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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 09:19:05

Title: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 09:19:05
A few hiccups towards the end of last year but it all worked out well thanks to everyone’s support. I know some others are interested in joining in again and I’d love to do another Seed Circle this year. So if we have enough interested people we could start another round  :blob7: Sign up below if you would like to join in. Taking part and ideas for saving so far;

Elfeda,
Markfield rover, quietly said "Tomato Gazzi Yellow Egg, peas -Lincolnshire, Llanover, Ave Juan... Newick, Champion of England, Sharpes Liberty. CFB Neabel's  Ukrainium."
Penedesenca, Potato onions
Pumpkinlover,
Clumsy,
Silverleaf, Telephone and Champion of England peas, TPS, maybe tomatoes, barley
Martinburo,
Galina, Erfurt winter radish, CFB Breglia's Romano and Jack's Blue and Green, winter squash Todo el An~o, Norli pea
Hector,
Robert_Brenchley,
Debs, Cavolo Nero kale
Earlypea,
Squeezyjohn,
Jayb, Early Blood Turnip, 'erbs
Sparrow,
Ruud,
Sunloving,  Salmon Flowered peas, Alaskan early peas , Load buster broad beans and a purple climbing bean, sweet corn and jelly melon, cinnamon basil, Giant toms
Jeannine,  Winnie the Pooh peppers, Hero of Lockinge, tomatoes, Kajari Melon, Summer Squash, Desi, summer squash Gialla Nostrate,



For those who haven’t joined in before some information to help you decide if you would like to join ;
The Seed Circle would/will be in its 7th year  :drunken_smilie: and is open to all A4A members, it’s great to have new people join too  :wave:  The group is all about setting aside a little growing space and time to raise some crops for seeds, keeping the group informed of how the season is going and at the end of the season sharing some growing information and the all-important saved seeds with the group.

Each person decides what 2 or more crops they will grow and save seed from, saving enough seed for every other member to grow a crop the following year. The group could be 10 – 20 + people, although it seems to even out at around 15. Veggies will generally need to be heritage or open pollinated so that they will come true from seed, (potato seeds won’t come exactly true).

It's always fun to have new to the group varieties and not the real basic ones which are easy to pick up for 50p in the shops. If anyone is stuck for ideas or starter seeds ask on the thread or pm me, I’m happy to help someone get started if they need seeds. To give you an idea, here’s a list of seeds varieties already shared within the groups http://seedsaverscircle.org/seed-circle/a-z-of-varieties-shared-in-the-seed-circles/

I think most of us have found out, some vegetables are easier than others to grow for seed and everything can change with the weather. But generally peas, French beans, tomatoes, perhaps potatoes and some herbs are the easiest. Chillies, Sweet peppers, squash, courgette and lettuce will need isolating from other varieties to keep seed pure.  Parsnips, onions, leeks, beetroot, carrots, celeriac and many Brassicas only go to seed the second year and need isolation from other varieties and so are more time consuming and a little trickier.

Real Seeds gave the idea for the circles. Their site gives some great seed saving tips as well as being a great seed catalogue http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html

For anyone interested in the previous years Seed Parcels and what we finally shared they can be found at http://seedsaverscircle.org/seed-circle/

And the previous threads for the Circles;
Seed Circle 2015 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,78706.0.html
Seed Circle 2014 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,77280.0.html
Seed Circle 2013 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,74928.0.html
Seed Circle 2012 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,70816.0.html
Seed Circle 2011 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,64431.0.html
Extra Group 2011 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,68391.0.html
Seed Circle 2010 http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,58860.0.html
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on March 10, 2016, 09:48:49
I love to join in Jayb
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 10, 2016, 10:25:53
I am still sowing seed from the 2010 circle and it's romping away a treat, makes you wonder just how old the commercial seeds are!
Would love to join again if that's okay .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on March 10, 2016, 11:24:22
Can I join please  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on March 10, 2016, 12:05:19
I'm in please.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 12:14:45
Welcome Elfeda and Penedesenca  :wave: Look forward to getting to know you a bit better, any ideas yet what you might be saving for the group? I've got my heart set on Early Blood Turnips (beetroot) for one and one of the herbs I tried last year but were just too late maturing for seed.

Penedesenca, is your name after those gorgeous chickens?

Markfield rover, it's very ok  :wave:
It's amazing what a gift seeds are, they just keep on giving. Your right it does make you wonder how old, particularly when the only info is year packed, not much help.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 12:16:12
I'm in please.

Yayyy  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on March 10, 2016, 12:39:50
Welcome Elfeda and Penedesenca  :wave: Look forward to getting to know you a bit better, any ideas yet what you might be saving for the group? I've got my heart set on Early Blood Turnips (beetroot) for one and one of the herbs I tried last year but were just too late maturing for seed.

Penedesenca, is your name after those gorgeous chickens?

Markfield rover, it's very ok  :wave:
It's amazing what a gift seeds are, they just keep on giving. Your right it does make you wonder how old, particularly when the only info is year packed, not much help.

Hi, yes my name is after the chickens. I hatched a load for my Dad a couple of years ago.

In regards to seed, what ever I say now will likely be what doesn't go in  :BangHead: I am hoping for red seeded citron - melon, altmarker - kale and a french climbing bean when I remind myself what I have.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on March 10, 2016, 13:00:23
I would also love to join. This time I'm going for Extreme Hot chillies if there's interest, Plus white marrow and few others.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 10, 2016, 14:47:40
I want to play again!

Not sure what I'll have yet but I definitely want to join!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on March 10, 2016, 15:17:26
Yes, please.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 10, 2016, 16:48:53
Room for one more?   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on March 10, 2016, 18:57:36
I've pm-d as not sure if my varieties add enough to mix...so no worries if not :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 10, 2016, 19:29:18
Yes, I'm interested. I hadn't thought of including potatoes, but by then I should have some interesting ones from my TPS experiments.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:17:39

Hi, yes my name is after the chickens. I hatched a load for my Dad a couple of years ago.

In regards to seed, what ever I say now will likely be what doesn't go in  :BangHead: I am hoping for red seeded citron - melon, altmarker - kale and a french climbing bean when I remind myself what I have.

The eggs are just amazing. We've only got brown hybrid girls here, they are great chooks, maybe oneday!

Those varieties sound interesting, know what you mean nothing seems to go quite to plan here either!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:25:43
I would also love to join. This time I'm going for Extreme Hot chillies if there's interest, Plus white marrow and few others.

You're very welcome. I'm sure hot chillies will be very popular, I'm a bit of a lightweight when it comes to chillies but I love growing the hot ones and sharing with family and friends. White marrow sounds interesting.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:29:02
I want to play again!

Not sure what I'll have yet but I definitely want to join!

Excellent, time to play  :icon_cheers:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:30:50
Yes, please.

Nice to have you join again  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:32:14
Room for one more?   :wave:

Indeed there is  :toothy10:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:36:38
I've pm-d as not sure if my varieties add enough to mix...so no worries if not :)

Thanks for the pm, good to have you in the seed Circle  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 10, 2016, 21:45:28
Yes, I'm interested. I hadn't thought of including potatoes, but by then I should have some interesting ones from my TPS experiments.

Welcome to 2016 Seed Circle. Sounds good Robert, can't wait to hear more about them.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on March 11, 2016, 08:07:54
Yes I'd like to join in again.
Not sure what I'm doing yet ...

Debs  :icon_flower:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on March 11, 2016, 08:49:27
Yes, please count me in again  :icon_cheers:

As someone mentioned above, I'm also still hatching some from the 2010 circle, as I did last year.  (was away in the intervening years)

Got plenty of new and interesting varieties to save from, but it's a bit early to be specific.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: squeezyjohn on March 11, 2016, 11:32:20
Hi there,  I'm interested in joining in this year - but I don't really know  what I have to offer.  I'm already attempting to save good seed from last years Gigant kohl rabi of which I have about 10 plants that overwintered on the plot and can be easily netted to isolate them - it's an amazing sweet and high yielding type.  I could also do some other unusual types if needed, latvian soup peas, argentium giant swiss chard, swiss special sweetcorn (open pollinated type - supersweet and very successful last year), Amish paste tomatoes, taunton deane kale cuttings (not strictly a seed I know - but I have tons of plants at the moment) ... are they the sort of things which would be useful to people?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 11, 2016, 12:15:32
Sounds very good Squeezyjohn. 

There are several types of open pollinated plants I am always saving seeds from - for myself and swaps, for HSL and for maintaining varieties.  But what ultimately can be added to the seed circle depends on circumstances, weather etc.  It can be quite difficult to save enough seeds.  When I do say what I intend saving, like last year, the lettuce I wanted to add did rather poorly and every other variety did well.  So I switched varieties and one of them was a variety that a member of this circle in the past had problems with whereas here last year, they did well.   My HSL contribution did not happen at all  :BangHead: for the first time ever due to problems  :( 

The kohlrabi sounds great and I don't think we ever had that in the circle.  Hope all goes very well with that and with the other items too   :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: squeezyjohn on March 11, 2016, 14:11:31
Well - I often try to keep my own seeds so it shouldn't be that much different.  I'll just try and do the lot and see how it goes then.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the Kohl Rabi - they're excellent.  Count me in.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 11, 2016, 17:19:06
Yes I'd like to join in again.
Not sure what I'm doing yet ...

Debs  :icon_flower:

Great   :wave:
Apart from the Early Blood, I've just got ideas at the moment. I'm thinking something from the herbs, peas, beans, tomatoes and I'd like to add in Double Red Sweet corn if all goes to plan. Look forward to hearing what you decide  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 11, 2016, 17:22:56
Yes, please count me in again  :icon_cheers:

As someone mentioned above, I'm also still hatching some from the 2010 circle, as I did last year.  (was away in the intervening years)

Got plenty of new and interesting varieties to save from, but it's a bit early to be specific.


Consider yourself counted  :happy7:
Me too, I think I still have some seeds from each of the years, it's great to be able to dip in and out as space and time allows.
 :icon_cheers: looking forward to hearing your choices.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 11, 2016, 17:28:27
Well - I often try to keep my own seeds so it shouldn't be that much different.  I'll just try and do the lot and see how it goes then.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the Kohl Rabi - they're excellent.  Count me in.

Welcome to the group  :wave:
Everything you mention sounds very suitable for the group  :drunken_smilie:
Love Kohl Rabi, I'm just waiting for mine to germinate.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on March 11, 2016, 18:58:10
If you all budge up a bit will there be room for me? :)

Not sure what am saving yet. I've fluffed up on the biennials by eating too many of them. This year I am also going to try and plan forward for the 2017 circle... :BangHead:

(planted Babington leeks and walking onions today! :D)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on March 11, 2016, 23:05:41
Jayb,
Provisionally put me in for Cavolo Nero (heritage Italian pre 1879) and Brocolli Italian green sprouting
 (heritage 1918)
Fingers crossed😊

Debs
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 12, 2016, 01:04:34
Jayb,
Provisionally put me in for Cavolo Nero (heritage Italian pre 1879) and Brocolli Italian green sprouting
 (heritage 1918)
Fingers crossed😊

Debs

Ohh that's a difficult one, two brassica oleracea.  How are you going to do it without crossing? Alternate day caging?  And the seeds would only be ready in 2017 or are you growing them already?  Also you would need a dozen of plants each, that is quite a commitment space wise.    Good luck    :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 12, 2016, 08:05:57
If you all budge up a bit will there be room for me? :)

Not sure what am saving yet. I've fluffed up on the biennials by eating too many of them. This year I am also going to try and plan forward for the 2017 circle... :BangHead:

(planted Babington leeks and walking onions today! :D)

Plenty of room for another one  :icon_flower:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 12, 2016, 11:34:18
Yayy, we are 15 so far, seems like a circle to me  :blob7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on March 12, 2016, 12:29:27
you are with 16 now,almost missed the train.I have some experiments to do this year.First of all i concentrate myself in growing more than 30 varieties broad beans.Than i volenteert in doing a grow out for some almost extinct bean varieties.I have to sow my tomatoes and i will make my own variety tomato by crossing some.So i am busy enough.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: andhram on March 12, 2016, 14:28:17
me too pls
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 13, 2016, 10:48:10
you are with 16 now,almost missed the train.I have some experiments to do this year.First of all i concentrate myself in growing more than 30 varieties broad beans.Than i volenteert in doing a grow out for some almost extinct bean varieties.I have to sow my tomatoes and i will make my own variety tomato by crossing some.So i am busy enough.

It wouldn't be the same without you  :wave:

All those lovely beans, tomatoes :drunken_smilie:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 13, 2016, 10:56:51
Jayb,
Provisionally put me in for Cavolo Nero (heritage Italian pre 1879) and Brocolli Italian green sprouting
 (heritage 1918)
Fingers crossed😊

Debs

Will do, though if it is going to be a bit difficult for you to net and manage two brassicas, you could always fall back on saving some tomatoes or chillies or perhaps some herbs you are growing? Beans and peas also make excellent candidates?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 13, 2016, 18:58:44
Saying this quietly as if they know they will go all diva!  Tomato Gazzi Yellow Egg, peas......Lincolnshire...Llanover.....Ave Juan... Newick...Champion of England...Sharpes Liberty.. CFB Neabel's  Ukrainium. Fingers crossed see you on the other side!! Good luck chaps.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on March 14, 2016, 20:41:14

Will do, though if it is going to be a bit difficult for you to net and manage two brassicas, you could always fall back on saving some tomatoes or chillies or perhaps some herbs you are growing? Beans and peas also make excellent candidates?

Oh I didn't know about that 🤔
Back to the drawing board...
Debs
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on March 14, 2016, 20:44:29
Me again.....
I could do the cavolo & find something else thatwould not cross??
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 14, 2016, 22:20:45
Me again.....
I could do the cavolo & find something else thatwould not cross??

Good plan.  Doing any brassica is still quite a commitment, because you need a minimum of 12 plants.  Real Seeds instructions stipulate 20 plants.  One variety is much more doable unless you are in an allotment situation, where there are other flowering brassica nearby and you need to cage them and introduce pollinators. 

Peas, French beans, tomatoes and many herbs are easier because they are not very likely to cross. :wave:   
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 16, 2016, 17:47:38
Alternatively, with an outbreeder like brassicas, you can plant several varieties together, let them cross, and then let people have the seed. With a few years' selection they'd have their own varieties.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 16, 2016, 18:08:45
Feeling quite nostalgic today.

I have just been outside digging the bed with the winter radishes, then selected and replanted 18 nice ones for seed.  Which I also did almost to the day 6 years ago.  The request to join the seed circle was my first post on A4A and the radish was the first ever veg grown for the seed circle. Lets hope the next generation of radishes (still from that seed) will in turn grow good seed too :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 16, 2016, 22:20:56
Alternatively, with an outbreeder like brassicas, you can plant several varieties together, let them cross, and then let people have the seed. With a few years' selection they'd have their own varieties.

That's an interesting idea. I saved seed from a few squash last year that I didn't bother to self-pollinate, so the "father" could be any of that species that were flowering nearby. I've been thinking about trying to create a really varied maxima race where I mix up lots of different species and select according to how well the "mother" plants do, and not worrying at all about keeping varieties pure. I'd end up with lots of different shapes and colours and sizes, and surprises every year!

I could certainly add some of that type of thing to the circle this year if it's of interest. Then people could make their own selections and create new varieties, or keep them all mixed up if they wanted.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 17, 2016, 06:56:30


I could certainly add some of that type of thing to the circle this year if it's of interest. Then people could make their own selections and create new varieties, or keep them all mixed up if they wanted.

The problem with unselected F1 or F2 seed is its unpredictability.  Cucurbita Maxima F1 squashes in my experience are usually ok even if they can look funny, but F2s need quite rigorous selection.  And in order to do this selection successfully, a large number of F2s need to be grown. They won't all be high yielding and good tasting.  Having grown crosses 'just to see what happens' several times, I came to the conclusion that I prefer open pollinated pure varieties.  Simply because somebody else has spent growing space and years of their time to select something decent.  Squash experimenters would almost certainly prefer to make their own crosses from known parent varieties.

If you did add a promising hand pollinated F3 or F4 landrace type for further selection by individual gardeners, I'd be very interested, but a set of crossed seeds 'for selection' is less useful.  Any F2 selection my end would need way too much space. I prefer to grow squashes from seed that has been saved by bagging and hand pollination (or by isolation) to keep the variety pure.  Learning how to keep varieties true to type is a stated aim of the seed circle.   

Everybody who grows any squash, can easily experiment with their own seeds.  :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on March 17, 2016, 06:59:09
Morning

Would anyone be interested in potato onions (originally from pontyzfield nursery) or would these make the packages too bulky?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 17, 2016, 07:10:58
Morning

Would anyone be interested in potato onions (originally from pontyzfield nursery) or would these make the packages too bulky?

Penedesenca,
we have been paying for 'small parcel' postage for the seed returns.  Unless members in this year's circle are not happy with this (it cost £2.80 for second class small parcel last year),  bulbs can be added and are welcome.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on March 17, 2016, 08:38:14
Potato onions it is then  :icon_cheers:

I better bung some more in at the weekend  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 17, 2016, 08:53:19
Feeling quite nostalgic today.

I have just been outside digging the bed with the winter radishes, then selected and replanted 18 nice ones for seed.  Which I also did almost to the day 6 years ago.  The request to join the seed circle was my first post on A4A and the radish was the first ever veg grown for the seed circle. Lets hope the next generation of radishes (still from that seed) will in turn grow good seed too :wave:

My doesn't time fly! So glad you joined the Seed Circle and A4A  :wave:

Lucky radish, having you looking after them and sharing seed  :glasses9:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 17, 2016, 09:02:10
Morning

Would anyone be interested in potato onions (originally from pontyzfield nursery) or would these make the packages too bulky?
Potato onions are a lovely vegetable and potential addition to the circle. They really do deserve to be more widely grown :wave:

As galina says they are fine to add to the parcel, you may need to watch the weight of the parcel you are sending in so it is not too costly. Depending on what else is added to the parcel, we can look at postage later on if it looks like it might be is getting close to the limit.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 17, 2016, 09:07:43
The seed circle seeds are a bit special  I now have a lovely bed of babbington leeks which if it was not for the circle I probably would not have, and they are good to share with m'fellow plotters who love them too ,plus I love the taste one of my top 3 veg. I have also kept all the packets from all the rounds as a sort of record for a rainy day in my twilight years.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 17, 2016, 09:12:48
Saying this quietly as if they know they will go all diva!  Tomato Gazzi Yellow Egg, peas......Lincolnshire...Llanover.....Ave Juan... Newick...Champion of England...Sharpes Liberty.. CFB Neabel's  Ukrainium. Fingers crossed see you on the other side!! Good luck chaps.

