Indigo to grow
Poking around trying to figure out if indigo will grow in my area. I wonder if our hot dry summers would kill the tropical plants. I wonder if I could irrigate it enough and provide afternoon shade to let it thrive? It might be worth a test at least.
I am looking at two different kinds, one is Japanese indigo (Polygonum tinctorum), aka dyer's knotweed. This seems to be popular for fresh dyeing, especially in Maine and northern parts of the US. The other two are native to the Americas, as in central and southern (Indigofera suffructicosa and Indigofera arrecta). Both types require heat and moisture. We've got the heat... moisture? not really. But both do well in soil of differing pH, in sandy or clay soils. I cannot get woad, which is most likely to grow here, as it is considered a weed on the controlled list for the state, so no ordering those seeds.
I am tempted to get plants of the first two, which I've found a source or two of seeds for the knotweed, and a plant source for the suffructicosa. But the mature size of the plants kind of limit where I can put them, and still have space for my vege garden, and the madder and weld plants I also want.
Choices, choices... and I need to choose soon.
...
Or I could just use the indigo crystals I still have some to use. I just want to do a fermentation urine pot, and I am not sure I can ferment with the crystals. I think I need to read some more, but the book I have was before freeze dried crystals were created, so it deals with fresh and caked indigo.
Edit: I think I will hold on indigo, but get the madder & weld seeds. Madder takes at least two years to get the roots, so may as well get that started asap. I can use what I have in the indigo crystals for now.
I am looking at two different kinds, one is Japanese indigo (Polygonum tinctorum), aka dyer's knotweed. This seems to be popular for fresh dyeing, especially in Maine and northern parts of the US. The other two are native to the Americas, as in central and southern (Indigofera suffructicosa and Indigofera arrecta). Both types require heat and moisture. We've got the heat... moisture? not really. But both do well in soil of differing pH, in sandy or clay soils. I cannot get woad, which is most likely to grow here, as it is considered a weed on the controlled list for the state, so no ordering those seeds.
I am tempted to get plants of the first two, which I've found a source or two of seeds for the knotweed, and a plant source for the suffructicosa. But the mature size of the plants kind of limit where I can put them, and still have space for my vege garden, and the madder and weld plants I also want.
Choices, choices... and I need to choose soon.
...
Or I could just use the indigo crystals I still have some to use. I just want to do a fermentation urine pot, and I am not sure I can ferment with the crystals. I think I need to read some more, but the book I have was before freeze dried crystals were created, so it deals with fresh and caked indigo.
Edit: I think I will hold on indigo, but get the madder & weld seeds. Madder takes at least two years to get the roots, so may as well get that started asap. I can use what I have in the indigo crystals for now.