Backyard Aquaponics :: View topic - Some help with these plants

Also does anyone know what this plant is?

Zman wrote:

Also does anyone know what this plant is?

Looks like a weed to me.

No idea about the first one.

The first one is a bok choy or pak choy, whatever, but its ready to flower and wont get any better to eat, usually more bitter. They seem to have a use by date and once thats up, they seed. I'd say it hasnt had enuf nutes to grow bigger....or sunlight.
The second one looks like a milk thistle to me, the seed blows in with the wind. Some ppl eat them.

+1 on seed saving.

It sure looks like a milk thistle, but let it go for a while, wont do any harm, and they grow fast so you will find out soon. :thumbleft:

I and others have dramas with Bok-choy and Pak-choy running to seed occasionally.

Some say if you plant seed by the moon cycles you'll have better success. I have experimented with that idea and it does appear to have some merit, but in saying that just about all the ones I plant during Winter and Summer (no matter the moon cycle) go to flower when still very small. I tend to get better results and far less going to flower during Spring and Autumn.

I also find that Bok-choy and Pak-choy seedlings that have been in the punnets too long (Bunnings pre-requisite) will almost always go to flower shortly after planting.

The other plant is definitely a milk thistle.

Cheers.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:21 ]
Post subject:	Some help with these plants
Is this ready to harvest? Seems like its flowering? I purchased some baby variety so dont know if this should be eaten yet or not lol Also does anyone know what this plant is?

Author:	arbe [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:24 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Zman wrote: Also does anyone know what this plant is? Looks like a weed to me. No idea about the first one.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:26 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
arbe wrote: Zman wrote: Also does anyone know what this plant is? Looks like a weed to me. No idea about the first one. My first thoughts too lol

Author:	Bushy [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:43 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
The first one is a bok choy or pak choy, whatever, but its ready to flower and wont get any better to eat, usually more bitter. They seem to have a use by date and once thats up, they seed. I'd say it hasnt had enuf nutes to grow bigger....or sunlight. The second one looks like a milk thistle to me, the seed blows in with the wind. Some ppl eat them.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:48 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Bushy wrote: The first one is a bok choy or pak choy, whatever, but its ready to flower and wont get any better to eat, usually more bitter. They seem to have a use by date and once thats up, they seed. I'd say it hasnt had enuf nutes to grow bigger....or sunlight. The second one looks like a milk thistle to me, the seed blows in with the wind. Some ppl eat them. The first one, is a dwarf variety so i might leave it to seed and see how that does. So the second one is a weed?

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Author:	Bushy [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:53 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
+1 on seed saving. It sure looks like a milk thistle, but let it go for a while, wont do any harm, and they grow fast so you will find out soon.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 08:54 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Bushy wrote: +1 on seed saving. It sure looks like a milk thistle, but let it go for a while, wont do any harm, and they grow fast so you will find out soon. Hopefully its some weird ass seed i have chucked in (i have like 40-50 different plant seeds lol). Otherwise they will become worm food hehe.

Author:	Bushy [ Aug 17th, '11, 09:21 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
A tip for collecting seed from ANY of the brassica plant family, dont leave the pods too long before picking. As soon as the pods start to brown or dry a bit, cut the whole plant and hang upside down in warm area. The little pods spring open and ping the seed for meters if not harvested

Author:	mantis [ Aug 17th, '11, 10:15 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Its definitely a thistle, ask Bullwynkle as I think he lovingly transplanted one thinking it was a lettuce

Author:	Bushy [ Aug 17th, '11, 11:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
......woops, forgot to say when collecting seed, place pods or whole plant in bag, then hang in warm place..........

Author:	Mr Damage [ Aug 17th, '11, 12:11 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
I and others have dramas with Bok-choy and Pak-choy running to seed occasionally. Some say if you plant seed by the moon cycles you'll have better success. I have experimented with that idea and it does appear to have some merit, but in saying that just about all the ones I plant during Winter and Summer (no matter the moon cycle) go to flower when still very small. I tend to get better results and far less going to flower during Spring and Autumn. I also find that Bok-choy and Pak-choy seedlings that have been in the punnets too long (Bunnings pre-requisite) will almost always go to flower shortly after planting. The other plant is definitely a milk thistle. Cheers.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 12:24 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Mr Damage wrote: I and others have dramas with Bok-choy and Pak-choy running to seed occasionally. Some say if you plant seed by the moon cycles you'll have better success. I have experimented with that idea and it does appear to have some merit, but in saying that just about all the ones I plant during Winter and Summer (no matter the moon cycle) go to flower when still very small. I tend to get better results and far less going to flower during Spring and Autumn. I also find that Bok-choy and Pak-choy seedlings that have been in the punnets too long (Bunnings pre-requisite) will almost always go to flower shortly after planting. The other plant is definitely a milk thistle. Cheers. Thanks Mr Damage. With the plants going to flower can i break off the leaves (will they be bitter now?) and leave the flower so i can both eat them and get the seeds? Also on another note how do you tell when they are ready?

Author:	Mr Damage [ Aug 17th, '11, 13:03 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
During winter I plant lots more Bok-choy, closer together, and a new batch about every 7 days. They don't get as big and as dark green as the Spring/Autumn ones, and as soon as I see the flower spike starting to form in the centre of one, I harvest all of them from that batch... Thai green curry time! ... At this time of year I normally have to use 4-6 smaller plants in a Thai curry, whereas when they are growing well in spring I'll only use two larger plants. As suggested, once they start flowering they become bitter, so I would just leave the first one to flower in each batch, let him have all his leaves and go to flower/seed. As far as telling when they're ready for harvest, I normally harvest good ones when they are about 25cm tall and have 7 or 8 good sized leaves on them, don't let them get too big. I let one go last spring and it got HUGE without going to flower, but it was fibrous and bitter. Cheers.

Author:	Zman [ Aug 17th, '11, 13:12 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
Maybe its just this variety. This one is only maybe 10cm tall. I know i purchased some baby bok choy seeds. Will leave it be till it flowers . I think i need to be more organised. I should germinate the seeds outside of the GB then plant them in, that way i know what they are and roughly when to harvest. Do you do this?

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Author:	Mr Damage [ Aug 17th, '11, 13:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: Some help with these plants
In the AP system I just broadcast the Bok-choy seeds and whatever comes up, comes up. In my veg garden I grow them in old punnets or egg cartons first, then transplant them.