Llanover peas are just lovely  :happy7:

Oh my, my mouth is watering! What a lovely selection to be saving from  :drunken_smilie:

Lol who's going to be a busy, busy this year!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 17, 2016, 09:19:09
I will be having words with a certain pea moth to stay away! Early sowing and late sowing me thinks.
Everyone's choices sound so good it makes for a cracking catalogue .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 17, 2016, 12:00:31
Lovely little seedlings, fingers crossed I have more success raising them for seeds this year.

Clockwise from top left,
Quilquina
Pipiche
Papalo
Huacatay

I'm not sure what happened last season, I was a bit late sowing and maybe with all that cold and wet weather, they all ended up being just a bit too late to set and ripen seeds. Huacatay plants were huge, well over my head and only got around to flowering in December!

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on March 17, 2016, 23:22:12
Hi jay,I am in
 The wrong place but just testing  new log In jeaannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 20, 2016, 09:19:33
Jayb, oh lovely collection of very unusual South American herbs.  Hope they will do well for us.  Hard to imagine that these tiny seedlings will grow so tall.   Better luck for them this year.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 20, 2016, 09:24:24
As galina says they are fine to add to the parcel, you may need to watch the weight of the parcel you are sending in so it is not too costly. Depending on what else is added to the parcel, we can look at postage later on if it looks like it might be is getting close to the limit.

Having studied postage charts recently it can be more cost effective to split into two small parcels than pack into one medium sized. :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 20, 2016, 09:47:23
Hi jay,I am in
 The wrong place but just testing  new log In jeaannine

I just did a yipee seeing your name, welcome back   :wave: Great to see you back posting.

But you tease Jeannine, I thought you are signing up for the seed circle, but reading it again I'm not sure you are?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 20, 2016, 09:57:45
Jayb, oh lovely collection of very unusual South American herbs.  Hope they will do well for us.  Hard to imagine that these tiny seedlings will grow so tall.   Better luck for them this year.  :wave:

I've sown them about 2 months earlier than last year, probably a bit early but wanted to give them a good long season. I like both Quilquina and Papalo, they do better grown in the poly but do well enough outside too, though harder to get seed in a wet year. It wasn't love at first taste for the other two, more I'm  acquiring a taste for them!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 20, 2016, 09:59:05
Huacatay apparently has it's uses for ridding an area of couch grass!

Quote
Other Uses
Dye;  Essential;  Herbicide;  Insecticide;  Repellent.

This plant is widely used in companion planting schemes[238]. Secretions from the roots of growing plants have an insecticidal effect on the soil, effective against nematodes and to some extent against keeled slugs. These secretions are produced about 3 - 4 months after sowing[200]. These root secretions also have a herbicidal effect, inhibiting the growth of certain plants growing nearby. It has been found effective against perennial weeds such as Ranunculus ficaria (Celandine), Aegopodium podagraria Ground elder), Glechoma hederacea (Ground ivy), Agropyron repens (Couch grass) and Convolvulus arvensis (Field bindweed)[200, 238]. An essential oil distilled from the leaves and flowering stems, harvested when the plant is forming seeds, is used as an insect repellent[46, 61]. It is also used in perfumery[238]. Dried plants can be hung indoors as an insect repellent[238].

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Tagetes+minuta
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 20, 2016, 10:45:16
There are easy and more difficult vegetables, herbs and fruit to save pure breeding seeds from.  Maybe it is a good time of year to share a few ideas?  I am looking at courgettes, pumpkins and squashes at the moment.  This includes melons and cucumbers, where the same principles apply.  Just their flowers are much smaller and more difficult to work with.  However, squashes are not really difficult, easily do-able with a little care. A project that is a step up from the self-pollinating, rarely crossing 'easy' vegetables like peas, tomatoes and French beans. 

For saving pure squash seeds, there are a few steps to consider.  Is the intended variety open pollinated (OP) or a hybrid (F1)?  We need OP varieties - if a seed packet does not say F1 hybrid, it is OP and if there is any doubt, google will usually confirm either way. 

The second consideration is the species of squash.  For example an orange Halloween pumpkin will happily cross with a courgette or with an acorn squash, but not with a butternut squash.  They are in the same species, cucurbita pepo.  If we live in isolation on a remote farm, we could, in principle, grow a Halloween pumpkin (c pepo), a butternut (c moschata), an Uchiki Kuri (c maxima) and a Shark Fin's melon (c ficifolia) all together in the same bed.  And they would not cross with each other.  Few of us have such remote gardens and therefore we need to 'isolate and handpollinate' our squash flowers to produce pure breeding seeds.

Say we want to save pure seeds from a c pepo Halloween pumpkin.  If we do nothing, bees will fly in and pollinate our flowers with any other c. pepo pollen that is going around.  In an allotment situation there could be hundreds of c pepo flowers open at the same time and the bee that pollinates our Halloween pumpkin has been to most of them.  If the halloween pumpkin was pollinated with the courgette ten plots away, its fruit will still be a halloween pumpkin, but its seed will be crossed and grow into something rather odd next year.

All squashes have male and female flowers, the females have an embryo fruit below the flower.  What we can do is prevent a female flower and a male flower at the same stage of development from opening - we 'isolate' them.  Bees have no access to isolated flowers.  We do this the evening before the flowers would open naturally.  When they are full size, unopened yellow buds. The following day, we pick off the male flower of our Halloween pumpkin and bring it to the female Halloween pumpkin flower.  It can be a male flower from the same or from a different plant of Halloween pumpkin if we are growing several. We remove the tape, rubber band or tie (whatever we used to keep the flower closed) from the male flower and from the female.  They should spring open.  The pollen grains are very visible inside the male flower.  We then remove the petals from the male flower and 'paint' the pollen gently onto the orange bits (stigma) inside the female flower.  After this hand pollination with the correct pollen, we close the female flower again to stop bees ruining our work with 'wrong' pollen.  At this stage I mark the female flower with a loose bit of string below the embryo fruit. 

Fingers crossed the hand pollination has taken and our embryo fruit is swelling.  This is quite obvious within days.  The female flower will wither within a few days and drop off, but the growing fruit now has pure-breeding seeds inside it and we have produced seeds that will give us true breeding Halloween pumpkin for next year. 

There are several good pictorial guides and how-tos on www:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1918281/hand-pollination-of-sq
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/courgettes.html
(at the bottom of the page)
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/pollination-of-squash-and-pumpkins.aspx
This website shows all aspects of handpollinating very clearly, but they have not isolated the flowers, which is important for saving pure seeds.  But the mechanics of the handpollinating process are illustrated very well. 

I know that several other members here are experienced with isolating and hand pollinating squashes and can answer questions and add their experiences.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 20, 2016, 11:07:06
Jayb, thank you for the additional information.  Already so much to look forward too.  Grow little seedlings - do your stuff please  :icon_cheers:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 20, 2016, 15:31:11
I'm sure I read recently that maxima will sometimes hybridise with moschata...
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 20, 2016, 16:48:28
I'm sure I read recently that maxima will sometimes hybridise with moschata...
In lab conditions.  In garden conditions very rarely - it is a bit like French beans and Runner beans that can cross, but it happens so rarely, it can be ignored.  People who have deliberately crossed maxima and moschata report very low seed count if any at all and even lower germination in the F1 generation.  Most fruit aborted and so on. 

And as very few people have isolated growing conditions where they don't need to consider squash crossing, we must assume that we need to hand pollinate in any case. Which makes it a non-problem entirely.

I hoped to show that isolating/hand-pollinating squashes for true breeding seed is very achievable for everybody. 

:wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 21, 2016, 02:24:22
I'm sure I read recently that maxima will sometimes hybridise with moschata...
In lab conditions.  In garden conditions very rarely - it is a bit like French beans and Runner beans that can cross, but it happens so rarely, it can be ignored.  People who have deliberately crossed maxima and moschata report very low seed count if any at all and even lower germination in the F1 generation.  Most fruit aborted and so on. 

And as very few people have isolated growing conditions where they don't need to consider squash crossing, we must assume that we need to hand pollinate in any case. Which makes it a non-problem entirely.

I hoped to show that isolating/hand-pollinating squashes for true breeding seed is very achievable for everybody. 

:wave:

Ah, this is where I saw it. http://alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/8038/weird-squash-phenotypes

It should be pretty easy to tell if you've got an accidental cross anyway, because the hybrids will look different to the parents, and you can tell by the leaves on the young plants.

But yeah, definitely taping up flowers and hand pollinating is the way forward if you want pure seeds.

I might even have a go myself some time! :P
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 26, 2016, 09:08:52
Sunloving has just signed up for the Circle  :wave:

Who I'm sure will be along before long to share her plans. 

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 26, 2016, 12:06:45
Nearly a 1000 looks does this mean we will go sticky soon? Bought pink propagators from Tiger for my special seeds.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 26, 2016, 12:09:04
I'll write out a 100 times must read things properly ....already sticky doh!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 27, 2016, 09:33:32
Nearly a 1000 looks does this mean we will go sticky soon? Bought pink propagators from Tiger for my special seeds.
1089 this morning!
I only stickied it a short while back so easy to have missed and this year I've left the 2015 thread stuck too so it'll be easier to add grow out information or queries.

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on March 27, 2016, 15:19:27
Hi all, well I've been on the forum 5 yrs but only really grew the basics, now I have just under an acre and a 40 ft tunnel I think I might be able to do better.

So I'm joining you but only through fingers covering my eyes in trepidation.


I'm bulking up some things I was given by goodlife , pink flowered peas Alaskan early peas , load buster broad beans and a purple climbing bean, I'm growing some of brown envelopes open pollinated sweet corn and jelly melon and have a few other things I'm trialing such as the cinnamon basil. Jeannine is kindly sending some giant toms to so hopefully by the end of the season there will be at least one or two things worth sharing.

I also grow lots of flowers from seed and wondered if we've swamped things like skyline sunflowers, or colour selected basics ?
I'm setting up in a small business to sell fresh and dried flowers and will be doing a spot of selection of good vase life and colour flowers for instance.


Well fingers crossed I can be a contributor and that my new growing conditions make for lots of seed fro share.

Exciting! X sun loving
Sunloving has just signed up for the Circle  :wave:

Who I'm sure will be along before long to share her plans. 


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on March 27, 2016, 21:03:32
Is anyone interested in Winnie the Pooh peppers, I have some on the way and I could try and grow them for you if anyone is interested, I can keep them pure.

I am reluctant to join the circle as such as I am not too reliable these days but I don't mind chipping in with some seeds if I get them and they are wanted .

 I shall also be growing  my Mayoral Blue squash that is very rare. I got it straight from Australia where it was grown by the mayor of  NSW, he wouldn't share the seeds but later on he died and  a few got out, I got them from a friend of his relative. I have shared them with Tania of Tatianas Tomatoes (see her site) and she has grown them on and I did send a few seeds over a couple of years ago to the UK.

Anyway, I am not in a position to offer to grow much more other than tomatoes which I am growing a lot of but I suspect that you are all Ok with those. I can post a list if you wish.

I don't really  need seeds but would like to contribute if I am able.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 27, 2016, 23:04:46
Sunloving and Jeannine, all sounds good.  Mayoral Blue - wow now that's rare.  Yes please and don't worry about being reliable, we are all in the same situation.  And if it isn't us personally, it's some or other garden gremlin.

With the Erfurt winter radish, I hope to be growing 2 French beans, one of them may (or may not) be similar to the Italian bean you are looking for Jeannine.  In fact, I had a packet put aside with your name on, but that was before your move and then you went away for a bit, then changed address - long story short - why don't I grow them for the circle, then we can all try them and you finally get them to try also.  They are called Breglia's Romano and they are fab.

Still trying for the one that got away last year bean Jack's Blue and Green and no doubt there will be a few more things.  Actually there was another French Bean from Chriscross that I really want to add to the circle, as it is so unusual, but I'll stop sticking my neck out and wait which one produces loads of seeds.  I am trying for winter squash (good summer for lots of seeds please) Todo el An~o, which came from RealSeeds when they were still in Spain and possibly dwarf pea Norli.  In the end as always, I will see what produces lots of seeds.  Could be something entirely different  :BangHead:   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on March 27, 2016, 23:18:23
 Thanks Jay, that will gvie me something to strive for this year.. I will do my best. I will post the tomato list too as there may be something there.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 28, 2016, 02:47:01
Hard to know what I'll be contributing, of course it very much depends on how everything grows!

I might actually manage Telephone and Champion of England peas this year, and it's likely I'll have TPS again too, maybe tomatoes. And since I'm going to grow some plants in straw again, I'll almost certainly have barley again if anyone wants it! ;)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on March 28, 2016, 04:13:14
 This my tomato list. well the OP ones anyway.

Anmore Dewdrop, a dehybridised Tumbler
Anmore Treasures          "               '   ( one is pink and one is red)
Ildi
Rebecca Sebastian's Ball Bag .. giant
Kootenai
Kalinka
Islandaise
Shirleo OP.. dehybridised Shirley
Hoy
New Yorker
Virginia Sweets
Whippersnapper
Tigerella
Cowlicks Brandywine
Mega Marv... giant
Bajaja
Opalka
Blueberry
Japanese Black Trifele
Tommy Toe


the following ate tinies
Tiiny Toes and Tiniest Toes
Polyarnye
Floragold Basket
Micro Gemma
Micro Tina
Micro Tom have not germinated yet but they still might.
Chibikko
Boets
Mohammed
Ditmarsher
Hahm's Helbe Topftomate

 I think that is it for the open pollinated ones, nothing too exciting but I needed to replenish these seeds .There are a couple in there for giant tomato growing


Oh and I have a Thai dragon chili pepper but it will be isolated in another place as I don't want it to heat up Winnie the Pooh.

I might do a melon , if so and if they germinate it will be Hero of Lockinge.

XX Jeannine







Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 28, 2016, 09:40:38
Bought pink propagators from Tiger for my special seeds.

Picture pretty please, what's Tiger?

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 28, 2016, 09:53:29
Hi all, well I've been on the forum 5 yrs but only really grew the basics, now I have just under an acre and a 40 ft tunnel I think I might be able to do better.

So I'm joining you but only through fingers covering my eyes in trepidation.


I'm bulking up some things I was given by goodlife , pink flowered peas Alaskan early peas , load buster broad beans and a purple climbing bean, I'm growing some of brown envelopes open pollinated sweet corn and jelly melon and have a few other things I'm trialing such as the cinnamon basil. Jeannine is kindly sending some giant toms to so hopefully by the end of the season there will be at least one or two things worth sharing.

I also grow lots of flowers from seed and wondered if we've swamped things like skyline sunflowers, or colour selected basics ?
I'm setting up in a small business to sell fresh and dried flowers and will be doing a spot of selection of good vase life and colour flowers for instance.


Well fingers crossed I can be a contributor and that my new growing conditions make for lots of seed fro share.

Exciting! X sun loving

You'll be fine, don't worry the group is very flexible as to what is shared, it kind of morphs and develops as the season progresses   :wave:
Ideally varieties shared should in some form be edible or add to the nutrition or protection of other crops grown, saying that we have had a few non edibles over the years.

Good luck with your business, it sounds wonderful, what a way to work, with flowers  :happy7:

Flower circle perhaps?

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 28, 2016, 10:15:30
Is anyone interested in Winnie the Pooh peppers, I have some on the way and I could try and grow them for you if anyone is interested, I can keep them pure.

I am reluctant to join the circle as such as I am not too reliable these days but I don't mind chipping in with some seeds if I get them and they are wanted .

 I shall also be growing  my Mayoral Blue squash that is very rare. I got it straight from Australia where it was grown by the mayor of  NSW, he wouldn't share the seeds but later on he died and  a few got out, I got them from a friend of his relative. I have shared them with Tania of Tatianas Tomatoes (see her site) and she has grown them on and I did send a few seeds over a couple of years ago to the UK.

Anyway, I am not in a position to offer to grow much more other than tomatoes which I am growing a lot of but I suspect that you are all Ok with those. I can post a list if you wish.

I don't really  need seeds but would like to contribute if I am able.

XX Jeannine

Winnie the Pooh sound irresistible (so loved the books)  :happy7:

I'd say join in and enjoy, nothing is a guaranteed and if at the end things don't go to plan, then that is the way of things. I usually manage to grow and save crops, it's keeping some energy and wellness for autumn/winter months I struggle badly with.

I grew a couple of Mayoral Blue last year (seeds were from Tatiana's) I only ended up with one or two fruits and I didn't manage to hand pollinate any fruits, but they do look lovely. It was a bad year for squash, I think they would do so much better had the summer been half tidy (good).

Tomatoes always seem well received in the group and because the seeds are viable for a number of years they are an ideal share. Plus I'm sure you will be growing some very interesting and hard to come by varieties, what more can a tomato lover want!

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 28, 2016, 10:27:46
This my tomato list. well the OP ones anyway.

Anmore Dewdrop, a dehybridised Tumbler
Anmore Treasures          "               '   ( one is pink and one is red)
Ildi
Rebecca Sebastian's Ball Bag .. giant
Kootenai
Kalinka
Islandaise
Shirleo OP.. dehybridised Shirley
Hoy
New Yorker
Virginia Sweets
Whippersnapper
Tigerella
Cowlicks Brandywine
Mega Marv... giant
Bajaja
Opalka
Blueberry
Japanese Black Trifele
Tommy Toe


the following ate tinies
Tiiny Toes and Tiniest Toes
Polyarnye
Floragold Basket
Micro Gemma
Micro Tina
Micro Tom have not germinated yet but they still might.
Chibikko
Boets
Mohammed
Ditmarsher
Hahm's Helbe Topftomate

 I think that is it for the open pollinated ones, nothing too exciting but I needed to replenish these seeds .There are a couple in there for giant tomato growing


Oh and I have a Thai dragon chili pepper but it will be isolated in another place as I don't want it to heat up Winnie the Pooh.

I might do a melon , if so and if they germinate it will be Hero of Lockinge.

XX Jeannine

Smashing list Jeannine  :sunny:

I'm sure I have some Micro Tom seeds if yours don't pop through.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 28, 2016, 18:27:15
Jayb, I'll try to do the photo thing but  for now... Tiger is a sort of Ikea high Sreet nik nakkery shop and for Easter they are doing amongst their garden stuff a pink  although more Farrow & Ball than Barbie a 12 sectioned (?) propagator tray with lid £1 good size for window sills and just more interesting than green or black and there is purple too! It will go with my hat!!!

Sunloving - I grow a lot of flowers too  just love it the bigger the blouser the better , guessing you are already aware of Higgledy Garden... I really enjoy his writtings... So maybe as Jayb suggested a flower circle!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on March 29, 2016, 09:00:58
Smiling here, loving the sound of your pink propagator, oooh you must get the purple one too - brilliant.
Thanks, I've never heard of Tiger shops, I don't think there are any around here which is a shame.

