Chance's Garden Everything Forum Blog

I declare, "Invasive Species" is the most foolishly overused term in botany.

Invasion Definition:

An invasion is an act of entering a place or region by force, typically with the goal of conquering, occupying, or taking control.

Unless the species is overtaking, displacing and replacing the local ecology, then it's not invasive.

It's an immigrant.

Take Great Mullein for example. Not native to North America, but naturalized across the entirety of the continent. There's no plant insects love more, it's useful for medicine and butt wiping, it fits well within the natural ecology, and only overtakes areas where there's disturbed, low-quality soils.

That's a model immigrant. Brings nothin' but benefits and behaves itself.

But, I just encountered someone calling it invasive. Silly, really.

"Oh no, that plant isn't native! Remove it at all costs." Says the non-native person.

Hahaha.

My seed shop, when I launch it, is going to contain a lot more mixes/blends/grexes than most of the other seed shops.

Obviously Going To Seed is an exception, and places like Experimental Farm Network put together a fair amount, but I'm constantly stymied by the desire for maximum diversity and the reality of a thousand packets.

When you buy tomato seeds fom Lunceford's Legendary, for example, you're getting at least 50 seeds, probably more, and I'm pulling them from a bucket with hundreds of varieties.

My single variety offerings will be far less expensive, and they'll need to be really special to get singled out. Even then, I'll probably only offer most varieties for a year or two before moving on as the work continues.

Exceptions would be offerings from any potential naturalized populations I can get rolling, because those would be specific genetics worth spreading through my region at the least, and so I'd want to keep them available.

You do get lucky, sometimes, and find good deals on diverse bulk seeds.

I'm gonna order around 2000 seeds, all pepper and tomato and mostly in blends, from HR Seeds for around $65.

I'll be running some direct sowing experiments with most of those seeds, in pursuit of my goal to require no early seed starting nor transplanting for any, ANY, annual vegetable.

It's astounding to me how few fruit seeds are planted.

The commercial industry has done a number on us, as have not really true discussions about how rare a good-fruited seedling is. It's rare to have one worth sharing with the world through naming and propagation, but it's not rare at all to have decent fruit on a seedling. Also, it's not THAT rare to have a top-notch seedling.

I've got hundreds of seeds stratifying or in the ground right now, and I'll keep doing the same year after year.

I'll cull the trash, but, by the time I'm done (assuming I don't die young, which isn't outside the realm of possibility given some of the health issues I've been working with for the past 5 years), I'll have dozen of named varieties of many different species of fruiting plants pushed out into the world.

I'm looking forward to my columnar apples which arrive bare root next year.

There are so few columnar varieties in the US, but, from conversations I've had here and on Growing Fruit (as well as meat space conversations), there's plenty of demand (and they sell out from the shops that sell 'em every year, too).

I'm gonna plant hundreds of columnar apple seedlings over the next few years, share some, and plant most of the rest in my project area.

This in the hopes of producing more columnar apples worth growing.

It always peeves me when people are concerned about invasive plants but cannot tell a dogwood from a lilac. Or think reed canary grass is an invasive plant. I’ve seen Japanese Knotweed play surprisingly nicely in native ecosystems. Ground elder concerns me rather more.

Chance Lunceford wrote:Exciting times.

One of grapefruit flavored wild plum seeds has germinated, and the others look like they're doing the same. I'll leave the rest in stratification until spring, but I've just planted the one that's already germinated.

I'll bring it inside when the winter sets in, since it won't be hardened off yet, then plant it out next spring.

Hopefully, and I'll find out in a few years, it's true to its parent. I'm considering driving down there this winter to harvest some scion wood, just in case, because I've never tasted a plum anything like it.

So, apparently this isn't the first plum to taste like a grapefruit.

From OGW's catalog:

Howard Miracle Japanese Plum

A unique and outstanding taste delight, Howard Miracle Plum bears good crops of large, crimson and yellow, sweet and juicy fruit. This delectable fruit tastes like a sweet Grapefruit or Pineapple. A vigorous spreading tree, it needs another Japanese plum for pollination.

Since I recently laid down a chip drop's worth of wood chips, and since I have another drop requested, I figured I'd drop some thoughts on wood chips:

1) Contrary to the Back to Eden style of wood chip gardening, I DON'T peel back the chips when I add new layers of mulch, manure, or compost. I layer it on top.

While many folks find mulch or whatever else on top of their wood chips to be unsightly, I don't mind.

I also understand that putting these resources beneath the chips results in a more direct deposition of nutrients into the existing soil. However, wood chips are an incredible sponge for both water and nutrients, and I prefer to allow them first dibs on the new nutrients.

This saturates the chips with nitrogen and other nutrients faster than the sub-chip deposition because the decomposition elements must trickle through the chips during moisture events in order to reach the soil, so they aren't a nitrogen sink. This enhances the ability of wood chips to act as an extremely slow release fertilizer that leaks nutrients into the soil with each watering event.

