Weekend Update 08/03/19 With Pictures

F. religiosa - Last week I had that mishap where I underestimated the sun and took out about 25% of the seedlings from batch 1. I had just set up batch 2, so I was able to fill in almost all the pellets that had missing seedlings. I kept the 2 liter soda bottoms where I was growing out the seeds, just in case. Early in the week, I went back and found a few seedlings that had sprouted. Just enough to fill in the last few pellets that were missing seedlings. I continue to spray with orchid fertilizer once a week. 

A. palmatum (unk cultivar) They continue to grow. It's been warm lately with lots of sun, so they're getting bigger. Still with that weird 'up yours' sort of middle leaf thing.

Apple seedling - growing good. I see some chomp marks, just a little. Likely a bug. Look closely in the picture, there's three more seedlings that just popped up!

Chinese elm - still that ONE. I'm calling that one Han. As in 'Solo'. As in the Sole sprouter in a pile of shit seeds. Fuck that seed seller. 

Azalea cuttings - same ole same ole. Not doing anything. Not dying. Not setting up roots. I swear, if I look at em too long, they start trying to get all gangster on me. No pictures. Use your imagination of a cutting with no roots, all attitude flipping you off, while grabbing it's crotch.

Trident maple cutting - Still hanging in there. Not doing much. Except.... that one bare little branch you see pointed right at you... is it my imagination or does it look like it's trying to flip me off? This is the sort of attitude I get from my trees. Me: grow little bitches, please. Them: Grow this, Victor! 

Crabapple cuttings - Growing strong. Aaron hadn't looked at these guys in a while. He was surprised at how much they've grown. I was going to allow these guys to grow unbothered this year. You know, to add some thickness to the trunk. That didn't quite work out. Decided to add a little coil to the branches. Still gonna fertilize the hell outta these guys and let them grow out.

Neagari azalea project - Still growing strong. Following the standard clip and grow method. Severe pruning, then heavy fertilizer and allow for (mostly) unchecked growth. 

Dwarf rhodie project - Same as neagari project. See that? It's growing back strong. There's a method to my madness!

Air layer project - Nothing to note. NO new roots. Huevon! 

Other things in the garden - I did some horse trading and got a small shohin Japanese maple that I took a picture of already. I also got in trade a small Chinese elm, two Japanese maples, and a young spruce. I might have mentioned the horse trading, I don't remember at this point.

Indoor pallet growing area - I thought I was slick just hot gluing the lights to the bottom of the pallet. The hot glue isn't sticking to the lights because the strip lights are too slick! Not sure how to explain this, but the strip lights have a sticky strip that has some weird slick coating on them that won't let the hot glue stick to them. And no, it's not cause the lights are getting too hot and semi-melting the hot glue. I dunno, maybe it is! I'll try using some fishing line to keep the lights up, along with the hot glue. Update: the fishing line trick seems to be working good. I still have another string of lights to put up; I'll be sure to use fishing line as well.

Pottery - I still continue to make pottery. No pictures; the ones I made last week are still awaiting  bisque firing. If anyone cares, this is the studio I'm going to: 

Wilderbee Farm
https://www.wilderbeefarm.com/ceramics-studio

They've got a pretty good deal going on: 
$10/hour or $25 for a full day for open studio. Includes use of all equipment, tools, glazes and firing. Clay is not included in the price, but they sell a 25lb bag of cone 5 clay for $12. 

The studio is in operation May-October. I don't know what I'm gonna do after October. Likely I'll just do a bunch of clay over the winter and bring it all in come spring. I went there on Saturday, but I wasn't feeling it. Just didn't want to do clay at the farm. I'm more comfortable making pottery at home, so Casey (owner of studio) is letting me do my pottery at home, and I then bring it in. Still gonna fire and glaze it there though.  I made some pots on Saturday. I also made a fat fish. Bernie has claimed my fish. 'If it survives, that one is MINE'. Yeah it looks redonkulous. I took a picture, but not gonna post it until it's at least bisque fired. If it dies, I'll post a picture though.

That's it for now.