Sorry. I don’t grow anything I have to ‘fuss with’ after the season is over. I’m usually so burned out after canning the harvest that even my houseplants are neglected for a while. ;)
RE: Catnip Germination
“Though easy to obtain, catnip seeds may sometimes be difficult to germinate. Like many perennial plants, higher germination rates may occur after a period of stratification. Stratification is a process by which the seeds are treated to varying conditions as a means to promote germination. For catnip, seed sowing should occur after the seeds about been placed in a freezer overnight. After this period, allow the seeds to soak in water for a period of 24 hours. This will allow for easier and more uniform germination rates. After the stratification process has been completed, use a seed starting tray to plant the seeds. Place the tray in a warm location near a windowsill or under grow lights. When kept consistently moist, germination should occur within 5-10 days. Move the seedlings to a bright location. When the chance of frost has passed, harden the seedlings off and plant into the desired location.”
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/catnip/how-to-plant-catnip-seeds.htm
And remember - Catnip is in the MINT family, so it will get out of control unless contained!
Hi, Diana! Thanks, maybe someone else will be experienced with Cannas. My Mom had them way back when, but that was B4 I was interested in gardening, and she passed away a few years ago.
I’ll try stratifying some catnip seeds. That is likely the ticket! I have over half the pack left. (Very tiny volume but still quite a few seeds of course.)
The catnip will not be directly beside the garden, so if it starts to get out of hand I can hit it with 2-4D (etc.), mow it (blow cuttings downwind), etc.
Speaking of determined spreaders, I have problems with wild strawberries...
Last year I had of all things (besides the weeds!) a combination of wild blackberry and Tomatillo go crazy near the 2nd garden plot. I chopped down zapped all the blackberry plants and hit the remaining stems with brush killer, and tried to not hit all the Tomatillo, but, no Tomatillo volunteers came up this spring. I guess there was enough residual 2-4D or some other ingredient to inhibit them, but not the wild mustard, etc., or even some regrowth of the wild blackberries. :-(
All heck broke loose yesterday afternoon ... all sorts of hooting, whistling, shouting, hollering ... I figured the neighbors were having a cattle roundup. Maybe an hour later, I saw the gal who runs their little farm store walking our fence line (our side of the fence). I called to her if she was looking for something- she replied she’d talked to mom & was looking for what sounded like a ‘cat’ but I figured it was ‘calf’. Mom told me later they were missing 6 calves.
The hoopla went on for about another hour, then all went quiet. I hope they found the calves. If not, they need to call the sheriff so if stray calves are reported, they’ll know who the owners are. If the calves are not found, I wonder if they were rustled? It happens ... that’s a lot of money on the hoof.
The noisy & nosy crows that hang around here have been extra annoying. I suspect they are looking for a lost buddy. I can tell them where he/she is .... a pile of black feathers at the base of our power pole after landing on the wrong spot & tripping the transformer.
Bunbun is still here ... has not eaten the hostas plus I’m too busy with the groundhogs. Bunbun was in the barn lean-to yesterday I guess just checking out what is going on in there.
My cow neighbors (moobors?) are ‘back”. They’ve been in a back field the last 2 weeks where I could only catch a glimpse of them. I’ve missed them! Now they’re in the field just across the road. The calves are still in the herd ... another month or so & I suspect they’ll be leaving. The moms are pregnant with the calves coming next winter so they don’t need a 6 month old calf still nursing occasionally.
No snakes/Timbers, coyotes, or bears and I hope it stays that way.