2) Wood chips kickstart any buried wood projects, to the point that, in my experience, there's only a one year nitrogen draw (which can be countered by top-dressing with compost) before the spongiform layer created by the fungal interactions within the wood chips is capable of storing and sharing sufficient nutrients to allow for effective gardening while also enhancing the fungal penetration of the larger logs and branches buried with them.

I recommend laying down a bed of chips, then a layer of manure, then your large wood, then a layer of manure, then a thick layer of wood chips packed tight (the manure will help hold things in place) then whatever other organic matter you'll bury beneath the soil, then the soil (then chips on top, if you're doing chips in your growing areas, then a top dressing of compost on the external chips to get things rockin').

3) Wood chips also make mineral amendments more effective, efficient, and long lasting when you top dress with them. This is for basically the same reason as the nitrogen strategy above. The chips will absorb some of the amendments (or at least capture them on the exterior via coarse texture and high surface area), and create a trickle effect in which the amendments are slowly and steadily deposited into the soil.

4) Fungi is king. The ability of mycorrhizal fungi to distribute nutrients, water, and immunological factors is essential for the health of a system grounded in woody perennials. You already know this, but it's a true wonder of nature that these processes exist. Water can be pulled from many feet away through the fungal network, nutrients too, creating a fertility distribution system that is the envy of logistical wizards across the world.

Additionally, I am a big proponent of using urine to fertilize.

I call it Peepee Power. Heh.

Did you know that an adult provides enough nitrogen in their urine the fertilize a half-acre? You can grow 100% of your plant calories on 1/2 acre.

Combining urine with wood chips is an effective combination. The wood stores the urine, capturing the nitrogen and enhancing the breakdown.

Plus, if you're worried about urine on your food crops (you shouldn't be, because urine is sterile unless there's something wrong with you, and then you should get that checked out. But, I get it, urine just SEEMS kinda gross.), you can simply use your urine to help compost a pile of wood chips for next year's top-dressing.

Latest Garden Photos. Note: the seeds are from 4 O'clocks. They have some of the coolest looking seeds of all.

Just ordered an Amethyst purple raspberry from a seller on Etsy that a trusted person on the Growing Fruit forum suggested.

That closes the gap on the four purples I know of available for purchase:

Amethyst, Glencoe, Royalty and Brandywine. Along with Amethyst, which should be here within a week, I have the other three coming during bare root season.

Do any of you know of any other purples available, or are you growing any you've bred yourself?

There's a decent chance that this was my last garden blackberry of the year. I've got some that have blossoms right now, but they haven't set fruit and my first frost may be hitting next week.

I ate it yesterday.

We'll see how it goes.

A beautiful sunrise on one side, and stunning anticrepuscular rays on the opposite horizon.

These are the runner beans I've got to work with next year as I pursue a reliably perennial population to begin selecting from. I'll continue adding more when I find 'em.

Any suggestions?

This is my entire collection, right now.

I'll be adding all winter.

But, I think I'll start sharing what I've got in each category over the next while, and explain my goals with each species.

Should be a fun little project to share.

Hi Chance. I recognize how you feel about well behaved 'invasives' and call them immigrants, good call. I guess most people are very static in their world view. Even if nothing wants to grow  where we are and a plant arrives that does, we don't want it. On top of it we tend to obsess over them.
Hop on board the Serendipity Seed Train of Going To Seed if they let you. It's a box of seeds people send through US and you can add and take what you feel like as long as it's diverse varieties. So don't mix in tomatoes and peppers.

This is my first (and for this year, only) jujube.

I've never eaten one before, and this one's not quite ready, so I'm waiting until after a couple frosts hit and soften it a bit.

Pretty exciting.

Should have significantly more fruit next year on my three trees. ZigZag, GA-866 and Shanxi Li. I'll be propagating from seed next year (assuming I do get fruit next year) and I'll try my hand on the only seed available to me this year. Heh.

That's a Four O'clock against the wall, but beneath it you'll notice a small patch of mint.

That's a diverse population that's grown from a breeder's mix I secured in 2024. I grew the mint in a pot for a year, as wasp control beneath a hummingbird feeder, then I transplanted it this spring when I decided to give my wife more ornamental enjoyment in the pot.

As you can see, there are a number of different growth habits that emerged this year, and the flavors and intensities vary significantly. I've got some selected varieties from my local greenhouse elsewhere, and I've been harvesting seed from some of that already. I'll harvest this seed too, when it's ready, and plant out a bunch of mixed seed in a developmental area in the yarden.

Chance Lunceford wrote:This is exciting for me.

If you've been reading this thread, you know I found a wild plum growing in the city of Springdale, just outside of Zion Canyon.

The fruit were a little smaller than a golfball, vivid yellow -skin and flesh- and tasted like grapefruit.

So, I kept the seeds from the handful I grabbed (wish I would have grabbed more), and stratified 'em.

I posted a picture earlier of the radicle from the first seed to germinate.

