Yesterday a pound of Chestnut seeds arrived in the mailbox. There are maybe two dozen (still in the bag) and according to their instruction sheet, they want to spend a few months in the fridge then get planted.
What seems sensible is to build a soil mixture using ordinary dirt (the only kind available out here) and maybe upwards of 50% ground-up hay from Mitch's cattle. What about bugs and other living creatures (fungi, I'm looking in your direction) that would cause trouble? What to do, what to do...?
Solution: put about four gallons of that ordinary dirt on top of Mudfire /// and start a fire. The ordinary dirt was slowly transformed from a sticky mud-like mess to an almost-dry light grey powder.
It may not be sterile but I'll bet there's a lot fewer viable seeds and spores in there now.
Next steps include mixing the dirt and hay, using topless 20oz Ozarka brand water bottles as planters and putting a pair of seeds in each. These will hang out in the fridge till early next spring.
Gorilla.
UPDATE! It's May Day 2012 and the chestnuts have been outside in their water bottles for six-seven weeks now. There's one that I keep un-packing to see if it's growing... and IT IS! The trunk is starting its way up. I'm giddy as a schoolgirl! ( hope that isn't too sexist or ageist :)
What seems sensible is to build a soil mixture using ordinary dirt (the only kind available out here) and maybe upwards of 50% ground-up hay from Mitch's cattle. What about bugs and other living creatures (fungi, I'm looking in your direction) that would cause trouble? What to do, what to do...?
Solution: put about four gallons of that ordinary dirt on top of Mudfire /// and start a fire. The ordinary dirt was slowly transformed from a sticky mud-like mess to an almost-dry light grey powder.
It may not be sterile but I'll bet there's a lot fewer viable seeds and spores in there now.
Next steps include mixing the dirt and hay, using topless 20oz Ozarka brand water bottles as planters and putting a pair of seeds in each. These will hang out in the fridge till early next spring.
Gorilla.
UPDATE! It's May Day 2012 and the chestnuts have been outside in their water bottles for six-seven weeks now. There's one that I keep un-packing to see if it's growing... and IT IS! The trunk is starting its way up. I'm giddy as a schoolgirl! ( hope that isn't too sexist or ageist :)
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