The first flight of cuttings were moved out four days after "sticking" them.
I pulled one of the Crack Willow cuttings this morning and the bottom half-inch was swollen with callous and there were some bumps that looked like root-initials.
I placed the cell-pack into a tray which I placed on top of another warming mat which was, in turn, on top of a 1-1/2" slab of foam. Then I added water to the tray to soak the bottom 1/2" of the cells. Willows can stand a LOT of water.
After an hour, I took a temperature reading in our 58F degree basement and the top of the cells was only 64 degrees. Not good enough.
I found a clear plastic garbage bag and put it over the tops of the cuttings like a blanket. That should help hold in the heat and humidity.
The next "flight" of cuttings are elderberries.
I took elderberry extract when I had the flu and Mrs ERJ did not. I recovered more quickly. Maybe it helped. Maybe it didn't. Elderberries, like willow, can grow in very wet places and do not require hormones to root. I plan to leave them in the box for a week.
Bonus video
This should have gone with the last post but I have many readers who don't go back.
One of the vloggers in Ukraine fertilizing his field with manure. 20 minutes long. You can skip ahead to the 4:35 mark and not miss much.
Very casual footwear. Socks are going to smell..
ReplyDeleteSounds like your plan is working!!!
ReplyDelete*Not Too Scientific*
ReplyDeleteI have been eating dried elderberries every day since deer season closed. Had a bunch yesterday. Wifey got two cold bugs that barely touched me.
Walk the dogs every day. Stop and pick "sundried" elderberries and suck on them as me and the dogs sniff the trees. Spit the leftovers where I wouldn't mind if more were to grow.
Minimal effort expended for the flavor and maybe health benefit.
Milton
Anon - all published data says that raw elderberries - even dried - are unsafe to consume, due to the presence of cyanogenic compounds, which can release cyanide during the digestion process.
ReplyDeleteEither you've not consumed enough to cause yourself an issue, or the literature is unduly alarmist... IDK which, but I personally have my doubts about the cyanogenic compounds remaining or retaining their activity in the dried fruit. There are forage plants (Johnsongrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids) that pose fatal cysnide-poisining risk to herbivores if in a damaged/wilted state, but the process of drying (haying) negates that danger, as cyanide released by activation of those cyanogenic compounds off-gasses.
But, if I'm wrong, just be aware of the supposed potential risk of consuming raw, uncooked elderberries.