Quote
Sunloving - I grow a lot of flowers too  just love it the bigger the blouser the better , guessing you are already aware of Higgledy Garden... I really enjoy his writtings... So maybe as Jayb suggested a flower circle!

Just a thought that there might be some flower loving seed swappers who want to organise a circle or swap, I'd love to join in if anyone fancies doing it?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on March 29, 2016, 11:53:43
Flower swap sounds great.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on March 30, 2016, 09:47:17
What's involved?

Is it being the person to start the parcel to its first stop? In which case I could give it a whirl.
If is more sending seeds to me and me sending out individual parcels then we would all have steeper postage charges since I'm in Eire. And it would be best to have a uk organiser.

When I think of the things I've actually swapped here they have all been ornamental!



Just a thought that there might be some flower loving seed swappers who want to organise a circle or swap, I'd love to join in if anyone fancies doing it?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 30, 2016, 10:04:14
If it is only the three of us then we could post to each other if I am thinking right! Also step aside from here . Thoughts?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 30, 2016, 12:59:29
A flower circle would be good if I had anything to put into it, but I haven't saved any flower seeds in quantity.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on March 30, 2016, 19:29:26
I would say that we wouldn't swap until end of this year this gives you a chance to collect extra.
I'm in a whole new garden and have nothing planted but I'm sure I'll have lots of seed by the end of the year.

Shall we do a new post then and ask a mod to make it a sticky? Exciting!
X sun loving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 31, 2016, 09:12:01
Sounds good to me, I am still sowing plenty we can compare notes in non edibles I'll get me coat!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 07, 2016, 17:20:05
Another popular item for seed circles are peppers and chili peppers.  Many people believe that they are like tomatoes that rarely cross, but they do.  Sort of a half-way house.  They are entirely self-pollinating, but if bees gain access there will be about a 40% crossing rate.  There are also different species of peppers and some can cross with each other.  Growing just the one type in a garden is relatively safe, especially if it is in the greenhouse with limited bee access.  In the open on an allotment, it gets harder to keep them pure.

When sweet and hot pepper varieties cross, the 'hot' is dominant and the cross will be a hot pepper. 

However for saving pure seeds, we can make use of the fact that peppers need no pollinators to set.  Either we keep a few good plants indoors until they had their first flowers and set fruits, then mark the pure fruits.  Or we cover ends of branches and flowers with little blossom bags (a bit like wedding favour bags - mine are made from ancient net curtains). 

My seed saving friend from the USA has another clever method (she is a scientist  :happy7: !).  She chooses 3 nice plants without flowers or set fruit and plants them together into a large pot.  She then constructs an insect proof covering with two U-shaped hoops taller than the pepper plants and fleece over the top of the peppers.  This fleece goes under the rim of the pot and gets gaffer-taped into place or tied into place to make it insect proof.  The pot gets watered/fertilised from below and any pepper that sets inside is by definition pure breeding. 

Just a few more 'how to' ideas.  I'd love to hear how others have done theirs.

I know goodlife was experimenting with glueing flowers shut, but I don't recall how successful this was.   :wave:

PS: if anybody wants to tackle a seed-save and have any questions, there are people on here who can help, or look it up,  just ask   :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 08, 2016, 08:18:13
Good post, nice lot of tips and ideas  :happy7:

Using PVA glue on chilli flowers does work, though you need to make sure they get a proper dip in it or some of the petals manage to open.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on April 08, 2016, 10:16:23
Just to check on cross pollination in peas? I will be separating varieties in time but want to check if any other isolation is required?
I'm doing salmon flowered, Alaskan early , some commons like onward and kelvedon and Shiraz mange tout. X sun loving
Ps the Jelly melons are up!


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 08, 2016, 11:16:43
You don't need to isolate peas at all, they only cross extremely rarely even if you grow them right next to each other.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 08, 2016, 11:55:29
Yep, just like Silverleaf said!  The rate of natural mutation is higher than the rate of crossing!  No spacing by time required either.  You only need to make sure that there is no seed-mixing at harvest time.

The fact that peas are relatively easy to cross deliberately for breeding purposes does not mean that they cross by themselves. 

Jelly melons are a species of their own and another one where you don't have to worry, there are to my knowledge no named varieties.  Any seeds you harvest are pure breeding.  Extracting and cleaning the seeds is a bit of work though.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 08, 2016, 12:02:55
Good post, nice lot of tips and ideas  :happy7:

Using PVA glue on chilli flowers does work, though you need to make sure they get a proper dip in it or some of the petals manage to open.

Thank you Jayb!  :wave:

Can the glue constrict a flower bud so much that it cannot set fruit?  Does the emerging fruit need to be set free from a crust of glue?  At what stage is the dipping done?  How you dip a single bud without affecting the rest of the branch?.  Would it be easier to paint the glue on?  I have never tried it because I cannot picture how to do it, but I love the elegance of the concept.  Definitely ready to learn more  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on April 13, 2016, 19:50:45
If it is only the three of us
[snip]
I'm already in this flower swap:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/seed-swap/flower-seed-circle-2016-a_88244.html
Might make more sense to join that than start a tiny circle here.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 13, 2016, 20:07:52
There are already a few flowers in the veg swap; maybe we could just encourage people to put more in?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on April 14, 2016, 11:48:29
Good post, nice lot of tips and ideas  :happy7:

Using PVA glue on chilli flowers does work, though you need to make sure they get a proper dip in it or some of the petals manage to open.

Thank you Jayb!  :wave:

Can the glue constrict a flower bud so much that it cannot set fruit?  Does the emerging fruit need to be set free from a crust of glue?  At what stage is the dipping done?  How you dip a single bud without affecting the rest of the branch?.  Would it be easier to paint the glue on?  I have never tried it because I cannot picture how to do it, but I love the elegance of the concept.  Definitely ready to learn more  :sunny:

Same here, it sounds really interesting and a brilliant solution for a crowded allotment.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 15, 2016, 22:49:44
Winnie the pooh pepper seeds arrived yesterday and are sown, bit late but I am hoping they will be OK.I have few seeds still coming from various places which I am going to sow on arrival but I will be pushing it

Kajari Melon,, beautiful to look at  from the Punjab very sweet and early

A Summer Squash, Desi, small bush type, nutty flavor with baseball sized round yellow fruit

A vining summer squash called Gialla Nostrate.

I will try to post pictures.

Galina that bean I was looking for, was it to replace an old family bean that was lost to me?  If so I have it back, my son in laws father still had seeds and I got some, don'y know how old they are but I will set some off and see.

I can't do the Mayoral Blue I don't think.. wondering where to let it trail and that would be difficult when seriously thinking about it.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 15, 2016, 22:56:44
pictures
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on April 16, 2016, 07:18:07
The summer squash looks the ones we grow and they grow them in asia. I shared the seeds in the circle last year. Interesting where did you buy the seeds from?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 16, 2016, 08:03:55
I looked at the one from last year and it looked quite gree, my one is very yellow so I don't think they are the same. It is  Pujab summer squash.
XX Jeannine What was the name of your one
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on April 16, 2016, 18:22:31
It's the same the colour's can varies depending on the stage of picking and soil nutrients.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 16, 2016, 18:58:04
What is the name of your one
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on April 16, 2016, 19:17:24
We call it desi kaddu. It doesn't have a special name as far as I know. I've asked a few people from my community including my parents that's what they call it. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on April 16, 2016, 22:14:02
Chappan Kaddu is another name.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 16, 2016, 23:21:30
That makes sense, I know from some of my other squash that kadoo is the Hindi word for pumpkin and I also know from another hobby that Desi simply means among other things from the continent of India.. I had no clue what the word chappan meant so I looked it up and apparently it is the number 56 so I am not sure how that fits in.. anyway it seems as though my Desi squash(pumpkin) is the same as yours so maybe not a good one for me to grow if they all got seeds last year. No problem as I have not sown them yet so I will not do as many.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on April 17, 2016, 06:33:45
The word chappan when we say it means hidden. I spent long time trying to find proper names from some of the veg my parents grow but it gets lost in translation. In india they speak hindi,punjabi, urdu and others. It's not a problem you can add seeds this year. I always get worried about not having enough seeds of some of the varieties that I grow I have to save my own seed because I find it hard to replace them or until someone in the family goes on holiday and bring seeds back.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 17, 2016, 21:03:27
Oh thank you for that.. I love to get bits of info from other folks countries, seeds, fashion , crafts ,recipes etc something I have always been very interested in.

{ wo;; see what others say, I can grow them if anyone needs them.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 19, 2016, 15:30:26
Can the glue constrict a flower bud so much that it cannot set fruit?  Does the emerging fruit need to be set free from a crust of glue?  At what stage is the dipping done?  How you dip a single bud without affecting the rest of the branch?.  Would it be easier to paint the glue on?  I have never tried it because I cannot picture how to do it, but I love the elegance of the concept.  Definitely ready to learn more  :sunny:

I'll try and do a picture to show you soon as I get my act together. But apply the glue whichever way is easiest for you, I think I found a small glue bottle with a narrow nozzle about the easiest handy to keep on a shelf or pocket. Apply a blob of glue to the opening end of the petals just before the bud opens, once the fruit has set they seem to have no problem breaking the old glued petals open as they grow. Hope this helps  :happy7:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 19, 2016, 15:49:01
If it is only the three of us
[snip]
I'm already in this flower swap:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/seed-swap/flower-seed-circle-2016-a_88244.html
Might make more sense to join that than start a tiny circle here.

Thanks for that, I have taken part in other seed circles but for me A4A's my favourite. Even though the Seed Circle here is not very big, I've loved every year and I've been amazed at the wonderful, interesting and often hard to find varieties that go into the collection everyone puts in here. I'm sure the flower circle will be stunning too.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 19, 2016, 16:00:41

Oh thank you for that.. I love to get bits of info from other folks countries, seeds, fashion , crafts ,recipes etc something I have always been very interested in.

{ wo;; see what others say, I can grow them if anyone needs them.

XX Jeannine

These may be similar but I would suspect also with differences as they likely have been grown for local conditions and selected for traits over the years by different people/families. I'll be growing Clumsy's desi kaddu this year but would love to try seeds next year from the one you are saving.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 19, 2016, 22:31:50
Oh Ok Jay, then I will sow it, did you see the melon I, it was so pretty I couldn't resist buying the seeds and the climbing zuchinni. What do you think about sowing them for the circle

I have planted my last six Hero of Lockinge seeds and 4 have germinated so far.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 20, 2016, 07:50:55
Yes I did, it's as cute as can be, I'm really looking forward to hearing how it does for you  :drunken_smilie:

The climbing squash/zucchini are really interesting too, they look like they would just romp along with loads and loads of fruit. Let us know how they do and taste, I think an arch dripping in fruits would be awesome!

I'd be interested in any or all, melon are a little more tricksy for our climate... But please grow what you want as I'm sure whatever you choose to send will be just fantastic for the circle.

I grew Hero of Lockinge a couple of years back, so good  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on April 20, 2016, 08:50:30
Jeannine, the melon sounds and looks wonderful , this is one of the strengths of the circle as I have often pondered melons but never got around to growing any but with you putting them in the circle means I am going for it!  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on April 20, 2016, 15:30:42
I've got kajari melons going too - would love to compare notes on how we both do with them. They look so stunning!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 22, 2016, 06:39:36
Thank you Jayb,  Yes it is becoming much clearer how to do this and by the end of summer we'll all have got the knack  :icon_cheers:  will certainly give it a try here.   :angel11:


I'll try and do a picture to show you soon as I get my act together. But apply the glue whichever way is easiest for you, I think I found a small glue bottle with a narrow nozzle about the easiest handy to keep on a shelf or pocket. Apply a blob of glue to the opening end of the petals just before the bud opens, once the fruit has set they seem to have no problem breaking the old glued petals open as they grow. Hope this helps  :happy7:


I'll try and do a picture to show you soon as I get my act together. But apply the glue whichever way is easiest for you, I think I found a small glue bottle with a narrow nozzle about the easiest handy to keep on a shelf or pocket. Apply a blob of glue to the opening end of the petals just before the bud opens, once the fruit has set they seem to have no problem breaking the old glued petals open as they grow. Hope this helps  :happy7:


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 22, 2016, 06:49:38
Jeannine, what a pretty, pretty melon.  I so wish they were more reliable here.  Part the weather, part a steep learning curve - after all the gardeners of old could all do it - heated melon pits and all that.

Love the look of the squash too, both of them.  The Baker Creek sold seeds come from seeds that Joseph Simcox, the ethnobotanist brought back, Clumsy's seeds came directly from Asia.  Chances are they are of a similar type, but not exactly identical.  Jere Gettle of Baker Creek seeds mentions how early these are and how very tasty.  A real discovery.  The climbing squash looks good too, growing up draped over archways or trellis.  Great fun.  Yes please, they all make exciting additions to the seed circle.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 22, 2016, 20:06:01
Ok I will do them all, when they arrive, hopefully here they will be OK as last year I was till pulling tomatoes in November from the greenhouse .Everything seem to be taking so long to get here. I got stuff from Irish Seed savers just yesterday, Still waiting for stuff from Territorial, from Jere and from three places in the UK. Even the stuff from Russia was faster.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 25, 2016, 15:54:09
Seed Circle update taking part and saving ideas,

Elfeda,
Markfield rover, quietly said "Tomato Gazzi Yellow Egg, peas -Lincolnshire, Llanover, Ave Juan... Newick, Champion of England, Sharpes Liberty. CFB Neabel's  Ukrainium."
Penedesenca, Potato onions
Pumpkinlover,
Clumsy,
Silverleaf, Telephone and Champion of England peas, TPS, maybe tomatoes, barley
Martinburo,
Galina, Erfurt winter radish, CFB Breglia's Romano and Jack's Blue and Green, winter squash Todo el An~o, Norli pea
Hector,
Robert_Brenchley,
Debs, Cavolo Nero kale
Earlypea,
Squeezyjohn,
Jayb, Early Blood Turnip, 'erbs
Sparrow,
Ruud,
Sunloving,  Salmon Flowered peas, Alaskan early peas , Load buster broad beans and a purple climbing bean, sweet corn and jelly melon, cinnamon basil, Giant toms
Jeannine,  Winnie the Pooh peppers, Hero of Lockinge, tomatoes, Kajari Melon, Summer Squash, Desi, summer squash Gialla Nostrate,

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on April 25, 2016, 16:46:09
ordered T&M  Tomato 'Sweet Aperitif' plants, will save the seed for the circle , then possibly aubergine..my last years aubergine self saved seeds were useless, so this year I collect the seeds carefully.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on April 27, 2016, 22:09:29
Seeds from Gere have just arrived , sowing the melon and squash today, Fingers crossed.

I lost all me seeds I ordered from Territorial, the parcel opened in the mail and an empty partial cardboard mailer, a packing slip and a letter of apology was sent from Canada post. $90 odd worth of seed was gone. Fortunately it was sent insured so it has been re shipped today but that is another month of waiting and some of it I wanted to grow this year..It wasn't anything for the circle though. My UK Nicky's order also arrived today so I can start my mini broccoli

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 07, 2016, 21:30:21
Replacement parcel has arrived..

Winnie the Pooh seeds from a friend have not germinated, not one, my own peppers and chillies did in the same propagator so I think they are duds. I could be wrong but the Gialla Nostrale seeds I also got from a friend seem without kernels, just seed pods so I think they may be  duds too. I have however sown them as there are a couple which seem a bit fatter, so fingers crossed.

Hero of Lockinge melon is coming on just fine and all my tomatoes are doing well, my cukes are hybrid so no go there, I have aubergine doing well but nothing special and I have Bulls Horn sweet pepper . Thai Dragon and Habanero doing OK.

I will have Gigantes beans and my families own bean which I am growing for seed this year, still hasn't got a real name.

XX Jeannne
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on May 08, 2016, 08:12:56

Winnie the Pooh seeds from a friend have not germinated, not one, my own peppers and chillies did in the same propagator so I think they are duds.

Oh pooh, what a shame, they sounded fun ones to grow.

Good news they sent a replacement parcel. I'm envious of your melons, I've not started any but know I'll wish I had! Sounds like your sowings are coming along a treat Jeanninie  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 08, 2016, 19:30:32


Hope all is well with you.. Jay so far all is doing well, I am starting summer squash today, yesterday I got celeriac and chard out plus my Gigandes . I memtioned to the friend about non geminating and he said he would send me some fresher seeds but will they get here in time. I very much doubt it.

Tiny Toes has fruit on but not Tiniest or Tommy yet. Tommy is actually out in the greenhouse as it is a full size plant but the two babies are inside, they seem identical in height, leaf etc ecept one has fruit and one has flowers.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on May 10, 2016, 09:32:20
.....and on to this year

Here are my first two seed share items:

I've got a large quantity of Sacred Basil already out in the field.

Until last summer I thought I hated Basil, but having been forced to eat fresh pesto throughout July I can no longer live without it!  Very much hoping this variety is good for that.  Will keep you posted.

My main reason for getting this seed is that according to Wild Garden Seeds website it's much better adapted to cool weather climates and doesn't blacken with late spring frosts.  Mind you I'm not risking it -will be fleecing up for the cold weekend.
https://www.wildgardenseed.com/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=148&osCsid=81995cbfffa5694c847a14fc3810ed4f

Their paper brochure gives an extended entry and it sounds even more tempting.
"Distinctly fragrant basil that we have long used as a salad enhancer.  The whole leaves are crisp and clove flavoured, very cooling in summer salad.  The immature bite-sized buds and their subtending pair of leaves are a beautiful topping for salad or desserts.  Excellent pollen and nectar source for bees.......One of our favourite plants"

My first tomato offering will likely be Caro Rich - let's wait and see how it tastes, but apparently extremely high in Beta Carotene.  Developed by Alan Kapuler.  Seeds from Brownenvelopeseeds.com
http://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=caro+rich&Submit=

I'm a big fan of his after growing his Painted Hills sweetcorn last year (the best ever, simply divine!!!).  This year I'm doing that again and Double Red, plus his Spring Blush hyper-tendril snap peas. Where will it all end?   I guess I must be a groupie  :alien:


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 18, 2016, 22:17:47
My Gallia Nostrale trailing courgettes have all sprung up, but bad girl here, I slipped up and didn't sow the new melon or the new squash,, I am doing it today so everyone keep fingers crossed. I am also trying the last few Winnie the Pooh just in case as the second lot have not arrived.

Tomatoes are all doing well, most have flowers and a couple have tiny fruit. I don't think I posted the names earlier so I will now just in case there is anything there anyone wants.
I will only post the OP ones and not the micros
Ildi
Rebecca Sebastian's Ball Bag
Kootenai
Kalinka
Islandaise..this one is loaded with flowers by the way, far ahead of everything else
Shirley OPEN POLLINATED
Hoy
.New Yorker
Virginia Sweets, super bi color beefsteak
Cowlicks Brandywine
Opalka
Couer di Bue


I got 4 new tomatoes yesterday in the mai, it is very late but I am going to sow a couple of each, my season is a bit linger than yours so maybe!!!!

