Seed Saving Circle 2017

[galina]

Was not handpollinated, but grown in greenhouse.  No melons (or any veg growing) either side of the garden.  They should be large grapefruit sized.  Had a photo from somebody else and they look right on that one.  But as I said, they were not handpollinated, so in theory a cross is possible.   

[galina]

[Plot 18]

Petit Gris - Lots of flowers, male and female, but despite some hand pollination, I've not managed to get any fruit yet:(  I think, maybe, it's been just too hot in the greenhouse. Will try again next year, anyway!

[earlypea]

Hi Galina

Sounds more probable that it's a Realseeds hybrid then - or maybe a different variety, although the seeds looked identical and later the leaves.It was more vigorous though which also screams hybrid.  Whatever, I'm excited to have it - I like surprises.

[galina]

Hope you have tasted it by now and still like it.

Here very much enjoying the various tomatoes.  For once we have a brilliant tomato year.  I had planned not to plant any outside which is usually such heartache when we have to remove blighted plants before they have come into their best, but this year I had way too many and was glad that I just stuck the surplus into the garden. 

Detsky Smak and Gazzi Yellow Egg are just such wonderful performers.  Gazzi had small early fruit but now they are getting larger and do resemble an egg.  Very tasty.  Both were early but they are still going now. Many grateful thoughts are being sent to the seed circle donors goodlife and Markfield Rover. 

[earlypea]

Hope you have tasted it by now and still like it.

Alas, the extremely big ones were slight on flavour.  Still, had plenty of the Petit Gris original - meltingly lovely.

[galina]

The seed circle contributions to the midnight garden!   Spookie! 

Two Helsing Junction Blues tomatoes - the only bit that is not the darkest purple is where I removed the stem.

And one of the Purple Tomatillos.  Not all of them are that dark purple, but this one is amazing to look at.  It was the earliest to ripen in the greenhouse. 

WOW   

[lezelle]

Hi, Wow indeed galina what a deep colour. Do you save your own seed from these as I would like a go at growing them? I have been growing yellow and orange ones this year so will take a couple of piccies when I get chance.

[galina]

Hi, Wow indeed galina what a deep colour. Do you save your own seed from these as I would like a go at growing them? I have been growing yellow and orange ones this year so will take a couple of piccies when I get chance.

Helsing Junction Blues from my own seeds original seeds from the seed circle,  purple tomatillo from seed circle seeds grown for the first time. 

[lezelle]

Hi ya, I found the purple tomatillo on line so they are in course of supply. The other variety I found is American? so don't know if I can get them yet but will try. I enjoy growing something different. I gave the 5 year old girl next door some yellow tomatoes and her mom said thanks but the little girl apparently was a bit wary as she had never yellow tommies before, did make me smile.

[galina]

When one parsnip does a whole Christmas meal!

Unfortunately I lost the label and don't know for sure who to credit for these wonderful parsnip seeds.  They are quite indented at the top.  I only sowed the seed circle seeds for parsnips.  And just see what happened.   

Sorry the photo is not quite sharp, but you can see their size and they roasted beautifully. 

[earlypea]

And one of the Purple Tomatillos.  Not all of them are that dark purple, but this one is amazing to look at.  It was the earliest to ripen in the greenhouse. 

WOW   

Galina - would that be the 'purple tomatillo' that I shared in 2016?  It's most odd because I later realised it wasn't supposed to be a purple tomatillo though mine were mainly purple and like yours a lot of them very dark.

It was grown from this Realseeds Tomatillo

"Tomatillo
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

None of mine had any yellow in them.

I did correct my mistake in a thread, but I suppose it is a 'purple tomatillo', but whether it's the same as actual 'purple tomatillos' I don't know.  I sowed some the next year to see if they had any yellow, green colouring but they all came out mainly purple again.

[galina]

I was chuffed with them earlypea.  Still have a few, they store well and the ones I still have, have turned purple or at least purplish stored inside their paper cases.  These are the most purple I have ever had and they taste good too.  Great variety.  I have taken seeds of the most purple, which is probably the way to go, they may need constant selection for good purple.  A bit like the snap pea Sugar Magnolia   

[earlypea]

I grew them two seasons and I should say in a hot, dry summer they have the most wonderful piquant flavour - like you, I was totally impressed.  However, when they ripened in a dull and rainy summer (2017) they tasted like pap - no flavour whatso whatso.  Seriously, they were inedible that year.  I mostly binned them.  Everything has its place I guess.