A Seed Saver's Garden

[Pulsegleaner]

After reading your post I have some homework to do! African Leek.....

You'll need the scientific name then, Allium dregeanum. Apparently, it's a disjunct species (one whose nearest relatives are very, very far away.) And yes, all of the ones I ordered are edible. In fact, I think one of them (not sure which) is probably the one I read about in the National Geographic about one of the Eastern European tribes (either the Kyrghs, the Kazakhs or the Tajiks who still live on their traditional lands (which are some distance away from whichever republic that group now owns. Apparently there, it is the ONLY vegetable they have in their diet.

This is actually my second try at these. I think I figured out what I did wrong the last time (I didn't pay attention to the fact you have to stratify most of them before sowing.)

And. of course, come spring, I'll be back to see if they have any more Himalayan Mountain Ash saplings (the third one died, so I have to start again.)

 

[heirloomgal]

Pepper update. Actually, more like a pepper pruning update.

The C. Baccatum pepper 'Peruviano Arancio' is really growing well. The more I grow this species, the more I like it. The baccatums and the chinense species, seem to outshine the C. annums. Of course, the bells of C. annums are really good and likely not found in the other species. I pruned the plants awhile ago and they are happily doubling up now.

I am really liking the purple serrano so far. When I am only going to grow a single pepper of any variety (as I am with this one) I always hope that the one I select in the seedling bunch isn't a genetic runt. Sometimes it's hard to tell when they're still seedlings. Looks like I got lucky this time. I pruned it a little while ago and it's doubled out too. I will prune again soon.

Germination was pretty poor for the 'Zulu' pepper seeds I bought, 2 sprouted and one looks genetically inferior (just behind in the left corner). But I only need one good plant to get seeds, so one it'll be. The photos I've seen of this one on Baker Creek look pretty amazing. We'll see how much it lives up to that! Time to prune this one.

Pruned the Anaheim pepper today, about 4 leaves.

The variegated jalapeno 'Mattapeno' is shockingly variegated for being so young. Many variegated veggies take 6 - 8 weeks, or longer, to start really showing the trait. These are about 3 weeks old.

The Capiscum flexuosum 'February Fire' is doing well. It's genetics make it an unusually slow grower, but it's finally gaining in size and is speeding up as it goes along. The leaves are quite shiny for a pepper, reminds me a little of eucalyptus.

The lot of pepper seeds I ordered from Atlantic has mostly sprouted. This comes as a surprise to me because I ordered several and the chances of all of them sprouting, at least in good time, didn't seem realistic. Hot peppers after a year of age can go dormant and I expected some to be in that state. These people carry hundreds if not 1,000+ so they can't all be fresh. The chocolate chiltepin hasn't sprouted yet though - that's not a shocker. I should probably try again and treat the seeds first as they suggest. Already the 'Cheiro Roxa' pepper is showing its beauty - pure pink stems against lime green cotyledons. Can't wait to see a PINK pepper!

 

[Branching Out]

Heirloomgal, another pepper pruning question for you please. You said that you pinch your pepper plants multiple times, and I would like to try this. Is it okay to make a second pinch of the main stem at a point one node lower that where the first pinch took place? Or is it best to do the second pinch by pinching back lateral branches higher up on the plant, or perhaps pinching the main stem again but up one node higher? Looking at my Grandpa's Siberian Home Peppers my instinct is telling me to pinch a second time, just a bit lower down from the original trim-- but I don't want to harm the plants. These are unusual peppers as well, in that they are intended to flower and fruit indoors. If you have a technique that works I would love to hear more about how you do it.

 

[heirloomgal]

Heirloomgal, another pepper pruning question for you please. You said that you pinch your pepper plants multiple times, and I would like to try this. Is it okay to make a second pinch of the main stem at a point one node lower that where the first pinch took place? Or is it best to do the second pinch by pinching back lateral branches higher up on the plant, or perhaps pinching the main stem again but up one node higher? Looking at my Grandpa's Siberian Home Peppers my instinct is telling me to pinch a second time, just a bit lower down from the original trim-- but I don't want to harm the plants. These are unusual peppers as well, in that they are intended to flower and fruit indoors. If you have a technique that works I would love to hear more about how you do it.

