Category Archives: Questions

Plumcot? Pluot? Aprium?

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I noticed some Plumcot, Pluot and Aprium scions at the last CRFG Scion Exchange… I know they are all Plum/Apricot crosses, but I wonder if there is a technical difference between the three… so I posted an inquiry at the California Rare Fruit Growers Facebook page.

I’ll update this post if I get any responses.

[Update Jan 25, 2010] Someone on Facebook responded with a link to Dilip Barman (dilipB) > Still Life > Plums, Apricots, Plumcots, Pluots®, and Apriums®

Plumcot = Plum x Apricot

Pluot® = Plumcot x Plum (2/3 plum and 1/3 apricot)

Arium® = Plumcot x Apricot (1/3 plum and 2/3 apricot)

*Pluot® and Aprium® are federally registered trademarks of Zaiger’s Inc. Genetics, Modesto, CA, for interspecifics that are complex hybrids of plum and apricot.

Eggplant and Zucchini Clay Pot…

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My friends Howard and Bill gave me a clay pot for Christmas and I used it this evening for my first clay pot dish.

Eggplant and Zucchini Clay Pot

I actually cooked the eggplant and zucchini in a wok, then finished it in the heated clay pot. Ingredients include eggplant, zucchinni, oil, onions, ginger, garlic (lots of it), oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy suace, sesame oil and an egg.

Clay Pot Instructions

The clay pot came with these instructions in Japanese… which I can’t read… so if you can read this, can you translate it for me? :) Thanks in advance…

☉ I got some tips from Violet Oon in this YouTube video: Cantonese Chicken in a Clay Pot

LED Grow Lights – DIY Project?

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I’ve noticed more and more LED holiday lights (like these or these) for sale and had an idea. I wonder if those LED mini lights can be used to create a grow light for my overwintering plants. Here are some other question I have and need to do some research on:

– Are the holiday mini lights enough light? How much do I need?
– Are they the correct light spectrum? Do I need to get reds, blues, whites?
– Will they really use less energy than my current fluorescent ones?
– Where is a good source of lights? Hopefully, there will be some left at the After-Christmas sales.
– Has anyone here use any LED grow lights and how well did they work?

I’ll have to do more research, but here are some initial findings:
☉How to Make LED Grow Light Panels
☉DIY Your Own LED Light Grow Box Today!
☉Hydroponic DIY – How to Make an LED Plant Growing Box!
☉Cheap LED Light and Grow Box

Guinea Pig Waste?

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My nephew has two Guinea Pigs and I noticed they poop a lot. I got to wondering if I can use their droppings for compost and fertilizer? (Kinda like how you would use rabbit droppings.)

Also, if the Guinea Pig poop is okay for compost/fertilizer, can use also compost their soiled bedding (paper pulp pieces, urine and poop)?… or is this not advisable?

Also posted in the compost_wackos community.

My New Orchid + Seedpods + Seed

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My friend Darwin and I bought this Orchid this weekend for under $20. I spilt it into two and kept half for myself.

My New Unknown Orchid

I’m not sure what cultivar it is. Anyone know?

The Amaryllis seedpod that I’ve been watching has started to pop open, so I collected the seeds, which I will plant as lblanchard did.

Amaryllis Seed Pod

Speaking of seeds… I found this seed in a parking lot near my work. At first I thought it was just a coffee bean, but it had a skin (similar to a peanut skin) that came off. I’m not really sure what it is, but I planted it to see if it grows.

Found Seed

Stockpiling and Mulching Question?

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I have written entries before how my brother gets pallets of damaged bags of potting soil, garden soil, soil conditioner, manure, bark mulch, river rocks, etc… but I don’t think I ever showed photos, so I took some today to show you how much we have!!!

Stockpile 1

Stockpile 3

Stockpile 2

Stockpile 4

Stockpile 5

Now for my question:

We have a lot of ground cover bark… and I’m thinking of using this instead of the newspaper in my veggie beds.
What are the pros and cons of using ground cover bark in a veggie bed?

Does it change the pH? Should I add something to the soil if it does?

We have lot of pill bugs and earwigs. Does this deter or encourage pests?

Thanks in advance for all your comments :)

( Also posted in Gardening )

One More Try (What The Heck Is This?)

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I saw this plant along the bottom of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco… and I’m still wondering what it is.

Mystery Plant Flowers

Mystery Plant Flowers

2 more photos: leaves and the whole plant

Naic Town Fiesta / San Leandro Marina

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Last weekend we attended an annual event called “Naic Town Fiesta” in San Leandro Marina where people from my Mom’s home town Naic, Cavite, Philippines get together and have a big potluck and celebrate their Patron Saint.

I took this opportunity to explore the San Leandro Marina and see what plants it had growing wild.

Naic Alliance in California Banner   Unknown Succulent

Unknown Flower   San Leandro Marina

There are a lot of flowers that the people from Naic bring to celebrate their Patron Saint. Here are a few of them:

Flower Buds   Pink Edged Yellow Roses

Anyone know what the purple flower buds above are?
I totally can’t remember what those are called.

Peach Roses   Yellow Mums

The two Roses above are the cuttings I took from the last entry.