- Thread starter
- #381
Wanted to let you guys know I heard from Canna again and she did get the new job and starts the end of the month so hopefully she will be back with us shortly after that.....
Excellent! !! Thank you, Denise
Radogast's Non-420 Garden Creation Thread
- Thread starter Radogast
- Start date
Excellent! !! Thank you, Denise
- Thread starter
- #382
One week old blueberry cuttings are starting to sprout leaves.
I don't know a good way to tell if the blueberry cuttings are growing roots, but any sign of life is encouraging
I'm guessing 3 or 4 weeks to start showing roots. Probaby some time in June,
I'll try to transplant one.
I don't know a good way to tell if the blueberry cuttings are growing roots, but any sign of life is encouraging
I'm guessing 3 or 4 weeks to start showing roots. Probaby some time in June,I'll try to transplant one.
Those buds suggest roots. Blueberries are in your future.
- Thread starter
- #384
Those buds suggest roots. Blueberries are in your future.
I'm not sure if it's so straightforward in hardwood cuttings. Last spring, I had several sticks in the ground for four months with leaves for two months, and no visible roots.
These were started early as part of a demonstration class in hardwood cloning. I did better with hardwood cuttings started in the spring.
- Thread starter
- #385
[
Aloe vera sprouts
Aloe vera sprouts
- Thread starter
- #387
I didn't see the third one in the lower left corner until the photo was posted. 
Oh, I missed that one too!!!
How many did you plant in here Rad?
- Thread starter
- #390
I planted 5 seeds.
There are 5 seeds in reserve.
There are 5 seeds in reserve.
I think I see another coming up. The cluster of pebbles on the border to the right of the largest one has a small white pebble in the center of the group. Right below that whit pebble there's a tiny shadow of green coming through. Do you see it?
- Thread starter
- #392
I checked in person, creating a divot where that white pebble used to be. Nothing there.
FYI: The visible leaf of the "largest one" is about half the size of a watermelon seed
Yeah, I like the peacefulness here too Ranger. 
- Thread starter
- #395
Gratitude and appreciation for the fortuitous luck. I always accept good, luck !
- Thread starter
- #396
THE FORMATION OF VEGETABLE MOULD
THROUGH THE ACTION OF WORMS
WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR HABITS.
by Charles Darwin
Conclusion.
Worms have played a more important part in the history of the world
than most persons would at first suppose.- In almost all humid
countries they are extraordinarily numerous, and for their size
possess great muscular power.- In many parts of England a weight of
more than ten tons (10,516 kilogrammes) of dry earth annually
passes through their bodies and is brought to the surface on each
acre of land; so that the whole superficial bed of vegetable mould
passes through their bodies in the course of every few years.- From
the collapsing of the old burrows the mould is in constant though
slow movement, and the particles composing it are thus rubbed
together.- By these means fresh surfaces are continually exposed to
the action of the carbonic acid in the soil, and of the humus-acids
which appear to be still more efficient in the decomposition of
rocks.- The generation of the humus-acids is probably hastened
during the digestion of the many half-decayed leaves which worms
consume.- Thus the particles of earth, forming the superficial
mould, are subjected to conditions eminently favourable for their
decomposition and disintegration.- Moreover, the particles of the
softer rocks suffer some amount of mechanical trituration in the
muscular gizzards of worms, in which small stones serve as mill-
stones.
The finely levigated castings, when brought to the surface in a
moist condition, flow during rainy weather down any moderate slope;
and the smaller particles are washed far down even a gently
inclined surface.- Castings when dry often crumble into small
pellets and these are apt to roll down any sloping surface.- Where
the land is quite level and is covered with herbage, and where the
climate is humid so that much dust cannot be blown away, it appears
at first sight impossible that there should be any appreciable
amount of sub-aerial denudation; but worm-castings are blown,
especially whilst moist and viscid, in one uniform direction by the
prevalent winds which are accompanied by rain.- By these several
means the superficial mould is prevented from accumulating to a
great thickness; and a thick bed of mould checks in many ways the
disintegration of the underlying rocks and fragments of rock.