Sin'ks Striped, pink and yellow bi colour, Old German type about llb
Violet Noir, deep purple black beefsteak blemish free
Pamplemousse de Grand Pere, bi color,yellow with pink bottom very pretty,llb
Fleur de Reagir,maroon black, when cut in half it looks like a flower, very heavily ruffled, a real old fashioned tomato flavor. Very beautiful

I am aslo going to search my seeds and grow another one to try to use as a papa plant for my micro cross experiment to come.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on May 19, 2016, 07:11:09
My Gallia Nostrale trailing courgettes have all sprung up, but bad girl here, I slipped up and didn't sow the new melon or the new squash,, I am doing it today so everyone keep fingers crossed. I am also trying the last few Winnie the Pooh just in case as the second lot have not arrived.

Tomatoes are all doing well, most have flowers and a couple have tiny fruit. I don't think I posted the names earlier so I will now just in case there is anything there anyone wants.
I will only post the OP ones and not the micros
Ildi
Rebecca Sebastian's Ball Bag
Kootenai
Kalinka
Islandaise..this one is loaded with flowers by the way, far ahead of everything else
Shirley OPEN POLLINATED
Hoy
.New Yorker
Virginia Sweets, super bi color beefsteak
Cowlicks Brandywine
Opalka
Couer di Bue


I got 4 new tomatoes yesterday in the mai, it is very late but I am going to sow a couple of each, my season is a bit linger than yours so maybe!!!!

Sin'ks Striped, pink and yellow bi colour, Old German type about llb
Violet Noir, deep purple black beefsteak blemish free
Pamplemousse de Grand Pere, bi color,yellow with pink bottom very pretty,llb
Fleur de Reagir,maroon black, when cut in half it looks like a flower, very heavily ruffled, a real old fashioned tomato flavor. Very beautiful

I am aslo going to search my seeds and grow another one to try to use as a papa plant for my micro cross experiment to come.

There are some fantastic names their let alone what the fruit will be like. Would love to know how you get on with Pamplemousse de Grand Pere
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on May 20, 2016, 07:35:58


Hope all is well with you.. Jay so far all is doing well, I am starting summer squash today, yesterday I got celeriac and chard out plus my Gigandes . I memtioned to the friend about non geminating and he said he would send me some fresher seeds but will they get here in time. I very much doubt it.

Tiny Toes has fruit on but not Tiniest or Tommy yet. Tommy is actually out in the greenhouse as it is a full size plant but the two babies are inside, they seem identical in height, leaf etc ecept one has fruit and one has flowers.

XX Jeannine

Hi Jeanninie  :wave: I'm a bit like the weather at the moment, but good. My squash have been popping up too, including my lovely lovely Sibley, which you kindly sent amongst many other squash seeds some years ago, they are firm favourites here. I checked back on Tiny/Tinest toes the other day and now I have forgotten! Tinest T might have evolved from the overwintered cutting from Tiny Toes and not seed saved, from memory one was red fruited and one pink. I think Tiny is red and Tinest pink. Have a look at the stems too, if they are the same as mine were, one is hairless the other hairy. How tall are the two Tiny's? Fun to be growing all three  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on May 20, 2016, 07:53:26
.....and on to this year

Here are my first two seed share items:

I've got a large quantity of Sacred Basil already out in the field.

Until last summer I thought I hated Basil, but having been forced to eat fresh pesto throughout July I can no longer live without it!  Very much hoping this variety is good for that.  Will keep you posted.

My main reason for getting this seed is that according to Wild Garden Seeds website it's much better adapted to cool weather climates and doesn't blacken with late spring frosts.  Mind you I'm not risking it -will be fleecing up for the cold weekend.
https://www.wildgardenseed.com/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=148&osCsid=81995cbfffa5694c847a14fc3810ed4f

Their paper brochure gives an extended entry and it sounds even more tempting.
"Distinctly fragrant basil that we have long used as a salad enhancer.  The whole leaves are crisp and clove flavoured, very cooling in summer salad.  The immature bite-sized buds and their subtending pair of leaves are a beautiful topping for salad or desserts.  Excellent pollen and nectar source for bees.......One of our favourite plants"

My first tomato offering will likely be Caro Rich - let's wait and see how it tastes, but apparently extremely high in Beta Carotene.  Developed by Alan Kapuler.  Seeds from Brownenvelopeseeds.com
http://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=caro+rich&Submit=

I'm a big fan of his after growing his Painted Hills sweetcorn last year (the best ever, simply divine!!!).  This year I'm doing that again and Double Red, plus his Spring Blush hyper-tendril snap peas. Where will it all end?   I guess I must be a groupie  :alien:




I love seeing your list of varieties  :icon_cheers:

Sacred Basil I remember as having quite a distinct taste and the leaves smaller than the regular type basil. Hope they do well, fresh seed would be lovely.

I'm growing Caro Rich this year too! A different source for seeds though, mine were very late to be sown, so hopping I don't run out of room for them!

I was going to grow Double Red for the Seed Circle as they are just soooo good, but I see Real Seeds are stocking them now so I may reduce the amount of plants and go with something else instead. Double Red are gorgeous, not early though and watch out for staining your hands red when picking and peeling them.

Spring Blush are delightful too a really lovely pea, I think I must be a groupie too!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on May 20, 2016, 07:57:28
Quote

I got 4 new tomatoes yesterday in the mai, it is very late but I am going to sow a couple of each, my season is a bit linger than yours so maybe!!!!

Jeannine, I've just sown a few varieties I really wanted to try this year and although they won't have a long season they should still produce, so with your longer season you should be fine.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on May 21, 2016, 19:01:00
The wierbloom oldambuster broadbeans are living up to their name, lovely white flowers. Hope the beans are as lovely , Sunloving.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 22, 2016, 00:22:52
The wierbloom oldambuster broadbeans are living up to their name, lovely white flowers. Hope the beans are as lovely , Sunloving.

This broadbean came to me with the name Oldamster Wierboon, but this has recently been corrected by another Dutch seedsaver to Oldambster Wierdeboon.  Yes the pure white flowers on this broad bean are striking, but the name isn't bloom, but boon, which is Dutch for bean. 

They also smell fabulous in flower, really delightful perfume, especially in the evenings after a warm day.

I hope you will like them too.  There are 4-5 beans in each pod, but there are usually several pods on each node, so harvest is very good.  Beans are not the largest, but larger than field beans, with green skins.

This is the only broad bean I have been growing for many years.  And they also freeze well.  MIL loves them as tiny beans, just set and cooked whole.  I was a bit skeptical at first, but they are so nice as 'green beans', as well as mature beans for shelling.

I grew this broad bean for the seed circle quite a few years ago.  It is a Dutch landrace bean that has seen a bit of a revival in the Netherlands (and has travelled to Eire too).  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 22, 2016, 03:07:33
Oh that is some nice looking bean, I have a thing about broadies especially because over here they are rarely grown. Thanks for sharing the info
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on May 22, 2016, 05:13:39
Hi Gallina thanks for the info, I was given these by goodlife a few years ago when we met at the Birmingham allotments of betula. They have lots more flower ATM than my other black tipped varieties and so it looks like it may be a great crop of young beans , just have to remember to save a few for the group!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 22, 2016, 09:49:19
Sunloving, yes the quantity flowers hints at the productivity.  Many flowers to a node (if they all get pollinated) means many beans. And this is the only broadbean that I have come across with pure white flowers.

This one was nearly lost in its homeland, but is seeing a bit of a revival.  Originally from Groningen area.  A small Dutch seed company has taken it on to preserve this variety.

When I originally got the seeds from Jaap Vlaming, there was nothing on the web at all about this variety.  Fortunately things have turned around. 
http://www.zaderij.nl/boon-oldambster-wierdeboon.html

I'll have to dig out a few photos.

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 22, 2016, 20:33:17
This should have been the first broadie I grew. I remember the time well, I was in  my early twenties and I had rented a house  with half an acre, it belonged to the farmer next door who had bought the property for the extra land but the half acre around the house went with it. It had a beautiful huge veggie patch, very well cared for so I decided to sow stuff.

Broadies  were the first thing I did and the first to break the soil, I watched them very carefully. Every day, the first thing I did was to look through my window as I was making breakfast and peep at my broadies. I had read books about pests etc so was expecting black flies and also white  butterflies with bits of black on my cabbages.   I could see the start of flowers on my broadies so I was very excited, then one morning I looked out and all over them were these white things with black bits. I screamed there are cabbage butterflies on my broadies and went racing out to save them, I tripped over the cat, went down, almost broke a toe and couldn't walk for 2 weeks...

The broadies of course had flowered but I had never seen it before, I think I was expecting roses or something instead I got what looked just like cabbage white butterflies from my window, white with black bits .

If I had had plain white blooms I may not have a crooked toe...


Oh heck,, the tearful joy of remembering times past. sniff sniff
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 22, 2016, 20:36:58
Still no germination on Winnie the pooh..sorry folks
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on May 22, 2016, 22:34:20
Mine are in flower too! Also have Crimson Flowered and my landrace which have ordinary flowers - should be interesting to see how they combine next year...
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on May 23, 2016, 10:08:19
The wierbloom oldambuster broadbeans are living up to their name, lovely white flowers. Hope the beans are as lovely , Sunloving.

Absolutely delightful Sunloving.  I had no idea there were such BBs.  Looking forward........
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 23, 2016, 10:25:41
This should have been the first broadie I grew. I remember the time well, I was in  my early twenties
If I had had plain white blooms I may not have a crooked toe...


Oh heck,, the tearful joy of remembering times past. sniff sniff


Jeannine, ouch!  Glad it didn't put you off gardening!  Somewhere on here are photos of Jayb's broadie crosses and their flowers.  Fabulous shades. 

These will be a super addition to the seed circle, Sunloving.  Fingers crosses they will just do their stuff for you.

Yes that meeting at Squash64s allotments was magic.  I remember so well how you (in that lovely red dress) broke the ice, gave us all a hug and introduced yourself - and had us all chatting in no time at all.   :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jeannine on May 23, 2016, 19:37:49
Jay has been breeding Broadies too...my goodness that gal deserves a horticultural medal. I was examining the size of tomato flowers yesterday with the view of crossing a couple of micro  toms but they are so small...  I will have to bring the pots into my sewing room under my magnifiers  where I do my miniature stuff to even stand a chance.. I wish I had that ladies skills I really do.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on May 24, 2016, 22:55:19
This should have been the first broadie I grew. I remember the time well, I was in  my early twenties
If I had had plain white blooms I may not have a crooked toe...


Oh heck,, the tearful joy of remembering times past. sniff sniff


Jeannine, ouch!  Glad it didn't put you off gardening!  Somewhere on here are photos of Jayb's broadie crosses and their flowers.  Fabulous shades. 

These will be a super addition to the seed circle, Sunloving.  Fingers crosses they will just do their stuff for you.

Yes that meeting at Squash64s allotments was magic.  I remember so well how you (in that lovely red dress) broke the ice, gave us all a hug and introduced yourself - and had us all chatting in no time at all.   :sunny:

Oh how lovely of you to say that! It was a really nice day and we all went home with all sorts of new things to try, I'm still using the salad seeds from that day as there were so many, I'd forgotten it was squash and not betula!

X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on June 14, 2016, 16:59:04
Hello all, my salmon flowered peas have all got fascination and so I'm not sure how many peas will emerge.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on June 14, 2016, 17:38:38
What a lovely sight Sunloving!  The fasciated stems are normal for this pea, they should all have it.  Another name for them is Crown Pea, because all the flowers come out at the top, like a crown over the thickened stem.  In theory each flower will make a pod.  From memory these pods have 3 to 5 peas in them.  This gives you some sort of an idea of how much to expect.  They are shelling peas, not mangetouts and tasty.  But of course the beauty, or front-garden appeal of these peas is the main reason for growing them.  Harvests are lighter than other peas, but as we can all see, there are plenty of flowers in the 'crown'.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on June 14, 2016, 18:32:36
 Gallina, that's great to know as I was scratching my head as to how they could have all got damaged! 
Fingers crossed then for lots of pods!! They are very pretty. Almost as lovely as the Shiraz mange tout. He res to lots to swap later on! X sunloving


G
What a lovely sight Sunloving!  The fasciated stems are normal for this pea, they should all have it.  Another name for them is Crown Pea, because all the flowers come out at the top, like a crown over the thickened stem.  In theory each flower will make a pod.  From memory these pods have 3 to 5 peas in them.  This gives you some sort of an idea of how much to expect.  They are shelling peas, not mangetouts and tasty.  But of course the beauty, or front-garden appeal of these peas is the main reason for growing them.  Harvests are lighter than other peas, but as we can all see, there are plenty of flowers in the 'crown'.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on June 15, 2016, 10:44:54
Sunloving, my Salmon Flowered crown pea is not as advanced as yours.  Here is one crown with tightly packed flower buds, which have almost no pink showing at the moment.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on June 15, 2016, 10:50:57
The replanted Erfurter Winter Radish has grown as tall as I am.  We have flowers and also the first seed pods.  It isn't only the Rat's Tail variety that has edible, fleshy and crunchy seed pods, every radish does.  Just that we usually have to wait and replant before flowering starts, whereas Rat's Tail skips the stage where it produces a root.

At the moment these lovely seed pods are just right to put into salads, there will still be hundreds left for seeds for the seed circle.  They are crunchy and just a little less hot than the radish. 

The seedpods will grow larger and later get tough, then the seeds inside will develop.  When the seeds are mature the seedpods will have turned into a grey-brown, dry, papery shell.  At this stage they can be collected, crushed (underfoot inside a muck bucket) and the seeds sifted out with a colander and given a final dry off before packaging   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on June 27, 2016, 10:44:34
Have just come back from a few days away and the peas are loving this wet cool weather! My plants are pretty laden with pods so I should be able to add in Magnolia Blossom Tendril Pea to this year's circle.  :blob7: (that's if I can stop myself snaffling them all for dinner!)

They are a really tall pea, currently at about 7ft and still climbing. The net's had to be propped to stop it toppling over.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on July 02, 2016, 20:09:07
Is Magnolia Blossom another Alan Kapuler pea,  Sparrow?  Sounds impressive :sunny:

Just wanted to report that I thought I had ruined a good pepper flower with my pva glue dipping (the bottle is new and almost full to the top, so it was easy to dip the whole flowers) but yesterday I noticed a little pepper growing out of the 'crippled looking' flower remainder.  So it's all good!  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on July 03, 2016, 22:09:05
Is Magnolia Blossom another Alan Kapuler pea,  Sparrow?  Sounds impressive :sunny:

It is! Am very impressed...

The fewer leaves with the massive tendril clusters really helps with airflow. The plants are in much better nick than the purple podded peas I'm also growing.

I had to sample a few and they are a really brilliant sugar snap - really juicy and crisp pods.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on July 04, 2016, 03:31:08
Is Magnolia Blossom another Alan Kapuler pea,  Sparrow?  Sounds impressive :sunny:

It is! Am very impressed...

The fewer leaves with the massive tendril clusters really helps with airflow. The plants are in much better nick than the purple podded peas I'm also growing.

I had to sample a few and they are a really brilliant sugar snap - really juicy and crisp pods.

Great stuff - between us we are saving all the Kapuler peas over the years. I am hoping to add Magnolia Blossom's purple podded counterpart to the seed circle, if all goes well.  They are called Sugar Magnolia and Jayb has kindly given me seeds of the hypertendril version she had.  Equally impressive, especially this year with all the rain  :glasses9:

I am looking forward to Magnolia Blossom as I have not grown these before, Sparrow!   :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on July 20, 2016, 12:08:37
One of the seeds I would like to add to this year's seed circle is a pea called 'Purple Lancashire Lad'.  This is a working name.  How this came about is written up here:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,61940.msg781756.html#msg781756

There is nothing worse for a heritage variety than being stripped off its heritage  :BangHead:  The pea itself has done absolutely nothing wrong to deserve this!  It is an early maturing, tall,  purple podded shelling pea and the pods are easy to find.  Grows well in all weathers.  Best of all  Purple Lancashire Lad yields pod after pod with nine seeds inside.   :icon_cheers: 

In order to prevent this variety from slipping into oblivion, I would like to add it to the seed circle under its given name of 'Purple Lancashire Lad'.  As far as history goes, it is definitely an old variety and dates back to Victorian times or even older.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on July 21, 2016, 10:09:39
One of the seeds I would like to add to this year's seed circle is a pea called 'Purple Lancashire Lad'.  This is a working name.  How this came about is written up here:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,61940.msg781756.html#msg781756

There is nothing worse for a heritage variety than being stripped off its heritage  :BangHead:  The pea itself has done absolutely nothing wrong to deserve this!  It is an early maturing, tall,  purple podded shelling pea and the pods are easy to find.  Grows well in all weathers.  Best of all  Purple Lancashire Lad yields pod after pod with nine seeds inside.   :icon_cheers: 

In order to prevent this variety from slipping into oblivion, I would like to add it to the seed circle under its given name of 'Purple Lancashire Lad'.  As far as history goes, it is definitely an old variety and dates back to Victorian times or even older.   :wave:
Gallina that sounds great.i especially like the Lancashire connection as my parents live there.
 My salmon flowered crown peas are almost dry and ready for saving, early Alaskan are a bit slower! And lots of pods on the oldambuster wierboon broad ies. Here's to a good seed saving July! :) x sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on July 22, 2016, 17:15:46
It's really early days, but I am  :blob7: - I have 2 Kajari melons set in the greenhouse. Both still in net bags as my local slugs like snacking on immature fruit. Please pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease let this work!! It would make up (a bit) for getting blight in the greenhouse.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on August 03, 2016, 17:52:01
Quick question :) how many cucumber seeds do you think is a "good" packet. It's a challenge stopping my other half eating the inside bit :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 03, 2016, 20:32:27
Quick question :) how many cucumber seeds do you think is a "good" packet. It's a challenge stopping my other half eating the inside bit :)

I would put seed cucumbers away from eating cucumbers.  It is like squashes and they need to get more mature than the eating stage for the seeds inside to mature.  With green cucumbers I put over mature fruit aside and they turn yellow.  When I harvest the seeds months later, the flesh is only just about ok for cooking, no longer nice eating.   

What is a meaningful amount?  As many as you can manage.  3 if you can, but 20 is also most welcome  :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on August 03, 2016, 22:25:29
I'll beat other half off with a stick and keep them to one side :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 12, 2016, 08:36:14
My plans for this year are completely out of the window, I've ended up growing pretty much nothing!
But I do have a few things and I am hoping to add a cherry tomato, likely one of these, Bite Size, Garnet, Sunrise Bumble Bee or Lucky Tiger. Taste wise I'm not that enamoured with the last two, they are I think on a par with Blush, which I know lots of people love. But as we all have different tastes and growing years can make a big difference.

