Mystery Seed update: Telephone Conversation with Mom

So as I said, I needed to call my mom about the seeds she gave me that were supposed to be swiss chard, except weren't.

(Note: my mom speak to me in what we call, "Chinglish" Chinese-English, so I've italicized her dialogue for your imagination)

(Also, this dialogue gives you an idea of what I dealt with growing up)

ME: Hey mom, the seeds that you sent me... I don't think they're swiss chard.  Is there any way you can talk to the auntie who gave them to me about what they are exactly?

MOM: They're Chinese chard--- I think... 

ME:  Chinese chard? What the heck is Chinese chard?  What does it look like? Taste like?  Have I had this??

MOM:  I think it's something called xian cai.  You've had it before! You like it! 

ME:  Uh.. ok.  I have no clue what this is still... are you sure?  Maybe you should give auntie a call.

MOM:  Ok. I give auntie a call and find out for certain.

MINUTES LATER... *ring ring*

MOM:  I was wrong.  It's a different vegetable.

ME: So what is it?

MOM:  It's a different vegetable.  I can't pronounce or spell it... Auntie speaks a different dialect and all these asian vegetables have different names anyways.

ME:  Wha-?  Can you at least tell me what it's like? 

MOM: It's green.

ME: ..............................................

MOM:  Ok, lots of vegetables are green.  You can put it on rice! In soup! with noodles!

ME:  But how do I plant it?  What temperature or environment does it like?   How big does it get? What kind of light does it need? What does it even look like???  AIIE?!?


MOM:  It's green with darker green on top!!!  About the size of.... arugula?!!
(*This is the only vegetable comparison my mom really knows of... I have no idea why)
*MOM getting huffy*  LOOK, if you don't want the seed, YOU CAN THROW IT AWAY.


ME: Ack, I'm not going to throw it away... that would be a waste.  I just like to know what I'm growing!


MOM:  THROW IT AWAY if you don't want it.  I don't know what to tell you about it.


ME: *sighing*  I'll just test it in one of my beds... and see what happens... *groan*  THANK YOU for the seed...


FIN

So, the lessons here are:
1) My mother is an unreliable source for seed
2) LABEL-LABEL-LABEL! (unless it's in Chinese characters, then I'm useless) 
3)  Gardeners need to be adventurous?


I'll tell you how this mystery seed/plant goes/grows, what it tastes like and take plenty of picks this season!  I am excited/scared about its prospects.

Tag! You're it! Labeling in the garden

I am notoriously bad at labeling plants in my garden, mostly because I know what they generally are (though it would be good to tag those "special" varieties).

Despite this shortcoming of mine, I like making inexpensive, attractive (at least to me) lasting homemade garden tags and give them away for fun.

These tags take very minimal cost and effort and as I don't drink beer or soda in cans much at all, I sort of borrow from my neighbors' recycling... um, no one's had an issue yet?

ALUMINUM BEER/SODA CAN TAGS: (use gloves if you are worried you'll cut yourself):
Materials/tools:
-aluminum can
-box cutters
-scissors (decorative edge ones if you like)
-jumbo smooth metal paperclips
-pushpin/thumb tac with pointy metal tip (optional)
-ball point pen (for permanent marking)
-permanent marker (for changeable marking, but can come off in certain weather conditions)
-paint pen (for more durable changeable marking)
(please don't judge me for the Budweiser... we were desperate!)

(1) Clean out a can and dry it as thoroughly as possible

(2) on the top and bottom of can, cut around the rims, just underneath the angled edges so that it will be a completely open tube

(3) With the scissors, cut from one open end to the other to make a single sheet of metal

(4) Trim the sheet of metal edges with a straight edge pair of scissors or the decorative ones. To make label shape cutting more manageable, use the straight edge of a counter or table and rub the curved back of the ex-can back and forth against the edge to flatten the metal sheet

(5) Cut the metal sheet with scissors into desired tag shapes (squares, rectangles, hearts, birds, leaves, etc.) keeping the edges as smooth as possible

(6) Take a paperclip and using the pushpin if you like, do one or all of the various posting options:

1 hole/2 holes (more paper clip posts, more sturdy)

(Note to make the holes in the metal with the pushpin, you'll want some thick corrugated cardboard or a cork backing to push into so you don't form holes in your table/counter).


Or SWIRLY (may need some pliers to do this)


















(7) Use you writing utensil of choice and write your plant name down and you're done!

(You can sandpaper the back painted part of the can to make it all shiny metal, but I think the color addition and showing off that it's recycled is cool)

These tags do fine indoors or out, and obviously you can "upgrade" your materials, but if you really want to do it on the cheap, this is the way to go.

The paperclip stakes can be interchanged with various materials, like wire coat hangers or even sticks (it's bio-degradable!) but I like paperclips.