A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

Sort of. They are sort of whitish when they first start, but fairly quickly turn yellowish and then rusty orange (I have yet to see one turn fully chocolate brown, like the pictures show).

And yes I think they are a Kiva type. Actually THREE of mine should be Kivas, since Russian Netted is (like Brown Russian, but spherical instead of long*) and I think Sambar is as well (as I said, I like Kivas) . As far as I know, the Borneo Jungle cucumbers are not (the last plants in the row aren't cucumbers at all, they're my round white horned melons.)

*Note that, since BOTH of these two are sometimes called the portmanteau of "Brown Russian Netted", it can be quite hard to tell which you are actually getting from any seed seller. Brown Russian is more common. I have ONE source for Russian Netted, and I keep it permanently bookmarked. )

I wonder if I have crossed seed then, mine are green. The seed company is really good though. Hmm.

 

[heirloomgal]

Eggplant situation. For a little while I thought they might not make it, having suffered major shock being put outside the hothouse. Took some time, but they rebounded.

I didn't think Petch Siam' could get bigger than a small plum, but a few are bigger.

'Casper' is pretty much the eggplant winner I think. Early and generous.

'Little Egg' - they really do look like eggs!

'Morden Midget', not a super midget apparently.

'Green Punjab'. Thought it might be a twin to Early Green, but nope, totally different.

'Melanzana Rotinda' (at least that's what I recall of the same) beginning to be suspicious it might be the same as Striped Turkish, thus far they look similar.

Couple flowers. Salpiglossis is starting to bloom. And the nicotiana are sending out new flower heads along their length, which I don't remember seeing before. Looks like I'll get a few asparagus pea seeds.

Scarlet Flax blossom.

 

[heirloomgal]

@ZinHead
I would love any input you may have in regards to dry bean growing. I'd like to perfect my techniques as much as I possible, and consider myself a life long student gardener! Little info on my area; my town is located in a basin created by meteor impact long ago, we have 5 mines located here (pop 161,000) as a result. (I tell you this because it may be relevant to the chemistry of my soil?) Thus far I do not fertilize much but this year did apply some Azomite to the precious ones, and alfalfa & kelp. I'd early prefer not to use commercial fertilizers though bean agronomists seem to really recommend it for growing dry beans due to the importance of mineral presence. Any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[ZinHead]

@ZinHead
I would love any input you may have in regards to dry bean growing. I'd like to perfect my techniques as much as I possible, and consider myself a life long student gardener! Little info on my area; my town is located in a basin created by meteor impact long ago, we have 5 mines located here (pop 165,000) as a result. (I tell you this because it may be relevant to the chemistry of my soil?) Thus far I do not fertilize much but this year did apply some Azomite to the precious ones, and alfalfa & kelp. I'd early prefer not to use commercial fertilizers though bean agronomists seem to really recommend it for growing dry beans due to the importance of mineral presence. Any suggestions? Thank you!

I wouldn't use Azomite on beans.
Azomite varies between 8.1pH & 8.5pH
It has high levels of Calcium Silicates & Aluminum Silicates.
It's going to mess up the symbiosis on the roots,
as well as reduce lateral branching of the plants,
Plus make the beans small & hard.
Test your soil.
Having the correct ratios of:
Iron, Sulfur, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel Cobalt & Vanadium is important to beans.
(Molybdenum & Nickel) need to be at the correct ratio to each other.
(Iron & Manganese) need to be at the correct ratio to each other.
Copper & Zinc need to be balanced with each other.
Boron being balenced is critical.
If Iron is too high, plants will have disease problems.
Are the mines copper?
If you can get a full detailed soil analysis of all 17 plant nutrients, plus Sodium, Nickel, Cobalt and Vanadium, plus suspected heavy metals.
I will help you troubleshoot modifications.
If you cannot afford that, take pics of plants.
I'm pretty good at telling which nutrients are high & low.

 

[heirloomgal]

Yes, there is copper mining here but nickel is #1, then copper, cobalt, platinum group metals, gold and silver.

Wow, didn't know that about Azomite. Do you feel it isn't a wonder garden amendment? All my (limited) research on it seemed to extoll it's virtues; I added quite a bit to my tomato and eggplant pots and it seemed to do well there with the kelp and alfalfa. But I only used it in limited quantities for the beans. It's expensive too so that limited my use of it.

So far I haven't had much troubles, it's 'peak production' I'm after more than anything though 2 years now delia platura (bean seed flies) bedevil me. Really struggle with that one since (it seems?) I imported some new soil. They'll root prune my bean transplants (which I was using to avoid their bean seed predations) and the plants don't fully bush out and achieve max pod set.

I will look around for a soil testing facility. Thus far most places I know of test for pH, that's it. Maybe I can find a more thorough lab.

Just what you've written above is a great start for me! That's interesting about the molybdenum and nickel, I had read a little about the importance of molybdenum some time ago but didn't know about the nickel. We're bound to have plenty of sulphur since the entire landscape was eviscerated by it decades ago.

Okay, step one get soil sample.

Thank you so much @ zinhead!!

 

[ZinHead]

Yes, there is copper mining here but nickel is #1, then copper, cobalt, platinum group metals, gold and silver.

