Plant Propagation: The Basics January 2016

I think this one is reserved for Gypsy..

Very nice propagation efforts Deb, you've even got a bloom...dang.

Mornin' all. We have cloud cover which is making it warmer. 18 degrees F at the moment. Wind chill is 11. We are actually supposed to get up to 32 today.

Normally, when I get up in the morning, the kittens are screaming for food and are frisky. Today, everyone is sleeping in. Wish I were. (Grin)

Great pictures, Debra. Yes, time really does fly by. I remember my mom telling me, when I was young, that as I got older time would go faster. I don't know how that's possible but it seems to be true. Maybe I'm just forgetting about all those moments in between. LOL

Robin, are you all well now?

I can't scroll back up, I would have to go back a page so I would lose the post. Although I read this thread, I should've reread it before I decided to write in. I can't remember who said what on which thread. LOL Senior moment! I seem to be having more and more of those.

Will anyone be affected by the closing of some of the Walmart stores? My brother lives way out in the country but he does live close to a small town that has had a Walmart. This is the brother that has had Lyme disease and is now forced to take multiple drugs to control the residuals from that horrible disease. He's losing his pharmacy. Right now, he still works here in town, so has other options, but when he retires in a couple years, it will be a different story. Sadly, when Walmart moved in, the local mom-and-pop pharmacy closed.

I'm mentally preparing myself for today's action. I use the Dremel on Tucker's toenails, so it's no big deal. He is such a good boy. The cats however, hate to have their nails clipped and it's always a battle. It's a darn good thing I'm bigger than they are because they put up one heckuva fight. Forget wrapping them in a towel, I use a blanket. ROTFL

We have had 1 walmart close that had huge sales- but after refurbishing and 6months, it reopened. I know it shook my daughters world when the abrupt, unwarned closings started. You always expect to be there forever at Walmart, after all.
I wasnt near the Fl tornado, nor the frost warnings in the northern part of the state, but 45* FELT chilly this morning. I like the bloom, my cuttings are perking up in their cup. I hope everyone's out of the weather and not in these constant wrecks going on!
My screen locked wierd too yesterday, wouldn't update status either.

I don't buy anything from Walmart, for all there is one 2 miles from my house. They burned a friend rather badly when he got hurt at work and that, I remember Sam saying when he opened they were going to carry all American stuff (to differentiate from K-mart).

well I do buy a wading pool from them every couple of years for $5 if I can't find one anywhere else for my dogs. You do not have to be a Costco member to get prescriptions filled at Costco. They aren't open as many hours, but that is where i get mine.

Costco. Our first Costco opened here about five or six months ago, I think. I lose track of time. They built in a location that is now totally torn up for construction (what were they thinking?) and will be a construction zone for about the next year. It's also on the far opposite side of town. I'm not even sure it's inside the city limits. They could not have gotten much further away for my brothers purposes had they tried. LOL I am sure it is it a superior store to Walmart. I have no doubt at all. Who knows, once the traffic situation is straightened out, I might even join. I'm not really a Walmart fan either.

Debra, can you make sure I was honest with those statements, please? My brain really is going.

well I only have one prescription plus I take my turmeric paste, and Armour thyroid isn't that pricey anywhere. But I get healthier food at costco, not always cheaper. It is not close to my house but it is my choice to get over there and pick up walnuts and whatever meat I need and some of my produce and my cane sugar to feed my bees. I don't want to feed bees beet sugar as the glyphosate may harm them. And costco has the cheapest price on cane sugar

2 of my daughters shop at walmart and feed walmart food to my grandchildren, to each their own. when the kids are here they eat meat and vegetables and organic rice - no corn or soy in the place. I made the mistake of researching food after my dog died too young of pancreatic cancer.

Going to try to get my foot out of my mouth, but if I sound super picky about food and I grow most of my own food,well that would be why. He wouldn't have died if I had done my homework. Since I switched foods I have nursed my 2nd oldest dog through cancer and managed to cure him, I don't think the turmeric would have worked if he was still eating gmo corn and soy, and no one else has come down with cancer

This message was edited Jan 18, 2016 11:54 AM

Gypsi, tell me about Costco's food vs grocery stores AND Walmart would you please? You say researched. What were you looking for? What do you use Tumeric paste for? I really am curious but this might take too much of your time.

