A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

My gladiolus arrived today! That was quick, and the lady who sent them to me is a really lovely seed friend so she included another gift bag of corms called 'Evergreen'. Awe, I really appreciate such a sweet gesture. They're all so nice and wonderfully healthy, lots of girth and weight to them. I wish I could multiply gladiolus!

Pepper seeds are starting to pop up, and the Cossack Pineapple ground cherries I planted too. The Schoenbrunn ground cherries have been up for a while since I planted those first and they already have tiny little leaves. I actually faced thinning them quickly this year and I'm glad I did because I tend to dally on that and it probably stunts them, they're a nice size for their age already.

Such an exciting time of year! Each evening I look at my list and ask myself what I want to plant today!

 

[heirloomgal]

Seedlings! One chartreuse leaf variety this year, in a micro dwarf! 'Tigret Yellow'.

The 'Indigo Orange Supertruss' tomato already showing its purple anthocyanin genes!

A picture of happiness. That lone little noodle neck is the LAST seed I had of 'Damskie Palchiki' tomato. One seed, and it was over 10 years old. It's from back when Tatiana's Tomatobase was still open. I guess I planted some from the packet, because there was only one left, but what happened to the plants I don't know. Might have given them all away in years where I didn't have enough room for all the plants not realizing I'd wind up with no seeds. Anyway, I plan to hover over this one. Big time. I can't actually believe it sprouted! It's taken 11 or 12 days, but it showed up!

More sweet peas arrived! I wonder if these names are honest though. I've never heard of Saltwater Taffy as a sweet pea variety, creative and charming as it is. You wonder sometimes if the old ways of the seed trade still exist, like creating new varieties out of thin air by giving something a new name.

Physalis peruviana, lookin' a good size for April 10th (this is a large yogurt container). Need to dig for the discipline of thinning to 4.

The tomato line up. I'm just so thrilled with how well everything germinated. Many of those now crowded cells were planted with old seed, and while I expected they'd sprout since tomatoes seeds stay viable for so long, I didn't expect the germ rates would be nearly 100%. That they can be this good at 11 years old is almost shocking. The experiment never ends! Never believe the charts when it comes to seed longevity!!

 

[heirloomgal]

A lovely day of planting.

My first time ever of growing a large variety of alliums from seed, I did several jumbo cell packs of them. Most of the packages indicated they need cold stratification so I put them in the sun room. I tried a packet last year and nothing sprouted, but I kept them at room temperature, waited 2 weeks, then threw everything out. Looking back, it may have been a fail due to no cold spell. So this year they stay outside. Nighttime temps are hovering around freezing or just above so I'm thinking they'll be fine. Fingers are very tightly crossed.

Also put in some herbs; Quiquinna, Maui Lime basil, Limoncello basil, Siam Queen basil. Some nice, fat chufa nuts went in. I also planted Pepicha tonight. Chinese Pink Celery. For whatever reason I planted much more of these plants than I normally would, I think I go too piddly at times and regret it later.

Little funny story about Limoncello basil. I grew it 3 years ago for the first time, and the packet actually wasn't labeled that. It was a generic Ocimum americanum basil, titled 'Lime' and they offered a sister variety called 'Lemon'. I didn't want to offer seeds for it with the name 'Lime' because there is already a Ocimum basilicum (trad basil) called 'Lime', and I knew people would think it was the same. (Not likely to be a lot of familiarity with Latin to catch the 'americanum' in the name.) And that would mean they'd be disappointed, because the one I grew wasn't for spaghetti, it really is lemon-limey leaning toward verbena. So I thought up 'Limoncello' out of the blue really, to distinguish it from Genovese basil and link it up with thoughts of 'sweet' and 'citrus'. Not many people are interested in basils that aren't trad anyway. Or so I thought.

This year while browsing a seed website I was looking through the herb section and saw a basil called 'Limoncello'...now that caught my attention. How could that be, I was sure no basils were named that?! I checked my files and saw that the company owner was a customer of mine. I did a random search and realized that Burpee also now was offering a 'Limocello' basil. Funny coincidence, and I have no idea how that happened.

 

[ducks4you]

Whatever happened to the almost 7 kinds of mint?!?
I remember shopping at Farm Supply store, that only sells propane, etc. NOW, but used to sell plants in the Spring, and had these lovely stained plywood boxes, openings at an angle, with plexiglass and knobs. You would take an envelope, label it for the seeds, use the scoop, they would weigh it and your purchased.
ANYWAY... for several years they were selling peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, apple mint, LOTS of different mints, in 3 inch pots for a good price.
I found THIS site--

Genus Mentha - Organic Plants from Mountain Valley Growers

mountainvalleygrowers.com

Dreadfully expensive!!
BTW, my peppermint and spearmint have grown together in the same bed, west side of the house, shaded by a "dormer" type back door. They haven't spread.
The chocolate mint has been spreading on the west side of the garage, and in other beds.
I Does smell like an Andes Mint.
Wish I had bought/planted some apple mint when I had the chance...

 

[digitS']

Limoncello basil

Interesting that it is named for the cocktail liqueur. That appeals to me . Perhaps it is an interesting blend of citrus and licorice flavors.

We have "lemon basil" each year. It's a good choice for baked fish and a variation for noodles.

Steve

 

[heirloomgal]

My old pepper seeds are all sprouting so well, I can't quite believe it. They have been pokier than the old tomato seeds, but they are coming up with near perfect germ rates. Wow. My basement is chilly at floor level, cold enough that I need a thick pillow to sit on to file stuff down there in the totes. But, I didn't know if that was sufficient. I grow mostly new things every year, so I haven't had a whole lot of chance to double back and really see where I was at with these. Given how much I love seeds & seed saving it feels kinda thrilling to see they really are storing so well.

