Topic: Seed sharing circle 2011

[Jayb]

Glad to have you join us poolcue  ;D
I like Koralik, I found them quite early and tasty too, for me not in Sungold Sweet league, but still an enjoyable tomato.

What about a French bean or a pea variety?

[Poolcue]

Glad to have you join us poolcue  ;D
I like Koralik, I found them quite early and tasty too, for me not in Sungold Sweet league, but still an enjoyable tomato.

What about a French bean or a pea variety?

Possibly Moonlight bean

[1066]

Possibly Moonlight bean

what a lovely name!

[aj]

As that's a cross -it would be interesting to see if you get the same babies as the parent once the beans were saved....

[galina]

As that's a cross -it would be interesting to see if you get the same babies as the parent once the beans were saved....

Do you know for certain that Moonlight is a cross between runnerbean and French Bean?  The advertising hype is suitably vague on the subject.  I thought it was a runnerbean for which they claim improved  bean setting (sets as easily as a French bean)?  But haven't been able to find out for definite what this bean is.

Runnerbeans can cross quite easily with other runnerbeans in the vicinity. 

[aj]

As that's a cross -it would be interesting to see if you get the same babies as the parent once the beans were saved....

Do you know for certain that Moonlight is a cross between runnerbean and French Bean?  The advertising hype is suitably vague on the subject.  I thought it was a runnerbean for which they claim improved  bean setting (sets as easily as a French bean)?  But haven't been able to find out for definite what this bean is.

Runnerbeans can cross quite easily with other runnerbeans in the vicinity. 

All I can see is various statements all saying:

Unique Runner/French cross for improved pollination!

They always keep their secrets if possible on things like this! I've nothing other than that! But the suppliers [Suttons said the above] all seem to be stating that it is a cross.

[Poolcue]

On the packet it doesn't say that it is an F1 so that's why I thought I would give it a go.The bean is white so when harvesting the colour should be the same.Time will tell.I will grow this in the garden which is fenced so there will hopefully be no crosses.

[galina]

All I can see is various statements all saying:

Unique Runner/French cross for improved pollination!

They always keep their secrets if possible on things like this! I've nothing other than that! But the suppliers [Suttons said the above] all seem to be stating that it is a cross.

Yes, but Suttons are the only seed sellers saying it is a cross.  Thompson and Morgan seem to have changed their description - the following is their most recent version:
Phaseolus coccineus 'Moonlight'
A major breakthrough in British runner bean breeding. This profusely white-flowering variety combines the valuable characteristics of French beans with those of runner beans. Extra smooth, very fleshy, string-less, 25cm (10in) pods with a great texture and true runner bean taste. The vastly improved flower setting means an earlier and continual crop even during poor weather.
eoq
The use of the Latin name indicates it should be a runnerbean, not an inter species cross.  And they are talking about the characteristics of French beans, rather than actual French Bean genes.  Further nobody describes this as a hybrid bean, for example  Moonlight F1 or similar, which suggests to me that it is open pollinated and true breeding.

As you say, they are not going to tell us how they created this one.  But I doubt it is an interspecies cross.  A long time ago I did not know that I had to bag runnerbean flowers AND handpollinate to get good seed set.  But I did learn that some varieties (Painted Lady for example) do self pollinate quite well, others (Butler for example) will not set inside the bags and definitely need to be pollinated.  Maybe they took a white runnerbean that self-pollinates well and selected for this characteristic and after several generations of selection, they had a reliable self-setting runnerbean.  I wish we knew for sure.

[aj]

Who knows! I suspect the others may just be being selective in their description....if you goggle 'moonlight bean cross' lots of different sources come up so I don't think it is just Suttons....

That's why I originally said it would be good to see if you get the same babies....

[galina]

On the packet it doesn't say that it is an F1 so that's why I thought I would give it a go.The bean is white so when harvesting the colour should be the same.Time will tell.I will grow this in the garden which is fenced so there will hopefully be no crosses.

Yes they should be open pollinated - do give it a go.  If you are not growing another runnerbean in your garden, chances of crossing are very low.

