Rootstocks and Seedlings: Spring Field Notes

giant hyssop. the seeds are tiny so starting them in a clump, then gently pull it apart and plant small clusters into plugs. same process for most of the perennial flower seeds.

I keep trays over the seeds as defense against squirrels and sometimes my cat likes to walk on them. also a bit of shade is good when it's hot, it's time now to take them off, manchurian apricot and siberian stone pine in these two. ready to transplant into plugs.

narrow leaved echinacea, a native species. I divided these small trays of starts and transplanted into large plug trays, will see how they do. echinacea is a perennial wildflower, so I'm thinking they'll be trimmed and offered as dormant plug in the fall or next spring. just getting into more herbaceous perennials and sorting out the best way to grow them and send out to people.

stinging nettle seeds coming up. planted april 1st, it's just warm enough now staying above freezing at night for them to germinate. these will get divided up into plugs, they're perennial and the fresh shoots in the spring are popular.

trying something out. 2x4 beds fit neatly under 3 bulb crates. why? because the shade reduced stress for transplants, they're happy to be in 50% shade for a week, keeps up humidity and helps prevent them from wilting over in the sun. the uncovered bed has 3 drills of siberian crabapple, they won't get up to grafting size this year but it gets them growing, and I'll plant them out with more space next year.

seedling plums coming up. these are from pembina seeds. I've been keeping trays over top just add some shade and frost protection, greenhouse can get hot and cold. about to take them off.

rhubarb about a month old from seed

sometimes you forget to plant a hundred apple trees. ask anyone and you should not transplant a tree that’s flush with new growth and on a hot day.. so that’s that I did this morning. Bare root and zip tied in bundles, heeled in to some pots they were dormant 2-3 weeks ago. I expect some wilt and shock and maybe they’ll stop growing for a month, but hopefully they won’t defoliate. Like most of my transplanted trees this year, when you have hundreds they’re ok with high density and I plant them in small groups in each hole, like a buddy system. some rain and clouds in the forecast. these need to size up a bit for next year’s rootstocks. I have a weird problem where last year several beds of Siberian crabapple barely grew, and now they’re taking off and I have way more than I need. these are ideal full sized rootstocks for zone 3/2 apples. #plantingtrees

Siberian crabapple at 12 weeks ready to plant out. Most of these went into nursery beds to grow on for next year’s rootstocks, and some were planted out around our orchard #appletree #appletrees #treeplanting

Siberian crabapple seedlings at 8 weeks indoors. #malus #appleseedling

at one month these crab apple seedlings are ready to pot up. gown under led light in 200 cell trays the moved up to a large 50 cell for the next 8 weeks. most of these I just started direct in seedbeds but I like to have something growing inside, and if transplant shock can be avoided these rootstocks could maybe be large enough to bud this fall. #rootstock #crabapple #wintergarden

Siberian crabapples at 4 weeks under led lights #appletree #malusbaccata #rootstock

two weeks after germination Malus baccata var mandsuria #appletree #seedling

Malus Baccata #rootstock planted out under shade cloth in a raised bed of #compost, garden soil, #biochar. These guys are all experimental batches grown in different conditions in our winter garden. The range from 6 months to 5 weeks old. . #fruittreenursery #fruittrees #backyardnursery

Malus Baccata rootstocks at 18 weeks indoors. Our winter garden proved a success this year with various seed sources to kick off the outdoor nursery with some larger seedlings. #appletrees #rootstock #malus