I'd like to add a tps either Abbot, which a very early new potato, unusual to have an early set seeds and would make a nice and easy one to select earlies from. Or Athlete a quite new variety with Late Blight resistance, for those who are troubled with this.

I'll be adding in a chilli and likely a few other things too.

I'm enjoying reading everyones progress and hope you all are having a better year than me  :wave:


Edit to remove squash, accidents happen!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 12, 2016, 10:25:27
Sorry you are having a mare of a year, Jayb.  But still so many candidates for the seed circle?  All sound good.

I had berries on potato Athlete, but Abbot went early with blight.  Pity, such pretty flowers. The tubers were baker sized around the pound mark!  Huge for earlies.   Athlete is definitely good with blight.  Plant still looks very good, but no further flowers here.    :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on August 12, 2016, 11:47:24
This is also my worst year ever. 

The early season was dismally cold, then wet on wet so I couldn't sow anything direct and to finish me off a huge deluge left about a third of my plot sitting underwater for days - I'd just planted out lots of summer crops.  My potatoes were exhibiting signs of blight from June and I've never seen such pitiful quantities.

What's left?  I have a tomato Wapsipinicon Peach.  Nice, light, fruity flavour (I say with a hint of spice as an aftertaste, though others can't taste this) - I did grow mainly for it's peachy looks, but it's tasty too.

Did people already have Grushovka (pink) bush tomato?  It's a favourite and doing alright.  I know a lot of people don't actually like bushes though.

I was wondering whether I could also add Winterkefe mangetout, which has been a real show-stopper, not to mention 'a cropper' these last two seasons on my plot.  I believe it originally came from Galina in the 2010 circle.  Anyway, as a must-have item I intended to save a good quantity of seeds for myself.  I have enough for the circle and as a lot of people joined later than 2010 and in fact none of us can save all seeds all years, would that be OK?

I can't think of anything else I could add

Originally I said I'd save Caro Rich tomato, but that died after the floods and Sacred Basil, but that bolted extremely early due to the late frosts I think.  Actually, I don't like the taste of it anyhow - much too clovey for me.


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 12, 2016, 13:27:14
This is going to be another great seed circle with many lovely goodies for us to grow.   :icon_cheers:

Having discussed it with Silverleaf, I can add a few seeds each of the crimson flowering soup pea Unity which she got from the seed bank and named.  Jayb gave me 3 of these seed treasures from her stock and they have done well.  There won't be a huge amount each but hopefully enough to appreciate their beauty and utility.  The seeds themselves are different too, because they have a black eye (black hilum).  Another front garden pea. 

I noticed that the birds were taking an interest and pecking my winter radish pods, so I thanked them for indicating that the seeds inside must be ready (not!) and harvested the lot last week.  Picked off all the pods onto trays.  They dried off completely in a matter of days and yes, there are seeds inside.  :sunny:

Pea Purple Lancashire Lad is already harvested and dried.  As is snap pea Sugar Magnolia, although the plants are still going.  I don't have very many seeds each, because the temptation to snack pods in the garden won out many times (slap wrist). 

I am looking at a lettuce or two, but the trouble with lettuce is always that seed yield is very weather dependent.  It is always ok in the greenhouse, but I haven't planted any there this year. 

I am struggling with hand pollination this year.  Had by now 3 failed attempts with Volunteer squash (tearing my hair out!) and the long promised Todo el An~o squash has been pollinated twice without result, whilst bee-pollinated fruits are growing merrily.  Having done hand pollination dozens of times successfully over many years,  I just don't know what's up this year with my 'skills'  :BangHead:  No promises there either. 

And two items originally from Goodlife - Pepper Tsygansky Baron because it is so early and so pretty (also a seed circle repeat).  And hopefully seeds from her very rare multiplying leek, which is flowering at the moment.  The bees love the big purple pompoms, so hoping for plenty of seed for us.  It seems strange that a leek that specialises in multiplying should flower, but they can and as they produce fertile seeds, it makes it all the easier to share.  My first lot was a clump of baby leeks, which have grown into sizable leeks and now produced flowers.  I have yet to see them multiply here, but all the better for sharing   :happy7:

That is the progress report my end so far. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on August 12, 2016, 17:33:52
Group hug is needed I think! I'm hoping that we will have a warm and sunny autumn to help us catch up a bit. My cinnamon basil never grew much more than a few cm before dying, but I do have lots of salmon flowered pea and oldambuster broadies. Yellow pear toms have been good if anyone wants some and the Shiraz mange tout. The rest is still uncertain. Fingers crossed it gets better! I have had my first ever aubergine success with half phalange violet the, but I think this is a bit common for anyone in this circle? X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 12, 2016, 19:38:45
Sorry you are having a mare of a year, Jayb.  But still so many candidates for the seed circle?  All sound good.

I had berries on potato Athlete, but Abbot went early with blight.  Pity, such pretty flowers. The tubers were baker sized around the pound mark!  Huge for earlies.   Athlete is definitely good with blight.  Plant still looks very good, but no further flowers here.    :wave:


Thanks Galina  :happy7:

I harvested my first Athlete plant today, they need a little longer as they are still growing well, i just wanted to see what they are like, tasted good  :icon_cheers:  Same here, foliage is standing up well to Late blight, all the tubers looked clean too. A keeper for me. Seems they are a good seed setter then, another bonus!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 12, 2016, 19:48:24
Sorry to here you are having a poor year too Earlypea, it's a bit disheartening  :coffee2:
Those varieties all sound great for the circle, I haven't grown Winterkefe for a couple of years so it will be great to get some fresh seeds and they are a good early variety. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 12, 2016, 19:51:18
Lots of lovely sounding varieties Galina, can't wait  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 12, 2016, 20:07:02
Group hug is needed I think! I'm hoping that we will have a warm and sunny autumn to help us catch up a bit. My cinnamon basil never grew much more than a few cm before dying, but I do have lots of salmon flowered pea and oldambuster broadies. Yellow pear toms have been good if anyone wants some and the Shiraz mange tout. The rest is still uncertain. Fingers crossed it gets better! I have had my first ever aubergine success with half phalange violet the, but I think this is a bit common for anyone in this circle? X sunloving

Group hug sounds good, fingers crossed for a good end to the season, though it's blooming cold, grey and very windy here at the moment! Looking forward to whatever you decide on and well done with your aubergine, perhaps that's one to save and grow again as it's enjoying kyour conditions.

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 12, 2016, 20:42:17
And we had better extend this group hug across the Atlantic to Jeannine.  I have just had a very welcome PM from her, but she is not having a great time in the garden either.   :BangHead:

".........very brief..I am OK.my computer is not, it lets me on then freezes, sometimes after 10 minutes it will ley me change page but it is useless and I have to replace it..this message could vanish ay any minute.I can't get on the forum, well I can get on one topic but it will not let me change page.

Please convey message to forum that I am in dire straits with this rotten machine and can't post ..

2016 seeds. not doing so well, this is the worst summer I hab=v ever knowm, we have had mildew on all melons cukes, courgettes almost since day one I have had 2 cougetttes of 12 assorted plants, none from the trailing galia one.

The nine star os going great, but just getting bigger and bigger and is full of holes but all the plants seem to be hanging on, ditto to the daubenton.Tomatoes have been terrible, Mr rat got my biggie for this year I was so mad.Broadies useless, every ant in the neighbourhood built nests in the broadie bed, they were on e mass of sticky green,I got quite bitten trying to pull them out. Gigantes beans are doing well though, and my family beans are doing well too

Caulis went to seeds when tiny, kale is fine,cabbages seem to be OK and brussells are hanging on  but Mr Rat got me beets again.

Better go I am pushing my luck, it keeps stopping and starting..planning on buying a new full desk top model in a few weeksas this new laptop has to go

Sorryto be so hurried but wanted to connect with at least I=one person and I hope it lets me send it,not even trying to correct mistakes...XX Jeannine"

Glad she is ok and it is her computer that's playing up not her health.  Just wanted to let you all know.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 13, 2016, 07:53:17
Group hug absolutely includes everyone  :wave: So sorry to hear you are having a hard time of it Jeannine, you had such lovely plans for your growing patch this year. Blooming computers, so frustrating and hope it gets sorted very quickly. Thanks for letting us all know Galina  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on August 13, 2016, 15:10:44
I'm having a dire time with my squashes, and blight got to my sunrise bumblebee after the first truss (which is promised elsewhere). Slugs are eating nearly every fruit on the squashes, either before or just after pollination. And my fish chillies aren't pollinating in the net bags, though all the others are where I've just been saving for my own stocks. I'm tearing my hair out!

The magnolia blossom peas are in and drying in rice though, so there's at least that. And my sarpo axonas have large berries on. I haven't checked on the kajari melons - I almost daren't!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 13, 2016, 15:25:53
I can add in Sunrise Bumble bee, do you need some extra seeds to share elsewhere? I'm interested to know how you rate their taste?

It seems it's a funny ol' season for many of us.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 13, 2016, 18:28:40
Sorry to hear you are struggling too sparrow.  But the peas are in and safe and the tps are a great idea too.  Fingers crossed for the Kajari melons :sunny:

Could you encase the whole plant/s of fish chili with a fleece dome and let them get on with it?  Just a thought and there is also flower dipping with pva glue as a seed saving method.   Good luck.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on August 15, 2016, 15:05:36
Joining in with group hugs!

Weeks of very wet weather followed by months of dry weather and a combination of slugs and blackbirds hasn't been very helpful here. :(

I do have Telephone peas to share this year though, and likely a mixture of summer radishes, not sure what else yet. If we hadn't had Minogue pearl onions last year I would have added them, as I have four lovely flowers on my plants, but I assume everyone has them now?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on August 15, 2016, 15:14:58
Ooh, I can do Elisabeth peas too, which were kindly given to me by Galina a few years ago. :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on August 16, 2016, 07:49:10
Joining the group hug too. It really has been a mere of a year.

Well my potato onions are fine and in storage but still no idea what you will get with them.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on August 20, 2016, 23:35:39
I can add in Sunrise Bumble bee, do you need some extra seeds to share elsewhere? I'm interested to know how you rate their taste?

I didn't rate it at all, but then I might have left the tomatoes too long just to make sure the seeds would be fully ripe. There were 12 seeds from 7 tomatoes, so that's also spectacularly unimpressive. I might try it again next year just to be sure, after I've changed the soil in the greenhouse.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 21, 2016, 16:55:37
I didn't rate it at all, but then I might have left the tomatoes too long just to make sure the seeds would be fully ripe. There were 12 seeds from 7 tomatoes, so that's also spectacularly unimpressive. I might try it again next year just to be sure, after I've changed the soil in the greenhouse.


Good to have a second opinion, all the Artisan tomatoes looks so lovely, but of the ones I've grown so far, all seem to lack some of the taste I love about cherries. I know many rave about them, I just wish my growing conditions gave as good results. Oh well....

I haven't checked any for seeds yet. 12 seeds, good if you don't like eating seedy tomatoes!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on August 21, 2016, 22:30:23
Fingers crossed for the Kajari melons :sunny:

Melons fell off :( Just suddenly stopped growing, turned yellow and fell off. All of them (there were 6). Ah well.

And there's a slug somewhere that has a taste for chillies and, more distressingly, chilli plant stem. This morning a branch of the most variegated Fish plant was lying on the floor, with the remainder all rasped. Lots of my other plants are similarly affected this year. Not had this before. Hopefully I can still get a few fruits, as they really are stunning.

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 23, 2016, 07:10:57
Shame about your melons, tuff when they were almost there  :BangHead:

Pretty fruit  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 23, 2016, 07:12:07
Joining the group hug too. It really has been a mere of a year.

Well my potato onions are fine and in storage but still no idea what you will get with them.

It's definitely a year for group hugs!
Potato onions sounds great. 

Edit to add an o
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on August 23, 2016, 09:17:29
Big Hugs , it's a tough year . I harvested my oldambuster broadies yesterday. I'm not sure about them because they look the same colour as my valencianas. Happy to share anyway as the flowers were amazing.
My biquhino chillies have been isolated from any hot varieties and so might have some seedto share of this mild pretty chilli but they have no colour yet.
No sign of a fruit on the jelly melon and so not sure about these .

Here's to warm and dry weather and some late successes! X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on August 23, 2016, 11:37:11
Hear hear, here.

Fingers crossed for those gorgeous looking and sounding chillies  :blob7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 23, 2016, 11:49:15
Yes it is a troublesome year for many things.  And something as exotic as Kajari Melons which are let's face it not so easy to grow even when conditions are right,  are affected too.  Sad.  A lot of effort wasted, but still a learning curve. It is sad, but every time something goes wrong, we learn and we appreciate it so much more when it all goes right.  I give everything I try that is in this league a second chance, but if I can't make it work after the second time, I draw a line.  Unfortunately the UK is borderline climate for many crops that love warmer conditions.  And our clouds which are so much of a feature even on a nice sunny summer's day give us far more shading from sunlight than more southern countries have.  This has two big effects.  Everything takes longer to mature (or won't work at all) but also this - flavours develop differently.  For example in tomatoes we do get wonderful flavours with good acidity to sugar balance, whereas grown in sunnier climates the same tomatoes are just 'sweet' without the depth of flavour.  Not much consolation when you don't get to eat Kajari melons at all, Sparrow.  No doubt you tasted the fallers.  Did they have seeds at all inside?  Such a shame they dropped prematurely. 

I am waiting for lettuce seeds to mature whilst it is not damp and rainy.   Because it is a difficult year, we will appreciate all our seed returns much more.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on August 25, 2016, 17:35:10
Sparrow, hope the fish pepper will be ok.  Never tried or tasted them but they look great.

I have finally at last a set isolated/hand pollinated White Volunteer squash.  Let's hope there are plenty of seeds inside.  I really want a second one, but that might be pushing it a bit at this time of year.  No female flowers at all at the mo. 

Just for fun this photo: after we came back from the hols I had several White Volunteer Marrows and this conjoint twin is one of them  :drunken_smilie:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 03, 2016, 11:45:37
At last I had another matching pair of female and male White Volunteer flowers that were getting ready to open on the same day.  Yesterday afternoon I tied them to prevent opening for saving pure seeds.  A member has expressed an interest in saving pure squash seeds, so I decided to take a few photos today about how I isolated and handpollinated this White Volunteer squash.   

The problem with squashes, courgettes, winter squash, pumpkin etc is that their large yellow flowers are so very attractive to bees.  And bee pollination means that we get the squash we are expecting (if we started off with pure breeding seeds), but what is inside the seed is quite likely a cross with any number of varieties and if we grow these seeds next year we could get allsorts.  If we want to be sure of the same variety we need to isolate and handpollinate.  See first picture.  The bee is trying hard to get inside the tied flower but can't because it is isolated with garden string.

The second picture shows the female flower I selected.  A female flower has an embryo bump under the flower, the male flower does not. 

The third picture shows the male flower which I had also isolated with garden string.  I took the string off and tied it around the base of the embryo fruit under the female flowers.  This is to mark a handpollinated fruit with pure seeds inside, so I don't pick it for eating.  I have removed a couple of the petals and the pollen grains inside are very visible. 

Then I opened the female flower with great care so I don't destroy the petals and can close the flower again after hand pollination.  I dropped the pollen grains inside and also used the rest of the male flower on the inside of the female flower like a paint brush.  Then I tied the female flower again.  This is to stop bee access, as I don't want any stray pollen from another variety contaminating my pure hand pollination.  The photo shows the female that has been tied again and the remainder of the male flower after hand pollination.  Fingers crossed this pollination 'takes' and I get the second White Volunteer I want.

The last photo shows the first hand pollinated White Volunteer, which is now a sizeable marrow and has beige skin.  There is a string around the neck of this fruit.  It will grow a bit longer on the plant and then store for a few weeks more - hopefully with a good amount of seed for the seed circle.  If the second fruit takes, it is a bit late in the season, but with any luck we will have plenty more outdoor growing time (and a few more weeks of indoor storage before I harvest the seeds).  Fruits must be overmature for the seeds to ripen and be viable.  As long as possible on the plant and then a bit more ripening time indoors when frosts threaten, produces good seeds.  :wave:




Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 03, 2016, 20:31:34
Interesting and informative post Galina, I had hoped to save  Potmerion seeds, but when it is an allotment it I kept missing the flowers at the right time. Plus I had the excuse I wasn't sure what to do, now I have no excuse but I think that it is a bit late in the season for squash, the two plants I had were not very forthcoming at producing flowers anyway so I think that I have missed the boat.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on September 03, 2016, 21:59:45
I've had a lot of problems this year unfortunately. First I went blind in one eye, back in April. that's temporary, and it's slowly improving with treatment. But I still can't see much through that eye, and I've been told that my sight won't come back as before. then they found I had high blood pressure, and the meds have brought back all my old CFS symptoms. So I've been too exhausted to manage the allotment. I need to go and harvest the potato berries - I can hardly bear to go to the plot when I can't do anything on it - and hopefully there are going to be plenty of seeds for the swap.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on September 04, 2016, 09:29:51
Gallina that's a brilliant and informative post. Last year I had some very lovely looking but bitter melons from saved seed that illustrated very clearly to me how important it is to prevent cross pollination. Many thanks
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 08, 2016, 19:17:47
Pumpkinlover and Sunloving,  well there is always next year. And it does not always work for me either.   I failed utterly with the winter squash I wanted to save seeds from this year.  Plenty of seeds left from a better year for more tries and it will work eventually, hopefully next year.  The little handpollinated fruit on the White Volunteer courgette looks much fatter than the embryo was, but a lot can still go wrong at this stage.  I dread those huge slugs we found in MIL's garden.   :BangHead:

Hope things are improving for you Robert, did you go to the plot?

The lettuce I wanted to save seeds from is good news though.  I have got about half the seeds I need for the seed circle.  And more are developing daily, they look like miniature dandelion clocks with white fluff and the seeds underneath.  The lettuce is called Cresonnette Marocaine, originally from the Organic Catalogue but they don't stock it this year.  I had a brain fade and thought it was a cress when I ordered it  :drunken_smilie: but it is a dark green, looseleaf lettuce that flowers very late (and is therefore quite difficult to save seeds from unless it is a drier than normal autumn).  And I was very happy with it -  very crisp crunchy lettuce.  Last year I managed about 30 seeds, this year I think there might be 30000 from the 8 plants I set out.   :sunny:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on September 14, 2016, 08:52:27
 :wave: hello all, I'm finally getting some ripe biquhinos. They are a lovely banana flavour but small and very very mild, you just get a little heat near the stalk. They are drying well for decorations and seeds to share.

I think it would be good to cross these with something hotter and larger maybe a Bulgarian carrot?

