Sprout Photo Update! Germinating Albizia julibrissi, Pink Silk Tree Seeds (Part 4)

March 1: Planting Day -- Germinating Albizia julibrissi, Pink Silk Tree Seeds (Part 3)

Because of some technical difficulties the little effect of having the date and time in red in the top right  of the photos hasn't been working, but I didn't want an affectation to delay this post any further than it has.

Update later or not, here is the photo journal of planting day for Albizia julibrissi, and I am delighted to say that eight of the 10 sprouted!

 

 

From here I won't be keeping track of them by scarification methods so much and instead just concentrating on caring for them. But up til this point, both the Clipped (the baggie with 5 seeds) and Clipped+Scarified (baggie with 3 seeds) bunches have fared the best.

Although not all of them had rooted at least 2cm yet I decided to plant all of them together at once, roughly1cm below the soil's surface.

There is one tiny one that honestly I am a little concerned about as well as the very largest because the tip of the root got stuck in the paper towel and snapped off. That said, nutrients from the soil might be exactly what they need, so I planted those as well instead of leaving them in the paper towel. (I'm tempted to spoil the outcome, but will share it in the next post instead).

 

For soil I didn't have high quality bonsai soil on hand so I used MiracleGro's Cactus, Palm & Succulent Fast-Draining Formula. It has a mixture of nutrient-rich soil to feed the sprouts and sand to keep it well-drained and prevent molding. So although it wasn't what is most highly recommended, a quick Google suggested that this often works well for bonsai tree growing and the traits sounded like what is needed. Also, Albizia julibrissi grows as an invasive species in USA, so it gave me a little extra optimism for how my little sprouts may fare living in a temperature-controlled indoor environment.

The pots I used are trainers with lots of drainage at the bottom. For now there are two per pot a couple inches apart, and then later I'll separate them into their own separate ones.

The internet cautioned to ensure the soil is kept moist so the sprouts don't dry out, and a local threat here is our cat who likes biting plants. While Albizia julibrissi is not poisonous so he would be fine, the sprouts probably wouldn't be so I also blocked them off with a giant clear lid from another gardening tray.

This project is keeping me very pumped, and I'm excited to share some growth progress with you in Part 4.

Germinating Albizia julibrissi, Pink Silk Tree Seeds (Part 2)

It is day three of germinating Albizia julibrissi seeds, and we have sprouts!

Of the ten seeds, seven of them have begun to sprout, including the one I had accidentally injured. 

Here is today's photo journal:

As shown in a couple of the photos, I had taken baggies C and S+C  (clipped and scarified + clipped) and held them in my hands to take a closer look at them. While I had washed my hands just a few minutes before, I also may or may not have been rushing a bit for work and munching on avocado toast opening the sprouts up to breadcrumb contamination, so those two bags were rinsed and the paper towel changed.

While there isn't a very large sample size, the five originally scarified seeds seem to be doing better or growing faster compared to the five that were not as a collective. The exception would be the big one paced in the center of the baggie, which was notably softer than the others part-way through the pre-germination soaking process.

It was recommended to transfer the seeds after they have developed roots 2cm long so that may be the next benchmark for part 3.

Germinating Albizia julibrissi, Pink Silk Tree Seeds (Part 1)

Over the past day I have been intermittently occupied with trying to germinate some Albizia julibrissi, pink silk trees. I've never tended to bonsai trees before but have always found them adorable and today's post is about my first steps in a second attempt at growing some from seed.

My first attempt was after receiving a kit from my good friend, Lauren, but unfortunately none of the seeds sprouted. This time I'll be using some of the equipment from that kit, but doing more supplementary research to educate myself on how to successfully raise some tiny trees.

Between the instructions on the packaging and what I read on the internet, there was a wide variety of methods for germination that can mainly be sorted into mechanical help and water-based methods, but either way there was a strong focus on getting the water to absorb into the seed despite the hard outer casing.

Over the past 26 hours or so, I have made my own process a messy mishmash of sources that using near boiling water, boiling water, nondescript "warm but not boiling water", and water at 32deg C, as well as making small cuts, scraping the outer shell, and slipping its end with a nail clipper. They include the ones to follow:

http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1968-28--propagation-of-albizia-julibrissin.pdf

https://dailyimprovisations.com/experiments-sprout-mimosa-tree-seeds-albizia-julibrissin/

https://www.gardenguides.com/79504-propagate-silk-tree-seeds.html

https://bonsaisupply.ca/products/silk-tree-albizia-julibrissin-bonsai-seeds#:~:text=Germination%20Instructions%20for%20Silk%20Tree%20Seeds%3A&text=Soak%20them%20in%20warm%20water,soil%20thoroughly%20before%20planting%20seeds.

https://twiningvinegarden.com/shop/trees-shrubs/foliage/albizia-julibrissin-seeds-silk-mimosa-tree/#:~:text=Place%20seed%20in%20resealable%20baggie,long%20into%20communal%20growing%20pot.

