Paddy,

As the people in the hybridizing clinic can tell you, I'm a bit crazy about crossing, nothing with pollen is safe in my yard. However, this is my biggest crop of semp seed so far. I have two 18' x 6' beds ready for the babies and two other beds I could use in a pinch. If you hear screams coming far to the west of Ireland you'll know I've rowed out one too many.... I row the babies out VERY tight so that by the spring following rowout the bed is SOLID semps. It looks very cool.

Lynn, Years ago I raised some kids from 'Emerald' Spring' X self and I got a complete range of types that you now see in the soboliferum complex. Helen wasn't too excited about them though I did give garden names to two of them, "Emerald Fountain" and "Emerald Lace". I may have sent pieces to Ed Skrocki as he wanted EVERY semp. "Emerald Fountain" looks like a very large arenaria and "Emerald Lace" a sort of spiky version of soboliferum. I think the cross to the 'Yellow Form' might be a better idea as the colors should be better. This was the first time i had bloomstalks on any of the soboliferum complex here in OR. Odd too as the heuffs bloom so easily here.

Kevin

So, Kevin ... liverworts. I'm interested in eradicating large masses that came to my property in a flood some years ago. Any advice? I've read that iso. alcohol will work, but it's REALLY expensive. I'd adore to have a cheaper, effective solution (no pun intended).

For Kate .
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/...

Kate,

Industrial vinegar is one trick that some people use. Mix in a little Dawn dishwashing detergent and you'll increase the potency. This is a contact herbicide so you have to treat the liverwort and not the surrounding plants.

When the plants are actively growing Round-up will work on them too but it would be VERY slow this time of year. Again it is a contact herbicide so paint the liverworts or use very directed sprays.

Good luck!

Kevin

I wonder if daubing the vinegar into the gemmae cups would do the job. Get the buggers before they emerge. Very labor intensive though. Kevin, what is the acetic acid strength of "industrial vinegar"? I assume it is not the same as glacial acetic acid which is something I handled frequently in my job. Even the fumes are hazardous!

I think vinegar is ~7% acetic but it's been a long time since I've checked that.

I have put the vinegar in a sprayer and that worked. Painting would be slow. The Dawn Dishwashing Detergent really helps the pentration and should get the gemmae too.

Kevin

Thanks for the info, Kevin. Not strong at all. I think regular vinegar such as Heinz is around 4%. I doubt if glacial acetic is easily available except to labs perhaps. I agree, painting/daubing would be quite tedious. Might not be too bad if we aren't dealing with a huge number of pots though. I'm just keeping these things in mind in the event I come across this problem .

Can Iask what your job is Connie? I'm an analytical chemist, and I used to use glacial acetic acid for one of my analysis years a go, I'm trying to wrack my brain to remember what it was but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. What I do remember is the lab smelling like a chip shop afterwards lol

Lynn, we usually see some snow over a winter, but usually just a few flakes. For it to stay on the ground is almost unheard of. About 3 years ago my car was stuck at the bottom of the hill that I Iived on for a week! It happens rarely but when we do get snow the country comes to a standstill, it's laughable!
I have daffodils and iris that started to come up in October. They haven't died back like I thought they would, I'm really hoping they'll still flower,but I'mnot holding my breath. I also have lavender in bloom right now- it's been a mild wet and crazy winter lol

I went out yesterday to clear away some of my rotted rosettes and remove the mushy leaves to try and prevent any more losses. But even at 2 in the afternoon they were frozen solid. I did take some pretty pictures though.

Those are great shots!!

Kate, I also worked in analytical chemistry of the inorganic type but am retired now. My main use of glacial acetic acid was for making up a buffer solution for one particular method of aluminum analysis. Most of my work was in wet chemistry but I also did AA, IC, some gas, a little ICP and I am probably forgetting a few. Because I worked in a research facility it never got boring and there was frequent need for method development so I didn't become brain dead from too much repetitiveness!

We are heading into a brief cold spell here, down into the low 20s F. My semps should like it. I don't know if I should give some protection to my Orostachys malacophylla though @valleylynn. I think everything else will be OK, I hope.

Kate, those are wonderful photos. Love the trim of frost.

I get a type of vinegar for cleaning from Walmart, not sure of the strength, but it is not for human consumption.

Connie, the cold temps that are coming should not harm our orostachys, they like the same conditions as the semps.
I think it is tomorrow when the colder weather will arrive. Suppose to have a wind storm today.
Lots of sunshine for this week, and no rain.

pardalinum said: ...and there was frequent need for method development so I didn't become brain dead from too much repetitiveness!

What about from the fumes?...

Bev, any brain death here is associated with bureaucracy, not chemical fumes!

sorry to hear that...

But Bev, I escaped! That is what is important!

Yeah for escaping.

I remember the day... eight of us left the same day. We all went out the gate cheering and laying on the horns. To keep on topic (lol) the lab where I worked was great for growing plants. Countertop to ceiling windows on two adjacent sides. Amaryllis and African violets did very well and I had quite an African violet leaf propagation project ongoing. Birdwatching was good as there was a large tree at eye level outside the second story lab. All scientific observations, of course.

of course!

BRR! Going down to 20F here but that's nothing compared to what Marilyn or Chris are getting. Even CA looks COLD! Good day for working on records. Luckily the weather returns to normal for the weekend.

Get out your Snuggies!

Kevin

Just took the garbage out and man it's cold out there.