I know that if I attempt to wait until the precise 12 month point for a follow-up gardening adventures post, I’ll perfectionist myself to the point of doing nothing, so let’s go!

First up: the 2022 update of 2021 update

Experiment 1: seeds from a Xmas lunch 2019 pomegranate

40cm

Going strong! Probably needs a larger pot.

Experiment 2: mangoes planted from summer feasting in 2019/20!

70cm

Definitely needs a larger pot!

Experiment 3: ginger

Harvested here.

Experiment 4:lemons

20cm

Not a huge amount of growth. Still, they have not been entirely eaten or died, so I’m calling this a miracle.

Experiment 5: cold-stratified muscat grape seeds

SAY WHAT!? These vines have gone utterly bonkers in only 12 months! Despite the very conservatory-style conditions, grapevines really do not belong in the NotCraft room – but I am loath to take them outdoors to face the apocalyptic weather (heatwaves! floods! bugs!) until we get that pergola built in maybe 2023. In the meanwhile I’m training them across wire hangers. Precious angels!

I’ve got some seeds cold-stratifying in the fridge from this grape season and some I’ve already planted straight into soil, I’ll be excited to see what comes of those!

♥

In other plant-experiment updates:

You may recall the wee figgy seeds I harvested from the ground near my favourite tree, back in 2016 when we were bike riding on the reg.

To say they are thriving would be rather understating it.

180cm!

Probably unwise to re-pot, lest it take over ThePalace(OfLove)!

Why, yes The Palace is falling to bits, thank you for noticing.

♥

You may also recall the stone pine seeds I bought in April 2020.

After quite a lot of fuss and preparation, the sole plant that made it through is surprisingly still kicking along!

21cm

I’m not certain what has popped up in the pot with it, all will be revealed eventually.

♥

And those cuttings I pillaged from the bin at SML in the Before Times?

They also rather like the Conservatory conditions. Past Me really did not care for indoor plants – isn’t it wonderful how we change and evolve?

♥

Of course, not everything is winning!

In 2010 we successfully sprouted an avocado seed on our first attempt, which grew into a wee tree, and was subsequently destroyed by the visiting possum.

Despite many (many!) further attempts, we’ve never been able to repeat the sprouting – which rather reminds me of a colleague who on his first attempt at wordle guessed the correct word on the first row and wondered what all the fuss was about.

This one has been sitting there for a couple of months – I’m about to abandon the endeavour.

♥

And I had a jasmine plant growing completely taking off on the lower balcony, until the endless rains and …

There were SEVEN of these enormous creatures munching away and few leaves left.

Not being the kind of person who squishes caterpillars, I relocated them to the nature strip.

Thankfully everything else on the balcony had remained uneaten, but I’m not sure how long that would have remained so.

♥