But this year they were isolated and the only other pepper within 30ft were those mini sweet bites.
X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 15, 2016, 08:47:27
I love milder chillis. They look very cute.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on September 16, 2016, 09:12:57
Well, the tomato - Gazzi yellow egg- has done well and is now my favourite yellow tom, sometimes you can see why fruit falls out of favour and becomes rare but this a good'n . Now the peas not a good year but I have just enough to put together " variety" pack a sort of "flight of peas" as a fancy restaurant would have it.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 16, 2016, 15:45:38
More seedsaving pitfalls.  After prolonged dry weather, beans can germinate inside drying pods on plants.  The harvested pods were getting crispy dry on the windowsill and this is what I found when I shelled them - several seeds had started germinating inside the pods.  Thankfully not very many of them    :BangHead:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on September 16, 2016, 22:38:42
My broadies were like this and the Alaskan peas. It's a dilemma do you pick them early and risk immature seeds or leave them to dry and get germination or rot! It has been very humid here for months. It just means every envelope of seed that makes it is even more precious.

I love a new cherry/ grape tomato to try. I grew yellow pear which were lovely but blight prone due to massively productive flower heads. Maybe a golden egg is just the thing!

I though all was lost with the jelly melon until I discovered two whoppers this morning. Fingers crossed. X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 23, 2016, 21:31:29
My 'Pretty in Purple' hot peppers are, well just that ............... so I thought I could add a few seeds to the circle.  These are almost ground cover outside and certainly very well behaved in a small pot on the window sill.  Very pretty small chilis, shiny purple ripening to dark orange red.  There is also purple in the foliage and in the flowers, which are white with the purple tinge.  Really delightful to look at and the plants make good presents too.

My seeds originated from the amazing seed swap parcel that Jeannine and Jayb organised a few years ago and I have grown them twice since from own seed. 
:wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 29, 2016, 09:31:07
More bean seedsaving surprises.  With all 'borlotti' type bean seeds, inverse colours are quite common.  Many seedsavers think that these are crossed seeds and discard them.  But they are not crossed, they are just colour inversed.  I had a particularly nice set of inverses and semi inverses this year with Grandma Walters beans.  The white seed with red markings bottom right is the normal colourway for this bean.  The simple inverse is the much redder looking type.  What happens is that the red dots turn white (reverse colours), the white background turns red, but the stripes stay red (not inversed).  The overall effect is a much redder looking bean.  In addition I found one seed that was inversed on the underside and normal on the top and another that had a partial inversion on one side only.  All of these markings are within what happens when several 'switches' during colour development are set one way or another, with the most common being the white with red markings.

I expect all of these seeds to be true-breeding as these colour changes are not an indication of crossing.

Sorry for slightly blurry photo.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 29, 2016, 09:42:21
Adding a picture of pepper 'Pretty in Purple' showing shiny purple pods on small purple tinged plants.  The orange fruits are the final mature colour for this pepper.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 29, 2016, 09:45:25
More seedsaving pitfalls.  After prolonged dry weather, beans can germinate inside drying pods on plants.

Sorry, just noticed that I should have said: after prolonged dry weather, followed by heavy rain ........... In other words, I should have picked the drying pods off the plants before the rain and all would have been well   :BangHead:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 29, 2016, 13:00:40
Interesting information on the   borlotti beans, Galina.
Look forward to Pretty in Purple, not that I like hot chillis but will grow because they are so pretty. :blob7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 29, 2016, 14:48:33

I though all was lost with the jelly melon until I discovered two whoppers this morning. Fingers crossed. X sunloving

Good  stuff, Sunloving!  Don't worry if they are still green when you have to harvest them because frost threatens.  They will turn bright orange in storage, when they taste lovely and when the seeds ripen.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on September 30, 2016, 11:23:36

Look forward to Pretty in Purple, not that I like hot chillis but will grow because they are so pretty. :blob7:

They are by no means lethal hot.  I used a whole one in cooking yesterday and it made the sauce barely luke-warm.  Just looked it up on the Scoville scale and it is 8000, compared to 300000 of Piri Piri, Rocotos etc.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 30, 2016, 12:43:43
Even better then  :toothy10: :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on October 01, 2016, 17:37:50
Ooh lovel chillies and thankyou for the jelly melon advice I'm really hopeful now as the two biggest melons are turning yellowish already and there are a few catching up size wise. Would be great to send in three varieties on my first swap!

Have lots of crystal lemon cukes if anyone wants them?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on October 01, 2016, 20:39:41
Sofar I  saved the fallowing seeds

 Aubergine - round  green stripy turns into golden when ripe. and creamy when cooked.
 Jalapeno Pepper
 Tomato - similar to 'surenders' cultivar
 Runner bean (desiree)
 Barlotti dwarf
 Cayanee Chilli
 Cape gooseberry


 and saved one greenhouse cucumber (not sure if at all any seds inside)


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 01, 2016, 23:53:15
Good news that it's all coming together Sunloving.  And the crystal lemon cucumbers sound great.

Elfeda,  nice selection from you also.  That aubergine especially sounds very yummy and attractive.  Do you have a variety name?    :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on October 02, 2016, 12:06:01

Galina,

similar to fallowing variety . it is very much stripy green and pale with round shape instead.

http://www.rareseeds.com/lao-green-stripe-eggplant/
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 02, 2016, 15:37:00
ohhh, so pretty, never seen one like it.    :icon_cheers:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on October 08, 2016, 13:50:52
Is it too early to have a 'who's in' roll call? I'm starting to bag up peas/beans/toms for the circle and just want to make sure I have enough. Chillies are still a very long way off being ready though.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 09, 2016, 13:27:04
Well the timing of the final roll-call and the exchange date is up to Jayb.  I trust she will be along shortly and explain how and when, to answer your question, Sparrow.

There are 12 contributors who have posted during the growing season and another 3 or 4 who might check in about now and tell us how they are going and which two or more varieties they have saved seeds from or are in the process of saving seeds from.   :sunny: 

Maybe this is a good time to reassure everybody that should the varieties they have saved be very different from what they set out, please don't worry.  My own offering is nothing like I had planned, this is what happens.  Nature and slugs doesn't cooperate and sometimes we just don't manage enough seed for the circle with the best intentions.  Maybe the resulting packet is smaller than intended.  And often it is a really generous packet when things went well.  As long as seed has been saved for everybody and the contributor has done his or her best to save pure varieties or otherwise state that they are an intentional mix, it's all good!  We also had tps, tubers and bulbs in addition to seeds in this circle.  It is not a competition nor a showcase for the most exclusive varieties, but a learning and sharing opportunity in a friendly, like-minded group.  I particularly love that stimulus to grow something new and different from my normal varieties.  Something that has done well elsewhere.  There are many plants in the garden that reflect the efforts and interests of the group and provide much edible delight.   :wave:   
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on October 10, 2016, 05:52:03
I am still in and finally know what else I have in any quantity to offer - Yay! So potato onions (provided they don't do anything last minute) Lettuce - lillier and achocha - exploding cue  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 10, 2016, 08:57:49
Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge?  Yay on the potato onions and achocha too.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on October 10, 2016, 09:15:22
Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge?  Yay on the potato onions and achocha too.  :wave:

Yes that's the one, but I have never got them to as big as 500g mind you I tend to pick off the leaves as and when anyway. The red tinge only shows when the weather is cooler. Is that a good thing or was it a reference type question?  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 10, 2016, 12:17:44
Penedesenca, is Liller the rather large lettuce with slight red tinge? 

Yes that's the one, but I have never got them to as big as 500g mind you I tend to pick off the leaves as and when anyway. The red tinge only shows when the weather is cooler. Is that a good thing or was it a reference type question?  :happy7:

I was curious whether your Lillier is the same as my Liller or a different lettuce with a similar name - and it is the same according to your description.  :icon_cheers:   Got my seeds originally from Heritage Seed Library.  I also only get the red tinge occasionally.   I may have had one this big, but gave it to a neighbour who had admired them.  Mine are also usually picked by the leaf.   Great that you are adding this lettuce to the seed circle - a very good thing indeed!    :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on October 12, 2016, 13:00:12
I definitely have Telephone peas this year, not sure what else yet though!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on October 17, 2016, 10:09:40
The first jelly melon is almost ripe now might eat it tomorrow here's to some good seeds inside!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 17, 2016, 10:46:04
The first jelly melon is almost ripe now might eat it tomorrow here's to some good seeds inside!

Sunloving, thats great news  :icon_cheers:  - just a suggestion if I may?  Give it another week until the fruit is more orange than green/yellow.  To sweeten up and for the seeds to ripen a little more. This photo is a few years old, but the fruit was delish and fully ripe   :wave:

PS I should perhaps have said that they can be eaten at any stage, green they are more cucumberish in flavour and orange they taste more tropical, but full ripeness is best for the seeds.  Also they will keep for a long time, a couple of months certainly.  I remember eating the last one in the new year. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on October 17, 2016, 12:42:31
wenn is the seedcircle starting?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 18, 2016, 12:46:40
I am drying the seedheads from the perennial leek that Goodlife gave me.  Cut them a while ago because I did not want to risk losing seeds or seeing them damaged through frost.  Have looked them over earlier today and a few black seeds are emerging, but they still need a few weeks further drying.

However I have found leek babies inside the heads.  These are the equivalent of garlic bulbils and each one is a ready-made little plant.  Will give them a little tlc and plant them up in little pots to got out when they are big enough.  I have also noticed these mini-leeks when saving seeds from ordinary leeks.   :wave:   
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 20, 2016, 15:06:36
wenn is the seedcircle starting?


Ruud that's up to Jayb.  Has anybody heard from her recently?  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on October 21, 2016, 22:30:17
Gallina that's great advice I've got three more on the way and so will keep them a little longer. Have the first lot fermenting but they do seem a little thin. X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on October 22, 2016, 08:57:02
Sorry I've not been about as much lately, but I'm catching up with everyone's news and I'll be doing an update later today  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on October 24, 2016, 10:30:37
Do we want a before or after Christmas parcel?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on October 24, 2016, 20:14:36
After would be better for me - less kerfuffle!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on October 25, 2016, 08:06:31
I agree with sparrow after would be better.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on October 25, 2016, 08:24:57
I have bagged up Black Prince tomatoes seed, and also have some excellent autumn planting garlic from Goodlife which I have been replanting for about 4 years now. Will they be ok if we go for after Christmas?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on October 26, 2016, 15:08:51
I will say after christmas.We have time enough and i have than more to distribute for the seedcircle.By than some other seedswap i am involved in are than finished.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on October 27, 2016, 07:59:55
Elfeda, thank you so much for your kind offer. Would love some amaranth and malabar spinach.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on October 27, 2016, 15:09:21
Sure Galina, will add them for you.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on November 02, 2016, 18:18:34
I have bagged up Black Prince tomatoes seed, and also have some excellent autumn planting garlic from Goodlife which I have been replanting for about 4 years now. Will they be ok if we go for after Christmas?

Pumpkinlover,  we can temporarily plant garlic cloves into pots if the weather is too bad for planting on the plot when the seed envelope arrives after Christmas.   

If it is a hardneck (flowering) garlic it does need a good bit of winter chill.  If it gets planted soon after Christmas or even up to the beginning of February, we should still be fine for enough cold weather.  If kept in pots until spring, the worst that will happen, is that it will not be brilliant in 2017.  But when replanted in autumn next year, it will thrive just fine in 2018.  Most garlic needs a year to adjust to new surroundings anyway. 

If it is a softneck (non flowering) garlic, later planting is less of an issue, because softnecks don't need the same amount of winter chill to do well.  Please remind people in the circle that you have added garlic and that it needs dealing with quickly because it is live plant material.   If kept in a warm room until seed sowing time, it might no longer be viable.   

Looking forward to your goodies


 :wave:


Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on November 02, 2016, 18:19:17
Sure Galina, will add them for you.

~Thank you Elfeda :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on November 02, 2016, 19:37:38
I'll try to find something, but I may have to drop out this year. Between illness and a major eye problem, which I'm still having treatment for, I've been able to do nothing at all.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on November 03, 2016, 09:52:12
Hi Robert_Brenchley don't drop out because you can't find anything. Things happen in life we can't control everything, I'm still going to add extra seeds just for if you even if you drop out. I'm sure you have contributed a lot over the years. So you can have a mishap one year. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on November 03, 2016, 21:26:27
Hi Robert_Brenchley don't drop out because you can't find anything. Things happen in life we can't control everything, I'm still going to add extra seeds just for if you even if you drop out. I'm sure you have contributed a lot over the years. So you can have a mishap one year. 

Very well said! Goes for me too :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on November 06, 2016, 15:28:34
Thanks. I'd hate to miss out, but I didn't want to be unfair on anyone.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on November 08, 2016, 16:54:06
After Chrismas is good ... Just as we think the fun is all over .......  Robert,  a few circles ago  I did not have much to add and thought to pull out  but this circle is greater than the sum total of its parts .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on November 09, 2016, 22:13:03
I also have enough,so robert dont drop out.You are one of the first who joined this bunch of gardenlunitics :tongue3: :tongue3:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Bluejay on November 15, 2016, 19:18:11
Hi Everyone,

I have a friend in Canada looking for two bean varieties, and she wanted me to put out a query here hoping that by chance someone could have gotten a hold of them in the UK and kept growing them. I will paste in her descriptions as she has typed them.

'SARAH'S OLD FASHIONED BLACK'

Originating on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, these beans were passed to their donor, Connie Howard, when she visited Hidden Cone Lodge. They seem to thrive in the British Climate, producing purple stemmed plants and green pods with a mauve tinge.

Climbing French Bean 'BOB AND MARY'

This tasty and prolific bean was donated to HSL by Elizabeth Ramsay, who had been given them by her sister's partner, a native of British Columbia, Canada. His family have grown this variety since the beginningo of the 20th century. It is thought that the family received the beans as payment for help repairing farm equipment for a Ukranian neighbor. Mrs. Ramsey says, "The pods can be eaten juicy and young or tender and mature. 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on November 15, 2016, 20:29:05
Hi Bluejay,

I don't have either, but if no one else here has I can ask Heritage Seed Library if they have any in the older stock they might consider sending out? I'm about due to send in my seeds for the guardian scheme anyway.

Sarah's old fashioned black is listed here: http://www.adoptaveg.org.uk/product_range.php?action=search_range&range_id=21 and were listed in the 2013 HSL catalogue.

Apologies if this is too much of a tangent, but you're not linked to the man who bred Bluejay beans by any chance? I look at his website a lot. And quite frankly drool at all the beans shown.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on November 15, 2016, 21:42:27
Bluejay, I have Bob and Mary :wave:

PS: you've guessed right, Sparrow  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on November 16, 2016, 18:08:21
I'll stay in, don't worry. I just feel a bit guilty, but this year's been a complete disaster all round. the one good thing is that my doctor finally worked out that I had an obscure side effect and much of it was down to my meds poisoning me.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on November 16, 2016, 19:50:59
I'll stay in, don't worry. I just feel a bit guilty, but this year's been a complete disaster all round. the one good thing is that my doctor finally worked out that I had an obscure side effect and much of it was down to my meds poisoning me.

Glad it's at least identified, and I hope you're recovering from the unforeseen poisoning.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on November 17, 2016, 10:30:02
I think so. It's an uphill process at the moment, and the treatment for my eye problem is rather unpleasant, but at least it's going in the right direction!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Bluejay on November 18, 2016, 23:38:31
Hi @Sparrow, I am the fellow who bred the bean called Blue Jay. Way back in 1977.  I've got the website that you like to look at. Glad you enjoy the site. Sparrow that would be nice if you can check with the Heritage Seed Library about the "Sarah's Old Fashioned Black". 

Hi @Galina, You have "Bob And Mary". Lovely ! My Candian friend will be ecstatic. Would you like to be paid for them somehow?  I'm curious do you ever use Paypal? What I will do is write to her and let her know you have these beans. It will be better to send them directly to her. Beans pass Canadian customs without any problems. Especially where she lives on Vancouver Island.

So eventually someone might locate "Sarah's Old Fashioned Black"  My friend wants to get these beans back into circulation.   

Anway I hope everyone in the UK it healthy and happy, and has had good gardening weather in 2016.

I'll check back on this thread from time to time.   
   
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on November 19, 2016, 08:53:23
Russ, pm sent  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on December 10, 2016, 15:17:40
I've got TPS from my sarpo miras this year if anyone's interested?
Wish I'd known how much the berries stink!  :tongue3:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on December 10, 2016, 17:22:22
They really stink; I had some appalling ones last year. Some of them started rotting before I got as far as extracting the seeds. I'd be glad of some Sarpo Mira. someone just sent me one of the other Sarpos, but the more the merrier when it comes to blight resistance!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on December 19, 2016, 07:34:46
Well, this has to be  first but my seeds are all packed up ready!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on December 27, 2016, 15:32:57
I meant to post ages ago, sorry.....

As I said a long way back, most of my planned items failed because of adverse weather conditions on my plot.  Things really picked up late summer though and I have a few seeds to offer.  These are mainly my 'workhorses' and I look like a reseller for Realseeds.  Most of these I grow every year and I wouldn't be without.

So, I have

Early tomatoes:

Stupice - always my absolute earliest (vine type)
Aurora - a bush, sauce-type. (normally second earliest)
Grushovka - bush - Very pink.  Type -half-way between a plum and an ox-heart (normally a week or two later)

Winterkefe Mangetout (saved from seed sent by Galina in 2010 seed share).  Prolific, hardy, beautiful - I get major compliments over this early beauty.

Two other things I might add:

"Cupidon" Filet Bush Bean.  I grow this under cover and as it says on the Realseeds website it does, unlike other dwarf types, go on and on.  Only thing is the skins of the seeds is slightly rough-looking.  I think because it was so wet when they were ripening.  Should I put them in?  They are not perfect.

Wapsipinicon Peach - Vine tomato with furry, peach-like skin.  Flavour good, but not as wowed as I thought I'd be by its looks.  Maybe there is a better strain of it somewhere?  Do people want it or not?

OK, looking forward to hearing from others and hearing about what's coming.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on December 27, 2016, 17:28:35
Earlypea, glad things came right at the end of the season after all, lovely selection of goodies   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on December 27, 2016, 17:49:45
My stuff's ready, just need to know how many packets and where to send them.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on December 29, 2016, 11:22:57
Wenn do i send my seeds over the pond? I wish everybody a very green 2017.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on January 07, 2017, 12:36:15
Apologies, I have to withdraw. HOpe you all have a great 2017
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 07, 2017, 12:49:29
So sorry to hear Hector,  thank you for your kind wishes and hope that 2017 will be good to you also.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on January 09, 2017, 12:01:42
For BlueJay:

Hi - I've heard back from HSL, and while they can't send me seeds this year 'Sarah's Old-Fashioned Black' is on this year's grow out list for adding to the 2018 catalogue.

