Robert Pavlis

Tomato Seed Fermentation – Is it Required?

Is tomato seed fermentation required? There are quite a few methods described on the internet for collecting and cleaning tomato seed, but which one works best? How do we define ‘best’? What works well for a commercial seed company may not be the best option for a home gardener.

A very common option is the ‘tomato seed fermentation’ method. Some say that it is absolutely necessary in order to get a high germination rate, but not everyone uses it, and they still claim to get good germination.

It is also believed that fermentation reduces pathogens on the seed. In this post, I will look at the science behind collecting and cleaning tomato seeds.

Tomato Seed Fermentation - Is it Required? — Tomato Seed Fermentation – Is it Required?

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Planting Garlic – How Late is Too Late?

I hear about a lot of people planting garlic in winter or even early spring. In most cases they never report how well the crop turned out so I wondered, how good is the crop if you plant late? Can you plant in spring, in a cold climate, and still get a good crop?

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Collect Seeds Easily With Organza Bags

Have you ever gone into the garden to collect some special seeds only to find that they are all gone? The neat trick in this post will ensure that you never lose seeds again. You can even go on vacation while they are ripening and still collect them when you get home.

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Does Potting Mix Cause Legionnaires’ Disease in Gardeners?

The airways were full of a news story that reported, “potting mix caused the death of a Christchurch gardener”. It got a huge number of comments on Facebook gardening groups and clearly everyone believed the story and was surprised that they could get Legionnaires’ disease, also known as legionellosis from soil and potting mix.

How true was the story? Did this person die from Legionnaires’ disease as a result of exposure to potting mix? What kind of potting mix was it? What is the risk of this happening to another gardener, especially to you? Should you do something different in the garden to protect yourself? All good questions that will be answered in this blog post.

Does Potting Mix Cause Legionnaires' Disease in Gardeners? — Does Potting Mix Cause Legionnaires’ Disease in Gardeners?, The Plant Guide January 3, 2019

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Primula veris

Primula veris, photo by Robert Pavlis

Primula veris is best known as the common cowslip. With a name like that you would think everyone grew it, but it’s not common in gardens or nurseries which is really odd since this is a very easy to grow primula that sparkles every spring.

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GMO Houseplants; Will They Purify the Air in Your Home?

Scientists used genetic manipulation to add a rabbit gene into a houseplant to increase its ability to remove toxic VOC chemicals from the air in your home. Can these plants improve the air quality in your home?

Will the general public accept GMO houseplants? When can you expect to see this plant-animal-HEPA filter in your local nursery? It has been approved for sale in Canada.

GMO houseplants noat

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Germination Test: How to Test Seeds for Viability

The Germination test measures seed viability and can help gardeners figure out why things are not growing from seed.

Last year my planted carrot seed did not germinate very well. Was the seed still viable, or did I plant the seed too deep? Maybe it got too cold and the seedlings died, or maybe they were eaten by slugs? Did I fertilize enough?

I also collected some tomato and bean seeds last year. I wonder if they are viable? And what about the old seeds I have stored in my fridge; should I use them this year or buy new ones?

These questions can all be answered with a very simple seed viability germination test that you can do at home.

Germination test: How to Test Seeds for Viability

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Are Poinsettia Poisonous?

The year is 1919 and a 2 year old girl died next to a poinsettia tree. The cause, poinsettia poisoning. Ever since then people have been aware that this lovely Christmas plant can be dangerous in the home.

Now for the real truth about the poisonous poinsettia ……

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Bukiniczia cabulica

Bukiniczia cabulica, photo by Robert Pavlis

Bukiniczia cabulica is one of the cutest rock garden plants you can grow. Its flowers are reported to be pink, but all I see is a tan color. This does not really matter because you don’t grow it for the flowers. This plant is all about leaves which are a beautiful mottled blue green.

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Do Legumes Add Nitrogen to the Soil?

The legume is commonly recommended as a companion plant. It is believed that the excess nitrogen produced by the legume will help feed the companion growing next to it. In the Three Sisters agriculture system the bean provides nitrogen for the corn to grow and since corn needs a lot of nitrogen, it grows better.

Legumes are also an important ingredient in crop rotation. Grow corn one year and follow that up with beans or peas the following year to restore the level of nitrogen in the soil.

There is no doubt that legumes are able to capture atmospheric nitrogen (using bacteria) and convert it to plant usable nitrogen, but how much of this actually benefits other plants? Are legumes a good source of nitrogen for the garden?

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Cotinus ‘Grace’

Cotinus ‘Grace’: photo by Robert Pavlis

Cotinus ‘Grace’ is a lovely smoke bush that stands out in any garden. It has vibrant red spring foliage that keeps it color all summer long, turning an even better red-orange in fall. Leaf color depends very much on the angle of the sun but when it is shining just right the whole plant glows. Leaves that are in shade will take on a dark green color. In summer it produces large dark pink clouds of blooms.

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22 Myths About Christmas Trees

Hoe, hoe, hoe ….. it’s Christmas time and a good time to expose myths about Christmas trees. How do you keep Christmas trees hydrated? Should you add diapers to the tree stand? Are artificial trees more eco-friendly? Do they still contain lead? Can you reuse trees grown in pots? How do you cut the bottom of the tree? These and many more questions will be answered in this holiday gift to you.

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