Topic: Seed Saving Circle 2016?

[sunloving]

I planted the peas in the poly, don't the tendril peas look different! Lancashire lad are getting eaten, they must have the least defences? Yellow mange tout are powering away! I potted the pretty in purple chillies and banana peppers into their final pots and made the first of the tom beds as they are desparate to go in the ground now. It's lovely to have all these new plants to look forward to harvesting.

Question about the purple tomatillos.. Is it best to put these in the ground or a pot and inside the poly or outside? Looking forward to some lovely salsas in the summer! , x sunloving

[Jayb]

Huge apologies for my absence from the forum and this thread, I'd just like to say a massive thanks to everyone involved and particular Galina for all her hard work, big hug all 

After having a pants summer and then being knocked flat last autumn/winter (not pleasant) I'm kinda of getting back some omph. I haven't had a chance to do much yet but will have some more times soon and I'm looking forward to spending catch up time here and I'm soooooooo hoping I get to do some gardening this year, I'm really realising how much I'm missing growing!

Are we doing one this year?

I would like to but need to have a think about it, will get back to you if that's ok.

[sunloving]

Hi jayb, welcome back, hope that very soon you can be potting and planting and feeling the sun on your face.

X sunloving

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm much the same. It's been a right struggle, but I'm getting stuff done on the plot again, and planning for this year's swap.

[Jayb]

Hi jayb, welcome back, hope that very soon you can be potting and planting and feeling the sun on your face.

X sunloving

Thank you  I've just got some tomatoes popping through and some courgettes - happy days 
Yes aren't sunshine and longer daylight hours an amazing tonic! 

[Jayb]

I'm much the same. It's been a right struggle, but I'm getting stuff done on the plot again, and planning for this year's swap.

Sorry to hear that Robert, I know you have not had it easy for a while, hope the sun has been shining for you too 

[Robert_Brenchley]

It has, don't worry. I've got a massive polytunnel up, and I'm putting loads of stuff in. There's still a massive backlog of work to be done though.

[earlypea]

Question about the purple tomatillos.. Is it best to put these in the ground or a pot and inside the poly or outside? Looking forward to some lovely salsas in the summer! , x sunloving

Hi Sunloving - Personally, I wouldn't take up valuable poly space with these.  They grew extremely well outside last year and we had no summer to speak of until very late in the season.  I didn't actually like them for salsa, seemed a bit dry and tart for my tastes, but maybe I got to them too late.  I absolutely loved them in stews/casseroles.  They don't disintegrate like tomatoes and impart a quite extraordinary imami flavour.  I really can't describe it, but everyone was delighted.  I'm certainly growing more this year.

I should mention that I have described them a 'purple tomatillo', but I realised afterwards that they are definitely the same catalogue number as Realseed's tomatillo, described as


"This is a very pretty, unusually-coloured tomatillo.

It has yellow skin overlaid with a purple blush, and produces good crops of medium-sized fruit."

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/physalis.html

BUT, they looked nothing like the photo on Realseeds page.  They were green and then turned purple all over and I think I'd describe them as smallish.  I wonder if they've crossed with another variety?  I didn't have my eye on them until late in the season so if anyone notices them being green and yellow please say.  Sadly, I've no photos of them, apart from early on in their husks and later as beautiful seed pods!

[earlypea]

Just to say briefly that I've a flock of interesting peas up from this and last year's circle - should go in after the bank holiday.  I'll send a photo, but delighted to say I got 100% germination from several varieties.

I've also sown a couple of Galina's lettuces, again great germination, ready to plant out and will most likely be consumed by slugs, anyway that's what usually happens to my lettuces    It's OK, I don't eat a lot of lettuce anyhow.

[Silverleaf]

If anyone's growing the Unity pea that Galina shared, I'd love to know how they do for you and how they taste!

[sunloving]

Early pea thanks for all the advice about the tomatillo! I'll pot them on a bit then plant them outside. Exciting! Do you think they would roast like tomatoes do then? With some oil vinegar and sugar? Sound very interesting!  I agree One of the lettuces has gone a bomb and I to have some lovely big healthy seedlings to plant ( once the slugs are under control! ) .
X sunloving

[earlypea]

If anyone's growing the Unity pea that Galina shared, I'd love to know how they do for you and how they taste!

I'm also curious to know whether you've actually eaten the Unity peas Galina?  Or, are they best as a mange-tout?

