TERMINATED: Harvest Slim Elite Parsley Cilantro

[pfunnyjoy]

Seeds: Uprising Seeds "Mersin" flat-leaf parsley and "Pokey Joe" Cilantro
Planted: 10:45 AM
Location: North 40, kitchen counter
Water: tap, filtered, Big Berkey
Grow Medium: 2009 AG Grow Anything sponges
Nutrients: GH MaxiGro (1/2 teaspoon per gallon to start)
Nutrient mix PH level: 6.0
EC: 1.0
Aerogarden: 2023 Harvest Elite Slim

Uprising Seeds is up near Bellingham, WA, so I couldn't resist ordering a few seeds from them as they are in the Pacific NW. Here's what they say about "Pokey Joe" and "Mersin":

Pokey has all the attractive field qualities of more well known “Santo” (AKA “Slowbolt”) but just plain tastes better.

When 6 parsley varieties were taste tested in Portland, OR, Mersin was the overall favorite.

Here's hoping these varieties like to grow in an Aerogarden and that they live up to their taste billing! I like that the parsley is cold-hardy, maybe I'll plant some in a pot outdoors come better weather.

I soaked the parsley seeds in warm water overnight. I cracked the cilantro seeds in two and also soaked them.

I'm debating whether to go ahead and plant a few of the cilantro seeds, or do the Ziploc baggie/paper towel germination thing, or both. I may try both, just to see if I need the paper towel step or not.

For those who have taken note of the EC reading, yes, I have a Bluelab truncheon again! My 20th wedding anniversary present! I will never leave batteries in it for storage ever! However, in the future, I'll probably have to lift the grow deck to take a reading on a Harvest. It will, barely, fit through a pod hole, but not through the watering port. I don't expect to have to worry too much over EC with herbs though.

Day 00

[pfunnyjoy]

I couldn't stand it. I put a single, soaked cilantro seed in each pod yesterday. There are also seeds in a paper towel in a Ziploc baggie.

I grew a cilantro variety called Delfino from Park Seed in the past, but my notes don't indicate me doing anything special other than dropping a seed in the pod. It apparently germinated within 4 days, but I never followed up on that garden with further notes of any sort. Must've gotten lazy!

The cilantro germination race is on! Which "Pokey Joe" will be the least pokey, AG or Ziploc? Don't turn that dial!

[pfunnyjoy]

I think our race is a dead heat!

Today, I checked the Ziploc baggie and two seeds (center) definitely had germinated, each with a little white root.


Visually inspecting the AG pods with seeds, I could see no action or anything happening. So I thought the Ziploc baggie method had won hands down, but one needs to be fair in judging, so I needed a looksee inside those sponges.

So, I hauled the three planted seed pods out from the AG and gently cut into each sponge with a scissors.

Surprise! One seed in an AG sponge looked like it might have a root stuck in the sponge! I can't say entirely for sure, but a gentle attempt to move the seed did not dislodge it.

The same was true for a second sponge, making our cilantro germination race a TIE with 2 seeds apparently germinated in the AG sponges and 2 seeds germinated in the Ziploc! Two day cilantro germination!

One sponge showed nothing happening, so I added a pre-germinated seed to that pod. Then I took the second germinated seed and added it to one of the two pods that looked to have a germinated seed in it already. Hedging my cilantro bets!

So splitting the seeds and soaking them overnight works to get cilantro going, and a Ziploc bag is not necessarily required. Results may vary, depending on the seed variety, age of seeds, how the paper towel was set up, you name it. 

And what did I split my cilantro seeds with, you might ask?

This ancient Aerogardener used an equally ancient tool. The backside of an old Fuller Brush man letter opener my mother gave me when I was young! His shoulders did the trick when gently pressed against a cilantro seed.

[lynnee]

I'm relieved that you didn't use Mr. Fuller Brush like a hammer! 🔨🔨🔨

You definitely can get cilantro to germinate in an AG. It does usually take patience. Next time I try, I'm going to crack the seeds with a meat tenderizer tool.

[slw]

When I crack seeds like cilantro, I use a mini rolling pin and just roll it over 'em. 

[pfunnyjoy]

A rolling pin seems a good idea! But I don't have one and just grabbed the first handy thing. It doesn't take much pressure. 

[pfunnyjoy]

Day 6

One of the cilantro pods surprised me, the little leaves were touching the dome, which I promptly removed! Looks like the other two pods will be along shortly.


Meanwhile, the parsley is giving the cilantro a run for its money! I wasn't expecting to see the parsley for a while yet, but pre-soaking the seeds must've given it a boost and here it is, about ready to show itself above the algae covers in the near future.


I definitely like these TPU covers, because they tend to stick inside the grow domes, which makes for really easy "lift and peek" action. And they are easy enough to get out from the grow domes. Plus, should a plant stem eventually get large, the slit means I could remove one entirely, no cutting required. I ordered more because they were on sale at Etsy the other day and I've got Bountys incoming! I'm set for all my gardens now.

One of the things that discouraged me back in the day was grow pod covers. I didn't want to pay AG prices for them and there were no third-party vendors then. Someone ingeniously got up a Photoshop file you could print out, but then you still had to cut the little slits with an X-acto knife and the hole too, and making them was a ROYAL PAIN. Getting them stuck to the pods also a pain. Getting bits of glue off the pods after a grow, yet another pain!

I didn't think about aluminum foil, doh!

These are a dream. The only drawback is you can't write on them, but blue painter's tape works for me.

[pfunnyjoy]

After the bad nutrient burning, the parsley plants are pretty well toast. The cilantro is struggling on, but doesn't look great. So I plan to terminate the entire garden, start over, this time with just cilantro.