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Post by rdback on Sept 25, 2022 8:32:07 GMT -6
It's hard to imagine...but the end is inevitable. It's just that time of year.
I know it's coming, but I'M NOT READY YET!!!! I still gotta pick my peppers! lol
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Post by hedgeapple on Oct 14, 2022 15:09:52 GMT -6
So, the last of my mature seed pods on this hybrid are beginning to split, and the cool weather is slowing down pod creation, BUT something fun happened today. Two accessions from USDA-GRIN arrived. These are both red okras collected in Kabul, Afghanistan - one in 1959, the second in 1960. Along with my other varieties, I will grow these out next year to see if anything interesting pops up.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Oct 14, 2022 16:04:58 GMT -6
Hedgeapple,
That sure sounds like a fun project. Before today, I didn't know you could request seeds from the USDA Seed Bank. I thought they only preserved them by freezing in some kind of vault. I had no idea they had selections available to the public upon request. What an Easter Egg that turned out to be!
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Post by chrysanthemum on Oct 15, 2022 14:05:09 GMT -6
That does sound fun. I will definitely be interested in seeing updates on those next year.
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Post by hmoosek on Oct 15, 2022 15:47:13 GMT -6
I didn’t realize you could request seed either.
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Post by macmex on Oct 15, 2022 18:47:20 GMT -6
I've had friends who requested seed from them and, around 1987 I remember investigating the possibility, but because of my other plans (ministry in Mexico) I went down the route of getting permits to import seed, instead.
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Post by hedgeapple on Oct 19, 2022 5:52:21 GMT -6
Our first freeze came in early this morning. My folks in Tulsa told me that it was supposed to be even colder there.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Oct 22, 2022 19:00:25 GMT -6
Hedgeapple, that sure was a cold morning on October 19th for sure! It got down to 21° here in Tahlequah.
According to Google Maps, Tahlequah is 73.8 miles from Tulsa, so I imagine your folks got pretty frosty that morning too!
It was 93° here last Saturday, October 15th. It was 21° wednesday morning, October 19th, and today, October 22, Saturday, it was 84°. What a rollercoaster of crazy weather this month has been.
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Post by hedgeapple on May 20, 2023 7:32:30 GMT -6
My okras are all popping now, including the frozen accessions from USDA-GRIN. The ‘WindridgeX’ F2s look happy so far. I’m expecting varied results from this cross in 2023 - no clue what it may look like. Could be short red and fat. Could be tall green and slender. Something in between? As always, I’ll carefully watch the plants all summer and into fall and decide on one or two favorites. Would really like a medium bodied pod with red tips while still tender.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 10, 2023 10:01:35 GMT -6
The F2s of WindridgeX are growing well and recovering quickly from a week of unseasonably cool evenings that gripped us in the last week of May. That cool weather slightly deformed some leaves but all of the new leaves are coming in nicely. The sorting of genes out of this cross between Old Red Blush and Windridge is already evident. Most of the plants from this generation are large, branching, and are mixed red and green at this point. There are two plants which have purple/red stems and branches all up and down and much darker green leaves. I’m not excited by the slower development of those two plants but won’t cull them. Going to let them all go completely this year to see if any interesting traits pop up.
The two accessions from USDA-GRIN are doing very well. I tried to grow these two same accessions in 2022, but accidentally killed them. Will be watching these closely, taking photos, and saving fresh seed to use and share which has not been frozen for decades.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 18, 2023 12:34:16 GMT -6
At Day 39, the F2s of this hybrid are beginning to show the start of flowers.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jun 18, 2023 13:44:18 GMT -6
Those look really healthy. Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing the blooms and the fruit.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 19, 2023 18:54:32 GMT -6
Those look really healthy. Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing the blooms and the fruit. Those pictures were posted without filtering. I’ve got 24 various hybrids growing and some are already showing faster maturity and growth, while some are lagging way behind and everything in between. Different leaf textures. Different stem colors. Slight variations in leaf color. Some major variations in shape and branching. The real deciding factors this year will just be fruit quality, attractiveness, and overall plant health. Based on the variation in the plants themselves I’m guessing the pods will be all over the map in shape and size. We’ll know for sure here in about a month. Had some hail come through day before yesterday. Fortunately it was brief and only tore a few holes in my leaves. Think it was 2021 when a microburst beat my garden to shreds. Speaking of which my folks up in Tulsa are without power right now. Aren’t supposed to have it back on until Saturday. I politely recommended that they get a hotel room or go stay with some family until the weekend. Hate the idea of them being without power until then. Apparently y’all had one heck of a storm.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 21, 2023 23:30:13 GMT -6
For the last few weeks it had gotten drier than usual here, but we’ve gotten 1.25” of rain over the past 24 hours. A nice constant drizzling rain.
Plants all look happy.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 24, 2023 0:21:56 GMT -6
Ended up having three days of light drizzling rain. Between the soil amendments I tilled in everywhere, the light diet of fish emulsion I routinely use, and this rain, all of my plants look very happy and big.
Have read about Japanese beetles beginning to descend in other gardens around here so I am crossing my fingers that they buzz on past us.
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