The removal of worm-castings by the above means leads to results
which are far from insignificant.- It has been shown that a layer
of earth, 0.2 of an inch in thickness, is in many places annually
brought to the surface; and if a small part of this amount flows,
or rolls, or is washed, even for a short distance, down every
inclined surface, or is repeatedly blown in one direction, a great
effect will be produced in the course of ages.- It was found by
measurements and calculations that on a surface with a mean
inclination of 9 degrees 26 seconds, 2.4 cubic inches of earth
which had been ejected by worms crossed, in the course of a year, a
horizontal line one yard in length; so that 240 cubic inches would
cross a line 100 yards in length.- This latter amount in a damp
state would weigh 11.5 pounds.- Thus a considerable weight of earth
is continually moving down each side of every valley, and will in
time reach its bed.- Finally this earth will be transported by the
streams flowing in the valleys into the ocean, the great receptacle
for all matter denuded from the land.- It is known from the amount
of sediment annually delivered into the sea by the Mississippi,
that its enormous drainage-area must on an average be lowered
.00263 of an inch each year; and this would suffice in four and
half million years to lower the whole drainage-area to the level of
the sea-shore.- So that, if a small fraction of the layer of fine
earth, 0.2 of an inch in thickness, which is annually brought to
the surface by worms, is carried away, a great result cannot fail
to be produced within a period which no geologist considers
extremely long.
THROUGH THE ACTION OF WORMS
WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR HABITS.
by Charles Darwin
Conclusion.
Worms have played a more important part in the history of the world
than most persons would at first suppose.- In almost all humid
countries they are extraordinarily numerous, and for their size
possess great muscular power.- In many parts of England a weight of
more than ten tons (10,516 kilogrammes) of dry earth annually
passes through their bodies and is brought to the surface on each
acre of land; so that the whole superficial bed of vegetable mould
passes through their bodies in the course of every few years.- From
the collapsing of the old burrows the mould is in constant though
slow movement, and the particles composing it are thus rubbed
together.- By these means fresh surfaces are continually exposed to
the action of the carbonic acid in the soil, and of the humus-acids
which appear to be still more efficient in the decomposition of
rocks.- The generation of the humus-acids is probably hastened
during the digestion of the many half-decayed leaves which worms
consume.- Thus the particles of earth, forming the superficial
mould, are subjected to conditions eminently favourable for their
decomposition and disintegration.- Moreover, the particles of the
softer rocks suffer some amount of mechanical trituration in the
muscular gizzards of worms, in which small stones serve as mill-
stones.
The finely levigated castings, when brought to the surface in a
moist condition, flow during rainy weather down any moderate slope;
and the smaller particles are washed far down even a gently
inclined surface.- Castings when dry often crumble into small
pellets and these are apt to roll down any sloping surface.- Where
the land is quite level and is covered with herbage, and where the
climate is humid so that much dust cannot be blown away, it appears
at first sight impossible that there should be any appreciable
amount of sub-aerial denudation; but worm-castings are blown,
especially whilst moist and viscid, in one uniform direction by the
prevalent winds which are accompanied by rain.- By these several
means the superficial mould is prevented from accumulating to a
great thickness; and a thick bed of mould checks in many ways the
disintegration of the underlying rocks and fragments of rock.
The removal of worm-castings by the above means leads to results
which are far from insignificant.- It has been shown that a layer
of earth, 0.2 of an inch in thickness, is in many places annually
brought to the surface; and if a small part of this amount flows,
or rolls, or is washed, even for a short distance, down every
inclined surface, or is repeatedly blown in one direction, a great
effect will be produced in the course of ages.- It was found by
measurements and calculations that on a surface with a mean
inclination of 9 degrees 26 seconds, 2.4 cubic inches of earth
which had been ejected by worms crossed, in the course of a year, a
horizontal line one yard in length; so that 240 cubic inches would
cross a line 100 yards in length.- This latter amount in a damp
state would weigh 11.5 pounds.- Thus a considerable weight of earth
is continually moving down each side of every valley, and will in
time reach its bed.- Finally this earth will be transported by the
streams flowing in the valleys into the ocean, the great receptacle
for all matter denuded from the land.- It is known from the amount
of sediment annually delivered into the sea by the Mississippi,
that its enormous drainage-area must on an average be lowered
.00263 of an inch each year; and this would suffice in four and
half million years to lower the whole drainage-area to the level of
the sea-shore.- So that, if a small fraction of the layer of fine
earth, 0.2 of an inch in thickness, which is annually brought to
the surface by worms, is carried away, a great result cannot fail
to be produced within a period which no geologist considers
extremely long.
