Allotments 4 All

It's May already and we're right in the midst of a very busy time in the vegetable growing calendar. There is at last the possibility of sowing beans and cucurbits under cover and soon there will be the rush to plant out tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and so on. As part of this activity, it would be excellent if there's space for thinking ahead as to which crops might be good for seed-saving.

The season so far has been kinder, at least in UK, than the last, with a mild spell recently and not the deluges we experienced in 2024. I'm hoping that the slug population is more moderate this season. So far the signs are encouraging here. For me last year several squash, for example, were nibbled to total extinction. Fingers crossed for this year. Those of us who were part of last year's richly varied Seed Circle will have had the excitement of sowing many of its wonderful varieties. It would be very good to hear more of progress and to share results and experiences.

And so to the next Seed Circle! I hope that last year's enthusiastic band will be willing and able to participate again and it would also be excellent if any new members would like to join us.

For those who haven't participated before, here's some information to help you decide if you would like to join.

The Seed Circle is open to all A4A participants; it's great to have new people join too. The group is all about setting aside a little growing space, and time, to raise some crops for seeds, keeping the group informed as to how the season is going, then at the end of the season, probably in November, sharing some growing information and your saved seeds with the group.

Each person decides what 2 or more crops they will grow and save seed from (we do inc. tubers, bulbs and cuttings, but do make sure they are well wrapped so that they don't dampen any seeds). They will then aim to save enough seed for other Circle members to grow a crop the following year. The group could be up to 12 people but is more often under 10. Recently it has numbered about 7 participants. Varieties will generally need to be heritage or open pollinated so that they will come true from seed (potato seeds won't come exactly true). If you include grown out hybrids please state this clearly.

Some vegetables are easier and more reliable than others to save seed from. But generally peas, French beans, tomatoes, perhaps potatoes and some herbs are the easiest. Chillies, sweet peppers, squash, courgette and to some extent lettuce will need isolating from other varieties to keep seed pure or hand pollinating.  Parsnips, onions, leeks, beetroot, carrots, celeriac and many brassicas only go to seed in the second year and need isolation from other varieties and so are more time-consuming and a little trickier.

Real Seeds created 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.
There is also a brilliant series of shortish videos on seed saving for different vegetables at: https://www.diyseeds.org/en/

For anyone interested, what we shared in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 can be found with images and donors' notes at https://airtable.com/shryC20nRNmUcgT30. Try Gallery View.

The seeds exchanged from 2017-2019 can be found at https://seedsaverscircle.home.blog/
And for seed exchanging from 2010 to 2016 at http://seedsaverscircle.org/seed-circle/a4a-seed-saver-group-2014/

And some previous threads for the Circles:
Seed Circle 2023 https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,83426.0.html
Seed Circle 2022 https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,83279.0.html
Seed Circle 2021 https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,83047.0.html
Seed Circle 2020 https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,82679.0.html
Seed Circle 2024 https://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf2.1/index.php/topic,83530.0.html

Please could a moderator pin this.

I recently bought an olive tree from Home Bargains for £20.00. Yesterday I noticed that ASDA are selling them for £8.00. The ASDA one is about two foot shorter. Will these olive trees remain at the height purchased.

Duke

There isn't going to be an easy way, there never is with gardening! I think I may have to get someone in to dig a hole in the lawn a couple of feet away and put in a strong wooden post at an angle. then attach the tree to that.

A metpost and fence post support is an arrangement that is both sturdy and can be removed if no longer needed.  As the tree is leaning more above the present pole, a taller pole is needed.  Asymetric pruning can also help.  We had a leaning tree in our old garden in a very windy spot, and it was never an issue. But that was on MM106 rootstock, which makes for sturdier trees than miniature. 

You mentioned metal curtain rods  - presumably metal tubes are narrow and strong enough to drive into the ground and would be preferable to the excavation needed for wooden posts?
If so, maybe use a couple of fruit cage poles, they're about a metre long each. The first will be short enough to drive into the ground with a block of wood and hammer, then you just slot the second one over it and screw them together. One or two of these either side of the tree and a bit of strategic tying in should keep it upright.

Don't worry about duplicate pictures. Your message is clear.
A tricky situation. I can only wonder whether you have any vertical structures you can tie a horizontal rope to. But such an obstacle in your garden wouldn't be at all convenient ☹️

Otherwise perhaps more practical but quite labour intensive, can you dig through your rubble to get a hole big enough to concrete in a sturdy tree stake?

Oh dear, I seem to have mucked up my post, only wanted one photo but don't know how to get rid of the others, Ed - can you help please?  Also, sadly I don't have a quarter acre plot any more, just a small back garden, no idea how to change that!!

Hi! Three years ago I planted two dwarf fruit trees in my garden. They are doing well but they need a decent support. Unfortunately my garden has very little soil until you reach the rubble and rubbish, I grow everything in raised beds. So far I have used old metal curtain rods to support them, but as you see from the photo of the apple tree it's bending and once the weight of the fruit is on it we will be in trouble. Any suggestions please? 

No problem davholia. Go ahead and feed and mulch. Only mulched mine yesterday. Fed them a couple of weeks ago 
Morrisons are doing a deal of 2 bags of mulch for £6. It's good quality.

Plus netting to keep the birds and pigeons off!