Here is a photo story of the (very messy, nonlinear, patchwork) journey up til now:

Submerged all 10 seeds in a glass of warm, but not boiling water. (Maybe about 40 degrees C)

 

The next morning

A few hours later... evil plastic bag time, around 4pm

Super psyched one of the scarified ones is starting to sprout!

My process is very patchwork with too many changing variables to have an actual control group, but it is a learning experience.

Next time I will be more conservative in my clipping of the outer casing, and make it more directed at the edge where the opening will be more helpful as opposed to just scarring it across anywhere that feels convenient to hold. I will also go straight to more mechanical means of getting through the hard outer casing.

For now the seeds are sitting in the warmest part of my home, and hopefully this saga will continue with some interesting progress to tell of.

Canada's Ban on Single-Use Plastics

"Starting on December 20, 2022, with the prohibition on the import and manufacture of single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from problematic plastics, stir sticks, and straws; the prohibition on the sale of these items will come into force in December 2023"

- Government of Canada, December 17, 2022

January 2023 Study's Prediction on Global Glacier Change in the Next One Hundred Years (also, icebreaking NN's haitus)

After an extended hiatus, thank you to everyone who is still here and welcome back to Nature Nimbus. 

To break the ice, let's start with sharing a bit of research on a new study on the fate of the world's glaciers.

Global Glacier Change in the Next One Hundred Years

A study published on January 5th of this year in the journal Science estimates that there will be substantially more loss of glaciers in the next century than predicted by previous models. David R. Rounce and his team predict that this figure may look like one quarter to one half of glacier masses on the planet may melt within the next 100 years.

Chris Mooney of the Washington post writes:

"The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, finds that even with just 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming above preindustrial levels, some 104,000 of the world’s more than 215,000 mountain glaciers and ice caps will melt, raising global sea levels by a little shy of 4 inches." (Mooney, 2023)

As many people already know, glaciers are giant, ancient masses of ice. Their melt provides water, and they are so massive that whether they stay frozen or they melt significant impacts sea levels, and has implications for availability of drinking water.

The term "pre-industrial climate" could technically refer to any point in time before the industrial revolution. Left undefined, this can make for a bit of a difficult point of reference to work with because measurements of temperature available before the industrial revolution are limited. However, a study may choose to declare a more specific time range, such as an IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C using 1850–1900 as a point of reference pre-industrial temperature explaining,"[1850-1900] is the earliest period with near-global observations and is the reference period used as an approximation of pre-industrial temperatures in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report" (IPCC, n.d.).

Further, "1.5 degrees Celsius of warming" refers to the total average temperature around the whole world, not in one smaller, more local place. This is why in spite of global warming, there can still be very intense winter storms with changing climate. Some places are warming faster than others. Predicting what effects this could have on local weather events for example can be very difficult, though many people around the world have experienced a change in climate and lived through more severe weather events than expected.

The COP21 Paris agreement in 2015 had made the goal of preventing 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming globally, though if temperatures continue to rise at the rate that they currently are, this goal will not be met (IPCC, n.d.).

A Recent Student's Perspective

Something that struck me as a student in an environmental program was the emphasis on climate resilience. I had expected much more emphasis on combating climate change itself, but instead the message I found was that one of the most critical ways civil engineers and technicians can help is to design and build infrastructure in a way helps communities accommodates expected changes in climate.

While this message could received as resignation, a more fruitful approach may be to see it as adaptation. Although it is too late to change our past choices, there is still much good that can be done when we are resolved to do the best we can to manage the cards still in our hand.

Sources

IPCC. (n.d.). FAQ Chapter 1. Global Warming of 1.5 ºC. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from 

https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/faq/faq-chapter-1/ 

Mooney, C. (2023, January 8). Half of Earth's glaciers could melt even if key warming goal is met, 

study says. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/01/05/glaciers-melt-this-century-warming/ 

Dark Sky Preserves & Peak Perseid Meteor Shower August 11-13

The Perseid meteor shower has been showing its lights since July, but this week it is at its peak. From yesterday, August 11, to tomorrow August 13th it will be showering the skies with about 12 shooting stars per hour.

