Topic: Seed Sharing Circle 2012

[Debs]

Update from me  :D
Red Pear seem to be doing well although need some sun to ripen them
Golden Sunrise - not sure if they will produce much will have to wait & see

Debs

[aj]

Beetroot being harvested, parsnip all in - so looking good.

I have some Aranylama Tomato seeds, should be enough for a few each - plus Latah.

and maybe some Dwarf Beans Redlands Greenleaf - and am waiting on a few from USA swaps - so depending on numbers that mature again, a few each might be possible.

And chillis and peppers - may have a few of these, just waiting for things to mature - to see how many seeds are inside. Seem to have alot of Fatallis so I think this is a definitely maybe.

Definitely need to know numbers 'in' soon so that I can bag things up as they dry out - I haven't got space to leave them all out for ages.

[Poolcue]

We got Latah last year in the seed circle

[aj]

But aren't there new people this year?

To be honest, with this year, I'm happy to have any seeds but I'll use the Latah somewhere else if people don't want it.

[martinburo]

Realseeds say that Latah is (one of) the earliest. Do you find this is true? All my tomatoes got blight before any ripened, so I didn't find out.

[Poolcue]

Realseeds say that Latah is (one of) the earliest. Do you find this is true? All my tomatoes got blight before any ripened, so I didn't find out.

It is an early performer and tastes fairly decent too.

[Jayb]

I picked some of the Baun onion seed heads this afternoon. The ripest seed heads are starting to split open, so I've brought them inside whilst they finish drying, seed heads are hanging up in paper bags (big envelopes made from newspaper).

[Poolcue]

Some of my Reisentraubes are finally turning red. :)

[Debs]

But aren't there new people this year?

To be honest, with this year, I'm happy to have any seeds but I'll use the Latah somewhere else if people don't want it.

AJ I am new to this seed swap and am sure I won't be the only newbie to this & would be very happy to receive some of your seeds in a parcel

Debs x

[Jayb]

Latah is a lovely tomato, I think well worth growing.

I've just been rinsing another of batch Bedtimes Macbeth seeds, afraid I don't think I'm going to have many each as they don't produce many seed and some not at all. But this I think will be an excellent early variety to grow or perhaps one to sow fairly late and crop into autumn, as it quick to crop and been bred to tolerate low temperatures. This variety may not 100% stable but all the plants I've grown this year have given uniform results.

[Jayb]

Bedtimes Macbeth tomatoes, still a bit short of seed but lots more fruits to come yet.

[aj]

I've found that a fair few varieties of toms this year have matured on the vine but the seeds have not been mature enough to save.  :o Never had that before!

[Jayb]

Me too, this season although I've had seedless or low seed count occasionally mostly from the earliest set fruit of early season types, some are able to set fruit without proper pollination, eg Ditmarsher. I've found this year's cool temperatures and damp conditions have really hampered pollen production and fruit set  :(

Bedtimes Macbeth's low production of seeds is due to it's breeding http://tatermater.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=751 but the plus is it's resilience to low temperatures.

[Jayb]

I have sampled some of the HSL Black Pod runner beans and they do taste good, stringless when young  :)  Although these are being grown fairly isolate from other varieties, it is possible some beans may be crossed and will need roguing when grown. Hopefully they will produce enough to share with the group, it's been very windy here the last few days which has battered the flowers about, so I hope they make a bit of a recovery.

[Digeroo]

Very interested in your pic.  Mine are red perhaps I could call the older ones maroon.  I have harvested very few so hope to get lots for next generation. As said they will need roguing out.  Perhaps the ph of the soil makes a difference to the colour like hydrangeas.

[Jayb]

Yes they do look red don't they  :)
Lol, yep it's been hard looking at all the lovely beans forming and not picking them! - makes it all the harder when slugs have been a problem eating the lower set beans, but then slugs seem to be a problem with most things this year  ::)

[Toshofthe Wuffingas]

Interesting what people have said about seed setting in tomatoes. I sliced open a dozen or so tomatoes to sun dry yesterday and today, some small, some larger and got three seeds! It was a self grown variety saved from a distinctive tomato I saw in Barcelona shops which they called Montserrat. The tomatoes I grow from them are very different from what I saw in the shops. Their Montserrats named after a distinctive limestone hill range in Catalonia were semi green, beefsteak size, thin skinned and almost hollow. I guess they stuff them. Anyway, what I got from them is like a much smaller Brandywine, dense fleshed with good flavour.....and no seeds!
I also grow Brandywines and have masses of seeds saved from one that reached 1lb 4oz. I also have a fair amount of seed from another saved Spanish tomato that I call Yellow Lightbulb from its shape and colour. This years crop is from the greenhouse but I have had good crops from it outside in the garden. It is a trifle bigger than a cherry tomato and is both attractive to look at and has a good flavour.
I don't think I am in the same league as the specialist seed collectors here but I have these and a few other things that might prove welcome to some people.

[markfield rover]

Gosh all change here!
What a season eh ! But still standing -just. I will have cf bean Old Homestead ( sorry to confuse earlier by saying this was a pea)
 late to flower but strong and Mr Brooks Blue dfb well 18-24 inches  very pretty and best picked small, lovely dark plant ( loads of seeds, may compensate for the following) Tomato -
Queen of hearts I may have very few seeds but I guess some may be better than none. 
Hope this okay.

[Jayb]

Hi Tosh, I searched earlier in the year for Montserrat seeds as the tomato has such a good write up. Not widely available but I did find some at More Veg. Not many in the packet but I can send you a few if you'd like to try them alongside your saved seeds? It sounds like the tomato seeds you saved were likely from a F1 variety as you have quite a different type growing from the tomato it was saved from, or possible the seed was cross pollinated. Sounds an interesting project and one where you will end up with your own unique variety. Did you grow more than one of these plants? I'm just wondering if they were different or all very similar in type?

I'm hoping we will have a better idea of numbers taking part by the end of the month, if there is space perhaps you would like to join in, or we should be starting a new Circle off in the New Year which you would also be very welcome to join?

Yellow Light Bulb sounds an interesting sort, I guess no way to trace the original name?
Just a thought if you'd like to swap a few tomato seeds there's always the tomato swap https://sites.google.com/site/virtualtomatoswap/ I should be listing a few more new ones soon, or you might want to start a thread in the swap section.

[Jayb]

Hi Markfield, good to hear from you, sounds like your beans have done well 

Tomato - Queen of hearts I may have very few seeds but I guess some may be better than none. 

How did you find these? HSL describes them as  " The fruits are thin-skinned, sweet and almost heart-shaped.” I wouldn't describe mine as heart shaped perhaps almost at a push with some of them! But it's a bit vague and could be said for other varieties too? Taste has been ok but not overly sweet which may be the lack of sunshine.  As long as mine are true to type I should have a few more seeds I can add to yours to make to the numbers.