Tuesday, April 3, 2012

C-Cotyledons!

So, recently discovered that I have several hobby type activities that I enjoy, that I was not aware of!  You already know of my new love for baking and now I like to plant things and make them grow (yes, I do mean make...I will threaten them if need be lol).

I first started planting at work for lab experiments: basil, elm trees, carrots, celery, grass, and cowpeas.  I tried really hard to germinate vinca, but apparently they are notoriously hard to germinate.  They are very picky about their conditions.  However, when they do germinate and they are fairly hardy and good over a variety of locales...wonder why they are so picky before then.

Anyway...!  I found that it is rewarding (and not really that hard) to grow plants from seeds, transplant, and care for them.  So I thought I would try it at home--I planted some dwarf sunflower seeds I had laying around for...a long time (at least a few years).  For several weeks (or at least it felt like forever), my little pot sat on my windowsill and contained nothing but dirt and seeds (boring!).  Then, magically overnight:

It germinated!!!!

Then, a few days later:

Look at that lovely cotyledon, and the baby germinating in the back too!
I am so excited for these to grow more.  Once they are thee inches tall, I will transplant them.  Once we buy a house, I am going to have at least a small flower and vegetable garden.  So far my cats have not bothered them or chewed on them, so that is a win!

On a final note, this reminds me of a story my oldest brother told me:  My niece (who at the time was about 3 years old) was helping him in the yard, pulling up weeds and the sproutings from helicopter seeds (maple tree seeds) and my sister-in-law (her mom) came home from work and asks what they are doing and her darling answer was "pulling all the cotyledons, mama".  Sooooooo cute.  For those of you who do not know exactly what  cotyledons  are.

What about you?  Do you like to plant things?  What do you think you would grow if you could only pick one thing?




  

6 comments:

  1. I like planting things, but they don't grow very well >:( All my basil and pepper plants died last year, and the tomato plants never fruited. Worst summer garden ever.

    If I could only grow one plant, it would be sassafras trees. I think they are beautiful and I love the way they smell and I love how they have different-shaped leaves. Sadly, I would not be able to use it to brew root beer, because sassafras extract is now considered a carcinogen. So I'd have to buy fake sassafras extract. Sadface. But I could still enjoy the beautiful trees.

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    1. Boo, that's terrible. I wonder if there were unwanted minerals in your water, I've found that can make your plants grumpy. If (when) we get a yard I think we'll grow a lot of veggies and flowers.
      I like sassafras too, I forgot about that. Their leaves are the ones that have three different shapes right? When did it become a carcinogen?! Eesh.

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  2. i love gardens and flowers--all about them---but don't love gardening myself---i have never had much success with seeds :(

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  3. Hello Liz.

    I am visiting from the A to Z Challenge.

    I am not a great gardener. But one plant I have always had a curiosity about is the Venus Fly Trap. Just because it seems so oddly 'Little Shop of Horrors'-like. I suspect they are pretty hard to maintain.

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  4. I'm not a great gardener, either, but my husband is. We have greatly downscaled our garden over the last several years. My fav are tomatoes! Tons and tons of tomatoes. Simple.

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  5. I love planting things. Back in the 1970s I had an acre vegetable garden, fertalized by hen manure. Now, I've downsized to a few pots in the kitchen window.

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