Also, Robin or Patti, can't remember which one was saying about your brother losing his pharmacy etc. How about spending a day contacting places that have pharmacies, like some of the grocery stores, and your Walmarts and Costcos not only for costs, but find out which ones will mail your meds to you? Another thing, did you know you can order stuff from Costco online?, you can also order groceries from Amazon, etc. I have never done this, but know for a fact you can. I was checking mayonnaise out but they didn't have the size I wanted . I wanted to sample the Blue Plate mayo that everybody in the south thinks is so great. And they kept sending me different information on sizes, just trying to get me to order groceries.. Think they would like to get more people to buy the grocery items online. Also, some grocery stores will do that.

I forgot, I did order a carton of Wasabi crackers one time for Bob. He liked them but that was a lot of them. LOL I can't remember anything more about ordering them. Whether that was the only size I could get or what. I would doubt that. But that is another option.

I think some of these places I have mentioned are starting to wake up to the fact that they are losing a lot of business to the online shoppers. jen

Boy, that last post was nothing about propagation. Should have been on the Back Porch. Sorry. jen

I will find the back porch.

OH REALLY? CAN'T WE CHAT WITHOUT GOING TO THE BACK PORCH?? ISN'T IT KINDA COLD THERE? ( JK) SO, HERE I AM AT WORK, AND IT IS ANOTHER MANIC MONDAY.. THAT IS OFF TOPIC SO THERE..:p

Lol Debra, I'm with ya and it's definitely too cold on the back porch!

Don't make me go to the back porch.

Patti, if they switch pages, I have a difficult time remembering who said what too, I feel your pain. I'm all better, the antibiotics did the trick, probably because I take them so seldom. I'm a happy camper now.

Still, I'm thinking about our Wintersowing and getting other stuff out of the way so I can git-er-done. It's tough when there's so many plants I want and not enough real estate. I'll have to think seriously about downsizing to a cabin on a few acre lot...I think I can afford that move.

I will pu a few Walmart things- parking a truck is why. Daughter works at Walmart, doesnt buy her food there, Costco is large quantities, and I prefer fresh foods to frozen. That said I Love delivering to Costco. Obviously cannot grow stuff in an 18wheeler.
Lost 3 dogs to the dogfood rat poisoned grains. Turmeric is awesome stuff- my honey says they would feed up to 6oz a meal when he ate in the corps.
This forum posts the threads to internet is why Back Porch is handy- it doesn't. Thats the worry about topics guys. Of course, with the mess the forums are in, there's no promises there are ANY private places right now.

Oh, interesting. Thanks for letting me in on that one Kitt.

Kitt, by George, I think I've got it. If I think of the back porch as being on private property, that will help me keep it straight.

Robin, I have to practically be dying to take an antibiotic. It sounds like you and I are in total agreement on that. I'm so glad you're feeling well again.

I have to do laundry today so I'll be in the basement anyway. Last week, I cut the jugs up so this week I will poke my drainage holes. Who knows, I might even add dirt and seeds. LOL

I have a 2 lb strawberry container which has drains and vents and is clear, wonder what seeds would start well in it.

And, I think today the big chicks move to the run under the greenhouse shelf. They are rapidly outgrowing the brooder and I have a heat lamp for it, green house is pretty well insulated. I built the greenhouse and the run after the FREEZING winter in Jan and Feb 2011 when I couldn't keep a bowl of water thawed for the hens in their house for 10 minutes. It has made a great chick rearing area instead. (built a different coop on the lot that is easier to keep warm in winter and cool in summer for the big birds)

Do you sow chicken run grasses Gypsi? I know there are a few that are great in a chicken area, I always wanted to but never got hold of any of those seeds...

That would be interesting, seeding the chicken run. The green grass or whatever you seed it with would be good for them. A good start for chix. jen

I may get some rye grass and seed my empty runs in the back yard. That is a good idea. although presently the little sunflower seeds they missed have started some seedlings.

