Milk jug "mini-greenhouses"

[Bowsnbucks]

Jack -
I used to help stock Slate Run and Cedar Run - two tributaries of Pine Creek In NC Pa. - that were added to the "no-stock" list of blue ribbon wild native trout fisheries. After the studies initiated by Penn State, Slate Run and Cedar Run were found to have less trout per surface hectare of water when they were stocked - vs. more and larger trout per surface hectare of water when NOT stocked, and left to nature's designs of native, stream-bred trout. Both streams are mountain freestone streams, as is Pine Creek.

Spruce Creek, Fishing Creek, Yellow Breeches, Letort Springs Run, Spring Creek, Penn's Creek, Bald Eagle Creek - and there are a few small others that VERY FEW know about!!! My oldest son fishes Penn's during the Green Drake hatch each year and he said the flies are so thick that they land all over your body and you hit them when you try to cast. Literally clouds of mayflies to the point they look like fog. He and a couple fishing buddies fish at night and he said they can feel them crawling on them while they hear trout sipping them off the surface!! Size 8 & 10 imitations. Stream-bred helicopters!!! They're HUGE in real life.

 

[yoderjac]

Jack -
I used to help stock Slate Run and Cedar Run - two tributaries of Pine Creek In NC Pa. - that were added to the "no-stock" list of blue ribbon wild native trout fisheries. After the studies initiated by Penn State, Slate Run and Cedar Run were found to have less trout per surface hectare of water when they were stocked - vs. more and larger trout per surface hectare of water when NOT stocked, and left to nature's designs of native, stream-bred trout. Both streams are mountain freestone streams, as is Pine Creek.

Spruce Creek, Fishing Creek, Yellow Breeches, Letort Springs Run, Spring Creek, Penn's Creek, Bald Eagle Creek - and there are a few small others that VERY FEW know about!!! My oldest son fishes Penn's during the Green Drake hatch each year and he said the flies are so thick that they land all over your body and you hit them when you try to cast. Literally clouds of mayflies to the point they look like fog. He and a couple fishing buddies fish at night and he said they can feel them crawling on them while they hear trout sipping them off the surface!! Size 8 & 10 imitations. Stream-bred helicopters!!! They're HUGE in real life.

My favorite was the little Juniata River near where spruce creek dumps in. There is a big bend down stream from there where a couple guys with trucks can setup and do a float trip. It doesn't have the same thrill as Penn's Creek with the Green Drake hatch, but it didn't have the pressure and held some great fish.

You are spot on with less trout per area with stocking. That was what that study showed, stocked fish were wearing out the native fish and they were dying and had reduced reproduction and stocked fish were not making up for the numbers. They were easy pickin's for beavers and the like, so the net result was that in many streams stocking hurt.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I saved more milk jugs because I still have more of Sandbur's Buckman and Yellow Dog crab seedlings to stick in them. The Yellow Dog seedlings are going crazy!! Even the seeds with root radicles in a zip-lock bag w/ wet paper towel are growing w/ 1st leaves in the bag!! Glad I bought a big bag of potting mix 2 weeks ago. Both Buckman & Yellow Dog seedlings that I've already potted are working on their 3rd set of leaves. All seedlings are inside next to a south-facing set of sliding doors. I even have a few pots of herbs for my wife growing there.

I'll be busy planting more Sandbur sprouts today in those jugs.

 

[sandbur]

I saved more milk jugs because I still have more of Sandbur's Buckman and Yellow Dog crab seedlings to stick in them. The Yellow Dog seedlings are going crazy!! Even the seeds with root radicles in a zip-lock bag w/ wet paper towel are growing w/ 1st leaves in the bag!! Glad I bought a big bag of potting mix 2 weeks ago. Both Buckman & Yellow Dog seedlings that I've already potted are working on their 3rd set of leaves. All seedlings are inside next to a south-facing set of sliding doors. I even have a few pots of herbs for my wife growing there.

I'll be busy planting more Sandbur sprouts today in those jugs.

How tall do you let them get before removing from the milk jugs and are the roots starting to curl?

Are you seeing any bronze leaves in the Buckman crab seedlings?

I keep hoping for a good eating red fleshed apple or crab. I haven’t planted any Buckman seeds, but went with Open pollinated Kinderkrisp and Almata for this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur -
I don't see any bronze leaves yet on any of the seedlings. As of now they are only about 2 1/2" to 3" tall, but have opened a set of "real" leaves - not the round ones from the seed husk splitting - and are growing their 2nd set. I'll most likely transplant them into pots this coming week so as not to cause a problem with the roots. No root curling yet. They're in about 6" of moist potting mix in those jugs. When I transplant them, I'm going to mix in some black, crumbly humus-rich compost to the potting mix going into the pots, and put them in pots big enough to take them through the summer. Our back patio next to the shed is sheltered from the prevailing winds and gets sun all day. Those crabs should do really well there. I'll baby them and let them get a little "woody" on the stems before they go outside for any period of time.

If I see any bronze leaves start to show, I'll let you know.

Some snow squalls here yesterday!! Crazy up & down temps. and weather. We went from 75 degrees to 31 degrees since last week.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur's seedlings of Buckman and Yellow Dog crabs are opening their 3rd set of leaves. I've individually potted some and they look great. I have more to transplant out of the milk jugs into their own pots so they can grow all summer in them. So far they are kicking butt !!!