A Seed Saver's Garden

[flowerbug]

those spikes on the pumpkins are one of the reasons why squash were grown in combination with corn and beans. aside from the fact that the plants are big leaved and help keep weeds down and they have super yummy fruits and seeds.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Vermont Cranberry' bean bushes - such unusual, rippled & pointed foliage. I have found this variety very hardy, neither rain or excessive heat has seemed to really bother it.

I've never seen leaves on Vermont Cranberry that look like that. I am strongly wondering if that is a Mosaic infection. Different varieties can react differently to the virus. What was your source of the seed you planted?

 

[heirloomgal]

I've never seen leaves on Vermont Cranberry that look like that. I am strongly wondering if that is a Mosaic infection. Different varieties can react differently to the virus. What was your source of the seed you planted?

I got the seeds from Jim Ternier of Prairie Garden Seed; you've probably heard of them since they've been around quite a long time. All the seeds I've gotten from them have been top quality, they are one of my favourite seed sources, so I'd be surprised if I got infected seed from them. But you are a more adequate physician in these diagnostic matters, so I would certainly trust your observations more than my own. The strange thing is, they came up this way right from the start. And their growth and vigour has been excellent, especially through the rain. They are starting to blossom, and aside from the strange shaped leaves, seem to be doing really well? I took some more pictures so you can get a closer look and tell me what you think. I am also growing Mitla Black from them and the leaves were a bit narrow with those ones too, but again, are growing great otherwise.

I'm posting this photo so you can see the comparison between the rows with Vermont Cranberry - on the left row, front is goose gullet, then rose creek (struggling a bit that one) and then Vermont ( right beside my dog). It seems just like the other vigorous rows in terms of size, colour and blossoming?

Mitla black-

 

[heirloomgal]

those spikes on the pumpkins are one of the reasons why squash were grown in combination with corn and beans. aside from the fact that the plants are big leaved and help keep weeds down and they have super yummy fruits and seeds.

What purpose did the spikes serve? To keep out animals?

 

[Blue-Jay]

@heirloomgal,

The first photo the leaves do look healthy. The fourth and fifth photos look healthy and normal. Your second photo looks really odd to me. I've never seen bean leaves take on that appearance. I'd hate to tell you to pull up the beans and destroy them. I guess let them grow. If they all turn brown and die out on you suddenly then you will know something is up with them. Did you fertilize your ground with something before planting?. I am acquainted with a fellow in Idaho Falls who is a certified bean seed farmer. He tells me that some beans come down with mosaic but tolerate it and grow to produce seed right through the infection.

 

[heirloomgal]

@heirloomgal,

The first photo the leaves do look healthy. The fourth and fifth photos look healthy and normal. Your second photo looks really odd to me. I've never seen bean leaves take on that appearance. I'd hate to tell you to pull up the beans and destroy them. I guess let them grow. If they all turn brown and die out on you suddenly then you will know something is up with them. Did you fertilize your ground with something before planting?. I am acquainted with a fellow in Idaho Falls who is a certified bean seed farmer. He tells me that some beans come down with mosaic but tolerate it and grow to produce seed right through the infection.

All the leaves, close up, seem okay. Those leaves in the close up photo are the same ones in the further back #2 shot. It's when you stand back from the bush that the leaves look different/odd. But maybe I'll contact Prairie Garden and send them the picture. I feel to pull them up! I'll give them some time and see. Would it be strange for only one variety in the whole garden, with so many others, to get it? Only one of over 100?

 

[Blue-Jay]

@heirloomgal,

It wouldn't be strange for only one variety to get it. Your seed source might have grown successfully to it's seed stage and harvested seed of infected plants without realizing it. If it does have mosaic. If the plants rub up against other varieties or you handle these plants and touch your other plants without washing your hands they could get infected too.

Do you have aphids on anything you are growing this year.

I have also sent your photos to my dry bean farmer in Idaho Falls to see what he thinks.

 

[heirloomgal]

@heirloomgal,

It wouldn't be strange for only one variety to get it. Your seed source might have grown successfully to it's seed stage and harvested seed of infected plants without realizing it. If it does have mosaic. If the plants rub up against other varieties or you handle these plants and touch your other plants without washing your hands they could get infected too.

Do you have aphids on anything you are growing this year.

I have also sent your photos to my dry bean farmer in Idaho Falls to see what he thinks.

I'll be curious to see what he says. I haven't seen any aphids anywhere this year, and I haven't fertilized with anything either. There was some new garden mix soil added to the gardens this year. But everything else seems fine.

 

[heirloomgal]

The seed collecting begins!

'Argentum' peas - first dried pods. It never ceases to amaze me how you can start a pea or bean grow out with 10 or 20 seeds, and increase your supply so much in just one season. Tomatoes are even more exponential, a single seed planted can multiply into thousands with certain types. Seeds are SO AMAZING!

The best tomato seeds are saved from tomatoes that are very ripe. Seed viability is much reduced by saving from not yet perfectly ripe fruit. But I also don't like to wait too long either because icky, wiggly creatures tend to be more present in way overripe fruit squeezed for seed. It's a balance between the two.

First sesame pods are forming

'Peppermint' chard is ready to eat, and no leaf miners this year! Yay!

Potato seed balls. I know that there is some debate about it, but to me the most convincing evidence says cutting these off is best, especially in small gardens. The energy diverts to seed production instead of just the potatoes. Which seems logical since it works that way with most other plants.

'Sweet Banana' peppers. A very common variety, but I've never grown it before. I like the smooth flesh! But the bell pepper crop this year has me reconsidering bell pepper grow outs in the future. While there is more usable pepper flesh in bells, they just don't make many fruits compared to most hots. And the seed production will not be comparable. We'll see in September. My how I miss my 'Rooster Spur' peppers

Here is the only truly hot pepper I'm growing this year, which I bought in a moment of weakness - 'Black Cobra'. Always wanted to try this this one but seeds online were just too crazy expensive. Found it by surprise at a garden centre. Just looking at all those blooms makes me miss the hots!

'Blue Jay' bean blooms. Grown in honour of the man, the myth, the legend. So happy to be part of the LEBN 2021!

No matter how much we cut, the blooms just reappear. Love lavender. Might put some of these in my homemade settler inspired mini sachet pillows.

 

[heirloomgal]

@Bluejay77

When you have a moment take a look at post #90 on here, sixth pic down is 'Mitla Black' showing those very pointy leaves and looking so different from the rows beside. It could be a seed borne issue, but it also makes me wonder if my seed source's soil selects or moves toward this foliage type. They've probably been saving their bean lines for many decades. Just a thought.