Topic: Seed Sharing Circle 2013

[goodlife]

I've left some turnips to over winter in the ground...and they survived....but that was just pure luck with weather that year.
I'm not sure if any of mine would survive in clamp otherwise..I'm sure if I were to make effort and do some fancy storage 'thingies'..surely all manner of rodents would get interested of them.
Other than that I have some metal dustbins with metal lids...those lined with straw and roots layered there and the bin kept in shed have worked well for all manner of things...potatoes too. Hmm..must remember buy another bin..lots of possible roots crops to save for seeds and for eating..

[galina]

Metal bin in the garage , with metal lid, that could work.  Must see what I can find.  Thanks GL :-)

[goodlife]

Only trouble with having lid on bin is that conditions can get quite damp inside..but once I started to use dry straw..the straw keeps the excess humidity soaked up...and occasionally I leave lid undone while I'm pottering about and shut it all back up again later.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Has anyone sown broad beans this late? I just received some interesting Spanish varieties, and I'm tempted to plant one. The late start would isolate it and hopefully get true seed.

[Jayb]

Yes I sowed some last week!

[Jayb]

What is Huauzontle and how do you use it?

Huauzontle  or Aztec Broccoli, sorry I can't help much as it's my first time growing it, it's a little small as yet. I had my seeds from Real Seeds the description sounds good http://www.realseeds.co.uk/cookinggreens.html

[Jayb]

I've not used clamps either, I think it is too wet here. Similarly mice seem in abundance and can be troublesome. I'm not sure which way will be best yet? I'm growing Early Blood beetroots which ideally I'd like to save the best for seed as they are a lovely beetroot which does well here and seed is not easy to come by. I'd also very much like to overwinter some Gilfeather Turnip (Swede) for seed next year. John M was so kind to share some seed with us, I'd like to keep it going for more people to try growing them. Again not an easy variety to source.

[goodlife]

What is Huauzontle and how do you use it?

Huauzontle  or Aztec Broccoli, sorry I can't help much as it's my first time growing it, it's a little small as yet. I had my seeds from Real Seeds the description sounds good http://www.realseeds.co.uk/cookinggreens.html

I grew some last year..for a moment As soon as I planted my plugs..slugs/snails had them, just like they had almost everything else. So cannot say if they are nice or not..easy to germinate for sure.

[goodlife]

I've not used clamps either, I think it is too wet here. Similarly mice seem in abundance and can be troublesome. I'm not sure which way will be best yet? I'm growing Early Blood beetroots which ideally I'd like to save the best for seed as they are a lovely beetroot which does well here and seed is not easy to come by. I'd also very much like to overwinter some Gilfeather Turnip (Swede) for seed next year. John M was so kind to share some seed with us, I'd like to keep it going for more people to try growing them. Again not an easy variety to source.

I've got some Gilfeather going on here too So all going well, plenty of seeds to share
I'm also hoping to store some carrots for next year..got hold of some old Finnish carrot seeds that were grown for two purposes..for fodder and for human consumption as they are sweet enough..apparantely they do grow big and are whitish coloured...but until I see them actually growing and tasted some can't  be sure of anything. I'm eagerly waiting to taste and see what they are like ..and then they need to store over winter too..

[Jayb]

I've got some Gilfeather going on here too So all going well, plenty of seeds to share

Super  are your's going to seed this year? I might do something else next year if you already have lots of seed to share. Then grow them out in a year or two.

I'm also hoping to store some carrots for next year..got hold of some old Finnish carrot seeds that were grown for two purposes..for fodder and for human consumption as they are sweet enough..apparantely they do grow big and are whitish coloured...but until I see them actually growing and tasted some can't  be sure of anything. I'm eagerly waiting to taste and see what they are like ..and then they need to store over winter too..

Your Finnish carrots sound really interesting, look forward to the growing and tasting updates 

[goodlife]

Super  are your's going to seed this year?

No..I've just planted them out as plugs so won't be seeding until next year. It would be nice to have two people doing it...just in case  something goes wrong with either of our crops. I only got few seeds left in a packet so not many second chances here.

[pumkinlover]

Ok so the stuff I was going to do for the circle did not materialise-one of each type of bean only germinated.
Here we go again
I was going to give in and just send in the Shark's fin seeds to distribute but not be a "reciever" I cannot bear the thought of providing minimal or not very interesting stuff whilst being on the recieving end of some fantastic and interesting seeds.
Anyway I have a few things that might be interesting and actually grow! however I am NOT going to say what they are- might as well just spray them with round-up!!

[SueK]

Hello everyone, hoping this finds us all well.
Just reporting really that things are a few weeks behind, but I'm seeing progress at last in some of our Russian tomatoes: Yabloki Na Snegu (Apples in Snow) and Sibirsky Skorospeliy (Siberian Early), both bush plants, and hopefully Leningradskiy Skorospeliy (Leningrad Early) not too far behind; plus the mini-orange peppers are enjoying the current hot spell here in Leeds, like the rest of us. 
Sue

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've got loads of peas flowering. As long as the pigeons don't get to them, there should be plenty of seed. Beans are well behind but looking promising, and a row of rat's tail radish is growing like mad. I've got some Lux de Otono broad beans which are supposed to give a November crop if they're planted now and there's a mild autumn. I'm going to try them anyway,

[Jayb]

Hi SueK  hope you are enjoying the   
Those tomato varieties sound great, looking forward to growing them next year. I've grown a few more bush varieties this year, earliest so far are Betime Macbeth (from last year's seed circle) cropping well, a home bred stipey one, and this morning I noticed a Latah just starting to turn colour.

Oowwha Robert, yum to peas. I can't wait to hear what crops well and will be added to the parcel  Good luck with the broadies, sounds a very useful sort, fingers crossed.

[Jayb]

I'm having a bit of a wobble with Yu Choy Sum Red Stem and Ethiopian Kale. I haven't quite worked out what's what and who can cross pollinate with what.

Here's what the Red Stem looks like

[pumkinlover]

That kale looks lovely and soft- almost like spinach!

[galina]

I'm having a bit of a wobble with Yu Choy Sum Red Stem and Ethiopian Kale. I haven't quite worked out what's what and who can cross pollinate with what.

Here's what the Red Stem looks like

That is very attractive!

[galina]

Ok so the stuff I was going to do for the circle did not materialise-one of each type of bean only germinated.
Here we go again
I was going to give in and just send in the Shark's fin seeds to distribute but not be a "reciever" I cannot bear the thought of providing minimal or not very interesting stuff whilst being on the recieving end of some fantastic and interesting seeds.
Anyway I have a few things that might be interesting and actually grow! however I am NOT going to say what they are- might as well just spray them with round-up!!

Fingers crossed!  Unfortunately bean seeds can rot very fast if they are only the slightest bit overwatered.  Hope your other (secret) plants are doing well.

I was chancing my luck putting up a picture of the lettuce Mescher on the blog page, but the greenhouse plants are starting to shoot up a flower stalk and the outside plants are really showing what the variety can do.  I don't agree with the HSL description that this is a Cos lettuce.  Been to the 'Arche Noah' webpage (Austrian HSL equivalent) and they say that it is a butterhead or Bibb lettuce, as they call it.  I would agree with that.

We have some replacement Mexican Sour Gherkin plants.  But they are still very small and vulnerable to slugs.  Fingers crossed there ............

Had the first bean plants bitten off by voles/mice or whoever does this.  Fingers crossed so far none of the new types. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just planted some rare beans I got from the states a while ago.