Hello, everyone! Can you hear me? How exciting it is to be part of the brand new Hive chain! We're now starting on a path to bigger and better things. Let's dive right in, shall we?
Source: original screenshot from No Man's Sky (PS4)
It's been pretty isolated here at home what with the social distancing due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) so I've been spending my time tending to my existing plants and growing new ones.
One of my white pinto beans from my ongoing mutation induction experiment.
This bean is one of three I've planted and is the first generation (M1) after the parent (M0), which was exposed to the mutagen. More info will be available as the experiment progresses.
Sprouting cranberry bean
Every time I try to plant a cranberry bean, it rots. So I was very careful starting this one by just leaving it with its pore or "eye" touching a moist napkin for a few days. Even when I planted it, I did not bury the bean itself so it wouldn't rot in the moist soil of the container.
Since I was away in Mexico, my air plants (Tillandsia ionantha) were not watered sufficiently.
Air plant pup
You can't tell from this picture, but the tips have started to dry out, which is why I took this little one out of its terrarium. Now I can mist it more often and more evenly.
Adult blushed airplant with small pups forming
This one bloomed while I was away. Now the pups will start to develop! It did not dry out because it is in a small closeable glass box, retaining more humidity.
There's always work to do, especially with fast growing plants like this Mexican guamuchil tree I'm growing.
Wires are used to train the branches
I use lead weights and twist-tie wires to guide the branches into growing more spaced out and not so straight up. It's turning out to be a pretty little tree though I could not capture its full beauty in the tight confines behind my solar curtain.
While the last tree has some yellowing, as you might have noticed, due to underwatering, the situation with my citrus tree is a little more mysterious.
Yellow spotting on the tips of leaves
I caught this early but according to various sources it could be either an iron deficiency, magnesium deficiency, or nitrogen deficiency. I don't think it's iron because the veins stay green in that case. it might be a combination of low magnesium and nitrogen. Magnesium is a trace element that plants need in order to produce chlorophyll, which is necessary for the process of photosynthesis. I also read that magnesium helps the plant be able to absorb nitrogen, so adding some epsom salts might be the rememdy to go with here.
Epsom salt, or Magnesium sulfate
I dissolved 1.5 tablespoons into a gallon of rain water and watered deeply. I will probably water again in a week and a half but I have to wait at least 3 weeks before I water again with the epsom water. I also lightly mixed in some crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea grounds into to surface soil to replenish lost nutrients. When my compost is done, I will also top-dress it with some of that.
Thank you for checking out my garden and plants update! Next I will be planning the outdoor garden. Stay tuned!
And if you live near a major city, be careful and practice social distancing! this pandemic will get worse before it gets better!
Source: screenshot from Aven Colony (PS4)
Until next time, folks!