I think the thing with pruning (at least for the purpose of increasing the size of a plant) is the pruning should be where the plant is high in auxin. I don't think a plant will respond the same if you prune in areas where the auxin is low. So to get the multi branching effect for increased peppers I think it's pretty essential to focus on the high auxin growth tips; with your GSHP's I'd clip the new growth on the higher lateral branch tips. I really like that variety, it is shockingly productive for a small pepper plant and I've grown it outdoors as well and it did fabulous there too. I do think the peppers ramp up in heat level when grown outside though!

Here is a pretty good article, though I have to say I disagree with the idea of not pruning bells. I've done it with bells plenty and it works well, but I do start them a month early to offset the pruning.

Topping Pepper Plants – Should You Do It? - The Homesteading RD

We'll review the when, why and how for topping pepper plants so you can confidently snip away and achieve your best harvest yet!

thehomesteadingrd.com

 

[Artorius]

With @heirloomgal permission, I'd like to post a private ad

I'm looking for Debbie tomato seeds. I mean the tomato that Carolyn Male described in the book "100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden". Can anyone help me?

 

[Branching Out]

I think the thing with pruning (at least for the purpose of increasing the size of a plant) is the pruning should be where the plant is high in auxin. I don't think a plant will respond the same if you prune in areas where the auxin is low. So to get the multi branching effect for increased peppers I think it's pretty essential to focus on the high auxin growth tips; with your GSHP's I'd clip the new growth on the higher lateral branch tips. I really like that variety, it is shockingly productive for a small pepper plant and I've grown it outdoors as well and it did fabulous there too. I do think the peppers ramp up in heat level when grown outside though!

Here is a pretty good article, though I have to say I disagree with the idea of not pruning bells. I've done it with bells plenty and it works well, but I do start them a month early to offset the pruning.

Topping Pepper Plants – Should You Do It? - The Homesteading RD

We'll review the when, why and how for topping pepper plants so you can confidently snip away and achieve your best harvest yet!

thehomesteadingrd.com

This very helpful information-- thank you Heirloomgal. I had never heard of auxin before, so it was especially interesting to read about that. The article that you linked says you can try rooting the cuttings to form new pepper plants. I have done that with snapdragons and I know that it works with tomatoes, but for some reason it never dawned on me to try that with pepper plants.

Given that auxin is the plant hormone in rooting powder, I am wondering if it would be a good idea to put a bit of that on the cut when I prune to increase the auxin level. Will have to think on that one.

 

[heirloomgal]

With @heirloomgal permission, I'd like to post a private ad

I'm looking for Debbie tomato seeds. I mean the tomato that Carolyn Male described in the book "100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden". Can anyone help me?

I checked the tomato sellers here for you @Artorius, and checked with the seeds of diversity seed finder, and not a single vendor in Canada seems to be selling that tomato. Tatiana's Tomatobase in BC has it, but she hasn't opened her site (for selling) in years now.

 

[Eleanor]

With @heirloomgal permission, I'd like to post a private ad

I'm looking for Debbie tomato seeds. I mean the tomato that Carolyn Male described in the book "100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden". Can anyone help me?

Dale Thurber has a listing for Debbie - is this the one you are looking for?

ETA: he also lists it through SSE.

 

[Jack Holloway]

With @heirloomgal permission, I'd like to post a private ad

I'm looking for Debbie tomato seeds. I mean the tomato that Carolyn Male described in the book "100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden". Can anyone help me?

I'll order some to send you. @Artorius

Dale Thurber has a listing for Debbie - is this the one you are looking for?

ETA: he also lists it through SSE.

Thanks @Eleanor, I'll place an order for seeds by tomorrow.

 

[Artorius]

@heirloomgal , @Eleanor , @Jack Holloway
Thank you very much for your help. Yes, that's the tomato. According to the description, it comes from Poland.