The picture below is of the seedling's first inch above ground.

Here's the latest photo of the first seedling:

Another Prunus Andersonii has popped.

Pulled over to harvest some seed from a couple wildling blanket flowers that I've noticed over the summer and finally had some time to stop and do some collecting.

We might've gotten carried away on the tulips...

So, I checked on my one and only jujube fruit this morning... and I found an earwig eating its way inside. Little bastard.

Anyway, I was waiting for the frost to come soften it a bit, but it was ripe already and it wasn't going to improve after being bug-bit, so I picked it.

Cut off the bug-munched area, ate the rest. My first jujube. It was sweet, with apple/pear overtones and honey/date settled in after the top notes. No bitterness and only the faintest hint of astringency which was pleasant rather than biting.

I can see why people like turning them into dates. They'd be considerably chewier and sweeter in that form.

The texture is unique, somehow both crisp and cottony, with some chew even without aging or frost-bletting.

This was off my contorted jujube. Looking forward to trying the other two varieties and the contorted in greater numbers next year.

The seed has a unique, double pointed structure and is around the same mass as a nanking cherry pit.

I will, of course, plant the seed.

Here's the recommended steps (from reading):

1) Dry for a couple days
2) Split endocarp and extract seed(s) (apparently there can be multiples)
3) Lightly mechanically scarify
4) Cold stratify for 6-12 weeks
5) Short-term warm stratification
6) Soak for 24-48 hours
7) Plant and wait 2-8 weeks

Anybody have experience germinating jujube seeds who wants to validate, improve or contradict any of this?

Chance Lunceford wrote:This is my entire collection, right now.

I'll be adding all winter.

But, I think I'll start sharing what I've got in each category over the next while, and explain my goals with each species.

Should be a fun little project to share.

Next up, watermelon.

Goals:

1) Direct seed
2) Diverse sizes, for personal and family use
3) Ample but not excessive seed
4) Improved drought/heat and pest/disease tolerance/resistance
5) Deliciousness
6) More stuff, but the above goals will take some work to achieve in my population and are my primary foci

As you can see, I've focused on diversity and icebox or smaller sizes. There are some larger sizes in there, and I'll save seed if they're successful, but my main focus is 20lbs or under.

Chance Lunceford wrote:I will, of course, plant the seed.

Here's the recommended steps (from reading):

1) Dry for a couple days
2) Split endocarp and extract seed(s) (apparently there can be multiples)
3) Lightly mechanically scarify
4) Cold stratify for 6-12 weeks
5) Short-term warm stratification
6) Soak for 24-48 hours
7) Plant and wait 2-8 weeks

Anybody have experience germinating jujube seeds who wants to validate, improve or contradict any of this?

Endocarp was empty. Bummer. Heh.

That happens!

I'm bringing in the following seeds from Sheffield's, and just purchased them:

Prunus Nigra
Prunus Mexicana
Prunus Besseyii
Sorbus Domestica

Should have some Canadian and Mexican Plums, Sand Cherries, and Service Trees ready to plant out next year.

We'll see if the Mexicanas are hardy enough for Zone 6. I've read conflicting reports.

It's iffy, but I think they might make it.

Here's a close-up of a pumpkin flower.

What do you notice?

I had an old bag of dry culinary pinto beans, maybe 20 lbs worth, and I took 'em outside and chucked 'em all over my yarden.

That was midway through laying down my wood chips.

The areas with beans underneath the wood chips have tons of beans growing after a single watering event.

It took three days of rain for the beans to germinate on top of the wood chips or on bare soil.

I took a couple photos, and I have areas growing even more densely than these.

Got me thinking about how bulk culinary beans might make some of the most affordable cover crops.

About the squash blossom... Did you pull out the stamen? Or is it just missing? Is that the correct quantity of, um, receptacles?

Just got my most recent seed orders in today, some from Sheffield's and some from Heirloom Reviews.

From Sheffield's:
- Prunus Nigra
- Prunus Mexicana
- Prunus Besseyii
- Sorbus Domestica

From Heirloom Reviews:
- ≈1100 Tomato seeds from hundreds of varieties (in a mix)
- ≈600 pepper seeds from hundreds of varieties (in a mix)
- a packet of mixed cucumber seeds

Really looking forward to the variety trials as I work towards naturalization and several landrace populations that fit my various pepper and tomato needs.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:About the squash blossom... Did you pull out the stamen? Or is it just missing? Is that the correct quantity of, um, receptacles?

There's some hidden anatomy given the angle and the incomplete opening due to the early light.

Got an Amethyst Purple Raspberry in the ground about a week ago.

I've got two Wineberries going in the ground today.

The Rubus exploration continues.

I'm going to add all 5 of the Crimson series raspberries next year. Got one on order already, yet to order the other 4, but I'll do that soon. Gonna order from Berries Unlimited, even though they're pretty pricey, just so I don't have to patch together several more orders that I might obtain the full collection.