No-maintenance grass -- too good to be true?
Researchers have developed grass that needs no mowing, watering or fertilizer!
I’m a little early, but — April Fools! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
And Chag Sameach to all who are celebrating Passover this weekend!
📬 Ask Jessica
DEAR JESSICA: I planted perennial seeds and sunflower seeds in a seedling kit. Almost all germinated but now I have some type of white fluffy matter growing on the planting material. What is this? Do I have to scrap all of these seedlings?? Best always, Jackie Selva
DEAR JACKIE: That's damping off, a fungal disease that thrives when soil is kept too moist. You might be able to save them if you act quickly. Scrape off all of the white stuff along with the top portion of soil (these contain spores so use one spoon to remove the white fluff and another to remove some soil underneath to avoid introducing spores to the clean soil.) Going forward, water only when the soil surface dries out -- and do so only through the drainage holes in the container bottoms (set them on a rimmed tray or in a pan that contains a half-inch of water).
If it resurfaces, however, you'll have to ditch the plants and start over.
👏 Sunday shoutout
Philip Grombliniak of Levittown, NY, has been starting his plants from seed for many years. “It’s only lately that I got into growing competition-sized tomatoes, which can be both fun and very rewarding,” he said.
Because “tomatoes of that size need a long growing season,” Grombliniak began starting his seeds inside an old marine saltwater aquarium, which he converted into a freshwater river-tank-system aquarium: “It’s a large tank that holds 90 gallons filled to the top, he said, “adding that he already had a lighting system installed on top from when I had corals and saltwater fish that had to have high-output lighting so it was easy to start switching it over to accommodate plant lights.”
“A river-tank system means that you would insert two plastic partitions into the tank to separate the water into three different sections,” he explained. “Then half the water is drained, and a pump is added on the lower side [to move the] water back up to the higher side in a gentle flowing motion. [Next,] a sponge filter is placed over the pump to break down waste from some small fish that are added to the tank.” This creates “a living biological system,” he said.
Next, he installed small shelves at different levels and started his seeds in small containers. “You have the heat from the lights, humidity from the flowing water, and fish waste to supply a very mild fertilizer to the water,” he said.
“As the seedling dry out, simply dip them in the water and let them drink.” Grombliniak tops off the tank water “about once a week, [but] otherwise it’s a true biological system that takes care of itself,” he said.
After 6-8 weeks, when the plants are mature enough, he hardens them off outdoors before settling them into containers.
“It’s not just all about growing giant tomatoes,” Grombliniak said. “Peppers need a good jump on the season, too. Almost any vegetable or flowers can be started inside a large tank like this.”
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💡 If you do one thing this week…
Start your tomato seeds (peppers and eggplant, too!) Remember: use only sterile potting mix — never garden soil, which can harbor diseases, insects and other icky things that can counter your efforts.
For more daily tips — 365 of them! — grab one of my last remaining calendars before they’re gone (we’re down to the last half box!)
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📧 Send me your feedback!
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please do send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Ask Jessica section.
No-maintenance grass -- too good to be true?
That is THE BOMB.
Wow, Phil, this is an amazing system and an incredible idea to bring second life to an old fish tank I have laying in my basement. Do you think this would work in a 20gal tank? What type of tomatoes do you grow? What do you mean by giant?