A Seed Saver's Garden

[Pulsegleaner]

Okay, got it now (looks like the original species name was misspelled).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lathyrus_tingitanus

I just looked up the images and it turns out I HAD seed for that at once point! As I think I have mentioned, Thompson and Morgan used to offer a mixed Lathyrus species seed pack. Looks like tangier was that odd elongated pea seed that showed up from time to time!
No, it is clearly different than Grass Pea.

 

[heirloomgal]

Wonder of wonders. I put my flexuosum peppers (well, the planted seeds) aside to 'neglect' sprout them in their pot, since attentiveness was not working. It's been nearly 30 days and nothing; they can remain dormant for up to12 months. I even put them in a place where I wouldn't look at them as often anymore.

And it worked.

 

[Branching Out]

Pepper seeds sure have a way of reminding us who is boss-- but you did it! 30 days sounds pretty darned good. Well done Heirloomgal.

 

[heirloomgal]

As I continue to go through my camera cards, I found a couple ones I thought might be something to share here since lots of people are looking around for new things. Years ago I grew two types of summer squash, 'Lemon' and 'Papaya'. I never forgot about those because they were so smooth textured and good, way better than zukes IMO (though I wouldn't make a cake with them like I would a zucchini). My understanding at the time was they were hybrids, so I gave up growing them, but I see Lemon being offered this year as an OP variety. So I thought I'd post a picture I found of them. The yellow pattypans were good too, but a bit more coarse. The Papayas have the bottlenecks, the Lemons more smooth bodies. Or maybe it was the other way around.

And a few other pictures, just because I'm reminiscing about veggies from seasons that seem so long ago now.

This was a tomato I loved called 'Dark Orange Muscat'. I thought it was beautiful & delicious, and I gave some seed to a friend and she was like - they're so UGLY!' But she did think the taste was good. One of my favorite not red cherries.

This is Lime Green Salad, another deelish tomato IMHO. I never did find them sour.

Copper River, another sweet beefsteak yummy.

Blue Keyes. Because the genes that code for blue in tomatoes are also related to a really long shelf life, or delayed deterioration, few of them are seriously delicious. But they sure are something to look at.

Same. Helsing Junction Blues from 2017. DH always says, 'why grow those?' because they don't taste great.
How can he be so blind?

Yellow Trifele. I don't remember clearly on a scale of 1 to 10 where they ranked, I do remember that there was A LOT.

Green Tigers. I like all the Tiger tomatoes in that series, especially the creamy gold colored one. Skins are all a bit thick though. They never crack is an upside I guess.

I forgot I ever grow these 'til I found pictures of this bean. Can't remember if it was Snowcap or Mostoller Wild Goose? Snowcap I think. It was big, I recall that part.

 

[ducks4you]

I think your soil, which you have worked on, has a LOT to do with the flavor.

 

[digitS']

It's great that you have shared this information and the pictures make it doubly so, HeirloomGal.

Even when we think back and it is just a a vague mental shrug, it's nothing definitive but there is meaning to that. When we look back and there is brightness and pleasure in the reflection on a variety, there is meaning. No, we all don't have detailed notes.

Scientific Researchers vs  Easy Gardeners - I don't want to see people apologizing for that . And Hey! The TEG search feature, it's of great value as the seasons roll on.

Steve

 

[Jack Holloway]

Haven't decided yet. Haven't decided IF I'll grow corn (remember, I haven't even had a corn kernel survive GERMINATING for many years, thanks to the critters). Would like to keep trying with the miniature dents and such I found, If I can. But am also thinking of trying the miniature Glass Gem, on the grounds that, with a pint jar full of kernels, there just might be TOO MANY for the critters to eat it all before some grew to a size where they'd lose interest.

Have you thought of starting your corn inside a couple of weeks before planting time? Years ago I read that corn plants handle a bit of cold better than the seed, so I started mine indoors, then transplanted to the garden when they were about 6 inches tall. Maybe that would discourage the critters from eating the seeds. Just an ideer to think about.

edited to add: Sorry, I see you were asked about transplants already. I'm searching for popcorn, and didn't read the 25 pages after your post. Mea culpa.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I'd love to, but corn is hard to transplant. The roots are super long AND super delicate, and if they get damaged, the plant will literally stop growing. I'm not sure HOW you managed to transplant them, but that usually kills them.

Also, I just don't have ROOM for all of the pots I'd need. Long before the corn has used up its stored food and is "safe" to put outside, the root system will have gotten beyond what ant pot can hold (a corn plant's root system can be up to five feet in diameter)

Plus, since I am breeding I am growing a corn PATCH, not a short row to get a few ears for summer dinners. Even though my space is limited, it STILL holds about 100 hills, and I use every one. Think about how much space 100 five foot diameter pots would take up, not to mention cost (in both pots AND soil).

I HAVE toyed with the idea of trying to pre-make smaller hills in smaller pots (when I use peat plugs, I'm planting only one kernel per plug, as opposed to the five to ten I'd be using for a hill). But even 100 six inch pots would take up a tremendous amount of room, and the corn would probably get rootbound and stunted almost immediately.)
And I am only ASSUMING the corn will be safe once the cotyledons are gone. At that point, when I DID managed to get some into the ground, the squirrels and chipmunks seemed to lose interest. But at that point, the plants were scraggly tough leaves already, so not attractive. Treated properly, the corn plants would presumably be a lot more upright, juicer and more full of sugars, which means I'd move on from worrying about the squirrels and chipmunks eating the seeds to the deer eating the whole PLANT down to the ground, which would last until the plants were too tall for the deer to get on top of even by stretching their necks (by which point, they'd basically be fully mature.) Pass that hurdle, and the pollination hurdle, and I then need to do something about the raccoons climbing up the stalks and pulling the developing ears off and eating them. Corn is basically not a single issue, it's a gauntlet to run.

 

[ducks4you]

I accidentally successfully transplanted a few corn plants several years ago. If I can do it, it can be done!!
As I understand it, they need to be big enough for the roots to fill up a 3 inch pot, but not potbound, and you transplant in very loose soil and keep well watered.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Well, I can try, though I'm not sure corn could use up all of its stored food before the root system got bigger than 3 inches.