Hello Sparrow. I’m sure I speak for others in the Circle when I say that I’d be delighted to have you on board. I remember your name from seed circle notes etc and think you participated regularly until just before I joined. And how lovely that you’ve come through your difficult times and are enjoying growing again. Your squash varieties will be a great contribution. Welcome back!
I have seeds of the unpronounceable bean which were donated to the Circle by Silverleaf last year but which I haven’t yet grown. There are plenty to share. Someone else might have 2022 seed to offer but you are welcome to a share of my 2021 seed if not.
Are you and Garrett OK with an end of November deadline? It’s a bit of a rush but we’ve found it has worked well for the last couple of years.
I think the seeds would appreciate post harvest maturing off the plant. If the plant has been full size for some time, it isn't as necessary to keep it on the plant anymore. For whatever reason post harvest maturing is a good thing according to what I have read, especially if the fruit is further matured in sunshine. Not sure whether the plant sends a signal to seeds that it is now no longer on the plant, for seeds to mature that doesn't happen while on the plant. I hope you can get the definitive answer JanG. For what it is worth I have always been told to let seeds mature after harvest, in other words off the plant. This is the sort of thing that Ben from Real Seeds could probably better advise on.
I have a courgette which I hand pollinated and would like to contribute seeds of. It fruited quite early in the season, perhaps by the end of May or early June. It has been of a large marrow size ever since then and pale yellow in colour but, as it was pale to start with, the change in colour isn't at all dramatic. I picked it about 10 days ago.
I'm not sure of the best way to treat it. Should I leave it to mature a bit longer off the vine? This excellent seed-saving series of videos - https://www.diyseeds.org/en/films/ - recommends a month. If I do that, the seed will still have more than a month to dry out before the end of November which hopefully will be enough. Any advice from anyone who has more experience of saving courgette seed? I'd really hate to open it up before it's mature and viable after having watched it sit there for several months.
Ooh flowers , brilliant. As I type I am mesmerised by a couple of dahlias ( think I have read tubers edible) and had intended to add seed if I can save , they may not come true but anything near would do. They really are the last hurrah of summer. I’ll be back with names.I have become interested in dahlias this year, having previously been rather stupidly influenced by the way in which they became unfashionable. I grew some from seed this spring, and had an appealing row of smallish plants with attractively varied blooms including a stunning red cactus type. I’m hoping to bulk them up from tubers.
Thanks for the confirmation, sparrow. I’ve certainly experienced cucumbers quite quickly becoming yellow and squidgy when saving for seed. So far my courgette is stubbornly firm (and odourless) but I’m still hoping for viability. We’ll see.
I think galina is right JanG. When I saved courgette seeds a few years back I kept the massive courgettes in my kitchen for a few weeks to cure before cutting open and then washing & drying the seed. I think this was after a reply to my 'help!' email to RealSeeds... My abiding memory is that the courgettes were so overripe that they absolutely stank!
I am flabbercasted how did that beetroot managed to cross the pond.
The dahlias are from Sarah Raven , Show n Tell is dinner plate size scarlet and lemon and Englehardts Matador is very hot pink /cerise with violet undertones I have them side by side they certainly do clash …fabulously.