Wow, didn't know that about Azomite. Do you feel it isn't a wonder garden amendment? All my (limited) research on it seemed to extoll it's virtues; I added quite a bit to my tomato and eggplant pots and it seemed to do well there with the kelp and alfalfa. But I only used it in limited quantities for the beans. It's expensive too so that limited my use of it.

So far I haven't had much troubles, it's 'peak production' I'm after more than anything though 2 years now delia platura (bean seed flies) bedevil me. Really struggle with that one since (it seems?) I imported some new soil. They'll root prune my bean transplants (which I was using to avoid their bean seed predations) and the plants don't fully bush out and achieve max pod set.

I will look around for a soil testing facility. Thus far most places I know of test for pH, that's it. Maybe I can find a more thorough lab.

Just what you've written above is a great start for me! That's interesting about the molybdenum and nickel, I had read a little about the importance of molybdenum some time ago but didn't know about the nickel. We're bound to have plenty of sulphur since the entire landscape was eviscerated by it decades ago.

Okay, step one get soil sample.

Thank you so much @ zinhead!!

You need to test your soil.
You might need to filter your water & go hydroponic to have good success.
If Nickel gets to high it inhibits FeMo-Cofactor enzyme activity.
Nickel copolymerizes Zinc ligands.
Nickel increases fungi invasive behavior.
Test your water!!!
If it is OK, I recommend hydroponic.

 

[ZinHead]

You need to test your soil.
You might need to filter your water & go hydroponic to have good success.
If Nickel gets to high it inhibits FeMo-Cofactor enzyme activity.
Nickel copolymerizes Zinc ligands.
Nickel increases fungi invasive behavior.
Test your water!!!
If it is OK, I recommend hydroponic.

Nickel needs to be between (200ppb & 3ppm) for optimal bean plant health.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I wonder if I have crossed seed then, mine are green. The seed company is really good though. Hmm.

I imagine some are green and some are white.

 

[ZinHead]

Yes, there is copper mining here but nickel is #1, then copper, cobalt, platinum group metals, gold and silver.

Wow, didn't know that about Azomite. Do you feel it isn't a wonder garden amendment? All my (limited) research on it seemed to extoll it's virtues; I added quite a bit to my tomato and eggplant pots and it seemed to do well there with the kelp and alfalfa. But I only used it in limited quantities for the beans. It's expensive too so that limited my use of it.

So far I haven't had much troubles, it's 'peak production' I'm after more than anything though 2 years now delia platura (bean seed flies) bedevil me. Really struggle with that one since (it seems?) I imported some new soil. They'll root prune my bean transplants (which I was using to avoid their bean seed predations) and the plants don't fully bush out and achieve max pod set.

I will look around for a soil testing facility. Thus far most places I know of test for pH, that's it. Maybe I can find a more thorough lab.

Just what you've written above is a great start for me! That's interesting about the molybdenum and nickel, I had read a little about the importance of molybdenum some time ago but didn't know about the nickel. We're bound to have plenty of sulphur since the entire landscape was eviscerated by it decades ago.

Okay, step one get soil sample.

Thank you so much @ zinhead!!

New scientific research from multiple sources regarding Nickel's interactions with Nitrogen fixation via bacteria which use (Iron, Sulfur & Molybdenum) in FeMo-Cofactor.
Nickel has multiple pathways which both amplify & limit nitrogen fixation.
The solution pH & the valence state of the nickel greatly altered what happened.
Nickel also altered quorum sensing aka "QS" functions.
It is frontier science & not very well understood yet.
Cobalt can substitute for 1 Iron in FeMo-Cofactor.
Vanadium can substitute for Molybdenum.
There is an alternate enzyme near identical to FeMo-Cofactor which doesn't have Molybdenum.
There are also microbes which use Nickel to create Urea, alter the state of Nitrogen & some research claims fix nitrogen.
It seems that one of most debated topics is how it alters the availability of other nutrients.
It can daisy chain copolymerize the ligands of other nutrients especially Zinc, but also Iron & Copper.
The correct amount can actually reduce copper toxicity.
Nickel has 7 different valence states.
What goes right or wrong often has to do with pH & valence state of Nickel.
It's not very well understood by scientists yet & even less understood by OCD gardening addicts like myself.
But will gladly assist when I can, the best I can.
Mikey ZinHead Plant Detective.

 

[heirloomgal]

You need to test your soil.
You might need to filter your water & go hydroponic to have good success.
If Nickel gets to high it inhibits FeMo-Cofactor enzyme activity.
Nickel copolymerizes Zinc ligands.
Nickel increases fungi invasive behavior.
Test your water!!!
If it is OK, I recommend hydroponic.

Wowzers, you def know your chemistry. Yes, nickel does increase fungi. I met a fellow years ago who was employed to do a water study and he told me this region adds copper to the public water system to decrease that activity because of the nickel presence. He then mentioned how that added copper is contributing to a significant increase in autoimmunity pathologies in female physiology.

In both drinking water as well as the garden, I generally avoid city water. Most of my water is collected and stored rain.

When you say hydroponic, do you mean as in not in the garden, i.e not in garden soil?

Eda: I love that phrase 'Frontier science'...