Seed Saving Circle 2016?

[pumkinlover]

Even better then 

[pumkinlover]

[sunloving]

Ooh lovel chillies and thankyou for the jelly melon advice I'm really hopeful now as the two biggest melons are turning yellowish already and there are a few catching up size wise. Would be great to send in three varieties on my first swap!

Have lots of crystal lemon cukes if anyone wants them?

[Elfeda]

Sofar I  saved the fallowing seeds

Aubergine - round  green stripy turns into golden when ripe. and creamy when cooked.
Jalapeno Pepper
Tomato - similar to 'surenders' cultivar
Runner bean (desiree)
Barlotti dwarf
Cayanee Chilli
Cape gooseberry


and saved one greenhouse cucumber (not sure if at all any seds inside)

[galina]

Good news that it's all coming together Sunloving.  And the crystal lemon cucumbers sound great.

Elfeda,  nice selection from you also.  That aubergine especially sounds very yummy and attractive.  Do you have a variety name?   

[Elfeda]

Galina,

similar to fallowing variety . it is very much stripy green and pale with round shape instead.

http://www.rareseeds.com/lao-green-stripe-eggplant/

[galina]

ohhh, so pretty, never seen one like it.   

[sparrow]

Is it too early to have a 'who's in' roll call? I'm starting to bag up peas/beans/toms for the circle and just want to make sure I have enough. Chillies are still a very long way off being ready though.

[galina]

Well the timing of the final roll-call and the exchange date is up to Jayb.  I trust she will be along shortly and explain how and when, to answer your question, Sparrow.

There are 12 contributors who have posted during the growing season and another 3 or 4 who might check in about now and tell us how they are going and which two or more varieties they have saved seeds from or are in the process of saving seeds from.    

Maybe this is a good time to reassure everybody that should the varieties they have saved be very different from what they set out, please don't worry.  My own offering is nothing like I had planned, this is what happens.  Nature and slugs doesn't cooperate and sometimes we just don't manage enough seed for the circle with the best intentions.  Maybe the resulting packet is smaller than intended.  And often it is a really generous packet when things went well.  As long as seed has been saved for everybody and the contributor has done his or her best to save pure varieties or otherwise state that they are an intentional mix, it's all good!  We also had tps, tubers and bulbs in addition to seeds in this circle.  It is not a competition nor a showcase for the most exclusive varieties, but a learning and sharing opportunity in a friendly, like-minded group.  I particularly love that stimulus to grow something new and different from my normal varieties.  Something that has done well elsewhere.  There are many plants in the garden that reflect the efforts and interests of the group and provide much edible delight.      

[penedesenca]

I am still in and finally know what else I have in any quantity to offer - Yay! So potato onions (provided they don't do anything last minute) Lettuce - lillier and achocha - exploding cue 

[galina]

Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge?  Yay on the potato onions and achocha too. 

[penedesenca]

Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge?  Yay on the potato onions and achocha too. 

Yes that's the one, but I have never got them to as big as 500g mind you I tend to pick off the leaves as and when anyway. The red tinge only shows when the weather is cooler. Is that a good thing or was it a reference type question? 

[galina]

Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge? 

Yes that's the one, but I have never got them to as big as 500g mind you I tend to pick off the leaves as and when anyway. The red tinge only shows when the weather is cooler. Is that a good thing or was it a reference type question? 

I was curious whether your Lillier is the same as my Liller or a different lettuce with a similar name - and it is the same according to your description.     Got my seeds originally from Heritage Seed Library.  I also only get the red tinge occasionally.   I may have had one this big, but gave it to a neighbour who had admired them.  Mine are also usually picked by the leaf.   Great that you are adding this lettuce to the seed circle - a very good thing indeed!   

[Silverleaf]

I definitely have Telephone peas this year, not sure what else yet though!

[sunloving]

The first jelly melon is almost ripe now might eat it tomorrow here's to some good seeds inside!

[galina]

The first jelly melon is almost ripe now might eat it tomorrow here's to some good seeds inside!

Sunloving, thats great news    - just a suggestion if I may?  Give it another week until the fruit is more orange than green/yellow.  To sweeten up and for the seeds to ripen a little more. This photo is a few years old, but the fruit was delish and fully ripe   

PS I should perhaps have said that they can be eaten at any stage, green they are more cucumberish in flavour and orange they taste more tropical, but full ripeness is best for the seeds.  Also they will keep for a long time, a couple of months certainly.  I remember eating the last one in the new year. 

[ruud]

wenn is the seedcircle starting?

[galina]

I am drying the seedheads from the perennial leek that Goodlife gave me.  Cut them a while ago because I did not want to risk losing seeds or seeing them damaged through frost.  Have looked them over earlier today and a few black seeds are emerging, but they still need a few weeks further drying.

However I have found leek babies inside the heads.  These are the equivalent of garlic bulbils and each one is a ready-made little plant.  Will give them a little tlc and plant them up in little pots to got out when they are big enough.  I have also noticed these mini-leeks when saving seeds from ordinary leeks.      

[galina]

wenn is the seedcircle starting?

Ruud that's up to Jayb.  Has anybody heard from her recently? 

[sunloving]

Gallina that's great advice I've got three more on the way and so will keep them a little longer. Have the first lot fermenting but they do seem a little thin. X sunloving

[Jayb]

Sorry I've not been about as much lately, but I'm catching up with everyone's news and I'll be doing an update later today