A Seed Saver's Garden

[Branching Out]

Yes. A TEG gardener once pointed out that a good amount of spinach seed grown in the US comes from the Columbia Basin, responding to me complaining that spinach is difficult for me to grow. I responded that this is why it is difficult for me - it bolts to seed.

Early September must normally have the driest weeks of our year. From wheat to chickpeas to canola, that climate feature is very important for seed harvest.

Steve, who found the Richters catalog in the mailbox this week, also

In our area spinach grow well if planted in very early spring (6-8 weeks before the last frost) or else mid-August through September. From my notes on how to grow spinach: There are two conditions required for spinach to flower: first, they need to have 13 days of growth, and second they need to experience a 12 hour long day. So if they have been growing for a couple of weeks, once they have been exposed to one 12-hour day their flowering hormone will be triggered, and nothing that you can do will stop them from flowering. Some new varieties are ‘slow to bolt’, but be aware of the 12-hour long days from mid-April to mid-September—and don’t put energy into growing spinach in June or July. The trick is to sow a lot of spinach beginning late August, sowing it wherever space becomes available in the garden; you want to grow it quick and harvest it quick. If you are able to, plant spinach where legumes grew before; they will respond well to the extra nitrogen in the soil. Note: my last spinach planting from the autumn is finally ready to pick now; we had some with our dinner last night (planted in a container, under the overhang of the house). The earlier plantings from August were harvested back in the fall, and will send up a second flush of leaves when the weather warms in a few months.

To germinate the seeds I soak them for no more than about 6 hours, drain them, and then place them in a bowl on the kitchen counter overnight with a plate on top to exclude light. It sounds crazy, but most of them start sprouting within 24 hours-- so you have to have a spot in mind for where they are going to go. In the past I have soaked way too many seeds; they really swell up, and end up being more than expected. The variety that I like is called Seaside, and it grows well in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[heirloomgal]

How wonderful @Branching Out that you can grow and eat your own vegetables basically all year long! 🥰

I was at Walmart today and happened to notice that even commercial iceberg lettuce was 5 dollars! Given how much I love lettuce filled spring rolls I really may need to start learning about winter grown lettuce. I could use my greenhouse but it's the nighttime temperature that would be a major problem.

 

[AMKuska]

In our area spinach grow well if planted in very early spring (6-8 weeks before the last frost) or else mid-August through September. From my notes on how to grow spinach: There are two conditions required for spinach to flower: first, they need to have 13 days of growth, and second they need to experience a 12 hour long day. So if they have been growing for a couple of weeks, once they have been exposed to one 12-hour day their flowering hormone will be triggered, and nothing that you can do will stop them from flowering. Some new varieties are ‘slow to bolt’, but be aware of the 12-hour long days from mid-April to mid-September—and don’t put energy into growing spinach in June or July. The trick is to sow a lot of spinach beginning late August, sowing it wherever space becomes available in the garden; you want to grow it quick and harvest it quick. If you are able to, plant spinach where legumes grew before; they will respond well to the extra nitrogen in the soil. Note: my last spinach planting from the autumn is finally ready to pick now; we had some with our dinner last night (planted in a container, under the overhang of the house). The earlier plantings from August were harvested back in the fall, and will send up a second flush of leaves when the weather warms in a few months.

To germinate the seeds I soak them for no more than about 6 hours, drain them, and then place them in a bowl on the kitchen counter overnight with a plate on top to exclude light. It sounds crazy, but most of them start sprouting within 24 hours-- so you have to have a spot in mind for where they are going to go. In the past I have soaked way too many seeds; they really swell up, and end up being more than expected. The variety that I like is called Seaside, and it grows well in the Pacific Northwest.

I'm glad you reminded me. I looked at our last frost date for my area and it's actually earlier than I thought. I need to get my cold season stuff going so they're ready to pop out mid February.

 

[digitS']

Yeah, well ..

. Branching Out fairly well confirmed that the only way I can grow spinach is finally giving over-Wintering a try.

Hormones -- still interfering with my practical reasoning.

🥴

 

[heirloomgal]

Peppers are growing a wee bit.

The Capiscum baccatum has some true leaves. Planted Dec 21, only 1 of 4 sprouted thus far.

I've never soaked my pepper seeds, and I think the next batch of seeds I plant I may try that. The reason being the third little Habanada seedling in this pic-

That little one was initially just like the others but he had a seed coat that would not dislodge from his head. I finally plucked it off, risking the life of that seedling, but he was getting mangled and many days had passed like that. I would have 3 instead of 2 healthy seedlings now, I think, if I had soaked them.

North American basil update, keeps making seed heads and I keep pinching but it is getting bushier. Oh, and I finally was able to detect a fragrance - really good. I crushed one of the seed heads in my fingers and did a blind smell test with DD - she said smells incredible, like super fresh peppers.

 

[heirloomgal]

I had one of those experiences today where I couldn't help but laugh.

For the first time ever, I placed an order with a US seed company, Siskiyou. I actually put the order in a week ago, but I had been on the fence about it for a week before I pressed the send button. It was a very small order because our dollar is anemic, and the cost per packet was nearly double the average price for a packet here. Also, there was an earth scorching shipping fee IMHO; I couldn't stock up with stuff to justify the shipping fee since the prices were so high. But it was a Christmas present from DH to send it through, a 'dream' order, and the things I requested simply don't exist on the market here. Having both preservationist intentions as well as patriotic ones - to increase the seed diversity in our country which I feel is rather limited - it seemed ultimately worth it. I knew I would offer everything I bought on the seed exchange next year, so that also made it worth it to me.

Fast forward to last night, when I found that Annapolis Seeds (in Nova Scotia) finally released their new for 2023 seed list. 2 of the 6 things I ordered were offered! Oh my goodness, I don't think I would have put that order in if I had known! I've also since found out that Baker Creek is informing Can customers that they may get dinged with a duty fee when their seeds cross the border. Yikes! I hope they have some wrong info there.

Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

All I can say now is, boy I hope those 'Thumbprint Favas' are something truly amazing. 🥰

 

[heirloomgal]

Allium beesianum. A type of perennial onion. I think I need to get these!

 

[Branching Out]

Allium beesianum. A type of perennial onion. I think I need to get these!

A few years back I fell in love with the beautiful spring blooms of ornamental onions, so I gathered the dry seed heads and sprinkled them liberally around my flower borders. Since then I have developed a strong aversion to ornamental onions, because they spread rampantly and popped up in undesirable locations like in the middle of my Chicks and Hens patch. Their bulbs were large and deep, making them difficult to remove. I still enjoy seeing them in other people's gardens.

 

[heirloomgal]

What a great day! It was DS b-day 🎂, my how the time flies! We had a great time, I made the fluffiest almond flour cake to date, and we played some gift pranks that worked real well, including a gift box with a single note - for the gift of which thou seekest look to that upon which thou seatest'. Every chair-like construction went examined, it was too funny.

I also received a bunch of seed mail today! The network beans arrived 🥳 , and some other neat stuff - huckleberry seeds, yellow hexentomates, and two rare corn - 'White Canadian Flour' corn and 'Winnebago' Corn. Also a new tomato, and I seldom buy tomatoes anymore, called 'Bishop's Castle'. It's like a seed party around here too!

 

[meadow]

How many network beans are you growing this year?

I'm waiting until April when Russ gets back home (I've not been doing well and want to make sure there is a good chance that I can keep the commitment).