We are hoping for clear skies to watch from here in Southern Ontario, and if you have the chance to watch this beautiful lightshow, locations you can watch from include from your own home or favourite personal watch spot, or from designated dark sky preserves.

A dark sky preserve is an area designated as protected from light pollution. This both provides brilliant stargazing experiences, and benefits the local ecosystem as it prevents wildlife cycles from being disturbed by artificial lights.

A list of dark sky preserves can be found in the link below:

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/experiences/ciel-sky

In the Greater Toronto Area nautical twilight (a time when it is dark enough to see the brightest planets) begins just before 9pm tonight. More precise local times can be looked up on timeanddate.com.

Earth Day 2021: Taking a Walk In the PaRx

Happy Earth Day. If you have been following ecotherapy posts, this one is especially for you.

As of March 2021, the Park Prescriptions Program was launched in Ontario. This enables doctors to give a "PaRx" medical prescription of spending time in nature (Martinko, 2021). 

Why this can be so beneficial it is no mystery to many people throughout the world, across many cultures and varieties of physical environments. The mental and emotional benefits of greenspace and bluespace on people in urban workplaces has been studied, as well as the emotional impacts of low vitamin D and not getting enough sun. 'Forest Bathing' has also been discussed across continents, and the developmental benefits of free play in nature was examined in depth by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child In the Woods.

Louv is also the man who coined the term 'nature deficit disorder'. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the book anymore, but it might have been in the foreword where he wrote about how he didn't come up with that term intending to add to medical jargon. However, now in the midst of the pandemic it is possible that this descriptive term might resonate with more people than ever.

And for some, maybe especially during Earth Month.

Surprising to many, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) tends to be at its worst starting in the spring. While winter blues is real, seasonal depression takes a new swing in April of each year (CMHA).

This year, there is also a pandemic to deal with that has come with grief for many, and that has stretched on much longer than some us might have anticipated. The third wave that loomed over Ontario for a little while arrived with rain and earlier sunsets and collective complaints of bad sleep; this increase of insomnia over the pandemic in Canada as well as other countries such as China has been dubbed "coronasomnia" (Lufkin, 2021).

Original source unknown. Different versions of this meme

are being reposted all over social media.

There may be many factors driving this, but less time outside may very well be amoung them. Sunlight is known to play a key role in maintaining the body's healthy circadian rhythm, while exposure to artificial lights can be disruptive to this. Experiments from University of Rochester found a nearly 40% increase in vitality of participants spending time outside in green, natural environments. (Heid, 2016).

Referenced Times writer Mark Heid also highlighted this point from Richard Ryans, a psychology professor from University of Rochester: "While more is better, just 20 minutes a day spent in green spaces has an “enhancing effect” on vitality, Ryans says, as long as you leave your smartphone behind. If that’s not possible, packing your place with plants or just looking at photos of nature can chill you out, he says."

And with numbers to sketch out the details or not, many would wholeheartedly attest to the positive associations between lowered feelings of stress, and more good feelings when spending time in nature.

There is also information on park prescriptions available for patients and doctors alike, including on parkprescriptions.ca/prescribers. This page includes explanation on why writing out a PaRx is particularly beneficial to patients. It also touches on how people connecting with nature also benefits the environment as a whole, which extends out including the natural environment and communities (Mackay, 2019). 

This year has been hard on so many people, but time in nature has most certainly softened the blow. In parks and on trails, and while drinking a bit of sun next to plants on windowsils. Some words people have used to describe how they feel in nature include invigorated, peaceful, creative, happier, kinder.

Earth Day is in a sense, a reminder for us to be kind. This Earth Day and every day, may we be kind, and find happiness in the little things.

Sources

CMHA. (n.d.). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/seasonal-affective-disorder-2/

Heid, M. (2016, April 27). You Asked: Is It Bad to Be Inside All Day? Retrieved April, 2021, from https://time.com/4306455/stress-relief-nature/

Mackay, C. M., & Schmitt, M. T. (2019). Do people who feel connected to nature do more to protect it? A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 65, 101323. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101323

Martinko, K. (2021, March 10). Ontario Doctors Can Now Prescribe Time in Nature to Patients. Retrieved March, 2021, from https://www.treehugger.com/ontario-doctors-prescribe-time-nature-patients-5115293#:~:text=Two hours a week, 20,from time spent in nature

Lufkin, B. (2021, January 25). The 'coronasomnia' phenomenon keeping you from getting sleep. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210121-the-coronasomnia-phenomenon-keeping-us-from-getting-sleep

Visit parkprescriptions.ca/whynature for more information on Canada's PaRx program, and how it helps.