The Laboratory

[ERR0R1755]

Whenever I can, I try to experiment with different materials and plants to see what happens. Some things, like starting a plant from seed, does not always result in me creating a thread for it - since sometimes the seed does not germinate, or I decide not to grow it after it germinates, or I start growing it but with the intention of giving it to someone else to grow.

I figured I could start a thread where I detail other projects and plants, that way if anyone wants to know more about them, there are photos and a thread to ask questions in.

Here are a few that I have going at the moment.

Growing Venus Fly Traps from seed - three seeds per cup, three small cups. They have been germinating for over a month but are notoriously slow to germinate.


Russian Red Kale, getting started for a friend in a self-watering wicking bottle.


Some type of cactus or succulent - it was given to me by a friend half-dead, and seems to be doing okay at the moment.

[lynnee]

I love reading about your experiments, ERR0R1755. The Venus Fly Trap project looks interesting, but obviously there isn't much to show right now. I had a fly trap plant many years ago, but I don't think it ever caught any bugs. 😀

[Sher]

I enjoyed the sneak peek into your laboratory,
ERR0R1755.

[ERR0R1755]

Dec 2, 2021 17:25:32 GMT -5 lynnee said:

I love reading about your experiments, ERR0R1755. The Venus Fly Trap project looks interesting, but obviously there isn't much to show right now. I had a fly trap plant many years ago, but I don't think it ever caught any bugs. 😀

Venus Fly Traps are very interesting to grow from seed - they have very unstable genetics, so the seedlings normally don't look like the parents at all. It's not uncommon to get an "evolutionary failure", which is a venus fly trap that does not have teeth that properly close. I've even seen venus fly traps that have no teeth at all!

(you can still keep them alive by feeding them manually, but they're incapable of catching bugs)

[lynnee]

No teeth? Fascinating.

I think you just explained why the tray of Venus Fly Traps that I selected my seedling from had so many odd-looking plants, ERR0R1755. They all seemed very flat to the soil. The seller was some sort of commercial nursery.

[ERR0R1755]

None of these pictures are mine, but here are some examples of different venus fly traps grown from seed:

[ERR0R1755]

I took the leaves off of my largest Ghost Succulent plant in order to propagate them - that plant is over a foot tall and could no longer support its own weight, so I will be cutting it near the base and letting it regrow soon.

Most of these plants will be potted into small plastic condiment cups and given away at a local restaurant that I've worked with before.

[campingcorgis]

Very cool ERR0R1755.  Thanks so much for sharing with us!

[Shawn]

They look like artichoke leaves, YUM..  Now I want artichokes LOL

[ERR0R1755]

Dec 4, 2021 9:44:02 GMT -5 Shawn said:

They look like artichoke leaves, YUM..  Now I want artichokes LOL

I have not tried it, but if you ever feel adventurous...

Specialty Produce said:

Ghost plants are crisp and juicy with a subtly sweet, vegetable flavor mixed with a distinct tanginess reminiscent of a green apple. The leaves also contain some acidity, contributing a refreshingly sour aftertaste with cucumber and asparagus nuances.

Ghost plants have a sweet and sour flavor well suited for both raw and lightly cooked preparations. The leaves can be washed and tossed into salads, shredded and mixed into slaws, blended into smoothies and juices, or pureed into salad dressings. The leaves can also be dipped into chocolate as a healthy dessert, topped with minced meat and miso as a bite-sized appetizer, or drizzled with honey. In addition to serving the leaves as standalone snacks, Ghost plant leaves can be dipped into yogurt, mixed into colorful vegetable salads, chopped into salsa, blended into vegan ice cream, served with roasted meats or incorporated into curries and soups. In Taipei, the leaves are a specialty hot pot ingredient. Try combining Ghost plant leaves with savory vegetables into a cream-based soup for a unique blend. Ghost plants pair well with cauliflower, sugar peas, tomatoes, radish, carrots, fruits such as oranges, bananas, and coconuts, maple syrup, honey, dark chocolate, spices including cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and meats such as ham, beef, and poultry. Whole, unwashed Ghost plant leaves should be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for 10 to 14 days.

[ERR0R1755]

In today's episode of The Laboratory, we have... green onions! These were originally bought at the grocery store, but I kept the bottoms and placed them in nutrient solution (at 6ml AG nutes per gallon) in order to regrow them.

[waterphoenix]

I like how your basket fits right into the lid of your jar. Where did you get that?

[Shawn]

This is my new favorite show   LOL...  I love it.

[ERR0R1755]

Dec 31, 2021 9:26:39 GMT -5 waterphoenix said:

I like how your basket fits right into the lid of your jar. Where did you get that?

The 2-inch net pots fit a large variety of containers - I've used them to grow in my smaller glass cups (that I use for starting seeds), in soda cans (use a can opener to remove the top), in sauce/pickle jars, and even in some flower vases.

There are a lot of different brands out there, so you don't have to get the one I linked - the one that is in my picture is no longer for sale on Amazon but it doesn't feature any branding on it like the one I linked does.

[ERR0R1755]

I started some seeds tonight for Golden Beets and Red Planet Radishes. I also have seeds started for Lemon Cucumber (I want to try growing that indoors), Rhubarb, Mountain Mint, and Bob's Pickling Pepper.

[Shawn]

Jan 3, 2022 22:11:29 GMT -5 ERR0R1755 said:

I started some seeds tonight for Golden Beets and Red Planet Radishes. I also have seeds started for Lemon Cucumber (I want to try growing that indoors), Rhubarb, Mountain Mint, and Bob's Pickling Pepper.

Following

[ERR0R1755]

The Red Planet Radish now has its own thread and is being grown Kratky-style!

I started some more seeds tonight - Black Beauty Eggplant, Tiny Tim Tomato, Super Snow White Tomato, Jamaican Bird Pepper, and Molten Fire Amaranthus.

[waterphoenix]

Molten Fire Amaranthus is surely the coolest plant name ever. I love beets and am looking forward to updates on the golden ones. They don't have those at our grocery store.

[ERR0R1755]

The Lemon Cucumber now has its own thread and is being grown Kratky-style!

[ERR0R1755]

Started more seeds tonight - Rhubarb (old seed molded over), Bob's Pickling Pepper (old seeds molded over), Mountain Mint (old seeds are still germinated, decided to try flipping a foam cube upside down so the seeds have more light), some ground cherries from last time I grew them, and some more Red Planet Radish.