Also, I am curious about Mrs Lei  I managed to find it on the German (or was it Dutch) seed website and now they have another Mrs something with pink flowers.  Lei, is a Chinese name and although it was a while ago I think the new pink is too.  Do you know the origin of these?

[earlypea]

Do you think they would roast like tomatoes do then? With some oil vinegar and sugar? Sound very interesting!

Maybe that would be best slightly earlier on in their ripening as once I got to them they were a bit dry for that. Give ii a go, sound exciting.  Basically, I am normally inundated with tomatoes July/August so I just really didn't get around to using them until September/October.  Another bonus is that they keep for ages after harvest just sitting at room temperature so you have a very extended season for 'piquancy' in your cooking.

[Silverleaf]

If anyone's growing the Unity pea that Galina shared, I'd love to know how they do for you and how they taste!

I'm also curious to know whether you've actually eaten the Unity peas Galina?  Or, are they best as a mange-tout?

I grew them in 2014 and never actually tasted them because I wanted all the seeds for sharing, and then I've been growing out Telephone x Unity ever since. From what I remember they are a shelling pea - I didn't try them as mangetout though.

I think Galina said she used them as a soup pea.

[galina]

Yes we have eaten some.  I had 3 plants and they produced very well. 
http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

Unity is a tall growing shelling pea with non-sweet peas that have a black hilum spot.  They are very ‘meaty’ in winter stews and soups.  But the unique feature of this pea is the crimson flower, a real ‘look at this!’  trait.  Not only did they bear quite a heavy crop for the kitchen,  but the visual appeal in the garden is stunning too.

They are not suitable as mangetout, the pods are fibrous and the peas are for shelling.  They are larger than normal peas and not sweet, hence the idea of putting them in soups or stews etc.  But they are equally useful freshly shelled and can be frozen shelled, rather than dried. 

Mrs Lei was from a Dutch website, originally from seeds bought by Jayb, who shared seeds with us.  They have very attractive pale pink flowers and mangetout pods with up to 9 seeds.  Also a heavy bearer.  Both have very unusual flowers, real front garden stuff. 

If anyone's growing the Unity pea that Galina shared, I'd love to know how they do for you and how they taste!

I'm also curious to know whether you've actually eaten the Unity peas Galina?  Or, are they best as a mange-tout?

Also, I am curious about Mrs Lei  I managed to find it on the German (or was it Dutch) seed website and now they have another Mrs something with pink flowers.  Lei, is a Chinese name and although it was a while ago I think the new pink is too.  Do you know the origin of these?

[Silverleaf]

Thanks Galina, very useful to know. Hopefully I can breed a sweeter version too.

That crimson flower is the reason I ordered it from the seedbank in the first place! It really is gorgeous and so unusual for a pea. And Unity isn't at all shy about flowering either.

[galina]

Thanks Galina, very useful to know. Hopefully I can breed a sweeter version too.

That crimson flower is the reason I ordered it from the seedbank in the first place! It really is gorgeous and so unusual for a pea. And Unity isn't at all shy about flowering either.

Yes Jayb made a cross between Unity and Mrs Lei.  Apart from the flower colours, it will be very exciting to see whether there are mangetouts in the F2 generation.  I have about 20 F2s growing at the moment.  Jayb,  I am pretty sure I sent F2 seeds back to you, if I haven't, let me know please - I certainly meant to. 

[Silverleaf]

Thanks Galina, very useful to know. Hopefully I can breed a sweeter version too.

That crimson flower is the reason I ordered it from the seedbank in the first place! It really is gorgeous and so unusual for a pea. And Unity isn't at all shy about flowering either.

Yes Jayb made a cross between Unity and Mrs Lei.  Apart from the flower colours, it will be very exciting to see whether there are mangetouts in the F2 generation.  I have about 20 F2s growing at the moment.  Jayb,  I am pretty sure I sent F2 seeds back to you, if I haven't, let me know please - I certainly meant to. 

You should see purple, pink, crimson, and possibly salmon flowers, if you get lucky. And mangetout is definitely possible as well. Sounds like a great cross!

[galina]

You should see purple, pink, crimson, and possibly salmon flowers, if you get lucky. And mangetout is definitely possible as well. Sounds like a great cross!

Thank you - fingers crossed

[Silverleaf]

So my rhubarb has surprised me this year by starting to flower. It's looking extremely good - thickest and most tender stalks we've ever had - so I'm not sure what's going on. Needs splitting perhaps? It's certainly not stressed or lacking water.

I know everyone says to cut out flower stalks, but I'm wondering whether it's worth saving the seeds?