imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Plant propagation and soil mixes

A lot of people have taken up gardening since Covid 19 started. The nurseries and garden shops and even the seed companies were overwhelmed with demand at a time when some of them weren't producing much because they were not essential businesses.
Where I work, soils, plants, seeds, fertilizers and plant hormones are very hard to keep in stock for more than a few days (average 3 days.)

For seeds starting, I was lucky because I ordered my seeds in December. Seeds are more available now, but it is getting too hot to plant a lot of them. I always keep a supply of garden necessities around.

Seeds can be saved and some can come from the grocery store. Plants can be propagated by air layers, cuttings, and divisions.

Almost anything that can hold water can be turned into a pot.

What can you use in place of rooting hormone?

Alternative recipes for potting mixes?

Alternative fertilizer?

Pest control?

pepperhead212
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Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b

Isn't it willow that has a hormone that helps rooting? Do you have willows anywhere?

BTW, I hope you fare well with that hurricane heading toward Hawaii, Imafan.

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digitS'
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Location: ID/WA! border

Hurricane!? Stay safe, Imafan.

I make a potting mix for perennial plants needing to be up-potted using a formula that I found here, years ago:

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summar ... hp?pub=609

It is probably the simplest and it's right there on the last page. "Equal parts by volume of:
  • compost
  • peat moss
  • perlite or vermiculite"

Steve

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Rooting hormone — I agree willow tips as first choice — I made a 24 hr soak/cold extraction tea. But I’m starting to believe there is something to the “green juice extract” ... do you remember me posting about that? The original recipe is finely chopped growing tips of mugwort/yomogi (mixed with horsetail “sugina” スギナ for additional silica and antifungal) Well mixed with raw/unrefined brown sugar ...I think I posted a recipe and instruction but will have to look it up ...... sugar should be approx 1/3 by weight of green material ... thoroughly blend and put in plastic/glass/ceramic/wooden pickling bucket with weight sealing tightly ... Culture 4-5 days (in summer) to 2 To 3 weeks (in winter) ... drain and strain extracted liquid into bottle (1st extraction), add non chlorinated water to obtain 2nd extraction. Loosely cap bottles and allow to “ripen” for at least 2-3 day to 1 wk before using.

Another one I have heard of but haven’t experimented with it enough is raw honey. I did have problem with ants finding the propagation tray almost immediately when I tried.


Fertilizer
...if you decide to try making the “green juice” — dilute with water 9:1And use as foliar feed/drench. Straight “green juice” As microbial/enzymatic starter for bokashi (rice hulls, fish bone meal, crustacean meal, soybean or seed meal)
... The yomogi pulp after extraction can be used as high nitrogen fertilizer. Hard wood ash for phosphorus and potassium.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

We do have weeping willows, but if there are any real willows here they would have been imported. Honey can be used as a preservative. I believe the honey is not used as is but is mixed with water. (1 tablespoon honey in 2 cups of boiling water. Stir till it dissolves and then cool it before dipping the cuttings.) Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Aloe gel and banana peels are also things people have used. Sulfur works too, but it is hard to get sulfur at any time. Cinnamon is also a natural fungicide and has been used for rooting as well. Orchidists sometimes use cinnamon as a fungicide for orchids. I remember seeing people sticking cuttings in potatoes to root them. Most of the treatments are designed to help prevent fungal and bacterial rots.

Hurricane Douglas is supposed to affect the Big Island sometime on Sunday. It is moving at a good clip around 16-20 knots. It is still a strong storm. We are on the lower perimeter of the Pacific High and it usually protects us. However, the water is warmer and the high is closer to California and that is why California sees more drought. As the storm heads north into cooler water it is supposed to slow down and encounter more shearing forces. Right now there is almost no shear. It is unusual. I spent today shopping and filling up my hurricane kit with non-perishable foods and some drinks. The checkout line at Costco went all the way to the back of the store. I have a full tank of gas. I will go around the yard tomorrow and try to put the plants on the ground and under trees and benches. I have a lot of loose pots. They always go rolling around. I have to round up as many as I can and try to stuff them somewhere. I need to sandbag my lanai since it will flood in heavy rain. My neighbor was taking down his awning today.

