A Seed Saver's Garden

[flowerbug]

Does anybody here dehydrate onions? I tried it in my cheapo dehydrator a few years back and it just burns them. Any advice?

hmm, i'd try a microwave on the lowest power setting and keep an eye on them until i knew what time i needed to leave them in for. if i'd seen this post last last Monday i'd have done it myself to see how it worked. if i get a chance and remember this coming Monday i'll give it a whirl - i have a lot of small onions i can experiment with but i have to remember to do it... haha...

we hardly ever use the minced dried onions or onion powder i keep on hand for emergencies - mainly because we do grow some onions and have those to use but also because we often buy them and have them on-hand.

at times i've frozen chopped onions for later use and like those better than dehydrated onions.

 

[heirloomgal]

If I can get my hands on some seeds and grow it well enough I'll send you some @Zeedman When I saw this variety I couldn't believe my eyes, and the grower who was selling it is not super far away from me. They looked even longer in his photo. I've had my eye on it for a number of years; the fellow selling it though has a kind of strange website and check out procedure which gives me pause. He also is charging some enormous shipping rate and there is not much else on his site I'd really want (I'm not much into reapers and scorpions etc.) so I'd basically be shelling about 20 bucks for 10-15 seeds. Couldn't bring myself to that no matter how much I want it.

Also, I think 'Spaghetti Pepper' would be a much better name!

 

[ducks4you]

I fermented the watermelon seeds. They are now ripening in a bowl in the cupboard. Close enough that any of my cats can keep a mouse at bay. DRY enough to cure them. I was amazed that the seeds really did sink or float.

 

[heirloomgal]

The seeds are all collected, sorted and drying down for 2021. Another month or 2 in paper bags and envelopes and I'll transfer to glass or slip Ziploc baggies over the envelopes. One of my seed saving goals is to eventually become my own 'seed store' so I no longer need to order from companies or go to greenhouses. Easier said than done as the itch to experiment and try new things will probably continue. I can still indulge for now as the ark is not sufficiently filled yet anyway. That said, I almost never buy from greenhouses anymore unless it's something super special, or super rare. So that is one sub-goal I can scratch from the list. There is still some pretty neat varieties of peas and beans out there that I don't have so I will continue to collect those en masse for a few years more. Peppers though, are one vegetable I'm almost at my limit of what I will add. Tomatoes are close to being at a limit too. I've got much of what I'd like to have of those, and next year I'm going to grow mostly my own seeds of both. But, I did find a few things this year (so bad, it's only November!) with these new seed merchants popping up that I couldn't resist, so in the end I will still add a few new peppers to the boat.
'Thunder Mountain Longhorn' peppers, got'em!! Took a bit of patience to wait for those to come around, but I finally found someone new & close by who sells them and shipping is only $3! Pretty excited for that one.

Also, added 'Purple UFO', 'Count Dracula' and 'Inca Red Drop' peppers (pictures below). As far as I can tell none of them are really spicy. Truth be known, I probably grow peppers in much the same way that some people grow container flowers like petunias or begonias. I think they are just so pretty and so cheerful with all their bright colours. ('Buena Mulata' was stunning!)

Also found a few new peas. "Dead Viking', 'Great Dane', 'British Wonder' and 'Arthur Reid Canning Pea'. I already have quite a few of my own I want to grow out in greater number for 2022 so I'm really not gone pile too many more peas on my list. If I can help it. 2 years ago I grew a variety called 'Sutton's Harbinger' and that was one of the finest shelling peas I've ever tried. Want to grow that one again in 2022 on a bigger scale.

It is just SO FUN looking for new kinds of seeds to try! @ducks4you has no 'canner's anonymous' and I don't have a 'seed collector's' anonymous!

 

[Zeedman]

It is just SO FUN looking for new kinds of seeds to try! @ducks4you has no 'canner's anonymous' and I don't have a 'seed collector's' anonymous!

And if you were looking for a 'seed collector's' anonymous', you wouldn't find much help here. When you fall off the seed saving wagon (or are pushed off) this is most likely where you land.

 

[heirloomgal]

Black Eyed Susan Pea - 25 seeds gave me over 3 cups of peas. About 4 feet of row space.

Spanish Skyscraper - unbelievably productive pea variety. It took down my t-post supports, so it needs something sturdy to climb for sure.

Sugaree - so sweet! Another productive variety. I really, really liked this one. It's surprising to me that the seeds are not more wrinkled.

Oregon Giant - haven't really decided if this one is as 'wow' as so many describe it. It produced loads of snow pea pods, though earwigs were able to rip the big loose pods apart pretty easily when it rained. I had to be vigilant in collecting the pods when rain threatened. I think it's worth another try.

The classic wax bean 'Brittlewax'. Somehow, ordinary as it is, I like the beans colouration.

Robin's Egg - pole bean. A new one for 2021. It fared well despite being a victim in that one shady spot I had. (Ugh, trees.) Hard to photograph though, as are all shiny beans for me.

Finally said goodbye. Breaking up is hard to do. I took them for granted when I had them, and now that they're gone, I'm craving greens again.

 

[baymule]

You need a greenhouse so you can keep your greens all winter!

 

[heirloomgal]

You need a greenhouse so you can keep your greens all winter!

Over the last couple years I considered a few times trying out greens in there through the early winter months. They'd do great during the day, it's amazing how warm it can be in there even at -20 on a sunny day. It just gets so darn cold in there at night that nothing can survive.

 

[heirloomgal]

Weighed some peas tonight for the first time. I have not grown peas for dry use before, this summer was my fisrt time, and I am happily surprised by how productive only 4 feet of row can be. (All the climbing peas got the same amount of row.) They certainly do produce well.

Black Eyed Susan Pea

Swedish Red

Magnolia Blossom - not a dry pea, but it's dry seed production was equally impressive from 25 seeds. Really, I don't have that much experience with growing tall peas. I've tended to grow varieties that are 4 feet or less because there is only so much trellis setup I have for the tall pea varieties. Most of my pea supports are shorter. But after this year seeing how much more productive the 6ft peas are, I might have to create some different set ups. Beans are so much easier - just drive in a tree trunk and voila. Those teeny tendrils are more picky with what they will climb, and they tend to fall away from supports as well. I'm going to keep looking around to get more 'super producer' dry peas. I do love pea soup!

 

[Alasgun]

our pea trellis’s look like this. 1/2 inch emt conduit with a 2x4 top and bottom then strung with twine. I drill a tight fitting hole in the 2 by, then split it back a ways on the radial arm saw, then a thru bolt and it can now be clamped where ever i want it. This worked well for the 4 ft stuff but shortly they’re falling back on themselves so next year i will add emt running over from the top to the chainlink seen in the background and have pea trellis/tunnels