime. I'm sure I can make the time to do this.
LOL after reading all this, it doesn't sound like Iknow what the heck i'm doing oh well. I will send you maggi's though, that way only one envelope would need to be sent to her. i'll get your addy from the exchange and send those on out to you. since i'm sending, i'll send you some too . And eveybody else , I'll send with the rooted cuttings. how's that. Now, have I confused everybody LOL
Really long day today. Spent 2 l/2 hrs in the dr. office just to have my blood pressure checked, I was so mad I thought my blood pressure would go up just from the stress. but it didn't
good night yall
kathy
I wasn't questioning at all whether you knew what you were doing -- you're definitely one of DG's experts, Kathy! I just wanted to offer to get Maggi's seeds to her, and I figured maybe I could save you some time by offering to deal with the others. That's all! :-)
Hope your blood pressure stays controlled.... that can be tricky to deal with. And don't you love hearing people say, "just relax!"
I knew that, no worries. none at all LOL. . I really could use the extra help for sure. Sooo, if that offer still stands, I take you up on that and I'll send the seeds your way , you can sort them out if you want, and take care of that. They'll be quite a bit of chaff in it. since sometimes I just picked the whole pod and put it in the bowl. It truly would help me out. I'll just put them in one envelope and send them your way.
I'll be standing by! Heck, I can de-chaff with the best of 'em. I really appreciate your sharing these seeds!
oh, you guys are too kind. I'm rooting some Lime mint and chocolate mint, and i have a lot of jasmine-scented four o-clock tubers. would anyone be interested in those?
Thanks Naien got those. I just love that 4 oclock smells wonderful. Even the yellow ones smell good. You don't have to send me any thing for the seeds. I'll let critter keep up with who wants the seeds , since she's going to divy them allup for me, I'll send her plenty. thanks critter. cleaning the chaff might be something you'll regret taking on , it's as bad as cleaning the chaff off basil, and that's anight mare LOL
oh yeah, I forgot, these seeds are teeny, not as tiny as foxglove though. they got little feathers attached for flying through the air easier LOL.
If you want some of Kathy Ann's 'Coconut' SG seeds, just make sure you have them on your wish list next month! That seems like the easiest way to keep track.
I'd love some lime mint! Kathy Ann, was it the Jim's Candy Lemon Lime that you wanted me to root for you?
i just went and prepared 11 cuttings of lime mint and i'll do the chocolate tomorrow. i know with confidence that i can root mint... it's like falling off a log. i'll try some more dr. livingston in a week or so, although i'm not promising anything.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2005 8:52 PM
Boy, I thought there was only one message to look at when I got up this morning...
First KathyAnn..seeds sent over seas is alot easier then trying to send plants..I ahve a nice lady who sends me hardy geranium seeds from England...she has a customs sticker that she just puts on it a gift....she is a seller over there and sends lovely seeds...and I have high BP too but mine is under control so far...take it easy and take your meds...stressful life styles is my problem trying to keep your stress levels down are a real challenge...I got rid of alot of my stress when I didnt have people working under me anymore...trying to be a boss really is the pits sometime....
Yewsterday I took more cuttings of the scenteds...I used the superthrive to give them a boost...crossing fingers for some nice rooted cuttings...Judy
Kathy-Ann, what Juttz said about sending seed overseas seems to be true- Karen just sent me some and they arrived in 4 days, no problems, no labels, just stamped 'fragile' and 'perishable'.(THANKYOU Karen- I'm sending you an email).Two seed envelopes in a bubble envelope cost 80 cents. I've sent her some seeds she wanted in exchange. Seems the fairest way of doing things as we can't send SASEs to another country. I know you're being very generous giving these seeds away, but do take a look at my trade list. If you see anything you'd like I'd be happy to send them to you.
Critterologist, the same goes for you. Thanks for offering to send Kathy's seeds with yours- like that she can 'just relax' :¬) [Sorry!]
Maggi xxxx
Guys I am not keeping up to well at this point... I lost most of my Prince Rupurt cuttings and the plant itself looks iffy now, several lime cuttings died, but the Citronella, nutmeg, my vairgated "nutmeg" and I got a snowflake at the roundup that I chopped up (but only have 3 or 4 pieces and one is promised to Critter). I still have at least 20 ish plants __ I am really thinking about getting another Price Rupurt and gettig a Eycaliptus if I can come across one.
With "20 ish plants" I'd say you're keeping up just fine! I'll take some more cuttings of my 'Lime' this week.... :-)
I took cuttings this morning too. My plants aren't so full, but I managed 3 Grace Thomas and 3 Balm scented. I also have a few basils and a couple of unnamed lemon rose. Hopefully, I'll be able to take some more at the beginning of next week. We should have a good assortment of stuff to swap by the end of this thing!
I'm going to start some more cuttings tomorrow. BAssetHusband will be home for his day off (yeah!) and he and The BD have offered to help.
Naien, I'm raising my hand for lime mint and four o'clocks. Hard to see from way down here.... I'll try to remember to remind you on my wish list.
Jill, Lord love ya for cleaning those seeds for all of us. Can't we just plant chaff? That's how it falls off the plant, after all...??
Anyone ever paint little toy soldiers??? Ben got a set of Lord of the Rings figures from this set that you set up the figures and replay the battles and now he's got me painting them, along with everything else I've been painting! And, man, are they tiny!!!!
Jill, I never did answer you about the jim's candy lemon lime mint, yes, It was me that asked for some. You know he';s suppose to have a few new ones out in 2005 I'm sure this is one of them, but i've not heard anything of the others though. would love some of this.
Sometimes when you plant seeds with chaff, or casing as in the case of the scented geranium seeds (their in a pod with 4 to a pod) they don't always geraminate as well as they would if they weren't in the pod. is all.
My mints are looking OK, but they all got bigger pots today, so I should hopefully be able to root some cuttings before the swap for you, Kathy Ann.
I'll break apart the pods, and I'll do my best to get most of the chaff out, but I'm not promising squeaky clean seed, LOL!
With this round of cuttings, I'm trying something different. The guy at the farmer's market who sells SGs says he just tucks cuttings in the container around the big plant, and that provides them with enough protection until they root. I did still dip the ends in rooting hormone. I'll see how they look tomorrow!
Maybe I'll try that, too, Jill. Can't hurt to try something new...
Cut back all my basils hard today, pending rain the next few days. Hopefully, that will keep them from going to flower. Making lots of pesto tonight and will freeze the extra. Yum! Have to cut back the mints for the same reason, though I will hang and dry them.
Barb