The colour of the harvested seeds should all be white, because the seed coat is genetic material from the mother plant.  There could however be a crossed seed germ inside that white seed coat.  Unfortunately it is not possible to tell from the colour of the harvested seeds.    Only the next generation  shows up any crosses.

Hope this one will be as good as all the descriptions say.  Good growing.

[Jayb]

To my mind seed companies are not the best at labelling what should be. I've been growing Red Rum the last few years, for me it does really well as an early/late crop in the polytunnel, again some companies claim it is a self-pollinating variety. Although not labeled as an F1 T&M state on their site 'Please Note: Seed saved from this hybrid will not come true'.
So Moonlight may well be open pollinated  :-\

[ruud]

This are my first selection toms i will grow this season and ofcourse for the seed circle.
butter and bullheart
porkchop
T.C.jones
canadian dwarf
watermelon beefsteak
great white
ramapo
dynnye
guildo pietroboni
michael pollan
odessa
slovenian black
tondo liscio
mountain princess
rasberry giant
manitoba
red star
There will be more but this is a first selection.

[Jayb]

 ;D
Loving your list Ruud, I'm growing a few you have listed so it will be good to hear how you get on. But I'm no where near deciding what I'm growing altogether :-\ ;D

I really like Brad Gates varieties and have got a few new to me varieties for this season, hoping they prove to be as good as the others I've tried.

[Dandytown]

I have planned my planting and have given up the greenhouse for yard lond red bean noodle and edamame beans in the hope that I get a good crop.  I can confirm that I'll be growing these for the swap.  Put me down for a squash as well, tba.  Thanks

[goodlife]

 ;D This morning I made 'holy' decision for not getting anymore new tomato varieties ::) I have been writing my list and trying to sort out what to grow ::)
To my horror I'm getting nearer to 200 varieties now..and it's growing once I've got all list merged together :-X...but one cannot resist to try something 'new' ;D
Ruud's list is looking very interesting..I'm seeing some that I'm not familiar ;D...I'm loving it...saving and hording more and sharing.. ;D
Luckily I'm not the only one over here.. :-X..I could name few others that are bit bonkers... :-X ;D

[Poolcue]

To my mind seed companies are not the best at labelling what should be. I've been growing Red Rum the last few years, for me it does really well as an early/late crop in the polytunnel, again some companies claim it is a self-pollinating variety. Although not labeled as an F1 T&M state on their site 'Please Note: Seed saved from this hybrid will not come true'.
So Moonlight may well be open pollinated  :-\

I have had a look at T&M site and can find no mention of seed not coming true so I think I will give them a try.

[Dandytown]

;D This morning I made 'holy' decision for not getting anymore new tomato varieties ::) I have been writing my list and trying to sort out what to grow ::)
To my horror I'm getting nearer to 200 varieties now..and it's growing once I've got all list merged together :-X...but one cannot resist to try something 'new' ;D
Ruud's list is looking very interesting..I'm seeing some that I'm not familiar ;D...I'm loving it...saving and hording more and sharing.. ;D
Luckily I'm not the only one over here.. :-X..I could name few others that are bit bonkers... :-X ;D

  ;D

It would appear you are as fanatical about tomatos as I am about pumpkins and squash

[goodlife]

 

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It would appear you are as fanatical about tomatos as I am about pumpkins and squash;D err,,yes,,but I'm same with squashes, beans, kale etc. ::) Every year something else takes my fancy and I'm adding on... not changing from one to other :-X
At least it is harmless fun... ;D (halo is shining) ;)

[aj]

I got some Babington Leeks yesterday from HSL so if I get a decent result I'm happy to add some to the Babington mix on here.

We shall see how they progress :D

[1066]

                 ANNOUNCEMENT
First confession / failure of the year   

Went to the plot yesterday - and the bulbing Fennel was well and truly battered! from 4 plants only 1 seed head left intact! Bought it home and have the grand sum of a dozen seeds  ::)

If this is a competion I must win, being the 1st to fail  :-X  :D

So my friends ........ back to the drawing board......... lettuce, beans, peas, peppers......... (and fingers crossed the kale is doing ok in the garden, but ssshhhhhh.....)


1066  :)