Allotments 4 All

Yet another literary offering.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DNXPV9RP

I'm in awe of the contributions this year 

I'll be adding Corée de Sang, which I received from Guy Dirix. It's a vigourous climber of the shelling/drying type.
https://belleepoquemeise.be/le-roi-du-potager/coree-de-san/

Quote from: JanG on November 20, 2024, 07:00:21
Do you find Shimonita can develop a perennial habit too?

Unlike Red Beard, Shimonita does not split into mulitple bulbs but remains singular. I would presume it dies after flowering - I don't know for certain, as after they set ripe seed I pulled up the lot.

Both are going to be treasured Jan, thank you.  Looking forward to these. 

I spoke too soon when I wrote 'one final'. I think this really is the final final!

I have gathered seeds of agretti, otherwise known as Salsola soda. If you haven't come across it, it's a bit like samphire, kind of succulent and slightly salty.A common name is saltwort. It can be eaten fresh as a salad ingredient or very lightly cooked and is good with spaghetti etc.
The seed has to be very fresh and even then germination is certainly not 100%. I love it, and for me it now self-seeds every year in my polytunnel. You can grow it out of doors as well. Early in the season I think it would benefit from some protection. Once you have it you can keep harvesting fresh seed each year but quite a lot of the seed on sale isn't fresh enough to be any use. I had good seed eventually from Franchi which they sent out within a fairy short window I think. I'm hoping my seed will be good. Real Seeds also supply it. Photo is internet

There have been problems with accessing A4A over the last couple of days and I've emailed circle members separately in case the problems persist. Mercifully they have been fixed for which many thanks.

I have one final contribution to make to the circle. Last season we were aware that the developer of many fine lettuce varieties, Frank Morton, was retiring. There was concern that some of his varieties might fade out of circulation. I had bought several directly from his company back in, I think, 2018. One of these, Mayan Jaguar, successfully germinated this last season so I have seed ready to share. I haven't got a photo but this is an internet image

these are the beans i send with the other seeds:Marie-louise
                                                                     Lazy housewife
                                                                     Rosaweisse
all three are polebeans.

That sounds a really interesting and valuable addition,Vetivert. Do you find Shimonita can develop a perennial habit too?

I have a possible contribution with genetic vigour question marks too. I have grown Double Red sweetcorn (originally from Real Seeds) from two different batches of seed. There were forty plants in my patch, whereas for genetic breadth and vigour rather more are recommended. On the other hand, the fact that the seed was from two different batches grown in different years should contribute to their gene bank I believe. Perhaps if I include the seeds but with that warning. Others might be able to say more about the likelihood of any diminution of vigour.

I also have seeds of Stonor's Most Prolific, a tomato from HSL, pak choi and an ornamental allium, nodding onion, Allium cernuum.

I hope everyone's seed gathering and sorting is going well. Excitement mounts!

I have some Japanese bunching onion seeds to add, of the 'Red Beard' variety.

I had one plant from a couple of years ago, it's established itself on the plot, divided many times and this year provided me with a seed crop. This hasn't appeared to affect the clump which continues to grow. I know you're meant to have at least dozens of onions for seed to maintain genetic vigour, but let's see how these fare. In the germination test they were all up in a flash.

They also flowered last year; I didn't collect the seeds but I'm fairly certain some pollen crossed with the Shimonita, which I shared last year, as some of this year's Shimonita have red stems! Though only a few.

Originally from Real Seeds but they haven't stocked them in a few years.

I apologise for my obsession, but I have noticed that some resistance to maggots is one of the weird things that Ashmeads does - it's not foolproof, but if you look carefully it's obvious that some of the early holes in an Ashmeads heal up really well and don't go mouldy - they are very hard apples when they are young.

When you finally pick them ripe and slice them to eat you see that the holes are still there but only as a a scar that stops about 25-40mm inside. It's very much as if the young maggot was crushed &/or smothered to death.

Other really hard apples like Sturmer Pippins also seem to have less problems with maggots but most have a much tougher skin than Ashmeads.

BTW a Sturmer is like a super Granny Smith - much more flavour and usually sweeter & sharper - often called "a delicious but steely acidity".

Cheers (for heritage apples that put flavour first, not for new ones that put yield first).