Topic: Seed sharing circle 2011

[Jayb]

If everyone is in agreement, I think this year's circle now be closed to new members. Hopefully everyone who wanted to join has  :)

I'm having a bit of a rethink on some of the varieties I had thought I would like to be providing, my offerings may change a bit;

I've had no success germinating Mashua seeds so far this year. I've one more batch to have a go with, I had read they could be tricky. If anyone has any tips or advice, that would be great. I can still aim to harvest seeds if anyone wants them, just seems a bit mean to put them in as one of my choices if they are problematic to germinate.

Also I'm not sure how practical 250+ corn plants are going to be?!

[lottiedolly]

OK i am tipping my hat in the ring, I am growing a selection of tomatoes outdoors this year and whoever does the best, is the one i shall be offering, will let you know what ones i am growing when it comes to sowingtime.

I am definitely offering Sikkim cucumber as I think it is something different for everyone.

I am still scratching my head on the bean front though as I know that we all have tried so many. I have put a few of all my varieties in a large A4 envelope and it has started to tear, so I know i must have quite a few and there must be something there so I shall be sorting out from that what i am growing this year and the best one (that is different) shall be used for the circle although i will confirm that it will be a climber as I seem to be able to squeeze in more of them than dwarf beans.

I will also confirm later if I will be saving seeds of a cabbage or lettuce.

Gosh reading this post, I am still quite vague but starting to have an idea  ;D

[lottiedolly]

Sorry Emma, did not mean to ignore you, yes I think it is a good idea to close the circle now as people have had quite a bit of time to join and we now can start to work out quantities we need to save.  ;D

[markfield rover]

Okay the plan is: cfb Bonne Bouche and Birds Egg pea King Tut.
I will be sowing plenty of  the weird and wonderful so if any really work out those may well become contenders.
Good luck everybody.

[aj]

I've had no success germinating Mashua seeds so far this year.

I missed some posts earlier - what that then?

[galina]

If everyone is in agreement, I think this year's circle now be closed to new members. Hopefully everyone who wanted to join has  :)

How many are we now? 20 or 21?  We'll need to grow quite a bit more seed than last year, or the packets will be tiny, but we should still be okI think.   :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

So that's about 200 seeds for everyone to have ten each. That should be manageable.

[galina]

So that's about 200 seeds for everyone to have ten each. That should be manageable.

I can't manage ten seeds each for squashes and other lower seed count vegetables unless circumstances are very favourable this year.   It should be easy for peas, French beans and tomatoes.  On the other hand, would you really consider ten seeds a suitable amount for say leeks, carrots or turnips?  

What do others in the group think about packet sizes?

[aj]

What do others in the group think about packet sizes?

I'm sure some people will drop out - I'll worry about it in about 8 months time.

I don't mind dropping out if there are too many people.....after all I did say at the start that I would.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You don't need ten for squashes. Maybe fifty of the smaller seeds? The HSL provide fifty of things like cabbages, ten of peas or beans, and three squashes.

[Jayb]

I've had no success germinating Mashua seeds so far this year.

I missed some posts earlier - what that then?

Mashua is a related to garden nasturtiums, they are a climber, also pretty good at covering ground too. They have gorgeous orange flowers and produces edible tubers. Tastes mustard/peppery when raw (watch out if you take a big bite of a raw one!) , but much more mellow when cooked. Varieties tend to be day length sensitive, flowering and producing tubers in mid to late autumn. The variety Ken Aslet does not appear to be DL sensitive. Cabbage whites can be a bit troublesome but I’ve found not as bad as on nasturtiums or brassicas. 

[attachment=1]

Mashua, top left, next to oca.
[attachment=2]

[Jayb]

We are 20 (with the option for Plot51a to join in if she is able)

Good points to be raising Galina. Like AJ, I also think some people will likely drop out, which is why I thought 15-20 was about right. I do agree some seeds are easier to produce than others and seed count will vary on type and whether an in or out breeder. For seed numbers I think the bare minimum is fine and helps encourage future seed saving, rather than having too much which can then be kept as spares for next year? As suggested, basing seed numbers on what HSL send out is I hope realistic numbers for members to save. 

Providing enough seed for the other members to be able to grow and harvest a crop  for seed is the ideal. If not enough to go around, then I’m sure we would be able to work with that.

Thank you for your offer AJ but you don’t get away that easy  ;D

[1066]

thanks for organising Jayb  :)

My list is still somewhat fluid  :D But I am trying to grow lots of peas for seed, would people mind / want some repetitions from last year, bearing in mind we have some different people in the group and in order to keep seed numbers up (for those that might not have a great seed saving year) ?

However, I am getting a sense of groundhog day ............... the Kale will be flowering soon  ;)

1066  :)

[aj]

Thank you for your offer AJ but you don’t get away that easy  ;D

 ;D

[Dandytown]

Well, a little premature I am sure but I have sown my first batch of Edamame for the swap.  Sowed 32 beans in root trainers on Sunday, warmed in the airing cupboard to avoid the beans rotting and low and behold they are all up today.
If I am too early and only time will tell then I will have to start again but from other growers I understand that they need a long warm summer to crop well.

I have prepared a patch in the greenhouse, manured and composted and have warmed the soil with some fabric (I can tell as all the weedlings have emerged) and am planning for the first row to go in at the end of March, covered with fleece or clotch.

[galina]

Jayb, sorry I have never grown, let alone germinated, Mashua.  They look and sound such an interesting vegetable.  I hope you can get some joy from your seeds.

250+ corn plants is a huge undertaking.  I assume you are talking about seed saving.  You need a lot of land to do it all in one year.  The only practical way I know for smaller gardens/allotments, is to grow smaller patches and save over time.  Perhaps 50 of a variety every year for 5 years.  If you choose a variety that produces two or more ears you can eat one and let the other dry and freeze the seeds.  Say you started with 250 seeds, you could grow 50 each year and save seed.  Corn freezes well (with silica gel sachets begged from the shoe shop or baked rice).

[martinburo]

I have no experience with mashua, but it sounds great, so I hope it will work in the end. Maybe you could try stratification or scarification?
http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/seedorders.html

[SueK]

Calling all courgette growers!

I can't manage ten seeds each for squashes and other lower seed count vegetables unless circumstances are very favourable this year. 

Without meaning to prolong Galina's anguish, this made me realise that I haven't the slightest idea how many seeds I would get from a summer squash/courgette - a bit of a downer when I'm hoping to save seeds from a courgette this year!   :)  So, I guess the question is how many actual courgettes should I aim to produce for their seeds?  If I understand the more recent posts correctly, we are looking at 5ish seeds per person in the circle, or roughly 100 seeds.

Also, if I'm growing 4-6 plants to enable me to have enough flowers at the right stage and keep sufficient diversity, when it comes to pollinating the female flowers could I use the females from just one or two plants but the pollen from the rest...?

[aj]

Just the one would probably do you!

I am only coming to the end of one saved pumpkin after 2 years and have given away loads.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You get masses off each fruit.