- Thread starter
- #397
Archaeologists ought to be grateful to worms, as they protect and
preserve for an indefinitely long period every object, not liable
to decay, which is dropped on the surface of the land, by burying
it beneath their castings.- Thus, also, many elegant and curious
tesselated pavements and other ancient remains have been preserved;
though no doubt the worms have in these cases been largely aided by
earth washed and blown from the adjoining land, especially when
cultivated.- The old tesselated pavements have, however, often
suffered by having subsided unequally from being unequally
undermined by the worms.- Even old massive walls may be undermined
and subside; and no building is in this respect safe, unless the
foundations lie 6 or 7 feet beneath the surface, at a depth at
which worms cannot work.- It is probable that many monoliths and
some old walls have fallen down from having been undermined by
worms.
Worms prepare the ground {82} in an excellent manner for the growth
of fibrous-rooted plants and for seedlings of all kinds.- They
periodically expose the mould to the air, and sift it so that no
stones larger than the particles which they can swallow are left in
it.- They mingle the whole intimately together, like a gardener who
prepares fine soil for his choicest plants.- In this state it is
well fitted to retain moisture and to absorb all soluble
substances, as well as for the process of nitrification.- The bones
of dead animals, the harder parts of insects, the shells of land-
molluscs, leaves, twigs, &c., are before long all buried beneath
the accumulated castings of worms, and are thus brought in a more
or less decayed state within reach of the roots of plants.- Worms
likewise drag an infinite number of dead leaves and other parts of
plants into their burrows, partly for the sake of plugging them up
and partly as food.
The leaves which are dragged into the burrows as food, after being
torn into the finest shreds, partially digested, and saturated with
the intestinal and urinary secretions, are commingled with much
earth.- This earth forms the dark coloured, rich humus which almost
everywhere covers the surface of the land with a fairly well-
defined layer or mantle.- Hensen {83} placed two worms in a vessel
18 inches in diameter, which was filled with sand, on which fallen
leaves were strewed; and these were soon dragged into their burrows
to a depth of 3 inches.- After about 6 weeks an almost uniform
layer of sand, a centimeter (0.4 inch) in thickness, was converted
into humus by having passed through the alimentary canals of these
two worms.- It is believed by some persons that worm-burrows, which
often penetrate the ground almost perpendicularly to a depth of 5
or 6 feet, materially aid in its drainage; notwithstanding that the
viscid castings piled over the mouths of the burrows prevent or
check the rain-water directly entering them.- They allow the air to
penetrate deeply into the ground.- They also greatly facilitate the
downward passage of roots of moderate size; and these will be
nourished by the humus with which the burrows are lined.- Many
seeds owe their germination to having been covered by castings; and
others buried to a considerable depth beneath accumulated castings
lie dormant, until at some future time they are accidentally
uncovered and germinate.
preserve for an indefinitely long period every object, not liable
to decay, which is dropped on the surface of the land, by burying
it beneath their castings.- Thus, also, many elegant and curious
tesselated pavements and other ancient remains have been preserved;
though no doubt the worms have in these cases been largely aided by
earth washed and blown from the adjoining land, especially when
cultivated.- The old tesselated pavements have, however, often
suffered by having subsided unequally from being unequally
undermined by the worms.- Even old massive walls may be undermined
and subside; and no building is in this respect safe, unless the
foundations lie 6 or 7 feet beneath the surface, at a depth at
which worms cannot work.- It is probable that many monoliths and
some old walls have fallen down from having been undermined by
worms.
Worms prepare the ground {82} in an excellent manner for the growth
of fibrous-rooted plants and for seedlings of all kinds.- They
periodically expose the mould to the air, and sift it so that no
stones larger than the particles which they can swallow are left in
it.- They mingle the whole intimately together, like a gardener who
prepares fine soil for his choicest plants.- In this state it is
well fitted to retain moisture and to absorb all soluble
substances, as well as for the process of nitrification.- The bones
of dead animals, the harder parts of insects, the shells of land-
molluscs, leaves, twigs, &c., are before long all buried beneath
the accumulated castings of worms, and are thus brought in a more
or less decayed state within reach of the roots of plants.- Worms
likewise drag an infinite number of dead leaves and other parts of
plants into their burrows, partly for the sake of plugging them up
and partly as food.
