Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Finally an update!

Well it is planting time for Lonicera Blue honeysuckle seeds here in Saskatchewan. I was fortunate to gather seeds from several sources this summer and now in winter and so have planted several batches with some treatment of seeds to see if there are any benefits. Seed sources are:
One of my Japanese seedlings SAP30-06 which seems to have good flavour;

"Big shrubs" seeds from a friend in Poland;
"Big Berries" seed from a friend in Poland. (He is also working on selecting some good quality plants.)
Also seeds from a gardener in Sweden:

Lonicera kamchatika(bought at Simzas Nursery in Latvia);
Sinnaya Ptitsa ?(Bluebird) also from the same nursery; (identity may be questionable),
Lonicera "Amfora" and others.

So this will make for a diversity of plant material to put out this spring.

The first round of planting was in peat pellets. There seems to be some "offensive" growth starting so I am going to give them a sprinkle of No-Damp or something to prevent fungus growth. I have been disappointed in the past with Jiffy pellets getting so much other growth coming before the seeds germinate. I have covered the tray with another tray to cut down the light but still there are a couple with something starting as in the picture here.

I would really like to find someone who could supply a few seeds of a good selection in Northern China as there seems to be a number of advertisements from China for the juice as a good source of antioxidants. Anyone out there know someone who might know someone?

The plan is to get the seedlings up to 12 to 15 inches for planting in mid to late June.



























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