Hermit Island Sea Plantain
Grown: outside of Cleveland, OH – zone 6b/6a border, 44138
• Purchased 1 packet Hermit Island Sea Plantain from EFN
• Planted in four separate locations around backyard garden
• Garden is tended to daily and watered most days without rain
***
Sowing
June 14, 2023
Split the packet into fourths and planted in four different areas. No pre-treatment beyond damp soil. Outdoor seeds were watered and rained upon like the rest of the garden plants. We got a good rainfall within 2-3 days of planting.
1. Planted in part to full shade in garden (average about 3-4 hours sun)
a. Neighbors: kale, swiss chard, leeks – all about 18” away.
b. Soil tends to stay moist.
2. Planted in full sun in garden (average about 10 hours sun)
a. Neighbors: tomatoes, garden weeds. Tomatoes about 9-12” away
b. Soil tends toward dryer
3. Planted in part sun in potted container (avg about 6 hours sun)
a. Neighbor: purple sweet potato, located less than 6” away
b. Richer soil than garden soil
4. Brought indoors to start in starter pots under grow lights (avg run 12-14 hours lights on 10-12 hours off, about 4” from light).
a. Alone in starter pods
b. Sterilized starting medium (sterilized when purchased, but had been exposed to the outdoors for several days before being moved indoors after sowing)
***
Sprouting
June 20, 2023
1. Full shade sea plantain either didn’t germinate at all or were washed away in rain before they could take root. Established garden soil. Photo from June 20, 2023. Covered with 1/8” soil.
2. Full sun sea plantain germinated the quickest, seeing sprouts within 3-4 days. Established garden soil. Photo from June 20, 2023. Covered with 1/8” soil.
3. Part sun potted sea buckthorn: no sprouts yet as of June 20. Regular potting soil. Photo from June 20, 2023. Planted and covered with 1/8” soil to ¼” soil.
4. Indoor seed starters: sprouted in about 5 days. Sterilized seed starter. Photo from June 20, 2023. Seeds were placed in all 6 containers and buried with a small amount of soil on top (less than 1/8”) except the one in the lower right corner, which I left exposed to the light. The light-exposed one has not yet sprouted.