Hope that helps - sorry I couldn't get hold of any for you this year.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 09, 2017, 15:14:50
My stuff's ready, just need to know how many packets and where to send them.


Have contacted Jayb regarding the seed circle and other matters, but unfortunately not heard back.  She hasn't been on here since October and similar on FB and on her own forum.  Does anybody know what's the problem?  Or has been in contact?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on January 09, 2017, 16:29:42
No - I sent a PM a few days ago and haven't heard anything. Am hoping all is ok with her.

Should we sort out an exchange between us? Perhaps we could set seeds aside for when she's back?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 09, 2017, 16:59:26
No - I sent a PM a few days ago and haven't heard anything. Am hoping all is ok with her.

Should we sort out an exchange between us? Perhaps we could set seeds aside for when she's back?

I didn't even know that she is away?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on January 09, 2017, 17:20:33
I didn't mean that - poor phrasing - just when she is back in contact.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on January 10, 2017, 07:37:33
I'm just peering out from under the bedclothes at the year and planning to have a rummage at what I've got to share.ive definitely got biquhino chillies which I isolated last year, and golden bantam x early king sweet corn and that salmon flowered pea. Still have some kalahari melons in the fruit bowl if anyone fancies giving them a whirl.
Exciting, hope that Jayb is ok maybe we could have an end of jan deadline?
X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on January 10, 2017, 08:34:55
Morning all , do we know how many we are?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on January 10, 2017, 08:38:11
Rough - very count looks like 16!! Should we confirm our interest ?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 10, 2017, 10:58:39
Rough - very count looks like 16!! Should we confirm our interest ?

Yes, I hope that Jayb will let us know in the next few days what she wants to do.  If not, I'm happy to do the same as last year.

Definitely in:

pumpkinlover
sparrow
markfield rover
earlypea
clumsy
sunloving
galina
ruud
elfeda
penedesenca

and Robert has been invited to send an SAE for packets to him.

I hope a few more can confirm.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on January 10, 2017, 11:45:42
Thank-you galina ,very helpful and thanks for the offer to do necessary !
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on January 10, 2017, 13:46:35
Thanks galina, and yes am still a definite. I make that 12 of us in total so far if we also send in seeds for Jayb.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on January 10, 2017, 18:23:24
I hope a few more can confirm.  :wave:
:wave: Waves back. Me, please.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 10, 2017, 19:57:28
Thanks for confirming martinburo  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on January 12, 2017, 17:17:02
Please PM me the address for the SAE, and the amount I should put on it.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on January 13, 2017, 23:02:07
Confirming me too  :icon_flower:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 13, 2017, 23:27:53
Confirming me too  :icon_flower:

Nice group coming together.  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: vicsallotment on January 14, 2017, 16:08:25
New member, love idea and want to join, not sure how best to contribute seeds as relatively newbie!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 14, 2017, 16:25:02
New member, love idea and want to join, not sure how best to contribute seeds as relatively newbie!


Vic,  you might read this thread from the beginning, that should answer your questions.  Anything still not clear, just ask.  Welcome to A4A!  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 16, 2017, 08:51:27
Morning all,

Unfortunately I haven't heard anything back from Jayb and it doesn't look like she is in a position to do the seed circle share-out   :sad10:  To make it happen, your seeds, in individual packets, can be sent to me instead.  I distribute and post them back out to you again in an SAE.  I will PM everybody in a few days with the details, once we firmed up who is participating.  We need to know how many seed packets to send in. 

The circle stands at:

pumpkinlover
sparrow
markfield rover
earlypea
clumsy
sunloving
galina
ruud
elfeda
penedesenca
debs
martinburo

Several members have expressed an interest to send in extra seeds for Robert and for Jayb, which I will pass on.  I can also forward a few extra packets if you wish to take the opportunity to send something to another member which saves postage allround (but please label clearly).  I have a couple of extras to add myself for Clumsy, Elfeda and Jayb, also for Hector.

Last call-up and confirmation of participation please, so we can get the ball rolling for Seed Bounty Day in early February.   :wave:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 16, 2017, 09:45:49
New member, love idea and want to join, not sure how best to contribute seeds as relatively newbie!


Vicsallotment, in short: you need to commit to growing seeds of at least two varieties that you have saved yourself for every other member of the group,  Usually we are between 10 and 16.  This is a seed saving learning group right from beginner level to more advanced. 

We need to start with open pollinated varieties that breed true and we need to save with the correct techniques to keep them true breeding and not let them cross.  There are a few exceptions to this.  For example potatoes from potato berries never breed true, but they are welcome (tps - true potato seed).  Some members breed landraces, a deliberate mixture of many different varieties.  That's fine too if labelled as landrace.  We are trying our best to save good quality seeds.  And if it is from varieties that are a bit unusual and not on every seed rack, that's a bonus. 

There have been questions about seed ripeness.  If saving seeds from cucumbers or squash for example, the fruits need to be fully ripened and then stored for several weeks before the seeds inside are ripe.  Others also benefit from being beyond mature, for example aubergines which need to be almost at the wrinkly stage to give good viable seeds.  Peas and beans for seed need to be harvested well beyond the edible stage too, ideally when the pods are fully dry, but sometimes weather dictates that the final pod drying happens on the windowsill indoors. 

Some types of vegetables and many herbs are easy, we can just let them go to seed and they don't usually cross, others cross freely and we need to take special measures to ensure that the resulting seed is pure breeding.

Some vegetables are inbreeders and we only need seeds from a couple of good, healthy plants, others are outbreeders where we need to put many plants aside for seed or the seed produced will grow into plants with stunted growth and smaller yields (this is called inbreeding depression).  If a member isn't sure about how to save seeds of a variety they have chosen, please ask. 

And lastly, it happens to all of us many times that what we had planned to do initially does not work out.  Usually it is possible to switch to something else.   If in doubt, somebody in the group will know the answer if you ask, or can look it up for you.

At the start of this thread there are several seed saving guides listed to help with tackling saving our own seeds. 

Hope this has answered some of your questions, Vic and looking forward to you joining next year's seed circle.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on January 17, 2017, 23:45:51
Hello all, I've got a dilemma I've lost the labels on my two saved peas these were the salmon flowered and Alaskan early. The seeds are distinctive though, one is light green and sperical with no dimpling, the other is browner with dimples, does anyone know which is which!
X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on January 18, 2017, 06:05:51
Hello all, I've got a dilemma I've lost the labels on my two saved peas these were the salmon flowered and Alaskan early. The seeds are distinctive though, one is light green and sperical with no dimpling, the other is browner with dimples, does anyone know which is which!
X sunloving

Are the salmon, crown peas? If so I find the seeds tend to be more brown, but if it was me I would just '?' the labels so peeps exercise a bit of caution just incase.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 18, 2017, 07:36:35
I agree with Penedesenca.  The green ones are Alaskan Early and the brownish ones are the Salmon Flowered crown peas.  :wave:

I found a photo of salmon flowered pea in Rebsie Fairholm's blog.  Top row in the middle of the box of 9 seeds are the salmon flowered.  Grown on different soils yours may have slightly lighter or darker shades of brown, Sunloving, but they will never be green.  An easy one to sort.   :sunny:

http://daughterofthesoil.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/whatever-happened-to-great-garden-pea.html

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on January 18, 2017, 10:55:13
Thank you , I've been doing lots of blog surfing to for pictures, turns out that the dimpling is genetic but the colour is not and salmon flowered peas don't dimple. So I'm going to use this to label them , but like you said leave a ? They can only be one of two and perhaps the fascinated type of stem will be clear early on in their growth! Hope that will be ok for everyone!!
Thankyou for your help x sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 19, 2017, 15:53:14
Hi A4A  seed sharers

There were no further emails from members and I'm closing participation for the 2016 seed circle now.

 :sunny:    We are 12 in the circle this year.  :sunny:

Plus any extra packets you wish to add for Robert and Jayb.

I will send a pm to everybody with further information.  Essentially it is the same as last year.  Please ask if there are any outstanding questions.  I don't know how many seed varieties will be sent by members, but if we again go with the small parcel postal rates for the return envelope, we have plenty of leeway for any tubers and bulbs that we might get.

UK Small Parcel rates    First Class  £3.35    Second Class £2.85
If you wish to receive  your seed return  ‘signed for’,  you would need to add £1.10 to both prices. 

Ruud and Sunloving, I will contact you when I know the actual postage costs to you and we settle up then.

Get folding those seed envelopes  :wave:

 





Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on January 19, 2017, 17:34:27
Perfect! Thank you so much for doing this bit.

I am stuffing mine in a box this evening. While my seeds are lovely I will be so glad to get them gone!
I may start ambushing the postie soon for the return version.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on January 19, 2017, 21:09:07
Just to check then we send 11 bags of each seed because we don't need our own seed back? Or is this to complicated for the head packer and send 12 plus spares for jayb and Robert?
Exciting!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 20, 2017, 07:12:48
Just to check then we send 11 bags of each seed because we don't need our own seed back? Or is this to complicated for the head packer and send 12 plus spares for jayb and Robert?
Exciting!

In the past we had, where possible, an extra packet in case somebody's return parcel got lost in the post.  Unused seeds were then added to the next A4A seed swap.  But this is up to individuals and there is no seed swap planned in the near future either.  Any extras this year will go to jayb and Robert.

I won't send you your own seeds back unless I have a very senior moment  :drunken_smilie:

I pack as well as I can and use extra tape too.  Let's hope that everybody gets their share back safely.   :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on January 20, 2017, 14:10:38
Thank you galina, I'll get the seeds to you ASAP .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 25, 2017, 13:02:13
Clumsy, your lovely parcel was the first to arrive this year   :sunny: 

Thank you for starting us off   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 26, 2017, 12:57:23
........... and then there were three   :sunny:

Thank you Markfield Rover, including a lovely handmade card.  The white stuff we have is just hoarfrost, but we can hope for the real thing.

And yours also got here in record time, Sunloving.  Thankyou both for your kind messages too. 

I took the liberty to open a packet of your Salmon Flowered pea seeds, Sunloving and there is nothing to be worried about regarding dimples.  The seeds look right.  I don't normally allow myself to peek before everybody gets their return package, but I wanted to put your mind at rest. 

Thank you both   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 27, 2017, 12:27:02
Another parcel arrived safely today.  Thank you Penedesenca    :sunny:

Loving the special seed label logo!   :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on January 28, 2017, 14:11:14
i will post my parcel after the weekend.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 28, 2017, 14:22:09
Thank you Ruud and I will let you know as soon as it arrives  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on January 28, 2017, 14:58:46
Mine are in the post
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on January 29, 2017, 15:05:39
Mine are packaged up and ready to be posted Monday morning too  :icon_cheers:

I've changed my offering slightly but will post on that later..........
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 30, 2017, 13:30:59
Mine are in the post

........... no more in the post, but arrived safely  :sunny:

Thank you for your kind message and for some great seed additions to our growing number of return varieties for this year.  We are halfway there now  :wave:     
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on January 30, 2017, 14:49:04
posted......
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on January 30, 2017, 16:56:33
I just sent my seeds. 13 packets of

Parsnip F4 hybrids

cinnamon vine (Dioscorea batatas) bulbils (if that's the correct anatomical term) original bulbils were a gift from aj  :angel11:

Alexanders (something halfway between a vegetable and a herb) It's fairly hardy and thanks to the mild winter we're having this year it's still growing now. Biennial (I think. Because I let it self-seed I'm not quite sure whether it might be perennial.)

Chervil. I hope these seeds are ok. Some maggots were growing in this, so I had to redry them at a high enough temperature to kill the maggots. I then left them for ~6 weeks to check that no new maggots were going to grow in them, but I hope that the high temperature didn't kill the seeds as well.



Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 30, 2017, 17:57:25
Thank you Martinburo.  How do you germinate Alexanders and Chervil please, do they need stratifying?  I have always wanted to grow Alexanders. 

I have the same with lettuce, which seems to attract tiny maggots.  I  just pick them out manually.  Guess chervil umbels probably attract similar beasties, not an issue for seed viability. 

I'll look out for your package in a day or two.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 31, 2017, 11:42:23
Mine are packaged up and ready to be posted Monday morning too  :icon_cheers:

I've changed my offering slightly but will post on that later..........

And arrived safely today EarlyPea  :sunny:

There are a couple of packets that have been on my personal wish list for a little while, thank you.  :icon_cheers:  Very nice looking seeds and I will pass the generous spares on.  Thank you for your bounty!  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on January 31, 2017, 14:16:44
I don't think I stratified chervil or Alexanders. But when I google it, it does say that Alexanders needs stratification, and as I said, apart from the first year, which I may not remember correctly, I let it self seed whereby it gets stratified by nature, so it might be best to sow half as soon as you get them and stratify the other half in damp soil in the fridge for 90 days.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on January 31, 2017, 15:46:57
That sounds a good plan, thank you.  :wave:

I don't think I stratified chervil or Alexanders. But when I google it, it does say that Alexanders needs stratification, and as I said, apart from the first year, which I may not remember correctly, I let it self seed whereby it gets stratified by nature, so it might be best to sow half as soon as you get them and stratify the other half in damp soil in the fridge for 90 days.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on February 01, 2017, 12:39:48
You can usually kill any grubs, maggots etc but putting things in the freezer for 48 hours. Not much will survive that!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 01, 2017, 16:08:15
Martinburo, it's arrived!  :icon_cheers:  Nice parcel with all your goodies for the circle.

Thank you very much. Lots to look forward to  :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 02, 2017, 10:19:59
Morning all, am back from Italy and my parcel will be going off today. Apologies for the delay - my nephew also v kindly shared norovirus with me...

Also, for BlueJay and anyone else interested, everything the HSL holds in its seed bank is listed on http://eurisco.ipk-gatersleben.de/ They are listed as Institute GBR017 and the list was updated in January this year. It makes for a fascinating read for a seed nerd. Like me. Sorry if this is old news - I only just saw it on Twitter and wish they shouted a bit more about the sheer volume that they hold.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 02, 2017, 10:59:18
Thanks sparrow, interesting link.  Glad their seeds are backed up elsewhere.  I thought they were all backed up at Wellesbourne also, but I may be wrong.  It is also very pleasing to see just how many are actively and practically  'backed up' by this lovely group of growers, seed savers and sharers.

I'll inform you and all in the group when the seeds arrive. We are still waiting for a few more   :icon_cheers:

Get better soon! Not a nice thing to happen when travelling   :BangHead:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on February 02, 2017, 13:19:25
Galina,  I dropped the seeds in PO this morning.

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on February 03, 2017, 00:54:56
Posted 1st class thurs a.m.

Debs :icon_flower:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 03, 2017, 13:16:30
Today our postie brought two seed parcel contributions.  Thank you very much to Debs and to Elfeda for your seeds. 

Both arrived in record time and we are getting closer to seed share day.   Only a few more to go  :icon_cheers: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 04, 2017, 12:06:42
For a quick peek at our mini 'catalogue'  http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

At this stage there is still very little info or photos as it is very much work in progress (please help make it a good info resource), but the list of what we have received so far has been updated if you want to get 'googling' and planning.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 04, 2017, 16:07:08
For a quick peek at our mini 'catalogue'  http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

At this stage there is still very little info or photos as it is very much work in progress (please help make it a good info resource), but the list of what we have received so far has been updated if you want to get 'googling' and planning.  :wave:

WOO! How exciting!! And awesome job mrs on all the info! Can't wait! Yippee! X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on February 04, 2017, 17:10:25
pigeon is on his way to the big island. :happy7: :happy7: :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 09, 2017, 11:57:25
pigeon is on his way to the big island. :happy7: :happy7: :happy7:


And has delivered a lovely, big packet for us - thank you pigeon and thank you Ruud.  :sunny:

Only one to go now ................
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on February 09, 2017, 15:26:04
great the navigationbird did his job.I hope you liked it.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 09, 2017, 15:36:00
Hope it lands with you soon. Despite being sent first class it appears to be being delivered by steam.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 09, 2017, 17:45:40
Ruud, nice indeed and, as usual, very unusual varieties.  ;)

Sorry nothing today Sparrow, will let you know as soon as it arrives.  Ruud's packet took 5 days which was very fast.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 10, 2017, 12:25:49
Hurray!  We are complete.  Will finalise over the weekend and post first thing Monday!

Thank you Sparrow.  your box arrived a minute ago, looking perfectly sound.  Haven't unpacked yet but wanted to let you all know asap.  No reason why it should have been delayed that I can see, but it is here now :sunny:  :sunny: :sunny:

Thank you for the descriptions for the mini catalogue too.  This will help us greatly  when we start sowing and growing.  :wave: 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 10, 2017, 15:21:40
All seeds have been sorted into individual portions and will be packed and sent off either tomorrow or Monday.  I am holding back your seeds, Jayb, until I hear from you where and when to send them off, just to make sure you are home when they arrive. 

Can you spot yours?

Happy seed dreams!   :sunny:

:wave:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 10, 2017, 16:44:19
Wow that looks quite an operation! How exciting Galina, thankyou so much for your hard work on this.
I've bought compost today and brought in the propagator. Won't it be lovely to get these in the post
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 10, 2017, 20:15:56
Hurray! Am so pleased they are FINALLY with you. I can see my seeds in there!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on February 11, 2017, 17:04:33
I mustn't drool over the screen! Thanks galina .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on February 12, 2017, 10:11:29
Wow that looks very organised indeed. I'm very impressed. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 13, 2017, 15:26:17
All sent on their way ...

Safe travels little seeds
and
good growing at your various new locations

:wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on February 13, 2017, 15:34:41
Thanks a lot galina for all the effort you put in every time.I cant wait till it hits the doormat
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on February 13, 2017, 15:55:48
Thank you galina.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 13, 2017, 16:02:33
Thanks so much for stepping in and organising us galina! :)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 13, 2017, 16:45:37
You are welcome!  We got the seeds distributed earlier than last year too.  Great for the peppers in the parcel.  Jayb, please get in contact.  I am keeping your package here, as I also have some tubers etc to add and want to be sure it gets to you.  Sunloving and Ruud, I have sent pms.

A big
:icon_cheers: THANK YOU  :icon_cheers:
to all of you who made such a brilliant seed parcel possible.

:wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on February 13, 2017, 17:01:02
Thankyou Galina - can't wait to see the parcel of goodies.
Compost to be bought asap, and might just get a heated propagater
Any  suggestions at a reasonable price ??

Debs  :icon_flower:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on February 14, 2017, 07:43:18
Thanks again Galina looking forward to the parcel arriving 🤗
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on February 14, 2017, 09:52:37
First to say GOT THEM  :blob7: :blob7: :wave:

Having a coffee and browsing through them  :coffee2:

Thank you very much Galina.