We still have some wind and some showers ahead of the storm. I have to take pictures of the house just in case and secure important documents. The storm is predicted to be downgraded once it passes the Big Island, but there will still be a lot of rain, high surf, and strong winds. The power will go out. I have put more bottles of water in the freezer. I have unplugged most of the lamps, appliances and electronics to protect them from power surges. I have lost so many phones and computers to that it is ridiculous. I''ll unplug the computer, microwave, charge my phone up on Sunday. I do expect there will be some mud and rock slides as well. I am at almost 600 ft above sea level and the end of the street drops off into a gulch so I am not in a flood zone.

I won't worry about filling the bath tub until the storm gets closer. Water is usually not an issue. I have two full rain barrels if I need it. For Iwa and Iniki, I did not need it. Flooding and wind damage to the roof was the most worrisome thing. Power outages usually mean that gas stations can't pump gas, and I can't cook in the microwave or the electric range. I will have to open my garage door manually. That is always fun. I have a short pull cord because at one time thieves were burglarizing homes by breaking in through garages by fishing the pull cords. I have plenty of flashlights and lanterns, I just have to check the batteries. On my to do list tomorrow!

I have charcoal for the grill. I do have portable stoves using butane and propane fuel. I just don't have fuel for them. I did not get any this time, because I don't like to keep explosives in the house. I have enough canned spaghetti , beans, canned fruits, some water and cat food for more than a couple of weeks. I have enough toilet paper, salt, and rice. Interestingly, those are the things that are important for us to have in emergencies. The super markets and hardware stores have had trouble keeping things in stock because of covid 19, some things, we have not seen in months anyway. Oddly enough, it is almost the same things we would need for both instances. I have basic camping supplies and bleach if I need it. I have at least three whistles. I really should start wearing it.

My lanai is lower than my yard so it normally does flood when the rain comes down faster than it can drain from the yard. I does not flood into the house. I do have hurricane clips on the house but I also have a lot of jealousie windows so it is hard to keep rain and wind out. I am supposed to work Sunday and Monday. Maybe not! Hurricanes on maps appear to move in a straight line but they actually wobble like a top. The predicted path is so close that it may or may not make land fall on the Big Island or Maui. It should go south of Oahu. Mariner's rule is that predictions are best three days out. There are too many variables to make accurate predictions beyond that. It is actually too soon to guess how strong the storm will be or its path for a couple of days. But we have been through this before. Like Madam Pele, storms are something you just have to do the best to muddle along and prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

As for the plants, we'll have to see. Some of them have been through storms before, so they will probably look a little more ragged, but they will probably pull through. I know the weeds will for sure! The wild bitter melon is dropping seeds all over and it is climbing on the fence and over the nursery bench. I just picked a bag of weeds and gave it to someone at work a couple of weeks ago. The Indian curry tree also seeded and I have seedlings popping up everywhere. Some things thrive on neglect.

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Gary350
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imafan26 wrote:
Fri Jul 24, 2020 7:06 am


The Indian curry tree also seeded and I have seedlings popping up everywhere.
[quote/]
Do you cook with leaves from your Indian curry tree? Can you cook food as good as Indian food restaurant?

I find a lot of confusing information about curry. Online says, there are several different kinds of curry plants. Online also says, curry is a type of cooking with a herb mix of 5 to 11 herbs. The garden plants store sells a curry plant that looks like tarragon but tastes like flat leaf parsley. The oriental grocery store has 2 different packages of curry powder 1 has about 5 spices the other 1 has more spices plus it is hell fire spicy hot it will burn your face off. I love Indian food but I'm not very good at cooking it so it never turns out tasting good like Indian restaurant food. I have several curry power recipes that makes food taste nothing like food at the Indian restaurant. I wish I could find a Indian cooking class. So far I'm not having much luck making my own Indian food that tastes like Indian food.

The best Indian food that I use to be able to cook came in a $2 jar from Aldi's grocery store sauce is a orange/yellow color and taste much better than anything I can make but still not as good as restaurant Indian food. The company that makes Tikka Masala sauce changed their recipe now it looks red like tomatoes and tastes like poor quality low flavor pizza sauce & now the price is $4 per jar. Walmart has it for $4 too. I give up on cooking good India Food. India Restaurants have all fixed their prices $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner I stopped eating there 5 years ago.
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