The leaves which are dragged into the burrows as food, after being
torn into the finest shreds, partially digested, and saturated with
the intestinal and urinary secretions, are commingled with much
earth.- This earth forms the dark coloured, rich humus which almost
everywhere covers the surface of the land with a fairly well-
defined layer or mantle.- Hensen {83} placed two worms in a vessel
18 inches in diameter, which was filled with sand, on which fallen
leaves were strewed; and these were soon dragged into their burrows
to a depth of 3 inches.- After about 6 weeks an almost uniform
layer of sand, a centimeter (0.4 inch) in thickness, was converted
into humus by having passed through the alimentary canals of these
two worms.- It is believed by some persons that worm-burrows, which
often penetrate the ground almost perpendicularly to a depth of 5
or 6 feet, materially aid in its drainage; notwithstanding that the
viscid castings piled over the mouths of the burrows prevent or
check the rain-water directly entering them.- They allow the air to
penetrate deeply into the ground.- They also greatly facilitate the
downward passage of roots of moderate size; and these will be
nourished by the humus with which the burrows are lined.- Many
seeds owe their germination to having been covered by castings; and
others buried to a considerable depth beneath accumulated castings
lie dormant, until at some future time they are accidentally
uncovered and germinate.
- Thread starter
- #398
Worms are poorly provided with sense-organs, for they cannot be
said to see, although they can just distinguish between light and
darkness; they are completely deaf, and have only a feeble power of
smell; the sense of touch alone is well developed.- They can
therefore learn but little about the outside world, and it is
surprising that they should exhibit some skill in lining their
burrows with their castings and with leaves, and in the case of
some species in piling up their castings into tower-like
constructions.- But it is far more surprising that they should
apparently exhibit some degrees of intelligence instead of a mere
blind instinctive impulse, in their manner of plugging up the
mouths of their burrows.- They act in nearly the same manner as
would a man, who had to close a cylindrical tube with different
kinds of leaves, petioles, triangles of paper, &c., for they
commonly seize such objects by their pointed ends.- But with thin
objects a certain number are drawn in by their broader ends.- They
do not act in the same unvarying manner in all cases, as do most of
the lower animals; for instance, they do not drag in leaves by
their foot-stalks, unless the basal part of the blade is as narrow
as the apex, or narrower than it.
When we behold a wide, turf-covered expanse, we should remember
that its smoothness, on which so much of its beauty depends, is
mainly due to all the inequalities having been slowly levelled by
worms.- It is a marvellous reflection that the whole of the
superficial mould over any such expanse has passed, and will again
pass, every few years through the bodies of worms.- The plough is
one of the most ancient and most valuable of man's inventions; but
long before he existed the land was in fact regularly ploughed, and
still continues to be thus ploughed by earth-worms.- It may be
doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so
important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly
organized creatures.- Some other animals, however, still more lowly
organized, namely corals, have done far more conspicuous work in
having constructed innumerable reefs and islands in the great
oceans; but these are almost confined to the tropical zones.
The End
said to see, although they can just distinguish between light and
darkness; they are completely deaf, and have only a feeble power of
smell; the sense of touch alone is well developed.- They can
therefore learn but little about the outside world, and it is
surprising that they should exhibit some skill in lining their
burrows with their castings and with leaves, and in the case of
some species in piling up their castings into tower-like
constructions.- But it is far more surprising that they should
apparently exhibit some degrees of intelligence instead of a mere
blind instinctive impulse, in their manner of plugging up the
mouths of their burrows.- They act in nearly the same manner as
would a man, who had to close a cylindrical tube with different
kinds of leaves, petioles, triangles of paper, &c., for they
commonly seize such objects by their pointed ends.- But with thin
objects a certain number are drawn in by their broader ends.- They
do not act in the same unvarying manner in all cases, as do most of
the lower animals; for instance, they do not drag in leaves by
their foot-stalks, unless the basal part of the blade is as narrow
as the apex, or narrower than it.
When we behold a wide, turf-covered expanse, we should remember
that its smoothness, on which so much of its beauty depends, is
mainly due to all the inequalities having been slowly levelled by
worms.- It is a marvellous reflection that the whole of the
superficial mould over any such expanse has passed, and will again
pass, every few years through the bodies of worms.- The plough is
one of the most ancient and most valuable of man's inventions; but
long before he existed the land was in fact regularly ploughed, and
still continues to be thus ploughed by earth-worms.- It may be
doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so
important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly
organized creatures.- Some other animals, however, still more lowly
organized, namely corals, have done far more conspicuous work in
having constructed innumerable reefs and islands in the great
oceans; but these are almost confined to the tropical zones.
The End
Made me think of beavers. If not for beavers we would have far less arable lands.
Also made me think of how presumptuous we humans are to believe that our forms of communication are superior to, say, the mycorrhizaae or the worms.
Also made me think of how presumptuous we humans are to believe that our forms of communication are superior to, say, the mycorrhizaae or the worms.
Luck? You didn't fill an inside straight here. Your intellect, dignity and heart have helped light the Path.