Topic: Seed Sharing Circle 2015 and growing progress

[Silverleaf]

Thanks Silverleaf. As long as I remember, I'll try and stick a bag over the flowers when they are finished so the seeds aren't whisked away!

I don't think my scorzonera seed heads blew away because they were chunkier and more firmly held into the head itself. But the bags are a good idea just in case!

[galina]

Sparrow, I agree with Silverleaf, no need for a bag.  The seeds will stay in place much better than dandelion seeds.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You could pick the stems when theyre almost done and let them finish in a jar of water.

[sparrow]

Fair enough - less faff works for me!

Nice idea Robert - might try that too, if I get enough flowers to risk it. :)

[Silverleaf]

I'd love to know what salsify flowers smell like. They look very pretty...

[Jayb]

My Lantern chilli, from Real Seeds, seem to have overwintered well, although I just spotted a bit of green fly, grrr. If they continue to do well, I'm hoping to save seed from them in the summer.

[goodlife]

I'd love to know what salsify flowers smell like. They look very pretty...

How did I not spot this earlier?! Not that I'm great help....but I do have habit of sniffing all flowers to satisfy my curiosity, and I'm SURE I smelled them but cannot recall the 'results'... So either there wasn't any particular scent or it was so faint that my brain didn't think it was worth of remembering I should really train my brain better and remember to register even 'not so worthy' results..

[galina]

I am with you goodlife.  Broad beans - yes (strongly scented especially late in the evening), apple blossom - yes, beetroot and chard - yes  But salsify?  I have never noticed whether they are fragrant.

[Silverleaf]

I just assumed it'd have a smell since scorzonera does.

[sparrow]

Will let you know when they do...:) They are next to the chioggia beetroot I'm also growing for seed/to see what the flowers are like.

It's getting really sunny, warm and my plot's slowly drying out. It's making my soul skippetty-skip with happiness - this winter's been so difficult to sit through!

[goodlife]

I've started to 'wake up' and thinking hard what seeds I might come up this year...
I'm not that much wiser, but I'm thinking of some Scandinavian peas..I did mention them last year but since I did start with so few..I didn't manage to harvest enough for last parcel. BUT I have much more to sow now...so I'm thinking that variety or two of peas might be in order.
Chilli seeds...OFF COURSE! I'm thinking of 'Aribibi Gusano' at least. I absolutely fell in 'love' with it...so much flavour and although it does give some 'punch' with heat...it is not long lasting that rip one's mouth apart. I've plenty of other chillies too but I need to taste them first as they are new to me. So chilli variety or 'two'...
I have some 'new' beans to try too....if those should yield plenty of seeds...I will add them. Again, some Scandinavian varieties that I managed to get from seedbank

Other than those mentioned....I'm still carry on thinking and will give shout as and when I think of something or crops look promising on the plot.

ETA: oh, forgot...I might have a pepper variety to add into 'possible' list

[clumsy]

I would like to join the group if possible. I could share some variety's that we grow here in derby but the original seed at the time came from pakistan or india. We do let plants go to seed to keep our stock topped up. I could share the following seeds with the circle plus could add more variety's later if needed.

Yellow cucumber's the variety's we have been growing are poona kheera which you can get here in the uk now anyway, But another variety that might interest you is dosakai which is a cooking cucumber we use in daal more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber if you go down the page you will see the information it is similiar to the picture but slightly different variant. I think in the western world it is called a melon cucumber.

We also grow calabash or dudhi lawki etc, it's a Bottle gourd but we use it as an alternative to courgette.

[Silverleaf]

They sound very exciting clumsy! :)

[Jayb]

Hi Clumsy, you are very welcome to join 
I haven't grown Poona Kheera, but they look and sound lovely and Dosakai sounds wonderful. I've not grown Bottle Gourd either, so I think any of these would be a great addition for the group. I'll need some growing tips though 

[goodlife]

Hi Clumsy...I'm glad you decided to join ...I did have a niggling feeling that you might find our group interesting enough..
And it is great to have somebody who grow plants from different part of the world...thee is many veg I have heard of but not necessary got round to growing them....yet..
Just like Jayb said..I too will need some growing tips when time comes for me to sow and grow some. Hopefully, as you sow and grow your crops, you could drop a post of progress and how you do your preparations/grow you crops. We will be learning from you as you grow them. Often it is some of those little differences in cultivation that makes the big difference with the crop success.

[galina]

As Jayb and Goodlife said    good to have you in the circle     yes please 'crop school' for me too.  Especially sowing and planting times, how you support them and recipes. 

[clumsy]

Thankyou all. I will try to give as much information on how to grow plus adding picture's to show progress.

I've just been handed these seeds to try to grow a new variety of bottle gourd. I got the title from his seed packet that it is a hybrid but I'm not sure what it means.
I've looked on google for the picture to show you what it looks like. The inforamtion on the site say a new hybrid variety that produces fruits with green skin and white flesh, 500-600 grams in weight. Plants are vigorous and fast growing, starting to bear fruits 50-55 days after sowing. Fruits are very tender, excellent for stir-fry and soup cooking. Very easy to grow and very productive.

This like the other bottle gourds we grow are very easy plus you can plant them outside in june after all chance's of frost have disappeared.

I could share some of these seeds now if anybody is interested in growing them with me.

[Jayb]

A Hybrid means the parents were two different varieties. Sometimes very similar types of parents are used sometimes not, but they bring the qualities the breeder desired and produce identical F1 plants from the seed. They may also bring what is known as hybrid vigor and an F1 (hybrid) plant is often just that bit stronger growing and produces a better crop. If you save seeds from a Hybrid F1 the resulting plants are then called F2 generation (and so on) these F2 plants may be similar to the parent but not identical, as they have a mix of genes from the two parents. If you saved seed from the best growing and producing plants, over time your selection would become more suited to your growing conditions.

Good luck with your new Bottle Gourd 

[Jayb]

As an update, who's taking part and what they might be growing to save.

Goodlife
Markfield rover
Silverleaf
Sparrow
Robert_Brenchley
Ruud
Galina
Pumpkinlover
Ian Pearson
Earlypea
Martinburo
Debs
Clumsy
Jayb


Markfield rover – tomatoes Dwarf Wax (HSL), Veepro Paste (HSL), Vince (HSL), Wild Tomatel Columbianum (HSL). Chickpea Hannan pop bean, David Chappell runner bean,  dahlia.
Silverleaf - Telephone peas, landrace beans.
Sparrow – Lazy Housewife CFB or Nun's Belly Button DFB and possible squashes & pepper.
Robert_Brenchley –perennial tree kale
Galina - Lettuce
Earlypea - Red Swan DFB and Sokol breadseed poppy
Debs - Cymbopogan flexuosus (East Indian Lemongrass)
Jayb - Calendula 'Winter Wonders’, Snow pea Usui, Lantern chilli
Goodlife - Scandinavian peas, Aribibi Gusano chilli, Scandinavian beans
Clumsy –Yellow cucumber, Dosakai or calabash or dudhi lawki.

[Jayb]

I've been wondering what to add to the Seed Circle. I'm growing Huacatay (Peruvian Black Mint) Pipiche (Porophyllum tagetoides) Quillquiña (Porophyllum ruderale) and Papalo (Porophyllum coloratum) and hope one or more might make it onto the circle seed list?

Also I've two Giant Bolivian Achocha plants, fingers crossed.