TEST YOUR SAVED SEEDS FOR VIABILITY

 

100% of sweet basil germinated

Did you save seeds from last year or get some from another gardener? You want to make sure these seeds are viable and will grow.

The University of Illinois Extension Service notes, “Over time, seeds lose the ability to grow. Seed germination rate refers to the ability of the seed to sprout. Seed viability refers to the strength and vigor of the plant after germination. Seed viability will begin to decline before seed germination rates fall; therefore, if you have a packet of seeds and very few of the seeds germinate, the seeds that do germinate are not likely to grow strong healthy plants.”

Here is their clear step-by-step procedure to test your seeds.

Gather your materials, especially if you have a number of seeds to test. Seed packets with germination rate expected, paper towels (cut to fit your plastic container or bags), spray bottle of water, plastic bags or containers, LABELS, tally sheet.

Place 10 seeds on a paper towel

HOW TO TEST SEED GERMINATION

1. Place 10 seeds on a damp paper towel.

2. Fold the paper towel and place it in a plastic bag (snack size zip lock are good) or reusable container. This will prevent the paper towel from drying out.

3. LABEL the container with the plant name, date, and number of days expected for germination (info from seed packet). For more than one packet of the same variety of seeds, number them and put the same number on the label for the packet with the remaining seeds.

On a table in a warm room

4. Leave the container(s) in a warm place and observe for seed germination. The top of a refrigerator will do. Sunlight is not needed.

5. After the expected number of days for germination, count the number of seeds which have begun to grow.

Thai Basil seeds 7 of 10 =70%

If all 10 seeds grow, plant as normal. If seven to nine seeds grow, increase the number of seeds you plant. If six or fewer seeds germinate, it is best to buy new seeds.

Once you have the results you will know if you need to buy seeds packed for this year.

CKagan/MG

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HERB SAMPLER Second Edition (my book)

Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more. They make great hostess gifts, housewarming, and anytime gifts.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it. 

2024 GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

 

Eastern Bluebird (S.McCleary)

Birds are everywhere, all the time, doing fascinating things. Join the Audubon and Cornell  Lab Great Backyard Bird Count this year. Spend as little as 15 minutes in your favorite places, including at your backyard feeders, watching birds. Then identify them, count them, and submit the data to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world.  

Why count birds? The Cornell  Lab notes that “Bird populations are constantly changing. No one scientist, or team of scientists, can keep track of the complicated movement of species around the world.” Individuals, and teams of ordinary citizens, can become community scientists and record the species of birds and their numbers in their own backyard and community.

Female Northern Cardinal

Online links from Audubon and Cornell  Lab and Cornell’s EBird & Merlin

How to Participate in the GBBC https://www.birdcount.org/participate/

Participating is easy, fun to do alone or with others, and can be done anywhere you find birds.

Step 1: Decide where you will watch birds.

Step 2: Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 16–19, 2024.

Step 3: Identify all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location.

 

Full instructions and tips on counting the birds is at https://www.birdcount.org/

Submitting Photos Submit pictures from your birding weekend. Bird photos and people photos will be uploaded separately. https://www.birdcount.org/learn/photos/

Counting Instructions https://www.birdcount.org/tools/counting-instructions/

How to count birds, set up an account (quite easy), and enter data. If you have never participated in the GBBC before, you’ll need to set up an account at BirdCount.org or ebird.org, providing your name and email and choosing a personal username and password (no personal data required).

How to Count

These articles give you clear information about counting and are helpful if you are new at this. Ex, "If you see a male Northern Cardinal in the first five minutes of your walk, and then see a male Northern Cardinal in roughly the same place on your way back you would count one."

Downy Woodpecker (Male) on suet (C.Kagan)

Bird Counting 101 https://ebird.org/news/counting-101/

Bird Counting 102- At the Feeders  https://ebird.org/news/counting-102/

Cornell Lab – Free Merlin Bird ID downloadable Apps for phones https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

This phone app can help ID birds by photo or by sound.

 Teachers & Homeschoolers Cornell Lab/K-12 Education https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/get-started/

From free curricula to all-inclusive kits, the Cornell Lab has a wide variety of lessons and activities to captivate learners of all grade levels. Each level has Kits & Curriculum Units and free downloadable games, lessons & activities geared to the grade level. Younger grades also have book guides.

Courtesy of Cornell Lab

Cornell eBird  Offers a free 3-hour self-paced course, eBird Essentials (requires a Cornell Lab account) https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/product/ebird-essentials/

Books: The Franklin County Library System has bird identification books as well as many story books for K-12 available for check out. https://discovery.fclspa.org/

HERB SAMPLER Second Edition

Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more. They make great hostess gifts, housewarming, and anytime gifts.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it. 

Favorite Unusual Words

 

Apricity

Here is the current list Jan 12, 2024

Apricity- (noun) - the warmth of the sun in winter

Biophilia - noun - the belief that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. [It's that unexplainable feeling of calm when surrounded by green, the fascination with wildlife, and the peace found in a forest's embrace.]

Earthing - the process of absorbing earth's free flowing electrons from its surface through the soles of one's feet

Estivation - noun - the act of passing the summer in one place; summer pasturing

Esculent (adjective) Suitable to be used by man for food; eatable; edible.

Feuillemort - (adj) having the color of a faded leaf

Gluggavedur (noun) Weather that looks appealing from inside but is unpleasant to be outside in. 

Hiraeth (Hi er ayth) - noun - homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; nostalgia, yearning, grief for the lost places of your past. Link

Inosculation - noun -  is a natural phenomenon in which parts of two different trees, commonly but not exclusively the same species, grow together, self grafting and sharing nutrients 

Marcescence  - noun -  the winter retention of leaves on certain deciduous trees.

Moonglade - noun - the track of moonlight on water

Murmuration - a swirling flock of starlings

Nemophilist - noun - a haunter of the woods; one who loves forest for their beauty and solitude

Noctivagant - an animal that wanders at night

Ombrophilous - rain-loving

Ombrophobous - rain-shunning

Opacarophile - (noun) One who loves sunsets

Oubaitori (noun) the Japanese idea that people, like flowers, bloom in their own time and in their individual ways

Petrichor - noun - a distinctive, earthy, pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall especially when following a warm, dry period 

Psithurism - noun -The sound of leaves whispering in the breeze

Ruderal - a plant or species that thrives in disturbed areas, rubbish and poor soil

Smurr- a drizzly fog or mist

Susurrus - a whispering sound/ see Psithurism- pretty much the same thing (whatever rhymes in your peom)

Werifesteria [Old English] Verb to wander lovingly through the forest in search of mystery

HERB SAMPLER Second Edition

Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more. They make great hostess gifts, housewarming, and anytime gifts.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.