Went to Youtube, saw my propagation setup. Light tubes in the middle and a wheel full of soilless trays circling around it. I need to find out what the soilless trays are made of- looks like a paper mulch. Not sure why everyone is calling wheat seed as a berry. Thats just wrong. Looks like browntop millet is good for fowl as well. Wheatseeds- oats- rye. Rye in the deep south has 98% chance of fungus thats toxic to horses, not sure of ckns

there is rye grass in my yard and the hens eat it each year and it hasn't bothered them, so I think that is ok. but I would plant something else in the run just for diversity. I think clover is also good for them but they kill it, and with what I spent for white clover seed to be killed by the drought and heat and the hens without a single flower for my bees..... that is the other forage I need - bee forage, as much as I can grow

Saw the protective cover you need for the clover- 2x4's covered with a metal fabric or chicken wire. Ckns can only get what grows above the 2x4 ht and the roots dont get damaged. My ckns chased bees, but ignored wasps, the little chameleon lizards would have taken on wasps and spiders, but ckns love lizard food like it was steak. Reminds me of the Oscars I once had- a crawfish had escaped to under the gravel bed and they couldnt get to him. They tried, but that crawfish just scooted back and laughed at them.

DEAR GYPSY, I HAVE SOME SEEDS i AM GOING TO SEND YOU WHEN i SEND THAT OTHER PLANT, IT IS PINK GAURA FOR THE BEES, THEY LOVE IT AND IT IS SELF SEEDING. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THAT SCATTERED AROUND YOU PROPERTY. SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS LOCK, I AM AT WORK ON THE WORK PUTER AND IT IS WHAT IT IS..
CAN YOU POST THAT UTUBE LINK?

Youtube links I cant post on DG- it isnt supported by these guys like Pinterest is. I will go refind it for you tho. I imagine Ju has seen or tried all these..

Ocean Grown Vegetables Don Jansen Sea Energy Agriculture for 28 yrs. -Thats the wheel I like

Ocean Mineral Wheatgrass...for the chickens. That's the pads that the chickens can eat too.

Agrihouse Air Foods Aeroponic OrganicFood Production.

3 Youtubes, each with merits. Youtube will find them for you if you search by those titles

Those are beautiful Debra. Her bees will love them. Gypsi, do you collect the honey from the hives? How many hives do you have? Bob had a couple hives when we were in Seattle and he went out one morning and most of the bees were gone, others were dead in the hives and ants had taken over the hives. It was so sad. He had really enjoyed the bees. He went to their meetings etc. Bob said his hives were weak. He got his hives from a fellow who was getting rid of them fo some reason. Maybe he knew they were weak and Bob, not knowing much about them, bought them from the guy. He did really enjoy them. While he had them. Not a hobby for everybody.

I have 3 hives. in 2014 and 2015 I got honey. First 3 years I bought a lot of imperial sugar. Keeping bees strong and disease free and ants out is really hard. I lost my best hive last winter, I lost 3 hives to european foulbrood in spring 2013. I will look up those youtubes tomorrow. Just relieved I got some of the bookkeeping done today. I uploaded my youtubes so I could share them. Tell me if anyone else can actually get the link to work?

Would love to see your youtubes Gypsi. I read what you wrote to Bob and he would like to see them also. What link to work? Are we having trouble again? I just thought nobody was on tonight. I can't get the Back porch to work unless nobody is on. It is really difficult to tell. Since mine were the last posts I thought maybe I offended someone since nobody has been on here since.

So, you are saying you and I are the only ones on here Gypsi? Jen

JU, you must be awake still?? surely you haven't put those kitties outside to bed. You are keeping them in the house thee cold nights aren't you? This time of night is when they are the cutest. playing around. Gypsi thinks she and I are the only ones on here. Write to us if you can. Anybody. jen

Gypsi are you still on here? Can you get on? jen

Gypsi, I think I can get on the Back Porch. CAn you? Here I go. jen

Well, I am going over to the Back Porch and if nobody is on there, I am done for the night. jen

Well, I see that several posts in a row had 1 hr. ago on them, then it started moving again. Has anyone tried to post on here? Think Gypsi and I are the only ones on here. jen

i am here, have daughter and grandcat here, been trying to calm Oona down, she is scared.

That's a big job trying to calm down a cat new to your house, they're usually pretty married to their surroundings. I'd even venture to say that felines get attached to their houses more than their people.

I personally know a couple that purchased a house and a beautiful Siamese came with it.

Better a beautiful siamese than the 3 mini dachshunds that came with mine. Had the last one for 10 years. managed to find home for one and shelter for the other

Tuesday about 7 am I have to take the Kittens in ,, Oh mommy ,,,

Another two headed thing

I still get 2 headed things around here, but only 2 cats and the youngest will be, I can't believe it, 7 in august. Which makes the old one 11. Wow time is passing