I got to planting a couple basils too. I selected 2 Ocimum basilicum varieties, I'll keep one in the greenhouse so they don't cross. 'Maui Lime' was collected by a couple in BC who were visiting Maui and collected seeds from plants growing there. Not related to the one that usually goes by that name. The other is a regrow from 2024, 'Siam Queen'. Photos aren't representative, but the flower heads on these were huge! Almost like basil hydrangeas, lol. It was an interesting variety, very unlike Genovese. More hints of clove and southeast Asian flavors. Good in dishes with coconut milk and rice noodles. I planted a small ocean of seeds.

 

[annagracer1]

Seed saving is an essential part of my garden and garden activities. For several years now I have been growing, on a bit of a focus rotation, a number of different vegetables, and flowers, to build a 'seed ark'. Heirloom tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas have been the main crops, but I've also experimented with some unusual plants like morelle de balbis, Job's tears, spilanthes, sorghum, roselle, papalo, ashwaghanda, and cotton. I'm especially curious about unusually coloured vegetables, or those with unique growing habits, like velvet & variegated foliage tomatoes, purple potatoes or golden snow peas. However, I still hold a deep affection and appreciation for the 'old favourites' like Nantes carrots, Blue Lake beans or Bonnie Best tomatoes. New or old, I enjoy delicious and beautiful garden plants and vegetables.

In any summer, I'll choose a few different vegetables or flowers and try many different varieties. I'll grow anywhere from 10 to 100 different varieties of that crop to see the differences in their tastes, performance and productivity. Along with the 4 main seed saving crops I mentioned above, I've done trials of carrots, patty pan squash, pumpkins, zucchini, lettuce varieties, morning glories, basil, swiss chard, spinach, leeks, nigellas, watermelons, sunflowers, wild (er) type eggplants, kale, English sweet pea flowers, potatoes, poppies and beets.

This year I'm focusing mainly on beans for both fresh and dry use, but also peppers and peas.
We're only just beginning the season, but here are a few photos for 2021!

'Livingston's Pie Squash'
View attachment 41178

'Amarillo Armadillo' Tomato (with eggshell fragments on top)
View attachment 41179

'Blue Jade' dwarf corn
View attachment 41180

'Red Emmalie', 'Amarosa', 'Purple Magic'and 'Peruvian Purple' potatoes
View attachment 41181View attachment 41182

'Alba Regia' bell pepper
View attachment 41183

Black sesame seed plants
View attachment 41184

'Bullnose' pepper
View attachment 41185

'Petite Yellow' watermelon
View attachment 41186

"Genovese' sweet basil
View attachment 41187

You mentioned growing many varieties together, but for some crops that increases the chance of unintended crossing. Also adding notes about isolation distance, population size, or how you maintain varietal purity would help others who want to follow a similar path without losing traits over time.

 

[heirloomgal]

Spent the whole evening thinning seedlings and transplanting the selected ones to larger pots. Feels great to be done! Looking at my Physalis peruviana seedlings I'm reminded of how important it is to not let them sit too long without transplanting. The ones in the yogurt container were just back ups I kept in case I lost any of the transplanted 4, but they have not grown at all compared to the ones I moved. The difference is huge.

My old pepper seed experiment. These cell packs are the job for tomorrow. I'm still amazed at this level of germination! The lone purple seedling is 'Murasaki Purple'. I'm not sure why its the only one like that, but I'm guessing its that purple color. That anthocyanin seems to create an influence that makes seeds a little harder to wake up, wildness I suppose. There are Cossack Pineapple ground cherries next to them, which were not my seeds. Those I bought new.

The empty cells here are planted with seed varieties I bought from Atlantic Pepper Seeds 2 years ago. I'm surprised nothing sprouted. They must have been REALLY old because all my old seeds sprouted. I have not found the germ rates on their peppers seeds very good generally anyway. All the purple seedlings were late to sprout too, so are smaller than the greens. But they still all sprouted at nearly 100%. Even my tomatoes that have anthocyanin have been later sprouters this year too.

@Blue-Jay 's 'Woodstock Girl'!

I don't know how many of these cell packs I transplanted between yesterday and today, but it was A LOT. It didn't seem to me I had that many tomatoes, but after today my back feels differently. I had one brain malfunction and got 2 seedlings boggled up, they'll either be 'Amethyst Cream' or 'My Dancing Green Fingers', very easy to tell apart since one is white and purple and one is green.

The 6-8 weeks before frost seed planting window we're in is passing by like a flash! I'm enjoying it so much, but the fatigue is really starting to kick in, lol. I was kinda thrilled to see today that both my quillquiña seeds and chufa nuts are sprouting, along with almost all the basils! Can't wait until tomorrow! It was a lunar planting day of rest today for seeds, but tomorrow some more go in!

Planting Calendar

This planting calendar helps you pick the best days for gardening tasks based a 200-year-old formula. Our readers swear by it! Learn more.

www.farmersalmanac.com

 

[Decoy1]

It was a lunar planting day of rest today for seeds, but tomorrow some more go in!

Planting Calendar

This planting calendar helps you pick the best days for gardening tasks based a 200-year-old formula. Our readers swear by it! Learn more.

www.farmersalmanac.com

Amazing germination on your pepper seeds. Great stuff.

I don’t know whether it’s a British thing but I’m used to distinguishing quite strictly between sowing and planting. So when the calendar talks of planting I read it as planting out established seedlings or small plants. But I think it means what I would call sowing? Is that distinction kept to less in US and Canada?