Allotments 4 All

As we are quite near our November deadline, I think we need confirmation from Debs that she would like to participate. There has been only one post from you, Debs, and on that basis I don't think we can ask everyone to prepare extra seed packets.

I think it's fair to say that we need to hear more in the next four or five days as we will all be apportioning seed in the coming weeks.

In line with the request to Debs to give information about the varieties she mentioned it will be good for us all to exchange more information, and photos where possible, as we prepare our contributions. Thank you to participants, especially Galina, for information already shared.

I hope to play my part by making a final decision about at least tomatoes and posting later today!

Please could we have some information about cinnamon vine. It's new to me. Is it edible? What does it do?!

Sounds intriguing.

That's lovely MR, one less packet to do as I obviously don't need them, still going strong here, so yours will stretch a little further. Doesn't it smell lovely when flowering?  Tiny aerial tubers will grow just fine, especially if they are put into a pot, with barely damp soil, over winter frost free.

Many moons ago 2015 ish Galina ( I think ) contributed cinnamon vine aerial tubers , I have just found a straggly bit in the corner of the greenhouse, the mice have had a field day so I only managed to rescue a small number and these are small from peppercorn to large pea size . 
I am not sure if they are big enough to be viable but if anyone is interested I could add them to the list !

That looks a great bean, Galina. Always useful and rewarding to have a bean which can be eaten at all stages. Thank you.

Last one (I think)  is a bean from Bohnenatlas called Draculas Eye.  Origin is Transsylvania in Romania, grown here and by a Danish seed saver in the past.  This hopefully means that they will grow well in UK also, despite hailing from much further South. 

This is a truly wonderful bean that is useful at all stages.  My yield was very heavy.  The pods are quite fat, stringless and excellent as green beans.  When the seeds inside the pods have matured, a red hue appears, then they can be shelled.  Large seeds, up to six per pod, are great for adding to soups, stews and more.  Really useful for freezing freshly shelled beans without drying for winter use without the faff of soaking first.  Of course they can equally be used as dry beans.

https://www.bohnen-atlas.de/sorten/d/2356-draculas-eye

 

Quote from: Vetivert on September 27, 2025, 18:31:59Indeed... :(

They've wiped out the seeds of Loos Tennis Ball.
I do wonder where the eggs are laid. If its on the leaves of the lettuce then removing the uppermost leaves on the bolting spike and installing a mini grease band around the centre could prevent them reaching the flowers.

Unfortunately I suspect that the eggs are laid directly on the flower buds as the number of caterpillars up there is extraordinary.

It is quite bizzare as the lettuce heads themselves are untouched by caterpillars. I don't know why they have a taste for lettuce seeds, as if there isn't an abundance of other things to eat, like my tomatoes which they chomp holes in on the regular

If this is looking likely to be a recurring event, and if the moths are laying directly on the buds and also if you were able to catch it at the right time, could you try tying a piece of thin fleece round the developing lettuce  head quite late on but before the buds are formed. I'm imagining tying it round the stalk once the stalk has got to a certain height? It all depends upon what stage the eggs are laid at of course.
Obviously rather an undertaking but worth trying on one head per precious variety perhaps?

"This variety may (or not) be identical with Tennessee cutshort and this is how George tells its story and how he obtained those seeds.  https://seedsavingnetwork.proboards.com/thread/162/tennessee-cutshort-pole-bean?q=childers"

I don't partake in the seed saving circle, but often dip into it out of interest.  I followed up your reference to George's story - quite fascinating, that you Galina!

I am so sorry about such a devastation.  You had bad luck with the peas and now also with the lettuces.  I have 2024 seeds of Loos, if you are short, please say and I can add some for you to try again. 

Indeed... :(

They've wiped out the seeds of Loos Tennis Ball.
I do wonder where the eggs are laid. If its on the leaves of the lettuce then removing the uppermost leaves on the bolting spike and installing a mini grease band around the centre could prevent them reaching the flowers.

Unfortunately I suspect that the eggs are laid directly on the flower buds as the number of caterpillars up there is extraordinary.

It is quite bizzare as the lettuce heads themselves are untouched by caterpillars. I don't know why they have a taste for lettuce seeds, as if there isn't an abundance of other things to eat, like my tomatoes which they chomp holes in on the regular