Thank you all.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: clumsy on February 14, 2017, 12:10:33
Just got back from hospital caught the postman at the right time. Wow the seeds arrived quick. Thank you galina.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 14, 2017, 13:03:18
Glad the first packets have arrived :sunny:  I can now play with mine too  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on February 14, 2017, 15:16:07
Thank you, thank you, thank you  :icon_cheers: They have landed safe and sound and I will have hours of fun!  :toothy10:

Thank you Galina for sorting it and thank you everyone for the  goodies.  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 15, 2017, 09:38:14
Woo hoo, how exciting!
Thankyou so much for all your hard work, and for every bodies generosity.
I'm making a plan to save more and use more interesting and open source seeds.
X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Debs on February 15, 2017, 11:11:20
Woo Hoo !!!!!
Parcel arrived this morning - thankyou Galina x

Debs :icon_flower:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Elfeda on February 15, 2017, 13:03:40
Got the parcel in this morning, about to open...Thanks to you all great seed sharers  :angel11:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 15, 2017, 13:53:51
Ooh jealous!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on February 16, 2017, 08:45:47
Thank you so much galina , arrived Tuesday, I am just back so when I've done what I have to.....ill be in my element . Thankyou ,you've done us all proud.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 16, 2017, 09:29:55
Glad the packets are arriving speedily :sunny:  One of the disadvantages of having them checked prior to sending is that the post lady made  v e r y  sure that first went in the first class bag and second in the second class post bag.  When I put stamps on and put them in the postbox myself, they often go first with second class stamps on.  Sorry Sunloving, the continental service does take a few days extra.  I asked whether there was a fast and a slower service as I didn't want yours and Ruud's to be delivered by rowing boat service,  and was assured this is the fastests (outside of very expensive one-day international deliveries).  Hope the outstanding packets get to their destinations safely and speedily.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 16, 2017, 11:28:32
Oh wow mine arrived this morning, what an amazing parcel, I've not been in a swap before and I'm overwhelmed by all the amazing new varieties to try, for the first time I've got a permenantly home and lots of space ( an acre) and It will be wonderful to have such interesting varieties in those new beds outside and in! Propagator is plugged in and the compost is warming in the house. Yippee!  :blob7: :wave: :toothy10: :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers:
Thankyou all and can't wait to see how we all get on! X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: pumkinlover on February 16, 2017, 12:43:06
Just got back from the allotment to find my package safely arrived.
Massive thanks to everyone and especially Galina. :icon_cheers:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on February 17, 2017, 17:03:44
Yeaah seeds arrived safe at my doorway today,thanks a lot.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: martinburo on February 18, 2017, 01:26:18
Thank you galina, thank you all.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 18, 2017, 07:15:21
Nearly all arrived safely, only one packet we don't know about yet.  The overseas postal service has pulled out all the stops and your lovely smile says it all sunloving.   :sunny:

Debs there are electric propagators out there on Google from about 15 to 300 pounds and upwards.  At the lower price you just get one that gets to about 25C in a cool room or slightly above, at the more expensive end you have full temperature control and inbuilt grow lights.  For about 60 or 70 you get the lower priced temperature controlled propagators.  Mine is a cheapie bought a long time ago from Aldi, a shade under 20 pounds, it is a larger size (the small ones are just not big enough but otherwise without frills.  The one with a really excellent reputation on the pricey end is a Vitopod.

Robert sent a pm, his seeds have also arrived.

Please let me know any information for our mini catalogue you wish to add and pictures too.  Where I have no information I add Google and HSL information so that people know a little more about the varieties in the packets, but it is much better to get such information first hand from the seed grower personally. 

Here is the url:  http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

Thank you everybody and please let us know when the last packet arrives.  :wave:

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 18, 2017, 10:06:53
I'm away at the moment, back late tonight to check on things. Will let you know if there's anything outside my door...:)
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 18, 2017, 10:29:26
A little info Biquhino I isolated these with net curtain but also grew Hungarian carrot and sweet bite peppers so there may be a bit of movement in shape and heat . Small orange chilli mild and tastes of pineapple.

Salmon flowered pea, this came from Galina or goodlife in 2012 meet up? Grows with a fascinated stem and produces flowers and fruit in a flush at the crown. Makes a great early show of pink flowers. Pods have around 4-5 peas for shelling as not super sweet for eating raw.but really useful to have them all ready at once for harvesting.

Sweet corn early king x golden bantam just an experiment really with two strong and early growers. Kernels already show small proportion of black which indicates a mixed heritage ( black kernels are just as yummy as yellow ) did great in muddy wet irish summer I ate them raw for lunches on many days lovely and sweet even without the sun. Mixed both ways( king pollen on bantam tassels and bantam pollen on king tassels.)  pot luck!

Not ideal but hey ho
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: penedesenca on February 19, 2017, 06:44:53
Potato Onions

Originally from Pontyzfield Nurseries. They can be planted in Autumn, however I plant mine in Spring to reduce the risk of any rotting off from the weather. Each onion will multiply and will usually give 5-7 onions ranging from marble size to golf ball. They are a mild onion and work well in place of shallots, although I find they tend to store better. I have been growing mine for around six years and it was only last year I had a couple flower, so very unusual. I have never noticed a difference between planting small and large onions but there is a belief that small onions give large onions and large onions multiply (in my experience it is cobblers).

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 19, 2017, 09:13:55
No seeds here yet, but the post around here has 'issues'.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 19, 2017, 11:28:31
Thank you both for extra info.  Don't worry sunloving.  With the extra screening and Biquinho being a capsicum chinense and the other two capsicum annuum (afaik), crossing is not likely at all.

Have updated the 'mini catalogue' a bit further also with info added throughout the year. 
http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

By no means yet complete, (still need to write info on some of my varieties), but starting to come together  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 19, 2017, 11:30:44
No seeds here yet, but the post around here has 'issues'.

Hope they resolve them!  Slow on the way out and on the way back is too bad.   :BangHead:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on February 20, 2017, 21:05:24
Hooray it's here!

Thank you so much, I am really looking forward to going through it properly and re-writing my growing plan for this year!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 20, 2017, 22:09:44
I sowed half the toms and chillies yesterday, so lovely to see photos of what's to come!
Going to need a well partitioned pea bed and some good supports. Can't wait to grow Lancashire lad after reading so much about it. Might try it in the poly as an early.
Hooray! X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 22, 2017, 14:25:02
Jayb sent a pm yesterday.  I am just off to post her seeds etc.  So we are all done and dusted with the seed circle for this year. 

The propagator is on here too and I am just sticking peas into little pots for transplanting in about a month.

Now really looking forward to growing and later tasting all the goodies and some that had to be held over from last year.   :icon_cheers:

Good growing all  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 24, 2017, 08:43:12
 :blob7: a lovely sight this chilly morning, all my sown toms from the swap are up and the banana chillies going for it to!
Makes you feel that summer is just around the corner  :sunny: x sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on February 26, 2017, 12:25:02
:blob7: a lovely sight this chilly morning, all my sown toms from the swap are up and the banana chillies going for it to!
Makes you feel that summer is just around the corner  :sunny: x sunloving


Oh yes :sunny:  here too.  The first peas are germinating and Magnolia Blossom won the race.   :icon_cheers:

I have put more information into our mini catalogue and sorted a few hyperlinks too, but some of Ruud's tomatoes have me stumped - can't find any information.  Help Ruud!  Please have a look and let me know any wrong or missing info too so we can put it right and any further photos are also very appreciated.

http://seedsaverscircle.org/a4a-seed-saver-group-2016/

 :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on February 28, 2017, 08:55:26
Thank you galina for the info , a good read , I will do my best to get plenty of Purple Lancashire Lad seeds out there . This circle is proving a good source of perennial veg and I think that is important .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on February 28, 2017, 09:17:50
That's looking brilliant Galina,
I'm excited about all these fab new varieties.
Just need to build a conservatory on the side of the house for the tender seedlings waiting for late spring!
Going to sow the peas in the poly this week yippee.

Was thinking to grow out some of jeannines giant tom varieties for next year to soup up the largest tomato contest as we didn't make it to 700g last year!  Might be a battle with the blight again though to get the giants to ripen! X sunloving


 
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 03, 2017, 16:08:45
Thank you galina for the info , a good read , I will do my best to get plenty of Purple Lancashire Lad seeds out there . This circle is proving a good source of perennial veg and I think that is important .

Yes the Babington leeks are coming into their own at the moment.  And the perennial leeks are germinating well.  Goodlife said they would not flower and if they did, the seeds would be tiny and non-viable, but they are coming up fine.  Hope for others too. 

:wave:

 

Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on March 03, 2017, 20:13:08
I will put some information about the toms this weekend galina.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 03, 2017, 22:16:25
I will put some information about the toms this weekend galina.

Thank you ruud :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: ruud on March 05, 2017, 16:24:59
Giant roo is an very rare australian tomato.It grows very tall and need staking.Big red blunt heart shaped tomatoes,who can grow to a weight between 500-1000 grams.
Zaitska is a red tomato from russia,big plants with a great crop of middle seized all use tomatoes.It was one of my favourites last year.Both tomatoes are better off in a greenhouse.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on March 05, 2017, 16:46:12
Thank you Ruud, all updated now.  Any info on Orange Mask tomato and Turkish Pepper please  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on March 15, 2017, 13:38:21
So sorry I missed this! I did save some peas but I've been ill and haven't been able to do very much - unfortunately all thoughts of gardening went completely out of my head and I'm only now starting to feel a bit more like myself again. Typical I miss all the fun perennials! ;)

Never mind though. if anyone wants a few Telephone peas just let me know, otherwise I can put them in next year's circle.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Hector on March 27, 2017, 18:09:02
So sorry to hear Hector,  thank you for your kind wishes and hope that 2017 will be good to you also.  :wave:



Can I just say a huge thanks to Galina/ kindness of sending me surprise of some seeds. This has been a very dark and sad time for our family and it was much appreciated.

Happy Growing season to you all.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on March 28, 2017, 08:06:36
Thank you Hector , sowing in earnest now, lovely -hope you manage to sow something too.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on April 05, 2017, 14:52:40
Are we doing one this year? I am getting into peak sowing time at the moment. Loving the start to this season and I hope it continues as nicely.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 08, 2017, 21:20:34
I hope so.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on April 10, 2017, 20:16:12
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
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 10, 2017, 23:04:28
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  :wave:

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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on April 11, 2017, 10:20:53
Hi jayb, welcome back, hope that very soon you can be potting and planting and feeling the sun on your face.

X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 11, 2017, 20:38:32
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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 11, 2017, 20:57:17
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  :wave: I've just got some tomatoes popping through and some courgettes - happy days  :toothy10:
Yes aren't sunshine and longer daylight hours an amazing tonic!  :sunny:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 11, 2017, 20:59:27
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  :happy7:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 12, 2017, 10:47:12
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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on April 13, 2017, 08:35:53

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!



Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on April 13, 2017, 08:40:29
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  :BangHead:  It's OK, I don't eat a lot of lettuce anyhow.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 13, 2017, 12:29:36
If anyone's growing the Unity pea that Galina shared, I'd love to know how they do for you and how they taste!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on April 13, 2017, 22:48:20
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
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on April 14, 2017, 08:47:42
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?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: earlypea on April 14, 2017, 08:51:56
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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 14, 2017, 13:54:24
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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 14, 2017, 17:02:08
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.  :wave:



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?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 14, 2017, 17:11:23
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.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 14, 2017, 17:16:24
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.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 14, 2017, 17:23:33
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.  :wave:

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!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 14, 2017, 20:58:52


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 :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 20, 2017, 01:02:51
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?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on April 20, 2017, 06:47:52

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

Glad it has rallied and giving you some good stems this year.  I once left mine to flower and seed just to see.  This must be why in my clump I now have the standard fat red stemmed plants and a few that are green stemmed by the side of it.  However the green stems are thinner and generally not as lush.  I can't remember what my original variety was, as I bought it in 1980 and it lingered on as a weak plant in 3 locations before it took off when we moved here ten years later, but the seedling plants are not as good for me.  The flowers are impressive, but I now cut them before they seed.  :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on April 20, 2017, 17:15:53
I suspect mine's been here over 30 years, certainly much longer than we have. It's green with a pink blush, not one of the bright red types, but it tastes just fine!

I might leave the flower just to have the experience, and see if I can germinate some of the seeds just for fun.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Jayb on April 25, 2017, 09:05:16
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?


Quote
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.  :wave:
 

Thanks Galina

I'd noticed the name change/different variety. I think about the only way to know would be to grow them alongside each other, but then again they might be too similar to call it?
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: markfield rover on May 05, 2017, 12:36:04
In some ways the circle has come full circle ... This morning we welcomed a group of Syrian refugees to the plots and amongst the seeds on offer I added the Syrian black broad beans from galina .
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on May 18, 2017, 11:52:37
Hi everyone , just wanted to tell you how great the seeds have done my poly tunnel is filled with new peppers and chillies, tomatillos and tomatoes. I've got lovely purple flowers on the peas and gorgeous purple pods on the Lancashire lad and beans really powering away up strings and poles.
It's thrilling to be growing such a fascinating array of varieties already eating the two lettuces!
How are you doing with yours?
X sunlovinf
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on May 29, 2017, 11:53:11
The crimson broad beans are lovely, and aren't as hit by blackfly as the white flowered ones next to them. :D

I was wondering about the Sugar Magnolia - are the pods always purple? I have a few green ones popping up. I'll exclude them from the seed collecting if that's not normal. They are growing a treat though!

I have some Sugar Lord going too this year, also for seed collecting and from this seed circle - thanks so much! :D
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 29, 2017, 13:03:31
Sugar Magnolia are one of the better purples (more colour stable).  But as the photo shows green ones or part green ones happen.  I am taking seeds from the darkest and did so last year for the seed circle.  One of the 3 genes that make up the purple colour in peas has a high rate of mutation to a 'lesser' purple.  More green than purple or splotchy.  If you are seeing the sort of colour differences like in the attached photo Sparrow, then I am afraid it is part and parcel of Sugar Magnolia.

Of course it is not beyond me to have had an accidental seed mix-up either, despite trying to be careful, but any wrong plants would not produce thick-walled snap peas.  If you do have greenish snap peas, then the above 'bleaching' has happened.  And saving seeds from the darkest pods is all any of us can do.  Is anybody else growing Sugar Magnolia this year?  :wave:


I was wondering about the Sugar Magnolia - are the pods always purple? I have a few green ones popping up. I'll exclude them from the seed collecting if that's not normal. They are growing a treat though!

I have some Sugar Lord going too this year, also for seed collecting and from this seed circle - thanks so much! :D
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on May 29, 2017, 14:29:33
Sugar Magnolia are one of the better purples (more colour stable).  But as the photo shows green ones or part green ones happen.  I am taking seeds from the darkest and did so last year for the seed circle.  One of the 3 genes that make up the purple colour in peas has a high rate of mutation to a 'lesser' purple.  More green than purple or splotchy.  If you are seeing the sort of colour differences like in the attached photo Sparrow, then I am afraid it is part and parcel of Sugar Magnolia.

Of course it is not beyond me to have had an accidental seed mix-up either, despite trying to be careful, but any wrong plants would not produce thick-walled snap peas.  If you do have greenish snap peas, then the above 'bleaching' has happened.  And saving seeds from the darkest pods is all any of us can do.  Is anybody else growing Sugar Magnolia this year?  :wave:

I didn't know about the genes making purple, that's very interesting. I would very much doubt you've mixed the seeds, but I wondered whether the colour was totally guaranteed. I'll collect from the darkest pods this year.

Thanks galina, that's really helpful.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: Silverleaf on May 29, 2017, 15:44:15
Purple pods are tricky things!

I'm growing Sugar Magnolia too but I'm only at the first bud stage.
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 29, 2017, 16:34:38
I have one pod so far, fully purple but not fat yet.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on May 31, 2017, 18:51:24
I am but they got dreid out and are just recovering. Have you seen the size of the pods on robinsons peas what whoopers! Were they from the swap?  If not I might put them in next years.
Happy happy with such interesting things thriving. The parsnips had brilliant germination and have really powered away. So much better than bought seed! X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on May 31, 2017, 21:55:18
I am but they got dreid out and are just recovering. Have you seen the size of the pods on robinsons peas what whoopers! Were they from the swap?  If not I might put them in next years.
Happy happy with such interesting things thriving. The parsnips had brilliant germination and have really powered away. So much better than bought seed! X sunloving

Yes Robinsons is an exhibition variety.  They are huge.  I put them into the seed circle in 2015, but they are also commercially available. 

Would be interested in how your Sugar Magnolia doing, when they recover  Likewise very happy with all our joint seed treasures here.   :wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: galina on June 02, 2017, 11:32:29
Were they from the swap?  If not I might put them in next years.
 X sunloving


Sorry Sunloving, I should have said that although they were already in the seed swap, there is absolutely no reason not to put them in again.  People in the circle change every year and it is good to get fresh seeds too for those who got them already.

:wave:
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on June 02, 2017, 14:45:01
Ok lovely, :) I think it's going to be a good year for seeds this year, fingers crossed!!

Those gazzyyellow egg toms have set loads of fruit already! Think they might beat sun gold this year for me as the first to be ripe! Can't wait.
X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on June 02, 2017, 18:47:19
 :blob7: oh wow , this morning I tried the first magnolia tendril pea pod  :icon_cheers: woo it's the best pea ever!! How yummy and so great to eat the whole crunchy sweet thing. Needless to say I turned back and gobbled as many as I could see. Don't know how there will ever be any left to save for next year. They will never make it to the house. And how can they be good for you as well!! Brilliant !! X love the seed swap!my first ever  X sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sparrow on June 23, 2017, 09:27:18
I'm so glad you like them! Mice found mine and I'm not sure whether I can get a second sowing going now.

They are just about my favourite thing - though galina's purple strain of the same pea line comes a close second!
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on July 07, 2017, 07:33:57
Well so far the seed swaps have been really interesting, loved the Llangollen peas they were fat and sweet and now the purple French bean is just doing brilliant have them and the yellow Georgian every meal lately! The black prince and gazzyyellow yellow egg toms have done amazingly and have five trusses set and the gazzyyellow are colouring up nicely! The Macedonian peppers are very long and banana peppers looking curious, pretty in purple and the other purple also going great guns. Parsnips and lettuce also looking amazing! I'm very happy and looking forwards to tasting all these new things. As a side note the ornamental seed swap also bringing new colours and ideas to the flower beds. I've really enjoyed growing all these new things.. It was like a Christmas present that just keeps giving. Fingers crossed the blight stays away just a few weeks longer! Xx sunloving
Title: Re: Seed Saving Circle 2016?
Post by: sunloving on August 11, 2017, 12:28:27
Wow just wanted to comment on the stripes of yore toms , what an amazing array of colours from black to yellow and they taste great to. One of my new favourites. Thankyou
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