Author Topic: Seed Saving Circle 2018  (Read 18972 times)

galina

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #80 on: April 20, 2019, 15:26:52 »


(BTW, I do know about freezing, but since some last year turned to mush I am reticent.  I am not in charge of the freezer!)

I have bonny little seedlings from your frozen seed.  Whatever happened when they turned to mush, it has not happened this year.  All is well. 

Looking forward to planting these out soon.  Thank you Earlypea for these early beans!  :wave:

galina

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #81 on: July 14, 2019, 15:49:13 »
No, it's fine - I'll give it a go.  I've got lots saved so it won't matter if it goes wrong again with just small quantities..

Earlypea, there was no need to worry.  Today I discovered the first white pod.  It is not easy for these plants here because they are all growing out of cut off bottles due to our voles and they have to stretch a bit to get there, but they seem to cope just fine.  All is well with your seeds.  And all went well with the freezing process too.

Yes these beans are the first to pod in the garden and the waxy white colour is very unusual.  I am happy you included them.  :wave:

JanG

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #82 on: October 13, 2019, 12:55:28 »
As a first time participant, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being nudged into growing things I’ve not ventured into before. So it's a wet day - a good opportunity to jot down some thoughts. I’d be interested in how members have got on with particular seeds if anyone else has a few minutes.

Varieties which have excited most and exceeded all expectations

* Polish Amaranth. Wonderful colour. Lit up the vegetable garden. We didn’t get round to eating it (next year!) but it was a visual delight. Seed saved
* Tomato Black Plum. Loved its burnt red colouring and it just kept going in the most good tempered way
* Potato Rafli. From one tiny tuber a huge crop of good salad type potatoes.
* Crochu de Savoie CFB. Very productive, attractive red speckled bean.

Also very much enjoyed
* Gelbe Königen tomato. Lovely medium large golden tomato. Less prolific for me than Black Plum but still a delight
* Black Russian broad bean
* Purple Smaragd tomato. Love the icicle shape
* Cyrus Grays DFB
* Garden of Eden CFB. Later than the other two I’ve mentioned but producing lots of seed now
* Lettuce Relic. Enjoyed the dark red colour very much. It went to seed rather quickly. Will aim to try it at the ends of the summer next year

Yet to be harvested
* Red yacon. I've just reread your notes for this. You say 5'. Mine have only grown to about 18" but look very healthy. They were planted in virgin soil so perhaps lacked nutrients. I'll aim to pamper it more next year
* the artichokes

Varieties I’m less sure about
* Ice Crystal Wax DFB. It was very early which was great and unusual in colour but seems to go tough very quickly. I wonder whether that was the experience of anyone else. It produced masses of seed/dried beans though. Just read your comment that it freezes well, Earlypea. Must try it again for that purpose
* Kumato, Harbinger and Bison tomatoes didn’t produce very well for me
* Japanese wineberry germinated beautifully but I’m a little wary of planting it out. I think it needs an out-of-the-way corner somewhere
* Lazy Housewife CFB has been rather reluctant

I haven’t quite weighed up the peppers (Ohnivec and Urfa) yet but they prospered and produced well. I look forward to more tasting.

Regrets and losses
* Taunton Deane kale. In spite of my best efforts and defences, my chickens got through netting and stripped the plant to the point of no recovery
* Babington leek. Somehow it got overplanted. I find perennial vegetables a bit challenging as they somehow always get in the way of something or get swamped. I’ll persist though.

earlypea

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #83 on: March 15, 2020, 14:31:59 »
Varieties I’m less sure about
* Ice Crystal Wax DFB. It was very early which was great and unusual in colour but seems to go tough very quickly. I wonder whether that was the experience of anyone else. It produced masses of seed/dried beans though. Just read your comment that it freezes well, Earlypea. Must try it again for that purpose

I wouldn't say 'tough', but it does develop a string.  If you strip it off they're still good.

Like a lot of unusual varieties, a positive (really early) tends to mean there is also a negative so use it for the positive aspect.

I also find, if I keep picking all summer (not necessarily eating because they then coincide with all the others) it also tends to be my latest bean too.  I'm still reduced to growing a few in pots now, so it's a very useful dwarf for me.

Anyway, I pick them when they're still small and stringless.

Actually, I only froze the seeds because I'd had problems with bean weevils in the year before and the process kills them.

I have no idea whether they freeze well for eating purposes.

Not to worry - always interested to see anyone's growing any of it, whatever the feedback.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2020, 14:37:08 by earlypea »

earlypea

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #84 on: March 15, 2020, 14:43:35 »
Japanese wineberry germinated beautifully but I’m a little wary of planting it out. I think it needs an out-of-the-way corner somewhere

Also, curious to know whether this needed any special (cold) treatment, or did you just sow it in the spring/summer?

JanG

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #85 on: March 23, 2020, 06:43:42 »
Thank you very much for your comments on Ice Crystal Wax. I feel rather churlish for my negative comments! I will definitely go for it again and appreciate its earliness and lateness. I grew a lot of beans and perhaps ones with qualities which shouted at me more took my attention. It’s certainly a little sweetie!

As far as I remember I started the Japanese wine berry seeds in gentle warmth, ie. in the house. Have you tried them?

galina

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Re: Seed Saving Circle 2018
« Reply #86 on: July 04, 2020, 15:58:13 »
Penedesenca, thank you for the fig cuttings.  One grew and now has small figs on it.   :icon_cheers:

 

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